Thursday

(I'm chuckling over this:)

Today in Waterville: it's a "Recyclables" Day.
"Garbage" is tomorrow!

And it's a Bbrrrrrisk! morning - 51 degrees under blue sky at 6:00 a.m.

The BLOG is getting a late start because the writer has been immersed in the Music Boosters web page.

(That's what I wrote a year ago today! And this morning - July 5, 2007 - it IS 51 degrees, but cloudy, and I HAVE been immersed in the Music Boosters web page hoping for more photos taken during the Parade or an update on last evening's activities. )

There aren't any new postings - perhaps the site is getting overloaded? - but I hope that "our" kids did, indeed, get to see the concert and fireworks at the Mall. As anyone who's following their travels knows, by now, the threat of storms caused the evacuation of the Mall in the late afternoon, but the crowds were allowed back in a few hours later. The Waterville Marching Band wasn't scheduled to arrive there until 9:00 P.M., so let's hope that they got to have a really fun evening, after all! Today they're off to the beach! It'll be cloudy - but maybe that's not a bad thing.

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Last year in Waterville.

Today, roadwork continues on Route 315. There's a stretch between Steve Cleary's driveway and the Petersons' that has not gotten it's surface layer of "blacktop," yet and - right now - traffic is slowed at the Buell Avenue end of the road with crews filling and smoothing the "shoulders" in the Northbound lane.

Today's forecast from WKTV:

• Thursday: A mix of sun and clouds with afternoon showers and thunderstorms possible. High in the upper 70s to near 80.
• Thursday night: Partly cloudy with scattered showers or thunderstorms possible. Low in the low 60s.
• Friday: A mix of clouds and sun with a few showers or thunderstorms possible. High: 78, Low: 55

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"Rusty" sent this great photograph of Two Babes from Brookfield!

Cornflower is blooming on West Hill.

A sign in the Park.

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ALSO:

Today at 1:30 P.M. at the Waterville Public Library

a showing of Peter Brian Falk's

"The Loomis Gang"

Free, and Open to the Public.

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On Saturday

Loomis Gang Country Tours

start at 9:00 A.M.
at the Waterville Historical Society.

$5.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social 1:00 - 3:00
Hop Exhibit, barn open and Old Time Kids Games

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Elsewhere: The Utica Observer-Dispatch has lots of coverage of events leading up to the 30th running of the "Boilermaker!"

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Direct from Washington!

They're ready to go!
Posing for their Official Portrait
on the steps of the
National Gallery of Art.

Earlier today........

Wednesday

It's 55 degrees - nice out!

Wednesday: Morning sun and clouds with scattered thunderstorms developing after Noon. Any storm could become strong and produce strong, gusty winds and hail, along with heavy rain. Not everyone wil see storms in the daylight hours. Highs in the mid 70s.
Wednesday night: Thunderstorms likely, especially after sunset. Some of the storms could be strong before midnight, with high winds, hail and heavy rain. Most locations should see at least some storms. Low in the low 60s.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms scattered about in the afternoon. High: 78, Low: 59


If you're really interested in weather forecasting, etc., click the link to the WKTV Weather Blog, in the left-hand column.

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"Where in the World is the Marching Band, Now?"

Click this link:

The Marching Band Tour

and you'll find the complete itinerary and, below that, lots of photos and a great description of their activities.

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Their first stop was at the National Air & Space Museum.

Dinner at the "Red Robin" restaurant. There were seats for all 97 travelers and a banner that read "Welcome Waterville Central School Marching Band."

Save that link as a "Favorite" or "bookmark" and check back for more!

Today's their Big Day!

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Back here in Upstate New York, flags are flying

and the "Turk's Cap" lilies are blooming!


Yes - they're "protected" - in more ways than one: by law and, also, by the fact that they always seem to be in the soggiest, swampiest spots. That's probably why there are more in the woods than in our gardens!

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This E-mail was making the rounds, yesterday. If no one sent it to you - it won't take long to read - I think it will add a greater sense of importance to today.

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This is an interesting lesson in History.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured
before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two
sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the
Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants.
Nine were farmers and large plantation owners.
Men of means, well educated, but they signed the
Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty
would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader,
saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.
He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was
forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the
Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.
His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British
General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.
He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was
destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed
his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13
children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to
waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home
to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

Many of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

The Fourth of July is more than beer, picnics, and baseball games. It's
about showing gratitude and respect to those who gave much more than
most of us to keep our nation free. So on this 4th of July holiday, take a few
minutes and silently thank these patriots and others who have given so much
for our freedom. That's not much to ask for the price they paid.

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Another man who gave his all for what he believed in was Asahel Grant, who was born 200 years ago on the North side of Hanover Hill. Author Gordon Taylor, of Seattle Washington, has just sent me a website with a review of "Fever & Thirst," the story of Grant's short life. That, too, is worth reading.

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Whatever YOU do, today, Have a Good One!

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Update!

Just in!

2:15 - lunch stop in Gettysburg!

2:38 - We're in Maryland!!!


Cellphone photos courtesy of Dale Meszler.
He also set me straight on who's riding in the cab of the panel truck: there are only two people - Meszler, himself, and driver John Vaughn -
President and Vice-president, respectively, of the Brothertown Music Boosters.

Click for story now on WKTV website.

They're Off!

7:50 A.M. They're lined up: the WFD Rescue Truck and two WFD Fire Engines and two Wade Tour motorcoaches.

Last minute cell phone coordination.

Don't forget the drums!

First the kids started pouring out of the school .....

....and then the chaperones.

Impressive! And there's the panel truck carrying, I imagine, the drums, the color guard's flags, lots and lots of bottled water and three V.I.P.s.

I went across Madison Street, thinking I'd get a better view. There's Channel 2!

And then, at about 8:10,
the procession began to roll. I could hear sirens, horns honking and people cheering, BUT ... forgetting that my camera was already ON, I gave it another flick and ended up taking some very strange video instead of plain shots!

Rats!

I had another chance, 'tho, because .....

.... the entourage had made a siren-heralded sweep through the village and I caught them just as they were heading out of town, aiming South.

Cheers, everyone!

Have a great time!

Tuesday Morning

It's 44.4 degrees and sunny.


A Headline in today's O-D:

"Waterville Band to Perform in D.C."

....... and they've got a nice day to travel!

WKTV predicts: A mix of sun and clouds with perhaps an afternoon or evening storm. High in the upper 70s to near 80.



The Weather Channel's forecast for tomorrow, in Washington, D.C., is just about made to order! Not too hot; not too bright; and no rain 'til night.

Here, it may be a little bit wetter:

• Wednesday: Sun and clouds to start, with showers and thunderstorms developing, especially toward sunset. High: 79,
• Wednesday Night: Showers likely and a few strong thunderstorms possible. Low: 63

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Among the miscellaneous pictures sitting on my "desktop," there's this one of what appears to be a viewing stand, in front of Morgan's!

A different view of trees and lamp posts on East Main Street,

and the new umbrellas at "Roc's!"

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I'll be back, later, with some pictures of the 8 o'clock "parade" at the highschool!

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for Mon afternoon

O.K.!

That's enough Vacation.

I did sleep late - 'til 6:30 - two mornings in a row,
but I had a phone call this morning letting me know that there's going to be quite a gathering at the highschool, tomorrow morning, to give the WCS Marching Band a really super-send-off to Washington, D.C. Departure time: 8:00 A.M. sharp!

I think that news belongs on the blog so that everyone can join in!

Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C.

(Click the link for history and more information about the parade.)

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More tomorrow!