Throwback Thursday - Library Love

Today is the 100th birthday of Your Home Public Library in Johnson City, New York.  In honor of that birthday, I rerun this post about my love of libraries from last year, when I wrote it for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  But first, a couple of bonus pictures in honor of YHPL's birthday which were not part of the original post.

The children's room.

A historic exhibit in the library.

Happy birthday, YHPL!

Library Love 

Libraries.

No, I'm not doing a post about all the books in my house, although I should.  My son once joked that I had a better selection than some book sales. Well, I think it was a joke.

Rather, I decided to blog about the place I'd rather be than anywhere in the world.  A public library.

Courtesy NYPL Digital Collections, free to use

Growing up in a city housing project in the Bronx of the late 1950's and early 1960's, I wanted to be a librarian.  But not just any librarian.  A bookmobile librarian.

Every Thursday except during the summer, I would visit the bookmobile that stopped by my housing project.  On the last visit before summer vacation, they would allow us to take out as many books as we wanted, and they were not due until September.

For me, Heaven!

Libraries were a haven to me.  They helped me become who I am today.

Now, libraries are in danger, such as another local library in Vestal, New York.


We all take local buildings and institutions for granted.  After all, they are there, we pass them every day, and we take them for granted. Even I do, sometimes.  I  pass this building five days a week, sometimes six.  But I rarely use this particular library.  I should (and, since I first wrote this post, I have started to.)

This is Your Home Library in Johnson City New York, the closest library to where I live in upstate New York

This building was built partly in 1885 and partially in 1920.  It's a small library, but full of local history.  When you enter, in fact, there is a small display of local history - a portrait, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia.

There is evidence of an earlier era wherever you turn in the small rooms.  It is not an easy library to use, I'll admit.  The Binghamton library, where I work during the week (built in 2000), is modern and spacious.  But Your Home Library has character.  And fireplaces.

Here's another one of the fireplaces.

What a comfy reading room.   If you aren't sure what to read, the display of books along the wall - picks by the staff - will lure you into an afternoon of reading.

And one more view of the building.

Local public libraries face many challenges today.  Their funds are constantly being cut.  People are loathe to vote in the tax increases they need to survive.  But these libraries are, increasingly, so much more than a place where you can walk in with a card and walk out with one or more books to read.  They provide internet access, wi-fi,  computers for those who don't own one, job hunting services, e books, CDs and DVDs, magazines, free tax preparation done by volunteers, free databases, and so much more. One of our local libraries even features yoga classes on Fridays.

In fact, the photo I started this post with is from a digital collection of the New York (City) Public Library, and anyone can down load it, free of charge.

As I used to say in the 60's, "isn't that awesome?"

What is your local library worth to you? 

International Women's Day 2017 #Womensday2017

Today is International Women's Day, so I am skipping my usual Winter Wonders Wednesday post.

“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

Today, in the United States,  has been declared "A Day without a Woman".  Some bloggers are going silent today.  I am not.

At one time, this was the fate of many women - an endless round of hard labor for little or no reward.  Many people work to make this a thing of the past.

Women can be our own worst enemies.  We will tear other women down.   Today, let us pledge to support each other.


There is no question that our society could not run without women for more than a few seconds.  In my 64 years, I've seen women make great strides but we have so far to go, here in the United States.  But we have such a far way to go.  This past year has shown us just how far.

This was my post for 2016.

Today, I am taking baby steps to become more politically involved, as the world demands it.  I am also thinking of some type of participation in events related to VoteTilla, celebrating the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in New York State.

Just imagine that - my spouse's 105 year old aunt was born into a world where she could not vote.  She could not help decide who would make decisions on her behalf.

Let's keep the world moving forward.  Let's celebrate strong women, but pledge to lift each other up in an atmosphere of positivism.

Will you join in bettering the lives of women throughout the world?

180 Pages

This is a reworking and updating of a post I first published in October of 2014. 

I'm looking at 180 pages that try to spell out my neighborhood's future.  As flooding becomes more and more of a threat each year, worldwide, due to changing climate, we all may face this one day. 

What is a neighborhood, anyway?

A website defines neighborhood as follows:

The term neighborhood has many meanings and uses. For example, neighborhood can be used to refer to the small group of houses in the immediate vicinity of one's house or to a larger area with similar housing types and market values.
Neighborhood is also used to describe an area surrounding a local institution patronized by residents, such as a church, school, or social agency. It can also be defined by a political ward or precinct. The concept of neighborhood includes both geographic (place-oriented) and social (people-oriented) components.

On September 7 and 8, 2011, my neighborhood of Westover, near Johnson City, flooded due to two tropical storms just a few days apart, dropping a total of 13 inches of rain.  The flood capped the rainiest summer on record.

Many houses were ruined and abandoned.  In 2014, demolition began, finally, of once cherished houses that were now only rotting eyesores.  By law, the land those houses sit on must remain undeveloped, or developed into something like a park or other green space.

In a meeting I attended in 2013, speakers explained that demolition, if not done right, can ruin a neighborhood.  What will be left, after demolition, is some streets with only several occupied houses, and large gaps in between.  Houses, and neighbors, become isolated.  Ways are being discussed to mitigate that, because a neighborhood is more than just a collection of houses.

One thing I learned from the meeting is that there are ways to handle potential flood damage. Zoning laws where we live, for example, require businesses to have a certain number of parking spaces for cars.  Those spaces are paved, and rain can not penetrate conventional paving.  But there is something called permeable paving, which would allow the movement of storm water into the ground. (There was also discussion of the fact that zoning laws tend to require more parking spaces than are normally needed.)




A neighborhood must be in harmony with the natural world around it.

Along with the residences, there was damage to a building once occupied by some 1200 workers, a building owned by the Air Force and rented to BAE Systems, Inc.  That building (actually several buildings joined together) was some 600,000. square feet, one of the largest wood framed building in the United States.

It awaited its fate after it was announced, in November of 2011 that it could not be repaired.  Without a definite plan, my neighborhood will never be able to move forward into the future.   In 2016, demolition began, and now, it is complete.  A few demolition workers remain, hauling in landfill and leveling the site.  I expect it will be done by this spring.

Then what?

Of course, those 1200 workers will never be returning to my neighborhood.  Right now, they are in buildings a few miles down the road, but BAE may decide to leave our area all together. 

We need businesses to return.  We need their tax dollars.  

A neighborhood needs jobs.

What remains

 So what happens after demolition?

That is where the 180 pages comes in.  There are grand plans for those 30 acres- mixed use residential/commercial use, a movie theatre, ball parks.

The drawing even shows a farmers market.

I have mixed feelings about this plan.  Would I, for example, want to live in a place that, just five and a half years ago, was under several feet of water for a couple of days, no matter how many flood control techniques are used in its building? 

Not many of us get to plan the future of our neighborhood - a plan that, for us, must take climate change into account.  

On the other hand, I fear that what will happen to the former BAE site is what happens to so many projects in New York State - lots of talk, but no action.

A neighborhood needs vision.  But it also needs the implementation of the vision. 

As I look over the large vacant area, I try to be optimistic about the future.

Music Monday - Loneliness

Loneliness is a part of life.  We are all social creatures, and need social contact.  For some of us, getting that contact is easy.

For others, not so much.

The human feeling of loneliness is reflected in many of our songs.

One Is the Loneliest Number - Three Dog Night.  This was their first gold record.

The loneliness of a soldier serving far from home is the subject of 1962's Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton.  It was re released as a single in 1973, towards the end of the Vietnam War.

From 1972, a man jilted at the altar.
Alone Again - Gilbert O'Sullivan.

And finally, my favorite song about loneliness - The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby.

Not only do we seem to be more isolated than ever, in the midst of social media, but we are increasingly divided in our country by politics. We seem to be more connected than ever, but also more separated than ever.

Why don't we combat that today, even in a small way.

Civil War Sunday Throwback- The Jackson Women

This month is Women's History Month in the United States.

Today, let us think back on the sacrifices made by women, and how they starred in our history - contributions too often ignored.

Over the years, I've had several blog posts related to Stonewall Jackson, one of the most famous Confederate generals (and perhaps one of the top generals this country has ever seen, although military history is not one of my main interests).

But what about the women in his life?

I wrote this post on Mother's Day in 2013 - and repost it today, in honor of women everywhere.

Civil War Sunday - The Jackson Women

Today, in the United States, it is Mother's Day.

It is important to remember that during the Civil War, life could be short.  Dying during or right after childbirth was common.  Infant mortality was high, as was death from a number of illnesses that are treatable today.

Many casualties of the Civil War came from infection, and illness, not directly from the hazards of the battlefield.  A number of Civil War generals (on both sides) died in action.  Perhaps the most mourned was a Confederate general by the name of Thomas ("Stonewall") Jackson.

150 years ago Friday,"Stonewall") Jackson died from pneumonia.  This followed Jackson's wounding several days earlier, towards the end of the Battle of Chancellorsville, by friendly fire.  His left arm was amputated in a field hospital not long after in an attempt to save his life.  150 years ago today, Jackson's body lay in state.  And in more modern times, candlelight vigils were held on the anniversary of the last night of his life.

But, this made me think of Stonewall Jackson's family, and what their fates were.  What follows is a little slice of 19th century life.  (A genealogy of Thomas Jackson is available online, if you are interested.)  As tragic as Stonewall Jackson's death at the age of 33 was to many, we may want to consider this:

1.  Julia Neele Jackson, Thomas Jackson's mother:  Two years after Thomas (the youngest of her three children) was born, his 6 year old sister and his father died from typhoid fever.  Jackson's mother was 28 and was 9 months pregnant with her fourth child at the time.  The day after Jackson's father died, Julia gave birth to his sister Laura.

A young widow, Julia Jackson supported her three remaining children in various ways, eventually remarrying.  She died from complications of childbirth when she was 33 years old.

2.  Eleanor Junkin Jackson, Thomas Jackson's first wife:  married less than a year to Jackson, she died in childbirth.  A son was stillborn.

3.  Mary Anna Jackson, Thomas Jackson's second wife:  Mary and Thomas had two daughters.  The first daughter died in infancy.  The second daughter, Julia Jackson Christian, was an infant when Jackson died, with Anna (the name she preferred) at his side.

Anna lived into her 80's.  She never remarried and wore clothes of mourning for the rest of her life.  She was a published author of two books.

Julia lived into adulthood, married, and had two children of her own (a boy and a girl) before she died, a young mother, of typhoid fever.  Anna raised her two grandchildren.  The boy, Thomas Jonathan Jackson Christian, died the year I was born.

Julia Preston, Thomas Jackson's granddaughter, lived to 104, passing away  in 1991.

But, in a story so tragic in many ways, there is one more tragedy to explore.  We talk about how the Civil War tore apart so many families. As it happens, Thomas Jackson's family was one such family.  Remember his sister Laura, the sister born a day after their father died?  Her sympathies were with the Union.  And, she paid a huge personal cost for that loyalty.

Laura Jackson Arnold became estranged from her beloved older brother and never reconciled with her family after the war. Her husband divorced her over her Union loyalties.  She died in West Virginia (a part of Virginia that split from that Confederate State and joined the Union on June 20, 1863, the only state to join the Union during the Civil War - in another bit of irony) in 1911.

All civil wars are tragic.  Ours was no exception. As we pay tribute to the mothers in our lives today, let us take a moment to remember the many mothers who suffered (and continue to suffer) in war.

Local Saturday - April and the Rumble Giraffes

Right now, as I blog this, some 70,000 people are avidly watching a webcam at an animal park about 30 minutes from where I live.

April the giraffe, a 15 year old giraffe awaiting the birth of her fourth calf, is quite pregnant, and has become a media sensation. Yesterday, new media, including the New York Times, visited our small area of the world.  Hundreds of thousands of people (I do not exaggerate) log on every day, hoping to catch a birth that may take all of 15 minutes.

Her mate, Oliver, waits in the neighboring stall. Male giraffes are aggressive - to their keepers, to their mates.  Bulls can't be kept together with their mates all the time - they can be a danger to the ones they live with.

We (especially women who have given birth) easily put ourselves in her place.  How uncomfortable is she?  What is she thinking?  She has such trouble getting down on the ground to sleep.  Sound familiar, women, that trouble sleeping?

If you tune in at 9pm Eastern Standard Time, you get to see her interact with her keeper, and it's a beautiful thing.  I've only remembered to do it once.  I've seen a woman come in, clean the stall, spread sawdust on the floor, give April a rub.

April gets treats here and there, too.

Right now, as it is only 17 degrees here (that's -8 for my Celsius readers), they are indoors.  And, the park is closed for the season.  It will reopen May 13.  And something tells me they will be mobbed with visitors.

But, as I've mentioned before, April is teaching us more about us than about her.

Just check out the park's Facebook page. 

Right now, besides a lot of general questions, and some snark here and there, there is a lot of discussion about how Oliver is being treated. Isn't he getting treats?  Isn't his cage being cleaned? (the answer is "yes" to both. But he doesn't need treats as often as April.  And, it's dangerous to enter his pen so cleaning is a process.)

Many people think April will give birth tonight, as she seems increasingly restless and her belly is rumbling a lot. (It's amusing - after having our minor league baseball team renamed the Rumble Ponies, maybe they will need to hurry up and rename them the Rumble Giraffes.)

Thank you, Animal Adventure Park, for all your interactions with your fans.  I am so happy to be able to bring this to you as a Local Saturday post.  We so need this distraction in our lives, knowing a new life is close to arriving in our area.  I realize not everyone supports keeping animals in capitivity,

Why don't you tune in at the You Tube link above, and join the fun?  We all hope for a successful labor and deliver - and it makes me think of my own labor story. (ha, if only it had been 15 minutes!)

What about you?

Skywatch Friday - It's Still Winter

It's spring.  It's winter.  It's spring.  And now, it's back to winter.

Snow is on the ground again.

It's time to watch the sky.

March 1, before sunset, just ahead of a strong cold front that plunged us from the 60's to the 30's.

The sun prepares to set.

The next day, sunset after the wind.

Join other bloggers today, at #SkywatchFriday, to see skies all over our beautiful world.

Peeps Oreos - Yea or Nay?

I don't know if Oreos are "America's favorite cookie" but if not, it must be close.

When I was growing up, there was only one type of Oreo.  And, they weren't even kosher.  Or vegan.

Now, things are different.

In March of 2012, I blogged about Oreos, then celebrating its 100th birthday.   But before you read that post, take a look at Oreo's latest United States flavor.

I posted this picture on Facebook, seconds after seeing it in a supermarket, and it created quite a lively discussion.

Now, it's your turn:

Peeps Oreos - Yea or Nay?

As I have some readers outside the United States, a quick explanation - Peeps are marshmallow candies shaped into various animal shapes.  They started out shaped as chicks and sold for the Easter holiday.  Now, their products have greatly expanded.  People who love them, love them.

I am not a fan, meaning I am probably un-American.  Although, I see they come in chocolate now....

Note, since this post was written, the maker of Oreos in the U.S. has changed - now, it is made by Nabisco division of Mondelēz International.

Now, here's one of my Oreo posts, from previous years.  I still think Oreo should create an International Sampler.  What do you think?

Happy 100th Birthday to My Favorite Cookie

I could say "my favorite cookie" is my spouse's aunt, who turned 100 back in January, but she isn't.  Although, she is barely older than a famous cookie, which turned 100 today.

Yes, the Oreo. 

You Tube has a wonderful video on Facebook for its fans - fireworks in China.  It's a "private" video so I can't share it.

I never thought of International Oreos, but they are all over the world.  So I won't explain to my readers what Oreos are, except that when I grew up there was only one kind - one flavor.  Chocolate cookies with vanilla cream. That's it.

Now, of course, you find regular, chocolate, peanut butter, mint, Double Stuf, Golden Oreos, double delight Oreos that are both regular and golden, fudge covered, Oreos with ice cream stuffing.....

In the United States, our Oreos are made by Kraft Foods.  Which leads to a puzzling thing:  if you live in the United States, go into your food store and look at the various flavors.  Some are made here.  Some are made in Canada.  I wonder why.

I can kick myself for missing the Birthday Cake Oreo, which I saw in the store, and didn't jump on.  Now I know why they had that flavor....(note from 2017 - I've had that flavor since - and don't like it).

And now, as a birthday gift to their fans, I propose that Oreo create an International Sampler.  Why?  If you look at the list of flavors that have been sold in other countries, some of them sound very interesting:

Blueberry ice cream, lemon ice, orange/mango, dulce de leche, and my favorite, sold in Canada but only sold here for a few months back in 2010...so why not?

Oreo?  Please?

Winter Wonders - Wondering Wednesday

Escape from politics for a few minutes.  Breathe deep.  Relax.

Where I live in upstate New York, we are still in winter, according to the calendar.

In past winters, I have written blog posts like these, at the end of February or the beginning of March. Here are three:
The Zombied Snowcopolyse
Dreaming of spring
The Smell of April

But not this year.  True, we had a couple of days of winter over the weekend.  But spring has returned. (Tomorrow, alas, back to winter still again.)

At our house, our low this winter was 8F (-13 C).  We didn't have a day when it didn't reach at least 20 F (-6.6).  These must be some kind of record.

Now, there are flowers blooming outside.  For example, snowdrops.  Without snow.  Surrounded by green grass.

And one of my two Lenten roses continues its bloom.

My primroses are up (not blooming, but up).  The birds are singing furiously.  While walking today, I think I saw a pussy willow out.  There is some more good news, too - we may have a fantastic maple season this year, due to our up and down January.

Tomorrow, the weather forecast calls for a high of 66 (18.8C).

I'm speechless.

But happy.

The Lessons of April the Giraffe #GiraffeWatch2017

I thought about whether I should post the story of April the Giraffe today, or it I should go for a fluffy (in a manner of speaking) topic such as "Should We Have Peep Flavored Oreos?"

Me?  I'm watching the giraffe cam.

Watching April the giraffe has "gone viral". A Harpursville, New York (about 20 minutes from Binghamton, where I work) educational animal park is now in the news worldwide because they set up a webcam on You Tube with a live feed and also decided to set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for their park. (I'm not linking to any fundraiser, for a reason I'll explain shortly).  Many people  are watching April as they have spare moments.  In fact, when I logged on Monday evening, over 80,000 people were watching April live.  Now, at about 6am, it is about 44,000 viewers.

Why the fuss?

April, a 15 year old giraffe, is pregnant, and should be delivering her 4th calf any time  now.  Maybe any minute now, because her baby bump is quite evident and you can see ripples of movement.   Her mate, Oliver, waits patiently in a nearby enclosure.  (Why not together?  Male giraffes are aggressive and may injure their mates.  They are allowed brief visits - I've seen one on the cam - and Oliver is watched carefully during those visits.)

However, there are those who don't believe in confining wild animals in this way.  The owners would state, in return, that Animal Adventure is an interactive educational facility. I have not visited it but I have seen the owners out in the community at various events.  They obviously love what they are doing.

The owners decided to post the last days of April's confinement online, and you can determine the conditions these two giraffes are being kept in.    I am not qualified to do that, but I can see where I will end up with comments both pro and com.  I welcome them, just asking that you keep them polite and respectful of me and other commenters.

Her food and water are out of camera range, in case you are wondering.  And, yes, she and Oliver are permitted outside time, as weather permits.  This is still, after all, winter.


Here are some facts from the You Tube posting:

"The calf will weigh around 150lb and will be about 6' tall at birth.
The front hooves will come out first followed by the snout.

Mom will naturally raise the calf, with weaning could take between 6-10 months, maybe longer. We will not rush this process – it is just a documented range of captive weaning.

Once the calf is born, we will have a contest to name it.

Giraffes are pregnant for 15 months

Upon naturally weaning, the calf will move on to another facility to start a breeding program there. We cannot retain offspring, as it would lead to incestuous mating and undermine the genetics of the program and species.

They eat hay and specialized giraffe diet but love romaine lettuce and carrot treats."

But, there is more to this than watching a giraffe.

If you go to You Tube, you will notice that comments for the cam have had to be disabled.  In fact, last week, someone reported the cam feed as having "nudity and explicit content" and it was taken down for a time.  While they were allowing comments, the trolls (you won't find any at the park, by the way) were quite active.

And, the fundraising?  There have been people putting up fake You Tube and funding sites.  People have been scammed.  In a live chat on You Tube last night, there was some discussion about that.  If you do want to donate, I strongly suggest you make sure it is the real park site first.

So, what do you think of April, and her giraffe cam?  It seems to me Animal Adventure has been educating us just as much about human behavior as animal behavior.  Sad.  This giraffe cam has taught us lessons, all right.

Not just the lessons the owners of Animal Adventure wanted us to learn.

UPDATE 3/6/17: There is now a website devoted to April - please be careful that you go to the official website, which is http://www.aprilthegiraffe.com/

And if you want to read about Oreos, I'll be happy to post about them on Thursday.

Music Monday - Bill Paxton

Actor Bill Paxton died yesterday at the age of 61.  His roles were many and varied, including a major role in one of my son's favorite movies, Twister.

Here are some of his best roles.

I wondered if there were any music videos that Bill Paxton appeared in so I could blog about him today.  Sure enough, I found one, by a group popular in the 1980's called New Order.

Touched by the Hand of God shows a young Bill Paxton and Ray Dawn Chong, daughter of  comedian Tommy Chong.

But it gets better.  Do you remember a song called Fish Heads, by Barnes & Barnes?  (If not, you may not want to watch this.  If you remember the song, you may not want to watch this either.  If you like bizarre stuff, though, definitely watch it.)  Bill Paxton was in that video, too.

Here is some more information about the musical side of Bill Paxton.

RIP, Bill Paxton.  Another actor dead too young.

Civil War Sunday -Two Tales of a Tubman

History is not a selection of boring dates and facts.  History is the story of us, the human race.

History is full of people whose stories are as fascinating as anything you will ever find in fiction.

The American Civil War period (1861-1865 and the years before and after) are full of fascinating stories of people who, in another age, may have gone unnoticed.  But here they were, in unusual or hard times, and they changed the course of the human race.

Last Sunday, I blogged about a great man, born a slave, who became an orator, an abolitionist, a supporter of women's right to vote, an educator, and a newspaperman (among other things).  Frederick Douglass had many links with my native New York State.  So many stories of history are just around the corner, or mere miles away, from where you live.

Today, while thinking about upstate New York, I think about a woman, also born into slavery, who accomplished so much:  Harriet Tubman.  So I had this post partially written when realized that I had blogged about Tubman before, in September of 2014.  So, readers, you have two Tubman stories for the price (so to speak) of one.

Ms. Tubman was born a slave in Maryland, as Douglass had been.  Her original name was Araminta Harriet Ross.  Like Douglass, she did not know exactly when she was born - it is estimated she was born between 1820 and 1825.

Unlike Douglass, Tubman's early life was full of physical abuse, including a head injury inflicted as a punishment as a teen causing her seizures, narcolepsy and other permanent injuries.

After her owner died, Tubman feared for her future - she was sickly, and her economic value as a slave was limited by the injuries she suffered as she was growing up.  Think of her, fearing for her future.  "Just" a slave woman, what could she do about it?

A lot.  Tubman was fortunate enough to live in Maryland, a slave state that bordered Pennsylvania, a free state.  If she made it to Pennsylvania, she would be free.  Tubman successfully escaped slavery in 1849.  Like Douglass, she was able to flee to Pennsylvania.

How did she do it?  She was guided by dedicated opponents of slavery, the Quakers, who, with others, had set up a network called the Underground Railroad.  Walking at night, Tubman would be guided by the North Star, ever further north.  The guides were called "conductors".  She would sleep in hidden basement hiding places at night.   She walked from Maryland into Delaware (another slave state) and finally, into Pennsylvania.  This journey several hours long by car today, took Tubman some seven weeks.

If you were a slave finally free, would you ever go back to slave territory?

Tubman received word that family members were about to be sold.  She went back and guided them to safety.   Again and again, a total of 11 times, Tubman went back into slave territory to guide slaves to freedom, literally risking her life.  She was called "Moses" by some admirers and "The General" by others.  She rescued her brothers, a cousin, and others.

Eventually, slave owners put a $40,000 bounty on her head.  In 2017, many Americans don't even make $40,000. a year.  Back then, $40,000. was a fortune.

Tubman was never caught.  Everyone she "conducted" made it to freedom safely.

During the Civil War, Tubman both acted as a scout and spy, and also guided the Combahee River Raid, which liberated more than 700 slaves in South Carolina.  It is possible that Tubman was the only woman who led a military action during the war.  Tubman was never able to get an official government pension for her service during the war, one of many injustices she suffered during her life.  Congress ended up passing a bill, just for her, to receive a pension, starting around 1897.

Tubman's association with upstate New York started before the war began.  Then-Senator William Seward (the same Seward responsible for the purchase of Alaska from the Russians) sold Tubman a plot of land near Auburn, in the Finger Lakes.

After the war, she lived in this house with her second husband, and an adopted daughter.  Eventually, Tubman started to care for the elderly and infirm in her house, herself suffering from her health problems.

Harriet Tubman's barn

In 1903, Tubman donated a parcel of her land to the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Auburn, which still owns the property today. The Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged opened in 1908, and Tubman ended up living in that facility.

Harriet Tubman's grave - her daughter is buried nearby

Tubman died there in 1913 and is buried in Auburn.

Over the years, Tubman has been more and more admired.  In the next few years, she will be the first woman to be featured on American paper money, the $20. bill, replacing President Andrew Jackson.  And her property will become a National Historic Park.

The recognition is way overdue.

Local Saturday - Spring Ends

We are having a thunderstorm, here in upstate New York, as I blog.

Vestal Rail Trail, February 19

This is why people come to my blog in February - to see sights like this.

Lenten Rose - finally blooming!

Not to see sights like this.

My bulbs are coming up. 

Crocus 2-24, Binghamton (not mine) - Look for the small purple thing

Yesterday (not able to take a picture) I saw snowdrops blooming in another yard.

Today, I saw a dandelion.

This past week, one of my spouse's co workers saw three robins.

We've been hearing geese migrating back north the last several days, honking loudly.

When it gets back below freezing tonight, with possible mixed participation (freezing rain/sleet/snow), they are going to be really confused, those poor robins and geese.

But for us, we know better.  Mother Nature knows it is February.  She has given us a break.

It's over.  Time for winter to take over once more.

Tomorrow - A Civil War Sunday post. 

Skywatch Friday - A February Sunrise

Here are some pictures of the sunrise on February 23, as I left for work.  We are in, as is much of the United States, an unseasonable warm spell.

The first picture, obviously, was taken facing the east.

A couple of blocks away, the sunrise progresses.

Right after the second picture, I faced the west.  Part of the joy of the sunrise is seeing the color changes in the opposite direction.

And, just a couple of minutes later, the colors shift.

Visit #SkywatchFriday and see pictures of the sky from all over the world.

How Winter Used to Be

On February 24, 2014, I posted the below blog post.

That was in the good ol' days when winter was winter.

I still own this warm LL Bean coat, but I haven't had to wear it too many times this winter. 

That isn't to say that we haven't had a winter this year.  On February 12, this was the scene in our front yard - something we call "heart attack snow" as it is so heavy.

 But this is the forecast for today. Possible thunderstorms?

And what about tomorrow?

Tomorrow, February 24, 2017, it is expected to get up around 70 degrees F (21 C) here in Binghamton, New York. 
 
How wonderful it is to walk on sidewalks not encrusted in dirty snow along the sides.  How wonderful it is to cross the street without dodging snow piles.

Some people love winter, but I am not one of them.

We in the United States, in the midst of an unbelievable warmup, continue to wonder "is this for real?  Or will it end in a bad way?"  Well, another snowstorm is on its way.  Surprise.

So today, a reminder to us of how a normal winter used to be like, just three years ago.  And if you have a good customer service story to share, please feel free.

The L.L. Bean Coat

I occasionally  blog about customer service experiences, both good (Chobani yogurt) and not so good (a local Binghamton, NY restaurant, who acknowledged my email but only after several days and although they said they would respond, they never did.)

This experience, though, has to be a first.

There is a long time company, located in Maine, called L.L. Bean. They have been in business since 1912 and have a reputation for excellent customer service.  Their clothing can be a bit pricey, but I've been wearing one of their light fleece jackets for years and years, and I will go into mourning the day it finally falls apart.

In September of 2011 I bought a ski jacket in their flagship store in Freeport, Maine.  It was a splurge, and I don't ski, but it had some features I wanted.  It was a light ivory/white, which I wanted, so I could be visible at night if I had to go out.  It had a nice red liner, so fleecy and comfy.  I hadn't worn it enough to have to wash it until this year, when it became my go-to coat, in our extended "polar vortex" weather.

I washed it yesterday, and to my horror...well, let my email to L.L. Bean from today tell the story.

"I purchased during a visit to Freeport in 2011, a white ski jacket with red liner... I didn't wear it much the winters of 2011 and 2012 but wore it a lot this winter and got it dirty. I washed it for the first time yesterday-cold water, gentle cycle as directed. The red liner has bled all over the coat in various places and is visible from the outside in many spots on the hood and the back. It is cosmetically ruined. Is there anything that can be done? I love this coat and we are ready to go into another cold wave later this week. Thank you."

Less than 1/2 hour later (on a Sunday!!) I got this response:

"I am sorry to read the red liner on your North Ridge Sport Jacket bled.
Unfortunately, the jacket was discontinued in 2011 and is no longer available for replacement. You are welcome to return the jacket if you wish. We would issue you a gift card for the return... Simply print a return form and return shipping label[from our website]."

After a little further correspondence (which they responded to in minutes, as if someone was waiting there to get my email) I was told no rush if I need the coat until it warms up - there is no time limit on returns!  (I've read that - and now I know it is true).

And maybe, one day, it will really be spring.  Meantime, tonight, it is supposed to dip down to 10 above (-12.2 C), and by Wednesday, 3 above (-16.1 C) .  If you see someone with a blotchy white/ivory coat walking around Binghamton, you'll know who it is.

Have you had a really good customer service experience?

Winter Wednesday - Lenten Rose

I have a Lenten Rose in my Binghamton, New York - area garden.  It's been trying to bloom for some six weeks.

Bloom where you are planted, the saying goes.  But what if you keep trying, and can't?

It gets covered by snow.  It gets uncovered.  It gets covered by snow.

Now, we are in a most unseasonable warm wave.  By "we", I mean much of the United States.  Today, we are preparing to experience possible record warmth, on this day that, years ago, would have been a Federal holiday - the birthday of George Washington. 60 (15.5 C) wouldn't be a record, but it would be close.  This is not February weather.  Except, in our new normal, it apparently is.

This weekend, the snow started to melt, and the flowers were exposed again.  This is not necessarily a good thing,as our maple syruping season may end much before it begins.  You can already see the sap flowing in some of the trees (their branch tips get a certain glow.)  Or, as happened last year, trees may bloom prematurely, and never recover.

Could spring be on its way?  Or is this another false alarm?

Still Dreaming the Impossible Dream

Every gardener has his or her impossible dream.  Some of us try to grow a plant that the experts say just can't be grown, just to see if it could be done.

Years ago, when my spouse was in the military, we were stationed in Wichita, Kansas.   There, we met a fellow airman, Jim.  Jim had grown up in West Virginia.  He missed two things terribly:  bluegrass and azaleas.  Neither grow well in Wichita, a hot, windy climate.

Jim tried.  And he failed.  But he tried.

For me, in zone 5b upstate New York near Binghamton, the impossible dream is the camilla, a beautiful flower that is not supposed to grow here.  The climate isn't right.  It gets too cold.  I thought I saw one once in Brooklyn, although it was past the blooming season.   But Brooklyn is in hardiness zone 6b.  I've never seen one here in the Binghamton area.

So, of course, spouse and I decided we had to try.

In April of 2015, my spouse and I traveled to a camilla nursery in North Carolina where they specialize in cold hardy camillas.  We bought one, called April Rose.

After the buds already formed opened and bloomed, new buds grew.

In 2016, despite animals (we suspect squirrels), our camilla bloomed, for the first time, on upstate New York flower buds.

But, after that, buds never grew in the summer of 2016.  I suspect the plant isn't getting enough sun in our back yard, where we had to put it so it would have a chance to survive the winter.

This is what our April Rose looked like on February 18.  No buds.

It will not bloom this April.  Maybe, buds will grow or next year.

You know what?  I'm still dreaming that impossible dream, that April Rose will bloom again for me one day.

Music Monday - President's Day

Today is a Federal holiday, one that is observed in all states but in various ways.

In honor of the Presidents of the United States, here is a short musical tribute.

Abraham, Martin and John - a song sung by Dion, pays tribute to two Presidents cut down by assassins, Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Kennedy's brother, Bobby, also cut down by assassins.

Happy Days, a song that was picked up as a campaign song by the longest serving of all our Presidents, Franklin Roosevelt: was previously the subject of one of my blog posts.

In this political climate, it is instructive to travel back into the 1970's, another age of unrest and fear, to talk about another President, Richard Nixon.  "Justice Don't Be Slow", by Steppenwolf.  Nixon was the first and only President to resign.  His Vice President also had to resign.

This final song is a song from the Civil War era and happens to be, even today, the state song of the State of Maryland.  It sings indirectly about the Federal President during the Civil War (Abraham Lincoln; see above), who is described as a despot. (The history behind this song would make an interesting Civil War Sunday).  This version has the official lyrics prior to last year, when certain edits were made, 151 years after the war ended.

There are lots more songs to choose from if you are interested.  Do you have any to add?

Civil War Sunday -Let's Have Tea

After a nearly two year hiatus, I am starting up, at least for the remainder of February, and all of March, my United States Civil War Sunday feature.   Although I am not a historian, I have always been interested in history.  After all, history is the story of all of us, past and present - not just events, but people.

And who doesn't like a good story about a great person?

I firmly believe that if we don't remember the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes that past generations did.

A man by the name of Frederick Douglass died on February 20, 1895.  Our country could use him today.

On February 1, someone in high office said something that seemed to imply that Douglass was still alive.  His descendants decided to turn that into a teachable moment. 

It is my pleasure to introduce you, my reader (knowing that some of you are not from the United States) to this most remarkable man who had many ties with my native New York State.

Frederick Douglass never knew his exact birth date.  He was born into slavery in Maryland sometime during February of 1818. His original name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey.  He barely knew his mother, whom he was separated from at an early age (not uncommon with slaves in that area) and was raised by his grandmother. His birth mother died when Douglass was 10.

At around the age of 12, the young Douglass was hired out to a man living in Baltimore, Hugh Auld, brother of Douglass's owner Thomas Auld. Hugh Auld and his wife were not experienced slave keepers, which may explain what happened next.

Hugh Auld's wife started to teach Douglass the alphabet.  I can not emphasize here the importance of this act - slaves were not permitted literacy, and in many places, teaching a slave to read or write was a crime.  Any slave, in turn, who was literate had to hide that fact or risk heavy punishment or even death.

Imagine that your love of reading must be kept secret, as you have no right to be literate.

Soon enough, Hugh Auld convinced his wife that teaching Douglass was a mistake.  But it was too late.  In secret, Douglass taught himself to read and write, using various resources, including a school primer owned by Hugh Auld's son, and the Bible.  Later, as a teenager, he was hired out to another man and started an underground slave school for the other neighborhood slaves.  He was caught and brutally punished by being hired out to a known "slave breaker".  Almost psychologically broken, he still managed to survive the experience.

Eventually, in 1838, Douglass was able to escape to the free state of Pennsylvania and then onward to free New York City.  He married (he and his first wife were together for 44 years) and they settled in Massachusetts, another free state.

Douglass eventually took the last name of "Douglass" from a poem, The Lady of the Lake, by Walter Scott.  While still living in Massachusetts, he joined the abolitionist movement - a movement to abolish slavery.  By the early 1840's, Douglass was traveling frequently and giving the most eloquent speeches many had ever heard.

Some people didn't even believe he had ever been a slave, so Douglass decided to write the first of several autobiographies to educate the public about his origins and early life story.  This book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (published in 1845), is in the public domain here and in most countries.  If you look online, and it is legal, you will find PDFs of it on many websites.  It is about 108 pages.

Keep in mind that Douglass, at this point, is still an escaped slave.  It was quite possible his owner, Thomas Auld, could hire people to capture him and bring him back to slavery.  After all, he was Auld's property.  So, also in 1845, just as the Irish Potato Famine was starting, Douglass traveled to Ireland and Britain, and spent the next two years there.  There are several historical plaques in Britain and Ireland commemorating that visit.  More importantly, British supporters raised enough money  and Douglass was able to purchase his freedom from Thomas Auld.

Returning to the United States in 1845, he began his association with upstate New York, particularly the upstate New York cities of Seneca Falls and Rochester. If you are interested in learning more about Douglass, many of his other writings are online, free to read.  Or, you can watch a 44 minute "living history" depiction of Douglass produced by a Virginia TV station.

During the Civil War (1861-1865), three of Douglass's sons served in the military.  One became a First Sargent and anther a Sargent-Major.  The third was a recruiter. 

Douglass fought for many causes, including improving the lot of the nation's former slaves (they were all freed after the Civil War), education, and women's right to vote.  He used words, not violence, to advance the causes he believed in.  I must also point out that his beliefs were sometimes complicated, and contradictory.

Douglass believed in the young art of photography, and was the most photographed man, it is said, of the 19th century.

Politically, Douglass was the first African American to be nominated for Vice-President (he did not support this, and did not campaign) and the first African American man to receive a vote for President.

In addition to his work in the abolitionist movement, Douglass also did much work in the women's suffrage movement.  If you are a woman in the United States, you owe much to Frederick Douglass.

Here is another part of this amazing life story: In 1877, knowing his former owner Thomas Auld was dying, Frederick Douglass traveled to Auld's side and they reconciled.  I don't know if I could ever have done that if I had been a former slave.  Could you have?

Which brings me to these statues.

Douglass lived for about 25 years in Rochester, New York, also the home of suffragist Susan B. Anthony.  Near Anthony's home is a small park, and there, you will find this statue, called "Let's Have Tea".  Here, Anthony and Douglass's statues...well, they have tea.  A black former slave and a white school teacher having tea as equals?  That, in itself, would have been a revolutionary act.

Douglass died on February 20, 1895, in Washington, DC, shortly after visiting a meeting of the National Council of Women, and receiving the last standing ovation of his life.

Douglass is buried in Rochester, New York.  Here is his grave in Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Mural of the Douglass-Anthony Bridge, Trader Joes, Pittsford, New York

Also in Rochester is the Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Bridge.

Although our nation's leader may have incorrectly implied that Douglass was still alive, he was right in one respect.  The vision of Frederick Douglass is alive.  His courage in learning to read and escaping slavery still inspires us.  His supporting the rights of minorities and the rights of women continue to be carried forward by those who still believe in his vision. He taught that protest must always be peaceful, and that we must never give up when protesting for a just cause.

Next year will mark the 200th anniversary of Douglass's unknown birthday - and we can even hope that our President will wholeheartedly join in.

Come to think of it - yes, in a way, maybe Frederick Douglass is still alive - in all of us.

Local Saturday - One Building at a Time

I originally blogged this in 2013 and reran this in 2014.

The years have not been kind to the area of upstate New York where I live.  Nor have they been kind to many other areas of our country.  Major employers have downsized, moved operations overseas, or disappeared. (By the way, did you know that IBM and Whirlpool both got their start in Binghamton, New York?)

What follows is the story of one of many historic buildings in Binghamton, New York that still, despite urban renewal, sit in ruins.  Patiently, this building waits for its fate.  Some four years after I first published this post it still sits, empty.   Some would call it a symbol of our country.

I say this in a non partisan way:  our infrastructure badly needs to be rebuilt.  We need to concentrate on local buildings and road, and on bringing back local jobs.  The question, of course, is "how"?  And, at what cost?

Perhaps doing it one building at a time will start the journey.

Here's my post:  

"From Edward G. Robinson to Ruin".

What do Eddie Foy, Ethel and John Barrymore, Sara Bernhardt,  George M. Cohan, Teddy Roosevelt and Edward G. Robinson's first professional stage performance have in common?

Answer:  this building in downtown Binghamton, New York.

Stone Opera House in 2013

This is the Stone Opera House on Chenango Street.  It was a grand old opera house once, but its flag waving days are long over.  This 120 year old plus building, neglected and possibly close to its final days, patiently sits as passerbys walk by without a glance.  It's the shame of Binghamton.

In the 1930's it became the Riviera Theatre, and closed for good in 1973.  Now it sits, rotting and boarded up.

This is what it looked like once.

Actually, there are abandoned theaters all over this country.  Can we ever hope for someone to rescue this building and do something for it?  As of today, to the best of my knowledge - nothing has happened.

Even as crumbling buildings downtown are renovated and turned into student housing, the Stone Opera House waits.  And waits.

Sometimes, I wish I was very rich....