It really did turn out to be a rainy, gray day. Despite the optimism shown by Gallaghers' cows - who stood in a steady drizzle -
TIOGA crews packed up their toys and went home.
House-painting ceased at the top of "Livingston Hill" -Putnam Street - and at #183 Babbott Avenue,
and the brightest spot in town seemed to be at Dairy Isle (a.k.a. "Dairy Creme; "Roc's" and/or "The Langone Family Restaurant") where Brianna Cowen and Andy Dorr served up smiles to everyone!
The Writer will be playing The Artist for the next day or so, working on plates for the Waterville Historical Society's "Coloring Book" - due out this Fall! - but we shall certainly plan on taking you for our regular "Ride in the Country" on Sunday.
Have a nice weekend!
E-mail: Homeinthehuddle@AOL.com.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Weekend Wind-up
Friday A.M. Ride-around
And then it started to rain: really rain. Some sidewalk prep that was going on in front of the Bancroft residence on Sanger Avenue was in progress - the cabs of the two pieces of machinery involved were, at least, fairly well enclosed. 
By 7:15 it was pouring. The Brick Paver crew who had gathered on the sidewalk in front of Morgan's and the Liquor Store dove for cover in doorways.
The Driveway to the Library is now OPEN! Around back, some new shrubbery has been planted. There'll be no need for that garden hose today!
And it rained even harder until, suddenly, at around 8:00, it simply stopped!
Canada Geese out at the Moons' went about their business and the brick layers went back to work.
T. G. I. Friday Morning
Although AccuWeather gives us hourly predictions, the WKTV News Channel 2 Forecast, yesterday afternoon, was a little bit more dramatic in their description and labelled our weather "Downright Oppressive!"
- Friday Morning: Showers and thunderstorms, perhaps tapering off by noontime. Temps to near 75-80 by Noon.
- Friday Afternoon: Showers and storms winding down. Gradual clearing, but still hot and soupy. Highs in the low to mid 80s.
- Friday night: Partly cloudy and a bit humid. Low in the mid to upper 60s.
- Saturday: Sun and clouds with a chance of a thunderstorm. Hot and a bit humid. High: 88, Low: 67
- Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds, warm and humid. Chance of a storm. High: 85, Low: 68
The Yankees and RedSox took yesterday off, but both play, this evening, on home fields. NYY vs. TB and BOS vs. LAA - both games at 7:05. P.M.
Of little Importance or Interest to Anyone: the white flower blooming in such abundance along roadsides and in country fields is "Queen Anne's Lace," (Anne 1665 - 1714) so-called for the tiny speck of red in the center of each blossom - a drop of blood, it was said, shed by her Majesty when she pricked her finger on a pin while working on a piece of lace.
Of GREAT Interest to Rotarians and Bouckville Antique Show Breakfast Customers: the conditions of this year's crop of Blueberries!(Click to enlarge Snapz and Photographs. Time for the Morning Tour. Be back soon!)
Thursday, July 27, 2006
4 O'clock Sweep
Hot and hazy; nearly 90 degrees on Main Street, and I'm sure that if the brick layers who had been installing pavers in front of Morgan's were anywhere near this little watering hole on Brouillette Road, they'd have waded right in with "the girls."
Perhaps the sidewalk crew would have, too: they've laid forms nearly to the village limits; everyone up to the Zirkles has a sidewalk and driveway pouring progressed as far as the Cole residence. There are still quite a few residents who do NOT have anything but the sidewalk forms and they will probably be parking their vehicles elsewhere, over the weekend.
There was a rumor going round, earlier today, that there is a shortage of concrete and that that was causing a slow down in the paving process, but there was a "cement truck" right in front of Olmstead's Garage. (Only with great discipline do I remember that "cement trucks" - called that ever since I was a child! - do NOT dispense cement! It's concrete!)
I had hoped to have so GOOD NEWS to write about - perhaps that the driveway to the Library is now open - but that's not the case.
Instead, I have some REALLY GREAT NEWS!!!!!!
I spoke, this morning, with a close friend of Army Pvt. John Sigsbee who had talked with him yesterday. John said that he'd be COMING HOME TO WATERVILLE - hopefully within the next few days! He's got a good deal of recuperating to do, but he'll be home for a month and, as we all know, there's no better medicine than family and friends! Best Wishes, John!!!
Welcome Home!
The COIRO Gardens on White Street
Everyone admires their front yard and doorway, but looks what's hiding in the back yard!
Photographs by Joan and Jerry Coiro. (Click to Enlarge.)
Thursday morning, continued
Looking down the "tracks" from Olmstead's Garage,
and the "Visitor's Parking Lot" on the West side of Sanger Avenue.
It's trickier than it looks and more artistic than we'd thought, too! All of the areas covered with brick pavers have an edging - or framework - of bricks that abuts sidewalks or curbings at 90 degrees.
ELSEWHERE: Small sidewalk sections had been poured: 1. pedestrian crossing in front of the Waterville Historical Society;
2. pedestrian crossing from Municipal Hall to the Petrie residence; and at the northern end of Municipal Hall.
Obsorn Avenue, closed while the lower half was blacktopped yesterday, is open, today.
The "Driveway Closed" sign is still outside the entrance to the Library.
Thursday - Garbage Day
67 degrees and "muggy." The weather map shows a few green blips, here and there to the West of Waterville, but nothing of any saturational substance.
The New York Yankees took Texas 8 - 7 and are now only 1.5 GB (Games Behind) the RedSox who lost to Oakland, last night. 
SMILE! It's Stephanie deGroat, student intern at ProActive Physical Therapy, with a new, short haircut that's pretty on her and will also make someone else feel even better: she gave the 12" cut to "Locks of Love."
"Locks of Love" is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children, eighteen years and younger, who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss.
If you're thinking of getting a cool cut, keep this in mind!
Rt. 12 UPDATE: By the time that I went on afternoon "rounds," yesterday, the brick paving crew had packed up for the day, but had finished some very finicky pattern fittings at Mac's corner and gotten a really good start in front of the Hotel and Morgan's Hardware.
On Sanger Avenue, the sidewalk had been poured as far as the Olmstead residence and everyone from the St. John Apartments to - and including - the Mowreys had driveways. From there Southward the sidewalk forms run in a long, straight line as far as Don Olmstead's Garage and, from that vantage point, almost gave the appearance of railway tracks (without the ties, of course) upon which one might have expected to see the Utica, Chenango and Susquehannah Valley Railroad steam locomotive come chugging up the hill. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of traffic and I couldn't manage to take a good photograph of that view. I did notice, however, that everyone on the opposite side of the street seems to have alot of company! I aked the Lews, yesterday morning, if they had out-of-town visitors and Irene laughed and said, "Oh, no!" Because sidewalk forms block access to driveways, everyone from the East side of Sanger has had to move their vehicles to host parking on the West side!
On Tuesday evening, the Waterville Garden Club had a rare treat: they visited Joan and Jerry Coiro at their home, and in their gardens, on White Street. I am fortunate enough to have at hand two CDs filled with photographs of the gardens. Here is just one picture - others I'll put on a separate post so that those of you who don't want to look at flowers and statues and waterfalls won't have to!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Two-way traffic has resumed.
A few minutes before 7:00, the brick layers were at work in front of Mac's and, about ten minutes later, a load of base was being delivered to the paver area in front of the Hotel and Morgan's.
Out on Sanger Avenue, Mr. Donald Brown was getting a new driveway and all sorts of prep work was in progress out at the roadside in front of CVS and Roc's.
Look! New window boxes and planters at the Pizzeria!
And, while I wasn't watching, a new pergola has appeared behind the Library!The driveway still has "CLOSED" signs at both the White Street and "scenic route" entrances, but that may change by 10:00, in time for opening. Phone 841-4651, for latest information.
No morning tour is complete without a stop on S. Babbott to admire Pat's flowers at the old Methodist church!
Click photos to enlarge. E-mail: Homeinthehuddle@aol.com
Wednesday - Recyclables
63 degrees and muggy-feeling. Some rumbling and rain, last night. Not enough to cause any washouts and sidewalk paving should be able to proceed, again, without any delays.
Both the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Socks lost no time in winning their games, last night:
PLANNING AHEAD?
The Thursday night Musical Special at Michael's will be the Devon Garramone Three-piece JAZZ Ensemble which will be served with the regular menu.
With no events at all shown on the watervilleny.com calendar, we'll look elsewhere:
On Saturday - a Special Event in Rome at "Honor America Days" - at 8:00 P.M. it'll be a Syracuse Symphony Concert at Fort Stanwyx featuring the "1812 Overture" - with cannon, of course, at the appropriate measure!
At Glimmerglass Opera, the month winds up with the opening of Jenufa - a new production, co-produced with New York City Opera sung in Czech with English projected titles.
Time for the morning tour. Perhaps I can find out if the Library's new driveway will be opened to vehicular traffic, today!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Afternoon Sweep
It was really hot and quiet, uptown, at around 4:00. Obviously, the sidewalk and driveway paving and brick-laying crews had been hard at work: more and more driveways have been paved along Sanger Avenue and the sidewalk forms installed as far South as the Bancroft residence. There was still one man working there. Everyone else had found a shady spot to cool off!
Laying brick pavers in 80+ degree heat has got to be tough, especially when dealing with lots of small spaces between odd-angled sidewalks -- take a look at the pavers in front of Mac's!
And, just across Buell Avenue, what we thought was going to be all pavers has turned into one of those curvy little sidewalks. Perfect for wheeling kegs, perhaps?
Sunflower Field
(Click to enlarge!)
And then go and see them for yourself, if you can! There are two very large flower-filled fields about 1 mile S. of Vernon Center on Route 26.
Thanks, Nancy and Val!
NEWS!
Just Confirmed: the "rumor 'round town" that the "old" Library building on Main Street, which reverted to the Brainard Family when the new Library opened, has been offered to the Village of Waterville, free of charge.
Yes: and the municipality has accepted the offer with the option of returning ownership to the Brainards if no practical use has been found for the structure within one year's time.
The front door of the former "Scerbo building" is open, this morning, and something's going on! Another rumor -- from a very reliable source! -- it'll be a "SUBWAY!"
Eeeeek!
Not a mouse! But the frustration of not being able to upload any photographs for you to look at, this morning.
That, however, doesn't mean that I can't go out and take them. I've had two E-mails (from Nancy Ayala and Val Schenk) telling me about a wonderful field of sunflowers somewhere on Route 26. I'm going!
Tuesday trouble at Blogger
61 degrees at 5:30 and, in ways that I can't describe, the morning birds sound as if they're expecting rain. I've been told that neither the Gallaghers' cows nor any others - be they standing up or lying down - give accurate forecasts, so we'll have to depend on AccuWeather to corroborate the birds' hints!
I actually hope that the birds are wrong: TIOGA makes much better progress when it's sunny and dry!
Baseball fans are keeping late hours, some evenings' efforts being more rewarding than others.
I need to explain, right away, that should this entry to the "blog" seem unfinished or otherwise unusual (lacking pictures, ScreenSnapz, links or even words!) that "Blogger.com" has been having a "spell" and is being recalcitrant, to say the least. It is operated by Google, and generally thought to be very reliable, however ....... A message tells me that "Engineers are working on the problem..."
Let's wait a while and see if they're successful!
Monday, July 24, 2006
FINALLY!
The driveway to the Library has been paved!
By 4:30, both lanes had been blacktopped.
According to Amanda Briggs, the Library will definitely be open tomorrow - usual Tuesday hours are 2:00 - 5:30 - but she could not say whether or not the driveway itself would be open. It's possible that patrons might have to park on White Street and walk in. Do phone, if you need to know the status.
841-4651
Out on Main Street there was not a great deal of activity on the part of TIOGA, but, up on Sanger Avenue, sidewalk paving continued Southward nearly to the Cole residence. That's wonderfully good news, on one front, but it stil leaves a dozen or more residents without use of their driveways! (Possibly they gave their permission, but it does seem to pose a difficulty: how many days have Mr. Cleary or Mrs. Zambri or Mr. Brown been unable to park cars next to their houses?)
Elsewhere in the village: if you have a clean white car, try to avoid travelling on Elmwood! Potholes were patched with "hot-top," today (that's Good!) but by late this afternoon it was still a gravely, splattery, sticky mess! (that's Bad!)
Morning ride around Waterville
"Big Orange" on its morning rounds.
The "cement truck" first poured concrete at Mr. Woodman's corner and the opposite corner of the Park sidewalk....
...and then moved back to Sanger Avenue in the vicinity of Mr. Don Bown's residence.
At the corner of the Hotel, it appeared that paver stone base soil/sand was being smoothed, and pavers were being installed across the street at Mac's.
In a separate improvement project, Bill Vetter and his crew were at work painting the residence of the Rev. and Mrs. Kirk Hudson, on Sanger Avenue. 
Up in the cemetery, looking for Horace P. Bigelow's gravestone - which Dewey directed me to, right away! - I also found a magnificent bed of cleome against the rear wall of the crematorium.
(Click photos to enlarge.)
Probably not that many people see that, and other pretty plantings at the cemetery, nor does everyone realize that there are these two lovely gazebos in the village: one at the Harding Nursing Home and the other at Terry Meadows. 
Good Monday Morning!
to
PAT MANGAN!
Perhaps, also, for the Yankees and Red Sox. Both teams lost, yesterday, and retain previous standings.
And - speaking of alpacas and llamas - which we weren't, really, but......
On yesterday's Ride in the Country, in the community of Jordanville, we slowed down next to a large pasture with a great number of sheep all headed in the same direction, munching industriously, and - apparently - being overseen (or kept in line) by a long-necked llama who sat facing the herd as if she were an emperious schoolmarm imposing rigid discipline upon her students.
It's "garbage day" in the village and, just as soon as a contribution's been set out for "Big Orange," I'll go for an early tour and see where TIOGA and PowerLine are setting up shop.
Worth Making Note of: At last week's Village Board Meeting, according to an article on page 1 of the Waterville Times, "DPW Supervisor Gene Ostrander said the Route 12 improvement project is wrapping up. Anyone with issues to be addressed should do so soon. People can contact the Village Hall."
It is, of course, far too soon for a great many residents of Sanger Avenue -- all of those whose sidewalks and driveways have not yet been "improved," to tell whether or not there have any "issues" with the final product, but there have been several requests made for corrections to sidewalk pavement in the business district of Main Street. Another will be made, today - by the writer - asking 1. that a Pedestrian Crossing and appropriately accessible sidewalk be installed between Stewart's and the First Niagara Bank (as there used to be); 2. an accessible sidewalk be installed somewhere on the Northern side of W. Main Street near the Liquor Store, and 3. that a Pedestrian Crossing and appropriately accessible sidewalk make it possible to cross between the Foodking-Presbyterian church side of Main Street to the Woodman-Getman Law Offices and the Waterville Times.
Not that I have any expectations of effecting any such improvements, but "Hey! Ya' never know!"
Sunday, July 23, 2006
A Ride in the Country
We had a particular spot in mind, today, when we left Waterville: The Holy Trinity Monastery & Seminary in Jordanville. The first time that we saw Jordanville was on a bright Summer day, like today, about thirty years ago.
Rounding a curve in the road, back then, we suddenly saw - as if magically rising from the field of corn - a magnificent cluster of shining golden domes. 
I've been back there many times, since - once, even, to attend a Sunday morning Service - but never get over the thrill of the first view of "Jordanville." I took a few pictures, but you should watch this excellent Slide Show which was prepared by the Utica Observer Dispatch. (Do turn the sound up!)
The Monastery has an excellent website with many magnificent photographs of the church's interior, such as this one.......
...... and an elevated view of the Monastery in Winter.(Click photos to enlarge.)
An internet search yielded several lovely photographs: this by Elizabeth Mundschenk.....
and this Bicyclist's Guide written by former O-D Columnist, Waterville's own Linda Murphy.
We always drive a little farther up Robinson Road to visit the Cemetery where hundreds of graves almost resemble "raised beds," many of them planted with bright flowers and carefully tended by relatives.
To see the outside of the buildings, browse the bookstore or visit the cemetery, just follow this map.
To attend a service or enter the church at any time there are strict dress codes and stringent rules to follow, so you'll need to go to the Monastery website and, probably, phone ahead!
Tel: (315) 858 0940
Sunny Sunday!
It was a soggy Saturday, but now the sky's blue and it's 56 degrees F., at 5:50 Sunday morning.
The AccuWeather forecast gives us a variety of conditions from which to choose -- all-in-all, better than we'd originally thought -- and with a predicted "high" of only 79 degrees, we should be quite happy!
In baseball, Boston lost to Seattle 2 - 5 and the Yankees won over Toronto 5 - 4, lifting them back up to a 2.5 GB second spot.
(Click to enlarge Snapz and Photographs.)
Thanks to Linda Bigelow Harer of Seattle, Washington, the Historical Society is two never-before-seen photographs richer! They were both taken in the early 1900's. Can you identify the building? It was the home of her great-grandfather, Horace P. Bigelow - a man of considerableimportance in Waterville throughout its "golden years."
(The answer will follow!)
And from Colleen Hughes Huggins comes this photograph of the Edwards family homestead, which is no longer standing. It was located, we believe, just to the East of the present driveway to the Sanger mansion - which the McLanes call "Sanger Hill" - and may explain the presence of a row of ancient maple trees and at least one lilac bush that still blooms, each Spring.
