This morning, Raymond, riding his bike, says he heard I was in town a block from the slums and saw I, who was on vacation from her part time job.

   “How does a part time person get vacation?” he says.

   After asking about current events in Centre Park Historic District (a cancelled concert, a Monday movie), I tell him about the Geocaching workshop this morning at the park. What’s that? he wants to know. A report is forthcoming.

   Raymond is retired from Crompton and Knowles, which turned into Sensient, which went kaput.

  Somehow, Raymond tells the story of his first day in mechanical drawing class.

 The instructor entered the class room and everyone waited for him to begin.

“This is your assignment for the day,”  said the instructor, writing with both hands simultaneously and meeting in the middle, his name on the blackboard in cursive. My name is Mr. Gust. “Practice.”

   And then he left the room.

Purple Heart

   There must be a God.  Today is a four day and purple is the color and relationships are still important and so is creativity and children, there is a squawking heron at the picnic bend area, a wading heron at the Body Zone/overpass bend. In between, find a purple heart barrette, one that is smooth and has silvery glitter inside.

   Ron watches the suckers at the bridge while awaiting crew and orders for the day. That’s the name of a big carplike fish, sucker.

   A runner says to me: “Boy! I hope it gets more humid today, don’t you?” which makes me laugh.

    Two unmarked pickup trucks with asphalt repair apparatus arrived in the parking lot at 7:00 am to seal the cracks. Hot job in the summertime. Lady with the air compressor wears a purple bandana around neck and a Florida baseball cap. We smile.

   Red proceeds to power wash the Kubota as I complete my walk. We nod. I got a couple of good pathlings and a bread bag tag 11784. We’ll all need a good shower today.

   While looking for Phillies logo tissue boxes (sold 0ut) at Weis market and Target D”Wyomissing, spotted triangular Kleenex®  brand boxes with watermelon and juicy citrus colors. Bought 2. Paid cash. Whoa! $6.34.

   New brand with arrow ⁄↑ up & up which I have reorganized and Feng shui placed according to flying star! Up stuff.  Go figure! I did it! AH! HA! What a wonderful shelf  life. They should notice a jump in sales right away. Wise move.

up & up F/S tissues

    ”What is your blog about?” asks Kevin DePaulis, Adidas sales representative. 

   “The Green Diamond that is Berks County,” we say. “All the wonderful people to meet, places to go and things to do.” 

    DePaulis has just the thing for staying on the greens and fairways:  The Adidas Tour 360 3.0, with wraparound. NOT A SHOE: nice and neat and ooomphy.  Its best features are: 

   1 A thin sole for more “feel.”  

   2 Wraparound instep for increased stability. 

    We wanted to touch it but there was no one here saying “Touch it!”  

      The chassis of the Tour 360 3.0 has a more slender outsole and midsole. We notice the spikes are like little clear flowers that twist off.  

    “If you could put spikes in your feet, that would be the best way to play,” says DePaulis. “That would get you closest to the ground and give you traction.” 

Kevin DePaulis and Adidas Tour 360 3.0

   This makes us wonder what a barefoot golf tournament would look like. We think about Sergio Garcia.  DePaulis mentions the Ashworth clothing line and Fred Couples and we think about Fred. 

   We wish we could try a spiky slipper on for size, but our Prince Charming is elsewhere, maybe picking up ceramics or looking for lost poetry and Mr. DePaulis appears to have spoken for someone. There are range rules after all. 

   “How many visits per day do you get on your blog?” asks DePaulis. 

   “Less than ten,” we say. “We’re just practicing.” 

   Want to go pro? This 360 number will spike your sales. Start with one shoe, then when you have that down, get another. 

  1 Continue to take lessons. 

   2 Wear the shoe that fits. 

http://www.adidasgolf.com/equipment/Men/Footwear/TOUR360.html

    A tray of French fries. A tray of French fries. No it isn’t. This is the trompe l’oeil to trump all trompe l’oeils: a paper carryout tray of natural wood tees, alongside a pool of golf balls ready to be driven. Whoever set this up is a Master.

Mike Oswald, Taylor Made

  Whoever set this up is Mike Oswald, since 1973  a golf pro at Sittler’s Golf.  Taylor Made golf clubs are what he  has lined up and what we want is driving lessons. What he tells us about the arc of the swing translates to this using @ as the ball:

                             ( @ )

     “Start with one club,” says Oswald. “Buy yourself a good club and practice.”

    The Taylor Made feels great. Oswald exorcises the duffer in us. A semi-decent drive is born. We replace a divot.

    What we like most is the sound a well-hit ball makes. A single note. We wonder if a blind person could learn to play golf under this man’s tutelage. Forget the aim, play by ear. Nothing seems impossible. 

  Oswald offers these suggestions for would-be golfers who want to take it seriously:

1 Take Lessons

2 Get fitted.

www.sittlersgolf.com

Zachary Bowers at Sittler Golf

We like Zach.  Talk about energy efficient. Look at this form. He operates at just the right amount of tension, the kind you’d want on the thread of a sewing machine, not too lax and not too taut. 

He was a demonstrating driver for the trunk show and was in near constant, continual motion. Off to the next task.

He is scheduled for Friday morning 8:10 tee time (Tee 1)  at the Berkshire Country Club for the Berks County Golfing Association 2009 Amateur Tournament (July 31 -August 2.)

We have this idea the only pictures Zach would stop for are a trophy presentation and a wedding.

http://books.google.com/books?id=EDzUZdewpWkC&pg=PA142&lpg=PA142&dq=what+unit+describes+tautness&source=bl&ots=J-8DqmumKj&sig=88jrc2dQXXwyXjwA9I9308eSVHY&hl=en&ei=qxdtSoKgF46wtge3xf2IDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2

demo sign

  First the hot dogs, then the ice cream cone, now this! sign caught our eye. Having made a mental note to visit, we are here for demo and show.

   Location: Kutztown Pennsylvania. Location: Route 222 near Topton. Location: Sittler Golf Center.

   Outside the box: A driving range and miniature golf course with an elephant and a giraffe. The box: The Pro Shoppe of PGA Professional Rick Kline and his wife, Patty Kline, General Manager. Open all year round. 

   Inside the box: heavy duty. Like the top of the TaylorMade SelectFit line.

   Who can resist the painted handmade wood cutouts?  The hot dogs flanked one lettered sign close to the ground. When we looked up, there it was, another one nice and tall:

SIgn at Sittler's Golf

     A wild safari will be just what the doctor ordered soon enough. Today we talk TaylorMade and get a gander at what’s in the trunk.

   Before we meet our makers, the golf range is one of the top 100 golf ranges in the United States and the pro shop ranks in the top 20 by  the Golf Range Association of America. The cone looks good enough to eat. Sweet.

Sweet Sittler Golf Spot

Thank you! Sittler Golf and the Klines! Thank you Kevin Mike and Zach.

   In search of photograph of Big Poppies from Ikea that was on Craigslist. Do you have it?

Sincerely,

The Heron Report

p.s. It ain’t over til the Big Papi swings.

photo later this day

   The stage is set for unusual occurrences this morning when we divine a larger proportion of vehicular drivers cutting corners, being careless about their parking alignment  and travelling outside the lane.

   Relaxed endangerment.

    We are thankful. This makes us pay more attention to our own path and command ourselves: Be neat! Align it right. Stay in your lane! Heads up!

   On the yellow line in the middle of  Tulpehocken road, after we have turned right from Broadcasting road, is a big uncoiled white item with a nipple, believed to be a previously owned condom. It is decidedly not a squirrel.  A sex element. A “whee” gesture. Who can match it?

    I  park at Gring’s Mill. I get out. I walk to the mill dam bridge. 

    A bicyclist swoops to conquer. Halts to an angle across my path.

    His lightish grey moustache approaches handlebar proportions. Can I trust him?

    Sidebar:

   “Are you Allison?’

   “Yes”

   “I’m Raymond,” Raymond says. “I’m supposed to deliver a message. From I- “

[I can trust him.]

   He relays a message from a co-walker whose car is sidelined.

   Raymond lives in the city, just around the corner from her, and here. Near Centre Park. Since 1975. House paid for. Staying.

   “It’s not as bad as people think, ” says Ray. “But it could be better.”

     This rational response is the best medicine.

    ”May I quote you on that?” ask I, scrounging in the trash can for something to write on.

   Styrofoam cup.

    He whips out a big litter back and upends it over the cans and bottles recycling container.

   “Every day is earth day!” says Ray.

   He likes the view from the bridge.

   “Shall I take a picture of it for you?”

   “I get one every day.” he says. “In the evenings I walk at the cemetery.”

   “Center Park Historic District Fair is coming up,” he adds.

   “I look forward to it.”

   “September!”

More to come.

Where are the herons?

Chess at Reading Public Museum, Genesius Theatre

 Give me your ventricles and lend me your ears, theatregoers!  Can you picture the musical Chess unfolding inside the atrium of the Reading Public Museum? Add music and dance to the static cling and see what it stirs in the hearts of  men and women.

   A preview was held Friday night and if you missed it, not to worry. Genesius Theatre of Reading, Pennsylvania has the full show coming up August 14, 15  and 16.  A dash of red dress, a pinch of yellow and a bit of blue go with the requisite black and white attire. Set your timers; three weeks to prepare. 

     Christopher Sperat directs the musical from the book by Richard Nelson, with Lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.

   After the show, a knight in patient armor was kind enough to give us a moment of his time. We think the show is made for him. He says Chess is full of his favorite pieces.

   “I’ve worked and waited 15 years to be in this show!” said actor Mike Kurowski, who delivered  Anthem and a duet with cast-mate Kira Apple. Mr. Kurowski is a Grand Master. We look to him to provide suspense, love interest and breathtaking moments. His time has come.

    What the show is about remains to be seen; the plot and cast are confidential. Center of the board. Center of the board. In the interim, we plan to stock up on Pepperidge Farm Chessmen® cookies, make chess tarts and other rookery.

for more information: www.genesiustheatre.org and www.readingpublicmuseum.org

Special thanks to the Berks County Public Library and Spring Township Library AND  Foundation for the Reading Public Musem for the free museum admission pass which allowed us this sneak peek and to see the Berks Art Alliance exhibit, among others.

   Cautionary tail:  Miss  Apple is apt to make vocal moves for which the best response is to rise up or flood with tears, so be strong. Smart travellers carry tissues. Heaven Help My Heart is worth a king’s ransom.

   Yes, my lord.

   What is it my lord?

   You are always right, my lord.

   ever and always,

   Alley Cat

the snail

   Back at the salt mines, first thing crossing the path -  a  transcontinental journey – a snail. A pathling in action! One of my personal symbols, along with the turtle, slow-moving triangle and the sun, among others.

   Across near the picnic peninsula,  heron crouches and dips its bill into the water in an area and in a manner that suggests minnows or small fry.

   Numbers are written 258. Aha! There he is, there is Candelario up ahead, with an umbrella and no cane.

“Ready for rain?”

“I want to be prepared,” he says. “Have to stay one step ahead.”

He has plans for vacation next month.

“Plan to be here tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

Variety of wildlife, nothing exotic, a bunny, a little green heron, a leopard spotted knapsack, a deer, the geese.

Upper lot: six vehicles, dark teal, maroon, gold, red, forest, silver (going counterclockwise from the entrance). One has R O G oval sticker positioned vertically, reading down. Startled. The driver sits inside, reading the Reading? newspaper. Other sticker of interest. I’m Able.

 Ruth runs west to my east: “If you can get over to the Institute, I have two paintings there.”

Gobs of pathlings today.

A disposable aluminum pie tin brightens up the meadow. I’m thinking Π (pi) tin. Pie plate, pi plate.

Thinking about making a map, and about Graphjam. www.graphjam.com

A container of plaster of paris mix and a plastic tub and a glass beverage container with watermelon design wait their turn at the Heritage Center. 

The Watermelon Woman

Victor is here. His tee shirt is red. His back right shorts pocket is empty: almost as good as a forecast, no rain.

He says he worked on home and yard yesterday and is feeling it this morning. 

“I’m tired too.”

“A little sex would perk you up.”

Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore Art Thou?

 En route home, truck with a logo of gradually increasing letter thickness: © recall. Subheading: Your Information Securely Managed.  The final “l” is plump and wide.

http://www.recall.com/recall/us/en/home

fly fishing components

Heronsblog: PARKDATE: Sunday 7.19.29

  The noble Ken Reinard, Ye Olde Colonial Angler of 1770, gives us, The Heron Report,  a heron report of his own Sunday during Step Back in Time at the Heritage Center.

   From his post, a table of authentic handmade fly fishing accoutrements near the eight marker, a few paces upstream of the red covered bridge, Reinard reports that a heron had been seen in the Tulpehocken creek.

  “We saw a heron and how was he fishing?” says Reinard. “He was fishing downstream like he ought to be. Fishing downstream to a rising fish. Like a gentleman. He moved from here down to the bridge.”

   The tools of Reinhard’s trade form an elegant display. He points out hooks made from nails and needles, line of horsetail hair (equine not plant) and handmade bamboo rods.

   His etuis are mesmerising. These he fashions from the leftover sections of bamboo. Fitting one end with a removable cork, the hollow stem is a precision hook holder: lightweight, portable and safe! They shake rattle and roll. Very kinetic!

   The appropriate fly for July is Shell Fly or a Wasp Fly.

http://www.amazon.com/Colonial-Anglers-Manual-Flyfishing-Flytying/dp/0811734307

Ye Olde Colonial Angler of 1770 (7.19.09)

  ”That’s a good way to remember!” taking a picture of the activity board.

 About to report only heron is the fake one at Signature Pools and Patios, knowing sometimes the herons are hidden from view and I’m looking elsewhere.

   Here is one on the little rapids at the half mile barn with flag. Zoom feature on Nikon intermingles feathers with green leaves.

   On the mill dam bridge, a fisherman hoists a small trout.

“It’s only got one eye!” says the fisherman to his friend. “Must have been born that way.”

   He prepares to release it and it ends up in the creek with a hook €€ and he tells me they are dissolving hooks and when I ask his name tells me Dave.

Mildred: Preview

    Mildred has come to rest above the Union canal bank. She is not a canal boat, she is a former Schuylkill river houseboat, creatively made as a way of, if not keeping up with the turn of the 19th century Joneses, at least joining them.

   When houseboats were the rage, the fashionable summer place, Greengrocer Arthur McCarter repurposed a far more affordable coal scow and Mildred is the golden apple of his eye.

   Doors and windows open, she makes us feel welcome Sunday afternoon. Part of our heart wishes we were out on the river with her, living the summer months moored to the edge and making the buzzsaw hum.

Nancy Bossler on the Mildred

Houseboat hostess Nancy Bossler, now in her 25th summer of bringing Mildred to life, invited the children who came aboard to pull some clothing from the trunk and see how quickly they could visit another era. 

   A tableaux of simple pleasures: The sweet parts of the boat are the signs of tender loving care, her neat, clean interior, her shipshapeness and the samples of homemade lemonade and graham crackers with hand churned butter served to guests, and a mason jar with fresh garden bouquet.

Flowers in the kitchen of Mildred

  Host: a lad named Greg Hale. He carries a wooden rifle and pistol.

   Also present: His mother, Sharon. Tending camp fire and “kitchen.”

  The set: Soft yet bright eight o’clock sunlight filters through green leaves. Pitched white tents.

                  The concavities of wooden bowls hold  provisions and apples. Coffee pots and tin mugs.

                  The mood: a picture of domesticity and bliss. Peaceful.  

                  Next:  ”We are from the 4th Texas Company B, ” says Ron Lauser.

                  He injects fashion statements: Greg wears  kepi, French for cap.

                  He talks hats and sutlers.

                  He, himself dressed with a blue vest,  apologises for some of the men being in less than full dress gentleman clothes:

                            “ A gentleman would not be seen without a hat or a vest or coat.

                                     To be in shirtsleeves is almost like being in underwear.”

               Weapons talk:  The arms are from Italy. Euro-somethingorother.  The clothes made in USA.

                Invitation:  ”At 11 o’clock, we  will be discharging our weapons.”

Sudoku rebus 7.19.09

   So reads a strip of paper under the overpass. A signature. Pick of the litter. 

   When is a tree more like a mushroom? This uprooted, toppled over, sawn to a long stump tree has been left to grow moss and grass. A sculpture, this remnant. Plump mushroom cap and stem.  

   A heron sounds, satisfying the requirement described in the Peterson Field Guide: Voice: Deep harsh croaks frahnk, frahnk, frahnk.

   Heronspotting: One. Location: summit of  bare-branched, toppled tree in creek along Tulpehocken Road.

   Open conversation of bicyclists: Overheard in Reading

A:  ” … asked what his ten year plan was.”

B:  “And the response was?”

A:  “What ten year plan?”

  In the middle of the path in the middle section: sine curves for 1/16 mile. Speak softly and carry a swizzle stick.

  Feng shui: It is a ten day! Water.

  Also find: 29 sticker and star band aid piece. Tippy top!

Peace & Quiet

Sudoku rebus 7/13 Allison Huyett

  Hi  greeting found written and framed in natural pigment on the asphalt. Water is tall and green. 

   Pick of the litter: strip of paper printed with numbers. A sparkler bee. Beemans  (≠ moonbeams) chewing gum wrapper:  dispose of properly. 

   Heron: midstretch, hunchman’s position. Another heron near the locks, also hunched over.

Peace sign on the lock.

 A dead vole/mole with two blades of grass sticking out of its mouth. A heron wades near islet. A second dead vole/mole. A stinkhorn very arrrowlike, very sagitta looking.

Mop Up

   The man who cleans the bathrooms has really mopped up.

   Am invited to dig trench at the mill. Thank Butch.

   “What is the name of the person who cleans the bathrooms? “

   “Janitor.”

   “He did a good job.”

   “He’s right around the corner. We call him Newbie.”

   “One of the summer hires.”

   Pickaxes in action.

  “I’ve been working on the railroad,” sings one of the crew.

   Need to get back from the trenches. So many titles I don’t know what to do!

Porcupine Pat McKinney shows soapwort

      On Location: Kaercher Creek Park, Hamburg, Pennsylvania. Park date 7.11

    “See the spider traps on the juniper?” asked Porcupine Pat McKinney. “On a field the size of a soccer field there may be 300,000 of these. Even steel isn’t that strong.”

    The Schuylkill Conservation District Environmental Educator explored within a compact area and condensed time frame an open number and array of natural subjects: from tensile to edible to toxic to utile.

    McKinney Mythbuster: sassafras has four, not three, different shaped leaves: The single lobe, the three-lobed and the two lobed or mitten: left-thumb and a right-thumb!

   McKinney Emcee: Will the real ragweed please stand up? Not to be confused with goldenrod.

   McKinney Audio: That was the sound of a squirrel warning!

   McKinney Mixology: To make Indian tea, mix cold water with staghorn sumac and flavor to taste.

   McKinney Maple Module: Helicopter, nose ornament, OR earlobe piece.

   McKinney Magic: Touch Me Not, or jewelweed seeds release when the cornucopia-like flower is touched. And you can eat them.

   McKinney Olfactory: Every season has its smell.

   McKinney Video: How do you know when an animal is prey? Predator?

Special thanks to Berks County Parks and Recreation: www.countyofberks.com/parks

Pickerel weed

Chemistry and Patience

    What is needed for a lasting relationship? John Kincade, on the JK show, ESPN radio, early this morning said:  Chemistry and patience, definitely gotta have it!

   What we have now is a ruddy creek. Intense thunder and lightning prompted me to leap out of bed at 11:00 last night to close all the windows. How intense was that?

      Walk. A white pigeon, aka Rock Dove, with red feet and legs stands on a rock creekside at the dam bridge. A pair of rock towers stands on the other side, little pillars, good feng shui for an entrance, objects placed either side of door. Orienteering relic?

   Path is well washed, wiped off. The WET PAINT sign is wet.  New pathlings; new path users. walking, bicycling, running. Heron pennant style along midstretch. Heron roosting in tree near the 11 post/locks. It launches itself in flight and descends to the next tree over.

Liz Hess art 2009

   Cherchez le chat?  God bless the animals!

   July’s edition of Furry Friday at the  Humane Society of Berks County www.berkshumane.org unleashed the work of Liz Hess, a bilingual Lancaster, Pennsylvania artist who speaks the language of Sweden, where dog is hund and cat is katt.

    Behind every great artist is a fine fuzzy friend or two; Hess’s cat, Claude, and her dear dog, Prudence, help with the Lizness business: multiple series of paintings, pastels and prints. We particularly like the parity: for every canine picture,  there is an equal and opposite work for felines.

   Itching for rain? Hess also paints likenesses of red umbrellas, some with animals.

    A giclee (“spraying with ink”) technique is used for about one-third of the paintings. 

    Hess makes a charming habit of annual travel abroad. She lived most of her third decade in Sweden (Lapland).

   Visit: www.lizhess.com

So What Osmosis

   What kind of blue is behind the ess on gum box?      Guttersnipe!

   Something variegated this way grows.

   Radio Taco Bell, Bill and bacon. Ultimate find.

   Squirrel in bin. Autosave. Feels freed.

   Pick of the litter: sporting goods store receipt (back of.)

   Backwards  red 1 inspection number.

   Park crew tee: Sabathia and number 52 baseball over what kind of blue?

   Beauty beauty day.  Tiny blue jay feather. Tiny!

   Pair of squirrels, classic sitting/nibbling  pose.

   Bushy tail ↔ crimped tail.

   Crimped tail springs. Boing-boing, been jolted?

   WET PAINT sign on log bench. What neat placement!

   Victor: light blue tee. Is a one/ten day. Blogger: navy. 

   Overheard in Reading: park crew “We did that

   post, that number eight.”

the 10 post

   A few good pathlings.  

   Iotas show moss.

   How close we came to a heron this morning?

    ON THIS DAY in 1846:

    http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/timeline_flash.html

pathling

Cathy Wegener

Robert Hopkins

  Nature and structure were predominant themes of  Wednesday’s Interpretive Series: Summer Evening Stroll along the Tulpehocken creek near Reading, Pennsylvania. Cathy Wegener, Superintendent of Interpretive Services and Robert Hopkins, West Nile Coordinator for Berks County Conservation District, led the event at Gring’s Mill.

   Wegener handled the structure side with well-chiseled facts: the 79.5 mile Union Canal was called the Golden Link,  joining Philadelphia to Middletown.  Boats 1/3 the width of river boats transported people, goods and produce. Canal’s demise partly due to construction flaws: “It leaked!”  Did you know: canals were built with clay bottoms and a kind of submerged wood floor?

   Hopkins is a man so comfortable in nature he can hold purple loose strife in his hand and live to tell us about it.  He also touched on subjects such as wild bergamot, colony collapse disorder and rhus juice.

and pick of the litter last night, piece of a story from near-ancient newspaper. Gets it. Goes and gets it. Just goes and goes. Early bird catches the worm.