Saturday, November 24, 2007

Saturday

14 degrees, with crispy snow
- enough to cover the lawn and, probably, make pavement slippery under foot.


It was cold yesterday, too - 25 was the high! - but fellows at ACCESS were out hanging a big wreath .......


... and Dale Meszler looked quite at home constructing a Memorial Bandstand.


Later on,


both glowed.

The Memorial Bandstand float was also providing some welcome music - old favorites (White Christmas, etc. ) sung by old favorites (Bing Crosby, etc.)


I parked in front of Mrs. Manion's on Madison Street, for a while, and smiled to see that Mr. Cleary's tall spruce was glowing, too!


While children shivered, last-minute adjustments were made amidst one of the walking units ....


These girls looked the warmest of all - they had a floating campfire!


Santa and Mrs. Claus relaxed in the cozy comfort of "An Old Fashioned Christmas"


and Paul followed.


I began to wonder: HOW are all of these strings of lights attached to the vehicles?

It's not as if you can just nail them in place, can you!

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I took heaps of photographs, but only a small number are worth posting. If any of you have good pictures that you're willing to share, do send the JPEGS along to me and I'll show them to the readers, too!



At a bit after 6:30, with crowds lining sidewalks and not a parking spot to be had, the new Victorian Street Lamps along Main Street all came on and the Parade began!

Here - one of the older snowplows - possibly Marshall's?

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After the Parade, I took a ride through the village.

Here's the view looking West along Main Street from in front of the Episcopal Church. The twinkle lights on all of the Victorian Lamp Posts are a special gift from the Parade of Lights Committee.


The French Restaurant - "La Petite Maison" - is prettily lighted, too ........


............ and the Woodman & Getman Law Offices stand stately and dignified - as always.

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Check back for additions!

Have a great day and

Keep Warm!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Friday

It's PARADE of LIGHTS Day!!!

And it's cold.
It's was 22 degrees, early this morning, and now (at 10:30-ish) it's up to 24 and the wind's blowing.


First - I want to say "Thank You!" to everyone who invited me to share their Thanksgiving Dinners with them and their families and to those who even brought portions of their feasts directly to me. I am so very Thankful for your Friendship, Thoughtfulness and Generosity!

I did have a very pleasant Thanksgiving Day and will be having Thanksgiving all over again, on Sunday, with my daughter and her family in Ballston Lake!

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Back to this morning:
  • Friday: Breezy and cold. Lake effect snow showers, especially south and west of Utica. Accumulations less than an inch for most locations are expected. High: 33
  • Tonight: Snow showers early, then clearing. Chilly. Low: 18
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and cool with scattered flurries. High: 38, Low: 23
  • Sunday: Increasing clouds after a sunny start. High: 42, Low: 24

I was out and on the road early - heading for Clinton and the Dunkin Donuts shop for a supply of encouragement and energy for the Memorial Bandstand "Float Committee" who, at the same time, were heading toward Curtis Lumber for essential materials.



Looking West from Lombard, even West Hill looked cold.


When I came back into town, Patty Louise was hustling over to "Hap's" ....

.... and a group of V.I.P's were checking out the lights.
(I meant to ask about the pavement problems on W. Bacon and Babbbott, but forgot!)





The lighting crew was ouside the pizzeria, thinking about getting to work;


First Niagara and the Belfield Insurance Agency were already decorated and "Michael's" windows are very pretty - there were too many cars in the way to take a picture.




Several homes on East Bacon Street have already been decorated.

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Out in the country ............

well, it's cold there, too!

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In the city, it's "Black Friday" - and WKTV's already got a story about it! There are probably some Watervillians who are amongst the crowds, but - judging from the cars on Main Street, a lot of folks are doing their shopping right here!

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I'll be out and around, this afternoon, checking on parade floats.

More pix later on!


Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Wednesday

Recyclables Day

42 degrees and Wet.

  • Wednesday: Cloudy with showers. A steadier rain developing late. High in the upper 40s to low 50s.
  • Wednesday Night: Cloudy with occasional rain. Rain could be heavy at times. Low in the low 40s.
  • Thanksgiving: Rain mixing with and changing over to snow throughout the afternoon. Light accumulation possible. High: 42, Low: 27


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Prize Speaking

Click the link to read about the winners of this year's Prize Speaking Contest and to see more pictures of them.

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2008

When you're with your family, tomorrow, think of how you can help to "Make it Happen."

Click the "E-mail the Writer" link at the top of the page if you'd like more information.

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And on Friday it's the

Traditional

Parade of Lights

a 6:30 P.M.

(I wrote this for last year's blog posting: it probably won't hurt to tell the story again.)


If you lived in Waterville in 1988, you cannot have forgotten the first Parade of Lights!

(And if you've come to the village since then, you should know the story of this celebration because it is something very special, here: it's a celebration not just of the season but a Celebration of Community - Our Community!)

It was earlier that year that both Rusty Manion and his wife Kitty passed away. Their daughter Darcy and three sons - Sandy, Jeffrey and Michael - were bereft with the loss of both parents and, at the same time, completely overwhelmed with the kindnesses shown them by everyone in the community.

One day, Darcy was having coffee with her friends Linda Nichols and Patsy Hill and she said, "I wish there was something we could do to say 'Thank You!' to everyone!" "Thank You notes," she said, "seemed just too inadequate."

It occurred to them that perhaps they could do something that hadn't been done in several years - a fun surprise for the village: they could arrange to have lights put on the Big Tree at the point of Monument Park and have it lit! And there would be a parade - fire engines and floats and children all carrying flashlights! - that would lead the way to the tree when the lights were finally to be turned on!

And each of the girls told one or two people who told one or two more and in six weeks' time - in an unanticipated avalanche of generosity and cooperation, $5,000 was raised; the Clinton Fire Department's ladder truck came to string the lights, the power company donated equipment and time, the Municipality chipped in, fire companies in all the neighboring communities sent units to be in the parade and ........... well........ the rest is history.

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to

HEATHER DAVIS

I received the following letter, yesterday, from Shannon Wiley who wrote:

My daughter, Heather Davis, is 16 years old and a student at Waterville Central School. She has been chosen by the People to People Student Ambassador program to travel to China this coming summer as a Student Ambassador for the United States. This program was created by Dwight Eisenhower to help create foreign relationships with other countries and promote our youth in learning about diplomacy, culture, and education. To learn more about this program readers can go to www.studentambassadors.org.

First of all we would like to say

CONGRATULATIONS AND WE ARE PROUD OF YOU HEATHER.

Second, to actually go on this trip, she needs to acquire funding totaling $6,540. She will be contacting area businesses and organizations for sponsors as well as doing fundraising activities. I am hoping that we can ask your assistance in promoting her venture. You have so many wonderful readers, I couldn’t think of a better way to get the word out.

Heather’s first fundraiser will be a basket raffle held after the “Parade of Lights” in the Waterville Firehouse. She has created several lovely baskets full of goodies. Tickets will be sold and buyers simply write their phone number on the back of the ticket and place it in the container in front of the basket they wish to try for. At 9:00 pm she will draw one ticket from each container. She will then call the number on the ticket and get additional information and make arrangements to deliver the baskets or have them picked up which ever is more convenient to the winner.

Heather will also be selling cups of hot chocolate along main street before, during, and after the parade to help keep all warm while they attend this traditional event to kick off the Holiday excitement.

Future fundraising events will be announced as the details come together. Anyone wishing to make donations towards Heather’s trip may contact us at 841-4965 for additional information.

We thank everyone in advance for their kindness, contributions, and support of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Shannon Wiley
131 Berrill Ave
Waterville, NY 13480
315-841-4965

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Make sure that this is on your calendar!

All proceeds will benefit the Abby Fund.

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Have a wonderful day, tomorrow!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Tuesday

It's either 30 or 32 degrees, depending on which thermometer I believe, and it's definitely WET out.
  • Tuesday Morning: Pockets of sleet and freezing rain north, south and east of Utica becoming plain rain by mid to late morning. Light icing possible, especially in the Adirondacks. Temperatures warming up through the 30s.
  • Tuesday Afternoon: Rain showers. Temperatures ranging from the mid 30s east of Utica to the mid or upper 40s west of Utica.
  • Tuesday night: Partly cloudy. Low in the mid to upper 30s.

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Monday Morning.


Somewhere in the afternoon, that changed:


customers were going in;


and customers were coming out!

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I had spent much of the day out of town: I needed to go to Commercial Art Supplies, which is just about in downtown Syracuse, and - on the way home - I cruised the old "Fayetteville Mall" ....


where I discovered not only a branch of EMS (always a favorite destination in Lake Placid) ....


....... but also an L.L.Bean Outlet!! (Much closer than Camillus!)

No! I didn't buy anything because all of the merchandise previously acquired at L.L.B and E.M.S. jus never seems to wear out!

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Chittenango has been through the "Highway Reconstruction" process and, 'tho the final results are not as nice as they are in Waterville, I did admire their new informational kiosk. Unfortunately, it's not where any travelers can easily stop to read it!

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I saw a lot of Christmas decorations along Route 5, but few as attractive as those that are appearing around Waterville - like this doorway at the Briggs residence on E. Bacon Street -

or as inventive as this wonderful grouping out on Madison Street.


I must go back this evening and see what everything looks like with spotlights turned on!

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In answer to a reader's query: yes, there is a back door and yes, the new driveway is still there.

******

While I was driving, yesterday, it occured to me that something of significance had taken place in Waterville just exactly 140 years ago. Unfortunately, I was off by five days - but close!

***
Have a great day!



Monday, November 19, 2007

Monday

It's 27 degrees.

Garbage Day!


  • Monday: Partly sunny. High 42
  • Monday night: Mostly cloudy with snow showers. Low 27
  • Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with rain/snow showers. High 46 Low 38
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Village Board Meeting

7:00 P.M. Municipal Hall

*********


I had a note yesterday morning from "Mark" in Ft. Meyers, Florida, reporting that - at 10:00 A.M. - it was sunny and 70 degrees! He attached this picture -- to which I replied, "I want to be there, right NOW!"

******

Well - it's not Florida, but I'm going to grab a little change of scenery, today.
See you tomorrow!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Sunday



I thought I'd do a post this morning because folks in Florida are wondering!
(And I may head north VERY early tomorrow.)

It's cold and sunny!

I tried, without success, to catch a glimpse of the Leonid Meteor Shower.


  • Sunday: Partly sunny with the chance for snow or rain showers. Snow or rain showers likely south of route 20. Mostly sunny for the north country. High 42
  • Sunday night: Mostly cloudy with snow showers. Low 26
  • Monday: Mostly cloudy with snow showers likely. High 39 Low 23

Sangerfield's snow plows made their first appearance on Friday......


not the best day to start a paving project on W. Bacon Street!
(It's rough - as are a few places on Babbott Avenue, too - so drive slowly!)


This is what it looked like yesterday morning. We had about three inches of new snow - but that didn't seem to be bothering the Gallaghers' cows, who were happy licking grassickles!


The willows on Osborn were grand ........


and Sumac on Bogan caught my eye......


... as did this golden Larch.


Then the usual field - filled with a different flock of Canada Geese.

"Tyler's Barn"



View from "Livingston Hill."


Marilyn Maine was putting the finishing touches on decorations at Dan's Woodworking Shop on Madison Street. She was laughing, and explained that she'd said to him, "It's always freezing when we do the decorations at the shop: let's do it a week EARLY this year!"



The Copes' home on White Street is decorated ...........


............. as is Foodking, where the Women's Club was having a Bake Sale. I stopped at their table and came directly home to enjoy my purchases!

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One more thing: I pulled through the Post Office Parking Lot to admire the brightly painted windows at the P.O. and asked one of the Dollar General employees who was outside taking a cigarette break if they'd be open on "Black Friday." I was told .........

"MONDAY MORNING!"
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About the Post Office Windows

A clever and colorful reminded that the Post Office is a good place to find gifts ALL year 'round! According to Mrs. Bocko, "The concept and preliminary design work came from the imagination of Amanda Bawarski with assistance from Kate McLane. Painters included Kyle Nasypany, Emily Plourde, Briana Cowen, and Kate McLane."

Cheers!