Connections Magazine - May 2017 Issue by Connections Magazine

REMOVING UNWANTED ODORS FROM YOUR CLASSIC CAR – P 5

May 2017

CLASSIC CAR: 1955 SUNBEAM ALPINE MARK III – P 6

IT'S TEE TIME: THE COUNTRY CLUB AT WOODLOCH SPRINGS– P 10

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may ‘17

contents

departments Area Golf Courses

Ask the Vet

Beauty Spotlight

Behavioral Medicine

Book Review

Car Cruise Schedule

connectionsmagazine MAY ’17

Events Calendar

Film Review

Healthy Geezer

Laser Vision

Living Green

Money

OurTowns

Outdoor Ramblings

Pocono Secrets

Reflections of Prison

features

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VOL. 19 NO. 5

REMOVING UNWANTED ODORS FROM YOUR CLASSIC CAR You never know where you may find that restorable classic car of your dreams. Unfortunately, however, many times these cars have been stored in less than optimal conditions. Quite often, they have been exposed to the weather and even to small rodents and other wildlife! This can result in interiors that may exhibit foul odors such as musty or even barnyard-like smells.

1955 SUNBEAM ALPINE MARK III After a cold winter, complete with a record breaking March snowstorm, we are ready for some warm spring days. Just as nature provides us signs that spring has in fact arrived; flowers are starting to bloom; the grass is turning green, and the days are getting longer; we also start to see collector cars awakening from their long winter naps. May is the start of car shows/cruises season, an exciting time for car enthusiasts, a time to renew old friendships, meet new enthusiasts, and see some unique cars with some unique stories. This month’s car is a very unique and rare 1955 Sunbeam Alpine Mark III owned by Scotty Greenberger of Yulan, New York, since 1959.

IT’S TEE TIME: THE COUNTRY CLUB AT WOODLOCH SPRINGS Located just 95 scenic miles from New York City and nestled in the Pocono Mountains Lake Region sits The Country Club at Woodloch Springs, recognized by both GOLF Magazine and Golf Digest as one of the finest courses in America and rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play.

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president • publisher • editor in chief deborah bailey production manager meica drake account representative barry weiss editorial correction services sandi scull assignment writer allison mowatt contributing writers al hoff, Movie Review lucille norella, ArtScene fred cicetti, The Healthy Geezer charles curtin, Finance terry mooney, Reflections of a Prison Inmate arthur middleton, MD, FAPA, Behavioral Medicine michael krupa, Finance josh sheard, Finance terri schlichenmeyer, Book Review la guzda, Pocono Secrets arnie milidantri, Classic Cars bill deaton, Outdoor Ramblings pike county conservation district, Living Green cherry ridge veterinary clinic, Ask the Vet

connectionsmagazine 3305 Lake Ariel Highway Honesdale, PA 18431 570.647.0085 • Fax 570.647.0086 cmag@ptd.net • thinkconnections@yahoo.com www.connections-magazine.com

Connections Magazine is not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints. All advertising, including photographs, is the property of Connections Magazine and not that of the advertiser. The advertiser has purchased the right of reproduction only in Connections Magazine and does not have the right to reproduce the ads in any other place or publication. Connections Magazine reserves its rights to exercise its discretion in the selection of advertisements. © COPYRIGHT 2006 CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE

WHAT A DILEMMA To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk rejection. To place your visions before the crowd is to risk ridicule. To love is to risk not being loved in return. **To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. We may avoid suffering and sorrow, but we cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or know GOD. Chained by our own self-assurances, we are a slave. We have forfeited our freedom. Only the person who dares to take risk and to trust in their GOD will ever be made FREE.

In 1997,Rev. Edwin E. Bailey, father of the editor, gave this poem to his daughter 8 days before he had a stroke and 3 weeks before he died. The poem was adapted from works by Leo Buscaglia. Edwin hand wrote this on a scrap of paper and gave it to his daughter, Deborah, saying the words, “Someday you’ll understand these words and use them. God bless sweetheart.” **These words were used in making the decision to purchase Connections Magazine in 2002. CONNECTIONS COPYRIGHTED 2007

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unwanted odors

classic cars

Removing

Unwanted Odors from Your Classic Car Submitted by Disaster Blaster You never know where you may find that restorable classic car of your dreams. Unfortunately, however, many times these cars have been stored in less than optimal conditions. Quite often, they have been exposed to the weather and even to small rodents and other wildlife! This can result in interiors that may exhibit foul odors such as musty or even barnyard-like smells.

In some cases, getting rid of these odors may require the costly removal and replacement of all the soft goods within the interior of the vehicle, such as the carpeting and upholstery. Often, however, this may not be required. In this article, we address some of Disaster Blaster’s recommendations for odor removal techniques you can try first before you go to the expense of replacing those carpets and upholstery. The first step to getting rid of odors is to remove the source of the odor. To do this, thoroughly clean the vehicle, both in and out. Don’t forget the engine and trunk compartments. Pay particular attention to the soft goods in the vehicle such as the carpets, upholstery, and headliner. It is these areas that tend to hold most of the odors. These soft goods should first be vacuumed thoroughly. After vacuuming, inspect these areas for any staining that is apparent. Any stained areas should then be pretreated with a professional grade stain remover. After allowing the stain remover to sit the length of time suggested in its instructions, then shampoo these soft goods very meticulously. We suggest adding a professional grade deodorizer to the shampoo solution during this process. Next, allow the vehicle to completely dry out. Keep the vehicle windows and, if possible doors, open during the drying process. You can also

use some fans to speed up this process and help blow residual odors from the interior. If it is a sunny day, it helps to let this drying occur outdoors. After the vehicle is dry, inspect the vehicle for any further staining and odors that may still be present. It may be necessary to repeat the process above numerous times before you reach a point where you are satisfied. If the odor still persists, another method that has worked is using bicarbonate powder to help remove the odors. While dry, sprinkle this powder liberally on the carpets as well as the upholstered seats and allow it to sit for a several hours. Then vacuum up the dust and ventilate the car for at least an hour. Again, this may need to be repeated for optimal results. Often, the odor may be coming from the vehicle’s air-conditioning or heating system. This is usually caused by bacteria or mold growing within these systems. To take care of this, use a liquid antimicrobial product, which can be purchased at most cleaning product stores or online. You will want to spray this product heavily on the floor of the car by the front doors with the door open. Once applied, first run the air-conditioning system for at least five to ten minutes followed by running the heating system for that same period of time. Make sure to set the system so that air is running through the entire system and all vents to ensure all internal areas are being treated. You may need to complete this treatment multiple times. We also recommend that

you add a deodorizer to the antimicrobial liquid for better effect. Another way to reduce odors is to use a bar of scented soap in the vehicle. This will serve to mask the odor by substituting it with a more pleasant scent for the short term until you can determine the odor’s source and remove it through proper remediation. This soap often works better than car deodorizers. Be sure to place this bar of soap in a place where it cannot move and get lodged near the brake or gas peddles. While we are on this subject, we do want to comment on the use of ozone as an effective way of ridding vehicles of odors. Disaster Blaster, Inc. owns a number of professional grade ozone machines that we use from time to time to remove smoke odors from fire or smoke damaged buildings. These machines are very effective in oxidizing and removing odors. We do not, however, recommend their use for removing odors from vehicles. The reason for this is that ozone has been found to cause premature disintegration to some vital components in a vehicle, particularly those consisting of rubber. While not all rubbers are affected by ozone, elastic rubber (elastomers) can be damaged and often destroyed by a relatively short exposure to these high levels of ozone. Ozone causes cracks to form in these elastomers, which is appropriately known as ozone cracking. It can occur in many safety-critical items such as fuel lines and rubber seals, such as gaskets and O-rings, which will ultimately lead to failure. While ozone concentrations can be rather high when using an ozone generator, it is thought that only a trace amount of the ozone gas is needed to initiate this cracking. It is often difficult to remove odors completely, but don’t give up! Often a series of treatments are needed to see results.

Have fun cruising! If there’s something that YOU want to hear about, please email us at news@disasterblaster.com!

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classic cars

sunbeam alpine mark III

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sunbeam alpine mark III

classic cars

fter a cold winter, complete with a record breaking March snowstorm, we are ready for some warm spring days. Just as nature provides us signs that spring has in fact arrived; flowers are starting to bloom, the grass is turning green, and the days are getting longer; we also start to see collector cars awakening from their long winter naps. May is the start of car shows/cruises season an exciting time for cars enthusiasts, a time to renew old friendships, meet new enthusiasts and see some unique car with some unique stories. This month’s car is a very unique and rare 1955 Sunbeam Alpine Mark III owned by Scotty Greenberger of Yulan, New York, since 1959.

Background At the end of World War II, Sunbeam, along with other British manufacturers, were committed to fill a perceived gap in market between the basic sports cars such as the MG TD and the more luxury two-seaters such as the Jaguar XK 120. Sunbeam and others failed in their initial quest as they watched the gap filled by Austin (BMC) with the Austin Healey and Standard –Triumph with the TR2. Sunbeam’s secondary effort into this market was led by George Hartwell, the Rootes distributor in Bournemouth. His experience with Sunbeam dated back to 1949 when he drove for the works team that entered several postwar events, including that year’s Monte Carlo Rally. In 1951, Hartwell modified the Sunbeam-Talbot’s 2267cc engine with four carburetors to increase output. This upgrade failed to make the grade, but later in the year, Hartwell enjoyed more success with a supercharged engine installed in an open sports car featuring three-abreast seating and ran it in the 1951 MCC National Rally. In the 1953 Alpine Rally, Sunbeam-Talbot entered two “Hartwell” Coupes. What would ultimately become the limited-production, was literally a hand-built 1953 Sunbeam Alpine Series I derived from the 1952 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 drophead coupe. Although the coupe and sedan models did well in their rally racing, the style of the cars was not what the market was looking for in a sports car. Sunbeam’s parent company, Rootes, hired Raymond Lowery, an American automotive and commercial designer, to help create the Sunbeam roadster. The car’s design stayed consistent for the 1953-1955 model years during which time a total of 1,582 Series I and Series III (there was no Series II), were manufactured with 961 of the original Alpines being sold in the United States and Canada. Worldwide, it’s believed that fewer than 200 Series I and Series III Alpines have survived. The US base price for the Alpines was $2,899. The special Alpine bodies, produced by Mulliners of Bordesley Green in Birmingham, were mounted on reinforced frames donated by the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 drop-head coupe. Its interior, with its leather-trimmed seats and wool carpets, was that of a high class sports car. However, the instrument panel was lifted mostly intact from the Sunbeam-Talbot sedan. Perhaps the most famous of all Sunbeam Alpines was the one featured in the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock film, “To Catch A Thief”, the sexy blue sports car Grace Kelly drove at high speed along the steep cornices above the Mediterranean. Cary Grant played the nervous passenger, hiding both his fear of Grace’s driving and his secret identity as the famous cat burglar, John Robie.

than the original ever did. The body on the car is flawless except for the factory modifications, which are evident throughout the car. The seat mounts for the rear seat are still there, as well as the fact that there are no rollup windows, and the cowling doesn’t fit perfectly due to the after built modifications at the factory. The interior of the vehicle is totally upgraded but looks original. The convertible top, which is new, was copied from the original. The dashboard is newly designed as the original was one that had added-on parts from the factory. The car has a GPS, DVD player, and satellite radio. The tires were narrow 5:50 x l6 bias plies, which were changed to l95/75Rl5 radials, and really improved handling.

Featured Car The featured car is a beautiful 1955 Sunbeam Alpine Mark III, painted Mercedes Mars red, owned by Scotty Greenberger. He has owned the car since June of 1959 (58 years next month). The story on how he came to own the car is unique. In 1959, Scotty was scheduled to start City College in Manhattan, NY, and needed a car to commute from Yulan, NY, to the college. Scotty thought he was getting a 1950 Studebaker convertible, which he picked out at a dealer, but his mom, who was gifting him the car, purchased the Sunbeam that was parked in front of the Studebaker. So started a 58-year relationship with the wrong car! The car’s classic design, wire wheels, sound, and plush interior have turned heads from the very start. Scotty’s Alpine has required several mechanical upgrades in order to painstakingly preserve the car’s drivability. His solutions to the car’s interesting challenges are a testament to his love of one unique car. The car originally had 80 horsepower with a five-speed transmission (including overdrive). According to Scotty, it was not a very dependable car as the transmission was very weak. Within the first four years he had the car (only using it during the summers), it had to have its transmission rebuilt five times. Subsequently, he swapped the original transmission for a three-speed American Ford transmission, which worked out very well until the differential housing cracked and he had to get another one, which didn’t last too long either. So, it now has a Chrysler differential, which seems to be perfect. Sometime around l964, he was able to get a l956 Chevrolet 265 cu. inch engine and installed it. It was very fast, but he realized it was too big for the car. This led to the installation of a Ford 302, and that didn’t fit too well. The next engine was a Pinto 2.0 overhead cam, which worked out really well for the next fifteen years until the camshaft went. Currently, the drive train is a 2010 GM 4 cylinder Ecotech over-head cam engine coupled to its corresponding 5-speed transmission and computer controlled. The car runs better

Owner Scotty Greenberger, a resident of Yulan, New York, a small town in Sullivan County close to the northeast Pennsylvania border, and has been a car enthusiast all his life. He retired from the New York City school system having taught Industrial Arts before transitioning to a Guidance Counselor position. When not working on his cars (he does all his own work except painting), restoring antique gas-pumps and air stations, or doing projects around his home, he keeps busy as President of the Highland, NY, Seniors and teaches AARP Driving Safety classes. He loves traveling, and throughout his visits to many countries around the world, he has been drawn to their varied and unique transportation vehicles. He enjoys the camaraderie of the car hobby, and because of his Alpine ownership, he has had many wonderful experiences and met many wonderful people. People he met thirty or forty years ago ask him where he was able to find another one like it. They are surprised when he tells them “it’s the same one.” No matter where Scotty goes with his Alpine, people always ask me, “What is it?” With his background in industrial arts and out of necessity of owning the Alpine, Scotty has become a pretty good mechanic. Scotty’s son, Eric, literally grew up with this car, and it has become a true father-son project for many years. Eric has taken over and implemented the latest modifications. In addition to the Sunbeam Alpine, Scotty’s garage has an l947 Cadillac limousine, a l999 GMC Sierra sport side, and a 2007 Corvette convertible. Scotty’s Alpine is a great car with a great story. He loves to show his car and swap car stories. If you are attending a local car show/cruise in Northeastern PA or Yulan NY and happen to see a beautiful Mercedes Mars red sports car that you can’t recall the name of, stop by and say hi to Scotty. He’ll gladly tell you about his Sunbeam, his first car that is one of only twenty-one remaining!

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area shows & cruises

classic cars

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golf

area courses

Other Local Courses LVCC Golf Course Hemlock Farms, PA

The Country Club at Woodloch Springs Hawley, PA ocated just 95 scenic miles from New York City and nestled in the Pocono Mountains Lake Region sits The Country Club at Woodloch Springs, recognized by both GOLF Magazine and Golf Digest as one of the finest courses in America and rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play.

Woodloch’s spectacular, 18-hole, championship, par-72 golf course winds its challenging way over 6,579 yards of fern-carpeted forests, lush wetlands, and broad upland meadows. Designed by Rocky Roquemore, this stunning course offers four sets of tees on every hole so that all levels of play can be accommodated. The outstanding signature 14th hole is an experience itself. It requires a dramatic 220-yard carry over “Hells Gate Gorge,” which is carved from the rugged mountainside by rushing water some 200 feet below. The golf course at Woodloch Springs is a family-friendly course, dedicated to growing the game of golf, and features a 16-acre, state of the art teaching facility for lessons tailored to players’ individual needs. John Pillar, Director of Golf at Woodloch Springs, and Secretary of the Philadelphia Section PGA, is recognized as one of America’s Top 50 Kids Teachers by US Kids

Golf. He leads the Family Tee Program, which helps to ensure that our future golfers have the opportunity to enjoy the integrity, honesty, and camaraderie inherent in the sport. Woodloch’s signature warm hospitality ensures that players leave with excellent memories of the course, facility, food and beverage, staff, and service. The Country Club organizes and produces corporate golf outings, charity tournaments, programs, and clinics. The fully furnished guest homes at The Country Club at Woodloch Springs feature two to five bedrooms, most with the same number of private baths, and an unparalleled view of the scenic countryside and manicured golf course. The Country Club at Woodloch Springs offers a variety of options for golfers of any and all skill levels. With the addition of the Woodloch Golf Academy and Indoor Performance Studio, anyone can take up a lesson with our seasoned professionals. It’s also important to note that at Woodloch, everyone is welcome and the club is committed to expanding the game of golf. That’s why with all of our memberships kids are free! Even if you’re not a member, kids golf free after 3pm every day, you’ll just need to check for availability. The Country Club at Woodloch Springs offers a variety of club memberships for the golfing enthusiast or the recreational golfer and is a semi-private course for members and guests of Woodloch. Limited outside tee-times are available. Non-members or non-guests may make golf reservations up to four days in advance. Pricing for a round of golf at Woodloch starts at $27 for 9 holes and $42 for 18 holes. These prices include cart and green fees. Call 570.685.8102 for more information and availability, or visit Woodloch.com/Golf.

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Although LVCC is a private, members only club, its availability to non-members can be obtained under limited circumstances and times by having a PGA member phone the pro-shop on the non- member’s behalf. The club also enjoys reciprocity with several other regional area golf clubs. For information call the Lords Valley Country Club office at 570-775-7335 or the pro shop at 570-775-6013 or check out the website at lordsvalleycountryclub.org.

Skytop Lodge Golf Course Canadensis, PA The golf course offers limited play to the public, and advanced tee times are required. While the golf course is a public course, it is utilized mainly by the resort’s guests. The golf course is open through Thanksgiving. For more information, call the pro shop at (570) 595-8910.

Buck Hill Golf Club Mountainhome, PA Open to the public, Buck Hill Golf Club’s facility includes a clubhouse, full-service restaurant, driving range, putting green, PGA professional instructors, pro shop, locker facilities, and is available for daily play and tournaments. It is located just off Rte. 390 in Mountainhome, PA. For more information call 570-595-7730 or visit www.buckhillgolf.com.

Red Maples Golf Course South Canaan, PA Red Maples Golf Course is a nine hole regulation length public course. It is open seven days a week. It features a clubhouse with light snacks and club and cart rentals. The clubhouse is available for parties and other special occasions. For more information, call (570) 937-4543.

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golf

tee time

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motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day

beauty

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reflections

from inside

“Life in Reverse” Reflections of a Prison Inmate By Terry Mooney his young woman joined the Individual Sewing program at the Pike County Correctional Facility and began talking about how she came to be incarcerated. Not your typical story, she’d been a precocious two-year-old, groomed by her family for a life of brilliance and achievement. Unfortunately, the pressure was so great it sent her careening in the opposite direction.

My Story I was born and raised in the Poconos. My father was always “donkey tracking,” which meant he traded his expertise and junk for other people’s expertise and junk. It made for a very interesting upbringing. The only child, he taught me all kinds of small engine repair. We went fishing together. The night before, we would go to the back yard and we would stand about twenty feet apart from each other. He would stomp; then I would stomp, and then we’d wait about five minutes, which felt like an eternity. Then we’d dig in the middle and out would come a bunch of night crawlers. Looking back, I don’t think the stomping had anything to do with our success, but it was part of our little ritual. Just my Dad and me. My mom knew how precocious I was by the age of two, playing my toy piano by ear, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” without anyone teaching me. I had a desire to learn how to write, doing loopty loops on the paper, even before learning the alphabet. She had a job as an editor for a small town publication and brought me to work with her for the first year. Deciding that it wasn’t working because I was an escape artist, I became a daycare baby. I loved daycare. They were family to me and they fueled my desire to learn everything I could. My daycare lady even taught me how to blow my nose. I was potty trained in daycare. I went to private kindergarten at age four because I was a winter baby and too young for public school. There, I learned French and Spanish and Karate, and I was able to keep up with classmates two years older than me, but never really fit in. I can remember always playing on the monkey bars by myself during recess. After graduating from kindergarten, I began public school. That Thanksgiving, we went back to my mom’s family in New England, which we did every year. The teacher sent me home with a list of holiday break assignments, requiring a “ruff” draft. That did it for my mom. Even the teacher couldn’t spell! At the end of the year, my mom enrolled me into a cyber charter school called “Einstein Academy.” My parents paid for a dedicated phone line and a desktop computer. It was home schooling facilitated by an online entity. They even mailed us textbooks. My mom created vocabulary flash cards. She even brought in my best friend, and our living room was transformed into a one room school house. I tested out of seventh grade and went on to eighth, which prepared me to be able to pass the entrance exam to Wyoming Seminary, a prestigious private school, in addition to winning a full ride for all of high school, with board, if I wished. I excelled at ballet, which I’d be been doing since I was six, and landed a speaking part as Flo in the yearly school production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” I was an Alto in the Chamber Choir as well as the first Freshman in the history of the school invited to be a Blue Key, which was an ambassador for prospective students for the school, kids flying in from China and other parts of the world. I was the one to greet and tour them, and they even shadowed classes with me. It was really neat. At the same time, the kid in me wanted to spend more time with my friends, playing DDR (“Dance Dance Revolution”), which was a video game version of “Twister.” At this point, everything became laborious for me, an effort on behalf of accomplishments that I did not feel were worthy of the time and the sacrifice it required. I was thirteen.

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I’d start my day at five in the morning and not get home until eleven at night. I spent weeks in the car while my mother drove me to school, incessantly crying and telling her how unhappy I was. I wanted to go back to my local school and be with my friends. She thought it was ridiculous that I could throw away this incredible opportunity to work toward a full scholarship to college, just another stepping stone in the path to success. It went on like this for the whole second semester of my first year. At the same time, she was questioning her own unhappiness as a result of her life choices and future goals. She was living vicariously through me, and I resented it. She had her chance, I felt, and it wasn’t my job to fix that for her. Was she my mother or my best friend, or was I just her proxy? This is the year she and I broke up. Eventually, she gave in and said fine; go to school with your friends. And I did. I fell immediately into the party scene. Because of the strenuous schedule I’d just come out of, I had all the free time in the world, which I began to fill with regular parties. Tenth grade started and it was strange because this school was not as academic as the one I came from; two years in the local school was the equivalent of one year in my former school. So automatically, I was thirteen years old and in tenth grade. The depth of information was laughable to me, so I lost interest and began cutting school. Other friends were seniors and dismissed early, and we would go party. Eventually, I just stopped going all together. I would sleep until my boyfriend got out and we’d hang out together. Ultimately, because I had credits to spare, it kept me on track to eventually graduate. In junior year, my mother left my father, ostensibly leaving me, too. I tried briefly at one point to live with her in her apartment and ended up living alone. Staying at her boyfriend’s house, she would visit once a week to replenish the food supplies and pay the bills. So I went back to my dad. One day, I came home and found him completely wasted and crying, a Desert Eagle .22 caliber in his mouth. I tackled him and the gun fell out of his hand. I grabbed it and ran to the creek out back and threw it in. Still he managed to go to work and pay the bills. We ate a lot of Banquet TV dinners, always on sale ten for ten, so he’d buy forty at a time and there was always a mindless meal at night. I was provided for in the most basic sense, which I appreciated, but I was starving to death emotionally. All of my relationships reached a dead end. Every time I hit a new low and I thought it was bottom, I went even lower. Every time I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did. I stood in the rain one night and asked God to kill me; I could not do it anymore. Still alive, I dragged myself to the next couch, to the next step further down. There are no words for the desperation and self hatred; it is indescribable. I have never hated anyone as much as I’ve hated myself. Homeless, friendless, and childless in the ghetto, I would have given anything to be six years old again, getting hugs from both of my parents. But instead, I woke up one morning covered in ice, when seven other people had frozen to death. If I could survive that, I knew I could do anything. Early in life I was expected to function as an adult, when I wasn’t one. I’ve just lived my life in reverse, pretending to be a grownup as a child, and then behaving like an out of control child as an adult. Now it’s time for me to act my age. It’s no longer an option; I won’t survive if I don’t.

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subsection

Getting to Know

section

By Rebecca Holler

YOUR DIRT! hen most of us see soil, we just see dirt. Soil is actually so much more than what we see. It varies from location to location, and season to season. Soil is vital to all life on earth.

So, what is soil anyway? According to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, “Soil is a naturally occurring mixture of mineral and organic ingredients with a definite form, structure, and composition. The exact composition of soil changes from one location to another.” The average soil in the US is composed of the following ingredients in these approximate proportions:

45% Minerals (clay, silt, sand, gravel, stones).

25% Water (the amount varies depending upon precipitation).

25% Air 5% Organic matter or humus (both living and dead organisms). Soil is primarily composed of minerals. These minerals are formed by the breakdown of rocks. Over many years and in many cases, centuries, water, wind, and organisms break apart rocks into smaller and smaller pieces. Within soil you can find small stones and gravel, but most of the minerals in soil are found as clay, silt, or sand. Sand are the larger particles, which feel gritty when rubbed between your fingers. Silt is much smaller and feels like flour. Finally, clay particles are the smallest and feel sticky when they are wet. In between the soil particles are small spaces called pore spaces. These spaces are filled with water or air. The amount of water and air in soil is affected by many things including weather, compaction, and the amount of each kind of soil particle. Both water and air are needed in soil to support organisms living in the soil. Finally, we have the organic matter in soil. Soil is filled with living organisms. Plants, bacteria, fungi, and animals all live in soils. When those organisms die, they remain in the soil. These living and dead organisms compose the organic component of soil. The organic component provides nutrients to the organisms that use soil and helps to retain more moisture. So why does this matter? First, if you would like to grow any plants, even a green lawn, understanding soil is important. Understanding your soils and how they are composed and created can help you choose the proper additions to your soil to help your plants grow.

transfer. Weed seeds are also not found in inorganic amendments. The type of soil amendment to use and how much to add to the soil is very dependent on the soil being amended. The other consideration is how you will be using the soil. Amendments needed for a vegetable garden will be different than those needed for a lawn. When deciding if you should amend your soil and what type of amendments to use, it is important to learn as much as you can about your soil. Here are four steps you can take to get the most out of your amendments.

Second, it is important for everyone to understand the role that soil plays in our lives and how long it takes for soil to be created. It can take over one hundred years for just one inch of topsoil to be created. It can take one large rain storm on bare soil to wash it all away. Maintaining our soil resources is critical to our environment.

AMENDING YOUR SOIL FOR BETTER GROWTH OF PLANTS Soil amendments are materials added to soil to improve its physical properties. This can include increasing the water retention, aeration, or other structural elements. The goal of soil amendments is to improve soil to allow for better growth of plants. Amendments must be mixed through the soil. Simply placing the amendment on top, or all in one location will limit its effectiveness. In some cases, doing this will actually hinder the movement of water and air through the soil. Many people think of placing mulch on a garden as an amendment, but mulch sits on top of the soil to limit evaporation, runoff, and weed growth. Mulch can be mixed into the soil after a planting season and would then be an amendment. There are two broad categories of soil amendments: organic and inorganic. Organic amendments were alive or in some cases are alive. Inorganic amendments are nonliving or man-made. Organic amendments include sphagnum peat, tilled in cover crops, wood chips, grass clippings, straw, compost, manure, and sawdust. Inorganic amendments include vermiculite, perlite, pea gravel, and sand. Organic amendments increase the amount of organic material in the soil. This improves the amount of water and air that can be held by the soil. They also provide nutrients to plants in the soil. As organic matter increases in the soil, there is more energy for bacteria, fungi, and earthworms. All of these organisms further improve soils’ ability to hold air and water. These organisms also help to supply nutrients in useable forms for plants. Inorganic amendments improve drainage and aeration of soil. They do not add organic material to the soil and do little to improve the nutrient levels of the soil. Inorganic amendments can be sterilized to prevent disease or fungus

Complete a Soils Map

You can find out the approximate composition of your soil using the soil mapping tools at https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/ HomePage.htm. Once you determine the type of soil present, it will allow you to determine the overall composition.

Test Your Soil

Soil test kits are inexpensive and will allow you to determine what needs to be added to your soil. To find out more about soil testing visit: https://pikeconservation.org/stories-field-dont-guesssoil-test/.

Read More About your Results

Soil tests come back with information about what amendments might benefit your soil. More information about your soil type can be found during your soil mapping. Combined, this will give you an outline of what amendments might be needed.

Follow Directions:

If you are purchasing amendments, they will usually include directions on the amount to add based on some basic information. Additional information about how much of each amendment to add can be found at http://extension.psu.edu/publications/uj234. For tips on how to limit erosion please visit: pikeconservation.org/can-reduce-erosion-sedimentation/ REBECCA HOLLER Rebecca Holler is the Pike County Conservation District Education and Outreach Coordinator. She is a graduate of Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Rebecca enjoys hiking, fishing, and gardening. She looks forward to helping residents of Pike County learn more about the outdoors, the role of PCCD, and how to conserve our natural resources. The Pike County Conservation District works to help conserve the land, water, and natural resources of Pike County. The staff and volunteer Board of Directors work together with other partners to complete projects and programs which are geared toward conservation of water and soil resources within Pike County.

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money

trusts

A Trust Often

NEEDED Charles Curtin, JD, LLM, CTFA – Trust Officer, The Honesdale National Bank

very once in a while, I must remind myself that I am blessed. It is difficult to be happy when your washing machine and computer break down in the same week, but you know what? I have a great family, a roof over my head, and a refrigerator full of Manning’s Ice Cream and Irving Cliff Brewery Beer. Not so bad.

Sometimes when I get really down, I recall an old apartment mate of mine - Chris. Chris was disabled. He had several physical limitations and a speech issue. Despite his impediments, Chris was one of the happiest guys I’ve ever met. He had, as the French say, joie de vivre. Quick to smile or tell a joke, his zest was infectious. Chris never let his disability get in the way. I would often observe Chris from afar and marvel. The ebb and flow of life’s river whisked me around a few bends since my days with Chris such that we eventually lost track of each other, but I often recall the lessons of joyfulness and perseverance he unknowingly taught me. According to the United States Census Bureau in 2010, 19% of the United States’ population has a disability. The Bureau’s definition of disability is broad, but over half of the reported persons (more than 9%) are considered “severely” disabled. This means the individual has a physical or mental impairment thatwhich limits mobility, communication, and self-care. Like Chris, being disabled does not mean one must endure an unfulfilling existence. However, it is a real worry for families who have a loved one with challenges to make sure that their current and future financial needs are in order.

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Don’t despair if you are in this predicament. Solutions exist! One of the best, in my opinion, is a so-called Special Needs Trust (“SNT”). In this article, I would like to discuss traditional SNTs. These are trusts wherein its beneficiary is receiving public benefits from the federal or state government. SNTs are specifically intended to protect the assets/financial resources that a disabled person receives or may receive in the future while continuing his or her eligibility for government provided benefits like Medicaid and Supplement Security Income (SSI). Proper SNT document drafting will prevent the Department of Public Welfare or the Social Security Administration from disqualifying the trust beneficiary from receiving his or her benefits. SNTs are most often utilized when a disabled person receives an inheritance or a settlement in a personal injury case which may jeopardize his or her public assistance going forward. There are two (2) types of SNTs – Self-Funded or Third Party Funded. In a Self-Funded SNT, the property of the trust is owned by the beneficiary. For instance, if the beneficiary has a $100,000 Certificate of Deposit and contributes it to a SNT, the trust is Self-Funded. The trust will be considered a “countable resource” for Medicaid or SSI purposes and thereby disqualify the beneficiary from receiving benefits, unless the creator is under 65 years old and the trust’s proceeds are only used for the beneficiary’s assistance during his or her lifetime. Further, for all SNTs, be it self-funded or third party funded, the trust’s assets cannot ever be used to pay for food, shelter, or clothing. This is because the government benefits provided outside of the trust are to be used for daily living expenses, like food, shelter, and clothing, and the government wants to prevent the beneficiary from double dipping. Over the past few decades, non-profit organizations focused on helping the needs of the disabled have begun managing Self-Funded SNTs. They are often a cheaper and more efficient alternative to traditional Self-Funded SNTs with an individual or corporate trustee. What the non-profits do is create one big trust account called a “pooled trust” where individuals who depend on government benefits can join and contribute their assets to the “pool” of many separate trusts and continue their benefits eligibility. Pooled trusts are especially useful for those who have a modest amount of assets outside of their benefits and cannot afford the expense of administering their own trust. Yet, if flexibility and readily available access to the trust funds are desired, [ www.connections-magazine.com ]

then a stand-alone Self-Funded SNT is the right option. The decision between a Self-Funded SNT and a pooled trust boils down to the amount of the trust and whether the beneficiary is ok with handling the bureaucracy of a large non-profit. The other type of SNT is a Third Party Funded SNT. A Third Party Funded SNT is a trust that consists of money and other assets contributed to it by someone other than the trust’s beneficiary. This is in direct contrast with Self-Funded SNT’s described above where the beneficiary funds the trust with his or her own assets. Third Party Funded Trusts are a necessity when someone desires to transfer assets to a person who is certified disabled and receiving public benefits. These trusts are most commonly found in Last Wills and Testaments. The creator of the Will bequeaths assets from his or her estate to a disabled person in the trust to avoid potentially disqualifying them from receiving public aid. In order to qualify as an SNT in the government’s eyes, the trust must be drafted in a way that its funds are to be used to enhance the quality of the beneficiary and not supplement or replace his or her public benefits. Although there are strict administrative requirements, SNTs are an excellent mechanism to protect assets and keep one eligible for SSI and Medicaid. These trusts also ensure that the proceeds are being directly used for the well-being of the beneficiary. With a trust, there should be no worry that the disabled beneficiary will be taken advantage of by one with no scruples. The protection of benefits, along with peace of mind, makes SNTs a vital tool for disabled persons with financial assets. If you are considering a SNT for yourself or a family member, it is advised to seek out the advice of a reputable attorney versed in this area of law. They will be able to navigate the complexities of the various rules and procedures. There are many great local attorneys here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, who could assist, because as I like to say, “Local advice is often the best advice.” The Honesdale National Bank and its employees do not render legal, tax, or accounting advice. Accordingly, you and your attorneys and accountants are ultimately responsible for determining the legal, tax, and accounting consequences of any suggestions offered herein. Furthermore, all decisions regarding financial, tax, and estate planning will ultimately rest with you and your legal, tax, and accounting advisors. Any description pertaining to federal taxation contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by you or any other person, for the purpose of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. This disclosure is made in accordance with the rules of Treasury Department Circular 230 governing standards of practice before the Internal Revenue Service.

money

investing

How to Invest

SMARTER –Provided by Jonathan “Josh” Sheard, Sage Investments, LLC

ou’ve promised yourself for years to get on top of your retirement plan. Make 2017 the year you follow through with these five simple steps toward smart investing.

with your 1} Engage investments. Now that you have packed away your tinsel and mistletoe, schedule a sit-down with your investing professional to review your retirement plan. “Just as you schedule a medical physical once a year, be sure to make time for a financial physical, too,” advised Laura Crean, a financial planner with PSG Financial and a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. Investing isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it arrangement, so start with your 401(k) and understand how your contributions are allocated.

Retirement Investing 101: Don’t set it and forget it. Now may also be a good time to turbocharge your retirement savings plan with a Roth IRA. While options in your 401(k) are usually limited, you can choose from thousands of investment types for your Roth IRA. Your investing pro can help you choose investments for your Roth IRA that compliment your 401(k) choices so you can make the most of your investing dollars this year. What else should you ask your investing professional during your annual check-in? Consider these questions: Overall, how are my investments doing? Am I on track to reach my retirement goals? How can I improve my retirement portfolio?

your tax 2} Adjust withholdings. Part of smart investing is doing the right thing with your money throughout the year. If you receive a large tax refund every year, it might be time to adjust your withholdings on your W-2 form. Let’s say you typically receive a $2,400 tax refund. That’s $200 a month that you could use to pay off debt, save, or invest! Smart investing means doing the right thing with your money throughout the year. If you invest that $200 every month for 15 years at 10% growth, you could end up with an extra $83,000 for retirement! Balance your withholdings so you don’t owe money or receive a large refund. So, bottom line: Adjust your W-4 if necessary. It’s easy, and you can do it anytime.

Don’t absorb the extra money into your budget. In other words, have a plan. Revisit your W-4 if you get married or divorced, have a baby, or add a second job.

serious about finding 3} Get extra money to invest. Adjusting your tax withholding to bump up your retirement contributions is a painless way to boost your nest egg, but don’t stop there. Try to find extra money any way you can. One way to find extra cash is revisiting your insurance premium costs. Some insurance companies provide discounts if clients pay the annual premium in full, for example. Some also offer discounts if you’ve completed a qualified defensive driving course. Check with your insurance company to find out if you qualify.

react to the stock 4} Don’t market. No one knows what the stock market will do from one day to the next. Not even Laura, who has more than thirty years of investing experience. “We can’t predict the market,” she said. “But we do know that postponing or delaying your retirement savings means you are possibly missing great opportunities.” If you’re debt-free, start saving right away to capture the best opportunities. It’s also important to avoid the temptation to move around investments just because the market dipped for a day or two. That’s not always as easy as it sounds so keep these key tips for successful long-term investing in mind: You can’t outsmart the market by jumping from one investment to another in reaction to or anticipation of stock market changes. Stick with investments with a solid history of growth. Start early if you can, and contribute consistently and intentionally to your retirement savings plan.

with a pro at any stage 5} Get and age. If you’re in your 40s or 50s and haven’t started saving yet, don’t worry. You still have time. Get started now and call a pro! An investing professional can help you calculate a realistic retirement goal and track your progress along the way. Look for someone who will take the time to explain all your investment options so you’re equipped to make informed decisions about your future. © Lampo Licensing, LLC. All rights reserved.

Josh is a Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider for this area. He specializes in retirement income strategies, investments strategies, as well as additional financial strategies. His focus is on lifelong financial guidance and his commitment is to place clients first and provide unmatched customer service. He would be glad to answer any questions regarding the content of this article as well as any others. Call today at 570-729-1020 or email Josh at sage@cfiemail.com. You can also visit www.sageinvestments.net. Jonathan Sheard offers securities and advisory services through Centaurus Financial, Inc. member FINRA and SIPA and a registered investment advisor. This is not an offer to sell securities, which may be done only after proper delivery of a prospectus and client suitability is reviewed and determined. Information relating to securities is intended for use by individuals residing in PA, NY, AR, VA, FL, NC, GA, CT. Sage Investments, Dave Ramsey and Centaurus Financial Inc are not affiliated.

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entertainment

book/film reviews

THE BOSS BABY

“Love Is” By Diane Adams, Illustrated by Claire Keane Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer

ama calls you her little ducky. She says she loves you and you really know it. You know because she takes care of you, makes sure you’ve got snacks and toys, teaches you, and keeps you safe. Mama loves you very much, and in the new book, “Love Is” by Diane Adams, illustrated by Claire Keane, you’ll see how love works.

When you were just a little baby, almost no bigger than a duckling and very breakable, Mama snuggled you and comforted you when you were scared. Time and again, she got out of bed in the middle of the night to feed you or to hold you when you cried. Maybe you even slept right next to her all night long. Like a soft baby duck, you were tucked in snug and woke with the sun. That was when Mama gave you breakfast, cleaned up after you, and gave you a bath. You took to the water like, well, just like a duck. As you grew, Mama sat with you to watch your favorite TV shows. She played with you and taught you games. She made sure you didn’t fall, and she helped you to be brave when you didn’t want to be brave at all. She made sure you were strong and smart – definitely smart enough to start doing things all by yourself. Much as she loves spending time with you, there’s something Mama doesn’t like to think about: one day, you’ll be a big grown kid, and though you’ll still need your Mama, you’ll go off to college, get married, and maybe have a little ducky of your own. That means Mama will miss you and she might be a bit sad. Ah, but you’ll be back. You love Mom just as much as she loves you. It’s just that “even ducklings, like the seasons, have to change.” But some things never change. Like love, they stay the same forever - and sometimes, they “grow some, too.” Let me surprise you here: “Love Is” isn’t merely a book for small children. No, really. I absolutely saw this book as something a mom will hold dear, and that’s because author Diane Adams and illustrator Claire Keane have created a story that speaks loudly to a mother’s love. The little girl in this book is adorable, and her concern for the duckling she finds is so incredibly sweet; Keane perfectly portrays the loving care she gives to her new baby, while Adams moves the story forth, telling a human tale in the form of a little rhyme to match the artwork. We see the wistfulness of the girl as she realizes that she must let her duckling go, the sadness of knowing she did the only right thing, and the joyfulness when the baby returns to the apart-nest. There’s no doubt in my mind that 3-to-5-year-olds will love a read-aloud of this book, but the real audience is with new mothers and moms-to-be. For them, “Love Is” is everything it’s quacked up to be.

This animated comedy, directed by Tom McGrath and adapted from Marla Frazee’s book, features a talking baby, but it’s not quite that simple. Seven-year-old Tim, who is doted on by his parents, spends a lot of time imagining himself in exciting scenarios, none of which prepare him for the 24-hour living nightmare that is his new baby brother. Of course, the new infant is the “boss,” demanding all the attention, but he turns out to also be an actual boss. Turns out that some babies are straight-up babies, while others are miniature adults. The “Boss Baby” (voiced by Alec Baldwin) is an up-and-coming executive at the aforementioned factory, Baby Corp., which is in a corporate struggle with Puppy Co., where — surprise — Tim’s parents work. Much like the two sorts of babies depicted here, the film offers two versions of storytelling. The first half is mostly lowkey, finding gentler entertainment in Tim’s relatable struggle to embrace the new family member. But once the Boss Baby comes clean and reveals his true identity, the second aspect of the movie kicks into typically frantic high gear, as the two brothers team up to stop the dastardly head of Puppy Co. out of 4

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING Ritesh Batra directs this adaptation of the Julian Barnes novel in which Tony (Jim Broadbent) is enjoying a comfortable retirement. He’s a bit of a curmudgeon, but perhaps he’s earned it. Then he receives notice that he has inherited a diary from the estate of the mother of his college love. This prompts him to recount those long-ago days to his ex-wife (Harriet Walter), even as he deals with his impending grandfatherhood. Needless to say, it’s often dangerous to look back, particularly with additional sources of information, as Tony also reestablishes contact with his former girlfriend (Charlotte Rampling). It turns out that things weren’t as he assumed, and now Tony must confront how his role in the collective history of friends and lovers wasn’t as blameless as he long assumed. Batra’s film shifts between the past and the present as both Tony and viewers sort out what happened. Sense is a certain sort of familiar British drama, in which urbane self-absorbed older sorts ponder over earlier significant days at tony universities and weekends at country houses; the melodrama is low-key, and evasion is a natural component of any conversation. That said, this is a prime example of such works, well produced and finely acted. out of 4

All of these ran previously in the Pittsburgh City Paper.

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canids

CANIDS By LA Guzda was driving up 590 the other day and caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was a dog and was surprised to see a beautiful Red Fox looking back at me.

The wildlife that surrounds us is special. Some nights, as I lay in bed, I get lost in the sounds of owls hooting to each other across the lake or coyotes howling in the near distance. Foxes and Coyotes are members of the Canid family. The definition of Canid is - any of a family of carnivorous animals that includes wolves, jackals, foxes, coyotes, and domestic dogs. As I began searching for information, I came upon the following article from Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center. The article was written by Katherine Uhler, Program Director. I invite you to visit the Wildlife Center either online at www.PoconoWildlife.com or in person at the facility located in Stroudsburg, 1161 Cherry Street. The Pocono Mountains are home to three canids that are among the most beautiful and charismatic predators in North America. Let’s learn about our “dogs of the Poconos.” Foxes are the smallest of our canids, and there are two quite different species in the northeast. Both foxes are intelligent, quick, and have exceptional senses of smell, hearing, and eyesight. Crepuscular and nocturnal, they prefer to hunt from dusk till dawn. The Gray fox is the smaller of the two species, weighing 7-13 pounds. Although they do have red ON them, they are darker and smaller than the larger red fox. Gray foxes are grizzled gray with a black streak running down the tail. Because they live in the woods, Gray foxes can do something no other wild canid does- climb trees. Red foxes weigh in at 8-15 pounds, and are about two feet long, plus their bushy white-tipped tail, with stunning reddish-orange fur. They have black

did you know?

ears, legs, and feet. Red foxes prefer more open habitats than Grays – fields, edges, farms, and even suburbia. Both foxes are omnivores. They will catch and eat rodents of all kinds, rabbits, snakes, insects, birds and eggs, plus fruits, grains, and grasses. Foxes have acute senses of hearing, sight, AND smell, and they use these to avoid predators, which include people, Great-horned owls, and coyotes. When hunting, much like dogs, the Gray fox pursues prey by chasing and pouncing. Famous for their catlike high jump pounce, sometimes landing deep into the snow, there is more to Red fox hunting behavior than was previously known. When the fox aligns himself facing northeast, the pounce is successful in catching prey more often than facing in other directions. Some birds, turtles, bats, and sharks use magnetic fields to navigate, but not much is known about how they do this. Male foxes are called “dogs” and females, “vixens.” Fox babies are called “kits.” Breeding season is in February. Foxes bark, or more accurately in my experience, scream during this time. They den in old groundhog holes and other excavation dens, under foundations of barns and sheds, and under logs. Gray foxes also select excavation dens, but prefer to den away from people. Litters of 4-8 kits are born during April usually, and weigh about 8 ounces each. Kits’ eyes are closed for just over a week, and they leave the den when they reach 5-6 weeks. Fox kits, especially Reds, are seen playing and “practice hunting” during the day. They practice pouncing, catching insects, and then catch mice as they become more adept. Kits are able to survive on their own in August or September. Unlike most mammals, dad plays a major role in caring for the nursing vixen and feeding and protecting the pups when they leave the den. The smallest canids of the Poconos provide excellent watching opportunities and help control rodent populations. The Eastern Coyote is the second largest predator in Pennsylvania. Our coyotes are not only different from western coyotes; they aren’t even pure coyote… PBS Nature Watch during the full episode calls the eastern coyote the “coywolf” because both eastern and red wolf DNA is a significant part of our coyote’s genetic makeup. Eastern coyotes are larger than their

western counterparts. They don’t have that “foxy” look and weigh 30-50+ pounds, a good 10-15 pounds more than western coyotes. They do vary in color ranging from golden to gray. They live in small family groups or singly. Mating season is during the winter; pregnancy lasts two months, and three to eight pups are born during April. Both mom and dad feed and protect the pups, which stay with them for several months to a year or more. During the weaning process, dad and older siblings provide regurgitated food to the pups. The purpose for this is not just easy digestion, but it also provides a clean and nearly odor-free den site. Coyotes maintain a rendezvous site, kind of like the place your family meets when finished shopping at the mall. Sometimes people unknowingly come upon such sites or den sites while walking their dog and may be followed by a coyote. The coyote is ushering you and your pet from its site as a way of protecting its pups. Communication is done both through howling, yapping, and barking and via scent marking. We have a coyote, Montana, at the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center. I enjoy conversing in “howl,” which can go on for ten or more minutes. Montana knows much more about the content of these discussions than do I… Coyotes are valuable to the Pocono ecosystem. They eat a wide variety of prey which includes mice, voles, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, and some deer. We receive many calls during the winter about injured deer. The weak, injured, and young are prime prey. Feral cats and foxes are also considered prey for coyotes. No verified attacks on people have been made by coyotes. Unlike western coyotes, they are quite shy. We have treated several coyotes that have been injured. Read about one coyote’s journey through his injury, rescue, surgery, and release back to the wild at Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in a coming issue…. Follow us on Instagram @PoconoSecrets and on Facebook @PocoPike Visit www.LAGuzda.com or www.PoconoSecrets.com for past articles. Do you have a Pocono Secret to share? Send an email to: PoconoSecrets@aol.com

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lifestyle

outdoor ramblings

An hour before daybreak, you’re crouched, camouflaged, calling up a wild turkey. By 1:00 p.m., you’re sinking salmon eggs on your spin rod trying to tempt a trout. Following dinner, there’s still enough light to forage the fields and forests for flora and fauna. Whether you consider yourself a sportsman, an outdoorsman, or just a nature lover, May in Northeastern Pennsylvania is definitely your month.

The months of May and October in these parts are perhaps the two most dramatic epochs of the year. We begin October, typically, with a rather green forest tinted here and there with smatterings of yellow, red, and orange. The days are usually warm and being outside is rather enjoyable. By the end of that month, the trees are bare, the air has become chilly, and there’s a good chance your Halloween costume is hidden under an overcoat. May is just the opposite. As we step into the month, the woods are a grey tangle of trunks and twigs. Blustery breezes off the lakes and on the mountain tops warrant wearing a windbreaker, at the very least, and finding frost fixed to your windshield in the morning is a plausible possibility. In a matter of days, though, usually by mid-month, the landscape transpires. Everything greens up, sleeves become shorter, and by the end of the month we are heralding the return of the summer season. Like October, May has thirty-one days, as if the lords of the calendar deem you make the most of the month. Through most of May, it’s wild turkey hunting season. Later in the month you can hunt all day, but in the early part of the season, you have to hang up the shotgun by noon. Fine. Put the 12 gauge in the trunk and pull out the fishing rod after lunch. Many local streams get a late stocking of

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trout during the first two weeks of May. If you’re not a hunter or an angler, fear not! Save for the early blooming plants such as trillium and the summer buds like Indian pipes, the vast majority of Pennsylvania’s wildflowers can be found at one point or another throughout the month. Bluets, irises, violets, and laurels can all be found easily along many of the local paths and waterways. Most migratory birds that call these parts home for the summer have arrived and began nesting. White speckled fawns blend in with the flowery forest floor while red-shouldered blackbirds make their presence known with their buzzing chirp. Lace up your boots or put your paddle in the water…either way, take your camera. Chances are you’ll see something worthy of a social media post somewhere on your journey. Wildlife aside, don’t be afraid to get up close and personal with nature. Wade in the water, put your nose up to the flowers, hug a tree, and scramble up that slope. Don’t just enjoy the outdoors; experience it! williamjdeaton@yahoo.com

E M A I L U S Y O U R Q U E S T I O N S AT C M A G @ P T D . N E T

ASK THE VET:

your pets

PETS & DISTRACTED DRIVING ith the busy summer travel season right around the corner, many families are planning to hit the road with their families - and that, of course, means their fourlegged family members, too. To ensure safe travels for everyone, it’s important to take heed of a very real pet travel safety issue pets and distracted driving.

When we think of distracted driving, the typical “culprits” that come to mind include texting, eating, applying makeup, chatting on the phone, or even daydreaming. However, we seldom consider that traveling with an unsecured pet is a very real and dangerous distraction. AAA, in conjunction with Kurgo, conducted a survey of people who often drive with their pets. The survey showed that a whopping 64% of pet parents partake in unsafe distracted driving habits as they pertain to their pet. Additionally, 29% of respondents admitted to being distracted by their four-legged travel companions, yet 84% indicated that they do not secure their pet in their vehicle. According to the survey, drivers were letting their dogs roam in the car, putting them in their laps, and giving them treats. Some drivers (3%) even photographed their dogs while driving. It’s pretty easy to understand how an unsecured pet can be a distraction while driving. Some pets may become anxious or excited causing them to jump around or bark while in the vehicle. Additionally, a happy and loving pet may just want to be near you and crawl on your lap while driving.

lifestyle

Oftentimes, pets can be frightened, and there is always an element of unpredictability with any animal. When looking for comfort, dogs and cats may naturally opt to be near you and add to the possible perils caused by these distractions. Properly securing your pet in your vehicle is not only about alleviating this potential driving distraction that could cause an accident. It is also a proactive approach should there be an accident or sudden stop - even a fender bender can injure an unsecured pet. We wear seatbelts for our safety in case of an accident and should take the same care to secure our pets. A pet that is not restrained properly in a vehicle can be seriously harmed or even killed if thrown from a vehicle. Airbags can go off and injure a pet in your lap. In the event of an accident, frightened pets can easily escape from a vehicle and run off. Further, a pet that is not properly secured may not only be harmed but could also put others in danger through the shear force of any impact from an accident. Ensuring your pet is safe while traveling in your vehicle means finding the pet safety restraint that is right for him. Options include pet seat belts, pet car seats, travel crates, and vehicle pet barriers. Planning to have the right pet safety restraint for your trip will not only keep you and your pet safe but also offer you peace of mind and take one more distraction away. About TripsWithPets.com TripsWithPets.com is the premier online pet friendly travel guide — providing online reservations at over 30,000 pet friendly hotels and accommodations across the U.S. and Canada. When planning a trip, pet parents go to TripsWithPets.com for detailed, up-to-date information on hotel pet policies and pet amenities. TripsWithPets.com also features airline & car rental pet policies, pet friendly activities, a user-friendly search-by-route option, as well as pet travel gear. For more information, please visit http://www.tripswithpets.com.

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wellness

behavioral medicine

Bullying

By Arthur Middleton, M.D., FAPA

Requires a Victim

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself. ~Harvey Fierstein t this point in time, “Bullying” has become a frequent topic of discussion in the news. However, for mental health clinicians and school counselors, it has long been acknowledged as an area of concern for the victims, and increasingly for the abusers or “bullies” as well. We have typically viewed this behavior as transient and limited to schoolyards without often considering the psychological impact on all who are involved. But on closer review, the act of bullying can have more impact on more individuals, both children and adults, than perhaps was originally thought.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.” As defined by the NIH, bullying behavior can be physical; involving aggressive acts such as punching, beating, or kicking, as well as damaging another person’s belongings. It can also be verbal; calling someone names, threatening physical harm or spreading untrue rumors about another person. Finally, it can be relational; refusing to speak to someone, making them feel left out and ultimately encouraging others to bully the individual. As we have become consumed by social media that is communicated on our mobile devices, there is also “cyberbullying.” This occurs when the targeted individual or victim is subjected to anonymous intentional intimidation which is conveyed through email or traditional social networks. Unlike physical bullying, cyberbullying can take place day and night, not only frightening the victim but also making it difficult, if not impossible, to find out who is behind the act. While bullying is typically viewed as an act of aggression limited to schoolchildren, adolescents, and teenagers, it can also affect adults in the workplace. As defined by the NIH, workplace bullying refers to “adult behavior that is repeatedly aggressive and involves the use of power over another person at the workplace.” While this type of behavior is not always reported, it is likely that the average working adult is more than familiar with this experience; either as a witness, a victim or even an unwitting participant. The following fictional clinical vignette is presented to highlight the salient features of bullying.

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JT is a 35-year-old married father of two young sons. If asked, he will tell you that he is extraordinarily lucky to be where he is in his life. Admittedly, his earlier years were quite complicated and marked by periods of substance abuse and mental health issues, including suicide attempts. He overcame overwhelming obstacles to become a software engineer in a successful information technology company. JT landed his new job in the company three months ago and was thrilled with the opportunity. He had carefully researched the company and had moved to a new state with his husband and children. JT had overcome years of struggling with his sexuality, as well as substance abuse and bullying by his classmates in high school and college. He acquired HIV because of risky sexual behavior. After years of counseling and effective medication, he reached a period of stability, which allowed him to excel in his chosen profession, software engineering. In his new position, he would be responsible for leading a team and reporting to an area manager. Things went well for several months, but then JT began to feel a coldness in the environment. He discovered, after the fact, that he had not been invited to a yearly staff party at his manager’s home. Not a single co-worker had told him about it. Over the course of the next several months, he began to feel that he was being isolated by the other software engineers for reasons he could not explain. He had not been secretive about his sexuality and spoke openly and proudly about his husband, a high school teacher, and his two young sons. But he began to feel that his sexual orientation was an issue, especially when he overheard a co-worker talking about his HIV status. He had never shared this information with anyone at work. In addition, increasingly at team meetings, he began to feel that his experience and opinions were minimized or outright ignored. On more than one occasion he saw coworkers “rolling their eyes” when he was speaking. While some of his co-workers initially were supportive, over time he felt that they had been complicit and were now part of the dynamic. JT’s first impulse was to feel humiliated, but he was far beyond that. He had faced bullying in a variety of settings as a young man and was determined to deal with it headon. He had the experience of being a “victim” of bullying in high school, as he was struggling with his sexual identity. Eventually, he came out to his parents, but he also tried to take his life before he came to the conclusion that he could have a full life as a gay individual. JT requested a meeting with a supervisor and described

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his experience. His supervisor was cautious and told JT that he would relay this experience to his area manager. JT told his supervisor that he would request the meeting himself and decided to begin to confront his co-workers. He sought out the co-worker whom he believed had spread rumors about his HIV status, telling him that his personal medical information was none of his business and to stop it. He began to speak up at meetings and respectfully called on his coworkers to recognize that he was feeling isolated, humiliated, and minimized by their behavior. He also expressed a desire to work cooperatively and to make his coworkers aware of their treatment towards him. By the time he met with his area manager, things had changed considerably. He reported that he had made significant progress with his coworkers and wanted to make recommendations to the area manager for the institution of a regular in-service to help employees understand each other and to avoid behaviors that might be hurtful or misunderstood. JT was put in charge of developing such a program and feels that he has made a positive contribution to the company. The fictional clinical vignette highlights several areas associated with bullying behavior. As a gay youth, JT had experienced bullying as a victim. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “Negative attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people put these youths at increased risk for experiences with violence compared to other students.” The CDC goes on to report that: “violence can include behaviors such as bullying, teasing, harassment, physical assault, and suicide-related behaviors.” It is important to note that bullying is not a direct cause of suicide. However, according to the CDC, bullying is a “complex public health problem,” which can result in emotional distress, relationship problems, and alcohol and drug use. It may also be the first exposure to violence for the targeted victim. While bullying, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, was “once considered a childhood rite of passage, bullying lingers well into adulthood.” The childhood victim of bullying is at risk for psychiatric problems such as “anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide when they become adults. As noted in a standard psychiatric text (Kaplan & Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th edition), “an estimated 160,000 students miss school each day because of fear of attack or intimidation from peers.” Also, according to this text “approximately 30% of 6th through 10th grade students are involved in some aspect of moderate-to-frequent bullying, either as a bully, the tar-

environmental health get of bullying or both.” Workplace bullying would ordinarily be considered in an environment with a boss who is a bully. When one considers workplace incivility, it is likely that bullying is more common to many. This describes a workplace that is marked by acts of disregard and rudeness; having one’s opinions ignored or being humiliated or ridiculed in meetings or being the target of gossip. This can lead to absenteeism or even legal involvement for individuals who feel that they are harassed or otherwise treated unfairly at work. Wikipedia describes workplace bullying in great detail noting that it can occur in academia, blue-collar jobs, the medical profession, and even in the legal profession. As noted by Wikipedia, “a culture of bullying is common in information technology, leading to high sickness rates, low morale, poor productivity and high staff turnover.” Abusive workplace behaviors include: “disrespecting and devaluing an individual, overwork and devaluation of personal life and managing by threat and intimidation.” For organizations where workplace bullying occurs, this often results in a generally demoralized work staff and decreased productivity. Considering the fact that many of us spend more time at work than we do with our families, it is important to recognize the impact of bullying behavior, correcting it, and making it possible for staff to grow and work together. In a New York Times article titled: “No Time to Be Nice at Work” by Christine Porath (June 19, 2015), the author writes about “rudeness and bad behavior” as experienced at the workplace, stating further that “how we treat one another at work matters.” The article also notes that being exposed to “intermittent stressors like incivility for too long or too often” can have an impact of the general health of the affect individual, including “increased appetite and obesity.” The author focuses on the impact of workplace incivility and the result; causing “employees to contribute less and lose their conviction.” The American Psychological Association website addresses the issue of office bullying and offers recommendations to reduce any aggressive behaviors among employees. These recommendations include fostering improved communication skills in employees, in addition to helping them to understand one another. Central to these recommendations is the establishment of respect. And finally, to identify the root causes that might lead to office bullying. Dignity and respect for all employees is key and may require specific policies that

clearly address workplace bullying. In summary, the experience of bullying is not uncommon. It can have serious psychological consequences for the bully, as well as the victim, and it has been demonstrated that the bullied victim can carry the experience into adult years. This includes psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide. Workplace bullying is frequently experienced as workplace incivility. This describes targeted coworkers who are subject to humiliation and disrespectful behavior. It is important for organizations to recognize the importance of identifying these behaviors and to provide their staff with in-service trainings to underscore the importance of mutual respect. If you feel that you are experiencing psychiatric problems because of workplace bullying, you are also encouraged to see your healthcare professional. The following references are provided for the informed consumer: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The Relationship Between Bullying and Suicide https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bul lying-suicide-translation-final-a.pdfshtml National Institutes of Mental Health: Bullying Exerts Psychiatric Effects Until Adulthood https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/sciencenews/2013/bullying-exerts-psychiatric-effectsinto-adulthood.shtml US Dept. of Health and Human Services/NIHBullying: For Patients and Consumers https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/bullying/resources/Pages/patients.aspx Dr. Middleton is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, and a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He received his undergraduate training at New York University and an MD degree from Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Middleton completed his psychiatric residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center, in NYC. He is on the honorary medical staff (retired) of Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ, where he is also Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Middleton has been on the voluntary teaching faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Brown Medical School. He is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Dr. Middleton is retired as an Associate in the Department of Psychiatry in the Geisinger Health System formerly practicing at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Dr. Middleton lives in Dingmans Ferry, PA, and Manhattan, NY.

wellness

The Healthy

Gee z er

By Fred Cicetti

Q. A.

What exactly does “environmental health” mean?

It’s a catch-all term that encompasses how your environment impacts your health. It includes how you are affected by social issues, such as water pollution, and personal habits, such as smoking. The subject of environmental health covers just about everything but the influence of genes on your health. I’m dedicating this column to interesting and useful facts about environmental health: POISON CONTROL—Write this number down: 1-800-222-1222. It’s a help number sponsored by the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Call immediately if someone may have been poisoned or if you have questions about poisons. Trained nurses, pharmacists, and doctors provide emergency treatment advice 24/7. All services are free and confidential. CANCER—Contrary to popular belief, cancer-causing chemicals in the environment cause fewer than five percent of cancer deaths in the United States. Most cancers are caused by family history and lifestyle choices such as smoking. IODINE—If you don’t get enough iodine from your diet, the thyroid gland in your neck can grow to the size of a baseball. When this happens, you get what is called a “goiter.” These became rare after iodine was put into table salt. WORKER SAFETY—About 137 workers die daily from job-related diseases. This is more than eight times the number of people who die from accidents on the job. Many of these illnesses are caused by chemicals. LEAD—Paint chips, dust, fumes and water containing lead can get into your body. Even small amounts of lead in your system can impede learning and generate behavior changes. Large quantities of lead can be fatal. A simple

blood test can alert you before lead poisoning causes significant problems. MERCURY—Mercury is a poisonous metal that can get into your body from eating contaminated fish. This silvery metal can build up in the body and cause health problems. Years ago, mercury was used to shape hats. Factory workers breathed fumes from the mercury, which can damage the brain, liver, and kidneys. This phenomenon may be what is behind the saying, “mad as a hatter.” THE SUN—Deaths caused by melanoma—a lethal form of skin cancer—are increasing by four percent a year. You can shield yourself from the sun’s dangerous rays by applying sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. FLUORIDE—Almost half of all Americans drink water that is either naturally fluoridated or treated with fluorides. This has lowered the incidence of cavities as much as 65%t. Use fluoride toothpaste. CARBON MONOXIDE—A fire alarm is not enough to protect you in your home. You need a carbon monoxide (CO) detector that you can get at the hardware store. Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of combustion that is produced by a home heating source. If a chimney from your furnace is blocked, carbon monoxide can collect in your home and kill you in your sleep. If you don’t have one in your house, get one. RADON—Radon is an invisible, odorless radioactive gas that could be in your home. A naturally occurring gas that seeps out of rocks and soil, it comes from uranium buried in the earth and is itself radioactive. Radon poses a risk of lung cancer. Get your house tested. WARNING LABELS—Read the labels on all house and garden chemicals—even the ones you have been using regularly. The directions change often. All Rights Reserved © 2017 by Fred Cicetti

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wellness

laser vision

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU By Dr. Frank A. Bucci, Jr.

Not all Omega-3’s are the same any people experience itchy, burning, dry eyes during the spring and summer seasons; however, dry eyes can be just as serious and problematic in the fall and winter. The forced heat from our car heaters and the dry air of the winter can have a serious effect on the quality of our tear production, hence, exacerbating the symptoms of dry eye disease. Fortunately, there are several options available to help treat and alleviate these dry eye symptoms. One of the options available is a high quality Omega 3 supplement. Omega 3 fish oils are an extremely beneficial health supplement. Their benefits include reduced inflammation, improved cardiovascular functionality, and an increased healthy vision. Although many Omega 3 supplements may be packaged or advertised similarly, the fact is that not all Omega 3 supplements are created equal.

Omega 3's are essential fatty acids that are not made naturally in our bodies. They are comprised of three essential fatty acids, DHA, EPA, and ALA. The most beneficial of the three are the two, DHA and EPA. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) increases neurological functions throughout the brain and body. Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) is useful in reducing inflammation throughout the body, including your eyes. Although these two fatty acids provide the greatest benefits, they are often absent or found in very low amounts in cheaper, lower quality Omega 3 supplements. Therefore, they are not as beneficial, having a poor absorption rate and oftentimes producing that fish-like aftertaste and/or burping, not experienced with higher quality Omega 3 supplements. High quality Omega 3's, such as those from Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals (PRN), are made with the same form of fatty acids found in fish but without the contaminants, such as mercury. They have a greater concentration of EPA and DHA in their purified forms, which increases the benefits the oil produces. Adding high quality Omega 3 supplements to your diet replenishes those essential fatty acids and creates a high quality oil layer on the surface of your eye, which prevents the rapid evaporation of your tears. This evaporation of your natural tears is what causes the redness and irritation often associated with Dry Eye Syndrome. Another treatment option is Lipiflow Thermal Pulsation. Lipiflow is an evaporative dry eye treatment that improves the oil layer of the eye by allowing a greater amount of healthy oils to lubricate the eye, reducing the itching and inflammation. An unhealthy oil layer or a blockage within the glands of the eye most often causes Dry Eye disease and it’s symptoms. Lipiflow Thermal Pulsation, created by TearScience, is a non-surgical procedure that warms and massages the blocked glands of your eyes, allowing for enhanced tear production and reduced inflammation. If you are experiencing these symptoms and would like more information on dry eye disease, call 1-877-DR-BUCCI or visit us online at BucciVision.com to schedule your Dry Eye evaluation.

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a+r+e Y O U

C O N N E C T E D

Ongoing Events DAILY

Public Art Displays Nature’s Grace, Dime Bank & Wayne Bank, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Harvey Insurance, Honesdale. & Pocono Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, Hawley. Wayne County Arts Alliance artists display their work monthly.

area events

ARTS, RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT

MAY ’17

WEDNESDAYS

Lego Club 4:30–5:30 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Create, share ideas, make new friends. Free & open to the public, registration requested. Info: www.pcpl.org or Facebook. Registration: 570-296-8211. THURSDAYS

Public Art Display REMAX Wayne, Honesdale. Art displays of local artists all year long. Info: 570-253-9566.

Writers’ Group 7–8:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 & up. Ongoing group. Come read your work or listen & be inspired. Learn the craft of writing as you write toward a goal of publication. All genres & levels of writing welcome. Free admission. Info: 570-833-5246.

WEEKLY

THURSDAYS

DAILY

Table Tennis in Honesdale Lakeside Elementary School, Honesdale. Join a group of table tennis enthusiasts who play weekly. Info: John Babyak, 570-253-4379 or jbabyak1@ptd.net. MONDAYS & FRIDAYS (EXC. MAY 29)

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Trivia Thursdays 8 p.m. The Dock on Wallenpaupack, Hawley. Hilarious combination of trivia & physical challenges. Compete with teams to win a gift certificate, gold medal & bragging rights. Info: 570-226-2124.

delicious food & live music. Info: 570-226-2124 or silverbirchesresortpa.com. THROUGH MAY 8

“Art in Bloom” ARTery Gallery, Milford. Unique collaboration featuring artwork by gallery members with floral & horticultural interpretations of the art by Milford Garden Cub members. Info: 570-409-1234 or www.arterygallertmilford.com.

May 1– May 9 MAY 1–9

MAY 5

University of Scranton Student Exhibition Public Reception 6–8 p.m. Hyland Hall, The University of Scranton. Info: 570-941-4214.

Live Music Friday 8–11 p.m. Glass — wine. bar. kitchen. at Ledges Hotel, Hawley. No cover charge. Info: info@ledgeshotel.com or 570-226-1337.

MONDAYS (EXC. MAY 29)

FRIDAYS

MAY 2

Live Music 8 p.m.–Midnight. The Dock on Wallenpaupack, Hawley. Great drink specials, delicious food & live music. Info: 570226-2124 or silverbirchesresortpa.com.

Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds: The Final Performances 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Performing Pet Sounds in its entirety, as well as top hits & fan favorites spanning his 54-year career with The Beach Boys & as a solo artist. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

Bingo American Legion Post 311, Hawley. Doors open 10:30 a.m., games begin at Noon. Info: legionpost311@qmail.com. TUESDAYS

Bingo Texas #4 Fire Company, Honesdale. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Games start at 6:30 p.m. Plenty of parking. Info: 570-253-5467. TUESDAYS

Nia 5:30–6:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. Combination of yoga, martial arts & dance, for your health, wellness & fitness. Registration & info: 570-996-1500. WEDNESDAYS

Simply Yoga 10–11:15 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. Suitable for all levels. Wear comfortable clothes, bring a mat, towel or blanket, & water. Series of 6 or per class. Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

FREE Tastings and Demos 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Mill Market, in the Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Info: info@MillMarketPA.com or 570-390-4440.

MAY 3

Glassworks Demonstration 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. B. Madigan, Hawley. See glass stretched & made into beautiful items, including watching the glass worked, learning how glass is made & what creates the colors. Info: 570-561-3629.

Birding the Bog 7 a.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. One of the most unique natural settings combined with one of the most spectacular natural phenomena for a fascinating morning of migration birding. Pre-registration required. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

SATURDAYS

MAY 3

SATURDAYS

Live Music at Barley Creek 8–11 p.m. Barley Creek Brewing Company, Tannersville. The Pocono Mountains’ Original Brewpub. Great food & handcrafted beer brewed onsite. Free brewery tours daily at 12:30 p.m. No cover charge. Info: 570-629-9399. SATURDAYS

Live Music 9 p.m.–1 a.m. The Dock on Wallen-paupack, Hawley. Great drink specials,

Swapapalooza 5:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. SEEDS annual fundraiser includes 3rd annual Swapapalooza & a live auction. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.

MAY 1–JUN. 10

“Spring Metamorphism” The Art Factory of White Mills, White Mills. Open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m. A collection of butterfly paintings by Debbie Gioello. Artist reception: May 20, 5–7 p.m. Info: 570-251-1181.

TUESDAYS

MAY 4

FRIDAYS

SATURDAYS

Home School Program “Biomimicry” 2 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Biomimicry is the study of how nature works & how we learn from it. Three age groupings available. Pre-registration required. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

University of Scranton Student Exhibition Hope Horn Gallery, The University of Scranton. Celebrates the talents & interests of students at The Univ. of Scranton, with independently produced works or projects assigned for studio courses. Info: 570-941-4214.

Chair Yoga 10–11:15 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 & up. All the benefits of yoga for anyone who may feel challenged by a traditional yoga class. Free. Registration & info: 570-996-1500. Kundalini Yoga 5:30–6:30 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. Experience the gifts that Kundalini yoga has to offer as you explore breath, movement & mantra. Bring a yoga mat & blanket. Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

MAY 4

Supper Club 6–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Prepare & eat dinner. BYOB. Reservations required: info@thecooperageproject.org or 570-253-2020. MAY 3

John Craigie — Sherman Showcase 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. With Emily Barnes. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers 7:30 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. He’s one of the few blues guitarists who learned first hand from the masters of the blues. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

MAY 5

Exhibit & Reception: Doug Hilson Paintings 7–9 p.m. Alliance & Loft Galleries, Delaware Arts Center, Narrowsburg, NY. Free. Exhibit runs through May 27. Gallery hours: Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info: 845-252-7576 or delawarevalleyartsalliance.org. MAY 5

What’s His Face? Official CD Release Party 7 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Hawley-based rock band. Also featuring Static in the Attic (from Carbondale) & Silver Meteor. BYOB. Open to all ages. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. MAY 5

The NEPA Philharmonic 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Masterworks IV: A Season’s Grand Finale. With Mozart’s “Requiem” & Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.” Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 5

Johnny A. 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. A thoroughly unique blend of Jazz, Blues, Rock & other musical styles that creates a “pop” sensibility & broad appeal other guitarists cannot match. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

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get connected MAY 5–7

Birds and Brews Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. A wonderful weekend of bird watching & beer tasting. Guided hikes teach you to identify birds by sight, sound & habitat. Sat. night transportation to & from the ShawneeCraft Tap Room. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 6

“Name Your Own Price Yard Sale” and “Children’s Clothing Giveaway” 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Dingmans Ferry United Methodist Church, Dingmans Ferry. Family Ministry Fundraiser, with toys, household goods & small furniture items. Good, clean, used baby’s & children’s clothing is available free for the benefit of the community. Info: www.dfumc.com or 570-828-2288. MAY 6

Art Opening: Nancy Hopping 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. “Living with Wildlife” opening reception. Exhibit runs through May 31. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. MAY 6

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live 1 & 4 p.m. The State Theatre, Easton. A breathtaking tour through prehistoric Australia. Observe, meet & interact with an eye-popping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs & other creatures, presented in a theatrical performance that thrills & entertains. Info: 800-999-STATE or www.statetheatre.org. MAY 6

Designer Bag Bingo 2 p.m. Wallenpaupack Area High School, Hawley. 12 bingo games, three special games, raffles & door prizes. Benefits Wallenpaupack Jr. Buckhorns Football League. Info: 570-226-4557. MAY 6

Joe Nardone Presents: Solid Gold Party 7 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Doo Wop concert with old-time favorites like Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon, Gary U.S. Bonds, Marcels, Shirley Alston Reeves & more. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 6

Renaissance Men 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. All-Male Burlesque Revue,

area events

created due to popular demand. Peerless, electrifying Boy-lesque which is sure to be a raucous, unforgettable evening of all-male strip tease. Ages 21 plus. ID required to drink. Info: 570-807-8891 or info@paburlesque.com or paburlesque on Facebook. MAY 6

BoDeans 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Quieter, more intimate, stripped-down versions of BoDeans classics. Info: 570420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 6–31

Nancy Hopping: “Living with Wildlife” Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville. Award-winning wildlife photography. Hopping captures the beauty of Pocono wildlife & captures what she sees & feels in her photography. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. MAY 7

National Theatre Live on Stage: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead 2 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Daniel Radcliffe in Tom Stoppard’s brilliantly funny situation comedy. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com. MAY 8–13

The Other Shop 40th Anniversary Celebration The Other Shop, Honesdale. Consignment shop run by the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Week-long celebration. Refreshments, sales, gifts. Info: 570-253-5746. MAY 9

Author Talk and Book Signing 2–4 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Jan Goodwin, award-winning author & investigative journalist, presents a talk entitled “How Growing Islamic Extremism is Damaging the Lives of Women,” followed by a Q&A period & book signing. Proceeds benefit Wayne Cty. Public Library. Info: 570-253-1220. MAY 9

Full Moon Hike at Tannersville Bog 7 p.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. Explore the bog under the light of a full moon. Bring a flashlight. Wear appropriate footwear. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

May 10–May 19 MAY 10

Birding the Bog 7 a.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. See description at May 3. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. MAY 10

Generation Found — Free Movie Event 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Powerful story about one community coming together to ignite a youth addiction recovery revolution in their hometown & provide a long-term alternative to the “War on Drugs.” Free admission, soda & popcorn. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com. MAY 11

Stourbridge Pie: A Market Gathering Place 4–7 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. New event series to provide the community with access to superb local agricultural products, artisanal goods, locally produced art & live entertainment. Free entry. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. MAY 10

Spring Wildflower Walk with Naturalist Jane Frye 5:30 p.m. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Covington Township. Ages 8 & up. Join an interpretive walk through the trails of LCEEC. Search for & learn how to identify spring native wildflowers. Wear sturdy shoes & dress for the weather. Info: 570-842-1506. MAY 11

Alter Bridge 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Hard rock juggernaut, with special guests In Flames & Metal Church. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 11

An Evening with Colin & Brad 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Armed with nothing but their sharp wit, “Whose Line is it Anyway?” stars take to the stage with their uproarious live improv show, The Scared Scriptless Tour. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 11–JUN. 5

Salamander Search MAY 6 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel. Ages 8–adult. Catch, photo-document & release species for the Pa. Amphibian & Reptile Survey (PARS). Bring a lunch & water. Wear comfortable clothing & shoes. Registration appreciated. Free. Info: 570-689-9494 or info@lacawac.org.

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River Valley Artist’s Guild Exhibition ARTery Gallery, Milford. Members hail from NY, NJ & Pa. communities bordering the Delaware River, along with some from Middletown & Monticello. Art after Dark reception: May 13, 6–9 p.m. Info: 570-409-1234 or www.arterygallerymilford.com. MAY 12

Warrior Writers 7–9 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18 & up. Writing workshop supports artistic exploration & expression & provides a safe space to share experiences in the military culture. Open to all veterans & service members. Free. Registration & info: 570-996-1500.

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MAY 12

Tommy Traina — Sherman Showcase 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. With Brother Bear. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 12

Suze 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Kingston band & their blend of funk/blues/jazz/rock in a celebration of their 10th anniversary. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 12

Appleseed Collective 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Riding the wave of the bluegrass revival beyond newgrass & into a strange new genre-bending territory, they explore the full range of dark & light, old & new, composition & improvisation. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com. MAY 12

Life Of Agony 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Hard rock/metal crossover band from Brooklyn, NY. With special guests Empire Fallen, Unkempt Herald. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 12–14

No Sex Please We’re British Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. A young bride innocently mail orders Scandinavian glassware, but what arrives is simply scandalous. The man’s mother, his boss, a bank inspector, a police superintendent & a muddled friend get involved, leading to a riotous ending. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com. MAY 13

Mother’s Day Plant Sale 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Dingmans Ferry United Methodist Church, Dingmans Ferry. Hanging baskets, flowering plants, vegetables & assorted flats available. Supports the free Vacation Bible School program in the summer. Info: www.dfumc.com or 570-828-2288. MAY 13

Tweets and Sweets 9–11 a.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Ages 10+. Hike focuses on bird ID & their unique natural history. Breakfast snacks & beverages before you head out. Binoculars & field guides provided. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 13

Pastel Painting Workshop 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 16 & up. For beginning & experienced pastel painters. Accomplished pastel painter helps you produce a still life painting. Call for a supplies list: 570-996-1500. MAY 13

Salamander Search 10 a.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Explore the forest trails to find these fascinating & elusive amphibians. Open to salamander searchers of all ages. Dress to be outside. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

area events MAY 13

MAY 14

Active Adventures: Pamper Mom in the Poconos 10:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. A relaxing day of activities that’s all about Mom. Mindfulness program, yoga, edible & medicinal plant walk, & a wine & painting class. Preregistration required. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.

Public Bog Walk 1–3:30 p.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. Environmental Educators explain the Bog’s formation & its interesting plant & animal life. Wear appropriate footwear. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. MAY 14

get connected Train Day: A Celebration of Our Rails MAY 20

Honesdale. Over 30 craft vendors, antique car show, the Model Railroad Club’s train layout, Civil War Living History, Old Stone Jail, new exhibits at the W.C. Historical Society, & Abe Lincoln will be in town & riding the rails all day. Kids’ fun at Caboose Alley behind the P.O. Train trips to Hawley Info: StourbridgeLine.net or 570-470-2697. Free concert trackside. Bring a chair. Info: 570-253-5492.

Space Jam — Free Movie! 11 a.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Children & families are invited to see the family-friendly movie on the big screen. Free admission, soda & popcorn. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com.

Madison Strings Quartet Mother’s Day Concert 3 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Energetic performances & inventive programming. With guest French horn player Anthony Cecere. Free admission, donations welcome. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com.

MAY 13

MAY 16

MAY 18

MAY 19–21

Mother’s Day Afternoon Watercolor 2–3:30 p.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel. All ages. Parents & children learn some watercolor basics & create natureinspired pictures that go together. Registration appreciated. Info: 570-689-9494 or info@lacawac.org.

Elephant and Piggie’s We Are in a Play! 10 a.m. F.M. Kirby Center, WilkesBarre. Grades Pre-K–2. Based on the books by Mo Willems, Elephant & Piggie sing & dance their way through an educational & entertaining adventure in a brand-new vaudevillian romp of a musical. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

Thursday Night Throwdown — Sherman Showcase 7 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Featuring Cook Bag, Happy Hawthorne, Houston & the Dirty Rats, Blind Choice, Gabby Borges. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com.

No Sex Please We’re British Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at May 12. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com.

MAY 18

MAY 20

MAY 13

Second Saturday Honesdale 6–9 p.m. Downtown Honesdale. Festivaltown happening filled with music, art, comedy & community support. Info on Facebook. MAY 13

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox 8 p.m. The Theater at Lackawanna College, Scranton. YouTube sensation returns on live tour. Info: 570-961-7864 or www.lackawanna.edu. MAY 13

The Bird Dogs — The Everly Bros. Experience 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. They bring a genuine & youthful Everly Brothers experience to the stage. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com. MAY 13

Jimmy Eat World 8:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. With special guests Beach Slang. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 13–14

Plant Sale! Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. A variety of native & deer-resistant flowers & grasses to beautify your yard. Sun-loving & shade-loving plants available. Call well in advance with requests. Free admission. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 14

Celebrate Mother’s Day All Day The Settlers Inn, Hawley. Breakfast 8–10 a.m., brunch (prix fixe incl. complimentary bottomless Mimosas) 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., dinner (prix fixe) 3:30–8 p.m. Reservations: 570-226-2993. MAY 14

Mother’s Day Buffet Noon–4 p.m. The Waterfront at Silver Birches Resort, Hawley. Reservations required. Info: 570-226-4388.

MAY 16

Good Charlotte — Youth Authority Tour 7:30 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. With special guests Less Than Jake, Crown The Empire, & Like Pacific. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 17

Birding the Bog 7 a.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. See description at May 3. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. MAY 17

Wayne Highlands Quilt Guild 6:30 p.m. Community Room, Chamber of Commerce, Honesdale. Welcoming quilters all ages & skill levels. Make new friends who share your passion for quilting. Show & Tell & refreshments. Info: Deb, 570-224-4914 or debszoo@gmail.com. MAY 18, 25

Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tours 5 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Two-mile walk through the neighborhoods & downtown of the Tunkhannock Historic District takes about 2 hours. Tour booklets available at the theater for those interested in self-guided tours. Space limited. Free, preregistration required. Info: 570-996-1500. MAY 18

Jewelry Making: Wire Wrapped Rings 6–9 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunk-hannock. Ages 18–adult. Beginner class. Wrap single beads or crystals with artistic wire to make unique rings. Learn coiling techniques & how to use a mandrel to make rings fit any finger size. Materials provided. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com.

Seth Walker (Free Show) 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. One of the most acclaimed modern roots artists in the country. Tickets are free, but must be “bought” for capacity & safety reasons. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com. MAY 18

Angaleena Presley 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Modern country music star & member of the female trio, the “Pistol Annies.” Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

May 20–May 31 Active Adventures: Nature Photography 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Day-long interactive program offers an overview on lighting, camera settings, & tricks of the trade, then applying those lessons in the field. Participants nust bring their own digital cameras & any other equipment they see fit. Pack a lunch & bring a water bottle. Preregistration required. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 20

KICK — The INXS Experience 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. A unique blend of talented musicians who capture the music & spirit of INXS, both in its sound & live performance. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

Plein-air Watercolor Workshop! “The Lake at Lacawac…” 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel. On-location demo, then group & individual instruction & mini-demos, with group critique at 4 p.m. Painters in any medium & all levels welcome. Pre-registration required. Info & registration: 570-842-9252 or bteitsworth@gmail.com.

MAY 19

MAY 20

MAY 19

Video Games Live! 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Complete celebration & multimedia concert experience featuring music from the most popular video games of all time, featuring members of the Northeastern Pa. Philharmonic. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 19

Dead Men — Sherman Showcase 8 p.m. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. With Aim, Fire; For Ages; Kuato. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 19–21

Women’s Wellness Retreat Camp Speers YMCA, Dingmans Ferry. Recharge your mind, body & spirit with yoga, canoeing, body flow classes, Zumba, rock climbing, morning runs, art therapy, outdoor living skills, leadership for women, meditation, sailing lessons, nature hikes & more. Massage therapy & horseback riding available at extra cost. Info: 570-828-2329.

When Art Meets Music: Elizabethan Era 7:30 p.m. Milford Theater, Milford. The Bacheler Consort with music & song by period composers, complemented by narration & a slideshow of paintings by Hilliard, Unton, Caravaggio & others. Info: 570-409-1269 or www.kindredspiritsarts.org. MAY 20

Les Poules à Colin 8–10 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Dynamic & creative group from Québec, whose sound is a seamless blend of their strong folk upbringing & N. American influences, with some provocative & moody effects. Info: 570-588-8077 or harmonypresents.com. MAY 20

Daniel O’Donnell 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. One of Ireland’s best loved artists, touring with some new musicians & some

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get connected different instruments. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. MAY 20

Tusk — The Fleetwood Mac Tribute 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Authentic-sounding & always respectful, Tusk leaves no stone unturned in replicating the sounds of one of the world’s best-loved, top-selling bands. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com. MAY 21

Introduction to Blacksmithing 10 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. A look at the history & basics of blacksmithing. Program includes live demos over a forge. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 21

Active Adventures: Intro to Tai Chi & QiGong 2–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Learn the basics of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese internal martial art, & QiGong, a gentle & low-impact form of exercise. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 21

National Theatre Live on Stage: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead 2 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. See description at May 7. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com. MAY 21

Afternoon Paddle 2–4 p.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel. Canoe paddle on Lk. Lacawac & learn about the research being done at the Sanctuary. All ages welcome. Boats, paddles & life jackets provided. Reservations required. Info: 570-689-9494 or info@lacawac.org. MAY 22

Introduction to Stained Glass 6–9 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Ages 18–adult. Learn to work with a design, cut glass, polish, foil wrap & solder. Leave the class with a finished item. All glass supplies & equipment provided. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com. MAY 24

2017 FREDDY Awards Dress Rehearsal 4:30 p.m. The State Theatre, Easton. Catch all the performances live during

area events

the television dress rehearsal, including the Opening and Closing numbers. Benefits the FREDDY Awards Program. Info: 800-999-STATE or www.statetheatre.org.

ence, with talented musicians & actors handpicked by Louise Harrison, sister of the late George Harrison. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org.

MAY 24

MAY 26

Outdoor Survival Skills for Adults 5:30–9:30 p.m. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Covington Township. Ages 16 & above. Learn skills to prepare your mind, body & backpack for an unexpected stay in the outdoors. Topics: basic fire preparation, shelter construction, & appropriate clothing. Dress for the weather; the majority of the class will be held outside. Info: 570-842-1506.

Frontiers — Journey Tribute 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Hailed by fans & critics alike as the best Journey tribute band in the world, performing their music with supreme accuracy. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

MAY 24

Marc Mero: Dream Big/Never Give Up 7–8 p.m. Honesdale HS auditorium, Honesdale. Football & hockey all-star, 4-time NY State boxing champion, WWE wrestling champion & founder of “Champion of Choices” delivers a compelling message on the topics of substance abuse, suicide, bullying & peer pressure. Free event. Info: Marci or Amy, mjones@whsdk12.com. MAY 25

Historic Tunkhannock Walking Tours 5 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. See description at May 18. Info: 570-996-1500. MAY 25

MAY 26–28

No Sex Please We’re British Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at May 12. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com. MAY 26–29

Spring Fling Family Nature Getaway Weekend Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Interpretive hikes, animal presentations, canoeing, campfire, more. Under 3 free. Commuter & day rates available. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. MAY 27

Saint Ubaldo Day Jessup. La Festa dei Ceri — “The Race of the Saints.” Info: www.stubaldoday.com.

2017 FREDDY Awards 7 p.m. The State Theatre, Easton. 15th Annual FREDDY Awards to recognize & reward exceptional accomplishments in the production & performance of musical theater in high schools of the Lehigh Valley & Warren Cty., NJ. Info: freddyawards.org or 800-999-STATE or www.statetheatre.org.

MAY 27

MAY 26

MAY 27

The Delaware Valley Choral Society: “Peace and Light” First Presbyterian Church, Newton, NJ. Tickets: 845-856-5696 or at the door. MAY 26

Open Mic Night — Hal Pratt 7 p.m. Dietrich Theater, Tunkhannock. Musicians, poets, comedians & performers of all types & ages invited to share their talents. Featured artist is storyteller Hal Pratt. Free admission. Seating limited. Info: 570-996-1500 or www.dietrichtheater.com. MAY 26

Liverpool Legends 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Tribute is a complete Beatles experi-

The 2nd Annual First Presbyterian Church Spring for Kidz Carnival MAY 27 10 a.m.–5 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Hawley, Hawley. Bounce houses, obstacle course, dunk tank, rock climb slide, hot dogs, cotton candy, face painting, petting zoo. Benefits church youth programs. Children under 2 free. Info: 570-226-4835.

SEVERED 2017 Noon. Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg. Short film & horror VHS collectors’ swap meet. 8th Annual Short Film Night. Museum of VHS with an all-new exhibition. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com or severed@shermantheater.com. MAYFEST — Memorial Day Celebration FREE Concert Noon. Pocono Mountain Carnival Grounds, Mount Pocono. A day of food, fun & music featuring the Maybabies, Joey & The T-Birds, Lissa & Jackson Vee, Schmidtwood Flow. Info: 570-420-2808 or www.shermantheater.com. MAY 27

The Delaware Valley Choral Society: “Peace and Light” Milford United Methodist Church, Milford. Tickets: 845-856-5696 or at the door. MAY 27

Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy 8 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Palmer is a drummer’s drummer, & with his new band has totally reinvented the music of ELP, doing their classically-driven rock hits with no keyboards. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com. MAY 28

John Németh 7 p.m. Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe. Drawing from strong influences in blues & R&B, as well as contemporary sounds in hip hop & rock & roll, he creates music that is personal as well as universal. Info: 570-325-0249 or mauchchunkoperahouse.com.

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MAY 31

Public Bog Walk 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Monroe County Conservation District Cranberry Bog, Tannersville. Environmental Educators explain the Bog’s formation & its interesting plant & animal life. Wear appropriate footwear. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.

June 1–June 3 JUN. 2

Exhibit & Reception: “Photography & Ceramics” 7–9 p.m. Alliance Gallery, Delaware Arts Center, Narrowsburg, NY. Ed Marritz & Anthony Biancoviso. Free. Exhibit runs through Jun. 24. Gallery hours: Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info: 845-252-7576 or delawarevalleyartsalliance.org. JUN. 2

Exhibit & Reception: Theresa Hackett, Mixed Media Paintings 7–9 p.m. Loft Gallery, Delaware Arts Center, Narrowsburg, NY. Free. Exhibit runs through Jun. 24. Gallery hours: Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info: 845-252-7576 or delawarevalleyartsalliance.org. JUN. 2

Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons 8 p.m. F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre. Coming to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, he is hotter than ever in the 21st century. Info: 570-826-1100 or www.kirbycenter.org. JUN. 2–4

No Sex Please We’re British Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee On Delaware. See description at May 12. Info: 570-421-5093 or www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com. JUN. 3

Bridge the Gap: Day Paddle 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Free paddle down the Delaware. Bring a lunch & a water bottle & dress for the weather. Extra water & snacks provided. Choose a canoe or kayak. Registration & info: 570-828-2319. JUN. 3

Poking in a Pond 10 a.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. A great family activity at Kettle Creek’s pond to learn about cool pond critters. Wear shoes that can get muddy or wet. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. JUN. 3

Art Opening: Terry Flatt — “Favorite Images from Around the World” 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Exhibit includes beautiful photos from countries including Great Britain, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia/New Zealand, Iceland & Norway. Runs through Jun. 29. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org.