This is Dancer and I

Hilarious.....

On My Drive Through Bendersville & Up Bear Mountain

There's this house that always has neat little displays by the road; this month its an angel.

Further up the road, I tried to capture the scope of Bear Mountain behind this orchard, but didn't do a very good job. Blame it on the fact I was on a curve, shooting out my car window. It has just now occurred to me what some photographers must subject themselves to in order to get the perfect picture.

I Think I Would Like to Be Buried Here....

A friend of mine and I always joke that when we die, just tie us on one of our horses and send us away into the sunset; my other friend commented, "What about your poor horse?" While it sounded romantic, I guess its not being very practical, so this would be my next choice....
"Contrary to popular belief, the Evergreen Cemetery has many remaining lots available for purchase. It has been estimated that the cemetery has another 100 years of sales available. There are many attractive areas available with different price ranges for full burial, cremation burial, or aboveground burial. The cemetery has a Veterans' Section where veterans can be buried with their family members.
There are sites still available in original sections of the cemetery close to the gatehouse and close to where Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. Since the cemetery is located on the highest ground in the town, scenic views of the Round Tops are visible from the southwest areas in the original cemetery."

Did you know there are some pretty famous people buried here? Among them are Jennie Wade, the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, Marianne Moore,Poet; one of America's greatest literary figures and in her latter years became a cultural icon; Edward S. Plank "Gettysburg Eddie"; Gettysburg native, Eddie Plank, one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in the history of baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 and was voted one of the top 100 players of the century by The Sporting News.

The Jacob Kime Farm

I talked my husband into driving up the driveway and checking out this farm house which we often pass on our way into town. Its off of Tablerock Road. The house is set far back from the road, down an old gravel driveway and is shrouded in trees. Old homes have always fascinated me-remember, we live in one, much to the chagrin of my other half.
I had to choose one of the coldest days of the year, made chillier still by the wind which seemed to cut right through our layers of coats,sweatshirts and long underwear which have become standard dress for this time of year. It is a beautiful piece of land-surrounded by hay fields and boasts a couple of outbuildings and a barn as well as a large metal storage facility for hay. I am not one for trespassing; there was a Miller real estate sign at the foot of the driveway entrance-we were "window shopping", okay? (Insert smile, here.)
Of course I just had to get out and take a gander inside. It is painted brick, and you can tell it is very old. I peered in one of the front windows and hollered to my husband to join me. It looked like nothing had been touched in this home since the civil war. The floors were bare wood-they look 1800's style. It also appears there is no electrical or plumbing system, although I never did see an outhouse on the property, but it was so darn cold I didn't really care at that moment.
Rick and I hurriedly climbed back in the car, our noses red with the cold. "Well," I comment with a chuckle,"this could be a really nice place with a little work." My husband shot me a dirty side glance and rolled his eyes. He knows me all too well. His idea of a home is one that was built in more recent years-lets say, from 2000 and forward. Anything pre-third millenium and he wanted to run screaming the other way. I love the charm and history that comes with older homes-I am crazy for victorians and old farm houses. He often teases me when we are together. "Hey," he points at a structure off the road, (the building has crumbled and fallen in on itself, and looks like you could touch it with one finger and it would collapse) "that could be a really nice place with some work." "Okay, Okay," I reply. "I get it." I still can't help thinking about all those "This Old House" magazines where they take old homes and restore them to their former grandeur. What I wouldn't give to be able to do that. How cool would it be to turn this house into some sort of living history museum for people to enjoy? (Think Landis Museum-a working farm in Lancaster from the turn of the century.) So many ideas, so little money. I guess this is another dream I will have to shelve for awhile-at least until I win the lottery.

One cool thing I did find out in my research on this place is that there is a publication you can get-I think its free, on field hospitals in this area. I took this from the Hopital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania website:
"In a cooperative effort between Historic Gettysburg-Adams County (HGAC) and The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, 17 Union and 18 Confederate Civil War hospital signs have been erected at sites which were known to have served as field hospitals after the Battle of Gettysburg.

A "field" hospital was, as the name suggests, a place in the battlefield area, such as barns, shops, homes, schools and churches, which were used to give medical attention to the wounded.

While the battle lasted three days in July 1863, the pain and suffering of wounded in Gettysburg continued into October when the last field hospital, Camp Letterman, was closed.

As remembered by local citizens, rapid death was in many ways more merciful than waiting for infection or pneumonia to slowly take its toll. Nurses of the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster noted in their diaries that the many hours thinking of family, mothers, wives and children must have brought some small comfort to those facing inevitable death.

A tour booklet titled "Gettysburg Civil War Field Hospital Tour" prepared by HGAC gives tour instructions and distances and times for those wishing to visit the hospital sites. The booklet has more than 40 pages of illustrations showing each sign and the site, four maps, archive photos and an index.

A typical entry is that for Union Hospital 17, the Hugh Culbertson Farm: "Situated on Carrolls Tract Road between Cashtown and Fairfield, this house was used as a hospital for the 6th Cavalry. On July 3, 1863, the rear guard of the Confederate Cavalry and the 6th Union Cavalry skirmished in this area. Private George Platt, Troop II, of the 6th Cavalry saved the Union Colors, was promoted to Sergeant, and awarded the Medal of Honor."

Board members Dick Miller, Jim Neely, Dave English and John Shuss were instrumental in carrying out the tour project. Copies of the 56-page brochure are available from board members or through the HGAC office at P.O. Box 4611, Gettysburg, PA 17325; (717) 334-5185.

I also googled "Jacob Kime Farm" and found a few interesting things. Cut and paste this into your browser to read more: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/KEIM/2005-11/1131623228

I think this could be a really fun thing to do with your kids one day; go around to some of the different places in this guide and learn more about each one. I would love to hear if and when you decide to do this-I will be sure to share my experiences, too

On the Way to a Friend's House

Another beautiful barn in Adams County (off Solomon Road)

A Cute House on Mummasburg Road.....

The Pennsylvania Memorial as seen through my dirty, puppy kissed car window.

On Route 134 going toward Taneytown. A view of the Gettysburg National Cemetary.

The Gettysburg Address, Elementary School Style

I think this is positively brilliant; a student wrote this recently for an elementary school newspaper:

"Four hours and seven minutes ago, my mother brought forth in my bedroom, a cruel awakening, worse than an alarm clock, and dedicated to a long and unwanted day at school. Now we are engaged in a great mathematics assessment, testing whether my brain, or ANY brain of any human with half a sense of sanity, can long endure. We are met in a boring classroom for this test. The teachers have come to attempt to get into our brains a portion of that math unit, as a final grade for those who at any time in the the unit bothered to study at all for fear of their report card. It is altogether unfair and pointless that they should do this. But, in a larger sense, we all want college scholarships, don't we?? The elementary school will little note, nor long remember the few days which the class actually paid attention to the lesson, but it can never forget that Color Day in 2008 when, for once, it didn't rain on us. It is rather for me to be dedicated to the unfinished homework which they who make unsuccessful attempts to teach us have thus far so generously handed out. They have done this in an attempt for the class to be dedicated to the great task remaing before us-the PSSAs for that cause which will determine whether or not we pass this grade. That we here highly resolved that this school year (no matter how much it may seem like it) will NOT last forever, that this class,in this classroom, will eventually reach summer vacation and that no matter how much teachers torment us with long division, it is possible yet highly improbable, that we will perish from the Earth."

One Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

A dear friend of mine who has kids about the same age as we do suggested meeting at the local bowling alley for a couple of games. I was pleasantly surprised. The last time we had visited here, it seemed to be kind of seedy-there were teenagers hanging around at the pool tables in the arcade area looking less than favorable with lit cigarettes hanging out of their mouths. While I think James Dean pulled this off without a hitch-these kids were nowhere near coming close. Tattooed arms and greasy long hair hanging in their faces, I am sorely reminded of the fact that these were the type of boys I often had often fallen for when I was a teenager. They had seemed so mysterious, and somehow that disrespectful bad-boy attitude was attractive. Now all I wanted to do was drag them by the ear to the nearest bathroom, give them a good scrub, a haircut and make them look respectable. I would have liked to also wash their mouths out with soap. Didn't they know there were little kids here? I felt like a mother lion protecting her cubs. Occasional profanities floated over to us above the din of the bowling balls plowing through pins. Of course, my girls would inevitabley pick up some of those words with that highly sensitive radar that most kids seem to have. They would run over to me with wide eyes, tugging on my shirt, motioning for me to lower my head so they could whisper in my ear. "Mommy, that boy over there just said something bad."

"That's it," I said to myself, making a mental note. "We won't be coming back here again." I remember storming over to the group of kids leaning over the pool table. "Excuse me," I angrily interrupted. "There are little kids here and I would really appreciate it if you would be careful about what you say-they can hear you."
One of them spoke up-"We're very sorry m'am, we'll try to be more careful." I nodded my head and went back to our group. While I felt better that I had said something,and some of my faith in teenagers today had been restored by the polite response, I still decided it wasn't the right place for my kids. Its funny how, when you become a parent, you start living these double standards. What would have been fine for you is not fine for your children. And Lord forbid if one day one of my girls comes home with a friend that looks like one of those kids? How will I handle it? I shudder at the thought and focus on the moment.
Where was I? Oh yes, I can now say that this bowling alley has been kid-tested and mother-approved. If you are looking for a nice way to spend time with your family, I have no problem recommending Gilley's Bowl and Grille for a nice way to spend a Sunday Afternoon. 2855 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-677-9542. Call for hours as they change by season. Games were $4.00 each and shoe rental was $2.00 per person.