Hello, I am new here

[islandboy]

In thinking of home, I would have to say I miss the mountains of North-Western Pennsylvania. I was an avid hiker and spent mostly every free minute in the woods. I enjoyed looking for places where old homesteads were, then hunting  by lay of land the old garbage dumps looking for antique bottles. In the winter I would hike for miles through the snow. We had a camp out in the country that we loved going too. There was a house and barn and about thirty acres of land. Some of my best childhood memories are connected to that area of the country. I look forward to returning there someday.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures handy, (plus don't know how to put pictures on this site). But the changing of the seasons is what I miss the most, Spring (renewal of life), Summer (growing season), Fall (colored leaves & crisp cold air), Winter, (blankets of snow & sparkling icicles).

[Debp]

In thinking of home, I would have to say I miss the mountains of North-Western Pennsylvania. I was an avid hiker and spent mostly every free minute in the woods. I enjoyed looking for places where old homesteads were, then hunting  by lay of land the old garbage dumps looking for antique bottles. In the winter I would hike for miles through the snow. We had a camp out in the country that we loved going too. There was a house and barn and about thirty acres of land. Some of my best childhood memories are connected to that area of the country. I look forward to returning there someday.
Sorry, I don't have any pictures handy, (plus don't know how to put pictures on this site). But the changing of the seasons is what I miss the most, Spring (renewal of life), Summer (growing season), Fall (colored leaves & crisp cold air), Winter, (blankets of snow & sparkling icicles).

I get a free travel magazine called Pennsylvania Pursuits....the photos are just breathtaking and the towns, etc, so quaint.  It has interesting articles on not only the cities and activities, but on small towns people don't know about.  It comes out once each season....you might like to subscribe to it.  Just go to the PA tourism website for it....they figure they will get tourists visiting PA this way.  It makes me want to see PA one day again, even just for a visit.

[islandboy]

Thank you, Debp. I never heard of that magazine, but I will check it out. I get really homesick for PA, and it gets worse every year. I had high hopes of getting up there this summer, however, unless my SSD comes through I won't be going anywhere for another year or so. Anyways, I appreciate you telling me about this.

[Debp]

Thank you, Debp. I never heard of that magazine, but I will check it out. I get really homesick for PA, and it gets worse every year. I had high hopes of getting up there this summer, however, unless my SSD comes through I won't be going anywhere for another year or so. Anyways, I appreciate you telling me about this.

Your welcome, Islandboy.  My mom has been ill for over a year now so I can't go anywhere either.

[islandboy]

Sorry to hear your mother is ill. I know how hard it is dealing with illnesses in family or friends or self. I will keep you both in my prayers with hope of recovery, and or lack of pain and uplifting of her spirits. Special blessing to you as well, in hoping someday you also get to visit PA again.
Today I spend the day with two people I graduated high school with. We had a great time reliving old memories of the times we spent together. It certainly lifted my spirits and made me hopeful again that I too will get to go back home to PA, someday.

[Debp]

Sorry to hear your mother is ill. I know how hard it is dealing with illnesses in family or friends or self. I will keep you both in my prayers with hope of recovery, and or lack of pain and uplifting of her spirits. Special blessing to you as well, in hoping someday you also get to visit PA again.
Today I spend the day with two people I graduated high school with. We had a great time reliving old memories of the times we spent together. It certainly lifted my spirits and made me hopeful again that I too will get to go back home to PA, someday.

Thanks very much for your prayers.    Glad you had a nice time with your friends.

[islandboy]

Your welcome. I found the PA tourism site and subscribed to the Pursuits magazine. I am sure it will help in my homesickness and remind me by pictures of many memories.

[Debp]

Your welcome. I found the PA tourism site and subscribed to the Pursuits magazine. I am sure it will help in my homesickness and remind me by pictures of many memories.

Glad you found it.  It is really a beautiful magazine....and alot of the photos are different from what you might normally see.

[islandboy]

There used to be a magazine called "Ideals", I think, that was the name. It was filled with poems and stories and pictures. Trying to remember if it was put out by Guideposts, Reader's Digest, or ??  Anyways they had allot of beautiful pictures of the NE United States. I always enjoyed the Fall and Christmas issues the best.
Debp, have you done much traveling around the United States, as in what other States have you visited?

[Debp]

There used to be a magazine called "Ideals", I think, that was the name. It was filled with poems and stories and pictures. Trying to remember if it was put out by Guideposts, Reader's Digest, or ??  Anyways they had allot of beautiful pictures of the NE United States. I always enjoyed the Fall and Christmas issues the best.
Debp, have you done much traveling around the United States, as in what other States have you visited?

We have some copies of Ideals from a few years ago.  I try not to keep too much "stuff" (I hate clutter)....but those were too pretty to donate to the thrift shop.  (Did donate some of them.)

Haven't done too much travelling in the USA.....I went to Bible college in Oregon, have visited Arizona to see family and have been to lovely Hawaii twice (many years ago).  Have been around some other parts of California some years back, too (San Francisco with a brief drive to Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara, San Luis Opisbo, La Jolla, San Diego).  Always wanted to see New England when I was a child, but we never got there.  Did vacation as a child at the Youghiogheny Dam area (it's near the Maryland border).  Now I understand PA has alot of covered bridges and quaint towns, those would be nice to see.

[islandboy]

I think most of the covered bridges in Pennsylvania, are in the middle to eastern part of the state. I guess New England area is full of them. I always wanted to go to Maine, but never got there. I been to Montana, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, was on a bus trip back in 1994. Saw mostly open territory, a few attractions and the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. Would have like to tour Montana more it was really beautiful. I visited Nebraska many years ago, lots of farm land out there.

[Soldier4Christ]

There are a lot of covered bridges in Illinois still. There are at least five of them within a 30 minute drive from me. One of them is on what it is called the Spoon River Scenic Drive. The drive is held every October just as the trees go into full fall colors. It is the last of the yard, homemade foods and outdoor craft sales for the year. Not only do you get to go shopping on the drive but you get to see the really beautiful parts of Illinois that most people passing through on the freeways miss. The drive has brought in many people from as far away as Calif., New York and Florida.

[Debp]

I think most of the covered bridges in Pennsylvania, are in the middle to eastern part of the state. I guess New England area is full of them. I always wanted to go to Maine, but never got there. I been to Montana, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, was on a bus trip back in 1994. Saw mostly open territory, a few attractions and the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. Would have like to tour Montana more it was really beautiful. I visited Nebraska many years ago, lots of farm land out there.

Oh, I forgot....we took the train from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, so during the day time, we did see some countryside.  I remember seeing the red earth and squatty-type trees in New Mexico.  Ohio was flat and dreary at the time we left PA.  Gary, IN seemed dismal....maybe it's better 40 years later?    We stopped in Colorado (I think La Junta) to just stretch our legs and board the train again....the heat really hit us there (remember we had never been West at all).  When we woke up and were getting nearer to L.A., I can remember how very green and pretty everything looked.....flowers, orange trees, even saw two horses looking over the fence as the train went by!

Oh, I heard around Washington, PA (S.W.), they have covered bridges.  The tourist book claimed PA has more than New England.

[Debp]

There are a lot of covered bridges in Illinois still. There are at least five of them within a 30 minute drive from me. One of them is on what it is called the Spoon River Scenic Drive. The drive is held every October just as the trees go into full fall colors. It is the last of the yard, homemade foods and outdoor craft sales for the year. Not only do you get to go shopping on the drive but you get to see the really beautiful parts of Illinois that most people passing through on the freeways miss. The drive has brought in many people from as far away as Calif., New York and Florida.

Sounds like a beautiful time!

[Shammu]

Believe it or not, there is a covered bridge about 15 miles from me.