This is quite the contrast isn’t it? A pretentious A.F. Rolls Royce with a vanity plate and a beggar. A little after 8PM, or slightly before this evening.
A perfect storm of a photo.
Location? The shopping center where Giant, Sephora, and Home Sense are, just to name a few.
I don’t like city style begging in Chester County and for some reason people always seem to beg around this shopping center. I am surprised West Whiteland isn’t more on top of it.
However, looking at this photo kind of makes you think, doesn’t it?
These photos moved me, so I am posting them. They are all from Facebook.
Lower Merion Township has now lost two firefighters from two different volunteer fire companies. This latest tragedy took Belmont Hills firefighter Thomas Royds. He died because of a drunk driver. Three other first responders remain hospitalized because of this driver, a Jacquelyn Walker of either Little Egg Harbor or Pemberton, NJ according to many media reports including The Morning Call. The three other first responders, a PA State Trooper and two other firefighters are at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia. Thomas Royds, may God rest his soul died at Paoli Hospital.
It was July 4th weekend when Lower Merion Township lost another firefighter, from Penn Wynne Fire Company named Sean W. DeMuynck. Sean died in a house fire.
Facebook photo
I lived in Lower Merion Township a long time and these two men passed so close together. I am so truly sorry for all of these men and women who are first responders in my former home township because, again, this is twice in a very brief amount of time.
I did not know Thomas Royds, but from what I read he was a guy who gave his all to being a fireman. I am in awe of these men and women because what they do is hard, and they just do it.
Facebook Photo
When I saw the photos of all the fire trucks at various places along 202, it literally made me tear up. I thought it was beautiful. I have never seen that before.
RIP Thomas Royds. I hope they throw the book at that woman.
Of all the photos I took yesterday this is the one getting the most attention. I knew it was S. Walnut St. but I could not remember where until one of my readers wrote in that it was Walnut and Lacey.
This looks like Dr. Suess built it, doesn’t it?
So West Chester Borough: tag you are it. People seem super concerned about this construction project at S. Walnut and Lacey and are you all concerned as the borough?
I mean this SHOULD have gone to planning or something right?
Is this something that has gone through planning? And possibly zoning? Because doesn’t it look like an extra room is being added on?
I am not an engineer, I don’t pretend play an engineer or architect, but if you look at the building, is everything the way it should be?
Is this student housing? Because if it is don’t you want those kids to be safe?
I had not been to the West Chester Growers Market since COVID19 hit. Today we went back for the first time and it was awesome!
These are among the things that I missed during COVID19 and I was so happy to be there on such a pretty day! We had company in from out of town and we wanted to show her the market.
The West Chester Growers Market is the original producer only market in Chester County. Outside Saturdays 9AM – 1PM . May through December with some other limited hours in the off season. Always on the corner of North Church and West Chestnut Streets in downtown West Chester, PA.
One of the categories of vintage things I love are old rugs. Old Oriental rugs. I am notorious for picking them up at traditional auctions (like William Bunch, Alderfer, Converse, and Pook & Pook) and at secondhand stores like Resellers which used to be in Frazer, PA but closed a few years ago (and we all miss that store!)
I also have some that I have gotten from Caring Transitions auctions, and my first new old rug came from a house in Gladwyne that was a Sales by Helen house sale. I have even picked them out of barns!
I am not a wall to wall rug person. I am a hardwood floor and area rug person. But I like old orientals. They tell a story and like vintage quilts add warmth and charm to a home. They do however, require maintenance.
I decided to give a local business a try who cleans and repairs carpets. Museums and professional rug dealers use them as well as regular residential customers. Their name is Tribal Loom. They are located in Frazer, PA at 17 Coffman Avenue, Unit C. (610)-647-7802. They are open Monday through Friday 9AM – 5PM.
I have several friends who swear by them, but because this was the first time I was using them and they were getting used to me, I bought in five small scatter rugs. four of those rugs not only had to be cleaned but required repair.
Today we picked up the rugs. How many times can I say they did a fabulous job?
They did a fabulous job. They were also reasonably priced.
Bits of history can be as fascinating. I stumbled across this check from 1867 when I was looking for treasures at one of my favorite spots. This was drawn on the National Bank of Chester County.
The National Bank of Chester County was founded around 1814. In 1837 it’s iconic bank building opened at 17 N. High Street in West Chester, PA. And another fun fact? Until 1857 it was the only bank in Chester County. The bank no longer exists, but its location/building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
I found a little about Francis H. Gheen:
So that check was written to him two years before he got married. $300 was a larger sum in those days, I wonder what he was being paid for?
📌Francis H. Gheen, son of Edward H. and Phebe J. (Hickman) Gheen, was married to Ann E. Brinton in Philadelphia, Pa. on February 25, 1869.
Daily Local News, West Chester, Chester County, Pa January 25, 1921
Francis H. Gheen
After an illness lasting about ten days, Francis H. Gheen passed away last evening at his home on North High street. He was in the 85th year of his age.
The deceased was born July 6th, 1836, on the farm of his parents, Edward and Phoebe Hickman Gheen, in East Bradford, on the property purchased by the late Bayard Henry. He received his early education in the public schools of the township, and was then sent to a private school in Vermont, but came back home later, and remained on the farm. When his father ded he took possession of the place, making it a model farm. He afterward purchase a farm of his own.
It was n 1869 that he came to West Chester and started in the banking business, being located where the Farmers & Mechanics Trust Company now stands, the firm being known as Gheen, Morgan & Co. Later, Mr. Gheen decided to open an establishment for making wagons and selling the same, and established himself on East Chestnut street, where he continued in business for along time. Later, when he quit this line, being a fine judge of horses and cattle, he entered into a partnership with the late William Wells, which he continued until the death of Mr. Wells. Mr. Gheen then retired from active usiness life, and has since enjoyed remaining at his home or visiting his children at their homes.
Francis H. Gheen may be truly termed the “dean” of fox hunting in Chester County, for at the early age of ten years he possesed a pony which he rode to the hunts near his home, and later owned a fine pack of hounds. He loved the sport in a sense more than words can express, but any violation of ethics of clean sportsmanship brought his views to light quickly. He attended almost all hunts, and when not in the saddle he was on the hills and could tell nearly all the haunts of the foxes in the county. He believed that the younger foxes should be protected and taught to lead the hounds and as a result, frequently went to their dens and fed the little ones. His recountals of hunts of the past always brought a crowd of young and old listeners, for he know (sic) many incidents of great interest. For several years past he had been preparing for publication a book entitled “seventy Years a Fox Hunter” which will be published. He also enjoyed gunning and frequently went South, always returning with much game.
He was a devoted father and husband and will be sorely missed by those left behind. In 1869, he married Annie E. Brinton, of Thornbury Township, and she survives him, as do the following children: Gertrude (now Mrs. Robinson, of New York); Miss Marion H. Gheen, at home; Francis H. Jr., of New York; Mrs. Helen Hunsicker, at home, and Phoebe (now Mrs. A. H. Howard), of New York. John J. Gheen, Esq., is the only living brother, Admiral Edward Gheen having died two years ago. The only sister living is Mrs. Richard Strode, of West Miner street.
While not a member of any church, Mr. Gheen frequently attended meetings of the Society of Friends.
He was a member of the F. & A. M., of this place, the West Chester Club and the West Chester Golf Club. Summing up the life history of this man, a friend expresses the view: “He was a clean and honest sportsman, a friend to all, and agood citizen.”
Ibid:
GHEEN- On Jan. 24, 1921, Francis H. Gheen, in his 85th year.
Pretty cool, huh? You never know we’re a little slip of historical paper will take you. If there is anyone out there who is a relative of this man and can prove it to me I am happy to give you this quirky bit of history.
Right at the beginning of June, I invited some friends who had been around at a very difficult time in my life to go on a special tour of David Culp’s gardens at Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown. It was a thank you and a celebration of an important personal milestone: being 10 years breast cancer free. June 1, 2011 to June 1, 2021.
If you know women who have had breast cancer, each year we get extra is a blessing. Milestones like this are extremely important to mark, and I wanted to say thank you to some of these ladies, most of whom I have known since high school.
It was also another celebration and milestone. This also marked all of us finally being able to get together because of COVID-19 and we all finally had our shots. The ladies who came with me like to garden.
Pete Bannan photo 2011
One of the friends was Caroline O’Halloran who is the creator and chief writer at Savvy Main Line. She was with me and some other friends on Tuesday, July 13th, 2011 when I rang the bell at Lankenau Hospital where I had that morning finished up a few weeks of fairly grueling radiation treatment with Dr. Marisa Weiss.
When it was all over and I rang the special bell signifying the end of treatment, my friends cheered. A hospital administrator chided us for being too loud. (It was pretty funny.)
At the end of the day, I am very much alive with a terrific prognosis for a long and happy life. I am one of the lucky ones. I have lost friends to cancer including breast over the past decade, so I learned to stop and breathe and celebrate the milestones.
For a decade now I have been part of the sisterhood – women of different races, ethnicities, ages, sizes and shapes –forever bound together by this disease. It’s like the club no one asks to join. And you damn well celebrate the little victories.
I chose a garden tour.
I also invited someone whom I am pleased to call a friend for the past few years, who wasn’t with me that day. She just happens to be a woman I like and appreciate. You all know her as a Chester County Commissioner – Michelle Kichline. We have a lot of friends in common and have for years and years, and we share common interests like the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust and a love for gardening.
Caroline wrote about the visit to David’s amazing gardens on her website a few weeks after the visit. It just happened because he and his gardens inspired her and struck a chord. Of course that doesn’t surprise me because David’s book The Layered Garden has been a huge influence on me personally. When I read his book it was like I had this epiphany that someone who really is a plantsman and horticulturalist gets how I like to garden. I don’t even know what printing the book is on, but it is really special.
Michelle posted the article on her page a couple of weeks ago. She also included how she loved the gardens and what a fun and just nice day it was. It’s true, it was just nice. I thought that was super sweet of her, and I was happy to have her with us.
But as is the case with social media, up rolls a jerk:
I have been called many things in my life, but “rich white people” has never been one of them. But apparently, we are all a bunch of “rich white people” who have an “eye” for horticulture according to this….well….a random white guy.
Are we to surmise that random white guy must have a political axe to grind with Michelle for whatever reason, and is also a garden critic? Ok he doesn’t have to like the garden, but his vitriol was unnecessary and unwarranted.
We all like to garden. David opened his private home garden to us on a very special anniversary for me. This day was a big deal to me. Michelle is allowed to NOT be a politician once in a while and just enjoy girl time.
I think we need to hit the pause button. We have come through 2020 into 2021 and a lot of us still have friends on both sides of the political aisle and that is ok. And that is what that snotful comment on Michelle’s page was about: politics. I don’t know what, and I don’t know why, and don’t care. WHY? Because all she was doing was sharing something nice.
I am a gardener. I love to garden. And random white guy? I do my own gardening and I earn my own money to pay for my gardening. I am hardly some heiress with a fainting couch. I even cook and clean and take out the trash.
Truthfully this is why I don’t share cool experiences on this blog sometimes like seeing David Culp’s garden. So instead a friend shares what another friend wrote about just a lovely day and we are suddenly bad people? That’s just wrong. And I say that as someone who can and does take politicians to task. But there is a time and a place for everything, and being a dick about someone talking about a nice visit to a special garden is not one of them.
But hey what do I know right? I am just a mere mortal and a female, and these are obviously just the rantings of a suburban housewife.
File under random things I write about. Pickles. You have got to love good deli pickles.
I used to love a couple of the really awesome Jewish deli places that used to exist in Philadelphia because they would have a pickle bar. Hymie’s in Merion had one until Covid — I don’t know if it’s back or not.
Famous 4th Street Delicatessen on South 4th Street in Society Hill also still comes to mind for not only their deli, but amazing pickled things. There was also this place that I remembered in Center city off of Chestnut or Samson Street I think somewhere around 16th. And there is also Schlesinger’s, which my mother loves.
But if you don’t live near any of these places it’s hard to find good deli and good pickles. Which is why I’m writing this post. I’ve been thinking about it since I discovered the Fishtown Pickle Project, and decided it was time to give them a shout out.
Photo courtesy of Fishtown Pickle Project on Facebook.
These pickles are amazing. They are better than even the revered New York deli pickle. They are fresh and crisp and flavorful.
Anyway I am just a happy customer, they certainly don’t even know me, I just keep buying their pickles. They bring that old school deli pickle to your home refrigerator. And you can order their products on their website and I think after you buy so many jars you get free delivery.
Life is too short for bad pickles so try Fishtown Pickle Project.
Photo courtesy of Fishtown Pickle Project on Facebook.
