HARRISBURG AND WORMLEYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

Thursday, Susanne and I drove downtown to the Historical Society of Dauphin County to help other volunteers to assemble and sort invitations to the Society's 2012 Blast from the Past -- a fundraising dinner serving a seven-course meal as served on RMS Titanic's last night at sea on April 14, 1912. The dinner will be exactly one hundred years later.

On the way, we stopped at City House B&B to pick up a very generous gift of a night at the inn and breakfast the next morning, to be auctioned off during a silent auction preceding the dinner. You've heard about City House in this blog on more than one occasion. It was nice to see Bruce the innkeeper once again and to be able to introduce him to Susanne.

The invitation-assembling process was already under way when we got there, although I must point out that we were on time! The job completed, we decided to cross the mighty Susquehanna and lunch on the deck at Duke's restaurant on the West Shore on the river. Unfortunately, it seems they were understaffed, and we were not prepared (read: too hungry) to wait 15 minutes or more to eat.

So we high-tailed it back across the river to Roxy's Café, opposite the State Museum of Pennsylvania. In fact, we (well, Susanne) had been there earlier when she forced me to find a cup of coffee for her after we left the B&B. The server poured her a cup and said it was on the house because he felt like doing something nice for someone. Unfortunately, he was not our server when we went back for lunch!

Instead, we were cared for by Stacy, a very nice young woman who worked there all the time I worked in the State Museum building and ate often at Roxy's.

We checked out the menu and made our choices. I had my usual Cousin Rachel sandwich, the best in town, and Susanne had the Roundup. While paying, I told the owner that I had had a Rachel at his other restaurant in Camp Hill and preferred Roxy's'. (Check out those apostrophes in Roxy's' -- could that possibly be correct?) You know what he said, "I think they are better here, too. Over there they insist on another kind of cheese. What are ya gonna do?"

After lunch, we drove north on Sixth Street, noticing the tremendous number of empty lots and houses marked for demolition. We did see some bright spots, though, including a large condo building at Sixth and Reily streets, opposite the site of a future Federal Building. All that development is part of a renaissance in the midtown area.

We were headed toward Agate Street, where Susanne was to be fingerprinted for the FBI. Yes, friends, she has lead a secret life of criminal activity, and the Feds have finally caught up to her. Next week she reports to Muncy Women's Prison for 15 to life. Just kidding. She is going to tutor and needs state clearance to work with youth.

We drove up Sixth, turned right on Division, and right again onto Agate street. A row of houses has been torn down and a small strip mall built there. None of the storefronts made any reference to the FBI, so Susanne picked one of the businesses and inquired of them. It turns out that she had to go into the Western Union office to submit to the electronic fingerprinting. It was interesting for me to wait outside in the neighborhood where I had grown up. You've seen pictures of the house I grew up in further south on Agate Street. I wonder if it's still standing.

We then continued up Sixth Street through Susquehanna Township to Linglestown Road and home again. All that fingerprinting had tuckered out Susanne, and she took a nap while I did a little more work on my computer for the Titanic event.

LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP

We stayed close to home today, working on some projects for the historical society and doing a little baking. I received a box of "Whoopie Do" for Christmas and thought it was high time to use it.

"What," you ask, "is Whoopie Do?"

It's whoopie pies in bags in a box. Here, I'll show you. Please note -- it's the original! (I understand there is a "Smores" version, too.)

The white bag has the chocolate cookie mix, and the silver bag contains the "creme filling."

First, I had the difficult task of crushing any lumps in the cookie mix, which I did with a big ol' fork.

Next, I got out the oil, an egg, and a quarter cup of water.

I added the ingredients to the mix, as directed.

Then I mixed 'er up real good.

I dropped a tablespoon of batter onto the parchment paper, making 12 cookies.

As the cookies baked, I kneaded the bag o'creme filling.

Almost exactly 11 minutes later, I tested the cookies in the oven, and they were ready to come out.

After two minutes of rest, the cookies got scooped up and moved to a cooling rack.

After they cooled, I cut open the bag of creme filling at the corner, ready to squeeze it onto a cookie.

I was a bit disappointed that the filling was not light and fluffy but more like the icing you put on a cake.

The whoopie pies are assembled and stacked. Not bad looking. I wonder how real bakers get the cookies to be the exact same size!

The last direction on the kit is to "Shout WHOOPIE!" as the Amish farmers were supposed to have done upon finding the treat in their lunch boxes. Here's my attempt at re-creating that dynamic moment.

Well, there is certainly no doubt that the Amish love their whoopie pies. Here's a guy ordering some on the phone.

Note my faithful companion, The Box, watching wistfully from the curb in front of the house. He shouldn't worry. He'll probably get a few crumbs out of the stack of whoopie pies -- down between the seats, of course, where all good crumbs (and French fries -- come on, admit it, you  know I am right) go to die.

Well, after the drudgery of slaving over a hot stove all day, and because it was the 100th Anniversary of the Oreo cookie, we took the Box over to Red Robin, where they were giving out a free Oreo milk shake. Hey, observing anniversaries is required by the historical society!

The end.

LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP

Recently I stopped into the Scion/Toyota dealer just down the road from us to take a look at the new Scion iQ. It's Scion's answer to the Smartcar. The one I saw was blazing orange and quite fetching.

After a quick walk-around, I decided to inspect the interior.

"Go on, get in," said the salesman.

I opened the driver's side door and started lowering my posterior into the seat. About half way there, I banged my head into the roof, then doubled over enough to sit on the edge of the seat with my head and feet outside the car.

"There's plenty of headroom in there," the salesman said. I told him that there was no way I could get in there, thank you very much.

I wonder why car manufacturers can't make a hinged panel in the roof over the door that would fold up when the door opened (think modified DeLorean), allowing the driver to enter, and then fold back down when the door closes. That extra space would allow tall people to get in these zippy little cars!

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

Yesterday was sort of busy. At 9:00 a.m. I met with two other members of the collections committee of the Historical Society of Dauphin County at the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion in Harrisburg. We're planning an exhibit about an early Harrisburg family who were quite distinguished in civic life.

First, we checked the inventory of artifacts to see which ones had been donated by family descendants, and once we found out their location, we went on a treasure hunt to find them.

Here, Jesse and Erik are searching the database.

Next we went into the mansion to locate the artifacts that will help to tell the story of this family. The silhouette below, displayed in the hallway opposite a clock owned by John Harris, Jr., depicts one of the original family members and will no doubt end up in the exhibit. All in all, we spent about three hours in the house looking at possible items to use and places where the exhibit might take place.

The mansion is much larger than most people know because there are rooms and areas not on the public tour. One day, perhaps, all of the rooms will be accessible, and everyone will be able to tour the whole house.

Soon the other guys, who have wives and children at home who needed them, started looking at their watches, so we broke up around noon. I went home to await the arrival of some special visitors.

These special people were our son Matt and grandson Ian, who spent the late afternoon with us and then stayed overnight. Ian had been invited to the birthday party of his friend Luca at Luca's grandparents' house here in Harrisburg. His mom was hard at work on a monster project in her office in Baltimore, so Matt brought Ian. After the party, they came to see us. Matt went out to dinner with Luca's parents and other friends while Ian entertained us with his kiddie charm. His grandmother helped him practice writing his name, watched some television with him, and then read him a bedtime story.

 

Matt and Ian got up early this morning to return to Baltimore. I'm not sure if they had breakfast here or not, but I am pretty sure I heard Matt say, "I'll take you for a donut if you hold still while I put your shoe on." I was sorry that it was not my shoe he was trying to put on.

Soon the Box and I were headed to church at Market Square. Our adult choir sang three pieces from various historical eras, the culmination of a month or so of learning about how choral music was sung by choirs in the years between 1600 and the early 20th century. Here is one of the anthems, "Call to Remembrance."

Also "on the bill" was the Alleluia Choir, our children's choir, who sang a lovely Lenten piece accompanied by piano and hand bells.

By the time I arrived, my sister Rachel had already been at the church for a while to prepare for the service of Holy Communion. She bakes a Scottish short bread at home and fills the cups with grape juice at the church. This is all done in the kitchen. Then she and a helper lug it all upstairs into the nave of the church. Afterwards, it is all lugged back downstairs for cleaning and storage.

When I first saw her, she was standing in the kitchen putting cherry pie filling on the top of little tarts she had made for the coffee hour. Later she helped to prepare lunch for the youth group that was preparing for some sort of reading marathon to raise money for a mission trip. I wish churches were filled with people like Rachel -- no task would ever go undone!

After church, Rachel and I went out for lunch (after she dropped off the church childcare giver at her home opposite our old elementary school). Rachel showed me her new phone, and the photos below were made using the "cartoon" setting. They really a pretty amazing. I thought you might be amused by them. You have to click on one to see it full size and get the full effect.

Of course, we had to see the Box first.

 

Staring down the Box.

Then with me -- twice!

How weird is that? Your face might look awful, but it's not your fault. I can buy into that!

A TALE OF TWO CITIES...HARRISBURG AND BALTIMORE

My daughter-in-law Marylee, who lives in Baltimore, loves to read the "police blotter" in the Harrisburg newspaper when she comes to visit. In Baltimore, of course, one might read of a murder here and a murder there, enormous retail thefts, body parts found floating in the Inner Harbor, and so forth. Here she found much more benign sorts of crimes for the most part, such as someone reporting that during the night persons unknown had come up on their porch and spit on their chair.

Of course, I started to read the blotter, and recently came across an item that reminded me of something of which I might actually be accused (you all know how many pictures of donuts have appeared in this blog, second only to...say it with me...whoopie pies!). So, here for a laugh is an article that might be written about me some day.

Just click on the photo to enlarge it for easier reading.

So what do you think? Here was a guy who went a little crazy for some donuts. I hope they were worth it! Who leaves the getaway vehicle behind and runs away?!

HARRISBURG AND NEW BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA

On Monday, February 6, my sister Rachel and I had a delightful time with the innkeepers at City House B&B. We had visited them earlier for an art exhibit and got to talking. I mentioned a pear pancake recipe from another B&B that I liked and later sent it to them. Rachel went a step further and sent them a box of luscious pears.

Before you knew it, we were invited to try their version of the pear pancake! We enjoyed that delicious confection, along with some pineapple, tea, and coffee -- but most of all, lively conversation. They're a great couple, and we're happy to know them.

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT CONSIDERABLY AND SEE DETAILS.

The next day, Susanne and I headed west to New Brighton to visit with our daughter Sarah and her two kids and to babysit for them when Sarah had to work one evening. During our visit we took Cole and Chloe to Applebee's for dinner. The onion rings, pictured below, were seriously good.

We spent the rest of the evening helping the kids with homework and reading. Cole and Chloe played some games on the computer until bedtime. Obviously, Chloe was close to losing her mind.

While the kids were in school, Susanne and I drove over to Monaca to the mall. It had snowed lightly during the night, and the trees were dusted and looking lovely. At the mall we made a bee-line for Marshall's, Susanne's new favorite store. As she looked around, I prowled the "home décor" section and began to see a pattern. Many, many products are cast with a French accent.

For example, below, clockwise are Le Creuset cookware; jam from Provence in the south of France; a three-tiered cookie plate from Collette et Cie; wall art featuring the Eiffel Tower; and Le Nibble, a snack cracker.

I was surprised to find even more French-themed products, such as, clcokwise, a casserole dish from the Art de la Table series; Joie brand wine aerator; a pillow touting Bon Vin (Good Wine); an Eiffel Tower magnifying glass; a poster of Parisien tourist sites; and another pillow with French stamps and post marks.

Exhausted for Marshall's, Susanne wanted to return home for a nap. I, ever on the move, preferred to take a driving tour of New Brighton, looking for some interesting houses, of which there are many. 

Here are some composites of some of the more interesting.

The first set is up on a hill overlooking the town. There is even a scenic overlook that provides a nice view of the falls in the Beaver River. I thought the house in the middle might have real potential. It was situated in an interesting crook in the road and just needs some tender, loving care. Don't you agree?

There are several houses nearer to Sarah's house that always catch my eye. I would really like to get into the ramshackle brick mansion in the two top row photos. And I'd like to know its history. It must be the largest house in town, although in awful condition. Left to right in the bottom row are a Queen Anne mansion and a brick Colonial on Third Avenue; and a brick house-turned-office building not far away.

 

Also on Third Avenue is the childhood home of New Brighton industrialist Edward Merrick, who created an outstanding collection of art now on display not far away at the Merrick Art Gallery. The gallery contains a collection of French, German, English and American paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries collected by Merrick, a collection probably unequaled in western Pennsylvania.

In the next block is this impressive home, built in 1835 by a Quaker industrialist and abolitionist. If memory serves me correctly, it's a funeral home now.

Clockwise from upper left: A frame house with a large porch and fanciful window decoration; birdies camped out on a snow-covered bush; a fanciful tile roof; a large foursquare; a garage door that suggests this was not always a residence.

Clockwise from upper left are homes close to Sarah's. I wish the color were closer to the real color of the purple house on Penn Avenue; the gorgeous façade of a mansion Penn that is now a funeral home; a Dutch Colonial across the street from Sarah's house. In the center photo is Sarah's corner house with an old address stone lying in the garden. Have you noticed that there are virtually no row homes in New Brighton?

In the kitchen, I noticed the striking resemblance of Sarah's baking dish to the Shroud of Turin. The dish is on the left if you're confused.

On Thursday, Susanne ventured into the cold to help the kids board the school bus. Meanwhile, I stayed in the house and thanked the inventor of the telephoto lens.

After the kids left, we went downtown to have breakfast at Waffle INCaffeinated. Susanne had waffles with chicken salad, and I had French toast. It was a pleasant experience, although next time we will try the family restaurant on the other end of town. Read my TripAdvisor review here.

After breakfast we returned to Sarah's, packed our bags, and headed for home.