"Buying is a lot of fun," my colleague Kathryn said. "You get to shop all day!" That sounded so good to me that when Kathryn told me she was retiring at the end of the year, I applied for her position the very next day. While I usually don't write much about my job, I'm going through some big changes at work right now and thought I'd blog about them. When I told people I was an "online merchandiser", nobody know what I meant, and now that I'm a "buyer" no one knows what that means either. (I … [Read more...] about Working in the Margins
A Peachy Cabin Weekend
A sign beside the drive leading to the mountain cabin read "Zephere's Rock: Population 1." Further down the gravel road, a "Don't Tread on Me" flag fluttered in the November breeze. This is a place where people come to be left alone, I thought. I was getting a few of minutes of solitude myself, taking a brief walk on the mountain road to enjoy the yellow leaves and morning sunshine outside of the cabin I was staying in for the weekend. I've often written about how us Lancaster County … [Read more...] about A Peachy Cabin Weekend
A Mouse Eating a Potato Chip and Other Photos from Hiking at Ricketts Glen
Sometimes you take a long hike to see one waterfall, but at Ricketts Glen, you can take one hike and see eighteen waterfalls in one afternoon. Last Saturday, several of my siblings and I took nine of my oldest nieces and nephews hiking at the state park located about two-and-half hours north of here. We hiked 3.2 miles (the main Falls trail at Ricketts Glen). Several of us enjoy photography and took our time taking photos. Here are some of my shots. After about a mile downhill, you … [Read more...] about A Mouse Eating a Potato Chip and Other Photos from Hiking at Ricketts Glen
The Smoky Sierra Nevada Mountains
As Lancaster County got drenched in the remains of Hurricane Ida last week, three of my colleagues and I were out west where the land is dry and the air smells faintly of smoke from the wildfires. I first noticed the smell when we got out of the airport in Reno, Nevada and stood on the sidewalk waiting for our hotel shuttle on Saturday evening. We were feeling thankful to be in Reno on schedule. The trip from Philadelphia had taken a literally heart-racing turn at our layover in Phoenix— our … [Read more...] about The Smoky Sierra Nevada Mountains
Tea Party for Six
Enjoy a few pictures from a special tea party I attended last week. I'm leaving on a trip soon, and don't have time to write much, but I thought you all might enjoy these photos. The tea party came about when we had a "bean auction" at church. Everyone attending the auction offered some kind of gift, and then all the participants were given beans to bid on the gifts we wanted. My friend Bettina offered a "tea party for six", and so I was able to take my mother and four oldest nieces to … [Read more...] about Tea Party for Six