Today I was driving home from MD and of course memories were company. Once we hit a horrible freezing rain from Shamokin Dam to the MD line. It was freezing on the car instantly. We pulled over to wait it out. The roads cleared fast considering they put a special brine on before it started. Along the beautiful Susquehanna River from Harrisburg north is always interesting. Frequent pairs of Bald Eagles and in the Spring many species of ducks, geese and swans. Shamokin Dam is one of my favorite stops with a Target, Michaels, Sheetz and Panera. I hit at least one or two of them each way. This time it was Michaels. Once I get to Allenwood just south of Williamsport know I'm on the last leg of the trip. This is where the mountains show the long ridges and wide valleys. At the top of the mountain there is a pull off that looks over Williamsport. It is worth the look, how beautiful. Today it reminded me of our Little League years. I still have pictures of Beau and his team mates standing together during Little League Tournaments at the lookout. Exciting times with kids.
Dick went to Willamsport Community College in 1967-69. That was my first time to travel Rt 15 South. At 18 years old Williamsport was a scary huge city to me. I hated to drive in Williamsport for the fact it was (and still is) all one way streets which seemed very confusing. We always took the kids to downtown for spring and fall clothes. It was so nice walking, shopping and eating there. After shopping we went to the Little League World Series never getting home until midnight. The LLWS is a much bigger event now. Then came the Lycoming Mall and downtown was left to die and be taken over by not such nice people. It turned into a dangerous night life place. In the last few years they have been trying to revitalize it and in one section I believe they are successful.
The rest of my trip home thoughts of a dear friend Al Kaufman that we met through my brother. Going by the Cogan Station Exit always reminds me of what a nice couple Al and Ada Kaufman were. Al was a truck driver for Stroehmanns out of Williamsport to Olean daily. As with my brother, Al, Johnny, Kenny and Dale were the good guys. When they stepped down from their spotless trucks they also were spotless with creased blue jeans, button down dress shirts and boots shined like a mirror. They all looked as good at the end of a run as the beginning.
I turned off Rt 15 at Liberty and went down Rt 414 through Morris. Years ago we took the kids to a Rattle Snake Hunt in Morris. We were spectators and once was enough! Next was Wellsboro, I really like to wander around the shops there and stop at the Native Bagel to eat. Great in house made bagels, soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. A nice day out. We have camped at Hills Creek State Park and of course the PA Grand Canyon is there.
Once I pulled in the driveway it was get busy and can peaches I had bought in Westminster, Md. Dick had the jars carried up from the cellar and ready to go.
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| Peaches in a light syrup ♡ |
I did get the grand tour of the "MD Bryant Family Garden". They are 6 hours south of us which means their garden is on the down hill slide. They are getting tomatoes, jalapenos, green peppers, zucchini and yellow squash that is making them a few dollars a day from their little veggie stand in front of their house. The kids have an envelope for their garden money. Beau will be digging potatoes and pulling carrots this week. They have canned tomatoes, salsa and beets. Just what I thought would happen, he is making the garden bigger next year. My kids love their gardens!
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| Checking tomatoes for the veggie stand. |
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| Cash had to show me how easy the carrots pull out. Beau mixed sand in the soil for his root veggies. |
