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Mar 8, 2011

When you love someone

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When you love someone

Show respect

I am not the butt of your jokes!

Your words are poison to my ears.

Talk gently

Do you have a soft voice inside?

It’s playing hide and seek.

Them first

Every sentence you speak doesn’t have to start with “I.”

Can you ever be wrong?

Yourself second

I realize second to you is a lost concept.

Just get in line!

Be honest

Try to lie to my face.

I see the bullshit in your eyes.

Allow space

Don’t attach yourself to my side.

We are not conjoined twins.

Love grows

Not in your weedy garden.

Suffocating me to death.

Filed Under: Divorce, Poems · Tagged:
Mar 8, 2011

Redneck Art II

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Someone got a little to close to the stop sign

 

DSCF2664I slammed the brakes leaving Beaver Hole….I wonder how long till this sign is removed?

and I had nothing to do with it!!

~P.

Filed Under: Beaver Hole Bridge, Dover PA · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 7, 2011

Wet, dirty and now single

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Scavengers

The property of Beaver Hole is clearly marked “No Trespassing” but evidence left behind at the bridge is proof that people ignore “posted” property signs.  The amount of trash left behind and the content can be shocking.  At some point during the summer of 2010 I began picking up the trash carelessly discarded.  I chose a barren area by a telephone pole to set the trash bags and someone, I assume the garbage collectors, pick them up.

The common trash is just that, everyday paper, cans, bottles, wrappers, etc that people would usually throw in their trashcan.  It’s the uncommon trash that stands out during a clean-up walk that gets my attention.  Trash that wouldn’t normally be found along a busy road.

A recent trip to the bridge with hopes of taking photos and enjoying the peaceful environment became a clean-up mission instead.  The melting snow revealed litter along the roadside and the creek.  Litter sheds light on the activities at the bridge.

Multiple beer cans and bottles, all empty, of course.  A cigar tube, a plastic bag of cigar tobacco and one empty baggie with the corner torn off.  Curiously, I also found a sock, not  to far from the baggie, wet, dirty and now single.   A party of two people, most likely, at Beaver Hole.  Everything else seemed to make sense, minus the sock.

What could this all be summed up as?  Scavengers, feeding off of the natural beauty and seclusion at Beaver Hole?  People carelessly upsetting nature for their own enjoyment…are scavengers of the Earth.  This is why landowners feel they need to post their property.  Owners want to protect their slice of nature from human scavengers.

Filed Under: Beaver Hole Bridge, College · Tagged: , , , , ,
Mar 6, 2011

Flood~It’s really coming down

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Not my basement, Thank God!

 

I called up to my brother Sam, “Hey where’s Dad? The basement is flooding.”

Sam consulted with father, who knows best, and was sent to the basement for the portable pump.  The utility pump found, electric source with a three prong adapter found and….nothing.  The pump motor was frozen.  Sam, being the smart guy of the family, grabs my shop vac.  Presto!  Problem solved….

except I HAVE to keep turning the shop vac on and it’s filling rather quickly as the water level is constantly rerising.  Do other people still have this water drainage issue or am I the only one left, shop vaccing water from a drain hole?

So far Tesla has been distracted and not noticed the drainage issue.  I could see her digging out the rubber duckies in her toy box, and declaring it her pond.

~P.

Now imagine about an hour or more passing.  The shop vaccum didn’t hold enough water to keep the flood back.  Squeegies as my father calls them, were necessary to push back the flow of water towards our sleeping area and dressers.  Dad has finished eating and left for a new pump.  Suz, Sam and I have carried at least 10 buckets of nasty water.  Yes, it smells now.  Nothing like a flood to ruin a day.  Unless you were Noah and had an ark.

I have to go suck water again.  “Hurry Walt, my back is killing me!” Sigh..

Ironically, I had started a story for writing class with the title of a Jars of Clay song, “Flood.”  For some reason that song made me think of all the times the basement flooded when I was a child.

The first line of my story is “It never occurred to me that my pink  bedroom slippers would float.”

Currently, my slippers are safe….

No ark here,

Pattie

Filed Under: College, Family, Tesla, Zeth · Tagged: , ,
Mar 4, 2011

Roots, rot and wrecks

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Forensic Bridgeology Report.  Bull Road. Warrington Township  PA

Angry fingers grasping the dirt

B: Forest-The trees bare their roots against their will.  Water and ice rise during the rainy, cold seasons tearing away the life supporting soil.  Roots tear out of the ground like fingers, desperate to keep hold of the dirt.  The fingers are of many hands, twisted, deformed and arthritic.  Clinging to their last chance of life.

D Roadside:  People drive to fast on country roads.  Country roads are tricky for city slickers.  They are also quite tricky for drunks.  One particular tree along Bull Road stands out among the rest.  This tree suffers many scars from drivers who just didn’t navigate  that curve correctly.  It’s not that difficult to menuver but just as you take that itty, bitty curve and start to straighten the wheel, out of nowhere this tree suddenly jumps out and bites your car on the passenger’s side. 

  R: Active decay- Nature has a way of recycling herself.  Giant pine trees that once towered over the creek now lay on the forest floor.  The felled pines have been there for decades, maybe longer.  The remains of a pine tree are ugly, bug infested and decaying.  The branches are bare of bark and poke out like skeletal arms of different lengths.  Perhaps fending off the decay thats slowly returns the body, back to the ash it was born.

More sections of forensic report to come!

Filed Under: Beaver Hole Bridge, College · Tagged: , , , ,
Mar 3, 2011

Middle class Ass

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Lady of Liberty

Exciting school homework!  So I am exaggerating, but this type of assignment is better than most.  I have to write a fictional character from 19th Century England (1800-1850) and document the “middle-class” persona.  Three other people, in my history group also have to write a character.  The entire rest of the class is “working class” and then we will debate.  Talk about uneven debate teams!!  So here it goes….

My name is Johanna Sofia Madison-Seaton  and I live in Elberfeld, England.*   I am the owner of Mechanical Weaving Mill.*  I am 29 years old, mother of 3 and a widow.  My husband William Seaton, died from tuberculosis when the children were young.*  I have been educated since childhood and inherited my wealth and property prior to meeting William.* 

I have no interest in remarrying but instead dedicate my time to my children’s studies and teaching them the responsibilities of carrying on our name.  I have assistance from our nanny, who also helps with the house-keeping of my modest 3 bedroom home.  We are well off compared to those in the city, living near the mill.  We have running water, indoor plumbing and a wood stove to keep us warm and to cook on.  We are blessed.

In the city, people don’t even try to clean up after themselves.  Trash is thrown out the windows onto the walkways.  The gutters are always running with water to wash away the sewage.  Often, people dump raw sewage from a chamber pot out the window into the walkway.  Dreadful, disgusting creatures, they are.  They make no effort to educate themselves or their young, who run wild in the streets  Often beggars of all ages line the wall outside my factory.  My brother claims he chases anyone away who won’t go inside to work.

While I am the proprietor of a weaving mill, I hired on family to tend to the daily running of the operation.  The income from the mill and my inheritance comfortably support my family.  I have great concern for children without homes.  A portion of my income is set aside.*  These funds are to support children made orphans by yellow fever, black plague and other diseases.  I plan to also open an art studio and gallery on my home property, to teach art to gifted students that may never have a chance to learn.*

My point of view is “women are imperfect workers'” in factories and I do not hire them for that reason.*  Their responsibilities are at home.  Women should not be giving birth while working in a factory.  My desire for women is to education themselves and their children.  To have a safe place to study and worship.*

Ok, good enough for now.  The * will be endnotes for my works cited page. This is a work in progress and not due until next week. ~P

Filed Under: classmates, College · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
Mar 2, 2011

are things stressful at home?

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Who doesn’t have stress in their life?   There is no way to avoid it.  Of course there are the gluttons who seem to survive on stress, but most people like to avoid it.

How stressful is your household?  Do you ever want to pack up and take off?

Presently I live in the basement of my parents.  It’s a somewhat finished area of the house, but it’s not so bad I can’t live down there.  It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  Tesla, Ying and I have settled in nicely.  She has her own area for sleeping, playing, watching tv and making a general hurricane like mess.  Tesla is very active and loves the company of her cousin Blaine. 

Blaine is almost 7 and cute as a button.  His last name is Snelbaker and his nickname has become “Smellmaker.”  He’s not real thrilled about it but the rest of us think it’s funny and appropriate.  I think his mama, Suz, came up with that one.

Suz is my sister.  She has been living in this stressful house for over 5 years now.  Stuck in a situation that begs for her to move, but financially she is not able.  There is much responsibility on my sister in caring for our mom and keeping an eye on our brother, Sam.

Sam moved in last year and is eager to move back out.  The anxiety from living back home is taking over his life.  I believe he would like to move but so far, he hasn’t taken that leap.  A sound plan is needed before he just up and moves.  Sam is one smart guy and has a wonderful dry sense of humor.  He has been through some tough times here late…

Mom has been sick since I was in high school.  She is the strongest person I know.  How she manages to keep going with all the sickness that has taken over her life is impressive.  Even more impressive is she is still married to my dad. 

Dad is Dad.  He comes and goes now that he retired from a full-time job.  He works part-time and spends most of his evening in his room (yes, my parents have separate rooms.  Dad’s is the largest of course.)  Dad also spend hours with his priority in life, playing music.  Don’t let him fool you, I wasn’t the first-born.  His mandolin was.

Yes, it’s stressful at the Crider’s but deep down, when we are not thinking about choking each other, we really DO care.  Well, most of us seem to care.  Some people you can never please.  We aim to please Mom.  If Mom is happy, everyone is happy. 

In that case, I guess we might all stay in this house with only one bathroom.  Mom needs us all here for one another. One bathroom, 5 adults, 2-3 kids depending on the day, and a refrigerator that needs a gallon of milk daily. 

One day, after I graduate from college, I will move.  Tess and Zeth will go with me.  Stress level will go down.  Life will go on.  We will tough it out, as a family.

Filed Under: College, Divorce, Family, Tesla, Zeth · Tagged: , ,
Feb 28, 2011

Beaver Hole Writing assignment

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FORENSIC BRIDGOLOGY DATA FORM  I have started my “hermit crab essay” and hopefully this link takes you right to it.  This is an assignment from writing class.  The assignment was to write a story in a bizarre, alien format.  I’m writing about Beaver Hole, Warrington Twp, York, PA in the alien format of a forensic reports.

Let me know what you think of my bizarre essay@@@  thanks.  Pattie

View from the bridge

waiting for spring

Filed Under: College, Family, Nonfiction · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 27, 2011

Drag Show at YCP FREE!

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YCP Drag Show  click for details on the show March 18th at York College of PA.     Fun night for all!

Contestant for the Drag Show

Filed Under: classmates, College, Family, Friends · Tagged: , , , ,
Feb 26, 2011

THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES

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http://www.thegeorgiaguidestones.com/

This is scary stuff!!! Are these the ten commandments? What do you think??

I’d like to take a road trip and see them.

Filed Under: Religion · Tagged: , ,
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