Of All Things: Watch out for those nasty ticks

Of All Things: Watch out for those nasty ticks

There's a really scary article about ticks in the current issue of the AARP Bulletin. (That's the American Association of Retired Persons, so I presume it isn't read by most folks born after the Eisenhower administration.)

Of All Things: What's on top of your fridge?

When I look at my sister's web site on the computer, I usually see typical family stuff. But the other day, I must have hit the wrong letter on the key board. What I got was a Facebook page which was blaring the question,"If I broke into your home, and stole what was on the top of your fridg…

Of All Things: The squirrels in the old oak tree

The current Readers Digest magazine has an article that mentions that about 1.12 billion squirrels live in the United States at any given time. I’m not surprised. I think that most of them used to live in the huge oak tree in front of our house.

Of All Things: Getting vaccinated for a pox

When I first read about the current vaccine for protection against COVID-19, I twisted my neck to look in the mirror at my right shoulder. That’s where, when I was 6 years old, I was vaccinated to prevent smallpox.

Fourth of July parade set in Manyunk

It is tradition that if July 4 is a Sunday, the Fourth of July parade will be held on Monday, July 5, the legal holiday. On Monday, July 5, at 8 a.m., St. John the Baptist, Manayunk, will celebrate Mass in church. Come dressed in your service uniform or your red, white, and blue, carry your …

Of All Things: An 1863 guide to Philadelphia

A little book on my shelf is “The Stranger’s Guide in Philadelphia,” 4 by 6 inches and 272 pages. It was published in 1863, the year Lincoln proclaimed the end of slavery, the battle of Gettysburg was fought, Henry Ford was born and Grimm the fairy tale writer died.

Of All Things: The birth of the flying saucer

By now, you may have read something about the report to Congress about unidentified flying objects. Editors like to get things a little ahead of time, and I’m writing this a bit before the Department of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence were scheduled to deliver an unclassifi…