Inside Pennsylvania Magazine - Spring 2023

FOUR-LEGGED MOVIE STAR

TRAINED IN THE VALLEY FEATURED IN TOM HANKS FILM

Priestley House has aged well over last two centuries Cottage Nook offers furniture, clothing, jewelry and more

Valley gardeners planting for birds, bees and butterflies

Inside Thoughts...

The temperature today was in the high 60s. That would be great if it were late March or early April, but not on Feb. 14!

March sometimes has a sick sense of humor that makes it think the purple crocuses and yellow daffodils would look better with a dusting of snow.

Whether you’re tucked up by the fire with a “hot beverage” or you have already gotten out your spring clothes, everyone from four to 90 will enjoy our spring wellness topic: Bowling. If it’s cold, raining, snowy, hot or humid, you can still bowl!

Surely you have visited the Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland. At a time, when so many “old” properties are not valued, this splendid house has “survived” for 200 plus years. The people who have — through the years — contributed money, wrote grants, volunteered for a myriad of thankless tasks and enjoyed every minute of it are the true heroes of this story.

Schmagel is a gray long-haired cat who lives in our Valley. Even though he starred in the movie, “A Man Called Otto,” with Tom Hanks, he has maintained his “every man” persona. Britany Hufnagle Long is Schmagel’s friend and trainer and the person responsible for his success.

Bees have been disappearing, but so are butterflies and some birds. Gardening to attract these helpful creatures is not as simple as some might think. Several expert gardeners will explain the steps that will help you attract and feed these valuable creatures.

Finally, The Cottage Nook in Danville is a new store that celebrates the diverse talents of two women. You’ll meet them in this issue, and learn why their store is a little unique — just like they are. Happy Spring!

INDEPENDENTLIVING, PERSONALCARE,MEMORY CAREANDSKILLEDCARE... ALLONONECAMPUS.

INDEPENDENTLIVING AT THEMEADOWS

“Movingto TheMeadows at MariaJosephwas theright choice for me nearly fiveyearsago. Thequality of life is enhanced bythe strong senseofcommunity :neighbors helpingneighbors, friendly staff providingenter tainment,exerciseclasses,walking trips, andcaring supportwhenhelpisneeded.” ~Ruth

PERSONALCARE AT MARIAJOSEPH MANOR

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MEMORYCAREAT NAZARETHMEMORY CENTER

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SKILLEDCARE AT THE EMMANUELCENTER

“Thestaff at Emmanuel Center took such good careof me.One day twogirls came in to helpmeget readyandtheyweresinging asong. Soon,wereall laughingandsinging together.I am so thankful for allthe therapy department didforme.SogladImadethe choice to come to Emmanuel Center.” ~Jessie

Jean L. Knouse, Editor

Jean Knouse Jean L. Knouse, Editor

PA

Educating

Passionate

What do you need to know?

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COVER PHOTO: BRITANY HUFNAGLE LONG, OF CATAWISSA, HOLDS HER CAT, SCHMAGEL, WHO STARRED WITH TOM HANKS

MAN

Remembering the Winter of 2023

A STORM RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS LEFT ABOUT 6 INCHES OF SNOW COVERING DOWNTOWN MILTON.

SNOW COVERS A STRETCH OF MONTOUR RIDGE IN POINT TOWNSHIP IN JANUARY.

PHOTO CONTEST

See Page 29 for details on Inside PA’s upcoming photo contest!

RYAN CROSBY OF DIMARTINO’S ICE CARVES A SCULPTURE IN FEBRUARY DURING THE HEART OF LEWISBURG ICE FESTIVAL.

A TRAIN ROLLS DOWN THE TRACKS IN MAHONING TOWNSHIP ON A SNOWY DAY IN JANUARY.

SHIKELLAMY'S CASSIE RONK, LEFT, AND BLAIRE BALESTRINI, WORK TOGETHER TO SECURE THE REBOUND DURING A GAME AGAINST SELINSGROVE.

This season...

In March

“In like a lion and out like a lamb” is a phrase that has long described the third month of the year. March is derived from the Latin word Martius which is taken from Mars, the Roman god of war. It is appropriate since, in Roman times, March was when it warmed up enough to resume campaigns of war.

While April was once the second month of the year, it is now — obviously — the fourth. This change happened around 700 BC. The Latin verb, aperire, seems to be a reference to the opening or blossoming of flowers and trees. April has many days of celebrations and ceremony. Despite its place at the beginning of April, no one is certain exactly how April Fool’s Day was born.

In April

HITTING THE LANES

Valley bowling alleys provide healthy, fun way to socialize

Story by Jerri Brouse

The bowling lanes in the Valley struggled, like many other businesses, during the pandemic. But, in spring 2023, they are bouncing back. Bowlers are returning to a sport they like and really enjoy. It’s not just the competition that has them returning. That’s part of it, but they also like the exercise and — finally — the ability to socialize with their friends. Perhaps no one has told you that people of all ages like to bowl. After you read about this popular sport in the Valley, you just might want to give it a try.

THE STRIKE ZONE, 300 PACKER ST., SUNBURY, SUNBURYBOWLING.COM AND ON FACEBOOK

Gary Lindenmuth is the manager and chief mechanic at The Strike Zone (TSZ) which opened in 1962. He is enjoying this chapter in his life as he also manages reservations, shoe rentals and payments for services — among a myriad of other tasks — at the alley. However, he particularly enjoys his role as the most enthusiastic cheerleader for kids and teens at TSZ.

As the manager of the lanes, he is one of the Shikellamy High School Bowling Teams’ biggest fans. Lindenmuth said in the hours after school, children and teens are the usual bowlers at the lanes. Shikellamy School District sponsors a Pee Wee Bowling program for children and the days they bowl, the lanes are filled with the sound of balls hitting the lanes, chatter, laughter and shouts of “way to go!” Meanwhile, proud parents and grandparents look on lovingly.

Bowling leagues — for men and women and mixed groups — remain popular, according to Lindenmuth, but, he said, teens tend to come as a group of friends, not as

OWEN

dates. Families and friends out for a night of fun are very popular on the weekend.

Lindenmuth was a full-time mechanic for 35 years at Sunbury Motors until he made bowling his main career. In a part-time role, he was the mechanic at TSZ for 18 years. While his title is now “manager,” he should add public relations director to his list of responsibilities.

Northumberland Christian School brings students to TSZ for gym class. Every February for 16 days — Monday through Thursday for four weeks — two grades of students come to the bowling alley with their gym teacher Britany Crease. Seventh- and eighth-graders at the TSZ means lots of laughter, lots of smiles, lots of cheering and lots of good bowling!

THE BLUE MOOSE, 437 CHESTNUT ST., MIFFLINBURG, THEBLUEMOOSEPA.COM WILL BE ONLINE IN 20 DAYS. ALSO ON FACEBOOK

Kathy Kron, owner of The Blue Moose, said she never thought she’d be the owner of a bowling alley. But when she bought the building four years ago, she saw potential in the old four-lane alley in the basement.

“It had been abandoned and neglected for quite a while,” said Krohn. “It took a year to renovate parts of the building, including the bowling alley. The Brunswick traveling bowling mechanic would come once a month for 12 hour days and work.”

Now with freshly painted lanes, new balls, new shoes, a snack bar, pool tables and more, Krohn is excited to continue growing the business.

Things got off to a rough start when she opened six weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing her to

close her doors again. Thankfully, she managed to ride it out, and business is now booming.

Pondering her answer to the question, “Who makes up the bulk of her customer base?” Krohn said bowling seems to be popular for all ages.

“We get a lot of teenagers on dates and also private parties for birthdays and other events,” said Krohn. “You can rent out the entire bowling alley.”

Krohn said she believes bowling continues to be a popular sport because it gets people physically engaged in an activity and forces them to put their phones down — at least some of the time.

“It’s interesting because the first thing I noticed is that people put their phones down and talk to each other,” she said.

“It’s simple — and people want to do simple,” she said. “And it’s affordable, family-oriented fun that appeals to all ages.

The Blue Moose alley is different from other bowling alleys in that there are black lights and music playing and “it’s like a little party.”

Kids birthday parties have been a hit and Krohn is hoping to start recreational leagues in the fall.

For now, anyone interested in renting out The Blue Moose can call or text 570-713-4455 to make reservations or for more information.

“I’m happy that people are happy to come,” said Krohn. “That’s the whole point.”

BEST BOWL, 2208 ROUTE 522, SELINSGROVE, EMAIL: BESTBOWL @ LIVE.COM AND ON FACEBOOK

Dennis Camp, owner of Best Bowl, agreed that bowling

Jean Knouse/Inside PA

STEVENSON, LEFT, 10, SUNBURY, GRANT KLINE, 8, OF NORTHUMBERLAND, AND DAVID BAKER, 9, OF SUNBURY HAVE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS BOWLING AT THE STRIKE ZONE IN SUNBURY.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BOWLING

Dr. Richard Smith, a board-certified internal medicine physician at Geisinger, said that bowling is a worthwhile activity that offers physical, social, mental and emotional benefits.

“Bowling has something for all ages,” said Smith. “Anyone from age five to 95 can bowl and accommodations can be made for folks in wheelchairs or other special needs. It’s open to people of all ages and skills and the cost isn’t prohibitive for most people.”

Put all those things together and you have the makings for a good family outing. And while it might not compare to running or lifting weights, any amount of exercise and stretching is good for a person, he explained. And, according to Healthfitnessrevolution.com, bowling helps you slim down by speeding up your metabolism.

Before getting started, like any type of activity, Smith recommends stretching and warming up your muscles.

“That’s always a good idea,” he said.

“(Bowling) really isn’t great cardio unless you get really excited about your bowling,” joked Smith. “But it’s a good activity to build balance, strengthening muscles and eye coordination.”

“Throwing the bowling ball and hitting the pins requires a great amount of hand-eye coordination. This kind of focus stimulates mental alertness, concentration and tactical strategy. This makes bowling the perfect game for young people to sharpen motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and for older people to refine tactics,” according to Healthfitnessrevolution.com.

On the emotional side of things, Smith said bowling can help those feeling lonely or isolated.

“Bowling is something we don’t generally do alone,” he said. “It’s something of a social outing.”

“And socialization is so important to our well being,” he said.

Isolation is one of biggest issues the elderly population faces, so anything people can do with friends or family that may give a new outlook on life — even for a while — would be excellent, Smith explained.

“It could be a good way to make friends,” he said.

Smith recalled he made a lot of friends in the Air Force through bowling.

“It was a way to start that ball rolling and help the socialization process,” he said.

Rob Inglis/Inside PA

GARY LINDENMUTH IS THE MANAGER AND CHIEF MECHANIC AT THE STRIKE ZONE IN SUNBURY.

DR. RICHARD SMITH

is a recreational sport that draws in all ages. Camp and his son, Justin, run the bowling alley, which is home to three local high school bowling teams — Selinsgrove, Midd-West and Mifflinburg — and a variety of bowling leagues.

“It’s a great family activity,” said Camp. “For a lot of families it is a generational thing — the parents bowl, so the kids bowl.”

It’s also good for your physical and mental health, he said.

“You can make a lot of friends,” he said. “There’s a fellowship here. And you use different muscles in your body when you bowl.”

At Best Bowl, Camp hosts birthday parties as well as special theme nights like “Glow Bowl.”

There is also a youth league that boasts approximately 100 kids.

“If I see someone come in more than two or three times to bowl, I’ll try to recruit them to one of the leagues,” he said.

Currently 16 teams play at Best Bowl, some competitive, some, not so much.

“Some people just want to come and have fun, others are more serious,” he said. The teams vary between three and four people.

He also sees a lot of groups or organizations hosting team building events, birthday parties, holiday parties and private hours for homeschool, church groups, scouts or special needs groups.

BOWLING HISTORY

Each year, 67 million people in the U.S. bowl and, of those, 1.2 million compete regularly in league play certified by the U.S. Bowling Congress.

They bowl on a 60-foot lane, a distance that is rooted in some of the earliest history of the sport.

Stone bowling pins and a stone ball found in the tomb of a child in Egypt around 5200 B.C. was the first evidence of bowling. The recent discovery of ula malka, an ancient Polynesian game that required players to roll a stone ball at nine pieces of stone 60 feet away, is another example.

Bowling at wooden pins is likely linked to a German religious ceremony. Martin Luther is credited with settling on nine pins. Why and when the 10th pin was added to the American game remains a mystery.

Buildings for bowling started to move west from New York City by the mid-19th century — mostly to cities with large German populations. In 1895, nine bowling clubs from around New York met in what is considered the first attempt to create order out of chaos and led to the creation of the first book of rules.

On Jan. 1, 2005, various organizations were united under one governing body, the U.S. Bowling Congress.

Sources: bowling.com and Britannica.com.

Rob Inglis/Inside PA

MIDWAY LANES, DANVILLE, 1939 MONTOUR BLVD., ( ROUTE 11), DANVILLE. MIDWAY LANES IS ON FACEBOOK

Like the other bowling alleys, Midway Lanes depends upon leagues, parties, events and open bowling to fund the business. And, like the others, Midway boasts a snack bar — not a vending machine with sodas and candy — and automatic score-keeping. Of course, if you don’t have your own bowling ball or your own bowling shoes, all of the alleys rent equipment for a reasonable fee.

After visiting with a group of eight bowlers at Midway, it’s likely there are lots of interesting people who have formed their own “leagues.” One of them at Midway meets on Thursday evenings. Eight men who first met when they bowled in a league at the Elks in Danville — before it closed — get together once a week to enjoy each other’s company, laugh a lot and team up in pairs to see who can win the most games in one night. Besides bragging rights for the week, there is probably a prize, but no one would say what it is.

Also, like The Strike Zone and Best Bowl, Danville High School bowling teams call Midway its home. The pandemic certainly hit the bowling business hard, but they have persevered. Bowling is good for your health, relatively inexpensive, lots of fun and the business is an asset to any community. Why not give it a try?

DENNIS CAMP

THE NORTHUMBERLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SEVENTH - AND EIGHTH - GRADERS ARE TAKING THEIR FEBRUARY GYM CLASSES AT THE STRIKE ZONE.

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HOUSE OF HISTORY

Priestley House has aged well over last two centuries

Story by Anna Wiest

The Joseph Priestley House, located in Northumberland is recognized internationally as a treasure of history. The house was built between 1794 and 1798. After being “burned out of England,” Priestley and his wife chose to settle in this area, partially because their sons had already settled here to work in the land speculation business, according to Steven Klinger, a volunteer at the site. Mary Priestley designed the house which was an uncommon thing for women to do in the 18th century. She also oversaw the construction. Sadly, Mary was never able to live in the house as she passed away before it was finished four years and $25,000 later. According to Murrie Zlotziver, the Operations Manager of the Joseph Priestley House, it was the most expensive

house in Northumberland at the time.

The first floor laboratory was very important to Priestley. “The lab was the first room built,” Klinger said. “I think that goes to show the importance to him of having his laboratory.” According to Zlotziver, it is believed there were once stairs that went directly from the lab to the bedroom. This lab is where Joseph Priestley isolated carbon monoxide.

The other room on the first floor that was very important to Priestley, according to Zlotziver, was the library. Priestley’s collection of books was one of the largest home libraries in America at the time, he said. Today, the library is displayed as it is believed to have been used during Priestley’s final years since he was too ill to go upstairs. Zlotziver, said Priestley, actually lived in the library.

The drawing room, also on the first floor overlooking the river, is where Priestley taught and conducted ministries. It was also used by his son for his land speculation business, according to Klinger. Currently displayed in this room is Priestley’s microscope with ivory slides.

Also located on the ground level are the kitchen and summer kitchen. The original kitchen was damaged in 1866 when the engine of the Northumberland No. 9 blew up on the railroad behind the house. The room was then redone by new owners. The adjacent summer kitchen originally had an outdoor oven. Today, the room maintains its slanted floor which aided in the cleaning process. The original well also remains in the summer kitchen. Standing above it, one can see the water that lies below.

What was originally a pantry is now referred to as the “children’s room.” This small room currently has several displays: one of teaching tools, another of games and toys, and one of women’s crafts, all from the time period that the Priestleys would have lived in the home.

The final room on the ground floor is the dining room. According to Zlotziver, the dishes displayed on the table in this room are similar to the ones Priestley would have used. Also shown in the room are broken pieces of plates that were found during an excavation, believed to have been from Priestley’s time, Klinger said. The dining room also displays Priestley’s clock which was functioning until about 2003.

The staircase that takes visitors from the first floor to the second was built in Philadelphia and transported to Northumberland by wagon before it was set in the house. “The reason for this was that there were not skilledenough carpenters in the area to build it at the time,”

Zlotziver said.

On the second floor is the bedroom of Elizabeth Ryland Priestley, Joseph Priestley’s daughter-in-law. Klinger explained that, at the time, the first floor was considered as space for men, so Elizabeth Priestley spent a lot of time in her bedroom. “She taught her children here. She wrote articles for the local paper, which is something women at the time did not really do,” Zlotziver said. “She would even entertain guests by the window overlooking the river.” Also located in that room is a French clock this is believed to have been a gift from General Lafayette.

The other rooms on the second floor were once used as bedrooms, but are now used for research and storage at the site.

On the third floor, which is not shown during visitor tours, are three bedrooms that were used for servants as well as the entryway to the widow’s walk.

A separate brick building on the property, the Pond building, was built by Penn State University when it owned the house. The university built the structure to house artifacts and files in a fireproof building, according to Zlotziver. The building is now used for demonstrations.

Zlotziver said the team at the house continues to make improvements and is looking forward to opening for the season. “We are expecting new outdoor panels soon, hopefully by our opening in March,” he said. “We open March 12, which is traditional, to celebrate Priestley’s birthday and charter day. The house will be open that day for free self-guided tours.

As for the continued maintenance and updates to the centuries-old property, Zlotziver said his goal is clear. “We want to bring the house back to what it looked like when Joseph Priestley lived here,” he said.

Cindy O. Herman/Inside PA

ONE OF THE MACHINES JOSEPH PRIESTLEY USED TO STUDY ELECTRICITY.

SITDOWN WITH JOSEPH PRIESTLEY

Story and photos by Cindy O. Herman

If it were possible to visit with someone from the past, who would you choose to interview?

With that idea as a premise, Cindy Herman interviewed one of the most interesting people who ever lived in our valley. Joseph Priestley, scientist, teacher and minister, was very well-known when he walked this earth.

The Joseph Priestley who sat for a chat with Herman was Ronald Blatchley, retired Mifflinburg Area High School chemistry teacher, who has been portraying Joseph Priestley for 40 years. She met with him — in character — for this question and answer session.

Question: Mr. Priestley, history knows you as the scientist and teacher who lived in Northumberland, but I understand that in England, where you lived until you were 61, you were a Dissenter. Can you tell me what that is?

Answer: It’s a person who is not a member of the Church of England. I started out as a fairly orthodox Christian, but the more I thought about my maker, the less orthodox I became. Some people saw me as a troublemaker, although I never meant to give offense to anybody. I became interested in the study of science because I thought it would better help me understand the mind of God.

Q: I understand you left England in 1794 when you immigrated to America. Why did you leave?

A: Being a Dissenter made me unpopular with the powers that be. In 1791, rioters in Birmingham burned down my church and my house. At that point, it just wasn’t safe for my family to remain in Birmingham, so I moved to London. I had already sent my three sons to Philadelphia and I followed them there in 1794. George Washington lived there, but the city was not to my liking. It was noisy, dirty and filled with people trying to get money and power. My sons had established a home here in Northumberland, so I joined them and we began to build this house that Mary, my wife, designed. Sadly, she never lived to move into it. She and my youngest son, Henry — we called him Harry — died of tuberculosis when he was just 18.

Q: I understand you knew a famous American named Benjamin Franklin. How did you meet him?

I met Dr. Franklin on one of his trips to London. I asked him about his electrical experiments, and he helped me get books and equipment for my own

experiments. When I wrote “The History and Present State of Electricity,” I was probably the reigning expert on electricity in the entire world — until Faraday came along.

I sometimes wonder about Franklin flying that kite. I wouldn’t go out and fly a kite in a thunderstorm. Dr. Franklin was a brilliant man, but he was a bit of a rascal … he says he did it, so we’ll take it at that.

Q: And, you also knew Thomas Jefferson?

A: Jefferson had made a trip to England and I met him there. I was fascinated by his wide-ranging intellect. We’ve exchanged letters for years. In fact, the very first letter he wrote from the White House was to me.

AS A YOUTH, JOSEPH PRIESTLEY TAUGHT HIMSELF FRENCH, GERMAN, ITALIAN AND SEVERAL OTHER LANGUAGES BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE LIMITED IN THE BOOKS HE WAS ABLE TO READ.

Q: I understand you had tuberculosis as a child, but, even though you were ill, you taught yourself French, German, Italian and several other languages, and you also studied mathematics. Why did you study so much?

A: Even as a child, I was curious about nearly everything. If I looked for knowledge in books, some were in German, some were in Italian and French. If you only read one language, it limits what you can learn, and I do not like being limited.

Q: Early scientists sometimes called gases like oxygen “airs.” Where did you get the idea that there are “airs?”

A: It was the state of science at the time. Joseph Black, the Scottish physician, had discovered carbon dioxide — which is a combination of two airs, carbon and oxygen. His work proved there were different airs. Henry Cavendish found a highly flammable air called hydrogen. At that point, we began to suspect there might be lots of airs besides the air we breathe. I discovered at least eight different airs. Some people say 12 or 13; it all depends on how you define “discover.” Even if you only count eight, that’s more airs than any other chemist has discovered before or since.

Q: How did you discover “dephlogisticated air”

(oxygen)?

A: I heated the red calx of mercury to produce mercury and dephlogisticated air. Everybody who did that experiment ahead of me did it in an open container. I did it in a closed container. I tried the air on a mouse in a glass jar, and the mouse seemed to do better than when he was breathing ordinary air. I tried it myself and I felt peculiarly light and easy in my breast for some time afterward.

Whenever I worked with a new air, I filled a glass with it and turned it upside down over a mouse. Only then, if it turned out well for the mouse, did I try the air myself. I did discover one air right here in this laboratory.

When I was studying carbon monoxide, it did not turn out well for the mouse. I sometimes wonder if somebody discovered that ahead of me and didn’t live to tell of it. It is extremely poisonous.

Q: I wonder, Dr. Priestley, if you have any advice for people living in 2023?

Throughout my life, I never lost my love of learning. I never understood those people who, when they left school, stopped learning. Why would you do that?

RONALD BLATCHLEY, RETIRED MIFFLINBURG AREA HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHER, MARVELS AT THE FACT THAT HE CAN NOW PERFORM EXPERIMENTS AS A RE - ENACTOR IN JOSEPH PRIESTLEY’S ACTUAL LAB AT THE PRIESTLEY HOUSE IN NORTHUMBERLAND.

FOUR-LEGGED MOVIE STAR

Cat trained in the Valley featured in Tom Hanks film

Story by Cindy O. Herman

You know how it is with movie stars. After the hard work of filming and the glitz and glamour of the red carpet, they like to retreat to a quiet spot in the country, far from the red carpets and camera flashes of their job.

Hollywood’s current A-list cat has such a place. When filming for “A Man Called Otto” wrapped, Schmagel returned home with his owner and trainer, Britany Hufnagle Long.

A few years ago, Hufnagle Long was approached by an animal acting agent while showing her golden retrievers at a dog show. That led to her animals performing in television shows like “American Horror Story” and “Law and Order,” commercials and advertising for businesses like Stainmaster, L.L.Bean and Victoria’s Secret, and most recently, the “Otto” movie starring Tom Hanks.

That might sound like she stumbled into a cushy job, but only if you overlook what went into getting there.

“I started a dog grooming business out of my parents’ house when I was 12 years old. It helped pay for school,” said the Selinsgrove native and 2008 graduate of Susquehanna University.

“She started showing her dogs when she was eight, against adults,” said her mother, LuAnn Hufnagle, of Selinsgrove. “We often said if she had four legs and a tail, she would be a happy child.”

With her husband, Bhrett, Britany provides grooming, training, daycare and dog boarding at Hill Crest Canine Country Club on a hilltop south of Catawissa, in Columbia County. The Country Club part of the name is a nod to Bhrett’s love of golf.

“But also because we offer more than boarding,” Britany said. “We sell fancy treats, we have swimming, training, grooming. I have an open house at Christmas and dogs

Photo courtesy of Sony SCHMAGEL DONS FORMAL ATTIRE FOR THE PREMIER OF "A MAN CALLED OTTO."

BRITANY HUFNAGLE LONG, OF CATAWISSA, HOLDS HER CAT, SCHMAGEL, WHO STARRED WITH TOM HANKS IN “A MAN CALLED OTTO.”

Robert Inglis/ Inside PA

Photo provided

CELEBRATING THE PREMIERE FOR “A MAN CALLED OTTO,” IN NEW YORK CITY, ARE FROM LEFT: RITA WILSON, TOM HANKS, BRITANY HUFNAGLE LONG HOLDING SCHMAGEL, AND BHRETT LONG.

Photo courtesy of Sony TOM HANKS HOLDS SCHMAGEL AT THE PREMIERE FOR “A MAN CALLED OTTO,” IN NEW YORK CITY.

come for treats. We’re trying to make it enjoyable for dogs and people.”

Few people realize Hufnagle Long, 37, actually had two other animals in “Otto,” a cat named Bacon and a Papillon dog named Ritz. For Schmagel’s role, the acting agency asked for a cat that could look straggly in early scenes — a feat achieved with a “shampoo” of egg yolks. Ritz’s main description was “the neighbor’s annoying dog that pees on everything.” Ritz rocked the role.

“He can do a leg hike where he looks like he’s peeing, but he’s actually not peeing,” Hufnagle Long said.

TRAINING

Parts of “Otto” were filmed outdoors in Pittsburgh, from Feb. 2 to May 4 of last year. Hufnagle Long started training Schmagel in December.

‘You can’t just step onto a set and have a cat ready,” she said. “It’s a big commitment, training-wise. Number one, you must bond with the cat. But then food is definitely a huge motivator. My cat works for his food.”

When Schmagel performs tricks — begging, sitting up on his hind feet — he gets treats.

He accompanied Hufnagle Long when she drove her daughter to school, getting him used to riding in a car. She took him to pet-friendly places like Petco to help with socialization. She worked with him on a concrete stage in a

Bloomsburg park to get him used to sitting on snow or cold ground.

“Keeping the pet safe is the top priority,” she said. “With a cat, you have to make sure that it’s pleasant for them. I timed him to see how long before he felt cold.”

Dogs might stick it out to please their owner, but cats will work only as long as they’re having fun. When Schmagel shivered, the day’s rehearsal ended.

“I know the extensive work that goes into training,” LuAnn Hufnagle said. “I mean, it was weeks and weeks and weeks of preparation and planning, in little increments.”

STARDOM

Tom Hanks is personable and has an amazing memory, Hufnagle Long said. When introduced, he simply said, “Hi, I’m Tom.”

“He cares about the animals,” she said. “He cares that people are having a good time. His wife and son were also very nice in person. All are extremely friendly.”

On set, there was no ogling of the stars; everyone did their job. Hanks, however, did sign a Woody doll for Britany’s daughter. He also spent time getting to know Schmagel.

“I thought that was quite impressive, that he got to know Schmagel on Schmagel’s terms,” LuAnn Hufnagle said.

Filming consisted of Hufnagle Long and her assistant working 15-hour days and staying attuned to the animals’

Cindy O. Herman/Inside PA

BRITANY HUFNAGLE LONG, A SELINSGROVE AREA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE, STANDS INSIDE HER STORE AT HILL CREST CANINE COUNTRY CLUB, IN CATAWISSA. THE HOMEMADE TREATS SHE SELLS TO HER CLIENTS’ PETS CAN BE SEEN IN THE DISPLAY CASE.

needs. Schmagel was fed after his role in action scenes, but before a scene where he was supposed to lie on Hanks’ lap, Hufnagle Long fed him so he’d be in a relaxed “food coma.”

Filming outside presented its own challenges.

“There’s no harness on the cat, and he’s outside,” she said. “You have to worry that he’ll get scared and run away. There’s a lot of parts to it.”

As a matter of fact, Schmagel’s sister, Schmiscuit, went along as his understudy just in case Schmagel had a bad day.

“But Schmiscuit didn’t end up doing anything for the movie because Schmagel’s so great,” Hufnagle Long said, pride evident in her tone.

Schmagel even attended a premiere in New York City. Hufnagle Long kept him comfy in a cat backpack with a ventilated window — except when Tom Hanks carried him on the red carpet, dressed in matching blue ties. Hufnagle Long walked along too.

That was a fun experience for a Selinsgrove girl, meeting famous people and blinking in the light from the cameras.

“It was considered work,” she said. “So they paid me to drink my champagne.”

Schmagel’s reviews have been complimentary. Deadline. com called him a scene stealer. Hanks himself, in Collider. com, said it’s not easy to work with a cat, “but we had a good cat.”

Hufnagle Long acknowledged that it took a lot of research and practice, but she was proud of Schmagel and herself.

“When it’s done, and it was done well, I think, it’s a huge sense of pride,” she said.

LuAnn Hufnagle and her husband can’t say enough about their daughter.

“Mark and I couldn’t be more proud because she’s done this on her own. And along with her husband — you couldn’t ask for a better guy,” she said.

Hufnagle Long gave credit to Schmagel.

“He’s used to cameras, but he’s an animal. Sometimes something can upset him,” she said. But after Schmagel came through in true Hollywood style, she added, “He did great.”

Cindy O. Herman/Inside PA

SCHMAGEL KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON HIS OWNER, BRITANY HUFNAGLE LONG, WATCHING FOR HER COMMANDS SO HE CAN RECEIVE A TREAT.

PhotoContest

Inside PA readers are invited to document Spring 2023 in photographs. In the Summer issue of Inside PA, the winning photographs will be published on the page, Memories of Spring.

PRIZES TO BE AWARDED

• $100 Grand Prize — can be any category

• $50 Prize for each of these categories

• Nature

• Por trait

• Event

• Recreation

RULES

• Photos must be taken during Spring 2023 and should be taken and submitted in color.

• The photographs must be submitted — one per email — to didigital19@gmail.com. If you enter 8 photographs,

you will send 8 emails — one per email.

• Include your name, address and phone number in each email. Include the category of your entry and a title. You will receive a phone call to verify your entry.

• By entering the contest via email, you are giving The Daily Item and Inside PA permission to publish your photograph. No anonymous photos will be published.

• Photographers are limited to 2 entries per category. The first 2 that are submitted will be entered for judging.

• The Grand Prize winner may be selected from any of the 4 categories.

• Photos will be judged for the following: composition, clarity, creativity and quality.

• All photos must be submitted to didigital19@gmail. com by 5 p.m. on April 14, 2023.

• Must be 18 years of age or older.

NATIVE GARDENING

Planting for birds, bees and butterflies

Story and photos by Mary Bernath

Bees are in trouble.

Monarch butterflies were placed on the endangered list in 2022.

Perfectly mowed lawns, while neat and pretty to look at, don’t help their situation. But a pollinator garden does.

That is why a growing number of gardeners are converting a portion of their lawn or garden space to native plants and shrubs. They are planting to please the bees, bugs, butterflies, and birds that stop by for a bite.

The key word in this type of gardening is “native.” That means, according to Master Gardener John Patrick Colatch of Milton, “plants that were here in Pennsylvania when Europeans first arrived.”

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) puts the current count of native plants at 2,100. By the year 2000, according to its website, nonnative plants numbered 1,300, or 37% of the total number of Pennsylvania plant species.

Not all non-native plants are bad, but some are invasive, crowding out essential native plants. And Pennsylvania’s insects and other pollinators know what they like and often shun the interlopers. That makes gardens filled with native plants worth the extra effort.

One good plant to choose is butterfly weed, also known as milkweed, which is especially popular with Monarch butterflies. “But you have to do your homework,” said Stephanie Fullmer of Riverside, “to be sure you plant the right kind of milkweed. It must be ‘common’ or ‘swamp,’ and not an exotic variety, or the butterflies won’t go to it.”

Photo courtesy of Carol Burke

A BUMBLEBEE SAMPLES POLLEN FROM A HYSSOP SPIKE.

You also want to avoid butterfly bush, whose name sounds promising but which is actually an exotic and a nuisance. “Butterfly bushes are beautiful,” said Colatch, “but you have to cut off their flowers right after they bloom to keep the plant from spreading.”

Native trees provide a home for countless insects and their larvae. An oak tree can host as many as 350 species of caterpillars, while the non-native gingko hosts just one. Given the fact that, according to Cornell University, it takes 7,500 caterpillars to feed just one clutch of black capped chickadee babies, the oak is a crucial player in raising both baby birds and the butterflies that hatch from the caterpillars.

One beautiful exotic, the Tree of Heaven, has become a true villain, because it is to blame for the spotted lanternfly wave that is sweeping Pennsylvania and nearby states. It was brought to America around 1700 and is planted throughout our area as an ornamental. Native to China and Japan, it has lured the spotted lanternfly here. “It is a perfect example,” said Colatch, “of how when you introduce the wrong kind of plants you attract the wrong kind of critters.”

Fullmer began planting her three-quarters of an acre for the birds and insects about 15 years ago. When she moved to her home in Riverside, it had mostly a mowed lawn with a few trees, but she converted one area at a time to specialty environments. She now has a shade garden, a hummingbird and butterfly area, a bog garden, and a wild

area filled with a large stand of goldenrods and other “wild” plants.

“To get a pollinator garden started,” she said, “you first have to eliminate a patch of grass. It won’t look beautiful that first year, but it will keep getting better.”

One resource she relies on is a book called “Native Meadowscaping,” published by Indigenous Landscapes. “It describes the whole process of converting a big patch of grass to a native garden and what to watch for as the garden matures, plus gives detailed information on each native plant.”

Colatch, too, started out with nothing but mowed grass and one tree when he moved to Milton in 2012. When he retired as chaplain at Bucknell University, he was looking for something new. “My mom loved flowers,” he said, and his own interest took off once he enrolled in the Master Gardener program.

Colatch’s guru is Doug Tallamy, an entomology professor at the University of Delaware, who wrote an inspirational book called “Bringing Nature Home” in 2007 on how to sustain wildlife with native plants. His “Homegrown National Park” organization is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity, according to the HNP website.

Colatch’s two thirds of an acre draws goldfinches and butterflies and bees to his plantings, and they especially love his coneflowers (Echinacea). Both he and Fullmer admit they need to manage the other animals they attract. “You have to be ready for lots of different critters,” Colatch

JOHN PATRICK COLATCH, MASTER GARDENER, IN HIS ALL- NATIVE YARD IN MILTON. AN EXPERT IN NATIVE PLANTS AND POLLINATORS, COLATCH DOES WEBINAR PRESENTATIONS FOR THE PENN STATE EXTENSION’S SECOND SATURDAY SERIES.

said. Naturally, he has squirrels, and deer. Besides these, Fullmer attracts snakes and toads and has possums and raccoons passing through, as well as an occasional bear who goes after the bird feeders.

“Anytime you feed the birds, you will attract others,” said Colatch. He puts the bird feeders near native shrubs, so the birds can escape predators when necessary.

THERE IS A LOT TO LEARN

Once you decide to do native gardening, there is a lot to learn. Here is where the PA Master Gardener Program sponsored by the Penn State Extension can help. Suann Leighow, Master Gardener Coordinator for Columbia, Montour, and Northumberland counties, and Sabrina Holmes, Coordinator for Union and Snyder counties, boast a combined total of more than 70 active Master Gardeners. There are another 400 in training across the state in this year’s class, said Leighow.

Candidates meet on Zoom every week, October through the end of March. In addition to 2.5 class hours each week, Master Gardeners must commit to 50 hours of service. Training involves both book-learning and hands-on. Holmes recalls that in her class in landscape design, “we had to design a garden to plant outside the extension office in Mifflinburg.” In 2022, her group of Master Gardeners added a pollinator garden of mostly native plants.

One big project of the Master Gardeners of Northumberland County was to lend their expertise to

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SABRINA HOLMES, MASTER GARDENER COORDINATOR FOR UNION AND SNYDER COUNTIES, EXAMINES A WINTERBERRY PLANT, ALREADY WELL PICKED OVER BY THE BIRDS.

help Kulpmont Borough start a pollinator garden to honor area veterans and to serve as an outdoor educational nature center for local schools and the community. With help and support from the Northumberland County Conservation District, local schools, and local businesses, the garden went from concept to completion in just two years. “The site was just a slab of snowy ground at our first meeting in January 2020,” said Master Gardener Paula Angel, who coordinated the effort. But it all came together quickly, with workdays to plant trees and perennials, install bee houses and bird houses, label the native plants, and erect the Iwo Jima sculpture created by welding students at the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center. Last summer’s drought made clear that this year’s priority must be installing a good water source on site. “The best thing about the garden,” said Angel, “has been the community involvement. People are always asking questions and wanting to help.”

Another pollinator project for the public is the garden at Montour Preserve, which was totally redone in 2020. It now features native plants like coneflowers, milkweed, cardinal flowers, dogwood, and winterberries, along with a section devoted to common herbs.

“Each of our Master Gardeners has a niche,” said Leighow, “and Carol Burke is our pollinator specialist.” The Montour Preserve garden was revived mostly through her efforts. Burke says that once established, a garden like this doesn’t take much time, beyond a little weeding. “You add

a little bit, take out a little bit each year,” she said. One challenge she faces is a fat groundhog who likes to eat the coneflowers before they come up.

“Why do we need a pollinator garden at the Montour Preserve?” she asks. “To educate the public on the importance of some little insects that do so much.” During national pollinator week, June 20-26, she plans to hold an event called “The Power of Pollinators” for the public at the Preserve. Last year’s event drew 120 participants.

Even PennDOT is joining the pollinator push with their new “Adopt and Beautify” program, which recruits volunteers to adopt a roadside to plant and maintain with pollinator plants. This supplements their long-standing litter pickup program.

To start a pollinator garden at home, attitude is key, according to Sabrina Holmes. “You need to get that perfect picture out of your head,” she said, “and let nature take its course. One possibility is simply letting a part of your yard go, and it will turn into meadow.”

If the slightly messy look bothers you or your neighbors, she suggests posting a sign that says, “We’re feeding the bees.”

Everyone wants at least some mowed yard, but Holmes suggests letting the clover and dandelions grow among the grass. Colatch agrees. “Clover in your yard will help bees and insects, and it fixes nitrogen in the soil.” He also suggests inserting native plants and flowers between rows of vegetables for pollination.

Photo provided

BIRDS PICK BERRIES FROM THE WINTERBERRY SHRUB ALL THROUGH THE WINTER. THIS ONE IN FULLMER’S RIVERSIDE YARD IS OFTEN GUARDED BY HER RESIDENT MOCKINGBIRD.

A SINGLE CONEFLOWER ( ECHINACEA ) WITH A CLUSTER OF BEE BALM BEHIND. BOTH PLANTS ARE NATIVE TO PENNNSYLVANIA AND EXTREMELY POPULAR WITH INSECTS, BEES, BUTTERFLIES, AND HUMMINGBIRDS.

Sowing wildflowers is another approach. Fullmer says to be sure to read the list of plant varieties on mixed packets of wildflowers, though. “They may say ‘native’ but you don’t know ‘native to where?’ The seeds could be entirely wrong for Pennsylvania.”

Gardeners who want to totally convert an area have a bigger job. Often it’s good to choose a spot that is hard to mow anyway, like a rocky area or wet spot or steep slope. And then, you need to think about sun vs. shade. The state conservation site, www.dcnr.pa.gov, offers excellent guidance with their “Native Garden Templates” for shady/ sunny/dry/moist in all combinations. Their “Landscaping with Native Plants” is also full of useful information. A pollinator garden needs to provide food, water, and shelter for the many critters who stop by. Leighow finds the Penn State application for “Pollinator Friendly Garden Certification” to be especially useful to ensure you’ve done everything you need to do. “It’s not easy to get certified,” she said, “but just filling out the application is an excellent shopping list to keep you on track.”

PLANTING A POLLINATING GARDEN

When planting the garden, you need to think in terms of three levels, according to Colatch. Flowering perennials are the first level, then shrubs, and then trees. The certification application asks gardeners to choose a variety of flower shapes and sizes and to avoid hybrids, “especially double flowers, which may not have pollen and nectar.” They also recommend at least five plants of

Photo courtesy of Paula Angel

THE KULPMONT MEMORIAL GARDEN, NEAR THE BASEBALL FIELDS, WAS A COOPERATIVE VENTURE OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, THE BOROUGH OF KULPMONT, LOCAL SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, AND THE MASTER GARDENERS OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY. NATIVE PLANTS AND SHRUBS ARE ALL LABELED, AND BEE AND BIRD BOXES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.

Photo courtesy of Paula Angel

FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE KULPMONT GARDEN PURPLE LIATRIS, PINK PHLOX AND OX- EYE SUNFLOWER. THIS POLLINATOR GARDEN IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT, BEGUN IN 2020.

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each variety, spaced close together in clusters. Blooming seasons are also important, so that you have something always in bloom from spring to frost.

One surprising detail is that pollinators have color preferences. According to Colatch, “We shouldn’t just plant to please ourselves. We might like lots of red, but only the hummingbirds see red. For the critters, it’s best to plant white, yellow, and purple.”

Fullmer notes that “native perennials don’t require much fussing.” Her biggest job is setting out the plants, watering, and then mulching. “Mulching is my demise,” she said, “but it’s good for the plants and good for me, too, since it cuts down on watering and weeding later.”

At the end of the season, she lets dead plants and seed heads stand till spring, since insects overwinter in the stems, birds snack on remaining berries and seeds, and toads and other critters bed down in piles of leaves and stems. Her winterberry shrub feeds her birds in the cold months, the winter birch tree in her yard is a prime wintertime hotel for insects needing shelter.

Water is the final requirement — a bird bath, a nearby stream, a small pool with running water, even a saucer filled with water. Colatch has put a small waterfall into

a hill that is hard to mow, with a pool below to catch the water. He stresses that birdbaths need to be cleaned every other day, and that it is good to put a rock in the water for hummingbirds to perch on. At Montour Preserve, Burke keeps a plant saucer with small stones filled with water. “Pollinators need a place to ‘puddle’,” she said. Bees also need water to make mud for their homes.

Starting a pollinator garden of your own is as involved or as simple as you want it to be. Once established, no doubt it will expand as you keep tweaking it. Lots of help is available both online and in books. Frequent webinars and classes are offered by Penn State Extension, and the Master Gardeners are always available to help with questions. They set up tables at farmers’ markets and fairs, where you can bring questions and samples and get help, or you can contact them anytime by phone or email at the County Extension Offices.

As a Master Gardener, Carol Burke feels she has learned so much and is still learning. “That’s why I love the program,” she said. “No one knows everything about everything. If we don’t know the answer, we have the tools to find the answer and get back to you.”

AN OVERVIEW OF THE GARDEN AT MONTOUR PRESERVE. IT IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE VISITOR’S CENTER AND CONTAINS POLLINATOR PLANTS AND AN ASSORTMENT OF HERBS.

Photo courtesy of Carol Burke

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SPRING

NOW THROUGH MAY 6

Anna Kell: Sleep Numbers, an exhibit

When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment

Where: Milton Art Bank, 23 S. Front St. Milton. 570-2188718

More information: In Sleep Numbers, Kell presents a collection of explorations based on the sleeping figures found in mattress advertisements.

MARCH 14 THROUGH JUNE 4

What You Think You Know, an exhibit

When: Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday.

Where: Samek Art Museum Downtown Gallery, 416 Market St., Lewisburg, 570-577-3981

More information: The artists in this exhibition question popular misconceptions surrounding Indigeneity by challenging stereotypes of Native identity, cultures and artistic production.

MARCH 21

Linn Conservancy 35th Anniversary Celebration & Open House

When: 3 to 6 p.m.

Where: Linn Conservancy Office, 589 Fairground Road, Suite 2, Lewisburg

More information: Meet our Staff and Celebrate our 35th Anniversary with us on the first day of Spring. Registration not required. This is a family event. Parents are required to accompany children.

MARCH 24

Trinity Irish Dance Company

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Bucknell University

More information: A fusion of Ireland’s vibrant and longstanding dance-form and elements of the American innovation, Trinity Irish Dance Company dazzles audiences around the globe with its hard-driving percussive power, lightning-fast agility and aerial grace. https://www.bucknell. edu/life-bucknell/arts-performances/weis-center-performingarts.

APRIL WEEKENDS EXCEPT EASTER SUNDAY Spring EGGStravaganza

When: Noon to 5 p.m. each day

Where: Participating wineries: Armstrong Valley, Begina’s, Broad Mountain, Brookmere, Buddy Boy, Burnt Timbers, Fero, Happy Valley, Hawstone Hollow, Hungry Run Wine Cellars, Juniata Valley, Mt. Nittany, Red Shale Ridge, Seven Mountains, Spy Glass Ridge and the Winery at Hunter’s Valley. More information: Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased at any of the wineries or for information and tickets, go to pawinetrail.

When: 6 to 9 p.m.

APRIL 13

ABC Fashion Show 4.0

Where: The Venue at Liberty Valley, 533 Liberty Valley Rd., Danville

More information: The Danville Arts Councils invites you to create your “fashion” out of anything but cloth. Or, come cheer on your friends!. Ticket required. 570-284-4502 or dab. visitdanvillepa@gmail.com

APRIL 14

SU Jazz Ensemble

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Stretansky Concert Hall, Susquehanna University

More information: An evening of classic and modern works made popular by big bands: Count Basie Band, Bob Mintzer Big Band, Stan Kenton Orchestra and Drew Zaremba and the CJR Orchestra. Special guest, Dr. Marcos Krieger, will be featured on the accordion in a performance of Rick Hirsch’s Tonight We Tango. This performance is free as it is sponsored by the Department of Music.

APRIL 15

McClure Bacon Fest

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: McClure Station Park, McClure

More information: Admission is free. You can find Chocolate Covered Bacon, Grilled Bacon & Cheese Sandwiches, Bacon Cheeseburgers, Bacon Cheese Fries, Sugar Baby Bacon on a stick, Maple Bacon Cupcakes, and lots more bacon!

MARCH 22 AND APRIL 22

Heroes Helping Horses — Horses Helping Heroes

When: 6 p.m. until completed

Where: 1345 Tallman Hollow Rd, Montoursville, 570-9754991

More information: Elysian Fields Equestrian Center has chosen the 22nd of the month to hold a simple get together for veterans, first responders and law enforcement. All veterans are welcome to attend free of charge. Your families and children are welcome. The 22nd is chosen in remembrance of the 22 veterans a day who succumb to their battles at home, after the battles abroad.

APRIL 29 THROUGH MAY 13

Lewisburg Celebration of the Arts

When: The schedule has not yet been finalized. Please check LewisburgArtsCouncil.com for updated information. Where: downtown Lewisburg and a variety of locations

More information: Lewisburg Celebration of the Arts is a two-week event beginning with the Lewisburg Arts Festival on Saturday, April 29 with more than 100 juried artists displaying their works throughout downtown Lewisburg. Live music, food, children’s activities, and more. Sign up for workshops and art events that will be held throughout the celebration.

COMBINING TALENTS

The Cottage Nook offers clothing, furniture, jewelry and more

Story and photos

by Jerri Brouse

TRACIE KING, LEFT, AND LISA MCCARTY, OPENED THE COTTAGE NOOK AT 551 MILL ST. DANVILLE, IN NOVEMBER. THE FRIENDS HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THE FANTASTIC WELCOME THEY HAVE RECEIVED.

Two area women with a knack for business and an eye for design have combined their talents to offer shoppers an intimate, boutique experience at The Cottage Nook, a new shop featuring furniture, home decor, jewelry, women’s clothing and accessories and more.

Owners Lisa McCarty and Tracie King opened their doors to the public in November 2022 after spending a whirlwind two and a half weeks getting the store stocked with inventory and ready to go.

“That’s right, just two and a half weeks,” joked McCarty. “But it was all about the timing.”

THE TIMING WAS RIGHT

McCarty, former owner/operator of McCarty’s Tattered and Torn, explained she had just been reduced to part-time hours at her job when she learned that the space at 551 Mill St. was available for rent. The space was perfect for a small boutique — she knew this because 551 Mill St. is where “McCarty’s Tattered and Torn” had been located just a few years ago.

McCarty had only been open a short time when the pandemic hit and she was forced to close down, move out and move on. She took a job with a “big box store,” but it just wasn’t the same; she missed having creative freedom to do as she pleased with her decorating ideas and grew tired of the mundane structure of the environment.

“I tried,” she said. “But the big box stores are not for me.”

While McCarty was thinking about going back into business for herself, King said she was also toying with the idea of opening her own shop, in place of renting booths at various locations. King’s business, “Lucy’s Cupboard,” sold repurposed and refinished furniture as well as home decor.

As friends, the women often talked about the possibility of opening a store together, and when they found out McCarty’s former space was available, it felt like a sign to McCarty.

As for King, the idea of going into business with a friend was something she thought made perfect sense.

“I had wanted a brick and mortar location, but I know that it takes a lot of time and I didn’t want to do it alone,” said King.

Before making their final decision, the two women sat down and put everything in writing.

“This way we both know what our goals are and what to expect from each other,” said McCarty.

“Because we are friends we wanted everything put in writing because we don’t want to just correctly run a business, we want to have a successful business,” King said. “We each bring something different to the table, but we work well together.”

McCarty agreed.

“You need to be able to work well with someone in order to avoid difficulties. I feel that person is (Tracie),” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”

ONE OF THE MANY FURNITURE PIECES KING HAS REPURPOSED FOR SALE AT THE COTTAGE NOOK.

A LINE OF JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING PURSES, ARE AVAILABLE IN THE FRONT ROOM OF THE COTTAGE NOOK, WHERE SHOPPERS WILL ALSO FIND WOMEN’S DRESSES AND CASUAL WEAR.

ANTIQUES AND NEW ITEMS ARE AMONG THE ITEMS AVAILABLE AT THE COTTAGE NOOK IN DANVILLE.

WHAT’S IN STORE?

Shoppers at The Cottage Nook can expect to find a wide variety of home decor items, including wall art, whimsical signs, pillows, blankets, dishes, glassware, baskets and more. The front room is dedicated to providing “real clothes to real women at a real price,” said McCarty.

“We aim to provide clothing and dress-ware for a range of ages,” said King. “Whether you’re 20 or you’re 70 you can still find something.”

The store will also carry purses, greeting/note cards, and locally made soaps and lotions from Field of Flowers in Millville and candles by Homestead Studios.

“We try everything ourselves before we sell it in store,” said King. “So if it’s here, we like it. We won’t sell it if we don’t like it.”

They also have to like the price tag.

“We want to keep things affordable,” said McCarty. “If we get a good deal, you’ll get a good deal.”

The store is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. On the days the store is closed the women are busy behind the scenes — literally.

“There’s a workroom in the back,” explained King. “That’s

where we do the refinishing of the furniture pieces.”

All of the furniture that comes into the store are their “finds” and have been carefully repaired and restored before being made available for purchase. A few pieces have been there since they opened, but others have gone out the door the same day they hit the floor.

“Since we’ve opened we have been running around having to restock every Monday,” said King. “We’ve been so busy it’s been crazy. It’s been really good. The customers in Danville have been absolutely wonderful.”

If that’s not more than enough to keep them busy, McCarty and King also offer interior design services and take on small paint jobs and furniture restoration jobs. Those personal family pieces with history are McCarty’s personal favorites.

“I’ve just always had a love of antiques,” said McCarty. For King, it’s more about taking something old and giving it new life before returning it to the family. Bringing customers joy is the biggest complement she could get, she said.

The Cottage Nook plans to have a grand opening celebration this spring. Find out more by checking out The Cottage Nook on Facebook or stop in during operating hours at 551 Mill St.

THE VARIETY OF ITEMS OFFERED FOR SALE AT THE COTTAGE NOOK IS ENDLESS. MCCARTY AND KING HAVE THE TALENT THAT PUTS IT ALL TOGETHER AND MAKES IT LOOK LIKE EVERYTHING CAME IN ONE BOX WITH DISPLAY INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED.

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