Hiking Wildcat

Thank You Washington & Old Dominion

The Washington & Old Dominion was a train that ran in Northern Virginia  - from DC to the Blue Ridge Mountains - from 1858 to 1968. The tracks are now a paved trail, well maintained with a center line, mileage markers, and wonderful signage. I have been biking it from Shenstone Circle to Purcellville and back with Anne Horgan. She is in Bermuda for a week so I decided to ride alone from Leesburg towards Dulles.

http://www.wodfriends.org/maps/MainMap.html

On the trail I phoned Jim who was driving home from Arlington. I asked him to pick me up on the trail on his way home. That way I could spend most of my time riding towards Washington and exploring new territory. He agreed and I biked to the Hyatt Hotel at Reston Town Center, less than 20 miles. Perfect day for a ride with clear skies, low humidity, and below 80 degrees!

The bike trail goes through the old towns of Ashburn and Reston where the train stopped so you feel like you can visualize Northern Virginia before the sprawl. My bike is fabulous and the ride was so
pleasurable.  The best part was meeting Marie, a biker my age originally from Brooklyn.

For some reason she thought I was an experienced and fast biker, which I am not.

On the trail I thought of my last bike ride along the Turnagain Arm Trail. (one of four rides in year!) In this photo of Hope on Hope Point she is looking towards the trail along the far side of the Arm. The scenery is breathtaking and very different than the W & OD!

Nulls Revisit . . . .

 

My great grandmother's name is recorded in the family Bible.

She married Frank Null after his first wife died.  His descendants have been reuniting almost every year since 1948.

Our 3rd Reunion this summer (4th if I want to call Melissa and Bryan's wedding a reunion). The nice part about living on Rt. 15 in Virginia is that we can drive north or south to family . . And what a beautiful drive it is. This weekend we traveled to one of my favorite places - Lititz. Linda (cousin) and Steve Gentino moved there from College Park, MD in 1997 and we have planned to retire to Lititz ever since.  . . . Until Jim got a call to Church of Our Saviour at Oatlands and Linda and Steve are called to Columbia, SC to help David  (son) and Julia in their ministry with Columbia Presbyterian Church. So I guess you could say God had other plans.

Linda introduced us in 1974 and lived with us when we first got married.

General Sutter's home in Lititz

  Website for Lititz

Lititz Moravian Church

 I still love Lititz, but less, now that Linda and Steve are not there.

Linda with her new favorite color

New Permaculture Garden

2014 Null Reunion at Freedom Memorial Park, Millersville

My slip of paper is chosen to win the Geraniums

Grave marker of Frank Null with first wife Maud 

Clymers Revisit 1914

My great great grandfather's youngest brother 

hosted the 1914 Clymer Reunion. 

Abe Clymer was a widower with one daughter,  

19 year old Minerva.

According to the minutes 73 people gathered in the parlors for an enjoyable program,  including the recitation of "Betty and The Bear" by 12 year old Harold Worth.

BETTY AND THE BEAR

In a pioneer's cabin out West, so they say, 

Some untimely intruder gain'd access, one day, 

And made such a racket, he 'woke from his sleep 

The lord of the mansion, who ventured to peep, 

Thro' a crack, in the kitchen, to see what was there, 

When he found, to his grief, 't was a grizzly bear! 

"My gracious !" he yell'd to his slumb'ring frow, 

"Tlaar's a bar in the kitching as big as a caow!" 

"A what?" "Why, a bar!" "Well, murder 'm 

  — quick!" 

"Yes, Betty, I will, ef you'll git me a stick." 

So Betty popt out and the poker she seized, 

While her man shut the door, and against it he 

    squeez'd! 

As Betty belabor'd the beast with her blows, — 

Now on his forehead and now on his nose, — 

Her man thro' the keyhole kept shouting within, 

"Well done, my brave Betty! now hit 'm agin! 

A jab in the stummick! —a dab on the snout! — 

Now poke with the poker and poke his eyes out! 

Don't be a bit scart of'm, Betty, my dear; 

Don't be a bit scart—fur, ye know, I am here!" 

  So with poking and jabbing, poor Betty alone 

At last laid Sir Bruin as dead as a stone. 

Then when the old man saw the bear was no more, 

He ventured to poke his own nose out the door, 

And there was the grizzly stretch'd on the floor. 

'T was only a cub; but no matter for that: 

He pull'd on his boots and he clapt on his hat, 

And off to the neighbors he hasten'd, to tell 

All the wonderful things that that morning befell; 

And he publish'd the marvellous story afar, — 

How "ME an' my betty jes' slaughter'd a bar! 

Oh yes! Come an' see ! all the neighbors hev sid it; 

Jes' see what We did, ME an' betty —We did it!" 

But, alas, all the neighbors were perfectly knowing 

That she did the business and he did the blowing. In a pioneer's cabin out West, so they say, 

Some untimely intruder gain'd access, one day, 

And made such a racket, he 'woke from his sleep 

The lord of the mansion, who ventured to peep, 

Thro' a crack, in the kitchen, to see what was there, 

When he found, to his grief, 't was a grizzly bear! 

"My gracious !" he yell'd to his slumb'ring frow, 

"Tlaar's a bar in the kitching as big as a caow!" 

"A what?" "Why, a bar!" "Well, murder 'm 

  — quick!" 

"Yes, Betty, I will, ef you'll git me a stick." 

So Betty popt out and the poker she seized, 

While her man shut the door, and against it he 

    squeez'd! 

As Betty belabor'd the beast with her blows, — 

Now on his forehead and now on his nose, — 

Her man thro' the keyhole kept shouting within, 

"Well done, my brave Betty! now hit 'm agin! 

A jab in the stummick! —a dab on the snout! — 

Now poke with the poker and poke his eyes out! 

Don't be a bit scart of'm, Betty, my dear; 

Don't be a bit scart—fur, ye know, I am here!" 

  So with poking and jabbing, poor Betty alone 

At last laid Sir Bruin as dead as a stone. 

Then when the old man saw the bear was no more, 

He ventured to poke his own nose out the door, 

And there was the grizzly stretch'd on the floor. 

'T was only a cub; but no matter for that: 

He pull'd on his boots and he clapt on his hat, 

And off to the neighbors he hasten'd, to tell 

All the wonderful things that that morning befell; 

And he publish'd the marvellous story afar, — 

How "ME an' my betty jes' slaughter'd a bar! 

Oh yes! Come an' see ! all the neighbors hev sid it; 

Jes' see what We did, ME an' betty —We did it!" 

But, alas, all the neighbors were perfectly knowing 

That she did the business and he did the blowing. 

For the 2014 Clymer Reunion this weekend we gathered in the same parlor

and read the 1914 minutes and recited the poem. Ken Miller now owns the 

house and was kind enough to invite us to visit.

Lunch and Noonday and Morven

Hope is an Ambassador for Noonday Jewelry.

Friends were kind enough to learn about Noonday and have lunch at the 

Cottage Rectory after a hike at Morven Park.

PJ CLICK'S CHICKEN CHUTNEY SALAD

Mix one shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover turkey) meat with

1 cup of sliced celery

two scallions (green onions) sliced with some of the green

1 can of sliced water chestnuts

For the dressing...mix

3/4  c  mayonnaise

1/2  c  chopped mango chutney (I use more)

1/4  c  fresh lime juice (about 3 or 4 limes)

2      t  freshly zested lime peel (zest the limes before you juice them...it’s easier)

2  T  Goeking Honey

1  t  curry powder

1/2   t  salt

Serve on sliced croissants or on a bed of spinach or lettuce, 

topped with sliced avocados

Once Again: July 4th in Seward, Alaska

Last year on July 4th in Seward we told our friends we were moving to Virginia. I knew we would return to Anchorage but doubted we'd experience our unique Alaskan July 4th TRADITION again.

But we did, with a 'twist'.

Seward is a deep water port on Resurrection Bay, 120 miles south of Anchorage. The town of 2,500 sits at the base of Mt. Marathon. On July 4th 30,000 watch the annual race up the steep mountain. Over the years Happy Hikers have 

participated in the 11:15 am Women's Race (350 women runners). Every year some Happy Hikers, with Carol Sheridan as guide, climb to the top of the mountain to cheer the racers. 

This year Jordin Thompson and Hope Basinger ran for the second year in the Women's Race.

                                 

Most in this group hiked up the mountain to take photos of the Junior Race (half way up the mountain) and the Women's Race at the top. They hiked down the mountain before the 3 pm start of  the Men's Race.

Martha, Bruce, and I spent the morning wandering along the waterfront. We met the EMT's heading up the mountain and thanked them for volunteering their skill. They told us they hoped they would not be needed.

We watched the women race up and down the mountain. Jim got photos of  Hope on the top.

Charles flew to Seward in Scott's plane from Homer and arrived in time to see her come off the mountain and head toward the finish.

Happy Hikers then began the steep descent. About 1:30, just above the midway point,  Marilyn Watts had a mis-step and fell to the ground in pain. She severely broke her right angle. Jim immediately called 911 and EMTs climbed to her aid. They moved her slightly off the trail and discussed plans to hoist her down the mountain and transport her to the ER.

The Wedding of the Century

Someone else used that title for the wedding of Michal Wilson & Brian Kolb on June 28, 2014 at All Saints Episcopal Church, Anchorage, AK. It is a fitting title. The obstacles were many.

We have known the Wilson family since Michal was a preschooler. I had the privilege of teaching Michal, Andrew, and Dan in Sunday School.  Michal and Brian met at Wheaton, my alma mater.

Most of the wedding party were Wheaton friends. Hope was also a bridesmaid and involved in the festivities. I praise God that a sudden closed door allowed  Michal to spend this year with her family in Anchorage. Hope is now grieving Michal's move back to Chicago.