Tag Archives: weather

It’s My Parasol

Posted on August 24, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Is anybody surprised I did it again?  I posted yesterday for the day before, and here I am today posting for yesterday.  These things happen, especially to me.  Right now my only question is was it the right morning to substitute tea for coffee?  I’m on my second cup.

Yesterday I could not make up my mind what to do.  I wrote a letter to an aunt, finished a letter to a friend, and wrote my regular Saturday post cards.  The post cards I sent were of different states; my friend Kim sent me a set of 50 from the thrift store she works at.  I wrote on one, “I am in a state of indecision.”  Eventually I decided to walk to the post office.  It was quite sunny, so I took an umbrella.  I have found that an umbrella makes a nice little bit of portable shade.

As I walked, I thought of things I could say to people who remarked on my umbrella:  “It’s my parasol.”  “I am protecting my dewy completion from the sun’s ravages.”  Nobody said anything.  After mailing the letters, I decided to walk to Mohawk Antiques Mall.  For one reason, it was Customer Appreciation Day and they were serving hot dogs.  Also, it is a very fun place to walk around, as there are lots of vendors.

One thing they definitely have is post cards!

I was so glad I went!  I found three packs of 40 different post cards each for a very good price.  I enjoyed a nice burnt hot dog, too, while listening to a lady play old tunes on the piano.  I did not spend much time walking all around, though, because I found the post cards right away.

Back out on the sidewalk, it was even warmer.  The wind made it more comfortable but wasn’t so good with the umbrella.  I have not spent a great deal of time out in the sun this summer, and yesterday I was reminded why.  I start to feel a little ill.  Additionally, I had neglected to put on good sneakers, and the walk to the Antiques Mall was lengthier than I had realized.

Still, a walk is a walk.  I enjoyed looking at houses I passed and the canal as I walked over the bridge.  I went by a friend’s house and petted his dog (I didn’t know he lived there; he just happened to be sitting on the front porch with his dog at the time).  I felt rather tired at the end, and my feet hurt.  I fear I do not treat them very well.  I neglect my blog, I neglect my feet, what a bum!

In the meantime, I have gotten to over 450 words.  Will I make a Sunday post on Sunday?  My hopes are not high.

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A Run to the Moon?

Posted on August 10, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oops, I missed posting on Saturday (yes, I am back to calling attention to my deficiencies).  I went for a run this morning, though, so how about a Running Commentary Post.  I don’t know if I ran by anything I have pictures of in my Media Library, but I may throw in a few random shots to pep the post up.  We shall see.

I seem to remember making a post about a run I took after a two week hiatus (that’s a fun word to say; try it!) (too lazy to go back and check, as usual).  Then I went two days without running.  At least I walked.  I was determined to run this morning. After a reheated cup of coffee (waste not want not), I suited up and set off.

The temperature was nice, the humidity was not bad.  I thought to turn right at German Street but noticed the full moon which I had not seen last night.  I love the full moon!  I turned left and ran towards it.

Not the same full moon.

It was lighter out when I ran this morning.  I look forward to starting my runs in the dark and finishing them in full daylight.  I do not rise early enough for such shenanigans these days, but Mother Nature will catch up with me eventually.

I went up one minor hill on Maple Grove and went on to the residential area behind Valley Health, which I refer to in my head as The Suburbs.  I was figuring in my head how long I wanted to run and how I would increase my times to be ready for the East Herkimer Fire Department 5K in October.  I think I will be in pretty good shape (remembering that round and puffy is still a shape).

Running felt pretty darn good.  I had to remind myself not to get too ambitious and overdo.  I pointed out metaphors for life as I ran:  you notice and lament a 10% uphill but barely feel the same percent going down.  Also, a hill looks less intimidating the closer you get to it.  At least it did today.

One weird thing:  as I ran by a sewer grate, I thought I felt a little warmth emanating from it.  Tim Curry?  He was smoking hot in some of his movie roles!  For readers who did not get the reference, Tim Curry was a clown in the sewer in an adaptation of a Stephen King novel.  Or was it a novella or short story?  How embarrassing that I do not know (I even had to check to make sure he spells his name with a “ph”).

I plan to start running more often again so may be inflicting more running commentary posts on my readers.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

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A Short Walk, A Short Post

Posted on August 8, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh it is a bad blogging week.  I keep missing days.  There is no point in blaming it on anything, because I have blogged under adverse conditions before.  Today I took a walk, despite being a little concerned about the wildfire smoke, which WKTV Weather tells me will dissipate slowly.  I did not run or walk yesterday, after feeling quite headachey on Wednesday.  Whine, whine whine!  Sorry about that.  But I am sensitive to these atmospheric conditions.  Really, I am quite the delicate flower.  What are you laughing at? (You know who you are.)

Like this tree, I have fallen down on the job.

When I took a walk earlier in the week, I was rather taken by a fallen tree but did not photograph it.  I decided to walk by it again today. I have a kind of a fascination with dead trees.

Another angle.

My plan was not to go for a very long walk.  Maybe one mile; about 20 some minutes.  I do like to walk, and I feel it helps with my depression.

I must up my lawn decoration game.

I had to take a picture of the cute little horse, being careful not to include anything identifying about the house it was in front of.  I try to respect other people’s privacy, although I’m not sure how much of that any of us really has.  I can’t worry about these things when I have a headache.

I did get some blooms!

Returning home, I went into the backyard to get a picture of my Black-Eyed Susans, which managed to bloom after I had mowed them down earlier this summer.

Pretty!

I zoomed in on a few.  I guess this is not such a much as a post, but it wasn’t such a much as a walk either.  However, I enjoyed the walk, and I believe it is possible some readers will enjoy my blog post.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Walking, Sharon, Walking, Snowball, Walking, Books, Walking…

Posted on July 25, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I went for a walk instead of a run this morning so took my phone in hopes of making a Pedestrian Post with Pictures. I met with some success.

Lots of blooms!

I was interested to note a Rose of Sharon with a lot of blossoms.  Yesterday I spent some time trying to rescue my own Rose of Sharon from the encroachments of  the wild grape vine which has been taking over my lawn (there may be a good horror story there).  I noticed a few blooms but could not stop to admire them amidst my clipping and pulling.  I must spend more time waging the battle against the grape vines.  Why, oh why, could they not be grapes which could produce wine?

Another healthy bush!

A block or so later, I admired this snowball bush.  I would like one of those myself.  I love how the blossoms turn brown in the fall.  Also you can clip the white ones and put them in food coloring to make colors.

Alas, nothing I wanted to read.

I walked for a while with no more photo ops before seeing this Little Free Library on the road that is really a parking lot between Park Avenue and Church Street near the school.  I continued my walk looking more for shade than picture opportunities.  It was becoming warm, although I thought I had gotten out early enough.  I suppose I am more sensitive to the heat than some.  Back home I went into my own backyard to take a picture of my own Rose of Sharon.

I do love flowers!

I zoomed in.  I tried zooming out to show how tall the bush has gotten, but I had nothing to show perspective.  Another opportunity to miss my wonderful husband, Steve, who would have been happy to stand there looking cute.  But I do not mean to introduce a sad note.  My walks and runs are for my mental health as much as my physical well-being.  Being able to use them for blog posts is merely a welcome side effect.

 

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Sometimes I Do Run Backwards

Posted on July 11, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It really has not been all that hot and humid lately.  I mean, no heat advisories that I heard of, and it was only in the 80s, not the 90s.  Why, then do I feel so sluggish and that my brain has been steamed?  Why, oh why, am I making another blog post about it?  This cannot be interesting!  Quick, throw in a picture to pep things up.

Anybody remember when I did that?

I participated in this race back in 2017 but not again thereafter.  I do not know why not.  However, I saw a post about it on Facebook the other day and said, “I’m doing it this year!”  Of course I forgot to write down the date or any other information about it.  However, I think I have time to find these things out.  And I am still in 5K shape from the Pride Stride 5K in June.  The beauty part is, this should be good for several blog posts.

Can you tell it’s uphill?

I think this is the back way to Herkimer College (previously known as HCCC).  I recently ran up the front way for the first time in a while.  I have not run up the back way recently but I suppose it would be a good idea to.  I feel I do not run enough hills.

On the brighter side, using the two pictures from the past entitles me to bill this as a Throwback Thursday.  Once again, I will try for a better blog post tomorrow, and I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Alas, Another Tired Tuesday Post

Posted on July 9, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Oh dear.  I am as dreadfully overheated as I was yesterday, and I only feel up to a Tired Tuesday blog post.  I don’t have much to blog about anyways; I have done very little with my Tuesday. There was a moment as I was driving towards the grocery store when I felt an impulse to drive someplace more interesting, Little Falls Food Co-op, for example, but I couldn’t quite think what I might buy there.  I had rehearsal for Four Old Broads on the High Seas, but I need to sort through some pictures before I make another post about that (preview of coming attractions).

The Brain I Don’t Have.

I quick threw in a picture to pep things up.  This, of course, is The Brain from Planet Arous.  Looking through my Media Library distracted me from continuing the list of things I was NOT going to make a blog post about.  I once had a college professor get all mad at me because I spent a lot of a paper saying what I wasn’t going to get into about the topic at hand.  I don’t know what he wanted in a two page paper.  Anyways, he still gave me an A.  No wonder I got an exaggerated notion of myself as a writer.

For the record, I no longer have that exaggerated notion.  I am a writer who does not write enough. I keep hoping to change that.  I’ll let you know if I ever succeed.

 

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Not Too Hot to Blog, Apparently

Posted on July 8, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

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.

 

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Who, Me? Slack on a Saturday?

Posted on July 6, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I had an almost completely Slacker Saturday, including not making a blog post.  Now, Sunday morning, I sit, having started the day in a fairly non-slacker fashion, prepared to slack once again.

Come to think of it, I did not begin Saturday in Slacker fashion.  I ran up the hill to Herkimer College (formerly known as HCCC or H-trip-C), a rather formidable hill which conquered me earlier this year.

Why does it not look so steep in pictures?

I don’t know if it is being over 60 or being overweight, but running has become increasingly difficult for me.  It is clearly impossible for me to become any younger, and it is extremely difficult for me to lose any weight.  What’s a girl to do?  I know, try harder to lose weight.  For one suggestion, I can refrain from going to Caffe Maya in Herkimer, NY and ordering Chicken Parmesan, as I did yesterday.  Yes, I slacked when it came to cooking dinner.

Really good place to eat!

In my defense, YUM!

Today promises to be extremely warm.  As I am susceptible to heat injury, I feel justified in taking it easy.  Additionally, it has long been my contention that it is useless to think I am going to get anything done on a Sunday.  Did I say I began today in a non-slacker fashion?  Perhaps I will write a blog post about it later.  That will be two things I get done!  Sometimes I even amaze myself.

 

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It Was a Melting Migraine

Posted on June 26, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I might have a real Wuss-out Wednesday post or maybe a Blogger’s Sick Day, as I spent the day with something of a migraine.  I hasten to add that my migraines are not as bad as what some people suffer, and I appreciate that.  I even made it through rehearsal tonight for the play I haven’t told you about yet (preview of coming attractions).  Now I am at home, still waiting for it to feel cooler inside (it was almost comfortable on my front porch, but I can hardly sleep out there), and wondering if I can get away with a Mid-Week Monsters post (here’s a Freudian typo:  I said Mid-Weed Monsters, as if I paused to make a blog post in the midst of doing lawn and garden work.  Wouldn’t that be ambitious of me?).

I know just how she feels.

Here’s the picture I was looking for yesterday!  It is appropriate on so many levels.  I am complaining about the heat, a wicked witch is a monster, and many people feel that I myself am a witch (they sometimes spell it with a b).

This may be true of a lot of us.

This speaks to my good intentions of doing a better blog post today than yesterday.  Once again I move that ambition on to tomorrow.  On the brighter side, at least I have posted for another day.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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I Do Run On

Posted on June 11, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

How did it get to be Tuesday already?  I thought it was still the weekend.  No, no, I remember that yesterday was Monday, because I thought I could take a half hour or so to listen to Phil Arcuri at the Herkimer Downtown Chowdown.  I had to cover a Village Board Meeting in Ilion at 5:30 so couldn’t stay longer, but at least a little Phil would be great, and I could make a blog post after the meeting.

Well, um, no.  Apparently they cancelled the Chowdown.  They posted it on Facebook, but I missed it.  Rats!  And I had done very little else during the rest of the day. Now Tuesday afternoon is waning and I have again done very little.  I did run on Monday.  It was not much of a run, but any run is a good run to have done.  Today it was raining in the morning, and I was busy writing up the meeting I went to yesterday.

Feet don’t fail me now!

This is about the time my blog should be turning to All Pride Stride 5K All The Time.  I have three days before the big day!  Ideally I will go for a long run tomorrow, at least three miles.  However, I think it is supposed to rain.  I ran three miles in the rain at least once.  I can do it again.  No promises if there is thunder.

In the meantime, I have at least babbled on for over 200 words of another placeholder post.  I shall feel free to continue to call myself a blogger.  The Pride Stride 5K, incidentally, is part of the Little Falls Pride Celebration.  Many activities are planned for Saturday, June 14 in Little Falls, NY. For more information, you can check out their Facebook page.

 

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