A Peaceful Ending to Another Day Spent on the Water All is calm on the waterfront If you look closely you may be able to see a little color reflected in the water and the sun almost dead center as it descends into the trees.  Some boats were returning from  a day spent on Presque Isle Bay or Lake Erie.  Other boats were just going out to enjoy the sunset from the water or fish. After dinner I prefer Sittin' on the Dock by the Bay and listenin' to the sounds of the water & watch the sky change colors. Tomorrow will be another day . . . 08/16/2009

   How can I turn my turn my closet into a Job Stimulus Program?  Unemployment rates are still high even though there was a slight decline in July.  Too ofetn most people look to the government to solve the problem, but did you know that many charities are devoted to helping the unemployed and under-employed get back into the workforce.  St. Martin Center and Mercy Center for Women both in Erie, PA  provide their clients with proper attire to wear to job interviews and/or attire for their new job.  We, as individuals, can do our part, too.                    How?  End your closet clutter . . .  DONATE Starting with my own closet I am sure that most of us would find quite a few unworn items that could be donated to local charities thus stimulating the rebirth of our economy.   What's nee... 08/14/2009

Are you looking for some great ideas for closing gifts. Have you ever tried Avon? Avon has very inexpensive home decor products that would make great closing gifts. You can shop online 24/7 and have the items delivered to your home or office. Give it a try go to Youravon.com/sonjathompson. My favorite closing gift items are the mini tool kits and the photo glitter globe. You want to pick something that your client will use or see frequently.  Dinner certificates and plants are nice,but when the food is digested and the plant dies what are they going to remember by. Give them show and tell items, things that they will keep for awhile and that their guests will see. There is some free marketing for you. "That picture frame is so nice where did you get it" Oh, my realtor gave that to me as... 08/14/2009

International guests, Rod & Sandy Ritchie, from St. John, New Brunswick, Canada toured Erie, PA with us for the last few days.  Come with me as I review our tour via photos.   'Sitting on the Dock' Eating Lunch Tour of Erie's Waterfront via Land & Sea Bayfront Convention Center & Sheraton Hotel Home of US Brig Niagara (PA's Flagship) House Boats in Horseshoe Pond on Presque Isle Peninsula US'N TWO There are 24 house boats on Horsehoe Pond.  Most are passed down through the years to family and rarely come up for sale until this summer.  Establishing an asking price was a bit of a challenge as there are no comparable properties.  The last sale was eight years ago,  $150,000 for a 600 sq ft fixer-upper.  After touring Erie's waterfront via US'N TWO, we visited the Tom Ridge Environmental C... 08/13/2009

We are excited that our international guests, Sandy & Rod, will be arriving soon. Rod, Sandy, Mary & Dave St. John, New Brunswick We met Rod & Sandy on a cruise to the Bahamas two years ago.  Last fall they were our tour guides when our New England/Canada cruise took us to their hometown, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.  After cruising up the Bay of Fundy the most facsinating site in St. John was the Reversing Falls on the St. John River caused by extremely high tides (20++ feet) twice per day.  As we boarded the ship in late afternoon for next port we issued an Open Invitation to Rod & Sandy to our guests.  Keep in mind that Rod works for Air Canada so they have had the opportunity to travel a lot including recent trip to New Zealand & Australia. A few months ago Sandy surprised me wi... 08/10/2009

Yesterday I had so much fun putting together a few flower arrangements during a rather dreary, rainy day that I just had to make one more today.  I thought I would share it with ActiveRain in my first almost Speechless Sunday post. Flowers for the Soul   Guess I am not exactly a wordless person, but enjoy the flowers anyway.     08/09/2009

After many inches of rain and countless cloudy days the skies over Presque Isle Bay finally cleared just in time for the First Annual Boat Parade led by the Brig Niagara, Pennsylvania's historic flagship home ported in Erie, PA.  The Niagara was the flagship of Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie, the turning point in the War of 1812. Do you remember Perry's battle cry?  Don't Give Up the Ship Local yacht clubs were invited to participate in the parade.  Don't Give Up the Ship burgees and flags were available to purchase at the Erie Maritime Museum or local yacht clubs. My Hubby & I invited friends to join us aboard US'N TWO.  Cruise the bay with us via our pictures. First stop the gas dock  Ouch--the price is $.40 more than for cars US Brig Niagara, serves as a sailing schoo... 07/29/2009

Survey the damage   Good news:  the bridge & concrete abutments withstood the racing flood waters that came down Trout Run which is usually a meandering stream most of the year. Bad news:  there  is three foot wide by two feet deep gap between the path and the bridge.  Good news:  Onions, tomatoes and squash and some of the fence survived the flood      Bad news:  Everything is covered with soupy mud. A few days ago I asked Robert Hammerstein to lend us his ark when I wrote Under Water and Still Rising  This morning three days after the flooding Hubby & I rode his ATV down the neighbor's path to the back entrance to our field, garden and woods to assess the damage.  In the stream we saw many rocks that will form the base to rebuild the access ramps to the bridge.  Then we will mix cemen... 07/03/2009

The Extreme Makeover Home being built for Clara Ward has continued to make progress despite one rain delay after another.  Yesterday Erie, PA had between two and five inches of rain, but luck was with the builders and other volunteers working on Clara's new home.  The east side of Erie only received two + inches of rain while other sections received more than five inches like where I live.  The builders moved inside during heavy rain then resumed outside between storms. "Rain or shine, we're going to do whatever it take to get the job done on time," said one of subcontractors.  A ten year old observer wore a garbage bag with holes cut out for her arms, but later discarded it saying, "It's only rain." Earlier posts:  Extreme Makeover Deals with Extreme Delays Extreme Makeover Begins Extr... 07/01/2009

Bridge under water I need Robert Hammerstein's Ark, but I don't want the hail that followed the rain in Bob's New Jersey location of Bergen County. By 11:30 Erie, PA had more than 5 inches of rain since 8:00.  More rain has fallen since.  This photo was taken approx 1:00 between downpours. Will the bridge withstand the force of water racing down Trout Run on its way to Lake Erie about one mile away. My beautiful path leading into the woods is under water Below is the same path from different direction on sunny day Around Erie many roads were blocked by high water and basements flooded.  For more stories about Erie's go to www.yourerie.com Local news.  One photo showed water up the windows of SUV.  More than one person had to be rescued from stalled vehicles. Path to the woods Bridge is ... 06/30/2009

Heavy summer rain storms, overturned tractor trailer with building supplies, replacement supplies that were delivered, but the wrong size, tight working conditions as new home is only three feet from property line.                                                      Nothing that Mother Nature dishes out, the law of averages or just plain bad luck offers seem to deter John Maleno, local builder, of the new home for Clara Ward who was chosen by Extreme Makeover Home Edition last Thursday.  Each day the Erie Times and local TV stations provide updates for Erie.  www.goerie.com www.yourerie.com Last evening my hubby & I visited the job site.  Each attendee was asked to bring canned goods for local food bank and new children's book for Clara's kids.  Here are some photos I took.  Laura acce... 06/29/2009

  Extreme Makeover Home Edition will build Clara Ward new house at 650 E. 21st/Erie, PA The anticipation in the Erie community had grown to an extremely high level for days leading up to Ty Pennington's arrival at Clara's home yesterday afternoon.  Details along with video and photos are available at the links I have included below.  First, I would like to share Clara's love of children with you.  The children in the graphic below look like normal, happy children however that is not how Clara felt growing up. Today she is determined to change the lives of as many Erie children as she can. Clara Ward is the founder of the Youth Development Center in Erie, PA.  Here she taught the abused and neglected children who came to the Center to sew, exercise and play together.  She often used her ... 06/26/2009

Tomorrow Erie, PA will learn the name of the family chosen to be the recipient of the next Extreme Makeover home.  At the beginning of June Extreme Makeover Home Edition announced that it had chosen Maleno Development to build the home in one week or 106 hours at an undisclosed location. The excitement has steadily been growing within the community as well as the offers from volunteers offering their services free of charge, building materials and furnishings from local vendors and monetary donations. The Maleno family has started the Maleno Family-to-Family Fund.  One of the banks recently made a $5,000 donation to the fund.  Churches, social groups and grocery stores will provide food and refreshments for thework crews throughout the week. The Erie Times ran a story this morning Extre... 06/24/2009

The Kuol Arop family received the keys to their new home yesterday at a dedication ceremony instead of traditional real estate closing.  What makes this home special is that this home was built by 400+ volunteers from local Erie churches in 21 days.  The Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity chose this project to celebrate their 20th anniversary in Erie, PA.  In all 44 congregations sent workers, supplies, furnishings, monetary donations and food for the volunteers.  Among the welcoming gifts from the Erie community were quilts, a framed embroidered sampler, a bible, children's toy box, child-size picnic table and tool box for Mr. Arop.                       The Arop family of seven left Sudan for political reasons and came to Erie in 1999.  The three younger children were born in the ... 06/22/2009

Summer Solstice:  This annual event when the sun is at the farthest distance north of the equator is best told with photos at Presque Isle.                                                         Waiting for Dawn When I left my home I was afraid the fog/clouds would block the sunrise Anticipation . . . Within two weeks the sun will be directly centered on the channel leading to Lake Erie Awesome beauty *************************************************************************** I used to live closer to Presque Isle Peninsula & Presque Isle Bay and i walked here frequently often early in the morning.  One summer I discovered this phenomenon.  During the weeks leading to the summer solstice and for a few weeks after the sun comes up almost over the channel.  The clouds and the water often ... 06/22/2009

All day one torrential downpour after the other and what did I do all day?  Well, I camped out in front of my computer and wrote one post after the other.  Needed:  ARK BUILDER Walk Between the Raindrops Come Walk with Me at Presque Isle Peninsula                                                         And tomorrow will be a beautiful day in Erie, PA 06/20/2009

Asbury Woods Nature Center in another one of my favorite places to walk.  Notice the green roof & paths. Recently a friend invited me to join her at 7:30.  Not a big deal for me as I am usually up early, but during the night I heard the rain hitting the windows several times.  At six o'clock the drizzle was coming down and I thought for sure she would call to cancel.  As you can see in this photo at 7:30 it was not raining.  Let me share a few photos with you.  In the woods the light was too dim and my camera is less than perfect, so most of the time we just walked and enjoyed the sights & sounds of nature.  Enjoy . . .   The Swamp                         This is one of several wooden trails throught the center that are handicap accessible.  Many years ago on field trip with my seventh ... 06/20/2009

After nine days of rain Bob Hammerstein threaten to build an ark then his area got hit with a hail storm.  Instead of an ark Bob needed a shovel and snowblower to remove a foot of ice.  Moral of the story be careful what you wish for, I guess.  Well, Bob, this morning I thought I might need to borrow the ark you started to build.  Erie, PA and probably much of NW Pennsylvania was deluged with rain.                   During a lull in the constant downpours we have had today I went with my umbrella and camera down the hill to the stream that intersects our property.  I wanted to check the status of the wooden bridge.  As you can see the water was raging under it so I did not venture any further.  This actually the third bridge we have had over a normally calm Trout Run.  Below is picture ... 06/20/2009

My all time favorite place to walk is Presque Isle Peninsula.  Let me share a few photos.                   The peninsula was formed centuries ago by wave & wind dumping sand here.  Its shapes changes with the storms.  Seven miles of sandy beaches, walking trails, lagoons, marina and more.                                         Blue sky, blue water     Let's begin our walk.  It's so peaceful here.  It is hard to believe that to our right is Erie, PA and the hustle and bustle of daily living. Many Erie workers come down at lunch time to walk or eat lunch in the car and soak up the serenity. Yesterday I met a friend here to walk then we had a wonderful Mediteranean dinner at Casablanca Grill.  Our husbands had gone to camp for the weekend.  They missed a good dinner, but we won't tell th... 06/20/2009

Last night former President George W. Bush spoke before a sold out crowd at the 104th annual meeting of the Manufacturer & Business Association in Erie, PA.  As I wrote yesterday the Yonkers family was especially excited since Jeff Yonkers, local artist and art teacher in the Erie School District, was chosen to do a protrait as the 'thank you gift' to be presented to the former president.  Jeff sent us link to the photo collection from the event however they are bmp and cannot be uploaded to this site.  Other details of President Bush's visit can be found on the Erie Times website. Way to Jeff Yonkers!                              06/18/2009