Best Plumbers To Call

Why are we drawn to watch the Little League World Series every year? For one the pure joy and excitement of playing a game they love comes through. Coaches are volunteers. So the pressure of money and pro sports just doesn't come through at all.  There's a certain innocence and purity of the game comes through. No one out can be counted on and is wildly unpredictable. If you think a 5 run lead is safe think again. Between passed balls and long base hits under the glove nothing can be assumed as a sure thing during the game. While this drama gives ulcers to coaches and parents it's incredibly entertaining to watch. It's a role reversal to see the pros give their trained insights on kids. Usually the little leaguers are glued to the TV watching their pro idols.  Having pro's serving as analysts and hanging out with the kids brings the memories of how the pro's started out in a game they made a living at is unifying for everyone. It's remarkable fo...

It's that wonderful time of year when the local Farmers Markets begin to show up near you. If you haven't been a supporter of them here's a few reasons to consider. Liven Your Taste Buds Did you know that the average distance food in the U.S. travels to reach your dinner plate is 1,500 miles?  That also mean the ripening process and shelf life is already an average of 2 weeks by the time it hits your local grocery store. That time off the vine or out of the ground means that much of the original flavor is lost. Rediscover how your fruits and vegetables are supposed to taste by getting the freshest and tastiest available at your local farmers market. Buy Local While this principle is true for any small business small family owned farms struggle to compete in an increasingly global complex economy. When you shop local it's a boost to your local economy as more of the money circulates locally to your friends, family and community members benefits. ...

Long before Memorial Day turned into parades and picnics to kick off the summer season there was a much more solemn origin. Imagine a war where nearly every family in the nation had a son, father or husband who served or knew someone who lost a loved one. The Civil War counted 625,000 men who died.  That's more casualties than both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam combined.  Put another way that was 2% of the population which would be about 6 million if such a devastating conflict was fought today with the current population. Putting the loss for both sides in perspective it's easy to understand why families were looking for ways to remember, heal and honor the dead. By the late 1860's many towns and cities began to hold spring time ceremonies.  They would gather to honor those who gave their lives and would decorate their graves with fresh flowers.  Prayers were often given. It wasn't until 1966 that the federal government highlighted Waterloo (ironic na...

Before Henry Ford began to mass produce the farm tractor there was a reign of natural horse power that was a breakthrough in breeding. You have to go back to a visionary horse breeder who realized that the industrialization of Europe would require stronger horses to pull much larger machinery. The breeder's name was Remi Vander Schueren from a tiny village in Belgium name Vollezele. Schureren started to experiment with interbreeding 3 types of draft horses that already existed in Belgium. The end results was one breed that he called the Belgian draft horse. This breed was very powerfully built at 16 to 17 hands at maturity.  They were able to pull up to 4,000 lbs.  The most amazing paradox of this beast bred for strength was it's very gentle nature.   They had no issues being attached to wagons or machinery. This magical combination of traits enabled them to be highly sought after in industries that required heavy pulling tasks critical to their success. Ex...

Nothing inspires the soul more than spring. Enjoy these favorites to ignite your passion for a new beginning this spring! You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming. Pablo Neruda The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. Harriet Ann Jacobs I am going to try to pay attention to the spring. I am going to look around at all the flowers, and look up at the hectic trees. I am going to close my eyes and listen. Anne Lamott The little windflower, whose just opened eye is blue as the spring heaven it gazes at. William C. Bryant No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. Hal Borland In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. Mark Twain Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' Robin Williams I had always planned to make a large painting of the...

"Amish society emphasizes informal learning- through doing, a life of goodness, rather than a life of intellect; wisdom, rather than technical knowledge; community welfare, rather than competition; and separation, rather than integration with contemporary worldly society."  -Chief Justice Warren Burger. It's hard to believe this astute observation came from the highest court in the land. In 1972 they ruled that the Amish and related groups could limit formal education to the 8th grade. How could the dominating  society the Amish lived under emphasizing high technology have any chance to survive? Well, 45 years later pretty well thank you very much. Spurning the obsession American farmer have with the latest technology at any cost Amish farms still make money. This is even more amazing considering they don't participate in any government subsidies other than the market prices that are sometimes supported overall. The reason?  The Amish refuse to receive and ...

Being a Pennsylvania native I never thought twice about safety concerns crossing the Maryland-PA border.  Go back to colonial times and it was a very different story. In the 1730's a major boundary dispute broke out.  Land grants were dispensed by the King of England, King George II, to the wealthy ruling class of the day.  These land grants became the colonies that eventually grew into the states we know of today. For Maryland they believed their grant went to the 40th parallel.  That's a line that is just below Lancaster and above Philadelphia.  That meant Philadelphia, Maryland was a distinct part of the Maryland  colony founder's vision. As new settlers began to settle in this southern border region of PA they had to cross the Susquehanna River.  Wright's Ferry was established (present day Columbia).  The head of Maryland was Lord Baltimore. He wanted income from his lands he believed was part of his grant.  The situation...