Monthly Archives: May 2022

melangell antiques, house & garden: a beautiful new west chester, pa destination!

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There is a new kid in town for antiques in Chester County and it is in a word: fabulous!

This business is newly opened in an old estate hunting lodge. A rather famous one to local history buffs. Also known as “Wrangley Lodge”, in an amazing century-plus old Arts and Crafts style designed by Charles Barton Keen as part of the original Greystone Estate. This is special to me because one of my very close friends and honorary other mother’s is his granddaughter. And those who know me know I love a good adaptive reuse, and some of my favorite antique stores have been in restored old houses! (You know like another favorite business down in Chadds Ford, Brandywine View Antiques.)

The house itself is magical all by itself. But store owner Laura DePrisco has created a wonderful atmosphere at Melangell. It’s lovely, beautiful, and welcoming. Every room moves effortlessly into the next. As a store it is so well put together and merchandised. There is so much to look at, but it does not feel crowded or cluttered. That is an issue I have with antique stores at times when they feel crowded and disorganized then it’s hard to look at things. And then there are other antique stores where you’re afraid to look at anything because it feels like a museum. This store is just right, and it flows.

Laura is welcoming and has a real artistic eye and an eye for detail. Seriously, every room is delightful. And there’s a second floor too. And that is something I love antique stores — ones that are more than one floor or level in a building.

We bought a few things, including a lovely old landscape oil painting that needed to be framed. So we left Melangell and next stop was my favorite framers, Framers Market Gallery in Malvern!

I can’t wait to go back! I also think it would be a place to take my friends. It would make a fab girl’s shopping night out place! Melangell also has some great pieces outside that would be fun for a porch and garden.

Melangell can be found on Instagram. The shop is located at 1133 Pottstown Pike, West Chester, PA 19380. The shop is opened Monday through Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM. (610)- 624- 4577.

🌟 Please note that I have not been compensated in any way for this review. I am sharing my lovely experience today at this new business 🌟

#ShopLocal #ShopSmall

it’s devon time

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A stormy Devon day of a few years ago.

Yes Devon has started.

No, I am not going.

Yes you know it’s Devon when it’s raining. And there are severe thunderstorm warnings.

Devon used to be (first of all) about the pretty horses and talented riders, “Devon burgers”, lemon sticks, original Devon fudge, a few vendors (a lot of whom were local antiques dealers and the Bryn Mawr Hospital Thrift Shop had a shop in that little old structure that looks like a cross between a little cottage and a spring house), of course the Ferris wheel and seeing the truly amazing volunteers like the late (and great) Betty Moran. Mrs. Moran for so many years was one of the first faces you saw when coming through the gates.

Devon was also about being with friends and family, not wearing overpriced heels and pretentiously trying to out do each other in a hat contest that went from lovely and ladylike to somewhat ridiculous yet amusing watching some of them negotiate the gravel ground surface without getting too many pebbles in their designer high heeled sandals.

What did we wear back in the day on our feet? Well my friends who were competing were either in their super shiny show boots, or their muck boots and even sneakers while they were waiting. We wore closed toe espadrilles or things like Papagallo flats (remember the ones that had the flowers on them?), clogs, sneakers. If we dressed up it was original Lilly or maybe Vested Gentress. Maybe a skirt and a top, maybe a sun dress. A lot of times since it can be cold and damp and rainy during Devon, it was jeans and a shirt. And it was so exciting as a kid to sit in the boxes in the evening with the grown ups!

Some overnight placed media story talked about how excited they were that there were “over 100 vendors.“ That’s not why we used to go to Devon. Yes going through the little shops was nice but it wasn’t the main focus of the event. Nor were high-end coffee booths and lots and lots of alcohol. Sure people always had wine, champagne, and cocktails in the evenings in their booths but it wasn’t that much of a focus it was just part of a picnic.

And I must take a moment to clarify what I said regarding “100 vendors” because a woman who describes herself as a “professional volunteer” and “works” for Devon sent in a comment:

It is never a guarantee that the Clydesdales will come. There are fewer teams that travel across the country. And you were incorrect about the 100 vendors. That was what the buyer for souvenirs said relating to her suppliers for the booth.

~ Lisa L.

My thoughts kind of remain the same Ok so 100 vendors of chatchkes. Same point holds: not why people used to go to Devon. And would love to know how many years have the Clydesdales missed coming to Devon then? Because they lived in the barn of someone I know for a week when they went to Radnor Hunt, so they managed to go there but not stay to open Devon? And if you are such a rah rah for Devon and the Chairman, why didn’t any of you honor the long time volunteer who died not so long ago? Didn’t see anything come across the social media channels or on the website?

I don’t go to Devon at present because I mourn what it has become. I also don’t like the fact that there seems to be more emphasis on the fair side and not as much emphasis on the horse side.

And also this year I think it pretty much sucks that the Clydesdales won’t be there.

I also hope the police are helping people with traffic? It is of course some thing a lot of us are wondering given the litigation filed by Devon horse show against Easttown Township right?

Someday I will go back to enjoying Devon. But I think there will need to be a new regime in place first. And hopefully it’s not a question of if but when as far as that goes.

A photo I took maybe around 2012

a memory trigger: long ago and far away

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Weird post title, right? Well it’s just the way it popped into my head today.

Yesterday one of my besties from growing up (and today) got in touch to let me know she had found a place up near here for when she is in town to see family and to be able to spend time. She had married and ended up in Florida, but now that her kids are in college, she wants to be able to split her time between two states. She’s mostly a sun person but not quite a snow bird.

So she tells me where she found a place, and I remembered she was going to be near where someone a lot of us knew many years ago once lived. It is trite but true that you have people in your life who are in the following categories: reason, season, lifetime. But it’s true, isn’t it? People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. This was someone in a season category.

This guy was someone many of us were friends with when we were younger. He was an awesome person, but somewhat of a Peter Pan so when we all started to settle down into marriages or even more serious relationships and jobs/careers, he is one of those people we remembered always fondly, but faded away over time. He was just simply put, living a different life than we were eventually living. The pieces no longer fit.

So my friend’s new home triggered a memory of this guy we all knew. He was just about out of college when we all started college, and by the time we met him, he was at first job stage and we were all still in school. I remember exactly where some of us met him: at one of those outdoor summer keg parties that probably don’t really exist the way we knew them back in the proverbial day. It was at one of those parties we met him and his roommate at the time. The roommate was a tall good-looking slightly arrogant guy with dark hair with essentially no time for college girls working for the summer in Avalon, NJ. The guy we came to know was a lot of fun to be around.

Well that was the first memory that surfaced for me, when we both said “wonder what ever happened to him?” and then found his obituary on Google. He had died of cancer right before COVID. He had also moved out of the area some years prior, so I actually don’t know who knew he had passed away. I think the random memory of summers in Avalon those years also surfaced first because today would literally be the day many of us were moving into summer rentals for jobs that started Memorial Day Weekend.

This guy we knew was someone we would see here and there after the beach summers. We would meet up for drinks. I had friends who would see him more, because like him, they like the Delaware Avenue clubs back then…I didn’t.

We then didn’t see him for a few years. He got married and wasn’t out and about. Then one random time that another guy friend had me and two of his sisters go to some club on Delaware Avenue called the 8th Floor, we ran into him with another friend. For this club, you had to dress up and you went up a freight elevator and there this club had quite honestly amazing views of the city. It was a great adaptive reuse. I remember when we went. We took old school photos that night. I still actually have a couple of them. It was during my black velvet headband phase. (I will note for the record my mother liked this phase much more that the early to mid 80’s purple sparkly eyeshadow phase.)

Anyway, I ran into this friend there with another friend that night, and kind of blurted out “What are you doing out clubbing? I thought you got married?” Well them my one friend he was with doubles over laughing because apparently he had just gotten divorced. (Foot in mouth. Yup.)

Then it was back to him joining all of us remaining singletons out once in a while. He also made a perfectly acceptable friend escort to things when my mother would have a fit that I couldn’t possibly go to wherever by myself, I needed an escort. That was always a battle with my mother until I learned to put my foot down and tell her no, it was fine for me to go by myself, it just made HER uncomfortable. (But I digress.)

The last time I saw this male friend was another friend’s wedding in November, 1998. I was a bridesmaid and there was a head table. The bride’s mother was adamant we had to essentially make all look perfect and there were a few of us many bridesmaids who weren’t dating anyone, engaged, or in a committed relationship. Therefore, that meant dragging out the male friend dates and dusting them off. This guy was my escort. He ticked all of the boxes. Grew up going to Main Line school, had normal dress suits, had been to clubs like Merion Cricket, my mother wouldn’t scream “not him.”

Another guy friend of another bridesmaid at this wedding was her escort (and this “friend boy” ended up marrying yet another bridesmaid a couple of years later because I introduced them at the rehearsal dinner, but that’s another story for another day.) Then there was another guy we were all friends with who was a fill in at the head table for yet another unattached bridesmaid.

Now this was one of my favorite weddings, although no longer connected to the bride and groom a couple of decades later. But it was a special wedding, although honestly incredibly stressful to be a part of at times. We didn’t have a “bridezilla” per se, but a Mother of the Bride-zilla. From how much weight she expected us to lose onward. And the dresses were baby’s bottom pink slipper satin in November and the actual wedding photographer was a male diva that almost caused a mutiny of bridesmaids on the wedding day.

This was also the wedding that when I went to the ladies room before they served the appetizer of shrimp cocktail, some of us in the bridesmaid category went to the ladies room and when I came back, the guy on the OTHER side of me (as in not my friend escort) ate his shrimp cocktail….and mine. In like 5 minutes flat when I went to the ladies room. My escort laughed and laughed…so did I.

Now the way this wedding ended was this guy whom was my escort picked up a wedding guest and went out somewhere with whoever it was. I laughed because it was just the way this guy was, and he wasn’t an actual date date so, I really didn’t care. But oh my did it cause chatter at the end of the wedding and after.

After this wedding, I think I remember running into this guy a couple of more times, but then that was it. None of us saw him much after that. He was the nicest of guys, but he kind of stayed Peter Pan and we all kind of grew up more. Jobs, families, other things. But he was someone I will always remember fondly because he was a good guy, and fun in a season of our lives. He was never destined to be a lifetimer, and I think we all knew that even back then.

That’s the funny thing about these discoveries. You can be a little bit sad this person you once knew departed the earth, but the older you get it’s a finality and often if you mourn, you are mourning a closing a door in certain chapters of our lives more so than mourning the person. I am not being callous, it’s just the way I think it can be. Am I mourning any of this? Honestly? No. But I did enjoy the memories that will fade away once more.

And this one real estate purchase and discovery of this obituary just let loose a whole slew of memories from over many, many years.

Memories are a process of association within our brains. Memories also have different contexts, and some contexts will associate memories with other memories. In my case, a friend saying where she bought a place and was moving reminded me (and us) of someone we once knew now long ago, and longer ago for her because she moved out of the area so many years ago.

People often say I have this huge memory database going on in my head. I think it’s just context. Things you see, read, talk about just remind you of other things.

Older memories aren’t necessarily ever forgotten, you just need triggers that remind you of other times, places, people.

There are so many things that trigger memories. Even being happy or sad in a moment can remind you of other happy or sad moments. And we remember things at different times. Have you ever had someone say “Do you remember….?” and you don’t remember a thing, and then later at some point in time you actually DO remember?

Anyway, just a ramble down memory lane. I am sure my armchair critics will have something to say, but you know what? So what? It was nice to remember a few happy and often funny memories of long ago. There is enough tragedy in the current world that I don’t mind the memories that remind you that life is not all bad.

Carry on and thanks for stopping by.

fetterman spam – he blocks me on twitter, yet apparently is allowed to spam my e-mail?

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My commentary will be simple: I didn’t sign up for this. So now I’m getting Fetterman spam?

John Fetterman, I don’t like you. I have never liked you. And I find your wife very full of herself and I’m not quite sure why. Truthfully, I find both of you slightly distasteful most of the time.

You do not keep your promises to your constituents. Look no further than the people victimized by pipelines in Chester County. You used them for a photo op when you were running for lieutenant governor and never helped them.

And then let’s talk about the way you block constituents. You blocked me for criticizing you. On Twitter. You blocked me in 2019, I wrote about it.

I checked just today and you STILL block me. I am a constituent, and I am actually a Democrat and you block me. There is Federal level case law that suggests that elected officials should not block their constituents. Yet you block me. And others.

Yet you seem to think sending me campaign spam is okay? It’s not. You need to unblock your constituents and apologize for all the things that you didn’t do for people now that you want us to vote for you for a higher office.

All of the Democrats can sit down and shut up now. No flapping because I cannot swear undying love. I know the alternative to Lurch is even more terrifying than he is. But isn’t it pathetic that these are the candidates that both parties are putting forward? We get to chose the lesser of two evils or get stuck with actual evil?

So here’s what I think John Fetterman: if you expect me to consider voting for you in November, maybe you can unblock me and all the other people you blocked who are your constituents because we didn’t agree with you.

Next thing: Am I going to give this man a campaign donation? Oh hell no. I don’t give any politicians campaign donations. But I think considering the stakes in Pennsylvania, if this man wants our support he has to get out and earn it. Again, he also has to unblock his constituents.

There will be lots who don’t like this post. But when it comes to politics I think politicians owe it to be straight with us, and real with us, and not glossy pieces of TV ads. We are real people, and politicians only value us for what? What we can do for them? I ask what are they going to do for us? Because that is the real thing we have to discuss as Americans and Pennsylvanians. It’s not what can we do for politicians, but what will they actually do for us? And that applies to both political parties.

I am all about the politician who wants to be there for everyone. The only problem is you so seldom meet any.

Below is the email I received today welcoming me to his “team.” What utter and complete bullsheit. There I said it.

Thanks for stopping by.

phil arballo running for congress in cali has a campaign that lacks reading comprehension.

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This will be a post that will piss off Democrats everywhere and truthfully? I don’t give a damn. When you ask NOT to be solicited for campaign donations and you are ignored, don’t care what political party you are, it’s ridiculous.

I followed this guy Phil Arballo on Twitter last year after liking a few of his tweets. What happened almost immediately? I got a private message on Twitter thanking me for following him and asking for money:

So I responded politely:

As you can see above I said I do not donate to political campaigns. And I do not donate to political campaigns. You can ask anyone who has run who knows me and I do not donate to political campaigns. I never have, I never will, I don’t believe in it.

The Phil Arballo campaign should have added me to a DO NOT SOLICIT list a year ago, but did not.

Why don’t I give to political campaigns? I am a blogger among other things, and an equal opportunity offender as a blogger so I don’t want it being said a blogger is “buying” a candidate. I mean there is already a certain Stupidvisor in West Whiteland who is so neurotic can it be said she has intimated in the past that I run her township? (But I digress.)

And from a practical and personal standpoint, I think these politicians should be grateful that any of us are voting for them. It’s not my job to support them financially.

So I saw a message pop up on Twitter from this guy’s Twitter and I went to check it. Unbelievably it’s this guy’s campaign again a year after I told them I do not give to political campaigns.

Rush a donation? How about BITE ME Phil Arballo? I told your twelve year olds running your campaign LAST YEAR NO.

No means no, Phil.

I guess women saying no doesn’t mean anything to Phil Arballo? This time I blocked them and reported the campaign handle as spam, because that is essentially what they are doing. I don’t know them, I’m not in his district. All I did was like a couple of tweets a year ago, and now I am supposed to donate to his campaign?

Ironically he mentioned Devin Nunes in his solicitation last year. Devin Nunes was a member of Congress until 2022. He is now CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group. Devin Nunes was a turd of a Republican whose campaign wouldn’t stop soliciting me essentially until… well I called around to my Congresswoman’s office to ask what it took to get them to stop calling sometimes several times a day for a couple of years.

There must be something in the water in that part of California I am guessing.

No means No, Phil…even as far as soliciting donations. And yes, politician campaign school is always in session. And local politicians? Don’t get me started about all of your signs that still need to come down everywhere.

this is our country and we are entitled to free and fair elections.

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A woman on the news just now said we have to keep the faith. And this is in reaction to the racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, New York. And then don’t forget the church shooting in Laguna Woods, California.

I think extremism in politics continues to fuel this anger and vitriol in our country. And I think we have to take back our country so we all have an equal voice. We need to use the power of the vote to do that.

Now a little bit about candidates who are just nuts or problematic. Or wrong.

Crazy Senator Doug Mastriano has been endorsed by whom I feel will be remembered in U. S. history as the most destructive and divisive President, the ultimate charlatan and destroyer of the Republican party, Donald Trump. I will also note that Mastriano is doing somewhat secretive campaign events that he isn’t letting the media into. Trump also endorsed other nut bags like Dr. Oz for Senate along with Congressmen Mike Kelly (PA-16), Scott Perry (PA-10), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), and Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) .

If there are any Republicans with sense out there, candidates that sought Trump’s endorsement, endorsed Trump themselves, thought January 6 was OK, or were just endorsed by him are the candidates people should RUN from as fast as possible, but will they? There exists a dangerous political cult mentality in this country. It has produced completely whackadoodle candidates like Ron Vogel, who is being propped up by the GOP in Berks county, and is still running in spite of being censured formally in Chester County. Of course the PA state GOP a could have said something but seem to have locked up their collective balls in a drawer somewhere.

Turn to the Democrat side and we have John Fetterman. He had a stroke a few days ago. But I think they kept this under wraps as long as possible, and all reporters across the state are reporting that Governor Tom Wolf is playing dodgeball with as to when exactly the governor’s office knew and what they knew. And that in and of itself is disturbing because Fetterman isn’t just running for U.S. Senate, his day job is number two in Pennsylvania as lieutenant governor. I think this will affect his campaign. Who knows if it will affect the primary, but it will cost Democrats a Senate seat if he is the candidate in the general election because I don’t think people will forget him having a stroke – right or wrong it is a medical issue that can affect a candidate. Of course there is always his wife who really should just keep her mouth shut and not Hallmark Channel herself after his stroke to voters by talking about his big heart. Oh GAK. 🤢 🤮 Barf.

I don’t wish a health issue like a stroke on any human being, but it’s not going to bring a sympathy vote for John Fetterman out of me in any election. I have always maintained I don’t like him as a politician and that will not change.

So let’s talk about the other things that I’ve seen on the news today as we get ready to go into election day for the primary tomorrow. And it’s not all of the horrible commercials that everyone is so sick of just like everyone is sick of the signs spam everywhere. It’s all the media outlets talking about where voters can get help if they think there are problems at the polls etc. And they are already predicting problems getting the tallies in at the end of election day.

I know my vote is counted I voted by mail and it was received and processed. I am still leery of in person lots of things because we are not through with Covid yet, or I should say Covid isn’t finished with all of us. I also quite frankly don’t feel like listening to the crap outside the election polls. I don’t want to hear it from either side. I’m tired of campaign signs. Commercials. Mailers. Palm cards.

I’m also tired of people in certain positions within a local voting area like judges of elections who shouldn’t be out campaigning for candidates yet they are and why? And isn’t that true, West Whiteland Republicans? i’m tired of people doing fake sample ballots so people know how to vote as per their vast knowledge.

Let’s investigate the vast knowledge. Our elections are being controlled by outside factions at this point. Groups that have an interest in playing master puppeteer on both sides of the aisle are trying to control how we think and how we vote.

Enter groups like the Stepford Wives for Totalitarianism. They are prime example number one. Those groups have no basis in our communities they are from outside our region entirely and they are playing God with free and fair elections. Liberty Moms are limited in their actual knowledge of our history, the constitution, election laws. Along with this group there are many others there all the anti-masker anti-vaxxer, anti-this, and anti-that.

If you are anti-anything there is a group or Facebook echo chamber. But these groups and the individuals who run them aren’t necessarily experts in anything. They are being told by other groups controlling these groups from outside our area with agendas as to what to say what to do and how to think.…and whom to vote for.

It isn’t enough to just say we are for or against something, we actually have to get off our asses and get to the polls. Midterm elections in an off-presidential cycle are notoriously low in voter turnout. All elections in an off-presidential cycle election year or notoriously low in voter turnout.

I have said it in so many posts about election cycles that our greatest collective voice is the sheer power of our vote as Americans. The power is within us. Educate yourself with legitimate sources to research candidates, and get out and vote. If you don’t get out and vote you deserve the candidates for office we get stuck with.

And one thing we have to think of with this primary is who is going to represent the voice of women the best and why? Our very rights are at risk as women. why do I say that? Because no matter where you stand on a woman’s right to choose, it should be the choice of individual women to make decisions about their own bodies.

So in closing if you don’t want turds in office, get out and vote. if you don’t want groups from outside our area trying to control where we call home, get out and vote. It’s that simple.

back to the historic village of yellow springs

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Today I went back to Historic Yellow Springs. First up was the herb sale in the big field held by the Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America.

The herb sale had not been held since before COVID19 invaded our lives. The sale was a rousing success and they basically had sold out but just a little after 11 AM! The tables were picked clean like locusts had descended upon the field!

After putting my plants in the car, I went onto the Yellow Springs Art Show. I had also not been there since before COVID19. The show was glorious, but some of the artists’ pricing were eyebrow raising.

One of the things I noticed the most was how alive the village was today. That doesn’t happen often enough. The Historic Yellow Springs Executive Director did not seem to be around and I was there for a few hours. I do not wish to be critical of the woman, but today was the kind of day that you get opportune moments. You never know where your next donation is going to come from and two seconds of conversation with visitors to the village means people come back to the village. I also know of people who have wanted to volunteer that somehow are never chosen to volunteer. And I’m not referring to myself because they don’t want a mouthy blogger volunteering there, and I know that.

For this amazing and living and breathing piece of history to remain viable into the future they have to be less insular. Their volunteers are amazing and helpful and nice, but the people that actually run the show (board and others) need to be more visible.

Becoming a member of Historic Yellow Springs is fun. I belong. You can join here.

While I was walking the village today I thought of an event that Meg Veno does at Life’s Patina. As part of Life’s Patina’s holiday events she does a German Market. It’s hugely popular as most German Markets during the holidays are. So I got to thinking since Life’s Patina/Meg Veno has breathed new life into the Jenny Lind House, and is nearing completion of an extensive and expensive restoration (and boy do I hope West Pikeland and Historic Yellow Springs are appreciative, don’t you?), why not pick you one of THE most creative brains in all of Chester County and take full advantage of the fabulousness coming to an amazing historic village?

What am I talking about? It’s simple: when I was walking the village today and I did it a couple of times first with plants and then going to the art show and buying some art it occurred to me that this life that was in the village today is so important for her survival. And I thought as I stood in front of the Jenny Lind house about how much I enjoy what Meg does every holiday season. And I thought that Yellow Springs should really pick her brain about doing a German Christmas village THERE.

Historic Yellow Springs is extra lovely on the outside during the holidays, so why not capitalize on new blood and fresh energy? Today in my mind’s eye I could see a German Christmas village up and down Yellow Springs Village. Christmas carolers and musicians strolling back-and-forth, a cart selling warm chestnuts and brown paper sacks, a vendor selling gingerbread fresh from the oven, and more. Couldn’t you just see someone with a beautiful little booth outside selling hand-painted German Christmas ornaments and nutcrackers ? It would literally be SO perfect!

I mean I don’t know why their Special Events Director, Executive Director, and board haven’t thought of any of these things. I know they don’t want the village to look like Disneyland, but I’m talking about things that are old-fashioned, historically appropriate,wholesome,pretty, and fun.

Other ideas? Bring back an updated version of the fall antiques show. There are enough dealers and high-end crafts people in Chester County that do such fine work including right in the studios of Yellow Springs that you could do this no problem. Why not make it a version of not what it was, but more of a blend of high-end crafts and art as well as antiques and collectibles?

Other things would be more children’s events like hayrides through the fall and pumpkin carving. Maybe a Halloween parade with old-fashioned Halloween games for kids?

There are more than enough garden clubs in Chester County so why not ask them to do their plant sales all on one weekend in the spring or early summer in the village? Or invite garden groups to do plant swaps in the village?

The possibilities are endless for this beautiful piece of Chester County history. But they need to extend themselves so people know they’re there a little more.

And all of these events should have membership tables with people asking are you a member of Historic Yellow Springs? Would you like to be a member of Historic Yellow Springs?

Today I was also treated to the clop clop of horses hooves as riders rode through the village. There is just something so nice about that sound.

Just my thoughts. If you can catch the art show before it closes at the end of this weekend, I highly recommend it.

Thanks for stopping by.

apparently caln township believes in selectively “public” meetings?

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As the Saturday Night Live Church Lady would say “Isn’t that special?”

Do you see that screenshot above? That was sent to me by a Caln Township resident. They tried to join their municipality’s public meeting via Zoom and even via Zoom audio several times.

They are homeowners and taxpayers and they were denied access. And actually REMOVED when they briefly got it? Why were they denied access? That’s a very good question isn’t it?

Caln Township will undoubtedly claim a technical glitch, but I think they should just own their Pennsyltucky nasty politics, don’t you?

I have to ask how a meeting advertised as a PUBLIC meeting deny anyone admittance? I mean I have heard of people being removed from meetings AFTER causing a scene, but a member of the public, let alone a taxpayer and resident and dare I say it, senior citizen no less? So exclusionary practices, NOT open meetings, ageism, and sexism? My my my, right?

Dear readers has Caln just regained her title as among the most sleazy and dirty of Chester County municipalities?

#dirty #sleazy Caln….and magically at 8:20 PM when meeting is mostly over all of a sudden like magic they are allowed in? Come on now good citizens of Caln, do we REALLY believe this was an accident?

And now I hate to be repetitive, but the eyes of the area are once again peeking at Caln.

Taa Taa for now.

back to the lloyd farmhouse in caln and are those actually squatters living there, caln township ?

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The Lloyd Farmhouse photo above is from 2019. Actually most of the photos I have access to are old photos. Also known as Valley Brook Farm, this should be a historic asset has been rotting for years. I haven’t written about it in a couple of years. There is still a developer who owns it and there’s still I guess a development planned? No one really knows much.

However I learned something this morning: apparently it has been reported that Lloyd farmhouse has a squatter or squatters? How is that even possible and does Caln Township give a crap?

Caln Township is an example of Pennsyltucky at it’s finest the way it is run, is it not? It has some new commissioners now but apparently they’re just as bad as the old supervisors they replaced, and that does include Democrats and yes I did say that out loud. Oh and I can have these opinions. They don’t like the first amendment much out there, but it’s allowed.

The site is still not secure which is something I just don’t understand on so many levels. From what I understand the developer at one point in time put logs across the front of the driveway I guess up to the farmhouse and now that is all just grown over, which makes this farmhouse even more remote so if there are squatters, in the case of a fire emergency or a medical emergency how difficult will it be to get first responders there?

And I thought abandoned/empty buildings were supposed to be secured? Why doesn’t Caln Township see to this? Why can’t police go out there are get rid of them? I mean it’s not like there is electricity, sewer, running water, anything out there in this abandoned 18th-century farmhouse is there?

And let’s talk about the fact that there is no running water or sewer etc. what happens if there are squatters and they go to the bathroom? Are they using camp toilets? If they are using camp toilets are they emptying them into nearby local creeks and water sources? It’s a valid question isn’t it? It doesn’t that go to a potential health department situation? Chester County has a health department so are they aware of this potential situation?

Is Chester county in general aware that this is not a secure site, that it’s a rotting historic asset, and because it has been left open and unsecured could be a danger?

I sadly question at this point now if Lloyd farmhouse can ever be saved. A lot of time and bad storms have transpired since The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that article. (See screenshot above.)

In 1991 there was a movie called The Super with Joe Pesci as a slumlord a judge made live in a run down building he owned. So in the Walter Mitty state of mind wouldn’t it be nice if some judge suggested that the Caln Township Commissioners had to live in Lloyd Farmhouse the way it is right now?

If there are squatters living in this farmhouse, it’s not the first abandoned structure in Chester County to have squatters. But in other townships they seem to take action and deal with these situations. Will Caln actually do anything? Who knows.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the old photos that exist over the past few years of the Lloyd farmhouse.

always running for something, gail loves signs

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Well you know it’s election season when Gail Newman is running for something. I mean she’s always running for something isn’t she?

You can always count on Gail to be sign spam. If they are blocking sightlines I hope someone takes them down.

Gail, I hope you pick up all your little signs at the end of the election and you can keep putting the signs up I don’t think anyone wants to vote for you. If for some strange reason unknown to anyone with sanity or a brain, you make it onto the ballot for fall, I am going to laugh my way all the way to Election Day in November. Why? I didn’t think there was anyone that could make Kristine Howard look good. Who knew?