Groundhog sees his shadow; early Spring coming?

Although generally a mild winter so far for Chester County, the Commonwealth’s most famous groundhog predicted Friday that an early Spring would come this year. Pennsylvania’s very own world-famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring after not seeing his shadow this morning at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney — marking the 21st time Phil has not seen his shadow during the...

ReFirement at Any Age: The season of renewal

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times Did the warm winds ever leave? In our area, if felt like the season of winter never showed up, at least weather-wise. Regardless of the lack of snow and consecutive cold days, there were more hours of darkness to contend with, which affects our mood. Gloomy days lead to gloomy ways of thinking, so in spite of the mild weather, we had to work extra hard to...

On Your Table: A hearty taste of spring, Asparagus soup

By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times : It’s spring and asparagus leek chowder is on the menu for weekday supper. Steamed, sautéed, roasted or grilled — asparagus takes on differently delicious qualities depending on how you cook it. Roasting and grilling turns asparagus almost sweet. Steamed, it retains the heart of its natural flavor.  Please, please don’t boil these lovely...

On Your Table: Orzo Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp

By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Asparagus and shrimp risotto made with orzo instead of rice yields a quick main course bursting with spring flavors. Just as the weather is finally warming up, local asparagus is starting to come into farmers markets and supermarket shelves. The sight of their bright green spears makes everyone’s heart sing at the end of a long winter of root vegetables,...

Mother Nature Spring(ing) a major Nor’easter on Chester County

The National Weather Service forecast for snow accumulation across the county. Spring sprung at exactly 12:15 p.m. today, but somehow the weather forecast missed it, as a powerful Nor’easter appears to be aiming right at Chester County. Unlike the last few storms where the county got off relatively easy, this one looks to pack a punch with as much as a foot (or more) of snow, ice, and winds during...

Don’t Retire, ReFire: ‘Spring’ into Spring

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times Although Spring will not officially begin for another two weeks, we can now see the light at the end of the “winter tunnel!”  The days are getting longer. The birds are chirping louder and I even saw some growth popping out of the ground!  It’s great to think about these things, in anticipation, particularly since, as I’m writing, it’s snowing! Have...

All About Connecting: Love is in the air

By Nancy Plummer, Columnist, The Times Ok…so, it’s been a baffling few months weather-wise, but let me assure you now that Spring is definitely here, and love is in the air! From tulips, azaleas, and pink dogwood trees painting our landscape with such romantic colors and aromas, and seemingly every animal in the Kingdom chasing females around to procreate, it’s no surprise we mere mortals are...

On Your Table: Spring greens are on the scene

Your local framers market is filled with fresh local veggies By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Green hues of spring vegetables make for bright, light salads Photo courtesy of Once Upon a Chef. Spring, now that it finally appears to be here, is the season to lighten up after cooking comforting, hearty dishes all winter long.  And, with Earth Day just upon us, budding trees remind...

Spring into Wellness

A change in seasons can mean a change in our lives By Dr. Matthew Lapp, MS DC, Columnist, The Times Spring is in the air!  Winter has been cold, wet, and biting and now it seems that warm, sunny days are just around the corner.  Similarly, just as nature responds to the seasons of the year, our lives are also influenced by our season of life. In the song Turn! Turn! Turn! (adapted from The Bible,...