Tag Archives: post office

Can You See the Rainbow?

My first intention was to make a Running Commentary post about this morning’s run.  However, those are best done soon after the run, while my in-head narration is still fresh in my mind.  So I thought, I know, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.  The problem with that is, I only have one photo that might go to waste, and I’m not sure it is all that good a one.

It looked much better at the time.

It is a rainbow I saw as I walked away from the post office last Thursday.  I walk to the post office almost every day, because I am trying to send more letters and post cards to family and friends.  It is my small way of trying to brighten up the world.  With my messy handwriting, it is questionable how much brightness I actually provide, but one does what one can.

Who, me? Like wine?

With not much else to say, I share a picture from November 2019, “All packed and ready for Thanksgiving weekend!”  I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.  Food, family, and fun, yes, please.

I have a few Mohawk Valley Adventures planned in the next week or so, raising my hopes that I can get back to daily blogging.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Late Post, Even Later Pictures

Well, the Mohawk Valley wasn’t lame yesterday, but I pretty much was.  I was afraid the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival would be too much of a crowd scene, so I stayed close to home.  I did a little yard word and discovered I have another Rose of Sharon growing some distance from the original bush, and it has a few blooms on it!  I meant to take a picture for inclusion here but, alas, forgot.  I could do it now, but the sun isn’t up yet.

The crown scene in 2018.

As for cleaning the house, I made very little progress.  I managed to write my usual Saturday post cards and walked them to the post office.

A regular stop for me.

Yes, the only picture I could find in my Media Library of Herkimer’s post office was in the wintertime, January 2019 to be exact, and it took me long enough to find that.  Anyways, after the post office I kept walking.  For one reason, I had not gone running (will I go running today?  Good question).  For another, I was low on cash, and Cliff’s Local Market (might as well give them a shout-out too; they are locally owned) has an AmeriCU ATM.  From there it was little trouble to cross the street and enjoy another tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor.  They usually have them from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Full disclosure: this is not what I tasted yesterday.

This is another photo from a previous event, but at least it is more recent than my previous pictures.  Additionally, it give me a chance to give another shout-out to one of my favorite local businesses, DikinDurt Distillery.

I guess this turned out to be a less lame blog post than I expected (or do I flatter myself?).  And I feel I should appreciate whatever I manage to get done these days.  Will I have any bloggable Mohawk Valley Adventures today?  Hard to say.  It is, after all, Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  But I do hope to make a blog post, and I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Not Too Hot to Blog, Apparently

Regular readers know I am not a fan of hot, humid weather.  In fact, I can be quite the big fat baby brat about it.  I had a pretty bratty day today.  I pause in wiping away the sweat to attempt to make some semblance of a blog post.

“But it’s a dry heat!”

This is not me, or even close to me.  For one reason, I have not been on the South Beach Diet long enough.  More importantly, the Mohawk Valley does not enjoy dry heat.  I cannot say I enjoyed dry heat even when I experienced it, but I know some folks swear by it. To each his own, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow.

Well, maybe it isn’t this hot out. But I am looking forward to Halloween.

I am in a bit of a quandary right now.  I did not go running this morning (judge me if you want to be that way) so thought to walk to the post office this afternoon, to mail a few post cards.  Additionally, I want to purchase some stamps since I hear the price is going up again soon.  Then I thought I would walk to the Herkimer Elks Lodge, where they have Comfort Food dinners on the first Monday of the month.  Tonight it is a grilled burger.  I thought I would get it to go, bring it home, then go to the Herkimer Town Board meeting, which I have to cover for Sentinel Media.  A nice little amount of walking, so I thought.

First, however, I had to put out my trash and recyclables.  No problem, that.  I put away the green waste containers that were emptied this morning (perhaps you read my blog post about filling them), then brought out the other totes and filled them accordingly.  That’s two trips up and down my not very long driveway and two trips back into and out of the house.  This is not strenuous activity, even for a woman of my age and weight.

Explain to me, then, why the sweat was pouring off my body by the time I finished!  What the hell, me?  What the hell, Mother Nature?

I know, you are sitting there hoping that I will quit my bitching soon.  I did mention being a big fat baby brat, did I not?  No matter.  I see I am approaching 400 words.  I find that fine for a Monday, and I can only hope that some readers found me entertaining.

 

Slacker Day, Silly Post?

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.

 

Sometimes Pictures Make the Post

I thought I could manage a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post, although it is no longer Wednesday.  Why must I continue to draw attention to the fact that I never post on time these days?  Oh who knows why I do anything (oh, YOU probably think you do) (you know who you are)?

They are very photogenic.

I open with a picture of my parents at my niece’s recent wedding.  I took a few pictures but have not shared on Facebook or anything.  I wanted to share this one first, because when I post this blog on Facebook, this picture will show, and my Facebook friends all love to see pictures of my parents.  They really are delightful people; anybody who does not love them is just wrong.

As usual, it looked better in person.

Here is an October-looking tree I enjoyed while walking to the post office to mail a letter.  Regular readers know I love snail mail communications.  I need to take a walk in the next day or two to see all the color.  I have enjoyed it while I ran the past two days but did not want to stop and take a picture.

Rocking out!

Monday I went to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY to hear Justin Smithson and Tiger Acoustic Rock & Roll (that was the only name I could find for the guy on the right).

A different angle.

I danced while I took the pictures, and they, too were rocking the sounds, so the pictures may be blurry.

 

Wednesday Walk

I walked a mile, but not in somebody else’s shoes.

I have been wanting to say that to someone, but the opportunity has not arisen.  I thought I would use it as an introduction to a Pedestrian Post.  I have been walking most mornings before work but have not made many (or any? Too lazy to go back and check as usual) blog posts about them.

This morning I actually walked with a purpose, because I wanted to return a couple of overdue library books.  You are welcome to judge me for not returning them on time.  I have no excuse.

I headed towards Prospect Street, where I could walk through the library parking lot.  It was a little after 5 a.m. and practically light out.  I am more used to walking in the dark, but this was OK.  The thermostat in my house said it was 60 degrees out, so it was warmer than it has been.  I enjoyed that.

From my Media Library.

This is a picture I took earlier this month.  The library sign is back now, freshly painted, so I have to go get a picture of that soon.

Also a stock photo.

I walked down Main Street to Park Avenue and by the Post Office.  I was enjoying my walk.  My legs felt good, and my mind was not dwelling on stupid stuff.  Sometimes I am my own worse enemy in that respect.

My walk was 22 minutes, my favorite number, and a little over a mile.  It was a good way to start the day.

 

Another Day, Another Walk, Another Post

At the risk of being redundant (oh, who am I kidding? I say the same things over and over again all the time!), I make another Pedestrian Post.  Today’s walk was longer with no libations involved.  I first went to the post office again, this time with business correspondence in hand (what business, you ask? Nun-O-Yo Bidness!) (I’ve never actually said that to anyone, but I have always wanted to).  It was not as warm as yesterday but still perfectly comfortable for walking.

I should do something like this with Frankentree!

On the way to the post office, I paused to snap a picture of an Easter Egg Tree I have been admiring.  Maybe next year I will find enough oomph to decorate for the holidays.

After mailing my letter, I walked a long way home, going past Basloe Library.  When I left the house, I had had some notion of stopping there to work on my murder mystery (preview of coming attractions) but decided I would rather take a longer walk and work on it at home (full disclosure: I still have to do that).  Going through the parking lot, I decided to get a picture of the Do Not Enter sign I mentioned in my last Running Commentary Post (perhaps you read it) (I mean the post, not the sign, although you are welcome to read both).

Once again, I entered.

I walked past my street by two blocks, then up to German Street to get back home.  I was hoping to walk for a half hour, and I did.  For another seasonal picture, I got the cross in front of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Full disclosure: I may not go to church on Easter Sunday.

My walk was over a half hour and over a mile and a half.  I believe I mentioned how I have been seeking the mental health benefits of exercise.  I think this walk helped.  I hope to try another walk or run tomorrow, maybe even both.  But I might look for something else to blog about.  I hope you will stay tuned.

 

Flower Walk Part Two

In lieu of my usual Lame Post Friday,  I shall share the pictures from the second part of yesterday’s walk.  I had walked to the post office, donning a mask to go in and purchase stamps (flags for bill paying, flowers for personal).  I took a long way home.  It seemed to take a while to find another photo op.

I just can’t get enough flowering trees.

This is on the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal,  a favorite spot for me to walk or run, as regular readers know.  Further up the path, I saw some chalk art.

This was one I had no idea what it looked like when I took it.

That caption is an awkwardly constructed sentence.  Never mind. The sentiment expressed in the chalk art is a good one.  I continued onto German Street.  Since there is less traffic these days, I had no problem crossing the street for the next photo op.

Yay, seniors!

I see these signs all over, sometimes accompanied by one with a picture of the graduate.  I think it’s a great way to make things a little special for the kids who had their senior year cut short.

 

Rats, you can’t hardly read the sign.

Further down German, I saw the opportunity to plug a local business.  I wonder if I could persuade Steven to spend a night in a B&B not too far from home, just for something different.  I went back across the street to get a shot of the house.

I could have gotten a better shot from the middle of the street, but traffic was not that sparse.

Back home, I took a picture of some of my yard work, where I had cleared some space where the peonies are growing.

I hope for more pictures as spring progresses.

I also took one of some forget-me-nots.  These previously grew out back under the rhododendron but are now inexplicably out front.  I guess I do not properly understand flowers.

Pretty!

I like doing these pedestrian posts with pictures.  I hope for more walking weather next week.

 

Signs of Spring

On today’s walk to the post office, I took a few pictures, so today won’t be a complete Wuss-out Wednesday.  It was cold but sunny, and I found a few signs of spring.

On a previous walk I had taken a picture of a lone daffodil trying to grow where last fall an invasive plant was growing.  That picture did not turn out well, but today I saw a couple more blooms so tried again.

Previous home of The Plant That Ate Bellinger Street.

 

Full disclosure: It did not eat the whole street.

Here is a picture of the invasive species, taken last August (perhaps you read my blog post about it).  It could have grown into horror movie proportions.  Maybe.

After dwelling fondly on memories of what might have been (meaning my ambition to write a horror novel), I turned around and tried to get a picture of the red buds on the trees nearer the road.

They looked prettier in real life.

I continued down Bellinger Street until I saw some lovely flowers in a front yard.

I positively must plant more perennials.

After mailing my correspondence (only one letter today), I continued my walk, hoping for more photo ops.  Then I remembered I wanted to get a shot of Olivia’s Happy Tails’ new location.  Full disclosure:  I have not patronized this business (I SO want to get a dog!), but they have sponsored Herkimer County Historic Society’s murder mysteries.

In the former home of the Evening Telegram!

I continued down the street and up Washington, where I thought I might as well give a shout-out to another local business: Carney’s Corners.  I have enjoyed many good subs and salads from Carney’s.

This may be a good idea for dinner tonight.

I decided to go by my favorite Historic Four Corners.  As I went, I saw a woman further up Washington singing on her front porch.  I did not get a picture, but I waved to her and she waved back.  Then I saw a tree with white flowers.  I love a flowering tree.

 

Pretty!

I said a prayer as I went by the funeral home, for those that cannot say a proper good-bye to their loved ones because of social distancing.

Spring flowers are such a comfort.

Back home, I remembered to walk out back to see if our daffodils had done anything.  They had.

I felt better for having taken a walk, and now I feel pretty good about sharing some spring time pictures.  Happy Wednesday, everyone!

 

Monday Mail Meanderings

This is not a Monday Mental Meanderings but a Pedestrian Post.  I walked to the Post Office to mail the post cards I usually send out on Saturday.  I took my Tablet along to take a few pictures, thinking to make a change from my usual Monday Monsters (don’t worry, monster lovers; no doubt I will resort to my frightening friends later in the week).  I thought of this alliterative title as I walked home.

I put the Tablet into a soft bag I got at Paca Gardens in Little Falls (just for a little more local color).  I did not trust myself to carry it the whole way, especially not in its case.  I was only a little worried I would not be able to see the screen properly, because it was quite sunny.  I put my prescription sunglasses in the bag, thinking I might need them.  Not neglecting to also put in the post cards, I set out.

Right away I saw what I considered a cool-looking tree.  I love the look of bare branches against the sky. I got the Tablet out of the bag and tried to log in without the stylus.  That didn’t work, because I was wearing gloves.  So I got out the stylus and promptly dropped in in the snow.  It is a combination pen/stylus given to me by Herkimer County Historical Society after Shattered Angel, the play they put on at Ilion Little Theatre last fall.  It says “Shattered Angel/Ilion Little Theatre” on it (see? more local color!).  It is a very cool thing.  I brushed it off as best as I could, logged into the Tablet, and could not get the picture. I include the story of me trying, because it is just so typical me.  I walked on.

As I approached St. Francis de Sales Church, I thought I would get a shot of the statue of St. Francis wearing a red scarf, as he does this time of year.  I worried it would be back-lit, but it did not turn out too bad.

He looks saintly, does he not?

After I crossed the street, I tried to get a shot of the whole church.  That one turned out too shadowy, so I do not include it here.  I walked on into Meyers Park, where I knew I could take a picture of the statue of General Herkimer.  First, however, I saw the stone bench I have often admired but never sat on.

I was hoping the inscription would be legible.

Beyond the bench is a statue, only I do not know who it is. However, according to the inscription, he was instrumental in having women work for the government. I’m all about good jobs for women!  I was worried I had cut his head off, but I see now that I did not.

It seems they engraved his signature but did not print out the name.

I also got a shot of the pavilion, which is always a pivotal location when the park hosts community events.

It may not look like such a much now, but the potential is there.

I think my picture of General Herkimer is just a little back-lit, but in a blog about a walk in Herkimer, I feel I should include the General.  Here he is, in the iconic pose, directing the battle though morally wounded.

I see he has a similar scarf to St. Francis’.

On the other side of the park, I walked by the Methodist Church and decided to get a shot of that.  It turned out better that the one of St. Francis, so I include it.

Perhaps I should learn how to photoshop out power lines.

I was happy to get a shot of the post office.  I think I had a post card of it but already sent it to someone.  I do love sending local post cards.  In fact, I am not sure if the post card was of this post office or Little Falls’.  They are similar buildings.

My weekly destination. I do love post offices.

I had meant to talk more about the actual walk, over the ice and through the snow.  However, I see I am approaching 700 words.   Do my readers want to read over 700 words on a Monday? I hate to try people’s patience.  Additionally, Dateline is on OWN as I type.  So I say Happy Monday, and stay tuned for monsters later in the week.