Category Archives: Community Events

Too Many Tins?

Posted on June 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

After I left Coffee and Conversation with a Cop Saturday morning I headed out 5S toward the Herkimer County Humane Society for their garage sale.  Full disclosure:  with my headache, long to-do list and limited finances, I was not as excited about going as I might have been.  Still, it was a worthy cause, I might find something fun, and I could probably get a blog post out of it.

 

All kinds of items were spread out across the lawn:  Christmas decorations, books, games, household goods and more.  A man with a loud voice walked around exhorting people to look at this or that and to purchase 50/50 raffle tickets.

 

The first thing that caught my eye was a box of tins.  Steven especially loves tins.  He likes to put Christmas presents in them.  “Put a present in a present,” he says.  I wanted to take them all but on second thought went through and picked the ones I liked best.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say I eliminated a few I liked least, because I still wound up with quite a pile.  It took me three trips to get them all to the table where the workers were taking money.

 

A nice lady went to get a bag (or bags) for them while I went back through the yard, looking for other treasurers.  I hoped to find a couple of good books, and by good books of course I mean trashy romances or murder mysteries.  Nothing caught my eye right away, and I decided I should just leave with my pile of tins and have done with.

 

Paying presented a challenge.  Nothing was priced; the lady said to think about the animals and make a donation.  Oh dear.  When I think about the animals I feel I should give them all the money in my purse.  On the other hand, I have expenses of my own.  I finally named a price and asked her to throw in a 50/50 ticket.  She readily agreed (I did not win).

 

As I left, I complimented the loud-voiced man on his skills as a barker.  He said he had a big mouth (he may have said “loud voice,”  I don’t remember) so he used it for good.

 

“I always say go with your strengths,” I said.  I do always say that.

 

I guess it is appropriate that my first post-Tabby post is about helping the dogs (and cats) at the Humane Society.  They are having their annual Mutt Strut on Sunday, June 7.  When I said to a co-worker that I no longer have a mutt to strut, she pointed out that the Humane Society would be happy to loan me one.  I had forgotten they allow people to come over and walk their dogs sometimes.  I must look into that.  It is good to walk a dog.

 

For more information on the Herkimer County Humane Society, visit their website at www.herkhumane.org.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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I Return to the Cops

Posted on June 3, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

For the past few months for one reason or another I have missed Coffee and Conversation with a Cop so I was determined to go last Saturday, May 30.

 

The program runs from 9 to 11 a.m. on the last Saturday of the month at the First Baptist Church of  Herkimer on the corner of Green and Washington streets in Herkimer, NY.  The aim is to foster a better relationship between citizens and police, thus improving the quality of life in our village.  I am all about improving my beloved Herkimer.  Also, the session is a golden opportunity for me to ask questions about police work relating to the novel I am still trying to write.

 

Another bonus, for me at least, is the refreshments.  I enjoyed a nice cup of coffee and some homemade scones and cookies that were to die for.  I should have asked for the recipes.  But I digress.

 

Two officers sat at the tables when I arrived shortly after nine.  One was in a lively discussion with several participants, but the other looked free, so I cornered him with my novel inquiries.  Oh well, I guess “cornered” is an exaggeration.  I sat down near him with my coffee and scone, and opened my notebook.

 

He was gracious and informative.  I took care not to let my novel dominate the conversation but tried to think of questions that would be of interest to others.  Others sitting at our table also had questions.

 

One question that came up was what to look for if one suspected the neighbors of nefarious activities (nobody actually said “nefarious.”  I just like that word).   Batteries?  Chemicals?  It is not always easy to know if something is suspicious, because things can have multiple explanations.  For example, comings and goings at odd hours may indicate shift work.  A good solution is to get to know your neighbors, which of course is not always easy these days.

 

This idea of Neighborhood Watches was brought up. The officers emphasized that a Watch was just that.  If we observe something wrong, we should call the police and not try to take action ourselves.

 

“That’s how you become a headline,” I said.

 

The officers had brought fliers keeping your home secure.  I especially liked the one titled “Beware of the Bogus Caller,” which featured a cartoon of a man with an evil grin on the front.  The flier had good advice, but I thought it was a funny picture.

 

I only stayed and chatted for about an hour, because I had many things to do and a headache to contend with (just to throw in a line about my petty personal problems), but I was glad I attended.  I feel it makes me look at my village as a whole and gives me a different perspective from my usual Mohawk Valley adventures.

 

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We’re Animal Lovers, Too

Posted on May 27, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Mohawk Antiques Mall must be run by animal lovers.  They house 4PetSake Food Pantry, and last Saturday they hosted the Herkimer County Humane Society Plant Sale.  Steven and I stopped by to add to my container garden.

 

It was a windy morning.  A flyer for the Humane Society Garage Sale next Saturday blew off a post it was taped to.  I put it back on only to have it blow off again.  I brought it to the ladies at the table.  They thanked me.

 

“I’ll have to go to that Garage Sale,” I said.   “I found some good stuff there last year.” (Perhaps you read my blog post about it.)  I noticed on the flier that they would be selling hot dogs and offering tours of the facility.  “I might eat a hot dog,” I said.  “But I might not take a tour.  It breaks my heart, all those dogs wagging their tails so hopefully. I just want to take them all home.”

 

“We have cats, too,” one lady said.

 

“I’m allergic.  I can’t even be in the same room with a cat for very long.”

 

We picked out some pretty flowers and a six-pack of basil.  I was especially delighted with the basil.  Fresh pesto all summer!

 

We did not go into the Antiques Mall this time, but it is one of our favorite places to browse.  They are located a Main St., Mohawk, NY. For more information you can visit their website at www.mohawkantiquesmall.com and/or Like their Facebook page.

 

The Herkimer County Humane Society Garage Sale is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Humane Society,  514 State Route 5S, Mohawk,NY. For more information, visit their website at www.herkhumane.org, or Like their Facebook page.

 

For more information about 4PetSake Food Pantry,visit their website at www.4PetSake.org, and/or Like their Facebook page.

 

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Bob Barker Would Approve

Posted on May 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I always liked how at the end of The Price is Right Bob Barker used to and now Drew Carey does remind us to spay and neuter our pets (although I do not watch that show on a regular basis).  I am pleased to participate in a fundraiser for spay and neuter programs.  I am especially delighted to do so when the fundraiser uses a play on words for its title.   So I made a definite plan to go to the Spay-getti and No Balls Dinner sponsored by 4PetsSake food pantry (whose name is another good play on words), last Saturday at the American Legion in Mohawk, NY.

 

The Legion is in a lovely building.  I admired the staircase and woodwork as Steven and I walked in.  When we purchased our dinner tickets, I asked would it be all right to go into the bar area and purchase a glass of wine.  It was all right with them if it was all right with the Legion.

 

The Merlot was tasty.  The dinner was even better.  The spaghetti was not overcooked, as sometimes happens with these large dinners, and despite the No Balls title, two delicious meatballs were included.  We waited till after we had finished dinner and a yummy dessert (brownie for me, red velvet cake for Steven) before looking at the items available for the Chinese auction.

 

After we left, we sat on the front porch for a few minutes.  I do love sitting on a front porch and am so happy we finally got the weather for it.  Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a large dog were playing on the lawn with a few kids.  The dog petted one little girl.  When we left he was rubbing her tummy.

 

It was an enjoyable evening, and it got even better when Steven got a phone call that he had won a basket of dog treats from Adirondack Puppy Truffles in Remsen.  They are wheat free, corn free, soy free, handcrafted and all natural.  Tabby loves them.

 

All proceeds from the dinner benefit 4PetSake’s low cost spay and neuter program.  For more information on that, contact 4PetsSake at 315-796-2584, email pet-sake@hotmail.com, or visit their website www.4petsakefoodpantry.org.  For more information on Adirondack Puppy Trifles, call 315-272-3532, email truffleb@me.com or visit their website, www.adkpuppytruffles.com.  Both also have Facebook pages.

 

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The Last Pre-Show Post

Posted on February 9, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Under the best of circumstances I often have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday. Today I do not have the best of circumstances. I have pretty damn good circumstances, I will admit. But they are not ideal for writing a wonderful blog post. For this I have my dithery self to blame (the computer seems to think “dithery” is not a word, but I believe it describes me accurately).

At 2 p.m. begins the closing performance of Busybody, the play I am in at Ilion Little Theatre. It’s always bittersweet when a play ends. How could it not be? For better or worse, this script and these people have been a huge part of your life for, in this case, over two months. For “Busybody” it has been for better. Delightful cast, humorous script, wonderful audiences, great director and awesome light/sound guy.

And I will admit, it is not just my appreciation of the others involved. It is my own petty ego gratification, because I have a big part and, dammit, I am doing a good job. OK, not a perfect job. Last night there was a (to me) painful pause in which I suddenly remembered that the next line was mine.

“Ow, I know!” I burst out, in my Cockney accent (that’s why it’s “Ow” instead of “Oh”), pretending that my character had just now had a clever thought. The moment passed. Nobody seemed to care.

Lame Post Friday is the day for half-baked philosophy, or I would ask myself why it is I feel quite sheepish in saying, “I’m doing a good job.” Can I not appreciate my own success? I think I have been pretty clear that it is part of a group effort and not my own wonderfulness carrying along everyone else willy-nilly. These are questions for another day.

For now I will continue to dither and panic (well, maybe not panic, but certainly get butterflies) about getting to the theatre, remembering props and costumes, not to mention lines. Oh yes, and once again I’ve forgotten to eat. That I can fix. Have a nice Sunday, everyone. I’m off to break a couple of legs.

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Breakfast Before Bear

Posted on January 25, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t know, do you like that title? I was in the mood for some alliteration but now I am questioning myself. I believe I mentioned that I have a bear of a week in front of me. That is an imperfect metaphor but one I have always liked. In general I feel my week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday, a view that I know is shared by many (I’ve even had calendars that reflected it). However, I have a marathon rehearsal today for the play I am in, which opens on Friday. So I feel my week is beginning today.

To start the week right, Steven and I went to breakfast at the Herkimer Elks Club. I know I have mentioned that the Lady Elks put on a breakfast on Sundays in January to fund their projects for the upcoming year. It’s the bomb. We watch for it every year and attend if at all possible. This year it has been possible three times. Score!

We got there the earliest we’ve been yet, shortly after 8:30 a.m. There was no problem finding a parking space or a place to sit. We both enjoyed eggs over medium, wheat toast, homefries with onions, coffee and juice. Additionally Steven had pancakes and bacon while I had baked beans and sausage. The cook even put a smiley face on Steven’s top pancake. As we left the breakfast several members of the Elks thanked us for coming. We thanked them for the delicious breakfast, saying we look forward to it every year.

“See you next January,” I said.

I confess I feel too preoccupied to write a better blog post today. I must study my lines and organize my costume. And nurse the butterflies I am beginning to get in my stomach. Everyone assures me I am doing a good job in this play, but how do I know they are not just being nice? Or hoping for a self-fulfilling prophecy? I bet a lot of you thought I was going to skip Wrist to Forehead Sunday. No such luck!

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A Breakfast on Sunday Keeps Post-Christmas Letdown Away

Posted on January 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I managed to keep my post-Christmas letdown away for one more day with the help the Herkimer, NY, Lady Elks. Every January they offer a breakfast on Sundays to help finance their projects for the year. Last year Steven had to work every Sunday. When we found he had today (Jan. 4) off, we were delighted.

The breakfast ran from 7 to 11 a.m. I actually found that out on the internet. Regular readers know I have a bit of a problem with technology. I usually have better luck going through the newspapers in our recycle bin to find out what I want to know. We left the house right around nine. The Herkimer Elks Club is on Mary Street, close to where we live. We found a parking spot in the parking lot, which I thought was lucky. After all, these breakfasts are quite popular.

A gentleman was out putting ice-melt on the sidewalk. He came over and offered me his arm for walking through the parking lot. Of course I had not worn anything sensible like my army boots. What do you want from me? It was a meal out; I wanted to wear a nice skirt and pantyhose.

Breakfast was $9. We also spent $5 on the 50/50 raffle and put a tip in the tip jar. There was no need to wait till after breakfast to do this, because I knew I would get great service. Steven and I both got eggs over medium, wheat toast, bacon, and homefries with onions. I got baked beans while Steven got pancakes, although we both could have gotten both. As soon as we sat down we were offered coffee and juice.

Our food came right away and was delicious. We saw a few people we knew and said hello. It was altogether a very enjoyable experience. Breakfasts will also be held Jan. 11, 18 and 25. I hope Steven has another Sunday off on one of those dates. Perhaps he would not mind if I found another date.

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Friday Christmas Adventures

Posted on December 6, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last night Steven and I got into the Christmas spirit by going to Barnes & Noble in New Hartford, NY to hear a reading of Polar Bear Express by WKTV weatherman Bill Kardas and writer Dave Dellecese. I suppose it would have been nice to provide ourselves with a small child for such an event, but we made do with enjoying the kids that were there.

First we had to negotiate Christmas season rush hour traffic. Yikes! It can get a little hairy around Consumer Square, where Barnes & Noble is located. We first went a little beyond that destination to Olive Garden for dinner. I know, Mohawk Valley Girl likes local, unique restaurants and stores, but Friday I went to two chains. It happens.

After a good dinner with great service, we headed out. We had extra time, so we made a quick stop at Bremer’s Liquor Store, where they were having a wine tasting (ooh, that’s a local, unique place!). Unfortunately I did not have the notebook I like to put tasting notes in, but we did purchase a red blend called RedVolution in a Bota Box. Yum.

For one more stop, we walked around 5 Below, two doors down from the bookstore. Everything there is $5 or less. That was kind of fun to walk around, but nothing tempted us, so we were on to our destination.

Some nice young men were offering gift wrapping for donations as a fundraiser for their school (I foolishly did not make a note of the school; sorry). They gave us a card to give the cashier if we purchased anything, because the store would donate a portion of the sale to the school. I had planned to get Steven Leonard Maltin’s 2015 Movie Guide, which he had asked for. This way he got his present early plus a little frisson of virtue for helping the school. We also got some coffee, which got the school another small donation. Every little bit helps!

We enjoyed the reading of the book. Dave was dressed as the conductor, which was fun. A man had a train whistle, so there were sound effects, too. A number of kids were there, one dressed in pajamas. Everybody seemed to have a good time. A slight disruption occurred when Dave said he was sure everyone present had been good and would get presents from Santa, and a woman in the audience piped up, “Steven was bad!” (I guess I don’t have to tell you who that was).

According to Bill Kardas’ Facebook page, Polar Express has become a tradition for Bill and Dave. It may become a tradition for me and Steven too.

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Fine Arts and Fun

Posted on November 25, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday my Mohawk Valley adventures took me a little further afield than my usual Herkimer-Ilion-Mohawk beat. I went to the Sauquoit Valley Fine Arts and Crafts Show in Sauquoit, NY with my Mom and sister Cheryl.

It was Cheryl’s idea. She drove us over scenic country roads into Sauquoit. It’s one of those areas where you can look out over farmland towards mountains. I love a long view. And what a lovely village Sauquoit is! We were all admiring the houses, many of which looked historic, or at least old in a good way.

It was pretty obvious where the craft fair was as we went by numerous cars parked along the roads. Luckily there were people directing traffic, so we didn’t drive into a parking lot only to find all the spaces taken. We got a space in the elementary school lot. If we had gone further and parked at the high school, we could have gotten a shuttle back to the middle school, where the event took place. As it was, we all agreed we could use the exercise. It wasn’t all that far of a walk anyways.

Cheryl paid our $3 admission fee (wasn’t that nice of her, after she drove and everything) and got a map. Mom and I checked our coats, which was free, although there was a tip jar. We did not use the map much but went from room to room, trying to catch everything. The show encompassed many rooms on two floors as well as the gymnasium.

All sorts of vendors were present: woodwork, knitting, quilting and more. Other booths offered dips, honey and even fruit salsa. I tried a few of the free samples. The booths offering soap or candles smelled the best. I took business cards from the vendors which particularly interested me. Cheryl and Mom purchased a few Christmas presents, but none for me. I was bad this year.

I confess I was as interested to see the bulletin boards in the classrooms and in the halls as much as the vendors. What are they teaching kids these days? I saw quite a number of anti-bullying messages as well as things about respect and making good decisions. Those sounded like pretty good lessons to learn, so I paid attention.

When we got hungry we made our way to the cafeteria for the Crystal Cafe. There was also a bake sale in progress. Cheryl and I had hot dogs with sour kraut while Mom enjoyed some chicken soup. I resisted the temptations of the bake sale, but Cheryl got a banana chocolate chip bread.

The fair ran for two days, Saturday and Sunday. It is an annual event, although this is the first time I’ve gone. I’ll have to watch for it again next year. It was a lot of fun.

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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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