Categories
Food Pictures Uncategorized

We did the pots and pans, now let’s do the dishes and silverware.

Views: 51

 

We did the pots and pans, now let’s do the dishes and silverware. We love the classics. Our everyday dishes and silverware are Oneida Colonial Boston and Corning Corelle Bone/Sandstone. Both made in the USA so many years ago.

Our good dishes and silverware are Franciscan Desert Rose. Silverware is Oneida Shell. Again made in the USA.

Over the years we’ve replaced some dishes. And mostly USA. Some of the Franciscan is made in England. Sadly some of the Oneida is Chinese.

So what’s on your table?

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History Life Sports Travel Uncategorized

How Olympian Cornelius Johnson’s Legacy Lives on Through an 87-Year-Old Oak Tree

Views: 29

How Olympian Cornelius Johnson’s Legacy Lives on Through an 87-Year-Old Oak Tree.

Cornelius Johnson won gold in the high jump for the United States at the 1936 Olympics, held in Nazi Germany. Along with his medal, he took home an oak sapling and planted it in the yard of his family’s Los Angeles home. Though Johnson died just 10 years later, at age 32, the oak tree still stands tall — a physical representation of his legacy as one of the many Black American athletes who took the podium during those Games and resisted the then-ethos of the country that hosted them.

“Him planting his tree was a way of saying ‘I beat you, we won,’” Susan Anderson, a curator at the California African American Museum, told CBS News. Johnson’s tree is one of about two dozen oaks left standing from the 1936 Olympics, and it has now been designated as a historical monument in LA.

That designation is due in part to the work of Christian Kosmas Mayer, a Vienna-based artist with a particular interest in trees with historical significance. He lobbied to save this one when the land was bought by a developer and, thankfully, he was successful.

“Now it grows in what we call Koreatown in Los Angeles, a very diverse, multiethnic, multi-language area, absolutely the opposite of what the Nazis would have dreamed of as their future,” Mayer told CBS. “So I think it’s a beautiful symbol for how things can turn out much better.”

See the Tree

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/los-angeles-oak-tree-carries-legacy-of-forgotten-1936-olympic-athlete/

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TV

NCIS renewed for Season 21

Views: 45

Yup, that’s right, folks! The more superior NCIS of the franchise was renewed today for Season 21.

Despite so many cast changes over the years, it’s writing has remained hard core and true to what the show was always about, and as a result of all that, it still has millions of fans worldwide and still makes CBS a lot of money.

(LA unfortunately, can’t say anything about that because it’s really bad writing sank it and it’s ratings.).

Here’s to another year of the way more superior NCIS!!

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Holidays Life

Happy Valentine’s Day

Views: 74

From all of us here at Koda, we wish you and whatever that special someone is in your life a Happy Valentine’s Day! 💗

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Movies TV

Favorite Linda Hunt roles

Views: 50

Well before becoming NCIS LA’s kickass queen, Miss Linda was already famous for being a tough cookie in several movies and a few TV shows.

It all started after winning Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for playing a man (the only actor to this day to ever win for playing the opposite gender!). Since then, she’s been a bar keeper, a doctor, a judge, a helper, a therapist, a principal, and more!

Any roles of hers that are quite memorable to you? Feel free to list them!

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History Reprints from other. Uncategorized

Salena Zito: A trea­sury of pot­tery, and Amer­i­can his­tory, in the Ohio Val­ley

Views: 27

NEWELL, W.Va. — Dave Springer stands alone in a sea of lids, jars, dishes, cups and bowls. One hand, in a dark blue rubber glove, holds a jar lid, while the other holds the scraper he’s using meticulously to smooth away every mark and imperfection. Then he places the casting on the boards to dry, and picks up another.

Meanwhile, nearby is an oversized bin filled with dishes, cups, jars, lids and saucers that didn’t make the cut.

The clay molds are so moist, I have an overwhelming childlike urge to squeeze the clay between my fingers.

Willie Jones, a second-generation caster, stands beside the bin of castoffs wiping down hundreds of teapots with a damp sponge. Some of them he will add to the bin of misfit pottery.

“Nothing goes to waste here; we just mix all of that together and recast them into new pieces,” Mr. Jones explains.

Mr. Springer says he has been an artisan for the Fiesta Tableware Company for 17 years — before that, he spent 23 years at the former Hall China across the river in East Liverpool. “I’m proud of being a caster, to be able to touch the product — and perfect it — knowing it is going to be used and enjoyed by a family, or admired by a collector or used over and over again in a diner,” he said, looking up from his task with a broad smile.

“I know it is a cliché to say we don’t make things in America anymore, but the truth is we don’t. I like that I am part of a craftsmanship that still does, that still takes pride in making things here knowing they are appreciated, used and enjoyed,” he says. Then he goes back to the task at hand.

Both Mr. Springer and Mr. Jones are working inside the former Homer Laughlin China Company’s cavernous building located along a ridge overlooking the Ohio River. It’s a company that began in 1871 when neighboring East Liverpool’s city council offered $5,000 to anyone who would agree to build a four-kiln factory that produced white ware.

Brothers Homer and Shakespeare Laughlin won that competition and proceeded to build a pottery factory in East Liverpool. While the brothers had worked in the pottery industry — at one time over 300 pottery companies (yes, 300) were in this area — they weren’t naturals at the technical aspects of manufacturing.

But they pressed forward, broke ground and within two years opened for production with two kilns. When their first batch of cups were cooled, all the handles fell off.

Within a year, however, they had over 100 employees; two years later, they earned a medal for the best white ware at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. By 1877, Shakespeare wanted out, and Homer renamed the business “Homer Laughlin China Company.”

At the time, all American china companies — despite being more expensive than the European imports — were seen as inferior to English china, to the point that many American potters would add the word “royal” to their trademark to fool buyers.

Not Homer. He designed a mark that showed the American Eagle on top of the British Lion.

Liz McIlvain, president and CEO of Fiesta Tableware, and daughter Katie Bricker, the general marketing manager, are the great-great- and great-great-great-granddaughters of W.E. Wells, Homer Laughlin’s one-time bookkeeper, who became head of the company in 1896 when Laughlin sold his interest. They are standing near the very office where Wells fell ill in 1931, and later passed away, after running the company for nearly 40 years.

“When Wells took over, they moved operations here to Newell from East Liverpool on the former Newell farm. When they finished this factory, it immediately became the largest pottery plant in the country,” explained Ms. Bricker.

Designer Frederick Hurten Rhead, hired in 1927, made the company iconic: He created the “Fiesta” collection, introducing the colorful dinnerware to the American public in 1936 at the Pittsburgh China & Glass Show.

The American public was enthralled with the colorful, sturdy and inexpensive dinnerware in green, cobalt blue, yellow, red and ivory. Within a year, the company added a sixth color, turquoise, and had sold over a million pieces.

Ms. Bricker said the first line of Fiesta pottery had 34 different pieces that included bowls, plates, pitchers, candle holders, pots and trays. “What made American families want them wasn’t just the simple and sturdy design — they loved the bright colors. Remember America was in the midst of the Great Depression. Those colors made them feel good about themselves,” she said.

Ms. Bricker said uranium dye played a big part in why the colors achieved such brilliance. “Right after World War II began, the Homer Laughlin China Company had to discontinue using the compound because the military needed uranium for the war effort.”

She explains that peak employment here at the factory came in 1948, when over 3,000 workers created pottery in the building that still stands today. Since then, however, American industrial domination has vanished thanks to automation, bad trade deals and lack of investment.

Today there are 370 employees here, in one of the last major American pottery factories.

The people who work here are often second-, third- and fourth-generation craftsmen and artisans who hail from here in Newell and from across the river in East Liverpool, while others live in suburban Pittsburgh, Steubenville and Wheeling. To a person, they all expressed deep pride in their craftsmanship — and concern that what they do will soon be a lost skill.

Springer said he tries to encourage young people to take an interest, “but it’s sad to say, I haven’t had much luck.”

The prolonged staffing issues cause by the pandemic, along with their inability to keep up with inexpensive imports, forced the family in late 2020 to sell their East Liverpool-based Hall China, which made Homer Laughlin and Hall China food service items. Everything is now made under the Fiesta Tableware Company marquee.

To say Fiestaware — old, new and rare — has a cult following would be an understatement. Their tent sales, held several times a year, attract collectors, bargain hunters, fine restaurant owners as well as diner operators from around the world, all sifting through bins stacked with slightly imperfect dishware in dozens of hues.

At the last tent sale I attended — I have been collecting since finding four original green saucers in one of my late grandmother’s boxes of china — I met a Latino restaurateur from Chicago, a diner owner from South Carolina and a collector from England all filling carts with dishware. There are also annual Fiestaware conventions, scores of Fiestaware Facebook fan and collector pages, as well as several non-profits dedicated to the collection and purchase of old, new and rare Fiestaware pieces.

Ms. Bricker said with the exception of the years 1973 through 1985, Fiestaware has been made continuously since 1936. In that time, they have made nearly 600 million pieces, including 3 million last year alone. And Rhead’s original designs haven’t changed: Fiestaware remains immediately identifiable by its Art Deco styling and concentric rings.

One shopper leaving the factory store explained that she had spent the day at local antique stores looking for vintage pieces, then came here for the new Jade. “Here is what I love about Fiestaware: When you find it in the wild, you are holding a piece of American history, and you wonder who used it before you; when you come here, you are buying something made in your own backyard, and you hope that ability never goes away,” she said. “It’s a real national treasure.”

 

North Side native Salena Zito is a national political reporter for The Washington Examiner, a New York Post columnist and co-author of “The Great Revolt”: 

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Categories
Life Music Uncategorized

Rocking on a Sunday.

Views: 55

I’m in the mood for what I’ll call my favorites on a Sunday. Playing my favorite rocking tunes. But you can play any type of music that you wish. I want to start with Mott the Hoople featuring Ian Hunter.

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TV

What TV show would you like to see come back?

Views: 84

Bringing back old shows or spinning them off in some way is all the rage nowadays! (regardless of whether or not it’s a good idea).

What TV show would you like to see come back one day? (with me personally, it would be JAG).

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TV

NCIS LA to end this spring

Views: 50

Source: https://deadline.com/2023/01/ncis-los-angeles-canceled-final-season-14-end-cbs-series-finale-date-1235229384/

One of CBS’ longest-running scripted shows, NCIS: Los Angeles, will be coming to an end after 322 episodes. Its current 14th season will be the show’s last, with the series finale set for May 14, airing on the network and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+.

The NCIS spinoff, starring LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell, is tied as the fifth longest-running CBS primetime scripted series ever, only behind Gunsmoke, Lassie, CSI and Criminal Minds. Among the four, the two shows that have aired in the last 50 years, CSI and Criminal Minds, both have since been revived, which bodes well for NCIS: Los Angeles‘ future.

Additionally, NCIS: Los Angeles is a rare long-running procedural drama to have had its original leads, LL Cool J and O’Donnell, stay on for the entire run. Both have spoken publicly about their commitment to the series, which hit the 300 episode milestone last May, and their fellow cast members.

According to sources, the cast and crew of NCIS: Los Angeles are being told today about the series coming to an end. A cancellation of a long-running drama with big-name leads filming in L.A. should not come as a shock given the big price tag involved, especially at a time when networks across the board are looking to cut their spending. Still, I hear the cancellation news came as a surprise to many associated with the show as it follows the strong ratings for the three-way crossover with mothership NCIS and latest offshoot NCIS: Hawai’i.

“This NCIS Crossover was a huge success!!”, LL Cool J just wrote on Instagram. “After 14 seasons, this is the perfect time to end @ncisla on top of our game!!!”

I hear the timing of the decision stems from the network’s desire to allow showrunner R. Scott Gemmill and his team to craft a series finale, which they will have to jump on right away to get it ready for May. In a statement (you can read it in full later in the story), Gemmill promised fans an ending that “is both satisfying and does justice to these beloved characters.”

NCIS: Los Angeles was the first spinoff from NCIS, now in its 20th season. It was followed by NCIS: New Orleans, which ran for seven seasons, and NCIS: Hawai’i, now in its second season.

Boosted by being part of the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Los Angeles set a record for the quickest off-network syndication sale in fall 2009 when it was nabbed by USA Network for a massive $2.2M-$2.3M an episode just 6-7 weeks into its run. The series has remained a money maker for producer CBS Studios with distribution in more than 200 countries.

 

‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ (CBS)CBS

“For 14 seasons, NCIS: Los Angeles has been a stalwart of our lineup with characters who were a joy to watch,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “From day one, the cast, producers and crew were amazing network/studio partners, and their teamwork, talent and spirit vividly came through on the screen. We are so grateful for the collaboration and remarkable run of these treasured members of our CBS family, and plan to give them the big sendoff they and their fans deserve.”

Unlike the mothership NCIS series, which stayed in its original Tuesday time slot for almost two decades until recently relocating to Monday, NCIS: Los Angeles has been a classic utility player for CBS, moving seven times in 14 seasons and helping reestablish a beachfront for the network with scripted series on Sunday.

The series, created by Shane Brennan, is averaging 6.06 million viewers and is the top scripted program in its Sunday 10 PM slot. Season to date, new episodes have amassed more than 591 million potential social media impressions and Americans have watched over 4.2 billion minutes (through Jan. 15) of the current season.

“I want to thank both the network and studio for their partnership and support over the years; Shane Brennan for giving us such a great playground; and my partners John P. Kousakis, Frank Military, Kyle Harimoto and Andrew Bartels for their tireless efforts and collaboration episode after episode,” said NCIS: Los Angeles executive producer and showrunner Gemmill. “Our crew has grown to be a true family, and their hard work and dedication has been fundamental to our success year after year. My deepest gratitude to the cast members, who have brought our characters to life with their impassioned performances – thank you for your talent, professionalism and continuous enthusiasm. And to our loyal viewers who loved our characters and followed their journeys, thank you. We look forward to delivering an end to the series that is both satisfying and does justice to these beloved characters.”


My take:

Truth be told, when Hetty started getting the short stick, that’s when I started disliking this show. Plus, all the bad writing that happened to the team afterwards just made me more angry.

I’m not that bummed out. Just disappointed that everyone deserved so much better from these last few years. Now we have to hope that everyone (including Hetty) can somehow get a happy ending. (and yes, the perfect ending I have in mind is Hetty being home for Callen’s wedding)

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Categories
Food Life

SHRIMP AND CHERRY TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Views: 45

I want to thank the Culinary Ginger for this.

Fresh flavors with a hint of lemon and garlic, this Shrimp Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes takes minutes to make. Serve warm or room temperature. I love to serve this seafood topping on grilled bread.  Usually enjoyed as an appetizer, I could eat this as a meal with the bread, mix with pasta or go surf and turf with grilled chicken.

Grilled bread slices topped with shrimp and cherry tomatoes

For me, this is the best bruschetta recipe (also called crostini) because I never say no to any shrimp dish. This is a cooked version of a classic tomato and basil bruschetta topping.

3 Shrimp and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta on a serving board

Which bread is best  for bruschetta?

I pick whichever large, unsliced bread looks good that day. For this I used a Pugliese bread ( Pulgliese is a region in the heel of Italy’s boot). It’s a large loaf, very much like ciabatta with characteristic holes.

A small Italian lesson for you (and it is small)

Did you know that in Italian, any word with ‘sch’ in it is pronounced as a ‘k’? I know this because I have an Italian last name with sch in it (my husband is Sicilian). So that would make this dish pronounced broo-skeh-tuh.

Anyway, back to the recipe. The shrimp can be made ahead, but not too far ahead. I wouldn’t make it any sooner than the day before you want to serve it.

YIELD: 10

SHRIMP AND CHERRY TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Shrimp and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

Fresh shrimp is cooked with garlic and cherry tomatoes, basil and chives served on grilled bread.

prep time15 MINUTES
cook time7 MINUTES
total time22 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

  •  10 slices Italian bread, sliced
  •  Olive oil
  •  20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
  •  Salt & pepper
  •  2 tablespoons olive oil
  •  1 ¼ pounds (680 grams) cherry tomatoes
  •  2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or grated
  •  Zest of 1 lemon
  •  2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  •  1 tablespoon chives, chopped
  •  ½ teaspoon salt
  •  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Brush both sides of bread slices with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Grill or broil until toasted. Set aside.
  2. Lightly season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer, don’t crowd the pan, cook for 5 minutes on the first side.
  4. Turn the shrimp and immediately add the tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, basil, chives, salt and pepper. Toss well to mix to just warm the tomatoes, about 2 minutes, don’t allow them to get mushy. Turn off the heat.
  5. Spoon a layer of the tomatoes onto each slice of bread and top with 2 shrimp.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Yield

10

Serving Size

1 pieceAmount Per ServingCalories110Total Fat5gSaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0gUnsaturated Fat4gCholesterol23mgSodium351mgCarbohydrates12gFiber1gProtein5g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

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TV Uncategorized

The best part of the NCIS Crossover

Views: 26

Yes, the heavily promoted 3 episode NCIS crossover aired this Monday. It had lots of callbacks, some were to old school LA, friendly sparring (IMO, which made everyone look like middle schoolers), and 1 huge surprise.

The 3rd episode ‘A Long Time Coming’, found a neat way to give fans a reasurring update on 1 particular LA team member who everyone has been waiting on pins and needles to hear more about because it’s been a long time since she’s been seen.

I present to you, the part about this whole crossover that I consider to be a miracle of sorts:

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Categories
Life Pictures

One last look till next December. Christmas decorations being put away.

Views: 4

Yesterday was what my wife called Orthodox Christmas. Her mother was Ukrainian Orthodox. So we always left the decorations up. So today they all go down. I took some close ups, so let’s take one last look.Winter snowflakes is next.

I hope you enjoy looking at these pictures I take. For me it’s showing off my wife’s decorating talents.

 

Loving the Dickens Village

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Food Life Uncategorized

So what pots and pans do you have?

Views: 41

So what pots and pans do you have?  OK so it’s called cookware. Our cookware is mostly Calphalon. We also have some ALL-Clad and Old Revere Ware. ALL-Clad is the most expensive and some say the best.

All our Cookware is made in the USA. My favorite are two pans that are not USA made. A line called Green Pan. And also all the Cookware is non stick. Why Green Pan?

Green Pan is very light and inexpensive. Only had the two pans for about three months, but so far they’re scratch resistant. I use the eight inch one everyday. Now my wife likes her Calphalon and Revere Ware. She’s not overly crazy with the ALL Clad. Now we get to price and location.

I ran into a chef friend last week at Kohl’s. His wife was just getting ready to buy a 10 piece Calphalon non stick Cookware set. $249.00. I told her TJ Max had a 10 piece ALL-Clad for the same price. That set MSRP is $400.00. They didn’t even say bye.

TJ Max is the place for cookware deals. All firsts also. Our 10piece Calphalon cost us $130.00.

 

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Categories
Food Gifs Life

Ordering from an Amish Restaurant Store. Mary Yoder’s in Middlefield, Ohio

Views: 15

Mary Yoder’s is in Middlefield, Ohio. About thirty minutes from Cleveland. Sixty minutes from Akron or Youngstown.

Mary Yoder’s is a Amish restaurant my wife and I frequent often. Actually going there for dinner Saturday and I’ll be getting several loafs of bread. Also I’m giving you a link to their store if anyone would wish to order from there.

https://www.maryyodersamishkitchen.com/shop-mary-yoders-amish-kitchen/

I’ve had their bread, pies, pastry, and jelly and jams. For my west coast fans, I’ll look for something closer.

Currently Featured Amish Recipes

Hearty Hamburger Soup

1 tbsp. butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 lb. ground beef

2 cups tomato juice

1 cup diced potatoes

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/3 cup flour

4 cups milk

Melt butter into saucepan, brown meat; add onion and cook until transparent. Stir in remaining ingredients except flour and milk.  Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are tender.  Combine flour with one cup of milk.  Stir into soup mixture.  Boil.  Add remaining milk and heat, stirring frequently.  Do not boil after adding remaining milk.

This recipe can be adapted to your family’s taste.  Celery can be substituted for the green pepper if you wish.

 

Pineapple Sheet Cake

Filling:

1 can crushed pineapple

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. corn starch

 

Dough:

2/3 cup warm milk

4 tsp. sugar

1 cake yeast

3 beaten egg yolks

3 cups flour

1/2 lb. margarine

Preheat oven to 350o.  Combine crushed pineapple, sugar and cornstarch in pan. Cook until thick. Cool. Cut margarine into flour as for pie dough; crumble yeast into milk and add sugar.  Let stand until mixture bubbles, add to flour mixture.  Mix in beaten egg yolks.  Knead dough lightly and divide into two parts.  Roll out one half of dough on floured board and fit in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Spread pineapple mixture on top.  Roll out second piece of dough and place on top of filling.  Let stand for one hour in warm place.  Bake in 350o oven for 30 minutes.  At once put on thin confectioners sugar frostiing.  Other fillings such as blueberry and raspberry may be used instead of pineapple.

Cinnamon Bread

1/2 cup lukewarm water

2 pkgs yeast

1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup flour, plus

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.  Soak for five minutes.  Combine lukewarm milk, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.  Add 1 cup flour, shortening and beaten egg.  Continue to add flour until you get a soft dough.  Let rise for one hour.  Punch down and let rise again.  Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon.  roll dough into rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture and roll like a jelly roll.  Let rise again and bake at 350o for about 30 minutes.

Delicate Lemon Squares

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

1 cup sufted flour

 

Preheat oven to 325o. Mix all ingredients.. Pat into a 9inch square pan.  Bake at 325o for 15 minutes.

Filling:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespooons flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

juice of one large lemon

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Combine all ingredients.  Pour over baked layer.  Bake at 325o for 25 minutes.  Cool.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Cut into squares.

 

Chicken and Dumplings

1 chicken – preferably a 4 pound hen

1 teaspoon salt

Water to cover

4 medium-sized potatoes, sliced

2 tablespoons parsley

 

For Dumpling dough:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2-3 tablespoons water

 

Cut chicken into serving pieces and cook until tender.  Season with salt.  When chicken is almost soft, add the potatoes.

To make dumplings, make a well in the flour and add the eggs and salt.  Work together into a stiff dough, adding the water or milk if too dry.  Roll out the dough as thin as possible (1/8 inch) and cut in 1 inch squares with a knife or pastry wheel.  Drop into the boiling broth, which should be sufficient to cover the chicken.  Add the chopped parsley.  Some flour can be added to the broth to make it like gravy.  Serves 6-8.

 

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Categories
Movies Music

Songs from movies

Views: 18

We’ve all had that 1 or 2 favorite song or songs from movies that we like. Feel free to discuss below!

 

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Categories
Holidays

Happy New Year. So what’s the plan if any this weekend?

Views: 9

The last weekend of the year. So do you have plans for this weekend? The MC clan does. Tomorrow the Croatian and Italian side will have a dinner. A late Christmas party. Every year my niece gives us the White House ornament. Usually it features a past president.

Saturday getting together with a cousin to celebrate the New Year. An early dinner. And those are our plans. Let us know yours if any. Look forward to seeing all next year.

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Holidays Life

Christmas at the MC House 2022.

Views: 7

Sorry it took so long to get this up. I want to wish all a Merry Christmas. And for those who don’t celebrate well that’s fine and please stay safe.

 

 

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Life Reprints from other.

The Amish tour. Welcome to The Simple Life.

Views: 10

The Amish tour. Welcome to The Simple Life.

WE ARE UP AND RUNNING TOURING AMISH COUNTRY! WE TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION TO SANITIZE OUR VEHICLE AND MAKE SURE YOUR TRIP TO AMISH COUNTRY IS SAFE! ALL TOURS ARE PRIVATE!  NOW MORE THAN EVER IS A GOOD TIME TO VISIT A WORLD THAT HAS DIFFERENT VALUES, A MORE SIMPLER LIFE,  AND IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!  724-923-9730 IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO A SIMPLE LIFE REPRESENTATIVE.
 

 

Simple Life Amish Tour Company

We welcome you to join us on our Amish Adventure into the Simple Life of the Old World Order Amish Community.

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Each tour begins in the heart of Amish Country of New Wilmington, Pa located just 60 miles North of Pittsburgh, 15 minutes from the Grove City Outlets and Just five minutes from the town of Volant, Pa. We meet at an Amish Store called Byler’s Quilts and Crafts located at 435 Quilt Shop Lane, Volant, Pa 16156 There you will meet Susan, your personal tour guide. Step into Susan’s vehicle and let her lead you through  a backroads tour of our Amish villages. You will be transported into another world as we explore the Amish Countryside.  This is a private, non commercialized scenic back roads tour that takes you off the beaten path.  Susan  will teach you about the Amish lifestyle as we drive past horse and buggies, homes,  dairy farms and even an Amish schoolhouse.  You never know what you will see along these backroads! Visit Amish farms, greenhouses, an Amish bakery, grocery store. Watch Amish men build furniture and plow their fields with horse and plow! 

You will be amazed at the knowledge, friendliness and warmth of this tour and tour guides. You will be able to meet and speak with our Amish friends and discover the beauty of the Amish culture and lifestyle. 

Tours are approximately 2 hours long. Each tour is a non-commercialized private tour made by appointment. You can book online or call us.

This tour is perfect for individuals, families, couples and even groups.

For Larger Groups:  Try the TASTE AND TOUR AMISH COUNTRY TOUR. Let Susan come as a step on tour guide, or lead your group on a two hour tour that includes and Amish meal at a local restaurant.

Are you ready for your Simple Life Tour? Please call us  @ 724-923-9730 or book now online.

Photo by: Jim Fisher

Shop at Amish Marketplaces

There will be as many stops as we can fit in, on our Simple Life tour. First stop may be an Amish produce and bakery stand. Meet Andy  and his family and tempt your taste buds with their delicious wares! The next stop is an Amish Grocery store, where you will meet the Byler Family. Located in the basement of the Byler’s home, this grocery store is lit with a gas lamp. Purchase old fashioned sodas kept cold in an  the Byler’s “Ice box” and wait until you see the antique adding machine! You will be able to purchase local honey, fresh tapped Maple Syrup, Homemade noodles, cheeses a variety of Amish jams and jellies and homemade candy.  Our third stop is Cornerstone Furniture where you will get to see  how and Amish furniture shop works with no electricity! Watch the Amish men build furniture and meet Rudy, who will show you his hand built tables and chairs.  Our fourth stop is an Amish Quilt shop. Meet Sam and Lizzie Byler who own New Wilmington’s only Amish Quilt Shop filled with beautiful Amish handmade quilts, rocking chairs, and many other Amish made items from our local Old World Order Amish community. image92907

Our Location

  • We are Located in New Wilmington, and Volant,  Pennsylvania
  • 60 Miles North of Pittsburgh
  • 70 miles South of Erie
  • 15 Miles from the Grove City Outlets
  • Right in the center of Volant and New Wilmington, Pa

 


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Simple Life Tours

 

Tour is led by Susan Hougelman, author of the new book: Inside The Simple Life, Finding Inspiration Among the Amish!
Now available for pre-order on Amazon!
Book a tour now
Or call: (724) 923-9730
Ask to speak with a Simple Life representative
 

Tour Schedule

Monday-Saturday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tours Start at:

435 Quilt Shop Lane
Volant, PA
16156

We meet in the parking lot of Byler’s Quilts & Crafts.  Look for the Simple Life Tour vehicle! Bring Cash in case you want to buy something from the Amish. They don’t accept Credit Cards. Thank you!

 

Voted Best of The Burgh: Things to do around Pittsburgh!
Featured on Best of The ‘Burgh 2017 !!
 

 

Rates

 

  • $100.00 includes a two hour guided Amish Tour for (1-2 guests)
  • $120.00 includes a two hour guided tour for (3-4 guests).
  • $25.00 each aditional guestGroups of ten or more call for group pricing.We have specialized tours for small or large groups

     

    Call 724-923-9730 to make your reservation or click the blue book now button.

 

 

Tripadvisor Traveler Rating
80 reviews
Tripadvisor Ranking
#1 of 8 things to do in New Wilmington
Recent Traveler Reviews
  • “Great way to spend an afternoon”
  • “Amish Donuts :)”
  • “Wonderful Insight Into the Amish People”
  • “Simply Perfection!”
  • “A great tour & a respesctful one”

Photo Credit: Jim Fisher

 

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Categories
Life Music

Musical artists who died the last 60 years.

Views: 8

Death may be inevitable, but it’s still painfully tragic when it seems to come too soon, as was the case with these iconic musicians. Some were victims of accidents while others died due to health complications and addictive behaviors. Regardless, each and every one of these artists made a huge contribution to their respective musical genres. Here are  iconic musicians who left behind incomplete legacies and many broken hearts.

 

 

 

 

 

Something different from Ms. Carpenter.

 

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Categories
Holidays Life Reprints from other.

The Miniature Railroad and Village at the Carnegie Science Center

Views: 4

Salena Zito: A tradition unlike any other

A conversation with the 29-year-old curator of the Carnegie Science Center’s Miniature Railroad and Village

PITTSBURGH —

Americans love to cleave to cultural traditions that have stood the test of time — especially ones that tell stories of the people who formed their communities, stories that reflect the craftsmanship, sacrifice and hard work of those who came before us.

When inventor and master tinkerer Joshua Lionel Cowen designed an electric fan operated by dry cells — and then, using the same motor that drove the fan, built a miniature railroad car — he began a business and a movement that has enthralled millions of people young and old. Hobbyists not only bought trains and track, but also often created elaborate homemade displays enjoyed by family and friends over the Christmas holidays.

One of the people Cowen inspired was Charles Bowdish, a young World War I veteran and cabinetmaker who lived in Brookville, Pa. He made his first miniature display at Christmas 1919, and to his surprise and delight, 400 people showed up at his home to see it.

Railcars sit in Glenwood Yard, run by Carload Express, parent company of the Allegheny Valley Railroad, on Nov. 30 in Hazelwood.

Word quickly spread of the Bowdish display beyond Jefferson County, and the young artisan decided early on to keep track of the visitors to his home. In 1953 — the year before he moved his display to the Buhl Planetarium — the family counted 314,874 visitors from every state and 41 foreign countries over 34 years.

It was a tradition Bowdish continued into the 1980s at the Buhl Planetarium, where the line to enter often wrapped around the iconic North Side. Each year, Bowdish spent months painstakingly expanding the display and crafting new scenes that celebrated the lives and livelihoods of Western Pennsylvanians and our industrial, cultural and agricultural impact on the country and the world from the 1880s to the 1930s.

Today, that tradition is in the capable hands of 29-year-old Nikki Wilhelm, who until a few years ago had never picked up a tiny paint brush — or been to half the places depicted in the Miniature Railroad display at the Carnegie Science Center, where most of the Bowdish materials were relocated in the 1990s.

Ms. Wilhelm, a Lancaster native, is the manager of the Miniature Railroad & Village. She has embraced the craft and the history and the storytelling in the same way Bowdish did 100 years ago.

Ms. Wilhelm explains that she started working at the Carnegie Science Center as a part-time program presenter: “It was an entry level, part-time job. I was in grad school at Duquesne studying public history, and I had no background with model trains or modeling or anything like that.”

Her boss at the time, curator Patty Everly who had been with the Carnegie Science Center for three decades, taught her everything she knows, beginning with miniature modeling. Her first piece was the interior of the iconic Strip District Primanti Brothers restaurant.

It was a craft Ms. Wilhelm admits came naturally to her, to her surprise.

Her office is located right outside the 83-foot-long, 30-foot-wide O-scale railroad exhibit. Walking inside is an astonishing step into the past, where the magic of Bowdish’s Jefferson County basement lives on 103 years later, as she often uses common household items to recreate history for the exhibit.

Ms. Wilhelm picks up a red covered bridge from a shelf and turns it upside down. “I’ll show you something cool that Charlie Bowdish built. You see this bridge? Well, it was made from a Milk-Bone box,” she said, pointing to the label from the dog bone company inside the bridge.

“You really just have to let your imagination run wild because you wouldn’t believe the things you can use to make something: the row houses that we have from the Liverpool streets in Manchester, the intricate detail work on the porches — that’s just made from angel hair pasta,” she explained. “The trees are made from dried wild, hydrangea flowers.”

Ms. Wilhelm’s desk is filled with historical documents for research, a magnifying light, branches from the hydrangea bushes used to make the trees every year — all surrounded by three walls of shelves filled with people, homes, buildings, street lights, trains and paint for a craft that requires year-round care.

The popularity of model railroading has stood the test of time in part because hobbyists each bring a different skill set to the craft, which in turn helps develop others: Artisans love building the model scenery; history buffs enjoy researching and recreating places long gone; engineering types enjoy designing the tracks; and techies love the technological advances in electronics, wiring and the ability to run your train from an app on your smart phone.

Ms. Wilhelm says the models for the exhibit are selected by the leadership team at the Science Center. “We always try to pick something that’s historically, culturally or architecturally significant to not just Pittsburgh but the region. We have scenes from as far north as Brookville. We have Titusville and the Drake oil well, and of course Altoona,” she said.

“We try to diversify it; it’s easy to get stuff with city buildings because there’s so much exciting stuff going on in the city, but we try to branch out — like when we did Cement City a few years ago, that was from Donora,” she said.

What she loves most about the exhibit is watching the expressions on people’s faces, especially older people who appreciate the research required to capture a scene accurately. “One thing that’s really helpful is that our staff, basically everyone was a history major, so we put a lot of effort into making sure everything looks as it did,” she said.

One of her favorite creations was the Kaufmann’s Department store windows. “I just looked up old window display photos in the newspaper archives,” she said of her inspiration to get it perfect.

“Once you’ve worked with the miniature railroad for a while, you kind of get the vibe of the exhibit itself. I mean, many people have worked on it over the years, but it still really has kept its integrity. It looks just like it did when Charlie Bowdish was working on it. So we try to use all those same techniques that have been around since he started it over 100 years ago. Everything that Patty Everly has taught me, I now teach the new people. So we just keep the tradition going,” she said.

Royce Beacom is one of the 17 volunteers available for curious children, parents and grandparents to explain each display and detail to visitors. At home, he says, he does modeling for himself and for his grandchildren: “I have five grandsons between the ages of three and ten who love the train; I am trying to pass that tradition on.”

It’s easy to worry the next generation won’t be interested in carrying forward the baton of tradition — the stories and crafts and ideas that bridge the past, present and future of the places we call home. Ms. Wilhelm is a great example of someone who embodies that spirit, carrying forward a magical tradition that began with a kid from Brookville over 100 years ago.

When Bowdish was asked, in one of his final interviews before passing in 1988, why he continued the exacting, painstaking work year after year, he said: “Everyone regardless of their status in life, reaches out towards life’s ultimate achievement — happiness … privileges, money and possessions are useless unless they make a man happy. To those who have been bored and sickened by the monotony of work in offices, sales, fields and factories, where the only evidence of a day’s work is a headache, nothing to exhibit to friends, nothing to view with pride as an example of skill or handiwork — to those people I say ‘You should have a hobby.’”

Forty years later, Ms. Wilhelm’s answer was pretty similar: “When you have a hobby, any hobby, whatever it may be, you need to have the love and passion to really bring that extra spark, the extra ingredient to bring that fulfillment. When you have that, that is a happiness you earn and that is the most meaningful kind.”

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