Seven on Saturday: Things I Like About Pennsylvania

 Oops. I forgot to post my Five on Friday this week... To make it up to you I'm giving you not just one, but TWO extra points! Yes, you heard right. It's Seven on Saturday! lol

This week was pretty unusual. We have dubbed it "Pennsylvania Week" here in Wyoming. Three different families that we knew from our time in PA came through town on their vacations, and we were able to meet up with each of them. It was really great to see them all and reconnect a little bit, and we had some fun times at supper, the rodeo and the frozen yogurt bar. We were even honored to host one of the couples at our home for one night. They surprised us in the morning with a straight-from-Pennsylvania Shoo-Fly Pie. They brought it with them on the plane. It was quite the treat, and completely unexpected! (Thanks, guys! It was still very fresh and awesomely delicious!)

I much prefer living in the west compared to living in Pennsylvania. But, of course, I still hold some fondness for the area in which I grew up. So many memories there.

So, in honor of our visitors, here are
Five Seven! Things I Like About Pennsylvania:

#7 - Farms. So many farms. I love farms.

#6 - Fresh produce! With so many farms, and gardens that grow so easily in the rich soil, and orchards full of fruit trees, there is such an abundance of readily-available fresh produce. And it is lovely. (I do miss that.)

#5 - Roadside stands. Where the farmers sell their produce. Seems like there is one on every corner.

#4 - Greenery. PA is GREEN. Lots of rain + lots of good soil = GREEN. And in the fall, I loved seeing those green leaves change all sorts of colors. So pretty.

#3 - Fireflies. Or lightning bugs, as we always called them. They're everywhere in PA for a few weeks each summer. We used to spend lots of evenings chasing them down and catching them in jars (or our bare hands). I wish my kids could do that! But we don't have them in Wyoming. I wonder why? I always assumed they were everywhere, until I lived out here.

#2 - The food. Pennsylvania Dutch style food. Is. Amazing. Lots of good cooks around there. (I get food like that out here because I know how to make it myself. But there are a few things that I have not figured out how to duplicate. Like Ham Loaf. (Any of my PA friends reading this have a good recipe for ham loaf???)

#1 - Family! With the exception of just a few people, almost all of our family lives in PA. That is, most assuredly, the best thing that state has going for it (in my mind). Oh, and I like my friends in PA too, of course. :)

Well, there you have it.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go have some lunch. Which is going to include a slice of Shoo-Fly Pie for dessert.