Sunday, December 30, 2012

PensFans4Ever

Oh no!  Not another hockey blog!  Indeed, yes.

PensFans4Ever is tagged the "Official Web Site of the WBS Penguin Fans" (and the professional and farm teams associated with the franchise as well).  At the site you can find game recaps, a chat room for Live Game Day chats, and a message board. There's also an Interactive Schedule where you can get up to date information on past games.  WAIT!  That's not all!  The site has a mobile app, an RSS Feed, and much much more!



 http://pensfans4ever.com

From the About:  PensFans4ever was developed by Butch Pettit. It was started to keep the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Fans along with the Pittsburgh Penguin Fans up to date with happenings as far as who is up and who is down.




Thanks to Butch joining the NEPA Bloggers group on Facebook, we learned about a blog that we wouldn't have otherwise known was out there.  Do you know of a blog that we aren't already listing?  Send us an email at nepablogs@gmail.com or join our Facebook Group!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Poor Parking in PA

Rock 107's morning DJ, Prospector, gets angry when he's out and about and notices people who have issues with parking properly.  These inept parkers may have parked in between two spaces, parked in a handicapped spot with no tags, or parked between two meters.  Prospector decided to take his frustrations with these "yambags" to a Tumblr photo blog called "Poor Parking in PA". 

http://poorparkingpa.tumblr.com

Have you seen a bad park job in NEPA?  You can submit a picture through the webpage http://poorparkingpa.tumblr.com/submit or via email at Prospector@rock107.com.  Please keep people's names out of the equation when you submit your image.

Maybe, just maybe, together we can help people learn how to park correctly.....

(....but probably not)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

From the Mailbag: Blogs by Robert Flach

Good morning!  We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday. It's back to business here at NEPA Blogs.  We had email submission with several new blogs that we'd like to share with you - especially timely since tax season is looming right around the corner!

Dear NEPA Blogs-
I recently moved from Jersey City NJ to Hawley PA (after having come to this area in the summer for almost 50 years) - and am especially happy I moved when I did because of SANDY.
 I have been writing the popular tax blog THE WANDERING TAX PRO (http://wanderingtaxpro.blogspot.com/) since June of 2011.  It provides advice, information, and resources on federal income taxes and is written for the average middle and upper-middle class taxpayer.  I also write the blog THE TAX PROFESSIONAL (http://thetaxprofessional.blogspot.com/) for professional tax preparers.
 I would like these blogs to be considered for inclusion in the NEPA Blogs.
Thank you and Merry Christmas
 RDF
 http://robertdflach.blogspot.com

All of these blogs will be listed in the side bar for your reading pleasure.  If you are new to the area and would like us to list your blog, send us an email at nepablogs@gmail.com!

About the header image: December 26, 2012

This week's header image is a little unusual. I couldn't decide on which image to use to bridge the week starting the day after Christmas and ending on New Year's Day. So I decided to use all of them. Every header that we used in 2012!


"But wait," you might say, "An Earth-standard year is fifty-two weeks long, and the image above, while impressive and all, contains (7x4)+(6x4)+2 = 28+24+2 = 54 images! How can this be?!" To which, of course, I would explain "Shut up, that's how." Sharp-eyed observers might note that an image in the second-from-last row on the right-hand side appears twice; this is because these pictures are taken from the NEPA Bloggers "Past Headers" photo album, and I initially posted this photo with an incorrect location description. By the time I got the correction, several comments had been posted to the first version. So, rather than delete it, and them, I kept both versions.

Sharp-witted observers will further note that the first image is actually our Christmas 2011 photo, which was posted on December 21, 2011 and ran until December 27, 2011.So it doesn't really belong here, but I liked it so much I wanted to include it. Also, excluding it would have required some effort on my part that I didn't feel like exerting.

This was actually the most difficult and time-consuming image of the year, mainly because of three arbitrary rules I set up long ago: each header image must be 920 pixels wide, "NEPA Blogs" must appear in 96-point Times New Roman Bold, and the descriptive text must appear in 18-point Akbar. This meant I had to wing it when creating the basic image with two blocks of photos captured by screen grabs, particularly the gap between them. After I had them assembled, cropped, and resized to 920 pixels across, I then tried to fit the logo and descriptive text between them. If the text didn't fit, I couldn't just move things; I had to throw it all away and start over, leaving a slightly larger gap...all while working in a graphics program I'm just learning to use.

I hope I got the names of everyone who contributed a photo this year. Some of the names on that list were responsible for numerous photos, especially Cheri Sundra, Trish Hartman, and Brent Pennington. Michelle Hryvnak Davies and I also provided a disproportionately large number, though my contributions were often the result of suddenly realizing we didn't have anything else lined up, or that the image we planned to use for a given week couldn't be used for some reason.

(All of these images can be viewed in full size by clicking on the thumbnails in this post.)

These pictures represent Northeastern Pennsylvania ans seen through the eyes and lenses of many excellent local photographers. I know there are many others out there who have their own unique views of the region. Please share them with everyone by submitting them to nepablogs@gmail.com!

A big thank you to everyone who contributed a photo in 2012! And thanks to all the bloggers and readers who continue to give us a reason to keep NEPA Blogs going!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

About the header image: December 19, 2012


Our header image for this week - the last one before Christmas! - is a shot of the WNEP backyard in holiday mode by Michelle Hryvnak Davies (http://www.mhryvnak.net/blog.)

This will be our header until a new one goes up on December 26, and that header will stay up right through January 1! So, if you want to be in the position of having the very last NEPA Blogs header of 2012, and the very first one of 2013, send your header submission to nepablogs@gmail.com!


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: A Debbie-Dabble Christmas



NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on the PA Live! site:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=300852

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is A Debbie-Dabble Christmas (http://adebbie-dabblechristmas.blogspot.com/).

Debbie Dabble is a local crafter and bon vivant who loves Christmas. A lot. She has one blog all about crafting, decorating, and things that interest her, but A Debbie-Dabble Christmas focuses exclusively on Christmas. And it's updated year-round! Her blog is filled with photos of ornaments, decorations, figurines, collectibles, wreaths, and more trees than you can imagine. If I were looking at this stuff in person I would be afraid to move for fear of knocking over something, or a lot of somethings. But with A Debbie-Dabble Christmas you can view it all on her blog from the safety of your computer!

Lots of people have hobbies. Lots of people like to decorate. Lots of people like to collect things. And lots of people love Christmas. But some people take it to the extreme - and then are good enough to share the results with the rest of us. Maybe you won't wind up decorating your house quite as elaborately as this, but A Debbie-Dabble Christmas is still a fun place to visit!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

About the header image: December 12, 2012


The header image for the week of December 12, 2012 is a shot of the Westmoreland Club on Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre decorated for Christmas, and is by me. I took this photo last Tuesday as I walked from the WBRE studios back to Boscov's, where I had parked. (I walked through Boscov's and took a quick tour of downtown Wilkes-Barre, something I haven't done often enough lately.)

We've got an image already lined up for next week's header, but if you have one to run the following week - December 26 through January 1 - we'd love to see it! Please send it to us at nepablogs@gmail.com. Just think, you can have the last word on Christmas, and the first word on New Year's! Your image can close out 2012 and ring in 2013!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Locate the Lights



NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on the PA Live! site: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=298822

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Francene Pisano Dudziec's Locate the Lights (http://www.locatethelights.com/.)

At Christmastime, many people love going around to see the elaborate and festive lighting displays that are scattered around Northeastern Pennsylvania. But wouldn't it be nice if there were a website to tell you where to see the biggest, the brightest, and the best? That's exactly what Locate the Lights does: it's a guide to the best lighting displays in the area, plus outstanding lighting displays from all over. The site also lists Christmas parades, holiday markets, and more. There's even a form that allows you to share any lighting displays you may find, and you can submit your photos as well!

It's fun to drive around and randomly discover lighting displays tucked away on side streets and in obscure locations. But Locate the Lights helps you find the most impressive ones - maybe even ones you would never have found on your own. And if you do discover one that's especially impressive, be sure to share it so everyone can enjoy! 


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Sunday, December 09, 2012

Three Christmas blogs

We've got three blogs on the NEPA Blogs roster that are specifically dedicated to Christmas. Are there more out there in northeastern Pennsylvania?

The first blog I want to mention is one we haven't actually showcased yet, though it is listed on our sidebar. It's called Locate the Lights, and it's a blog dedicated to connecting you with the biggest, brightest, and best Christmas light displays in Northeastern Pennsylvania! This site has recently been featured in local newspapers. Watch for it on WBRE's PA Live! on Tuesday, December 11!

Locate the Lights
http://www.locatethelights.com/


The second blog is one that was mentioned a while ago, and is by crafter, decorator, and Christmas enthusiast Debbie Dabble! She has two blogs, but this one - A Debbie-Dabble Christmas - is dedicated entirely to Christmas! Debbie Dabble is into Christmas in a huge way. Visit her site to marvel at her amazing decorations, or to get decorating ideas for yourself - or if you don't feel like decorating for Christmas, just leave her site up on your computer and you'll be ahead of the game! Look for this blog to be featured on PA Live! on Tuesday, December 18!

A Debbie-Dabble Christmas
http://adebbie-dabblechristmas.blogspot.com/


The third blog is no longer updating, because it has done its job already. We first mentioned Scranton Christmas Windows, 1938-1960 way back in 2009, and we featured this blog as the Blog of the Week on PA Live! in December 2011. It set out to post all of the photos of the Christmas windows of Scranton that were uncovered in a trove some years back, and they accomplished this in just a few months. But the blog remains, featuring all of these amazing images!

Scranton Christmas Windows, 1938-1960
http://scrantonchristmas.blogspot.com/


So there you have it: three NEPA-based blogs that focus exclusively on Christmas! Are there more? Let us know!

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Christmas magic with Mark Mysterrio

Magician and blogger Mark Mysterrio (http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagitcian.com/) is involved with two different Christmas magic events in the next week and a half.

The first is this weekend's 2nd Annual Magic Show for Toys for Tots (http://www.facebook.com/events/161955357281050/) being held at Brews Brothers West in Luzerne (75 Main Street) on Saturday, December 8 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. This show features numerous local and regional magicians. It's targeted towards children, but adults will have fun too! Admission is only $5 or a new, unwrapped toy.

Mark Mysterrio also has a magic show in honor of Frosty's birthday on Sunday, December 16 at The Living Room in Stroudsburg (522 Main Street, next to the Sherman Theater) at 2:00 PM.  Admission is $8, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

About the header image: December 5, 2012


This week's header image is of the WNEP Wyoming Valley Newsroom on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, festively decorated for Christmas. The image is by reporter Andy Palumbo (http://andypalumbo.blogspot.com.) You can see the full photo in this post: http://andypalumbo.blogspot.com/2012/11/bad-photography-saturday-wvnr.html.

And with that, NEPA Blogs enters Holiday Mode! We're going to be featuring several Christmas-themed blogs in coming weeks, and we'll also be making some announcements about upcoming holiday events involving bloggers - such as this weekend's 2nd Annual Magic Show for Toys for Tots (http://www.facebook.com/events/161955357281050/) being held at Brews Brothers West (75 Main Street, Luzerne, Pennsylvania ) on Saturday, December 8 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, featuring numerous local and regional magicians including Mark Mysterrio (http://pennsylvaniabirthdaymagician.com/) - admission is only $5 or a new, unwrapped toy. Mark Mysterrio also has a magic show in honor of Frosty's birthday on Sunday, December 16 at The Living Room in Stroudsburg (next to the Sherman Theater) at 2:00 PM (admission $8, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.)

If you have any holiday-themed photos of Northeastern Pennsylvania you can share, we'd like to feature them as our header of the week for one of the remaining weeks of December! Please send them to us at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Lacey's Barkery Blog



NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.

Watch this episode on the PA Live! website: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=296932

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is  Lacey's Barkery Blog (http://laceysbarkery.com/blog/).

Lacey's Barkery is an Old Forge-based dog bakery that sells healthy homemade human-grade dog treats and dog birthday cakes. A few months ago they incorporated a blog into their website, and the blog has taken off. Lacey's Barkery Blog is written by a team of bloggers and pet industry professionals.  Posts cover dog health, dog safety, human-canine interactions, dog product recalls, and all sorts of other information to make sure your dog friends have a long and happy life, with some funny dog stories thrown in here and there.

If you have a dog, or if you ever interact with a dog in your daily life, Lacey's Barkery Blog is a great place to go for a wealth of information and resources for keeping your doggie friends happy and healthy for years to come.


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

About the header image: November 28, 2012


The NEPA Blogs header for the week of November 28 is a sunrise over the Luzerne County Courthouse. Photo courtesy of ShadowCatcher Ltd. Photography. Submitted by Lori Prashker-Thomas.  Additional photos can be seen at http://shadowcatcherltd.zenfolio.com/wilkes-barre.

Do you have photos that capture some unique aspect of Northeastern Pennsylvania? Would you like to see them featured as the NEPA Blogs header? Send them to us at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: 590 Forever WARM Radio


NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.

Watch this episode on the PA Live! website: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=294922

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Dave Yonki's 590 Forever WARM Radio (http://david-yonki.blogspot.com/).

Anyone over a certain age who grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania is familiar with "The Mighty 590", WARM. It first began broadcasting in 1940, came of age in the 1950's, and hit reached the height of popularity in the 1960's and early 70's. Dave Yonki's 590 Forever WARM Radio treats us to  behind-the-scenes stories of life at WARM back in the day, clippings of old-time newspaper ads and articles about WARM, and updates on the larger-than-life figures who once broadcast from the WARM studios. The history of WARM is tied into the history of Northeastern Pennsylvania, so many of these stories of WARM reflect NEPA as it once was - for example, the role WARM played in the response to the Agnes flood of 1972.

WARM still exists, and still broadcasts music from those long-ago times. What was once the hottest contemporary station is now an oldies station, playing music that brings back memories of a long-ago time. Dave Yonki's 590 Forever WARM Radio fleshes out those memories with pictures and stories of the people who once made WARM into "The Mighty 590."

If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

From a Corner of a Foreign Field...

I wasn't able to make it to last Friday's Scranton StorySlam - it was a work night, and I had no way of knowing if I'd be there in time to hear any of the stories. But I do follow their Twitter feed, and last night I noticed several tweets being relayed on their feed coming from someone whose profile indicated she had a blog. A quick click on the link and a lot of reading later, and I knew we had found a new blog that had to be added to NEPA Blogs.


From a Corner of a Foreign Field...
http://eleanorgwyn-jones.blogspot.com/


Eleanor Gwyn-Jones is originally from England. She came to Northeastern Pennsylvania through a series of steps that she describes in various locations around her blog. But she didn't stay - she lived in Scranton and moved out. Out to the city that never sleeps, New York City, Brooklyn to be exact. And she found when she was there that she missed the things that had made Scranton special to her. So she moved back.

From a Corner of a Foreign Field... isn't the first blog we've listed by someone who originally hails from overseas. (That would be Moving to NEPA.)  But it's always fascinating to see NEPA through the eyes of someone who didn't spend their whole life here. Eleanor is also an excellent writer and storyteller, which are always pluses when it comes to a blog. Be sure to check it out!

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!


Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on all of the things that we are thankful for.  I believe that I can speak on behalf of the 2 other co-admins and say that we are thankful to be a part of all of your lives.  We enjoy reading your posts and are fascinated by your thoughts and ideas.

"Gort" (*ahem* Ben), Harold and I wish you and your family the happiest of Thanksgivings!



Here are some blog posts from Thanksgiving's past to entertain you while we enjoy the holiday with our families.

Gort's guest blogger reminds us of the finest traditions of the holiday:


I look fondly at holiday memories with family:

While I serve up a rerun of a classic heartwarming illustrated tale. Gather the kiddies and share with them the true joy of Thanksgiving!
Take care!

Harold
 









Michelle











Gort 


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

About the header image: November 21, 2012


This week's header image comes to us from Russell Hryvnak of the blog Shit Under the Counter.  It's of a train track near Campbell's Ledge in Pittston Lehigh Valley Gorge in Jim Thorpe,* and was one of several images Russell submitted that he took while hiking around Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Do you have any photos that capture some unique or special aspect of Northeastern Pennsylvania? Would you like to see them featured as the header image on NEPA Blogs for a week? Drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com and we'll make it so!

*Corrected per Russell Hryvnak.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Nine Kilobytes


NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.



Watch this episode on the PA Live! website:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=293212
 
Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Nine Kilobytes (http://www.ninekilobytes.com/blog/).

Nine Kilobytes is a blog about technology, games, life, and humor. It takes its name from examples of the equivalent data sizes of things in the bricks-and-mortar world: A typewritten page comes in at about two kilobytes, while an encyclopedia article would measure around ten kilobytes. The typical blog posts on this site are longer than a typewritten page, but a little shorter than an encyclopedia article. Nine kilobytes should cover them nicely.

The author of this blog - who goes by the nom de blog killnine, but also uses the name Glenn - is someone fascinated by technology, but this is not a tech blog, or not just a tech blog. Glenn covers all sorts of topics, from fun incidents (like turning the wall of a nearby apartment building into a screen for projecting movies for a movie night get-together) to an experience of a single perfect moment (it involved a motorcycle) to a chance encounter with a neighbor that completely made his day.

Nine Kilobytes is another great example of a "Life" blog: Rather than focusing exclusively on any one topic, this blog covers many different topics of interest to the blogger, and becomes a reflection of the blogger's life and personality. If every blog out there were a "Life" blog, every blog would be completely different from every other blog.

How about you? If you were to create a blog that was a reflection of your life, what would it include? What topics would you cover? What stories would you tell? Give it a shot and try creating a Life blog all your own! 


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!






Wednesday, November 14, 2012

About the header image: November 14, 2012


The photo for this week's header image comes from Tami Quigley of the blog Trailscapes. Here's what she had to say in the accompanying note:

Hi! I've attached a submission for Header of the Week. It's a photo of Bogert's Covered Bridge that I took Nov. 11, 2012 in Lehigh Parkway, Allentown.


The bridge spans 145 feet over the Little Lehigh River in Lehigh Parkway, Allentown. It's history traces back to the mid-1700s when the Bogert family moved into a log cabin next to the future site of the bridge. It is one of the oldest in the region and nation. The historical attraction is open only to pedestrian traffic - it's one of my favorite spots when walking.

The photo is posted on my blog, Trailscapes, at http://trailscapes-tami.blogspot.com

Do you have a photo that you'd like to see featured as the NEPA Blogs header image for a week? Send it to us at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Pretty My Party



NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on the PA Live! website:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=291262



Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Cristy Mishkula's Pretty My Party (http://www.prettymyparty.com/)

If you're planning a party, big or small, Pretty My Party is the place to turn for inspiration, advice, and useful links. Cristy describes herself as having "a passion for parties, weddings, entertaining, and celebrating life’s greatest moments," and all this is reflected in her blog. Whether you're a party planner, a bride-to-be, or just someone who wants to make your children's next party a memorable one, Pretty My Party is a great place to turn for ideas and resources.

Cristy Mishkula is based in Northeastern Pennsylvania and works as a lifestyles editor at one of our local newspapers. On Pretty My Party she taps into an extensive network of other creative sites dedicated to entertaining and party planning. If you're looking for a fun idea for your next party, Cristy has already brought together many of the most interesting on her blog. Check it out!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Dale Rides His Bike

It's been a while since we got a bunch of new blogs for the lists by way of the NEPA BlogCon. We'll be adding them one at a time for a while, though you can see the whole list here. Here's another one:

Dale Rides His Bike (http://dalerides.blogspot.com/)

From his "About" page:


Hey, there! My name is Dale Culp, and I'm a bicycling adventurer.

My goal is to show you the world through the eyes of a bicycling enthusiast as someone who loves going on long rides along back roads, visiting trails and exploring North-East Pennsylvania.

If you'll follow me, I'll show you what some of these places look like, how to get to them and how to keep yourself from getting hurt while riding through them. We're going to have a really good time!

Dale has been keeping up the riding - and the blog - even as the weather has gotten colder in recent weeks. How long will he be able to keep going? Find out by following Dale Rides His Bike!




Wednesday, November 07, 2012

About the header image: November 7, 2012


This week's header image is yet another photo of the interior of the Hotel Sterling in Wilkes-Barre by Cheri Sundra. In fact, this is the top half of another photo that we used as the header image several weeks ago!


Do you have any photos that you'd like to see used as the NEPA Blogs header image? Please send them to us at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Casa de Lola



NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.



Watch this episode on the PA Live! website:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=289172


Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Nathalie Sousa's Casa de Lola (http://www.casadelola.com/.)

Casa de Lola is a locally-produced fashion blog with a genuinely international flavor. Editor-in-chief Nathalie Sousa is a relative newcomer to Northeastern Pennsylvania, but has put a lot of effort into integrating her new home into her established blogsite. So an entry about fine Italian dining in Pittston is posted alongside a list of must-see locations in Paris and a photo essay on anything-goes Fall fashions.

Casa de Lola isn't just about fashion; it also features blog posts on music, culture, film, art, food, photography, travel. There's even a category called "Dog Park" - after all, the namesake of the blog, Lola Fink, is a Weimaraner!

For a visit to a world of international fashion and fun with connections right here is Northeastern Pennsylvania, be sure to check out Nathalie Sousa's Casa de Lola!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

About the header image: October 31, 2012


As Halloween arrives in NEPA preceded by its new annual tradition of unseasonable weather events (last year a snowfall of several inches, this year a visit from a hurricane wrapped in a Nor'easter), this image from Trish Hartman reminds us of one of the more traditional sights of the season: pumpkins! Whether being turned into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, being turned into soup or pie or delicious roasted seeds, or just being used as decorations, pumpkins are a sign that Summer is over, Fall is here, and soon we will be facing another Winter. Trish captured this image at Roba's Tree Farm in Dalton.

If you have any images you think capture some of the flavor or character of Northeastern Pennsylvania, send them in to us at nepablogs@gmail.com and we'll use them as the NEPA Blogs header some week!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Is THIS Bliss?!


NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.

Watch this episode on the PA Live! website: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=287192

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Is THIS Bliss?! (http://www.isthisbliss.com/).

Lorina, the blogger at Is THIS Bliss?!, certainly doesn't limit herself to blogging about just one thing. To put it as simply as possible, her blog is about finding out who she is right now.

Reading through her posts, much of this finding out is actually an act of creation. Is THIS Bliss?! isn't really a diet blog, and isn't really an exercise blog, but it does cover these topics extensively, with blog posts on subjects like exercise, fitness, health, running, weight loss, and self-esteem. Did you ever think to make your daily run more exciting by imagining, say, that there are zombies coming after you? Lorina has, and it turns out there's even an app for that. Tired of weighing yourself to see how your diet is coming along? Lorina gives (approximately) 101 Reasons to Ditch the Scale.

Is THIS Bliss?! is a fun, engaging read in which Lorina takes you along on a journey of self-discovery - and self-creation. Perhaps reading her posts will inspire you to begin your own journey. Just remember: sometimes the journey is more fun if you imagine you're being chased by zombies!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sandy in NEPA

When disasters strike the region, we often run roundup posts that collect posts from bloggers throughout NEPA presenting the disaster from numerous points of view.  We'll probably be doing that with Sandy, once the storm-within-a-storm has had its way with us. But in the meantime, we'll be using this post as a way of communicating critical information about the storm and its aftermath, and providing links to resources for preparing for the storm and dealing with its consequences.

Before the storm:

http://ready.gov/ - The Federal Emergency Management Agency website for disaster preparedness. Lots of useful information and good advice, and links to plenty of other government sites.

National Hurricane Center page for Sandy - This is one peculiar storm, a hurricane wrapped in a Nor'easter, something never seen before - at least, never seen to hit land. The predicted path of this storm is equally peculiar. The National Hurricane Center page provides twelve different ways of looking at the storm and its effects. You can check it frequently for frequently-updated predictions of the storm's path.

NOAA Storm Central - "Your one-stop source for Sandy news and information. Tracking Sandy? Be prepared: Get the latest forecast, advisories, radar images, fact sheets, links to preparedness resources and more on our comprehensive webpage." Tons of information, links, and resources.

Facebook Groups:

Wyoming Valley PA Alert Network - This was the old Wyoming Valley Flood of 2011 group, reactivated when it became clear that these "once in a lifetime" disasters might be happening on a fairly regular basis. The mission now is a to be "a permanent page to be used year round to share any type of serious community alerts and messages." Resources, news, and first-hand accounts.

NEPA Flood of 2011 - A site with a similar mission and similar name-change issue. Another great source for resources, news, and first-hand accounts.

NEPA Hurricane Sandy Watch - Set up by Penn State Meteorology students to track Sandy as it passes through NEPA. They've already thought about the future by spinning off a NEPA Severe Weather Watch page.

Information:

UGI Outage Center (http://www.ugi.com/portal/page/portal/UGI/Outage_Center)

PPL Consumer Outage Center (https://www.pplelectric.com/my-account/outage-center.aspx)

Susquehanna River Flood Forecasting (http://www.susquehannafloodforecasting.org/)

Susquehanna River Level at Wilkes-Barre (includes predictions for upcoming dates)

More to come...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

About the header image: October 24, 2012


This week's header image is by me, Harold Jenkins (http://anothermonkey.blogspot.com/) and is taken from the rooftop parking lot at Boscov's in Wilkes-Barre.In the foreground are some of the antenna dishes that cover the roof of WBRE next door. In the middle distance is part of downtown Wilkes-Barre, with Movies 14 somewhat farther out. In the background are the broadcast towers on Penobscot Knob. This is one of several photos I took from the Boscov's rooftop parking deck that day.

Do you have any photos that present unique perspectives on everyday views throughout Northeastern PA? We'd love to feature them as our header image for a week. Submit them to us at nepablogs@gmail.com!

(We're also very interested in any photos that showcase the seasons here in NEPA, as well as any holiday-themed images! If you have any of these, send us a copy! Thanks!)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Donation Can


NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on WBRE's PA Live! site:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=284852
 

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Donation Can (http://donation-can.com/).

Lacey, the author of Donation Can, is originally from Tamaqua. After serving in the Air Force she has moved back to State College.Her plan was to serve a single four-year tour in the Air Force, but she realized near the end of it that she would have to re-enlist to deal with the growing debts facing her. She and her husband made a decision to pay off their debts and never be a slave to a lender again.  With a lot of hard work and careful planning, they did it!

Lacey created Donation Can to serve as a way for her to talk about the lessons she learned about money. Money, as she notes, is often treated as a taboo subject. Her goal is to get people talking about money.

Money is tight for everyone these days, and many of us find ourselves facing mounting debt. Can we benefit from the lessons Lacey learned from her experience? It's worth taking a look at Donation Can to find out what she has to say!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

About the header image: October 17, 2012


This week's header image is by Stephanie Force (http://itsanorganizedmess.blogspot.com) and is of this past weekend's Chalk Festival at the Wilkes-Barre River Commons. This is a crop of a larger image, one of two that Stephanie submitted in the wee hours of this morning. I liked it so much that I immediately turned it into a blog header and then submitted it to Michelle, asking if we could swap it in for the image originally scheduled to run this week. (I think that one may run sometime in the Winter, when it will be greatly appreciated.)

When cropping images to turn them into headers, I wield the scissors viciously: What is this about? What is essential? What can be cut? Different crops can create different images, different moods, but in many cases the stuff that got cut had a story all its own. Here's a resized version of the 3888 pixel x 2592 pixel original:


This image makes the Wilkes-Barre River Commons look even more majestic, and presents the architecture of the courthouse fantastically. And here's a detail from near the center of the image, showing the children and their chalk creations:


It turns out this isn't the first time we've featured a Chalk Festival image as the blog header. The first time we used one, I didn't realize that's what it was - though Michelle did! That was this image by Shivaun O'Donnell which we used back in June, just ahead of Riverfest.


Do you have any images of Northeastern Pennsylvania that you'd like to see featured as the header on NEPA Blogs? Send them to us at nepablogs@gmail.com and maybe you'll see it being used within twenty-four hours!



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Erica's Blog




NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.

Watch this episode on WBRE's PA Live! site:  http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=283042

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Erica's Blog (http://ericalovespotatoes.blogspot.com/).

Now, let's make one thing perfectly clear: Erica loves potatoes. While this may not be obvious from her blog's title, a careful examination of her blog address (as well as her blogger profile) reveals this to be true. Erica doesn't post to her blog as often as some would wish, but when she posts, she makes it count.  She reveals intimate details of her life, such as the fact that without TV, she is nothing, or her two-part plan to move into Sam's Club, or the tragic story of why she didn't get to go to Ireland and ride horses and eat potatoes. (It involves driving a car into a garage door, and then managing to damage the wiring of a second garage door while trying to fix the first. Hasn't this happened to everyone?)

Erica is an excellent writer, and Erica's Blog is one of the funniest I have read. I wish she would write posts for it more often. But if you're just hearing about it for the first time, there are plenty of past posts on her blog for you to check out. Be sure to read them all!

If you have a funny take on life and the world, why not put your thoughts in a blog? It's a great way to reach out to broad audiences, both locally and around the world. If you decide to start a blog, contact us at nepablogs@gmail.com and we'll add it to the ever-growing list at NEPA Blogs!

If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Wilkestype

I learned about this blog through a Leadership Wilkes-Barre classmate on Facebook.  Lisa Reynolds alerted me to a very cool blog called "Wilkestype", a typography blog by students at Wilkes.  

http://wilkestype.wordpress.com 

This blog is an exercise for the students of Cross-Media Typography at Wilkes University. In it, you’ll find samples of type that we’ve found a deemed awesome. So browse through, and feel free to agree or disagree with our opinions!

You may have never thought about it before, but typography is an art form.  I know that I haven't.  It's one of those things that we may see every day and not give second thought to.

Typography is defined as (from the Greek words τύπος (typos) = form and γραφή (graphe) = writing) is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading (line spacing), adjusting the spaces between groups of letters (tracking) and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning).  Source = Wikipedia


We hope that you enjoy the word art that Wilkes has to offer.
Happy Sunday!

~Michelle

Friday, October 12, 2012

NEPA|Homepage

We picked up a new follower on Twitter this week by the name of NEPA|Homepage.  I was intrigued, so I checked out the bio and they had a blog listed.  Yes, despite the name of "homepage" it is actually a Blogger blog.  The name of this blog and the URL are eerily similar to WBRE's pahomepage.com.

http://pahomepage.blogspot.com/
We are dedicated to giving our opinion on what goes on here in NEPA. We are the Social Engineers!


The blog is written anonymously under the name of "The Social Engineer".  Even though the blog just started in October, I find the posts interesting.  The author writes opinionated posts on recent news stories.  From the first post:

I will be giving my take on the stories the news media won't.  I am an opinionated person and figured why not just put it all out there in my very own blog.  Feel free to post comments and leave your opinion about not only the news but things you would like my opinion on.  I hope that I can create a blog that is entertaining and worthy of loyal readership.

As I mentioned above, you can follow NEPA|Homepage on Twitter under the username of @nepahomepage.

Good stuff.  If you have recently started a blog, we'd love to hear from you.  Send us an email to nepablogs@gmail.com so we can mention your blog!

~Michelle

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

About the header image: October 10, 2012


This week's header image is another in a series of images of the interior of the Hotel Sterling in Wilkes-Barre taken by Cheri Sundra. The latest word is that the Hotel Sterling will be torn down, sooner rather than later. Soon all that will remain are the memories - and images like this.

Do you have images that have captured some historical location in Northeastern Pennsylvania that is soon to pass away? Send it to us at nepablogs@gmail.com and we'll use it as the NEPA Blogs header for a week!

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: NEPA Pizza Review


NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on WBRE's PA Live! site: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=281172

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is NEPA Pizza Review (http://www.nepapizzareview.com/).

Here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, we love our pizza. Thin crust, thick crust, Old Forge style, Sicilian,  all sorts of pizzas. We have a vast array of pizza places to choose from. And while, as the saying goes, bad pizza is better than no pizza, how do you know whether or not you'll like pizza from a place you've never tried before? That's where the NEPA Pizza Review comes into play. The anonymous blogger behind the site - who describes himself as "lifelong NEPA resident, longtime pizza maker, and avid lover of all types of pizza" - has made it his goal to deliver "a minimum of 1 pizza review per week and build a library of reviews of pizza places throughout NEPA."

The NEPA Pizza Review is keeping up the pace. In its first three months it had covered nineteen pizza places throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. They're listed by name, but are also indexed by several different descriptions of type, as well as by location. He also solicits recommendations from readers, provides tips for improving your homemade pizza, and  provides an interactive map showing all the places he's reviewed.

We're all going to eat pizza sooner or later. Why not go into your pizza-eating experience with as much knowledge as possible? Thanks to the NEPA Pizza Review, you might just know which pizza will be disappointing, and which will be delicious!

If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Rebuilding Sean

A few Saturday mornings ago, Andy Palumbo recommended that I add one of his friend's blogs to NEPA Blogs.  Sean Gowden started his blog back in August.  It will chronicle his adventure of getting back into shape.

From the first post:



God...I've let myself go.  Time to change.  All new, rebuild...from the ground up.


3 goals:


Sean minus 50 pounds of blubber.

Sean finally builds the winemaking and beermaking apps for iOS
Sean does this while being a better husband and dad. (and that's not saying I'm not already a good husband and dad.)


...

This blog is for me.  If you gain some insight, inspiration or entertainment value, then good for you.   I'm here to rebuild myself, be the guy I want to be; not the guy I currently am.


You can follow Sean's journey to achieving his goals at http://rebuildingsean.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

About the header image: October 3, 2012


This week's header image was sent in by Nicole Karr of the Springhouse Woodshop blog (http://www.springhousewoodshop.com/blog) and shows the Bloomsburg Fair from the Skyride.  We would have ran with this photo for last week's #NewHeaderWednesday selection, but we received it too late!

The Bloomsburg Fair ran from Friday, September 21st through Saturday, September 29th.  This was the 157th year for the Fair.  It touted successful numbers despite taking a year off to clean-up and recover from the devastating September 2011 floods.  I would recommend watching the Mike Stevens' video learn more about the recovery.

One of the new additions to the fair this year was the Skyride that Nicole rode on.  According to WNEP, the ride is 12 minutes long per direction.  It costs $3 dollars to get from the main entrance to the rides and a round trip ride costs $5 dollars.  

You can learn more about the Bloomsburg Fair by visiting their website:  http://www.bloomsburgfair.com/

If you've taken a fascinating image that you think we should use as our header, drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com.  We will use it in an upcoming week!

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

PA Live! Blog of the Week: Three Little Fishies Swimming in the Sea




NEPA Blogs will be presenting a "Blog of the Week" on the WBRE's PA Live! every Tuesday. PA Live! airs weekday afternoons on WBRE from 4:00 to 5:00.


Watch this episode on the PA Live! site: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=279362

Our PA Live! Blog of the Week this week is Shannon Mizikoski's Three Little Fishies Swimming in the Sea (http://3littlefishies.blogspot.com/).

Shannon Mizikoski is a first-time stay-at-home mom from Carbondale who blogs about the experience of motherhood. Three Little Fishies Swimming in the Sea is an example of a "mommy blog": blogs by mothers about the experience of motherhood and raising children. Mommy bloggers have some universal experiences, and these blogs allow mothers to share hints and tips with each other. But at the same time, each individual's experience is unique and highly personal, and it is through these experiences that mommy bloggers can relate to a broader audience.

Shannon doesn't just write about her experiences as a mother. Wondering what the deal is with that popular book series that everyone is talking about? Not to worry: Shannon summarizes Fifty Shades of Grey and its two sequels in just five sentences! (Six if you count "The end.") Have you ever wondered what it's like to have your gallbladder taken out? Shannon explains it all!

If you're a mom, a blog is a great way to share your experiences with the world, and mommy blogs are wonderful ways to learn from the experiences of other mothers. Shannon Mizikoski's Three Little Fishies Swimming in the Sea is the perfect place to see a mommy blog by a mom from Northeastern Pennsylvania!


If you have a blog you would like us to link on NEPA Blogs, or know of a blog you think we should link, please let us know! You can always drop us a line at nepablogs@gmail.com!