Tag Archives: Little Falls NY

Messy House, Many Adventures

Posted on January 10, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had an adventure filled day yesterday but foolishly did not take any pictures along the way.  Well, I will recount my activities and trust to my Media Library to provide some illustration.

I started with breakfast with friends at Top of the Morning Cafe in North Utica, NY.  I had never been there before and wish I had taken pictures.  However, the parking lot was quite icy so I did not want to pause and try to aim my camera at their sign.  It was a very good breakfast, though.  I am sure we will return.

Back home, I was planning the best way to go about cleaning my messy house when my sister Cheryl called and asked did I want to go out to lunch.  She needed to get a calendar as well.  I told her I knew a place where she could get a swell calendar free: Basloe Library in Herkimer had a stack of canal calendars.  I told her to take her time coming over, since I was still full from breakfast.

We went first to the library where Cheryl got the calendar and found a couple of books at the book sale.  From there we went to Little Falls and Athenix Books and Brews, where I found a book. I introduced Cheryl to the owner as my sister that did not write novels.  I don’t know if he recognized me as the person who said her sister wrote novels, but it amused me.

A very welcoming sign.

Next we walked up Main Street to Chickweed Boutique, where Cheryl found a couple of things she wanted.  I noticed that the sleigh out front was gone.  The owner told me it had been sold to a man with three kids, so it would get a lot of use.

The sleigh.

I told Cheryl about the sleigh that had been there in December, handmade and beautiful.  I would have loved to buy it myself!

By then I was hungry too, so we went back to Herkimer for lunch at Paradise Eatery.  I had gotten appetizers there but never lunch.  The waitress remembered me, which was flattering.  The food was yummy.  We will certainly go there again.  For one reason, I need to take a better picture.

From a post titled, “Bad Pictures, Good Eatery.”

It was a delightful day.  I was glad I had met my friends, and that Cheryl had called me.  My messy house was waiting for me when I got home.  Full disclosure:  I did not clean it today either.

 

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Return to Athenix

Posted on January 5, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I got to thinking about Athenix Books and Brews and The Keep and decided I wanted to join.  Also, I had not purchased anything on Jan 2 , and that is no way to support a business.  I am not extravagantly well off, but I can afford a purchase or two.  Accordingly, I drove to Little Falls, NY.

Cool sign!

This time I remembered to take a couple of outside pictures.  I went in and greeted the owner.  He pointed out his two daughters, after whom the store is named, he was holding one and the other was relaxing on a nearby couch.  I looked around to decide what to purchase.  A number of people were browsing, so it was difficult to see everything.  What a good problem for a store to have!  Alas, no books caught my eye.

My purchases.

I had said yesterday that I did NOT need another coffee mug.  Unfortunately, when I was doing dishes the morning, my Dyn’s Cider Mill mug broke.  I don’t know when I will get to Dyn’s again (they are probably closed for the season).  In the meantime, another Little Falls mug can fill in the gap.  Um, yes, I did already have a Little Falls coffee mug.  But this one is purple!  When I went to pay for it, I fell in love with an adorable ghost pen holder (full disclosure:  at first I thought it was just a ghost and had to be told it was a pen holder).

It took a little while, since I was joining The Keep and because, well, I always talk too much.  I apologized to the woman behind me.  She said that was fine, she was enjoying looking around.  She asked the owner what if somebody wanted to buy one of the books hanging from the ceiling.  He said there would be a $100 surcharge for hauling out the ladder.

The outside is decorated with books, too.

We are all looking forward to the opening of the cafe.  I want to sit there and sip coffee and write.  Maybe I can finally finish that novel.

 

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No Brews Yet But Books!

Posted on January 4, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Athenix Books and Brews in Little Falls is a great addition to the Mohawk Valley.  I went to their soft opening yesterday and was enchanted.  Alas, I did not get any pictures of the outside of the store or the logo.  That is another reason I must return.

Brews refers to brewed coffee, not beer, and they intend to open a whole cafe.  I have been following Athenix on Facebook, as they chronicle their progress, fixing up the space and getting ready. Only the book section opened Jan. 2, but for book lovers and lovers of local like me (oh, how alliterative, “lovers of local like me), that is enough.

SO going to buy a shirt!

In addition to new and used books, local jewelry, candles and other merchandise is available.  When I was there, a lot of people were browsing the stacks and making purchases.

I spoke to the owner, who my sister Diane Young had previously contacted.  A couple of stores in Liverpool carry her books, and she would love to expand her reach to Little Falls.  She had meant to come to the opening with me but was not feeling well (these colds that hang on and on, ugh!).  He said she should come see him when she is in town, and bring copies of her books.  My sister the author.  I really must up my writing game.

Who me? Buy another coffee mug?

For a monthly fee, you can join The Keep.  You get 10% off most purchases plus additional member sales, and you get a free monthly t-shirt.  Wow!  I want in!  I stupidly did not join yesterday.  However, since I plan to make it a regular stop, I’m sure I will have the chance.

Athenix Books and Brews is located at 624 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY.  They are open daily from 9 to 6.  I encourage you to follow them on Facebook.

 

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Just a Couple of Christmas Stops

Posted on December 18, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in my Christmas shopping to make a blog post.  Then I am out to tackle the season once again.  How brave that sounds.  In fact, I paused for lunch, to read a book for a while, take a Facebook break, and do an  anacrostic puzzle (my computer thinks “anacrostic” is not a word, and in fact PennyPress calls them “crostics”) (which the computer also does not like).  Where was I?

Ah yes, beginning my Christmas shopping.  In fact, I think most members of my family would not notice or care if I did not give them presents, except for the great nephew and niece, and OF COURSE I am going to get them something nice!  But I like to give presents, at least small tokens of my affection. Additionally, as Mohawk Valley Girl, this is a golden opportunity to shop at many of the little stores I love and with which the Mohawk Valley is blessed.

Accordingly, I drove to Little Falls this morning.  My first stop was at Chickweed Boutique on Main Street.  There was a wonderful handmade sled on the front porch.

Beautiful!

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there is no space in my house for such a thing.  Chickweed has a lot of great stuff for Christmas, though:  jewelry, clothes, books, art, and more.  I found… well, I can’t tell you what I found, can I?  Some members of my family read this blog.  I continued down Main Street to Venture Fourth, a fairly new business in Little Falls but one I had not visited till today.

As I came in I confessed to the man behind the counter that most of the people on my list were not super outdoorsy.  Still, he did have some things that looked nice for anybody.  Candles, coffee mugs, and clothing.

I may need to buy some of this stuff for me!

I further confessed that I did not plan to spend a whole lot per present.

“After all, I’m just the crazy old aunt,”  I said.  He said I didn’t seem that crazy to him, but then again, he had just met me.  I found a couple of items to purchase, and we had a lovely conversation about the area and small businesses, etc.  It really is one of my favorite things about shopping small:  the interaction with the shop keepers.

Anyone can use clothes!

As I left Venture Fourth, I felt tired and hungry, and remembered I had to go grocery shopping. That led to the pause I alluded to in the first paragraph.  Now I have a blog post of over 400 words.  Score!  I think I’ll hit a couple places in Herkimer next.

 

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I Have No Defense

Posted on December 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I did it again.  I went three whole days without posting. In my defense…

The three words that best describe me are as follows, and I quote…

I guess it isn’t really a defense, but I have been running around like I have health, energy, and ambition (I bet you thought I was going to say, “like  a chicken with its head cut off”) (you know who you are).  Saturday I ran the Reindeer Run 5K on unreliable streets in Little Falls.  After returning home to shower, I went to Ilion to take a picture of the Frosty Forest at their Municipal Hall, a fundraiser for Hoffman Wellness Center.  I wrote a quick blurb for Sentinel Media (must also do a blog post), which I emailed out.  Next I went to the cookie sale at Herkimer County Historical Society, because, well, cookies.  I had a very nice visit there with a couple of my favorite volunteers.

Finally I went to the Elks Lodge where I donated a few canned goods to Feed Our Vets and watched part of the Army/Navy football game. I wore my Army shirt, just to harass a couple of Navy vets I’m friends with.  Once of them did an end run around me, though, and wore Army stuff.  He served in both branches.

Sunday I was up early and off to Herkimer High School to volunteer for the Elks Hoop Shoot, a nation-wide foul shot contest.  That was a little nerve-wracking, because I had to pay close attention as one of the score-keepers.  I am not so good with numbers.

So it has been a weekend of lots to blog about but no time to blog.  You may be tempted to point out that today is Tuesday, and I had all day Monday to write numerous blog posts.  You are, of course, at liberty to point out whatever you would like.  I did a few things Monday, as it happens, but I feel I have blathered on for long enough.  I am going to bill this as a Tired Tuesday post and feel justified in doing so.

Bunny looks interested in hearing whatever I have to say.

I close with a picture of the bunny from Herkimer County Humane Society, because I like that bunny.

 

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I Run in the Slow Lame

Posted on December 13, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another Lame Post Friday post.  I went for a short run earlier this morning (ooh, it is still morning; I have not wasted away the whole day).  Am I ready for the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls tomorrow?  Was I ever going to be?  No matter.  I have a new theme song that goes:

We do what we can do

And if it’s not enough

Tough.

I sang it to myself during the latter part of my run.  It was quite snowy.  I meant to take a picture after the run to show what I was dealing with but was feeling rather defeated at the time and could only go in the house.  I was happy that I made the effort, though.  I am sure my body will feel better tomorrow because of it.

Preview of Coming Attractions?

That was me after I ran in 2018.  I was thinking of going to a dollar store and getting some garland to drape myself with this year but do not know if I can muster the oomph.  I find I have a very short supply of oomph these days and a whole reservoir of I Just Can’t Even.  That the hell, me?

I return to my theme song.  What I can do today, it seems, is a lame blog post.  I wonder if I can find a fun picture to close with.  Come on, Media Library, don’t fail me now!

Cheers to the season!

How about a very nice picture of my dearly missed husband, Steve.  He loved Christmas as much as I did, and he was proud of me for running a 5K, even if I was pretty slow about it.  I treasure warm memories, even as I search for a little more oomph.

 

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Ready for the Reindeer Run?

Posted on December 9, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went running in the cold yesterday, thinking to make a Running Commentary Post, but then, well, got distracted.  This morning I realized, it is just about time to make this blog All Reindeer Run 5K All The Time.  The big race is THIS SATURDAY!  Am I ready?  I guess I have to be.

One of my all-time favorite pictures.

This was taken before the race in 2017.  I will probably wear that same T-shirt but do not know where my Santa hat is.  I suppose I could pick up another one at a dollar store, but I have another alternative in mind.

I was pretty proud of myself at the time.

In 2018 I visited a dollar store before the race and picked up the garland and bells to enhance my ensemble.  The hat was enhanced with a few things I had around the house.  I happen to know where the hat is but would need to search for the bells and garland.  A co-worker urged me not to wear the bells, saying it would drive my fellow runners crazy.  I argued that it would encourage them to run faster.  In fact, most of them run faster than me with no encouragement on my part.

Wardrobe suggestion for after the race.

Rather than share another race photo, I offer this from December 2016.  I still have the gold lame top.  I have the high-heeled boots, too, but question my ability to walk very far in them.  Some people would say, suffer to be beautiful.  I don’t know that I will dress up and go out after the run, having few places to go and nobody anxious to accompany me.  Then again, I am not shy about going places alone.  I usually find somebody to talk to, and it often makes a good blog post.

In the meantime, I have reached 300 words on this topic.  Score!  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Not Too Lame for the Reindeer Run!

Posted on November 22, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another Lame Post Friday post.  It looks like I last had one at the end of October.  Additionally, it is my birthday weekend; I feel I should be able to have fun.

Earlier today I ran for over three miles.  I was going to make a Running Commentary post titled, “Last Run at 61.”  I was really quite happy I made it that far.  That means I am in good shape for the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls in December.  Regular readers know I have participated in the Reindeer Run before.

One of my all-time favorite pictures.

This is December 2017, the first time I ran the Reindeer Run.

I felt jolly.

My late, dearly missed husband Steven took this picture before I left for the run.  Just look at all the Christmas decorations behind me!  That was when Steve and I really went to town on decorating.  I confess, Steven did most of it.

A more elaborate outfit.

This was in 2018, when I took a little more trouble with my ensemble.  I need to come up with something fun to wear this year.

The Reindeer Run 5K, sponsored by Rock City Runners, is Satuday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m.  For more information, you can visit Rock City Runners Facebook page.

Ooh, not till the 13th!  I thought it was the 6th!  Score!  A whole week more to get ready!

 

 

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A Delightful Dinner

Posted on September 25, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I found myself in Little Falls around dinner time and decided to check out Trattoria Giorgio’s.  It is in the space previously known as Ruggiero’s Trattoria, which I always liked.  I found that it is still a delightful place to eat.

I guess it’s also known as a Tap and Tavern.

I took a seat at the bar and perused the menu.  I wanted to get a glass of wine with my meal but would not know what to drink till I decided what to eat.  I went with one of the specials:  a grilled chicken BLT.  I thought it would pair well with Chardonnay.  I don’t really know a lot about wine pairings, but I know in general white goes with chicken.

While I waited for my food I worked on a letter to my sister Diane and chatted with the bartender and other patrons.  The bar is in a U shape, which is handy for  conversation.

My sandwich was delicious.  As usual, I cut it in half and took half home with me.  It came with chips, but I figured the chips wouldn’t travel well in the same box with the sandwich.  They were not the homemade kind anyways.  But I kept nibbling on them while I finished my drink.

I was in Little Falls to attend a meeting of the Flash Fiction group at Little Falls Public Library (preview of coming attractions).  If I make that a regular Wednesday thing, I may make dinner out a regular Wednesday thing too.  There are a few more places along Main Street in Little Falls I would like to eat at (another preview of coming attractions!).  But I will make Giorgio’s a regular stop.

Giorgio’s is located at 546 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-1414.

 

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How Lame Was My Valley?

Posted on September 13, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is Saturday morning, and I am making another Better Lame than Never post.  That isn’t an official category here at Mohawk Valley Girl, but it ought to be.  I thought of the title after I typed in those two sentences.  There was a novel then a movie a long time ago called How Green Was My Valley.  I neither read the book or saw the movie.  In fact, I just now used DuckDuckGo to confirm I had the title right.

Of course, the Mohawk Valley is far from lame.  Right now I am contemplating what I ought to do today, and there are several choices.  I’m sure the sensible choice is to stay home, clean my house, mow my lawn, and otherwise behave.  BUT…

There is the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls!  I have not been to this fun event in years, but a whole posse of my family used to go.

Mmmm…. garlic!

The Garlic Festival is at Canal Place, but on Main Street in Little Falls, Chickweed Boutique is hosting a pop-up called Chickweed and Company. I love Chickweed Boutique!

The bumble bee is the emblem of the store.

Other than special events, there are shops, breweries, restaurants, libraries, places to walk, places to sit… Is staying home and cleaning really the right thing to do?  Or would it be… lame.

 

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