Thursday, May 28, 2009

neighborhood news

Dear neighbors,
I have several items to pass on to you...I haven't sent out a note recently because I've been preoccupied with college sons coming home and graduating - a time of celebration! I hope you will take the time to read over the information below about the two events coming up - one this weekend at Pennypacker Mills and the other a monthly event at Normandy Farms.

I also have 2 other items:
One is "postcard" attached with information about a college age daughter of a neighbor who is interested in babysitting! Might be just in time for your summer needs...hope you are able to read the file with Foxit.
Secondly, see this note from a neighbor with a summer time treat for sale...please contact Tish directly if you are interested. Her phone number is in the note.

Enjoy this beautiful season! Stay tuned for more notes soon....
Carol Pfister
gwyneddknoll@gmail.com
215-661-8775
I've got a Margaritaville Premium Frozen Concoction Maker for sale (model DM2000). It is brand new and in the box (never opened). Before I place it on eBay, it dawned on me that with upcoming summer entertaining, one of the Gywnedd Knolls neighbors may be interested in buying it. It is great for making margaritas, slushees, mud slides, and milk shakes.
 It is a long story, but I came by two of the makers which is why I would like to sell one. I am only asking $300 which is what I paid for it.
If you think it is appropriate, please pass this along to our neighbors for consideration. Attached is a picture.
 Thank you,
 Tish Baldez
215-906-9256
Claudia Way
margaritaville dm2000.jpg margaritaville dm2000.jpg
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Dear Friends & Neighbors,

Hope you will have a few hours to spend at Pennypacker Mills for this outstanding event. You will be transported back to the 1860's and find yourself immersed in the conflict that was the Civil War. Hope to see you there!

 Linda Callegari

Pennypacker Mills'

Civil War Reunion

Meet President Abraham Lincoln and

Witness Spectacular Military Enactments & Civilian Demonstrations

 

 

The crowd quiets as the tall, slender gentleman in the top hat rises to speak. He clears his voice and looks out over the crowd. It is none other than President Abraham Lincoln, America's sixteenth President. Meet this outstanding statesman as Pennypacker Mills celebrates the Lincoln Bicentennial and his legacy of freedom and equality.

 

Battle Enactment Daily:

The story of the Civil War was told in camps, field hospitals, letters to loved ones, and on the battlefield. At 2:30 pm the first blast of cannon fire will announce the beginning of the military enactment. Soldiers will march to the steady beat of the drummer and take positions in the battlefield. Over the course of an hour, witness the strategy, the technology of the time, and the human sacrifice that was typical of a battle. In many a small towns scarcely a family did not lose a son or brother or father. You can experience all this and more at Pennypacker Mills' Civil War Reunion on Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st.

 

Visit the Military & Artillery Encampments:

The Civil War Reunion is a FREE enactment and living history experience for the whole family. Outside on the grounds, wander through the military encampments to meet the soldiers who enlisted to fight for the cause. See them cooking over open fires, cleaning their guns, and talking about their families back home. Most of these men had never strayed twenty miles from their own front doors, but now found themselves soldiers in an army, fighting battles hundreds of miles from home.

 

Living History Demonstrations:

On the Civilian Street meet average Americans trying to survive in the midst of a war that wreaked havoc on their families and farms. Life in the 1860's meant that women hand washed clothes, cooked over an open fire, hooked rugs, quilted, sewed, watched as their children scampered playing soldier and helping with chores, and attended Sanitary Fairs to collect food and medical supplies for loved ones in the War.

 

See military engineers prepare battle maps using surveying equipment and light sensitive paper. Understand the challenges these men faced in trying to quickly access the terrain of a potential battlefield and make the maps needed to plot a large scale battle.

 

Meet a Union Native American Indian who served with the 2nd Indian Homeguard Regiment. Black Beaver, a member of the Indian Brigade will share his experiences as a Native American during the war.

 

Hear Soldiers and Officers, Two Very Different Experiences, an interesting presentation about the differences in uniform, rank and privilege between a Private and a Colonel, presented by the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia.

 

Meet the doctors, nurses and herbologists who attended the wounded. Learn about medicine in the Civil War from those who served just behind the front lines.

 

Writing letters home was a source of solace for many soldiers. Having never been far from home and family these boys and men found themselves worrying about family and the farm. Read actual letters by Samuel Pennypacker (future Governor of Pennsylvania) and Galusha Pennypacker (his cousin) as they share life in the military with family.

 

Fascinating Speakers all Weekend:

On Saturday, May 30th, meet Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln as the President speaks on his presidency and the war at 11 am in the Barn. Four of Lincoln's own brothers-in-law fought on the Confederate side, and one was killed. See the pain in this President's voice as he shares the life and death decisions he made. The President will respond to questions in first person after the program.

 

At 1 pm in the Barn, hear Commonwealth Speaker Dr. Nilgun Anadolu-Okur speak about "Heroes, Spies and Villains on the Underground Railroad." Learn about those who supported the efforts of the Underground Railroad and those kidnappers, spies and villains who sought to capture slaves for a lucrative bounty. Dr. Anadolu-Okur will explore some of the historical incidents involving Pennsylvania freedom fighters, spies and Underground Railroad passengers.

 

On Sunday, May 31st in the Barn, hear Patrick Hotard speak on the "Siege of Corinth, Mississippi (April to June 1862)." Hear about the events and personalities involved in this campaign, which followed the Battle of Shiloh. Corinth, Mississippi was a small town in extreme Northeast Mississippi and a key railroad center that allowed the Confederacy to move troops and supplies from there to the Atlantic coast.

 

Music & Storytelling:

On the mansion porch enjoy a unique musical performance, "Songs of the Civil War, Lincoln & Liberty Too." Singer-songwriter Bob Welch will share with us with the music (guitar and banjo) and songs of the Civil War. Both entertaining and educational for all ages, this performance will give you a new appreciation for how people expressed themselves through song in the 1860's.

 

Sunday Services:

Arrive at 10:30 am and hear the Chaplain from the U.S. Christian Commission as he preaches a Civil War era sermon. Chaplains served as a source of comfort to wounded and dying soldiers during the war. They could be found fearlessly serving on the battlefield as well as in hospitals offering food, clothing, comfort, and spiritual hope. Many soldiers knew of the U.S.C.C. for the coffee wagons that provided hot drinks to soldiers in camp or the library of books that were loaned out. At Gettysburg, military resources were overwhelmed and it was the U.S.C.C. who provided medical supplies, relief workers, and food for the wounded left on the battlefield.

 

Sutlers or itinerant merchants would follow armies and sell supplies to soldiers that the army did not provide. Armies were always short of food, uniforms, weaponry and supplies that made the life of a soldier bearable. Stop by and purchase books, pottery, tin cups, military and civilian clothing, souvenirs of your day, and even have your image taken using period photography equipment at Pennypacker Mills.

 

Evening Lantern Tours:

Another captivating experience is the Lantern Tours where groups of visitors are led into the encampment area to witness vignettes of camp life, social history, music, and to meet the President and his wife by lantern light. An artillery demonstration involving both Union and Confederate units using an array of cannon fire called, "rolling thunder" will get the evening off with a bang! Pre-register at www.civilwarreunion.org or call 610-287-9349 for a registration form.

 

Come to the Civil War Reunion and in so many ways it will tell the story of the bloodiest war in American history through the voices of the men and women who lived through it. This event is a must for every family, history buff, Boy Scout or Girl Scout, home school family, and everyone who appreciates the sacrifice that so many Americans made for freedom.

 

For more information about the Civil War Reunion event, please call our office at 610-287-9349 or visit our event website at www.civilwarreunion.org  

 

Admission and parking for this event are FREE. Arrive early for lunch at the concession stand where a variety of hot and cold foods, refreshments & treats will be available. Visit the Sutlers and stop at our own Museum Shop, located on the mansion porch.

 

Pennypacker Mills is located at the intersection of Route 73 (Skippack Pike) and Haldeman Road in Schwenksville, Montgomery County, PA, and four miles west of Skippack or north of Collegeville. Closed Mondays and major holidays. For Group Tours, please contact our Office at (610) 287-9349. Website: http://www.historicsites.montcopa.org/pennypackermills


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Hello Everyone!

It's that time of year again!  Summer is around the corner and that means it is time for

Normandy Farm's Beer & BBQ events.  If you remember from previous years, these outdoor parties are tons of fun

 whether you are with friends, family, or co-workers.

  Each party has its own unique theme and features an all-you-can-eat buffet, unlimited beer, and live entertainment.

 Check out the flyer below for more information, or visit our website at www.normandyfarm.com and click on "Special Events" on the left hand side of the page.

For reservations or any questions you may have, feel free to contact me at 215-616-8305.  I look forward to seeing you there!



Marissa Weber
Reservations Manager
Normandy Farm Hotel & Conference Center
1401 Morris Rd
Blue Bell, PA  19422
215-616-8305  Reservations
215-616-8108  Cooking School
215-616-8401  Fax
mweber@hansen-properties.com  email
www.normandyfarm.com

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

neighborhood news

Dear neighbors,
First a reminder about the garage sale coming up this Saturday, May 9! There are 6 families signed up so far...if you hurry you can still join in! There will be notes provided to each house, directing customers to the other sales. Many thanks to Eva O'Brien for coordinating this sale. Please note: all families participating and any new ones - please call Eva before Saturday to confirm arrangements! 215-661-8764.  Get out and shop for treasures on Saturday...the rain date will be May 16.

Secondly, please find attached an "invoice" for annual fees for the care and maintenance of our entry ways. We are hoping all of you will respond to this email version so we can save costs on a paper mailing. We will do a mailing to those who do not respond to this email. You will need to provide your own envelope and stamp to mail your check - the address is highlighted on the invoice.

Remember, unlike the majority of neighborhoods in the area, there is no formal neighborhood association in Gwynedd Knoll.  However, the entrances are the responsibility of the entire neighborhood, not just those people who live adjacent to them.  The last fund drive came up a few thousand dollars short of the monies spent to re-landscape the entrances, which was done professionally for the first time since the development was completed and included significant work to clean it up and sculpt the beds for mulching.  Therefore, we will be taking the approach of sending an annual invoice to collect the funds needed to ensure that our neighborhood remains desirable and inviting.  Remember, this is an investment in the value of your Gwynedd Knoll property! 

The mulching and weed control application this spring will cost about $1,000. The planting of summer flowers will cost about $900. We are contracting with a local company that already does work in the neighborhood. We have researched the prices and these are competitive. We hope you agree and will contribute to help.
Many thanks to Neil and Andrea Daeubler who replaced the bushes at the Meetinghouse entry themselves this past weekend! They saved us the high labor costs of digging! Also, the pansies which were planted last fall have come back nicely this spring, eliminating the need for another planting.


Thank you for your participation. 

 The Gwynedd Knoll Garden Club

 

Reminder:  The Hancock Road entrance plantings are temporary and minimal at this time because the entire entry will be re-built as part of the Rte. 202 project.  When complete, the entry will be landscaped with permanent trees and shrubs.


Carol Pfister
gwyneddknoll@gmail.com
215-661-8775