The Designer: Tim Arpin launched his business, The Gilded Lily, 27 years ago. The company offers services ranging from floral design to gardenscaping. However, The Gilded Lily may be best known for its container gardens and seasonal décor. “Most of my clients have me do designs for all four seasons,” Tim notes. And, most give him free reign. “They like the element of surprise,” he says. Tim’s services don’t stop at the design phase: He maintains the displays throughout the season and removes (and recycles) them when a new season arrives.

The Client: Holly Shaffer, who formerly worked in downtown Lancaster, always admired Tim’s displays at Christiane David’s gallery along N. Prince Street. One day Tim happened to be working on a display outside the gallery, and Holly asked for a card. She is now among one of Tim’s regular clients. Last fall, he decorated the entrance to her home with a fall harvest design that included whimsical hints of Halloween. The doorway’s color scheme added to the fall look, as did Holly’s dog, Chloe, a rescue who has found her furever fashion sense courtesy of Pittsburgh-based ChicDoggieBoutique.com.

The Look for Fall 2015: According to Tim, fall lends itself to everything from “bountiful harvest to all kinds of Halloween.” You can even combine the two by interjecting spiders, owls, witches, etc., into your harvest display and pulling them out once Halloween is over.  Tim, who begins his fall installations in mid-September, reports that the lengths Lancaster residents go to decorate for the season have not gone unnoticed in the industry. “I have a supplier in the Midwest who always asks, ‘What do you do with all this?’”

Pumpkins Aplenty: The standard carving pumpkin is no longer the decorative element for fall. According to Tim, seed companies are continually reintroducing heirlooms and developing and hybridizing new varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds. As a result, new colors, shapes, textures and sizes are enticing buyers. Tim purchases his pumpkins, squash and gourds from the Abner Miller Farm (Farmdale area), which utilizes organic methods to grow their crops.

Plants Galore: Until recently, chrysanthemums and asters were perceived as the definitive plants for the fall garden. Today, the choices seem endless. Even mums and asters are keeping pace from a color perspective. Plants to look for include ornamental cabbage/kale, Jerusalem cherry, ornamental “chili” and “black pearl” peppers, kalanchoe, pansies, Swiss chard, yucca, ajuga, heuchera, millet, sorghum and dianthus. “I grew a deep-purple color of dianthus especially for fall,” Tim remarks. Plants, such as ivy, vinca and ferns, can also transition into fall.

Color Trend: Go beyond black and orange and use one or the other with purple, golden yellow or burgundy for a more sophisticated fall look. And, the surprise color for fall is …
pink (think earthy as opposed to the pale and tropical hues we associate with spring and summer). Color can also be added through lighting. “By early October, it’s dark by 7 p.m., so we’re craving some light,” says Tim, who names orange, purple and gold as his favorite lighting colors for fall.

Texture: Elements such as corn stalks, hay bales and wreaths not only add texture, but they can also add varying heights to a display. Tim points out that pinecones and nuts are becoming popular decorative elements for fall and easily transition into holiday.

Beyond Residential: Seasonal decorations aren’t the sole domain of homeowners. Businesses are also using seasonal décor to prompt passersby to stop and take in the scenery. The Christiane David Fine Art Gallery in downtown Lancaster is one such example. “I purchased a painting, and it started a conversation,” Tim recalls. That was five or six years ago, and since then, Tim has been adding his artistic touch to the outdoor areas of the gallery. “We’re both known for our love for and use of color, so it’s been an interesting collaboration,” he says. “Again, she doesn’t tell me what to do, so I just design something and she then coordinates the art that appears in the windows,” Tim explains. The displays have attracted fans for both artists. “I receive constant feedback,” says Tim, whose work can also be seen – both indoors and outdoors – at the Hamilton Club.

For more information about The Gilded Lily, visit arpinsgildedlily.com or call 575-8567.

After overseeing Jason’s Woods for nearly 30 years, Bob Hershey is spreading his wings and involving himself in the home construction and remodeling business through his new company, R.L. Hershey Custom Homes.

Bob has a special affinity for Halloween, and for old farmhouses. “He’s loved Halloween since he was a kid,” says his wife, Doreen. Bob is the fifth generation to live on the family farm that sits along Stehman Road in Conestoga Township. “I had a really great childhood,” he says. The farm’s wooded hilltop, a favorite place to play, allowed him to exercise his vivid imagination. And, he loved to spend time at the farmhouse where his grandparents lived. “All I had to do was walk across the field, and I’d be there,” he explains, referring to the route he took from the home that his parents built and where he and his five siblings grew up. “My father so enjoyed building that house that he became a carpenter,” he says.

After high school, Bob did a two-year stint in the Marine Corps and then worked for PPL for nine years. When his grandfather died in 1982, it appeared Bob would be the last generation to live on the farm. “My dad was ill at the time and was in no position to take it on,” he explains. The farm was put up for auction. “I was determined to hold on to it, so with the support of my brothers and sisters, I purchased it.”

Out on a Limb

Bob admits that buying the farm was a dicey move on his part. “I did everything and anything I could to make money and keep it going,” he recalls. “I farmed it. I boarded horses. I offered horse riding. If someone stopped by to ride – I charged $8 an hour – I’d climb off the tractor, get on a horse and take them out.”

Then Bob came up with a new venture: raising American bison. “It was unusual to raise bison around here, so it attracted a lot of attention and press coverage. I had 16 at one point.”

By 1986 it became obvious to Bob that he wasn’t going to make it as a farmer. He had no choice but to put the farm up for sale. But, before he did that, he had one last trick up his sleeve. “I said to my friends and family, ‘Let me try one more thing.’” The one more thing was hayrides that would take visitors across the fields and into the woods during the fall season. “I figured we’d make it a little different,” he says of the scare tactics he’d add. “Nobody was doing haunted hayrides at the time.”

Friends and family were game and agreed to help. “We had no money to buy things, so we made costumes out of burlap bags and used whatever we had laying around to build sets,” he says of that initial endeavor. An advertising budget was nonexistent, so Bob and his team spread the word through leaflets and flyers they created and that area businesses agreed to distribute. That first night, one car drove onto the farm, and Bob told his crew, “We’re going to put this show on!”

Fortunately, the carload of people must have told everyone they knew about the fun they had in Conestoga. From that point on, carloads of visitors descended on the farm. One visitor in particular changed the course of Bob’s life. “A bank manager brought his family out,” he recalls. “We got to talking and he said, ‘I think you’re onto something.’ The next thing I knew, I had a mortgage.”

Enter Jason

Bob gave the site a name: Jason’s Woods. “Jason was the most popular horror-movie character of that time period, so that’s how we got our name,” Bob explains, referring to the character in the Friday the 13th franchise. Bob had to up the ante, so he began to build more elaborate sets for the woods. “It was pitch-black in there, so we needed to light them up.” Thus began Bob’s fascination with lighting techniques. “I learned how to create effects and shadows. Creating the right mood was critical. Lighting also allows the audience to see what you want them to see.”

This year marks Jason’s Woods’ 30th anniversary and over the past three decades, Bob figures hundreds of thousands of Halloween fans have come to the farm. On evenings in October, all roads leading to Jason’s Woods are bumper to bumper. “We draw from six states,” he reports. Jason’s Woods’ notoriety prompted Bob and his team to raise the stakes again. He brought in horror-movie stars such as Kane Hodder (the actor who portrayed Jason Voorhees in four of the Friday the 13th movies), Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk), Don Shanks, one of the actors behind the mask of Michael Myers (Halloween), Butch Patrick (The Munsters) and Dave Prowse, the first man to play Darth Vader in Star Wars. “When I got hold of Kane Hodder on the phone, he said he was aware of Jason’s Woods and that it was ‘about time’ I contacted him,” Bob remembers.

Crowds waiting in line for hours needed to be entertained, so Bob and his team began filling the fields with live musical entertainment, food stands and inflatables. All that eventually translated into event planning and rentals: Jason’s Woods was made available to events such as corporate picnics, family reunions, etc.

A paintball trip to another area of Pennsylvania inspired a similar business for the off-season at Jason’s Woods. “We worked really hard at everything we did,” Bob says. “But, boy, did we have fun! It was a great adventure, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family and our friends.”

Breakfast Rendezvous

One of those friends eventually became family. Bob made it a habit to eat breakfast at Willow Valley around 6 a.m. every morning. He couldn’t help but notice an attractive blonde whose timeframe matched his. One morning he asked if he could join her. He learned her name was Doreen and that she was a teacher in the Conestoga Valley School District. The early-morning rendezvous continued for months. Then, Doreen suddenly disappeared. A waitress who knew Doreen told Bob she had broken her foot and was recuperating at home. He showed up at her door with lunch. “That was our first date,” Doreen says. “When Willow Valley was being torn down, I tried to buy our booth, but a company had bought all the contents of the restaurant.”

Doreen joined the team at Jason’s Woods 22 years ago. Two years later, she and Bob were married. “I handled the phones,” she recalls, “and it would ring nonstop. I think I could have directed someone to Jason’s Woods from anywhere in the continental United States! You have to remember, this was before the Internet, before cell phones and before GPS. Thankfully, we’ve evolved with advances in technology. Now, the phone rarely rings.”

Building a Future

Three years ago, Bob turned Jason’s Woods over to his son, Bob Jr., and his wife, Leeann. His grandson, Robert III, is the seventh generation to live on the farm. “Ironically, I now live in my grandparents’ house, and my grandson lives in the house his grandparents built,” Bob observes.

But retirement wasn’t on Bob’s agenda. Throughout the years, Bob had been investing a portion of the profits from Jason’s Woods in real estate. He began with rental properties and moved into flipping and remodeling houses. He’s also bought a few farms and enjoys restoring the homes and outbuildings that define them. He is also venturing into development and new construction and is building a million-dollar spec house in Farview Farm Estates, which is located off Long Lane in Conestoga Township. “The lighting is going to set that one apart,” he says.

“When I sold the event-planning and rental business, I bought my second-favorite farm,” he notes. Located along the Conestoga River, just off Long Lane near Safe Harbor, the 58-acre Bitner Farm had been owned by Harold and Ruth Bitner. “They moved there in the early 50s,” Bob recalls. “I was friends with one of their sons. The farm was like a second home to me.”

Bob bought the farm in 2000 – “It’s special to be back here,” he says – and used it as a springboard into the home-building industry. He’s spent the past 15 years remodeling the house (along with the summer kitchen and various outbuildings). “It’s hard to pinpoint its age,” he says, referring to the farmhouse whose first floor features log construction. “But it’s surrounded by a tremendous amount of history.”

William Penn authorized James Logan to build a trading post in the area. Long Lane essentially follows the route of an Indian trail that eventually evolved into the road west for travelers making their way through Lancaster County. Postlethwaite’s Tavern, which was located along Long Lane, was the site of the county’s first court session (August 5, 1729). Of course, the area is famous for the Conestoga Wagon. Cannons used during the Civil War were manufactured in Safe Harbor. And, a future saint – Father John Newman – was a visitor to the area, as he occasionally traveled from Philadelphia to conduct services at St. Mary’s Mission Church in Safe Harbor.

Bob completely remodeled the farmhouse, replacing the electric and plumbing systems, adding a modern bath, and updating the other rooms. He wanted to do something really special  with the kitchen. Inspiration struck while Bob was attending a consignment auction in Maryland. “I saw this dining room suite and the idea occurred to me that I could use it as kitchen cabinetry,” he recalls. “So, I called Kevin Leaman, who was working on a project for me at the house, and asked him to take some measurements.”

The dining room furnishings, which dated to the early 1900s, echoed the ornate look of the late Victorian era. “It was finished with that almost-black varnish,” Bob explains. Still, he liked its lines and thought it would look right at home in the farmhouse. Luck was with him on that day: Kevin’s measurements meshed with those of the furniture, and Bob had driven his truck to the auction, making it easy to transport the furniture home.

Back in Lancaster, Bob and his team – Kevin, Woody Wickersham and Fleming Tile & Marble – went to work. The buffet was transformed into cabinetry that also holds the kitchen sink. A hutch and server were repurposed to function as the base for the large island. Kevin used his carpentry skills to create a “bridge” that unites the island’s two anchors. It fell to Woody to paint the cabinetry a modern shade of creamy white.

The floor is original to the house, while the upper cabinets date to the 60s. Glass found in the barn was used to add a touch of antiquity to a few of the cabinets. Molding designed and crafted by Kevin served the same purpose. Rubbed bronze fixtures add to the look.

A hearth was also recreated in the place where the original fireplace once stood. Bob enhanced the area with brick veneer and incorporated a beam that was discovered in the basement.
Bob’s signature lighting – spots, LEDs, wide-angle floods – is evident throughout the space. “There’s so much you can do with light,” he points out. “The new LED technology takes it to an all-new level as it creates various shades of color and intensities. This kitchen really comes alive at night.”

The house that Bob is building has a castle-like aura about it. While Bob considers himself to be the “president, secretary and trashman” of the company, Heather Musser, his assistant for the past eight years, and Doreen serve as his right-hand women. “I love interior design and decorating,” Doreen says. “I really enjoy helping people find their design style. For us, this is a passion. This project is like building my dream home without having to move.”
The two spend their weekends perusing antiques shops and home stores – as far away as Virginia – in search of the unusual. “His packrat mentality comes in handy, and one thing you can count on is to never hear him say, ‘It can’t be done!’” Doreen says. Their trips also include a winery or two (Doreen also teaches wine classes). “We’re not looking to mass-produce homes,” says Bob. “Custom will be our niche.”

For more information about R.L. Hershey Custom Homes, visit rlhersheycustomhomes.com.

There are wolves in the hills near Speedwell Forge! They make their home in one of the area’s best-kept secrets, the Wolf Sanctuary of PA.

When friends who live in Lititz told me about the sanctuary, I reached out to volunteer Dale Kofroth for a private tour. It was early spring, and the nip of winter was still in the air. A jacket was needed, as were boots as I trudged along the wide, unpaved paths. The last bit of snow strained to melt into the earth.

The sanctuary is home to more than 40 timber and gray wolves, as well as hybrids (part wolf, part domesticated dog). As decedents of our modern domesticated pets, Dale and other volunteers at the sanctuary often refer to their furry friends as dogs. He grew up within ear shot of the wolves and knew the sanctuary’s founders as only the “weird family with pet wolves.”

“I came by one day and met some other weird people,” he says, smiling after greeting me at the entrance. “And now I’m one of them!” It’s obvious Dale has a genuine love for the wolves. He talks to them in pet voices and calls to them with familiar terms like “buddy” and “girl.”

Smokey and the Lone Wolf

The first thing I learn from him is that Canis lupus, commonly called the gray wolf, is a bit of a misnomer.

“It is just a class of wolf. If you dig down to the base of the hair, no matter what color they are, they will have gray roots,” Dale explains, as we step close to the double-fenced enclosure of the pack named Smokey’s Family. “Two-thirds of gray wolves are born black, but they can be many colors. So, that’s why we have this golden one here.”

The golden one is Solo, one of the most active wolves at the sanctuary; her energy is boundless as she prances around in front of us. Most of the rest of this pack stalks nearby and consists of Cinderella, Swayze and Dusty, who is hiding in plain view right near our feet. The last sibling in the pack, Friday, is the biggest and is a bit leery of the fences. He also tends to stay apart from the other wolves, but not entirely. In a nearby enclosure is Galahad, the sanctuary’s “lone wolf.” He literally has a smile on his face when Dale approaches with the greeting of “Hey, buddy.”

“Most wolves don’t like to be alone. They’ll get depressed, but he likes having his man cave,” Dale notes.

The staff attempted to introduce Galahad to other wolves, but he has never shown any interest in a companion. The stately black-furred wolf with touches of silver on his face is happy to be the sanctuary’s lone, lone wolf.

The Big Pack

Halfway through the tour, I have a great feeling of delight and wonderment. The wolves are happy. They watch me as I watch them. Some play in the distance. Others wander toward us with curiosity. While fear has subsided, trepidation remains.  These are, after all, wolves.

“It’s really hard to place animals together because there are so many different personalities,” says Dale as he leads me up a slippery, mud-covered incline. He introduces me to The Big Pack, the biggest in the sanctuary at 10 wolves. “This is our largest enclosure. It goes up and over and is shaped like a giant L.”

At the top, we pause. I get to catch my breath and take in the view of The Big Pack. Many of its members have amassed at this wooded summit to survey their territory. Half a deer carcass lays on the ground inside the fences. It carries no scent and is nearly stripped of its meat.

The wolves’ diet consists of as much raw meat as possible. In cooperation with Lancaster County authorities, the wolves get a fair share of deer that have met their demise on roadways. Freezer and farm donations are also accepted, but only 100% natural meat is allowed. They dine on nothing cooked, seasoned, marinated or made of pork. Later during my visit, a neighbor – who seemed to be something of a regular – dropped off a deer he had found struck by a vehicle and abandoned. The staff will now test the deer to make sure it does not carry any illness or disease and use it as part of the five pounds of meat per day each wolf eats. According to Dale, they are especially hungry in the winter. “The freezers can sometimes look like a horror show,” he notes.

I’m learning wolves have distinct personalities, much like people. They form bonds and look after their young. The males jockey for rank. The alpha females ready themselves for offspring. “They do the dance, but we neuter all the males. The girls just don’t know it, so they prepare for puppies out of instinct,” says Dale.

Trinity, the alpha female of The Big Pack, has been working on her den for years. It is a deep, wide and massive structure. She even demands excavation help from the other females in the pack. Running with her tail held high, she knows this is her territory.

Our presence draws the interest of the pack. Levi, one of the youngest wolves, approaches the fence. With a mostly black coat and rich gray face, Levi’s curiosity is a bit intimidating. Although he is the youngest, he is also the biggest of his brothers. The sun has hidden behind the clouds and in the shade of the tall trees the temperature has dropped; my boots start to crunch on refreezing ground. Moving back downhill I hear my first howl!

The Penny Pack

Heading away from The Big Pack, we run into a furry white ball nestled up against the fence. It is Sky, a young resident who came to the sanctuary as a pup in 2012. She lifts her head toward us as Dale asks if I know the story of the Pennypack Park wolf.

In 2012, residents of Northeast Philadelphia started noticing a wolf-like animal in the 1,600-acre park. It even started stealing dog toys from local yards. Most of the community liked the wolf’s presence, even putting out food for the animal. Eventually the sanctuary received multiple calls telling of a wolf roaming a Philly park. Doubtful, a team of volunteers headed to the city to observe. It didn’t take long for the group to realize it was indeed a hybrid.

“Someone had a hybrid, and they claim it got loose,” says a skeptical Dale, who believes the owner simply let the wolf free in the park. “Seventy-five percent of all hybrids are killed, mostly because people can’t handle them.”

Along with the PA Game Commission, the sanctuary volunteers set traps. “He was probably the smartest dog we’ve ever dealt with; he basically went around behind everyone and unset all the traps,” Dale recalls. “He came here malnourished and wasn’t doing too well, but we got him into a pack.”

To create a new pack, the staff takes many things into consideration, including age, gender, size and temperament. Two overly dominant personalities will not be introduced to each other. “Once we find a good match on paper, we put them each into an enclosure side by side,” Dale explains.

One sign of aggression – a growl, a lunge – and the animals are removed and work begins anew. If the wolves can live peacefully beside one another, they stay in those enclosures – side by side – for several months. The third step is the most precarious, meeting face to face. If it works … great, a new pack will start to form. If not, the animals are separated, which can be as easy as calling to a wolf like one would to a dog.

The big, docile, and aptly-named Liberty from Pennypack Park, passed away after only a year at the sanctuary. During play with another wolf, he received mysterious trauma and did not make it to the veterinarian in time. The Penny Pack now consists of three wolves. The gray-eyed Rogue came to the sanctuary when an owner – who kept the animal inside most of its life – moved to an apartment and could no longer care for him. Jasper, who is kind of a lunk, enjoyed being in human company, but he took a real liking to Sky and now enjoys his animal home.

Thor

As we approach Thor’s area, Dale hunches his shoulders slightly low to the dog who is standing still in the middle of a small clearing of hardwood trees. His smoky eyes train on us as we walk on an angle to the clearest vantage point. Dale’s gentle call sets the animal in motion, and he slowly creeps toward us, his massive gray frame rippling with muscle. As he nears the fence he slows, takes a few small steps, and lightly brushes back when his nose pushes into the first fence. Thor’s cataracts have rendered him completely blind, but nowhere near useless. His senses of smell and hearing have been heightened over his many years. I notice a distinct set of paths, well-worn and winding through the woods and brush.

“He has this big space completely blueprinted in his mind,” says Dale, who turns his attention to me. Thor moves away, perhaps knowing he is no longer the center of our attention.

Like all the wolves here, Thor is at the mercy of the sanctuary. Because they all have been bred in captivity, there is no way to release the wolves into the wild. Their fate without the Wolf Sanctuary of PA would be euthanization. They come from all over the East Coast. Whether the animals were discarded from zoos, the product of distasteful puppy mills, or delivered from questionable auction houses, these cast-off wolves are welcome at the sanctuary. “That’s how everything really got started. We never started out to be a sanctuary,” Dale observes.

In the early 80s, laws for keeping wolves as pets changed, and Bill and Barbara Darlington – the original owners and residents of the property – made sure to meet full compliance. Bill’s small pack was moved into what are now the original enclosures. After a while, the Darlingtons became known for their ability to successfully house their wolves, which prompted law enforcement to begin asking them to take in other wolves. “These animals were no longer allowed to be pets. They were being seized and destroyed because people were not following regulations,” Dale continues. By now, Thor has completely lost interest in us and has almost disappeared into the thicker woods.

The wolf sanctuary of pa is the only sanctuary of its kind in the state and is run solely by volunteers like Dale. There is no federal or state funding. The resources needed to operate the sanctuary come from volunteers, donations and fees from tours. On an average Saturday, 150 to 200 people will visit, with another 100 touring on Sundays. Appointment-only tours on Tuesday and Wednesday offer views of the wolves for 30 people. “Summer is the worst time to come,” says Dale. “They hate the heat.”

I’ve already decided to go back for the Hunter’s Moon Tour in October, which features a visit by Edgar Allen Poe. During the Full Moon tours (which are held year round, except December), the enclosures are lit so visitors can see the wolves, but if the moon is bright at 9 p.m., the lights go out. Visitors are not guaranteed to hear a chorus of howls under the moonlight, but are welcome to enjoy the bonfire and torch-lit paths.

“They howl whenever they want to,” Dale tells me. “We get questions about their howling habits all the time. They howl in mourning; they howl at a birth – it’s a celebration. They howl to warn others. Our guys howl for all those reasons too, but they also howl if they hear the click of the walk-in freezers. They howl at the fire sirens coming from Brickerville.”

Almost as if on cue, the barking of a few wolves up on the hill sets off short, sporadic howls from the younger ones below. Then, somebody big has something to say, and the next howl barrels through the facility. I’m amazed! What a way for the tour to end!

Update: During my visit, Thor shared his area with Lucky, an aging female who was growing too old to even run. Lucky got sick while she was the alpha female of The Big Pack and was replaced by Trinity. Once removed from The Big Pack to heal, she was never again accepted. Thor found a place for her. Before finalizing this piece, Lucky passed away, and Thor walks his memories alone …