I'm an addict. I overplay FarmVille.
I admit it.
It's not my fault. It's theirs. The mathematicians and psychologists.
Conspiracy theory time? Not quite.
Several years ago I read, in the NY Times Magazine, an article about slot machines. At the time I found it fascinating because my job involved a non-mathematical job in a department that was occupied, other than me, by mathematicians. I mean hard core mathematicians, the type of people who would describe their breakfast at Denny's and say "my plate was 37% pancakes." These people wouldn't say goodbye at night because, after all, they would see you again tomorrow. (I'm sure the probability was in their favor.) I think they never quite understood me, the writer and non-mathematician, but I did earn their respect. The odds were with me. I made good brownies.
There are a bunch of CPA jokes out there (some interchangeable with engineer jokes) but in reality, these mathematicians were (almost all) nice people, when you dug beneath the math/nerdiness. There was the man who roasted his own coffee beans and made highly crafted furniture in his workshop on weekends. There was the woman who was trying to make a go at it as a single mother and first time homeowner. And there was the man who used to be a night orderly at a local hospital and still knew a lot of the street people who frequented downtown.
So I read with fascination how mathematicians are involved in the creation of slot machines. Not the old fashioned three cherries type of slot machine, but the newer electronic slot machines who entertain while they take your money. Mathematicians developed these machines, honing them to a finely tuned point of "give people what they want but just enough to keep them playing and, oh by the way, make us a great profit." while people think all mathematicians do is argue over equations that looked like something Einstein wrote on a blackboard.
Later, I would read about massive multiple player games such as World of Warcraft. Entire families playing together while their real lives fell apart. No, not for me, I would never get sucked into one of those things. I was above it all. That addiction stuff, that spending 16 hours a day online, that was for other people.
Then along came FarmVille.
Obviously, this game was worked on by both mathematicians and psychologists because it sure does work its addictive magic. The only thing saving humanity from spending 24/7 on online farming is....their glitchiness. Better pray it remains glitchy. Do not get lured into this little farming game, sounds like fun,you will interact with your friends and it's only a few minutes a day. You will interact and interact and interact and interact and one day you will wake up at 3am and realize your wine is sitting ready for sale and oh, your friend out on the West Coast must have just played and if you sign on NOW you have a chance of getting 3 bushels of carrots from her to make Sake with and you maybe will get a brown chicken egg containing maybe fuel and maybe a wonderful prize but if you wait, her other friends will grab it first and besides, her pig just found a truffle on your farm and....
Goodbye sleep.
So why does FarmVille work? I've given this a great deal of thought (and not at 3am either). If I feel like it, one day I will write more. It works on a number of levels and if you like psychology, you will love the insides of FarmVille.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
The End of Johnson City High School?
The building, I mean. And not the current building, but the historic Johnson City High School building on Main Street, which has been called the NYPENN Trade Center for many years.
I know at least one person who was in the last graduating class, which I think (don't quote me on this) was in 1973.
NYPENN has memories for us. My son took karate lessons there for many years.
Now this building is in serious danger of being closed down. I'm not sure of its exact age but I wouldn't be surprised if the building is at least 80 years old. I am always sad about the passing of old buildings, especially ones that were kept in ill repair. After its career as a high school, the Trade Center was a low-rent alternative for a lot of small businesses, some of which would never have succeeded without its shelter. One was Gil's Book Loft, which used to reside in downtown Binghamton. It ended up moving to NYPENN when Gil's closed its retail operations and went strictly internet. The co owner of Gils is a retired Binghamton librarian, a wonderful person. Where will they go? Where will anyone go?
Now it will be just another vacant building on the fringes of downtown Johnson City.
Another, as they say, nail in the coffin of what used to be a thriving village. Even the Johnson City Field Days, which start tonight and end with the traditional Labor Day fireworks on Monday night, won't be enough to brighten the village this weekend.
I know at least one person who was in the last graduating class, which I think (don't quote me on this) was in 1973.
NYPENN has memories for us. My son took karate lessons there for many years.
Now this building is in serious danger of being closed down. I'm not sure of its exact age but I wouldn't be surprised if the building is at least 80 years old. I am always sad about the passing of old buildings, especially ones that were kept in ill repair. After its career as a high school, the Trade Center was a low-rent alternative for a lot of small businesses, some of which would never have succeeded without its shelter. One was Gil's Book Loft, which used to reside in downtown Binghamton. It ended up moving to NYPENN when Gil's closed its retail operations and went strictly internet. The co owner of Gils is a retired Binghamton librarian, a wonderful person. Where will they go? Where will anyone go?
Now it will be just another vacant building on the fringes of downtown Johnson City.
Another, as they say, nail in the coffin of what used to be a thriving village. Even the Johnson City Field Days, which start tonight and end with the traditional Labor Day fireworks on Monday night, won't be enough to brighten the village this weekend.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Bicycles and Bluegrass
Such a wonderful thing that has arisen out of tragedy.
In 1983 a student by the name of Chris Thater, while cycling, was killed by a drunk driver near Harpursville, NY.
His friends would not let that senseless death rest. Rather, they have turned it into one heck of a memorial. The Chris Thater Memorial. A two day bicycle race held in a residential neighborhood in Binghamton bordering Binghamton's Recreation Park, made somewhat famous by several episodes of the Twilight Zone. (Rod Serling grew up nearby and spent a lot of time in that park), it celebrates "Stop DWI" and brings bicyclists from all over the world to our small city.
For the 27th year, bicyclists assembled from all over the world: Australia, Guyana and more (even Asheville, NC). The scene: surreal. Neighbors set up lemonade stands or sit on their lawns and watched the riders. Riders sped around blocked off streets (some posts protected with hay bales) at 30-35 mph with local residents cheering them on and ringing cowbells. In the park there was a mix of people listening to music, dancing, gyrating with a hula hoop, visiting the refreshment stands. Residents and racers rode bicycles through the park. ( I talked to a woman who came in with a tandem recumbant bicycle-more on that in another post (maybe).)
Mission in Motion was there, and I briefly was able to talk to the team member I know before her race started.
This year, an expanded music lineup entertained all. What a blast, hearing good music while watching the riders going around and around. Every 2 1/2 minutes or so the pace car came by, followed by the pack, speeding in back of the stage.
They say upwards of 10,000. people come each year.
Here are some of the bands we enjoyed:
One Click Culture
The Terry Walker Project (sadly, the sound system never quite worked for them - but if you love Blood, Sweat and Tears you'd love them. And, they did an unbelieveable cover of James Brown's Living in America;
Dirt Farm
Both spouse and I were somewhat overcome by the sun and never got to see another highly regarded band from Rochester, the Boogiemen.
This year, not a cloud in the sky, and I have a sunburned neck to testify to that. That's not usual weather for Binghamton. One could almost think Chris Thater was smiling down on us, knowing his untimely death was not in vain.
In 1983 a student by the name of Chris Thater, while cycling, was killed by a drunk driver near Harpursville, NY.
His friends would not let that senseless death rest. Rather, they have turned it into one heck of a memorial. The Chris Thater Memorial. A two day bicycle race held in a residential neighborhood in Binghamton bordering Binghamton's Recreation Park, made somewhat famous by several episodes of the Twilight Zone. (Rod Serling grew up nearby and spent a lot of time in that park), it celebrates "Stop DWI" and brings bicyclists from all over the world to our small city.
For the 27th year, bicyclists assembled from all over the world: Australia, Guyana and more (even Asheville, NC). The scene: surreal. Neighbors set up lemonade stands or sit on their lawns and watched the riders. Riders sped around blocked off streets (some posts protected with hay bales) at 30-35 mph with local residents cheering them on and ringing cowbells. In the park there was a mix of people listening to music, dancing, gyrating with a hula hoop, visiting the refreshment stands. Residents and racers rode bicycles through the park. ( I talked to a woman who came in with a tandem recumbant bicycle-more on that in another post (maybe).)
Mission in Motion was there, and I briefly was able to talk to the team member I know before her race started.
This year, an expanded music lineup entertained all. What a blast, hearing good music while watching the riders going around and around. Every 2 1/2 minutes or so the pace car came by, followed by the pack, speeding in back of the stage.
They say upwards of 10,000. people come each year.
Here are some of the bands we enjoyed:
One Click Culture
The Terry Walker Project (sadly, the sound system never quite worked for them - but if you love Blood, Sweat and Tears you'd love them. And, they did an unbelieveable cover of James Brown's Living in America;
Dirt Farm
Both spouse and I were somewhat overcome by the sun and never got to see another highly regarded band from Rochester, the Boogiemen.
This year, not a cloud in the sky, and I have a sunburned neck to testify to that. That's not usual weather for Binghamton. One could almost think Chris Thater was smiling down on us, knowing his untimely death was not in vain.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Heritage Farming on FarmVille
For all my complaints against FarmVille (and I can't complain - it is tree after all, unless you WANT to pay for it) I will say that FarmVille is paying a lot more attention to heritage farming issues lately.
Here are some nice recent touches:
1. Adding the opportunity to run farmstead wineries, "spas" and bakeries, using goods you grow on your farm to make products. You then sell products to your neighbors, and some of your goods can also be "sold" in return for fuel. I understand a "pig pen" feature will be added in the near future, where pigs can be fed from the bushels of certain crops the FarmVille farmer grows. That will be interesting to see.
2. More and more "heritage animals" and unusual breeds: Scots Grey chickens (I never owned them in my years of chicken ownership but they are an old time breed, similar in looks to Barred Rocks (which I have owned), and date from about the 16th century), Boer Goats (this website is a hoot)-and I understand more are to come-and many more. When you get one, go online and read about them.
3. Crops: besides the recent short term organic blueberries, there are purple podded peas and purple carrots. Yes, I've grown both! Many people don't realize that the original cultivated carrots were not orange.
Why should I care? Because FarmVille is probably the closest that many Americans (and maybe others) will ever get to a true small farm. Granted, true small farms don't have tiki bars, miniature Eiffel Towers and Tuscan Wedding Tents. But what they do have is very hard working family oriented people who care about the food they grow.
Yes, FarmVille, way to go. Keep up the good work-but not too fast, we don't want any more glitches. Even if they are organic glitches.
Here are some nice recent touches:
1. Adding the opportunity to run farmstead wineries, "spas" and bakeries, using goods you grow on your farm to make products. You then sell products to your neighbors, and some of your goods can also be "sold" in return for fuel. I understand a "pig pen" feature will be added in the near future, where pigs can be fed from the bushels of certain crops the FarmVille farmer grows. That will be interesting to see.
2. More and more "heritage animals" and unusual breeds: Scots Grey chickens (I never owned them in my years of chicken ownership but they are an old time breed, similar in looks to Barred Rocks (which I have owned), and date from about the 16th century), Boer Goats (this website is a hoot)-and I understand more are to come-and many more. When you get one, go online and read about them.
3. Crops: besides the recent short term organic blueberries, there are purple podded peas and purple carrots. Yes, I've grown both! Many people don't realize that the original cultivated carrots were not orange.
Why should I care? Because FarmVille is probably the closest that many Americans (and maybe others) will ever get to a true small farm. Granted, true small farms don't have tiki bars, miniature Eiffel Towers and Tuscan Wedding Tents. But what they do have is very hard working family oriented people who care about the food they grow.
Yes, FarmVille, way to go. Keep up the good work-but not too fast, we don't want any more glitches. Even if they are organic glitches.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
OMG-My MIL is on Facebook
I hope I am as up to date when I am in my 80's.
Actually, I've been (along with some of her friends) encouraging my mother in law to get on Facebook for a while. To me it is easier than email and it has wonderful photo sharing tools. She had a lot of misgivings, although she is very social. I couldn't blame her for some of her misgivings, especially about online safety.
But today, a niece from way out of town visited and - voila-she was on. She joined about 4 hours ago and already has 9 friends. I hope this niece set her up for maximum privacy settings.
It was a pleasant surprise when I came home tonight and found the friend request.
Way to go.
So far the friends are all younger relatives, ranging from their 60's to their 20's. I hope she can make contact with "true" friends. Wouldn't it be something?
Now (hee hee) if I can interest her in FarmVille.....
Actually, I've been (along with some of her friends) encouraging my mother in law to get on Facebook for a while. To me it is easier than email and it has wonderful photo sharing tools. She had a lot of misgivings, although she is very social. I couldn't blame her for some of her misgivings, especially about online safety.
But today, a niece from way out of town visited and - voila-she was on. She joined about 4 hours ago and already has 9 friends. I hope this niece set her up for maximum privacy settings.
It was a pleasant surprise when I came home tonight and found the friend request.
Way to go.
So far the friends are all younger relatives, ranging from their 60's to their 20's. I hope she can make contact with "true" friends. Wouldn't it be something?
Now (hee hee) if I can interest her in FarmVille.....
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Urban Eggs
Grow your own eggs!
Urban chicken farming. What? Who, me? Well, it is a time honored tradition. You would be surprised to know the cities that allow keeping of chickens. I'd love to know your experiences - please feel welcome to post.
Isn't it illegal? Well, that depends on where you live. If it is illegal, don't try it at home. But do lobby for having the law changed. Various communities have changed their laws in recent years. After this "egg scandal" I bet more will. Be sure to do your research so you don't learn "the hard way".
Again, this isn't a political blog so I will keep to my area of expertise - I do love chickens, and I used to keep them. But be aware: it is work! (but maybe no more than owning a couple of dogs.)
We haven't tried urban chicken farming. Yet. But the latest scare, the famous Iowa egg scare, may have a lot of people thinking about trying it.
I'm not going to give you a lot of advice, having only raised and kept chickens in rural settings. Instead, if you are lucky and your local laws allow, here are some tips from my store of experience:
1. Stick to the ladies. You probably will have to, anyway, as urban laws generally ban roosters (for very good reasons). But chickens will lay eggs quite happily without a rooster. I doubt they miss the males anyway. You won't miss roosters either. They can be very aggressive and they have spurs on their legs. (Ouch!) They don't crow once at dawn and shut up for the day. Oh no. It's more like every few minutes and they only stop at night. They will wear your ladies out. Again, stick to the ladies unless you want to eat chicken, also.
2. Socialize your ladies. If you get the chicks young, spend time with them. Handle them. They do make good pets, if you don't mind pets who can dig up your garden in seconds flat. Fence well. They can fly, especially the smaller breeds and your neighbors won't want chickens in their flowers any more than they want your cats in their flowers.
3. Get the right breed for your needs. Decide if you want the chickens for both meat and eggs or just meat, or just eggs. If you want meat well...is there a place or person who will do the deed or will you have to? Are you up to it? It's not pretty. But some will say you should do this from beginning to end. Be sure to choose a breed with a name. Some "all purpose" breeds will give both good meat and nice, brown eggs.
You won't be able to do the mail order of my last post, as you have to get 25 at a time (to keep each other warm). If you are lucky you have access to a farm store. Otherwise, you will have to find some friends and split an order.
4. But if you do eat your chickens be aware these are not your supermarket chickens. They will have lots of flavor-and lots of toughness. There are some very nice recipes out there for "free range" chickens and there is a reason for those recipes. They make wonderful soup, by the way. Wonderful, golden, tasty true chicken soup. They say it is great for colds. My son sure swears by chicken soup for colds.
5. But back to eggs....one thing you also need to be aware of is that egg production is photo sensitive. In other words, if you want eggs in the winter you are (unless you live in a place like Florida) going to have to put lights on them to artifically extend their day. If you don't, you aren't going to get many eggs. Be sure you make provision for that.
Feed? If you don't have a local farm store you can mail order the food. They will need a mix of grains, or layer pellets if you want to simplify their feeding. Great supplements include weeds from your garden and bugs from your garden. (Squeamish alert) we used to feed our chickens grasshoppers and weeds. They love both.
6. Finally, chickens....well, um, that food you feed them comes out the other end. Don't use it on your garden without aging it, and make sure your neighbors are OK with it. Otherwise, dispose of in an "organic" manner. I guarantee it if you offer the used bedding for free you will have some very eager gardeners ready to haul it away for you. (maybe you could sell them some eggs, too.....) Be considerate of your neighbors, always. If you tick them off you aren't going to be successful - period.
Sorry for the ramble but I just couldn't resist sharing what little I know. Good luck, and take my advice for what it is worth-I hope it is worth something to you. Maybe one day we will take the urban plunge-although I don't think so, we want to travel too much!
Urban chicken farming. What? Who, me? Well, it is a time honored tradition. You would be surprised to know the cities that allow keeping of chickens. I'd love to know your experiences - please feel welcome to post.
Isn't it illegal? Well, that depends on where you live. If it is illegal, don't try it at home. But do lobby for having the law changed. Various communities have changed their laws in recent years. After this "egg scandal" I bet more will. Be sure to do your research so you don't learn "the hard way".
Again, this isn't a political blog so I will keep to my area of expertise - I do love chickens, and I used to keep them. But be aware: it is work! (but maybe no more than owning a couple of dogs.)
We haven't tried urban chicken farming. Yet. But the latest scare, the famous Iowa egg scare, may have a lot of people thinking about trying it.
I'm not going to give you a lot of advice, having only raised and kept chickens in rural settings. Instead, if you are lucky and your local laws allow, here are some tips from my store of experience:
1. Stick to the ladies. You probably will have to, anyway, as urban laws generally ban roosters (for very good reasons). But chickens will lay eggs quite happily without a rooster. I doubt they miss the males anyway. You won't miss roosters either. They can be very aggressive and they have spurs on their legs. (Ouch!) They don't crow once at dawn and shut up for the day. Oh no. It's more like every few minutes and they only stop at night. They will wear your ladies out. Again, stick to the ladies unless you want to eat chicken, also.
2. Socialize your ladies. If you get the chicks young, spend time with them. Handle them. They do make good pets, if you don't mind pets who can dig up your garden in seconds flat. Fence well. They can fly, especially the smaller breeds and your neighbors won't want chickens in their flowers any more than they want your cats in their flowers.
3. Get the right breed for your needs. Decide if you want the chickens for both meat and eggs or just meat, or just eggs. If you want meat well...is there a place or person who will do the deed or will you have to? Are you up to it? It's not pretty. But some will say you should do this from beginning to end. Be sure to choose a breed with a name. Some "all purpose" breeds will give both good meat and nice, brown eggs.
You won't be able to do the mail order of my last post, as you have to get 25 at a time (to keep each other warm). If you are lucky you have access to a farm store. Otherwise, you will have to find some friends and split an order.
4. But if you do eat your chickens be aware these are not your supermarket chickens. They will have lots of flavor-and lots of toughness. There are some very nice recipes out there for "free range" chickens and there is a reason for those recipes. They make wonderful soup, by the way. Wonderful, golden, tasty true chicken soup. They say it is great for colds. My son sure swears by chicken soup for colds.
5. But back to eggs....one thing you also need to be aware of is that egg production is photo sensitive. In other words, if you want eggs in the winter you are (unless you live in a place like Florida) going to have to put lights on them to artifically extend their day. If you don't, you aren't going to get many eggs. Be sure you make provision for that.
Feed? If you don't have a local farm store you can mail order the food. They will need a mix of grains, or layer pellets if you want to simplify their feeding. Great supplements include weeds from your garden and bugs from your garden. (Squeamish alert) we used to feed our chickens grasshoppers and weeds. They love both.
6. Finally, chickens....well, um, that food you feed them comes out the other end. Don't use it on your garden without aging it, and make sure your neighbors are OK with it. Otherwise, dispose of in an "organic" manner. I guarantee it if you offer the used bedding for free you will have some very eager gardeners ready to haul it away for you. (maybe you could sell them some eggs, too.....) Be considerate of your neighbors, always. If you tick them off you aren't going to be successful - period.
Sorry for the ramble but I just couldn't resist sharing what little I know. Good luck, and take my advice for what it is worth-I hope it is worth something to you. Maybe one day we will take the urban plunge-although I don't think so, we want to travel too much!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Mail Order Chicken Memories
I never realized that Iowa is the #1 egg producer in the country. I wonder when that happened. (I could research that, but....)
I lived briefly in Iowa in the 1970's and have been back many times since. When I think of Iowa, I think of (not necessarily in this order): Pork, soybeans, corn. In fact, if you ask my son (who has been to Iowa several times) his memories, they are of miles and miles of very boring cornfields. I don't think I saw many chicken houses there (and yes, I have been in them, when I lived in Arkansas-a former neighbor bought a chicken farm and we visited him.)
When I think of Iowa, I also think of local food, of heritage breeds, of farmers who still care. Iowa does have at least one heritage breed poultry breeder, who we bought from several times when we lived in Arkansas: the incomparable Murray McMurray Hatchery.
Iowa also has wonderful, friendly people and a wonderful place we have never been to-the headquarters of the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa and its Heritage Farm..
Exactly the opposite of the current egg scandal farm owners, the folks at Seed Savers work to keep genetic diversity in our seeds, and also seek to keep heritage breeds of certain animals alive. Their work deserves to be well publicized. Please visit their website and read their blog.
Too bad Iowa right now is in the news for something totally different-tainted eggs. Half a billion eggs recalled. And, thanks to factory farming, shipped to 22 states. It would seem these farms have had many violations-the "same old same old". I will not go into a rant about food safety regulations-this is not a political blog. So instead I would like to share some memories of when Iowa farming goes right.
I have fond memories of visiting the Iowa City Farmers Market. Iowa City is a college town so, as you could expect, they had their share of organic booths. Of course, everything was locally grown and made.
Yes, in Iowa the small farmer still exists, marketing the most delicious pork and beef (sorry, vegetarian readers), plus all the usual veggies. In a climate hotter than ours in the northeast, one even saw okra and some other southern favorites for sale.
But I promised to speak about mail order chicken memories. I want to share something about raising chickens and "growing" our own eggs-from Iowa chickens.
Back in the 1980's, when we kept chickens, we would spend the New Year perusing the Murray McMurray catalog, with its brightly colored pictures of what was even then called "rare" chickens. These are the chickens with names, not numbers: Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire...and on and one-about 130 breeds total.
We would make our selection and place our order (in the mail, of course). No internet, no fascinating website giving pictures of their operations, no instant update of stock on hand. Rather, we placed our order and waited for the day we specified. We did it the "old fashioned" way which, in those days, was the only way.
On the appointed day, there would be a phone call from our local rural post office. We had to come and get them; they would not deliver. The box, cheeping away, was rushed home. In a miracle that we could never get tired of, the living chicks survived the trip. Just imagine opening a box and being greeted by 25 cheeping 2 day old chicks! We would take each one out gently, dip its beak in water, and put each precious chick in a little pen under a warm light. The waterer and feeder were made from mason jars screwed into special "lips". We fed them commercial but unmedicated chick starter. After a day or so, they would be ready for supplementation with the occasional June Bug attracted by the light.
This next part is not for the squeamish. The chicks would get hold of the unfortunate bug and chase each other, trying to snatch what was left of the large bug (it didn't last very long) in a game of chick free-for-all. The whole while, they would be screaming in delight.
Don't ever say baby chicks are cute. Not unless you've seen one of those feedings.
You have to love chickens to know them. And you have to accept their nature. Chickens are omnivores, and they lust for blood. If one of those chicks accidentally got cut, it would have suffered the same fate as that bug.
Well, those chicks would grow, and about 6 months later the female (pullets) would start to lay their small beginner eggs. The males? Well, that part isn't for the squeamish either. (I'll leave the part out about how roosters treat the hens also.) Now, that's living. Nothing like a wonderful, thick shelled, fresh egg. Except if you want to hard boil, in which case you want a slightly aged egg.
Know what? We never worried about salmonella. We ate raw (from scratch) cake batter. We even made (gasp!) real eggnog!
We moved back to urban life in 1986, and our chicken life was over. Well, maybe not so fast.
But what about Iowa, land of Seed Savers and rare chicken flocks? (yes, Murray McMurray uses local farmers to produce their eggs for hatching.)
I hope that the reputation of Iowa isn't tainted by this nightmare example of factory farming and inadequate food safety regulation. Instead, think of seed saving. Think of heritage chickens.
Support your local farmer. Know who produces your food. Know HOW it is produced. Ask questions. Ask lots of questions.
That's one way to protect yourself.
I lived briefly in Iowa in the 1970's and have been back many times since. When I think of Iowa, I think of (not necessarily in this order): Pork, soybeans, corn. In fact, if you ask my son (who has been to Iowa several times) his memories, they are of miles and miles of very boring cornfields. I don't think I saw many chicken houses there (and yes, I have been in them, when I lived in Arkansas-a former neighbor bought a chicken farm and we visited him.)
When I think of Iowa, I also think of local food, of heritage breeds, of farmers who still care. Iowa does have at least one heritage breed poultry breeder, who we bought from several times when we lived in Arkansas: the incomparable Murray McMurray Hatchery.
Iowa also has wonderful, friendly people and a wonderful place we have never been to-the headquarters of the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa and its Heritage Farm..
Exactly the opposite of the current egg scandal farm owners, the folks at Seed Savers work to keep genetic diversity in our seeds, and also seek to keep heritage breeds of certain animals alive. Their work deserves to be well publicized. Please visit their website and read their blog.
Too bad Iowa right now is in the news for something totally different-tainted eggs. Half a billion eggs recalled. And, thanks to factory farming, shipped to 22 states. It would seem these farms have had many violations-the "same old same old". I will not go into a rant about food safety regulations-this is not a political blog. So instead I would like to share some memories of when Iowa farming goes right.
I have fond memories of visiting the Iowa City Farmers Market. Iowa City is a college town so, as you could expect, they had their share of organic booths. Of course, everything was locally grown and made.
Yes, in Iowa the small farmer still exists, marketing the most delicious pork and beef (sorry, vegetarian readers), plus all the usual veggies. In a climate hotter than ours in the northeast, one even saw okra and some other southern favorites for sale.
But I promised to speak about mail order chicken memories. I want to share something about raising chickens and "growing" our own eggs-from Iowa chickens.
Back in the 1980's, when we kept chickens, we would spend the New Year perusing the Murray McMurray catalog, with its brightly colored pictures of what was even then called "rare" chickens. These are the chickens with names, not numbers: Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire...and on and one-about 130 breeds total.
We would make our selection and place our order (in the mail, of course). No internet, no fascinating website giving pictures of their operations, no instant update of stock on hand. Rather, we placed our order and waited for the day we specified. We did it the "old fashioned" way which, in those days, was the only way.
On the appointed day, there would be a phone call from our local rural post office. We had to come and get them; they would not deliver. The box, cheeping away, was rushed home. In a miracle that we could never get tired of, the living chicks survived the trip. Just imagine opening a box and being greeted by 25 cheeping 2 day old chicks! We would take each one out gently, dip its beak in water, and put each precious chick in a little pen under a warm light. The waterer and feeder were made from mason jars screwed into special "lips". We fed them commercial but unmedicated chick starter. After a day or so, they would be ready for supplementation with the occasional June Bug attracted by the light.
This next part is not for the squeamish. The chicks would get hold of the unfortunate bug and chase each other, trying to snatch what was left of the large bug (it didn't last very long) in a game of chick free-for-all. The whole while, they would be screaming in delight.
Don't ever say baby chicks are cute. Not unless you've seen one of those feedings.
You have to love chickens to know them. And you have to accept their nature. Chickens are omnivores, and they lust for blood. If one of those chicks accidentally got cut, it would have suffered the same fate as that bug.
Well, those chicks would grow, and about 6 months later the female (pullets) would start to lay their small beginner eggs. The males? Well, that part isn't for the squeamish either. (I'll leave the part out about how roosters treat the hens also.) Now, that's living. Nothing like a wonderful, thick shelled, fresh egg. Except if you want to hard boil, in which case you want a slightly aged egg.
Know what? We never worried about salmonella. We ate raw (from scratch) cake batter. We even made (gasp!) real eggnog!
We moved back to urban life in 1986, and our chicken life was over. Well, maybe not so fast.
But what about Iowa, land of Seed Savers and rare chicken flocks? (yes, Murray McMurray uses local farmers to produce their eggs for hatching.)
I hope that the reputation of Iowa isn't tainted by this nightmare example of factory farming and inadequate food safety regulation. Instead, think of seed saving. Think of heritage chickens.
Support your local farmer. Know who produces your food. Know HOW it is produced. Ask questions. Ask lots of questions.
That's one way to protect yourself.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Healing Wounds One Garlic Plant at a Time
No, this post isn't about the medicinal uses of the garlic plant. But if you came here by mistake, please stay and read anyway.
I'm talking about a totally different type of healing, healing psychic wounds of a community.
Yesterday we went to the ACA's Garlic Festival on the edge of downtown Binghamton.
After a one year hiatus due to the horrendous shooting of April 3, 2009, we welcome the festival back.
We weren't going to go until today, but the weather report, combined with a one hour postponement in an event we were supposed to go to yesterday afternoon, combined in us making the trip yesterday. We didn't have too long to say, so didn't go inside to purchase garlic food. There were lines and we didn't have time to wait.
Just think, going inside, into a building that some might say was haunted. But how fitting that laughter filled that space yesterday.
Outside, the mood was just as festive. A number of booths were selling...well, what else, but garic. Spanish Roja, White German, Music, Elephant, and many more, hung braided, sat in bags, or loose, next to plates with pieces cut up for pre-purchase sampling. We bought a couple of bags of spouses' favorite, Music. Another booth had local pestos- spinach, sun dried tomato, red pepper, and more. Still another booth had pesto made from garlic scapes. (Garlic scapes are the top of the garlic plant, just as the seed area starts to form. They are delicious but you have to get the plant at just the right time or they become tough.)
Still another vendor, reminiscent of the New York soup man Jerry Seinfeld modeled his "Soup Nazi" after, sold his genuine Pennsylvania smoked sausage. If you looked at him wrong, he told you to "Go to the back of the line!" (No Garlic for You!) But it was all in good fun, the crowds gathered to enjoy his banter and we bought some sausage from him, too.
Local food, local garlic, even garlic ice cream (which I would never dare to try). A good time was had by all.
I'm talking about a totally different type of healing, healing psychic wounds of a community.
Yesterday we went to the ACA's Garlic Festival on the edge of downtown Binghamton.
After a one year hiatus due to the horrendous shooting of April 3, 2009, we welcome the festival back.
We weren't going to go until today, but the weather report, combined with a one hour postponement in an event we were supposed to go to yesterday afternoon, combined in us making the trip yesterday. We didn't have too long to say, so didn't go inside to purchase garlic food. There were lines and we didn't have time to wait.
Just think, going inside, into a building that some might say was haunted. But how fitting that laughter filled that space yesterday.
Outside, the mood was just as festive. A number of booths were selling...well, what else, but garic. Spanish Roja, White German, Music, Elephant, and many more, hung braided, sat in bags, or loose, next to plates with pieces cut up for pre-purchase sampling. We bought a couple of bags of spouses' favorite, Music. Another booth had local pestos- spinach, sun dried tomato, red pepper, and more. Still another booth had pesto made from garlic scapes. (Garlic scapes are the top of the garlic plant, just as the seed area starts to form. They are delicious but you have to get the plant at just the right time or they become tough.)
Still another vendor, reminiscent of the New York soup man Jerry Seinfeld modeled his "Soup Nazi" after, sold his genuine Pennsylvania smoked sausage. If you looked at him wrong, he told you to "Go to the back of the line!" (No Garlic for You!) But it was all in good fun, the crowds gathered to enjoy his banter and we bought some sausage from him, too.
Local food, local garlic, even garlic ice cream (which I would never dare to try). A good time was had by all.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Arverne By the Sea
I've talked about growing up in what became a slum neighborhood of the Bronx, but I am actually from Queens.
I have only a few childhood memories of tales of the place that was my home back when I was a little baby, from where my parents moved from when I was five months old. I was never to return...at least so I thought.
Stories my Dad told me as a child, so distant in my memory, flooded back recently.
I was born in the Rockaways, an area of Queens (part of NYC). We lived on Beach 56th Street, in a neighborhood called Arverne.
Arverne had become a slum, too, by the time I was a teenager. My two childhood homes, both slums. No wonder I escaped New York City all together.
My Dad told me he would wheel my baby carriage on the Boardwalk. I was a baby during the winter. When it snowed, the snow would melt in the salt air. I love the ocean, although I don't see it often. The ocean is in my blood.
The other day, I picked up an old New York magazine where I exercise. People discard magazines and books. Sometimes I find something interesting. This magazine caught my eye. I brought it home.
The magazine talked about various New York City neighborhoods. One made me totally stop and gasp.
Arverne by the Sea. The magazine called it an "urbanist experiment".
It's urban renewal as you've never seen it. A social experiment. To be blunt, a lot of the area is high crime, and the commute to Manhattan is quite long. But on the bay side, Arverne by the Sea rises, challenging a hurricane to destroy it.
New York City does get hurricanes, you know.
I found something else online..the word Edgemere Houses. It's not the housing project where my parents lived-I wish I could remember the name but I know Edgemere wasn't it. But- I looked Edgemere up on the Internet and found a treasure trove of photos....including that boardwalk where I was wheeled in a baby carriage. Part of it is called Ocean Promenade and all together it's the largest boardwalk on the East Coast.
But much of what it winds through is....vacant. Abandoned. Such sad photos. Arverne by the Sea seeks to change that.
Arverne by the Sea. I will continue to follow the development with interest, and wish it much success. One day I will remember the name of the housing project where I lived as a baby, and perhaps the Internet will allow me to solve another puzzle of my childhood. And maybe one day both Arverne and my Bronx neighborhood will rise again from their ashes.
I have only a few childhood memories of tales of the place that was my home back when I was a little baby, from where my parents moved from when I was five months old. I was never to return...at least so I thought.
Stories my Dad told me as a child, so distant in my memory, flooded back recently.
I was born in the Rockaways, an area of Queens (part of NYC). We lived on Beach 56th Street, in a neighborhood called Arverne.
Arverne had become a slum, too, by the time I was a teenager. My two childhood homes, both slums. No wonder I escaped New York City all together.
My Dad told me he would wheel my baby carriage on the Boardwalk. I was a baby during the winter. When it snowed, the snow would melt in the salt air. I love the ocean, although I don't see it often. The ocean is in my blood.
The other day, I picked up an old New York magazine where I exercise. People discard magazines and books. Sometimes I find something interesting. This magazine caught my eye. I brought it home.
The magazine talked about various New York City neighborhoods. One made me totally stop and gasp.
Arverne by the Sea. The magazine called it an "urbanist experiment".
It's urban renewal as you've never seen it. A social experiment. To be blunt, a lot of the area is high crime, and the commute to Manhattan is quite long. But on the bay side, Arverne by the Sea rises, challenging a hurricane to destroy it.
New York City does get hurricanes, you know.
I found something else online..the word Edgemere Houses. It's not the housing project where my parents lived-I wish I could remember the name but I know Edgemere wasn't it. But- I looked Edgemere up on the Internet and found a treasure trove of photos....including that boardwalk where I was wheeled in a baby carriage. Part of it is called Ocean Promenade and all together it's the largest boardwalk on the East Coast.
But much of what it winds through is....vacant. Abandoned. Such sad photos. Arverne by the Sea seeks to change that.
Arverne by the Sea. I will continue to follow the development with interest, and wish it much success. One day I will remember the name of the housing project where I lived as a baby, and perhaps the Internet will allow me to solve another puzzle of my childhood. And maybe one day both Arverne and my Bronx neighborhood will rise again from their ashes.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Garlic of Hope
Another sign that the American Civic Association is returning to normal, whatever normal can be, after the horrible day of April 3, 2009 when life for the families of the 14 dead (including the murderer of 13 innocents) changed forever.
A couple of weeks ago a banner was strung across Court Street, announcing the return of the Multi-Ethnic Garlic Festival this weekend. A yearly event, it was cancelled last August due to the shootings.
We've gone to this festival several times. A lot of fun, you get to sample various garlics and garlic products. Spouse fell in love with one particular garlic variety called Music. He plans to buy some at the festival.
My walking companion said to me "how can you go back into that building after what happened?" We never spent much time in the building-the garlic vendors were outside, although inside the building you could get various cooked and raw garlic delicacies, including ice cream.
I don't know how they would handle it but I wouldn't be surprised if the building is closed to the public. As for me-yes, I think it would be spooky and sad. If I went inside, I might just break into tears, feeling the vibes of the dead. After all, I do know someone whose church friend was the woman who switched places with another teacher so she could get away for her wedding anniversary-and her friend died. But we will see. In a way, if they have the building open, I should go in. And not just as a curiosity seeker.
In the meantime, we are so happy the festival is resuming. Indeed this is the garlic of hope, a hope of healing.
A couple of weeks ago a banner was strung across Court Street, announcing the return of the Multi-Ethnic Garlic Festival this weekend. A yearly event, it was cancelled last August due to the shootings.
We've gone to this festival several times. A lot of fun, you get to sample various garlics and garlic products. Spouse fell in love with one particular garlic variety called Music. He plans to buy some at the festival.
My walking companion said to me "how can you go back into that building after what happened?" We never spent much time in the building-the garlic vendors were outside, although inside the building you could get various cooked and raw garlic delicacies, including ice cream.
I don't know how they would handle it but I wouldn't be surprised if the building is closed to the public. As for me-yes, I think it would be spooky and sad. If I went inside, I might just break into tears, feeling the vibes of the dead. After all, I do know someone whose church friend was the woman who switched places with another teacher so she could get away for her wedding anniversary-and her friend died. But we will see. In a way, if they have the building open, I should go in. And not just as a curiosity seeker.
In the meantime, we are so happy the festival is resuming. Indeed this is the garlic of hope, a hope of healing.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Alligators Along the Susquehanna
...and, a Johnson City drainage ditch. Near our new Wal-Mart, no less. (The Johnson City one has been caught, according to the news.)
Our local CBS affiliate got a picture of the Susquehanna alligator.
First, decorated dinosaurs...now real live alligators. I'm sure the fishermen in this area aren't amused, and neither are the people who like to gather at various unofficial "swimmin' holes" along the Susquehanna.
However, as someone who grew up in NYC (land of the alligators in the sewers) and lived in Florida (alligators in ditches there are a dime a dozen)...well, we probably have more to worry about from snapping turtles around here.
Of course, if someone actually gets hurt, it won't be a joke anymore.
Who says Binghamton is boring?
And folks, please...alligators do NOT make good pets. Or Upstate NY wildlife. Just ask the folks in Florida, who fish them out of swimming pools and other spots.
Our local CBS affiliate got a picture of the Susquehanna alligator.
First, decorated dinosaurs...now real live alligators. I'm sure the fishermen in this area aren't amused, and neither are the people who like to gather at various unofficial "swimmin' holes" along the Susquehanna.
However, as someone who grew up in NYC (land of the alligators in the sewers) and lived in Florida (alligators in ditches there are a dime a dozen)...well, we probably have more to worry about from snapping turtles around here.
Of course, if someone actually gets hurt, it won't be a joke anymore.
Who says Binghamton is boring?
And folks, please...alligators do NOT make good pets. Or Upstate NY wildlife. Just ask the folks in Florida, who fish them out of swimming pools and other spots.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Survivor Stories
In honor of my mother in law, who is a 2 time breast cancer survivor, I post a link to a site called Survivor Stories.
This is a local project and tells the story of 9 cancer survivors (6 of them breast cancer).
Please visit this site and click through to the photos and videos.
This is a local project and tells the story of 9 cancer survivors (6 of them breast cancer).
Please visit this site and click through to the photos and videos.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Homemade Root Beer
In researching something else, I ran across this item about Amish selling homemade root beer in farm stands in Lancaster County, PA.
I've been getting into a lot of "remembering" about my younger life, so this brought me back to when we used to make our own root beer.
It isn't really that difficult once you learn how, but it's a bit tricky and involved and you may need to practice a few times. No, you don't have to go into the woods and dig sassafras roots. In fact, you shouldn't. We did have a couple of sassafras trees and the roots, when scratched, did smell like root beer. But even then (back in the early 80's) the cancer causing properties of sassafras were already known. So we did what can still be done today-we mail ordered root beer extract from a brewing supply company.
Next step is to gather bottles. You want very heavy duty bottles, like Champagne bottles or other sparkling wine (unless you like exploding bottles and glass all over your house). You also need caps, and a capper. You can get these from brewing supply companies, also. A teeny bit expensive, but you'll only have to buy the capper once.
The rest of the recipe can be found here (note, when we were making it, there was no internet. So we followed directions that came with the extract.) You will see, if you read this, that true root beer gets its carbonation from yeast - but it has very little alcoholic content. Your children can drink it safely.
What if you don't want to go to the trouble and don't live in Amish country?
In that case, if you have a local brewery, they may well already be making root beer. It may cost $1.00 or more a 12 oz bottle, but...well, this isn't the supermarket stuff.
Two root beers I have personally sampled (and no, I am not being paid to post this information) are from the Ithaca Beer company in Ithaca, NY and the Millstream Brewing Company in Amana, Iowa. (Both companies also make ginger beer-not really a beer, but not your supermarket ginger ale, either. It has a bite!)
(Speaking of the Amana colony in Iowa, that brings back a lot more memories. One day I'll dig into some of those memories.)
Have you tried to make root beer? Or have you had the "real thing"? I'd be curious to know.
I've been getting into a lot of "remembering" about my younger life, so this brought me back to when we used to make our own root beer.
It isn't really that difficult once you learn how, but it's a bit tricky and involved and you may need to practice a few times. No, you don't have to go into the woods and dig sassafras roots. In fact, you shouldn't. We did have a couple of sassafras trees and the roots, when scratched, did smell like root beer. But even then (back in the early 80's) the cancer causing properties of sassafras were already known. So we did what can still be done today-we mail ordered root beer extract from a brewing supply company.
Next step is to gather bottles. You want very heavy duty bottles, like Champagne bottles or other sparkling wine (unless you like exploding bottles and glass all over your house). You also need caps, and a capper. You can get these from brewing supply companies, also. A teeny bit expensive, but you'll only have to buy the capper once.
The rest of the recipe can be found here (note, when we were making it, there was no internet. So we followed directions that came with the extract.) You will see, if you read this, that true root beer gets its carbonation from yeast - but it has very little alcoholic content. Your children can drink it safely.
What if you don't want to go to the trouble and don't live in Amish country?
In that case, if you have a local brewery, they may well already be making root beer. It may cost $1.00 or more a 12 oz bottle, but...well, this isn't the supermarket stuff.
Two root beers I have personally sampled (and no, I am not being paid to post this information) are from the Ithaca Beer company in Ithaca, NY and the Millstream Brewing Company in Amana, Iowa. (Both companies also make ginger beer-not really a beer, but not your supermarket ginger ale, either. It has a bite!)
(Speaking of the Amana colony in Iowa, that brings back a lot more memories. One day I'll dig into some of those memories.)
Have you tried to make root beer? Or have you had the "real thing"? I'd be curious to know.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Commenting
I have turned commenting on again. Blogger now has a spam filter for comments so I am going to trust that it works.
Commenting is central to the purpose of a blog - let's see how long it is before I have to moderate another comment from the other side of the world with hidden links to objectionable content.
Anyone want to place bets?
UPDATE 8/14/10: This post got spammed-and it was caught. (thank you, Blogger.) So I will leave commenting on for now.
Commenting is central to the purpose of a blog - let's see how long it is before I have to moderate another comment from the other side of the world with hidden links to objectionable content.
Anyone want to place bets?
UPDATE 8/14/10: This post got spammed-and it was caught. (thank you, Blogger.) So I will leave commenting on for now.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Help The Broome County Library
The Broome County Library is having a book drive.
You can donate new or gently used books (I have a lot of both!) for the chance to win a mall gift certificate.
Hmmm....if I do this does that mean I can buy more books at the Ithaca Friends of the Library book sale in October? Make dear spouse really happy that he has a clear space to sit in? No, it isn't that bad but it is getting there!
I normally stay away from the mall so I'll have to remember this one.
You can donate new or gently used books (I have a lot of both!) for the chance to win a mall gift certificate.
Hmmm....if I do this does that mean I can buy more books at the Ithaca Friends of the Library book sale in October? Make dear spouse really happy that he has a clear space to sit in? No, it isn't that bad but it is getting there!
I normally stay away from the mall so I'll have to remember this one.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Save the Pelham Parkway Trees!
This article won't mean a lot to you if you didn't grow up, or ever live in, the Bronx. But everyone who cares about urban quality of life should care.
I had an aunt, growing up in the Bronx, who lived close to Pelham Parkway-as did my grandmother until she was put into a nursing home when I was 7. I have fond memories of some of those trees that NYC is getting ready to chop down for-yes, for what?
They aren't diseased. From what I understand, the City, in its improvement wisdom, wants to install a guardrail to protect pedestrians. From what I also understand, it isn't necessary to chop the trees down. The sole purpose is only to make life easier for the contractor.
New York City values its green spaces. I agree with a writer that if Pelham Parkway was in certain other neighborhoods (especially high visibility Manhattan neighborhoods) every celebrity in 30 miles would be on the case. But here in the Bronx....well, no.
Wouldn't it be nice if people who grew up in the Bronx or who once lived in the Bronx-oh, let's say Billy Joel, or Regis Philbin (hey, they nearly named a Bronx street after him), Woody Allen, KRS One (OK, he's a Brooklyn native, but what about it?), Al Pacino, or Elliot Spitzer all got together....could you imagine?
What about it, famous ex-Bronxites and current Bronxites? What about it? The residents care. All former Bronxites should care, too. There is an online petition - I do not tend to sign these - I really don't think they matter, but I provide the link. I just may sign it. Would you consider it, too? (after you sign the petition you are asked to give to IPetitions, but this is purely optional.)
I had an aunt, growing up in the Bronx, who lived close to Pelham Parkway-as did my grandmother until she was put into a nursing home when I was 7. I have fond memories of some of those trees that NYC is getting ready to chop down for-yes, for what?
They aren't diseased. From what I understand, the City, in its improvement wisdom, wants to install a guardrail to protect pedestrians. From what I also understand, it isn't necessary to chop the trees down. The sole purpose is only to make life easier for the contractor.
New York City values its green spaces. I agree with a writer that if Pelham Parkway was in certain other neighborhoods (especially high visibility Manhattan neighborhoods) every celebrity in 30 miles would be on the case. But here in the Bronx....well, no.
Wouldn't it be nice if people who grew up in the Bronx or who once lived in the Bronx-oh, let's say Billy Joel, or Regis Philbin (hey, they nearly named a Bronx street after him), Woody Allen, KRS One (OK, he's a Brooklyn native, but what about it?), Al Pacino, or Elliot Spitzer all got together....could you imagine?
What about it, famous ex-Bronxites and current Bronxites? What about it? The residents care. All former Bronxites should care, too. There is an online petition - I do not tend to sign these - I really don't think they matter, but I provide the link. I just may sign it. Would you consider it, too? (after you sign the petition you are asked to give to IPetitions, but this is purely optional.)
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Parrots Preening and Monkeys Typing
Friday fun in Binghamton....or, what a person who grew up in NYC does for fun in her adopted upstate NY home town.
Downtown at lunch, we had the Friday farmers market. I had to get there late but I heard music that sounded vaguely familiar, and as I approached....yes, it was Monkeys Typing!
No, not actual monkeys. A band which I haven't heard at the Farmers market in, oh, a couple of years. They played at July Fest, but I wasn't there at the time.
Monkeys Typing is what some call a jam band; their music reminds me of the Grateful Dead. I am no Deadhead or any kind of music expert but I know what I like. I enjoy their music very much.
The usual crowd of office workers blending with local residents (yes, we have people living in our downtown), street people, students, and so forth were grooving to the music. I shouldn't have been surprised by the number of grey haired people (hey, if I dou't dye my hair, I'm one of them!) who were sitting under the small canopy provided (this time not enough chairs for the music lovers) to enjoy their music. Even to this day I think of rock as a "young person"'s music...except that all of us baby boomers are now practically senior citizens.
The Farmers Market continued to feature the heart of our harvest-corn, garlic, tomatoes boueberries, beans, cabbage, cut flowers. My walking companion was eying a basket of what must have been heritage cherry tomatoes. They were all colors of the tomato rainbow; yellow, red, and even green. (yes, there are tomatoes that remain green when ripe.) Actually I'm wrong, there were no black (which are really purple) or white ones. Be it as it may, I talked her into getting a pint, and at $2.00, I think it was a bargain. I hope she enjoys the flavor.
Spouse and I were hoping to enjoy First Friday. However, spouse had pulled a leg muscle earlier in the day and walking was a bit painful. So instead, we agreed on one stop-the grand opening, just over the bridge from downtown, of Parrot Safari Toy Factory, a wonderland of parrot toys, parrot food and....parrots. And macaws. And parrotlets, conures, cockatoos, cockatiels - and English budgies.
No, not the "shell parakeets" Americans are used to. These were true English budgies, originally bred for show, and much bigger than their American cousins. I've seen pictures of them but had never seen them "in person" before. I've owned parakeets for many years, although not in recent years. I've been having hankerings to have one in my life again.
The price was reasonable also, just about what area pet shops charge for your normal parakeet.
To my surprise (as they aren't parrots, but rather are related to finches) the owner pointed out several canaries to me in the upper tier of cages. Canaries were actually my first pet (other than goldfish); one of my aunts owned a couple and, bird lover that I was even at the age of 8, I finally talked my mom into one. (I'll have to tell that story one day.) The price was very reasonable also. I know some birds were on sale for the grand opening, but I hope those prices stay in force for a while while we agonize.
I will be back. Now I am conflicted. Parrotlet? English Budgie? Canary? or none of the above?
Downtown at lunch, we had the Friday farmers market. I had to get there late but I heard music that sounded vaguely familiar, and as I approached....yes, it was Monkeys Typing!
No, not actual monkeys. A band which I haven't heard at the Farmers market in, oh, a couple of years. They played at July Fest, but I wasn't there at the time.
Monkeys Typing is what some call a jam band; their music reminds me of the Grateful Dead. I am no Deadhead or any kind of music expert but I know what I like. I enjoy their music very much.
The usual crowd of office workers blending with local residents (yes, we have people living in our downtown), street people, students, and so forth were grooving to the music. I shouldn't have been surprised by the number of grey haired people (hey, if I dou't dye my hair, I'm one of them!) who were sitting under the small canopy provided (this time not enough chairs for the music lovers) to enjoy their music. Even to this day I think of rock as a "young person"'s music...except that all of us baby boomers are now practically senior citizens.
The Farmers Market continued to feature the heart of our harvest-corn, garlic, tomatoes boueberries, beans, cabbage, cut flowers. My walking companion was eying a basket of what must have been heritage cherry tomatoes. They were all colors of the tomato rainbow; yellow, red, and even green. (yes, there are tomatoes that remain green when ripe.) Actually I'm wrong, there were no black (which are really purple) or white ones. Be it as it may, I talked her into getting a pint, and at $2.00, I think it was a bargain. I hope she enjoys the flavor.
Spouse and I were hoping to enjoy First Friday. However, spouse had pulled a leg muscle earlier in the day and walking was a bit painful. So instead, we agreed on one stop-the grand opening, just over the bridge from downtown, of Parrot Safari Toy Factory, a wonderland of parrot toys, parrot food and....parrots. And macaws. And parrotlets, conures, cockatoos, cockatiels - and English budgies.
No, not the "shell parakeets" Americans are used to. These were true English budgies, originally bred for show, and much bigger than their American cousins. I've seen pictures of them but had never seen them "in person" before. I've owned parakeets for many years, although not in recent years. I've been having hankerings to have one in my life again.
The price was reasonable also, just about what area pet shops charge for your normal parakeet.
To my surprise (as they aren't parrots, but rather are related to finches) the owner pointed out several canaries to me in the upper tier of cages. Canaries were actually my first pet (other than goldfish); one of my aunts owned a couple and, bird lover that I was even at the age of 8, I finally talked my mom into one. (I'll have to tell that story one day.) The price was very reasonable also. I know some birds were on sale for the grand opening, but I hope those prices stay in force for a while while we agonize.
I will be back. Now I am conflicted. Parrotlet? English Budgie? Canary? or none of the above?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Spiedie Fest Weekend
So much going on today and this weekend, it would be impossible to list it all.
Let's give it a small try though.
The Spiedie Fest is right up at the top. Everyone needs to go at least once in their life. It started out as a festival to celebrate the Spiedie, a local food specialty. (I'll be booed out of existence but I will come clean and say that I am not a fan of spiedie sandwiches-I find them dry and almost inedible.) but the spiedies themselves-yum.
Then, partially thanks to local mover Ron Rogers the Spiediefest became just as much a hot air balloon rally.
Then, they added music. And "meet and greets". Now, it is one powerful festival. I was hoping to go this year with an out of town friend but it wasn't meant to be.
Tonight is also First Friday. If I go it will probably be to see a "Parrot Safari".
Tomorrow? Well, the Vestal library is having its annual book sale/farmers market/Iris sale. There won't be any parking but we'll probably end up over there anyway. After all, no Otsiningo Park market due to the Spiediefest (as far as I know.)
Maybe this year I won't try to buy more irises that I really don't need. But they are so tempting. Anyone want some of our spares?
The one "bummer" about this weekend is because of the closing of Otsiningo Park to non-Spiedie Fest events, we won't be able to access our community garden plots. Those luscious tomatoes will have to wait.
Well, that's what I get for trying to write a post in an insomniac moment. zzzzz. I'll leave this for now, and hopefully will report later on an interesting weekend.
Let's give it a small try though.
The Spiedie Fest is right up at the top. Everyone needs to go at least once in their life. It started out as a festival to celebrate the Spiedie, a local food specialty. (I'll be booed out of existence but I will come clean and say that I am not a fan of spiedie sandwiches-I find them dry and almost inedible.) but the spiedies themselves-yum.
Then, partially thanks to local mover Ron Rogers the Spiediefest became just as much a hot air balloon rally.
Then, they added music. And "meet and greets". Now, it is one powerful festival. I was hoping to go this year with an out of town friend but it wasn't meant to be.
Tonight is also First Friday. If I go it will probably be to see a "Parrot Safari".
Tomorrow? Well, the Vestal library is having its annual book sale/farmers market/Iris sale. There won't be any parking but we'll probably end up over there anyway. After all, no Otsiningo Park market due to the Spiediefest (as far as I know.)
Maybe this year I won't try to buy more irises that I really don't need. But they are so tempting. Anyone want some of our spares?
The one "bummer" about this weekend is because of the closing of Otsiningo Park to non-Spiedie Fest events, we won't be able to access our community garden plots. Those luscious tomatoes will have to wait.
Well, that's what I get for trying to write a post in an insomniac moment. zzzzz. I'll leave this for now, and hopefully will report later on an interesting weekend.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Bees Real and Virtual
I was so happy to see honeybees Sunday and yesterday. So happy that I didn't mind when one ran right into me, busily fertilizing a mint flower, as I walked past the plant on my walk around the neighborhood.
I've read the stories about honeybee decline (I'm not linking to a "what you may think" site, by the way) and have seen it at my house. Even a couple of years ago I would risk stinging by trying to cut flowers off my rhododendron. Now, hardly any bees gather in June when it blooms.
But Sunday, the sunflowers in our garden were loaded, which made cutting an adventure. That is good news. (and, please, do read the link. I love the Freakanomics people even if some of their observations don't quite jive with mine-but I love outside-the-box-thinking.)
But now, bees have been disappearing online.
Huh? The Internet has bees?
Sure it does. How do you think blogs get fertilized to make little baby blogs? Oops, bad joke. Bad, bad joke. No, that's not it.
You guessed it-I'm about ready to make another FarmVille posting. This time, it's about bees and glitches. Sure 'nough, the geniuses at Zynga decided our farms needed bees to pollinate the crops. So we were all given beehives to build. Had to get materials from our neighbors, a total of 50. Then, after the beehives were done, we had to find a queen bee, meaning we had to plant certain crops where they hung around. I'm glad I found mine in a couple of days. After that, I was able to start adding bees. Thank you, FarmVille neighbors, for sending them.
Then the bees started to disappear.
Nearly every day (and I do play every day when I'm not out of town) I got a message saying I hadn't tended my beehive and a bee had flown away. Maybe they are hard at work on my sunflowers and neighborhood mint, but I don't think so.
Big surprise, it's a glitch. Zynga is hard at work resolving the glitch but I don't think I've gotten my bees back. I'm not crying-yet.
But, as detective Adrian Monk would say, "here's the thing."
Somehow I didn't catch anything about bees disappearing if you didn't tend the hives daily in the announcements. I wouldn't have wasted time building hives. Some of us have lives, Zynga, including people who caretake elderly parents, or other sick relatives. Some of us travel for business and it's a bit exhausting keeping up with the farm. Some of them don't play daily due to religious reasons. (one of my FarmVille neighbors is such a person and he would never dream of playing on the Sabbath or various other occasions.) And...well the list goes on.
You really should have disclosed that before people started to build. I follow a major FarmVille blog (I suppose that means I don't have a life) and never saw this fact. So these people are going to have to chase around for their bees. Why? Why?
How about turning this off permanently, FarmVille? And, once again, PLEASE, please fix your glitches before introducing more stuff? Or, one day, you might just get....stung.
I've read the stories about honeybee decline (I'm not linking to a "what you may think" site, by the way) and have seen it at my house. Even a couple of years ago I would risk stinging by trying to cut flowers off my rhododendron. Now, hardly any bees gather in June when it blooms.
But Sunday, the sunflowers in our garden were loaded, which made cutting an adventure. That is good news. (and, please, do read the link. I love the Freakanomics people even if some of their observations don't quite jive with mine-but I love outside-the-box-thinking.)
But now, bees have been disappearing online.
Huh? The Internet has bees?
Sure it does. How do you think blogs get fertilized to make little baby blogs? Oops, bad joke. Bad, bad joke. No, that's not it.
You guessed it-I'm about ready to make another FarmVille posting. This time, it's about bees and glitches. Sure 'nough, the geniuses at Zynga decided our farms needed bees to pollinate the crops. So we were all given beehives to build. Had to get materials from our neighbors, a total of 50. Then, after the beehives were done, we had to find a queen bee, meaning we had to plant certain crops where they hung around. I'm glad I found mine in a couple of days. After that, I was able to start adding bees. Thank you, FarmVille neighbors, for sending them.
Then the bees started to disappear.
Nearly every day (and I do play every day when I'm not out of town) I got a message saying I hadn't tended my beehive and a bee had flown away. Maybe they are hard at work on my sunflowers and neighborhood mint, but I don't think so.
Big surprise, it's a glitch. Zynga is hard at work resolving the glitch but I don't think I've gotten my bees back. I'm not crying-yet.
But, as detective Adrian Monk would say, "here's the thing."
Somehow I didn't catch anything about bees disappearing if you didn't tend the hives daily in the announcements. I wouldn't have wasted time building hives. Some of us have lives, Zynga, including people who caretake elderly parents, or other sick relatives. Some of us travel for business and it's a bit exhausting keeping up with the farm. Some of them don't play daily due to religious reasons. (one of my FarmVille neighbors is such a person and he would never dream of playing on the Sabbath or various other occasions.) And...well the list goes on.
You really should have disclosed that before people started to build. I follow a major FarmVille blog (I suppose that means I don't have a life) and never saw this fact. So these people are going to have to chase around for their bees. Why? Why?
How about turning this off permanently, FarmVille? And, once again, PLEASE, please fix your glitches before introducing more stuff? Or, one day, you might just get....stung.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Binghamton Saturday
More on what we do in upstate NY for fun.
Got up, had some blueberries for breakfast, headed out to the Vestal farmers market. Things were in full swing, with stalls featuring new potatoes, blueberries, cabbage, plums, apricots, lettuce, garlic, zucchinis, yellow squash, green and purple beans and those luscious (but too big for our small family) Amish Cantaloupes. We bought some new potatoes and cucumbers.
A stall with people from Binghamton's Cybercafe West were sampling the most delicious hummus - there was enough garlic in there to make it a winner at any garlic festival.
Next, a 3 mile walk, followed by a quick stop at Sams Club. Hadn't been there in months, was nice to see they had almost finished their remodeling, and had started up sampling again (on a much smaller scale.) Picked up a quick item. Wished once again that we would get a Costco.
Then we headed out to Wegmans for the big "Meet the Growers" event. Sorry to say, yawn.
Frankly, I was disappointed. The event was hidden somewhere out in the parking lot; once in the tent it wasn't even clear where the growers were. There was a clambake, with the farmed clam producer running a contest to win a weekend camping at their resort on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. There was something we thought belonged to the clambake but it turned out that Wegmans was sampling salad and their sub sandwiches. No signs telling anyone who was where doing what. We almost missed the samples, and, more importantly, the growers.
There were two growers. That was a disappointment, although I understand this is harvest season. I wonder how many people found them to say hi.
One was by a display of his tomatoes-they were large but, again, sorry to say, looked half ripe-like the old time supermarket tomatoes that had the gourmet taste of red Styrofoam. Wegmans specializes in tomatoes that actually have taste, so perhaps they tasted good-but if these were in my garden, I would not have picked them, based on their looks.
The subs were very good though-not overly salty and there was a choice of white or whole wheat bread.
There was a booth sampling tart cherry juice (advertising health) and next to it the Wegmans Fizz Truck sampling...well, non-health.
Wegmans, you can do better. You have done better with other events. This didn't do the growers, who I'm sure had other things to do on their farms, proper justice.
Back home, to rest, and a visit with a neighbor-but more on that later.
Got up, had some blueberries for breakfast, headed out to the Vestal farmers market. Things were in full swing, with stalls featuring new potatoes, blueberries, cabbage, plums, apricots, lettuce, garlic, zucchinis, yellow squash, green and purple beans and those luscious (but too big for our small family) Amish Cantaloupes. We bought some new potatoes and cucumbers.
A stall with people from Binghamton's Cybercafe West were sampling the most delicious hummus - there was enough garlic in there to make it a winner at any garlic festival.
Next, a 3 mile walk, followed by a quick stop at Sams Club. Hadn't been there in months, was nice to see they had almost finished their remodeling, and had started up sampling again (on a much smaller scale.) Picked up a quick item. Wished once again that we would get a Costco.
Then we headed out to Wegmans for the big "Meet the Growers" event. Sorry to say, yawn.
Frankly, I was disappointed. The event was hidden somewhere out in the parking lot; once in the tent it wasn't even clear where the growers were. There was a clambake, with the farmed clam producer running a contest to win a weekend camping at their resort on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. There was something we thought belonged to the clambake but it turned out that Wegmans was sampling salad and their sub sandwiches. No signs telling anyone who was where doing what. We almost missed the samples, and, more importantly, the growers.
There were two growers. That was a disappointment, although I understand this is harvest season. I wonder how many people found them to say hi.
One was by a display of his tomatoes-they were large but, again, sorry to say, looked half ripe-like the old time supermarket tomatoes that had the gourmet taste of red Styrofoam. Wegmans specializes in tomatoes that actually have taste, so perhaps they tasted good-but if these were in my garden, I would not have picked them, based on their looks.
The subs were very good though-not overly salty and there was a choice of white or whole wheat bread.
There was a booth sampling tart cherry juice (advertising health) and next to it the Wegmans Fizz Truck sampling...well, non-health.
Wegmans, you can do better. You have done better with other events. This didn't do the growers, who I'm sure had other things to do on their farms, proper justice.
Back home, to rest, and a visit with a neighbor-but more on that later.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Senseless Crime and Bad Headline
Not a mass murderer this time. Not a gun this time. Only a 25 something man who happened to kill his friend in an argument. Two wasted lives.
Another feather in the cap of downtown Binghamton, even if it didn't have much to do with downtown Binghamton per se. It could have been in a number of Binghamton neighborhoods.
A lot of Fridays (if I am not out walking) I go to the Farmers Market, see if the music is good (this year, nothing in my taste) and if not, to the library I go. Not this time. From the Farmers Market I headed somewhere else. The library is only about 1/2 block away from "the scene of the crime".
The apartment house where the murder took place isn't far from a Binghamton landmark, Phelps Mansion, either.
In fact, it is just steps away.
First Friday is next Friday. Probably by then the blood of a senseless crime would have been scrubbed away, and First Friday attendees will walk past, some oblivious to what had happened only a week ago.
So it goes. But first, one other thing:
Our local paper greeted the day with the headline "Binghamton fatal stabbing 'never should have happened".
Takes a bit of thought to think of a murder that should have happened, doesn't it?
Another feather in the cap of downtown Binghamton, even if it didn't have much to do with downtown Binghamton per se. It could have been in a number of Binghamton neighborhoods.
A lot of Fridays (if I am not out walking) I go to the Farmers Market, see if the music is good (this year, nothing in my taste) and if not, to the library I go. Not this time. From the Farmers Market I headed somewhere else. The library is only about 1/2 block away from "the scene of the crime".
The apartment house where the murder took place isn't far from a Binghamton landmark, Phelps Mansion, either.
In fact, it is just steps away.
First Friday is next Friday. Probably by then the blood of a senseless crime would have been scrubbed away, and First Friday attendees will walk past, some oblivious to what had happened only a week ago.
So it goes. But first, one other thing:
Our local paper greeted the day with the headline "Binghamton fatal stabbing 'never should have happened".
Takes a bit of thought to think of a murder that should have happened, doesn't it?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Meet the Local Growers
Sounds like a press release (several websites had the same story, almost worded exactly-hmm) but...
Our local Wegmans supermarket is having a "Meet the Local Growers" day.
(Almost Full Disclosure: I know several present and former Wegmans employees, some quite well. Also, I've had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Colleen Wegman (their president) when she visited the Johnson City store last year. I've been a fan of Wegmans even before they opened a store in Johnson City almost 20 years ago. Wow, 20 years....should be the subject of another blog.)
One nice thing about Wegmans is that they promote local produce, and have for years. When you enter their parking lot, there is a sign advising of the local produce they are carrying that day. It takes extra work (according to my retail sources) for a large chain to do this and I applaud any retailer who takes those extra steps.
This sounds like an interesting event, and AM will be there (unless I forget).
Of course, if I dare mention this....every time you shop at a farmer's market, you are Meeting Your Local Grower too. Still, supermarkets should be given encouragement in this area wherever possible.
Now- one tiny tiny tiny tiny quibble. Wegmans is also famous for promoting health in general, Strive for Five (they were early adapters of promoting the eat five servings of veggies and fruit thing), and even have an event during Back to School each year promoting healthy brown bag lunches. So, given all that....why are they also promoting their private label soda with a Fizz Fest truck at this event?????
Seems a bit strange. Still...come on out. Who knows, maybe there may be a heritage veggie or fruit. (probably not but one could hope.) Give your support to Local Food.
Our local Wegmans supermarket is having a "Meet the Local Growers" day.
(Almost Full Disclosure: I know several present and former Wegmans employees, some quite well. Also, I've had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Colleen Wegman (their president) when she visited the Johnson City store last year. I've been a fan of Wegmans even before they opened a store in Johnson City almost 20 years ago. Wow, 20 years....should be the subject of another blog.)
One nice thing about Wegmans is that they promote local produce, and have for years. When you enter their parking lot, there is a sign advising of the local produce they are carrying that day. It takes extra work (according to my retail sources) for a large chain to do this and I applaud any retailer who takes those extra steps.
This sounds like an interesting event, and AM will be there (unless I forget).
Of course, if I dare mention this....every time you shop at a farmer's market, you are Meeting Your Local Grower too. Still, supermarkets should be given encouragement in this area wherever possible.
Now- one tiny tiny tiny tiny quibble. Wegmans is also famous for promoting health in general, Strive for Five (they were early adapters of promoting the eat five servings of veggies and fruit thing), and even have an event during Back to School each year promoting healthy brown bag lunches. So, given all that....why are they also promoting their private label soda with a Fizz Fest truck at this event?????
Seems a bit strange. Still...come on out. Who knows, maybe there may be a heritage veggie or fruit. (probably not but one could hope.) Give your support to Local Food.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Family Visit
My mother in law, sister in law and brother in law (the 50ish year old man who has autism and lives with my mother in law) are going to be visiting some time in August.
We have relatives with a lake home, just a small modest cottage, and they want to have all three of them over for a couple of nights. I hope that the facilities they have will work OK for her, given her mobility problems.
There is a small "beach" in back of their "camp" but as I recall from the one time we've been there (maybe 4 years ago?) the ground was not very even. I'm not sure she would be able to get into water, a boat, etc. She'll need to bring the raised toilet seat she uses. So I hope she can stay otherwise happy. I'm curious to see how they've fixed up the place in the 4 or so years since we have visited. And, I am very curious to see her once again (we saw this a little bit at the motel we stayed at a couple of weeks ago) in something not her "native environment". Her spirit is still strong but her body is less and less able to deal with adversary. I fear for if she falls again. I pray there is no accident during her visit. So my husband is talking to her now, trying to get a feel for what she thinks about going to this cottage and what she may need.
I'm glad she is getting out of the house, overall. I suspect that although she says she does mall walking (at the slow pace she can walk) that she is really spending a lot of weekday time in front of the TV. Can't prove it. On weekends, she has a lot of family events (birthday parties, that kind of thing) but we can see that she is starting to have some short term memory problems. For example, she confused coming up here with a birthday party and was about 3 weeks off when she gave us the date of the trip up here. And, she got my son calling her confused with one of her nieces. Stuff like that. Hasn't missed any appointments yet according to my sister in law (geographically the closest of the 4 children she raised to her) but that may be a matter of time. More mental stimulation can't be bad.
I hope I remember all of this when I'm in my 80's. (maybe Blogger will still be around, and I can reread all of my old posts.)
And also.....
There may be a long distance trip in her future too. Earlier this year she spent about 10 days visiting relatives in Florida. (she flew down with other family members.) They all treated her like a queen. The brother in law stayed with the same family members who have the lake cottage, and both we and they spent "quality time" with him. And she spent quality time without him.
Well, at the wedding we went to (see the "Cheesequake" post") the Florida relatives she stayed with came up here. They invited her back for next year. She didn't seem 100% ready to go. I hope we have time to discuss this when she is up here. I want her to be able to go down there with peace of mind.
Her world is getting smaller and smaller and I want to keep my arms wedged in that opening that is closing long enough that she can get out some more. I'm sure all of us do. It's such a balance to balance her needs with her desire to stay independent.
More later.
We have relatives with a lake home, just a small modest cottage, and they want to have all three of them over for a couple of nights. I hope that the facilities they have will work OK for her, given her mobility problems.
There is a small "beach" in back of their "camp" but as I recall from the one time we've been there (maybe 4 years ago?) the ground was not very even. I'm not sure she would be able to get into water, a boat, etc. She'll need to bring the raised toilet seat she uses. So I hope she can stay otherwise happy. I'm curious to see how they've fixed up the place in the 4 or so years since we have visited. And, I am very curious to see her once again (we saw this a little bit at the motel we stayed at a couple of weeks ago) in something not her "native environment". Her spirit is still strong but her body is less and less able to deal with adversary. I fear for if she falls again. I pray there is no accident during her visit. So my husband is talking to her now, trying to get a feel for what she thinks about going to this cottage and what she may need.
I'm glad she is getting out of the house, overall. I suspect that although she says she does mall walking (at the slow pace she can walk) that she is really spending a lot of weekday time in front of the TV. Can't prove it. On weekends, she has a lot of family events (birthday parties, that kind of thing) but we can see that she is starting to have some short term memory problems. For example, she confused coming up here with a birthday party and was about 3 weeks off when she gave us the date of the trip up here. And, she got my son calling her confused with one of her nieces. Stuff like that. Hasn't missed any appointments yet according to my sister in law (geographically the closest of the 4 children she raised to her) but that may be a matter of time. More mental stimulation can't be bad.
I hope I remember all of this when I'm in my 80's. (maybe Blogger will still be around, and I can reread all of my old posts.)
And also.....
There may be a long distance trip in her future too. Earlier this year she spent about 10 days visiting relatives in Florida. (she flew down with other family members.) They all treated her like a queen. The brother in law stayed with the same family members who have the lake cottage, and both we and they spent "quality time" with him. And she spent quality time without him.
Well, at the wedding we went to (see the "Cheesequake" post") the Florida relatives she stayed with came up here. They invited her back for next year. She didn't seem 100% ready to go. I hope we have time to discuss this when she is up here. I want her to be able to go down there with peace of mind.
Her world is getting smaller and smaller and I want to keep my arms wedged in that opening that is closing long enough that she can get out some more. I'm sure all of us do. It's such a balance to balance her needs with her desire to stay independent.
More later.
Monday, July 26, 2010
There's a Tornado in the Bronx.....
Yesterday a tornado hit the Bronx, being filmed at Co-Op City (about 5 miles from where I lived when I grew up in the Bronx.) The tornado left about a one mile path of destruction and injured several.
For all of the urban renewal the Bronx needs, Co-Op City isn't one of those places. Darn.
The Bronx tornado was caught on camera by a resident of Co-Op City filming from his or her apartment. Keep in mind that Co-Op City's population is greater than that of Binghamton - and the Bronx has only had two tornados since weather records have been kept.
Even more amusing to me was the coverage given the tornado by KAKE, the ABC affiliate in tornado-prone Wichita, KS.
I hope Co-Op City enjoys its 15 minutes of fame.
For all of the urban renewal the Bronx needs, Co-Op City isn't one of those places. Darn.
The Bronx tornado was caught on camera by a resident of Co-Op City filming from his or her apartment. Keep in mind that Co-Op City's population is greater than that of Binghamton - and the Bronx has only had two tornados since weather records have been kept.
Even more amusing to me was the coverage given the tornado by KAKE, the ABC affiliate in tornado-prone Wichita, KS.
I hope Co-Op City enjoys its 15 minutes of fame.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Here we Go Round Again (CFJ Park)
Here we go round again, on the merry-go-round called Johnson City dissolution.
Just when I mentioned it yesterday, in connection with our new Wal-Mart. The vote failed last November and Johnson City remained a village. But, as a famous governor once said in a movie role, "I'll be back!" Little did I dream it would be the day after I mentioned it.
Isn't it ironic that the Wal-Mart is across the road from a park with a merry go round? And, a broken down old factory building. And, the relatively new Gannett regional newspaper press building. The old and the new, combined. The park's name is CFJ park which was named for C. Fred.....Johnson.
So we go around and around, trying to find the ring, or the key, if you will, to the future of this area.
Speaking of that park, a lot of people are going to see it now that they are traveling to our new Wal-Mart. (I finally made it to the new Wal-Mart today: nice.) If they do, I hope they stop and look at one of the six carousels this area is blessed with. There is major renovation going on, so you can't ride right now. But once it is done: Ride if you want. It's free!
Here are some wonderful photos of the carousel.
There is another wonderful, quirky building at CFJ Park called "The Pagoda". One day I may write about it.
But for now...it may be time to rehash the dissolution controversy all over again.
Just when I mentioned it yesterday, in connection with our new Wal-Mart. The vote failed last November and Johnson City remained a village. But, as a famous governor once said in a movie role, "I'll be back!" Little did I dream it would be the day after I mentioned it.
Isn't it ironic that the Wal-Mart is across the road from a park with a merry go round? And, a broken down old factory building. And, the relatively new Gannett regional newspaper press building. The old and the new, combined. The park's name is CFJ park which was named for C. Fred.....Johnson.
So we go around and around, trying to find the ring, or the key, if you will, to the future of this area.
Speaking of that park, a lot of people are going to see it now that they are traveling to our new Wal-Mart. (I finally made it to the new Wal-Mart today: nice.) If they do, I hope they stop and look at one of the six carousels this area is blessed with. There is major renovation going on, so you can't ride right now. But once it is done: Ride if you want. It's free!
Here are some wonderful photos of the carousel.
There is another wonderful, quirky building at CFJ Park called "The Pagoda". One day I may write about it.
But for now...it may be time to rehash the dissolution controversy all over again.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
FarmVille Go Round in Circles
I think Zynga (maker of the game CrackVi....I mean, FarmVille) finally has gotten the hint. (with apologies to you lucky people who have no idea what I'm talking about.)
Briefly, FarmVille is a game you play on Facebook with your other Facebook friends sucke....I mean, involved in playing it. You plant a virtual farm, you harvest it, you replant it, you get and receive gifts, you find things in your friend's farms while tending them, you collect same for points, you get to buy and decorate with Tuscan Villas, waterfalls, Eiffel Towers and log cabins, you do co op farming with your friends, you have barn raising with your friends...the key here is "with your friends". Zynga has some very good psychologist designers to make sure you are "hooked" and they have done their job well.
And if you have a friend playing FarmVille, chances are they've already asked you to be their neighbor.
THINK TWICE!
As your farm grows bigger minutes farming become hours....
There are three more things about FarmVille you need to know:
a. It is supposedly free but a lot of people spend real money on all these limited edition animals, buildings, decorations and what-have you. Or they get tired of barn raising and spend money to complete construction on buildings and whatever. (the latest is a "beehive".) The point is, they've spent their own money on this game.
b. The people in "a" get madder than hell when their real life purchases suddenly disappear in the newest glitch. Actually, the free playing people, like me, get kind of mad too.
c. Communicating to Zynga is like...well, like any other software company, they haven't won awards for their "customer service".
You see, FarmVille is just a tiny bit more than a year old. It became successful so quickly that it is still in beta. And computer folks know about betas. Right? So what has Zynga done the past year? Tried to fix things? Of course not! Instead, they have spent all their time creating even more limited edition stuff, buildings, co op ideas and so forth. So this becomes like a car crash ready to happen - you are there watching it in slow motion: every time they put on something new the glitches get worse, and worse, and worse, and worse....
Three of my neighbors have quit the game. Two more tried briefly to play and very quickly decided not to bother. I'd love to know how many of the 24,000,000. people that supposedly have played FarmVille at least once still do. Zynga, I think the term here is "losing your customer base". Not good. I'm sure Facebook isn't thrilled either.
Anyway....
After the latest episode of glitches (farms turning into fields of giant unintentional crop circles, constant "Saving Farm! Don't Close Your Browser" messages [translation: better reload fast, anything else you do on your farm if you believe he message will go into cyberspace] interrupting harvesting, plowing and planting, Zynga FINALLY announced they were going to...get ready for this one: concentrate on fixing the glitches!
Why does computer software do this to people? Why do we, the end user, put up with "improved" software that doesn't work as well as the last version? Why do we accept these products that really are betas (at least Zynga is honest about FarmVille being in beta) where we wouldn't accept a car that was worse than your last car? But it's always been like that since the advent of computers.
So let's hope that those people in Zynga land actually fix their game before they introduce anything else to said game.
Maybe, though, I should hope they don't succeed. Because it may be the only way I (and many others) will break that addiction.
Briefly, FarmVille is a game you play on Facebook with your other Facebook friends sucke....I mean, involved in playing it. You plant a virtual farm, you harvest it, you replant it, you get and receive gifts, you find things in your friend's farms while tending them, you collect same for points, you get to buy and decorate with Tuscan Villas, waterfalls, Eiffel Towers and log cabins, you do co op farming with your friends, you have barn raising with your friends...the key here is "with your friends". Zynga has some very good psychologist designers to make sure you are "hooked" and they have done their job well.
And if you have a friend playing FarmVille, chances are they've already asked you to be their neighbor.
THINK TWICE!
As your farm grows bigger minutes farming become hours....
There are three more things about FarmVille you need to know:
a. It is supposedly free but a lot of people spend real money on all these limited edition animals, buildings, decorations and what-have you. Or they get tired of barn raising and spend money to complete construction on buildings and whatever. (the latest is a "beehive".) The point is, they've spent their own money on this game.
b. The people in "a" get madder than hell when their real life purchases suddenly disappear in the newest glitch. Actually, the free playing people, like me, get kind of mad too.
c. Communicating to Zynga is like...well, like any other software company, they haven't won awards for their "customer service".
You see, FarmVille is just a tiny bit more than a year old. It became successful so quickly that it is still in beta. And computer folks know about betas. Right? So what has Zynga done the past year? Tried to fix things? Of course not! Instead, they have spent all their time creating even more limited edition stuff, buildings, co op ideas and so forth. So this becomes like a car crash ready to happen - you are there watching it in slow motion: every time they put on something new the glitches get worse, and worse, and worse, and worse....
Three of my neighbors have quit the game. Two more tried briefly to play and very quickly decided not to bother. I'd love to know how many of the 24,000,000. people that supposedly have played FarmVille at least once still do. Zynga, I think the term here is "losing your customer base". Not good. I'm sure Facebook isn't thrilled either.
Anyway....
After the latest episode of glitches (farms turning into fields of giant unintentional crop circles, constant "Saving Farm! Don't Close Your Browser" messages [translation: better reload fast, anything else you do on your farm if you believe he message will go into cyberspace] interrupting harvesting, plowing and planting, Zynga FINALLY announced they were going to...get ready for this one: concentrate on fixing the glitches!
Why does computer software do this to people? Why do we, the end user, put up with "improved" software that doesn't work as well as the last version? Why do we accept these products that really are betas (at least Zynga is honest about FarmVille being in beta) where we wouldn't accept a car that was worse than your last car? But it's always been like that since the advent of computers.
So let's hope that those people in Zynga land actually fix their game before they introduce anything else to said game.
Maybe, though, I should hope they don't succeed. Because it may be the only way I (and many others) will break that addiction.
Life in a Day AM style
I don't have a video camera so why not blog about highlights of my day? Will anyone care?
Today is July 24, the official date of the Google "Life in a Day" project. Maybe they thought blogging was too static. Or too old fashioned. Or, that they would get a bunch of "I got up. I trimmed my three face hairs. Then I ate some cereal. Then I hung out on the streetcorner for the next 12 pointless hours" kind of thing.
Well, just wait until you turn 30. Or 50. Or 60. Thenitisallgoingtoruntogetherandyourblogwon'thaveenoughroomtohandleitall.
Many adults are crazy, burnt-out busy. I am fortunate not to be (at this point in my life).
So rev up your imaginations, pretend this post is a You Tube clip......
Woke up, knew it was going to be hot and humid out.
Harvested virtual crops on FarmVille. Have FarmVille go glitchy on me about 5 times. Replant a four hour crop, organic blueberries. (YES! They posted organic blueberries for planting: for a week only. But still.)
Went to get bloodwork. Then spouse and I had breakfast out, one of our luxuries (we do it once a month or so.)
Then we took an exercise walk. Were we soaked when we ended it! Did a bit less than three miles. During the walk, we talked about my mother in law coming up here next month. She is staying at my brother in law's house. We have various concerns about whether she will be able to manuver in the house, meaning: will she be able to get up the stairs? She'll have to bring this or that....etc. In some ways it is once again almost like planning a visit with a young baby. Bring this, bring that, bring whatever, they may not have it, etc. etc. etc. Into the car, out of the car. Somehow walk to where you are visiting with baby in one arm, diaper bag slung across shoulder, something else in the other arm, and the spouse walking besides you empty handed. No wonder I have a bad back.
But I'm ramblin'. I know this is just the beginning of trying to plan for travel with my mother in law's various limited movement concerns. Going to that wedding with her last week was an eyeopener because she was outside of her home, and we don't see her in those kinds of circumstances as often as we should, living three hours away. So we know we have to plan this visit this time (she comes up here once a year) with a lot of things in mind.. You know what though, walking is a good mental exercise and you think of stuff like that.
After the walk, back home. Stop sweating. Prepare to pick blueberries.
Stop at Wegmans (supermarket) to pick up a couple of items, and munch on their samples. Today they are sampling salad greens with chopped avocado and shrimp. Give shrimp to spouse.
Go to blueberry farm with spouse, about a 20 minute drive each way. Hot, humid, but breezy. Pick blueberries. Ignore wasps. Ignore young couple who brush by me- the woman has enough perfume on her to attract every bee and wasp in Broome County. Sinuses start up immediately. The blueberries are plentiful but a bit waterlogged. Still, I love blueberries and it's hard to beat $1.70 a pound. Ignore said couple, woman now talking about all the poison ivy in the rows. (I hope not-I've been coming to this place for years and never got a rash-but poison ivy can be mistaken for a lot of other things.) Couple leaves, leaving the usual crowd of couples, mothers with children, and the fun three generational groups with child, parent and grandparent sharing the experience. Fill buckets finally, weigh out, exchange pleasantries with the cashier, pay, leave.
Discover we forgot hot dog rolls. Stop at another supermarket. Watch teen cashier be nice to grumpy customers. The air conditioner isn't working the way it should. At least (knock on wood) we don't get brownouts here.
Come home. Harvest virtual blueberries. FarmVille goes glitchy on me during the harvest and replanting about 8 times. Decide I'm about ready to master the organic blueberries so after they ripen in four hours that will be it for FarmVille today. (except, I do intend to write a post on it.)
Blog. Rest. Repeat.
Actually, in the middle of those activities, I did a lot of research on a possible trip to Eastern NY later this year. "More on that in another post".
More FarmVille. More glitches. Food for another blog post.
It's almost 7pm. Spouse is finishing up a BBQ and then hopefully we will settle back with either the movie "The Terminal" (saw part of it, long ago, would now be nice to see the rest) or a DVD of episodes from Season 4 of the 90's TV show "Northern Exposure".
I am going to publish this blog post before the end of the day, so here is hoping nothing unexpected happens.
Nighty-night.
Today is July 24, the official date of the Google "Life in a Day" project. Maybe they thought blogging was too static. Or too old fashioned. Or, that they would get a bunch of "I got up. I trimmed my three face hairs. Then I ate some cereal. Then I hung out on the streetcorner for the next 12 pointless hours" kind of thing.
Well, just wait until you turn 30. Or 50. Or 60. Thenitisallgoingtoruntogetherandyourblogwon'thaveenoughroomtohandleitall.
Many adults are crazy, burnt-out busy. I am fortunate not to be (at this point in my life).
So rev up your imaginations, pretend this post is a You Tube clip......
Woke up, knew it was going to be hot and humid out.
Harvested virtual crops on FarmVille. Have FarmVille go glitchy on me about 5 times. Replant a four hour crop, organic blueberries. (YES! They posted organic blueberries for planting: for a week only. But still.)
Went to get bloodwork. Then spouse and I had breakfast out, one of our luxuries (we do it once a month or so.)
Then we took an exercise walk. Were we soaked when we ended it! Did a bit less than three miles. During the walk, we talked about my mother in law coming up here next month. She is staying at my brother in law's house. We have various concerns about whether she will be able to manuver in the house, meaning: will she be able to get up the stairs? She'll have to bring this or that....etc. In some ways it is once again almost like planning a visit with a young baby. Bring this, bring that, bring whatever, they may not have it, etc. etc. etc. Into the car, out of the car. Somehow walk to where you are visiting with baby in one arm, diaper bag slung across shoulder, something else in the other arm, and the spouse walking besides you empty handed. No wonder I have a bad back.
But I'm ramblin'. I know this is just the beginning of trying to plan for travel with my mother in law's various limited movement concerns. Going to that wedding with her last week was an eyeopener because she was outside of her home, and we don't see her in those kinds of circumstances as often as we should, living three hours away. So we know we have to plan this visit this time (she comes up here once a year) with a lot of things in mind.. You know what though, walking is a good mental exercise and you think of stuff like that.
After the walk, back home. Stop sweating. Prepare to pick blueberries.
Stop at Wegmans (supermarket) to pick up a couple of items, and munch on their samples. Today they are sampling salad greens with chopped avocado and shrimp. Give shrimp to spouse.
Go to blueberry farm with spouse, about a 20 minute drive each way. Hot, humid, but breezy. Pick blueberries. Ignore wasps. Ignore young couple who brush by me- the woman has enough perfume on her to attract every bee and wasp in Broome County. Sinuses start up immediately. The blueberries are plentiful but a bit waterlogged. Still, I love blueberries and it's hard to beat $1.70 a pound. Ignore said couple, woman now talking about all the poison ivy in the rows. (I hope not-I've been coming to this place for years and never got a rash-but poison ivy can be mistaken for a lot of other things.) Couple leaves, leaving the usual crowd of couples, mothers with children, and the fun three generational groups with child, parent and grandparent sharing the experience. Fill buckets finally, weigh out, exchange pleasantries with the cashier, pay, leave.
Discover we forgot hot dog rolls. Stop at another supermarket. Watch teen cashier be nice to grumpy customers. The air conditioner isn't working the way it should. At least (knock on wood) we don't get brownouts here.
Come home. Harvest virtual blueberries. FarmVille goes glitchy on me during the harvest and replanting about 8 times. Decide I'm about ready to master the organic blueberries so after they ripen in four hours that will be it for FarmVille today. (except, I do intend to write a post on it.)
Blog. Rest. Repeat.
Actually, in the middle of those activities, I did a lot of research on a possible trip to Eastern NY later this year. "More on that in another post".
More FarmVille. More glitches. Food for another blog post.
It's almost 7pm. Spouse is finishing up a BBQ and then hopefully we will settle back with either the movie "The Terminal" (saw part of it, long ago, would now be nice to see the rest) or a DVD of episodes from Season 4 of the 90's TV show "Northern Exposure".
I am going to publish this blog post before the end of the day, so here is hoping nothing unexpected happens.
Nighty-night.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wal-Mart: The White Knight of Johnson City?
I've been watching a developing situation with a bit of bemusement.
I remember the days when Wal-Mart announcing a store building in your community resulted in protests. Of course, as we learned recently from the Wall Street Journal, some of these protests were financed and otherwise aided by....hmmm, the competition.
Isn't capitalism wonderful? (remember the old classic movie Casablanca? Round up the usual suspects!)
Sorry for the sarcasm.
Now back to Johnson City. Johnson City is not a thriving community. I would say it is a dying community (just search my posts from last year on how it nearly ceased to exist as its own governmental entity) but I'd probably hear it from the locals. Still, few would disagree that its glory days were a long time ago.
So how did Wal-Mart get cast into the role of hero white knight?
Glad you asked. Let's take a short trip down memory lane.
Years ago, Johnson City was an Endicott-Johnson company town. (Does that have anything to do with Johnson City being called Johnson City? Umm, yes.) Endicott-Johnson manufactured shoes. If you are of a "certain age" you may remember Endicott-Johnson or Father and Son shoes. And it manufactured local jobs, lots and lots of jobs. As employers went, Endicott-Johnson went way above and beyond. If you have a 40 hour work week, you (in part) have Endicott-Johnson to thank. If you know a native of Johnson City, they had family member(s) working for Endicott-Johnson. It is a fascinating story, one I encourage everyone to read about.
Then came...well, its a long story.
Endicott-Johnson ceased to be American owned years ago, and it no longer manufactures any of its own shoes. And, it hasn't had any facilities here for many years.
Now those factories, what are left behind of them, lie vacant and rotting, inhabited by....let's not go there. Meanwhile, downtown Johnson City (which I travel through five days a week) deteriorates. The key is, few people are going there to shop. Some that go, go to gang-bang, but not to shop. (this is true of so many other small city downtowns, I realize. Well, I'm a blogger, not a sociologist.) It's (truth time, and the truth hurts) A DUMP. A dump abandoned by time. Oh, does it kill me to say that.
When I moved here 22 years ago I was told I could live anywhere in Johnson City, even downtown, and it would be somewhat safe. How times have changed.
So here comes Wal-Mart. Almost 20 years ago it rode into nearby Vestal (nearby, but on the other side of the Susquehanna River) and the next thing you knew, one shopping center arose on the particular road they chose to locate to. Then another. Then another. Then another.....
...Taking local shopping from that other side of the river with it.
So now, Johnson City looks to increased traffic like a stranded motorist in the desert looks to water.
Let's see, it's over two years ago now?....Wal-Mart proposes a second area store, tearing down one of those factories. Wow! An eyesore gone. And remember all those shoppers who abandoned our side of the river. Well, they are going to come back, lured by Wal-Mart. Aren't they? And guess what? Maybe, just maybe, they will drive down Main Street, back into the welcoming arms of downtown Johnson City! And you know the Weis Supermarket on Harry L. Drive (Harry L. who? Johnson, of course!), which is next to dead and buried? Well maybe the Wal-Mart customers will stop there too. Why not? How about the Oakdale Mall?
So, in a most amazing turnaround, local businesses on "this" side of the river are (in many cases-not all) welcoming Wal-Mart. Or if not welcoming, not dreading.
The Johnson City Wal-Mart opened two days ago.
We'd all better hope there is water there, and not a mirage.
I remember the days when Wal-Mart announcing a store building in your community resulted in protests. Of course, as we learned recently from the Wall Street Journal, some of these protests were financed and otherwise aided by....hmmm, the competition.
Isn't capitalism wonderful? (remember the old classic movie Casablanca? Round up the usual suspects!)
Sorry for the sarcasm.
Now back to Johnson City. Johnson City is not a thriving community. I would say it is a dying community (just search my posts from last year on how it nearly ceased to exist as its own governmental entity) but I'd probably hear it from the locals. Still, few would disagree that its glory days were a long time ago.
So how did Wal-Mart get cast into the role of hero white knight?
Glad you asked. Let's take a short trip down memory lane.
Years ago, Johnson City was an Endicott-Johnson company town. (Does that have anything to do with Johnson City being called Johnson City? Umm, yes.) Endicott-Johnson manufactured shoes. If you are of a "certain age" you may remember Endicott-Johnson or Father and Son shoes. And it manufactured local jobs, lots and lots of jobs. As employers went, Endicott-Johnson went way above and beyond. If you have a 40 hour work week, you (in part) have Endicott-Johnson to thank. If you know a native of Johnson City, they had family member(s) working for Endicott-Johnson. It is a fascinating story, one I encourage everyone to read about.
Then came...well, its a long story.
Endicott-Johnson ceased to be American owned years ago, and it no longer manufactures any of its own shoes. And, it hasn't had any facilities here for many years.
Now those factories, what are left behind of them, lie vacant and rotting, inhabited by....let's not go there. Meanwhile, downtown Johnson City (which I travel through five days a week) deteriorates. The key is, few people are going there to shop. Some that go, go to gang-bang, but not to shop. (this is true of so many other small city downtowns, I realize. Well, I'm a blogger, not a sociologist.) It's (truth time, and the truth hurts) A DUMP. A dump abandoned by time. Oh, does it kill me to say that.
When I moved here 22 years ago I was told I could live anywhere in Johnson City, even downtown, and it would be somewhat safe. How times have changed.
So here comes Wal-Mart. Almost 20 years ago it rode into nearby Vestal (nearby, but on the other side of the Susquehanna River) and the next thing you knew, one shopping center arose on the particular road they chose to locate to. Then another. Then another. Then another.....
...Taking local shopping from that other side of the river with it.
So now, Johnson City looks to increased traffic like a stranded motorist in the desert looks to water.
Let's see, it's over two years ago now?....Wal-Mart proposes a second area store, tearing down one of those factories. Wow! An eyesore gone. And remember all those shoppers who abandoned our side of the river. Well, they are going to come back, lured by Wal-Mart. Aren't they? And guess what? Maybe, just maybe, they will drive down Main Street, back into the welcoming arms of downtown Johnson City! And you know the Weis Supermarket on Harry L. Drive (Harry L. who? Johnson, of course!), which is next to dead and buried? Well maybe the Wal-Mart customers will stop there too. Why not? How about the Oakdale Mall?
So, in a most amazing turnaround, local businesses on "this" side of the river are (in many cases-not all) welcoming Wal-Mart. Or if not welcoming, not dreading.
The Johnson City Wal-Mart opened two days ago.
We'd all better hope there is water there, and not a mirage.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The Crickets of August
I'm confused. This is still July.
Every year crickets are a sign that late summer has arrived.
The problem is...it isn't time. This is still July. Only now are the decreasing days becoming quite evident. The weather is still warm. (at least it wasn't hot this week.)
We had an early spring. We've had an early summer. And now we are having an... early fall?
I actually started hearing crickets about two weeks ago here and there. Now there is no doubt about it.
What message are the crickets chirping? Will we also have an early winter? Will we have almost a foot of snow in October, like happened back in the "bad old days"?
Have our relatively mild (snow-wise) winters ended?
Only time will tell. But I have a sinking feeling nature is giving us a message.
Every year crickets are a sign that late summer has arrived.
The problem is...it isn't time. This is still July. Only now are the decreasing days becoming quite evident. The weather is still warm. (at least it wasn't hot this week.)
We had an early spring. We've had an early summer. And now we are having an... early fall?
I actually started hearing crickets about two weeks ago here and there. Now there is no doubt about it.
What message are the crickets chirping? Will we also have an early winter? Will we have almost a foot of snow in October, like happened back in the "bad old days"?
Have our relatively mild (snow-wise) winters ended?
Only time will tell. But I have a sinking feeling nature is giving us a message.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Cheesequake!
Today's trivia question: What is a Cheesequake?
a. What Wisconsin natives yell when the earth moves under their feet.
b. A San Francisco boutique cheesecake producer
c. A Washington State cheeseburger
d. A New Jersey toll road service area.
If you answered "c", you've taken too many "How to Ace the SAT" review courses.
The correct answer, of course, is b, c and d. And thereby hangs a tale.
b. San Francisco Cheesequakes ("Cheesecakes that Rock") has the most intriguing sounding cheesecakes. (not that I've ever had one, so this is not a plug.) Candycap Mushroom Cheesecake, anyone?
They also have all kind of chocolate cheesecakes.
Birthday present, anyone?
c. How about a Double Cheesequake at the X Earthquakes Biggest Burgers in Pullyap, Washington?
d. The New Jersey Cheesequake.
Last Friday, spouse and I traveled to the Jersey Shore from the Binghamton, NY area. This involved travel on the Garden State Parkway, known as the country's busiest toll road. We had been warned about the traffic and we already knew how aggressive and high speed the driving would be, so neither came as a shock. We proceeded through The Oranges and The Amboys when to our wondering eyes did appear, near exit 120....
The Cheesequake Service Area.
Huh?
Spouse and I turned to each other simultaneously. What was a Cheesequake? We pondered various answers. A strange New Jersey restaurant chain? A former cheese factory that had exploded and was now a historical site? Some kind of corrupted Native American word?
Our wonder grew as we passed by a sign for Cheesequake State Park.
Turns out spouse's guess of a corrupted Native American word was correct. My spouse, however, speculated that "Cheesequake" came from the same word that Chesapeake (as in Chesapeake Bay) derived from. That apparently is not the case, according to what I was able to research. If my sources are correct, Chesapeake comes from a Algonquian word meaning a village "at a big river" while Cheesequake comes from a Lenape word for "upland village".
Drawing from my years back anthropology courses, I am aware that the Lenapes (formerly known as the Delaware) are part of a much larger Native American groupage called the Algonquians. So, there may still be some truth to this speculation.
At any rate the word has nothing to do with either cheese nor earthquakes.
The State Park does sound fascinating.
The service area, apart from the full service (mandatory in NJ) gas it sold for 20 cents less a gallon than Binghamton gas when we left, was not at all distinguished.
But still, it left us with a desire to go back and visit the park. Cheesequake!
a. What Wisconsin natives yell when the earth moves under their feet.
b. A San Francisco boutique cheesecake producer
c. A Washington State cheeseburger
d. A New Jersey toll road service area.
If you answered "c", you've taken too many "How to Ace the SAT" review courses.
The correct answer, of course, is b, c and d. And thereby hangs a tale.
b. San Francisco Cheesequakes ("Cheesecakes that Rock") has the most intriguing sounding cheesecakes. (not that I've ever had one, so this is not a plug.) Candycap Mushroom Cheesecake, anyone?
They also have all kind of chocolate cheesecakes.
Birthday present, anyone?
c. How about a Double Cheesequake at the X Earthquakes Biggest Burgers in Pullyap, Washington?
d. The New Jersey Cheesequake.
Last Friday, spouse and I traveled to the Jersey Shore from the Binghamton, NY area. This involved travel on the Garden State Parkway, known as the country's busiest toll road. We had been warned about the traffic and we already knew how aggressive and high speed the driving would be, so neither came as a shock. We proceeded through The Oranges and The Amboys when to our wondering eyes did appear, near exit 120....
The Cheesequake Service Area.
Huh?
Spouse and I turned to each other simultaneously. What was a Cheesequake? We pondered various answers. A strange New Jersey restaurant chain? A former cheese factory that had exploded and was now a historical site? Some kind of corrupted Native American word?
Our wonder grew as we passed by a sign for Cheesequake State Park.
Turns out spouse's guess of a corrupted Native American word was correct. My spouse, however, speculated that "Cheesequake" came from the same word that Chesapeake (as in Chesapeake Bay) derived from. That apparently is not the case, according to what I was able to research. If my sources are correct, Chesapeake comes from a Algonquian word meaning a village "at a big river" while Cheesequake comes from a Lenape word for "upland village".
Drawing from my years back anthropology courses, I am aware that the Lenapes (formerly known as the Delaware) are part of a much larger Native American groupage called the Algonquians. So, there may still be some truth to this speculation.
At any rate the word has nothing to do with either cheese nor earthquakes.
The State Park does sound fascinating.
The service area, apart from the full service (mandatory in NJ) gas it sold for 20 cents less a gallon than Binghamton gas when we left, was not at all distinguished.
But still, it left us with a desire to go back and visit the park. Cheesequake!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Blasted Back
Hurt my back again-this time, off all things, by getting out of a chair. Not the most imaginative way.
So I spent yesterday with ice packs and a lot of discomfort.
I do back exercises but obviously it isn't enough. I have a feeling this is stress related sometimes.
A couple of friends have suggested acupuncture. Needles creep me out but I may be desperate enough to try it.
In the meantime, I will keep this post short-need to start on those exercises for today.
So I spent yesterday with ice packs and a lot of discomfort.
I do back exercises but obviously it isn't enough. I have a feeling this is stress related sometimes.
A couple of friends have suggested acupuncture. Needles creep me out but I may be desperate enough to try it.
In the meantime, I will keep this post short-need to start on those exercises for today.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Conversing with Computers-Old Style
Being a fan of old technology (must be where my dear son got it from) I found this posting about a conversation with a Univac fascinating.
Years ago, when son had a couple of Apple IIe's, I remember him writing programs (well, learning to write them from books we found at garage sales and library book sales) to do this kind of thing, but not so sophisticated.
And yes, this conversation is pretty sophisticated. For years ago.
Years ago, when son had a couple of Apple IIe's, I remember him writing programs (well, learning to write them from books we found at garage sales and library book sales) to do this kind of thing, but not so sophisticated.
And yes, this conversation is pretty sophisticated. For years ago.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Otsiningo Park Farmers Market
Whoever suggested putting a Saturday farmers market in Otsiningo Park (and routing the bus so it would stop there) should be praised. May it continue to succeed. From what it looked like today-food was flying out of there.
I had been there several times last year-it was a good start with a good variety of vendors.
I went today, for the second time this year (I normally visit the downtown Binghamton market) - and to my delight, there were a number of organic vendors. Summer has kicked in with produce of every description from kale, broccoli, garlic, zucchini, to cherries, blueberries, plants, cut flowers, and (not produce but local ) eggs, chicken, beef, pork, cheese and even goat. Additionally, herbal tea, organic pet products and a cupcake booth rounded out today's selection.
A local organic cheese producer, Englebert Farms, was there sampling some of their cheeses. The smoked Swiss was heavenly, but a little softer than I would have preferred for swiss. So we, instead, bought smoked cheddar, and a mozzarella.
Spouse had tried his hand at cheesemaking many years ago and knows mozzarella can be difficult to make, so he is eager to try it.
Not only that but one of my favorite cuts of beef (sorry, vegetarian friends), brisket, was being sold by two different producers. We jumped on that. The vendor I bought from used to frequent the Binghamton farmers market downtown, but no longer does, for some valid reasons pertaining to difficulty in maneuvering large trailers on the narrow side street it is located on.
Now all we need is some wine tasting (we do have a local winery) although this being in a county park may not make that possible.
This is a wonderful location, right off the Interstate, with potential for a lot of room for expansion. Not only that, it is close to our community garden just in case we need to stop by for a little harvesting.
I had been there several times last year-it was a good start with a good variety of vendors.
I went today, for the second time this year (I normally visit the downtown Binghamton market) - and to my delight, there were a number of organic vendors. Summer has kicked in with produce of every description from kale, broccoli, garlic, zucchini, to cherries, blueberries, plants, cut flowers, and (not produce but local ) eggs, chicken, beef, pork, cheese and even goat. Additionally, herbal tea, organic pet products and a cupcake booth rounded out today's selection.
A local organic cheese producer, Englebert Farms, was there sampling some of their cheeses. The smoked Swiss was heavenly, but a little softer than I would have preferred for swiss. So we, instead, bought smoked cheddar, and a mozzarella.
Spouse had tried his hand at cheesemaking many years ago and knows mozzarella can be difficult to make, so he is eager to try it.
Not only that but one of my favorite cuts of beef (sorry, vegetarian friends), brisket, was being sold by two different producers. We jumped on that. The vendor I bought from used to frequent the Binghamton farmers market downtown, but no longer does, for some valid reasons pertaining to difficulty in maneuvering large trailers on the narrow side street it is located on.
Now all we need is some wine tasting (we do have a local winery) although this being in a county park may not make that possible.
This is a wonderful location, right off the Interstate, with potential for a lot of room for expansion. Not only that, it is close to our community garden just in case we need to stop by for a little harvesting.
What we Did Not Do Today
Too many things and so little time. The battle cry of the middle aged person. Yup, that toilet roll keeps spinning.
We just can't be everwhere at once anymore.
It would have been nice to go to Ithaca today. A couple of things would have been on our agenda:
1. The Ithaca Dragon Boat festival. I was in Philadelphia several years ago (gee, it has been almost 10 years!) and they were having practice rounds for a great Dragon Boat race. I always wanted to see one. I didn't know Ithaca had been having one. Awesome! I just couldn't be there. (If you don't know what dragon boats are - the name is somewhat descriptive. But you have to see them to believe them.)
2. The Ithaca Scottish Games.
(memo to the web site designer, not trying to be critical here, but please reconsider your use of color on the website-much of it was difficult to read - please consider those who are middle aged or have visual impairments-Thank You!)
I haven't written about Ithaca in a while and it would have been nice to.
Oh yes, one other thing- the Finger Lakes cheese trail had an open house today. We didn't go but we did the next best thing-went to our local farmers market.
More on that in my next post. (I haven't been talking about some of my favorite topics lately, and I need to be getting back into that groove.)
We just can't be everwhere at once anymore.
It would have been nice to go to Ithaca today. A couple of things would have been on our agenda:
1. The Ithaca Dragon Boat festival. I was in Philadelphia several years ago (gee, it has been almost 10 years!) and they were having practice rounds for a great Dragon Boat race. I always wanted to see one. I didn't know Ithaca had been having one. Awesome! I just couldn't be there. (If you don't know what dragon boats are - the name is somewhat descriptive. But you have to see them to believe them.)
2. The Ithaca Scottish Games.
(memo to the web site designer, not trying to be critical here, but please reconsider your use of color on the website-much of it was difficult to read - please consider those who are middle aged or have visual impairments-Thank You!)
I haven't written about Ithaca in a while and it would have been nice to.
Oh yes, one other thing- the Finger Lakes cheese trail had an open house today. We didn't go but we did the next best thing-went to our local farmers market.
More on that in my next post. (I haven't been talking about some of my favorite topics lately, and I need to be getting back into that groove.)
Friday, July 9, 2010
JulyFest and the Greening of Binghamton
Today was JulyFest, the annual festival in Downtown Binghamton.
I am so happy to see that JulyFest, after being in a funk for several years, has worked its way back up to being something worthwhile to visit.
I was even happier to see various nonprofit (or nonprofitlike) booths advertising themselves. The ACA (American Civic Association, site of the tragic mass murder shooting of April 3, 2009) was there and I spoke to one of their representatives for a few minutes.
Then I saw the booth for something called VINES. This is short for "Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments". I wasn't able to speak to anyone there but I got their brochure. The website is part of the City of Binghamton website. Believe me, Binghamton can use all the greening it can get.
(Flashback: the newspaper never offered to print my letter on how a flowering tree festival could benefit Binghamton visually and perhaps even financially. Oh well.)
But back to this booth: VINES (quoting from their brochure) "has a vision of a system of community gardens and parks which are within walking distance of every resident and strong communities where residents care for community spaces and each other." Right now they have 5 garden sites and many of these (if not all) are not...let's say, in Binghamton's better neighborhoods. This is certainly admirable. Of course, like any other nonprofit, they are going to need to get a lot of donations, apply and get grants, and so forth.
Their meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at RiverRead books (located in one of the buildings featured in my recent blog post on the downtown mosaic.). Of course let's see if I "walk the walk" and show up at one. Seems like, by the day the work day is done, so is my energy.
But back to JulyFest, it was fun, even though it was hitting 90 degrees with a lot of humidity. The good news is, the heat wave should be just about over.
I am so happy to see that JulyFest, after being in a funk for several years, has worked its way back up to being something worthwhile to visit.
I was even happier to see various nonprofit (or nonprofitlike) booths advertising themselves. The ACA (American Civic Association, site of the tragic mass murder shooting of April 3, 2009) was there and I spoke to one of their representatives for a few minutes.
Then I saw the booth for something called VINES. This is short for "Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments". I wasn't able to speak to anyone there but I got their brochure. The website is part of the City of Binghamton website. Believe me, Binghamton can use all the greening it can get.
(Flashback: the newspaper never offered to print my letter on how a flowering tree festival could benefit Binghamton visually and perhaps even financially. Oh well.)
But back to this booth: VINES (quoting from their brochure) "has a vision of a system of community gardens and parks which are within walking distance of every resident and strong communities where residents care for community spaces and each other." Right now they have 5 garden sites and many of these (if not all) are not...let's say, in Binghamton's better neighborhoods. This is certainly admirable. Of course, like any other nonprofit, they are going to need to get a lot of donations, apply and get grants, and so forth.
Their meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at RiverRead books (located in one of the buildings featured in my recent blog post on the downtown mosaic.). Of course let's see if I "walk the walk" and show up at one. Seems like, by the day the work day is done, so is my energy.
But back to JulyFest, it was fun, even though it was hitting 90 degrees with a lot of humidity. The good news is, the heat wave should be just about over.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
I Apologize to the Northeast
I jinxed our weather. I blogged about the record high at LaGuardia Airport July 3, 1966 - a record that still stands.
So the weather took that as a challenge. The heat poured on.
It's all my fault.
The good news is that tomorrow should be the last day of heat. Hopefully the 103 degrees at LaGuardia yesterday won't repeat itself.
Of course you may recall what happened in the winter of 1966-67 in New York City. Very snowy.
I'd better not have that tornado discussion now....
So the weather took that as a challenge. The heat poured on.
It's all my fault.
The good news is that tomorrow should be the last day of heat. Hopefully the 103 degrees at LaGuardia yesterday won't repeat itself.
Of course you may recall what happened in the winter of 1966-67 in New York City. Very snowy.
I'd better not have that tornado discussion now....
Monday, July 5, 2010
Downtown Binghamton Sparkles with Mosaics and History
Even though I wasn't able to take pictures of the Dinosaurs as I had planned to do on July 2 First Friday, I got some other good pictures. There has been renovation going on downtown the past several years. And a week ago, local mosaic artist Susan Jablon, whose mosaic dinosaur was vandalized, nevertheless took a Saturday last week to gather community young people together for a mosaic project. This is on our Riverwalk. Here is a picture "as a whole", with a renovated building behind (more on that building a little later).
Here is a closeup shot. Since this doesn't face the public sidewalk, maybe it will be "more safe" from vandals. Let's hope. It isn't too far from a Binghamton University building downtown, so that might help also.
Susan has some coverage of the building of this mosaic wall on her blog.
I used to make "mosaics" using kits when I was growing up years ago. This is real "grown up" mosaics. One day, I hope to have the time to perhaps learn this art form. I don't know if I have the patience, but I bet it is a lot of fun. And, it will keep my mind (and small muscle dexterity) active!
As far as the Riverwalk itself here is one shot. Many of the "speckles" in this photograph are ducks; others are rocks.
Here is another view, showing hanging baskets donated by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, a company headquartered downtown that has done a lot to improve downtown.
Here is a closeup of a metal "marker" on the Riverwalk. There are several of these, highlighting history of our area - The Bundy Manufacturing Company, for example (which eventually became IBM-yes, IBM originated in Binghamton). The one I chose to take a picture of was the famous race horse Exterminator, winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby and many other honors, owned by a local patent medicine manufacturer, Dr. Kilmer.
Finally, here is another view of the renovated buildings shown behind the mosaics. Unfortunately a bus came by just at the wrong time, so part of the view is blocked. I haven't looked up the history of this particular block of buildings, but I promise I will.
I will post some more photos later in the week, if I have time.
Here is a closeup shot. Since this doesn't face the public sidewalk, maybe it will be "more safe" from vandals. Let's hope. It isn't too far from a Binghamton University building downtown, so that might help also.
Susan has some coverage of the building of this mosaic wall on her blog.
I used to make "mosaics" using kits when I was growing up years ago. This is real "grown up" mosaics. One day, I hope to have the time to perhaps learn this art form. I don't know if I have the patience, but I bet it is a lot of fun. And, it will keep my mind (and small muscle dexterity) active!
As far as the Riverwalk itself here is one shot. Many of the "speckles" in this photograph are ducks; others are rocks.
Here is another view, showing hanging baskets donated by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, a company headquartered downtown that has done a lot to improve downtown.
Here is a closeup of a metal "marker" on the Riverwalk. There are several of these, highlighting history of our area - The Bundy Manufacturing Company, for example (which eventually became IBM-yes, IBM originated in Binghamton). The one I chose to take a picture of was the famous race horse Exterminator, winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby and many other honors, owned by a local patent medicine manufacturer, Dr. Kilmer.
Finally, here is another view of the renovated buildings shown behind the mosaics. Unfortunately a bus came by just at the wrong time, so part of the view is blocked. I haven't looked up the history of this particular block of buildings, but I promise I will.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Today's Fourth of July
For us in the Triple Cities of upstate NY, it is hot, and somewhat quiet. We took a short walk, did some food shopping, picked up something at the pet store, watered our community garden, came home. Tonight we will be going to a B-Met game. Right now spouse is doing the BBQ thing while I blog. Son and his friend (the one I blogged about a couple of weeks ago) are listening to music-too hot to work on cars.
Thank you, those who have gone before us, for making this day possible.
But before the friend came, my son and I had some interesting conversation.
It started when I mentioned our local paper had published the Declaration of Independence. Good for them. It should be required reading for us. It merits more than a one time a year glance.
My son started asking questions about when the Revolutionary War ended (and why it took so long for the Treaty of Paris to be signed) and ended up asking about how people dressed in those times, and about powdered wigs.
Son ended up doing some research on powdered wigs. The story behind them is quite interesting. I invite you to read about it. You'll never think about our Founding Fathers in the same way again!
Happy 4th.
Thank you, those who have gone before us, for making this day possible.
But before the friend came, my son and I had some interesting conversation.
It started when I mentioned our local paper had published the Declaration of Independence. Good for them. It should be required reading for us. It merits more than a one time a year glance.
My son started asking questions about when the Revolutionary War ended (and why it took so long for the Treaty of Paris to be signed) and ended up asking about how people dressed in those times, and about powdered wigs.
Son ended up doing some research on powdered wigs. The story behind them is quite interesting. I invite you to read about it. You'll never think about our Founding Fathers in the same way again!
Happy 4th.
My Official 4th of July Post- Read it Quick, Before the Vandals Come
Several other people I know have posted 4th of July thoughts on Facebook, or in their blogs. I don't promise mine will be a masterpiece of writing but here goes. (if it rambles...well, that's my name.)
Many of us are thinking way past the BBQ- hot dogs and apple pie-setting off of illegal fireworks/terrorizing your neighborhood dogs-traditions of the 4th this year. This is a sober year for many of us: continued unemployment, struggles getting decent health care (health care reform notwithstanding) but most of all, watching the continued polarization of our country into two camps, neither willing to compromise, creating a paralysis while the American People suffer.
I'm rarely serious in my blog, but these are serious times.
What I want to say to both of these camps is something that isn't that original. "We've become a nation of fearful people, a nation of angry people, who just lash out at each other while parroting the slogans of the radio and television political commentators of our choice. Is that what we want? Is that what we have come to? You are drowning out the voices of the common people, the "man in the street" and the "woman in the street", taking advantage of their fears to gain power for yourselves."
The American People, the true American people, need to take their country back. I'm not talking Yes We Can here. I'm not talking Tea Party. I'm not talking red, or blue, and I don't care which color you support. This isn't a sleepaway camp color war, folks. This is our very lives.
I'm talking pride in our country, our community, and taking responsibility for their success or failure.
I've traveled this country. I've been to 46 states in a span of about 40 years. I've met many different people, from many different cultures and "walks of life" during this time. I lived in a liberal city of New York, and a conservative rural area in Arkansas. We are a good people.
Many people have called Binghamton, NY, my adopted hometown area, a "burnt out industrial town". Well, there are worse places. Places such as Flint, Michigan (where I remember passing huge auto plants, so many of them now closed, deserted, the same as the former EJ (Endicott Johnson) plants here. Their people out of work, wondering where the American Dream went.
No wonder they are angry. And lashing out.
Meanwhile, and for some reason my thoughts keep circling back to this, someone tries to beautify this industrial town. He brought the art of his late grandfather to life, starts a movement called the "hART of BC". Artists were commissioned. Dinosaurs were decorated. Other cities have done this kind of thing. It wasn't original.
But, what happened next is something that everyone in this city should ponder.
The vandals struck. They struck again and again. Measures were taken, and still they struck.
Now, the City of Binghamton has given up fighting the vandals. The dinosaurs have been moved to our area indoor mall in Johnson City. (the same Johnson City that was almost dissolved last November.)
Sometimes, folks, we deserve what we get.
Circling back to my original point do we deserve to have our country destroyed by the people who take advantage of the rage of the American people? Is it time for us to suffer the invasion of the Vandals, like the invasion of the vandals of downtown Binghamton? I think not. There is still a lot of life left in the American Dream. We are not ready to go down the path of the Roman Empire. I think we can still learn from history. History's lesson #1 is: pay attention/educate yourself/ take responsibility. Remember who the original Vandals were, who we name our small letter vandals after. With other tribes, they toppled one of the strongest civilizations ever, because that civilization was rotten to the core.
Read your history. Don't get it second hand from some mile-a-minute blabbermouth of the media, just because he/she sounds good or is entertaining. Don't obsess about rock or TV stars, who married whom, who just got pregnant. Obsess about what is happening in your home town. Don't let others do it for you.
It isn't too late for us. Yet.
And with that...may you have a happy and meaningful Fourth of July.
Many of us are thinking way past the BBQ- hot dogs and apple pie-setting off of illegal fireworks/terrorizing your neighborhood dogs-traditions of the 4th this year. This is a sober year for many of us: continued unemployment, struggles getting decent health care (health care reform notwithstanding) but most of all, watching the continued polarization of our country into two camps, neither willing to compromise, creating a paralysis while the American People suffer.
I'm rarely serious in my blog, but these are serious times.
What I want to say to both of these camps is something that isn't that original. "We've become a nation of fearful people, a nation of angry people, who just lash out at each other while parroting the slogans of the radio and television political commentators of our choice. Is that what we want? Is that what we have come to? You are drowning out the voices of the common people, the "man in the street" and the "woman in the street", taking advantage of their fears to gain power for yourselves."
The American People, the true American people, need to take their country back. I'm not talking Yes We Can here. I'm not talking Tea Party. I'm not talking red, or blue, and I don't care which color you support. This isn't a sleepaway camp color war, folks. This is our very lives.
I'm talking pride in our country, our community, and taking responsibility for their success or failure.
I've traveled this country. I've been to 46 states in a span of about 40 years. I've met many different people, from many different cultures and "walks of life" during this time. I lived in a liberal city of New York, and a conservative rural area in Arkansas. We are a good people.
Many people have called Binghamton, NY, my adopted hometown area, a "burnt out industrial town". Well, there are worse places. Places such as Flint, Michigan (where I remember passing huge auto plants, so many of them now closed, deserted, the same as the former EJ (Endicott Johnson) plants here. Their people out of work, wondering where the American Dream went.
No wonder they are angry. And lashing out.
Meanwhile, and for some reason my thoughts keep circling back to this, someone tries to beautify this industrial town. He brought the art of his late grandfather to life, starts a movement called the "hART of BC". Artists were commissioned. Dinosaurs were decorated. Other cities have done this kind of thing. It wasn't original.
But, what happened next is something that everyone in this city should ponder.
The vandals struck. They struck again and again. Measures were taken, and still they struck.
Now, the City of Binghamton has given up fighting the vandals. The dinosaurs have been moved to our area indoor mall in Johnson City. (the same Johnson City that was almost dissolved last November.)
Sometimes, folks, we deserve what we get.
Circling back to my original point do we deserve to have our country destroyed by the people who take advantage of the rage of the American people? Is it time for us to suffer the invasion of the Vandals, like the invasion of the vandals of downtown Binghamton? I think not. There is still a lot of life left in the American Dream. We are not ready to go down the path of the Roman Empire. I think we can still learn from history. History's lesson #1 is: pay attention/educate yourself/ take responsibility. Remember who the original Vandals were, who we name our small letter vandals after. With other tribes, they toppled one of the strongest civilizations ever, because that civilization was rotten to the core.
Read your history. Don't get it second hand from some mile-a-minute blabbermouth of the media, just because he/she sounds good or is entertaining. Don't obsess about rock or TV stars, who married whom, who just got pregnant. Obsess about what is happening in your home town. Don't let others do it for you.
It isn't too late for us. Yet.
And with that...may you have a happy and meaningful Fourth of July.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Highs of July 3, 1966
Two things happened on July 3, 1966, during my childhood in New York City.
44 years ago today. The saying "time flies when you are having fun" gives me chills when I think of things I can remember so well being from so long ago, when I can barely remember what happened last week.
I subscribe to the toilet roll theory of aging-time goes faster as you get to the end of the roll.
Anyway, back to those memories.
First, LaGuardia Airport hit a record high of 107 degrees.
Second, I took my first ever plane trip, to Tampa, Florida, to visit family. So ironically, I was not in the City by the time the record was broken. (the record, by the way, still stands.)
I can remember the night before so clearly. Air conditioning was pretty nonexistent in homes and apartments in those days, and we sweltered. Boy, did we swelter. I can still remember that night, between the heat, the suffocating heat, and my combined excitement and apprehension. (Ironically, 107 degrees on July 3 would not have been a personal record either-that would come in 1980, in a major heatwave in Wichita, KS.)
Air travel was not quite as common in 1966 as it is today. This was a big deal. My Dad had flown, back in his World War II days in the Army Air Force. In fact, he had been an airplane mechanic.
I seem to recall the flight was on Eastern Airlines. It was a breakfast flight, as I recall, with a totally tasteless breakfast meal. But otherwise, the flight stuck in my mind for a number of reasons.
-the airline was happy to have us. We were treated quite nicely.
-I lost my fear of heights that day. On the other hand, I am more and more a very reluctant air traveler. It's been years since I've been on a plane.
-I had never been out of the NY metropolitan area, and Tampa...well, it was so different. It stuck with me for years and years. I ended up living in Tampa as a young adult, for nearly two years, partially due to the impression it made on me. I still love being around palm trees and clear blue skies.
-Finally, when we got off the plane (on an exterior staircase thing, whatever they are called) the Florida heat was such a relief - it was cooler than New York!
One other thing I remember-Tampa was on standard time (NYC was on daylight savings time) so we didn't cross a time zone but still lost an hour.
We didn't fly back, because the airlines went on strike on July 8, a day or so before we were supposed to come home. We ended up taking the train, the Atlantic Coast Line, for my first long distance train travel experience, back to New York City. (it would take 40 years for me to make my way back to Florida on a train-which I blogged about last year.)
Ironically, the Atlantic Coast Line railroad ceased to exist on July 1, 1967. Eastern Airlines? Well that doesn't exist any more either.
But the cousins I visited on that day, they both are still alive, and they both still live in Florida.
As for those impressions of Tampa, so different from New York City? Those will have to wait for another day.
44 years ago today. The saying "time flies when you are having fun" gives me chills when I think of things I can remember so well being from so long ago, when I can barely remember what happened last week.
I subscribe to the toilet roll theory of aging-time goes faster as you get to the end of the roll.
Anyway, back to those memories.
First, LaGuardia Airport hit a record high of 107 degrees.
Second, I took my first ever plane trip, to Tampa, Florida, to visit family. So ironically, I was not in the City by the time the record was broken. (the record, by the way, still stands.)
I can remember the night before so clearly. Air conditioning was pretty nonexistent in homes and apartments in those days, and we sweltered. Boy, did we swelter. I can still remember that night, between the heat, the suffocating heat, and my combined excitement and apprehension. (Ironically, 107 degrees on July 3 would not have been a personal record either-that would come in 1980, in a major heatwave in Wichita, KS.)
Air travel was not quite as common in 1966 as it is today. This was a big deal. My Dad had flown, back in his World War II days in the Army Air Force. In fact, he had been an airplane mechanic.
I seem to recall the flight was on Eastern Airlines. It was a breakfast flight, as I recall, with a totally tasteless breakfast meal. But otherwise, the flight stuck in my mind for a number of reasons.
-the airline was happy to have us. We were treated quite nicely.
-I lost my fear of heights that day. On the other hand, I am more and more a very reluctant air traveler. It's been years since I've been on a plane.
-I had never been out of the NY metropolitan area, and Tampa...well, it was so different. It stuck with me for years and years. I ended up living in Tampa as a young adult, for nearly two years, partially due to the impression it made on me. I still love being around palm trees and clear blue skies.
-Finally, when we got off the plane (on an exterior staircase thing, whatever they are called) the Florida heat was such a relief - it was cooler than New York!
One other thing I remember-Tampa was on standard time (NYC was on daylight savings time) so we didn't cross a time zone but still lost an hour.
We didn't fly back, because the airlines went on strike on July 8, a day or so before we were supposed to come home. We ended up taking the train, the Atlantic Coast Line, for my first long distance train travel experience, back to New York City. (it would take 40 years for me to make my way back to Florida on a train-which I blogged about last year.)
Ironically, the Atlantic Coast Line railroad ceased to exist on July 1, 1967. Eastern Airlines? Well that doesn't exist any more either.
But the cousins I visited on that day, they both are still alive, and they both still live in Florida.
As for those impressions of Tampa, so different from New York City? Those will have to wait for another day.
Friday, July 2, 2010
The hART of Disappearing Dinos
Tonight was First Friday in downtown Binghamton. I wanted to take some pictures and hoped to get pictures of a couple of new dinos that had appeared the last two weeks downtown.
One of the newer "Gronks" was there this morning. I saw it on the way to work, with two of the older dinos.
This evening, there were no dinos to be found in downtown Binghamton.
What's up? The newspaper didn't seem to say. There was nothing on Binghamton's official website either although there was an earlier article outlining some of the measures being taken to protect the dinosaurs.
I was disappointed. I'm sure other people were, too.
I did take some other pictures of downtown Binghamton highlights, though and hope to have them up this weekend.
UPDATE 7-3-10: The dinos have been found. More later, perhaps tomorrow.
One of the newer "Gronks" was there this morning. I saw it on the way to work, with two of the older dinos.
This evening, there were no dinos to be found in downtown Binghamton.
What's up? The newspaper didn't seem to say. There was nothing on Binghamton's official website either although there was an earlier article outlining some of the measures being taken to protect the dinosaurs.
I was disappointed. I'm sure other people were, too.
I did take some other pictures of downtown Binghamton highlights, though and hope to have them up this weekend.
UPDATE 7-3-10: The dinos have been found. More later, perhaps tomorrow.
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