Tag Archives: Sentinel Media

A Pause in Writing to Blog

Posted on September 15, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s a late post week, I suppose, although it is not too late to turn things around.  Only I can’t look that far ahead.  It is early-ish Tuesday morning (these things depend a great deal on perspective), and I am taking a break from the story I am writing for the Daily Sentinel about last night’s Ilion Village Board meeting.  Sometimes these stories are an interesting challenge, because my editor does not want over 800 words.  I am at 793 right now, so that is OK, only I think my lead is a little, well, leaden.  So I hopped over here to chatter on for a bit and try to wake my brain up.  I am on my second cup of coffee, so that should help.

Where’s Juan Valdez when you need him?

As you may have guessed, this is a Monday Mental Meanderings.  I meandered so far away on Monday, I didn’t make my blog post till Tuesday.  In fact, I did little or nothing of note on Monday.  You’ll have that.  Will I improve things on Tuesday?  We shall see.

Oh, there’s a thought!

As I jumped back to my Media Library for another illustration, I saw this.  It was taken at Saturday Spreads in Frankfort, NY.  Check out the notebook, complete with purple pen!  That is what I must do today: Go someplace and write!  Yes, yes, I know, I ought to be able to stay right here and write.  Well, maybe that will work out this time.  I will try it both ways and report back.

In the meantime, I am over 250 words.  Score!  Back to my journalistic duties.

 

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My Monday Mood

Posted on September 1, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just got hit by a bout of “Here I Am! Take Me Or Leave Me!”  It actually feels pretty good.  First I posted it as my Facebook status, then, having very little else, I decided to write my blog post about it.  Let’s see if I can get 200 words.  I can bill it as a Monday Mental Meanderings.  I can’t call them Middle-aged Musings anymore, unless I live to be over 120.  If so, I will leave instructions in my will for somebody to go back and re-categorize accordingly.  Perhaps I could do it myself on my deathbed.  I probably will not have much else to do at the time.

Yes, I am feeling a little silly.

I need more bling in my life.

Regular readers may recall the Minnie Mouse ears given to me by a friend recently.  She gifted a few other friends with different colors.  We are all going to wear them to the Herkimer Elks Lodge one day soon while Jack makes ice cream drinks.  Yum!

Politics must intrude.

I got hit with my merry mood after taking a shower kind of late in the day and putting on a cute outfit (or do I flatter myself?).  I have to cover the Ilion Village Board Meeting at 5:30.  These meetings have been lively lately, because many residents have attended to protest an AI Data Center which is proposed for the former Remington Arms building.  Remington Arms, for those of you who do not know, was a large gun manufacturer for over 200 years.  It was a terrible thing for the village when they closed.  I worked there for almost 10 years.

It is nice to see people getting involved with local issues, and they are not only talking about the data center but about other issues.  However, this blog is intended to be “totally fun,” so I will probably not write about them here.  I merely mention them in passing.  I will write about them for the Daily Sentinel, a paper out of Rome, NY.  That is my side hustle, a freelance reporter.  Doesn’t that sound cool?

I see I am over 300 words.  Score!  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Do I DooDah?

Posted on July 17, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

That title occurred to me as I sat here on my Chromebook contemplating my day and wondering if I would get anything of substance done (spoiler alert: I probably won’t).  One problem is I have to recruit my energies for the DooDah Parade, a highlight of Ilion Days this evening.  I must cover it for the Daily Sentinel.  At least, I never heard back from my editor that she wanted me to cover it, but I covered it last year, so I thought I would submit something.  At least it will make a good blog post and be something for me to do on a Friday other than watch Dateline or Columbo and wish it was not too hot to knit.

I personally am on the Boomer cusp.

This is a picture from last year.  I walked all around the floats and marchers as they waited for the parade to start, chatting up lots of people and looking for Joe White, who is the main mover and shaker behind the parade.  I never found him, but one of the American Legions let me ride along on their float.  It was great fun.

I am back left, with my arm raised, looking a little like the Statue of Liberty.

This is from 2019, when Ilion Little Theatre used to participate in the DooDah.  They had a circus theme that year.  I just draped a few of my lighter shawls around me and put on my tiara, which long-time readers know I wear at any excuse.  I don’t remember what I purported to be, but I feel I looked fabulous.  This year the theme is, not surprisingly, Happy Birthday, America.  I feel I should dress appropriately, although I must remember the weather will be warm, not to say hot.

I keep saying I’m going to join them.

I thought I’d close with another shot from last year.  These are the Happy Hags, a delightful dance troupe that makes many local appearances.  I think they are wonderful.  If my arthritis or whatever it is permits, I may yet join them.  They are very nice.

So I guess I have talked myself into going to the DooDah Parade.  I must figure out what to wear (my Uncle Sam or George Washington costume?), where to park (I know a good spot close to the end but not too far to walk to the beginning), where to go afterwards (there is a good band playing at Ilion Elks Lodge) (preview of coming attractions) etc.  I said in my email to my editor that she might prefer to send a more talented photographer, so I see someone else there from the Sentinel, that will be fine.  I will use my photos for the blog.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

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We Reporters Have to Eat, Too

Posted on May 28, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I decided this morning I would treat myself to breakfast out so I could definitely make a real blog post and plug a local business.  For one reason, I knew I would be out and about, searching for a picture to go with my story about the Ilion Village Board meeting for Sentinel Media (regular readers may recall I have a side hustle covering a few meetings and such in the Valley).  For another reason, an Everything Bagel at Saturday Spreads sounded really, really good.

Great place to stop!

Since I knew I was going to be enjoying a cup of Utica Coffee later (“Wake the Hell Up!”), I sipped a cup of tea while I wrestled with my journalistic endeavors (“Wake the Hell Up” is Utica Coffee’s tag-line; I’m not cussing at you).  Soon I was headed to Ilion in search of illustration.  I failed to get a shot of some soon-to-be-demolished properties, because they were quite overgrown by now.  Also, the neighbor’s dogs started barking at me, and I felt unwelcome.  Finally I got a shot of some re-paving that was also talked about at the meeting.

Central Paving seems to be doing a fine job.

I explained to one of the fellows working that I was not taking pictures for any nefarious purpose.  He told me he thought the mayor was doing a good job, and I agreed.  Of course, it is impossible to please everybody.  Even for Mohawk Valley Girl, if you can believe such a thing.

Finally I was at Saturday Spreads and enjoying my repast.  I got the Utica Grind this time, which I remembered to write down:  Cream Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Lemon Zest, Utica Grind, Flaky Sea Salt.

My writer’s breakfast.

I said to the waitress, “Some people make fun of people for taking pictures of their food, but I’m going to use it in my blog post.”  I really enjoyed it.  I found it quite salty and spice; it make my lips tingle, but they tend to get a little chapped this time of year due to allergies.  I looked longingly at the pastries in the case as I left but resolutely headed out the door.  I need to take off a few pounds for the sake of my knees and back if for no other reason.

Saturday Spreads is located at 264 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY.  You can follow them on Facebook.

 

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A Pause for a Post!

Posted on May 23, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in my gyrations to make a Lame Post Friday blog post.  I have been running around all day trying to be an Intrepid Girl Reporter (you know, like from a 1940’s Screwball Comedy or Cheesy Horror Movie).  I wrote my article about the Frankfort Town Board meeting.  I drove all around Frankfort looking for something to take a picture of that was talked about in the meeting. Then I had a dedication to go to, which I also had to write a story about.  I found where I had to go. Being me, this was not easy (that is some sort of dangling participle, I think).

I pause in the midst of that rather foolish paragraph to mention that I have one of my light-headed whatever it is I occasionally suffer from.  It does not feel fun.  Quick, throw in a picture to pep things up.

Could Gatorade solve my problems?

I wonder if I could just be dehydrated?  I do sometimes forget to drink water.  In the meantime, my article about the dedication is hanging over my head.  I mean, it is written.  These articles are not especially difficult:  I take notes, I write up my notes.  But I also have to look over them and second-guess myself.  Regular readers know that overthinking is kind of a hobby of mine.  Additionally, I took a picture of all the speakers and I have to remember which name goes with which dignitary.

On the brighter side, I am over 200 words.  A dithery post is better than no post at all, I say.  Back to work with my newspaper duties!  The rest of you can go back to whatever you were doing when you paused to read this!

 

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My Java Reward

Posted on May 19, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

When you get your biggest chore done by eight o’clock in the morning, it is a beautiful thing.  That is the observation I made to the staff at the Java Shop in Herkimer, NY this morning after I made my order.

In fact I had more than just coffee.

I had written my article on the Herkimer Town Board meeting for the Daily Sentinel, taken a picture to go with it, and got them both emailed out.  I drank a cup of tea while I  wrote, just in case I decided to treat myself to breakfast out (must watch my coffee intake).  Of course I decided to treat myself.  I ordered a breakfast sandwich with ham and provolone on a toasted roll, because I enjoyed the last one so much.  I got a regular hot coffee.

A writer’s breakfast.

As I breakfasted (broke fast?), I worked on a letter to my friend Kim in Colorado.  I SO miss going on Mohawk Valley Adventures with her!  Dylan, the young man who brought my sandwich to me, asked if I was writing another murder mystery.  I remember Dylan from when he worked at the End Zone.  He remembered me coming in with my friend who had since moved away.  I was pleased to tell him I was talking to that very friend.

That does remind me I need to start working on the next murder mystery.  At least a good breakfast should help!

 

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It All Started with the Spider

Posted on April 15, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am having a Tired Tuesday Post.  It may even be construed as a Terrible Tuesday Post, but let us not become too dramatic.  Then again, drama is my life!  (Said with a dramatic gesture).

This morning there was a spider in my coffee.  Ew!  This is what happens when you do not examine your mug before adding coffee.  I have only myself to blame.  Full disclosure:  I drank the rest of the coffee, spider germs be damned.  I had to finish my story about the Ilion Village Board Meeting for Sentinel Media.  Caffeine helped.

As my day progressed, I needed to go to Ilion again to drop off a flier of my latest murder mystery, A Revolutionary Murder, at Morning Star Methodist Church.  While there I shopped at their Pay It Forward Thrift Store.  Alas, I did not take any pictures.

Later in the day, I walked to the post office to mail a note and post card, then on to the Herkimer Elks Lodge to reserve two tickets to the previously mentioned murder mystery.  Then I walked on to The End Zone Pub.  Just to say hello.

You can’t really see the new light.

While I was there, Brock, the owner, was placing a new light in the front display.  I took a picture, but as you see, not a very successful one.  What can one expect on a day which began with a spider in one’s coffee?

 

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I Didn’t Waste My Walks

Posted on March 25, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a kind of a Terrible Tuesday, which is not one of my features, but now I am all set for a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.  For anybody who didn’t know, this is when I share previously unused pictures from my cell phone.

Spring IS coming!

I saw these snowdrops on my cool-down walk after my run on (going to the calendar to check) Yikes! Friday!  How have I not been running since Friday?  Why the hell am I thinking?  Obviously I am not thinking (that is pretty much always the answer to “What were you thinking?”).  But I digress.

The picture did not turn out as well as I had hoped.

I paused to take a picture of a birds nest in a tree on Mohawk Street in Herkimer, NY (where I live) during a longish walk I took on Saturday.  So I have been getting some exercise if not running.  Incidentally, I took two longish walks in the pouring rain on Sunday (it was not raining when I left the house), which quite wore me out.  Apparently I am less resilient in my old age than I was in my younger days.  Alas!

Apparently not the road less traveled.

I add this picture purely for the sake of having three illustrations.  It is a battered street in Ilion, which I photographed as a possible accompaniment to my article for Sentinel Media about the Ilion Village Board of Trustees Meeting on Monday.  This and several other roads will soon have work done on them, as was discussed in the meeting.

One might say that the road picture is symbolic of my life:  not a smooth path, but it just might take me somewhere.  Also, a bare road will be an encouragement for me to get back to running.  I believe I mentioned that I am registered for the Boilermaker 15K in Utica in July.

 

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