Saturday morning

Cinco de Mayo


Michael is ready!


It's 33.3 degrees, right now, but that's only temporary!

*****

Work was in progress, yesterday, at "Mac's" at the corner of Main Street and Buell Avenue (Route 315) ......

..... and just a little way East on Main Street, this fine old house is getting a new coat of gray paint.

Several families of Canada Geese have set up housekeeping next to the pond at
Lyon's Mills - midway between Solsville and Oriskany Falls.

I took this picture yesterday, on my way southbound, at Hubbard's Corners. The DOT will be reconfiguring the junction of Route 12 and Summit Road - a dangerous spot - and we'll all be glad!

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The standings:

It's Friday!

RICK! (That's my fantastic son-in-law!)

It's 31.2 degrees, and the dew on the lawn is quite white!

• Today: Sunny and pleasant. High 68
• Saturday: Sunny. High 62 Low 31
• Sunday: Sunny. High 63 Low 38

Forsythia bushes are blooming here and there in the village, and several brighten the garden at the new Library, along with daffodils and clumps of yellow and purple pansies.

Grace Episcopal Church.


On Berrill Avenue.

Village Clerk-treasurer Lorena Lenard took her grandaughter, AnnaNoelle, along to help with municipal business downtown, yesterday. AnnaNoelle is the daughter of the Mr. and Mrs. Lenard who are 7th and 8th grade teachers.


Four big "cement trucks" were lined up, early yesterday morning, and the new Home Shoppe now has a big concrete floor.

In yesterday's E-mail came photographs of contruction elsewhere: Phillip and Jennifer Sexton live in a lovely country home in Esperance that is called "Tear Drop Pond Farm."
They have new neighbors.

Meet Mr. (or Mrs.) Beaver!

*******

Also in the mail, a nice long letter from blog-fan Rich Lewis - whom I remember as Clark - who lives just six blocks from the State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He wrote,

"Several years ago my Dad gave me some hop roots and I planted them in my back yard and they climb up the fire escape (not a fire hazard as I have front and back stairs inside the house.


I saw the picture of the ones at the historical society and thought you would like to see mine growing 6 blocks from the state capitol building. What a difference 250 miles can make. My grandfather was P.N. Lewis and he grew hops commercially, when production ceased he raised cash crops, and bought the feed mill from Tylers. The feed and lumber business eventually evolved into the farm machinery and car business, which you may remember my father owned."

Thanks, Rich!

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The Earlville Opera House opens this weekend.

"This week we have the fabulous Nashville songwriter Shawn Camp here with his band this Saturday, May 5th at 8 pm! Bluegrass and country fans alike will be in heaven!

Then on Sunday May 6th afternoon - Voices of Tabernacle celebrate folk music from around the world and the Claddagh Ring Dancers perform folk dances starting at 3 pm!"

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An item on the WKTV website is worth noting: "May is Rabies Awareness Month."

***

***

It's going to be another nice, bright sunny day. Have a good one!

Thursday morning

....... a day late ......

SBS

Shirley sent an E-note, yesterday, and in it said,

"I saw some lilies of the valley on someone's desk today and was reminded of making construction paper May baskets in school and then getting off the bus at my grandmother Katherina Stricker's house (my nephew John Eisenhut lives there now in a greatly expanded and remodeled version of Grandma and Grandpa's house, nearly across from my cousin Sally Zweifel's), picking some of Grandma's lilies of the valley or maybe Mayflowers, putting them in the little basket and then hanging it on the doorknob."

Do children - of any age - still make May Baskets?

(This is the first time in several years that I forgot to!)

*******

It's Garbage Day!

and a brisk 32.4 degrees.

Yesterday was an absolutely magnificent Spring Day!
Unfortunately, I had to spend several hours of it standing in line at the Motor Vehicle Department at the Depot in Utica.
Today will be different: I'm going to play in the dirt.

The Grecian Windflowers are in bloom on the side lawn of the O'Dowd residence.


The old "sugar bush" on Green Road is carpeted with the lacy leaves of "Dutchmen's Britches" - Dicentra - and the little white blossoms are just opening.



There will be a

CHICKEN BARBEQUE

Sunday, May 6,
from 12-noon til sold out

THE WATERVILLE METHODIST CHURCH.

$8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children.

******

In the Observer-Dispatch, a story about the 99 World War II Veteranswho are on a trip to Washington D.C.

Walter W. Lee, 85, a resident of the Harding Nursing Home and correspondent to The Waterville Times, is with the group and he said that the (WW II) memorial represents what all veterans built together.

"I want to see it.
It means what we stand for — United States."

*******

The Yankees game against the Texas Rangers was rained out, but will be made up as part of a double-header on Thursday.

Meanwhile, in Boston .......

Wednesday morning

Recyclables Day!

43.5 and gray, but getting better.

• Wednesday: Morning clouds and showers giving way to sun by afternoon. High 55
• Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy and cool. Low 34
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High 59 Low 37
• Friday: Mostly sunny. High 60 low 40

"Lake Sangerfield" has gone down a little bit, but .....

...... "Lake Osborn" still fills someone's front yard.

The Hop Vines have sprouted at the Historical Society!
Now is the time to take rootings.

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

WKTV Channel 2 News Police Cracking Down on Speeders on Commercial Drive.

On the same subject, an article in this morning's O-D had a quote that made me chuckle:
"The state police define an aggressive driver as "anyone who operates a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold or pushy manner — without regard for the rights or safety of the other users."

I liked the "bold or pushy" part: I think we might have one or two such drivers in Waterville, too.

**********

Take a slow ride along the "Dugway" between Route 12B and Austin Road. The White Trillium are in bloom!

******

And, finally, the Yankees bloomed, too!

........ but, at the end of ten, Boston had wilted.

*****

About the Wildflower Photographs:

When my digital camera was new - and long before I'd discovered "blogging" - I made a fairly large collection of such photographs. And then, a few years later, I discovered "Powerpoint" and turned all of the photographs into a slide show. (It's a little hokey, but I was having fun!) If you'd like me to E-mail you the show - which presents pictures of Spring wildflowers in the order in which they bloom - just click the "E-mail the Writer" link at the top of this post, and I'll be glad to send you the file.

PsB

Tuesday morning

It's "May Day!"

and

"BIG TRASH" Day, too.

34.3 degrees; the sunrise was announced loudly, at just 5:42, by the ever-helpful Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, who starts each day with a percussion solo on the barn roof.

From WKTV: "sun and clouds will rule the morning (more clouds than sun at times), but you will notice a stark increase in cloudiness as the day progresses. A sprinkle or two is possible toward sunset Tuesday. Widespread rain showers will develop Tuesday evening and Tuesday night. A quick hitting dose of locally heavy rain, especially south of the Thruway will move through overnight and clear the area by mid Wednesday morning. A rumble of thunder is not likely, but is possible. Highs on Tuesday will reach around 60 degrees, with cooler conditions where clouds thicken up first. Tuesday night will see lows near 40 degrees."


DOT Landscaper Paul Evans was in town, yesterday, leaving trails and clusters of fluttering flags which mark locations for about sixty more new trees which will be planted in the next week or so. Seven Hop Hornbeams will go in the Park, some Flowering Crabapple Trees in the tree grates between "Michael's" and the Tyler building; with more "crabs" and Elm and Pin Oak here and there from the Fire House to Sangerfield.


Mayor Younes, Mr. Ostrander, Mr. Bechy and Clerk-treasurer Lorena Lenard held yet another meeting at the mill to discuss the Village's options.




Out in the woods, bright yellow Turk's Cap Lilies (sometimes called Adder's Tongue or Trout Lily - because of the speckling on the leaves) and tiny pink Spring Beauty make mossy May Day bouquets.

Rusty Fredericks, who lives out toward Brookfield, took some pictures of bluebirds yesterday morning. This one was so perfect that I "watermarked" it so that it wouldn't end up in someone else' portfolio. (Thanks, Rusty!)

I should probably also "watermark" the grand photographs that Jeff Reynolds sends me, now and then. This one must have been taken on his afternoon commute from Waterville to Cooperstown. Thanks, Jeff!

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Planning Ahead

"Michael's Fine Food and Spirits" will open at noon on Saturday for a special "Cinco de Mayo" celebration. Check his website for details!

***

Sunday, May 13th is

MOTHER'S DAY

and SouthGate Ministries extends an invitation to the community:

"We at SouthGate are having a

Mother's Day Breakfast
from 8 to 10 am.

The event is FREE to the community.

Please call 841-3266 and leave your name and the number of people who will be attending."

***********

I had a nice E-note, yesterday, from Charles Thompson of No Sheep Designs. Apparently he's a Blog-reader, and he was pleased to find himself - and No Sheep - mentioned! He did graduate from WCS - in 1985 - and has been designing websites for about eight years. (Thanks, Charles!)

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And now the sun is really shining: have a Great Day, everyone!

Monday morning

It's 47.7 degrees.

and it's Garbage Day.

WKTV predicts - a few more sprinkly days, followed by SUNSHINE!

• Monday: A morning sprinkle, otherwise partly sunny. High 59
• Monday night: Partly cloudy. Low 39
• Tuesday: Partly sunny with a slight chance of a shower. High 60 Low 42
• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with showers. High 55 Low 34
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High 59 Low 37
• Friday: Mostly sunny. High 63 Low 41
• Saturday: Mostly sunny. High 69 Low 47

Although it is an "alternate" Monday night, it is not a Village Board Meeting night: those happen only on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (unless these fall on a Monday holiday, in which case the meetings take place on the following Wednesday.)


The Village Board did, however, meet in a lengthy Executive Session on Saturday to discuss the demolition of the Putnam Hall "Mill" and the hope that it can be razed and all brought to the ground, by professionals, as soon as is possible.

The building was constructed by George Putnam in 1867 and for several years housed railroad offices storage space and - on the third floor - a large ballrom where entertainments of all sorts, from dances to high school graduation to plays and dinner parties, took place. About ten years after it was built, the building changed hands and it became the Buell Boot and Shoe manufactory. Years later, of course - and until fifteen or twenty years ago (and I hope that someone will tell me the exact year) it was a division of the Waterville Knitting Mill.

*******

Elsewhere:

Carol Aldridge asked me - just yesterday, in Foodking - if my "Lenten Rose" had bloomed.

Yes!

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

And down in the Bronx...........

New, for your edification and enjoyment .............

visit "Michael's Fine Food & Spirits" website

which was created by

Charles Thompson at his company,

"No Sheep Designs,"

in Clinton!

Sunday morning

How unusual!


I overslept --- ALOT!

... and even found my grandson, Iain, already downstairs, giggling because he beaten me, and waiting for his cinnamon toast and cocoa!

A quick assessment of the day:

It's 40-ish and foggy.

and dreary in Boston, but ......

that's only fair!

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

"More toast, please!"

******

And I'll be back, later! Have a good day!