IN THREE WORDS

In this feature, I'll share a guest with you, and you tell me in only three words, 

what comes to mind. 

In Three Words...

Sir David Attenborough

ASHCOMBE

Last weekend I had gone to Ashcombe Market and Greenhouse to get some of my garden replacements such as the Cassia and the lovely Datura Ballerina plants. I always enjoy going there, and we have been using them since my paternal grandparents went there. The greenhouse offers quite a selection, and garden and bird supplies, but also offers up a small produce market, and homemade baked goods. They at one time even had their own dairy. The place got its named though from the lovely Victoria mansion of the same name. The Aschombe mansion sits atop a small hill all these years later like a well-heeled dowager from last century. I always enjoy seeing it. It is now a wedding venue. But I can recall when I was chosen to remodel a room back in 97 when the Harrisburg Symphony chose the location to have a fundraiser in the form of a Designer Showhouse in it.  I was nervous as it was the first big project for me being right out of schooling. I had gotten the Mrs. Writers Nook, Margarets library and where she did her writing. The inside of the house was just spectacular. The mansion originally served as the summer home for the mistress of the house Margaret Moser, widow of the Honorable Henry G Moser, an iron manufacturer, legislator and county judge. She babied the house and loved her gardens. The family was in it over 90 years. Once the family sold it and moved, Ashcombe's bought the house since they owned all the land leading up to the mansion, but didn't really use it for anything, lived in it briefly, which is how the Harrisburg Symphony committee decided to do a showhouse in it. Shortly after, it was used on NBC's short-lived comedy, Grand, then one Dr Stinckovic and his wife Mira bought it and it tuned into a Bed and Breakfast, who later sold it to the group that owns it now and did a 10 million renovation on it. It is now back in its glory days. The inside had gorgeous hardwood floors, winding Victorian era grand staircases, and many original stained-glass windows, not to mention restored original wallpapers paintings there were discovered all over the house when we did the designer showhouse. The stone facades and the intricate woodwork are a testament to the craftsmanship of the era in which it was built and we most likely will not see again. It rare there isn't something going on there, so I zipped in last week and took these exterior shots. Isn't it just gorgeous?

UNUSUAL SUSPECT

.....in the garden! Bouvier II and what might be another sighting of his girlfriend!

Exciting times at the Casa du Borghese!!!! The white squirrel that had been spotted before in other part of the neighborhood, was seen when I arrived home today! But I could never understand why we didn't see one in our yard. At the time most thought there were two. But now there has to be at least four in the vicinity. I hadn't seen Bouvier II for about a week and a half, and low and behold this scene today! Maybe baby albinos are in the future!!! And it seems to be very trusting and curious.  I rushed in to get some walnuts.

How exciting!!!! I have since deemed her Blanca.

I really need to get out more.

STOP THE CAR....

The silly, ignorant bitches in the story hits close to home!!!! And this time local. The Cumberland Valley School District has been thrown into not only the local spotlight, but now the national one, after a controversial vote of 8-0 by its school board this week. The school had originally planned to have an assembly on anti-bullying and was to feature the talented voice over and 30 Rock actor, Maulik Pancholy, who has also written two award winning books on empathy and anti-bullying. A win-win right? And how supportive of its LGBT student body. Wrong.

On April 15, the school board voted unanimously 8-0 to cancel the anti-bullying assembly scheduled. But leave it to 8 silly and ignorant bitches let in power and a few conservative parents, who criticized and raised concern about the books discussing topics related to diversity and LGBT topics and his political "activism". But the cancel came when they found out he was gay. The board also worried he may highlight how happy he is with his lifestyle. WHAT? The assembly was set to be on anti-bullying, yet how damn ironic that is exactly what they are doing!!! I say good on the spotlight exploding them into a negative national spotlight. On the good side one parent, Trisha Comstock was outraged and concerned and began circulating a petition to reverse the decision and has already over 6, 000 signatures.  And I couldn't agree more with her.  "It clearly sends a message to our staff, our students and our residents that identify as LGBTO that part of the community, that they are not welcome." You can add to Trishia's petition here. There is a townhall tonight in town and I bet it is going to be a hot time in the old town tonight. The student body is rightfully pissed off.

Appalling and shame on the Cumberland Valley School Board over cancelling what could have been something amazing. And if you live in the Cumberland Valley area, Greg Rausch, Michelle Nestor, Jevon T Ford, Matthew Barrrick, Brian Drapp, Michael Gosset, Kelly Potteiger and Bud R Shaffner, will all have terms up in 2025 or 2027 so vote these bigots out. They are so obliviously out of date and touch, and quite frankly, an affront to the very delicacies of my nature.

CHUCKLE

 Another way to protect the environment for Earth Day.

ALL ARISE....

...the newest Crowned Queen, Nymphia Wind

With sunglasses stacked in her hair piled high, Nymphia Wind blew onto the stage and in the werkroom and made her debut as the first Taiwanese queen to be featured in the main show of RuPauls Drag Race, where her love of yellow and bananas, inspiration by K-pop girl groups, her schooling of fashion which lead to some of the most creative designs we saw on the runaway to date, and one that allowed Nymphia to shine as a new person and combine the different art forms that she loved, and one zany personality lead her straight to the win and the crown. Nymphia was also lucky enough to have very supportive parents that helped spur her towards cinching awards and doing drag full time, very unusual for that country where drag is not always welcomed.

All Arise...Queen Nymphia Wind

MOOD BOARD

Here we are on Monday!!!! Happy Earth Day!!!!! When I was little I was always brought up by my parents and aunt and uncle to respect the Earth and nature and was always encouraged to do things outdoors and give back when I can. And it can be done with huge effort or even smaller things you wouldn't even think of. We can all pledge to avoid using those damn, noisy and weak plastic bags from the grocery stores. I now have upwards of 20 reusable bags! It took me a few weeks when I started using them, because I'd forget to take them when I might have an impromptu stop at the grocery or market. So now, I keep a stash in my car trunk at all times, or if you don't have many, get in the habit of taking them back out to your car once unpacked. We can avoid using plastic in the home, Go on nature walks, make lifestyle changes that reduce your carbon footprint, like turning off lights or tv if you're not in the room. We can educate friends and family on ways to save the environment. We can also initiate ways to get waster better recycled where we work. I'm proud of the job my company does with waste. Everything get separated in the back by cardboard, Styrofoam and regular paper waste and is then send back on our own trucks to recycle centers. When I worked with the Dame at the flowers shop. I got him to talk to his floral wholesalers to take back the ample number of boxes he'd get at the shop, and they did...and it saved them money from getting more boxes made. He told me they now make all the florist they serve do it. So you never know where a little gesture might take you and the good it will do. Today I and some others from our sister stores, are taking a half day to collect litter on roads and byways. Another small thing we can do is loosen the soil and sprinkle and sow some wildflowers seeds. They make a great habitat for bees and butterflies. Supply a water bath for birds and you'll find the bees use it too. But we have to remember reducing, reuse and recycle.

🌳Happy Earth Day🌳