In the morning, upon awakening

By Steven Brodsky

… there are those who will desire fellowship with the Lord, as will the speaker in this hymn:

A number of this column’s readers will be in fellowship with the Lord on mornings to come, via prayer and reading the Bible!

Posted 6-16-25

With Father’s Day weekend 2025 near

By Steven Brodsky

… a movie recommendation: The Forge.

https://biblehub.com/proverbs/27-17.htm

How should I understand the concept of the Father God? | GotQuestions.org

Posted 6-12-25

The time that is set aside for a ‘sweet hour of prayer’

By Steven Brodsky

… allows for a time of communion with Him, the eternal God of the Bible.

“Sweet Hour of Prayer” has stood the test of (temporal) time: The hymn’s lyrics, by William W. Walford, a blind preacher, were first published in the Observer on September 13, 1845.

Posted 6-10-25

The Hoppers to perform a concert in Coleman Park (located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania) on Sunday, June 22, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

… The concert will start at 6:00 p.m.

There will be no admission charge. Pay-what-you-will.

Visit https://musicinthepark.net/event/the-hoppers/ for additional information.

Posted 6-9-25

The testimony-as-song lyrics

By Steven Brodsky

… in Ben Fuller’s “Since Jesus” syncs with the life experiences of other born again followers of Jesus, including some of the frequent visitors to this page of the Entertainment, Culture and More column.

Posted 6-5-25

‘NO PRISONER’

By Steven Brodsky

Wow:

“Oh my future’s not my past / I’m not going back,” sings Stephen McWhirter in “NO PRISONER.”

Those words can be said by readers of this column who know God as their Lord and Savior.

https://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html

Posted 6-1-25

Rivers of living water

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… flow from the depths of believers in Jesus.

See John 7:38: https://biblehub.com/nasb/john/7-38.htm.

How wonderful!

If you have questions about John 7:38, visit: https://www.gotquestions.org/rivers-of-living-water.html.

Posted 5-29-25

Column readers who’ve ever expressed hard-fought hallelujahs

By Steven Brodsky

… will likely find this video of Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll performing “Hard Fought Hallelujah” at the Grand Ole Opry to be especially resonant:

Posted 5-16-25

God’s ‘path of life’

By Steven Brodsky

Psalm 16:11: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

The center of God’s “path of life” is the best place to be!

Posted 5-13-25

Actually, I believe that more than 10,000 reasons could be found by some believers and followers of God, if they were given sufficient time (and maybe some godly coaching assistance)

By Steven Brodsky

… reasons for them to bless and worship the Lord!

May we continue to find many compelling reasons to bless and worship the Lord!

Posted 5-8-25

Magnolia trees will be in bloom

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… this season, spring, in regions where most of this column’s readers reside.

Magnolias in bloom are beautiful.

Also beautiful, is the autobiographical story of a “magnolia mother’s love” lyricized in this song: Billy Joe Shaver Magnolia Mother’s Love (youtube.com).

This spring and in the seasons to come, may agape love be in abundant bloom in our lives.

https://www.gotquestions.org/agape-love.html

Posted 4-9-25

As spring has sprung

By Steven Brodsky

… in the Northern Hemisphere and the earth is bringing “forth her bud,” it’s especially opportune to share Isaiah 61:11.

Photo by Steven Brodsky

Isaiah 61:11: “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

Posted 3-25-25

Will you be going to ‘where the wicked shall cease their troubling’?

By Steven Brodsky

… That place: heaven.

Hopefully, we’ll meet there some day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09sWkMK4uY4

The above linked performance video of “The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling” featuring Jessy Dixon was previously linked in this section of the Entertainment, Culture and More column.

It came to mind as I was writing an article today that included an embed of “April Come She Will,” a Simon & Garfunkel song that was written by Paul Simon. That article appears at: Conversations With Writers And More delcoculturevultures.com.

It was then that I recalled that Paul Simon had seen Jessy Dixon in concert at Radio City Music Hall in 1972, and that Paul Simon invited Jessy Dixon to sing with him on Saturday Night Live, and that the two would go on to tour together in the U.S. and overseas for eight years.

Jessy Dixon passed away on September 26, 2011 at age 73.

Posted 3-14-25

In memory of someone that I cared deeply about 

By Steven Brodsky

… This person, whose name I will not reveal (out of deference to the person’s family), passed away soon after being placed for the first time onto a “hospice bed.”

A photo that I received of this person that was taken just prior to the person being assisted onto what would be the person’s deathbed, shows a terrified look on the person’s face.

I believe that the terrified look captured in the photo was at least in part due to the person’s not having made things right with God (as far as I know).

I would not presume to know how God judged my dear friend.

Terrifying to the maximum would be to hear God saying the words that appear in Matthew 7:23.

About those words: https://www.gotquestions.org/I-never-knew-you-depart-from-me.html.

Oh yes, dear readers, “love the people that God gives you”… “one day He’ll want them back.” Scroll down this page to read the article “Aaron Wilburn’s The People That God Gives You.”

I loved my friend; God has taken my friend back.

Posted 3-11-25

One of the blessings of the godly in more advanced years

By Steven Brodsky

… is the capacity to continue to bear (wonderful/prime) fruit.

What a blessing that is, as the psalmist no doubt had observed prior to penning Psalm 92!

Take special note of Psalm 92:14: https://www.blueletterbible.org/nlt/psa/92/1/s_570001.

Posted 1-22-25

Aaron Wilburn’s ‘The People That God Gives You’

By Steven  Brodsky

… was referenced here in the summer of 2020.

Circumstances of life have affirmed the value of the song’s message for me and many others.

I first heard “The People That God Gives You” on the syndicated radio show that Paul Heil hosted for many decades.

The song has continued to be a blessing to me (and I believe to some of the people that God has given me).

Be blessed.

1 John 4:7-8:

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Paul Heil was interviewed for this column in 2018 and 2016. The interviews are accessible at: https://delcoculturevultures.com/2017/03/14/a-conversation-with-paul-heil-host-of-the-gospel-greats-syndicated-radio-show/.

Posted 9-5-24

‘Sweeter than honey’

By Steven Brodsky

… was the taste of God’s words to the psalmist.

Psalm 119:103: ^“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

This verse came to my mind while I was enjoying a spoonful of wildflower honey a few minutes ago.

Some of this column’s readers will recall the verse the next time they taste honey.

And some will recall the verse when they next taste the sweetness of the Bible.

Posted 8-27-24

Day and night in the great outdoors

By Steven Brodsky

… readers of this column can look at the sky and be reminded of this Bible verse: https://biblehub.com/daniel/12-3.htm.

Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Why does Christ’s righteousness need to be imputed to us? | GotQuestions.org

The Bible and spending time in the great outdoors, perfect together.

Posted 6-15-25

Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives approves a bill that would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban

By Steven Brodsky

This news release was issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission on June 11, 2025:

SUNDAY HUNTING BILL PASSES HOUSE

Legislation that would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban passed the state House of Representatives today and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Introduced by Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, House Bill 1431 was approved by the House Game and Fisheries Committee June 3 and sent to the Senate today by a vote of 131-72.

This bill is identical to Senate Bill 67, introduced in March by Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie. The Game Commission supports both bills, either of which would end the state’s prohibition on Sunday hunting and allow the Game Commission to include Sundays when establishing hunting seasons annually.

While there long have been Sunday hunting opportunities for foxes, coyotes and crows, and Act 107 of 2019 cleared the way for additional hunting on three designated Sundays, Sunday hunting otherwise is prohibited in Pennsylvania, one of the last remnants of the state’s “blue laws.”

The initiative to repeal the ban has a broad base of support behind it. Many sportsmen’s groups back the proposal, as does the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. The Game Commission has been working with this coalition to get the bill across the finish line, an outcome that would benefit hunters and help ensure the future of wildlife management.

Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith expressed the agency’s support for the proposal.

“Though hunters play an active role in helping to manage wildlife populations, through the purchase of their licenses and other revenue they generate, they also fund wildlife conservation at a larger scale, for all species,” Smith said. “For those reasons and others, it’s important to keep hunters engaged and providing the valuable service they do. These bills would help accomplish that. One of the biggest reasons hunters stop hunting is a lack of time. While no one can add hours to the day or days to the week, removing the prohibition on Sunday hunting holds the potential to add significantly more time to the hunting calendar and keep hunters hunting. On behalf of the Game Commission and hunters all across the Commonwealth, I sincerely thank Representative Steele for introducing this legislation, Chairwoman Anita Kulik for her leadership in guiding it through the House Game and Fisheries Committee, and all the members who supported this important initiative.”

Posted 6-13-25

It’s natural

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… pun intended, for some of the readers of this column to think about Bible verses when spending time in the great outdoors.

In the coming months, many of you will be in the field and on waterways.

In those places, Revelation 4:11 (and other Bible verses) may come to mind.

Revelation 4:11: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

A great pairing: the Bible and enjoyment of the great outdoors!

Posted 6-3-25

In support of the Brandywine Conservancy’s open space and clean water programs, the 94th Radnor Hunt Races took place on Saturday, May 17, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

At the 94th Radnor Hunt Races
Photo by Steven Brodsky

… Wow, what a successful and enjoyable steeplechase event it was!

From a Brandywine Conservancy news release:

Chadds Ford, PA, May 21, 2025 — A sunny day set the stage for another successful running of the Radnor Hunt Races on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Supporting the open space and clean water programs of the Brandywine Conservancy, the annual steeplechase event celebrated its 94th year with the finest thoroughbred horses, riders and trainers from across the country competing in five thrilling jump races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association and the prestige of $120,000 in purse money. The day also featured the fifth annual Katherine W. Illoway Memorial Invitational Sidesaddle Race, the crowd favorite parade of foxhounds, and the return of the adorable pony races.

Built on a rich history of horse racing that has been cultivated in this region for nearly 100 years, the Radnor Hunt Races are supported by the legacy of permanently protecting the stunning open spaces that make this region such a beautiful place to call home. For the past 45 years, the Radnor Hunt Races has been “Racing for Open Space” in support of the Brandywine Conservancy’s open space and clean water programs. Since 1967, the Conservancy has protected over 70,700 acres of open space—including the Radnor Hunt racecourse itself and surrounding lands. As a key fundraiser for the Conservancy each year, the Radnor Hunt Races also support the organization’s critical work to improve and safeguard water quality, as well as its efforts to provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and engage landowners in stewardship of their land in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.

“This marks the 45th year that the Radnor Hunt Races has been Racing for Open Space in support of the Brandywine Conservancy, a beloved tradition that wouldn’t be possible without all of our generous sponsors, partners, purse donors, and patrons,” said Christy Wray Greenberg, Associate Director of Fundraising Events and Sponsorship for the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. “We also thank our staff, the Radnor Hunt Races committee, Willistown Boy Scout Troop 78, and the dozens of other volunteers who work so hard to make this event possible each year.”

To date, the event has raised over $5.6 million for the Conservancy’s clean water and open space programs. Held annually on the third Saturday in May, the Radnor Hunt Races will return for its 95th year on May 16, 2026, in Willistown Township, Chester County. For more information, visit www.radnorhuntraces.org.

The 94th Radnor Hunt Races were made possible thanks to the generous support of its sponsors and purse donors. Corporate sponsors include Lamborghini Philadelphia, Black Stallion Estate Winery / Woodford Reserve, Revivalist Garden Gin, JPMorganChase, Berkadia, Fox Rothschild, B&D Builders LLC, dfYOUNG, Lockton, The Cross Family & The Frick Family, Porsche Main Line, RDS INEOS Grenadier, Bryn Mawr Trust, Oola Bowls + Ice Miller & Claytor Plastic Surgery / Warren Claytor Architects. Additional support was provided by the Race’s event sponsors, including Ironhorse Farms, Greg & Caroline Bentley and Andrew Bentley; Cherry Knoll Farm, Revivalist Garden Gin, Peter Zimmerman Architects, Anne & David L. Hain Jr., 1883 Foundation, The Agnes Irwin School, Bechtel Excavating, Brosnan Dental, John B. Ward & Co., The National Bank of Malvern, Warren Claytor Architects, Glenn and Lili Pew, Boothwyn Pharmacy, Charles C. Coyne, and Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld. Media partners include Today Media—Delaware Today, Main Line Today, The Hunt—and County Lines Magazine. Purse donors include Mrs. Brice M. Clagett; Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Collins; Mr. & Mrs. Henry Lafayette Collins, III; John & Marlou Gregory; Mr. & Mrs. Perry Gresh; Mr. & Mrs. David L. Hain, Jr.; Mr. & Mrs. N. Peter Hamilton; Mr. & Mrs. Bill Marvin; Quaker City Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Collin F. McNeil; Dr. Suzanne K. Moore & Mr. Keith W. Moore; Mr. George Strawbridge, Jr.; The Willistown Mens’ Club; and Mrs. Diana S. Wister. Additional thanks go out to Alliance Productions, Brandywine Electronics, Broad Street Brewing, Fenceworks, Little’s John Deere, Miller Brothers, Peace Products, Radnor Hunt Pony Club, Rajant, Stoney Bank Nurseries, and Willistown Troop 78.

Posted 5-21-25

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission has renewed the accreditation of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art

By Steven Brodsky

I’m happy to share this news release from the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art with the readers of the Entertainment, Culture and More column:

Chadds Ford, PA, May 13, 2025 — The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is pleased to announce it has achieved renewal of its accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. The prestigious land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national high-quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever.

Since 1967, the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art has been a leader in protecting and conserving the land, water, natural and cultural resources in southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware—with over 70,700 acres of open space permanently protected to date. It was also one of the first conservation organizations to be awarded accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2008. Since then, the Brandywine Conservancy has successfully completed the rigorous accreditation renewal process three times, maintaining its accreditation status for nearly two decades.

“We are thrilled to have received our third accreditation renewal through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission,” commented Stephanie Armpriester, Director of Conservation and Stewardship at the Brandywine Conservancy. “This award is an affirmation of our commitment to excellence in all aspects of our innovative conservation work and serves as a guiding framework for maintaining the highest national standards that the Brandywine has consistently maintained over the years.”

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs every five years. During the renewal process, the Brandywine provided extensive documentation and was subject to a comprehensive third-party evaluation prior to achieving this distinction. The process also allowed Brandywine staff the opportunity to review and revise its current organizational policies and standards to ensure it was continuing to meet and exceed the highest accreditation standards set forth by the Land Trust Alliance. As a result of these efforts, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission awarded renewal accreditation, signing its confidence in the Brandywine’s capability to protect land and steward its easements in perpetuity. Accredited land trusts now steward more than 50 million acres—that’s approximately 23 times the size of Yellowstone National Park.

“This accreditation renewal not only acknowledges our past work, but it also ensures that the Brandywine continues to hold itself to the highest professional standards in the land trust field now and in the future,” noted Grant DeCosta, Director of Community Services at the Brandywine Conservancy. “It provides confidence to our landowners, constituents, members and donors that this organization can and will responsibly fulfill the promise of preserving and stewarding natural resources for generations to come.”

“The role of renewing accreditation has always been to maintain public trust in the accreditation seal by ensuring accredited land trusts continue to meet national standards,” said Melissa Kalvestrand, executive director of the Commission. “The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art has been part of this program for more than 15 years and we are proud to recognize its commitment to conservation excellence.”

A complete list of accredited land trusts and more information about the process and benefits can be found at www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

About the Brandywine Conservancy:

The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds more than 510 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of over 70,700 acres of land. The Conservancy is a program of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.

About the Land Trust Accreditation Commission:

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission inspires excellence, promotes public trust and ensures permanence in the conservation of open lands by recognizing organizations that meet rigorous quality standards and strive for continuous improvement. The Commission, established in 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts. For more, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org.

Posted 5-19-25

A reminder from the Pennsylvania Game Commission to leave young wildlife alone

By Steven Brodsky

For the benefit of young wildlife and the readers of this column, I’m sharing this just-issued news release from the Pennsylvania Game Commission in its entirety:

SPRINGTIME ALERT: LEAVE YOUNG WILDLIFE ALONE

Whether in their backyards or high on a mountain, it’s almost certain Pennsylvanians will encounter young wildlife this time of year.

While some young animals might appear to be abandoned, usually they are not. It’s likely their mothers are watching over them from somewhere nearby.

So when encountering young wild animals, whether deer, birds, raccoons or something else, the best thing you can do is leave them alone.

“During this time of year, it’s common for people to see young wildlife and mistakenly assume that they are abandoned or in need of help,” said Matthew Schnupp, the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Management Director. “As well-intentioned as they are in trying to help these animals, the reality is that the mother is probably nearby and waiting for you to leave so she can return. The best approach when encountering any wildlife is to simply let them be.”

Adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food, but they don’t go far and they do return. Wildlife also often relies on a natural defensive tactic called the “hider strategy,” where young animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention of potential predators or other intruders away from their young.

Deer employ this strategy, and deer fawns sometimes are assumed to be abandoned when, in fact, their mothers are nearby.

The Game Commission urges Pennsylvanians to resist the urge to interfere with young wildlife or remove any wild animal from its natural setting.

Such contact can be harmful to both people and wildlife. Wild animals can lose their natural fear of humans, making it difficult, even impossible, for them to ever again live normally in the wild. And anytime wildlife is handled, there’s always a risk people could contract diseases or parasites such as fleas, ticks and lice.

Wildlife that becomes habituated to humans also can pose a public-safety risk. Some years ago, a yearling, six-point buck attacked and severely injured two people. The investigation into the incident revealed that a neighboring family had illegally taken the deer into their home and fed it as a fawn, and they continued to feed the deer right up until the time of the attack.

It is illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. Under state law, the penalty for such a violation is a fine of up to $1,500 per animal.

Under no circumstances will anyone who illegally takes wildlife into captivity be allowed to keep that animal, and under a working agreement with state health officials, any “high risk” rabies vector species confiscated after human contact must be euthanized and tested; none can be returned to the wild because the risk of spreading disease is too high.

Animals infected with rabies might not show obvious symptoms, but still might be able to transmit the disease. Though any mammal might carry rabies, the rabies vector species identified in the agreement are: skunks, raccoons, foxes, bats, coyotes and groundhogs.

People can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if the saliva gets into the person’s eyes, mouth or a fresh wound.

Only wildlife rehabilitators, who are licensed by the Game Commission, are permitted to care for injured or orphaned wildlife for the purposes of eventual release back into the wild. For those who find wildlife that truly is in need of assistance, a listing of licensed wildlife rehabilitators can be found on the Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website, www.pawr.com.

If you are unable to identify a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, contact the Game Commission by phone at 1-833-PGC-WILD or 1-833-PGC-HUNT.

Posted 5-14-25

Are you ‘listening’ to the heavens’ declaration of the glory of God?

By Steven Brodsky

… Spring outdoor activities accompany opportunities to “hear” that declaration!

King David “heard” it.

Penned by King David, Psalm 19:1-3: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”

Posted 5-5-25

The Brandywine Conservancy has launched the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, an interactive website for those interested in the native plants of Pennsylvania and northern Delaware; the new website includes information on more than 250 native plant species

By Steven Brodsky

… The Brandywine Native Garden Hub website will be a great resource for many of you.

The Brandywine Conservancy issued this press release yesterday:

Chadds Ford, PA, April 14, 2025 — In celebration of National Gardening Month, the Brandywine Conservancy is thrilled to announce the launch of the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, a new online resource designed to inspire gardeners of all levels and skillsets. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a free, user-friendly website that serves as both an educational guide and an interactive database for anyone interested in incorporating native plants into their landscapes. Naturally occurring in a specific region without human intervention, native plants have adapted to the climate and soil over time, making them easier to grow and maintain, plus they directly benefit pollinators, wildlife, and the local ecology. With the Brandywine Native Garden Hub, users can search for and learn more about native plants specific to Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, save their favorites to personalized “Garden Boards,” and browse through a suite of educational resources to help enhance their gardening success.

“We are so excited to share the Brandywine Native Garden Hub with our broader community,” said Stephanie Armpriester, Director of Conservation and Stewardship at the Brandywine Conservancy. “Our main goal with this new website is to break down barriers for those interested in getting started with native plants and to provide them with all the tools they need to begin their garden journeys. With this accessible online resource, we hope to inspire beginners to join us in our important mission-related work in their own backyards and landscapes. It’s also a perfect companion tool to the slate of educational programs the Brandywine Conservancy offers around native plants throughout the year, as well as our annual Native Plant Sales, both here on our campus in Chadds Ford, PA and in Western Pennsylvania at our Penguin Court Preserve.”

Now available at www.NativeGardenHub.org, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub contains information on more than 250 native plant species found in our region. Each plant profile contains everything you need to know about the plant—from growing conditions to key attributes and wildlife benefits—along with photos that show different growth stages. Users can also personalize their searches by filtering for plants according to their garden’s specific growing conditions, including sunlight exposure, soil type, and soil moisture. Plants can even be sorted by the user’s preferred attributes and benefits, including plant type, height/width, peak bloom time, bloom color, deer resistance, fragrance, and more.

To help visualize and plan their dream gardens, users can create a free account to build personalized “Garden Boards” that are customized to their unique growing spaces. Boards can be curated for the spaces users currently have, the type of gardens they are looking to start—such as a container garden for smaller spaces or one designed to attract specific pollinators—or even boards for future garden inspiration. Once users set up their boards, they can “pin” their favorite plants while browsing to save them for building out their garden plans. Users can also add, edit, and create as many Garden Boards as they’d like, which can be referenced at any time on both desktop and mobile devices.

To equip users with even more tools for success during their gardening journeys, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub also features a wealth of educational resources. Users can dive into our beginners guide for getting started with native plants or browse through other articles, including topics on how to prep a container garden, tackling invasive species, and seasonal gardening tips. Additional articles will be published throughout the year for continued learning.

For more than five decades, the Brandywine Conservancy has been a trusted leader in growing and promoting the use, preservation, and appreciation of native plants. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is the latest extension of this work, providing a digital platform to help gardeners bring the benefits of native plants to their own landscapes. To start your journey with native plants, visit www.NativeGardenHub.org.

The launch of this new online resource also comes at the perfect time, right before the return of the Brandywine Conservancy’s annual Wildflower, Native Plant & Seed Sale on May 10-11, 2025 (with early member access available on May 9). Held outside in the Brandywine Museum of Art’s courtyard in Chadds Ford, PA, the sale includes a wide variety of native wildflowers, grasses, ferns, vines, shrubs and trees. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a great resource to reference in advance of the sale and can be used to create a “shopping list” with a custom Garden Board to bring to the event. More information on the Native Plant Sale can be found at www.brandywine.org/native-plant-sale.

Created by the Brandywine Conservancy, the Brandywine Native Garden Hub was designed and developed by Infantree—a creative agency based in Lancaster, PA—and made possible through a generous grant from the Allegheny Foundation.

About the Brandywine Conservancy:

The Brandywine Conservancy protects water, conserves land, and engages communities. The Conservancy uses a multi-faceted approach to conservation. Staff work with private landowners who wish to see their lands protected forever and provide innovative community planning services to municipalities and other governmental agencies. The Conservancy currently holds more than 510 conservation and agricultural easements and has facilitated the permanent preservation of over 70,200 acres of land. The Conservancy is a program of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.

Posted 4-15-25

It wasn’t you, nor was it me

By Steven Brodsky

… who made this tree:

Photo by Steven Brodsky

“Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees

The tree was photographed yesterday.

The Joyce Kilmer poem was published in August 1915.

This post originally appeared at: Conversations About Faith – delcoculturevultures.com.

Posted 3-25-24, Reposted and Revised 11-21-24

In a proper season

By Steven Brodsky

…  appeared this frog (and the shadow it cast upon a lotus leaf):

Photo by Steven Brodsky

Ecclesiastes 3 KJV (biblehub.com)

This post appeared in the Conversations About Faith section of this column.

Posted 4-25-24, Reposted and Revised 8-14-24

Exquisite is the monarch butterfly chrysalis stage

By Steven Brodsky

… as pictured here:

Photo by Steven Brodsky

I can’t say that I find the adult stage of the monarch butterfly to be more exquisite than the monarch chrysalis stage.

Which stage is more exquisite?

Not an easy question (for me) to answer.

It’s easier to simply enjoy seeing these two life stages of the monarch butterfly in the great outdoors!

Posted 8-7-24

Coming into the peace of some wild things

By Steven Brodsky

… with this photo and “The Peace of Wild Things”:

Photo by Steven Brodsky

Posted 7-9-24

Most people can relate

By Steven Brodsky

… to the kind of death that was experienced by the character in Seamus Heaney’s poem “Death of a Naturalist.”

Posted 7-12-22

A Conversation With Katie Fallon, Author of ‘Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird’

By Steven Brodsky

Katie Fallon is a co-founder of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. She’s worked with many species of raptors and other kinds of birds. Katie’s books include Cerulean Blues (2011) and the recently released Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. Her essays have appeared in a number of literary journals. She has a lifelong love of nature. I’ve heard that the first word she ever spoke was “bird.”

Your new book gives vultures, particularly turkey vultures, the positive attention these non-predator raptors deserve. What brought about your interest in these maligned birds?

I’ve been fascinated by vultures for at least fifteen years. There was a roost near where I lived in West Virginia; every day I’d drive by this big, old dead tree with ten or so turkey vultures hunched in it. They became a familiar sight, and I looked forward to seeing them. Vultures are big and kind of dramatic, and in flight, there’s nothing more beautiful. In addition, they’re the ultimate recyclers—they turn death into life.

Many people in the U.S. have an aversion to vultures. Speak about this.

I think vultures remind people of their own mortality. It can be a little creepy to think about a large, dark bird waiting to consume your body when you die. In general, I don’t think people in the US are comfortable with thinking of our bodies as food. Vultures remind us that life will continue after we die, and that some life will continue because we die. They remind us of our animal bodies. Which can be unnerving!

In the absence of vultures, we’d have major health issues to contend with. Tell us why.

Vultures clean up our ecosystems by removing animal carcasses that could potentially contaminate soil and water. They can eat animals that have died of anthrax and botulism. In the absence of vultures, mammalian scavengers could increase in number, and many mammalian scavengers such as raccoons, skunks, feral dogs and cats can spread rabies; vultures do not. Several vulture species in India have suffered catastrophic population crashes in the last twenty years, and public health has suffered. India leads the world in human rabies cases, and the number of cases has increased as the number of feral dogs increased in the absence of vultures.

People get close to vultures by attending your presentations that feature non-releasable birds. How are these birds acquired? How are they trained?

The nonprofit I co-founded, the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, keeps eight non-releasable raptors for educational purposes (you need permits from the US Fish & Wildlife Service to do this, of course – the birds aren’t pets or personal property). All of our birds were injured wild birds that cannot return to the wild. We have three vultures. Lew the turkey vulture was hit by a car and suffered an injury to his shoulder that prevents flight. His “girlfriend,” Boris, was shot in the wing, and by the time she reached us the bone had already healed incorrectly. Our black vulture is Maverick, and he was hit by a car, which resulted in a shoulder injury that prevents adequate flight.

Our birds are all trained using positive reinforcement. We avoid negative reinforcement and punishment, and we try to empower the birds to have some control over their environments. We condition behaviors by offering food rewards when the birds perform the behaviors. Vultures (especially our black vulture!) learn quickly, and they are a lot of fun to work with.

What myths and misunderstandings about vultures do these presentations help to dispel?

People are surprised at how clean and charismatic the vultures are – and how beautiful they are up close, despite their featherless heads.

What vulture behaviors do people find to be most interesting?

People often ask if vultures throw up on us; our education vultures usually don’t (unless they get scared). Vultures also expel liquid waste on their legs and feet, probably to clean them as well as to keep cool. This often fascinates people as well.

Which species of vulture are found in Pennsylvania and neighboring states?

We have turkey vultures and black vultures. During the last Ice Age we may have had California condors, too, and possibly some other now-extinct vultures.

What has been learned about migration of these species?

Hawk Mountain has taken the lead on turkey vulture migration research. Dr. Keith Bildstein and his team have placed transmitters and wing tags on turkey vultures all over the Americas. They’ve learned that our eastern turkey vultures are partial migrants—some spend the winters in Florida, some on the New Jersey shore, some in Virginia, and in many places in between. Many western turkey vultures are complete migrants, leaving their breeding ranges in Canada and heading all the way to South America. And still others in the American southwest migrate into Central America and return. It’s fascinating how the different subspecies have different migratory strategies. Dr. Bildstein and his colleagues have ongoing research projects about turkey vulture migration, and are discovering more all the time.

Vultures have spectacular flying ability. What makes this possible?

Turkey vultures are very light – they have almost the same wingspan as a bald eagle but weigh less than half what an eagle weighs. Their wings are long and broad, and are made for soaring.

How high can they fly?

The Ruppell’s vulture holds the record for the highest-flying bird. Unfortunately for that individual, it was hit and killed by a jet flying over Africa at 37,000 feet.

Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird informs readers about lead toxicity in vultures. What is the extent of the problem? How do vultures ingest lead?

Vultures (and eagles, hawks, crows, ravens, and owls) can ingest small pieces of spent lead ammunition in animal carcasses or “gut piles” left by hunters. When someone shoots a white-tailed deer, for example, the deer is usually field-dressed, and many of the organs are left. This can be a delight for vultures and other scavengers! In ecosystems, scavengers often follow the big predators to clean up the leftovers; here, the same thing is happening—a human is the big predator, a gut pile is the leftover, and a vulture or eagle is the scavenger. However, if small lead fragments are still in the gut piles, avian scavengers can inadvertently ingest the lead and become sick. Lead toxicity from spent ammunition is the biggest obstacle in the way of California condor recovery.

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia provides rehabilitation for injured birds. What kind of care do vultures receive?

We’ve treated vultures with a wide variety of injuries and ailments—broken bones, head trauma, lead toxicity, soft tissue injuries. Every bird we admit receives an immediate comprehensive examination by an avian veterinarian, and is then treated as necessary with antibiotics, antifungals, anti-inflammatories, fluid therapy, or chelation therapy. They also receive orthopedic surgery if necessary. We do our best to get the birds back out in the wild if possible.

It must be very joyful to enable an injured bird to regain flight ability. Please tell us about a memorable release.

Two and a half years ago we released a female turkey vulture that had been shot with a shotgun—she had three pellets embedded in soft tissue. We had to leave the pellets in her body because removing them would cause damage. Once she was nursed back to health, we released her wearing a transmitter to track her movements. We learned that she travels to northern Georgia in the winters and comes back to West Virginia in the breeding season. We are thrilled that this vulture was able to return to the wild—and thrive!

Vulture watching is growing in popularity. Turkey vultures are very widespread. Where are some of the best places and times to observe them?

In many parts of the southeastern United States, you can see turkey vultures any day of the year in a variety of habitats. In the winter, vultures can be observed roosting together in and near many cities: in Virginia, check out Leesburg, Staunton, Radford, Pulaski, and Charlottesville; in West Virginia, many vultures can be observed migrating in the fall over Hanging Rock Tower in Monroe County and over Harper’s Ferry in the eastern panhandle. During the summer and fall, the overlook at Cooper’s Rock State Forest near Morgantown, WV, is a sure place to see turkey vultures. Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, of course, is an excellent place to watch turkey vultures and birds of prey during migration, especially in September and October.

What stimulated your interest in nature?

I’ve always been an outdoors person. I grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, and I had horses as a kid. I spent a great deal of time with my horses, trail riding and competing, and when I got a bit older I often went hiking and camping with friends and family. One of my favorite childhood hiking spots was Ricketts Glen State Park—it’s filled with hemlock trees and many gorgeous waterfalls. It’s definitely worth checking out if you visit northeastern PA.

Was “bird” your first word?

Yes! My parents had bird feeders in their yard when I was a baby (well, they still do) and my mother says she used to hold me in front of the window to show me the birds at the feeder. One day, she said, “Look at the birds! Look at the birds outside.” And I nodded and said, “Bird.” I haven’t stopped talking about them since.

Katie Fallon’s website address is: www.katiefallon.com.

Posted 4-6-17, Reposted 10-29-19

The performance run of Servant Stage Company’s production of ‘Swing!’ ends on August 10, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

… Be advised, though, that the final weekend of performances of Swing! at Lancaster Alliance Church will be June 13 – June 15, 2025.

If you’ll be attending a performance of Swing! this Father’s Day weekend, expect to have a swingingly entertaining time at the show!

Visit Swing! — Servant Stage for additional information and a link to order tickets.

All tickets are pay-what-you-will, consistent with Servant Stage Company’s mission to make exceptional theatrical experiences accessible to everyone.

Posted 6-12-25

The winning songs from the 2024-2025 Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students will be performed by Broadway actors at a concert that will take place on June 16, 2025 in New York City at 7:30 p.m. ET

By Steven Brodsky

… Congratulations to the winning student songwriters!

Please share these links to the livestream of the June 16, 2025 concert with musical theatre fans that you know: arts.gov/songwriting and namt.org/challenge.

From a just-issued news release issued by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre:

Washington, DC and New York, NY— The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge for High School Students, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, returns to the stage with CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!, a concert celebrating the winning songs by high school songwriters from across the country. Musical theater fans will have the chance to see these fully orchestrated arrangements performed by Broadway artists such as Florencia Cuenca, Amina Faye, Claire Kwon, Carson Stewart and more on June 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET at New World Stages in New York City. The concert will also be available through a livestream at arts.gov/songwriting and namt.org/challenge.

The Winning Student Songwriters

The 2024-2025 winners represent six states and were selected by a panel of leaders in the musical theater field from 90 submissions: (grades and schools are as of the 2024-2025 school year

Judah Brown, an 11th grade student at Owasso Preparatory Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Gwendellyn Doerfler, a 12th grade student at Dewitt High School in Dewitt, Michigan

Sydney Gray, a 12th grade student at Fairhope High School in Fairhope, Alabama

Leela Kumar, an 11th grade student at Howell High School in Marlboro, New Jersey

Ali Lewis, a 12th grade student at Mercy McAuley High School in Cincinnati, Ohio

Sadie Shapiro, a 12th grade student at Montclair Kimberley Academy in Scotch Plains, New Jersey

Elaina Stuppler, an 11th grade student at Lakeridge High School in Lake Grove, Oregon

Karsten Wallace, an 11th grade student at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama

Excerpts of the winning song submissions and more information about the winners are available at namt.org. Winning students will come to New York City this weekend where they will work with mentors and musicians to hone their orchestrations while learning about process, technique and production. The 2025 Music Team includes Music Supervisor Dylan Glatthorn, Music Director Anessa Marie Scolpini, and mentors Andrea Daly, Timothy Huang and Jaime Lozano. The winning songs will be orchestrated by Faye Chiao, Teresa Lotz and Anessa Marie Scolpini. The concert casting director is Michael Cassara, CSA. More information about the Songwriting Challenge mentors is available here.

Broadway Stars Perform Winning Songs

The final compositions will be performed by Broadway artists for CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!, a concert on Monday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET, available to watch live and on-demand at arts.gov/songwriting and namt.org/challenge. In addition, each winning student will receive a scholarship of $2,500, provided by the NMPA S.O.N.G.S. Foundation.

At the June 16 concert, each student songwriter and their mentor will premiere the winning songs, which will then be performed by a cast featuring:

Gabi Carrubba (Dear Evan Hansen)

Florencia Cuenca (Real Women Have Curves)

Michelle Dowdy (Hairspray)

Amina Faye (SIX The Musical, Nat’l Tour)

Claire Kwon (Maybe Happy Ending)

Carson Stewart (The Notebook)

Luke Islam (America’s Got Talent)

Posted 6-11-25

Servant Stage Company’s production of the musical revue ‘Swing!’ to be presented in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, June 6 – August 10, 2025

By Steven Brodsky

… Tickets (all of them are pay-what-you-will) are available now. You’ll find a link to order your tickets at: Swing! — Servant Stage.

Photo courtesy of Servant Stage Company

This news release was issued by Servant Stage Company on May 8, 2025:

Lancaster, PA – Servant Stage is thrilled to present the toe-tapping, heart-pounding Broadway musical SWING! as its summer MainStage production, bringing the infectious rhythms and exuberant energy of swing music to audiences across Lancaster County. Performances run June 6 through August 10 at multiple parks, schools, churches, and other community venues, in keeping with Servant Stage’s mission to make the arts accessible by bringing great performances into the community.

A jubilant celebration of the swing era, SWING! is a musical revue that features thrilling dance numbers, powerful vocals, and a live swing band performing classics made famous by artists like Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie. With electrifying choreography and show-stopping harmonies, this production invites audiences of all ages to experience the golden age of big band music like never before.

“This show is pure joy from start to finish,” says Johnathan Bauer, Executive Director of Servant Stage. “With a sensational cast of singers and dancers, and the excitement of a live swing band on stage, audiences will be swept up in the music and energy of a truly unforgettable era.”

SWING! features a large cast of talented singers and dancers backed by an 8-piece swing band and is directed and choreographed by Joshua William Green with musical direction from pianist and bandleader Marshall Lentz.

As always, Servant Stage continues its mission to make outstanding live theatre accessible to everyone with all performances offered on a pay-what-you-will basis. This ensures that families and individuals of all backgrounds can enjoy high-quality theatrical experiences, regardless of financial means.

The full schedule of performances can be found at ServantStage.org, but featured performances include two weekends at Lancaster Alliance Church (210 Pitney Rd, Lancaster), June 6-8 and June 13-15, two performances in Lititz Springs Park (24 N Broad St, Lititz) on August 3, and a weekend of performances at Warwick High School (301 W Orange St, Lititz) August 8-10.

Reservations are recommended and can be made at ServantStage.org or by calling (717) 455-0255.

Posted 6-3-25

Shackled and unshackled listeners

By Steven Brodsky

… have been enjoying episodes of UNSHACKLED!, the iconic radio drama show, since 1950.

Episodes of UNSHACKLED! are accessible at: https://unshackled.org/on-demand/browse-all-programs/.

John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Note to readers: This post appeared at: https://delcoculturevultures.com/2025/05/06/conversations-about-faith/.

Posted 6-6-24, Revised and reposted 5-6-25

A New Season of Theatre Classes in Servant Stage Company’s Monday Night Drop-Ins Program is Underway

By Steven Brodsky

 … Class subjects include: acting, improvisation, vocal technique, and dance.

These classes are pay-what-you-will.

From a Servant Stage Company press release issued on Febuary 14, 2025:

2025 marks the fourth year for the Monday Night Drop-Ins program. Last year’s program served 373 unique students (an 83% increase from the previous year) over the course of 64 classes, with many attending multiple classes. “It’s our goal to be a theatre home for people of all ages,” says Executive Director, Johnathan Bauer. “We want to create opportunities for those just getting started out all the way to those working on the professional level, and our Monday Night classes are a key component of that vision.”

Visit https://servantstage.org/mondays for additional information.

https://servantstage.org/

Posted 2-24-25

The responsibilities of managing a theater took a toll on William Butler Yeats

By Steven Brodsky

… and inspired Yeats to pen the poem “The Fascination of What’s Difficult” in 1912.

“The Fascination of What’s Difficult”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43286/the-fascination-of-whats-difficult.

W.B. Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation.”

Posted 4-23-22