PHOTOS COMING SOON!

I’m just now finding time to update this blog, after a busy week, and having spent last weekend in Pennsylvania.

We traveled to Adams County last Thursday, October 29, and stayed with daughter number one, Kristina, at her Gettysburg home.

 The reason for the trip: Keith’s York Suburban High School class had an informal gathering at a place called Porky’s on Friday evening, October 30. It wasn’t an elaborate affair, but the pulled pork and chicken were excellent! The party only lasted for a few hours, but Keith was happy to see some old classmates.

On Saturday, October 31, Kris hosted lunch at her house. Our son  Brian and daughter-in-law Diane, along with our granddaughter Morgan and a friend joined us, as did daughter Amy and her fiance John. Kris’s daughter Brigitta interrupted her studies at West Chester University  to spend the day with us. The girls spent the afternoon carving pumpkins, and Morgan and her friend had fun  dressing up for Halloween.

Kris, Amy, Diane, and I spent most of the day reviewing Kris’s wedding plans, while the guys relaxed on the sofa! Unfortunately, Kris’s fiance, Dan, wasn’t there, as he’s still working in Topeka, Kansas. And we missed grandson Joshua, Morgan’s brother, who’s studying hard at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.

We left Gettysburg Sunday morning en route to Boonville, with a stop on the way to deliver Brigitta to WCU  (in  the Philadelphia area), before continuing home. It was a long trip, and with the change to Standard Time, we didn’t arrive home until after dark.

As usual, though, the trip was worth the backache! Not only did we get to see kids and grandkids, we also visited one of Keith’s aunts (Madelyn Thompson) and my parents on Friday. As usual, Mom had prepared dinner for us – a wonderful Pennsylvania Dutch meal of hog maw! But afterward we headed to Keith’s party; I was stuffed!

On Monday evening, November 2, I attended our Boonville Historical Club meeting, where we heard an excellent presentation by the local Catholic priest, Father Sean O’Brien, who is also a commander in the Naval Reserves. While he talked, he  showed computerized photos of his time in Afghanistan. It was  a real eye-opener.

Stamp Club was Tuesday night, but at the last minute, I decided not to make the trip to New Hartford – about 35 miles one way. Well, actually Keith usually drives me, but he wasn’t too enthusiastic about going, either. Sorry to say, my philatelic adventures have sort of fallen by the wayside – but only temporarily, I hope.

I’ve spent most of the remainder of the week setting up a blogsite for the historical club (see the link – boonvillehistoricalclub.wordpress.com), and listing/re-listing items on my eBay site. It’s fun, but time consuming!

Last Saturday, October 17, was an anniversary. So is today, October 24. There was also one on October 19, and there’ll be others  next week.

The October 17 anniversary was the wedding variety, but probably not too many people noticed it. Even Keith wasn’t aware that it was during World War II on this day in 1942 that his mother, Catherine Ella Lehr, and his father, Wilbur Jackson “Jack” Routson, Jr., were united in marriage . I’m not sure if the ceremony took place at a church, but if it had, it was probably at Messiah Lutheran, in York, Pa., since the late Rev. William A. Janson, who was pastor at that church, performed the ceremony.

Catherine was born in York, Pennsylvania, on June 29,  1923, one of seven daughters of  Luther Lehr and his wife, Pauline Klinedinst. Next week, October 28, will be the one-year anniversary of Catherine’s death, at the age of 82. Jack was born on  January 19, 1923, in Glen Rock, York County, the son of Wilbur Jackson Routson, Sr., and Mabel LaMotte. Jack passed away in March of 2000.  We miss them both.

Last Monday, October 19, was the anniversary of the birth of my one and only sister, Barbara Jean “Bobbi” Druck Kehr. Bobbi graduated from Dallastown Area High School in 1963, and on May 4, 1968, she married Red Lion, York County,  native Michael Robert Kehr.

My brother George Theodore “Ted” Druck, the oldest of three sons and second child of Benjamin E. Druck and Hazel K. Bentz, celebrates his birth anniversary today,  October 24.  He arrived when I was 14 months old. A 1960 graduate of Dallastown Area High School, he and his wife, the former Linda A. Jamison, had four children: Jeannie (deceased), Tedd, Jeff, and Tony. They have six grandchildren.

Next Friday, October 30, marks the one-year anniversary of my neck surgery, from which I am still recuperating! That same day is the 28th birthday of our nephew, Zachary Routson, son of Keith’s younger brother, Randy and his wife Pat Routson. Happy Birthday, Zach! And Happy Belated Birthday to my siblings, Bobbi and Ted.

Bobbi, center, with big sister Judy and brother Ted, right.

About this time of year, more than 60 years ago, my younger brother, George T. “Ted” Druck, suffered serious burns over much of his body. Ted fell, bottom first, into a large kettle of hot fat. He remembers the accident and claims he was three years old when it happened.

Toddler Ted, right, with big sister Judy, who did not - and still does not - like to have her photo taken!

Family members have different recollections. Some think  Ted was possibly four or five years old, but it’s the general consensus that several adults were rendering fat outdoors to make soap. In 1946-47, soap making was a common practice on the family farm.

Discarded animal fat was heating to a high temperature in a big round cast-iron pot atop an open fire in our grandpa’s backyard. A cousin, a few years older, was teasing Ted with a section of rubber hose, pretending it was a snake. They were playing dangerously close to the fire.

Hurrying to escape the “snake,” my frightened brother backed up and toppled into the bubbling cauldron. “He came out faster than he went in,” said my father, who swooped up Ted and tore off his clothes. But it was too late. My brother suffered severe burns, mostly on the buttocks, but also around his ankles, because adults couldn’t get his shoes off fast enough.

Ted still remembers the traumatic episode and the pain he suffered. Fortunately, he made a rapid and complete recovery, but the ankle scars remain.

I thought of this childhood incident –  and several other family fire-related casualties -  when I learned that Fire Prevention Week 2009 focuses on burn awareness and prevention. Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, the theme is “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned.”

Did Mrs. O’Leary’s cow really kick over the lantern that started the Great Chicago Fire on October 8, 1871? Contrary to popular legend, there is no real proof that one of Mrs. O’Leary’s five milk cows started the tragic conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, and destroyed more than 17,400 structures. Although the fire began on October 8, it continued to burn into the next day, when it actually did its most damage.   

Making soap the old-fashioned way.

 Back in 1831,  a group of fire marshals decided that the anniversary  of the Great Chicago Fire should be observed in a way that would keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention. The result: Fire Prevention Week. In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation; since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls. Every year since 1925, America’s president has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week. 

To learn more about how to protect your loved ones from fire and serious burns, log on to www.firepreventionweek.org.

Ted and his wife, Linda, 2005.

Today is the birthday of my niece, Jeannie Dianne Druck Riebling. Only she won’t be celebrating with family and friends here on Earth. There’s a star in the heavens named for her.

It’s been there since shortly after her death, which struck suddenly on 20 November 1995. She was 32 years old. 

Jeannie and Loren on their wedding day 11 September 1993.

On a questionnaire for my family history book, “The George Druck Family Chronicle,”  Jeannie  wrote, “I’ve been lucky enough to make careers of my hobbies, music and art.” She added that she still enjoyed drawing and painting. “I also enjoy working out, long hikes in the woods, and photography,” she wrote.

Under the question, “Is there anything else you feel would be interesting or important for future generations to know about you and/or your family?” Jeannie responded:

Jeannie and Loren enjoy experiencing what the world has to offer – and to future generations – let it be known, “We did it with gusto!”

Just three days after her questionnaire was postmarked, Jeannie was gone. At her funeral service on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 25 November 1995, I stood and read what Jeannie wanted us to know – that she and Loren enjoyed life and they lived it “with gusto.”

According to an autopsy report, my oldest niece died as the result of an intercranial embolism. Besides her parents and husband, Jeannie was survived by her paternal grandparents, Benjamin E. and Hazel K. Druck, and three brothers.

Tina Shaw and Winnie Sprague, who had been soloists at Jeannie’s wedding, played the banjo and guitar, while singing Amazing Grace and Dancing with the Angels during her funeral. Susquehanna Memorial Gardens, in York Township, is Jeannie’s final resting place.

A year or so after her death, Loren released a Compact Disc recording of Jeannie’s music that he had produced. It features 15 tracks, all but one of which Jeannie composed. The CD cover and insert also feature her artwork.

And there’s a star in the heavens re-named for Jeannie, as follows:

Know ye herewith that the International Star Registry doth hereby redesignate star number Andromeda RA 2H24M13S D 49° 54′ to the name Jeannie Dianne Druck Riebling. Know ye further that this star will henceforth be known by this name. This name is permanently filed in The Registry’s vault in Switzerland and recorded in a book which will be registered in the copyright office of the United States of America.

Tips to find star: Look centrally between the constellations Andromeda, Perseus, and Cassiopeia. The magnitude is 11.2 so you will need a telescope. The Hubble Guide Star Catalog # is 63302 1496.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEANNIE! We miss you.

 

Jeannie's CD

  

 

 

There’s no denying it.  Fall  officially arrived on September 22.  And fall means apples. Ummmm…One of my favorite foods. Americans  reportedly eat 19.6 pounds of apples every year, and I probably eat someone else’s share (and usually the fresh kind)!

When was the last time you bit into a crisp, crunchy apple, straight from the tree? Or tasted an apple pie, warm from the oven? Or had a thirst-quenching glass of cold apple cider? Apple pie is my hubby’s favorite, but since I’m not a pie baker, he usually has to get his fix at a local restaurant or from one of those store-made varities. Or, if he’s lucky, my Mom will have an apple pie ready when we visit.

I know York County, Pennsylvania  grows a lot of apples, but since we currently live in New York State, I have to tout the fact the we’re number two in apple production in the country, producing an average of 29 million bushels of the healthy fruit each year. Pennsylvania is ranked number five.

 Did you know that New York State produces enough apples annually to make over 85 million gallons of cider or 500 million pies? Wow! That’s a lot of pies!

New York’s early settlers brought apple seeds with them from Europe when they arrived in the 1600s. Dried apples were a staple for the colonists and hard apple cider was a popular drink, as they no doubt were for early York Countians, as well.

New York state’s first apple trees took root in the heart of Manhattan, where Peter Stuyvesant planted an apple orchard on his farm.  Records show that an apple tree survived at Third Avenue and 13^th Street until 1866. And how did the apples get to other parts of the country? Have you ever heard the story of Johnny Appleseed?

John Chapman, the legendary Johnny Appleseed, is famous for planting apple trees across the Midwest. But that was after he reportedly planted his first orchard at his uncle’s farm in Olean, New York. Now, over 2,500 varieties of apples are grown commercially in 36 states.

What’s your favorite? Red Delicious? McIntosh? Or maybe the Empire, a cross between these two.  Apples come in all shades of red, green, and yellow, and New York grows more different varieties than any other state. 

A Gala apple sits atop several of the Macoun variety.

Some apple varieties  are known as ” eating” apples and some are known as “utility grade” apples, or apples for baking. Braeburn, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Macoun, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh are some  good ”eating” apples.  Cortlands, Northern Spies and Baldwins work well for baking.

While New York State can claim ownership of several varieties “born” here, York County, too, has its own apple, the York Imperial. You may have heard of it, but you probably haven’t seen many of them in the supermarket. Jim McClure, editor of The York Daily Record, writes in his York Town blog that the York Imperial is not a good-looking apple, being a bit lopsided and off-color. Although it’s not a popular eating apple, it’s used quite a bit in making applesauce and for dried apple slices.

The York Imperial Apple was reportedly develped in York Township, on what is now the site of present-day Apple Hill Medical Center.  A  bronze plaque at the center pays tribute to the discovery of the fruit, recognized for its exceptional keeping qualities. It’s also known for keeping its texturre and shape when used for baking.

The plaque reads as follows:

THE YORK IMPERIAL APPLE
Was First Propagated About 1820
In This Field By
JONATHAN JESSOP
It Is the Most Widely Known Variety
of Pennsylvania Origin and Has
Contributed Largely to the Horticultural Prosperity of the State

A Tribute by
The State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania
1920

So, although Pennsylvania is a bit lower in the apple production rankings than New York State, York County has been in the history books for many years as the birthplace of a well-recognized apple variety. And our Druck ancestors probably grew this particular fruit  on their York County farms.

An apple a day not only keeps the doctor away, it may help improve memory and learning, according to the latest research. In fact, the nutrients in apple juice may help prevent age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and may help to maintain brain performance.

            So eat up! What are you waiting for? 

 Last  Saturday, September 19, Keith and I joined our friends Cathy and Terry, and then headed  about 25 miles northeast to Old Forge, New York –  a tourist area within the “Blue Line” of the six-million-acre Adirondack State Park – for a day of shopping, eating, drinking, and just having fun.  It was a gorgeous fall day with cool temps, an incredible blue cloudless sky, and brilliant sunshine.

 Incidentally, the Adirondack Park is truly unique. Created in 1892 by the New York State legislature, it’s about the size of Vermont -  bigger than Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks Combined. With some 2,800 ponds and lakes, more than 30,000 miles of brooks, streams, and rivers, and more than 40 Adirondack Mountain  peaks  that rise about 4,000 feet, the park  is the nation’s largest wilderness preserve outside of Alaska.  And it’s right here in our backyard!

Back to our daytrip to Old Forge: What we didn’t realize until we were on the way, was that it was the annual Old Forge Fire Department’s Fire Training School Weekend – with firefighters from miles around - complete with a parade.  We watched a 45-minute processional down Main Street, with more fire-fighting and rescue apparatus and uniformed fire department personnel than you’ll ever need to see again!

But, we  had a great time, people-watching and shopping at  numerous  gift and souvenir shops, including the Old Forge Hardware Store – which is much more than a hardware store. I bought a paperback Kathy Reichs novel in the book department that I could have gotten  for much less at any other place.  My other purchases around town included a Ziploc bag of lavender (the wonderful aroma convinced me I needed it), a half-pound bag of Black Bear Coffee (another nose-tickler),  and a  “Botanical Essence” hand-poured aromatic candle called “Windsong Balsam” that smells heavenly – just like the woods outside my front door. Why is it I purchase things I don’t need, based on my olfactory nerve? 

Keith takes a break inside Old Forge Hardware Store

 Dinner was  delightful at an old-fashioned inn, complete with a bottle of wine. What more could you ask for?  Except maybe a few more beautiful fall days, complete with the fun and fellowship of friends,  before the snow flies again?

 By the way, Old Forge is also famous for snowmobiling in the winter and its colorful leaves during the autumn “leaf-peeping” season. Check out the leaf-peeper report online at www.oldforgeny.com/leaves. 

Cathy and Terry outside Old Forge Hardware Store

Wilbert Landis and Eula Beatrice Druck

Recently I’ve been bitten again by the genealogy bug – and since it’s sunk its teeth into me, I can’t seem to shake it loose! 

Whenever I get new information it just spurs me on to do more research, and from there it just spirals out of control. I’m so thankful to everyone who’s helped fill in all the blank spaces in my Druck family database. There are way too many people to mention, and I don’t want to miss anyone, but thanks loads to all!  Lots of recently discovered cousins have graciously provided data (and photos) about their families, and others I’ve known for a while have also contributed.  The problem is, however, there is still a lot of information out there that I haven’t collected!

Nothing makes a genealogist happier than getting an envelope in the mail with names of next of kin. Or, these days, it could be an e-mail. It may be hard for others to understand my elation, but family history has been my addiction for many years, and it’s hard to break the habit!

(Thanks to distant cousin, Christine Hoffman McCommons for the photo! )

Kris and Dan are planning a summer 2010 wedding.

Amy, right, and her fiance John Gleim, center, and her dad, Keith, at the Druck Family Reunion in July 2009.

Stay tuned for breaking news!

BIRTHDAY WISHES GO OUT TO THREE SPECIAL PEOPLE!

Granddaughter Brigitta Elizabeth Kiessling celebrated her 18th birthday on September 4, the same day my mother, Hazel K. Bentz Druck, celebrated the 86th anniversary of her birth. Brigitta entered West Chester University of Pennsylvania on August 28, where she is majoring in English.  My dad, Benjamin E. Druck, is celebrating 91 years of life on September 14.  Happy Birthday to these September celebrants.

Grandson Joshua Patrick Geesey has made himself at home at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he’s studying political science. Congratulations to Josh and Brigitta on this new phase of their lives (read more about them and see photos on earlier posts).

Of course today – September 11, 2009 – is Patriot Day, the 8th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S.  We should all pause for a moment to remember those who lost their lives in this senseless massacre. Pray it never happens again.

On a happier note – watch for news about two engagement announcements – coming soon!