November2013thevalleyonline

F

R

E

E

Serving Mifflin County and the surrounding area.

The Valley A free newspaper dedicated to agriculture, self-reliance, frugal living, and modern homesteading.

Tomorrow’s Media - A Day Early Volume 4, No. 11

A breath of fresh therapeutic “Himalayan Salt Air” is being introduced to Centre County and will open on November 4th.

Simply Health has moved and expanded its services to State College on S. Atherton Street in the Creekside Plaza from its former site in Burnham, PA. According to its owners, “Because we wanted to add more salt rooms and other services, we found the move necessary.”

Simply Health was the second Himalayan Salt facility in the

The Valley, November 2013

state. After two years at their former location, seeing the amazing health benefits their clients have received, and realizing a need for more space, Simply Health has chosen to relocate to State College. You may never have even heard of a Salt Spa or Salt Cave, but it’s definitely worth your time and health to learn about it now if you haven’t!

Himalayan salt therapy has been used for decades to treat respiratory and skin problems in Europe and the Middle East. Europeans have long had the advantage of special clinics built inside salt caves and rooms to help alleviate their breathing issues.

Halotherapy, also called salt therapy (‘halos” in Greek means salt), is a drug free and completely natural therapy with no side effects. It takes place in a controlled air environment that simulates the special The new Himalayan Salt Rooms offer different options. microclimate A four person, five person and larger, six person room is available. Each room is unique. of actual salt

Complimentary

sis, poor concentration, ADHD, caves and salt mines. visitors will experience tempera The largest and oldest salt acne, eczema, skin challenges, tures of 68-70°F and a humidity works in Europe is located in the psoriasis, ear infections, relief of 40-50%. There is also a halo royal salt mines of Wieliczka, generator to completely reproduce from migraine headaches, and Poland, outside of Krakow. Here, others. “Over the past two years, the atmosphere one would experia hospital was carved out of the we have had documented lung ence in a salt mine or clinic. You immense salt mountain, 740 feet capacity increased from COPD, will sit on a non-gravity lounge below the surface, specifically for to people avoiding surgeries from chair for the 45 minute session, asthmatics and patients with lung things like rotator cuff, to getting or if you wish to bury your feet in disease and allergies. They have the salt due a successful healing rate of over to foot pain 90%. and/or other

The secret of healing in the foot chalsalt spa is simple. The air is inten- lenges (gout sively saturated with negative ions etc.), you along with minerals our bodies are may choose missing or needing. By breathing to sit on a in these elements, the body gets in European balance and has a better chance of cushioned healing itself. Himalayan salt is armchair. anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, Calming muanti-fungal, and anti-viral. Almost sic and very all of our medical concerns begin low lights with inflammation, so when you are added sit in the salt spa, the inflammato help you tion in ones body begins to be relax. reduced. The benefits in the salt Men, spa are cumulative, so the more women, and often you visit, the more benefits children are you receive. The floors and the welcome and walls of the salt rooms are covbenefit from ered with Himalayan salt. Tons salt therapy. of large rocks and bricks surround Halotherapy the visitor. There are three difhas been ferent rooms so more people with found to varying needs can be helped. For have benefiThe medium Salt Room offers different seating options as example, it is great for children to cial effects well, the only thing you have to do is breathe! visit a salt room for allergies and with health asthma, but they are not always conditions able or willing to sit quietly for like: Emphysema, arthritis, alrid of many, many medications the 45 minute session. Therefore, lergies, sinus infections, sinusdue to relief of sinus and allergy they may have their own space. itis, asthma, bronchitis, snoring, Photo of Mike and Lauradisorders, Jackson cystic fibro Inside the saltcourtesy spa rooms, sleeping Continued on page 3

Lighting Brush Fires in People’s Minds

The Valley, November 2013

2

Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar

I am still enjoying fall! I seriously wouldn’t mind if it was fall year round, until of course hunger started to factor in to the equation.

I know we have our seasons for a reason, and thanks to my numerous Amish friends, I am trying to learn to appreciate the rhythms of the seasons and enjoy each for its special purpose.

I am still, however, puzzled at the purpose of our government these days. The government shutdown was fed to everyone incessantly 24/7 on the news cycles, trying really hard to get people clamoring for a resolution. As the days passed, the media heads got more hysteric trying to portray shutting down a broken government as something we should fear.

I contend that we are safest and have more Liberty, when those in DC aren’t in session. Of course the GOP folded at the last minute, as we all expected. The socialistminded Democrats continue to push to take away more of your guaranteed liberties as an American. What are we to do?

I am not telling you how this should go down in your life, but for me, I believe “Nullification” will work. Refuse to participate!

That does not come without hazzards as the government will try to nudge, shove and force you to do

something because everyone else does, after all it is the law. Well a famous civil rights leader once said “One has a moral responsibility to DISOBEY unjust law.”

Martin Luther King knew our rights come from God, not from other people. It does not matter what some bought-off politician in a black robe has to say about it either. The Supreme Court is NOT the last word, the document itself is all we need to follow, not a judge’s interpretation. The fact of the matter is, the “Affordable Care Act” or “Obamacare” was forced through the Congress AGAINST the wishes of the majority of people who knew the truth. Granted, there were more people a year or two ago that appeared to be in favor, but since then, they have discovered that they were lied to, by the president, the vice president, the Democrats and RINOs in the Senate and others like Pelosi.

There is a HUGE majority of people that do not want this government takeover. There is a solution.

Starve the Beast!

Refuse to participate, talk to as many people as you can and get them to not participate, do not sign up for Obamacare. The whole thing is imploding at this very moment. With only SIX people signing up the first day and miserable

numbers since, the beast cannot support itself and will soon have to be repealed. This is what happens when unjust laws are foisted on people. There is advice from our founders on taking this very action in these kinds of circumstances, although admittedly, our founders didn’t foresee the time where those supposedly representing the people would be so totally corrupt as to think of themselves first. Back then there was no such thing as career politicians, you SERVED your people and then went home and lived under the outcomes you had caused. The advice from founder James Madison is perfectly clear and needs no interpretation. He said... “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.

Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will, for the most part, be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which … concern

the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.”

Since our Constitution has become an impediment to our supposed representatives and as in this case, the states have become too frightened of the federal government, I suppose it is up to We The People to once again show Washington DC who is in charge.

Do not in any way participate in Obamacare and it will die. The government is NOT authorized to force you to purchase anything.

There are 17 enumerated powers LOANED to the government created by the people. No matter how far the socialists and statists try to stretch it, it does NOT include medical care. This government is on record saying things that have been proven a lie, Joe Wilson was right when he jumped up at the presidents speech and yelled “YOU LIE”!!! Yes Joe, he does indeed, almost all the time. They all do!

Meanwhile, we still have the IRS corruption making news, the Benghazi scandal and NSA spying scandal being pushed aside. Our mainstream news media is just as responsible as the government for the corruption. Anyone that stays silent is complicit. It is time to reject political correctness and say what you mean.

With fall comes special treats, our Persimmon trees were very good to us this year and are finally producing enough fruit to experiment with. I made a Persimmon bread and Persimmon pudding this year, both something I will do again. My Medlars are still a few weeks from harvest but my friend Amos Hostetler from McClure gave me a big box of wonderful apples from his orchard. Lynn and I ate several that evening and the next day. Lynn likes apple pie and I had a recipe from the 1600s for “New England Apple Pie.” Using organic ingredients for everything else, I set out to make what turned out to be one of my best—lard in the crust and all! It was gone in record time, so I guess that 350 year old recipe will keep its spot

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/Co-Publisher Lynn Persing Associate Editor Colleen Swetland The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.

in the recipe file. Amos, Thank You my friend! a

Using this colonial recipe showed me that there is a reason people say how good things tasted back in the old days, it’s because They Really Did!!!

Fall also signals time to start bottling honey for family and friends.

Since this was my first year as a beekeeper, I have to say that I was extremely happy with all of the liquid gold my girls produced this season. Next year, more hives!

3

The Valley, November 2013

Saint John’s Holiday Gift Show To Benefit the Casey A. Marthouse Memorial Scholarship Fund

The St. John’s Christian Daycare and Preschool will be hosting its second annual St. John’s Holiday Gift Show on Friday, November 29, 2013 and Saturday November 30, 2013. Located at 3597 West Main Street, Belleville, the show will be held from 9:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m. On both days.

Various proceeds from the St. John’s Holiday Gift Show will benefit the Casey A. Marthouse Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. John’s Christian Daycare and Preschool. The scholarship fund was established in March 2009 and its purpose is to benefit children in our community who otherwise could not afford a quality early childhood education.

Casey was a much loved teacher at St. John’s Christian Daycare and Preschool until her life was abruptly taken in a car accident on November 29, 2008.

She blessed the children and their families that were in her care.

The scholarship fund is a way to continue Casey’s example of love by blessing families through financial support. To date, approximately $11,000 has been given to families who requested help with childcare costs. Last November, the St. John’s Holiday Gift Show raised $3,000 for the scholarship fund.

This year’s show highlights skilled craftsmen and artisans from the central Pennsylvania region who will be presenting quality handmade products for purchase. Original jewelry, gourmet chocolate, country furniture, stained glass wind chimes and holiday floral designs are among the varied items to choose from.

Also available for purchase include miniature wire sculpted trees, primitive crafts, women’s

accessories, one of a kind ornaments, folk art paintings, photography, and fine art. Fresh pine wreaths and bird seed ornaments will also be featured.

A variety of foods including baked goods, fresh apple dumplings and hot soups may be enjoyed at the St. John’s Holiday Gift Show or purchased for takeout.

If you care for more information about this event, please email sjcdaycare@embarqmail.com.

If you are interested in making a donation, please make checks payable to Casey A. Marthouse Memorial Scholarship Fund and mail to:

Lie back, and Breathe from front page

important to be buying authentic Himalayan products.

Some of the other services which Simply Health is now offering are the detoxing footbaths, a far infra-red detoxing sauna with Himalayan salt, and vibrational therapy. Detoxification is one of the widely used treatments in alternative medicine. It is based on the principle that illnesses can be caused by the accumulation of toxic substances (toxins) in the body. Eliminating existing overloads of toxins and avoiding new toxins are many times essential parts of the healing process.

You will now have your choice of having a massage in a Himalayan salt room or regular massage room. Our team of massage therapists are trained in multiple modalities, each having their own unique touch and energy.

Another unique service to the area is our Jade Massage Bed. You are fully clothed as jade rollers roll under both your back and your legs to give you a Full Body Massage. These ten jade rollers can cover up to 72 vertical inches but they are also body size programmable so that they will give you a more comfortable massage.

Our state of the art, American made, Jade Massage Bed has four modalities of treatment:

cuses Qi energy into 99 spinal acupressure points and 15 leg and acupressure points.

3. Heat therapy and Moxibustion effect with far infrared heat for the whole body during the massage.

4. Spinal Alignment Chiropractic effect. The spine is gently aligned with each massage.

problems. Just when we think we have heard it all, someone shares another amazing health advantage they have received by using the salt room, a lamp, a salt inhaler, or all of these. It depends how chronic each person is with their health challenges.

The owners, Nikki Santangelo and Marge Delozier are passionate about “preventative health care.” “Himalayan salt therapy is one of the easiest, safest, and most affordable ways to take responsibility for your health and take steps to improve your well being.

We also have had a LOT of clients visit our facility after their chemo treatments or after rehab sessions for knee and hip replacements. It is so beneficial with relief of pain and help with sleep!”

To help bring those healing properties into your home or office, you can also purchase authentic Himalayan salt lamps at Simply Health. If you need more energy and less congestion in your life, try a Himalayan Salt lamp. It is very beneficial to use a salt lamp if you sit in front of a computer all day. Your computer is giving off positive ions and an authentic Himalayan salt lamp gives off negative ions which helps to balance your environment. There are many imitation lamps on the market now, so it’s

1. Massage of back and legs; restful and relaxing.

2. Acupressure Massage: fo-

St. John’s Christian Daycare and Preschool PO Box 5716 Belleville, Pa. 17004 a

When using the Jade Massage Bed with other services offered at the Spa, you maximize the overall benefits. The Jade Massage Bed is a great add-on service before having a therapeutic massage, salt room session, detox footbath or far infrared sauna session. The far infrared healing light of the jade bed delivers deep tissue body penetration of the heat several inches into body muscles, tendons, and organs, improving blood and lymph circulation in those areas and improving overall functioning.

Additional Jade Bed benefits include: • Reduce and eliminate pain: from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and injuries, from muscle soreness and muscle spasms.

• Reduce and eliminate: stress, tension, and anxiety • Improves circulation of blood: spinal fluid and lymph.

•

Improves metabolism: burning of excessive fatty deposits.

At our salt spa you will be pampered with only the finest Himalayan salt. We incorporate it into each and every one of our unique services, so no matter what you decide upon, you will leave feeling cleansed, refreshed and energized.

A full line of body scrubs, soaps, lotions, and lip balms have been created with Himalayan salt for your use. These make a great gift for yourself and others this upcoming holiday season. Gift certificates also make the perfect gift.

Did you ever think that by just sitting quietly, relaxed, and

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

listening to soothing music, you might improve your health dramatically? We have heard such amazing and wonderful stories from our clients in the past two years. There is lots more for you to learn about Halotherapy, so stop by soon! Please check out our web-site at www.simplyhealth-calm.com.

Our opening hours are Wednesday through Friday from 11:00AM-7:00PM and Saturday 9:00AM – 1:00 PM. Monday and Tuesday massages will be offered in the salt rooms as well as guided meditations, Tri-yoga, and other special group sessions. Please call us at 814-954-7731 or 717-2482000 to make your appointment today. a

The Valley, November 2013

4

SHTF Tools

In past articles I’ve talked about food, water, gear, caches, caltrops (Oh, and I KNOW you remember those!), and a few other things, but this month I’m gonna take things one step farther. This month I want to discuss SHTF (Stuff Hits The Fan) tools and their application in a worse-case scenario.

The first part of this article will deal with the modification of one tool that I’ve selected to include in my SHTF tool kit. The Stanley FatMax Extreme Functional Utility Bar model 55-099, or FUBar as it is also known, has got to be one of the coolest tools I’ve come across in a long while.

If you want to smash stuff and make quick work of any home remodel demolition job, this is the tool for you. At only 18” long and

4.3 pounds, this tool is ideal to add to your kit.

If any representatives from Stanley are reading this and would like to send me free stuff to test, I’ll gladly review anything you

The Stanley Fat-Max before mods

cal breaching tool was my intent and it worked out well. Breaching tools, as they’re referred to by the men who use them, are basically tools used to gain entry to secured buildings by breaking down doors or smashing windows.

Firefighters, members of law enforcement, and The Stanley Fat-Max after modification send my way and I would gladly combat troops often find accept a sponsorship! But I enthemselves in a situation tions require those features to be courage you stop reading here… where they need to gain entry to removed. Sorry Stanley Tools. ’cause I’m about to fubar the buildings for rescue, arrests, and

Now the person in the video Stanley FUBar! (And that’s FOUL to neutralize enemy combatants. used an angle grinder to cut off Up Beyond All Recognition

The modifications I made to the lower portion of the “jaw” and folks!) the Stanley FUBar were intended also to grind down the “teeth”

If you are a regular reader of to make it resemble what is called on the upper part. As for myself, my column, you know I like to a Halligan tool. A Halligan tool I made another trip out to my base some of my articles on future is one of the most popular and Amish welder friend who helped worst-case disaster scenarios and most sought after breaching tools me with the mods I was looking this month’s article is no different. in use by various agencies around for. I really think these guys at the As usual. I’ve gotta put some kind the world. Because of the smaller metal shop get a real kick out of of a disclaimer in here saying that size of the FUBar as compared my crazy ideas. I also added a few you accept all risks and I’m not to a regular Halligan tool, some sprays of paint to make it a little responsible for anything you do. leverage limitations are placed more subdued as you can see in

Ok with all of that out of the on it as a breaching tool, but I’m the included picture. way, let’s get down to business. also keeping ease of portability

Let’s discuss a few of the What I’ve done is taken this tool in mind so a compromise was scenarios where such a tool would and made some slight modificademanded. come in handy: An earthquake, tions to it. Now I can’t take all

Looking at a stock as-purtornado, or any similar disaster the credit for this and, well, pretty chased-in-store Stanley FUBar where there is the potential for much all the credit goes out to one you’ll notice the aggressive “jaw” entrapment of either yourself or of many YouTube videos that I get and the “teeth” used to grip and loved ones. There could be a posmy inspirations from. rip, which is the FUBar’s true sible need to remove debris, gain

Turning the Stanley FUBar intended purpose (it eats 2x4s for into a more functional and practibreakfast). Well my modificaContinued on page 14

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

5

The Valley, November 2013

Shade Mountain Naturals Our new retail area is now open!

Come visit and watch us in action creating FRESH products for you Thursday and Friday 9 to 5 Saturdays 10 to 2 A family operated business producing all natural skin care products Created by Tamela Hetrick, LMT for 13 years!

A Thanksgiving Offering

Poetry, that rhythmic joining of emotion and spoken and written language often gets a bad rap in our culture. Forgetting the happy verses of child hood, many people think they have no time or reason for poetry in their hurried and work-a-day lives. Too often, and most unfairly, poetry is seen as something to be indulged in by some hyper-educated elite, too hoity-toity for the average person (let alone rural folk) to understand or enjoy.

And this is a true shame (not to mention just plain wrong), for down the long centuries poetry has celebrated the common, the average, the extraordinary everyday wonders of – well – pretty much everything! From the wonders of Nature to the happy, the sad, the silly and touching moments of our lives – not a single part of existence has escaped the clear focus of poetic verse.

And with few exceptions, these moments are celebrated in language that any of us, that all of us, can easily understand and find pleasure in—in language that we ourselves would use to convey an emotion or thought or event.

“Oh!” we say to ourselves having read or heard a particularly good verse. “That’s exactly what I felt. How about that? Someone else felt it too!”

And right there is part of the reason why poetry is for everyone.

Expressed in tight phrases that get to the point in a short time, we see our own lives through another’s experiences and learn new lessons, one of which is that our individual experiences are also those that link us to one another.

So, this month, as we finish up the harvest and celebrate our Harvest Homes, please accept these two poems – written by poets who are “just like you and me” – as humble gifts for the harvest tables of our hearts.

The first is a light hearted

look at the differences in language that we and our Amish neighbors enjoy as we interact on a day to day basis; it also serves to remind us how boring it would be if we were all alike and how thankful we need be that differences can be celebrated with good humor.

Our Talk

by William J. Meter Our talk ain’t so for fanciness, But plain, it makes just right.

It ain’t so good dressed up in print, But from the heart it comes out bright.

Read our story at www.shade-mountain.com 717-248-8847 45 Serenity Lane, Lewistown, PA Visit our spa: Shade Mountain R&R and receive 100% natural treatments created by us!

Afore ye really ‘preciate the things ye lef’ behind, An’ hunger fer ‘em somehow, with ‘em allus on yer mind.

It don’t make no differunce how rich ye get t’ be, How much yer chairs an’ tables cost, how great yer luxury; It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king, Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped ‘round everything.

It gets around to all the things We know and have to say, It sticks to us like boowalice, It’s as rich as good red clay.

got t’ sit an’ sigh An’ watch beside a loved one’s bed, an’ know that death is nigh; An’ in the stillness of the night t’ see Death’s angel come, An’ close the eyes o’ her that smiled, an’ leave her sweet voice dumb.

Fer these are scenes that grip the heart, an’ when yer tears are dried

Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute; Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;

When people listen once they think We don’t know English none, But at the County Fair you see The prize our Melly won.

You can’t redd up the world and make All people talk the same.

The Pennsylvania Deitsch is ourn, And yourn is what you name.

Du honnst net mocha, sie geh net gleih, Olla bleiwa so, gel net?

Die gaul geh zu die scheira hin, Und ich zu Deitsch, you bet! (maybe Jeptha will translate that last verse for us- hint, hint!)

Make sure to read this next poem out loud. That way you really feel it.

Home

by Edgar A. Guest It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home, A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes,have t’ roam

Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ‘em up t’ women good, an’ men; And gradgerly, as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn’t part With anything they ever used - they’re grown into yer heart: The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore Ye hoard; and if ye could ye’d keep the thumb-marks on the door.

Ye’ve got t’ weep t’ make it home, ye’ve

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Ye find the home is dearer than it was an’ sanctified; An’ tuggin’ at ye always are the pleasant memories O’ her that was an’ is no more – ye can’t escape from these.

Ye’ve got t’ sing an’ dance fer

Continued on page 11

The Valley, November 2013

6

and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (4:11). What makes YOU think worship was good or not good the last time you worshipped? Most of the time its how it made ME feel, which is important, however, worship is NOT to be ultimately about YOU! Fellowship is good with other worshippers, but is God getting left out? Am I more concerned I’m singing the right notes or the person next to me is, that I like or don’t like a certain song, or is my concern singing TO Him? We tend to think He exists for us even in our prayers. But God is not some errand boy, He’s our Master.

If I go to worship only if I get something out of it, then its not about Him but YOU! If I choose a church that believes like me or I prefer with all the “bells and whistles” I want, then I will never be able to grow beyond where I am to be more like Christ! Worship is to be what He gets out of it and if you make it that way, you will get something out of it more

than you ever dreamed!

A second component of worship seen is the Participation of every believer. In 5:8-9 everyone there was engaged in worship.

No one is sitting back criticizing, this isn’t a “spectator sport” at all!

Like them, we must sing our best, we must listen well and apply what we have heard from God. And why did they do these things so? Verse nine clues us in thus: “. . .for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood . . .”

Everyone here experienced God’s grace. Have you really?

Sincerely asking Him to forgive you for being a sinner and saving your soul brings you a heart for good worship. In Isaiah 1, the Jews were told by God to stop worshipping because they weren’t clean, but He held out cleansing in salvation to them and He still does today to any not truly born again.

A last aspect of worship is the practice of giving gifts which is seen in 5:12-13. Normally when someone’s heart was prone to good worship in the Bible, this happened. Now heaven here didn’t “pass the plate” in their worship for there is no need for it there, but what did they give that we can apply here?

In 5:12 we

see. They proclaim, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom. . . “ But how can we give power to Him Who is all-powerful? Or riches to Him who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills?” YOU can give Him, YOU! When you do, He can exercise His power in YOU! No matter what your age or status in this life, the Bible says, “for the eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself STRONG in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (or clean) toward Him.” So, we can give God this when we give Him US. Will you right now? That, my friend, is the essence of worship done well, done heaven’s way! a

miracle, allow that life to grow and be nurtured, tucked safely inside a women’s body until that little life makes its grand entrance through birth, I really don’t think he needs us to “tell” him anything.

Having said that, I do, however, think in times of deep anguish like when Jesus prayed in the garden before his crucifixion, prayer may be offered from a place of anguish and may be painful. Yet through those prayers we will be given life sustaining strength that will strengthen our spirits and carry us through those times.

Prayer is a type of conversation we can have with God. God does not usually choose to reveal himself to us through an audible voice but that doesn’t mean spirit communication cannot happen.

Spiritual things are outside of our realm of human comprehension.

There are things going on in this universe on levels that we can’t even scratch the surface of or begin to understand. In the scriptures that talk about prayer, another thing that stands out is that prayer

should be about thanksgiving and surrender on our part, and just simply basking in the fact that God is God and his plan, although not understood by us, is ultimately good.

When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he gave them an amazingly simple model. In Matthew 6:5-19 (The Message version) Jesus said pray like this “Our father in heaven, reveal who you are. Set the world right, do what’s best-as above, so below.

Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil (evil in this world). You are in charge.

You can do anything you want.

You are ablaze in beauty-yes!”

Simple, yet profound. Prayer is acknowledging who God is and praising him for it.

Prayer is not something we need to do to get Gods attention as if He might have forgotten about us or the situation we are worried about. It is surrendering everything to God realizing that although there are terrible things

in the world, and physical death is our destiny on this earth as was laid out in Eden, we can hold our heads high and walk this battlefield with our hands in His. We can see the raw untouched beauty of creation as proof of the beauty that awaits us. We can smile and remember we are offered redemption through Jesus Christ and death will not be the end.

Prayer, I believe, is much less about asking and much more about listening, noticing and thanking. Our prayers should come from a place of trust and thanksgiving. Surrender is an extremely important factor in prayer, but trust is just as important because really we can never fully surrender if we don’t fully trust.

Prayer is a means by which God can communicate His love and peace to us and a means for us to communicate our love, honor and trust to Him. Prayer can be a time of simply celebrating with God and rejoicing that all the things that trouble us will come to pass in the right time. a

Encouragement From The Book Of Revelation

by Pastor J. C. Reese

Worship has all kinds of styles these days from the sedate to the sensational, from quiet and formal to so peppy you’ll think you were just at a Penn State pep rally. Everyone has different ideas about worship and what they like, but what does God truly want it to be like? I cannot of myself say, but what I can do is direct our attention to how God records worship should be in the book of Revelation. Before we take a peek there its important to understand that in the Bible, worship in the most basic sense means to “fall on your face in front of.” Obviously worship is more than this, but this starting notion means when we worship we‘re to show complete submission and adoration to God. So the part of Revelation I’d like to encourage you with this month is discovering how worship is done IN heaven and how we should take our cue from this on earth. Let’s see !

In Revelation 4 John shares with us what God showed him and it is worship that is untainted for it is in heaven and thus an

accurate model of worship. We cannot duplicate this here, but we can pursue it in our own worship.

John sees the Father on the throne “and One sat on the throne.”

(4:2), he sees the Son receiving the seven sealed book from the Father, “And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.”

(5:7) and the Holy Spirit is even there (4:5). Also are the 24 elders (4:10), and the great angels called seraphim flying around the throne (4:8). All are interacting in this grand worship. So like them, you cannot have real worship apart from God. Yet how often our bodies are at church, but our minds may be disconnected from God for various reasons. It’s vital we interact by carefully listening to His Word and devotedly singing TO, not just ABOUT Him!

So what are some basic parts of this pattern by which we can be encouraged to worship even better? I see three in chapters four and five. First, there is the Preeminence of God: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory

Thoughts

by Sarah Hurlburt

Prayer is a deep subject with as many ideas on how to do it as there are people who do it. It’s talked about a lot in scriptures— some say not to babble on, some say not to make a big scene about it, but to do it secretly and in private.

Why not babble on? Because God who created this universe, the planet we live on, the incredible creation we see all around us, the eyes with which we take it all in, does not need to be told anything or reminded of anything.

Why do it in private? Because you are seeking intimacy on a spiritual level with GOD! That is going to need to be done in a place of quiet and solitude.

If prayer is not properly understood, it can feel daunting and overwhelming. Questions arise like who should I pray for? What should I pray for? How often should I pray? Somehow I think that the joy that God intended prayer to be is swept away with the urgent tide of emotion we feel by thinking things are in our hands when we pray. We think that if we didn’t pray, God wouldn’t know what to do because we wouldn’t be telling him. If God can create the world we see around us and keep the human race in existence by designing a man and women to “fit” together and in that union, create a life. And, in continuation of that

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Pastor J.C. Reese pastors Nittany Baptist Church in Potters Mills, the “log cabin church” on Rt.322 just a few miles past Milroy.

The church’s website is nittanybaptist.org.

7

The Valley, November 2013

Adventures on Our Nourishing Journey

by Sue Burns

Border Control Restraining Blood Sugar Numbers

”Because of the increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits, and physical inactivity, we may see the first generation that will be less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.” Richard Carmona MD, Surgeon General 2004.

November is National Diabetes Month. I was asked a question recently that I thought was timely in regard to this subject. It has to do with being on the alert for early signs of pre-diabetes and what if anything can be done ‘naturally” to reverse its onset.

I will share more details of that inquiry with you in a minute, but first, some statistics to set the stage.

Several years ago I gave a presentation at one of the Mifflin County Meltdown Events. These meetings were a community wide effort created to bring awareness and education to the participants in order that they might be motivated to embrace changes in their lifestyle that would further enhance their health. As part of my presentation, I shared the above mentioned quote by Dr. Carmona. I read it slowly and quietly. I must admit, a lump formed in my throat as I scanned the faces in attendance. Their shock and sadness permeated the energy of the auditorium along with a sense of questioning. Yes, I agree, the predicted statistic is daunting and raises the question, “Why, in the midst of the most medical advances in the history of human civilization, would the surgeon general of the United States predict that OUR children may not have as long of a life expectancy as WE, their parents.” That is just insanity. Or is it?

According to public health officials, by the year 2020, one in two Americans will be affected by diabesity. No that is not a typo.

Diabesity is a silent but deadly killer. It describes the explosive epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Mark Hyman calls diabesity the single biggest

chronic disease in our country. Its onslaught wages an all-out war on our major organs, nervous system and emotional health. Perhaps

most alarming, our children are becoming increasingly affected.

Childhood obesity has tripled from the period 1980 to 2010. In fact, childhood obesity will have more impact on the life expectancy of children than all childhood cancers combined. One in every ten health care dollars spent over the next decade will be attributable to diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Yes, as sobering as it sounds, life expectancy is actually declining in America for the first time in history. I don’t know about you, but that makes me very concerned, for you see, diabetes is for the most part a chronic disease of our environment and our lifestyle. A plague of modern living. In other words, much of type 2 diabetes CAN be prevented. Yet prevention is not profitable is it? So we don’t hear too much about the steps we can take right now to prevent or delay this insidious epidemic. No, our healthcare providers watch and wait until our blood sugar numbers have strayed over the borderline. Yet it is never too late to take responsibility for our own blood sugar border control.

Here are some thoughts to get you started.

I share with you the question I mentioned along with some practical suggestions that will hopefully keep you and your children victorious against this insidious enemy.

Question: I am a female in my early 50’s. Recently I had an annual medical exam which included several routine blood tests. The result of my fasting blood sugar was 100 mg/dl. I am about 10 pounds overweight, have a family history of diabetes on my father’s side, exercise 5-6 days a week, have a body mass index of 25 and a waist measurement

of 34 inches at my navel. My triglycerides are 105 which have been increasing each year. I am otherwise healthy and not on any medications. My physician is not concerned, but I sense I am nearing the borderline of becoming pre-diabetic. If so, what can I do to reverse this direction?

pre-diabetes and fasting blood sugar over 126 mg/dl is considered diabetes. Ideally your body mass index should be 24 or under and, as a woman, your waist circumference should not exceed 35 inches, (40 inches for a man). You are approaching a dangerous border on all three of these health markers. Your triglycerides, which are an indication of consuming excess sugar, calories and alcohol are within a normal range, yet you don’t want them higher than 150 so the fact that they continue to creep up each year is a warning sign too. Having a family history of diabetes can increase your risk, but it is thought that diabetes is almost entirely influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors such as a poor diet, stress, toxins, and a sedentary lifestyle. It is great that you are getting some exercise most days of the week. You did not mention your blood pressure and cholesterol, which are additional markers that must be taken into consideration, yet the ones you have included indicate red flags pointing in the direction of the beginning of something called insulin resistance. Let’s look briefly at what that entails and some steps you can take right now to reverse this process.

My response: Good for you for keeping a watchful eye on these critical numbers.

This is a great example of taking responsibility for your health. First and foremost, I would advise you to share your concerns with your physician as well as any major dietary or lifestyle changes you are considering.

In looking at your numbers, it does appear that you are headed into some risky territory. A fasting blood sugar of over 100mg/ dl is considered

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Insulin resistance is the body’s inability to make the most of the food we eat. Insulin, (a hormone produced by the pancreas), helps to put the “sugar” or glucose from the metabolism of our foods into the cells of our body – our body needs glucose – it’s a prime source of all our energy requirements. The brain and muscles cells use the greatest amount of the sugars from our foods. Yet, I encourage you to begin to think about the role of insulin from another perspective as well. Dr. Ron Rosendale, MD makes the point that diabetes is NOT a disease of blood sugar, but rather a disease of insulin. Dr. Rosendale makes that observation when looking back on our ancestral history noting that high blood sugar was a rarity. Here is a very condensed segment of what he has to say about this; the trick throughout most of our ancestral history was to keep sugar in our blood from falling too low since there was not that much sugar to be had. The major source of sugar was fruit, and that was mostly available only seasonally, and even then we had to work and exercise to obtain it, burning the sugar and preventing it from spiking very high. The hormones cortisone, epinephrine,

Continued on page 11

The Valley, November 2013

8

Family Favorite Comfort Foods

As the cooler weather sets in for the next foreseeable future, the urge to make warm and delicious comfort foods drives me into the kitchen. Roasts, soups and stews,

pies, cookies and breads all release us from the summer fare of summer cookouts. Even though Bar-B-Que is one of my all time favorite fares, months and months

of eating it tends to make you want to look elsewhere for awhile.

Fortunately for us, the grocery stores seem to recognize this and have had sales this time of year for good roasts and stew meat. Being an Ole’ New Englander, I often follow some of the celebrity chefs from these parts. Ina Garten is one of my favorites and her recipe for Parker’s Beef Stew is a regular meal at my house.

Ingredients 2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2inch cubes 1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine 3 whole garlic cloves, smashed 3 bay leaves 2 cups all-purpose flour Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Good olive oil 2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2inch chunks 1/2 pound white mushrooms, stems discarded and cut in 1/2 1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) chicken stock or broth 1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (I use my dehydrated tomatoes instead) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas Directions Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate

overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef in a large oven-proof Dutch oven and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you’ll need more oil.) Place all the beef in the Dutch oven.

Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the large pot and add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven over the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove.

Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.

Before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot.

For a little dessert might I suggest Mom’s Apple Pie? No really, this is my mother’s recipe for apple pie with a few twists from me.

BASIC CRUST 2 ¼ C. Flour

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

¾ C. Butter plus 2 Tbsp.

Cut butter in with a pastry blender or two knives until pieces are pea size.

Add 5 Tbsp. (or however much brings the dough together) of orange juice.

You can use water but the orange juice brings a nice tang to the crust that is great with apple pie (or blueberry for that matter).

APPLE PIE 5-7 tart apples (I use way more than this because I usually make deep dish pie. I also like to mix my apples and use several different kinds) ¾ - 1 C Sugar 2 Tbsp. Flour 1 tsp. cinnamon ¼ tsp. nutmeg dash of salt 2 Tbsp butter ( I use more…like lots more)

Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and put aside. Peel and slice apples. (I use a mandolin slicer for uniform pieces. It also gives a nice stacked look to your slice of pie when cut). Line 9 inch pie plate with your crust and sprinkle some of your sugar mixture on the bottom.

Start arranging your apples into a layer then sprinkle some more mixture on top of your first layer.

Continue until your pie plate is filled past the brim. If there is any sugar mixture left dump the rest of it over the top. Cut your butter up into slices and arrange over the top of the apples. Place your top crust over the apples and pinch your crust together to make a nice edge. Cut any left over crust to neaten things up and slice a few slits into it for steam to escape. If you would like to, you can sprinkle some sugar over the top for a nice sparkle. Bake in a hot oven 400°F for 50 min. or until done. You may have to cover it with foil if the edges start to brown too much.

So that’s all the space I have for you this month. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving! a

Call or visit today!

866-935-5858 L i f ti

ng

Visions

High e

r

Now Offering • Precious Metals • Gold & Silver IRA’s • Charitable Gifting Programs

The Stewardship Group Protecting What Matters Most to You www.TheStewardshipGroup.org

4417 East Main Street Belleville, PA 17004-0911

9

The Valley, November 2013

Hello to all of The Valley readers. How are you all liking the fall weather? We had light frost a couple of times at our place. We had a summer with an abundance of moisture that lasted until the middle of July, then things started to get dryer. The Spring that supplies our farm with water was down to approximately filling a 1/4 inch line.

Now that we have had 5 1/2 inches of rain within a weeks time, everything seems to be sopped up again.

In last month’s article I wrote about winterizing your orchard and or fruit trees. One thing I didn’t mention was the Peach Tree Borer, although you should control them in the summer. I like to inspect the trees in the fall for any left over borer activity. I battled with them for a couple of years. There wasn’t any insecticide very effective that wasn’t restricted. A friend of mine told me that he uses tobacco waste. So I contacted a local tobacco farmer and he ground up his stalks and old leaves, which I put around the base of the trees and it seems to work. Insects don’t like tobacco and I can’t blame ‘em. My brother was doing some experimenting and discovered that putting kelp meal around the base seems to work too. It’s a bit more expensive, but then you also get the mineral benefit from it.

Deer can damage trees as well. In the summer they like to eat off tender growth and in fall the bucks like to use small trees to try their antlers out. When we started our first trees, our nursery man told us there aren’t many

things that do more damage in a young orchard in one night than a rowdy buck. Now I like some deer, especially when they are steaming on the table. We seem to get good results in keeping them away by hanging out soap bars.

Just regular hand soap like Ivory or Dial. The nursery man also told us there is only one surety about a rabbit and that is if it has lead in its head. The more one learns and works with trees and fruit, the more you realize how important fruit is for a healthy diet.

He that planteth a tree is a servant of God. He provideth a kindness for many generations and faces that he has not seen shall bless him-- Henry Van Dyke

the nutrition it needs. It is only a fact that God’s chosen people

after eating God’s perfect food in the wilderness for forty years felt very small compared to the giants they saw in Canaan. When you read the Bible you see that God commanded his people to eat a healthy diet. Growing your own food can also serve as a hedge against inflation. If one has his eyes half open you realize that things are inflating fast. On top of that, I read that this country is 17 Trillion, that’s right TRILLION with a T, in the hole, you realize

“And Sow the fields and plant vineyards which may yield fruits of increase.” Psalm 107:37 “And God went on to say here I have given to you all vegetation bearing seed which is on the surface of the whole Earth and every tree on which there is the fruit of a tree bearing seed to you let it serve as food. Genesis 1:29

Fruit is the oldest and most original ready-to-eat food. A spokesperson at a meeting once said, “Obesity comes from starvation.” What an absurd statement right? How could you be starving when you are overweight? With today’s grab-and-go fast food chains, where food is highly refined and pasteurized to the point that it loses a lot of its nutrition, you can eat more than enough of fattening food and still be hungry because your body isn’t getting

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

that the worst is probably to come yet. That our paper currency is built on a foundation of butter on a deep hole that is getting hot and spongy, I think we already hit the iceberg and unless someone is willing to bail a lot of water and fix the leaks, Titanic No. 2 will soon reach it’s destination.

I will leave you with this thought: “Some people are like balloons, they are pointless.”

So much for this time.

Auf Wiedershan a

The Valley, November 2013

10

Mini Chances

Last year I wrote about Cozee Valee Rescue in Huntingdon and the horses at their facility.

I thought I’d let you know just what some of their rescue horses have done. How someone’s dream horse was once just passed by and neglected by other people.

One small cremello miniature horse was just that…passed by.

Every day people passed by him in a pasture, but he was given very little attention. He was brought to a farm as a foal with a miniature filly to be a “lawn ornament.”

Actually the lawn ornaments of the property were probably given more care. The farm was well-kept, but the pair of minis were not. They were fed with the cows. The filly began to founder.

Founder is an inflammation of the laminae of the hoof, and can be caused by improper feeding.

Both of the miniature horses’ feet continued to grow with no regular hoof care. The maturing cremello stud colt became ornery and aggressive. He was never handled or taught manners.

Several years after arriving at the farm, there was a sign of hope for the pair. Beth Hearn of Cozee Valee Rescue stepped in to rescue and possibly rehome them. By that time, the mare was obese and had clear signs of founder. Both of the minis had feet that were 6-8 inches long. The belligerent stud was almost beyond hope because of his extreme behavior and lack of respect towards people. Beth

had her work cut out for her with Buckee and Besee.

The little wild man caught my eye the first day Beth posted pictures on Facebook. There was something special about this one; bad attitude, wild hair and all! Buckee’s life was about to change.

Step one in Buckee’s transformation…castration! Next came months of hoof care. Hours were spent on grooming and handling not only to make him handsome, but also a gentleman. Beth’s hard work paid off because the once “passed by” mini was now catching everyone’s attention, especially Sydney Taylor’s. Sydney had seen Cozee Valee Rescue horses posted on Equine.com. Equine. com and the Equine Network have been working with the American Horse Council’s Unwanted Horse Coalition to help find homes for horses in need of care and shelter.

Beth has in the past adopted horses out through this program called “A Home For Every Horse.”

Many of these horses got second chances at happy caring homes because of this program and Cozee Valee Rescue.

I have helped Sydney work with horses for several years.

Like me, her life revolves around her love for horses. Beth and I knew this was someone that would put the time into Buckee that he needed. Arrangements were made for Sydney to meet him to see if she felt she could handle him. I think it was love at first sight for both of them!!

Buckee was renamed Ringo and he came “home” with Sydney earlier this year. He had finally gotten his chance to be more than just a “lawn ornament.” He learned many new things in his first days there such as being clipped. Sydney attends Pittsburgh Vet Tech Institute for their 18

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

month course. She has made time all summer to come home to work with Ringo and her horse Sylvia.

In the time Sydney has spent with Ringo he has learned to bow, side pass, back through obstacles, jump and is now learning to drive.

He attended several shows this summer where he is definitely an attention-getter! He is shown in halter, showmanship, mini trail/ obstacle and mini jumping. He has received several first place ribbons and a Reserve Champion Halter Horse award. Sydney and Ringo’s future together is wide open. Thank goodness for second chances through Cozee Valee Rescue. Dalmar Top Bucks White Knight aka Ringo is going to pass by everyone’s expectation of a rescue mini and show them what he can do! a

Ringo Reserve Champion Halter at horse show

11

The Valley, November 2013 Sue Burns, Border Control from page 7 norepinephrine, glucagon, and growth hormone make sure that we always have some glucose available to the tissues that need it. High blood sugar was a rarity, but when it did become elevated, it was a sign that we had more energy available than we could currently burn and thus it would be a good idea to store the extra.

“Waste not, want not.” Food was not always available; feast or famine was the rule. When blood sugar becomes elevated it is a signal for insulin to be released to primarily direct the extra energy into storage. A small amount is stored as a starch called glycogen in our liver and muscles, but the majority is stored as our main energy supply -- fat. Thus, in this regard insulin’s major role is not to lower sugar, but to take the extra energy when available and store it for future times of need.

Insulin lowers glucose as a side effect of directing the extra into storage.

Treatments which concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar for diabetes by raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.

Elevated insulin levels are highly associated and even causative of: heart disease, • peripheral vascular disease, • stroke, • high blood pressure, • cancer, • obesity

Since most treatments for (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetes utilize drugs which raise insulin or actual insulin injections itself, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the manifest side effects and the shortened lifespan that diabetic’s experience.

Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that even with perfectly normal levels of sugar and insulin, every time a cell in the body is exposed to insulin it become a bit more “insulin resistant” – that’s just a fact of life.

The older we get the more insulin resistant our cells become. Insulin is toxic to our cells. As soon as sugar hits the blood stream insulin also hits the blood stream. The higher the level of sugar the higher the level of insulin. A healthy pancreas will churn out as much insulin as is needed to “reduce” the level of sugar.

Cells become insulin resistant because they are trying to protect

themselves from the toxic effects of chronically high insulin. They do this by turning down their receptor as well as reducing the number of receptors so that they don’t have to listen to that “noise” all the time.

When this happens, in order to make the cells accept the sugar, the pancreas churns out higher and higher levels of insulin and just by mass action of the insulin yelling at them the cells are able to “listen” and manage to keep our blood sugar levels in a good range. Are you getting the idea that we need to keep close border control on our insulin levels as well as our blood sugar? The two go hand in hand. Yes, the bad news is that insulin resistance has the greatest links to many life-threatening diseases and conditions. The good news is that through diet and lifestyle modification it can be slowed down and/ or reversed.

Grains, Sugars and Vegetable Oils (Oh My!)

Every morsel of every food we eat is classified as a carbohydrate, protein or fat. Food is broken down into various building blocks the body needs and what cannot be used is processed and removed by the liver. Proteins and fats are used for muscle and tissues. Carbohydrates are, for the most part, fast fuel for the body.

How much of this type of fuel our body needs is up for debate.

“Good” carbs are classified as vegetables and most fruits. These foods are high in fiber and numerous vitamins and minerals. “Bad” carbs tend to make up the mainstream of our Standard American Diet. They include grains, sugars, rice, potatoes, noodles and most processed foods. Highly processed grains are also offenders in inflammation and damaging the lining of the gut. There are various types of sugars and while all should be limited some are worse than others. For instance, high fructose corn syrup is the leading offender. Read labels carefully and begin to remove this poison from your diet and the diet of your children. In other words, just say no to soda. And don’t even get me started on diet soda! Refined carbohydrates are quickly broken down into glucose, our body’s main source of fuel.

HOWEVER, when more carbohydrates are eaten than the body needs, (which is almost always), the fuel is put into storage. This process is similar to hauling the junk we don’t use to the attic or garage. We don’t want it or need

it, but we tuck it away “just in case.” Our body stores the fat for the time of famine, which never comes. Even though we need glucose to stay alive, it too is actually toxic if it is floating around for too long in the bloodstream.

As I mentioned, any glucose that is not immediately used is first stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. So far, so good, but we have a limited number of glycogen receptors. When they get full, (which happens frequently if we are inactive), there only remains one option: store all the excess glucose as fat within the body.

The more refined carbs we eat, the more insulin our body sends out and the more fat is stored, the greater chance of developing insulin resistance. Thus begins a vicious cycle of sending out even more insulin, which drives even more fat storage. A point that I want to emphasize is that dietary fat is rarely stored as body fat – it is sugar, (from the breakdown of refined carbohydrates), that is stored as body fat. Yes, that extra muffin just might be responsible for “a muffin top” waistline.

A note about vegetable oils (aka Omega 6 oils) such as corn oil, sunflower oil, canola, cottonseed and soy bean oil. Consumption of these oils began in the 1950’s when they were touted as being a ‘healthy’ alternative to saturated fats. We are now learning that these oils contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation and continued aggravation to our overworked pancreas.

Put it in reverse

I have a reversible vest. It works great. When the one side begins to lack luster, I simply turn it around. For the most part, pre-diabetes works like that too.

It is reversible, when we turn our lives around with some lifestyle changes.

As I mentioned, prevention is not profitable, yet it can be a lifesaver. If you suspect you may be headed down the insulin resistance path, I urge you to be proactive in your health care and begin to explore and address the underlying cause(s) from a holistic perspective. Keeping blood sugar reduced through insulin control via medication certainly can be critical, yet other factors need to be looked at too such as diet, stress, toxins, immune issues, lack of sleep and intestinal distress. In my opinion, it is unfortunate that some medical health professionals continue to recommend 6-11 servings of complex carbohydrates per day. Personally I think

this is too much carbohydrate for anyone. And for those with insulin resistance it is like adding fuel to the fire. So what can we do?

Pre-diabetes can strike silently. Don’t wait until it is too late. Know your numbers.

Keep a vigilant watch on vital health markers. This includes fasting blood sugar, body mass index, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and cholesterol.

When the numbers start creeping toward a risky borderline have a defensive plan of action in place that includes: • Limiting the consumption of sugars, grains and processed carbohydrates. Focus on healthy proteins, fats and brightly colored vegetables.

• Getting a glucose monitor so you can keep track of your fasting blood glucose numbers as well as your readings one and two hours after a meal. Aim for a fasting blood glucose number to be below 85 mg/dl. No readings above 140 mg/dl following a meal.

Be aware of any specific foods that cause a high reading.

• Bringing your fats into a good balance. That means limiting most vegetable oils and taking in organic butter, olive oil and coconut oil as well as wild salmon and sardines.

• Thinking green- Fill your plate with leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kale, cabbage, and Swiss chard.

Limit fruit to one to two pieces a day. Go very easy on dried fruits as they have very high sugar content.

• Aim for 5 grams or less of sugar per serving on foods that have a label.

• Eating breakfast, including a protein source. See my article from last month for protein shake ideas.

• Inoculating your gut with a high quality probiotic in the form of supplements or fermented foods. Remember fresh raw sauerkraut and Kombucha!

• Moving, move and move some more. Movement

A Thanksgiving Offering from page 5 years, ye’ve got t’ romp and play, An’ learn t’ love the things ye have by usin’ ‘em each day; Even the roses ‘round the porch must blossom year by year Afore they ‘come a part o’ ye, suggestin’ someone dear Who used t’ love ‘em long ago, an

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

•

•

increases our muscles ability to use insulin and over time our cells can be healed from insulin resistance.

Shedding excess pounds.

- Stop the cycle of excess weight causing insulin resistance and insulin resistance causing excess weight. When processed carbohydrates are avoided, weight is usually reduced.

Slow down- Stress raises cortisol levels which in turn increases insulin.

Good luck as you keep a mindful watch.

Our children are our legacy.

Give them the precious gift of a long and healthy life by being a blood sugar border control role model. They will thank you for years to come.

Resources: www.wellnessmama. com – “How to reverse diabetes naturally” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ articles/archive/2005/05/31/diabetes-disease.aspx “The Blood Sugar Solution”Mark Hyman MD Recommended Reading: Blood Sugar 101: What they don’t tell you about Diabetes – Jenny Ruhr. Also see www.bloodsugar101.com Cheating Destiny: Living with Diabetes, America’s Biggest Epidemic – James S. Hirsch Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution: The Complete Guide to Achieving Normal Blood Sugar- Richard Berstein MD or www.diabetesbook.com The Schwarzbein Principle – Diana Schwarzbein MD Don’t Die Early : The Life You Save May Be Your Own- Rocky Angelucci LRA Sue is a holistic nutrition consultant and holistic health educator.

Her office is located at 54 Chestnut Street in Lewistown. To learn more about her business go to www.mynourishingjourney.com She can be reached by email at sue@mynourishingjourney.com or give her a call at 242- 3132. a trained ‘em jest t’ run The way they do, so’s they would get the early mornin’ sun; Ye’ve got t’ love each brick an’ stone from cellar up t’ dome: It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home.

Good harvest, everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving!

12

The Valley, November 2013

Getting Crafty with Fall Dècor

Fall has arrived and I couldn’t be happier! Finally, no more sweating and dodging from air conditioned car to air conditioned building just to remain comfortable. The nights are cool and crisp and the days are brisk and delightful! I love it! But, give me a few months and I’m sure I’ll be clamoring for warmer weather and the end of freezing rain and sleet. I decided to share some simple, but pretty holiday decorating ideas in this month’s article. You can buy or collect most of the items to make them locally, and I found many of them

tastefully simple.

The Dollar Store has a good selec-

tion of very cheap glass candle holders and vases. They also are a good source for artificial flowers.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

Instead of twigs around the glass vases, I’d use twine (easier!)

continued on page 22

13

The Valley, November 2013

Understanding the Constitution

by David Molek

Constitutional Decline

Our federal government, limited to certain core functions by our Constitution, now dominates virtually every area of American life. Its authority is all but unquestioned by our Congress, our President and our Supreme Court. It seems that Americans have handed over our lives to the government that tells us it is better capable of determining our lives—our lifestyles, religion how we speak, act, think and spend our money.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to be getting worse, in fact, much worse. My confidence in our federal government’s ability to handle domestic and foreign policy and problems has reached an all-time low. Like a frog in a pot of water that is slowly bought to a boil, Americans have become acclimated to a country in which the federal government intrudes into almost every nook and cranny of their lives.

We see seemingly endless discord in Washington. Congress passes massive pieces of legislation with little deliberation, with

bills written in secret and generally unread before the vote. There are a vast array of administrative policymakers and rulemaking agencies. Although our Constitution vests legislative powers in Congress, the majority of “laws” are promulgated in the guise of regulations by bureaucrats who are invisible to the public and unaccountable. We are in trouble.

Progressives emphasize a combination of powers rather than a separation of powers. Separation of powers divides and checks our government; but combination of powers concentrates government’s authority and directs its actions. While seeming to advocate more democracy with their rhetoric, progressives actually want more centralized government control. We can’t trust the so-called “mainstream media” to give us the facts. They are just an arm of the progressives advocating their positions and issues by repeating their sound-bites. What happened to “we report, you decide”?

Liberty seems like it no longer is a condition based on

human nature and our exercise of God-given rights, but a changing concept whose evolution is guided by our federal government. These are significant attacks on our Constitution. We cannot forget our goal of bringing politics and government back into harmony with the principles of the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.

Sometimes, I feel like we no longer have states’ rights or individual rights; but are looking at government-provided allowances and entitlements. The federal government, along with our Supreme Court, has come to define our lives and how we should live. We cannot allow government elites to rewrite liberty in the government’s image.

Our Constitution is being transformed by progressives beyond recognition. This is occurring with a minimum of public attention or debate. At times, I feel the government is creating “constitution-free” zones inside our country. It is well past time that, “We the People” seriously

begin reigning in this federal government. There is no reason why we have to grovel before the administrative state.

Our president promised to “fundamentally transform the United States of America”. He has done that – but not in a better way. Even a cursory glance at the federal government’s size, scope and level of competence raises my concern about the condition of contemporary constitutional government. The size has become ungainly, the scope enormous and the competence is, at least, dubious. We are in a fiscal mess.

We have a 70,000 page tax code, 2700 page Obamacare abomination with 11 million words of regulations, unsustainable debt, continued record deficit spending, pork spending galore, a maxedout credit situation and absolutely no accountability.

Depressing, isn’t it? We are becoming a redistributive, entitlement country. We know that the progressivism’s price is beyond what we can pay. We are certainly broke; but we certainly do not want to become broken. I become depressed when I think that a nation conceived in and dedicated to individual liberty takes on the

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

trappings of the collective mind.

We are living with constitutional decline. Our Constitution was meant to impose discipline on politics. Unfortunately, our federal government is spending as fast as it can borrow and extend our debt limit while regulating our liberties away. There seems to be no restraints on government overreach today.

We are a nation founded on principles. Many of us are depressed with the GOP caving.

Progressive liberalism ignores the rule of law and constitutional government. We need to restore conditions of liberty and renew our bedrock principles and constitutional wisdom that are the roots of America.

We need to take back our country. Congress needs to stop delegating its powers to agencies.

States are separate and independent sovereigns. They need to act like it (like Texas). Our Declaration of Independence articulated the prevention of tyranny, while preserving liberty. We need more people who are ready to reembrace clear, enforceable limits on our federal government. We need a monumental step on the long path to self-government by a republic. Aren’t you tired of the government over-regulation in all areas of your life? We need to honor our Constitution. a

The Valley, November 2013

14 Poor Wills’ Valley Almanack from page 19 and collards will thrive, free from summer’s insect pests, and will provide hearty greens for soup, casseroles, and side dishes all the way to Christmas. Along side those crops, onions, carrots, turnips, radishes, and beets, protected by mulch, offer variety as well as a head start on the spring garden if winter temperatures are moderate. In the cold or hot frame, lettuce, mustard greens, and spinach will keep the other vegetables company. Thyme, chives, and mint will also hold their own well past Halloween.

In the annual and perennial garden, flowering kale and cabbage can replace October’s mums, and, like their more edible relatives, can often survive into January, tolerating all but the most pernicious freezes. More vulnerable to the snow and ice, but still hardy through the first weeks of winter in this area, are pansies.

Since the November flower garden may have little more than two or three varieties of plants, one secret to making the best display is quantity. It’s an old method, easy and effective: don’t just plant a few flowers, plant lots and lots of them.

Don’t arrange for just a row or border of flowering cabbages and pansies: put in a whole garden full of them next July, hundreds of them. Fill all the empty spaces left from summer. If you start your plants from seed, the entire yard can bloom throughout the eleventh month, no matter what the weather, for less than ten or twenty dollars.

In the warmest years of all, November gardens will stay

unharmed until early spring, and continue to cheer you into the first days of snowdrops and aconites.

And if you have thought about your late February and early March plantings as much as about your late autumn ones, you’ll hardly have a day of the year without greens and flowers for the table.

Almanack Literature Coal Stove Memories

By Sara Beck, Jeffersontown, KY

I have fond memories of my mom’s wood-coal burning stove.

Every morning, Daddy would add kindling and coal to the almost burnt-out fire. I loved it when Mom would fill the teakettle with water and sometimes get a little too much water and the drops would spill out of the spout onto the hot stove and the water would sizzle until it dried up.

Many days, I would come home from school, and when I reached the bottom of my fifteen steps that led to the top of the front walk, I would smell the delicious, delightful odor of sweet potatoes, one of my best-loved vegetables. I ran fast up the walk to the three steps to my side porch, rushed through the dinging room into the kitchen, and there was my mother getting ready to open the oven door.

She would put the sweet potatoes on a plate, cut them open and put plenty of Mr. Miller’s country butter on them. Mr. M’s butter came in a round mold, and it had a flower on the top. Mom always let me have the flower to put in the middle of the top of my piece of bread. Then I would put slices of butter around the flower until I had the top covered. I always ate

the flower last.

Mr. Buser brought our country milk every morning. Mom would let me take the good-sized topping of cream off. I especially liked it when it was frozen and I could mix it with a little sugar. I still remember that delectable taste.

WHO SOLVED THE SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER SCKRAMBLER? Nobody Yet! Go Back And Find Your Old Issues Of The Valley!

A SCKRAMBLER FOR NOVEMBER If you are the 2nd or the 5th person to respond with the correct answers, you’ll receive a $5.00 prize. There should by no typos in this puzzle, but if you do find one, you June skip the word without penalty. There should be no typos in this puzzle, and no typo prize will be awarded. If you happen to find a typo, however, you may simply skip that word without penalty. Send your entries by postcard only to Poor Will’s Valley Almanack at P.O. Box 431, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387. The names of the winners will appear an upcoming issue of The Valley Newspaper.

SFEJROFNE

OEORNM

DAISMNO

SMDAA

NSRRHOIA

YTERL

LTYRAE

For Sale Oats...$4.25/Bushel Oat Straw ..$3.00/Bale All Natural Grass-Fed Beef Call 717-910-5649

LLFIOERM

NAHCUBNA

RTNGA

YAEHS

DGLAERIF

RURAHT

YELKINKCM

FATT

RADHNGI

OOIEGDLC

OVOHRE

Listen to Bill Felker’s weekly “Poor Will’s Almanack” on podcast any time at www.wyso. org. And Bill’s website, www. poorwillsalmanack.com, contains weekly updates and a sizable bank of information about nature. His organization of weather patterns and phenology (what happens when in nature) offers a unique structure for understanding the repeating rhythms of the year.

Jared’s Bunker from page 4

(which I’ll not mention here for fear of an over-reactive reader insisting that I’m encouraging some kind of illegal activity.) should become a worthy addition to your post-SHTF preparedness plans.

One last thing I’ll mention is that just having certain tools in your vehicle could cause an over-zealous police officer to suspect you of burglary or at least the intent.

Remember that we now live in a Police State where you are guilty until proven innocent. Be safe and Prep on. a

entrance to a damaged structure for rescue, or to make an escape from a damaged structure.

Many times I’ve read where folks insist there could come a time where the need to scavenge for food and supplies will become necessary. They insist that you should have the means to gain entry to abandoned buildings.

That is a scenario I hope we never have to face.

This tool along with a few other instruments of forced-entry

Bill lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

He has two daughters, Jeni, who is a psychologist in Portland, Oregon, and Neysa, a photographer in Spoleto, Italy.

Copyright 2013 – W. L. Felker a

Expect More from Your Fuel Supplier!

• Reliable Propane & Heating Oil Delivery • Budget Payment Plan • 24/7 Emergency Service • Heating Equipment Service Plans • Safety Trained Professionals

Call today to learn about our NEw CustOmER sPECiAls!

• Over 80 Years Experience

Our Business is Customer Satisfaction

717-248-5476 • 1-800-PROPANE (776-7263)

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

The Valley, November 2013

15

The Mifflin County Historical Society is pleased to present the new book...

MIFFLIN COUNTY THEN & NOW

A Changing Community Through the Camera’s Lens Written & edited by FOREST K. FISHER Contemporary photographs by NATHANIEL THIERWECHTER

FEATURING * Over 175 historical and contemporary photographs * Landscape layout for large, easyto-compare Then & Now images * Full color contemporary photographs * Vintage photos in full color, black & white or original photo tones * Historical text details over 80 pairs of Then & Now images * 175 page, soft cover 8 1/2” x 11”, sewn perfect-bound binding

(Add $6 for shipping, if mailed) Book sales benefit the Mifflin County Historical Society AVAILABLE AT THESE LOCATIONS: MCHS Office & Library; MCHS Web site www.mccoyhouse. com (via PayPal, click on Store); Juniata Valley Chamber of Commerce Store, Historic Courthouse; Friendship Book Store in the K-Mart Plaza, Burnham

MIFFLIN COUNTY - THEN & NOW pairs photographic images to compare past with present. Contemporary photographs approximated the same site or $20.00 + PA Sales Tax = $21.20 More information: location as seen in vintage views Mifflin County from Mifflin County’s Historical Society, past, while related imMifflin County 1 W. Market St., ages and memorabilia Lewistown, PA augment many histori17044 cal photographs.

Phone - 717-242 Mifflin County 1022 Historical Society Email: info@mifauthor Forest K. Fisher flincountyhistoriand photographer calsociety.org Nathaniel Thierwechter Web site: www.mchave teamed for this coyhouse.com nostalgic look back to see a changing community through the camera’s lens, and to Contemporary photographs by Written & edited by remember... Mifflin NATHANIEL THIERWECHTER FOREST K. FISHER County - Then & Now

THEN & NOW

A Changing Community Through the Camera’s Lens

Rubber footed riding ring, fenced pasture, and detached four car garage.

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, November 2013

16

Shade Mountain R&R Goes Wild!

Much has been happening at Shade Mountain due to the fact that my hobby turned part time business has gone wild! First of all, let me tell you briefly what we do.

My name is Tamela Hetrick and I have been a licensed Orthopedic Massage Therapist for the past 13 years. Eight years ago,

my husband, Glen, and I finished off a small section of our barn for me to practice my massage therapy at Shade Mountain R&R. Instinctively drawn to natural skin care, and concerned about the ingredients in commercial skin care products, I began making my own massage crèmes to use on my clients and products for my family

to use. I began to sell these products to my massage clients. That was seven years ago. This hobby has evolved into Shade Mountain Naturals. We now have 9 helpers (all family) and are loving what we do!

In the last few years, we have grown to eight retailers and an online storefront. Up until the beginning of this October, we were cramped in our basement, with no room to run a growing business. With the problem of space restraints and the desire to have space for a storefront and a spa party room, we decided to expand into the rest of the barn.

Shade Mountain Naturals will

Shade Mountain R&R

now have space to make all of our products efficiently. Our new retail space will not only provide a place for customers to shop, but will be able to see first hand how our products are made! Our large

Our new, locally designed and produced packaging ties in with our love for the “Natural”.

St. John’s Holiday Gift Show Quality Hand Crafted Gifts and Fine Art

Friday Nov. 29th, 9am - 5pm Saturday Nov. 30th, 9am - 5pm

St. John’s Christian Daycare and Preschool 3597 West Main Street, Belleville, PA Proceeds benefit the Casey Marthouse Memorial Scholarship Fund at St. John's Christian Daycare and Preschool. thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

open window from the retail room to our production area allows customers to view us in action.

My niece, Stephanie Rhoads (who happens to be a pastry chef!) has a knack for making our products look fantastic. Come see how we take 100% natural clays, spices, flowers and herbs to create some beautiful soaps and scrubs. It just doesn’t get any fresher than that!

We do our best to “keep it local” by buying our products and services locally. Our Local Connections line includes soaps, scrubs, crèmes and lip balms made from Mr. G’s Coffee in Reedsville, Bella Vista Spa’s wine from Mil-

Continued on page 26

17

The Valley, November 2013

What About Sunday?

Truly The Sabbath, Or Man Made?

We hold to many things as truth; when, in fact, a bit of research will prove otherwise. This is especially true as it pertains to matters of religion and faith, but also applies to all aspects of life: religion, economics, politics, and science. Pertaining to religion, we pay high credence to the fathers of our respective faith walks. I do not discount their, or anyone’s sincerity; all are mere mortals, however, and subject to error. Nothing brings this point in greater focus than determining the proper day to worship the Almighty. Theologians, as well as the average believer in the pew, are convinced that their opinion and the way they interpret the Bible at any given moment is the

right interpretation. However, The Almighty has prescribed certain things in His word that stand the test of time as well as the opinion of the moment and, as we are about to discover, it is He who called forth a seventh day Sabbath and He never rescinded it.

Why is it we have come to worship on Sunday? Most Believers will tell you it’s because Jesus/Y’shua was raised from the dead on the first day of the week.

Consider this quote: “You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday...” Now, you would think this quote would come from

a Jewish sage or Messianic Believer, but instead, I quote James Cardinal Gibbons, former Catholic Arch Bishop of Baltimore. He completes his thought by stating: “...a day which we never sanctify.

The Catholic Church...by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.” In official statements he elaborated: “Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act...and the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power. Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.”

The Catholic Church Extension Society, Chicago Illinois in 1975 put forth the following: “protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath.

The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies (to make, or cause to

appear, foolish or ridiculous) them in the eyes of every thinking man.”

It does appear that the Catholic church is truer to its theology than the Protestant church in this matter. The Catholics claim the right to change the day of observance and hold to it. Protestants who fly under the banner of “sola scriptura,” which is Latin for scripture only, do not hold to this mantra when it comes to dealing with a seventh day sabbath.

Our Sunday observance actually stems from Emperor Constantine’s edict issued on March 7, 321, stating “All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the Venerable Day of the Sun.” Constantine authorized a Creed which contains the following wording; “I accept all customs, rites, legalisms and feasts of the Romans, sanctifications by Pontius Maximus, the new Sabbath-the Sol Dei (Sun Day) – all new chants and observances, all foods and drinks of the Romans in the New Roman Religion.”

As we are seeing, it was Constantine and the “New Roman Religion” that mandated Sunday worship. Prior to this, Believers in Messiah worshiped on the appointed seventh day Sabbath as commanded in scripture, as did Messiah Himself. Note that in the

Gospel of Luke (4:16) it states; as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Further, Jesus/Y’shua stated that He is Lord of the Sabbath; so, if he had declared the Sabbath to be naught, then He would have declared Himself to be lord of nothing! (Lk 6:5, Matt 12:28, Mk 2:28). Even Paul, whom in error is sometimes esteemed higher than Messiah by some, said “I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.” (Acts 24:12) To believe, in the Hebrew mind, means to act upon that belief; therefore Paul too worshiped on the seventh day.

Now, I have been asked if it really matters as to what day of the week we worship. It does because it matters to the Almighty!

“Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein” (Lev 23:3). The seventh day Sabbath cycle has never been broken in man’s history and The Almighty is beckoning us to return to His ways. In the Bible, the Sabbath is the first thing God sanctified and made holy, all other days are simply numbered, but the seventh day is given a name; the Shabbat

Continued on page 22

MEAT. WILSON’S MEATS AND GROCERIES

Fresh Meats, Full Line of Groceries, and Produce

Open 7 Days! 7am - 9pm

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

A hometown grocer you can trust.

The Valley, November 2013

18

Poor Will’s Valley Almanack

The Shooting Stars

As you check your livestock after dark, look for the South Taurids on night of November 4-5, the north Taurids on November 11-12 and the Leonids on November 16-17.

If you are afflicted with melancholy at this season, go to the swamp and see the brave spears of skunk cabbage buds already advanced toward a new year....

See those green cabbage buds lifting the dry leaves in that watery and muddy place.... They see over the brown of winter’s hill. They see another summer ahead.

--Henry David Thoreau

Meteorology and Peak Activity Times for Livestock, Fish, Game & Dieters If strong storms occur this month, weather patterns suggest that they will happen during the following periods: November 2 - 5, 14 16 and November 21 - 27. New moon on November 3 and full moon on November 17 are likely to intensify the weather systems due around those dates. By the end of November, a killing frost can be expected all across the Valley.

Fish, game, livestock and people tend to feed more and are more active as the barometer is falling one to three days before the weather systems that arrive near the following dates, dates on which cold fronts normally reach Pennsylvania: November 2, 6, 11, 16, 20, 24 & 28.

for Late Fall of 2013

by W. L. Felker

The Sun Daylight Savings Time ends as November begins. Set clocks back one hour at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, November 3. Also on November 3, a total eclipse of the sun will be visible in the eastern United States just a little after dawn.

On November 22, the sun enters the sign of Sagittarius and reaches within two degrees of solstice at the same time.

The Planets Saturn is not visible until the middle of the month, reappearing in the morning sky in Libra.

Jupiter lies in Gemini overhead in the morning, shifting to the west as the sky lightens in the east.

Mars starts the month in Leo, then enters Virgo at December’s approach. Venus in Sagittarius is still the evening star.

The Stars The Milky Way runs from east to west, cutting the sky in half at bed time. The Big Dipper hugs the northern horizon then, and Orion has risen over the Atlantic Ocean and the Allegheny Mountains, visible now in your own yard. Deep in the west, summer’s Cygnus goes down just as Sirius, the Dog Star, becomes visible deep in the east.

November Weather Planning

At this point in the year, the most temperate weather of the year is gone, and it is time to count the days left for autumn chores and harvest. Of course, uncertainty is predictable after the end of Indian Summer. There is some mild, dry weather left, but now much?

After Halloween, the workday began to shrink quickly, losing two minutes every 24 hours, and the odds for decent temperatures plummet. In all November, there is an average of only one or two days in the 70s, just six in the 60s and only eight in the 50s. That makes just half the month with moderate afternoons, and many of those fall within a week of Halloween.

If there will only be about two weeks of moderation in

November, and just seven days of really mild weather, odds are even that most of those warmer days will be mostly cloudy (the sun hiding on up to 18 out of November’s 30 days). The sky becomes especially grey after the 14th of the month, the solar pivot time after which overcast conditions increase until May. And then the first snow flurries almost always arrives between the 10th and the 20th.

The last week of late fall is the first week of December. By then, average highs will have fallen into the 40s. There is only a one-in-ten chance that 60 degrees will come again after December 1, and only a one-in-three chance that temperatures will break 50 (there are usually only five to ten days above 50 in the entire month of December). Snow or sleet falls eight years in ten that first period of the year’s last month.

So when you finally sit down to add up all the nice days, subtract the cold, damp ones and divide by the number of chores left to do this fall, the time seems pretty short.

Figure there are, at most, 40 days left to autumn: November, with its nine or ten periods of rainfall, usually has only 20 dry days, and just half of those are even close to 60 degrees. You eliminate all but one or two days in the first week of December and you end up about two weeks of benign days between now and the arrival of early winter (December 8) for fertilizing, harvesting, wood cutting, planting winter wheat, raking leaves, transplanting, and digging spring bulbs.

NOVEMBER - WEEK 1 THE FINAL WEEK OF MIDDLE FALL Lunar Phase And Lore As the leaves come down, deer begin their mating seasons. Starting earlier in the South and later in the North, this season typically comes to a close before early winter arrives as the last leaves

fall in December’s second week.

Accompanying breeding time, the Deer Mating Moon is new at 7:50 a.m. on November 3. Rising in the morning and setting in the afternoon, this moon is overhead close to midday.

This week of the dark moon is a perfect lunar time for completing garden planting and transplanting of bulbs and perennials, and for seeding bedding plants for April and May. Fishing and hunting are favored when the moon is overhead these mornings, and your luck should increase as the Halloween cold front and the fronts of November 2 and 6 approach.

Lunar position in Scorpio between the 27th and the 3rd favors the seeding of your early bedding plants indoors, under lights Weather Trends

November’s average temperatures fall about one degree every 50 hours. Normal highs slip down into the 40s and lows dip well into the 30s by December 1. With averages plummeting a total of 14 degrees, between five and ten mornings below freezing occur in the next 30 days.

The coldest days in November, those with better than a 35 percent chance of a high below 40 degrees, are the 12th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. The days with the best chances for highs in the 60s and 70s are usually the 1st through the 4th.

NOVEMBER - WEEK 2 THE FIRST WEEK OF LATE FALL Lunar Phase and Lore All week, the new Deer Mating Moon (new on the 3rd at 7:50 a.m.) waxes through its first quarter, eventually entering its second phase on November 10 at 12:57 a.m.

By the end of the week, the moon’s position is relatively weak (compared to new and full moon), so its influence on the weather and on animal behavior is not expected to be great. Still, you might

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

expect both fish and game to be more abundant when the moon moves overhead in the afternoon – especially as the November 6 and 11 cool fronts approach from the west. Lunar position in Capricorn through November 8 encourages the sprouting of bedding plant seeds.

Weather Trends Late fall almost always arrives the second week of November, a transition time when the last leaves fall, skies darken, wind speed increases, hard frosts put and end to the year’s flower and vegetable cycles, harvest is completed on the farm, and last preparations for winter are made.

Late fall’s high temperatures shift decidedly into the 40s, and lows average 32 or worse. High pressure systems, accompanied by clouds and rain or snow typically arrive around the 9th and the 14th.

The 9th is historically the wettest day of November’s second week.

The 11th and 12th are the sunniest, and the 13th is the driest.

At least one partly cloudy afternoon in the 60s or 70s comes six years out of ten during this time of the year, but cold and precipitation are the norm. Heating degree days are now more than double those of October.

NOVEMBER - WEEK 3 THE SECOND WEEK OF LATE FALL Lunar Phase And Lore The Deer Mating Moon waxes through most of the period, becoming completely full on November 17 at 10:16 a.m. This week’s full moon will lie overhead in the middle of the night, contributing to the chances of success for finding raccoons, skunks and ‘possums after dark.

If you are waiting for deer in your stand during the day, you may find that activity picks up as the moon passes below the United States about noon. Squirrels and groundhogs could also be most active then, and fish could be reaching the warmer shallows if the sun is

19

The Valley, November 2013 shining.

Both night-time and daytime fishing and hunting (and feeding children) can be expected to improve as a cold front approaches with the full moon. Look for the barometer to be dropping prior to the November 16 and November 20fronts. An seasonal affective disorders are likely to rise over the upcoming weekend, thanks to full moon and an increase in cloud cover several days before.

Weather Trends The third week of November usually is the second week of late fall, and the likelihood of cold intensifies. Chances for weather in the 60s are still 50/50, but a warm high in the 70s only happens once in a decade this time of year, and days in the 30s and 40s are becoming common.

The 15th is the day most likely to bring precipitation, having a 70 percent chance for rain or snow.

The 17th and the 20th are also fairly damp, the former carrying a 40 percent chance for precip, the latter a 55 percent chance. The 18th and the 21st are the driest, with only a 20 percent chance for showers or flurries.

NOVEMBER - WEEK 4 THE THIRD WEEK OF LATE FALL Lunar Phase And Lore The Deer Mating Moon, full on the 17th, wanes throughout the period, entering its final phase at 2:28 p.m. on November 25.

Rising in the evening and setting in the late morning, this gibbous moon moves overhead in the dark of the night and very early morning. Lunar conditions should be most favourable for hunting and fishing as the barometer drops before the arrival of a cold front on or about November 23, especially in the very early morning or late afternoon.

Weather Trends

The fourth week of November, the third week of Late Fall, is the stark and windy week that marks the fall of average highs below 50 degrees throughout the region, and the end to any chance of a day above 70. (Well, there is always a two-percent chance!)

Nights below zero even become possible now. The sixth cold front of the month, arriving around the 24th, bringing a 70-percent chance of rain or snow on the 23rd.

The Almanack Daybook for November 1: As harvest time winds down for grain crops, the holiday market gets into full swing. Christmas

cacti, dried flower arrangements, grapevine wreaths, grasses, and forcing bulbs sell briskly in the city, offering welcome income to the small farmer and hobbyist. Supplies should also be on hand for the bedding plant season, which usually begins with the first pansies and begonias under the new moon.

2: Fertilize after harvest with organic matter, phosphorus, and potassium to reduce soil compaction.

Add nutrients to dormant pasture in order to produce better yields next spring. Of course, it’s always a good idea to test your soil before you add those nutrients to it!

3: This morning’s end of Daylight Savings Time could cause animals and family to be out of sorts because of the change in feeding and eating schedule. And seasonal affective disorders may be increasing in many people due to the change in sunset time that accompanies the end of Daylight Savings Time. Even though you are getting up when it is lighter outside, the sudden end to the day near suppertime can be pretty upsetting. Cloud cover reaches winter levels during the first half of November, compounding the effects of the shortening day and the change in time.

4: The increasing frequency of cold fronts means increased chances for successful fishing and hunting in the low-pressure troughs that precede those fronts.

Watch your barometer, and go looking for supper as barometric pressure falls and the wind blows from the south.

5: Don’t overgraze your pastures as growth slows. You may want to cut back the numbers of animals per acre as late autumn deepens.

And when soil temperatures fall into the middle 40s, consider placing mulch around prized plants and bushes.

6: As winter approaches, keep your animals (and young children) away from spilled antifreeze, snow removal salt, lice, poisonous Christmas greens, foam wrapping of water pipes, floating tank heaters, extension cords, too many corn stalks, drafts, poor ventilation, pneumonia, deer hunters, and coyotes 7: Improper nutrition is another winter danger. You and your animals could need up to one third more feed in winter than in summer.

8: Try to keep your water for pregnant livestock between 50 and 60 degrees. Animals usually drink more if the water isn’t too cold.

9: Consider ultrasound to verify pregnancy of animals that mated in September or October. The ultrasound test is generally reliable if done at 45 to 60 days into the pregnancy.

10: Fertilize after harvest with organic matter, phosphorus, and potassium to reduce soil compaction. Add nutrients to dormant pasture in order to produce better yields next spring.

11: If you intend to breed lambs and kids in January or February, hormone levels in sheep will have adjusted to the season, so keep the lights on to create 16- hour days through the late fall and winter months.

12: The latest sunrise is still about half an hour away, but most shepherding and goat herding activities have now taken on a schedule that will last until lambing and kidding in early or middle spring.

13: Plant late bulbs, garlic, shrubs, and trees throughout all but the coldest states after full moon (the 17th this month).

14: Just because the weather is getting colder, don’t forget to keep checking for worms in your livestock.

15: After full moon, put in the last of your spring bulbs and water them thoroughly.

16: As you schedule estimated due dates for each of your pregnant animals, also do an estimated time of day for each, basing your assessment on the time of the mother’s previous births or the time of day the animal’s mother gave birth to her. If your estimates end up being right, you may save yourself some surprises in the years to come.

17: Keep up weight and daily milking records to track any unexpected decline in either is often related to problems with feed or health. Since winter generally brings the highest prices for goat’s milk, there is extra incentive to watch your goats’ production records.

18: The cloudiest times of the year in most of the country come between November 6 and February 22, and a lack of sun means slow drying for wet hay.

19: Now is the time to keep an eye out for pneumonia in your animals: maintain good ventilation (but no drafts) in the barn, and watch for stress from overcrowding. And people should get their pneumonia vaccinations, too!

20: Breed in early winter for “spring babies” - lambs and kids that will be able to take advantage of fresh April pastures.

21: Be sure that bee haves have adequate ventilation. Clustering bees produce water vapor in the hive and if it is not removed, it condenses on the inside of the hive top and comes back down on the bees in the form of very cold rain, which can chill the bees to the point of killing them. Ventilation is usually accomplished by many beekeepers, simply by putting a stone or stick under the top to prop it up a little bit for air flow.

22: Now the inventory of your neighborhood rests on a count of remaining leaves on which trees or plants, the breakdown of the fallen leaves, the subtlety of the colors, the coming apart of seed heads, the disappearance of berries.

23: Cholesterol levels often rise 10 percent in the winter, but swings up to 50 percent have been noted.

24: Another thing you might do for your bees is putting an entrance reducer in the hive. The idea of a reducer is to give the bees a small opening that they can easily guard, that allows them to get out on warm days for cleansing flights, that keeps the raw wind from blowing in and, above all, keep the mice from nesting in the hive over the winter.

25: Work gypsum into the soil where salt, used to melt winter’s ice, may damage plantings. Feed the lawn - fall is a better time than in the spring - the winter’s rain and snow, freezing and thawing, will gently work the fertilizer through the soil. Mulch the wet perennial beds to prevent drying, January’s heaving, and cold damage.

26: The corn and soybean harvests are usually complete by today, and growth of winter wheat slows in the cold. Some fields yellow from low nitrogen levels. New garlic shoots are firm and green, but they’ve stopped growing and remain at their mid-November height. The Christmas tree harvest

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

has begun, and the last poinsettias have come north 27: The beeches and the pears are gone, and the silver maples and the oaks thin out. Forsythia and spirea turn deep red and yellow from the frost. Tangled bittersweet is wide open along the fencerows.

Bright pink coralberries shine through the undergrowth. Seed tufts of virgin’s bower complement tufts of milkweed, thimble plants and cattails.

28: Prepare to transport goat and sheep cheese, Christmas cacti, dried flowers and grasses, poinsettias, mistletoe and ginseng to market.

29: Fertilize trees and bushes after leafdrop is complete. Fertilize the fields after harvest with organic matter, phosphorus and potassium to reduce soil compaction. Prune fruit bearing bushes. From this point, growth, even among the winter plants like purple deadnettle and henbit, dock, dandelions, is almost imperceptible in average years, and the cold does away with all their November progress.

30: The gooseneck turns chocolate brown. Most all the seeds are gone from milkweed pods; just a few wisps of down cling to their shells. Fragile pokeweed stems have exploded in the frost.

Yellow witch hazel flowers are shrivelling. Privets are bare, their blue berries revealed. Euonymus fruits are losing their white outer shells, orange cores unveiled by the cold. The last roses have been frozen by nights in the teens.

Homesteading Notes Planning Next Year’s November Garden

There are almost four months between now and the first daffodil, about thirty cold fronts, and about twice that many rainy or snowy days. The sky will be grey much of the time, afternoon highs will typically range from the 20s to the 40s, and lows will pass the freezing mark just about every night.

The chill of November, however, is not so terrible as to keep the serious gardener from his or her appointed rounds. The November vegetable patch, planted in mid to late summer, landscaped either to replace the fragile beans and squash, or laid out in its own display, foils the frost and warms the soul in some of the darkest days of the year.

A plot full of kale, cabbage,

Continued on page 14

The Valley, November 2013

20

Fifty Years Ago

From the pages of The Sentinel (Lewistown, PA), founded in 1903: November 1963

Mifflin County is stunned by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on Friday, November 22. The newspaper releases two editions that day, something not seen locally since the Second World War. The first headline: “President is Shot in Texas” followed just hours later by the three-inch banner “SNIPER KILLS PRESIDENT.” County schools were dismissed early when news reports confirmed the president’s death, as do most businesses.

Lewistown Mayor John J. Lawler commented, “It is impossible to believe it is true that President Kennedy is dead. It is hard to put into words what one

thinks at a time like this.” County Commissioner Ralph H. Maclay explained, “There’s only one thing to say. It’s terrible. I think it is a disgrace that a thing like this should happen in this country.

The Chamber of Commerce and Mifflin County government asked all merchants to honor the memory of the martyred president by closing from noon to 2 p.m. on the Monday following the assassination.

Author’s note: Many across Mifflin County stated they would forever remember where they were and what they were doing at the time the terrible news arrived. I was sitting in the packed auditorium at Kishacoquillas High School, awaiting the start of a talent show assembly with all the other students. Before the show really started, Principal Fred R. Carstetter stepped from behind the

curtain and announced, choking back emotion, that “our President is dead.” He asked us to bow our heads for a silent moment, and then we were dismissed and sent home.

One Hundred Years Ago

From the pages of the Democrat & Sentinel (Lewistown, PA), founded in 1832: November 1913

MIFFLIN COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS – Sheary Triumphant In Judgeship Fight - Temperance, after a grueling struggle, has been returned a victor, thereby assuring a “Dry” Mifflin County for another year.

A slight majority elected George W. Sheary, Temperance candidate, Associate Judge over John S. Garrett, pro-alcohol candidate. The “No-license” forces, flushed with victory, are jubilant.

ELK IS SHOT, HUNTER PAYS $200 FINE – Dayton M. Aikens Lays Kingly Animal Low in Mistake for Deer – MONSTER BUCK WEIGHS 700 POUNDS; MEAT FOR HOSPITAL – Father of Unlucky Hunter Informs District Attorney - Mistaking the elk for a large deer, the hunter shot the animal near a Siglerville farm.

Aiken and four other hunters saw what they perceived as a large buck in a wheat field bounding toward them and all discharged their guns in an attempt to bring it down. Only Aikens’ ball found its mark. His father telephoned officials the next day to confirm the illegal kill. It is believed the elk came from Centre County where the State Game Commission recently placed a number of the animals in game reservations.

The hide and head become the property of the informant, as does half the fine.

Civil War Echoes – One Hundred Fifty Years Ago

From the pages of the Lewistown Gazette (Lewistown, PA), founded in 1811 November 1863

The newspaper published Lincoln’s Gettysburg address in its entirety on the front page of the newspaper. The report noted that the event was a “Grand Mili-

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

tary and Civil Display” with the President seated between Messers Seward and Everett.

Thanksgiving services were held in all churches, and businesses were generally closed all day in accordance with President Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation. In the evening a community service was held at the Methodist Church with addresses by Revs.

Guyer and McClean. The pastors urged listeners “to stand firmly by the government… in the path were liberty, duty, honor and religion call,” according to the Gazette.

Deer were a common sight, the Lewistown Democrat reported. A buck had been seen ambling down the canal towpath to the bridge where is swam the river. Eight or ten were taken in the mountains around Lewistown, mostly with the help of dogs. It was feared that the use of dogs would drive the animals out of the area. The editor suggested a tax of $5 or $10 per dog and a law prohibiting their use in deer hunting. a

21

The Valley, November 2013

Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly A Brief History of our Family Business that is located in Millheim and has provided a Service to the Area for over 87 years

Stanley C. Bierly Sr. (my Father, Stan) started selling radios from the family home in Rebersburg in 1925 (he was 17). When he graduated from Penn State with a degree in Electrical Engineering there were no U.S. jobs available for EE’s, so he started wiring houses and selling small appliances including radios.

The business grew, so in 1945 he purchased a building and moved to our present location in Millheim; which, at that time was a center for commerce as a trip to State College was considered too far to travel. Beyond doing house wiring, at the new location he sold

and installed large appliances, heating systems and plumbing systems.

I can remember when television sets started selling, Dad purchased the abandoned Beacon Light Tower on top of the mountain north of Millheim and installed three television aerials on top of the tower for Altoona (channel 10), Johnstown (channel 8) and Lancaster (channel 8). Our family would load up the black and white TV in a Jeep (the final hill was steep) and transport it to the Beacon Light Tower and have a cookout and watch snow free TV. I can remember him telling

me in its “hay day” he installed a TV and a TV tower every day of the work week.

My Dad ushered Stanley C. Bierly (the business) through the appliance age. Customers wanted more conveniences like clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, electric ranges and television sets to name a few.

They were tired of the wringer washer and hanging clothes out to dry. Stanley C. Bierly was there to provide those products and service after the sale. I can remember as a kid that we had a Bendix Washer in the basement of our home that was bolted to a block of concrete to hold it down when it went into the spin cycle.

After fraduating from Penn State in Mechanical Engineering in 1963, I (that’s me, Stanley C. Bierly, Jr.—I use my middle name, Curt) went to work for Packard Electric, a division of General Motors in Warren, Ohio.

In 1967, Gretta, a Warren resident, and I were married and we moved to Angola, Indiana where I managed the Indiana Division of Gettig Engineering.

Our Sons, Stan III and Alex, were born in Angola. We stayed there until 1975 and then moved back to the Penns Valley Area where I worked as an Engineering Manager for Gettig Engineer-

ing in Spring Mills.

About that time Dad wanted to retire and was planning to put the business on the auction block. We hated to see all the years he worked to establish the business be wasted, so in 1975 we purchased the business and I spent daytime hours at Gettig’s and evening hours at SCB while Gretta handled the bookkeeping.

In 2005, Stan III joined Stanley C. Bierly. Stan III An early “Pennsylvania Fireplace” graduated in 1993 from Penn State in overnight. The government was Mechanical Engineerstarting to think renewable and ing and has been an irreplaceable was offering solar rebates. You asset the past seven years. might say that we ushered the

In 1975 when we purchased store through the energy age and the store, an energy crisis was we’re still doing it with no end in upon us. Oil was in short supply sight. and the price was rising steadily.

People were looking for ways to Curt Bierly is president of the bisave money on their heating bill erly group incorporated of which and many turned to wood and Stanley C. Bierly is a division. coal. We started to sell Franklin He is chair of the Penn College Fireplaces that were made in MifHVAC Advisory Board. You can flinburg. I can remember selling contact him at 814-349-3000 or the first air tight wood stove, and cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a people were amazed that fully loaded with wood, it would last

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, November 2013

22 What About Sunday from page 17 in Hebrew or Sabbath in English.

Consider two more points with regard to creation and observance of the seventh day; Adam was created on day six. What was the first full day he spent with his Maker? The Shabbat! He didn’t need to work to enter into YHVH/ God’s rest. Likewise, there is nothing we need, nor can do, to enter the Almighty’s rest. His gift of salvation is free to all whom respond to His great mercy as delivered to us by His son. What we are talking about is radical obedience and He has called us to convene on the seventh day of the week, not the first. I know the scripture verses in the the new testament which we’ve been taught to interpret otherwise. We’ve been taught incorrectly. To get into that is a six page version of this article and my publisher, good-natured as he is, cannot go there! Suffice it to say, however, that scripture never doubles down on itself and teaches against itself and the final 20% of the book cannot undue what the Almighty promulgated from the beginning and reinforced through the prophets and the writings; it must harmonize!

My second point is when you observe the seventh day Sabbath, you affirm the creation account as rendered in Genesis and, in a world run amok with evolutionary teaching and thought, I believe this is key to who we are as a

Getting Crafty from page 12

I’d also use Indian corn or regular dried corn instead of coffee in the image just below. The acorns in the image to the right could be replaced with a layer of candy corn and some tiny pine cones too. Burlap is becoming very popular for décor lately and don’t forget all the copper and brushed metal spray paint colors on the market these days. Cop-

people and it blesses our Great God.

Consider if you purchase a ticket for a dinner event and, regardless of what date the ticket shows the event to be, you feel certain that the dinner is really to be held on the following day.

So you show up at the appointed time, but on the following night.

Will you not miss the meal? Depending on the venue, there may be some leftovers to have, but you would have missed the main event. Is it possible that we miss so much of what The Almighty wants for us because we tenaciously hold on to what we want rather than simply doing what He asks us to do? He wants to meet with us on the seventh day, not the first. Let me encourage you to seek The Almighty on His anointed day because He delights in and blesses obedience!

C. Mark Ostrowski, MSFS is the Founder and President of The Stewardship Group in Belleville.

His articles ponder various contemporary topics evaluating them from a political, economic and scriptural point of view.

References include: Faith of our Fathers, James Cardinal Gibbons.

Stefano Assemani, Acta Sanctorium Orientalium as Occidentalium, Vol. 1, Rome 1748. The Creation Gospel, Dr. Hollisa Alewine and Walk in the Light, Book 8, The Sabbath, Todd Bennett. a

per colored pine cones, mini pumpkins, or acorns? Hmmm..... now we’re talking! Bottom line, there’s lots of room for creativity in these fall decorating ideas and many are easy to change up for Christmas, which is just around the corner. Let your imagination run wild and do what inspires you! a

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

23

The Valley, November 2013 you like or dislike? Then this book is for you! It combines history, folklore and nutritional information into a wise and witty read.

It covers 23 of the world’s most popular vegetables. For example, you will learn why Roman gladiators were massaged with onion juice before battle! And to top it all off, each chapter begins with a eye-catching illustration. This is a creative and well researched book!

Mail Pouch Books

by Carleen B. Grossman

The month of November brings us Veterans Day on the 11th. Veterans Day is an official U.S. holiday that honors people who have served in the armed service. It is a federal holiday and not to be confused with Memorial Day that celebrates those who died while serving their country.

Veterans Day celebrates ALL of our military Veterans. For this month’s books, I have tried to select books that represent things our veterans might relate to from their experience in serving our country.

THE VALLEY OF LIGHT

By Terry Kay Copyright 2004

This is a very poignant novel of love, acceptance, and the wonders of the world in which we live.

It is about a veteran of WWII who travels to a small rural borough in North Carolina which is nicknamed The Valley of Light.

There he hopes to escape the horrors of war that he witnessed and to find a place to call home.

The people of the borough begin to be intrigued with this young man when they see him fish in their local streams and lakes.

They learn that he somehow possesses a magical ability with the rod and reel. He is welcomed to participate in the annual school

fishing contest.

This soul-wounded young man discovers the genuineness of the people in the area and finds not only his purposes for living, but love and how to cope with grief of different kinds. And most importantly, what this book shows is that sometimes the people we think we are is not exactly who we are!

This book is very touching and thought provoking and it does not lead you to a false conclusion.

You will enjoy the camaraderie of the community, the beautiful descriptions of scenery, and yes, even the sections that detail the fishing experiences [even if you have never fished in your life!].

You will experience not only scenic beauty but a strand

of mystery woven into this most memorable story. I did not want the story to be over...it provided me with much food for thought!

HOW CARROTS WON THE TROJAN WAR: Curious (but true) Stories of Common Vegetables

By Rebecca Rupp Copyright 2011

Are you interested in more information about the vegetables

KNOWING HORSES: Q & A’s to Boost Your Equine IQ

By Carol Butler Copyright 2012

Even if you think you know all about horses there is always more to discover. This informa-

100 Stine Drive Lewistown, PA 17044

717-248-6400 x.16

Kim@StoneArchRealEstate.com

SPEC-TACULAR PRICE!

Blossom Hill Duplex

$170,280 REDUCED $10,000

With closing by 12-31-2013

Unbelievable Price on NEW Duplex in Blossom Hill!

This Quick Delivery Home is ready for you to move in 1664 square feet, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths Sunroom with Cathedral Ceiling Upgraded Master Bath w/ Oversize Shower Open Floor Plan Kitchen with Island First Floor Laundry Call Me Today! This won’t last long!

Kim Rickert, Broker ABR® CRS® GRI® Cell: 717-994-1933

www.StoneArchRealEstate.com www.thevalleynewspaper.com

tive read will provide you the answers to hundreds of questions ranging from behavior, physiology, breed characteristic, training, sporting events and general information about the relationship between humans and horses.... horses who for centuries have played a role in our lives both private and military!

JUST IN CASE: How to Be Self-Sufficient when the Unexpected Happens

By Kathy Harrison Copyright 2008

This book will help you to set up a sensible system in case outside services are interrupted.

This family reference book will explain how to pack an evacuation kit, assess a food supply, develop a communication system and use alternative heating sources. This is an essential book in the style of a manual packed full of tips! a

24

The Valley, November 2013

Find us on The Valley Newspaper

The Pen and Thread Custom Calligraphy and Weaving

Mary Anna Chenoweth Proprietor

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

717-248-6079 131 West Market Street Lewistown, Pennsylvania

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

The Valley, November 2013

Attract migrating hummingbirds to your feeders for a chance at prizes!

Hummingbirds are being found with increasing frequency in the fall & winter seasons in Pennsylvania. About 99% of the hummingbirds that are found east of the Mississippi are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, but sometimes during fall and winter other species of hummingbirds pass through Pennsylvania as the travel from breeding grounds in Alaska to wintering spots along the Gulf Coast.

Ornithologists are very interested in learning more about these wayward little birds. Your participation can help contribute to the growing body of information about migrating hummingbirds. If you are able to get a confirmed hummingbird to visit your feeders, you can win a prize. In addition, researchers with federal banding permits would like to band the late season hummingbirds, if the homeowners are willing.

NOTE: Maintain a clean feeder whenever you leave it out for birds. It is recommended that you clean the feeder at least weekly, more often if the sugar mixture gets cloudy. The mixture for the feeders should always be 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. No additives or dyes are ever needed. If temperatures drop below freezing, bring the feeders in overnight. It is a myth that keeping feeders up will prevent them from migrating in the fall. They will come and go as they please. We are only helping them fuel up in their journey.

PRIZES: Any hummingbird species that can be confirmed will be entered into a $100 drawing. Any species other than Ruby-throated Hummingbird will automatically win $25. This contest runs from 10/1/13 to 1/31/14.

Contest is sponsored by Kauffman Insurance Agency in Mifflintown and Lost Creek Shoe Shop/Optics from Oakland Mills. Contest is limited to anyone in the Juniata, Mifflin, Perry and Snyder County area.

Anyone in the state, outside of the above areas who are getting hummingbirds, is still welcome to contact us for further information. They can be eligible for other prizes and contests going on.

Contact information: Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/FallForHummingbirdsContest Chad Kauffman 717-4368257; Aden Troyer 717-463-3117 or email chadkauffman@earthlink.net

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

25

The Valley, November 2013

26

for their food supply, unless the bees to help them survive.

November is a time to reflect beekeeper took more than his of all the blessings that God has

The bees have sealed up all share and will end up feeding the given us through out the year. the cracks with propolis (bee Beekeeping helps glue). Great us to meet new insulation. friends.

However, the

Everybody I black bears are know likes honey preparing for and the other winter too by products of the eating our bees, hive. The bees and destroying who are able to the equipment. get on a truck and So a trap is set head to Florida and we wait this fall to poland see now. linate the citrus The bear comes crops, are the like a thief in lucky ones. For the night. This the rest of us, we reminds me to need to prepare stay prepared. for the coming To say thank winter. The bees you to God for my wonderhave stored up The door to the honey house and the guard hive whose bees were no match for about 60 pounds a hungry bruin recently. The bear destroyed equipment and ripped open a 55 ful friends and of surplus honey gallon drum of comb cappings. Hence the need for the bear trap. family, and the

Shade Mountain Gone Wild from page 16

spa parties. Clients can invite along a few family, friends, coworkers, etc. to Shade Mountain and enjoy a few hours of Rest & roy, and our newest—made with Relaxation! My niece, Dana VarHimalayan Salt for Simply Health ner, LMT or myself, will provide which has just relocated to State a relaxing, rejuvenating escape; College. We also pour our facial complete with your choice of soap into soap bowls hand thrown treatments. Choose from facials, by potter, Ian Stainton from Potfeet and hand treatments, scrubs, ter’s Mills. hot oil treatments, wraps, and of

Future plans for Shade Mouncourse—massage therapy! The tain Naturals include classes so best part is Shade Mountain R&R that we may share our passion for products are 100% natural and custom made fresh on premises by Shade Mountain Naturals!

We plan to have seasonal themes to our packages, as well as some traditional choices.

Come visit and see us in action, as we are now open for business every Thursday Our facial soap dishes are hand thrown by a local potter, Ian Stainton, from Potter’s Mills. and Friday

Our ad rates are the best value anywhere. Call us and see what we can do for you!

717-363-1550 love and support they each give me. Thank you God for your son that died for our sins. For your unconditional love to each of us.

And for answering our prayers

again and again. And bless each of us with memories that time can’t take away. a

100% natural skin care. Your body absorbs a large percentage of what is put on it, so skin care products are just as important as what you eat. We plan to not only educate others on the importance of using natural skin care products, but we will teach how to make those products and provide the supplies to do it!

Shade Mountain R&R, our massage therapy office, will now have the space it needs to provide

Our newest product: Whipped Himalayan Salt Scrub. Created for Simply Health, who recently relocated their Salt Cave to State College.

from 9 to 5 and Saturdays from 10 to 2. We will hold our open house on Friday, November 15 and Saturday, the 16th. Like us on Facebook for weekly specials and announcements on new products.

We are located on Serenity Lane

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

off Jack’s Creek Road in Lewistown. Find us on the web at www. shade-mountain.com. Feel free to call us at 717-248-8847, or better yet, stop in! a

27

The Valley, November 2013

Grosze Thal Nachbaren

(Big Valley Neighbors)

by Jeptha I. Yoder

Ein Grusz in dem Namen des Allerhöchsten. Es ist die schöne Spaatjahr zeit. Es ist nicht sehr kühl. Aber jetzt an die zeit ist es sonderlich warm für October.

Zu zeiten höret mann auch noch die Katy-dids des nachts wen sie warm genug sin. Das Mais is reif und am vertrocknen ohne frost.

Der Zwei und zwanzigst September waren wir in der Gemein ans Eli S. Hostetlers. Lang Leen Ost war ans Jacob Z. Hostetlers.

Der Neun und zwanzigst September war Kirchengasse Gemein ans Salomon C. Hostetlers.

Lang Leen West ans Emanuel I. Hostetlers. Ost Milroy ans Esle M. Hostetlers.

Rebecca, Miriam, Ruth, Naemi, und Lena Hostetler (Jesses’) und meine Schwester Elisabeth waren bei die (Noah Y.) Rebecca und Tochter Lena fürs Mittag.

Unckel Christ M. Yoders waren ans Eli S. Hostetlers fürs Mittag.

Und ans Manasse J. Yoders fürs abendessen. Manasse J’s waren ans Mose C. Yoders fürs Mittag.

Meine Eltern waren ans Unckel Christs abends.

Der Sechst October waren wir in der Gemein ans Johannes

Y. Hostetlers. Bestellt ans Mose R. Hostetlers bisz nächst mol, so der Herr Will und wir leben. Lang Leen Ost war ans Emanuel J. Yoders Nieder Milroy ans Noah S. Hostetlers.

Der Dreizeht war Kirchengasse Gemein ans Michael E. Yoders. Milroy Ost ans Samuel M. Zugen.

Meine Eltern waren ein wenig ans Isaak S. Yoders nachmittages. Eli Z. Hostetlers von Penns Thal waren dort. Dort vormittages waren Johannes M’s, nachmittages Johannes E’s, alle Hostetlern. Schpäter waren meine Eltern ans Rudy M. Hostetlers fürs Abendessen. Eli S. Zugen und Familie, Sam M’s und Mose E’s, beide Hostetlern waren dort fürs Mittagessen. Dort nachmittages waren Isaak N, Hostetlers und vier Jüngste.

Unckel Jesse S. Hostetlers und Tochter Rebecca waren in McClur am besuchen über die wochend.

Der Zwanzigst waren wir in der Gemein ans Mose R. Hostetlers. Von McClur waren Samuel Yoder (Johannes E.), Michael L. Speicher Jr. und

Samuel A. Zug (Christ R.). So der Herr will und wir leben, ist unser Gemein ans Ruben D. Hostetlers nächst mol. Lang Leen Ost Gemein (und singen) war ans Uria J. Yoders. Nieder Milroy ans Jonas A. Hostetlers.

Christian greetings on a cloudy autumn day. Rain would be welcome, though we had considerably more rain in the month of October than in September. Corn husking is in full swing. Some are already done.

Since we have not had a hard frost yet, we are still picking fresh tomatoes and other goodies from the garden. In fact, I want to save pineapple and Brandywine tomato seed yet. These were planted quite late and have not blighted. With harvesting and seed-saving, I find this a very busy time of year.

Oh yes, I did take time to read cousin Iddo’s welcome column. It’s always good to find new writers for this paper. I also miss the ones that have dropped out, but were regular writers when this paper started three (uh! really?) years ago. Why not let yourselves be heard again?

Well, back to the neighborhood (Nachbarschaft), several new arrivals are a daughter Hannah on September 23rd to Jacob B. and Veronica N. Hostetler.

Grands are David J. and Anna N. (Hostetler) Yoder; Samuel K. and Rhoda Z. (Speicher) Hostetler.

Great-grandfather is widower Jacob B. Yoder.

Son number 4, named Michael E. to John I. and Anna M. Yoder on October 4th. Grands are Noah D. and Fronie K. (Yoder) Hostetler and the late Sam S., and widow (Jeptha H.) Lydia R. Yoder. Great-grandmother is widow (Eli J.) Barbara Y. Yoder.

Rudy M. Hostetler is laid up with a broken leg from a logging accident. Mail will reach them at 108 Chief Logan Lane, Reedsville, PA 17084.

Recent callers lately, long enough to share several issues of The Valley, were Don and Linda Mouck (drivers) and David and Verna Mullet, from the western part of the state. Don likes to spend a day or two in Mifflin County each fall.

Mrs. Yune Hostetler (Franey) of Lawrence County was visiting at her brother Moses M. Yoders some weeks ago. A sister the (Sam H.) Lydia A. Hostetler (who was staying at her son John Y’s) was also taken there to visit in the meantime. Shortly thereafter Lydia went home to McClure, at her daughter, the Aaron Speichers.

Saturday October 12th relatives

were to a frolic in McClure, at Yost I. Hostetlers, to raise the lower frame of a new barn. The main raising is planned for the 26th.

John S. Hostetler (57) married to Lena M. (Speicher) was in an accident in a logyard, resulting in fractures of hip, pelvis and ribs, if I have correct, needing surgery. Address is 150 J-Pine Lane, Reddsville.

Thoughts of sympathy are with those parting with thirteen year old Korie Yoder of Belleville area, who died in an accident.

Also to the family of Thomas Detweiler who died in a sawmill accident.

Here I am again, Thursday (the 24th) afternoon. Just came home from the funeral of Leah Y. (Hostetler) Yoder (aged 79 years, 19 days) wife of Great Uncle Isaac S. of 1065 Church Lane, Reedsville, PA 17084. By Uria S. Hostetler. Pallbearers were John Y., Ben N., Isaac H. all Hostetlers and Joel E. Yoder. Hauled by Jonathan N. Hostetler.

Surviving are three daughters, Nancy F. wife of Joseph D., Katie B. wife of Tobie Z., and Salina E. wife of Eli Z. all Hostetlers and of Penns Valley. A daughter-in-law Franey N. of the above address; sixteen grandchildren a number of great-grandchildren, two brothers, Moses I. and Jonathan R; a sisterin-law Rebecca Y. all Hostetlers and of Reedsville. Preceded by a son, Emanuel B., two grands and two brothers.

Born October 3, 1934 she

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

was a daughter of the late Deacon Jonathan Y. and Nancy F. (Yoder) Hostetler.

Latest reports on the above John S. Sr.; Plans were to come home last of this week from Hersey Hospital. Drs. predictions are 3 months recovery time in a wheelchair.

Christ M. Zook Sr. was hospitalized yesterday morning.

Their address is 9539 East Back Mountain Rd, Milroy, PA 17063.

Lydia M. Hostetler, daughter of (Noah L.) widow Rhoda L. of 101 Long Lane, Reedsville is also in the hospital, with plans to do gall bladder surgery. If I have correct, it was delayed due to dehydration.

Both of the above are patients in State College.

Another new arrival is a daughter Leah B. on the 21st, to moses D. and Dena N. Hostetler.

Grands are Samuel E. Jr. and Malinda F. (Yoder); and widow (Yost E.) Lydia E. (Zook) all Hostetlers.

This is now Friday as I wrap this up. Went on some errands this forenoon, making a call at Moses I. Hostetlers. He is quite feeble and has breathless spells. Was not able to view or attend the funeral of his sister, the above Isaac Leah.

Moses I’s address is 8100 East Back Mountain Road, Reedsville.

Remembering the sick and sorrowing. Till we meet again, May the Lord be with you all.

Jeptha I. Yoder a

The Valley, November 2013

28

Savvy Cents & Sensibility

by JoAnn Wills-Kline MBA

49 Days Till Christmas...!!!

As we roll into November, your holiday binder should be getting thicker and fuller – chock full of great ideas and holiday plans. At this point you should be well on your way to having a solid plan for holiday cards, décor, gifts, meals, and parties. Last month’s article discussed re-purposing your October décor such as cornstalks, pumpkins and gourds if possible to gussy up the house for Thanksgiving and be a frugal November holiday decorator, if at all possible.

Let’s talk turkey…whether you are hosting a Thanksgiving meal or attending one as a guest. As the hostess, get clear on whether you will provide all the food or request that guests bring a dish. Get a menu down on paper and what ingredients you will need to prep the holiday fare. Get the word out (invites & food assignments) to your guests

by the end of the second week of November if you are hosting.

Have a specific RSVP date, and be prepared to follow up with guests on whether they plan to attend if a few lag behind on getting back to you. If you are asking guests to provide a covered dish, be specific… it helps to prevent several of the same dish or lots of desserts, but few main dishes.

Begin picking up holiday food staples on your weekly supermarket trips. Pay attention to store and sales flyers and plan your shopping trips wisely. There is no need to feel rushed and have to tackle last minute holiday meal shopping – which often results in overspending. Well planned and strategized food shopping trips can save lots of money. If you prefer to serve many duplicate dishes at Thanksgiving and Christmas, plan your duplicate shopping wisely by dividing your

ingredient needs to take advantage of sales and “Two for One” specials. There are many great options for recipes and menu suggestions from simple to spectacular. Check out the publications of Rachel Ray magazine (http:// www.rachelray.com) and Real Simple magazine (http://www. realsimple.com) for great holiday menu ideas and recipes that won’t break the bank.

Now, let’s talk shopping… two major shopping events take place right after Thanksgiving – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you are a “Black Friday” shopper, be prepared to get bargains early as to avoid items being sold out. And, try to keep a level head… sometimes the thrill of bargain hunting can actually create an atmosphere to spend more than one realizes until after the shopping frenzy is over… then buyer’s remorse hits like a ton of bricks. If you prefer to take advantage of shopping bargains online, opt for Cyber Monday shopping – the Monday following Thanksgiving.

Both major shopping events often hold good opportunities to partake in rockbottom prices for money saving on purchases. I encourage you to opt to buy local if at all possible… from local artisans and shops as they are the backbone of our community.

Looking ahead to December – the countdown is getting serious and time is flying by quickly.

Just a few weeks to go til Christmas!

Holiday parties are just on the

horizon, and it’s nearly time to prep/send holiday cards. It’s time to gather gift wrapping ideas and supplies. If at all possible, I opt for frugal ways to wrap presents that create a great impression. I have used new kitchen hand towels and bath towels as gift “wrap” for kitchen and bath presents… it’s a nice way to include an extra gift through the “special” wrap.

I have also used brown Kraft paper and secured it with small pinecones and pine greenery for decoration. Newspaper (black/ white print sections) work nicely with big red ribbons; and the colored funnies section works well for kids… or kids at heart. If you just can’t part with traditional wrapping paper, at least opt for recycled or recyclable wrapping paper… if at all possible.

Oh Christmas tree… it’s time to think about options for a Christmas tree. Will you have one, and if so, will you have a “real” tree or an artificial one?

What size… tabletop or towering evergreen? Will you need to purchase tree décor from scratch, do you already have all your decorations, or will you make and hand craft your tree décor? So much to think about! Consider such questions and thoughts then outline your thoughts in your holiday ring binder.

The purpose of planning and strategizing for your stress-free holiday is to give you the gift of “time”… an opportunity to slow down and drink in every blessed moment… to be present in body, mind, and spirit. Take time to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. On Thanksgiving Day, count your blessings, not your problems.

Take a deep breath and grant tolerance for those who share your table or your presence that may

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

hold a difference of opinion… for one day opt for mercy.

I leave you with a lot of good resources and ideas to “gobble” up in preparation for a terrific Thanksgiving celebration day.

Check out these websites… Enjoy!

TLC - Cooking: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/ menus/thanksgiving-dinner-on-abudget-101.htm About.com Frugal Living: http:// frugalliving.about.com/od/thanksgivingdinner/Thanksgiving_Dinner_on_the_Cheap.htm MSN Money – Liz Pullman Weston: http://money.msn.com/familymoney/thanksgiving-feasts-onthe-cheap-weston.aspx All Recipes: http://allrecipes.com/howto/budget-thanksgiving-dinner/ Woman’s Day Magazine: http://www.womansday.com/ food-recipes/holiday-recipes/7inexpensive-thanksgiving-sidedishes-100288 Epicurious – For People Who Love to Eat: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/thanksgiving/ budgetmenu BlissTree – Thanksgiving for Cheap: http://www.blisstree. com/2011/11/21/food/thanksgiving-dinner-for-less-5-dishes-thatare-cheap-and-healthy-162/ a

29

The Valley, November 2013

GED® testing are referred to TIU Career Pathways classes at CareerLink.

The GET2WORK program and other services provided at the Lewistown CareerLink equip young adults with the skills and training needed to help them to succeed in today’s competitive job market.

For more information please contact Wendy Barton at 2484942 ext. 209 or 348-3228, wbarton@tiu11.org. a

GET2WORK

Out Of School Youth Program

The GET2WORK: Out of School Youth Program serves individuals between the ages of 1821, who are seeking employment or have a goal of post secondary

education. The transition to work is much easier to navigate when you have the necessary tools and information to guide you through the process. GET2WORK provides the tools youth need to meet their goals.

Once enrolled, youth will receive one-on-one assistance with on-line job search skills, creating a resume, filling out applications and effective interviewing tips.

A variety of other topics and activities include basic skills assessment, employer expectations, career exploration, and budgeting.

There are also two job placement opportunities in GET2WORK. Gabby Butler was placed through “Paid Work ExThe first placement perience” at Goodwill. They liked her and hired her opportunity is a paid on as a full time employee.

work experience. This is a temporary job placement that incorporates on-the-job experience in combination with workshops and job search time. The goal of this activity is to determine the interests and career goals of the youth and place them in a work experience that aligns with those goals.

Youth get real work experience, a job to add to their resume, as well as a professional reference.

Job placement settings include: industry, childcare centers, the county courthouse, and other local businesses.

The second job placement opportunity in GET2WORK is the On-The-Job (OJT) training program. OJT’s are typically available to youth who have some job experience, but need additional training. The program reimburses the employer a certain percentage of wages during the youth’s training period for youth who will potentially have permanent placement. This has been a successful collaboration in our community.

Youth interested in pursuing

Zachary Wagner placed through “On the Job Training” was hired on by Pennsylvania Insulated Glass.

post secondary education develop a plan with GET2WORK staff.

The plan includes researching schools and courses of study that align with career goals. Learning about financial aid and post secondary requirements are also part of the plan.

Youth are supported by GET2WORK staff throughout the program and follow up contact is made after a youth is employed or enrolled in school.

Enrollment is based on income eligibility. Program participants must also be out of school or close to attaining their Commonwealth Secondary Diploma.

Youth with a goal of completing

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

Nathan Appleby also was hired

by Pennsylvania Insulated Glass through our “On The Job Training” program.

The Valley, November 2013

30

PACleanways of Mifflin County

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Greensburg congratulated their local affiliates of Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful, Keep Juniata County Beautiful, Keep Perry County Beautiful and PACleanWays of Mifflin County on a successful eight annual Tire War. The Tire War is a friendly competition to compete for the most tires collected at their respective special collections.

This year’s winner was Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful with 2157 tires. The coveted “Gold Rim” award will reside with the Huntingdon affiliate until another year’s competition.

Keep Perry County Beautiful came in second place with 1037

tires, PACleanWays of Mifflin County collected 681 tires and Keep Juniata County Beautiful earned the “Flat Tire” Award with 563 tires collected.

The four County Affiliates’ volunteers collected a total of 4438 tires this year in four hours time. We would like to thank our volunteers for helping to load all the tires and thank the residents for bringing them in to be properly disposed of. Mahantango Enterprises out of Liverpool took the tires to their facility to be made into mulch and other recycled products, which are used for play grounds and horse arenas. Those are just a few ways that tires can be successfully recycled.

5000 SERIES

The collections, sponsored in part by the Department of Environmental Protection’s HHW Small Business Hazardous Waste Collection Program, have gathered and recycled 20,796 tires from local county residents since 2006.

There are no real losers in this competition as we strive to keep our counties cleaner by giving our residents a safe economic way to dispose of their tires. “These collections provide a convenient low cost alternative to the community. “The tires that are collected at these events won’t end up over the hill where they would be difficult and costly to remove,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. She really commends our affiliates for providing this service and for generating excitement and camaraderie within our network. —Pam Sechrist, Affiliate Coordinator a

R O I ER P U S

R__________

___________

NUFACTURED IN THE USA

Your Mifflin County Library

The weather is getting cooler.

Everyone is back to school. It is time to stock up on good books to read. It is time to visit the library and see all the great books we have.

But what is the “right” book for your child? Here is some advice that I find helpful.

A “right fit” book is a book that your child can enjoy reading on his or her own. Reading “right fit” books help your child develop as a reader and helps him grow in confidence and ability. To find the “right fit” book is easy now with the Five Finger Test.

Here’s how it works: Turn to a page in the middle of the book.

Chapter book or picture book, this Five Finger Test is perfect for any reader. As your child reads the “test page,” hold up a finger for every word he doesn’t know. The following is the guideline.

If there are no words or one word that your child doesn’t know or recognize on the test page, then the book is too easy.

If there are two words on the test page that your child doesn’t know, then that book is a good

choice for your child to read on his own.

If there are three words that your child doesn’t know on the test page, then that book is still a great choice but the child may need some help or may need to save this book to read aloud to a grown up or older reader.

If there are four words that your child doesn’t know on the test page, then you know that that book is too difficult for your child to read and understand alone.

You will need to read the book to him or definitely read the book together.

And if there are five words that your child doesn’t recognize on the test page, then this book is too difficult. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read it at all.

This just means to take it slow and talk about what’s going on in the story.

I hope this advice helps your child grow into a the kind of person who loves to read.

Susan Miriello Children’s Librarian a

5000 SERIES

ME TAL COLOR__________ S

PCS_____________

Roofing and Siding Doors and Windows Custom Trim and Supplies Everything you need for your next pole building

Snow Guard Special

ing

Shipp e e r F

LIbrary Lines

ree F MANUFACTURED IN THE USA

Now thru December 31st. - 15% Off 160 Ridge View Dr. Paul B. Fisher Millheim, PA 16854 (814) 349-5275 Stainless Steel Snow Guards

Powder Coated in 24 colors and unpainted available.

Sale Price Painted ...........$2.76...... 50 or more.......... $2.65 Sale Price Unpainted........$1.91 ...... 50 or more.......... $1.85

Pick up here or free shipping - Stock up now!

Paul B. Fisher (814) 349-5275 160 Ridge5000 ViewSERIES Drive5000 • Millheim, 16854 5000 SERIES 5000 SERIES 5000 SERIES SERIESPA 5000 SERIES 5000 SERIES COLOR__________

COLOR__________

COLOR__________

COLOR__________

COLOR__________

COLOR__________

COLOR__________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

PCS_____________

MANUFACTURED IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE MANUFACTURED USA IN THE USA

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

ng

pi Ship

31

The Valley, November 2013

Artisan Chocolate The Sweetest Kept Secret at dutch pantry gifts

by Scott Keys

Since 2004, The Dutch center. Ingredients are of utmost Pantry has been well known for importance in our chocolates. their homemade jams, and more Our cordials are one of our best recently, for giving local artisans sellers, filled with either Appleton a place to sell their hand crafted Estates Jamaican Rum, Disoranno gifts. However, before the jelly Amaretto, or Bailey’s Irish Cream, business got its start, I had already and then finished off with one of been experimenting in the arena of hand crafted chocolates and confections.

Once again, I was inspired by my German grandmother’s teachings of using old world methods such as starch casting and cast iron molds to make the highest quality candies.

Starch casting is Making molds for “Starch Casting” our unique a century old process candies. involving candy being casted by hand into soft the world’s greatest chocolates, deposits of starch. Our cordials Neuhaus Belgian Chocolate. Usare all starch casted to maintain ing the finest and most celebrated chocolate in Belgium, Neuhaus a beautiful shape and liquor

is the market leader in luxury chocolate. When it comes to chocolates, there are the everyday candy bars we consume every day, the more exotic Godiva or Ghirardelli-style chocolates found in coffee houses and specialty stores, and then there is Belgian chocolate. Belgian chocolate is considered to be the gourmet standard by which all other chocolate confections are measured. Even the Swiss, known for their own high quality chocolate, imported the basic recipe from French and Belgian chocolatiers. What makes Belgian chocolate unique is the quality of ingredients and an almost fanatical adherence to Old World manufacturing techniques.

Even in today’s world of automation and mass production, most Belgian chocolate is still made by hand in small shops using original equipment.

Dutch Pantry currently offers over 25 kinds of chocolates and confections from peanut butter buckeyes and peanut brittle to chocolate covered fruits and nuts, and everything in between.

There are few things more thrilling than tasting. It’s a private discovery we make when tasting something for the very first time. The happy return to a taste we LOVE. Tasting is one of those most gorgeous gifts of life. At Dutch Pantry we have free samples of most of our candies for you to come in and try. People have really enjoyed the experience of coming in and hearing our story and trying one of our creations.

By November 15th we will be bringing back

candy. Most molds were made by two Philadelphia companies, Thomas Mills Brothers and V. Clad Company. These original molds are highly prized by collectors and can sell for more than $100 each. So there is nothing really more Pennsylvanian than an old fashioned clear Christmas toy candy for the holidays.

our old fashioned clear candy toy lollipops for the holidays.

The shape of these vintage toys will make you nostalgic for simpler times. Each toy is hand poured into cast iron molds just Pouring candy into the starch mold. like the good

I have worked very hard to old days. revive a centuries old tradition,

This candy is a very old and it has been a slow, but very Pennsylvania German tradition, rewarding journey bringing these these recipes and molds can be creations to Mifflin County. a traced back to the late 1700’s when it was then known as

Dutch Pantry Gifts is located “barley candy” because barley at 15 Commerce Drive in Milroy, sugar was much cheaper to use Pa. next to Dollar General and than cane sugar. The molds are Subway.

We are open Monday as interesting as the history of the thru Saturday 11am-9pm and Black Friday and Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29-30) we are open til midnight. Stop by and have a free sample of our wonderful chocolates and confections.a Old fashioned, Pennsylvania, clear candy lollipops, made from a recipe from the 1700s!

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, November 2013

32

REED COMMONS

COMING SOON Single Floor “Worry Free” Living

Fernzler-Hutchinson Architecture LLC

“55 & BETTER” ACTIVE ADULT - INDEPENDENT LIFESTYLE APARTMENTS From 697 Sq. Ft. (1 BR / 1 BA) to 1,389 Sq. Ft. (2 BR & Den or 3 BR / 2 BA). Six spacious floor plans are available. Each reasonably priced apartment offers amenities you expect in upscale adult communities. Design features include open floor plans, 9 foot ceilings, extra-wide halls and doorways, spacious bedrooms and baths, ample closets & storage, quality appliances and cabinetry, and distinctive architectural detail. Most have private balconies or patios. Covered parking is available. Our luxurious Clubhouse is certain to be a focal point of your new lifestyle.

RENTALS START AT ONLY $795 PER MONTH. Reed Commons is just 25 minutes south of State College in Brown Township at the entrance to Mifflin County’s beautiful Big Valley Amish Country. Our location is convenient for shopping, dining, cultural events, entertainment, top quality health care and much more!

CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Professional on-site management will assist in making your life comfortable, relaxed and enjoyable.

Amenities include: interior / exterior maintenance, secure intercom entry; convenient elevator service; ultra-high-speed internet and telecommunications throughout; Clubhouse with card / game / party rooms and multi-purpose media center; business services office (fax, photocopier, internet); fitness facilities and spa; common lounge, centrally located mail room; wonderfully decorated lobbies and common areas; picnic area and gazebo; landscaped grounds; and, individual basement storage rooms. We will also offer many “In-Home Services” on a convenient pay-as-you-need basis.

PRE-CONSTRUCTION APARTMENT RESERVATION INCENTIVES! Subject to errors & omissions. Prices, designs, amenities & incentives subject to change without notice

For additional information, contact

717-667-3717 or

reedcommons@gmail.com

REED COMMONS PO BOX 87 REEDSVILLE PA 17084 thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

33

The Valley, November 2013

Back Talk

by Dr. Joseph Kauffman

Treasure Hunting

One of the latest sayings that have become popular is “Keep Calm and Carry On.” November is a month where we reflect about the things for which we are thankful. Many of the things that top our lists are faith, family and friends. But, do we really devote our time and energy on the things that are most important to us? One of the topics in our Men’s Bible Study right now is focusing on a passage from Matthew. 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, [a] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, [b] your whole body will be full of darkness. If

then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:19-24) If faith, family and friends are really what we are most thankful for, why do we devote so much time and energy on things we can do so little about or things that distract us? Think about how much time we spend devoted to sports. How much time do we spend watching college football or professional football? How much time and energy do we devote to fantasy ideas such as fantasy football or Facebook? While we must work to be able to provide for our family, what will we be remembered by when we pass away? Will the legacy you leave behind fade away like money and possessions?

Will you leave behind a memory that your children will have of

wishing they could have spent more time with you, but could not due to work or sports or hobbies?

What will the carving on your headstone say about you? Father?

Mother? Worker? Teacher? Is what you spend most of your time being devoted to actually where you want your heart to be? Is that your treasure?

If you travel to other countries in the world or learn about other cultures, you may or may not be surprised by how they live.

We, as Americans, tend to be so time-oriented. We live on schedules, time commitments, planning, work, stress. Is this really the best way to go? I’ve read about the European lifestyle where vacations were mandatory and lasted at least a month. Wouldn’t that be great? Many other cultures tend to devote more time to their family as well. In many countries, when the elderly need care, the family steps up and takes them in.

Nursing homes are almost nonexistent. While many Americans

do this, too, sadly, many do not.

Why? Who has the time to care for an elderly parent or grandparent? We are too busy with the hustle and bustle and work and commitments. It should not be up to solely one person to care for an elderly family member.

Sharing the work will provide less stress for all involved. Why do we devote so much time to work?

To live the American dream. We want more. More is better than less. Isn’t that what we are taught?

By who? Where do we hear that statement? Commercials on TV. Our media is telling us what we want, what we need. We need more. We need bigger. We need better. More/bigger/better what?

Everything! It doesn’t matter. We are never content. We need to have more; it has to be bigger and better. A 47-inch flat screen TV hanging on the wall is no longer good enough. We need something better—a smart TV to tell us what we want to watch and to see it in 3-D where we must inconvenience ourselves by wearing special glasses to appreciate what the TV can fully do. And, it has to be at least 70 inches! The bigger, the better. Because we feel we need these things, we must work to pay for them or to pay for the debt we attain in order to have them. And, we end up spending more time

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

being distracted from focusing on the things that are important to us. So, instead of spending time playing outside with our kids, we spend the time sitting in front of our state-of-the-art television feeding our brains with distractions and commercials telling us we need a newer/bigger/better TV, because pretty soon, ours won’t be good enough. When we aren’t working to provide for our needs and our wants, we are wasting time with these distractions while the things that we know matter more to us are suffering and watching our example.

So, as you read this, know that I am as guilty of this as the next person. Each stage that my kids go through seems to fly by.

I blinked and now they are in pre-school. I know I will blink again and they will be graduating from high school. Think about what you are most thankful for and re-focus your time and energy to put your treasure where your heart truly is. We cannot change things in life. We cannot influence sports, politics, healthcare, the economy, or the government.

But, we can influence those things for which we are thankful. We can be a positive influence on family and friends and people in

Continued on page 43

The Valley, November 2013

34

Joanne Wills-Kline Contentment Quest

Eucharisto To Give Thanks

Eucharisto, a word of Greek origin meaning “to give thanks,” a word I have written about before, a word and it’s meaning I have come to understand as the foundation for “joy” and the building blocks of “abundance,” a word that is the underpinning of all my written works and this column. I have strived to live Eucharisto, to live in a state of thanksgiving.

November is the month of Thanksgiving, the month of Eucharisto, the month when we gather with family and friends to celebrate in the form of a large feast on a late November Thursday. This year, as I gather with my loved ones to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday I intend to: • be fully present • to be deeply grateful for all I have been blessed with this year • to practice deep listening skills to all I converse with around the table

•

to extend mercy to those who may have a difference of opinion than me • to celebrate each individual at the gathering for their unique attributes

This year I wanted to invoke a special feeling of thanksgiving, a feeling of Eucharisto, to the November column so I chose to offer several Thanksgiving Day quotes and prayers as part of the article.

Perhaps there may be one or two that resonates with you—perhaps one will speak to your heart. In any event, digest them slowly and with an open, grateful heart.

May your Thanksgiving holiday be filled with joy, family, friends, a feast of food, and cheer to last well into next year!

Sourced from http://quotations. about.com/od/specialdays/a/ thanksgiving2.htm H. U. Westermayer The Pilgrims made seven times

more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

Estonian Proverb Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.

Johannes A. Gaertner To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

Melody Beattie Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Fred De Witt Van Amburgh None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude.

Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Galatians 6:9 Do not get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

Albert Barnes We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.

Henry Ward Beecher The unthankful heart, discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and,

Progress At The Embassy

by Patricia Lawson

Congratulations to The Embassy Theatre! Community Partnerships RC&D administers annual Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts Awards, and this year, on October 3rd, The Embassy Theatre was awarded a grant made possible through the PA Council on the Arts, a state agency. In the coming year, we will be adding new programming events to our current offering. More details will be made available as these events are planned.

And, we have more exciting news to share. Remember the Conceptual Master Plan that we talked about a few months ago?

Well, as a reminder, this plan is to prepare a plan for the interior restoration work. Westlake Reed Leskosky, a nationally recognized historic theatre architectural firm, has been chosen to proceed with this next step.

The plan will detail how the theatre will be restored, and how it will be fitted for modern use.

The plan will guide the restoration of the architectural and artistic elements of the interior. It will also detail how to bring modern day technologies and “Creature comforts” in a way that complements and fits into the historic fabric. The plan will also provide conceptual ideas for the layout of the annex, to be built onto the side of the theatre. The annex will house new restrooms, a concession area, storage and mechanical spaces, and other necessary support functions. It is easier to place these in a new addition rather than having to drastically alter and reinforce the theatre itself.

As part of the plan, there will be an opportunity for the community to provide input into how the theatre would be used. This

will be added to the information gathered a few years ago when we created the Embassy Theatre Development Plan. If you never saw these plans, they are currently available as a PDF download on our website at www.embassytheatre.org. The plans there are updated as the project progresses.

The Conceptual Master Plan will be funded as follows: $10,000– Louis J. Appell Fund for Central Pennsylvania, administered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation; $11,000–Save America’s Treasures grant; and $1,000 from the Friends.

When finished, the theatre will be one step closer to the day we can open the doors. Just think, having The Embassy Theatre up and operating will certainly draw attention to downtown Lewistown and local businesses, so, proprietors and people of the surrounding

counties, please support this renovation. Your donations are tax deductible, greatly appreciated and crucial to our success. Checks can be made payable to “The Friends Of The Embassy Theatre” and mailed to the Friends of The Embassy at PO Box 203, Burnham PA 17009.

Last month we mentioned an

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!

William Faulkner Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.

George Herbert Thou that has given so much to me, Give one thing more -- a grateful heart; Not thankful when it pleases me, As if Thy blessings had spare days; But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise. a

upcoming Benefit Auction, which is scheduled for Friday, January 17th, at Stevens Auction House on Market Street in Lewistown.

Kirk is donating his time and facilities for the auction. We will need items to sell, so start looking around for new or good used items to donate for the auction.

More information will come, as we get closer.

Until then, I’ll talk to you next month!

Happy Thanksgiving from The Friends Of The Embassy Theatre! www.embassytheatre.org www.facebook.com/embassyltwn A Memory with a Future, a Future Full of Memories!

Statler and Waldorff Muppets

The Valley, November 2013

Life in the East End

by Rebecca Harrop

The East End is busy harvesting right now. Corn and soybeans are being harvested all over the county. I’m sure you’ve all seen the big combines out working in the fields. You’ve probably seen some of the equipment on the roadways as well. I just want to give you a quick reminder to watch out for the farm equipment on the roads. Some of us run the roads after dark as well, so remember we are out and working hard. We try to get over when we can, but it isn’t always possible.

I guess it goes back to what we learned in Sunday School, “Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you.”

I read a very good ‘Letter to the Editor’ in our Farmshine newspaper recently by Frank Bonson.

He was asking for respect for farmers of all persuasions, both conventional and organic. While we farm conventionally, I have no problem with those who wish to farm organically. One statement Frank made was “With less than one percent of us farming, we couldn’t farm that way and feed the world today.” I firmly believe that statement. Another statement Frank made was “As a boy we farmed without chemicals. We raised good crops, but we cultivated corn from the time you could see it come through the ground until we could hardly see the cultivator or the horses.” My Dad talks about cultivating corn as well when he was younger, He said the same thing about spending so much time running the

cultivator through the cornfields.

He said you used a lot of fuel and it compacted the soil running over it so much. There is lots of talk today about “factory farms,” but the reality is that most large farming operations are family farms.

In today’s economy it is no longer possible to have a small farm support a multi-generational family. Farm families have the same expenses as any other family. So I believe as Frank that we need to have mutual respect for each other and realize that there is a need for all of us.

One other thing before I forget and that is don’t forget November 5th is Election Day. We all need to exercise our duty, get registered and vote. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

Well we made our sauerkraut! We cut 52 of the 57 heads, plus Ben had 3 or 4 heads. Dad wanted to leave a couple heads for cole slaw over the holidays. He likes cole slaw at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Although with the size of those cabbages, I think one head would be enough for both!

But Mom said we can use them for our church’s soup sales too, so they’ll get used up. We had 296 pounds of cabbage and filled 10 crocks. We had one eight-gallon crock which had 40 pounds in it, four five-gallon crocks with 36 pounds each, two four-gallon crocks with 26 pounds each and three three-gallon crocks with 20 pounds each. So we should have lots of sauerkraut this year. That’s it from the East end this month. a

Save Jacks Mountain! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-JacksMountain/401857016591293

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

35

The Valley, November 2013

36

Hey all. Howyabeen? Up heah in the puckerbrush, we are starting to pull the gardens out, filling up the compost bins one more time and canning. LOTS of canning.

Still to go are more carrots, chard, beets and greens, taters, sweet taters, one last charge of green beanies. Later on, we’ll can up some winter squash--we only grow two kinds, usually--Butternut and Delicata. The latter is our very favorite, but it doesn’t last very long, compared to the other squishes. Usually by Christmas its just about had it, for us. We store it under a table, because we haven’t gotten around to building a root cellar yet. Here at camp in winter, it’s 80°F on one side of the door, -20°F on the other. All of the cool, dark places here are full of

canning jars loaded with our food stash.

I’ve had a few nibbles on some backhoe bartering, but no firm bites yet. If we have to, we’ll dig it by hand, but I know what will happen. I’ll unearth the biggest rock for miles around. Why? Because I know how things work ‘round he-ah. I have the perfect spot picked out for a root cellar.

Off the beaten path, yet pretty handy to both the gardens and camp, a nice spot for the northfacing door and steps down to it.

A spot that’s well-concealed from the road, for when this precarious economy implodes in our faces.

In fact, I plan on it being mostly underground, instead of my first plan of half above, half below.

This way, I can leave it be and let Mother Nature keep it well hid-

den. If all else fails, I’ll use some of my famous redneck camo on it: debris. Here at NMH, when we get wind that the tax man is making the rounds, these little ‘Mini Messes’ spring up here and there.

Maybe a car seat here, some scrap steel there, like the fenders off of an Edsel--maybe a few boards, the nails bent over for safety. Keeps the taxes good and low, and works like a charm.

Have I told you about the run-in I had with the tax people? They decided my place was worth almost four times what it was worth just the day before they came to ‘visit’ last time. I wasn’t here. Really? I went right down to the town hall, walked in and asked which one of them had smoked their damn breakfast before assessing MY taxes. I was

MAD. Well, it kinda threw them off a bit, until I reminded them just who they worked for--We The People. To make a long buttchewing short, when I left there, my taxes went DOWN 15 bucks.

You know what they told me?

That very few people complain.

They just cut a check and pay up.

They said it was a numbers game.

I know that most Sheople have become such cowards, they just don’t dare question ‘authority.’

And that, my friends, scares the crap out of me. Whole generations of Americans, drinking down the Fool-aid. I was raised to believe that the government is only granted the power that they BORROW from us. The Bill of Rights?

Not taught in governme...er..ahh. public schools? Cant be, at least not in the way it was written.

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

I LOVE reading quotes from our Founding Fathers. Those guys LIVED with tyranny. And smart? Unbelievably so! I need to research more, find out what they were reading. Books were very expensive, so they must have chosen carefully what books to get.

With all these technological things in today’s world bombarding us, like TV, radio, cell phones, microwaves, etc., its a miracle we can even think at all. I wonder if those books are available for Kindle? ;-)

Until next time, keep your friends close, they may come in handy, right off quick. DC will make another try for our guns soon. They have to, for their plans to succeed. They think George Orwell and Ayn Rand were writing instruction manuals. a

37

The Valley, November 2013

Caving Mifflin County with Todd Karschner

Waterfall Cave

Hello again everyone! cave was covered in one kind of 20’ in a passage almost full of Just after I finished writing formation or another. There was water. This opens up into a small last month’s article, I attended fall a large section of ceiling that had room with deep water on one MAR hosted by Nittany Grotto. collapsed and exposed an upper side and a 17’ climb straight up It was held at Lincoln Caverns in passage that was completely filled to more passage on the other. Our Huntingdon Pa. from Sept 27th with even more formations. group split up here. Two cavers, to the 29th. Unfortunately I was Then came the big suprise!

Wes and Amos, broke out some unable to stay Friday night, but did make it for Saturday and Sunday.

First thing Saturday morning, our group met in Mifflin County to visit a cave that has been closed for three decades from mother nature. It was dug open a month before todays trip. Our plans were to push to the end and possibly find new passage due to the very low water.

As with most privately owned wild caves in the county, the owner asked not to mention the name and Waterfall Cave has several eye popping formations as seen here, the pictures do not do location of this cave. justice to the amazing colors when light hits it from different angles.

And for good reason too. A slight rise in the surface stream above can flood the cave completely in a More than a dozen waterfalls in webbing and climbed up. They few places trapping you undera row twisting and ground until the water level drops. swirling deeper After everyone arrived and got into the dark. All I suited up, we headed for the cave can say is WOW! entrance. Along the way, we met Roughly guessing, up with the owner. He wished we dropped 50’ in us well and said to take lots of depth by the time we pictures for him and his family to hit the bottom of the see. Then one by one, the six of us last fall. The sound slipped into the darkness beneath from all of the falling a small waterfall. water was almost The first part of this cave deafening—we had guarantees that you will get to yell to talk to soaked. It is a crawl/slide on your someone who was belly through an underground standing next to us. stream bed carved through solid This section was the limestone. Knee pads are worth a most decorated of all. million bucks in this section.

Words and pictures A few places along this low can’t even begin to crawl are some rooms where you describe what we can stand and stretch. It seemed were seeing. This the deeper we went, the more could quite possibly decorated the rooms became. be the nicest cave I Eventually after about an hour, have seen in years. the passage opened up to where it Not far beyond was mostly walking. At this point the last waterfall, the amount of formations was there is a tight staggering. Virtually every inch of squeeze for about

than 60 people camped over the saw one passage filled from wall weekend. Then we made a trip to wall with rimstone pools, and through the vendor area before another passage continued to a calling it a night. sump where it ended. The rest Sunday morning we awoke of us, George, Jenn, Shawna and to the smell of breakfast driftmyself, went back to the falls to ing through the air. After some get more pictures and video, and pancakes and sausage, there was a to start working our way back to the surface. I think at this point all meeting and then the task of tearing down camp. of the cameras had dead batteries Well that marks the end of including two Gopro helmet cams. camp and cave weekends for After a slow crawl back and 2013. Bummer! I would like to pausing for some pictures at the thank everyone at fall MAR for tightest spot in the cave, (8” of another great time and Nittany airspace above the water surface), we caught a glimpse of daylight in Grotto for doing such a good job at hosting this event. I also want the distance.

One by one, soaked to the bone to thank Amos Mincin, George Bange, Wes Stahlman, Jenn Jones and smiling from ear to ear, we and Shawna Wilkins for one of climbed up through the waterfall the best underground adventures entrance. We were greeted by a yet! Until next time, couple of the owners cows who were very curious as to what we Cave safe were doing.

Todd K. a When everyone had changed out of their caving clothes, George, Amos, Wes and I headed back to Lincoln Caverns for the remainder of fall MAR. We arrived just in time for a catered dinner by Clem’s BBQ with boneless ribs, grilled chicken, baked beans, mac ‘n cheese, cole slaw and tossed salad.

MMMM GOOD! Door prizes were drawn after dinner and then a presentation was given by William White.

Then it was back to the campground for a campfire and conversation about the day’s caving trips. Twenty Another beautiful formation in Waterfall three caves in all were open Cave. for guided trips and more

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, November 2013

38

Ed’s Railroading News

by Ed Forsythe

I can’t believe it’s already late for this article to be written.

Where has all the time gone since my last writing? Cathy and I are getting ready for quite busy times coming up. The first event is a special Open House for the Mifflin County Model Railroad Club being held on November 16th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

After that event, the club will host our yearly Open House on December 5th and 6th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm in conjunction with the downtown Lewistown Ice Festival. I might add that this year’s Ice Festival will be featuring many new events around the square in Lewistown with several being interactive ice carvings. Also planned are different entertainments. Watch for more announcements coming from the Chamber of Commence Ice Festival Committee soon.

Other model railroad Open House dates are December 7, 8, 14, 15, and 29th--all from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. We will be featuring many different trains running on different days, so please come

several days to see trains including old trains from the 1920’s to 60’s, modern types, and special seasonal and whimsical kids trains. Each event is FREE admission, but we would like a donation to help us offset our expenses of opening the club to the public.

Also, we will have raffle tickets for sale with the drawing being held on December 15th at 4:00 pm. Winners will be notified.

Also coming up is the yearly event held at the Kish Park. This event is “Shining Light Through the Darkness.” This is where Kish Park is lit up nightly from December 7th to January 3rd. The park really comes to life each night with all the beauty and pageantry.

There is also a room right beside the Theater in the Park where there is a really beautiful winter village and a large train layout.

This room is also a nice place to get inside from the elements for a brief time along with the old bumper car area where there is almost nightly free entertainment.

You can also find free hot chocolate, coffee, soups and cookies in

the food stand that really warms you up while you take the walking tour of the park. There is always a cart-ride available for those who can’t take the walk and also there will be free carriage rides available several nights.

If you are looking for a great place to spend time getting involved as a community servant, please give a call to anyone involved with this great event to sign up to help set up, take down, or even work as nightly greeters.

It’s really a rewarding time. Set up will begin very soon on Saturday November 2nd at 9 am and Sundays from 2 to 5 pm. Volunteers are always needed, so you can just show up and get involved.

Other events in the area are

happening at the Rockhill Trolley Museum just 45 minutes from Lewistown on Route 522 South.

The Santa Trolley ride is on December 7th from 10:00 am to 4:15 pm, and the Polar Bear Express trolley rides are on November 29 and 30, December 6, 7, 13, and 14th from 6:30 to 9:00 at night.

This is when the whole trolley line is decorated and lit up for your enjoyment. You can go to rockhilltrolley.org for more details.

We hope you all have a really great holiday season that is coming up all to soon. It’s always looked forward to celebrating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s birthday and the beginning of a another new year. Happy railroading to all. Ed a

ROFF from page 44

and/or money by calling 877-9337633. Your contributions are greatly needed and appreciated, so please make checks payable to ROFF, and mail them to ROFF, 133 North Walnut Street, Burnham, PA 17009. Thanks, and be sure to check out next month’s article to meet more furry friends that need some lovin’!

Until they all have homes… www.roff.cc a

needed donations, ROFF rescue is currently in need of Purina Cat Chow Complete (dark blue bag), Purina Kitten Chow, Purina Dog Chow, Purina One Chicken, and Rice & Alpo canned food with gravy. These items can be dropped off at 133 North Walnut Street in Burnham.

Also, please consider becoming a foster for our adorable cats and dogs or donating your time

Small Town Girl Brings Big Dreams To Big Valley

Denise Yoder opened the doors to Taste of the Valley on May 28, 2013 to a very warm reception. Located along Route 655 in the heart of Belleville, the

coffee shop offers a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. The shop currently is serving hot pressed Panini sandwiches on fresh baked bread, savory soups of the day, and variety of fresh baked goods. With the help of a bright and creative staff, Denise is currently preparing new and exciting foods to welcome in the upcoming holiday season.

And of course, what coffee shop would be complete without fair trade coffee to create delicious hot, iced or blended cappuccinos, lattes, flavored coffees and espresso. Even if you aren’t a coffee drinker, Taste of the Valley provides flavored hot teas, ‘Mom’s iced tea,’ and bottled juices, chocolate milk and refreshing smoothies.

The warm, cozy atmosphere of “Taste of the Valley” just adds a finishing touch to a great Denise Yoder, owner and operator of Taste of the dining experience.

Valley, began the idea of the shop when she was just a freshman at Belleville Mennonite School after a friend had brought in some bagels that she had made. Denise stated that the bagels would be good to make for a coffee shop that should be opened in the area. After graduating from high school, Denise traveled on short term missions with Rosedale Mennonite Mission’s Reach program. After finishing her mission trips, Denise then continued to work for the program as a hospitality coordinator in their field office in Columbus, Ohio.

While there, she began thinking about what she would do after her term in Ohio was completed.

Thoughts of a coffee shop began filling her mind, so seeking advice from a mentor, she decided that this dream needed to be brought into reality. Denise then began receiving information and obtaining advice from shop owners in

the Columbus area.

Denise returned home to the Big Valley in 2012 and began taking all the knowledge that she had absorbed about coffee and owning a coffee shop and began setting the foundation for Taste of the Valley. Denise’s faith in God and help from family and friends brought the shop to life and Taste of the Valley opened its doors to the public as not only a coffee house, but a place for friends and family to gather in a relaxing Christian atmosphere. Walls adorned with scripture, soft music in the background, tables and lounge chairs and a cheerful staff make Taste of the Valley a very welcoming place to enjoy a meal, or just relax with a cup of coffee while reading a book or surfing the internet on the free Wi-Fi provided. Denise feels that the shop is still not a completed project.

She hopes to expand the outdoor seating and bring special evening events featuring live music and local entertainment.

The next time you are cruising the Big Valley, stop in for a new and exciting dining experience. Or you could chill with a Carmello Latte and check your emails. But whatever your

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

“tastes,” come on in to Taste of the Valley, located at 4417 E. Main Street, Belleville, PA, during its business hours of Monday thru Saturday, 7am to 2pm. a

Denise and Daphne say, “Join us for Breakfast!

The Valley, November 2013

I gained 50 pounds ...and love it! www.families4kids.org 800-568-6449

foster parent or adopt...you’ll love it too!

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

39

The Valley, November 2013

40

Life After Stroke Awakens a Lewistown Man’s New Passion

Marvin Kohler, 54, can’t speak; he uses an electronic communication device to type words, or his wife Crystine speaks for him. He also has no use of his right arm. However, despite difficult physical limitations due to a stroke, Marvin is an artist.

His medium is rebar (short for reinforcing bar), a steel bar commonly used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and masonry structures.

“Before the stroke, if Marvin had a creative side, nobody knew it,” says Crystine, his wife of 25 years.

Crystine recounts the moments leading up to Marvin’s stroke, four years ago: “Marvin drove a truck for a living. The Friday night before his stroke, he had gotten home late and was tired. Saturday morning, I took a group of 23 family members to Dutch Wonderland. Marvin opted to stay home. That afternoon, one of Marvin’s friends called me and said, ‘I was just talking to Marvin on the phone and I think that he had a stroke; you had better come home.’”

Marvin’s friend had recognized Marvin’s slurred speech as a sign of stroke. Later, Crystine found out that somehow after talking to his friend, Marvin had managed to call an emergency

number and an ambulance arrived at his house and took him to the Lewistown Hospital helipad to be life-flighted to Geisinger in Danville.

“After the stroke, Marvin could not walk, he could not use his right arm, and he could not swallow,” says Crystine.

When he was discharged from Geisinger, he went to HealthSouth Nittany Valley for rehabilitation, where he had three hours of therapy (physical, occupational and speech) a day. After four weeks, he left HealthSouth with a wheelchair and a cane, and continued outpatient therapy at HealthSouth’s Lewistown Clinic.

“Now, he doesn’t even use his cane,” Crystine adds. “We have a lot of gratitude for HealthSouth and the dedicated staff who helped Marvin with his rehabilitation.”

But life after a stroke was not easy for Marvin. “For the first four years, he sat in a chair and did nothing. I even got him a dog, which I had hoped would help with his depression.”

Then something changed.

One day this past July, Crystine came home to find a plant hanger in the yard; she didn’t know how it got there. “The next day, another one showed up,” says Crystine.

“I asked Marvin if he made it, and

nodded that he did.” Marvin had used the rebar material that was in his garage to make the plant hanger.

Since then, Marvin creates practically all day, every day, according to Crystine. “He draws

it and then he makes it. And he creates it all with one hand.”

“Recently, one of our grandson’s told him, ‘I want a choo-choo’ and two days later it was done,” she adds. Marvin also made an angel in honor of a son who passed 23

years ago, and at grandson who died a birth.

“Thanks to his art, Martin has a passion for living again,” says his wife. “I could not ask for anything better.” a

Three Decades of Getting Patients Back Home

Ask for Nittany Valley’s Stroke Rehabilitation Program.

Top 10 Clinical Ranking Among All HealthSouth Hospitals

550 wesT colleGe ave.

PleasanT GaP, Pa 16823 Marvin Kohler, 54, of Lewistown creates unique art from rebar, or reinforcing bar, using only one hand. His passion for this new skill came as a surprise to his family and friends, after recovering from a stroke. The Kohler’s sell his pieces for others to enjoy, and to create funds for the materials Marvin needs to keep creating. Pictured at the Kohler’s home is Marvin with some of his artwork, and Barb Angelo, LPN, COTA, rehabilitation liaison, HealthSouth Nittany Valley.

814 359-3421 • NittanyValleyRehab.com

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

©2013:HealthSouth Corporation:575769 18

41

The Valley, November 2013

Doug’s Rug Spa In Las Vegas!

Mifflin County Youth Fair 60th Anniversary

The leaves are changing and fall is upon us in Mifflin County and many people are preparing for the holidays and getting ready for winter. For the Mifflin County 4-H, it’s the start of a new year for all the clubs and planning the fair for 2014. This year is something special for it is the 60th anniversary of the Mifflin County Youth Fair. It has been 60 years of family and friends coming together and making agriculture known to everyone in the county and especially having fun. The fair board is getting together to make this year special for everyone and we can’t wait to celebrate it with all

of you. There will be commemorative baskets and other souvenirs for the public to help remember and celebrate the past 60 years and many fun events. So come help celebrate this special event with us by attending some of our 4-H events throughout the year, or possibly entering an exhibit in the Open Show, or even volunteering in a club or committee. There are many things to participate in the fair, whether it’s our new Crafts Club for the kids, or entering a baked good in the Open Show. If you or your children are interested in a 4-H club or an Open Show class, please contact the Mifflin Co. Extension Office at 717-2489618.

Doug & Amanda Moerschbacher from Doug’s Rug Spa in Pleasant Gap attended The Experience Convention & Trade Show (http://www.experiencetheevents. com/) in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 2-7, 2013. The event is for rug and carpet cleaners and water and fire restoration companies to get educated and see all the new innovations of technology for textile, restoration, and maintenance. Over 3,000 people from all around the world were in attendance. Doug was a featured speaker at Barry O’Connell’s Las Vegas RugLovers Tour (http:// imaruglover.com/barry-oconnells2013-vegas-ruglovers-tour ), which was part of the convention as well. This is the sixth stop on the nationally acclaimed RugLovers Tour where rug aficionados can’t get enough of all the ambience of being with like-minded people and touring museums, rug galleries, and rug cleaning and repair facilities.

Doug’s Rug Spa is located at 105 N. Main St Pleasant Gap, PA 16823, directly across the street from The Red Horse Tavern. We buy; sell, repair, and hand wash all types of rugs in our Spa. For more information, please call us at 814808-5071, email us at dougsrugspa@gmail.com, visit our website

at www.dougsrugspa.com, and also find us on Facebook (https://

100 Stine Drive Lewistown, PA 17044

717-248-6400

www.StoneArchRealEstate.com

Call me for all your Real Estate Needs!

Only $89,500

Charming 1 1/2-Story Brick Home . Features 4 BR, 1 Bath, Hardwood Fls, Fenced Yard, off street parking. Detached Garage w/1 BR Apt. Move in Ready!!

Only $72,900

TAMI SLICK Realtor

717-250-2838

Like new 2-story home in Lewistown. 3 BR, 2 1/2 Baths, Lg Kitchen w/ Breakfast Bar, 1st Floor Laundry. Covered rear patio and off street parking. Call now for Showing!

www.StoneArchRealEstate.com www.thevalleynewspaper.com

www.facebook.com/pages/DougsRug-Spa/105328813120). a

Doug Moerschbacher (in the blue shirt) is showing how to wash a rug in a wash pit.

The Valley, November 2013

42

On Art, Politics, and Seeing Past Our Filters

Something struck me again during the recently ended government shutdown that connected in my mind to an important concept that artists deal with all the time.

The key word here is “filters.” Let me start with the art side.

In order for an artist to successfully translate our threedimensional world into canvas, paper, or clay, it’s important to first really see what’s right in front of us. It’s easy to look at the trunk of a tree in bright, angled sunshine and see the shadowed side as gray-brown and the sunny side as very light gray-brown. It’s

only through really studying what you are seeing and not making assumptions that you start to realize there may be some rather strong purples in the shadowed side due to the effect of the blue indirect lighting of the sky, and that the sunny side has a strong yellow-orange cast. The reason we may fail to see that is that our brain filters the images it receives from our eyes (and other senses) in order to more quickly make sense of and deal with our everyday world.

We stop seeing things that seem unimportant. We are also prone to misinterpreting certain things

most conservative Republicans.

A conservative Republican will see them in liberal Democrats.

Both will see them in an adamant Libertarian, and the Libertarian will see them in nearly all mainstream Democrats and Republicans. Now, if we try to agree for a moment that there are both honest, straight-talking individuals and chronic liars in all camps, this great divergence in what each person expresses can be for any of several reasons. It might be intentional dishonesty, wanting to make their own side look better than the other even though they actually know better.

It could also be an unintentional dishonesty within the viewer, not wanting to acknowledge that their own side employs the same tactics as the “enemy”. (Note how well this also applies to ardent sports fans.) Quite often, though, the explanation may be filters, the same kind of filters that can make you unaware of some of the very things your eyes are seeing in the world around you. Our minds can be so ready to believe the best of “our” politicians and the worst of the “other” politicians, that we literally filter what we see in them to fit our desired end view. This is human nature, and can help us function in day to day life without pulling our hair out in frustration, but in terms of working together to solve the difficult problems of our nation and our world, we need to learn to see past our filters so we can base decisions on objective discernment.

Coming up in Millheim, we have the Annual Harry Smith

Festival at the Elk Creek Café + Aleworks on November 10. This is an all day celebration of American Folk music that also serves as a fundraiser for The Hope Fund, a wonderful local charity that directly helps local families with medical or other major needs. On December 6 and 7, we will again be having our townwide Merry Millheim celebration. More about this next month. The Green Drake Gallery will open a new show for November and December featuring lots of new work by our in-house artists, just in time for holiday shopping. The November 1 reception will include jazz music by the Jay Vonada Trio.

Finally, an exciting new potential collaboration that is not yet final, but looking good so far. The East Penns Valley Area Library was recently dropped by the Centre County Library as a branch library for budgetary reasons. The library has many ardent supporters, and the Friends of the Library group is looking at options for continuing to serve the community as an independent library. One of the options, in order to be in a more central location with the room and facilities to be a multifaceted community center, is to share the space in the Green Drake Gallery and Arts Center on the main square. We’re still working though the logistical details, but if this works out, it will mean exciting new opportunities for both the library and the Green Drake. There should be lots more to report on this next month. a

because of our filters, which is why optical illusions work.

This filtering also makes us less aware of the way lines of perspective distort something like a building. We just translate the way the front of a building seen at an angle is much larger at the near corner, with all the lines converging toward the smaller far corner.

Our eyes see it, our brain uses that information give us the perception of depth, and then we forget what we just saw. As a result, it’s easy for a less experienced artist to fail to accurately portray that perspective when sketching or painting a building, resulting in it looking distorted or flat.

So, here is the application to everyday life and particularly politics. In political discussions, particularly when things really heat up as they did over the shutdown, I hear a lot of people raging about this or that politician lying about the facts, distorting the truth, manipulating and deceiving.

Interestingly, the politician being described is almost invariably one the speaker (or writer) strongly disagrees with. A liberal Democrat will especially see Lines of perspective are easily misinterpreted because of our visual “filters”. “Elk those characCreek Café at Night”, 12x12 oil, by Karl Eric Leitzel teristics in the

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

43

The Valley, November 2013 S.O.A.R. from page 47 a substation on any part of the leased property. Wind company employees can enter the property at any time.

4. The landowner may not do anything that will impact the wind resource – it is usually impossible to build any structure higher than 40 feet, or to plant trees that will grow higher than 40 feet.

5. The landowner gives up the right to sue the wind developer over noise, shadow flicker, or any electrical interference.

6. Some landowners have had liens placed on their property because the wind company has not paid the contractors. Liens may take several years to settle.

7. Turbines catch on fire, fall over, break blades, and throw ice in the winter. Some wind companies tell their employees to stay at least 1,300 feet away unless they are working inside a turbine.

8. The low frequency vibrations produced by wind turbines make some people sick. Nausea, migraines, dizziness, heart palpitations, ringing in the ears, and sleep disturbance affect some people living within a mile of turbines. Their symptoms disappear when they leave the area. People who are affected can not live in

Mars Hill Maine

their home near the turbines and have to move away – creating one big problem. They can’t sell their house. Who would want to buy a house near wind turbines?

9. Homeowners who are forced to live near wind turbines may sue wind companies over loss of property values, excessive noise, and health issues. Wind companies often buy the property and impose a gag order, so no information is disclosed.

10. Jacks Mountain is an important source of water for the streams in Ferguson and Big Valleys. Many farmers depend on wells for drinking water and springs for their livestock. How will construction on steep slopes impact the springs, wells, and streams that get their water from

Jacks Mountain?

Talk to your Township Supervisors: Share your concerns with your township supervisors.

Granville, Oliver, Wayne, and Menno Townships, as well as Brady Township in Huntingdon Co., need to pass an ordinance that would protect you and your property from excessive noise, shadow flicker, and safety concerns. The supervisors can also require companies to post a bond to cover the expense of removing the turbines when they no longer operate. Your township supervisors have the authority to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents. Ask them to enact an ordinance that will offer some protection. Union Township recently adopted a wind ordinance, which should serve as a model for other townships. If your supervisors are reluctant, because they are afraid of being sued, remind them that they can amend the ordinance at any time

if a wind company threatens to sue them. Just a handful of people have signed leases for these projects. Why should supervisors be reluctant to protect all the residents?

If you live in Union Township, thank your supervisors for protecting your health, safety, and welfare!

People all over the world

are protesting the construction of huge wind projects. You can learn more at: Industrial Wind Action www. windaction.org National Wind Watch www.windwatch.org Save Our Allegheny Ridges www.saveouralleghenyridges.org Allegheny Treasures www.alleghenytreasures.com

Treasure Hunting from page 33

activities spent with family rather than a material possession that loses its flair with time. Be the kind of person that other people and your children strive to be like. Be someone who others will be thankful to have around. Life does come with a set of instructions. When all else fails, read the instruction manual, the Bible. But why wait until failures occur, save yourself trouble and get into His Word.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi http://www.biblegateway.com/ passage/?search=Matthew%20 6:19-24&version=NIV Dr. Joseph Kauffman Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic drjosephkauffman@comcast.net a

general. There is too much hate and violence in society already.

We do not need to add to it. So, be nice and care about one another.

You may help brighten someone’s day and that will have a trickling effect on society at large. I am challenging you as the reader and myself as the writer to spend more time in November unplugging the electronics, turning off the television, putting down the cell phone/iPad/tablet. Think about who is most important to you and for what you are thankful and then prove that the things you truly love are where your treasure really is. As Christmas is right around the corner, remember the things your children/family will remember the most is times and

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

The Valley, November 2013

44

R. O. F. F.

Dairy Connection

by Halee Wasson

Rescue Our Furry Friends

Centre Count y Dair y Princess

Traditions are a huge part of every family in America. One of my family traditions is dairy farming. My family farm is a fifth generation dairy farm; it has been in my family for 91 years.

This tradition started out with my great-great grandfather and has been passed down to my sisters and I. With 99% of dairy farms in Pennsylvania being family owned and operated, this keeps the tradition growing. We learn from our past and build upon the knowledge given from our ancestors.

One of America’s biggest family traditions is Thanksgiving. This is a time when we give thanks to the people and blessings of past years, which got us to where we are today. Thanksgiving is not just about football and turkey; it is about the people who put forth the time and effort to give us what we need to have a better life. Without my ancestors putting forth the time and effort of

dairy farming, my family would probably not have continued the tradition. Therefore, I am thankful for the dedication and passion my family has for an industry that has not only done so much for me, but my ancestors too. When you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal, ask yourself “What are you truly thankful for?” I am passing on some recipes for you to share with your family.

Turkey Lasagna Ingredients: 1 tsp. olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. ground turkey breast 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 2 cloves garlic, crushed 12 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese 8-oz. can tomato sauce ¾ c. grated parmesan cheese 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes one package no-boil lasagna noodles 12 oz. shredded low-moisture,

by Patricia Lawson

part-skim mozzarella cheese Directions: Spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray; preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brown turkey with olive oil and garlic. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, salt/pepper, and seasoning. Simmer 20 minutes.

To assemble lasagna: Add small amount of sauce to bottom of pan, layer noodles to cover bottom of baking dish, add some ricotta and mozzarella, add tomato/meat sauce, sprinkle with parmesan. Repeat with two more layers of noodles, ending with tomato/meat sauce and parmesan as top layer.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes: 9 servings Scalloped Pineapple 2 sticks butter 1 large can pineapple chunks (drained –save) 4 c. fresh bread cubes 2 c. sugar 3 eggs (lightly beaten) ¾ c. pineapple juice Melt butter, mix with other ingredients.

Pour into 9x13 baking dish. Bake 40 minutes in 350° oven. Best served warm.

Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Reheats well. a

adopting Violet, please fill out Did you know that 94% of an application at www.roff.cc or pet owners talk to their animals as call 1-877-933-ROFF (7633) if they were human? Well, I’m not surprised, since I’m one of them! This stat is from a book called “The Soul of All Living Creatures.” The theory is that we like to gab with our pets because we believe that they hear us better than anyone else does – even if the conversation is one-sided.

Important notice regarding the Spay/Neuter Clinic on Violet November 17th: The original And, we can’t forget the pooch vet scheduled to bring the mobile category. Introducing Hillbilly! clinic to Lewistown to perform He is a 4 year old dachshund mix, the surgeries has very sadly passed away. Pleasant View/Junia- and is a very sweet boy! He will be neutered and up to date on his ta Veterinary Clinic has stepped vaccines before he is adopted. He up and will be holding the clinic has been started on Vectra also, at their office on Electric Avenue and is house broken and crate in Lewistown (across from Mctrained. He gets along with other Donalds and beside the Chinese dogs, but we’re not sure about Buffet). Dr. Michael Braunstein, cats and kids yet. If you would Dr. Michaela Fry and Dr. Melissa like to meet our boy, please go to Ehrisman and all the staff at the clinic have VERY graciously offered their services and use of their facility to hold the clinic. Please do NOT show up at the fire house, but bring your cat(s) directly to the vet office. Also, one additional note, just as with the mobile clinic, this is a CASH ONLY clinic.

Also, all of the time slots Hillbilly have been filled. If you want to be put on the list in case our website, www.roff.cc, and fill there are any cancellations, please out an online application or call call 877-933-7633, Private Message via Facebook, or email www. 1-877-933-ROFF (7633). As always, ROFF is working very hard rescueourfurryfriends@yahoo. to pay down our rising veterinarcom. Please provide your name, ian bill for all our furry friends, address, phone number, cat’s and here is another fundraiser that name, age & gender, plus the services that you want. You will then you don’t want to miss out on. be contacted by a ROFF volunteer It’s a Butter Braid fundraiser. We will be taking orders for The Butif a time slot becomes available. ter Braids until November 15th, For those of you with confirmed slots for the clinic, the staff should they will be $13, and they will be delivered on November 25th. have contacted you by this time What’s a Butter Braid, you ask? with your scheduled appointment Well, it like a strudel with varitimes. ous fillings with a drizzled icing

Look at this beauty who packet, plus they come frozen, so needs a good home, this is Violet. you can have them at your fingerShe is approximately 1-2 yrs old, tips to serve up for breakfast, as a spayed, negative FIV/Feluke snack or a dessert in a flash! Call and litter trained. She came to 877-933-7633 to order, and thank the rescue this summer just days you for your support! away from delivering 5 beauti In addition to our much ful kittens. She is a gorgeous, sweet cat who is looking for her Continued on page 38 forever home. If interested in

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

45

The Valley, November 2013

Dave Wilson

Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That

WHAT?

Your Completely Out?

been smashed down substantially.

Gold went from $1700 an ounce,

Trying to predict the future noose and make a prediction relat- to around $1200 and silver from has always been a dangerous uning to the future availability of $34 an ounce down to $21. All dertaking. Businesses do it congold and silver bullion for investthe while, the reasons that gold stantly. The ones that do it best ment. and silver should have RISEN are the most successful, and usu Without spending too much continue to mount, while prices ally, the most profitable. Predicttime talking about all the articles were smashed lower. Such losses ing future events or occurrences, and interviews I have read/seen defy logic and, as a result, are however, can be, as we suggested, lately that deal with just how totally suspect. fraught with risk. If you guess much gold and silver bullion is

Now here is the interesting wrong, you can lose both money actually available to the investtwist. and worse, credibility. ment community, let me just say

EVERYBODY is buying...

Losing money is certainly that they ALL suggest that availThe demand for physical gold and bad, but a loss of credibility can able gold and silver supplies are silver bullion is simply off the be far more devastating. This is nearly exhausted. charts. Practically every central why most people are perfectly

Whether you believe (as I bank in the world is BUYING. happy to NOT be in positions definitely DO) that the gold and There are NO SELLERS. India where important decisions need to silver markets are TOTALLY was importing so much gold, that be made on a constant basis. manipulated, the fact is that for the Indian Government disallowed no good reason since April of this

Please keep all this in mind, its importation, as it was in direct year, prices of BOTH metals have as I stick my OWN neck in the competition with the rupee. The rupee (India’s own fiat currency) was being ignored by the Indian population, in favor of gold bullion. It seems that the Indian people have ALWAYS had the good taste of wanting their Sue P. keeps in shape by jogging after work, but own savings to her knee really hurt after a bad fall. Her doctor be in the form of REAL, hard scheduled an MRI at the local hospital. She money. checked on her insurance company’s web site

CHINA is and found that her full deductible of $2,000 perhaps the best remained. She checked the cost of the hospital example of all.

MRI and was shocked at the $1,827 price, since They have been it was her responsibility to pay this amount. buying HUGE amounts of gold.

On the same website she noticed that the cost at 611 MRI was $511.

Literally hundreds Sue quickly realized that she could pay $1,316 less for the same exam. of tonnes each year. They have Your Hospital 611 MRI been using their Procedure Deductible Cost Cost Difference

accumulated dollar holdings to do so.

Are the Chinese buying gold, so that they can (at some point, perhaps soon) offer their OWN currency, now with a physical backing of a decent percentage of gold, as a replacement world reserve currency, IN PLACE of the dollar? This is as good a bet as any you could make. If it happens and the odds are far more in favor than against, it would be financially devastating to the United States. A one-two punch that would probably knock us to our financial knees.

All of this BUYING, from practically EVERYWHERE, has had a tremendous impact on available supplies. According to everything we read and hear, there just isn’t much gold and silver bullion left for immediate delivery. Annual, worldwide, newly mined gold and silver is being gobbled up by investors (and foreign governments) so quickly that product needed by retail and industrial users is in terribly short supply.

We have often said that if 4-STAR had to rely on “over-thecounter” purchases of gold and silver coins and bullion, it would not be enough to help us pay even 25% of our annual operating expense. If the US Government were to discontinue sales of Gold

Local woman saves $1,316 on MRI!

MRI Knee

$2,000

$1,827*

$511

$1,316

MRI Shoulder

$2,000

$1,615

$510

$1,105

MRI Lumbar Spine

$2,000

$1,894

$554

$1,340

*Rates are for areas largest insurer. Check with your insurance company.

814-234-2600 www.611mri.com

611 University Drive, State College

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

and Silver Eagles, due to its inability to find necessary supplies, the result would likely be an immediate panic in the markets.

Prices for existing supplies would jump perhaps as much as 25to-35% almost immediately. If supplies remained elusive, even higher premiums could be expected.

Should that (in our opinion, entirely likely) scenario take place, then those people who made the decision to buy into the metals market already will be in the cat bird’s seat, while those that have WAITED to buy, for whatever reason, will simply be shut out of the market. After all, if they didn’t buy when gifted with a nearly 30-to-40% drop in gold and silver prices since early April, then they will most assuredly be completely disinterested in buying if prices explode to new, all time highs.

Since you are reading this article, you are one of a small percentage of “folks” who are paying at least SOME attention to current financial events. If you haven’t done so already, perhaps it is time for YOU to make a few predictions about your OWN future and how best to protect yourself and your family from the many financial perils that, quite likely, lay dead ahead.a

46

The Valley, November 2013

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com

47

The Valley, November 2013

What Landowners Need To Know Laura Jackson, President Save Our Allegheny Ridges www.SaveOurAlleghenyRidges.org

We need clean, renewable energy, but building industrial wind projects on forested mountains carries substantial environmental and social costs. The forested mountains that we love will be damaged, people living below the turbines will be bothered by noise and blinking lights, the wildlife will be harmed, and our watersheds will be impacted.

Two large-scale industrial wind projects are proposed for Jacks and Stone Mountains:

Jacks Mountain is very steep and narrow on top, so it will be blasted and bulldozed to create a shelf wide enough for heavy cranes and trucks to travel along the top, so turbines over 400 feet tall can be constructed. This will forever change the top of Jacks Mountain since the turbines will stretch along the top of the mountains.

Landowners in Menno, Union, Oliver, Wayne, and Granville Townships have signed leases.

Volkswind has a test tower above Belleville, gathering wind speed and direction data. E.ON has signed leases in Brady Twp on Stone Mountain and has built a test tower above Airydale.

Volkswind plans to build 20 turbines along the widened top of Jacks Mountain, stretching for about 4 miles. Each turbine will be 436 feet tall.

We don’t know how many E.ON plans to build, but we suspect it will be a much bigger project than Volkswind. There may be as many as 75 E.ON turbines covering 10 – 15 miles on Jacks and Stone Mountains.

Wind turbines on the top of Jacks Mountain will make it extremely dangerous for hang glider pilots and sailplane pilots to use Jacks Mountain. The pilots bring money and increased tourism into Mifflin County – without harming the mountains. If the turbines are built, the scenic views of Jacks Mountain will become a view of industrial power plants stretching for miles along the flattened top of the mountain.

The good news is that neither company can actually build these turbines until they get permits (both state and township) – and they haven’t gotten any yet! Better still, E.ON Could this be the future of Jacks Mountain? needs to get Buffalo Mountain in Tennessee is steep and forested like more prop- Jacks Mountain – and now it is an industrial erty leases. power plant! lease.

If you know 2. A wind lease stays with the someone who owns mountain property deed forever. The lease land on Jacks or Stone Mountain, will be passed on to future owners please talk to them about the conof the property. Only the wind sequence of their actions if they company has the power to termisign a lease for a wind project. nate the lease.

Here are 10 important points: 3. Unless stated otherwise, wind Talk to your neighbors – this is companies have the right to place what landowners need to know: roads, test towers, turbines, and 1. Landowners should not sign a wind lease until their attorney Continued on page 43 reviews the binding terms of the

www.thevalleynewspaper.com

48

The Valley, November 2013

thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com