Tag Archives: husband Steven

I Take a Taste

Posted on July 20, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I started out my weekend the way I always used to, by stopping in at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY for a tasting.  I no longer make it every weekend, but this past Friday, it was Hazlitt Winery.  I had to support a New York State Winery!

I have been to Hazlitt a number of times, most memorably in (I think) 2003 when my late, beloved husband Steve and I went on our first wine tasting tour in the Finger Lakes.  Wow, that was a long time ago!  I have learned a little bit about wine since then.  Not a lot, of course; my ultimate accolade is still “Yummy.”  One thing I have learned is that you might as well take a taste, because you never know.

I make friends at these tastings!

The gentleman pouring was Connor Hennessy (one of the all time great names).  I have met him before and perhaps included him in the blog (too lazy to go back and check).  I started with White Stag, a sweet table wine. I found it tasty.  I am not a fan of sweet wines, but I do enjoy a taste now and then.  If somebody was serving this at a dinner party, I might take a small glass.

I went on to try the Peach Mango and Strawberry Watermelon.  Yum!  I liked the Peach Mango best.  It was sweet but not too sweet.  We discussed how it would be good on a hot day, perhaps over ice or in a wine slushy.  I know wine slushies are very popular these days, although I have never had one.

I finished up on the Red and White Sangria.  The Red was the sweetest of the day, but I did not think the White was too sweet (it was sweet, it just wasn’t too sweet).  I still prefer a drier wine, but I may pick up one of these when I am entertaining and want a variety of tastes available.

It was an enjoyable interlude.  I enjoyed chatting with Connor and hope to see him again.  Valley Wine and Liquor holds tastings almost every weekend. You can check out the schedule at http://shopvalleywine.com.

 

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Ghoulish Memories on Monstrous Monday

Posted on July 14, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a problematic weekend, and the upcoming week doesn’t look much better.  And here I sit drinking hot coffee to make matters worse.

“Follow me! To the Graveyard!”

I quick threw in a picture to lighten things up. “Follow me!  To the Graveyard!” followed by an evil laugh is one of the things my Elliott Ghoul likes to say.  My late, dearly missed husband Steve and I picked up Elliott at a garage sale many years ago.  We used to put him in the attic November through September, then Steve used to at least turn him off when it wasn’t the season.  I leave him on year round, just for the sake of hearing a voice other than my own once in a while.

Where was I?  I just spent a ridiculous amount of time looking for a picture of Elliot Ghoul in my Media Library.  He stands in my dining room window, for the amusement of any passers-by who might notice.  He went off once behind me while I was on a video appointment with a VA doctor on the dining-room-table-top (long-time readers may remember it used to be a laptop).  The doctor asked what it was.

“Oh, that’s just my ghoul,” I was happy to explain.

And there’s my late sweetie-pie.

I add a picture of my late husband at a Halloween party, because it seems to fit the mood of today’s post.  I have 400 words of another post saved.  I started it yesterday, realized I did not know where I was going with it but knew it ought to go somewhere.  Will I finish it today?  Or ever?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Monday.

 

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It Is Summer, Isn’t It?

Posted on June 25, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a run this morning, going as soon as I got out of bed in hopes of beating the heat and humidity.  I was successful, eventually running two miles in hopes of making a Two-Mile Tuesday blog post.  In that I was less than successful, as I sit here late (for me) Tuesday night and no blog post done yet.

In my defense, I was writing an article for Sentinel Media then trying to learn my lines for a play I am in (Preview of Coming Attractions).  I managed to go to the grocery store, where once again  I did not purchase enough food. On the brighter side, I refrained from purchasing cookies or ice cream (believe me,  I was tempted!), making my weight loss goals slightly more attainable.

She’s set to enjoy the summer heat!

I was looking for a picture of the Wicked Witch of the West saying, “I’m ME-E-ELTING!” but decided to share a more cheerful shot instead.  This is my skeleton Bonita with her friend Bonaparte.  My late, dearly missed husband, Steven, had dressed her for summer.  He purposely let the tag show on the headband, going for a Minnie Pearl kind of thing (look it up or ask somebody old if you don’t know).

I guess this is shaping up to be a Tired Tuesday post.  I shall blame it on the heat and humidity, and as always, try for a better post tomorrow.

 

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A Little Music is Always Nice

Posted on June 20, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY used to be a regular stop for me, but not so much lately.  However, tonight, after attending the Frankfort Town Board Meeting to cover it for Sentinel Media, it was right on my way to stop as I drove home.  I did not know if there would be music, but I thought I could use a little food.  I decided if there was a parking space readily available, I would stop.  There was!  And there was music!

He is very talented.

Ryan Quinn was playing a James Taylor song as I walked in, “Fire and Rain.”  It is kind of an emotional song for me, because of the line, “But I always thought that I’d see you again.”  It makes me think of Steve, my late beloved husband.  I’m not the only one.  At the time of Steve’s passing, at least one friend referenced the song, talking about how hard Steve’s death hit him.  But I don’t mean to bring everybody down.  It is a beautiful song, and Ryan did a great job with it.  However, I was happy when he went on to “Benny and the Jets.”

I ordered a mixed sub as a wrap and a glass of wine.  It was delicious.  I chatted up Tony, who was my favorite Wednesday bartender a few years ago. She was waitressing tonight.  She still has the alpaca pen Steve and I got her at Paca Gardens.  How fun is that?

No keyboard pictures tonight, but he did play it.

Before I left I danced my way into the room where Ryan was playing to take a picture and leave a tip.  “Thank you,” he said, “for your interpretive dance and your tip.”  I thanked him instead for the music.

Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484.  You can follow them on Facebook to keep updated on their musical entertainment.

 

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But Is It a Frankeny Blog Post?

Posted on June 19, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sh!  Don’t tell anybody, but it is Thursday morning as I do a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  Once again, I question why I have to call attention to my sins of omission.  Then I laugh at myself for saying, “Sh! Don’t tell anybody” when I am blaring it over the blogosphere.  Anyways, who are you going to tell?  What difference can it make to anyone if one person who calls herself a daily blogger misses a day here and there?  But this is getting into half-baked philosophy more suited to Lame Post Friday.  Quick, throw in a picture, before I got too bogged down.

Looks kind of like Janus.

Amongst the daisies which run wild in my front yard, I found a double one so had to take a picture.  I clipped it and brought it in the house, using a champagne flute for a vase.  Ooh, that makes me have a craving for champagne.  I haven’t had any in a while.

Not my tree, unfortunately.

I saw a tree like my beloved Frankentree while out on a walk and had to take a picture.  My own tree is not so Frankeny anymore since my sister Cheryl took a chainsaw to it.  In her (and my) defense, the branches she cut off were mostly brown.  I’d like to take the rest of the tree down and maybe plant one of those flowery ones in its place, but that’s for the future.

My tree now. Note the wild daisies in the foreground.

He was not a Frankenhusband.

And here is what my tree used to look like, shown with my late, dearly missed husband Steve.  But these are two pictures from the past, so I will end with one more new one.

That reminds me, I need to go for a walk.

Here is another shot of the walking trail at Town of Herkimer Park, the subject of yesterday’s post.  I have a few more pictures I didn’t share yet, so I may write more about that attractive setting.  And I will definitely go back and walk the trail.

 

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Slacker Day, Silly Post?

Posted on June 8, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is a Slacker Saturday Post.  I have done pretty much nothing today.  Can I yet make a blog post about it?  We shall see.

I do see this building almost every day.

I managed to write and mail my usual Saturday post cards.  I do this most weeks, because I know it gives a smile to my post card peeps.

Who me? Have a glass of wine?

I did not have this shirt on, and I was not in the place shown here, the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY.  However, I confess I did have a glass of Chadonnay this afternoon.  Judge me if you are so inclined.

Crazy daisies!

These are my daisies from last year, when in fact, they were looking a little better than this year.  They are looking a little blowsy this year, if you know what I mean.  Perhaps I will get out there tomorrow with a pair of clippers and do some major trimming.  On the other hand, they are holding the peonies up.  You know how peonies like to flop down once they bloom, as mine just started to do.  I love peonies.  I wonder what happened to the fence Steven bought one year to help them stand up.

One of last year’s peonies, for good measure.

So it’s another silly post, but one does what one can.  I did some other writing today, besides the above mentioned post cards.  I worked on a letter to a friend, and I wrote two character sheets on my latest murder mystery.  So perhaps the day was not a complete slack.  Discuss amongst yourselves.

 

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Happy Blogiversary to Me

Posted on May 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Under the heading Shows How Much I Pay Attention, WordPress just wished me a Happy Anniversary (or did they mean Blogiversary?).  I did not even remember that was coming up.  I have been blogging since 2011.  Fourteen years (took me a minute to do the math).  Full disclosure:  my lightheadedness continues, so I am not up to doing much of a blog post anyways.  I think a Throwback Thursday will just about fit the bill.

Look how cute he is (was).

From May 2011 to October 2016, my blog was unillustrated, because I did not know how to add pictures (what, unillustrated is not a word?  I’ll be damned).  One of the first posts I did with pictures featured my dear, since departed, husband Steve at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit, NY.

A creepy shot from one of my favorite movies.

Once I learned how to add pictures I took, I soon learned how to download pictures from the internet, so I was able to indulge my love of movie monsters.

Yes, I am a drama queen.

And I was able to use my blog to tout my community theatre endeavors in Little Falls, Ilion, and Herkimer.

This was a great evening!

 

I also like to plug local businesses as well as the music and art scene.  The above picture is Oscar Stivalo and friends playing jazz music at the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls.  The Ren was hosting an exhibit of Stivalo’s paintings, and this was the opening.

And so my blog continues.  There are some new businesses in the area I need to check out and write about, as well as some favorites I want to revisit. As always, I thank you for staying tuned.

 

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Roxy Returns?

Posted on May 16, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wednesday I thought I could not possibly make a blog post but said to myself, “Just try,” and succeeded.  Earlier today that method failed.  The festering beginning of a post lingers in my Drafts in case I can make something of it at some future time.  That time is not now.  However, I will try to come up with something else.

There he is!

Last night I had a real blast from the past.  Friends of Historic Herkimer County showed the DVD of the play Roxy, based on a local historical murder, which the Herkimer County Historical Society and Ilion Little Theatre presented in 2015.  I played Roxalana Druse, who murdered her husband and was hanged for it (oh dear, should I have include a spoiler alert?). My late, dearly missed husband, Steven, played at least three parts.  In the picture above he is Dr. A. Walter Suiter.  It was very moving seeing him on screen like that.  He was such a wonderful actor and enjoyed it so much.

 

Obviously he is axing for it.

That took me a while to find, but here I am in a dramatic scene with my abusive husband and two of my accomplices after the fact.  I was a little worried about watching myself on the screen and in particular hearing my voice, but it was all right.  I went with two of my dear friends, Jim and Kelly.  Jim played the prosecutor who helped get me hanged.

So I guess this is kind of a late Throwback Thursday, maybe even a Non-Sequitur Thursday post.  At least it’s a post.  One does what one can after all.

 

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Lawnmowers and Lame Hopes

Posted on May 9, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the quintessential sounds of summer is the sound of a lawnmower.  Personally I could live without it.  It is too loud for me.  That is my random observation for the morning.  I am sitting at my sister Diane’s house, listening to a neighbor being ambitious (mowing the lawn prior to 9 a.m.?  Isn’t there some rule of etiquette about that?), and trying to make a Lame Post Friday blog post.  Quite frankly, I don’t got much, except for a little bit of a headache.

Could it be a preview of coming attractions?

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  This is from May 2017, a “before” shot of my container garden, which I used to have in those days.  I am hoping to have a container garden this year, but this is not the weekend it will happen.  This weekend is about cleaning the inside of my house.  I hope.

This may also be a coming attraction.

Here is a picture from May 2021 at Diane’s house.  It shows me, Diane, our mother, and our sister Vicki.  I am wearing a tie-dye shirt and pearls again today, but different shirt and pearls (my late, beloved husband Steven and I between us wore out that shirt, and I have many pearls) (although I do not clutch them) (but I digress).

Diane and I will be returning to Herkimer this morning, where she will help me in my quest to get rid of things and clean my house.  I am afraid, however, I may be distracted with taking her to some of my favorite places to go for Mohawk Valley Adventures.  I will rationalize such behavior on the grounds that it will make for better blog posts.

 

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Sometimes Lame Will Do

Posted on April 26, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is early(ish) Saturday morning and I thought I would attempt a Late Lame Post Friday post.  For one reason, I really got nothin’ except perhaps for some half-baked philosophy and random observations plus a couple of pictures from my Media Library to pep things up.  I confess it cheers me up to make a blog post in the morning.  Something about putting words together makes me happy.  I must do it more often and wonder at myself that I do not.  I know, many people wonder about me (you know who you are).  I feel it is part of my charm, but perhaps I flatter myself.

Both missed, but at least I can talk to one.

Here is one of them there pictures to pep things up.  It is my late, dearly missed husband Steve and my friend Kim, who moved to Colorado, at the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer NY.  I have not been there in a while.  It is a bit of a walk for me, although I surely need the exercise (I will call you Shirley if I decide to).  Today it is raining, so I am unlikely to make the journey.

Since I brought up Steve, I will give a brief grief update (didn’t mean to rhyme) (honest).  I slowly find my way to being alone.  I will never be done missing him.  I will always be sad at times.  However, I try not to dwell on it or feel ill-used.  I guess I don’t have much to say about it.  Oh well, it was to be a brief update.  Back to being Lame.

It will look somewhat different this year.

I add this picture to encourage myself.  I said I would have a container garden this year.  I am struggling to get my house in better shape, and I must soon move outdoors, where there is a LOT to do!  In fact, I should get off the computer and get to work.  Well, maybe one more picture.

I haven’t worn those socks in a while.

This is another picture to encourage me:  the thought of relaxing after a job well done.  My relaxing feet on the front porch or back deck may have been more appropriate after the container garden picture, but this one was handy.  Full disclosure:  I spend a lot of time with my feet up, job well done or not.  I’m old and my feet hurt!  Never mind.  I have managed over 400 words worth of a blog post and that is not bad, however lame the post may be.  Will I have a productive Saturday?  Will I relax after a job well done?  For the answer to these and other burning questions (or do I once again flatter myself?) stay tuned to Mohawk Valley Girl!

 

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