Tag Archives: Mohawk Valley adventures

Minor Accomplishments on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

Posted on July 18, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I knew earlier today that this would be a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  Why I didn’t just go ahead and write it earlier. .. I was about to say I don’t know but in fact I do.  But it’s not that interesting a reason, so never mind.

This weekend has been almost a complete wash-out for me.  The few things I did:  I worked six hours of overtime, I ran twice, and I had a Mohawk Valley adventure with my husband today.  But I missed seeing a play at Utica Players, directed by an Ilion Little Theatre member and featuring two actors from Leading Ladies (remember, the play I directed this past spring?).  And I did not clean my house (ooh, one load of laundry, does that count for anything?), I did not learn my lines for Much Ado About Nothing (remember, the play I’m in in Little Falls?) (I did think about them while I worked on Saturday, does that count for anything?), I did not write anything except blog posts Friday, Saturday and, if it counts for anything, today.

I was actually pretty pleased with myself that I ran today.  When I got up I really did not want to.  It was raining when I took Spunky for his morning business meeting, but I had to admit it was not raining hard enough to preclude a run.  Then it stopped raining.  I sat down and had a cup of coffee anyways.  Then I decided to run.  So remember that.  Sometimes you don’t have to force yourself to do something.  Sometimes if you sit down and have a cup of coffee, you find you’d kind of like to do the thing anyways.

On the run I ran a major hill I didn’t mean to run.  Suddenly there I was, going up, up, up.  I kept going because I did not want to just turn around and run back down.  I ended up increasing the length of time I ran by the recommended ten percent from last week.  Score!

So I have a few choices here.  I can feel pleased by the stuff I did accomplish, chastise myself over the things I did not accomplish, or call the whole thing a wash and see what Monday brings.  Oh one other choice:  I can see if I can accomplish anything else before bedtime (always early on a Sunday, because, you know, Monday).  If I do that, perhaps I’ll write a blog post about it.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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Back to Work, But Not on the Blog

Posted on July 6, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I went back to work today.  I did not bring a puzzle book or anything to read.  I brought a notebook and pen, because I was going to write.  I would not be forced to have a Tired Tuesday or Bad Attituesday.  I was going to write a real post!

First I wrote a to-do list for the week. I was having one of those days when I thought that getting my act together was an actual possibility.  I suppose it is really under the heading Keep Dreaming.  Then again, if we don’t go for these things, we’ll never know how much we can accomplish.  I’ll keep you posted on how I do with it.

After finishing the list, I turned a page or two back and wrote two more lines on the Banana Play.  I had thought I might finish that play on my week off (see above paragraph about having my act together and Keep Dreaming).   I have also been thinking, “Oh, nobody really expects me to finish that damn play.  It isn’t very good anyways.  I should start a new novel instead and finish that instead.”  Yet I managed to write a little.

Still not feeling up to a blog post, I found a blank page and began a letter to someone I have not written to in a while.  I thought this was a good thing to do because, for one reason, it is good to send somebody a letter.  For another reason, I told her about some of the Mohawk Valley adventures I’ve had recently.  I thought I might get inspired to write a blog post or two.  Unfortunately, my break was not that long.

Back at work, I was thinking in a vague sort of way about my Banana Play when I had some GREAT ideas about what could come next.  Almost a whole new direction for the plot and a couple of the characters.  This was cool.  I couldn’t wait to get back to my notebook!

Bottom line is, I do not feel too bad about not writing a blog post earlier today.  One might think I could just write one now, but it seems beyond me.  I don’t know why that is.  Some days I sit at the keyboard and compose a perfectly acceptable post about an area event, attraction or business.  Some days not so much.  What, I ask, are you going to do?  Well, I hope you are going to still read my blog tomorrow.  What I’m going to do is publish this post and see if I can’t write a few more lines on the Banana Play.

 

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Spunky Start to Scattered Saturday

Posted on July 3, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Scattered Saturday instead of a Slacker Saturday.  I think I could manage a brief re-cap of today’s activities.  I have quite a headache currently, sorry to complain, and I really just feel like sitting here and chilling.  However, I like to make a blog post every day, and I do not want to put off making today’s any longer.  I know, I know, enough with the excuses, get on with the post.  OK, I will.

Our dog Spunky barked at 5:01 this morning.  I looked at the clock.  For once I let Steven keep sleeping a little longer and got up to take Spunky for his first business meeting of the day.  I got dressed in running clothes, so I could go for my run right after.  I have run eight days in a row.  That may be a record for me.  A little later I wrote some postcards and walked to the post office with Spunky.  Spunky doesn’t seem to like long walks, but he can make it to the post office and back.

By noon I was headed to my sister Cheryl’s house for more adventures.  My sister Vicki was in town, along with her husband and offspring, and Vicki had not yet been to the So Sweet Candy Cafe, which is owned by her great childhood friend, Margaret.  I, of course, am always up for another visit to a candy shop.  I purchased a few treats while I was there.  Vicki and Margaret had a nice if brief visit.

After leaving the So Sweet, we walked down Varick Street to the Mohawk Valley Winery.  We tasted some wine and, yes, I purchased a bottle.  We were disappointed to find out we needed to make an appointment to tour the Adirondack Distilling Company.  I said we must make an appointment for next time.

Next we drove to Clinton and went into a number of wonderful little shops.  My only purchase was at the Adirondack Cheese Company, but I will certainly return to the other stores when I have a little more cash to spend.

Perhaps as the week goes on, I can write longer blog posts about some of my Scattered Saturday activities.  For now, I’m going to nurse my stupid head and hang out with my nice dog.  I hope you’re all having a lovely Saturday.

 

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Melrose Market on Wuss-out Wednesday

Posted on June 16, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was supposed to buy milk after work today.  The plan was to go to a convenience store that has a Milk Club; you buy 10 half-gallons and get one free or some such nonsense.  Naturally I left the Milk Club card sitting on Steven’s coffee table.  So I would go someplace else.  Maybe even buy something besides milk.  This would be great.

At some point in the afternoon I decided to make a minor Mohawk Valley adventure out of it and go to a distinctive, local store:  Melrose Market in Frankfort, NY.  Some people roll their eyes at the thought of going to the grocery store as an adventure, but I don’t think any of those people would read a blog like mine.  Not more than once, at any rate.  I took a roundabout way to Frankfort from Ilion (where I work), going on Route 5S to the second Frankfort exit, by the Fairgrounds.  This put me on the same side of the street as Melrose Market.

I noted once again that the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast is for sale.  That is a lovely historic building.  I’ve been to a couple of Herkimer County Historical Society fundraisers there.  I hope somebody nice buys it and hosts another fundraiser there.

I got a parking space almost right in front of the store, which I did not expect but was very happy about.  I grabbed a couple of reusable bags and went in, making a beeline for the deli counter.

Melrose Market has an excellent butcher department.  I refrained from looking at all the meat, because no doubt I would have found something I couldn’t resist, and our freezer is kind of full these days (we have not been cooking at home enough).  What I wanted was deli meat.  Genoa salami, baked Virginia ham and Muenster cheese.  Yum!  I also looked at some of the store-made food available.  Salads, dinners, soups. Hmmm…. I already had a cucumber salad I made the other day plus ingredients for a tossed salad.  I hesitated long over some fancy olives such as I love but ultimately stuck with just the deli meat and cheese.

Oh yes, we needed bread.  I got some Italian bread from Giuseppe’s Bakery in Utica for Steven (I may eat a slice or two myself) and some flat bread for me (Steven may have some if he would like).  In the produce section I picked up a fresh lemon, to put in some club soda I had at home (I’m drinking some as I type this).

As I paid for my purchases I saw they could not take a credit or debit card for sale less than $5.  I remarked that I thought I was over that.  I went on to say I was trying to pay with cash more often.  The clerk tactfully said the cards were a convenience when needed.

“It’s just me not planning ahead,” I said.  “Operator error every time with me!”  She laughed.

I was quite pleased with my purchases, and I’m sure many of my readers are right now holding up a hand and saying, “But, but…”

Yes, but.  I forgot the milk.  Oh what do you want from me on a Wednesday? (said in a dramatic voice, making a pose with a wrist to my forehead).  Wuss-out Wednesday, in fact.  At least I went one day without whining about how I can’t seem to write.  I hope to see you all tomorrow on Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

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It’s Wine O’clock on a Saturday…

Posted on May 22, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

You know, to the tune of “The Piano Man.”  I thought I was fairly clever for thinking of that, but not too clever, because, well, that’s all I got.  In my defense, I been busy (apparently too busy to worry about proper grammar, but regular readers know I only do that for effect).

I was up at three this morning, ready for some Saturday overtime at 4:30.  I even got on Facebook, which I rarely do before work.  In this case, I wanted to check for a message from a friend whose business I intended to visit.  While there, I made a post purely for the pleasure of having something to look at on my “On This Day” one year hence (in case you’re curious and not my Facebook friend, the post read, “Yes, I’m on Facebook at 3:25 in the morning. Nothing further to report; I just wanted to make a post so I’ll have something other than my blog to look at on “On This Day” next year.”).  I don’t always plan that far ahead.

After work, I went adventuring with my sister Cheryl and our friend Penny.  The first stop was the So Sweet Candy Cafe in Utica, NY. I’m going to write a whole post about that and perhaps an article to submit to Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  We also went back to Ilion (well, “back” for me, because I work in Ilion, I guess “there” for Cheryl and Penny) to Earthly Matters Crystals and Stones, which I have written about before (for the blog and for the magazine).  We had lunch at The Soda Fountain Restuarant in Remson, then went to Prospect Falls Winery in Prospect.  On the way home, we made a quick stop at the Adirondack Cheese Company (which I thought was in Barneveld, but the computer is telling me Clinton and the labels on the stuff I bought say Clinton).

I got home tired and poured myself a glass of wine.

So this is my Scattered Saturday post.  At least I managed to make links to some of the places I visited.  More detailed blog posts to follow, I hope.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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Leading a Scattered Saturday

Posted on April 17, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Did you see what I did there with the headline?  I used the word “Leading” because my blog is All Leading Ladies All The Time (I don’t promise it actually will be, but then we all know there is no proof in advertising) but indicated that it will be one of my normal Scattered Saturday posts.  Scattered Saturday, for the uninitiated, is when I give a brief overview of my gyrations thus far, usually because I want to get my blog post out of the way and get back to, well, gyrating.  In fact one of these days, I may actually use the title “Now Back to Gyrating.”

We slept in till six o’clock this morning, which was quite delightful after rising at three all week.  After some coffee and a little breakfast, I wrote a few postcards.  The sun was bright and beautiful although the temperature was still chilly, so I walked to the post office and took a long way back.  Oh, it felt good to walk.  I could do a Pedestrian Post.  Maybe I will, sometime in the next few days.

Shortly after 8 a.m. I left the house for more adventures.  First a stop at the ATM, then on to the Friendly Bake Shop in Frankfort, NY, which I wrote a blog post about on a previous Saturday.  I got donuts for my next stop and a loaf of bread for Steven and me.  My next stop was Ilion Little Theatre, where we had to paint and one member was building me a short set of stairs with a landing.  Our theatre activities could also make for a blog post or two.

Actually, I think it is more like three or four, because we didn’t just stay at the theatre.  I made stops at Ilion True Value Hardware and the Rummage Sale at the Episcopal Church I mentioned yesterday.

After we finally finished for the day, I went to Hannaford in Herkimer for groceries and cold medicine for Steven.  I forgot to mention: Steven did not join me for any of my adventures, because he is sick with another cold.  Oh dear!  He has to get better!  He’s in Leading Ladies!

 

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Working on my Oenophile Cred

Posted on March 31, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Friday after adventuring for most of the afternoon, I stopped by Vintage Spirits in Herkimer, NY for their Easter wine tasting.   As regular readers know, I have no real oenophile cred (or even a clear idea of how to pronounce “oenophile”).  However, I love wine and I like giving a shout-out to a local business.

Tastings at Vintage Spirits are always educational for me, because Bronson, who owns Vintage Spirits, is very knowledgeable.   I suppose if I go to enough tastings there, I will eventually gain a few oenophile creds myself.  If I don’t drink too much wine and forget everything I hear (not at the tasting, of course, but, you know, if I buy a couple of bottles).

I started with Le Petit Rouviere Rose 2015 from Provence, France. I told Bronson how Steven and I often make the joke:   If I have a little red left in my glass but Steven is opening a bottle of white, I tell him to mix it and we’ll make Rose.  Of course that is not really how it is done.  Bronson explained how the wine skins are left in for a certain length of time to make the color.  I’m afraid I don’t remember the full explanation (yes, I purchased a couple of bottles; why do you ask?).

I though the Rose was tasty and would make a good summer wine.  Of course I am quite ready to sit out on my deck with a glass of wine, but so far the Mohawk Valley weather has not been cooperative.

Next I tried Heron Hill Dry Riesling 2013 from Keuka Lake, NY.  I like dry riesling and I am a huge fan of New York State wines (what a surprise), so I had high hopes for this one.  I was not disappointed.  It earned my ultimate accolade of “yummy.”  I made a further note that it was “New Yorky.”  I can’t describe exactly what I mean by “New Yorky.”  It’s one of those “I know it when I taste it” things.  This riesling was not entirely dry, and the description said it paired well with ham, so I felt confident in purchasing a bottle to bring to my parents’ house for Easter dinner.

I tried all the reds except the Fulkerson Red Zeppelin from Seneca Lake, NY.  I knew it was sweet, and I think I have tried it before.

In addition to the riesling, I picked up a bottle of Barefoot Pinot Noir, which is a very tasty wine, especially for the price.  Mom was cooking a rolled roast beef as well as the ham, so I thought some people might prefer a red.

Steven was working till six.  Thinking he had worked all day and would like a treat, I walked to his place of employment and brought him to the wine tasting, which ran till seven.  The nice people at Vintage Spirits did not mind that I tasted twice.  After Steven had tried everything, we purchased a bottle of the Rose.  Steven liked it, and I found I liked it even better on the second try.  Now if we could only get some good deck-sitting weather.

Vintage Spirits is located at 246 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY.  Phone number is 315-866-6800.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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Scattered Saturday Post About Friday’s Adventures

Posted on March 27, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I had some nice Mohawk Valley adventures with my sister Cheryl and our friend Penny.  We went to Barneveld and made several stops.

Our first stop was Foothills Mercantile, a venue which includes over 20 vendors of different sorts.  They have antiques, collectibles, handmade items and more.  I’ll have to go back again and write a more detailed blog post about them.

While there we ate some fresh-popped popcorn, and I purchased some vintage postcards.  They were a very reasonable price, so I shall feel free to send them to the people I like to send postcards to.

Next we went to Adirondack Cheese Company.  I LOVE cheese.  We tried some free samples, and I selected  Extra Sharp.   I liked the Dill and the Horseradish kinds as well, so I have motivation to return.  Additionally, they carry Croghan bologna.  Yum!  I also got some sesame sticks.

We were hungry after that so went to Van’s Tavern and got fish fry.   What a huge piece of fish!  It came with french fries and cole slaw as well.  Cheryl got macaroni salad instead of cole slaw, which she said was very good.  I took a good amount home.

This is just a brief and I’m afraid uninspired overview of the day.  I am still having problems with WordPress which are causing me no little frustration.  I suppose it is my own problem for being so tech un-savvy.  No matter.  Here is my post and tomorrow is Easter. Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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My Spontaneous Friday Night

Posted on February 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t have a Scattered Saturday post for this week, but I thought I could give a brief overview of why I was in Ilion, NY at dinnertime yesterday, instead of sensibly and frugally at my home fixing fish sticks or tuna noodle casserole or something.

Directly after work, I went to the Medicine Shoppe to pick up a prescription.  It was not ready (weird renewal situation, not really relevant), but they said they could process it and have it for me in about 45 minutes (in retrospect, they might have said “Four to five minutes,” but, again, not really relevant).

Since I was in the neighborhood, I walked across the parking lot to Ilion Wine and Spirits, to get some of the Pinot Grigio Steven likes (full disclosure: I like it too).  What did I see on their door but a sign advertising a wine tasting that night at five!  Woohoo!  I love wine tasting!  It was only four, but that was a problem patience could easily solve.

“I have a prescription to pick up later,” I said.  “I was wondering if it was worth it to come back out, but now I’m motivated!”

I went home and made vague attempts at doing something useful.  Then the phone rang, and it was my friend Diane.  Diane recently opened Eye Q in New Hartford, NY, an excellent optical establishment.  She gave me a good deal on a truly awesome pair of glasses.  When she heard about the wine tasting, she was happy to meet me at Ilion Wine and Spirits at five.

The wine tasting was from Lakeland Winery from Syracuse.  I’ve tasted their wines before.  The lady that does the tastings is a delight.  She remembered me from the last time we had met at Ilion Wine and Spirits, and even remembered how my husband Steven had joined the tasting already in progress.

“I should go get Steven at work so he can join us this time,” I said.

I ended up doing just that.  Everybody was pleased to see Steven, Steven was pleased to taste some wine, and a delightful time was had by all.  Incidentally, I forgot to mention that the store served crackers and Herkimer Cheese as an accompaniment to the tasting.  Yum!

So that was my Friday, and I’m glad I wrote a blog post about it.  For one reason, I woke up this morning with the dull, draggy feeling that I had wasted my Friday on frivolities.  I see now that I did not.  I had a spontaneous and enjoyable time.  I’m soon off to have a marvelous time at Ilion Little Theatre.  I hope to write about that tomorrow.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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And That’s Just Three Places!

Posted on February 11, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had heard that Clinton, NY boasted many fun, quirky places to shop.  It is quite true.  Cheryl, Penny and I hit a few of them on our day of adventures last Saturday.

We started at Adirondack Cheese Store.  They had a lot more good things to eat than cheese — fancy mustards, chutney and all kinds of candy.  Additionally, they carry many fun, gifty items.  Penny was especially interested in the jigsaw puzzles, but she also pointed out a pot holder that read, “You are what you drink.”

“Just call me Char,” I said.

“You can call me Pinot,” she answered.

Cheryl said we could call her water (party pooper!).  I said we could make it H (you know, H2O?).

From the cheese store, we went to Dawn Marie’s Treasures, a boutiquey consignment store with all kinds of fun things.  As we walked by a row of neck ties near the entrance I regretted that Steven doesn’t have a job that requires he wear one.  I do so love a man in a tie.  We admired all kinds of jewelry and clothing, but I did not see anything I just had to have.

Our final stop in Clinton was Artisans’ Corner.  I was immediately taken by some bird houses with license plates for roofs on display outside.  I love art that recycles!  Inside there was art, clothing, jewelry and more.  We admired photography and paintings by several artists.  I was tempted by a display of hats.  Another section featured soup and bread mixes, some in distinctive containers.

We spent a long time wandering around Artisans’ Corner.  I picked up a lot of business cards, thinking I could highlight the individual artists.  I may do that in future posts.  Today I hope a brief overview will suffice.

I may have mentioned in a previous post that this was my first visit to Clinton.  It certainly will not be my last.  In fact, I have to wonder what took me so long.

 

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