Family Living
Focus
by
Sue Giachero
Berks County
Extension Agent
Communicating Priorities
For The New School Year
Back into school clothes and
school routines bring mixed emo
tions for most children and par
ents alike.
Saying goodbye to what may
have been more relaxed summer
days can be difficult, but there is
something to be said about hav
ing a routine in life. Routines
offer stability and consistency
that are so important, especially
for young children.
Being able to stick with and
develop positive habits can give
us a sense of order and benefit us
in all areas of our lives for the
rest of our lives. However, allow
ing routines to take over, causing
us to miss those unexpected mo
ments of joy in life is something
that we should be mindful of.
For our family, taking the
“first day of school picture”
under the pear tree by our mail
box signaled the start of a new
school year. As I reflect on that
stack of pictures, I remember the
morning rush and homework
battles. More importantly, those
snapshots cause me to pause and
reflect on how quickly time goes
by.
Time not only passes quickly,
but it is also very precious.
Learning to make the most of
each day is something many of us
say we strive for. Often some
where between what we say we
want and what actually happens,
we get caught up in the pace of
life that keeps us from making
the most of our days.
Teachers have been busy set
ting their goals for the school
year. They have spent time plan
ning the path they need to take to
reach these goals.
How often do we spend the
same time setting goals for what
we want to happen in our fami
lies? Isn’t the time at home as im
portant as time in school?
I encourage you, as your fami
ly enters a new school year; to re
flect on what it is you want to do
as a family. Spend some time to
gether, setting goals and review
ing schedules. As you meet, keep
in mind these three “D’s.” First,
decide what is important to your
family. Next, what things can
you delete from your routine and
schedule in order to have more
time for what is really important?
Finally, remind yourselves that
you are a team.
As a team, decide how you can
delegate work. Remember more
hands will get jobs done quicker,
leaving more time for making the
most of each day.
As you set the course for your
family, remember to take some
time to talk with your child’s
teachers and learn what their
goals are for your child this
school year. Continue this com
munication throughout the
school year. Share your family’s
goals as well. A team approach
communicates the value you
place on school to your child and
their teachers.
My boys no longer pose for
those “first day of school” pic
tures and our pear tree is no
longer standing. But the memo
ries of those school years remain
a part of each of us. Many of the
things that I allowed to take up
my time during those precious
years really were not important.
Early American Salesman’s Samples
Are ‘Heritage In Miniature ’
GEIGERTOWN (Berks Co.)
During the early 1800 s settler
headed west crossing the Smokey
and Appalachian Mountains to
reach American’s western fron
tier, making their own practical
items and household needs.
These artisans or skilled crafts
men became our first real busi
nesses and industry. Some of
these colonial craftsmen were
furniture-makers.
Based on the early furniture
maker’s practice of salesman’s
samples, “Heritage in Miniature”
is a concept developed by crafts
man, Don Levengood. The quar
ter-scale antiques and salesman’s
samples can be found at the 27th
Hay Creek Festival to be con
ducted at the historical Joanna
Furnace Iron Plantation on Sept.
5 to Sept. 7.
Levengood began this tradition
of miniatures by following the
models of the early settlers. With
so many small, isolated farms,
the traveling salesman was wel
comed wherever he went, not
only for his product or service but
also as a source of news. Rather
What was important were the
friendships that my children es
tablished, relationships with
teachers and club leaders, new
experiences, their excitement in
learning, their growing indepen
dence in all areas of life and the
times we spent together as a fam
ily.
What is important for you and
your children? I urge you to use
the hours so many others and I
wish we had back; to spend time
doing what your family finds val
uable this school year.
Enjoy those moments of joy
when they occur and allow time
in your days so you can.
Looking for quality gifts, toys, eagles, porcelain
dolls, jewelry, candles, lamps, dragons,
swords, knives, household, inspirational,
Americana or other great items?
We have over 3000 items available, and a
great selection!
Order Online or via our catalogs. See our display
at COUNTRYSIDE GALLERY Antique/Gift Shop
in Bloomery, WV Or call 304/856-2300 for directions
Visit our online store at:
www.wenzelenterprises.com
Wenzel Enterprises: 304/492-4207
We can even help with fund raisers
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 30, 2003-B7
Miniature flax spinning
wheel (replica 1864) pres
ented to the White House
for 1999 Christmas tree
display. Photo supplied by
Don Levengood.
than carrying heavy furniture
from place to place, the early fur
niture-makers used small exam
ples of their full-sized pieces to
show to their customers. Using
miniatures allowed the salesman
to display with greater ease a
larger variety of his items to po
tential customers. These models
later became known as sales
man’s samples.
Replicating the salesman’s
samples, “Heritage in Miniature”
are quarter-scale antiques that
Levengood creates by using
sketches, drawings, molding pro
files, and other dimensional in
formation to reduce each piece to
exact quarter size. From there the
actual crafting begins, using only
old pine for stability and appear
ance. All joinery, tunings, feet,
moldings, and finishes are faith
fully reproduced to create an au
thentic quarter-scale antique.
Each piece is individually doc
umented, numbered, photo
graphed, and the information is
kept on file for future reference.
Levengood also reproduces any
primitive of customer’s choice,
and each piece will receive the
same numbering and documenta
tion process.
More than 75 authentic Early
American Craftsmen will be
demonstrating the American life
at the Hay Creek Festival. Black
smithing, broom making, felting,
glassblowing, papermaking, soap
making, woodcarving, wooden
rakes, wood pipe drilling, rug
weaving, and tape looming will
be demonstrated in the Early
American Craft area of the festi
val.
Joanna Furnace is located on
route 10, three miles north of
Morgantown. The Hay Creek
Festival gates open each day rain
or shine at 7 a.m. from Friday,
Sept. 5 to Sunday, Sept. 7, with
the main attractions from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Parking is free and ad
mission is $5 on Friday and $7 on
Saturday and Sunday; children
12 and under are free.
Levengood will be introducing
a ‘limited edition’ miniature flax
spinning wheel at one-quarter
scale based on an original 1864
Berks County wheel from a pri
vate collection in Oley. After ex
tensive drawings to scale, the
same design was accomplished at
one-third scale and presented to
the White House for display on
the Christmas tree in 1999.
Started 1975, the Hay Creek
Valley Historical Association ac
quired the 26 acres historic Joan
na Furnace Iron Plantation in
1979 and has grown from nearly
one hundred members to today
approximately 1,200 annual and
lifetime members. Receiving state
and national recognition for the
volunteer efforts and annual stu
dent archaeology program, the
Hay Creek Valley Historical As
sociation each July hosts 50 gift
ed students from Twin Valley
and Owen J. Roberts School Dis
tricts. For more information, con
tact HCVHA at (610) 286-0388
or go to www.haycreek.org.
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