Professional Fastpitch Softball League: Atlanta Smoke 7, New York Rise 5

 By Nate Feldman

Bill Edwards Stadium, Hempstead, NY

The Atlanta Smoke held on to defeat the New York Rise 7-5 in the final match of a three-game series on Saturday night.  The Smoke got off to a strong start, scoring seven runs in the first two innings, leading 7-1 at one point.

The Rise didn't go out quietly, however.  In the bottom half of the third, they began a rally, scoring three runs and loading the bases.  The Storm were able to get out of the jam, and from there, both team's pitchers settled down and didn't give up a run for the final four innings.  

The Smoke took two out of three in the series.  The two teams will meet again next weekend for another series, this time in Atlanta.  

Family Trips Presents, A Day at the Seneca Landing Special Park

 By Nate Feldman

Over eight years ago, in March, 2017, I spent an afternoon with Sara and Sofia, my daughters, in Washington, DC and at the Seneca Landing Special Park in Poolesville, Maryland.  I recently found a collection of photos and videos I took that day and made a You Tube video out of it with newly composed music.

This is what I remember about that day.  I remember that it was a Sunday in early March.  As shown by the video, the trees were still bare and everyone was wearing coats, so it was chilly outside.

We didn't go to the park first.  We first went to have lunch at Guapo's, a Mexican restaurant chain in the DC area.  We went to the branch in Tenleytown, close to American University where I graduated from. 

After lunch, we headed out west on River Road, which heads west along the Potomac River.  The Seneca Landing Special Park is located at about mile marker 23 on the C&O towpath, a huge trail that connects downtown Washington, DC to Cumberland, Maryland in the far western part of the state.  I had been familiar with this park since my university days when I used to drive out there for afternoon joyrides.  Although it isn't all that far from the DC metro area, it is quite pristine and bucolic out there.  

The Seneca Landing Special Park has the Seneca Creek Aqueduct, which meets at where Seneca Creek goes into the Potomac River.  The C&O Towpath crosses the Aqueduct, and you can either head towards Washington by turning left or away by turning right.  After the Aqueduct is a picnic area along the banks of the river.  Listening to the videos again, I can hear Sara asking me twice if the water in the Potomac is deep or not.   

After spending time in the picnic area, we went to the Seneca Stone Cutting Mill on the other side of the trail.  This was the old site of the Seneca Quarry, which has unique reddish pink rocks that were used in the construction of many iconic structures in the Washington, DC area, most notably the Smithsonian building.  All that remains now are its walls and an inside area that resembles a courtyard.  In the video, you can see Sofia climbing up a wooden post that was slanted and leaning against something (most likely the wall).  On this day, Sara called this structure the cavern, and as we are leaving at the end of the video, you can hear her shout out, "We need to say goodbye to the cavern!" 

We later hiked along the C&O Towpath.  At the time, the towpath was made of dirt, not the typical gravel that makes up most trails.  The views of the river are splendid along it.  You can see Sofia and Sara found a hollow log and decided to climb into it.  

Before we headed home, we headed back to the picnic area as the sun began to descend over the river.  There is a beautiful shot of Sofia sitting in a tree, basking in the waning sunlight.  

I have very fond memories of both this day and this time period when the girl were younger and used to go on a lot of adventures with me.  A lot has changed in the past couple of years since they entered adolescence and a messy custody case with their mother (which was decided in my favor but at the cost of the relationship we used to have).  Looking back, I wish I had enjoyed moments like these more while they were happening.  It's a great lesson for us all to heed.  

My Trip to Upstate New York, Part 2

By Nate Feldman

It is the end of the school year, so once again I had to drive my daughters Sara and Sofia from our home in Berwyn, PA to Clarence, NY, where their mother, stepdad, and siblings live.  Here is a summary of my trip:

Day 1: Monday, June 16, 2025

I left Berwyn with the girls around 9 AM.  We stopped at a Royal Farms around Kulpsville, PA on the northeast extension of the PA turnpike and then went north.  We got off the turnpike at exit 95 and headed west on I-80.  I-80 eventually meets up with I-15, which takes you into downtown Williamsport, PA.  The weather in Pennsylvania was gloomy and rainy throughout the entire trip.

In Williamsport, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant called Vinnie's Eatery.  The girls ordered a hoagie with a drink and chips, and I had stuffed shells with a salad and breadsticks.  Afterwards, we picked up some desserts from Le Chocolat, right around the corner.  

After lunch, we continued on I-15 north through a heavily mountainous part of Lycoming county into Tioga county in PA.  This area is quite pristine and unpopulated, and it's really fascinating to see a part of Pennsylvania which is so different from the heavily suburbanized area I come from.  I-15 takes you into New York state.  

Eventually, we caught up with I-86 west around the town of Corning and connected with 390 north towards Rochester.  Afterwards, I used other routes, including route 63 and 33.  We reached Clarence around 6 PM.  At some point in New York, we got away from the clouds and rain and got into bright, sunny weather.

From Clarence, I went to my motel in Lockport, NY, about 12-13 miles away.  The motel's rooms are very impressive and quite affordable.  

My room at the Lockport Inn and Suites 

In the evening, I went to the Erie Canal Trail and ran for about an hour.  Being further north and west than my home in PA, I noticed that the sun stays out longer here.  At about a quarter to ten at night, there were still shades of light in the sky.

The Erie Canal Trail near Lockport, NY

I got some food at the Tops surpermarket in Lockport for dinner and ate at my hotel while watching the NBA finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.  

Day 2: Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Downtown Lockport, NY

I had breakfast at the Steamworks cafe in downtown Lockport.  I had an amazing cinnamon roll and cold brew coffee.  Afterwards, I walked briefly on a portion of  the Erie Canal Trail going through the middle of the town.

Breakfast at Steamworks Cafe in Lockport, NY

Afterwards, I went to Niagara Falls and spent the afternoon there.  I was on the American side of the iconic falls and got spectacular views.  I also walked besides the rapids that head towards the falls and took a trolley tour of the entire park.  

 

A view of Niagara Falls 

For lunch, I went to a Nepalese restaurant and ordered steam veggie Momos, a famous dish from Nepal.  I had it with naan bread and mango lassi.  

After my day at Niagara Falls, I returned to my motel, and I ran again on the Erie Canal Trail before watching the Stanley Cup finals between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in my room.

Niagara Falls upclose 

Day 3: Wednesday, June 18, 2025

I jogged in the streets of Lockport in the morning before checking out of my motel.  For breakfast, I had a bagel sandwich and coffee at B&D bagels in the downtown area.  

Afterwards, I took 63-S and drove through towns, such as Batavia.   Eventually, around the town of Mt. Morris, 63-S connects with 408-S, which in turns connects with 390-S.  This took me to 86-E, and from there I took 15-S into Pennsylvania.

In Tioga county, I stopped for lunch in the town of Mansfield, which has a university.  There, I visited the Bearly Enough Quilt and Gift Shop on Main Street, where I got a get well card with golden retrievers on it.  At this shop, the owner talked about notable things about the town of Mansfield. 

Afterwards, I continued on 15-S through Williamsport and eventually returned to my home in Berwyn.  

Highlights of the Trip:

*Visiting Niagara Falls for the first time in 31 years 

*The cinnamon roll and cold brew coffee at Steamworks 

*Being given free naan bread at the Nepali restaurant 

*Jogging on the Erie Canal Trail 

*The gift shop in Mansfield, PA  

Crabby Creek Park in Berwyn, PA

 By Nate Feldman

I quite often visit Crabby Creek Park in Berwyn, PA.  What amazes me most about it is that it is a piece of untouched nature in the middle of a heavily suburbanized area.  I like to take Kipper, my golden retriever, there for walks.  

Here are some videos I have done throughout the years in which Crabby Creek Park has appeared: 

Great Adventures in the Northeast

By Nate Feldman

A painting at the MOMA museum

The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

On Monday, February 24, I did a day trip to New York City to visit the Museum of Modern Art, or MOMA, in Manhattan.

Before I arrived there, I bumped into six of my students from the ELS language center I teach at, and we sat together for a while.

At the museum, I saw both older and contemporary works of art, ranging from Vincent Van Gogh's iconic Starry Night to works by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and other famous artists.  

Some paintings that really stuck out to me included Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Cans paintings.  He painted all of the types of Campbell's Soup he had eaten over the years.  It made me think of things I often eat and if I should paint or draw pictures of them as well.

Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Cans series of paintings

There is also the Sun Mad Raisins painting, that shows the Sun Maid woman, found on all Sun Maid Raisins products, but as a skeleton.  It says on the painting: Unnaturally Grown with Pesticides.  What is interesting about that is that for years I ate the Sun Maid Raisins, but I specifically always got the Organic kinds to avoid that very issue.  The artist was depicting something I had always wondered about Sun Maid products.

An afternoon at the MOMA is a great way for both art enthusiasts and others to enjoy their time in New York City. 

Ryers Farm for Aged Equines

On Monday, March 10, I visited Ryers Farm for Aged Equines in Chester County, PA.  Since 1888, this farm has been a refuge for retired and disabled horses, donkeys, mules, and ponies.  The animals have stalls where they reside, and during the day, they are able to graze and relax in the scenic fields on the farm's property.

Visitors are able to come between 10-4 PM on a daily basis and can feed the animals treats as well as pat them if they animals permit it.  In addition, people are able to volunteer, and if they desire, they can sponsor one of the animals for $500 a year.  This gives a person access to the animal of their choice.  They can groom and get one-on-one time with them.

Walking throughout the farm, I find it enjoyable feeding and interacting with these amazing creatures and strongly recommend people come and visit and do the same.

A horse at Ryers' Farm

Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, MA

Kalmus Beach

On a trip to Cape Cod in Massachusetts last June, I spent a couple of days in the town of Hyannis.  In Hyannis, there is a place called Kalmus Beach, located on Nantucket Sound on the southern part of the Cape.  I went there several times during my stay, and I found the atmosphere relaxing and enjoyable.  It is not a particularly large beach, but people who go there will more than likely have a good time.

Riverfront Park in Harrisburg, PA

Riverfront Park in Harrisburg in the spring

At the beginning of spring in 2024, I visited Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, for an afternoon and took a walk in Riverfront Park, along the Susquehanna River.  The view was splendid, and it happened in the middle of March, so the spring flowers were blooming. 

Trees blooming at Riverfront Park

Here is a video that accompanies this story: 

Lehigh Valley Adventures: The Moravian Historical Society Arts & Crafts Festival

The Moravian Historical Society Arts & Crafts Festival

By Nate Feldman

For the past two years, I have been a vendor at the Moravian Historical Society Arts & Crafts Festival in Nazareth, PA.  This event is held every year at the beginning of June and gives artisans of all types a chance to promote their creative work.  The event, which has been around for 46 years, supports the work of the historical society, which tells the story of the Moravians, a group of Protestant Christians originating from Germany who settled the Lehigh Valley almost 300 years ago.  

This year, my daughter Sara and I teamed up to form a small business, Sara and Nate's Posters and Postcards.  Sara created a group of posters she designed on her tablet, and I sold post cards of various kinds.  Luckily, it was a warm, sunny June day, so it was pleasant to be outside and interact with local people.

Postcards at the Festival 

Using Public Transportation from Berwyn, PA to the King of Prussia Mall

 By Nate Feldman

The King of Prussia Mall, one of the largest shopping complexes in the U.S., is about a 10-minute drive from my house.  For that reason, I've driven there with a car all of my life.  However, yesterday, I wanted to experience what using public transportation to get there would be like.

A Bus Stop for the 106 bus in Berwyn

There is no direct form of public transportation between Berwyn and King of Prussia.  You need to go from Paoli for that.  There are two ways to get to Paoli from Berwyn via public transportation: either take a train from the Berwyn train station (Paoli is only two stops away heading west on the Paoli-Thorndale train line), or take the 106 bus from Lancaster Ave. and Bridge Ave.  I took the train, and from Paoli station, I walked about half-a-mile to the intersection of Lancaster Ave. and Plank Ave.  There is a Starbucks located there, so it's hard to miss.  

Lancaster and Plank Ave.

You cross the street and take the 92 bus, which connects the city of West Chester to the King of Prussia Mall.  From the Paoli stops, it's about a 20-minute ride to the mall.  The bus stops in front of an entrance area in the Plaza section of the mall (for those unfamiliar, the King of Prussia Mall is divided into two parts: The Plaza and The Court).  

To return to Berwyn, use bus 92, but head back the other way, and you can either get off at Paoli train station to take a train back, or get off at any stop that has a 106 bus heading towards Berwyn.  

Traveling this way is definitely more time-consuming than using a car, but it's good if you are in an adventurous mood and have time to spare.  

Inside the King of Prussia Mall