Friday

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It's 24 degrees and overcast

Perfect weather for

The Annual Give-away

at St. Bernard's Church!

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Doors open at 10:00!

Don't forget to bring your own containers.

There are clothes for men, women and children ............

......... household items and toys and books .........

............. and shoes for everyone!

(Eat your heart out, Imelda!)

AND IT'S ALL

FREE!

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WKTV predicts that: " (a) cold front will kick off some snow showers from north to south across the viewing area during the day on Friday. By the end of the day 1"-4" of snow will be possible across the North Country with some isolated higher amounts closer to Lake Ontario. For the Mohawk Valley and points southward only scattered snow showers and perhaps a coating of new snow can be expected. High temperatures will climb to near 30 by midday, and then temperatures will fall back to the lower 20's by dinnertime as the cold front crosses the state.
Tomorrow evening, winds will align throughout the atmosphere and direct colder air over the warmer waters of Lake Ontario. This will cause lake effect snows to develop. Current thinking is that 3"-6" of snow accumulation is possible by early Saturday. It will be considerably colder with temperatures falling back into the single digits. Saturday's highs will be in the teens as snows taper to flurries."

Yesterday was a perfect Winter Day - bright blue sky and a super-bright sun. I was chatting with Brad Alcott, late in the afternoon, and we both remarked on the effect that the sunshine on everyone, making them smiley and cheerful.

He said, "Oh, I'm solar powered!"

Yes! aren't we all?


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The new snow added enough to the snowbank in the Foodking parking lot to make it taller than a delivery truck!

Once again - clearing around hydrants.

Snomobilers hit the trails early, aiming toward the village from Osborn Avenue ........

............ or heading for the hills, south of Route 20.

They'll all be out having fun this weekend, for sure!

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TONIGHT:

the last one.

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PANCAKE BREAKFAST TOMORROW

Madison United Methodist Church

7 to 11 a.m.

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IT'S SUPERBOWL SUNDAY


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LOOKING AHEAD ......

Saturday, February 7

THE "VILLAGE DINER" OPENS!



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Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday

It's Garbage Day!


19 degrees with light snow falling.

As far as yesterday's storm went, the product failed to live up to the promise: a disappointment only to those meteorologists who have to answer to some superior for their predictions!

Snow did fall, off and on, and this morning I have an 8" accumulation on my front porch. That includes a few inches that were there yesterday morning.

The top several inches are light and puffy - but then there's a layer that isn't: that portion fell as icy pellets when I was out and around the village in the early afternoon.

Many students at WCS are actually GLAD that they had school, yesterday!  Schools that were closed cancelled Regents Testing! (from the O-D.)

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This morning, WKTV predicts that: "1"-3" of additional snow appears likely for most of Madison, Oneida, and Northern Herkimer Counties through noon, with a few locally higher amounts in persistent squalls.

"The lake effect snow will lift to the north by Thursday afternoon. We may even see a few breaks of sun as high temperatures climb to around 25.
Another round of snow showers will arrive later Friday as a cold front crosses the region. We'll see a cool down by Saturday."

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It was an ordinary Winter day on West Main Street.

Up in the Park, the "Bobcat" forged pathways ...........

............ snowplows cleared driveways ...........

.......... and, in front of ACCESS Bank, Wayne Brouillette said that he's plowed and shovelled more snow this year than he did ALL of last winter!

Morgan's sidewalk showroom offered something for everyone:  something to slide on, a snowblower, shovels, and a mattress to rest on at the end of the day!

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I've beaten the Bug!

(but it is a tough critter, so stay out of its way!)

Thanks for all your Get Well wishes!

A Special note of Appreciation to Frances Ditch who sent me a very pretty "Thinking of You" card in the "snail mail."   She had no way of knowing, of course, that I'd be sick when I received it --- so it was an especially pleasant gift!   Thank you, Frances!

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Have a Good Day, Everyone!

Wednesday

It's Recyclables Day!


18 degrees with light snow.


Although there are a great many school closings,

WCS is NOT on the list as of 6:42.

8:00 A.M. A commuter has phoned to say the Route 12 is NOT in good condition!

From WKTV: "A winter storm will move through the region today, giving most of us heavy snow, and some of us a period of some heavy sleet. Snow will continue to intensify heading into the morning hours. Snow will fall heavy at times between 10AM - 4PM from the Mohawk Valley north. Snow will mix with and change to sleet between 10AM - 12PM for areas south of Route 20. Sleet will likely even mix in for a brief period of time in the Mohawk Valley. Total accumulations from the Mohawk Valley north are expected to be between 8" - 12". Areas that change over to sleet are expected to see 5" - 8" of total snow and sleet.
Here's our snowfall forecast for 1 AM through 11 PM Wednesday:

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I rode all around the village, yesterday afternoon.

Even on Main Street there was very little activity and, on side streets like Putnam, above and Elmwood, below, the only movement was an occasional jogger.

A brand new sign on the corner of Main Street and Route 315!


Out in the country, on Daytonville Road, township crews have moved back snowbanks to make room for more!

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Just when I'd begun to think that cross-country skiis, so popular twenty or thirty years ago, were being abandoned in favor of snowmobiles, this photographic proof to the contrary arrived in my mailbox, yesterday:

it's Jeff Reynolds, " shuffling around Otsego Lake." That's the Otesaga Hotel in the background - "One of the coolest hotel porches and best places on the planet to have breakfast!"

(Maybe in warmer weather!)


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Doris Stephan writes to say that

"The Waterville Book Discussion Group is reading Annie Proulx's The Shipping News. "

(The book was made into a movie in 2001 starring Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench.)

"The Group will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 18th, at 12 noon at the Library.

Bring your lunch; coffee , tea, and dessert will be served.

Call the Library at 841-4651 to reserve your copy."

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(Updates later in the day, as the storm progresses.)

Drive Safely - make it a Good Day!

Tuesday

It's a "bug"

and it's found me!

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Hopefully, it will move on as rapidly as it arrived
and blogging will continue in earnest tomorrow morning!

In the meantime ..........

From WKTV: "...we will be tracking a developing storm system to the south and west. Initially, it's going to be tough to get precipitation cranking over most of CNY with generally dry air in place. So, much of tomorrow looks mainly dry with a good deal of cloudcover and a few peeks of sun. Clouds ought to thicken up by later in the afternoon as temperatures reach the mid 20's for daytime highs.
Tomorrow night, snow will begin to break out across the area as the storm system gets closer. At this point it looks like snow will break out between midnight and 4 AM. Snow will become steadier and heavier and continue throughout the day Wednesday before tapering to snow showers by evening. Several inches of snow are likely with this storm.
Here is our snowfall map for Wednesday's storm:

The webcam at the Northern Chateau in Barnes Corners
shows snow depth at just about 6'!

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IN THE NEWS

"Senate approves four month delay in digital televiaion conversion."

Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency offers basic Income Tax Returns free.


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Only twelve weeks 'til dandelions,


cowslips ......


......... and white trillium!

Between now and then:

The Annual "Give-away" at St. Bernard's Church
will take place this coming Friday and Saturday.

The event is sponsored by the Senior Citizens and the Food Pantry and takes place at St. Bernard's because that's where there's the most room!

Hours are:

Friday, 10:00 - 2:00
Saturday, 10:00 - 1:00

Thanks, Mary Beth!


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the Millers Mills Ice Harvest will take place on February 8th!

The Central New York Snow Travelers' Annual
Snowmobile Classic and chicken BBQ
will take place in Oriskany Falls on February 14th.

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Stay well, everyone!

Have a great day!

Monday

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It's Garbage Day!

On Friday the temperature rose to the mid-forties bringing twinges of Spring Fever, but such hopes sank, along with the mercury, when we woke to a single-digit Saturday.

Right now it's 6.4 degrees and overcast.

WKTV predicts that: "Our next chance at snow will be Tuesday night into Wednesday as an area of low pressure moves just to the south of the viewing area. As of right now, it looks to be a snow event for most regions, except south of Utica, where precipitation might mix. A shift in the storm track could bring us more or less snow, so stay tuned. Temperatures are expected to trend closer to normal heading in to next weekend."

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Driving along Main Street, yesterday, it really looked as if Spring had come because all of the snowbanks were gone. The effect, however, is the result of the DPW's work: just making room for more snow!

Residents on some side streets - like Berrill Avenue - will have trouble figuring out where to put it!

Yesterday, the DPW was out at work on Stafford Avenue controlling what was probably a leak in a water line.

Water fowl - mallard ducks, I believe - crowded the tiny bit of open water on the little pond at the foot of Grant Hill ...................

............ and three all-black ducks were swimming at "the dugway."

Waves from a group of runners on Dugway Road.

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Reminder

Internet Safety Class for Parents

Tuesday, January 27th @ 6pm

For parents who want to learn how to keep their kids safe on the Internet.
Presented by The Missing and Exploited Children's Center

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FOR THE RECORD

Up from $1.77.9 on December 29.

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Have a great day, everyone!