Bee Balm Gal

For January 12: Happy Birthday, John!

2012-01-11T20:52:00.001-05:00

By age seven, you already loved to cook. Your Aunt Mary gave you a chef's hat and apron for Christmas that year.

As soon as you were old enough, you eagerly took your first job. Here you are at age twelve, returning from your paper route. That's our pup Rencor in your newspaper bag. You both grew a lot bigger very quickly.

And now you are about to open your second restaurant in Bend, Oregon.

I think this was in the cards all along.

Happy Birthday to my oldest son, John: a good cook, a hard worker, and a great dad.

We couldn't be prouder of you and your beautiful family.

With lots of love from Mom and Bob

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For January 11: Happy Birthday, Franny!

2012-01-10T19:56:00.000-05:00

Meet Miss Francine Ginger, birthday girl.
She is pictured above, seated on her sister Margie's lap.

Not so long ago, Franny was just a little sprout.

But just like the little ginger plant I started in her honor, she's been busy growing.

On January 11, 2012, Francine Ginger will be one year old.

Happy first birthday, Franny!

With lots of love from Grandma Bee and Grandpa Bob.

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Back to Bread

2012-01-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

One of the things I plan to do in my retirement (which starts in fourteen more school days, but who's counting?) is to get back to baking homemade bread more often. Used to bake it a lot; not so much in recent years.

It's hard for a home baker to produce bread with a good crunchy crust. It requires steam, you see, to form a good crust.

But thanks to the Internet and cooking blogs, I recently discovered Dutch oven bread baking. Although this article describes a no-knead bread that is allowed to rise slowly, I thought I'd try the baking method with a conventional kneaded bread recipe.

Today, I experimented with a version of Mill Hollow bread, tweaked a tad to my own taste and ingredients on hand. After mixing and kneading and allowing it to rise once, I baked one loaf in a preheated cast iron Dutch oven, as described in the NY Times article. This is the bread pictured on the left in the photo above.

The second loaf, pictured on the right, I let rise and then baked it in the usual way. Exact same dough, just different baking methods.

The Dutch oven bread was a hit. Crusty and nicely grained. Really good. I see many more loaves baked this way in my future. Maybe I even need to buy a second cast iron Dutch oven, to bake two loaves at once.

If you like to bake and are fond of crusty bread, give this method a try. It's really good. Happy baking!

Homes and Hairdos

2012-01-02T20:21:00.000-05:00

Apparently, I'm not the only one fascinated by Callista Gingrich's hairdo. The Huffington Post had a recent article featuring twenty-eight (!) photos of her "beauty evolution".

But today, I saw this New York Times photo of the Gingrich's Virginia home and now it all makes sense to me. I think the same person who prunes their shrubbery must also do Callista's hair.

You can see the New York Times slide show of all the Republican candidates' homes here. No surprise that there's not a single fixer-upper among them. Guess the economy is still working for them!

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Faith, film, food, and First Night: It's all about Saratoga this weekend.

2011-12-31T11:24:00.001-05:00

Last night, the Handsome Husband and I went to see Higher Ground at the Saratoga Film Forum. I enjoyed the movie but it's an odd sort of story. As I read in a review somewhere, it may be too religious for non-believers and not religious enough for people of faith. Based on a memoir, I found it to be a poignant and believable story of a woman's struggle with both her faith and her marriage. The Forum will have one more showing of this film on New Year's Day at 3:00 pm.

And speaking of faith, I was saddened to read this recent story in The Saratogian, about the First Baptist Church: Saratoga Springs' oldest church is running out of money. For both persons of faith and for supporters of historic preservation, this is not good news.

I am an elder in a different protestant church in an adjacent Saratoga County village. Our lovely building is actually twenty years older than this at-risk church, and this story strikes way too close to home. I wish the folks of the First Baptist Church well and we will be doing our bit tonight to support them.

From 4 to 8 p.m. tonight, December 31, the church will host an annual roast beef dinner during First Night in Saratoga. Please won't you consider helping them out, too? You can find the First Baptist Church of Saratoga Springs at 45 Washington Street, about a block or so off Broadway. Their telephone number is 518-584-6301.

And by the way, First Night, too, supports a good cause: Saratoga Arts. The Handsome Husband and I will be volunteering at one of the venues tonight. Come on up (or down) to Saratoga and do good while having a great time!

Happy New Year to all!

Note: The photo above shows the cupola of the First Baptist Church of Saratoga Springs, NY.
Photo credit: (ED BURKE/eburke@saratogian.com)

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Post-Christmas Optimism

2011-12-27T12:52:00.000-05:00

Every year at about this time, whatever shred of self-awareness I have completely disappears.
Next Christmas, I always imagine, I will give everyone a beautifully hand-made gift. I should start TODAY!

Some crafty, artistic souls actually manage to do this. You would think that at my age, I would have learned that I am not ever going to be one of those people. Still, like the mom in the Zits comic above, I like to dream.

This year, I did actually manage to make some penuche and chocolate chip cookies for our youngest son who lives near by. That counts for something, doesn't it?

I have eighteen (!) more school days left in my teaching career. On Friday, January 27, at 2:33 pm, I will be officially retired.

Ah, I think, then I will finally have time for all of those craft projects I have been imagining all these years.

Beware, family members: there may be a nice pile of fabric squares in your future.

For now, I'm off to try to finish that sweater I started knitting for granddaughter Margie 'way back last February. At least I had enough self-awareness a year ago to pick a pattern that was a generous size bigger than she was then.

Perhaps next year, Margie would prefer some penuche for Christmas.

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Good cookies make good neighbors and First Night volunteering

2011-12-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

Our good neighbor Nealie invited the women of our neighborhood over for an annual holiday cookie swap and an evening of catching up.

Nealie is a gracious hostess and we all left with a generous supply of lovely cookies baked by our neighbors.

Since many of our development homes are quite similar, we enjoyed hearing about Alisa's remodelling adventures and shared snake stories of recent years. It's really good to have this time together. Thanks, Nealie!

Tonight, the Handsome Husband and I attended a training session for Saratoga's First Night volunteers. This popular event is a great way to spend New Year's Eve and benefits Saratoga Arts.

If you're interested in helping out, there is still one more training session, on Monday, December 19 at 6:00 pm. Call the Saratoga Arts Center for more information: 584-4132. Or buy a button for $15 and enjoy the dozens of events and a great night out in Saratoga this New Year's Eve.

Happy holiday to all!

Shadowy birds, a full moon, and colliding planets: a quiet Saratoga County weekend at home

2011-12-11T16:31:00.000-05:00

On winter evenings, the cardinals are always the last birds to visit our feeders. In the deep dusk, they become no more than gray shadows moving about the yard. They must feel safe then, their bright plumage erased by the approaching night.

Last night, the Handsome Husband and I stood and watched the full moon rise over the horizon. So quickly it rose, from a hint of an arc to the full bright orb in only a minute or two. It reminded me of the images of the planet Melancholia in the Lars von Trier movie we saw Friday night at the Saratoga Film Forum. (The movie is about a mysterious new planet threatening to collide into the Earth. Not exactly holiday fare and I'm not sure I'd recommend it. But I do like the Saratoga Film Forum.)

Today, running errands after church, I spotted the new commemorative Civil War issue of The Atlantic among the magazines for sale in the grocery store and bought a copy for the HH. Although he protested that I should have saved it to give him at Christmas, he has not put it down this past hour and a half. It's fun to see someone deriving pleasure from a gift you've given them.

In a little while, we will turn on the television and flip back and forth between the Chicago at Denver football game (with Tim Tebow) on Fox and (sigh!) the Buffalo Bills vs. San Diego game on CBS. The HH says he is getting weary from years of rooting for the Mets and the Bills. Wait'll next year, indeed.

Soon, I will have to arouse myself and start making a zillion cookies for the neighborhood cookie swap at Nealie's on Tuesday night. It's a good thing a simple homemade soup from leftovers is on the supper menu for tonight: butternut squash soup, I'm thinking, maybe with a salad and biscuits.

Wishing you a warm soup and a cosy evening at home, too.

Cardinal image credit: http://www.dreamlandemporium.com/servlet/the-1020/Cardinal-bird-removable-Vinyl/Detail

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Ah, December!

2011-12-03T15:39:00.001-05:00

On Thursday night, Saratoga Springs celebrated its 25th annual Victorian Streetwalk. The Handsome Husband and I joined thousands of others strolling Broadway, which was closed to traffic for the evening.

There were folks in Victorian garb (not us, though) and lots of choirs and music groups both outdoors...

and in.

With the extra lights and decorated shops, it was a bright and cheerful event, despite the December chill.

The HH* and I popped into a Saratoga restaurant we like and treated ourselves to a warming dinner.

I took a photo of my salad, but was so hungry I forgot to photograph my entree before diving in. (Pasta and shrimp in a sage cream sauce. Definitely not the diet plate.) I like the northern Italian style food that Forno Bistro serves, including the shaved Grana Padano cheese laid over the top of the small dinner salads. (I looked it up and discovered that Grana Padano was created nearly 1,000 years ago by the monks of Chiaravalle Abbey. I add this with a wink to my friend Anita.)

After dinner and a bit more strolling, we popped into the Saratoga City Center, recently remodeled, and checked out the festival of trees, benefiting Catholic Charities.

I liked a tree decorated with snowy owls...

...which made me think of Mrs. Beck, whose daughter sometimes reads this blog ;-)

Coneheads, anyone?

This morning, I headed out to the Saratoga Farmers Market, which is held at the Division Street Elementary School during the winter months.

This, too, is a cheerful, busy place, full of lots of good things to eat.

People line up to buy Battenkill Valley Creamery milk in returnable glass bottles. This milk is also available in local Hannaford markets. My son Thomas and I think this particular brand of milk is one of the best foods on earth. It's amazing how good it is: fresh, local, just awesome.

Tonight, the HH and I are off to a holiday get-together with some folks he works with in the summer. And in a week, Nealie's neighborhood cookie swap is coming up.

I love this time of year. Christmas shouldn't be about just one day with a glut of presents. I like the idea of the season of Christmas, with special foods and spending time with friends and neighbors and family.

Tomorrow, on the second Sunday of Advent, we will light the second purple candle on our Advent wreath. That candle represents love. And then next week, on the third Sunday of Advent, the rose-colored candle is lit. The pink candle is customarily called the "Shepherds Candle" and it represents joy.

Here's hoping that your December is filled with love and joy, all month long.

* HH = Handsome Husband.

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Veterans Day chores

2011-11-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Yet another perquisite of teaching is getting the federal holidays off. I had a mental list of chores for today, like getting my car inspected. (Check.) I also remembered to hang up my Blue Star Mothers flag and our American flag in honor of Veterans Day, and of these two good-looking soldiers, below.

Last winter, the snow got so deep around here that I had trouble getting out to the bird feeders to refill them. So today, I moved all of the feeders closer to the house. I'll be able to refill the back yard feeders from the deck. Note Daisy the dog looking suspiciously at these new arrangements.

The mourning doves, too, were looking on with concern.

It took about three minutes for the birds to find and adapt to the new feeder locations in both front and back yards. Below, a woodpecker claims a bit of suet.

I can see the back yard feeders as I type this. Chickadees, nuthatches, finches, doves, sparrows, and titmice are swirling around, jockeying for a turn. Later, as dusk approaches, I know our cardinals will visit, too. On a gray, blustery November day, the birds bring color and life to a garden that is otherwise closed for business until next spring.

We will have granddaughter Lexi visiting us for the first time this Thanksgiving. I am hoping that she, too, will enjoy watching the bird feeders from a closer view.

See you soon, Lexi!

A North Country November Saturday

2011-11-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

The Handsome Husband and I headed down the Northway Saturday morning to watch the Lake George High School boys soccer team play in the class C sectional finals at Colonie High School. The game ended 0-0, went into sudden death overtime, when alas, Maple Hill scored a goal and won the title. The day was cool but a cloudless sky made sitting in the sun very pleasant. Both teams played well and hard, making it exciting to watch.

Leaving the soccer game, we headed down Central Avenue to check out how things were going at Occupy Albany in Academy Park.

As a professional mother, I'd say they are going pretty well.

I counted over fifty tents.

Everything seemed pretty clean and organized.

Meetings were being held ...

... and law and order is encouraged.

Grandparents felt safe bringing along their grandchildren (and equipped them with drums and tambourines.)

Demonstrators held up signs for passing cars, but there were no rude shouts or attempts to block traffic.

The atmosphere in the park was so civilized that a wedding party was able to take photos on the edge of the encampment without any problem.

I'm impressed.

On Saturday evening, the HH* and I drove north to Queensbury for a trivia night to benefit the Glens Falls Youth Center. We've played before with some area teachers I know through high school quiz team. Sometimes we win, but last night, our team lost by one point.

The real winner was the Glens Falls Youth Center, which in this economy needs all the help it can get. It was great to see a group of Skidmore students there last night, helping with the fundraiser. Apparently, several of them have been volunteering at the Youth Center throughout their four years at Skidmore. Good work, ladies. The Youth Center is a great cause. Check them out.

* And you can check out the Handsome Husband's PlanetAlbany version of Occupy Albany here.

Supporting the Occupiers

2011-10-15T21:57:00.001-04:00

The word went out on a NYSUT blog and on various Facebook sites about an Occupy Wall Street Solidarity Event to be held this afternoon in front of Albany's Capitol building. Despite threatening skies, the Handsome Husband and I traveled down to attend. The HH* was there as an impartial observer for PlanetAlbany, he said. I, however, a card-carrying NYSUT member, intended to participate.

Arriving a little early, we strolled through a near by park, stopping at a memorial.The inscription on it seemed timely:

The demonstration was a little slow getting started, but eventually, by my count, over two hundred people showed up.

The crowd was older than I would have predicted. There were some young folks, but I think they were in the minority.

NYSUT's Solidarity Committee led off the speeches. (NYSUT stands for New York State United Teachers.)

The signs were many and varied...

...and no one seemed to mind having his picture taken. I did ask.

Warren Buffett would have agreed with this sign, below.

But now we were getting into a touchy area, at least for me. I'm not exactly pro-war, but as long as Americans have skin in that game, my kid or anybody else's, we'd better fund it.

Veterans for Peace, like the fellow below, make me nervous. Such a nice-sounding name, but I don't think they are very peaceful. Look them up on the web sometime. I mean, am I wrong about them?

Before the event got under way, a couple of troopers showed up. The troopers asked the NYSUT folks if there was anything they needed. Hmmmm...that's a bit different from the 60s.

Across the road, three mounted Albany policemen watched the goings on, but they never came nearer.

This gentleman from the IWW had an interesting homemade drum set.

The banner below refers to a controversial case from the capital region. Much has been written about it. You can find many links to news stories here.

If folks who look like this...

...keep showing up at events like this ...

...somebody's got to start paying attention.

Will the varied movements and concerns help or hurt? I don't know.

But I admire the folks who are getting out there.

You should come next time.

*HH = Handsome Husband

Occupy Albany

2011-10-09T22:26:00.004-04:00

The Handsome Husband and I trotted down to Albany this evening to check out the general assembly meeting for Occupy Albany.

Held in the Grand Street Community Arts Center, perched on the edge of an iffy Albany neighborhood with not much parking, the meeting was packed when we arrived. As the evening wore on, the crowd thinned a bit, but a good crowd was still there when we slipped away two hours later.

As you might expect, there were a fair number of students at the assembly, but older folks were present, as well. (I, of course, immediately spied the lady knitting next to the "Occupy" sign, above.)

The HH* and I think there were about 300 people in the hall.

Eventually, we found seats. This dad in front of us was trying to get his toddler to go to sleep.

One of the coordinators for the meeting was a young man who looked a lot like a young John Belushi. I kept thinking he might do something Animal House-like but fortunately, he didn't.

Overall, we were impressed with this earnest group. Whether or not I can dust off my 60's/early 70's liberal credentials and actually participate in this occupation remains to be seen. What I do think is that this movement is spreading and that it is long overdue.

When the HH and I left, work groups were being formed to plan for the occupation of Albany. There will be another general assembly next Sunday, October 16 at 5:00 pm. Check out their Facebook page or website for more information and updates. And also check out the HH's political opinion blog, PlanetAlbany, for a more professional reporting of this evening's meeting.

* HH = Handsome Husband

Little sprouts

2011-10-02T16:03:00.000-04:00

When granddaughter number one came along a few years ago, her parents, who are in the restaurant biz, named her Marjorie Sage.

It wasn't long before a pot of sweet marjoram and purple sage appeared on my porch in her honor.

When granddaughter number two arrived last January, she, too, received a food-themed middle name. She's Francine Ginger. I read online somewhere that you could grow a house plant from the ginger root sold in grocery stores. So wa-a-a-y back in February, I purchased some ginger and carefully tucked it into a pot.

And waited.

Nothing happened.

Summer came along and I set the pot outside.

Nothing happened.

Fall arrived and I began cleaning up pots and tossing out things that had gone by. Just as I was about to hurl the contents of this pot into the compost pile, I spied a green shoot. Could it be...?

Yes, there it is. At long last, a ginger sprout.

You live too far away, Franny Ginger, for me to watch you get bigger each week. For now, I will have to be content with tending these little sprouts, grown in your honor.

Did you ever see two happier sprouts than these?

I can't wait to see them and their cousin Lexi at Thanksgiving this year.
(Alexia gets a pot of Flowering a-Leeks-ia in her honor. It's a reach, I know, but it's the best I could come up with.)

Wishing you all a flavorful harvest season!

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Shopping at home first: Decorating from my garden and the back of the closet.

2011-09-25T17:13:00.000-04:00

At Saturday's farmers' market, there was a woman selling lovely small wreaths and swags for fall decorating. But instead of buying one, I thought, hey, I can make something like that myself. And like the little red hen, I did.

One dollar is what I paid at a craft store for the unadorned grapevine wreath above. At home, I strolled around the yard, snipping bits of this and that to tuck into the wreath.

The flowers from this hydrangea bush, above, will dry nicely and last for some time. I also snipped some tiny crab apples, some dried bee balm, a bit of evergreen, a few herbs. What doesn't hold up can easily be replaced.

I have to remind myself that there is plenty of fodder for seasonal decorating already in and around our house. I just have to remember to shop at home first. The rusty pan, above, could make an interesting planter.

This dark red basket, probably from some long ago Christmas gift, can also work for fall. The color is like red delicious apples, I think. And the dark yellow pillar candle, below, rediscovered tucked away in a cupboard, will work itself in somewhere.

Re-purposing what we already own makes a lot of sense. Beyond just seasonal frou frous, it's good for the planet and the pocketbook to use what we already have for all sorts of needs.

Use it up, wear it out,
Make it do or do without.

And just like the little red hen, I did.

Click on photos to enlarge them.

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Muggy and buggy: Where's that Adirondack fall weather I love so much?

2011-09-24T17:27:00.001-04:00

I planned to do some gardening today but it was just too unpleasant out. Wet, wet, wet, and very mosquitoey. I gave up working at home and went out to do some errands.

I was also in search of some fall gardening inspiration. Thinking to do some fall planters and bring some color to the fading yard, I sallied forth. Armed with a discount coupon, I headed first to Oligny's, above, where they always have something interesting to look at. I like this old washtub over-flowing with plants. But there, too, the mosquitoes were unbearable so I didn't linger long.

Home Depot had these colorful pots. I think the orange ones would be great for this time of year. The berry-colored pots would make nice fall planters, too. I thought about these orange pansies, below...

... and looked long and hard at asters again. I hate that this recession makes me feel guilty about buying stuff for our garden. But it's a very inconsistent guilt. We all have our vices.

What I did succumb to later was the lure of pumpkins. Just outside of Ballston Spa, there's a family that has a seasonal stand. You can't beat their price unless you grow your own.

They have a nice variety of sizes and colors, all quite reasonable.

In case you live in the area, you can find their stand at 385 Malta Avenue.

This was $20 worth of pumpkins. I know, I did not need $20 worth of pumpkins. But I was supporting a local farmer! And they're recyclable! And this was a lotta pumpkins for the price. Such a deal I couldn't pass up. (Darn guilt!)

Back at home, I set them around the yard and house. Instant color to brighten this gloomy day.

Next to the garage...

... and on the front porch...

...I hope the pumpkins last until Thanksgiving. With any luck, all three of our children and their families will make it home for the holiday this November. We haven't all been together in one place in several years. I have my fingers crossed.

A fox, a farmers' market, my favorite time of year

2011-09-17T13:29:00.000-04:00

Our neighborhood red fox came calling again last evening. It was dusk and I had to photograph her through a screened window. Sadly, this means I can't show you her gorgeous color.

The HH* and I have mixed feelings about Ms. Fox. It's wonderful to see this beautiful creature up close, but we worry about how our two small dogs would fare in a close encounter.

We watched Ms. Fox scarf up spilled bird seed for a few minutes, then the HH walked outside to shoo her away. I hope this doesn't mean I will have to stop putting out seed for the birds.

This morning, I headed for the Saratoga Farmers' Market again.

It's such a lively, colorful place.

I bought potatoes, green beans, lettuce, but not tomatoes. I have a good-sized basket of those still from my own garden.

I will make sauce tonight to serve with pasta and eggplant parm.

I bought apples (for apple crisp, maybe?) and farm-fresh Battenkill skimmed milk and some cream, both in returnable glass bottles. Oh, it's so good. How can skimmed milk be so good?

I bought ground beef from locally-raised Angus, free of hormones and all the other bad stuff some folks feed to cattle.

The potluck picnic sounds like fun. Might jot that on the calendar, although the HH works on Sundays.

I was temped by the asters, but they are definitely not perennial for me. Mums come back well, but never asters. I don't know what I do wrong.

Zinnias. Must remember to plant those next year. They are easy and inexpensive to grow from seed. I just never think of them at the right time.

Ah, next year. Gardening always gives one something to plan for and to look forward to. But if you like to be done with things, don't become a gardener. On the other hand, if you need an incentive to make it through a north country January, it's an excellent hobby.

But it's not winter yet and fall is truly my favorite time of year. Happy harvesting to you.

* HH = Handsome Husband

Young Turkeys and My Weekly Reader

2011-09-04T15:38:00.000-04:00

Coming home from the grocery store this afternoon, I encountered a family of young turkeys by the side of the road.

These days, flocks of turkeys are not a rare sight in New York State. But that wasn't always the case.

I remember being in elementary school, second or third grade perhaps, and reading in Weekly Reader about how New York was planning to reintroduce turkeys across the state. Today, I googled information about this to see if I was remembering the story correctly. I was!

According to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, wild turkeys were abundant in New York State during the 1600's. Uncontrolled hunting and the intensive clearing of forests resulted in the demise of our native turkeys.

1844 was the date of the last recorded observation of native wild turkeys in New York State.

Not until a century later did wild turkeys move northward from Pennsylvania into southwestern New York. In 1957, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation began relocating birds to other areas of the state.

According to SUNY ESF, the return of the wild turkey to New York State is truly a success story in the field of wildlife conservation.

Wild turkey populations in New York have increased dramatically from an estimated 2,000 in 1959 to what DEC says is now 250,000 to 300,000 birds.

Today, the mama of these young turkeys was getting nervous by my stopped car. I could hear her calling to her brood and like good children everywhere, they hustled to get closer to mom.

These turkeys make me feel optimistic about the world. Maybe mankind can actually undo some of the damage we cause.

Hope and wild turkeys: both good things to have in large supply, along with a stack of Weekly Readers for eager young minds.

Happy back-to-school week, New York friends!

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Simple Things

2011-09-02T16:09:00.001-04:00

There was a time when I did quite a lot of baking. I guess with just two of us at home now, I've gotten out of the habit. But today, I felt like making bread.

The house fills with a terrific homey smell when bread bakes.

When the bread comes out of the oven, I let it cool on its side for a while.

The recipe I used today came to me via my former, and now late, mother-in-law, Marjorie Machell. There's not much on the recipe card. You would have to know a bit about baking bread for it to be of any use. (The stain proves it's been a well-used recipe. Never trust a recipe card without stains, I say.)

Today, I used a mix of unbleached wheat flour, whole wheat flour, and some oatmeal to make up the needed 15 cups for four loaves. It's a pretty forgiving recipe.

My oldest son, John, who like his grandmother is a very good cook, taught me this kitchen tip. John labels everything in both his home kitchen and at his restaurant. The label tells what's in the container and/or when it was opened. Very handy for things in my home
like salad dressing, when I'm wondering just how long it's been sitting in the fridge. I need to do this more rigorously. Waste not, want not.

Which brings me to this: I was thinking about Marge Machell today as I mixed and kneaded the bread. She was great at making a full life out of simple things: sewing, knitting, quilting, cooking, family. She and many of her generation, including my own parents, lived through the Great Depression and were formed by it. They were pros when it came to waste not, want not habits and skills. My own mother darned socks and sewed her own curtains. My Grandfather Coombs ate mostly what he grew in his own garden and the fish he caught from the sea. My Grandmother Holmes put up jellies and jams and did beautiful needlework. Bob's stepmother, Florence, could make fabulous soup out of practically nothing. I don't think any of them missed a thing by not having cell phones or computers linked to the Internet. They read, they talked, they made things from scratch.

As the economy continues to slow, I am glad I have inherited some of these simple skills from my parents, in-laws, and grandparents. I only hope that I have taught my own children enough of them.

P.S. The Handsome Husband just came home from work and has already devoured two thick slices of bread.
"It's very good," he says. (Me: modest smile.)

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Knitting in Common

2011-08-23T23:19:00.002-04:00

At Common Thread in Saratoga Springs, the Tuesday Tea social knitting group usually meets at its Beekman Street store. But on this lovely late summer day, the ladies gathered in Saratoga's popular Congress Park and invited other knitters to join them.

I brought along my own work-in-progress and drew up a chair. At one point, there were seventeen ladies chatting and knitting together.

There was also an arts and crafts show going on in the park, which made a festive feel to the afternoon.

The owner of Common Thread, Ashley Gardner, was available for help and advise, but mostly the ladies enjoyed the sunshine, their needlework, and each other's company.

Part way through the afternoon, our chairs began to sway. A rare east coast earthquake had us all rocking and rolling. No harm done, but one lady's English setter was trembling after the quake and needed comforting.

I wrote here about Common Thread when it first opened in April of 2010. I am glad to see that it has developed a loyal following. As I gear up for retirement at the end of this coming school year, I hope to take more advantage of the classes, help sessions, and social knitting times offered at this charming shop and, at least on this summer day, in the park.

Like to knit? Like to read? Click on over to Small Things for "Yarn Along" Wednesday and see what some other crafty folks are up to.

Note: You can find more information about programs offered at Common Thread yarn shop on their website, http://www.commonthreadsaratoga.com/Home.htm . There is also an email list you can sign up for, to keep up-to-date on classes and other items of interest.

Click or double click on photos to get a closer look.

A lot o' terra cotta

2011-08-20T19:11:00.001-04:00

I don't understand economics. Oh, I don't mean the stock market flips or the problems with the Euro. I mean the prices of goods and services right here at home.

Take these lovely terra cotta pots I bought today. At Ocean State Job Lots, they were priced at $11.00 a piece. Pretty reasonable. But today, they were on sale for $6.60 each. Thus, I gave in to temptation and bought two.

Now, these are real, hefty terra cotta pots. Not plastic or resin, the real deal.

And look where they were made - Italy! Not China. How can anybody be making money on these? Terra cotta is easily breakable. At any point on their journey from Italy to Ballston Spa, NY, some of the shipment must have been lost to breakage. And then there's their weight. As I said, these are hefty suckers. At 14 inches tall, they must weigh ten pounds each. I can't imagine what it cost to ship these.

I'm not sure how the economics of my purchase works out, but I am very happy with my bargain. I think the pots are a lovely shape. I see them keeping to their Mediterranean heritage with lots of herbs growing in them. Or perhaps I'll do some plantings for fall color. I will have to post a follow up so you can see how they turn out.

Oh, and that stack of books? They were selling them by the inch today at the Round Lake library book sale. Nine good books on gardening and similar subjects for six bucks. That should keep me busy for a while.

What goodies did you find this weekend?

PS That's Daisy the dog posing in the first photo. She was a good bargain, too. She is an American Eskimo, found at the SPCA several years ago. She's been a good addition to the family, along with Shea, our back-up rescued dog.

North to Westport

2011-07-28T14:37:00.003-04:00

On this past rainy Monday afternoon, the Handsome Husband and I headed up into the 'dacks* toward Westport (NY) for an evening at the Depot Theatre.

Our original plan had been to make a day of it, stopping at the King's Garden in Ticonderoga (for me) and maybe hitting a beach somewhere along the way. The weather did not cooperate.

We stopped in Schroon Lake for dinner and then went on to Westport, where despite the rain, some folks were out boating on Lake Champlain.

The HH** and I have become fond of Westport and its charming Depot Theatre. We've been there a couple of times before and this visit was to see the second of an Alan Ayckbourn trilogy, The Norman Conquests. This one is called Living Together. We've previously seen the first one, Round and Round the Garden, also at the Depot.

The "depot" part of the theatre is actually still a working train station, with some limited passenger service between NYC and Montreal. As above, freight trains also pass through.

There is a view back over the fairgrounds with Lake Champlain beyond. Lots of vintage railroad accoutrement dot the platform area.

The resident cat posed prettily along side an old freight scale, now weighing only geraniums.

The Depot actors are mostly Equity members (professionals) and so the quality of the show is quite good for such a small venue. I also happen to like that they threaten theatre-goers with bodily harm if they even think about trying to take a photo or to try texting during the performance.

This play runs through August 7, so if you're itching to get out of town for a few hours, I recommend a trip to Westport. The show is pretty funny. Click here for more information.

* 'dacks = Adirondack Mountains
** HH = Handsome Husband

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Knitting Club at Malta Library (updated)

2011-07-26T08:51:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, I went to my first knitting club meeting at the Malta library. There were seven other ladies there, very pleasant and friendly.

We all did a bit of sharing: advice, resources, encouragement.

Here's my on-going project from the Mason-Dixon Knitting book, which you can see on the "my picks" link, above right. I'm using their log cabin knitting technique to make an afghan out of a plethora of leftover yarn. One day, I may actually finish it.

Groups like the Malta knitting club have been growing in popularity over the past few years. It gives me hope for civilization, that there are still people who want to create things by hand while enjoying the company of other like-minded folks.

If you live anywhere near Malta, NY, please feel free to stop by at the next meeting. See the information, below.

Knitting Club

Where: Malta Branch, Round Lake (NY) Library

When: The last Tuesday of every month.
Time: 4:00 pm

Flowers, cows, and views: must be summer in Vermont

2011-07-23T20:46:00.005-04:00

Today was an "open garden" day in Manchester and Arlington, Vermont, as sponsored by The Garden Conservancy.

I hied myself east along the Battenkill River and went first to "Rogerland" in Arlington. Among the varied gardens and features on this 20 acre property, I liked the Alice in Wonderland garden best.

It included Alice and the White Rabbit, of course, along with...

...evidence of a strange tea party.

The nearly life-sized chess set on a polished granite chessboard, below, looked like it would be a lot of fun to play.

My next stop was in Manchester Village at a lovely but more modest cook's garden. The owner is also the author of The Complete Kitchen Garden, copies of which she was happy to inscribe and sell to visitors. I like best gardens like this one, gardens that look like real people made them with lots of love and hard work.

She even had bees.

En route to garden number three, I encountered a charming reminder that I was truly in Vermont. Traffic was stopped for a few minutes while a farmer sent his herd back to pasture following the afternoon milking.

Garden number three provoked this thought: I clearly have not lived my life right. I mean, what a spot!

The property includes a five acre sculpture garden. Some of the pieces I quite liked, such as these whimsical jacks game pieces.

These goats were fun, too, posed as they were on a rock outcrop.

But I liked these fat sheep, below, less well. They felt awkward and intrusive sticking up into the view.

My last stop was at the vegetable garden, part of this same property. What can I say? This is a garden I wouldn't mind weeding!

Heading back home, I noticed a sign inviting the public to a flower show in the Schuylerville (NY)Town Hall. That was fun to browse through, too. I picked up a handout from the Schuylerville Garden Club, thinking I might be interested in joining. So when do they meet? Wednesdays at 1:00 pm.

Must not have many members with day jobs. Perhaps next year...

You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

Guess what's chic and trendy now?

2011-07-13T15:08:00.001-04:00

In the mail today, unsolicited, came a Pottery Barn catalog.

I casually flipped through it and then, wait, hold on. What did that say on the page I just passed?

Yeah, there on the bottom of page 23.

Glens Falls? Yup, there it is, a genuine replica of an 1877 Glens Falls Insurance Company sign from the Chapman Museum.

For only $349, you can have one of these to hang in your own dream home.

Who knew our old hometown of Glens Falls (NY) and the Chapman Museum were such trend-setters?

Good for the Chapman. I hope the museum got a nice chunk of money for the use of the image.

Note: The Pottery Barn catalog was the August 2011 edition. You can click on the photos above to enlarge the images.

I promise I won't use the word "staycation"

2011-07-11T17:26:00.000-04:00

A hot, muggy day.
An afternoon swim in Saratoga's lovely Victoria Pool ...

...with the Handsome Husband.

Add a book and a gin and tonic from the poolside bar.

Relaxed, happy wife.

So civilized.

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Summertime Blues

2011-07-10T17:35:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, I drove with my sister Mary to Cape Cod for a brief over-night visit with her mother-in-law. It was lovely summer weather on the day we were there. I excused myself part way through the afternoon and walked a bit around Louise's neighborhood. The homes were mostly that lovely weathered gray cedar shingling you see in New England and in nearly every yard, blue hydrangea shrubs were in spectacular bloom.

Back at home, we had recently yanked out part of an arborvitae hedge that had encroached on our front walk. This had left an unattractive gap and so I thought of all those gorgeous blue hydrangeas I'd seen on Cape Cod. Wouldn't one of those just fit the bill?

It's taken a couple of years for the shrub to settle in and grow tall enough to look like much. But oh how it makes me smile now. I can almost smell the ocean.

In memory of Louise Cafarelli.

The Civil War, with Cocktails

2011-07-03T12:14:00.001-04:00

The Handsome Husband has long been a Civil War history buff, so it was an easy step for him to become involved with the Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site in nearby Wilton, NY. Last night, we attended a fundraiser at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs which was a benefit for the Friends groups for both sites. As we arrived, we were greeted by members of the 77th Regimental Balladeers, above, piping and drumming us in to the cocktail hour. (I found myself walking in step to the music as we approached. It was hard not to.)

Mixed among the dinner crowd were reenactors of every stripe, so to speak. A couple of gentlemen were dressed in Zouave uniforms, like the one above. Who knew some American Civil War soldiers wore fezzes and turbans and baggy pants? Not I. You can read more about Zouaves and "Zouave Fever" here.

There were also more familiar uniforms, as below, to be seen among the crowd.

Mark Twain was among the guests (aka, John Pogson.)

There was a silent auction with many items to tempt a Civil War buff...

... and lovely ladies in hoop-skirted period dress.

The Balladeers performed through the dinner hour. Our friend, Gisella Montanez-Case, pictured in the center, below, sang a moving version of Nearer, My God, to Thee.

I enjoyed the evening and recommend visiting both Grant Cottage, located on Mount McGregor in Wilton, NY, and the NYS Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY, (current exhibit, Civil War units.) In these cash-strapped times, both of these sites welcome both volunteers and financial help through their Friends organizations. Check them out.

On this 4th of July weekend, giving a thought or two to those who have served, fought, or died to keep this a free and independent nation seems like the right thing to do. Thank you, Molly, Jason, James M., James F., and David. Rest in peace, Ben Osborn.

Off the Couch

2011-07-02T10:55:00.000-04:00

Earlier this spring, our (much younger, slim) friend Alyssa mentioned on Facebook that she had started a new fitness program, the Couch-to-5K ® Running Plan. I was intrigued by the name and so googled it to see what she was up to. It sounded quite appealing and I thought, if I were younger and had ever been in shape...

But the notion continued to roll around in my head. Well, I thought, I don't have to run the 5K, I could just aim to walk it regularly.

Quoting from the Cool Running website: Each session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, three times a week. That just happens to be the same amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimum fitness. This program will get you fit.

Hmmm, this was sounding more do-able.

Step one: New, comfortable walking shoes. Check.

Step two: Leash up the hounds and head for the Shenantaha Creek Park trail.

Step three: Walk briskly for 15 minutes in one direction, turn, walk briskly 15 minutes in t'other direction.

Day one: Done!

Cool Running has all sorts of training tips and online resources for folks who are working up to running 5K. I have started by using their online training log to record my brisk walks. By putting even this modest effort on record, I hope to stick to my plan. Who knows, I may work my way up to jogging a bit of that 30 minutes by the end of the summer.
(By the way, 5K sounds better when you think of it as its 3.1 mile equivalent.)

Goal: The 5K Randy's Run in Lake George next spring. At least at a brisk walk...

Note: There are many online resources for folks of any fitness level looking to improve a little or a lot. In addition to Cool Running, I liked this one from the Mayo Clinic, which includes plans "if you're strictly a walker."

Saratoga's Secret Gardens, 2011

2011-06-26T17:21:00.000-04:00

My sister, her daughter-in-law, and I set out late this morning for our annual trek around Saratoga as part of the Soroptimists Secret Gardens Tour.

Despite the overcast day, we had plenty of company.

There were lovely vignettes...

...and awesome vistas.

There were clever twists. Here, ordinary PVC pipe with a few slits became a vertical garden feature.

There was beauty in small spots and dappled shade.

There was garden art with attitude. Look at me!

There were tiny urban gardens that offered something to see in every nook.

After a lunch stop at the Country Corner Cafe, we finished the tour and came home with lots of ideas to try in our own gardens. If the rain will just hold off, I will be out weeding and digging and snipping spent blooms in mine tomorrow.

Summertime: Cakes and antiques and gardens, oh my!

2011-06-24T15:22:00.000-04:00

The last day of the school year is often a bit perfunctory. The desks are cleared off, planbooks and keys are handed in, and at our school, we gather for breakfast together. My contribution this year was a Scandinavian lemon - blueberry coffee cake, pictured above. Around it I scattered some aromatic herbs from my garden: mint, sage, lavender, sweet marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, edible marigolds, and Johnny jump-ups, along with some lemon slices. It all tasted and smelled and looked like summer. Not a crumb of cake was left. A friend said I should win the prize for presentation. (Smile.)

So now the fun really starts. Tomorrow, I may check out the annual Round Lake Antiques Festival. The village of Round Lake, NY is a pretty little community of Victorian cottages nestled together and oozing charm. It's quite near us and if the weather cooperates, I will likely spend at least a little of Saturday there.

On Sunday, my sister, niece, and I will be taking the Soroptimists of Saratoga Secret Gardens Tour. There are still some tickets available. Check out the link. I will be bringing my camera.

Plus, it's jazz festival weekend at SPAC. How can we fit all this in?

Father's Day - In memory of and in honor of some good dads, granddads, and step-granddads

2011-06-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

In honor of Father's Day, a tribute to some good dads seems in order. I have been lucky and proud to have known quite a few.

The photo above is of my father, John Matthews Coombs. He grew up on the coast of Maine and always loved boats and being out on the water. My father wasn't a warm and fuzzy guy, but he was funny and smart and interested in many things. He read widely, enjoyed chess, played clarinet badly, and died too young at age 62. I am sorry that he never met my three children. My oldest son is named for him.

On Father's Day, here's to you, Dad: father of three, grandfather of six, and so far, great-grandfather of seven, with one additional step-great-granddaughter. I wish you could have known them all.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

The man in the center of this photo, above, is my grandfather, Percy W. Coombs. My father is probably taking the picture. The child my grandfather is holding is my sister, Mary, who would have been Percy's first grandchild. (Also in this photo, L-R, are my Aunt Shirley, Uncle Ed, Uncle Joe, my grandmother, Mary Prendiville Coombs, and my mother Henrietta Coombs. I don't know the dog's name.)

Percy Coombs loved his garden and his hometown, Boothbay Harbor. He suffered along with the Boston Red Sox and played killer bridge. He was a man of few words and many talents. I miss him and miss spending summer vacations at his home on One Road's End.

Percy Coombs was the father of four, grandfather of thirteen, and I'm not sure I can accurately go beyond that.

Happy Father's Day, Grandpa!

Here above is a photo of my husband, Bob Conner, taken around 1988. Our daughter Molly liked to "honk" his nose. Apparently young Thomas found this quite amusing, too.
Happy Father's Day, Bob! You're still a pretty funny guy.
Bob is the father of two, step-father of one, and, to date, has three beautiful step-granddaughters.

And here above is my husband's father, Grandad Bob (Robert Conner, Sr.) This photo was also taken around 1988. He is cuddling with our daughter, Molly.

Grandad Bob was the father of two, grandfather of six, with one step-grandson.

Happy Father's Day to you, Grandad Bob.

Here is a photo of my first husband, Dan Machell, with our son, John. Dan and John had built a winning Cub Scout pinewood derby car together and had the hardware to prove it.

Dan is the father of two and has three beautiful granddaughters. Happy Father's Day, Dan.

Below is Dan's father, David Machell, also pictured with John, but a good twelve or so years after that Cub Scout photo. Dave has been an important and loving presence in John's life, as was his late wife, Marge. John's first child is named for her: Marjorie.

Dave is the father of five, grandfather of eleven, and has three great-granddaughters.

Happy Father's Day, Dave!

Below, here is son John yet again, this time as a dad himself. He is holding his youngest daughter, Franny, who was born earlier this year. John is the father of two beautiful little girls.

Happy Father's Day, John! I am so proud of you. Being a good dad and husband is the most important thing you will ever do. I love you, Mom.

Our son-in-law, Jason, is pictured below, carrying a very cute sack of potatoes named 'Lexi.

Jason is the father of one beautiful girl... so far.

Happy Father's Day, Jason!

In modern life, with divorces and remarrying, family trees can become pretty confusing. The two people in this last photo, below, are not really related in any way. The occasion is a Gaffney family Fourth of July pool party. These two people are a step-son (my son John) with his step-grandfather, Stanley. But I include it because, well, the idea of family should be inclusive. Stanley M. Ayres was part of our children's lives but sadly, he was estranged from his own two children for most of his life. He never knew his own grandchildren.

Thanks, Stanley, for the hugs and cuddles you gave to our children. May you rest in peace.

And Happy Father's Day to you, too.

Wascally Wabbit

2011-06-16T19:48:00.000-04:00

You wascally wabbit, you! I see you. Stop eating my blueberry bushes! You're lucky our Jack Russell mix, for her own safety, isn't usually allowed to be loose in the front yard... Where's Elmer Fudd when you need him?

Strawberry Moon

2011-06-15T17:40:00.001-04:00

Listening to Vermont Public Radio on my way to work this morning, I heard the newscaster mention that we would have a strawberry moon tonight. Only in New England have I heard anyone refer to June's full moon as a "strawberry moon". What a lovely phrase.

Google tells us that some parts of the world are having a dramatic eclipse of the moon tonight. Alas, we in the northeast United States won't be able to see it. But where skies are clear, we will be able to see this full moon that comes when strawberries are ripening in our part of the world.

When our children were small, I liked to take them strawberry picking in Granville, NY, near the Vermont border. We'd make jam, sometimes to put up in jars, or sometimes just make freezer jam. Freezer jam is so much easier and tastes fresher, I think.

A very simple but sophisticated June dessert is fresh strawberries marinated in orange liqueur. Just wash and slice the berries and pour over them a generous dash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier and let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Serve them by themselves in a pretty dish or ladle them over ice cream or a light pound cake. Voila! An elegant warm-weather dessert with almost no work. It's the perfect thing to savor as you watch the Strawberry moon rise tonight...

Africa University Choir tonight in Troy, NY

2011-06-13T14:18:00.000-04:00

The HH* and I are planning to check out the Africa University Choir tonight at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

According to their PR, "The Africa University Choir is a select group of international singers who perform sacred and secular choral music covering the Western and African repertoire of varying periods as well as contemporary compositions."

Africa University, located in Mutare, Zimbabwe, is related to the United Methodist Church, which is sponsoring this 14-day tour.

See: http://www.troymusichall.org/calendar.asp for more information.

* HH = Handsome Husband

Mystery flowers

2011-06-10T21:55:00.001-04:00

In my June garden, two yellow perennials live happily side by side. They bloom faithfully each spring and both plants seem to be tough as nails. But what they are, I cannot say for sure. The first, I think, may be called sundrops.

Next to the "sundrops" are these plants, below. Yellow loosestrife, perhaps? Who knows? Do you?

Whatever they are, I appreciate their cheerful persistence.

With all the rain we had this spring, the clematis vines are finally putting on a good show. I haven't had much luck with these in my dry garden, but this year they are much happier.

I'm not sure what variety these are. I inherited them from the previous owners of this house. Don't they look like something Dorothy Lamour should tuck behind her ear?

Our flowering spirea shrubs, below, are looking lovely, too. Hearty, reliable, nearly impossible to kill. These, too, were planted by a previous owner, but I didn't like where they were located. I hacked them back, crudely dug them up, and plopped them down again in a new spot with little ceremony. I swear they were growing again before I filled in the new hole.

My garden is Darwinian: whatever can survive here is welcome. From very cold winters to steamy summers, with dry sandy soil and plenty of hungry bugs and rabbits, we have it all. So if our assorted mystery plants feel at home here, I am glad to let them be.

Girls in Bows

2011-06-09T18:19:00.001-04:00

Earlier this year, when Bee Balm Gal was too burned out to blog (suffering from TBOTB syndrome?) our daughter-in-law posted this picture on Facebook. It is of our granddaughter, Marjorie, then not-quite four. She had done her own hair that day, and was replete with bows.

Half a continent away, at about the same time, Bob's cousin's granddaughter, Charlotte, also made an appearance on Facebook. Charlotte is about the same age as Margie. Charlotte, too, was feeling cosmetologically creative that week. Charlotte is pictured below, as she appeared on Facebook, also well-bowed.

Although these two young ladies have never met, it is clear that they should. Great minds think alike!

And, yes, girls, you are both quite right. Life is short and you can never have enough bows in your hair.

June is bustin' out all over!

2011-06-07T21:05:00.000-04:00

Peonies!

and iris!

...because it's June! (June, June, June.)

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Bebop-A-Reebop Rhubarb Pie

2011-06-05T19:35:00.000-04:00

I made a strawberry rhubarb pie for tonight's dessert. Homemade crust (my mother's recipe) and fresh rhubarb from my friend Dee Seidel's garden. (Less romantic, the strawberries came from the supermarket.) Nonetheless, it was delicious.

My daughter was home recently and had one request I did not manage to fill: to make her an apple pie. My excuse- it was a busy and HOT Memorial Day weekend.

But today was cooler and calmer, and fresh rhubarb was shared, so a pie seemed more doable. But I owe you one, Molls, and I won't forget.

Love, Mom

First Night and Happy Birthday,Thoroughbreds!

2011-01-01T13:57:00.012-05:00

With Christmas feeling like so last week, what better way to enjoy the new year in Saratoga than at First Night, followed by a thoroughbred birthday party on January 1?

With the unusually mild weather, the Handsome Husband and I were happy to join the good-natured crowds at Saratoga's First Night festivities. Varied entertainment, family-friendly activities, and reasonable admission prices makes this a popular local event.

We were able to see five acts before the fireworks at midnight and still managed to fit in a quick dinner at Hattie's.

The acts we saw were the Heavenly Echoes Gospel Chorus out of Albany; Mamalama (new age/world music); Captain Squeeze & The Zydeco Moshers , who got everyone up dancing - and I mean everyone; the venerable Ernie Williams , who must be well into his 80's but can still play a mean blues guitar and fill a venue with happy fans; and The Fighting 86s Irish Band. With some regret, we skipped a few of our favorites this year, like Sonny and Perley , but ya just can't do it all...

Thoroughbred racing is what Saratoga is most famous for so it seemed fitting to spend a little time at Old Friends today, celebrating some birthdays.

Folks like me who grew up horse-crazy, devouring books by C. W. Anderson, Marguerite Henry, and Walter Farley, already know that all thoroughbred racehorses have the same "birthday", January 1.

Thoroughbreds are raced by age. The Kentucky Derby, for example, is a race for three-year-olds. To keep the eligibility simple, all thoroughbreds are considered to be a year older on January 1, regardless of their actual date of birth.

Old Friends Farm in nearby Greenfield Center, NY, is a retirement facility for former racehorses. They opened their facility today for tours and a birthday party in honor of their thoroughbred residents, who are all officially a year older today. They even had birthday cake for their visitors.

The farm is currently home to eleven retirees, including a couple of Travers winners. This fellow is Watchem Smokey, who was retired in 2009.

The sprightly chestnut in the foreground here is the one youngster on the farm. Mr. Cowboy will be leaving soon to start training for his racing career. He is considered, as of today, to be a two-year-old.

Here above, nearest the camera, you can see Zippy Chippy, who was anything but. Honestly, he is famous for his impressive losing streak: 100 races without a win. Look him up - he has his own Wikipedia entry.

Thunder Rumble fared a good deal better in his career. He won the Saratoga Travers Stakes in 1992 as well as seven other races. He was retired from breeding in 2006.

Horses like Karakorum Patriot, above, are typical of the thoroughbreds who, if they are very lucky, end up as charity cases on a rescue or retirement farm like this one. His racing career was so-so, he is a gelding and therefor not able to be used for breeding, and he's not in good enough shape to be used as a pleasure horse. The slaughterhouse was the likely next stop for this fella until he found a home here.

Old Friends is a non-profit organization and they seem like good-hearted folks. Look them up if you'd like to get involved. They have a website and a blog.

P.S. The horse at the very top of this post is Red Down South. His last race was in 2007.

Christmas in Afghanistan: My daughter's message.

2010-12-22T16:41:00.006-05:00

Christmas in Afghanistan - a guest post

by Molly Conner on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 10:40pm.

As you go to Christmas services this year, please take a minute and remember the servicemen and women who died in Afghanistan this year.

The United States has lost 494 servicemembers this year. The UK has lost 101. Total Coalition Forces casualties are at 702. It is the deadliest year of the war so far. Yet no one in the United States is paying attention. News coverage of the war makes up 4% of media stories, down from 5% in 2009.

Less than 1% of voters polled before the midterm elections this year considered the war in Afghanistan to even be a major issue.

So please, as you celebrate the holiday this year, take a moment to remember those who gave their lives for this country, those who were wounded, those who lost limbs, and those who lost loved ones. I honestly don't care if any of you are for or against the war. Your position doesn't matter. Just please, keep us in mind, remember us, and pay attention when the stories come on the news. Please let the war in Afghanistan take precedence in your mind over Bristol Palin in Dancing With the Stars, or Lindsay Lohan's latest drama in rehab. Please remember us. Have the debate. Ask the hard questions. Decide if it's worth it, and if it is, what more needs to be done, what you can do to help. Visit your local veteran's center, ask what you can do to help. Donate to the wounded warriors project. Or just visit the websites of the units in Afghanistan, and look at the names, pictures, and biographies of the fallen. I link to my own 101st Airborne Division, which has lost over 100 soldiers this year. But they all deserve to be remembered.

I don't believe that all soldiers are heroes. I don't believe that military personnel should be automatically labeled as role models, as too often happens. I don't pretend that hundreds of thousands don't initially enlist for reasons other than patriotism.

However, I do believe, with my whole heart, that when you allow your elected government to send soldiers to fight and die in your name, you owe them the basic human dignity of paying attention, and acknowledging that sacrifice. And yet, nine years into this war, media coverage is down, and the war is a non-issue in the election, while soldiers continue to die at their highest rates yet.

Attention should be paid.

So please, when you celebrate the holiday this year: remember us.

icasualties link here

Fort Campbell (101st Airborne Division) Eagle Honors pages here

Wounded Warrior project here

To my wonderful, supportive family and friends - thank you for everything you've done, every word of support you've sent this tour. This is not meant for you.

Saratoga Restaurant Week and Limoncello Ristorante

2010-12-04T06:36:00.004-05:00

Bee Balm Gal's musings have been a bit dark of late so I thought I would lighten up today with a report of Restaurant Week in Saratoga. This is an annual promotion when a large number of restaurants in and around Saratoga offer three-course dinner specials for just $18.19.

The Handsome Husband and I headed out to Limoncello Ristorante where we had never eaten before. Their regular menu looked very tempting but cheapskates that we are, we stuck to the special $18.19 special menu.

The Handsome Husband chose Gnocchi Bolognese, "homemade potato dumplings with a traditional ragu of ground beef, tomato, mushroom, peas and Barolo wine." He nearly licked the plate.

I chose Pollo alle Noci, " tender cuts of chicken with gorgonzola and walnuts." Yum.

Limoncello's waitstaff was terrific - friendly, attentive, efficient. Food was served HOT and at a good pace. The HH* and I will go there again and next time, we will try their main menu.

Two thumbs up for Limoncello Ristorante.

*HH = Handsome Husband

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Heart-breaking news

2010-12-02T07:28:00.004-05:00

Fort Campbell, Kentucky, lies along the state's southern border and the nearest good-sized town is Clarksville, Tennessee. The 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army is based at Fort Campbell. This spring, folks from Fort Campbell poured out of there and into Afghanistan to support the so-called surge.

Clarksville's main newspaper, The Leaf-Chronicle, carries a good deal of local Army news. The newspaper's website uses the dark graphic, above, when it carries reports of losses from the 101st Division. This graphic has gotten too much use this year.

Today, The Leaf-Chronicle is reporting six more deaths from the 101st Airborne. By my count, this brings the total number of 101st Airborne soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year - mostly since June and the beginning of the surge - to ninety-eight. In the most recent deaths, the six soldiers were killed Monday when an Afghan Border Police officer turned his weapon on them. The gunman in Monday's attack was a border police officer rather than an insurgent donning the uniform for a day, according to the news story.

As I have written here and here, I have a daughter and son-in-law currently serving with the 101st and I find these mounting losses painful to read about. My heart aches for the families of these brave soldiers.

But aside from these families and readers of the Clarksville newspaper, is anyone noticing?

You can click here to see the faces and names of ninety-two 101st soldiers lost this year. The six new names and photos will be added soon. And if you scroll back down the list, you will find the photos of two local young men: Spc. Benjamin D. Osborn, a graduate of Lake George, NY, High School, who was killed on June 15, and Pfc. David T. Miller, a graduate of Saratoga High School, who was killed on June 21. May they all rest in peace.

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Where is the news coverage?

2010-11-26T10:43:00.006-05:00

As the mother of one U.S. Army soldier currently serving in Afghanistan, and the mother-in-law of another serving there, I have an urgent question: Where is the news coverage?

My soldiers are serving with the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. As I wrote here yesterday, the 101st has been suffering - in my maternal opinion - alarming losses. I have seen very little news coverage of this.

I am looking for the media, along with U.S. and NATO leaders, to do a much better job of telling us how things are going in Afghanistan. What the media owes us is clear, fair, daily reporting on the Afghanistan War, along with good analysis.

Yesterday, I wrote that I was struggling with how to think about this war. Although in the 1960s and 1970s, I had strong political views about Vietnam, that is not the issue for me now.

In his very good book about the Afghanistan war, Sebastian Junger wrote:

It was a weird irony of the war that once you were here - or your son was - the politics of the whole thing became completely irrelevant until very conservative families and very liberal ones - there were some- saw almost completely eye to eye (War, 2010).

My struggles have nothing whatsoever to do with choosing to support or not support our troops in their brave efforts. Rather, it is a frustration born of not knowing, of not having enough information to form a complete picture of the current situation.

Many American and NATO families like ours have skin in this game. We deserve to hear much more about the war and a lot less about Black Friday and royal weddings. Our deployed troops deserve this most of all.

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The 101st Airborne toll passes 90

2010-11-25T17:41:00.006-05:00

Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is the home of the 101st Airborne Division and if you Google it, you will come to this link: Honoring our Fallen Warriors . There, you will find a sobering list of ninety-two photographs accompanied by short obituaries.

The stark facts are these: the death toll for 2010, for the 101st Airborne in Afghanistan, has passed 90. Eighteen Airborne soldiers have been killed just in November.

This week, while the rest of us in the U.S. were shopping for cranberry sauce or tut-tutting about airport pat-downs, families in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and Norfolk, Virginia, were getting the worst possible news: that Staff Sgt. Sean M. Flannery, age 29, and Spc. William K. Middleton, age 26, died Monday in Kandahar province when their unit was hit with an improvised explosive device.

My heart goes out to these families. May their soldiers rest in peace.

Ninety-two deaths. I don't even know how to think about this war anymore.

On Veterans Day, with love and thanks and pride

2010-11-11T07:41:00.011-05:00

To some special active duty service people on this Veterans Day...

For our daughter Molly, US Army, on her second tour of duty in Afghanistan....

...and for her husband, Jason Eller, US Army, also on his second tour in Afghanistan...

...and for our hometown friend, James Finnegan, US Army, who has served two tours in Iraq and is now on a third deployment, this time in Afghanistan...

...and for James Mark (by the upper left corner of the flag) US Navy, completing a second tour of duty in Iraq...

...and for David Machell, US Army, currently training to be a helicopter pilot...

Thank you.

November Nor'easter

2010-11-08T19:19:00.002-05:00

This Monday morning's cold rain turned into a snowy nor'easter for my drive home tonight. Although the roads were slippery, there was a certain beauty to the evening snowfall, the first of the season. Winter's a-comin'...

Happy Birthday, Jason!

2010-11-07T18:25:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, Jason!

To our favorite son-in-law, with love and good wishes,
Barbara and Bob

I miss civilization...

2010-10-31T16:48:00.005-04:00

Marilynne Robinson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gilead, spoke at nearby Skidmore College on Friday night. The Handsome Husband and I went to hear her speak. (She must be cool because she appeared on "The Daily Show" this past summer.)

I wish I had taken notes because I liked what she had to say about the current state of public education. Her talk wasn't mostly about that, though. Rather, she read from three of her books and spoke about writing. Later, she answered questions from the audience.

After her talk, I had the chance to speak with her briefly and I asked if she had written about education anywhere.

"No," was her terse response.

I told her that I hoped she would consider doing so one day, because I certainly agreed with much of what she had said.

Despite her reluctance to schmooze with the likes of me, Ms. Robinson gets my vote for the best quote of the weekend: "I miss civilization...and I want it back."

I wonder if she'd mind if I used it on a product line of bumper stickers, tee shirts, and organic cotton tote bags?

A quiet Saturday

2010-10-23T10:40:00.003-04:00

Saturday was a quiet day of chores and home cooking. While the Handsome Husband mulched leaves with our mower, I pottered around tidying up patio plants and putting away outdoor furniture. I am always late doing these things because I live in persistent denial that the warm weather is truly behind us.

Before cleaning out the last of our small vegetable garden, I managed to harvest a few late tomatoes and two small cucumbers. Some of our herbs are still looking good, although the basil was an early victim of the colder nights. The tomatoes and herbs went into the cast iron dutch oven with a pot roast in mid-afternoon for our dinner. Later, coming in from our chores, the scent of the slowly cooking roast was wonderfully comforting.

I posted on Facebook that the roast smelled good and our friend Brian asked for the recipe. The truth is, I rarely do pot roast the same way twice. The key to good pot roast is slow cooking at a low temperature and something liquid in the pot. What you use for the liquid is largely a matter of taste and what's on hand. I've used beef broth, onion soup, wine, diced vegetables, beer, and various combinations of these. The HH is not a tomato fan so I don't think last night's version was his favorite. I liked it, though, all the more for having grown some of the ingredients myself. That feels very satisfying, like being a self-sufficient pioneer woman.

For Brian: one of the best pot roasts I've ever eaten was a Cuban Pot Roast (Ropa Vieja) made by a friend for a dinner party. Try as I might, I can't quite duplicate his recipe. But I am going to keep trying because it was very tasty and satisfying on a cold winter night. The recipe here is a good place to start. Our friend served it with rice and black beans. Yummy.

As I was finishing my chores yesterday, I gathered two small bouquets from the this-es and thats still bravely carrying on in the garden. Some late phlox, purple sage, boxwood, rosemary, ivy, some stalks of red leaves: these I stuck into the little silver plated jug I had bought for a quarter at a garage sale a few years ago. See? I am still refusing to declare the growing season over.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-10-21T17:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary to John and Kristin!

With lots of love from Mom and Bob

Unexpected History

2010-10-03T19:40:00.010-04:00

The Handsome Husband and I decided to take our two small dogs for a walk this Sunday along the banks of the Hudson River in Moreau State Park. It was a brisk fall day and the river was looking lovely.

We arrived just as the "Indians" - Mohawks, we presume - were beaching their canoes.

A film crew, we were told, was doing a piece about Saint Isaac Jogues. This scary-looking fellow, getting a bit cold between shots, donned a jacket.

It's no wonder. He really had very little on (note the absence of actual, um, pants.)

All sorts of characters were wandering about. Below, the director was talking things over with two more Indians. These two looked as if they might actually have been native Mohawks. (Note my husband in the back left, scurrying to get himself and the dogs out of the pending film shot.)

We were told by a cast member that their finished piece would air on the "Catholic channel" (by which they may have meant EWTN ) and also the History Channel.

We got our walk in by detouring around the film crew.

Moreau State Park is a lovely spot but like many New York State parks, it has a "carry in/ carry out" policy. In other words - no trash cans. The trouble is, lots of people carry in but don't always carry out.

Below, the HH* easily filled a bag with other people's crap on our return loop.

Hey, folks, please don't make my dogs walk on your broken beer bottles.

This probably wasn't an issue for Fr. Isaac Jogues in the 1640s.

Although come to think of it, the Iroquois did, allegedly, cut, chew or burn off several of his fingers so he was no longer able to say Mass.

Really, his was not a happy ending...

*HH =Handsome Husband

More festivals than you could shake a stick at...

2010-09-26T19:42:00.021-04:00

There was a lot going on around these parts this weekend and it was hard to choose which festivals or seasonal activities to go to.

Some friends invited us to go with them to SPAC on Saturday afternoon to hear a free concert by the Air Force Band. The band was sponsored by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors but there was waaay-y-y-y too much blah blah blahing by them before the concert could begin - 37 minutes worth, to be exact. The band was very good but if I go again, I will go 37 minutes late.

After the concert, the Handsome Husband and I headed to the Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa for their Oktoberfest fundraiser. My HH*, who has a political blog, PlanetAlbany, chatted with NYS Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, below right, at the Brookside event. Good German food was served by the folks from Rolf's Pork Store in Albany. The HH is a big fan of Rolf's.

On Sunday afternoon, I headed out on my own to the Washington County Fairgrounds for the 2nd annual Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival.

There were, as one may have expected, sheep there...

... along with Ewok-like rabbits.

Wool, in any possible form and color, was everywhere. Yarn, fleece, roving, felt, wool still on sheep, raw wool in bags and bushel baskets, wool in the process of becoming something else, along with finished projects, it was all there.

There were llamas ...

... just down the row from the good Episcopal sisters of the Community of St. Mary in Greenwich. The sisters raise Cashmere goats and Merino-crossbred sheep. I bought some of their lovely Blue-faced Leicester yarn (that's another kind of sheep) hand spun at the convent. The sister who sold it to me told me the name of the sheep it came from, but I'm afraid I have forgotten it.

Do you know why some wool is softer than others? It's the crimp. Fine, soft wool has crimp or waves that are close together, such as with wool from Merino sheep. Larger waves in the wool fibers make a course crimp and an itchier wool.

Some farms brought alpacas. Surely Dr. Seuss had a hand in their design.

There were weavers...

...and spinners...

and hookers (rug hookers, that is.)

Some vendors offered undyed wool, which is what I purchased from the sisters. Others offered richly colored roving, like this below, which is the wool before it has been spun into yarn.

Below, Glens Falls fiber artist Robin Blakney-Carlson showed some eager children how to make felted bracelets.

There was a sheep shearing demonstration. Did you know that there are special shoes for sheep shearing?

This Dorset ewe was calm in the hands of the experienced shearer.

Duck herding anyone? This Australian shepherd was as happy to show her stuff with water fowl as she would have been with sheep, we were told. The ducks require less space for demonstrations and training purposes.

My husband sometimes looks askance at me when I bring out my knitting on social occasions. But at today's event, nearly everyone was knitting or spinning something. Good earth mothers, all.

On the way home, I stopped by Saratoga Apple for some wonderful sweet corn, apples, a few pears, some cider, and a dozen warm cinnamon-sugared cider donuts. Yum.

I think I did my part to support local farmers today.

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* HH=Handsome Husband

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Feast of the Fields in Saratoga

2010-09-23T20:19:00.009-04:00

The Handsome Husband and I trotted over to Saratoga National Golf Club tonight for Feast of the Fields, a fundraiser for Saratoga P.L.A.N. (The letters stand for "Preserving Land and Nature".) Chefs from a half dozen popular area restaurants prepared dishes featuring foods from local farms.

We chatted with Matt Funiciello of Glens Falls, below right, whose delicious Rock Hill Bakehouse breads accompanied many of the dishes. (In addition to their commercial bakery in Moreau, Rock Hill has a terrific cafe on Exchange Street in Glens Falls.)

Tim Meany, below, of the Beekman Street Bistro, was serving a sort of rabbit lasagna and a squash gratin. Both were wonderful. (I happen to love this restaurant already, for its interesting dishes and commitment to local foods.)

Local cider, local beer, even organic vodka, everyone was having fun sampling and sipping.

It was a beautiful evening to be outdoors and as we slipped away, a full moon was rising. A nice way to end the first day of autumn.

Saratoga P.L.A.N. is a not-for-profit land conservation organization offering comprehensive land conservation services to municipalities, developers, organizations and property owners while striving to achieve regional coordination and cooperation in land use, open space and recreational trail planning. It has protected over 3,247 acres of farmland, natural habitats, trails, and water resources in Saratoga County.

Happy Birthday to Miss 'Lexi!!!

2010-09-10T17:23:00.002-04:00

Guess who is five years old today?

Happy Birthday, 'Lexi! We send you lots of hugs from upstate New York.

Bet your daddy is thinking of you in Afghanistan today and wishing he could be with you.

Hope you have a wonderful day with lots of fun and presents!

Love, Barbara and Bob

Happy Birthday, Molly!

2010-09-03T11:05:00.006-04:00

On the back of this photo, I have written that it was taken in the fall of 1994, which would mean that you were just barely nine years old in this picture. Here you are between your two brothers, during a busy fall when all three of you were playing soccer.

In 1994, I would never have guessed where this birthday would find you. A grown woman now, married to a handsome Army medic...
...with a young blond stepdaughter of your own...

... and very proud parents back home.

As I write this, it is still Friday morning, September 3, here in upstate New York. But in four hours, it will be Saturday, September 4, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. I am posting this now so that you can wake up to happy birthday wishes and lots of love from your family back home.

With much love, Your proud Mom and Dad

Steppin' out in Schenectady County

2010-08-29T14:21:00.007-04:00

Last week, the HH* and I dined and enjoyed some local music at two different Schenectady County venues. On Wednesday, we went to Freedom Park in Scotia to hear the Rymanowski Brothers polka band. There were enough eager adult polka dancers that the little kids who wished to dance in front of the bandstand, a usual sight at outdoor summer concerts, had some competition for floor space.

Freedom Park is on the banks of the Mohawk River and some folks were out water skiing behind the band shell.

We had dinner at the adjacent (and locally famous) Jumpin' Jack's. Mmmm... burgers and onion rings. Sure tasted like summer to me.

The next night we headed to the glam Stockade Inn in Schenectady's historic Stockade neighborhood. The food was very good. We chose to eat in the lounge instead of the dining room so that we could listen to Sonny and Perley
perform their jazzy/bossa nova music with vocals and keyboard. A very good sax player sat in, but I have forgotten his name. We had first heard Sonny and Perley at a Saratoga First Night venue and liked them very much.

In the Stockade Inn's lounge, we ran into Tim Coakley, which wasn't too surprising. Tim Coakley = Schenectady and jazz. If you live locally and are a night owl, catch Tim's jazz radio show on Saturday nights at 11:00 pm on WAMC.

* HH = Handsome Husband

Happy 23rd Birthday, Tom!

2010-08-18T16:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, Tom! This photo was taken exactly eight years ago, on your 15th birthday, August 18, 2002. We were on our first visit to Bend, Oregon, to see John.
I remember it as a wonderful day. John made you a cake. We had a lovely picnic and walked around the lake. Mt Bachelor is in the background.

Our family is far-flung now - Oregon, New York, Afghanistan - and photos like this won't be easy to come by again.
All the more reason to treasure it and the good memories of that day.

With much love and good wishes for a happy birthday, Mom and Dad

Parcel pissed, Part II

2010-08-11T19:36:00.003-04:00

Here I continue my rant regarding the US Post Office, poorly informed postal clerks, and cumbersome policies connected to the act of mailing a package to a deployed military person overseas.

First, it might help to know that when a package goes from Mrs. Bee Balm Gal in upstate New York to her Brave Girl in Afghanistan, no one touches this package except US Postal Service employees, contract carriers, and US military staff.

So WHY am I required to fill out a customs form? WHAT country's CUSTOMS does it pass through?

Last week, I showed up at the branch post office with a typical box of assorted goodies to send to my deployed soldier. I think it contained some boot socks, dried fruit snacks, perhaps some granola bars, some crackers, some canned fruit, stuff like that, all of which I had duly listed on the customs form.

The clerk peered at my customs form for some time before informing me that I had neglected to list the weight of each individual item in the package. He commanded me to fill in this information.

"I don't know what each item weighs, " I told him. "It's snacks and socks. Nothing that I haven't mailed like this before."

But, no, the clerk insisted that I write in the individual weights or he couldn't accept my package.

So I made them up. I just filled in random numbers. This clearly made the clerk nervous but I think he could tell he'd pushed me far enough for one day.

What the hell is this all about? Nine years into the Afghanistan war and we can't make it easy for moms back home to send their soldiers a package of cookies?

I think Postmaster General Jack E. Potter need to hear from a few thousand military moms. He needs to know that his policies and his clerks are unhelpful to families trying to send a bit of cheer to soldiers serving multiple deployments abroad. Here's his email: pmgceo@usps.gov .

Or you could always send him a letter. Just don't forget to put a stamp on it:
Jack E. Potter
Postmaster General
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC 20260-0010

Photo credit: http://www.bsmok6.org/

Parcel pissed, Part I

2010-08-11T15:14:00.005-04:00

I'm an Army mom and I'm mad. Fed up. Parcel pissed, you might say.
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For the past couple of years, I've sent a fair number of packages overseas to military addresses. Not only to my own Army daughter and son-in-law, both currently deployed in Afghanistan for the second time, but also to an "adopted" soldier through Blue Star Mothers.
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And this summer, I became a volunteer for Operation Paperback, sending gently used books to deployed servicemen and women who have requested them.
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I have encountered many frustrations in my nearly weekly quests to ship packages to APO addresses abroad.
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Let's take today, for example. I showed up at my local Malta post office branch with my two parcels, all correctly packaged, forms filled out, and the clerk tells me that I can't send my box of paperbacks overseas via media mail (this is the least expensive way to send books.)
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I tell her, politely, that I CAN do this, that I do it regularly. My voice is low and calm.

No, no, she says, I'm quite sure you can't.

I assure her again that this is quite permissible.

Well, she says. I'll check but I'm fairly sure you can't. Pause. Oh, I guess you can.

No apology for giving me incorrect information.

Variations of this scene play out nearly every week. And it happens at almost every post office branch I go into. Clerks routinely tell me, incorrectly, that I can't do something or that my customs form isn't filled out properly or that they can't accept the package as addressed.

Twice I've returned home, a sixty-year-old lady lugging heavy boxes back and forth unnecessarily, because the information given to me by postal clerks was wrong.

Well, these days, I don't budge. I've looked up regulations online enough times that I now KNOW I am doing things the right way.

In case you suspect that I am just a befuddled granny and that these problems are somehow my fault, here's what the Operation Paperback website advises its volunteers about going to the post office:

•You may be told that Media Mail cannot be sent to an APO / FPO. This is not true. Tell the clerk to look up the zip code restrictions. They are sometimes on the second screen of their console.

•You may be told that because you have included our standard shipping notice that the entire box cannot be sent Media Mail. This is not true. Tell the clerk that Postal Regulation DMM 173 – Media Mail, Section 4.3 states that the nature of our "written addition" qualifies under "Instructions and directions for the use of the item mailed."

•Take a copy of DMM 173 to the Post Office just in case! DMM 173 is available online (http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/173.htm). This sounds extreme, but it has worked for our volunteers in the past!

The war in Afghanistan has been going on for nine years now. Shouldn't the US Post Office have all of this stuff down pat by now?

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Gardening without work and making money without trying

2010-08-09T08:30:00.008-04:00

Inspired by Apron Thrift Girl 's Thrift Share Monday and Southern Hospitality 's Thrifty Treasures Party, I wanted to share my bargain of the week.
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Okay, I know this book doesn't look like much, but I was first introduced to this gardening classic by Margaret Roach in her blog, A Way to Garden, back in December. (How many blog links can I squeeze into one post?)
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Anyhoo, the Round Lake Library had its week-long annual book sale last week. Now, this library book sale offers a preview night where, for a $20 admission, book dealers can go through the books before the general public and scoop up anything valuable.
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So what were the chances, three days later, that I'd find anything interesting? I'd really only popped in to see if they had any books suitable for Operation Paperback, a cause I support, in which volunteers like me send good used paperbacks to military folks serving in war zones. And, indeed, I did find some good books for that purpose.
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But just as I was making a last stroll around the sale, I quickly checked out the craft and gardening sections, and voila! There it was, Ruth Stout's classic book, for one dollar. This is a hard cover, 1971 edition.
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So what's it worth? Let's see, shall we?
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Amazon has this listing: 11 used from $58.20. And the prices go rapidly up from there, to a top price of $1,002.97 for a "used good ex-library" copy. Hmmm.
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Alibris has two copies for sale, starting at $42.95. And so on.
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I may not be able to retire on the sale of this book, but it was exciting for me to find it, especially after the experts had already combed through this sale. And inspired by the aforementioned Apron Thrift Girl, I just might try my hand at reselling this book, after I read it myself, of course.

If you have any interest in reselling books or other thrifted items, I highly recommend several excellent recent posts by Apron Thrift Girl, such as this one about reselling books.

Happy treasure hunting!

A perfect Adirondack day

2010-08-08T13:52:00.005-04:00

The Handsome Husband and I spent a relaxing Saturday at Silver Bay near the northern end of Lake George. We were taking advantage of a free day away offered to Saratoga YMCA members yesterday.

Silver Bay's website says, "The mission of Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks is to offer all people opportunities to renew, refresh and nurture their spirit, mind and body."

As we kayaked and swam and strolled and

relaxed on the porch, I think we qualified for the "renewed and refreshed" categories.

Silver Bay has lots of activities for all ages and we certainly saw many families happily trying them all out.

Although most folks seemed to be there for week-long vacations or retreats or family reunions, Silver Bay does offer day passes. The $24 day use fee isn't really unreasonable when you factor in all that is included, such as the use of canoes and kayaks and lovely beaches and many classes, lectures, and entertainment opportunities.

I'm hoping we can find an autumn weekend to go back and enjoy this peaceful place again. The inn looks charming, and what a view...

If you don't mind afternoon tea on the porch in lieu of gin and tonic, this might be a place you should check out.

Cooperstown w/o baseball? Who does that?

2010-07-31T14:06:00.008-04:00

We do. The HH* and I took a few days away on Otsego Lake, near Cooperstown, NY, and never set foot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The weather was perfect and the lake was lovely. This photo is from Lakefront Park , a couple of blocks off the main street in Cooperstown.

The surrounding upstate New York countryside looked lush, the quiet country roads providing views of rolling wooded hills and farmland, much still in use. One field was full of ripening sunflowers, an amazing sight. I thought about trying to take a picture but the blossoms were all facing away from the road!

We tried some good area restaurants. I liked my everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salmon dish at Alex & Ika . Normally, I prefer simpler dishes, but this was very nice.

We checked out the Fenimore Art Museum which also had lovely grounds bordering the lake. I liked the American and folk art collections. This painting was one that made me smile, but then, old as I am, I've never outgrown that I-wish-I-had-a-pony stage.

As a teacher, this painting also caught my eye. I wanted to know more about it. You can read the museum's notes here.

On our last night, we saw The Marriage of Figaro at Glimmerglass Opera.

Pretty town. Pretty countryside. Lots to do. Didn't mind skipping the baseball stuff this time around.

*HH = Handsome Husband

Weeding

2010-07-26T19:13:00.006-04:00

Weeding, weeding, weeding.

Take a break.

Reflect and plan.

Better.

To do list:

Order more mulch next year.
Plant more flowering shrubs.
Pachysandra is my friend.
Que sera, sera.

Brown Swiss and Vintage Linen

2010-07-25T12:45:00.012-04:00

I went to the Saratoga County Fair yesterday, largely because my Handsome Husband was volunteering at the Rotary booth there. It's been many years since I've gone to a fair without small children or antsy teens, anxious to be off to the rides and games. I enjoyed a leisurely pace, chatting with farming youngsters about their Brown Swiss ("They're the best kind!") and admiring the good-looking and iconic Holsteins, below.

My mother came from central New York State dairy farming folk and when I was a child, we occasionally visited her cousins who still farmed near West Winfield. I always envied their children, but I note, none of them farm any more. It's a hard, economically uncertain way of life. Still, the youngsters caring for these cattle were slim, fit, tanned, friendly, happier- and healthier-looking specimens than the average teen one sees these days.

On the way home from the fair, I stopped briefly at a garage sale which had been well picked over. I spied this box and opened it...

and inside was an old linen tea towel and two cut work pillow cases.

How much? I asked.

There was a long pause. Will you use them, the owner asked, I mean really use them?

Sure, I said.

Then she explained. These had been part of her wedding trousseau, carefully assembled by her grandmother many years ago. And the owner had never used them.

They always seemed too good to use, she said, so I never did.

So if I promised to use them, she said I could have them for a dollar.

I brought them home and got out my copy of Antiques at Home to see what author Barbara Milo Ohrbach had to say about...

cleaning vintage linen. Gently, is her basic advice. So I am off to buy some Ivory detergent.

If I can make these pillow cases look clean and white again, then they will go on the guest room bed. If they don't come out so well, I will use them myself. After all, I did promise to use them.

Thank you, unknown Buffalo, NY, grandmother. It took a few decades, but your carefully chosen wedding linens are finally going to make it out of their box.

Adirondack Chairs

2010-07-24T14:47:00.007-04:00

As I wrote about here earlier, I had two neglected Adirondack chairs that were overdue for new paint.

I found some bargain OOPS paint, a gallon for $5.00 at the big box store, and got to work. I was soon reminded that there are a lot of surfaces on two Adirondack chairs, which is probably why it's been so long since I last painted them.

Since the chairs are to be left out on the lawn, I remembered to soak their feet in good primer to help prevent the wood from rotting.

I scraped and primed the rest of the surfaces...

... and finally they were finished.

I like the "found" color just fine. Under a large shade tree on our front lawn, I think they look welcoming. And they give me a cool place to sit when I need to take a break from weeding the flower garden near the edge of the road.

One summer project completed, nine gazillion left to go.

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Operation Paperback for deployed troops

2010-07-16T09:04:00.005-04:00

Here's a special request from the good folks at Operation Paperback: Please help to spread the word. I will let them tell you in their own words, below. Thanks for any help you can give them.

Operation Paperback collects gently used books and sends them to American troops deployed overseas. Since 1999, we have shipped over 1.1 million books to locations around the globe. See more info at http://www.operationpaperback.org/ .

We need some special help. We have found that not all deployed personnel are aware of our program. We would like your help in getting the word out to all of our military communities.

We are specifically looking for ACTIVE-DUTY, NATIONAL GUARD, RESERVISTS AND THEIR SPOUSES to help us figure out how to reach everyone in the military community. We'd like to advertise in militarypublications, put announcements in on-base publications and bulletin/message boards, websites, email newsletters, contact individual FRG and ACS programs, etc etc. (I'm sure that folks in our military communities will have more (and better) ideas too.) We'd like to know your ideas, and also we'd like to hear from folks who have some time to help us make those ideas a reality.

Our goal is to have EVERY deployed troop know about Operation
Paperback. Please contact us if you can help!

General inquiries by email: information@operationpaperback.org

Chrissy Honeywell - chrissy@operationpaperback.org

Andrea Hoshmand - andrea@operationpaperback.org

To request books for deployed troops - TroopSupport@operationpaperback.org.

Contact Us via Online Chat:
On Yahoo IM - OperationPaperback1999
On AOL IM - OpPaperback
Skype ID - OperationPaperback

Leave us a Voicemail:
Tel: 214-602-1726
Operation Paperback
PO Box 347
Dunstable, MA 0182

Thanks,
Chrissy Honeywell
Andrea Hoshmand
OPERATION PAPERBACK
Recycled Reading For The Troops

Summer bargains

2010-07-05T12:50:00.008-04:00

I have a couple of Adirondack chairs that are badly overdue for new paint. So yesterday, off to the big box store I went to pick up a gallon of exterior paint. As I was about to leave the paint department with a $26.00 can of white paint, I spied this mistinted can of the same product for five bucks. Hmmm, white chairs for $26.00 or lovely turquoise chairs for $5.00? Yeah, I went with the turquoise.

Back at home, I began this morning by sanding and scrubbing my sad-looking chairs. While I worked, I was treated to some lovely background music, compliments of Mother Nature.

From the little wooded ravine behind our house, a couple of wood thrushes were singing back and forth to each other. Echoing up the ravine, it is one of my favorite sounds. Hauntingly beautiful, really. If you've never heard a thrush, click on this link to take a listen.

Ah, discount paint and free music to work by. Good summer bargains, I think.

Now click on over to Southern Hospitality and Apron Thrift Girl to see more great finds.

"...after all, it is the thrifty people who are generous." ~Lord Rosebery

Wood thrush photo credit: naturecrusaders

Mug shots

2010-07-05T09:22:00.006-04:00

Question: If the entire world stopped making coffee mugs today, how many years would it be before anyone noticed?

I love to browse through garage sales, thrift shops, and rummage sales. When ever I do, there is always a box (or ten) of unwanted coffee mugs.

My advice: never buy another coffee mug and certainly never give one as a gift. Trust me, your child's teacher (or your hairdresser or your assistant or your brother-in-law) already has a box just like this one in his or her basement.

And as for trade shows/conventions/annual meetings, the presence of the Ericsson and Dakin Farm Quality Foods mugs in the box above are proof that coffee mugs as give-aways will not necessarily be treasured forever.

Here's what I would do instead: Give each conference attendee a small business card that says, "In lieu of giving out coffee mugs this year, our company has made a donation in honor of this gathering to the local food pantry." And then make a generous donation. It's a win-win solution.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T08:01:00.010-04:00

This photo was taken of an ancestral family gathering on the 4th of July, 1902, in West Winfield, New York. My grandmother, Millie Stebbins (later, Holmes) is the young girl seated in a chair near the center. (See closeup, below.) Her sister Reba is to the right, seated on the ground. Her young cousin, Will Ruth, is the small boy seated on the ground to the left.

There are twenty-four people in the top photo and I can tell you the names of all but one of them. My grandmother and Aunt Jane were good chroniclers of family history and I am lucky to have several of their carefully labeled old family photos.

As you gather with family and friends this holiday, take lots of photos. And please label them and keep them safe. One hundred and eight years from now, someone will enjoy looking at them and knowing who everyone was.

Happy July 4th, to my own dear children, far and near, from Afghanistan to Oregon, and places in between. Let's all try to be in one place together some 4th of July soon. I'd really like that.

For now, please keep safe and be well. I love you all, Mom

Note: The people in the photo above, listed roughly left to right by my late Aunt Jane Holmes Kinsley, are Uncle Park Bardin, Blanche Bardin, Rena Bardin (wife of Earl), Irma Ruth, Laura Brigham Townsend, Grandma Stebbins, Aunt Clara Brigham, Mother (Millie Stebbins Holmes), Will Ruth, Aunt Fanny Bardin, Vin Ruth, Uncle Edwin Ruth, Great Grandma Brigham, Aunt Reba, Aunt Ellen Ruth, (then the mystery person), Uncle Orey Brigham, Edwin Ruth, Hal Ruth, Grandpa Stebbins (Bapa), Ward Bardin, Earl Bardin, Ward Brigham, Clarence Brigham.

Click once or twice on the top photo for a closer view.

Happy Anniversary to Brother Jon's Public House in Bend, Oregon!

2010-06-27T14:52:00.006-04:00

To the bartender most people look up to,

Congratulations on your one year anniversary! May your business continue to grow and thrive. May Brother Jon's always be the family-friendly neighborhood place for great food and cold beer.

With lots of love from your proud mom.

If you're in central Oregon today, stop in and say hello to the good folks at Brother Jon's. Tell the tall guy that his mother sent you.

Brother Jon's Public House
1227 Northwest Galveston Avenue, Bend, OR 97701
(541) 306-3321

A summer Saturday, right up my alley

2010-06-26T15:17:00.025-04:00

Gardens and antiques may not make everyone's heart go pittypat but I sure do enjoying looking at both.

Thus, I headed out to the Schenectady Stockade bright and early today to check out their Secret Garden Tour. This interesting historic urban neighborhood offers lots of good things to look at. The tour itself was well-organized and definitely worth the trip.

The top two photos are of an Asian-themed garden that was cheerful and inviting. I admired the red table umbrella and the many small touches and surprises among the plants.

Another garden, below, had a shabby chic theme that had me thinking about tea and muffins.

All of the gardens in the Stockade are small by suburban standards but each managed to provide a quiet, relaxing space with privacy.

The garden below (next two pictures) packed a visual punch with bright red and yellow, yet it felt calming and welcoming.

This pretty house, below...

...with its interesting history...

...has an inviting entrance to its garden.

The garden has a circular shape which was echoed in the decorations, like this piece of industrial something-or-other.

The cheerful owner of this last garden, below, was out talking about how her friend had designed it for her. The owner, who has some physical limitations, wanted vivid color she could enjoy from her porch and raised beds for easier access. (Her cat, however, didn't seem to be enjoying all the fuss.)

Much of the garden is in these two bright colors and somehow it all works.

Several other gardens were on the tour today, all of them lovely, and I look forward to going again next year.

For some years, the Handsome Husband has wistfully talked about moving to the Stockade. Although it presents the usual challenges of urban living (parking and snow removal are issues) and has a tendency to flood in the spring (it is located on the banks of the Mohawk River) I concede that it is a very charming neighborhood.

On the way home from Schenectady, I swung by the Round Lake Antiques Festival. Round Lake is yet another appealing historic community and this festival always seems to be well-attended.

I checked out some (real) vintage garden accessories as well as...

... some fake ones. I wouldn't mind the faux vintage stuff, but when the show is billed as an antiques festival, I think the fakes should be clearly labeled as reproductions.

I noticed that a lot of dealers were featuring vintage sewing and needlecraft items this year. Perhaps the poor economy is inspiring renewed interest in mending.

I thought about buying these three oars, just as they were displayed. They would, I think, make a charming garden support for sweet peas or morning glories. If I owned a lakeside cottage, they would have come home with me, for sure.

But I was abstemious and bought nothing at all this day. It seems sensible to make better use of the *stuff* I already own before adding anything new.

What garden treasures did you find this weekend?

My children's garden

2010-06-25T13:49:00.006-04:00

Ah, the school year is over and my summer has officially begun (insert contented sigh here).

After a brief morning gathering at work, we were set free until whenever our guilt/restlessness/professionalism draws us back to prepare for the next school year. For some, that will be next week. For others, it won't be until the absolute last moment allowed by our contract. I hope to be somewhere in the middle on this timeline.

Today's weather is perfect for late June, so I have begun weeding and snipping, trying to salvage my garden from weeks of neglect. When I went inside for a drink of water, my little neighbor, above, decided to have her lunch on the front step. She is eating fruit from the ornamental crab apple that grows near our porch.

For many years I have planted a small garden or patio pots in honor of my three children: Johnny jump-ups, Mary-golds, and Tom-atoes. But our family has grown and I am struggling to come up with plants for all of the spouses and grandchildren. Granddaughter Marjorie Sage was easy: a pot of the herbs sweet marjoram and purple sage. Her pretty mother, my daughter-in-law, Kristin, was more of a challenge. Some time ago I bought a daylily whose cultivar name was Kristen something (different spelling) but I've now forgotten exactly which daylily that was. I think I need to start over. Is Kristin-santhemum too much of a reach?

And now we have son-in-law, Jason, and his daughter, Alexia, called Lexi.
A pot of leeks(ia) perhaps?

A Google search helped me find Jasione perennis 'Blue Light' (common name, Sheep's Bit) but this would require too much explaining, I think. So I will keep pondering as I weed.

I hope that in the future my children will get their priorities straight.

Note to Tom, my still single youngest child: Please only date girls with names like Iris or Lily.

Note to the two married couples: Rose or Sweet William are nice names, don't you think, for any future bambinos?

.

Bringing him home

2010-06-21T21:45:00.005-04:00

They brought Ben Osborne home today.

Not the way anyone wanted.

The community has done all it can think of to honor his service, honor his sacrifice, and support his family.

When his hearse passed by our high school this morning, it stopped while taps was played.

It took 15 minutes for the full procession to pass by: the family and friends, the sheriffs, the firemen, the military escort, the Patriot Riders.

The official DOD press release reads:

Spc. Benjamin D. Osborn, 27, of Queensbury, N.Y., died June 15 in Shigalwashheltan district, Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

What it doesn't tell you is that Ben leaves a young wife of 5 months, his parents, three older brothers, one sister, and many friends.

Lake George High School is retiring Ben's former football jersey number, number 40.

Ben will be buried on Thursday with full military honors.

.

Rest in peace, Ben.
.

You can find television coverage of Ben's homecoming here and one of many newspaper stories here.

Photo credits: The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY

...

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-19T16:06:00.006-04:00

Happy Father's Day to Bob and...

John and..

Jason!

Today's weather

2010-06-19T08:41:00.002-04:00

Weather for Kandahar, Afghanistan

Today, Saturday, June 19, 2010
106°F
Current: Clear
Wind: W at 8 mph
Humidity: 6%

Sunday: High 104°F Low 78°F

Monday: 107°F - 80°F

Tuesday: 105°F - 78°F

Keep hydrated, my dears.

.

Geography lesson

2010-06-13T14:04:00.012-04:00

Until fairly recently, I couldn't have told you anything at all about Kyrgyzstan, not that I know an awful lot now. But the ethnic riots currently moving through that country have me a bit on edge. It seems that roving mobs of Kyrgyz men are attacking minority Uzbek communities, burning homes, businesses, and a university. Dozens of people have been killed and 1,000 have been injured.This Associated Press photo, at right, shows Uzbek women and children trying to seek refuge in neighboring Uzbekistan.

Until recently, I might have made snarky comments about how the real photo, at the top, looks uncannily similar to the fake war photo, above, from Wag the Dog. But the unrest in this part of the world is not fake and I find it worrisome.

Both the U.S. and Russia have military bases in Kyrgyzstan, although they are in the north, not near the current riots.

According to the Associated Press, "...the U.S. Manas air base in the capital, Bishkek, is a crucial supply hub for the coalition fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan."

And that U.S. base is why I now take notice of news about Kyrgyzstan. As I wrote here earlier, with a daughter and son-in-law in the army, I care a lot more about the geography and politics of Central Asia and the Middle East than I used to.

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan... I can find them all on a map now. Let's hope they can find a way to keep the peace.

Photo credits: Associated Press (D. Dalton Bennett) and the film, Wag the Dog.

Unspeakable act

2010-06-09T22:31:00.006-04:00

Be warned: this is a disturbing story.

According to The New York Times, the Taliban have been stepping up their tactic of assassination of government officials as a method of undermining coalition attempts to build up the Afghan government.

The Times story states:

"Some of the victims have only the slimmest connections to the authorities. The most egregious example came Wednesday in Helmand Province, where according to Afghan officials the insurgents executed a 7-year-old boy as an informant. "

The story continues:

"...Taliban insurgents went to his village and dragged the boy from his home at 10:30 in the morning, accusing him of acting as a government informant by telling the authorities of their movements. They killed him by hanging him from a tree in the middle of the village..."

Earlier tonight, I had read in this story from Fox News that Defense Secretary Gates, speaking to reporters in London today ... suggested that winning the war will have to include reconciliation with at least some elements of the Taliban.
"At this point the Taliban are part of the political fabric of Afghanistan, and to adopt a strategy that basically says we're going to eliminate the Taliban I think is unrealistic," Gates said.

Some elements of the Taliban hung a 7-year-old boy on the same day that Gates made this statement.

The boy was identified only as "the grandson of a farmer named Qodos Khan Alokozy, from the village of Herati in the Sangin District of Helmand Province."
Honestly, how do you reconcile with such people?

What is the answer?

Credit here for the photo of children in Helmand Province.

Proud Mom, Brave Girl

2010-06-09T16:36:00.006-04:00

Over the weekend, the Handsome Husband and I dashed down to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to say farewell to our fair daughter. Very soon, she will leave for her second deployment to Afghanistan. Her own handsome husband is already there, having departed on Memorial Day for his second deployment.

Brave Girl tells me that the scene on base for her husband's departure was quite poignant. He is with a medical unit, which has a higher than average number of female soldiers compared to other combat units. Standing around the bus were many young husbands, holding babies or small children.

The looks on their faces, Brave Girl said, were as if they were thinking, "How is it that I am standing here holding the baby, watching my wife go off to war? It should be me going."

"Tell me about it," her own father said.

The Taliban are not nice people.
They weren't good to their own countrymen and women.
Under the Taliban in Afghanistan, girls were not permitted to attend schools.
Women were rarely permitted to venture out of their homes.

A RAND analyst wrote, "Afghan women face a horrifying array of restrictions, among the most repressive in the world."

The Taliban punished theft by amputating a hand.
Accused adulterers were stoned to death.

The Taliban destroyed hundreds of cultural artifacts, the holdings of major museums and private art collections.
They blew up the great Buddha statues in the city of Bamiyan which had stood there for nearly 2,000 years.

The Taliban lashed anyone caught drinking liquor but allowed the opium poppy trade to flourish.

I hope that my brave daughter, her husband, and their fellow soldiers do their jobs well.

I hope that one day soon, schools in Afghanistan will be rebuilt and that the young girls can go there without fear.

Brave Girl thinks this is something worth fighting for.

^

Fireflies

2010-06-03T21:09:00.003-04:00

I saw my first fireflies of the season tonight. I strolled out onto the back deck with the dogs and in the flower garden, the soft flickering lights moved gently about.

Summer has arrived.

Image credit here.

It's a hell of a town (New York, New York)

2010-06-01T19:53:00.019-04:00

There was, unintentionally, a devilish theme to our Memorial Day weekend in New York City.

It all began with a desire for a change of scene. The Handsome Husband had booked tickets to The Screwtape Letters, an adaptation of a C. S. Lewis book and there was certainly devilry there.
When we arrived in town on Saturday, we headed down to the Union Square area to check out The Strand, the famous used book store. Alas, I was feeling a bit woozy and dehydrated so we did not linger there nearly long enough to suit the HH*. However, he was very gracious and solicitous, buying cold drinks and finding us a cool place to sit. From this little rose garden we watched the comings and goings around Union Square.
After an early dinner, we saw The Forest, starring Dianne Wiest. The theatre was quite small and we had front row, floor level seats. Much of the action took place inches from us and we couldn't stretch out our legs for fear of tripping the actors. Really. As for the play, think: Chekhov, with a sense of humor.

On Sunday morning, the HH went to mass while I went to hell - Hell's Kitchen, that is, to check out the weekend flea market. (The inflated devil at the beginning of this post marks the flea market's entrance.) One of my favorite bloggers, Eddie Ross, often writes about this flea market - or did when he lived in the city.

But on this Memorial Day weekend, the booth owners were looking bored and the crowd was thin.

I liked this Greek goddess holding a book, below, but not enough to pay NYC prices for it. (Especially not with the Ballston Spa village - wide garage sale coming up this month. Now there's the place for bargains!)

The heat began to get to me once again, so I headed back toward our hotel...

and noticed this imprisoned garden on the way. A sign on the fence said it had won some beautification award in 1998. Trouble was, the chain-link fence surrounding it was the densest mesh I've ever seen, and with its forbidding height and barbed wire topping, the garden looked incarcerated. So who gets to enjoy it?

Back at our hotel, the HH decided to go for a swim. It was a nice pool, but unheated, so few were actually using it. Still, it was pleasant to have a spot to sit outdoors.

On Sunday, we met the HH's cousin Stephen for dinner (below) and then went off to our original destination, The Screwtape Letters. Again, we were front and center in a smallish theater and were inches from the actors (spitting distance, quite literally.)

On Monday, we returned to The Strand so that the HH could get his fix. I discovered several copies of Saratoga in Bloom , which hasn't been released yet, but review copies had found their way to The Strand already. With some guilt, I bought a copy. Does plugging it here make up for the fact that the author probably didn't make a dime on my purchase?

On our way out of town, we stopped at Wave Hill in the Bronx, a public garden owned by the City of New York.

It's a pretty spot and the gardens were pleasant but not spectacular.

I don't suppose the city has lots of spare change just now for primping up posies in a posh area of the Bronx.

I liked the vistas from Wave Hill, looking toward the New Jersey Palisades...

and down the Hudson River to some urban skyline.

It was a good weekend and I would have happily stayed longer. Alas, there is this inconvenient thing called work.

* HH = Handsome Husband

Pub & Grub at The Jonesville Store

2010-05-16T12:46:00.006-04:00

After a full day of yard work Saturday, I was ready to have somebody else cook dinner. The HH* and I hied ourselves down to The Jonesville Store in Clifton Park for their 'Pub & Grub' music-food-beer festival. The Ernie Williams Trio, above, was just setting up inside as we arrived, while the band outside, the Blackboard Blues, was doing their final set. The beer and food pairings that night featured Adirondack Brewery craft beers (from Lake George) with Jonesville's own gourmet food.

Both inside...

and outside, the crowd was friendly and appreciative of the good food, cold beer, and fine music. I would definitely go again.

P.S. I am told that The Jonesville Store generally has live music on Friday and Saturday nights. See their website for hours and more info.

* HH = Handsome Husband