Swarthmore, PA

Happy 4th of July!

To All:

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May you have a healthy and prosperous Summer!

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Now is the time to send a message to Obama and Washington to stop throwing away our money,
stop federalizing energy, industry, and health care, and get out of our way so the country can once again thrive.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ...... that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom .. and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. (Abraham Lincoln)

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From beloved Christmas Carols to iconic Wyeth American paintings, the American Chestnut tree has always been deeply ingrained in our culture. Once one of the bedrocks of our forests, farms, industry, and identity, beginning in 1904 the American Chestnut Tree has been all but wiped off the land by a century of blight. It continues to fight for its survival and now with continuing help from its friends, the American Chestnut may be able to grow and thrive again in another decade or so.

Pennsylvania was at the center of its historic range and continues to play a key role in its future development. Over the years, there has been multiple efforts at creating a tree that could withstand the blight. They have tried both hybrids and cross breeding with other Chestnut tree types. Most of these efforts have been in vain, but with the recent advances in technologies, the work may be about to pay off.

There are two organizations that have been dedicated to the continued propagation of the American Chestnut Tree. The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation, supporting Virginia Techs' Department of Plant Pathology, is dedicated to finding a blight resistant strain through open pollination from blight resistant mother trees. The American Chestnut Foundation is backcrossing the Chinese Chestnut with the American Chestnut to eventually create a 15/16 American Chestnut with the dominant characteristics of the American Chestnut but containing the blight resistance of the Chinese Chestnut.

Locally, the Tyler Arboretum off Painter Road in Media Pennsylvania has a Chestnut Nursery which is working in coordination with The American Chestnut Foundation to develop the blight resistant American Chestnut. Interested individuals can volunteer to help maintain the nursery as a Chestnut Nursery Tender. In addition, there are some isolated specimens still in the area including one at The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.

Both of these programs are now meeting with some success. With the continuing help and time of these organizations and many volunteers, some day in the near future our forests may once again be filled with the grand American Chestnut Tree.

I had a lovely lunch with my wife and sons here the other day.  I had a sandwich (2 fried eggs, pork roll and cheese on a nice, fresh Kaiser roll).  Jinny had an omlette, Chuckie had scrambled eggs, sausage and home fries.  Joey had a bagel with cream cheese.

This cozy little luncheonette is the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast or lunch, with a home-cooked feel. Homesick Swarthmore College students and locals alike enjoy the traditional fare, friendly service, and the fact that the prices won't strain your wallet.  (Our 4-person meal, including beverages and tip came to about $26)

The inside seems a lot larger than you might think, thanks in large part to the mirrored wall opposite the grill area.  (I love places where the grill is out in the open -- watching a good short-order cook in action is like watching an artist at an easel -- everything looks chaotic until all of a sudden, with a few well-placed strokes of a brush -- or in this case, a few masterful flips of a spatula) a masterpiece takes shape, right before your eyes.

Vicky's maintains a MySpace page:  http://www.myspace.com/vickysplace

They also do take-out:  Call 610-328-2453 to place your order.

Swarthmore is a quaint little borough, nestled in Delaware County, PA, and is home to Swarthmore College.  The business district (referred to by college students as "The Ville" -- a nickname that hasn't exactly been embraced by the locals) boasts wide sidewalks frequently interupted by beautiful potted flowers and ornamental plants, making this a perfect place for a little outdoor dining.

The streets of Swarthmore are clean, thanks in large part to a very visible commitment to a recycling program.  There are attractive collecion bins for both rubbish and recyclables within easy reach of nearly every storefront.

Swarthmore's commitment to the environment doesn't stop with recycling.

Swarthmore was the one of first "Clean Energy Communities" in Pennsylvania, pledging to purchase at least 20% of their power from clean sources.  The borough has already qualified for a 1 kilowatt solar photovoltaic system for reaching their clean energy goals.

(For more information about the Pennsylvania Clean Energy Communities program, or to see how your community could benefit, visit http://communities.trfund.com/ )

Swarthmore, PA --  A beautiful place to call home.

Summer has "commenced", and you are hopefully enjoying a well-deserved break for your routine. Unfortunately, summer is all too brief, and we must begin planning for next year. For those of you planning on renting a place off-campus, now is the time to line up housing for the 08-09 year.

If you would like a list of available housing options, please sign in using the guestbook form on the right, and let me know what you need. (If you are reading this post on Localism.com, click here to find my guestbook)

I will do my best to find you what you want, and help you negotiate the best terms -- at no cost to you!

For those of you interested in owning your own rental property, there are some good opportunities for that as well, in today's market.

Beautiful homes in the award-winning Wallingford-Swarthmore School District are available now, and these homes typically don't linger on the market.

Click here to request a list of available homes in the area. (Wallingford, Swarthmore, Nether Providence, Rutledge)

For more about the borough of Swarthmore, click here.