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BUSHY RUN 250TH ANNIVERSARY SEARCHING FOR WHITE PICKET FENCES LETTERS FROM OUR READERS TRAILS TO HEARTACHE – AND SUCCESS FARMERS MARKET GUIDE
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Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. – Jane Howard
Summer 2013
Motley Crews Many people like to take credit for their achievements – a lot of it. We reach a certain point, and start to forget about everyone else along the way. Sometimes we never even recognize their contributions at all. This issue of the Laurel Mountain Post is dedicated to all those people, places and things that made an impact on my education and experience, collectively working to form the person and her craft . . . • To my sister, who taught me how to read, starting with Dick & Jane. • To every teacher who encouraged me to write by teaching me how to spell, use proper grammar and punctuation, and think creatively. • To all the “horrible bosses” who gave me the opportunities to work and learn on the job. • To the people I have met along the way – you form the characters in my stories, many of them still unwritten. • To the earth, whose endless beauty and variety is a daily inspiration. • To musicians, who play the soundtracks of our lives. • To cats and dogs – who live in harmony on my farm, providing me with constant companionship. Those of you on Facebook know what I mean.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2013 - 1
Searching for White Picket Fences by Kelly Jones At 4:13 p.m. on a random Thursday in September 2002, the woman I was exchanged places with the one I had to become. It was not a heroic decision; it was not a decision at all – I was jolted. Alarms and guttural fear heralded the event and an overwhelming desire to will survival into another human being overtook any pain I experienced. Quickly followed by the murky realization that I was secondary to the existence of a six pound baby struggling, grasping and clutching to remain in this world, jarred me from a past where I believed in white picket fences. My son, Quinn’s, birth was not one of gentle memories and swaddled joy. It was one of rushing and flailing. He entered the world without a sound; he could not announce his arrival with the typical cries of a newborn; he was drowning in his own fluid. Before that day, I did not even know he was a boy and I did not know his birth and death had the chance of being closely entwined. He started life troubled, not thriving, and I was unprepared. Unprepared for my thoughts to immediately turn to “take me instead of him:” thoughts I had for a child I would never see until many hours later. I did not need to see or hold him; I was a mom and I wanted to breathe life into him. Medical per-sonnel ripped my baby from me and rushed him to Pic lines, chest tubes and ventilators before I even got the chance to touch his cheek and revel in the miracle. He was somewhere fighting without even drawing his own breath; I could not share mine because I left it in the operating room. As I lay on the table in the recovery room, people spoke, and I heard pieces of muffled conversations referencing priests, baptisms, and last rites. “He can’t go before I meet him,” I wanted to scream but I could not find my voice. I knew that I could not leap from the bed because I just had a Cesarean Section and doctors roughly converged on my recovery room trying to regulate my temperature. As I lie on my bed, flashes of light and memories interrupted me while I continued searching my mind for comfort. Words would not come and the unfamiliar faces that entered and exited my room offered no information. I wanted to crawl to Quinn; I wanted to 2 - Summer 2013
grasp my baby from the clutches of death and run – run with him to a place where I could cradle him from the harsh entrance and struggles of his first minutes. I made it to my room later that evening in a blur of familial tears and embraces. Standing up from the confines of my hospital bed while grasping the IV pole, I willed myself to take steps. In those first dark, hazy hours, I raged at the unfolding drama. My anger and disbelief flowed outward and I wished for others to feel my pain. These moments still wrack my memory at times; moments when my soul showed a capability to turn evil. As I listened to nurses wheeling the white-picket-fence babies to the waiting arms of exultant parents, I wanted to extinguish their joy. The sound of those squeaky wheels on the freshly waxed linoleum served as a constant reminder that my son would never make an appearance in my doorway and I wanted them silenced. Those parents did not deserve these gentle moments more than I did and I yearned for what I rightly deserved.
During those hours, I questioned any faith that remained, I cursed god and demanded deliverance from the dark. Finally, the nurse agreed to wheel me to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and once again I was unprepared; unprepared for the intensity of my love for this baby boy covered in wires, tape and tubes. That was the beginning of the journey of building our white picket fence. At 2:33 a.m. on the day after my son’s birth, I touched his small, swollen and bruised hand and found my new builder. The next morning brought our first obstacle; I had to mourn the child that would never be. In a suffocating and institutionalized room beside the NICU, a Genetic Counselor opened her chart of chromosomes and announced in a cold and matter-of-fact manner that my son had Down syndrome. That is when I hit the floor, literally and figuratively. Familiar hands cradled my splintered mind and body and gently placed me back in my wheelchair. Watching the counselor’s mouth moving, I heard nothing as every
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
corner of my mind filled with the “never and what-ifs.” As family members stared motionless at the news, the invasion of thoughts included, “He will never attend a prom, go to college or get married . . . I am not this mother. I am not this strong. I am defeated . . .” I did not know until years later why I projected so far into the future; I now know that it was the beginning of the mourning. My son would never be the baby I hoped to welcome. My support system offered kindness and comfort, but ultimately nobody helps someone with that realization; I had to go straight through the grief. The intensity of the emotions in that small room almost broke me. Because of those frozen minutes, I understand the insurmountable weight that sorrow can bring. Those moments I spent under the poundage of lost dreams smothered me; I climbed and thrashed back to the faces staring at me. My son had Down syndrome. Down syndrome. I repeated the words to myself over and over trying to digest my new reality. Focusing on the dim lights and stained walls, I strained to stay with the conversation. When the Genetic Counselor entered the room from the hallway, the air left the room and I found myself searching for oxygen. Then I realized that in the next room my son wrestled in the same way and I woke up. That moment was the beginning of collecting splintered dreams and starting to build a new version of a white picket fence. Quinn was on the other side of the wall, and I inched through the tangles of medical terminology and uncomfortable change. I do not remember who followed me, but I remember sitting and gazing into the face of a baby that could not yet open his eyes, could not support his own breath and could not reach for me, and I changed. The change occurred forcefully and within seconds. Without doubt, I determined that I would find strength because this boy deserved a mother that believed in his possibilities before he could do it for himself. Over the endless hours of that second day, I sat. I sat and spoke softly, stroked his beaten arm and solidified a bond. I connected with my son; it was differently than expected, but it was our way. Over the next days that turned into weeks, the most important moments of my life became watching numbers on machines. I monitored oxygen levels and heart rates while reading, studying and asking questions about medical terms and situations I never wanted to know. I spoke with doctors, counselors and experts in order to piece all of the information toEvery Story Begins At Home.
2013 Golf Outing, Dinner, and Donate The Down Syndrome Association of Pittsburgh invites you to attend their 7th Annual Golf Outing The Outing will be at Green Oaks Country Club in Verona on Friday June 14th. We invite you to join us for Happy Hour starting at 6 pm and dinner starting at 7 pm. Make your reservation for dinnerat www.dsapgh.org by June 7th. Dinners are $35. Email: golfinfo@dsapgh.org • Phone: 412-979-1070 gether and learned how to keep building our fence. On Quinn’s fifth day, I left the hospital and Quinn stayed where he would for many weeks. The chill invaded my lungs as I walked out of the revolving door and the endless tears started. In the car ride on the way home, I stared at the passing cars and the nonchalant people going about everyday tasks and the anger made it back to my thoughts. But Quinn’s face flashed before me, and the anger subsided; as has occurred countless times since his first day, he calmed my restlessness. His face stayed in my mind during those dense and dismal moments in the deepest part of the nights when the phone calls from the NICU shattered the silence. The nurses with updates; some depressing and some encouraging, the communication carried me through the night. Every day I rose and made my way to that face. My son. My reason. The building of our new fence required that I learn the gentle ebb and flow of Quinn’s timeframe. Many days he and I took steps back only to step forward the next day. I learned significant lessons about myself and those around me. Previously, I always searched for the next goal or step, but with Quinn, I learned how to exist in the moment and savor every success. Quinn’s presence in my life gave me perspective on the importance of working on my fears and weaknesses while developing into the mom Quinn deserved. Above all, I learned that strength grows when life destroys old dreams. I spent countless hours over the years in hospital rooms, in therapists’ offices and in improvised places of prayer. Additional diagnoses and health concerns arrived, and, at times, questions of fairness and faith clouded choices and blurred our vision. This never lasted long; Quinn kept me focused and we kept building. The many nights spent sitting and watching Quinn sleep carried me when life gutted my hopes and flung me to my knees. His tender presence in my life softened the blows and healed my wounds. People close to me shattered my spirit and walked out; however, those of
stronger character and resolve entered my life. The baby that I mourned in those first days traded places with a boy full of infinite possibilities that could accomplish all the things that I foolishly dismissed in my mind as not possible. Quinn created everything I am, everything I strive to accomplish, and everything pure and compassionate in my spirit. Ten years ago and fallen with fear, I yearned for a “white-picket-fence life;” if I could go back and hold the woman I was then, I would tenderly whisper in her ear . . . “Quinn will be a fighter, a giver of unconditional love, a stubborn force, a singer of Jingle Bells in the middle of July and a savior. The trials will come, but so will a childhood that lingers a bit longer.” If I could go back to those first tumultuous minutes, I would not silence the sirens or dim the fear because those moments are the ones that proved a catalyst for my transformation. Within frightening and frenzied moments exist opportunities for priceless gifts. People often say to me, “God gave you Quinn because you are strong enough to be his mother.” The reality is that Quinn gifted himself to me because I needed direction and purpose. He is my teacher and guide. I am better because he reaches for my hand and holds it while he walks beside me. Quinn teaches me every day the importance of living a life of vibrant color and enthusiastic existence and that white picket fences belong on other people’s lawns. ***** This article is reprinted from the blog Searching for White Picket Fences by Kelly Jones, located at: http:/ searchingforwhitepicketfences.blogspot.com. As time permits, she hopes to add more reflections. “When I started this essay, I thought it would be just that: an essay . . . When I checked my blog the other day over 1200 people read it in many countries!” (April 2, 2013) Kelly Jones is an English teacher in the Norwin School District. She is a graduate of Robert Morris University with a B.S. in Business Administration, St. Vincent College with an English Certification and California University of Pennsylvania with a M. Ed. In Educational Administration. Currently, Kelly resides in Jeannette, PA with her family: Chris, Quinn and Santino.
Summer 2013 - 3
MEMORY LANE by Ruthie Richardson
“And I think to myself what a wonderful world . . .” – Satchmo My neighbor in Florida, Patricia, educates me all the time about the fragile eco-system that is the lagoon behind our houses. The wildlife there is a pretty amazing assortment and it reminds me that it’s sometimes a challenge for man to live in harmony with nature. It’s such a delicate balance, and one that we learn more about every day. I think my generation was the first to consider that some of the things we were doing to the planet might just come back to haunt us one day. The original Greenpeace was formed in the late 1960’s as they protested the nuclear testing in Alaska, and the modern day war to ‘save the planet’ was on. When I was a kid, we didn’t think about that sort of thing very much. At least I didn’t. My little world was a beautiful and wondrous place to play in, and it was surrounded by abundant wildlife and fresh air. Well, maybe not exactly fresh air – at times it almost looked a little chunky. When I was little, I remember taking a drive to Pittsburgh with my mom and dad to see the spring flower show at Phipps Conservatory. My excitement would mount as we rounded that last corner on the parkway, just at the Oakland exit, where the city skyline is first revealed. Back then we were lucky if we could see any of those towering buildings because they were almost completely obscured by the billowing smog pouring out from the steel mills and coke furnaces that lined the Mon River. I don’t remember thinking about it as pollution in those days. That hazy orange glow, the clatter of machinery, and the belching smoke stacks meant that men were working. And back then, they worked three shifts a day, seven days a week. Those hearty souls were cranking out the steel that would rebuild our post WWII world. At the same time they were pouring money from their paychecks back into every little community in our steelbelt neighborhoods. In Pittsburgh, a lot of the mills were located along the rivers where the waterways afforded easy access to shipping. Coal was needed to make the steel, and it was brought in on barges. The tugboats that maneuvered those huge barges added their own little smoky, coal-fired trails to the mix. 4 - Summer 2013
Latrobe’s primary workforce was no different than the Pittsburgh steel industry; it was just on a smaller scale. Our local steel plants were scattered throughout the town so we didn’t get the full effect of all those stacks at once. But you could drive through town and see all the activity at each mill, hear the whistles and the clanging, mixed with the voices and laughter of the workers. Their parking lots were full, round the clock in those days. As the second trick guys punched out, the midnight shift was heading in, and they greeted the daylight guys first thing in the morning. Steel wasn’t the only valuable product to come out of our neighborhoods. One of my little town’s major contributions to
Western Pennsylvania industry was Derry Westinghouse, where my dad worked making ceramic insulators. Many other dads worked in the coalmines that were so prevalent in our area. Mining was always dangerous work, but through the years, workers demanded that more attention be paid to issues, and as a result we’ve seen continual upgrades of safety procedures and pollution standards. Those coal miners were a proud and hard-working bunch, and still are, although their numbers have fallen dramatically. They were proud of the skills they had acquired to bring that fuel to the world, and I know first-hand they were equally proud of taking care of their families with their hard-earned paychecks. But the mines also led to pollution. Sometimes the surrounding steams near the mines would turn orange and be polluted with sulfur, killing not only the fish, but also the plant life. But the most devastating losses of all
were to the miners themselves, as some of them felt the ravages of pollution to their bodies in the form of Black Lung Disease. These details were not readily available to us kids of the 50’s. All we knew was that the coal got shoveled down our basement coal shoots and was burned to keep us warm all winter. Lots of families had big coal furnaces in their basements back in those days. I can still remember the ribbons of black smoke curling towards the sky from many of the chimneys in my neighborhood on a cold winter morning. And I remember the distinct smell from those coal-fired boilers when I walked out the door and made my way to the bus stop. I remember the light dusting of soot on the new-fallen snowdrifts, and how that coal dust would seep in through the cracks of our house to settle on our windowsills. My mom waged a constant battle with it. There was only one thing that scared me about coal, and that was worrying that I would get a lump of it in my Christmas stocking for being bad. It was Santa’s form of retribution, you know. That same coal also helped to power the rest of the world as well. I remember the trains with coal car after coal car chugging through our little town, destined for the furthest reaches of our great country. It was the fuel that fed industry. It ran the power plants that kept our lights on and also heated countless houses all along the route. Which brings me to the other big employer in my little town: the railroad. Derry was founded as a railroad town, and the railroad provided employment for many of our residents. The distant wail of a locomotive whistle invokes wonderful memories of my childhood. Countless trains traveled directly through the center of our little town every day, and that big whistle was sounded at every crossing. We used to stand on that old wooden railroad bridge that spanned the tracks, and watch the coal dust spew towards the sky from those big locomotives as they roared under us, with a rumbling chug chug chug. When I was a kid, industry wasn’t the only form of pollution we would later come to scorn. Springtime and autumn yard clean up had it’s own unique ritual that would be not only frowned upon in today’s society, but could probably get you arrested if you LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
tried it today. After the sticks and leaves were raked up in a big pile in all of those back yards, the standard disposal was a nice big fire. Those fires were sometimes hard to start if the leaves were damp. This posed no problem for our dads; they always had a few tricks up their sleeves. Mine would sometimes fire it up with a fusee, or for an even quicker blastoff, he would pour on a mason jar full of kerosene and toss on a worn out rubber tire. Voila! Instant bonfire. Talk about black smoke and big flames! It was also the perfect place to dispose of any remaining household garbage that Ross Refuse hadn’t picked up yet. Looking back, childhood in those olden days seemed much more dangerous than it is today. Not only were many of our surroundings coated with brightly colored lead-based paint, the ‘tin’ soldiers my brother and I played with were created by pouring our dad’s molten, lead plumbing solder into little molds. Lead toys – you gotta’ love it! And to add to that toxic wonderland, daddy would sometimes give us little balls of mercury to play with. I remember rolling that mercury from hand to hand and if I dropped it how it became 50 little balls that I would try to round up with my fingers, just to watch it all melt back together again. Even the dentist would sometimes give us a little glass tube of mercury to take home, if we hadn’t given him a hard time while getting a filling. Imagine that happening today. You would have a full Hazmat team at your door, along with the cops, the EPA, and child protective services. Our community was home to three of the biggest polluters of the day: steel, coal, and railroad, and I bet we also had one of the lowest unemployment rates. Every kid graduating from high school (and sometimes that diploma wasn’t even required) could easily find a good paying job with great benefits if he was willing to work hard at the mill, the mine or the railroad. An ambitious kid, regardless of his pedigree, could rise through the ranks and end up in a top executive position. The same opportunity for good jobs was also there for girls. The secretarial positions were varied and abundant, and they also paid a nice wage. I remember the personnel directors from all the big companies would make the high school rounds in February and interview senior business students for jobs. Derry had a wonderful reputation for cranking out top students to fill those vacancies, and many of us had jobs waiting for us long before we graduated. I was hired as a secretary at VASCO (Vanadium Alloys Steel Company, Every Story Begins At Home.
later to become Teledyne) in March, and I didn’t graduate until June. I started working three days after commencement. Another pollution factor of the day was the automobile. It was typically one vehicle per household for most everyone back then. Some families didn’t even own a car. But for those who did, there was no such thing as a catalytic converter. We had no fuel standards, no additives, and those big V-8 engines could sure suck down the gas. But we didn’t think about that much either, since gas was only about 30 cents a gallon. I know the subject of oil drilling is always controversial, but I think I will just throw caution to the wind here and add my two cents to the debate. Many folks don’t want to see us drilling for our own oil reserves in this country. They fear two very good points: the environmental impact and the destruction of wildlife habitats. But the reality is that the world runs on oil, and probably will for the foreseeable future. Strides are being made for alternative fuels, and I can’t wait for the day when they are readily available, cheap, and sustainable. But for now, oil is still king, and it’s not just used for running our cars. What do you think all those plastic water bottles, plastic packaging, and disposable diapers are made of? Could the answer be plastic? Plastic is a petroleum-based product, and we all know plastic is made from oil, right? Look around you. How many things do you see that use plastic in one form or another in their construction? Our country has passed some of the strongest environmental laws and regulations in the world, and created the watchdog groups necessary to see that those laws are followed. Why then, wouldn’t we demand that a country like America oversee the extraction of oil from our own massive reserves, where there is already everything in place to guarantee it is done in the safest, most efficient, and cleanest way possible? Why do we continue to buy the majority of our oil from countries who are not nearly as concerned about pollution as we are? Not only would it make environmental sense for us to be the oil producers of the world, just imagine how many jobs it would create for us, here at home – not to mention the billions of dollars that could be used to fuel our own economy. The added bonus would be that we would be helping to clean up other parts of the planet as well. I know that we had a pretty sad record of polluting back when I was a kid. The message was that we were choking poor old mother earth to death and burying her in a
mountain of trash. But I think my generation has been diligent in trying to clean up our mess, too. I remember all the signs and slogans created by folks from my era telling us “Don’t Be A Litterbug!” I remember Woodsy Owl proclaiming, “Give A Hoot, Don’t Pollute.” And who could forget the powerful tele-vision commercial that ran in the 1970’s featuring a Cherokee Chief named Iron Eyes Cody, paddling his canoe down a polluted stream, surrounded by garbage and industrial waste. At the end of the commercial, accompanied by very dramatic and heart-wrenching music, he turned slowly toward the camera, and we saw a tear rolling down his cheek while the announcer mournfully warns us, “People start pollution, people can stop it.” You also can’t discount all the things my generation did without even thinking about it that would be considered conservation today. We weren’t the ones who started adding 1.5 million tons of plastic water bottles into the landfills every year, just for convenience sake. We drank water out of a glass from the kitchen sink or from the water fountains that were in every public building, or even better, from the garden hose! Our milk, pop, and beer bottles were all made of glass and returned
for a deposit and recycled, not thrown in the garbage and added to the trash heaps. Our babies wore reusable cloth diapers, rinsed in the commode, stored in the diaper pail, washed and hung on the line to dry, winter and summer. I don’t think the clothes dryer was even invented yet when I was a kid. At least I didn’t know anyone who had one. Clothes were hung outside on the line to dry, and in the winter, those lines where strung across the basement. We had no plastic wrap or Styrofoam (neither of which ever breaks down in the landfill). We used waxed paper for wrapping items in our lunches and took our drinks in a reusable thermos bottle. Hopefully it had Hoppy’s or Dale Evans’ face proudly smiling on it. We didn’t have endless plastic packaging on every product, four layers deep somecontinued on page 6 Summer 2013 - 5
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times. Not only does it drive me crazy when I try to cut through it all, but it will, sadly, remain with us in the landfill – FOREVER. We ate local produce that was in season, not imported from around the world with all the shipping pollution required to get it here. And we used and reused everything, from hand me down clothes and shoes, to all the leftovers we ate. Maybe it was just a matter of finances, but we didn’t waste much of anything. We didn’t run electricslurping air conditioners all summer; most of us didn’t even have air conditioning – in our houses or in our cars. We had to take the Chestnut Ridge Bus to The Manos Theater in Latrobe to enjoy that miraculous invention. Our parents’ generation harvested the earth’s resources and used them for the greater good, with the best technology they had available. Did they make some mistakes along the way? Of course. And did they make remarkable changes to remedy those mistakes? You bet. But today, when we watch footage that has been smuggled out of foreign countries showing us the industrial waste and smog that is spewing out of their factories, it makes me doubt our efforts. When I see reports of our gigantic and evergrowing landfills piled high with endless, never-decomposing plastic waste I wonder about any real progress. Those modern-day plastic-lined cesspools will never decompose and go away. Ever. And they are expanding each day at an alarming rate. So, let’s review.
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The coal burning locomotives have been converted into diesel. I don’t know what the net gain of that is. I see them traveling through town every day, and those smoke stacks are still chugging away. The steel mills have all but disappeared, and we have lost all of those good jobs: the ones that fed our families and built our little neighborhoods as well as our big cities. But we must realize that the steel industry has not disappeared. It has just disappeared from our sight, taking all of that technology, opportunity and cash with it. It is a thriving business in other parts of the world, in places with scant regulations, no environmental watchdog groups, and no EPA. But, hey, we don’t see the smokestacks any more, no more smog is visible choking OUR neighborhoods, so we feel good. We are the customers now, still using all the products we used to make here but now have to buy from others. We know the financial effects of all those jobs being lost, but do we calculate LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
the harm to the environment that has just been exported to other corners of the world? As for coal, there seems to be a war on the entire industry; it has been demonized and vilified for a long time now. But isn’t coal what makes a great many of our power plants run? If the coal industry is closed down, what are our options? Nuclear? That is scorned even more than coal. I would love some cheap wind or solar power at my house, too, but I don’t know that the technology is readily available yet. Are we making progress? I think we are, but it is a constantly changing and confusing scenario. It wasn’t that long ago that we were warned about global cooling. I still have a 1974 Time magazine featuring a cover story with a family gathered around a console television set that had been turned into a fireplace, with a fire burning inside of it, warming them. The Time cover exclaimed, “The cooling of America.” Inside, they told the story of a coming ice age. And that was just 40 years ago. Next, Ted Danson told us that the oceans would be driedup in ten years because of global warming. He said that about 20 years ago. Now we are warned about the devastating effects of ‘climate change.’ Isn’t climate change what we used to call weather?
Every Story Begins At Home.
Despite our best efforts and arguments, right or wrong, good old Mother Earth just keeps rolling along, diligently trying to clean up our mistakes and rejuvenate herself, re-growing forests that clean the air and forming little super microbes in the ocean to devour the oil spills. She gives us beautiful sunrises and sunsets every day. The tides keep rolling in and out with
magnificent abandon, while the oceans keep offering us an abundance of delicious seafood. We read about new species of plants and animals being discovered all the time. The grocery stores are filled with beautiful produce, the sky is blue and the air is sweet and clean when I stroll through my yard, eyes closed and nose in the air. And that air was just as fresh and sweet the last time I was strolling ‘Dahn Tahn’ in ‘Picksburgh’. Let’s all do our part to try to keep it that way. Maybe the next time you pick up that plastic bottle of water at the store, and then later toss in the trash, you will hear the voice of admonition from our collective mom, Mother Earth, as she whispers those well worn ‘mommy’ statements in your ear . . . “You are making your bed, and you will have to sleep in it,” or “You wouldn’t listen to me, so now you have to pay the piper,”or last but not least, these words from one of my favorite old commercials, accompanied by a flash of lightning and a big crack of thunder, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” ***** Ruthie loves to share memories with you. Email her at: Ruth-Elaine@comcast.net, look for her on Facebook, or join our LMP online community to read her new blog!
Summer 2013 - 7
Ligonier Valley Tourism Increases As Transportation Evolves by Bob Stutzman and Carolyn Dillon, editor Motivated by the increased movement of people through Ligonier Valley spurred by the completion of the Philadelphia % Pittsburgh Turnpike, John Ramsey laid out a plan for the town of Ligonier in 1817, which included four blocks built around a public square. The town grew as farmers throughout the valley came to trade produce for supplies and stagecoaches stopped to give passengers time to eat and rest. By the time the town incorporated into a borough in 1834, it was thriving as the “crossroads of the valley,” surrounded by the beautiful Laurel Mountains to the east and the Chestnut Ridge to the west. Soon Ligonier Valley gained the reputation of being one of the most beautiful spots in western Pennsylvania.
The Ligonier House, built in 1824 as a stagecoach stop, underwent two major expansions by the early 1900s.
In the early 1800s, Thomas Seaton recognized the need for a stagecoach stop in Ligonier. By 1824, he had built Ligonier’s pioneer hotel, the Ligonier House. It stood across from the public square for the next 147 years, until it was torn down in 1965 to make room for the Ligonier Valley Library. Before 1850, many well-known families from Pittsburgh had already begun to retreat to the valley to spend their summers, creating a need for accommodations in and around Ligonier. As a result, an addition was built onto the back of the Ligonier 8 - Summer 2013
House to meet the increasing demand. However, once the Pennsylvania Railroad bypassed Ligonier when it extended its tracks from Altoona to Pitts-
The Ligonier House as it appeared in 1908 after it was expanded for the second time.
burgh in 1852, tourism decreased as people who had traveled the Philadelphia–Pittsburgh Turnpike now chose to travel instead by the railroad. The economy in Ligonier began to recover in 1877 after Judge Thomas Mellon built the LVRR between Latrobe and Ligonier, thus creating easy access to the valley. Industries, including gravel, lumber and coal, began to flourish when rail service became available. Also, the influx of travelers and tourists into Ligonier began to dramatically increase when the once difficult three-to-four hour trip by horse and buggy from Latrobe, which had cost $2, now took only 30 minutes on the LVRR at the cost of 44 cents. In 1878, Judge Mellon developed Idlewild Park to further increase patronage on his railroad. The park spanned 350 acres and included among other amenities, baseball fields, tennis courts, three lakes, a bandstand and great dining halls. Word quickly spread about the fresh mountain air, spring waters and beautiful vistas that abounded in Ligonier and Idlewild Park. William G. Irwin, in his 1898 book Historical Ligonier Valley, wrote: From the opening of the [rail]road . . . the development of the valley has been
rapid. When the toot of the locomotive echoed through the mountain gaps and awakened the valley from it long lethargic sleep there ensued a period of prosperity, and to the present day this has continued . . . . It is doubtful whether any other section of our state presents so many charms as are shown to the traveler in the ten miles from Latrobe to Ligonier.
The appeal of Idlewild Park coupled with accolades such as this one written by Irwin renewed the enthusiasm of tourists to visit Ligonier Valley, especially during the summer months. As tourism in Ligonier exploded over the next 20 years, so, too, did the number of hotels and boarding houses in town and throughout the valley. By the early 1900s, LVRR schedules boasted that Ligonier tourists could choose from “five first-class hotels.” The already expansive Ligonier House built a turret, giving it a Victorian ap-
This 1941 postcard of the Breniser Hotel shows the large wrap-around porch where guests could relax and visit.
pearance, after adding two more floors to its original building, greatly increasing for the second time the number of rooms for tourists. The hotel, which began as a stagecoach stop, now advertised itself as being one of the best shaded hotels in western Pennsylvania with wide porches, a beautiful lawn and a pleasant view of the public square. In 1900, Peter B. Breniser built what he advertised as the “finest and most modern hotel in town” across the square from the Ligonier House on the site where the Town Hall now stands. Although information about this hotel LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Even though Frank’s Hotel changed names several times, the hotel itself remained basically unchanged.
The National Hotel as it appeared after additional rooms were added during the latter part of the 19th century.
is scarce, photographs of it suggest that the hotel was spacious enough to accommodate large numbers of guests. The hotel had its own ice house and livery stable, as well as a bowling alley that was later converted into a billiards parlor. The Breniser Hotel remained in operation until 1967 when it was torn down. The National Hotel was located one square east of the public park and is now occupied by the VFW. In his book, William G. Irwin also praised the National Hotel: “The bill-of-fare offered at the National always includes the best that the market affords, and summer visitors who stop at this hotel are sure to return again.” The building that housed the National Hotel still stands on East Main Street. It is the only hotel from this period that remains. Early photographs of the National Hotel depict it as looking almost the same as the building does today. The Hotel Menoher was built around 1892 at the corner of Loyalhanna and Market streets, where the municipal parking lot is today. Irwin wrote that this hotel enjoyed “liberal summer patronage” and that visitors
who stayed there found “rest and solitude.” As tourism increased, the Menoher was also enlarged to accommodate more guests. During these boom years of tourism, Frank’s Hotel was perhaps Ligonier’s most popular destination. Located on Loyalhanna Street, where today’s Ramada Inn stands, it overlooked the Loyalhanna and the lowlands. The hotel advertised over 100 rooms and accommodations for 150 guests. Its amenities included tennis, bowling, a shooting gallery, an ice cream parlor, a telegraph office, elegant grounds and broad porches. During the summer, the hotel advertised a ballroom and its own orchestra. The hotel was also noted for fine dining. Because of its popularity, the LVRR even installed a summer station near Frank’s Hotel to further accommodate tourists. Over the years, Frank’s changed ownership several times as well as its name. It was also known as the Ligonier Springs Hotel and Sanitarium, the Hoff-man House and the Fort Ligonier Hotel.
This photograph of the Menoher Hotel was taken after the hotel’s expansion. It was later renamed the Commercial Hotel.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Kissell’s Springs Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1915.
Also popular among tourists were outlying resorts, such as the Park Hotel and Cottages, located on the property now owned by Bethlen Home, and Kissell’s Springs Hotel, which was one mile east of today’s town of Waterford. Kissell’s Springs, surrounded by forest and streams, especially appealed to outdoorsmen who liked to hunt and fish. LVRR management also actively encouraged local farmers to offer room and board to visitors. According to LVRR schedules as early as the 1920s, in addition to the five first-rate hotels in Ligonier, there were several excellent private boarding houses throughout the valley. Today, it is hard to believe that the town of Ligonier with a population of 1500 had accommodations for 500 guests in the early 1900s. An article in the July 3, 1912, Ligonier Echo conveys just how popular tourism was at this time. The Echo recorded that 8,000 people attended a B.P.O. Elks picnic at Idlewild on the Tuesday of the previous week, requiring eight PRR trains, several LVRR trains and many autocontinued on page 10
During the peak of tourism, hotel buggies lined up at the Ligonier Station to welcome inbound passengers and deliver them to Ligonier hotels, boarding houses and outlying resorts.
This photograph of the Park Hotel depicts it in its heyday. One section of the original building still stands today.
Summer 2013 - 9
continued from page 9
mobiles to transport those attending. One thousand of the picnickers bought a train ticket to travel from Idlewild to Ligonier to have dinner. The Echo reported that Ligonier Springs Hotel alone served 400 people that day. The magnitude of this early tourism resulted largely because of Judge Thomas Mellon and his sons’ foresight in building the railroad as a financial investment and developing Idlewild Park to promote tourism in Ligonier Valley and thus increase patronage on the LVRR. This article was originally published in the December 2012 edition of the Liggie (Volume 8, Issue 4), the newsletter of the Ligonier Valley Railroad Association. With the author’s permission, we are reprinting this series in an effort to reach a wider community audience for education, preservation, and to promote the importance of local history. CONTACT INFO: Ligonier Valley Railroad Museum, 3032 Idlewild Hill, PO Box 21, Ligonier PA 15658. 724-238-7819. www.lvrra.org, lvrra@verizon.net. Bob Stutzman is the Co-founder of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association (2004), eight-year officer, and originator/editor of their quarterly publication The Liggie. Retired from LVRR in 2012, he is an active member of Christ United Church of Christ in Latrobe, and a member of the Greater Latrobe Community Chorus. Bob also attended Ligonier High School and the University of Pittsburgh and served in the United States Air Force. Also retired from Timken Latrobe Steel as the manager of the Special Products Division, he is married with two daughters and five grandchildren.
Legion Keener Park Restoration - Living United It is often said that the communities become the closest during hardship, and our own Legion Keener Park is no exception. After a devastating arson fire last summer, the park, built in 1992 with the help of 2,000 volunteers, has been inaccessible to community residents. Recognizing that the park is a vital asset to families, many area companies and agencies stepped up to ensure that the beloved park would be accessible to families again. Work on the park began on April 23rd, with an amazing number of volunteers committed to not only rebuilding the area, but creating something even better, including a 30-foot zip line and a custom-made swing set for physically disabled children. United Way has helped Latrobe Parks mobilize over 400 of their 1,200 needed volunteers. United Way partners such as Kennametal, UPS and Latrobe Specialty Metals among others joined together to give new life to the park. One third of the volunteers needed for the project were organized by United Way with a value to the community of over $41,000. A huge “thank you” to everyone committed to Playland II and our community at large. Your dedication is felt throughout not just our local community, but all of western Pennsylvania. We look forward to the years of joy that this project will bring to our community.
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10 - Summer 2013
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Letters From Our Readers Genuine Spirit of People and Place “. . . I’m long overdue in expressing my appreciation to the Laurel Mountain Post. We found an issue of it while vacationing in Ligonier last summer. What a truly fine regional magazine. It conveys the genuine spirit of the people and the place. Our nearest local equivalent regional magazine is nothing but advertising copy for the chamber of commerce. Not that that’s necessarily bad, but it’s pretty sad to think that business is all there is to a locality. Thanks to LMP for getting it right.” Guy Snedeker – Rome, NY via Facebook – March 28, 2013 Dear Guy: We love telling stories and promoting small businesses from our corner of the world. Compliments like yours are what keep us going. Thanks! – Cathi Gerhard, Editor
A Slight Objection “ just finished re-reading your article, “One Foot in Front of the Other,” in the Spring 2013 issue of the Laurel Mountain Post, and had the same reaction as the first time: I had to object (slightly) to one paragraph. First, I want to say that I enjoyed the article very much, especially as it brought to mind several similar activities. I do, however, object to the paragraph on the photographs. Quite frankly, if I encountered an H.R. person who claimed to “vet your professionalism” from a photo, I would be very wary of that individual. I realize that I’m not part of the “in group” or whatever you younger people are called, but I spent many years in H.R. of one kind or another. I enjoyed the interaction with varying individuals from different cultures and ways of life more than anything I’ve ever done. I’ve never forgotten the advice of one Personnel Officer when we had a group of employers in to talk to our trainees. He said (something to the effect): “Do NOT attach a photo to your resume. Two reasons: the eye
Subscriber Information Print subscriptions will once again be available for $20/year, and will arrive via 1st Class US Mail. We’ve had some issues with slow bulk mail deliveries in the past, so we plan to stuff envelopes and lick stamps from now on! You will receive a copy of each quarterly print edition along with subscriber-only coupons from local businesses in appreciation of your support! Please send a check with your name and mailing address to: Laurel Mountain Post Subscriptions PO Box 332 • Ligonier, PA 15658 (include email address when possible)
naturally goes to the photo and distracts the reader from what and how you’ve written. Photos definitely distract, no matter what you’ve heard. Secondly, I happen to have a strong prejudice against red-headed women. Had I seen a red-haired woman staring at me, I would have missed out on one of the best employees I’ve hired in recent years. Instead, she so impressed me with her resume that I could hardly wait to meet her — and I didn’t even care that a red-haired woman walked into the room. Her writing spoke for her; let your writing speak out for you.” I’ve told the story more than once and, even after all these years, I still see the wisdom of his remarks. Our prejudice (or bias) may not be hair color — maybe obesity, skin color or tone, poor clothes sense, or one of the many other prejudices we humans tend to have, but why risk losing out on an interview by featuring a photo. That’s the other side in regard to your advice. My view may be the opposite of today’s employers, but perhaps the differences are what made working with people so interesting for so many years. M.J. Patterson – Ligonier, PA March 1, 2013 Dear MJ: Thanks so much for continuing the conversation! Experts (and our article) are not advising that job seekers attach a photo to a resume, but rather be diligent in how they present themselves online. The reality is that potential employers will often “Google” an applicant to see if they have appropriate or professional content on the internet through Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites. I certainly agree with your comment that writing should speak for itself; but the digital age has, for good or bad, redefined the writing on the wall. 724-238-9273 • 412-951-5579 • Fully Insured (PA046680) – Cathi Gerhard, Editor Let us know what you think about our magazine! Write us a letter, comment on Facebook, send a fax or email - we love the art of conversation.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN
POST
Office Mailing Address: Laurel Mountain Post | PO Box 332 | Ligonier, PA 15658 Editorial Office: Located at Fairview Farm | 189 Fairview Lane | Derry, PA 15627
Cathi Gerhard - Editor & Publisher • Gregory Susa - Co-Publisher Megan Fuller - Contributing Editor • Kaytlen Powers - Intern Jason Ament - Advertising Sales Consultant Carol Gerhard - Copy Editor • Scott Sinemus - The Ligonier Chef Elizabeth Srsic - Art & Education • Ruthie Richardson - Memory Lane Mark Rullo - What’s Cooking in Fitness • Granny Earth - Healing With Weeds Brian Mishler - Home Study • Cindy Parker - Three Pennies Bruce & Ellen Henderson - Features & Photography • Fusty Muckraker Greg Susa - What in the World is THAT? Joe Jerich - Features & Photography • Eric Pensenstadler - Video Bloggers: Elizabeth Srsic, Joanna McQuade, Ruthie Richardson, Hayley Chemski, Cathi Gerhard, Megan Fuller Distribution Team: Doug Richardson, Heather Haines, Bob Raho, Robin Shields, Joanne Hartman, Beverly Struble, Jack Wilson, Jason Ament, Cathi Gerhard, Gregory Susa, Alice Susa, Nancy A. Clark The Laurel Mountain Post is an independent, quarterly publication produced at Fairview Farm in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
www .Laurel Mountain PPost.com ost.com • p: 724-537-6845 • f: 724-558-9548 www.Laurel Every Story Begins At Home.
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A Kind of Running Fight: The Battle of Bushy Run 250th Anniversary by Jack Giblin It was on two sultry August days in the woods of western Pennsylvania that British and Native American forces collided near a small stream known as Bushy Run. British forces under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet were moving west to relieve the besieged Fort Pitt, attempting to end the conflict with Native American tribes that set the frontier of western Pennsylvania a blaze. Pontiac’s War, named for the Native chief that tried to unify the fight, began with western Native tribes that felt they had been ignored by the British after the French and Indian War, and quickly spread east. Delaware, Shawnee, Seneca, Cayuga and several other tribes joined in the fight. Settlers that had been populating the frontier ran to the undermanned forts and outposts for protection. By the summer of 1763, only the largest forts like Ft. Pitt, Ft. Detroit, and Ft. Ligonier were able to withstand the onslaught of Native warriors.
On June 12th, 1763, Colonel Henry Bouquet was ordered by General Jeffery Amherst to assemble the remnants of several companies of Scottish Highlanders, a company of his Royal Americans, and wagons with drovers to relieve the besieged Fort Pitt which had been under attack since late May. He marched west on July 28th from Fort Bedford with his force of roughly 400 men along with some woodsmen he had added from Ft. Cumberland, Maryland. They reached Fort Ligonier on August 2nd and Bouquet ordered the heavy baggage left behind, moving the supplies to pack horses for the remainder of the trip. Bouquet’s intent was to make his way through Turtle Creek at night in the hopes he would avoid a Native attack, but the attack came where he least expected it. On August 5th 1763 at around 1:00 pm in the afternoon, as the column of soldiers and horses made its way toward the burned-out station at Bushy Run, they were attacked from a wooded
60th Royal Americans line up for morning inspection.
Soldiers portray camp life during the reenactment weekend.
Bruce Egli, portraying Colonel Henry Bouquet leads the Rangers on the march to relieve the siege at Fort Pitt. 12 - Summer 2013
Tom Hinkelman, portraying a Native, scouts the area for Britishtroops.
“Tools of the Trade” Raffle Pictured is first prize of a custom made muzzleloader created by Gunsmith Roy Stroh with a powderhorn and pouch made by Roland Cadle. There are three other prizes and tickets are $10 or 5/$40 and the winners will be drawn during the event on August 4th. Tickets will be available at the event or can be purchased ahead of time at www.bushyrunbattlefield.com.
hill to the west. Colonel Bouquet tried to push the Natives from their position, but the conflict soon became general with heavy casualties on the British side delivered by their nearly unseen enemy. Seeing no advantage to continuing to press, Bouquet pulled his troops back for the night and formed a defensive position. With no water and many casualties, the Colonel penned a letter to GEN Amherst that his position seemed grim. As dawn broke August 6th, the Native warriors resumed their attack on the small army. Again the British took casualties and were pinned down. In an effort to break the stalemate, Colonel Bouquet ordered two companies of light infantry to feign a retreat in order to draw the enemy out into the open. The ruse worked and the Natives were lured into the void. Two other LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
companies continued to engage the enemy as the first two companies swung down into a small valley to the southwest of the main body, joined by the grenadiers. They quickly moved through the valley flanking the main Native attack. Somewhat boxed in, the Natives took heavy casualties (Bouquet estimated as many as 40 since there were few bodies left after the fight). They were forced to retreat. In a move that utilized light infantry for its true purpose, Bouquet sent his troops chasing the disorganized Native force and continued to break them up for two miles. Four days later, Bouquet marched through the gates of Fort Pitt, relieving the garrison and effectively ending Pontiac’s War in western Pennsylvania. The following year he marched a much larger force into the Ohio Valley an ended the conflict once and for all. Today, Bushy Run Battlefield is a thriving state historic site owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and operated by the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society. The five miles of hiking trails that cover the whole of the original battlefield, as well as a visitor center with interactive film and exhibits, help visitors better understand the events that occurred in August of 1763. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the battle. Bushy Run has been working to commission a new monument to the combatants that will be dedicated August 3rd at our annual Battle Weekend August 3rd and 4th. We will have a luminary event Friday evening and music and other performances throughout the weekend. We are currently accepting applications for Royal American, 77th & 42nd highland, Native, Pack horse driver re-enactors and sutlers. Contact the site at 724-5275584 or go to the on-line registration at www.savebushyrun.org. The event is juried, so please forward a website or pictures of your camp, your clothing and any other pertinent information. To keep track of all the upcoming events at Bushy Run Battlefield, check our website at: www.bushyrunbattlefield.com or follow us on
Bob Learzaf portraying a Trader, negotiates with the Natives.
Troops demonstrate a bayonet charge.
Natives defend their territory.
Highlanders do a volley in the woods in defense against the Natives.
Natives in camp before their encounter with the British. Troops defend their position during the 1st day’s battle.
British troops marching to the 2nd day’s battle.
Royal Americans spot some Natives in the trees.
Photography by Amanda Wilson Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2013 - 13
R E M M SU TAKE ON
Greensburg YMCA Summer Camps
Who Ya Gonna Call?
ONE CALL!
Like dandelions, spring and summer see an abundance of construction barrels pop up. And even before those, pavement markings and little flags tell us where things are about to happen. Ever wonder what all those colored flags and markings mean? If you ever do any power equipment excavating in Pennsylvania, you are required by law to call PA One Call – just dial 8-1-1 three days prior to moving earth. One call, will contact the utility companies who – free of charge – will send someone out to mark their underground lines, and avoid unintentional damage. Courtesy of www.pa1call.org here is the color code telling us what’s under there:
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14 - Summer 2013
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
HOMESTUDY by Brian Mishler
Safe Summer Fun Summer is here! Out with the robins come barbecues, swimming pools, and all the fun activities the warm season has to offer! A little maintenance is all we need to have a fun, safe and comfortable summer. We all know as we leave for vacation to stop the mail and paper, lest we leave a signal to passersby that our home is empty. But how to leave the house? Here is the list I follow at home: • Set several lamps in various rooms on timers set to different times. For example, set the living room lamp to turn on at 8, off at ten, and the bedroom lamp to turn on at ten, off at 11, etc. • Turn off the water at the inside main water shutoff valve. • Turn your gas water heater thermostat down to “vacation”. • Turn your electric water heater off at the circuit breaker in the electrical panel. • Do not turn off your Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) system! Instead, turn the A/C up to about 85, or on cooler months, turn down the heat to 55 - 60. If it’s a short trip, turning it off is o.k in summertime, but houses are not designed to be left without ventilation; they get musty and stale or worse, without air circulation. • If it’s an opening to the outdoors, lock it. Yes burglars can carry ladders (or use the one you left in the yard! Secure it!) and get to second story windows, and defeat your garage door opener. If you have skylights that open (roof windows) don’t forget to close those! • Secure your trash cans/recycling bins. • Make sure gates and latches close easily, and if they surround a pool, can be locked. • Trim shrubbery below window level, or remove them; they can provide cover and increase the time a burglar has to get in. Remove anything not fastened Every Story Begins At Home.
down that someone can use to climb up and into your house, even if you consider it too unstable. • Leave the blinds/drapes the same as when you are at home; closing them all can tip off burglars, and stop well meaning neighbors from noticing anything wrong. This is just a partial list, you can also contact your local police department, insurer, and alarm company for tips.
Decks A great american pastime is having friends over to enjoy our masterful skills on the grill! Before those invitations go out, a brief inspection of the deck is a good idea to make sure your party doesn’t make the 6 O’clock news... The life expectancy of a deck is really no more than 20 years, and that can be a stretch. If your deck is over ten, in all likelihood, it doesn’t meet todays standards, and even if it’s brand new, decks are one of the most common safety issues I encounter daily during home inspections. Your best course of action is to hire a professional home inspector or your local community building officer for an inspection. In a nutshell, here’s what they’re looking for: • Attachment to the building; is the header board (The board attached parallel to the house that the joists attach to.) correctly attached to the building? If it’s not attached, does it have sufficient support? On older decks one of the most common issues is the header board has incorrect or missing flashing that has permitted water intrusion, damaged the framing of the deck, and sometimes the house too! This is the most common point of failure / and news stories; the deck fails where it meets the house, and falls,
taking our friends with it. Inspectors will check this with a probe, to make sure it’s not rotted. • The floor joists; are they properly secured to the header board with joist hangers? If no, joist hangers need to be properly installed; nailing or screwing joists to the structure has proven to be insufficient to hold the crowd above. If there are joist hangers, are they in good condition? If rusted, it’s time to replace. Do they have the proper fasteners? Again screws are not correct, and not all nails are approved. • Are the posts large enough? As a general rule, any deck higher than 6 feet should have 6x6 posts. Are they in good condition? Do they have proper footers? Are they correctly secured to the beam supporting the floor joists with lag bolts? Are the lag bolts in good condition? • Up top, are the guardrails secure? Are the pickets (balusters) no more than 4 inches apart? Is the space at the bottom no more than 4 inches? • Do the stairs wobble when we climb them? Is the handrail secure, and very commonly does it simply have a flat board on top? It should have a graspable handrail so our infirm or falling friends and relatives can use it safely, or catch themselves. Again, the balusters should be no more than 4 inches apart and the opening where the corner of the step where it meets the bottom of the rail should allow a sphere no larger than 6 inches to pass through. • Where is the barbecue? Many homebuyers have inquired about warped siding only to have me identify where the pervious homeowners’ barbecue grill once sat! You should consult the owners manual of your grill and follow it’s recommendations, and keep it sufficiently away from combustibles your deck! continued on page 16 Summer 2013 - 15
continued from page 15
This is just a partial list of what we inspect, if you’re concerned, or you’ve seen something mentioned, hire a professional; the cost is far less than what you’ve seen on the news!
Pennsylvania Author Salutes Emergency Volunteers with Trilogy of Books Scotrun, PA— Tom Ward has a new book out, The Volunteer, just released by Cambridge Books whose advanced copies are available on Amazon.com. In 1983, in war-torn Lebanon, Robert J. Doyle ordered the complete destruction of an unsuspecting village. As he walked through the carnage later, he vowed one day he would somehow pay off the loss of innocent lives.
Swimming Pools I’m certainly no expert when it comes to swimming pools. A huge fan of swimming, I’m aware and wary of what can go wrong. It’s alway a good idea to have your pool evaluated by a professional at the beginning of the season. Even if you’re the master of preparing your pool for summer; a pro can check your pool systems for issues that may escape even the best of us. For example, grounding. Electrical pool equipment like pumps and filters have to be properly grounded to prevent the possibility of having the water electrified. Check with your local building official/office to find out what your municipality requires for pools. Make sure the fence/guards are high enough, the gates open away from the pool, the latches function properly, and are lockable. Additionally, for child safety there are numerous door/gate alarms available on the market to alert you should a little one try to sneak in a private swim! If your above ground pool is surrounded by a deck, it needs inspection too; chlorine water is hard on metal fasteners as well as wood! Wherever you and your family are playing this summer, a little preparation can go a long way in avoiding a lot of aggravation and potential injury. Have a fun and safe summer!! ***** Brian Mishler is an 18-year veteran of home inspection and is a past president of PRO-ASHI, the local chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors. You can get more information about home inspection at www.homestudyinc.com.
16 - Summer 2013
Later, Doyle decides to become a volunteer firefighting paramedic. He feels that with each life and property he helps to save; he makes a payment on his debt. For years, as Doyle responds to his community’s calls for help he ignores his own needs. To counteract flashbacks brought on by burnout, Doyle uses alcohol to keep going. Still, the memories of the destruction and dead villagers compel him to respond. The Volunteer centers on one man’s struggle with to find inner peace. And examines the question of what compels volunteers to respond no matter what time of day or night, to sacrifice their time, financial resources, their talents, and even their lives in the service of their communities. “I am ecstatic at this time to finally have ‘The Volunteer’ published after all these years,” said Tom Ward. “For the past 20 years this story has always been important to me because it shows one man’s reason why he volunteers to serve his community. But his is only one reason out of 800,000 other reasons of those who serve their respective communities. Hollywood always makes movies and TV series about the Paid Departments and not once ventured to portray the volunteer firefighter or emergency medical service personnel. These men and women willingly place themselves and everything they hold dear into harm’s way for their communities and don’t expect anything in return not even a thank you. Hollywood’s neglect and that of other authors was and always has been my motivation to get my novel published for it tells of one volunteer’s reason why he is willing to risk it all for his community.” Cambridge Books is a small press located in Cambridge, MD. “We are very proud to have published The Volunteer by Tom Ward,” said Arline Chase, publisher. “We are a small company and choose our books carefully. We only publish work from writers we feel are talented and have a lot to offer.” Tom has a trilogy, The Volunteer, Volunteers: A Breed Apart which he is editing and Station 1260-1270 which he hopes to finish. Tom Ward enjoys meeting fellow volunteers both firefighters and emergency medical service personnel, and may be contacted by e-mail at tmwardjr@gmail.com. © Cover Photo by Ross “Rossco”Beckly used with permission and thanks.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Transformation Inspiration Cherie Hart Steffen was inspired to transform her body and mind after two distressing incidents. First was the death of her mother, with whom she was very close. Before Cherie’s mother passed away she shared two pieces of advice: save money and lose weight. Still Cherie wasn’t ready to make that lifestyle change until the second incident. While walking down the hall one day at college, an instructor had the audacity to greet Cherie as “Precious”, as in the obese, abused, illiterate main character in the 2009 movie. That was just the catalysis Cherie needed to begin her journey of health and well-ness. To read more of Cherie’s story visit http://www.cnn.com /2013/ 04/12/health/cherie-steffenweight-loss/index.html?iref=allsearch or Cherie’s blog at Cherierunsthis.com. Cherie, I found your story of transformation on CNN.com iReports to be very inspirational and felt that you were someone with whom many women (me for instance) could identify but when I saw the photo of you with the Terrible Towel I was doublely inspired because you are from Pittsburgh. When I saw that you have to love Pittsburgh from afar, I wondered how that love of place, of Pittsburgh, figured into your dedication to your life transformation. Would you please share with us some of your background and memories of growing up in Pittsburgh?
I grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, in Beaver County. I was the baby of the family, and with two sisters significantly older (20 years older and 14 years older than I), most of the time I felt like an only child as they were out of the house already. My fondest memories growing up in the Pittsburgh area come from when my sisters would come home to visit and take me out in the city. We went to the zoo, shopping, out to fun restaurants like the “O” in Oakland, and the Gateway Clipper. Who were your biggest influences?
My biggest influence was my mother. Again, since my sisters were out of the house already, and my dad was working a lot, I spent
Every Story Begins At Home.
most of my time with her. I was definitely a Mommy’s Girl. The older I get, I definitely see that we were twins, but only 41 years apart! The CNN.com report describes the incident that made you commit to making a personal change but can you tell us what made you decide to become a fitness and nutrition expert with a focus on helping others?
What inspired you to start your blog Cherierunsthis.com?
I started it in the Summer of 2009 after my mother passed away. I needed an outlet to express my feelings. It somehow evolved from just ramblings into a health and fitness blog! Do you think there is a book in your future?
As an English major, it would be a great use of my BA degree that I don’t really use, haha. But yes, there could be; I won’t rule it out. Throughout your fitness transformation, what surprised you the most?
It surprised me at times that my body could actually change, and I could feel and be healthy. I never went far enough into past weight loss attempts to make it to this point. It also still surprises me every time someone tells me I inspired him or her. I NEVER thought I’d be an inspiration to anyone— especially when this all first began.
After going back to school for a second degree in January 2010, I was nearing the end of my studies by Spring 2011. I decided to become a police officer and began training for the police academy. I knew I would have to pass a timed mileage test, so I started running. I didn’t really know anything about running; so I ran too hard, too fast, too much. This resulted in a stress fracture in my right tibia. I could no longer try out for the academy. In thinking what to do with my career at this point, I decided I should get my personal training certification with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I was already about a year and a half into my weight loss journey and loved the changes I was seeing in my body and health. I decided to make a career out of it and help others to feel what I felt! Just this past month, I began studying for my Fitness Nutrition Specialist with NASM, as nutrition is a HUGE part of a transformation!
Do you do any public events? Are you planning anything in Pittsburgh?
I did speak publicly at one event, and I’d love to do more. I don’t have anything planned on my next Pittsburgh trip, but I’m open to it if contacted! What advice would you give to others in their search for success?
Keep going. I look back at the many times I tried to lose weight, but I stopped after not seeing results fast enough. Had I just kept going, I can only imagine how many happier, healthier years I would have had. The weight doesn’t just come on in one lump sum overnight; it won’t come off that way either. It takes work, dedication and not just physical focus—so much of it is mental. Make little changes—they add up to big ones! – by Megan Fuller, Contributing Editor Summer 2013 - 17
TODAY’S EDUCATION
by Clair Ward, Head of School at Valley School of Ligonier
The 4 R’s: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Running Since at least the 19th century, people have often referenced the 3 R’s as the key components of a good education. The abbreviation stands for reading, writing, and arithmetic. To this day, as much as we value the other subject areas and experiences we offer children at school, we all understand that being able to read, write and count are the foundational skills necessary to tackle just about every other subject. A research scientist, in order to be trained in the work, must be able to read research, record her findings and organize her own calculations in spreadsheets. It seems that no matter how society quibbles about education today, we can all agree that the 3 R’s remain as important today as they have always been. We can also probably agree that physical wellness is important, yet we have a growing issue among our children today. The national obesity rate among our children is roughly 30%. According to the Children’s Defense Fun, a third of American children eat fast food every day. Two thirds of our children do not meet the recommendation of having sixty minutes per day of physical activity. The short-term physical impact on children is fairly obvious. Medical complications
including diabetes, compromised immunity and a higher propensity for depression and social issues are all on the list of concerns. But this is not just an issue of physical health. There is a huge impact on their lives at school that stands to compromise learning and long-term academic achievement— in other words, the 3 R’s. So I am going to propose that we consider adding a 4th R to our list of core components to education: running. Please do not misunderstand—I am not proposing that we add track and field coursework. I am simply suggesting that we consider using the word “running” as a placeholder for physical activity and nutrition. You see if we continue on 18 - Summer 2013
this path of increasingly unhealthy children, it will be harder and harder to achieve the rigorous educational and assessment goals we have begun to articulate in this country. The less active our children get coupled with eating a nutritionally barren diet, the harder it will be for them to master the 3 R’s. Let me give you a poignant example. Several years ago, teachers at a school in northern California were beginning to notice a trend regarding attention spans and fine motor skills. The children were less and less able to sit well enough or long enough to accomplish even the most basic first grade tasks. The children came from strong, educationally focused households. The school was highly selective, so the teachers knew the children had the ability to succeed. But year after year the early elementary teachers were increasingly challenged by the trend. So they decided to investigate and the parents were more than happy to supply the details of the children’s days in the hope that something would stand out. The parents admitted that meals were happening on the go and that in spite of the mild climate, the children were not playing outside; a tight schedule of organized activities consumed the week. So the teachers partnered with the physical education staff to begin assessing the core strength and coordination of the children. The findings were astounding. When asked to follow a straight chalk line on the ground putting one foot in front of the other, the children were unsuccessful. When asked to cross one foot over the other and follow the same line, the children were unsuccessful. So it became immediately clear to the teachers that the children did not have the core body strength and coordination to sit in the first grade chairs at the first grade tables doing first grade learning. The lack of physical activity during the day led to compromised strength, which began to correlate to poor performance in the classroom. While limited physical activity can seriously compromise a child’s health and happiness, the impact also extends to learning. Recurring absence, inability to focus and a variety of other symptoms truly inhibit the development of skills in the classroom. Engaging in physical activity and specifically play, gives children an opportunity to calibrate their bodies and to practice many of the behaviors that can help them be successful at school. Physical negotiation of the environment and social negotiation are foundational to school experiences. Gone are the days when most children built core strength and confidence by climbing trees and walking along stone walls; today’s children too often miss the opportunity to develop these things organically. It seems that the 3 R’s are nothing without the 4th R: running. Children need to move LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
the recommended sixty minutes per day in order to be successful at school. And most of the research suggests that inactive children will lose ground year after year compared to their peers who move. Ideally, a school would rank physical activity and nutrition as crucial ingredients for the learning process. In the same way children need tools like books and pencils, they also need well-tooled bodies to help them stay focused and engaged in their own learning. Daily physical education and/ or recess coupled with freshly prepared, healthy food are essential. Eliminating high-sugar or processed food will make a world of difference in the whole equation given that research has proven these categories of foods contribute most directly to health issues for children. As we begin to move forward in determining the best financial scenarios for schools in challenging economic times, we must resist the urge to view physical education as a luxury. Rather, we must begin to consider good nutrition and movement as necessities in the school environment. Sitting a child in a desk will not necessarily mean he learns. He must come ready to learn and that has as much to do with his physical and mental state as it does anything else. So let us help our children come running, ready to tackle the important task of learning using all of the 4 R’s. Clair Ward was appointed in 2008 to the position of Head of School at Valley School of Ligonier (www.valley schoolofligonier.org). Ms. Ward holds an M.Ed. from Boston College and a B.A. in English/Classics from Hamilton College. Ms. Ward lives in Rector with her daughter and her husband, Bryon Williams, a doctoral candidate at Duquesne University.
LIGONIER VALLEY RAIL ROAD MUSEUM At the restored Darlington Station
Sharing the 75-year history of railroading in Ligonier Valley
Wednesday thru Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
3032 Idlewild Hill, Ligonier, PA www.lvrra.org 724-238-7819 ─ lvrra@verizon.net
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Spruce Run Equine Veterinary Associates Nancy E. Mauer, DVM Kristin Abderhalden, DVM Aaron R. Howard, CEqDT sreva@comcast.net
6904 Lincoln Highway Stoystown, PA 15563 814-754-1500
Somerset and Surrounding Areas Every Story Begins At Home.
Compass Inn M useum Museum Children’s Living History - Saturday June 15 (11 am to 4 pm) & Sunday June 16 (1 to 5 pm) Native American Living History - Saturday July 20 (11 am to 4 pm) & Sunday July 21 (1 to 5 pm) Arts & Lifestyle Living History - Saturday August 17 (11 am to 4 pm) & Sunday 18 (1 to 5 pm) 1382 Route 30, Laughlintown, 3 miles east of Ligonier 724-238-4983 • www.compassinn.com Events sponsored by Ligonier Valley Historical Society This advertisement sponsored by Antiques On the Diamond in Ligonier
Summer 2013 - 19
DOWN ON THE FARM by Cathi Gerhard & Gregory Susa
“If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.” – Dale Carnegie Farming is often about the little jobs – the dozens of small chores that need to be done every day, week, and month as the seasons flow from one to another. My dad always hated what he called “detail work,” and would often defer these tasks to me, then a young girl full of energy and often by his side trying to take it all in. As a classic tomboy, there was no farm challenge I refused to accept, though at times grudgingly: shoveling manure, stacking hay bales, driving the tractor, painting fences and walls, pulling weeds, carrying wood, picking eggs, and feeding cows . . . the list was endless. In fact, as I got older, we had charts listing all the jobs we could do to earn our money – different amounts for varied tasks. My big sister, Michelle, always rushed in and loaded up on the higher point values ($1 or 50 cents), leaving the often unsavory or smaller 10 and 25-cent chores for me. But I didn’t mind very much, as money had no grip on me then (and it added up eventually anyway). Michelle preferred
to get her work done as quickly as possible so she could retreat to her room and read more books. Hours later I was still outside working on my little chores. I actually enjoyed the smaller jobs, and completed them at a leisurely pace. Some viewed this as a “lazy,” “lollygagging” and time-wasting approach, but I looked for and found the joy in each task. My daydreaming would sometimes lead to forgetfulness, but I could tell you a lot about each hen in the yard, and her eggs picked from the coop. As I filled and delivered milk buckets, I spent a lot of time petting and playing with the new calves we bought from the auction, and I believe this improved their lonely transition from mother to pen. When it came time to clean my own personal pig sty, I often got sidetracked with every treasure I re-discovered – except for the decaying dead mouse under my bean bag chair. I may have even screamed like a girl. No wonder my parents called me “Pig Pen.” But I think I realized, then and there, the
Some Important Composting Facts • Over 600 lbs of organic yard and kitchen waste materials can be diverted per home through backyard composting. According to the Clean Air Council, forty-three thousand tons of food is thrown out in the United States each day. • Curbside waste reduction through backyard composting saves valuable landfill space. • Backyard composting reduces organic materials going to landfills, thereby reducing the production of methane gas, a potent and harmful greenhouse gas. • Residents save their municipalities valuable tax dollars by composting at home. Backyard composting is much more cost effective and environmentally friendly than municipal collection and disposal. • Compost is a great soil amendment for lawns, gardens, potting soils etc. • Compost can also save money by: reducing your curbside waste; providing free soil amendment; and by retaining soil moisture, reducing your water bills. • Residents can make a difference. Home composting using the Earth Machine™, combined with recycling and yard waste programs, can reduce resident waste at the curb by up to 80%! Leaves, grass and kitchen scraps represent as much as 50% of waste materials going to landfills. – Westmoreland Cleanways, May 2013
20 - Summer 2013
importance of every chore, not just the ones I liked or considered important. Last year, we built raised beds for our new garden, and had a fabulous seven-variety tomato crop. We made sauces and salsas (taking orders for this year) and saved our heirloom seeds. The tomatoes got the glory, but the secret to our success was in the dirt. My husband, Greg, took the time to carefully mix some old mushroom compost my dad had started years before with existing farm soil, peat and new cow manure. We filled every bed with this FREE, rich mix, and our plants thrived. Good garden soil comes from past chores often overlooked. We are careful to save our kitchen scraps and take them to our bin (made from stacking old tractor tires), along with grass clippings, leaves, wood ash, newspaper and other things most people throw away in plastic garbage bags each week. A lot of people fear compost with ugly thoughts of a rotting heap in the back yard, but it is really much easier than you think – and the rewards are huge! On the next page we’ve printed a simple infographic to get you started, compliments of the University of Illinois Extension Office who re-sized it just for the LMP page! If you would like some hands-on instruction, contact the knowledgeable and friendly staff at Westmoreland Cleanways (www.west morelandcleanways.org or call 724836-4129). They offer workshops and special rain barrel sales: the next one is scheduled for June 1 from 9-4 in the Green Forge Building parking lot, 226 Donohoe Rd. in Greensburg. Read Fairview Farm updates on the LMP blog! **** Best friends, but never quite college sweethearts, Greg and Cathi finally married 20 years later. Together they own and operate Fairview Farm in Derry Township, now an estate winery and community garden in the making, “managed” by two peculiar black cats, two devoted dogs, and a ridiculously bossy new kitten.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2013 - 21
Adventure Racing – Is It Healthy? by Hayley Chemski, MSN, CRNA and Certified Fitness Trainer Have a gritty appetite for motivating yourself and others to achieve fitness goals and become one of those ‘mighty warriors’ to finish a race of races? “ADVENTURE RACING” is the new “it thing” in the fitness world. Specifically, those races known as “Mud Runs” are becoming the ‘fancy’ to fitness enthusiasts and those looking for a personal challenge. In fact, for some, these ‘races’ aren’t much of a race at all, just more of a personal accomplishment to check off of their bucket list. However, with any great adventure comes the increase in inherent risks. Let’s review the “cost” and “benefit” of participation. Adventure races, such as the Tough Mudder™, Mud on the Mountain, and Spartan races owe much of their beginnings to triathlons as triathletes compete in several fitness formats, all in one race. Most triathlons include running, biking, and swimming. Adventure races play largely off of this idea, to combine several fitness formats into one tough-as-nails race, taking its participants to a new level of competition. Now that the races have been around for over 25-30 years, they are in vogue and catching on to the masses. Adventure race participants are attracted to physical and mental endurance challenges, such as kayaking, rock climbing, abseiling (rappelling), white-water rafting, mountaineering, paragliding, and a wide range of miniobstacles such as live wire field runs, crawling under barbed wire or through pipes, monkey bars, 30 foot wall climbs, slippery slope trails and more! Some races take participants through mental challenges during ‘breaks’ in the race route, testing one’s ability to logic puzzles when physically drained. Moreover, mud runs add a new component to simple running events, or even triathlon events that use clearcut, athletic training. Races such as Mud on the Mountain at Seven Springs require competitors to make decisions 22 - Summer 2013
and navigate obstacles throughout the entire race, allowing those that may not be in optimal shape to compete alongside those that are grueling physical challengers. Day to day adjectives cannot adequately describe the emotional triumphs one experiences when crossing the finish line. As our adrenaline and energy drink soaked culture fuels itself with “more”...more intense, more difficult, more challenge, more, more, more...these races fit right in. Racers must train appropriately, however, to keep up with the rigorous demands of the races. Training for an adventure race is where the physical and mental gains are seen most, taking racers out of fitness ruts, and catapulting them into a new challenge. Racers should begin a training regime at least 12 weeks prior to race date. This training would include functional training (mimicking the obstacles in the race) as well as crosstraining for aerobic endurance. Competitors train for aerobic and strength stamina, i.e. running, walking, hiking, as well as resistance training that builds lean muscle mass and increases overall endurance and cardiovascular capacity. Preparing for the event in turn increases cardiovascular oxygen uptake and endurance, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure, and improving glucose (sugar) consumption which helps regulate diabetic conditions. Ultimately, training increases flexibility, posture, and CORE strength and control. Some races offer the use of teams and/or allow competitors to start together at the starting line. This offers a sense of camaraderie, and unlike traditional races, some obstacles require the use of a ‘team’ which is great for building team roles and offering a bit of fun for the masses.
Furthermore, the mental rigors of training improve concentration, aptitude, and decision-making skills while increasing one’s self-esteem and selfactualization. However, with the intensity of training and racing, those that participate should consider the risks involved. Training can be tough! As with any exercise regime, the body is pushed beyond its current limits, increasing oxygen consumption, muscle strength, protein stores, and exercise requires prioritized time, while resulting in temporary soreness and fatigue. During the race, extreme obstacles that can be wet and muddy are associated with muscle soreness, bruises, cuts, scraps, and even sprained joints and broken bones. All racers should discuss these risks and benefits with the primary care physician to determine personal gains with training and participation. Building Bodeez Fitness and Wellness Center offers several group fitness classes and personal training that promotes the above and targets the needs of Adventure racing. We also offer inclusion of a FREE F.A.B.B. (Fun/Adventurous Building Bodeez) Adventure Club that seeks group meetings involving white water rafting, hiking, trail rides, mountain climbs, and more that can be used as functional training for races. As with any new and exciting fitness fad, review the race details and train appropriately to determine the benefit to YOU. Realize that inherent risks are involved, but for those that find fascination in pushing the body to the limit — these races are for YOU. ***** Hayley owns and operates Building Bodeez Fitness Center in Derry, PA, with her husband, Shawn Horwat. She is also a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Fox Chapel, PA. An avid group exercise instructor and fitness trainer, she assists clients to manage stress regularly. Visit Building Bodeez at www.buildingbodeez.net for a FREE 7-day trial or contact Hayley directly at buildingbodeez@gmail.com.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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SAME CONVENIENT LOCATION! Behind Domino’s Pizza Downtown Latrobe
72 4-53 7-9329 724-53 4-537-9329 Angela Caurso, Jr. James Deglau 102 DEPO T STREET in LA TR OBE, P A DEPOT LATR TROBE, PA
The new novel by Laurel Mountain Post favorite Judith Redline Coopey Release Party May 24 State College, Altoona Available at Amazon.com www.judithredlinecoopey.com
Enhance Your Life With Music piano • violin • viola • cello • guitar • voice • flute lessons • weddings • events
Lessons at Vittone’s in Greensburg 724-309-0553 • vmullmusic@gmail.com
Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2013 - 23
WHAT IN THE WORLD COULD THAT BE? by Gregory S. Susa
Pennsylvania: Evolution of a Landscape The earth is old. Really old. Four billion years old. The geology of our planet is a complex and long story; too long, for a mere lay scholar to share in a few pages of the Laurel Mountain Post. Even the geological history of our country is an emmensely long story. Our home here is southwestern Pennsylvania is in itself an interesting story. Our region is home to beautiful vistas and diverse wildlife; even our communities have individual characteristics which have connections to one another just like families. There are rivalries and partnerships. Much of this
communal identity and rich variety is due to our unique geological history. Ligonier Valley is seperated from Latrobe and Derry by the Chestnut Ridges, yet they are all connected through the Loyalhanna George (that we locals call “Sleepy Hollow”), a scenic passage created by erosion occurring over a half billion-year period of mountain building. Our region is graced with a wealth of natural resources such as coal, natural gas, and oil – all lying beneath our feet. Stands of timber, rich farm land, plentiful clean and fresh water,
Early earth is bombarded from space by meteors and comets, bringing metals and water to the planet. Early development of single-cell organisms is occurring. Continents begin to take shape.
Cambrian Period
4 billion years ago
24 - Summer 2013
PROTEROZOIC ERA
2.5 billion years ago
***** Greg Susa is a 1987 graduate of Greater Latrobe High School and studied physics at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. An avid fan of all things science, he continues his education daily with varied reading and research in pursuit of the big question . . . WHY? (often followed by the exclamation WOW!)
At this time the world begins to move b The continent Laurentia hits an island arc is lifted up, draining the shallow seas a glaciation and erosion. The Lapetus Oce oceanic plate sinks beneath Laurentia to fo They were about as tall as the Rocky
Largest explosion of life. Western PA was submerged beneath shallow seas, layers of sediment were formed, dead sea life will become oil and gas deposits such as Marcellus Shale during this era. Western PA straddled the equator.
ARCHEOZOIC ERA
stone and other aggregate were given to us by the slow, relentless pressures and forces of geology. The following graphic is presented to you as a quick reference to the geologic saga which gave us our beautiful home landscape in the Appalachian Mountains atop the Allegheny Plateau.
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Laurentia: North America and Europe Baltica: area around Baltic Sea Gondwana: Africa, Antarctica, South Ame Siberia: eastern Russia Kazakstania: central Asia Avalonia: New England and England Australian was in a tropical position
Ordovician Period
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Silurian Period
•
Devonian Per PALEOZOIC
542 million years ago
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
For more information about local geology, please visit: United States Geological Survey – www.usgs.gov University of Pittsburgh Department of Geology & Planetary Science – www.geology2.pitt.edu Pennsylvania Bureau of Topographic & Geologic Survey – www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo Indiana University Department of Geoscience – (724) 357-2379 Geology Resources for Pennsylvania Teachers & Students – www.pageology.info
The African Plate approaches North America, lifting the Ozark Ocachita region and the Marathon Mountains of Texas. The Appalachians rise to Himalayan scale and are located in the center of the newly-formed Pangea Supercontinent. Carboniferous Period continues with no bacteria to decompose wood, so the dead plant material forms vast coal beds.
Our region is uplifted once more to form the Appalachian Plateau. Erosian continues over the next 65 million years, forming our current landscape and fertile farmlands.
by way of tectonic plates. c. The Atlantic coastal plain and exposing the rock to ean starts to close, and its orm the early Appalachians. y Mountains are today. The early Mesozoic Era saw the rise of the dinosaurs, and the breaking up of Pangea. The Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans begin to form. Weathering erosion prevails and begin wearing down mountains. By the end of this era, the Appalachian Mountains are worn down to almost flat plain. By the end of the era, dinosaurs have already disappeared.
erica
Carboniferous period begins with the appearance of wooded plants. Early humans appeared 200,000 years ago. riod
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Mississippian Period
•
Pennsylvania Period
•
Permian Period MESOZOIC ERA
ERA
CENOZOIC ERA 65 million years ago
Every Story Begins At Home.
now
Summer 2013 - 25
Trails to Heartache – and Success An Interview with Country Music Artist Jeffrey Michaels
In the 1980’s, when I was a sophomore in high school, there was a boy who could always make me smile – which was quite a feat back then when I was well-known for my stoic ways. His name was Jeff Ruffner, and he was constantly clowning and performing for Lee Ann, Lance, and me. The four of us hung out a lot together that year, but soon after, we drifted our seperate ways. A few years ago, I caught up with Jeff (now known as Jeffrey Michaels) through the power of Facebook , and we bonded again over mutual back problems. I was still recovering from the kind of spinal surgery he had several years before. He encouraged me to accept my situation – the pain, the heartache – and to smile again as I got back on that horse called life. His hard knocks experience and endless optimism drives his music. With a voice that swoons between the likes of John Denver and Dwight Yoakam, his original songs are no quaint imitation of past greats – they are genuine country classics that echo the sights, sounds, and soul of the western Pennsylvania we once knew and still love. Thank God for country boys . . . – Cathi Gerhard
How did you make the transition from cargo pants and breakdancing at Danceland to jeans and cowboy hats in Honky Tonks?
How did Jeff Ruffner become Jeffrey Michaels?
Never married. Came close, but it didn’t take. No kids. Hollywood starlets? Hmmmmmmm, I’ve been seen with a few.
Simple. My middle name is Michael. Jeffrey Ruffner had a lot of F’s. I was Jeffrey Michaels in high school: I just had a hard time convincing y’all of that. Where did you grow up? Loyalhanna. Woot! Woot! Shout out. Derry Area High – most of the time that gets a laugh when I tell magazines. My family still lives back there. My folks, Jerry & Rita Ruffner, are great and very supportive. My dad was a welder, retired now. Mama was a mama. There were five of us kids, and they all live in Latrobe, PA.
I started out playing Country music, and always stuck to the roots. As far as the breakdancing, I was just rollin’ with the times. I’m a Renaissance Man. Tell me about the journey from Loyalhanna to California.
May 18th At Vickies Crossroads with my band, and a few casual acoustic gigs TBA. Jon Gold, one of the founding members of Oingo Boingo with Danny Elfman, will be on bass. Jon is also a multi-instrumentalist. We’ve been playing music together for about 17 years. He played piano and keyboards and The Jews Harp aka Jaw harp on my albums.
I packed up and road my beat up old motorcycle out here 20 years ago. The gypsy wind called, and still does. I was your exclusive, personal makeup artist for the stage back in high school plays and musicals. Do you miss me and my skills for creating that natural, but fake 3-day stubble? Of course! That make-up inspired my sideburns. Tell me about your personal life. Have you dated lots of Hollywood starlets?
Describe a day in your life, other than performing. Horses, Horses, Horses. I’m in the studio a lot. I produce and play on other artists albums. Mainly I just do what I do best. Show Off! Drifter and Treble are my horses, and I work and train others. I have a small house in Burbank, and my neighborhood is zoned for horses. It’s funny what they call horse property out here. What types of venues do you play in – mostly honky tonks? Explain the difference between the California bars and the ones in Western PA. A lot of honky tonks, rodeos, corporate gigs, and festivals. Crowds are different all over. California has alot more line dancing than anywhere else. How many shows do you perform per week? Where does touring take you? I play three or four shows a week and have managed to play in 48 of the states and Canada. How often do you go on the road and do you get back to Pennsylvania very often? I do several week-long trips throughout the year and week-enders. About twice a year, full tours. I don’t get back to Pennsylvania enough. 2005 was the last time. What are your favorite things about western PA ? Haluski, Halupki, Perogies. I love Hunkies.
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Upcoming dates in Pennsylvania?
A musician since the age of five, Michaels plays a variety of instruments including fiddle and guitar. How many albums have you recorded? Four solo albums, and currently working on a fifth. And an untitled Christmas EP this year. • Endless Road • I Chose A Different Way • Jeffrey Michaels (self-titled) • No Fast Lanes On A Country Road • The Trail to Heartache How long does it take to make an album – from writing to recording to release? I’m always writing. Not every song makes it on an album. Sometimes they’re just for me. Sometimes they just don’t work for the overall sound of an album and make it on the next one. I’ve taken two years to record a CD; sometimes two months. When I think of country music, I think Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. Who are your country music heroes and influences? Marty Robbins, Buck Owens, Rodney Crowell, Marty Stuart, EmmyLou and Allison Krauss. LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Who is the best guitar player of all time? (I say Chet Atkins, father of the Nashville sound) ME. Haha! Don Rich was one of my favorites. He played for Buck (Owens). When and where did you learn to play so many different instruments and define your vocals? I had classical vocal lessons at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and studied with several instructors in L.A. I spend hours at the piano doing scales every day; I take singing very seriously. I love music and playing. My folks got me guitar lessons when I was a kid and opened up a whole can of worms. I’ve been a struggling artist since I was five. Of the instruments that you play, what is your favorite, what is the most challenging, and are there any you would still like to learn? My voice is my favorite instrument – and my most challenging. I work on it daily. I really enjoy playing fiddle live, but when I’m sitting around the house there’s always a guitar in my hands. I guess that’s my first love, but I wanna play every instrument.
Shoulda Been, Coulda Been, Never Was . . . except for that one time in the barn. I think you mean a single kiss on an empty stage, lol. I expect to hear that song on the radio some day. What’s your favorite song that you have written or recorded? Paul McCartney had the best answer for that question: “The last one.” As a songwriter you’re always trying to improve. And the last song is always fresh in your head. If I had to choose I’d hafta say Blue Collar Man off my “Endless Road” album. I wrote it for my dad. Which do you write first, music or lyrics? Usually starts with a hook. I think of a lyric with a melody. I drive around singing it and keep adding on. Sometimes I have a whole song written before I ever sit down to a piano or pick up a guitar. Do you write your own arrangements or do you work with someone else?
Name some interesting people you have met along the way.
I do my own. I write charts for the musicians I work with. The first time they hear a new song is when they play it in front of an audience. My charts are done in the Nashville number system. Numbers and symbols represent different chords, notes and direction. I’ve studied so much about music and worked with great mentors.
I’ve worked with and played alongside some greats. Delaney Bramlett and Buck Owens are biggies.
Do you prefer yesterday’s honky tonk sound to country “pop” styles of today?
What inspires you as a songwriter – are these your personal stories or slice of life depictions?
Michaels also works and trains horses in California. Your music has been described as a “Bakersfield sound mixed with an Appalachian feel.” Explain that. I grew up watching Hee Haw and copying Buck Owens. A whole sound came out of Bakersfield, California with artists like Buck, Merle Haggard, and Wynn Stewart. They didn’t like what was happening in Nashville at the time. That sound mixed with my love of Bluegrass is a large part of what I do. Tell me about your band, The Trail to Heartache – who are they and how did you get together? It’s revolving door of hired guns. The band name is so people don’t think that they’re coming out to hear me and my acoustic guitar. However, the guitar player who will be joining me in Pennsylvania is Howard Yearwood of Nashville. We’ve been playing music together for about 10 years, and he co-produced my last album, No Fast Lanes On A Country Road. Howard has performed with Vince Gill, John Fogerty and countless others. AND MEEEEE!
I draw alot from real life. Names On A Any advice for young musicians Headstone was inspired by the and small-town kids thinking cemetery in Mechesneytown. A lot of about their future careers? the headstones are from the Civil War, and there are a lot of them that Be willing to starve. I gave up everyhave two names from mothers and thing to do what I do, and it took some babies that died during child birth. time before I could make a living with There’s a soldier buried there who died it. Perseverence is everything. And in Custer’s Last Stand. It’s a very cool don’t let people tell you that you can’t. piece of history. I Chose A Different Way was written What’s left for you to achieve? on one of my visits back home. I was driving past the house I grew up in. I’ve been pretty blessed. For anyone Redneck, White Trash, Blue Collar who knows me, the fact that I stand Guy. Enough said. up and walk every day is an achieveBurning Through the Night is about ment. I’d like to keep on doing that. a time I hitchhiked back home from I’ve learned to love the pain. It gets California. I got a ride from a truck me out of bed every morning, and I driver who played guitar. He would do things that nobody ever thought I call out to other truckers on the CB would. And if I end up back in a wheel Michaels as the leading man in the All-Class Play (1985), “Hurricane Smith while I played old country songs for chair, I’ll be there knowing that I lived. and the Garden of the Golden Monkey,” pictured with leading lady Debbie Damp them.When he dropped me off, an(future Broadway performer, LMP Jan-Feb 2008). Later in his high school career, other trucker was waiting at the truck And of course I’m always after that (1986), he played the Artful Dodger in the school musical “Oliver.” stop to pick me up. And so on, and so big hit song. on. I managed to pick and sing my way across country and only had to put my thumb out I love the traditional country music and real singers. ***** for that first ride. There are some out there today. Hear Jeffrey Michaels live at Vickie’s Crossroads in Blue Collar Man was written for my dad. I think Greensburg on May 18 and Neighbor’s Tavern in a lot of folks from back home can relate to it. Which is more fun – recording or live Jeannette, May 23. Look for tour dates and keep up As for Mountains I Climb, it’s in the lyrics. performance? with Michaels at ReverbNation.com/jeffreymichaels/ If you wrote a song about me, what would it be called?
Every Story Begins At Home.
Being in front of an audience is what I love, but I also enjoy the outcome of working in the studio.
where you can also purchase music and listen to tracks. CDs are also available at CDBaby.com and i-tunes.com.
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WHAT’S COOKING IN FITNESS by Mark Rullo MS, CSCS, MES
Summer Shape Up:
Which Body Would You Prefer? This time of year is when many people look to make aesthetic fitness changes to transform their body and both look and feel good for summer. Before we get into the science behind the game planning to achieve your desired results for summer, I believe it sometimes better to start with the end in mind. Take a look at the photo below of a distance runner and a sprinter. We can argue that both are fit; however when it comes to being shaped and tone you can see how the sprinter’s body is more defined, lean, shaped and toned. My purpose of this article isn’t to tell you which body you should prefer; rather explain the training differences so you have a clearer path of how you should be training pending the body type you prefer so not to waste time, energy and even money. From an Exercise Physiologist perspective into the training of the two body types; it is rather simple by looking into the energy systems that supply the body to perform the type of work. A distance runner is one that is aerobic (with oxygen); whereas the Sprinter is anaerobic (without oxygen). If you prefer the distance runner body shape, good news is it is a rather simple aerobic program design in that all you need to do is run, and keep running and hope your joints withstand the repetitive beating. Ideally, to be proactive with your training and minimize injury with a distance runner body type in mind, it is strongly recommended to incorporate some progressive resistance training and adequate 28 - Summer 2013
supportive nutrition fueling to minimize the catabolic (breaking down of muscle tissue) effect created from chronic typically steady-state (same pace) aerobic training. However if the image you want of yourself is more of the sprinter’s type body where you are more defined, shaped and toned then your program should be more of the anaerobic (without oxygen) type exercises. Runner or Sprinter?
Typically these exercises consist of Heavy weight training (repetitions not greater than 15 while finishing near momentary muscular fatigue) or intense metabolic bouts of exercise of short duration and minimal recovery between bouts. The advantage that anaerobic training provides over traditional aerobic training is a process called EPOC or Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption. EPOC is the residual or “after-burn” from a workout enabling your body to burn calories above resting levels even though you are at rest (not exercising).
Studies have shown metabolism being elevated 12-38 hours after the completion of a workout due to EPOC. How is that for time management? This EPOC “after-burn” is the key to maximizing metabolism for fat loss in an exercise program. If you were to exercise an hour per day seven days per week that is only 4.2% of your week, leaving 95.8% of your week at low resting metabolism levels. If you truly want to shed the fat, leverage the EPOC effect and become the creator of your metabolism, not the victim. Why and how EPOC provides this advantage is by understanding the value of skeletal muscle. First, muscle is your metabolism. The more muscle you have the better metabolism you will have based on how you move it. Why muscle is your metabolism is because the only place fat is utilized for fuel is in the muscle cell while in the presence of oxygen. If you can perform exercises that activate or actually increases muscle while also continue to provide higher levels of oxygen to those muscles after the exercise is completed now are you performing the most effective form of exercise when it comes to fat loss. Now you can see why EPOC and anaerobic training is the number one component in a fat loss exercise program when it comes to shedding fat. This is not to say, aerobic training shouldn’t be a part of the program, rather it just shouldn’t be the primary focus. In the “Hierarchy of Fat Loss” a term we use here at My Fitness Kitchen® LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
to describe this scientific process, only Supportive Nutrition trumps having a concern for muscle via anaerobic training when it comes to maximizing fat loss. Unfortunately many individuals when they embark on a program to lose fat get shaped and tone, they do the complete opposite of this Hierarchy. Remember fat loss comes down to expending more calories than you consume which is why this “after-burn” by-product is so valuable. Therefore, with the EPOC created by this style of training, individuals now can leverage the time when they are not exercising to better assist in the fat loss process with a greater overall total caloric burn. We could go on in greater detail of the science of training for fat loss and various body types. However to summarize, if you want to get lean and toned, break away from traditional thinking of steady state cardio exercise only and more toward progressive resistance training and metabolic interval training. Again, this isn’t to say you can’t do aerobic type training (e.g.,
distance running); however if you are, be sure to have a concern for muscle so you can maximize the EPOC effect and minimize the potential loss of muscle (metabolism) that chronic aerobic training can create. For more information, please feel free to consult with any of the fitness professionals at My Fitness Kitchen®. Additionally as an on-going thank you to Laurel Mountain Post and its readers, mention this article for a FREE no obligation personalized metabolic nutritional formula and fitness program. If you are serious about achieving a body transformation goal then you need a program; however any goal without a plan is really only a wish. As an added incentive for people new to My Fitness Kitchen®, by mentioning this Laurel Mountain Post article and after meeting with one of My Fitness Kitchen’s Fitness Professionals for a private consult as offered above – you will receive $50 “Kitchen Cash” to be used toward any program or service
at My Fitness Kitchen® as a courtesy of the Laurel Mountain Post.
www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724-879-8523 results@myfitnesskitchen.com Something far from your traditional, intimidating gym, My Fitness Kitchen® is where weight loss is made simple. My Fitness Kitchen® is located in Latrobe 30 plaza, Latrobe PA. My Fitness Kitchen® is a weight loss and body transformation center that also happens to have a fitness center connected to it. From the moment you enter My Fitness Kitchen® regardless of your age, fitness level or experience, it’s all about “You”. The supportive staff, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly members combine to create the most unique and comfortable environment for your fitness and weight management success. Whether it is Fitness, Nutrition or both, you can be confident My Fitness Kitchen® is the solution to a healthier and thinner you. About the Author: Mark Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Medical Exercise Specialist, certified Golf Fitness Instructor and owner of My Fitness Kitchen® www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724879-8523. Mark and his team at My Fitness Kitchen® specializes in weight loss and body transformation helping thousands meet and exceed their fitness goals through evidence-based scientific programming.
Meet Me Under the Clock: 100 Years of Tradition Macy’s celebrates the centennial anniversary of the Kaufmann’s Clock at Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh It’s a tradition as old as time: Macy’s is honoring a century’s worth of memories under the Kaufmann’s Clock at Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh, piece of Pittsburgh history, with a two-day anniversary celebration (May 17-18). For 100 years, Pittsburgh families, friends, and lovers have used the Kaufmann’s Clock as a landmark to rendezvous downtown before venturing into the department store, making the phrase “Meet Me Under the Clock” synonymous with patent leather, fresh apple pies, and magic at the historic Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh store. “It is an honor to be the curators of a cherished Kaufmann’s tradition to meet under its majestic clock. It has been a meeting place for me, personally, and will in the future, be for many more generations,” says Russell Schutte, native Pittsburgher and SVP/ Regional Director of Stores for Macy’s. • 2013 celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Pittsburghers saying “Meet me under the clock!” • The present clock is actually the second clock. The original, which was installed in 1884, was a four-faced clock that stood on a post on the same corner at Smithfield Street and Fifth Avenue.
Every Story Begins At Home.
• The public was unhappy at the removal of the original clock for general remodeling purposes, so the current clock was installed in 1913.
• The clock was designed by the Coldwell Clock Co. of New York City and was incorporated into the façade by Pittsburgh architectural firm Janssen & Abbott. • The clock weighs approximately 2,500 pounds.
• In 1981, the bronze ornamental clock and building received landmark status from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. • The clock was removed and refurbished by Pittsburgh Clock Co started in June of 1987 at a cost of $30,000. The newly refurbished clock was unveiled at Light Up Night that same year. • When the clock was dismant-led, more than 100 pieces were removed in a two-part process that took three days. In addition to these 100 plus pieces, both of the clock’s complete clockworks were tagged, numbered and photographed in order to ensure accuracy. • Multiple chemical cleaners and solvents were unable to clean the heavily oxidized surface that was coated with 74 years of soot, grime and pigeon droppings. The clock was finally cleansed by blasting 1,000 pounds of ground corncobs using bridge cleaning equipment. • It took three teams of 15 specialists work-ing 10 weeks to restore the clock. Original image by Linda Barnacott; it will be printed on commemorative merchandise available for purchase.
Summer 2013 - 29
Once Upon A Rock by Amy Yanity If you love something, set if free. If it comes back to you, it was yours all along. If it doesn’t, it was never yours to begin with.
No one can say with certainty where the love quote originated. Most people attribute it to Richard Bach, of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull fame, but others point to a man named Jess Lair, a creative writing teacher, who published a book in 1969 titled, I Ain’t Much Baby, But I’m All I Got. A variant of the love quote appears in Lair’s book, and he relates that the quote was the result of a writing exercise. But in the ponchoed and peace-signed 1970’s, attribution hardly mattered; we were livin’ the love quote. Teen-aged girls traced it on paper bag covered math books and wiped their tears with its wisdom. Bad boys and straight arrows alike, reciting aloud or wistfully remembering, could point to it for either escape or rueful consolation. So, it figures that some errant hippie-child would take it upon himself to actually paint the love quote in all its free wheeling glory on a gigantic boulder in the Loyalhanna Gorge, smack in between Latrobe and Ligonier. My friends and I loved driving past the boulder; we’d shriek and try to recite it as fast as we could, zipping by with the windows down, hair flying, radio blasting. In the summer of 1978, I was finally a teen—about to enter high school, and while my memories are peppered with patched denims, the Keep On Truckin’ guy, and Jim Croce lyrics, it’s the boulder with the quote that stands out most strongly for me. It’s a beacon to another time and, in many ways, another me. During summers back then, there was nothing but freedom. I was lucky enough to have an older sibling and two older cousins, in other words, a ride. Given enough coaxing, someone would be up for a drive to any given point in Westmoreland County, but most often on those long, dry days, we would head towards Ligonier, a small town about a half and hour away. Ligonier was buttoned at the top and overloaded with quaint. Far too expensive for a carload of teenagers, but up this way, we could jump into the cool waters of the Loyalhanna at Kingston Dam, or head further on through the Gorge to Linn Run State Park, where we could goof around all afternoon for free at the natural waterslide called Flat Rock. The Loyalhanna Gorge cuts through Chestnut Ridge in Unity and Ligonier Townships in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Dug by the Loyalhanna Creek, it’s a three-mile long furrow that stretches from Kingston Dam up to Longbridge, where one could turn right to go to Darlington, or travel across the creek and burst forth into the full openness of the Ligonier Valley. Locally known as Sleepy Hollow, in homage to a longlived Tavern of that name, the Gorge inspires that crossing the threshold feeling—you have entered dream space, it tells you. Whatever comes to you from out these woods, Washington Irving demon or soothing angel, you have beckoned it through your brute trespass into a still and sacred place.
30 - Summer 2013
And it’s not just that the Hollow itself inspires. All my life, travelling through the Hollow meant you were almost there. As a child, this anticipation was for Storybook Forest, that bucolic, serene wonderland of plaster nursery rhymes. The Old Lady who Lived in the Shoe was waiting to tell me about her misbehaving kids and the Big Bad Wolf peeked out from under the blankets. Or maybe it was Idlewild Park— sprawling to a kid from Greensburg, who couldn’t wait to get in line for the rackety Roll-O-Coaster or to send a wooden ball wobbling up the Skee-ball track. Later, there were the pristinely groomed grounds of the Rolling Rock Club on the way to Linn Run, the quirky charm of Joe’s Bar with its cases of mounted and costumed squirrels, the booming cannons at the Fort, and the Diamond in Ligonier: landscaped and lush and bursting to bloom in the spring. Spellbound, I followed the road and still follow, because now, the Hollow means almost home. Route 30, the road home, is a four-lane highway through Latrobe, but it splits through the Hollow. The westerly drive from Ligonier to Latrobe, though, is the less perilous route. Here, Route 30 feels spacious. The right hand slope up the ridge follows a gentle climb populated by small boulders and trees. And, from here, the houses are visible across the Loyalhanna to your left. Smoke rises from fire-rings in autumn, and vacationers splash and move tentatively along the slippery algae-covered stones of the creek in summer. There’s room along the shoulder for fruit stands and parking for the fishermen who arrive with spring’s trout-seed. And the view of the Dam: if you’re lucky enough to hit the red light, you can idle away the time watching the water course white over the concrete and splash down head long on its way into Latrobe. But the drive from Latrobe to Ligonier, from four lane traffic to one-way-two-lane, has you knuckle-biting along a winding geographic ledge: a steep incline to your right reveals a hillside, densely populated by trees and potentially carcrushing gray boulders; it is here that the love quote was painted. You couldn’t miss it. White letters on a black background, for ease of reading—but that didn’t really matter. Just those first four words—if you love something—and you knew the rest. It was a philosophical pause in the wilderness, a reminder of the wide world of want and hope. Out of the driver’s side window were the steep decline and the Loyalhanna down below at the Hollow’s floor. In the months with leaves, the Loyalhanna is all but invisible on this route. Instead, motorists see trees and small signs announcing the dangerous hidden driveways of the homes along the creek below: Rockledge, Wormwood, Doin’ Our Thang. And once you’ve past Kingston Dam, you’ve made a commitment. There’s no way to turn back, unless the causeway across the Loyalhanna at the Tavern is open. The Hollow traps you: you’re subject to the possibility of the Headless Horseman (if you’re five) or a careless six-point buck (if it’s rutting season). LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
But to get anywhere worthwhile, there has to be that sense of peril, that feeling of working one’s way through— the way a kid will hold her breath through a tunnel, puffing out cheeks and feigning dramatic struggle, until the wide world comes back and the kid puffs out all that pent in air: made it. The love quote tells us much the same; you’re running a risk on this journey. You have to trust, and in trusting, hope that what the heart holds dear will find it’s way back to you. And, in some important sense, time fools us as we weave at breakneck speeds along the haunted ledges. The hippie-painted words of love are long gone from the rock in Sleepy Hollow. Now when I’m driving home, all I can see are a few ghost letters on the right side of the boulder. The rest of the quote is completely gone. But I always look for it, thinking, by magic or wish, the words will reappear and “Time in a Bottle” will suddenly tune itself in on the stereo. I don’t know what happened to the quote. Maybe years happened, or weather happened, or some insensitive, wrong-headed cleanup committee happened. It doesn’t matter. Time and Jim Croce want us to think that things are gone, when they really can’t be erased; we do have the bottle of memory, whenever we want it, whenever we call it forth. But we grow up and we forget. We think we’ll never get it back and we drive on with our eyes straight ahead. Won’t it be grand, some wind swept summer day, to be cruising through the green and wild spaces and to realize that we’ve made it through, that what was and will be are still breathing easy, and that, oh, it was always ours for keeps? **** Amy Yanity received her MFA in Poetry from the University of Pittsburgh. She hosts the Words in Process Reading Series at Allegory Gallery in Ligonier, PA and currently teaches at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown. A resident of Ligonier, Yanity’s poems, articles, and essays have been published in the Pittsburgh City Paper, The Pittsburgh Quarterly, and other magazines and journals. Yanity’s book, The Weather Inside Her, was published by New Sins Press and she’s done too many readings to count. Her interests include writing and reading about nature, being outdoors, and teaching.
Every Story Begins At Home.
THREE PENNIES by Cindy Blonk Parker
A Stone, A Stick, A Stuttering Man, A Teenage Girl and YOU A few weeks ago one of my amazing colleagues emailed me and said she was organizing a teen retreat for girls ages 1316. She asked if I would be willing to open the retreat and lead worship. “Well of course!” I responded enthusiastically! What an incredible opportunity to share God’s word to girls growing in their faith! As the retreat approached I started to get nervous. These girls were from all different faith traditions – some knowing a lot about “church” and others knowing not so much. I asked myself over and over again “How to proclaim the good news without overwhelming them?” I had been asked by another colleague to serve as a Spiritual Director for the upcoming Walk to Emmaus at the end of April. (The Walk to Emmaus is a three day spiritual retreat for church leaders.) In order to prepare for Emmaus, the team of women who host the retreat gather together in the weeks before and worship. It was at one of these team meetings that I was inspired by another Pastor. During worship she talked about God’s calling on our lives – how God calls each and every one of us. As I was listening to her I thought, “I wish someone had told me that when I was younger.” BOOM: the lightning bolt hit! “That’s what I’ll share with the girls at the teen retreat,” I thought to myself. (I am always amazed – you’d think I’d be used to it by now, but I’m not – at how God provides exactly what we need when we need it!) And so, I borrowed my colleague’s words, words I share with you now: What do a stick, a stone, a stuttering man, a teenage girl and YOU all have in common? STOP! Think about that for a minute instead of rushing through to find the answer. What do a stone, a stick, a stuttering man, a teenage girl and YOU all have in common? The answer is contained in the question: they are all COMMON, ordinary things that God has used to do great things! A stick was used by Moses
to part the Red Sea and save the Israelites from the tyranny of the Egyptians. A stone was used in a slingshot by a shepherd boy named David against all odds to defeat a great warrior, Goliath. A stuttering man, Moses, was able to speak great words about God’s love to God’s people – even after Moses begged God to chose someone else who was more eloquent. A teen age girl was called by God to bring our Savior, Jesus into the world. And YOU – you too are called by God to do great things as well! Even if you might not know it yet. Even if you feel unprepared or illequipped or have no idea what you want to be when you grow up. That is the amazing thing about God – God is able to call us to do things we don’t even believe we are capable of! That is the message God provided for that teen retreat in order to let those girls know that they are loved by God and that NOTHING can separate them from the love of God. And that God has a plan for their lives. And that is the message for YOU too, dear reader, buried deep in the pages of this extraordinary magazine. Wherever you go, YOU cannot escape the all encompassing love of God and what God is calling YOU to do. I should know, I tried for years! But that’s a story for another time! Blessings to you and yours! ***** Cindy Parker came to the United Church of Christ by way of the Presbyterian Church. A life-long Presbyterian, she jokes that she was “predestined to become UCC!” Currently called as the Pastor and Teacher of Christ Church UCC in Latrobe, PA and St. John’s UCC in Darlington; she, her husband Larry and three daughters enjoy traveling all over the world! Cindy also serves as a Spiritual Director for the Three Rivers Walk to Emmaus retreats and was part of the team that brought the Kairos Outside Ministry to Pennsylvania. Kairos (which means special time in Greek) is a prison ministry for women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. Cindy completed her undergraduate studies at Penn State and her MDiv. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary along with a year-long internship at Family Hospice and Palliative Care. She enjoys traveling, reading, baking, and photographing her daughters.
Summer 2013 - 31
POSTMODERN TENDANCIES by Megan Fuller
“A Pathway to Citizenship”
The Short Version of a Long Road Back in 1993 I moved to Las Vegas, met a hot Mexican muchacho, and married him (but not until 1996; it wasn’t like THAT). My sweetie, Oscar, did not come here with the intent to stay (become a citizen), he just planned to come and work for a few years, save money and go back to Mexico to open a business (probably a tire shop). This is how most Mexican and Central American immigrants are thinking – they don’t come with the intent to stay forever. My husband came to America in 1989, and purposely worked with and lived in apartment buildings with English-speaking people. He made an effort to learn English right from the start, and became fluent quickly. After a few years, we decided to get married on a Friday. So I called la migra “helpline” (la migra is Immigration – this was pre-Homeland Security and the internet wasn’t too big back then) and waited on hold for 45 minutes. Finally, I got a person and said, “I am going to marry a Mexican national on Friday, is there any paperwork we need to do before we get married? He currently has a work permit that he renews every year.” And the person at la migra said, “Are you American?” So, I’m thinking “What a moron! Why would a nonAmerican call you and ask that?” but I answer, “Yes, I am American”. So they say, “No, you can’t do anything until after you are married.” “Okay, thank you,” I say, and hang up the phone. Soon after we were hitched, we got a letter from la migra stating that my sweetie’s work permit was not going to be renewed anymore. I wrote back asking them to not do anything because 32 - Summer 2013
we were in the process of changing his status. To get the paperwork, I had to make another call to the “helpline.” A fat packet arrived shortly in the mail, and I eagerly opened it. The paperwork was intense–these forms make income taxes look like a piece of cake. And guess what? There was a big, fat fee attached as well. It took several weeks for us to fill
Young Oscar Murillo and Megan Fuller in the early 1990s.
out all the paperwork, gather the supporting documents, and get together enough money to send in. Several 45minute waits on the “helpline” were required because the form would have items like, “insert reason code for status change” and no code list was included in the packet. Finally, after many doses of headache medicine, we sent it in. About two weeks later it was returned with a letter saying it was no longer the correct paperwork: the new paperwork was included. Alright, how different could it be? HA! It was very
different! It took us several weeks again to gather all the correct information, and this time my sweetie was required to get a physical from an approved list of doctors (more time and money). Finally, finally it was ready to be sent in again. Whew! About two weeks later it was returned with a letter saying it was no longer the correct paperwork, and the new paperwork was included. Seriously, how could the forms be changing this rapidly? This time the physical was not required: nice. I also have to sign a form swearing that my husband will never receive public benefits. Again, it takes us several weeks to get all the new information and documents together, but this time I want someone to check it to be sure it is not going to be sent back again. We make an appointment with an attorney. I tell the attorney the story of what has happened so far and ask her to look over the paperwork to make sure that we had the current forms and everything was filled out correctly. She promptly tries to sell us a service package for $900, in which she will fill out the forms and go to the interview with us. “No,” I say, “I already filled out the paperwork; I just want you to check it.” This exchange repeated a couple of times, and the attorney ended it by turning to my husband and speaking in Spanish. “Oh, hell no!” I think. Aloud I say, “Obviously you don’t know who is in charge here. Let’s go!” We walked out. Now what? I still wanted someone to look over the papers, so I decided to go directly to la migra. At the Immigration office there is a huge, I mean LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Megan’s children at Ft. Ligonier (Pennsylvania), where some of our nation’s early immigration arguments and battles took place. (Maya, Sylvia and Ben with a reenactor).
cation? It’s been longer than two years and I’m worried that our interview letter got lost in the mail or something.” The reply: “I can’t look up an individual case. I don’t have a computer.” “You don’t have a computer? It’s 1999. How can you not have a computer? How can I get information about my husband’s application then?” “You can’t.” We started joking that la migra was just waiting for us to get a divorce so they wouldn’t have to give my sweetie a green card. It took two more years before we got the letter for the interview (total of four). The letter said we had to bring all kinds of documents: bank statements, tax returns, marriage certificates, birth certificates, car titles, rental agreements – basically anything showing that we had our money together. At the interview we had to show these documents, and that was pretty much it. There were no questions about toothbrush colors, middle names, or what side of the bed someone sleeps on. That is just TV and movie baloney. Unfortunately, the letter did not tell us to make copies of all the documents for la migra to keep, so we had to leave all of our originals or else wait for another interview. YAY! My sweetie finally had a Permanent Resident card. Ironically, though, they are not permanent but actually expire after 10 years. In 2011, my sweetie decided to apply for citizenship rather than renew his permanent resident card. The paperwork to apply for actual citizenship was like 1000 times easier than that for permanent residency, and only cost around $700. There were civics and English tests, and the whole process took less than six months. All told, after 22 years, many work permits, a solid marriage and three children, Oscar became a citizen of the United States.
to renew his work permit. I am getting worried: what if the letter got lost in the mail? What if we missed the interview and have to start over? With no other choice, I call the “helpline” and wait my 45 minutes on hold. “Could you tell me the status of my husband’s permanent residency appli-
***** Megan Fuller is an applied cognitive anthropologist with postmodern tendencies currently working in environmental compliance for a mineral extraction company in historic Florence, Arizona (Troy Polamalu has an off season home there!). She grew up in the exciting Pittsburgh suburb of Pleasant Hills and had the distinct pleasure of earning a Bachelor of Arts inAnthropology from IUP. In 1993, Megan moved out West to get a Master’s Degree. She also picked up a husband and hasn’t quite convinced him to move back to Western PA. To maintain her authentic Pittsburgh accent she regularly watches Pittsburgh Dad and engages anyone wearing black and gold sports gear in conversation.
Marching for immigrant rights in Phoenix, AZ (April 2006): Megan with her son, Ben, and brother-law, Ulises (who has since returned to Mexico).
HUGE, line. People are only allowed to line up until 1 pm, at which time they lock the gates: those of us lined up are now caged. No food or water is allowed inside the building, and the wait is around four hours. I do my time and am so happy to get my turn at the window. “Hello,” I say, “would you please look over this paperwork and make sure it is correct?” “No.” “But I just waited in line for 4 hours, can’t you please take a minute to look at it?” “No, we don’t do that.” So now I’m tired and pissed and I say, “Fine, I’ll just turn it in.” “No, you have to mail it.” “But this is the address that I have to mail it to, I can’t just hand it to you?” “No, you have to mail it.” “You don’t have a drop box here?” “No, you have to mail it.” I am defeated, so I go to the post office and mail it. All told, getting the application submitted cost us about $2500and that is without paying an attorney. Maybe a month later, we get a letter telling my sweetie to go and get a new work permit, which was good because his other one was about to expire. We headed back to la migra, were caged, waited our four hours, and finally left with a new work permit. This one, the one for an immigrant married to an American, cost $100. The other one was free. In addition, the letter said that we would be scheduled for an interview in Every Story Begins At Home.
two years. If we didn’t attend the interview we would have to start the process all over again. Two years pass, and we hear nothing from la migra. We pay $100 every year
Summer 2013 - 33
The Bane of Summer by Nancy A. Clark The following message appears on the marquee outside my hair stylist’s shop:
FREE STINK BUGS WITH EACH HAIRCUT The offer gives me pause. Do I really need a haircut? “Any takers?” I ask shop owner Teri, pointing to her highly unorthodox, but eye-catching offer. Seven customers in various stages of beautification come to attention. “Nope,” she replies. “Guess I’ll have to come up with a new plan.” Actually, I’m shocked my hairdresser has any stink bugs to give away when, Lord knows, every non-descript, brown-colored marmorted stink bug with blood flowing through its microscopic veins already lives and multiplies at our address. We’re at a loss to explain why the creepy, hard-shelled marauders who hitched a ride in cargo imported from Japan and China some years ago are in love with us. The feelings are not mutual. Thousands and thousands and thousands of these “stinkers” are squatting on our parcel of God’s green acre, covering at least 80% of every exterior surface of our house, garage and garden shed. And if that’s not enough for them, the greedy critters are attempting to take over space inside our domicile, too. Open a door and a half dozen of these creatures-so-ugly-onlya-mother-could-love buzz right in and make themselves at home, totally impervious to our inhospitality. The more audacious ones ride piggyback on our head, shoulders and pant legs, going where no stink bug was ever meant to go. The good news – if there is any - is that the beetle-like bug doesn’t bite people or pets, and it only stinks when it meets its demise in a crushing manner. The bad news is this sucking insect will destroy plants, and it greatly 34 - Summer 2013
outnumbers it’s only natural predators – some spiders and praying mantises. Even though “birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it,” none of these winged creatures consider the stink bug a tasty morsel. These irascible insects perfected a plan for surviving the past winter. Unlike the lovely hummingbird who heads for the sunny southlands to escape the cold, the 2012 crop of un-lovely stink bugs took sanctuary under our soffit, behind our siding and – oh, horrors! – in our attic. Throughout the winter, an occasional critter crept along a window frame or flirted with a light feature, scouting out the territory for the Bumper Crop of 2013. And when the temperatures finally caught up with the calendar, they emerged by the millions to buzz, crawl, sunbathe and multiply yet another season. As long as the sun is shining and the temperature is above 65 degrees, they live to buzz our heads, picnic on a window screen, dive-bomb the vacuumer and do “what comes naturally” to carry on the family name. As of today, there is no method to deter the hard-shelled invaders – no birth control pill to stop their relentless reproduction, no trap, spray, powder or explosive known to phase them, including those “killer kits” that promise to decimate them. A parasitoid wasp is making notable inroads feasting on stink bugs in some Virginia soy fields; but until that wasp migrates north to Export, Westmoreland County, PA, the only weapon we have at our disposal is a 20-year old Shop-Vac™. Add a few drops of dishwashing deter-gent to several inches of water in the tank, attach the hose, flip the switch and then vacuum – for hours and hours. Believe me when I say it takes stamina, grit and a cold heart to ignore the death screams echoing from inside the tank of a ShopVac when bug meets soapy water. Not that this technique produces long-lived results. It’s an unproven fact
that fertile female stink bugs lay a thousand eggs a day – which explains why sucking up 150,000 of them on Monday guarantees we’ll find 160,000 to “suck up” on Tuesday. We’re at a loss as to how to divide and conquer the stink bug population exploding at our house. Taking a clue from Teri, we promise 10,000 FREE STINK BUGS to every driver exceeding the posted 35-mph speed limit, with a 20,000 bug bonus to the hotrod who, between midnight and 6 a.m., ratchet’s up the sonic boom from the stadiumsized speakers stuffed into his mini trunk. But, so far – no cigar. The way I figure it, we might have a handle on the situation in about ten years … just in time to turn our attention to the parasitoid wasp. ***** Nancy Clark and husband, Tom, rejoice in 50 years of marriage, three children and three grandchildren. She dabbles in freelance and memoir writing when she isn’t baking, knitting, reading or building a jigsaw puzzle.
They’re Back! Speaking of insect invasions, it’s time for the cicadas to return once more for a four to six-week surface cycle. Every 17 years, after feeding on plant roots, swarms of nymphs emerge from under ground. They shed their skins on trees, then fly off to mate. Females lay their eggs, and the entire adult population begins to die as the babies burrow back into the earth for another 17 years. The decaying generation of carcasses give the soil a super nutrient boost, and a forest growth spurt will soon follow.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
ASK GRANNY EARTH Healing with Weeds
What’s This Pretty Little Weed?
Ground Ivy
Ground Ivy goes by several other different names: Creeping Charlie, Alehoof, Gill-go-over the Ground. It’s a VERY common weed and even a nuisance sometimes! It’s yet another one of those ‘weeds’ that just won’t quit. Ground Ivy: Glechoma hederacea – is one of the most common plants (weeds) in this area. The root is perennial, throwing out long, trailing square stems with kidneyshaped dark green leaves, which have rounded indentations on the margins and grow opposite each other. The flowers have a purple/blue tint and are two-lipped- blooming all summer and into autumn. The whole plant, gathered when the flowers are in bloom, is used medicinally. It is diuretic, astringent, a gentle stimulant and a tonic, which is useful in kidney diseases, liver ailments and for indigestion. Ground ivy is also a good remedy for chronic coughs and nervous headaches. John Gerard, English herbalist (1597), stated in his book ‘The Herbal’ that Ground Ivy is a remedy for tinnitus (ringing in the ears): “It is recommended against the humming noise and ringing sound of the ears, being put into them and for them that are hard of hearing.” One can only ‘assume’ that he meant dropping a little of an ‘infusion’ into the ears. Ground Ivy’s action for healing is due to its ability to dissolve mucous from the ear, nose, throat and digestive system. It’s well tolerated for lingering congestion and chronic conditions such as sinusitis. It’s also a valuable treatment for gastritis, Every Story Begins At Home.
indigestion, diarrhea, kidney and liver disorders. Nicholas Culpeper, in his book The English Physitian (1652) stated, “Ground Ivy is a singular herb for all inward wounds, ulcerated lungs and other parts, either by itself or boiled
with other like herbs; and being drunk, in a short time easeth all griping pains, windy and choleric humours in the stomach, spleen, etc., helps yellow jaundice by opening the stoppings of the gall and liver, melancholy by opening the stoppings of the spleen. The decoction of it drank for some time procureth ease in sciatica or hip, hand, knee and feet gout. The juice of it (boiled with honey) cleanses fistulas, ulcers, and stops the spreading of cancers.” In his book, The Herb Book, John Lust tells us that Ground Ivy is
useful in cases of Neuro-asthenia (Neuro, pertaining to the nerves and Asthenia, lack of dynamic force in the personality and a condition of depleted vitality and liver ailments). A vinegar of the flowers and berries is said to have been used successfully during the London Plague. More recently, a 1986 laboratory experiment showed that ursolic and oleanolic acids from Ground Ify, inhibited the Epstein-Barr virus and protected mouse skin from induced tumor growth. One year, when I helped my daughter in her greenhouse, I gathered some young Ground Ivy plants from the field and put them into pots. In a few weeks they were lovely trailing plants with little blue flowers. Several customers bought them– just because they were so pretty. This is just another case of a pesky weed finally being recognized for its beauty. First we love it for its beauty, then we come to recognize it for its healing power. We may never look at ‘weeds’ with the same disgust again! Use those weeds! The Creator of the Universe put them here for a good purpose. ***** Seventy-some years young, and following my life-long passion, which is natural healing and teaching others about weed medicine, I believe that we each must do what we can to get back to Nature. In making your own weed medicine, you’re going to be going out looking and identifying certain weeds that grow around youyou’ll be outdoors, in the sunshine and fresh air- getting back to Nature. Maybe you’ll start growing your own weeds- turning your backyard into a weed garden! Granny Earth has a bachelor’s in Psychology from California University of Pennsylvania (which she earned at age 59), and both a masters and doctorate from Clayton College of Natural Health. Visit her website www.grannyearth.com, call 724-542-9713, or email grannyearth@zoominternet.net.
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Summer Evening Band Concerts: May 26 – August 25 at 7:30 Antiques on the Diamond: June 8, 8 am - 3 pm Summer in Ligonier Arts & Crafts: July 19-20, 9 am - 5 pm Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce The Stroll: August 9, 5 - 9 pm 120 East Main Street in Ligonier, PA 724-238-4200 • office@ligonierchamber.com Antiques on the Diamond: Auguts 24 8 am - 3 pm
134 West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724-238-4608
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On the Diamond
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110 East Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 (724) 238-2226
Mary Jo Culbertson Proprietor (724) 238-0497
Dovecote
A unique collection of new and old.
20 Brilliant Ave in Aspinwall 412-781-1777
136 East Main St in Ligonier 724-238-3181
A Charming BYOB Restaurant Tucked into a Quiet Corner of Ligonier Monday - Saturday, 11-6 • Sundays 12-4 Women’s Sportswear and Accessories • Gifts and Wool Shop Dusters NAOT and OTBT Shoes & Sandals
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Dining Room and Outdoor Patio 138 West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658
(724) 238-3284 www.TheFlavorsCafe.com LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
“Quest for the Best” Best Lunch in Ligonier
Melt in your mouth mischief!
CONNECTIONS CAFE & TEAROOM
109 South Market Street in Ligonier 724-238-9611 • Open 7 Days Edible Kneads Breakfast Bagels (Mon & Tues) Healthy Salads • Homemade Soups • Desserts Grilled Cheese Sandwiches • Loose Tea • Locally Roasted Coffee Dinner with Friends (Thursday) Mexican Night (Friday)
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220B West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 Phone: 724-858-6271
Delivery to Home or Office
219 East Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724.995.8116 • 877.848.6371 Monday - Saturday 10 - 5 www.scampstoffee.com
Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking at Jim Busch’s Talk to Ligonier Valley Writers May 19 Professional writer and sales trainer Jim Busch combines his writing and sales skills to give talks to audiences of all kinds. On Sunday, May 19, he will teach Ligonier Valley Writers how to perform their work to make the words they’ve written come alive for their listeners. The program runs from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s of the Valley Church in Rector. It is free to LVW members and $5 to nonmembers. St. Michael’s is at 2535 Route 381 in Rector. “This fun, interactive session will help writers overcome the natural fear of public speaking, prepare for a reading, and engage an audience,” Jim says. “Developing your public reading skills will make doing a reading much more enjoyable and can lead to greater success and popularity.” Attendees are invited to bring something they’ve written (essay, fiction, poetry: their choice) and practice using Jim’s techniques as they read it aloud to a small, supportive audience. Jim is guided by Dale Carnegie’s advice, “The best way to sound like you know what you’re talking about is to know what you’re talking about.” He has a BA in English, concentrating on medieval and renaissance literature, from the University of Pittsburgh. He regularly produces advertorials and features for the Tribune-Review. He has written for several other newspapers and has had nonfiction pieces published in a number of national magazines. He also writes two monthly national columns on advertising sales and leadership. As a sales manager and a sales trainer, he has spent thirty years honing his speaking skills. He has built an industrywide reputation and been asked to speak in 18 states. Jim lives in White Oak with his wife, Glenda. They have two grown children and one very spoiled grandchild. To join LVW and receive free entry to this and other events and a discount to the conference (July 27 this year), download a membership application at LVWonline.org. Dues are $30 per year. Ligonier Valley Writers serves writers and readers throughout western Pennsylvania. For more about LVW publications and writing contests, or for updates on scheduled events, visit www.LVWonline.org.
Join us online! Serving All of Western Pennsylvania Visit Our Store at 1869 Route 30 in Ligonier, PA
Bringing the olde general store to your door – with a $75 minimum order! Every Story Begins At Home.
Laurel Mountain Post-style stories, links and photos EVERY DAY
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Artist on Lifelong Quixotic Quest Creates Impossible Dreamscape Photographs
“On the Banks of the Loyalhanna” (Archival pigment photograph on cotton)
“On the Banks of the Loyalhanna” With Local Artist Richard S. McWherter Richard McWherter’s unique inspiration is clearly demonstrated through the images he creates with his camera in the Laurel Highlands and Chestnut Ridge areas near his home in Pennsylvania. But his landscapes reveal more than just a record of a particular time or place; they speak to much more universal themes. By often using compositional elements that pull the viewer deeper into his work, he leads the eye through an image much like a storyteller weaves a tale. “This work is from my portfolio The Highlands: Tactual Dreamscape Photographs of Western Pennsylvania, a series that blurs the lines between photography, drawing, and painting,” explained McWherter. “As an artist, these were always artificial divisions to me, so my motivation is in exploring how to erase any barriers between these mediums. By combining the traditions of painting and fine art printmaking with contemporary digital technology, I have found a unique way of presenting an image that evokes some of the emotive responses I have to nature. I’m primarily drawn to this inventive and expressive work not because it’s different, but because it helps others share in these discoveries and see what I feel.” McWherter is an award-winning artist who is continuously interpreting the 38 - Summer 2013
landscape through new and inventive ways, exploring both traditional chemical processes, as well as cutting-edge digital technologies. But McWherter’s artwork is more than just pretty pictures; he is an artist of vision, one who goes well beyond the technical mastery of his medium.
www.richardmcwherter.com
Shown below seated at his monitor and easel, which serves as his “digital canvas,” artist Richard S. McWherter demonstrates how he controls his electronic palette using a stylus as a “virtual reality” paintbrush to create his expressionistic photographs. This series of dreamscape photographs by artist blurs the lines between photography, drawing, and painting. These expressionistic images offer a unique way of seeing deep into the nature of this artist’s intimate passion for nature, as well as bringing a visceral response from others. People are often curious about what part of the image is photographic and what part is painted. But this interaction between what is physical and what is imagination is exactly why these photographs have that dream-like quality. There is no trick filter or special effect software button to push to achieve this. They are painted virtually, but include many hours of manual handwork. Each image is crafted from the ground up, often with multiple techniques and many transmuted layers of piecework, with every square inch revealing the touch of an artist’s decisive hand. These artworks reflect that malleable process. But, is it a photograph? Or is it a painting? These images don’t fit comfortably into traditional categories, but instead of being a bad thing, it speaks to one of the many aspects that are quite inspiring about this artist and his work.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
THE LIGONIER CHEF by Scott Sinemus
Al Fresco Dining One of my favorite things about good weather finally arriving in western PA is outdoor dining. Perhaps it’s because when I was growing up we didn’t have air con-ditioning and would have nearly every meal outside when the weather was warm. One of my friends pointed out that since humans first started eating we did it outside (talk about getting back to your roots). We landscaped the back yard this spring so we now have a dining table and chairs outside instead of sitting around the bar on the porch. It doesn’t even have to be a full on meal for me to enjoy alfresco dining; this spring while we were in Paris, the friends we were staying with suggested we just get some cheeses, cured meats and some fantastic olives from the open air market and have a picnic; it was phenomenal! We do the same thing here usually on Saturday after a visit to the Ligonier country market. I wish we had the option to visit an open air market everyday here. I couldn’t imagine being able to pick up an entire foie gras for less than $25 whenever I wanted to! We took advantage of the hop on hop off tour bus as well as the metro. Even though it’s a bit tourist oriented, we fell in love with the Ste. Michelle neighborhood where the bus stopped for Notre Dame. Perhaps my favorite outdoor street food was the jambon et fromage crepe we ordered out of the window along the street from one of the creperies. The two inches of crispy cheese crowning the top of my crepe was pure ambrosia. It was quite filling, neat and clean to consume, not to mention incredibly affordable. I don’t know whether it was because it had been so long since I’ve visited Paris and Every Story Begins At Home.
had the experience; or if it was wandering around the short, curved cobble stone streets looking at the multitude of souvenier shops that made it taste so good. Of course having lunch served outside of the little café off the marketplatz in Basel had more cache. After the fast
LMP columnist Scott Sinemus and advertising consultant Jason Ament enjoying the cafe life in Basel, Switzerland.
pace of Paris the laid back nature of Switzerland was a welcome change. Watching the street performers, Roman fountain, trams and people walking by over a few drinks and wood grilled sausages made for an incomparable experience. The only time we were homesick was when we saw a couple of Bernese Mountain Dogs walk by with their owners. We met a lovely woman from San Francisco seated next to us and were bemoaning the fact we don’t have cafés open even if the weather isn’t warm; there were lap blankets on the back of every chair if you got a little chilly; her reply was in the US the blankets would probably all be stolen. We are fortunate enough to have The Kitchen on Main and Carol & Dave’s here in Ligonier offering
outdoor dining. The sunsets from both locations can be extraordinary. The Kitchen only has a few tables outside on the street, but it’s great we can easily walk and take our dog with us. The Headkeeper in Greensburg is still one of our favorite places to dine outside. The new seasonal menu starts in May. It’s great the menu changes to suit the availability of things; but, they keep the elemental proteins like the scallops, lamb chops and filet – all of which never disappoint. I recently got an e-mail from The Fairmont in Pittsburgh announcing that they are celebrating spring at the new Andys patio just off the main lobby . . . Casual Outdoor Dining, Delicious Cocktails, and New Lunch Menu by Executive Chef Jason Dalling’s which features international street fare including curries, ramen, sushi, rice bowls & bánh mì, plus homemade sodas, desserts and more. Patio open daily, weather permitting. Lunch Served: Monday-Friday, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. I know they’re few and far between if you find a place offering a seat outside for your meal opt for it!
***** Scott Sinemus is a Chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He’s continued his education with classes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and The Greenbrier; and has travelled internationally in search of authentic cuisine.
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SUMMER COMMUNITY CALENDAR “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.” – John Lubbock
Through June 11 Ligonier Valley Library Annual Photography Show The Historic Photography Show is an exhibit put on by the Ligonier Valley Library’s Pennsylvania Room staff and volunteers. The show features photographs, memorabilia and artifacts all relating to that year’s topic. The title for the 2013 Historic Photography Show is “Along the Lincoln Highway Through Ligonier Valley.” This is the centennial year for the Lincoln Highway which began use in 1913. An opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Tuesday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the library’s community room. The show will continue through June 11. The exhibit will be on display both inside the Pennsylvania Room and in the hallway outside the room. There will also be items on display in one of the outside windows near the library’s main entrance. This program is free and open to the public. Pennsylvania Room hours are: 12:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Mondays & Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays & Thursdays, and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays & Saturdays. Historic Hanna’s Town – Now Open Historic Hanna’s Town is located 3 miles north of Greensburg at 809 Forbes Trail Road. The site is open weekends through May, Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Sundays 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.; Memorial Day, May 27th, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Historic Hanna’s Town regular summer hours, from June 1st – September 2nd , are Wednesdays – Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Sundays 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Guided tours are $5 for Adults, $4 for Students/Seniors. The historic village was founded in 1773 by Robert Hanna and was the site of the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains. The settlement was attacked and burned by Indians and their British allies on July 13, 1782. Hanna’s Town never recovered, and court was moved to Greensburg in 1786. 724-532-1935 x210. Visit our web site to learn about our other programs and activities at www.westmorelandhistory.org and follow our activities on the Westmoreland County Historical Society Facebook page, and on Twitter @WCHistory. Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Series – Freya String Quartet University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center. Tickets available at the door. $10/ adult; $5 / student The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Concert Series will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh Greensburg’s Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center. The Freya String Quartet is comprised of Jason Neukom, Ashley Buckley, Jason Hohn and Katya Janpoladyan. The quartet will play Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, Haydn’s String Quartet in B-Flat Major “Sunrise,” Richard Neukom’s A La Rhumba and Sean Neukom’s A Walk Down Butler Street & Elise’s Waltz. Founded in 2009, the Freya String Quartet is dedicated to performing a wide range of music and teaching the importance of classical music in
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the Pittsburgh area. The members have been featured in performances throughout the US, Asia, South America and Europe. Freya has spent the last three years donating time to public schools in the Pittsburgh area by giving short concerts, teaching lesson plans, helping students learn valuable chamber music skills, and assisting music teachers in recruiting students for their programs. Recent Freya projects include performing for Opera Theater of Pittsburgh SummerFest’s Mozart Camp, a collaborative concert with the Arabesque Winds and Alia Musica to feature new works by Pittsburgh composers, recording string parts for Pittsburgh artist Joy Ike’s new album, All or Nothing, and performing a new song set entitled The Ghost & Mister Able for First Night Pittsburgh at their downtown performing space, The Sound Gallery. Upcoming Freya projects include a debut album featuring ten light, new works by composers Richard Neukom and Sean Neukom, one of which the quartet recently performed live on WQED classical radio. Other upcoming albums include a set of new songs for quartet and drums entitled Freya Plugged In, and a studio version of The Ghost & Mister Able, which is set to be released in the summer of 2013. May 11 The West Overton Garden Society 9th annual May Mart Plant Sale The sale will be held 9 am to 1 pm in the West Overton Museum basement Overholt Room, 109 West Overton Rd, Scottdale, PA 15683. The event features heirloom and hybrid tomatoes and vegetable plants, annuals, perennials, herbs, unique houseplants, hanging baskets, Oglevee’s geraniums, and flowers for Mother’s Day. Guests are invited to bring a plant and take a plant from the Swap Table. In addition to plant sales, there will be vendors selling pastries and fresh roasted coffee/hot chocolate/teas. Admission is free. Free Parking will be by the Amish Pantry. Proceeds from the sale benefits the WO Garden Society, which maintains the museum gardens and grounds. For directions visit www.westovertonvillage.org. For more information call Jan Brubacher 724-640-4180. New members in the Garden Society are welcome and needed. We work almost every week. If interested, contact Jan Brubacher. May 11 - June 21 “All Things Bright and Beautiful” Small Group Show With Cathy Rosensteel, with her splashy vibrant watercolors and, conversely, restrained painterly oils; Helen Thorne, master of mixed media and collage, textiles as well as watercolor and pastel vignettes; Cheryl Kirsch, who captures the fun, beauty, and charisma of cats in every way. Greensburg Art Center/Rowe Gallery. 230 Todd School Rd in Greensburg, PA. 724-837-6791. www.greensburgartcenter.org May 11 National Train Day Activities 12-5: Car Cruise in parking lot. 1: “The Little Engine That Could” Performance by Stage Right! from Greensburg. Stage Right! produces a series of kids theater called Books Come Alive. These are produced in local libraries and schools in the Westmoreland County area. The Opera House is pleased to offer this production to our local children in honor of Amtrak’s National Train Day. 6: DooWop Show featuring “The Streetlights,” a fun-loving group of four vocalists (2 guys, 2 gals) who ‘keep the music alive’ by taking you back to the good old days with their harmonies in a pleasant blend of a capella doo wop and favored oldies for your dancing and listening pleasure. The singers are Cathi Rhodes (soprano) and Diane Paul (alto), both of Greensburg, Dom Palmieri (baritone) of Irwin, and Joe DiFalco (bass) of North Versailles. All events include a buffet served by local caterers. Call to reserve tickets and for more information! (814) 926-4546. Rockwood Mill Shoppes Opera House 450 Main Street in Rockwood, PA. www.rockwoodmillshoppes.com
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
May 11 International Bird Day Hike - Ohiopyle State Park We will hike the amazing Sproul fields which are a birder’s paradise. Shade grown coffee will be provided, so bring your mug! Meet at Kentuck Campground contact station. 8:30am-10am. 724-329-0986. May 12, June 9, July14, August 11 Hanna’s Town Fleatique - Antiques and Collectibles Market This longstanding community tradition brings together well over 100 vendors in a quaint and historic setting. A variety of one-of-a-kind items covering a wide price range are featured at each sale. Shoppers can find a unique gift for Mom on this Mother’s Day or bring her along to find her own. Good buying and selling opportunities abound for lovers of antiques and collectibles and anyone seeking vintage items that are not available at department stores. The gate opens on our 40th season at 7:30 Sunday morning, and the market continues through early afternoon, although many vendor are set up by 1:00 p.m. Saturday and sell that afternoon. $3 per car parking fee will be collected by the Hannastown Volunteer Fire Department - with whom we divide the revenue. You can set up to sell for $35 by making arrangements with the WCHS office by calling 724-532-1935 ext. 12. westmorelandhistory.org May 14 Live Music “Tunes-Days” Regularly scheduled “Tunes-Days” encourages local residents to share their musical talent with the community. Musicians and poets of all ages have filled the gallery with live music, stretching the Latrobe Art Center’s reach into other forms of fine art. The café is open ’til 9pm every Tuesday, so come on out, grab some dinner while listening to live music. During the summer months, Tunesdays will be outside in Roger’s Memorial Park (directly behind our building) and will feature a different restaurant each week!! 6-9 pm! 819 Ligonier St in Latrobe, PA. 724-537-7011. www.latrobeartcenter.org May 15 Tea Time - Latrobe Art Center & Cafe Join us for one of our Palete to Palette sessions! Members - $25 per session, Non-members - $30 per session. Call to reserve your seat! A palette of tea, black, white ,green and red. Let’s taste them and learn about the amazing health benefits. What are the components of a real English Tea? We will sample them in our “small bites” selection. Scones, clotted cream, lemon curd, tea sandwiches and pastries. 6pm-8pm Hosted by Lisa Houser of Myriam’s Table. 819 Ligonier St in Latrobe, PA. 724-537-7011. www.latrobeartcenter.org May 17-19 National Road Festival 40th Anniversary Travel the National Road during the Festival and discover, antiques, ethnic foods, re-enactors, local artists and crafters, and music. Explore toll houses and museums, visit National Park sites or just enjoy the ride through this historic countryside. The Festival is a celebration of the uniqueness of the towns and villages along the National Road. The most amazing site to see is the reenactment of the Historic National Road’s transportation history—the Wagon Train. Uniontown, PA. 724-437-9877. www.nationalroadpa.org May 17-18 Meet Me Under The Clock Days Friday, May 17 - Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh • 9AM:Private civic breakfast at Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh including community leaders and Pittsburgh’s Mr. McFeely of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” Event is open to the media to cover. *Available for interviews: Russell Schutte, SVP/Regional Director of Stores, Macy’s Midwest Region; Joe Hladiuk, VP/Store Manager of Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh • 9:45AM: Meet Mr. McFeely of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” under the clock as he reads the city proclamation, declaring May 17, 2013 as “Meet Me Under The Clock” Day. View a collage of memories, stories, photos and memorabilia of Kaufmann’s famous clock in the store windows. Be one of the first 100 customers in the doors on Fifth Avenue near Smithfield Street and receive a $10 Macy’s gift card. One lucky customer will receive a $100 Macy’s gift card. • 10AM: Store Opening: Following the proclamation, customers will enjoy in-store activities and can peruse the special Clock Shop. Customers can purchase special limited-edition clock-inspired merchandise including mugs, ornaments, and more with art designed by local artists Wendell August and Linda Barnicott. Every Story Begins At Home.
Saturday, May 18 – Macy’s Downtown Pittsburgh Family Fun Day Celebration starting at 10AM and throughout the day: Be one of the first 100 customers in the doors at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street to receive a $10 Macy’s gift card, with one lucky customer winning a $100 Macy’s gift card. Meet friends for a bite to eat as prices are rolled back to the olden days on some customer favorites: the Thumbprint Cookie at the Arcade Bakery and the Tea Plate at the Tic Toc Restaurant. Reminisce on meetings past and make some new memories with culinary demonstrations by Macy’s Culinary Council Chef Tom Douglas, a performance by the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, street fair festivities, carnival games, dance performances, tasty food trucks, balloon art, popcorn and more. May 18 at 6 pm Lincoln Highway Centennial Celebration Kick back or kick up your heels to enjoy the food, fads, fashion trends, tunes and automobiles that were popular over the last 10 decades. Reservations required for this FUN evening. $65 per person. For invitation, email office@LHHC.org. 3435 Route 30 East, Latrobe, PA. 724-879-4241 May 18, 8 am - 5 pm Community Yard Sale - Mt. Pleasant, PA May 18 Garden Thyme – Heirloom Gardening This class will be taught by Lynn Wood, gardener at the Somerset Historical Center and will share information about raised bed gardens, heirloom seeds, and various herbs/plants that would have been grown in Somerset County. A highlight of the program will be the fascinating story of Somerset County’s “Mostoller Wild Goose Beans.” Everyone will receive with some heirloom seeds from the museum’s German raised bed garden to take home and plant. Somerset Historical Center. Class fee $20; $15 for HGSSC members. Includes all materials (814) 445-6077. www.somersethistoricalcenter.org May 20-30 Auction for the Animals We are very excited to once again conduct the Auction for the Animals online through BiddingForGood, the leading online charity auction platform for non-profit organizations. The Auction will be held from May 20th to the 30th at biddingforgood.com/afa. In order to make this fundraiser a success, we are looking for donors of items and/or services as well as sponsors. Donors and sponsors will receive valuable exposure through our online auction. Sponsor levels range from $100 to $1,000. Popular items to donate include: Vacation Getaways, Themed Gift Baskets, Autographed Sports Items, Movie Memorabilia, Spa and Beauty items, Designer Luxury Accessories, Jewelry, Tickets to Events, Professional Services, Original Artwork, Electronics and Gift Certificates to Stores and Restaurants. If you are interested in helping the homeless animals at our shelter by becoming a sponsor or donor, please send an email to: afahsboard@aol.com. May 21: 7-8:30 pm What We Wore: Vintage Fashions of Paper and Textiles Presentation of late 19th and some 20th century clothing. Paper dolls from private collectors will be shown and discussed. Some items of clothing from the WCHS collection will be on display, and pieces from private collectors will be modeled. Learn how to store and preserve both vintage textiles and paper. Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, so please call ahead. Fee : No charge for WCHS members; $5 for others. Location : Pollins Library at WCHS Headquarters on Sand HIll Road, Greensburg. Contact: Anita, (724)532-1935 x 10 library@westmorelandhistory.org Fridays, May 24 – August 30, 8:30 - 10 pm Movie Night at Keystone State Park Get out the popcorn and the blankets! Keystone State Park has movie night. We will be playing a variety of movies (pg-13 or less) at the beach house. They will be shown on a projector screen outside on the lawn, so bring your blankets, chairs and make sure you dress for the weather. But most importantly bring the whole family for this great time! Movie times are at 8:30 pm may vary depending on when it gets dark. Movies will not be shown in inclement weather. We would like to thank Family Videos of Latrobe for the movies that are shown. Derry, PA.
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May 24 A Taste of History – Fort Ligonier Enjoy a casual evening with friends! Music, refreshments and living history demonstrations outside in the lower fort area. $7/members; $10/non-members. 724-238-9701. www.fortligonier.org May 25 Geranium Festival - Connellsville, PA 10-4. Princess Contest, Pet Parade, Food, Entertainment, Clowns, Face Painting, Fun Crafts. Sponsored by the Connellsville Garden Club. www.fayettetrust.org. 724-626-0141. May 25-26 Fort Ligonier – Detachment of the 8th PA Regiment in Garrison Encampment, drills and musket firing demonstrations. 724-238-9701. www.fortligonier.org May 26, June 30, July 28 (4:30 pm) Trout Trail Date Nights Whether one is 20 years-old or three times that, this, as well as the others, is expected to be as fun as the upcoming evenings. There will be an introduction to fly-fishing for both one and his significant other! No need to cart fishing equipment to the Lodge. It will be provided. A professional will be on hand to teach basic fly-fishing. Everyone will get a chance to try his or her hand of angling in the pond behind the Lodge. Who knows, one just may catch a fish! All participants will then gather inside for a bit of mingling and a great dinner together. Each evening is limited to 10 couples at a cost of $65 per duo. Again, one may pre-register by email (office@LHHC.org). There is a meal selection following this announcement below. All the meals are the same price. Once a payment is made, it is non-refundable. Pre-registration is necessary. The menu choice for all three events include: Flame-broiled peppercorn steak served with brandy cream sauce with a hint of Dijon; Laurel Ridge Chicken which is a grilled chicken breast topped with mushrooms/bacon and Monterey Jack Cheese; Asiago Crusted Cod topped with asiago cheese, butter and broiled to perfection; Foggy Mountain Salad (topped with chicken, steak or shrimp), mixed greens, tomato, red onion, diced beats, black olives, sliced cucumbers, croutons, shredded cheddar with choice of dressing. All will include a potato, vegetable of the day, house salad or coleslaw, dinner roll and soft drink or iced tea. May 27, 10:30 am Memorial Day Parade - Mt. Pleasant, PA June 1 Mount Pleasant Cemetary Walk Join the Mount Pleasant Area Historical Society for a walk back in time to revisit some of the people who made an impact on our town’s history. You will hear the stories of six individuals who called Mount Pleasant home many years ago, as well as many other interesting facts about our town and it’s cemetery. Come for fun, knowledge and refreshments. Proceeds benefit the Mount Pleasant Area Historical Society. www.mphistory.com. 724-547-9115. mpahistory@gmail.com June 1, 9 am - 4 pm Norseman Compost/Rain Barrel Truckload Sale Green Forge Building, Donohoe Rd in Greensburg. 724-836-4129 Rain Barrel - $65; Compost Bin - $55. www.westmorelandcleanways.org June 1 Nature Photography for Beginners This Saturday at the Barn Program features Richard Stoner, instructor at Saint Vincent College. He is leading a short class on landscape photography which will go over basics of setup, focus, file format, exposure, etc. and emphasize composition and using the available natural light. The class will involve both indoor and outdoor instruction. Demonstrations of how to make a more interesting photograph of both the macro world such as flowers as well as general landscape. 10am-1pm Registration deadline is May 24, class limit of 20 people. Fee: $20 Camera required - digital or film. (724) 537-5284. Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in Latrobe, PA. www.wpnr.org. June 2, noon St. Cecilia’s Parish Festival Whitney, PA 42 - Summer 2013
June 2 Mammoth Fest Mammoth Park will play host to the 2013 Mammoth Fest from 11am to 7pm. This is a family oriented festival with a wide variety of food, entertainment and children’s attractions. Admission and parking are both free to the public. One of the unique and popular attractions at the Mammoth Fest is the “ALL DAY RIDE PASS.” Children can purchase this pass for only four dollars. This entitles them to unlimited use of the carnival rides, pony rides, petting zoo, and kiddie train rides on-site. There will be also plenty of great variety entertainment for the whole family. The Mammoth Fest Arts and Crafts Show is quickly becoming one of the top attractions at the festival. Craft lovers are sure to find something that strikes their fancy from the many vendors on site. (724) 830-3950. www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/parks June 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30: 11 am - 6 pm. Wild Rose Renaissance Faire The Wild Rose Renaissance Faire began in September, 2007. While everyone enjoyed the autumn glory of northwestern Pennsylvania, the weather was not always the most cooperative. So in 2010, the festivities were moved to the first three weekends in June, and oh were they festive! Since then, all manner of performers and vendors have graced our lands. Story telling, musical insipration, fire eating, and more! There are beautiful wares from all over the country for your perusal. Exotic Jewelry, bodice buddies, handmade soaps and scents, clothing and fiber, and hand honed weaponry. We invite you to come and be a part of the story as it unfolds. But why stay for just one day when you can enjoy the entire weekend at the fair! WRRF is now offering Day, Weekend and Season Passes! For those that don’t want to wait, you can now get your passes ONLINE and pick them up at the gate! New cast, new story, new activites, lots of fun... The only thing missing is YOU! Come celebrate the 6th season of the Wild Rose Renaissance Faire! • June 8 & 9 Fantasy Weekend Archery Tournament • June 15 & 16 Pirate Weekend Black Powder Rifle Tournament • June 22 & 23 Celtic Weekend Celtic Games • June 29 & 30 SteamPunk Weekend Garb Contest 20354 Route 957 in Columbus, PA www.wildroserenfaire.net. 814-434-2781. June 8 & September 14, 9-11:30 am Backyard Composting Workshop Learn how to compost kitchen and garden waste. $10 per person, payable at door. Pre-registration is required. 724-836-4129. The Barn at Donohoe Center. www.westmorelandcleanways.org. June 8-16 Gettysburg Fesitval Celebrating its sixth year, the Gettysburg Festival (a 16-time international Pinnacle Award winner) is a sought-out event, which has grown to become a yearly tradition for the entire family with both area residents and tourists alike. With an average attendance of 23,000 people from 30 states and the District of Columbia, the Festival celebrates local talent within the community through its Fringe events in the areas of visual arts, culinary arts, theater, film, music and children’s events, as well as presenting world-renown experts in these categories. 717-334-0853. www.gettysburgfestival.org June 8, 8-3 Antiques on the Diamond Over 50 vendors in Ligonier, PA. www.visitligonier.com. 724-238-4200. June 13 (4-7), June 14 (10-7), June 15 (10-3) Annual Giant Flea Market Saint Emma Monastery, Greensburg, PA. Admission: $5 per person Air conditioned & handicapped accessible. Items include Dishes, Glassware, Children’s Items, Furniture, Seasonal Items, Books, CDs, DVDs, knickknacks, and much, much more. Also enjoy halupki, haluski, pierogies, pizza, fish sandwiches, homemade cookies, pop. 724-834-3060. www.stemma.org June 14-16 Miners Day Memorial Festival - Windber www.echf.winderpa.org
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
June 15: 10am - 4 pm 8th Annual Inside Ligonier – A Home Tour This event is co-sponsored by the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor, the Ligonier Valley Historical Society and the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce. This is a rare opportunity to go inside and see a wonderful variety of Ligonier’s best homes. www.LHHC.org. 724-879-4241. June 15 Children’s Weekend at Compass Inn Museum Special hands-on activities are available for children. Ages 3 & up can do a simple open hearth cooking project, dip candles, churn butter and play early American games. (724) 238-4983. www.compassinnmuseum.org June 16, 6pm Miss 4th of July Pageant Greater Latrobe Senior High School. June 16 Twin Lakes Park Father’s Day Fishing Derby Don’t miss this free event for fishermen of all ages from 8am-1pm! Trophies and prizes will be awarded to both adults and youth. A door prize drawing will be held for all registered participants. Co-sponsored by the Westmoreland County Sportsmen’s League and Gander Mountain. (724) 830-3950 June 17-21 and July 15-19 Summer Day Camp at Fort Ligonier For history loving kids, who have completed grades, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Pre-Registration required. Registration Deadline: May 25th. The week-long camp features hands-on activities that emphasize life in a colonial fort. Each day students will participate in guided activities that include: 18th century games, crafts, music, military life, sketch book use, and a free choice project on a topic of interest to each camper. Camp will conclude with a mini-reenactment presented by campers on Friday at noon. Themes for the week include: Past Meets Present - What was life like at Fort Ligonier in 1758? Daily Life at the Fort - Campers will dress in costume and assume the role of an officer, enlisted man, or girl camp follower. 18th
Century Trades - Campers will learn about various tradesmen that were present during Forbes’ Campaign of 1758 through 1766. Native American Day - Folklore, games, crafts, and other aspects of Native American culture will be explored. Military Campaign - What was it like for soldiers such as young George Washington as a Colonel during the Forbes’ Campaign? Who was General Forbes? What was it like to be part of a military operation in the 18th century? Camp Times: 9:00 am-2:30 pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9:00am-12:30pm. We will conclude with a brief reenactment by campers at 12:30 pm, followed by a picnic with parents or guardians. Cost: $110 Fort Members /$125 Non-Members, $25 discount for siblings June 18 Big Wheels Race on Memorial Drive Registration at 6 pm; race begins at 7 pm. Legion Keener Park in Latrobe, PA. 724-537-8417. June 19 Java Java Join us for one of our Palete to Palette sessions! Members - $25 per session, Non-members - $30 per session. Call to reserve your seat! Coffee ranges from robust to super smooth. Taste the differences in roasts, grinds and brewing pots. Coffee pairing, cooking with coffee, and enjoying a cup of Joe is part of our 2 hour experience. “Small bites” to include, Café au lait and beignets, coffee rubbed beef, cow punchers stew, espresso tiramisu. 6pm-8pm. Hosted by Lisa Houser of Myriam’s Latrobe Art Center. (724) 537-7011. www.latrobeartcenter.org. June 20-23 Thunder in the Valley Johnstown’s annual Thunder in the Valley® motorcycle rally is held the fourth weekend in June. While the City of Johnstown serves as the hub of the rally, related events take place throughout the entire Johnstown Region. According to the Johnstown/Cambria County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), rally planners make every effort to provide a wide variety of events and activities so that Thunder is enjoyed by everyone, including area residents who help to roll out the welcome mat for visiting bikers. (800) 237-8590. www.visitjohnstownpa.org
Brownsville Farmers Market July 10 – September 25; Wednesdays, 4-7 Market Street in Brownsville, PA 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org
Ohiopyle Farmers Market June 30 – August 25; Saturdays, 2-6 Dinner Bell Rd in Ohiopyle • 724-603-3151 Scottdale Farmers Market July 11 – September 26; Fridays, 4:30-6:30 Broadway Street in Scottdale, PA 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org
Community Market of Greensburg Saturdays, 9-12, Rte 119 Lynch Field Park 724-834-2334 • www.sarverhillfarm.org Connellsville Farmers & Artists Market July 6 – September 28; Saturdays, 8-noon West Crawford Ave in Connellsville 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org Greensburg Farmers Market Tuesdays, beginning May 7 Westmoreland Museum of American Art (moving in July to a new location TBD) 724-834-2334 Greensboro Farmer’s Market May 4 – October 12; 9-1 Gazebo Park in Greensboro, PA 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org Indiana County Farmers Market June – October: Indiana, Church & 8th Sts. Wednesdays, 4-6 pm; Saturdays, 8 am - noon Keystone Farmers Market July 15 – September 30; Mondays, 10-2 Under the trees of beach parking area Keystone State Park in Derry, PA 724-668-2939 • www.derryarea.net
Every Story Begins At Home.
Latrobe Farmers Market June – October; Tuesdays, 2-6 Memorial Stadium in Latrobe, PA 724-805-0112 • www.latroberevitalization.org Ligonier Country Market May 25 – October 25; Saturdays, 8-noon Corner of W. Main St & Springer Rd Ligonier, PA • 724-858-7894 www.ligoniercountrymarket.com Maple City Farmers Market June 5 – September 25; Wednesdays, noon - 6 Fuller Playground in Meyersdayle, PA www.trailtowns.org Masontown Farmers Market July 12 – September 27; 4-7 pm German-Masontown Park in Masontown, PA 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org
Somerset County Farmers Market Jun 1 – Oct 30; Saturdays (9-1) Wednesdays (3-6) Georgian Place • 814-445-7520 212 Hilltop Rd in Friedens, PA www.somersetcountyfarmersmarket.com Springs Farmers Market May 26 – September 15; Sundays, 8-1 1711 Springs Rd in Springs, PA 814-662-4366 • www.springspa.org Uniontown Farmers Market July 8 – September 23; Thursdays, 4-7 Stoey Square, Main St in Uniontown, PA 724-437-7913 • www.buylocalfayette.org Vandergrift Farmers Market June – October; Thursdays, 3-6:30 Columbia Ave Parking Lot in Vandergrift, PA 724-422-3883 www.vandergiftfarmersmarket.weebly.com Please verify all market information, as it may have changed since press time.
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June 22-23 250th Commemoration Pontiac’s War: Siege of Fort Ligonier Encampment, Battle and Artillery Demonstrations 724-238-9701. www.fortligonier.org June 23 Lavender Festival - Christian W. Klay Winery The winery’s Second Annual Lavender Festival will feature lavender products, baked goods, vendors and food and wine tasting. Jazz legend Harold Betters will be the featured entertainment for this event. 11am4pm (724) 439-3424. www.cwklaywinery.com June 24-27 Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department Street Fair
The 39th Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival will once again fill Twin Lakes Park with art, crafts, music, history, food July 4, 5, 6 & 7, 2013. As always, the Festival offers free admission to the public and convenient shuttle bus service for a nominal fee from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. More than 165 artists will be selling and demonstrating their unique, handmade works all four days in the Artist Market. More art will be on display in the Activity Center, home of the Westmoreland Art Nationals juried art exhibit that features pieces from artists all over the country displayed side by side with the best from local talent. The comic book and cartoon art exhibit, “FestivalCon,” is returning for 2013. Simpsons Comics writer Chris Yambar will be appearing in person all four days, along with several other professional cartoonists and comic book artists. While shopping and admiring the art, festival goers will be able to sample festival fare from more than 30 ethnic food booths selling everything from ribs to pierogies to funnel cakes. Continuous entertainment will be offered on four stages. Many acts will be making their Festival debut this year. As acts are confirmed, updates will be posted to the Festival’s Facebook page and a full schedule of stage performances will be available on the Festival website. Each day of the Festival, a different ethnic act will be the first performance on the Island Stage. There will be Celtic music on Thursday, African dance and music on Friday, a German band on Saturday and Filipino dance on Sunday. Grkmania will be bringing their Slovenian polkas to the festival on Saturday. Strolling performers including a storyteller, a banjo player, a magician and others will entertain visitors along the walkways between stages. The Heritage Trail will feature booths manned by local historical societies and local authors. Heritage Panels will tell the story of our area through words and images. Artists including a quilter and a blacksmith will demonstrate their craft on the trail. The Upper Lake will feature Civil War encampments with various displays including working artillery pieces. There will also be booths dedicated to specific ethnicities hosted by local organizations and a Native American living history display, complete with a full-scale tipi. The Festival’s second annual benefit auction will take place at the Laurel Stage on Sunday, July 7, at 5 p.m. Once again, bidders will get to compete for craft items, original fine art, cartoon and comic book art, and signed memorabilia, with all proceeds going to programming at the Festival. There will be plenty for the kids to do as well! The Festival will be offering its popular craft programs again along with interactive programming in the Activity Tent that will give youngsters a taste of yoga, martial arts, cartooning, music and more. Children will learn how to make instruments out of recycled materials and watch exciting science presentations. Offering a perfect combination of the new attractions and old favorites, the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival is the area’s premiere destination for affordable family fun! For more information, visit www.ArtsAndHeritage.com or call 724-834-7474.
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June 24-28 Colonial Summer Camp at Historical Hanna’s Town A great hands-on experience for kids interested in learning what life was life for children living on the Pennsylvania frontier in the late 18th century. Blacksmithing, Native American culture, Colonial cooking and crafts are just a few of the activities on the agenda! Cost: $125.00 for members, $150.00 for non-members. Pre-Registration is required. Call today to reserve a space! For further information check out the Westmoreland County Historical Society Facebook page for photos from past camps or alternatively call (724) 532 1935 or www.westmorelandhistory.org June 25 The Monongahela Indians Professional archaeologist, Bernard Means, will present a program on the Native Americans, known as the Monongahelas, who lived in southwestern Pennsylvania. He will discuss various aspects of their culture based upon his work with numerous archaeological investigations including several in Somerset County. Dr. Means’ program is sponsored by the Archaeology Society of Somerset County. This program is free and open to the public at Somerset Historical Center. (814) 445-6077. June 26 Ride the Lincoln Bus Tour Join the Lincoln Highway Heritage Coridor for the Lincoln Bus Tour! With pick-ups in Irwin, Greensburg, and Latrobe, hop on the bus and enjoy interesting sidebars with the Lincoln Highway staff. A stop for lunch and a tour of the Lincoln Highway Experience museum will be followed by the Lincoln Highway-appropriate Pumpboys and Dinettes musical. This musical is also appearing on Broadway in 2013. Don’t miss this fun tour! (724) 879-4241. www.lhhc.org July 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Loyalhanna Review Publication Party at Greensburg Art Center. www.lvwonline.org July 27, 10:30 am 2013 Dragonfly & Butterfly Hunt Ages 3 and up will explore the pond area with a net: fun, games, treat bags and more. Please bring lunch and water. Register by July 19, $5. Unity Township Pavilion. 724-537-4331. www.latroberecreation.org July 27, 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. 26th Annual LVW Conference at Westmoreland Couty Community College. Faculty: Erin Murphy on poetry, Stephen Murabito on fiction, Heather McNaugher on nonfiction, and Babs Mountjoy on fantasy and science fiction. www.lvwonline.org June 29, 10 am - 3 pm Special Day for Special Kids - Keystone State Park An exciting day of activities and opportunities for children with disabilities, activities include Fishing, Clowns, Pontoon Rides, Cook-Out, Music, Face Painting Petting Zoo and much more. Please pre-register for this event by calling Deanna 724-539-2731, or Keystone State Park Office 724-668-2939. June 29 10th Annual Braddock’s Crossing of the Yough/Art on the Yough French and Indian War encampment. Colonial soldiers, British soldiers, French soldiers, Native Americans. Activities and interaction with the reenactors. Actual river crossing by re-enactors and civilians at 1:00 PM both days. Must be 18 years old to cross the river. Refreshment available. Items for sale. Free. (724) 628-5344. Connellsville, PA. www.fayettetrust.org LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
June 29 Music in the Mountains – Glades Pike Winery This year, our Music in the Mountains Concert Series will be the last Saturday evening of each of the summer months. 6pm-9pm • Saturday, June 29 Cruzin • Saturday, July 27 Glenn Henry • Saturday, August 31 Brougher Pro Sound • Saturday, September 28 The Irish Pretenders Everyone is welcome to bring their own food, or even have pizzas delivered if you want, but no outside alcohol is permitted. We ask that every adult attending purchase a bottle of wine, or donate $10, your choice. Proceeds from the $10 donation will go to a charity yet to be chosen. (814) 445-3753. www.gladespikewinery.com. Somerset, PA. June 29–July27 64th Annual Kutztown Folk Festival The Kutztown Folk Festival is the oldest folklife festival in the United States, focusing on the Pennsylvania Dutch culture and traditions. Educational, fun, and a hands-on experience, the Kutztown Folk Festival has been named as one of the three “must see” festivals on the east coast by the Washington Post, one of the top three festivals in the nation by USA Today, and has had feature articles in such publications as Saveur Magazine and National Geographic. America’s largest quilt sale, 200 demonstrating craftsmen, traditional Pa Dutch cooking, and unusual historical demonstrations and reenactments are only a small part of what makes this Festival unique. Forty percent of the Festival visitors are under the age of 12. Helping to create a lasting memory of a happy family day together in the mind of a child is one of our most important goals. Hands-on experiences make the Kutztown Folk Festival unique. Make your own quilt square for our annual visitors quilt, and experience being a part of a quilting bee. Shuck corn, bale hay, and learn about traditional farming methods. Learn to play a song on traditional musical instruments. Take part in a Pennsylvania Dutch church service, singalong with traditional children’s songs, visit the petting zoo, participate in a tall tales contest, or try your hand at the skills of many of our demonstrating craftsmen. The 64th Annual Kutztown Folk Festival is 9 days long, June 29 – July 7, 2013. It is held in Kutztown, Pennsylvania; easily accessible from all major routes in Eastern Pennsylvania. If you are interested in more information, please email me at dave@kutztownfestival.com, or visit our website. We have a significant database of interesting articles, press releases, background info, interviews, and electronic photos, and a short 5 minute movie that are available to you. Much of these are available to you directly from our website. You can visit our website at www.kutztownfestival.com June 29 Westmoreland Symphony at Fort Ligonier Enjoy the beautiful sounds of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, led by Artistic Director Daniel Meyer, as they perform a free outdoor concert on the grounds of historic Fort Ligonier! Bring your lawn chairs and blankets! Doors open at 6pm, concert starts at 7pm. (724) 238-9701. www.fortligonier.com June 30 - July 6 Wolf’s Corners Fair – Tionesta, PA Wolf’s Corner Fairgrounds, Lake Lucy Road. www.wolfscornersfair.com June 30, 6 pm 4th Annual Doggie Day 4th of July Pageant Legion Keener Park in Latrobe, PA. June 30, 6 pm Baking Contest Small Pavilion, Legion Keener Park in Latrobe, PA. June 30 David Byrne & St. Vincent (Annie Clark) Drusky – Kirschner presents at 8pm! $79, $69, $59; (724) 836-8000. Though Byrne (Talking Heads) and Clark each have an unmistakable sound and persona that have made them such compelling performers on their own, their voices manage to blend naturally, effortlessly, here. Sometimes they trade verses; at others they sing in unison. Like friends who can finish each other’s sentences, when one takes the spotlight alone, it’s often with words that the other provided. The brass lends the songs an appealing theatrical sheen while programmed percussion Every Story Begins At Home.
provides a contemporary feel. Though there’s no overarching theme to the album Love This Giant, surreal images of nature dominate the lyrics, most of which were worked on in tandem by Byrne and Clark. The threat of natural disaster promises an emotional epiphany; urban apocalypse gives way to a garden party. The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, PA www.thepalacetheatre.org June 30 - July 4, nightly at 6 pm Entertainment at the Bandshell - Legion Keener Park 4th of July Celebration in Latrobe, PA. 724-537-8417. July 4 Independence Day Community Celebrations • Latrobe: Parade at 10:30 am; Fireworks at 10 pm. “A Tribute to Honor Local Business & Industry” • Ligonier: Idlewild & Soak Zone, 10 pm. • Seven Springs: Polka Fireworks, July 3 -7. • Indiana: Fairgounds, Mack Park. Flea market, demolition derby, car show, games, food, fireworks. • Mt. Pleasant: July 3 fireworks, 10 pm. July 6-7 Colonial Court Days - Historic Hanna’s Town Re-enactment of court cases heard at Hanna’s Town, 1773-1786. 724-532-1935. www.hannastown.org. Greensburg, PA July 6 Falls Light Up Ohiopyle State Park. 724-329-8591 July 7 Corvette Car Show & Parade Members of the Laurel Valley Corvette Club, in conjunction with the Western Pennsylvania Corvette Club Council, will display their Corvettes to park guests. The day’s events will include a late-afternoon parade through the center of the park. For enthusiasts of cars, this day is a must-see! Idlewild & Soak Zone in Ligonier, PA. 724-238-3666. www.ildewild.com July 8-12 Antique Car Show & Mister Rogers Neighbor Days All this week, you can take a step back to yesteryear during our Antique & Classic Car Show and Parade. Classic and antique vehicles will be on display throughout the day in Parking Area C, then cruise through the center of the park during the evening car parade at 6 pm ALSO join us in our celebration of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Meet and greet your favorite neighbors, including Mr. McFeely, Mayor Maggie, and Neighbor Aber - straight from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood - daily from 1 - 4 pm near the entrance to the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood attraction. Discount Opportunity - $7.00 off coupons (good only July 8 - 12, 2013) will be available at participating Eat N’ Park locations. Idlewild & Soak Zone in Ligonier, PA. 724-238-3666. www.ildewild.com July 14 Bulding Bodeez Third Annual Triathalon Registration will start at 6:30 AM. The Triathlon will have 3 stages. Stage 1 will be a Lake Swim of approximately 500 yards. Stage 2 Rural Bike Ride of 16 miles. Stage 3 will be a Run/Walk through the park. Following the race, all participants are encouraged to attend the afterrace celebration at the grassy area near the boat rental. Beverages/light refreshments will be provided, press present and awards given at 12:00 pm. All finishers will be greeted upon finishing the race, despite end time. Keystone State Park in Derry, PA. 724-739-0105. www.buildingbodeez.net/bbfc-triathlon.html July 14-20 Derry Township Agricultural Fair This year is our 26th annual fair. Come out and enjoy our annual agricultural fair with livestock, animals, fishing, antique tractor rodeo, bingo, food, exhibits, pet show, tractor pull, arts and crafts show, fleece and fiber show, carnival rides, market sale, contests, fireworks (Friday at 10:30 pm) and much more. Admission $3, children 4 and under, free. Route 982 North in Derry, PA. 724-787-0519. www.derrytwpagfair.com
Summer 2013 - 45
Ligonier Valley Writers 9th Annual Flash Fiction Contest
2013
This year’s topic is bats, cats, and rats, in any combination. Deadline for submissions of no more than 1000 words is August 14. More information available by contacting Ed Kelemen (ed.kel@verizon.net). www.LVWonline.org First prize $50 Second prize $25 and Third prize $15 Three honorable mentions
July 19-21 Laurel Arts Somerfest Somerset, PA. 814-443-2433. www.lauerlarts.org July 19-20 Summer in Ligonier Arts & Crafts Enjoy arts, crafts, sidewalk sales, the popcorn man, face painting and more! 9 am - 5 pm. 724-238-4200. www.visitligonier.com July 20 Five Star Trail Poker Run The 14th annual Five Star Trail Poker Run will begin at Lynch Field in Greensburg, PA. The event will start at 9:00 AM with registration opening at 8:15 AM. If you register before the event, the cost is $15. Onsite registration cost is $20. The Poker Run is two events in one. Participants can choose a fourmile walk or a twelve-mile bike ride. This is not a race to see who finishes first. Those participating will choose a playing card from a deck of cards at each of five checkpoints along the trail. Upon finishing the event, each participant will have assembled a full poker hand. The top three poker hands for each event will receive a trophy and a special prize package. In addition, at the conclusion of the event, there will be a huge door prize giveaway. The Westmoreland Heritage Trail Chapter has joined forces with the Five Star to put on the Poker Run again this year. Participants can choose which trail chapter they would like your entry fees to be credited towards. All proceeds from this event benefit the two trail chapters. The Poker Run is a Five Star Trail Chapter and Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation event. Contact: (724) 830-3950. July 20 Living History at Compass Inn Museum History comes alive as skilled craftsmen demonstrate a variety of 18th and 19th century skills and crafts. See a blacksmith or bobbin lace maker at work. Help dip candles, or try your hand at weaving. Watch soap making or open hearth cooking. (Crafts vary daily.) (724) 238-4983. www.compassinnmuseum.org. Laughlintown, PA. July 25 - August 3 Fayette County Fair County Fairgrounds in Dunbar, PA. 724-629-3360. www.fayettefair.com
46 - Summer 2013
July 26 Coleman Station Bluegrass Festival Located high atop the picturesque Allegheny Mountains of Western Pennsylvania, this family oriented celebration of music and tradition is hosted by the Custer family. Whether you are a die hard traditionalist, a little curious about the new and evolving sound of bluegrass or just looking for a great place to spend a weekend, the Coleman Station Bluegrass Festival is definitely worth the trip! 1144 Coleman Station Rd in Friedens, PA. (814) 444-8509. www.blue-grass.org/festival July 28 3rd Annual Car Cruise - Bushy Run Battlefield, Jeannette 11 am - 4 pm. 724-527-5584. www.bushyrunbattlefield.com August 1-4 Annual Antique Tractor Show Stoystown Lions Park. 814-341-9593. www.stoystownlions.org August 2-4 Flood City Music Festival The AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival is set with headliners Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, and Greensky Bluegrass, and many more. 814-539-1889 Johnstown, PA. www.floodcitymusic.com. August 2 Hot Fun in the Summertime The town will be decked out in Black and Gold for Steeler Training Camp! Visit downtown Latrobe before practice and see the Latrobe Farmer’s Market Vendors, sidewalk sales, and artists painting outdoors. Grab some lunch and listen to live music in Roger’s Memorial Park! August 3-4 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bushy Run www.bushyrunbattlefield.com. 724-527-5584. Jeannete, PA. August 9, 5-9 pm The Stroll in Ligonier Stroll into the fabulous 50s with music, dancing and classic cars. on the Diamond. www.visitligonier.com. 724-238-4200. August 10 43rd Annual Antique Show Somerset County Chamber of Commerce. 814-445-6431. August 11 Cedar Creek Fun Fest Cedar Creek Park is set to host the 2013 August Fun Fest, marking the festival’s 27th year of community entertainment. It will be held from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Admission and parking for the event are both free to the public. This community festival features a wide variety of food, entertainment, and children’s attractions making it an exciting event for the entire family. The August Fun Fest Show Car Cruise features antiques, hot rods, modifieds, stocks, commercials, and motorcycles. Show cars can enter beginning at 9:00 AM. Carnival amusement rides, pony rides, petting zoo, and kiddie train rides are available for children by purchasing an all day ride pass for only $4. The Arts and Crafts Show has become one of the top attractions at this event, hosting over forty artists and craftsmen. The show will feature a wide variety of items such as handmade woodcrafts, pottery, airbrush tattoos and more. Among the other attractions at the August Fun Fest include a Flea Market, Bingo, a Mon Valley R.C. Model Airplane Club display, dance team performances, and old-fashioned horse drawn trolley rides. There will also be live music all day with everything from Big Band to Polka performances. (724) 830-3950. Rostraver, PA. August 16-24 Westmoreland County Fair www.westmorelandfair.com – find us on Facebook! ***** Family-friendly, cultural, and nonprofit events take precedence when print space is a consideration. calendar@laurelmountainpost.com/PO Box 332 Ligonier PA 15658
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END NOTES by Cathi Gerhard
Identity Crisis I’ve been working on resumes lately, asking for letters of recommendation, and doing some networking. My daughter and her friends are graduating from college now and are joining the official job hunt, so it’s time to take inventory of their skills and compare it to ambitions. I haven’t updated my own portfolio for quite some time, and it’s a good idea every so often. But this time around, more so than usual, the idea of self-promotion has brought up some pretty deep thoughts about self-worth, success, and the delicate spacing between reality and illusion. Marketing has been an important aspect of my career history over the past 20 years. As a journalism major, my earliest goal was to work in advertising – a creative marriage between my two first loves of art and writing. But many of us Generation X’ers took whatever job we could get, as most of the dream jobs had disappeared by the time we graduated from college (that outdated and overpriced promise of some highpaying career). We found work in customer service, as secretaries, sales reps and assistants: all positions that were supposedly the first rung on the ladder to success, but in reality were just traps in which we did much more than our job descriptions described and never got paid for it — let alone acknowledged. We gnawed our own legs off working hard and searching for opportunities that never came. After ten or fifteen years, we were overeducated and underpaid carcasses, watching a younger class take our anticipated place in the pack. However, as I advise my own children now, every job is a valuable experience, no matter how insignificant it seems at the time. Working at a fastfood restaurant or department store can teach you how to talk to people, an ability I believe dominates almost every aspect of life. As a receptionist or secretary, you get to observe people and 48 - Summer 2013
put together small pieces of information like a puzzle – and more importantly, you befriend the janitor (who is often the most informed staff member in any organization). Learning respect for all occupations, social ranks and economic classes – and valuing their contributions – is something most of America still hasn’t mastered. Beyond the social skills, years of job experience will lead to a varied mastery of technical skills often not realized
until you are asked to put them down on paper in the form of a resume. These simple pieces of paper take a lot of time, critical thinking, and self-reflection. This marketing document summarizes who we think we are ,and what we have achieved – but then we still have to prove it with letters of reference and portfolios. Without the validation of others, our professional self does not exist. Every ten years or so, we see ourselves differently. We collect evidence and look back over our past with newfound insights and interpretations: feeling better or worse about choices which led to the present.
At what point in time does our story become the official version, and who is the true main character? As a teenager I tried to be Career Girl. I was focused on getting great grades, going to college for journalism and art, and finding the big dream job in advertising. I was so serious about every ambition, and practiced my crafts daily. In my 20’s I became Energy Girl – working multiple jobs, taking on graduate school, having babies, and accepting any and all assignments that came my way. I volunteered for every experience and literally made myself sick at times by dropping to unhealthy weights from hardly eating and constantly being on the go. I was the textbook definition of overworked and underpaid. When age 30 arrived, people finally started seeing my as an adult – so the “Girl” part had to go. I became Fearless Woman (and for a while, Miss Cathi, Preschool Teacher). During that period I finally found the courage to step outside my carefully crafted boxes, both personally and professionally. I discovered ways to create my own journey instead of following the available maps, and tried many different directions. By 40, I felt like the Tired Old Lady, finally learning (and needing) to settle down through discipline as well as fate. Life is now full of limitations as well as opportunities, and my navigation has gotten smoother. My resume describes a person who is now the sum of her past incarnations – the way that Dr. Who is still the Doctor, but yet also becomes a different character every so many years. Doctor Who? Figuring out who we are is life’s most difficult question: we are constantly changing, along with the altered interpretation that is hindsight. The answer comes from how well we surf the waves of time – by taking the past and combining it with the present in ways that form a pleasing future. LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST