Here in south central PA we have tons of yellow finches. However, I didn`t know that we had any until my father gave me a finch feeder for Christmas one year. Even the woodpeckers eat the finch food !!! I love to see the yellow finches sitting in the pine trees. What a sight!!! ~~~Linda~~~

Speaking of Johnstown, again_they seem to like TV shows :o) I just saw a couple on the show America's Funniest Home Videos!!! It was a wife, with the video camera aimed at her husband. She was singing what I assumed to be "THEIR" song, and she wanted him to sing it on camera. She kept egging him on, and he finally, very shyly, started singing it with her. It was so cute!!!! I wished that they had won the money, but it was the guy who flipped over the fence, after catching the fly during the baseball game he was playing. The fence caught his uniform pants and held on tightly while he went over, and hung there. Anyone remember that one? It was an old one, and Bob Saget (sp?) had longer hair and was much younger than these days :o) Lynn PS No Biggest Loser last night :o( And, Are You Smarter Than wasn't on either_basically nothing to watch on a Thursday night now, until the new seasons start up again :o(

Good one, Richard. I will have to remember that the bat got board. Thank you all for the warm welcome to the list. It is refreshing to see a list that is designed for sharing experiences. As for my ties to PD, I have not been able to confirm that yet, but I have been told there are ties. I have not been able to do much research the last couple years because of some things we have had going on here, but hope to be able to get more done in the near future. Sometime this weekend I will send the names I am researching. I will also share some of the funny experiences we had growing up in western PA. Don in AZ

I can see the headlines: Ninety-one Year Old Man Saves Cat From Alligator. Richard Emlin Reed Wesley Chapel, FL ---------------- That would be an amazing feat/feet/fete! Frontyards count, too. :-) Rick B

Hi Don!!!! If you like our stories, you will DEFINITELY like it here in "Uncle" Rick's virtual kitchen, were we talk about, well, hey cuz or rather "Uncle" Rick! Tell everyone new the rules of this list :o) Thanks! PLEASE share your stories!!!!! And, welcome to all the newcomers, or those who just came out of lurking :o) It's good to be a lurker at first, for those of you who were. Then you get to know the personality of the list, and can join in the fun, and we have FUN, FUN, FUN! :o) Lynn PS And, Richard Emlin Reed_I was picturing you jumping up, getting the cat, and hightailing it into the house :o) Don wrote: I just joined this list this evening, and so far I find it quite interesting. The stories of bats bring back memories. When we lived in Taiwan (I was military) I opened the back door one night and a bat flew in. He kept flying from back to front, and would not land anywhere. I asked the maid (no, we were not rich, a full-time maid cost $30.00 a month) to get a broom and I grabbed a mop. We tried to swat the bat, but it would fly around the mop and broom. Finally I went outside and got a board. I stood under where the bat was flying, and, after a few passes over my head, I waited until it got almost to me and quickly shoved the board up in front of the bat. It hit the board and then hit the floor. I was able then to pick it up in a towel and get it outside. I grew up in Castlewood (between New Castle and Ellwood City) in western PA. We now live in Arizona, just about a half mile from the edge of the desert, and we have lots of wild animal tales to share later.

If you want a bat to go outside, you have to make it dark inside (why, I don't know, because I heard bats are blind), and turn on an outside light, then they most likely will fly out, at least they do here, IF they EVER get in. We've only had one once, and that time I thought our house was haunted, because my fan chain, in the kitchen ceiling fan, kept going round and round and round, faster and faster and the fan wasn't on, so I knew it wasn't that making it go round. It was a bat making a "Wirbelwind" out there. Of course, I told Mike to handle it, there was no way I was going out there to take care of getting it out of the house. We had one where I worked one time. Someone had trapped it in an upside down trash can. Everytime someone walked passed, they would go to upright the trash can and one of us would yell at them. I'm not sure if us yelling at them scared them, or the fact that there was a bat under it, that scared them_but wish video cameras were poplular back then. It wa a riot until maintenance came and took care of it. Of course, non of us wanted it killed :o) They are so ugly they are cute :o) Lynn Debra wrote: Ick.? I mean, I appreciate them going around doing useful stuff like eating up all the bugs and pollinating the plants and everything, but I will never forget how creeped out I was by that thing flying past my head.? And they are really NOT cute AT ALL.

Ditto, Rick.? It took a bit of time to get back up to speed.? I'm sure many of us were in mourning for a while.? Vee was a great heart and sorely missed.? Connie -----Original Message----- From: Lynn Vondran <lynnvondran@att.net> To: Richard Berkheiser <reberkheiser@earthlink.net>; padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 7:46 pm Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] The Stories of Our Lives Thanks, Rick!!!! That's a special message :o) from our GREAT list administrator :o) Lynn Rick wrote: Hi again everyone! I just wanted to let all of you know how much I appreciate the stories all of you have been posting to the list lately. I'm happy to see our group tearing a page from Vee's "play book" and sharing those interesting tidbits from our everyday lives much like Vee did when she was still with us. I've seen and been on a lot of lists over the past several years and I've come to the conclusion that our group is truly very special one. Thanks and please keep up the great work! :-) Rick B ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Hmmmmmm, then I guess we should have them, huh? We have a LOT of finches, but the yellow finches? I know I see them every now and then. Maybe they are a stray cat delicacy? :o( We have lots of those around here, though not near as many as a few years ago. :o) Lynn Lynn wrote: I'll bet that WAS a sight!!! We only see them once in a while around these parts. I imagine they like the warmer, more consistant weather? Anyone know? Rick B wrote: Geographically, I'm further north than you are. You're about even with Indianapolis and you get about the same type of weather. The Finches are thick in our part of the Midwest.

Another Western Pennsylvanian--welcome!? (I'm in Johnstown) --Debra -----Original Message----- From: Don Churchfield <dctrk@c2i2.com> To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 2:39 am Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Animals in our homes! Yikes it was a bat!! I grew up in Castlewood (between New Castle and Ellwood City) in western PA. We now live in Arizona, just about a half mile from the edge of the desert, and we have lots of wild animal tales to share later. God bless, Don in AZ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Would have loved that.? Connie -----Original Message----- From: thos@comcast.net To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 7:46 pm Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Message from the Keipers Connie, I gather you live near Lynn? My PopPop taught me about the "sauerkraut juice blood".If you think I am a hoot ,you should have known Nelson Jay Beehler! Jerilyn ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Ugh.? A bat got into my garage (which is also my basement) once. I was coming down the steps to go out for the night and something very dark and very silent flew past my head.? More than once.? After I got over almost having a?heart attack I?realized it had to be a bat and, for lack of being able to think of anything better to do, I ran back upstairs and called my mother! The response I was looking for (fathers,?pay attention here) was that my dad would be right up to take care of this unwanted guest.? But mothers being the practical sort, mine in particular, suggested that I merely use my extra garage door?remote to open the door and let the poor creature escape, because, as she insisted, it was "more afraid of you than you are of it."? (THAT was strictly a matter of her opinion, I promise you.? No bat was presently flying past HER head.) So, I opened the door hoping it would leave, but in my panicked state was sure that all this would do would be to invite MORE bats in.?I waited for at least?five minutes (making my mother stay on the phone with me the whole time).? This was in December.??Yes, I was heating the outdoors.?? When I thought enough time had passed for the bat to figure out what actions were in his best interests, I very cautiously crept back downstairs.?Seeing no further sign of the bat,?I was convinced it had taken the avenue of escape I had frantically provided. About six months later I was cleaning out my basement and saw what appeared to be a pile of dirt in an otherwise empty flower pot.? Knowing I would never store a pot without first cleaning it out, I?picked it up to look at it more closely, and the?"pile of dirt" turned out to be a dead bat!!!? I have no idea if this was the bat I thought had escaped or one of its compadres.?I've never had?another one in the house, though, and that's what counts! Ick.? I mean, I appreciate them going around doing useful stuff like eating up all the bugs and pollinating the plants and everything, but I will never forget how creeped out I was by that thing flying past my head.? And they are really NOT cute AT ALL. --Debra?? -----Original Message----- From: Cathy Raber <pigeonrock@earthlink.net> To: padutch-life@rootsweb.com Sent: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:08 am Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Animals in our homes! Yikes it was a bat!! Well, talking of unexpected things. I had to put a bat outside while I was at my sisters in OH! Scary! At first I didn't know how to pick it up, then decided to just use a couple washcloths. I saw it go across the floor, & I'm staring at it & saying, "No, that's not a bat", & it went into her bathroom, in front of my eyes, but still followed it, & so sure enough that's what it was! Then I was thinking about the fact I could get bit, & have to go through the rabies shots, plus my three kids were in the house!! I ended up grabbing it with a washcloth, & getting it outside, & watched it fly away. My kids wanted to see it, but I only let them see the foot, which was so tiny, with it's nails! My sister, when I told her about it, she said, did you kill it, I said of course, I didn't! Then thought well how do you do it? I didn't even entertain the idea! But she said that you kill them, because they're sick, because of being in the house!? I guess they aren't supposed to be moving around in the daylight, & do understand that, but still! Cute little thing though! Ugly little thing in the same breath though too! Foot is like the size of the nail on one of your fingers, which is small! So different animals I encountered in OH/PA area! Oh yes, and if you ever get to Pgh. Zoo or haven't been there in years, they have a great Aquarium now! And otters tank, & Polar bears swimming in huge tanks! SO AWESOME seeing everything! My favs had to been the elephant house though! And seems to be going to build another perhaps?! Something at least?! The bull elephant was so great! Wow, & so BIG! Amazing! Animals certainly add to our lives, no question! My little one certainly loved all the big dogs they all had! Boxers were at my sisters, & became attached to both but the male dog especially!! Cathy ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Oh, it's not me (after a verb or preposition, use the objective case) that wants the cat outside; it's the cat that wants the cat outside. You should see her come to the door when I open the drapes. No, I'm not scared; I'm relying on the law of averages. There are several dozen people who live near the pond and only one alligator. Besides, he hasn't shown an inclination for having me for dinner. He can't get in the house; he doesn't know how to open the door. I don't know if alligators eat dogs. Get used to what; watching alligators eat dogs? I don't know; I've never seen one eat one. }:-) Richard Emlin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynn Vondran" <lynnvondran@att.net> To: <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 6:32 PM Subject: [PD-LIFE] Alligators and jokes :o) > Oh Richard!!!!! I was laughing :o) > Oh, and the part about your backyard and the alligator, I'm with your wife > on that one!!!! I wouldn't want the cat out at ALL. Having them that > close, doesn't that kinda scare you? Aren't you afraid you'll be visited > INSIDE the house someday. > Is it true about what they say about alligators eating dogs? and you have > to always watch out for that? I guess you get use to it, huh? > Lynn

Well, talking of unexpected things. I had to put a bat outside while I was at my sisters in OH! Scary! At first I didn't know how to pick it up, then decided to just use a couple washcloths. I saw it go across the floor, & I'm staring at it & saying, "No, that's not a bat", & it went into her bathroom, in front of my eyes, but still followed it, & so sure enough that's what it was! Then I was thinking about the fact I could get bit, & have to go through the rabies shots, plus my three kids were in the house!! I ended up grabbing it with a washcloth, & getting it outside, & watched it fly away. My kids wanted to see it, but I only let them see the foot, which was so tiny, with it's nails! My sister, when I told her about it, she said, did you kill it, I said of course, I didn't! Then thought well how do you do it? I didn't even entertain the idea! But she said that you kill them, because they're sick, because of being in the house!? I guess they aren't supposed to be moving around in the daylight, & do understand that, but still! Cute little thing though! Ugly little thing in the same breath though too! Foot is like the size of the nail on one of your fingers, which is small! So different animals I encountered in OH/PA area! Oh yes, and if you ever get to Pgh. Zoo or haven't been there in years, they have a great Aquarium now! And otters tank, & Polar bears swimming in huge tanks! SO AWESOME seeing everything! My favs had to been the elephant house though! And seems to be going to build another perhaps?! Something at least?! The bull elephant was so great! Wow, & so BIG! Amazing! Animals certainly add to our lives, no question! My little one certainly loved all the big dogs they all had! Boxers were at my sisters, & became attached to both but the male dog especially!! Cathy > [Original Message] > From: Lynn Vondran <lynnvondran@att.net> > To: <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> > Date: 8/8/2007 11:54:23 AM > Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Animals in our backyards > > Oh my!!!!! What a funny video that would have been!!!! America's funniest :o) > :o) > Lynn > > Jerilyn wrote: > Several years ago we recieved a frantic call from a young friend who was house-sitting for his stepfather. > He noticed the cat was eating an unusual amount of food everyday.One evening while in the kitchen he heard a noise and turned to see a raccoon devouring the kitty chow. > Seems the little bugger was coming in the pet door and wolfing down the cat's vittles and leaving the way he came. > Ah the beauty of the Wild! > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.8/940 - Release Date: 8/6/2007 4:53 PM

Well, i certainly hope not, I see one often, but have in the afternoons, along our back fence. If so, I guess I should go inside if I do! Cathy > [Original Message] > From: Richard Berkheiser <reberkheiser@earthlink.net> > To: <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> > Date: 8/8/2007 10:41:51 AM > Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Animals in our backyards > > The conventional wisdom around here says that if you see a raccoon out during the day, it's probably sick.? Not true? > --Debra > > -------------------- > > True. If you see one roaming around in the daytime they're probably rabid. > > Rick B > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.8/940 - Release Date: 8/6/2007 4:53 PM

Connie, I gather you live near Lynn? My PopPop taught me about the "sauerkraut juice blood".If you think I am a hoot ,you should have known Nelson Jay Beehler! Jerilyn

HI List: I have a story I would like to share. Last January while searching for my fathers ancestors in Bavaria on line, I e mailed a man from the town where my fathers ancestors lived. We have corresponded everyday since, sharing pictures of our daily lives and chatting with him and some of his friends. He has sent me so many pictures of that special picturesque town that goes back centuries. He has helped me go back at least 20 generation, and pictures of the church where most were married, baptized, and worshiped. I must say it brings tears to my eyes when I see the home where my ancestors lived beside the Mein River, and the video of the town and streets where they must have walked. Last week one of the teenagers from the town and a friend of this man's came from Bavaria to Conn. to visit with her last year exchange student family drove 3 1/2 hours to come and visit our family. It was a wonderful visit. I felt like my life came full circle. I only wish my father could have seen these pictures or could have know all about his family. My dad was orphaned by the time he was 7 and grew up in an orphanage. So for me to have found this man, my heritage, and all this information I feel truly blessed. Genealogy is wonderful. So to this wonderful list, I once again say thank you for all you do, it is so appreciated by so many. Especially Me. ----- Original Message ----- From: "ELEANOR WILLIAMS" <gtrjj5@msn.com> To: "Richard Berkheiser" <reberkheiser@earthlink.net>; <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 10:41 PM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] The Stories of Our Lives > Yes, Rick - I agree. Altho I do not write in often...I sure do enjoy the > postings etc. > > How did you make out with Vee's Memorial? Any new info. > > Eleanor Niagara Falls, NY > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Richard Berkheiser<mailto:reberkheiser@earthlink.net> > To: PADUTCH-LIFE@rootsweb.com<mailto:PADUTCH-LIFE@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 7:28 PM > Subject: [PD-LIFE] The Stories of Our Lives > > > Hi again everyone! > > I just wanted to let all of you know how much I appreciate the stories > all of you have been posting to the list lately. I'm happy to see our > group tearing a page from Vee's "play book" and sharing those interesting > tidbits from our everyday lives much like Vee did when she was still with > us. > > I've seen and been on a lot of lists over the past several years and I've > come to the conclusion that our group is truly very special one. > > Thanks and please keep up the great work! :-) > > Rick B > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com> > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body > of the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

I just joined this list this evening, and so far I find it quite interesting. The stories of bats bring back memories. When we lived in Taiwan (I was military) I opened the back door one night and a bat flew in. He kept flying from back to front, and would not land anywhere. I asked the maid (no, we were not rich, a full-time maid cost $30.00 a month) to get a broom and I grabbed a mop. We tried to swat the bat, but it would fly around the mop and broom. Finally I went outside and got a board. I stood under where the bat was flying, and, after a few passes over my head, I waited until it got almost to me and quickly shoved the board up in front of the bat. It hit the board and then hit the floor. I was able then to pick it up in a towel and get it outside. I grew up in Castlewood (between New Castle and Ellwood City) in western PA. We now live in Arizona, just about a half mile from the edge of the desert, and we have lots of wild animal tales to share later. God bless, Don in AZ

Here's a thought--it might have been eating bugs off the windows.? I've seen birds do this.? In our old office my desk was directly beneath the window and I used to see birds do this all the time--they would fly right up to the window, hover, and pick bugs right off the glass. --Debra -------------------- Debra; Didn't think of that. Interesting! Rick B

I'll bet that WAS a sight!!! We only see them once in a while around these parts. I imagine they like the warmer, more consistant weather? Anyone know? Lynn -------------------- Geographically, I'm further north than you are. You're about even with Indianapolis and you get about the same type of weather. The Finches are thick in our part of the Midwest. Rick B

Never mind. I just answered my own question on Google. http://www.sunshinerecipes.com/Cevapcici.shtml Thanks anyways! Rick B ----- Original Message ----- From: Richard Berkheiser To: PADUTCH-LIFE@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 10:55 PM Subject: [PD-LIFE] Cevapcici Hey everyone! Does anyone here have a recipe for Cevapcici? Someone on another list is asking about it. :-) Thanks! Rick B