Wednesday nght for Thursday - Garbage Day!

That's what we're all wondering!

It's 21 degrees at 6:30 p.m.

and it's been a 100% wintery day!

"Four Cars Involved in back to back crashes..." Observer-Dispatch 9:05 p.m.

"Paris Hill Road back open after accident involving up to seven vehicles." from WKTV.

"Weather, accidents close route 12, route 28." from the O-D; 3:42 p.m. Wednesday.

One more accident was reported to have occurred on Route 315 in mid-afternoon.



Heading south on Osborn ......



............. and then northward on Route 12.



At least there was a clear spot where snomobilers crossed at the car wash.



In the middle of the village, where Fire Police diverted traffic from Route 12, you'd never have known that there was a storm anywhere!



Just huge snowbanks left near parking lots, waiting for youngsters to come along and play "King of the Mountain!"

(Or perhaps they don't do that, anymore!)


By late afternoon the wind seemed to be dying down and the sun even broke though the clouds over the Eisenhut Farm at Hanover.

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Signs of Spring.


Madison Street.

The Falk residence on Putnam.

Looking ahead


BRrrrrrrrr!

WKTV's evening forecast: "Snows and wind will diminish by later this evening as a ridge of high pressure settles in. It will be a a cold night, with temperatures dropping below zero.

Cold, sunny weather is expected for Thursday. High temperatures will struggle to reach 20 degrees.

Our weather turns warmer and unsettled as we head into the weekend. Heavy rain is possible by Sunday."

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AT THE LIBRARY

Point & Shoot Photography
Saturday, March 5th
10:30am | Sign Up at 841-4651

Judith Kemp-Barnes will teach you how to get the best possible photos from your basic point and shoot digital camera.
*Bring your own camera.

**********

FOR THE RECORD



Time to freeze this, too!

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If you have events that you'd like me to post on Monday,
please let me know over the weekend.

I'll be having a cataract operation mid-week, and that may result in several days of blurry vision and no blog!

In the meantime,

Have a Great Weekend, everyone!

Light at 6:30!

It's Recyclables Day

31.6 degrees and overcast.

From WKTV, "An arctic front will drop in from the north today, bringing with it wind, snow, and cold weather. Snow arrives between 8-10AM this morning, accompanied by increasing wind. Snowfall totals look to be a trace-2" from the Mohawk Valley south, with 2"-4" possible across Northern Oneida County and into the Adirondacks.

Winds pick up out of the west today, sustained between 15-25mph with gusts over 40mph this afternoon. Any areas that see more than 2" of snow will likely see blowing and drifting snow.

A cold night tonight, with temperatures dropping below zero. Cold, sunny weather on Thursday. Our weather turns warmer and unsettled as we head into the weekend. Heavy rain is possible on Sunday."

IN THE NEWS

WCS GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Syracuse.com, last night:

Click to enlarge.

More, HERE, from this morning's O-D.


I know that the girls must be terribly disappointed, but last night's loss doesn't diminish their wonderful season. They're Top Scorers in our books! Thank You!

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Photographer Jody Hildreth: a Winner! Congratulations, Jody!

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"Speed Bumps"

The Village Speed Limit is 30 MPH. However, trying to go that FAST on some of our streets could prove dangerous or damaging - at least to our vehicles. Osborn Avenue used to take the prize for the most hazards, but I think that right now Berrill Avenue is winning with both East and West Bacon Streets and White Streets in competition.But remember - it's a sign of Spring - the annual siege of frost heaves and potholes, and it won't last long.

Yesterday was quite a nice day, and walkers and runners were out enjoying late-afternoon sunshine.





Here are Cheryl Lincoln-Lovely and 'Poppy" - the famous little dog who, a year ago, had the entire community out looking for her in sub-zero weather. I gather that she no longer expresses any desire to travel farther than "the Hollow!"

Out in the Countryside: John Ogden's corn field ............

............. and Gil Condon's favorite view on Fuess Cleary.

In the Village - GREEN is appearing!

At the Pizzeria and at Jim and Nancy Morgan's on Stafford Avenue..............

.............. and Joan Albert's on E. Bacon Street.

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If you're sick and tired of Winter, you'll enjoy Pat Louise's editorial in this week's issue of The Waterville Times

AND

these photogrphs, submitted by blog readers who have been on vacation!

From Leslie Olivera-Van Wormer:

"Jim and I went to Los Angeles for 4 days and then on a week long cruise to the Mexican Riviera - this is a view of El Arco in Cabo San Lucas."



"We saw this sea lion bathing on a rock in Cabo. We were also able to see several mother gray whales and their offspring - fairly close to our ship - and a school of dolphins followed our ship several times. We had a wonderful time!"

"We had a wonderful visit with Lucy Savage at the Japanese restaurant in Santa Monica where she works."

(Thanks loads, Leslie!)


**************

- And these magnificent shots from another traveler who is still enjoying this view of the Molokai Channel "from Nancy's back yard."




(I sure wish I knew Nancy!)

Thanks for sharing your vacation with us!

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FOR THE RECORD

This is making the rounds of the internet:
I couldn't resist posting it here for your amusement!


HAVE A GREAT DAY

Get ready for another splash of COLD.

Sunshine!

*************************

It's BIG TRASH Day!

It's 21.9 degrees and crispy clear.

From WKTV: "Yesterday's rain and slush has frozen this morning. Watch out for a few slick spots on untreated surfaces. Sunshine comes back today, with high temperatures climbing back into the low 30s. Skies remain clear early tonight, before clouds return before daybreak.

March comes in like a lion on Wednesday. A cold front will drop in from the north tomorrow, bringing some snow showers early in the day along with wind. A west wind picks up during the afternoon, with gusts up to 40mph.

Cold, sunny weather on Thursday. Our weather turns warmer and unsettled as we head into the weekend."

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IN THE NEWS

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GIRLS BASKETBALL

"Semifinals set in Girls' Brackets." fr0m the O-D.

No. 2 Waterville (13-5) and No. 3 Mohawk (13-6) play at 6 p.m. Tuesday
at Clinton High School

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"Superintendents Pay Cap Proposal Raises Concerns Locally." from the O-D.

IN THE MAIL

More information about

Empire State Games Gold Medal Winner Marissa Cornelius.

"The daughter of Amy Doggett of Deansboro and Doug Cornelius of Deansboro, she just turned 15, and is in 9th grade at Clinton. She was selected in the 2009 US Luge slider search and eventually made the USA Luge development team. - the same kind of start that Erin Hamlin had."

Marissa at the end of her final run doing a fist pump as she saw the leader board post her time as 1st place.


The three medalists: Gracie Weinberg, of Middlebury, Vermont, Marissa, and Katherine Shelhamer, Cold Brook.



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REMEMBERING NORM ECKERSON'S SKI RUN

A blog reader, while wishing to remain anonymous, has written:

"Wow! it has been a long time since I heard anything about Norm Eckerson's dream.
Norm worked for the Waterville School District and, as others who worked there, had visions of what could be and how they could become more financially secure. This was one of them.

"No: the project never came to fruition, however a lot of time and hard work was spent on the project.
"I'm sure a few of those working on the project along with friends and neighbors probably tried skiing down the slope. Can you imagine how many small trees, stubs, etc. were removed to get to what you can see in this picture? Some of the much younger crowd, went sliding and tobogganing on the lower parts of this slope."

Thank you!

***********************

TODAY AT THE LIBRARY
Sign Up at 841-4651

How To: Design a Webpage
Tuesday, March 1st at 7pm

For anyone who would like to start their own webpage.
Amanda Briggs will walk you through the steps of creating your own webpage for personal or business use.
We will be working with free web designing sites.

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YESTERDAY

It was a warm, melty, muddy and sloppy Spring day!


In the morning I spotted sap buckets out a Keyesbrook Farm on Route 12B.



Later in the day, I drove through Nine Mile Swamp on Loomis Road to see if the Sangerfield River was rising: yes!


Just Ducky!

The creek was high over near Oriskany Falls making these year-'round residents happy.

The one place where water was NOT rising was at the underpass, south of Waterville, on Route 12! Wonderful!

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Two hundred and nineteen years ago.............

"About the first of March, 1792, Minierva Hale and wife, and Nathan Gurney and wife and infant, moved into the town from New Hartford, where they had previously resided one or two years. The first day of their journey they reached the house of Simon Hubbard, who lived on the place now occupied by his son Marinus Hubbard, in the town of Marshall, where they remained over night. Their conveyances were ox teams and sleds. On the next morning, the snow being very deep, they made short yokes for their oxen, and using their bed cords for traces, they drove them tandem, and thus plowed their way to their new farms. The distance from Mr. Hubbard's was but about four miles, but such was the almost impassable state of their route (for road they had none), over hills and logs, across and through creeks, swamps, and thickets, overlaid with at least four feet of snow, that is was quite night before they reached its termination. Mr. Hale had purchased land adjoining the lot of Mr. Phelps, and Mr. Gurney had purchased lot No. 40, now in the village of Waterville, and a part of which is at present owned by Aaron Stafford, Esq., whose father, Ichabod Stafford, noticed as among the earliest settlers of Augusta, purchased of Gurney. They both, however, proceeded to the house of Mr. Phelps*, who had moved into it only two or three days previously, and here they remained until they built houses for themselves. The three men, their wives, and Gurney's child, all occupied the same room, and for the best of reasons, it was the only one in the house, or in the town." From Pomroy Jones' Annals of Oneida County, 1851.

* Probably next to the creek, near Beaver Creek Road, on land now the Sangerfield Golf Course.

March 1, 1992

In 1992 a bicentennial "re-enactment" took place on an appropriately cold and windy day and began on Daytonville Road. Riding in the wagon, pulled by "Duke" and Dan," twin oxen trained by the Hugh Healey family of Johnstown, were then-mayor David Upcraft and trustee Linda Nichols representing Nathan Gurney and his wife, and Kathy Langworthy, a descendant of two of the township's earliest settlers.

Photos courtesy of Jean Desany.

About thirty people followed the procession on foot while another hundred or so gathered in the St. Bernard's parking lot to take turns having wagon rides and refreshments.

*********************

It's been years and years since teams of oxen were seen pulling plows or farm wagons. They, of course, have been replaced by tractors - many made by Case and John Deer. In this weather even they are rarely seen --- except in the form of mailboxes beside the road!

In Hanover.

On Route 315.

*******************

FOR THE RECORD

*******

Seeing that, an old codger from New England wrote to suggest that it might be a good time for horses and oxen to make a comeback!

*************************************

HAVE A GOOD DAY, EVERYONE!

"Breaking News" from Lake Placid

From The Plattsburgh Press Republican

Empire State Games Wrap Up

Marissa Cornelius
Gold Medal Winner in Luge Competition

"Marissa Cornelius, of Deansboro, won the women's youth bracket in a close finish. Cornelius took the first run lead and held on, just .069 of a second over Gracie Weinberg, of Middlebury, Vt. Cornelius had a gold medal time of 1:34.953, while Weinberg charged into second place in 1:35.022. The bronze went to Katherine Shelhamer, Cold Brook, in 1:36.055."

Sunday afternoon for Monday

MONDAY IS GARBAGE DAY

*********

TUESDAY IS

"BIG TRASH!"

********************************

Monday add-on:

Complete list of OSCAR WINNERS

and everything else you want to know about the Oscars.

************************


It's 37.2 degrees and rainy at 6:30 Monday morning.


Click image

WKTV's Monday morning forecast:

"A storm system passing to our west will bring a steady, soaking rain to the area today. Some pockets of freezing rain early this morning across the coldest pockets of the Southern Adirondacks. Even these areas will switch to plain rain by 8am. Total rainfall will average between a half inch to an inch. No signficant flooding is expected.

Rain changes over back to snow this evening as colder air moves back into the region. Little snow accumulation expected. Skies clear out tonight, with lows dropping into the teens.

A return to sunshine tomorrow, with highs near freezing. A cold front will give us an opportunity for snow showers late Wednesday. Cooler, drier weather again for Thursday."

***************************

Norah M. Costello
1920 - 2011

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IN THE NEWS

"How Marshall's Coping after Fire Destroyed Snow Plows" from YNN


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WCS SPORTS

GIRLS BASKETBALL

No. 2 Waterville (13-5) and No. 3 Mohawk (13-6) play at 6 p.m. Tuesday
at Clinton High School

*************************

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Oriskany 52, Waterville 46

Steve Rossi had 18 points and eight blocks, Austin Smith added nine points and four steals and Jake O’Neil grabbed eight rebounds as Oriskany won a Class C-2 quarterfinal. The Redskins play second-seeded Onondaga at a neutral site to be determined.

Waterville 18 9 10 9 — 46
Oriskany 16 14 12 10 — 52
Waterville (11-8): Derek Schmidt 10, Jacob Murray 10, Jared Henderson 5, Jordan Henderson 11, Pat Zenon 10. Totals: 20-4-46.
Oriskany (15-4): Austin Smith 9, Steve Rossi 18, Travis Tyler 1, Nate Keating 4, Andre Jordan 8, Steve McCorduck 8, Jake O’Neil 4. Totals: 18-9-52.
3-point goals: Waterville 2 (Ja. Henderson, Jo. Henderson); Oriskany 7 (Smith 2, Rossi, Keating, Jordan, McCorduck 2).

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IN THE MAIL

A Birthday Tea Party for Mary Wilson hosted by her daughter, Dolly Abbe, was given Saturday afternoon. Attendee's were her daughter-in-law, granddaughters, great granddaughters, sisters-in-law, and close friends. A good time was had by all.

From left: - Judy Fallon, Mary's great grand daughter Isabella, Mary, and - with her back to the camera - her grand daughter Kristen Pumilia.

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A familiar face?


A Barred Owl, possibly he same one seen last week at the Mushtares .......



.... spent Saturday at the Bockos'!

(Thanks for the wonderful photos, Connie!)

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NEWS OF COMING EVENTS

The First United Methodist Church on Tower Street welcomes newly appointed Pastor, Rev. Dr. Moon Ho Kim to our Church and to the Waterville community. Pastor Kim was born in South Korea and completed college in Soule before coming to the United States.
He graduated from Drew Theological School in 1981 with a Master in Divinity and has served as a parish minister in the Albany and Syracuse areas. He obtained his Doctor of Ministry from Drew University in 1999. He and his wife Insouk have two sons, Daniel in Boston and David in New York City.

Please join us in welcoming Pastor Kim and his wife to the Waterville community.
He will assume his duties at the United Methodist
Church on Sunday, March 6th. at the 10:45 A.M. service.

A coffee hour will follow.

**********

AN ANNUAL TRADITION!



The Grace Episcopal Church

SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE SUPPER

MARCH 8

$5 per person or $10 per family

Proceeds benefit the Waterville Ambulance Corps.


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St. Patrick's Day Dinner

C.J. Fulmer Post #92 American Legion, Waterville.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19TH

4:30 - 7:30 P.M.

Corned Beef, Cabbage, and all the Fixin's!

$9.00 per person.

Route 20, Waterville. 841-4987

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Waterville Book Discussion Group

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 23 @ 12pm

(Click the image for more information about the book and the author.)

From Doris Stephan. " 'Shanghai Girls', by Lisa See, makes a powerful statement about the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in the United States. In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of
Asia, a city of great wealth and glamour, the home of millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords, and it is where this story begins.
The Book Discussion Group will meet at the Waterville Public Library on Wed. March 23 at 12 noon. Bring lunch, dessert and beverages are served.

Call the library at 841 4651 to reserve a copy of this
best selling novel and join in the discussion.

The Book Group meets the 4th Wednesday of every month.

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EXTRA SPECIAL EVENT

*************************************************

FROM MY CAMERA


Friday


It's a "park bench" - really!


Lawn Chairs.



Saturday morning on Main Street.


Sunday.


Snowbanks are high everywhere. I always look for the Pumilias' Clydesdales and, yes, they were out, today, enjoying the
sunshine, but the snowbank hid all but the tops of their heads from view.

IN THE COUNTRY


Woodshed on Kemp Road.


Forty or more years ago Norm Eckerson had a ski area on Kemp Road. This must have been the engine house for the rope tow.



I wonder if any blog readers remember skiing on that slope?



Favorite view from Tubbs Road.


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Of interest to local historians:

Peterboro Celebrates Famed Abolitionist

GERRIT SMITH

Gerrit Smith Estate Stewards Plan Annual

Lecture and Birthday Party

Saturday, March 5th at 3 pm

Smithfield Community Center
5225 Pleasant Valley Rd
Peterboro, NY 13134

Admission $2.00,

Free to GSE Stewards and Students

Stewards for the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark begin the 2011 program season with the annual lecture and party for Gerrit Smith at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Smithfield Community Center, 5255 Pleasant Valley Road, Peterboro NY. Norman K. Dann Ph.D., professor emeritus Morrisville State College, will present Gerrit Smith's Beginnings as an Abolitionist and describe abolition stages through which Smith developed into a radical abolitionist.

*************

FOR THE RECORD

Were there Abolitionists in Marshall, Sangerfield and Waterville?

Yes - and earlier than you might think. In 1837, nearly 25 years before the War Between the States began, heated discussions both pro and con "Abolition" and who should decide took place at special gatherings in and around Waterville.

On April 10, 1837: "SOCIETY IN MARSHALL" "Sir - I take this opportunity to report the existence of an Anti-Slavery Society in town. The Society was organized on the first of January 1836, auxiliary to the Oneida County Anti-Slavery Society." "March 1, 1837. After having been addressed by Mr. Wm. Goodell, the Society made choice of Anthony Peck, President, and Rufus Pratt, Secretary. Some donations were made to the financial agent, Mr. Gould."

"MEETING AT SANGERFIELD (Defered account.) We have just received the proceedings of a large meeting of the Anti-Slavery Society of Sangerfield and other citizens held in the village of Waterville, Dec. 6, 1837 ................." (something about "outrages at Alton.") ".... after addresses by a number of gentlemen, forty persons became members of the Society and a subscription of thirty-five dollrs was taken up in aid of the cause of emancipation."

In September, 1838, it was announced that "the Annual Meeting of the Oneida County Anti-Slavery Society will be held at Waterville on Thursday, the 14th day of September next," and that the Herkimer County Anti-Slavery Society will by leave of Providence hold its second Anniversary in the court house of said county..........." "A general attendance of the Friends of Human Rights is expected."

continued. "Resolved, That when slavery murders a citizen in a free state for his defence of liberty the people of the free state have something to do with it."

'Resolved, That if slavery can extend its influence beyond the limits of his actual sway, liberty - if supported with equal activity - can extend her influence until slavery shall wither beneath her frown."

*************

But it was in the springtime of 1837, while the Anti-Slavery Society was gaining interest and strength, locally, that a conflict arose and rather historic incident took place. One evening, at the same time that members of the Anti-Slavery Society were holding a meeting somewhere in the village .............

The American Hotel built in 1814 by Jonathan Hubbard.

................. (a gathering of) "numerous and highly respectable inhabitants of Waterville was held at the American Hotel for the purpose of taking into consideration the movements of certain abolitionists in the village (the Anti-Slavery Society) and peaceably arrest, if possible, the spread of abolition principles therein.
On motion of Miller Babbott, Esq. Samuel M. Mott, late sheriff of Oneida Co. was called to the chair. And on motion of J.D. Husbands, Esq., Dr. Wm. P. Cleveland was chosen Secretary

The object of the meeting was stated by Mr. Husbands…

It was Resolved that the compromise of interests upon which our national constitution was adopted and are determined inflexibly to adhere to the same.

Resolved that we particularly respect that compromise by which the institution of slavery was left to the entire control of these several states; and that we deem it unconstitutional for our general government to abolish slavery in the United States, and in the highest degree, inexpedient to interfere in any way with slavery in the District of Columbia."

Resoluti0ns completed and accepted, a special delegation was appointed. They left that gathering, resolutions in hand, and went directly to the Anti-Slavery Society meeting, where they asked for an opportunity to "peacably" make their point. A Mr. Sedgwick declared that they were interrupting a "religious meeting" and asked them to leave. The committee from the Amerian became more forceful and considerably less "peacable."

(Considerable argument ensued, but it appears that Mr. Sedgwick and friends eventually prevailed!)

Details of the conflict are included in a lengthy article that I found a few years ago on Tom Tryniski's website and of which I took several "screen snaps." If anyone would like them, I'll be glad to send them to you.

*********************

Today.


A week ago.


About two weeks ago.


Just a year ago.

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Have a great day, everyone!