INTRODUCING: Our newest way to keep in touch

The Birch Street Web continues to expand and to evolve. Since its founding in March 2007 it's format and design have changed a few times, and now it's time to rearrange the furniture once again.

The plans by Google to phase out its "googlepages" system -- where the Birch Street Web began and has grown into a network of more than 125 linked pages -- prompted me to look for alternatives. I tried out the new "Google Sites" system but didn't like it as much. Then I tried Google's "Blogger" system and realized it has a lot of advantages as an organizing tool for our family web site.

One benefit is that readers -- meaning you -- can add comments to the posts, so we can can have discussions among as many family members as care to join in. As you scroll through this blog please try out the comment feature and add your remarks to any posts you'd like.

This blog system also allows me to "label" each post, grouping them into whatever categories I choose. Now if you click on a label, such as "Birthday" or "Travel," you'll get a display of all the articles that carry that label. In addition there's a Search window at the top of each screen where you can type in any keyword - such as someone's name - and call up all entries that include that word. Yet another index allows you to select articles by year and month.

So my plan now is to use this blog as the entryway to the Birch Street Web, replacing The Front Page as the starting point for accessing all our content. At least temporarily, I'll keep The Front Page up-to-date as well, but eventually it will point you here.

Although I just launched this blog a few days ago, I've already copied many Birch Street Web entries here, and put in entries with links to just about every old article on the original site. If you notice anything missing, please let me know.

I welcome your ideas on how to use this new section of our family web. You can add comments to this post, or e-mail me at birchstreetweb@gmail.com

--Webmaster Dan

Walking for a good cause

Shanna, Kevin and their parents took part in the Memory Walk to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association on Oct. 26 in Manhattan's Riverside Park. Read Shanna's report.

See more photos in Shanna's album or slideshow

25th Anniversary for Kevin and Kathy

Shanna writes:

October 8th was my parent's 25th anniversary. Kevin and I took them out to eat at Sunset Cove in Tarrytown, NY.

The restaurant was really nice and had great views of the Hudson and the Tappan Zee.

Here are a couple of photos:

Mom & Dad


Kevin and Shanna

Christine's second season in marching band

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Raiders Marching Band moved up to a higher level of competition for the 2008 season, Christine's second year as a member of the flute line.

The band competes in U.S. Scholastic Band Association shows. After winning the 2007 state championship in Group 6-A, this year they went up against the biggest and best bands in the state and region in Group 6-Open.

With their show, titled "Destiny," the "Spiffy" band received higher scores while placing lower in its new, tougher bracket. It took third place in the N.J. championship competition and came in 7th out of 11 bands in the Northern States Regional event held in Allentown, Pa. on Nov. 1.

Here is a slideshow of photos from the Fall 2008 season.



This brief video clip shows the final segment of their 2008 show, "Destiny," as performed at the Allentown competition.



The show went off flawlessly, and there was a lot of emotion among the band members - seniors, especially - who felt they outdid themselves in their final competitive performance.

The marching band, as well as other SPFHS music groups, will be traveling to Florida this spring to perform at Walt Disney World.

Click here for more on the SPFHS Marching Band.
(If that doesn't work, click here)

Stephanie celebrates 8th birthday

Happy birthday to Stephanie! She turned 8 on September 27th, 2008, and celebrated with a small party at Chuck E Cheese.

Chris & Steph on a visit to Philadelphia

Cathy writes: We had some time before a concert so we visited a little bit of Philly's historical spots.

Remembering summer 2008: Brien's photos

Brien has sent along photos he took this summer in Noyac. Here is a selection. Enjoy!

Andy takes flight en route to merit badge

During the summer Andy and other members of his Boy Scout troop took an aviation merit badge course from a trained pilot who runs an aviation Explorer Post at Linden Airport. They learned about the parts of an aircraft and the basics of flight and navigation.

The lessons led up to a chance for each Scout to take to the air and help pilot the plane. On Aug. 11, 2008, it was Andy's turn along with fellow Scout Brandon to fly along with their instructor, Manny.

Rain showers cleared away and a rainbow arched across the sky just before their late-afternoon takeoff.

Once airborne, Andy took the controls as they flew across central New Jersey -- and right over his house -- to another airfield, where they touched down to refuel and switch co-pilots. On the second leg, Brandon took the controls for a time as they flew over the Hudson River and looked out at Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.



The Aviation badge was one of six that Andy earned over the summer. He received them in a Court of Awards ceremony held by his Troop 33 on Oct. 6.

The other badges: Geology, Metalwork, Mammal Study, Astronomy and Fingerprinting. He earned them during a week at Somers Boy Scout Camp in July.

See more SCOUTING NEWS

Becky in parade honoring Olympian

When Baltimore threw a welcome-home party for Michael Phelps, winner of a record eight gold medals at the Beijing games, Becky and her Towson High School Marching Generals band mates were in the parade. Becky was shown in an AP news video of the parade. Unfortunately it's no longer available for viewing on the web.

Celebrating 30 years

Kathy and Ted marked their 30th Wedding Anniversary on Sept. 30. A few days later daughters Genevieve and Vivien surprised them by both coming home for the weekend -- Genevieve from Boston and Vivien from Cornell. Along with brother Patrick they took their parents out for a fine dinner to celebrate. (Click photo for a larger view.)


Genevieve writes: "The restaurant we went to, 42, is on the 42nd floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in White Plains, which is where my sister worked all summer. We had a wonderful dinner, and we got to meet some of my sister's former colleagues, who couldn't say enough nice things about her!"

Congratulations to Kathy and Ted!

Genevieve at MFA

Genevieve has added a research job at the Museum of Fine Art, Boston to her already busy schedule.

While pursuing a Master's degree in History of Art and Museum Studies at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences, Genevieve also serves as a teaching assistant there. Over the summer she interned in the Registrar's office at the MFA, and was asked to stay on in that position through the fall semester.

"Basically the Registrar is in charge of tracking all of the objects which enter and leave the museum, including gifts, special exhibitions, and out-going loans," Genevieve writes. "The Registrar's office has all of the paperwork from the founding of the museum in 1870 to the present day, and one of my jobs this summer was to do research on objects previous ownership before entering the museum. This is particularly important in light of recent repatriation lawsuits that have been brought against museums.

"As a result of the work I did this summer, I was offered the position of Lamb Mellon Researcher -- which means I'll be working an additional day a week for the museum doing similar research projects for objects in the permanent collection. The title is really silly, but I am excited about the job and this new opportunity at the MFA."

Related articles:
Genevieve's studies focus on museums (June 2007)
Genevieve graduates Cornell (May 2007)

California: September 2008

In mid-September, Dan traveled to California to visit with Marie - who was celebrating a birthday - her husband Brian and almost-two-year-old Xander, as well as Dan and Eyvonne.

Xander, his parents and Grandpa visited the Monterrey Aquarium and also took an excursion train ride that runs through Redwood forest near Felton, Calif.

Both Dan and Eyvonne are busy with both work and studies these days, as they pursue their college degrees. So their time was limited but they joined Dan, Marie and Brian for a nice long Saturday evening meal at an Italian restaurant in Gilroy.

Here are Dan's photos. As always, click once to play the slideshow, twice to go to the album on Picasa for larger images. (Videos are in another post.)

Videos from California, September 2008

From Dan's visit to California... Here are a couple of videos of Xander, at home but on the move!

In memory of Austin

Family members gathered at Resurrection Church in Rye, N.Y., on Sept. 27, 2008, to say farewell to Austin, father of Austin and Owen, grandfather of Rachel, Gerrit and Lizzie, brother of Daniel and Anamarie, and "Uncle Austin" to so many of us. Born Nov. 20, 1917, Austin passed away on Sept. 9.

We have dedicated a page to Austin's memory and invite all family members to write in to add their remembrances.

Settling in to a new home

Cathy, Christopher and Stephanie have settled in to a new home and new routines in Hilliard, Ohio, near Columbus, where Cathy was relocated by her employer over the summer.

These pictures of their new house were taken in June 2008 at the start of the moving process.







This is Hayden Falls, at a park in Hilliard.

Midsummer on Long Island

Summer is coming to and end but here's a look back at the week of July 26-Aug. 2.

(Click once to see the slideshow on this page, or double-click to go to the photo album for larger images.)

Visiting northern neighbors: Saratoga, Quebec, Maine

Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy took a road trip north this summer, starting with a visit to Aunt Pat at her home in Malta, N.Y. They enjoyed a pre-season festival day at Saratoga Racetrack and visited Saratoga Spa State Park. From there, D&J&C&A headed north into Canada, stopping briefly in Montreal and then spending two nights in Quebec. Next it was down to Maine, where after an unsuccessful attempt to find moose in the woods, they visited the coast at New Harbor.

We're planning to post a more complete travelogue, but meantime here's a slideshow of some of the photos from the trip. Click once to start the slideshow; if you click it again, it will take you to bigger versions of the photos in our Picasa album.

Dolores and Rehoboth Art League present annual outdoor show

As chairwoman of the Rehoboth Art League, Dolores was busy this month with the league's 35th Annual Outdoor Fine Art and Fine Craft Exhibit.

The Cape Gazette, an area weekly newspaper, carried a report on the show. The original article had photos but unfortunately they're not available online.

The article begins:

There’s something magical about the Rehoboth Art League’s outdoor shows where more than 100 artists present their works on three and a half beautiful acres surrounded by tall trees and flowering gardens. Drawing thousands of people annually, the two-weekend event is a highlight of each summer season.

If the first weekend is any indication, this year’s 35th Annual Outdoor Fine Art and Fine Craft Exhibit will be among the most successful ever, said Chairwoman Dolores Andrew.

Read the full article on the Cape Gazette web site, or in our archives.