There's still time to get to Lowville for the HUGE "Philadelphia Cream Cheese" Festival
celebrating the fact that Philadelphia Cream Cheese is NOT made in Philadelphia! It's made in Lowville! And a 320 lb. cheese cake made by more than 75 Kraft Food Employees will be unveiled at noon!
60.3 degrees and, according to Mr. B., "just a tad drippy" outdoors.
This morning's blue sky disappeared early in the day, replaced by a solid gray dark and misty layer of low clouds.
Several people have commented on the changes that are happening in the old "gravel bed" out on Madison Street. While it appears that the pit is providing a final resting place for 50-year-old sidewalk material from Elmwood and Buell Avenues, it is also becomming more and more parklike and we wonder if, perhaps, some clever person is planning on building a house there.
With the application of a final, topmost rim of pavers, the new retaining walls down toward Sangerfield have gone from "impressive" to "elegant!" It's worth slowing down - or stopping - to see how intricately cut and positioned the keystone-shaped pieces are on curved sections of wall.
I couldn't manage to take a picture, but there was - once again! - activity at the corner of Park Place and Sanger Avenue where the sidewalks meet and I think more digging or grading had been done. Watch for something to happen there, as well as in front of the Bank, on Monday morning!
Despite the grayness of the day, there were bright spots everywhere: the woodbine on the old Putnam Hall gleams, even without sunlight, and swamp maples behind the old "Mayflower" motel are more colorful each day.
Out in the woods, it really was so dark that I needed to use a "flash" to take a picture of these wonderful little Indian Pipes. Even though you can't eat them, they're as much of a treat to find as puffballs --- which is what I was looking for in the first place!
Have a great weekend, Everyone!
53 degrees under Blue Sky. That means that there can be more progress made on the Buell Avenue Sidewalk, on the retaining walls near Sangerfield and - perhaps - in front of the Bank of America Building! (At least if it rains over the weekend the water will NOT flow into the vestibule of the building!)
In case you were thinking of driving to Clinton for your daily caffein "fix," be forewarned: the "Boil Water" order has left customers at McDonald's and Dunkin Doughnuts (and probably other eateries, too) staring into empty coffee cups!
But there's plenty of coffee here in Waterville, and other good news, too!
Just about 58 degrees. It's just balmy, now, but the Weather Channel predicts another drippy day. The Big Question is: "How much will the rain slow down work in front of the bank and/or on the Buell Avenue sidewalk?"
SPECIAL to Nannette and Debby: would you send just a quick E-mail to the Blogger, please? A great many people are missing your smiles!
(From this morning's Utica Observer-Dispatch) CLINTON — The Oneida County Health Department issued a boil water order Wednesday for the village of Clinton after a sample was found to contain E.coli bacteria.Residents should not drink the water without boiling it first. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation. The advisory is in effect until further notice. For information, call 798-5064 or 853-5231.
In Deep Water: Boston now stand 11.5 GB with Toronto creeping up at 13
It was a car fanatic's nightmare. While Terry Berkson was visiting his new-born son at the hospital, his 1963 Corvette—a gift from his late father—was stolen off the streets of Brooklyn. An original blend of philosophy—why do we love our cars the way we do?—the nuts and bolts of crime, urban adventure, and the underbelly of America's car-crazed culture, Corvette Odyssey is sure to find its place on the shelves of auto fans and lovers of a fine tale well told. Terry Berkson has an MFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College. His articles have appeared in New York magazine, The New York Daily News Sunday Magazine, and Automobile magazine.
There are only two locations where any D.O.T. action is taking place:
1. At the Zirkles' and their neighbors on Sanger Avenue, little squares of sidewalk are being framed up between the main sidewalk and the front steps to houses.
2. At the front door of the Bank of America Building. Because someone with sharp eyes noticed that water had been running INto the doorway every time it rained, a large section of pavers is being removed. Presumably, there will be some re-grading and then pavers will be replaced!
Other action: for those who continually want to know "What's going on???" the best way to find out is to go right to the source. The regularly-scheduled monthly Waterville Public Library Board Meeting will take place this evening at 7:00 at the library.
Entertainment in town: tomorrow at Michael's, John Liebing, a one-man accoustical band offering a variety of musical styles from 7:00 - 10:00.
Trivia: Charlotte Buell Coman (1833 - 1924) grew up in Waterville and, like the Loomis girls, attended the Whitestown Seminary. There, her artistic talents were encouraged. Although her father presented several exhibitions of her work in Waterville, her abilities were neither recognized nor appreciated until she had left the country to live in France. It's fun, now and then, to see if there are any of her works on the market. The last one that sold was handled by Christie's in New York -- price not noted, but I'm sure it would have surprised everyone here, a hundred years ago!
RECYCLABLES Day!
50 degrees and very drippy.
The Results of yesterday's Primary Elections are on the front page of the Utiuca O-D.
Mr. Langone identifies the fungus pictured in yesterday afternoon's blog as the North American Tooth (Climacodon septentrionale) and says that it is Inedible.
I might suggest that if anyone finds a lovely, pure-white Giant Puffball but is unappreciative of their good fortune, they should contact either one of us and we would be most delighted to do the enjoying in your place!
Gayle Ladd, in West Virginia, wrote that "My 93 yr. old mother-in-law was just telling me the other day that her mother used to give she and her 7 siblings 'Elderblossom Wine' when they were sick" and attached a recipe which I'll try to remember ti dig out next Summer, when Elderberries are in bloom.
Another friend reported that her father still makes Elderberry Wine and that she will try to acquire a small sample for me to try - wouldn't THAT be nice!
A few of the "Social Notes and Items of Interest" reported in today's issue of The Waterville TIMES:
(Can we imagine) a Waterville without June Richmond? No! But our loss is someone else’s gain, and she has telephoned the writer to say that she has moved from “Terry Meadows” to “The Meadows” on Route 12B in New Hartford. That, happily, does not mean that we won’t be seeing her around town: we shall! (And she was among the 80 or so who attended the Waterville Historical Society’s 40th Anniversary Celebration at the St. Bernard’s Church Social Hall, on Sunday, and everyone was delighted to see her!)
Mrs. O’Dowd writes that she and Bill entertained her brother, Gerrit Hyde, and his wife Claire, from Lake Orion, Michigan. Gerrit came to celebrate his 60th class reunion. They visited Gerrit's and Peggy's 5th grade teacher, Ada (Dilman) Morgan and her husband Sewell and enjoyed recalling the "old times." Bill Waterman - a class mate of Peggy's from La Plate, Maryland called to say that he was visiting his sister, Joan, and they went out to dinner.
The O’Dowds also had a telephone call from their son Stephen, in Tel Aviv, saying that everything is all right there: no problems. (And I’m sure they were glad to hear that!)
Sandy Martin writes to tell us that “The Crimson Bonnets” were invited to Barb Mario's on August 31st for an End of Summer picnic. “Barb and Mario's new home in Stockwell is just beautiful. We all took the tour and enjoyed Barb's decorating ideas. There were more sandwiches and desserts then 25 women could eat and everyone went home full and happy." The Red Hat's next get- together is to be hosted by Sandy Brown, Nancy Lewis and Sue Green and will be held on September 28th at the Moose River Restaurant.
If the Harringtons, just North of the underpass in Sangerfield, are ecstatic because they are finally getting a retaining wall across the front of their property, their delight is matched by residents of Buell Avenue where - after thirty years! - they are getting a new sidewalk!
New "steps" leading from the roadway to the sidewalk are being installed in front of the "blue house" on the South side of E. Main Street and, also, leading to the former Moon's Barber Shop - the "Uptown Salon."
South of the village and the RR underpass, work has begun on a new Retaining Wall and on Sanger Hill, the road is getting a new topcoat of blacktop.
North of the village, there was a fine Fall scene at Pryputniewicz's farm stand -
- and two giant sunflowers next to a silo just South of the Ford Road "End of Civilization" Historic Marker caught my eye.
This afternoon, we went out to the "Moscow Hills" to see if the "Bottle Gentian" was finally in bloom - yes! - and in more abundance than in previous years.
It was one of those perfect blue Autumn mornings. The sign at Tom Eisenhut's Car Wash stood out against the trees.
And everyone that I talked with, today, remarked that they remembered EXACTLY what they were doing on that morning, five years ago. And shook their head. Without saying any more.
I believe that it is because it is September 11th, "5 years later," that "blogspot.com" is running very slowly. I do have photographs, and will add them later on.
Don't forget to take the garbage out!
39.9 degrees at 6:30 A.M. with blue sky and a few little clouds.
Yesterday was a dandy day, here in Waterville, and today will be, too! Newsmakers will probably be various crews working on the Highway Reconstruction Project: stone masons building retaining walls and framing steps at the Woodman-Getman Law Office and.... who knows? It's time for some trees and shrubbery to start arriving,isn't it? One Blog-reader who's really been paying attention to the activity wonders why no trees are going to be planted in front of the Belfield Agency (for instance) or the Barton Medical Center or Merri-Rose Florists. I told her what Paul Evans, D.O.T. landscaper told me and several members of the Main Street Committee: "There isn't room." (Period; end of subject.)
Yesterday afternoon and evening, local excitement was at St. Bernard's Church where, in the basement Social Hall, the Waterville Historical Society, making history of its own, proved to eighty-plus attendees that History isn't dull, after all! The 40th Anniversary Celebratory Candlelight Dinner with Displays and Dramatic Entertainments with entre'acte musical presentations by the Caroleers was, without doubt, THE Social Event of THE Season!
"It's Wash!"
"Curtain Call!" Personages include, From left to right; Rhoda Loomis, Jedediah Sanger, Cornelia Loomis, Sherrif Filkins, Wash Loomis, George Eastman and his mother, Maria, all also known as Jean B. Davis, The Rev. Kirk Hudson, Philippa Brown, Bob Harding, Wayne Brouillette, The Rev. Byron Stuhlman, Kent Cole, Louis C. Langone, Peg O'Dowd, Bill O'Dowd.
The entire Event was organized by WHS President and Mrs. Joseph Falk and the "Standing Room Only" players were instructed, encouraged and directed by Kelly Falk.
(The writer was, unfortunately, not in position to take photographs of all of the performers, but will depend on other photographers' pictures to add to the blog, later on, after an early tour of the village, trip to Utica and routine visit to the ProActive Physical Therapy and Pretzel Works.)
I know that baseball fans are waiting:
