Pocono Living Magazine and Pocono Family Magazine, two regional publications filled with articles, features and photography exploring and capturing the real Pocono Mountains living experience.
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“Spring passes, and one remembers one’s innocence. Summer passes, and one remembers one’s exuberance. Autumn passes, and one remembers one’s reverence. Winter passes, and one remembers one’s perseverance.”
― Yoko Ono
> Charles Willson Peale, a Philadelphia-based artist, painted this portrait of Gen. George Washington in 1776. Washington was 44. Part of the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, the painting was done just before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
By John L. Moore
Dressed like a cattleman and running after a cow, the middle-aged spy hurried down the dirt road along the east side of the Delaware River. He was a few miles upriver from Trenton, N.J., where the British had stationed their Hessian allies. It was December 22, 1776–a Sunday
Wearing a greasy-looking coat, John Honeyman carried a rope in one hand and a whip in the other. He cracked the whip to make the cow go faster. The sound caught the attention of two American soldiers scouting along the river's east bank.
“Conditions were far from favorable in the American camp. Since summer, the British had given the rebels such a drubbing that their cause seemed to be collapsing.”
Honeyman ran when the scouts rode toward him on their horses. They chased him. “With two pistols pointed at his head, he finally surrendered,” Honeyman's grandson, John Van Dyke, said years later.
In his 1898 book, “The Battles of Trenton and Princeton,” historian William S. Stryker provided additional details: “They captured him after a struggle, and, binding him with his own rope to one of their horses, went a few miles up the river, ferried him over, and delivered their prize at the headquarters of the army.”
Conditions were far from favorable in the American camp. Since summer, the British had given the rebels such a drubbing that their cause seemed to be collapsing.
In late August, the Redcoats defeated the Continental Army in a battle on Long Island. In November, they forced Washington to evacuate Manhattan and retreat across the Hudson River into New Jersey.
> 1777 map shows a section of the Delaware River between Trenton on the right and the place on the upper left where the Continental Army crossed the Delaware on Christmas night 1776. According to John Van Dyke, two American soldiers captured John Honeyman along River Road on the Trenton side of the river a few miles north of the town.
In late November and early December, they pushed the rebels southwest across New Jersey.
At Trenton, the Americans crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania and found safety, if only temporarily, in Bucks County. To keep the British from pursuing them, Washington had his soldiers confiscate or destroy all the boats along the river's east bank. That stopped the British and Hessians at the river's edge.
Weeks earlier, as Washington retreated across New Jersey, Honeyman had been “moving along with the British army, in pursuit of the Americans, sometimes in one place and sometimes in another,” Van Dyke said.
Now posted along the Delaware, the Hessians welcomed Honeyman whenever he turned up with cows to sell them.
“At Trenton, as in other places, he seems to have had the privilege of going pretty much where he pleased in pursuit of his business,” Van Dyke said.
Honeyman's activities in and around Trenton soon gave him a “knowledge of its localities and of the roads leading to it,” the grandson said.
Across the Delaware, Washington needed this information.
Many soldiers had already left the rebel camp. Those who remained were spread out along the river's west shore for 30 miles. Some units were 14 miles north of Trenton; others were 18 miles to the south.
The enlistments of many American soldiers would expire at year's end. Unless reinforcements turned up, “I think the game is pretty nearly up,” Washington confided in a Dec. 18 letter.
The Continental Congress, which in July had declared independence from Great Britain, had been in session in Philadelphia since 1775. Now, with enemy troops only 30 miles upriver, congressmen began leaving for Baltimore. One of them was Thomas McKean, a Philadelphia lawyer who represented Delaware.
When McKean reached Wilmington, he met a man he knew, Capt. Thomas Rodney. Rodney was leading Delaware militia soldiers north to join Washington in Bucks County.
The congressman told Rodney that unless Washington somehow managed to stop the British advance, “Congress would be obliged to authorize the commander-in-chief to obtain the best (surrender) terms that could be had from the enemy.” It was Dec. 16.
Around this time, Washington had asked his generals “to cast about to find out some person who can be engaged to cross the river as a spy, that we may, if possible, obtain some knowledge of the enemy's situation, movements, and intention.”
“Honeyman’s activities in and around Trenton soon gave him a ‘knowledge of its localities and of the roads leading to it.’”
The commander said he needed to know if the British were making “any preparations ... to cross the river; whether any boats are building and where, whether any (boats) are coming across land from (New) Brunswick; whether any great collection of horses are made, and for what purpose.”
He told the generals not to worry about money when recruiting spies. “Expense must not be spared in procuring such intelligence, and will readily be paid by me,” Washington said.
He cautioned his generals that “we are in a neighborhood of very disaffected people. Equal care, therefore, should be taken that one of these persons do not undertake the business in order to betray us.”
Downriver at the Pennsylvania militia post at Bristol, Col. John Cadwalader, had been actively sending men from Pennsylvania into New Jersey to spy on the Hessians.
Writing to Washington on Sunday, December 15, Cadwalader said several of his spies had come back from New Jersey with specific details of Hessian troop movements: “One of the men sent yesterday morning to Mount Holly . . . conversed with a man well known for his attachment to our cause, who informed him that 600 (Hessians) lay last night at the Black Horse, about nine miles from Burlington.”
Black Horse is the present-day Columbus, N.J.
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> German-American artist Emanuel Leutze was living in Germany when he painted his famous picture, Washington Crossing the Delaware, in 1851. It belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
> Col. Johann Rall was the Hessian commander at Trenton, N.J. He interrogated John Honeyman after Honeyman escaped from the American camp in Pennsylvania on Dec, 23, 1776. Honeyman gave him details of the poor conditions in which Continental soldiers were living. Rall suffered a mortal wound several days later at the Battle of Trenton.
“He saw them on their march in the following order: The advanced party of 200 near the Black Horse; 200 at Mansfield Meeting; 200 at the Rising Sun, or Square,” Cadwalader said. “This line extended about three miles, but the whole were to march to the Black Horse.” They had five brass cannons.
Cadwalader added that as his spy made his way back to Pennsylvania, “he came through Burlington and was there informed that the troops seen at Black Horse were the advance party of about 2,000 Hessians.”
Washington was used to receiving information obtained by spies. Most came in reports from his generals rather than directly from the spies themselves. Honeyman, however, soon found himself face-to-face with Washington within hours after his capture.
“Firmly bound with his own rope and mounted behind one of the troopers,” the Tory cattle buyer had been “taken across the river and borne in triumph to the headquarters of Washington,” Van Dyke said.
“Washington was used to receiving information obtained by spies. Most came in reports from his generals rather than directly from the spies themselves. Honeyman, however, soon found himself face-to-face
with Washington within hours after his capture.”
Honeyman had become notorious. Washington told him “that he had heard of him before, and that his troops had for some time been trying to arrest him.”
At one point, the general told his guards and aides that he wanted to interrogate Honeyman by himself. They withdrew, and the general began questioning the prisoner.
“The interview lasted some half an hour, or till about sunset, when the guards were recalled,” Van Dyke reported.
According to Van Dyke, this was the second time that Washington and Honeyman had conferred in two months. In November they had met in New Jersey. Honeyman had offered to spy for the general by posing as a cattle buyer, a cover that would let him go behind British lines quite freely.
In Bucks County weeks later, as Washington questioned him, the spy gave the general all the details of what he had seen and heard of the Hessians in Trenton. He described troop strengths as well as positions.
When the interview ended, Washington told the guards “to furnish the prisoner with food, put him in the log prison, lock the door and safely guard it on the outside till morning, when a court-martial would be convened to try the guilt of the prisoner, of which he was satisfied from his own story.”
No court-martial ever took place. Honeyman escaped during the night and returned to Trenton. The Hessian commander, Col. Johann Rall, interviewed him, eager to hear what he had learned about Washington's army. Rall plied Honeyman with so many questions that at length the cattleman candidly described “the most deplorable condition of the American camp.”
“He
proposes to create neither persons nor circumstances, but being in possession of a number of facts, with which he has long been familiar, derived from the most unmistakable sources, he will simply attempt to narrate them in the plain way in which they were received.”
That occurred on Monday, Dec. 23. After dark on Wednesday, Dec. 25, Washington and his soldiers crossed the ice-choked Delaware and returned to New Jersey. They marched on Trenton through snow and rain, and attacked the Hessians on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 26. Victorious, they captured the town and took 900 prisoners.
Honeyman wasn't there when the attack occurred. He had left Trenton before the Americans arrived, Van Dyke said.
In writing about his grandfather in an 1873 article published in “Our Home Magazine,” Van Dyke insisted that his narrative was a work of non-fiction.
“The writer makes no claim to the power of invention,” he said. “He proposes to create neither persons nor circumstances, but being in possession of a number of facts, with which he has long been familiar, derived from the most unmistakable sources, he will simply attempt to narrate them in the plain way in which they were received.”
Many 21st-century historians and writers are less accepting of Van Dyke's narrative than were William Stryker and other 19-century historians. Honeyman himself didn't leave any written accounts of his exploits. Scholars report that Washington's correspondence doesn't mention John Honeyman, not even once.
“It is possible that evidence may turn up to prove that Honeyman may indeed have been one of many people employed by Washington as a spy or agent.”
In 2004, when historian David Hackett Fischer published “Washington's Crossing,” he explained that the complete lack of evidence supporting Van Dyke's narrative had prompted him to omit Honeyman from the text.
Even so, Fischer conceded in a footnote, “It is possible that evidence may turn up to prove that Honeyman may indeed have been one of many people employed by Washington as a spy or agent.”
John L. Moore continues to pursue his lifelong interests in Pennsylvania’s colonial history and archaeology. The Northumberland writer has published 15 nonfiction books about Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries. His most recent book, “Border War,” is the seventh volume in his ongoing Revolutionary Pennsylvania Series. It is available in bookstores and online at the Sunbury Press Bookstore. Over the years John has participated in archaeological excavations of Native American sites along the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. A professional storyteller, he specializes in telling historically-accurate stories about real people and actual events in Pennsylvania history. These include the true story of Frances Slocum, a 5-year-old girl who lived as a Native American after being kidnapped by Indians during the American Revolution. Frances Slocum State Park near Wilkes-Barre was named for her.
By John L. Moore
Did Gen. George Washington use information provided by a spy named John Honeyman to plan his December 1776 attack on Trenton, New Jersey?
Historians and writers continue to discuss—and disagree about–the role that the New Jerseyan played in helping Washington plan the Battle of Trenton, one of the great American victories of the Revolutionary War.
Surprisingly, even the CIA has weighed in.
On Christmas night, Washington led the Continental Army across the icy Delaware River from their camp in eastern Pennsylvania into New Jersey. He and his men then marched all night in freezing, snowy weather. In the morning, they defeated
the Hessians and captured Trenton.
Nearly a century after the battle and more than 50 years after Honeyman's death in 1822, his grandson, John Van Dyke, published a lengthy narrative that placed his grandfather, a middle-aged man of 47 in 1776, front and center in the story of the Battle of Trenton. Van Dyke said he based his writing on a highly detailed family tradition.
In his 1898 book, “The Battles of Trenton and Princeton,” 19thcentury historian William S. Stryker accepted Van Dyke's telling of the Honeyman story at face value.
“It is a well-established tradition that the most reliable account” Washington received of the Hessian positions at Trenton came
from “Washington's spy, John Honeyman of Griggstown, Somerset County,” Stryker asserted.
Honeyman's cover as a cattle buyer let him make frequent trips into Trenton where he gathered information about Hessian troop strengths and locations. According to Stryker, “having thoroughly informed himself as to the condition of the Hessian soldiery,” Honeyman arranged to be captured and taken to Washington's camp on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware.
Washington interrogated him personally, and Honeyman reported on all that he had seen and heard. “There appears to be no doubt that the information given by him (Honeyman) that winter night was the direct cause of the movement on Trenton three days afterward,” Stryker said.
A century later, another expert on the battle disagreed and omitted Honeyman from his book.
In 2004, Oxford University Press published “Washington's Crossing,” a definitive work by noted historian David Hackett Fischer. The author briefly mentions Honeyman, but only in an appendix and footnote in which Fischer reported that 18-century documents don't mention Honeyman.
According to Fischer, Honeyman's champions regard this lack of documentation as “proof that Honeyman was such a brilliant spy that no one could find evidence of his activities.”
“On
Christmas night, Washington led the Continental Army across the icy Delaware River from their
camp in eastern Pennsylvania into New Jersey. He and his men then marched all night in freezing, snowy weather. In the morning, they defeated the Hessians and captured Trenton.”
“His determined struggle to avoid capture might have been prompted not by a desire to keep intact his cover as a wellknown Tory but by the fact that he actually was a well-known Tory,” Rose contends. “He knew the penalty for collaboration.”
Rose rejects the notion that Washington had sent Honeyman into Trenton to spy on the Hessians in mid-December.
“Washington’s was a makeshift scheme, not a strategy plotted with grandmasterly skill and executed thanks to Honeyman’s predetermined mission to mislead (Col. Johann) Rall,” the Hessian commander, Rose said.
The thrust of Rose's message: “John Honeyman was no spy.… Key parts of his story were invented…and through repetition have become accepted truth.”
Rose's 2008 article appears on the CIA website in a section for the Center for the Study of Intelligence, which the agency said “serves as a producer and repository of unclassified articles, publications, and scholarship.”
Rose and other Honeyman detractors—there are a good many of them–often point out that no one has ever turned up any written records from the time of the American Revolution that document his exploits. For that matter, Honeyman didn't enter the national consciousness until his grandson's 1873 article about him.
Ken Daigler, a retired CIA operations officer, takes issue with historians who insist that a narrative is credible only if contemporary evidence supports it.
“Given Washington’s strong sense of operational security to protect his sources and methods, the lack of official documentation is not surprising,” Daigler says.
Daigler expressed his perspective in a 2019 issue of “Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies,” a publication of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers.
Fischer acknowledges that the Honeyman story “might possibly be true, but in the judgment of this historian, the legend is unsupported by evidence. No use of it is made here.”
Here's where the CIA comes in. In a lengthy article posted on the “CIA.gov” website, author Alexander Rose argues that Honeyman had a strong motive to elude the American scouts that caught him.
He notes that Rose declares “John Honeyman was no spy,” and bases his opinion on “the lack of any supporting documentation. Yet an experienced intelligence officer is likely to put more faith in the story, even without full documentation, than someone outside the profession.”
Daigler contends, “Honeyman’s story is representative of Washington’s capabilities and previous actions to leverage intelligence to achieve a military success. Thus, Honeyman’s story deserves to be told.”
By John L. Moore
If his grandson’s 1873 narrative gives an accurate account of John Honeyman’s life, the New Jerseyan had dealings with two generals who hold important places in American history.
The first was Gen. James Wolfe, a British general who defeated the French at Quebec in a September 1759 battle that led to the British conquest of Canada. At the time, Honeyman was a British soldier. This occurred during the French and Indian War.
The second was Gen. George Washington. John Van Dyke, Honeyman’s grandson, said that with Washington’s permission, his grandfather spied for the Continental Army and provided Washington with information that was essential to Washington’s victory over the Hessians at Trenton in December 1776.
According to Van Dyke:
As Wolfe planned the attack on Quebec during the French war, he “made Honeyman one of his bodyguard, and a sort of member of his military family, and required him to remain at all times as near his person as possible.”
Honeyman was present when Wolfe was mortally wounded during the battle. “He saw his general fall and aided in bearing the dying chieftain from the field, ‘walking,’ as he often said, ‘most of the way in blood.’ “
After the war with the French, Honeyman lived for a time in Pennsylvania and then moved to New Jersey. When the American Revolution began, he sided with the Patriots.
Van Dyke said that his grandfather met Washington twice prior to the events of December 1776. The first was in Philadelphia in 1775 and the second was in November 1776 at Fort Lee in northern New Jersey, opposite Manhattan. Washington was beginning to retreat across New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
Washington and Honeyman conferred briefly–“long enough to adopt a plan of operation,” Van Dyke said. They agreed that Honey would “spy for the American cause in that part of New Jersey where he was most familiar.”
Acting as a cattle dealer, Honeyman “was to commence some trade with (the British and Hessians), and to furnish them cattle and horses when their armies came into the state ...
“As soon as he could learn anything with reasonable certainty, which was important for Washington to know, he was to venture, as if by accident, and while avowedly looking for cattle, so far beyond the (British) army lines as to be captured by the Americans, but not without a desperate effort to avoid it.”
Honeyman’s capture occurred along the Delaware less than two months later. He subsequently told the American commander all he had learned about the Hessians at Trenton.
The rest, as they say, is history. According to Van Dyke, information supplied by Honeyman helped Washington plan his December 1776 attack on Trenton, which resulted in a crucial American victory.
> John Honeyman may be among the British soldiers attending to General James Wolfe in this Benjamin West painting of the mortally-wounded Wolfe. Wolfe was the British general who defeated the French at Quebec in a September 1759 battle that led to the British conquest of Canada. At the time, Honeyman was a British soldier and a member of the general’s staff. Honeyman’s grandson said years later that his grandfather helped carry Wolfe, who had been shot three times, off the battlefield.
By John L. Moore
APennsylvania high school teacher has been attracting considerable media attention for climbing the tallest tree at the highest point in each of the state's 67 counties.
By late summer, Van Wagner, who teaches agriculture at Danville Area High School in Montour County, had completed climbs in 54 counties. The 48-year-old educator began his quest in January 2023.
On June 18, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding joined Wagner on a mountain called Blue Knob in Bedford County. At 3,146 feet above sea level, the knob is Pennsylvania's second highest mountain. It's located in Blue Knob State Park.
As news cameras rolled, Wagner and Redding climbed a red oak growing on the highest part of Blue Knob.
On Feb. 26, Wagner was alone when he visited Monroe County. He stopped at Tobyhanna State Park, and climbed the highest tree in the county. He said the snow pack was eight inches thick when he hiked “up a rocky hillside with boulders covered in lichens.”
After reaching the top, at an elevation of 2,215 feet, “I shot my rope into a large red maple and made my climb.”
Wagner recorded the feat on a video camera, which he later posted on YouTube at: https://youtube/JsD31H5dU2o.
Why is Wagner doing this? “I’m a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculturists and certified forester with the Society of American Foresters,” he says, adding, “If I can get people talking about trees and forests, I am happy.”
There's more: “As a forester I want to see more forestry awareness in the public. Our forests are the source of tens of billions of dollars in economic activity in Pennsylvania. They provide spiritual and recreational value as well.”
As of today, how many of Pennsylvania's tallest trees has Wagner climbed? To find out, do a Google search for “Van Wagner Highest Climbs”.
Courtesy of Brand Point
Drivers have never been more charged up about electric vehicles, but there's an important factor many don't know about - choosing the right tires for EVs.
Electric vehicle sales in the United States doubled in 2023, according to J.D. Power. As a growing number of drivers enter the EV market, those consumers should also know that EVs come with unique challenges where the rubber meets the road.
Electric vehicles need tires that will help keep noise levels low. And their heavier weights and quick acceleration require tires that can withstand larger loads and more intense torque - all while delivering an efficient driving experience that gets the most out of each charge.
Global tiremaker Nokian Tyres has been testing tires on electric vehicles for more than a decade, and every tire they make comes with an Electric Fit marking that certifies it's a seamless fit for EVs. As a leader in EV tire innovation, the company says drivers should look for the following four factors when choosing
replacement tires that will help them get the most out of their EVs.
Electric vehicles are as much as 30% heavier than their internal combustion engine counterparts, according to The University of Tennessee's Center for Transportation Research. Their heavy battery packs mean tires have to be sturdier.
The added weight can cause the wrong tires to stop too slowly, wear too quickly and struggle on challenging surfaces, such as rain or wintry precipitation. Tiremakers seek to account for the heavier load by constructing tires with heavier-duty materials and formulating rubber compounds to be more responsive to the road.
While EVs are making a lot of noise in the automotive market, their engines are virtually silent. The main sound drivers notice in the cabin is the noise of tires touching the road. Tire manufacturers seek to mitigate noise frequencies by using tread patterns, rubber compounds and materials that dampen sound waves.
Nokian Tyres inserts acoustic foam into its dedicated EV winter products, the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta 10 EV and R5 EV. Other tiremakers are making similar strides to cut down on cabin noise and deliver a peaceful driving experience that matches the smooth and silent nature of EVs.
Electric vehicles are powerful - Car and Driver reports that many can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in fewer than five seconds. That extra torque presents an extra challenge to tires, since rapid changes in speed can cause them to wear more quickly.
Drivers should pursue tires that can withstand that torque and deliver grip that maximizes their vehicles' acceleration power. The key: tread patterns and rubber compounds that balance durability and responsiveness.
“As a growing number of drivers enter the EV market, those consumers should also know that EVs come with unique challenges where the rubber meets the road.”
Range anxiety is real. Numerous studies indicate that uncertain or low driving range per charge is one of the biggest barriers to entry for drivers who choose not to purchase an EV. Tires help deliver more efficient, predictable range per charge. The key: lowering rolling resistance, which is the amount of energy required to propel a vehicle along the road at a constant speed.
How do tiremakers lower the rolling resistance of their tires?
Design plays a big role. According to Nokian Tyres, a tire's sidewall construction, tread pattern and rubber compound play a role in reducing rolling resistance. More than 90% of Nokian Tyres' products rank in the lowest categories of rolling resistance because the tire manufacturer prioritizes energy efficiency.
There's little point in buying electric vehicles without also seeking tires designed to unlock their benefits. Nokian Tyres recommends tires that are tailored to handle EVs' weight, noise levels, torque and range requirements. The result: a supercharged driving experience.
For more recommendations about EV tires, visit NokianTires. com/EVs.
By Roseanne Bottone
My mother told me, when she was a little girl in the 1930s, that she received a single orange and pair of socks in her Christmas stocking. Both were cherished items in the days when people darned socks with holes in them, and fresh fruit during the New York City winter was a treat. On Christmas mornings, my brothers and I found our stockings stuffed with yo-yos, Gumbys and Pokeys, Silly Putty, toothbrushes, hair combs, candy canes, pick up sticks, and jacks. We’d spend hours lifting colored drawings from the Sunday funnies with our Silly Putty. You must be of a “certain age” to have nostalgia for this activity!
Over the years, what used to be fun little stocking stuffers have morphed into much more expensive items like jewelry, air buds, gift cards, and trendy perfume and cologne. Is it a sign of more prosperous times or of evolving (and dare I say, unrealistic) expectations? Has gift giving, in general, gotten a bit out of hand?
“Over the years, what used to be fun little stocking stuffers have morphed into much more expensive items like jewelry, air buds, gift cards, and trendy perfume and cologne.”
As a young person, I swore up and down that, when I grew up, I would never say, “When I was your age…I walked five miles in the snow to and from school, uphill both ways!” I’m breaking the promise I made to myself right here as I recall how different gift giving and receiving were during my childhood in the ‘60s and ‘70s compared to today.
I grew up on Long Island where the school year started the first Tuesday after Labor Day. In August, my brothers and I ordered new school clothes from the Sears catalog – just a few items to add to what we already had in our closets and dresser drawers. About three weeks later, we jumped for joy when the mailman delivered our box to the front doorstep. For my middle-class family – dad was a fireman and mom a secretary in the local school district – nothing was “designer.” We stuck to the essentials – except for the time mom let me buy the white go-go booties I coveted! (Look how that stands out as a happy memory all these years later!)
Birthdays were modest. As tikes, a few of our closest friends would join us for pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and musical chairs, followed by cake and ice cream. When we were older, my family’s ritual was for the birthday person to request his or her favorite dinner and birthday cake. Mom would hang a “Happy Birthday” banner and tie a few balloons to the dining room chairs. We were presented with a single gift from the family. Since receiving gifts was so occasional, it was exciting to look forward to that annual surprise!
“Santa selected gifts that he and Mrs. Claus thought we needed — perhaps a new winter jacket, and a few toys or sports equipment.”
As Christmas approached, my parents would ask us what we hoped the elves in the north pole toy shop were making for us. We had fun jotting short wish lists, but we did not “place orders” (by any means). Our lists did not include purchasing info or (as of then, non-existent) website addresses and links. Santa selected gifts that he and Mrs. Claus thought we needed – perhaps a new winter jacket, and a few toys or sports equipment. My brothers and I each opened five or six gifts. (Does anyone remember “Chatty Cathy” – a doll that talked when you pulled a string in her back? Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots? Lincoln Logs? Wardrobe carrying cases for Barbie’s clothes?) We didn’t receive $1,200 i-phones and gaming systems – or whatever would have been
the indulgent equivalent of the day. The gifts were reasonably priced, simple, and, by bedtime on Christmas eve, wildly anticipated by us children nestled all snug in our beds.
It was so exciting to choose my white patent leather shoes, new dress, and Easter bonnet each spring. Now, we live in an age where we order anything we want all year long and, a few hours later we get a text saying it’s ready for pick up at the store. We’re on a first name basis with our FedEx and UPS drivers. Can you imagine the calisthenics we’d get in now if we jumped for joy every time an Amazon box is left at our doorstep? We’d never have to go to the gym. Yes, it’s convenient. But it’s not magical.
I’m looking for ways to bring back a little bit of the magic for Christmas I felt as a child. My plan is a simple one. My family and I are going to have a tree decorating party with hot chocolate and marshmallows, but no presents will be displayed under the tree until Christmas morning. We will track Santa and his reindeer traveling across the globe so we can anticipate the Sleigh landing. (Check out the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s website at https://www.noradsanta.org/en/ to follow them).
I’ve planned an “opening ceremony” for our festivities. We will sing “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Each of us will have our part on an index card. When our number comes around, the rule is to stand up and ham it up in a big way! I’ve invented a competitive card game for us to play to “win” our stocking stuffers. No “bah hum bug” here! Quite the contrary; I want to avoid the stress of excess gift-giving (and the resultant post-holiday debt) by focusing on eating, playing and laughing together. Many years from now, my grandchildren won’t remember even one gift they unwrapped in 2024, but they will remember grandma’s goofy, over-the-top, operatic “fiiiiive goooolden rings”!
Roseanne Bottone is a regulatory compliance training instructor, former Peace Corps Volunteer, cancer survivor, grandmother, MBA, and freelance writer. She travels the country teaching business people about environmental and transportation safety regulations, and is a newspaper columnist. She’s a homeowner in East Stroudsburg and lives with her daughter, grandchildren, two cats and a Rottweiler.
By Tanni Haas, Ph.D.
The start of the new year is a traditional time for making important pledges to ourselves and loved ones. Whether the goal is to focus more on your health or to spend more quality-time with family and friends, the reality is that it can be hard to keep all those great New Year’s resolutions. Nevertheless, experts have identified a number of things you can do to increase the likelihood that you’ll end up fulfilling your promises.
The first and most important thing is to plan ahead. Instead of telling yourself that everything will be different somehow when January 1 rolls around, make a detailed plan for how you intend to achieve your goals. “Set yourself up for success by getting prepared first,” says Amy Morin, a clinical social worker and psychotherapist. This includes deciding “what steps you’ll need to take to stick to your change.” Donald Edmonson, a professor of personality psychology, puts it even more pointedly: “Change doesn’t come about because people want it. It comes about because they plan it.”
Make sure that your goals are both “concrete” and “realistic,” says Shari Lindquist, a marriage and family therapist. You’re much more likely to experience genuine change if you set yourself the goal of, say, going to the gym four times a week than if you promise yourself to either exercise more often (not concrete) or to do it every day of the week (not realistic).
“It’s better to slowly build momentum towards your ultimate goal than try to jump in with both feet first.”
It’s better to slowly build momentum towards your ultimate goal than try to jump in with both feet first. “Gradual, incremental changes are more sustainable and less overwhelming,” says Dr. Dean Sherzai, a neurologist, “than abrupt, drastic alterations.” Instead of forcing yourself to go to the gym every second day come January 1, you may want to start with one or two day(s) a
week and slowly build up your stamina. As Dr. Donald LloydJones, a cardiologist, puts it: “Do what’s achievable and get to that plateau and then shoot for a higher plateau.”
If possible, says Dr. Sherzai, “divide your larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks.” If your larger goal is to take up a new hobby, say to play tennis once a week, break down that goal into smaller tasks like researching which tennis courts are available in your local area, buying the necessary equipment, and dedicating a specific time each week to play.
Frame your goals in positive ways; stay away from negative terms. Says clinical psychologist Per Carlbring, “if your goal is to stop eating sweets in order to lose weight, you’ll most likely be more successful if you say ‘I’ll eat fruit several times a day’ instead. You then replace sweets with something healthier, which probably means you’ll lose weight and also keep your resolution.” Simply put: tell yourself what you want to “achieve” rather than “avoid.” Ideally, of course, you should
also enjoy the activity you’re committing to. If you don’t enjoy eating fruits, chances are that you’re not going to stick to the plan. “It’s enjoyment that determines whether or not [you’ll] be successful,” says Jim Richter, a mental health counselor.
You’re also more likely to attain and sustain your goals over time if you incorporate new behaviors into your daily routines. As Dr. Sherzai puts it, “it’s about creating manageable routines that can be eased into our lives in such a way that they naturally become habits, in spite of life’s hurdles.” You’re more likely to eat healthier foods if you create a weekly meal plan and exercise more often, if you set aside a specific time every day for it. Routines are great, says Jim Davies, a professor of cognitive science, because they eliminate the need to constantly make “good decisions” - you’re simply following the routine.
“You’re also more likely to attain and sustain your goals over time if you incorporate new behaviors into your daily routines.”
One way to incorporate sustainable routines is to follow what Chris Armitage, a professor of health psychology, calls the “if-then approach” – an approach that’s “structured to take advantage of how habits are formed to change behavior.” If your goal is to run half a mile on Monday mornings, then commit yourself to setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier to give yourself the time to run. More generally, says professor Armitage, “identify the situations related to your cue to find your ‘ifs’ and link them with appropriate responses to make your ‘then.’”
Finally, rely on loved ones for support. The same way it takes a village to raise a child, you need supportive people to help you stick to your goals. As professor of sociology Deborah Carr says: “People really need the support and encouragement of others to set themselves up for success.” If possible, pair up with someone who has resolutions of their own and support one another. Your “accountability body,” says clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Athey-Lloyd, “doesn’t even need to be working on the same resolution as you are …. The most important thing is that you share your resolutions with one another and check back in with each other at planned intervals.”
By Tanni Haas, Ph.D.
Despite the best of intentions, most New Year’s resolutions have a relatively short life span: approximately 80% of them are abandoned by early February. It doesn’t have to be this way. Experts have identified various reasons why resolutions so often fail and, by implication, come up with steps you can take to avoid that from happening.
Many New Year’s resolutions fail because of a basic lack of planning. “Deciding on a resolution is just the first step,” says Dr. Dean Sherzai, a neurologist. “Creating a detailed plan to achieve it is equally important, if not more so. Many of us fail to establish a clear roadmap or prepare for potential obstacles along the way.” Before January 1 rolls around, create a comprehensive plan for how you envision achieving your goals, including breaking them down into smaller tasks and anticipating how to overcome obstacles you might encounter.
“New Year’s resolutions can easily fail if they’re too vague,” says Dr. Laura Athey-Lloyd, a clinical psychologist. Instead of telling yourself that you’ll try to exercise more or eat more
healthy foods in the coming year, commit to specific goals like going to the gym four times a week, or eating at least one serving of fruits or vegetables every day for dinner. Your goals should be both concrete and realistic so that you can track progress, stay motivated, and hold yourself accountable for any progress or lack thereof.
“Creating a detailed plan to achieve it is equally important, if not more so. Many of us fail to establish a clear roadmap or prepare for potential obstacles along the way.”
Your goals should be concrete and realistic, but not so strict that you end up considering any deviations as failures. This could lead you to abandon them altogether. The problem with overtly strict goals, says Michelle Turk, a marriage and family therapist,
is that “it can lead to feelings of inadequacy, which can harm self-esteem and lead to self-criticism.” She suggests that, instead of thinking of goals as “strict targets” that absolutely much be met, think of them as “guidelines toward leading a more balanced life.”
Sometimes, the problem isn’t that the goals are too vague or too strict; it’s rather that they’re too big to realistically accomplish. “Where we go wrong with New Year’s resolutions,” says clinical psychologist Terri Bly, “is there’s this idea that it’s supposed to be some big, sweeping change, because that sounds kind of sexy [but] as humans we’re not wired to make big, sweeping changes.” Dr. Riva Rahl, a preventive medicine physician, agrees: “Don’t set the bar so high that you’re not going to do it. Find what you can reasonably do to maintain and sustain.”
If going to the gym four days a week proves to be too much, then cut down to one or two day(s) a week and only increase the number of days if you can handle it.
“Sometimes, the problem isn’t that the goals are too vague or too strict; it’s rather that they’re too big to realistically accomplish.”
New Year’s resolutions can be inspiring, but keep in mind, Dr. Sherzai advises, that “resolutions often call for a significant amount of willpower and self-discipline …. Not readying
ourselves for the challenges and temptations that threaten to knock us off course can lead to setbacks and ultimately push us to abandon our resolutions completely.” Before you commit to any particular goal, think carefully about whether you have, and are willing to do, what it takes to accomplish it. If you can only make it to the gym in the morning before you go to work, ask yourself whether you’re willing and able to get up an hour or more earlier.
New Year’s resolutions often fail because people expect to see too much improvement too soon. “Don’t expect miracles,” says Kathryn Smerling, a family therapist. “Big changes are made with small steps.” Be patient with yourself and don’t expect immediate results, like significant weight loss as a result of going to the gym one or more days a week. Instead, be happy about the fact that you’re probably feeling much healthier.
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE THE MOUNTAINS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
Celebrate the holidays surrounded by great company and even better cuisine in the Pocono Mountains. From romantic dinners by candlelight to farm-to-table experiences, our local chefs are serving up something for every palate. Visit PoconoMountains.com to see all of our mouth-watering dining options and make your reservation.
Many New Year’s resolutions fail, Dr. Sherzai says, because people don’t reflect on their “underlying habits, behaviors, and outlooks on life” before they make any commitments. It can be difficult to save money on routine expenses if you habitually pay all your bills with a credit card and don’t get to tally up, in real time, how much you’re spending. If you make it a habit to withdraw a certain amount of money for routine expenses every week or month, chances are that you’ll be better able to achieve significant savings.
A common mistake many people make is to commit to activities that they don’t really enjoy. If your goal is to get healthier by becoming more physically active, remind yourself that there are many possible ways to that goal. “The mistake is planning to run when you hate running,” as Dr. Ayelet Fishbach, a professor of behavioral science, puts it. Instead, she suggests, ask yourself “what’s the thing that’s going to really click with you? Maybe it’s playing tennis. Maybe it’s playing basketball …. It’s the journey that’s to be rewarding.”
New Year’s resolutions often fail because people try to go the distance on their own instead of turning to or creating a support system of family and friends. “Without support systems and a shared sense of responsibility,” Dr. Sherzai says, “it’s easy for us to lose motivation and commitment to our resolutions.” Tell one or more of friends or family members what you’re trying to accomplish as that will motivate and keep you accountable to both yourself and others. If one of them is also committed to their own resolutions, support each other, whether your goals are the same or different.
Finally, keep trying. Don’t give up too quickly and easily or, as clinical psychologist Kristen Carpenter puts it, “view a lapse as the end of a resolution - as many people are apt to do.” Instead, says Dr. Ahmad Garrett-Price, a family physician, understand that “there’ll be peaks and valleys in the journey …. The biggest thing is to stay encouraged and keep moving forward every day.”
By Carol Hillestad - For Pocono Heritage Land Trust
e humans love to belong — to families, clans, societies, friend groups, clubs and congregations of all kinds.
Some of us also long for another kind of connection: a connection with the natural world, with its rhythms and peace, its forests and wetlands and wildlife, its profound beauty.
A few of us are able to live this way. Not just famous thinkers like Thoreau at Walden, but also folks right here in our neck of the Pocono woods. Marsha Hallett’s mother was one.
Jean Dietz was a college professor, the kind of teacher students remember for a lifetime and sometimes call to say “you changed my life.” She commuted to the city campus for decades, but
lived in rural Barrett Township, Pennsylvania — in a simple, uninsulated cabin, on the marshy edges of a fen.
The land Marsha Hallett has preserved was once part of the early resort industry in Barrett Township. In the mid-1800s, her great-great-grandfather Henry Price established Price’s Mountain House — which included an inn, cabins like the one Marsha’s mother lived in (which is being restored), and fully equipped tents for camping. The new railroad brought tourists by the thousands to the Poconos, seeking clean air, pure water, and unspoiled nature.
“Our family has been here for generations, and this land was my mother’s true home. She loved it,” Hallett said. “So do I, and so do my children. Preserving it took time. But thanks to the land trust, now I know all this beauty and wildlife is protected. Permanently protected.”
In 2023, working with Pocono Heritage Land Trust, Hallett placed a conservation easement on 29 acres of water and marsh, pine and spruce, conserving this unique habitat — including part of the fen. The property protects the water of Mill Creek.
“Preserving it took time. But thanks to the land trust, now I know all this beauty and wildlife is protected. Permanently protected.” -
Marsha Hallet
Keeping the land in its natural state and undeveloped keeps water safe and plentiful for every nearby landowner, as well as trout, eagles, waterbirds, the forest itself and every living thing — all the way downstream to Brodhead Creek and beyond.
The land Hallett loves is a place where the chattering mind settles, the breath slows, and nature takes over. It still belongs to her. Yet in a very real way, she has kept it safe for her mother, generations of her family — and all of us who care about the natural world.
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Fens are a kind of wetland, formed over thousands of years. A fen hosts diverse and often rare plants and animals while capturing and storing carbon, providing natural climate protection.
Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements that permanently protect the conservation values of a property by limiting how the land may be used, in perpetuity. Each conservation easement is unique, tailored to the wishes and needs of the property owner. Pocono Heritage Land Trust has worked with landowners throughout the Poconos and today protects more than 5,000 acres in our area.
Pocono Heritage Land Trust (PHLT) is dedicated to the conservation of important lands and waters — including open space, agricultural landscapes, and natural areas in the Poconos. The beauty and diversity of the Pocono landscape have drawn people to this region for well over a century. Today, more than ever before, long-term protection of precious natural areas depends in part on the actions of concerned private landowners. Preserving our natural legacy and ensuring that your land is protected in its natural state can bring many benefits. Perhaps the most gratifying is the knowledge that present and future generations will cherish the natural areas your actions made possible.
For information: phlt.org or 570-424-1514.
Preserving the Poconos Since 1984
Courtesy of StatePoint
Adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to your property can increase the value of your home, become a source of rental income, or help you expand your living space for your adult children or parents.
If you don’t know what an ADU is, you’re in good company. A 2023 Freddie Mac survey found that 71% of respondents were unfamiliar with the concept. ADUs are often known as in-law apartments, granny flats, carriage houses or secondary suites. According to Freddie Mac, here’s why investing in adding an ADU may be worth it:
An ADU is a smaller, independent residential structure built on the same lot as a single-family home. To qualify as an ADU, the additional living area needs to include a kitchen, bathroom and separate entrance. Common examples include a dwelling over a detached or attached garage, a suite above the main floor of the home, a basement apartment, or a detached structure such as a guesthouse or backyard cottage.
Building an ADU on your property may contribute to the supply of affordable housing in your area, but it also has
a wealth of benefits for you, the homeowner. It can boost the value of your home by as much as 35%, and become a potential source of extra income if you rent your ADU to a tenant. An ADU can also make for a great home office, guest house or workshop, or be a good solution if your adult children are returning to live with you, or you are the caretaker to aging or disabled relatives.
Before adding an ADU to your home, you will need to learn about the zoning codes that apply to your property. Ordinances and policies vary by location and change frequently. Make sure you understand any federal, state or local laws involved with renting your ADU. Discussing this with an attorney is one option. To find your zoning code, check your local government’s website or reach out to your local zoning or building code office.
“An accessory dwelling unit to your property can increase the value of your home, become a source of rental income, or help you expand your living space for your adult children or parents.”
You should create a construction budget and consider how you will pay for a new ADU or renovations to an existing ADU. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to pay the expenses upfront. There are loans designed to help you pay for improvements to your home. For example, Freddie Mac CHOICERenovation is a financing solution that can provide you with funding to add an ADU on your property. Speak with your lender about the financing options available to you and which may best suit your needs.
To learn more about home equity and renovating your home, visit My Home by Freddie Mac.
Whether you’re looking for a way to increase your property value or create a living space for a loved one, adding an ADU can be a rewarding investment. While navigating zoning laws, renovation budgets and landlord responsibilities may seem daunting, there are many resources available to guide you through the process.
By Kimberly Blaker
As most dog owners will attest, dogs do feel a range of emotions. They may not experience sadness quite the same as humans because dogs lack self-consciousness. But they can experience anxiety and depression, says Dr. Carlo Siracusa at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, in "Do Dogs Feel Sadness?" by Kate Hughes.
The development of dogs' emotions is equivalent to that of a two or two-and-a-half-year-old child, according to researchers, including Evan MacLean, the University of Arizona's director of the Canine Congnition Center. So the sadness they experience is less complex than that in human adults. For example, human adults can feel sad or depressed as a result of ruminating about their failures, imperfections, or something they did or didn't do. Since dogs, like very young children, lack self-consciousness, they don't experience this type of sadness. Nonetheless, dogs can experience sadness or get depressed for a variety of other reasons.
Because dogs are social animals, receiving a lack of attention, or being left alone for long periods can affect their mental health. When dogs are confined to a crate or bathroom for extended hours, it can lead to depression. So allow your dog to spend as much time with family as possible.
Similarly, a lack of exercise can also cause depression. This can be particularly problematic for pets that are crated or confined to small areas for many hours at a time. While crate training for puppies is beneficial for housebreaking, they should never be crated for more than 4 hours at a time without an extended break.
Once your puppy is housebroken, a crate can provide a cozy spot for your dog with the crate left open. But dogs need companionship, exercise, and stimulation, which they cannot experience in a crate. So as your dog grows, limit confinement and when it is necessary, preferably to a larger room.
Also, find out how much and what types of exercise are appropriate for your dog's breed and age, and make sure your dog regularly gets the exercise it needs.
Another cause of depression in dogs is when a family member is depressed. Recent studies have found dogs recognize human emotions. In May 2012, a study was published in the Animal Cognition journal. The study found dogs responded more strongly when people were crying as opposed to talking or humming. In this case, the best remedy may be to get treatment for yourself or the depressed family member, which should alleviate your dog's sadness.
Dogs also experience depression when they lose a family member, whether it's another pet or human companion. Sometimes dogs improve if a new pet is introduced, but not always. When a dog loses its owner, this can be particularly devastating.
An interesting 2013 study was reported by CBS News online, in "Study: Dogs bond with owners similar to babies with parents."
“Like babies, dogs are more likely to interact with things and other people when they feel the secure presence of their caregivers.”
Researchers observed that the "secure base effect" phenomenon that's experienced by babies also occurs in dogs. Like babies, dogs are more likely to interact with things and other people when they feel the secure presence of their caregivers. If your dog has lost a beloved family member or caregiver, those closest to your dog should intervene and give it extra love and attention.
Another cause of depression in dogs is punishment. Animal behaviorists say when dogs are repeatedly punished with shock collars or other physical means, dogs come to feel helpless. Not only can it cause aggression in dogs, but it can also cause dogs to withdraw. The best method for training dogs is with rewards for positive behavior. This is not only better for their emotional health, but it's also more effective.
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Finally, certain medical conditions, such as thyroid problems can cause depression. If your dog is depressed, and especially if there's no apparent reason for it, have your dog checked out by your veterinarian.
“Dogs are prescribed many of the same antidepressants as humans. But always talk with your veterinarian before giving one to your dog.”
The most common symptoms of dog depression are similar to those in humans. They include:
• sleeping more than usual
• withdrawal or hiding
• loss of interest in food
• loss of interest in things it previously enjoyed, or inactivity
• excessive licking, particularly of their paws
• self-mutilation (in more severe cases, often related to separation) anxiety
First, if you suspect any of the reasons above is causing your dog's depression, try to remedy the situation that's causing it. This will often resolve your dog's sadness. But if your dog doesn't improve, an antidepressant can help, particularly in anxious dogs. Dogs are prescribed many of the same antidepressants as humans. But always talk with your veterinarian before giving one to your dog.
Kimberly Blaker is a freelance family writer. She’s also founder and director of KB Creative Digital Services, an internet marketing agency, at kbcreativedigital.com
He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.
"Is There a Santa Claus?" reprinted from the September 21, 1897, number of The New York Sun.
In 1897, Dr. Philip O'Hanlon, a coroner's assistant on Manhattan's Upper West Side, was asked by his then eight-yearold daughter, Virginia O'Hanlon (1889–1971), whether Santa Claus really existed. O'Hanlon suggested she write to The Sun, a prominent New York City newspaper at the time, assuring her that "If you see it in The Sun, it's so."[3] In so doing, Dr. O'Hanlon had unwittingly given one of the paper's editors, Francis Pharcellus Church, an opportunity to rise above the simple question and address the philosophical issues behind it.
Church was a war correspondent during the American Civil War, a time that saw great suffering and a corresponding lack of hope and faith in much of society. Although the paper ran the editorial in the seventh place on the page, below even one on the newly invented "chainless bicycle", it was both noticed and well received by readers. According to an anecdote on the radio program The Rest of the Story, Church was a hardened cynic and an atheist who had little patience for superstitious beliefs, did not want to write the editorial, and refused to allow his name to be attached to the piece. [4] More than a century later it is the most reprinted editorial in any newspaper in the English language.[1][2]
Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon
115 West Ninety Fifth Street
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or
children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.
We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
