The Binghamton Garlic Festival - A Message of Garlic and Hope

Area garlic growers gathered at the American Civic Association in Binghamton, this past weekend.

Since the ACA became the site of a tragic mass shooting on April 3, 2009 that left 14 dead, the garlic festival has become a symbol of hope, and recovery.

(How many garlic festivals can boast that?)

Inside ACA Lobby 2012

When I go inside, though, that is where the triumph seems complete.  The ACA wasn't closed, and it didn't move to a different building.  Its mission continues, stronger than ever.

Gift basket raffles were available (picture of basket from 2012- of course, we didn't win.) 
The number of vendors seemed down this year, which is a shame, because we appear to be having a banner garlic year.  But we enjoyed the chance to try some new garlics.

There was also a local vendor selling hand crafted mustard, garlic flavored food (and ice cream) for sale, music, and dancing. 

Dancers 2012 Festival

Music 2012

I didn't eat the garlic ice cream this year (still on my weight loss path, with another 15 pounds to go) but I can assure you the combination is not bad at all.

What kind of "ethnic" festivals do you have where you live?

Civil War Sunday - The "Bull Run of the West"

The first major battle of the Civil War, fought a little bit more than 152 years ago, was the first Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) near Manassas, Virginia.  I've been to the battlefield (during the 150th anniversary commemoration in July of 2011), and the battle is well known.

The South bore the brunt of fighting in the Civil War - but at least one Union state was up there in the statistical count, too.

The Confederate state of Virginia was "first" (a first not exactly wanted) with 122 battles (not counting battles that took place in West Virginia, which left Virginia and rejoined the union in June of 1863) and a total of 2,154 skirmishes, battles and "other actions".

Second was the Confederate state of Tennessee, (although it had strong Union sympathies - just as the Union state of Missouri had strong Confederate sympathies) with 38 battles, and a total of 1,462 skirmishes, battles and "other actions" .

Third?  The above Union state, Missouri, with 29 battles and 1,162 skirmishes, battles and "other actions".

It still amazes me, a person who grew up in New York State, but who also lived part of her life in the South (Florida, Texas, Arkansas), and in Kansas, that the "western" actions of the Civil War - Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas and other states not on the Eastern Seaboard all the way to Colorado and even New Mexico and California- that we ignore a lot of the Western actions.

Take Wilson's Creek, near Republic, Missouri, for example.  Its 152nd battle anniversary was yesterday.  I had never heard of it until two days ago, and yet it was the second battle of the Civil War.

It was fought where it was fought despite the fact that there was no strategic city, railroad, or river there to fight over.  Missouri, itself was quite important.  It borders the Mississippi River, a river still extremely important to the commerce of our nation.  It bordered both Confederate and Union states, something that put it in an uncomfortable position.  It was the eighth most populous state in the Union in 1860, and its citizens fought for both North and South.

Missouri allowed slavery.  Since it stayed in the Union, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did not directly affect it or the other slave states that stayed in the Union (Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky).  Missouri would not abolish slavery until 1865.

And one piece of trivia;  The famous outlaw Jesse James' brother Frank fought in the battle.  Jesse joined the war later, as a guerrilla fighter.

It was a Confederate victory, but it paved the way for Missouri to stay in the Union.

And the lessons of Wilson's Creek?
-Just because you win a battle doesn't mean you will stay victorious unless you immediately take advantage of your victory (the Confederates did not take proper follow-up - something both sides were guilty of on several occasions);
-All is not lost if you don't win initial battles in the war (the action that started the War, the shelling of Ft. Sumter in South Carolina, the first Battle of Bull Run and Wilson's Creek were all Confederate victories) and you can't depend on early victories;
-If your enemy's attention is drawn to your victory and realizes it must act, it was really not a victory. Indeed, the Union forces paid attention to this defeat, regrouped, and gained a major victory in 1862 at the Battle of Pea Ridge, March 6-8, 1862, in nearby Arkansas.  

Missouri stayed in the Union.

And, most of all:

The Civil War was going to be a battle of, literally, brother against brother, starting almost immediately.  Wilson's Creek, for example, featured Joseph Shelby, of the Missouri State Guard, fighting for the Confederates and his step brother, Cary Gratz, of the1st Missouri Infantry, fighting for the United States Army. Gratz died in the battle.  Shelby, on the other hand, survived and might have become a general hadn't the war ended when it did, and - well, you'll have to read it for yourself.

The Civil War histories of Missouri and a Union state it bordered, Kansas, are quite fascinating and something I will feature in my blog 

Later this year, I hope to visit some battlefields not on the Eastern Seaboard, although, unfortunately (a factor of both timing and the recent flooding in that part of Missouri) I won't be able to get to Wilson's Creek.

Later this month, Civil War Sunday will go on hiatus, while I gather additional material to explore the Western fronts.

Sustainable Saturday - Bee in Butter and Other Bee-Lights

Minor river flooding closed Otsiningo Park in Binghamton, New York yesterday.  Thankfully, we were spared the flash flooding that hit Cortland and vicinity (ironically,where we took refuge overnight after our neighborhood was flooded in 2011) and the market opened this morning, right on time.

First, here's one of our friendly Otsiningo Park shoppers sampling some Cross Creek Farms fruit butter.

I do believe it's a honey bee! (look in left middle edge of the lower jar of product).  Ms. Bee must have liked what she tasted, as she flew away but then returned for another sample.  (Now, could you pollinate some of the nearby community garden plants before you go home?  Thanks much.)

Donut peaches.  These are from about an hour away (we can't grow peaches in our immediate area) but still within the market's definition of "local".

Some colorful potatoes.

And, muskmelons.  I'm surprised the bees weren't coming to visit; these smelled so sweet I wish I had smell-o-blog so I could share with you.

And, lastly, I will leave you with another "bee" photo.  We visited our community garden plot (just a few hundred feet away from this weekly market) and the bees were hard at work on our sunflowers.

What's your favorite summer fruit or veggie?

The Real Life Gingerbread House and Other Sights of the West Side

Don't run as fast as you can from these gingerbread men!

I love this house on the West Side of Binghamton, New York.  It looks like a real life gingerbread house (some person who knows architecture can tell me what kind of roof it has) and the owners must think so, too - look at the left side.

(Anyone want more examples of local architecture? If you do, please leave a comment.)

Meantime, within a few blocks of the gingerbread house, we found these marvels of a late upstate New York summer:

Mountain ash.

Japanese pagoda tree.  This tree is one of the last to bloom in our area, and a lovely bloomer it is.

The bees were having a good time with what had already dropped off the tree.

And last but not least, a large patch of what we call "butter and eggs", or yellow toadflax.
What is fascinating today in your neighborhood?

Have a Fantastic Friday.

Where Do Those Missing Socks Go, Anyway?

Is there anyone among us who does not suffer from the modern malady of missing socks?

You know the drill.  You throw your dirty socks into the hamper/down a chute to a basement/right into the washing machine.  Or, you pick up the dirty laundry left on the floor/draped on a chair/under the bed, left by your spouse/child(ren).

You do a laundry and...viola.  You have a missing sock.

It isn't in the washer.  It isn't in the dryer.  It isn't in the tangled up sheets you also took out of the dryer.  It isn't in your laundry basket.  It isn't in the space between the washer and the dryer.  It isn't lost in the grass underneath your laundry hanging up line.

It's gone.  And you will never find it.  Ever, ever, ever.  Unless you are an organized blogger, that is.

Where do those missing socks go, anyway?

Now, thanks to organizational genius and blogger Susie Brown, we know.

One thing I am not is organized.  And, sadly, my spouse is less organized than I am.  But somehow, it is my socks that go missing.  Not his.  Up to now, I thought they were disappearing into the Twilight Zone or the Fourth Dimension.  Not so. 

But now I will know what to do about it, and so will you.  Thank you, Susie!

Simply Summer - Up Close At A Balloon Launch

Perhaps you've seen them go "up and away!"  You may have seen hot air balloons in the sky, and maybe you've even taken a ride in one of them.  If you are truly fortunate, you've been to a hot air balloon festival.

But how close have you ever gotten to one during the launch process?

At this weekend's Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, in Binghamton, New York, you could get close to the balloons, and watch the entire process from the time the trailer is unloaded, until the balloon is up in the air.  This is a Spiedie Fest tradition, the closeness to the process, and one that we cherish, no matter how big the Spiedie Fest has gotten from its start some 29 years ago.

It's amazing how quickly they can set up and launch.  They are used to last minute decisions, as a launch on an otherwise sunny day can be ruined by wind.

First come the trailers that carry the balloons. I love the advertising on the side and back.

Then, they unload the basket.

The team installs the burner unit.

Meanwhile, out comes the bag with the envelope.

This is "the envelope", stretched out on the ground.

The inflation process doesn't take long at all. (Not shown, the fan used in the process.)   At this point, you are running from one place to another, as balloon crews shoo spectators to a safe distance.  The excitement consumes the spectators, who are busy taking pictures, but the team has a job to do.

As the envelope inflates, team members hold it by attached straps.

Upright and only moments from launch, as the pilot and others enter the basket.

Right at the moment of launch.

And finally, up in the air with the glow and fire of the burner visible.

Watching balloons launch - what a way to spend a beautiful summer late afternoon.  The Spiedie Fest is well worth your trip next August to the Binghamton, New York area.  Remember this:  first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in August.

Have you ever been to a hot air balloon festival?

Would You Want to Ride In a Beautiful Balloon?

This past weekend, Binghamton, New York enjoyed its annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally. I was fortunate enough to attend this year - many years I don't, and last year I had a family reunion.

This year, I had a weekend full of concerts, a balloon launch, a chance somewhat close encounter with a Disney star, and a lot of crowds. (Saturday the attendance was about 62,000. Not bad, as Binghamton's population is about 47,000.)  And, oh yes - there are spiedies.

I'll blog about spiedies (our regional food) in future post.  But for now, a little taste of the hot air balloon part of the festival.

The lovely part is how close you can get to the balloons and see all the steps from inflation to launch. I will blog more about that later this month.  For now -

A lovely overview.

A closeup of a gondala as a balloon launches.

And another one launches.

This year, I've spoken to several people who have ridden in those hot air balloons and a couple of people have asked if I've ever gone up in one.  The answer is no, and the reason is that, many years ago, there was a balloon accident in this area on landing, and people were thrown out of the basket and seriously injured.

It also seems to be this is an expensive ride - over $100, with no guarantee you will be up more than a few minutes.  Am I afraid of heights? Not that much, although I did chicken out of Chattanooga, Tennessee's Incline Railway at the last minute when I saw how steep the first few feet were. (Gulp).

But I can also tell you how it feels when you are around these launches.  The feeling is incredible, almost indescribeable. You feel like a little kid, almost wanting to stomp your feet in glee.

Have you ever been up in a hot air balloon?  Would you recommend it to others?

Should the Passenger Pigeon Be De-Extincted?

The passenger pigeon.  Can we bring them back to life?  Can we, using a certain process, de-extinct them?  (Yes, that is a word.)

And if we can - should we?

I remember, many years ago, seeing the last passenger pigeon on display at the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum in Washington, DC.  Her name was Martha (named after Martha Washington, George Washington's wife). She died at the Cincinnati Zoo on September 1, 1914.   They couldn't locate a male bird for her.

The Smithsonian Magazine website (link above) goes on to tell the story of how this species became extinct.  101 years before the last one died, this happened:

"In 1813, ornithologist John James Audubon was riding across the state of Kentucky when the sky was darkened by an enormous flock of passenger pigeons. The cloud of birds continued past all day. He estimated that there were as many as 1 billion pigeons in the flock; other scientists have calculated that the species once constituted 25 to 40 percent of all birds in the U.S."

There were billions of them once, and maybe there can be again - but perhaps not.  But first, a little about this native American bird.

Larger than a mourning dove, the stuffed passenger pigeons we are left with remind me of a large, kind of strange robinish dove.  They bred in large colonies, with up to 100 nests in a single tree, we are told. Their colonies could stretch over hundreds of miles.  They could fly at over 60 mph, and had a migratory habit. 

They, unfortunately, were good, cheap eating, and an entire pigeon canning industry was built up around them.  If you had to hunt one yourself today, assuming there were any to hunt, you could even find a recipe online.

I've read (and I don't know if it was true) that before the white man came to the North American continent, their numbers weren't as large.  Native Americans were one of their predators, and thanks to their decrease in population (disease and war) at the hands of the European immigrants, the population of the passenger pigeon (yes, I have to say it) soared.

So, it boils (no pun intended, honest) down to this:

We made them extinct.

If we have a way to bring them back, shouldn't we?

Well, we apparently do have a way to bring them back, sort of, at least in theory.  Their DNA has been sequenced, and perhaps there is enough non-degraded DNA from these 100 plus year old specimens to combine with that of the band-tailed pigeon, their closest living genetic relative.

But, then what?

Can we recreate their social structure?

Is enough of their original environment undamaged to support substantial flocks?  Or, worse, would they destroy the modern day environment they would be released into?  Would they become a nuisance that future generations will curse us for?

Or, perhaps we would simply raise them for gourmet food?  My spouse declared "if they are that tasty, I'm all for it!"

To be honest, I have a lot of mixed feelings about this project.  Whatever we do, we should give it a lot of thought first.

What do you think?

Civil War Sunday - The Siege of Charleston Harbor

This July through September is the 150th commemoration of the Siege of Charleston Harbor by Federal forces.  It wasn't the first time that Charleston Harbor had been the site of a Civil War battle (after all, the first battle - see below - of the Civil War was fought there) or even the second, Charleston was to see more than its share of Civil War action.

I was not able to make the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, at Ft. Sumter, in Charleston Harbor.  But, I did visit Charleston in March of 2011 (a month before the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War) and one could argue that Charleston must have more history per square inch than almost any other city in the United States.


On a building downtown is this plaque.  The actual building is no longer there but at this site the Ordinance of Secession for South Carolina was passed.  South Carolina was the first state to leave the Union, in December of 1860.

Charleston has so many historic buildings (such as this building, the Charleston United States Post Office at the famous "4 Corners of Law" intersection of Meeting and Broad) that it is hard to believe that Charleston was burned during the Civil War, and suffered an earthquake post-war, in 1886.  (In the interest of full disclosure, this building was built in 1896, long after the Civil War was over, but I do love this building. )

One structure that was bombarded over and over again, but survives today, is Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor.   Overall, Charleston Harbor suffered bombardment for some 587 days through the Civil War by the Federal forces.

As part of the commemoration of the Siege in 1863, I would like to partially rerun (with a new photo) one of my blog posts from April, 2011, right after I visited Ft. Sumter.


This first picture is the boarding of the ferry that takes you to Ft. Sumter.  The ferry ride lasts about 1/2 hour each way and you have an hour or so to tour the fort.  Boarding, we had a good view of Charleston Harbor and the lovely Ravenel Bridge that spans the Cooper River. (One of the items on my "bucket list" is to fully walk across the bridge, something I was not able to do on that trip due to a bad knee.) 

Charleston lies between two rivers, the Ashley and the Cooper.

A taped narrative plays as the ferry approaches the island Ft. Sumter is located on.

When you embark at the Fort, what you see remaining of the Civil War fought looks like this.  It is amazing, given the bombardment this fort suffered, that any of it is still standing.

A picture new to this blog, showing a cannon and more of the damage the Union forces inflicted during the war.

And, still more damage to the walls of the fort. 

On the way back, you can see the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, that is on display in Patriots Point in Charleston Harbor. (When I return to the Charleston area, visiting Patriots Point is on my list of "must do's".)

One of the innovations that came out of the Siege of Charleston Harbor was the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley - a most fascinating story.  It's 150th anniversary will be coming next year.

Note to my readers: towards the end of this month, Civil War Sunday may go on temporary hiatus - but I promise, later in September when it resumes, I will have brand new material for you.

Sustainable Saturday - Are We Ready for a Local Food Taste Off?

Today's offerings at a local farmers market in the Binghamton, New York area led us in an unexpected direction.

Local honey - we sampled their basswood honey.  Yum!

It's the height of summer, and we are getting bountiful green/yellow beans and summer squash from our garden.  But we bought a chicken, lettuce, eggplant, and garlic at the market.  This shows some of the other produce for sale - finally, we have local cantaloupes, local watermelon and Pennsylvania peaches have arrived.  Local blueberries were also for sale - we are at the height of blueberry season.

Speaking of garlic -

Our area has an excellent garlic crop this year.  This "Special Idaho" garlic was a new one to us.  We talked to the grower, who explained he had bought some a couple of years ago at a garlic festival near Cooperstown, NY.  We bought a trial head of Special Idaho, which appears to be an heirloom variety, hot and spicy, good for baking, along with my spouse's favorite - Music.

We asked if he was going to our upcoming garlic festival next week.  No, but he was attending a local food tasting on Wednesday at one of my favorite Binghamton places, Cutler Botanic Gardens.

Quoting from the event website:

Using local ingredients, area chefs will create delicious dishes and compete to win the coveted “Best Taste of Broome Award.” Food will be paired with beverages provided by: Americana Vineyards Winery, Water Street Brewing Company, Black Bear Winery, Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellar, Pleasant Valley Wine Company, and Red Tail Ridge Winery. Cheeses provided by Engelbert Farm and Dutch Hill Creamery. Desserts will be prepared by Rainbow’s End Desserts and Underground Baker.

Sounds good, but it is $50. per couple.

Whether we go or not, we are grateful to live in an area of food bounty - veggies, cheese, honey, beer, wine, and, best of all - dessert.

Is it the height of growing season where you live?  What are your markets featuring?

The Fruits of Lemonade Needlework

Another blogging challenge completed - thank you to my new followers and my new readers and those to comment - your visits are always appreciated.

Old friends, you are just as cherished.

I'm pleased to pass along this status update from my friend, who knits and crochets while her spouse undergoes treatment for an illness. I've blogged about her several times over the last couple of years, have posted pictures of her Brooklyn garden but have never quite thanked her for her loyal readership.  So, she has now informed her friends:

I brought the fruits of my knit/crochet project to the pediatric oncology department today. Grand total was 2 baby blankets 7 hat scarf sets, 2 plain hats, and 9 infant/toddler hats. The nurses were so excited and happy. Some good came out of some bad. I hope some children like the things I made while waiting.

I'm so pleased I am going to rerun my original post from July 5, so everyone can read her inspirational story.  As one of my other friends from childhood said "cancer and children should never be in the same sentence."  In fact, I know someone whose grandson is battling pediatric leukemia right now.  I think what my friend has done is so beautiful and I hope you will send encouragement to her and her husband in the comments.  My original post follows:

"The spouse of my friend in Brooklyn has to spend a lot of time in doctor's offices to be treated for a medical condition.   My friend normally comes with  him and waits for him while he has his treatment - sometimes waiting an hour (or even more).

Out of boredom, she started to do her needlework while waiting.

She does beautiful crocheting and knitting work - and, recently, has been working on projects for pediatric oncology patients.

I crochet but I do not knit, and I wanted to show off her work because I know quality work when I see it.  I think the work, and the cause, is fantastic. 

A crocheted blanket and some knit hats.

Another crocheted blanket.

And finally, some hats and scarves.

Aren't these beautiful?  (Lately, she has had some yarn donated to her but I suspect enough of these projects were done using her own money.) We have the cliche "lemons out of lemonade" - this is about as lemony as you can get.

I've done a handful of crocheting for charity but never anything like this."

So again: Thank you, dear friend, for allowing me to prove how awesome you are.

The Guests Who Never Arrived

Last night, I was browsing Facebook.   One of my husband's cousins is getting married this weekend.  His family is somewhat scattered throughout this country and today,they were all flying into the Northeast United States for the wedding.

One by one, as they arrived, they posted their statuses and their photos on Facebook. They all arrived safely.  Although they are far-flung, they are close knit.  All are happy to be where they are tonight, all are eager for a mini family reunion, all ready for the weekend's festivities.

Except for an aunt and uncle of the groom.  They were missing from Facebook and from the wedding.  They were supposed to fly in, too.  Their hotel reservations were set.  They were looking forward to the trip.

And then something happened.  The aunt became ill, a recurrence of a sickness that she has suffered from for years. There was no way she could travel.  Her husband stayed behind to care for her.

It sounds like a sweet story, this sacrifice, except for one little detail.  And it's that little detail that makes me hesitant to even post this act of love on my blog.  It shouldn't matter, not in our modern world.  But I'm not sure the family would like me to even talk about this.  I am anyway.

Because, you see, this illness is not physical.

A stigma still exists surrounding illnesses of this type.  My husband's cousin, the groom's uncle, has borne so much of this burden by himself. 

This couple, through the years before they moved from the Northeast, did many good things for my mother in law.  They visited her.  They installed grab bars in her bathroom, installed extra lighting for her aging eyes, installed railings on stairs, put sliding shelves in her kitchen cabinets, and made life easier for her in many other little ways. This aunt of the groom has an energetic mind and was an experienced caregiver for her own mother, now deceased, so she knew what to do.  

But then they retired, and moved away to be close to their daughter.  My mother in law was so looking forward to their visit for the wedding..  She was also invited to that wedding and this couple was going to take her there. (Another nephew will now take my mother in law.)

The aunt of the groom is intelligent, delightful and a very caring person.  When the illness strikes, her entire family suffers, and I know she must suffer most of all.

But last night, as I saw the other smiling faces on Facebook, I thought of her.  And her husband.  It's hard to put into words how I felt.

I wish I had an answer for this situation.  But I don't.  We email sometimes, and track each other on Facebook.  But we've never lived close to each other, and never knew each other perhaps in the way we should have.

All I can hope is that, one day, medicine will find a cure for this illness, or at least, a better way to manage it. 

Have you faced this type of family challenge?

Simply Summer - What Will Bee Will Bee

There is a definite shortage of honeybees this summer.  Several people I know are complaining, for example, that their zucchini are flowering but not setting fruit.  Last year, for a similar reason, we had problems with cucumbers.

What I am seeing a lot of this year is bumblebees.  I did a little search online, and found an article discussing the role of bumblebees as pollinators in New York City community gardens.  So perhaps all these bumblebees are trying to pick up where our honeybees have failed - for reasons we still don't fully understand.  And it isn't just us-bee decline is hitting other parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom.

But, I can be encouraged by all the bumblebees I've seen recently.  Here are some pictures taken in the last few days-on ornamentals, for the most part, but still.  To paraphrase one of my favorite commercials "Roll that beautiful bee footage".

Bee on one of my basils.

Bee on an echinacea plant on the West side of Binghamton, New York.

And a bee on a sweet pea, again in Binghamton.

But where are the honeybees?  I think I found one - or at least a bee that wasn't a bumblebee.  I'm the first to admit I'm no expert on bees, as much as I love gardening, and as much as I depend on them.

So here she be, whatever kind of bee she is.

And with this post, I end another Ultimate Blog Challenge.  I'm also proud to say I completed Camp NaNoWriMo, and added another 10,000 words to my memoir - although most of it wasn't the "chicken memoir" part of my life.

Have you seen the decline in honeybees in your area? And, were you aware that bumblebees are in decline, too?

Its scary.

Fears of Falling Part 2

Yesterday, I talked about falling during an exercise walk when my ankle suddenly gave out.

Late in the afternoon, I was in the bath, soaking some of my aches away, when the phone rang.  My spouse answered.  It was his sister.

She had been trying to reach their mother, who is 85 years old and has fallen several times in recent years, to check up on her.  My mother in law, it must be noted, has voluntarily given up night driving, and, although she goes out many times on Sunday, she is home usually by a certain time before sunset.

She lives with my brother in law, a man in his 50's with autism, a developmental disability - he helps her as he can, but the ways he can help are limited by his disability.  He is verbal, but finds it difficult to express himself.  My mother in law insists he can call 911 - but I'm not sure what would happen afterwards, assuming he can.

My sister in law had been trying to reach Mom for over an hour, at a time when she should have been home, without success. She decide to call my spouse, who is her oldest brother.  My spouse and I, incidentally, live almost three hours away by car.  That makes us long distance caregivers, like so many other Americans. 

We had compiled, a while back, a list of friends, neighbors and/or relatives who we could call in case of emergency. We had updated it earlier this year.

Out came the list.

But first, spouse tried to call the house, thinking that if something had happened, he could get his brother to answer the phone.  We've never actually tested whether he would call 911 in case of emergency - and, although my mother in law has an emergency monitoring service (the "I've fallen" bracelet, which at age 85 is not a joke) she doesn't wear her button a lot of the time.  (You can lead someone to water, but....)

No one answered, although spouse stayed on the line a couple of minutes beseeching his brother to answer if he was there.  It was time to call someone else.

The first neighbor he called answered, and said she would go to the house to check into the situation.  She came back a few minutes later, saying Mom's car was not in the garage.  It was way past the normal time where she would have been out driving - so now what?

Fortunately, a couple of minutes later, the neighbor saw her car, coming home, and let my spouse know.  What a relief!  My spouse called his sister, then his mother. She explained she had been at a birthday party a mile or so from her house, whose start had been delayed, and she wanted to stay for some of it, at least.

So all ended well.  THIS TIME.   Would we have ended up calling the local hospitals, or the police?  We don't know, and hopefully, we will never find out.  But, I just know, she is going to fall again.  And the next time, she might not be able to recover.  That is our greatest fear.

It just didn't happen yesterday, thankfully.

One day, we know, there will be an emergency.  Will we be ready?

Fears of Falling

I was going to write a little wrap up of my efforts to expand my Camp NaNoWriMo "chicken memoir" - my effort to start writing a memoir, to include my experiences raising chickens in rural Arkansas during the misspent years of my youth 30's. But my ankle had other plans.

Yesterday, I was walking on the Vestal Rail Trail with my spouse, taking pictures and having a nice time.  I was into mile three of four, I think, when my right ankle suddenly gave out and the ground was rushing up to meet me.  This is something that happens infrequently (thank heavens) thanks to an ankle injury from many years ago.  In fact, I started to exercise walk in my 20's (I'm 60 now) partially because it was good for that ankle.

I ended up on my back (not missing hitting my head by much). I hit my left elbow and scraped it nicely, with blood dripping all over the trail.  And all I could think of, in a somewhat dazed state, (besides the pain in my elbow) was:

IS MY iPHONE OK?

 It was in my right hand and - amazingly - I never let go of it.

So, yes, I am hurting.  I am not hurting near as badly as my Falling Friday episode of a couple of years ago, when I fell face first after tripping on an uneven sidewalk, and it turned out three other people I knew hurt themselves falling on the SAME DAY. I hope I don't find out other people I knew fell yesterday, too.

Of course, I'm now worried about infection, and I have the usual aches and pains.

But it got me to thinking - the last three times I've fallen, its been connected to walking.Twice, exercise walking.  Once, walking downtown.  I think I am going to have to find some ankle exercises to make sure this never happens again.  As I age, the consequences become more and more dangerous.

In the meantime, I am grateful I did not fall on my face.  And, yes, I'm grateful that I did not break my iPhone.  For right now, I am not going to worry about walking with it - I love the ability to take photos with it too much.  Cross fingers!

Do you have a problem with a weak ankle that will go out once or twice a year without warning? How have you dealt with it?


As I finally rested, late yesterday afternoon, the phone rang.... a little long distance caregiving episode was about to begin for my spouse.  More tomorrow.

Civil War Sunday - Sam Houston and the Prophetic Speech

Many know him only through the name of Houston, Texas, one of the largest cities in the United States.  Fewer know the history of this man Sam Houston, who was the elected governor of two states (Tennessee and Texas) and the only governor to ever be a foreign head of state (the President of the Republic of Texas, before it became the state of Texas.)

Governor Houston, a slave owner who opposed abolition, lost his office on the eve of the Civil War when Texas voted to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy.  Houston refused to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy and was evicted from office on March 16, 1861.  The War Between the States began barely a month later.

Again - few things in this war that tore our country apart for four years are clear cut, and, perhaps, that is what fascinates me the most about it.

This January, when the 2013 calendars went on clearance, I picked up a Civil War calendar for my office desk.  Each day has a different event connected to the Civil War.  One day, they featured a portion of a speech Houston gave from a hotel window on April 19, 1861:

“Let me tell you what is coming. Your fathers and husbands, your sons and brothers, will be herded at the point of bayonet. You may, after the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives, win Southern independence... but I doubt it. I tell you that, while I believe with you in the doctrine of states rights, the North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche... they will overwhelm the South.”

Sadly, Houston was proved correct, some 620,000 casualties later.  In some ways, our country has never recovered.

Sam Houston died 150 years ago this week - July 26, 1863, in Huntsville, Texas, in the Confederate States of America, and is buried there.  A 77 foot statue of Sam Houston there is considered to be the second tallest free standing sculpture in the United States.  Only the Statue of Liberty is taller.

Texas is a fascinating place - I lived there briefly many years ago.  Texans liked to say that "everything is bigger in Texas."  With Sam Houston, they were right.

Sustainable Saturday-Happy 90th Birthday to You

Today, a park in Johnson City, New York celebrated a special 90th birthday with a Carousel Festival and cake for visitors.

Part of sustainable living?  Yes, because these carousels build community.  A community needs activities for its young.

CFJ Park in Johnson City is one of six parks in our area who received gifts from a local industrialist and philanthropist, George F. Johnson.  Johnson grew up poor, and could not afford to ride the carousels in his native Massachusetts.  He vowed that the children of the "Triple Cities" of upstate New York would always be able to ride area carousels.  He donated six carousels on condition that they would remain free, forever.  In turn, our community has kept that promise.

This year, CFJ's Park carousel turns 90.

All six carousels were manufactured by the Allan-Herschell Company of North Towanda, New York.

Each of the carousels has a panel showing their manufacturer.

CFJ Park is named after C. Fred Johnson, George F. Johnson's brother. Even Johnson City, New York, was renamed (its original name was Lestershire) after George F. Johnson.

Its carousel is the largest of the six carousels and contains 61 horses and one zebra.

This is the structure that houses the carousel.

When you enter, this is what you see.

Each of the horses is decorated with "jewels" and are individually decorated so that no two are exactly the same. All animals on a Johnson-donated carousel are "jumpers" i.e. they move up and down.

Panels above the horses are all decorated.  I don't think these are the original paintings but I love this one of hot air balloons.  In another week, our community will celebrate our annual Spiediefest which includes a Hot Air Balloon Rally.
 

One of the heads that decorate the top of the carousel.

Another one of the paintings (a bit overexposed, I'm afraid).



When my son was growing up, we spent many happy hours together on the carousels and it because a Labor Day tradition, for a few years, that I take his picture on a horse.


Sometimes I think that young children in our area are some of the luckiest in our country, because they have six carousels, all free, to ride during the summertime.  It's too bad their luck runs out when they grow up and it is time for them to look for jobs - but that is a post for another day.

Happy birthday, CFJ Carousel!

If you visit the Southern Tier of upstate New York during the summer - or are a Twilight Zone fan - you owe it to yourself to take a spin on one of these free, historic carousels from the 1920's.  And when you do, thank a poor boy from Massachusetts who grew up to delight generations of children.