Photo by Richard Zitrick

Promised Land State Park

Bill and I enjoyed a couple of beautiful bike rides this week as the heat seems to have broken at least here in the lovely Laurel Highlands. Alas, the super moon was not visible at all here, nor was NASA's launch from Wallops Island. We had high hopes as a few years ago we did actually see one of the unusual westward launches. No love from the cloud cover this time. 

What are our chances of seeing the Perseids next weekend? Hmmm. 

Rich & Suzanne Zitrick were out and about once again and sending the photos to prove it - the masthead shows their wrap-up to Lakes Appreciation Month at Promised Land State Park near the Snow Shanty Boat Launch. 

If you have ever visited Susquehannock State Park in Lancaster County, you know that its most striking feature is the view of the Susquehanna it offers. Historic buildings, lovely trails offering panoramic views, and peaceful picnic pavilions are all on offer. What is NOT on offer - at least until now - is an environmental education facility. That has changed, thanks to a grant to PPFF from Bells Brewery to fund purchase of a hands-on Enviroscape model demonstrating the effects of stormwater runoff and the materials to construct 20 nifty convertible wooden teaching benches.

Assistant Park Manager Nathaniel Brown says, "These benches [will] be placed at Hawk Point to provide seating and a workspace for students and program attendees. There is currently no teaching station at Susquehannock State Park; these benches would provide a much-needed resource for facilitating environmental education. They provide flexibility in that they can be placed anywhere in the day use areas in the park and convert from benches to tables."

And thanks to park staff taking care of the construction of the benches, approval of this grant was really a no-brainer! Thank you, Bells Brewery and Susquehannock State Park!

Seems yet again the shortage of lifeguards is impacting state park (and indeed many municipal) swimming pools. An announcement of a revised schedule at Little Buffalo State Park comes from our friends at PennLive. It seems to make some sense to call ahead to your favorite park to make sure the pool is operational, especially now that a lot of the college-aged 'guards are headed back to campus.

WGAL-8 in Lancaster has been sharing an Explore Outdoors series for a while now and the latest installment takes us to Swatara State Park. Check it out - and search "Explore Outdoors" on the website to catch up on previous episodes.

We head for the middle of August for our look ahead this week. See if you can tell what activity I've a mind to do.

Put a bookmark on the PPFF Events calendar and DCNR Calendar of Events so you never miss an announcement.

It was noted that my question last week might have been a trick question. I don't think so as I was very particular in that I asked what a luna moth eats, not the caterpillar from which it emerges. The moth itself? Eats nothing. It has no mouth. It lives fewer than 10 days. Which makes a person who sees one very lucky indeed. 

Congratulations to Sylvia M., our randomly chosen July winner.

To kick off August then we'll turn over the emcee mantle to masthead photographer Rich Zitrick, who posed an interesting question sure to spark debate. Which two Pennsylvania state parks are closest together?

Enter each week to increase your chances of a fabulous prize at the end of the month when I'll draw one entry from all correct answers received during the month.

Green boxes are pictures and news; blue boxes are events.

Quote: Attributed to Shannon L. Alder

Photo: Donna Gioia Volpe Photography

(I was scouting about for a good Super Sturgeon Moon photo in the parks or forests and found this one of a barely visible pink outline over Reading's famous Pagoda. Delightfully unusual.)