Tag Archives: pennsylvania

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deer prudence

deer steaksoh deer god!

Got back to chez-grimm, cleaned off the cow slobber and relaxed for the afternoon.

A call comes in from Chad’s brother-in-law and I soon hear that he’s en-route over with a deer… a dead one of course. His friend who owed him a favor had nabbed one in West Virginia earlier that day. (it’s deer season there a week earlier than in PA).

Kevin suggests that I stay in the house and wagers that “deer processing” will send me to the bathroom up-chucking my lunch.

I love a dare.

Chad’s dad is ready for the arrival in the garage with hack saw, knives and specially designed deer carcass hanger which is attached to an overhead beam.

I stood there and witnessed the “subject” go from Bambi, to Hell Raiser prop to “meat” like you’d see at the store.

Father Grimm knows his way around a deer’s anatomy like a pro – and disassembles the animal with Hanibal Lecter accuracy and efficiency. (note to self – NEVER PISS OFF CHAD’S DAD).

Surprisingly I didn’t get too squeamish at the sights, but the sounds were unexplainably… well… creepy.

The useable meat was cut from the body, stored in a trash bag and carried off by Chad’s mom. Legs, head, and other unusable parts were put in another bag.

The men returned into the house after cleaning up the garage and some of the fresh meat was prepared – pan fried, served with a meat-drippings sauce.

I tried a piece.. It was good…

I won the dare… And I experienced something I normally wouldn’t.

Thank goodness Kev didn’t dare me not to not-blog about this.

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lactose tollerant

#2249 says hello

Chad’s mom retired from the Connelsville School District about four years ago. “Not working” for a year drove her PA-mountain folk sensibilities crazy, so she took a part time job at a near by dairy farm taking care of calfs. She feeds them, gives immunizations and assists in birthing the occasional calf.

This morning we got to tour the farm and visit the little mini-moos in her charge. I’ve never been to a dairy farm before. My only exposure to livestock has been limited to the meat counter at the supermarket.

moo

The farm was a series of very large, somewhat weathered buildings connected by gravel drives. The building where they keep the calfs looks like a big greenhouse lined with two rows of square metal pens.

There’s cats…. EVERYWHERE… Apparently they’re good for pest control. At any given time on the tour we’re shadowed by about 6 of them – either curious or looking for a hand out.

The milking room looks like a mix between a set from an Aliens movie and a Jiffy Lube. The lighting is too demure for me to get a good photo but I linger around looking at the complicated matrix of tubes and shiny stainless fixtures. The equipment is loud – and the air feels like New Orleans in July. 

A mischievous glint jumps across mother Grimm’s eyes as she hands us two buckets filled with cartoon-scaled baby bottles…. “Ever feed a calf before?” – she asks, knowing full well that none of us have.

We head to a small circular structure containing six pens. This is where they keep the calfs which have been sold and are awaiting pick-up.

I try to avoid eye contact and busy myself with the camera as Chad and Kevin feed two of the calfs… but my busy-butting is foiled – and before I know it, the camera is snatched from my hands and replaced with TWO bottles.

I can’t help but giggle as these two slobber-machines go at it with such enthusiasm that it’s hard to keep a hold on the bottles. Meanwhile a neighboring calf nudges my side and Chad’s mom laughs from the wide-eyed look on my face.

We finish up our tour and head to a tiny mountain-top diner for lunch where everyone knows everyone – except for the strangers from St. Louis with cow slobber on their jackets.

“Betcha them low-land city-dwellers will write about this in some kind of computer journal!”

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ressonance

mount tabor

My mom tells me that my grandmother always used to say if she hadn’t chose to live in Missouri, she would have lived in Pennsylvania.

The first time I experienced PA was about 6 years ago when I was still working with the architectural photographer. We had a shoot in Scranton, afterward we explored the outlying area. The beauty of the countryside really hit me – but thanks to my 20-something attention span, I didn’t dwell on it.

A few years later I visited the Poconos Mountains. – Again, I was struck by the beauty of the state.

Last year we traveled for the first time to meet Chad’s family… This time, thanks to a little more maturity, my feelings really made me sit up and take notice.

There’s more at play here than simply being moved by a region

Grimm Family Home

‘s beauty. For example, I love the Pacific Northwest – I think the area is breathtaking and it’s on our regular vacation hit-list… But the feelings that surface when I’m in PA are different… More base… Almost like an instinctual “ping” of HOME.

Chad’s family live about an hour outside of Pittsburgh in the mountains. The closest town, at the bottom of the mountain on which they reside, is called Connelsville. It’s a tiny community – but still unfortunately not immune to the American Mono-Culture. A Pizza-Hut and McDonnald’s scar the town’s main street, and there’s a Wal-Mart on the outskirts of town. Despite this, there’s still tiny mom and pop shops and restaurants.

You can see where the term “Pennsylvania Dutch” came from. The folks here are a sturdy people. The wear and tear of hard honest work can be seen on their friendly faces.

Chad’s family home was built by hand by his parents. It’s a story and a half frame home with wood thatching and wrap around porch. Inside every wall is paneled in knotty pine and historic farm implements adorn the walls. It’s cozy and comforting.

Don’t let the rustic veneer fool you though. The family room is outfitted with a state of the art home entertainment center, the kitchen has new stainless appliances and there’s always a phone jack nearby… Convenient for me to hook up the laptop and not blog.

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little humans

toddler pic or kitchen ad

Up early and went and got the oil changed in the car…. Meanwhile, Chad and Kevin did laundry and payed with the niece. While waiting on the dryer – I photo documented more of the toddler with the frequency and enthusiasm of a Japanese tourist on meth. Little Jessie must think that her one uncle has a camera permanently attached to his face.

Kids are so cool. I don’t know if I’m made of the right stuff to have one myself. Then again – I don’t think most parents say to themselves “We’d be ideal parents, lets breed!” From what I can tell – the parents grow and develop just as much as the little humans they create.

We get on the road by 3pm and get lost twice – but eventually find ourself on the PA-Turnpike and on-target to Chad’s family’s home.

I love Pennsylvania – the moment we cross into the state and the land rises around us I get this funky resonance. It very hard to explain – but I plan to tackle and articulate these feelings later…. Not like I’d use the blog-trend as a vehicle to work these things out or anything.