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FOOD & FUN EXPLORING THE ARTS, HISTORY AND CULTURE OF OUR REGION

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The Mohawk Valley Loves Food

March 1st

by Sharry L. Whitney

Available exclusively at our sponsors.

Visit our website for list of pick-up locations.

contents 6 11 14 17 19 22 25 28 31 35 38 40 42 50 51 53 59 60 61 65 68 74 75 77

Oneida County History Center ADK Journal Huckleberry Letterpress, Co. Hippos, House of Billiards Utica Children’s Museum Downtown Utica Gallery Guide MV Restaurant February Forest On the Farm with Suzie MV Gardens & Recipes Local Arts MV Nature MV Astronomy Club Sandwich Chef Restaurant Guide MV Classical MV Comics Antiques Guide Herkimer Co. Historical Society Tales from Shawangunk, Part 41 Genesee Joe Advertiser Directory Sponsor News

We often hear from former residents—who respond to our online version of the magazine— that one of the things they miss most about living in the Mohawk Valley is the food. Just yesterday my neighbors shared with us some homemade golumpki and pierogi made by a Polish friend. (Have I mentioned I have wonderful neighbors?) I have been inspired to make Polish food time and again, but there must be a bit of magic added to traditional foods prepared by someone born in another country or raised by someone who was.

I recently enjoyed a lunch with my son and some friends at Minar Fine Indian Cuisine on French Road in New Hartford. (See our newest advertiser in our expanded Restaurant Guide!)

It was delicious. I’m not even going to pretend I know how to begin to use Indian spices! How lucky are we to be able to enjoy authentic Indian food one day and Lebanese food right next door at The Phoenician another? And local Italian options? Don’t get me started! From fine dining to local pizza, (check out Laurey’s Pizza on Seneca Turnpike in Clinton’s deal this month in the guide) no one can beat our Italian fare. It’s the most common lament we hear from “expatriates” and why so many find themselves having tomato pies shipped to them.

So, when you’re feeling a bit of cabin fever setting in, get out and take advantage of the world of local dining opportunities we have (and shouldn’t take for granted.) In fact, I think I’ll declare February “MV Restaurant Month. Can I do that? •

MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2018

PUBLISHERS Lance and Sharry Whitney EDITOR Sharry L. Whitney DESIGN & LAYOUT Lance David Whitney ASSISTANT EDITORS Shelley Delosh Jorge L. Hernández ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Susan Collea CONTRIBUTORS Peggy Spencer Behrendt, Carol Higgins, Jorge L. Hernández, Brian Howard, Suzie Jones, John Keller, Melinda Karastury, Frank Page, Susan Perkins, Matt Perry, Cynthia Quackenbush, Denise Szarek, Michelle Truett, Gary VanRiper CONTACT US (315) 853-7133 30 Kellogg Street Clinton, NY 13323 www.MohawkValleyLiving.com mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com Mohawk Valley Living is a monthly magazine & television show exploring the area’s arts, culture, and heritage.

Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of Mohawk Valley Living, Inc. Printed at Vicks in Yorkville, NY.

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Our mascot Riggie is roaming around the magazine and hiding in the advertising areas. Next to him you’ll find a letter. Find all the Riggies and rearrange the letters to answer this month’s trivia question. Enter by the 15th of this month to be included in a drawing for a $200 shopping spree at one or two of our advertisers!

Riggie’s Valentine’s Day Riddle: New Perched over the Mohawk Valley, highHartford above, Utica’s bronze symbol of enduring love.

Embodying freedom and a wife’s affection, Watching over a place for lovers, or reflection.

Hint: 2 words, 11 letters

See the answer and winner to last month’s riddle on page 78!

One entry per household per month. Mail to: Riggie’s Riddle, 30 Kellogg St., Clinton, NY 13323 or by email: mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com

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Remembering the Bleecker Street YMCA 1888-1907

by brian howard, executive director “The thing I like about you YMCA folks is the way you mix religion with common sense” -Teddy Roosevelt On March 1, 1907, one of the most devastating fires to ever hit downtown Utica claimed the YMCA building on the southwest corner of Bleecker and Charlotte Streets. No one is alive today who remembers this grand structure, but for nearly 20 years it was a hub of civic and social activity in this bustling city.

The Young Men’s Christian Association was established in London, England, in 1844. Its basic mission was, and remains, “to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.” North America quickly embraced the YMCA movement and by 1858 an organization was chartered in Utica. Its original location was in the Westminster Church and the program offerings were mostly prayer meetings; this soon expanded as the Y moved to a new space in the Tibbits Building.

After the Civil War (1861-65) the Y moved to new space in the Arcade Building between Genesee and Bleecker Streets.

This served as its home until the 1880s; it was razed in 1941 to make way for the Boston Store.

While at the Arcade, an ecumenical fund-raising effort was

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kicked off for the construction of a new, purpose-built facility. In 1883, the cornerstone was laid for the new YMCA at the intersection of Bleecker and Charlotte Streets, literally down the block from its previous home. On this site had stood the Bleecker Street Baptist Church where, in 1835, a landmark abolitionist meeting occurred that galvanized the anti-slavery movement in upstate New York. Former Congressman and future U.S. Treasury Secretary Ellis Roberts presided over the ceremonies and the first president of the Utica Y, Edward Curran, also spoke.

The ornate brick and stone structure was four and a half stories high with a steeply pitched roof and a distinctive corner turret. Available accounts vary regarding its original cost, from a low of $71,000 to a high of $120,000—figures that wouldn’t in today’s money cover the price of the windows! Inside were rooms for public assemblies, social clubs, sitting parlors, and space for physical training and recreation.

Among the latter was a gymnasium,

A devastating fire claimed the Utica YMCA building on March 1, 1907 Photo Utica Saturday Globe

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running track, a game room, changing facilities, and two bowling alleys. It formally opened on Nov. 1, 1889.

This new YMCA had an immediate impact on the city. Several thousand residents were members and beneficiaries of its physical, social, and religious programs. Olympian Irving Baxter, who won two gold and three silver medals in track and field at the 1900 Paris Games, trained there. The new sport of basketball came to the area through the Y and was promoted by director Dr. William Newhall. For most of the first decade of the 20th century, the game was exclusive to this facility.

All was not wine and roses, however, as evidenced by a 1900 newspaper report. In it, YMCA president Fred Kellogg decried the staggering operating costs and described its mortgage as “dead weight, retarding the YMCA in its work in the community.” The resulting membership drive saw 50 Y supporters committing to bringing in 10 new members each. The success of this effort is unknown.

The Bleecker Street Y’s history came to a dramatic and abrupt end on March 1, 1907. A firsthand account of the blaze was posted as a part of an article in the July 29, 1956 issue of the Utica Observer-Dispatch: Many Uticans will recall the night of March 1, 1907 as one in which is (sic.) seemed the entire city would go up in flames.

YMCA Whites Basketball Team, 1905 Photo Utica Saturday Globe

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One who remembers that night very well is Charles A. Miller, 113 Thomas, local businessman and a past president of the Rotary Club. At the time, Miller was a fledgling reporter for the Utica Daily Press and had just sent the final bit of copy to the composing room on a three-alarm fire which had engulfed several buildings along Bleecker Street opposite the Hotel Hamilton, then the Hotel Martin. When the fire alarm in the city room sounded he counted the box and decided that the day’s fire had started anew and so left the office to see what was doing.

Miller recalls that as he crossed the John Street Bridge over the Erie Canal he saw flames shooting through the roof of the Y. The fire had gained such headway that by the time he reached the scene, the roof had caved in.

‘A little later, as I stood in the doorway of Casey’s Saloon, opposite the “Y” building, the front wall fell outward partially burying a fire truck and a brick flew across the street directly over my head and through one of Casey’s windows,’ says Miller.

The Y fire was the second in east Utica in as many days.

The aforementioned fire at the Moshier Block had just been subdued and it was suspected that this site had rekindled.

Unfortunately, this was not the case.

The tragic fire that destroyed the building was believed to have been caused by faulty wiring. Fortunately, no one died in the blaze, although three firefighters were injured while fighting it. Numerous power lines were compromised by falling debris, and as a result, power was shut

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off to a large swath of east Utica. Traffic was disrupted for several days while the cleanup efforts continued.

Plans were made to build a new YMCA at the Bleecker Street location. While funds were sought for this structure the Y moved its facilities “temporarily” into the former Utica Female Academy building on Washington Street. This short-term, interim fix ended up lasting 48 years—instead of rebuilding on Bleecker, the Washington Street site was developed and a new YMCA took root there.

By the late 1950s the former Utica Female Academy building had been razed and a new facility was completed. This center existed until March 2001, when it was closed for good, ending Utica’s 143 year affiliation with the YMCA. Today, it is home to the CNY Veterans Outreach Center.

The southwest corner of Bleecker and Charlotte Streets is now a parking lot. Little does anyone know of the grand building that once stood there, but for a time it was among the busiest facilities near the city’s famous “Busy Corner.” •

Oneida County History Center

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adirondack journal Loon Lake Mountain fire tower

New Views from on High

by Gary VanRiper

People often ask me for suggestions on where to hike in the Adirondacks. And many aspire to climb a mountain.

Of course, there are multiple considerations in the answer to that question, not the least of which is the physical condition of the one(s) hiking.

For those who are in hiking shape, I like to recommend the mountains with fire towers. Most are modest climbs in comparison to tackling one of the 46 highest in the high peaks wilderness. There are fire tower mountains throughout the Adirondack Park and usually breathtaking views from those mountains with towers since they were originally selected as lookouts for fires.

The Adirondack Mountain Club published a book nearly 20 years ago (2001) prepared by John P. Freeman entitled Views from on High containing maps and trail descriptions for all the open fire tower mountains in the Adirondacks and the Catskills. It was the perfect resource to recommend to those who took me up on the idea, and a copy was my constant companion when I embraced the quest to climb all of them.

Over the years, however, the book became dated. Fire towers that were believed would be razed were saved, and trails that had been closed to the public were opened.

Many of us who loved the book were hoping for an updated edition.

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I am thrilled to say that day has come!

The second edition of Views from on High was only recently released. This second fresh edition by John P. Freeman and Jim Schneider is updated and expanded, and contains not only the fire tower trails in the Adirondacks and Catskills, but as it notes on the cover, “new tower descriptions from beyond the park.”

The handsome volume contains an additional 52 pages with dozens of full-color photographs, and there is a helpful and judicial use of color on the maps and trail descriptions as well. Other features include trail practices, a history of the fire towers and several appendices.

Among towers that had been targeted to be closed as non-conforming structures in the Park, but were saved by a rallying public and persistent negotiations with several already restored, are Mount Adams, Hurricane, Lyon, Spruce, and St. Regis. Added to the list are Loon Lake Mountain, which opened in 2013, and Stillwater Mountain with a tower restored as recently as 2016. For those living in the Mohawk Valley region that puts three towers (Stillwater, Woodhull, and Bald) within an easy day trip. Woodhull is a really long walk

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in the woods and the authors have rated the route as strenuous. In comparison, Stillwater and Bald were rated as easy.

This is the book you will want to have should you decide to do a few days’ hikes on any of these mountains, or take on the Fire Tower Challenge that was established by the Glens Falls-Saratoga Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and involves hiking 23 of the 25 fire towers mountains in the Adirondacks and all five in the Catskills.

The original edition of Views from on High was a constant companion when I was completing that quest a number of years ago.

The club has since added a winter edition of the challenge. Note that it is not necessary to climb the towers themselves; in fact, a few are actually closed. A personal checklist is included in the book to log your progress.

Copies of Views from on High are available directly from the Adirondack Mountain Club. You can visit its shop online at www.adk.org. •

Loon Lake Mountain was added to the accessible Adirondack fire tower list in 2013.

Gary VanRiper is an author, photographer, and pastor at the Camden Wesleyan Church. He has written 15 children’s books with his son, Justin.

Find out more at:

The Stillwater fire tower was restored and reopened to the public in 2016.

www.adirondackkids.com

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The Everyday Adventures of Mohawk Valley Girl

Huckleberry

Letterpress Co. in Little Falls

The storefront of Huckleberry Letterpress Co. in Little Falls.

Their printing shop is located in nearby Dolgeville

by Cynthia Quackenbush, photos: Melinda Karastury

I am a well-known lover of snail-mail. I write actual letters and send postcards on a regular basis. I was naturally interested, therefore, in checking out Huckleberry Letterpress in Little Falls. I was further encouraged to go there by Donna at PrimaDonna’s Boutique.

Steven and I stopped in last December and were charmed.

I purchased some pens but did not spend nearly enough time looking over the selection of cards. I stopped in again more recently looking for a special birthday card for my friend Marsha, who lives in Wisconsin. It took me a couple of tries to get there because of our Mohawk Valley winter weather, but when I walked in again, I was delighted to be back.

When I explained my mission of finding a card (and full disclosure: writing an article), owner Justin Reynolds introduced himself and said his wife, Emily, would be back soon.

We had a nice visit, talking about the area, shopping local, and culture shock between the big city and a small village.

(Editors note: The Reynolds recently relocated to the area from Brooklyn.)

I walked around looking at all kinds of gift items: banners, soaps, cutting boards, pens, pencils, and more. The store carries brands such as Beekman 1802, Black Lantern,

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Cards are printed by hand (quick hands) using a method from the late 1800s Photo Huckleberry Letterpress

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Cocoruto, Easy Tiger, Falling Into Place, Field Notes, Fish’s Eddy, Frog & Toad Press, Hammerpress, Hello!

Lucky, Iron Curtain Press, JK Custom Furniture, Kala Brands, Knot and Bow, Lettermate, Luckyhorse Press, Liberty Water Bottles, Oxford Pennant, Ruff House Art, Schoon Soap, These Are Things, Twine Living, Ubrands, Waste Not Paper, Wilderess, and Wild Hart Paper.

Of course, the real draw for me were the letter-pressed cards. They are so much more distinctive than what you see at the supermarket or dollar store (yes, I sometimes shop at boring places). Justin told me they were all made in the USA using “old school printing.” Some are printed by Huckleberry Letterpress, and others are from suppliers they meet at shows. Almost everything in the store is made in the USA, and all of the cards definitely are.

I picked out a sweet card for my friend, printed by Huckleberry. I thought she would appreciate one printed near where I live. There was also a number of sarcastic cards that I found very amusing. Still, I thought my friend would prefer a picture of a wiener dog wearing a party hat over a card reading, “Sorry this card is late, but I did wish you a happy birthday on Facebook.”

I mentioned my habit of sending postcards, and Justin pointed out a few that they offer. They are heavy card stock with hand-drawn designs. I said I would come back to buy some of those. I noticed Custom City postcards are available in their wholesale catalog.

Huckleberry Letterpress also offers custom letter-

Huckleberry Letterpress Co. also carries gifts, stationary, and writing supplies.

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press printing for designers, businesses, and individuals. They can print an existing design or design something just for you. If I ever follow through on my threats to renew my wedding vows in a gala party, perhaps I will visit them for invitations. Or I may look into getting some personalized stationery. I wonder if I should get my name, initials, or “Mohawk Valley Girl.”

Justin and Emily do their printing at their home in Dolgeville on four presses in the garage, weighing 1,000 to 3,000 pounds each. The cast iron presses date from 1915 to 1965, some using methods similar to those used in the 1860s. They ink them with soy ink, and some are hand-fed. Justin showed me a video Emily had taken of him feeding cards into a press. It looked a little dangerous to me. He admitted you have to pay attention to what you’re doing.

They would like to eventually move the presses to a space in Little Falls so customers can watch cards being made. The right space is not easy to find, given the weight of the machines, but if they manage it, I will so be there! •

Huckleberry Letterpress Co. also can help design custom cards for businesses or weddings and other special events.

Huckleberry Letterpress Co.

590 East Main Street, Little Falls www.huckleberry-press.com • (585) 329-6247

Emily Reynolds tends the store in Little Falls. She is designer/printer and co-owner of Huckleberry Letterpress Co. with her husband, Justin.

Cynthia M. Quackenbush, a.k.a. “Mohawk Valley Girl,” writes a daily blog about her everyday adventures in the Mohawk Valley.

Follow her frugal fun at: mohawkvalleygirl.wordpress.com

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MUSEUM & COUNTRY STORE

See Remington firearms and artifacts from the 1800s to today.

Shop for clothing, hats, and souvenirs in the Country Store.

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Jewett’s Cheese House

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Hippos

The House of Billiards in Yorkville

Breaking balls (left to right) Andrea Crissey, Melinda Karastury, “Pool Party” mannequin, Amber Brockett, and Marc Brockett

By Melinda Karastury

Hippos, The House of Billiards has been a local treasure for over 25 years. It’s an affordable, family-friendly, year-round venue for all ages and welcomes all levels. There are weekly tournaments for 8-ball and 9-ball leagues. Hippos features twelve 9-foot and five 7-foot Gabriel tables imported from Belgium as well as three Valley 7-footers.

So chalk up your pool cue and get the party started with family and friends at Hippos!

Break up the long, cold winter months with a fun game of billiards at Hippos, The House of Billiards.

Hippos, The House of Billiards has weekly tournaments. Check the schedule online.

There are 20 pool tables, a foosball table, darts, televisions, food, and music.

Rob Karastury lines up his shot calling corner right pocket.

SHAW’S

MAPLE PRODUCTS

The handyman’s choice since 1948

Lumber • Doors • Windows • Mason’s Supplies Roofing • Insulation • Treated Lumber

(315) 896-2631 Vanderkemp Ave., Barneveld

Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5pm, Sat: 7:30am-Noon

CONSIGNMENT SHOPPE Quality pre-owned ladies, junior, & plus size clothing, shoes, handbags, jewelry & household items.

(315) 896-2050

8024 Route 12, Barneveld

Find our sweet syrup and products at: Deansboro Superette, Clinton Tractor, Sammy & Annie Foods in Utica, Tom’s Natural Foods in Clinton, Westmoreland Antiques, Oneida Commons &

our shop at 7945 Maxwell Rd., Clinton

See us at the Farmers’ Markets! www.shawsmapleproducts.com

315-725-0547

Andrea Duvall, owner and operator, took over the turnkey business in 2015 from longtime owners the Conte family.

Nooks & Crannies Weekly, biweekly and monthly cleanings available.

Call for your free estimate!

315-794-9152 www.nooksandcrannieshc.com Seasonal cleanings, Move in/move out cleanings and Post-construction cleanings also available.

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Beginner’s luck! Andrea Crissey makes the bank shot.

Hippos, The House of Billiards 5160 Commercial Drive,Yorkville Marc Brockett is overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of a delicious snack!

Hippos offers a full menu of snacks and beverages. No alcohol is served or permitted.

Give Valentines to all of your loves!

We have sweet gifts for all ages.

Call to place your order! 765-6463 • 531 Varick St., Utica

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315-768-0218 www.hipposyorkville.com www.facebook.com/hipposyorkville Open: Sun-Wed: 2pm-11pm, Thurs-Sat: 2pm-1am

NYS INSPECTIONS • OIL CHANGES • TUNE UPS • COLLISION WORK • AC

Complete Collision and Mechanical Repair Since 1987

Call for details about delivery on 2/13 & 2/14

Tues-Thurs 8-5:30, Fri 8-7, Sat 8-4, Closed Sun & Mon • www.facebook.com/sosweetcandycafe

7509 Route 5 • Clinton, New York 13323 • Phone 315-853-8804

The Utica Children’s Museum The Utica Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization founded in 1963 and is housed in the historic John C. Hieber 5-story red brick building located in downtown Utica Bagg’s Square district. It was designed by Utica architect Frederick H. Gouge and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. At 54 years, Utica Children’s Museum is one of the oldest children’s museums in the country.

The museum offers four stories of hands-on, play-based exploration.

Marc Brockett gets the fun started on the light up dance floor with games, quick steps, jumping, and lots of laughter from Cohen, Kaydence, and Alexander.

Alexander Palmer, visiting from Texas, plays on the large wooden train playset with his cousin Kaydence Crissey

An awesome cousin crew (from as far as Texas) accompanied by Marc and Amber Brockett

Gideon Brockett is fascinated by an old telephone communication board.

In 2002 the Utica Children’s Museum became the only museum in the country to be adopted by NASA. On the 2nd floor, children can explore an Oneida Nation Longhouse.

The Space Exploration exhibit is a favorite with older children and young adults.

The 2nd floor has dinosaur exhibits and dioramas.

T

BlackCat

ANTIQUES

A little bit country, a little bit primitive!

Your destination for furniture, hand stenciled signs, vintage clothing, warm glow candles, silk arrangements & more!

14 East Main St. Earlville (315) 691-5721

Open Tues-Fri: 9-4, Sat: 9-2, Closed Sun & Mon 20

Simply Primitive 116 Main Street, Boonville, NY

One Stop Shop for all of your Country & Primitive Decor (315) 358-4233 www.facebook.com/simprimitive • Open Wed-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-2

Kaydence Crissey admires the large Barbie doll collection with awe while she points out her many favorites.

Marc Brockett demonstrates to Cohen and Kaydence the spiraling wishing well coin funnel. A fun lesson in physics.

Cashier Amber Brockett tallies up Kaydence Crissey’s market purchases. Cohen and Gideon Brockett are perusing their many options in the background.

Time to barter at the trading post.

A tiny Jurassic world.

Utica Children’s Museum 311 Main St., Utica (315) 724-6129

www.UticaCM.org Open: Thurs-Sat 10-4:40, Sun 12-5 Children under the age of 2: FREE, Children 2–17: $6 Seniors/Veterans/Active Military/College ID: $7 Adults: $8

downtown utica

what’s up downtown! by michelle truett

The BlackSheep Company

Matt Soullas, Tito Santiago, Ray Carparelli, and Caitlin Martin A traditional barber shop. An expert tattoo studio. Professional teeth-whitening services. All three are offered under one roof and all right in the heart of downtown. If you think that’s an interesting combination of services, think back centuries ago when barber shops were your stop for everything from haircuts to teeth pulling. The BlackSheep Company is bringing back an old world barber shop experience. (Without the teeth pulling!)

The shop is located on the ground floor of the newly renovated Winston Building, which is right by the Bank of Utica. They offer scissor cuts, hot towel shaves, and specialize in beard trimming.

You’re greeted by gorgeous tall mirrors and antique embellishments hung on exposed brick walls and chairs that are new but modeled after vintage barber chairs. The space is well thought out and welcoming. Black Sheep serves adults and children with walk-ins welcome, but appointments preferred.

BlackSheep is much more than a barber shop. Owner and barber Ray Carparelli, a born and bred Utican, is joined by his childhood friend Tito Santiago and his sisters Caitlin Martin and Ashley Carparelli in the venture. These young professionals range in age from 28 to 35. Tito Santiago is the talent behind the tattoo shop with 15 years experience in creating custom tattoos. Caitlin and Ashley both have 11 years of experience as a dental assistants and over the past month has started performing teeth whitening sessions at BlackSheep. Tattoos and teeth whitening are done on the lower level of the shop, which is one of coolest spaces in the city with expressive rock walls and Tito’s artwork everywhere you turn.

Ray always saw himself one day running a business downtown and by happenstance when he was cutting the Winston Building manager’s hair, the opportunity came up to move into the perfect space. He’s now planning to live in the building as well, joining Tito who is already living a couple buildings down. The commute will be nice and short and he’s excited to be amongst the revitalization that downtown is experiencing.

Super Bowl Charity Sew-In February 4th, Noon-4

Located at the Shoppes at the Finish Line Mon: 9:30 - 8, Tues - Fri: 9:30 - 5 Sat: 10- 4 22

Learn a new technique & bring toiletries for our local women’s shelter to be entered in $100 gift card drawing!

Join our charity sewing group the 4th Wednesday of each month, 1-4

Background photo by Matt Ossowski

230 Genesee Street 315-939-2388 • Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9am – 6pm

Compassion Coalition

Combating food insecurity and food waste are goals of the Compassion Coalition in Utica

Compassion Coalition opened in 2000 in downtown Utica. They started by serving agencies providing food and non-perishable items that SNAP doesn’t cover – bedding, dishes, personal care products and much more. Over the past 18 years, their numbers, reach, and service have soared and they now operate as a fully self-sustaining, debt free organization that works with over 150 local not-for-profits, donating over $30 million in products per year and helping over 350,000 individuals. It hums with activity and is home to 12 full time employees, 9 part time and hundreds of volunteers.

Compassion is a one-of-a-kind organization that has built relationships with large, national brands and distributors who send 12-15 tractor trailers of product to them each week.

They have 30,000 square feet of warehouse space on their first floor alone, with an additional second and third floor and basement, which are all fully utilized.

An amazing addition to their recent giving is their Teacher Resource Center, which is a “store” for teachers that work in schools that offer 70% or more of their students with free lunch. Just launched in December, they have invited and served every elementary school in Utica and are now working on a plan to expand to the junior highs and high school, along with schools in Rome and rural areas. Teachers can get full classroom sets of supplies, greatly reducing their out-of-pocket expenses.

Your Bargain Grocer, a grocery store on the Columbia Street side of their building, is open to the public and offers great prices on everything from frozen food items to fresh produce. Whatever doesn’t sell is given to local farmers to feed their livestock, reducing food waste as much as possible is a big goal of Compassion.

Compassion’s impact is widespread. They are combating food insecurity through community food sustainability. They employ individuals with barriers to employment, providing a second chance and steady income. They expand their reach and send truckloads of product for disaster relief to areas across the country and are looking to scale their operations to help even more people in need. Stop by The Bargain Grocer anytime to see their impact, or visit their website to find out more and how to volunteer. •

Find out more on Facebook: “Downtown Utica”

509 Lafayette Street • 315-266-0039 • www.distributehope.com

Italian pastries, cookies, wedding & specialty cakes.

Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe 707 Bleecker Street, Utica, New York 315-735-9712 Mon 7-5, Wed-Fri 7-5, Sat 7-3, Sun 7-Noon

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Serving Rome & Utica Since 1946

WKAL

TALKRADIO 1450

february

GAllery GUIDE

A Sunny Winter Afternoon by Keith M. Leonard, on view at Rome Art & Community Center this month

2018 Fenimore Quilt Club Show February 10 - 25, 2018

One of the largest and longest running annual quilt shows in the region, displaying approximately 100 quilts and quilted items

Cooperstown Art Association 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-9777 www.cooperstownart.com

Mona Brody, In the Whisper of Silence Through Feb. 24, 2018

Edith Langley Barrett Art Gallery

Utica College, 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY • (315) 792-5289 • www.utica.edu/gallery

ATTENTION ARTISTS & NON-PROFITS The Law Office of

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Services and experience at www.stephaniecoleadams.com

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Available for appointments in the Mohawk Valley on my frequent trips to see my folks.

(But if you want to see the office, just follow the canal.)

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Berry Hill Closed in January Book Shop Over 75,000 used books!

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thefriendlybakeshop.com (315) 894-8861 Tues-Fri: 7-5, Sat: 7-3, Sun: 7-12:30

UT-000621790

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Community Art Day

Elizabeth Abbott, Acrylic and Watercolor

Saturday, February 10, 10am-noon

February 6-23, 2018 Reception: Tuesday, February 6, 5-7pm

The Science of Art: Expand your mind with this series of science-based art projects designed to amaze and delight!

Fenimore Art Museum

Fusion Art Gallery

5798 Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-1400 www.fenimoreartmuseum.org

8584 Turin Road, Rome, NY (315) 338-5712 www.photoshoppeofrome.com

Florine Demosthene/ Miya Hannan/ Nishiki Sugawara-Beda

Time in Art Through April 29, 2018

February 20-March 30, 2018 Reception: Sunday, February 25, 4-6pm

Fine and decorative arts that interpret time and its passing through themes such as hours of the day and seasons of the year; early and late works by a single artist; works inspired by or copied from artistic forebears; the cycle of life; and memory.

Kirkland Art Center

9 1/2 East Park Row, Clinton, NY (315) 853-8871 www.kacny.org

Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute 310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY (315) 797-0000 www.mwpai.org

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Haley Nannig: Gathered windows

October 28 - March 17, 2018

|M Thurs

SIC T V

The objects in this exhibit will explore how the craft of hand turning or carving wood can be used to create works of art.

Myths & Legends of the adirondacks vol. 2

TRY DAUGHar 29 | 7 pm

UP MU

December 2 - March 17, 2018

NT S

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Wood Transformed

Joanne DeStefano and Sandra Devisser: And, Here We Are November 11, 2017 - March 17, 2018

Near & Far: Landscape paintings by stephen Horne November 24- March 17, 2018

3273 State Route 28 Old Forge, NY 13420 315-369-6411 www.viewarts.org

Gallery Hours Mon.-Sat. 10am-4pm Closed Sundays

More Gen Y

Adventures in Realism: Watercolors by Keith M. Leonard

February 2-25, 2018 Reception: Fri., Feb. 2, 5:30-8pm The second group of artists teaching at MWPAI, including exciting work by Michael Giodani, Yulia Levkovich, Claudine Metrick, Jamie Young

Through February 21, 2018

Rome Art & Community Center 308 West Bloomfield St., Rome (315) 336-1040 www.romeart.org

The Other Side

2011 Genesee St., Utica, NY www.theothersideutica.org Gallery hours: Thurs 5-7, Sat 12-2

Margarita Cabrera: Space in Between

Kathryn Vajda, Snow Cities

February 10-June 10, 2018

Through March 31, 2018

A collaborative, social-practice project that is a continuation of Margarita Cabrera’s ongoing work with Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in the United States.

Simulated cities constructed of snow and ice using plastic packaging containers as molds, photographed and printed as large format prints.

Wellin Museum of Art

View

Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Road, Clinton, NY (315) 859-4396 • www..hamilton.edu/wellin

3273 Route 28, Old Forge, NY (315) 369-6411 • www.viewarts.org

eflections Full Moon R Having an art opening? Let us know for a free listing in our monthlyAguide! ter mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com rt CenEmail: et 80 Main Stre 13316 Camden, NY 9 (315)820-426

We are are not not JUST JUST aa We Drapery Drapery Store.

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Cell Shades Wood Blinds & Shutters Vignettes & Pirouettes Silhouettes & Woven Woods Vertical Blinds & Panels Roller & Solar Shades Also a complete line of upholstery for bedspreads, draperies and upholstered headboards, etc, 1 Genesee St, New Hartford, NY 315-793-1994

Antiques & Art Barneveld Vendor Mall

Thurs-Monday 10-5:30 • 315-896-5115

8010 Rt 12, Barneveld Like us on Facebook!

The News Source of Old Forge, Inlet and Surrounding Communities FREE Newspaper Available in the Greater Old Forge Area! www.weeklyadk.com

8211 State Rt 12, Barneveld 315-896-3934 Tues-Fri 10-5:30, Sat 10-2 www.adirondackart.com

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mohawk valley food

Across the row bistro

Photo Sharry Whitney

in clinton

story and photos by Jorge L. Hernández OK, so here’s the dilemma.

I’ve had the Pork Osso Bucco over White Bean Cassoulet at Across the Row Bistro in Clinton three or four times already. So what to order during this more formal visit for the February issue of Mohawk Valley Living magazine?

In fact, the dilemma goes deeper. I’ve had just about everything on the menu at the Bistro during the five years it’s been in business at East Park Row on the Village Green. Everything, except for the Lobster Macaroni-n-Cheese, since I save my lobster eating for our yearly summer vacation jaunts in Maine.

So, just when I was going to order something else this evening, out came my request for the osso bucco. Perhaps I was craving the smoky mouthfuls of pork shank. (The dish is usually made with veal elsewhere, but here the restaurant is maybe being more ethically correct.)

Or perhaps I was craving salt (I know, bad for you, but you sometimes have to just give in). Or perhaps it was the white bean cassoulet itself – the hearty legume stew as thick and complex flavorful as anything this side of Paris, France.

Whatever the choice, chef-owner Brian Mattison aims to please. “I call mine an eclectic American menu,” the affable Brian says. “It’s pretty much set on classic choices, with occasional new inspirations.” He says the most popular dinner entrées are his pistachio-encrusted salmon and the curried coconut scallops.

As an apology for the lack of mussels as an appetizer this evening, there’s a creamy and sinful Smoked Asparagus-Brie-Crab Soup as an additional starter choice.

Our table rounds out the entrées with Loin Lamb Chops Roasted with Rainbow Swiss Chard over Mushroom Risotto and Seared Coconut Jum-

The front porch is quiet this time of year, but bustling in the summer and on cool evenings with tower heaters Photo Sharry Whitney

Owner and chef Brian Mattison

BRIGGS 28

Celebrating 60 Years In Business!

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bo Curried Scallops over Jasmine Rice. Yes, Dorothy, we still are in Clinton, N.Y.!

Despite the frou-frou gastronomic offerings, Brian says he wants would-be diners not to think that the Bistro is only a fancy eatery. This despite the four elegant dining rooms upstairs and down studded with local artwork and lacy cut-paper curtains in a refurbished old Victorian house that Brian also calls home.

“I’m planning to add a hamburger to the dinner menu so that they’re something for everyone,” he says. “I want the Bistro to be less formal; it’s not just for special occasions.”

He will craft a meal for children when asked and even a special dish, such as this evening when a server quietly asks if a guest could be served a strictly vegetarian entrée. “No problem, I’ve got plenty of produce in the back and can make something,” Brian says, not missing a beat in his ongoing conversation about his background and the Bistro.

Already, he’s expanded the home’s porch himself to provide a more casual dining atmosphere for lunches and seasonal dinner-time eating, with tower heaters providing warmth well into the autumn.

Brian says he learned the culinary business practically on someone’s knee. He loves to talk and is always worth a listen.

“I studied in the school of hard knocks since I was 16,” he says. He worked in restaurants in New Jersey near Philadelphia and in Florida for years. Brian

The Victorian home setting makes for comfortable dining

Jorge’s weakness, Pork Osso Bucco over a White Bean Cassoulet

Seared Coconut Curried Jumbo Scallops over Jasmine Rice is a customer favorite

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reminisces about the year he spent running and cooking at a displaced person’s camp in St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

He returned to work locally, and when he learned the stately house in Clinton was for sale, he went for it.

It had served previously as a restaurant and a hair-dressing salon, as well as a private home and—legend has it—a rooming house.

Brian adds that the Bistro is a chef-driven undertaking, doing all of the work himself. “Everything is made fresh, made from scratch,” he says. “I’m not strictly farm-to-table, but everything is mostly local produce from local suppliers when possible from what’s in season.”

Dinner concludes this evening with spumoni cheesecake and a double-chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. Do raspberries work with anything better than dark chocolate?

While you ponder this, you can think of the other meal options at the Bistro instead of just binge eating that osso bucco. •

Smoked Asparagus-Brie-Crab Soup

Server Barbara Spinella with the Osso Bucco

Across the Row Bistro 8 E. Park Row, Clinton

315-381-3076 • www.acrosstherow.com Lunch, dinner, and private parties/meetings Dinner Thursday through Monday, starting at 5 p.m.

Lunch featured April through November

Loin Lamb Chops over Rainbow Swiss Chard

Double Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce

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MV NATURE

february Footprints in the Forest story and photos by Matt Perry By the time February rolls around, many folks are suffering from acute winter fatigue.

Not me. I find February to be one of the more interesting months to experience in the Mohawk Valley. First, you never really know what you’re going to get. Traditional winter-type weather is not always a given, and that’s especially true in this era of climate change. Typically, though, February is characterized by snow and cold and sometimes plenty of each. When there is snow cover, one of my favorite activities is to spend quality time with wildlife. The trouble is, for the most part, they don’t want to hang around with me.

So how do I go about accomplishing this seemingly impossible task? I’m so glad you asked. First, the time I spend with wildlife is decidedly after the fact. It’s more of a virtual experience. I simply follow their footprints

in the snow and interpret their beA Gray Fox checks out one of havior based on the preserve’s feeding stations the tracks they leave. You can really discern a lot about an animal from its constant trot as she made her rounds of the tracks. preserve’s feeding stations. Her route took One fine day in mid-February, we had her by six different feeders and all the while about five inches of snow on the ground. I was “virtually” trotting right behind her. By Most of it had fallen the evening before, and darting through these areas, I believe her aim so wildlife had time to record their night’s was to take by surprise any Squirrel or Mouse escapades via fresh foot prints. As usual, I’m that might be feeding. Quite suddenly her most captivated by the prints of predators like footprints, which had been evenly spaced and the Gray Fox and Coyote. They are easy to laid down in a more or less straight line, all find at our nature preserve and, let’s face it, overlapped each other. The Fox had stopped those animals lead interesting lives. They are before our double-decker feeder and jumped intensely curious and that trait is usually re- up onto the lower tier. The Fox wasn’t huntflected in their tracks. That day I started out ing now – it was looking for birdseed! tracking a Gray Fox. She maintained a near As I skied back onto the main trail, I

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caught up with the trotting Fox again. When she reached the fork in the trail, I became confused. Her footprints showed that she took both forks! What kind of a trickster animal is this? Closer inspection of her tracks revealed that she first went one way and then doubled back to take the other route. I continued following her up the main trail. She surprised me by sustaining her brisk pace for a quarter mile—the whole time remaining right in the middle of the trail. She wasn’t diverging at all. Evidently she had someplace to get to. Soon her tracks were joined by those of a Coyote. The larger canine footprints came in from the south side of the trail at the point where it crosses a creek. I suddenly understood why the Fox was speeding through this area: She was probably trying to limit her time in the Coyote’s territory.

Even though the tracks appeared together, it was clear that the coyote tracks were laid down subsequent to the Fox’s, and possibly even hours later. As I followed the tracks of the two animals, I suddenly realized that

The foot trail in February

Footprints of a Fisher

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my own ski tracks were obliterating all of the footprints. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as tracking etiquette, and I just broke it. One should always try to leave the tracks and signs of wildlife intact so others can see them. Well then, will someone please tell the animals not to trot down the center of the trail?

Speaking of obliterating footprints, after entering the deep woods, another set of tracks suddenly appeared from the right side of the main trail. This new animal was erasing its own footprints as it walked. If I didn’t know better, I would think the tracks were made by someone dragging a mop through the woods. The “mop” crossed the main trail and wound its way down into the wooded gorge. Although sometimes the Striped Skunk will erase its own footprints as it walks, these were the tracks of a Porcupine.

At that point I threw over the wild dogs (the Gray Fox and Coyote) and decided to virtually tag along with the Porcupine instead. I went off trail, skiing through the woods and paying close attention to every stop and diversion the Porcupine took. The scant amount of snow cover in the woods made it a bumpy ride. The

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Mills Electrical Supply Over 50 Years in Business Porcupine stopped at an old log, climbed up on it and walked along its top—only to come down again and continue its journey through the forest. Finally, the tracks came to the base of a hollow Beech tree.

The Porcupine entered the tree! I looked around to see if there were any tangible signs like quills. There was nothing.

I took off my skis and looked inside the wide cavity at the bottom of the tree. Did he climb up inside there? If so I didn’t see him. It turned out that there was a hole on the other side of the tree. The Porcupine availed himself of a back door and went on meandering through the woods. I followed a little while longer until I realized that I had no idea where I was. I had been looking down at the ground for so long that I neglected to keep track of where I was going. I was hoping I could sustain the rare feeling of being lost for more than a few minutes but, alas, I couldn’t. I saw a familiar grouping of trees and that was that. As for the Porcupine, they really like to eat the leaves of Eastern Hemlock trees and I fully expected his tracks to end at the base of one of those trees, but they didn’t.

They just kept going and going until he was clear off the property.

Following my own ski tracks back to the main trail, I wondered what another person would make of the set of tracks that I had laid down. Perhaps someone would “virtually” follow me sometime in the coming days or at least before the next snowfall. What would they conclude about my intents based solely on where my skis went—particularly the off-trail bushwhacking portion? I think they might conclude that I was pretty weird and that I live in a hollow beech tree with a Porcupine. •

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On the farm with Suzie

So Very, Very, VERY Pregnant!

by Suzie Jones

Thank goodness for the changing of the seasons. Every phase of the

calendar gives me something to look forward to—a variation in pace, a “changing of the gears” that forces this farmer to completely and utterly shake up her routine to face a different set of challenges. It is one of the many things I love about being a farmer.

For me, this season—the season of love—is filled with very, very, VERY pregnant goats and sheep.

The change in the calendar is the result of planning done months ago.

It was just a short five months back, in the waning days of late summer and crisp nights of early fall, that my does (female goats) and ewes (female sheep) were bred for winter babies. Decisions were made then that are now coming to fruition.

Our animals are now all snug and comfortable in the barn for the

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T HERE’S NOT HING DIFFICULT A BOU T I T.

Very pregnant Suzie winter. Because they are not out grazing the pastures as they would in summer, I have to attend to their every need. That means feeding and watering them, of course. It also means I spend much more quality, upclose-and-personal time with them.

There is a completely different vibe on the farm during these coldest of months. On summertime pastures, they avoid me, preferring to keep their heads down in the lush grasses. They are almost wild during grazing season and are far more apt to run away from me than toward me. But in the barn, I have to wade through the sea of bodies, sometimes scratching their ears as they jostle at the feeders. Although they have ample space in the barn, it’s a little like five people sharing a one-bedroom apartment: You can’t avoid one another! The wildest of them become quite docile in this environment, and I seem to make new friends or reacquaint myself with old pals in the cozy winter barn.

Babies will begin arriving any day. Until then, I make sure my very pregnant animals are waited on hand and hoof. Having had two children myself, I remember well what it’s like to be pregnant.

I didn’t care for the early months of morning sickness (which happened at all times of the day). I was jealous of the women who carried their unborn babies much like a perfect basketball, right in front. I, on the other hand, seemed to be pregnant all over, making me feel as large as a truck. I had the distinct sensation that my lungs and other vital organs were being pushed aside for the sake of a yet-to-be-seen unknown alien life form. All these sensations led to some very bizarre dreams. I once dreamt I gave birth to our cat, who then proceeded to clean himself, right in the delivery room! No matter how much I love my children, it’s safe to say I really didn’t enjoy pregnancy.

The odd thing was, my body seemed to like being pregnant. Perhaps it was because I kept active doing my regular farm chores. My blood pressure, sugar levels, heart rate, and other measures checked at the OB’s office were always excellent. In some instances, they were better than my non-pregnant state. What the heck, biology?!

But with both pregnancies, I thoroughly enjoyed

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the baby’s movements. The rolling, the stretching, yes, even the kicking were fun and exciting. Although my husband perhaps could feel the foot jutting out of my side, I felt these sensations were all for me.

So, how does a farmer tend to her pregnant animals? Perhaps regardless of species, pregnant females seem to enjoy back rubs, brushing, and general pampering in their bulky, inelegant state.

My goats and sheep are no different. They seem to welcome the attention I give them. Plus regular handling gives me the crucial opportunity to check their body condition. “Body condition scoring,” or BCS, is an important tool for checking an animal’s health. Next time you take your cat or dog to the vet’s office, see if you can spot a chart illustrating five or so different body conditions ranging from “too thin” to “too fat.” Undernourished animals will have problems with fertility, ability to support a fetus, and decreased milk production. Too fat is no good either, causing another host of problems. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.

BCS is important on an individual level, helping me identify an animal that may have a unique issue that needs attention. BCS is also important at the overall herd level, helping me identify general management issues that require adjusting. For example, if half or more of my animals are scoring lower than I would like, I may consider worm load to be a problem, or perhaps look at increasing the quality of their forage.

BCS cannot be done by simply looking at an animal. You have to get your hands on them. Ever since my sheep and goats entered their third trimester (and the cozy winter barn), I’ve been checking their body condition. I pay particular attention to the loin area, the breastbone, and the ribs, feeling for sufficient fat cover. While doing so, I get the occasional thrill of feeling a baby kick or jostle for room amongst its siblings in their increasingly cramped quarters. I’ll soon get to see them come into this world.

My role as midwife to about 80 pregnant goats and sheep is a welcome change of pace from the rest of the calendar year. In the next phase, I’ll be cuddling babies and talking softly to new, nervous Moms. As the babies find their legs, I will be treated to goat acrobatics and lamb races up and down the length of the barn. Another change in the calendar I will look forward to! • Suzie Jones and her husband, Peter, own Jones Family Farm in Herkimer. Together, with their children, they produce specialty goat cheeses and gelato. Find them at local farmers’ markets and online: www.anotherjonesfamilyfarm.com

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mohawk valley Gardens

The Difference between Pac Choi and Bok Choy

By Denise A. Szarek

Guess what? Pac choi and bok choy are the same plant. It is a leafy green Chinese cabbage that is mostly grown in Asian regions like the Philippines, China and Vietnam. Pac choi or bok choy is also called petsai, petsay, Chinese white cabbage, and white celery mustard. Though pac choi or bok choy is commonly grown in the Eastern world, it has also captivated Westerners with its sweet and tender stalks.

Here at our farm, we grow it in our greenhouses. We start it in November, in trays similar to growing our lettuce mix and other greens, and usually start harvesting in February. We continue succession planting into early spring for a steady harvest into summer. Like a lot of Asian greens it grows well in the Mohawk Valley.

Pac choi or bok choy is a small plant but can grow to 12 -18 inches tall. It grows upright from the ground. It has smooth and white stalks that resemble celery. At the end of each stalk, the plant will spread to an oval-shaped leaf. Its leaves are green or red, smooth and glossy. It can be harvested as baby size or full grown. The varieties we grow are shiro, win-win, and red choi.

Eating pac choi or bok choy can bring you several health benefits. This leafy plant is actually very low in calories. If you eat even 3.5 oz. of pac choi or bok choy, you don’t have to worry about gaining weight.

Instead, it helps the body to burn your present calories, which then leads to a weight

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reduction. It is also an abundant source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Its antioxidant properties, along with its fiber component, help your body to fight cancer-causing agents. Eating pac choi or bok choy can bring you several health benefits by being low in calories, rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and iron.

Pac choi or bok choy is a very easy plant to grow, but easy to bolt.

So it’s best grown indoors in winter or outdoors in early spring. We grow it in 18-cell landscape trays, available online or at garden centers.

We use a good quality potting soil mixed with compost. We plant every other cell with one or two seeds; after germination we transplant the second seedling to an empty cell. We plant them under grow lights during the winter, but a sunny window in your house should work just fine.

When the plant has reached the desired size we start harvesting. As cells become freed up we plant more seeds to guarantee a steady crop. If you can’t locate a cell tray to plant in, a 12-inch pot will hold 4-5 plants and as you harvest just replant to ensure a steady crop.

We get organic seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seed and High Mowing Seed. If you haven’t grown it before it’s a wonderful green to add to your spring garden.

How does it taste? To me it has a sweet taste with a velvety mouth feel and a crunchy texture. Just a great addition to your favorite stir fry or grain bowl. I have a great recipe to share with you...

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Sesame Baby Bok Choy

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1 lb. baby bok choy, halved, length-wise 1 tsp. olive oil 2 tsp. garlic, minced 2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced 2 T. soy sauce 1 T. rice vinegar 1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted 1 lemon, cut in wedges 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) Heat oil in a large pan or wok over high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and sauté 30 seconds. Add bok choy and sauté, turning, until beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes.

Add soy sauce and vinegar and sauté 1-2 more minutes until cut edges begin to brown. Serve with a drizzle of lemon and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Makes a great side dish or add a protein and you have a great meal in less than 30 minutes!

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local arts

more bode!

We’ve had great feedback from our story on Utica-born artist Mark Bode, son of famous 1960s/70s underground artist Vauhn Bode.

Some have told us they remember Vauhn Bode back in the late 50s when he was attending Proctor High School.

In the coming months we will be exploring more of Mark Bode’s work and learn about what Hollywood has planned for some of his creations.

Mural by Mark

Artist Mark Bode 40

Contact

Mark Bode through Instagram: markvbode And come back each month for more Yellow Hat comics!

Copyright Mark Bode 2018

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Mohawk Valley nature

Another Year in the Life of our Beaver Colony story &photos by matt perry

42

Unlike the study of other wildlife species, the study of Beavers enables one to witness the transformation of habitat. Beavers are large-scale habitat creators. They create ponds, wetlands, and meadows in places where they didn’t exist before and these habitats can be utilized by an entire ecosystem worth of species. Beaver dams, lodges, and even the trees they flood out will provide housing for many creatures.

Being in close proximity to all of this wildlife is a fringe benefit of studying Beavers.

Of course, Beavers are fascinating in their own right. They exhibit novel and complex behavior and when they are allowed to ply their trade and live unimpeded lives we can all benefit from knowledge gained and from reinvigorated ecosystems. The following is the first part in a two part article chronicling a year (2017) in the life of the Spring Farm Beaver colony.

We began the year 2017 with the Spring Farm Beaver colony wintering at Secret Pond, which is the fourth pond in the colony’s chain of ponds. Family members included 10 year-old Julia, the colony’s matriarch; her 5-year-old mate, GenLo; Julia’s 5-year-old daughter, Tippy; three 2-yearolds (named Sweet Flag, Winterberry, and Monkeyflower) and two yearlings. The Beaver’s underwater food supply (or food cache) appeared as an island of branches extending out about 20 feet from the Beavers’ lodge. Relatively mild temperatures in the lead-up to January limited ice coverage and that allowed the Beavers to wander freely beyond the confines of the pond.

They were able to travel into the fields and woods to retrieve more saplings for their food cache. At that time, they were concentrating their logging efforts in the vicinity of their remote, downstream ponds, including Blueberry Pond. Young White Ash trees that grew on the slopes of the stream valley were the target trees in that area. They were being cut and then dragged overland to the water. From there they were towed through

a series of ponds and canals, and heaved over dams. Ultimately, they were deposited into the underwater cache at Secret Pond.

Although the Beavers primarily inhabited the lodge at Secret Pond, they were also routinely traveling up to Morton’s Pond and were spending time in that pond’s lodge. This was the case the previous year as well. The problem with duel lodge habitation is that there is only one food cache and it’s at Secret Pond. If the ponds suddenly freeze over, a Beaver remaining in Morton’s Pond would find itself stranded with no food cache to draw on. Happily, this year the colony’s matriarch, Julia, seemed content to remain at Secret Pond. During the previous winter she became stranded at Morton’s Pond more than once.

January 2 got off to an interesting start.

I arrived at around 8 in the morning and was surprised to see Tippy out in the pond.

Of course, Beavers are only rarely seen in the post-dawn to noon time frame, but this time, there didn’t seem to be special rea-

son. The Beavers were simply going about their usual activities. The next day, action started up early again. I was at the pond at 7:30 a.m. and Beavers were everywhere.

I left to do some other chores and when I came back two hours later, the pond was still abuzz with activity. The branches I had brought over earlier were gone. What was up with these Beavers? Did someone pour a few barrels of caffeinated coffee into the pond?

A week later, everything had changed. A cold spell froze all of the ponds and I had to start busting holes in the ice to see the Beavers. Their dalliance with “early to bed, early to rise” was well over by this point and they were back to limiting their appearances to the afternoon and night-time hours.

Interestingly, the hole in the ice I was cutting for the Beavers was directly beneath our old observation shelter (a simple roof over three posts). Before it was flooded out by a rise in water levels, it was the canopy we sat beneath when visiting the pond, but

The main Beaver Ponds in January

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Julia asks for a treat then the Beavers got the idea to make the pond a few feet deeper. The end result was a canopy suspended above the Beavers’ ice hole. That’s right, now it keeps the snow and rain from falling on their heads as they enjoy treats. They stole our shelter!

By early February, the Beavers were active again in the early to mid-afternoon hours. At this point in time, the ice cover on the ponds was intermittent. They would usually be covered by a layer of ice in the morning. However, it was the kind

of thin ice that Beavers seem to revel in breaking. They accomplish this by employing a range of familiar techniques, including the bust-down method that entails a Beaver climbing up on the ice and busting it down with their weight. They may do this many times in succession to break a channel through the ice. A Beaver will also act like a torpedo and bash its head through the ice from underneath.

Just like the previous winter, keeping May Pond’s water levels up proved difficult.

They could do it when it was warm out and when the mud was pliable, but if their construction materials were frozen, they would be unable to plug its stubborn drain hole.

One task that seemed to have GenLo’s full attention was mating and on February 2, as Julia was swimming back toward the lodge, he made his move. He swam up from be-

hind her, pulled up parallel to her body, turned on his left side, and began mating with her. This was while they were still swimming under the ice!

In the last week of February the weather made a dramatic shift. Before that we had a foot of snow on the ground and the ponds were mostly frozen. Suddenly, the temperatures exceeded 60 degrees and everything changed. Snow and ice quickly vanished.

The Beavers’ activity level rose commensurately, although they were not venturing out and retrieving trees anymore. This meant that cache building was finally over.

At mid-winter, something clicks in a Beaver’s brain and he no longer has the urge to compulsively store food. Heavy rains on February 25 caused some flash flooding and the creeks that feed into the Beaver ponds were running fast and high. All Beaver dams were stressed but holding. The same day one of the resident Canada Geese returned. The return of the geese wasn’t the only harbinger of an early spring; other signs were all around. Spring Peepers were calling, Salamanders were moving at night in search of mates and new territories, Killdeer had returned, and male Woodcocks began performing their nighttime flight dis-

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plays. Meanwhile, the gregarious Muskrat at Secret Pond brought begging for treats to a whole new level. He would dance around in front of me while giving high pitched barking calls.

In the first week of March, the Beavers’ schedule was starting to give me whiplash. They went from all being out in the afternoon, to none coming out, and then to all being out again. By March 7, very low

temperatures put a thick sheet of ice on the ponds.

Even the inflow to Julia gets her Secret Pond froze sweet potato up tight. I broke a large hole in the ice right beneath the canopy and only minutes later I was greeted

by Tippy. Even though she hadn’t seen me in a couple of weeks, she had no anxiety at all about climbing out onto our rickety dock and standing before me. It reminded me of five years earlier when she and her three litter mates did something similar on the shore of the very same pond. She was more than 10 times the size now, but just as good natured. She happily accepted a sweet potato and then plunged back under the ice. In her wake both yearlings made appearances in quick succession. They grabbed apple halves from the dock and then quickly rolled back

under the ice in a seal-like manner. When there is little open water, Beavers tend to show a lot more trepidation about emerging from the ice. It’s not as if there could be a Polar Bear waiting at the rim, but they don’t take any chances and dive at the slightest noise or shadow of movement.

Over the next week, the weather continued oscillating between winter-like and spring-like conditions. The ice cover on the pond waxed and waned in response. And then on March 16, a monster of a nor’easter blew in and gave us a record breaking 36 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. The world of humans came nearly to a halt.

Most animals became marooned in place and/or were thrust into emergency survival mode. Of course, the Beavers are prepared for events like this and as long as their pond is intact and they have a food cache to draw from, they are all set. On the day of the storm I was able to visit the Beaver ponds several times, but on the morning after, it took several hours just to break the trail to the ponds. Down by Secret Pond, the foot path seemed more like a tunnel. The lower layers of snow on top of the ponds had compressed into deep slush and that’s what I had to shovel through to get to the ice. Shortly after clearing the ice hole next

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their odd creaking calls from one little vernal pond tucked away in the woods just south of the Beaver pond complex. As for the Beavers, they ceased coming out in the afternoon.

Even Julia was emerging only infrequently. A trail cam set up at Secret Pond revealed that the Beavers had been active in the predawn hours. One night at Secret Pond, Monkeyflower and a yearling were caught on camera as they worked on the roof of the lodge. It started out as Monkeyflower’s initiative and ended up as the yearling’s project. Monkeyflower was plastering the roof with mud and then dragging cut branches on top of it, while the yearling mostly concentrated on moving smaller bits of mud onto the roof. At one point he grabbed one of the wide boards from our ramshackle dock and in a great feat of strength, heaved it a few feet onto the base of the

Meadow Vole near the shore of Secret Pond

to the dock, Julia nonchalantly poked her head out. Punxsutawney Phil would likely have dove back into his burrow at the sight that met this Beaver, but Julia pulled herself up on the boards of the dock, walked into the snow cavern and took her potato. A few of the other Beavers then began checking in, but it would be a few days before I confirmed all were present.

In the first week of April, the Spring Peepers began calling in earnest. Their pleasant whistled “peeps” seemed to emanate from all points of the compass. By contrast, a smaller chorus of Wood Frogs gave

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lodge. Seasonal rains and melting snow at this time resulted in some moderate flooding. The ponds were all holding at full levels despite little sign of fresh repairs being done on the dams. There were increasing appearances made by returning waterfowl.

In mid-April, I had gone four days without seeing Julia, and then on an evening visit I finally saw her at Secret Pond. She was rather shy and wouldn’t take a treat directly from me. I had to throw it into the water for her. GenLo was finally able to repair the dam at May Pond. His building

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materials were now pliable enough to make a lasting plug for that dam’s problematic drain hole. As is typical for that pond, directly after the repair was made, the pond attained full water levels. At this point, all of the ponds were full, including the lower ones like Blueberry Pond where Wood Ducks had begun arriving. At Secret Pond, we had put up a new shelter. It was just a simple roof on fence posts. This was to replace the two that had been claimed by the rising water levels and by the Beavers.

After an afternoon of not seeing any Beavers at all, I came back in the evening on that same day. The Willow branches that had been left out in the afternoon lay untouched. Apple halves were also not taken; some had floated over the dam. Had the Beavers moved? Soon enough Tippy and one of the yearlings emerged from the main lodge, but Tippy was uncharacteristically shy, just as Julia had been a few days before. Why were they being so skittish? Did someone or some animal give them a fright? Or perhaps the true culprit was the time of year. Spring is dispersal time for young Beavers and even individuals that don’t heed the primal urge to leave the colony become anxious.

Pushing into the unknown and finding a new territory is rife with hazards. The world

outside the nature preserve A Mink does some fishing at Sarah’s Pond is not exactly Beaver-friendly. In fact, it is the opposite.

We have little knowledge of what happened to 2-year-olds that left in previous years, but we know that statistics are not encouraging.

Still we must believe that some do find a niche where they are allowed to ply their trade and live relatively happy and productive lives.

At the end of vers’ presence there. They were also movApril the Beavers were still in residence at ing around the rest of the pond system and Secret Pond although, other than Julia, none even beyond it. On April 26, for the first were coming out in the afternoon. The ap- time ever, I found signs of a Beaver some pearance of many peeled branches piled up distance east of Morton’s Pond. There were at the Secret Pond dam confirmed the Bea- about a dozen peeled branches near the cul-

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Immature Bald Eagle flies from the ponds

vert beneath our access road/trail. I saw no sign of Beavers on the opposite side of the culvert, so it was conceivable that a Beaver came this far, ate his lunch, and then returned home. This could also have been evidence that one of the 2-year-olds had dispersed. Beavers usually travel downstream when they leave their colony, but maybe this one didn’t get the memo. Meanwhile, the canal that GenLo built in the willow grove just east of Sarah’s Pond began getting a lot of attention. It was enlarged and turned into a small pond. This was not the first time a canal had been transformed into

a pond, but it was the first time the Beavers made a pond in an area fed only by surface water. Essentially, they were making a vernal pond. The tall stand of Phragmites grass that grew there had been torn up by the roots and shoved aside. The new pond was immediately accepted by Spring Peepers and Green Frogs. At this time the Beavers had a total of nine ponds and several canals in their network and this represented an all-time high.

At Secret Pond, the Beavers seemed to only be interested in poplar trees and they were especially craving the green leaves of Quaking Aspens. This made sense since they are deprived of leaves throughout the long winter. Again, I had to make evening visits to get a handle on what the Beavers were up to and get a sense of who was still in the colony. On the evening of April 27, I headed out for Secret Pond. Several Beavers were out, including Julia and Tippy. I was curious if there were new kits in the lodge, and so when Julia came out to get a

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treat, I snuck a look at her underside. According to her mammary glands (which were not swollen), she wasn’t nursing kits, but it was still early in the season. While Julia entered the east bank lodge with her snack, the two yearlings swam about in the pond. Incidentally, at this time the yearlings were named “Calla” and “Angelica,” after two native wetland plants. Calla is the quintessential busy Beaver – always a part of anything going on while Angelica is much more reserved. Otherwise, in the great tradition of Beaver yearlings, they are pretty much indistinguishable from each other.

By the first week of May, the Beavers continued to be mysterious and were not coming out in the afternoons. I had reason to believe they were still living at Secret Pond. That’s where they were doing most of their feeding, at least according to where the peeled branches were building up. In mid-May, the Beavers were still avoiding being out in mid-afternoons. However, an evening visit allowed me to see several of them. We had left some leafy Aspen branches at Secret Pond and they proved to be a major draw. Julia and the yearlings were munching away on them as if they had been cast in a salad commercial. Soon

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to to lure Julia out of the water and onto the dock. I wanted to see how she was using her back left leg. She had been having problems with that leg and/or foot for over a year and I was curious about its condition.

A few days before, I noticed she wasn’t paddling with it when she swam by me, but I really needed to see her walk on land to properly assess its condition. An adult Beaver’s back foot is very large – six inches long or more. They normally walk with their webbed toes spread, but the toes on Julia’s left foot were more clasped together.

When walking she held her foot slightly off the ground and shifted some of her weight onto the back of her leg. It was a bit of a contortion but it seemed to work for Julia Tippy and GenLo were out as well. Tippy and she was getting around alright. came in close, but GenLo kept his distance In the last week of May, the Beavers were and spent time surveying the far side of the still only infrequently being encountered in pond. Although there’s no strict protocol, the afternoons. Only Julia and sometimes mid-spring is often the time when Beavers Tippy were being seen at Secret Pond and move from their winter lodge to another in I still had no idea if there were kits in the their pond system. I was watching for signs lodge. Not seeing new kits is typical for of a move taking place, but at that point the that time of year, although sometimes they colony seemed content to remain at Secret are heard whining from inside the lodge.

Pond.

Night-time visits continued to be the only On one afternoon, I used a sweet pota- way for me to see most of the colony, although their work was always on display. Work on the dam and the corresponding rise in water levels at Morton’s Pond was an indication the Beavers were planning on moving to that pond. Generally, activity levels were ramping up around Morton’s Pond. In the last days of May, the Beavers made the anticipated move to Morton’s A male Rufous-sided Pond. Given her lame back foot, I was concerned about Towhee frequents Julia making the trip over the Secret Pond dams, but evidently she made it. She was there in the mid-afternoon, along with Tippy and one of the yearlings. For a week or so, Tippy and a few of

An American Toad at the Beaver’s new vernal pond

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Red-winged Blackbird flashes his red epaulets at the new pond

the other Beavers continued to go back and forth between Secret Pond and Morton’s Pond. That could mean that the new kits (if there were any) might be in the lodge at either pond. At this time, GenLo turned his attention to the pond at the Willow grove.

There he increased the size of the dam and dredged up more Phragmites. Recent rains kept this pond experiment at top levels. The Beavers also had their sights on the headwaters area, just upstream from Morton’s Pond. A small Ash tree had been cut and it lay directly across our foot trail. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was the prelude for what was to come. • Please look for the March issue of Mohawk Valley Living magazine to read about the rest of the year with our Beaver colony.

Matt Perry is Conservation Director and resident naturalist at Spring Farm CARES in Clinton. He manages a 260 acre nature preserve which is open for tours by appointment. Matt is also regional editor of “The Kingbird”, which is a quarterly publication put out by the New York State Ornithological Association. Matt’s short nature videos can be viewed on the web. Look for Spring Farm CARES Nature Sanctuary on Facebook.

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Mohawk valley astronomical society

Star Light, Star Bright by carol higgins

When we look up at the night sky, the vast majority of the objects we see are stars.

In fact, if we are away from town and city lights and there is no moonlight, we can see about 4,000 stars from the Mohawk Valley.

In places like New York City and Boston, the number dramatically goes down to around 40. Although most stars look the same and appear as a tiny point of white light, they actually vary greatly in color, size and age.

The color of a star can tell us a lot. Stars are categorized using a system that was first devised and based on a discovery in 1802 by William Wollaston in England.

Wollaston noticed that when a thin beam of sunlight was directed through a prism, the resulting colors included very specific black lines. It was later determined that those colors (the spectrum) and the position and thickness of the black lines reveal the elements that make up the star, its distance, age, and motion. By 1882, some research telescopes were fitted with a prism and a camera to photograph the spectrum of stars. The resulting photographic plates were then analyzed, and each star was methodically cataloged by hand.

The person credited with creating the simplified star classification system that is still in use today is Annie Jump Cannon. Her system used only seven letters (OBAFGKM) to categorize stars by their temperature, with O as the hottest and largest and M as the coolest and smallest. Hired in 1890 by Harvard College Observatory, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum re-

ports she could look at the spectra of a star on a photographic plate and categorize it in just three seconds! During her career she classified over 350,000 stars.

Stars have a life cycle. They form when “clouds” of gas (mainly hydrogen and helium) collapse and heat up while bound together by gravity. While they Hanny’s Voorwerp. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, W. Keel, Galaxy Zoo Team live, nuclear fusion burns their Hubble shot of the heart of our Milky Way galaxy fuel. As they age, their compoImage credit: NASA, ESA, and T. Brown sition changes. The largest stars explode into a supernovae while the smaller stars burn out. Al For a good example of the color of though it may seem counterintuitive, the stars, take a look at Betelgeuse in the left larger the star, the faster it burns its fuel and “shoulder” of Orion. It is a red supergiant explodes. Our Sun is about 4.6 billion years star growing larger as it nears the end of its old, about half way through its life. It is life, and could explode at any time. Capella classified as a G type star, a yellow dwarf. is a binary system that is golden in color.

Although huge compared to our planet – You can find it by following a line from the you could fit one million Earth’s inside – it top two stars of the bowl of the Big Dipper is on the small side of the size scale. One (away from the handle). Take a look; the of the largest stars known in the universe is stars in the sky have a story to tell! red hypergiant VY Canis Majoris, a star so Wishing you clear skies! • big that if it was in the center of our solar system, it would extend out past Jupiter.

The brightest star in our night sky is Sirius, located in constellation Canis Major Join MVAS from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. next to constellation Orion. To find Sirius, on February 17 at Barton-Brown draw a line from the right-most star in the belt of Orion toward the left-most star then Observatory, 206 White St., Watercontinue on to bright blue-white Sirius. A ville, for an evening of stargazing. closer look through a telescope reveals a surprise: There are two stars. Interestingly, The event is free. over half of the stars you see are actually two or more stars orbiting each other.

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The Everyday Adventures of Mohawk Valley Girl

The Sandwich Chef in Little Falls

by Cynthia Quackenbush, photos: Melinda Karastury

When I was in Little Falls, recently pursuing Mohawk Valley adventures, I stopped for a cup of tea at The Sandwich Chef. Now I have yet another place I want to bring my husband for lunch.

I looked longingly at the cookies, muffins, and pieces of pie in the display cases, but I did not want to spoil my supper so just went with the tea. I sat down at a table to enjoy it and, as I usually do at these times, opened a notebook and started writing.

The Sandwich Chef is a small, cozy café, with a television on and distinctive art on the walls. I looked closer and saw most of it was by Rooti-Patooti, an artist from Kentucky. I also saw a print I had recently noticed a few doors down.

“You got that at Huckleberry Letterpress,” I said. Stupidly, I did not write down what it said, but it was about not whining, so I should probably go back to Huckleberry and buy one for my own wall. Anyway, I had nothing to whine about as I sipped my tea and wrote.

I noticed that I could have had mushroom stew or a turkey delight wrap as one of “today’s features.” While I was there, a lady came in and ordered some potato salad to go. Mmmm… potato salad. However, I knew my husband, Steven, already had dinner planned so I did not surprise him.

The Sandwich Chef is expanding and moving to 22 North Ann St. on April 10, 2018

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I saw a shelf with bottles and jars. It was Sandwich Chef products: Sweet Baby Beets, Bacon Ranch Dressing, Chili Sauce, and more. How great is that!

How many times do you go to a restaurant and just love their sauce and want to bring it home?

When I got home, I looked at The Sandwich Chef’s Facebook page and saw that they serve breakfast as well as wraps, salads, panini, and more. When I left, I told Bonita that I hoped to bring my husband in for lunch as soon as we have a day off together. Now I’m thinking I may not wait that long. •

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When The Sandwich Chef first opened in 2012, the locals scoped it out and gave their approval

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classical mv

Judy Beichner Marchione Hometown: Cassville, NY

Instrument: Bassoon

Age when began music: Started recorder in grade 4 in Indiana. Started on Clarinet in the 5th grade and changed to the bassoon in the 9th grade.

Education: Studied music education the first two years of college and then switched to music performance. Received bachelor’s degree in music performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Master’s degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music.

Current Employment/ Position: Currently bassoonist with the Catskill Sympony (Oneonta, NY), Clinton Symphony, and the Utica Symphony. Performed with the Tri-City Opera, Binghamton Philharmonic, and the Schenectady Symphony. Member of the Jewel Winds Woodwind Quintet (www.jewelwinds.yolasite.com), the Alliance Chamber players, and a former member of the Lavender Trio. Member of the B Sharp Musical Club and senior advisor to the Junior B Sharp Musical Club. Project manager for United Health Group.

Collaborations: I enjoy collaborating with other musicians in the chamber music setting. The Jewel Winds have developed various musical programs for schoolage children and host master classes for various school systems in the area.

Influences: My bassoon teachers throughout my college career still influence my playing. David van Hoesen, during my time at Eastman was amazing. My undergraduate years were spent in Cleveland where I had the wonderful opportunity to study with George Goslee, the principal bassoonist of the Cleveland Orchestra.

My Family: I have a very supportive family. My husband Ken is a Professor of Art and Director of Academic Affairs at Pratt at MWPAI. Our son, Jonathon, is a freelance illustrator in Baltimore (www.jonmarchione.com). Our daughter, Elisa, is a High School math teacher in North Carolina.

Personal Quote/artist statement: I find it so important to exposure children to music. I am so grateful for the music educators in the area. Both my children went through our local school system’s music program. That education helped provide them the basis to succeed in their goals. I am always working with the school system to start beginning bassoonists to create that love of music to enrich their lives.

Upcoming Performances: Alliance Chamber Players at Rome Art Center on Saturday, Feb 3rd at 7:00 p.m., Catskill Symphony Orchestra, Saturday, March 10th at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Sharry Whitney

In cooperation with

59

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Open Tues-Fri: 9-4, Sat: 9-2, Closed Sun & Mon 61

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Newport’s Best Kept Secret for Primitive Gifts!

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NEWPORT MARKETPLACE Top Notch Garden Center 7583 Main St., Newport, NY (315) 845-8822

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MOHAWK ANTIQUES MALL The Online Exchange We Can Help You Buy, Sell, and Trade Globally!

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Herkimer county historical society

Artist Clarence “Carl” Hodge, 1875-1969

By Susan Perkins, Town of Manheim Historian

I was contacted by email by a Lieut. Joe Davis of Akron, Ohio, asking if I knew anything about Carl Hodge who had lived in Herkimer. Joe’s maternal grandmother, Edith Belle Woolever-Nielsen (1898-1986) and her husband, Ralph Thorwald Christiansen Nielsen (1896-1941), were friends of Carl Hodge and his wife, Flora E. Beckingham Hodge.

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They were all part of the deaf community in Herkimer.

Carl boarded with Edith and Ralph in the early 1900s.

Clarence “Carl” Hodge (1875-1969) was born in Canastota, N.Y., the son of DeWitt (1851-1947) and Louisa (Vibbert) Hodge (1856-1935). Clarence attended school at Canastota and was a graduate of the Rome School for the Deaf, where he was valedictorian of the class of 1908. He married Flora Elizabeth Beckingham (1877-1942) of Herkimer, the daughter of Henry G. Beckingham (1853-1908) and Amelia Schmidt Beckingham (1852-1918). Clarence and Flora met at the Rome School for the Deaf. They were married April 15, 1908, at the home of her parents on George Street in Herkimer. After their marriage, Clarence and Flora lived on Bellinger Street in Herkimer. Clarence

worked at Standard Furniture as a wood finisher for more than 50 years.

An article on Clarence Hodge and his hobby of doing crayon drawing and oil paintings ran in the Utica Observer Dispatch on a Sunday in September 1942: “His father sent him to an art teacher in Canastota when he was still a boy and Hodge took five lessons from the teacher. He quit when the teacher told him he already knew more than could be taught him there. He has never had a lesson since, he said.”

Clarence continued with his hobby while he was a pupil at the Rome State School for the Deaf. He gave his works of art to friends. He never attempted a commercial career as an artist. The article mentions that he did a black-and-white crayon drawing of the New York Central Railroad track trains, which were

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the fastest express trains between two stops. He did large-sized crayon drawing of his wife, Flora, when she was young. He drew a portrait of his father, Dwight Hodge, when he was 91. I wonder what happened to these works of art.

Fortunately, Lieutenant Davis had four of Clarence’s oil paintings that were in possession of his parents, Jack (1925-2017) and Patricia (Nielsen) Davis. Joe kept one and donated the other three to the Herkimer County Historical Society. The paintings were originally given to Joe’s mother, Patricia, and grandmother Edith Nielson. Only one of the paintings has a title, which is Summer; the second one is a winter scene, and the third one is signed and dated 61.The paintings have a charm to them. The colors are very vivid. I wonder if anyone else has a crayon drawing or oil painting of Hodge’s. •

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Shawangunk nature preserve, cold brook Betty and Roland just before getting married, 1942

TALES FROM

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Little Falls

Antique Center

More than 50 vendors on 2 floors!

Canal Place, Little Falls Open Every Day 10-5 315-823-4309 www.littlefallsantiquecenter.com

68

In 1974, Tim and Peggy Spencer Behrendt set off on an adventure. They began a new life in the woods of Cold Brook, NY, without modern conveniences like electricity or indoor plumbing. These are excerpts and reflections from Peggy’s journal chronicling their adventures and also her childhood memories growing up in Westmoreland.

“Whack! Whack! Whack!” The sharp ring of metal on rigid water disturbs the frigid stillness of our forest, slumbering in icy winter. Tim is kneeling on the frozen creek, trying to chop a hole in the deep ice that has formed during the night. I hope he can find the old hole where ice is thinnest; otherwise, he will waste a lot of energy trying to get through the many inches that have accumulated since it first froze many weeks ago.

I’m grateful that my warm clothes are already layered together so I can slip right into them, because the fire is out, the cottage is cold, and the thermometer says it is minus 20 outside. My friend Richard used to be able to tell how cold it was by the amount of frost on the nails that stuck through the ceiling in the attic bedroom where he slept with his many younger siblings on his family farm. He’d also dress hurriedly in the cold, but then went to do chores in the barn where it was warm from

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the heat generated by all the cows and farm “Not yet.” He is lifting a heavy splitting maul high above his head to increase the animals.

I clean out the ashes from the last day’s force of his cut. Shards of ice fly up like a fires in the wood stove before I rekindle fountain of frozen fire. it, because it’s hard (and dangerous) to do “You need goggles!” I yell as loud as I when it is full of blazing flames. I empty can. the ashes into a metal bin outside. They “I know!” will eventually be spread on the garden for Finally, I have the wood stove blazing their lime and potassium. A few hot em- with fire and he brings in brimming buckbers are still smoking. ets of crystal clear water, some of which “Did you find it?” I sloshes onto the floor. I mop it up with call out to Tim as I pass a rag that I by the path to the creek.

A chickadee sings cheerily nearby in the balsam branches.

Slate gray Juncos flutter up from pecking seeds below the bird feeder. They are plump with extended feathers to keep warm, and even their wings are held from their bodies to increase the volume of down insulation.

“What?”

Tim yells, lifting his head.

Tim clears our water hole “Did you find the old hole?”

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Timmy, left, with his dear Aunt Soppy and big brother, Dave

then use it to wipe up some spilled ashes in front of the stove.

Tim next takes out the chamber pot, and empties it into a big can near the garden, which will benefit from the nitrogen it contains when I spread it in the spring.

I start the oatmeal and can just about do my 50 leg lifts, 50 sit-ups and 40 push-ups for the day, before it begins to bubble.

If know that if I don’t do them now, I never will, and it warms me up. Tim, however, waits ‘til the last minute, when we are preparing for bed before he does his. We both hate doing them.

Mittens hangs over the edge of the loft, meowing. I tickle her big, soft paws before gently lifting her down, and she hurries to her food dish. Tim brings in several loads of firewood and the constant door opening keeps the cottage chilled. But, at last, morning chores are finished, our cottage warms, he sits in his cushioned rocker where he can watch the birds at the feeder, puts his feet up by the stove, and receives a big bowl of organic oatmeal with coconut milk, cinnamon, fresh Mittens looks down apples, and nuts.

“When I first saw you, Peg,” from the loft Tim says, “You reminded me of my Aunt Soppy. (Her name was really Florence.) When I was really little, I asked her one day, ‘Is I pitty, Soppy?’ And she answered with convincing emphasis, ‘You’re beautiful, Timmy!’ and I’ve loved her ever since.”

“That was lucky for me, eh?” I reply. When I was 12, I was mostly in love with cats and horses. In 1961, my sixth grade diary was addressed to a cat we had that had died and gone to heaven, I assumed.

Feb 13, 1961 Dear Kitty, In school I was in seventh heaven. I sort of went around

when I look back at you I will think I was silly then. I don’t think so.

I sometimes don’t remember you, but don’t believe me. I’ll always love you no matter what.

XXX (heart, heart, heart), Love, Peggy

Peggy read a lot of comic books

with Gene, Ross, and Raymond. All of them are sweet. In music class I realized what would happen if the communists got us in their power. I am terribly worried about the Russians. I went shopping and got seven new comic books.

I love you! I love you! I love you!

Peggy Feb 14, 1961 Dear Kitty, We celebrated St. Valentine’s Day in school during science. Gene Hartman wasn’t there so I couldn’t give him his Valentine. The other boys made fun of it.

Sincere love (heart), Peggy Feb 15, 1961 Dear Kitty, I went to the Millers’ house and Donna and I had races by dragging ourselves on the floor in odd positions. I burnt my feet once. Pat got mad because I crawled under her mattress. Then, Donna, Doug, and I crawled around in the dark pretending we were autos and having crackups.

Everyone seems to think I will change, that I won’t care about horses or cats and

Of course, I loved my parents best of all, but didn’t see them together that much.

While Dad earned our living, Mom took care of her children, providing us with endless opportunities and activities throughout the winter. We went to the YW in Utica to swim; the Clinton arena to ice skate; the Parkway ski slope on Burrstone Road, or in front of the Utica Catholic Academy on Genesee Street for sledding; went on winter hikes and picnics with an outdoor fire near a frozen pond to skate on, or explored the ruins of the old Barn Castle in Vienna, N.Y. When she became frustrated with overwork and couldn’t stand the chaos caused by five children in the house, she’d get out the vacuum cleaner and furiously clean, demanding that we, likewise, clean our rooms.

Now I may have been planning to clean my room anyway, but since she said I had to, of course I no longer wanted to. So, I’d stomp around, kicking my scattered clothes into a pile, (since she wouldn’t let me use a broom to do it), accomplishing absolutely nothing, but making a lot of noise, and getting into trouble.

One snowy winter day when I’d just come in from building a snowman and she was preparing another wonderful meal for the seven of us in our deliciously warm kitchen, she told me about how she used to go to McCauley Mountain to ski via the “Snow Train” that ran between Utica and Thendara.

“There’ll be a change in the weather,” she sang. “Almost everybody on the train would be singing this to the rhythm of

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the wheels on the tracks,” she explained, then took me by the hands and we danced joyfully around the kitchen table, as she continued singing her song (“There’ll Be Some Changes Made” - sung by the Boswell Sisters with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra).

She had a song for everything! These were special moments, and I loved to hear about her youth, but didn’t really understand the depth of the relationship between my parents. To me, it seemed simply functional and pleasant. I knew they must have had something special going on (or we wouldn’t be here), but I didn’t see evidence of it beyond the day-to-day practicalities of life, occasional gifts, and a good night kiss.

They were married in 1942, less than six months after Pearl Harbor, in Clark Mills where Dad had grown up. He’d recently enlisted and while training at the Naval Aviation Maintenance Training School in Memphis, Tenn., they wrote each other every day, sometimes twice. Finding the letters they wrote during this separation has been a heartwarming testament for me of the tender love that brought them together.

My father, Roland, writes:

Peggy at age 2, 1950

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The people here are very nice to us. A lot of them ride horses. I don’t know whether they can’t afford cars or whether horses are better in the mud, and there’s plenty of that!

There are a lot of stories about servicemen stepping out on their wives and sweethearts, but you’d be surprised that most do not. They don’t even look at the girls. And you can be sure I don’t.

I’ve got too nice a wife at home to do anything like that.

Gee, the time we’ve spent together was good, honey. And the time we spend in the future is going to be better I promise you. This war can’t go on much longer, and I know it won’t be long before we’re together permanently again.

Honey, you mean more to me than anything else in the world. I love you and want you. Don’t think anything else!

Don’t forget to keep thinking of me. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Skiers waiting for the Utica Snow Train in Thendara, 1937

Hi, Honey, Another day done and I’m tired, discouraged, and lonesome. I’m missing you more and more. I wish I had you here.

I feel like talking to you all the time but I guess this is the closest thing there is to it.

It seems awfully funny here, hon. The negroes get off the sidewalk to let you by and they have separate drinking fountains and movie seats. Another thing that seems strange is that they don’t sell liquor in bar rooms or night clubs. We went in a place for a beer and sandwich and everyone who came in bought chasers, like 7 Up or Coke, then pulled a bottle out of their pockets and mixed a drink.

Roland From my mother, Betty, in Utica: Hello, My Darling, Sometimes when I get an extra special desire to see you, it’s a good thing you’re not here – because if you were, there wouldn’t be much of anything left of you. I love you so much that you would be squeezed to almost nothing.

Last night when Marion and I were writing in bed, she wrote to George that steam was rising from our pens because of the “warm” things

Peg’s dad, Roland Spencer when he met Betty

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Fogelberg, “What I’ll give you since you asked, is all my time together… this is what I give, this is what I ask you for … nothing more.”

In my heart, unspoken, this was my pledge to my husband, my soul mate, my confidant, my friend. And so it has transpired; we are together, and have been almost 24/7 for 43 years.

My favorite time with him is at night when the stress and conflicts of the day melt into the oblivion of sleep. My best friend lies next to me, holding me, keeping me warm; our hearts beating and breaths flowing together as we enter that mysterious somnolent consciousness with arms and legs entwining and separating in a gentle flow of sweet comfort and meaning.

Sharing my life with my best friend … what more can I ask? “…Nothing more.” •

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Peg’s mom, Betty Renew when she met Roland

FIND OUT FOR YOUR Peg and Tim have been married 44 years

we were putting down on paper. Maybe so!

This morning at the train station in Utica, I heard a squeal and turned around and saw a girl flying across the front of the station into her soldier-boy’s arms and give him a big “smacker.” That’s what I’m going to do. At least the “smacker” part of it.

Well, honey. I’m thinking of you oodles and I love you much – xxxxxx Love, Betty

When Tim and I were conditionally married on Valentine’s Day in 1974 my pledge was, “I promise to love and hate you.”

His was: “Will you be my Valentine?” We were both afraid we couldn’t promise more than the reality of the moment, and the reality of life. But during this trial marriage, our commitment and affection deepened, and I often found myself singing lyrics from a Judy Collins song, written by Dan

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GENESEE JOE’S

live & local “February made me shiver, with every paper I’d deliver….”

The shortest and hardest month of the winter has arrived! This month I spoke with the Country Rock Coalition. This band is an off-shoot of Grit N Grace. Grit N Grace is a country music powerhouse in CNY, fronted by Jackie Pop. The other members are Dave Brown, guitar; Bob Lett, bass; and Frank Hanyak, drums. Here’s what Bob Lett had to say regarding the differences between GNG and Country Rock Coalition: “CRC is a three-piece; just the guys in Grit N Grace without Jackie. We play a wide variety of songs, including ’60s through ’90s rock and male-fronted modern country we normally would not cover in Grit N Grace with a female singer. The main reason we started CRC is when Jackie wanted to take a day off we would like to play on those times. So we started this as a Grit N Grace trio playing every once in a while, but we eventually decided to keep it as a separate band from Grit N Grace so there would be less confusion.”

Dave Brown adds: “I would say the main difference between the two bands (or the reason for the two bands) is we play a more wide variety of music styles in Country Rock Coalition that we do not cover in Grit N Grace.

For example, Ed Sheeran and classic rock artists such as Neil Young, David Bowie, and we are working toward adding some Motown and ’90s to current artists such as John Mayer and Dave Matthews. As for other material look for TP and The Heartbreakers, AC/DC, The Rascals, The Cars, Steve Miller Band, REM, CCR, Skynyrd, Zep, ZZ Top, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Brantley Gilbert, Eric Church. We will throw in blues, pop, Motown.”

CRC members have widely varied careers in music with both local, regional, and touring bands. Dave Brown carries a long list of credentials,

74

including having gone to school for The Country Rock Coalition classical guitar. H has an Associate’s degree from Onondaga Community College, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He played solo classical guitar from 1992 to 2002, and taught music at many schools, including OCC, Crane, St. Lawrence University, and National Music Workshop.

This band really plays with feeling and I personally have played songs with these guys that started out with a shrug. They may remember a version of Blackfoot’s “Train Train” that went quite well, although we weren’t going to play it until we were….

For more on Country Rock Coalition and Grit N Grace check them out on Facebook.

News N Notes: • The hardest working woman in local music, Cathie Timian, has many irons in the fire, including the Mohawk Valley Jazz Society, They have open Jazz Jams twice a month: 1st Wednesdays at Utica Brews and 3rd Wednesdays at Tiny’s Grill. Look for info on this and Cathie’s many open mics and gigs on Facebook, too.

• Congratulations to the Tramontane Café on its 10th year anniversary. There are many true supporters of local music, and the Tram crew is truly one of them.

Listen to Genesee Joe live on 92.7FM, The DRIVE.

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7509 Route 5 • Clinton, New York 13323 • Phone 315-853-8804 75

Community Organizations Mohawk Valley Food Action . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Consignment The Online Exchange, Dolgeville . . . . . . . 63 The Queen’s Closet, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Walk-in Closet, Barneveld . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) Szarek Greenhouses, Clinton . . . . . . . . . 49 Delis Little Italy Imports, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Olde Kountry Market, Vernon . . . . . . . . . 33 LaFamiglia Bosonne’s Sausage, Utica . . . . . 33 Dentistry Neighborhood Family Dentistry, Utica . . . . 10 Diners Adirondack Diner and Lanes, Barneveld . . 53 Charlie’s Place, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Riverside Diner, Marcy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Sheri’s Diner, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Suzi’s Place, Bouckville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Wendy’s Diner, Cassville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Dog Training Canine Sports, Unl., Whitesboro . . . . . . . 43 Dog Sitting Barney’s Angels, Frankfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Estate Sales Attic Addicts, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 The Potting Shed Antiques, Whitesboro . . . 64 Events, Entertainment, and Activities Capitol Theatre Cartoon Madness . . . . . . 40 Goodsell Museum, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . 11 Hamilton College Performing Arts, Clinton . . 7 Lewis County Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Old Forge, Town of Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Stanley, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Stoltzfus Family Dairy Open House . . . 2 View, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Farm Equipment Clinton Tractor, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Hobby Hill Farm Sales, Rome . . . . . . . . . . 67 White’s Farm Supply, Waterville/Canastota . . 80 Farm markets Dunham Public Library Market, Whitesboro . . 45 Top Notch Garden Center, Newport . . . . . 63 Feed, Animal Carhart’s Feed & Pet Supply . . . . . . . . . . 7 Kast Hill Farm, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Financial Services Van Meter & Van Meter, Little Falls . . . . . . 22 Firewood and Wood Pellets Lincoln Davies, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Fitness & Gyms Curves, Herkimer and Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Paragon Athletic Club, New Hartford . . . . . 73 Flooring D & D Carpets, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Lincoln Davies, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Florists Clinton Florist, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Michael’s Greenhouse, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . 13 Village Florals, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Funeral Services McGrath, Myslinski, Karboski & Nunn, Utica . . 39 Prince-Boyd & Hyatt, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Furniture Ironwood Furniture, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Jeff ’s Amish Furniture, Jordanville . . . . . . . 37 Furniture Makers Custom Woodcraft, Munnsville . . . . . . . . . 53 Garden Centers and Greenhouses Michael’s Greenhouse, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . 13 Top Notch Garden Center, Newport . . . . . 63 Gift Shops/Shopping Between Us Sisters, Munnsville . . . . . . . . . . 16 Butternut Barn, Richfield Springs . . . . . . . . 62 Fusion Art Gallery, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Little Falls Antique Center, Little Falls . . . . 62 Main Street Gift Shoppe, Newport . . . . . . . . 63 Newport Marketplace, Newport . . . . . . . . . 63 Oneida Commons, Oneida . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Remington Country Store, Ilion . . . . . . . . . 16 Simply Primitives, Boonville . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Golf Courses and Driving Range Twin Ponds Golf & Country Club, NY Mills . . 30 Grocery/Convenience Stores The Country Store, Salisbury . . . . . . . . . . 57 Deansboro Superette, Deansboro . . . . . . . 32 Kountry Kupboard, Madison . . . . . . . . . . 6 Little Italy Imports, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Mohawk Village Market, Mohawk . . . . . . . 46 Olde Kountry Market, Vernon . . . . . . . . . 33 Reilly’s Dairy, Inc., Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Hardware/Lumber/Farm & Home Lincoln Davies, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Morgan’s Hardware, Waterville . . . . . . . . . . 37 Pohlig Enterprises, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Turner Lumber, Barneveld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Wightman Specialty Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Hearing Consultants Hearing Health Hearing Centers, Rome . . . . 73 Horse Boarding Kast Hill Farm, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Insurance Gates-Cole Insurance, New Hartford . . . . . 12 Farm Family Insurance, Boonville . . . . . . . 45 Turnbull Insurance, New Hartford . . . . . . . . 8 Interior Design/Custom Window Treatments The Added Touch Drapery, New Hartford . . . 27 Jewelry Alison’s Jewelry & Repair, Utica . . . . . . . . 43 Fall Hill Beads & Gems, Little Falls . . . . . . 15 Freeman & Foote Jewelers, Utica . . . . . . . 25 Goldmine Jewelers, New Hartford . . . . . . 32 Marble Road Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Lighting Mills Electrical Supply, Rome . . . . . . . . . . 34 Liquor Stores and Wine Ilion Wine & Spirits, Ilion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Trenton Station Liquor & Wine, Barneveld . . 6 Maple Syrup (see Produce) Meats, locally raised (see Produce) Media 92.7 The Drive WXUR, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . 74 FOX33/WUTR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Weekly Adirondack, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . 15 WKAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Monuments & Memorials Burdick & Enea Memorials, Clinton . . . . . . 48 Yorkville Memorials, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Natural Food Stores Brenda’s Natural Foods, Rome . . . . . . . . . . 57 Cooperstown Naturals, Cooperstown . . . . . 24 Peter’s Cornucopia, New Hartford . . . . . . . . 70 Sunflower Naturals, Barneveld . . . . . . . . . . 16 Tom’s Natural Foods, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Optometrists Towpath Vision Care, Little Falls . . . . . . . 31 Paint and Painting Supplies Lincoln Davies, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Pohlig Enterprises, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . 31 Urbanik’s Paint & Wallpaper Co., Utica . . . . . 13 Pharmacies Garro Drugs, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Physical Therapy Inertia PT, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Pizzerias DiCastro’s Brick Oven, Rome . . . . . . . . .

Laurey’s Pizzeria, New Hartford . . . . . . .

Mangia Macrina’s Pizza, New Hartford . .

Primo Pizzeria, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony’s Pizza, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . .

57 55 55 54 56

Portable Toilets and Bathrooms Mohawk Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 66 Primitives Between Us Sisters, Munnsville .

Butternut Barn, Richfield Springs Main Street Gift Shop, Newport Simply Primitives, Boonville . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Produce, Local Ben & Judy’s Sugarhouse, West Edmeston . .

Jewett’s Cheese, Earlville . . . . . . . . . . .

Jones Family Farm, Herkimer . . . . . . . .

Shaw’s Maple Products, Clinton . . . . . .

Stoltzfus Family Dairy, Vernon Center . .

Sunnybrook Farm, Deansboro . . . . . . .

Three Village Cheese, Newport . . . . . . . .

Tibbits Maple, New Hartford . . . . . . . .

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16 62 63 20

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39 16 28 17 2 14 13 35

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Quilt and Yarn Shops/Services Love & Stitches, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . 7 Tiger Lily Quilt Co, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Real Estate Hunt Real Estate, Welcome Home Team . . . 32 Scenic Byway Realty, Richfield Springs . . . . 48 Record Stores Off-Center Records, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Restaurants and Cafés Across the Row Bistro, Clinton . . . . . . . . 53 Ann St. Deli, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Bagel Grove, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Bite Bakery and Cafe, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Black Cat Cafe, Sharon Springs . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Black Stallion, Vernon . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Club Monarch, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Country Store, Salisbury . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Delta Lake Inn, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 The Dessert Booth, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . 53 DiCastro’s Brick Oven, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Fat Cats, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Gone Coastal, Lee Center . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Heidelberg Baking Co., Herkimer . . . . . . . 54 Jamo’s Restaurant, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . 54 Karam’s Middle East Bakery, Yorkville . . . . 58 Killabrew, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Main Street Ristorante, Newport . . . . . . . . 63 Mangia Macrina’s Pizza, New Hartford . . . 55 Mi Casa, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Minar Fine Indian Cuisine, New Hartford . . 55 Nothin’ Fancy Cafe, Vernon . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Ohio Tavern, Cold Brook . . . . . . . . . . 57 Patty Jean’s Country Restaurant, Newport . . 56 Phoenician Restaurant, New Hartford . . . . 56 The Pickle Boat Grill, Old Forge . . . . . . . . 57 Raspberries Cafe, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Riverside Diner, Marcy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 RoSo’s Cafe & Catering, Utica . . . . . . . . . . 58 Route 69 Steakhouse, Whitesboro . . . . . . . 58 Sammy & Annie Foods, Utica . . . . . . . . . . 58 Wendy’s Diner, Cassville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Willie’s The Original Bagel Cafe, Utica . . . 58

sponsor news THOMPSON APPLIANCE & FURNITURE

Thompson Appliance and Furniture announces its new location in Rome

Thompson Appliance and Furniture, the provider of brand name appliances and furniture has expanded its business and opened a new store in Rome NY. The store officially opened for business on January 8, 2018 and offers customers a wide selection of brand name appliance such as Ge, Whirlpool, Kitchenaid, Speed Queen, Frigidaire and LG. As well as brand name furniture such as Jackson/Catknapper, Klaussner, Coaster, Liberty,Mega Motion and Riverside to name a few. They will also carry a full line of mattresses by Serta and Enso. They also offer dishwasher installation, free delivery and free removal.

Spokesperson, Marty Winchell owner and operator along with his wife Sue, expressed their enthusiasm about the new launch on January 8th stating “We are very excited to expand our business to Rome, we believe Rome will be a good fit for our company offering the public with quality products and personalized customer service. After being in our family owned business for 30 years in our Oneida location, we have a passionate commitment to care for our customers and there growing needs.”

The new store’s location is: 5819 Rome Taberg Rd, Rome, NY 13440

New Director of Visual Arts and Exhibitions at VIEW in Old Forge

A native of Central New York, Mr. Gardner joins View after serving as the Gallery Director and Assistant Professor at Peru State University in Nebraska. He has also taught environmental art, drawing, and art history at Utica College, has served as Exhibitions Coordinator at Light Work Gallery for Syracuse University, and has served as Executive Director of the Kirkland Art Center.

New York Mills Alumni “Gala” planned for Summer of 2018!

An unprecedented event involving any and all alumni that ever graduated from the halls of the Mills, plus faculty and staff, are all invited to gather as one to celebrate what, as event organizer Don Bombace deems, as the “Reunion of ALL reunions.”

“Our 5 member planning committee is coordinating many events for the weekend, including a Friday night evening mixer, a high school tour, a golf tournament, a picnic, and a Sunday Brunch, all around a huge Saturday evening Gala at Daniele’s Banquet House in New Hartford. More events are under development.”

The Gala takes place the weekend of August 4th, 2018. Tickets go on sale January 2018.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...PLEASE SEE: Facebook page: NYM Alumni Gala or EMAIL: nymmauraders@gmail.com

The Willows, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Shoes Karaz Shoes, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The Village Crossing, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . 34

LAST MONTH’S riggie’s RIDDLE ANSWER

Small Engine Repair J.B.’s Small Engine Works, Utica . . . . . . . . 47 SD Power, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Snowblowers J.B.’s Small Engine Works, Utica . . . . . . . . 47 SD Power, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Snowmobiles/ATVs Hobby Hill Farm, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Tax Services Brigg’s Tax Service, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . . 28 Towing Services Clinton Collision, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Tree Services and Tree Farms Turk Tree Service, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Travel Agencies The Cruise Wizards, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . 71 Websites Utica Remember When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Weddings and Banquets Club Monarch, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Twin Ponds Golf & Country Club, NY Mills . . 30 Wellness Infinity Tree Healing, New Hartford . . . . . 14 Windows RA Dudrak, The Window King, Holland Patent

. . 44

Wineries Prospect Falls Winery, Prospect . . . . . . . . . 51 Yarn and Knitting Supplies Love & Stitches, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . 7

The answer to last month riddle about a club that began 150 years ago from a popular winter sport in Utica: Utica Curling Club The winner drawn from a record number of correct entries was: Coleen Compton of Salisbury Center. She is splitting her shopping spree between Newport Marketplace and Little Falls Antique Center.

Even on your busiest day, there is time for

Great

EASY FOOD

Yogurt Stoltzfus Family Dairy, Vernon Center . . . 2

78

See Remington firearms and artifacts from the 1800s to today.

Shop for clothing, hats, and souvenirs in the Country Store.

14 Hoefler Avenue, Ilion (315) 895-3200 FREE! Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm (store closes 4:30pm)

u

at

& COUNTRY STORE

Sun N

MUSEUM

r e w flo rals foods

Feed your body, nurture your soul.

Quality Products for 21 years!

Open Mon: 10-5, Tues-Fri: 10-6 8024 Route 12, Barneveld 896-2820

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Stop in today and see why it’s so easy to do business with Steet-Ponte!

Steet-Ponte Chevrolet

Steet-Ponte Ford Lincoln Mazda

3036 State Route 28 Herkimer, NY 13350 (315) 866-5080

5074 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-3381

Steet-Ponte Volkswagen

Steet Toyota Scion

5046 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-8291

4991 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-8241

Steet-Ponte auto group

E

www.steetponteautogroup.com

ONE TRACTOR, ALL JOBS.

0

% A.P.R. FINANCING

FOR 84 MONTHS*

BX Series

White’s Farm Supply, Inc. Your Power Equipment Specialists

Canastota

4154 Route 31 (315) 697-2214

Lowville

8207 Route 26 (315) 376-0300

Waterville

962 Route 12 (315) 841-4181

www.whitesfarmsupply.com

*20% Down, 0% A.P.R. financing for up to 84 months on purchases of select new Kubota BX Series equipment from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory is available to qualified purchasers through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A.; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Example: 84 monthly payments of $11.90 per $1,000 financed. Offer expires 3/31/18. See us or go to KubotaUSA.com for more information. Optional equipment may be shown.

KubotaUSA.com

© Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2018