Often described as the perfect perennial, daylilies have gone from being an obsession for Michelle Bingham and Denise Freeman to a growing business.

Daylilies Photo Album

Michelle, who is an avid cyclist, has always loved to pedal along Lancaster County’s backroads. Her favorite time of the year is summer, when the roadsides are abloom with orange daylilies. “To me, they’re the essence of summer,” she explains.

Michelle is also a dedicated gardener and, inspired by the roadside variety of daylilies, she began experimenting with Stellas (the reblooming hybrid, Stella d’Oro). “Then, Denise and I went to Jim Stauffer’s open house in 2006 and bought plants from him,” she says. The two were mesmerized by the gardens that surround the home of this daylily enthusiast and former head of Stauffers’ garden and landscaping division.

Michelle then discovered she could shop for daylilies via the Internet. “They became my obsession,” she admits. The two also made the acquaintance of another Lancaster legend, Dr. Donald Herr, who is a well-known and highly regarded daylily hybridizer.

From there, Michelle and Denise discovered the world is filled with daylily-obsessed people. So, they began joining organizations such as the Delaware Valley Daylily Society (DVDS) and the American Hemerocallis Society (AHS), attending seminars and meetings that are sponsored by the organizations.

Fortunately, Michelle and Denise have a large backyard in which they can experiment with daylilies to their hearts’ content. Like many daylily enthusiasts, they buy plants for any number of reasons, including their names and colorations.

The largest bed in the yard was created by Michelle as a gift for Denise. “I wanted to surprise her with a bed that was all pink,” she says, referring to the fact that Denise is a breast cancer survivor. “As I was working, it dawned on me that I could do a ribbon-shaped bed,” Michelle explains. She further enhanced it with lighting.

Denise was awestruck when she saw the finished bed. “I had had a bad week, so it was really touching that she did that for me,” Denise recalls.

Michelle was on a roll. Another bed takes the shape of the Big Island of Hawaii and recalls a favorite vacation. The bed includes a palm tree, a state flag and daylilies with tropical-sounding names. Another bed alludes to Michelle’s love of bike riding and includes a bicycle for two (found at a garage sale) and a tricycle. Yet another bed, which honors a world-famous candy maker, is filled with daylilies from hybridizer Patrick Stamile’s “Candy” collection of cultivars. There’s also a bed dedicated to Christmas, and new this year is one that celebrates the Wizard of Oz (the movie marked its 75th anniversary two years ago). Each bed is color coordinated and/or contains daylilies with names that allude to the theme. “Oh, and they’re all trimmed in lights,” Michelle notes. The gardens literally stop traffic.

The attraction (and obsession) factor prompted Michelle and Denise to view growing and hybridizing daylilies as a viable business. “It just seemed like a logical step. We had been doing a little bit of hybridizing, and we possess an entrepreneurial spirit,” Michelle says, referring to her downtown business, The Framing Concept, and Denise’s role as a safety consultant for colleges and universities. “We hope the business will carry us through retirement,” she adds.

But, first they had to come up with a name for the business. “We went round and round on that one,” Denise remarks. In the end, they settled on Woodcrest Daylilies. It takes its name from the road on which they live and where Michelle grew up. They worked with H&H Graphics to design a logo. A nursery took root in the backyard. “I don’t know what it is, but the backyard is like a little microclimate that’s perfect for growing daylilies,” Michelle says.

The inventory has grown to include 400 varieties of hybridized daylilies. “The latest trend is spotted, speckled and streaked [daylilies],” says Denise. Woodcrest Daylilies started slowly by offering plants on-site and online. A trailer allows them to transport stock to shows and the Lititz Farmers Market, which is open every Saturday through the end of October.

Michelle, who also takes charge of lawn care, is out in the garden before sunrise each morning during the blooming season. “I deadhead every day,” she explains. “Every morning is like Christmas – you get to see what’s new.” Sundays are reserved for simply enjoying the garden.

This year, however, Michelle and Denise won’t be able to relax all that much. They kicked off the season by taking part in Landis Valley’s Herb and Garden Faire and are in Lititz on Saturdays. In addition to their own Open House events, their gardens will be on a tour being held for members of the Delaware Valley Daylily Society, as well as for members of the American Hemerocallis Society (Region 3), which is holding its summer meeting in York, July 8-10. “We’ve only been at it for going on three years, so we’re honored to be on the tour,” says Michelle, whose eyes can’t help but to wander across the intersection to an empty lot. “That would be great for a greenhouse,” she muses.

 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event that was launched by Pet Sitters International in 1996. First celebrated in the dog-loving U.K., Take Your Dog To Work Day crossed the pond in 1999. Americans embraced it with gusto and have turned it into a full-fledged holiday.

The purpose of Take Your Dog To Work Day, which is always commemorated the Friday after Father’s Day, is threefold. Pet Sitters International (PSI) wanted to not only celebrate the human-canine connection, but also demonstrate how canines can have a positive effect on the workplace. The organization also wanted the day to serve as a reminder that shelters all over the world are filled with animals in need of forever homes. PSI was hopeful that people without dogs would discover the joys of owning a pet through interacting with them in the workplace and make a beeline for a shelter.

As a result, offices and shelters alike have benefited from Take Your Dog To Work Day (which is quickly morphing into Take Your Dog To Work Week). While work is probably given a low priority that day, it proves to be productive in other ways: stress levels plummet while office morale climbs. “Just stroking a dog lessens stress,” Dr. Marty Becker, author of The Healing Power of Dogs and a proponent of “Labradors over Lipitor,” told ABC News in 2014.

Shelters are also benefiting. Many dog-loving businesses have dedicated the day to creating awareness and holding fundraising endeavors for shelters.

In honor of Take Your Dog To Work Day, we are celebrating the unique connection that exists between humans and canines. Meet some dogs who accompany their humans to work on a regular basis.

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For more information about Take Your Dog To Work Day, visit takeyourdog.com or facebook.com/takeyourdog.

Kathy Frey Terkeltaub with Turk and Millie

It’s probably fair to say that Kathy is a pioneer in Lancaster when it comes to taking a dog to work. Eight-year-old Turk has been a fixture at Festoon, first as a puppy at the Hager Arcade and then growing along with the store’s expansion and last year’s move to the Firehouse on North Duke Street.

Turk, a Bichon Frise, shares cuteness duties at the store with his adopted sister, 6-year-old Millie, a Maltipoo (a Maltese/Poodle crossbreed). “I’ve always been an animal person,” says Kathy. “I’m a horse and dog girl!”

Needless to say, Turk and Millie are treasured members of the family. “They’re our children,” Kathy says, referring to her husband, Bruce, who ferries the dogs between their home and the store when they become restless or are in need of quiet time. “Turk’s more customer-oriented,” Kathy observes. “Millie is a bit shy.” The couple is so attached to Turk and Millie that they purchased a motor home so their pets don’t have to stay in a kennel while they travel. “We have a lot of fun,” Kathy says of their RVing adventures.

Kathy’s stores – downtown and at Brighton Village – are canine friendly. Dog walkers often stop in to browse, and “we have lots of service dogs come in. We welcome them all,” Kathy reports. “I feel if dogs are well behaved, why not invite them in?”
The store also sells petcentric items that range from books and food/water bowls to throw pillows (which exhibit images of canines), vinyl floor cloths and room scents. “But, I don’t sell clothing for dogs!” she stresses. “I don’t dress my dogs up. When I had the dogs groomed for the photo shoot, the groomer put small ribbons behind Millie’s ears. That’s as far as I’m willing to go!” But, fashions and accessories for women? Well, that’s a whole other story.

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Festoon:  202 N. Duke St., 299-2232, and 1183 Erbs Quarry Rd., Lititz, 560-6509. Shopfestoon.com.

Craig Patterson and Dixie

Craig Patterson, who heads Patterson Financial Services, couldn’t sell his landlord on the notion that his Goldendoodle, Dixie, came to the office to do typing and filing. “He didn’t buy it,” Craig shrugs.

So, Craig decided to become his own landlord in order to bring Dixie to work with him. “I started looking around just as the recession struck and kept at it, deciding it was a good time to buy real estate,” he explains. He found a prime location – a former dental office – along Millersville Road, made an offer
and found himself the owner of a
commercial building. Two years ago, after his lease had expired and remodeling on the building was completed, Craig and Dixie made the move. “It’s a great location for us,” he says, noting they’re now only about 10 minutes from home and no longer fight cross-town traffic to get to the office. “Our clients like it, too,” he says, referring to the convenience factor.

Ten-year-old Dixie heads the office’s welcoming committee. She greets clients at the door and accompanies them into the conference room. After a few minutes, Craig gives her the signal to leave the room by pointing at the door, and she rejoins treat dispenser Wendy Benner in the reception area.

Craig finds that Dixie not only provides comic relief, but also stress relief. “Discussing their financial future can be stressful for some people,” he observes. “Petting Dixie for a while seems to work magic; it breaks the ice and has a calming effect. Some people will even request that she stay [for the meeting].”

Dixie will also go on the road with Craig. “I have a client who lives at a local retirement community and requests that I bring Dixie along for our meetings, so I take her with me,” he says of Dixie’s part-time job as an unofficial pet therapist. Otherwise, Dixie holds down the fort with Wendy. Yes, dog-sitting was listed as one of the duties of the job.

Craig and his wife, Lyn, realize that retirement is looming for Dixie, and they are grooming her replacement. Zoe, a mini Goldendoodle, is spending puppyhood at home. “She’s a little too wild for the office right now,” Craig reports. “Hopefully, we’ll soon be able to bring her in for short periods of time so that Dixie can begin teaching her the ropes.”

Patterson Financial Services: 22 Millersville Rd. 295-9612 or pattersonfinancialservices.net.

Officer Ryan Hockley and Leo (Ret.)

The American Kennel Club (AKC) defines the German Shepherd as “smart, confident, courageous and steady.” Consequently, these working dogs have gone from being sheep herders in their native Germany to serving as guide dogs for the vision-impaired and joining the ranks of military forces and police departments the world over.

Ryan Hockley traces his interest in having a canine partner to his days in the Air Force. “I was around military dogs a lot,” he explains.

Ryan, who is a third-generation police officer, joined the Lancaster Police Department 10 years ago. In 2009, he applied to work with the K-9 Unit and was eventually assigned to Leo, a German Shepherd who hails from Slovakia in Central Europe. Like all of the department’s dogs, Leo came to Lancaster via Castle’s K-9 in Mechanicsburg, which offers on-going training for the police departments it services. Leo’s expertise includes patrol and narcotics detection.

According to Ryan, Leo is ever vigilant. “When he’s on duty, he’s barking nine out of the 10 hours,” he notes, adding that in most cases, his bark is worse than his bite (so long as you’re abiding by the law). “He’s not a mean dog,” Ryan reports. Leo’s exploits have resulted in apprehensions, flushing bad guys out of hiding, and detecting everything from drugs to guns. Like human partners, the two have each other’s back.

At the end of their shifts, the city’s police dogs head home with their partners and smoothly transition into family pets. “He rarely barks at home, and he lets my 2-year-old son climb all over him,” Ryan says of Leo. He also peacefully coexists with the family’s cats.

On April 15, Leo went out on his last patrol. Soon to celebrate his 8th birthday (60 years or so in human terms), the department determined Leo had done his duty. But, he and Ryan will remain partners. Leo has retired to being the Hockley family’s full-time pet and will be receiving his pension in the form of treats, toys and naps. As for Ryan, he too is transitioning out of the K-9 Unit and has made becoming a detective his next goal.

Officer Ben Bradley and WodAn

The Belgian Malinois is described by the AKC as being “smart, confident, hardworking and steadfastly loyal.” In Officer Ben Bradley’s estimation, that perfectly sums up his partner, Wodan.

While the navy seals are given the lion’s share of credit for the successful raid on the compound in which Osama Bin Laden lived out his days, in reality a dog led the way. Like his seal partners, the dog’s identity – or breed – has never been revealed. A few pictures exist, prompting people to speculate that the dog was a Belgian Malinois or a German Shepherd. More than likely, the dog’s role was to detect IEDs or other explosives.

The Malinois traces its breeding to the Belgian city of Malines. Like other members of the “working dog” group, the Malinois needs to have a job in order to satisfy its intellect and energy level, both of which are very high. As a result, the dog went from sheepherding and guarding livestock to being the top choice of police departments and the military. According to a 2011 New York Times article, the Belgian Malinois has the ability to “sniff out the enemy from two miles away.”

Like Leo, Wodan arrived in Lancaster through Castle’s K-9. “I view him as a tool,” Ben says. “He’s a fellow officer who just happens to be my partner.” Wodan, who has been Ben’s partner for a year, specializes in explosive detection.

Like the other K-9 partnerships, once their shift is completed, Ben and Wodan head for home. “Wodan’s a very social dog,” Ben says of the dog’s relationship with the family’s other dog and his two children. “One day I looked into my daughter’s nursery, and he was laying by the crib,” he recalls. “My other daugther crawls all over him.” However, Wodan’s social side doesn’t extend to palling around with other dogs at the local dog park. “That wouldn’t work,” Ben observes. “When he needs to run off some energy, I find an empty field and let him go.”

Dr. John Weierbach, II, with Gracie, Mazie & Lily

Dental health is very important at the Weierbach residence. Even before he heads to the office, Dr. John Weierbach is on the job. He attributes his dogs’ pearly whites to the Greenies he or his wife, Kathy, dispenses every morning.

The Weierbachs became a Lab-loving family as a result of their daughter, Lindsay, attending school in Maine. Students were afforded the opportunity to work with a local breeder, training puppies to become obedient and polite family members. Lindsay was paired with a Chocolate Labrador Retriever. The two formed a special bond. “When Lindsay came home, Gracie came with her,” Dr. Weierbach reports. Gracie, who is now 10, needed a companion, so the Weierbachs contacted the same kennel and Mazie, a Yellow Lab who is now 7, joined the family.

Fast-forward a few years. Lindsay was now living on her own. Gracie and Mazie had formed such a bond that she didn’t want to break them up, so they remained with her parents. “Then, Lindsay came to me and said she wanted to get a dog,” Dr. Weierbach recalls. They contacted a breeder in Mansfield and went to check out the litter. “Lindsay made her pick, which left only one. So, we came home with two dogs,” he says of Black Lab Lily, who is 2 years old.

Characters might best define this trio of Labs. “They’re always into something,” Dr. Weierbach says. He tells of arriving home one day with Kathy, only to find her unmentionables strewn across the front yard. “They got into the laundry and apparently had a good time,” he says of having to retrieve items from the lawn and shrubs. “I can only imagine what the neighbors thought.”

an anxious patient motivated Dr. Weierbach to experiment with bringing the dogs to the office to dispense their special brand of TLC. “They know what the word ‘office’ means and tear to the car when they hear it,” he notes, adding that they take turns accompanying him to the office.

The dog of the day passes the time in one of the private offices until her assistance is needed. “We’re sensitive to the fact that not everyone is a dog lover like we are, plus we want to maintain a sterile environment,” Dr. Weierbach says of the precautions that are taken.

Nevertheless, Gracie, Mazie and Lily have become well known among the patients – one patient even named her new dog after Mazie. The staff immediately noticed that interacting with the dogs seemed to make people forget they’re at the dentist. “Just petting them seemed to have a calming effect,” Dr. Weierbach observes.

Increasingly, patients began to ask if one of the dogs could accompany them into the exam rooms. “I have some patients who won’t have work done unless one of the dogs is here,” he reports. “One woman came in for her appointment, saw that a dog wasn’t here, and said she’d have to reschedule.”

Even discussing dogs seems to alieve patients’ stress levels. One patient was extremely uneasy about the procedure he would be undergoing, which prompted Dr. Weierbach to ask if he would be more comfortable if he brought one of his own dogs along for the appointment. “He brought one of his Goldens, and it worked out great,” Dr. Weierbach reports. Another patient brings her teacup-sized dog in a carrying case and perches it atop herself while she’s in the dental chair. “Whatever works,” Dr. Weierbach says of making patients feel comfortable.

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John A. Weierbach, II, D.M.D.: 160 North Pointe Blvd., Suite 203. 560-9190 or yourclassicsmile.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For 51 weeks of the year, we live for that one special week at the beach. It’s a summer tradition that becomes even more meaningful with the passage of time.

Sea Isle City Photo Album

Looking back, our journey to the beach started 25 years ago, during recess at New Holland Elementary. John and I were practically neighbors, so by pedal power or the parent taxi, I became the friend who always seemed to be over at his house. Shared bus rides to school later upgraded to bicycle and eventually by car, continuing all the way to Millersville University. We also attended the same church youth group and, along with a half dozen rowdy friends, we somehow got away with working together at Martin’s Trailside Express.

At that time, Ocean City, Maryland, was our summer getaway. We’d listen to Mr. Greengenes perform the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and Africa by Toto late into the night. Afternoons were spent sleeping on the beach. On one particular trip, I carried John’s now wife’s engagement ring, keeping it safe until he found the right moment to propose.

Now, our week at the beach is the anticipated family event of the year, and decades later I’m still the friend who is always along for the ride. Often mistaken for maturity, it’s a time filled with nostalgic traditions that unexpectedly improve with each passing year, a patina deepening with memories from past adventures.

The destination has changed to Sea Isle City, New Jersey. But, it always begins here, in Lancaster County, where local foods are collected for our pilgrimage. Strawberries sourced from roadside stands, mushrooms from Kennett Square, farm-fresh meats, cheeses and baked goods will all pair wonderfully with fresh-caught seafood.

The annual June migration brings us first to a deck with an ocean view, replacing eager longing with unbridled joy. Everyone trickles in to be greeted with copious amounts of gin gimlets, conversation and laughter. Life stressors are lifted away by the warmth of togetherness and the summer breeze, picking up right where we left off. Everything this week will be simple, a key ingredient often missing from life.

Surf fishing has become a group event led by the “twins,” Todd and Joe. They’re not really twins, they’re just lifelong friends of the same rare breed. We spend days by the water with a cold one in hand, anxiously waiting for a fishing rod to double over with the next big catch. Consequently, scheduling any event, meals or otherwise, revolves religiously around the changing of the tides. It’s just one of countless efforts to think like fish, proceeding with as many coinciding variables as possible. Todd and Joe have been friends longer than even John and me; secretly, my hope is that one day John and I will be just like them.

While beach passes are required during the day, as if it can’t get any better, surf fishing licenses are free in New Jersey. Fishing low tide at dusk on a summer’s eve is a spectacular affair, making it hard to discern between photographing the setting sun or paying attention to my line. A game of bocce transpires, and, having lost track, we’ll call for another round of gimlets, further distractions from the classic arts. For many years, John and I went undefeated on the bocce circuit, but as Erin and Dave will remind you, not all traditions last forever.

As beachgoers retreat from a full day on the sand, cocktails and appetizers on the deck are the next event on our daily agenda. Beer-battered striper cheeks (striped bass), shrimp, scallops and rock crab claws are among the favorites. Being John’s birthday week, the few remaining stops are pulled, and he experiments with striper cakes or ceviche.

With half-star Michelin-level cooking, the need to stray from the house or the beach is remarkably absent. Most trips out typically involve replenishing beverages, bait or food, and in that precise order. Rest assured, a majority of those activities can be performed while staying true to a strictly barefoot philosophy.

Everyone contributes uniquely to both the menu and overall beach experience. Made from scratch, my contributions thus far center on brunch. Having lived in Louisiana while photographing the oil spill, I prepare French beignets served with a freshly ground, pour-over coffee. For the full effect, imagine a warm funnel cake meets a fasnacht, covered with ample amounts of powdered sugar and dipped in said coffee. As a side, if an alternative to bacon or sausage is bizarrely considered necessary, Taylor’s Pork Roll is a distinctly New Jersey delicacy.

On a rainy afternoon, or just to wind down at the end of the day, we turn to books, magazines, movies and journals. Ginger ale replaces gin, and the house turns quiet for a moment. And, of course, no trip to the beach is complete without board games. Settlers of Catan is a favorite of ours. We aptly refer to it as Sticks & Stones, referencing resources traded in the race to build an empire, and in no way is it indicative of what transpires as the game progresses…
John is forever trying to convince me to relax, but the memories here matter more to me than any other. Ergo, you’ll often find me with a 35mm camera in hand, frequently loaded with expired film from Root’s Market for a very unpredictable look. It’s also freeing from the barrage of notifications on a camera phone to keep in the moment.

On the last Saturday of our week, hundreds of vendors set up a market on the Promenade for Summer Fest. I offer prints of the New Jersey coast, opening the door to hear how others experience this place. Every recipe for the ideal beach trip shares a similar spirit, made perfect with time, great ingredients and the best company. Together, this place becomes a welcomed extension of what we all call home.