The Blog is Back to Normal!

Thank You, Google and Blogspot.com!

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Now you can "click" to see the really big (no more "lightbox") splash of color on the swamp maples near the old "Mayflower" motel on Route 20 West of Sangerfield.

Then click the "back" arrow/ button to return to the blog.

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It's 54 degrees and dry at 6:00 a.m.

The YNN Forecast: "Today will remain warm with clouds mixing in with some sunshine. Highs will be in the 70s. While it won't be raining everywhere all the time, the threat for a few scattered showers and thunderstorms will be with for the afternoon into the evening.

This is thanks to an upper level low that will continue to spin moisture in our direction and keep our weather a bit unsettled through the first half of next week. While the weekend will be a bit unsettled at times with the threat for a few scattered showers both days, the majority of the time it should be dry with some sun. Temperatures will also remain mild through the weekend with highs in the 70s.

Showers may become steadier and more widespread during the first half of next week. Stay tuned!"

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IN THE MAIL

Leslie Olivera - VanWormer sent me these two great pictures of her daughter, singer/actress Tracy Lynn Olivera, photographed first with Dame Julie Andrews at a reception following the Ford's Theatre Gala at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., and ..........

......... with her husband, Evan Casey, and actor Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss had performed with Tracy at the Gala.

(Thank you, Leslie!)

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From my Camera

Yesterday was an on-again, off-again rainy day and I just took one quick ride around the community. Parking spots along Main Street were all full, but I didn't see any unusual activity*.



This field of Soy on Fuess-Cleary Road is, like all others, turning a lovely shade of gold.



Tall clumps of Wild Sunflowers are blooming along roadsides and in cornfields.



Woodbine decorates an old shed on Sally Road.

* I did see something very unusual on Buell Avenue, but will have to go back, today, to take pictures. Huge chunks of "rip-rap" (rocks) were sitting in the Wesslings' side yard waiting to be placed along the bank of Big Creek where sizable washouts occurred last April and then, again, two weeks ago.

The Wessling yard, April 28th.

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Re: other storm / flood damage, I met my daughter Allison and her family - her husband Rick and their son, Iain - for a lunch visit in Herkimer on Sunday and she later sent this description of their drive back to their home in Ballston Lake which, if you haven't tried to get from here to there in the past two weeks, you might find interesting: "We took Rte 5 home, but had to take a detour north as the main drag was closed at Palatine Bridge. We came back down out of the hills in Mohawk, where the other road-closed sign was. The damage between Amsterdam and Scotia was out-of-this-world! The river had completely carved out new routes around bridge abutments and complete locks. The Guy Park house in Amsterdam is half missing, sadly, with a lot of historical stuff (I think it was their historical society building). Then the tornado damage to the east of Amsterdam was equally astounding – trees sheared off and twisted at the 30-foot mark."

All-in-all, we were lucky!


I certainly am!

This is Iain.

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Special Event Details

"WHEEL DAYS"

at the Fairgrounds in Brookfield.

"Due to the overwhelming popularity of the 4WD truck pull organizers have decided to split the truck pull into two separate events. At 7pm Friday, Sept. 23rd, the wheels will start spinning with the 4WD diesel engine truck pull. Then at 9am Saturday, Sept. 24th, the 4WD gas engines trucks will get their chance to compete.

Another change for the 2011 Wheel Days is the sale of grandstand tickets for the ever popular King’s Smash’em Crash’em Demolition Derby and Rollover Contest. In an attempt to alleviate the last minute rush and lines, tickets will go on sale at 4pm and continue until all 1,500 seats are sold out for the 6pm show.

In tribute to Wheel Days 40th year the Demolition Derby will be paying out a special bonus the overall winner of the 6/8 cylinder division will receive $1,500 (requires a 40 car minimum) and the overall winner in the 4 cylinder division will take home $400 (requires 25 car minimum).
There are several special events and surprises planned throughout the weekend to commemorate 40 years of exciting wheel turning action. Saturday will feature the Garden Tractor Pull and a display of antique tractors, race cars, and snowmobiles, along with a special fireworks display following the Demolition Derby. The wheel excitement continues Sunday with the stock and modified tractor competition in front of the grandstand, while “Just Cruise-In” welcomes the polished wheels on all Classic, Custom, Antique, and Muscle vehicles to the fairgrounds."

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Have a great weekend, everyone!