A Kindred Spirit and Chocolate Town to Steel Town

 

 

Friday started with work.  

The students were working in watercolor and crayon, 

doing a crayon Batik resist project. 

It should not have been that messy.  

A little Kindergarten boy raises his completely paint covered hands

and tells me, 

“Mrs. Strate, this is when you know you are having fun!” 

I could not agree more.

Sometimes you find kindred spirits in small children.

 

JWS and I then traveled to Hershey, Pa in a 

rainstorm of very hard to see roads. 

 

We are at the Hershey Hotel

for the CCAP conference.  

When JWS got the info, he apologized that it would not 

be at the Lodge where we stay for the PSACF Convention,  

I assured him that the Hershey Hotel was going to be a 

huge treat for me!

It has not disappointed!  

It is beautiful and relaxing and just what we needed 

after a year of campaigning! 

 

 

 

 

Our first stop was Troeg’s Brewery.

It is a must stop on every trip to Hershey. 

I would go just for the Rosemary Olive Oil popcorn. 

 

 

 

 

 

A quick selfie outside the Brewery.

My place to sit and knit while I was waiting

for JWS to finish his classes for the night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was spent connecting with an old friend

and making new friends. 

 

Christkindlemarkt

in Bethlehem, PA.

 

Growing up in a steel town and watching the changes there 

as the steel left, (Youngstown, Ohio)

I am always amazed at the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit

in communities that have managed to 

adapt and survive and grow

in the face of what could be the death of a town. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Bethlehem, PA has it figured out! 

It was interesting to see how they have reconfigured 

space that would otherwise be a downfall

of a community. 

 

Our final stop of yesterday was 

Funck’s Restaurant in Palmyra, PA.

 

It is another yearly stop for us when we are in this area.

 

I had the Beef Ragu and it reminded me so much of my 

mother’s flank steak that was always my birthday meal. 

I texted my mom and said it was a good thing she is living because 

I would have sat and cried at that taste memory! 

 

As an added bonus there was a really good band playing and 

we enjoyed the music while we ate. 

 

We even sang along for a few!