Category Archives: Way Back Wednesday

Old Mystery, New Mystery

Posted on May 13, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am going to have a Way Back Wednesday post but cannot decide if I want to go back to murder mysteries or gardening glories.  OK, my previous gardening endeavors have not been particularly glorious; I was merely going for the alliteration, since one is built in for murder mysteries.  Since I shared flowers yesterday and am concerned with Saturday’s performance of A Revolutionary Murder, I think I will go with the first one.

They are more suspicious than they look.

These are two of the suspects from A G.R.A.V.E. Murder, which we presented in October 2017 to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I was thinking about it last night, because my friend, Chuck, who is in A Revolutionary Murder, said that was one of his favorite characters, an endearingly gung ho ghost hunter (why in the world is my computer underlining “gung”?  I even looked it up!).  Saturday he plays a wheeler-dealer in charge of the evening.

Here’s the whole murderous crew!

Here is the entire cast of A G.R.A.V.E. Murder.  The second from the right is in A Revolutionary Murder as well.  He played a snotty, snobby fellow in the first but plays a gung ho musical theatre aficionado in the second.

Look at the crowd!

One more shot of G.R.A.V.E.  It was one of our best attended performances, which led to some problems being heard.  I hope we will get good attendance on Saturday and help Morning Star make some money.

A Revolutionary Murder will be presented at Morning Star United Methodist Church, 36 Second St., Ilion, NY, on Saturday, May 16, doors open at 5 p.m., roast pork dinner at 5:30.  It is a good idea to get there at 5 p.m. For tickets or more information call Barb at 315-894-4520.

 

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Monstrous Memories on a Late Wuss-Out Wednesday Post

Posted on April 30, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well I wussed out on Wednesday and failed to make a blog post.  In my defense… my defense is too long and boring to share. Instead I will make a late  Mid-Week Monsters post and try for a Non-Sequitur or other Thursday post later in the day.  It is not super early for me, but it is prior to 7 a.m. which is considered early by many.

Extra points for crazy eyes.

How about me and a monster, qualifying this as a Wayback Wednesday post as well.  This was from October 2020, when we were all trying to recover from the COVID lock-down.  I was pursuing a challenge of exercising for 34 minutes 34 days in a row to call attention to 34 million Americans who suffer from diabetes.  Part of the challenge was to post a selfie every day and talk about the challenge.  Naturally I included friends.

It’s Mookie Wilson!

I was so taken by that selfie, I make bold to share another one.  I talked about Mookie Wilson the bat in a recent blog post.  If I can find it I will make a ping back to it.

I don’t want Bonaparte to feel left out!

And one more, just to make it three pictures.  I have been having a little trouble running and walking this past week, but I will not share my woes with you yet (key word being yet; I cannot always refrain from whining).  In the meantime, I have achieved over 200 words, my first, and perhaps only accomplishment of the day.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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What Kind of a Wednesday?

Posted on February 13, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I waited till quite late in the day on Wednesday to make a blog post and I am wondering if I should go for a Wuss-Out Wednesday, a Way-Back Wednesday, or a Mid-Week Monsters post.  Regular readers (if I still have any) are probably betting on the Mid-Week Monsters.  I do love my creepy crawly friends.

Aren’t they fun?

Here is a multi-purpose picture.  It is Monsters, obviously, and it is Way-back, since it is from October 2016, AND it is a shout-out to a local business, because it was taken at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY,one of my favorite places.   I mean Pumpkin Junction, not Sauquoit although I am sure Sauquoit is a perfectly nice locality, although my computer seems to think it is not a word.  However, my quarrels with autocorrect are well known and we will not revisit them at this time (good God, is “autocorrect” usually underlined?  Why do I not remember these things?)

I’m thinking that fellow does more coffee than treats at the So Sweet.

Here is another picture from 2016 from another local business.  The So Sweet Candy Shoppe has moved to Clinton from Utica, but they still offer a delightful variety of treats.  I just don’t imagine the skeleton is there now as their Valentine’s Day decorations are probably up.  Still, I thought he fit in with the post.

I am in general not a fan of multi-tasking, preferring to concentrate on one thing at a time in hopes of doing it right (not always likely when I am involved), but I have included monsters, pictures from the past, shout-outs to two local businesses, and I have even wussed out to a certain extent.  I think this blog post has done more than its fair share of work.  If it has entertained anybody as well, I am more than content with my efforts.]

 

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No Ghosts, But Christmas Past

Posted on December 5, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

The late blog posts continue as I attempt to make Wednesday’s post Thursday morning.  I thought I could do a Wayback Wednesday, maybe a combination Wayback Wednesday/Throwback Thursday.  Perhaps a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Proof that Santa Claus does so visit the naughty ones!

I am not sure where this particular Santa Claus is.  We got him from the Herkimer County Historical Society.  He had blown into their yard one blustery December day, and nobody claimed him.  Our friends at the society thought my husband, Steven and I would give him a good home.  It is in fact only the top half of a Santa, hence our idea to hide him behind the fireplace screen.

Sometimes I decorate myself.

I can’t resist showing this picture of me in a festive outfit.  I still have the shirt; I purchased it from the J.C. Penney catalogue back into he late ’80s (why in the world is catalogue underlined?  I am not looking it up, dammit!)

We’ve added a couple of Santas since.

In case you wondered about the Santas on the stairs in the last shot, here is a picture of them without me blocking the view.   I should clean up my steps and bring some Santas down to cheer myself up.  I have a few Christmas decorations out, amidst the mess I keep trying to clean.  Will things ever look better?  Will my house ever be ready to receive guests?  Will anybody deign to come over if I do get cleaned up?  For the answers to these and other questions of greater or lesser interest, stay tuned to Mohawk Valley Girl!

 

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I Say More Wuss-Out Than Wayback

Posted on January 4, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, here we go again with me going days in a row without making a blog post.  I do not even know if I will finish this one today.  I have plans to go to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort NY with a friend for food and music.  I can’t even say that is a preview of coming attractions, because how often have I said I was going to make a blog post about something then did not.  I did not make that a question, because I do not expect that anybody will go back and check, least of all me, and I do not welcome guesses.

There is not much snow there currently.

I wanted to put in a picture, to break things up a little.  I accidentally clicked on this one from last January as I was fumbling around in my Media Library (still figuring out this new computer), and said, why not?  It is the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal in Herkimer, a favorite place for me to run or walk. I have not been walking enough lately and not running at all, but I hope to change that soon.  Not right this minute, of course. Right this minute I am blogging.

I do not intend to wear these to walk or run.

To mix things up a little more, I include this shot from 2015, when I was in Busybody at Ilion Little Theatre.  That was a fun show.  That makes this a kind of a Wayback Wednesday, although I had intended more of a Wuss-Out Wednesday.  Oh well, call it what you like.  I am over 250 words, and at least I have made a blog post.  As always, thank you for tuning in.

 

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All Lights, Camera, Murder! All The Time?

Posted on October 26, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Full disclosure:  I would not have made a blog post this morning, but my attempt to walk was foiled by rain.  Yes, I know, some people like to walk in the rain.  I personally do not mind it but did not want to either change my clothes or show up for work in a sodden state, although in a general sense I am not especially fastidious (I just wanted to use the word “fastidious” in a sentence. How often to you get to do that?).

Where was I?  Ah yes, making a blog post.  I think I will begin with a plug of our latest murder mystery, Lights, Camera, Murder! to be presented Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Herkimer Elks Lodge for the benefit for the Herkimer County Historical Society.

May be an image of text that says 'HERKIMER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND CYNTHIA QUACKENBUSH PRESENTS LIGHTS.... CAMERA... MURDER!! CAN YOU SOLVE THE MURDER BEFORE MURDERER IS REVEALED? SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11th Elks Club 112 Mary St. Herkimer, NY Doors Open at 5:30pm Dinner at 6pm Basket Raffles & 50/50 Raffle Dinner catered by PK Pubs Tickets $40.00 per person Tickets are available at The Herkimer County Historical Society 406 North Main St, Herkimer 315-866-6413'

Wow, that turned out big!

I am a little embarrassed they put my name up there in big letters.  I think I should give my little murder group a name like “Q Mysteries” or “Murder for Non-Profit” for such situations.  We have rehearsal tonight.  Perhaps I can get a few pictures for blogging purposes.  In the meantime, why don’t I finish out this post as a Throwback Thursday (or late Way-Back Wednesday) and share a few shots from previous mysteries.

She is always fabulous.

Here is my friend Kim in Fabulous and Fatal in 2019.  She is in the new one, and I expect she will be equally as fabulous.  It is always good to have a tall, gorgeous blonde in the cast.

He is fine, too.   I need to get the other one in a murder mystery sometime!

This is not from a murder mystery but from Love’s Labour’s Lost presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company in 2022.  That is local author C.T. Avis, who is cast as Jarod, the screenwriter of the movie in Lights, Camera, Murder!  He asked if he was being typecast as a writer.  I said that actually I gave him the role on the strength of his portrayal of the lovelorn Don Armado (he was in love with Jacquenetta, played by me, I add modestly.  It was so flattering!)

I will try to show a couple more cast members after tonight’s rehearsal.  I don’t promise any hints about the plot, though.  I want any local readers who decide to attend to be surprised.

 

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Late for Throwback Thursday or Wayback Wednesday

Posted on October 13, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wednesday was a real Blogger’s Sick Day.  I had one of those migraines where the only thing I could do was lie around and have a headache.  For Thursday I have no excuse, unless it was my ongoing struggles with depression.  You would think I would be used to it by  now, and being a fairly high-functioning depressant (or do I flatter myself?) still be able to get things done.  At least more things.  I did do a couple of things but hesitate to list them because (1) there weren’t that many and (2) they were late.

Never mind all that, it is early Friday morning, and I need coffee.

A little blurry, but cool mug, yes?

I paused before getting coffee to take a picture of the mug I am using.  It was Steven’s mug (my late dearly missed husband, I add for anybody just tuning in), so I celebrate a memory as I sip.  I am, of course, using Halloween mugs this month.  I have too many coffee mugs in general, but NOT too many Halloween mugs!

They were a delightful couple.

I share the picture of Bridezilla and her consort, because I dreamed about her last night.  In my dream, I was telling somebody about the costume, and, as happens sometimes in dreams, we were watching it as I was telling it.  Only then she looked all different and was in a different costume, as also happens in dreams.  Don’t tell Dr. Freud on me!

He was looking good!

Bridezilla and the above picture were at a Halloween party at the Herkimer VFW in 2021.  We had a great time.  Another attendee told us me and Steve were the best couple.  How sweet!

She was the Woman of Many Hats.

Our friend Tracy was visiting at the time.  She dressed as herself:  a Woman Who Wears Many Hats, because she does, if you see what I mean.  Nobody took a picture of me.  I was just a common or garden ghoul.

One more scary picture couldn’t hurt, might help.

So I guess this is a Wayback Wednesday or a Throwback Thursday post.  We’ll see if I can be on time for Lame Post Friday, but no promises.

 

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Post Headache Post

Posted on September 15, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

In my last post I said something about my blog posts suffering, but for the last few days, I have been suffering.  My seasonal allergies have kicked in big time with the result that I am lighted-headed and/or headachey, and breathing is not the easiest.  I apologize for whining about it; I only wanted to explain why I missed posting on Wednesday and Thursday.

I made it through work both days and through rehearsal on Wednesday, so there’s that.  Last night we did not have rehearsal, so I had a long sleep.  Oh, the sheer relief of waking up without a headache!  I hope that state continues.  In the meantime, perhaps I can manage some semblance of a blog post.

Clearly I am not buying what he is selling.

Throwback Thursday or Wayback Wednesday on Friday morning, that’s the ticket.  This is my late, beloved husband Steve and me in Harvey at Ilion Little Theatre back in 2012.  What a fun show that was!

My most comfortable costume.

Here we are again in Splitting Issues in 2015.  Or was it ’16?  Anyways, it was the 2015-16 season.  I sit in that same chair in the current play I am in.  I love community theatre.

This gets me to 200 words, so I say, “Phew!” And I just hit something that made my screen ENORMOUS!  Oh dear.  I had better hit Publish before I really screw things up!

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Wuss-Out or Way-Back, At Least it’s still Wednesday!

Posted on August 3, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I might just as well admit I am having a bad patch of days.  I feel down.  I feel tired.  I have no energy or ambition to do anything.  So I guess this will be a Wuss-out Wednesday Post.  And I am kind of forcing myself to make it on Wednesday instead of early Thursday morning.

However, I have gotten a whole paragraph pecked in and have not backspaced it out, so there’s that.

I am the one in the purple cape.

I thought it would be nice to make it a Way-Back Wednesday Post as well so found this picture in my Media Library from August 2017.  It is the cast of The Tempest as presented by LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company.  It was a fun show.  I need a little more Shakespeare in my life.

You can see me better in this one.

Tomorrow I have my first real rehearsal for The Man in the Bowler Hat,  the one-act I am in as part of An Evening of Timeless Comedy at Ilion Little Theatre.   I do not know my lines yet.

Regular readers may notice that I am not at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort for music and food, as I often am on a Wednesday.  I actually fixed my hair and put on a cute outfit including earrings, but I just could not get myself out the door.  These things happen, I suppose.

In the meantime, I see I am over 200 words.  Not too much of a Wuss-out after all.

 

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Oh Well! It’s a Post!

Posted on February 23, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

It seems that I am in a time warp.  I logged on to WordPress thinking “Throwback Thursday.  I’ll make a Throwback Thursday Post.”  It was not until I looked at my previous posts for the week that I remembered:  it’s Wednesday!  What the hell, me?  Earlier today I knew it was Wednesday.  Furthermore,  I am well aware that tomorrow is NOT Friday.  Sometimes I wonder about myself.

At least it isn’t Tuesday. Or is it?

All is not lost, I tell myself (although why I should listen to myself when I am clearly an unreliable source I do not know):  I can have a Way Back Wednesday Post (should Way Back be one or two words?).

Cheers!

Going back a few years to December 2019, here is my sweet husband, Steven, at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY.  That is Phil Arcuri in the background.  I would have liked to go to Fratello’s tonight, but I called and found out there was no music.  I know, I could have gone anyways for the food, but I decided against it.

Why not another picture of Steve?

I had to look through some previous posts to rememberwhere this picture was taken.  It is Beer Belly Bob’s in Ilion,  where Red Shed Brewery of Cooperstown and Cherry Valley was doing a tasting.  I recently saw their tap room in Cherry Valley and said, “Ooh, I have to go there!”   This could be a sign I should do it soon (preview of coming attractions).

Now my post is in a time warp.  Way Back or Coming Attractions?  Oh well, it’s a post.

 

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