Category Archives: area attractions

Late Post, More Art

Posted on September 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

After falling down on my daily blogging ambitions once again, I try to pick things up with a few more examples of parking lot artwork by Herkimer High School Seniors.  I ran by the art on once of my morning runs recently, a great addition of something fun to look at while I thunk along.

Who doesn’t love Spiderman?

This is a good one for me to run by, because for the next mile or so the Spiderman theme song plays in my head.  Yes, I know all the words.

Kitty is nice, too.

This is another one I wish I had gotten a better shot of.  Well, local readers are encouraged to take a walk down and check these out for themselves.  They are even better in person.

Is he surrendering? Or part of a wave?

I’m not sure who this fellow is, because I am not up on current popular characters.  Perhaps it is an invention of the senior who painted it.  That would be cool.

I like the lettering.

I do four instead of my usual three pictures, and I still have some left for future posts.  Which I hope to make in a timely fashion and stop missing days.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Just a Walk in the Park

Posted on June 18, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I checked out the Town of Herkimer Park.  Full disclosure:  I went to get a couple of pictures to submit with my article about the Herkimer Town Board Meeting (regular readers may remember I freelance for Sentinel Media), but I have been interested in seeing what is there.  I sadly missed the Wellness Fair June 14, but I heard it went really well with vendors, food, activities, and demonstrations.  They intend to make it a yearly event, so I hope to attend it next year at least.

They looked like they were having a lot of fun.

 

Some gentlemen were playing pickleball.  I had heard jokes about how rough and tough those pickleball players were, so I asked them if they were the infamous pickleball players.  They admitted it, and graciously allowed me to take their pictures for my blog.  I brought up the Superbowl commercials with Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara playing bad-ass pickleball.  They liked the commercial, too.

Maybe not as bad-ass as O’Hara and Dafoe.

I walked around the park, checking out the other facilities.

I could use a little more fitness in my life.

I didn’t look too closely at the Fitness Court, but if I go sometimes wearing more athletic clothing, I would like to.

I do like a nice trail.

I did not walk very far on the fitness trail either, because I wasn’t even wearing good sneakers.

Nicely marked basketball court.

Of course basketball is out of the question.  I have neither a basketball nor teammates.

I don’t have an electric vehicle, either.

Another good feature is electric charging stations.

The next event the Town Park Committee is planning is a car show on July 26.  I plan to put that on my calendar! The Town of Herkimer Park is located at 154 Pine Grove Rd., East Herkimer.

 

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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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This Post is Not in the Zone

Posted on February 24, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I was getting better but it suddenly seems not so much.  Oh dear. I started to write a post about New York Power Authority (NYPA) Energy Zone, an interactive kind of museum located outside the Utica Zoo, and my brain suddenly would not cooperate.  I had visited it before the cold defeated me, and got a few fun pictures.

I forget what they were learning here.

The kids had badges they swiped at the various stations, where they learned different things about electricity and power.

I thought the tunnel was cool.

I suppose I learned a few things myself, but I didn’t have a badge so couldn’t actually do any of the interactive things.  I’m sure I would have picked the wrong choices every time anyways.

Another tunnel view.

I said I wanted one of those tunnels in my house, but I don’t know where I would put it.  Maybe in the back yard.

Me and Cheryl  on the team.

Of course if there is a place where you can put your face  in a hole and take a picture, we are going to do it.  I KNOW the caption is not grammatically correct, but that is the order we are in, and “I and Cheryl” sounds silly.

Evie and Dan on the team!

 

 

Evie, Dan and Sheppy.

Sheppy pretending to climb the tower.

Evie modeling stylish headgear.

Well, with the help of pictures, I guess I have managed to make a blog post after all.  If only I had a little more energy myself, my life would be perfect.  Perhaps I could get the Zone to send me some.

For more information on NYPA Energy Zone, you can visit their website at https://www.nypa.gov/communities/visitors-centers/ny-energy-zone

 

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Historical Society to the Rescue!

Posted on December 18, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Fine daily blogger I am.  I missed three days.  At first I put “several” but then I counted.  Three is more like a few. I don’t make the rules.

I think Santa likes me anyways. He’s not a big reader of blogs, so I hear.

I threw in a photo right away.  This is Santa Claus, who was at the Herkimer County Historical Society last Saturday.  They were also selling cookies.  Yum!  I was in a perfectly dreadful mood and had been for some days.  I did not know what to do, but I wanted to support the Society, so I walked over.  The volunteers gave me a warm welcome (they know me from the murder mysteries) and invited me to hang out with them for as long as I wanted to.  Of course I did and had a wonderful time.

I wish the picture was a little clearer.

The Suiter House was beautifully decorated.  Of course I took a few pictures.

I don’t know who the lady in the portrait is.

We talked about Christmas villages, and how they tend to grow, sometimes out of control.  I thought the one on their mantle was just right.

No, I did not sit on his lap!

I did not tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas, because quite frankly, I have been bad all year and do not expect any presents, although I know Santa is something of a pushover, so I might in fact get something (that is not a run-on sentence, although I suppose a period might not have come amiss).

I felt very Christmasy and happy after my visit to the historical society.  I hope to volunteer there in the new year, to a greater extent than putting on the murder mystery.  That would probably make for some good blog posts.

The Herkimer County Historical Society is located at 400 and 406 Main St., Herkimer, NY.  You can visit their website at www.herkimercountyhistory.org

 

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Tired Post, Late Shout-out

Posted on November 20, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Why am I always too tired to do my Tired Tuesday post on Tuesday?  Am I getting old or am I just unhealthy?  I know it is not that I am working too hard, alas.  But enough about me, how about a blog post?

Last week I finally drove to Dyn’s Cider Mill in Richfield Springs.  I was in search of popcorn.  They have the best popcorn!  Popcorn is an excellent source of fiber, I have read.  Of course, with the amount of butter and salt I put on it, I cannot consider it a health food.  Still, it goes great with the movies I like to watch.

I love this place!

It was a bright, sunny day, which can be a little difficult to drive in.  Luckily I have polarized prescription sunglasses, a relic of when I used to work in the eye care industry.  It would have been a prettier drive had I gone earlier in the fall, but I can’t do everything (or even many things) in a timely fashion.  I still enjoyed the scenery and kept an eye out for any remaining bits of color (while still paying attention to traffic and bends in the road, I promise!)

I purchased two bags of popcorn and a half dozen donuts.  I know, donuts are far from a health food.  But they were freshly made and yummy!  Now that I have eaten them and they are gone, perhaps I can refrain from buying more and can begin a more healthy eating style.  No promises.

Dyn’s Cider Mill is located at 7915 NY-28, Richfield Springs, NY, phone number 315-858-2078.  You can find out more on their Facebook page.

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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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At the ARC Park

Posted on September 12, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is why I never know what day it is.  Wednesday I made my Tired Tuesday post, now on Thursday I am about to make my Wednesday post.  Wuss Out or Waste Not Want Not is the question.  You could argue that it was Wuss Out Wednesday in any case, but I am no hand at argument (and I am so tired right now I forgot how to spell “argument”).

Is that Friday peeking around the horizon at me?

I knew this picture would turn out dark but hoped for the best. Then the kids refused to climb up the other side and repeat the pose with the sun on the other side. The kids, of course, are my great-nephew and -niece, Sheppy and Evie.  We were at the ARC Park in Herkimer, NY.  I had walked up to join Sheppy, Evie and their grandmother, my sister Cheryl.

The rear view of them climbing down.

It was a great deal of fun.

Sheppy and my nemesis.

This wormy-looking thing goes up and down as you walk across it, if you are heavy enough.  Sheppy is light so navigated it handily. I, of course, being rather a tub of lard, sink down at the designated places.  Sheppy was standing at the end when I walked along it and went down.  He went up and I said, “Eee!”  However, he kept his stance.  When I got to the end, I expected it to go down, but it did not. Then I fell off.  I love that spongy ground!  It keeps women my age from breaking a hip (I actually like to think I have a few more years before I have to worry about hip-breaking).

Evie likes to pose.

I followed the kids around, climbing on most of the stuff they did.  I did not, unfortunately, make it to the top of this tower.  Maybe next time.

Another climbing shot.

Cheryl sat like a lady while I followed the kids around like the silly-head I am.  I especially enjoyed the swings.  Great abdominal exercise, I ought to go there every day!  I pushed Evie on the swing.  Later another little girl asked me to push her.  Her mother came over and asked her if she had asked me nicely and said please.  I assured her she did.  However, I encouraged the little girl, and Evie for that matter, to pump.  I worry I will push too hard while the child being pushed always wants to go higher.

So I have gotten over 400 words.  Not too bad for a Wuss Out Wednesday.  Tune in later, when I hope to make a Pre- or Post-Rehearsal Post (preview of coming attractions).

 

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Which Childhood Was That?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is swell.  My Chromebook for some mysterious reason will not turn on (YES, it is charged! Sheesh!)  and my laptop, perhaps because I have been neglecting it and it feels hurt, has become as slow as dial-up!  I was going to say the slowest device on the planet but decided to date myself with a reference to dial-up.  Is that even a thing any more? Shows how much I pay attention. Never mind all that.  On with the post!

Saturday was an unseasonably warm day in the Mohawk Valley, and when my sister Cheryl invited me to the playground with her and her grandchildren, Sheppie and Evie, I said, Yes, please!  They picked me up and we drove the short distance from my house to the Arc Park on German Street in Herkimer, NY.  It is a wonderful playground with all kinds of fun things to climb on, slide down, walk over, and ride.  I especially like the rubberized ground.  I can fall down (which I did, but only once) without breaking a hip, something of a consideration at my age.

Wheeee!

I did not utilize this fun thing.  For one reason, I am too tall.  Yes, I could have bent my knees up, but to grip the bar with my weight hanging off my hands… I passed.  Sheppie enjoyed it, though.

Right up to the top!

I climbed on this with Evie.  When I told her I could not climb as high as she could, she kindly suggested I get down.  At one point a little boy I did not know made it to the top but did not think he could make it down.  I encouraged him to take it one step at a time.  I don’t know if I was especially helpful to him, but he did make it to the ground.  Cheryl asked Evie what she could see from the top, and Evie answered, “Everything!”

Photo op.

Cheryl asked Evie and Sheppie to pose at the top, with this delightful result.

I did get a little dizzy.  Yes, I mean more-so than usual.  Sheesh!

I participated as much as possible for one of my years and weight.  I especially enjoyed sliding down the twisty slides, but nobody got a picture.  I pushed Evie and another child on the merry-go-round for a while, saying I would get dizzy if I rode it.  Nevertheless, Evie wanted me to sit down so she could push me.  I did not know Cheryl intended to photograph the event!

Old Aunt Cindy was tired by the end.

Cheryl had a good laugh at me “reliving my childhood,” as she put it.   I guess at my age, one can be excused for having a second childhood.  However, I think the number might be a little higher for me.  But I had fun.

 

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Fun at Brookwood Market

Posted on September 4, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I might have a Scattered Sunday Post when I took a walk to Brookwood Summer Market in Herkimer, NY.  I had taken another walk earlier and thought to get together with my friend Kim later for further shenanigans.

Tom Maneen, he is fine, yes!

I walked around the vendors and enjoyed music by Tom Maneen.  However, I was hoping to return later with Kim and with more money to spend.

You can’t see their wares from here.

I wandered around and took a couple of pictures.

Still, you can see the tents.

There were a number of vendors with tempting wares.  I needed to get myself to an ATM and get some cash.

I got some extra exercise strolling by the market.  Spoiler alert:  I did return later with Kim and bought a few things, Kim nicely driving me to an ATM first.  We adjourned to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort where we took a couple of pictures of our purchases.  I will let that form the substance of tomorrow’s blog post.

Brookwood Summer Market runs on alternate Sundays in Brookwood Park in Herkimer, NY through October.   You can catch them September 17, October 1 and 15.  You can follow them on Facebook for more information.

 

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