Tag Archives: blogging

Is It Halloween Yet?

Posted on August 18, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew this would be a Monstrous Monday Post,  since it was my first day back to work after ANOTHER month’s furlough.  I am indeed happy to be once again gainfully employed.  However, this is not a work blog.  It is, I confess, many types of a blog, but never work.  Today, it is monsters.  I like monsters.

Who else is ready for Halloween?

This is a neighbor’s yard, from last October.  I know I am not the only one who feels increasingly content as Halloween approaches.

Another angle.

I need to step up my front yard decorations this year.

My own front porch.

I like this shot, because the ghost looks like it is in mid-flight.  I look forward to what I will come up with this year.

Not exactly monsters, but fun.

This is a rehearsal of Mummers Along the Mohawk,  for our performance at last year’s Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, NY.  That was a great deal of fun.  Of course, this year, things were different.

Who says monsters can’t be cute?

Here is another domestic monster, a present from my wonderful husband Steven.  He really does give the best presents.

One more cute one!

This little guy is perched atop a tiny bottle of Q vodka.  Or is it gin?  I am too lazy to go look at the bottle, which is par for the course on Monstrous Monday.  Thank you for tuning in, and I hope to see you all again on Tired Tuesday,  or whatever sort of Tuesday it turns out to be.

 

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Oh Yeah, and I Watched Svengoolie

Posted on August 16, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to another Slacker Saturday Post.  I did some yard work this morning, went to a neighbor’s graduation party this afternoon, and that is it.

He’s fun.

Oh yeah, and I watched a DVR’d episode of Svengoolie.  The featured movie was Curse of the Werewolf, a Hammer horror feature from 1961.  I thought, “Hammer horror!   Oh boy!”  Boy was I disappointed!

Sven’s pre-movie summary told me it was going to take a while to get to the werewolf part.  He was so right!  I fast forwarded it through some of the annoying set-up (which some people might have found entertaining; there’s no accounting for tastes).  In so doing, I may have missed some of the explanatory narration.  Still, I was able to follow things.

I could totally write one of my blow-by-blow movie write-ups, because I was taking copious notes in the TV Journal.  In fact, I would love to do so.  I enjoy writing them and have not done one in a while.  However, then this would not be a Slacker Saturday Post.

Now how dumb is this: I just looked at a previous paragraph and saw that autocorrect made “Sven’s” be “When’s”.  What the hell is that all about (and I mean hell not he’ll for heck’s sake!) (and it was heck’s sake, not Jack’s sake!) (I thought it would allow heck if not hell, but apparently not)?

Anyways, I have gotten myself over 200 words,  so we’ll call this OK for a Slacker Saturday Post.  I now continue to slack.

 

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A Productive Lame Post Friday

Posted on August 15, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

This is my last weekday off till Labor Day, since I return to work from my latest furlough on Monday.  I spent a good part of the day running here and there to research an article I hope to write for Mohawk Valley Living magazine. I thought I could write a whole blog post about my gyrations.  I have a number of pictures I can share.  However, as the evening wears on, I feel increasingly less inclined to do so.

Then again, it is Lame Post Friday.  How about if I share some of the pictures but do not worry if there are not as many words.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Once I start sharing the pictures, I ought to come up with plenty of words.

I love research.

My first stop was the Oneida County History Center in Utica.  They were very helpful.  While there, I realized that some of the pottery I was researching was on display at Fountain Elms, part of Munson Williams Proctor Institute.  Accordingly,  I headed back down Genessee Street.

Mmmm… beer steins.

I did not stay there long, although I was tempted to grab a bite at their Cafe.  Next time, I hope!  Instead, I took a drive to Little Falls, to Showcase Antiques.  First I did stop for a bite at Ann Street Deli.  I was hungry and needed a pick-me-up!

One photo of many.

I found the particular display I was looking for and had a delightful conversation with one of the owners.  I also looked all around the shop and took a few pictures unrelated to my project at hand.

How could I not take a picture of Schulz and Dooley?

It was a productive and enjoyable day.  Now I have a lot more writing to do.  It should be fun.  In the meantime,  Happy Friday, everyone!

 

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I Know! We’ll Blame it on the Weather!

Posted on August 12, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

This was actually not the illustration I was looking for.

It is not Writer’s Block; it is Writer’s Blank.  I can pick up a pen (or a stylus as the case may be) and produce words, but they are not the words I want.  When I try to think of characters, scenes, plot… nothing.

Yet I must persevere.

This isn’t it either, but what the hell, it is Tuesday.

I knew I could at least manage a Tired Tuesday Post.  I have been trying to abide by my rule of Any Writing Counts, but so far it has not been working out well.  Today I only made some notes in the TV Journal.  Yesterday I managed a couple of cards, before that a letter.  However, when I put pen to paper and attempt fiction, nothing.

THIS is the one I was looking for!

I really did put pen to paper and try.  I feel this is important.  There are many times (and I feel sure I am not the only one here) when I feel so discouraged, I do not even try.  I will, of course, try again.

In the meantime,  this is yet another blog post about not writing.  I wonder if I can’t find one more illustration, for your amusement and mine.

Me not be dramatic? Dream on!

Perhaps the hot humid weather is to blame for my malaise.  Most likely it is, as usual, operator error.  However, I shall try again tomorrow.  Sooner or later I hope to meet with success.

 

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Monsters in the Sky

Posted on August 11, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

When it feels too hot for me to do anything useful,  I spend a lot of time looking at the television and saying, “Shut up!”  That is neither here nor there for a Monstrous Monday Post, but I thought I’d throw it in.   Part of me feels I should find some new monsters for my post.  The greater part wants to take the proverbial path of least resistance (I have mentioned before that it is acceptable to use a cliche as long as you add a qualifying phrase such as “the proverbial”).

Looks threatening to me.

OK, this is not really a monster, but it could be.  It is, in fact, a picture I took some time ago from in front of my house.  It was shared on by Jill Reale WKTV News as a weather photo.  It was quite exciting for me.  Come to think of it, I had another photo featured recently.  I wonder if I can find it.

Sufficiently threatening, I think.

I think this was the photo.  I think dark scary clouds can count as monsters.  We can pretend they do for this blog post, at any rate.

Taken the same day.

This photo was used in the same post as the previous photo,  but I include it because it seems apropos.

I can’t believe I didn’t use this before!

This is a picture from Halloween 2019.  Obviously this was a night of many monsters of different varieties.

I am going to call this my Monstrous Monday Post.  After all, dark clouds MIGHT be monsters.  Prove me wrong.  In the meantime, Happy Monday.

 

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Susans, Sharon, Johnny, and the Crocodile

Posted on August 10, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Aren’t they pretty?

I went outside just now take a picture of the Brown-eyed Susans I previously mentioned as peeking over the edge of the deck.  Looking at my Media Library,  I wonder how different this shot is from others of these flowers.  However, I took several other shots before looking at my Media Library,  and I see no reason not to share them as well.

A wider shot to show volume.

The Brown-eyed Susans have really spread out since they magically appeared a year or two ago.

Who wouldn’t want an alligator in their backyard?

Full disclosure:  this could be a crocodile.  He has been in various parts of the yard.  Right now he is where he can get maximum sunlight.

Please ignore the weeds.

My Black-eyed Susans have a lot of blooms. I find them cheerful.

Also looking pretty good.

I grabbed an update on our Rose of Sharon while I was in the area.  Then I thought of our Johnny Jump-ups, which I had noticed are also looking well.

My favorites!

They have not jumped up elsewhere yet, but they have filled in the little area where I planted them.

I hope to plant more flowers next year.  Then I might have more variety in these blog posts.  In the meantime,  I feel this is a better post than my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday.   Does anyone agree?  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

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Two Cafes, One Pub, Good Saurday

Posted on August 9, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

There was not a whole lot of scatter to my Saturday, by I hope enough to warrant a blog post.

First my friend, Kim, and I went to Zeina’s Cafe in Uitca for lunch.  They were doing a fundraiser for the Red Cross of Lebanon, in aid of the recent horrendous explosion.  They were donating 50% of profits, addition to collecting any donations patrons cared to make.

It is a really good place to eat.

They were doing a HUGE business.  I must return under more normal circumstances.

Next we went to the So Sweet Candy Cafe.  How could I be so close and not stop in?

My husband, Steve, with the proprietor, Margaret.

This is an old picture,  but I neglected to take any pictures today.

Next we went to the End Zone Pub and Grub in Herkimer.  We enjoyed a couple drinks and more snacks.

Also an older picture, but here is my lovely friend Kim.

I also neglected to take any pictures at the End Zone.  So sue me.  The above is a shot of an earlier occasion,  obviously during cooler temperatures.

I came home and sat down to watch movies with my hubby, who had declined to join us.

I’d scream too!

House on Haunted Hill was on of our selections.  We are continuing our evening with other cheesy movies, I hope.  Perhaps I will write about them on Cinema Sunday.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Lame Lawn Work

Posted on August 8, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to Lame Post Friday, my day of random observations and half-baked philosophy.   My first random observation is that our Brown-eyed Susans have started peeking up over the edge of our deck. I did not take a picture of said Susans, but will post a previous picture of these delightful flowers.

They are supposed to be a favorite of honey bees.

It is the time of year when I wish I had taken more effort in my lawn and garden earlier in the year.  However, that ship has sailed, to use a cliche (sorry about using a cliche, by the way).   I can only appreciate what already exists.

I love these.

Speaking of what already exists,  here is an earlier shot of my Johnny Jump-ups.  They look equally as beautiful now.

Pesto… Mmmmm…..

To continue with what is glorious right now, here is my basil, which is even better as we speak.  I snipped some off for a salad recently.  Yum!

It looks better now, but here are some blooms.

My Black-eyed Susans are doing well too. It may have been a good idea to take a more recent picture,  but, you know, I can’t always do the right thing.

So here is my post:  random observations of flowers.  For Half-Baked Philosophy, I will offer: flowers are good,  gardening is good, sometimes they are not as good as we had hoped.  We must drive on.

Happy Friday,  everyone!

 

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Past Places, Future Plans

Posted on August 7, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about another Throwback Thursday Post (even though I am posting large enough that my timestamp probably says Friday)?  Last week was a Theatre Throwback, so let me search my Media Library for something different.

Cool place to eat and shop.

Here is a picture from August of 2019.  Was it really a whole year ago I went to the Main Street Ristorante in Newport, NY?  Time for another trip there, I think.

Regular readers know I love all things cheesy!

Another local business I need to get back to: Original Herkimer Cheese in Ilion, NY,  home of Chudder:  tastes like cheese, spreads like butter!  I Like them on Facebook, so I am always seeing their specials.  They currently offer curbside pick-up, so what’s not to like?

Regular readers also know I love wine.

Here’s another great place I’d love to revisit: Prospect Falls Winery.   I’ll have to check if they’re open for tastings again.  Then again, if they are at least open to sell, I can remember a couple of their wines I really like.  Don’t worry: I’ll imbibe responsibly.

Beer is good too.

Here is a place I went to once and would like to revisit: Ommengang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY.  Steven and I went there once and tasted beer but did not take the tour.

There are all kinds of places I need to go to again.  As they slowly reopen, with proper distancing restrictions,  perhaps I shall.

 

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Not Much Writing on Wuss-out Wednesdsy

Posted on August 6, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am afraid this is going to be a bad blogging week.  I did not mean to make a Wuss-out Wednesday Post, and yet, here we are.  I went on a long run this morning.  Perhaps that is what took it out of me.  I did a few household chores, wrote a letter, and wrote a little bit on my novel.

Here’s a thing:  as I started to write on my novel,  I thought, “What is with this not writing?  All I have to do is write!  Just put the pen to paper and write!”  Of course the pen petered out shortly after that.  And the part I left out was how much I had to bestir my brain to start that first sentence.

What I find is that if I say to myself, “OK, just write,”  not much happens.  If I think of a scene — for example, what if something freaky happens to Olivia in a dark alley? —  I can often come up with something.

OK, you may say (you know who you are), so just think of a scene.  It is these glib bits of advice that make writers like me tear our hair out.

Me with my hair torn out.

Just kidding.  Regular readers know my bald has nothing to do with my frustration.  I am not even sure I would call it frustration.  In fact, I think I will try to follow the above mentioned glib advice:  just think of a scene.  I will let you know how it works out.

In the meantime, sorry about another lame blog post.  I’ll try for something better tomorrow.

 

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