Tuesday

Oh, RATS!


Blogspot has just lost this morning's post!

I'll do it again, but first:

It's Garbage Day and a chilly 42 degrees.

It's Garbage Day

37.4 degrees: Brrrr!


WKTV's forecast: "Chilly this morning! Some of the coldest spots across the region are reporting patchy frost. Expect sunshine to continue this morning and early afternoon, with highs in the upper 60s to near 70. Clouds will start to move in from the south this afternoon, and eventually some rain showers late in the day. Expect rain showers to break out after 7 PM this evening from south to north. Cloudy with rain showers tonight, with lows only in the low 50s.

Tropical moisture from the south will continue to advance through Central New York tomorrow. Expect cloudy skies with occasional rain showers and maybe a rumble of thunder. Highs only expected to be in the 60s. Some sunshine is expected Thursday with the chance of rain showers or a thunderstorm. Highs a bit warmer, in the low 70s."





The sun was bright , yesterday morning, and long before the parade began Nancy Ayaly ( I was told) had played patriotic songs on the big bells of the Masonic Temple. DJ Don Brown, II, was in Monument Park. His sound system was in place, filling the air with the long-ago but still familiar sounds of songs like "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail......" "The White Cliffs of Dover" and "We'll Meet Again."

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

Main Street was lined with people, many wearing red, white and blue and holding small flags.

The bronze soldier waited .....

Unit after unit arrived.

One of the largest contingents was the Band from Memorial Park School ........


........ and, with the arrival of the Waterville High School Marching Band & Color Guard plus everyone who had been standing next to Main Street, the Park was full!

After the hanging of a POW MIA flag on an empty chair placed next to the base of the monument, Rebecca Maggio, President of the Clifford J. Fulmer Post 92 of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, dedicated the day's ceremony to the men of the community who had lost their lives in battle.

Attorney Mark Barnes was the main speaker. In closing his remarks he asked the assemblage to show their gratitude to those veterans who were present, and there was a loud, extended applause.



I was not located in a position to take a photograph of all of them, but sitting in that honored group was (formerly Master Sgt.) Miss Helen Voll who had enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Corps as soon as she was old enough, after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The salute.

WCS trumpeter Joel Kahn echoes Jerod Waufel in the traditional playing of TAPS and in a performance so perfect as to leave listeners in complete silence.

FOR THE RECORD


Fr. Tom's front porch has been planted: the show's begun!

Memorial Day Morning

It's 40 degrees and bright as can be!

WKTV predicts that: "Memorial Day looks fantastic with wall to wall sunshine and seasonable temperatures. Highs near 70 degrees. Quiet weather continues into Tuesday afternoon before rain arrives after sunset with highs in the upper 60's. Middle of the week looks unsettled with clouds, rain and thunderstorms."

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

Everything's ready. Flags and baskets of petunias hang on 'phone poles.

I caught Shirley Kellogg in the act: planting the Watering Trough in the Park, as she does every year.

***********

The Garden Club "tubs" have all been planted and the rest of the community continues to keep Alcotts' parking lot filled.


Kirk and Lacy enjoyed the Saturday sunshine on Sanger Avenue.

Landscaping was in progress at the Dorrs', yesterday .........

.............. and I found Rick Lewis planting flowers on family graves in the Waterville Cemetery. He lives in Waverly, New York, now, but grew up on Sanger Avenue. I remembered his mother, Carolyn, who used to work in the bank.

(When I walked over to introduce myself, Rick knew right away who I was and he'd learned about the blog from his old buddy, Bob (?) Conlon.)

**********

THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE WILL BEGIN AT 9:00

with Exercises to follow

in Monument Park.


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

IN THE MAIL
***************

A reminder that there will be a

CHICKEN BARBECUE

at the American Legion Post 92

starting at noon.


*******

"The Taizé Worship Service at Grace Church, Waterville will be held on Monday, May 25, at 7:00 p.m. (even though it is Memorial Day). This service is held on the fourth Monday of every month.

Taizé is an ecumenical service for all Christians. Everyone is welcome to come. The thirty-minute candlelight service is one of Prayer, Scripture Reading, Meditation and Song."

(Taizé is pronounced Tah-zay' amd you can learn about its origin by clicking HERE.)

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

FOR THE RECORD


Solomon's Seal is in bloom.


Dandelions are going to seed, covering fields with "frost."


In shady woods, Jack-in-the-Pulpit opens .......

and, hiding deep in "the swamp," clumps of yellow Lady Slippers gleam.

Have a good day, everyone!

Thursday

It's Memorial Day Weekend!

Because the weather forecast for the weekend is "iffy," I'm going to do some outdoor work and traveling today and tomorrow and so ..................

To

BRENT BLOOMQUIST

Happy 17th Birthday, tomorrow!
*****************

and also

tomorrow

to

JANE VIVYAN

who will be 90!
**************


It's 55 degrees and clear

GARBAGE DAY!

The WKTV forecast: "Warming up tomorrow. A bit unsettled for the weekend.

High pressure situated in the Atlantic will direct warmer temperatures into CNY from the southwest over the next 24 hours. For tonight, skies will be clear. We'll see temperatures fall back to near 50.

Plenty of sunshine is on the way for tomorrow with afternoon temperatures reaching the mid 80's.

Clear to partly cloudy skies are on the way for tomorrow night with lows 50-55.

On Friday a cold front will appraoch from Ontario. This front will cross the local area in the afternoon. There is the chance for a brief shower or thunderstorm, but most of the day will be dry. Expect high temperatures to reach about 80 degrees.

This front will stall just to the south of the area over the weekend. Waves of low pressure moving along the front will kick off rounds of showers and thunderstorms in the Mid-Atlantic. The front will be close enough to allow for a few hit or miss showers and thunderstorms across CNY but at this point none of the weekend days, or Memorial Day, looks to be a washout. A better chance for more numerous showers and thunderstorms will arrive by the middle of next week."

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

Did we believe that West Main Street would ever look as tidy as this?



This is what we were dealing with four years ago!

But now, Waterville is one of the best-looking little villages around!

Although Memorial Day is being celebrated early, this year, there's a rush to finish paint-ups and plantings because that's what we always do!

The DPW has delivered the "tubs" and the members of the Waterville Garden Club
will have all of them planted by Monday.

Fr. Tom Servatius has everything ready for the front porch display at the rectory ...........

.......... and a sizable "hop yard" is already growing next to the driveway.

A little "vest pocket garden" on White Street.

Paint brushes are being wielded on West Bacon Street and at sveral other properties throughout the village.

**********

MEMORIAL DAY 100 YEARS AGO

from The Waterville Times.

(Click to enlarge image.)


Click this image for the story of our Civil War Monument.



Please click this picture of Jack Youngs to look at last year's Memorial Day pictures.


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

FOR THE RECORD

Have a Good Weekend, Everyone!