STYLING WITH ANNIE

    Photo by J. Granville Chandler     I can’t believe it was 55 years ago that I walked off the Tower Theater with a diploma in hand. Upper Darby High School was a big school. I didn't feel ready to conquer the world when I left.    When you go to a big high school, it's different from small graduating classes where you know your classmates and their siblings. In a large school, you can feel lost not only when going to class and finding your locker, but also when trying to meet new friends. I didn't attend one of the elementary schools in Upper Darby, which seemed to have a common thread similar to those found in Catholic parishes. People knew each other, and many close friendships were born there.    Moving while in junior high to Drexel Hill Middle School was quite an experience. I missed my school in Philly for no other reason than the familiarity of it all, the friends I made, and shared classes. It was a challenge.   I found friend...

MAGICAL CHANTICL EER      On a brilliant sunny day, I went to Chanticleer Garden in Wayne I was struck by the magical feeling I felt as I entered. I imagined fairies hiding in between the tulips in the Teacup Garden.     Walking the trails from garden to garden, I felt the peacefulness  that only nature's exquisite  beauty can bring.     I could picture walking the trails each morning and discovering a new treasure to view every day. I envision a picnic with friends as we open a bottle of wine, breathe in the fragrance of nature, and have delightful conversation while exploring the Asian Woods and Bell's Woodland.    Walking on through the Tennis Court,  the Ruin, the Gravel Garden, and the Pond,  I realize how art and gardening go hand in hand. The Rosengarten Family gave a true gift to all by creating the Chanticleer Garden Foundation and opening it to the public. If you have never been ther...

Remembering Pope Francis   Pope Francis's death deeply saddened me. I remember when he came to Philadelphia.   Kevin Tustin and I were covering his visit for our paper. We rode the trolley to 69 th  Street and took the El to Philadelphia. We went through the metal detectors and walked to JFK Parkway.     The crowds grew larger as the day went on. Kevin interviewed many who had come to see the Pope, and I took photos.  Even before he came to the city of Brotherly Love, people posed with cardboard images of him. Many wrote messages to him on canvas boards with the Pope's profile to be presented to him later.    As we walked around the city, people were smiling at each other. They didn't mind waiting.    Pope Francis arrived on a balmy autumn day, igniting hope and joy in the city. Passing by in his Popemobile, he waved to the crowd of believers and those curious to see this majestic man of God.    Pope Francis was a man of ...