Tuesday, November 5, was a beautiful day at the Boalsburg Farmer’s Market! I had not been there for many weeks. Now that our garden is done, it’s always fun to check out what other folks still have growing in their gardens…in greenhouses and covered planters. So many interesting things were being offered.
Much of the produce was similar to what we are able to grow: carrots, onions, sweet potatoes and sweet peppers.
But then I found surprises…mushrooms and microgreens!
I am just not familiar with the many kinds of mushrooms that exist…but the vendor was very helpful in explaining how they were different from each other and some simple ways to cook them. Very interesting! I picked up a small basket of “black” mushrooms (unknown official name). Hopefully, Bert will help fry them in butter so we can give them a try. They would be good on our homemade pizza and on top of our salads.
The next surprise was the vendor selling microgreens!
I was able to buy three small bags of greens to use in salads. Since I’ll be the only one eating them, that will be enough for a week or so!
I have tried to grow microgreens in the past and never quite got the hang of it…who knows if the trouble was with the seeds, the water, the light (or it just could have been me!). The vendor encouraged me to consider signing up for a workshop to be held next weekend in State College where I could learn all the basics. How exciting! I brought home the information and shared it with Bert. He wasn’t interested but encouraged me to sign up…he knew I had wanted to learn more about it. What a great birthday present!
So, I came home from the Farmer’s Market with some interesting mushrooms, three little bags of microgreens and an exciting workshop to look forward to!
Today, Bert chopped up the mushrooms and fried them in butter.
Next, I built myself a lovely salad topped with a few microgreens and the mushrooms. What a glorious salad!
I look forward to sharing the microgreen workshop experience with you in the next week or two! Enjoy!
In the last few weeks, a friend has encouraged me to join her a few mornings a week at Planet Fitness. I know I need to adopt some kind of regular exercise but for some reason, I never seem to make time to do it on my own. Plus, exercising with a friend at a gym sounded like a way to give me some structure to the activity.
Of course, I knew where Planet Fitness was located…in the Nittany Mall outside of State College. The Mall has steadily lost various stores over the last several years so I wasn’t sure what stores were left. The anchor stores of Sears, Macy’s, J. C. Penney and BonTon have closed up.
The space left by Sears is now a huge Rural King. It seems to be competition for Tractor Supply just down the road. The store is always busy and is focused on the needs of the surrounding rural community. It anchors one end of the Mall, but is separate from the Mall. There is no access inside the store to get to the inside of the Mall.
The other end of the Mall where Macy’s was is now all boarded up, waiting for approvals to open a Casino. Who knows when that will materialize.
The entrance to the Mall nearest Rural King is still available and leads you to a few office fronts and a restaurant and on into the Mall.
The whole side of the building inside that used to house various clothing stores, is now occupied by Planet Fitness! It’s quite a facility that extends from where Sears used to be, clear up to the hallway taking you to the Public Restrooms.
So, when my friend said, I’ll meet you at Planet Fitness, I was sure I knew just where to go!
However, with all of the glass advertising that Planet Fitness was inside…nowhere could I find a DOOR! In fact, in the first photo above, the one door says, “Not an Entrance.” Great! I sat down and texted my friend. “Where are you? There is no door!” She said, “You have to get back in the car and drive around the end of the Mall (past Rural King) to the back entrance.” That entrance used to take you into the Mall…now it just goes to Planet Fitness! Oh My!
I would love to show you some pictures of the inside of Planet Fitness, but one of the rules is no photos! (Go online to see the inside of some of the facilities.) So, let me tell you…for a person like me that has never been inside ANY gym, this place was overwhelming. So many machines…and so many different kinds of machines. Treadmills looked familiar! Beyond that, people were riding bikes, rowing, stepping, etc. The best part, nobody cared what I was doing. My friend let me follow her around and showed me how to use a few machines.
My first impulse was to be careful. I didn’t want to fall off anything or stretch the wrong way. Most of the machines were pretty self-explanatory…a diagram with the muscle group highlighted, and an illustration of how to do the exercise. Luckily my friend showed me how to adjust the weights and how to sit down on the machine. Let me tell you, I really needed to see someone do it first.
Next came the challenge of signing up! I could use my Silver Sneakers card…but of course it was very out of date. So, I said I would check it out with my insurance company and would come back. Turns out, I could sign up online and was issued an ID number. The next day, I returned with my number in hand and went through all the rules and signed a dozen places. I was told to download the Planet Fitness app and I’d be set to sign in like everybody else…showing a code on my phone. Sure.
I finally got the app downloaded but I could see I needed one more step…the gym needed to sync my information with the app so it would recognize my information. The next time I went to Planet Fitness, a young man took my phone and synced everything! Yea! I could now check in!
The third day, I actually had time to try the machines on my own. I handled the treadmill fine except I discovered I wasn’t coordinated enough to walk and open a bottle of water at the same time. Oops! I can see I have a way to go! One day at a time!
More about the Nittany Mall
I don’t really know exactly how many stores are left in the Mall. Just wandering a way up the Mall I saw many boarded-up store fronts. Looks like American Eagle Outfitters is still there, along with Spencer’s.
The Centre Region Active Adult Center is just across from the windows of Planet Fitness. They were busy with many seniors playing cards and visiting. I stopped in and picked up their schedule. Who knows, maybe I’ll try out some line-dancing when I get a little more coordinated!
Part of my involvement with Boalsburg’s Memorial Day activities is helping the Ladies Auxiliary to the Fire Company get ready for their bake sale at the Fire Hall. The Fire Hall is open to the public when the Carnival is going on…starting this evening, continuing Friday and Saturday evenings, a few hours on Sunday afternoon and 10 to 4 on Monday. The Fire Hall is airconditioned, restrooms are available and tables are set up for visitors to rest. They can eat the food they purchased at the festival or from the firemen who will be roasting chickens behind the Fire Hall. The money raised from this bake sale will be donated to the Fire Company.
This year I decided to spend three days baking stuff folks can buy to add to their dinners. I chose foods I could make from box mixes that could be wrapped into individual servings. This was fun, because the mixes cut down on my kitchen clean up and they were foods I would not normally make because I couldn’t eat them. I wasn’t tempted to snitch a bite here and there!
I started with Rice Krispies squares. I bought the biggest box of cereal I could find and picked up 4 bags of marshmallows. I haven’t made these squares for many years so I was glad the instruction were on the box!
I measured out 6 cups of Rice Krispies and 40 marshmallows.
I melted the 3 tablespoons of Butter in my largest pot and added the marshmallows. While I watched them melt, I wondered if I could just buy a jar of that marshmallow fluff and use that?
I dumped the Rice Krispies into the pot of melted marshmallows and tried to get them all coated with butter. It really helped to leave the pot on the warm burner to keep it soft enough to keep stirring. Then, before it set up in the pot, I spread the mixture into a 9 x 13″ pan. Using a spatula sprayed with oil, I pressed the mixture into the pan. That was it! Not too hard. I made 3 pans of Rice Krispies squares, cut them into 12 pieces each…I now have 36 squares in zip bags ready to sell!
The next project was Brownies. I picked up 4 mixes…2 dark chocolate and 2 milk chocolate with walnuts.
Now…you’ll notice the one on the left (Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix) says right on the box…13 x 9″ Family Size. OK. I assumed that. The box on the right, however, makes only an 8 x 8″ pan! Phooey!
I mixed up the first dark chocolate brownie mix.
It baked fine and looked good. I cut it into 12 pieces and bagged them for the sale.
I mixed up the second box of dark chocolate brownies, but apparently didn’t mix well enough because even after baking, the top had little lumps all over it! I gave that batch to Bert!
I ran to the grocery store and picked up another box of brownie mix (milk chocolate this time) and tried again. Worked fine. The two mixes of Brownies with California walnuts, that makes just an 8 x 8″ pan each…I’ll put them in the cupboard for a future pot luck dinner or something.
Next, I really wanted to make cupcakes since I haven’t made those in a long time. I was trying to figure out how to carry two dozen cupcakes to the fire hall on Monday. I had forgotten…several years ago I had bought a plastic carrier just for that purpose! Luckily, it was wrapped in a white plastic bag and high on a shelf just waiting to be needed.
Pretty nifty arrangement! Sunday, I’ll make two kinds of cupcakes for the sale on Monday!
The last item I may try tomorrow is snickerdoodles. Of course, there is a mix for that! I could easily make them from scratch, but then I will end up with too many cookies and my kitchen will be a mess! It is also too tempting to have all those cookies around because I do love them and can eat them. I’ll stick with the mixes.
I’m sure many of you have your favorite recipes to make things for bake sales. Our audience is mostly families with kids on their way to the carnival. Should be fun!
Twice a year the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company has a flea market/yard sale in the Boalsburg Fire Hall. This is a major fundraiser for our group. The table spaces are rented for others to use so it’s like any other yard sale…but no one person has to fill up the yard. Unless you’re having a moving or estate sale, it’s hard to assemble enough stuff to do it by yourself!
The best part is it’s indoors, restrooms are handy, lunch items are for sale and everyone is especially friendly! Check it out on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day!
If you’re in the area, check out the flea market/yard sale at the Boalsburg Fire Hall this Friday and Saturday…April 26 & 27, 2024!
The Village of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, has a rich and varied history. The Boalsburg Village Conservancy (BVC) was formed to help preserve the historical and cultural resources of the Village and the Township, and to stimulate awareness and interest in this area’s historic past.
Have you ever visited Boalsburg on Memorial Day and wondered how many folks were involved in setting up all those town-wide activities for over 25,000 visitors for 5 days? Do you live nearby and make the Memorial Day festivities part of your weekend fun? Have you moved away and plan a visit each year around Memorial Day to see family and friends? Do your out-of-town friends and relatives ask to come visit around Memorial Day…just in case you have a spare bedroom, or you happen to live within walking distance from the festival?
The volunteers on the Boalsburg Village Conservancy committee work hard all year to make sure the vendors, the musicians and the local museums have everything they need that weekend to be successful.
The infrastructure for the 5-day event involves obtaining permits and paying for Emergency Services on-site, renting porta-potties and advertising. Volunteer are great, but they can do only so much. The hope is that money from vendor’s fees, memberships and donations from the public will be enough to pay for the infrastructure expenses. Of course, as everything else, costs are rising. We need your help!
Even if you don’t live nearby, you can support the efforts of this volunteer organization so in the future the history of Memorial Day is not forgotten. You can read more about the BVC at www.historicboalsburg.com. You can take a virtual tour online of the more than 70 homes and buildings that have been restored and preserved in the town.
Your dues will go far in helping to pay for infrastructure to support the next Memorial Day celebration. An additional tax-deductible donation will make an even bigger impact.
Please consider supporting the efforts of the BVC. The membership form can be found at www.historicboalsburg.com.
See you for the “Day in Towne” activities, May 23 to 27, 2024!
I know…we still have snow on the ground, it’s still below freezing at night and it still gets dark shortly after 6 p.m.! However, local folks are already planning community-wide events and festivals.
Coming up soon, the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company will have their indoor yard sale on April 26 and 27 at the Fire Hall. Come support the Ladies Auxiliary and pick up some nice stuff! Read more about this indoor sale at https://marykisner.com/exploring-an-indoor-yard-sale-or-flea-market/
Of course, Boalsburg will celebrate Memorial Day from May 23-27, with activities like the carnival, parade and a Day in Towne. On the 27th many crafts folks will be selling their wares and there will be music on the Diamond and at the Museums. Tours of the Heritage Museum, the Boal Mansion and the Christopher Columbus Chapel will be offered.
The July 4th Festivities will offer many fun activities near the stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center on campus…ending with a spectacular fireworks display.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be held July 11-14 in downtown State College and on the Penn State campus. Watch for details online.
Finally, a local craft fair will be held at Way Fruit Farm in Stormstown, PA, just minutes from State College. It will run concurrently with the Central PA Festival of the Arts…July 11-13. It has the feel of the People’s Choice festival that had been in Boalsburg, but has now been moved to the Grange Fairgrounds in Centre Hall. See what Way Fruit Farm has to offer all year round at https://marykisner.com/wonderful-lunch-with-high-school-friends/
I’m sure there are many more festivals across the area, so check local listings and advertisements! Lots of cool bargains to be had!
If you are involved with a local festival and would like me to mention it in an upcoming post, send me an email with details…marykisner@comcast.net.
Just a quick note that our resident groundhog has agreed with our cousin Punxsutawney Phil that we’ll have an early spring!
Groundhog Day seems to have a bizarre history, evolving over centuries as it was observed by different groups, from the Celts to Germans to the Pennsylvania Dutch to those folks in the rest of the U.S. While early celebrations claim it all started in 1887 in Punxsutawney, a local historian Dan Yoder, found evidence of townspeople trusting a groundhog for weather advice as early as 1840.
According to Yoder, in 1887 local folks had a “Groundhog Picnic,” where groundhogs were cooked up as a “special local dish,” served at the Punxsutawney Elk Lodge. I guess once “Phil” became famous, with visits to the White House, the “Today” show and Oprah, folks decided it wasn’t appropriate to serve him up at picnics!
If you’d like to know more about Groundhog Day, just type “History of Groundhog Day” into your search engine and learn more than you ever wanted to know! Just typing this brief summary, I may eventually learn how to spell Punxsutawney! Happy Groundhog Day! Enjoy!
One of the downsizing challenges for quilters and crafters alike is what to do with our piles of assorted materials. Like many of you, I have materials for quilting like cotton fabric and batting. As a crafter, I also have assorted materials like zippers, bias binding, ribbon, elastic and thread. My giant tub of neckties (cut apart and sorted by color) has become part of a night stand until needed for a craft project! Of course, lately my interests seem to have morphed into beading bracelets! Oh my!
My biggest concern has been what to do with all my stuff if I’m faced with the challenge of downsizing. Might not happen this year, but eventually I’ll need to make some decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. I just can’t see all this stuff going in the garbage to live forever in a landfill!
In my ongoing quest to find local organizations that accept donations of household goods I’ve already explored the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and the CentrePeace Showroom. They are set up to accept clothing, small appliances and furniture and then offer these items for sale to the public. Each organization has a charity who benefits from these sales. You can read about them here:
Last week I took the time to explore the Scraps & Skeins shop in State College.
Their printed literature says Scraps & Skeins is a creative reuse store…meaning they accept donated items such as fabric, yarn, quilting supplies, knitting needles, books, patterns and even refurbished sewing machines! These items are organized and repackaged for resale to the public. This store provides employment opportunities for adults with mental health challenges. This is a win/win as far as I can see!
Scraps & Skeins was officially opened in 2015 under the umbrella of Strawberry Fields with the mission to create employment opportunities for adults with developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and mental health issues. All proceeds support Strawberry Fields Inc., a United Way affiliate.
Since 2015, Scraps & Skeins has grown from a single showroom and store room into the six-room shop and workspace located behind the Strawberry Fields’ administrative office. It now employs a store manager and multiple employees.
Exploring Scraps & Skeins for Donation Ideas
The colorful displays of fabric are enticing! It feels like a fabric store! I wanted to see what items they displayed compared with my pile of stuff so when the time comes to downsize, I’m donating the right things to them.
I found beautiful displays of fabric:
Even my sewing machines could be donated here!
Patterns are accepted too!
This would be a great place to donate my quilting and crafting books.
I have a whole bin of vintage fabric and I was pleased to see they displayed vintage items…looks like the stuff I have. I’m glad I can donate it here!
They had a whole room filled with notions…like thread, sewing needles and knitting needles. The room was crowded so I just peeked in…I don’t like to get between folks and their search for the perfect spool of thread!
I asked about donations of beading materials. They said they have found the resale value was too small to bother. After looking around, my bin of necktie material would probably not be accepted either. Good to know!
The Benefits of Donating and/or Shopping at Scraps & Skeins
Now I have a better idea of what I could donate to Scraps & Skeins. I also see the opportunity to go shopping for some lovely fabrics, books and yarn…when the need arises!
It feels good to support this store…I’m able to keep my sewing and crafting stuff out of landfills and by shopping here I’m supporting local adults who are learning valuable employment skills. You can do your part by donating and/or shopping at Scraps & Skeins in State College!
Finding Scraps & Skeins in State College
Their store is a little difficult to find the first time, but when you find it…you’ve found a treasure! Their address is 2766 West College Ave., State College, PA 16801. To get there I find it easiest to turn off West College Avenue onto Bristol Avenue and then turn right onto Enterprise. The first right takes you behind and between the buildings and when they are open, they put out a sign that really helps!
They even put out a bin for small donations in case you just want to drop off a small bag of stuff!
The store is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am to 2 pm, and every 3rd Saturday of the month from 10-2. Donations can also be dropped off Wednesdays from 10-2, although the shop will not be open then.
My dear granddaughter, Anna, is in 5th grade and plays basketball with a team from her school. A month or so ago, I attended one of her games and was impressed with all the girls who were learning the rules of the game. I suggested we try to get tickets to one of the Penn State Lady Lions basketball games.
Yesterday, was the day! Kathy’s family, plus her mother-in-law, came for the day and we drove u p to the Bryce Jordan Center on campus. I had a few things to learn, since I had not attended any events there for many years. Clear totebags, only credit cards for food and drinks, and airport-level scanning as we entered the building. Those of us with metal knees got “wanded” of course! Times have changed!
Getting to our seats was interesting (in section 105L). I wanted Anna to be close to the action so I managed to get tickets right behind the team seats. So happened…not very crowded anyway! Of course, that sent us down a flight of steps to floor level. Not too bad…until it was time to hike back up!
As we sat down…I realized I had left my phone at home! Luckily, Kathy took lots of pictures so I have some documentation that we were actually at the game! Kathy is the master of “selfies” so that was the first picture I wanted!
Anna had a chance to smile with the stand-up Nittany Lion!
Online there was information about a Kids Zone area at one end of the court with activities for kids before the game. Kathy and Steve took Anna down to check it out. She had time to make two big posters and two beaded bracelets…one she hoped to give to one of the players who was on crutches from an earlier injury. I wasn’t sure about the purpose of the posters until later in the game.
The arena was not crowded but the teams played hard.
Our seats put us right in the action when the refs had to check out an instant replay:
At half-time Anna was invited to try to win a prize by making three baskets in 30 seconds. She was brave enough to say, “Yes, I’ll try!” She took off her Penn State sweatshirt and she had her school t-shirt underneath…NORWIN in bright yellow! Great advertising!
She was able to make 1 basket in 30 seconds and won a t-shirt and a $20 gift certificate! We were so proud of her!
Roving cameras were occasionally focused on folks in the audience…that was the purpose of the giant posters Anna made before the game! Kind of hard to capture a picture of us holding the posters:
The final score was 119 to 43!
I’m so glad Anna could experience such an exciting game. She certainly got to see many of the “drills” the team goes through. She commented how fast the game was. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be able to attend one of her high school or college games!
I know…it’s still November!! But the schedule is now available for Boalsburg’s Hometown Christmas, just three weeks away. If you’re local and want to take a day to get in the mood for Christmas, these events would do it. Check it out!!
