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David Miller, left, and his wife Jackie, of Drumore Township, watch the eclipse outside Ryan Observatory at Muddy Run on Monday, April 8, 2024.

 BLAINE SHAHAN | Staff Photographer

The Scribbler decided to skip “The Great American Eclipse’’ early this month. Thousands of local people decided to do otherwise and, despite cloudy conditions, enjoyed the phenomenon.

An LNP | LancasterOnline staff writer accompanied a North Museum of Nature and Science bus trip to the path of totality — where the moon totally blocked the sun — in Monroe County, New York. He reported that clouds rendered the sun invisible but “the sky did descend into midnight-like conditions’’ during the several minutes of totality.

The Scribbler happened to talk with another observer who visited a different New York location. He provided a colorful report of what he experienced during totality.

A group of “Amish, Weaverland Mennonites, Republicans, Democrats and whoever else came along’’ chartered a bus running from eastern Lancaster County to Canandaigua, New York, also in the path of totality. They watched the eclipse from the grounds of the New York Steam Engine Association.

(That association is similar to the Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association in Kinzers, but the grounds are considerably more extensive.)

Thousands of people gathered there to listen to Bible stories and sing songs before the eclipse.

This is what “S.” Stoltzfus saw during totality.

“It was darker than night,’’ he reported. “It was as dark as the insides of a cow, as Mark Twain put it.’’

There was cloud cover in Canandaigua, too, Stoltzfus said, “but when the moon crossed the sun, it got pitch black for about five minutes and you couldn’t see anything. I had to get out my flashlight if I wanted to move because I thought I might run into someone.’’

Stoltzfus said he noticed the tree frogs began to peep furiously as if it were night — and then the moon moved on and it was over.

“I had to thank the good Lord and nature,’’ Stoltzfus said.

Reist Popcorn Co.

Cover of new book about the century-old Reist Popcorn Co. of Mount Joy.

From seed to popcorn

The Reist Popcorn Co. has operated in the Mount Joy area for nearly a century. David A. Reist, the recently retired grandson of the founder, Alvin J. Reist, has written a history of the business titled “And They Left Me Off at $1500: A Century of Progress at Reist Popcorn Company.’’

Alvin Reist began the business as the Reist Seed Co. in 1925 to supply seed and seed cleaning services to local farmers. David’s father, Henry E. Reist, later took charge of the business and in 2001 changed its name to Reist Popcorn Co.

David Reist took over from his father. His son-in-law Michael Higgins has taken his place as company president.

Reist Popcorn operates at two locations in Mount Joy.

“Family farms and businesses created around family farms are complex entities,’’ Dave Reist explained. “Understanding the conflicts and the accomplishments — the joys and the toils — that allow them to survive through several generations, is an important part of keeping them functional and successful.’’

And the book’s unusual title?

Alvin Reist, the founder, began the seed company with two other men. In a taped interview, he explained the others “decided that I should be president of the company and they were willing to put in $3,000 apiece and they left me off at $1,500.’’

Copies of the 192-page book can be purchased on the Mount Joy Area Historical Society website (mountjoyhistory.com) or by visiting the society building on Fairview Street in Mount Joy on Sundays from 1-4 p.m. Proceeds benefit the historical society.

Jack Brubaker, retired from LNP | LancasterOnline staff, writes “The Scribbler” column every Sunday. He welcomes comments and contributions at scribblerlnp@gmail.com.

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