Tag Archives: snow

I Yam a Daily Blogger?

I shall attempt a Tired Tuesday Post before my weariness overcomes me.  Doesn’t that sound dramatic?  What a big fat baby I am, after all.  We all have problems,  no doubt I will find ways to work on mine.  In the meantime, I want to make a blog post.

I took a couple of walks today, to and from work. I  did that last Tuesday as well.  You see, Tuesday is trash day in my neighborhood, and due to the amount of snow that has fallen, I have to put my trash and recyclables containers at the end of the driveway.  This is how I have been feeling lately: it was easier to just walk to work than to move the containers, back my car out of the driveway, leave it on the street, put the containers back, then get back into my car and drive to work.

You know, I am inclined to think I was right.  It is making me tired now, just thinking about all that extra container and car moving.

I’m sure some readers are shaking their heads at me (you know who you are).  As I have said before, shake your head, your finger, or even your booty.  Like Popeye, I yam what I yam.

What I also am (yam) is a blogger who made her Tuesday Post on Tuesday.  OK, so it was kind of a foolish post. Perhaps tomorrow I will be less tired.

 

I Go a Different Way

Lately I have just a terrible time making decisions.  I think I spoke of this problem last Monday.  Today I sit here with my Tablet (pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus, of course), feeling quite paralyzed between two possibilities.  One choice, of course, is my usual Monstrous Monday.  The other is a Pedestrian Post about my walks to and from work today.

I work in Herkimer, NY now, where I live.  It is easy walking distance, but I normally drive for a few reasons, although one might argue that they are actually rationalizations (I know some of you were just taking a breath and opening your mouths to do so) (you know who you are).  That could be a whole other blog post.

Today, however, or rather last night, winter returned to the Mohawk Valley in the form of snow.  A lot of it.  I went out early, thinking to shovel out the end of my driveway at least.  The snow was not up to my bumper, after all.  Where was my shovel?  Oh yes, right where I left it, leaned against the porch stairs, covered with snow.  I was brushing snow off said steps with the outdoor push broom when I said, Oh, to hell with this, I’m walking to work!

I went back inside to get my things. My husband, Steven, expressed some dismay at my choice, but I felt it was safer.  After all, a woman my age could get a heart attack shoveling snow.  If I slipped on ice walking, I was more likely to get a mere bruise, not incur the costly car repair if I spun out while driving.  Additionally, I had not gone for my usual morning walk; I needed the exercise.

I did slip on the ice, as I reached the bottom of the stairs.  I almost landed on my butt.  Of greater concern, I spilled a little coffee.  Yes, I carried my usual thermal mug.  I sip a little in the morning and heat up the remainder in the afternoon.  Now I had a little less for both purposes and had gotten my glove wet!  Sometimes it is not easy being me.

As I walked, I greeted other pedestrians and people shoveling their driveways.  I told a couple of the shovelers that I was walking to avoid their chore.  I did not greet one person brushing off her car, because she seemed to be having a heated argument with someone on the porch.

“Where do you want me to put the snow?” she demanded, then offered a vulgar suggestion (I would just imagine not much snow would fit there) (also, it may not have melted, because I understand it is where the sun don’t shine).

I made it to work without mishap and only a couple of little slithers.  The worst of it was my feet got wet, because I was not sensible enough to put on boots.  My walk home was a little better, as the snow had stopped and the plows continued to do their work.  It was one way to get my exercise!

And I see it was one way to make a blog post.  Isn’t that funny?  I started to write a sentence or two about the Pedestrian Post I might have written (yes, I intended to make another post aboit not making a real blog post).  Then I went a different way.  Kind of like I went to work a different way this morning.  See what I did there?

 

Public Pedestrian Post with Pics

I don’t go into work till noon on Thursdays, so I waited till the sun was up to take my walk.  I decided to take advantage of the light and bring my cell phone so I could make a Pedestrian Post with pictures.  Full disclosure:  I am not making the post on my phone as I walk but merely took the pictures.  I am now at my house, ten-finger typing on my dining-room-table-top (must get a new laptop one of these days).

The weather was cold and gloomy, with snow off and on.  It was off as I started but had stuck on the sidewalk, so I walked with caution and did not set as brisk a pace as I might have on bare pavement.  I admit I do not always set a particularly brisk pace no matter the walking surface, but today I felt I had an excuse.  I had a payment on a bill to put in the mail, so I was also walking with a purpose.  I headed towards the post office.

As I went through Meyer’s Park, I noticed they had taken the Christmas lights down from the gazebo.  Regular readers know I love to look at lights when I am walking, so I felt a little sad this morning.  Yes, yes, I know, it is January, Christmas is over, I should get on with my life.  I can still feel a little sad, can’t I?  Sheesh!  Anyways, I took a picture to share the gloomy scene.

I felt the dusting of snow added to the gloomy mood.

I soon made it to the post office and mailed the bill.  Then I crossed the street to take a picture of the post office.

A handsome building.

I continued towards Main Street, which I crossed and went by Municipal Hall. I felt I had a kind of a theme of public spaces going on here, so I took another picture.

This is where I use to go to register for the DARE 5K, when they used to have one.

Close by Municipal Hall is what used to be the Baptist Church but is now owned by the Business and Professional Association of Herkimer. Pre-Covid, there were big plans for the space.  I must reach out to the association and find out the current status of the building.

Another handsome building.

Having three pictures in my phone, I felt I had fulfilled my blogging obligation and concentrated on my walk.  I slid once on an icy patch, which was a little scary (I guess I am easily frightened), but I stayed upright and did not encounter any more ice.  Soon it began to snow like a Christmas card, so I thought I would try for a picture of that.

This is the path over what used to be a hydraulic canal.

I’m afraid I did not capture the snow.  It soon turned to a fine, not very visible snow, and I was soon finished with my walk.

My walk lasted 30 minutes, the longest since I started walking again after my bout of flu.  I felt pretty good about that.  I may try for a run on Saturday, but after my little slip on the ice, it will rather depend on the weather.

 

A Little Snow, A Little Post…

I shall make my Throwback Thursday Post on Thursday.  I hope.

Some call it the four letter word that begins with S.

I go to November 2020 in my Media Library to find some snowy pictures to share.  The Mohawk Valley got its first snowfall of the season on Wednesday.  At least, it is possible that some areas already saw a flake or two in the air (cue bad jokes about me being a flake), but I did not hear about them.  Wednesday morning I went for my first snowy run since last spring.  It was not too bad, but I did not take any pictures.

He’s so cute!

This jaunty snowman stood in a yard on German Street that November.  I have not made a snowman in years.  Perhaps I will make one this year.

At least the sidewalks are bare.

Here is a shot from March 2018.  By March most of us are heartily sick of winter.  Right now, to me, it is kind of fun.  I know some people are in despair already.  Sorry, guys (I use “guys” in a unisex manner).

The Abominable Frankentree?

I think our Frankentree looks a little scary covered with snow.  One might argue that I look for monsters everywhere.  My reply us, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”  Maybe I am just wishing I had done a Mid-Week Monsters Post.

 

Thank You, Media Library

I shall try for another Throwback Thursday Post, hoping for some cooperation from my Media Library.

A note of hope!

Here is a cheerful picture: a crocus in my yard in 2018. I had a few crocuses in my backyard, before the Monday/Tuesday nor’easter hit. Tuesday afternoon, after I took my walk, I spied a lone purple crocus in my front yard, defying the snow. I took a picture with my phone, which, alas, I am unable to share at the current time.

Scary tree?

Another view from 2018: Frankentree in our front yard. He is even bigger and more monstrous now, but there is considerably less snow.

Now this is a scary tree!

This is the tree which dropped a major portion of itself on the power line, causing the outage which enlivened (or made hideous) our Tuesday/Wednesday. Thanks a lot, tree! I always liked you!

These will cheer me up!

I usually content myself with three pictures, but I wanted to end with flowers. The daisies will not arrive for a while yet, but I hope they grow in a similar profusion when they do.

I guess some would say 2018 is not throwing back very far. Then again, sometimes last week seems a very long time ago and second grade feels like yesterday. What’s that all about? A question, perhaps, for Lame Post Friday. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Not 200 Words

Sensible cities: Cancel the St. Patrick’s Day parade in this horrible weather!

Utica, NY: Hold my green beer.

That was a comment I made on a Facebook post by my husband. He was praising Utica for being bad-ass and holding their parade in a snow storm. We sat home and watched the coverage by WKTV News.

That is really pretty much all I have in the way of a Saturday blog post. And I am, in point of fact, making this post Sunday morning, an hour later than I feel it ought to be (I hate Daylight Savings Time). I think I will not even worry about getting to 200 words.

Weather or Not…

How about a nice Throwback Thursday Post. I put a period instead of a question mark, because I am going to make the post in any case.

Yikes!

This is a picture from March 2017. It makes me a little sad, because according to forecasts, I may be able to take a similar picture on Saturday. And I don’t want to! I want spring! Oh well, there is no point in whining; we must deal with the weather that comes.

Better rain than snow? Maybe, maybe not.

Here is July 2017, after a rathe boisterous rain storm. I don’t think the picture captures it very well, but I believe there was mud everywhere. I include it to show a different season of troublesome weather.

And then there are flowers.

This is what I want! This is my front yard in May 2017. Our first spring in this house, 2006, we had one lone yellow tulip. Without putting in more bulbs, we have yet been blessed with more tulips. One of these years I will up my bulb game, and then we’ll see some blooms!

I hope to start having Mohawk Valley Adventures again soon and write blog posts about them. However, if we receive a similar amount of snow to the above picture, it might not happen this weekend. I suppose the suspense adds interest to the end of my week.

Throwback? Non-Sequitur? It’s a Mystery!

Wordless Wednesday turned out pretty good (or do I flatter myself?), so I thought I would go for a Throwback Thursday Post. I’ve had those before. If I throw back to something I have thrown before, sorry.

A couple of suspicious individuals.

Here is an appropriate memory: a murder mystery dinner theatre which benefited the Herkimer County Historical Society. It was titled Secrets at Suiter House. It is appropriate, because I am currently writing and recruiting actors for another murder mystery, as yet untitled.

This is not how this looks today, but tomorrow…?

I am having a great deal of trouble navigating my Media Library, as indeed I did yesterday. As a matter of fact, yesterday I sought but did not find a picture of snow. Now I was looking for another murder mystery picture and found snow. No matter. I can just bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post.

I hate to play the illness card again, but can I just say I am still not feeling the least bit well. What the hell, body? I have things to do and blog posts to write! Can I find one more picture to pull this post together?

I loves me some Bette and Joan.

This picture is appropriate for both a Throwback and Non-Sequitur Thursday Posts. It is a publicity shot from when Joan Crawford and Bette Davis were set to star in Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte in 1964. Crawford subsequently left the production. That is pretty far back. Come to think about it, it is not a complete non-sequitur, because the movie is a murder mystery. It’s a good movie. I highly recommend it.

I am not sure I can recommend this blog post, but you’ll have that. If only I could think of a title…

Lame Will Tell

Hello and welcome to Lame Post Friday, my day for random observations and half-baked philosophy. I fear I don’t have much of either in mind but do not despair of coming up with something reasonably entertaining for my readers (if any).

Cheers from Mohawk Valley Girl.

I looked through my Media Library looking for a picture with wine, because I have been enjoying a glass. Hey, it’s Friday. The picture above was taken at Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY. I may be stopping by there tomorrow (preview of coming attractions) for a meet-and-greet recruiting event for Kiwanis. I was a member of the Kiwanis Club in Potsdam many years ago. It might be fun to join again.

Here is a random observation: I have somehow changed my WordPress so that after I type in a paragraph, it goes grey. Only the paragraph I am currently typing is black and easily visible to my old eyes. It is annoying. I guess that is what I get for clicking on things indiscriminately. I am SO technologically un-savvy.

Just a random snow picture.

Here is a picture of snow from 2020. It looks remarkably similar to the snow that is outside now. I show it to emphasize that all Mohawk Valley Adventures are weather permitting. I hope I will be admitted a few tomorrow. As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

Some Spring in my Step

It was a glorious day that felt like spring. Of course, I spent most it inside, wondering if the sun was living up to its promise, as it so rarely does this time of year. However, when the work day ended and I stepped outside, I was elated. It was warm! It felt good! I was totally going to go running!

Many days when I have worked all day, I talk myself right out of it, and Wednesday seemed for a moment to be going that way. I’m tired! I spent all day running around! The snowbanks are still too high; sidewalks are way too messy! Oh hell, no. Those arguments were not going to work.

I did heed the argument about the sidewalks and ran in the road. I wore my road guard vest, because safety first. Additionally, I can put tissues or a handkerchief in the zipper pocket. My sinuses are ever a problem. Of course I wore leggings and long sleeves, but I opted for a knitted headband instead of a hat, and I did not wear gloves. I was so happy to step outside and not feel freezingly cold. This was going to be great!

And it was, kind of. I have not been running after a day’s work in a while. It certainly feels different from a run on a weekend morning. My legs were soon complaining. I ignored them. I also seemed to be running very slowly. I declined to worry about it.

The real problem was all the snow. The snowbanks encroached on the road, and the puddles from their melting made it even worse. I did not encounter much ice, though, so that was good. I tried to stay on less busy streets, but I still encountered some traffic. I made sure to give the thank-you wave to everybody who slowed down and/or moved over.

I had been thinking that this was the sort of day when, back in my misspent youth, I might have been out on a porch with friends and beer. Of course it was not really warm enough for such activities, but we never let that stop us. I saw several people out running or walking. Then, closer to home, I saw a few people on a porch, their kids playing in the snow, and a fellow I know standing in the driveway with what looked like a beer in is hand. Awesome!

“It’s a great day for a porch party!” I yelled.

“It’s a great day for a run!” the guy on the porch said.

“It sure is!”

And it sure was, snow and puddles notwithstanding. I felt so happy I had run, even it was not too far and not too fast. As I type this, winter has naturally returned to the Mohawk Valley. However, I cling to the promise of yesterday. Spring is coming! Come on, Spring!