The Unexpected Visitor

One summer night, my grandpa was just about to go out and take all the bird feeders in like he did every night. The only difference, was that it was already completely dark outside. Just as he stepped out the door, the phone rang. My grandpa knew something had to be up because who would call this late in the evening? After he picked up the phone, he was told from his neighbor, a fellow Bender, that there was a gigantic black bear out at his bird feeder! My grandpa knew there had been a bear wondering around the bend during the night, but he never thought it would visit his house! My grandpa and grandma turned on the outdoor lights and ran over to the window where there they saw the huge animal on his back legs ripping down the bird feeder. They tried to scare the bear away, but this bear was apparently fearless! After ripping down the bird feeder, he went up and sat down on my grandparent's deck to enjoy his feast. My grandparent's, in utter amazement, just stood there and watched. After the bear finished his dinner, he got up and left. From that day on, my grandpa made sure to bring in the bird feeders before dark! A couple years after that, I was driving to the bend when all of a sudden I see this huge black object dart across the road. It was a black bear! I told my grandpa his "friend" had survived the hunting season! To this day, I consider the black bear to be Henry's Bend's official animal!

Throwback Thursday!

The Bend is a great place for senior pictures! Here is one of mine from last year. I love how the sun is shining on the river with the beautiful trees in the background. This is just one of many that I had taken there. The Bend's beauty makes the photo possibilities endless!

Transportation around the Bend

In the Bend, cars are not the major form of transportation. Four-wheelers get you from place to place in Henry's Bend! I love riding around the Bend on my four-wheeler seeing what all the Benders are up to. Some people say they enjoy riding around in their golf carts more, but I definitely enjoy my rides on the four-wheeler the best. So the question is: Four-wheeler or golf cart???

Creek Fun!

Even though the Bend is right on the river, my brother and I used to love to go to the nearby creek and play. The water was very chilly, but it was neat place to hang out. My brother and I used to always gather up all different kinds of rocks to try and dam it up. Our goal every time we would go there was to try and stop the water from flowing. We would play in the creek for hours! The Bend's little creek was definitely a summer hot spot for my brother and I when we were younger.

A Morning Walk with Grandma

As I said before, when summer came around I would stay with my grandparents at the Bend all the time. Early Saturday mornings, my grandma and I use to love to get up at 7 AM and go for morning walks around the bend. With heavy fog over the river and dew on the grass, my grandma and I would put on our sweatshirts and off we went. The Bend was always as quiet as a mouse with the only noise being the dew dripping on to the leaves. One morning, as my grandma and I walked by a patch of woods, we saw a little path. We stopped and looked up the path and to our amazement a big deer was staring back at us. Neither one of us made a move so we could admire the buck who was eating some wild berries. After a few minutes, the buck ran off back up into the woods. My grandma and I finished our morning stroll, and then went back home to tell my grandpa about our morning visitor. You never know what you might spot in the Bend!

Flashback Friday!

After this week feeling a lot like January, I figured I would share this selfie from last summer. It was a beautiful evening in the bend towards the end of August. I love the Bend's skyline mixed with the trees and river. Being on the river is what Henry's Bend is all about! I cannot wait to spend more time at the river this summer!

Grandpa's Station Wagon

I think it is safe to say that this car was an icon in the Bend for quite some time. My grandpa and I use to travel all around in it together including going up to the general store at the top of the Bend hill to get an ice cream cone. When I was little, I loved sitting clear in the back because I could sit the other way and look at all the cars traveling behind us. Grandpa always had his Elvis cassette tapes that he loved to listen to while he drove. Sometimes he would even let me sit on his lap and steer this classic car around the Bend. Towards the end, most of the car was being held together with duck tape and bungee cords, but it was still always a treat to get to ride in it. These memories are what makes the Bend a special place for me!

The First Sign of Spring

After a long winter, Saturday was a gift from God! Being able to wear shorts and flip flops was a real treat. Even though there is still no green on the trees yet, it was still a beautiful day. Can't wait for summer to arrive!

The Story Behind The Bender

I have been a Bender since day one! For as long as I can remember, my mom brought me to my grandparents' house in Henry's Bend, PA where not only she grew up, but my grandpa did as well. Now Henry's Bend is a quiet, little village along the Allegheny River that is mostly made up summer cottages, but I was lucky enough to experience all four seasons there since my grandparents were not snow birds. When I was younger, staying over with my grandparents in the bend on the weekends became a norm, and when each summer would roll around, I was there as much as possible. Who needed to go on vacation when I could just go to my grandparents' house and go boating, swimming, and four wheeling. Some of my fondest childhood memories took place in Henry's Bend. I continue to make more memories to this day. I have so many stories from this magical place, and I cannot wait to share them with you all! Hope you enjoy my blog!