Tag Archives: blogging

Wednesday Walk, With Trees

I took a longer walk yesterday, but I took a few pictures today.  I think I’ll try for a Wordless Wednesday post, although with me, I’m afraid there will always be words.  Yesterday when I walked, there was snow in the air and on the ground.  Today, Steven and I were vindicated for our decision not to shovel, because most of it was gone.  I reveled in the almost warm temperatures and looked for signs of spring to photo.

Look! It really is spring!

The first picture-worthy thing I encountered were some flowers sprouting up in front of St. Francis de Sales Church.  I love to see a little green in March!

And here is St. Fran the Man.

I backed up a little, to show where the sprouts were.  It was one of those days where I couldn’t properly see what I was aiming at with the Tablet.  I just clicked and hoped for the best. Would any of the pictures be usable?  The suspense added a little interest to my walk.

You see the best of dead and living this time of year.

Across the street from the church, I snapped a picture of a tree dried out from last summer.  Some of these dried plants are beautiful.  I must get a few for my own yard.

One of my favorite views.

As I walked, I continually admired the bare trees against the sky.  I’m afraid my Tablet does not capture the look, so you will have to take your own walk, if possible.

Just the possibility of a tree, so far.

On my way home from the post office, I noticed some recently planted trees on Bellinger Street.  I took pictures.  My hope is to take more as the year progresses so we can track their progress.

You can see buds on this one!

 

This one, not so much.

 

And here are several at once.

I am thinking I can continue to photograph these trees as the years go by, and we can all watch them grow.  How’s that for a bit of optimism,  thinking we’ll all be here for years and years so we can look at trees? What better reason to stick around?

 

Just Another Day of Quarantine

After logging onto WordPress at least three times, I found that no blog post was forthcoming.  I know, I know, blog posts don’t just happen; you have to WRITE them.  Well, here I am, early Wednesday morning, trying to do just that.

My sister Diane approved Monday Punday and further suggested Tuesday Cruise Day. I could take a walk, run or ride, and blog about that.  That would have the charm of rhyme over my usual features of Running Commentary and Pedestrian Post.  Accordingly,  I went for both a run and a walk.

My walk was to the post office, because I had written a few more post cards.  I took a long walk before arriving home.  I put my Tablet in a bag.  It was a lovely shoulder bag purchased at Paca Gardens in Little Falls, NY, just to throw in a plug for a local business. Alas, it was snowing and I got no pictures.

Returning home, I read a book, looked at Facebook, watched some movies.  I called Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Herkimer for dinner.  Yum!  Later I heard it was National Take-out Day.  We got delivery, so perhaps it did not count.  Perhaps we should do real take-out tonight, just to be sure.

I see I am over 200 words, so I guess I’ll call it a Tired Tuesday post and hit Publish.  We’ll see if I can do better than a Wuss-Out Wednesday post later today.

 

Monday Movies

How about Monday Movies instead of Monstrous Monday?  For one reason, we watched a couple of movies I think I have pictures of in my Media Library.  But can I find them?

And you thought you had some strange bedfellows!

Our first feature was Straitjacket,  a William Castle movie starring Joan Crawford.  Steven was feeling down, and I thought a sweet, uplifting story about ax murders would cheer him up.  Who doesn’t love a good ax murder?

Is all permissible for Science?

Our second feature was The Tingler, another William Castle, this one starring Vincent Price.   Who doesn’t love Vincent Price?

Another questionable act of Science.

And here is another scene from that movie.  After The Tingler we took a break from movies to fix and enjoy dinner.

Speaking of murder…

Monday, of course is Dateline Day, with multiple episodes airing on OWN.  I have in fact lost track of The Valentine’s Day Mystery while I wrote this.

I like cake, too.

Looping back to Straitjacket,  here is Joan Crawford again.  She sure takes the cake, doesn’t she?  Any way you slice it, she is sweet.  I ax you, is that a star or what?

Now all the pun hating readers are groaning while all my fellow punsters are coming up with further plays on words.  And that gives me an idea for another feature:  Monday Punday.  Sunday Punday could work to.  I hope you’ll all stay tuned.

 

Sorry, But I’m Not Apologizing

I guess we all knew this was going to be a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  I went running this morning yet did not feel a Running Commentary post welling up within me. Likewise, no amount of movie watching has made me inclined for a Sunday Cinema post.  These things happen, I suppose.

The fact is, I feel not the slightest obligation to apologize for a foolish post during this stressful time.  Clearly, to run around having Mohawk Valley adventures would be irresponsible.   I am more than willing to risk my own health.   Alas, as is so often the case,  it is not only about me.

So shall I spend the next week or two hiding behind the Corona Virus (or as I prefer to call it, Covid 19) and posting only the lamest material?  That could happen.  I maintain it is the right thing to do, because some people are entertained by my nonsense, and entertainment is a definite service in times of quarantine.

Of course I will attempt to publish the most amusing posts possible.  I fear not much is possible today,  hence my Wrist to Forehead status.  On the other hand,  I am having a fairly enjoyable Sunday.  One cannot have everything.  Even if I have a dreadful day, I will strive to have a better blog post tomorrow.

 

A Saturday at Home

I have allowed it to become rather late in the day to make my Saturday blog post.  I know, I should have made a Saturday Running Commentary post earlier.  Then I walked to the post office with my weekly post cards, making a Pedestrian Post completely eligible.  Later yet, my husband, Steven, and I watched a few movies.  Saturday Cinema is not usually a thing, but it could be.

What today really was was Day One of the Quackenbush Quarantine,  as Steven dubbed it on Facebook yesterday.  I know, almost everyone is under quarantine,  but how many of us can be alliterative about it?  Yet another blessing for me to count.

Really, as things go, I have very little to complain about (not that THAT ever stops me!).  I am grateful for all my blessings and concerned for those that lack same.  I ask myself, what can I do to help?  One thing I did was to write more than my usual number of post cards.  I figure as we’re all stuck inside, not visiting anybody or gathering at the usual places,  a little personal mail would be welcome.

Next I hope to use my at home time to get my house together and to do more writing.  I am thinking about a new novel to start, one I may actually finish.  Then maybe I can dig out and finish the plays I have almost completed.

Oh, such ambitious plans!  Who knows but what I will do is go on more runs and watch more movies?  At least I will write a blog post about whatever I do.  Happy Corona Saturday, everyone.

 

We’ll Be Sociable Again!

Apropos nothing, here’s me and a friend pretending it’s the 1920’s.

I wanted to open with a picture, and for some reason, this one spoke to me.  It is Jay Groah and me at the Ritz and Ragtime at Rutger Park fundraiser for the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica.

Here’s the thing:  this social distancing thing is really hard on a gregarious soul like mine.  In lieu of a Tired Tuesday post,  I am going to share pictures of social times in my past.  I will resolutely keep to myself during the current health crisis.  In the meantime,  I can bask in memories and make plans for good times to come.

Check out the hair! Check out the glasses!

I am not sure when this was taken, but here are Steven and I and a young friend.  Look how happy Steven is!  He has a terrific smile.

How embarrassing that I do not remember their names!

Here is the owner of the End Zone Pub and Grub in Herkimer, NY, and his son.  No more hanging out at the bar for a while!  Damn!

Another pleasure temporarily gone!

Here are Steven, our friend Kim, and one of our favorite pourers, Dannielle, at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  Valley has suspended all tastings, but they assure me they will reschedule.  Phew!

There are many local businesses I must wait to patronize again.  I can order take-out or delivery from some restaurants.  No doubt I will, because we must all do our part to keep local businesses going.  Eating delicious food is strictly by the wayside!  I hope to write blog posts about such things in the future.

In the meantime,  I am over 250 words, and I have barely whined at all.  Score!  Happy Tuesday,  everyone!

 

Just a Fast Excuse

I shall peck out a fast excuse early Tuesday morning (YES, it does not agree with my WordPress timestamp,  I can’t help that) for not posting on Monday.  I might as well admit it, I was too depressed.

It is no use pointing out to myself that my personal situation is not that bad.  I certainly AM grateful that I am employed, that most of my loved ones are somewhat healthy (that is, they do not have Covid-19), and myriad other blessings.  Apparently it is possible to feel grateful and depressed at the same time.

Oh just listen to me whine!  Now I am depressed and embarrassed!  And about to laugh at myself, which is another blessing.  I often laugh at myself.  Sometimes it is not easy being me, but it is often amusing.

So I just wrote (actually hunt-and-peck typed with the stylus on my Tablet) myself into a better mood.  I shall quit while I am ahead, as they advise (you know them, or do I mean THEM, the giant ants?  Oh, I should have had a Monstrous Monday!).  Happy Monday/Tuesday,  everyone?

 

Scattered Sunday? Or Time to Swoon?

I don’t see why I should not have a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  We’re all stuck home, trying not to spread Covid-19 (such a comfort to call it by a name not shared by a beer or a typewriter).  Nobody can reasonably expect me to have a real Mohawk Valley Adventure.

In fact, I did leave the house, but I hope not in an unsafe fashion.  I went for a nice run this morning.  Later I went to a big box store (no need to name names) for yarn.  Then I went to Little Falls to take a walk along the canal.  I hope to write about it for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I hope they like what I will come up with.  In any case, it was a pleasant walk.

After walking and taking a few pictures,  I returned to Herkimer to buy groceries.  I observed a few bare shelves, but I managed to get most of what I was looking for.  I was exceptionally happy to return home for the bra off, sweatpants on, movie watching portion of the day.

I have been enjoying my day but feel a bit guilty about not making a good blog post.  Shall I swoon onto a handy chaise lounge,  posed dramatically with the back of one wrist to my forehead?  I shall decide as time goes on.  I wonder if I could manage a selfie of same for tomorrow’s blog post.

 

No Scatter to my Saturday

Regular readers know I love to run around on a Saturday having Mohawk Valley Adventures to write about.  Everybody in the country knows we are all on at least semi-quarantine due to the corona virus. What, I ask you, is a blogger to do?

I also want to just mention that I rather resent the naming of thus virus.  Corona is one of my favorite beers AND and of my favorite typewriters!  I guess it has another name, Covid-19 or something.  I admit I have not been keeping up with things.

In any case, I have enjoyed my Saturday, even if I have not done anything blog-worthy.  I went for a run, I wrote a few postcards, I took a nap.  Eventually, Steven and I settled down to watch movies.  I finished a scarf and started an afghan.  I must go somewhere tomorrow to get more yarn.

For a while now I have been saying that I could use a weekend of just hanging out.  Now I have it.  And I realize a couple of weeks of same would be even more welcome.  Oh well, you can’t have everything.

I will strive to have real subjects to post about in the future, even with the national emergency of the C virus.  For today, I hope this will be enough.  If it is or if it isn’t,  happy Saturday all.