First Daffodils!

March 18, 2012 - our first three daffodils unfolded today! Strange warm and early spring after an almost non-existent winter... about 1/3 the usual snow! Previous daffodil pictures seem to be mostly from early to mid April! Also, while I did not get any pictures today, Dad and I saw several willows all decked out in their first spring gold. Previous years, my pictures of this annual spring treat were also from mid April. More frost and snow may hit this year, but spring seems to be almost a month early! I even heard spring peepers on my way home last night! A friend posted today that her first spring lettuce has come up in the garden!

Am I feeling blessed or worried?

Why do we destroy beauty?

In 1965, we (Rochester, NY) tore down this New York Central Train Station.- Postcard above, and photo below.

It was replaced with the building below!

Why do we do these things?

Spelling????

I'm not commenting on her skills with kids, but don't hire her to teach your kids anything!

And, while I missed getting a picture, I saw a car driving away from the Wegmans parking lot with a plate on the front that said

LICENCE

Opportunity

Anyone want to buy a classic ice cream stand! And this one comes with miniature golf, bumper cars, go-carts, driving range, and an arcade!

I've always dreamed about owning one of those classic 1950's tourist trap places. A roadside ice cream stand was always high on the list, but the closest I ever came was actually talking to the owner about buying The Teepee on Route 20 in New York State just west of Albany in the Cherry Valley area.
Click on this link for some great pictures of The Teepee, and some of the classic 1950's stuff for sale therein.

The Teepee is just down the road a piece from the Petrified Creatures Museum

For your chance to own a classic near Batavia, NY (On Route 5 - sort of kid sister to Route 20) - below is the For Sale Sign on the ice cream stand plus!

If you buy it, you owe me 4 cones - Grandpa, Grandma, Maya, and CJ!

Rattlesnake Pete

While hunting for something else, I found these pictures I had filed away of Rattlesnake Pete. Peter Gruber was an entrepreneur of the most eccentric sort in Rochester, NY in the late 1800's - early 1900's. Fascinated by snakes from an early age, A native of Pennsylvania, Rattlesnake Pete located his restaurant, bar, and museum in downtown Rochester after being turned away from Pittsburgh and Buffalo where mixing drinks and snakes was evidently frowned upon!

Rattlesnake Pete provided food and drink, and a large collection of snakes, 4 legged chickens, etc in the finest sideshow tradition, but in a permanent location..... our own local P.T. Barnum!

Pete's exhibit included a stuffed horse, hundreds of arrow heads, the first harpsichord in the upstate NY area, a pipe supposedly smoked by John Wilkes Booth, the battle flag used at Custer's last stand, jars of pickled brains, the weight used in the gallows mechanism from the last hanging in Rochester, the skull of General Sheridan's horse, and an ax used by a wife murderer, and much much more!

Who wouldn't want to stop by for dinner, drinks, and a chance to see cages full of writhing snakes!

He sold snake oil, as well as snake skins, skunk skins, etc. Today we know snake oil as a term for any bogus cure, but Rattlesnake Pete actually extracted oil from snakes and sold it as a cure. Below he is shown practicing his goiter cure - wrapping a black snake around the sufferer's neck. Oddly, the constrictions of the snake actually massaged the goiter, and may have provided some temporary relief.

Rattlesnake Pete was bitten by rattlesnakes or copperheads somewhere between 29 and 33 times depending on the account, but lived to the age of 75! 1857 to 1932.

Patriotic Sales Technique

I won't add much to this, and will keep the event where I saw this unidentified, but food (or candy?) for thought!

132 posts in a row, but I missed 133!

The picture and the story of the missed blog really do go together.

That's myself, and my dad, Mel. above.

My hat purchased at the Specialty Shop at Strong, a tiny little shop that seemed to mostly sell breast feeding supplies in the lobby of the University of Rochester Medical Center. I'm not sure why this little shop is separate from the larger gift shop, but as we walked by on our way out of the hospital, I spotted a hat in the window that looked very much like my favorite winter hat. Turns out they had several and the little shop was run by a friend who was at our wedding many years ago! The small assortment of men's hats ???? For guys doing chemo. We always hear about the women and their wigs, scarves, hats, etc, but it turns out men have the same things to adjust to! Anyway, I got a new brown hat, and Dad, on a lark, wore my old gray hat home... picture taken with a timer outside our neighborhood diner!

Why were we at the hospital? Dad was getting an electronystagmogram (ENG) which measures involuntary rapid eye movement. And why an ENG? Dad has suffered with vertigo for years. Lest you think vertigo is that queasy feeling you get as you look over the edge of a bridge, as a medical problem it is a lot worse. The feeling is similar, but a lot worse, and you can't just step back from the edge to make it go away. Recently Dad's vertigo has gotten worse and more frequent, so we have been consulting various folks looking for a cure. The ENG is a test that tells the people who know - something about what may be causing the problem. Below you can see Dad in the goggles they put on him, and the picture of his eyes on the computer. The little box on top of the goggles holds two video cameras that show the computer his eyes from straight ahead..... note the little 45 degree one-way mirrors on the front of the goggles. Then they do various things that simulate conditions that might cause vertigo, and measure the involuntary movements of the eyes. The computer measures and graphs the eye movements, and somehow this tells them something but we don't know what yet!

Anyway, thus the trip to the hospital, thus the hat, and thus the missed blog entry, because Dad had one of his worst vertigo attacks yet, or at least the longest, a couple of days later. I went over to Mom and Dad's place about 5am yesterday, to help, and did not leave until about 1 pm today. Maybe I'll figure out how to blog from my new smart phone (so far I'm lucky to have a phone call go smoothly!). I know I can do Facebook entries - but I missed doing my blog thing yesterday. Maybe the pressure is off now, or maybe I'll try for another run of daily blogs.... I really do enjoy doing this!

I am pleased that this my 813th blog!

A great idea.

I've got no idea where this originated, but it appears to have gone viral, and I'm glad to support the idea by passing it on here. Forgive the Christmas theme, but I guess it really is about Christmas, because it appears to me that our friends of other religious persuasions seem not to have any such crazily consumer oriented holidays. (I'm willing to be corrected on this.) I did not write this, but with minor adjustments I concur!
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As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods—merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year can be different. This year Americans should give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone, EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the American Dollars on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants—all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains—this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom ? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

Perhaps someone’s computer could use a tune-up. There must be some young person who is struggling to get their repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.

THIS should be the new American Christmas tradition.

This is another way of caring about each other, and isn’t that what Christmas is about?

And please remember to wish everyone a Merry Christmas instead of saying Happy Holidays!

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Again, I don't know who first wrote this ---- I do know I found it posted on a blog from 2008 among a lot of other places, so it isn't terribly new ----- but it does seem to ask for some thought, and maybe even some action?

Anniversary

I'm pretty sure my brother Dave would have "liked" this picture. Although when he was alive, liking was something you did with your mind, not with a mouse! Although I guess you could like a mouse?

Thank you Dave!

Tops in the New York Times!

Title of the article -- "All That Authenticity May Be Getting Old" (?) Question mark mine. It seems to me that authenticity is never out of style!

The article mostly discusses items made to look handmade, or possibly handmade by hundreds of pairs of hands in a Chinese factory, and sold in huge quantities. I guess that might get a little old!

I don't know how long it will stay on-line, but here is the article

Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival - part two

More about the Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival --- Check out part one if you missed yesterday's pictures and comments.
Above - "Honoring" the military and patriotism is a big part of the festival. I'm sure that the person who put these on their front sidewalk meant well, but these guys are not exactly my taste. And below, a double tent full of a lot of hand made things, including the wooden flag under the tree to the left.

I'm not sure why this little sign (below) was leaning up on the back of the German Food truck, but on the other side was a tent of German Food served by folks in lederhosen and all the matching stuff. (I double checked on Google, and I did spell that right despite my dictionary wanting to change it to "leaseholder"?????)

Below, a nice exhibit of fresh local apples right on the corner of Main and Park! As the end of the festival was approaching, the vendor was hand writing signs on cardboard - "Bushells $10.00 each - any kind" Even if spelled badly, that is a great deal!

And - below - The Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival is sort of a mini Sturgis. I would estimate that about 10% of the folks there probably came on their motorcycles.

And - Thanks to my family - Anne, Wyatt, and Maeve - residents of Cohocton - their house is about 150 feet from that lovely exhibit of apples, and across the street from the motorcycles! Thanks to Anne for the lentil soup and the wonderful cookies - I should have taken a picture, but I was too busy eating! (She saved me from needing to get one of those deep fried pickles!) Thanks to Maeve and her friend Jared for coming home from college to visit! Thanks to Wyatt for spending a little time with us in between hanging out with his friends. The Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival really is the highlight of the social year here! And thanks to Mom and Dad for coming along and making sure a good chunk of our family got together again! I wish my brother Dave could have been there with us - I'm sure he and I would have chuckled over many of the same things. I did wear my Merlefest shirt as I usually do when I want to bring my brother along. I miss you Dave.

Coming soon - pictures of the bounty of Anne's garden!

100 posts in 100 days!

In some bizzaro world sort of way I think these two items go together. Above - an actual book from 1818! The story below --- “For Children Three Years Old,” is from Lessons for Children by Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Philadelphia, 1801

There was a naughty boy; I do not know what his name was, but it was not Charles, nor George, nor Arthur, for those are all very pretty names: but there was a robin came in at his window one very cold morning — shiver — shiver; and its poor little heart was almost frozen to death. And he would not give it the least crumb of bread in the world, but pulled it about by the tail and hurt it sadly, and it died. Now a little while after, the naughty boy’s papa and mamma went away and left him, and then he could get no victuals at all, for you know he could not take care of himself. So he went about to every body — Pray give me something to eat, — I am very hungry. And every body said, No, we shall give you none, for we do not love cruel, naughty boys. So he went about from one place to another, till at last he got into a thick wood of trees; for he did not know how to find his way any where; and then it grew dark, quite dark night. So he sat down and cried sadly; and I believe the bears came and eat him up in the wood, for I never heard any thing about him afterwards.

Below - an oddly similar sentiment?

Just a couple of things to think about???

Feeling a little political today!

Click the image above to read more easily.

Bottle Bush

I've long been fascinated with bottle trees. Click on the links below to see a couple of web articles about bottle trees. You can buy them all pre-made from steel rods, but that somehow doesn't make sense. I've stuck some bottles on dead branches in the lilac bushes in our yard, but somehow they're also just not right. Today, while on a Sunday ride to Letchworth State Park, we drove by what may be the perfect bottle tree. More like a bottle bush actually, but a lot of bottles on the dead remains of a real bush! I love the variety of colors and the variety of bottles! I love the bottles on the ground mingled with the broken glass of bottles that didn't survive the fall? Or maybe the broken glass is from the captured evil spirits struggling to escape? I also love the lone broken bottle still hanging from the bush, but it's spirit was clearly able to escape. I think the good spirits managed to escape, but the evil ones are right there in the bottles! And there must be a very special spirit in that bright yellow bottle that seems to disappear when you move off to the side!

This bottle bush is located on Route 19A, Portageville, NY --- just outside the southern end of Letchworth State Park.

history of the bottle tree.

Another article about bottle trees.

Both pictures deserve to be clicked!

And in one of life's serendipty moments, this morning I discovered this about some recycled plastic bottle trees!

Last show for our old van!

This is the last show for our old Dodge conversion van. I have no idea how many shows we have done with this reliable old workhorse, but she has served us well. A few breakdowns, but nothing serious, and if our mechanic hadn't told us that the frame is rusting out, and she won't make it through another winter, we'd be planning a lot more shows with her. It has been especially nice having no car payment for the past 5 years or so! Her gas mileage is abysmal - about 12.5 miles to the gallon, and she qualified for the Cash for Clunkers program a while back, but we figured that we could buy a lot of gas for a car payment. The car payment on the new Dodge Grand Caravan we have agreed to buy next week will buy somewhere between 97 and 158 gallons per month depending on which financing deal we choose, and where gas prices go? The new mini-van will go over twice as far on a gallon of gas, and set-up and tear down should be a bit easier because with less space in the van, we will have to choose more carefully what we load in to take to a show!
So goodbye to our old friend. We'll reinstall the seats we took out within 3 days of getting her home back in 1991 - they are brand new after sitting in the garage for 10 years. (The rest of this big conversion van never did get into our garage!) On Thursday, we'll take her back to the car dealer where we got her, and buy our third car from our favorite car salesman who just sells us a car without any %$*&^@* ! Many thanks to Jim Bentley who will probably be retired by the time we have to face car buying again?
Above - the empty booth, set-up and ready to populate with wonderful and colorful pieces ranging from $1 to about $375, with most items under $50! Stop by the Clothesline show today or tomorrow, and say goodbye to our old van, and get a good buy on some great artwork!

Missed Maya and CJ Wednesday!

Maya working on her book! As I recall the title is "The Tree With The Talking Knot".

Above - an arrangement/collage of books on Nonnie Linda's floor.
Below - our favorite book from the arrangement!

Below - Maya is definitely not an indoor always kind of kid -

Below in mid-leap off the backyard slide!

These are some pics from the past couple of weeks because Casey, Deanna, Maya, and CJ were on vacation this week, but they are back home now, with lots of new stories to tell us next Wednesday!

Our New Quick Response (QR ) Code

If I've got this straight, you can scan the above QR code with your smart phone , and it will take you directly to our web page.

I don't know if these things can be read from the computer screen, but if this works for you let me know. I'm thinking of printing one out for our booth at Clothesline this weekend, though I'm not sure why we would want to send people to our web site when they are right there in our real world booth????????????????

Experimenting with the fireworks setting on my camera

Fireworks extravaganza at the Genesee Country Village and Museum the other night.

The "fireworks" setting on my new camera seems to be a short "time lapse" thing, giving some neat effects, but perhaps not the best images of fireworks?

Great fireworks, but I'm not sure I'm a big fan of fireworks with a narrative and musical sound track? In the beginning the sound track bragged that the fireworks and music were professionally timed to within a tenth of a second of each other. My impression was that they certainly maintained the full tenth of a second off for the full performance. Quite disconcerting until I convinced my brain that there was no direct connection between the two separate but somewhat simultaneous events.

Nice fireworks though, with some effects that I hadn't seen before.

Number Seven Hundred and Fifty

This is my 750th post!

This is also my 60th daily post in a row!
(Someday soon I'm going to skip a day just to relieve the pressure)
Both are sort of cool milestones!
The pictures below represent some of the things I most like to blog about.

Below - NITBY - Nature in the back yard - in this case a snail on a grape leaf in our yard.

Below - general silliness and/or things than make you go UUUUUMMMM!

Below - my grandaughter Maya Louise Sams,

and in the background my wonderful Cheryl!

Below - the ever wonderful and fascinating Caesar James "CJ" Sams

Below - another thing that makes you smile and go uuuuuuummmm!

A yellow submarine tea "ball".

And once in a while I throw in something about our business ventures
and the wonderful things we make and try to sell!

Thank you to all the folks who regularly check out my postings,
and to the people who just sort of stumble by and move on.