Tag Archives: Little Falls NY

I Get a Little Culture at MVCA

I got some culture Saturday when I attended an art opening at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts’ (MVCA) new location at 410 Canal Place in Little Falls, NY.  It is just across the street from their old location, a nice bright space with views of the canal out the windows. I enjoyed looking at the art of Justin Como as well as checking out the new space.

Love the real hardwood floors!

It was difficult to get a wide view with bright sunshine pouring in the windows, but how can I complain about sunshine?  Not with some of the weather we’ve been having!

It’s so different!

This was my favorite piece.  It’s called “Participating in Reality.”

This one is sweet too!

This one is, “I’m Too Sad to Tell You.”  After I had looked at all the pieces in the exhibit, I checked out the gift shop and chatted up a few fellow art lovers.  I think I have been recruited to volunteer for MVCA.  I don’t see why not if I can get my life a little better organized.

MVCA is open from noon to four p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  I encourage you to stop by when you’re near Canal Place.  You can get a little culture and pick up some cool items at the gift shop.  The phone number is 315-823-0808.

 

This is Surely a Lame Post

OK, so the blogging has not been going very well post-Prescription: Murder.  I have not been having very many Mohawk Valley Adventures.  I have been getting out to walk and even taken a couple short runs, but nothing worth making a Running Commentary or Pedestrian Post about (as if that ever stops me).  Now I sit, typing into my Chromebook on Lame Post Friday, thinking, surely I can manage at least a Friday Lame Post (and I will call you Shirley if I decide to).

In my case, they have done their job.

I thought I would throw in a picture to pep things up.  Yes, I have been brain dead for some time now, as regular readers may have noticed.  I have been writing letters, which I suppose counts.  By My Rules for Me, Any Writing Counts.  But I have not been, for example, making entries in the TV Journal or even my Running Journal (yes, I have multiple journals and am thinking of adding a few more to fail to write in).  For a week or more I made a daily blog post.  I hope to get back to doing that.

Cheers to Mohawk Valley Adventures!

I scrolled further down my Media Library, looking for a Mohawk Valley Adventure I could aim for.  This is my friend Kim at Rock Valley Brewing Company in Little Falls, NY.  Alas these adventures are always better with a friend, and Kim moved far away.  I wonder what other friends I could find to get into trouble with.

Then again, coffee is always nice.

Another place I haven’t been in a while is Joseph Putrello’s Coffee Barista Bar in Utica.  Will I venture as far as Little Falls or Utica today?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my morning.

In any case, I have at least written to the extent of a Lame Post Friday blog post.  One has to start somewhere.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

Wrist to Forehead After Wine

Who me? Drink and type?  I am hoping I can manage at least a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post, but I confess, I went to the Elks Lodge in Herkimer, NY and indulged in a few glasses of wine. I am in the process of becoming an Elk and have been having a lot of fun going to the Lodge and being sociable.  Regular readers may remember I have been to the Elks Lodge previously to rehearse and present murder mysteries, so I have met several members and gotten a very good impression of the place.

A previous murder mystery at the Herkimer Elks Lodge.

The murder mystery I am currently in rehearsals for is at the New Hartford American Legion.  I hope to be  working on one to be presented at the Herkimer Elks Lodge this spring (preview of coming attractions).  I was working on writing it earlier today but shall not share any teasers at present.

Me being dramatic in another setting.

I have also done Shakespeare at the Herkiuner Elks Lodge with LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company.  The above picture was not taken at the Elks, but it was of the last play we did at the Elks.  I think LiFT needs to do another Shakespeare play, both at Little Falls and at Herkimer Elks.  I’ll have to work on that.

So this post is at least over 200 words, a little scattered, but you’ll have that.  I think it is okay for a Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  If you disagree, feel free to take me to task in a comment.

 

I Like Art

Sometimes I get a little culture.  For example, last Saturday I went to the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls for a Meet the Artist with Frank Wilcox.   The Renaissance periodically hosts local artists in cooperation with Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts.

I am acquainted with Frank from being in a play with him (Strike Story written by Angela Harris), and I have seen his work in several area venues.  Full disclosure:  my original plan was to write about the Renaissance (or the Ren as it is sometimes called) for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I missed the deadline for the February issue, so I will try again for a future issue (unless another writer beats me to it).  In the meantime, I wanted to give the place a shout-out, and give folks a chance to go see some of Frank Wilcox’s paintings.

I can’t quite get a good picture of behind the bar.

Of course I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine.  One must support a venue that promotes local artists.  Unfortunately the kitchen was not open yet, because the food there is very good.

It’s hard to take good pictures of pictures.

I was there early enough that it was not too crowded yet, so I did not have to worry about asking a bunch of strangers if it was OK if they were in the picture.  I did not take too many pictures in any case, because they did not seem to be turning out very well.  Therefore, I encourage all local readers to go to the Ren and take a look for themselves.

Erynn Lowery and Victoria Cheney

I was fortunate enough to get a picture of the proprietress and bartender.  Unfortunately Victoria, the bartender, was moving soon.

You really should go see this one.

I took a picture of my favorite painting.  I was happy to get a chance to tell Frank how much I liked it.  Unfortunately, there are no walls in my house big enough to properly show off a picture that big.  As I type this, I look around at all the nice pictures on my walls now, which include at least a few by local artists.  That was my husband Steven’s talent, hanging pictures and interior decoration.  Still, I could retire a couple of pictures if I acquired any more art.  I certainly hope to attend more Meet the Artists at the Renaissance.

The Renaissance Pub is located at 550 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-556-1006. Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts is located at 401-403 Canal Place, Little Falls, phone number 315-823-0808. You can Like them both on Facebook.

 

Another Post Christmas Post

Oh dear, I am back to missing days of posting.  What was I doing yesterday instead of making a blog post?  Nothing very exciting, I fear, so I have not much to blog about today.  However, I finally took a picture of my skeleton Bonita in her holiday outfits.  Surely some of my readers will be interested (even if they are not named Shirley).

She’s ready for a party!

The background is a blanket my sister Cheryl gave me last Christmas, with pictures of me and my late husband Steve.  I could perhaps have found something a little less busy to photograph Bonita with, but one does not always think of these things ahead of time.

Another festive friend.

And here is Burt the Birt-day Gorilla, also dressed for the holiday.  The hat is one I put together one year when I did the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls.  I have not done that run in a few years now.  Perhaps in 2025.

Just a random St. Nick.

And this is a Santa Claus I snapped a picture of when I was out walking yesterday.  He was all by himself in the yard, but he looked cheery enough to me.

At the triumphant conclusion of the race.

And here I am wearing the hat that Burt currently sports.  As you see, I decorated myself for the run.  My dear friend Jim met me at the end of the race, where he sang the chorus of “We Are the Champions” while I walked around with my fists in the air, because I like to walk around with my fists in the air while somebody sings the chorus of “We Are the Champions.”  This was in 2018.

I see I am approaching 300 words.  I call that OK.  I shall hit Publish and continue trying to outpace my post-Christmas letdown.

 

Must Stop at the Mustard Seed!

I let today go by without leaving the house, thus losing another chance to Christmas shop.  However, I still have some pictures of previous Christmas shopping, so I can give a shout-out to another local business, which local readers still have a couple of days to go to.

This delightful lady will be there!

This is Juli Webster, proprietor of The Mustard Seed in Little Falls, NY.  See how Christmasy she looks!  The Mustard Seed has artisan herbal goods, scents, spice blends, gluten free foods, and more.  I spent a goodly amount of time there chatting with Juli and her mother.  I even wrote an article about the place for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  It is just the sort of distinctive local business they like to highlight.

Cool decor!

The bumble bee is prominent in the store and as part of the logo.  This is because of the story of the bumble bee:  it is not supposed to be able to fly, but the rules of aerodynamics or physics or something (I remember very little of my high school science).  BUT, nobody told the bumble it couldn’t fly, and so it does!  I had heard that about the bumble bee and always liked the story.  I find it inspirational, although people have, in fact, told me I cannot do certain things.  I’ll just pretend they didn’t.

Another bumble bee.

The store is only the Mustard Seed’s latest home.  It has been a staple at area craft and vendor fairs as well as having a store in the building that houses the Stone Mill Inn some years ago.

I highly recommend The Mustard Seed as a good place to shop, for Christmas or for yourself.  They are located at 407 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-0718.

 

 

“Snowman” and a Shout-Out

Here’s a cheerful fellow.

As I sit here at my Chromebook, feeling utterly incapable of making a blog post, I remembered that I had added some pictures to my Media Library that I had not used yet.  I put one in the post, hoping to get myself started.  This snowman (boxman?) was at the UPS Store at Canal Place in Little Falls, NY.  I know, the UPS Store is hardly the sort of distinctive local business I like to highlight in this blog.  However, that homemade snowman won my heart.

Although, now that I look at him, I wonder if corporate didn’t send out the mittens, buttons, etc, for the employees to cut out and use to make the snowman.  Is there just such a snowman at UPS Stores nationwide? Oh well, it is still cute.

This was as far as I got on Thursday with making a blog post.  Now it is Friday afternoon and I thought, “Oh yeah, I didn’t make a blog post yesterday.”  How dreadful of me.  Let’s go back to those pictures I added to my Media Library.

Ooh, pretty!

 

This was at Little Falls Diamond Company, which I visited last Friday with my sister Cheryl.  It is just the sort of distinctive local business I love.

More beautiful stones!

I was just remembering I wanted to visit a distinctive local shop in Herkimer today, so I kind of need to get off the computer and into the shower so I can get there.  Well, at least I gave one shout-out.  I’ll see what else I can do when I get back home.

Little Falls Diamond Company is located at 411 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-0454.

 

Another Non-Sequitur Lame Post Friday

This feels like a really late Lame Post Friday post, because Thursday felt like Friday, and yesterday felt like Saturday, so today should kind of feel like Sunday.  It is in fact early Saturday morning (I consult my watch and my Chromebook to confirm). Only I am not sure that it feels like anything as I got very little sleep last night.  But let us not dwell on my myriad problems and my tendency to whine about them; let us attempt some semblance of a blog post.

Well isn’t red a Christmas color?

OK, about that picture.  As I typed the first paragraph, my headache rolled back in.  I thought to throw in a Christmas illustration but the headache got more obtrusive as I searched my Media Library so I clicked almost at random, hit Save, and went elsewhere on my Chromebook till the weird feeling subsided (I should type up a few paragraphs describing the sensations of this headache, not for blogging purposes but to inflict on my neurologist). I typed and sent a couple of emails.  It is funny how you can do some kinds of writing sometimes.  Ooh, that is a bit of half-baked philosophy, is it not?  This IS a Lame Post Friday post!

Yesterday I took a real trip to Little Falls, NY with my sister Cheryl, and I took a number of pictures at our various stops.  Later on I stopped by the Wine Tasting Room at Raindrops on Roses Bed and Breakfast in Herkimer for a chat with the delightful proprietors.  I continued to a delicious dinner at Salvatore’s.  In between bouts of headache, it was quite the enjoyable day, and I hope to make more detailed posts about the places I stopped.

I quite forgot where I was going with this blog post, but I see I am approaching 300 words.  I say that is not bad, and I am hungry for my breakfast.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

I Guess I Was a Non-Sequitur

I meant to make my Thursday blog post on Thursday.  In fact, I went out in hopes of finding something to blog about.  It did not work out so well.  You see, I had this weird headache and I could not seem to quite do anything.  Don’t tell my mother; I don’t want her to worry.  Oh dear, she might read this post.  Never mind; I’ll think of something good to tell her.

Anyways, the headache was as much light-headedness as pain, and it kind of came and went, so during one of the times it went, I ventured out of the house.  I had an idea to check out a new store in Ilion, BB Music Center at 141 Central Ave., then have lunch at the new Jessie’s Grill at 200 Otsego St. (that cool wedge-shaped building). Unfortunately I found out Jessie’s was not to open till later, so I decided to go to Little Falls.

I hadn’t been here in a while.

I had not realized how cold it was till I walked from my car to the Little falls Antique Center at Canal Place. It was nice to look at all the beautiful wares again. Ooh I was loving the vintage jazz they were playing!  But these were not the Christmas presents I was thinking of purchasing for my loved ones.  Still, I know some of my siblings would love to accompany me there for another shopping trip one day.  I thought it might be a good idea to have lunch before going on.  For one reason, my headache was starting to come back.

Unfortunately I could not make up my mind to go into any of the eateries at Canal Place.  Perhaps I could find something on Main Street that would work.  Accordingly, I drove there and parked.  Ooh, there was Chickweed Boutique.  I love that place.  But… food.  I locked my car and started down the street.  I had parked close to one end of Main so I had a good ways to walk, and a few good eating places to walk by and choose from.

The wind had died down a little, so with my shawl, hat and gloves, I was not too cold at all.  It felt good to walk.  I walked by several places and ended up turning right and continuing to walk up a hill.  My headache was feeling much better.  There are not enough hills to walk up in Herkimer.  I was enjoying this.  I walked up the hill till there was no outlet then turned around and walked back to Main Street.

I decided to walk back up to my car and go home.  I had not consulted my watch when I parked, but I thought I had been walking for at least 20 minutes.  As I turned up Main Street, I wondered what if I ran into somebody I knew and they asked what I was doing.  I would have to say something like, “Well I don’t really know,” or, “It’s kind of hard to explain.”  I am a little sorry I did not run into anybody.

The beauty part was I noticed CVS Pharmacy before I got to my car and remembered I needed some supplements I have been taking for my migraines.  Alas that I forgot I also meant to purchase some hair gel.  I did amuse myself at CVS.  While waiting at the Pharmacy to pay for the B2 (I do not know why that should be a controlled substance) I saw myself on a television overhead, and it kept saying “recording.”  It made me nervous, but I reminded myself I was not buying poison.  It took a few minutes as the clerk needed to look up the price, so I thought to turn the image of me to good use by adjusting my headband.  When the clerk returned to complete the transaction, I told her the recording could be my alibi if I was accused of murder.  Do you suppose I watch too much Dateline?

I was a little annoyed with myself for not paying for the magnesium (oh dear is it a HIPAA violation that I told you both supplements I am on?) at the same time as the riboflavin (that’s another word for B2) when I couldn’t find anything else to buy (remember, I forgot about needing the hair gel).  Then I had a pleasant conversation with a man waiting to pay and with the clerk, so I felt happy about that.

Holy crap, I have blathered on for over 750 words about what was, so I thought, a rather uneventful interlude. If anybody has read till the end, thank you!  I hope you had a lovely Thursday and have a wonderful Friday.

 

Interval? Fartlek? Anyways, I Ran!

As I finished my run this morning, going past the house twice to make sure Map My Run agreed it was two miles, I said to myself, “This is great!  Two Mile Tuesday is back!”  Then I said, “You idiot, it’s Wednesday,” echoing Boris Karloff is one of my favorite Tuesday memes.

Tee hee!

In fact, it is like a Friday for many, because they have the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving.  I was euphoric when I finally had a job that gave me that perk (or is it “perq” short for “perquisite”?  Discuss amongst yourselves).  But I have covered the vagaries of three day weeks in this space before.  Right now I was hoping to make a Running Commentary.

I got up early, because I went to bed early last night (Tired Tuesday, remember?).  I thought I would do something different and go running right away, even before I had coffee.  For one reason, it was not raining. It was pouring yesterday morning, so I did not run, although I took a nice walk later. On Monday’s run, I started experimenting with interval training, that is, interspersing my normal slow shuffle with bursts of greater speed and effort (why did autocorrect capitalize “greater”?  And why does my computer underline “auto-correct”?) (OH, it wants a hyphen.  Who knew?) (Oh you probably did) (you know who you are) (but I digress).

Actually, from what I learned in the army, there is interval training and fartlek workouts (tee hee, I said “fart”!).  In interval training, your slower and faster periods are set; for example, on a oval track, sprint the straightaway, run slower on the curvy parts.  In fartlek, things are more irregular: “You’ll sprint till I tell you to stop sprinting!”  Of course, this may have been just some sergeant’s definition.

Oh, according to Google, it is unstructured!  I looked it up to make sure I was spelling it correctly. Also, it is meant to be fun.  I’m sure that wasn’t part of the sergeant’s definition, but I will certainly remember it the next time I put on the old running shoes!

Anyways, I ran for just over 30 minutes, doing a kind of a sprint about every five minutes. I say a kind of a sprint, because with my speed or lack thereof, an unbiased observer might not have recognized it as a sprint.  I would decide to sprint to a certain point, a telephone pole, a corner, that sort of thing, looking at my Garmin at the beginning and end.  My sprints lasted from ten to twenty seconds.  I figure that gives me something to build on.

I am thinking I will try to do the Reindeer Run 5K in Little Falls Dec. 14.  Regular readers may remember that I have done it before; it is a fun event put together by good people, the Rock City Runners.  I may not be in quite the shape I like to be for a 5K, but I could stretch a point.  After all, as I have often said, round and puffy is a shape.