Tag Archives: herkimer ny

Sunday Stroll into the New Year

I have not been running or walking since mid-December when I got sick with the flu.  I decided to take January 1st to re-start with a walk.  I took my phone with me, so I could make a Pedestrian Post with Pictures.

It was warm for January, upper 30s, lower 40s (my thermostat is not strictly accurate).  It had been raining.  I had not gone very far when I saw it was still sprinkling.  I could not worry about that; I was out, I was going to continue.  I turned down German Street towards Main.  I slipped a little on some ice on the sidewalk, but there were plenty of bare patches.  I tried to stick with those.

I’d like to stay there sometime.

I passed the Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast and took a picture,  so I could plug a local business.  Traffic was quiet enough that I could easily cross German at Main Street.  I wanted to walk down the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.

It’s good to run on, too, but that is for another day.

I also took pictures of the plaques with information on the history.  Full disclosure:  I have never read them but only taken a glance while passing.

I guess I could read it now.

Maybe I’ll read them both the next time I go for a walk.

I crossed German in the middle of the block to continue down the path.

The more fun section of the path.

After leaving the path, I headed toward my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners.

I tried to get all four corners as I approached.

I guess I cut off the top of the church.

I could use a wider angle lens.

I decided to try to make it a long walk, since I am getting back into things after a break.  I ended up walking up and down my driveway for about 40 seconds in order to make it a full 20 minutes.  I was quite pleased with my walk.  I hope to take another one tomorrow.

 

I Wine on a Monday

Regular readers know I love wine.  I appreciate it when the local liquor stores have tastings, because I can try before I buy.  This is one reason I often go to Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  I was delighted when I heard they were doing 12 Days of Christmas Tasting.  Of course I do not intend to show up all 12 days (although it is tempting). In fact, I had already missed the first three days on Monday when I stopped in and was delighted to see a wine tasting in progress.

I had not consulted the flier I had picked up so did not expect a wine but a liquor tasting (Valley seems to do a lot of those lately, but perhaps it is just the days I happen to stop in).  This was OK with me, because I need to pick up a bottle of booze for a Secret Santa I am participating in.  I had not even brought in one of my little notebooks I use to record tasting notes.  However, I always have a little notebook in my purse.  Surprisingly, I did not have a pen, but the pourer, Felicia, had one I could borrow.

Felicia is one of my favorite pourers.  She is so friendly and knowledgeable about what she pours.  She often has good ideas about food pairings, a subject about which I know very little.

A tasting is so much better with a good pourer!

We started with Ruffino Prosecco.  I had been under the impression that all Proseccos are sweet, but Felicia told me they can go either way.  This one was middle of the road.  Felicia pointed out it was not so dry that one needed to mix it with juice or soda to sweeten it.  I said I liked the dry ones.  We moved on to the Ruffino Pinot Grigio, which was citrusy and very nice.  The Simi Chardonnay was oaky but not too buttery.  Felicia and I agree on disliking the buttery ones (although I know others love it).  Moving on to the reds, I sampled the Ruffino Chianti. It was very light.  The Simi Cabernet Sauvignon was also very nice.

I decided to get a big bottle of the Ruffino Pinot Grigio, because I was in the mood for a white.  I greatly enjoyed the interlude.  It was a nice ending to a Monday.  Looking ahead, I may return to Valley on Wednesday for Menage a Trois Wines.  After that… well, we shall see.

Valley Wine and Liquors is located at 326 S. Caroline St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-867-5800.

 

Morning Walk

Ooh, look at the time!  It is about ten minutes to seven on Friday morning.  That is not early morning for me, as regular readers may know.  Regular readers may also have observed that I missed posting Wednesday and Thursday. I am ten-finger typing on my dining-room-table-top, wishing I had a little more to say.  I took a walk this morning, so perhaps I could manage a Pedestrian Post.

It was colder than it has been recently but not as cold as it is likely to become, so I do not repine.  I did wear my biggest, warmest cape, a hat, and gloves.  I got myself a bottle of water, clicked my Garmin to “Walk,” and set out.  I was headed towards Herkimer’s Historic Four Corners, knowing I have nighttime pictures of them in my Media Library (see, even then I was hoping for a Pedestrian Post).  However, I was still a block away when I noticed the moon-a-moolah.  That is what my husband’s nephew used to call a full or almost-full moon.  It was beautiful!  I turned a corner, so I could look at it without walking backwards.

I stretch a point, to include a picture.

I could see the lights from Herkimer Reformed Church as I turned the corner so feel free to include a picture taken in December 2020.  Pictures do pep up a post!

I continued up to German Street, which I crossed, and made the rest of the walk a dead end walk.  That is, I walked up and down a few dead end streets, to look at Christmas lights on houses.  I really must take some walks in the evenings, when more folks have their lights on.

Another shot from 2020.

I did not see this light this morning, nor would I have if I had gone to Main Street.  Apparently the Village of Herkimer does not keep these lights on in the morning either.

On the brighter side (see what I did there?), I am over 300 words.  Regular readers know I call that respectable. Now I have to finish getting ready for work.

 

Run Thursday, Blog Friday

I did not have to go in to work till noon today, so I went for a run this morning.  I thought I would make a Running Commentary Post.  That was this morning.  Now it is evening and all I have with me is my phone, never mind why; explanations are tiresome.

That was as far as I got on Thursday.  Now it is Friday morning, and I am frantically typing on the dining-room-table-top, hoping to make a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post and get away with it.  That was a trifle dramatic.  In fact, I am not frantically typing but merely ten-finger typing. It is so much faster than pecking one letter at a time with my finger, as I was attempting to do last night (I did not even have a stylus, and that is what you might call a first world problem).

So, about yesterday’s run…  It was windy and cold, but I don’t usually mind that.  I was running early on, so it was still dark out.  Other days when I have gone to work late I waited till the sun was up, but I thought it best to do it and get it over with.  Regular readers know I have a history of talking myself out of these things.

My start was a little later than for my walks this week, with the result that more traffic was on the road.  I realized right away that I had forgotten to put on my road-guard vest (that is what we army people call reflective vests).  So no running in the road, I told myself, except of course to cross the streets.  If I got to an intersection at the same time as a car, I quickly turned the corner, so as to avoid the question of whose turn it is.  Some drivers nicely wave you ahead, but I could not count on seeing that in the dark.  Also I could not count on drivers, nice or otherwise, seeing me without my vest.

No, I did not take pictures as I ran.

I made sure I ran by my beloved Herkimer Historic Four Corners, because I knew I had some pictures in my Media Library that had been taken in the dark.  They are from December 2020, but I thought they would pep up the post nevertheless. Additionally, this adds to the non-sequitur quality of the post.  Side note:  some might argue that since the pictures are related to the subject at hand, they are not true non-sequiturs, but I am no hand at argument.

I did not run as far as I run on the weekends.  I felt I should recruit my energies for my day at work.  However, it was a respectable run.  As I ran, I pondered once again whether I would run the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls Dec. 10.  I feel I am in good enough shape to do so.  Full disclosure:  I also feel I could run a 5K at any time, in shape or not, through sheer stubbornness.  I must make that decision soon.  I will naturally let my readers know what I decide.

In the meantime, I see I am over 500 words.  That’s a lot for me!  And I did not even say much about the run.  No matter.  I find this quite respectable for a late post.  I hope my readers have been reasonable entertained.

Another picture of the Four Corners, just for good measure.

 

 

Not Wuss-out, Shout-out!

I should have known I would wuss out on Wednesday.  I had to work late (for me).  But never mind that.  Instead of another post that is not really a Post (autocorrect decided to capitalize that, and I think I like it), I will share a couple more pictures from my Saturday adventures, thus giving another shout-out to a local business.  I have used this headline before, but I guess I am wussing out on coming up with a better one.

Aren’t they cool?

This is from Rose Quartz Stand in Herkimer, NY, who recently moved next door to a larger space.  They have all kinds of gems and minerals, but I am particularly fascinated by the geodes.  How do the geologists (if those are the ones that find them) know which rocks to crack open?

Very pretty!

I have purchased several of these angels for friends.  Who couldn’t use a little blessing?

There are also some delightful animals carved from stone.  I have a small collection, which I usually add to when I stop there.

Rose Quartz Stand is located on the corner of Mohawk and South Main streets in Herkimer.  315-868-5199. They are open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.,  Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

At Least I Have Been Adventuring

I really, truly, totally meant to make my Saturday blog post on Saturday.   Then I thought for sure I would make it early Sunday morning.  Or maybe later Sunday morning after my run.  Predictably,  here I am Sunday evening,  hoping to make some semblance of a post.  No promises.

On the brighter side,  I am better off than I have been some weekends when I just quietly did not post at all Saturday or Sunday.  I have to congratulate myself on the small wins.  I can only hope that one day they will lead to larger wins.  Or maybe to getting anything done at all.  But let us not ask for miracles.

New digs for one of my favorite places!

Here is one of the pictures  I took Saturday in hopes of doing a Scattered Saturday Post.  It is Rose Quartz Stand, one of my favorite stores.  They recently moved next door, to the corner of Mohawk and South Main streets in Herkimer,  NY.  It is a larger space and very nice.  I must write a longer blog post about it.

The downstairs is open!

Another blog post I need to make is one about Mohawk Valley Community Market,  on North Main Street in Herkimer.   They recently expanded.

Look at all that fun stuff!

One more shout-out on this post-that-is-not-really-a-post:  A Little Touch of Country on South Washington Street in Herkimer.  What a lot of really nice stuff!

As you may guess, I did a bit of adventuring on Saturday.  Isn’t that often the way:  when you do a lot of stuff, you are too tired to make a blog post; when you are not too tired to make a blog post, it is because you have not been doing anything worth posting about.

However, I see I am approaching 300 words.  I call that good on what is often a Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

 

Sunday Stroll, Post-Pedestrian Post

I took a walk with my phone on Sunday, thinking to make a Pedestrian Post. I don’t see any reason not to makes the post now (for the record, it is early Wednesday morning and I failed to make my Tired Tuesday post) (me and my obsession with accuracy).  Sunday was perhaps the last beautiful unseasonably warm day, and I decided to take advantage of it, waiting till the sun was up to take my stroll.

I suppose it would be a stay-cation if I stayed here, but I would like to.

On a walk some time ago, I wanted to get a picture of the Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast, to give them a shout-out, but could not get a good shot from across the street.  Sunday, I was on the right side of the road.  I have been inside there (when I wrote about them for Mohawk Valley Living magazine).  It is beautiful!  And I’ve seen the breakfast menu: Wow!

Another view.

Continuing down German Street, I turned left onto Main.  I wanted to walk up the hill, where it is only open to local and pedestrian traffic.  I like the exertion of walking up a hill, although I admit I can get too much of a good thing.

As usual, the picture does not seem as steep as it seems to me when I am walking or running up it.

They recently paved it.  I wondered if that means they are going to do something about the area on top of the hill, where the road is partially collapsed.

This section has been collapsed for some time now.

I see they added a branch to the barricade.  As usual, I interpreted it to mean it was closed to vehicular traffic, not middle-aged pedestrian ladies (other pedestrians, too, of course, but I was the only one there at the time).

Pretty!

As I continued my walk, I took care to appreciate the color that yet remains on our trees.  This time of year, I feel I must just look and look, because it lasts such a short time.

I don’t know why this caught my eye.

Bare trees and dead trees have a fascination for me, too.  I will probably share a lot of pictures of bare branches against the sky in future Pedestrian Posts.  To me, it never gets old.

I maybe should have gotten to this tree earlier in the season.

I have been admiring this particular tree for a while.  So big!  So bright!

I enjoyed my walk very much, and I see I have gotten a 400 word blog post out of it.  That’s long for Mohawk Valley Girl!  I hope my readers have enjoyed it.

 

Rehearsal Was a Laugh

Last night I meant to take pictures of our rehearsal for He Laughed Himself to Death, the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society this Saturday.  Alas, I was so busy acting, I forgot.

I think it is time for this blog to become All He Laughed Himself to Death All The Time.  After all, it is only three days (Yikes!) till performance.

Hey, it’s a graphic.

This pretty much tells you all you need to know.  The mystery is a pretty silly story.  I guess most of mine are.  This one concerns a novelty joke company called Gorman’s Gotchas.  We are at a stockholders meeting to discuss a proposed merger with a much larger entity called Consolidated Realignment Associated Products.  Norman Gorman, founder and president of the company is late.  We do hope nothing untoward has happened to him.

Rehearsals are going well.  I have a good cast, and we are all excited for the show.  If you live nearby, I hope you will consider coming to see us!

 

Past Pedestrian Pictures on Tired Tuesday

Oh it is Tired Tuesday.  I do not see why I should feel so tired, although I have a couple of educated guesses.  Never mind those, I always question self-diagnoses anyways.

I went for a nice walk earlier, snapping pictures on my smarter-than-me phone, in hopes of doing a Pedestrian Post.  I got some good ones, but then I remembered I still had a couple I had taken on a previous walk.  Under the heading Waste Not Want Not…

Some flowers still bloom!

This outside Basloe Library in Herkimer,  NY.  I have not had a container garden in the last few years, but when I see an urn of flowers, I start planning for next spring.  Then I start thinking of all the things I have to do to make the plan happen and get bogged down in discouragement and remember that my plans all go to hell anyways.  Still, I might be able to make something happen.  One must not give way to despair.

Well, this is what happens to me on Tired Tuesday:  I can’t share an innocent picture of flowers without starting to whine and cry about something.  I really need to get over myself. Quick, share another picture.

Sometimes I see red.

This was also outside the library.  I love the red against the white.  Maybe I could plant a tree like that in my yard (see, there I go making plans again).

Now that I look at it, not the best shot. Oh well.

This was in Meyers Park.  There are a lot of trees there,  in various stages of color.  I took a picture of a different tree there tonight, I mention as a preview of coming attractions.  Tomorrow I may use some of the pictures I took today’s (I think I took enough for two posts), but I have rehearsal for He Laughed Himself to Death,  so no promises.

 

Sweet Halloween Spirits on Throwback Thursday

We can call yesterday either a real Wuss-out Wednesday or a real Blogger’s Sick Day; the result is the same, and the least said, soonest mended.  Already I have said too much.  I continue to say too much by complaining that headaches continue plague me.  I daresay I do not lead a healthy enough lifestyle.  I must work on that, but in the meantime,  let me attempt another Throwback Thursday Post.

That is a good quote.

I went back to October 2016 for a shot of one of my favorite places, the So Sweet Candy Shoppe in Utica, NY.  I have not been there recently so cannot report on their current Halloween decor.

Must have spirits on Halloween.

I looked in my Media Library in October 2017 and found this shot from Dikin Durt Distillery in Herkimer,  NY.  I do not know that it is overtly Halloweeny, but it does involve spirits.  I say that counts.

Those are some big pumpkins!

Skipping ahead to October 2019, here is a more Halloweeny shot from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY.  I have been there once this year (perhaps you read my blog post about it) and hope to go again.

I think my concluding paragraph will bring me to 200 words, my admittedly arbitrary blog standard (it did).  I will provide the headache and healthy lifestyle update in a future post.