Wednesday Morning

47 degrees at 5:00 A.M. It doesn't look as if it's going to be a very wonderful day outdoors, but that should make INdoor projects more appealing, shouldn't it?





By Tuesday evening, people in Waterville were still sayng, "Traffic Light: Where?" "Oh! Is it On?" "I never even saw it!" But we havn't heard of any "fender benders" and a motorist who had driven up Route 315 to the village and was met with a GREEN LIGHT proceeded - for the first time ever! - to drive safely straight across the intersection to White Street without creeping out onto Main Street, first, to see if it was safe! (Of course, with so many people not realizing that the light is functioning, perhaps a little slowed-down caution woudn't be a bad idea!)



Even slowing down out in the countryside is a good idea, sometimes. If I hadn't decided to take a slightly different "scenic route" back into Waterville from the direction of New Hartford, I'd never have known this flower garden existed! (And I did come to a "screeching halt" when I saw it!)



I don't know whose beautiful yard this is, but I'll just say that I don't think it's much more than a five-minute drive from the center of town!

A Few "Social Notes" excerpted from this week's issue of the Waterville Times -

Mr. and Mrs. Dobmeier of Frog Park Herbs recently visited their son J.J. his wife Amy and grandsons Jack, age 3 and Luke, age 2 in Eagle River, Alaska. While there, they went to the Alaska State Fair and viewed the huge prize winning vegetables that are grown during Alaska’s summer days of long sunlight. J.J. has reenlisted for another tour in the USAF where he serves as a crew chief on large transport planes. He is finishing his 12th year in the Air Force and has been deployed to the middle east several times. They will remain in Alaska for his next four year tour.

The Thomas Quayles of Elmwood Avenue recently attended a special Musicbridge Festival Symphony Musicians in Concert presented by the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. On the impressive program of performances (a copy of which is in hand!) are the names of composer/pianist Mr. Matthew Quayle and cellist Jameson Platt. The duo performed David Popper’s “Tarantella Op.33” and “Contradance,” composed by Mr. Quayle who grew up in Waterville, holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Cincinnatti, has received commissions from performers in Great Britain and the United States and is currently a doctoral candidate at New York University. Congratulations, Matt!

Mr. and Mrs. William Lew and Ms. Lurena McNamara, all of Sanger Avenue, attended a performance of “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal” - a 363-mile musical trip on one of the most amazing engineering feats of the 19th century through songs, stories, and history of this famous waterway at Beck’s Grove Dinner Theater in Blossvale.

For everyone in this area - this weekend is Fall Festival History Weekend for Central NY. All participating sites in Madison, Southern Oneida and Onondaga counties - which includes, of course, the Waterville Historical Society on White Street, which will be open from 10: 00 A.M. until 4: 00 P.M. on Saturday and noon until 4:00 on Sunday. On Saturday there will also be a FFHW bus tour starting from WHS at 9:00 A.M. going to 5 historical sites including Madison County Historical Society, Mansion House and Brookfield Historical Society and others ending at WHS.

And - in re: another article in the Waterville Times ........ Do you know where "Barton Avenue" is? (You won't find it on a street sign, yet!) I think that Madison Street is the only road NOT named for a person or family of some importance and, so, perhaps we should contrive a way to collect and write down the histories of the Sangers, Putnams, Osborns, Babbotts, Bacons, Buells, Congers, et al, especially for the residents of those streets and avenues.