Saturday afternoon

It's like the Good Old Days!

We only had a foot or so of snow, but the wind's really whipping!

(click thumbnail pix.)

There's a second "Road Closed" sign up at the corner of East and West Bacon Streets and Stafford Avenue.

All of the Highway Departments have huge supplies of sand, and they're being very liberal in applying it to all of the roadways.

We saw several youngsters carrring sleds and snowboards.
I wonder what hill they were heading toward?

Out beyond CVS, there's the usual situation of blowing and drifting snow that's been there since who-knows-when.

Some snowmobilers were pulling in to the pumps at Nice 'n Easy in Sangerfield to gas up their sleds....

..... and summertime tools rested.

"Anonymous" has sent me a wonderful website with a great deal of information and many, many beautiful photographs of many varieties of Hellebores.

(Yes - you may certainly use the drawing as a "screen saver" or "wallpaper," but please don't make greeting cards or prints.
Someone else has already done that!)

Snowy Saturday morning

It's 20.6 degrees at 6:00 a.m. and "the snows of yesteryear" are here!

It looks as if there has been about a 5" or 6" accumulation.

Sorry it's blurry: I didn't use a flash or tripod to take this picture out our front doorway, but it IS SNOWING! And that's the "Sidewalk Plow" coming down the hill. (click on thumbnail.)

The winged euonymus is nicely decorated, and ..........

Old Forge Webcam

........ I imagine that there really are some snowmobilers who have their snowmobile suits, boots and helmets right at hand and are just waiting for daylight to go out and ride!

Travel safely, everyone!

Friday Add-on: more "clickables!"

Just a few off-and-on again snow showers, this morning, but the forecast for tonight and tomorrow is colorful! "Lake Effect Snow," coming right at us!

The electricians are working in the Park, today.....

... and by 2 o'clock it looked as if most of the six lamps had been installed.

*****************

It already looks really wintery down at the caves in Forge Hollow.

********

E-mail replies to the writer's request for opinions as to when the lamps should be lighted - as soon as possible or with ceremonial Hoopla! - run slightly in favor of "Hoopla!" with everyone agreeing that Sanger Avenue is looking absolutely "elegant!"

Friday morning

Ooops! I overslept!

Just a look at the Weather, before I put the GARBAGE out:

It's 25.9 degrees and a light snow has fallen. Barely an inch, by the looks of it, but the plows have been out!

This is what's going on, now......

... and this is what the meteorologists tell us us might happen tonight.

You'd think that there might be more snow up North,
but this webcam shot from Old Forge doesn't show very much:
not enough for grand snowmobiling!

Back in a while! But, in the meantime, tell me what you think, please:

"Should the new lights be turned on as soon as is possible?" or "Should a special Celebration be planned for that event?"
(You can either E-mail me by using the link at the top of the page or by sending a comment! Thank You!)

Thursday add-on

These little "thumbnail pictures" are all "clickable!" Enjoy!

The new lamp posts now march all the way down Sanger Avenue to Mrs. Woodhouse's residence....



...and down the litttle curving sidewalk on the point of Monument Park!



Initial criticisms of either color or unecessary proximity to each other are fading and now conversations are filled with praise for the elegant appearance of the lamps and the speed with which the two electricians are completing the installations considering that
it was still quite chilly, today, even though the sun was bright.

Oh, ohhhh! I don't know how the lilacs and magnolia buds are going to fare, but this a very large bud on my Helleborus orientalis - Lenten Rose - is looking pretty sad. They're supposed to bloom just as the last snows are melting in the Spring ----- not at the beginning of Winter!

But the days really are getting noticably longer - especially in the afternoon - and I'm afraid this is just one of several varieties of plants that have been fooled!

Thursday morning

NOW it's Recyclables Day!

and it's a Heat Wave:

15.9 degrees at 5:30!

The Weather Channel

WKTV's Matt Lanza: "The next 7 days will see shots of light snow, followed by localized lake effect. There are no major storms on the horizon until next Wednesday..."

According to www.syracuse.com, The WCS Girls' Varsity Basketball Team lost to Mt. Markham, last night, 49 - 47.The WCS Boys' Varsity Basketball Team will meet Sauquoit Valley tonight at 7:30 in Waterville.

And during the daytime, we'll be watching more lamp posts go up on Sanger Avenue!

Now everyone wants to know,

"When Will They be Turned On?"

(More fiddling with photos.)
To enlarge yesterday's views from Sanger Hill, please click HERE and HERE.

View of the Oriskany Falls Quarry from Sanger Hill.
(click to enlarge.)

Wednesday add-on!

Looking west, from the lower stretch of Brothertown Road.

.... and east from the top of Sanger Hill,

it looks COLD!

But there were some runners and joggers out, and they didn't seem to mind! The sun was wonderfully bright, and the two electricians set eleven more lamp posts in place.

I'm getting used to the color!
At first it seemed too garish and/or blotchy,
but now the posts look uniformly "old."

(An inconsequential observation: it surprised me that I could look through Bob Mayne's back yard, on Sanger Avenue, and see the tower of the Presbyterian Church!)




By 4:00 P.M. the row reached from across from CVS to Mrs. Zambri's residence!
There are two or three empty bases - probably not a big problem, but something better dealt with in less frigid weather!

Wednesday morning

No: it's NOT recyclables day ----- that's TOMORROW!

Village Board Meeting

TONIGHT

at 7:00


*******

Between now and then, it's going to be

COLD!

WKTV Meteorologist Matt Lanza writes: "I could not tell you if it's a record, or where it stands all-time. I do know that it's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen in a winter, and today marks the end of it.

Today is the first time since December 8 that we have seen a below normal daily average temperature. That's 38 consecutive above normal days."

************

This morning, in "Whiskey Hollow," it's -2.2 degrees with just a light cover of fresh snow.

I've been reading a blog being sent by two young ladies who are on vacation and are sharing their adventures.

Oh, to be in Hawaii, on that little beach....

or out Whale Watching!

But I'm sure that there are plenty of people in the World who wish that they could see the snow and ignore the cold.

Elinor Wylie did:


Velvet Shoes



Let us walk in the white snow

In a soundless space;

With footsteps quiet and slow,

At a tranquil pace,

Under veils of white lace.



I shall go shod in silk,

And you in wool,

White as white cow's milk,

More beautiful

Than the breast of a gull.



We shall walk through the still town

In a windless peace;

We shall step upon white down,

Upon silver fleece,

Upon softer than these.



We shall walk in velvet shoes:

Wherever we go

Silence will fall like dews

On white silence below.

We shall walk in the snow.

Local pix later, when it's light out.

Tuesday afternoon

Cold and snowy - just like Winter! But not cold enough to stop the electrical contractors.





They put up eleven of the new lamp posts, today - starting from across from CVS as far as the Price residence. If they continue at that rate, all 80 could be in place by the end of next week!

A Streetlamp is UP!! w/ pix

At exactly 8:08, this morning, Mr. Roc Langone phoned to say that, as he watched, a Victorian lamp post was being erected "across from CVS." "And it looks good!"

I'll put on some shoes and make a photo dash!

And now........ (drumm roll!)..........

Only 79 more lamps to go!

And then there was another "photo op" - Roc and the awesomely special "Baklava" dessert that he makes. You know: the phyllo (pronounced FEE-lo) shell, ground walnuts, honey and, of course, Roc's Ice Cream.

But if you want any, you'll have to go to Symeon's - it's an exclusive!

Tuesday morning

It's GARBAGE Day!

20.8 degrees at 6 o'clock, with just a frosting of light snow falling.

WKTV's Amanda Gabler predicts:
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy and cold with light snow. Breezy. Light accumulations possible south & west of Utica. Total snow accumulation by 5 PM: 2-4" for most of CNY, with 4-6" possible in extreme western Oneida and Madison Counties. High 17
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy and very cold. Low -1

(from the Weather Channel.)

There is some snow in the forecast but nothing like this - just four years ago!

*********

WCS Girls' Varsity Basketball will meet Mt. Markham TOMORROW night at 7:30 at WCS.

*****

And, in just two months, "Footloose" opens on the WCS Stage! It's a musical set in the 80's --- remember leg warmers? break dancing? huge hair? --- with some memorable songs ("Almost Paradise," "Let's Hear it for the Boy!") and super choreography! The basic plot?

Ren McCormick, (Alex Mowrey) a high school student who is uprooted from his Chicago home after his parents' divorce and moved to the tiny town of Beaumont. To his horror, he learns there is no dancing permitted in the town, due to the city council being overly concerned about the safety of its youth. That was because several teens had once died on their way home from a dance -- ergo, dancing is bad, according to Rev. Shaw Moore (Rusty Ritzel) who rules Beaumont with an iron, Bible-clutching fist.

Ms. Loomis has an excellent cast - already in rehearsals - and experienced, inventive and energetic technical crews: it's going to be good!

Monday morning add-on

It's 34 degrees at 10:00 and still raining. The breeze is picking up and icy twigs are hitting windows. I've been out and around the community, driving - and walking upright! - without any difficulty. Here in "the hollow," as well as in Sangerfield at Nice 'n Easy (French-Vanilla Cappuccino's a requirment for such mornings!) there is no ice on the pavement. I drove eastward on Upper White Street as far as Sheepskin Hollow, and the road was very slushy out there.

Along Bogan Road S., hedgerows were white with ice.

I was tempted to drive up to the old "Tyler Barn" to look
at the view, but just didn't quite dare.

In Sangerfield, Mrs. Tonetti's birch trees are bent and, in the process of leaning groundward, have torn a wire.
At the Sweeneys' on White Street, their birch is similarly ice-laden.

My grandfather loved to recite the first few lines of Robert Frost's poem, "Birches."

When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the line of straighter, darker trees
I like to think that some boy's been swinging them.
But swinging doesn't bend them down to stay. Ice storms do that."

Weather forecasters are uncertain what will come next but, unfortunately, bright sunshine on all of the ice isn't even a possibility, I'm afraid!

Monday morning

It's 30.9 degrees, out, and it's definitely rain that's coming down - FREEZING RAIN!

It must have been icing for quite a while for, although cars are traveling at a normal rate of speed, when their headlights hit the hedge in front of the house, it's like looking at Tiffany's windows.

I didn't really step outside our front door. Just peeked out to take this picture of the winged euonymus next to the front steps. (Click to enlarge.)

The WKTV Weather Map shows icing taking place all over this part of the state.

I read through the more recent "comments" that follow the WKTV Weather Blog. This was posted by meteorologist Adam Musyt at just about 6 o.clock: "Good morning! It looks like we'll see mostly freezing rain this morning instead of sleet or snow. be very careful driving to work today!"

At 6:29 - scanner reports a tree down and blocking the road (315.)

****************

This is, of course, a national holiday celebrating the life of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. .

*******

There's also an article in today's O-D about

Samuel Morse

and his memorable connection to Utica.

I don't think that I'll venture out until it's light, but then I'll let you know what conditions are like in Whiskey Hollow at 1142' above sea level.

REALLY Slippy Sunday

By mid-afternoon there was a coating of ice on just about everything, and it just wasn't nice outdoors.

It's pretty on trees and grasses, but darned dangerous on wooden stairs and vehicular running-boards!

Rumored at Foodking, but later confirmed: one of this morning's ambulance responses was to the Cooper residence in Sangerfield where Adele had fallen while going for her morning newspaper. She has suffered a broken hip and will be in St. Luke's Hospital for several days. Forest, in the meantime, is at his son's home in Norwich.

In all the years that I've known her, I don't think that Adele has ever had so much as a hangnail! If you see her, tell her Flip said to "Hang in There!" (It'll make her smile!)

********

I've been spending more and more time reading the WKTV Weather Blog and am finding it more interesting and much more informative than I did, at first. If you've ever wondered "How do they do that?" you might like it, too.



(Suddenly, Blogspot.com is accepting photographic uploads! I DO hope it lasts!)

Slippy Sunday

It's just 30 degrees, at 7 o'clock, but cold enough to make a few things - like the cocoa-matting on our front porch steps - really slippy! And it's going to get worse! You can see from the Doppler snap, below, that there's a mixture creeping in.



The WKTV Forecast reads:

Sunday: Snow, sleet and freezing rain in the morning. Some light ice and snow accumulation possible. In the afternoon, chance for rain showers. Highs in the mid 30s.

Sunday night: Snow and sleet developing. Accumulations likely before daybreak. Lows in the mid 20s.

Monday: Snow, possibly mixed in with a period of sleet and freezing rain. Significant accumulations possible. High around 30. Low in the low teens."

The WeatherChannel forecast is less colorful, but more detailed:

There have already (at 8:45) been THREE
ambulance calls
resulting from "falls."
I don't know whether they resulted from
falls on ICE or not,
but
don't make it four!

I'd been hoping to find a photograph of sunny Hawaii, waiting for me this morning. Sarah Sexton and Cathy Burbules are en route - after a six-hour layover in Newark and fourteen-hour flight to Honolulu - and are taking lots of us along with them via a BLOG! If I can have their permission, I'll share some pix with you as soon as they start coming!

In the meantime, why don't you just click on this link - HERE - and enjoy some Summertime sights, as seen just six months ago.

And REMEMBER that

tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day.

• The Post Office will be closed;
• GARBAGE Collection will take place on TUESDAY,
• The Village Board will meet on Wednesday evening,
• RECYCLABLES will be collected on Thursday,
• and GARBAGE again on Friday.