Tag Archives: weather

Wandering Wednesday

I have not been having so many Mohawk Valley Adventures lately, and I fear today was not so much better.  But I did leave my house and go to a few places.  The first place I went was the Herkimer Elks Lodge, a regular stop of mine. However, I had to mail a couple of cards to a couple of aunts, so I left the lodge for a while.  When I returned, I realized I needed to make further wanderings.

It was a delightfully warm day, at least for the season, so I was happy to walk.  Unfortunately, the sidewalks were not always as nice as one could hope.  I did my best, and walked in the road where necessary, to the disappointment of the vehicular traffic.

Not such a good path.

After leaving the Elks I walked towards Cliff’s Market, where my bank has an ATM.  On the way I stopped at To Niche Their Own, one of my favorite little stores.  I purchased an artificial rose, to match one I obtained previously and is currently on my mantel.

It looks like my skeleton Bonaparte is holding it

I plan to purchase more of those flowers and have a bouquet, and maybe give some away.  I carried my flower with me to the Herkimer VFW, where I enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay and some conversation with fellow veterans.  Then I went to the ATM and took a long (or so it seemed to me) walk to Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, where I got a turkey sub.  Yum!

I’m afraid I did not take too many pictures of my different Mohawk Valley Adventures today.  At least I have made a blog post.  I hope to have another adventure or two tomorrow.  As always, I hope you will tune in.

 

Not Such a Terrible Tuesday

So I missed posting on Monday.  I was not going to call attention to it but just make a Tuesday post (today is Tuesday to me, although I know my WordPress timestamp sometimes disagrees), but…

And then I realized there is not anything I can say that will not sound like whining or a really lame excuse.  I can’t use a lame excuse when it is not Lame Post Friday!  Have I been doing anything blogworthy lately?  You be the judge.

I went for a run yesterday, hoping to do a Monday Running Commentary.  It was not as long a run as my last one but not too bad.  It was cold, but I did not want to waste the bare pavement, of which there was some.  The highlight was petting a nice dog I have petted before.  He is a big shaggy one.  I wish I had a picture.   I also went the wrong way up a One Way street, as regular readers know I like to do.  I don’t suppose I can find the picture of the Do Not Enter sign.

Obviously not me running.

I could not find the sign but found this picture of Steve dancing to the Posers back in 2021, when he had gotten back from a stint in the nursing home.  We had a joyous time.  I will just mention that it would have been Steve’s 71st birthday today, which could explain my melancholy.  And yet I am so happy and grateful to have had him in my life.

This morning I did not go running, but I did venture outside in hopes of seeing the blood moon, blood being right up my alley.  I got to the end of the street, where I usually can see the moon early in the morning, before I realized the sky was completely overcast.  Silly me!  The sign at the church down the road said it was 3 degrees out.  Yikes!  However, as I walked back home, I saw the nice shaggy dog I had petted before.

“There’s that nice dog I petted before!” I said.  His person nicely stopped so I could pet him again.

So that is my Tuesday post.  Running, memories, no blood moon, petted a dog.  Really I have not been having a bad couple of days.

 

Thank Goodness It’s Tired Tuesday?

So I am making a Tired Tuesday blog post, even though I am making it earlier than I made my Monday blog post, yet I feel even more tired.  But I want to be a daily blogger, so here I go.

An oldie but a goodie.

I do not really care that it is Tuesday instead of Friday.  However, I was looking for a picture to pep things up and saw my favorite Tuesday meme.  In fact, for me Tuesday is a better day than Monday. Most Mondays I have to go to a town or village board meeting in the evening, then write a story about it for Sentinel Media.  Tuesday morning I finish the story and try to find something to take a picture of to go with it.  Once that is done, I have such a feeling of accomplishment.  Then I laugh at myself, because real reporters do much more than one or two stories a week (I have the Frankfort Town Board meeting on Thursday this week).

Random picture of snow.

I went running yesterday, on partially icy roads.  Today I walked, wearing boots and walking on snowy sidewalks.  There was ice under the snow, so I exercised caution.  The sole came off one of my boots, so I may be boot shopping tomorrow (preview of coming attractions?).

So that is my post, for better or worse.  It has been difficult for me to find bloggable activities in the winter weather, but I will try to do better tomorrow.  As always, I hope you will stay tuned.

 

I Can’t Give You Anything But Lame

I am not only having a Lame Post Friday blog post, my entire Friday is lame.  However, it did not start out that way.  It started out with a not too bad run, and I had thought to make a Friday Running Commentary.

The weather people forecast all kinds of bad stuff for today, but it did not seem to have started yet, so I got on my running stuff and got going. I was a little nervous, because the roads looked wet and the temperature was not very much above freezing, according to my thermostat, which often gives a higher temperature than what is actually out there.  But I had not run since Monday.  I may still register for the Boilermaker 15K.  And I am not losing any weight!

Right away I felt some cold raindrops on my face.  Oh swell.  Was it freezing rain, the beginning of the wintry mix we had been promised?  Never mind.  I was out there, I would give it a shot.  I kept to the roads, which had been sanded.  As long as I felt something crunching under my sneakers, I felt all right.  When I turned onto German Street and moved to the side of the road due to traffic, I felt one foot slide.  Oh dear!  But my old lady shuffling pace saved me. I stuck to the side streets after that.

Picture taken during my cool-down walk.

Early on in my run, I felt a kind of time warp as I saw somebody’s Christmas tree at the curb. It didn’t look dried out or anything!  Had these people kept watering it throughout January and most of February?  Sometimes after a run I feel like collapsing on the curb and waiting for somebody to haul me away, but that was not the case today.  The run felt pretty good, and I felt pretty good.

The better day to run would have been yesterday, when the roads were bare.  However, I went over to my sister Cheryl’s, and played in the snow with her two grandkids.  She and her son-in-law were chipping ice out of the gutter.  The snow was the crunchy kind, crusted on top, soft underneath.  It is an effort to walk around in such snow but so fun to make the crunch.  The kids got the idea to make a snow fort using some of the ice-ish layer, you know, the part you crunch through.  I helped them carry chunks of ice.  It must have been good exercise, because I got quite out of breath.

It is hard to see the edifice, because of white on white.

I also helped find a couple of the sticks we decorated it with.  Anyways, running on the sanded ice, crunching though the icy snow, I had two days of exercise.  Will I manage to leave the house tomorrow?  It will depend on what Mother Nature piles on us overnight!

 

Once Again, I Run Again!

It has been almost two months since I ran.  I blame the weather but confess there have been a few days I could have gotten out there and did not.  Today, after hearing the WKTV News people talk about how they were not going to wear jackets today, I said, hey!  Let’s do it!  Accordingly, I put on running gear and set off.

And right away, it was great!  I felt terrific!  The only problem was, I forgot to stick a tissue or two up my sleeve.  Well, I can’t remember everything.  I am out of the habit of running, after all.  I stuck to un-busy streets, because I could not stay close to the curb.  Or at least, where I think the curb is, because it is covered with snow banks.  The sides of the road had frozen-over puddles, slush, and other obstacles.  However, most roads had plenty of bare pavement for me to enjoy.

Must include a picture, after all.

I just searched my Media Library for a picture of something I ran by that included snow.  There is actually a bit more snow in Meyer’s Park now, but you get the idea. I petted one dog.  At first I saw a pedestrian on the sidewalk, then a leash and a tail sticking up.

“A nice dog!” I said, assuming that it was (I always assume dogs to be nice until proven otherwise).  “If I come up on the sidewalk, can I pet that dog?”

Permission received, I went and petted the dog, which looked like a scotch terrier, but I did not ask.  It was a very sweet dog.  I love dogs.

I had thought to run for 20 minutes.  That is usually what I ask of myself when I have not been running for a while.  I actually made it 21 minutes, because when I got home I was so close to 1.5 miles, I kept running till I got it.  Yay, me!  I think if I continue running, I can be in sufficiently good shape to do the Boilermaker 15K in July, as I have been threatening to do.  I wonder if registration is still open.

 

Take This Job and Shovel It!

I fight the lawn all summer and the snow all winter.  I often say I prefer the winter, because it MIGHT snow in the winter while the grass will DEFINITELY grow in the summer.  Of course Mother Nature has to prove me wrong.  There has been no maybe about snow this year; it snowed.  While a neighbor has been very kind about snow-blowing my front walk and driveway on occasion, I feel I should take responsibility for my own home.

White on white hurts my eyes. Just to whine a little more, what a kvetch I am!

I remembered to take a couple of “before” pictures before I shoveled and pushed the snow this morning.  We had not gotten all that much, but I thought it was well to stay caught up.  Additionally, I need the exercise.  I was delighted to find that the snow was the white, fluffy kind (see, I don’t just complain!).  I started my car and brushed it off, then took on the driveway from the road on in.

The problem is there is not much space to put the snow I move out of the driveway.  I try to pile it on the growing banks but cannot keep some of it from running down into the road or sidewalk.  At least the banks are not over my head, and so I count my blessings.  I backed the car out and parked it in the street and tried to clean out where it was.  Full disclosure:  as winter wears on, I park my car closer and closer to the sidewalk.

After.

You can see my car across the street.  It is the one with the wipers up in the air.  I also tried to clean a space for my trash and recyclable container.  They are actually supposed to be kept out back, out of sight, but I was unable to clear a path that far.  At least I got them out of the mailman’s way, and where I hopefully will not hit them with my car.

One does what one can.

I did the usual shovel-width across the front.  I wondered how much I was really accomplishing, as the snow continued to fall.  Then again, it is easier to clean off a smaller amount twice than a huge amount once.

Looks like a Christmas card!

I took a shot to show the snow coming down like a sonofabitch.  I like to describe things as “like a sonofabitch.”  It actually tapered off as the morning wore on, so perhaps I will not have to bear winter’s brunt again tomorrow.

 

A Walk in the Cold

I have been way too sedentary with the bad weather, so I thought I would take a walk with my phone and make a Pedestrian Post with Pictures.  For one reason, it was supposed to be warmer today: double digits at least!  I wrote a post card to an aunt, thinking I could walk by the post office, put on a coat, hat, mittens, and boots (not in that order), and set out.

The beauty part about walking through the snow is that it is more of an effort than walking on bare pavement.  Full disclosure:  sometimes I went into the road and walked on bare pavement.  I need to get out and walk more.  My legs got tired easily!

I believe the time was accurate.

This is not the first picture I took, but I thought it would look good as the photo showing when I share the link on Facebook.  It is on Albany Street in Herkimer, in front of Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner, which I did not get a picture of.  Silly me. What I would have liked to get a picture of was Meyers Park. It was a grey and gloomy day, and the bare trees looked really cool against the sky.  The gazebo looked a little forlorn, not at all how it looks when the bands are on it at the Herkimer Downtown ChowDown.  But I had no faith in my abilities, and I could not decide which angle to shoot from anyways.

Yes, I stop here sometimes; judge me if you like (you know who you are).

If I had wanted to walk with a nefarious purpose, as I did on a long ago blog post, I could have stopped at The End Zone.  Don’t think I wasn’t tempted.  It was colder than I thought it was!

Another local watering hole of note.

Likewise, I did not stop at Pete’s Tavern.  I kept walking, checking my watch to see how long I had walked.  The wind picked up, and I was sorry I had not worn a scarf.  I soon decided three pictures was enough, the walk was long enough, I was going home!  By this time I had walked far enough that the walk ended up being just over a half hour.  That seems healthy enough for me.

And my blog post is approaching 400 words.  That seems healthy, too.  I’ll try for a Mohawk Valley Adventure tomorrow.

 

Can I Manage a Monday Post?

If I want to continue (return to?) being a daily blogger, I must admit that some posts will be less worthy than others.  I have fewer Mohawk Valley Adventures these days, despite having more time on my hands.  Yet I want to post something, anything.  Quick, throw in a picture to pep things up.

“A little busy here.”

I might as well make it a Monstrous Monday post. Regular readers will recognize this as my favorite guy, Nosferatu, of the eponymous 1922 silent film.  He is scary, yes.

And it is winter.

This is a picture from some years back, but just to show you I am also dealing with quite a bit of snow.  I have help from a nice neighbor on my driveway.  I confess to ignoring my back deck at the current time.  This particular year we cleared all the stuff off the deck, which is obviously a wise thing to do.  This year, I was not so wise, nor so ambitious.

Resting peacefully?

Here is a picture that combines Monstrous Monday with Winter Woes:  a skull on my deck last winter.  It is part of one of those skeletons you can make look like it is coming out of the ground.  I have a picture of it doing that, but I am too lazy to search my Media Library for it now.

Another skull angle.

Here instead is another picture of my snow skull.  I see I am over 200 words, so I say it is OK.  I thank you for tuning in, and once again, I will try for a better blog post tomorrow.

 

Not a Competition on Wrist to Forehead Sunday

I have been busy all morning thinking I was not getting anything done, then not getting anything done.  It is not easy being me, but it is mildly entertaining.  I pause in my inactivity for a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  It is frigidly cold out today, as it was yesterday.  I ventured out yesterday and intend to do so again today, to go to the Elks Lodge for some fellowship and perhaps a glass of wine.  I will bundle up.

Look how chubby my cheeks are!

The coat I am wearing used to be Steve’s, although he rarely wore it.  He was more of a jacket guy.  One of our rummage sale finds, I think.  I do not remember where we got the hat, but it is one of those hood-like things that wreaks havoc on your hair-do.  Luckily, I rarely do my hair.  The scarf is one I made, using up several stray balls of yarn.

The reason I took the picture is that a friend posted a selfie on Facebook of him with a winter hat pulled all the way down over his face.  Then he put glasses on and took another picture.  It was very amusing, so I got inspired.  I posted the above selfie and told him to eat his heart out.  Then I said it was just kidding; it was not a competition.

I guess that little story is no reason for me to swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead.  Never mind.  It is a blog post.  I’m posting it.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

Lame is the Answer

Oh dear, I wanted to make my Lame Post Friday blog post before going out adventuring today, but I sit here at my Chromebook feeling headachey and dull.  Where’s that sparkling personality I thought I had?  And here we come to the ugly truth about me.  Never mind.  I want to make a blog post and I will.   Quick, throw in a picture to lighten  up the mood.

Who could be uncheered by a snowman?

I have not seen any snowmen recently.  It has not been warm enough for the snow to pack, unfortunately.  The caption, by the way, is an homage to Winnie the Pooh.

You KNOW I am going to enter!

Here is a sign I have not seen in a while, because I have not been running.  I really want to start again, but with below zero wind chills and ice on the roadways, I keep putting it off. I have been saying I am going to run the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY this July but have not yet registered.  I heard open registration started, so I better get moving on it.  It will be good for a few blog posts anyways.

Bittersweet is the word.

I close on a melancholy note.  I shared this picture on Facebook this morning after it showed up in my Memories.  The mugs were a Christmas gift from my sister Cheryl, the Queen of Christmas, to my dearly missed husband Steve and me. I said that I rarely use these mugs, but perhaps I would today for a cup of hot cocoa.  I recently purchased the necessary ingredients.  Hmm, that motivates me to get out the door and get on with my errands and adventures.  I can return to a steaming mug of hot cocoa.  Maybe I’ll add a shot of moonshine from Dikin Durt Distillery, just to give a local business a shout-out.