Christmas Eve Eve and and parts of the nation, including Pennsylvania, is experiencing a bomb cyclone - a rapidly strengthening storm. While you know we do encourage people to play outside whenever possible when the weather predictions are for such ferocious winds and low temperatures, it can definitely be unwise. So please do be cautious if you venture outdoors. I daresay many organized events will already have been cancelled or at least postponed.

Last Sunday we went for a little drive and discovered a new accessible launch and are hoping to score an affordable accessible kayak set-up so Bill might take advantage of this local launch. Access to the water is something we at PPFF strive to create. Currently, we are working to raise funds for our next launch at Hills Creek State Park. Chip in at the special campaign for this purpose.

Phyllis Terchanik's foggy morning sunrise from her favorite park is absolutely marvelous. You can just see a little bit of snow on the ground across the lake if you click to the original and zoom in. Which I hope you will - and enjoy a jigsaw of it for good measure!

While on the subject of accessibility, through the transom this week came an interesting blog post from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which is, you probably already know, devoted to issues of health care and healthy living in general. The post talks about, at least on the surface, their decision to update their graphic on equity v. equality. It ends by sharing a little bit of the process of creating an inclusive environment, both visual and IRL. 

Shown first is their original graphic. Then the two updated versions that arose from the process.

And the subject of infographics and biking brings us to the formal announcement of DCNR's ebike policy for their managed trails.

So it's two days before Christmas, you're busy and it might be tough to even Take FIVE this week. So I truncated the number of photos into this one big wow! Frost, evergreens, clear water of the lake at Little Buffalo, and, oh what the heck let's throw in an eagle in flight. 

Great catch, Scotty Rhodes. My gift to you all - a second jigsaw for when you really can take a moment and just sit for a spell!

Easy peasy - in what year did Mont Alto become a state park? 1902. 

Every year about this time we pay tribute to Mira Lloyd Dock, born Christmas Day in 1853. We've added many subscribers (THANK YOU) over the past year and so many may not know who she is or what her contributions to Pennsylvania's environmental movement may have been. SO. No trivia quiz this week - just the suggestion to visit the Pennsylvania's Conservation Heritage website and check out the short "Beautiful Crusade" documentary that tells a small part of her story. While you're there, you might view the other films and read up a little on our other conservation heroes. You'll find some neat stuff! 

And we'll pick up with regular trivia in the New Year, I promise!

Ornament from Sinnemahoning State Park