Pocono Mountain Air is like Drinking Fresh Cold Lemonade!

Several summers, I spent teaching arts and crafts at a children's camp in the Pocono Mountains.  At the time, I had a motorcycle and I loved driving all the back roads; especially at sundown.  I never forgot the fresh smell of the wooded air and the sounds of the birds and other animals rambling through the woods. While in the Poconos, I discovered I loved kayaking; and had great fun floating down the Delaware River in the summer sun.  Last week I spent a few days there reconnecting with nature, it was great!  http://www.800poconos.com

If you ever complained about how hard your job is you really need to take the coal mining tour in Scranton PA.  It was the most humbling experience of my life. I wish every school age child could understand how difficult it was to be a coal miner. http://www.lackawannacounty.org/index.php/attractions/coal-mine

An Act Of Kindness is Priceless!

Everyone in life faces hardships. At one of these times in my life when I felt like I was alone in the middle of a ocean storm being pulled down under the waves and about to drown; someone tossed me a lifesaver in the form of a Philly pretzel. I'm sure this man didn't think twice about his act of kindness but I've thought about him over the years and he's been in my prayers ever since.

Pretzel Man

by Joan Reese

"Fresh Pretzel, Get Your Fresh Pretzel!

Punchclock people

Rush across cobblestone streets

Lined with trolley tracks.

William Penn perches atop City Hall.

Reading want ads on a damp wooden bench.

Stuffed belongings

In mother's "telling" birthday gift

Two blue suitcases.

Left home, never going back!

Felt like just another plate

At the kitchen table.

Sofasurfing at seventeen.

"Fresh Pretzel, Get Your Fresh Pretzel!"

A voice in my ear,

The Pretzel Man smiling,

"Young Lady you look like you need

A fresh pretzel today."

He gave me one,

Smeared with yellow mustard

Just the way I like it.

"Have a good day," he says.

Punchclock people

Rush across cobblestone streets

Lined with trolley tracks.

Pretzel Man hawking,

"Fresh Pretzel, Get Your Fresh Pretzel!"

Bagpipes@ McSorley's Bar

While watching TV in my 7th Street apartment in the East Village, I heard the sound of bagpipes.  It was a familiar sound coming from the oldest Irish Ale House in New York City, "McSorley's."

I grabbed my camera and shot this video to give you an idea why people from all over this world visit McSorley's when they are in NYC.

http://www.mcsorleysnewyork.comf

Took this photo on Veterans Day 2013.
McSorley's Old Ale House has been a gathering place, a watering hole, the subject of art and literature and even a supreme court controversy. Established in 1854 - McSorley's can boast of being New York City's oldest continuously operated saloon. Everyone from Abe Lincoln to John Lennon have passed thru Mcsorley's swinging doors. Woody Guthrie inspired the union movement from a table in the front - guitar in hand, while civil rights attorney's Faith Seidenberg and Karen DeCrow had to take their case to the Supreme Court to gain access. Women were finally allowed access to McSorley�s in 1970! Enter the sawdust strewn floors and history patched walls for a trip back through time. Share the McSorley's experience with the spirits of 150 years!

http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/mcsorleys-old-ale-house-joan-reese.html

Time Mends a Broken Heart

This is a photograph of the heart sculpture that is on the Atlantic City boardwalk. I finally came across words that I felt added my feelings about the photograph.

Heartwalk is made up of wooden planks salvaged from four boardwalks in New Jersey and New York after they were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 - one of them being Atlantic City's own Boardwalk. The other wood is from Sea Girt, in Monmouth County, and Long Beach and the Rockaways, in New York.
Heartwalk was originally designed for an annual Valentine's Day heart competition in New York's Times Square - and the piece, by Brooklyn's SITU Studio, won the 2013 contest over designs from about 10 other finalists.

Heartwalk, which has an internal-lighting system to light it up red at night, went from Times Square to public displays in Brooklyn and Queens before it found its permanent home in Atlantic City late last year.
http://joan-reese.artistwebsites.com/featured/2-inspirational-saying-joan-reese.html