Click on the links below for more detailed information about location and times to see the sky lit up by some fantastic pyrotechnic displays around the area.

3 JULY 2009
Parkesburg
Phoenixville
Downingtown at United Sports

4 JULY 2009
Downingtown in Kerr Park
Tredyffrin in Chesterbrook
Kennett Square at Longwood Gardens
Radnor at Radnor HS
Pottstown at Memorial Park
Nottingham Park
Exton at Miller Park

I had to come back and write some more Have a Happy 4th of July – and while you’re at it… be sure and stay safe! That means with all those tempting home firework tricks to drinking and parties – BE SAFE! Don’t forget your furry creatures too – fireworks can be scary and they can also be tempting to chase and harm. Ok. I’m better now

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The Chester County Parks & Recreation Department is kicking off the 15th Annual Town Tours & Village Walks on Thursday, June 11th in West Chester Borough.

The walks are FREE and last year brought 2,000 people out to experience the towns up close. Most walks begin at 6:00 PM and end around 8:30 PM. Some will even have entertainment and refreshments. Check out the calendar of events for the 2009 Walking Tours scheduled all around Chester County.

What a fun thing to do with the family, a group of friends, or even by yourself! Put on your comfortable walking shoes – and if you know me – I’d make sure my camera was close at hand.

West Chester Borough is featured this week. Call the West Chester Historical Society & Architectural Review Board for more information and your reservation spot at 610-692-4800.

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East Brandywine Township Park

It’s not just a Local Expert that knows and experiences the outdoors in the area parks….

You can experience them with me!

All the townships in Chester County have their own flavor of community parks with walking trails, preservation areas, soccer fields (especially full on Saturdays!), tennis courts, playgrounds, basketball courts, etc. There are also beautiful state parks in Pennsylvania; and I can’t forget the one National Park in Chester County.

I enjoy experiencing the different flavor of the parks in the surrounding areas of the Delaware Valley and try to change the place for my walks.

My favorite parks in CHESTER COUNTY:

Downingtown Borough: Kerr Park occupies a lot of space in my childhood memory bank. The tennis courts are still there that I used to keep myself occupied while “Mom” played. Kerr Park is where many of the festivities for Good Neighbor Day take place. The All-Abilities Playground is also a big hit! For 2009, Kerr Park and the area has been the place to celebrate Downingtown’s 150th Birthday Celebration, too!

East Brandywine Township: Community Park. They just added more fields and the walking trails go on and on… This is where I walk most often, due to convenience to my house You can catch entire families exercising and playing ball together many evenings. The energy is phenomenal. We often chase the ball around play tennis here.

East Caln Township: Bell Tavern Park is the place to be on hot weather days! The playground is one of the best in the area (even with sprinklers during the heat) and picnic tables come in handy. There is a sand volleyball court, roller hockey rink, tennis courts, and walking trail as well.

Marsh Creek State Park

East Goshen Township: The East Goshen Township Park is located off of Paoli Pike and spans for 55 acres. They have tennis, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, putting green, totlot/playground, fitness trail.

I found myself during my walk removing my i-pod headphones to listen to the birds singing to me! They have a bird watching guide and preservation area around the fitness trail.

FrenchCreek State Park: French Creek is our local get-away spot. Camping is offered and you can feel like you are miles away! Home to two lakes and 40 miles of hiking trails. There is a Frisbee golf course, pavilions, and geocaching available.

Hibernia Park (County) Park: Over 900 acres of trails, woodlands, fishing, picnics, camping – PLUS a 90 acre lake for small fishing and boating. There is a historic mansion, Hibernia Mansion (Built around 1744) which is also located in the park and available for limited tours.

French Creek State Park

Marsh Creek Lake State Park: This park includes 1,705 acres which includes a 535-acre Lake. Windsurfing, Boating, Kayaking, Fishing, Swimming are all some of the highlights of the park.

(An interesting tidbit about Marsh Creek Lake State Park. My grandmother’s family home is somewhere in the bottom of the lake – taken over by eminent domain.)

Tredyffrin Township: Their parkland has over 345 acres dedicated for parks. Wilson Park (90 acres) is located in Chesterbrook and has an All Abilities Playground, putting green, volleyball, and all sorts of sports fields.

Wait! You can’t leave the Local Yokel Tour of Chester County Parks yet……

Chester County also boasts to be the home of The Valley Forge National Park, one of the most famous parks in the world.

Valley Forge Park not only memorializes the sacrifices and perseverance of the Revolutionary War generation during the encampment of 1777, but there are stories told, tours given, re-enactments lived, and collections displayed.

Valley Forge National Park

Valley Forge Park includes cell-phone guided tours, and also story telling benches (a storyteller begins telling a 5 minute story when one approaches the bench), trolley tours, after hour tours, Guided Walks, Gallery Talks, Vault Tours, and special events taking place year round. During your visit you most likely will spot at the least deer, and quite possibly other wildlife including fox.

Trail System – Hiking, Horseback Riding, Biking, you can do it all within the Valley Forge Park at different designated areas. 28 miles of authorized trails are located within the park boundaries. There are 19 miles of marked hiking trails designated just for hiking.

The beauty of Chester County abounds when you take a look at the parks. The rolling hills are home to parks that make you feel like you are in the deep forest (French Creek); relax by the water and sunbathe like you are on the beach (Marsh Creek); and get your fill of history lessons while going back in time (Valley Forge).

Chester County, Pennsylvania, a great place to call home, abounding in parks and outdoor recreation.

Written by Kim in 2008

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Lots of fun entertainment, carriage rides, music, craft show, time capsule opening, buggy/carriage competition, and so much more! The celebration will take place centered around the heart of Downingtown, at Kerr Park and is a hop skip and a jump if you live in the Chester County area.

Visit Downingtown150 for more information and an agenda of the activities for the day.

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How much is a monthly payment? How much home can I afford? These are common questions. If you’d like a general idea, you can use a Mortgage Calculator like the one that has been added to the sidebar on the right column in case you like playing with some numbers. Some people are amazed to see that the monthly mortgage payment, in fact, isn’t as much as they are paying in rental payments! In addition, with the Housing Tax Credit for first time home buyers (and those who have not owned a home in the past 3 years from date of purchase) , it makes buying a home for the first time even more of a reality.

Consult a professional mortgage broker or bank for more specifics and information targeted to your individual circumstances.

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To my Papap, (in World War II in the photo), who is no longer with us…

To my Mom, who joined the Air Force as a Single Mother as a nurse…

To my Dad, who earned Top Pilot awards in the F-111…

To Michael and many, many other friends …

Thank you for your service to our country,

This day is for you !

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Goodbye, LittleOne5, just for a Few Hours

I started writing this post with the title of Letting Go, but that quickly became a post about letting go when you are moving. That just happens sometimes That was fine too, it must have needed to be said.

“Goodbye…. I love you” when said to your children starting new ventures are tough. What is the balance between being the parent that nurtures and wants to keep the kids under their wing vs. loving them enough to let them go?

LittleOne5 is starting Kindergarten soon.

AChrome22 got dropped off at college a few years ago.

Princess19 jumped out of the door at Junior High at I wept the whole way home, it’s been a while, but I remember.

No matter what ventures lie ahead, sometimes the goodbye is tough. It’s important to let your children know that you love them – don’t forget that part. (Especially when they go to college, they tend to get busy and not call you as often -so when they do, make it last !)

It’ll be a bittersweet day in a couple of weeks for me. Although I’ve been down the path twice before (I homeschooled some, but had to let them go at different stages – saying goodbye to LittleOne5 as she walks through the doors of Elementary School won’t be easy.
Saying goodbye to my Pumpkin Pie….. for a long, few hours…. at least I can still walk her in, I don’t have to drop her off a block before the school

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