1509 Egypt Road Demolished in Oaks, PA

Demolition continues for the widening of Egypt Road.

1509 Egypt Road, 21 August 2013

The building at 1509 Egypt Road in Oaks is gone. There are no buildings left standing on the south side of Egypt Road between Mill Road and Station Avenue. On 22 August the trees were removed.

Take notice of the building in the distance under the arm of the excavator. That building is on the southwest corner of Egypt Rd and Station Ave. If you look closely you will notice the cupola is not there. That marks the beginning of its demolition.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Chicago Grill Outside and In, Oaks PA

Work began at the Chicago Grill site in late 2012. This is the status as of 20 August 2013.

View of Chicago Grill from Oaks Shopping Center building site

Chicago Grill is far ahead of any building construction at the Oaks Shopping Center site. 

Chicago Grill from Black Rock Road

The walls are up and the roof is on. 

Stone veneer applied to cement block

Some exterior detail work is complete

                           Front   

                

      Interior     

The floor is poured but not much else is complete inside.

Chicago Grill 20 August 2013

The exterior should certainly look impressive when complete.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

1507 Egypt Road Demolition

What a difference a day makes.

1507 Egypt Road, Oaks, PA, 19 August 2013 

1507 Egypt Road, Oaks, PA, 20 August 2013 

At noon on 20 August 2013, the house that stood at 1507 Egypt Road was a pile of sticks.

1507 Egypt Road is the house on the right in this photograph from Google maps. Captured sometime before the beginning of 2013. It is no more. It has ceased to be. It is history.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Oaks Construction - Beginning of August 2013

Chicago Grill as viewed from Bob Evans parking lot

The construction is moving alone. All the walls are up at Chicago Grill-Pizzeria Uno. Fake stone work is being done on the lower part of the exterior walls. From Egypt Road I can see plastic pipes growing out of the floor inside the walls.

The bank site is on the right of this photograph with Wawa site to the left.

Originally the opening for the Oaks Shopping Center was Fall of 2013. 

Wawa site on the right side of this photograph with Buffalo Wild Wings site on the far left. A tall retaining wall was built between the shopping center and the houses on Gumbes Rd. A white fence was recently installed atop that retaining wall. Both the wall and the fence can be seen behind the Buffalo Wild Wings site.

The roads near the intersection of Black Rock and Egypt Roads are being enlarged, as seen in the photograph above and those below.

A lane has been added to the westbound exit of US 422.

Two lanes have been added to the eastbound exit/entrance of US 422.

Fall is not quite two months away and lasts another 90 some days. 
It is possible completion of this project will happen before Christmas.

We shall see.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Ripening Continues

Only a few days remain in August and only one month remains 'til the first day of Autumn. As the evening temperatures dip below 70ºF/21º the tomatoes will struggle to ripen. It won't be long before I will be looking forward to next summer's garden tomatoes.

I harvested the lot above on 29August. In the bowl are Black Krim,  Husky Cherry, Super Sweet, Early Girl and a mystery yellow tomatoes, along with a cucumber, green bush beans and one cayenne pepper.

The total weight of all the produce was 6.5lbs/2957g. The largest total was in Early Girl tomatoes weighing in at 2.4lbs/1101g.

A few cucumbers remain to ripen as well as many Husky Cherry and Super Sweet tomatoes.




The potato towers need to open, as well. A Super Sweet tomato was planted atop one of the towers and a Husky Cherry tomato atop the other tower. I don't think I will do that again. Because of the tomatoes planted atop the towers, I must either wait until the tomatoes are finished producing with the potatoes possibly being ruined or open the towers now and the tomatoes will be ruined. I will decide soon which I will do with only the hope that the potatoes will be in eating condition when I do open the towers. With Autumn approaching and cool evening temperatures, the decision will soon be made.

I never did get my third planting into the ground. I will blame that on the hot weather. No broccoli, cabbage, radishes, carrots or lettuce to harvest. Laziness had something to do with it, too.

Of course, planning of next season's garden will begin soon enough. Enlarging and raising the bed is a main consideration, at the moment.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Growing Happens

I've been busy indoors tiling my shower. At the same time the garden continues to grow. It just happens.

Early Girl Tomato

Super Sweet Tomato

The fruit are ripening at an increasing rate. 

Black Krim, Husky Cherry, Chocolate Cherry, Super Sweet and Early Girl Tomaotes, Bush Green Bean and a Cucumber

This was the harvest on 22 August 2012

Black Krim, Super Sweet, Husky Cherry, orange tomato and cucumber for the fruit. 'Alabama Scarlet' Honeysuckle, New England Aster, hibiscus and Thai Basil for the blooms.

I thought you should see the fruit cut into cross sections. Plus I added some garden blooms of the 22nd. The orange tomato was harvested the day before and is a mystery. I purchased started plants and in one pot were two started plants. I expected Mr. Stripey. I am not sure what I have.

German Johnson

There are still more to harvest. If the weather stays warm at night.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Early August Harvest

Graphic:Weather Underground

Early August and the square foot garden has survived a hot July. There were 21 days with temperatures 90ºF/32ºC and above, with very little rainfall, 1.48"/3.75cm of actual month total precipitation compared to 4.35"/11cm normal month total, as reported by Weather Underground. With the help of irrigation and nighttime temperatures over 70ºF/21ºC the tomatoes and peppers are ripening. I am picking grape/cherry tomatoes daily.

From top center, Orange Bell Pepper, Chocolate Cherry Tomato, Green Bush Bean, Cayenne Pepper and Husky Cherry Tomato

This is a sample of the harvest on 2 August. Not much, I will admit, but great in a salad.

From top right clockwise, Red Bell Pepper, Super Sweet Tomato, Early Girl Tomato, Green Bush Bean, Husky Cherry Tomato and German Johnson Tomato

This sample was picked on 5 August. We have been waiting for a large tomato that will cover a sandwich with one slice, one is finally here.


©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Chestnut Hill Best of Philadelphia Magazine

Philadelphia Magazine

Chestnut Hill, the location of the next dativer photo safari, was just named as having the best Main Street Shopping for 2012.  Come join the photo safari on August 11 starting at 9am and experience Chestnut Hill close-up and personally. For more information about the photo safari write dativersafari@gmail.com

Or stop by Chestnut Hill's FB page to check out what Chestnut Hill has to offer.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

New Moon - Meteor Showers

As much as the full moon has power over me, shooting stars also draw me out to observe the night sky.  As a matter of fact a full moon is not your friend when watching for meteors.  The light of the moon can be as detrimental as lights from a large urban area.   A new moon is best for meteor watching.  I am not saying you should not try to view a meteor shower if there is anything but a new moon but the lack of light from a new moon is optimum.  The other function in the light equation is distance from a large urban area.  Somewhere on the ocean or in Flagstaff, AZ, or Sark Island 80 miles off the coast of England are good places to view a meteor shower because of the lack of light pollution.  Below are links to other good spots around the world.

Why are there meteor showers in the first place?  I will try to explain.  Each year the Earth circles the sun in one full orbit.  Traveling through Earth's orbit path have been other celestial bodies, each depositing bits and pieces in their wake.  As the Earth enters these intersections in its orbit the bits and pieces left behind strike Earth's atmosphere and burn as they are pulled down on a collision course with the its surface.  Most of the bits are as small as or smaller than a grain of sand and burn up before nearing Earth's surface.  Larger pieces burn brighter and for a longer period of time and may make contact with Earth's surface.  However, two thirds of the Earth is covered with water, meteorites, as they are called when they reach Earth, are difficult to find.  There are meteorite hunters that try and try hard to find them.  I am not so interested in meteorites but the light show the meteors provide.

There are eleven annual meteor showers.  They are spread out over the entire year.  There are four major showers each with a higher frequency of meteors.  As it happens this year, 2011, there is only one that occurs during a new moon and that is the Geminids in mid-December.  The Geminids is the most reliable shower of the year.  The weather is cold here and winter attire and a thermos of hot drink are my recommendations.

Another reliable shower is the Perseids in August.  Unfortunately for me, the summer is hot and humid producing haze or clouds and possible thundershowers that time of year.  There is also the matter of mosquitos for which to prepare.

No matter when you decide to view a meteor shower, the best time of day is just before sunrise.  That is because of Earth's rotation and its orbital path approaching the debris left behind by the celestial bodies.

Digital cameras aren't the best choice for exposures over 3 minutes.  Either keep the exposure under that or use a film camera.

Links
2011 Meteor Shower Schedule
Guide to Viewing Meteor Showers
Photographing Meteor Showers
Popular Photography-How to Photograph the Perseids
Large Meteor Photographed in Pennsylvania 2009
Meteorite Hunters
Sark Island
International Dark-Sky Association Members' Favorite Spots