It Snowed!

Just a tiny frosting, but .........

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

and I wish all of you the most joyful of holidays

and a healthy and happy

New Year!

PsBrown - blogger

Today is the first day of Winter.

The shortest day and longest night

THE WINTER SOLSTICE

It's Garbage Day.

41 degrees and dry at 5:30 a.m.

The Weather Forecast from YNN: "Outside of some patchy drizzle early, Thursday looks fairly quiet with temperatures still running above average for this time of year. Highs will be in the low to mid 40s.

A weak system may try to throw a few wet flurries or snow showers in our direction later Thursday night into Friday. Temperatures will begin to cool towards the end of the week with highs on Friday in the mid 30s.

The holiday weekend is looking fairly quiet with nothing more than a few flurries or spotty light snow showers Saturday. Saturday will be seasonably chilly with highs in the low to mid 30s. Above average temperatures will return for Christmas with highs there in the upper 30s to around 40.

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Charles R. Slocum

1926 - 2011

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Donald E. Shantal, Sr.

1936 - 2011

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IN THE NEWS

Front Page Headlines from this week's edition of

The Waterville Times

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IN THE MAIL

This very interesting E-note from Jody Hildreth:

"Saturday was the annual Christmas Bird Count. I took Caleb King and my daughter Tessa out with me. We had a great time even though finding birds was very difficult that day. Slowest day I can ever remember.

The highlight of the day was seeing over 600 Snow Geese. While scanning through the flock for any unusual geese, I found one that had a neck collar on it. It was yellow and read TT44. I reported it and was sent back the following certificate. It used to take months to receive a paper copy via snail mail, but this only took a couple of days. I am always amazed when these come back.

This goose was banded way up north - west of Greenland in the small Canadian Province.of Nunavut. I put the coordinates in Google Earth and and am sending you a map as well as a copy of the certificate. This goose has already flown just over 2,000 miles and still has not finished its journey. Amazing."

Amazing is right! Thanks loads for that information, Jody!

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Tonight at The Library

T'was the Night Before Christmas

Thursday, December 22nd 6pm | Ages 2 & up | Sign Up

Join us for the classic story, make snowman soup and reindeer food and enjoy a warm snack all in the comfort of your pj's!


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Here and There

Yesterday was mostly dark and drizzly - "Feels like a Spring Rain," some said. Up in the park a dozen Christmas trees were still waiting, "Just lookin' for a home."

Out in the countryside, there were only a few tiny pockets of snow left. The rest of the ground was bare and pastureland still green.

I keep discovering lighting displays that I haven't seen, before. This is at the Landis Farm on Shanley Road.

Peeking through the picket fence in front of the Landis' house I spotted both a sled and ice skates by the front door. Actually, quite a few homes have incorporated Winter sports equipment in artful decorations - there doesn't seem to be any other use for skates or sleds in the immediate future!

Here are some on Babbott Avenue ..........

............. at Gerda Mortelette's home on Madison Street ............

................. Mrs. Staring's on White Street ................

............ at Connie Coleman and Jim Brackett's home on Elmwood Avenue ............

........... and at Roger and Terry Tanner's place on Route 20.

Confident that Winter will come sometime, Tom's sidewalk showroom is ready!


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FOR THE RECORD

Note the green grass!

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While I was searching Google Images for a Solstice Greeting Card I found an unusual website - a long series of kaliedescopic Mandalas that held my attention for quite a while. You might enjoy it, too.

Click the image and relax!

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Have a good day, everyone!

It's 30 degrees and dry at 7:00 a.m.

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Sorry: no new NEW or VIEWS today, because .......

not only is it only four days until Christmas, but
someone told me about a history mystery they were working on.

I can't resist that sort of thing, you know, and once I begin digging for clues nothing else gets done. Nothing at all!

Maybe tomorrow!

Have a good day!

Sunday for Monday

ALSO:

a belated

to Roger "Pa" Nichols!


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Saturday morning was COLD!

It was 4.4 degrees in "the Hollow" and
1.2 degrees just south of the village,
1.5 in Hanover,
1.0 in Forge Hollow,
0 degrees on Mt. Hunger and -2 on Barton Avenue in the village!

BRRRrrrr!

But it's warmer Monday morning: 27 degrees and dry at 5:30.

The weather forecast from YNN: "As a warm front lifts to the north, skies will become partly to mostly cloudy with temperatures actually climbing into the 30s overnight. It should be a dry start to the day Monday but around midday and through the afternoon we’ll increase our chances for a few rain and snow showers. Temperatures will be milder but it will be breezy with highs in the low 40s.

The passage of a cold front will temporarily allow for a drier, more seasonable air mass Tuesday. Aside from a few lingering clouds Tuesday morning, expect more in the way of sunshine with temperatures topping out in the mid 30s.

Another storm system will work through the region midweek with scattered rain/wet snow showers as temperatures are forecast to climb well into the 40s."

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CONGRATULATIONS

to photographer Jody Hildreth

four of whose photographs have been chosen for the

Environmental Defense Fund's 2012 Calendar!

(Click the link to see all of the pictures and order your calendar, now!)

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Here & There

This was Saturday. By Sunday afternoon there were only about twenty trees left.



On Doolittle - at the top of "Livingson Hill."



Two views of the yard at Dave and Rose Edick's home on Brothertown Road.



Saturday afternoon on Gridley-Paige Road.



Sunday view from Lewis Road.

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IN THE MAIL

FROM THE PARADE OF LIGHTS COMMITTEE

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came out and supported the Parade of Lights this year. This year's parade and attendance, both on the street and at the
firehouse, was larger than normal. Thank you to the Waterville Fire Department,
Village of Waterville Board and the Oneida County Sheriff's Department. Also,
thanks go out to John Savage for filling the air at the firehouse with his
awesome live holiday music, and to Santa and Mrs. Claus for making the long trip
from the North Pole so they could hear the Christmas wishes from a long line of
kids. We know how busy this time of year is for you. We would also like to send
a special thank you to Patty Louise and The Waterville Times for the generous
donation from the cake sales during the Cruisin', this was greatly appreciated.

The Parade of Lights pizza party winners are the Village of Oriskany Falls, Waterville Baptist Church and Tom & T.O.M. The $25 gift card to Nice and Easy business winner was Red Lion Pub.

We would like to remind everyone The Parade of Lights has an open account at
Nickelback Redemption Center. Anyone wishing to donate their bottles and cans
can simply drop them off at Nickelback and ask for the proceeds to be added to
our account.

Again, thank you to everyone for making this year's Parade of Lights extra
special. Until next year, Happy Holidays!"

(And Thanks right back to the Committee for all that they do!)

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The following E-letter from Deansboro native Charles Thompson, photographer / web designer / videographer / and now, TV Producer:

New TV Show called "CNY Flavor" to feature Michael Latreille of "Michael's Fine Food & Spirits" on Tuesday at 1:30 on Time-Warner Ch. 11 (Ch. 3 on DirecTV.)

Charles wrote: "I don't know if you're interested, but I'm filming a cooking show all about Central New York. It's called CNY Flavor and it's on Tuesdays at 1:30 on Time Warner channel 11, which is The CW11. DirecTV customers can also catch the show on channel 3 if they have the local package with Utica channels.

The show consists of the host Scott Tranter showing the audience how to make a delicious, low-cost meal followed by an interview with a local restaurant owner or food producer. You can view all of the past episodes at www.cnyflavor.com.

Our 5th episode will air this Tuesday, the 20th and the featured interview is Michael Latreille of Michael's Fine Food and Spirits. I thought that the readers of your blog might like to see one of our wonderful local restaurants get some screen-time." (Sounds great! Thank you, Charles!)

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MORE SPECIAL EVENTS ON

TUESDAY

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Opening at the Library!

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Hannukah

"Festival of Lights" begins.

Please click the image for the history.

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FOR THE RECORD

Have a good day, everyone!