CELEBRATING LANCASTER COUNTY'S PEOPLE, SCENERY,

HERITAGE, STYLE & POINT OF VIEW SINCE 1987.

National Honor for A&E Audiology

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The SCORE Foundation, which mentors America’s small businesses and serves more than 350,000 clients annually, recently honored A&E Audiology & Hearing Center as an Outstanding Woman-Owned Small Business, an award given by The SCORE Foundation.

Dr. Kamal Elliot, Au.D. started A&E Audiology in 2000 in a small Lititz office. Today, it has grown into full-time locations in Lititz, Lancaster and Willow Street, and has expanded to a staff of five licensed audiologists and a doctoral student.

The SCORE Foundation’s award recognizes Dr. Elliot’s efforts in successfully expanding A&E Audiology’s locations, healthcare services and number of employees, as well as its dedication to the community.

“A&E Audiology & Hearing Aid Center is an outstanding woman-owned small business that has made incredible strides in bringing convenient and quality healthcare services to members of the Lancaster community,” says SCORE CEO Ken Yancy. He also notes that more than half of the small-business clients served by the organization in 2013 were women.

717-283-4661 or havebetterhearing.com.

Welcoming Fall

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Jill Hoffines-Erb, owner of Floral Designs of Mount Joy, learned through attending trade shows that Lancaster County leads the way with regard to the fall-decorating trend that pays homage to the harvest. “There’s a swath that cuts through the Mid-Atlantic region where fall decorating is prevalent,” Jill explains. To her surprise, she learned that Lancaster is at the epicenter of the trend. At first, she found it odd that fellow trade-show attendees were always mystified by the items she ordered. But, then she discovered that in most areas, the emphasis is on Halloween, which then transitions into Christmas. “I’ve been told by suppliers that we’re the only area of the country to fully celebrate the harvest in a decorative manner,” she remarks. That may explain the reason why tourists flock to Lancaster County in September and October, and head for home with their vehicles loaded down with corn stalks, hay bales, pumpkins, gourds and fall blooms.

To demonstrate Lancaster County’s trendiness, we asked three businesses that are on the cutting edge of outdoor decorating to share some favorite autumnal projects. All were photographed last October.

Floral Designs of Mount Joy

Floral Designs of Mount Joy

Floral Designs of Mount Joy

A victorian farmhouse near Mount Joy provided the canvas for this fall display created by Floral Designs of Mount Joy. “Something garish or scary would have looked out of place here,” says Jill Hoffines-Erb. “So, we took a non-traditional approach that is more in keeping with the period. Our design incorporated natural elements and non-traditional colors.”

The arch that encompasses the front door is anchored by branches  of birch. Bittersweet serves as the connective element. “We left the green leaves attached for a more natural look,” designer Jim Showers points out. Floral accents were provided by Fantasy Flowers, which are made from a latex-like product. “They’re lightweight, very pliable and weather well,” Jill notes. “I like the pops of white,” she adds. “I think white is beautiful for fall.” Bleached pinecones (a throwback to the ‘60s and ‘70s) that Jill sourced in California add to the natural theme. Branches from silver-dollar plants further decorate the arch, as do sheaths of wheat. Weathered branches of manzanita, a shrub that grows in arid areas of the country, also figure into the design.

The arch is anchored by two steel containers that, according to Jill, “add an industrial, edgier look” to the tableau. “They would allow this design to look at home anywhere, be it a contemporary, traditional or period architecture,” she points out.

The door wreath is composed of a driftwood bowl that holds a sheath of wheat, pinecones and large pheasant feathers. The wheat serves to unite the wreath and arch.

Pumpkins and gourds spill onto the porch, adding texture and color. “We get our pumpkins from a local farmer,” Jill says, referencing Mount Joy’s Kevin Charles.

Jill and Jim agree that the décor could easily transition into the holidays and even carry through the winter months.

Note: Floral Designs of Mount Joy will be participating in the upcoming Holiday Showcase on Penn Square (5 W. King St.), November 7-29. All proceeds will benefit United Auxiliaries of Lancaster General Health. Call 717-544-4661 for ticket info.

102 E. Main St., Mount Joy. 717-653-1950. Floraldesignsofmountjoy.com.

Stauffers of Kissel Hill

Stauffers of Kissel Hill

Stauffers of Kissel Hill

Landscape designer Sue Ream and Rohrerstown’s garden center assistant general manager, Karen Genevish, couldn’t ignore the obvious: the purple front door would inspire a design that pays homage to fall in a most colorful way.

Sue reports that once Labor Day is history, customers are always “anxious to tear out their annuals” and replace them with the growing selection of plants that embody the fall season. The requisite mum (which continues to evolve thanks to new colors) has been joined by such seasonal plants as asters, closia, ornamental peppers, pansies, ornamental cabbage/kale and ornamental grasses. Tropicals such as croton pair nicely with the fall blooms.

The traditional carving pumpkin has been joined by a supporting cast of hybridized pumpkins, gourds and squash that bring new colors, shapes and textures to the stage. “That’s happened over the past 10 years,” says Sue. Faux pumpkins with monograms are also a favorite with homeowners.

Ribbon, which is ordered in January and February, has also taken on new dimensions. Woven textures that mimic burlap and muslin perfectly complement the harvest look. Many are embellished with fashion-forward colors – this year, it’s black, orange, acid-green and purple – that are further enlivened with glitz and glitter. Wreaths, swags and garlands made from deco mesh are also in demand.

For this project, plants and pumpkins provide a path to the front porch, where two deluxe cornstalks glisten with colorful ribbons/bows, twig balls, seed picks and fall leaves. The porch is filled with more plants, pumpkins, and a large container that holds birch poles and other branches. The doorway’s fall-inspired framework was crafted from a traditional boxwood garland that Sue and Karen then wrapped with leaves and lights. The complementary wreath is festooned with cascading grasses, feathers, ribbon and a pumpkin. Lanterns filled with battery-operated candles add soft light to the scene once night falls. The door garland, birch poles and lanterns provide the foundation for holiday décor.

Stauffers’ Lancaster County locations include Rohrerstown, Lititz and Oregon Pike. For addresses, contact info, etc., visit SKH.com.

The Gilded Lily

The Gilded Lady

The Gilded Lady

The challenge for Tim Arpin was to create a cohesive design for his clients that would encompass the front, sides and back of their home. Unlike most projects, the front door would not be the focus of his design. “The porch door is the primary entrance to the house,” Tim explains. So, the porch became the focal point of his design in the front of the house. First, he had to create a background for the harvest-themed design. Cypress trees, corn stalks and grasses were brought in to create a backdrop for the array of pumpkins, gourds, squash and flowers that composed the design. Hay bales added more texture and provided varying heights for display purposes. “The porch worked really well,” says Tim. “It’s open, so the display could be seen from the street; plus, since the porch is covered, it protected everything from the weather and helped it stay fresh-looking well into November.” The porch was illuminated by orange lights that wound through the cypress trees; strings of red-chili-shaped lights that that were bundled cascaded down the hay bales. “They were quite effective,” Tim observes.

Farther out in the yard, a column was topped by an oversized, metal jack o’lantern (a HomeGoods purchase made by the homeowner), which takes on an inner glow once night falls. It grew in stature when Tim placed it in an urn that was further filled with plants and small pumpkins. Container gardens – filled with plants such as ornamental peppers, barberry, hardy fern, yucca, ornamental cabbage, mums, snapdragons, pansies, Jerusalem cherries and kalanchoe – decorated the entrances to walkways and the steps leading to the front door, which was hung with a simple but colorful wreath. The outdoor-living area at the rear of the house was also similarly decorated for the season.

In This Issue-Fall 5

The patio decorated by The Gilded Lily.

Tim purchases his produce from the Abner Miller farm that sits along the Marietta Pike west of Farmdale. “Everything is organically grown,” Tim reports. (Hay bales are also purchased from a local farmer.) “And, it’s recycled,” Tim relates. A client who has a friend with sheep and a donkey suggested she contact Tim and ask if she could have the discarded produce for her animals. “She comes and gets what we bring back to the greenhouse, and the animals ‘repurpose’ it,” he explains.

By appointment. 717-653-9562. Arpinsgildedlily.com. 

Mysteries of the River Town

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Whatever notions you may have of Columbia, toss them away right now. Get in your car and pay a visit to the town. Put your feet on the ground and walk around. Talk to the residents and shopkeepers. Keep your eyes peeled for little quirks and details. Follow your taste buds wherever they may lead. Keep your mind open – and most importantly, be ready for the unexpected.

History

© Jordan Bush 2014

The Susquehanna River shapes Columbia’s identity.

People of columbia don’t just preserve their history – they live it, breathe it and welcome it like an old friend.

There are museums and heritage sites, of course. The Wright’s Ferry Mansion illuminates the story of the family whose river business and philanthropic works launched Columbia into history. Columbia Historic Preservation Society is a treasure trove of early Columbia, Underground Railroad and Civil War information. The Turkey Hill Experience chronicles Columbia’s role in producing one of the top ice-cream brands in the country. The National Watch & Clock Museum is mentioned as part of the reason Smithsonian magazine declared Columbia one of “America’s Best Small Towns” for 2014.

But then, there’s the everyday history that can be found in the town’s antiques shops – many of which are appropriately housed in repurposed old buildings.

Take the former State Theatre, for example. Opened in 1928 as one of the largest movie theaters outside of big cities, it boasted 40 ft. ceilings and a seating capacity of close to a thousand. It closed in 1978 and was sporadically occupied for the next 30 years. Two years ago, Mike Boyer turned the movie house into the Old State Theatre Antique Mall, which now does a brisk business in entertainment-related memorabilia such as sports, carnivals and arcade games.

Burning Bridge Antiques Market features three floors of astounding architectural finds including stained and leaded windows, mantels, wood trim, doors and fixtures, plus commercial artifacts such as post-office boxes, cash registers and old pharmaceutical bottles. It’s also the site of an infamous 1917 fire that destroyed the fourth floor and killed a fireman, whose ghost reportedly can be heard walking up and down the stairs.

Wright’s Ferry Mansion, 38 S. Second St. 684-4325.

Columbia Historic Preservation Society, 19-21 N. Second St. 684-2894 or columbiahistory.net.

National Watch & Clock Museum, 514 Poplar St. 684-8261 or museumoftime.org.

Turkey Hill Experience, 301 Linden St. 844-847-4884 or turkeyhillexperience.com.

Old State Theatre Antique Mall, 421 Locust St. 342-2498 or oldstatetheatre.com.

Burning Bridge Antiques Market, 304 Walnut St. 684-7900 or burningbridgeantiques.com.

Haunts

© Jordan Bush 2014

On display at Columbia Historic Preservation Society are 19th-century documents of the Columbia Bridge Co. bearing the signatures of Revolutionary War General Thomas Boude, as well as African American millionaires William Whipper and Stephen Smith.

Columbia doesn’t just have ghosts. It has so many ghosts and stories of the unexplained that there’s even a museum dedicated to it.

Rick Fisher owns the National Museum of Mysteries, which features information on spirits, astrology, aliens and local lore including the Albatwitch: a sasquatch-like creature that supposedly lives around Chickies Rock and is fond of stealing apples. (Rick even helped organize the first-ever Albatwitch-related festival last month.) He also leads Ghost Tours of Columbia each weekend along with Chris Vera, director of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society.

Rick and Chris attribute the active apparitions to the restlessness of the river. So many people have made their way into Columbia over the past 300 years – militia men, escaped slaves, bounty hunters, bootleggers, gangsters, and workers for the railroad, canals, mills and iron forges – all flowing in and out with the Susquehanna’s waters.

The Columbia Market House, with its abandoned jail, probably is the town’s most haunted place. The market itself is said to be frequented by a little blonde girl named Katie Durberow, whose family owned a chocolate company across the street. Katie is a benign spirit: People at market have reported feeling a child’s hand holding theirs and the sound of jacks being played. Below ground, however, lies the “dungeon” – and its ghosts are not kind. The spirit of a hulking man dubbed “Big John” often is reported, as are screams and cries of “get out.” The tension in the air is so thick that Chris refuses to enter unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Rick and Chris point out other haunted locales during the Ghost Tour: the Rising Sun Hotel (now home to Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen), the Vigilant Fire Co. (now the AMVETS), the former Keystone Fire Co. building, Burning Bridge Antiques Market, the First National Bank Museum and even the Historic Preservation Society building – whose motion detectors frequently go off without logical explanation.

National Museum of Mysteries, 301 Locust St. 341-7574 or museumofmysteries.org.

Columbia Market House, 15 S. Third St. 449-4731 or columbiamarkethouse.com.

Halloween

Whimsical Halloween décor is on display at Ladybug Keepers on Locust Street.

Whimsical Halloween décor is on display at Ladybug Keepers on Locust Street.

The people of columbia certainly don’t shy away from their town’s ghostly reputation, especially this time of year.

Displayed among the vast warehouse of vintage furniture and collectibles at Tollbooth Marketplace are rows of Halloween décor in almost every style imaginable: country, Victorian, cute, gory. There are little pumpkins and adorable witches and skull candelabras, but also horror-film masks and disembodied hands. Some Halloween images pop up in unexpected places, like a copy of a magazine called Everybody’s Poultry from 1934 with a jack-o-lantern on the cover.

Ladybug Keepers has delightful Halloween items in keeping with the shop’s usual selection of primitives and Early American décor. And, Hinkle’s Pharmacy is famous for its oversized display of Halloween items, which this year includes stuffed vultures and crows, spiders’ webs, skeletons, bats and witches galore.

Historically chilling items can be found at Rivertowne Antique Center: a Victorian-era surgery manual (complete with helpful illustrations of amputations), an encyclopedia set on psychic healing, an elegant branding iron and buttons from 1980 with Edvard Munch’s The Scream superimposed over Three Mile Island, to name a few. Rivertowne – housed in an old tobacco warehouse – also contains a lot of not-so-creepy history: the Art Deco luncheonette from the old Sun Restaurant in Lancaster is on display, as is an etching on the wall (circa 1896) supporting William McKinley for President.

Tollbooth Marketplace, 215 Chestnut St. 684-5555 or tollboothmarket.com.

Ladybug Keepers, 477 Locust St. 684-4404 or Facebook.

Hinkle’s Pharmacy, 261 Locust St. 684-2551 or hinklespharmacy.com.

Rivertowne Antique Center, 125 Bank Ave. 684-8514 or
rivertowneantiques.com.

Happenings

Garth Gallery on South Second Street features two floors of exhibits, plus a café.

Garth Gallery on South Second Street features two floors of exhibits, plus a café.

In addition to its rich history, Columbia also is experiencing a current explosion of arts, culture and cuisine. You can especially feel it the fourth Friday of each month, when the town’s galleries, studios, shops and restaurants welcome visitors in the evening. (Fourth Friday activities also take place in Marietta and Wrightsville.)

At Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts (SCCA), you can see everything from paintings to found art to installations with moving pictures, plus works by locally heralded artists including Carol Galligan, Claire Giblin and Milt Friedly (who also heads the center). The SCCA also has a glass-blowing facility operated by Milt’s son, Jeremy, who offers lessons by appointment.

Two blocks away, housed in a gorgeous Victorian home across from the historic Mount Bethel Cemetery, is Jonal Gallery/Alverta Arts Shop, owned by Dale Weibley and John Novak. On display are Dale’s intricate pen-and-ink stipple illustrations, as well as monthly exhibitions by regional artists. The Labyrinth Room, with a walkable pattern embedded in the wood floor, is a particular highlight.

Artists and guests often make their way to Garth Gallery at the end of the night. Owner Cle Berntheizel, a native son of Columbia and chair of Columbia Downtown Development Corporation, displays his own works, as well as rotating exhibitions by local artists in a gallery that’s just steps away from the Wright’s Ferry Mansion. On the second floor is Café Garth, a huge space with additional displays and room for special events, plus a coffee bar where Cle himself whips up the drinks.

Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts, 452 Locust St. 576-9628 or Facebook.

Jonal Gallery/Alverta Arts Shop, 653 Locust St. 681-9400 or jonalgallery.com.

Garth Gallery, 22 S. Second St. 684-0651 or garthgallery.net.

High Teas At Historic Preservation Trust

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The English High Tea is a tradition that dates back at least 200 years. So, it’s appropriate that the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County is hosting a monthly series of Themed High Teas at its headquarters inside the circa-1787 Sehner-Ellicot-von Hess House on North Prince Street.

“The house and its courtyard make such a beautiful and historic setting for teas,” states High Tea hostess Donna Lussier, owner of La Petite Patisserie in downtown Lancaster. “Our first tea at the Preservation Trust on May 10 was popular with those who attended, and we have been asked when we would have another.”

The High Teas are held in the courtyard adjoining the historic house and/or in the house itself, depending on the weather. Traditional fare such as finger sandwiches, scones and tiny cakes served on tiered stands, plus a selection of teas, comprise the menus.

Themed High Teas through the end of the year include:

▪ October 19: Breast Cancer Awareness Tea

▪ November 15: Downton Abbey Tea

▪ December 13: Tea with Santa (children’s tea)

▪ December 15: Holiday High Tea (adult tea)

Reservations are required.

For schedule and tickets, call 717-424-1631 or 
visit petitedessert.com.

 

 

Distinctive Dining and Spirited Events

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This intact, 19th-century brewery is the perfect place to celebrate Halloween. Its resident ghosts have been documented on SyFy’s Ghost Hunters series.

The Bottling Works

The Bottling Works

Bube’s is formerly the site where German immigrant Alois Bube made and served his Bavarian-style beer. In addition to the small brewery, the brick building housed the Central Hotel. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Bube’s Brewery is the only brewery from the 1800s surviving intact in the United States. “At that time, Lancaster County, with its German heritage, was home to dozens of small breweries. Many of those breweries did not survive Prohibition,” says Sam Allen, who co-owns the complex with Toby Garber.

Each of the restaurants on the property – the Bottling Works, the Catacombs, Bube’s Biergarten and Alois – highlights a different aspect of Alois Bube’s operation and all offer some type of entertainment. “We try to provide an experience that’s unique in a historic place that’s extraordinary.” Sam explains. The Bottling Works, a casual-dining area, is located in the brewery’s former bottling plant. Adjacent to it is Bube’s Biergarten, an outdoor oasis with large trees, landscaped areas and an oversized chessboard. The two share a menu. The Catacombs, a fine-dining venue that also is the backdrop for the various themed feasts, is housed in the stone-lined vaults of the brewery’s aging cellar 43 ft. below ground. Wooden tables, pewter-like plates and mugs, and candlelight add to the aura of being cut off from the world. “We’ve created a really romantic atmosphere in the Catacombs,” Sam remarks. Alois, which is located in the original bar and dining rooms of the Victorian-hotel portion of Bube’s Brewery, is the venue for Bube’s murder mysteries and also is available for private parties. Photos of Alois Bube and his family provide an informal welcome in the entry area, and each of the rooms features hand-stenciling and other painting techniques. The crowning glory is the parlor that houses not only the Central Hotel’s original bar, but also a game table that is original to the hotel.

The Catacombs

The Catacombs

The microbrewery began operating in 2001; it was the first time in 84 years that beer was brewed onsite. Jan Allen, Bube’s COO (and Sam’s wife), notes that the brew staff – Brad Moyer and Steve Knott – are working with some new ideas that she feels will make Bube’s beer “cutting edge.”

Another part of Bube’s legacy was restored in 2011, when eight themed guest rooms in the hotel portion of the property were renovated. “It makes a nice night to have dinner or enjoy a feast or murder mystery and then stay over. We most often rent to groups, and then it’s like an adult slumber party,” Sam says with a smile.

Jan adds that Bube’s – with its various venues, ballroom and historic atmosphere – is a great place for a wedding ceremonies, receptions and bridal showers. It’s also a perfect place to celebrate special occasions such as anniversaries and birthdays, as well as holiday gatherings. Speaking of holidays, Bube’s celebrates the harvest and Halloween this month on a variety of levels. Bube’s brewers will release Pumpkin Ale and an Oktoberfest beer. There’s also “Dinner with the Count,” a special feast held in the Catacombs, and the “Murderous Mystery of Dr. Stanley la Strange” at Alois throughout the month. Bube’s will also celebrate Halloween with a party throughout the facility on Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1. And, what better time to take one of Bube’s ghost tours offered monthly on the first and third Friday? Miley Paranormal is conducting the Friday tours and offers not only information on Bube’s ghosts, but also insights into paranormal investigation. “Each of the two tours features Bube’s ghosts, but also adds a slightly different focus,” Sam notes.

Bube’s Biergarten

Bube’s Biergarten

Bube’s Brewery , 102 N. Market St., Mount Joy, 717-653-2056, Bubesbrewery.com and Facebook Photos

Choice Ground Covers

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Low, mat-forming ground cover can serve as an alternative to turf, fill in the gaps between stepping stones, and beautify the problematic areas under trees and shrubs.

Readers who garden on larger properties are always looking for interesting ground-covering plants to reduce maintenance, cut back on turf and perhaps offer colorful flowers or interesting foliage. Likewise, gardeners with townhouse or patio gardens can add some punch to their displays by planting low-growing, spreading plants between stepping stones and pavers, under shrubs, and in the otherwise bare ground under shade trees. I have grown the following selections for many years.

Sedums

Sedum

Sedum

One of my favorite low-growing plants are the sedums, sometimes called stonecrop. There are many available, but I can confidently recommend several. I’ve had no deer or rabbit damage and they will grow under black-walnut trees. Seek out the following:

Sedum floriferum ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’: This sedum has evergreen, succulent leaves and displays abundant yellow flowers in spring. The foliage turns red in winter, an unexpected attribute. Like most sedums, ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’ tolerates poor, dry soils and spreads agreeably.

Another weed-smothering sedum that I’ve grown for years is Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’. Its small, scalloped, green leaves are topped with rose-pink flowers in late summer and fall. It is hardy, vigorous and gorgeous. An ideal choice for green roofs, rock gardens, and around stepping stones and rocks. To brighten up a corner, try Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’. This quick-spreading ground cover has needle-like foliage that emerges chartreuse and then turns golden-yellow. In fall, it turns shades of orange and red.

Carpet bugleweed Ajuga reptans

Doubtless, many gardeners consider ajuga to be a weed (that is, if you deem growing turf gardening). Admittedly, ajuga can be quite aggressive because of its spreading nature; when planted in perennial borders, it will make its way into the lawn. But, when planted thoughtfully, it is an invaluable Ω even highly ornamental Ω old war horse from the mint family. Bugleweed will grow in sun or shade, and tolerates moist but not water-logged soil. It is a good choice for those gardeners with frustrating clay and heavy soils. The species’ foliage is shiny and dark-green, but purple, bronze and variegated cultivars are widely available. All are showy in spring with vivid, dark-blue flowers and some cultivars have purple, pink or white flowers.

And, how can a gardener scorn a plant that rabbits and deer don’t touch and will even grow under black-walnut trees? I consider ajuga a desperation plant. It will fill in large shady areas where lawns are difficult to establish and can also be planted on banks or slopes, under trees or around shrubs. Spring bulbs such as snowdrops will mix in well.

Perhaps the most useful selections for covering a larger spot are ‘Atropurpurea’ and ‘Bronze Beauty’, which have dark-purple foliage. For smaller areas Ω for instance between stepping stones, or in a trough or rock garden Ω I am smitten with the adorable miniature Chocolate Chip or the unusual coal-black wrinkled ‘Metallica Crispa’.European Ginger

There is no lack of choices for shady areas. Perhaps the most elegant plant I can recommend is European ginger, Asarum europeum. It thrives in shady areas and is primarily grown for its glossy, leathery, heart-shaped, dark-green leaves, which remain evergreen in mild winters. The flowers are hidden by foliage and are not showy.

This very refined (and sometimes costly) plant takes time to establish but will flourish in humusy, slightly acidic, consistently moist and well-drained soils. The seeds are carried around by ants, and I am always pleased when it pops up here and there in the garden. It is easily transplanted in spring. The roots have a mild ginger aroma. It is not browsed and will grow under walnut trees.

Sweet Woodruff

Also doing well in partial to full shade is the old-fashioned sweet woodruff, Galium odoratum. It will be dormant over the winter but quickly emerges in the spring, making an attractive ground cover as it spreads by both creeping roots and self-seeding. The flowers in May are white and very showy. The plants emit a strong odor of freshly mown hay when the foliage is crushed or cut. The aromatic intensity increases when dried, thus dried leaves are popularly used in sachets or potpourris. Its pressed foliage was used by German colonists to scent linens (in German it is called “waldmeister,” which translates as “master of the woods.”) Plants have also been used commercially in perfumes. The leaves are sometimes used to flavor teas and cold fruit drinks. It has traditionally been used to make May wine, a punch made from white wine flavored with woodruff, orange and pineapple.

Golden-Star

For those who favor native plants, a good choice is Golden-star, Chrysogonum virginianum, a member of the daisy family, which is native from Pennsylvania to Florida but is now considered endangered here. It forms dense mats of grey-green, softly hairy foliage, and displays bright-yellow flowers in spring and sporadically throughout summer in sun or part shade in average soil and moisture. It makes a fitting ground cover for woodland gardens, native-plant gardens or naturalized areas, and a nice-looking edging for woodland paths. Golden-star also could be used in shaded areas of border fronts or rock gardens.

Mazus

A little treasure that is very effective between stepping stones or in rock gardens is Mazus reptans, simply called mazus. I have seen it many times in public gardens, but I think it is underused and very useful in home gardens. Tiny mazus is easily grown and spreads very rapidly to form dense mats if kept moist (but not wet) in average or even heavy soil. It thrives in sun to partial shade and displays tiny, purplish-blue, tubular, two-lipped flowers with yellow and white markings in small clusters in late spring to early summer. There is also a white cultivar. Mazus tolerates limited foot traffic and is an excellent ground cover for areas where it can be left alone to spread or naturalize, such as banks, woodland gardens, along paths, or in moist areas near water gardens or along streams, pools or ponds.

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny

For colorful foliage punch, consider Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’, commonly called Golden Moneywort or creeping Jenny. It is easily grown and vigorous, forming dense low-growing, creeping mats of brilliant yellow to chartreuse foliage. Profuse, cup-shaped, bright-yellow flowers appear in early summer. Unlike my other recommendations, creeping Jenny will tolerate saturated soils, making it a good choice for heavy, poorly drained soils. Naturally, it will not tolerate drought. It will brighten dull areas but can spread aggressively. It can be planted to cover or spill over stone walls. An interesting selection for hanging baskets, it is valuable for under planting, and draping over edges of containers and trough gardens. The yellow foliage provides excellent contrast and color for shady areas.

Barren Strawberry

Another tough, underused plant is the so-called barren-strawberry Waldsteinia ternate, which features strawberry-like leaves arranged in rosettes, five-petaled, strawberry-like, yellow flowers and inedible berries. It spreads to form dense, compact carpets of foliage with yellow spring flowers in full sun to part shade. It is not fussy about soil.

A Toast to Longevity – Milagro House’s Evening of Miracles

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Ken Stoudt of event sponsor StoudtAdvisors reflects on 15 years of creating the opportunity to change the lives of women and children experiencing homelessness.

Ken Stoudt of event sponsor StoudtAdvisors reflects on 15 years of creating the opportunity to change the lives of women and children experiencing homelessness.

Milagro House’s evening of miracles has enjoyed 15 years of unparalleled success and on Friday, October 17, its 16th event will again assemble Lancaster’s finest philanthropists for another important night of fundraising at the Lancaster Country Club. The purpose? To ensure creating another year of miracles for its beneficiaries: the homeless women and children within our Lancaster community.

“Evening of Miracles is also a celebration of the success of the women and children we serve,” says Gail Rittenhouse, executive director of Milagro House. “This is a night to highlight the many women and children who have transitioned from dependency to self-sufficiency with the help of Milagro House.”

unlike many charitable organizations’ events that tout luxury trips and fine wines as the main attractions for bidding, Milagro House puts the primary focus on the needs of those for whom the organization exists. The event’s guests bid on specific items that directly benefit the women and children at Milagro House: driving lessons, group counseling sessions and bus passes, for example, all of which help the women of Milagro House get back on the path to independent living through education and employment.

At the end of the night, most guests have nothing to take home – just the warm satisfaction that their bids went directly to the operational needs of the organization. It’s proven to be a winning – and lasting – formula for Milagro House’s sustainability.

Party hostess Kit Slaugh with event emcee Lori Burkholder and husband Jeff Goss. “It is interesting to think of 100 years from now and know that you were important in the life of a child,” notes Lori, for whom serving as event emcee has brought her close to the mission and cause. Lori reflects that “any one of us could be in need” and by helping Milagro House, “there is a ‘domino effect’… one person helping another person, which is why I find it so compelling. It’s the right thing to do.”

Party hostess Kit Slaugh with event emcee Lori Burkholder and husband Jeff Goss. “It is interesting to think of 100 years from now and know that you were important in the life of a child,” notes Lori, for whom serving as event emcee has brought her close to the mission and cause. Lori reflects that “any one of us could be in need” and by helping Milagro House, “there is a ‘domino effect’… one person helping another person, which is why I find it so compelling. It’s the right thing to do.”

Perhaps another of Milagro House’s secrets to success is that they keep their board of directors and volunteers very close, often thanking them for their good work with a social event. One such party was held a few months after last year’s Evening of Miracles. Hosted by board member Kit Slaugh, the gathering brought the group together for a casual, intimate thank-you over cocktails.

it is noteworthy that Milagro House is committed to not depending on government funding. “We get our support from the community for education and for breaking the cycles of dependency,” Gail points out. “We get such support from the community because we can be pure to our mission and provide the highest quality of services to the Lancaster Community.” The continued success of Evening of Miracles – and Milagro House – simply makes sense to Gail: “The spirit of that celebration makes people want to participate in changing lives.”

For tickets or more information about Evening of Miracles, please visit www.MilagroHouse.org.

Fear Not!

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I’m pretty sure that Hannibal Lecter wasn’t talking about beef, but all in all, he was on to something with his passion for liver, fava beans and a fine Chianti! Some of the most underrated types of meats are the offals, or organ meats.

Granted, organ meats are sort-of icky looking, which may explain why people are afraid of them. Plus, the fact is that most people simply aren’t used to them because they never had to eat them. But, back in the day, nothing was wasted, hence everything was available at the meat counter and at a price that was hard to pass up when things were tight. I was very fortunate that my family did take part and therefore I did get accustomed to eating liver, tongue, heart and that yummy pepper-pot soup that my grandmother made from tripe. So, I was at least open to these items by the time I hit culinary school, which made my experience all the better. Today, you barely see these exotic beauties unless you request them. But, when cooked properly, offals more than have their merits and can be exceptionally delicious, all for pennies on the dollar. If you’re game, offals would provide an interrrrresting menu for a Halloween dinner party. Pull out the dark linens, set the table with pewter or dark dinnerware and crank up the creepy music. Provide your guests with menus or, for more fun, have them guess what they’re eating. Who knows? They may like it!

I found most of what I was looking for at Country Meadows Farms’ Central Market stand. Amen to the local butcher!

Anticuchos de Corazon

Anticuchos de Corazon, or Grilled, Skewered Heart with Ghost-Pepper Sauce & Mint

Anticuchos de Corazon, or Grilled, Skewered Heart with Ghost-Pepper Sauce & Mint

Let’s have a little heart-to-heart – beef heart, that is. Anticuchos are skewered pieces of meat in Peruvian cuisine, with Anticuchos de Corazon, or skewered heart, being the most famous of all. When butterflied, sliced into thin medallions and then marinated in cumin, garlic, smoked paprika, dried oregano and red-wine vinegar, this hard-working muscle grills up for one truly tasty treat. There isn’t enough fat for well-done cooking and no good connective tissue to allow for slow braising without drying out, but if quickly seared on the grill to a medium-rare doneness (at most), this is one amazingly flavorful cut. Think about it: All of that blood running through the heart brings an obscene amount of beefy flavor! Hot off the grill, the skewers get sprinkled with a fresh chiffonade of mint and then are served with a smoky, spicy ghost-pepper mayo. The tangy meat, the smoldering-yet-creamy sauce and the cooling, fresh mint make for an exciting experience in every bite.

Liver and Onions

Pan-Seared Calf’s Liver with Bacon Lentils, Sautéed Greens and Caramelized Onion-Balsamic-Vinegar Sauce

Pan-Seared Calf’s Liver with Bacon Lentils, Sautéed Greens and Caramelized Onion-Balsamic-Vinegar Sauce

Liver and onions have long been a dynamic duo and considered to be a very healthy meal when enjoyed in moderation. A one-slice serving of liver is high in quality protein, packed with tons of vitamins such as A and B, and has enough copper and iron to plumb your house! One of the issues with cooking liver is that when you buy it from a butcher or supermarket, they sometimes leave the silver sinew layer on it. It is just as important to peel it off liver as it is from a filet mignon. Liver will cook and curl into a leather strap if it’s not removed. Another issue some folks have with liver is that it is often served too well done. That’s usually a result of being sliced too thinly. Non-fans also complain of a mealy texture, which again is a result of overcooking. To remedy that, order your liver in a peeled lobe state. You can then slice it into thicker, more cube-like cuts, which will allow you to get a better sear on the outside while still leaving the inside more of a rosy medium. As is tradition, sweet, fried onions serve as a fabulous foil to the richly flavored meat. To update the dish, add some balsamic vinegar and cook it down with those onions, then swirl in a knob of butter to create a sweet-sour sauce for the meat. It’s a match made in heaven! I like the earthy tones of lentils to go along as a healthy starch that fills the plate a little more, allowing for a slightly smaller amount of liver. Finally, add some hearty greens like bok choy, kale or chard to really ramp up the nutritional content of the dish in a way that only leafy greens can.

Sweetbreads

Crispy Fried Sweetbreads with Dill Pickle & Grain Mustard Relish, Parsley Salad & Lemon

Crispy Fried Sweetbreads with Dill Pickle & Grain Mustard Relish, Parsley Salad & Lemon

A lot of people have undoubtedly heard of sweetbreads, yet have no idea of what they are. Actually, they are glands from a few different areas of an animal. Whether they are derived from veal, lamb, beef or pork, one of the most common is from the throat: the thymus gland. When poached in milk – which gently smoothes out their flavor – then enhanced with herbs, garlic and spices, these glands are transformed into one of the most succulent proteins out there. Think chicken nuggets for a king! Serve them with a dill-pickle and grain-mustard salsa, a spritz of lemon and an Italian Parsley salad for a super-simple yet spectacular way to enjoy these outstanding offals. While they do require some work, they are totally worth it! I found them at Stauffers’ Rohrerstown store.

 

Tongue

Braised Tongue with Baby Vegetables, Potatoes and Beef Gravy

Braised Tongue with Baby Vegetables, Potatoes and Beef Gravy

Lastly, we have a cut that will leave you speechless: tongue! First, get beyond the obvious: the look of this cut. Once it’s slowly simmered in a flavorful broth, made so by aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs, and then peeled of anything that once resembled a tongue, the resulting meat within is about as good as it gets. The meat is very similar to brisket, only it’s a bit more refined. The striations in the meat are a little finer and when sliced into little filets, served with a sauce made from that wonderful broth plus some baby vegetables, we are truly talking high cuisine! You may have had tongue that was pickled like corned beef, where it was perhaps sliced onto some quality rye bread and schmeared with some Düsseldorf mustard. This is great too, but to me, that doesn’t allow it to pass as another cut of excellent beef. Try it sort-of “pot roast” style and you would never know the difference. Go ahead, don’t be scared!

Mount Bethel Cemetery

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One of the most-photographed monuments at Mount Bethel Cemetery is the angel statue belonging to Joseph Aldinger, a Civil War veteran, and his wife, Annie.

One of the most-photographed monuments at Mount Bethel Cemetery is the angel statue belonging to Joseph Aldinger, a Civil War veteran, and his wife, Annie.

For a final resting place, Mount Bethel Cemetery is surprisingly lively. “Cemeteries can make you question and spark your inquisitive nature,” says Jane Moore, a member of Mount Bethel’s board of directors and a passionate sharer of the stories contained within the 10-acre cemetery.

There are the stories of Columbia’s most notable citizens, many of whom are buried here. There are the Wrights, the Blunstons, the Houstons and the Bethels, all of whom helped establish the town. Members of the Mifflin family – poet and balladeer Lloyd Mifflin may be the most well-known – are here, too. So is Thomas Boude, the Revolutionary War general who helped escaped-slave-turned-millionaire Stephen Smith obtain his freedom. The Civil War is well represented by more than 200 veterans including Gen. Thomas Welsh, plus four of the men who burned the bridge on June 28, 1863 to halt the advancing Confederate troops.

Then, there are stories of everyday people, especially in the Potters Field portion of the cemetery. “That’s where African Americans were allowed to bury if they had no other place,” Jane says, noting that’s also where Susannah Wright arranged for Native Americans to be laid to rest. There are many markers from 1902, when a smallpox outbreak forced special restrictions on burials (including only being held at midnight, and only with the doctor and health officer attending). And, there’s the marker of one William Campbell: an 18th-century fur trader, attacked by his own dog that was mad with rabies, who carved his own epitaph before he died.

Officially, there are about 10,000 people buried in Mount Bethel, although Jane believes there may be as many as 14,000. (A scarcity of records prior to the Civil War accounts for the discrepancy.) And, she says the board of directors tries to maintain the final wishes of as many as possible – which, needless to say, requires resources.

To that end, Mount Bethel is hosting a series of events to highlight its rich history – for a complete list, see the Rivertowns calendar of events starting on page 62. But, visitors are welcome any time. “The gates are never closed,” Jane says.

700 Locust St., Columbia. Mtbethelcemetery.com.

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