Saturday, October 24, 2009

Soggy Saturday



It's 54 degrees and really drippy out there at 8:15. With any luck (and belief in WKTV's forecast) the rain will let up by late afternoon and the Zombies will be able to shamble instead of shlurp!

I don't generally plan on doing a blog post on Saturdays, but this is important!



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

ALSO:


SUNDAY MORNING AT 10:00

forty or more members of

the Limestone Creek Hunt Club of Cazenovia will be

Hunting to the Hounds up near Skyline Drive on West Hill.

If you've never seen a real "hunt," it's a grand sight. It's hard to tell where the best views can be had, but the riders will start at the Zombek Farm West of Skyline Drive.

The hounds will be following a "drag" rather than a real fox: this will, hopefully, keep them from heading out across every freshly manured farm field the can find.

Follow Bogusville Hill Road from Route 12B all the way up the hill, cross Skyline Drive.
There will probably be lots of spectator cars creeping along Skyline Drive, watching.



This "alert" came from Mr. Roger Gates (above, in his red jacket - which is really called a Pink, because it was made by Mr. Pink of London! - with friends, in 2006.)

To learn more about the Limestone Creek Hunt Club, click HERE.

Mr. Gates, who is also an excellent story-teller, was at yesterday's full-house gathering of Old-timers at the Library and regaled the group with a particularly fun Hallowe'en story from the 1940s --- I'll pass that along to you later this week!

Thanks, Roger!

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


I received an Email from Missy Brouillette, yesterday afternoon, telling me that the library's new sign was in place. On my way, there, I saw this:




That's some serious stuff going on at the Opera House!



As Missy had said, "That's Impressive!"

- with a hop blossom, to boot!



This photo by Jeff Reynolds shows that Yes! the sign is legible from White Street - just what was needed.

(Thanks, both of you!)

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

Also in my Email box, a nice letter from Nancy Ayala thanking the blog and also ...........

"........... the folks who share with the rest of us thru the Blog. Whether it's local to semi-local pics or like Glen Carroll (who we refer to as "coach" from our son's days in t-ball) they bless us "arm chair" travelers."

(Thanks, Nancy!)

***********


Now Glen has travelled westward, and arrived in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday.




He wrote: "Wow Everything is a negotiation! It took us 20 minutes to bargin for a taxi driver. They walked up and told me $50. My Director negotiated the rate down to $19."

***********


From Wendy Woodward ..........



............ this excellent photograph of a Jack-in-the-Pulpit seed pod.



(This is what Jack looks like in the Spring.)

That's a mere six months away!

********

Have a good weekend!





Friday, October 23, 2009

37.8 degees and overcast





After a day of beautiful "Indian Summer," it's back to BRrrrrr!


The sun shone right onto this Autumn display in Sangerfield, yesterday morning ......



......... but, even in daylight, she did it again! Kathunk: right into the tree in front of Jack and Darcy Ruane's home!

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



Some patch-work had taken place on the west wall of the 1880 Opera House.



Al Toussaint stretched the day to finish up some painting.



Sharon Stiles - a.k.a. "the Fingernail Princess" - has been giving her clients ecstatic descriptions of the new pillars at "Towns End," the newly-refurbished Greek Revival house south of Sangerfield: she's right!



Dusk, in the Park.

Pretty, but where are the missing railings?

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



On the Park Bulletin Board: one reason to hope that the weather forecast is wrong!!!

Click HERE to learn more about the ZOMBIE WALK.)

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


Here's WKTV's prediction: "Chilly air has arrived, with rain on the way for later today.

Cold air continues to drain in from the north this morning. Bring the jacket as you head out the door. Sunshine will give way to clouds this morning. These clouds are the beginnings of the next storm system, which will bring a soaking rain this weekend. Rain is expected to develop between 5-8PM this evening across the Mohawk Valley. High temperatures today in the upper 40's to near 50.

Heavy rain tonight, with many areas picking up an average inch of rain. Windy tonight as well, with an east wind between 15-25mph with gusts over 30mph.

Rain tapers to rain showers on Saturday. A steady, heavy rain for areas south and east of Utica, with another inch of accumulation possible. Cloudy, breezy, with highs in the low 60s. This storm is gone by Sunday, with a return to some sunshine after some morning clouds and sprinkles.

Seasonable, mainly dry weather expected for early next week."




LOOKING AHEAD



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

I needed a Geography Lesson to keep up with Glen!



Click to enlarge. See those things that look like palm trees, sticking out into the ocean? Well - they are man-made atolls, and each "frond" is a street jam-packed with houses!

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

Here's yesterday's E-mail from The Traveler:


"I have been so shocked with my time in Dubai. I had heard the economy was struggling here but if it is; I sure don't see it.




Remember I told you that Qatar reminded me of Dubai? Well, I am talking about Dubai from 10 years ago. It's so amazing to be able to see a city be born in front of your eyes.





When I first went to Dubai the main highway was a 4 lane like the Arterial.... Now it is 8 lanes on each side of the road and there are so many other changes.



They are building a new airport. The current airport handles about 700K people a year... The new will handle 1.4 million!




"The Burj Dubai ... the tallest building in the world at 2,684 feet tall... It has 160 habitable floors... The top 5 are penthouses that each sold for over 150 million each."



"To give you an idea.. The buildings to the front are 50 story tall buildings!"




"These two buildings have replicas of the Eiffel Tower on top!"



"Here they are at night."




"The gentlemen in the photo are my Head of Engineering, my regional managing director (the owner of the big house) and the Local Office Manager."

"I am flying off again.... A quick overnight stop in Jordan and then off tomorrow to Egypt."

(If any blog readers think that PAR is a small company based in New Hartford,

think again!)


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

FOR THE RECORD



(Click image for story.)

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

I'm off to get the doughnuts for the Old-timers!

Why don't you join us?

10:15 at the Library.


Have a Great Weekend, Everyone!



Thursday, October 22, 2009

49 and overcast




It's Garbage Day!

MY forecast, yesterday morning, was certainly wrong: until mid-afternoon it was a cold, gray day and the park was empty. No farmers or vendors setting up their booths, and no sign of work at the Bandstand!

Channel 2's website is still inoperative, so here's the weather forecast from News10Now:

"Today after some clouds and hazy sun, we’ll have showers moving in from the west later this afternoon. Highs will be up between 67 and 73 degrees with a pretty good southwest breeze. It will turn cooler by the end of the day as winds shift to the north.

Tonight after any evening showers leave the area, we’ll have clearing skies late. Overnight lows will be between 37 and 43 degrees. There will be a north-northeast breeze going on as well.

Friday we’ll have increasing clouds and a few showers by evening. Rain, breaks of sun and gusty winds are likely for Saturday. Sunday looks partly sunny, chillier and brisk with just a couple showers possible."


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



Now THAT is a vacuum cleaner!



At Mary's place, on Newberry Road.



This is what the front yard of an old house on Alabam Road in Oriskany Falls looked like about a week ago!



In a few more weeks, the "Japanese lanterns" will look like this.



"Indian Corn."



(Click the image to learn about the colors!)


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

WCS FOOTBALL SATURDAY!

3-Waterville (5-2) vs. 2-Notre Dame (6-1) at Proctor, 2.


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



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

What an unusual dearth of information, this morning!

One observation from yesterday afternoon's tour of Main Street: the "sandwich board" in front of the Village Diner announced "Spaghetti Night!" It's that season, again, so watch for it next week!

OTHERWISE:

No change in gas prices:
No ballgame last night.

I haven't heard from Glen Carroll, today, but I do have a question for him: You must be driving a rental or company car. How much does a gallon of gasoline cost in Dubai?

*******

Have a good day, everyone!!



Wednesday, October 21, 2009

It's 43 degrees and overcast




It's RECYCLABLES DAY

and it's
going to be a nice day for the

FARMERS' MARKET!

WKTV's website is very strange, this morning, so here's the forecast from News 10 Now; "Seasonable weather will continue today with clouds, limited sun, and a few stray sprinkles. Highs will be in the upper 50s and lower 60s. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with another sprinkle or two early. Lows will only be around 50.

Tomorrow will be the mildest day in this stretch with thickening clouds and showers late as a cold front approaches. Before it does though, temperatures will warm well into the 60s to near 70.

Friday will be much cooler with highs back down around 50. A new storm will approach with showers developing during the second half of the day. Saturday is shaping up to be a rainy and windy day with highs in the low to mid 50s. Scattered showers will linger into Sunday with cool and brisk conditions. Highs will only be around 50.


**********



Beech trees turn the Fuess-Cleary woods gold.



The last cutting, up on Skyline Drive.



On Berrill Avenue.




At "Buster" Ames' place on Bogusville Hill Road.




Everywhere: milkweed seeds are flying.



Yesterday afternoon: obviously there's going to be something special at the high school, but there's just one small problem ...................!



It seemed really strange to drive along Main Street a few minutes after five o'clock, yesterday afternoon, and see that that it was nearly dusk, and the streetlights were on!

It's dark until 'way past 7:00 in the morning, too: I don't think I like it!


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

Back on the road with Glen .................



"This is in Qatar. I was kind of surprised when I came here. But, it reminds me of Dubai 10 years ago. All that will make sense when you see the pictures I send of Dubai in a
day.

The travel is REALLY getting old... I could use some cold nights!!!



"Yes... The same Al Jazeerah TV we all know!!!!



"On the road to Dubai."



"Dubai."

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


And, from Jeff Reynolds, in Leonardsville:



"Note satellite dish on turret. Imagine the ghostly glow of one of the ancient denizens of the house up there watching a flat screen TV late at night!"

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


Historical Society tonight at 7:00.

Dick Williams: "Getting Started in Geneaology"

*********

The Old Quarry & Other Haunted Places in CNY

Documentary - Thursday, October 22nd @ 6pm

at the Waterville Public Library.

***********





FOR THE RECORD


Have a great day, everyone!