See you there, I hope!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
This is it .................
It's Garbage Day.
Overcast and 23.5 degrees F. / -4.7 C.
The moon was bright last night! Unfortunately, we probably won't be able to see it tonight because of clouds, but if we could, we'd be looking at a "Blue Moon!" - the first "blue moon" to shine on a New Year's Eve in nearly 20 years.
The WKTV forecast, however, is for snow: "A chilly but quiet start to the day with a few light snow showers. Snow showers will continue for the morning and become more steady during the afternoon, especially for Utica and points south. Snow will be relatively light, so little accumulation throughout the day with highs in the low 30's.
Light snow will continue, off and on, throughout our Thursday. High in the low 30's.
Steady snow winds down tonight to a few flurries as the low pressure system stays to our south and out of the region. Temperatures will hold steady in the mid to upper 20s.
A storm will intensify in the Atlantic Ocean on New Year's Day. Though we aren't expected to take the brunt of the storm, it will be close enough to give us a few snow showers on New Year's Day as a cold front passes through, bringing in colder air. With the large storm system intensifying off the Coast of Maine and cold air in place, winds will shift, creating lake effect snow into the weekend.
My photo? Two strange birds grinning, of course, at an odd old duck!
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When Jody left, he headed for Turkey Falls.
"The Greeter!"
The Falls, in black & white.
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Sing along, if you feel like it!
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Where did the year go?
We're having a Heat Wave!
15 degrees F. / -9.4 C.
"Partly sunny Wednesday. High 25. Some light snow is expected for New Year's Eve. High in the low 30's. Midnight temperatures in the upper 20's.
A storm will intensify in the Atlantic Ocean on New Years Day. This storm will be close enough to give us snow on New Years Day and beyond. This may be a long duration event. We'll keep you posted.
OF INTEREST: On WKTV - Will Gov. Paterson Slow Down Natural Gas Drilling? (in Marcellus Shale.)
"Rusty" wrote to suggest (in re: yesterday's photo of the red squirrel inside a squirrel-proof bird feeder) that I wrap chicken wire 'round the entire device leaving holes large enough for birds but too small for the thief. He also said that crushed red pepper mixed in with bird seed discouraged squirrels from stealing: I'll try that right away! (Thanks, Rusty!)
Jody Hildreth has sent me his "Christmas Bird Count List!"
He wrote, "I counted the Sauquoit area and had a great day. I actually started at 4:30 am with some owling, and the results were good. Had an Eastern Screech-Owl at my first location, then a Northern Saw-whet Owl at my second stop. This wound up to be the first time ever this species has been found on this areas Christmas Bird Count. Then it was 2 hours of nothing - but that is usually what happens when owling!
Anyways, here are the total results for the whole count. It is centered at
the Jay-K in New Hartford and is a 15 mile diameter (if my memory serves me
right)."
Great Blue Heron 1
Canada Goose 1767
Snow Goose count week
American Black Duck 73
Mallard 520
RING-NECKED DUCK 2
HOODED MERGANSER 3
Common Merganser 3
duck species 7
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 2
accipiter species 2
Red-tailed Hawk 93
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK 6
buteo species 4
American Kestrel count week
MERLIN 1
PEREGRINE FALCON 2
Ruffed Grouse 5
Wild Turkey 265
Ring-billed Gull 21
Herring Gull 2
gull species 13
Rock Pigeon 1069
Mourning Dove 613
EASTERN SCREECH OWL 2
BARRED OWL 1
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 34
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER 3
Downy Woodpecker 99
Hairy Woodpecker 39
NORTHERN FLICKER count week
Pileated Woodpecker 9
NORTHERN SHRIKE 1
Blue Jay 177
American Crow 3528
HORNED LARK 62
Black-capped Chickadee 479
Tufted Titmouse 91
Red-breasted Nuthatch 16
White-breasted Nuthatch 60
Brown Creeper 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 23
HERMIT THRUSH count week
American Robin 28
European Starling 1657
Cedar Waxwing 10
American Tree Sparrow 184
FOX SPARROW 3
Song Sparrow count week
White-throated Sparrow 31
Dark-eyed Junco 195
SNOW BUNTING 195
Northern Cardinal 151
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD 11
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 69
American Goldfinch 117
House Sparrow 250
"My" pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers is back and ONE Carolina Wren!
CHRISTMAS DECORATING CONTEST WINNERS!
"The Waterville Garden Club would like to thank all of those who decorated to celebrate this years holiday season. The four judges from out of town were so pleased to see the many beautiful decorations that a new category was developed to represent more winners. Keep in mind the best of the best category is a separation of those who have won over the last two years. Thanks for keeping the village looking festive."
Best of the Best Overall Category:
1st Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Fancett
307 Tower St.
2nd place:
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Coiro
466 White St.
3rd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. John Pumilia
44 Tower St.
Best of the Best Honorable Mention:
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baumgarten
Mr. and Mrs. Don Neff
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Upcraft
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Nichols
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Best of the Best Doorway Contest:
1st Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Salata
203 Osborne Ave
2nd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Maine
McCabe Rd
3rd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Snow
208 Osborne Ave
Honorable Mention Best of the Best Doorway:
Ms. Karen Kalies
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Overall Category:
1st Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Abby
Canning Factory Rd.
2nd Place:
Ms. Bonnie and Joanna Bechy
160 Babbott Ave
3rd Place:
Mrs. Muthig and Family
115 Babbott Ave
Honorable Mention:
Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Bechy
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Doorway Category:
1st Place:
Mrs. Ann Manion
1515 Hanover Rd.
2nd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ashforth
125 E. Bacon St.
3rd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Lince
213 Main St.
Honorable Mention:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred McLean
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Businesses:
1st Place:
Daniel Maine and Associates
Madison St.
2nd Place:
The Village Dinner
Main St.
3rd Place:
Mark Barnes, Attorney
Main St
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Santa’s Playland Category:
1st place:
Mr. and Mrs. Rob Verdon
359 Putnam St.
2nd place:
Mr. and Mrs. Kunze
1640 Lewis Rd
3rd Place:
Mr. and Mrs. John Ford
Ford Rd.
Honorable mention:
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Peglow
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And this, from Louisa Brutman: "I was ordering a Christmas arrangement for my Aunt Bertha Rowley over at Merry Rose Flowers, and I got to talking with the lady about spending summers with my aunt. The lady told me about your site. My mom, dad and brother, Granpa Ambrose Beha and his wife, Emma are all buried in Waterville. I'm 63 and I vividly remember our adventures. What a joy to find you. Happy New Year."
Writer's note: If you want to get in touch with any of the new blog-readers who write to me, I'll gladly forward your mail to them if you send it to me! Lots of old friendships have been rekindled, that way!)
"Victoria's Ride is Done!"
(Go to that site and click on "photos" - I didn't dare reproduce one, here, because of her copyright.)
It was warmer in Santa Monica than here!
LOOKING BACK
A YEAR AGO TODAY
!
I'll take a picture of that view this afternoon. I think it looks quite different, now!
FOR THE RECORD
I AM still writing Christmas Cards!
After all, Christmas really lasts until Epiphany - January 6 - so I've still got time!
Have a Great Day, everyone!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Now it's REALLY COLD!
with lots of wind blowing a small amount of new snow.
Be wary of the Wind Chill!
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WKTV's forecast: "Snows will wind down gradually on Tuesday but windy and bitterly cold conditions will continue along with some localized blowing snow. Highs tomorrow near 10. Wind chills minus 5 to minus 15.
Winds should diminish on Tuesday Night with partially clearing skies. Low zero. Partly sunny Wednesday. High 20-25."
Paul Holic and Kevin Kelley were two of many who decided to make room for it.
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Sally Road, above ..........
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"Safety Oversight Lacking," from the Observer-Dispatch.
I think that by now we all know who Erin Hamlin is and what she does*, but now she's earned another claim to fame: "Hamlin Among Top Female Athletes."
......... greedy gray squirrels, it's almost a losing battle.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Something that I can sprinkle around that squirrels don't like?
FOR THE RECORD
Yesterday afternoon I received a very nice letter from a Mr. John Ogden who had grown up in Waterville and is a blog-follower. He'd noticed, suddenly, that he was "hit" number 200,001, and was enjoying that bit of unusual excitement. Then, this morning, I found an E-note from Rob Verdon on Putnam Street saying that he was the 200,000th viewer, around 3;30 yesterday afternoon. He included this screen snap which, I imagine, I should print and frame.
It never occurred to me that I should have "door prizes" on hand for just such blog viewers: Oh dear! Maybe I can think of something!
Two-hundred-thousand sounds like such a huge number! But -- does anyone have any idea how that compares to other "small town" based blogs?
Whatever - my thanks, again, to all of you who got in on the race. It makes a very memorable Christmas present for me!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Quick post:
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Click the image for the history of the celebration.
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It's a balmy 34 degrees F. / 1.27 degrees C.
The rain has ended and a lot of the snow is gone!
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
It's ALMOST Christmas!
NORAD is already tracking Santa. He's been to Russia and is now - 6:30 a.m. - leaving the Marshall Islands to go to Fiji.
Just to make sure that Waterville is ready, all of our rooftops have a few new inches of snow that began falling yesterday afternoon.
Out on Route 20, flashing lights: never a good sign.
The CVS parking lot was filled with shoppers who were probably hoping that their lists were getting shorter!
Jeannie heads home from Foodking ..........
........... and an industrious fellow shovels the sidewalk in front of the New York Pizzeria.
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It's Garbage Day.
WKTV's forecast is reassuring: "If you are traveling across the northeast on Christmas Eve, the weather is expected to be nice and quiet. High pressure will bring sunshine and warmer temperatures to Central New York, with highs in the low 30s.
A storm system will develop and move into Central New York by Christmas Night and the morning of the 26th. Most of Christmas Day should feature generally quiet weather under considerable cloudiness. Precipitation is expected to initially start out as a mix of snow and ice after dark on Christmas Night, followed by a changeover to freezing rain and rain through Saturday morning. Cooler weather with snow showers heading into early next week."
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I couldn't decide which image to use for my own Christmas card, this year, so I used both - Main Street AND the Bandstand which, 'tho it's not totally complete, still looks wonderful!
Both images really are filled with cheer, and send my best wishes to all of you
for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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This blog post carries with it not only many Christmas Greetings but also this message to the many young men and women who are serving our Country in faraway lands.
Thank You, and God Bless You.
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Wednesday, December 23, 2009
About an inch of new snow.
13.5 degrees F. / -10.3 C.
After a very late start having simply overslept!
From WKTV: "Light snow continues for parts of the area this morning. Lake effect bands are making their way into the Mohawk Valley, with a light accumulation of fluffy snow on the roadways. Give yourself a few extra minutes to reach your destination today.
A weak upper level disturbance will give most of us a round of snow showers for today, with some lake enhancement in areas from Utica to the south and west. Snow will fall lightly through most of the day. Here is a look at the snowfall forecast:
If you are traveling across the northeast on Christmas Eve, the weather is expected to be nice and quiet. High pressure will bring sunshine and warmer temperatures to Central New York, with highs in the low 30s.
A storm system will develop and move into Central New York by Christmas Night and the morning of the 26th. Most of Christmas Day should feature generally quiet weather under considerable cloudiness. Precipitation is expected to initially start out as a mix of snow and ice after dark on Christmas Night, followed by a changeover to freezing rain and rain through Saturday morning. Cooler weather with snow showers heading into early next week.
O Tannenbaum
A nice note from Gil Condon (who really likes the blog!) adding that "This fall Les and I got to Newgrange and the Boyne Valley, Ireland. Amazing history lessons, how we / ancestors survived 5000 yrs ago. We stayed in the old village of Trim located on the Boyne River. 1 day turned into 3. Been there 5 times but I never knew that Ireland was that pre-historic...... or caveman-ish..and how we made it back then in "Certain Valleys." Almost a hint of the Global Warning threat!"
A letter from a gal named Pamme Swan who is a new bartender at "Michael's" and is also a Folk Singer with six CDs. "My latest CD, "Songs From Mountains East And West".... have many story songs about local CNY history, such as the Loomis Gang, Chester Gillette and Grace Brown (The American Tragedy) and songs written about several infamous characters from the Adirondack Mountains.
I'm trying to find out who is in charge of hiring music for the lovely new bandstand in Waterville this summer.
I would love to perform on it!!!
Any information would be great!
Thank you"
You can check out her website and songs by clicking HERE.
I was surprised that I only received ONE E-note about the New York Times article
which had suggested that ALL New Yorkers are "sad sacks!" Jane Schwartz wrote:
"We disagree..., we're happy!"
(Thank You!)
Any others??
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There are so many things about living in "Upstate" New York that my friends and relatives "Downstate or in more congested areas of Massachusetts or Connecticut will never understand: I'm happy here because - for instance - there are people like Jack Prior who I can 'phone at 9:00 in the morning, wailing, "Help! My stove's dead!" and have him reassure me that he'll save the day (and the cookies) within an hour or two!
Yay!)
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Are you following SU Basketball?
"Orange Improve to 12-0 with Win Over Oakland."
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Have a Great Day, Everyone!
I just checked: 4,363 hits to go.