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dear mr. Obama,

If i am going to vote for you, twice possibly… I would like you to understand me a little better.
I live in one of those towns in Pennsylvania, where gun control laws,illegal immigration, and religion are always a topic. I am sometimes frustrated and bitter just as you recently said.

However, I do not think that I or others in my community build the whole of our values on our frustrations and bitterness.
This is Pennsylvania, the Keystone state, with many towns older than our country. It is a state also a state where sporting is very big part of life.
The constitution and the principles of our founding fathers has a influence on our values, just as the colonial architecture, and heritage influences the scenery.

* The debate about gun control is an argument over constitutionality. It not a diversion from bitterness.

* the debate over illegal immigrants has a lot to do with citizenship…I for one encourage that everyone who wishes to participate in America, should strive to be a tax paying citizen. my value of citizenship, has nothing to do with frustration or bitterness.

* religion? well as far as i can tell the majority of people use faith as means of building values. again it has less to do with frustration or bitterness at the kernel.

does frustration drive us? should frustration us? I think so, but I think you have confused on how Pennsylvanians value.

Do we all agree on issues such as illegal immigration, gun control, and religion? of course not.
Thats what diversity is all about. We may find a unified America of diversity… an Integrated America, within the principles of responsible liberty, that our founding fathers worked so hard for.

I think fine sir, that you can make a great president, but you can at least take another look at Pennsylvanians Values. I think you missed the mark the first time.

Regards,
Chris

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Julia was part of America’s “Greatest Generation”. She was a poor child of the depression. She was an aspiring musician who played on a couple radio programs in the 1930s.( today I have her saxophones)

She joined the U.S army during WW2 and she was one of the first women stationed abroad in the U.S military.

Julia was a single mother who worked full time to raise her child. She became the first Female council woman of Lancaster City government, while raising her family and working full time.
My fondest memory of Grandma Julia was, when she took me too my first Philadelphia Phillies Baseball game. I was eight years old. (the worst memory of her is when she told me she had become an Atlanta Braves fan.. he)
Julia (1922 - 2007).
We finally got her favorite type of tree (weeping willow) tree…
planted spot on the Conestoga river. tomorrow is her Birthday.
Happy Birthday Grandma.

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Today, i worked a half work day. It was a voluntary Saturday shift… too cold to really do anything outdoors … and i could always use the money. The opportunity of taking some pictures of my ride home was evident as well.

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After work, The feed mill is always the first image to greet me. Often the swirling clouds appear to be interacting with mill. I work out in the rural country, near Mt. Joy . This image of the mill represents a great deal of central Pennsylvania. Both the Blue Collar and Rural values are imminent.
I left behind my forklift and machine workday … took in the view (and odor) of the mill and country side…
And head for home in my beat-up pick up truck.

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heading for home i traveled across the railroad tracks. The Amtrak carrying passengers and the Conrail carrying freight both use these tracks. The farms of both the old-order Mennonites and Amish dot the country side…
(its a myth that these two groups don’t use tractors or any power at all .
Each Amish or “older order” Mennonite community has different views on what mechanical vehicles or appliances they will use.)

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Across the quiet trout streams like the Conewago Creek. When i snapped this picture, four bicycle riders swooshed by me. Bicycling is a popular hobby in Lancaster County…An obsession for some. We have many great bicycling paths here. They were moving to fast for me to take a picture.

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I detoured away from my usual drive home today. it was Saturday after all.

I love walking or even driving by creek in the country..
With Lancaster County’s Population passing the half million mark…and shopping centers popping up more and more frequently,
These quiet and unpolluted scenes are becoming more scarce. But when i am walking along these creeks I am not thinking of that.
I just taken the scene for what is.
If it wasnt so damn cold, i would have spent all day there.

But i did have a couple chores to do so I snap this shot of some old random mill… and continued on my path back to Lancaster City.

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As I headed into into the City of Lancaster, I was greeted by it”s heritage and history immediately. Traveling down Marietta ave. I pass by Wheatland.

Wheatland was the final home of ex President James Buchanan. He was the 15th president, one before Abe Lincoln.
He is best known today for his lack of action during his tenure. Southern states seceded from the U.S. … soon to create the Confederacy. He believed that he could not Constitutionally prevent this. The American Civil War would soon follow.

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Back in “civilization”, I stopped at Manor Shopping Center. The conveniences of Multiplex Movie theaters, grocery stores, and barber shops .. all in one place.

I sometimes wonder, with all of the nature i see on my drive home…
Why the hell Seagulls congregate at shopping center parking lots. perhaps they like the modern conveniences .
Me? I came to the shopping center to pick up kitty litter for this guy..

waiting for me at home…

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Home, finally home.

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my view of Lancaster Pa from my neighborhood.

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think of “Fat Tuesday”. What comes to mind?

…Mardis Graz in New Orleans
….Del Carnivals in Rio De Janiero

and of course…
Fausnaught day in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania.

Of course you were! So what is A fausenaught

A fausnaught is a fluffy pastry similar in texture to donut… and once a year pa dutch treat.

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The exact history of the fausnaught seems to be debated. However
Fat Tuesday is one day before the beginning of the forty days of lent that lead up to easter, in Christian tradition.

Many cooking ingredients, including fat and butter, were given up for the Lent period. This can be a problem if you have a lot of left over food ingredients that will spoil before Easter.

What does one do with there extra fat, butter and eggs, you ask?

Make pastries and gorge your family with them.

ahh the fausenaught.

Now some old school dutchies will tell you that they are to be eaten plain,
but i buy my Faussies pimped up.

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powdered fausenauts from willow Valley bakery.

Goes well with Lancaster county brewed Turkey Hill Iced Tea.
(Actually they go well with Lancaster Ale but i will save that for another post).

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Peace and Pastry!

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Juan Lopez was a leader in Lancaster ’s Community as well as a respected owner of his business. He was beacon and a voice for the Spanish speaking population and well liked by all. I have never met Mr Lopez or his wife. However, friends and family, who now live in other parts of the country have sent their condolences.
R I P his legacy lives on.

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We shape out our communities through out its history.
In return, our communities history shapes us as well,
When i am walking or driving through lancaster its ghosts are all around me.
Often, when out with friends or family, I am completely unconscious of it yet it still affects me.
monuments, architecture, reminders of past and present…fade in to the landscape in which i live.

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and then , while driving through rush hour traffic, or out doing our chores we see something that grabs our attention,

the monuments,

the tribute to the people in our communties:

This is a lovingly home made monument, a vigil to a young man tragically killed.
what you cannot see in this picture is the two schools across the street. The young man was an innocent victim of crossfire shooting right near an elementary and middle school.

This modern day monument is as powerful and moving as any town full of historic markers… It is fades in with the federalist architectures of lancaster. Affects are consciousness, and reminds of the people and ghosts that have been part of our communities.

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we change and move with are history. Some monuments remain the same, some make way for growth.

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St James epist. Church was built in 1744, thirty two years before the Declaration of Independence was drafted. It stands today, in downtown Lancaster. Many of these tomb markers are older than the United States.

What is no longer visible are the huge ancient Elm trees, that stood outside the church Dutch elm disease killed them, they had to be removed in the 1980s.

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the lancaster skyline is changing.. the old steeples greet the cranes building the new convention center.

heritage and history greets growth and progress

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This guy has had a lot to read about over the years .

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