Friday

a day early

TO VALARIE

from me!

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It's 20 degrees.

It snowed, again!

It doesn't look as if there's more than a two-inch accumulation on my front porch, this morning .......

............ but the wind blew so hard, yesterday afternoon, that snow was plastered on buildings and trees.

WKTV's forecast: "We'll start with mostly cloudy skies, but some breaks of sun are likely by afternoon. While there will be a breeze at times, winds will not be as intense as we've seen today. Temperatures will reach the upper 20's for daytime highs.
Dry and seasonable weather is in the forecast for Valentine's Day. Our next chance of significant precipitation won't arrive until the middle of next week."

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Do you remember what happened on Valentine's Day two years ago?

School was closed for three days!

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THINGS TO DO

The Campership Committee
of the First United Methodist church, Waterville,
will be selling

FLOWERS & SWEETS

at Food King today from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
and tomorrow, February 14th, from 9:00 A. M. to 12:00 Noon.

Proceeds go to sending youth to Camp Aldersgate and Casowsco next summer.

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SATURDAY "SNOWFEST"
at the Waterville Public Library

Snow Sculptures/Painting:
• Paint what little snow we have left!

• Make miniature “snow” sculptures with sugar cubes

Obstacle Course:
• Give it a try any time during Snowfest!

Wheelbarrow & Three-legged Races:
• 11:30 am and throughout the day
Snow Stories:• 11 am

Crafts:
• Winter and Valentine’s Day fun!

Make-your-own crafts will be laid out with instructions all day.
Warm up and make something to bring home!

Balloon Volleyball:
• Beat the winter blahs with a little indoor balloon volleyball

Food:
• Hot chocolate and coffee
• Bottled water
• Individually packaged snacks (homemade cookies, chips, crackers, etc.)

Snow or No we’ll have a great time! In the case of no snow we will still have Snowfest (more will just be inside)!


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(Click the image for a history of Valentine's Day!)

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FOR THE RECORD


HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE!

and

if you're going on vacation next week have a wonderful time!

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

I'm going to give myself a "vacation" break, too,

and probably won't be posting anything for several days

UNLESS

something really big happens!

Thursday

It's Garbage Day!

38.8 degrees and drippy.

From WKTV: "An occluded front will bring rain into the region this morning. Winds will really pick up as this front passes through, as a storm system passing close by intensifies. Winds are expected to become sustained between 20-30mph this afternoon, with gusts in excess of 50mph. A high wind warning is in effect for Oneida and Madison County, with wind advisories in effect for the rest of Central New York. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and keep an eye out for debris on the roadway. Also, with winds this strong, isolated power outages may occur, so you're going to want to be prepared.
After a brief break this morning, more rain will move into the region, as an upper-level area of low pressure crosses the region. As colder air wraps in on the backside of this storm system, it will change rain over to snow as we head through this afternoon and tonight. The first areas to see this transition will be the higher hilltops across the region, and those places will change over by 2PM. Rain will change over to snow last in the valleys, and that looks to take place before 5PM. Keep in mind, even when it does start to snow, it will take a long time to pile up on the roadways. Initial accumulations will be on grassy spots. Overnight, snows will wind down, with an additional 1-2" for many spots. When all is said and done, this is how much we expect across the region.
Snowfall map for tomorrow and tomorrow night:

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IN THE MAIL

Rosemary Wadas wrote to comment on the photograph of the Route 12B home that's undergoing renovation:

"I remember this home as a kid. It is the old "Donald Hinman farmhouse" where Donnie, Nancy, Sheila and Judy grew up! Sheila was my friend and the home was quite nice back in the 60's. I recall front and back stair cases, hardwood floors and large rooms. I don't know who owns it now, but I'm sure there is a labor of love going into this beautiful home!"

Sue (Abbe) Crosier remembered the Youth Center!

"We worked really hard building that Youth Center. I'm guessing it was about 1970.
Mr. "DZ" was a big influence for us kids to get it going.........we had a storefront somewhere between the Waterville Times and the bank........Sure would love it if anyone had pictures from those days..........."

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From Dave Sullivan:


The Sanger Lodge is hosting another

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Saturday, February 21 from
8 am to 11:30 am $6 under 10 free.

"We are trying to raise money to paint the tower."

(Remember: there's parking behind the building!)

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Volunteers were at work early, yesterday, at the new Habitat for Humanity Home on Gridley-Paige Road.

By 10:30, it was fifty degrees!




You may not think this is exciting, but I do:

it's just plain GRASS!



Most of the ice had melted, and the little waterfall was sounding large!

By mid-afternoon, fog had formed, hanging above the Fuess-Cleary Road fields ........



....... and nearly obscuring the ancient elm tree on Madison Street.

What snow remained became soft, and one ATV rider, crossing the field near the elm, ended up struggling to put the "A" back in "All-terrain."

IN THE NEWS

Tracy Lynn Olivera

is one of only 150 theatrical professionals who, according to an article in the Washington Post, have been nominated for prestigious Helen Hayes Awards. The nomination recognizes Tracy's performance as Fontine in "Les Miserables" at the Signature Theater in Alexandria, Virginia.

CONGRATULATIONS, TRACY!

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FOR THE RECORD

Have a Great Day, everyone!

It's Recyclables Day!

38.7 degrees with thin clouds.

WKTV predicts that: "Our Wednesday warmup still looks to be on track. A storm system will lift out of the Ohio Valley and into Ontario Province over the next 24 hours. The counterclockwise circulation of air around this storm will continue to draw warmer air into CNY a few thousand feet above ground level. ........ as the storm passes by just to our north and west, a trailing cold front will push ever closer to the region. This should turn our winds to a more southerly direction and finally scour out some of the cold air trapped close to the ground in the Mohawk Valley. We'll see temperatures warm well into the 40's to perhaps lower 50's. A few showers may sneak into CNY tomorrow afternoon but most of the rain will hold off until after dark.
Our cold front will cross the state tomorrow night with steadier rain and perhaps even a few widely scattered thunderstorms. Temperatures will spike near 50 in the evening and then fall back to near 40 by Thursday morning as the storm system pulls away.

Yesterday we saw it for the first time in a long time:

BARE GROUND!

Yes - it's dirty and it's muddy, but it's wonderful!

By this afternoon I imagine that there will be plenty of flooded fields and even roadways, in the area.



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ATTENTION BIRDERS

It's time for the annual

Great Backyard Bird Count

sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
and Audubon.

Click the link for instructions!


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I've been watching the transformation of this residential building on
route 12B, a mile or so north of Deansboro.

I don't know who owns it or what use is planned for it, but someone has a vision and is doing quite a job carrying it out!

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The Marshall Historical Society's February Newsletter is available in PDF format at www.marshallhistsoc.org

While I was doing some historical digging, I came across this - just forty-one years ago.

Jeff Reynolds found this 1924 article amusing!


When Frank Snell introduced his newly-constructed automobile to Mrs. I.D. Brainard and the village, in November of 1900, he was told that 15 m.p.h was 'way too fast for local roads and that he must make appropriate adjustments!

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I have a really neat bit of news - Thanks, Lori! - coming out of the Washington, D.C., area. I need to do some more research and find a photograph of the person involved, but it's about someone many of us know who has received an outstanding award nomination! More tomorrow ......

*****

In the meantime,

Have a Great Day!

Tuesday

It's METALS COLLECTION Day!

33.3 degrees and cloudy

WKTV predicts that: "Temperatures will slowly climb to above freezing this morning as a warm front approaches the region. This warm front will bring with it the chance for some rain showers. There is the chance that a few spots could see some of this rain freeze on contact before enough warm air works in to boost temperatures above the freezing mark. The best chance for a few icy spots on the roadways will be before noon. Winds will pick up from the SE between 10-20mph, with gusts up to 30mph. We should see highs in the upper 30's to near 40, but it may take the better part of the day to get there for the Eastern Mohawk Valley.
On Wednesday, temperatures will spike into the 50s ahead of our next storm system. "

SPECIAL REQUEST

from motorists to Joggers and Runners!

The late afternoon sun is now at such an angle that west-and southbound motorists are actually being blinded by the glare. One such driver wrote to me, this morning, saying that he had nearly struck a runner who was running WITH traffic - instead of facing it - because of just that situation. I know exactly what he means, so - please, runners: Be Alert!

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I had a great deal of Email, this morning: readers have, sadly, referred me to the obituaries of Sarah Schachtler and Rev. Alfred E. Hamm, Jr.

Then, Lawrence Gilley writes from Deansboro: "Dick Williams will give a program on farms and barns in the Town of Kirkland this Wednesday, February 11 at 7.00 PM at the Clinton
Historical Society, 1 Fountain Street in Clinton.

The lecture will include photographs, statistics and other information collected in conjunction with the project which resulted in the publication of "Farms and Barns of Kirkland, New York" which profiles 100 Kirkland farms.

Dorothy McConnell* was a contributor to the project. The program will give inspiration to the farms and barns project of the Historical Society of the Town of Marshall.

*and our friend Stanley Dziekonski, as well!

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From Amanda Briggs at the Waterville Public Library:

Adult Computer Basics
Thursday, February 12th
6:30-7:30pm | Sign Up at 841-4651

Blog-readers won't need this, but tell your friends that
they, too, can
Learn the how to operate a computer

Myspace Q & A for parents
Thursday, February 12th
6-7pm | Sign Up at 841-4651

Amanda Briggs answers your questions about MySpace and the safe ways your kids can use it.

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Yesterday was a quiet day, in the village. Thankfully, much of the Sunday skating rink ice either melted or softened up enough to be shovelled and we began to feel more relaxed about, simply, walking upright!

Drivers are noticing - Potholes! -
and it appears that the northbound lane of Osborn Avenue takes the prize!

Further out on the same road, the Town of Sangerfield's DPW is being challenged by a persistent problem.

Out on Hanover Road, the "lake" is beginning to fill.


At the foot of Grant Hill, a pondful of mallards!

At first glance, I thought that there was a great deal of water for them to swim in, but - looking at this picture - it's just a shallow pool on top of the ice.


Just a pretty view
from atop Sanger Hill looking to the Northeast.


BEST NEWS:

I saw a flock of a dozen or more ROBINS in a field just to
the South of the woods on Fuess-Cleary Road!

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FOR THE RECORD

(Down four, again!)

Have a Great Day, Everyone!

Monday

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It's Garbage Day!

Please remember:

do NOT put garbage containers up on top of snowbanks!

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It's 27.9 degrees with an inch or two of fresh powder

hiding yesterday's ice!

From WKTV: "Monday looks to be a gorgeous day with mostly sunny skies and seasonable temperatures. Temperatures near 30 degrees will be short lived once again as another storm system approaches Tuesday afternoon. A warm front could bring some snow, ice or rain for Tuesday before another more important system arrives on Thursday. With temperatures climbing to near 50 degrees, at this point, precipitation with this storm looks to be mainly in the form of rain."

Full Moon Tonight!

Remsen's Erin Hamlin Won the World Championship in the Luge at Lake Placid on Friday afternoon!

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

The Campership Committe of the First United Methodist church, Waterville, will be selling flowers & sweets at Food King on Thursday, February 12th and Friday, February 13th from 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. and on Saturday, February 14th from 9:00 A. M. to 12:00 Noon. Proceeds go to sending youth to Camp Aldersgate and Casowsco next summer.

FYI

I talked with Mike Latreille on Saturday afternoon about the future of "Michael's Fine Food & Spirits" and I'll be talking to him again - soon!

(And that's all I'm going to say, right now!)

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The Village Diner opened on Saturday morning!

I couldn't find a parking spot anywhere nearby until around 10:00, and then I found owner/chef Mayor Jim Younes taking a break to chat with customers. He said that people started showing up at 5:40 for the 6 o'clock opening and that business hadn't slowed down since then!

The food was Good; the service was Fast!

Congratulations and Best Wishes

to the entire Younes Family!

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When I got back home I found a phone message from Shirley Kellogg, asking me to call her back. I did: she said she had something "growing" to show me. Now - we all know that Shirley's got "green thunbs" up to her elbows, bringing flowery life to even the most hopelessly dead-looking plants, but this was something new .................

When I arrived at "Rocky Lea," on Route 12, she led me into the livingroom saying that they had a "Valentine Tree." And then she added that it had been the family Christmas Tree, harvested in early December by Jeff's and her son, Mike, and his daughter, Trisha, at North Star Orchards.

Sure enough: two months later, the seven-foot tree was growing.

Not a dry needle on it ................

........... and new sprigs everywhere! No special secret: just plain tap water, every few days, with Shirley's magic touch!

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Waterville Public Library Director Jeff Reynolds has close ties to - and good friends in - Millers Mills. He went to the Annual Ice Harvest there, yesterday, and sent these photographs for us to enjoy.

While one team of Clydesdales hauled ice from the lake to the ice house ..........

............. another team conveyed spectators.



It looks as if everyone took a a turn sawing the blocks ......

............ but it took a special technique and teamwork to load ice onto the sled.

(See the water on the ice? That made it especially slippery and Jeff said that one fellow "fell in up to his armpits!" He was dressed in coveralls and would have been fine if he hadn't forgotten to zip!)

A "Grandma Moses View," for sure!

(Thanks loads, Jeff!)

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FOR THE RECORD

Have a Great Day, Everyone!