Friday

It's 44.8 degrees.

Soggy, but not raining right now.

WKTV predicts that: "Lake rains should taper off by mid morning but clouds will stick around. Friday afternoon will just see a few scattered showers across the region. Friday night, on northwest winds will see additional lake rains in the area, likely further south than tonight.
Saturday will see slow clearing and slow moderation in temperature. Highs should get back up near 60 degrees. It won't get bright and sunny, but it should be a bit better. Sunday looks like the best day of the weekend with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 50s."

Yesterday was another off-and-on / rainy-sunny day.


Foliage next to Route 20 seemed especially bright against the dark sky.


On Route 12B north of Hamilton.

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From this morning's issue of the Observer-Dispatch:
Waterville Post Office to be Renamed after Sigsbee

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Yesterday's photograph of foliage on the Marshall Trail prompted someone to ask "Why is it called the 'Towpath'?" Good question! Towpaths run right next to canals and are created by the mules or horses that pulled boats.

The Chenango Canal (1837 - 1878) did run right through Deansboro, but the "Marshall Trail" is situated on the rail bed of the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad (1882 - 1957) which was built mostly parallel to, but not right next to, the canal. The original "towpath" is only visible in a few places and is very overgrown.

The Chenango Canal Association has done a fine job improving the real towpath for five miles, through Bouckville.

(Click image for history.)

Whatever you call it, the Marshall Trail is a wonderful place to walk!

You'll find Witchazel in bloom .......

......... and "buckeyes" fallen on the ground.

Here's a plate of peanut butter and chocolate "buckeyes!"
Click the image for the recipe!

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Another good walk:

Trenton Falls Trail will be Open

this weekend and also on the 11th and 12th.

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I had an E-note yesterday morning from Brian Staring linked to an article about a man who had raised a super-huge pumpkin. I asked when he was going to be ready to start weighing in his pumpkins, and he answered:

"I'll be going to Oswego this Saturday. My son and I will be loading my pumpkin Friday night. This year I named my pumpkins after my grandchildren. Attached is my biggest pumpkin. It's tapping out at almost 900 lbs. I'm hoping it goes heavy and I'll hit 1,000 lbs or more. The attached pumpkin's name is Emily. Emily is my oldest son's six month old daughter. He lives in North Carolina and was up to visit last month.

And then I asked him why he kept his pumpkins covered:
"This way the shell stays very soft so it can give a lot when your averaging sometimes 25-30 pounds per day of gained weight. Sometimes growers will put orange tarps like you saw in the picture I sent you to help out when you have a pumpkin with a split in the stem. You want the pumpkin to stay as dry as you can keep it." (Thanks, Brian! And Good Luck!)

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This weekend at the Stanley - it's Herman's Hermits with Peter Noone at 7:00 on Saturday and Burt Bacharach at 4:00 on Sunday. Click HERE for tickets.

At the Earlville Opera House, it's Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca on Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

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WCS Varsity Football
at Richfield Springs, Saturday @ 2:00


WCS Girls' Varsity Soccer is home to
Canastota Saturday at 6:00

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The Redsox meet the Angels, again, tonight at 9:30.

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Have a grand weekend, everyone!!