Corn and Clouds

Another busy weekend. But weren't the clouds yesterday awesome? Fall is just around the corner.

September 11th, 2010. Year Nine.

Has it been 9 years since America was attacked? It's hard for me to believe that anyone could forget. I see that there are ceremonies schedule at several places through the Pennsylvania mid-state. One of these will be at Shippensburg University. The newly formed Student Veteran's of America organized the September 11th Memorial Event by setting nearly 6500 flags in the quad outside of Ezra Lehman Library. Approximately one flag for every American who has lost their life fighting the war on terror. Lets not forget the war on terror started years before 9-11-2001 and will continue, unfortunately, for a long long time into our future.

16. Cumberland/Franklin Fire Stations

I need to make it a smidge more difficult for you guys, thus the Cross-County-Quiz. These weren't all too tough, I think I've posted on the old stations at one point or other. Anyways, answers are...

First station... Good Will Fire Company #3, East Pomfret Street, Carlisle. Formed in 1855 they built this firehouse in 1857. This is the station they occupied before they built the firehouse on South Hanover Street (in 1870, it burned in 1894) that they sold (in 1908) to eventually move to the station (in 1913) on East Pomfret Street ,that is now the church parking lot and that was before they moved (in 1984 when they merged with Cumberland Fire Company) down to West Ridge Street that they left to move to Spring Road and became part of Carlisle Fire and Rescue Services, Cumberland County Company 45.

Second station... Pleasant Hall Volunteer Fire Company. 9722 Cumberland Highway, Pleasant Hall, Pa. Franklin County Co. 11. Their original station was built in 1946 and after many additions this new building was built in 1999. I checked their website and their history and nowhere does it say when they first formed (Check the comments, someone will help me ouit with that). You all know how I like to add that information.

Third station... Elkwood Fire Company No. 2, 310 8th Street, New Cumberland. Elkwood was formed in 1922. their original station burned in 1940 and was replaced by this building. In 1966 they merged with Citizens to become the New Cumberland Fire Department, Cumberland County Co. 10.

Name That Station 16

Welcome back the the most famous game on the Outskirts. This week I offer you a Cross-County-Quiz. These are from Franklin County, Pa. or Cumberland County, Pa. as they will be from here on out. I was unable to get any new ones last weekend, I was a little under the weather. Maybe this weekend. Answers, as always, at One O'clock the afternoon. Good luck and thanks for playing.

Click here for the Answers

Slugfest SkyWatch

Slugfest is an annual event held at the Shippensburg Airport in Pennsylvania, this year was the second, I think. I grew up within walking distance of the airport and when we could scrounge up a quarter we'd walk down for a Pepsi and to hang out. Anyways, Slugfest is a gathering of powered paragliders, ultralights and balloons. This opening day didn't go so well and it set the tone for the weekend. Friday night five of the paragliders took off in relatively calm winds when a storm front surprised them with sudden 30 to 35 MPH winds. They all made it down safely but one guy ended up a couple miles away when he was blown 900 feet up and eventually threw his reserve chute. So Saturday was breezy and not much activity came from the airport. But Sunday evening they started to venture back up. Early in the evening a half dozen or so got up but didn't roam far from safety. Later in the evening when the winds were sure to be calmer, I counted as many as twelve and they were putting more and more distance between them and the grass landing strip. I never made it back to the airport to watch them land, maybe next year. If they are brave enough to return.

4 Gold Medals (PG 153)

The town; Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The building; Lisa's Hair Salon, Market Street. The past; unknown. The Gentlemen; Gold Medal Flour, Gold Medal Flour, Gold Medal Flour and Gold Medal Flour. It always amazes me that when they paint over these they never just paint the same thing. This, by the way, was not the only gem this small town had to offer. And the best thing about this building; those sweet plastic owls on the roof top. (The difference in the look of these two sides is when I took the left side of the building I was looking straight into the noon time sun. But you gotta shoot them when you see them).

Pony No. 05

Our last morning over on Assateague Island. Shells gathers. Foxes seen. A mental goodbye to the oh so familiar. As we drove out the beach road, headed back to Chincoteague Island, eventually back to the Delmarva Peninsula, across the Bay Bridge and back, once again, to the grind, we saw this pony running free. Really he was running around trying to figure out how to get back in the pen with the other ponies. I don't know if it had been sold at the auction just two weeks earlier or if it was penned up for another reason, but this morning he was free.