Saturday morning

22.4 degrees, with a bright sunrise!

The sky was nearly clear, just before dusk last evening, and then ......

WOW!!!!

the lights all came on, and they were GRAND!

If you missed them last night, they'll be on again this evening and then turned off until the formal lighting ceremony.

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(Photo by Jeff Reynolds.)

The first art exhibit in the Hallway Gallery of the Waterville Public Library features the photography of Elliott Townsend, shown here with his parents at the opening reception.



"Girl with Lunchbox Purse" and "Colors Flying" are among several works that will be on display at the Library and at "Michael's" for the next weeks.

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Mr. Reynolds also sent two of his own photographs to me - these taken in Springfield on his commute to Cooperstown.

Also in yesterday's E-mail was this letter from Megan Barnes. I think you'll find it as interesting as I did!

Back in February a natural gas company called Ardent Resources was drilling for gas and got their drill bit stuck. To free the bit, they pumped TONS of air into the ground to break the rocks around it and pull it free. Finally after 17 hours (which I'm sure is another lie and it was actually a lot longer) they got the drill bit free. The air filled up the rock layer that holds all our water and is where all our wells are. The rock layer was blown to bits from this and the only way for the water to get out was through our wells. It blasted water like a geyser out of 39 wells and made the creeks all look like they were boiling.

To make a long story short, all but about 10 wells are clean again. The 10 that aren't fixed are all messed up in a different ways but it's been almost 8 weeks without really useable water for us. As an example, my well is full of colliform bacteria, still muddy and has so much methane in it that I can actually light my sink on fire. Other people ....... had their barn well for about twenty years which never went dry in that time and now not only does it go dry four days a week but it's also muddy and full of bacteria too. They were told they could get free clean water trucked in for the cows but then the lawyer for the company said they couldn't get anyone to deliver that far. So they have seen a drop in milk production since then.

The lawyer has been pushing this filtration system for each house plus some money to compensate us for the required maintence fees these filters need every year. They said they aren't obligated to drill new wells because there is a chance they would be drilling into the same muddy water. The two filtration systems they have put in so far worked for a few hours and then turned the water all soapy and made it smell. Some days my water clears up but then yesterday another seam in the rocks broke open and made it brown again. We've had no contact or support from Lauren Corbin, the town supervisor and the lawyer for the company told the D.E.C. that things were clearing up so much that they actually applied for another permit to come back and drill for gas again! We kind of feel like we've been left to fend for ourselves and have had very little success in dealing with the lawyer who is treating us like we have no idea what's going on. I've decided that we need a meeting at the firehouse next Thrusday, April 5th at 7pm to discuss this. It was a story that went from front page news to being totally forgotten about. It's hard to be patient after this much time of having to go somewhere else to shower, do dishes, laundry etc and only be given free bottled water and a free cheeseburger at Klings.

Comments? I'll send them along to Megan!

Friday SPECIAL Add-on!

According to Mayor Jim Younes,
the light sensors have been installed
and

the decorative
streetlights will be tested

THIS EVENING
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and

TOMORROW.

Then the lights will be turned off
until a "formal" lighting Ceremony takes place.

Friday morning

22.6 chilly degrees, but WKTV's Weather Team promises:

• Today: A mix of sun and clouds. Mild. High 57
• Tonight: Clear and cool. Low 23
• Saturday: Mostly sunny. High 51 Low 24
• Sunday: Some morning sunshine, followed by afternoon clouds. Rain showers arrive late in the day. High 54 Low 40

Most of the snow has melted, now, and Lake Hanover is starting to recede.

If you look closely at the lawn beside the Petrie residence, on White Street, you'll see a patch of lavendar crocuses (crocii) that were planted years and years ago by Frank "Red" Kylar for Mrs. Barton.

This is for Sylvia and Phil: click to enlarge!

On Madison Street.

Buell Avenue.

And this is the sidewalk sand to which Nancy Ayala referred. There is alot of it in some areas 'tho in others the pavers seem to have already been swept or washed clean.

Beside Nancy Ayala, Mary Beth Plourde and the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion were the only ones who stepped forward, volunteering to help sweep.

Perhaps the DPW has the answer?

Thursday morning

It's Garbage Day, again!

27.5 degrees, and not a single "blip" on the doppler.

The willows all have that wonderful golden tinge of Spring.

• Thursday: Sunny and pleasant. High 47
• Thursday Night: Clear and cool. Low 25
• Friday: Sunny and mild. High 57 Low 28
• Saturday: Partly sunny. High 54 Low 35
• Sunday: Cloudy with rain showers. High 50 Low 38

Although the Street Sweeper has cleaned up litter and debris from the street, there is still alot of wintertime sandy residue on the Main Street Sidewalks and Pavers.

This will bring up an annual debate:
"Who's responsible for cleaning the sidewalk areas in the Summer?"

Yes: the Village does have a Sidewalk Snow Plow, but I don't think they have a sidewalk-sized Sweeper!


Nancy Ayala offers this challenge: "Maybe we could have Earth Day a little early and have a time when folks could pitch in and sweep. I'd be willing."

(Would You?)

Email the Writer

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A Wednesday morning view of the new "Home Shoppe" from the Cemetery.

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In this morning's O-D:

• There will be four new wind turbines in the Town of Augusta.
• If you've been following the Bork Case in Utica, it's over: "Guilty."

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Still watching the "Lenten Rose."

Wednesday afternoon notes

June Lloyd-Stolarczyk sent E-mail saying that the Snow Geese in this morning's photo are acutally behind her house on Post Street and that there have been about 1,000 of them!!!! What a grand sight!

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Planning dinner at UNO??

Print out this COUPON and take it with you.

UNO will give the WCS Music Boosters up to 20% of your tab which, in turn, will help give the Marching Band a little boost toward it's trip to Washington, D.C.

Wednesday

It's Recyclables Day!

It's 37.6 degrees at 6 o'clock, and WKTV predicts that "once that fog dissipates, sun and clouds will develop. It really should turn out to be a nice, but cool day. Highs will be in the mid to upper 40s."

As of late yesterday, flooding has forced the closure of several roads in Oneida County, sheriffs’ dispatchers said.

• • Route 5 remains closed between Limberlost Road and State Route 233.
• • River Street in Oriskany is closed.
• • Route 49 is closed between Drive 36 and Vienna

From today's O-D: "Spitzer Appoints McNamara DA" and in yesterday's issue, "Skidmore College's Rob Hutchison (Waterville) had five hits in a doubleheader split with Drew University. He was 3 for 3 in an 8-6 win and he had a double, triple and two RBIs in a 9-8, eight-inning loss. Hutchison also had two RBIs in wins over Colby-Sawyer and Framingham State. After 12 games, Skidmore was 4-8 and Hutchison was batting .324 with seven RBIs and a team-high nine stolen bases in nine attempts."

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I headed uptown fairly early, yesterday morning, all set to take pictures - as promised - of the litter along Main Street but there was none! Cigarette butts and chipped granite were all gone, because ......

the Sweeper got there first!

The Home Shoppe at 9:00 a.m. ..............

...... and around 4:00 P.M.


The Treens saw two Pileated Woodpeckers in front of their residence on Route 315, a few days ago.

More seagulls? Snow Geese, more likely, next to Post Street South of Clinton.

First sign of "Skunk's Cabbages" - on Route 315 just South of Bogan and Sally Roads.

What a strange plant!

Good for nothing, that I know of, besides looking at and saying:

"It's Spring!"

We'll watch this for a few days, however, and hope that it's as beautiful as I think it will be.

Tuesday morning

It's almost 45 degrees, outdoors, but foggy. WKTV predicts that "Low clouds and fog will linger this morning. We'll see some breaks of sun by this afternoon with milder temperatures. Look for highs in the mid 50's to near 60."

The only "blips" on the doppler radar are tiny little showers to the northeast of Utica.


It rained and rained and rained, yesterday, until late afternoon when it appeared - looking Southwest from lower Brothertown Road - that it was going to clear off.

But no: later on there was more rain and some very startling thunder and lighting!

An article in this morning's O-D warns of Flooding along the Mohawk.

The last I saw of the seagulls who had been waiting for the tide to come in on Osborn Avenue, they were heading for shore, single file, having apparently decided that they were with the wrong tour group!

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Now that the snow has left the Village as well as the countryside, there are some unwelcome surprises coming to light: lots and lots of litter next to curbings along Main Street and - worse - much of that "litter" is composed of granite! Pictures to follow!

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Planning ahead?

Eat out tomorrow night!

Monday morning

Garbage Day!

It's 39.4 degrees and "Big Creek" is singing.



WKTV's Forecast

More rain is on the way as a wave of low pressure moves in from the west. The steadiest of the rain will arrive late this morning and continue into this evening. Temperatures will be held down into the mid 40's for highs, but with a breeze, things will feel cooler. Grab that umbrella and the winter coat as you head outdoors. Wind chill indecies will be only in the 30's.

Rain will taper to scattered showers late tonight as the storm center pulls away. With winds turning lighter, some fog will develop. Fog and drizzle will be the name of the game to start tomorrow but some brightening is likely by afternoon and we ought to be free of any organized precipitation as temperatures warm a bit into the mid 50's.

The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a Flood Watch for the Mohawk Valley, for later today, but look at this extended forecast!

• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
  
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

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You can watch WKTV NewsChannel 2's 6 P.M. Sunday Webcast.

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Lisa Davis, the daughter of Jean B. and the late Lyle Davis and known to many here, in her home town, is among eight women who will be honored by the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley at its April 5 Salute to Outstanding Women. The women were chosen because they made significant contributions to their professions, communities, educational institutions or organizations and their accomplishments reflect the mission of the YWCA to eliminate racism and empower women. Ms. Davis is the associate director of student counseling at Utica College.

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Missy Brouillette sent me this picture from Florida taken as she and her children get acquainted with a "lawn decoration" that moved in to her sister's flowerbed while no one was watchingand only AFTER a wildlife officer had arrived and taped the alligator's mouth shut. The visitor was then taken to the Intercoastal Waterway and released.

Photo Add-ons: Sat. & Sun.

I just got an E-mail from Bridgett Welsh - Dick Welsh's youngest daughter - with two telephone snaps that she took outside of the Graham Cemetery in Hubbardsville. She wrote,

"Since this is the official 'Maple Weekend', I thought I'd send along some pics of taps near the cemetery in Hubbardsville that I took with my camera phone while on a walk. I thought they made a pretty picture."


I agree, and was there yesterday afternoon, too, doing just about the same thing! I don't know what interested me the most: the old-fashioned sap buckets, the lichen on the maples (definitely NOT all on the north side) or the justaposition of cemetery and sap buckets.

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This is the time of year that the Red-stemmed Dogwood,
Cornus stalonifera,
really lives up to its name.

The Sangerfield River, just north of the Loomis Road Bridge.

There are Canada Geese sitting contentedly near almost all the little field ponds, but - on Osborn Avenue - these Seagulls looked quite confused!

"Tide must be out!"

Sunday

First things first!

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It's 33.3 degrees and quite foggy!

WKTV says: "We'll start out with some clouds on Sunday morning, but expect a decrease in cloud cover throughout the day. We should average partly sunny for the afternoon with a light wind. Sunday night, we'll continue to clear out with lows dropping back into the low 30s."

Did you hear thunder, yesterday afternoon?
I did not, but I gather that some folks to the west and south of Waterville did - and saw lightning, too. Last week Roc Langone told me that the "old farm saying" was that

"after the first time you hear thunder, it'll be six months 'til the first frost!"

With that in mind, I went back six months in the original "At Home in the Huddle," and found that the temperature last September 24th started out at 63 degrees. (Some pretty pictures!)

The Jazz Concert at the Library on Friday evening was a huge success! Ms. Newsom wrote: "People were standing in the aisle or standing in the room -- many extra chairs brought in -- really fabulous!"

The Glimmerglass Opera's Schedule for an Orpheus-inspired season is now online, and the mailers advertising the KAC's 25th Anniversary Coffeehouse series are out, so their website should be updated any time now.

*****

Just seven days until Major League Baseball Season opens. In yesterday's games, The Yankees and Toronto tied at 4 and Boston and Tampa Bay tied at 1.

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Goin' Fishing? Don't forget your license! Requirements are listed HERE,
and you can find more information and online links starting at the DEC's page.