Category Archives: Pedestrain Post

Pedestrian Post with Pictures

Steven and I decided to take a little stroll after dinner, so I brought along my Tablet to take a few pictures.  It was a lovely afternoon for a stroll.  After stopping to chat with  neighbor, I saw some flowers I wanted to snap.

This is an apartment building that used to be a school.

Hmm… I guess that one did not come out very clearly, but I liked the purple flowers.

Maybe I’ll go back after dark and try to get a picture of these lit up.

Steven noticed some solar lights and wondered if ours still work.  We did not put them out this year.  It’s kind of a rebuilding year for our lawn; we have not done much with it except get the nice young man who lives across the street to mow it for us.

Steven thinks this would make a delightful movie/opera house.

Eventually we turned down Main Street, and I suggested I take a picture of this building, which we have long admired.  The “for sale” sign that I had noticed there previously was gone.  I wondered if somebody had bought it or if they were just doing the trick of taking the sign down for a while so when they put it back up folks will think it is a new listing.

I love the color; the picture does not fully do it justice.

Continuing down the street, we saw a building that had seen better days, but there was one lovely flower in front of it, so I took its picture.  Soon we were approaching the Historic Four Corners, which regular readers may recall is a favorite spot of mine.

I wrote a blog post about this cemetery once, a long time ago.

This is the Herkimer Reformed Church.   I love the old gravestones.  Next I wanted a shot of the Suiter House, home of the Herkimer County Historical Society.

It’s even more interesting inside.

The house was built by Dr. A. Walter Suiter, who played a pivotal role in the trials of Chester Gillette and Roxalana Druse, two famous historical murderers of the area.  Steven played Dr. Suiter in the play Roxy, presented by the Historical Society at Ilion Little Theatre in 2015 (I played Roxy.  Perhaps you read a few of my blog posts about it).

Across the street is the Herkimer County Courthouse, where Chester Gillette and Roxalana Druse were tried for their respective murders.

Still a magnificent-looking building.

Of course I had to take a picture of the 1834 Jail, which housed both Gillette and Druse.

Who put that tree in the way!

Steven suggested I take a picture of him on the steps.

“Try to look like Dr. Suiter,” I suggested.

“In my party shorts with my Mr. Incredible t-shirt,” he said, as if he thought that was a problem.  He just smiled handsomely instead.

“Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are thou…” Oh, wait. Wrong play.

Continuing down Main Street, I took a picture of Christ Episcopal Church.

Another handsome, historical building.

We cut though the little park next to Basloe Library (another of my favorite places), and I got a picture of some nice flowers.

I did not read the NOTICE on the building. I hope it did not say not to take pictures of the flowers.

After that, I thought I had taken enough pictures, so we continued our walk back home.  Now I see I am over 550 words and I have successfully avoided having another Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I say, not a bad ending to the weekend.

 

Walking on Sunshine

It was a drop-dead gorgeous day in the Mohawk Valley today.  Steven and I felt the right thing to do was to take a long walk, so we did.  First I wrote a few post cards.  I normally do that on Saturday, but, well, I guess it’s been kind of a lost weekend for me.  Don’t judge. Oh, OK, judge if you want, but don’t nag. I won’t listen.  Where was I?  Ah yes, about to write a Pedestrian Post instead of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday.

It was so bright and sunny I put on a hat with a brim and carried my purse, which contains my prescription sunglasses.  I put the sunglasses on before we reached the end of the driveway.  Before leaving, though, we walked into the backyard and shook our heads over the amount of yard work that needs to be done.  The delightful part was that we have some crocuses.  I was afraid with the early warm days and late snow we wouldn’t get any.  I noticed a few irises coming up as well.  Yay!

We walked down the sidewalk positively glorying in the warmth.  As we went through Meyers Park, I pointed out buds on some of the trees.  How wonderful it will be so see some green finally!  It was a comfortable temperature for walking, but I almost felt as if I won’t mind it too much when it does get super hot.  Oh well, I suppose I will be true to form and complain about it when it happens, but right now, I feel as if I won’t mind.  Does that make any sense to anybody?

After mailing the post cards, we headed toward Main Street then up Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, one of my favorite spots.  We continued up Main then over to the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.  We ended up walking down three stretches of the path, then up Washington and down Court Street to the Historic Four Corners again.  We met many people out taking a stroll or hanging out on their porches.  We exchanged greetings with all.

I was quite hungry when we got home so started cooking dinner. We opened front and back doors, because I ran the oven.  How lovely to air out the house!  I only wish I had brought our tablet on the walk so I could have taken some pictures to share.  Maybe I’ll look into getting one of them there smart phones; that ought to help pep things up.  Then I’ll have a Pepped Up Pedestrian Post.  You know how I love alliteration.  Happy Sunday, everyone.

 

Short Walk Off a Lame Post

Did I use that title before?  If so, sorry to repeat myself.

I am so tired, I think I may cry.  No, that would be too much trouble.  I’ll just whine.  After all, go with your strengths.  Luckily, it is Lame Post Friday.  I’ll come up with a couple of random observations, perhaps spin a bit of half-baked philosophy, and hit publish.  It’s all good.

I actually thought I might do a Pedestrian Post today.  I don’t feel as inclined to do Pedestrian Posts after a walk with Spunky as I did after a walk with Tabby, because Spunky does not want to walk as far.  He often goes down the street and back or at most around the block, and not even around the whole block, but cutting through the parking lot of the apartment building at the end of the street.  I’ve felt a little bad about abandoning a whole category like that, though, especially since I always say Herkimer is such a good village to take a walk in.

So when I walked out the door with my dog this evening, I thought, “Perfect!  Lame Post Friday is solved!”  I thought it would be OK if the walk and the post were both short, being, you know, LPF (that’s the first time I’ve ever called it by its initials; what do you think?).  It was never going to be much of a walk.  I had already put on my comfy clothes for the evening.  You know, the bra off, sweats on portion of the day which I so love.  It was pajama bottoms instead of sweats, but still.

Most days I take Spunky for his walk as soon as I get home from work.  Sometimes he doesn’t seem to want to go, so I put it off.  Today I had put it off long enough to forget about it.  I remembered it as I put the pajama bottoms on.  Well, maybe Steven would take Spunky out when he got home and not be too annoyed at me.  I would throw myself on his mercy.  It had been a long day.  As I came downstairs, Spunky jumped off the couch and ran up to me.  I think he thought I was putting on go for a walk clothes.  I traded my slippers for sneakers and looked for his harness.

One reason I had been just as glad to put off the walk is that it was raining.  It was still raining but not too hard.  I put on my crazy old lady had but did not bother with an umbrella. For one reason, it is awkward to handle leash, umbrella and poop bag at the same time.  I could write a post about a walk in the rain, I thought.  I was immediately fascinated by the grey light.  Of course the sky was completely covered with dark clouds, but it was not gloomy.  I couldn’t tell where the light was coming from, but it looked eerie.  I wondered if the sun was peeking out somewhere and there was a rainbow somewhere, but I did not see one.

Spunky peed a couple times right away but was walking slowly, looking up at me every so often.  We were only a house away from our own driveway when he looked at me and I said, “Do you want to go back home?”  He did.

So you see, I cannot write a whole blog post about that little bitty walk.  Only it seems I did.  Happy Friday, everyone.

 

Nice Stroll on Non-Sequitur Thursday

How about a nice Pedestrian Post?  One thing I really looked forward to when we decided to adopt Spunky was walking a dog.  I LOVE to walk a dog.

Unfortunately, so far our walks have not been that exciting.  One reason is that they are short walks.  Spunky is just a little guy.  I guess those short legs get tired in a hurry.  Oh, I should perhaps mention, I have been calling him a Shih Tzu, but when Steven looked over the paperwork from the veterinarian, it said Spunky is a Pekapoo.  I think I have said that I don’t really know from breeds.

Be that as it may, I got home from work and Spunky was clearly ready to go out.  I have to understand that; I can’t hold my pee nearly as long as dogs do.  I grabbed my crazy old lady hat (sunny day), Spunky’s leash, a poop bag and my house key (must be secure), and we set out.

At the beginning of a walk, Spunky trots along eagerly.  We would make good time if he didn’t want to stop and sniff so often.  Then again, that is what dogs do  (heehee, I said “dog do”).   We made it to the corner, turned right, and started down Church Street.  Two dachshunds were in the yard at the next corner.  The bigger one ran over as we approached.  The man watching them said he just wanted to play.  He and Spunky sniffed each other (um, the dog, not that man).  After a while, his person ordered him into the house.  He went reluctantly.

The other dachshund, a smaller, long-haired dog, kept his distance.  We had to approach him as we continued our walk.  First he seemed inclined to give us a wide berth, then he started barking vigorously. The man told him to stop and go in the house.  The first dog came running over to join the fun.  I pulled Spunky along and we were soon beyond inciting the other pooches.

This was about the time Spunky slowed down.  I wonder if I should get one of those doggy strollers, so that when he gets tired he can ride for a while.  For now I’m just walking a little slower and encouraging my dog to keep going till we get home.  Today I was just as happy to have a short walk.  It was getting quite warm for me out in the bright sun.  Additionally, even though I had my wide-brimmed hat, I had neglected to wear my prescription sunglasses.  But our walk wasn’t about me.  It was about our nice poocher.

Incidentally, the reason my blog post today is a mere Pedestrian Post written on the fly is that today on breaks at work, I wrote more on my banana play.  I can’t feel too proud of myself about that, because it isn’t going very well.  I’ll have a few good lines, a dramatic situation, some believable character interaction… but is it going anywhere?  It is not the sort of play that can go nowhere (Bananas for Godot?).

But, as I often say, no matter.  It is Non-Sequitur Thursday, and this is my post. If I can only think of a punchy headline, all is not lost.  If my headline is, well, more paunchy, yet it will have to do.  You can let me know what you think of it, if you are so inclined.  In the meantime, I hope to see you on Lame Post Friday.

 

Sunshine Sunday

Spring has returned to the Mohawk Valley.  It’s been here already once or twice in 2016.  Then cold weather and snow returned.  Then we had some gloomy, rainy days, which, truth be known, I kind of like.  However, yesterday and today the sun returned in full force, and I am loving it.

Yesterday I enjoyed a walk and some running around (it was Scattered Saturday, you may recall), but Steven was sick with a cold and could not join in my enjoyment.  Today he is feeling a little bit better.  We just took a lovely walk, so in lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday or even All Leading Ladies All The Time, I offer a humble Pedestrian Post.

I wore my crazy old lady hat and sunglasses but no jacket.  I found a white cotton long-sleeved shirt to put over my t-shirt, because I didn’t quite want bare arms.  Steven, since he is still convalescent, wore a hooded sweatshirt (our generation does not call them “hoodies.” I’m not even sure if a hoodie is the exact same thing or if there is some extra quality attached). Fashion choices settled, we set out.

We headed towards downtown Herkimer, past my beloved Historic Four Corners.  I pointed to the 1834 Jail and said, “That’s where I got hung.”  That, of course, was a reference to the play Roxy, in which I played the title role.  I’m sure it is one of those parts I will carry around with me forever, and that’s not really a bad thing.

As we walked down Main Street, we were sorry to see all the empty businesses.  I wish the area was more thriving.  At least there are a few bright spots.  Valley Exchange is open Sundays now; that’s always a fun place to look around.  Roma’s Pizza now occupies the space that was formerly Brian’s Roast Beef Deli.  I’m fond of Linda’s Consignment Shop, and The End Zone is a nice place to stop in for a beer unless Pete’s Tavern is more your speed.  Collis TruValue Hardware still seems to be going strong.

Turning down Albany Street, we saw that Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner was, as usual, doing a booming business.  Hummel’s Office Plus had some clearance items out on the sidewalk.  We did not stop into any of these businesses.  In fact, I’m sure I missed mentioning a few.  Sorry.  What do you want from me, I’m an amateur blogger not a downtown-boosting advertising agency.

We continued down Albany Street to Caroline, enjoying the sunshine.  I think sunshine is nature’s cosmetic, because almost any scene looks better in the sun.  As we walked we discussed our plans for the afternoon.   I want to sit out on our deck or front porch, perhaps with a beverage.  Steven wants to study his lines from Leading Ladies (I guess I have to mention the play at least once).

One last sunshine-related note:  I washed our sheets and hung them out on our clothesline.  I am SO looking forward to the sweet smell when I go to bed tonight.  I feel certain it will make Monday a little more pleasant.  Hope to see you then.

 

Sunday Stroll in the Sun

In lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday, I offer a Pedestrian Post with a heartfelt sigh of happiness about the weather.

My husband Steven had today off, so it promised to be a good day from the get-go.  We went out to breakfast at Crazy Otto’s before a quick stop at the grocery store.  It was already warmish when we left the house, but when I stepped out of Crazy Otto’s it was WONDERFUL!  I walked down the sidewalk taking deep breaths of spring air.  This was a good day for a walk.

When we got back from Hannaford, I wrote a few postcards, as I usually do on Saturday but had not gotten to this week.  Then I picked up my script for Leading Ladies.  Many of you will remember that is the play I am directing for Ilion Little Theatre.  Auditions are tomorrow. I wanted to photocopy scenes for them.  Hummel’s Office Plus is a short walk from the post office. They have a photocopier.

I wore my crazy old lady hat and my prescription sunglasses.  I was grateful for both.  How wonderful to walk along in a mere sweatshirt (um, and the rest of my clothes, don’t get any weird ideas about me) with no bitter wind hurting my face.  The sidewalks were mostly bare, and the lawns not too squishy when we had to walk around mud or ice.

After mailing the postcards and making the copies, we walked up Main Street so Steven could purchase cigarettes at Smoker’s Choice.  We observed that Valley Exchange was open but contented ourselves with looking at the window.  That is a fun store.  Linda’s Consignment Shop, across the street, was not open, but I must get down there again soon. Also on the other side of the street we saw people working in The End Zone, a pub and grill to be opening soon.

We walked all the way up to German Street, then past our own street to take an extra turn around our block, because we were so enjoying the weather.  Snow is in the forecast in the upcoming week, but I can’t worry about that today.  I hope you are all having a lovely Sunday as well.

 

And the Killer Is…

Just kidding.  This is a Pedestrian Post masquerading as a Non-Sequitur Thursday.

I have been having trouble re-starting my run regimen (I use a most generous definition of “regimen”).  My knees have been bothering me.  Not horribly, but they do ache.  It is sometimes less than pleasant to go up or down stairs.  I have a dreadful suspicion that it is age-related.  I feel sure that if I lost more weight, that would help. Running may bother my knees,but it will help me lose weight, which will  be good for my knees. It’s kind of circular.

Monday I went for a nice walk with my husband.  Tuesday I ran.  Tuesday night/Wednesday morning I woke up with my left knee THROBBING!!!  I couldn’t go back to sleep at first because it hurt so bad.  Oh, crap!  I limped through work on Wednesday and neither ran nor walked afterwards (as you may remember, it was Wuss-out Wednesday).  However, if I don’t use my legs, they start to feel really crappy.

My knee felt better today, but I was not sure running was the best idea.   Additionally, it was Steven’s day off and you know how I love to maximize my husband time.  I made up my mind I would either run in place on the mini-tramp, while chatting with Steve, or go for a walk with Steve. Obviously, a walk was the more attractive option.

It was warmer earlier in the week, but it was not at all bad today.  We had to walk around some puddles, but surrounding grass was not too muddy.   There were a few patches of ice, which Steven boldly walked over.  I mostly skirted them.   We noted a few houses that still had their Christmas decorations up.  We like Christmas.

It was a very pleasant walk, and my legs felt wonderful with the exercise.  I will attempt another walk tomorrow or Saturday, I hope.  I’ll probably write a blog post about it.

 

Post-Christmas Pedestrian Post

I have not done a Pedestrian Post in a while.  Wait a minute, maybe I have… Oh, I just don’t feel like going back and looking.  I’m going to make a Pedestrian Post now and if you don’t like, well, that is the chance I take.

Where was I?  Ah yes, the day after Christmas.  Boxing Day, the Feast of Stephen, and Post-Christmas Letdown Day.  Oh, don’t tell me I can choose to feel happy.  Sometimes you just have to feel the way you feel.  That said, I thought it better not to dwell on how I was feeling but to try to get a few things done.  To that end, I sat down and wrote out several postcards.

I have mentioned before how I like to send postcards.  There are a few shut-ins and semi-shut-ins I try to send to regularly, and I usually write one or two to whoever I happen to think of at the moment.  Today it was a friend I have not one but two letters written to in two different notebooks.   It was just easier to dash off a postcard than to search for the other notebook (I knew where one was).  I’ll get the letter mailed out subsequently.

As I brushed my teeth and washed my face, I had something of an urge to go running instead.  However, I was disinclined to run to the post office with a handful of postcards.  For one reason, I might drop them.  For another, my glasses would undoubtedly fog when I walked into the post office to mail them.  This is all very well when one is walking, but I just didn’t want to deal with it in the middle of the run.  I could run later. I would walk now.  I would take a longish walk, in case I didn’t run later.  This would work.

My first observation on setting out was that it was foggy.  My second observation was that it is much better to walk with a dog.  Oh, how I miss my dear Tabby.  It was our Saturday thing, to walk to the post office with post cards.  Well, I still needed the exercise, so I kept going.

It was cold, but I was warmly dressed.  Only my face got increasingly colder, but I told myself not to worry about it.  I knew it might induce a sinus headache, but I could drink a cup of hot tea for that later. The sun was up so very few Christmas lights were still on and those that were were not very bright.  In Meyers Park the lights on the trees and the gazebo (or is it a bandstand?) shone bravely if faintly in the fog.  I felt a little encouraged on seeing them.

It took a very short time to get to the post office.  My glasses did not fog when I walked in.  At least, I did not notice they were fogged.  As I had walked I could not always tell if the fog was getting thicker or if my glasses were betraying me.  However, since I could see well enough to maneuver, I persevered.

About 20 minutes into the walk, I started to feel better about things.  I read somewhere that a brisk 30 minute walk is the equivalent of two Zoloft tablets.  I do enjoy how my legs feel as I stride along.  I tried not to let my cold face bother me.  I kept my hands in my pockets, so they were warm too.  Walking, I thought, was better than running.  If I had been running, my hands would be stiff by now.

I ended up walking 40 minutes and feeling pretty good about it. I see that I have written mostly about myself and have not included many observations of Herkimer.  I was looking around, and I managed to see things other than the fog.  I passed the Historic Four Corners twice.  Well, I will have to write an observation-filled Pedestrian Post next time.  I hope you are all having a lovely December the 26th.

 

Miracle Puppies in Meyers Park

How about if Sunday Stroll replaces Wrist to Forehead Sunday?  For one reason, exercise is a proven anti-depressant, as is spending time with loved ones.  After returning from a nice walk with my nice husband, I feel decidedly less down.

We had planned to go for a walk anyways, since it is a lovely day and Steven has the day off (yay!).  I decided to write a Pedestrian Post.  After all, waste not, want not.

It was cold in our house this morning, so we had on long pants and long sleeves.  However, with the bright sun we wondered if we even needed jackets.  We did not.  I protected myself with my crazy old lady hat and prescription sunglasses.  I soon found that it was more comfortable in the shade.  Shorts and short sleeves would have been all right, too.  No matter.  We were out moving our legs and we intended to enjoy it.

We headed toward Meyers Park, where we saw three very cute little dogs enjoying a walk with their person.  I asked if we could pet them.

“Sure,” the guy said.  “They won’t harm you, they might jump up on you.”  That was OK with me.  As regular readers know, I no longer have a nice dog to jump up on me every day. I miss it.  The man told us they were all Jack Russells and two of the dogs were the offspring of the third.  One could not walk when he was born.  You wouldn’t know it now!  The other had been born dead but came back to life.

“So they’re miracle puppies,” I said, delighted to make their acquaintance.  He said he also had a German shepherd that had been abused.  I’m always glad to hear about a happily rescued dog.

We walked on to Main Street and down past a few businesses.  I saw new two second-hand shops I mean to check out when they are open.  Pete’s Tavern was open.  I said we could go in and get a beer, but we continued our walk instead.

The walk was less than a half hour, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  Now I shall get back to enjoying my Sunday.  I hope you are doing the same.

 

Saturday Stroll in the Sun

I have been saying and saying I must begin running again, but today was not the day.  However, under the heading Have to Start Somewhere, I took a half-hour walk so make bold to offer a Pedestrian Post on the beautiful Saturday morning.

I am trying to be very faithful with my post-card sending, because I hear from various sources that people like them.  Today I also had a letter to a friend.  Just as a side note: yesterday Steven was on the phone with a friend and mentioned how I had sent a letter to another friend.  She was quite fascinated by the idea that I wrote it on paper, stamped it and mailed it.  I must write her and her husband a letter soon.

But getting back to the walk, I had gotten a later start than normal.  In my defense, we were in a play last night (you had to know I would sneak in a reference to Roxy somewhere along the line).  Also, Steven did not work till 10, and some days I feel I must maximize my husband time.  However, I managed to set out soon after he left.

The sun was high in the sky, but I had taken the precaution of putting on sunscreen. I also put on my crazy old lady hat, which has a wide brim, and my prescription sunglasses.  Love my Rx sunglasses.  They are polarized.  I made sure the postcards and letters were properly addressed and stamped, locked my door, and off  I went.

It was warm in the direct sunlight, but I did not despair of finding some shade along the way.  I sure was missing my little dog, Tabby, but one must carry on. Rocky, a dog across the street, was on a rope in the backyard, barking at all and sundry.  I wanted to go over and pet him, but I am not that close with those neighbors so thought I better not.

I saw a little black and white dog frisking around another neighbor’s lawn.  When I got closer I saw a man and boy on the porch.  I asked if I could pet the dog.  The dog, however, was having none of it.  He ran up to me barking, but when I bent down and offered my hand to sniff he backed off.  The man on the porch said the dog was nice, which I believe, but I also know that some dogs don’t like to be petted by just anybody.

Further down the sidewalk I saw a beautiful retriever-looking dog on a leash.  His guy was talking to another guy while the dog sat by, looking like the best-behaved beast ever.  As I got closer the dog jumped up, apparently interested in checking me out.  I asked if I could pet him, and the owner said I could.

“He’s just a puppy, so he gets pretty excited,” he warned.  The dog was certainly eager to be petted.

“Oh, he’s nice,” I said. “He’s a friendly one!”

“Too friendly,” the owner agreed with a laugh.

“He’s a cutie!”

“Thanks.”

We parted friends.  After I mailed my stuff at the post office, I continued to walk, going past Main Street to Green and eventually to the nice path over what used to be a hydraulic canal, one of my favorite walks.  The sun continued to beat down on me, making what shade I could find quite welcome.  Still, it was a beautiful day, very summery.  I sure many people were embracing it, especially as fall is not far away.

I saw one more dog in front of a house, his person right at the door.  Alas, he was not into being petted either.  However, the friendly dog was so friendly, I felt he made up for the dogs that snubbed me.

My walk felt pretty good, even if I was quite sweaty by the end (after all, I’m washable).  I shall continue my quest for more exercise in the coming days.  You’ll read about it here (at least, I hope you’ll keep reading).  Happy Saturday, everyone!