Sunday, February 15, 2004

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Route 168 South winds through the bucolic hills of Beaver County, a well-paved two-lane road that takes travelers past neatly kept houses, the occasional business and more than a few farm animals.

It's a narrow curving stretch that runs through tiny towns like Moravia, New Galilee and Ohioville.

Along this road is the place where Mary -- "everybody knows me as Mitzi" -- and Carl Dulaney have chosen to live out their retirement years in a tiny one-story home on 20-some wooded acres.

After nearly 38 years of marriage, two daughters and four grandchildren, the couple gave up their 2 1/2-story farmhouse on twice the acreage for this lot bordered by trees.

Carl, 65, spends most of his time outside, clearing brush, burning wood, tending to the property.

It looks much like the land owned by his neighbors, except for the line of barren tree trunks along the roadway that are sawed off across the tops and capped with colorful construction helmets.

It's the kind of sight that causes passers-by to do a double take and wonder, "Why are those hats up on those tree trunks?"

"That's my crew," Carl says, smiling broadly and looking at the array of 14 helmets in green, orange, yellow, blue and red. "And I put the white hats on the ends. Those are the two bosses."

Mitzi, 58, laughs. She met Carl when she was just 14. After 44 years, he still makes her laugh.

	About this project "Here" is a weekly feature produced by Post-Gazette photographers and writers who roam the region to capture close-up slices of life. Can you point us to a special person or place, experience or story? E-mail us at here@post-gazette.com. Link to past installments HERE.

Since her husband put out the helmets in May, more than a few people have stopped to ask about them.

"It's just a talking piece," she says. "It's just for people to wonder, 'Why?' "

The answer is simple.

Carl spent years as a member of Carpenters Local 2274, based in Green Tree. Mostly, he worked as a welder on bridges until he retired in 2001. He collected the hats as he moved around to various jobs sites.

He had to put them somewhere. On the tops of the trees was as good a place as any.

Besides, he jokes, "The outside belongs to me."

Mitzi shakes her head and offers a conspiratorial wink.

"I just let him have his fun," she says.

Carl's antics keep life interesting.

"Hey, we love life," she says. "We love people."

Johnna Pro can be reached at jpro@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1574. Steve Mellon can be reached at smellon@post-gazette.com.

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