Alfred Victorian's Middletown, PA

It's all in the details...

Alfred Victorians is quite the charmer.  It's now a restaurant but it was a home at one time.  Walk inside for more delights that meet the eyes along as the taste buds!

The Churchtown Barn

On a snowy Winter day...

Can you find 'The Churchtown Barn" on a website?  Not that I know!  Daily I pass by this barn to and from work.   There once stood an old and decrepit barn but over the period of many months it was torn down and replaced.  At first I along with others contemplated that someone was going to make a home out of the structure but as construction progressed it developed into another barn.  I haven't seen any livestock yet and I haven't noticed that is was being used for hay storage.  Just what is in store for this barn?  The landscape around the barn is becoming an item of interest in itself.  I do hope that something grand is planned!  I may never know all the answers but as I pass by it has been fun contemplating and scheming in my own mind.  It makes the drive to and from work just a little more interesting.  

The Barn is the STAR

Out and about today on the way to pick up my husband at the airpot, I couldn't help making a detour to see the 'Star' along the highway....   It appears that this was manipulated into a black and white - but - check out the billboard in the left corner.  It was snowing and the sky didn't have a trace of color.  It was just a black and white kind of day.  Anybody wanting to document the sights of Central Pennsylvania have found themselves in the driveway of the Dayspring church getting a few shots of this famous barn. There has been numerous shots from every angle.  Today I chose to capture the out buildings in addition to the barn itself.  All the buildings are in various stages of deterioration.  The 'fix-up' of the barn brings many different opinions depending on how close you live to this gem.  Anybody willing to donate towards the owners plight to restore this to it's original glory?  

PX PX PX

Here's a story of a lovely work family.

Waaayyyy back in 1996 the four of us were thrown together into a project referred to as MFCS (Material Financial Control System).  There were several branches of the project and our little part was called PX02/04 or 'PX' for short.  Marge and Bill came from Philadelphia and Susan and I came from Mechanicsburg in Pennsylvania.  We started out shy and business like until we were flown off to Boston, MA every week Monday thru Friday for the next several months.  We worked with a contractor to develop, code, test, recode, redevelop, retest and finally implement a major accounting system.  There were laughs and tears and pain and success.   We became like family and relied on one another while being away from our own families back in PA.  We worked some very long days and got to know one another more than we wanted...  Yes we worked hard and pulled our hair out at times but we did get to experience Boston in some unique ways.  We were regulars on the 'T' (subway), got to shop at Fielene's bargain basement, sat out next to the Green Wall in Fenway Park, strolled down Newberry St, had some drinks at Cheers (where everyone did NOT know our names), explored Fenuiel Hall,  climbed the Hancock building (during 70 mph winds), snuck inside the Trinity Church and ate our way through every major neighborhood.  We enjoyed time in Cambridge and stayed near MIT and Harvard and once over by Boston College.  Needless to say none of the knowledge from these esteemed places rubbed off on us.  All of these events occurred after work so we didn't get to experience daytime in Boston.  Our first weeks were filled with three fire alarms in the middle of the night at the hotel.  The major concern then was 'what do I wear during a fire with people I hardly know'!!  Thankfully there wasn't a real fire and after seeing each other with our hair matted to our heads we quickly learned to get along and survive together.  There were several others with us but we were the representatives from the organization that had to 'use' this system.  We've become lasting friends and still rely on one another with our work related duties.  It's been a blessing and God knew what he was doing when we were brought together.   Being away from home so often was hard and we cried on each other shoulders and turned around and had some of the best laughs.  The years have been filled with good memories.  We don't get to see each other much but we know we're all just a phone call away when a problem arrises.  Recently we were lucky to be together all at once for a retirement party and took a few shots in the office.  For us humor has been the backbone of our times together.  Thanks for the memories and here's to many more happy blessed years!!!! 

Christmas 2010

It's been very hard lately to find the time to sit quietly and get any creative thoughts.  Of course it's that time of the year when we're all busy and trying to do a little of everything, and instead we get nothing accomplished.  Maybe I shouldn't say nothing but we feel that way at the end of the day.  Looking for the bright side of this season I got to spend a lot of time with my family.  Who could ask for more.  I hate to see this season end but time moves on.  We have a clean slate with a New Year upon us so I must step forward and wait for special moments.  Those moments are there but sometimes we fail to notice them or appreciate them.  My resolutions?  Ha!  Yes I'm old enough to know Im not perfect and can't live up to all I say or wish but I can make a small resolution  that I can keep trying to accomplish everyday.  That would be kindness to others.  Can I do it?  It's worth a try isn't it?  When I fail I'll hopefully attempt it again and again.  My wish for all of you this year is happiness, contentment, to be healthy, and to recognize your blessings and appreciate them in the moment.

The Picture:

They are some of my biggest blessings.  My Children.  

God Bless You 

and

Happy New Year!!