Events, Celebrations and Activities

WE HAVE MOVED to Media, PA -- Everybody’s Hometown.

By: 
Paul
Date: 
Monday, July 22nd, 2013
The move was born of our desire to live a simpler life in a vibrant community and with less “stuff.” While the process of moving was a challenge (see my blog), we are now well established in a sixteen-foot-wide row house that features a narrow but deep backyard that can support a garden and a small chicken coop.

Bees, beach, and family, plus hiking and camping in New England at 101F.

By: 
Paul
Date: 
Sunday, July 31st, 2011

Summer vacation in New England had three objectives this year. First, we visited with my Mom and family at my sister’s beach house in Niantic, CN and had a wonderful time there. My three children were there also. After that we attended a treatment-free bee conference in Leominster, MA for four days while tenting nearby. “Treatment-free” has a specific meaning – these are bee keepers who do not use chemicals or antibiotics in their hives, do not feed bees junk to make lots of junk honey, and make a point of using “natural” (not muscled-up modern oversized) bees.

Paul's 50th high school reunion (Northfield-Mount Hermon)

Date: 
Sunday, June 6th, 2010

In 1960 Paul graduated from Mount Hermon School, a boy’s boarding school in western Massachusetts that is situated on old farm land near the Connecticut River. In June 2010 Fran and I returned for my 50th reunion. We saw the sights and people that influenced me during those formative years.

NMH Dinner

Silent Retreat at St. Raphaela

By: 
Paul
Date: 
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

For Christmas last year, William gave us a night at St Raphaela Retreat House that he had purchased at a charity auction at St. Joseph’s University. Fran and I decided to make this our own silent retreat as a couple – something that we had previously discussed but never done. Early May was an ideal time to use William’s gift.

Silent Retreat at St. Raphaela

Nana's 100th Birthday Celebrations

By: 
Paul
Date: 
Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Family members gathered in Connecticut to celebrate my Mom’s 100th birthday on April 16, 2010. We kept her busy, with three parties in all. Events were a great success, and we all had fun.

Nana's 100 La Trattoria

A Tour of Woodmont (Palace Mission) with Mother Divine

By: 
Paul
By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, February 20th, 2010

When we learned that one of Lower Merion Conservancy's Winter Treks was a "Divine Saunter," a tour of the Woodmont Estate, led by Mother Divine, we signed right up.

Woodmont

Celebrating Thanksgiving

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
What happens when the children aren't children anymore? They start hosting family events! This year Amy offered to host the Thanksgiving gathering, and what a good time it was. The kids arrived the day before for sibling partying and then worked together on Thanksgiving Day to prepare the family meal. All Paul and I had to do was show up.Thanksgiving 2009

Ronald McDonald House

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Paul heard that the local Princeton alumni group had volunteered to cook an evening meal for the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House residents, and we thought it was something very much worth doing. After a flurry of emails from the organizer and other volunteers, we signed up to bring baked ziti. Because it was the day before Thanksgiving, numbers were somewhat short of the 80 to 90 they usually have attending the evening meals.

Ronald McDonald House

Thanksgiving dinner, courtesy of HIAS

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

HIAS and Council sponsored a Thanksgiving dinner on November 22nd for the entire South Philadelphia community of refugees from Burma, held at the Houston Community Center at 8th and Snyder.

Community Thanksgiving

Ready for the Mendel Dinner

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, November 21st, 2009
The annual Mendel Dinner, at which Villanova University honors a man or woman who has made outstanding contributions in science with the award of the Mendel Medal, is one of our favorite events.Dressed for Mendel Dinner

A visit to Princeton

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

Although I had never been to Princeton and Paul hadn't been in years, we were amazed to be invited to two events there on the same day. One was a networking event for Princeton alumni and the other was a lecture entitled "Mushrooms and the History of the World" presented by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, Professor of Anthropology, University of California - Santa Cruz.

Princeton

Celebrating John's birthday

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
After brunch at the Country Squire, we continued celebrating John's birthday with cards and gifts back at the house.John's birthday

Visit to the Eastern Shore

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
With fall break affording some time for adventuring, we decided on a trip to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, camping at Pocomoke River State Forest, visiting some of Fran's old haunts and having dinner with a friend who dates back to playgroup dayFerry

Brandywine Zoo

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Many of our refugee friends long to visit the zoo. I had promised the boys I would take them over the summer, but the pricing at the Philadelphia Zoo is prohibitive, especially since so many people were interested in coming along. Also, there are so many costly extras, you're in the position of spending even more or disappointing the kids.

Brandywine Zoo

Black Point 2009

Date: 
Monday, August 10th, 2009

The focus of our summer vacation is always Black Point where we gather with extended family, enjoy the warm weather and take Nana for her swim! This year all our kids were able to come up, though not all at the same time.

Nanaswim

On to the Adirondacks

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Thursday, July 30th, 2009

The rain stayed with us all the way from Binghamton to Northville, NY, on the northern shore of Great Sacandaga Lake. Our original plan had been to camp for two nights at the state campsites on Route 30, just north of Pumpkin Hollow, but vacation should be about fun, not drenched misery, so we decided to try and find a B&B.

B&B

Penn's Landing

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Friday, July 24th, 2009
After a visit to the USCIS office for an appointment related to green cards, we stopped for a stroll around Penn's Landing. A beautiful day. See more photos.
Penn's Landing

PhilaBurma Picnic

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Philadelphia's refugees from Burma celebrated their growing community with the second annual PhilaBurma picnic. The community has doubled in size from the previous year, so we rented a larger space at FDR park. Everyone brought food and the children enjoyed playing and riding their bikes while the adults chatted.

PhilaBurma Picnic 2009

Our first mushroom foray

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Monday, July 13th, 2009

We attended our first mushroom foray this weekend, the Annual Victor Gambino Foray held this year

First Foray

Happy July 4th!

By: 
Fran
Date: 
Saturday, July 4th, 2009
Happy Independence Day!Jly 4th 2009
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