Happy World Backup Day!
Don't be an April Fool. Find out why backing up is so important at http://
(and tell your friends - because friends don't let friends go without a backup!)
Mostly ideas featuring things I’ve learned from many places over the years & along the way with tools for scrapbooking, card making, crafts and other altered art items and paper crafts. Along with any other tidbits from my life that I wish to share.
01 April 2014
World Back Up Day
Happy World Backup Day!
Don't be an April Fool. Find out why backing up is so important at http://
(and tell your friends - because friends don't let friends go without a backup!)
28 March 2014
35th Anniversary of TMI melt-down - Where were you?
Three Mile Island - present day...
Yes, I do remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was in 7th grade history class. Our school had very few windows, but the one's it had were being closed and we were not permitted out for recess. The teachers would not tell us anything, just that they were told to close the windows. It was an unusually warm day too, for this early in spring. At the time of the accident we lived just outside the 30 mile radius from the power plant in Lampeter, PA. If this happened 2 years earlier or 2 years later I'd have been less than 6 miles from the power plant, in the 'suburbs' of Elizabethtown/Hershey, PA. Currently I live with in 5 miles of the power plant. It's amazing to think how differently things could have been if "this" or "that" would have transpired differently.
I remember the movie China Syndrome, and people thinking "that will never happen here" it's Hollywood, it's not a true story. I remember the panic from the news media & some of the local residents. Some left and never returned, very few though...I've found that many left for the recommended number of days with little ones or if they were expecting. I remember it being a scary time because of all the unknowns in the moment of everything unfolding. I also remember my mother concerned for her parents & sister (living with in 5 miles) in Elizabethtown. Telephone lines were overloaded trying to contact family in the area. My Uncle lived in Florida and was desperate to speak to the family here because the national news was reporting so much different than what the local news was reporting. It took my uncle two days to reach my mother. I remember the law suits that followed for cancer-clusters that were caused from the accident. I also remember the distrust in the government & the utilities over sight after the release of the radio-active water into the river. Only to then be told - it was "safe". I know several of the people who worked there during the accident, and those who came after the accident to assist with the "clean up". Like it's ever going to be "cleaned up" - not in several lifetimes!
In the weeks, months, and years that followed I remember the installation of the warning sirens and the countless public meetings and the private one's with EMA and local fire and police, and school representatives to come up with an evacuation plan should anything similar ever happen again, the distribution of the iodine (KI) pills to residents & updating those pills and setting up a yearly newsletter to the community of the steps being taken for our protection. This evacuation system has been tested & was almost set into action a few times, but not for TMI - it was during 911 and the days that followed...and with Tropical storm Lee's flooding. It's a good plan, I just hope it never needs to be used.
I also remember the X-men movie that refers to the "mutants" and then shows Three Mile Island (TMI) that was released several years ago. Irony at it's best! The natives here will tell you tales of three eyed fish in the river and surrounding creeks, fish with organs on the outside of their bodies, and even joke about everything "glowing in the dark". On a serious note though, this was a horrible accident that could have gone awry in so many more ways than it did. However, now, it is the most regulated & inspected nuclear site in the US, and one of the safest ones in the world because of the accident. Below are photos of the Unit #2 reactor's cooling towers (what's left of them).
Fast forward 35 years - there are 2 generations now that may not even know what happened here. How do I feel about it all now? I still do not totally trust nuclear power or those in charge of it, but I also know that anything that man produces causes harm to the environment one way or another. My husband and I discuss it with our children every time another anniversary comes along. We want them to understand that with 'power' such as this or any other that there also needs to be a responsibility to the habitat & residents. This was not considered during this era. Research & reports since then do not agree. I believe I'll NEVER know the full truth. My great-great grandchildren might eventually learn the full truth. As much as I wish this facility could disappear, it does provide many good aspects to the surrounding community through jobs, grants, and other benefits to the area.
In September 2009 I came out to watch the transportation of the new turbines to the facility. It was a huge event around here in our quiet community. (The turbines were shipped in from France and came to the port at Inner Harbor, Baltimore Md, and were then transported overland on these special trailers. There's a whole other post just in their journey to get here - I'll need to dig out all those articles.) I even went without my husband who was still hospitalized for a blood clot at the time. It was something I did not want to miss out on - a photo opportunity - and my husband was being released later that day. Due to road closures, I was unable to wait for him to be released so that he could join me.
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While I was preparing this post and collected my old photos of the turbines, I realized that I did not have ANY photos of the cooling towers from TMI. SO I took a short trip to go get a few shots. I also took some of the observation center that now sees nearly NO visitors that during the accident, you could barely get with in a mile of at the time. I also took a photo of the farm where my father was born, a half mile from the river & TMI, which my grandfather farmed long long ago.
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| TMI today - just down the road from my grandparent's old homestead |
Yes, I do remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. I was in 7th grade history class. Our school had very few windows, but the one's it had were being closed and we were not permitted out for recess. The teachers would not tell us anything, just that they were told to close the windows. It was an unusually warm day too, for this early in spring. At the time of the accident we lived just outside the 30 mile radius from the power plant in Lampeter, PA. If this happened 2 years earlier or 2 years later I'd have been less than 6 miles from the power plant, in the 'suburbs' of Elizabethtown/Hershey, PA. Currently I live with in 5 miles of the power plant. It's amazing to think how differently things could have been if "this" or "that" would have transpired differently.
 |
| this is where I lived 2 years prior to the accident - less than 2 air miles from TMI |
I remember the movie China Syndrome, and people thinking "that will never happen here" it's Hollywood, it's not a true story. I remember the panic from the news media & some of the local residents. Some left and never returned, very few though...I've found that many left for the recommended number of days with little ones or if they were expecting. I remember it being a scary time because of all the unknowns in the moment of everything unfolding. I also remember my mother concerned for her parents & sister (living with in 5 miles) in Elizabethtown. Telephone lines were overloaded trying to contact family in the area. My Uncle lived in Florida and was desperate to speak to the family here because the national news was reporting so much different than what the local news was reporting. It took my uncle two days to reach my mother. I remember the law suits that followed for cancer-clusters that were caused from the accident. I also remember the distrust in the government & the utilities over sight after the release of the radio-active water into the river. Only to then be told - it was "safe". I know several of the people who worked there during the accident, and those who came after the accident to assist with the "clean up". Like it's ever going to be "cleaned up" - not in several lifetimes!
In the weeks, months, and years that followed I remember the installation of the warning sirens and the countless public meetings and the private one's with EMA and local fire and police, and school representatives to come up with an evacuation plan should anything similar ever happen again, the distribution of the iodine (KI) pills to residents & updating those pills and setting up a yearly newsletter to the community of the steps being taken for our protection. This evacuation system has been tested & was almost set into action a few times, but not for TMI - it was during 911 and the days that followed...and with Tropical storm Lee's flooding. It's a good plan, I just hope it never needs to be used.
I also remember the X-men movie that refers to the "mutants" and then shows Three Mile Island (TMI) that was released several years ago. Irony at it's best! The natives here will tell you tales of three eyed fish in the river and surrounding creeks, fish with organs on the outside of their bodies, and even joke about everything "glowing in the dark". On a serious note though, this was a horrible accident that could have gone awry in so many more ways than it did. However, now, it is the most regulated & inspected nuclear site in the US, and one of the safest ones in the world because of the accident. Below are photos of the Unit #2 reactor's cooling towers (what's left of them).
 |
| you may remember these from the scenes in X-men |
 |
| you may remember these from scenes in the movie X-men |
In September 2009 I came out to watch the transportation of the new turbines to the facility. It was a huge event around here in our quiet community. (The turbines were shipped in from France and came to the port at Inner Harbor, Baltimore Md, and were then transported overland on these special trailers. There's a whole other post just in their journey to get here - I'll need to dig out all those articles.) I even went without my husband who was still hospitalized for a blood clot at the time. It was something I did not want to miss out on - a photo opportunity - and my husband was being released later that day. Due to road closures, I was unable to wait for him to be released so that he could join me.
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| the 1st turbine coming down Rt. 441 from Falmouth |
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| each set of wheels on these trailers could be turned individually |
While I was preparing this post and collected my old photos of the turbines, I realized that I did not have ANY photos of the cooling towers from TMI. SO I took a short trip to go get a few shots. I also took some of the observation center that now sees nearly NO visitors that during the accident, you could barely get with in a mile of at the time. I also took a photo of the farm where my father was born, a half mile from the river & TMI, which my grandfather farmed long long ago.
 |
| the sign post telling about the accident - in front of the observation center (now a training center) |
 |
| what used to be the sign for the observation center |
 |
| the observation building (current training center) |
 |
| the home where my father was born & where my grandparent's lived - less than 1/4 mile from the cooling towers |
 |
| Unit #2 reactor's containment building - this is where the partial meltdown occurred. |
25 March 2014
~*~*~Our Wedding Anniversary~*~*~
It has been a couple of hectic days...I'm hoping to be more on top of
things in the future. I do have a pretty good reason; Sunday was our
18th Wedding Anniversary. Here is a great past & present set of photos!
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30 years ago at my Junior prom...
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18 years ago on our wedding day...
Last summer...church directory photos.
It has been some ride...can't wait for what the future holds for us.
23 March 2014
*****St. Patrick's Day Parade*****
Yesterday was Lizzie's 1st parade (as a band member). The weather was perfect for those who were marching. Not too bad as a spectator either. Here are a few photos from the day:
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The parents always have hotdogs that they grill for the kids in the park as they are forming for the parade. That way they aren't 'bored' while waiting for the parade to get organized and underway. This was our 3rd time experiencing this parade. We park in the parking garage, watch the band go past & a few other groups, then we leave before the end of the parade and miss all of the traffic from the end of the parade delays. So glad that we had great weather this year. Last year there was SNOW!
21 March 2014
~~~~ WELCOME SPRING ~~~~
Anyone else enjoying these warmer temperatures? I was able to get out last week & photograph the goose migration at the local wildlife refuge. What fun! To have the sun shining on my face & actually feel warm...
Now for the yard clean up. So many limbs and trees to rescue from the ice & snow damage from this past winter season. Our first snow arrived the 13th of December (early in our part of the country) and remained with white covered ground until the beginning of March. So glad to see green, needless to say St. Patrick's Day held special meaning this year... a green holiday to celebrate the green ground showing through the melting snows of winter.
This is also the time of year I revamp my pages and update everything. It brings my Wedding Anniversary, too. The earth is renewing itself so I do the same. I spent the early part of this week updating ALL of my Pinterest Boards, which you can find through the link on the right side of the page. I want to thank all of my viewers/followers and I hope that you are still enjoying my blog after 3 years. I hope that I am not boring you to death with my rants & raves; but, instead bringing you a chuckle every now and again along with giving you some helpful information, too.
I have expanded the products that I endorse & you can find links to those items on either side of my blog posts, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of my page so that you do not miss any. I use ALL of these products and I would never endorse one without having used it myself. There is no better advertisement than an actual user. Yes, I do get a portion from sales that are linked from my site, so please be sure to click through the links I've provided you when purchasing. Imagine my surprise when I received my first commission check! I thank you graciously for making your purchases. My hope is to get more instructional information up about the use of each product and how they fit into my crafting world. It's been difficult since I have been working out of the home more and my time is even in more demand from my family. This past week was slower & next week is shaping up that way, too.
Stay turned for more FUN things to come. St. Patrick's Day parade tomorrow - hoping to have some photo tips for you.
Now for the yard clean up. So many limbs and trees to rescue from the ice & snow damage from this past winter season. Our first snow arrived the 13th of December (early in our part of the country) and remained with white covered ground until the beginning of March. So glad to see green, needless to say St. Patrick's Day held special meaning this year... a green holiday to celebrate the green ground showing through the melting snows of winter.
This is also the time of year I revamp my pages and update everything. It brings my Wedding Anniversary, too. The earth is renewing itself so I do the same. I spent the early part of this week updating ALL of my Pinterest Boards, which you can find through the link on the right side of the page. I want to thank all of my viewers/followers and I hope that you are still enjoying my blog after 3 years. I hope that I am not boring you to death with my rants & raves; but, instead bringing you a chuckle every now and again along with giving you some helpful information, too.
I have expanded the products that I endorse & you can find links to those items on either side of my blog posts, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of my page so that you do not miss any. I use ALL of these products and I would never endorse one without having used it myself. There is no better advertisement than an actual user. Yes, I do get a portion from sales that are linked from my site, so please be sure to click through the links I've provided you when purchasing. Imagine my surprise when I received my first commission check! I thank you graciously for making your purchases. My hope is to get more instructional information up about the use of each product and how they fit into my crafting world. It's been difficult since I have been working out of the home more and my time is even in more demand from my family. This past week was slower & next week is shaping up that way, too.
Stay turned for more FUN things to come. St. Patrick's Day parade tomorrow - hoping to have some photo tips for you.
20 March 2014
~~~~ Panstoria Spring Content Sale - 30% off ~~~~
Spring seems like it has been a long time coming this year, but it's finally here. To celebrate, we have marked down all digital content in the Panstoria.com store by 30%! That's right, all content from Panstoria, Creative Memories, Cottage Arts, pixels2Pages, Kaisercraft, Little Feet Digital Designs, and Simply Kelly Designs is now available for 30% off the original price.
No coupons are necessary, as the prices in the store have already been reduced.
The sale runs only through the end of March so get your content now.
Click here to browse the digital content.
(This is my affiliate link):
17 March 2014
St Patrick's Day
wanted to wish you all a Happy St Patrick's Day. Many of us have different traditions. I am not a cabbage eater, so no coleslaw or cabbage for me. No corned beef either...I think it's the vinegar. I just can't take the aroma of it Blech! I know many of you enjoy it, and have at it. I'll be curling up in my blankets in front of the fire, watching John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara in the Quiet Man. Who knows I may find myself a leprechaun & a pot of gold.
14 March 2014
More Snow Geese & Tundra Swans
Today I took my daughter out of school about 20 minutes early today so that we could get ahead of the after school/work traffic and we ventured out to Middle Creek. It was a good day, not a lot of crowding of the people today. It was partly cloudy and the mercury climbed up to 48F degrees today with a light breeze. Our favorite spot was full, so we drove to the east side of the lake and walked a trail to the lake's edge. The lake was still solidly frozen! Much to my surprise. There was very little open water so the birds were all condensed in a very small area. We were about 300 yards from the birds.
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Lizzie found several feathers that made the trip back home & most likely will end up in a scrapbook with my pictures from today. I think I did well, I took 122 photos, pared it down to 47 I liked best, then down to 30 photos that I really liked and will post in an album. I will have them posted in an album on my Facebook page, it's much easier to add that many photos there and I'll include a direct link below...
Snow Geese Album Link: Snow Geese Album
I was so very disappointed that none of the geese were in the surrounding fields coming in today. I have not seen them like that since 2008. :( Very sad. They were only on the ice & in the water.
This was the Migration count as of Tuesday:
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area MIGRATION UPDATE:
03/11/14
Snow geese: 40,000+
Tundra swans: 2,000+
Canada geese: several thousand
Lizzie found several feathers that made the trip back home & most likely will end up in a scrapbook with my pictures from today. I think I did well, I took 122 photos, pared it down to 47 I liked best, then down to 30 photos that I really liked and will post in an album. I will have them posted in an album on my Facebook page, it's much easier to add that many photos there and I'll include a direct link below...
Snow Geese Album Link: Snow Geese Album
I was so very disappointed that none of the geese were in the surrounding fields coming in today. I have not seen them like that since 2008. :( Very sad. They were only on the ice & in the water.
This was the Migration count as of Tuesday:
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area MIGRATION UPDATE:
03/11/14
Snow geese: 40,000+
Tundra swans: 2,000+
Canada geese: several thousand
13 March 2014
Snow Geese
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For almost 10 years now we have been making the pilgrimage to Clay Township, Lancaster County, PA to see this wondrous sight. The gathering of the Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, and Canadian Geese as they gather to make their flight northward each spring.
2005 was our first trip, just after our daughter had turned 4, she was able to walk well on her own & didn't require much assistance from us to walk the long paths back to the lake viewing areas. The kids and our niece have all gotten so big since that 1st trip.
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In 2008 we arranged to have our son's Pack Meeting at the information center and then the families could explore on their own afterwards. This was a great experience for many of the families. It introduced them to a great resource for nature close to home. I was surprised at the number of families that had never done anything like this...
Our son is assisting his sister with viewing some of the geese that are out on the lake. I love seeing them being like this, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like it to...tis a precious thing.
The kids were disappointed with this year's trip. The bird count was WAY down from past years.
2010 was one of the largest gatherings here at Middlecreek. The fields along the roads leading to the Wildlife Reserve were so FULL of birds. Our son was not able to come that year b/c of track practice. My husband and I and our daughter had a fun afternoon.
The geese were coming right up to our daughter. She loved that they were getting so close to her, but watch those fingers...they are WILD and should always be approached with caution & NEVER feed them.
One tip I forgot to mention earlier: wear a hat & have towels in your car for clean up! They are flying over you & well, birds drop things on you and you are fair game as they take flight or are coming in for a landing. It's not pretty.
2011 we only had to drive a few miles to see the geese. They took over a local field along the nearby creek. It was nice to have them SO close. Here are some more photos from along the Conewago Trail.
Be sure to get outside with your camera & take those photos. You'll NEVER regret having done so.
06 March 2014
Panstoria
Many great things are happening at Panstoria in recent days. Check them all out here:
I have expanded my affiliate relationship with them to now include their print shop. Please use the links below when making your purchases. I will be updating my permanent links on the right side of the page to reflect these new changes.
Panstoria has also penned a new agreement with Creative Memories to extend the sale of the digital content until December 31, 2014. So for all you procrastinators out there, this is your chance. Please consider using my affiliate link when ordering your digital content.
I have expanded my affiliate relationship with them to now include their print shop. Please use the links below when making your purchases. I will be updating my permanent links on the right side of the page to reflect these new changes.
Link for New Customers to Sign Up:
https://panstoriaprintshop.com/index.php?route=account/register&tracking=5317a529e54a2
Link for Existing Customers to Sign Up:
https://panstoriaprintshop.com?tracking=5317a529e54a2
Panstoria has also penned a new agreement with Creative Memories to extend the sale of the digital content until December 31, 2014. So for all you procrastinators out there, this is your chance. Please consider using my affiliate link when ordering your digital content.
Link for Digital Content:
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=535583&u=862322&m=47864&urllink=&afftrack=">Buy digital content from Panstoria</a>
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