What is this?

That is what we have been wondering for about 2 months. These Purple panels have been hanging in some trees along side the roads here in Pennsylvania. I did some research on them and this is what I found out...

Purple Panel Traps - This trap is primarily used to attract and capture insects that respond to wave lengths of purple light. These traps are often supplemented with a pheromone or a chemical attractant designed to mimic a dying host tree. The three-sided panel trap is coated with adhesive, which traps insects that are attracted.

Who uses it? Purple panel traps are used by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, Penn State University, USDA-APHIS-PPQ, and USDA Forest Service.

Current Known Use: In 2008, purple panel traps baited with Manuka oil will be deployed in 1.5 X 1.5 mile grids in 35 counties to support the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Surveillance Program. More traps may be placed by cooperating agencies in additional counties but only at sites that are high-risk for attack by EAB.

Very interesting huh?

A Time for Everything

To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.
~Ecclesiastes 3:1~

This is something I have been pondering on this week, our message in church last week was on this topic/verse and I found that it was very inspiring for me. As we all go through struggling times in our life it is always good to remind ourselves that HIS mercies are new every morning.

If it seems you have been struggling with negative things in your life, don't despair. There is a time and season for everything, and bad things ultimately give way to better things.

Even the good things going on in our lives may not stay exactly the same, because things are always changing. Sometimes changes are exciting...and sometimes they are difficult. But Jesus never changes-and as long as we keep our eyes on Him, we will make it through the changes in our lives and continue growing.

One thing I have learned is to be careful not to get too attached to people, places, positions, or things, but always be free to move with the spirit. Let go of what lies behind and press on to what lies ahead. Reach toward the new horizon God has. I'm always glad i did.

Thinking of you today Jacob

We do not need a special day to bring you to our minds.
The days we do not think of you are very hard to find.
Each morning when we awake we know that you are gone.
And no one knows the heartache as we try to carry on.
Our hearts still ache with sadness and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to lose you no one will ever know.
Our thoughts are always with you, your place no one can fill.
In life we loved you dearly; in death we love you still.
There will always be a heartache, and often a silent tear.
But always a precious memory of the days when you were here.
If tears would make a staircase, and heartaches make a lane,
We'd walk the path to heaven and bring you home again.
We hold you close within our hearts; and there you will remain,
To walk with us throughout our lives until we meet again.
Our family chain is broken now, and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.

Fallingwaters

Anyone that comes to Pennsylvania must see Fallingwaters

This is my second time to take a visitor and if anyone else want to come visit you will

get a trip as well. Fallingwaters really is one of the neatest things around here and I love to go myself and to take others for the first time. I find myself noticing new things each trip I take, there's just so much to take in and it is a great experience.

Here are some pretty flowers we saw along the path to the house

They have a few short nature trails around the house.

This one is hard to tell by the pictures, but the way the trees covered the trail and the way

the sun light was coming it made the whole trail have a beautiful light green glow!

The Youghiogheny River

Mom and I went on a 3 mile hike on the Meadow Run Trail in Ohiopyle.

Ohiopyle is my new favorite place around here. It is a little river town about 30 minutes from our house. They have white water rafting, rock climbing, hiking and biking among many other things. We decided we would try one of the trails. The Meadow Run was perfect. It was challenging at some parts, but really beautiful and relaxing too.

It runs along side the river for the most part, but it also gets you deep in the woods where you are surrounded by nature and all it's glory. The sounds of the rushing water and the birds was Beautiful! We had a great time .

There were huge rocks and boulders that were amazing

Mom thought she would see what rock climbing is all about!

Destination!

Mother Nature in her own Element

Graffiti Tree

Mushrooms

This bridge also serves as part of the bike trail. They took the old

Railroad that ran along the river and paved where the tracks were and made it into a bike trail

Makes for a nice smooth pretty ride!

Scenic overlook of the valley

We finished our morning with a Beautiful lunch at the River's Edge Cafe

it is also a Bed & Breakfast, they turned an old Victorian house into the cafe and they have cottage's right behind the cafe. The food was great!

It sits right by the river and it was so peaceful and quiet.
The cafe had a big wrap around porch with seating all around. We sat over looking the garden and the river. It was a perfect ending to a very fun day.

Grandma, Grandpa and Vicki would LOVE it here!

A Day At The Market

Every Saturday Pittsburgh has the market on the strip in the warehouse district.

This past Saturday I took Mom down to the market and to the Pittsburgh Zoo.

You can find almost anything at the Market, from Steelers and Penguin stuff to all kinds of food and people.

Here at the Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. they have the widest variety of

Nuts, Spices, Oils, Cheese, and Meats

Here is the Cheese Menu, they had things we have never even heard of
This was the outdoor courtyard, you could pick your cheese and olives along with a glass of wine and go sit and enjoy.

Mom was trying to see if she could be a Penguin's fan

Street folk music...and they were good too!

We had lunch at Roland's Seafood Grill & Iron

They had every kind of nuts you could think of in big barrels, you just scoop up as much as you want and purchase them by the pound.

The Honey Roasted Almonds were our favorite!

OLIVES, OLIVES, and MORE OLIVES

The Sunrise Bakery had awesome breads

They smelled Wonderful!

We also had some Greek food, we had to be a little adventurous at first, but this ended up being our favorite place. They had some of the best food. We got some to go as well!

Pastries Galore!

The Fudge Shop....Fudgy Wudgies

Hot Old Fashion Roasted Peanuts