Pennsylvania Road Trip - Part 1: Northern Folks That are Now Family

Pennsylvania was our first trip as retirees, and we flew out on our last day of work.

We couldn't take Coddiwomple and Cat (our truck and RV) because we wanted to make it in time to see Ariel Hanst graduate - with Highest Honors. She has a degree in diagnostic medical sonography, has passed her boards, and is now a registered vascular technologist.

She will be employed by the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, so Josh has traded in his Texas teaching certificate to become a Blue Devil working for the Shenandoah Valley School District. They have rented the cutest duplex in the tiny town of Elysburg, a census-designated place in Ralpho Township, Northumberland County (see Part II of our Pennsylvania Road Trip for more about CRAZY, township, village, and borough names) which is midway between. The duplex is located at the end of a cul de sac surrounded by mostly retired neighbors with easy access to a pond, walking trail, and nine-hole golf course.

Although the weather and roads were beautiful all along our road trip, the abundance of signs like these, especially on the steep, curvy, roads these two kids will be driving, ensure discussions about the weather and their safety will become a daily part of my Jesus visits.

While we are sad Josh and Ariel will be so far away from us for the next couple of years, they are surrounded by family and friends that we got to meet and came to love during our short trip.

This blog post is really dedicated to them, because they will be the closest family support system for our kiddos.

Grace Weber (Gram), is soon to be 92 years old and still lives in the farm house she came home to when she was married at 21. It is located in the unincorporated community of Rockton.

Gram spent many years caring for her family of FIVE girls and working the farm, but now she spends her days sitting on her porch swing, enjoying the kittens, deer, turkey, black bear, birds, and beautiful scenery. She is always eager for friends or family to stop by for a visit, a meal, and storytelling about life on the farm. Ariel still has a room here and Josh is enamored with the farm, the countryside, Gram and the whole family.

Chris Frantz and Cindy and Ed Yount (Aunt Ciny) are two of Gram's five daughters who live nearby. Cindy lives just down the road. She has taken over much of the farm work and spends much of her time checking on Gram and serving up love through her home cooking and hospitality for family on Sundays and holidays, and for friends and strangers who drop in. Her cooking and food presentation skills were shining bright for Ariel's graduation celebration, and it seemed like every time we turned around she was offering us more food.

Aunt Lori and Uncle Arman Bonante live in Reynoldsville in a two-story house dated from the late 1800s that is filled with stained glass, antiques, beautiful paintings, and tons of stories about its transformation from a home to a boarding house with apartments, through several more identities, and back to a home. Arman has done lots of work on it over the years and loves to tell tales about every nook and cranny. Ariel also has her own room here - full of horse showing trophies and awards, and filled with memories of fun times surrounded by lots of love.

Doug King walks just catty-cornered from Aunt Lori and Uncle Arman's house t0 get to the apartment he calls home today. He has lived in Reynoldsville most of his life, where he was a business owner and seems to still be a town staple. He knows everyone and everything that is going on in this Pennsylvania township/borough which was originally an Indian village and had its heyday in the mid-1800s during the coal mining era. Today, Reynoldsville schools are closed, businesses are family-owned, churches are abundant, and the last population count was 2,759. If you drive through town, you will likely see Uncle Doug sitting on the front porch, and if you have time to stop by for a visit, he will regale you with tales of the town and its people during its prime and also fill you in on comings and goings of neighbors and friends today. He is a fascinating storyteller in his own right, with a lifetime of cool experiences to share, and I could sit and listen to him talk for hours.

Gram's farm, where she and Aunt Cindy hosted us for several nights during our trip. The whole family gathers here on Sundays and holidays, and I'm sure Josh and Ariel will spend much of their time away from work here. Pictures can't do this place justice. More than a place, it's a welcoming atmosphere of relaxation and comfort and peace, instilling a big sigh of relief as you enter the driveway A visit here is a walk back to a slow pace of life to enjoy the simple pleasures of nature and its abundance, hard work, home-cooked food, and love of family and friends.

Of course we will miss Josh and Ariel in Texas. But I know after this visit they will be well fed, loved and cared for. And there is plenty for him to do. Spencer left explicit instructions with Cindy that Josh is required to earn his way to the table. There is always mowing and mucking and all kinds of farm work to keep him and Ariel busy.

And we can't wait to go back to do some more porch sitting, hear some more stories, and eat more of Aunt Cindy's home cooking.

Keep following the blog, specifically the Place Marks - Gathering Around our Table category to get to know the people and places we visit. More about Pennsylvania food coming soon.

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