Porcupine Pat

fyi

BARNESVILLE – The largest operating steam locomotive in the world will pass through northern Schuylkill County and municipalities along the route are preparing for an influx of railfans.

https://shensentinel.com/news/officials-discuss-preparations-as-big-boy-locomotive-set-to-pass-through-ryan-twp/

fyi

Fun post from our colleagues in Pike Co.

Amazing info!

Happy National Rivers Month! 💚

The Susquehanna River is a place of remarkable natural beauty, rich history, and endless opportunities for adventure. Flowing through diverse landscapes and vibrant communities, the river supports abundant wildlife, provides recreation for paddlers, anglers, and hikers, and connects people to the outdoors in meaningful ways. From breathtaking sunsets and scenic overlooks to quiet coves and historic river towns, the Susquehanna inspires exploration and appreciation for one of the East Coast’s most treasured waterways.

How well do you know your Susquehanna? ✌😎

Go for it!

Please share!

We are so happy to announce that we will be partnering with the Pottsville Area School District again this year as a host site for the Summer Meal Program!
We will serve breakfast & lunch from June 15th to July 30th. (Lunch only on the 15th, breakfast will start the following day, Tuesday, June 16th)
Breakfast is served from 9 to 10 AM daily.
Lunch is served from 12 to 1 PM daily.
Grab & Go is available after the dine in service is completed, if there are extras.
Please register by emailing [email protected]. Please include names, ages and any dietary restrictions or allergies we should know about.

Fyi

In today's Trips Around Schuylkill, we check out a vintage postcard of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Station in Tamaqua. Now a thriving restaurant, Tamaqua Station Restaurant, this was once a bustling hub that transported people to the community.

Yep.

Sunflowers do not just turn toward the light.

They can pull poison from the dirt and still look almost rude about how cheerful they are.

The real detail is how quietly practical that beauty becomes.

Through phytoremediation, sunflower roots can absorb heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and they have been studied near contaminated nuclear sites for radioactive elements such as cesium and strontium.

That does not make them magic. The toxins do not vanish. They move into the plant, which means the cleanup still has to be handled carefully.

But while the roots do the ugly work underground, the bright heads above keep serving the living world, offering nectar and pollen to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators passing through.

One plant holding two jobs at once: repair below, invitation above.

A flower doing the dirty work beautifully.

Important information.

Edible vs Deadly Mushroom Lookalikes 🍄

Every year, experienced foragers end up in the hospital because two mushrooms looked the same.

Wild mushrooms are the one area of foraging where a single mistake can be fatal — and the deadly species are masters of disguise. A few classic traps:

• FIELD MUSHROOM vs DESTROYING ANGEL — the deadly Amanita has a white ring on the stem and a cup-like base (volva) hidden under the soil. Miss it, and it can be fatal.
• CHANTERELLE vs JACK-O'-LANTERN — chanterelles have soft ridges and grow alone; the toxic Jack-o'-Lantern has true blade-like gills and grows in clusters on wood.
• MOREL vs FALSE MOREL — a true morel is completely HOLLOW inside; the false morel is chambered and cottony.

THE HARD TRUTH:
There is no simple home test. Color, smell, peeling the cap, or "animals eat it" do NOT prove a mushroom is safe.

⚠️ This post is for awareness, not a foraging guide. Never eat a wild mushroom unless an expert has identified it in person. When in doubt, leave it in the ground.