MAKERS MARKET
CYNDI LAUPER with special guest Jake Wesley Rogers JULY 25
KIDZ BOP with special guest Snoop Dogg’s “Doggyland” JULY 6 DEF LEPPARD with special guest The Struts JULY 20 BARENAKED LADIED with special guest Sugar Ray & Fastball JULY 27 THE OFFSPRING with Jimmy Eat World & New Found Glory AUG 1 AUG 3
ISHAY RIBO with Avraham Fried, Zusha & Shmuel AUG 7
Summer is for Concerts, Camping, and Chilling in the Catskills “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC with special guest Puddles Pity Party JULY 13
BRET MICHAELS & VINCE NEIL with Stephen Pearcy +LIVE+ & COLLECTIVE SOUL with Our Lady Peace & Greylin James Rue AUG 2
JOHN MULANEY with Fred Armisen, Mike Birbiglia & Nick Kroll AUG 8
Publisher & Editor
Amy Bridge publisher@milfordjournal.com
Ewer, soda fired black clay by Jane Shellenbarger. Jane’s work is available at the “2025 Fresh Perspectives in Fine Craft” Makers Market at the Peters Valley Gallery.
Photograph by Geoff Tesch
Graphic Design
Maureen Taylor
Susan Mednick susanmed2@optonline.net
The
Journalists
Alison Porter • Bob Romano
Lori Strelecki • Will Voelkel
Eric Francis
Associate Editor
B’Ann Bowman
Advertising Team
Amy Bridge amy@milfordjournal.com
Kimberly Hess kimberlyhess212@gmail.com
The tri-state upper Delaware River highlands and valleys are a place of rare beauty…
Seeing the region and living in it almost aren’t enough. Such beauty should be captured on canvas or film so that one can truly appreciate it, glimpse it in the quiet of an art gallery or museum, or between the pages of a poetry book or literary sketch.
The Journal Group’s mission is to capture these momentary snapshots of beauty graphically and through the written word. We celebrate our area and the uniqueness of the people who live and work in the tri-state region. From Pike to Wayne and Monroe to Lackawanna Counties in Pennsylvania, upriver to Sullivan County and on to Orange County in New York, and to the headwaters of the Wallkill River and
Mission
Editorial Readers
Robert Bowman Amy Smith
David Dangler dangler908@yahoo.com
The Poet
Darlene Scarince a.k.a DJ Pasternak
along Warren and Sussex Counties’ rolling hills in New Jersey, with quaint, historic towns and hamlets at the center, the Journal Group opens its doors to our communities, businesses and organizations, to serve as a communicative journal of all that we have to offer for those who live here and for those who love to visit us, too.
Publication Information
The Journal Group publishes The Journal ten times a year and distributes it in eight counties in PA, NJ and NY. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission. We reserve the right to refuse to print advertisements that we deem inappropriate. All rights reserved.
Journal Entry
A Walk Down Ice Cream Lane
When I was a kid, my Grandpa Charlie would come to visit us, and if my parents had plans, Charles was in charge. He taught us old-fashioned card games, like gin rummy and war, and made my sister, brother, and me watch The Lawrence Welk Show, which was pretty much torturous— except, truth be told, I always enjoyed the synchronized swimming.
Grandpa knew a lot of the corny ditties of the early 1900s. An all-time favorite of mine was when he’d ask, “How do you spell New York?” The answer, of course, was, “A knife and a fork and a bottle and a cork. That’s how you spell New York.”
We were lucky enough to live near the Welsh Farms ice cream plant where they scooped the yummy stuff at an attached storefront, open only during the summer months. No ice cream parlor atmosphere, but we never cared. As soon as we heard Grandpa say, “You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream,” it was a call to action. (I never realized that was actually a Victor Record label copyrighted song from 1925, a hit song for Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians.)
Off to the ice cream store we would go in my parents’ midcentury station wagon. The choices back then, as I saw them, were pretty basic: vanilla, chocolate, coffee, maybe with chips or swirls, and one type of cone. During season there was fresh strawberry, peach, and a few others that I never really paid attention to, but would occasionally dip into, just because I didn’t want to play favorites. The biggest choice for me was with sprinkles or without. Sprinkles were tempting, but still to this day, I prefer my ice cream without. Why distract?
And then Tom Carvel came on the scene. The inventor of soft ice cream starred in the 1970s ubiquitous primetime TV commercials with his gravely drawl telling stories of Cookie Puss from Planet Birthday. Carvel’s small, whiteframed glass stores were an instant hit, often with lines forming out the door.
And all of this competed with the Good Humor truck, a company founded in the 1920s. In the early days of the ice cream company, a Good Humor man went through three days of schooling and was trained, in white uniform, to tip his hat to ladies and salute gentlemen.
During my childhood, the Good Humor man actually drove up my street and, to my delight, always parked right in front of our house. It was like a synchronized swim of the kids in the neighborhood. When the bell rang to announce his presence, all kids stopped in their tracks, begged their moms for a few quarters and ran to his truck window for a chocolate éclair bar or a strawberry shortcake, all of which happened within a five-minute timeframe. It was instinctual.
Fast forward to the ice cream world of today. Our grandfathers would have never imagined how easy it would be to indulge in our favorite frozen treats. The possibilities are endless.
Now there’s gluten free, no sugar added, and even vegan ice cream. There are exotic flavors from A to Z. As kids, we never dreamed one day we might be ordering Chocolate with Cayenne or Key Lime Pie.
There are conversations we didn’t know we had to have with ourselves. Will it be soft ice cream, today, or do I stick with hard? Am I in the mood for a sugar cone, a waffle cone, or a dipped cone? Or maybe just a cup? Would I consider a sundae? Are we talking real hot fudge or butterscotch, or is it loaded with unnatural ingredients, and only so-so? Should I add on the whipped cream or save the calories?
One thing any ice cream aficionado can always agree on, even kids, is that these immortal words still ring true: No matter what the time of day or season of the year, there will always be room for ice cream.
Amy
Stolen Moments
Sitting on my deck past 10 am
My bathrobe on, my list still on the counter
My to dos not getting done
The chair on the deck, wet with dew
Hastily covered with a cushion
To keep me dry
A red hatted woodpecker
Eats berries from the dogwood tree
Just above me near enough
To almost touch him
Magnificent bird, he flies away
Huge, a wingspan as large as a hawk
A visitor welcome but uninvited
I wonder at the stillness
After he’s flown away, the peace left behind
Knowing he must have been sent
To bring an olive branch into my world
Despite the chaos that disturbs my soul
Just one more moment
Before I walk inside and start my day
To google and identify my guest
An Ivory Billed Woodpecker
Rare, once thought extinct
Seen in these stolen moments.
-Darlene Scarince a.k.a DJ Pasternak
Around the Towns Early Summer
July
Saturdays 6 p.m.
Wildflower Concert Series. Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary, White Mills, PA. Outdoor festival. Also Wednesday, July 23rd. $15–$30. Info: 570.253.1185, www. dorflinger.org.
July 1st
Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Honesdale Fireworks Display. Central Park, Honesdale, PA. Special music performance presented by Wayne County Creative Arts Council. Info: 570.253.5492, www.visit honesdalepa.com.
July 3rd
Thursday 5–10 p.m.
Food Truck & Fireworks Festival. Riverside Park, Port Jervis, NY. Live bands & games. $5. Info: 845.916.2844, www.pjfoodtruck fireworks.org.
July 4th
Friday 10 a.m.
Fourth of July Hike. Paulinskill Valley Trail Parking Area. Freedon, NJ. 3-4 mile adult hike on cinder-based trail. Hosted by Kittatinny Valley State Park. Info: 973.324.0429, pbk123@aol.com
10 a.m.–dark
Liberty 4th of July Celebration. Main Street, Liberty, NY. Vendors, parade, entertainment, fireworks. Hosted by Liberty Rising and Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce. Info: 845.791.4200, catskills.com
10:30 a.m.
4th of July Parade. Elks Lodge, Sparta, NJ. Awards, DJ, kids crafts & more after at Dykstra Park. Free. Hosted by Sparta Elks. Info: 973.726.0169, www.spartaelks.org.
9:00 p.m.
Fireworks over Lake Wallenpaupack. Wallenpaupack Area High School, Hawley, PA. Hosted by Northern Poconos Chamber of Commerce. Info: 570.226.3191, www. northernpoconos.org.
July 4th–6th
Friday–Sunday
July 4th Family Camp Weekend. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Nature hikes, swimming, canoeing & more. $204. Info: 570.828.2319, www.peec.org.
July 5th
Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Summer Fun Fair. Kadampa Meditation Center, Glen Spey, NY. Fresh vegetarian food, art vendors, music, activities for all ages & backgrounds. Info: 845.856.9000, www.kadampanewyork.org.
6 p.m.
Americana Brass. Harmony in the Woods, Hawley, PA. Performance by the NEPA Philharmonic. Celebration of brass, rhythm & American spirit. $50. Visit the website for a complete schedule. Info: 570.503.6685, www.harmonyinthewoods.org.
July 5th & 6th
Saturday 7 p.m. & Sunday 2 p.m.
Calendar Girls. Playhouse at Museum Village, Monroe, NY. Presented by Creative Theatre–Muddy Water Players. Dessert at intermission. For tickets, dates & times of other performances in July: 845.294.9465, ctmwp.org.
July 11th–13th
Friday–Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Artists’ Studio Tour. Locations throughout Wayne County, PA. Hosted by the Wayne County Arts Alliance. Info: 570.729.5740, waynecountyartsalliance.org
Milford Jazz Festival. Venues all over Milford, PA. Live jazz music weekend. For a complete schedule, visit MilfordJazzFest.com.
July 12th
Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Secret Garden Tour. Milford, PA. Hosted by Milford Garden Club. $15–$20. Info: www. milfordgardenclub.com.
11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Founders Day Street Fair. Wurtsboro, NY. Hosted by Wurtsboro Board of Trade. Music, food, crafts, car show & more. Benefits scholarship fund. Info: www.wurtsboro.org.
5:30 p.m.
Terra String Quartet Grey Towers. Milford, PA. Music by Haydn, Bartok, and Brahms. Sponsored by Kindred Spirits Arts Programs. $25. Info: 570.390.8699, kindredspiritsarts. org
6–9 p.m.
Annual Gala. Renaissance Park, Livingston Manor, NJ. Fundraiser for Catskill Art Space. From $350. Info: 845.436.4227, www.catskillartspace.org.
July 12th–13th
Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.
Art & Antiques Show & Sale. Wayne Highlands Middle School, Honesdale, PA. Appraisals, demonstrations, refreshments. Hosted by Women’s Club of Honesdale. Benefits scholarships, community service, charities. Info: www.womensclubofhonesdale.com.
July 13th
Sunday 4–5 p.m.
Happy Together. Van Kirk Museum, Sparta, NJ. Bring your chair & picnic lunch and listen to this a cappella group. Non-members $10. Hosted by the Sparta Historical Society. Info: 973.726.0883, vankirkmuseum.org.
July 17th–19th
Thursday–Saturday
Sidewalk Sales. Downtown Honesdale, PA. Artisan vendors, music on Saturday. Hosted by Greater Honesdale Partnership. Info: 570.253.5492. visithonesdalepa.com.
July 17th–27th
Thursdays–Sundays
Weekdays 4–11 p.m.
Weekends 1–11 p.m.
Orange County Fair. Orange County Fairgrounds, Middletown, NY. Rides, vendors, exhibits, concerts & lots more. Info: 845.775.4968, www.orangecountyfair.com
July 18th–19th
Friday–Saturday 7 p.m.
Mile 59: A Play. Sussex County Community College Performing Arts Center, Newton, NJ. Based on a true story about Irish migrants who died supposedly of cholera while working on the construction of the new Philadelphia/Concord railroad in the 1830s. $10. Info: 973.300.2100, www.sussex.edu/ community/performing-arts-center-shows.
July 19th
Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Music in the Valley. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, Stroudsburg, PA. Learn about folk instruments & traditional music. Info: 570.992.6161, quietvalley.org.
5–9 p.m.
Finger Bowl Candlelight Dinner. Grey Towers, Milford, PA. Historic dinner and music. $100–$125. Tickets required. Hosted by Grey Towers Heritage Association. Info: 570.296.9630, greytowers.org.
7:30 p.m.
Intersecting. Catskill Art Space, Livingston Manor, NY. Traditions from Europe and the Americas intersecting in crazy, unexpected ways. $30. Hosted by Weekend of Chamber Music. Info: 315.708.9720, wcmconcerts. org
July 20th
Sunday 2–4 p.m.
Music in the Park: The Harrisons. Ann Street Park, Milford, PA. Presented by Milford Borough Parks and Recreation. Info: Facebook: Milford PA Music in the Park.
2 p.m.
Life in Simpler Times. Delaware Township Municipal Hall, Dingmans Ferry, PA. A satire of early life through the eyes of Mossback George, a local resident. Presented by Tim Singleton. Hosted by Dingmans FerryDelaware Township Historical Society. Info: dingmansferryhistoricalsociety.org.
July 24th
Thursday 7:30 p.m.
The Living Room Tradition. Eddie Adams Barn, Jeffersonville, NY. Presented by Weekend of Chamber Music. $25. Info: 315.708.9720, www.wcmconcerts.org
July 24th–27th
Thursday–Sunday
OC Live! 2025. Country Fair, Otisville, NY. Multi-day arts & musical festival: performances, demonstrations, makers’ fair, interactive projects. Hosted by the Orange County NY Arts Council. Info: 845.202.0140, www.ocnyartscouncil.org.
July 25th
Friday 3–4 p.m.
Biology of the Bald Eagle. Van Scott Preserve, Beach Lake, PA. Learn about eagle behavior, conservation & more. $5–$10. Hosted by Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Info: 570.226.3164, delawarehighlands.org.
July 26th–August 2nd
Warren County Farmers’ Fair & Hot Air Balloon Festival. Harmony Township, NJ. Family fun, free concerts, tractor pulls & more. Info: 908.859.6563, warrencountyfarmersfair.org
July 27th
Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Riverfest: Art, Music & Ecology. Narrowsburg, NY. Music, art, food, poster auction & more. Info: delawarevalleyartsalliance.org/riverfest.
August 1st–9th
10 a.m.–11 p.m.
Wayne County Fair. Honesdale, PA. Rides, animals, food, shows. Info: 570.253.2942, waynecountyfair.com.
Weekdays Noon–10 p.m. Weekends 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
New Jersey State Fair & Sussex County Farm & Horse Show. New Jersey State Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. Info: 973.948.5500, www.sussex countyfairgrounds.org
August 1st - August 9th, 2025 at the Conservatory Sussex County Fairgrounds
The Artistic classes will feature a variety of bird themes; i.e. arrangement in a bird cage, a bird bath, a bird nest, etc. Once again, two local artists will display their artwork for floral interpretation. Rules, regulations & entry forms on the fair website: SussexCountyFairgrounds.org
The competition is open to both professionals & amateurs. Entry deadline date July 25th.
So why not “spread your wings” & enter your flowers in the fair this summer? OR
Stop by the Conservatory & enjoy the floral beauty!
July 4-6th
Join us for our summer celebration of stories, curated collection of Americana literature and much more. And for all ages, craft a beautiful flower crown!
(973) 440-5298
103 Route 15 South • Lafayette, NJ Visit our website for upcoming events at www.blackdogbooks.org
Photos courtesy of Ian McCarthy
Beyond the Usual Makers Market at Peters Valley
Form or function? An aesthetic soul wants both when looking for unique home furnishings. For that person, shopping will be anything but a mundane experience because it’s the individualized pieces of art and handcrafted items that make a house a home.
Buying directly from a craftsperson is a purchase of love; the handwork has a certain glow that just can’t be achieved through mass-produced goods. There’s soul in it.
Makers markets are gaining in popularity as many realize that big box stores don’t have to be the answer, even for everyday items, such as garden tools or cooking utensils. Form and function can coexist. A utilitarian object such as a kitchen knife, forged by a blacksmith, does not forsake its function, but ensures that enormous amounts of thought and detail went into its construction. Not only are you bringing a piece of history into your home, both literally and figuratively, but you are supporting a livelihood. With your purchase, the ancient craft of blacksmithing lives on.
Peters Valley School of Craft’s “Fresh Perspective on Fine Craft” is a Makers Market being held at their gallery store this summer. This market features the work of many of the nationally renowned teachers who are participating in this year’s workshop programs. Representation at the market is inclusive of different departments at the school, from ceramics, fiber & textiles, to woodworking and blacksmithing.
We spoke to a few of these teachers to gain perspective on their careers and their contributions to the Makers Market.
Forged Utensils
Ian McCarthy, an artist blacksmith who combines functional cookware with a decorative element, began studying blacksmithing around ten years ago. His work is being sold at the current Peters Valley Makers Market. A serious student, Ian now teaches at craft and folk schools throughout the northeast. His shop is located within the Connecticut Antique Machinery Museum’s Turn of the Century Blacksmithing Shop in Kent, CN, where he gives blacksmithing demos to the general public.
At the Peters Valley campus, on July 25th, Ian will be teaching a 5-day workshop, Cooking Implements for the Fire & Home. His students will be forging a set of cookware, including a frying pan, spatula, small utensils, and roasting forks.
“Most of my work is in carbon steel, which differs from stainless steel in that it doesn’t have additives. These additives make it less conductive.” Ian explains, “Carbon steel is much lighter and not as thick as cast iron which also makes for better conduction.”
“My hand-forged utensils, such as the serving spoons and ladles, spatulas, and grilling tools, have more personalized style than machine-made ones and can be customized. A handmade long-handled frying pan will theoretically last forever. Basic care is the same as a cast iron implement: handwash and dry and keep using it to keep it in good shape. Season with oil once a year; I personally use avocado oil, which has a high smoke point and gives the steel a nice dark blue color.”
A few years ago, Ian started making chestnut roasters from hand-forged carbon steel as holiday gifts for all of his family members who had wood stoves. “I thought it would make for a great winter activity,” he said.
“My work is generally done with the idea of clean, simple shapes and small, forged details, which are personalized.” Personalized, indeed.
Ian McCarthy
Making utilitarian enamelware platters and trays was not necessarily Rachel Kedinger’s intent when she graduated with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing back in 2012. But it makes complete sense if you can relate to her artistic philosophy. Rachel can visualize an everyday object, such as a dinnerplate or a serving platter, becoming special—a colorful work of art to be enjoyed for years to come.
Rachel said, “There’s something about leaving my mark as an artist that is very appealing. I often think about the longevity of an object that will last longer than my existence, and what that means to me as a maker.”
She began making lunch trays, fashioned from pressed sheet steel, coated with liquid enamel, and fired in the kiln. They are reminiscent in shape of the old TV dinner trays we knew growing up in the sixties. But these trays are bold and colorful, with geometric patterns that would actually fit in quite nicely with a midcentury modern design. In 2023, seventeen Lunch Trays/A Good Time were on exhibit at an art gallery in Philadelphia, where she currently resides.
Using that same artistic process, she creates picnic plates, pressed into triangular sections; colored plates, which sport various colors and designs; and what she calls plate bowls, which are unique small serving bowls that present as smooth, enameled, almost oystershell-shaped bowls.
Rachel exhibits her work nationally in galleries and also teaches at craft schools. She will be holding a three-day workshop, Plates and Platters, at Peters Valley beginning on September 12th, where, true to form, she will emphasize experimentation with color, form, and texture.
Continued on page 17
Photos courtesy of Rachel Kedinger
Rachel Kedinger
Plates and Platters
Square
Box, soda fired black clay.
Photos by Geoff Tesch
Lidded Pots
“My work is inspired by tradition and history,” states studio potter and educator Jane Shellenbarger. Jane is a professor in the School for American Crafts in the College of Art and Design at Rochester Institute of Technology, with a pottery studio in Avon, NY.
On August 1st, she will be teaching a five-day ceramic workshop, Pots that Contain & Pour, at Peters Valley. Her workshop focuses on both the form and function of these pots.
Studying an ancient utilitarian object, such as an ewer or jar, from a historical perspective allows her to learn the various shapes and curves indigenous to a culture with a goal of reinterpreting the object with her own riff. “I’ve been influenced by Persian, Korean, Chinese, and ancient Japanese cultures; my work is not directly derivative, but an amalgamation. It’s important for me that my pieces reflect my intentions.”
Jane’s work shows reverence to history with a goal of reinterpretation. “If I had to distill my aesthetic down to two words, it would be crude elegance. Utilitarian objects have certain parameters that I dance around as a maker. My goal is to make something beautiful and useful, but not superfluous. My forms have an active role.”
By studying historic forms, she is able to create work that feels both ancient and contemporary, giving the viewer the feeling of seeing an everyday object for the first time.
Jane Shellenbarger
Covered
Box, soda fired stoneware
Wood Work
As an undergrad, Jason Pak Swienckowski studied with a furniture design program in Copenhagen. According to him, the Dutch never lost sight of good design.
Jason’s own furniture is inspired by the Shaker movement and is influenced by Asian tradition and philosophy, as well. “I like simplicity. My work has clean lines and an elegance to it. Sourcing local wood is incredibly important to me. Each piece of hardwood tells a story. I tend to use walnut, but every tree has its own special features and uses. It’s all about knowing what to do with it. I’ve worked with everything the forest yields.”
Jason tends toward making furniture that is functional. It could be customized cabinets with shelves and hinged doors, decorative shadow boxes, small tables, or a cutting board—form and function are interwoven. His philosophy is to make useful objects that are beautiful, but not overshadowing in the home.
This summer, Jason is coordinating the woodworking shop at Peters Valley and teaching Intro to Wall Hung Cabinets from June 27th to July 1st. He says he really enjoys sharing his craft, both passing on knowledge and learning from others.
Jason reminds us that until recently, homes were furnished with handcrafted, locally sourced objects, and that we, as consumers, can strive to do this—bring in the character and soul of nature to our homes through our furnishings and decor.
As Jason reflects, “To live in harmony can be as simple as admiring a maker’s object in your home for just a moment, remembering how it came to exist, and feeling connected to everything about the piece. By stringing those enjoyable moments together, one can bring happiness and peace to daily life.”
When one supports the makers who choose to carry on the tradition of handmade, we are fostering community through a simple purchase and acknowledging their journey. We have made a connection.
2025 Making Matters: Fresh Perspectives in Fine Craft is being held June 14th–August 3rd, in the 2nd floor exhibition space of the Sally D. Francisco Gallery at Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ. The hours are the same as the store gallery hours: Thursday –Tuesday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., closed Wednesdays. If interested in weekend tours of classes, inquire at the Gallery. For more information, visit www.petersvalley.org.
Table, shadow box. Photos by Jason Pak Swienckowski
Jason Pak Swienckowski.
Photo by Ryan Lutz
By Alison Porter
My Big Fat Greek Dinner
When the days seem to undulate in a happy dance of sun and fun, I feel like this is the closest I can get to escaping to a Greek island while staying at home. The summer air seems to whisper a very important question that needs an urgent response.
“Shish kebabs?”
“Yes!”
It’s hard to imagine anything better than feasting on grilled vegetables interspersed with chunks of succulent meat. Unless, of course, it’s all served on a bed of orzo salad and preceded by a watermelon and feta salad. “Opa!” as they say in Greece. I am down for shish kebab.
Shish kebabs are a really great summer meal. They make for a slightly exotic, visually stunning, and crowd-pleasing dinner. The concept is simple: thread chunks of marinated meat with a variety of vegetables on skewers. Then watch them sizzle on the fire as the sun lowers in the sky.
I like to sip on a very chilled, crisp white wine while I tend the grill. It helps me concentrate, really! And I like to nibble on an equally chilled watermelon, feta, and mint
salad. It helps me imagine that I am staying on a gorgeous Greek island.
The basic recipe for shish kebabs is to gather up some of the summer bounty that appears at farm stands, like zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions. If, by chance, you have any of these growing in your backyard, calm down, we get it; no need to brag.
Cut said vegetables into healthy-sized pieces and push them, along with the cubed meat, onto skewers. I find that the large metal ones work the best, but bamboo and shorter skewers work well too. Once, in an overly ambitious moment, I used thick rosemary sprigs to spear the kebabs. They looked impressive but it took so long that I vowed I would never ever do that again.
Although there is no prescribed order for vegetable placement, it’s nice to make a pattern, varying the different colors and textures on the skewer. I have learned through sad experience that if tomatoes are placed on the end, they are likely to slip into the fire. Also, I have figured out that zucchini makes a great stopper at the end. And I can confirm through trial and error that tomatoes survive best when cushioned between two sturdy vegetables
like a pepper and an onion. In my experience, onions and mushrooms work well abutting the meat. This enhances all the flavors.
A shish kebab feast makes it easy to accommodate different dietary needs and food preferences of family and friends without stressing over who will eat what. It’s a “choose your own adventure” kind of meal. Hate onions? Leave them off a couple of skewers. Strict meatatarians in attendance? Build juicy skewers of alternating types of meat, shrimp, and fish, without any of those pesky, unwanted vegetables. For the plant-based folks, quartered portobello mushrooms and extra firm tofu can be loaded onto their own skewers. There’s something for everyone.
Although the ingredients can be picked up on the way home from the beach and assembled while the grill heats up, I prefer to get things going ahead of time. In the morning, or even the night before, I cut up fat chunks of lamb (beef, chicken) and let them marinate while I am out enjoying my day.
A marinade does not have to be intimidating or complicated. Poke around in the refrigerator and you will probably find some Italian dressing or Asian marinade. Use it! Or, hear me out, if you are feeling energetic, you can make your own. You can whip up a homemade marinade in about five minutes.
I make a multipurpose sauce that works as a marinade before cooking, a sauce to baste the food while it’s on the grill, and dressing to add after cooking. It’s my secret sauce, and despite its simplicity, I get a lot of compliments.
To make this dressing, combine ⅓ cup of fresh lemon juice (or use a combination of vinegar and lemon juice), 3 cloves of garlic smashed and minced, 2 generous pinches of fresh oregano, salt and fresh pepper in a small bowl or glass jar. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of good quality olive oil until it is emulsified. This will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Orzo salad is a fabulous side dish that relies heavily on generous amounts of fresh herbs and staples like olives for its flair. The zippy lemon vinaigrette seems to bring all the fresh elements together. When I serve it, there are groans of satisfaction heard around the table. The orzo pasta has a creamy, almost buttery texture, without butter or cream. It serves as a neutral backdrop to showcase the delightful contrasts between the crunch of the cucumber, the bright freshness of the herbs, and the briny taste of the olives.
The addition of proteins like chickpeas and feta cheese turn this dish into a meal
on its own. Some evenings when I don’t have the time to throw together this dish, I just make a batch of orzo, and pour the dressing around it. It’s still delicious.
Maybe because their food is so tasty and satisfying, the Greeks don’t seem to spend much time thinking about dessert. I asked my Greek friend for dessert suggestions beyond the ubiquitous baklava. She named several options, with long complicated names like kataifi, sokolatopita, and melopita sifnos, all of which seemed to involve phyllo dough, nuts, and/or honey. And none of which sounded particularly appealing to me. I eventually confessed that I didn’t think that I liked Greek desserts much. “I don’t like them either,” was her reply.
Still, I try to serve something at the end of the meal that embodies the spirit of Greek cooking, if not an authentic recipe. Using traditional ingredients of lemon and yogurt, I often make a pound cake, and serve it with berries and whipped cream. Ina Garten’s recipe for Yogurt Lemon Cake is wonderful and pretty much foolproof. But if there’s no time for messing around in the kitchen, berries with whipped cream alone are a simple, homey, and delicious ending to any summer meal.
As the Greek philosopher Epicurus said, “The art of eating well is no slight art, the pleasure not a slight pleasure.” Opa!
Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad
½ large watermelon, cut into pieces and chilled
6 ounces good quality feta cheese, crumbled
⅓ cup fresh mint leaves, shredded into small pieces
Dressing:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
zest of one large lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon kosher salt fresh ground black pepper to taste
• In a large bowl, cut the watermelon and chill. In a small bowl or glass jar, combine the oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper.
• Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the watermelon, mixing gently. Top with the feta cheese, mint, and a little more dressing.
• Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8 people.
Orzo Salad
2 cups dry orzo pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
½ green bell pepper, trimmed and sliced thin
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley, packed
½ cup chopped fresh dill, packed
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
2 teaspoons capers
1 cup of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces of feta, crumbled (optional)
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
2 lemons, zested and juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• Cook the orzo according to package directions, adding one teaspoon of olive oil to the cooking water. Drain and rinse slightly to prevent sticking.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, scallion, cucumber, olives, fresh herbs, capers, and chickpeas. Add the orzo pasta.
• Make the dressing. In a small bowl or lidded jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, oregano, a pinch of coarse salt, and a few twists of freshly ground pepper.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Add in the feta if desired.
• This dish benefits from an hour in the refrigerator to meld the flavors. It will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Photos courtesy of Pike County Historical Society
Reflecting on 25 Years Together
Pike County Historical Society
As I reflect on a quarter century of working for the Pike County Historical Society and its Columns Museum, a wave of nostalgia washes over me—a tapestry of experiences, achievements, and challenges. The journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The early years were daunting. I was entrusted with preserving an amazing legacy of local history while steering the museum toward new horizons. The goal was to revitalize our collections, enhance our educational outreach, and create innovative exhibitions and programs.
To that end, the Pike County Historical Society (PCHS) has offered a variety of unique events and programs over the years, and our files and archives have proven beneficial and enlightening to many researchers, genealogists, and authors. We have installed new exhibits as well as kept important permanent exhibits that provide the backbone for an eclectic mix of history, both national and local. We are the protectors of the past, the historical heart and soul of a community, built by generations of dedicated volunteers.
The Pike County Historical Society, founded in 1930, has been preserving the history of Pike County, PA, for 95 years. Staying relevant in a fast-changing world is challenging. Additionally, the competition for grants and donations is fierce, with so many organizations vying for limited resources. It can be a shark tank!
While the PCHS is fortunate to have such a beautiful building to call home, the maintenance and care of the grand old place is a constant struggle. Honestly, the Columns is a money pit. However, I am proud to say the building is in good shape, for now, and maintenance has always been and will continue to be a top priority. The house remains a lovely focal point and stands as a fine example of the diverse styles of architecture in the village of Milford.
One of the highlights of my time with PCHS has been the complete restoration of the Hiawatha stagecoach. It is road worthy and looking sharp! You may have seen it in recent parades.
Hiawatha
stagecoach
Other highlights, of course, are events surrounding the Lincoln Flag. These include loaning the Flag to Ford’s Theatre for a special exhibit of blood relics to acknowledge the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.
Not only did this trip bring our Lincoln Flag full circle, but it gave the young men from Boy Scout Troop 5 of Dingmans Ferry the opportunity to transport and escort the famed flag to the theatre. They camped overnight in
nearby Maryland, got a private tour of Ford’s Theatre, and had a congressional flag flown over Washington, DC, in their honor. An experience they will never forget. So many Boy Scouts have done such fine work for us through the Eagle Scout Program. Many thanks.
As for Girl Scouts, I will never forget the days of our famous sleepovers at the museum and all the laughs and shenanigans the scouts could get up to. I learned early on to leave them in the care of the leaders and chaperones once the museum programs were over. One time, around Halloween, we had a group of Girl Scouts scheduled to stay. Once the girls were settled in, one of the chaperones thought it would be fun to fill their 9- and 10-year-old heads with ghost stories while another “adult” tapped on the basement window and rattled some chains or something similarly spooky trying to scare them. They sure did a good job because 8 out of 12 girls called their parents and went home, white as ghosts. No pun intended.
Speaking of ghosts, people seem to believe the museum is haunted. Scores of teams of ghost investigators have spent hours trying to prove this. I have never experienced anything unusual in all my years there. Not to say I don’t believe that others have. The consensus is that there are five ghosts or “entities” in the building. If that is true, I wish they would pick up a dust cloth or a broom occasionally, instead of just hanging around doing nothing.
Top: Lincoln Flag.
Left: Troop 5 taking the Lincoln Flag out of the building for its trip to DC
The best part about this job, for me, is the diversity of duties. My time with PCHS has allowed me to be creative in so many ways. I am the luckiest old museum lady alive to have had the pleasure of creating the content for over 60 PCHS newsletters with Jim Levell. We always find something to laugh about and try to keep the newsletters fun and informative.
The scandal surrounding our famous April Fools’ Day issue was certainly unexpected. The headline read “PCHS President Sends Lincoln Flag to the Cleaners” or something similar. The faux news article included quotes about “getting those pesky red stains removed.” We also might have mentioned that our vintage clothing collection was eaten by moths along with some other silly stuff. The backlash was noteworthy, but so worth it. I thank my Board of Directors, past and present, for their trust and support through the years; I can be a bit of a rebel.
To all my friends in history, the regulars who come to our events and support our mission through memberships and donations, your encouragement and camaraderie have been a source of inspiration. You have been there to celebrate the successes and offer support during challenging times. You mean so much to me, and I am incredibly grateful that you are part of our historical society family and a continued presence in my life. I don’t even care anymore that many of you show up so early for events. I now chalk it up to enthusiasm!
This was not meant to be some kind of laundry list of accomplishments and a means to tout my follies over 25 years. It is more about what the Pike County Historical Society has done for me, not what I may have done for the society. It has given me a home, a sense of purpose, and an outlet for all that my imagination will allow. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am content to keep learning about the past—it is quite engaging!
Stop in and see for yourself. Become a member, explore our archives, learn about the past through our two floors of exhibits, make a huge donation! Or all of the above. It takes a village. Help keep history alive and well in Pike County.
Lori Strelecki is the Executive Director of the PCHS and the Columns Museum located at 608 Broad Street, Milford, PA. Summer hours are 1–4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Sundays.
The author’s junk drawer. Photos by Will Voelkel
Nod to a Junk Drawer
It was another rainy day in June, and as much as I would have loved to go to bed for an afternoon nap, as the rain fell steadily, I decided to take the high road and finally get around to cleaning out the kitchen junk drawer. To cut to the chase, I was only moderately successful. And that’s just fine with me.
Marie Kondo, the organizer extraordinaire who made millions telling the world how to organize and “tidy up,” has her definition of “organized,” and I have mine. I suspect we all do.
Ah, yes, the junk drawer. According to research, 95% of Americans admit to having at least one junk drawer in their home (which begs the questions, what do the other 5% do with their junk—carry it in their pockets?), and 16% of us claim three or more such spaces.
In my usual manner when it comes to cleaning up and cleaning out, I was desperate for excuses to do something else—anything else. I figured that I would force myself to at least look at my junk drawer, and if the stars aligned, I’d actually declutter it.
But first, I procrastinate. To my laptop I rush, eagerly Googling “junk drawer psychology.” Essentially, I read that junk drawers are a reflection of how each of us as individuals deal with unexpected items and items that don’t fit readily into our existing systems of organization. While I consider myself fairly well-organized, I admit that I do face some organizational challenges.
Now, back to my own junk drawer, which by my count holds an astounding 132 items as of this writing. It appears that I made an attempt to organize it when I moved into my house by using an organizer tray, a small bowl, and a plastic container, but the years have not been kind.
Here’s my take on the psychological aspects of junk drawers based on what so-called experts, including myself now, claim are five categories of junk drawer items:
The Permanent Holding Area
These are items that might be needed on-the-spot or on occasion, and don’t have the luxury of a pre-determined location (or, frankly, the proper location is in an inconvenient part of the house requiring stairs, so my solution is to have duplicates). This includes things like a flashlight, birthday-cake candles, and pens that need to be on hand to allow for flexibility and easy access in our daily, weekly, or even annual routines.
The Uncategorizable Items
The drawer acts as THE place when an item doesn’t fit neatly into a standard kitchen category like “serving spoons and forks.” I have a lot of uncategorizable items. See below.
The Just in Case Items
To wit, “just in case, during an emergency, say, I need a flashlight that comes with a pen and a flat screwdriver, and I cannot locate the flashlight in the toolbox drawer six feet away.” Truthfully, in an emergency and in the dark, I’m not at all sure I could figure out how to get that flashlight avec pen avec screwdriver to light up or write or screw/unscrew for that matter. And for 15 years now, it’s been much easier to use the flashlight and keyboard on my cellphone, and hope that someday a cell phone will also double as a screwdriver. But until that time, I just can’t throw the “just in case” item away.
The Procrastination Principle
This reflects our tendency to put things off with the intention of finding a permanent home for certain items at a later date. Experts say this can lead to clutter. Duh.
Continued on next page
An accountant’s junk drawer
Emotional Resonance
These are the items that carry emotional weight, such as the funeral home card from my parents’ friend, Mary Draddy. My parents died 25 years ago; dear old Mary passed away in 2002. After her funeral, the card started its life in my home as a bookmark, but rapidly made its way into the junk drawer because somehow Mary as a bookmark felt disrespectful. So now that I realize I’ve inadvertently recategorized her as junk, I may need to rethink that one, too.
Oh, and by the way, one of the aforementioned birthday candles is, as clothing drives and used car promotions like to euphemize, “gently used.” This is not only a testament to the frugality my mother taught us as kids, it also holds an unexplainable emotional connection to Mom.
Further detailed analysis of my own kitchen junk drawer demanded immediate action. Besides the usual things, Scotch tape and rubber bands, here are a few highlights.
• One super glue that is completely dried out. I deepsixed that!
• Seven keys, all tagged, left for me by the previous owner. None of the keys fit any lock in the house, much less the ones they were tagged for. My guess is that the previous owner got them from the pre-previous owner and never bothered to check if they fit the locks. Now they’re gone.
• One large, color, folding map of the residential community in which I live. That stays, because it’s especially good for houseguests who like to ride bikes and walk throughout our very expansive and easy-to-get-lost-in lake community. Sometimes I secretly hope they might get lost and stay out for a long time so I can do important things like clean out my junk drawer.
• Broken pieces of a porcelain I Love Lucy cookie jar. When I tried to see if the pieces would fit, I inadvertently broke off Ricky Ricardo’s head, so now there’s more gluing to be done. Note: put super glue on the shopping list, pronto.
• A small completely unidentifiable old metal object. It looks cool but it gets the ax.
• A Port Jervis/New York City Coach USA Shortline bus schedule from February 2017. The timetables are still mostly accurate, but mostly doesn’t count when a weekend guest is trying to get back to NYC and Shortline’s online schedule is current (maybe). Tossed.
• A one-and-a-half inch by one-and-a-half inch boxed card game called “Do You Remember,” which was a hit during a family reunion last year; the drunker you get, the more revealing the answers become. I’m definitely keeping this for more fun times.
As I reflected on my junk drawer possessions, it struck me that practicality, easy access, and a touch of sentimentality probably best describe our relationship with our junk drawers.
There are countless methods to get organized. For our junk drawers, there are dividers, files, storage trays, and baskets. For our lives, there are calendars, to-do lists, and professional organizers.
But for many of us, the junk drawer loses its magic when it’s orderly. It’s one area of our life where chaos is openly tolerated and even seems normal. So, whether yours is a chaotic cornucopia of miscellaneous “stuff,” or a magnificently curated collection of curios, commonly-used items and keepsakes, take a moment to appreciate the junk drawer for its practicality and as a loving reflection of life’s messy bits.
To paraphrase the Capital One ad, what’s in your junk drawer?
Will Voelkel is a Milford resident, frequent contributor to The Journal, corporate trainer, house flipper, and Grey Towers Heritage Association Board member. He is always trying to get better organized but says he usually “lacks the time and willpower to do so.”
life is like a junk drawer filled with mess but also marvels medals and reminders connecting cords and cutting swords
nice and neat it’ll never be so many years i fought for my imagined order but neither drawers nor life would yield to me finally i understand: every single thing belongs
-Mona Voelkel
by Trish
Photos
Romano
By Bob Romano
Home of the Brave
Ihadn’t been to the West Branch of the Delaware River since last fall. The West Branch being the no-kill section of a tailwater populated by large and wily brown trout, located below a dam in the mountains more than two hours north of where we live. I rarely make the drive until July when Bonnie Brook is too low to fish. By then, mayflies, in particular sulphurs and blue-winged olives, are hatching on the big river while cold water is being pumped from the bottom of the dam forming ideal habitat for wild trout.
Last night, I pulled the cooler out of the attic, gathered my larger net and longer rod, the eight-foot Leonard, constructed of cane the color of butter dripping off a cob of corn. After stowing them behind the seat of the truck, I set the alarm for five-fifteen. Early this morning, I stopped at the bakery. After walking out with a diet Snapple and a glazed bear-claw, I drove through the gap in the hills while looking down at the river.
Each May, shad migrate up through this lower section of water, but by July, bass and pickerel have settled in, along with a few muskellunge, those solitary behemoths that lurk in the shadows during the day, feeding only at night. Now, while watching the sun rise in my rearview mirror, it’s not shad or bass or pickerel, or even muskies on my mind, only trout—big, nasty, wild, twenty-inch brown trout.
Crossing over the bridge that spans the river, I drive through the village of Marshalls Creek and pass by the Boy Scout camp beside Resica Falls, a waterfall on another river where I often fish. As I continue, mountain laurel and rhododendron sprawl down through scrub oak, red cedar, and white pine as Pennsylvania State forestland closes in from either side of the two-lane blacktop.
Farther north, I pass by cabins with names like Lucky Boy, Itchy Pines, Memory Lane, and Classic. In the stillness of the early morning, miniature American flags hang limply from the windows and mailboxes of the little camps. Lights are on, folks eating breakfast, making plans for the Fourth of July. Twenty minutes later, I swing around the northeastern tip of Lake
Wallenpaupack where weekenders from cities cruise in motorboats while spending time at their vacation homes.
I turn up the volume on the radio, listening to Jan and Dean. With the windows open, I let the music carry me back to a time when there were “two girls for every boy.”
The heat is already building, the radio announcer proclaiming it the perfect holiday weekend. Entering the bustling town of Hawley, I turn right on Church Street. Along either side of the wide avenue, ivory steeples pierce through the summer haze.
Stopping for a light in the center of the larger town of Honesdale, I watch a young couple wearing shorts and sandals cross in front of my truck. They’re holding hands. The boy wears a baseball cap similar to mine, but turned backward. The girl’s hair is long. She sweeps a few strands from her face. Throwing back her head, she laughs at something the boy says.
On the radio, the Beach Boys are now singing harmonies as sweet as blackberry jam on morning toast. When Brian Wilson’s falsetto succumbs to static, I turn the dial. Coming upon the local public radio station, I catch the female commentator in mid-sentence, something about a young man, nineteen years of age, a lance corporal in-
Continued on next page
jured during his tour in Iraq. She’s explaining how a bomb exploded under the soldier’s Humvee. How he was one of the “lucky ones,” having been dragged out alive from the crumpled metal. Her voice fades as she describes his recuperation at Walter Reed Hospital.
I now drive past a series of youth camps. With the windows open, I hear the excited voices of children splashing in Indian Head Lake. Driving into a valley, the landscape changes from forest to open fields and pastures. Dairy farms with white-clapboard homes and red barns replace seasonal cabins and vacation homes.
The radio signal is now barely audible as I pass through the rural landscape. I must strain to learn that the lance corporal grew up in the Midwest where he’d fallen from a deer stand, injuring his ribs the week before shipping out. Although the young hunter could have remained behind, he chose to accompany his buddies.
The voice of the soldier’s neighbor comes through as the static momentarily abates, “That was the kind of guy he was. The type of guy you could count on.”
“He was always kidding around,” the young soldier’s sister sighs. “You couldn’t believe nothin’ he said.”
After the commentator concludes her report, a piano plays a few somber notes. Someone from the local affiliate predicts partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the high eighties with isolated thunderstorms by late afternoon.
A few miles up the road, I enter the small village of Equinunk. At a stop sign beside a general store, I once again look down upon the river. It flows wide here, but this morning the current is hidden under early-morning haze. High above, the white tail feathers of an eagle flash as the large bird spirals downward on a thermal of air.
Not long after, I cross another bridge and drive over the New York State border into the town of Hancock, passing a McDonald’s, its yellow arches draped in red, white, and blue bunting. Turning onto Route 17, I continue north through the softly contoured hills that rise above my destination.
Minutes later, I pull into the fishermen’s parking lot, located beside the Men’s Club in the town of Deposit. After stretching my legs, I relieve myself beside a grassy berm. A few anglers work the riffles below me. Upriver, wisps of fog sweep over a long glide reminding me of tumbleweed blown down the main street of a western ghost town.
I tie a small, bead-headed, pheasant-tail nymph to a short piece of tippet and knot it to the bend in the hook of a larger pattern called a Prince nymph. Casting the rig into a wide, slow-moving run, I let the two flies sink, waiting as they dead-drift back toward me. Slowly stripping back line, I step forward before casting again.
This type of fishing takes time.
Time to think about whether that subtle nudge is one of the nymphs touching bottom or a brown trout about to expel the tiny fly before I’m able to set the hook.
Cast, drift, strip back line, step forward, cast again.
Time to think about a young soldier spending his summer in Walter Reed hospital.
Cast, drift, strip back line, step forward, cast again.
Time to think of a young hunter, sweating in the chill of a November morning as he strains to climb into a tree stand, his camouflaged fatigues masking a cold metal prosthesis.
Cast, drift, strip back line, step forward, cast again.
RETURN TO RANGELEY
by Robert J. Romano, Jr.
Join Nathaniel Palmer, George Anne Brady, and company as they seek meaning in an increasingly troubling world among the vast lakes, unrestrained rivers, and those little rills found only by following a logging road through the heart of western Maine.
RETURN TO RANGELEY – A NOVEL by
Robert J. Romano, Jr.
AVAILABLE THROUGH: https://shop.midcurrent.com and https://www.amazon.com
Praise for Bob’s previous novels:
For an autographed copy email Bob at magalloway@mac.com
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Aries (March 20-April 19) – Saturn in your sign is the astrological equivalent of moving to a new continent, or, more accurately, the continent coming to you. New commitments, new responsibilities and a world of new possibilities are open to you. And there are a few other elements operational here as well. Saturn can have a serious cast; Neptune has also recently entered your sign, and this is calling for some idealism and a bit of vision to go with your newfound capacity for achievement.
Taurus (April 19-May 20) – The general direction of your existence is one of bold self-discovery. While often portrayed as an exciting outer journey where you meet lots of interesting people and go exotic places, that is something different. This is the kind that requires true courage and persistence: the inner experience, where you discover who you are without the encouragement or assistance of others. Since yours is among the most relationship-oriented signs of the lot, this will require a reversal of many of your usual tendencies.
Gemini (May 20-June 21) – Regardless of the state of the larger economy, you are set to experience a financial renaissance. Your finances run in cycles. It would be worth studying them, though Jupiter’s arrival to Cancer is the biggest and most generous planet in the area of your personal resources. You have more than you may know, of many kinds of assets — particularly emotional capacity. Your astrology is calling you to be a warm creature in an increasingly chilly world. Yours is a path of sincerity and service.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) – Jupiter in your birth sign is about your idea of yourself experiencing rapid expansion. This will influence all aspects of your existence, since you are the thing they all have in common. Saturn is in your 10th place of mission, responsibility and reputation — which have in common the theme of taking action. You may be embarking on the most significant time in your life so far, and it’s best that you live that way. What seems impossible or unknowable today will come into focus and into reach in a short time.
Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) – Saturn in your fellow fire sign Aries provides you with a guiding principle for long term planning. The message here is to use time wisely. This calls for planning and flexibility. The question is: what is your motivation? What do you want? What is guiding your decisions? You must have a vision for what you want, and who you want to be. And this is calling for looking well above who else said what, did what, or thinks what.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) – You seem to be caught in a contradiction between where you’re at and where you want to be; between your sense of what is possible and your worst fears. Saturn in Aries describes being contained by your circumstances. This potentially involves shared financial conditions associated with a relationship. Yet Jupiter is in Cancer, which describes many ideas, including collaboration. The result could be frustration: much that you want, yet limited space to maneuver. Jupiter is saying rather boldly, you must be true to yourself. And you must take your space in the universe.
Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) – Jupiter is now in Cancer — your 10th, and one of your most powerful houses that describes your drive to achieve something real. This has not happened since 2013 and before that, in 2001. The top line and the bottom line and every other line say: you must think boldly. You must think large. Your reach must exceed your grasp, as you aspire to what you’re not certain you can attain. Jupiter is full of potential, though you must make it real through taking action.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) – Jupiter’s recent change of signs represents you opening up your horizons and taking a broader view of your life and the world. Jupiter in your fellow water sign Cancer also encourages a more spiritually-centered approach to life (compassion and seeking the wisdom of your inner teacher) rather than a transactional one (measuring life and love using a this-for-that approach). Spiritual does not mean better. It does mean sincere.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) – Your solar chart is bursting with the potential for achievement. The only catch involves your motivation. If you find that you’re hung up on the details of something rather than seeing the bigger, wider goals, you may have an issue. If you’re seeing only greatness or the grand scheme and ignoring the annoying details, stop and make an inquiry. In your professional life, the best motive is getting the job done for its own sake.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) – Jupiter recently entered your opposite sign Cancer, and that looks and feels like people around you being more emotionally available. You may find yourself in one of the most supportive environments in many years. Yet you will only experience that up to your capacity to exchange and receive love and attention. A great many relationship scenarios involve an uptake deficiency (a kind of celiac of the soul). Keep your ears on and other senses open to this potential and do what you can to go the other way.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) – While Aquarius is usually considered the sign of the brain, you are emotionally sensitive, and your body needs special care. Just in time, Jupiter made its move into Cancer, calling you to take a mature approach to nourishing yourself. Then there’s one other thing, which is speaking the truth every time you open your mouth. This is no longer an option for you. It’s no longer a luxury, or an inconvenience. Honesty for its own sake will feed and strengthen you, and set an excellent example.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) – Any decisions you made through late May into June are likely to be works in progress. Numerous major planets are moving in your favor, and their effects will manifest in a series of stages through July. And while this will seem to carry you along, you want to guide your ship in the direction you truly want to go. Make every decision consciously, as if it really makes a difference. Look around at your world and decide right now what needs to go, and what you want to invite in.
Charge
