Category Archives: area attractions

We Interrupt this Scattered Saturday to Make a Blog Post

Posted on July 26, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been adventuring all afternoon after getting up at 3:30 a.m. and working overtime, with the result that I am too tired to compose a proper blog post (what a surprise, me not making a proper post.  Say it ain’t so!).  I will go with my usual Scattered Saturday method and give a brief overview of what we did.

We headed to Richfield Springs, NY to go to the Richfield Springs Historic Association Museum and Exhibit Hall.   We knew it was located at 134 W. Main St., but you know, Main Street in any town can be long.  We missed it the first time through but noticed a Farmer’s Market going on. We turned around and parked near that.  We figured it was a nice day for a stroll down Main Street in any case.

The Farmer’s Market had some interesting looking vendors.  I would have liked to purchase some cheese or produce, but since  I was not sure how long it would have to stay in my hot car, I refrained.  On down Main Street we went. Richfield Springs is a charming little village.  I pushed the button to get a Walk signal just about the time a fire engine was turning onto Main at that corner.

The fire truck was followed by roughly 8,764 motorcycles (no, I didn’t count them, but I thought that number was closer to the truth than “a bazillion,” which is what I started to type).  It must have been some official ride for something, although I never found out what.  Still, it was fun to see all the motorcycles.  I do love a parade.

When we finally found the museum, it still lacked ten minutes till it opened.  Luckily we had noticed a store a couple of doors down called “Finders Keepers.”  It was easy to kill some time wandering around looking at antiques, collectibles and, well, one man’s trash.  Then we were on to the museum.

I’ll write more about both Finders Keepers and the museum later.  For now I’ll just say we had a great time and both places are definitely worth another visit.  We walked back to the vehicle feeling that if that was all we did, it would not be a bad afternoon’s adventure.  As we reached our vehicle,  I noticed a lady walking down the sidewalk.

“Hey!  That’s Aunt Mary!”  I didn’t mention that my Aunt Mary and Uncle Ted live in Richfield Springs, but they do.  I had gotten their phone number from my mother thinking we might call and stop by at some point.  As it turned out, we would not have had a chance to do so, but Aunt Mary and I had a nice little chat on the sidewalk.

Our adventures continued and included Pail Shop Vineyards, Jerry’s Place, Dyn’s Cider Mill, Rustic Ridge Winery, and a whole lot of driving through windy, hilly country roads.   We had a wonderful afternoon.

And now I’m tired.  I’m having a cup of coffee, which may revive me somewhat.  One might think I could then write a better blog post, but I don’t think this one is contemptible. Or do I flatter myself?  No matter.  I’m over 500 words.  I’m going back to enjoying my weekend with my husband.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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Another Visit to the Historical Society

Posted on June 25, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Saturday I got to introduce some friends to a couple of my favorite places, the Herkimer County Historical Society and the 1834 Jail in Herkimer, NY.  I know I have mentioned  both places before, but I think they rate numerous shout-outs.

My sister Cheryl and some friends had long been interested in visiting the jail, which is not open for tours on a regular basis. I suggested we watch for when the Historical Society holds its Open House in June, because the jail has been open that day at least for the last couple of years, when I have made it to the Open House.

We arrived at the Jail, on Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners on Main and Church streets,shortly after eleven, only to find out that the tours did not start as early as we had thought.  I suggested we check out the Historical Society, which is right across the way.

Of course I had to show off my knowledge and explain that the house had belonged to Dr. A Walter Suiter, although he had only used it for his office. Dr. Suiter provided medical testimony for two of Herkimer County’s most famous murder trials, of Chester Gilette and Roxalana Druse.

As we walked into the Queen Anne style brick mansion, we saw a display about the Gilette  case. We talked about the case and about how Hollywood did not get it right in A Place in the Sun (although that is a highly entertaining movie). I said that Chester Gilette was a player. I’ve read several books about the case.

As we walked around downstairs I pointed out the ornate Remington typewriter. I have a less fancy Remington typewriter myself.. We all admired the doctor’s study with its built-in bookcases and large fireplace. The woodwork throughout the house is beautiful.

Upstairs we noted the old bicycle with the huge front and tiny rear wheels. We marveled over the fact that a man rode it right across the country.

“And that was in the days before highways and Motel 6,” I said.

We also enjoyed looking at the dollhouses and the portraits of local people of note. I pointed out Margaret Tugor, because Cheryl had noticed a picture of the South Side School in a display about immigrants downstairs. Miss Tugor had been principal of that school, which was later named after her.

The third floor, which is not open on a regular basis, holds many artifacts and archives. We especially noted many typewriters, some chairs in need of repair, and a rather delightful baby carriage.

I suggested we go down the back staircase from the second back to the first floor, and that was another experience. The stairs are steep, narrow and curved. I think it is good to know what the servants put up with back in the day.

In the gift shop, I chatted up Caryl Hopson about the play Roxy, which the society is presenting at Ilion Little Theatre (I’ll be writing a lot about that as time goes on). I also ate a couple of cookies, which were from the Heidelberg Bakery. Who could resist?

Caryl suggested we walk a couple of doors down, where another archaeological dig was going on. I had pointed out in the society’s yard where a dig had been going on last year. A glass case in the gift shop displayed many of the artifacts that had been found. Included are a surprising number of intact glass pharmaceutical bottles.

At this year’s dig, a guy was down a well on a safety harness, sending up buckets of dirt and stones. Four people were sifting through them. They explained that they were hoping to find the exact location of Fort Dayton. The house they were digging behind belongs to a member of the Historical Society. She invited them to dig in her back yard, because she knew it was a likely spot.

Making our way back to Main Street, we saw people in front of the jail. We discovered that they were waiting for Jim Greiner to come give the tours. I was pleased to hear that. Greiner wrote the book Last Woman Hanged: Roxalana Druse. He is very knowledgeable about the jail and local history. I’ve taken the jail tour with him and enjoyed it very much.

While we waited we were allowed into the basement and on the first floor. I shared a few of the things I remembered. The lady who let us in told us more, particularly about a house-shaped clock made by a prisoner out of cigar boxes.

I left when Jim arrived, because I did not have time to take the tour. After the jail, my sister and friends were off to Utica to tour the Rutgers Mansions. That’s something I’d love to do next time.

 

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Historical Presents

Posted on January 6, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Now that it’s after Christmas I can write about purchasing some of the few Christmas presents I bought this year.

Regular readers know I love the Herkimer County Historical Society. I knew they were open Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it was not until the Saturday before Christmas I got a chance to stop by. I did not go into the museum part this time but confined my visit to the gift shop.

I saw a number of books I’d like to get for myself sometime, but of course that was not the purpose of the shopping trip. I did purchase a number of postcards for myself. I thought that was OK since I will ultimately send them to other people. I found a jigsaw puzzle of local historical places for my mother. She usually does puzzles of way more than 200 pieces, but I thought the local interest would outweigh that factor. I also got her a deck of Erie Canal playing cards. She likes playing cards from different places, as do I.

I got a coloring book about local history for my youngest niece. I think it would be fun if when she comes to visit, we go see some of the places she has colored. She has already seen Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, but when she visits there is every chance we’ll walk our dogs that way again.

After I had completed that transaction I saw some postcards I had missed. After selecting some of those, I impulse bought a Herkimer Trivia game to put in Steven’s stocking.

The coloring book, puzzle and playing cards were successful gifts. Imagine my delight when I opened my own stocking and found that Steven had gotten me the very same deck of cards. He had also gotten me two books: Margaret Tugor: The Extraordinary Teacher, Principal, and Community Leader of Herkimer, New York by William Rosenfeld, which I had wanted, and Hidden History of the Mohawk Valley by Bob Cudmore. Steven told me he had taken the precaution of writing down the local history books I already own before making his own shopping expedition.

I’m very happy now. I can read my books and play solitaire with my cards till the next time I visit the historical society. To learn more about the Herkimer County Historical Society, you can visit their website at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyhchs/ and you can Like them on Facebook.

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An Antique Adventure

Posted on December 10, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the best things about discovering a fun place is introducing a friend to it. Saturday I introduced my friend Phyllis to Mohawk Antiques Mall. It is located in an old factory building just before Main Street in Mohawk crosses Route 5S and becomes Mohawk Street in Herkimer.

Phyllis and I were having a whole day of Mohawk Valley adventures, and this was our first stop. Full disclosure: I stopped there mainly because I want to write an article about it to submit to Mohawk Valley Living, my favorite magazine. I have not written the article yet but thought maybe I could warm up to it with a blog post.

It is a bright, airy place. You walk into a large room with an open stairway in the middle. We walked around checking out the different areas. In a hallway to the right I noticed some photographs by Gabe Oram, a Mohawk Valley photographer. Beyond that hung some more vintage prints and paintings. Later I noticed artwork by Vicki Ferrus, a local artist, hanging in the entryway.

Upstairs we looked at old toys, old books, musical instruments and more. Both Phyllis and I looked for things we remembered from our grandmothers’ houses, always a favorite thing to do in an antique shop. I saw some games I remembered from my own childhood. Oh well, I suppose everybody gets old sooner or later.

Back downstairs I showed Phyllis the vintage postcards in an old card catalog. She found a Christmas present for… I’ll never tell! Near the checkout there were a few tables with chairs. One table had signs on it reading, “Come sit for a spell.” CNN was playing on a TV, and one of the tables had newspapers on it.

The mall currently houses 47 dealers. A list can be found on their website, www.mohawkantiquesmall.com. You can also find out about upcoming events. 4PetSake, a food pantry for pets, often holds fundraisers there. The mall also has a Facebook page which regularly posts pictures of interesting pieceE. The mall is located at 100 e. Main St., Mohawk, NY. Phone number is 315-219-5044. They are open Mon. and Wed. through Sat. 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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A Fun Saturday Night

Posted on November 18, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday night Steven and I combined three of our favorite things: time with friends, dinner out and theatre.

First we met our friends Phyllis and Jim at Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner in Herkimer, NY. This is one of our longtime favorite spots, and I have given it several shout-outs. It is a regular destination for Phyllis and Jim as well.

After a delicious dinner and enjoyable conversation, we all headed over to Ilion Little Theatre for Noises Off, their first production of the 2014-15 season. Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) is another Mohawk Valley institution which I have given many a well-deserved shout-out. I love the historic Stables that houses it. I love the intimate size of the performance space. And I love seeing my friends from the theatre group on stage.

Noises Off features some players who are new to the ILT stage as well as returning players. All the actors are very talented and they had the audience laughing heartily. My favorite was Act II, which involved whiskey and an ax.

We had originally thought to go out for drinks after the show, to discuss the production. We’ve worked on plays with Phyllis and Jim, so we often find a lot to say about plays we merely watch. However, by the time the play was over, it was late and we were tired. We had a great time and plan to do it again. Perhaps at the next ILT production, if we’re not onstage.

For more information on Ilion Little Theatre, visit their website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org or you can Like their Facebook page. For more information on Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner, their website is www.crazyottosempirediner.com, and they also have a Facebook page.

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“A-apples and Cider!”

Posted on October 31, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

The main problem with writing about Fly Creek Cider Mill (and going to it, talking about it or even thinking about it, for that matter) is that the song from the commercial plays in my head for the next three hours. “A-apples and cider! At the Fly Creek Cider Mill!”

Some might say another problem is that I have written about the place several times before (too lazy to check how many and anyways I’d probably miss one). Well, I’ve said before and I’ll say again, I like to give another shout-out to a place I enjoy. Regarding the song, if I’ve given anybody an earworm, sorry. It goes away eventually.

Be all that as it may, Steven and I made yet another trip to the Fly Creek Cider Mill last Friday. It was quite enjoyable. As usual, I went around trying all the samples. Dips, sauces, jellies, mustard, salsa and fudge. Yum!

Of course we went into the tasting room to sample wine and hard cider. My favorite was the Mill Pond Reisling. Steven was fond of the Montezuma Winery Canvasback Red. It was $4 off three bottles, so we also got Diamond from Montezuma Winery, which I am pretty sure my mother will like. I found the taste reminiscent of Tickle Hill’s Suzy Q, one of her all-time favorites. It also had a very cool label.

After making our purchases, we went outside to visit the ducks. I was sorry I did not have a quarter to get some corn to feed them, especially when a bunch of them swam over hopefully. I could only find a couple pieces of corn on the ground. Usually I can find at least a handful that way (I always say, waste not, want not). I didn’t think the ducks looked too poorly fed, though, so I didn’t worry about it too much.

We always have a good time at the cider mill. We may even make another trip there before the year is out. The Fly Creek Cider Mill is located at 288 Goose St., Fly Creek, NY. Phone number is 607-547-9692. You can visit their website at www.flycreekcidermill.com, and you can Like them on Facebook.

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Where I Like to Go for Popcorn

Posted on October 28, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Astute readers may remember that a stop at Dyn’s Cider Mill formed part of Steven’s and my adventures last Friday. I’ve written about Dyn’s before, but I think it’s always appropriate to give a fun place another shout-out.

Dyn’s is located at 7915, Rt. 28, Richfield Springs, NY. It’s a scenic ride with views of water, mountains and farmland. The fall colors were past peak last Friday, but Steven and I saw patches of bright yellow, red and orange. We also scanned for Halloween decorations as we drove by people’s houses.

We walked into the large room and once again admired the country decor. One thing I definitely wanted was a cup of hot cider. The girl working there had to bring out more cups. She also brewed a fresh pot of coffee, which is almost always Steven’s beverage of choice. While the coffee brewed, I found my Dyn’s Popcorn, which was the real reason for the visit, and we debated which of the baked goods we would purchase. I moved my things out of the way of another customer.

“There’s popcorn?” she said, as I moved the bag.

“Really good popcorn,” I said. “I get some every year and love it. Then when it’s gone I make do with Jolly Time till I can get more Dyn’s.”

She got some popcorn, too. Steven and I decided on a half dozen apple cider donuts. I thought about purchasing some gourds to enhance our fall decor but decided against it. I pointed out to Steven that if we had felt like sitting and enjoying our beverages there, we could have used ceramic mugs. We could have played checkers on a rather large board on one of the tables. Perhaps on a future visit.

Dyn’s is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They serve breakfast every Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon, and spaghetti and lasagna Wednesdays from noon to 7 p.m. For more information call 315-858-2078.

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A Rustic Taste

Posted on October 27, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the stops on Steven’s and my adventurous Friday was Rustic Ridge Winery in Burlington Flats, NY. I am, of course, a longtime lover of wine and of wineries, so I was delighted to find another good one.

We had the map of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail. I would like to make all the stops on the trail one day, but since we had other adventures in mind on Friday, I thought one winery would be good. It was not hard to find, 2805 St. Hwy 80. We pulled into the driveway and felt pleased with ourselves for not getting lost or, even more likely, driving right by the place.

Steven right away saw a nice labrador-looking dog out behind the place. I read somewhere that most of the wineries have dogs. They help keep certain pests away from the vineyard. Also, dogs are nice. Steven tried to get the dog to come over and say hello, but he declined. I said he was probably on guard duty.

Inside, the cabin looked, appropriately enough, rustic. Country music was playing. We were the only tasters there at the time. We could have paid $3 for five tastes, but opted to pay $6 and keep the glasses. We like to add to our collection of wine glasses.

For whites we tried the Chardonnay and the Untamed White. Two Chardonnays were available. I chose the one that was not oak aged. I liked it. The Untamed White had a cool label with evil eyes. Rick Bennett, the owner who was doing our tasting, said it was comparable to Pinot Grigio. We liked it but preferred the Chardonnay.

For reds we both tried the ’09 Pinot Noir and the Cabernet Franc. Steven tried the Merlot and I went for the Lemberger ’09. I’m not as familiar with lemberger as I am with merlot, so I thought to try something different. We liked everything we tried but only purchased the Chardonnay, giving us a good reason to return at a later time.

Before making our purchase we browsed the shop for wine accessories and t-shirts. Steven especially liked one that read, “New York is for wine; Napa is for auto parts.” Of course, we’ve had some California wines that we liked perfectly well, but I enjoyed the play on words.

Incidentally, the dog came in while we were tasting and Steven petted him. I was busy taking tasting notes, but on our way out I petted him, too. I’m sure fellow dog lovers will be happy to hear we got to meet the nice dog.

We were very pleased with our stop. I hope to bring some of my wine other tasting buddies with me next time. For more information on Rustic Ridge Winery you can call 607-965-0626. Their website is www.rusticridgewinery.com, and they have a Facebook page.

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Big Plans, Small Post

Posted on October 23, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m taking Friday off, so that makes Wednesday my Thursday, right? I bring the matter up, because I threatened yesterday (Tired Tuesday) to have a Wuss-out Wednesday today. In a desperate attempt to avoid that eventuality, I am sitting at work (before my shift starts, not while I’m on the clock, peanut gallery), scribbling in my notebook (the paper, spiral-bound kind; I’m a creature of the previous century), hoping to come up with something.

My husband has Friday off as well. We plan to spend at least part of the day having Mohawk Valley adventures. First we’ll head to Richfield Springs, NY and stop at Dyn’s Cider Mill. I want to get a bag of Dyn’s Popcorn. Regular readers may remember that I make my popcorn on the stove in a pot with oil and melt real butter to put on it. Dyn’s Popcorn is excellent for the purpose.

From there we thought we’d go to Fly Creek Cider Mill, another favorite stop of ours. Steven also suggested that either before Fly Creek or on our way home we stop at Butternut Barn Primitives, 427 Butternut Rd., Richfield Springs, a place we’ve never been to but have heard good things about.

While pondering our plan, I wondered about what other new places we could go. I remembered the Cooperstown Beverage Trail. I didn’t think we could do the whole trail, but perhaps we could check one or two of the stops on it. I thought I had seen a booklet about it at Gems Along the Mohawk in Herkimer.

I did not find information about the Beverage Trail, but in between the retail shops and the Waterfront Grille, there are many fliers about various attractions. I picked up a handful. Now we have lots of ideas!

So things are looking good for future blog posts. I hope to have several business and attractions to write about. In the meantime, I hope this preview of coming attractions will do for now.

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A Quick Stop at the Art Gallery

Posted on October 13, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have been meaning for some time to make it to Cogar Gallery at Herkimer County Community College. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the college is open. Therefore, the best thing for me to do is go straight there after work. So I did.

The exhibit I saw was an alumni show, McCann and Ingerick, Photographer and Painter. Debbie Ruane Sullivan Ingerick graduated in 1979, Carolynn McCann Dufft in 1981. I had meant to go to the opening reception on Oct. 4, but alas, did not make it. However, sometimes it is easier to appreciate the art when one walks around the gallery alone.

The show features a variety of works from realistic to more abstract. As I have said before, I don’t know from art styles and I’m nobody’s art critic. I just like to look at pictures. I spent a while walking around and looking at the pictures before I perused the list of works. Then I went back to look again at some of the works whose titles that caught my eye.

My favorite was “We Are The Light in the Storms of Life” by Ingerick. It showed a lighthouse on a hill surrounded by water. I also enjoyed a series of six photographs by McCann called “Bette’s Bench.”

I may go back and look at the exhibit again. It is on display through Nov. 4. And I’ll watch for future exhibits to go see. I wonder if the college offers a course on art appreciation, so I can write more impressively about these things. I’ll have to go to www.herkimer.edu and see.

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