Easton's Eye Candy ...

“Candy kisses wrapped in paper mean more to you than any of mine

Candy kisses wrapped in paper you’d rather have them any old time …”

    ~ “Candy Kisses”

   ~written & first recorded by American country crooner George Morgan, 1949

   ~ Recorded by artists including

               Tony Bennett, 1962

 

A beautiful, sun dappled late July afternoon in Centre Square, Easton, Pennsylvania reflects in the windows of The Carmelcorn Shop, the sweetest spot in this historic Delaware River Town, in this painterly, HDR image I shot on a perfect summer day. American flags are among the items in the inviting window display.

 

Just across the Delaware River from historic Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Easton was founded in 1752 and is located at the confluence of the Delaware River and Lehigh River.

 

According to the shop’s website http://www.carmelcornshop.com/ :

“Established in 1931 by John and Ruth Doherty, The Carmelcorn Shop has become an Easton institution. Well known for our homemade carmelcorn, popcorn, fresh-roasted nuts, fudge, and chocolates, The Carmelcorn Shop also carries sugar-free candy and a large assortment of gummies and old-time candies. Keeping with the tradition over the years, the shop was bought by Richard Baskin in 1985 then purchased by Tony and Sia Bassil in 1996 to present. Sia Bassil got her start at the shop in 1977. She was hired on the spot and the rest is history. We believe the reason the shop has held its stake in Easton for over 80 years is due to the friendly customer service, fresh, quality product, and the fact that generations have now grown up with the homemade fudge and caramel popcorn. We love our regular customers and we welcome those new to the experience.”

 

An American Trail ...

“Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”

   ~ John Wayne

    ~ 1907-1979

Old Glory billows beautifully in the sun-dappled late spring breeze on a gorgeous mid-June evening along the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail) that hugs the Kittatinny Ridge at Lehigh Gap. This flag can be seen atop mile marker 95, but many flags such as this patriotically dot the trail.

In the shadow of the Kittatinny Ridge, also called Blue Mountain, The Lehigh Gap in Slatington, Pennsylvania, is a crossroads where the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s trails connect two historic trails – the Appalachian Trail and the D&L Trail.

The Appalachian Trail, a foot path, follows the ridge on both sides of the Lehigh Gap, running 1,245 miles south to Georgia and 930 miles north to Maine. Running from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, the D&L Trail passes through the Lehigh and Delaware rivers and their canals in Pennsylvania.

I just love this quote from John Wayne – the great, iconic American actor known as “The Duke” – and thought it matched perfectly with the image, especially in these times.

God Bless America!