Have you ever tried to figure out how to describe what happiness feels like? It is easier to describe fear, excitement, joy, surprise, but happiness is more elusive. On the way home from Millville, on Friday, I felt purely happy and I wanted to write about it on this blog.
First, my usual hiking pal, Barb Spector, and I went to Wildflowers Vegan/vegetarian restaurant for lunch - never a disappointment and always a good way to stock up on energy for a hike! My favorite is the power salad, though I used to favor the boisterous black bean burger.
Then we headed for the Maurice River Bluffs where we hiked the blue trail, then the red, then part of the white trail. After an hour and a half, we were sufficiently cold and tired to be ready for a nice cup of coffee at Bogart's Coffee Shop and book store.
First, however, we dropped in at The Thrift Shop, across the street from Bogart's at 129 N. High St. I have shopped in M A N Y thrift and vintage and 2nd hand shops, whatever you like to call them, and this was by far the most attractive and appealing. It was evident that a tasteful and thoughtful hand was a work in laying out items to buy. It wasn't the usual cluttered jumble of tired cast-offs, it was a charmingly arranged gathering of attractive items, 8 of which I purchased! There were luncheon plates that matched a set of dishes I have at home, and that being the dish most often carried around, mine were long lost and broken. Barb bought a photograph of cardinals and a frame for a gift. We were both delighted with our finds and with the kind ladies who were running the shop. A beautiful young woman was playing guitar and singing while we browsed which added immeasurably to the magic. .All proceeds go to help rescued and abused animals. You can drop off donated items there for re-sale, call856-300-5705 for more information.
Finally we went across the street to Bogart's and I had a delicious pumpkin spice latte' while Don Shaw sang songs by Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, and other gifted songwriters. He has a wonderful voice and plays guitar beautifully. I sank into a comfy chair with the coffee and enjoyed the free entertainment and thought to myself, "This is heaven."
Hope you find yourself there enjoying some of these pleasures in Millville one day soon! Meanwhile, Happy Trails!
Oh yes, I almost forgot, I bought a charming rag rug at the FiberArts Cafe in the little cluster of shops that are neighbors to Wildflowers. The prices are extraordinarily reasonable for hand-made knitted, crocheted and woven goods. If you need a gift, what a great place to find one!
Jo Ann
Monday, March 30, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Rails to Trails Pemberton and Grist Mill Antiques
The trail was clear, the sun was out and no one could have ever believed that one day later it would be snowing all day and 3 inches on the ground! I'm glad we got our 3 miler in when we did. The Rails to Trails at Pemberton, couldn't have been nicer. It is a big wide, flat trail with no bushwhacking and if you are walking your dog, don't worry about glass. When I was here some years before, there seemed to be a lot of sharp gravel and glass but it is all gone. The ice and snow were gone too.
My hiking buddy, Barbara Spector, and I had pieroghi's at Sebastien's Schnitzelhaus in Wrightstown, and we bought things at the Grist Mill Antiques. Barb needed a gift for a new office open house, and found a handsome antique letter opener. I found a fine papier mache Easter Bunny and a die cut, cast paper bungalow from Germany, circa 1940. It was a PERFECT DAY by my scale any way.
Happy Trails, and if you are driving, safe travels!
Jo Ann
My hiking buddy, Barbara Spector, and I had pieroghi's at Sebastien's Schnitzelhaus in Wrightstown, and we bought things at the Grist Mill Antiques. Barb needed a gift for a new office open house, and found a handsome antique letter opener. I found a fine papier mache Easter Bunny and a die cut, cast paper bungalow from Germany, circa 1940. It was a PERFECT DAY by my scale any way.
Happy Trails, and if you are driving, safe travels!
Jo Ann
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Scrapbooking Infor
Sorry I left this out by accident. For a vintage photo and family history approach to scrapbooking, here is an inspiring link:
https://www.pinterest.com/mailmom83/family-history-scrapbook/
Next: Save your A. C. Moore advertising circular from the Sunday paper for the coupons and look for sales. Great insert pages can be found much less expensively at WalMart, as can name brand glue sticks, and other kinds of adhesives. I made the mistake of buying my original materials at Staples - too costly.
Browse around for ideas just by putting family history scrapbooking in google search. What a great way to save memories and spend a gloomy day in a creative pursuit (not to mention avoiding household chores and yard work!)
Happy Scrapping!
Jo Ann
https://www.pinterest.com/mailmom83/family-history-scrapbook/
Next: Save your A. C. Moore advertising circular from the Sunday paper for the coupons and look for sales. Great insert pages can be found much less expensively at WalMart, as can name brand glue sticks, and other kinds of adhesives. I made the mistake of buying my original materials at Staples - too costly.
Browse around for ideas just by putting family history scrapbooking in google search. What a great way to save memories and spend a gloomy day in a creative pursuit (not to mention avoiding household chores and yard work!)
Happy Scrapping!
Jo Ann
Life Story Scrapbook
I have made a scrapbook for my daughter's 30th birthday, my sister's 50th birthday and now I am going to make one for my 70th birthday which arrives next autumn. It seems to me that I have become something of a historic topic in my own right. I was born in 1945 - a historic year: The end of World War II and the opening salvo of what was to become the Baby Boom thanks to returning soldiers and sailors and grateful and happy home-fires.
So, the first phase of the process is to decide what format you want to use to hang your information and images upon. I decided on chronology. I like simple and traditional approaches to most things including narrative and I do believe we are the products of our times.
My first page will include photos of my mother, pregnant, my father in his sailor suit, and my baby picture. Also, I will have some picture from the internet of the 'times' an image of the headline announcing end of the war from the Philadelphia Inquirer, an album cover of the Andrews Sisters, a Bing Crosby, and more.
I am including this process here because I have always thought it would be good to have a place with ideas on what people can do with their paper memorabilia to share it with others. So far for Christmas, I made a large photo collage of our oldest family photos, a family tree (both framed thanks to yard sales in the summer) and a book of what I have found so far of family history that I had reprinted at Belia Copy Center in Woodbury, mo "Go-To" choice for all copying for many years. They are expert, helpful, family owned and very reasonable in price.
So now, looking back on my childhood in South Philadelphia after the war. I'll post periodically on this process as it goes on and maybe inspire otheres to do their life story in any form - scrapbooking, writing, blogging but save your story - it is unique and it tells the times!
Happy Trails,
Jo Ann
So, the first phase of the process is to decide what format you want to use to hang your information and images upon. I decided on chronology. I like simple and traditional approaches to most things including narrative and I do believe we are the products of our times.
My first page will include photos of my mother, pregnant, my father in his sailor suit, and my baby picture. Also, I will have some picture from the internet of the 'times' an image of the headline announcing end of the war from the Philadelphia Inquirer, an album cover of the Andrews Sisters, a Bing Crosby, and more.
I am including this process here because I have always thought it would be good to have a place with ideas on what people can do with their paper memorabilia to share it with others. So far for Christmas, I made a large photo collage of our oldest family photos, a family tree (both framed thanks to yard sales in the summer) and a book of what I have found so far of family history that I had reprinted at Belia Copy Center in Woodbury, mo "Go-To" choice for all copying for many years. They are expert, helpful, family owned and very reasonable in price.
So now, looking back on my childhood in South Philadelphia after the war. I'll post periodically on this process as it goes on and maybe inspire otheres to do their life story in any form - scrapbooking, writing, blogging but save your story - it is unique and it tells the times!
Happy Trails,
Jo Ann
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Hiking Trails
To paraphrase the Great Willy Nelson, "I'm on the Trail Again! The turning planet has brought us back to sunshine, warmth, and almost completed work on thawing the ice and snow that clogged the trails and made them dangerous. Now, my hiking buddies and I can get back into the woods. Don't mistake me, we hiked the woods most of the winter because it is a "tick free" time, but when the snow came, then melted and turned to ice and new snow on the ice, we had to give it up. Well, I had to give it up. My intrepid buddies, the two Barbs, Barbara Solem, and Barbara Spector, don't let anything stop them from hiking the woods. And with YakTrax, you are pretty safe.
Most recently Barb Spector and I hiked around Cooper River, but it was less than successful because it began to rain, and because the utility trucks doing work there, keep their engines running filling the air with noxious and poisonous carbon monoxide. On top of that, it is NOISY! So much traffic goes around that park that if you are used to the silence of the woods, it is irritating rather than meditative. Still, it is a good stretch from our usual 3 mile hikes in that it is 4 miles, and I'm always grateful to the beautiful new Marina for providing the clean restrooms at the halfway mark.
Now, I have done favorites before but I'll do it again today:
My favorite hiking trail is Pakim Pond and the Cranberry Trail at Brendan Byrne. I think this is the prettiest pond I've ever seen and in season, the pitcher plants are along the pond trail. The Cranberry trail can be as long as you wish to hike. I think it is 3 or 4 miles to the ranger station. We usualy hike by time, as in half an hour out and half an hour back or longer in good weather and well functioning legs.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/byrne.html
This link will give you directions and also directions to Whitesbog, another favorite hiking area of mine, especially in the late summer when the cranberries are ripening. Use the web directions by all means, but to give you an idea, it is out route 70 then 72.
Barb Spector's favorite hiking trail is Parvin State Park
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/parvin.html
Parvin State Park is down near Pittsgrove, Elmer and Upper Pittsgrove off Almond Rd.
This is a nice 3 mile trail also boasting a public lavatory and a cheery family swimming lake in the summer.
Barb Solem's favorite hiking trail is Atsion Lake
http://www.visitnj.org/nj-all-beaches/atsion-recreation-area
Barb also has organized tours of Atsion Mansion in the spring and summer on Saturdays, thanks to help of a loyal band of volunteers and the cooperation of the Parks system.
A favorite fo both Barb Spector and me is the Maurice River Bluffs hike. Definitely go to the site for directions, but it is in Millville, out Silver Run Rd. There are several marked trails with a nicely varied terrain and gorgeous views of the Maurice River.
http://www.njhiking.com/nj-hikes-maurice-river-bluffs/
We like to make a day of it with lunch at Wildflowers Vegan Restaurant, and a trip to Bogart's Book Store to stock up on reading material and have a nice coffee after an afternoon on the trails. Sometimes we are lucky enough to get there when there is music.
We hke many many other trails, Goshen, Forsythe, Cox's Creek, and dozens of others, but these are our favorites. And when the ticks come out, Barb Spector and I like to do the Hunter's Glen bike trail, and the parks in Collingswood, Knight's Park, Newton Creek, and Audubon Lake in Haddon Heights Park. That way we stay out of the tick territory. Also now that the thaw has come, I'd like to try the Rails to Trails up at Wrightstown near the railroad station that used to be a charming museum.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/pemberton-rail-trail.aspx
There is also a trail a Bordentown I'd like to hike again.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/delaware-and-raritan-canal-state-park-trail.aspx
And of course if you want to drive further north, the Delaware Canal trail up at Washington State Park is nice in spring, summer and fall.
We picked Batsto for today because Barb Solem spends a lot of time in the woods and her prediciton was that the Batsto hiking trail she prefers is higher and more well drained so less likely to be full of puddles and mud. I'll let you know after it's over.
Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
Most recently Barb Spector and I hiked around Cooper River, but it was less than successful because it began to rain, and because the utility trucks doing work there, keep their engines running filling the air with noxious and poisonous carbon monoxide. On top of that, it is NOISY! So much traffic goes around that park that if you are used to the silence of the woods, it is irritating rather than meditative. Still, it is a good stretch from our usual 3 mile hikes in that it is 4 miles, and I'm always grateful to the beautiful new Marina for providing the clean restrooms at the halfway mark.
Now, I have done favorites before but I'll do it again today:
My favorite hiking trail is Pakim Pond and the Cranberry Trail at Brendan Byrne. I think this is the prettiest pond I've ever seen and in season, the pitcher plants are along the pond trail. The Cranberry trail can be as long as you wish to hike. I think it is 3 or 4 miles to the ranger station. We usualy hike by time, as in half an hour out and half an hour back or longer in good weather and well functioning legs.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/byrne.html
This link will give you directions and also directions to Whitesbog, another favorite hiking area of mine, especially in the late summer when the cranberries are ripening. Use the web directions by all means, but to give you an idea, it is out route 70 then 72.
Barb Spector's favorite hiking trail is Parvin State Park
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/parvin.html
Parvin State Park is down near Pittsgrove, Elmer and Upper Pittsgrove off Almond Rd.
This is a nice 3 mile trail also boasting a public lavatory and a cheery family swimming lake in the summer.
Barb Solem's favorite hiking trail is Atsion Lake
http://www.visitnj.org/nj-all-beaches/atsion-recreation-area
Barb also has organized tours of Atsion Mansion in the spring and summer on Saturdays, thanks to help of a loyal band of volunteers and the cooperation of the Parks system.
A favorite fo both Barb Spector and me is the Maurice River Bluffs hike. Definitely go to the site for directions, but it is in Millville, out Silver Run Rd. There are several marked trails with a nicely varied terrain and gorgeous views of the Maurice River.
http://www.njhiking.com/nj-hikes-maurice-river-bluffs/
We like to make a day of it with lunch at Wildflowers Vegan Restaurant, and a trip to Bogart's Book Store to stock up on reading material and have a nice coffee after an afternoon on the trails. Sometimes we are lucky enough to get there when there is music.
We hke many many other trails, Goshen, Forsythe, Cox's Creek, and dozens of others, but these are our favorites. And when the ticks come out, Barb Spector and I like to do the Hunter's Glen bike trail, and the parks in Collingswood, Knight's Park, Newton Creek, and Audubon Lake in Haddon Heights Park. That way we stay out of the tick territory. Also now that the thaw has come, I'd like to try the Rails to Trails up at Wrightstown near the railroad station that used to be a charming museum.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/pemberton-rail-trail.aspx
There is also a trail a Bordentown I'd like to hike again.
http://www.traillink.com/trail/delaware-and-raritan-canal-state-park-trail.aspx
And of course if you want to drive further north, the Delaware Canal trail up at Washington State Park is nice in spring, summer and fall.
We picked Batsto for today because Barb Solem spends a lot of time in the woods and her prediciton was that the Batsto hiking trail she prefers is higher and more well drained so less likely to be full of puddles and mud. I'll let you know after it's over.
Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Lines on the Pines & What's Going On in SJ
Today, Sunday, March 8, along with a couple of my friends, I attended the Lines in the Pines at Kerry Brooke Caterers in Hammonton, right in front of the Frog Rock Country Club. As usual, it was thronged with friendly and interested people, and as usual, there were gorgeous photographs and a multitude of interesting arts and books to see and talk about.
My friends and I like to do a "Pick your Favorite thing" when there is so much to see. It helps you narrow down and remember. My favorite thing was the spinners. It has always seemed like magic to me. Once I went so far as to wash and card a barrel of sheeps wool that a friend with a farm gave me, but I never got to the spinning part of the process. Watching the wool get turned into yarn is fascinating, mesmerizing. You can see how fairytales were made from it as in "Spinning straw into gold." My friend, Gale Kerr's favorite thing were the miniature terrarium gardens in jars, another friend, Janet Romano, a music teacher, liked best talking to the members of Ongs Hat music group - see
www.ongshat.com. My other friend, Barb Solem was there to talk about her latest book BATSTO, Jewel of the Pines, and her other two books, GHosttowns ond other Quirky Places of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and the Forks.
We met up with another couple of friends, Barb and Frank and we all went over to the MapleWood for lunch.
Some flyers with interesting information: Buzby's General Store Collection is in the process of being digitized and put on-line. Among other things, the collection includes postcards, letters, photographs, and invoices. The collection is donated to the Richard E. Bjork Library by Marilyn Schmidt, who has been the owner of Buzby's for some years now and has published numerous books on Pinelands history and recipes. I love that store. More information on this can be found at http://stockton.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/
Another flyer titled South Jersey Culture & History Center ann0ounced the exhibition Pine Barrens Life and Legends on display at the Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton Univ. in Oceanville, NJ. It runs through September 13, 2015 - another fun day trip.
Bud Wilson, noted archaeologist and Ted Gordon, Botanist will speak on Thursday, March 26 from 6:30 to 7:30 and Ongs Hat Band will play on Thursday, April 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
There will be storytelling and Music on Saturday May 2 at 2:00 and a spinning and felting demonstration on June 20 at 1:00.
For more info go to www.noyesmuseum.org or blogs.stockton.edu/sjchc
I took some photos but I'm struggling getting them off the camera and it is late and I'm going to bed now. I'll try to post a couple of the photographs another day. I have one of the spinners. Hope this gives you some good ideas of places to go and things to do this spring in South Jersey!
Happy Trails! And a great big thank you to Linda Stanton the force behind Lines On the Pines!
Jo Ann
My friends and I like to do a "Pick your Favorite thing" when there is so much to see. It helps you narrow down and remember. My favorite thing was the spinners. It has always seemed like magic to me. Once I went so far as to wash and card a barrel of sheeps wool that a friend with a farm gave me, but I never got to the spinning part of the process. Watching the wool get turned into yarn is fascinating, mesmerizing. You can see how fairytales were made from it as in "Spinning straw into gold." My friend, Gale Kerr's favorite thing were the miniature terrarium gardens in jars, another friend, Janet Romano, a music teacher, liked best talking to the members of Ongs Hat music group - see
www.ongshat.com. My other friend, Barb Solem was there to talk about her latest book BATSTO, Jewel of the Pines, and her other two books, GHosttowns ond other Quirky Places of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and the Forks.
We met up with another couple of friends, Barb and Frank and we all went over to the MapleWood for lunch.
Some flyers with interesting information: Buzby's General Store Collection is in the process of being digitized and put on-line. Among other things, the collection includes postcards, letters, photographs, and invoices. The collection is donated to the Richard E. Bjork Library by Marilyn Schmidt, who has been the owner of Buzby's for some years now and has published numerous books on Pinelands history and recipes. I love that store. More information on this can be found at http://stockton.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/
Another flyer titled South Jersey Culture & History Center ann0ounced the exhibition Pine Barrens Life and Legends on display at the Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton Univ. in Oceanville, NJ. It runs through September 13, 2015 - another fun day trip.
Bud Wilson, noted archaeologist and Ted Gordon, Botanist will speak on Thursday, March 26 from 6:30 to 7:30 and Ongs Hat Band will play on Thursday, April 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
There will be storytelling and Music on Saturday May 2 at 2:00 and a spinning and felting demonstration on June 20 at 1:00.
For more info go to www.noyesmuseum.org or blogs.stockton.edu/sjchc
I took some photos but I'm struggling getting them off the camera and it is late and I'm going to bed now. I'll try to post a couple of the photographs another day. I have one of the spinners. Hope this gives you some good ideas of places to go and things to do this spring in South Jersey!
Happy Trails! And a great big thank you to Linda Stanton the force behind Lines On the Pines!
Jo Ann
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Upcoming Events
Event #1 - Lines on the Pines ~ The ABC”s of
the Pine Barrens ~”10th Anniversary Bash and
Celebration” Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Kerri Brooke
Caterers...
If you have never attended the Lines on the Pines, you should give it a try. There is always music, great Pinelands Art, unique handmade objects, fascinating books and people, and a great deal to learn about the New Jersey Pinelands. I go every year and it was a privilege to be there as an author a couple of years ago with my book White Horse Black Horse. Hope to see you there! Look for my another of my best friends, Barbara Solem who has written 3 books on the Pinelands: Ghosttowns and Other Quirky Places in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, The Forks, and Batsto, Jewel of the Pines. She will be there to talk about her books, sell them and sign them.
Event #2
Announcing the 2015 Alice Paul Equality Awards, honoring
Lita Abele, CEO, U.S. Lumber
Phoebe Haddon, Chancellor, Rutgers University-Camden
Candida Toccia Seasock, Founder & President, CTS Associates
To celebrate our 30th Anniversary we are proud to honor the
Founders of the Alice Paul Institute
Elsie Behmer ~ *Chris Borget ~ Judy Buckman
Barbara Irvine ~ Dee O’Neil ~ Patricia Owens ~ Jean Perry
Nancy Quinn ~ Diane Quinton ~ Janet Tegley ~ Pat Williams
Thursday, March 19, 2015
The Westin Mount Laurel
Cocktail hour 6:00, Dinner & Ceremony 7:00
Tickets are on sale at www.alicepaul.org
Lita Abele, CEO, U.S. Lumber
Phoebe Haddon, Chancellor, Rutgers University-Camden
Candida Toccia Seasock, Founder & President, CTS Associates
To celebrate our 30th Anniversary we are proud to honor the
Founders of the Alice Paul Institute
Elsie Behmer ~ *Chris Borget ~ Judy Buckman
Barbara Irvine ~ Dee O’Neil ~ Patricia Owens ~ Jean Perry
Nancy Quinn ~ Diane Quinton ~ Janet Tegley ~ Pat Williams
Thursday, March 19, 2015
The Westin Mount Laurel
Cocktail hour 6:00, Dinner & Ceremony 7:00
Tickets are on sale at www.alicepaul.org
This second event means a great deal to me because *Chris Borget and I have been friends for 55 years or more, since junior high school. I couldn't be more proud of her and the effort she and a group of women made, thirty years ago, to save Paulsdale from developers and turn it into a legacy of which Alice Paul would be proud. If by chance you don't know who Alice Paul was, she was the point guard, guide and primary mover behind the Right to Vote movement for women in the early part of the 20th century. She devoted her life to the cause and she wrote the Equal Rights Amendment after we women did get the right to vote, in order to ensure equal treatment under the law for women. She found success in gaining the right to vote for us, but we never achieved the Equal Rights Amendment. However, a group of women piooled their talents and their financial support and saved this beautiful and historic house to remind us all of the struggle that some made to make America a better and more equal place. You should visit Paulsdale if you've never been there! It is located on Hooten Rd. in Mt. Laurel and you can get directions and contact information at their website. http://www.alicepaul.org/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)