The Country Editor North 5.8.13

The

May 8, 2013

Countryy Editor

Volume 1 Number 4

Just good reading

Happy Mother’s Day!

Chicken Check-In ~ Page 3 Moss Island

by Richard Barrett If you’r e looking to spend a few quality hours communing with

Bush library exhibits ~ Page 10

Takee a hike nature in the great outdoors, a recr eational

There are a few good fishing spots or if paddling floats your boat, you can put in a kayak or canoe at the nearby marina.

Photo by Joan Kark-Wren

oasis awaits along the scenic walkways and waterways that bisect the City of Little Falls.

The James W. Miller ‘Mir acle Mile and a Half’ walking and biking trail runs parallel to the Mohawk River and Erie Canal, and makes up a portion of the 365-mile long New York State Canal Way T rail System that stretches from Buffalo to Albany.

The trail is accessible from trail heads at two dif fer ent locations — Fincks Basin Road along Route 169, and also fr om Flint Avenue of f Route 167 near the Little Falls Canal Harbor marina. the river, Acr oss there’s also an approximately mile-long access

The towering black sheer cliffs that line the trail have become a popular spot for rock climbing and bouldering.

Photo by Richard Barrett

leading from r oad Benton’s Landing near

the Canal Place historic district to a hydro-

The Rainbow

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North

by Robin Panagakos It had been a funny day, light-wise. Periods of grim gray light gave way to brilliant sunlight like a duel several times during the morning. Intermittently, a half-hearted rain sprinkled out of the sky.

When the rain became heavier around noon, I knew I couldn’t let the chance to see a rainbow go by. I jumped into the car and headed for open country, i.e., Plain Road.

There the brilliant sun hung just above the hills to the west, and the rainy black sky to the east brewed the perfect recipe for a rainbow. Driving north from Route 2 there was no sign of a rainbow.

I kept going slowly, turning onto Plain Road looking eastward.

Suddenly across the

fields and forests of an unfamiliar unworldly landscape, a rainbow appeared.

Its ends reached all the way to the earth. Its clear bright colors gleamed. At intervals another small rainbow would appear, pulsing near the bottom of its right side, then disappear.

A couple drove onto the field next to me to soak in this phenomenon, camera in hand. We opened our car windows and laughed and shared our total delight in this loveliness.

I asked myself why I was so thrilled. Yes, a rainbow is a rare and beautiful thing, but I couldn’t understand the feeling I experienced while looking at it. And that’s okay. It was rare and beautiful and I drank it in.

electric power plant, wit h tiny Moss Island and Lock 17 a little further beyond. The towering black sheer clif fs that line the trail have become a popular spot for rock climbing and bouldering, and there are picnic tables available to have lunch. On weekends, an experienced climber is sometimes available to give basic rock climbing lessons, and equipment is available on loan.

If your timing is right, you may also have the opportunity to watch a boat lock-through, navigating the dramatic 43foot height dif ferential between the canal’s upper and lower water levels found at Lock 17.

It’s the biggest differential found along the entire canal’s lock system and it’s captivating to watch the process in action.

Hiking 3

May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Page 2

Page 3 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Chicken check-in

by Kelly Gates In the city of Eugene, OR, there are an estimated 6,000 citizens who raise chickens in their backyards.

Unlike rural farmers, most of these urbanites cultivate produce and raise chickens as a hobby.

And unlike full time farmers, city dwellers often take vacations during the summer months, requiring chicken sitting or boarding services while they are away.

Enter Bill Bezuk, owner of The Eugene Backyard Farmer, an urban farming supply store in downtown Eugene.

“We started offering chicken sitting services a few

The Nest offers two chicken choices. A standard stay at the hotel runs $2 per night and includes access to a private chicken run, a fresh coop, and clean water. The deluxe package runs $3 per night and includes all of the above, plus organic seeds, chopped organic vegetables and a nightly “turndown service.”

Photos courtesy of “The Nesting Place”

years ago, but it often lengthened our work days to nearly 16 hours since we had to let our clients’ chickens out of their coops at dawn and put them back at dusk,” Bezuk said. “That was way too much work, so we decided to invite people to bring their chickens to us.”

The Eugene Backyard Farmer already housed a chicken run and coop on the property to house five egg-laying hens. The hens are not for sale. They simply act as the company’s mascots and live props as part of a chicken products display just outside the main retail store.

When Bezuk decided to open his overnight poultry place, he added two more chicken runs and two new coops to the site, dubbing them the “Blue Andalusian Suite” and “The Gold Campine Suite” — both named after species of chickens.

Then, he posted news of the grand opening of his chicken hotel, aptly named “The Nest,” on Facebook.

“One of our Facebook fans is a newscaster and once a story ran on television locally, calls started coming in nonstop,” he said. “We have one of the chicken suites booked through Christmas already this year and we are taking reservations constantly for the second coop.”

The Nest offers two chicken choices. A standard stay at the hotel runs $2 per night and includes access to a private chicken run, a fresh coop, and clean water.

The deluxe package runs $3 per night and includes all of the above, plus organic seeds, chopped organic vegetables and a nightly “turndown service.”

“Our turndown service entails the scattering of a handful of meal worms near the end of the run next to the coop, coaxing the chickens to willfully enter the coop after enjoying a delicious evening snack,” said Bezuk. “Both of our suites are split level coops with nest boxes upstairs. They also have removable panels so we can open up the coops and clean them thoroughly.”

This cleaning process is important to ensure that biosecurity hazards do not arise. The Nest is also careful to keep each chicken suite and its overnight visitors in separate, private runs and coops to avoid unsavory social interactions between unrelated flocks.

The Nest was established nearly one year ago. And based on the high demand, Bezuk is already making

For now, the staff at The Eugene Backyard Farmer is happy taking reservations and tending to the guests that stay in The Nest’s existing accommodations. They also text chicken owners pictures of their poultry while they are away and manage a “valet” service that enables owners to conveniently drop off and pick up their chickens in boxes or crates.

plans for possible future expansion.

“Our entire property is about 20,000 sq. ft. and our store only takes up 2,000 sq. ft. of that. We also have the chicken coops, bee hives and a few other structures, but the bulk of the space is currently parking lot,” he noted. “We could easily expand to two more suites and private runs or more, but only if business continues to grow.”

For now, the staff at The Eugene Backyard Farmer is happy taking reservations and tending to the guests that stay in The Nest’s existing accommodations. They also text chicken owners pictures of their poultry while they are away and manage a “valet” service that enables owners to conveniently drop off and pick up their chickens in boxes or crates.

Hiking from 1

by Richard Barrett Either of these trails offers a little something for everyone. You can take a leisurely stroll, ride a bike, or roller blade on the paved, relatively flat trails, which wend their way through steep, monolithic rock formations on one side and the scenic Mohawk River on the other. The distinctive stone and brick architecture making up the Little Falls “skyline” is visible in the distance.

Photographers should remember to bring their cameras,

since there are an abundance of photo opportunities.

There are a few good fishing spots along here too, or if paddling floats your boat, you can put in a kayak or canoe at the nearby marina, located on the Southern Avenue Extension, across from Little Falls Lumber. And when everyone is tired and thirsty at the end of the outing, head over to Canal Place, where you’ll find quaint restaurants and eateries, browse antique stores, or relax in a café and enjoy a coffee, cold beverage or an ice cream cone.

You can spend just an hour or two here, or pack a lunch and make an entire day of it.

There’s plenty to do, lots of variety and the scenery is spectacular, especially during the fall when autumn’s vibrant colors are on full display. Another fun time to visit is during the city’s annual Canal Days festival, which is held in August and features a 10k road race, kiddy rides and amusements, a fishing derby, local music, barbecue, water sports, and an antique car show.

Even though it may feel like you’re out in the country, in fact, you’re smack dab in the middle of Herkimer County’s only city, lovely Little Falls, with its unique geography, small town charm, and awesome natural beauty, is There are breathtaking views, photographers should remember to another diamond in the rough, ripe for bring their cameras. exploring.

Photo by Joan Kark-Wren

On weekends, an experienced climber is sometimes available to give basic rock climbing lessons, and equipment is available on loan.

Photo by Richard Barrett

Page 4 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Hitler’s food taster tells of poisoning fears

by Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press the horror, pain and dislocation BERLIN (AP) — They were feasts of endured by people of all sides who sursublime asparagus — laced with fear. vived World War II. And for more than half a century, Only now in the sunset of her life has Margot Woelk kept her secret hidden she been willing to relate her experifrom the world, even from her hus- ences, which she had buried because band. Then, a few months after her of shame and the fear of prosecution 95th birthday, she revealed the truth for having worked with the Nazis, about her wartime role: Adolf Hitler’s although she insists she was never a food taster. party member. She told her story as Woelk, then in her mid-twenties, she flipped through a photo album spent two and a half years as one of 15 with pictures of her as a young young women who sampled Hitler’s woman, in the same Berlin apartment food to make sure it wasn’t poisoned where she was born in 1917. before it was served to the Nazi leader Woelk first revealed her secret to a in his “Wolf’s Lair,” the heavily guarded local Berlin reporter a few months ago. command center in what is now Since then interest in her life story has Poland, where he spent been overwhelming.

“But this constant School teachers wrote much of his time in the final years of World War and asked her for fear — we knew II. photos and auto“He was a vegetarian. graphs to bring histoof all those He never ate any meat ry alive for their studuring the entire time I Several poisoning rumors dents. was there,” Woelk said of researchers from a and could never the Nazi leader. “And museum visited to ask Hitler was so paranoid for details about her enjoy the food. that the British would life as Hitler’s taster. poison him — that’s why Every day we feared Woelk says her he had 15 girls taste the association with Hitler food before he ate it himbegan after she fled it was going to be self.”

Berlin to escape Allied With many Germans air attacks. With her our last meal.” contending with food husband gone and ~ Margot Woelk shortages and a bland serving in the German diet as the war dragged army, she moved in on, sampling Hitler’s food had its with relatives about 435 miles to the advantages. east in Rastenburg, then part of “The food was delicious, only the Germany; now it is Ketrzyn, in what best vegetables, asparagus, bell pep- became Poland after the war. pers, everything you can imagine. And There she was drafted into civilian always with a side of rice or pasta,” she service and assigned for the next two recalled. “But this constant fear — we and a half years as a food taster and knew of all those poisoning rumors kitchen bookkeeper at the Wolf’s Lair and could never enjoy the food. Every complex, located a few miles outside day we feared it was going to be our the town. Hitler was secretive, even in last meal.” the relative safety of his headquarters, The petite widow’s story is a tale of that she never saw him in person —

Margot Wöelk is pictured with her husband Karl, who she married quickly in 1939 before he was deployed with the Wehrmacht. They didn’t see each other again until 1946 when he returned from being a prisoner of war. only his German shepherd Blondie girls,” she said. It was after Soviet and his SS guards, who chatted with troops overran the headquarters in the women.

January 1945.

Hitler’s security fears were not When she returned to Berlin, she unfounded. On July 20, 1944, a trust- found a city facing complete destruced colonel detonated a bomb in the tion. Round-the-clock bombing by U.S. Wolf’s Lair in an attempt to kill Hitler. and British planes was grinding the He survived, but nearly 5,000 people city center to rubble. were executed following the assassinaOn April 20, 1945, Soviet artillery tion attempt, including the bomber. began shelling the outskirts of Berlin “We were sitting on wooden benches and ground forces pushed through when we heard and felt an incredible toward the heart of the capital against big bang,” she said of the 1944 bomb- strong resistance by die-hard SS and ing. “We fell off the benches, and I Hitler Youth fighters. heard someone shouting ‘Hitler is After about two weeks of heavy fightdead!’ But he wasn’t.” ing, the city surrendered on May 2 — Following the blast, tension rose after Hitler, who had abandoned the around the headquarters. Woelk said Wolf’s Lair about five months before, the Nazis ordered had committed suicide. His successor her to leave her surrendered a week later, ending the relatives’ home war in Europe. and move into an For many Berlin civilians — their abandoned school homes destroyed, family members closer to the com- missing or dead and food almost gone pound.

— the horror did not end with capituWith the Soviet lation. army on the Like millions of Germans and other offensive and the Europeans, Woelk began rebuilding war going badly her life and trying to forget as best she for Germany, one could her bitter memories and the of her SS friends shame of her association with a crimiadvised her to nal regime that had destroyed much of leave the Wolf’s Europe.

Lair.

She worked in a variety of jobs, She said she mostly as a secretary or administrative returned by train assistant. Her husband returned from to Berlin and the war but died 23 years ago, she went into hiding. said.

Woelk said the With the frailty of advanced age and other women on the lack of an elevator in her building, the food tasting she has not left her apartment for the team decided to past eight years. Nurses visit several remain in times a day, and a niece stops by freRastenburg since quently, she said. their families Now at the end of her life, she feels were all there and the need to purge the memories by it was their home. talking about her story.

“Later, I found “For decades, I tried to shake off out that the those memories,” she said. “But they Wöelk, who is 95 is only recently speaking about her experiences as one of Hitler’s food tasters. Russians shot all always came back to haunt me at Photos courtesy of Spiegel Online, www.spiegel.de of the 14 other night.”

Erie Insurance urges drivers to pay attention to strange car noises before you end up stranded on the side of the road.

Automotive (BPT) — “What is that rattling? Is it serious?”

We all can get a little paranoid about a new sound our car is making.

Those sounds can certainly be annoying, but what people don’t realize is sometimes those sounds may be linked to something more serious.

About 7 percent of car crashes are caused by some kind of vehicle failure, with tire degradation and brake system failures topping the list, according to the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But tire and brake failure aren’t the only types of vehicle problems that can lead to accidents — engine, steering system and suspension failures also cause crashes.

“Getting your oil changed, tires rotated and brake pads checked regularly not only helps keep your car running smoothly, but it also helps keep you and your family safe,” said Matt Myers, senior vice president of claims with Erie Insurance. “It’s also important to check your car’s transmission fluids and get the 50,000-mile and 100,000-mile checks. It might sound like a lot, but regular preventative maintenance is the best way to keep those strange car noises — and accidents — to a minimum.”

Here are six common car noises people hear and what they could mean: Humming or Groaning When you hear humming while driving at faster speeds, it’s a sign there probably is some wear on your tires, which can lead to serious issues. It could be located on the insides of

your tires, which is hard to diagnose on your own, but not having it checked is a risk, because the steel belts in the tire might be coming apart.

Growling This noise could change or even go away when you turn the wheel, but it is usually caused by a defective front wheel bearing. The change in noise could be a result of the shift in the weight of the car as you turn.

Whining and Creaking You might hear these noises backing up or turning. It could be the result of a ball joint or tie rod seizing up.

Squeaking This can be a highpitched, steady annoyance that lets you know it’s time to get your brake pads checked or replaced.

Grinding This sound means two pieces of metal are touching when they shouldn’t be. This sound could be a multitude of things: brakes, powertrain, suspension or something else. Whatever the case, a grinding sound means you need to get your car checked out as soon as possible.

Hissing A hissing sound might occur after you turn off your ignition and can sometimes be followed by smoke from under your hood.

The next time you hear strange noises coming from your car, don’t just turn up the radio to drown them out — get them checked by a mechanic. Ignoring those noises today could lead to a dangerous and expensive situation tomorrow.

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Page 5 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Rattling down the highway?

What those common car noises mean

Page 6 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Fast fixes and tips for a summer-ready car (BPT) — With summer just around the corner, it’s time to get-your carin tip-top shape to withstand hot days and long road trips. Summer driving requires your car to run differently; some adjustments and inspections are important to ensure your vehicle lasts season to season. Follow these five fast fixes and inspections to cruise

through the summer and avoid roadside headaches.

Tire Care Tires perform differently in different weather conditions, so as the weather changes, it’s important to check tire pressure and tire tread.

To check tire tread, see if the built-in “wear bars” are visible. These are

narrow strips of rubber across the tires that appear when the tread is worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch. If you can see wear bars, your tires need to be replaced.

De-winterize Your Car De-winterizing your car is easy and affordable. First, check all the fluid levels — coolant, transmission, differen-

tial, power steering and brake fluid — to make sure there aren’t any leaks. It’s also a good idea to change the oil between seasons, as oil gets thick and collects condensation if it sits in the engine all winter.

It’s also important to thoroughly clean the-undercarriage of your car after a long winter, especially if you live in a snowy climate. To avoid spending extra money on detailing, clean the undercarriage yourself using a basic water hose or high-pressure cleaning system. In just a few minutes, you can ensure your vehicle is ready for the new road conditions and help you avoid any unnecessary issues.

Automotive to a qualified professional. Mechanics can easily trap and recycle used refrigerant with the proper tools, and you can drive off with confidence you’ll stay cool all summer.

Inspect Hoses and Belts The key to comfortable, safe summer driving is keeping the engine cool, and hoses and belts play a huge part in helping your engine run properly. Hoses pump coolant to and from the engine block, and belts run the fan that cools the system further. If the hoses crack or the belts snap, the radiator will quickly overheat, leaving

you stranded. Check hoses for cracks, leaks and loose connections.

Hoses should be firm, never soft and malleable, and belts can be visually checked for damage. If anything is noticeably wrong, get it fixed immediately, before you’re stranded in the summer heat.

Vehicles need updating and maintenance through the changing of the seasons, but a few easy steps can prevent a summer of unexpected issues and repairs. Start now on these preventative maintenance tips and you’ll be cruising smoothly all season long.

Check the AC Your air conditioning system will be working overtime in the summer, so take time to test it to make sure it’s working properly. Since the vehicle’s refrigerant is under high pressure and harmful to the atmosphere, it’s best to leave any inspection or maintenance

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Hello Again, Isn’t experience supposed to be the great teacher? Let’s stop and chat about this for a while. England, France, Spain and, more recently, Soviet Russia spread their wings over an evergrowing number of countries until they nearly went broke. Even the great Roman Empire stirred up the world with a wooden ‘pudden’ stick and ended up not amounting to a row of beans.

and a new Olds Studio model trumpet. Oh yeah, a double-barreled shot gun too. Graduated from Cooperstown Central High School. During all of my high school years, I had a part time job which paid the minimum wage set by state law at 60 cents per hour. I received no financial assistance from anyone. I earned the money, by working, and with earned money purchased those items. In addition to those goodies, I also had money in my pocket, and paid cash in full at the time of each purchase.

Now let’s take a not-solong-ago look at a situation in this country.

By now you must be wondering, am I tooting my own horn or is there a more meaningful reason?

Recently it has been reported that the New York State education department is faced with a serious problem. A large number of high school students are dropping out of school permanently. It seems our educators are doing a magnificent job of teaching both parents and students that they should attend college after high school.

When I was in high school in Cooperstown, NY during the 1950’s I was the owner of a 1942 Chevrolet Club Coupe car, a Western Auto Doodle Bug scooter, a Harley Davidson 125 motorcycle

I maintain that too much effort is spent on encouraging college education and too little on preparing for a successful life if a student decides that college is not for him.

Can’t we Americans ever learn from the experience of other countries?

I believe we – the USAhas military bases in over 190 countries. Who do we think we are? It appears we are supporting countries all over the world with borrowed money.

Can you imagine that?

With borrowed money?

Now let’s get back to my high school years with the 60 cent per hour minimum wage. Remember – I had a job and was able to purchase, with my own earned money, not a handout from Dad or Mom. You might be asking why don’t high school students do the same today? The answer is simple, straightforward, and honest. They could not find a part time job now if they wanted one. Why? Who or what employer is going to shell out over $10. per hour to hire a high school student?

Now – I ask how many of the dropouts would continue school if they had a part time job? It seems reasonable to me if they do not have the goal of college ahead and they do not have any money now, why wouldn’t they think about dropping out and finding some kind of job?

a high school or college student and the student would learn what earned money really means and have pride. With the present proposed system, the student would not have a job nor any earned money.

At the present time both our president and our governor are pushing for a raise in minimum wage. The only thing that will happen with a new higher minimum wage – fewer people will be employed, and students will be able to read about the good old days when their age group could hold down part-time employment.

Automotive from medical school.

When Dad asked him for his assessment on his health problem, the doctor replied, “There is a 60 percent chance you will get better and a 40 percent chance you won’t.”

Dad then asked, “What will happen if the 60 percent doesn’t work?” The doctor replied, “You will probably have a 40 percent chance of living and a 60 percent chance that you won’t.”

shrine to an early American hero and well worth a visit.

The Herkimer Home near Little Falls is steeped in history – well worth a visit. It is located at 200 State Route 169, Little Falls, NY or NYS Thruway Exit 29A, site entrance is the first right after the toll booths.

Phone: 315-823-0398.

Our Mohawk Valley is absolutely a God given garden spot, loaded with not only natural beauty but historical wonderment. We are blessed to be able to live here.

We have often been told about residents of New York City who have never visited the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. I wonder how many Mohawk Valley natives have never visited the Herkimer Home, went for a boat ride on the Mohawk River, or other historical places.

Jack up college costs and eliminate part-time employment, can you imagine what kind of an idiot would include that in his platform to run for a national or state office?

Wouldn’t it make good sense to set a minimum wage at $5 per hour for students? With that parttime job, they would have spending money and possibly would even finish high school.

While on the subject of education, little Johnny was complaining about attending Sunday School.

He said, “I don’t believe Daddy had to go to Sunday School.” “You can believe he did,” his mother said, “every Sunday.”

“Well ok,” he grumbled, “but I don’t believe it will do me any good either.”

At the $5 wage scale, employers would look more favorable on hiring

My father’s doctor was a weather predictor on radio before he graduated

The Herkimer family local history started with John Jost Hercheimer in 1725. He was an industrial farmer and trader.

As a major Mohawk Valley landowner, he aquired over 5,000 acres of land south of the Mohawk.

By the 1770’s, his son Nicholas Herkimer had become the wealthiest member of the Mohawk Valley’s American-German Community.

Nicholas Herkimer gained military experience as a captain in the French and Indian Wars, at the outbreak of the revolution.

He fully embraced the American cause and was commissioned Brigadier General.

During the summer of 1777 in an attempt to ward off a British attack at Ft. Stanwix, General Herkimer was seriously wounded in the leg. Six days later, his leg was unskillfully amputated.

He died a few hours later.

His residence, the Herkimer Home, is a true

Winter is over - come on out and enjoy our springtime valley. Say hello to your neighbors and thank God for giving us this beautiful valley to live in. If you see the red bike (roadster), be sure to wave.

The old time farmers believed in spring tonics.

The one I recommend, “Go to church on Sunday.

It could offer the elixir which will greatly improve your life.”

Fred Lee and Family

Page 7 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

May 4, 2013

Page 8 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Formal or casual, ballpark weddings a hit

by Lisa A. Flam, Associated Press For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re... married?

A major league baseball stadium might be one of the last places you would consider for your fairytale wedding. After all, come game day, the ballpark is often filled with droves of beer-swilling and -spilling, hotdog-chomping fans, resplendent in their hometeam finery.

Some couples, though, find that the massive stadiums where they enjoy hearing the crack of the bat can also be the perfect place to hear their beloved say, “I do.”

When she chose a reception site for her wedding on June 2, 2012, Melissa Cantarow of Boston was mindful that most of her 150 guests were arriving from other states.

She and her fiance, Jeremy, wanted a unique location that would show off their city, and show their fun-loving friends and relatives a good time.

Once the Red Sox fans were pronounced husband and wife in a church ceremony, the Cantarows and their guests headed to a formal evening reception at Fenway Park.

“We figured for people possibly seeing Fenway for the first time, this would be a great way to see it and would be a great introduction to the city and to sort of the heart of Boston,” Cantarow said.

Before the big day, however, the couple faced skepticism.

“Our parents were a little bit wary of us getting married there because it’s not very traditional and people were like, ‘Are you going to be eating hot dogs for dinner?”’ said Cantarow, 27. “They couldn’t imagine it still being a formal wedding.”

The party was held in a luxury event space overlooking the field. There was a sit-down dinner at tables decorated with twinkling candles, pink peony centerpieces and gold Chivari chairs, to give the room a more bridal feel.

“We tried to dress the

room up so it wasn’t your typical sticky floors, draft beer” ballpark feeling, Cantarow said. “We wanted to give people an elevated experience of Fenway.”

Though Fenway only allows weddings on nongame days, the baseball lovers enjoyed snapping photos with World Series trophies and other baseball paraphernalia. Having the wedding at Fenway allowed an otherwise formal event to be “a little bit more fun and approachable and exciting,” Cantarow said.

Baseball fans have been celebrating nuptials at major league ballparks for at least five to 10 years, and while some parks have seen an increase, the numbers remain small. Fenway has 25 to 30 wedding events a year; Citi Field, home to the New York Mets, five or six; Turner Field, where the Atlanta Braves play, 13 to 18; and four to five are held at U.S. Cellular Field, where the Chicago White Sox play.

Many people don’t realize you can celebrate at a ballpark, said Anja Winikka, site director for TheKnot.com, though ballpark weddings have grown in popularity as more couples seek unique locations.

“It falls into the category where couples did away with the idea of a traditional venue and they went for something that was truly them,” Winikka said.

Each park has its own

policies on when and where celebrations can be held, and sets its own prices. Fenway, for example, charges a $3,000 ceremony fee, $7,000 to use the EMC Club, where the Cantarows celebrated, plus the cost of food and drinks.

Ceremonies and receptions at ballparks can be fancy with a night of dinner and dancing, or kept casual and folksy. They can be infused with the aura of the game (picture Cracker Jack centerpieces), or not. But no matter. It seems that if you invite people to a ballpark wedding, be prepared for most everyone to accept.

Bridal couples (and their lucky guests) love to experience the stadiums and fields in a way few people do. Imagine saying your vows at home plate with your guests watching from the stands, posing for formal portraits atop your favorite team’s dugout, or seeing your names or photos on the giant TV screens.

Ashley and Cody Crank welcomed 200 guests to their reception at Kauffman Stadium on Oct. 20, 2012, some eight years after they took in a Kansas City Royals game on their first date.

The couple, who married in a church ceremony, immediately went down to the field to take photos before retreating to a dinner inside. Many friends, used to going to the stadium in a base-

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ball cap, didn’t realize how elegant a wedding could be there, Ashley Crank said.

“We shocked a lot of people,” said Crank, 37, of Independence, MO. “It was so magical,” she said. “I wanted it to be kind of guyish for him, but then I still wanted an elegant wedding reception. So it was perfect for him and perfect for me.”

Trisha and Nick Benzine of Atlanta are huge sports fans, but the only team they share a passion for is the Braves.

Not wanting to marry in a church, they tied the knot at Turner Field on Nov. 3, 2012, and held their formal reception there, too.

“Having the entire field

to ourselves, it was amazing,” said Trisha Benzine, 33. “The view was breathtaking. You were there at night.

There wasn’t anybody on the field. It’s not something you get to do every day.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers mean a lot to Holly and Jeff Lowzik, who grew up going to games and went together weekly for about a year while they were dating.

“It’s a very happy place for us,” said Jeff Lowzik, 35, of Canyon Country, CA. For their wedding, “We were looking for a place that represented us as best as we could.”

They didn’t want to break the bank on a $5,000 home-plate ceremony. Instead, for about

the same cost, they had 50 people to the stadium’s Loge Terrace on July 4, 2011, for a casual pregame ceremony and reception featuring Dodger Dogs, steak and potatoes and wedding cake.

By the third inning, the group sat down in regular seats amid 55,000 other fans to watch the Dodgers fall to the Mets.

For the Lowziks, being there during a game was the point of a stadium wedding.

“Doing it the way we did it, we’re at a game, this is the Dodgers playing, and we’re all there experiencing it and uniting ourselves,” Lowzik said. “It was a wonderful experience.”

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by Dean Fosdick, AP Sometimes the best view isn’t what you see through a window but what catches your eye underneath it.

Window boxes deliver color, edibles and fragrance. They’re practical, too, as raised-bed gardens that elevate their contents to within easy reach.

“Window boxes are convenient containers,” said David Trinklein, a horticulturist with University of Missouri Extension. “Plant them with herbs, for example, and you won’t have to go outside to bring in the harvest.”

If you have room for a window box, you have room for a garden. Win-

dow boxes are ideal for small, shallow-rooted plants like radishes, lettuce, marigolds, impatiens, pansies, begonias, parsley, basil, sage and thyme.

“Mix and match flowers with vegetables,” said Rhonda Ferree, an extension educator with the University of Illinois.

“They need the same soil types and have the same water preferences. Plant flowers toward the front for curb appeal; position vegetables toward the back for easier access.”

The location of the window box usually dictates what you can grow, Trinklein said. “Window boxes that get a blistering afternoon sun require one thing. Window boxes in shade require

s ’ n i v Ke Bistro

Bistro

another.”

Fern Richardson, author of “Small Space Container Gardens” (Timber Press, 2012) describes herself as “a big believer in creative window boxing.”

“There’s nothing stopping window box gardeners from adding garden ornaments to their boxes,” Richardson said.

“Small gazing balls tucked between the plants can add a little sparkle to a shady area.

Gardeners can even use short shepherd’s hooks to plant a hummingbird feeder in a window box.”

Window boxes work especially well: • As theme gardens.

Find flowers that display your school colors, patriotic mixtures that show the flag or plants that complement the paint on your house.

• At delivering fragrances. Fill window boxes outside bedrooms

with evening primrose, four o’clocks (Mirabilis) and moonflowers for perfume-like scents on still summer nights.

• For four-season gardening. Grow daffodils, grape hyacinth and

chives in summer; flowering kale and pansies for color through fall and winter.

• To showcase houseplants. Display your favorite potted plants in empty window boxes

ration.”

Be careful, though, when watering windowbox gardens, Trinklein said.

“Most plants die from overwatering in containers, but window boxes

tulips in spring; ornamental edibles like peppers, strawberries and

during the summer growing season. That will free up some shelf space indoors while enhancing things outdoors.

“If there is no room in the budget for a highstyle window box, thrifty gardeners can use spray paint and even stencils to upgrade inexpensive plastic window boxes into something that is one-of-a-kind,” Richardson said. “Current fashion trends are always a great place to look for color and pattern inspi-

can dry out quickly from exposure to wind and hot weather,” he said.

“Add a soilless medium like vermiculite or peat moss to the mix that drains well yet retains moisture and lightens their weight.

“Window boxes will need tending maybe three times a week, but that’s a small price to pay for what they add in the way of attractiveness to the home,” Trinklein said.

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Page 9 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Window boxes are raised-bed gardening writ small

May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Page 10

Bush library exhibits: 9/11, war, Katrina, recount

by Jamie Stengle, Associated Press DALLAS, TEXAS (AP) — A tour of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum begins in a bright area representing his early domestic agenda, but with one turn, visitors find themselves in a darkened room surrounded by chilling reminders of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

This contrast, symbolizing Bush’s abrupt shift in priorities less than eight months into his first term, is among the most poignant exhibits at a museum that also chronicles the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the Florida recount and various other historical events.

Bush told The Associated Press recently that he wanted to make sure the part of the museum devoted to 9/11 was powerful enough to remind visitors of how much the world changed that day.

“It’s very emotional

and very profound,” Bush said. “One of the reasons it has to be is because memories are fading rapidly and the profound impact of that attack is becoming dim with time, and we want to make sure people remember not only the lives lost and the courage shown but the lesson that the human condition overseas matters to the national security of our country.”

The George W. Bush Presidential Center, which includes the library and museum along with 43rd president’s policy institute, was dedicated recently on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. All the living presidents, including President Barack Obama and Bush’s father, George H.W. Bush, attended. It opened to the public on May 1.

The museum uses everything from news clips to interactive screens to artifacts to tell the story of Bush’s eight years in office. A container of chads — the

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remnants of the famous Florida punch cards — is part of an exhibit about the 2000 election, which Bush won after the Supreme Court ordered Florida to stop its recount process more than a month after Election Day. In the 9/11 display, called the “Day of Fire,” video images from the attacks flash around a

twisted metal beam recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. The exhibit also includes the bullhorn Bush used days later to address a crowd of rescue workers at ground zero: “I can hear you.

The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

Longtime Bush adviser Karen Hughes was standing just a few feet away from the president when he began making the unplanned speech.

Hughes said she remembers turning to Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Joe Allbaugh and saying, “That’s going to be in his library someday.”

Brendan Miniter, who

served as the liaison for the Bushes as the museum’s exhibits were developed, said the idea was to present the facts and “let them speak for themselves.” He said they also did not want to shy away from more controversial aspects of the administration.

“I suspect that people

Bush 11

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by Pastor Dan West Why do people do so many things that harm themselves and others?

We hear people saying things about others that

come from wrong impressions or misunderstandings, and they are stated as fact. Reputations of innocent people have been ruined by this gossip. James, the half

brother of Jesus, likens the tongue to a fire. “See how great a matter a little fire kindles,” he says.

The exhibit also acknowledges the biggest

controversy about the justification for war: No

The Apostle Paul addressed the same issue

in Ephesians 4 with this solution: your words should “be good to the use of edifying, that [they] may minister grace to the hearers.”

That means we should

be sure our words build up others, not tear them down.

weapons of mass destruction were found.

A “Decision Points Theater,” lined with rows of interactive screens, seeks to put visitors in the shoes of a president.

It provides facts for them to decide such questions as whether to invade Iraq or provide bailout money during the financial crisis.

“It’s conflicting,” Miniter said. “You go to the Capitol Hill and somebody will say you need to provide some resources to stabilize the financial industry, and then somebody else will say no, work let it work itself out, don’t do anything.”

A “Freedom Wall” in the museum features pictures including a soldier greeting children,

former first lady Laura Bush supporting women’s rights and the Bushes meeting with freedom advocates.

The impact of AIDS around the world — a focus of Bush’s international outreach efforts — is illustrated with a large map of the world. Small photographs of the faces of those suffering from the disease are placed into the shapes of the continents of the world, with those with more AIDS cases, including Africa, looming larger.

The museum also features a section on life at the White House, displaying a ball that obviously got some heavy use by the Bushes’ late dog Barney. A full-scale replica of the Oval Office leads outside to an actual rose garden. The center also features a 15acre park recreating a

Aristotle said “. . . who we are is the total of what we do . . . therefore

excellence is not a single act but a practice.” What you say about others will affect what others say about you.

Bush from 10 would have thought that we wouldn’t have talked about say enhanced interrogation techniques or the decision to create the prison in Guantanamo,” he said, adding that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is featured in a video about why the administration felt both were necessary.

Visitors also are taken through a timeline of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A display at the end makes the case against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, including that he ignored 17 United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding he disclose his weapons programs and fired at British and American pilots monitoring the U.N.imposed no-fly zone.

Photo by Eric Draper

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Bush said his focus will continue to be the George W. Bush Institute, which has featured programs focused on education, economic growth, global health and human freedom.

Through the institute, his activities have included yearly bike rides with wounded military veterans and traveling to Africa as part of an effort among several groups to fight cervical and breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.

He also recently took up oil painting, inspired by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Bush, who was the 43rd president, signs his works ‘43.’

“I’m a beginner and I tell people that the signature on my paintings is worth more than the paintings,” Bush said.

Antiques Mal k w a h o l M coming events . . .

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Page 11 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

The Country Preacher

Page 12 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Man reunited with bird he lost in a divorce BUTTE, MT (AP) — A Great Falls man who lost his macaw in a divorce

more than five years ago has been reunited with the bird, thanks to an ob-

This photo shows Mike Taylor and his bird “Love Love”. He has been reunited with the bird, thanks to an observant friend.

Photo by Montana’s Parrot & Exotic Bird Sanctuary, Lori McAlexander

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Mike Taylor picked up the 25-year-old bird he calls “Love Love” at Montana’s Parrot & Exotic Bird Sanctuary in Butte on Sunday.

Taylor said his wife sold the bird after a nasty divorce. “I’ve been kind of looking for him the whole time,” he said.

A friend of Taylor’s, Steven Campbell, recently spotted the bird during a visit to the sanctuary.

It took some time for Campbell to convince

Taylor. Then Taylor had to convince sanctuary founder Lori McAlexander. But she said he knew things about the bird that only a previous owner could have known, like it was blind in one eye, said “love love” and liked to play peek-a-boo.

The bird was surrendered to the sanctuary a couple of years ago after it bit a woman so hard she required medical attention, McAlexander said.

“I don’t even handle

him because he will bite me,” she said.

Love Love appeared to recognize Taylor right away.

“Hangs upside down already, let me grab his beak, does his peeky-boo, likes to tuck his head,” said Taylor, who called the reunion “very heart touching.”

“He’s himself again already, he really is. I mean, he (didn’t) forget.”

Taylor also got the bird’s original cage back after searching on

Craigslist. A woman who obtained the contents of his ex-wife’s storage unit agreed to give him the cage back at no charge.

“It’s kind of weird how he’s getting his bird and the cage,” McAlexander said.

Taylor said he initially got the bird at a sanctuary in Salt Lake City after it was rescued from a woman who reportedly beat it with a broom.

Macaws can live up to 50 years, according to the San Diego Zoo.

by Melissa Rayworth, Associated Press Warm weather and the first buds of spring have been slow to arrive in much of the country.

But even if your garden has yet to grow, you can add beauty, fragrance and a sense of springtime to your home by decorating with lush plants and potted trees.

Decorating with plants “kind of fell out of vogue” for a time, says California-based interior designer Molly Luetkemeyer. “It was such a ‘70s thing, or I think people associated it with the ‘70s,” but it’s become popular again in recent years.

Today, “designer spaces pretty much always include some element of life,” said interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, founder of decordemon.com. “While that can be anything from coral to tortoise shells, pressed leaves or even a tiny bowl with a goldfish, the most common way to add life is with potted

plants and trees.”

We’ve asked Flynn, Luetkemeyer and Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design in Los Angeles for advice on choosing the right plants, potting them perfectly and keeping them blooming with minimal effort.

Where to Start?

“Talking to someone at a nursery is a really good idea,” said Burnham, because employees at garden stores and plant nurseries are usually glad to answer questions about choosing and caring for plants.

You can choose plants based on the spot in your home where you’d like to keep them (sundrenched windowsills, shady corners or in-between spaces that get a mix of sun and shade).

Or you can select a plant you love and then ask for advice on where to place it.

If you have pets or small children, ask whether a plant you’re considering is poisonous. And if you want

plants that need very little attention, don’t be shy about saying so.

“While I’m a fan of making a big statement with greenery,” Flynn said, “I’m only interested in plants and trees that are low-maintenance.

Give me something that requires daily care and/or delicate grooming, and it’s most likely to go from green to brown or black in less than 72 hours.”

Fabulous Ferns All three designers like ferns, such as the maidenhair. “They’re so delicate and soft,” said Luetkemeyer. “They’re fresh, and they’re that pale green that’s the beginning green of spring.”

Maidenhairs are fairly easy to care for: “They need to be watered,” she said, “but if you water them, they hang around.”

Consider grouping several together in small pots or buying just one large fern.

“They can ground a space grouped together

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in odd numbers in pots of varied heights on the floor,” Flynn said. Or “you can use them to add life high up in a room with hanging basket planters. And then they also look excellent potted and placed on a pedestal, coffee table or console table.”

If you want something larger and bolder than the delicate maidenhair, Flynn suggests the staghorn fern. Just remember that all ferns do best in shade rather than direct sunlight.

Flowering Plants “I love plants that flower in the spring,” said Luetkemeyer, who recommends daffodils, narcissus and hyacinth.

She also loves gardenia plants for their heady fragrance and shiny leaves. But they do require a bit of effort.

“Any plant that’s a woody plant, with a wood that’s exposed, is going to be a little bit trickier,” she said. Consider researching gardenias online to learn how

Page 13 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Ask a Designer: Decorating with plants

much water and how much light your plant will need.

And with all potted plants, Luetkemeyer suggests placing a dish underneath the pot to catch and maintain the water, then placing a coaster underneath the dish to protect the furniture or floor.

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choose, Flynn is sure you’ll be happier if you add some kind of greenery to your home.

“Whether you’ve got all the time in the world to care for something or just want to be able to squirt a water bottle on your way out the door,” he said, “there’s definitely something out there for you.”

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Page 14 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Space coffee gets an upgrade Rice University Students Work with NASA to Provide Orbiting Astronauts the Perfect Cup HOUSTON, TEXAS — It’s hard to get a perfect cup of coffee in space.

But Rice University freshmen are trying to fix that.

The engineering students charged with the task of making a better coffee condiment system for the International Space Station (ISS) have come up with a solution they believe will please the astronauts.

The students, Robert Johnson, Colin Shaw and Benjamin Young, were told of astronauts’ longtime frustration over getting coffee the way they like it. They chose the project offered through the Texas Space Grant Consortium as part of their Introduction to Engineering Design class in the fall and continued to perfect their product this spring.

“The issue is that they only have four set ratios of coffee, creamer and sugar,” Shaw said.

“They have coffee black, coffee with a lot of sugar, coffee with a lot of creamer and coffee with a lot of both. It’s all premixed.”

The freeze-dried blends are in aluminum pouches. Astronauts rehydrate their java with 70-degree Celsius water from a dispenser on the ISS and drink it through a leak-proof straw that keeps stray drops from floating around the sta-

Dining

tion, where they could do serious damage.

“That syrupy coffee tastes pretty terrible,” Shaw said. “So we developed this system that al-

rately. We felt it was best addressed by making a system that supplemented the existing solution, as opposed to totally reinventing it.”

sor in the practice of bioengineering education, and engineering lecturer Matthew Wettergreen.

The students’ design was inspired by similar de-

out of a tube.

Since the condiment bags can’t be reused, the students wanted to get

lows astronauts to customize their coffee. If they know what they like on Earth, they know what they like in orbit.”

Their adviser at Johnson Space Center’s Space Food Systems Laboratory set few constraints. “He gave us a variety of plastic and aluminum pouches and adapters, and just said, ‘Go,’” Shaw said. “Our solution had to be small, lightweight, function in microgravity and proportion condiments accu-

The students’ fourpart system works with existing black coffee pouches. They used twoply, heat-sealed pouches supplied by NASA for the sugar and creamer and a roller system to squeeze just the right amount through an adapter to the coffee pouch without leaking. The two-element roller was made on a 3-D printer at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen, where they worked with advisers Ann Saterbak, a profes-

vices that squeeze the last drop of toothpaste

maximum efficiency from each. “We want to

have one set of pouches able to serve two cups of coffee with two cubes of sugar and two packets of creamer for two astronauts in one day,” Young said.

Gauges applied to the pouches allow for accurate dispensing. “We did a lot of testing for accuracy,” Johnson said. The team determined the system could deliver 10 milliliters of creamer or sugar within a 5 percent margin of error.

The students would love the opportunity to test their invention themselves aboard the ISS, but would be happy with a thumbs-up from the astronauts.

“I was reading an interview with an astronaut on Reddit the other day,” Shaw said, “and he was asked, ‘What’s your favorite thing up in orbit?’ He said it was the Russian shrimp and tartar sauce, because it’s crunchy and has a lot of flavor. We hope that coffee will soon be on that list.”

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by Beth J. Harpaz, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Buying a diamond ring can be intimidating.

What do you look for?

How much should you pay? Should you buy online or in a store?

Demystify the process by learning about the four C’s: carat, color, clarity and cut. This system of grading diamonds was developed 60 years ago by the Gemological Institute of America.

Then do some research

online or visit jewelers.

You’ll soon understand your options. Here’s a primer on the four C’s and other advice.

The Four C’s • Carat is a weight measurement. A 1-carat diamond weighs 200 milligrams. But there’s no ideal size for a diamond.

It depends on your budget and taste. Some women want a big rock; others prefer a delicate, less blingy look.

Small diamonds are cheaper than large diamonds. A ring with three small diamonds totaling 1 carat costs less than a single 1-carat stone of similar quality.

• Color is graded by letter, starting with D for rare, colorless diamonds.

E and F are considered excellent, but G or H diamonds will look just as good to the naked eye.

Farther down the scale, you’ll notice differences. “If you put a K color beside a G color, you’ll notice more yellow in the K,” said Russell Shor, senior industry analyst for the Gemological Institute.

• Clarity measures diamond flaws, called inclusions, which might appear as tiny spots, clouds or cavities in the stone.

The clarity grade SI stands for “slightly included.” VS is a better grade, “very slightly included.” VVS is even higher, “very, very slightly included.” Most inclusions in the VVS-SI range cannot be seen by the untrained eye “unless someone tells you where it is,” Shor said.

• Cut measures workmanship, rather than a diamond’s inherent qualities. The way a stone is

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About a third of diamonds are rated fair, good or very good.

The Formula What should you look for in each of the C’s?

“The one thing you should not trade off on is the quality of the cut,” said Shor. “Even a nice color stone, if not wellcut, will be dull and lifeless. But if it’s a middle color — like K — and it’s got a real excellent cut, it will pop and flash with all the sparkle that diamonds are famous for.”

After choosing the cut, “balance the color, clarity and carat weight based on your personal preference to find the best diamond for you and your budget,” said Amanda Gizzi, spokeswoman for Jewelers of America.

For example, for $2,000, you might pick a 1-carat, K-color stone with a slight inclusion, or a half-carat, G-color, with a very slight inclusion. An L or M-colored diamond at that price “will get you a 2-carat

honker, but you’ll definitely notice the yellow and you’ll see some inclusions,” said Shor.

Consumers pay $3,500 on average for engagement rings, according to Jewelers of America. On the low end, Shor recommends spending at least $700 to $1,000 to get “something that’s not too small and of reasonable quality, a respectable half-carat stone.”

It’s easy to compare options online. At BlueNile.com, set your price range, then play with carat size and the other C’s to see tradeoffs.

Many websites list the four C’s for every ring they sell. Brick-and-mortar stores should be able to provide grading reports, whether from GIA or another expert lab.

Shape and style Engagement rings traditionally feature gold bands with a center diamond, though some have smaller diamonds on either side. Melissa Colgan, senior style editor for Martha Stewart Weddings, says the engagement ring that Prince William gave to Kate Mid-

Dining dleton, a large sapphire surrounded by diamonds, has increased interest in rings with other gemstones.

Diamonds can be cut into many shapes.

Round, the most common, offers “the biggest bang for your buck because the difference between the raw and cut diamond is smaller,” Colgan said. But she said unusual shapes with retro looks and names like marquise, Asscher and pear are having a resurgence, partly because celebrities are wearing them.

Whether a shape is flattering depends on your fingers. “If you have long thin fingers, you can wear something like Asscher or princess that is more square-cut,” Colgan said. “If you have shorter fingers or muscular hands, marquise or oval will elongate your fingers.” But long nails don’t mix with oval: “It looks like you’ve got a weird nail in the middle of your hand.”

Fri. Evening: Flowers-Shrubs 5:00 to 8:30PM Saturday:

8:30 - Shrubs, Crafts, New Furniture, Quilts 8:45 - Misc, Garage, Attic, Appliances 9:30 - Lawn & Garden, Building Materials, Sheds 10:30 - Farm Equipment 12:00 - New Tools, Horse Tack, Followed by Horses and Small Animals

Flowers, Shrubs and Trees: Expecting a larger than normal selection of these products both local and from Sauders in PA. Crafts & Furniture: Steam bent hickory rockers, double rockers, swivel gliders, corner shelf, hall tree, etc. New small crafts, pine furniture, and lots more coming.

Quilts: Star in a square 100x110, fabric quilt 105x92, fabric quilt 104x108, white star in a square top 97x110, patch quilt top 106x114, lots more quilts coming from various quilters.

Sheds: 10x12 mini, 10x12 cottage, 8x12 quaker, 10x12 quaker, 8x12 cottage.

Building Materials: stairways, metal roofing and more.

Farm Equipment: Papec Silage Cutter; Ford 8N, nice condition; 48” Taylor tiller, like new; log splitter; FarmBilt 16’ flat wagon; single horse cart; 4, 6, 2 horse hitches; 48” Agri-Fab brush hog; New Idea manure spreader; 4 star tedder w/Honda engine; BR7050 New Holland round baler, new in 2011; Massey Ferguson 40HP power unit; Reese 8’ mower; Duetz 65HP power cart; 2 fore carts; 10 wheel V-rake w/12 volt hydraulic; Farmland round bale wagon; (2) 2-row NI corn pickers, nice condition; 56, 256, 258 NH side rakes; New from AZ 16” produce brusher w/Honda engine; New 2, 3, 4 and 6 horse hitches; camper trailer; roller harrows from Mud Creek Sales; 12 volt freezer, good condition; Taylor ice cream machine; L-30 Mighty Ox log splitter; 3500 Mighty Ox logging winch; 5500 Mighty Ox chipper; Hydra-Feed 3pt hitch; 27+ Millcreek manure spreader; antiques, corn shellers; grain grinders and more coming.

New Tools: New Dewalt cordless tools; misc used tools; New Dewalt electric tools; lots of misc. shop related equipment.

Horse Tack: Dewormers, snaps, brushes, whips, leads, halters, corner feeders, buckets, muck tubs, forks, brooms, shovels, harnesses, and much more.

HORSES: Looking for quality road horses, draft horses, mules, ponies, miniature horses.

Small Animals: Our usual run of sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, exotic poultry, calves, and ponies. Also hay, straw and grain.

All horses must have current Coggins test and must be in good and usable condition. $20.00 non-refundable consignment fee will be charged at time of consignment. 6% commission capped at $150 will be charged to seller.

TAKING CONSIGNMENTS WED., MAY 8TH TO FRI., MAY 10TH, 8:00 TO 5:00.

Plenty of Homemade Food All Day • Food Proceeds go for local hospital bill Phone Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sat., May 8th to 11th 518-568-3579 Auction Barn For Consignment info call Benuel Fisher 518-568-2257 or Melvin Miller 518-993-4734 Auctioneers:: Benuel Fisher Auctions,, Elam Kauffman, Sam Swarey, Marcus Beiler, David Stoltzfus, Ed Leaman, Wilmer Fisher, Elmer Stoltzfus Breakfast ready by 7:00AM Saturday • Homemade Food Available 4:00 to 8:30PM Friday.

All Announcements day of sale will take precedence over printed materials.

Coal, Wood, Pellet or Gas Stoves, Fireplaces & Furnaces 247 Oberle Rd., Herkimer, NY 13350 315-866-5557 • 1-800-889-HEAT www.herkimerhomeandleisure.com

Page 15 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

When buying a diamond ring, learn the 4 C’s

Page 16 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Anything goes in flowers for today’s prom

by Leanne Italie, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The elaborate invitation has been proffered and accepted, the limo rented and the outfits coordinated, so what’s next when planning for prom?

That traditional pop of spring, of course, in the corsage and boutonniere.

Once a sweet surprise and often all white to go with any outfit, prom flowers have made the leap into the new millennium with glitzy embellishments, jewelry attachments and a world of creativity for the florists who design them.

No more scratchy, throwaway wristbands (unless you want one) and no more fumbling with straight pins as your nervous date squirms. Today’s corsages don’t even have to be corsages. Flowers can be worn on the head, upper arm or shoe, at the shoulder, on a necklace, as a ring or even stuck right onto a bare back or leg.

These days, flowers have taken their place as a key accessory rather than mere appendage handed over in time for photos before heading out the door.

“Everyone wants to be unique and different from someone else and that’s a big deal, trying to do something different,” said Jasmine Snow, accessories editor for Seventeen magazine.

“It’s so cool to be able to try these new modern takes on using fresh flowers as opposed to just doing the normal.”

Attachments: Bangles, beads, multiple strands of rhinestones, fancy cuff bracelets in silver, gold or any wire creation imaginable have replaced the cheapy wristlets of corsages past. Slap bracelets are also used as a base, easily painted or sprayed with glitter to match an overall look.

Some florists stock options but invite customers to bring along their own jewelry.

“These days you can safely glue on so you don’t damage the jewelry, and then the girl has something to keep after prom instead of us being 20 years later with dry

old roses. You’ve actually got this bracelet or this necklace that you can look back at and go, ‘Oh, that was so much fun,’” said Della Mendenhall, a manager and product developer at Gillespie Florists in Indianapolis.

Boutonniere holders (think ice cream cone shape) often anchor the traditional male floral in

metal. They come in filigree, vine and many other designs. Magnet sets can be used to keep them in place, and they can be reused for high schoolers who plan to attend more than one prom.

Sparkly broaches or decorative pins can also be used as an attachment for teens of any gender.

Embellishments: Anything goes regardless of where you decide to place your flowers — and whether you’re the one in a dress or a tux. Colored feathers, ribbons of different textures, prints and widths and silk leaves can be mixed.

Arrangements can have dangling strands of beads or rhinestones or

bejeweled pins. And in a trend borrowed from the wedding industry, plant succulents and pods are used as accents.

And in some cases, the whole shebang is sprayed with glitter!

“Everything sparkly continues to be very popular. I’ve had a couple of girls, they just want glitter all over their flowers.

I’m starting to see more

personalization with their whole outfit,” said Tracey Foster, owner of Twigs florists in Yerington, NV, and writer of the b l o g Promflowers.blogspot.co m.

How about a glow? A company called Bioconst has come up with cut flowers that offer a blacklight effect when treated with its fluorescent formulation and combined with a UV device embedded in a corsage or boutonniere. Another company sells LED kits similar to tiny Christmas tree lights to arrange among the flowers.

Placement: Wearing the prom arrangement on the wrist remains popular, but florists and designers support other placements as well, the head among them.

“I love doing hair flowers,” said Stacey Bendet of Alice & Olivia. “It’s

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more modern.”

Gillespie and Twigs are among shops offering florals attached to rhinestone-studded tiaras, more relaxed bohemian headbands worn across the forehead or aroundthe-head wreaths.

“Or he can just pick some and she can pin them to her hair or a bun,” Bendet said. “Hair flowers are definitely a trend right now.”

She also suggests floral arrangements attached to purses or phone cases. Gillespie will make small arrangements intended for the toe or ankle strap of a shoe, either glued or tied on with ribbon, or hang an arrangement from a rhinestone-studded necklace that ties with ribbon at the back.

“How about a flower you attach to a chain?” asks Bendet.

Mendenhall said sales of corsage alternatives

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for prom, also including elaborate upper-arm cuffs on wire bases, are a small percentage of Gillespie’s prom business in comparison to the wrist style. But she and Foster agree that corsages are far more elaborate, and prom planning has definitely amped up.

“Now girls, and their mothers, will spend countless hours on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram looking for prom corsage ideas, find something they like and try to find a florist who will make it happen,” Foster said.

Where does all of this leave the boys?

“I have guys coming in here with printouts of a web page, saying my girlfriend gave this to me and she wants this and here’s a picture of her dress,” Mendenhall said.

“This is their biggest night of the year.”

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This sheep shearing tool is called a blade shear.

Blade shears work similarly to scissors except that the hinge is at the end farthest from the point instead of the middle. Blade shears are still used today but in a more limited way.

Blade shears leave some wool on a sheep and this is more suitable for cold climates where the sheep needs some protection from the elements.

Blades are more commonly used to shear stud rams.

Machine shears are a mechanical tool used in sheep shearing, sometimes known as handpieces. They operate similarly to human hair clippers. A power-driven toothed blade is driven back and forth over the surface of a comb and the wool is cut from the animal.

Sheep are shorn in all seasons, depending on

Sharon Springs HARLEY WEEKEND (all l bikes welcome)

Join us for some good times and Scenic Rides!

Memorial Day Weekend May 25 & 26 Scenic Motorcycle Rides each day leaving at 10:30 AM from the New York House, 110 Center St, Sharon Springs.

Saturday - 10:30AM-3PM - Ride through scenic Schoharie County and take in rolling hills, beautiful farmland, a great car show and a winery.

3-6PM - Relax and enjoy Sharon Springs shops & restaurants.

Antiques & Collectibles 15 W. Main Street, Mohawk Estate e Sales • Appraisals Looking for Costume Jewelry & Antique Prints.

315-866-7120

Psychic Fair

Sunday, May 19 th 10 am -7 pm Beardslee Castle

500 Admission $

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For More Info • 315-530-5310

6-9PM - Entertainment by Von Rudder at the American Hotel.

Sunday - 10:30AM-3PM - Ride through rolling countryside, around 2 lakes, through Cooperstown and back to Sharon Springs.

Need accommodations?

Contact any one of our great hotels and B&B’s American Hotel - 518-284-2015 Edgefield B&B - info@edgefieldbb.com New York House B&B - 518-284-6027 Upstairs @ Spring House Spa - 518-284-2400

the climate, management requirements and the availability of a woolclasser and shearers.

Ewes are normally shorn prior to lambing, but consideration is typically made as to the welfare of the lambs by not shearing during cold climate winters. ~~~ Have your own Whatch-amacallit? Send picture and description to eenger@leep-ub.com.

Visit our Facebook page each week to see if you can figure out what the upcoming Whatchamacallit is!

He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

J.R.’s Auction 56 6 Willettt Streett Fortt Plain,, NY Y 13339

518-993-4668 DON’T MISS THESE AUCTIONS!

AUCTION SCHEDULE MAY Wed.. 8th, 6:00pm: On Site Utica, NY. Multiple Estate & Huge Selection of Collectables and Furniture, HUGE SELECTION!! This will be a large Auction, Come Early Stay Late!!

Tues.. 14th, 6:00pm: Consignments, Antiques, Tools, Furniture!!

Thurs.. 16 th, 6:00pm: Antique Consignment Auction!! Huge selection of Good Quality Collectables!!

Don’t Miss This One!!

Tues.. 21st, 6:00pm: Consignments, Collectables, Furniture, and lots more!!

Thurs.. 23rd, 6:00pm Sat.. 25th, 10:00am: Animal Auction, Tailgate Auction, Building Material and more!!

Tues.. 28th, 6:00pm: Consignments, Furniture, Antiques, and much more!!

Wed.. 29 th, 6:00pm: Guns and Ammunition Auction!!

JUNE

32 E. Main St., Mohawk, NY 13407 Breakfast Fish Fry Fridays 4pm-8pm Arcade Center Birthday Parties Hours: Mon.,Tues.,Thurs.,Fri.,& Sat. 5:30am-1pm Tues., Thurs.,& Fri. 4pm until 9pm Sunday 5:30am until noon ** Closed Wed.

315-866-9232

Sat.. 1st, 10:00am Tues.. 4 th, 6:00pm: Consignments, Furniture, Tools, Antiques, and more!

Thurs.. 6th: ON SITE PUBLIC REAL ESTATE AUCTION, 556 Sanders Rd., Fort Plain, NY 13339. 10 acres with Mobile Home.

Sat.. 8th, 10:00am: On Site Real Estate and Contents of Estate Auction.

Sat.. 15th, 10:00am: On Site Public Auction, Carlisle Rd., Canajoharie.

For more information go to AuctionZip.com. Enter Auctioneer ID # 29324.

Page 17 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Whatchamacallits

Page 18 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

No more wiggling, Coburg pupils have a ball

by Josephine Woolington, Eugene Register-Guard COBURG, OR (AP) — Twenty-five secondgraders walk single file to their classroom at Coburg Community Charter School for their social studies class.

“All right, ladies and gentleman,” their teacher, Kerry Patton, says as they enter. “Have a seat.”

But instead of sitting on chairs, the students

sit on 18-inch-diameter, yellow, plastic exercise balls.

Students bob up and down on the balls, as they would during a bumpy bus ride. Some sit with their feet on the ground, shoulders back and a straightened spine. Others tuck their feet under their bottoms and sit on their knees, balancing on the balls.

“I usually feel a lot comfier sitting on my knees,” 8-year-old

Bryson Cannaday said.

There was no falling over, no vigorous bouncing.

The students worked as if it were entirely normal to sit on inflatable balls, which they’ve been doing since September.

Patton is one of a growing number of teachers across the United States who in recent years have substituted classroom chairs with balls commonly found in yoga and Pilates exercise classes. Several studies suggest that the balls increase focus because students can constantly move and get all the wiggles out.

Students must engage their core muscles to balance on the ball, and Patton said some students complained about being tired in the first few weeks.

“We have P.E. every day in our class,” she said, laughing. “We have the best abs in the

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school.”

Patton’s class was “wiggly” last year, she said, and getting students to focus posed a challenge. So she began combing through research that found that exercise balls could increase productivity and focus in the classroom.

“There are fewer trips to the bathroom,” Patton said, which students frequently used as an excuse to get up and move.

Patton bought 30 balls from Amazon.com for $600, which the school paid for. So far, none has deflated or popped. No student has been injured, either.

“It’s been awesome,” she said.

If students’ bottoms lift off the balls while bouncing, Patton will take away the ball for a few hours and substitute a chair. She doesn’t have to do that often, though, she said.

First-grade teacher

Rachel Young has already ordered a batch of balls for her class next year.

“There was a big hullabaloo about what was going on in the secondgrade class,” Young said.

Some students were jealous. Others were confused.

“I think maybe they don’t have enough chairs, so they use bouncy balls,” 7-year-old Hannah Henderson said.

Although the results seem to be positive for Patton’s class, research has also shown that exercise balls can come with some negative consequences.

“Sometimes, it hurts my back,” said Talia Akins, 7, as she rubbed the lower region that gets sore. Because students can’t lean back on the balls, they aren’t able to release tension in their lower back that may be strained. Some research has found that

people slouch just as much while sitting on a ball as they would in a chair.

Standing may actually be the healthiest option, according to research from the Mayo Clinic.

Sitting on any kind of surface for too long, the clinic found, can lead to health issues such as obesity or increased blood pressure and also to an increased risk of death from cancer or cardiovascular disease.

For now, Patton said she’s convinced the balls have improved students’ posture and focus. Most students said they don’t want to sit in a regular chair next year when they’re third-graders.

“I’m going to miss them,” said Jake Harper, 7, while pretending to kiss the ball.

“Maybe because we’re so used to them,” 7year-old Kaylie Campbell added, “we’ll bounce on our chairs next year.”

HOSKING SALES • WEEKLY SALES EVERY MONDAY Weekly Sales Every Monday starting at 12:30 with Misc. & small animals, 1:00 Dairy. Call for more info and sale times. Our Volume is increasing weekly - join your neighbors & send your livestock this way!

Monday, April 29th sale - cull ave. .66 Top cow $.81, bulls/steers $.83 - $1.06, bull calves top $1.65, heifer calves top $1.00, dairy feeders $.40 - $.60, feeder bulls up to $1.24, Feeder heifers up to $1.17, feeder steers - none. Dairy cows up to $1,450.

Monday, May 13th - Monthly Heifer Sale.

Monday, May 20th - Monthly Sheep, Lamb, Goat & Pig Sale.

Monday, May 27th - Memorial Day - We will be open. We will be starting at 10:00AM with flowers, plants, shrubs. If you want to participate in consigning to the plant sale contact us as soon as possible. Note the time of sale!

LOOKING TO HAVE A FARM SALE OR JUST SELL A FEW - GIVE US A CALL. ** Trucking Assistance - Call the Sale Barn or check out our trucker list on our Web-Site.

Call to advertise in any of these sales it makes a difference.

Directions: Hosking Sales 6096 NYS Rt. 8, 30 miles South of Utica & 6 miles North of New Berlin, NY. www.hoskingsales.com Call today with your consignments.

607-699-3637 or 607-847-8800 cell: 607-972-1770 or 1771

Tom & Brenda Hosking 6096 NYS Rt. 8 New Berlin, NY 13411

PUBLIC AUCTION

Valuable Real Estate & Farm Dispersal Friday, June 7, 2013 at 9:00 AM Location: Brookman’s Corner Road, Fort Plain, NY 13339

Directions: From Fort Plain, take 80 south to Brookman’s Corners Rd. Make left approx. 2 miles on left.

Operating dairy farm with 196 acres of quality well maintained and fertilized land. 2013 crops are being planted and will be sold to buyer of the farm. Farmland borders 3 roadways including Brookman’s Corner, Mill Lane, and Rt. 80.

Buildings: 98 cow dairy barn. 3 bedroom, 1 bath, dining room, and kitchen farmhouse. 1 car garage, 40x36 pole barn, 30 stall heifer barn, 3 concrete silos, 1 Harvestore silo. Plenty of water with 2 wells and 1 pond.

The farmland is some of the best in the Mohawk Valley region and is well known for quality corn crops.

Real Estate Terms for financing are 10% day of sale, balance on or before 45 days. Buyers must pre-register and show proof of financing prior to day of sale and must be willing to pay the minimum bid asked by the seller.

1% Broker Participation Available.

Watch for listing on complete dairy cow and equipment dispersal.

Attorney: Gregory Dunn Licensed Real Estate Broker: Krutz Properties LLC. Laurie Weingart, 518-330-8608

Sale held for Oscar and Norma Fox Food Available Day Of Sale All Announcements Day of Sale Take Precedence Over Advertising

by B. Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension, Consumer Horticulturist Home (Indoor plants and activities) Many indoor plants can be moved to shady locations outdoors but only after danger of frost is past. Plants will dry out more often outdoors, so keep a close eye on soil moisture. Sinking the pots in soil will help slow down moisture loss.

Now is a good time to take cuttings of houseplants to increase a collection or share with friends. Root cuttings in media, such as vermiculite, perlite or potting soil.

Roots grown in water tend to be weak from lack of oxygen and do not adjust well to planting in soil.

Fertilize houseplants

according to label directions. Foliage plants require relatively high nitrogen fertilizer; flowering houseplants respond best to fertilizer high in phosphorus.

Yard (Lawns, woody ornamentals and fruits) Prune early springflowering trees and shrubs after flowers fade.

Plant balled-andburlapped or container nursery stock, and water thoroughly.

Remove and destroy overwintering bagworms from landscape trees and shrubs.

Follow a spray schedule to keep home-orchard crops pest free. While trees are in bloom, use fungicide sprays without insecticide to avoid injury to bees. Follow label di-

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rections. More information is available in Purdue Extension publication ID146 Controlling Pests in the Home Fruit Planting https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?itemID =20518 Thin fruits of apple trees, if needed, about three weeks after petal fall. Apples should be about 8 inches apart.

Apply fungicides to roses to control diseases such as black spot.

Purdue turf experts recommend that if you are going to fertilize your lawn in May, apply threefourths to 1 pound N/1,000 square foot with a product that contains 50 percent or more slowrelease fertilizer. Try to schedule the application prior to a rain or irrigate following application to move the fertilizers off the

leaf blade.

Garden (Flowers, vegetables and small fruits) Plant frost-tender plants after danger of frost is past for your area.

This includes warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and vine crops, as well as most annual flowers and tender perennials, such as cannas, gladiolus, dahlias, tuberous begonias and caladiums.

Pinch chrysanthemums

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Harvest rhubarb by cutting, or grasp the stalk and pull it up and slightly to one side.

Control cucumber beetles, carriers of bacterial wilt, as soon as cucumber plants germinate or are transplanted to prevent disease.

Remove blossoms from newly set strawberry plants to allow better runner formation.

Remove unwanted sucker growth in raspberries when new shoots are about a foot tall.

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and annual flower plants to keep them compact and well-branched.

Make successive plantings of beans and sweet corn to extend the season of harvest.

Thin seedlings of early planted crops, such as carrots, lettuce, spinach and beets, to their proper spacing.

Harvest early plantings of radishes, spinach and lettuce.

Harvest asparagus by cutting or snapping spears at or just below soil level.

Buy your coal in May and Save $2000 per ton

May 17th • 1PM till Closing at our New Herkimer Store Located in EFK Plaza, 330 E. State Street, Herkimer

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Household & Garage Auction 33 South Columbia Street, Mohawk, NY

Sat., May 11, 2013 @ 10:00 AM

Selling: Tool Shop w/8 Attachments, 1930’s dresser set w/mirrors, brass bed, old trunks, 5 leaf dining room table, washer & dryer, refrigerator, freezer, dishes, old glass, silver, 1907 high chair, corner china cabinet, rocking chairs, jackknife collection, old tin boxes, cast iron toys & figurines, Adirondack chairs, tools and tool chest, buck saws, table saw, radial arm saw, old license plates, water yoke, 100# nails, 34’ & 40’ ext. ladder, anvil, vise, Yardman rider, milk bottles, bicycles, 1969 Plymouth Fury Convertible w/24,000 miles, and much much more.

TERMS: cash or check, 10% buyers premium.

Armitstead d Auctionss • 518-993-2290

Sun. & Mon. Closed (315) 266-0093 1311 Oriskany Street Utica, NY

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315-866-5800

Page 19 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Purdue Yard & Garden Calendar for May

Page 20 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Country Editor Number / Classification 20 Air Compressors 25 Air Tools 35 Announcements 45 Antiques 55 Appraisal Services 75 ATV 80 Auctions 82 Auto Body 110 Bedding Plants 120 Bees-Beekeeping 130 Bird Control 155 Building Materials/ Supplies 157 Building Repair 160 Buildings For Sale 161 Bulk Foods / Spices 165 Business Opportunities 170 Butchering Supplies 173 Carpentry 175 Cars, Trucks, Trailers 180 Catalogs 182 Catering 190 Chain Saws 195 Cheesemaking Supplies 205 Christmas 210 Christmas Trees 214 Clocks & Repair 215 Collectibles 216 Clothing 235 Computers 253 Consignment 265 Construction Equipment For Rent 270 Construction Equipment For Sale 275 Construction Machinery Wanted 277 Construction Services 280 Construction Supplies 312 Crafts 325 Custom Butchering 330 Custom Services 360 Deer-Butchering & Hides 370 Dogs 410 Electrical 415 Employment Wanted 440 Farm Machinery For Sale 445 Farm Machinery Wanted 447 Farm Market Items 460 Fencing 470 Financial Services 480 Fish 483 Flooring 490 For Rent or Lease 500 For Sale 510 Fresh Produce, Nursery 525 Fruits & Berries 527 Furniture 530 Garden Supplies 535 Generators 537 Gifts 575 Greenhouse Supplies 585 Guns 587 Hair Styling 589 Hardware 600 Health Care/Products 605 Heating 610 Help Wanted 653 Hotel / Motel 683 Jewelers 700 Lawn & Garden 711 Lessons 760 Lumber & Wood Products 790 Maple Syrup Supplies 805 Miscellaneous 810 Mobile Homes 811 Monuments 812 Multi Media 813 Music 815 Motorcycles 817 Nails 820 Nurseries 910 Plants 950 Real Estate For Sale 955 Real Estate Wanted 960 RVs & Motor Homes 975 Rentals 980 Restaurant Supplies 1040 Services Offered 1075 Snowblowers 1080 Snowmobiles 1109 Thrift 1140 Trailers 1147 Trains 1148 Travel 1155 Tree Moving Services 1165 Trees 1170 Truck Parts & Equipment 1180 Trucks 1187 Vacuum 1190 Vegetable 1200 Veterinary 1205 Wanted

Announcements

Announcements

ADVERTISING DEADLINE Friday • 2:00 PM For as little as $4.00 - place a classified ad in

The

Country Editor

Call Peg at 1-800-836-2888

or 518-673-0111 or email classified@leepub.com Announcements CHECK YOUR AD - ADVERTISERS should check their

ads on the first week of insertion. Lee Publications, Inc. shall not be liable for typographical, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the first weeks insertion of the ad, and shall also not be liable for damages due to failure to publish an ad. Adjustment for errors is limited to the cost of that portion of the ad wherein the error occurred.

Report any errors to 800836-2888 FREE: Cat needs a good home. Gray & White tiger, female. Nice cat, litter trained and friendly. 315-867-0208 or 315-219-2939

Bedding Plants Annuals, Perennials, Herbs & Baskets are ready now! Heirloom veggie plants. Visit our garden center today! www.BrickHouseAcres.com 315-737-5635

Books

L

K

LOOKING FOR An edition from the 1700’s-1800’s, The History of Herkimer County.

315-894-0955

Building Materials/Supplies

PHOTO ENLARGEMENTS 8x10 - $2.00 • 11x17 - $5.00 • 12x18 or 13x19 - $7.00.

Come see us at Lee Publications, 6113 State Rt. 5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 518-673-3237

INSULATION: All Types. New/ Existing Buildings.

Free Estimates. Fully Insured. Call Upstate Spray Foam Insulation 315-822-5238. www.upstatesprayfoam.com

Antiques

Cars, Trucks, Trailers

ANTIQUE Barber Chair, 1948, excellent condition. Moved to Florida, must sell, $800. 518221-7707

FOR SALE: Antiques, Collectibles, Shabby Chic, Amish Baskets, Primitives, Jewelry, Country, Re-purpose, Handcrafted Items, Adirondack Décor, Unique Gifts and Much More! “Newport Marketplace” 7583 Main St, Newport “Gift Certificates now available”

ATV ATV TRAILERS by Bosski Industries first automatic “Dump Assist” trailers GVWR 800lbs.+ 1600lbs. models available. Come check them out at North Creek Auto 315-866-3698

1968 ELCAMINO SS 396, 4speed, all original, very, very nice, serious only, $18,000/ OBO. 315-429-3253 1993 CORVETTE convertible, triple black, 6 speed, leather, both seats electric, CD & cassette player, no rain w/cover, 36,000 miles, $15,000. 315271-3602 2008 CHEVY Uplander Van, low mileage, 53,000 miles, new tires, excellent, $9,500.

315-737-7901 FOR SALE: 1995 Eagle Talon, 2 door, asking $2,500.00. Call after 5:00 pm 315-895-0117

Collectibles RECORDS WANTED: We’ll buy your old records from 1930- 1970. 45’s, 78’s, Albums, Rock-N-Roll, Blues, R&B, Country, etc. Call Pete 518-673-2384.

PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 800-836-2888 • Fax: 518-673-2381

classified@leepub.com Custom Services

For Sale

COLOR GLOSSY PHOTO CALENDARS: Only $12.00 includes tax. Send us your digital prints and we will make a beautiful keepsake calendar for you. You may also bring in your photos on a disc or thumb drive.

If you would like us to mail it is a $5.00 extra fee.

Only 3 day turnaround time. bsnyder@leepub.com Lee Publications 518-673-0101

ThermoPride High Boy oil furnace, model#OH3-72 75kBTU. Serious inquiry only, $500. Joe 315-894-5204 Frankfort

FRAN’S PAINTING & STAINING. Lead Certified. Spray or brush. Free estimates. 315717-2061

NEED BUSINESS CARDS? Full color glossy, heavy stock. 250 ($45.00); 500 ($60.00); 1,000 ($75.00).

Call Beth at Lee Publications 518-673-0101 or bsnyder@leepub.com PHOTO CALENDARS now available right here at Lee Publications. 6113 State Hwy. 5, Palatine Bridge, NY 518-673-3237. Choose up to 24 photos. Only $12.00 for digital photos and $15.00 if we scan them.

STAG PARTY TICKETS Call Beth at Lee Publications 518-673-0101. Questions bsnyder@leepub.com Free Shipping TURN your wedding, baby, graduation, scenery photos into beautiful canvas prints starting at only $40.00. Call Beth at Lee Publications 518-673-0101 or email bsnyder@leepub.com

Dogs YORKSHIRE TERRIERS, 3 females, ready to go, May 10th. ACA registered, vet checked. 1st shots. $500 each. 315-271-3521.

For Sale Adorable MINI LOP BUNNIES! Our purebred babies are sweet & friendly. Pedigrees available. $25.00 each 315-737- 5635

Furniture

Furniture

UDA D WOODWORKING G & CHAIR R HOSPITAL Furniture Repair & Regluing • Countertops • Speaker Cabinets “Formica Work Is Our Specialty”

John F. Duda 734 Lafayette Street Ph. & Fax (315) 733-4715 dudawood@roadrunner.com Utica, NY 13502

Furniture

Hair Styling

BIG Dupa’s breaking your chairs? Call Duda Woodworking & Chair Hospital.

734 Layfayette St., Utica.

315-733-4715. Custom Formica Counter tops too!

HAIRDRESSER: In Home Ser vices. Experienced.

Perms, Cuts, Colors & Sets.

Call Pam H. 315-725-9404

CUSTOM FORMICA Countertops. Cash & Carry or Installed. Duda Woodworking & Chair Hospital, 734 Lafayette St., Utica 315-7334715 “Quality Work for Over 33 Years!”

HORSE HAY: Round bales $40.00 per bale. Mohawk Valley Produce Auction.

518-568-2257

Hay - Straw For Sale

Hide-a-bed couch; rocking chair; end table, coffee table set; dining room set, 11 pieces/insets; mirror; bookcase; set: womans chest with mirror, mens 5 drawer chest; 21” TV; all-in-1 printer; floor lamp; fur coat; set of china; set of Oneida flatware. 315-2199021

OPENING NEW CAFE SOON - Valley area. Looking for parttime wait staff and short order cook. Call 315-985-5462.

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Writers Wanted We are looking for freelance writers for our weekly publication, The Country Editor.

Articles should be general human interest, appealing to a broad national audience.

Submitted articles should be 500 words or less.

Photo essays welcome as well.

CRAFTMATIC “twin” bed, $200.00; electric wheelchair, approx. 24 hrs. on it, $1,000.

Call 315-894-3385

Each article will be considered for its interest to the publication’s readers.

FOR SALE- MOVING: Guilbransen Organ Double Keyboard, needs some work, $200/firm. Call 518-993-2069

Please submit articles via e-mail to Joan Kark-Wren at jkarkwren@leepub.com

PORTABLE Carry-On BOAT air conditioner & cover, $800.00. 315-376-6639 leave a message.

Questions ? Call 518-673-0141

Lawn & Garden

Motorcycles

Services Offered

VALLEY LAWN SERVICE. Mowing, shrub trimming, mulch and clean-ups. Fully insured, free estimates. 315894-4331.

2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON 1200 XL Custom Vance & Hines Pipes, Vance & Hines Fuel Pak, Stage 1 EFI Kit, Black, 8,500 Miles, $7,500.

Excellent Condition!

PATRICIA’S SERVICE TO SENIORS: Helping you at home with shopping, meals, housekeeping. Pat 315-2977063

518-378-3279 Lessons ERNIE BALL, D’ADDARIO, Dean Markley GHS guitar strings (lessons available).

Imagineering Drum & Guitar Shop. 27 West Main St. Little Falls. 315-823-1500

FOR SALE: 2000 LS Suzuki Savage, 11,000 miles, leather saddle bags, color green, excellent condition.

518-573-7468, 518-5732969. Or trade for 4 wheeler or snowmobile.

TED’S Painting and Home Repairs: Book now through April 30th get FREE power wash w/deck staining, good for April, May, June only. Call 315-429-3253

classified@leepub.com

L I A M L L A C OR

HEMLOCK LUMBER, Siding Boards, Framing Lumber, Beams. Miller’s, 6027Cty.Hwy. 18, WestEdmeston. 6miles south ofU.S.Rt.20

Magnets BUSINESS CARD MAGNETS only $75.00 for 250. Free Shipping. Call Beth at Lee Publications 518-673-0101 or bsnyder@leepub.com Please allow 7-10 business days for delivery

ADIRONDACK CAMP in park, Speculator area, redone, nice & clean, 2/3 bedroom, private beach access, $1,100 yearly lot rent. Your weekend getaway. Won’t last long, only $29,950. 315-868-9207 for details.

Music EVANS, REMO DRUMHEADS, drumsticks by ProMark, Zilojian, On Stage.

Imagineering Drum & Guitar Shop. 27 West Main St. Little Falls. 315-823-1500

GREG BENNETT Guitars.

Authorized dealer. Imagineering Drum & Guitar shop.

27 West Main St. Little Falls.

315-823-1500

Recreational Vehicles & Motor Homes BLUE-OX TOW BAR Aventa11, Cover, Cables, $200.00; bike rack for ladder, $20.00.

315-269-8582

Country Editor

$4.00/

10 ACRES. Bridgewater,NY. Outstanding Views. Electric. $32,000.00. 845-783-8408 Fo r S a l e B y O w n e r. c o m #23928210 TEN ACRES West Canada Schools, wooded, pond, electric at road, eight miles to Utica, broker/ owner financing with 20% down. $32,900. 315796-4425

The

PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 • Ph: 518-673-3011 OR 800-836-2888

Real Estate For Sale Lumber & Wood Products

CLIP & SEND

14 words $.10 each additional

Deadline Friday 2pm - Fill Out This Form OR Call Us To Place Your Reader Ad • CLASSIFIED READER AD FORM • Tires & Tire Repair Service FOR SALE: 2 11R22.5 tubeless radial truck tires, like new, $200; 6 lowboy trailer tires, 750-15, 12-14 ply, mounted on 6 hole rims for a tiltbed Miller trailer, $275.00. 315429-8010 leave message.

USED TIRE SALE: Huge Inventory, mounting & balancing FREE. No appointment necessary! Save money call Auto World, 534 North Perry Street, Johnstown 12095 518762-7555

Date________ COPY:

____ # of Weeks

______Starting Issue Date (Wednesday Date)

(First 14 words $4.00 each additional word 10¢)

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 14 words - $4.00

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 24th word - $5.00

Tractors MASSEY FERGUSON 65 tractor/ backhoe with front end loader and extra rims, $4,000 or best offer. Dan 518-706-0249

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ 34th word - $6.00

Name (Print): ____________________________________________________________________ Farm/Company Name: ______________________________________________________________ Street: __________________________________________ County: ________________________ City: __________________________________________ State: __________ Zip: ______________ Phone #:______________________ Fax #: __________________ Cell #: ____________________ Email Address: ____________________________________________________________________ Payment Method: K Check/Money Order K American Express K Discover K Visa K MC Card #: ____________________________________________________ Exp. Date: ____________ MM / YY

Name on Credit Card (print): ________________________________________________________ Signature: ______________________________________________ Today’s Date:______________ It’s easy & economical to add a picture to your ad!

For Information Call

1-800-836-2888

Amount Paid: __________________________________________________ Ph: 518-673-3011 or 800-836-2888 • Fax: 518-673-2381 • Email: classified@leepub.com

Mail: The Country Editor, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

Page 21 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Country Editor

PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 800-836-2888 • Fax: 518-673-2381

Page 22 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Paw’s Corner

by Sam Mazzotta Getting a Pet-Sitter Dear Paw’s Corner: I recently got a new job, and I need to have someone come and feed my cats and walk the dog because I don’t get home until late at night. How can I find a pet sitter I can trust? — Missing My Pets Already Dear Missing: DogVacay.com, a pet boarding service, recently put out a list of five things you should do when consider-

ing a potential pet sitter.

Hopefully these will help in your search: • Interview the pet sitter, and have your pet interview him or her as well. See how the sitter and pets interact.

• Ask for references at the very least. While pet sitters aren’t required to be licensed or insured, they should have references you can contact — typically other clients.

Some pet sitters will have a certification through a professional organization

Home Country

by Slim Randles When the Rafter E branded recently, a bunch of us went out to help. It’s a badge of pride to have worked your way up the branding ladder.

As a kid, you flank the calves; you grab them, throw them and hold them down. This is conducive to abrasions, muscle strain, and involuntarily changing the color of your shirt.

As you get older, you get to handle the branding iron, then move up to giving shots. After that comes earmarking.

When you reach the pinnacle of branding, that is, when you own the calves, then you get to rope the calves and

drag them up to the fire.

It is a swirling cauldron of heat and hooves, excited cowdogs and bawling cows.

There is the smell of manure and singed hair and sweat and corral dust.

At the Rafter E, I wielded a syringe as the youngsters got their teeth rattled by the heavy stuff.

Wasn’t the first time I’d given the shots, though. Once during a branding at the Triangle Cross, I was about to immunize a calf when the calf jumped and I stuck the needle into my thumb.

Hurt like the dickens, of course, but at least it was effective. I haven’t had black leg since.

Goodyear Direct Dealer

4

Authorized Tire Center

Seasons

Truck, Tire & Auto Center

100 Spruce St., Ilion • Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5

(315) 894-5087

Full Line Commercial Truck, Industrial - OTR Tires

Discount Tires • Fleet Accounts Welcome • Goodyear National Accounts & Credit Cards Accepted • All Light Truck & SUV Tires on Sale • Retreading Available & Sold • Cooper - Bridgestone/Firestone • Power Trans Service • Power Coolant Flush • Air Conditioning Service & Recharging

like Pet Sitters International, meaning they have taken additional pet-sitting and business courses offered by that organization.

• Ask basic but important questions. Nothing’s too trivial for your pets.

What time will the sitter come? Where will your dog be walked? What’s a typical visit like?

• Give the sitter as much info as possible about your pets. Once you’ve decided to take on a sitter, make sure he or she knows your pets’ particular habits, favorite foods, specific medica-

Those who agree with us may not be right, but we admire their astuteness. ~Cullen Hightower He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

tions and when to take them, etc.

• Monitor your pets.

When you get home, how do your pets react to you?

Do you notice behavioral changes? Are they handling your absence well?

Pets might not take to a new schedule right away, but if they don’t adjust, you may need to consider a new sitter or a different pet-care option.

26,100

Homes in Herkimer County

by US Mail Mean Anything To You?

(c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.

518-673-0129 EVERY SUNDAY at 6 PM Sponsored by

Our Lady of Great Grace Orthodox Church at the

Italian Heritage Club & Community Center 644 Bleeker Street, Utica

OVER $2,000 in prizes Food & Pull Tabs Available Games Start Doors open Promptly at 6pm at 3pm Handicap & Wheelchair Accessible

SEAMLESS GUTTERS

by AMERICAN HOUSECRAFT

Spring S ale (518) 773-5973 OR (518) 568-7125 16 Colors and Leaf Guard Systems Available.

Over 40 years experience, fully insured.

We require no down payment, payment is due on completion of your job.

Call for Free Estimate. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Does Reaching

NYS Lic # BC30-103-022-08779 Municipal License # 5119

A n m a i erican n e v o l S Spring Fling Sunday, June 2 from 1-6 p.m.

DeCarlo Staffo Post Loomis Street Extension, Little Falls

$20 per person (children under 10 FREE) Includes: 2 p.m. roast beef buffet dinner with all the fixings. Homemade Slovenian potica for dessert.

Live music, dancing, reminiscing, and good times with friends!

Advance ticket reservations are required

by Wednesday, May 15.

Live Slovenian polka music by Frank Svet and friends!

Enjoy homemade Slovenian potica for dessert!

Contact Janet at 315-868-1522 to purchase your tickets by May 15!

Tickets are also available at the Decarlo-Staffo.

Page 23 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH • May 8, 2013

Page 24 May 8, 2013 • THE COUNTRY EDITOR NORTH •

Let us show you how to SAVE MONEY on your roof!

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL Metal • Standing Seam Rubber • Shingles • Roof Painting If you want the BEST roofing system at the BEST Price Call Now and get booked for this Summer.

Owner r Applicator r On n Site Fully y Insured Professionally y Trained Call Today for a FREE No Obligation Evaluation!

Sam Swarey

315-868-8207 526 Hard Scrabble Road Little Falls, NY 13365