Pennsylvania Reprises
Bucks & Lancaster Counties &
Longwood Gardens
May-June 2018
We’re returning to areas of Eastern Pennsylvania
visited on previous trips: Pennsylvania Dutch country around Lancaster with
Marjorie’s Mom Win and our then-little Matt in 1983, Bucks County (after stays
in Cape May & Philadelphia) with M’s Uncle Bill in 1996, plus Longwood
Gardens both times. And another reprise: friend Marlene, a fine trip companion
to the Smokies in Fall 2016, is joining us again. We schedule after Marlene and
my Spring choral schedules are completed. Looking for lodging on Airbnb we’re
enticed by “River Retreat: a Piece of Heaven.” On the Delaware River near
Stockton NJ (across from Bucks County), we’ll have the entire ground floor
(hosts Patricia & hubbie live on the 2nd floor) with 2 bedrooms,
kitchen, and porch looking onto the river. Sounds like a lovely base of
operations. This will be the 1st of a busy schedule of Summer &
Fall trips, plenty of journal & photo ops for my blog.
Some busy time before we head out.
Marjorie has a couple of days in NYC highlighted by a fascinating show by
illusionist Derek DelGaudio, “In and of Itself,” with Matt playing an
unexpected role, and “Boys in the Band” with M fav Jim Parsons. Then the
weekend before our trip Marlene comes up for my Mendelssohn Club concert. She’s
an accomplished singer, and I’m honored she pronounces the concert “excellent,”
with special kudos for my basses in “Down in the Valley.” Marlene also gives me
some tips on learning Britten’s “War Requiem,” a beastly challenging work I’ve
been rehearsing as a “guest” singer with Albany ProMusica for a Fall concert
with the Albany Symphony. She stays until Sunday for a Mass celebrating the 50th
anniversary of our Fr. Farano’s ordination; lots more music with the choir.
But I digress. After a typical Memorial
Day (5/28) of lawnmowing and other yard and garden work (we learn Marlene was
doing the same), an early dinner and a lovely evening drive down to stay
overnight with Marlene in Poughkeepsie.
