The Years To Remember

The forecast for Thurs - Sat was for really nice weather, so I decided to tackle the front porch post that has been nagging at me for a year. Back in April, Ken told me it was going to cost $1000 to replace it if I didn't do something. The time for something was now.  Thursday I started by sawing off the bottom 5 inches of the rotted casing wood, which committed me to seeing this through. I wasn't sure how to get this done, but I just decided to begin and see where it took me. I changed my plan a couple of times and ran into problems but just kept adjusting the process until it worked.  Luckily the 4 x 4 post underneath was in fine shape so I hoped to piece in the casing with new wood and then: "Putty and paint, to make it what it ain't". Measuring and cutting to get it right. Letting the caulking and wood putty dry before the first sanding. On Friday I took a break and went biking with the hiking group. Several of us have discovered that biking is so much easier ...

 10/20/23  At home: I was digging a hole to plant daffodil bulbs and dug up this beautiful stone. It was like getting a present. It is perfect for my 'art installation'.  10/22/23  In Corning:  A cold and blustery few days in Corning. I really needed a walk. My youngest sister and her husband are in Portugal; my brother is in Florida, and 2 sisters are sick. I decided to spend 4 days with mom so she is not on her own. Her home aide will be there for the rest of the week until everyone else returns. I walked two villages over and took a closer look at Painted Post's folly. This is a reminder of greed and short sightedness. These water pumps were put in to draw millions of gallons from the aquifer that supplies nearby communities as well as this one. It was to be sold to oil fracking wells just a few miles down the rail line in Pennsylvania. Thankfully concerned citizens and the judge had the intelligence to put a stop to it before even a drop was drawn. This neve...

Thursday 10/12/23 Sheila, Geri and I got together to be tourists and visit the Mansion at Clermont and walk the grounds. It was a beautiful day and the history kept my interest. Afterwards we stopped for lunch at the Maker Cafe in Hudson. It was on the pricey side but very good. Then we stopped at Golden Harvest Farm for produce and apple cider donuts of course. Clermont house, home of the Livingstons for 7 generations. The library where the family could let their hair down, as counterpoint to the more formal rooms in the house. On our 4 mile walk of the grounds - Ruins of an earlier home (Arryle House) destroyed by the British, rebuilt, but later burned by accident. Maker Cafe for lunch Friday 10/13/23 I have grown fond of my solo bike rides because I can go as far as I want and at my own pace. I decided to drive over to Adams Massachusets to ride one of my favorite trails, the Ashuwillticook. It was chilly but I managed a decent pace and had my lunch along the way. I also brought a ...

These chickens crossed the road, but it is not clear why. I've had a nice visit with Mom, my younger brother, youngest sister and her family. I got in a short bike ride, but the weather was not cooperating with lots of rain, wind, and colder temperatures. Today (Sunday) I made banana bread for Mom's Sunday night tea and dessert with the family. After that I got bored and decided to head over to the Glass Center museum shop and bought a lazy susan, which I don't need but really liked. Then I admired the art glass, and met youngest sister for coffee. Mom in her favorite spot crocheting a blanket for one of her grandsons. After resisting any mobility aids for years, at 93 she relented and has become reliant on her walker and appreciates its stability. I see these glass sculptures in many museums. In this location, Corning Museum of Glass, it nicely mimics the real trees outside. This beauty was about two feet tall and pricey. My $10 lazy susan. These colors were dramatic and t...

Sunset on October 3rd 10/1/23 It's hard to believe it's October already. I spent an hour or two mowing the front lawn which was very tall. The mower almost became overwhelmed, but I managed to get the job done. Last mow of the year dare I hope? I went to the bike trail for a quick 20 miles and realized what a mistake to go on a Sunday. I'm truly tired of crowds and the trail was crowded with people getting out to enjoy the weather. I don't mind that, but the lack of trail manners is appalling. Groups of pedestrians just stopping their walk to chat right in the middle of the trail. Bikers riding 4 abreast and not pulling into single file when a rider is coming the other way. These are not young people either, they are old enough to have a sense that they are not the only people on the planet. I'm glad my bike has a bell, which I used a lot, but to little effect sometimes. I'm done ranting now. Just saying it's genetics, not meteorology. 10/2/23 Harlem Valley ...