A Little History, A Lot of Cheesesteak...Fall Foliage and Family

Day 1 - Downtown Philly

We made a quick trip to see the kids in Pennsylvania. While there, we added in a little sightseeing, a lot of hiking to view the fall leaves, and an overload of eating, drinking, and mad competition in 42, a game we were taught by our grandparents and parents, and that we now happily share with all our kids.

It was our first time to see Philadelphia, and the lively, sensory experience of downtown captures the vibrant mix of historic and modern that makes up the city today.

We were greeted with towering skyscrapers glinting in the sunlight As we traveled into the downtown area, the honking of car horns, the chatter of a diverse crowd hustling along, and melody of lively street performers combined with the distant sound of a train rumbling through Reading Terminal to create an urban art show and symphony.

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On entering Reading Terminal Market, the outdoor harmony was replaced with the low hum of hundreds of people. But as soon as we entered, our ears no longer cared about sounds, as our senses of sight and smell jumped into high gear.

I could talk - and write - forever about all the amazing aromas: fresh-baked pretzels and cheesecakes, earthy scents of fresh produce, and hanging meat, hints of roasted coffee beans, sweet smell of fresh flowers, every kind of homemade oil and vinegar imaginable...and oh, my, the baked goods. I could go on and on. All the local brewers were showing off their fall selections of craft beer, and there was no shortage of tasters in our group.

The original Philly Cheesesteak was amazing, but my favorite by far were the blueberry muffin cookies. Needless to say, the folks at the Famous 4th Street Cookie Company were reluctant to share their secret, but I'm on the hunt for recipes to replicate those melt-in-your-mouth delights. I'll try to share my trials, and the perfect recipe, if I can find it.

The Jones Restaurant, just down the street from the market, is permanently closed, but I thought it was worthy of a photo.

Our next stop was a viewing of the Iconic Liberty Bell, and a short history lesson inside Independence Hall. We paid $1 per person for advance tickets to the guided tour, and the leader made my teacher heart so happy with his required interactive and critical thinking lesson about the documents and their creation by our founding fathers, forcing all participants to reflect on what the historical decisions and documents mean in our world today. It was truly an unexpected and memorable experience.

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After our full day in Philly, we drove a couple of hours through the countryside all dressed out fall leaves to Josh and Ariels adorable little first house in Elysburg. It is nicknamed A Northumberland County Treasure for a reason. They live in an adorable cul-de-sac surrounded by retired couples and more different types of trees than I can count on both hands. Their property affords them access to a cute pond with a walking trail, and the little country town divides their drives to work right in half. They made amazing beef stew for dinner, followed by football and a first round of competitive 42.

This is the only picture from all the 42 games that is remotely appropriate.

Shikellamy State Park

We got up early on day two for a short hike in this beautiful state park that overlooks the confluence of the North and West branches of the Susquehanna River. The colored leaves were a feast for our eyes, and the forest was full of nature's unusual wonders. All during our hike, we were astounded by the soft swish of leaves parting, their edges brushing against each other as acorns divided them along their descent, causing a soft crunch of a whispered conversation that we were delighted to be still and listen to.

After hiking all morning, we stopped into The Old Forge Brewing Company to try some more craft beer, homemade peach and blackberry sangria, fish 'n chips, cheese curds and burgers. We ordered everything that sounded good and shared it around the table. We planned on a quick bite to eat, but the afternoon live music was so good, that we stayed almost until dark.

Corpus folks, take note of the Railroad growler - that thing gets around!

Fall Produce

The perfect end to our short trip was a slow drive through the meandering roads surrounding Josh and Ariel's tiny town. The area is cloaked in beautifully-manicured farmland and orchards. The guys couldn't quit talking about the yet-to-be-harvested corn, which formed golden seas of rustling stalks, undulating in the breeze along the rolling hills. I couldn't get enough of the apple orchards and pumpkin patches scattered everywhere, trees and vines heavy with ripe fruit offering a sweet, crisp aroma and creating a rich tapestry of fall colors.

We are definitely summer folks with no plans to ever live where winters are bitter cold.

However, as I finish this blog in the 90+ degree Texas heat, it's easy to be nostalgic about picturesque autumn landscape of Pennsylvania. If you get a chance to visit, don't pass up the opportunity.

Don't forget to follow along to see if I can replicate the Blueberry Muffin Cookies. Also, our barn/house is going up as I write this, and I will post progress soon.

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