-
Credit Where Credit is Due
I want to clarify that my father-in-law, Dr. Dennis Woytek, took photo #4 and photo #5 in my prior blog entry of December 6. My husband, Jonathan Woytek, took the rest of the…
-
Christmas Past in My Parnassus
Ten years ago this month, I drove into Parnassus (and New Kensington) for the very first time. On that bright, warm December Saturday I followed Jonathan’s directions from the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I drove…
-
Old House Hardware
There is something wonderful about old house hardware. Well, actually, there are usually many things wonderful about old house hardware. For instance, it is usually built to withstand long periods of (ab)use, constructed…
-
Parnassus is Not Gone: A Non-Review of “American Elegy” by Jeffrey Simpson
When I found Jeffrey Simpson’s 1996 New York Times article about Parnassus two weeks ago, I was so excited that I posted a link to it on a Facebook page for local historical…
-
Parnassus Mentioned in the New York Times / Chicago Tribune News
I want to share this article by Jeffrey Simpson dated August 31, 1996 titled, “When You Inherit the Family Farm, You Own the Memories, Too.” The byline identifies it as a New York Times story; however,…
-
Nikolaj Christensen Rocks (And So Do His Snails)
Yesterday we went with my mom and my sister Elizabeth to Phipps Conservatory. My mom celebrated her birthday this past week and she wanted to see the Fall Flower Show before her membership expired…
-
Making These Was A Hoot
I used to piece together quilts on my mom’s sewing machine. My sewing skills haven’t advanced much beyond this stage. However, I have boxes and bags full of half-used craft supplies and even…
-
From the Sewing Room: Skirt #3 (and more about how sewing is just engineering with soft material)
Hello world. Jenny has been working hard on keeping the blog here up to date with her stuff. I’ve been slacking, though, mostly because my brain has been busy when my hands haven’t…
-
Overview: 2013 WPF In Your Write Mind Workshop at Seton Hill University
I attended the In Your Write Mind Workshop sponsored by Writing Popular Fiction Alumni at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, held June 27-30, 2013. This is my perspective as an outsider both to Seton…
-
Seven Score and Ten Years Ago . . .
Next week marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. By the end of June 1863 most of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was in Pennsylvania, and the battle was fought…