Tag Archives: Mohawk Valley adventures

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.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Breakfast? Yes, Please!

Posted on September 10, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was delighted to discover a new place for breakfast and lunch:  the Home Town Diner in Mohawk, NY.  The building has housed diners before but has been empty some years now.  When I saw a sign saying they were opening Sept. 2, I knew I would be there soon.  This morning I was very happy to do so.

For one reason, I was starving!  Yes, yes, that is an exaggeration (which you have told me a million times not to do) (you know who you are).  I had been driving around Ilion, hoping to get a picture to go with the article I was emailing to the Sentinel about last night’s Village Board of Trustees Meeting.  I was not meeting with success.  I was going to go home and cook myself a sad little egg when I drove by the Home Town Diner.  That would be much better!

The small pictures are old postcards, which you know I love!

I ordered an egg sandwich with bacon egg and cheese on an English muffin.  Regular readers now how much I love egg sandwiches!  I also had coffee and a glass of water.  I had been drinking tea at my house earlier, in deference to my aging stomach.  I love tea, but ooh, that coffee tasted good.  The water tasted good too.  When I noticed they charged me for it, I asked if it was bottled.  The waitress told me it was spring water.  I certainly enjoyed it.  I enjoyed the sandwich too.

The diner is a family business, and a new endeavor for the family. They also run the car business next door. When they purchased the building, it had been gutted.  Now everything is new and beautiful.  I looked forward to going there again.  After all, I still have to report on lunch!

I’ll have to get a better shot with fewer reflections.

The Home Town Diner is located at 150 West Main St., Mohawk, NY, phone number 315-927-4149.  They are currently open seven days, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., with breakfast till 11 a.m.  You can find them on Facebook.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

A Few Saturday Shout-outs

Posted on September 7, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

In my Scattered Saturday tradition, I will give a few shout-outs to some local businesses I visited recently.  I hope to do more detailed posts about each, but for now, this will have to do.

Fooey! You can’t read the sign!

A new business on Main Street in Herkimer is Petzotics.  they have birds, lizards and other exotic pets.  Also they bring their pets to birthday parties, so the guests can meet them.  Could that be an idea for my birthday party?  Friends, family, what do you think?

I hope not too secret of a hideout!

Godfather’s Hideout, on Protection Avenue in Herkimer, has been open for take-out for a while now and now has a dining room.  I recently went there for a dish of spaghetti, and YUM!  I also had a glass of red wine that was quite tasty.  It’s OK; I was walking.

He could have joined me for dinner.

I have made several posts about Yetty’s, on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, but none recently.  I was there for dinner last night and got garlic pizza.  I am enjoying the leftovers today.  As I left, a little boy was pointing at this lovely fellow looking over the railing.  I never saw him before. Of course I stopped to take a picture.

So, yes, I am trying to get out and about more.  If I can start writing about it more, I will be a pig in shit.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Scattered Saturday and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

NoBLOG Oblige

Posted on August 31, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

That second word is pronounced Oh-bleezh.  You know, like Noblesse Oblige.  The title was suggested to me some years ago by one of my more intellectual friends.  I am finally getting around to using it.  I see that I last posted on Tuesday.  That is not as bad as I thought it was; I thought I had gone a whole week.  Still, four days without posting after a six-day streak (as counted by WordPress; I have no idea how it would go by my calendar) is not good for a would-be daily blogger.

No BLOB Oblige?

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  I have mostly been sitting around like a blob.  I wake up every morning determined to change. As the day wears on, I find I am still the same stinker.  I try to do a few things here and there, though, so maybe I can make a little progress.  Oh dear, have I written the same blog post before?  I fear so, numerous times.

He was the best adventure partner.

Here is a picture from October 2016, when I figured out how to add pictures to my blog.  That is my late, dearly missed husband Steven at Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit.  I feel an October picture is appropriate, because today feels SO fall-like, right down to my allergies making me miserable.  Yet there is comfort in allergy misery, because I love fall.

Janus Daisy?

Looking for a third picture to round things out, this two-headed daisy caught my eye.  I look ahead and I look back.  Today I will strive to look ahead and move on with things, particularly moving on to making more substantial blog posts.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Love That DikinDurt!

Posted on August 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I used to make it to all the tastings at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  It was a great way to start and to continue the weekend.  These days I am not so consistent, but when a great local producer like DikinDurt Distillery is tasting, I am there!

I arrived early and stood chatting with the guys behind the counter, hastening to get out of the way when I noticed someone wanted to make a purchase.  This is my problem with living alone:  I go all day with only myself to talk to.  This is not easy for an incurably social person such as myself.  I went on to some good conversation with Kayla, who was pouring.

She was really nice.

For hard liquor they are allowed to give you three regular tastes or six itty bitty tastes.  I went for three regular tastes, starting with the bourbon.  I have never been fond of bourbon, but lately at tastings, I have found a few I liked.  I really liked the DikinDurt stuff.  I suppose my tastes are changing in my old age.  That should keep things interesting.  I went on  to the Toasted Maple Moonshine, which I have previously liked quite a bit.  This time it tasted sweet to me.  Kayla pointed out that it doesn’t taste so sweet after the berry-infused flavors.  Quite true, of course.

I ended with Mohawk Valley Fire, and my tasting note is, “Oh yeah!”  I am constantly recommending this to people drinking Fireball.  Kayla recommended mixing it with apple cider and a splash of apple juice for an Apple Pie drink.  I know some people who would love something like that.  For myself, I will probably use it to flavor some iced coffee one afternoon.  I love a glass of iced coffee on a summer afternoon!

Kayla also suggested I visit DikinDurt’s tasting room in Newport, which is open Fridays from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 9 p.m..  I have been meaning to do this, especially as there are a few other places in Newport that are worth a stop.  I just do so little adventuring on my own these days.  Perhaps it is time to change that.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I Do Do a Blog Post

Posted on August 14, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, this is embarrassing.  I last posted on Sunday, and today is Thursday.  I just didn’t do it.  The opposite of Nike’s famous slogan?  Never mind.  The point is, I felt I couldn’t just quietly start over again with a normal post but wanted to post a kind of I’m sorry for being such a schlub then try to follow up later today with a “real” post.

The winter of my discontent?

I’m calling this a Non-Sequitur Thursday so looked in my Media Library for an unrelated photo.  My deck sure doesn’t look like this these days.  For one reason, it is covered with junk, most of which actually could belong there if I cleaned it up and arranged it in a pleasing fashion.  And of course there is no snow; I suppose if I did not mention that somebody would chime in in a didactic fashion pointing it out (you know who you are).   Will this post be a lament of Things Not Done This Summer?  SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!

“After all, somebody has to clap as I walk by.”

Just to remind myself I did so do stuff this summer, I share one of my favorite rehearsal shots from Four Old Broads on the High Seas, the play I was in at Players of Utica (perhaps you read a few of my blog posts about it).  The fact is, we never do all that we plan or want to.  The point is to enjoy what we do do (teehee: I said doodoo).

And another picture of me!

I know: the picture of plastic poo would have been a good one to share at this point, but I did not feel like searching for it.  Instead I share this fun picture of me before the Pride Stride 5K in Little Falls in June.  I later gave the skirt and wings to my great-niece Evie.  They didn’t really fit me, although I stretched a point for the sake of being a well-dressed runner (see what I did there).

Ooh, look at me, over 300 words.  I have got my blogging mojo back!  All I need is a headline and I am on my way!  That is, my way to more Mohawk Valley Adventures to blog about.  And maybe to clean off my deck.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I Did the DooDah

Posted on July 22, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a real Mohawk Valley Adventure Friday when I attended the Ilion DooDah Parade.  The Parade is a major event of Ilion Days, which ran from July 12 through 20 this year.  I was there to cover the event for Sentinel Media (regular readers may remember that is my part-time writing gig), but I ended up riding on a float, so I participated as well.  I took a number of good pictures, so I may have more than one DooDah post.

Cool car, nice fellow!

This was the Grand Marshall of the parade, Yasushi Takase. He was an American Field Service (AFS) exchange student his senior year in Ilion in 1975, and returned for the 50th reunion.   I got his picture after the parade, so it was good I rode on a float till the end.

The view from the front.

You can’t read it very well, but it is the post number from the Herkimer American Legion. I boldly asked if I could ride with them, and they graciously allowed me.

Other Legions were represented as well.

It was the Ilion Legion, however, who gave me a bottle of water, which I sorely needed by then. I had been walking up and down in the hot sun, taking pictures, and talking to people who were lining up for the parade.

I didn’t think the Baby Boomers had ever left.

I wondered if I should have asked to ride with this group, since I am technically a boomer.  Really the tail-end of boomerdom.  I guess I fit in better with the Legion, being as I am a Veteran.

The most colorful group!

What I really should be is a Happy Hagg! I once asked if I could join them, and they were very welcoming.  I just need to learn the dance, figure out a costume, and go to some of their practices.

Look how cute they are!

This was our view off the back of the Legion float (it was a trailer with chairs on it, really).  I’d like to have one of those sunflower hats.

I am afraid this has not been a very coherent account of my evening at the parade.  Full disclosure:  I am back from rehearsal for the play I am in (you may have read some of my blog posts about it) and I am very tired.  However, I am approaching 400 words.  I say OK.  Happy Monday, everyone!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Community Events, humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Well, It’s Wednesday

Posted on July 3, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was afraid this would be a Wuss-out Wednesday, but here I am Wednesday evening, typing in a few words.  No promises that they will be particularly entertaining words, but we can’t have everything.  I had hoped to have a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday but found I do not have many pictures in my phone that I haven’t used.  I found two, so maybe this can be a Wussy Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.  It still has the charm of alliteration.

I kind of feel like that tree.

I took this picture a while ago when I was taking a walk.  The tree has since been nicely cut up and is being removed.  I am not sure which storm it came down during.  We have had a few.  I feel pretty grateful that I have not had much damage to my own property.  My yard has a few trees.  I would not care to have any of them fall on me.

I do like flowers.

This used to be a bank, but it has been closed for some time now.  I was pleased to see the flowers blooming so took a picture to cheer myself up.  I feel sad to see buildings sitting empty, but I am no entrepreneur to try to fill any of them.

I guess I need to be taking a few more pictures.  I would like to be having a few more Mohawk Valley Adventures but am a bit preoccupied with the play I am in (perhaps you read my blog posts about it).  Still, the blog must go on!  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Wuss Out Wednesday and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Does Anybunny Still Read My Blog?

Posted on April 21, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I did my Saturday post Sunday morning and now it is still Monday morning as I attempt to make a Sunday post.  Late morning if you must know (you know who you are).  I hope my readers are still tuned in, and I hope to get into more Mohawk Valley Adventures soon.  I’m afraid I have been hoping that for a long time, but sometimes miracles happen.

Hippity hoppity!

I confess I do not have much to blog about, right now perhaps because yesterday was Easter Sunday.  I drove to Rome, NY to my parents’ house and saw a number of family members.  We had a lovely time.  I took three walks in addition to the short run I took before I left Herkimer.  I’m still fat and out of shape.  Go figure.

Anyways, the cake you see is the bunny cake my mother made.  She has been making bunny cakes for Easter since I was a little girl and she saw how in a magazine.  We do love our bunny cakes.

Luckily not all 40 candles.

This bunny cake doubled as a birthday cake for my nephew-in-law Dan.  I never know when anybody’s birthday is, but my mother happened to mention it to me earlier in the week, so I brought him a Batman duck. He got better presents from closer family, but I thought I would give him a little token.  After all, I rarely give birthday presents at all, and I don’t like to show favoritism.

I am feeling rather tired after my celebrations and numerous walks yesterday, but I do not despair of doing anything blogworthy for Monday’s post.  Will I make it Monday?  Will I make it Tuesday?  Regular readers could probably hazard a guess.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

This is Surely a Lame Post

Posted on April 11, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →