Saturday

"Six More Weeks of Winter"


It's 31.8 degrees; sloppy snow falling.

• Today: Morning rain/snow showers will taper off to flurries. Clouds will be mostly cloudy with a few peeks of sun this afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s.
• Tonight: Partly to mostly cloudy. Low in the low 20s.
• Sunday: A mix of sun and clouds with a few flurries. High: 36, Low: 21
• Monday: A mix of clouds and sun with a chance of very light snow, freezing rain or plain rain in the afternoon. High: 36, Low: 28

And now it's
On to the Super Bowl!

If it was a fierce MLB season, this one's just as intense:
NY vs. the New England Patriots.

(I confess: I just like the commercials!)

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday with updates

• 8:00 - a friend en route to Utica via Clinton: "traffic's moving at 20 mph; I can hear ice hitting the car."

• 8:30 - someone who'd just driven over Sanger Hill from Oriskany Falls. "It **&#$^#!" (trans. "It's really bad!") "There were two cars off the road!"

• 8:45 - icy stuff pinging on windows.

• 10:57 - lots of wind and some sleet hitting windows but traffic's moving right along on 315. Here's a good map: click on "animate."

• 1:00 - Still sleet mixed with freezing rain but twigs and branches aren't covered, as was feared. Rts. 12 and 20 are just sloppy, while side streets require slow going. Don't try to get anywhere fast!
  

SCHOOL'S CLOSED

Check out all of the closings here:

SCHOOL CLOSINGS

• Today: Snow developing in the morning, mixing with sleet, then changing to freezing rain by noon. Snow and sleet accumulation likely, highest amounts north and east of Utica. Freezing rain changes to plain rain by late afternoon. High: 35
• Tonight: Rain, tapering off to snow showers. Low: 28
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy with light snow showers. High: 33, Low: 20
• Sunday: Partly sunny with a chance of a few flurries. High: 36, Low: 18

It's 24 degrees; no precipitation - yet.

I'll try to keep you updated on conditions as the day progresses.

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Photos from yesterday's waderings.

On Beaver Creek Road.


Holman City Road, near Cedar Lake.

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I was over in that direction taking pictures of the"Bridgewater Flats." That's not so much a place as it is a "thing" or "things," and is described in

Roadside Geology of New York

as glacial varves - "distinctly laminated clays deposited in lakes supplied by glacial meltwater streams, in which the laminations are formed yearly, like tree rings."

Looking westward across the Bridgewater Flats from Babcock Hill.

Driving across the Flats really is just like being in a boat on a big lake.

We have "flats," of course, between here and Deansboro and then there are more next to 12B on the way to Clinton, but the Bridgewater Flats extend for miles!

Here's a site that will give you more in depth information about
"The Allegheny Plateau"
and how it was formed.

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More about ICE and how it's formed
later on!


Travel safely!

and Have a good weekend!

Thursday

It's Garbage Day

16 degrees and clear.

(click to enlarge)

• Thursday: A mix of sun and clouds. Cool. High in the upper 20s.
• Thursday night: Clear to partly cloudy, but becoming cloudy by daybreak with a chance of snow after 3 AM. Low in the mid teens.
• Friday: Snow, mixing with sleet, then freezing rain, then plain rain. Snow and sleet accumulation likely, especially north and east of Utica. High: 33, Low: 27

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It's "Family Movie Night" at the Waterville Public Library.
Tonight's feature: Daddy Day Camp ...
and check out the library's new website, too!

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If you're on Genessee Street in Utica, the
STANLEY THEATER MARQUEE
is back!

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Deansboro Fire Department FISH FRYS
every Friday in February.

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Saturday, February 2nd is

GROUNDHOG DAY!

*****

Shrove Tuesday

PANCAKE SUPPER

at Grace Episcopal Church.

(details to follow)

*****


It had been quite pleasant, early yesterday morning, but by 9:30 it was anything but. It began snowing a little before 9:00 and ladies who arrived at Sharon Stiles' Fingernail Booth in Totally-U told harrowing stories of 20-mph crawls from Deansboro. (Treacherous driving, perhaps, but none cancelled their appointments. There ARE priorities!)



A year ago this week we had SNOW and the streetlamps were being installed....


..... but now we have just a thin frosting.

From the top of West Hill looking at Shanley Road.

By yesterday afternoon the sun had come back out and I went for quite a long ride, hoping to find a new view of Winter or to see some "critters" (maybe even groundhogs!) of my own.

Not a turkey; not a deer. Just this tired old dog, enjoying a sunny patch of pavement. We came to an amicable agreement on just how much he had to move so that I could drive around him and then he lay right back down again.


Someone - I don't know who - is undertaking a huge project here, on Route 315 in Dicksville. Rural Renewal at its best!

Over on Route 12B, Sandy's sign is still there.

******

Earlier yesterday I'd received this letter from Glen Carroll.

"It was an eerie drive home on Friday listening to NPR. Halfway through the story I had to pull over on the side of the road because I knew where it was going and I didn't think it a good idea to drive and be focused on something other than the road. I think your readers may find it interesting." NPR LINK CORRECTED!

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Have a good day!

Wednesday

Recyclables Day

It's 39.4 degrees;
very windy, but the stars are bright!

• Wednesday: Very windy. Gusts of 30-50 mph or higher in the early morning with any storms. Frequent gusts of 20-40 mph likely through late afternoon. Rain and thunderstorms through 9 AM. Chance of snow showers through the afternoon, with little to no accumulation. Morning highs in the 40s with teens and 20s by late afternoon. Flash freeze on untreated roadways is possible.
• Wednesday night: Breezy, but not as windy, with a chance of some snow north of Utica. Low in the low teens.
• Thursday: Mainly sunny and pleasant. High: 31, Low: 16

Mr. Bechy was seen working on our village timepiece yesterday morning and, at 3:41 yesterday afternoon, it appeared that he had been successful! Thank You!

******

Pat Louise does Army Cpl. John P. Sigsbee, his family and all of Waterville proud in her cover story, "Hero Laid to Rest," in this week's issue of The Waterville Times.

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A blog-reader has sent this E-note: "He (John Sigsbee) was a friend of mine in high school, though I hadn’t seen him in quite some time. I currently work and live out in Albany, and it’s been very difficult being away from home during this time of mourning. I cannot express how heartened I felt after looking at all of your photos from town, especially of everyone out during the parade. While I wish I could be in Waterville to celebrate this hero’s life, this experience has made me realize how truly blessed we are to have such a caring and devoted community."

And this, also by E-mail:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sigsbee family. John's death is a sad reminder of the countless brave men and women, especially the very young, who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our democratic way of life." -- Lou and Shirlee Langone

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In "The Times," a suggestion that we remember to support our troops by wearing Red on Fridays. I'll try to remember to add a weekly reminder, here.

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Reminder for Wednesdays: The Waterville Historical Society will be open today!

Yesterday was dull, dark and dank - downright gloomy - but brightened by the thought that in only six months (twenty-four short weeks!) the cardinal flower will be blooming in Nine Mile Swamp.

Before then, there will be lots and lots of flowers for us to look at, starting with these three great flower shows:

Philadelphia Flower Show
March 2 - 9.

Rochester Flower Show
March 13 - 16.

Flowers, greenery and more!

Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Spring Flower Show in Boston.
March 8 - 16

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I didn't receive any word at all from either the WFD or the Red Cross Auxiliary in re: the need for contributions of clothing for those people who were displaced by the fire on Sanger Avenue. If I hear anything I'll let you know.

In the meantime, have a great day!

(I don't know why people are interested in this, but they seem to be:)

Wayne Brouillette and "Maple Leaf Construction" have arrived and set up shop here in the Hollow. So far, they've installed a new heat duct to the back pantry and moved on to replace a cracked-plaster ceiling.

Tyler

Sean

They've made just a little noise, almost no dust,

but lots of Progress!!

Tuesday

It's 24.6 degrees.

• Tuesday: Cloudy with a chance of sprinkles or a shower. Rain may briefly freeze on contact north and east, but no problems are expected. High near 40.
• Tuesday Night: Rain developing. Rain may be heavy at times overnight, with a chance of a thunderstorm. Winds also increasing toward morning. Low in the mid 30s.
• Wednesday: Very windy with rain mixing with and changing to snow. Light accumulation possible. Lake snows develop well north. High: 35, Low: 14

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This morning's O-D has a bit more on the fire on Sanger Avenue that displaced fourteen people yesterday morning.

WFD Chief Dennis Baldwin was working with the Red Cross Auxiliary, yesterday, to assemble a list of items needed by those families. The Red Cross has issued funds (debit cards) for imediate essentials, but there may be more that we can help with. I'll post the list of sizes, etc. as soon as I have it.

Read about the WCS Girls' Varsity Basketball big win!!

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Stretching you memory, again!
Do you remember what these little shacks on Kemp Road were for?

Way back - forty or fifty years ago - Norm Eckerson had a ski area here! The buildings were where the mechanism that ran the rope tow was housed and this was the ski slope!

Repair work is under way on the porch of the famous "Eastern Star Home" on Berrill Avenue. The building was constructed around 1880 by Col. William Osborn as a wedding present for his daughter!

Sunday afternoon: Turkey Dinner on Frog Park Road.

I came upon this herd of deer (or are they elk?) somewhere south of Miller's Mills.
There were a hundred or so, altogether.

And in that same part of the coutryside - this lovely old barn and stone well house.

Right across the maple-lined road was an even older shed with a flag stuck in a knot hole.

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Now you can watch Part II of "Mohawk Valley Living's" Road Trip to Oriskany Falls on YouTube!

*****

Everyone's having fun with the Stats Counter - which, of course, raises the number of hits! However - there's one thing I've figured out: the "busiest time" is NOT at 5 A.M. in Waterville: Bravenet is located in British Columbia where PST is in effect!

*****

Have a great Day!

Wayne Brouillette and "Maple Leaf Construction are due to arrive here this morning to being making noise and dust!!! The Waterville Times - in 1869 - reported that Mr. Jones of Mill Street (that's Buell Avenue, now) had completed an addition to the northern side of his residence. Well ---- some of Mr. Jone's plaster work is starting to fail, so Wayne's coming to the rescue. Then there's some question of a few bits of flooring and perhaps some ...... well, the list goes on and on! Perhaps I'll post pictures of progress!!!

Monday Add-on

O-D story

By RENEE GAMELA
Observer-Dispatch
WATERVILLE — Fifteen people were displaced by an early morning fire on Sanger Avenue.

The blaze broke out sometime after midnight in the rear of the Victorian house at 180-182 Sanger Ave., Hannelore Goedeker said. She owns the building with her husband, Werner.

She said there are four apartments in the building.

Hannelore Goedeker said all residents escaped unharmed and are staying with family and friends.

“We can’t replace somebody’s life, but you can replace a building,” she said this morning. “I don’t think that the building is a total loss. It just needs to be gutted out and redone. If you have enough money, anything can be fixed, it’s just a matter of cost.”

Insurance adjusters were on the scene this morning evaluating the damage.

Check back later at www.uticaOD.com for updates

Monday

23.2 degrees; no precipitation.

It's Garbage Day!

• Monday: A few morning clouds, with a good deal of afternoon sunshine. High in the mid 30s.
• Monday Night: Clear and cool. Low in the mid 20s.
• Tuesday: Becoming cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High: 40, Low: 34

Snowmobiles have been out, but - really - there can't be more than five or six inches of snow and the best riding is probably up near Barnes Corners where the snow stake measures over two feet.

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Counting down toward the one o'clock closing of the Annual Give Away on Saturday: there was still so much free clothing!!

Carol Tower held up a wonderful all-wool Australian sweater. I hope someone took it!


Giving was also going on at Municipal Hall where the Red Cross was holding a Blood Drive. Donors #36, 37 & 38 were there when I was.

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Everything's early! Christmas seemed to come early - at least I thought it did! - and now look: Ground Hog Dayis on February 2nd; the Grace Episcopal Church's annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper follows right along. Rick Garrett says that we're 60% of the way through Winter and so, before we know it, it'll be Spring! (won't it?)

3-D illustration by Philip Eastman

Coming this Summer?

At last week's meeting of the Village Board, the Mayor and Trustees gave their final approval to the design of the proposed Memorial Bandstand structure. The Memorial Bandstand Committee had requested that the approval be granted so that they could persue fundraising through more private and public sources and also to reassure potential donors that the design will remain exactly as is. The cost of the bandstand structure and adjoining handicap access walkways (not shown in illustration) is estimated to be $90,000 - the result of the use of damage-resistant, low-maintenance fabricated materials. The Committee has, to date, raised $60,000; paid for the services of a surveyor, an architectural firm and a landscape architect and has over $50,000 in the bank. Contributions have ensured that sixty-six family/individual names will appear on memorial plaques and the committee anticipates that there will be many more now that approval has been secured. (For information and donation forms, E-mail the Writer, using the link at the top of this page or telephone 841-4679 or write to Memorial Bandstand Fund, P.O. Box #45, Waterville, N.Y. 13480.)

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Doris Stephan sent this: The Waterville Book Discussion Group will be reading William Stryon's Pulitzer Prize Winning book, Confessions of Nat Turner, at their next meeting on Wednesday, Feb 27th, at the Waterville Libray at 1:30 pm. A copy of the book can be reserved by calling the library at 841-4651.

*****

I took a ride, yesterday, to Miller's Mills, where the Annual Ice Harvest is due to take place on Sunday, February 10th.


The sun was bright; the sky blue and on my way Eastward I passed what appeared to be a Christmas tree farm in which were huge clumps of Redosier Dogwood - or Cornus Stalonifera.

The Miller's Mills "Business District."

One of my favorite old sheds: it's on my "to draw" list, like so many others.


There's already action on the mill pond: a couple of youngsters rode in noisy circles on their motor bikes ...............

.......... and, a short distance from them, the local fellows played hockey.

You'll find the entire schedule for the Ice Harvest if you click on the link, above, and I'll make sure and post a map showing you the way to Miller's Mills just before the event.

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About the Hit Counter. I don't know whether or not you are given a button to click on that will show you the statistics that I'm able to see - it's very interesting in that I can tell (obviously) how many times the blog was opened, and also whether or not the same person had checked it out before, that same day, and even what browser they use! I also get a graph that will compare daily traffic, etc., etc. I'll take a screen snap, later, to show you what I mean.

Now go and have a great day, everyone!

Sunday

I received this letter, yesterday, from Cpl. John Sigsbee's aunt, Donna Weeks:

"As John's aunt I can't begin to thank family, friends and the community for what they have done. I am over whelmed by the love and support. John was brought home to us a true hero. Althought he would say "I am not a hero I was just doing my job. I love what I was doing ."

We all must remember John left a family in Iraq that is still fighting for US and what John believed in. Please keep flying the red, white and blue in honor of them for John. John would be honored to know we are doing this for him and his brothers (extended family) in Iraq.

Thank YOU"

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- from a conversation ouside CVS, yesterday.

".... I mean, how do you pay back for that sort of sacrifice? I mean ... what do I do that makes me worth it? And I wonder if we're all worthy? Anonymous.

"Well ... maybe we better start thinking 'bout doin' it - being more worthy, I mean." Anonymous.

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I was sent this statistic - which I didn't believe until I'd Googled it myself - as part of a letter citing this phrase from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: " - that these dead shall not have died in vain..."

"At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. The number that is most often quoted is 620,000. At any rate, these casualties exceed the nation's loss in all its other wars, from the Revolution through Vietnam. "

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In re: the new Counter -- I've been fighting it, but so many people ask "how many?" that I'll give it a try. I've gotten it loaded but would like it better at the bottom of the page: I'll work on it!