Friday Add-on!

They're Back!

It would take a very wide-angle lens - or a panoramic camera - to show you just how large this pond is, behind the Moon Residence on Madison Street, but it's not small, and there's no room left!

Some geese have even had to spread out onto the far shore, and are camping in the reeds and woods.

Of all of the people that I've spoken with over the past few days, including three real naturalists, this is a "first."

(The Moons are glad to have people come and see the spectacle, but it's probably a good idea to leave your vehicle near the edge of the road and walk quietly back toward the pond.)

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The front porch of artist Pamela Brown's home, just behind Foodking on Babbott Avenue, is lovely during the daytime and twice as nice at night!

You won't need to go to New Hartford or Utica. This is just one of four Christmas Rooms at Alcotts!

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Friday

It's 25.5 degrees.

• Today: Lake effect snow showers this morning, gradually lifting north toward the St. Lawrence Valley throughout the morning and early afternoon. Sun/Clouds and cold otherwise. High in the mid to upper 30s.
• Tonight: Snow redeveloping. 1"-2" possible for the Mohawk Valley, with locally heavier amounts to the north and west.
• Saturday: Morning snow squalls. Afternoon clearing. High: 26, Low: 10
• Sunday: Thickening clouds with snow developing. High: 29, Low: 28

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TONIGHT at 7:30

it's the Optimist Club's Annual

TALENT SHOW!

All proceeds will benefit the Abby Fund.

Adults: $5 Students: $3 Children under 5: Free.

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Yesterday's forecast included a prediction of "Lake Effect" snow for "Northern Oneida County." I was driving Northward over Paris Hill at around 1:30, and the sky was as dark as could be: if it had been July, I'd have thought we were in for a really good thunderstorm!


But at 4:45, after sitting in a waitingroom for two hours and seeing a doctor (routine visit) for two minutes, the sky-view from the top of Shanley Road said, "Red sun at night; sailor's delight!"

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If you'd prefer snow, I just found a site that will show you how many/which trails are open on Whiteface! Go HERE, and then click on the link to conditions and grooming!

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"Michael's" windows are pretty in the daytime, but really dazzling later on - if you can get a view between cars!

Out on Madison Street, a Snowman beneath an "umbrella."

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On VanHyning Road, the new B & B gets bigger and bigger!

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It's the Historical Society's Fifth Annual "Victorian Tea," tomorrow afternoon, and then ........

Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem

At the KAC

8PM
General Admission-$18
KAC Members-$15

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NEXT WEEKEND!

Anna Rae Martin and her dad will compete in the

Toyota Fifth Grader Challenge

On Saturday, Dec. 8th the televised finals will take place at the Clinton High School Auditorium. Through a series of elimination rounds teams will be whittled down to one final team. It is this final team that will then have the opportunity to win the grand prize.

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Have a Great Weekend, Everyone!

Thursday

It's Garbage Day!

34.5 degrees.

• Thursday: Cloudy and breezy with light rain or light snow. Light accumulation possible well north of Utica. High in the upper 30s.
• Thursday Night: Lake effect snow, especially north of Utica/Rome, where significant accumulation is possible. Breezy. Low in the mid 20s
• Friday: Lake effect snow in the morning, tapering off to flurries by afternoon. Much colder. High: 36, Low: 17

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I receive quite a lot of E-mail - some personal; some meant to share. WCS' Mary Campbell sent me this letter, yesterday -- it's for ALL of us!

She wrote, "I sent this message out to our staff today - would you modify if for your readers and include on the blog before Friday night?

As most of you know, Waterville senior Abby Smith suffered a stroke in March. Since then she has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation. She is now attending school in the morning, while continuing therapy in the afternoon.
The Brothertown Optimist Club is hosting a community variety show this Friday night at 7:30 in the high school auditorium. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Abby Fund to help defray costs related to Abby's illness. Fred Ashforth is in charge of the event - it is always very entertaining and the cost is very reasonable ($5 adults, $3 for students).
So please consider attending this show to show your support to the Smith family.

Thanks so much,
Mary"

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And

- from Byron Stuhlman, this clarification following my suggestion that there was somehing very special about the St. Andrew's church building in Newcastle, Maine:

"St. Andrew's is the first church in this country designed by Henry Vaughn, the architect of Washington Cathedral. It was built in 1883. Its organ is the original tracker-action Hutchins, installed in 1888 and still in splendid condition." He goes on to say that, "Hester sings in the choir now, as she has done during the summer for many years. I am one of four retired priests in the congregation, besides the rector and the curate. (Thank you, Byron!)

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And Mark, in Ft. Meyers, Florida, has sent me some more sunny-warm pictures to show to you BUT I'm going to save those until some morning when we have more snow than this.

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Finally, both water AND mallards have returned to the pond at the foot of Grant Hill!


Corn field in Hanover.


I was just dusk when I came down Berrill Avenue, and the Neffs' home was aglow!


Turning on to Main Street, I caught a glimpse of the greenery and lights on the New York Pizzeria.


'Del's home, on Sanger Avenue ..........


........... nearly across the street from #188 where Santa REALLY showed up!


At the Harding Nursing Home.



There appears to have been a plowable snow fall in Old Forge,
and about 6" in Barnes Corners!

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Are we Ready?

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A query from the writer: I'm searching for two SMALL (3 or 4- foot) Christmas Trees to put in the "tubs" in front of the old barn here in the Hollow. If you see any for sale, would you please let me know where I can find them? Thanks!

Wednesday

It's Recyclables Day!
It's 28.4 degrees.

There's a little bit of new snow, but the road is just wet.

• Wednesday: A morning flurry or two. Otherwise, partly cloudy and cool. High in the mid to perhaps upper 30s.
• Wednesday Night: Increasing clouds. Low in the mid to upper 20s.
• Thursday: Light rain or light snow or a mix of both. Cloudy. High: 41, Low: 24

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Everyone looked, but there was no sign of "our" Snow Geese, yesterday.

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Buck Harris, who lives in North Dakota and follows Life in Waterville via the "blog," wrote to comment on the many varieties of birds that he's used to seeing. "Living here amongst the prairie pot-holes and the major migratory route for most water birds, we get to see this sight every spring. I'm not sure if it was so common while you were in Kansas, but here in North Dakota, our fields fill with hundreds of canada geese, snow geese, trumpeter swans, pelicans, and mallard ducks amonst many other water birds that I'm still not totally familiar with. Entire fields become a blanket of "honking" white and black. Occasionaly we'll read that a couple of whooping cranes were sighted in a field as well (major news in these parts)."

And then he added: "get ready for some chilly weather. We were 48F on Sunday and by 6pm on Monday, we had a mini-blizzard with winds around 45mph, snow (we had none on the ground until then), and the temp dropped from 32 at 6pm to 12F by 6:30!! The roads were covered in drifts, visibility was zero, and by 7am this morning, we were a "balmy" -6F...yes MINUS 6F!! And it's not even December yet! "

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Jody Hildreth missed seeing the Snow Geese, but wrote that:
"I did have a surprise at my feeder today – the first Common Redpoll of the year. Watch the feeders. This is suppose to be a huge year for winter finches. Common Redpoll, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, Red and White-winged Crossbills, and Bohemian Waxwings are all being reported in New York. Hope I have a chance to photograph some."

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I had a nice E-note from Byron Stuhlman, who sent "Greetings!" from Round Pond, Maine.
"We moved here three weeks ago, but turned around and went back to Utica because our son Jon (curator of American art at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC) had been signed up to give a lecture at Munson Williams on November 16. From there we went to Bridgewater, Connecticut, where I conducted the funeral for Jon's godmother who had died recently. We finally got back to Maine in time for me to preside at the late service at St. Andrew's, Newcastle, on Sunday."


I found this picture of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on the internet but couldn't find its history - and I know that there's something special about the architect who designed it, but can't remember what. Perhaps Byron can fill us in on that?

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I cruised around the village late yesterday afternoon: a fun little ride!

The first thing I noticed was that the pavement on both W. Bacon Street and Babbott Avenue is back to normal: no more zigging and zagging to avoid those square "potholes!"



It was still quite light out. The Gibbons' residence was pretty even without lights ....



Other buildings glowed.


S. Babbott Avenue.

The Pumilias' on Stafford Avenue .......


...... and the Pumilias' on Tower Street light up their neighborhoods!


The Grinch was at the Prices' .........


......... and Santa has already made it to the roof of #188!

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Are you SURE you know where your snow shovels are?

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I also had mail, yesterday, from the Editor of "DeafLIFE" asking for information about Charlotte Buell Coman. Historians have spent a great deal of time reading about artist Albert Bierstadt, but there hasn't been much come to light about Charlotte Buell - surprising, because of the Buell family status in the village and Charlotte's eventual fame. Now might be a good time to ask if anyone has a dusty old canvas up in their attic signed "Coman" ?!?

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Have a nice day!!

Tuesday

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It's either 34 or 37 degrees, here in the Hollow - depending on digital vs. the classic WICKES thermometer - and it might be icey up in Paris Hill, so drive carefully!

• Tuesday: Occasional rain and snow showers. Turning a bit cooler late, with some steadier snow possible toward the evening rush hour. High near 40.

• Tuesday night: Occasional snow showers. Light accumulation possible. Low in the low 20s.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny with increasing clouds late. High: 40, Low: 27

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While half of Waterville was going back and forth between CVS and the High School parking lot to see the huge flock of Snow Geese that had landed in the field between, Library Director Jeff Reynolds - and a few of the Gallagher's "Girls" - were watching another gaggle out on Osborn Avenue.

Jeff said that the "Girls" just didn't quite seem to know what to make of the interlopers and that when geese rose in flight there was a decided "din of honking and mooing!"

Here are his pictures: all "clickable."

Ann Ingersoll's brother, Paul Fleischman, E-wrote to say that he and his wife had seen a similar gaggle a few years ago near Cato Meridian and that he recalled that, in flight, they gave the appearance of confetti!

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I went uptown, quite late in the afternoon, and drove out and around hoping to spot them ...

Yes! back on the field adjacent to Bogan Road near Madison Street: thousand of them, hunkered down for the night, it seemed.

Several vehicles came along, slowed and stopped, and we drivers stood talking quietly for quite a while amazed that the travelers didn't seem to mind.

But then some (expletive deleted!) got out of his/her car and decided to get a little closer, and - in a flash - the geese rose and flew off into the night.

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More and more Christmas Lights are on in the Village: Sanger Avenue seemed to be shining the most brightly, last evening, but - with two mild days in the forecast -perhaps that will change within the next day or two!

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The WCS Boys' Varsity Basketball Team meets Owen D. Young here in Waterville tomorrow night at 7:30.

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Have a good day!

for tuesday

Monday

Gray, outdoors, but a pleasant 37 degrees.

Garbage Day!

I don't even know what the forecast is because:

#1 - I overslept!
#2 - I had three really interesting phone calls, and
#3 - it was the next call (from Jean Davis) that sent me right to my car and up to the CVS parking lot to see the flock of Snow Geese!

Click images for larger views

I could see a couple of cameras flashing over in the High School parking lot, so .....

... I dashed over there in time to see them lift off ..........

........... and circle the field a few times .........

........and then, apparently, land again.
I don't know if they're still there, but if you're out and around, go and look for them!

Also: the lines are up in the Park. A sure sign that the Masons will be bringing in Christmas Trees for Sale next weekend!

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More later!