One Starry Night at Aldersgate UMC

At Aldersgate United Methodist Church in York, the children are learning the songs for "One Starry Night", presented December 9 and 10. From the web site-- Travel back in time to the village of Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. This inter-active, inter-generational event is free and open to the public. All your senses will be stimulated:  hear the cry of the census taker and the pleas from the beggar at the well; smell the aromas from the bakery; see King Herod's throne room; taste some local produce; touch the animals at the stable.

York Youth Symphony Orchestra opens season

      The York Youth Symphony Orchestra opens its season Friday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the William Penn High School auditorium. More than 70 young musicians represent 10 high schools throughout York County.     It is an amazing group of youngsters, reminding me of a trip more than 30 years ago to Scotland. I accompanied the orchestra during a tour of Scotland, and it remains one of my fondest memories. We saw the queen's motorcade, castles, ate haggis, listened to exquisite music and made new friends, some of which I still treasure today.

Disc golf at Pinchot Park

Wednesday was a great day to be outside, soaking up the outdoors. Bill Charron of Mechanisburg takes Mattie, his adorable rescued spitz mix puppy, a backpack full of discs (frisbees) and heads for one of Pinchot State Park's two disc golf courses.

Disc golf is very comparable to 'ball golf'.  Players fling the disc from a tee and use as few strokes as possible to sink the disc. Instead of a hole, it's a short tower with hanging chains, which clank together to signal a successful 'putt'.  Like ball golf, there is par for each hole.

Players can play the course with a sharp focus on the game. Or they can wander it, or trot it. Some don't finish, finding something along the way that's even more interesting.

And, like ball golf, even if players don't make par, it's not a wasted day if you spend it walking through colorful woods and under clear skies with friends. And a dog named Mattie trotting along beside you.

Charron, a lawyer on self imposed temporary retirement, has traveled the country from the east coast to the west coast challenging other players to outplay him. It doesn't happen often. Last year, Charron finished second in the national disc tournament, ball golf's U.S. Open.                                                                                                                                                         

Robins attack pyracantha bush

Had a herd of robins on a pyracantha (firethorn) bush today.  Now, usually, it's a flock of birds or a gaggle of geese or a murder of crows, but in this case, there were so many I'd say it was a herd.

Must have been a least two dozen robins on the bush, and they were stripping berries quicker than a politician taking dollars. Cedar waxwings also like the berries.

From http://www.plant-care.com--  Birds are fond of the berries and consume a great many of them, although not usually until they have been softened by freezing. When used near a feeding station it is interesting to watch the small birds eat the fruits for dessert after they have already gorged themselves at the feeding trays. With this in mind, it is desirable to have at least one planting of pyracantha so that it can easily be seen from indoors, as it is pleasurable to observe the birds feeding on the berries, especially after a heavy snowfall.

Free scuba diving at York YWCA

Ranging in ages from 12 to 60-something, a crowd of York YWCA members took advantage of a free scuba diving lesson from Scuba Central Pa. There's little doubt that this lesson won't be the last for some of the students.

A few Vermont covered bridges

 Last weekend's trip to Vermont and Quebec featured a search for the state's covered bridges (there are 100 still standing after August flooding destroyed two) and waterfalls.  Pennsylvania has 200 covered bridges, more than any state in the country.  Vermont and New Hampshire, which combined are about half the size of Pennsylvania, boast having the most bridges per square mile. We stopped at a few, most of which were close to waterfalls, also on our list.

The Holmes Creek Bridge at left stands just a few feet away from the splashing waves of Lake Champlain, a few miles south of Burlington. From the web site--"Purported to be the shortest covered highway bridge in use in New England; at 112' above sea level, it is the lowest altitude covered bridge in Vermont. When the town's Select Board approved the bridge, it was specified to allow passage of "a load of hay, high and wide."

In the late 1800s, the Holmes family, for whom the creek and thus the bridge were named, operated what was supposedly to be the largest apple orchard in New England, shipping apples to distant places."

  At left is the Red/Sterling Bridge, just north of Stowe, where skiers can find the best snow in the northeast.  Built in 1896, the bridge is about 64 feet long. We had to detour around the main road to get there, since construction work was still going on to replace a washed out bridge nearby.

The Halpin Bridge, below, is supposed to be the highest bridge over water level in Vermont. Muddy Branch creek is 41 feet below the bridge, and trees and weeds make it tough to see. Private property is posted on one side, so you'll have to ford the creek from the other side to see the bridge at all.

Leg Up Farm building playground

More than 200 people are volunteering to help build a massive no-barrier playground for Leg Up Farm, an East Manchester Township treatment center for children with special needs. The weekend's surprise snow storm made  the project a challenge, but when it melted and turned to mud, well, snow was probably preferred.

Volunteers included bankers, construction workers, real estate agents, physical therapists and high school cheerleaders.

Ribbon cutting for the playground is Sunday, November 6, at 6 p.m.   It is open to the public.