Around Cranbury
By: Lorraine Sedor
Jean Nostrand and George Kirby, who live in Four Seasons, just got back from Anchorage where Jean’s oldest daughter, Maura, and her husband have moved and are building a house.
Maura is the senior accountant for the Alaskan Railroad, so Jean and George got free tickets for rail travel. Maura’s husband, John Shea, is an oil engineer for Schlumberger and works on The Slope. The Slope is in the northern part of Alaska where oil companies are drilling. Jean describes it as a "very cold area!"
A flight around Mt. McKinley was among the highlights of their trip. Jean and George landed on a glacier and sailed close to the Portage glacier. Other fun activities for the couple included seeing some of the Eskimo Olympics and traveling up a mountain by cable car to have dinner at the Seven Glacier Restaurant. Their "moose count" came to a total of nine.
Maura and John were excellent guides, having kayaked, mountain biked, skied and run all around the area. As a matter of fact, in the February issue of "Alaska" magazine, Maura is seen riding her studded bike on a frozen lake on her way to investigate a glacier.
The Art in the Park Garden Series will meet on Sunday, Aug. 19 from noon to 4 p.m. at the home of Tamsen Granger, 15 Bunker Hill Road.
Featuring lovely barns and a woodland path, the property will be awash in color from fabulous crepe myrtle.
As always, the Arts Council would like to remind everyone that these locations are offered for artistic pursuits, not as a garden tour. Non-artist visitors will be asked to leave. Watercolorists are reminded to bring water.
Members of the community are invited to join Senior Fellowship on a trip to the Princeton Art Museum on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 11:30 a.m.
Bring a brown bag lunch to eat in Fellowship Hall before departure. Dessert and beverages will be provided.
Please pre-register before Aug. 15 by calling Phyllis at 409-8533.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the History Center or Historical Society can email the Society at [email protected].
Those who would like to speak to a staff member about volunteer options should call 860-1889 on Tuesdays between 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Messages cannot be left at this number.
You may also call Ginny Swanagan for more information at 395-0420.
This is a reminder to start thinking about that apple pie you want to bake for the Pie Contest on Cranbury Day, Saturday, Sept. 8.
The Cranbury Lioness Club will be sponsoring its annual Pie Baking Contest, which is open to adults and children.
The judging is based on appearance, crust, consistency and – most importantly – taste. So get out your cookbooks, or talk to mom or grandmom, and get a good family recipe for apple pie.
The Lioness Club also is looking for individuals who would like to judge the contest. Three independent judges are needed for this enviable task. The judging will take place at noon on Cranbury Day. If you would like to be a judge and get a taste of all the delicious pies, give Rose Eller a call at 655-9175.
Marie Dey, who sent along this information, also shared a little secret to great tasting apple pies. A local variety of apples, greenings, is available this month. They’re very tart and excellent for pies, but not for eating out-of-hand.
When Marie was a young bride and mother of two, she lived on her father-in-law’s farm in north Cranbury. That’s where she picked up her love of farm life and great tips on how to bake the perfect pie.
I’m happy to report that on a recent visit to CornerCopia in East Windsor, I noticed that the harvest of local greenings has begun.
Bob and Sam Venanzi are nearing the end of their Eagle Scout projects at the Cranbury Historical and Preservation Society’s History Center. They would like to invite everyone to take a peek as they walk by the Firehouse and the History Center.
Sam has to finish some brickwork around the Gristmiller’s stone that is now set out in front, while Bob has a few more slate pieces to fit into his walk that is next to the outhouse behind the History Center.
They both would like to thank their fellow Scouts, friends and their wonderful Scout leaders, to whom they can never send enough thanks, for all of the assistance as they have been going along through the project.
Sam and Bob also would like to thank CHPS for the opportunity to do the projects. They are very thankful to the Township Committee and Jerry Thorne of Public Works, too.
Bob wants to send out a special thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Houston, Mr. and Mrs. Hagerty, and Mr. and Mrs. Wittman who donated the slate, all originally used in Cranbury.
The Cranbury Lions are once again hosting a Trenton Thunder Baseball game at Riverside Stadium.
All Cranbury Lions, Cranbury residents, their families and friends are invited to attend. This AA game will be played between the Trenton Thunder and the Binghamton Mets at 7:05PM on Saturday, Aug. 25.
Tickets are $10 each and are available by calling Mike Kaiser at 860-1900 or Bob Virgadamo at 395-7050.
Tickets need to be ordered ASAP, as the Thunder are awaiting the Lions’ final order.
Residents may contact Ms. Sedor by phone at (609) 655-3386, by e-mail at [email protected] and by mail at 32 Evans Dr., Cranbury, NJ 08512.