Connections Magazine - October 2015 Issue

PERFECT PASTA:

EVERYTHING COCKTAILS:

Sauce Expert Reveals Tricks Of The Pasta Trade – P 8

Game-Changing Trends & Killer Craft Recipes– P 10

AUTUMN ADVENTURES & FRIGHTENING FROLICS: Celebrate Fall Fun – P 16

OCTOBER 2015

Since 1998

PLUS...

THINK PINK: Giving Back For Breast Cancer – P 12 Living Green – P 18 Pocono Secrets – P 23 Outdoor Ramblings – P 24 Classic Cars – P 25 Ask The Vet – P 26 Wellness – P 28 Area Events – P 31

It's Harvest

Time

Fall Into Autumn's Bounty Join The Settlers Inn for their Storytelling Dinner, Oct. 30th!

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oct ‘15

contents

departments ArtScene

36

Ask the Vet

26

Behavioral Medicine

28

Book Corner

22

Classic Cars

25

Drink in the Pink

13

Events Calendar

31

Everything Cocktails

10

Fall Fun Spread

16

Film Review

22

Our Towns

connectionsmagazine OCT ’15

VOL. 17 NO. 10

4

Healthy Geezer

29

Laser Vision

30

Living Green

18

Money

20

Outdoor Ramblings

24

Pocono Secrets

23

Reflections of Prison

14

BE GREEN!

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Just make sure they recycle it, too!

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features

6 8 12

IT’S HARVEST TIME The Settlers Inn in downtown Hawley is preparing for its annual Storytelling and Harvest Dinner. The beautiful and majestic arts and crafts style lodge has a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, and the farm to table food gives this establishment an unparalleled reputation. For twenty-seven years, people have flocked to the inn for this popular fall celebration, which is held the end of October.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT BOWL OF PASTA Pasta is one of the staples of the American diet, but it need not taste like a staple. “It is so much more than just grabbing a jar of generic sauce at the store, boiling some water, and mixing it all up in a bowl,” said Dave Hirschkop, the namesake of the Dave’s Gourmet (www.davesgourmet.com) line of sauces and veteran pasta and sauce aficionado.

A NIGHT FOR THE CURE We’re all family. Right? Well, we all share 99% of the human genome with each other at least. So, if we think about that for a second, we should always be there for our family. Families work together, experience hardship together and, of course, share in a lot of laughter together. So, as often as we can, in any way that we can, we need to support one another, give a helping hand, and share a smile. I guess family can be used interchangeably with community.

Cover & contents background photos from The Settlers Inn courtesy of Jumping Rocks Photography.

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news

connections

fundraisers

[YOUR] NEPA MAGAZINE president • publisher • editor in chief deborah bailey production manager meica drake account representative barry weiss editorial correction services sandi scull

WOODLOCH WILL HOST

UNITED WAY CHEFS UNITED BENEFIT DINNER ictims’ Intervention Program is a non-profit agency that provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other serious crimes such as homicide.

V

Services are provided not only to the victim but to anyone who was touched by the crime. Our services are completely confidential and provided at no cost.

Please help VIP to continue to provide these critical services to our community by supporting the annual Jeans and Jewels Dinner Dance.

Jeans and Jewels will be held at Ehrhardt’s Banquet Center on Friday, October 16, 2015. Cocktails and cash bar begin at 6:00pm with dinner at 7:00 pm.

There will be a silent auction that includes many different items for you to bid on. Additionally, there will be dancing until 10:00pm with music by EJ the DJ. The title Jeans and Jewels is exactly that – you can come in your jeans or feel free to dress up!

Reservations are $50 per person and you are welcome to reserve a table for 8 to 10 people if you are coming in a group.

Businesses and individuals can also show support by donating a silent auction item or by purchasing an ad in our program. For more details, or to make a reservation, please call 570-253-4401.

All proceeds will directly benefit victims of crime in our community. We hope to see you there!

he owners of the Woodloch Pines Resort announced that they will host the 12th Annual Chefs United Dinner at the Inn at Woodloch! The dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21st. The event will begin with cocktail hour at 5:30 and dinner at 7pm. The evening will showcase Chefs from the finest area restaurants who will prepare their restaurant specialties for everyone to enjoy. There will also be raffles and silent auction. All proceeds to benefit the United Way of Pike County.

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“I am thrilled that Woodloch will sponsor our Annual Chefs United Benefit Dinner. Woodloch is a very generous supporter of the United Way and the community at large. We are very grateful to the Kiesendahl family for hosting this event at their beautiful Woodloch Pines Resort. I also extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the chefs and restaurants that participate in this very special fundraiser. Tickets are on sale now!” said Matt Osterberg, UWPC President.

When asked about this event, Patrick Kiesendahl, Woodloch Social Director and Woodloch Owner had this to say, “The best thing about the Chefs United Benefit Dinner is the knowledge that you are supporting the United Way of Pike County and its efforts to raise money for our local human service agencies. These agencies inturn help our friends and neighbors in need. With the current economic situation, many residents need our help now more than ever. I hope you will come out and join us for a wonderful evening!”

Tickets are $50.00 per person and the evening begins at 5:30pm. This event is one of the United Way’s signature fundraiser’s. Last year the United Way funded 15 local human service agencies. Each year attendance grows as word spreads about the incredible dining experience to be enjoyed. Knowing that you are helping to raise money for a worthy cause only sweetens the experience! Appetizers and cash bar begin at 5:30 pm and dinner begins at 7 pm. To make the evening even more fun, there will be raffles and a silent auction. If you would like to purchase tickets to the Chefs United Benefit Dinner, please call Matt Osterberg, UWPC President at 570-296-9980.

For more information about the United Way of Pike County or any of its events, visit www.unitedwaypike.org, or call toll free 888-306-6963 or 570-296-9980. Further information about any of the agencies providing services in Pike County can be found at www.PikePaHelp.org.

assignment writers robin scandura allison mowatt contributing writers al hoff, Movie Review lucille norella, ArtScene barry & hillary anthony, In the Company of Books joseph tellish, PhD, Positive Behavior in Children fred cicetti, The Healthy Geezer charles curtin, Finance mark uricheck, Musically Speaking terry mooney, Reflections of a Prison Inmate arthur middleton, MD, FAPA, Behavioral Medicine michael krupa, Finance terri schlichenmeyer, Book Review la guzda, Pocono Secrets arnie milidantri, Classic Cars bill deaton, Outdoor Ramblings pike county conservation district, Living Green amy platko-williams, D.V.M, Ask the Vet mike jones, Gun Zone

connectionsmagazine 3305 Lake Ariel Highway Honesdale, PA 18431 570.647.0085 • Fax 570.647.0086 cmag@ptd.net • thinkconnections@yahoo.com www.connections-magazine.com

Connections Magazine is not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints. All advertising, including photographs, is the property of Connections Magazine and not that of the advertiser. The advertiser has purchased the right of reproduction only in Connections Magazine and does not have the right to reproduce the ads in any other place or publication. Connections Magazine reserves its rights to exercise its discretion in the selection of advertisements. © COPYRIGHT 2006 CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE

WHAT A DILEMMA To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk rejection.

To place your visions before the crowd is to risk ridicule.

To love is to risk not being loved in return. **To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

We may avoid suffering and sorrow, but we cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or know GOD. Chained by our own self-assurances, we are a slave. We have forfeited our freedom.

Only the person who dares to take risk and to trust in their GOD will ever be made FREE.

In 1997,Rev. Edwin E. Bailey, father of the editor, gave this poem to his daughter 8 days before he had a stroke and 3 weeks before he died. The poem was adapted from works by Leo Buscaglia. Edwin hand wrote this on a scrap of paper and gave it to his daughter, Deborah, saying the words, “Someday you’ll understand these words and use them. God bless sweetheart.” **These words were used in making the decision to purchase Connections Magazine in 2002.

CONNECTIONS COPYRIGHTED 2007

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food

pocono night life

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storytelling dinner

food & drink

Fall into Autumn’s Bounty with Stories, Pumpkins, and a Feast he Settlers Inn in downtown Hawley is preparing for its annual Storytelling and Harvest Dinner. The beautiful and majestic arts and crafts style lodge has a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, and the farm to table food gives this establishment an unparalleled reputation. For twenty-seven years, people have flocked to the inn for this popular fall celebration, which is held the end of October. The event includes traditional storytelling, a mouthwatering harvest feast, and the best artfully carved pumpkins in all of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Over the years, captivating tales were told and even ballads have taken center stage in the storytelling.

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Photos courtesy of Jumping Rocks Photography.

“Stories are an art form,” said Jeanne Genzlinger, Settlers Inn Proprietor and Managing Partner. “It is how people pass things down through generations.”

Marcia Dunsmore, a friend and former partner at the inn, has a passion for storytelling and spearheaded the event. “She continues to keep the event alive and is a big supporter,” said Jeanne.

This year, Sandy Gabrielson, a local resident and active community and business member, will entertain guests during the family-style seasonal meal.

“The past forty-two years I’ve spent at the Ritz Company Playhouse as an actor, director, and playwright have given me the ability to help make this annual event a success,” he said. “I will present an evening of internationally flavored tales of mystery and mayhem. I’m sure the stories and tales I share with the guests will satisfy their spiritual hunger for the macabre as completely as the meal the inn provides will satisfy their physical appetites.”

Another highlight is the uniquely carved pumpkins where hundreds adorn the Inn for several days.

Each October, Proprietor and Executive Chef Grant Genzlinger and David Dunsmore tour the countryside looking for the perfect pumpkins for these intricate carvings. The pumpkins only last for three days and the carving begins the Thursday before the event.

The public is invited to come to the inn to watch Grant and David carve and even help hollow out the pumpkins. People are asked to call ahead for details.

The Storytelling Dinner takes place in the Undercroft Room on Friday, October 30th. The gathering begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by the storytelling. People are invited to stroll through the inn and take in the artful pumpkins before dinner. The event is $65 per person and reservations are required.

Why not make it a getaway? Come for the Storytelling Dinner and stay the night in a Queen Room for $99. The Settlers Inn is located at 4 Main Ave, Hawley, PA. For more information, call 570-226-2993 or visit www.thesettlersinn.com. Reserve your spot for the Storytelling Dinner today or plan on visiting the inn this fall where you can enjoy a glass of wine or a steaming beverage in front of the crackling fire or in the cozy tavern and then treat yourself to a lovely meal in the main dining area. Let the harvest season at Settlers Inn be an experience you will remember forever and make a tradition.

The Creative Team behind the Dishes: Ben Sutter, Chef de Cuisine As Chef de Cuisine, Ben Sutter assists Executive Chef and Proprietor, Grant Genzlinger, in creating handcrafted farm-to-table meals, which always complement the seasons, making it one of The Settlers Inn’s signature hallmarks. The two work closely with local farmers, markets, purveyors, and vendors in developing relationships and then bring only the best, freshest ingredients from the farms, right to the kitchen and then the dinner table.

Before coming to The Settlers Inn, Ben worked

Storytelling Dinner Menu: 1st Course Served Family Style: • Mountain Dell Farm Salad with Asian Pears and Rum Soaked Figs • Crispy Leraysville Cheddar Bites with Tait Farm Apple Pepper Jam • Cider and Ale Braised Pork Belly • Roasted Golden and Red Lato Sud Farm Beets with Ricotta Salata

E n t r é e : (Choose one) • Stuffed Portobello Caps, Ricotta Leek Fennel Celeriac Stuffing, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Sherry-Syrah Sauce • Rosemary Rubbed Forks Farm Chicken Roulade, Port Thyme Sauce, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Broccolini • Pan Seared Salmon, Local Apple & Horseradish Saute, Wild Rice & Farm Vegetable • Braised Beef Osso Bucco, Pumpkin Walnut Hash, Cabernet Jus Lie

D e s s e r t : (Choose one) • Settlers Inn English Toffee Pudding • Pumpkin Crème Brulee • Double Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

under other great chefs throughout Hollywood and interned at the famed Bel Air Hotel and the exclusive Montage Resort in Laguna Beach. In addition, he ran the kitchen at Palm West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard. He moved back to the East Coast to raise his family with his wife, Rebecca, and heard of an opening at The Settlers Inn. He grew fond of country inns in high school, working at The Inn in New Berlin where he apprenticed under Chef Scott Brouse.

At the Settlers, Ben creates the evolving menus and specials. He is especially excited about the harvest season, which brings hearty meats, warm spices, and wonderful produce. “One of our farmers grows butternut squash specifically for us,” he said. “Some of the squash are thirty pounds apiece! We’ve utilized one and a half tons of butternut squash in our dishes in a given harvest season.”

The recipes reflect the chillier weather, such as one of the Settlers Inn’s renowned fall favorites, the butternut squash soup, which is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, and brown sugar. In addition, the fall menu showcases produce like potatoes,

beets, cabbage, apples, pears, pumpkins, brussels sprouts, root vegetables, nuts, and spinach.

With the arrival of fall, the wines are deeper, the meat is richer, the soups are heartier, and the desserts are spicier.

“We really focus on seasonality here,” Ben added.

“Customers look forward to autumn dishes with deep, rich flavors recognizable as being local to the area in as many aspects as possible. It’s something they harmonize with.”

Ben is certified through the Culinary Institute of America.

Kate Woehrle, Sous Chef Kate has been at the Settlers Inn since June 2012.

She is from New York and attended Orange Ulster BOCES for two years, completing her training at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Mountains, NY. Kate relocated to Pennsylvania to cook at the Settlers Inn. “My philosophy on food and cooking is to create meals that leave a lasting memory,” she said.

“Fall brings forth food that allows you to create depth of flavor. Summer is great with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and zucchini, but these foods taste wonderful without needing much from the chefs. Fall allows us to use creativity to really pull flavor out of the fall crop.”

Fall Food and Wine Events: October 3rd Oktoberfest from noon to 5 p.m. at the Hawley Silk Mill. This event is $10 per person and features food, local beer tastings and music.

October 12th Columbus Day Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Settlers Inn. Enjoy an A la carte menu and live piano music at the Settlers Inn. Reservations are required (570) 226-2993.

October 30th 70s Halloween Disco Party from 8 p.m. to midnight at Glass—wine.bar.kitchen. at Ledges Hotel. The event features DJ & emcee Mr. David of Florida’s Copacabana as well as costume prizes. There is no cover charge.

November 13th Father and Son Italian Wine Dinner at 7 p.m. at the Settlers Inn. Grant and Justin Genzlinger share the kitchen to prepare an Italian feast. The dinner is $95 per person and reservations are required.

November 11th Veterans Appreciation at the Settlers Inn and Ledges Hotel. Both properties honor veterans with a night of complmentary lodging. Plus, a fireside chat and wine and cheese tasting, from 4 to 6 p.m. Reserve by calling Settlers Inn (phone number provided above) or Ledges Hotel (570) 226-1337.

November 25th Thanksgiving Eve 80s Party from 8 p.m. to midnight at Glass at Ledges Hotel. Flashback to the 80s with live music by Gone Crazy. Costumes are encouraged. There is no cover charge.

November 26th Thanksgiving Dinner to Go from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mill Market. Pick up your traditional Thanksgiving meal. Take-out orders are accepted through November 24th. The to-go meal is $25 per person. To reserve, call (570) 390-4440.

November 26th Thanksgiving Dinner from noon to 6:30 p.m. at the Settlers Inn. Celebrate the holiday at the Inn with a traditional farm-to-table feast. The dinner is $49 per person and reservations are required.

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food & drink

perfect pasta

t c e f r Pe

How To Make the

Bowl of Pasta

Sauce Expert Reveals Tricks of The Pasta Trade asta is one of the staples of the American diet, but it need not taste like a staple.

P

“It is so much more than just grabbing a jar of generic sauce at the store, boiling some water and mixing it all up in a bowl,” said Dave Hirschkop, the namesake of the Dave’s Gourmet (www.davesgourmet.com) line of sauces and veteran pasta and sauce aficionado. “There are subtle secrets in every step of the process from choosing the sauce, boiling the water, and plating the finished meal, that can take an everyday dull meal and turn it into a gourmet dining experience.”

He should know. His sauces have been named tops in the industry by the Sofi Awards two years running, making him a recognized expert in designing the perfect bowl of pasta.

His tips include:

1}

Choosing the Pasta

If you want a great pasta experience, choose a variety of pasta that receives the sauce and spices well. Thinner, more delicate shapes should pair with lighter, thinner sauces.

Pick pasta made from durum wheat. A slightly rougher pasta or shaped pasta holds the sauce better.

2}

Choosing the Sauce

3}

Boiling the Pasta

Good marinara is made primarily from tomatoes, not tomato paste. If your sauce ingredients list paste, water or sugar as the first ingredient, then you need to put the jar down slowly and back away from it. Some sauces make a better base so don’t be afraid to doctor them with meat, cheese, or fresh veggies. Also, to keep your pasta love life interesting, experiment with different flavors of sauce (tomato cream, butternut, wild mushroom, etc.).

Use plenty of water, add salt to it, and never put dry pasta in the water until it has reached a rolling boil. Stir occasionally and, once the pasta nears the minimum cooking time on the package, start tasting it. Take the pasta out when it is al dente or a little firm. The pasta will continue to cook a little after you take it out.

4}

Heating the Sauce

For an even more flavorful pasta dish, take the pasta out of the water a few minutes early and let it finish cooking in the sauce.

5}

Plating the Pasta

6}

Preparing the Bread

When you strain the pasta, do not run water over the pasta unless you are making a cold pasta salad. Make sure to strain really well as nobody likes watery pasta. Place a ladle of sauce at the bottom of your serving bowl before dumping the cooked pasta in. Then, ladle generous amounts of sauce into the bowl, and toss the pasta so the sauce is evenly distributed. Then you can add extra sauce to each plate according to your dinner guests’ tastes. You might want to garnish each plate with some fresh basil or even parsley. Freshly grated Parmesan or Parmesan Reggiano is a great touch and tasty.

The bread is important because at the end of the meal, a good textured bread can be used to soak up the excess sauce in the plate. To make the most of the bread, bake it for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees. This will make for toasty nooks and crannies that will capture the sauce in your plate without letting the bread go limp or soggy. Garlic bread can also be a delicious alternative.

“A great pasta meal is all about the details and the creative flair,” Dave added. “If you take care to pay attention to those details and put forth a tiny bit of extra effort, every pasta meal at home can be a gourmet meal you can be proud of.”

About Dave Hirschkop Dave's Gourmet (www.davesgourmet.com) is the result of Dave owning and managing a small restaurant near the University of Maryland, which taught him a lot about preparing food and satisfying customers.

He uses that experience with Dave’s Gourmet, which after 18 years has grown into a maker of more than 70 award-winning gourmet food products.

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entertainment

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wmh auxiliary fundraiser

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think pink

a night for the cure

“

Bike and Irving Cliff brave woman stood Brewery. up a few years ago, It gets better With over 400 attendees wanting to change and nearly 200 prizes to be every year! It’s a just one person’s mind. auctioned off to winners, the scene is full of energy, inspiShe didn’t know who that great night to get ration, and lots of laughter, person was in particular, especially when listening to together with friends, but she knew what she had the comedic quips of the to do. You see, Selina show support for evening’s emcee, Brad Kiesendahl, co-owner of the McHugh was marred in her survivors and caregivers, resort. own battle, realizing that year’s event netted and raise money for a nearlyLast until you’re fighting the fight $18,000, 100% of you really have no idea which benefits the Susan G. great cause.

Komen Breast Cancer what the fight is about.

– Bob Kiesendahl Foundation. 50% of the dolThus, “A Night for the Cure” lars raised stay right here in was born. The uplifting Northeast Pennsylvania for evening is about inspiration, support, and education, screening and treatment grants, and 50% goes towards cancer research. maybe most importantly, laughter and smiles.

A

This year, Woodloch Resort will host the 8th annual “A Night for the Cure,” a tricky-tray event designed to raise awareness, funds, inspiration, and hope in the fight against breast cancer. The doors open at 5 p.m. on the Nightclub at the award-winning resort on Sunday, October 18th, and as you step into the room, the energy can be intoxicating and positively pink!

The evening will feature over 200 items donated by local individuals and businesses, as well as wine and beer tastings, hors d’oeuvres, a dessert table, and a 50/50 raffle. Guests will enjoy live entertainment and have the chance to win overnight stay packages at the area’s leading resorts and hotels, a big-screen LED television, dining out gift certificates, unique gift baskets, and much more! This year will have some new, fun additions (as this night is ALL about having fun) like the NEPA Party

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”

“It gets better every year! It’s a great night to get together with friends, show support for survivors and caregivers, and raise money for a great cause,” said Bob Kiesendahl, co-owner of Woodloch Resort, co-founder of Hope Cures, and a leukemia survivor.

If you’ve been to this event in the past, you know, when you step foot in that door for the first time, you’re family. Family and community stick together. And Selina has changed the minds of thousands and helped raise tens of thousands of dollars in the process to help those who find themselves in the same situation that she was once in. So, if you’re looking for more information about Hope Cures and this October’s great event, you can visit www.bkhopecures.org/trickytray or call 570.685.8002.

giving back

think pink

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reflections

from inside

“Easily Derailed” Reflections of a Prison Inmate

By Terry Mooney

his young woman is very quiet and laid back. She seems to take things as they come, but from the story she tells below, being a little fiercer about where she is going in life will make it a whole lot better.

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My Story There were two of us children born into a typical middle class suburban family. Through the years, we were always part of a neighborhood scene, kids playing together. My dad owned a company in the city so he was always working. My mom worked at home, so she was always there.

I wasn’t a star pupil but I was a good student with average grades. When we moved to the mountains, I was starting fifth grade. While growing up, we moved a few times and always made a smooth transition, blending into our surroundings and becoming part of the neighborhood.

When I was in the eighth grade, I met a boy in my school and we became friends. We lived in a community on a big lake, and we started hanging out together, swimming and going out on someone’s boat. My mom and his mom became best friends. It was like one big family.

Everybody knew that this boy had battled cancer, some kind of lymphoma with some long crazy name. At this point, he was in remission. All of my friends thought I was crazy and stuff for trying to be with someone who could die at any moment. But still he was part of the group. We were too young to be serious but in the summer we were together every day.

At the end of that summer, he got sick again. He was in the children’s hospital in Philadelphia for about six weeks.

His mom, dad, my mom and I were allowed to stay over in his room for a week. We went home because I had to go back to school. Shortly after we left, he died.

Although I was relieved that I wasn’t there to see him pass away, I struggled with losing him. I think maybe I never really processed the sad effect it had on me. While this was going on, my grades suffered. I think back now that if you’re a young person and another young person you care about dies, a little something in you dies too. I mean, why bother? I could be dead too and then what?

So I had to repeat the eighth grade, and I feel like from there I didn’t try as hard as I used to. It was an added blow because now I was in the same grade as my little brother.

We actually had classes together. It was weird. I completed tenth grade, and finally convinced my parents to let me drop out and get my GED, which I never did.

When I was nineteen, I was at my house with one of my friends, and just out of the blue I decided to try opiates like everyone I knew. I had held out all this time, and yet I suddenly just decided to do it. I think it was more out of boredom, and also curiosity about what was so great about sniffing a crushed up pill. That’s all it took; I was immediately hooked. The high was all about not feeling anything sad or uncomfortable, no anxiety, no worries. I really liked it.

My friend continued to supply me with the pills because I had just started using them, so I didn’t need that many. As my tolerance grew, I had to start paying for them. At this point I was working as a waitress so the money wasn’t bad, but I was blowing it all on drugs. I managed to keep the job for about two years. Although I’d ended up a full blown drug addict, I still managed to get an even better job at another restaurant where I was making even more money. I didn’t think about the fact that they closed in the winter, so eventually I was out of work.

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A guy in our group was visiting at my house one day and brought some heroin. He asked if I ever did it and I said no but I really wanted to. Since I wasn’t working, I could feed my habit for a third of the cost. For the first time, I was experiencing dope sickness because I no longer could afford the pills. Heroin took care of that for me.

Around this time, I knew a local boy in my community and he asked me out. He was using too. Everything got so bad after that. We lived between both our parents’ houses and managed to keep our drug use a secret. One of his friends told us about a room for rent where he lived so we moved there. This eliminated any possible scrutiny by our parents. At this point, I really didn’t think my parents knew about the drugs. But moving turned out to be a big mistake.

Eventually, I got a job at a fast food restaurant. Always late for work, I had trouble waking up, between going to bed late and taking time to use before work so as not to get sick.

I got fired. It turns out that the friend we were living with had a warrant out for his arrest. One afternoon, an entire fleet of police surrounded the house. They arrested him; then they wanted to talk to me. While searching the house, they found various drug-related paraphernalia. I was arrested on the spot.

My parents found out about my arrest by hearing it on the news. They were shocked and upset, but still they allowed us to move in with them. We both went to rehab. We knew that we had to get clean if we were going to stay together and stay out of jail. It was a thirty day program. We finished the thirty days and used drugs the day after we got out. We still didn’t get it.

In time, both of us ended up doing multiple stints in jail due to the drugs. One time, I even was turned in by a close friend. That’s when I stopped using for good. Last winter, when the two of us got out of jail, we were not using and were finally together again. He proposed to me and I accepted. We both vowed not to use anymore.

By the spring, I found out I was pregnant. He still had to serve a previous five month jail sentence. Because I was on probation and not allowed to visit him, I couldn’t even break the good news. His sister got to tell him we were going to have a baby. Then when he got out, I had to go to jail for another charge.

In the end, I’ve been attending the HOPE program, which is helping me become grounded and make better decisions.

It’s a relief not to have to deal with a drug addiction. It’s not worth all that it costs, freedom, money, health and wellbeing. It takes over your life; everything becomes about getting a fix. That initial “fun” turns into hell on earth.

I am also finally working on getting my GED while in the Pike County Correctional Facility. I am three-quarters of the way through, studying hard and being tutored three times a week, passing the exams. I am repairing a lot of what has broken in my life, even though I’m still not sure why or how it broke. But it does show that if we are not even a little fierce about where we are going in life, it is easily derailed.

My fiancé, I and my parents are very excited about the upcoming birth. I will be released before the baby is born, and his father is expected to be home as well. Yes, we’re having a baby boy! We are both committed to being good parents, clean and sober. If we stay fierce about where we are going, I think we’ll be okay.

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17

Stengthening –By Bethany Keene

Your Relationship... With Your Land fenced area 8 feet wide and 100 feet long may seem like a strange design choice, but it keeps the deer out of the apple orchard—and is just one of the many examples of how Kenna and Walt Levendosky have found creative ways to live in harmony with their land.

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For many landowners, a relationship with the land is just like any other relationship in life—it requires an investment of time and effort, tends to grow and change over the years, and comes with its own set of unique and unanticipated challenges. And, like any healthy relationship, the energy invested is returned tenfold.

Kenna, her sister Karen, and their father, Ken Knapp, protected their 220 acres of forests and meadows in Delaware County, New York in 2002. The sprawling 29-room historic homestead on the property, built in 1797, once belonged to attorney Samuel Sherwood, a congressman during the James Madison administration. Kenna and her family have owned it for three generations, since moving from Wyoming in 1944.

Though they had numerous offers to develop the land, the family refused them all, deciding instead to work with the Delaware Highlands Conservancy to place a conservation easement on the property.

Located on the West Branch of the Delaware River, the forests help to ensure that the water quality in the river—upstream of New York City’s Cannonsville Reservoir, a source of drinking water for millions— remains pristine. And the great blue herons and bald eagles that roost in their tall, healthy hemlock trees have safe habitat.

Now, Kenna and her husband, Walt, live on the property and are finding that stewarding the land— or, more accurately, sharing a love of the land—is a way of life.

Kenna, who has attended two Women and Their Woods (WaTW) retreats, explains, “I think the whole family has to be involved in caring for the land—and women are at the heart of the family. They often spend the most time with the children; they get them outdoors—one of our granddaughters got into the woods and said, ‘Oh, this is much better than the house!”

At the WaTW retreats, Kenna learned about various forest management practices and made helpful contacts with other landowners and professionals—Jim Finley, professor of forest resources at Penn State, helped them come up with their unique fence design for the orchard. Deer won’t jump into such a narrow

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space, fearing it’s a trap. “Using this method, we have completely avoided deer damage!” Kenna explains.

Protected lands also offer abundant opportunities for proactively making improvements. Their 30 by 80 foot vegetable garden is room enough for dozens of plants that the family enjoys all year. For pollinators like butterflies and bees who rely on a variety of native flowering plants, the Levendoskys have planted bee balm, milkweed, thimbleberries, and goldenrod in their flower garden and orchard, and have installed nesting chambers for native bees in the form of bamboo tubes lined with parchment paper. (See photo above) To restore and stabilize their steep riverbank—the site of an old railroad track that is beginning to erode—they are planning a big planting project with native seed mixes and saplings, including silver maple, beech, and yellow birch.

But a strong relationship with the land also means appreciating nature for its own sake. As Kenna writes of observing the changing seasons, “In winter, snows blanket forests, fields, streams; white silence broken only by cross-country skis sliding through snow crystals. Full moon casts long shadows on lawn and meadows. Late January early morning brings the aroma of maple syrup boiling in a partitioned arched pan mounted over red hot wood coals. As morning awakes, sun rises overhead accelerating the metronome of sap striking metal buckets. We ride through the woods on a bobsled carrying us and a 500 gallon collection vat. Like honeybees, we move from maple tree to tree gathering crystal-clear sap into buckets hung from wooden yokes. Down at the sap house, syrup boils thicker and thicker, passing to end of boiling pan where it drains out a spigot, through cheesecloth into gallon cans or onto snow to congeal as jack wax.

“Spring floods pile up huge cakes of ice, blocking river’s flow as children lie alongside the Little Delaware collecting fish frozen in ice – to take home

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for the cats. Ice jams break up or are dynamited.

Spring floods signal end of ice and snow as we shoot over rapids past giant whirlpools.

“Before leaf canopy opens in late April, forest soils erupt with spring beauties; white, pink and purple hepatica; trout lilies; wood violets; jack-inthe-pulpits; Dutchmen’s breaches; squirrel corn and carpets of bright green leaks. Once sugar maples begin to leaf out, syrup turns dark, spiles are pulled and sapping is over. In late Spring, fishing season begins in earnest. We work rich soils and plant beginnings of vegetable gardens.

“In Summer, we celebrate the river in all its facets. Children build ponds in river’s edge and impound captured minnows there. We pursue native brook trout and rainbows in smaller streams and brooks in anticipation of delicious pink meat.

Evenings we fish quiets waters for bass from rowboats fashioned by hand.

“Early Fall brings a harvest of blackberries, blueberries, apples for canning and freezing. In late September-early October, from high on woodland ledges, we view landscapes transformed to a sea of red, maroon and gold. As one of the children exclaims, ‘There is SO much to do here!’”

Deciding to protect a cherished piece of land is only the beginning of a lifelong relationship. To care for the land, it is necessary to connect to it—to observe patiently, to spend time wandering, to learn from others, and to be willing to try and see what works and what doesn’t. To truly steward the land is to strike a careful balance among resolving any problems that arise, finding opportunities to make improvements that will also benefit nature and wildlife, and taking time to appreciate it for its inherent beauty and value.

Learn more about the Delaware Highlands Conservancy and the Women and Their Woods program at www.DelawareHighlands.org.

Bethany Keene is the Outreach and Events Coordinator for the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, a nonprofit, accredited land trust dedicated to protecting our healthy lands, clean waters, eagles and eagle habitat, and quality of life in the Upper Delaware River region of PA and NY. Founded in 1994, the Conservancy has directly protected more than 14,000 acres of land and coordinates a variety of educational events and community initiatives throughout the year. For more information on the Conservancy and how we connect people to the lands where they live, work, and play, visit www.DelawareHighlands.org, call 570-226-3164 or 845583-1010, or email info@delawarehighlands.org.

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19

money

investing

HARVESTING An Investment

Charles Curtin, JD, LLM – Trust Officer, The Honesdale National Bank

scooped ice cream at a local dairy to earn some spending money as a teenager – and I loved it. Not only did I have instant access to my favorite dessert, I also stood out as the only boy working in the place.

I

That summer job gave me social connections I could only dream about as a painfully shy person.

I remember a few coworkers who also went to school with me tell me that the first time they actually heard my voice was inside the ice cream shop.

We witnessed firsthand how the dairy owners worked sun up to sundown, raising cows and tending to their vast farmlands. To this day, I remain in awe of their work ethic.

My former employer is one of the many dairies and farms in this area. Farming is a way of life here, going back generations. Since it is now fall, busy season has descended. Our agricultural brethren are in the process of harvesting fall crops and, hopefully, reaping the benefits of a good growing season.

The work of investing is certainly not as physically taxing as farming. But, a true investor, like a farmer, cultivates investments to realize a profit.

When an investment is ready to be picked, the savviest often do their own harvesting — tax harvesting, that is.

Tax harvesting, in its simplest form, is when an investor sells an investment currently at a loss to offset those

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nasty capital gains taxes on other investments. For example, say you bought $1,000 worth of shares of PetSmart and a $1,000 worth of shares of Facebook in 2008.

Today, the PetSmart shares are worth $0 and the Facebook shares are worth tens of thousands of dollars. You can sell the PetSmart shares for a loss of $1,000 and then sell some of the Facebook shares at a gain. If the sales are completed in the same tax year, the $1,000 loss on the PetSmart stock can offset the Facebook capital gains up to $1,000.

The example above shows that tax harvesting is an excellent technique to reduce capital gains taxes. But, before tending to your investment field, there are a few things to take note of when picking your crop.

I have not met many — er, any — Americans who want to pay more in taxes. Most, in fact, despise taxes. They would rather experience root canal than hand over more of their hard-earned dollars to the government, making the idea of tax harvesting enticing.

However, it is not advised to engage in tax harvesting to spite the government. Your investment portfolio ebbs and flows. Sometimes an investment will lose value for several years and then skyrocket because of market conditions.

Just because a particular item in the portfolio is not performing does not mean it should be sold to save taxes. When considering tax harvesting, a deep look at the performance and prospects of the investment must be made before selling.

An investment that has lost value for decades is a much better candidate for sale than one that has seen a few rough quarters in a row but may be poised to make a comeback.

Second, tax harvesting’s sole purpose is to offset losses against taxable gains. It is important to not overdo selling of loss assets. If the portfolio, during the year, realizes losses greater than its gains, tax rules allow up to $3,000 of those excess losses to be deducted against ordinary income, with any amounts over $3,000 to be carried over to a future tax year.

From a long-term investment standpoint, it could be better to hold on to loss investments that are in excess of the gains because their ` value as a deduction against ordinary income is limited. In the years losses are carried over, the investment could, in

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fact, be rebounding or your income situation could change wherein the deduction may not be so worthwhile.

The IRS lacks a sense of humor.

It does not like when taxpayers deliberately try to avoid paying their “fair” share. Years ago, investors began selling loss investments and then buying the same investment back shortly afterwards. The sales were made only for the purpose of harvesting the losses. The “washsale” rules enacted in 1921 disallow this technique. The rule provides that if the same asset is sold at a loss and then repurchased within 30 days, the initial loss will be disallowed. For example, if an investor sells stock of Clorox for the purpose of harvesting a loss, he or she would have to wait 30 days to repurchase it. The loss transaction and the subsequent repurchase are considered a “wash” with no purpose other than to avoid taxes.

Finally, if the investment account is with a brokerage, the buying and selling will create transaction costs and fees. Often these fees are quite hard to decipher. The tax savings garnered by tax harvesting must be compared against the transaction costs the broker will charge. It may not be worth selling a loss investment for tax savings alone because of the high fees associated with its sale.

As 2015 begins its slow march towards 2016, it is time to begin assessing your tax situation and making the decision whether to harvest your investment gains and losses before year’s end. If you do require assistance on how to farm your investments, contact one of the great advisors here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, because, as I like to say, “Local advice is often the best advice.”

The Honesdale National Bank and its employees do not render legal, tax, or accounting advice. Accordingly, you and your attorneys and accountants are ultimately responsible for determining the legal, tax, and accounting consequences of any suggestions offered herein. Furthermore, all decisions regarding financial, tax, and estate planning will ultimately rest with you and your legal, tax, and accounting advisors. Any description pertaining to federal taxation contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by you or any other person, for the purpose of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. This disclosure is made in accordance with the rules of Treasury Department Circular 230 governing standards of practice before the Internal Revenue Service.

financial crisis

money

Are You Prepared to Handle a

Personal Financial Crisis –Provided by Michael Krupa

any people who were once married or in a committed relationship are faced with managing finances alone at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, the first time many individuals experience handling complicated financial matters is during a personal crisis following the death or divorce of a spouse or partner.

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We’ve prepared a list of thought-provoking questions pertaining to financial fitness and crisis preparedness. You can use these as a starting point to check how prepared you are to handle a personal financial crisis in your life. Begin by reviewing the questions, determine what you’ve already done, and check those items off the list. For the questions you need to address or take action on, seek the advice of professional advisors and trusted family members.

Asset management • Do I have a clear picture of where my assets are located?

• Will my retirement assets provide a comfortable and secure retirement for my life expectancy?

• Do I have a well-diversified portfolio?

• Are my investments appropriate in today’s economy?

• Are my assets titled properly?

• Do I have an emergency fund?

• Am I taking advantage of techniques to reduce my taxes?

Estate planning • Do I have a will?

• Is my will current?

• Have I determined what I will owe in estate taxes?

• Have I funded my estate-tax liability?

• Have I explored and taken advantage of wealth-transfer

techniques?

• Do I wish to provide for charitable giving?

• Are my power of attorney and my living will up to date?

Debt management • Do I know my credit rating?

• Could I get a loan if I applied?

Insurance coverage • Do I have enough insurance coverage to cover medical expenses?

• To provide for disability/longterm care?

• To provide for family members’ security?

• To fund estate-tax liability?

In addition …

• Have I coordinated my advisors (attorney, CPA, banker) activities?

• What changes in my life are likely to occur within the next three years?

• Do I know the status of my parents’/childrens’ financial situation and the implications for my financial well-being?

• Would I be prepared for a family emergency if it happened tomorrow?

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide legal or tax advice. Be sure to consult with your own tax and legal advisors before taking any action that could have tax consequences. Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.

This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Michael J Krupa, Krupa Wealth Management, 614 Church Street, Honesdale PA 570-253-0121.

Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE.

Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Krupa Wealth Mangement is a separate entity from WFAFN. ©2015 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved.

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21

entertainment

book/film reviews

THE GIFT

“Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall”

By Anita Silvey, Foreword by Jane Goodall Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

ummer’s almost over and, when you go back to school, there’s one thing you’re going to miss: your dog. Or your cat, your gerbil, or your horse. Your best bud for the summer, the friend you played with all vacation long, the pal that inspires you to want to learn more about animals and their care. Learning is what one scientist did, and in “Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall”

by Anita Silvey, you’ll read about her.

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Jane Goodall loved animals almost from the day she was born.

Growing up near London, she had all kinds of pets: earthworms, dogs, chickens. “Jane loved all creatures great and small,” says Silvey, but most of all, she loved chimpanzees. he wanted more than anything to go to Africa to see them.

Though most of her early life was spent near the grounds of a London-area manor filled with animals, Goodall and her family moved to Bournemouth, England, during World War II to a coastal area where it was safer. Even there, Goodall made friends with all creatures; she even started a club for animal lovers.

Once she graduated from high school, though, “Jane didn’t really know what she wanted to do for work.” She trained as a secretary but found the job “exceedingly dull.” When an old friend whose family owned a farm in Africa invited her to visit, Goodall was beside herself with excitement. It was a dream come true!

Of course, once she got to Africa, Goodall wanted to stay, but she needed a job.

When someone suggested she visit Louis Leakey, a renowned scientist later known for his work in paleontology, it became the perfect opportunity for both of them. Jane got the job, and more: Leaky had been thinking about sending someone to study chimpanzees in the wild, but he needed the right person to do it…

“On… July 14, 1960,” says Silvey, “Jane Goodall set off for Gombe Stream Game Reserve’s… rugged country.” Her “one goal: to find the region’s elusive chimpanzees and to observe them for as long as she could.”

It was a goal that launched a career that’s made a difference in the world.

Long ago, back in the beginning of time, I wanted to be a veterinarian someday. I’ll bet that same thought has crossed your young pet-lover’s mind, too.

“Untamed” is a good way to show her that domestic pets needn’t be her only clientele.

From the cover (look at that adorable chimp!) to her notes at book’s end, author Anita Silvey gives science-minded children something inspirational in Goodall’s story. Taking the tale beyond Gombe then, Silvey shows us what Goodall is doing today, and kids will learn how they can get involved.

I appreciate that young readers will be challenged here, both with what Silvey says and how she says it. A sharp 9-year-old might tackle this book, though its content is meant more for kids a little older. With its pictures, its story, “field notes,” maps, and more, “Untamed” will be a book they’ll enjoy monkeying with.

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Joel Edgerton’s domestic thriller has a deliciously slow build that gradually reveals … well, see for yourself. Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robin (Rebecca Hall) move to Los Angles, and while shopping, they run into Gordo (Edgerton), a high school acquaintance of Simon’s, who grew up nearby. Gordo drops by with a housewarming gift and initiates a relationship. Robin feels sorry for the socially awkward Gordo, while alpha male Simon dismisses him by his old nickname, “Gordo the Weirdo.” Things grow strained between all three individuals, then ugly.

The Gift dabbles in the tropes of domestic horror — disappearing pet, running faucet, huge windows that people suddenly pop up behind — but it’s more interested in the psychological.

Specifically, how those interpersonal and emotional issues that have been left unresolved, hidden away in people like a dormant virus, can suddenly erupt and spread infection. (“Let bygones be bygones,” one character suggests. As if.)

The Gift is smart about what’s best left hidden and the fluid nature of privacy: Simon works in network-systems security but lives in a glass house; secrets, kept or revealed, are the currency of power, and some gifts are best left on the doorstep. out of 4

RICKI AND THE FLASH Meryl Streep, through the sheer force of her on-screen skills, manages to make this rowdier Lifetime movie, directed by Jonathan Demme, kinda fun. Streep plays Ricki, a middle-aged woman who has followed her dreams of rock stardom to a bar in Tarzana, where she belts out classic rock for an appreciative audience of a dozen or so. I liked these scenes and would have watched a whole shaggy-dog movie about Ricki and her band of old-timers (including Rick Springfield) playing Tom Petty and Roxy Music, while assorted barflies and divorcees told their tales over Miller Lites.

But there’s Ricki’s other family, a well-to-do crew she left back in Indiana, and a crisis with her daughter (real-life daughter Mamie Gummer) that brings her back into their orbit. And you know it’s all going to work out, and Ricki is gonna grow up a bit, and there will be a wedding where everybody will sing along and, yes, this is all terribly familiar. But everybody works hard to sell it, to pretend that the work is a bit deeper and sharper than it is, and Streep and Gummer deserve props for hitting a few satisfying tart notes. out of 4

All of these ran previously in the Pittsburgh City Paper.

orbs

Spirits Among Us Heavenly Spirit Orbs Photos

By LA Guzda While biking the towpath, I ran into a friend; his name is Ernie. As we stopped for a breather in Mt. Moriah Cemetery, I mentioned something about ghosts and spirits. Ernie asked if I believed in ghosts. “I’m not sure, but if I had to choose, I would say, yes, I do believe there are spirits or entities that exist beyond our worldly dimension or understanding.”

Ernie shared that he had recently captured an image of an orb in a photograph.

What’s an Orb? Chances are, you’ve probably seen them before—they are the curious translucent or solid circles (usually white) that appear unexpectedly in your photos. Orbs may appear in different sizes, as a single spot or as a multitude of spots grouped together.

Some people believe that orbs are more than dust particles or drops of moisture on the lens—they are proof of guardian angels, captured on camera. When these “spirit orbs” or “angel orbs” appear near a single person or a group of people in a photo, it’s a sign that they are blessed with the goodness, positive energy, and protection of angels. When orbs appear in a particular location, it’s also a sign that angels are hovering nearby and the location is particularly blessed.

Orbs have many names including globes, globules, balls of light, and hovering round balls. They appear in all ranges of brightness from bright and glowing to faded and barely visible. They are usually quite fast and follow an erratic pattern of flight. Positive orbs are believed to be the spirits of the dead. However, other theories suggest that they might be separate life forms or even nature spirits. There is no official way to determine authenticity of an orb within a photo, but a few key elements to keep in mind are: A bright orb is more likely to be real than a faded one; multiple orbs in a single photo are most likely dust motes; orbs that are bright and show a vibrating effect within the photo are likely to be real; a slight trail is also something to look for in determining a true orb.

Orbs Appear in Different Colors CLEAR ORBS Clear orbs may be a sign that an entity is trying to communicate with you. The spirit may be trying to let the living know that some kind of significant event happened in that location, and that the spirit wants help to move on.

WHITE OR SILVER ORBS Spiritually, white or silver is associated with spirituality and connection with a higher source. Some investigators believe orbs that are either white or silver in appearance are an indication that a spirit is trapped on this plane. It may also be a sign

did you know?

that the spirit is there to offer protection to the people in the area. White energy is typically perceived as highly positive in nature.

BLACK OR BROWN ORBS Spiritually, many feel that black or brown colors are associated with lower spiritual vibrations or heavy energy. Some people interpret this as evil, although it isn’t necessarily the case. When black or brown orbs appear, some investigators interpret them as a sign the area may be unsafe or negative in nature. Examine such a place with caution, and if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, leave.

RED OR ORANGE ORBS From a spiritual perspective, red and orange colors are associated with safety and security, as well as a sense of belonging.

While these warm colors are often associated with strong emotions such as anger and passion, this may not be the case when it comes to ghost orbs. Some paranormal investigators believe that a red or orange orb is a sign that an entity has assumed the role of a protector.

This could be someone who was charged in life to keep watch or be a caretaker.

GREEN ORBS In spiritual practice, green is associated with the heart. It is also associated with nature. Green orbs are sometimes thought to be an indication of the presence of a human spirit, as opposed to one that was never on Earth in human form. Likewise, green orbs may represent love or oneness with nature.

BLUE ORBS Blue is spiritually associated with psychic energy and truth. It is a very calming color, and many people associate it with spiritual guidance. Some people feel blue orbs are a sign of a calming presence or energy, while others feel they indicate the presence of a spirit guide in that location.

In Search of Orbs A few weeks later, I decided to take my camera and see if I could locate any orbs. I was told that the best place to find orbs is in a cemetery, but both of my images with an orb were taken across the street from a cemetery.

Orbs or no orbs, I happen to love cemeteries. They are a canvas of some beautiful art. They are peaceful. They tell stories of people I’ll never meet with names like Triphina, Maude, Minnie, Hugo, Cornelius, Lyman, Alva, Percival, and Leartus. My imagination runs wild creating stories, envisioning what kind of life they might have lived. So many cemeteries in our area date back to the early 1800’s.

I leave it to you to decide if these photos show a spirit from beyond. If you have any photos with orbs, especially ones of various colors, I invite you to share them at www.PoconoSecrets.com. Halloween and All Saints Day are just around the corner, a time when the ghosts, ghouls, phantoms, and spooks are very lively. Show caution as you move among them. You don’t want to upset the spirits among us…

Please visit LAGuzda.com to view these and other images.

Visit www.PoconoSecrets.com for past articles. Do you have a Pocono Secret to share? Send an email to: PoconoSecrets@aol.com

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23

lifestyle

outdoor ramblings

It’s a warm day in mid-autumn. The trees have turned and the weather is perfect for a jaunt into the woods. As you trek amidst the flaming fall foliage, you happen upon a thicket of crimson bushes near a trail merger.

As you pause to check the route, a crashing sound reverbs from the shrubs.

You pause and shift your gaze just in time to witness the black bear bound from the bushes, stop in the clearing, and give you a stare down.

Welcome to bear country.

Normally this time of the year I’d be penning an article about the best places in the area to see the great fall colors. However, with the recent rash of ursine activity that has been observed in places such as downtown Hawley and my own seemingly numerable encounters with bears this past year, I thought it might be a good idea to discuss some ways to keep safe when hiking or camping in bear territory.

The opening paragraph is a true situation that occurred a few years ago when I was hiking in the Bruce Lake Natural Area of the Delaware State Forest. My extensive training and years of leading hikes in bear country caused me to instinctively raise my hands above my head and start making a lot of noise. It worked. I scared the bear back into the thickets, but truth be told, the bear was probably just as startled to see me there with my client and most likely would have turned tail anyway. Who knows? Better safe than sorry.

I normally try to be quiet and observe bears when I encounter them, but a bounding bruin is a cause for me to take action, and in my dozen or so really close encounters, making myself bigger and generating a lot of noise has always done the trick.

American Black Bears, by nature, are curious creatures, but by and large are fairly lazy and wish to avoid confrontation.

Scaring off a healthy, non-habituated bear shouldn’t take more action than what I’d done.

The scenarios in which bears become aggressive are limited.

In instances where attacks happen on account of a healthy bear, the assailing bear is usually a sow protecting her young. Be observant, when you see a bear, stop and look around for cubs.

If you are between the young and momma bear, back away slowly and wait for them all to reunite before trying to pass.

Some situations are easy to avoid. Not leaving food, or any objects with smell really, lying around unprotected while you venture away from camp or sleep is a good way to keep not just bears, but skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and other critters, from causing damage to you or your stuff. A camper was attacked a few years back at Hickory Run due to a candy bar inside the tent. I’ve seen coolers with claw and bite marks in campsites

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myself and have also witnessed the contents of some poor hiker’s backpack strewn and scattered for 100 square feet because he failed to secure food, toothpaste, and soap. The bear didn’t eat the soap, but it did gnaw the tube of Crest and made off with some dehydrated backpacking food. There are numerous ways to keep your goods out of unwanted paws.

Stringing bear bags in trees, using a bear canister, and keeping food and smellable objects in bear boxes (if available) or in your vehicle while camping are sound measures.

Once bears get the hankering for human chow, they tend to not want to eat the stuff they’re supposed to. Literally, they become like Yogi Bear. They want easier targets, and in order to get the proverbial picnic baskets, they become more and more comfortable around people. A habituated bear is neither tame nor safe to be around. Every time they knock down a bird feeder, overturn a trash can, or bust open a chicken coop, a bear gets closer and closer to getting tranquilized and moved, at best, or euthanized, at worse. Securing food, trash, and other scented objects at home and around camp should be something you do.

So what do you do if making noise and making yourself look big fail to chase away the bear? Well, you can stand your ground and hope the charge is a bluff. Bears have been known to do this and I’ve seen it once. Don’t play dead with a Black Bear. Remember, the bear is lazy and wants something easy to eat. Playing dead just allows the bear to take a big chomp out of your back. Fight it off if you can’t flee. Concentrate your kicks and blows to the bear’s nose. The reason a bear can sniff out a peanut butter sandwich a mile away is because of the massive amounts of nerve endings in its schnoz. A few good knuckles to the nostrils might send Yogi back to the cave.

While bears can be spotted all year, including winter, the fall is a particularly active time for them and as natural foods such as nuts and berries become more scarce, bears may venture closer to civilization in order to fatten up more before the snow starts falling. So be aware and take care to keep yourself safe from bears.

classics

lifestyle

1934

Chevrolet

Cabriolet

By Arnie Milidantri

n a great sunny summer’s day this August while sitting in the shade of an oak tree at the Salvation Army Ladore Complex in Waymart, PA, my eye caught a glimpse of a shiny green car in the distance. As it approached, I realized it was not your normal “old” car, but a beautiful looking and sounding 1934 Chevrolet Cabriolet, a one of a kind meticulously reengineered and retrofitted with the best of everything. This labor of love is owned by Mr. Joe Hosie of Jermyn, PA. The car was an instant crowd favorite and in fact won the people’s choice trophy at the show that day.

O

Background In 1934, Chevrolet continued its year-old practice of building two distinct series of cars on different wheelbase lengths. The 1934 Chevrolet Master, (wheel base used for the Cabriolet) in fact, now measured 112 inches, two inches longer than the 1933 model. The 1934 Chevrolet Standard model remained at 107 inches. The Master was the more expensive of the two, with the highest price vehicle being the Master Series DA Cabriolet selling at nearly $700.00. Both models used six-cylinder overhead valve engines. The Master series 206-cubic-inch engine modifications boosted horsepower from 65 to 80. The Standard series used 1933’s 181-cubic-inch 60-horsepower engine. The big mechanical improvement introduced in the 1934 Chevrolets was knee action independent front suspension, courtesy of the Frenchman Andre Dubonnet. It was offered as standard equipment on the Master series, but would not be offered on standard models for a few more years. The rear had a semi-floating axle. A three-speed manual gearbox was standard on all models, and mechanical brakes could be found at all four corners.

The Master series had grown slightly over its 1933 counterparts, though styling remained mostly unchanged. The most visible changes were in the front, with the new V-type radiator and grille. On the side, the three horizontal hood louvers replaced the doors used in 193233, and wheels were reduced in size to 17 inches. Free wheeling was optional on Master models only.

Total Chevrolet car production in 1934 included 452,412 Master series models and 98,959 Standard models. Even though Chevrolet’s sporty Master series Roadsters offered up-market style for a reasonable price, the open-car sales were declining as closed

cars became more affordable in the 1930’s.

Sales of the 1934 Cabriolet Roadster totaled just 1,974 units; the style would be discontinued by 1936.

Featured Car In 1995, Joe Hosie, a diehard Chevrolet enthusiast, bumped into a friend while at a car show in Burlington, Vermont, and mentioned that he was looking for a 1934 Chevrolet Coupe. As luck would have it, his friend said he saw one in a field in upstate Kempton, NY. After a three hour side trip on the way home, Joe met with the owner of the supposing coupe sitting in a field. It turned out to be a rare Cabriolet model. The deal was made and a 17year (1995-2012) labor of love restoration began. Joe, with help from his three sons, did all the restoration and custom fabrication himself. The great Emerald Bliss paint was applied

by Joe’s youngest son, Gene. The car engine is a 350 cu in small block Chevy V8, equipped with 305 heads, a mild cam, and well matched Holly Carb. A custom exhaust system starting with a great set of headers gives the car its mellow sound. Joe originally built the car with a Muncie 4 speed but installed its current 700R automatic transmission to make it easier for his wife to drive after knee replacement surgery (Joe is a very smart man!). Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a narrowed Ford 9 inch rear. The car has a Mustang two front end and has disc brakes all around. The body is all steel and has been restored beautifully and painted a knockout Emerald Bliss color.

One of the many challenges encountered during the restoration was the fabrication of the car’s “Top Irons” that support the convertible top. The irons were missing and they were not available either used or remanufactured so what do you do? Joe was able to borrow a set

of 1933 Top Irons, a close match but not exact.

After studying the 1933 and the 1934 cars, it was discovered the side iron arms had to be made 2 inches longer because the 1934 doors are 2 inches longer (you learn something new every day). Joe‘s oldest son, Joe, spent hours duplicating the irons from flat stock stainless steel. The polished stainless bows are great as is the cloth top.

The car has a custom air conditioning system for passenger comfort. The car’s interior is spectacular, the perfect complement to its great color. The beautiful dash cluster, original glove box (a first time feature for Chevrolet), beige interior, and rumble seat all have been beautifully done. The car stance is set off by a set of great Weld wheels and radial BF Goodrich tires. Joe and his sons are true craftsmen whose workmanship on the car’s mechanicals, body, and paint is truly outstanding, creating a one of a kind work of love!

Owner This great car is owned by Joe Hosie, a native and current resident of Jermyn, PA. Joe retired in 1999 from UPS after thirty years as a driver in upstate New York and returned to his home town Jermyn, Pennsylvania. Joe has loved cars all his life, and it has been passed on to his three sons. They are true “Chevy” lovers! They own four early Chevrolets amongst them: Joe’s 1934 Cabriolet, a 1933 5 window Chevrolet coupe, a 1936 5 window coupe, and a 1937 two door sedan. Joe has a great car and a great family. He is a fountain of knowledge about early Chevrolets and enjoys the hobby. If you happen to be at a local Northeast PA car cruise or show and see a rare gleaming Emerald Bliss 1934 Chevrolet Cabriolet, stop and say hi. You just might learn something about a great car. I did!

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EMAIL US YOUR QUESTIONS FOR DR. PLATKO AT CMAG@PTD.NET

ASK THE VET:

lifestyle

your pets

5

Ways to Keep Pets Safe on Halloween

Potential Hazards Can Be Scary Halloween can be a fun event for families and their pets. However, if safety precautions aren’t taken, it can also be a hazardous time for our four-legged companions.

According to Dr. Justine Lee, a critical care specialist and associate director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline, calls increase by 12% during the week of Halloween, making it the call center’s busiest time of year.

Here are some practical yet potentially life-saving tips that can help protect your pets on Halloween.

and anxiety ridden on Halloween due to the incessant ringing of the doorbell, constant squeals, chatter just outside the door, and small fireworks set off in the street.

In addition, the barrage of strangers dressed in unfamiliar and scary costumes can alarm some pets, increasing their anxiety. Take extra precaution on Halloween: gauge your pet’s typical reaction while greeting visitors and decide if putting up a baby gate or leaving your dog or cat in a back room of the house would keep them calmer throughout the evening.

1} Dangerous Pet Costumes

and Chocolate Are 4} Candy Toxic

Your safest choice in a pet Halloween costume would be a loosely tied bandana; however, if you choose to dress up your pet, outfit your dog or cat with a simple approach. Pets can become tangled in elaborate, tight-fitting costumes with strings, ties, belts and sashes.

Difficulty in mobility can lead to bodily injury, including strangulation.

Never leave a pet unattended while wearing a costume. Small (or large) parts of a costume can become chewed and ingested and can in turn potentially lead to foreign body ingestion, which can be life threatening to your pet.

Decorations 2} Halloween and Fire Hazards If you like to decorate your home in the Halloween spirit, take into consideration what you’re putting on display and where the decorations will be placed. Easy-toreach decorations — or candles — can be eaten or knocked over, potentially leading to choking, foreign body ingestion, electrical shock, and even burns and a household fire.

Err on the side of caution while decorating and choose pet-safe products.

3} Noise Affects Pets

Dogs and cats can become skittish

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Candy and chocolate are never good for dogs or cats, and on Halloween there is an increased chance that Fluffy and Fido may consume treats meant for tricksters.

Chocolate and xylitol, a sweetener found in many candies, can be extremely toxic to pets.

Lollipops and their sticks can be choking hazards and cause a painful obstruction or foreign body ingestion that may require surgery to remove.

Candies wrapped in plastic and other types of wrapping can also lead to chocking or cause an obstruction and upset stomach.

Easy solutions to prevent accidental toxicity or ingestion: • Keep pet-safe treats on hand to satisfy your curious pet.

• Make sure all candies are out of your pet’s reach.

• Consider leaving your pet in another part of the house where exposure to hazards is impossible.

5} Lost Pets

Halloween isn’t an ideal time to let your dog or cat wander outside unattended. While there aren’t any documented reports or statistics to indicate that pet abduction increases on Halloween, be mindful that a prankster or a

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mean-spirited individual could be inspired to mess with your pet.

Take caution and keep pets indoors with you, or escort them outside on a leash if you plan on including your pet in neighborhood festivities. Sudden noises and strange-looking costumes can also spook your pet, causing them to run away; therefore, it’s always a good idea to adorn your pet with a collar and identification tags in case you become separated.

If you haven’t already opted to have your pet microchipped, now is a great time. Should your pet become lost, an ID tag and/or a microchip can help quickly reunite you with your dog or cat.

Emergency Care is Available Don’t wait to have your pet treated in the case of an emergency. Locate a 24hour veterinary clinic if your family veterinarian is not available.

If you suspect your pet has consumed a toxic substance during Halloween and you can’t see your veterinarian, contact the Pet Poison Helpline, a 24-hour service* that assists pet owners, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians who are treating potentially poisoned pets.

Article from VPI Pet insurance.

–Amy Platko-Williams, D.V.M Dr. Platko is one of the four full time veterarians at the Cherry Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Honesdale.

Send your questions to Dr. Platko, c/o Connections Magazine, 3305 Lake Ariel Highway, Honesdale, Pa. 18431 or e-mail them to cmag@ptd.net and type 'Ask the Vet' in the subject line.

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27

wellness

behavioral medicine

Comorbidity & Mental Illness

By Arthur Middleton, M.D., FAPA

“The attempt to escape from pain is what creates more pain.” ~Gabor Maté

ore than likely, the average person is not familiar with the term “comorbidity.” The Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines comorbid as: “existing simultaneously with and usually independently of another medical condition.”

This leads to the question; what is the relevancy of this issue and how does it affect me?

M

As described by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dual Diagnosis is a term that is applied to an individual with a mental disorder and an alcohol or drug problem. There are four mental disorders that are associated with a drug or alcohol problem in statistically higher numbers: Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, and Personality Disorders.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, comorbidity describes “two or more disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person.”

These disorders can occur at the same time or one after the other. It is also important to note that there is an interaction between the co-existing disorders than can “worsen the course of both.” Considering the extent of substance abuse and drug addiction, which is regarded as a mental illness, it is important to understand that addiction will have a significant impact on the functioning of one’s brain. The inability to recognize a “hierarchy of importance,” reflects one symptom. This can apply to an individual who is dependent on drugs, which can cause a weakened impulse control, resulting in an inability to control negative behaviors, such as stealing to acquire drugs. This often leads to legal consequences, which can include incarceration.

Many do not ordinarily think about the consequences of incarceration. Jails are generally regarded as institutions that are necessary. Punishment is often considered as justified owing to the crime, but there are other issues that should also be considered.

In an article titled Care of the Mentally Ill in Prisons: Challenges and Solutions, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (December 2007, vol.35 no.4 406-410) written by Anasseril E. Daniel, M.D., the author writes about the phenomenon of the mentally ill in the prison population. As described in the article, it is estimated that the U.S. prison population is approximately 2.2 million people. In this population, as

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described by the author, “approximately 70% had primary or comorbid substance abuse disorder.” The author also describes a study (2006) by the U.S. Department of Justice which found that more than half of all prison and jail inmates have a mental health problem compared with 11% of the general population.

The following fictional clinical vignette is presented to highlight the issue of comorbidity or dual diagnosis and its impact on the individual and family.

JT is a 47 y/o married man. He is a teacher by profession but has not worked in this capacity for twenty years. He is on disability as a result of his mental illness, which had been diagnosed as Schizophrenia and Polysubstance Abuse. As a young man, JT was regarded as highly intelligent and having a bright future. He attended a prestigious college. His parents were highly optimistic about his future and thought he had great potential.

JT chose to be a High School science teacher and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to reach young minds, as he often stated.

But JT had a dark side. He would later say that he “wrestled with demons,” trying to quell his growing use of drugs. He began using marijuana. Later, he developed a dependence on alcohol and then heroin. Early on, he was able to keep his drug use a secret from his wife and parents. At the age of 27, he experienced a psychotic episode, experiencing paranoia and auditory hallucinations. He was voluntarily hospitalized and responded well to antipsychotic medications, such as Risperdal or risperidone and Zyprexa or olanzapine. His substance abuse was regarded as a contributing factor to his psychosis, and he was further diagnosed as having a dual diagnosis- substance abuse and Schizophrenia. He was cautioned by his doctors to avoid using drugs.

Initially JT did well, even returning to work. But he also returned to drugs, which was followed by repeated psychotic episodes and eventually invol[ www.connections-magazine.com ]

untary psychiatric hospitalization. JT’s mental state gradually deteriorated. His life took a drastic turn for the worse when he was arrested for shoplifting.

JT did not share with his family that he had been shoplifting for some time. He needed money to support his drug habit, which now included heroin.

JT was incarcerated for the first time in his life at the age of 35. Over the course of the next twelve years, he was repeatedly incarcerated for shoplifting and stealing, often under the influence of drugs, and most seriously for the charge of selling drugs to an undercover officer. JT received mental health treatment while incarcerated, which largely involved counseling and maintenance on an antipsychotic medication. His family continued to support him, advising him that he was emotionally stable, in the absence of drugs. After his most recent bout with drugs and incarceration, JT’s wife told him that he could not return home unless he remained drug free.

With his family’s encouragement and support, JT was referred to AOT or Assisted Outpatient Treatment. This is a program which focuses on individuals who have a history of mental illness and incarceration associated with multiple hospitalizations and prior arrests. This program is designed to make certain that the individual receives the necessary treatment; substance abuse counseling, random drug tests, therapy and maintenance medication.

JT is currently living in a halfway house for patients with Dual Diagnosis. He has been drug free for three months. His mental state has improved to the extent that he has expressed an interest in volunteer teaching. His wife continues to be supportive. JT promises, as he has repeatedly in the past, to abstain from drugs and alcohol. This time he acknowledged that it was hard to do, but he was going to focus on remaining drug free “one day at a time.” His wife remains hopeful.

While this fictional clinical vignette might seem removed from the experiences of the average person, given the extent of incarceration in the prison system in the United States, it is actually not uncommon.

The impact of mental illness seems to be everywhere in the media. While it is often tragically implicated in some sensational news events, the issue of mental illness affects many. As a society, we

diarrhea have become aware of these issues, even if we are not personally affected.

The extent of mental illness is so staggering; it is also likely that we know someone who has been affected. It is also important to recognize the impact of substance abuse and the degree to which it deteriorates mental functioning, especially in individuals with mental illness. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2013, 7.7 million adults in the U.S. had a co-occurring substance use disorder and any mental illness. It was further noted that 2.3 million adults were found to have co-occurring substance use disorder and serious mental illness, such as Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder.

Drug use is often linked to crime.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug abuse is implicated in at least five types of drug-related offenses. These are: “offenses associated with drug possession or sales, offenses related to behaviors associated with obtaining drugs such as stealing, offenses related to a lifestyle such as associations with others who participate in criminal behavior, offenses associated with violent behaviors and offenses related to driving while intoxicated or property damage under the influence.” Individuals with dual diagnoses compose the majority of the mentally ill population that is likely to be incarcerated.

In a New York Times article by Nicholas Kristof titled: Inside a Mental Hospital Called Jail (February 8, 2014), the author writes about a jail in Cook County, Chicago, and the mental health population that it houses. The author cites startling statistics about the mentally ill and prisons.

One such statistic cited in the article is that according to a 2010 study by the National Sheriffs’ Association and the Treatment Advocacy Center “Nationwide in America, more than three times as many mentally ill people are housed in prisons and jails as in hospitals.” The author also notes that in the Cook County jail, many inmates with mental illness are stabilized in the prison system, owing to the fact that they receive the necessary care to treat their mental disorders. The article also notes, sadly, that these inmates often decompensate following release as a result of going off their medications, for a variety of reasons, then cycling back to prison.

In another New York Times article

by Timothy Williams titled: A Psychologist as Warden? Jail and Mental Illness Intersect in Chicago (July 30, 2015), the author writes about the continued progress in treating the mentally ill in the prison setting in Chicago, noting that the Cook County Jail now has a warden who is a PhD level psychologist. The Doctor as warden has been given the task of

further improving the care of the mentally ill who are in the prison system. This is an exciting development and has led to hope for the individuals with dual diagnosis that being incarcerated may also be an opportunity for more focused and effective treatment.

In summary, it is important to recognize that substance abuse, co-existing with other mental disorders, can have grave consequences for our society, given the likelihood that there will often be an association with criminal behavior. For this reason, it is important to have early intervention, treating substance abuse, as well as making an effort to help affected individuals avoid behaviors that might lead to incarceration. Now that it has been recognized that there is a large and statistically significant population of the mentally ill in prison, it is important for health services in the prison system to continue to move forward with progressive programs to treat mental disorders in jail, as well as focus on avoiding behaviors that would lead to repeated incarcerations.

The good news is that we are talking about this issue and there is hope for continued improvement for the treatment of the mentally ill in the prison system.

The following references are provided for the informed consumer.

MedlinePlus-U.S. National Library of Medicine / National Institutes of Health: Dual Diagnosis https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dualdiagnosis.html National Institute on Drug Abuse: Drug Facts: Comorbidity: Addiction and Other Mental Disorders http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/comorbidity-addiction-other-mental-disorders Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - SAMHSA Substance Use and Mental Health Estimates from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/ NSDUH-SR200-RecoveryMonth-2014/NSDUHSR200-RecoveryMonth-2014.htm Dr. Middleton is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, and a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He received his undergraduate training at New York University and an MD degree from Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Middleton completed his psychiatric residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center, in NYC. He is on the honorary medical staff (retired) of Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ, where he is also Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Middleton has been on the voluntary teaching faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Brown Medical School.

He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Middleton is retired as an Associate in the Department of Psychiatry in the Geisinger Health System formerly practicing at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Dr. Middleton lives in Dingmans Ferry, PA, and Manhattan, NY.

wellness

The Healthy

Gee z er

By Fred Cicetti

Q.

I seem to get diarrhea more often now than I used to when I was younger. Any ideas why?

efore I offer you some general information about diarrhea, I urge you to see a doctor for a diagnosis. As I tell everyone who writes to me, I’m a journalist, not a physician.

B

Diarrhea is caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, certain foods, medicines and diseases. Diarrhea is a common malady that usually lasts a day or two and goes away without treatment.

Here’s a question for you. Ever notice how often diarrhea is mentioned as a side effect in the package inserts for medicines?

Seniors often get diarrhea from medicine. This is a complex subject.

The first issue is that seniors take a lot more medicine than younger people. The average older person takes more than four prescription drugs and two over-the-counter drugs daily. The high intake of medicine increases the odds that one or more of these medicines could give you diarrhea.

Older people have more health problems, and these add to the mix of potential causes of diarrhea.

Older bodies process drugs slowly so that they tend to stay in our bodies longer. And some drugs work differently on older people.

Then there are the problems of drug-drug interactions and overdoses because we take so much medicine and retain it in our systems.

Diarrhea can be much more than an inconvenience.

Diarrhea causes dehydration, which can be lethal to older people.

With the fluid you lose from diarrhea, you also lose salts that your body needs.

Diarrhea can make a victim pass more than a quart of watery stools a day.

Dehydration symptoms include thirst, reduced urination, dark urine, dry skin, fatigue, dizziness, fainting.

You should see a doctor if your diarrhea lasts more than three days, or if you have dehydration symptoms, severe abdominal or rectal pain, a fever of 102°F or higher, or blood in your stools.

In many cases of diarrhea, the only treatment needed is replacing lost fluid and salts. Adults should consume broth, non-citrus fruit juices, flat ginger ale, and ice pops.

As your condition improves, you can start eating bananas, plain rice, boiled potatoes, toast, crackers, cooked carrots. Smaller meals are recommended because they’re easier to digest.

When you have diarrhea, avoid dairy products, fat, high-fiber foods, sweets, spicy foods, carbonated beverages, chewing gum, caffeine, and any food or beverage that is hot.

It is common to get diarrhea when visiting a foreign country. It’s so common that the medical community has a name for it: traveler’s diarrhea.

The following are some tips for avoiding diarrhea away from home.

DON’T...

• Drink tap water • Use ice cubes made from tap water.

• Drink unpasteurized milk or dairy products made from it.

• Eat raw fruits and vegetables • Eat meat or fish unless it is wellcooked and served hot • Eat food sold by street vendors.

If you would like to ask a question, write to fred@healthygeezer.com.

All Rights Reserved © 2015 by Fred Cicetti

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29

wellness

laser vision

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU Provided by the National Eye Institute.

Tips for Keeping the Eyes Healthy a comprehensive Quit smoking or never 1} Have 6} dilated eye exam. start.

A dilated eye exam is the only way to detect many common eye diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration in their early stages.

your family’s eye 2} Know health history.

It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with a disease or condition since many are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease or condition.

right to protect 3} Eat your sight.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens is important for keeping your eyes healthy, too. Research has also shown there are eye health benefits from eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.

a healthy 4} Maintain weight.

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing diabetes and other systemic conditions, which can lead to vision loss, such as diabetic eye disease or glaucoma. If you are having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor.

protective 5} Wear eyewear.

Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity.

Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and optic nerve damage, all of which can lead to blindness.

cool and wear your 7} Be shades.

Sunglasses are a great fashion accessory, but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

8} Give your eyes a rest.

If you spend a lot of time at the computer or focusing on any one thing, you sometimes forget to blink and your eyes can get fatigued. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds. This can help reduce eyestrain.

your hands 9} Clean and your contact lenses–properly.

To avoid the risk of infection, always wash your hands thoroughly before putting in or taking out your contact lenses. Make sure to disinfect contact lenses as instructed and replace them as appropriate.

workplace 10} Practice eye safety.

Employers are required to provide a safe work environment. When protective eyewear is required as a part of your job, make a habit of wearing the appropriate type at all times and encourage your cowork.

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a+r+e Y O U

C O N N E C T E D

Ongoing Events DAILY

Public Art Displays Nature’s Grace, Dime Bank & Wayne Bank, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Harvey Insurance, Honesdale. & Pocono Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, Hawley. Wayne County Arts Alliance artists display their work monthly.

MONDAYS

Chair Yoga 10–11:15 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 & up. All the benefits of yoga for anyone who may feel challenged by a traditional yoga class. Free.

Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

MONDAYS

Kundalini Yoga 5:30–6:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16–adult. Experience the gifts that Kundalini yoga has to offer as you explore breath, movement & mantra. Bring a yoga mat & blanket.

Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

TUESDAYS

Bingo American Legion Post 311, Hawley.

Doors open 10:30 a.m., games begin at Noon. Info: legionpost311@qmail.com.

TUESDAYS

Nia 5:30–6:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. Combination of yoga, martial arts & dance, for your health, wellness & fitness. Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

WEDNESDAYS

Simply Yoga 10–11:15 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. Wear comfortable clothes, bring a mat, towel or blanket, & water. Series of 6 or per class.

Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

WEDNESDAYS

Main Street Farmers’ Market at The Cooperage 3–6 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Fresh veggies, fruits, meats, breads & more. The Market Café featuring The Anthill Farm Kitchen.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

WEDNESDAYS

Dansbury Farmer’s Market 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Eastburg Community Alliance, Miller Park/Dansbury Depot, East Stroudsburg. Provides only locally grown produce, along with fresh eggs, dairy products, baked goods, fresh-cut flowers, more. Free admission. Info: 570-992-5615.

area events

get connected

ARTS, RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER ’15

THURSDAYS

SATURDAYS

Writers’ Group 7–8:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 & up. Ongoing group.

Come read your work or listen & be inspired. Learn the craft of writing as you write toward a goal of publication.

All genres & levels of writing welcome.

Free admission. Info: 570-996-1500.

Glassworks Demonstration 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. B. Madigan, Hawley.

See glass stretched & made into beautiful items, including watching the glass worked, learning how glass is made & what creates the colors.

Info: 570-561-3629.

THURSDAYS

Live Piano Music in the Dining Room 6–9 p.m. The Settlers Inn, Hawley.

Info: 570-226-2993 or desk@thesettlersinn.com.

Trivia Thursdays 8 p.m. Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Banquet Center, Hawley. Hilarious combination of trivia & physical challenges.

Compete with teams to win a gift certificate, gold medal & bragging rights.

Info: 570-226-7355.

FRIDAYS

Live Music Friday 8–11 p.m. Glass — wine. bar. kitchen. at Ledges Hotel, Hawley. No cover charge. Info: info@ledgeshotel.com or 570-226-1337.

FRIDAYS

Live Music 8 p.m.–Midnight. Ehrhardt’s Pub, Hawley. Great drink specials, delicious food & live music. Info: 570-226-2124 or waterfront@ehrhardts.com.

SATURDAYS

SATURDAYS

Live Music at Barley Creek 8–11 p.m. Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville. The Pocono Mountains’ Original Brewpub. Great food & handcrafted beer brewed onsite. Free brewery tours daily at 12:30 p.m. No cover charge.

Info: 570-629-9399.

SATURDAYS

Live Music 9 p.m.–1 a.m. Ehrhardt’s Pub, Hawley.

Great drink specials, delicious food & live music. Info: 570-226-2124 or waterfront@ehrhardts.com.

SUNDAYS

Horror Hall West Nanticoke. Indoor haunted attraction with approx. 1/4-mile walk.

Info: www.horrorhall.com.

Blues, Brews & BBQ 6–9 p.m. Glass-wine. bar. kitchen. at Ledges Hotel, Hawley. Picnic-style BBQ & craft beer tasting.

Info: ledgeshotel.com or 570-226-1337.

FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS

THROUGH OCT. 3

Reaper’s Revenge Scranton. A 60-acre haunt featuring four terrifying attractions & more than 90 minutes of scare time.

Info: www.reapersrevenge.net or 570-253-GRIM.

160th Annual Bloomsburg Fair Bloomsburg, Columbia County. An Evening with ZZ TOP, entertainment, demolition derby, motocross, Figure 8 Race, truck & tractor pulling, rides, horse racing. Info: 570-784-4949 or www.bloomsburgfair.com.

FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS

SATURDAYS

Monroe Farmers Market 8 a.m.–Noon. Courthouse Square, Downtown Stroudsburg. Produce, plants, flowers, eggs, raw natural honey, fresh baked breads & pastries, jams, jellies, syrups & more. Live music, free parking. Info: 570-595-2321 or www.monroefarmersmarket.com.

SATURDAYS

Wayne County Farmers’ Market 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Next to Dave’s Super Duper, Honesdale. Farmers & producers from throughout NE PA & Southern NY sell their produce & goods. Rain or shine.

Info: 570-253-1960 or Facebook.

SATURDAYS

FREE Tastings and Demos 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Mill Market, in the Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Info: info@MillMarketPA.com or 570-390-4440.

October 1– October 9 OCT. 1

The 6th Annual Midwifery Mingle 2–4 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by Wayne Memorial Hospital & The Women’s Health Center.

Info & reservations: 570-253-8390.

OCT. 1

Writer’s Cooperative 7 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Info: 570-296-8211 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 1–4, 8

Private Lives Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. Noel Coward’s comedy of manners focusing on a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover they are staying

in adjacent rooms at the same hotel.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

OCT. 2

First Friday Scranton 6–9 p.m. Scranton. See description at Sept. 4. Info & monthly map: www.firstfridayscranton.com.

OCT. 2

Group de Jour 7:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

A ’70s & ’80s dance party presented by The Cooperage Project. Donations collected at the door. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 2

My Show: ft. Buzzard Canyon — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Featuring Fog Hound, Wizard Eye. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 2

Dala 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Canadian Folk music group Amanda Walther & Sheila Carabine.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 3

The Hawley Harvest Hoedown 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Hawley. Cider tastings, brews, contests, demos, quaint shops & fall festive vendors, family activities, crafts, day & night entertainment, fresh locally grown foods, local maple syrup, pies, & more. Hawley Hoedown Concert on Sat. featuring three Bluegrass & Folk bands at the Ritz Company Playhouse.

OCT. 3

Home Depot Kids Workshop: Build a Fire Truck 9 a.m.–Noon. Home Depot (Dickson City, Wilkes-Barre, Stroudsburg, Honesdale, Matamoras). Hands-on sessions for ages 5–12. Kids keep their craft, receive a certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, & a commemorative pin while supplies last.

First come, first served. Do not arrive before 9 a.m. Registration & info: workshops.homedepot.com.

OCT. 3

The Underground Railroad in Quilts?

11 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Presented by Dr. Cassandra Gunkel. One of the ongoing mysteries about the Civil War period is whether or not escaped slaves used quilts as signals to help their escape. Free admission.

Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

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OCT. 3 & 4

OCT. 8

OCT. 10

Harvest Festival Noon–6 p.m. (weather permitting).

Blue Mountain Ski Area, Palmerton.

See description at Sept. 26.

Info: 610-826-7700 or www.skibluemt.com.

Wayne County Aging Bus Trip: Penn’s Peak Info: Debbie, 570-689-3766.

Stourbridge Lion Model Railroad Club Open House 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church Parish House, Honesdale. Beautiful HO-scale version of the town of “Wayne” is something to be seen.

Info: 570-253-5492.

OCT. 3 & 4

Fire Expo OCT. 3 Park & Shop lot, Honesdale.

Honesdale Fire Dept. kicks off Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is “Hear the beep where you sleep.” Rain date Oct. 17. Info: NFPA.org.

Oktoberfest Noon–6 p.m. (weather permitting).

Blue Mountain Ski Area, Palmerton.

Beer Garden with dance floor & live Oompah music, shaded seating, specialty vendors, food & traditional German beer & specialty brews. Scenic lift rides, kids’ activities & bounce houses. Free admission & parking.

Info: 610-826-7700 or www.skibluemt.com.

OCT. 4

Pet Adoption Day — Pike County Humane Society Gold Key 5K race, Milford. Reg. 5K Run, 9 a.m. 2K Walk, 10:30 a.m.

Adoption, Noon–3 p.m.

Info: 570-296-7654.

OCT. 4

OCT. 3

Stitched — Free Movie 1 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Documentary that follows three competitive art quilters as they prepare to compete in the nation’s largest quilt show. Free admission. Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 3

Chili/Mac & Cheese Cook Off to Benefit Pike County Humane Society 4–8 p.m. St. Patrick’s Annex, Milford.

Info: 570-296-7654.

OCT. 3

Procession of Firefighters & Apparatus Honesdale. Down Main St. to 9th St. then across Church St. to a service at Grace Episcopal Church.

OCT. 4

Covenant Public Concerts: “Dez Cordas” Guitar and Bass Duo 3 p.m. Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton. Unique duo of Matthew Slotkin, classical guitar, & Craig Butterfield, double bass. Concert free; food donations for the Safety Net Food Pantry are welcomed.

Info: 570-346-6400.

Hawley Harvest Hoedown Bluegrass & Folk Concert 8 p.m. The Ritz Company Playhouse, Hawley. Featuring foot-stompin’ bands The Coal Town Rounders, Roosevelt Dime, & Caribou Mountain Collective.

Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

OCT. 4

OCT. 3

Disney’s High School Musical Jr. Auditions 6–9 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton.

SCC’s Creative and Performing Arts Academy’s production. Open to grades 4–12. Production dates, Nov. 19–21. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

Granger Smith and Earl Dibbles Jr. 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Country music with Smith & his country boy alter-ego Dibbles.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 3

Tusko — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 3

Neil Diamond Tribute – by Tom Sadge 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. The next best thing to the real Neil Diamond. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 3–4

Fall Foliage Weekends Downtown Jim Thorpe. Food & arts & crafts vendors, free music events at 4 different venues throughout downtown, all within a short walking distance of each other, & seasonal specials from restaurants & shops. Headline shows at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. Info: 570-325-5810 or www.jimthorpe.org.

Spanish Guitar Masterpieces Concert 3 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Take a musical journey through Spain with some of classical guitar’s most beloved masterpieces. Free admission.

Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 4 & 5

OCT. 6 & 7

Fire Truck Rides 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Central Park, Honesdale. Honesdale Fire Dept. event for Fire Prevention Week.

OCT. 7

Tastes of Wayne County Legends, Poyntelle. Support the Wayne County Historical Society while enjoying a fabulous meal picked from a great menu. Info: 570-448-2232.

OCT. 7

Lunch & Learn Noon–1 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Jane Oswald discusses men’s & women’s health: “Stay Strong, Live Healthy — Tips for Healthy Living.” Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org.

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OCT. 8

“The Investor's Cookbook: A Guide to Wealth Creation" 6 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Dr. John J. Baxevanis reads from his book. Info: 570-296-8211 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 8

Clifford the Big Red Dog Live!

6:30 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 8

The Alt 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Irish traditional musicians John Doyle, Nuala Kennedy & Eamon O’Leary. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 8–NOV. 9

The ARTery Gallery – October Featured Artists: Randall Fitzgerald and Marie Liu ARTery Gallery, Milford. Liu presents new paintings exploring the vast woodlands of the region & new pieces in her waterfall series. Fitzgerald is a photographer, painter, printmaker, & digital artist whose artwork reflects the intimacy he enjoys with the natural world.

Artist’s reception Oct. 10, 6–9 p.m.

Info: 570-409-1234 or www.arterygallerymilford.com.

OCT. 9

Jay & the Americans 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

One of the greatest rock ’n’ roll groups of the ’60s & ’70s. Featuring Joey and the T-Birds. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 9

An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 9

The John Denver Tribute by Ted Vigil Band 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Recreates the original concert experience. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 9–18

The Odd Couple The Music Box Dinner Playhouse, Swoyersville. Call the box office for ticket info & times: 570-283-2195. www.musicbox.org.

October 10–October 19 OCT. 10

Fall Craft Show 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Newton Ransom Vol. Fire Co. Hall, Clarks Summit. Crafters, cookie sale, homemade soup & bread sale. Admission fee entitles you to an entry ticket for a drawing. Free parking.

Info: 570-587-2526.

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OCT. 10

Read to Bentley the Therapy Dog 11 a.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Info: 570-296-8211 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 10

2015 Callicoon Artwalk Noon–8 p.m. Callicoon, NY. Galleries. boutiques & storefronts featuring fine art. Vendor market with fine art, beauty, regional products. Live music, DJs, film screenings, presentations. Video & art installations throughout town. Pub crawl at 2 p.m. Info: 845-887-9017 or callicoontrading@gmail.com.

OCT. 10

Farm and Chef 2–5 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by Wayne County Grown & the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. Tickets available at waynecountygrown.com or at local farmers’ markets.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 10

Vienna Boys Choir 7 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT 10

Cassidy and the Music 8 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Former lead singer of Antigone Rising, with a talent for songwriting & a powerful voice. Info: 570-588-8077 or www.silkmillharmony.com.

OCT. 10

Tom Petty Tribute — Damn The Torpedoes 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Authentic concert experience with all of the classic hits along with some of the cool lesser known songs from Petty’s catalog. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 10

The Garcia Project 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Faithfully channels & projects the feelings, emotions & music that propelled the Jerry Garcia Band. Featuring Mystery Fyre. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 10 & 11

41st Annual Harvest Festival 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, Stroudsburg. Demos & displays on how families can do more for themselves, & demos of spinning, weaving, broom making, basket making, candle making & more. Folk entertainment, country food, children’s activities, pumpkin decorating, quilt raffle, rides & more. French & Indian War soldiers & a Civil War encampment. Rain or shine. Info: 570-992-6161 or www.quietvalley.org.

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OCT. 14

Harvest & Heritage Days OCT. 10 & 11 Downtown Honesdale. Historic Honesdale rolls out the pumpkins, hay bales, cornstalks, fall colors & scarecrows for its annual fun, fall weekend. Children’s pumpkin painting, hayrides, craft vendors, demos, Pets on Pawrade, DJ, scarecrow decorating contest, Soup ’R Chili Taste-off, more. The train will be running both days with trips to Hawley & Lackawaxen.

Info: 570-253-5492 or ghp@visithonesdalepa.com.

OCT. 10 & 11

Pet Adoption Day — Pike County Humane Society 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Wal-Mart, Westfall.

Info: 570-296-7654.

OCT. 10 & 11

The Lakeside Players present “Murder on the Oriental Rug” Lakeville Community Hall, Lakeville.

Sat. 7:30 p.m. & Sun. 3 p.m. Original audience-participation murder mystery spoofs old-fashioned whodunits. Prizes awarded to the first people who correctly guess the murderer & motive.

Info & reservations: 570-226-6207.

OCT. 10–11, 15–18

Private Lives Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at Oct. 1.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

OCT. 10, 13, 17

Thriller Dance Lesson Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton.

Learn the Thriller dance to participate in Thrill The World, a global Thriller flash mob. Info: Emily, 570-346-7369 x106.

OCT. 11

Of Mice & Men – National Theatre Live 2 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Hit Broadway production “Of Mice and Men,” filmed on stage by National Theatre Live. Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 10–18

The Odd Couple The Music Box Dinner Playhouse, Swoyersville. Call the box office for ticket info & times: 570-283-2195. www.musicbox.org.

OCT. 11

Christine Lavin & Don White 7 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by RiverFolk Concerts.

Donations collected in advance or at door. Sweet & savory snacks available for purchase. Reservations & info: Jill, 845-252-6783.

OCT. 11

Kansas 7 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

See for yourself why Kansas has

remained a staple in classic rock history. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 11

Red Sun Rising 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

“Rising” rock trio from Akron, Ohio.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 12

Warrior Writers 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 and up. Writing workshops support artistic exploration & expression & provide a safe space to share experiences in the military culture. Open to all veterans & service members.

Empowering veterans through creativity. Free. Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 13

Safe Haven Town Hall Meeting 6 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Dingmans Ferry. Info: 570-686-7045 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 14

Bus Trip to National Women's Rights Historic Site Bus departs Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock, at 7 a.m. & returns about 7 p.m. Guided trip to Seneca Falls, NY. Tour the National Women’s Hall of Fame & Wesleyan Chapel, then lunch at the Gould Hotel. Afterward visit the Elizabeth Cady Stanton home & It’s a Wonderful Life Museum. Pre-registration is required. Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 14

Dietrich Classic Movies Series: The Color Purple 1 & 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Alice Walker & starring Whoopi Goldberg. Free, seating is first come, first served. Info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 14

Culinary Book Club: Greek Night 5:30–6:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Everyone loves to eat & share recipes. Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org.

Open Mic Night 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Led by The Crackers. Donations collected at the door. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 14

The Young Dubliners 7:30 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Hybrid Celtic Rock. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 15

from every decade, creating a live experience that welcomes every soul & is impossible to replicate. Info: 570-5888077 or harmonypresents.com.

OCT. 17

Eaglemania 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Scrupulously delivering the harmonies & musicianship of one of the greatest bands of all time.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 17

Homeopathy 101 5:30 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Info: 570-296-8211 or www.pcpl.org.

Mat Kearney 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Just Kids tour. Featuring Parachute.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 15

OCT. 17

Game Night 6–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Donations make this possible.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

Chris Cornell 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 16

Ralphie May 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Standup comedy. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 16

Severed and MY SHOW present – The Living Room’s DOOM THEATER 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Featuring King Dead, King Buffalo, Disposable, Hashgrinder.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 16

Leo Kottke 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Known for a fingerpicking style that draws on influences from blues, jazz, & folk music, & for syncopated, polyphonic melodies in alternative tuning. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 16, 17

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 10 a.m. Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. Washington Irving’s spooky Halloween classic presented with thrills, chills & laughs that will keep young audiences on the edge of their seats & is simple for a young audience to understand. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

OCT. 17

Reptiles & Amphibians of NEPA 11 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Learn about the reptiles and amphibians of NE Pa with Rick Koval, naturalist & WNEP Pennsylvania Outdoor Life personality. Meet live reptiles & amphibians after the talk. Free admission. Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 18

Lake to Lake 8K Trail Run & Woods Walk 11 a.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel.

Course winds through 550 acres on the grounds of the Sanctuary. Sections of the course are technical, rocky & steep.

No dogs or strollers on 8K course, but are welcome on Woods Walk. Pre-register by Oct. 12 at active.com.

Info: 570-689-9494 or lacawac.org.

OCT. 19

Spaghetti Dinner 5–8 p.m. Central Volunteer Fire Dept., Hawley. Dine with some old friends & perhaps make some new friends.

BYOB. Info: 570-685-7344.

October 20–October 31 OCT. 20

Norah Jones 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 20, 22

Thriller Dance Lesson Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton.

See description at Oct. 10. Info: Emily, 570-346-7369 x106.

OCT. 21

Introducing Two Pennsylvania Pioneers 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Dr. Sheldon Spear introduces you to two unsung Pa. pioneers who made substantial contributions to our history.

Augustine Gallitzin, & Jane Grey Swisshelm, one of America’s first women journalists. Free admission.

Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 21

Pet Adoption Day — Pike County Humane Society 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Chant Realty — Black Bear Festival, Milford.

Info: 570-296-7654.

Acoustic Bluegrass Jam 7–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Led by Buckshot Jenkins & Ron Penska.

Donations make this possible.

Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 17

OCT. 22

The Appleseed Collective 8 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Representing Americana music rooted in traditions from all over the world &

The Price is Right Live!

7 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 17

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OCT. 22–25

OCT. 24

Private Lives Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at Oct. 1.

Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

“Thrill the World”: A Worldwide Thriller Flash Mob 5–6:30 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Global Thriller flash mob, held the same date & time around the world to break the World Record for the “Largest Simultaneous Dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.” Sign up to be a zombie dancer in one of the most exciting events in Scranton this fall.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

OCT. 23

Open Mic Night — Drumming 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Signups at 6:30 p.m. Open to audiences & performers of all ages. Musicians, poets, comedians & performers of all types invited to share their talents. Ed Crawley and the Everything Natural Drummers lead a drum circle after the open mic. Seating limited. Free admission. Info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 23

Toy Cannons — The Living Room Series 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Featuring Voir Voir.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 23

A Contra Dance 7:30–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. Poison Love with Caller Laurie B. Donations collected at the door, under 15 free. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 23

Alex De Grassi 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. A unique voice in the world of acoustic guitar for over 30 years.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 24

A Night at the Races Saint Eulalia’s Hall, Roaring Brook Twp. Doors open 5:30 p.m. 1st race 6 p.m. Admission includes light fare, soda, coffee, tea & water. Beer & wine, additional charge. No BYOB. Tickets & info: 570-842-1603 or 570-842-8537.

OCT. 24

Canaltown Short Spooky Movie Festival 8 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by canaltown & The Cooperage Project. Donations collected at the door. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

OCT. 24

Psycho Nurse: 30th Anniversary Mid-life Crisis Tour 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Back for their 30th anniversary reunion with a special night of Spooktacular events including a pre-Halloween costume contest. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow 10 a.m. Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at Oct. 16. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

OCT. 24

OCT. 24

Read to Bentley the Therapy Dog 11 a.m. Pike County Public Library, Dingmans Ferry. Info: 570-686-7045 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 24

Pet Adoption Day — Pike County Humane Society 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Pocono Mountain Lake Forest, Milford. Info: 570-296-7654.

Addi & Jacq 8 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley.

Recently crowned the “best emerging band in NYC.” Armed with nothing more than vocals & a harp, they have created a diverse & compelling body of music. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

OCT. 24

Halloween Bash featuring JingerKroa — The Living Room Series 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Nature at Night at the Nature Center OCT. 24 5–8:30 p.m.

Endless Mountains Nature Center, Tunkhannock. Campfire & treats, games & crafts. Nocturnal animals from the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Ctr. Take an evening trail walk at the end of the night. Recommended for 5 years & up.

Info & registration: 570-836-3835 or EndlessNature.org.

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OCT. 24

Indigo Girls 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Featuring Natalie Clark. Info: 570-4202808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 25

Bus Trip to see “Barber of Seville” at Tri-Cities Opera, Binghamton Price includes bus, opera & a hot buffet brunch. The Hawley Women’s Club trips raise funds for scholarships for WAHS seniors & donations to local charities. Info & reservations: Judy, 570-226-6588.

OCT. 25

Pet Adoption Day — Pike County Humane Society 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Country Kettle, East Stroudsburg. Info: 570-296-7654.

OCT. 25

Of Mice & Men — National Theatre Live 2 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock.

Hit Broadway production “Of Mice and Men,” filmed on stage by National Theatre Live. Tickets & info: 570-996-1500.

OCT. 25

The Beach Boys 7:30 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 27

OCT. 24

The Grand Slambovians PreHalloween Mischief Night 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe.

“Punk-classical-hillbillyFloyd,” where almost anything can happen.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

OCT. 23, 24, 30, 31

With Tonic. Costumes aren’t required, but prizes will be given for the top 3 best costumes. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

Eat Local: Identifying the Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants in Your Own Backyard 6:30 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Info: 570-296-8211 or www.pcpl.org.

OCT. 27–NOV. 1

Broadway Theatre League presents The Book of Mormon 7:30–10 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

OCT. 28

Open Mic Night 7–10 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale.

Presented by The Cooperage Project.

Led by Mike Jung. Donations collected at the door. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

OCT. 30

Frightday II: The Darkness Returns: The Exorcist (1973) 9:30 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 30, 31

Shakepeare’s Romeo and Juliet 2 & 7 p.m. Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. Presented by Pocono Shakes. The tragedy about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

OCT. 30–31

Colonial Superstitions, Folklore & Witchcraft 6–9 p.m. Nathan Denison House, Forty Fort. Tour conducted by candlelight to experience the Nathan Denison House like never before. Hear what it was like in the 18th Century when superstitions were part of everyday life. Ages 5 & under free. Info: 570-823-6244, OCT. 31

Frightday II: The Darkness Returns: Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) 12 a.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Come dance the Time Warp.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

OCT. 31

Vaccine Clinic — Pike County Humane Society 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Lehman Township Fire Dept., Bushkill. Info: 570-296-7654.

OCT. 31

Annual Halloween Party 5 p.m. Ehrhardt’s Waterfront Restaurant, Hawley. Live music 9 p.m.–1 a.m. Costume Contest, judging at 10 p.m. Benefits Victims’ Intervention Program. Info: 570-226-2124.

OCT. 31

“Night of the Living Dread” 6 & 8:30 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Featuring reggae music by George Wesley & appearances by comedian, hypnotist & magician, Matt Richards. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com.

OCT. 31

Frightday II: The Darkness Returns: Paranorman (2012) 7 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

Electric City Pre & Post Show Beer Tasting Event 6:30–7:30 p.m. Continues after “Book of Mormon” for one hour. Sample over 20 craft beer selections featuring some great local brews & other craft favorites.

Must be 21 years of age or older to attend or purchase. Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

OCT. 30

OCT. 31

OCT. 30

Misfits Static Age Revisited 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Each & every song from the historic release will be performed live, in album sequence, accompanied by video monitor backdrops.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 30

Surgeon General’s Warning Comedy: Night at Cocoon Coffee House 8:30–10 p.m. Cocoon Coffee House, Hawley. Not for the faint of heart. Info:

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Cabinet 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Music that might have its roots in the past, but is current & vibrant, with a sense of celebrating the now.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

OCT. 31

Boolesque 2015 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Join Madame Corsetiere & her cast of glamorous ghouls for a night of spine-tingling sex appeal as they cele-

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Halloween Bash OCT. 31 OCT. 31

7–11 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Wayne County Arts Alliance fundraiser is a costume competition & dance party for adults. Prizes awarded in these categories: scary, funny, sexy, best couples or group, historical & best overall.

Live music by The Chatter. Food available for purchase. BYOB. Info: 570-253-1000.

brate the things that go bump in the night. 18+ only. Costumes welcomed, but not required. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

November 1–November 8 NOV. 4 Rise Against 7 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg.

Featuring Killswitch Engage & letlive.

Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

NOV. 5 Lackwanna County Library System presents American Masters Lecture Series: James McPherson 7–8 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, Scranton. Admission by ticket only.

Tickets available at Local LCLS Branch Library in person only, free to LCLS library card holders. Book sale & signing follows the lecture in the ballroom.

Info: 570-344-1111 or www.scrantonculturalcenter.org.

NOV. 5 Nikki Lane 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. “The First Lady of Outlaw Country.” Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

NOV. 6 Curious George 10 a.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Grades Pre-K–3. Delightful new

musical & fun-filled adventure. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

NOV. 6 The Gallagher Joke’s on You Comedy Tour 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre.

With Gallagher, Artie Fletcher, & Bob Nelson. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

NOV. 6 The Music of Simon & Garfunkel 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. AJ Swearingen & Kelli recreate the music, memories & magic of the most famous folk-rock duo of our time.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

NOV. 6, 7 & 8 The Lakeside Players present “Bus Stop” Lakeville Community Hall, Lakeville.

Fri., Sat. 7:30 p.m. & Sun. 3 p.m. The classic comedy by William Inge set in a diner in the Midwest, where a bus is stranded overnight in a snowstorm.

Info & reservations: 570-226-6207.

NOV. 7 The ‘The Band’ Band – Last Waltz Celebration 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Celebrating the original Band’s historic “The Last Waltz” farewell concert. Catering by 14 Acre Farm.

Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

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35

the arts

artscene

“Wind Swept Trees” Art Type: Stoneware Pottery Artist: Jone Bush Size: 4"–6" high Price: $22–$42 Available from: Jone Bush Henryville, PA Phone: 570-629-4944 joniebush@aol.com INSPIRATION: The “wind swept” trees were inspired by a lonely tree on my island in Canada. Each piece is drawn on the vessel by hand and it is then glazed in a brilliant red color. The pieces are all food safe, can be used in the microwave and put into the dishwasher. Each piece is unique.

The prices range from $22.00 to $42.00 dollars. They are also available in black, blue and green.

The "carved tree vessels" are a reflection of me and my love of nature.

For more information about CM ARTSCENE GALLERY, contact CM Artscene Coordinator Lucille Norella at 570.488.6742 or email Lnorella@echoes.net.

You may also contact Connections Magazine at 570.647.0085 or cmag@ptd.net

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Artscene allows artists the opportunity to exhibit a piece of their artwork in Connections Magazine and on our website with the intent of selling their artwork and gaining exposure.

“Prayers for the Children of Nickel Mine” Art Type: Pastel and Pastel Pencil Artist: Yolanda Goldsack Size: 16" x 20" unframed print Price: $75 Available from: Yolanda Goldsack Milford, PA Phone: 570-686-4177 goldsack@ptd.net INSPIRATION: This painting was done using a reference photo taken by a very talented photographer name David Swanson. The photo depicts three young Amish girls heading for a prayer service for the victims of the October, 2006, shooting and killing of 5 young Amish girls in their one-room Amish school house.

Mrs. Goldsack always admired the photo and contacted Mr. Swanson for permission to paint it. When Mr. Swanson explained what the photo was about Mrs. Goldsack wanted to do the painting in honor of the young victims and all children who are victims of violence.

“American Schoolgirl Art” Art Type: Tiger Maple Document Box — Casein and Ink, Quill and Brush Artist: Eve Marschark Size: 15" w. x 81⁄2" d. x 6" h.

Price: $1,100 Available from: Eve Marschark Bedminster, PA Phone: 215-795-0375 evemarschark@verizon.net INSPIRATION: Come to the ninth annual Bedminster Traditional Artisan Show September 12 and 13 at Delaware Valley College, 700 East Butler Ave. (West State St.), Doylestown, PA 18901. Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Juried craft show with over 40 artisans from 12 states.

All items are “Made in America.” Proceeds benefit the Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy. Information: 215-795-0375 or www.BedminsterTraditionalArtisanShow.com.

The cost is only $105 for three months and will reach over 54,000 readers per month in Pennsylvania and parts of New York and New Jersey.

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“Porcelain Henna Bowl” Art Type: Unique Pottery and Henna Artwork Artist: Paula Focazio Size: 12.5" diameter x 5" high Price: $150 Available from: Paula Focazio Upper Black Eddy, PA Phone: 267-884-2286 paula@focazio.com www.focazio.com INSPIRATION: My recent porcelain work is inspired by my fascination with the ancient art of mehndi (henna decorations on skin). I have taken my love of these two mediums and combined them to form unique pieces that are both functional and stand-alone works of art.

“Labyrinth Garden Walk” Art Type: Rocks and Flowers Artist: Carol Cannon-Nesco Greentown, PA Phone: 570-350-2517 nesco314@verizon.net INSPIRATION: Families and groups are welcome to come walk a privet 126' circle labyrinth garden.

By appointment only: 570-350-2517.

314 Saw Mill Road, Greentown, PA 18426.

The great gift of the labyrinth is that you don’t have to do anything in any particular way. Simply walking the path will help you in prayer, meditation, dream, celebrate and play.

Donations accepted. Hours 8:00 a.m. to dusk.