Walking Between the Grapevines

The Holiday Train

2024-12-23T16:00:00.002-05:00

Joyful memories this Christmas as we were able to enjoy another event that we had wanted to go to - he Holiday Train!

We first heard about this train that travels around during the holiday season last year but by the time we heard about it the train was long gone.

This year we strategically planned how we would see it

with three people at work and one in college.

The train would be stopping near our home but that would be too early.

My oldest did see it as he passed the train's stop.

What we decided would work best was to miss a couple closer stops

and head up Saratoga Springs.

The traffic was slow around the train station

but it was totally worth it!

Even stuck in slow-moving traffic we were still on time

considering the train was delayed.

As we were approaching the parking lot

we could hear the horn of the approaching train.

They had a car that opened to a stage

(for my hometown people think the ShowWagon but mechanical).

The band was festive and very good but we weren't there for the band.

We're thinking that maybe next year we might ride the train.

Of course with three of us fascinated with how things work we had to do a closer inspection of the mechanics of the lights on the cars.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!!

Ingrid

The Schenectady Holiday Parade

2024-12-16T16:00:00.007-05:00

One thing my family loves it's traditions.

Last year my children and I went to the Monet Experience for my birthday. (I am just now realizing that I never posted about it.)

When we were heading into the Arsenal we saw the parade beginning and joked how the city had scheduled a parade in honour of my birthday.

Of course that meant that we had to come back for the parade this year to actually watch the parade.

We knew it was going to be long because it was still going when we left the Arsenal so we planned on bundling up.

We were in front of Proctor's and they had hot cocoa for sale inside to help warm us, and a T.A.R.D.I.S.

We'll bring travel mugs next year.

We were in the perfect location to watch the tree lighting

before the parade began.

There was a technical glitch with a group of performers early on but they carried on like real troopers despite the lack of audio. We were very impressed with the young people but embarrassed for the crew. It will be better next time.

One of my daughters wasn't dressed warmly because it wasn't THAT cold

when she went to work in the morning, so I gave up my gloves

despite taking dozens of photos.

The parade lasted over two hours and there was so much to see

with all of the floats and participants.

We ended up leaving early but finished watching the live stream from the comfort of our living room. Next year we plan on arriving a little late so we can see Santa.

Happy Holidays!!!

Ingrid

Celebrating My Church's 200th Anniversary

2024-10-30T16:00:00.000-04:00

Two hundred years.

Circa 1898

How often do you see a church that lasts for 200 years? In my hometown it is fairly common, since the big five (Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and "our" Baptist) have been around forever. But in this day of mega-churches and smaller pop-ups longevity has become rare.

The organ is only a façade since 2006.

I have wooden pipes from the organ in my living room.

Lowville Baptist was a life-saver for me back in the early 2000s. I was nearing the end of an abusive marriage and was invited to LBC during the county fair. They sent us a more formal invitation as Sunday School was about to begin in the Fall. My children and I attended for a few months until my marriage turned even uglier and I shied away from people. Pastor Reed had been to my home and decided he needed to help me escape.

Meanwhile, his wife, Carol, decided my oldest son needed to belong somewhere away from what we had been living with. She invited him to be the production team. He ran with it! He thrived in production and still does to this day. His computer knowledge grew at that church. We had so much fun and felt so much love there.

Eight years later we left the area and found a new church. We loved that church and the church family but it didn't hold as special a place to us as Lowville Baptist. Eventually we moved on and became active in a smaller mega-church. Great pastor but not the same. We missed stained glass windows, organ music and hymns.

Then I received a letter from LBC inviting my family to their 200th Anniversary!

I was so excited! Not all of my gang could make it but half of my kids did come with me on the beautiful drive to our hometown.

There was a pretty cool fog bank as we approached the Mohawk River.

I was recognized right away, as was India. People didn't recognize Amanda though. The funny part was that despite all of his involvement with Tech and IT as well as how much time he spent with the Reeds, No one recognized Matthew. Of course, when we left he had no facial hair and had shoulder-length thick blonde hair. His reputation still held though and he was known as the guy who built and installed the system.

There were photo displays, a wonderful service with each of the living former pastors speaking, culminating in OUR Pastor Reed coming from his retirement home in Alaska to do the sermon. P. Reed had been there since the 1980s but after he left the other gentlemen have led the church.

Pastor Reed left Lowville a few years after we moved away. His son was raising his own family in Alaska so P. Reed and Carol joined him there. Carol past last year but P. Reed was accompanied my Susan. I wasn't able to speak with her very much but she seemed so nice.

Pastor Reed often said that the Baptist Church runs on it's stomach. Always, and proud of it. I do miss the monthly church dinners. For this event it wasn't potluck but was catered by Squishy's BBQ and Catering. It was so delicious!

After dinner there was cake, cut by Pastor Reed.

And, of course, fellowship. That is, after all, why it's called a Fellowship Hall.

During fellowship I was able to talk to my former sister-in-law and friend from school who was kind enough to give me a signed copy of her book. Thank you Heidi!

We all went home with wonderful memories and little mementos to cherish. I have a promise from my oldest that we will make the short 2-1/2 hour drive home to church (maybe) once a month. Pastor Reed won't be there, but Pastor Leon seems like a very kind person and he has been there for several years now. I think we would enjoy his sermon.

Until Next Time!

Ingrid

Memories of Halloween's Past

2024-10-24T16:00:00.013-04:00

Where has this year gone? It seems not that long ago that we were up North celebrating the New Year with family and now here we are almost Halloween.

Halloween is one of my favourite holidays. I love the decorations! I love the costumes! I love the excitement of the neighbourhood children. Add to that the beauty of Autumn with it's colours and the scent of Fall in the air.

Matthew's father and I used to go all out on Halloween. We had the dry ice, the voice distorter, the darkened house and cemetery in the lawn. One year he even dressed as Dr. Frankenstein to the neighbour's Frankenstein's monster.

When we moved back to my hometown while my oldest was little, I hand sewed all of his costumes. As more kids came along it became too much to make all those costume, but I still made sure there was plenty of candy for the trick or treaters. I brought my children to the community Halloween party after taking them through my old neighbourhood to collect goodies. Eventually we moved to the country so there were no more trick or treaters. That didn't stop the decorating though.

As the kids grew and we found a church that we liked, I became active as a volunteer. One of our yearly events was a community Halloween party, to replace the one held years earlier. I would take the kids trick or treating around my old neighbourhood and then we would go to the church party where the older kids loved helping out. When that was over we headed to the local Stewart's convenience store where the kids were given free ice cream cones for being in costume.

When we moved to Western NY Halloweens became more of the familiar. We volunteered at our church for their Annual Trunk or Treat.

On Halloween we formed a circle around the parking lot with our trunks/hatches/tailgates facing in and loaded up with candy. Some decorated their vehicles while others left them plain. Of course we decorated. We had bounce houses, hot dogs with chips and apple cider. The best part? It was all free to the public! The last year outdoors we counted 976 kids. After a couple of years we moved everything indoors (well, not the vehicles). There were a lot more kids coming through since they didn't have to brave the snow and cold temperatures off Lake Erie. Cleaning up the hay spread throughout the church with a leaf blower was fun too!

By the time we moved here to our current home the kids were all too old to go trick or treating, although the girls still like to get dressed up. The neighbourhood kids all go to the malls and other places to get more candy than they would in our small neigbourhood. But I still love the decorations.

I hope you all have a Happy, and Safe, Halloween!

Until Next Time!

Ingrid

How To Discover A New Favourite YouTube Channel

2024-10-17T16:00:00.001-04:00

I actually discovered this channel last year but I thought I should share this so others might enjoy their channel as well. Back in 2023 (that was, what? 3... 4 years ago? My oldest and I, along with my daughters, had gone to The Home Show in Saratoga Springs to get ideas for my son's new house - and maybe a few for mine. We had a great day and then headed home.

Just a side note on the weather. When we headed up it was a pleasant Spring day. Temperatures were around the low 50's. So it was light jacket weather. A few miles up the road, in the Adirondack Mountains it was cold. There was still feet of snow and no sign of it melting.

Back to my story.

As we were cruising along we played leapfrog with this 4-Runner.

Should I be showing their license plate?
Well, they don't hide it on their channel.
Besides, they sold that 4-Runner anyway.

We were laughing about the fact that we passed them, they passed us, we passed them, until I saw it... See the sticker on the back window? It has a YouTube logo. As we continued playing leapfrog we got close enough to read their channel name - 4runningaround. I immediately looked them up and after realizing they are a camping channel I followed them. In fact, I later learned in a chat that Josh was coming back from an overnight camping trip in the Adirondacks (now do you see why I mentioned that?). He posted that video a week or so later. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5VRvRR3Y30&t=253s

They are local to me so that makes their channel more interesting. I can honestly say I have seen all of their videos and shorts. From watching, I have gathered that at least one works in my oldest son's profession and they work for the same overall employer as my youngest son. Even more interesting. Okay, that sounds stalker-ish but to me it's just things that connect us and give me reason to get out there and do what they do. Stop living through them and start living.

They go on great camping trips and give me ideas for simple meals. In case you don't know, I have a cooking blog at www.cookwithhoney.blogspot.com. No, it isn't about honey it is based on my former last name and my children's last name and was suggested by one of my sons.

Since selling the 4Runner, and buying a truck and truck camper they changed their channel name to Josh and Kate. Kate also has a channel that she doesn't share on much and has a slightly different subject line. It's more about the behind the scenes of truck camping. Still very interesting.

Follow them at:

https://www.youtube.com/@kateandjosh

and

https://www.youtube.com/@WanderingKate

Give them some love.

Until Next Time!

Ingrid

A Beautiful Walk At Colonie Town Park

2024-10-03T17:00:00.002-04:00

My youngest and his girlfriend enjoy going for walks around our area. One of their favorite places is the local town park. Judging from the few people around, this location isn't well know. That might be because of the many choices we have, or the close proximity to the Catskill Mountains, Berkshire Mountains and Adirondack Park. I was so excited when they asked if I wanted to bring my Goodest Boy along on a cooler summer day.

Kito was happy to go for a walk with his Mama.

Colonie Town Park is a hidden gem that I encouraged folks to go to. The 160 acre park is alongside the Mohawk River. It has a swimming pool, two pavilions, picnic areas, a playground, cross-country ski trails, a dog park, tennis courts and football and softball fields. We went there for the nature trails.

Doggo loved walking through the woods and sniffing all the smells. Sometimes I had to redirect him when his Beagle nose sensed something off in the distance.

Of course I had to take nature photos because, who wouldn't with all this beauty surrounding them?

The Mohawk River Was absolutely gorgeous, with the Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge ("Twin Bridges") off in the distance.

Kito was so thirsty by the time we arrived at the Mohawk. No that wasn't anything dangerous in the water. They make sure the park is safe for the animals who visit.

Back to our walk as we head to the car. Doggo loved this walk and even had a nice gentleman who works there comment on his cuteness.

Seriously, isn't that covered bridge lovely?

Tired Doggo slept most of the way home after the initial "I don't like cars" whining.

Until Next Time!

Ingrid

The On-Going Saga of BratBoy and EvilOne

2023-09-14T12:04:00.035-04:00

In today's episode we find our heroes in the abode of their Long-Suffering Mother.

The family members are all comfortable in their various locations throughout the living room. They've been doing as they do most evenings with BratBoy and Long-Suffering Mother watching one of their favorite YouTube channels involving heavy machinery and digging - lots of digging. EvilOne is on her phone, looking at something of interest to her. Somehow she doesn't find digging with 220s, 330s, Minis and Bulldozers interesting. Why? We might never know. Although she did say she finds the sound relaxing.

As time goes by BratBoy decides that it is time to bid us ado and head off to bed. While he is still in the chatty stage Mother begins playing with Killer Claws, the kitten.

Killer Claws is brutally attacking the arm of the sofa. Getting her to stop Mother begins rough-housing with Killer and a loud scratch can be heard as Mother doesn't react fast enough, resulting in a slash across her hand. Mother continues to rough house with Killer.

But, alas, the sound was heard by BratBoy and EvilOne and they begin insisting that Mother wash her hands. Mother lets them know that she will after she is finished harassing, ummm... playing with Killer Claws.

This answer does not satisfy our illustrious heroes and so BratBoy grabs Long-Suffering Mother and practically carries her to EvilOne, where EvilOne is holding a bottle of hand-sanitizer.

Mother begs for mercy!

How can her precious children betray her in this way?

BratBoy places Mother in front of EvilOne, who rubs hand-sanitizer onto Long-Suffering Mother's wound.

The scream pierces the night!

Perhaps that was Mother's imagination, but their was a mild shriek.

BratBoy lets go of Long-Suffering Mother. EvilOne recaps the bottle.

They laugh maniacally as Long-Suffering Mother goes off to sulk.

Stay tuned for the next episode of:

BratBoy

and

EvilOne

Until Next Time!

Ingrid

A Quick Trip To Lowes

2023-07-05T20:14:00.131-04:00

Homeownership. It's one of those goals in the lives of most Americans. One of the joys of homeownership is to create a home that YOU want. Different from what the previous owner had.

We've had our house for seven and a half years now. In that time I have taken an almost blank slate and created many flower beds, and a vegetable bed. I've begun working on garden rooms interspersed throughout our lawn. This began with spending so very very much money at Home Depot. This year my youngest began working after classes at Lowes. Lowes was always my personal favorite but my husband isn't a fan. No reason other than his uncle likes Home Depot. After being given a tour of Lowes by my youngest, my oldest and I prefer to do our shopping there.

This time was no exception.

My oldest and I went to Lowes with a loooooong shopping list. He recently purchased his own home and has some things to do around there, but owning his own home hasn't stopped him from working around our house.

A new shrub (hyacinth) and boards for a couple of new gates for us to build

were just the larger items from this huge shopping trip.

While my son was securing the lumber I folded up the back seats and filled the truck with our goodies.

Off in the distance my youngest was getting ready to head out. We were in the store until his shift ended.

Time for us, and my new houseplant, to head home. I found her in the plant section, where she was the last Mother's Day plant (I didn't discover this until I read her tag later that day). I had to bring her home.

Oh My God! They match! How cute!!

Stay Happy!

Ingrid

Thoughts on Life

2023-03-17T15:55:00.001-04:00

I don't normally put my life out there, but I figure there aren't a lot of people reading this blog so I need to do something cathartic.

My life has been through many highs and lows. I made wrong decisions which led me to bad marriages. I wish I could say that it has left me believing in love, but it hasn't. I realize many people, including a few of my friends have amazing marriages. I feel like that was because they took the time to really know the person they were marrying. I never did that. I was so grateful that someone seemed to love me that I listened to the courting ritual they used. They told me lies and I bought the stories. After they reined me in they treated me terribly.

Do I wish the marriages hadn't happened?

No. Each marriage gave me something.

I was able to raise the son from the first marriage by myself, for the most part. He turned out to be an amazing man, and I am so very proud of him.

My second marriage gave me five children whom I love dearly. Input from their father has left a few of them confused, but I will never stop loving them. Other things this marriage left me with is empathy toward those who are suffering or are hurt. It taught me how to be strong. It helped me find who I really am (more on that in a minute).

Finally, my last marriage. This will be the last. This is where I realized that I can only trust God. He has done many amazing things in my life, and he has kept me alive when I should have been dead long ago. Not because I was suicidal. So many times in my life, because of coincidence or because of men, I should have died. God wanted me alive. He is my best friend and I spend a lot of time diving deeper into being a Christ-follower (a Christian in more than just words). God and I have had many really good conversations.

Who have I learned I am?

My oldest using the Black Magic Pocket Cinema
(video camera) on the Dolly track.

I am nothing like my first two husbands thought I was. I am much more intelligent that I gave myself credit for. My oldest is a web developer/systems manager, and production volunteer (he had been Interim Multisite Production Director on top of his IT Director job). He taught me to use computers, now I'm taking coding classes.

He voluntold me for the production team at church and I absolutely loved that! I learned computer programming, video cameras, how to program lighting, wiring of lights, directing cameras, and what each piece of equipment does and how to set it up. I am eternally grateful to Rob, Bev, Mike, Matt and Scott for sharing their knowledge with me.

I learned that I'm pretty funny. I kept the people in production (and my kids) laughing. I think the snarkiness adds to that. I stopped being self-centered and learned to let things go. I learned that I am pretty independent, and often prefer to do things by myself. I learned that I love, love, love hiking in the mountains. I learned that I want an off-grid cabin in the woods. I don't want to live there (yet), I just want to spend most of my spare time there. Maybe one day...

Buck Mountain Summit
overlooking Lake George, NY

Have a great one!

Ingrid

Random Thoughts From My Day

2022-07-27T14:40:00.001-04:00

It's almost August.

I don't know how this year moved by so fast, after two years when time seemed to stand still. I'm home sick today. I thought I was going into work, until I was filling my travel mug and the kitchen decided to rotate around me.

This is one of the side-effects of the pandemic. Our immunities are down and most people that I know are catching anything and everything, then sharing it with others. We've taken "Sharing is caring" a bit too far. I've been sick more in the last year than in five years of the before-times. Heck, I'm fully vaccinated and have gotten mild covid thrice. I don't want to think how it would have been without the shots.

My flower beds are handling the heat pretty well. Of course, my eldest laid out soaker hoses when we added the beds. The lawn - not so much. They are pretty crunchy even after two days of rain.

We've got houseguests. I thought it would be my eldest daughter when her landlord decided to have friends rent the place. But she moved in with friends down the thruway an hour.

My friends faced a similar situation, their home was bought by someone who wanted to toss people out and jack up the rent. They stayed at a hotel as long as they could then asked if I could take in their pets while they camped in their van whatever they could. I have full bedrooms with my family, but they are in my driveway and have access to the house and pool. Good news though. Other friends sent them money for a new apartment. In one day! We cried. Apartments are in short supply in Troy (where their kids go to school - they are at their dad's for now). Most are rented to college kids, but she is talking to a possible landlord right now while her hubs is working from home in my dining room.

Somewhere under my furniture is one of their cats. My eldest is trying to coax her out. If anyone can get her out it would be The Cat Whisperer. I'm sure she'll be happy when she's surrounded by familiar furniture again - it's all in storage.

My oldest is home on vacation. I'm pretty sure we ruined his plans by being in the house. After we've binge-watched a few episodes of The West Wing (my third round) I'm going to need to go into MLS and see if any more homes have been posted that he might want to look at (the benefits of working in real-estate). I'll miss him when he finds a place. I did make him promise Sunday dinners at my house (which he gladly agreed to).

When the younger kids headed off to work this morning, I was enjoying the solitude of being home. Sometimes, on slow work days, I miss home. I know the kitties and Doggo miss me. The sad side is that I have to think about dinner. Maybe I'll smoke some burgers on the PitBoss that my youngest bought me for Mother's Day last year.

Because I've become completely fascinated with the Webb Telescope, I'll leave you with this photo. It's the wallpaper on my cell.

WEBB'S FIRST DEEP FIELD (NIRCAM IMAGE)

About This Image

Thousands of galaxies flood this near-infrared image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723. High-resolution imaging from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope combined with a natural effect known as gravitational lensing made this finely detailed image possible.

First, focus on the galaxies responsible for the lensing: the bright white elliptical galaxy at the center of the image and smaller white galaxies throughout the image. Bound together by gravity in a galaxy cluster, they are bending the light from galaxies that appear in the vast distances behind them. The combined mass of the galaxies and dark matter act as a cosmic telescope, creating magnified, contorted, and sometimes mirrored images of individual galaxies.

Clear examples of mirroring are found in the prominent orange arcs to the left and right of the brightest cluster galaxy. These are lensed galaxies – each individual galaxy is shown twice in one arc. Webb’s image has fully revealed their bright cores, which are filled with stars, along with orange star clusters along their edges.

Not all galaxies in this field are mirrored – some are stretched. Others appear scattered by interactions with other galaxies, leaving trails of stars behind them.

Webb has refined the level of detail we can observe throughout this field. Very diffuse galaxies appear like collections of loosely bound dandelion seeds aloft in a breeze. Individual “pods” of star formation practically bloom within some of the most distant galaxies – the clearest, most detailed views of star clusters in the early universe so far.

One galaxy speckled with star clusters appears near the bottom end of the bright central star’s vertical diffraction spike – just to the right of a long orange arc. The long, thin ladybug-like galaxy is flecked with pockets of star formation. Draw a line between its “wings” to roughly match up its star clusters, mirrored top to bottom. Because this galaxy is so magnified and its individual star clusters are so crisp, researchers will be able to study it in exquisite detail, which wasn’t previously possible for galaxies this distant.

The galaxies in this scene that are farthest away – the tiniest galaxies that are located well behind the cluster – look nothing like the spiral and elliptical galaxies observed in the local universe. They are much clumpier and more irregular. Webb’s highly detailed image may help researchers measure the ages and masses of star clusters within these distant galaxies. This might lead to more accurate models of galaxies that existed at cosmic “spring,” when galaxies were sprouting tiny “buds” of new growth, actively interacting and merging, and had yet to develop into larger spirals. Ultimately, Webb’s upcoming observations will help astronomers better understand how galaxies form and grow in the early universe.

Have a wonderful day!

The Path We Choose

2020-04-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

Day 21 of Social Distancing.

It's a simple chart. I saw it on Facebook today, and shared it.

This chart:

I've been watching people at both ends of the spectrum.

There have been a few people who are focusing on things that annoy them. Their anger and bitterness has come out. Many of their posts are complaints. I don't want to focus on them.

Most of the people I know are in the Growth Zone. That's the zone I'm in. I want to focus on the positive. Sure, like many people, the news gets to be too much and I want to cry. Everyone needs a good cry. It relieves pressure. Most of the time I'm using this time to do something constructive. I cleaned every cabinet, drawer and closet that I can get to. Cleaning. Lots of cleaning. I'm teaching myself, with the help of YouTube, how to play finger-style guitar. I'm working on a complex counted cross stitch. I found a website to learn how to code. Not anything extensive like my web developer son, but to build on what he taught me of HTML and CSS. Maybe I'll get back to my book. It was getting too painful to write about my life, but maybe my story will help someone. I've even taken advantage of the early Spring to start working on my flower beds. Helping at church has turned into an hour or so a few days a week, instead of the 20+ hours a week that I had spent volunteering there. At least I'm still able to help. Relaxation. That has been something I've felt guilty about. I'm using this time to relax.

What path are you choosing?

Our New Normal

2020-04-02T22:43:00.001-04:00

Day 20 of Social Distancing.

Today marks three church weeks of our new normal.

We aren't gathering together at church. Our production team alone exceeds the 10 person limit. On hold are the days where we have a dozen people working in the background while the band and our pastors are on stage. On hold is the chattering over comms where we make silly comments between giving cues to one another.

Our new normal is broken down into three days of recordings. We record the band. The modified band, we can't have a full band for now. It exceeds the limit. No more individual bands at each campus. Now we have our four worship leaders and a couple volunteers. We have a production crew of some staff and "key" volunteers, like me. I put up the lyrics. I used to put them up on the band's prompter, the sidescreens, the center screen and the online screen, along with any tags, videos or graphics needed. Now I put lyrics up for the online screen alone. The next day our campus pastor records announcements. Finally we record our lead pastor doing the message. Our Multisite Director on camera, my oldest on wireless camera, our Production Coordinator as Tech Director, and me. I put up the sermon notes and graphics, videos if needed. And record everything to SD cards.

Today this momento of days gone by bothered me. It's our campus pastor's headset. It's been sitting there since the last time we had service in the building. The Saturday that they banned more than 500 people. We had to go online for Sunday because it would have bumped us over the limit. We recorded the Saturday service for online. Our pastor left this here after he was finished. Today it made me sad.

At this point I'm finding it difficult not to be sad. Not scared. Last week's message talked about fear. I'm not scared. I trust God. He's helped me through so much. I trust Him. I'm just heartbroken. This silent enemy that we're surrounded by is destroying so many lives. So many innocent people are suffering. I have family who are deemed essential. I worry about them. I worry about everyone i care about, everyone who ever has been in my life, everyone that they love. I pray for them. Pray without ceasing.

The saving Grace. What keeps me from sinking into despair is something our Audio Engineer had said. He said he's seeing a change in people. We stopped fighting and started helping. All over this beautiful world that we live in. People care again.

Celebrating Cream Cheese

2017-09-21T14:09:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend we went up to our former hometown of Lowville New York for one of those events that had been a well-kept secret for many years. For 13 years now this small town has been the location for what is basically a street fair. I remember when I was volunteering at the Chamber of Commerce and we were discussing fundraisers. It was mentioned that the local Kraft plant had expressed an interest in sponsoring an activity that might showcase Philadelphia Cream Cheese. The Lowville plant happens to be the largest Cream Cheese Plant. Contrary to what people think about Wisconsin, New York State also happens to be a dairy state. In fact, Northern New York, where Lowville is, happens to be predominantly dairy farms.

The first year of the event we shut down the street for almost a block to allow foot traffic for the various booths and stands. On a side street we closed the area to the park in order for children to safely attend activities there. About 500 people attended. Each year the event grew to what is now a block and a half closed, plus the entire side street. There are two stages for performers and two areas for various cream cheese related games. I'm guessing that the turn-out in this county of almost 30,000 now seems to be closer to 5000 or more, with many coming from the nearby Fort Drum. We try to drive up for it every year.

The feature of the Cream Cheese Festival is, of course, cheesecake. Not just any cheesecake but the World's Largest Cheesecake lovingly made and served by Kraft employees.

You know you have reached Lewis County when you pass the vast Marks' Farms. This dairy farm currently has about 9000 head of Holstein cattle and produces about 340,000 pounds of milk daily (I got this from their website).

Crystal Pond is located in New Bremen, just east of Lowville. It's a man-made lake that is a local swimming hole in the summer and provides fundraising for the local fire department in the winter, through the harvesting of its ice.

My alma mater, Lowville Academy and Central school, is a Preschool - 12th grade school that in 2016 had 1306 students. We used to have a grass turf surrounded by a gently sloping hill, where people sat to watch the games. Above the hill was grass and a playground. Now it is turf, several tennis courts and two gravel playgrounds. Gone are the hill and grassy areas. I'm not sure this is progress.

Up until a few years ago this entrance to a lobby between the high school, middle school and elementary wings was an awesome wind tunnel. You stepped into an area tucked into the buildings and the wind would whip your hair in a cyclone and the swirling leaves tried to be woven in. So, I guess this is progress.

Looking from the wind tunnel toward the elementary wing. This brings back so many memories.

I'm sharing this because this is the same saying that I showed a few posts ago from the entrance of my son's high school.

The front of the school, looking at the high school. Aside from the new windows, it looks the same as when I graduated so long ago.

From in front of the school, looking down the street at the Cream Cheese Festival.

After half an hour they were slowly making their way through handing out the cheesecake.

The slices weren't pretty, but they were so delicious!

Looking toward the crowd gathered to watch one of the bands.

Freemen's Taffy is the best taffy ever! They are only available at the Lewis County Fair and at special events. Maybe that what makes them so good.

One of the many odd cream cheese-related games. This one is called Cream Cheese Shuffle Board. The goal is to get the cream cheese tubs through the legs of the goalie.

My son is a huge fan of the local meteorologist. She is a hometown girl and was emceeing the festival.

The son of my neighbour from here in the capital region is the drummer for the band Under Cover. The lead singer is from Lowville. They drove up to play. If you are ever in the Capital District look them up. They play classic rock and are really good!

Several songs later and they are still talking.

A friend of ours caught on camera.

Orientation and the PTA

2017-09-12T16:16:00.003-04:00

I love volunteering. I know many people have already figured that out about me. But it's true. Last year I joined another branch of the PTA. This time it's for my youngest son's high school. They had been looking for a secretary for a while and I finally decided to step up. Part way through the year I started taking minutes for the meetings when our Secretary couldn't attend meetings any more. At the end of the year she and the President stepped down. We had a person to take over as President but she had a busy summer. As did our vice-President. I didn't want a repeat of last year and few fundraisers, so I again jumped in and scheduled a year's worth of fundraisers by the time school started. I'me still working out some fine points but other-wise we are pretty set.

Just before school began our President sent out an email saying she was asked about the New Student Orientation. I thought that is an excellent way to promote our Organization and I know people like goodies. So I put together several raffle baskets. Some I purchased, others were donated by The Watervliet Library. I even purchased candy and a jar to get sweets-lovers over. We did really well with a few new members and lots of folks picking up membership forms while submitting tickets for the raffle.

This motto is engraved in stone above the door of the high school where I graduated so many years ago. I feel at home here.

My youngest daughter is my co-hort when volunteering. She normally volunteers at the library (which is how we got the items from there). It's a Mom/Daughter thing.

We were told to set the tables for the New Student Picnic and that we could decorate if we like. We opted for these beautiful yellow mums.

We reset the table outdoors for the Picnic, where we represented Shaker High and handed out school paperwork to the incoming new students. More mums, only thins time we were given them to take home after the event.

We went home to pick up my oldest from work, since I had his van. When we got home my oldest daughter was home from work and ready to help in the kitchen. When we arrived back at school the crowd was building.

#3 in the area. It's no wonder my son loves his school so much!

Non-Toxic Bug Spray

2017-08-17T14:22:00.002-04:00

My family lives in the suburbs, so we don't have a big problem with bugs. Our biggest issue here is mosquitoes, but we solved that problem with a propane mosquito trap. It converts the propane to CO2. That attracts the mosquitoes and they get trapped. Problem solved.

We do still have the Punkie issue. Gnats, No-see-ums, whatever they are called where you are they are a nuisance. Maybe this product will work next time we go camping and have those deerflies gnawing on our ankles as we play cards.

heart emoticon
NON-TOXIC BUG SPRAY heart emoticon

Ingredients:

1 gallon of water

2 cups of Dawn soap

2 cups of plain "Listerine" type mouthwash

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Simply mix together the following and place in a spray bottle: Spray all around where you are sitting outside.

Let me know how this works.

Some Dreams Are Just To Bizarre To Explain, Part 3

2016-04-28T15:46:00.000-04:00

It was as real as day. I was on my way to pick up India from work.

I never pick India up from work. She gets out not long before Ken, and about the same time as Matthew. She takes the bus to church (where Matthew is on the IT staff) and rides home with him. Or she walks to the store and Ken picks her up on his way home from the office. Having sold my van to Matthew, I am carless right now anyway, except for the rare occasion that I use Ken's and my car. Yet there I was, picking her up from work.

Only this was different. I was driving an older SUV that I don't recognize, and cruising down an icy highway that looked like the one heading north from Utica, NY. Sort of.

I was the second vehicle in a long line of slow moving vehicles. We were following a man who was going about 35mph as he slid on his bottom along the road. Yes. he was sitting upright and pushing himself with his hands as he slid on his butt. Doing a pretty speedy 35mph considering his mode of transportation.

As we were slowly driving, I noticed an amazing view coming into sight. We were getting closer to a hill and I could see the valley spread out in the distance. I had my tablet in the car (I never do this), so I took the tablet and starting taking photos as we moved along. The valley was getting closer while I realized I had never seen it before. I was wondering if I had taken a wrong turn. All this time the car in front never blocked the view for me.

At the top of the hill, the man scooting along the road "pulled over" to the side to let the rest of us pass. The car in front of me was no longer there and I was at the top of a very steep drop (think roller coaster). I wanted to stop but there were too may cars behind me. So over I went. The SUV picked up speed as gravity took over. Then the road abruptly curved upward, and disappeared. I mean it just ended. I kept "driving" upward into the air.

I looked down and realized the other cars were ant-size below me, while they continued down the road. It turned out I had veered off and gotten onto a short road similar to those found on sleep inclines to stop a runaway tractor-trailer. Only those usually have gravel to stop the truck, not a huge ramp to the sky.

As I continued rising into the air, I was thinking "This is the last time I pick her up from work."

Then Kito whined at the bedroom door for us to let him outside....

ipsy March Glam Bag Review

2016-04-28T14:02:00.000-04:00

I've wondered off and on about the monthly subscription boxes. My daughters both have been getting their own boxes for the last few months. But I'm not really interested in the kind they get. Make-up, on the other hand. I am always interested in finding new make-up. I thought I would start with ipsy. Ipsy has gotten a lot of good reviews, plus it is only $10 a month for five deluxe samples or full-size products. How could I resist a deal like that?

I was very impressed with the March bag when it arrived. You can't miss it. All these goodies come in a bright pink envelope. Sorry. I tossed it out, but I'll share one when I remember to take a picture of it.

Inside the envelope is a cute makeup bag. With all the goodies inside.

The back of the card reads:

hello

Spring

We're having a spring fling with flawless! Celebrate the season with a spotlight on

radiant, selfie-ready skin, flushed cheeks and a fresh kick of color on eyes or lips.

The first item is Caviar Anti-Aging Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist from Alterna Haircare.

I really like this product and plan to buy more.

Spray this on towel-dried hair before using your hairdryer. This left my hair full and soft. Plus, it leaves such a nice scent.

This Manna Kadar eye shadow in Fantasy can also be used as blush and a highlighter. The Pro Tips for this are:

To achieve a more metallic look simply damp your brush with water or a light-weight water based primer and apply Fantasy
Apply on décolletage for a more dewy look
Apply to inner tear duct to open the eyes and look more refreshed
Apply under the bridge of eyebrow to lift the eye and appear more awake

I have only used it as eye shadow and am very impressed. I really does make my eyes look more awake, despite the pale colour.

This blush duo from Pixi by Petra is the perfect shade for me in Rose Gold.

It says it can be warn layered or alone. I opted to wear the darker shade for shadowing on my cheeks, and the lighter shade as a highlight.

This eyeshadow brush from Beau Gâchis Paris is perfect. Not too stiff, not too soft.

NYX’s Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick is amazing! I got it in the Kitten Heels colour. Just the right shade. It goes on smoothly and lasts through the entire day (and several glasses of sweet tea). My youngest daughter tried it and she loves it too. Good to know it's available from Target for $6.99.

I'm glad that I subscribed to this monthly make-up bag. It was well worth it.

Lent Isn't Just For Catholics Anymore

2016-02-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

Wednesday was the first day of Lent. I am reminded of this by my husband. He was raised Catholic, but attended my Baptist Church before our move, and now attends our Non-Denominational Church. I don't drink or smoke, and the only thing I could think to give up is my rare sweets. I recently heard about taking a different direction during Lent: Doing good. This would be easy peasy since I am addicted to volunteering and enjoy doing things to benefit others. I found many ideas on various blogs and am already doing many of them.

For starters, let's look at some of the less obvious things you might consider giving up:

Gossip
Complaining
Negativity
Laziness
Arguing
Being picky
Judging people
Comparing yourself with others
Lying
Cursing
Wasting your life on the internet
Checking your smartphone when you’re with people
Driving when you could walk

Then there are the ways to benefit others:

A chapter of the Bible a day. You can get through all 4 Gospels if you read 2 chapters a day and don’t skip Sundays.
10 minutes of meditation a day
Join a Bible study at your parish
20 minutes of Spiritual reading a day
List 5 things you’re grateful for every day
Journal
Blog
Make a schedule
Call your mother
Volunteer once a week
Give someone a compliment every day
Take someone to lunch every week
Perform an act of charity every day
Spend more time with family.
Give to the poor.
Each week write a thank-you note
Write a poem of praise for each person in your family.
Get a stack of sticky-notes and write one sentence of thanks each day and stick it to the bedroom door of each person in your family so that by Easter they each have 40 sticky-notes.
At dinner each evening ask your family to share one thing for which they are grateful.
Go for a walk each day with a loved one
Exercise each day.
Spend at least half an hour each day in meaningful conversation with your spouse.
Do a random act of kindness each day.

I hope you can find something on this list that you would like to do. I know I have.

The Office Food Thief

2015-09-01T11:59:00.000-04:00

I saw this making it's way around Facebook. I don't know where it began, but I wanted to share it with you.

My Turn..

2015-08-19T14:44:00.000-04:00

Another survey for your reading pleasure. Feel free to take the questions for your own use.

Promise to be honest?

Easy. I've been surrounded by liars my entire life. I despise lying, and can sense it from the first word.

Do you wish some things would go back to how they used to be?
I wish my Folks were still around. I miss them. I wish Ken's Dad was still alive. He was fun and we could talk for hours. Otherwise, I love my life now.

What's on your feet?

I guess you could say my butt, since I'm sitting on one of my feet.

Honestly, if you could go back and change something in the past 5 months. would you?

I would have tried to see more of my hometown friends, and "Mom" (Matthew's grandmother), for longer times when we visited.

Has anyone told you they would never leave and left?

Matthew's father. No loss. Life went on and I became a better person for it; while watching him become a jerk.

Is there someone you don't ever want to be out of your life?

Ken. I spent 35 years hoping I would see him again. I don't want to lose him. And my children, of course.

Where was your default picture taken?

In my hometown during the Cream Cheese Festival last year. My children's father took the photo of my children, Ken and I posed at the giant cow, Lady Lewinda. She is the mascot for that farming community.

Do you think you'll be married in 10 years?

Yes. Ken and I have wanted to be together since we were teens, when my sister and his brother broke us up. We will definitely still be married in ten years.

Who's the last person you were in a car with?

Ken. Two days in the car traveling across the state and back to pick up my van, that broke down just before we moved here. Matthew bought her from me and had her completely overhauled. We also stopped at our old church so Ken and Matthew could install a new TV in the lobby. I think they mailed it to us, so that we had to bring it there..

Who was the last person you were on a bed with?

Ken. It's my favourite place.

Do you hate anyone?

I was raised Catholic (Religious Education every week for my Dad) and Mennonite (regular church with my neighbours). The biggest thing I learned from being raised Mennonite is that I am incapable of hating anyone. No matter what they have done to me.

Next time you will kiss someone on the lips?

Who knows. My kids kiss on the lips. Ken and I kiss a lot! (Heck, my late brother and I used to kiss on the lips.) My family is very affectionate. Definitely when Ken gets home from work, if not sooner.

Could you go a month without talking to your best friend?

Ken is my best friend. I barely make it to the end of his workday. So we chat on messenger all day long and sometimes talk during lunch.

Have you ever kissed the last person that you texted?

No. I sent a text to Beverly, the Technology Manager at our church about Ken and Amanda helping us with tear down of our stage, so it can be remodeled next week. We aren't that close. :D

Last time you laughed really hard?

Last night when Ken was tickling me for no reason. I didn't start it. No matter what he says.

Are you a type of person who cares what people say about you?

Not at all. I grew up with a sister who lied about me all the time. She is still trying to destroy my reputation, but I've heard what people think of her. The same with my last two exes. People know me, and know them. So what they say are just words spilling out of their mouths onto deaf ears. My sister did manage to get Ken's mother to forget that she liked me better than my sister, before she died. But I was away from the woman for so many years that she didn't remember me well. No big woof. Life goes on. I have more happiness in my life than any of those people have ever had. And that is why they lie about me. (My Mom told me this when I was a teenager.)

What's the closest black thing to you?

I guess that would be the laptop on my lap, followed by my cell and tablet on the table next to me.

Do you know what you're going to wear tomorrow?

I'm thinking that I will probably wear clothes.

What are you wearing right now?

Black Shorts (oh, that would be closer than the laptop) and a Dutch Bros Coffee t-shirt.

Do you prefer to take your showers at night or in the morning?

I prefer morning, so my hair dries wavy. But I usually don't get in until afternoon because I spend too much time looking up "just one more thing" on the computer.

Have you ever walked away from someone who meant everything to you?

Yes, Ken when I was a teenager. But I was told by my sister that he had a new girlfriend when he went to college. (He didn't. He was told that I had a new boyfriend, I didn't.)

Do you ignore people when you're mad/upset with them?

No. I distance myself until they calm down when they are upset. I was a single mom of six, I don't get upset easily. (Mad is what happens to animals with rabies.)

Someone tells you that you're beautiful, you say?

Sometimes I say "Thank you". Other times I don't feel like I am, and deny it. (This is a result of years of being told what a waste I am. Those feelings do surface every so often.)

Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?

Yes. Every night Ken and I talk until one of us starts to doze off.

Are you excited for summer?

It's mid August. We didn't get to go camping this year because of the trip to South Carolina to see Andrew graduate from Basic Training. But I am looking forward to seeing the Appalachians and taking waaaay too many pictures! We already have our camping reservations for next summer!!

Do you think age matters in relationships?

Yes, I was in a relationship with a man 12 years older. We had no similar interests. Thankfully we lived across the country from each other, so I could do what I like to do and listen to the music I like to hear. We only saw each other a total of nine weeks out of 12 months together, when I flew out there. Each time things were done his way. He felt that as the older one, and the man, he was in control.

Will you kiss anyone tomorrow?

At least five people. Six, if I force Matthew to let me kiss him. (He secretly likes it, but we've been playing this game since he was a teenager.)

Who was the last person you rode in the car with that was under 21?

To church Saturday. That would have been Amanda.

Them driving?

Andrew before he left for Basic Training, he drove our KIA. He loves driving her! Andrew was giving us a tour around the Adirondacks in Southern St. Lawrence County.

What do you tend to use all your money on?

The usual: bills, gas, rent, food; not much else. Sometimes books or e-books for my Kindle Reader on the Tablet.

Do you want to see somebody right now?

Several people. I would love to see "Mom". I haven't seen her in a few months. I can't wait to see Andrew! I miss Ken while he's at work.

Who was your last text from?

Beverly. We were discussing the stage remodel at church.

How did your night go last night?

After getting home from the other side of the state at 12:15 the night before, We spent a quiet evening with family, as usual. And fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

Do you like to go to the mall?

On occasion. I'm not a big mall shopper. I don't like spending money, and it disappears too quickly at the mall. Discount shopping for essentials is my thing. I get a rush when I save a lot of money!

If you could leave your town, would you?

I have left my town many times. I left my hometown to move to Albuquerque. Left Albuquerque to move to Guam. Left Guam to move to San Antonio. Left San Antonio to move to my hometown. Left my hometown to move near Erie Pennsylvania (Findley Lake). Left Findley Lake to move to Latham. After Jerome graduates, maybe. That is four years away. It depends on what house we end up with. I might love it, I might want to move to a town outside of Albany. I miss having chickens and a garden.

What do you do when you're upset?

Clean. Tear drawers and closets apart, and organize them.

Do you want anyone out of your life?

Should I list them? Ken's ex, her son and daughter-in-law, my vengeful ex, my sister, Ken's brother, their children, my late brother's wife, my half brother. These people have no life of their own, and so they are dead-set determined to try to end our happiness. Sorry. It can't be done. (Really? Damaging the car? How childish.) Trying to hurt us monetarily won't work either. Money will never buy happiness. Trust me. I had money, I was miserable. For the last several years I have been comfortable, now I am still comfortable, and have the man whom I always loved. I do forgive these people each time they try to hurt us. They carry their own burdens that caused them the pain that they are showing through their cruelty. I pity them because they don't know what it is like to love, or to be loved. Key word: Love. That is why we are so happy! We have more Love now than they all have known in their lifetimes. I can't help but feel for them.

Have you spoken to your most recent ex today?

No. I can't. He is so hung up on himself and considers himself to be such catch, that if I even thank him for complimenting a picture of mine, he thinks I want him back. If I tell him I don't want him back, he says I have mental problems. Not worth the headache.

How many months until your birthday?

Three more months until my birthday present (Andrew) and I have our birthdays. That begins the string of birthdays for the next few months after that.

Who last called you?

William. He moved with his Dad in the Adirondacks when we left wine/farm country and moved to the suburbs. He calls me every day or so.

Have you ever crawled through a window?

Yes. At our old house in Findley Lake. We got locked out. I was the smallest so Matthew lifted me to the bathroom window.

Think of the last person you told “I love you” to, did you mean it?

William when we hung up the phone. Of course I meant it!

What were you doing at midnight last night?

Snuggling with Ken.

Would you feel comfortable with short hair, or do you prefer long hair?

I don't like the look of short hair. I prefer long hair. Right now my hair is shorter than I like because I got a trim and lost several inches. And Ken wanted to see me in bangs. It will grow out. I like tapered to mid-back, where it still has body and isn't weighing itself down.

Are you going to get hurt by a girl/guy anytime soon?

Nope. I have Ken, And he would never hurt me. He loves me too much.

What are your plans for tonight?

Ken and India have their weekly Dungeons & Dragons night at a local card shop. I make sure supper is ready when they get home from work, so they can head out right away. Then I just relax for the rest of the evening with the other kids.

Do you think you will be in a relationship two months from now?

Of course!

Is there someone who you're attracted to?

Obviously. I have always been attracted to Ken.

What does your last received text message say?

It doesn't say anything. It can't talk. But this is what is written: "Awesome!" (Again, having to do with the remodeling of the stage at church.)

When was the last time you were truly, completely happy with your life?

Right now! I am at total peace with my life. As long as I have Ken and my kids I am completely content.

When's the next time you will see the person who absolutely takes your breath away?

Around 6 tonight, when Ken gets home.

What are you most looking forward to tomorrow?

Snuggling with Ken before he gets up for work. Laughing with Ken and the kids in the evening. Making homemade Kielbasa subs. Ken says they are the best he's ever had. He's Polish, so that means a lot! Snuggling with Ken at bedtime.

Is it easy to forgive and forget?

Forgiving is easy. It is also important so that you get rid of the bitterness, and move on. By not forgiving you are the one being punished. It has no affect on the person who hurt you.

But, it's important to never forget. Forgetting means you never learned anything from whatever happens. You shouldn't focus on it, but just tuck it in the back recesses of your mind in case you need to remember it later. And move on with your life.

At the Races!!

2015-08-04T22:08:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again. The Saratoga Race Track is open and the horses are off and running. The architectural firm that Ken works for (WCGS) holds their annual company picnic there every year. 2015 makes the second year that Ken has brought me along with him. We took some photos last year but never published them, so I decided to add some of them with this year's photos.

The Race Track is amazingly beautiful! It looks so 19th Century as you approach the gates to enter. We have our catered lunch in the air-conditioned pavilion, At the Rail, (to the far right of this photo).

The miniature jockey statues hold the names of the horses running, while retired horses have stones in the courtyard (the darker squares seen behind this fountain).

The grandstand across the walkway from our pavilion is always decorated in flowers and full of festively-dressed spectators.

Because we have to cross the walkway for the race horses to get to our pavilion, we get the privilege of petting the ushers' horses.

(This photo is from last year, and taken by a kind woman from another party.)

This year's photo of Ken and I. Lunch was delicious and afterward we posed for this photo, taken by the wife of one of the partners in the firm.

And who could resist their smiling faces. Terry and Greg are the nicest couple.

We popped out to watch a race that we bet on. Our horse won!

After we ate, and chatted for a while. Ken and Greg, with very little input from me, worked hard at trying to put together some trifectas, in the hopes of winning.

We all went out to the track to see if our horses would win. Some more of the partners, Woody with his wife JulieAnn, and Pete with his wife Mary came out to cheer us on.

They didn't, but it was exciting to watch.

Looking up at the announcer's booth on top of the grandstand.

I would never go up there! It looks terrifying.

I actually borrowed this photo from the local news station's twitter feed.

Deere Races at the track.

And another borrow. One of Ken's co-workers shared this on a former co-worker's Facebook wall. I borrowed it from her.

The only proper use of Coors Light.

Last year I was new to the family known as WCGS, so I didn't interact much with any of Ken's co-workers. The one that I did know had broken her ankle on the way across the parking lot and didn't make it to the picnic. No they didn't shoot her, although many of us wondered. This year, Ken was a lot more open and I was comfortable around everyone. So we had a wonderful time talking to everyone!

So there you go. A condensed version of the many photos taken during two years of company picnics. We did manage to win $6.80 this year!! Woo-Hoo!!! We aren't sure how we will spending our vast winnings, but I'll try to let you know what we decide on.

In Case You Were Wondering...

2015-08-01T22:03:00.001-04:00

The latest way to get to know something about those we follow on Facebook is the ABC list. I thought it might be fun way to catch up a little here in the blogosphere.

My ABC's

A- Age: 51
B- Biggest Fear: My kids getting hurt
C- Current Time: 9:39pm
D- Drink you last had: Sweet tea
E- Easiest Person To Talk to: My Sweetheart, Ken
F- Favorite Song: Right now it's "Waiting Here For You" by Christy Nockels, or "Touch the Sky" by Hillsong. Next week? Who knows?
G- Grossest memory: When my oldest daughter threw up in her father's face at the age of 21 months. "Daddy I feel (blech)"
H- Hometown: Lowville, NY
I- In love with: Ken Morak
J- Jealous Of: Nothing and No one. I'm happy with my life. Jealousy is a sign of unhappiness.
K- Killed Anything? I ran over a squirrel once. Then spent the next 20 minutes crying on the shoulder of my son's teacher. (Not a productive Parent Teacher Conference)
L- Last person you talked to: India
M- Middle Name: Sharon
N- Number of Siblings: 3 living, 1 dead (I miss Harold so much!)
O- One Wish: That we find a nice home to grow old in
P- Person who you last called: Ken
Q- Question you're always asked: Mom, where is my ..... ?
R- Reason to smile: I finally feel loved
S- Song last sang: I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.
T- Time you woke up: 8:30am
U- Underwear Color: Blue
V- Vacation Destination: Where we are going? Road trip to North Carolina for my son's graduation from Basic Training. Camping already booked for next year. Where I want to go? Exploring the US by car, or meeting relatives in Ireland or Germany.
W- Worst Habit: Procrastination
X- X-rays you've had: My back, long ago, dental, years ago
Y- Your favorite food: Anything involving seafood
Z- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Vietnam Remembered

2015-06-29T21:37:00.000-04:00

We spent Father's Day not far from our hometown. I have been telling Ken about the Craft Fair and Car Show at the historic home of the first owners of the area, where our hometown now stands. I've been going there for years with my kids. Ken was really interested in checking it out.

But first we HAD to stop by Boonville. I had seen on the Lewis County Facebook page where the Traveling Vietnam War memorial was coming to town. This was an opportunity that none of us wanted to miss.

When my friend posted this video on the Facebook group I was awestruck. The original request was for "some" bikes to escort The Wall from Lowville's VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) to Boonville's VFW, 27 miles south. The amazing turnout of 253 motorcycles had to be relocated to the hospital parking lot next door to the VFW in Lowville. Various photos posted look like they completely emptied the hospital parking lot of cars, to accommodate the bikes. Lowville's fire department had raised their ladders, and draped flags from them, so that the procession passed underneath them as they came through town. I have to admit that I became choked up when I saw the trailer containing The Wall pass through. I had the same feeling that I get when I see a hearse. Sadness.

This is a video of the 253 motorcycles that escorted the Vietnam War Living Wall Memorial through Lowville, New York.
It was posted by Eric Townsend on Wednesday, June 17, 2015

When we arrived at the VFW in Boonville, we were greeted by members of the local VFW who had served in Vietnam. These men were directing the traffic into the parking area at the end of the dead-end street, where the memorial was set up. Walking up to the memorial changed all of our moods into silent reverence. I would ask Amanda to take certain shots, but otherwise we rarely spoke.

Despite this being a miniature version, the number of names on this wall was heart-wrenching. I don't know anyone personally who died in this war, but I knew of a local dentist's son, who lost his life there.

Such emotions. This memorial was placed by a man who lost his brother. The photo of the two men was the last taken of his brother before his death.

Beautiful words...

These statistics are staggering.

After this solemn stop, we headed off to Constable Hall. I'll be posting that in my next blog in a couple of days.

I will end this blog with photos of the timeline of the Vietnam War. You may need to download them to read them properly, but I wanted to share the information with you all.

Happy Trails to You

2015-06-08T13:41:00.000-04:00

I had intentionally kept away from my blog after we moved because the ex that was left near our former home just won't stop trying to make my life as miserable as his own. When I realized that he had been given my new address by one of my siblings, I decided to get back into blogging. I am not going to try to hide from evil. Life is too short to let him feel like he won. By letting him see that he can't break us, maybe, just maybe, he will move on to another victim.

There has been so much that has happened with my family, and so many exciting adventures that we have been on. I have many blogs in draft to share with you. All I need is to edit some of the older photos, since they were taken with cell phones. I wasn't sure where to begin and decided to bounce around time-wise as I go through photos and share posts. I hope I don't make you dizzy.

First stop: John Boyd Thacher State Park. Or simply Thacher Park, to the locals. Our family adopted a couple of trails along the escarpment here. We go up there, clean the trails and trim the branches. The drop-off from the trails to the valley below is about 800 feet, on the average. Saturday we decided to hike Paint Mine Trail, one of the trails along the hill. We did leave the trail and went up several connecting trails before doubling back to the car.

If you are ever in the Capital District you have to stop by this park for a hike, and maybe even a picnic.

The first thing India did was to share a frog with me.

Amanda took this photo of Ken and me heading to the trail.

(Yes, that is proper English.)

Waterfalls Galore!

But really, can you ever get enough?

Off in the distance.

I love the sound.

Does anyone else see a chicken wing?

I thought this was so creepy looking.

A Fairy home is hiding in this tree.

Such a cool mushroom.

What a beautiful fence.

Trail in the woods. 'nough said.

A lonely bench.

Can you see him?

It's a cute little snake.

The trunk to this tree is hollow.

Yet the tree still thrived.

A penny for your thoughts.

My favourite insect, the dragon fly.

The overcast sky went away and revealed this beautiful shade of blue.

Love the contrast with the trees.

Ken got to experience riding on a swing for the first time in his entire life.

Release your inner child.

"You shall not pass!"

Looking toward The Helderberg Escarpment

and Massachusetts in the background.

This is hard to see,

But three hawks were circling.

I found the over-spray amusing.

After all, I am easily amused.

Isn't he lovely?

Reeses was fascinated by the other dogs.

It turned into such a beautiful day.

PacMan is Back!

2015-03-31T19:56:00.001-04:00

I am so happy!!!

We were sitting around, when Matthew told Jerome to turn on the desk top computer. After it was on, Matthew, using logmein, controlled the curser until Pac Man appeared!! Gobbling his way through the streets of Troy, NY!!

I just about jumped off the couch!!!

Matthew told me how to start my own game on the tablet. It's a bit more challenging than with a mouse or mouse pad, but fun all the same.

Getting into the game is really easy:
•Open Chrome
•Go to Maps
•Open in Chrome
•If using a tablet, click on "desktop mode"
•Open the PacMan icon.
•Tap screen to begin
•Have Fun!