Tuesday morning

41.4 degrees.

WKTV's Forecast reads

"SUNNY, SUNNY, SUNNY!"

Tuesday: Mostly sunny and warm! Highs in the upper 70s to near 80.

Wednesday: Sun, some clouds and just a slight chance of an afternoon thunderstorm. High: 76, Low: 53

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Much of the Erie Canal - and all portions in Oneida and Herkimer Counties - has opened.

The sight of Elfie Goedeker's rock garden, out on Canning Factory Road, caused me to make a dusty U-turn so that I could go back and take a picture. Seeing me stopped, Mr. Goedeker came to investigate: he approved of my picture-taking and offered, "It's all my wife's doing. I take no credit for it!"


Truckloads of new trees pulled in to Waterville early yesterday morning.

It didn't take long for this pretty young lady to go to work and for planting to begin.

A very observant blog-reader, however, was wondering if more care will be taken, this year, when planting trees directly under utility lines! This tree - at 241 Sanger Avenue - has either grown alot since last Autumn or shouldn't have been planted there in the first place!


Black-topping was taking place at the new School Bus Garage on East Bacon Street....

..... and at #146 Stafford Avenue, where it seems much work has been in progress inside the building, two bright urns of geraniums appeared at the front doorway of the old "Bigelow House."

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Gary Tuttle sent me the next two pictures last evening, saying that he had seen a fox on the hillside behind their Sanger Avenue home at suppertime.



They - or perhaps "it" - visits Whiskey Hollow, now and then, probably to get a drink from Big Creek. Many years ago, when the Desany family lived at #242 Buell Avenue, a family of foxes set up housekeeping in the "old shed." On sunny days, Mother Fox would bring the kits out onto the front step to play in the sun where, unperturbed by their audience, they provided amusement to quite a number of passersby.

*******

Boston had a travel day and will be in Toronto tonight.

And: about the "Cow" out on Hanover Road? Well - it appeared in front of John Brouillette's home one day last weekend and had, he presumed, "something to do with my birthday!" He was going to take it inside but, discovering that it weighs hundreds of pounds, has wisely decided to leave it just where it is!

Monday morning

It's Garbage Day!

and tomorrow is Metals collection.

It's 32 degrees on the nose, but here's WKTV's warm-up forecast for the week:

Monday: Sunny & mild. High 70
Monday night: Clear. Not as cool. Low 45
Tuesday: Mostly sunny & warm. High 75 Low 52
Wednesday: Partly sunny with slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm. High 78 Low 51
Thursday: Partly sunny with a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm. High 78 Low 52
Friday: Showers and storms likely. High 69 Low 51

Sunny Day setting .........

It looks like a photograph from "Country Living" magazine - a pretty grouping on a porch or deck, somewhere - but it is in the least-expected spot: outside the two big doors of Dan Maine's Woodworking Shop on Madison Street! Not that Dan and his guys would ever sit down and take a break, but Marilyn has a flair for making even a driveway look inviting!


More "Country Living" .......

a happy Holstein welcomes visitors to a home on Hanover Road.

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"Welcome Back!"

George and Connie Kelley
Garry and Sharon Cope
Phil and Sylvia Person

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"Welcome to Waterville"

Mary Ellen Sanderson
on Tower Street

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and elsewhere:

The Yankees have warmed up and are now in second place behind the Sox.

Enjoy the Sunshine, everyone!!

Sunny Sunday!

31.5 degrees;

the sun must have risen at 5:32, because that's when the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker began drumming!

Sunday: Sunny. High 60

Sunday night: Clear. Low 31

Monday: Sunny. Mild. High 70 Low 42

Tuesday: Sunny. High 78 Low 49

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Remember that there's a

CHICKEN BARBEQUE

at the Waterville Methodist Church

from Noon 'til Sold Out!

And for Supper, you could have some Cowslip Greens! They're abundant in swampy areas, and just beginning to bloom. Just gather the upper leaves and small buds - not the flowers; rinse well and steam or boil just as you would any other "green." I'm sure that Don and Marla Brown have been enjoying their favorite feast of Cowslip Greens and Catfish, by now!

Yesterday was another Perfect Spring Day!

Above: Nancy's Garden at St. Bernard's Catholic Church;
Below: Girls' Softball at Babbott Field.




Some new ornamental shrubbery was planted on Main Street ....


... and a Red Sox Flag decorates a home on Madison Street.

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One of our local Post Card Collectors brought these to me to see if I could identify them. I couldn't, but perhaps one of YOU can!

Mystery House #1.

Mystery House #2.

The message says,

"Our home in Waterville."

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Coming soon:

A special link to Information

about

THE MEMORIAL BANDSTAND FUND

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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!

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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."

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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."

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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.

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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.

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

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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