Mary Yonkers

No, that is not a misprint. For second year in row Home Prices Are UP in Erie, PA. Unlike the rest of the country Erie prices are up 1.3 percent. Modest though it is a 1.3 % increase in home prices in Erie, PA contrasts sharply with the national average of 11.6 percent decline in home prices. This small increase in home prices won't set the market on fire, but it comes as no surprise to the Erie real estate community. Unlike other sectors of the nation Erie never experiences the drastic highs & lows that the media reports about constantly. We never had a bubble to burst. Our market is often described as 'Slow & Steady.' Our foreclosure rate is lower than the state average and our local banks are lending, too.

A report by First American CoreLogic indicated that home prices in Erie, Pennsylvania increased .074 percent in 2007 followed by 1.3 percent increase in 2008. Elsewhere in the United States three out of four markets are experiencing declining home prices. Riverside, California's prices fell 29.6%.

Erie, Pennsylvania is a great place to live. Come visit us soon.

Mercyhurst Lady Lakers defeated #2 team in women's ice hockey in the semifinal game of the Frozen Four tournament in Boston.

Mercyhurst ....5

Minnesota.....4

Today Mercyhurst will face off against Wisconsin, #1 team in champsionship game of the Frozen Four tournament at noon. Watch game on CBS College Sports (CSTV).

Meghan Agosta, Mercyhurst junior from Ontario, is one of ten finalists for top hockey honor, Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Good luck Meghan.

Being a graduate of Mercyhurst College long Mercyhurst had a college sport team of any variety or even men living on campus, I love following the successes of the Lakers. Unfortunately I live in an area where TV reception via satellite is limited at best and the cable company won't bring their line to my house without a huge fee. I will have to be content with checking the internet for results Sunday afternoon. As a point of interest Saturday morning I read of the victory over Minnesota on Facebook way before my newspaper was delivered.

Go Lakers!!!

Nearly 150 years ago in northwestern Pennsylvania Colonel Edwin Drake drilled the first successful oil well transforming the world almost over night bringing changes to all aspects of life heat, light, industry, transportation and medicine. Pennsylvania crude became known the world over, but just as quickly as the region grew it declined as larger more productive oil fields were discovered in Texas & Oklahoma. The oil industry has come a long way since the days of Edwin Drake and oil speculators of the 1860's.

As the towns of Titusville, Oil City, Franklin prepare to celebrate the 150 birthday of the modern oil industry our country searches for new sources of power in wind & solar energy.

As a child growing up in this region I was fascinated by its rich history. Perhaps most intriging was the ghost town of Pithole that was built and rebuilt several times after fires before finally being abandoned. My family and I spent many hours walking empty streets and reading the placques that told the story of the oil men & the challenges they faced getting the oil from the ground to market with little reliable transportation. The oil barrels were placed on barges and floated down Oil Creek & the Allegheny River until the railroad was built.

A

(If I used a magnifying glass, I could probably located the house I grew up in Oil City, PA)

A documentary film, "The Valley That Changed the World" produced by WQED in Pittsburgh will premiere Saturday, March 14th at 7:30 p.m. at the Barrow Civic Theatre, 1223 Liberty Street, Franklin, PA 1.800.483.6264 x 110

WQED will air the film on tv April 16, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

www.oilregion.org and www.oil150.com

Yes, I live on the shores of Lake Erie where spring doesn't always follow the calendar for the first day of spring, March 20th. Often we have a mini-blizzard around St. Patrick's Day.

BUT---Today I have proof that spring has arrived here. I heard birds chirping relentlessly outside my window very early in this morning. The smell of spring was in the air when I went down the driveway to get the morning paper. I checked the big tree in front of the house for signs of early crocus and they were there! Look very closely in this photo. Yes, look in lower center. The green shoots are up about half an inch.

I went for walk along Trout Run. The ice is almost gone!

Coming back up my driveway I was greeted by the snowman on my front porch, but I decided it was time for him to reside in the barn until next winter. He's napping now.

A few days ago I uploaded a few winter scenes including this one...titled Waiting for Spring...I will bring the picnic food.

My offer is still good.

Winter 2009 I just had to share a few photos with you.

It has been a long, cold winter with almost a record snowfall and so many people are complaining. I just had to capture the beauty of the season with my camera. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did while taking these photos.

Lake Erie at mouth of Walnut Creek/Ice 2009

Cross country skiing through the woods in Fairview, PA

Lone fisherman on the jetty

Walnut Creek near the mouth

Waiting for spring

Join me for picnic June 1st. I will bring the food.

Capture the moment and send photos from your area.

Mary Yonkers