Posts from July 2012

We took a camping trip in June to the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania's only national forest, to see the synchronous fireflies during their mating season. These fireflies are best known in Asia and the Great Smokey Mountains but Allegheny Defense Project noticed them last year and brought researchers in to check 'em out this year.

They're amazing. Breath-taking amazing.

I didn't even try to take pix of the fireflies - incredibly difficult shooting conditions, much much harder than fireworks. So I took pix of camping.

A couple of the coop house kids got married on Thursday afternoon near the upper rapids at Niagara Falls State Park. A simple Episcopalian ceremony, a picnic, and croquet!

Basement kitteh in disguise.

The three houses destroyed in the fire in Bloss @heidi #56570 have been demolished and the fourth is gutted for rehab.

I set up the new wireless router today at Wendy's so I'm hanging on the back porch watching my laundry dry and surfing. Maybe I'll go for a little walk in the woods later. This is the longest stretch of unplanned time I've had in bloss in forever. It's lovely.

Last night I visited with my friends Hannah, Liz & Jennie at Liz' folks' place in the far northwestern region of Tioga County. It's in the same county as Bloss but it's over an hour's drive, 50-some miles. I got stuck in traffic! Unexpected at 11pm on a Saturday. The fireworks in Galeton let out the same time I left Liz' house. We made s'mores on the front lawn then it started to rain so we hung on the porch in candlelight. We could just barely hear the Galeton fireworks. Liz said that some nights she can hear her neighbors across the valley talk on their porch.



Liz' parents with one of her cousin's kids.


Conversation by candlelight.

The music at the harbor thursday was excellent - arrested development. Had a great ride after - down to ship canal, then to zetti's on elmwood. We ran into kim k. on richmond, and I got a flat tire :-( the little rock is the culprit.

At the essex street pub

The Thursday Harbor concert kinda sucked so we left and rode to the outer harbor, past Tifft Nature Preserve, down to the Ship Canal Commons @terry, @KeithT and I met back up with @paul & @matthew at the food truck afterparty on Mississippi for some munchies. The sunset was gorgeous and the General Mills plant smelled like Lucky Charms.

I was only home Monday night to Wednesday night, but it was an emotional rollercoaster. My community has pulled together to support the fire victims and others affected by the losses, both financially and emotionally. From Sleezy Construction & Barbecue Co.'s chicken (all items donated, all sale proceeds go to the benefit), to a yard sale, bake sale, basketball tourney... my community rocks. I feel very guilty that I'm not there today.

Wendy's kitty Honey snuck in my room to enjoy the sunshine in the window.


Poodle camouflage


Patrick hung his hat collection on the clothes line to dry and air out from the fire.


The back sides of the three houses destroyed by fire Sunday. Pat's house is on the left.


Ya know how people say they're going to use the phone book as a booster seat? Kinda silly in Tioga County.

My friend Patrick, his mom, his brother and his dog lost their house in a fire sunday, along with 3 other families. A little girl died. My community is rushing to support the families - a memorial sunday night that drew 225+ people, a fundraiser sunday with chicken barbecue, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, silent auction, bake sale... Patrick is kinda home based here at wendy's, along with his dog peewee. She's chilling in her two-story mansion.