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JUNE Vol. 50 • No. 6 Peter A. Fitzgerald ED I TO R
Katherine Hackleman S E NI O R E D I TO R / W R I TE R
James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck
4
CO N T R I B U T I N G CO L U MN I S TS
6
KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth
W. Douglas Shirk
E N E R G Y M AT T E R S
A few facts about ceiling fans
L AY O UT & D ES I G N
Vonnie Kloss A DV E R T I S I NG & C I R CU L AT I O N
Michelle M. Smith
8
F E AT U R E
Drive time
M E D I A & M A R K E T I N G S PE CI A L I ST
Pennsylvania Turnpike turns 75 Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,000 households of co-op consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives. Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.
12A C O O P E R AT I V E
8
CO N N ECT I O N
Information and advice from your local electric cooperative
14
TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years
16
COUNTRY KITCHEN
‘Easy’ eating 17
POWER PLANTS
16
June follies 18
OUT D OOR A DV ENT UR ES
Why did the turtle cross the road? 19
SMART CIRCUITS
Efficient, strong home construction methods 20
CLASSIFIEDS
22
PUNCH LINES
18 23
Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun! Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Leroy Walls; Vice Chairman, Tim Burkett; Secretary, Barbara Miller; Treasurer, Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley
Earl pays it backwards at restaurant after another’s good deed
23
RURAL REFLECTIONS
Spring fever
© 2015 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
O N T H E COV E R Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, and an archive of past issues.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is marking the 75th anniversary of the opening of the road billed as America’s first superhighway. The turnpike opened to motorists in October 1940. Photo by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
JUNE 2015 • PENN
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Pennsylvania tops list of states with snow-covered roads
observed in all 67 of the counties in the state. Findings recently pubOf the 23 states responding to an lished in the Journal of Medical American Association of State Highway Entomology show that while and Transportation Officials survey askthe blacklegged tick has been ing how much money they spent keeping observed in western Pennsylthe highways clear and safe during the vania, the rate of reported past winter, Pennsylvania ranked No. 1. Lyme disease there remains Together, the states estimated they lower than in the rest of the spent a combined $1.1 billion on personstate. nel and materials during the winter of Lyme disease, caused by the 2014-2015, with the Pennsylvania DepartPENNSYLVANIA BARN: This barn in Berks County shows the charbite of an infected tick, can trigment of Transportation (PennDOT) acteristic forebay, banked construction and gable roof of the ger fever, fatigue, headache, reporting it spent $272 million. PennDOT barn style known as a “Pennsylvania barn.” muscle aches and joint pain. officials report the state put down Early diagnosis and treatment of Lyme dishonor and preserve Pennsylvania barns. 1.5 million tons of salt and anti-skid ease may prevent later, more serious, comThe Pennsylvania barn is a distinct material, using 2.5 million personnel plications. architectural form, and serves as the heart hours. The state had budgeted $203 milPennsylvania has reported the most and soul of many Pennsylvania farms and lion for winter maintenance. cases of Lyme disease in the nation for the communities of which they are a part, PennDOT maintains approximately each of the past five years. and define the agricultural character of 40,000 miles of roadways. State officials rural landscapes across the state. Pennsylreport they expect to resurface about 2015 designated ‘Year of the vania barns — banked barns with one or 5,000 miles of state roads this summer. Pennsylvania Barn’ more walls overshooting their foundation Risk of Lyme disease spreads In recognition of the importance of (also known as a forebay) that nearly across Pennsylvania the state’s agriculture heritage, the Pennalways have gable roofs — were comsylvania House of Representatives monly built between 1820 and 1900. For the first time since the Pennsylpassed a resolution designating 2015 as vania Department of Environmental the “Year of the ‘Pennsylvania Barn’” and State plans limited river Protection has been monitoring the otter season called for an inventory of the distinctive presence of blacklegged (deer) ticks in structures within the Commonwealth. The Pennsylvania Board of Game the state, the blacklegged tick, the priThe resolution also encourages efforts to Commissioners has approved a limited mary carrier of Lyme disease, has been trapping season for river otters, but only the northeastern corner of the state. Enter the Penn Lines ‘50 for 50’ essay contest in For the first time since 1952, trappers will Penn Lines will be observing its 50th anniversary in 2016, and be permitted to harvest river otters. The we want you to be a part of the celebration. In recognition of the season is Feb. 21-23, 2016, in only Wildlife magazine’s 50 years, we are holding a “50 for 50” essay contest. Management Units 3C and 3D, and the Enter for your chance to win one of three $50 gift cards by subcommission has retained the option to mitting an essay in one of the following three categories: extend the season by five additional days. 1. What is your earliest memory of Penn Lines? Trappers must have special permits 2. How does Penn Lines help you as a cooperative member? to take an otter during the season. Otter 3. What does Penn Lines mean to rural Pennsylvania? As part of our anniversary celebration, we plan to reprint some trapping regulations are similar to those of the essays in the 2016 issues of Penn Lines. All submissions will be eligible to win for beavers, and tagging requirements one of three $50 gift cards. are identical to the requirements for tagEntries should be between 100 and 250 words long. Please email your entries to ging bobcats and fishers. editor@prea.com, or mail them to Penn Lines Editor, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA More information about trapping 17108-1266. Include your name, address, telephone number, email (if available), and the otters is available on the commission’s cooperative that serves your residence or business. website at www.pgc.state.pa.us. l 4
PENN
LINES • JUNE 2015
PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL & MUSEUM COMMISSION
KEEPINGcurrent
ENERGYmatters A few facts about ceiling fans By B r e t C u r ry
CEILING FANS have been helping Americans beat the heat for more than 100 years. Philip Diehl, a contemporary of Thomas Edison, is credited with being the inventor of the electrically powered ceiling fan in 1882. Diehl used the electric motor he engineered for the Singer sewing machine, added two paddle blades and the rest is history. The fans caught on fast, and Diehl didn’t stop there. He improved his design by adding a light kit. By World War I, most ceiling fans were revving up with four paddle blades rather than two. An important reminder about ceiling fans is they do not provide refrigerated cooling like an air conditioner. Instead, they simply move air in proximity to the fan. This movement of air from the electromechanical device is called convective cooling. The movement of air is no different than folding a piece of paper and fanning your face. A few months ago, Mother Nature was dishing out lots of convective cooling. You may recall the weathermen cautioning us about frigid wind-chill factors. Whether produced by wind, ceiling fans or a piece of paper, air moving across our skin will evaporate the moisture produced by our bodies, which makes us feel cooler. Research shows that more than 75 percent of all homes in the United States have ceiling fans. When used correctly, they can help lower summer cooling costs and make the air near the fan feel cooler than it actually is. Using ceiling fans in conjunction with your air conditioner creates a wind-chill effect inside your home. The energy-saving idea is to run your ceiling 6
PENN
LINES • JUNE 2015
BE SMART: Ceiling fans are a great way to keep cool during the summer months, but leaving them on while you’re away can run up your electric bill. This infrared imagery shows heat given off by a ceiling fan motor.
fan at the speed of your liking and simply raise the set point of the thermostat 3 to 5 degrees. Do keep in mind, your comfort is a personal choice, so the recommended fan speed and thermostat settings are not set in stone. A frequent question asked about ceiling fans is: “Which direction should the paddle blades spin during the summer months?” The answer is that your fan needs to spin counterclockwise in order to push the airflow downward. The opposite, or clockwise, applies for the winter. However, some people do not enjoy air movement from a ceiling fan during the heating season. There is a downside to using ceiling fans. They can rack up unnecessary additional kilowatt-hours when no one is around to enjoy the breeze. Many homeowners have the idea they are somehow helping to cool the interior even while they are away from the home. Left on and unattended, ceiling fans are just
spinning up your electric bill. Furthermore, an invisible culprit emitted from ceiling fans is unwanted heat gain generated from the spinning motor. Remember, the last thing we want in our homes during the summer is additional heat. Unnecessary heat gain makes our air conditioner work harder to keep our homes cool. Ceiling fan motors generate temperatures that can reach near 130 degrees. While this operating temperature is normal and safe, it does add heat to your dwelling. A simple flip of the switch or pulling the chain into the off position when you are away or not occupying the room is a cool summer energy tip. Be sure to visit www.smartenergy tips.org or Facebook www.facebook.com/ SmartEnergyTips.org for dozens of energy-savings ideas. l Bret Curry is the residential energy manager for Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation.
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PENNlines
Drive
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Pennsylvania Turnpike turns 75 B y B i l l Wa r n e r Penn Lines Contributor
The early morning mist obscures some of the trees along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bedford County.
MORNING ON THE TURNPIKE:
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PENN
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F
or 75 years, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has been many things to many people — a getaway route for vacationing families, a shortcut for commuters going to and from work, a major east-
west artery for truck drivers, and the gateway to Pennsylvania. It’s even been immortalized in song as Billy Joel proclaimed “Home can be the Pennsylvania Turnpike” in a track on his popular 1973 album, “Piano Man.” And in the late 1970s, country composer/singer Vaughn Horton paid tribute to the roadway with his “Pennsylvania Turnpike, I Love You.”
JUNE 2015 • PENN
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PENNlines This year, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission marks the 75th anniversary of what was billed as America’s first superhighway. The first portion of the turnpike opened to motorists on Oct. 1, 1940. “The turnpike actually established the national standard for superhighway design and construction more than 16 years before the first U.S. interstate highway,” says Renee Colborn, manager of media and public relations for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. “It was the granddaddy of the interstates, the model upon which other limited-access highways were built.”
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
We’ve all traveled the turnpike and accumulated certain memories. Maybe you have a favorite spot to view the fall foliage. Maybe you’ve traveled a stretch of the turnpike for decades and noticed the aging of a landmark, like an advertisement on the side of a barn. For folks in eastern Pennsylvania, the turnpike may trigger childhood memories of trips to the Jersey Shore. Or, if you grew up in western Pennsylvania, your turnpike destination may have been a ski resort in the Laurel Highlands. Keeping these memories in mind, the commission is celebrating the anniversary with several events, including a history video, a website countdown, a coffee-table book, an antique car show and the big event later this year at the State Museum in Harrisburg: a transportation display featuring an original turnpike toll booth from the Irwin Interchange, and other turnpike artifacts. “The South Midway Service Plaza located a mile past the Bedford Interchange heading eastbound is a great place to see some turnpike memorabilia that used to be sold in the plazas long ago,” Colborn says. “There is a big display case filled with interesting pieces that show how the turnpike has evolved through the years.” Throughout its history, the cross-state road has also been a major employer: hundreds of people work every day to maintain the roadway, collect tolls, serve customers at rest areas and perform a number of other tasks.
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
Memories
Nobody knows the turnpike better than the maintenance workers who are on the roadway daily, and that includes two electric cooperative members. Steve Price, 62, a member of Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, retired as a road foreman in 2012. Russell Hillegas, 56, a member of Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative, is the foreman at Somerset’s maintenance shed. Price, who lives in Three Springs, Huntingdon County, with his wife, Bonnie, worked for the turnpike one month shy of 30 years. His crew at Burnt Cabins maintenance shed was responsible for a 32-mile stretch of the turnpike from milepost 168.4 near Sideling Hill to milepost 201.3, the Blue Mountain Interchange. It is a busy stretch that includes an east-west service plaza, three interchanges and three tunnels: Blue Mountain, Kittatinny and Tuscarora. Price worked his way through the ranks, starting in 1982 as Tunnel Maintainer 1, followed by Equipment Operator 1, ERW Clerk, Assistant Foreman and, finally, Foreman of the Burnt Cab10
PENN
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PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
The ‘roadies’
A LOOK BACK: A photographer records history near Everett, Pa., during the turnpike’s first months of operation in 1940, top. Other historic photos include: construction of an overpass in Bedford County in 1939, middle left; construction of the Tuscarora tunnel on the Huntingdon/Franklin county line in 1940, middle right; the Midway Hotel and Restaurant in Bedford County, bottom left; and the Allegheny Mountain tunnel in Somerset County, right.
ins maintenance shed in District 2 in 2000. “I started at the bottom and came up,” Price says. “The overall environment, it was a good place to work,” he says. “I worked with a lot of good people. You met all kinds of people. ... You saw the world go past out there. You saw sights out there that the average person doesn’t get to see.” Hillegas, who lives near Berlin, Somerset County, with his wife, Jeanne, was promoted to foreman in January. A turnpike employee for 33 years, he hopes to retire in two years. Russell and Jeanne are the parents of two sons, Brandon and Kyle. “It’s been a good career,” Hillegas says. “I wouldn’t do anything differently. Every day is different. You have something different every day. You get to see a lot of people.” Hillegas’ crew is responsible for a 23-mile stretch from milepost 100 to the Allegheny Tunnel in Somerset County. Much of the area is very rural and very scenic. “There’s a couple nice spots (for viewing) in that area,” Hillegas says. “When you come off the Laurel Mountains, it flattens out pretty good and you can see Somerset.”
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
Winter weather Both Hillegas and Price say the toughest thing about their job is dealing with winter weather. But they quickly add that nobody deals with it better than the Pennsylvania Turnpike. “They were very proactive,” Price notes. “That’s one great thing about the turnpike: they were proactive. When it comes to a storm, don’t wait for the storm to call your people out there. Have them out there waiting for the storm. When it hits, they’re on the road ready to go.” While local roads — and even interstates — can become impassable during a snowstorm, the turnpike has built a reputation for always being open. “The world goes to the turnpike to get through,” Price says flatly. “You try (to keep the turnpike open); we do the best we can.” “The turnpike has a wet-road policy,” Hillegas says. “They don’t want any snow on the road at all. We put a lot of salt down. They want a wet road. It’s not unusual to have 12 trucks out there in that 23-mile stretch during a storm. We’ll get extra traffic during a storm because people know the roadway will be passable.” Price says another challenge was wildly erratic weather patterns in his district caused by the Blue Mountains, Laurel Highlands and the valleys in between. He even joked that there’s only two seasons there: one beautiful, one harsh. “Somerset, that’s a different world out there,” he deadpans. “Fourth of July and Christmas, that’s it.” Turning serious, Price says, “You could have almost three different weather patterns at the same time: below Blue Mountain Tunnel and down through to Newville; when you start getting closer to Tuscarora, you could start coming into some snow, and then you hit a westerly storm going up to Sideling Hill bypass and they could be plowing. It was the geographical area.”
The tunnels Turnpike foremen are responsible for assessing what work needs to be done on the turnpike and assigning crews to do it. You may be surprised to learn that the turnpike’s famous tunJUNE 2015 • PENN
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nels take up a lot of their time. “The tunnels require maintenance, and that was a very big, time-consuming thing for us, as far as setting the sign patterns and having the manpower, because pretty much when you were doing that, you didn’t have time for anything else,” Price says. Hillegas explains that large fans at both ends of a tunnel push fresh air inside, where it is dispersed through ceiling vents. Air quality is constantly checked by carbon-monoxide monitors. The turnpike employs separate tunnel crews that deal with electrical and technical issues. Maintenance crews, like the ones guided by Price and Hillegas, help the tunnel crews with other issues, such as cleaning, replacing ceiling tiles and patching potholes. “The big thing with the tunnels was washing the tunnels,” Price says. “You went through and cleaned the drains. There’s a tunnel crew in the district — two or three guys. We assist the tunnel crew with the operations. About every two
years, we would re-lamp the tunnels. The lightbulbs would burn out.” There are five tunnels on the turnpike: Allegheny Mountain, Tuscarora, Kittatinny and Blue Mountain on the original eastwest roadway, and Lehigh Valley on the Northeast Extension.
The turnpike that opened to motorists at midnight on Oct. 1, 1940, was a far cry from today’s turnpike. The original toll road was 160 miles between Irwin, Westmoreland County, and Carlisle, Cumberland County. The four-lane roadway had a concrete surface, divided by a narrow, grass median strip. In later years, the grass median was replaced by a concrete barrier for increased safety. The 160-mile stretch was built on a railroad bed. Industrial barons in the 19th century had started an east-west railroad that included seven tunnels, but that proj-
Cooperatives help power Pennsylvania Turnpike
SOMERSET RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE PHOTO
While it’s not obvious to the person behind the wheel, a driver traveling across the state via the Pennsylvania Turnpike will pass through five electric cooperative service territories. Electric lines aren’t all that obvious along the turnpike, but electricity is. Without electricity, the toll booths at turnpike entrances and exits wouldn’t operate, and signs couldn’t warn drivers of road construction and accidents, or tout the advantages of specific hotels at upcoming exits. It would take turnpike maintenance
SOMERSET CREWS AT WORK: Line personnel from Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative replace line across the Pennsylvania Turnpike – a job that requires turnpike personnel and state police to form a rolling roadblock to stop traffic.
PENN
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SCENES FROM RURAL PENNSYLVANIA: Country scenes, like sheep grazing and an Amish buggy in the foreground, contrast with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in the background.
History
Lighting the way
12
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE PHOTO
PENNlines
ect was abandoned in the 1880s. Some 50-plus years later, it was cars and trucks — not trains — using the route. “It actually was the first east-to-west superhighway,” Hillegas says. “The original part of it followed the old South Penn Railroad. A lot of the right-of-way (the turnpike commission) obtained was from the South Penn Railroad that was never finished.” In 1950, a decade after the turnpike opened, a major expansion was completed, linking Carlisle to Valley Forge, (continues on page 15)
crews longer to do their jobs, and road-weary travelers would miss their hot chicken strips and cold ice cream, not to mention a number of other services at turnpike service plazas. Heading east, drivers first run into cooperative service territories at the western edge of Somerset County. Somerset County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) has 12 primary overhead lines that cross the turnpike, and serves five turnpike accounts, including a communications tower, salt shed, weather condition notification signs and emergency access gates. Somerset REC also serves several individual highway signs along the turnpike. In neighboring Bedford County, Bedford REC provides service to the Breezewood exit toll booths, as well as both Midway Plaza restaurants and the turnpike commission’s maintenance building at the foot of Allegheny Mountain. New Enterprise REC provides electricity to the turnpike’s Sideling Hill Plaza, along with a nearby tower site. Further east, Valley REC has multiple service points related to the turnpike, including a three-phase overhead line that serves a turnpike maintenance building near the tunnel in Huntingdon County, as well as multiple single-phase lines for signs. Adams EC provides electricity in Franklin and Cumberland counties for turnpike weather alert signs and a turnpike radio tower on Clark’s Knob. In addition, the cooperative operates under an agreement that allows cooperative trucks to pass underneath the turnpike to access and service a small number of its accounts near the Blue Ridge Tunnel on the opposite (north) side from where most of its members are located. Adams EC is in the process of upgrading its three lines that cross the turnpike, an effort that requires the turnpike and state police to provide a rolling roadblock to stop turnpike traffic for a few minutes while the new wire is pulled across the traffic lanes.
REPLACE, NEVER REPAIR DAMAGED EXTENSION CORDS. Helping members use electricity safely, that’s the power of your co-op membership. Learn more from the experts themselves at TogetherWeSave.com.
TIMElines
Yo u r N e w s m a g a z i n e T h r o u g h t h e Y e a r s
1995 YOUR COOPERATIVE works hard to provide your home or business with reliable service, constantly replacing worn or outdated components like poles and wire. But the key to reducing outages is right-of-way maintenance (controlling vegetation near power lines), and that’s a constant battle for electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania where the rural landscape can be as challenging as it is beautiful. You know that water and electricity don’t mix. But neither do trees and electricity. Nearly all weather conditions that cause outages are worsened by the proximity of trees. Even a light breeze can snap limbs or simply push branches into the wires. Limbs touching lines are the biggest single cause of outages. Controlling foliage is expensive, and the denser the vegetation, the more it costs. The techniques used to control vegetation growth vary with location. Some areas are only accessible by linemen on foot. And trees planted near homes pose their own problems because both the trimming and the cleanup require more precision than is necessary in the middle of the woods. In addition to trimming, many cooperatives also spray to control vegetation. The long-range goal of any right-of-way maintenance effort is to reduce outages (and costs) by encouraging native, low-growing plant species under power lines. In the wild, this is accomplished by the selective removal or treatment of woody plants that could grow into wires. In residential settings, the same goal is achieved by replacing taller trees with similar varieties that have a shorter height at maturity.
1975 Participants in the annual National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Tour visit many national memorials during their stay in Washington, D.C. 14
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1985 More than 300 Pennsylvanians benefit from training received through the Pennsylvania Public Affairs Leadership Program funded by W. K. Kellogg.
2005 The Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab team collects, documents and tests chemicals seized during a raid of a methamphetamine-producing lab.
Drive time (continued from page 12) northwest of Philadelphia. Soon afterward, links were completed from Irwin to the Ohio line, and from Valley Forge to the Delaware River and New Jersey. By then 360 miles long, the roadway crossed the entire state. The Northeast Extension, linking Montgomery County with Scranton to the north, was finished in 1957. It covers 110 miles. Turnpike planners predicted 1.3 million vehicles would use the turnpike each year, but early actual use was much higher: 2.4 million vehicles as sometimes as many as 10,000 vehicles per day were recorded. As more people than anticipated used the turnpike, major bottlenecks began occurring at the tunnels, which had just two lanes. Three original tunnels — Laurel Hill, Ray’s Hill and Sideling Hill — were closed and replaced by bypasses through the mountains. At the remaining tunnels, new tubes were excavated and two additional lanes of traffic were added. All of the work was completed by the late 1960s. (The abandoned tunnels remain, although they are not open to the public. Local gossip, along with multiple internet sites, claim the Laurel Hill Tunnel is currently being used by Chip Ganassi Racing for aerodynamic testing for high-speed race cars, although the racing giant has not confirmed this.) Other improvements to the turnpike through the years have included new facilities at service plazas, a shift from sitdown restaurants to fast food, and, of course, E-ZPass, which has enabled thousands of motorists using a plastic transponder to zip through interchanges instead of stopping and paying a toll in cash. “You have to go with the times,� Price notes. “You used to have Howard Johnson’s, sit-down, get-waited-on style of restaurants. Now, everything is quick ... quick food. People get on (the turnpike) and want to go from Point A to Point B, and they want to get there. They don’t want to sit an hour in a restaurant.� l
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COUNTRYkitchen
by Janette He ss
‘Easy’ eating “SUMMERTIME, and the livin’ is easy,” composer George Gershwin observed some 80 years ago. Fast-forward to summertime 2015, pull some shrimp out of the freezer, and use this month’s recipes to confirm that “summertime eatin’” can be easy, too. Shrimp in their fresh or frozen forms are readily available year-round, but they seem like warm-weather food when they’re not breaded and deep-fried. Utilizing pre-cooked cocktail shrimp, Marinated Shrimp is an easy dish to assemble. Offer it as an appetizer at your next backyard gathering, or discard the lemon slices and serve the shrimp, onions, peppers, capers, and dressing over a bed of garden-fresh greens. Add some sliced avocado and a sprinkling of feta cheese, and salad never tasted so good! Shrimp Creole is not quite as easy to make, but it is exceptionally “easy” to eat. Packed with shrimp and seasonal vegetables, this classic dish is delicious as well as elegant. If needed, the base may be cooked a day or two in advance and then stored in the refrigerator. It also freezes well. For serving, simply heat the base to boiling and add raw shrimp as detailed in the recipe. What could be easier on your summer schedule than a fabulous make-ahead dish? l A trained journalist, JANETTE HESS focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.
MARINATED SHRIMP 2 pounds frozen jumbo shrimp (pre-cooked, peeled and de-veined with tails intact) 1 white onion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 medium lemons, thinly sliced 1/2 cup sliced, drained “pepperoncini” deli-style peppers 1/4 cup drained capers 1 cup Italian dressing 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
tions. (This may Thaw shrimp in refrigerator according to package instruc in bottom of shrimp of layer single Place dry. take overnight.) Pat shrimp peppers and slices, lemon , onions of half with Cover dish. 13-inch 9- by dressing, horseradcapers. Repeat layer. In separate bowl, whisk together 8 to 10 hours, erate Refrig . shrimp over g dressin Pour seed. celery ish and gs. servin 8 Makes stirring once after 4 to 5 hours.
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SHRIMP CREOLE 2 pounds shell-on frozen raw shrimp, mediu m or large size 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup flour 1 large onion, chopped 1 large bell pepper (red or green), seeded and chopped 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh, peeled, chopped tomato 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 3 1/2 cups chicken broth 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Several dashes of hot pepper sauce, plus more for serving 8 to 10 servings steamed rice
Thaw shrimp according to package instructions . Peel, de-vein and remove tails. Refrigerate while preparing base. To make base, heat oil in heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add flour. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook and stir for approximately 15 minutes, or until mixture is a rich caramel color. Adjust heat as needed to keep mixture from browning too slowly or too quickly. Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and continue cooking and stirring an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and all seasonings. Simmer on very low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Just befor e serving, remove bay leaves. Bring mixture to boil and add raw shrim p. Cook just until shrimp are opaque. Remove from heat and add several dashe s of hot pepper sauce. Serve over steamed rice. Makes 8 to 10 gener ous servings. *If Creole seasoning is not available, substitute several dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
POWERplants
June follies JUNE IS the month for rose gardens, verdant lawns and the gentle breezes of early summer. It’s one of my favorite months. The rush of spring planting is completed, the beds are weeded and bare earth freshly mulched. Everything seems right in the garden. I love to sit in my favorite lawn chair and survey “the estate” growing up all around me. This is my time to enjoy the results of my hard work. My eyes feast on the tidy vegetable patch, the herb garden, and all the perennials and annual flowers. I know these are relatively ephemeral in the landscape, but their lightness and bright colors, the profusion of flowers and butterflies, make me happy. I enjoy monitoring the development of trees and shrubs planted with great anticipation and nurtured over the years — carefully selected for space and growing conditions, mature size and shape, fall color, and general appeal. Now they are beginning to provide the desired shade and shelter, a pleasant sense of enclosure, and a carefully BARBARA MARTIN , who says she began gardening as a hobby “too many years ago to count,” currently works for the National Gardening Association as a horticulturist. A former member of Gettysburg-based Adams Elect ric Cooperative, her articles appear in magazines and on the internet.
by Barbara Martin
sculpted view. The woody plants can seem like an investment for sure, in money, labor and time, but they are also a vote of confidence for the future. It’s fun to imagine who might enjoy sitting under “my” lovingly planted shade tree in 20 or 40 years. It’s a bit of a mindbender to imagine some unknown future person enjoying the Victorian-era favorites I’ve planted now, but I am certain people in any century will love lilacs and roses and apple trees, tall evergreens and majestic oaks just as much as we do. Trees and shrubs are longlived, but sometimes my thoughts run to making a bigger impact than a pretty landscape layout. What else could I do, something with lasting significance? Something unique, that only I could imagine? I admit my dreams are inspired in part by the eccentric English gardening tradition of building what would be known as a “folly” — a small, but elaborate and permanent, structure created purely for amusement and visual effect, and without regard to cost or practicality. I am fond of the welldesigned pergola, in part for the regal sound of its name and for the shade it casts on a hot summer afternoon and the silhouette it casts against the dullest of winter skies. I definitely appreciate a properly constructed stone “ruin” complete with ferns and architectural fragments, partly for its romantic spookiness on a dark evening and partly for the sheer audacity of its conceit. A gleam-
ing shrine constructed with bold pillars supporting a dome and sited on the distant shore of a man-made lake is a stellar example of folly-dom, especially when placed atop a small rise and of a scale to make the lake seem larger than it is. The best historic folly models reflect a single-minded determination on the part of their instigators. They exude a sense of theatricality in their design, plus a certain ironic nod to grandeur, and generally devoured hideously large budgets. My personal follies are more modest. Mine run more to odd sculptures and fountains in hidden niches and the upcoming installation of a spiraling step stone pathway to nowhere in particular. I have yet to erect something “permanent”
SUMMERTIME DIVERSION: June afternoons are perfect for considering what kind of June folly you would like to create.
enough to last for centuries, perhaps because I would not expect my family to continue living on this property for generations to come. Or am I lacking in vision — or determination — or eccentricity? Where does your mind take you when you sit outside on a perfect June afternoon and survey the world around you? For some reason, my mind often runs to follies. What would your folly be? This type of delightful gardening diversion, requiring only mild mental effort and perhaps some lighthearted, bantering discussion, is what June days are made for, my gardening friend. l
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Why did the turtle cross the road? THE SNAPPING turtle lurched to the side, arched up on its hind legs and lived up to its name by snapping at my fingers on the sides of its shell. While I’ve lost count of the number of turtles — snapping and other species — that I’ve helped on their way across and off roadways, I do know that not one of them has ever shown the slightest bit of gratitude. And, that matters more when it’s an ungrateful snapping turtle being saved from oncoming traffic than when it’s a box turtle or a wood turtle. Gratitude or not, saving something that might be 50 or 100 years old from a crushing death under the wheels of a car or truck seems a worthwhile investment of a few minutes. That seems even more so in early summer, when the turtle being rescued is likely an eggfilled female en route to a MARCUS SCHNECK is the outdoor writer for The (Harrisburg) PatriotNews and its website, PennLive.com. He also writes for many outdoor publications and is the author of more than two dozen books. Keep abreast of his adventures and writings at www.marcusschneck.com.
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nesting spot, where she will deposit 20 to 60 eggs, with the outside chance that 1 percent of her hatchlings will reach maturity. Some female snapping turtles will travel as much as six miles from their yearround home in a pond or lake to their nesting site. You probably see a flattened turtle or two in your travels every spring and summer, and you’ve likely driven past several others without really noticing. Maybe you have some sense of the huge number of turtles — and snakes and frogs and toads and salamanders — that meet a premature death on our highways. However, the full scope of the problem likely escapes most of us. In an experiment in Florida, a silt fence was erected to prevent turtles from finding their way onto a highway that was known as a turtle killer, and nearly 5,000 turtles were kept off the highway in just a few weeks. Although it wasn’t turtles, several years ago some of the staff at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County collected all the salamanders, toads and frogs they found smashed on the mountain roadway through the sanctuary during the spring mating migration. They quickly filled a gallon jar. Saving turtles from highways is a simple procedure. Pull off the road in a safe spot. Watch for oncoming traffic. Never pick a turtle up
LINES • JUNE 2015
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
OUTDOORadventures
WORTH SAVING: Columnist Marcus Schneck saves another ungrateful turtle from a traffic-related early death.
by the tail, which can injure the animal under the strain of its own weight. And, always move the turtle in the
direction it was traveling and as close as possible to the spot where it seemed to have been aiming itself. l
SMARTcircuits
by James Dulley
Efficient, strong home construction methods THERE ARE several relatively new home construction methods that are much stronger and more efficient than typical insulated, wood framing built to code. Some of these methods use more than double the insulation value of typical framed walls and can even withstand hurricane- and tornado-force winds. If you decide on a wood-framed house, use staggered, double-stud walls on 24-inch centers. This method not only provides double the insulation value, but by staggering the wall studs, it minimizes thermal bridges (direct non-insulated heat flow paths from indoors to outdoors through the studs). For a wood-framed home, install rigid foam wall sheathing on the exterior so that all of the lumber’s thermal mass is inside of the insulation envelope. This can be covered with any type of exterior finish. Use a relatively square or circular shape to minimize the exterior wall and roof area. With similar insulation levels, a wall that is twice as big as another will lose about twice as much heat. Generally, square and circular-shaped homes resist the forces of storm winds best. The “stay-in-place” home construction method uses concrete and rigid foam insulation; this method is efficient and strengthens the home. The insulation forms, which hold the wet concrete, are not removed, and they provide the insulation and substrate surface for installing the interior and exterior wall coverings. Wall insulation values are as high as R-40 when this method is used. A similar method uses hollow foam
blocks made to fit your plans. The blocks are designed so there is an open cavity throughout the inside. Concrete is pumped into the openings at the top of the walls and flows throughout the blocks, creating a strong, efficient structure. SIP (structural insulated panel) systems are a subset of standard foam insulated panels, which have a thick foam core sandwiched between two rigid sheets of various materials. Standard panels are often used for exterior walls to enclose post and beam-framed and steel-framed homes for some of the highest insulation levels possible. The rigid sheets in SIP panels are unique because they are made of oriented strand board, which creates a strong, highly insulated panel. The panel is self-supporting. Once the panels are attached to the foundation and are connected, the SIP panels support themselves, the floors, ceiling, and roof. Steel-framed construction is an excellent construction method if strength is the goal. Also, it does not burn or change shape over time as lumber does, and each steel piece is nearly identical. Although steel is not a good insulator, its strength allows for thinner studs and
wider spacing. This leaves more room for additional insulation in the walls and fewer thermal bridges. Efficient straw bale homes date back more than a century in the United States. When placed on its side, each threestring bale is about 23 inches wide. When packed to a normal density, it produces an insulation value greater than R-50. The bales are stacked and bolted to a concrete foundation with vertical threaded rods. When completed, other than thick openings at windows and doors, they look like any conventional framed house. Although they may look unusual, a geodesic dome design makes for an efficient and strong home. The most efficient models are made with thick foam panels. Concrete is sprayed over the exterior, covering the panels and filling the gaps between panels for strength. Another plus — the spherical exterior allows high winds to flow smoothly over it without damage. l Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to JAMES DULLEY , Penn Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
JUNE 2015 • PENN
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PENNLINESclassified ISSUE MONTH:
AD DEADLINE: Penn Lines classified advertisements reach nearly 166,000 rural Pennsylvania households! Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads received beyond the due date will run in the next available issue. Written notice of changes and cancellations must be received 30 days prior to the issue month. Classified ads will not be accepted by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Vonnie Kloss at 717$233-5704.
August 2015 . . . . . . . . . June 19 September 2015 . . . . . . July 20 October 2015 . . . . . . . August 19
CLASSIFIED AD SUBMISSION/RATES: Please use the form below or submit a separate sheet with required information. Electric co-op members: $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word. Non-members: $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50 for each additional word. Ad in all CAPITAL letters: Add 20 percent to total cost. Please print my ad in all CAPITAL letters. PLACE AD IN THE MONTHS OF: . WORD COUNT: I am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label. Name/Address or Mailing Label Here: Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ . I am a non-member. Address is noted or attached at right. Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ . 1
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FREE Headings (Select One): Around the House Business Opportunities Employment Opportunities Gift and Craft Ideas Livestock and Pets Miscellaneous Motor Vehicles and Boats Nursery and Garden Real Estate Recipes and Food Tools and Equipment Vacations and Campsites Wanted to Buy SPECIAL HEADING: . SPECIAL HEADING FEE: $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Applies even if heading is already appearing in Penn Lines. Insertion of classified ad serves as proof of publication; no proofs supplied. SEND FORM TO: Penn Lines Classifieds, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Please make CHECK/MONEY ORDER payable to: PREA/Penn Lines.
AROUND THE HOUSE
CHURCH LIFT SYSTEMS
GIFT AND CRAFT IDEAS
SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking” — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered” — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.
Make your church, business or home wheelchair accessible. We offer platform lifting systems, stair lifts, porch lifts and ramps. References. Free estimates. Get Up & Go Mobility Inc. 724-746-0992 or 814-926-3622.
SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking” — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered” — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.
CARPENTER BEES BE GONE!!! Stops boring. No chemicals. Bees enter - can’t get out. Easily dispose of dead bees. Trapped bees are visible. Traps dozens of bees. Hang in problem areas. Treated wood construction. Mounting hardware included. $25. Buy 4 – free shipping. Information/order: 814-333-1225. Email: gburch54@windstream.net. ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR HIGH COUNTRY Arts and Crafts Fair. S. B. Elliott State Park. Vendors, food, entertainment. 1/2 mile off I-80, Exit 111 (old 18). 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on July 12. More info. 814-765-5667. BUILDING SUPPLIES STEEL ROOFING AND SIDING. Over 25 years in business. Several profiles - cut to length. 29 and 26 gauge best quality residential roofing – 40-year warranty. Also, seconds, heavy gauges, accessories, etc. Installation available. Located northwestern Pennsylvania. 814-398-4052. FACTORY SECONDS of insulation, 4 x 8 sheets, foil back. RValue 6.5 per inch. Great for pole buildings, garages, etc. Also prime grade A foil bubble wrap insulation. 814-442-6032. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TIRED of the Rat Race? Want to own your business? Low cost, high-end leadership company has open positions! 814-6030231.
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CONSULTING FORESTRY SERVICES NOLL’S FORESTRY SERVICES, INC. performs Timber Marketing, Timber Appraisals, Forest Management Planning, and Forest Improvement Work. FREE Timber Land Recommendations. 30 years experience. Call 814-472-8560. CENTRE FOREST RESOURCES. Forest and Wildlife Management Services, Timber Sales and Appraisals. FREE Timber Consultation. College educated, professional, ethical. 814-5717130. CRANE SERVICE NEED A LIFT? Crane service for all your lifting needs. Experienced, fully insured, Owner-Operated and OSHA Certified. Precision Crane LLC, Linesville, PA 814-282-9133. FENCING HYDRAULIC POST DRIVER FOR RENT. Easy hookup and transportation. Safe, simple operation. Convenient, costeffective alternative for setting wood posts by hand. $200 for first day, $175/additional day. 1-800-KENCOVE. FINANCIAL FREEDOM EXECUTIVE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE WEALTH. ARE YOU READY FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM? JIM VARGO 314-614-6039. WWW.BLESSEDARETHERICH.COM
HEALTH AND NUTRITION Tired of all those medicines ⎯ Still not feeling better? Do you want to feel better, have more energy, better digestion, less joint stiffness, healthier heart/circulation and cholesterol levels? Find out how to empower your own immune system ⎯ start 1-26 today! It’s safe, affordable, and it works. Call 800557-8477: ID#528390. 90-day money back on first time orders or call me 724-454-5586. www.mylegacyforlife.net/believeit. HEALTH INSURANCE DO YOU HAVE THE BLUES regarding your Health Insurance? We cater to rural America's health insurance needs. For more information, call 800-628-7804 (PA). Call us regarding Medicare supplements, too. HUNTING CUSTOM HAND MADE to order or in-stock wooden turkey calls of various woods and sizes. 814-267-5489 leave message for Precision Unlimited Inc., Berlin, PA. INFRARED SAUNAS Removes toxins, burns calories, relieves joint pain, relaxes muscles, increases flexibility, strengthens immune system. Many more HEALTH BENEFITS with infrared radiant heat saunas. Economical to operate. Barron’s Furniture, Somerset, PA. 814-443-3115.
PENNLINESclassified LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT
RECIPES AND FOOD
HARRINGTONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Garden equipment, Sales – Service – Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com.
SPECIAL OFFER — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking” — $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered” — $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.
LIVESTOCK AND PETS PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-5873449. LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and 18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle, move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the country. Period building materials available. Chestnut boards, hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com.
SAWMILLS USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com. SHAKLEE
CLOSING THE BLINDS HELPED ME ENJOY A MOVIE.
FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com.
MISCELLANEOUS BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER — Correspondence Study. The harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free information. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7558 West Thunderbird Rd., Ste. 1 - #114, Peoria, Arizona 85381. www.ordination.org.
TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30years experience, online parts catalog/prices, Indiana, PA 15701. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com. VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES
MOTOR VEHICLES AND BOATS 1941 FORD CONVERTIBLE — 2 door flathead V8 deluxe restored but not driven for several years until 2012. Newville, PA. 717776-3489. MOTOR VEHICLES — 2007 Hyosung Aquila V-Twin 250 Cruiser, 1100 miles. Stored inside. Inspected 9-15. Bags and windshield. Asking $1,700 OBO. Cash only. 814-425-2318. 1956 FORD T-BIRD — Red with white convertible top, 312 motor, V-8 engine. Fordomatic drive. Runs great. New Castle, PA. Serious inquires only. To make offer call 724-658-4287. MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA).
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida condo rental. Two bedrooms, two baths, pool. 200 yards from beach. $500 weekly, $1,800 monthly. NA January – February. Call 814-635-4020. FOR SALE – Camping membership to Gettysburg Resorts Campground plus coast to coast membership. 717-369-0584. BEAUTIFUL CABIN ON 2 ACRES. Well, electric, propane heat. Trees to sell near Titusville on Selkirk Road. Maintained by township. Call Claire. 814-825-7652. RAYSTOWN VACATION HOUSE RENTAL. Sleeps 11, 4 bedrooms, large dining table, central A/C, 2 flbaths, 2 hfbaths, linens/towels provided, boat parking, near boat launch. $230/night. Call 814931-6562. Visit www.laurelwoodsretreat.com.
PENNSYLVANIA HUNTING LAND WANTED
STATE-LEASED CAMP FOR SALE. Rothrock Forest, Pennsylvania. Beautiful secluded area. Ideal for hunters or family get away. 20 minutes to State College. Leave message. 814-506-7758.
Earn thousands on your land by leasing the hunting rights. Free evaluation and info packet. Liability coverage included. The experts at Base Camp Leasing have been bringing landowners and hunters together since 1999. Call: 866-309-1507. Email: info@basecampleasing.com. www.BaseCampLeasing.com.
SUMMER COTTAGE – 4 bedrooms, large deck facing Yough Lake. Some newer windows, 2 new entry doors, new well pump. Portable heating only. Boat dock included and transferable. 184 Braddocks Run Rd., Addison, PA. $99,500 or best offer. Call 814-242-5403.
QUILTING SERVICES
WANTED TO BUY
LONGARM QUILTING SERVICE AVAILABLE! Reasonable rates for basic meander or looping. More complex designs also available. By mail or local drop-off/pickup. Contact Dogstar Quilts. 814398-9369 or visit website at www.dogstarquilts.com.
CARBIDE – Paying cash/lb. – Some examples of items that have carbide pieces at their tips for cutting or drilling are: coal mining machinery – roof bits – road bits – gas/oil/water well drill bits – machining inserts as well as many others. We will pick up your materials containing carbide pieces. We will extract the carbide item from the part in which it is held in most cases. 814-395-0415.
REAL ESTATE NORTH CENTRAL POTTER COUNTY. 32.5 acres. All wooded land – level ground. Deeded R/W to property. Allegheny River begins on property. Excellent 4-wheeler, snowmobile and hunting. Surveyed boundary. Electric available. On lot sewage approved. $81,250. 814-274-0644.
When the A/C is on, I keep the sun out. It’s nothing huge, but it’s worth the effort. It’s also worth two tickets to a summer blockbuster. Find out what you can do at TogetherWeSave.com.
44 ACRES – LOCATION INDIANA COUNTY. Abundant water supply, timber, gas well, minerals, pond. Four bedroom house needs repair, metal barn. For information call 814-952-1575 or 540-450-8422. 4 BEDROOM, 3 BATH HOME WITH ATTACHED GARAGE on 32 acres. Pole barn and pond. Halfway between Erie and Meadville. Will show to loan-qualified parties only. 814-350-0404. JUNIATA COUNTY, East Waterford, PA house/cabin on 326.63 acres, 25 tillable, clean and green, detached garage, one acre pond, approximately one mile road frontage. $975,000. 717773-6103.
United We Stand
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Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl pays it backwards at restaurant after another’s good deed Let me tell you something that happened to me last night — something that restored my faith in America. Something that reminded me this is the greatest country in the history of the universe, filled with the greatest people on the planet. All that — and it happened at the MacDonald’s. See, we was driving through the pickup window to get supper. You know how you keep hearing about how Mac-Donald’s sales are down and the company is
Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a. GARY BUR BANK , a nationally syndicated radio personality —— can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania: WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown. You can also find him at Earlpittsamerican.com.
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suffering. Let me tell you something — it ain’t the Pitts family’s fault. Anyway — we roll up to the pay window and the woman says, “Did you get the two Big Mac meals, two large chocolate shakes and two apple pies?” I says, “Yes, ma’am,” and she goes, “That’s paid for.” I say, “Come again?” and she says, “That car in front of you paid for your meal.” I go, “Why the heck did they do that?” and she says, “They said they wanted to do something nice for somebody.” So I asked my better half, Pearl, if she noticed who was in front of us. She did not. I was thinking maybe it was somebody we knew, but the more I thought about it, I realized nobody we know would buy our Mac-Donald’s meals. And then I remembered hearing something. This is a thing. This is like paying it forwards, except people are paying it backwards at the Mac-Donald’s. People just start paying for the food of the people behind them. It’s crazy. It starts a chain of goodwill and brotherhood. I heard where some of these pay-it-backwards chains can last for hundreds of cars and whole days. So I go, “Well, maybe I can buy supper for the people behind us.” And the woman goes, “That’s totally up to you sir, but you don’t have to.” And I says, “Naw, I had the good fortune of a complete stranger buying my meal. The least I can do is pay it backwards. But do me a favor — look behind my truck. Is it America’s lovable Duggers family from the show ‘38 and Losing Count’ in the vehicle behind me?” She goes, “Ahhh, no, but it does look like four people who really like to eat.” Oh. Wake up, America! Earl Pitts paid it backwards last night. Well, not completely. But the people behind us did get $5 off their supper. It was their lucky day, too.
This is how crazy this world is getting. I heard somewhere — I don’t remember
the pacifics — but a mama and daddy got arrested on account of their kids were outside playing. I am not making that up. Now, the problem was the kids were at the park down the street. About a quarter mile down the road. And some nosy, painin-the-rear neighbor turned the parents in on account of their kids were “unsupervised.” And they got charged with child endangerment. I just wanna say, don’t that beat all? Everybody complains our kids are getting fat on account of they sit in front of their stupid screens every waking minute of every waking day. Kids got to get out and play. “Play 60,” says the NFL in their campaign to get kids actively playing for 60 minutes a day. So here’s a couple of parents who actually get their kids outside playing, and the police get involved. In my mind, they don’t need to be arrested. They need to get a medal. Is it the parents’ fault an NFL player was not available to play with their kids? I don’t think so. You know, when we were kids, we didn’t play 60. We played 24/7. And I don’t remember no adult supervision. I remember we used to ride our bikes all over creation. We used to bike to Little League practice. We used to bike to the Dippy Whip for ice cream cones. How our parents ever stayed out of jail, I have no idea. Today, if your kid goes a quarter-mile down the street to the swing-sets, you know what they call ‘em? “Free-range” children. And you know what they call the parents? Inmates 4521 and 3764. Wake up, America! So this is Uncle Earl telling all you little tikes out there, get inside and play video games until your muscles get all squishy and useless. Or else your parents might be doing time. We can’t have that. I’m Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun. Check out my YouTube channel Earl Pitts — by Earl Pitts. Like me on Facebook. Read my blog at earlpittsamerican.com. l
RURALreflections Spring fever THE PRESENCE of growing things — human and animal babies, grass and trees — not to mention thunderstorms, just seems to say, “Spring is here.” Next up are summer, fall and then winter. Please send your favorite seasonal photos featuring the people, animals and landscapes of Pennsylvania to Rural Reflections to share with all of the Penn Lines readers. This year, five amateur photographers will be named winners of our $75 prize in the categories of: most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal subject and editor’s choice. Runners-up in each category will receive a $25 prize. To be eligible for the 2015 contest prizes, send your photos (no digital files, please) to: Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg PA 17108-1266. On the back of each photo, include your name, address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative. (The best way to include this information is by affixing an address label to the back of the photo.) Remember, our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We need fall photos before mid-July and winter photos before mid-September. (Hint: keep your spring and summer photos to enter in the 2016 contest). Photos that don’t reflect a season may be sent at any time. Please note: photos will be returned if you include a selfaddressed, self-stamped envelope. l
James Kohler Bedford REC
Karin Eller REA Energy
Richard Knight Warren EC Joseph Stark Tri-County REC
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