Author Archives: mohawkvalleygirl

Evie at the Zoo

Posted on September 30, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I neglected to make a post about a recent visit to the Utica Zoo with some members of my family.  My sister Cheryl called and invited me to join them in celebrating my great-niece Evie’s birthday.  I was delighted to join them.  Unfortunately, most of the pictures I took of the animals did not come out very well.

I guess even the camel is a bit in shadow.

We had a nice time walking around the zoo.  I especially enjoy the paths up through greenery and around exhibits.

You can almost see some members of our group way up ahead.

We enjoyed things such as stumps you can stand on.

Evie strikes an intimidating pose.

Before I snapped the picture, Evie put her hands over her head and said in a deep voice, “I am the Dread Pirate Roberts!” Anybody who does not get that reference, I urge you to watch the movie The Princess Bride.

I walked around the post and took another shot, not back-lit.

Alas that I did not get any pictures of Sheppy, my great-nephew. Full disclosure:  I did get a picture of him and a few others impersonating owls on some posts provided for that purpose. My niece Kimi said I was not allowed to use that picture in the blog.  I wonder if she would have preferred I did not even mention it. If so, I hope she will forgive me.

I highly recommend the Utica Zoo as a nice place to spend a few hours, even if you do not have a dramatic great-niece to walk around with.

 

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Slacker, then Shout-out

Posted on September 28, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s that awkward moment when you realize this is your best chance to get your Saturday post on Saturday, yet you can think of nothing to write about nor have you any of your adventure books handy.  Adventure Books (yes, I like it better when I capitalize both.  I believe I have never used the phrase in the blog) are the cute little blank books I buy when I see them cheap.  I sometimes start to use them for a specific purpose, which usually peters out, and often end up carrying one or another with me when I go adventuring.  I realize I should use one, fill it, then move on to the next, but anybody who expects such organizational miracles from me is doomed to disappointment.

At wine tastings, the pourers are often surprised and delighted when I start taking tasting notes.  Taking random notes is also comforting when I am out alone or bored waiting someplace.  I try never to leave without a notebook or at least an adventure book.

OK, so I guess this post started as a Slacker Saturday then went to babbling on about my writing habits.  I’d better throw in a picture to make things look good.

A fun memory!

Here is an adventure I definitely took notes about:  a ride on Richfield Springs Scenic Railway.  This, of course, is my late lovely husband Steve.  So now I have also given a shout-out to an area attraction.  I wonder if I can link to their website so readers can check them out.

Looks like it worked!

 

 

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Pop Fly to Lame Field!

Posted on September 28, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been sitting here trying to think of something to type for a blog post.  A baseball game is on the television.  I don’t follow sports, but I do enjoy to see a game.  Live is more fun, but sometimes television will do.

“OOOPER DOOPER!”

I turned to my Media Library for inspiration and found this picture from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, one of my all-time favorite movies.  Earlier today I had “Puttin’ on the Ritz” playing in my head, especially the version shown in this movie.  I considered posting as my Facebook status, “OOOPER DOOPER!”  but forgot till just now.  Anyways, I have not spent much time on Facebook today.

An excellent theatre memory.

Another memory that popped into my head today was Splitting Issues, which was presented by Ilion Little Theatre in 2015 (I think). It is a series of short scenes having to do with relationships between the sexes.  I was not going to audition but went with Steve, my late dearly missed husband, who did want to audition.  I read a scene with him, just for fun, and, well, these things happen in community theatre.  We had a great time with our little scene.

 

 

I just realized my headline is about baseball, but I barely mentioned the game in the first paragraph.  I do not think I have any baseball pictures in my Media Library.  Oh dear.

Also blog posts.

Oh well, it is Lame Post Friday.  Will I have a better blog post on Saturday?  No promises, but I hope you’ll tune in.

 

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Post-Rehearsal Post with Pics

Posted on September 27, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to a Post-Rehearsal Post.  I have just returned from a rehearsal for Curtains for Frangelica, the murder mystery we are presenting to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society on Oct. 12 at the Herkimer Elks Lodge.  I remembered to take a few pictures this time!

Big smiles! No suspicions here!

On the murder night, we are all gathered to promote a new play soon to be produced and looking for investors, written by and starring Frangelica Inferno.  Frangelica is a well-known star of, well, a certain type of movie. She is looking to expand her horizons with this new play.  Unfortunately she is absent so far, as is her agent, Teddy “10%” Tardugno.  We do hope nothing has happened to them!

Tensions mount!

I really do not want to say too much more about the plot.  I feel the audience should let it unfold before them.

More clues are revealed!

Rehearsals are always fun, and as we go we often find better ways to present clues, or funnier ways to say lines.  Additionally, rehearsing at the Elks Lodge as we do, I can enjoy a glass of wine at the same time.

Curtains for Frangelica will be presented Saturday, Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:00.  Tickets are $45, available at the Herkimer County Historical Society.  Catering is by Cacciatore’s Restaurant.

 

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At Least I’m Not Starving to Death!

Posted on September 26, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!”  Thus said Auntie Mame, and Rosalind Russell took it as her slogan after playing the part.  If you don’t know who Auntie Mame is, read the book, see the movie, ask somebody.  Or not.  I think the quote stands on its own.  I thought of it this morning, when I lamented once again that I have too much on my plate.  It made me feel better about everything.  I just overdid it on the Buffet of Life.  I always eat too much at buffets, and I know I am not alone in that.

All this by way of introduction to a late Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post, which I came dangerously close to skipping altogether.

That is what is known in the business as a Sweet Ride.

I only have two photos to waste not.  I took them on a walk to I forget where, I forget when, but I do so love classic cars.  My father or brother could instantly tell you make, model, and year, but I can only admire.

A little too shadowed, alas.

One gift I have which helps get me through the day is my ability to admire.  As I am driving to work or walking through a parking lot or doing any number of necessary chores, if I see something beautiful, I notice and admire it.  At least I try to.  No doubt I miss some things.  However, at least I did not miss making my Wednesday blog post, albeit late. I wonder if anybody would have missed me had I skipped it (just a little fishing for compliments there, please forgive me).

 

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Good Wine, Late Post

Posted on September 25, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

This post is in my drafts twice.  Twice I started to write it then stopped, because I could not find the wine tasting notes I took while I sipped.  This morning (early Wednesday to make Tuesday’s post), I said, oh, just go ahead and write the post.  Before I typed that last sentence, I thought hmmm… and looked into the notebook at my side (I actually got up early to write something entirely different, which I did, using other notes in that notebook) (I add in the interests of accuracy). Guess what I found!

I just found out today was Red Wine Day, so I poured myself a glass (I wrote in the earlier draft;  it is not Red Wine Day and I am certainly not drinking wine at 4:34 in the morning).  What a perfect time to talk about my visit to the Wine Tasting Room at Raindrops on Roses Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer, NY (really, it is often a good time to talk about wine and delightful B&Bs).

I toasted the day.

Instead of tasting, I opted for a flight, which was four glasses, each more than a taste but less than a full glass.  I could have just gotten a glass of one wine, or even a whole bottle.  A whole bottle seemed a bit much.  I was walking not driving, but still.

OK, that was all I had in the draft.  Now, from the tasting notes…

Picture of the garden at Raindrops on Roses to depict passage of time while I get more coffee.

I found a shady spot in the garden in back of the house and commenced sipping and note taking, two of my favorite activities.  The breeze was delightful and the surroundings beautiful.  The Prospect Falls Gewurztraminer (I am better at pronouncing it than spelling it) was nice, with what I call a New Yorky taste, which is a quality I treasure in a wine. I felt like I could taste the skin of the grape, in a good way.  I pronounced it a fun wine.

Next I had the Montezuma Dry Riesling.  Very tasty, and dry enough for my tastes.  Prospect Falls Merlot was next, followed by the Roaring Falls Red of the same winery.  Alas, I did not enjoy the reds as much as the whites.  I am sure it was just me or the day, because I know I have purchased bottles of these same wines and enjoyed them very much.

It is a beautiful setting.

It was a lovely interlude on a Saturday afternoon.  Alas that it will soon be too cold to sit in the garden at Raindrops on Roses.  Still, I might get there for another glass or flight before the snow falls.  I will try to make the blog post about it sooner after the fact.

 

 

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Once Again, I Get By With A Little Help From My Fiends

Posted on September 24, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am feeling rather monstrous this Monday.  I am looking pretty monstrous as well, but I will spare my readers the sight of that.

Not me.

I am wondering if it is a sinus infection that plagues me lately.  However, other people’s health issues are rarely of interest to the general blog reading public.  Then again, I feel my readers must be people of uncommon taste and discernment, not at all general.  Then again, all my aches and pains are probably not of much interest to you either.  Let’s get back to the monsters.

I positively must go back on the South Beach Diet.

This is a decoration from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY, one of my favorite seasonal places.  I hope to be making a trip there soon for blogging and Halloween shopping purposes.

He seems nice.

Searching my Media Library for other monsters, I came across this picture I downloaded in March 2017.  I didn’t worry too much about where I found pictures in those days.  Full disclosure:  I don’t get too exercised over it now, either.

Friendly? Or about to fight?

Continuing the non-movie monster theme (if this silly post can be said to have a theme), here are a couple of bugs we used in a murder mystery.  I like fake bugs much better than real ones.

“I still don’t know why they wanted me to be in this blog post.”

OK, one movie monster to end with:  my beloved Nosferatu from the eponymous 1922 silent. The caption is a reference to a light beer commercial from the 1070’s.  “Tastes great!” yell half the people at the bar.  “Less filling!” yell the other half.  Then some guy at the bar says, “I still don’t know why they wanted me in this commercial.”

 

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But Not Tired of Blogging

Posted on September 23, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am tired.  Alas, Tired Sunday is not alliterative like Tired Tuesday, nor does it have a nice ring to it like Wrist to Forehead Sunday (or am I kidding myself about Wrist to Forehead Sunday?).  One might argue that feeling tired may be a reason to swoon, posed dramatically with the back of one wrist to my forehead, but quite frankly, that seems to be too much trouble right now (either swooning or arguing about it).

Random picture to distract from the fact that I am whining yet again.

Oh dear.  This picture just reminded me that Brookwood Market was today.  I was going to go!  I completely forgot about it.

In my defense, I did a few other things today. Most notably, I mowed my lawn, no small chore as regular readers know (I mean, the lawn isn’t all that big, but to me it is a big chore).  I started my power mower by myself!  I felt like much woman, as my sister Vicki would say.  I tried to battle some of the overgrown stuff I couldn’t mow, like the insidious wild grapevine that is taking over the back.

I didn’t get that much done.

This is an older picture, from a more successful lawn session.  Well, perhaps this is why I am so tired today.  Then, too, I think I am still recovering from whatever ailed me last week.  Oh dear, whining again.

Another random picture, for the same reason as the other.

Also under the heading of things done: I grocery shopped.   I made my salad for the week AND put together tomorrow’s lunch, both chores I usually leave for Monday or even Tuesday morning.  I washed some of the dishes (I don’t know why it is so difficult for me to get them all done, but so it is).

And I have made a blog post of over 300 words.  I’d better stop typing before I start whining again.

 

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It’s Late! It’s Lame! It’s a Blog!

Posted on September 21, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Have I used that headline before?  I somehow think I have but as usual am too lazy to go back and check (as if saving this sentence and clicking “all posts”  and typing… oh wait a minute, it is a lot of trouble).  I thought of “It’s Late! It’s Lame! It’s a Blog Post!” as I was making my way downstairs this morning.  Then as I was switching out my Tablet (easier Facebook scrolling) for my Chromebook, I remembered Underdog:  “It’s a bird!”  “It’s a plane!”  “It’s a frog!”  “A frog?”  “Not bird nor plane nor even frog, it’s just little old me (CRASH!)… Underdog.”

A picture of Underdog would be really great right now, but I still haven’t figured out how to download pictures onto the Chromebook.

The headline is pretty much all I have going for me this morning.  Yesterday (the real Friday), I felt marginally better than Thursday and got myself through work.  I actually did improve during the day and took a nice longish walk after work.  Walking is often a good idea.

A place I often walk or run to or by.

Regarding the weekend ahead, I do not know what I will do.  I made a list of things to get done while I was at work (it was during a moment of down time) (in case one of my bosses reads this blog) (which is really unlikely, now that I think about it).  I think the list is still in my work pants pocket.  One thing I did not do was mow the lawn on Friday.  If my bunions were correct and it rains today, I will be unfortunate.

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

I often put that caption on that photo, because my sister Diane told me it was funny.  I add it to end on a note of humor, and to depict my current level of difficulty in getting things done.  But I persevere.  I fear this is a rather dull blog post, even for a Late Lame Post Friday post.  Perhaps I could find one more silly picture.

It’s still summer till tomorrow!

How about Bonita in her summer outfit, with her friend Bonaparte?  My late, dearly missed husband Steve, dressed her.  He purposely left the tag showing on the headband, because he was going for a Minnie Pearl thing.  Younger readers may not appreciate the reference, but us older folks are pickin’ and grinnin’!

 

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It’s a Mystery

Posted on September 20, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

OK, we’re going to call Wednesday a true blogger’s sick day.  I came home from work early but even after a nap felt unable to make Wednesday’s post, even a Wuss-Out Wednesday.  Thursday morning, I thought to make Wednesday’s post, felt truly awful, called in sick, did not make the post.  Judge me if you are so inclined.

I apologize for going on about my health issues, but these things do happen, maybe even to you (perhaps not to YOU, you know who you are) (although you might just be lying about it) (never mind all that).  Where was I?  Ah yes, trying to do another Post-Rehearsal Post.  Once again I neglected to take pictures.  Perhaps I could re-share pictures from previous murder mysteries and bill this as a Throwback Thursday Post.

Pretty good gams for a woman my age, or do I flatter myself?

OK, this is not a murder mystery per se.  It is me as a character from Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, a murder mystery presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in 2017.  We were asked to bring our characters to a Ritz and Ragtime fundraiser at a Rutgers Mansion for the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica.

Here is the entire cast.

At a recent event at The Renaissance Pub in Little Falls, NY, I ran into a cast member of this mystery, and she was interested in reviving the show, if we could find a suitable venue.  Who me, want to portray a rich lush in a 1920’s speakeasy?  Yes, please!

A totally different mystery.

Just to avoid making this an All Ruby post, I add a picture from A G.R.A.V.E. Mystery, presented in October 2017.  One of the suspects from that mystery is again a suspect.  I often work with the same people, because they are just so good to work with.

So I end on a positive note, feeling happy with my cast members.  I hope to give more information about Curtains for Frangelica, but for now, I am merely pleased that I am over 300 words.  Still feeling a little icky but hopeful for tomorrow.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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