Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

A Stop at the Chowdown

Posted on June 5, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday was the first Herkimer Downtown Chowdown of the year!  The food truck festival takes place Mondays all summer long in Meyers Park.  It features a variety of vendors and live music.  I had to cover the Herkimer Town Board Meeting for the Sentinel Media Company yesterday, and it was right on my way to stop and have a hot dog.  Like I said, a variety of food choices, but I LOVE hot dogs!

Herkimer loves its Chowdown!

Full disclosure:  I did not take any pictures, trusting to having something in my Media Library I could use.  I did not stay long at the Chowdown  anyways.  I enjoyed my hot dog and chatted with a couple of my friends from the Herkimer County Historical Society.  They had a table where they were selling tickets for their grill raffle as well as promoting some of their events.  I may go to a class on genealogical research.

Another picture from a different year, but I think this truck was there again.

Hildreth and Kelsey were the musical entertainment.  They were still playing when I came back through the park after my meeting.  I danced my way along the path.  I find musicians like it when you do that.

You can follow the event on Facebook at The New Herkimer Downtown Chowdown.  I hope to catch a few of my favorite musicians there, at least briefly.  And sample some of the other delicious foods!

 

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Stone Soup? Yes, Please!

Posted on June 2, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Friday I checked out the newest restaurant in Herkimer, NY, Stone Soup American Bistro and Beer Garden.  I had heard from friends that it was a good place to eat, and the outdoor seating area was lovely.  It took me a couple of tries to be hungry at a time they were open, but then I had a great meal!

I especially like the lettering!

I had been watching with interest the work being done on the empty storefront.  As soon as they had a Facebook presence, I followed that.  The name was inspired by the children’s story “Stone Soup.”  The lettering on the sign comes from different locations across the country.

It can seat up to 50 outdoors.

I opted to sit out back, in the beer garden.  I was early, so tables were not filled.  I ordered a smash burger with homemade chips.  I am a sucker for homemade chips!

Where I was sitting.

This would be a great place for a group of friends to meet.  I must gather a group of mine soon!  In the meantime, perhaps I will go there for lunch and get a picture of the indoor seating.  And sample more of the menu, of course.

Stone Soup American Bistro and Beer Garden is located at 148 Main St., Herkimer, NY.  You can check their Facebook page for menu and hours.

 

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Some Semblance of a Post on Slacker Saturday

Posted on May 31, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

My blogging woes continue as I missed making my Lame Post Friday post yesterday.  It is early(ish) Saturday morning and I thought I could type some semblance of a post before trying to get on with my day (as Truman Capote famously said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing”).

Is this cool or what?

I thought I would use the pictures I added to my Media Library a few days ago.  I saw this lovely dragon fly towards the end of a walk and paused to take a picture.  I don’t really know from dragon flies; I guess there are different kinds.  Perhaps I should research the matter and report back.

Preview of Coming Attractions?

I have been interested to see these signs on some of the (sadly) empty buildings downtown.  BOA stands for Brownfield Opportunity Area.  The signs are put up by the Herkimer Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), which has been awarded grant money and has big plans.  This is another subject I should research and report back on.

More Pub than Grub these days.

I have talked about this place before, The End Zone, one of the businesses keeping Main Street from being a ghost town.  There are others, but I have not taken pictures of them recently.  I think I will do that on a future walk, just to give a shout-out to those businesses (preview of coming attractions).  Unfortunately, today it is raining.

I see I am over 200 words and have no excuse for not getting on with my Saturday.  Well, I guess I still have to eat breakfast.  In any case, I thank you for tuning in and will try for a better blog post tomorrow.

 

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Even Blogging Is Getting Harder!

Posted on May 29, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

What a wasted week I am having!  Tuesday I ran two miles, thinking I could make a Two-Mile Tuesday post.  I had pictures on my phone, which I transferred to my Media Library, thinking to do a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  I spent at least some time each of those days staring at the blank Add Post page on my WordPress site.  Alas, to no avail. In fact, I experienced great resistance to logging on today, Thursday.  By the way, I ran three miles, wanting to have another Three-Mile Thursday, like I did last week.

I swear it was steeper when I was on it.

This is one of the hills I ran up on my run this morning.  It doesn’t look very impressive, does it?  I ran up a steeper hill next, which I do not have a picture of.  That hill continued up to Herkimer College, by some dorms in what I call the Kick Butt way to the college, because there are like three steep hills with flat(ish) spaces between.  Ahem, I did not run up to the college.  I made it up one stretch of steep then turned around and ran back down.  Later I ran up a couple more uphills.  I tell you, they do not get any easier.

Random picture, just to show something cheery before I start whining.

I learned to run in the Army, and I loved it, because it seemed that I just magically got better at it.  All I had to do was do it.  It was awesome!  Since the army, I have stopped and re-started running many times, usually because weather or work schedules made it difficult and I am notoriously lazy.  Each time I restarted, I found I was able to build myself back up to where I had left off with little or no problem.  I will admit that at no time have I ever run particularly fast.  Still, I was able to run the Boilermaker 15K several times (not in a row).

Until this year.  I decided early on not to try for the Boilermaker, but I am signed up to run the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls, NY on June 14.  Why oh why, do my legs feel like overcooked macaroni?

Me before the Pride Stride in 2021.

Don’t mind my Old Age Existential Angst.  I really do not mind being your friendly neighborhood crazy old lady.  I only get a little disconcerted when my body behaves in what I consider a perverse, contrary fashion.  For example, if I am running on a regular basis, I feel I ought to be able TO run on a regular basis, and none of this complaining from my legs and lungs that, “We’re not going to maaaaake it!” (said in a pathetically whiny tone).  Or at least a little less complaining.

In the meantime, I see I have done plenty of complaining in this blog post, and it has run longer than my usual posts.  Considering I missed two days of posting, I think that that is not bad.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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A Mundane Monday Post

Posted on May 26, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was so certain I would make a real blog post yesterday (Sunday) that it really comes as no surprise to me that I did not.

Does putting ice in a headache really work?

The picture is to denote passage of time.  I have a cut on my thumb which was causing pain every time I hit the space bar so went in search of a band-aid.  While looking I found that I had one more decongestant with a D (the kind you have to ask the pharmacist for) so took that against this morning’s headache.  That reminded me I had not yet taken my usual morning pills, so I did that.  Finally I found a band-aid (two in fact, so I have a spare) as well as some antibiotic ointment.   I add all this information in hopes of distracting us from the fact that I really ain’t got much this morning but hate to miss two days of making a blog post.

Preview of Coming Attractions?

I intend to go for a run this morning, after I give my breakfast a chance to digest.  I have not been running since last Thursday, although I have taken a few walks.  I shall not demand a long run of myself, and I never demand a fast run.  Maybe a couple of hills, maybe not.  Maybe it will be memorable enough for a Running Commentary Post.

In the meantime, this nonsense has gotten me over 200 words, so I will call it a post and wait for the decongestant to do its work.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Blank or Blob, It’s a Blog

Posted on May 24, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Is it true that the longer one stares at a blank computer screen (or a blank page) the harder it becomes to put down just one word?  Asking for a friend.

Just kidding.  I am not even really asking, I just couldn’t think of anything else to put down after staring at my blank Add Post screen for a good half a cup of coffee (the coffee is half-caff, so one could argue that it was really only a quarter cup) (but I am no hand at argument).  Anyways, I fear this is going to be another post about I Can’t Possibly Make a Blog Post Today. Or more writing about not writing.

How I am afraid my post will turn out.

I throw in a picture to illustrate my state of mine.  A corollary (ooh, did I get that word right on the first try?) to the first sentence of this post is that words follow words.  In other words (see what I did there?), write something, anything, and you will probably be able to continue writing.  Sometimes it works.   I am not promising good writing will necessarily follow, but one can’t have everything.

 

What my brain feels like.

When I started this blog, I wanted it to be about something, not just me babbling on about my random thoughts (except maybe on Lame Post Friday).  Well, one can always strive for improvement.  Tomorrow I will try for a walk or a run or a visit to a local business.

One of the all-time great endings for a movie.

In the meantime, I will try not to lose my head (sorry, saw the picture in my Media Library and couldn’t resist).

 

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Another Lameheaded Blog Post

Posted on May 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

The lightheaded crap continues, but I want to make a blog post regardless.  In my favor, today is Lame Post Friday.  I can make a foolish post and it will be OK.  I know, what is my excuse the rest of the days?   My problem is I am trying to write more and having the stupidest time doing it.  So why not spend some time writing about not writing?

Likewise blog posts.

I will also point out that I am writing pre-coffee or -tea.  I am at my sister Diane’s house and am the first one out of bed.  I managed to sleep in till after six, then read a book in bed for a while, so there’s that.  Oh dear, my head is spinning in an uncomfortable fashion.  I tell myself it is nothing to worry about.  It happens and then it stops happening.  All I have to do is wait for it to stop happening.  Oh dear, now I am not writing about not writing; I am writing about my stupid head.

Apparently my brain would die.

 

Maybe I could just take my head off.  The above picture is from The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, I add, just to explain the caption.  The nice thing is, this nonsense has gotten me over 200 words.  I am going to lie back down until the spinning stops and try for a better blog post later.

 

 

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Happy Blogiversary to Me

Posted on May 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Under the heading Shows How Much I Pay Attention, WordPress just wished me a Happy Anniversary (or did they mean Blogiversary?).  I did not even remember that was coming up.  I have been blogging since 2011.  Fourteen years (took me a minute to do the math).  Full disclosure:  my lightheadedness continues, so I am not up to doing much of a blog post anyways.  I think a Throwback Thursday will just about fit the bill.

Look how cute he is (was).

From May 2011 to October 2016, my blog was unillustrated, because I did not know how to add pictures (what, unillustrated is not a word?  I’ll be damned).  One of the first posts I did with pictures featured my dear, since departed, husband Steve at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY.

A creepy shot from one of my favorite movies.

Once I learned how to add pictures I took, I soon learned how to download pictures from the internet, so I was able to indulge my love of movie monsters.

Yes, I am a drama queen.

And I was able to use my blog to tout my community theatre endeavors in Little Falls, Ilion, and Herkimer.

This was a great evening!

 

I also like to plug local businesses as well as the music and art scene.  The above picture is Oscar Stivalo and friends playing jazz music at the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls.  The Ren was hosting an exhibit of Stivalo’s paintings, and this was the opening.

And so my blog continues.  There are some new businesses in the area I need to check out and write about, as well as some favorites I want to revisit. As always, I thank you for staying tuned.

 

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Lightheaded Lawn Longings

Posted on May 22, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I missed making my Tired Tuesday post and it looks as if I am having a real Wuss-out Wednesday today.  I have that light-headed thing going on.  It is not exactly a headache, although one neurologist told me it was migraine.  Well, it is tiresome to go on about my symptoms so I will stop.

Probably the best year for these.

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  This is the rhododendron in my back yard (wow, I seem to have spelled it right on the first try!) some years ago.  I don’t think it is blooming yet this year but I would need to go out back and check.  My back yard is not in such good shape these days, although I did manage to mow it once (perhaps you read my blog post about it).

And this was a good year for these flowers, whose name I have long forgotten.

I saw some leaves from this one when I mowed, and tried to avoid mowing them down.  They moved from where I first planted them. I do not know how, but I am nobody’s idea of a horticulturalist, or even much of a gardener.

I know I’ll have some daisies!

So I guess I am just sitting here with my head spinning thinking about the yard and garden I am not currently working on.  Maybe after a nice cup of tea I will feel better and do something useful.  In the meantime, at least I have made some semblance of a blog post.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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I Get a Little Culture at MVCA

Posted on May 20, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I got some culture Saturday when I attended an art opening at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts’ (MVCA) new location at 410 Canal Place in Little Falls, NY.  It is just across the street from their old location, a nice bright space with views of the canal out the windows. I enjoyed looking at the art of Justin Como as well as checking out the new space.

Love the real hardwood floors!

It was difficult to get a wide view with bright sunshine pouring in the windows, but how can I complain about sunshine?  Not with some of the weather we’ve been having!

It’s so different!

This was my favorite piece.  It’s called “Participating in Reality.”

This one is sweet too!

This one is, “I’m Too Sad to Tell You.”  After I had looked at all the pieces in the exhibit, I checked out the gift shop and chatted up a few fellow art lovers.  I think I have been recruited to volunteer for MVCA.  I don’t see why not if I can get my life a little better organized.

MVCA is open from noon to four p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  I encourage you to stop by when you’re near Canal Place.  You can get a little culture and pick up some cool items at the gift shop.  The phone number is 315-823-0808.

 

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