Drag Irene's prunings to Spring Grove

While Vermonters are digging out from Irene's deluge of rain, most of York and the rest of the east were relieved to have Irene slide past with just a slap, not a punch.


Just the same, Irene pruned plenty of trees, uprooted a few more, leaving York Countians with a truck load of branches, leaves and sticks. If you live in York, you only have to keep yard waste until Saturday, since it's the first Saturday of the month, and that's the only time Yorkers can dump massive amounts of yard waste at the city site. Imagine if Irene happened this week-- you'd be stuck with piles of shrubbery until next month. Lovely.

And people wonder why they find piles of limbs and leaves dumped along the creek. Clean your yard, show you care for your neighborhood, and keep a pile around for a month. Something just isn't right. Of course, Yorkers can fill their yellow recycle cans once a week for collection, but that still might leave a pile the size of a small car.

Here's another idea-- fill your pickup or trailer as many times as you want and trek to Spring Grove's H & H Excavating and Construction. From sunset to sunrise, seven days a week, you can dump your yard waste (not grass clippings!) and watch the pile turn into mulch. Don't try to dump anything else there-- surveillance cameras are watching. You're rid of your unsightly pile of sticks, and H & H makes their pile a bit higher.

Everyone wins.

Hurricane Agnes, Irene and disaster somewhere else

      This weekend's Hurricane Irene killed at least 21 people in eight states. That number was relatively low, emergency personnel say, because officials from South Carolina to Vermont preached about the storm's danger all week. People apparently listened and got out of town. On Sunday, Route 30 was loaded with cars heading back home to New Jersey, Delaware and New York-- even more, it seemed, than normal tourist traffic.

This house  floated 5 blocks. 1972 Rapid City, SD.   USBS

      Throughout the northeast, people remember Hurricane Agnes, a 1972 disaster of historic proportions which killed 48 Pennsylvanians, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Agnes formed in Mexico, crossed over the US southeast and stormed over New York City, like Irene. But unlike Irene, Agnes stalled over northern Pennsylvania and southern New York. She just stood there and churned for days, dumping rain. Much of it went into the Susquehanna River watershed, flooding Wilkes-Barre, Harrisburg, York and everything along the way. Before it dissipated, Agnes had killed 130 people in the U.S.  

     River dams were beyond capacity; Conowingo Dam has never seen another week like that. Some experts predicted a dam failure, which would have destroyed much of what was down river.

     Even people who weren't here yet (like me) or too young know about Agnes. Awful, amazing and deadly Agnes.

     But--  Just a week before, a flood and dam break killed 238 people --nearly double Agnes' total-- in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it's generally lost in history to Agnes. Agnes was the Big News then, crawling up from Mexico, looking for the bulls eye that was New York City. Like Agnes then, Irene was on everyone's mind this week; millions of people were glued to various media to get the  up-to-date path of the storm. An estimated 65 million people were affected by Irene; there wasn't much news aside from Irene. Big news = big population.

      On the other hand, Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, the home of Mount Rushmore. Only 100,000 people live in the entire county, about a quarter the population of York County.  Not big potatoes, in the overall scheme of things.

     We were on a Colorado vacation at the time, and heard about the Rapid City disaster. Being in the neighborhood-- west of the Mississippi River-- we raced to Rapid City to photograph the event. Now, the disaster had little interest in the small town of Dixon, Illinois, where we lived. Because of all the news about Agnes and heavily populated northeast, no one cared about South Dakota. I shot it anyway. 

The Chapel Lane bridge above Canyon Lake was washed out.

      My photos and negatives shot at Rapid City have disappeared long ago, but I remember the stories. One man said he was coming home from work when he was met by a ten-foot wall of water. About 15 inches of rain fell in the mountains above Rapid City, and when the water hit the Rapid Creek Dam, it broke and exploded into the city. The wave picked up the man's truck, floated it downstream and set it down, almost gently, he said. He remembered a bulldozer being tumbled down the road like a toy. Houses were picked up off their foundations and set down again blocks away.
     Of course, those were the happy endings. We also remember piles and piles of rubble that were once homes. Rescue and recovery crews pulling bodies out of piles of debris. The wailing of orphaned and injured children and lonely parents. All were gone-- babies, adults, pets, homes, businesses and schools. The odors of diesel engines working, the musty smell of laying water. Five people were never found.  Three firefighters and three National Guardsmen died at work.

     The final tally told a horrific story, beyond the deaths. About 1300 homes were destroyed, and another 2,800 were damaged. Five thousand vehicles were destroyed. Remember, the town of Rapid City is just a bit larger than York.

     It was an unusual way-- macabre?-- to spend vacation, but a memorable one, nonetheless.  Irene was the big news this week because of the millions of people it affected.

     How do you think Irene would have been reported if it targeted Kansas or Wyoming?


     Both photos from http://sd.water.usgs.gov/projects/1972flood/photos.html

A calm man before the storm

Hurricane Irene might be taking aim at the eastern seaboard, and York County might have a bulls-eye on it, but it didn't stop Bob Stoner from a quiet afternoon  of catfish hunting on Susquehanna River at Wrightsville.

Irene's path changes often, it seems, and forecasters still aren't sure if York will get high winds and heavy rain or just a glancing blow of both. Either way, Stoner is making use of the time left here in York. Next month, he's headed to Florida to spend the winter.

Not an earthquake, more of a sway

Yorkers felt something--swaying, shaking, rather indescribable moving-- but nothing big here from the earthquake further south in Virginia.

Fewer days in the pool

As summer comes to an end, temperatures start to fall and those miserably hot days are behind us, making for shorter dips in the pool -- or maybe not at all. 

These photos were taken with an Olympus Tough camera in a Lancaster County residential pool.

Civil War museum at Penn Park

LAUREN WHETZEL -- The York Dispatch

Twelve-year-old Scott Cover learned about the Civil War in his sixth-grade history class last year.
But he said having the opportunity to tour an interactive traveling Civil War museum at Penn Park in York City Sunday afternoon was way more interesting than sitting in a traditional classroom setting.
Cover and his mother spent about an hour Sunday exploring the Pennsylvania Civil War Road Show, a 53-foot trailer that housed Civil War replicas that people were able to touch and handle.
The museum was divided into several sections and each area focused on different aspects of the the war. including the homefront, children's lives during the war and the state's war commemoration activities in the years since the war, said Joan Mummert, president and chief executive officer of York County Historical Trust.
The traveling museum is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Civil War 150 group, a statewide partnership of history organizations, which is traveling to each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties over the next four years.
More than 1,600 people visited the free museum between Friday and Sunday to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, said Mummert.

Plenty of lightning, but no rain

It was indeed, a dark and storm night... Photo taken with about a three to five minute exposure from near my home in York. From the top of the hill near Smith Middle School, down Belvidere Avenue, the photo shows the massive numbers of lightning bolts that lit up Thursday night into Friday morning after work.

The storm's rain apparently went south of us, and the neighborhood stayed dry.

By the way, as the TV shows say, don't try this at home. Standing on top of a hill with a metal tripod during a lightning storm is something you'd tell your kids not to do.

How, exactly, does one celebrate Lazy Day?

August is the only month with no national holidays, but it has some rather obscure, ridiculous and offbeat holidays. We apparently missed Lefthanders Day (August 13). Relaxation Day (August 15) comes just after Lazy Day (August 10). Don't know how someone celebrates Lazy Day, but I'm truly sorry I missed it.  It's obvious that someone has entirely too much time on their hands.

To break that string of rather silly 'holidays', Friday is National Potato Day.  Hey, if it has to do with food and might include french fries, it's not silly. Because you might want to experiment with some new potato recipes, click here to find a long list.  Friday is also National Aviation Day, and strangely, I can't find a connection between the two. August is Romance Awareness Month and National Eye Exam Month-- maybe these two are connected.

This photo was taken in Canada's Prince Edward Island, a tiny island just a tad larger than our Rhode Island. The farmer pictured here stopped work to explain to me that PEI is the largest potato producer in Canada, thanks to its climate and bright red dirt. PEI grows more potatoes than Manitoba, which is just a little smaller than Texas. Yep, PEI is loaded with potato fields.

On some Canadian menus, you'll find poutine, a delicious mixture of fries, sauce and cheese. The classic Quebec poutine uses a very specific pepper sauce and fromage beaucronne (like a cheddar cheese curds). It's one of those tasty dishes that your heart and arteries could probably do without, like our french fries covered with gravy and melted cheese.

The top potato grower in the United States is Idaho, but China produces more potatoes than any other country in the world.  Surprised?

Chaz Powell at Penn State Media Day

It's Media Day at Penn State, and former Susquehannock High School star Chaz Powell has made it clear he wants a full time starting position.  And, he'll play offense, defense or special teams--whatever it takes to help the Nittany Lions win.

Summer picnic at Aldersgate UM Church

 About 325 came out for the church's summer picnic which, except for the balloon toss, was held inside because of predicted bad weather.

Whitewater on the Susquehanna River

Spent some of Saturday afternoon being escorted down the Susquehanna River from Bainbridge to Marietta by two members of the Lancaster Canoe Club, Sally Gajecki and Nancy Peterson.  Both are veterans of whitewater throughout the eastern US, and know their way around, over and through whitewater. Me? I can think of better ways to die.

Both of them were bored, I'm sure, with the little ripples along the way. But there was some urgency to the trip, since thunderstorms lurked behind us the whole way and we wanted to finish before they hit. Sally played in the water with her little kayak with Brunner Island's belching steam in the background. Nancy, who hadn't been in her whitewater canoe for a while, tried to scrape off some rust. Strong winds were whipping across the river, and Nancy's high, banana-shaped canoe that is so good for maneuvering in whitewater became a water toy and was pushed all over the river.

The two finished the quick trip with Sally keeping the nose of the canoe straight with a tow rope.

Looked rather comical to us rookies who didn't understand the problems Nancy's boat was having.

Where was I? Alongside, smiling at the scene and thankful that I barged through the ripples without drowning.

Herds of cats and dogs

Spent some of  Thursday afternoon trying to show the overabundance of cats and dogs at the York County SPCA. Maybe after visiting the vet and getting some rather bad news there about Sport, our 15-year cat, the SPCA is the last place I should have visited.

 Dozens of felines-- blonde, gray, black, white, calico and all combinations-- grabbed my attention as they posed and played with me, in hopes I'd take them home. There were some Maine coons, a fold (at least partly), long and short hair domestics. None were as beautiful as my Isabella, but few are.

 And dogs?  Good grief, there were dogs. Lots of pit bulls.  A couple of rottweilers, Australian shepherds, yappy but cute black Pomeranians, an American bulldog. And a shiba inu, at left, a cute medium-sized dog with a cute face and color of a fox--  and thick coat. Some of these dogs were expensive AKC dogs (the pit bulls were being sold for $100, all others for more than $500 at Lancaster Puppies), but they're a real bargain at the SPCA.

Downhill in the Ogo ball

Now, this ride down Ski Roundtop's tubing hill in an Ogo ball looks like a real kick. It's a giant semi-clear rubber ball, with another small ball inside.  Add a few gallons of water, up to three people, seal it up, and roll it down the hill. What a trip!   Came this close (imagine forefinger and thumb about an inch away) to taking some time to do it.  Kids and adults were lined up for the ride.

Prospect Hill updates flag memorial

From the York Dispatch--  Jack Sommer said his Prospect Hill Cemetery is glad to honor soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice but is sad such recognition has to be given at all.
.
During the ceremony, 150 flags were added to the miniature flag display
honoring U.S. soldiers who have died in Afghanistan. The display already has 1,531 flags.

Pa. soldiers: Twelve of the added flags honored soldiers from Pennsylvania. Those flags were added to a special section honoring the memories of Pennsylvania soldiers who have died. That section already has 271 flags.

Also, the cemetery's bell will be tolled 28 times in honor of the 28 soldiers who died in Iraq since April, when the flag memorial was re-established after winter. The Iraq War Flag Memorial was retired last year.

Fort Selkirk is a place of magic

The Klondike Gold Rush has been called America's Last Great Adventure. About 100,000 people left the United States to head into a land that was unfamiliar and inhospitable, hoping to find a fortune in the creeks in Canada's Yukon Territory.

Following the gold seekers is a journey to be experienced. Imagine leaving your house and family to gamble that you might find gold. It's so frigid the boat captains swore they could hear the river freeze. Snowy. And your neighbors are cut-throat competitors.
 

Remarkably, few gold rushers made any money at all, and even fewer found the Mother Lode. Only 40,000 even reached Dawson City, where most of the Klondikers were headed. First, they had to climb the the Golden Staircase over the mountains from Skagway, Alaska, to Bennett, British Columbia. Once in Bennett, the early Klondikers had to build rafts worthy enough to handle about 500 miles of the treacherous Yukon River. Awful weather (temperatures dipping to -60 F), lack of food, sickness, inexperience in mining all whittled down the numbers.


Despite the back-breaking work, the Gold Rush boosted the economy and population. Towns were soon scattered all along the river for the long trip north, some as supply stations; some simply as fuel stops for the wood-hungry stern wheelers. At at town called Hootalinqua, a stern wheeler sits on dry land, dying a slow death of neglect. In winter, the big boats were winched over greased logs onto the land to escape the ice. After the spring thaw, they were loaded back into the river. This stern wheeler may have been a victim of a road finally being built and making this slow boat a thing of history.


The best way to truly enjoy and understand the history of the Gold Rush is to take the same route the Klondikers did-- by boat. David Sexton and Davette Schlett, son and daughter of Ohio friends, canoed the route with me on two occasions. It remains one of my most exciting and interesting trips. Many of the most intriguing ghost towns are still inaccessible by car, thus the draw to these historical landmarks-- untouched by antique hunters and looters.

We camped on the shores, seeing almost no one. It was June, and ice flows were still stacked, melting alongside the river. A grizzly bear sliced our tent the first night out.  It rained a lot. As someone once said, "An adventure is something you enjoyed once you've returned safely home."


Abandoned towns like Big Salmon, Hootalinqua, Little Salmon, and Wood Camp are all special. But Fort Selkirk is magical. Once in the running for the territorial capital, Fort Selkirk was a typical Gold Rush town, supplying miners on their way north, wood for the ships.  In 1902, a road was pushed through to Dawson City, bypassing Fort Selkirk. A few people hung on there, including the Selkirk First Nation People. In 1950, the only store closed and stern wheelers all quit running, spelling the end.  Even most of the natives left.

  
Fort Selkirk Historic Site is co-owned and co-managed by the Selkirk First Nation and the Yukon Government, and both groups have worked to rehab the many old buildings. In one of the churches there, the upstairs living area is still wall papered with newspapers from 1906. About 40 structures remain and several cemeteries tell the story of the town. 


Unlike some historic sites, the buildings haven't been rebuilt, but instead, rehabbed and still sing out their history in faded signs, wobbly walls and dust.  Don't expect touristy gunfights at high noon or sparkling accommodations. 


These are true ghost towns. They're real.

Road closed. Really?

It's an old photograph from the archives, but it made me want to drive back up to Alaska just to sit in the snow.  I can't see the road, but it's there somewhere-- the sign says it is.

playground opens to daredevil kids

Remember when Baby Boomers grew up, and everything was more difficult? Six miles to school in three feet of snow and uphill in both directions?  And how kids these days are coddled to the point where they take no chances at all?  Don't believe it. At York's Allen Park, a new playground was built recently, unveiled Monday. The kids aren't playing it safe. This video, I'm sure, will probably make a few folks  cringe, because after all, these are kids who don't dare take chances. But everything here has been done by kids for eons-- their parents just don't want to look.

Peregrine falcons on Wrightsville bridge

Read Chris Glass's story in his blog about encroaching (apparently) on this peregrine falcon's nesting area while walking across the Wrightsville-Columbia bridge. Chris is training for a big climb next month in Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro. The falcon didn't appreciate his company or anyone else's.