Loretta, maybe it's common between Dutch and German. That area was mostly German. I've done extensive genealogy in that county and the surrounding ones, and haven't come across any Dutch, but the original settlers to much of that area were from Germany. In fact my Grandmother grew up speaking German.

Crick OMG we have one of them behind our cabin. I hate it when he calls it a crick!!!
When we first got to Pa DH joined a softball team. One evening he told me to meet him at Kish park for the game. I drove up and down this same stretch of road for 45 mins looking for F*%king KISH park. I drove past a park I bet 15 times. Finally driving past it for the 16th time I see his truck in the parking lot. I go down and there he is. He says, "hun you look angry" I told him to read the sign. It DOESN't Say Kish park does it. He says, "oh they renamed it 25 years ago after the big flood, but EVERYONE knows this is Kish park." I had to walk away!!!

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think 'Dutch' as in 'Pennsylvania dutch' is a mispronunciation of 'Deutsch', which is German.

The direction issue is not limited to PA, I am afraid. I have found that once you get out of cities, the people refer to landmarks based on historical facts, like the big oak or the railroad tracks previously mentioned. It can be frustrating, since we move with regularity. When I finally get used to one area, I get to learn another. :shock: :lol:

On the other hand, I have found myself doing this to my kids! :roll: When we go to the family reunion, I still reference, my grandmother's house (torn down) and the noisy wooden bridge (replaced with a modern one)! Shame on me...

Correct Quilt mom Pennsylvania Dutch are really German, however they have created their own form of German language. We had a German Exchange student and she could not understand much of what they said.

kwhite - every time I see your dancing bird two things cross my mind -

1) I hope there is a restroom very near and no waiting line

and/or

2) She is a very happy creature

LOL

:lol: :lol: Its so funny....my brother is visiting here and I was explaining to him yesterday that if he had trouble finding our house, to stop and ask anyone how to get to "Orville's old homeplace" as that is where we live! :lol: :lol: It drives me crazy to ask for directions..we have lived here for 9 years and it kills me that people tell me how to get somewhere by landmarks that haven't been there in 50 yrs....you know..you turn where that old yella' dog used to be tied to the tree... UGH!!!

I always wondered about the "crick" pronunciation....

Patti, now you can tell them it's where the wild turkeys congregate! LOL

Gai..unfortunately they know that too....at least the "road hunters" do.... :twisted:

Hmm, maybe you should post a sign:

Shoot onto my property and I shoot back!