Tag Archives: herkimer ny

I Practice Art Interpretation

Posted on October 2, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just realized I had not shared all the senior parking space art at Herkimer Junior Senior High School.  As I frantically type prior to going out to breakfast with friends (preview of coming attractions), I will repair the omission, at least in part.

I can identify!

I loved that movie Clueless!  What year did it come out?  Too lazy to look it up, and perhaps this senior is not referring to that at all.  I am SO not up on current pop culture (it’s probably not even referred to as pop culture any more).

Oh, I get it!

At first I thought this was just minimalist, then I saw it is a pencil!  Clever!  Unless it is something totally else and I am silly, not uncommon for me, as regular readers know.  I am seeing a theme here of me having no faith in my ability to interpret art.

Pretty!

What’s not to like about this one?  My intent was to share three pictures, but I see I am well under my self-imposed minimum of 200 words.  A minimalist blog? Once I was accused of having Minimalist Monday, because I posted on Facebook:  “Long story, not very interesting.”

It is interesting to me how the words add up, because that little bit of nonsense put me over the top.  Good thing, because it is not Monday, and I am no minimalist (although I used to wear mini skirts) (I would imagine I still could; I have a pretty good set of gams, I can say without overly flattering myself) (preview of coming attractions?)

In any case, I thank my readers for tuning in.

 

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Good Apple Stuff!

Posted on October 1, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last weekend (before all the dog stuff went down), I had the pleasure of tasting the wares of Beak and Skiff at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  They were offering only a fraction of their many products, and I am now anxious to try more.

The first thing I tasted was the Honeycrisp Vodka.  Vodka made from apples instead of potatoes?  Interesting!  I liked it.  When I said it was seasonal, because of the apples, Kyle, the pourer, hasted to assure me it was available year round.  I am not a big vodka drinker, but this one could change my mind.

Kyle and I had a fun time tasting. Of course I did most of the tasting.

The same vodka with blueberries added was also good.  I also enjoyed the Pommeau, a French drink combining brandy and apple cider.  There was one wine, Honeycrisp Apple Wine.  I found it a good middle of the road wine: both dry and sweet wine drinkers could enjoy it.  The last thing I tasted was the Bourbon Cream Whiskey, 75% cream, 25% whiskey.  Yummy!  That would be so good in a cup of coffee!

Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards is located in Lafayette, NY.  Of course Mohawk Valley Girl was even more delighted to find she was sampling local products (yes, I talk about myself in the third person sometimes).   Lafayette being closer to Liverpool than Herkimer, I envisioned a visit to my sister Diane in the near future.   I think she would be delighted to visit Beak and Skiff with me and see what else they have to offer.

 

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More Parking Lot Pictures

Posted on September 26, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wednesday I ran early in the morning to beat the rain, and I ran through the Herkimer Junior Senior High School parking lot so I could use more pictures of the seniors’ parking spaces as illustration for a Running Commentary post.  Then I went a different way with my Wednesday post (as you may have read).  Today I ran in the afternoon, when I thought it had stopped raining.  I ran towards the high school, for the same reason, but cars were still parked in the lot as well as driving along the streets, and it just seemed a better idea not to go there.  However, that is no reason not to make a blog post using more of my parking lot pictures.

This one is cool!

I see two names on this one.  I don’t know if that means it is a shared space or merely collaborative artwork. Perhaps I ought to research these things.

Rewind or fast forward?

I had forgotten Kanye West’s full name.  I think he goes by “Ye” now, but I really do not follow rap.

This seems like an athletic guy.

I like the different lettering on this one.

A more minimalist approach.

This one seems quieter compared to some of the others, but that is what makes the parking lot as a whole such a work of art.  It takes all different kinds to make a world.  Let’s embrace it!

 

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Late Post, More Art

Posted on September 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

After falling down on my daily blogging ambitions once again, I try to pick things up with a few more examples of parking lot artwork by Herkimer High School Seniors.  I ran by the art on once of my morning runs recently, a great addition of something fun to look at while I thunk along.

Who doesn’t love Spiderman?

This is a good one for me to run by, because for the next mile or so the Spiderman theme song plays in my head.  Yes, I know all the words.

Kitty is nice, too.

This is another one I wish I had gotten a better shot of.  Well, local readers are encouraged to take a walk down and check these out for themselves.  They are even better in person.

Is he surrendering? Or part of a wave?

I’m not sure who this fellow is, because I am not up on current popular characters.  Perhaps it is an invention of the senior who painted it.  That would be cool.

I like the lettering.

I do four instead of my usual three pictures, and I still have some left for future posts.  Which I hope to make in a timely fashion and stop missing days.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Whiskey and Rye

Posted on September 20, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Thursday I made my way down to Valley Wine and Liquors in Herkimer, NY for a tasting with Cooperstown Distillery.  I went to Cooperstown Distillery some years ago with my late, dearly missed husband Steve, and knew they had good stuff.  And of course I am always up for checking out a local or area business.  I was very glad I went.

He was great.

The pourer was a nice young man named MacGuire Benton.  I told him having a last name for a first name was sexy.  I thought I could get away with a remark like that at my age.  At least he didn’t seem to mind.  By that time I had sampled all his wares and we had established something of a rapport.  He gave me lots of good information about the distillery, and encouraged me to return for another visit.

“They’ll take good care of you,” he said.

He said they get their grains locally from Crowe family farm in Canajoharie.  More local!  Spent grains are placed in an underground tank, and farmer’s take them for their cattle.  MacGuire said it was circle of life when he eventually ate a steak from a cow that ate some of their grains.  I speculated that whiskey grains made the cows happy, but I suppose that is just a bit of fantasy on my part.

I tasted a blended whisky, a rye (making reference to “good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye”), bourbon, and some single malt.  I like them all!  I am not much of a booze hound these days, being more of a winer (and and regular readers know, something of a whiner), but I got a bottle of the blended whiskey.  It will make for some good hot toddies if I get hit with a cold.  Or if I just feel like having a hot toddy.  Maybe a shot in a cup of coffee.  Or just on the rocks.  Oh dear, maybe I will become a booze hound after all!  Don’t worry: I won’t drink and drive!

I may, however, take a drive to Cooperstown Distillery (preview of coming attractions).  There are a few other things in Cooperstown I could check out.

 

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Those Seniors Are Creative

Posted on September 18, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I make my Wordless Wednesday post late and share more Herkimer High School Seniors’ parking lot art.  Full disclosure:  it isn’t really a wordless Wednesday, because obviously there are some words.  However, since it is more about the pictures, I make bold to label it so.

Nice incorporation of technology.

I think this one is clever.  I just imagine they will neither pause nor rewind.  I never wanted to do so when I was a senior.  Oh dear, as soon as I typed that I remembered something:  I AM a senior: a senior citizen.

Nice.

I like the water effect.  I suppose Arriana is on the swim team.

This one is simpler.

A more straightforward space, no?  But I like it.  As I said in my first post about this, these seniors are expressing their personalities.

I see I am not up to 200 words, my usual goal for myself.  So I guess this is not a Wordless Wednesday but a Less Words Wednesday.  That could be a new category for Mohawk Valley Girl. Any thoughts?  Oh dear, as I went to add Categories and Tags, I realized:  it should not be Less Words but Fewer Words, which makes it not a play on words of Wordless Wednesday.  That’s no good!  What’s a silly blogger to do?

However, adding that bit of dithering got me over 200 words.  Phew!

 

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More Parking Space Art

Posted on September 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would share a few more pictures or the Herkimer High School Seniors’ parking spaces.  For one reason, I think it’s awesome!

Cheer Captain, pretty impressive.

They could not have done this in my high school, Rome Free Academy in 1981 (yes, QUITE a long time ago).  We had too many seniors and too few parking spaces.  I am constantly enchanted by the small town vibe I get around here.

Very nice.

I feel a little bad that I think this looks like a neck tie when I cannot see the whole thing.

I love the little hand prints.

I am quite interested in the different styles of the different spaces.   If I had a contact at the high school I would talk to the seniors and hear their personal stories about why these pictures are meaningful to them.  I daresay some of them are more meaningful than others.  Perhaps some of the seniors just painted what occurred to them at the moment.  But that is the delightful thing about art.  It means different things to different people.  Some people take every opportunity to express themselves in a meaningful fashion.  Others just make a picture, pretty or fun or otherwise.  I feel all are legitimate as art.

Then again, what do I know?

 

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Yay, Herkimer Seniors!

Posted on September 15, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday when I was running,  I noticed some painting on Herkimer Junior/Senior High School parking lot.  Naturally I ran by to check it out (full disclosure: I had planned to run through the parking lot anyways to go over the little bridge etc.).  I was charmed.  The seniors have painted their parking spaces.  What a great way to express your personality and celebrate your senior year!

You can’t really see the spider webs in the corners.

I walked back later with my phone to take pictures. Alas, I was not tall enough to get the full picture, but I did my best.  There were 25 of them.  I will not share all 25 at once, just to spread the joy.  Also because I rarely make very long blog posts.

The light pole made a shadow.

There was a variety of styles and themes, reflecting the diversity of personalities.  You could even call it an art exhibit.

I guess a lot of people would.

I will probably run or walk by these spaces every Sunday, the only day they are not likely to be parked on.  I applaud whoever thought of the idea, and I congratulate the seniors on their execution.  I hope they are having a wonderful senior year.

 

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Late Post, Even Later Pictures

Posted on September 14, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, the Mohawk Valley wasn’t lame yesterday, but I pretty much was.  I was afraid the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival would be too much of a crowd scene, so I stayed close to home.  I did a little yard word and discovered I have another Rose of Sharon growing some distance from the original bush, and it has a few blooms on it!  I meant to take a picture for inclusion here but, alas, forgot.  I could do it now, but the sun isn’t up yet.

The crown scene in 2018.

As for cleaning the house, I made very little progress.  I managed to write my usual Saturday post cards and walked them to the post office.

A regular stop for me.

Yes, the only picture I could find in my Media Library of Herkimer’s post office was in the wintertime, January 2019 to be exact, and it took me long enough to find that.  Anyways, after the post office I kept walking.  For one reason, I had not gone running (will I go running today?  Good question).  For another, I was low on cash, and Cliff’s Local Market (might as well give them a shout-out too; they are locally owned) has an AmeriCU ATM.  From there it was little trouble to cross the street and enjoy another tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor.  They usually have them from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Full disclosure: this is not what I tasted yesterday.

This is another photo from a previous event, but at least it is more recent than my previous pictures.  Additionally, it give me a chance to give another shout-out to one of my favorite local businesses, DikinDurt Distillery.

I guess this turned out to be a less lame blog post than I expected (or do I flatter myself?).  And I feel I should appreciate whatever I manage to get done these days.  Will I have any bloggable Mohawk Valley Adventures today?  Hard to say.  It is, after all, Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  But I do hope to make a blog post, and I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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A Few Saturday Shout-outs

Posted on September 7, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

In my Scattered Saturday tradition, I will give a few shout-outs to some local businesses I visited recently.  I hope to do more detailed posts about each, but for now, this will have to do.

Fooey! You can’t read the sign!

A new business on Main Street in Herkimer is Petzotics.  they have birds, lizards and other exotic pets.  Also they bring their pets to birthday parties, so the guests can meet them.  Could that be an idea for my birthday party?  Friends, family, what do you think?

I hope not too secret of a hideout!

Godfather’s Hideout, on Protection Avenue in Herkimer, has been open for take-out for a while now and now has a dining room.  I recently went there for a dish of spaghetti, and YUM!  I also had a glass of red wine that was quite tasty.  It’s OK; I was walking.

He could have joined me for dinner.

I have made several posts about Yetty’s, on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, but none recently.  I was there for dinner last night and got garlic pizza.  I am enjoying the leftovers today.  As I left, a little boy was pointing at this lovely fellow looking over the railing.  I never saw him before. Of course I stopped to take a picture.

So, yes, I am trying to get out and about more.  If I can start writing about it more, I will be a pig in shit.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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