The Traveling Indian Lily

Days Like This

2012-01-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

At last. We are getting dumped on with all Father Winter's whiteness and I couldn't be more content! The wood box is stacked, the Vermont Casting is stoked and the house is warm and cozy. I'm getting a lot of little jobs out of the way in the ten year kitchen like filling my olive oil bottles, cleaning out the 'fridge and a few drawers. Bill brought in his knife sharpener toy and sharpened all my knives which could be a scary thing as the roads are terrible and my luck today would be the day I cut myself on one of them. It's happened before. The bird feeders are a buzz with chickadees, finches, blue jays and a female red headed woodpecker. And speaking of birds, I've got a turkey breast oiled and herbed and ready to roast, the stuffing is made and dinner will be awesome tonight. It's Friday and I'm not going no-where! The year has started off much better than last year ended. I got a job at the Colgate Inn and it will be like returning home to a long lost friend as I worked there back in the early 80's and off and on when my children were little. I'll start training next week.
Yesterday I had an hour gig for the elderly down at the Norwich Hospital. They enjoy the music so much and are always eager to tell their stories before they get wheeled away down the senior highway halls of the hospital back to their rooms. I can't even think of the day when I'll be navigating in one my self. I guess it all goes with the territory.
Bill and I are heading up to the Blue Mountain Museum for Craig Brandon's lecture so I'm boning up on my Chester Gillette and Grace Brown saga. I've reserved a room at Clarks Beach House in Old Forge for Sunday night and I've very much looking forward an night in the mountains!

Craig Brandon LINKED me!

2012-01-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

What a great way to start the New Year!
I was in complete boredom yesterday and in surfing the net, I ended up at the Adirondack Museum's website where I learned that Craig Brandon was scheduled for a lecture on January 15th. Craig Brandon is the author of many fine books, three being, Murder In The Adirondacks, The Love Letters of Grace Brown and The Prison Diary and Letters of Chester Gillette. I've got them all. The last book I mentioned, Brandon co-wrote with Jack Sherman who had the book signing of the Prison Diary book on the 100th year anniversary of Chester's electrocution. The presentation started out in a small room upstairs and had to be moved downstairs to a larger room as it was a huge turnout, in a museum in Auburn NY as Auburn was the city in which Gillette was incarcerated for the drowning death of Grace Brown back in 1906. Bill and I went to this packed house book signing and very much enjoyed the presentation from Mr. Sherman, him being a lawyer who has studied the case, written the books and even went as far as to write murder mystery dinner theaters! I bought the book which I eagerly read. I'm always giving people the benefit of the doubt but after reading the book, I was totally convinced of Gillette's guilt thus my song Boom Town was written. I recorded the song with Reyna Stagnaro and Steven Skollar on mandolin and Jimmy Wunderlich on guitar in Jimmy's studio and Colgate University's studio.
So! After going to Craig Brandon's website and obtaining his contact info, I emailed him with a link to my website where my song Boom Town could be played in its entirety and told him about my obsession with the Grace Brown/Chester Gillette saga having played at the Big Moose Inn for a few summers and reading all the newspaper articles about the case framed and hung on the walls through out the Inn. Reading the old articles thrust me into the purchase of any book I could get my hands on. Bob Hankey the owner of The Big Moose Inn at the time, would put me up at his camp when the Inn was full. His camp, the most beautiful camp in the world just happened to be across the lake where Grace Brown's body was found in her water lily grave. One night after playing at the Inn and purchasing the book, The Love Letters of Grace Brown. I drove the twisty, moonlit mountain road to Bob',s camp, curled up in my Indian Princess, log cabin room with the book and read, filling my head with Grace's painful, lamenting letters to Chester begging him to come and take her away, saving the reputation of her and her family as she was pregnant with his child. Something you just didn't do back in the early 1900's. Chester took her away alright. They hopped a train in Deruyter, and after learning of no wayward homes in Utica for unwed and pregnant mothers to be, they headed north to the remote, Big Moose Lake, where He put her in a skiff, with camera and a suitcase with a tennis racket tied to it, rowed her out to the South Bay and conked her over the head. He then swam to shore and hoofed it back to Eagle Bay village to later go hiking up Black Bear Mountain with friends the little f--ker! Had he gone back to the Glenmore where he rented the skiff and reported the whole thing as an accident. He would of gotten away with murder. So Chester got what he most definitely deserved.
The next morning at Bob's camp, the strangest thing that ever happened to me…did. I awoke to the cry's of a loon and a crow. All I could think was that the crow was attacking the loon's chic and the loon was at war with the crow trying to save her baby. I jumped out of bed like a woman possessed and in my pajamas ran down to the shore where my kayak was, pushed off and paddled out to the middle of the lake. By then the crying of the birds stopped and there I was, on this strangely peacefully morning lake with the steam rising out of the water. Suddenly. pop, pop, swoosh, pop, at least 10 loons came up out of the black water and just floated all around me and my yellow boat. It was the most beautiful sight and experience I'll never forget.
It was as if the crow was Chester and the loon was Grace and she was calling to me to save her.
"Chester Gillette it was a tragic mistake, leaving two hearts broken at the bottom of this lake, Grace's Ghost, Grace's Ghost." A line from my song Grace's Ghost.
Once you read the books and know Chester and Grace's story. It never lets you go.
And now with a new feather in my hat because thankfully Mr. Brandon linked my website with my song Boom Town to his. He liked it! And I will never forget the cries of that loon and crow.

Brown Dog's Tale

2011-12-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Probably the most exciting thing that ever took place in the tiny town of South Hamilton, other than Reverend Ross's heart attach preparing for his trip to Canada and the death of the Johnson boy due to a motorcycle accident, was the day my two children and I moved into the big gray house on the intersection of Excell and Williams road to live with a man who teaches biology at the local high school and is somewhat older. He just happened to of been my Biology teacher. I always thought he was quite nerdy in high school. Handsome but nerdy. We worked together at the Sherburne Inn and then again at the Colgate Inn. After my first marriage went totally fatal. I was literally stuck in the basement of a beginner home my first husband and I had bought. Beautiful piece of land, fifteen acres with a waterfall and a capped cinder block foundation. The plan was to finish off the basement, which we did and eventually build up instead of buying a trailer. So there I was, with the first husband out on the road trying to still find himself, and with two babies. It was the winter of 93 and I was buried under 4 feet of snow when I decided to give biology Bill a call. The rest is history. He was alone in a big house with a room for a little boy and a little girl and I just happened to have one of each. After my family helped me move and my sister advised me not to f--k it up. I was home.
All around this country block, tongues were wagging out of the mouth's of the gossip starved locals driving by when they noticed that the teachers driveway, which usually only held one car, now held two along with children's bikes, balls, cats, rabbits, iguanas and a big brown dog. Since then, with the dust of moving settled, kitchen cabinets reorganized, bachelor days aired, there's been time to see that this quiet country space was actually quite productive once, and lingering still, a few spirits with stories to tell.
Originally, South Hamilton began as a logging town. In the early 1800's a dam was built downtown, (I say down only because South Hamilton was built on a hill) to form a small lake which powered a sawmill, which in turn became the reason for what's left of a few, still standing structures that form the thriving metropolis of South Hamilton. The hotel is now a private home belonging to the Diamond family, The house below, now belongs to a nice couple from Jersey. The house above belonging to widowed lady who has more daffodil's bloom in the spring than the Netherlands. Above her home is a small chicken and horse farm where I get the best fresh, orange yolked, organic eggs for two bucks a dozen. Across from there, the Johnson's with their outdoor wood stove that when in winter, smokes out the whole valley. Next to the Johnson's a small house that is constantly turning over families.
Down the hill and across from the old hotel is where Iris used to live. Her old home is a saltbox shaped, red home with more antique dishes, clothes and just stuff piled everywhere. Iris passed away a few years ago out living her second husband, which infuriated her to the point of throwing his cane and some other of his belongings over the hill and into the meandering stream below her house. Sadly, Iris's house just sits. I remember taking a walk around this country block on a warm spring morning and in passing Iris's house, she eagerly waved at me from her window to come in. Standing in her kitchen with dirty cat food dish's all around her feet and in piles of clothing, (This is when I learned that Iris was quite a dresser and the bomb on the New York city streets back in the day) antiques and just tons of stuff. She took me into her bedroom to show me something and there on her bed was a large black cat. I should back up a bit here. The fall before spring, Bill and I loaded up the kids and drove down to Florida to visit Bill's father in Cocoa Beach. When we returned we learned we were one cat less. Our large green eyed, black cat, Jack had disappeared. Well, there he was, seven month later all curled up and purring at the foot of Iris's bed! I was amazed! I stood there, hands on hips and yelled, "JACK!" The cat jumped up out of his morning cat slumber and just stared at me. It was Jack all right! I said, "Jack, I mourned you!" He just sat down and circled a few times and curled up and went back to sleep. Iris, dumbfounded said, "Thats not Jack, thats Bucky!" I asked her how long she had the cat and wouldn't you know it. Seven months. My kids were happy to learn Jack was still alive and we all agreed that Iris should keep the cat.
Above Iris's house there is the sweetest little country church with a stained glass window in the bell tower that says, Built by the willing workers. This church was remodeled by the son of the Diamond family, into his home sweet home for him and his second family. Sadly, the son was killed in a car accident on the way into Hamilton leaving his girlfriend with her children. I don't know how Mrs. Diamond survives across the road knowing her son will never come back. The saddest thing I ever saw was the little boy just standing of the doorway of the church looking across the road to the old hotel where his almost, dead stepfather parents lives and hearing the most pitiful moaning and crying. This just left me with the most empty feeling of sadness and doom that children have to endure so much.
Then there is the one modular home tucked behind the pines. Before the modular home, I remember a fallen down home that housed another long ago, struggling family. The daughter of this family in her teens had become pregnant by the Johnson boy before he had been killed in the motorcycle accident. The young girl had the baby and then the young mother came down with a backed up bile duct causing the bile to back up in her liver thus killing her. Everyone knows just about everything in these small towns. Whether they want to or not. Sorry, sad but true.
No one knows why they call it South Hamilton when this exhausted little town is actually east instead of south. Maybe the first settlers got lost as people still do when they journey out to make it on their own, axes in hand, women in tow to rid of what the valley's and hillsides had a lot of…tree's.
One summer day a huge Budweiser truck was creeping up the road in front of my house. The driver leaned out his window and asked for directions to route 12. "For a six pack, you got it!" I yelled. He gave me a case.
Strolling through my scanty little town, I've often thought it would be better to rename it, Small Dog being as there's just about as many small dogs as there is people. Even though the people rarely come out of their houses, you know they are in there. Especially in the summer because each shady old house has a small dog sleeping in the road out in front. Snoring little mats of fur just sucking up the heat of the pavement to later warm the toes of their owners. And it's easy to tell when the little dog's owners are out for the road is passable once again with the doggie speed bumps now inside scrambling against the wavy glassed windows like giant dormer flies.
Walking past where the sawmill was, which has long since fell in and the lake whose plug has long since been pulled and past the church and the hotel whose owners are the save-everything-and-store-it-on-the-front-porch people. You'll see the three remaining stone steps that used to lead to a door where a one room school house once stood and a few children once learned while their father's tangentially cut down the trees and shipped them in wagons to build homes for other children in nearby thriving towns.
After the the loggers moved on, the farmers moved in and a short life time later, the hilltops were farmed and abandoned due to the thin, poor rocky soil on the mountain tops. It was during these early times that a cheese house was added to the village. In the winters this small community became isolated due to poor roads and heavy snow storms. The cows would still produce milk so the locals busied themselves making cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese because of the bacteria and molds that contaminated the wooden walls of the vats that held the milk. The milk, now cheese could be stored and sold in the spring when the dirt roads became passable again.
Hiking up to one of the recommended hilltops to hunt for the remains of an old farmstead and graveyard. I stumbled upon a logger of a different kind. Even though more than a century had passed and natural succession had re-wooded this area, the only thing that differentiated this nineties logger from yesterdays, what a chain saw, a four wheel drive truck and a can of Genny of which he emptied in one long draw. Needless to say, this awkward sight blew my wood land vision of a muscle armed logger in a red checkered shirt and trousers held up by a piece of bailing twine, drinking pure spring water from tin ladle. All in all it did confirm the fact that things seldom change.
Small farms throughout these narrow valley's lasted longer. Farm's large enough to house and graze twenty to thirty cows and old McDonald like everywhere else, tried and plundered. Most surviving farms have been bought up by the larger dairy operations and the farms that didn't get so lucky fall prey to decay or get burnt down with the acreage sold to the tiny trickle of city people or Colgate professors who try not to run over the sleeping little dogs lying like speed bumps in the sunny South Hamilton streets.
One of the last old time locals to pass away at the age of ninety three was Mrs. Groff. After meeting a South Hamilton purebred during World War One, Mrs. Groff left her home in Cleveland Ohio where she was a concert pianist to spend her life on a farm on good ole main street, South Hamilton. Mrs. Groff's purebred died in 1956 (because she probably killed him for bringing her here) and after his death Mrs Groff continued to live alone in the tiny three roomed farm house with out any central heat. A Steinway filled the front room where she gave piano lessons to god knows who. I was told the sweet sounds of her music filled the valley. For that I would of climbed the hill over looking her home just to sit and listen. For the last twenty years of Mrs. Groff's life, she never wandered more than ten feet from her house. A neighbor bought her clothes, the local grocer delivered her food and a doctor stopped in once a week to check on her. Blindness finally forced her into a nursing home until her death in 1991.
Walking up from Mrs. Groff's farm, I see my new-old house, so majestic in all its farmhouse-dom, over looking this tucked away, peace filled valley into South Hamilton through seven ancient maple trees planted when the dirt roads were finally paved. The barn and milk house, now long gone once stood across the road to the east. When summer dies down and the gardens begin to dream you can make out the area where the barn foundation once stood. The horse barn was out back where one of my garden beds are. I still dig up an occasional broken horse shoe now and then. The house itself was a double family home with a kitchen wing jutting out of the back where our garage is now. It's a grand ole house and over looking what I call my own hidden valley. I wonder back to the days when the Excell family owned and farmed the land surrounding the town, back to when there was Victorian porch on the house, back to when horses and wagons were tied up to a rail. I can hear the voices of two woman who broke in this land before me. Hannah Williams and Elizabeth Excell in the apple orchard now over grown. The driveway is paved with blacktop and new dreams. New sounds come from my home and new smells from my kitchen. I had a big brown dog way back then named Marley. Bill's dog at the time was a yorkie named Marlo confirming our reunion. Marley and Marlo turned into a dropped off, all American rat dog named Ed and Ed turned into a little white dog with apricot ears and a yellow miniature tennis ball in his mouth named Lou. Bill's kids came and went and so did mine. Well almost. And now through the door come the grand children. Change always changing. Sunny South Hamilton. My home. My town. All in a wave of a brown dogs tail.

Thank GOD!

2011-11-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

I'm back in the ranks of the employed once again. Thank God! Tending bar at the Blue Canoe on Tuscarora Lake. AND I'll be playing there as well. So things are looking up. I swear every time I take a week or 10 days off to go to Florida. Some tragedy occurs. But I can't go into these tragedies as I vow to stay positive in these trying times.
The CD is done and all thirteen tracks are uploaded to my website. Tonight I'm working on two more art projects. Uploading to Tunecore to be able to sell on line and I'm done with Year Of First's. THANK GOD! This CD has been three years in the making and I'm sick of talking about it. I am pleased with the end result though. Thank GOD! I guess the name of this post is Thank God!
Next project I have in mind starts with the Sherburne Pictorial. I'm thinking there are at least a dozen songs from the story's inside this historical gem! Osceola Indian Princess aka Sally Tucker. Captain Thomas Swan (a decedent ) of mine who fell in love with the most beautiful girl in all the world right here in Sherburne (go figure) and quit his seafaring days to marry and become a land locked farmer in Central New York. The octagon house has a story. Elizabeth Gladwin and her book, Grandmother's Doll which is stored at the Sherburne library, needs a read from me.
Much to do and discover. This winter I plan on holing up in the Sherburne Library and learn all that can in this god forsaken forgotten town even if it is falling down around me. Let it snow.

Blogging From The Barge

2011-11-17T10:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Irene and Dr. Bronner peppermint soap. And to Rich Grant, Steve Skollar, Ed Vollmer and David Williams
The CD is done. The recording part of it is anyway. I've gone back and forth over what I'm gonna call it now for at least a year. I'm going with Year Of First's. So! The songs are in this order.

Damselfly
Year Of First's
Lucky Lou
Dr. Bronner
Truth Of The Matter
Spirit House
Woodchuck And Crow
Finger's Crossed
Winter White Out
Eleanor
Balm For Sorrow
To Long A Song

Photo shoot with Rich this Saturday to get a CD Cover. Just in time for the holidays. I'm will be happy to get beyond this three year period of almost total creative disfunction. Next week I'll upload everything to Tunecore and hopefully sell some music!

To Long A Song

2011-11-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Florida is Florida. I'm always eager to return to escape the every day hum drum of Hamilton. But once there, I'm always more than ready after a week or so, to get back on the road and go home.
This visit, I thought would be different with Bill's father now living in Altamont with Bill's sister. Karen. The condo would be all to ourselves! It was different. I didn't have to watch back to back episodes of Judge Judy and Wheel of Fortune. Bill Sr's favorite shows and suffer through his remote control muting addiction. The pool was way to cold and I couldn't swim and the wind was howling most of the week to walk the beach or ride my bike. There you have it. Freaking Florida limbo land. And the ride down and back is just to long a song. I don' know what will become of the condo. One extremely windy day. Bill had gone out to walk Lou and when returning, the door knob would only spin and spin not opening the latch. Lou was barking, the wind howling through the wind tunnel for what seemed to be at least 3 minutes. Finally I got a butter knife to try and presto! Before I even insert the knife. The door opened. I swear to god it was the work of Francis.
The condo needs so much work. Everything needs updating. Everything. The carpeting, the kitchen boards, the bathroom fixtures, the wall's need painting. Everything. I don't know if I'm up for the task. And then wouldn't you know it. I lost my bar tending job for the time being, at Michaels. Business has slowed considerable since school has started. And being the same old story of my life always being the last one hired I'm the first one they lay off.
The good news is the last song for new CD has landed in my lap this morning. Literally.
Rich will be back from LA and next week we will mix the remaining songs, design the cover and upload it to Tune Core which will digitally distribute them to itunes, Amazon etc. I'm so eager for this project to be over. What I thought would be not one of my better efforts is shaping up nicely. I'm pleased!

Honesdale And The Lackawana Station

2011-10-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

We did it. Mom and I have been talking about visiting her home town of Honedale Pa for at least two years now. Wednesday morning she arrived at 9:30 and off we went in her bright red Buick. I think Mom is finally ready to start doing a little more than her annual trips to town for groceries and doctor appointments as long as I'm the one who drives. No problem there! Get me the freak out of here! So we drove into Scranton to visit my Aunt Ro, who, recently broke her leg while walking her dog. Her knee is now held together with pins and her ankle with screws. But she's now good to go! Luckily for Ro she has many friends and family for support. She's mended nicely and for the age of 75, still of whirlwind in all her Auntie Ro-ness! Aunt Ro toured us all over Scranton and I now see and think of this city with new eyes. I love being in any city as long as I don't have to drive in one. We saw many lovely, old mansions built back in the mining days with the emergence of the Delaware, Lackawana and Western Railroads back in the 1850's and 60's. We had a great buffet lunch at the impressive Lackawana Train Station built in 1905 by Kenneth Murchison. The station was officially dedicated on November 11th 1908 and I learned that 12 passenger trains arrived at the station daily, one being the infamous Phoebe Snow! Hmmm! I'll have to google that one!
So, Mom and I ended up in a lovely, clean Best Western for the night where we lounged in a hot tub and did some swimming in the pool. The next morning, up early on a rainy, gray Scranton day we hopped on Rt 6 and made our way to Honesdale. The last time I visited Honesdale, my Oma was alive and lived in an upstairs apartment just over the bridge after selling her large home on Ridge Street. This was over 37 years ago. I was 14 or 15. Honesdale had changed as all cities do over time. The two way main street was now one way and Church Street being one way the other way. We found our way up to Ridge Street, and as we were driving through her old stomping grounds, Mom, in a flurry of excitement, was wealth of information, remembering stories of her childhood. I have memories of my own. I was two when my grandfather Nick died on the floor near the stove. I remember the pear trees and playing house under them. I remember hikes up to the woods in the back yard past Grandpa Nick's perfectly weeded and flourishing vegetable garden. I remember Mom's old play house and most of all I remember Oma singing dutch songs in her full apron's. She was always stirring oatmeal or getting something out of the fridgedaire. Cups were always in saucers and there was always at least of stick of butter in the mashed potatoes next to a Oma chicken dinner. Nancy and I always found our Easter baskets hidden behind the great stuffed chairs and there was always hard candy in a cut glass candy bowl on the coffee table. To stand in the cellar and breathe in the musty smell of the cellar mixed with the smell of freshly jarred pears was like a smell no other that I will never forget. And her pantry. I loved to hang out in her pantry. The side room near Oma's bed room was most certainly haunted. And there was a strange lady that lived upstairs. When she came home from where ever she was, she would come through the front door and wearily clomp up the stairs. I would be standing below and could see how her stockings were held up with those stocking clips. Oma had mabeline mascara in a little red box with a tiny brush and after Grandpa Nick died, there was a tall, white haired boyfriend named Bart. Oma was quite a beautiful lady even in her old age. One of my last conversations with my Oma was in our house on Foote Hill Road. I was a young inquisitive teenager and wanted to know more about Grandpa Nick. ( I had just learned that Oma was actually married to Nick's brother who got killed in some kind of trolly car accident.) So I asked Oma to tell me about Grandpa Nick. She started out in English, as sweet as any Grandmother could, telling me a few things about Nick and as she went on reminiscing, Her English turned into Dutch and she ended up cursing the man! It was quite funny. She must of been a hard woman to live with.
As we pulled on to Ridge Street. Wouldn't you know it! The ONE day we chose to come and hopefully conjure up many sweet memories, there were at least five paving trucks getting ready to fix the street. RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE! We ended up driving up around past the new school and the housing development that was once my mother's back yard and were able to swing around to the other end of the street. Once there, I put the car in park by the orange road cones and we walked up to the house. There the house sat with everything so strangely different. Like a long, neglected lost friend. The back yard looked much smaller. The front porch was enclosed and the old hand pump in the side yard was gone. There we were. Oma's house. In the back yard I could see a plastic swing set. So the house was still with children. I must say the neighborhood really didn't change all that much and wasn't in bad shape. The old slate sidewalks were still there although quite heaved in every direction. The old Number 4 Fire Station…still there. I turned back one last time to look at this house where I learned to hook crotchet rugs and drink tea in a tea cups and thought, yeah the house needs some work. Maybe not so much work, but some tender loving care that could only come from my Oma.

Back In The Studio

2011-10-05T07:40:00.001-07:00

There's nothing more full filling than a day or a night of recording.The past two weeks my good friend and fellow artist-musician, Steve Skollar has been kind enough to hole up with me in Rich Grants studio to lay some mandolin tracks to several of my new songs. Thanks to Irene leaving me powerless for six days I happened to come across a song in which I named Me And Dr. Bronner. Its one of those songs that I've always wanted to write as it's kinda always been in my head some where. I guess I just needed the right atmosphere to birth it. Sitting around the kitchen table in lantern light and silence proved most conductive. So last Wednesday, with David Williams on wash board, Ed Vollmer on ukulele and Steve on the mandolin we layed a scratch track at Ed's house. Great times like old times just sitting around jamming with the guys! Tonight hopefully we will record each instrument separately to better mix the song. There's a music video in the works as well. So if you haven't heard of Dr. Bronner give him a google. I've been using his peppermint soap now for years being the left-out-of-the-sixties-hippy that I am. Oh and if you haven't heard of Steven Skollar. Give him a google too as he is one HELL of a great artist from the bronc's that has a summer home a few hills over from me. Its a sweet life here on the slow road here in central New York!

Autumn On The Nine Mile

2011-09-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today Billium and I kayaked the Nine Mile Swamp just 3 miles from our home. I'm not gonna write much here and let the picture's do a blog instrumental so to speak. Today was the most beautiful kayak. My true yoga on water.

Waterville Cruise Inn

2011-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

John Keller

Car Show

Friendly goats and excited children.

Moss Back Mule Band

This Year's Musical LIne Up!

Leonard Heath and biker unknown

The fine wee waitressing fairy's of Michaels Fine Food And Spirits. Jaime Jones and Amanda Dutch.

Waterville was one hopping small town Saturday, September 17th with music, venders, tons of food and fun! Here's some shots I took before my hour long gig on the stage across from the Red Lion Pub.

The Coon Rod

2011-09-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

On the way home from Oneida with Nick the other day, I decided to swing by Pratt's Hollow, the geographical center of New York and show off a slice of my ole stomping grounds. The infamous Coon Rod. In my twenties, usually the thought would hit our drunken heads at the Loose Goose, now the Hour Glass to hop in our car and make the trek out to see Butch at the Coon Rod. You'd get your beers in a ball jar while getting poked from secrete holes in the wall under the bar. The coon dogs were freaking hot and you'd eat them in barber chairs. I'd almost always trip on the little step that went into the next room from the bar and alway's end up with a guitar jamming some old Dead tunes or what ever song came about. Most everybody had something to special to say and it was said all over the bath walls. The Coon Rod. Everyone who lives in Central New York likely had tipped a few at this unique slice of life in Central New York. Rumor has is Butch won the lottery some time ago and I don't think its been opened since. The last time I saw Butch was at the Big Moose Inn in the dimly lit bar. I was standing there counting change behind the bar and after hearing the door open, I turned around and there he was. Butch from the Coon Rod. Very strange.

2011-09-20T07:51:00.001-07:00

I stopped by Chittenango Falls on the way home from my gig in Caz. Amazing rush of water with all the rain we've been having!

Sherburne Makes The News

2011-09-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

http://watertown.ynn.com/content/flooding/southern_tier_flooding_news/556486/historic-flooding-in-sherburne/

Whiteface In A White Out

2011-09-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

It was a long over due get away. After enduring 6 days with out power thanks to Irene, Bill and I packed up and headed once again north with Ausable Chasm as our destination. We made it there after having lunch at one of my favorite places, The Adirondack Inn before the bridge at Long Lake. Arriving there in time for another rain storm and having Lou with us made it impossible to tour the Chasm but I managed to get a few shots up top. Driving through Jay and Ausable Forks we could see the devastation from the flooding water which we learned from ranger dude on Whiteface was 19 feet above the normal level. We ended up back in Lake Placid and found us a really sweet room at the Olympic Inn. For a hundred a thirty bucks, the room here was really nice with the largest walk in granite shower I've ever been in!
The next day we traveled north again to Whiteface Mountain and despite the warnings of no 0 visibility from the park ranger at the bottom we paid the entry of 16 bucks a drove up the mountain. I just wonder one thing as I sit here writing this. Where in the world did my fear of heights come from? I was in total panic mode all the way up and all the way down. Once we got there in a total white out I was fine. We walked up through a dimly lit, shiny wet black passage way cut into the mountain to a elevator that would carry us up another 27 stories to the top of Whiteface which I learned is the fifth highest peak of the Adirondack Mountains. The elevator doors let us out in a stone Adirondack style lodge with stone fireplace and large beams and many historical pieces written about the building this mountainous road and lodge in heaven. Outside however found us inside a complete white mist of a cloud. It was as though I was in a scene of a Harry Potter movie. My parents had taken me up Whiteface when I was a young child and as I walked out of the lodge I right away remembered the viewers that you would put money in to experience the grandeur of the spectacular vista. No vista for me on Labour Day. Which is probably just as well being the scaredy cat I am of heights.
After our Whiteface Mountain tour we then toured its Gorge. Amazing waterfalls with stairways and different landings at different levels to experience the power and the beauty of the falls. It was a great trip that ended with a good read called Dancehall, a historical fiction about the girl whose body finally rose and was found some twenty years after her brutal murder on Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake is the small lake in the city of Lake Placid and is so deep that the woman's body had hardly decomposed as she was so deep down in her watery grave. Gruesome. But a good read by Bernard Conners.

Autoharp

2011-09-03T09:57:00.000-07:00

I'm truly blessed with new toys this year! Ed Holden and his lovely wife Dot met up with me in the Norwich park at my gig and asked if I would like to play another one of his dulcimers! This one was also made of walnut had hummingbirds cut out for the sound holes. I sat my self right down on the curb and played an original I had composed. Lovely instrument tho not as loud as the one he gave me. Then he pulled me back to his car and opened an old case and there inside was an autoharp! I was really excited to see it as I used to have one years ago. I can't remember what I ever did with it but it was red. I probably traded it in for something else being a typical musician playing the trading game all the time. I can't remember all the different guitars I've had over the years but its been many! At any rate Ed said he would love it if I borrowed it as it is just sitting at his house collecting dust. The tuning bar is missing so I'll have to head up to Big Apple and see if this is something easy to get. I'm really looking forward to tuning this baby up and see she what she can do! It's an Airline Autoharp by Oscar Schmidt. It's gotta be pretty old.

More Gigging Shots Summer 2011

2011-09-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

On The Clearwater Old Forge August 13th 2011

Waterville Bandstand August 10th 2011

Breaking In The Bandstand

2011-09-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

All summer the city of Norwich has been full tilt in remodeling their park. What a lovely job! I have played the farmer's market there now at least the past 6 years in a row. Here's a few shots taken by my friend Patrick Mill's daughter, Lorraine Emma. I felt like a needle in a haystack to say least. It's a very large bandstand that could stage an orchestra. Honestly it wasn't my best performance as I had hardly any sleep the night before and cut my index finger on a knife while washing breakfast dishes in a makeshift black canning pot I was using as a sink after having no power. I got through it with the help of my son Nick acting as my roadie. My next large purchase will be Bose. I'll never be to old to play and perform...just to old to haul the heavy equipment.

Catching Up In The 10 Year Kitchen

2011-09-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

The day before Irene made land fall I emailed Bill's family who live in Ocean City and Washington DC inviting them here to the Country Side in South Hamilton should they be ordered to evacuate. Ryan and Julie in Ocean City did leave driving inland to stay with friends while Kelly and Steve held their fort down in DC. Both families had no trouble with Irene and here in Sunny South Hamilton we lost power for six days! I should of evacuated to their houses! The lights here wavered and went black last Sunday morning as I was heading to the shower to get ready for my Sunday shift at Michaels. I angrily drove to work (because Michael wouldn't give me the day off) in a typhoon of rain squalls, over downed power lines on top of Williams Rd but made it to work where the rain was coming in to the building through the front windows of the bar. Thad and I unplugged the bar lights and pulled out the tables and chairs and put towels and bucket on the floor in an attempt to soak up the rain water. Little old ladies who don't know any better than to stay home in a freaking hurricane, were pulling up in their impalas for a luncheon and getting beat up by Irene in their 6 step walk from the car to the front door. Then bitching at us like it was our fault there was a hurricane to begin with! A large limb broke from a silver maple onto the back deck off the kitchen just missing chef Michael Martin by a few seconds as he was just standing in the same spot where the limb landed talking to his wife on his cell phone. Not having any business what so ever in the bar, it was agreed that I wasn't needed that day and could go home. Which I knew ahead of time. Whatever.
Sunday night, Mom had a house full celebrating all the August and September birthdays of our family with no power and a boat load of dirty dishes and no way to clean them. So, we just scrapped them and put them in a large cooler until the power came back on and had another glass of wine an watched Irene spout off for another half an hour or so before heading home. Mom got her power Tuesday night. Bill and I didn't get ours until last night around five. I was doing a happy dance to my apple radio next to lamp oil light with a dirty martini in salute! I didn't rough it as bad as Bill, driving over to mom's to shower, while he was heating water on the gas stove to sponge bathe in. Bill gets the Anne La Bastille award. But I'm in a close 2nd catching up on canning marinara. Everything organic, tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley from our garden. The only thing store bought is the tomato paste to thicken it. I've canned 15 jars of marinara and 6 jars of pickled beets. The ten year kitchen is back in business and with power! Life is good again here in Sunny South Hamilton. I was able to stay on line with my iphone and did catch some video of towns to the north and south of me totally devastated by flooding. Town's pretty much washed away. Such a tragedy. My heart goes out to them and then again fills with pride to see how these small communities pull together in these troubled times to help one another out. All I can say is good night f--king Irene!

West Of The Wind

2011-08-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

I was reading the August edition of Adirondack Life and stumbled across an article written by Annie Stoltie entitled Wordswoman, a take off of the Woodswoman series chronicling the life of environmentalist and author, Anne La Bastille.
Having a three summer long gig at the Big Moose Inn, I was unleashed into the large mountainous and wooded park within the blue line filled with the rich history of this magical area. I can't really recall the first time I heard Anne La Bastille's name or even which book of hers I read first. But like many, many others…I became greatly inspired by this blonde haired, beautiful woman who lived her life in a rustic, home made cabin in the woods, hiking trails with her beloved german shepherd dogs, totally dedicating her life to the health of the Adirondack Mountains. I read and collected every book I could get my hands on as her life's story greatly resemble mine once upon a time. Had I read her books sooner I would have (with no doubt) changed my life's course and would have attended Paul Smith's or some environmental program somewhere. She made it VERY COOL to be a woman in the woods and this reminded me of all the camping trips and time spent hiking around in the woods and the forts I made as a young girl, living next to a large wooded area and saddled with a great imagination. Anne was not only a sight for sore eyes with her pink lipstick and pig tails, but highly educated as well. With two Ph.Ds in her back pack, she also taught at Cornel University, worked for the Adirondack Park Agency, and spent seven years on the remote Lake Atitlan, Guatemala working to save the habitat of the endangered grebe, a large, flightless bird nearing its extinction. Sadly this war, she did not win.
After reading, Wordswoman, I found the email address for the letter's to the editor and sent an email thanking them for the story on Anne being a great fan and told them about the song I had written for Anne which, was on my website if they wanted to give it a listen.
Anne died July first. Stoltie must have written the story before she died even tho the story was in the August edition.
Two Sunday's ago I got an email from Doris Herwig, saying how much she loved my song Ode To Anne and invited me to perform it at Anne's memorial. I was stunned to say the least! I emailed back right away thanking her with a, YES I'D BE HONORED! The very next day I received the next issue of Adirondack Life and taking a break from housework, grabbed a cold beer to sit on my deck to relax and read. Flipping through the first few pages of the magazine and in the letter's to the editor section was the printed email I had sent after Stoltie's story and with the link to my website. I was ecstatic!
Saturday, August 20th, Bill and I got on the road around 7:30 am to Eagle Bay to catch the first of two days of memorial shuttles and headed out to Twitchell Lake. There I met Doris Herwig, a most wonderful woman, who told me the story of the first time she met Anne, next to a lovely shrine of Anne's books, photos, paintings, and other priceless tokens. Anne was Doris's best friend and the last thing Anne said to her was that she loved her.
After telling my story of how I came out to the Twitchell Lake boat launch one stormy day about three years ago with my little zoom hand held recorder that I put up in a ranger box to record the storm in which I edited and used to open Anne's song. I played my song Ode To Anne with out a hitch or a tear. Bill, my not-so-great-camera-man husband did video tape it. Its a shaky video, with bad sound quality. I may not post it...
Also attending Anne's memorial was her german shepherd dog Krispy Kreme. Knowing the gallant names of her previous dogs, Condor, Pitsi, Chekika and Xandor, I asked a Twitchell Lake resident how Anne came to name her dog Krispy Kreme? He replied, "She was eating a Krispy Kreme doughnut when she was searching for a name, and I guess she just really liked the doughnut!" After chatting some more, I finally asked just where is Anne's cabin? Bill and I have kayaked Twitchell Lake several times but never came to know where it was as many of the camps are hidden in the woods from the lake. This Twitchell Lake man, whom's name I won't reveal, looked at me and asked, "Would you like me to show you Anne's camp?" That was my blessing. So off we went in an aluminum boat up Twitchell, on the most beautiful blue sky day, to walk the sacred grounds of Anne La Bastille. Thank You Anne. And thank you Mr. Twitchell Lake resident for the tour of a life time I'll never forget.

Shots From Anne La Bastille's Memorial

2011-08-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Anne's Favorite Things

The Hat she wore in the many shots of her first woodswoman book.

This drum belonged to Anne's mother who was also into music and the arts.

Krispy Kreme Anne's Dog

Stillwater Campsite 46

2011-08-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

My favorite cousin David got campsite 45. We were neighboring campers for three days of bliss on Stillwater reservoir. As much as I love the peace and quiet and nature filled sounds of the north woods. Its quite a job organizing and packing all the necessary gear to make the camping experience as comfortable and easy as possible. I wonder how my mother did it with four kids all those years ago. I must say that the only things we lacked on this trip was a few folding tables, a door mat for outside the tent and that collapsable bucket that I should of bought at Mountain Man in Old Forge. Other than that I give Bill and I an A on camp life. Leaving first thing Wednesday morning after getting my Tuesday night shift in a Michaels. I packed the waiting pile of camping gear and headed north. Having secured campsite 46 the weekend before. We already had the tent, hammock and make shift counter built out of an old beat up picnic table rotting away in back of Marian's camp, up and our cloths and coolers already hauled out. So Wednesday was just a matter of getting the baby Taylor, Lou and new ice to replenish the coolers. I pulled into the Stillwater parking lot which was in it's usual summer frenzy with campers, boaters and tourist milling around making their last minute plans before retiring into the wooded arms of Miss Adirondacks. Pulling into a parking space, my car all dusty from the 20 minute trek down the Stillwater road, I opened up the door and Lou bounded out as he KNEW what was at the end of that bumpy dusty ride. RASCAL! Marian Labradoodle! Rascal is 100 times bigger than Lou and to see him gently play with Lou is heartwarming. Rascal actually lies down on the deck and lets Lou play on top of him! This time however Lou hightailed it down to the pavilion down by the shore where the map of the reservoir is and all the campsite that surround it. The sign up book is under on the other side. Camping is free on Stillwater. You just have to sign up and get there.Two summer ago when Jen and I went out for a girls camping excursion. We loaded the kayaks, luckily got site 45 and got out there. After setting everything up and getting the site under control. Jen poured us each a glass a wine and we waded over to the large boulder for our Stillwater happy hour. After a toast Jen looked at me an asked me how much I did I pay to rent the site? A hundred dollars? I said No Jen! It's free! You just gotta get here. She was a riot all during the time we had out at site 45 opera singing FREE! FREE! FREE! Over and over again. It was that night we skinny dipped and both my celtic rings fell off my fingers to be swallowed up by the lake. Everytime I go out to 45 I'm subconsciously looking for my beloved silver rings shining in the sandy water.
So back to the pavilion! After catching Lou the little varmite, I walked over to the sign up book and flipped through to the most recent pages looking for my cousin David's name as he came in the night before and was so happy to see he got site 45!
Awesome. Another Stillwater camping memory made!

The Brown Boy's Of Summer

2011-07-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Lisa, Aurora, John and Nick

Jack Brown age 12

Dylan Brown age 8

Will Brown age 10

The temps have reached 100 degree's here in sunny South Hamilton. Julie and Ryan and their great kids are here on their summer visit. Coming all the way from Ocean City Maryland, we've all decided to make our lives easier and just set up a campsite down at our fire pit instead of hauling the kids another two hours or more into the Adirondacks. The foot hills here are Adirondack-y enough for them plus it comes with wireless and showers, refrigeration and ice which is fine with me.
On with summer!

The Wait

2011-07-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

My youngest sibling Lisa and her fine husband have rented a camp on 1st Lake...the pond in Old Forge for this independent holiday. I'm so excited to get up there but have to put in my Saturday night shift at Michaels tonight. The anticipation of being in the Adirondacks is killing me!
So here are a few shots of Billiams garden. It's the nicest garden we've had in years as there is time this summer to become one with it. Bill bought a new leaf blower that came with a leaf mulching attachment and its just the ticket for keeping the weeds down. I'm on a mission this summer to can and freeze anything I can get my hands on.
Nick has been working up at Reverend Ross's property. Thank God for the Rev! Nick is working his butt off and making some sweet money right up the road. More to come on this later.
Last weekend we drove scenic 17 down through the Catskills to Olivia's graduation. It's hard to believe the red headed tornado is out of high school already. I finally got to meet Lisa's Maine Coon cat Chester. What a cat is all I can say!

Rest In Peace Eleanor Brown-Swan

2011-06-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the most bitter-sweet days I'll ever have. My dearest grandmother, my father's mother passed away. Eleanor was born September 28th 1913 and lived 98 years passing away on June 20th 2011. I now have no grandparents left in my life but I have a life of the most wonderful memories a girl could ask for. My grandmother was the most incredible, headstrong and lovely woman to ever walk this earth. She raised five children and when they were on their own she went into the restaurant business opening her large farm house and called it the Country Side in Glen Aubrey NY. So many memories were made for me here! The lady who played the organ on the field stone porch. The jar of sugary red hot candies. The kitchen! Oh my god I loved her kitchen! One of the first dishwashers and industrial sized mixers I ever put my little inquisitive hands on. As a young child, I spent many Friday nights there at the Country Side. Grandma would make me go upstairs when the dinner crowd started coming through the front door. My grandfather always laughing, would warmly welcome them, never once forgetting their names and hang their coats. I would be upstairs with my face pressed to the heating grate to catch glimpses of my grandmother seating her guests. Having built an outside entrance to the upstairs, the old wooden stairway that led to the upstairs inside the house grandma decorated with field stones and dried flowers. In the middle was an old, cast iron, hand pump that was hooked up with a hidden pump where water peacefully flowed. A small service bar was installed and Gramps would morph from greeter/coat hanger to bar tender. It's amazing as this is exactly what I'm doing today to supplement the shitty music business, I wait table and tend bar and love every minute of it.
The great room had wagon wheel lighting hanging from the wood paneled ceilings. In this room was a wall with everyone of her grandchildren's (too many to count right now) pictures hanging from birth 'till high school, enclosed behind glass.
My mother gifted me with the first table my grandparents ever bought and four chairs from the Country Side, which I sit at every day. Each time I go to a Cracker Barrel, I feel like I'm in my grandparents Country Side. Except my grandmother's food was a thousand time better than the crud at Cracker Barrel.
The memories, also too many to count! Grandpa would dress up as Santa every year and come walking down the old Glen Aubrey road with a bag of toys. We all knew it was Grandpa of course, with his paper white hair and unforgettable laugh. Everyone of us loved him so much at this most incredibly happy moment.
One Halloween Grandma and Grandpa dressed up in black witch costumes and boiled up a cast iron pot of chicken noodle soup to hand out to all the trick or treaters. Amazing!
The memories. Hunting season and all the deer the uncles(?) shot, hanging in the front tree. Sitting on the back hill watching the car races. The firehouse pancake breakfasts. Grandma in her garden. Grandpa eating butter brickle ice cream, his very favorite from the Schwan ice cream truck. So many beautiful memories. Christmas tho was the best. Hundreds of presents and all the aunts and uncles and cousins! I don't know how my grandmother did it but she did it every year and outdid her self year after year.
In her later years she became an historian and researched her husbands family tree as well and her own family.
There is a rock monument as you come into Whitney Point dedicated to my grandmother.
Sadly, after about ten years of the restaurant business, they closed the Country Side renovating the kitchen wing and upstairs into two separate apartments, living themselves in the main area of the house. One windy day, my grandfather was having trouble getting a fire started and took out a smoldering log that just would not burn an put it back on the wood pile stacked on the back porch. The mean fall wind then ignited the log and in turn burned the whole house down. Grandma and Grandpa got out with the clothes on their backs and a box of Kodak slides. A collection my grandfather had taken over years. Everything burned.
I shiver to think what was in that huge attic. Antiques, all my aunts and uncles favorite things from their childhood. Everything. Gone.
May you rest in peace Grandma! The nursing home just wasn't your cup of tea and I'm so happy you are carrying on to the next level! I can't say as I'll miss you as you are inside me where ever I go, as is Dad and Grandpa. Thank you for being the wonderful, strong woman that you were and I'll do my best to carry on with everything your life showed me. I've got some plans myself for the next 50 years here in Sunny South Hamilton. Another dear friend of mine asked me once why I didn't have a name for my home...After thinking only for a few seconds about this, the answer swiftly came to my mind. And of course I'm naming my home The Country Side as I'm working on turning it into a bed and breakfast. OH! And tell Gramps out there wherever dead people end up, that each time I greet diners at Michaels and hang their jackets and coats, the memory of him doing the same years ago, fills me with great pride. Like...this is what I should be doing and exactly where I have to be at the moment.

Stillwater Boat Race And Beyond

2011-06-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Always a fun, never-know-who-your-gonna-meet-or-what-your-gonna-end-up-doing weekend at Stillwater! The boat race which had only three entries this year was a hoot anyway. Bagpiper, pig roast and all! Too bad the weather didn't co-operate on Saturday to let me perform on the deck. Only about 60 people turned out but these 60 people knew how to party! I ended up setting my sound system in the bar and played and sang just fine. It was a great time! On Friday Bill and I did get almost all the way out to the Devil's Hole where campsite 40 is. But not quite. We kayaked to several of my favorite places on the reservoir. The drift wood god beach. The erie, water meets grandfather rock where the moss creeps down and of course campsite 45 where my beloved celtic ring is buried at sea. The mosquitos and black flies were out in the woods but not out on the water so kayaking was beautiful! I managed to come home with only a few bites. Thanks to Marian and Joe, we stayed in the cabin and dreamed about all things Adirondack-y under the pale glow of the hissing gas lights in hopes of hearing the cry of a loon before sleep would over come. Ahhhh!

Thunderstorms and the First Gig Of Summer!

2011-06-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

There's been quite the show of thunder, lightening, wind and golf ball sized hail coming down all over Central New York to start off this summer! At two in the after noon is dark and storming as I type this. It's the first gig of the summer and I've been packing all morning getting ready for the 14th annual Stillwater boat race. Lou, proudly walking in the paw prints of my beloved dog Ed is properly filling his shoes, stowing away in the car as I load. Unfortunate for Lou his fur is bright white and doesn't quite camouflage in as good as Ed used too..No need to hide Lucky Lou. You soon will be a Stillwater bound hound!

Holden

2011-05-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

So lucky me! My cousin Susan Swan Holden called me one day a few months ago and we got to chatting. She told me she had a dulcimer for me! Her husband Mike's father built dulcimers a few years back and gave Susan's daughter's each a dulcimer. I guess the daughter's never got into playing them so Susan gave me one as it was just collecting dust and she knew in giving it to me it would go to a good home and more importantly, it would get played. I'm just thrilled to have this beautiful instrument! It's made of walnut and has actual walnuts for the sound holes. There are simple purple painted flowers on the fret board and the sound takes me back to a happy long ago and almost forgotten time. I'm in love and have written a few dulcimer instrumentals that I need to get recorded. The way the weather is looking these days, in the land where the sun rarely shines, these recordings will be coming soon,

Poolville

2011-04-28T07:18:00.000-07:00

It would be safe to say that I've never in my life seen the rain fall so fast and hard as it did last night. I'm also lucky to live on high ground. My heart goes out to those not so lucky. Mother Nature sure isn't painting a pretty picture these days around the world. I would think because of all the abuse she takes...

The Bipolar Hotel AKA The Colgate Inn

2011-04-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Back in the 80's, after my Pennsylvania Paco stint...which is another story...I moved back to Sherburne, rented the apartment over the Big M and got a few bar tending jobs. I worked at the Sherburne Inn, under the ownership of Harry Young and after a few month's of dealing with his nonsense, I landed a job at the Colgate Inn, in Hamilton. I started out working day shifts behind the horseshoe bar and under the flying wings of a bronze Phoenix that hung behind it. I believe my old friend, Bob Benton made off with that bird when the horseshoe bar was removed for a larger, marble bar that was installed.
Being single and with no children at the time, I remember sitting after my shifts to relax and partake in a few cocktails and mostly, to watch the night shift girl, who was a Colgate student at that time, tend bar. Back in the eighties when the drinking age was 18, the little horseshoe bar in the back, right hand side of the Inn, was quite busy. This very intelligent and lovely blond college student by the name of Di, could pop out drinks like nobodies' business. She was amazingly fast at pulling the appropriate glass for highballs, sours, martinis etc., She could uncork a bottle of wine while shaking up a sour at the same time, while garnishing a row of drinks. She was a maniac behind that bar! I was mesmerized by her art in the measurement of alcohol and wines and it was there that I learned how to be a mixologist and not just a pretty girl behind a bar, pouring drafts.
Di are I are friends to this day. She still lives in Hamilton, teaching up on the hill at Colgate in the Geology department. She rocked as a bar tender, then turned to the love of rocks!
This was 30 or more years ago! Back then, I remember thinking, as the carpenters were gutting the upstairs bar room, "Why don't they put the bar back where it was originally, when the Inn was first built"? Which was in the front corner of the building, on the intersection of Madison and Payne. Many people have pondered this for years and finally, after the last four months of renovations, the bar is back where it should be...
The whole Inn is nearly completed and looks AMAZING. I walked thru the back door and just stood there, as I didn't know where I was! Where the kitchen once was is a warm, wood paneled dining room. The whole left side of the Inn that runs along Madison Street is now linked together for dining. The kitchen is now tucked into the heart of the building, where the lobby hallway once ran. And where the dark bar once was is now a side entry way into the building. The biggest surprise that actually drew tears to my eyes last night as my husband and I descended down the new, freshly stained steps into the bar, that was once called The Old Maroon, was the original stone work covered over for probably 70 years with carpeting. Overhead, the out dated, drop ceiling was taken down and arched ribbed beams were put in, which reminded me of the hull of a large, sea faring ship...upside down. I had written a song years ago about the current state of the building at that time and named the song The Bipolar Hotel. The song pretty much speaks for itself.
I'm simply thrilled that the ole gal has her party dress on and is back in her glory, being the shining gem of Hamilton.
There is still much landscaping to do and the wine library on the way into the upstairs bar has yet to be completed . In the air is a great feeling of happiness from the employees enjoying their new work place and a wonderful feeling of accomplishment from the many carpenters' still hard at work putting on their finishing touches of wainscoting and paint.
The Colgate Inn is back! I look forward to many more visits to this old friend and hopefully, I will be entertaining there this summer! Happily the Bipolar Hotel has finally been diagnosed and will continue to thrive as the heartbeat of this fine town I am so lucky to call home!

Auroras 23rd Birthday

2011-04-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

Paco Taco's and Tequila would of been proud. I cooked up a mexican feast yesterday for Aurora's birthday that was spot on!
Burrito's stuffed with slow cooked chicken thighs, breasts, yellow rice and colby jack cheese, with a sofrito cheese sauce over top,
refried beans with onion and chili's, mexican risotto with scallion, red pepper and cheddar. And blender's full of strawberry margaritas. Oma made brownie sundays and a great time was had by all!
The day started out with the season's first paddle down the Nine Mile Swamp which was greatly needed. The swamp is up a good three feet. The party tree near the end of the paddle (about an hour out) was underwater. We were kayaking the banks in some places. The beaver's have been busy with many sapling chewed down and beaver lodge's built up. We startled up several pair of Canadian geese and saw a brown mink. Yesterday was an awesome spring day!

Winter White Out.mp4

2011-04-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Peace Signs Cherry Blossoms And A Hawk In The Capitol

2011-04-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

We stopped in Arlington on the way home from Cocoa to visit with Bill's daughter Kelly and her fine family. Once we got through the white knuckle traffic jams and into the heart of Arlington and all it's suburbs, I relaxed and very much enjoyed the lifestyle there. Everything is close, compact and landscaped. The eateries vastly diverse. Museums and Galleries every where. Soaking up the sun in back of Kelly's adorable red brick home on a small yard, fence enclosed with gorgeous and gigantic old pin oaks, budded but not bloomed overhead, we decided to make the 10 minute trek in to the capitol so see the cherry blossoms. I gladly took the back seat with my camera to let Kelly take the wheel and for Bill and her to chat on the way in. Lou went once again under the seat. His seating choice through out the whole trip. Under the seat.
The capitol was buzzing away with tourists, school groups, paddle boaters and spy like business men milling around in the new spring sun. It seemed everyone was oblivious to the fact that the whole government was about to shut down not being able to pass the budget. Both Kelly and Steve work for the EPA and Kelly was worried about not getting her last pay check. Steve had gone to work that morning and reported that a cooper hawk had some how flown into the Congress Library. Strange sign of the time.
So here are a few shots... I Just love Kelly's peace sign shirt. We should all sport a peace sign shirt when we visit the capitol.

Writer's Jubilee

2011-04-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

Every spring, the Morrisville Elementary School hosts a Writer's Jubilee and offers creative writing workshops for parents and children through out the school. I've participated in this now for the last three or four years with a sketch to music workshop. Here are a few drawings from John, his sister Grace and Taylor. They were sketched to my songs, "Up The River Cold" my song about Noah John Rondeau and "Hey Momma Loomis" my song about the Loomis Gang.

Sun Rising Over The Banana River

2011-04-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

A lovely sight that need no words. These shots were taken from bed in my Glass enclosed Florida Camp Ground.

Extreme Weather And A Great Blue Herring In A Great Blue Pool

2011-04-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

It seems I can't escape the severe weather where ever I go! It's the end of March and Central New York is hunkering in for another Nor-Eastern and here I sit in a Florida spanish stucco, under turbulent rolling thunderheads with tornado warnings gliding by in the bottom half of the tv news screen. The night before, the southern wind blew so hard it tipped over 40 planes at a nearby airport, ripped off many roofs and caused over 150 automobile accidents. Bill and I use his father's sun porch as our guest room when ever we come. I wouldn't trade this room in for nothing. It's my Florida camp ground enclosed in glass, overlooking the peaceful, therapeutic Banana River. I camp there with my trusty electric inflatable mattress. There's a small table and chairs for my laptop overlooking the Banana and the shimmering, swimming pool. Exotic to me birds singing in the swaying palms overhead and a landscaper man dead heading below. Even my Taylor guitar has a look of contentment! I'm reading the classic, Jane Eyre on the ole ipad. Happy hour starts at five, I'm panko breading some tilopia for dinner. Freshly wrapped sushi for hors-de-voirs... Oh God this all just makes me so freaking happy! I did talk with me mumsie this morning and it turns out the Nor-Eastern was only a dusting. This also makes me happy as I couldn't wish another foot load of snow on anybody after this cruel winter. I also think some of the CNY weather men need to go back to weather man school. Their hype gets to be a little much.
The first night in Cocoa the storm blew in, I was close to packing up heading for the couch in the living room. Sleeping out in a closed in glass porch during a tornado warning wouldn't be the smartest thing I've ever done. Luckily, the only thing that blew away on the condo was a screen which is in the very window at my head where I sleep. I'm glad it's gone and my Banana river view is clear and unhindered! This March's Florida storm is now on its way somewhere over the Atlantic and gratefully nothing like previous devastating storms of the past. Which brings to mind the bitch Katrina. Bill and I know all about that, escaping her by a mere day on our New Orleans adventure those years ago. Another story I can't go into as after two days of on vacation gray, this morning's sky is blue and the Banana River sparkles by, gifting me with curling dolphins, snorting manatee's and soaring jurassic park like prehistoric birds, quite humbling my little scrapper of a dog if I may add. It's a beautiful day! Time to leash him up and get out in it!

The Spirit House

2011-04-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

Above photo is by Roger DeMuth ~ Eight Photos stitched together.
For years. I have been attracted to this lovely old gem in Georgetown NY. I discovered it in my early 20's on my way to play at the Georgetown Inn. This was before the house was considered a historic land mark. I didn't know anything of early architect's back then, but knew standing before this house one summer day that it was special.
Now, the house stands gutted and is for sale. A fellow by the name of Madis Senner is working non-stop to put together a society to preserve the Spirit House and already has a gotten great press and a good following of local historians and other people drawn to its wedding cake magic allure.
Here is a link to the blog of the tour Bill and I took last Saturday.
http://spirithousesocietypictures.blogspot.com/
www.spirithousesociety.org

Stillwater In March

2011-03-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

Mother Marian with Rascal and Lou
Practicing some road patience
The ten mile dirt road to Stillwater
Eighteen years ago on St. Patrick's Day, I had my first date with Billiam. It was after the big snow storm of 93. I was bar tending at the Colgate Inn. Bill met me after my shift and we went to the Back Bacon Beer parlor in Hamilton to par take in the festivities. For some reason what sticks out in my head is the taunting I got from one of my first husbands buddies for being out with an older man. I can't remember this guys name now so it's really not important. I do know tho he still lives in a little house on one of the back roads that open up to Lake Morraine and he's still unmarried. I wouldn't trade the eighteen years with Bill for eighteen years of single life for nothing! I've raised my kids in a lovely home and have had a fine time entertaining, remodeling recording, gardening and everything else I do...I have a fine, if not simple life and am quite blessed.
Thursday, I packed up for an overnight in Old Forge, just to get away and celebrate a little. Wouldn't you know it, Lou is turning out to be a traveler dog just like my old dog Ed used to be! When ever we went anywhere, Ed would hop up into the car or van while no one was looking and actually hide inside only to reveal himself with a smile on his face ten miles or so down the road! Ed got to go many place's he shouldn't have using his stow away tactics. Lou, hasn't learned the stow away technique yet but boldly sits on the storage compartment in between the front seats that seems to have been made especially for him.
So north we went. Didn't do anything really special. To me it's just special being in those mountains. We had late lunch at Tony Harpers, bought a new book for our Adirondack book collection called Adirondack Ice by Caperton Tissot, and went a movie. Bill remembered to bring an old antique slide show projector thats been kicking around the house forever. Bill ended up with this old set from when he used to teach at Richfield Springs. Bill decided to donate this almost ancient device to the funky hippy dude that runs the Old Forge Movie Theater and has a vast collection of old cameras and projectors all over the entry way and hall ways to the different theaters. Its quite a remarkable collection! Bill's projector in its musty old leather case went to old audio heaven! A good home of old soul camera's and projectors. If they could only talk! That would be a Disney Movie!
The Old Forge Movie theater is also known for the old overweight but oh so friendly siberian husky that roams the isles in search for popcorn hand outs. How cool and down home is that!
The next day turned out to be a fine blue sky day. We leashed up Lou, who by the way is doing much better leashed and walked the town. After running into Mother Marian and running an errand of purchasing wasabi coated almonds from DiOrioles we then trekked over the river and though the woods (over frost heaved, dirt roads that made me think I might need a chiropractor at the end) we went. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must of been for women in the days of horse and buggy and corduroy roads, wearing the girdles and long dresses.
It was a short visit with Marian and Joe but much needed..As we said our good byes I mentioned to Marian that it was eighteen years ago yesterday (St. Patricks Day) that Bill and I had our first date. Marian just stood there with her beautiful smile and shining eyes and said...Joey and I had our first date 18 years ago yesterday too. Amazing! These little coincidences in life.

Random March Shots

2011-03-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

Digging out my deck...There is a picnic table in there!

~ Buster Brown ~

I came to a decision while taking a brisk March walk this morning that I'm gonna have a vegetable garden this summer Adam AND Eve would be jealous of. I love how hard all the locals round here work
~Lovely Lila May~ providing us with their fresh, organic produce. Its just ridiculously expensive. I spent 7 dollars on a loaf of bread from Alambria Farm's booth at the Poolville Community Center and then $5.50 for a 4 oz block of goat cheese. Crazy! I shouldn't complain about the goat cheese as I don't see myself raising goats any time soon but the bread.. Come On! I can bake a loaf of bread for crying out loud. I just needed to get out of the house so off to the market I went. Bill bought 2 pounds of ground beef from a local organic farmer and after getting it home I read the package and the beef wasn't even from her farm!
After this mornings walk I spent a good hour picking up the cyclone of sticks shed from my aging seven maple trees that shade my house in the summer. I got a whole garden tractor wagon load. I'm so looking forward to that first spring camp fire!
After unloading the wagon load of sticks next to the outdoor fire pit, I found my self a shovel and decided to help spring along and began shoveling out my deck...there's still much shoveling to do.
So here are some random shots...

Sherburne Under Water

2011-03-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

How much more can this poor earth take. Japan leaves me speechless and my own small town of Sherburne has made the news being flooded by the Chenango and other streams that feed it from all the snow melt and rain. Sherburne's main street is a cold, wet, muddy mess. I'm so grateful I live on hill. Yet even on this hill the sump pump is going. Yesterday, Bill, Nick, his buddy Jake and I spent the afternoon down in Mom's basement with two wet vac's sucking up flood water. She had a good two inches of water seep in. It's now under control.
I'm in desperate need of some Banana River therapy on my next trip to Cocoa. It will be nice to see some color!

Buried March 7th 2011

2011-03-07T04:15:00.000-08:00

Hell, March is stomping in like a whole pride of lions! Last storm like this I remember was the blizzard of '92 right around this time. Ninety Two. The year I started dating Bill...I'm really getting tired of the word hunker. Its almost 7:30, most of Central New York is closed. The plow just went by leaving a four foot bank in our driveway and I just want to stress that the Lobster risotto from Michaels is awesome. Hmmm. What to cook today. I keep telling myself, Cocoa Beach is coming! Cocoa Beach is coming! I definitely need a little Banana River therapy.

Thank God For The Barge

2011-03-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

Honestly...this winter has been relentless. White out's, snow banks half way up the door, below freezing temps, roof avalanches.
All I have to say is if the barge weren't here in town to escape to...I'd be crazy. Theres nothing better than to grab a table, set up office with a steaming pot of tea and listen to Colgate students talking about their classes and everything that Colgate students talk about. And to be able blog even if its about nothing.Takes me away from the drama of Nick and Aurora trying to make it in this f--ked up world of which I refuse to write about as it too upsetting. What I don't do for my kids with a tiny limited income. Life has NOT been easy being basically both mother and father to my children. Today's Nick drama is he doesn't have a bed. Him and his girlfriend broke up so he's back from Ithaca and living with a bunch of high school buddies renting a house that Stephen Joyce own's across from Price Chopper in Hamilton. I gave him a futon a while back and that disappeared as most everything I give him does. I'll pay his rent before I'll let him come home. And luckily rent is only 160.00 a month thank god! At least he's here in Hamilton where I can at least drop off food and keep him fed. He's so thin. All I want in life is for my children to be productive and happy. Aurora is employed. Nick has a hard time with everything. No jobs. Can't drive as he's had two accidents and can't afford insurance. It's tough to say the least.
So the barge is my official winter venting pad! There is a great art exhibit with quirky, whimsical paintings of different structures from around Hamilton hung. They almost look like a set design from Disney land or better yet a Dr. Zuess book painted by an artist by the name of Jon Iannitti. Wish I had a camera. Great stuff. Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams will be performing here this Saturday night. I'll be at Michaels watering down Waterville. Can hardly wait.

Treasures In The Heart Of New York

2011-02-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

So, a while back I was contacted by a young, fellow San Hamiltonio musician by the name of Sean Nivison who was putting together a music CD of local musicians to benefit the local food cupboard. So I donated my song Brookfield from my last CD. This past Friday was the release party for Treasures In The Heart Of New York in Hamilton's living room, The Barge Canal Coffee house. Great turn out! I had my monthly gig at the Georgetown Inn that night and didn't get there till 9 ish. The sign up sheet was still full and had I signed up to perform, I wouldn't of gotten up till after 11. So I bagged it having already played three sets.
I understand they raised around 400 bucks. So hard raising money in these tough economic times. Here I am paying Nick's rent to give him a better chance in the busier city of Ithaca since he doesn't drive. I pray to the employment fairies daily to please hook my kid up with a job. He's trying so hard and is so ready and eager to work. I feel like America is at the end of its last knot. Kinda like the fall of the Roman Empire.

Winter White Out

2011-02-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

Avalanche! Metal roofs are good at that. As of last night, not only was I with out a car having been towed to replace a fuel pump or what ever it needs to start, I was literally snowed in not being able to open the back door. Hundred's of pounds of ice and snow, tearing off rain gutters on the way, dumped into the driveway and all along the back side of the house. Luckily my car wasn't in its path or one of my critters for that matter. It would of been a snowy grave. Because the snow and ice is so heavy, it's no match for the snow blower. Brian, our snow plowing neighbor is having trouble starting his truck and our back up plower isn't home...BECAUSE HE'S PROBABLY OUT PLOWING! Wood that usually is carted to the wood window in a garden cart now has to be carried in the wood carrier by hand as the walk way to the wood shed is buried and just to heavy to snow blow.
Our trip to DC tomorrow will most likely be rescheduled. To say I'm tired of winter is putting it mildly. I need a break!
Spring can't come soon enough. I miss the smell of green.

Amaryllis Incentive

2011-02-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

A bit of color in this winter white out season. The best ten dollars I've spent in months on this pre-potted bulb full of promising color. Lucky me my amaryllis grew two shoots with two fabulous blooms and four more on the way!
Another form of incentive came today. A wonderful email from my mother's cousin Fredric Brough Sr. complimenting me and encouraging me to blog after reading a post of mine from back in 2009. The post was of my reunion with a favorite childhood book called Magic Elizabeth which sits along with my other favorite books. I wonder if I will ever have a grandchild who will read it and love the story as much as I? Time will tell. Thank you dear Fredric for your email. I hope some day to meet you!
And lastly, yet another form of incentive. Nick's home for a few days! A bit thin I might add. Incentive to spoil him rotten and fatten him up. So Aurora is coming for dinner tonight. I'm slow cooking spare ribs and garlic mashed, some kind of sauteed veg and baking cookies. Alas I'm working on a new batch of songs. I have a few nice gigs to look forward to and I'm blogging which always leaves me in a self important glow of satisfaction. So today...life is good. Now if the garage would only call an tell my my car is fixed...

Skyway Open Mic

2011-01-18T12:01:00.000-08:00

The next three Skyway Open Mic's at the following venues.
Nichols and Beal, January 28th 7pm
Hamilton Center For The Arts, February 25th 7pm
The Barge Canal Coffee House March 18th 7pm Hosted by Gregory MacBain
Hope to see you all out there! All money raised to help promote this year's Skyway Festival on June 11th at the Hooks Wiltse Field.
Headliner act TBA

Mike Jaqyuay's Chief Skyway Writer

2011-01-07T08:30:00.001-08:00

Thank You Mike Jaquays!

Happy New Year

2011-01-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Well...that dang holiday season was a long haul. Way to much work and I'm really glad it's over. Happy New Year! I'm up in my studio and already in a state of frustration. RICH! I'm finally mentally ready to jump into the job of scanning all my grandfather's slides. A job Dad an I were gonna do the winter before he croaked but never got to. Aunt Loretta and my Uncle Ken set up the ole slide show projector last winter and weeded out all Gramp's travel shots, narrowing the collection of slides down to just the family shots. So now its my turn to scan them all in an get them to DVD. And since I've cut the dickens out of my middle finger. Now is a good time to start EXCEPT...My scanner is screwing me around...Again. RICH! What would I do without my dear know-it-all-about-everything-mac-related friend of mine.
So A Skyway Community Christmas was a complete success with musicians and attendance. We didn't hardly raise any money.
It's the most frustrating thing to get people to donate to this cause yet everyone wants to get up and hone their music craft.
My x husband showed up and it warmed my heart to get a family shot of me and our children. My wish is for everyone to be productive, creative, healthy and happy. And may my kayak float over many lakes and my hiking boots wander many trails. And when my finger heals may my latest CD, Year Of First's finally come to end.
Cheers!
Cheers!

A Skyway Community Christmas

2010-12-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

We Skyway organizers are teaming up with the Barge Canal Coffee House to present A Skyway Community Christmas Open Mic. The event is hosted by pianist Gregory MacBain. Sign up sheet is at the Barge and we are stressing the two song quota rule to give everyone a chance to perform. The event is Thursday, December 23rd and will begin at 7 at the Barge. Skyway Cd's with songs from past Skyway performers will be available for a 10 dollar donation. I plan on videoing the performances so practice up your favorite Christmas songs every one!!!

Andrea's Country Wagon and Aurora's Apple Crisp

2010-10-19T09:34:00.001-07:00

Mom and I took a short trip over to Glen Aubrey to pick up the box of slides my grandfather took over the years. This winter I'm prepared to see the life of Swan's pass before my eyes as I scan them all in. Here are a few autumn shots of my cousin Andrea's Country Wagon store and my dear daughter Aurora with her home made apple crisp.

A Windy Kayak On Inlet River

2010-10-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks, Bill and I have had some nice but short excursions up to the Adirondacks. We usually take off on Thursday, and rent a room where ever we end up. Lately its been Clarks beach house. No five star accommodation to be sure. But with a screened in porch over looking the pond in Old Forge, walking distance to anything downtown and they allow pets! It's cheap and perfect. Lou LOVES this place and somehow manages to pee on every rock that lines the outskirt of the park on his morning walks. So Thursday morning, I played a gig in the activity room of the Norwich Community Hospital in front of twenty or more senior folks. The folks that manage to stay awake loved the music. It was actually a nice gig. My heart goes out to these dear old folks. And it payed well! After unloading music equipment we loaded up our kayaking and overnight equipment and headed once again. NORTH!
The last time we were up we had dinner at the Knotty Pine, one of my favorite dinner houses in Old Forge. This time up we had dinner at the The Steak House. It was good yet I still rate Knotty Pine ahead.
Waking up to a clear indigo blue Adirondack sky, I leashed up killer Lou for a morning walk. At the far end of the hotel, Lou had his first encounter with two female deer. They were standing not ten yards away and if I didn't have a dog in toe I probably could of walked right up to them! So tame the deer in Old Forge. Finally one deer bent her head to graze which caught Lou's attention in which he quickly let out his squeak-toy-barking voice. The deer just looked up totally amused!
During a breakfast of hot tea and yogurt the gray clouds and wind rolled in to dampen our plans of kayaking the Moose River. Bill had gotten two free pick up coupons from the Mountain Man as when he bought our new kayaking trailer, one major part was missing...The main shaft that holds the ball to the car! Whatever that is called. Kayaking the Moose requires two vehicles, one at each end as its a one way, two hour paddle. Or a lift from the dudes at Mountain Man.
With all the rain we've had lately raising the water quite significantly, and the wind quite blustery, we decided to kayak a more quiet river and headed for Raquatte to kayak up to the waterfall's of the Inlet River. Lou was NOT excited! It took 50 minutes of pretty hard paddling up and an easy 30 minutes back. The small falls were roaring! A noise Lou wanted no part of it and took off into the woods! Oh god! A mere morsel for a hungry bear loading up to hibernate the winter away! I ran after him and thankfully Lou had his life jacket on so he was easy to snatch up as there's a handle on the back of the jacket!
I got him! We're home again.
Now to tackle the leaves...and oh the leaves...

A Little Country Side in South Hamilton

2010-09-21T08:32:00.001-07:00

As always when ever I have a party, everyone ends up in my kitchen. Aptly named the ten year kitchen as it took about ten years to remodel it many years ago now.
I had a two seater round tavern table in the kitchen in between the two front windows. Bill always hated this table as he likes to sit with his feet touching the ground. To bad. I bought the tavern table anyway.
At Nick's 21st birthday my mother mentioned the oak table down in her basement and why don't I measure it to see if it would fit where the tavern table is as it would seat more people. So I did. It would fit! Mom was really generous and also gave me the four chairs that were once in Grandma Swan's dinner house. I'm just thrilled to have this set! I learned this oak table was the first piece of furniture Gram and Gramps ever bought. I remember this table being at Dad's camp on White Lake for years. Dad always loved this table and I'm just so happy to have it in my home!!! It was meant to be!
My Grandfather worked at IBM for many years and after all my aunts and uncles moved out of Gram and gramps large farm house in Glen Aubrey...my grandmother, being the blazing siren that she was, turned the down stairs of the whole house into a dinner house complete with open fireplace, organist and a service bar. She called it The Country Side! I fondly remember many busy nights being upstairs over the dining room with my face pressed to the old register's on the floor trying to catch a glimpse of people dressed up and being seated at their tables. I remember the little red hot candies in the kitchen, the huge industrial mixer that was always beating up mashed potatoes and most of all Grandma's chicken and biscuits. Oh my god the best in the state of New York! Many years later The Cracker Barrel restaurant chain opened up and the first time I ever walked in to one...I felt like I was walking into my grandmother's Country Side. This is where my love of the restaurant business all started for me. When I was under the age of ten. I loved to be in the kitchen. I loved helping at all the pancake breakfast's at the Glen Aubrey fire house and I LOVED my grandmother's Country Side.
Sadly the business got to hard and after maybe 10 years they turned the Country Side back into their home. They remodeled the kitchen wing into an apartment and mostly lived downstairs. Sadly on blustery day my grandfather was trying to get a fire going in the fireplace. The log just wouldn't catch so he took it off and put in back on the pile of wood stacked outside on the back porch. Sure enough the wind caught the log fanning it to flames and the whole house burned. Gram and Gramps got safely out and the only thing saved was a box of slides from all years of family and traveling. The box was stored on their field stone porch where Grampa used to stand with his beautiful white hair, freshly ironed shirt with a bolo tie cinched loosely around his neck, warmly welcoming diners and hanging their coats on wooden coat hangers on the coat rack. Old Florence was seated behind him playing the organ and Gramma, hostess with the extreme most-est running around directing her waitresses like the queen of England that she had come to be in her Country Side dream house. I cringe to think of the antiques and Swan family history stored in that upstairs attic and the whole house for that matter, up in smoke. All lost.
So here we are. 2010. Nick's 21. My father deceased and my queen of the Country Side grandmother, still alive. sitting in a wheel chair down in some nursing home in Endicott with not even a clue of what her name is. I try not to think of her this way. She was such a strong woman.
My Aunt Loretta and my Uncle Ken just got through many movie nights setting up the screen and the old carousel sorting out slides of family and shots taken on the road when Gram and Gramps did a lot of traveling. The sorted box of the family shots is coming my way this winter as I have committed to scanning the slides in to get them on DVD. Its a job Dad and I were supposed to do last winter but we sadly didn't...Wouldn't it be nice and shouldn't it be a given, that we know just how long we have with especially the ones we love the most!
So back to my new/old table. I'm just thrilled to have it. While sitting at the table the other night It was fun to imagine Gram and Gramps sitting there too, on a cozy dark night, after a long day, having a meal together with their plates and folks and spoons laying on the same grain of wood my hand was now resting on.

Nick's 21 Stitches and all...

2010-09-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

The drama. It never ceases round here. Several days before Nick's 21st birthday he mangled his fingers good on Oma Swan's electric hedge clippers. Six stitches later. But he lived to be 21...Mom and I almost didn't. It was another crazy busy weekend. Packed crowd at the Georgetown Inn Friday night, busy bar till after midnight at Michaels Saturday night and Nick's birthday on Sunday. Nick wanted steak so Bill bought 70 dollars worth of rib eyes for the party. (Bill's punishment for being a total golf lush after his tournament) What I don't go through being in the middle of a 21 year old and a 67 year old. I'm convinced men just never grow up...any man I've ever met anyway. So I made a chimi-sauce out of fresh parsley, garlic, lemon and a few other ingredients for the steaks. It was nothing fancy just a meat and potato meal for the twenty one year old.
Nick made out with new clothes and a new leather jacket and if he doesn't get his ass home to clean his room soon. I'm gonna throw it all out in the street! His room looks like a college dorm room. I wish I could move away and change my name and not tell anyone my new identity. Honestly!

Lucky Labor Day Horseshoes

2010-09-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

Honest to god the horseshoe fairy was perched upon my shoulder this past Saturday. Up to Stillwater on the last Labor Day weekend of summer and to the 2nd annual horseshoe tournament in memory of a fella I never had the pleasure to meet, who sadly left his spot on this planet several winters ago when he and his snowmobile sped into his fatal death coming back from Beaver River. Mike James. MIke left behind a lovely wife and two beautiful, then preteen daughters. Such a tragedy.
So the fine folks of the tiny hamlet of Stillwater got together and put on a horseshoe tournament to raise money for a scholarship in the memory of Mike James. They hired me to play and run the sound last year being the first year and raised quite a bit of money...not to sure the exact amount, but enough to make them want to have the tournament again this year. And what a day it was...rained out and extended to day two. I payed my ten dollar entrance fee...met up with my arranged partner by the name of Kayla who was celebrating her nineteenth birthday and eager to throw some shoes. Knowing that I was in realm of horseshoe addiction territory, I quickly for-warned Kayla that I hadn't touched a horseshoe since the last tournament a year ago. But Kayla in all her youngness said not to worry as we were gonna rock those horse shoes out! I decided that one beer was good for the day as these people are serious horseshoe throwers and I needed to stay sober as possible in respect to the sport. Mind you now there is hardly an ounce of sport in me. I generally HATE most sporting events. In the past I have been know to roll gutter balls in the next lane and when told to keep my eye on the ball while playing softball, the ball hit me between the eyes and I woke up pretty disoriented with two black eyes and bent up eye glass frames in my dirty hands in the nurses office.
Then theres Chet...God love this fella who travels the world over building ski resorts on mountain sides and has pretty much the best top of the line toys-for-him everything, flashing red white and blue shirts with stars and stripes and hauls ground granite from Virginia to frost the horseshoe pits around the pins. Chet and his lovely wife Carol spend many weekends boating out to Picnic Island or what ever island they can get to, to set up horse pits and spend the day sipping wine and throwing shoes. Die hard. I guess someone has to do it.
So wouldn't you know it...Kayla and I play our first match. I wasn't bad....She was awesome making most of the points and we won. The second match we were up against Chet and Diane. Diane is my new role model of an elderly Adirondack woman. I just love the way she looks in all her Adirondackness and can she throw a mean shoe.
Well as luck would have it...I threw three ringers and a whole bunch of extra points. We won that match too. Chet had a strange look on his face cause all I could do was laugh like a woman possessed at all these lucky shots I was making.
So, 8:00 rolled around...long day, cold, windy and rainy. The tournament was put on hold till the next day. I told Kayla to find another partner as I had to get the laptop and music equipment out of the rain. I was bushed.
Sunday morning rolls around and I'm up to the Inn and theres happy faced Chet telling me the game was far from over and my team is still in the running. What could I say? No! Nope! Back to the pits I went. Kayla and I played four more games and won the show!!! At one point Kayla was over throwing the shoes so I told her to take a step back then throw. Three times I told her this and each time I did she got a ringer. Chet was as red as his shirt! We won! I've never won any kind of sporting event in my life!!! I even got a trophy. All Bill could do was shake his head. Honest to god I've never seen him so proud of me!
I just have one more bone to pick with Chet, who was nice enough to donate all the trophy's. The little gold figure on top of the trophy is that of a man...this must change by next summer!
Saturday while all this was going on, Nick decided to go for a kayak...turning out to be a bad decision being as windy and raining as it was. He capsized the kayak and had to swim quite a ways to land in his new heavy leather chippehwa boots weighing in at least ten pounds a piece. Duh Nick. Kayaking with leather anchors on your feet is not the smartest thing you've ever done. He lost his cell phone and almost his life. I was a mess for hours thinking of him out on that water. We almost had the ranger go out after him. But Nick managed to get to shore and just happened to find a plastic baggy with some matches in it. He made a fire and dried out some of his clothes and got the courage to get back in the kayak where he kayaked to an island that had a camp with some nice people in it who drove him and his soggy assed gear back to Stillwater. The whole next day was shot for him as he was sore from such a heavy swim. I have to think his guardian angel was looking over him during his whole ordeal. I know Dad was with me on that horseshoe pit...He loved to play in his younger day. Actually knowing Dad...he was pulling a double shift making sure Nick was OK and winning that horseshoe game for me. Thanks Dad! Miss you.

August Going Out Like A Lion

2010-08-31T09:13:00.001-07:00

In heat I should add! Central New York is hot Hot HOT!
I hate to wish summer away but I'll be glad when Labor Day weekend is over. Two more gigs then my life will slow down a tad.
Mom, Nick and I took a short road trip to Syracuse to visit my Aunt Loretta in her lovely, new home outside of Syracuse. Her Old Forge friends, The Propers joined us along with my cousin Terry. Great food and a fun day. She toured us at a stop on the old Erie Canal. Sadly the museum was closed but we got to see the new aqueduct which was built recently over the Nine Mile Creek.
Quite an impressive structure built the way it would of been built back in the 1800's with a grant from New York.

Some Summer Shots and Oma's Seventy One!

2010-08-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Jen came over for a visit! An so we cooked out! Thats what we always do when we get together. We cook. I got Gary to man the grill this time...Great night! I also played another farmer's market in Norwich NY. AND my mother is seventy one. I had her over for a birthday brunch. Home fries, ham, freshly baked cinnamon buns and an omelette with organic eggs, onions and peppers from my garden. Aurora and Nick joined in making it a lovely morning indeed!

Author's Night Long Lake

2010-08-12T13:09:00.000-07:00

It's been over two years since I wrote and recorded Song's From Mountain's East And West. Bill and I needed an Adirondack fix early this spring so we loaded up the kayaks and headed north to Long Lake. Buttermilk Falls was in full force with the melting spring snow and the ice, thinly transparent but not yet gone from the northern end of the lake. A cold kayak! The northern end of the lake being where the Cold River flows and further up 8 or 9 miles or so, thirty years of Noah John's life spent in hobo meditation and seclusion. Lucky dude. I became smitten with this old hobo and have read everything I could get my hands on about him in my pursuit to know and understand the history of the Adirondack mountains
Visiting Hoss's general store, I got talking to a store clerk and got hold of a business card to the store's buyer. I came home and said...Well here goes another ten dollar business card and mailed out a copy of Songs From Mountains East and West in hopes someone would like it enough and deem it worthy to sit on the shelf of Hoss's most famous general store. The CD MADE IT!
They wanted 6 copies and invited me to Author's Night always the second Tuesday in August.
So Tuesday, I packed up and headed to Long Lake and sat under the same pavilion as Anne La Bastille and many other famous Adirondack authors sat. I got all choked up and weird when I made this realization, eating the simple but tasty picnic prepared for us before the event.
With two hours to kill before hand, I got lucky finding a parking spot in the Adirondack hotel parking lot. Route 28 runs through the small town of Long Lake and was loaded with tourists, camper trailers, kayaks, canoes and barking dogs.
Running across the road in between traffic and over to the beach area I found myself right in front of Helms, the little cabin with pictures of the aviation history of their service on Long Lake. Thirty dollars for a twenty minute ride. This was a no brainer and the best thirty dollars I ever spent flying over the Blue Mountain area of the Adirondack mountains. I could see as far as Raquatte and almost to the site over Noah John's camp. I was in heaven over heaven! The bluest sky with the whitest, fluffiest clouds shadowing over the wild greens and gray bouldering erratics of the Adirondack park. Love Love Love LOVE!!!
Anyway...the Author's night was a tremendous gathering under a large red and white circus tent. Books written about anything one would want to know under an Adirondack sun stacked up on tables with their proud smiling writers backing them.
I met several infamous Adirondack musicians. Dan Berggren whom has played up there for years and storyteller/balladeer Bill Smith of Colton NY. I also got a chance to perform my song Up The River Cold, Rim Of The World and the two covers of Stewball and Eye On The Prize.
What a fine night. A night I'll alway's remember. Dad would of been so proud!

The Clearwater

2010-08-12T12:33:00.000-07:00

Saturday. Day two of my busiest summer weekend. I pushed Roland (bambambambambam) down the wooded, splintery dock of Arrowhead Park and boarded a beautiful boat called the Clearwater. Setting up on the top deck behind the smoke stack (I guess that is what you would call it) I performed to a group of 80 people, young and old, celebrating a Bar mitzvah...of all things...Luckily my folk music went over well. The jewish rabbi loved it! And he and I exchanged some good "I once had a gig here" stories. I got the call only a few hours before to change my boarding location from the Old Forge dock to the Arrowhead dock in Inlet an had no idea I was playing a Bar mitzvah...which is a good thing, I guess, not knowing squat about Jewish culture much less their music. Don't they break wine glasses and stomp around in the broken glass? Or am I thinking about My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I don't know. I'm still in a state of total exhaustion. A lovely gig indeed playing as the Clearwater proudly chugged up and down the Fourth Lake of the Fulton Lake chain. My mind wandered back to times gone by. Woman and children in their long petticoated skirts and flowered bonnets standing lakeside outside woolen tents and men smoking pipes leaning against trees. Logger's, ice cutters and indian's. The Great Adirondack Camps mostly now burned down from a time so exciting and prosperous when people figured out that coming to the mountains was good for not only their bodies but also their simple sweet souls. Works for me.

Tiko's Photo Shoot

2010-08-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

After playing Piggy Pat's BBQ (and a nice BBQ at that) I drove north to my sister's camp on Kayuta Lake which borders the blue line of the Adirondack Park. The next day we indulged Tiko in a photo shoot as his tutoring is a mere two weeks away. Nancy is gonna email these shots to the breeder in a last attempt to stud him out.

At The Water Barrel With Oscar

2010-08-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Oscar! Aurora's cat from Ithaca turned out to be quite a good little poser! I just love these shots.

A Stillwater Song

2010-08-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

Campsite 27 Stillwater

2010-08-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Finally I got some good old fashioned camping in! Last Wednesday, Bill and I loaded up the gear and headed back to Stillwater.
This time we rented a 12 foot out board motor from the Stillwater Shop next door to the Stillwater Inn for 50 bucks a day (not bad) and boated out to the northern end of the reservoir. We wanted to get site 28 on Loon Lake but it was already taken. We got close in site 27 which was really lovely! Our own island complete with a sandy beach, breathtaking view and its very own outdoor latrine!
We loaded the boat at Marian and Joe's camp tying the kayaks to the back of the boat and hauling them behind. Landing on our Stillwater island around 3 that afternoon we quickly set up camp and got dinner underway which was a marinated filet mignon, sauteed peppers, onions, zucchini and yellow squash and baked, olive oiled potatoes with fresh basil. We barely got through the meal when the sky opened up and doused us good, sending us packing to the tent. So much for a night around the campfire listening to loon song that night! Then to my great disappointment. The air mattress's leaked. BOTH OF THEM! I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like someone dropped me from the fifth floor on to a bed of cement! I was MISERABLE!
The next morning after breakfast and the sun shining, we kayaked a short distance over to Loon Lake to check out site 28 to find it empty so we landed and explored the island. Its the most beautiful, peaceful, remote site in all of Stillwater. I hope to get it the next time we camp.
Later we kayaked over to Norridgewock, tied up the kayaks and walked the mile dirt road in and had lunch at the Thompson's fine restaurant. Due to the mountain air, Bill and I inhaled our lunch, bought some fresh ice and hiked the mile back to our boats meeting on the way a fella by the name of Ken...(can't remember his last name right now) who is also a guitar player but makes his living entertaining young children with music, magic and puppets. He motored up behind us on a funky little motorcycle and was eager to introduce himself and talk. Very friendly bloke!
Our second night camp meal was hot dogs as we should of bought more water in order to prepare the meal I had planned. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. We roughed it and I gagged down a hot dog. I hate hot dogs! Lou was an absolute perfect camping dog! He loved digging holes on the shoreline and running figure eights and circles in the sand. Totally adorable this dog!
Friday rolled around way to fast and we packed up again and boated back to the Stillwater Inn where I played to a full deck and dining room! Tommy Sinnott and his lovely children and sister Joanie where there for dinner. I believe they were one of my first followers back in the Big Moose Days! It was just so nice to see them again. Oh and the Ken guy from the road to Norridgewock was able to make it as well.
Bill and I stayed the last night in Joe and Marian's cozy camp. Always a lovely time in Stillwater!!!

Wedding On Delta Lake In The Form Of A Train...

2010-07-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

So, in my, well what should I call this? A quest? A calling? This attempt to live a normal go-to-work-cause-you-need-the-money-like-every-one-else-on-the-planet...to sustain my dream but really stupid, undependable and unreliable (reminding me very much like my x husband) music career.
I hopped back in the bar tending saddle again. I know I've probably already blogged about this once before, but here I go again as I'm remembering seeing the head light of that train that made mince meat out of me last night in the form of a wedding on Delta Lake, (a lovely little gem I never knew existed on the Northern side of Rome NY) two hundred and fifty, pretty people strong all decked out in hot pink matching accessories, one hundred dollar earrings. nose studs, and stuck in the mud caked high heels. All mobbed together on a duck taped dance floor, waving their arms to the America's top 50 wedding covers of the world performed by Central New York's premiere party band, Classified.
Let me back up a little. I was just so happy to get three shifts a week at Michaels, a really fine eating joint up on the intersection of 12 and 20. The job came at the most critical time merely, a few weeks after Dad died. Giving me busy work to stop thinking and extra money to help my kids here and there and pay the cell phone bills.
The three shifts a week of late, has been getting a tad shady, narrowing down to two...And being 50 now an all, I decided to not ask questions and just take what I can get. So this is what I got. Michael asked me...he gets so serious when he asks you something, I thought he was gonna fire me when he looked at me to ask me if I would like to help cater a wedding. "Of course!" replied I, always so over eager to please! Well cater a wedding did I. It almost killed me!
My day started at 10:30 yesterday starting out as a personal shopper in Utica picking up black aprons at Josie's Uniform shop then driving to the northern end of Utica to a restaurant supply to pick up liquor bottle pourer spouts...which wasn't even open! Spoutless. I then drove back to Michaels where I had lunch ON Michael...thank you very much and met up with the other servers to caravan out to Delta Dawn lake. I told my husband. Yeah I should be home by 7 or 8. Yeah right! It was 1:45 in the morning when I hobbled my sorry ass in the door.
Every place setting had three glasses. Champagne, water and wine. Every chair, a sash and a daisy. Every perfectly folded napkin, a card and a flower. On every bread plate sat a gift and in every table center, three candles and a short, square glass of perfectly matched gerber daisy's.The dresses of the bridesmaids matched every sash, flower and even the filling of the wedding cake. Oh my god! Queer Eye For a Straight Guy teamed up with Martha Stewart would of been impressed! Every dish, (this was a sit down dinner, mind you, with four entree choices beginning with a wildwood salad) had another flower to garnish. An in every corner a full service bar. Michael had to rent three industrial gas stoves, outdoor grills and warming ovens to cater this event. The one sky over Delta Dawn lake, in between the two total down pours. was colorfully sparkling with bursts and trails of fireworks that would make the town of Hamilton's sky look like a kid with sidewalk poppers. The band, mic-ing mics with twenty monitors, sexy singers and horn section to boot...Oh my god! I was in wedding overkill to say the least and almost didn't make it! Soaking wet, we all catered, served, smiled and groaned in our black and white attire, ties around our necks that at one point I was thinking it would be a lot less painful to simply hang myself from the center pole over the dance floor of drunken well wishers to put my self out of my misery.
I put in close to 16 hours. I've never handled that many glasses and dishes in my life. The food that was thrown away...disgusting. I'm really curious to see what kind of money comes my way from this. So here's a flip video that does not do any justice what so ever to just how beautiful the wedding was and how much work that went into it...I really need to slow down my flipping video skills but I didn't have much time being on Michaels clock and all. We all got through it to say the least and this is one set of headlights of a train I hope to never have to be blinded by again...No matter how many cooking shows I watch!

Just some random thoughts here...

2010-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I hiked Brookfield for the first time in many many days. It felt GREAT! Three weeks ago, about, I slipped at Jen's house pulling a muscle in my right leg which has left me gimping along pretty good. I even had to call in sick one night. I work two measly nights a week and I would have to injure my self the day before one of them?!
So I'm playing the new Waterville band stand tonight from 6 till 8 and very much looking forward to it!
I have some nice gigs coming up which I'm gonna savor. Very much looking forward to Stillwater and camping next week for 3 nights or so.
So here I am wasting time on facebook where I found a link to the Utica Arts and Music Festival. So far over 250 musical acts have signed up. Some CNY bands I recognize and many others I don't. I clicked on the "submit your music link" to learn more and they want 20 dollars for a solo act and 30 dollars for a band! I just don't get it! Pay to play for nothing. I guess it gets your music out there and in front of other musicians. Honestly, it sounds like a musical rat race to me. But then on the other hand I'd rather see people out there on the streets blowing a horn or strumming a guitar rather than pulling guns and num-chucks...Just a thought.
Here's a short promotional flip for the Waterville Band Stand tonight.

Summer Shots

2010-07-15T09:02:00.001-07:00

Summer is speeding by as summers usually do. Bill has a lot of work so I should hardly complain. I'm totally upset as I'm not getting the Adirondack hours in that I so badly need. I also still have Dad's lucky rabbits foot to bury up there some where. I had given it to Dad when he was going through his first heart attack all those years ago. Dad carried this poor unfortunate rabbits foot around with him to all his procedures. He had it in his possessions when he died. I all but lost it when we were going through his stuff. So, I made a vow to him that I would bury it up in the mountains he so loved. I would of tapped into his ashes but Mom had a meltdown when I told her of my intentions. So the rabbit foot will be buried...probably at Raquatte Lake...along the Marion perhaps.
I'm waiting for Bill to get done with what ever handy man job he's piddling around with as we are planning a kayak along the Fish Creek today. Fish Creek was rated high in the Quiet Waters of New York. I'm ready!
So, I guess I'll upload a few shots from around the house while I and my hippy kayaking paddle wait..
Oh! Julie and the Brown boys were here for the 4th! What great kids! What great parents as well! I always have the best of times with all of them! I morph right into step grammy Pamme and away we go!
Campsite 45BB (B for Brown Boys) was quickly erected. The little red wagon pulled down from storage for firewood hauling and rabbits hopping every where. The kids had a good time naming all eleven of them...Names like peanut butter and oreo and marshmellow. You know, only names boys would pick as they are always hungry.
I made Bill make a swing for my favorite maple tree out back...My favorite Brown boy quote of the weekend was when I over heard Will make the comment, “ I can’t believe we can have this much fun with a rope and a board and a tree.” Priceless!

Elizabeth Moore Excell

2010-06-24T12:08:00.001-07:00

Several days before the Skyway Festival, my mandolin playing friend Reyna and I decided to hook up at her place of employment at the green house at Colgate University to practice. What a heavenly cake job she has in this state of the art green house! To be able to work in a steamy, tropical environment with exotic and colorful blooms in the dead of a New York winter would be the ultimate happy pill for me! So practice we did to my song Rim of the World the song I wrote after reading the highly acclaimed book promoted by Oprah called, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Which, by the way made total sense to me and I highly recommend it as a book to read and to keep it near. I go back to it quite often.
After our practice Reyna asked me if I had time to visit with a lady who works upstairs as her great grandmother once lived in my house! WOW! Of course I have time for a visit! Come to find out I already knew this lovely person from days gone by! Her name is Janice Holt and her grandmother was Elizabeth Moore Excell. Elizabeth, before immigrating to America was once a hand maiden to the queen of England! Janice also had a old shot of Elizabeth which she gave to me.
With this new treasure in hand I went home and showed the picture around the house in a ghostly dance singing, Elizabeth do you remember this room?...Or this room? Bill came home and I showed him the black and white shot of Elizabeth asking him if he recognized this woman. He said no of course an was quite impressed when I told him it was Elizabeth Moore Excell the great grandmother of my new/old friend Janice and she once lived in this very house! So here is the shot of Elizabeth un-retouched in all its cracks and flaws.
Janice's mother, Bernice remembers her mother, Elizabeth, saying, "Here comes Hanner", referring to Hannah Williams, who was her neighbor, and who lived on Williams Road."
Janice's mom, Bernice Excell Holt spent a lot of time with her grandparents on this farm which is now my home as a child.
I'd love to get my hands on a shot of the farm that was across Williams Road from my house. I have a garden out back of my house and when I was digging it out years ago found several horse shoes and chards of pottery and other relics from the past. Bill thought that area was where the old horse barn was.
So, this is the story of two woman who were friends in days gone by on my quiet country road and I'm willing to bet Hannah Williams lived in the old Victorian up on the hill where my dear friend Leigh Yardley lives now being the only old house near the old apple orchard. Leigh and I walk and meet many times on this road and I'd like to think Hannah and Elizabeth are both picking apples and chatting away in the old, but sadly overgrown apple orchard while Leigh and I do the same walking our dogs and discussing what ever we may.
I now am motivated to clean up the orchard out back and replant some tree's in both Elizabeth and Hannah's memory. I also did go down to the cemetery in Hubbardsville with Lucky Lou Fifty and had a look around for several hours in hopes of finding Elizabeth's grave but to no avail. Perhaps her stone is one of the oldest, broken stones there. Very unfitting if you ask me, her being the hand maid to the queen of England and all.

Father's Day Drink Special

2010-06-21T07:19:00.001-07:00

It just seemed appropriate...I'm making the best out of these first's!

Closure

2010-06-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

At long last, we got my dad planted. In a lovely shaded spot in the West Hill Cemetery in between Sherburne and Smyrna under a large maple tree. It was a short but sweet service with a luncheon at mom's after wards. I had a surprisingly tearful morning. I thought I was cried out.
Dad would of been rolling in his grave (but he wasn't in it yet...his ashes were sitting still above it) as he was the last one to arrive and was late for his own funeral. Mom forgot his picture and Jeff had to turn around at Lewis's to back tract three miles to get it.
So...on we go with our hearts full of love and memories. He was and is the best dad and pop pop...ever.

Skyway 2010

2010-06-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

The 4th annual revamped Skyway was a small but sweet success! Its not the easiest thing raising money in a recession. Ya know!
With the Earlville Opera House on board this year and the Odd Fellows we were able to hire John Cadley and the Lost Boys to perform. Other acts included Chris White "Isto", Zero Flow, Ed Vollmer,David Williams and Maren Van Tine,the Adishaki Dancers and last but not least myself and Reyna Stagnaro.
This year we had signature picnic dishes donated by Nichols and Beal, The Colgate Inn, Rusches, Michaels and the Barge Canal Coffee House.
We didn't raise as much as I had hoped but the new venue down on the Hooks Wiltse Field is a keeper.
So many thanks go out to so many people!
Kathy Herold of the Hamilton Center of the Arts for painting this years Skyway Lounger. My husband Bill for building the lounger, Linda Sybist the photo shop queen from Van Tines for the posters, David Grace for the signs, the Odd Fellows, Rich Grant, all the restaurants, Patti Lockwood Blais and her husband Steve, Mike Jaquays, and David Hollis.
Here's a few shots!

Lucky Lou Fifty

2010-06-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

He did it. My husband planned my surprise 50th Birthday. And I was surprised. After teasing him and the rest of my family that they only had two years to plan it. (The teasing and reminders started about when I was 48 or so..) my husband pulled it off. The closer my 50th got, the more guilty I had begun to feel at being so selfish for even wanting a surprise! I've planned many a party for many a person and it seemed like I should have surprise for my 50th. Then dad passed and everything became the first time with out him...Year of Firsts...First Thanksgiving, first Christmas, first New Years Eve and day. First mothers day...every day was a first sad day with out him. I came to dread my upcoming birthday. I honestly didn't know how I was gonna get through such a milestone with out him. I've spent probably every birthday with my father whether it was at his house or my house or out some where special. Thinking back to my 40th birthday, my gift to myself was a beautiful white cat. The first cat I ever bought at a pet shop. On that birthday, I also gifted myself with margarita glasses imported from Mexico with the blue rimmed edge. We all celebrated that year with a mexican fiesta at my house and Dad just having come back from a trip from the mid-west was telling us all that while listening to hours of the radio while on the road, this crazy DJ was wishing all the locals happy bert-days! Dad figured out the guy meant birth-day, but on account of the mid-western drawl going on he was pronouncing the word bert-days. So my new white kitten was named Bert. He was my happy bert-day cat. Dad named him.
Two nights before my May 19th birthday Dad came to me in a dream. I was in the bar at Michaels where I work, and walked across the lobby to the front dining room where a table was set up in the middle and my whole family was sitting around it. And there next to my mother sat my father. I was stunned and ran around the table to where he sat and cried and hugged his shoulders and said you're not supposed to be here. Over and over again he said "I know, I know." But he was there. I'll never forget that dream. I'm so glad to have seen him again...dream or not.
So the weekend before this dream and my birthday, Bill and I went to Stillwater for a weekend escape. At some point my mother asked me what I wanted. As she said no one can plan a party like you can Pam. I thought about it and in trying to keep it simple and not so costly. I said it would just be nice to have my immediate family and a few close friends just go somewhere in the Adirondacks for dinner and an over night.
So as we pulled into the Stillwater Inn, I was disappointed to not see any familiar family cars in the parking lot. No surprise party at Stillwater.
So Tuesday came an I went to work at Michaels for my five o'clock shift where Mr. Duke approached me and said he was sorry not to be able to give me my birthday off the following day as we were gonna be busy. I didn't have a problem working on my birthday...after all there are cell phones bills to pay.
Well the party was right there at Michaels in the front dining room where I had my dad dream.
I was surprised as any one could be.
What a spread! Great food and my closest friends, Rich, Linda, Di, Molly, Meredith, Chris, Mitch and Jesse, my whole family, Mel and Carolyn. I was sad to not see Jen or Ed and David.
It was a great party.
Nanny made me open my presents there...(I felt stupid and wanted to just take them home) but Nancy insisted and pushed me down into a chair where I started unwrapping doggy toys.
I kept looking at my daughter Aurora and asking her...am I getting a dog? I was almost scared!
The in came Nancy with a dog carrier and the tiniest little white dog with cream colored ears.
I was floored and quite tearful.
His name is Lucky Lou Fifty and I love him so.

My Stolen Martin

2010-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

If you all only knew how many songs I played to pay for that Martin guitar!
I'm really embarrassed to say that I can't find the serial number of the guitar.
My father would be rolling in his grave right now if he knew I didn't put this info in a folder!
Anyway here is a shot of me and the Martin shortly after I got it, taken outside of Eagle Bay behind the cabin of my friend and manager at the time Cathy Light.
I was able to afford it with my weekly gigs and other gigs at the Big Moose Inn up in the Adirondacks. I was making $175.00 a night plus tips playing for families and people dining at the Moose.
This was right before the big recession crash.
Knowing I was pulling in good money that season, I went to Big Apple Music in New Hartford and pursuit of owning a Martin.
I played several one day an found the one for me and put 500.00 down to lay it away. Mark Bollo owner of Big Apple said "Pamme just take the guitar and do your thing!" " I know you are good for the money!"
I've bought MANY guitars and music equipment over the years from Big Apple. So there I was with my dream Martin guitar! I had it payed off in like a month and a half! It was close to $1,500.00 bucks.
Equipped now with a Taylor guitar which I would open tune and the Martin for regular standard tuning songs and my strumstick...I had a sweet little show going mixing my original music with crowd pleasing folk covers I've learned in the 30 plus years I've been performing.
I've had several instruments stolen over the years. A lap dulcimer from Reading Pa, a Takemine from a Reny Fair outside of Chicago...An Alvarez Yairi from the Grand Union parking lot here in Hamilton...It leaves an emptiness in you from all the hours you put in to your instrument. But losing the Martin was the biggest disappointment of all. It was like OK! I finally got the Martin!...I don't ever need to buy another guitar in my life!
I had let my son Nick borrow the guitar as he is playing really well these days. He wanted to play the Barge Canal Coffee House for the open mic night.
It was stolen this past Friday night from the where he resides in the park next to Price Chopper.
My home owners insurance is gonna cover it. I'll pay the 250 dollar deductible.
I just hope whomever took it...really appreciates this instrument. I wrote all of my last CD, "Songs From Mountains East And West " on it...This guitar is full of stories from the Loomis Gang, Anne La Bastille, Noah John Rondeau, Grace Brown and Chester Gillette...Brookfield Horse Trails and the Nine Mile Swamp.
My Martin was a great friend I will never forget!
I'm crying as I write this!!!
If anyone knows who stole this guitar and could return it...Well, it would save me 250 bucks to the insurance company. I'd be very grateful as gigs are hard to come by in these hard times.
I would just be so happy to see that Martin again AND I wouldn't press charges. I'd make whomever took it do community work like picking up all the trash along the roadsides to start.

The Trillium Forest With Anne Cochran

2010-03-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Trillium Forest

Hamilton sadly has lost yet another fine person. Ann Cochran. I met Anne back in the early 1980's when I was first married to Stephen Roe. Pregnant with Aurora, and living in Stan and Sylvia's home on Lebanon Street. There came a knock at the front door one day in the spring as I remember. I dropped whatever I was doing to answer it, an there was Anne standing there with a autographed hockey stick. It had belonged to her son who, like my husband Stephen loved hockey. Her son had died of leukemia and she wanted Stephen to have it and to pass it on to his children. While Ann was telling me this story I knew right away what a special, giving and caring person she was.

My marriage didn't last long with Stephen as he moved away to New Hampshire and I was left with many new Hamilton friends and family. Not a bad deal!

Later in the 80's when Aurora and Nick were small, and with two wonderful, doting grandmother's in the area, I embarked on my college mission. I had recently moved in with Bill and as we weren't yet married I decided it was time to broaden my horizon a bit and signed up for Landscaping classes. Ann was then a phycology professor at Morrisville. I never took her class but saw her often at the Hamilton Inn as I also worked waitressing there a few nights a week. Ann was always witty, always concerned about your family and if she didn't like some one or you. She would let you know it. Ann and I always got along tremendously! As life went spiraling along. Bill retired from teaching started a handy man business with Ford and Ann became their biggest employer hiring Bill and Ford to take care and maintain her many rental properties. Once a year she would treat us all out to dinner someplace really special like the Horned Dorset in Leonardsville, the Braeloc up in Cazenovia, the Petite Maison in Watervlille. My last dinner out with Ann was at the Woods Inn on forth Lake. We had a wonderful meal then suddenly there were fireworks over the frozen winter lake. Anne was like a firework in motion all spraying color and stars and light!

When I was with Anne we were like two peas in a pod! If we were teenage friends, we would of been trouble with a capital T!

I had her and John out to my house a few times. The one time I remember I set up a table on my front porch and we wined and dined the night away.

Memories out at Lake Morraine. Memories of her first canoe ride with Ford. Memories in the park with her grandchildren making fairy houses.

I didn't get the Balloon ride memory that Bill screwed up. Ann let him have it…Lets just say that after three weeks of being mad I finally got sick of it and got even instead. I put a macbook on Bill's credit card. So many memories. But never enough. I went out to lunch with Meredith last week at the Colgate Inn and realized then how to explain how I've been feeling since Dad died. Hijacked. Simply hijacked. I've been flying low to the ground with all my window shades closed down. I'm so sorry I didn't get to see Ann in the last 6 months very much. I last remember her back in the park last summer when my father was alive. I've lost two really important people in my life. This lesson I've learned from grieving is that I've got to get those window shades snapped up and turn my nose upward. When you are gone you are gone.

So! Here's to my dear friend Ann! When you meet up with my Dad where ever you are…well talk me up good and tell him I love him and miss him. We will look after John for you as much as possible.

The sidewalks of Hamilton with NEVER be the same with out you Ann. No one will ever be the same with out you. You were a renaissance woman, respected, admired and greatly loved.

Thank you for this hike through the trillium forest. May you be walking right now through a trillium forest! in heaven or where ever you chose to go. I'm so glad I told you I loved you. As I remember…I told you I loved you a lot.

Mr. Gillette and Grace Billy Brown

2010-03-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

I've got two new drop off's yesterday. This totally infuriates me! One big, short haired, gray sleek cat with the most beautiful golden eyes I've ever seen! I'm totally attached to but just can't keep as I'm at my five cat quota already. The other is a smaller, tiger female and apparently quite knocked up. They were evidently dropped off together. I hate to split them up but see no other way. I'll likely give "Grace" to the SPCA and make a donation. As for Mr. Gillette. I'm gonna try to find him a home. He's a real sweet heart of a cat.
Winter is getting toooo long!

My John Prine Fix

2010-02-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

Ithaca. Its a long tobacco road to get to Ithaca from Sherburne. The winter roads were sticky, slimy and frost heaved every where. But once your there. Its great! If only for one night.

Bill and I arrived about 2 pm and stayed in the La Tourelle on the mountain past Ithaca college. My friend Mitchel Drosin reserved us a lovely room with a lovely, wintery gray and white view. The whole place was clay tiled with persian rugs that reminded me of a miniature Hotel California. The ice machines were old antique trunks with plastic coolers of ice in them. Nice touch! We unpacked and headed back down the hill to shop the commons. I shopped the Shalimar House and splurged on two funky jackets made in Nepal! Really cool stuff. We then had dinner at the Mahogany Grill. Getting there before the rush got us a cozy table in the front window. Great dinners and reasonable priced.

It's been 5 years or more since I've seen a John Prine show. No matter how many times I see him perform. It brings me the simplest of happiness. John's music is as essential as a kitchen sink, little gems of American Life whether sad or funny, serious or just plain unadulterated happy! I had the pleasure of working for John several years back when he was promoting his Lost Dogs Mixed Blessings album. That was when John was touring big! He had a tour bus and many musicians, props and sound technicians along. It was really exciting! Bill and I also picked John and his band up from the Syracuse airport several times and got him to his show at the Landmark. Bill and I transported John in a blizzard from Syracuse to Buffalo. I was also a food runner and helped with setting up small banquet tables after the shows. Because of Mitchel I've also met Chip Taylor the dude who wrote, Wild Thing and "Angel Of The Morning and B. B. King. I have many, many fond John Prine memories. My fondest is when I took Dad to see him. Dad really enjoyed John's music. I'm just so happy I got to see a John Prine show with my dad. We were on the same page musically. Another great gift my dad left me was playing his country music every Sunday. Sunday mornings and afternoons (I don't remember being much of a church goer) but anyway Dad would play Peter, Paul and Mary, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and many many more country artists. I guess thats where it all started for me. Oh and the subscription to National Georgraphic. Thanks to Uncle Milty. So anyway AGAIN! Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek played with John last night. Her voice and violin complimented John's music perfectly! She one very talented girl! It was an awesome sold out show! Tho the Ithaca bar crowd was obnoxious, loud and rowdy due to the bar being inside the performance area. Not a good idea. They settled down after a while. Several people were ushered out and it was beginning to remind me of the show at the end of Oh Brother Where Art Thou! John signed autographs till 1:30 in the morning and me with my back stage pass, passed it up and went to bed...Its ok tho...been there, done it many times. It was a delight to just get away. And I've got two gigs myself to get ready for. Anniversary gig at Michaels and Georgetown Inn. What we musician's don't do...

The Swan-tini

2010-02-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

My friend and manager, Mr. Duke at Michaels decided we needed a signature cocktail the night I played. So he came up with a martini (made with vodka of course) of Absolute Vanilla and a splash of black raspberry brandy, Shaken and strained in a lovely chilled up glass. It wasn't bad!

That Stupid Cupid

2010-02-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

Another Valentines day has come and gone. That stupid cupid has returned to where ever stupid cupids go. Michaels and all us servers made out like bandits since this holiday came on a Sunday. Everyone celebrated all weekend long! I don't know the count yet but I'll bet Michael served over 500 dinners from Friday to Sunday. The place is a gold mine. I'm just so thankful to be part of such a great, loving crew. It's as tho I have a whole new family!
This year's Valentines Day has left me with some good money in my pocket serving up many tasty liquor love potions to keep cupid's targets in their dreamy love ga-ga state. I worked 12 hours yesterday! Amazinly I feel pretty darn good this morning! Slept in till nine and got up to a steaming hot pot of Sumatra coffee from the Chenango Coffee Roasters. I'm addicted to this coffee! It has a really mellow, even, low acid taste.
So the day is mine! Busy week ahead. I'm thinking I'll treat myself to a new smaller pocket digital camera to take to the John Prine concert this week. I love my Nikon D60 but it is cumbersome to carry around when you just want to get some quick shots. I'm also looking forward to playing at Michaels 5th anniversary party this Thursday night. Life is good! Winter is getting long tho. Elder Brown's pool and the Banana river dock are callling me. Guess I'll back up to the wood stove with my sumatra instead. And why is it that everything just tastes better in a Edie Walker bowl or cup anyway

The Other Rug

2010-02-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Pennies For Us

2010-02-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

So, everywhere I go suddenly there are pennies. Dad used to pick up pennies where ever he went. I'm thinking he's leaving me a trail telling me I'm where I'm supposed to be. Now my sister's, Nancy and Lisa have been suddenly aware of pennies found in peculiar places on their travels. Every time I see a penny, I pick it up and say, Thanks Dad. I miss him so.
Anyway. Another wonderful thing has happened. NICK GOT A JOB! At Michaels AND HE LOVES IT! I went out on a limb once again for Nick when I learned that Michael got stood up by a newly hired cook. Michael has taken Nick under his wing and told him he would teach him everything he knows about cooking. Nick is ONE excited young man and now with some purpose! Its like going to a private culinary school and getting paid for it. I've re-named my car the Sangerfield Express as I'm his private taxi. Its a small price to pay. Nick is happy, working and making money and I couldn't be happier for him. I swear Dad is responsible for many things. He taught me many, many lessons. Most important is to never give up on your kids. Its been a long rough road with Nick. He's coming around now tho thank GOD!

Here a few new rugs from Adrianna's Thoughts In Wool. Nannerbella in her garden with her pets past and present. Maggie and Petey Pie being of the past and her new and I say beloved long haired chihuahua, Tiko along with Charlie the orange cat in the corner. No, Mom didn't run out of orange wool while hooking Charlie. Charlie lost his tail much to his demise in a run in with a car on route 12. The other rug is a Saltbox and Turkeys. Notice the buck in the top corner. Dad!

A Winter Hike Through Brookfield

2010-01-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

I suppose this is a January thaw. Yesterday the sun was shining and the sky the most intense deep blue. It was a no brainer pulling on my winter hiking boots and gearing up for a winter hike! The trails were gorgeous! The black tree trunks slapped with snow as if they were in a giant snowball fight with mother nature. It wasn't a matter of how fast I hiked yesterday but a matter of how many times I stopped to just stand there breathing in deep the medicinal, brisk winter air. I am so blessed. Its hard to believe there is so much pain and suffering in other parts of the world while hiking through the beautiful winter painting of Brookfield.
Haiti. Poor, sad, broken Haiti. I met with Mark Shiner and a table full of Colgate people yesterday. We are planning a concert for Haiti to raise money on January 30th in the Colgate Chapel. We all were in agreement that SOMETHING should be done. Something.
They didn't like my snow angel idea. I still think its a good idea. To have the Colgate students pay 20 dollars a person for a snow angel with clothes on and 50 dollars a person to make a snow angel in their bathing suits. Imagine a football field of snow angels!
Oh well.
A concert of course will be great!
Here are a few shots of Brookfield. I did my snow angel beside the trail on the way back down. I like to think my snow angel got up and flew away. Hopefully helping some child down in Haiti.

Happy New Year...Really

2010-01-03T05:52:00.001-08:00

Ok. There. I've done everything I was supposed to do whether I wanted to do it or not. I got through. Its January 3rd, 2010 and I have the next two days off. Winter is in full force out my window blowing in horse size, tasmanian devil, swirling clouds of snow. Pretty much life like. Duh! Life it's self! I don't mind. Last year was the three year winter. Well, I'll need at least another one to help me get everything out that I need to surrender. I guess this years CD is out of the question. I have no space with Bill never working and Nick in his 20 year limbo. It is what it is. Right?

I feel like an old fashioned wooden top. The kind that gets wound up with a string. I've been wound for sound and let go, spinning out of control in chaos direction. I happened to have managed it well. I think. I'm here. Fate is the person with the string. And the way I talk you think I survived a holocaust or something. Not! Just my fathers death and these…sorry but… these fucking holidays.

Last night driving home, there was a buck having just crossed the road with his head heavy under his rack and lowered pushing through the wind and snow. He looked a lot like dad in his last year. I wasn't surprised at this sign as I'm pretty in tune. Mom said Dad knew his time was coming. As ill as he was he got through some "jobs around the house" that needed to be done. That was my dad. Other than his health, he was up to snuff in every way. He left my mom sitting pretty. Like little miss muffet crying on a paid for tuffet, weeping into a white laced handkerchief. Dad left Mom with everything up to snuff. My mom, the stay at home rug hooking house wife is a pretty tough dutch woman after all. I'm proud of her the way she has handled everything. Well I've always know she was tough. You don't want to tangle with Mom on issues she claims she knows everything about. So, after all these holidays that I'd rather call selfish social lynchings. Dad's death is hitting home. It's the finality of it all. Its real. It hit me for real in the last hour of 2009 in the front porch room of the Mountain Top after I finished my gig. I sobbed out of control while the Sherburne locals laughed, danced and drank shots of Yager welcoming in the new year. The hour from 11:00 till midnight was the longest year of my life. Bad year for the D's. Dead dog, dead dad, done deal. Not coming back. I still hear his voice. Bill didn't know his first name after vodka on the rocks followed by several shots of that licorice shit. But I got him home that night with 2009 sadly not far behind. Its weird. 2009 was a hard year but I didn't want it to end and go away cause that means Dad and Ed dog will go away. Further and Further. Like letting go of a balloon. I hope the day never comes when I can't see they're color floating away in the sky.

So I'm getting on! What else is there to do! I got a job! Honestly its a blessing. Back in the food and beverage industry saddle again! The one I should never have left. I'm loving it! Making money hand over fist. I imagine it will slow down now that the selfish social lynching is over. I'm working at a place called Michaels in Waterville. I'm not gonna go into this story as its another I plan on blogging about with some video footage. In short, Great place. Excellent food and most importantly. I have a new family and the selfish social lynching is paid for and not on a credit card.

So today is mine. I need to visit Nanny and her new dog Tiko, a long haired chihuahua puppy I'm absolutely smitten with. I need to visit my old pal Maggie and talk interior design over a glass of red boxed wine. I need to drop my car off at Moore's tire to get the brakes worked on tomorrow. I need to probably track down my son Nick and see what his needs are. I need to ask the egg lady if I can get one or two extra dozen of organic eggs for my new friend/manager Duke. I need to talk to Nancy about how cool it is I'm surrounded by sweet gay men all of a sudden. I need to get my camera out and take some winter shots. I need to get a cup of coffee with cream and honey from Johnston's Bee farm in Eaton. This honey is from Central New Yorks summer wildflowers and is the most beautiful tone of light golden yellow I ever saw. Like a childhood summer itself all yellow, warm and gooey in a safe square jar. My friend Meredith came to visit one Saturday after the Poolville's Farmer's Market with her arms full of coffee and this honey. Coffee to keep me going, she said, and honey for my immune. Love that girl. Not many people come to visit, I live so out of the way, but the ones that do come, are cherished! I need to NOT get involved with David Bartletts death. Just to sad. I need to get over feeling guilty about not dealing with David Bartlett's death. He was a friend from farther circle. I'm so sorry for his family and will bake cookies and drop them off. I guess the real reason I need NOT to deal with David's death is because it involves many people whom I love dearly but the only way they can deal with this tragedy is to climb inside a bottle. Ironic. This was pretty much David's own demise. He fell down a flight of stairs New Years morning. Great way to start the year! I need to NOT go there! I guess needing to do, is purpose to live. And while I'm needing to do all these things. I need to get my Beef Bourguignon simmering in my new Martha Stewart dutch oven. But first I need to get dressed, step away from the laptop and help shovel out the driveway so I can get to Price Chopper. HMMM! If I can get to Price Chopper! Its nasty out there. I was just told that we are in the middle of getting 5 to 10 inches of snow. I guess much of the things I need to do today will have to wait till tomorrow...Next plan.

LIfe Goes Full Spiral

2009-11-30T12:10:00.001-08:00

All Things Revealed

So, I'm better now. In between the waves. Another Thanksgiving has come an gone. I just wish Dad could of checked out after all these holidays. His birthday is this Friday, December 4th. He would of been 71. Seventy One. Seventy One.

I get mad when I see old men walking down the street. I got mad at Michaels last Thursday when all these OLD men came in all dressed in their business suits for Rotary Club. Its not fair. My dad was so handsome when he dressed for work. My dad should of been sitting there. My dad should be walking down the street. My dad should NOT be gone. But he is and I know he's in a better place. He suffered so...

Dad loved his job and being a business man. He would always tell me when I was a young teen ager to put down that damn guitar and take typing lessons and being the defiant teenager that I was. Of course I didn't. I also remember him telling me, What are you? A quitter? When I couldn't figure out a math problem. I still suck at math but I did apply his question to other aspects of my life. I'm still playing that damn guitar. In the last couple of years, Dad would make a point of coming out as much as possible to support my music. The last thing he gave me was a little white guitar pin hand carved out of ivory. He found it in a flea market somewhere in Maine when he and Mom went on a rug hooking vacation. I cherish this guitar pin. At my last gig at the Georgetown Inn, Nancy the owner told me how sorry she was to hear about the loss of my father. I thought I was fine that night but when I told her that he would of been here listening, I lost it.

Ironically my son Nick has the same size feet as Dad. Mom gave him all Dad's shoes. I love my son Nick but he has some pretty big shoes to fill. I took back the wing tips. I have the black pair and my brother Gary has the brown.

I have to go back to the night my father died. But first I need to start with hunting.

As I grow older I've noticed how life seems to spiral. Almost like a full circle but not really. Life is a spiral. For example, I started out as a solo guitarist, did the duo scene, the full band scene to a trio scene then back to solo.

Another example, I started out hiking the woods as a child, always ending up at the waterfalls up the creek from my house on Swan Hill Road. Then our family did the camping scene in the Adirondacks. This, by the way was the most special gift my father could have given me. Those camping trips in those beautiful mountains.

We never did no stinking Disney Land or Bush Gardens! Nope! We would load up in the station wagon, drive around the lake to Raquette village, get an ice cream cone and go to dump to wait for the bears. Now here I am forty years later almost full spiral again, kayaking and camping any place I can up there, and looking for the bears. Another spiral. When I'm not in the Adirondacks, I'm blessed with having the Brookfield horse trails merely three miles from my house. In my other back yard, I have the nine mile swamp. I live and love right in the middle of god's pocket.

I guess these spirals and coincidences mean I'm living my life right. The way I should.

So this brings me to another spiral.

Probably the only strenuous thing my dad was allowed to do as a kid, was to hunt.

What a coincidence! He died during hunting season!

Dad was born December 4th, weighing in at only 3 1/2 pounds. He also had rheumatic fever when he was young. Dad was never healthy. This upsets me and is totally not fair. I never really thought about it much.

So Dad never got to play sports as a teenager. He did manage his younger brother, Dale in all his sporting endeavors. I just learned this from my Uncle. What an awesome brother my dad was.

So Dad's big adventure with his father and brothers was getting up at the crack of dawn, to go hunting. As a young girl I remember waiting for my dad to come out of the woods in his black and red checkered wool hunting outfit, hauling his twenty two over his shoulder. My sister Nancy and I could hardly wait to see if there were any candy bars left in his dark, deep pockets. I don't remember him ever hauling out a dead deer. I like to believe that he didn't have the heart to kill one as his heart was to weak to actually carry one out if he shot one.

Since our family lived in a new split level house on Swan Hill Road, we had the best garage for hanging the poor dear, dead bambi's . Dad and the Uncles would slaughter the deer and I would help the aunts with the white freezer paper and rolls of masking tape wrapping the deer steaks and roasts. We mostly cut up the meat into chunks for speidies, as that was everyone's favorite.

Those were some fond memories! My grandfather loved his boys.

When my grandfather died, (about the same time of the year as my dad) there were deer antlers and fall leaves on his casket. The moon the night my grandfather died was amazing! It was a fullest, right-in-your-face moon I ever saw! And of the most incredible orange, golden color.

The moon, the night we had my father's viewing was the same moon as on the night of my grandfathers. It was as if my grandfather came and said to my dad. Enough is enough! You are coming with me! For the man that was lying in the funeral home was NOT the same man that was my father, dead in St. Elizabeths. My father's face was the face of my grandfather, but thirty years younger. My father was out of pain and looked so peaceful. I knew then that my father's death was good.
Death is good. Sad as all hell. But good. Death is life and life is death. The death and life spiral. I guess in this situation the spiral does become full circle.

Dad loved deer. He called them his girls. Whenever we went any where and happened to see a herd of deer grazing in a field or meadow. He would say. There's the girls! Or, The girls are out!
One Saturday this past summer when Mom and Dad were up in Maine. Bill and I were in charge of hauling the trailer of Skyway Loungers and hooked rugs and setting up our booth in the Hamilton's Farmers Market. Just as we pulled on to route 12. I saw the strangest sight! A mother deer and her fawn were crossing the road right in front of us. The fawn gracefully jumped over the guard rail while the mother had to go under it as she had broken her front right leg and it had healed absolutely back wards! Its hard to describe, the leg was broken at the knee and healed like an L shape. Look at the letter L and imagine a hoof at the bottom of the L. Then turn it upside down and to the right.
Just then my cell phone rang and it was Dad. I said, "Dad"! , "I just saw the most incredible thing"! I then proceeded to tell him and he said,"Oh, Thats Limpy"! "Did she have her fawn with her"? I said, "Well yes"! And Dad said, "Yep thats Limpy"! , "She's been living in our back yard for years"! Probably cause Limpy knew that Dad would never shoot her.

The night my dad died. Mom and I got home around 7:30. Dad had made it through the angioplasty thing. I told him I loved him and that we would be back first thing in the morning to get him home. Mom and I drove home…in a snow squall of course. When ever Dad had a procedure, I was always driving us home in a snow storm. He never had procedures in the summer it seemed.

Then the call came at roughly 2:30 in the morning. Bill and I ran in circles getting dressed. I had dropped mom off at her house the night before so I had her car. As we pulled out of our driveway and around the corner. There in the road was a large buck. It was a true sign, now that I think back. The buck stood there about the exact time my father died. I knew then with out admitting to myself, that dad had gone. I wonder if I hadn't of honked the horn to scare the buck out of the road and hit the buck instead. Maybe my father would still be here. Not the case.

On a Brookfield hike, the day after my dad passed away, I began talking out loud to the leafless trees. I said, "Ok Dad"! "I know you are on your merry way to someplace better"! "Good for you"! " Just show me a sign once in a while telling me that you are alright"! It wasn't a minute later when a beautiful doe jumped out of the woods and crossed my path.

So many signs. Malcolm, my sister Nancy's husband is an avid hunter. Dad taught him. Dad said to Malcome. "Now pay attention"! When it came to gutting the deer. "Because I'm only gonna show you once". Malcolm did, as he always has a freezer of deer meat to prove it. This past weekend, Malcolm had a nice ten pointer buck right in front of him. He was furious that he missed! He shot four times and missed. A sign.
My father also LOVED cats! Another sign here...My brother adopted a pure white angora cat soon after all the funeral festivities ended. The cat is deaf as hell but with the most amazing teal green eyes I ever saw. I think this cat will be good for my brother, who is lonely but doesn't know it.

That last hike on Brookfield, I dressed in a white jacket as I had no neon. I knew it was dangerous to be hiking during hunting season. I just had to be on the trails. Its where I find the most peace, the woods. I had a silly thought of Dad, sitting under a tree, leaning up against the warm bark in his red and black wool trousers and jacket. Gun laid at his feet, munching on a candy bar. Just watching the deer dance by unharmed and far from alarm. Dad wouldn't of dreamed of shooting deer in his old age. Not even at seventy one.

Then suddenly I stopped. i heard something. I stood really still and turned my head and there were two hunters not 100 yards away from me. With guns. Aimed.

I screamed, "Don't shoot! I'm NOT a deer"! They didn't. Another sign. Dad is with me…every where.

My life has changed...forever

2009-11-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

The time had come. November 6th at roughly 2:30 in the morning. My dad died.
I'm over the shock. He suffers no more and I know in my heart of hearts he's in a better place.
It seems every thing is revealed in death. The shock is over and the grieving hits me in waves.
I sometimes feel like I'm out of control and tossed around in a big sad blue ocean. The waves. So many stories have come out of the past two weeks that I'm just not ready to write about.

Oh how I loved my father.

Just A Fun Fall Shot

2009-10-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

A Fun Weekend With The Maguires

2009-10-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

And that it was! There was leaf raking, pumpkin and apple shopping and a little horse trail hikin

.

The weather wasn't bad either! On the trails I met up with Gail Young and her horse Shadow who was quite a character! I cooked up a crock pot of sausage, yellow bell pepper and mushroom marinara for Friday and an Oma chicken dinner Saturday. Sunday I collapsed with the flu.

After this post I'm caught up with blogging. The wood stove is cranking, my writing basket is brimming and my studio and guitars are calling. LET IT SNOW

Oh Yeah...Some Shots From Cocoa Beach And The Banana River

2009-10-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Out in the back yard on the Banana.

Cocoa Beach By Way Of The Smokeys

2009-10-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

This post actually should be in front of the lucky wood stove dude post. I'm catching up here!
With the non existing summer behind us, Bill and I packed up for a visit to his father down in Cocoa once again but this time by way of the Smokeys. Wow! I'll be heading back there at some point to explore more.
It was disappointing heading in from the Tennessee welcome center driving through what I could only imagine being shanty towns from the name of this town called Pigeon Forge. Shanty Town my a-s! This was a over-rated, over-hyped back to back tourist trap built right up to the base of a mountain!
We stayed in Gaitlyburg tho...not quite as bad as there was a twisty wooded mountain road to get there.
We stayed in a Days Inn that overlooked a mountain stream and had fireplaces in each room with wood!
The next day we did a car tour up through a mountain to see some old Smokey mountain homesteads.

A photographers dreamscape! Ducking in to these small mountain cabins it was fun to imagine the way of life back in the 1800's with no washing machines, electric heat and all the other freedoms we are all so spoiled with now.
And oh! The Views! The Smokies are truly amazing!

The Very Lucky Wood Stove Dude

2009-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Bill and I finally decided to go back to burning wood. The pellet stove was on its last leg and I was not thrilled with the weak, sputtering, pellet flame. In order to feel any immediate warmth you had to stand right up to the stove. So the bags of wood pellets over the shoulder for Bill, anyway is over. Back to Country Cubbie in Oneonta! After researching a few of the contained outdoor wood burning units which pump out a lot of pollution and are quite pricey. We decided on the Vermont Castings, Encore model 1450 non-catalytic wood burning stove and in bisque if I might add. Our house has never been warmer!

It was quite a job tho getting the old stove out, and installing the new chimney liner. We had two young huskey dudes over to do the work. The one dude's name is Shane and I remember that cause he fell off my roof from just about the highest peak and walked away with no more than a bruise.

Ten minutes before he climbed the ladder and knowing that it had snowed making the new metal roof extremely slippery. I told the two dudes that maybe today wasn't the day to install the stove as I would feel horrible if any accidents happened.

They both huffed right up and assured me that my metal roof wasn't the first metal roof they had been on and that neither of them were planning on any long term vacations. Ok! Well there I had it! I was excited to get the stove in. So on they went in the task of installing the stove.

Several minutes later the other dude came to the kitchen and apologized for being a pain, and would I move my ca-BAM! BAM! BAM! Ba Ba Bam! I ran out of the kitchens back door in time to see Shane hit the pavement on his right side!

I FREAKED! He got up and walked away.

What a stove dude! He also took the mirror off from my car on the way down. Not that it matters. I wanted to give him a beer or something but still wanted the stove in and knew that someone still had to climb the ladder.

They ended up completing the job and I'm in love with my stove!

Sketching To Music

2009-09-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out to my second Sketching To Music Workshop at Kathy Herold's Center For The Arts.
Here is a picture a Colgate student sketched while listening to The Story Of Ed from my laptop.
Awwww. I sure do miss that little dog!

Nick Turned Twenty!

2009-09-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

My youngest is now twenty. I'm almost Fifty! Time is a flying.
NIck request Mexican food and margarita's for his birthday meal. No problem!
I got my old wicker serving tray down from the shelf and dove in to mexican food preparation. It had been a while.
In another life i worked as a waitress in Reading Pa. at a place called Paco's Taco's and Tequila run by a jewish dude called R. Gregory Heckman aka Paco. This is a whole separate blog that I can't get into now. I'll blog more about my life with Paco another time. I'll have to hunt down pictures first and get them scanned in.
Here are some Happy Birthday Nick shots!

Sketching To Music

2009-09-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Kathy Herold founder of the Hamilton Center for the Arts has asked me to do a one hour workshop once a week with the kids. I accepted right away! Having done the Writers Jubilee four years in a row I'm quite prepared. I'll likely perform one of my original songs from my latest CD and have the kids sketch whatever comes to their mind while listening to the song. I'm hoping they will draw images of the story I'm singing about. A test of their listening skills. Here is some artwork by a few young artists from the Morrisville school sketched to the song about Adirondack hermit, Noah John Rondeau.

Magic Elizabeth

2009-09-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

One sweet small gift came this summer that meant the world to me. A soft cover book from the Scholastic Book Services called Magic Elizabeth. Thanks to a new friend I met while on the Mad Art Farm tour at Alambria Springs Farm out in the green rolling fields of Lebanon. Her name is Beverly Cholco-Devins, a wonderful writer and librarian from Hamilton NY.
All these years later the one happy thing that I remember about school was coming home with the weekly edition of the Weekly Reader. Each week I would scour over each thin almost transparent newspaper edition looking at the covers of the books for sale and reading the paragraph about them before I would make my choices. My cousin Andrea who lived across the road and I would read and read and swap books. She owned Magic Elizabeth and let me borrow the book but was adamant that I return it. I loved this book and did return it. Now after all these years, I thought the book would probably be gone forever.
After reading a story in the Sherburne Pictorial, written by a local Sherburne woman from the early 1900's named Elizabeth Gladwin Bouton I became enthralled again with all the local history. Elizabeth wrote about writing and publishing a book called Grandmother's Doll! Just the author's name Elizabeth refreshed my memory of the book I read so many years ago.
Over the past ten years or so every time I went to book sales or garage sales I would subconsciously look for Magic Elizabeth but never found it. Just like looking for a needle in a haystack. Well thanks to Facebook! I somehow put it out there that I would love to have this book and Beverly did a inter library search and found it. I couldn’t believe it!
Bev’s path and mine were going in totally different directions so she kindly put the book in a manilla envelope and dropped it off in the Hamilton Library. On my rounds one sunny day not to many weeks ago, I finally got the book I loved so dearly as a young girl. As I slipped the book out of the envelope a tear came to my eyes as the cover was just as I remembered it. On a sticky note Beverly left me with this message stuck to the book in very neat cursive writing ”Hi Pamme, Please enjoy this reunion with your lost friend Magic Elizabeth! Best Beverly”.
My heart simply swelled with joy having a new friend and who was able to take the time to find this book for me. Free of charge even.
I got the book home and read it in several hours and the story was just a lovely and magical as it was when I read it all those years ago. Magic Elizabeth was written by Norma Kassirer and tells the story of an only child named Sally who goes to stay with an old Aunt whom she’s never met. Creepy old Aunt Sarah lives in an old house which is the last old home from a time forgotten left in a growing suburbia o apartment houses and skyscrapers. This grand old house is filled with beaded curtains, tea sets, grand father clocks, a cat named Shadow and an attic where trunks over flow with stories of a generation past. Elizabeth was the doll of a little girl who once lived in this very house and amazingly looked exactly like Sally. The last time Elizabeth was seen was a snowy Christmas Eve many years ago atop of a Christmas tree in place of a star. She simply disappeared much to the other Sal’s dismay. Now all these years later it became this Sally’s mission to find the doll and in doing so her friendship with her old Aunt Sarah bloomed and uncovered the secrete that Aunt Sarah was the little girl who lived in this very house and was nick named Sal.
Norma Kassirer was a genius to be able to take a young reader and put her in the now of the past and the now of the present. On a sea shelled lined garden path of the past to the overgrown weedy apartment enclosed forgotten yard of today.
Magic Elizabeth was written for young readers but the way this story is told would appeal to anyone of any age who loves family and history and has concern for preserving their family’s story.

The Original Music of Emilee Smith

2009-09-16T06:27:00.000-07:00

Another fine musician from Smyrna. Fifteen year old Emilee Smith

The Original Music of Matt Nakoa

2009-09-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

Sunny Smyrna sure knows how to pump out some great musicians! Enjoy!

Skyway 2009

2009-09-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Another Skyway has come and gone and I must say this years line up of music was phenomenal!
Tumbleweed Gumbo performers were Merner Koegst on stand up bass,
Steve Blaise on vocals, accordian, acoustic guitar and bodhran, Liz Friedel on fiddle and vocals and Larry Jordan on acoustic guitar and vocals. This fine bunch opened Skyway with their hand clapping, foot stomping, old time cajun folk songs. Bass guitar guru,
Zach Fleitz followed with his masterful technique, looping to his unique fret boarding style to fill out each instrumental.
The colorful swirling skirts of the Adiahakti Dancers in their third appearance on the summer green of the Skyway lawn is always welcomed! What great eye and ear candy with their fine workmanship of face painting, belly dancer attire, jewelry and exotic India music.
Hamilton teachers,Don Miller, Sean Kelly, Tyler Jablonski and Brian Rose teamed up for a classic rock four some and call themselves Commander Cockroach and the Mexican Bus rocking us out and into the set of singer/songwriter Emilee Smith. Emilee is an amazing singer/songwriter at the ripe old age of 15! Haling from Smyrna NY. she began piano lessons merely 3 years ago and is quite composed and accomplished for her age, Her voice is strong, wise and way beyond her years with every note dripping with soul. She has opened for Blue Oyster Colt and her first CD, Hall Of Mirrors has received a fine review from Mark Bialczak of the Syracuse Post Standard. Wow!
Next up was Hamiltons own and quite humorous, David Chlad. I was quite impressed with his acoustic instrumental open tunings and his “on the spot” Skyway song he easily pulled from the air to perform for us. David was quite a sport for that is when the misty rain began to fall! Unfortunately, I had to run around and move sound equipment and didn’t get to enjoy Putter Cox and friends who performed beautiful, lilting folk music with Susan Nolan on hammer dulcimer, Chris Vecsey on lap dulcimer and harmonica and acoustics, Adger Williams on stand up bass and Putter Cox on acoustics and vocals. The vocal harmonies of Putter Cox and Friends were right on and no-one seemed to mind standing in the rain to catch this performance.
While the Putter Cox trio broke down on the right side of the three stages of the Hamilton Bandstand. The Mark Shiner Trio popped up on the right side playing an unplugged set of very classy smooth jazz. I didn’t get to enjoy them at Skyway this year but have heard them many times at the Colgate Inn summer series on Tuesdays. The Shiner Trio consists of some very fine, well known professional musicians, Phil Flanigan, Dave Solazzo and of course Hamilton’s own Mark Shiner.
During the Shiner set was when I then made my trek around town to find a venue to finish up the Skyway day festivities and the Hour Glass eagerly agreed to let Skyway 2009 end there. With the help of my son Nick, we quickly broke down my set of Mackies and hauled it over re-set the stage in the front of the Glass.
Matt “Pryor” Nakoa a Berkeley student graduate and also from Smyrna wowed the crowd with his amazing vocal and keyboarding skills. Matt is the real deal and is one magical performer. He also plays acoustic guitar, right handed and upside down with a Nakoa style all his own. Matt is living in New York city and his music is supporting him nicely.
The night ended with a Colgate band called The Earthman Embassy. With Ben James Taylor on guitar and vocals, George Zeitler on keys/vocals, Michael Petersen on bass, Tommy Crocker on Drums/ vocals and Jeremy Padow on guitar, these young college dudes rocked the glass respectively wowing their fellow classmates who packed the hallowed halls of this long time favorite bar in Hamilton. Across the street, 2007 Skyway performers, The Hook, Jamie Jones on vocals and guitar, PJ Will on guitar and vocals, Johnny Jones on electric bass and Jayson Parker on drums and vocals put on quite a show and people had a great time getting down on Lebanon Street.
Cheryl Darrow won the 2009 Skyway lounger! Talk about the law of attraction at work here! Cheryl is a fine jewelry maker with a booth in the Hamilton’s Farmers market.
Each week she would admire the lounge chair as it sat right across the way from her booth next to my mothers hooked rug booth. She bought but one ticket and hers was the winner. The lounge couldn’t have gone to a better person! She was a good friend of Craig and I’m tickled the chair has a home in Hamilton!
The funds Skyway did manage to raise will be going to the Friends Of Music to help keep the next generation of music in the Hamilton Schools. Jimmy Wunderlich, Meredith and I put in many hours meeting at the Barge sipping lattes and many cups of coffee in the organization of this event. It was a day to remember with the sound of music from the talented musicians of the area echoing through town. A silly thought here folks. But wouldn’t the world be a nicer place if we could somehow replace guns with instruments in the hands of the worlds people. And give them the patience to learn their music well.
Ta La Pamme

The Onion Harvest

2009-09-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Here it is. Fall. The summer rained right on by! Hopefully that ole indian will grace us with some sun here in September.
This years tomatoes got the black spot blight and the slugs and deer feasted on the swiss chard and the hosta. We did grow some nice yellow thin skinned zucchini, carrots and a lovely mix of greens this summer. My perennials did really well! And the onions! Always grow a great crop of onions!

Skyway Starting On A Sour Note

2009-09-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

Its four days before the third annual Skyway Festival. I received and email today from David Grace asking if Jimmy, Meredith or I moved the sign at the north end of the park. After contacting Meredith and Jimmy and confirming they hadn't touched it. I called the Hamilton Police and reported it stolen. How sad is this! Here we are trying to raise money for a great cause and some idiot has to steal our sign. I can only hope whomever stole the sign that when they sober up will realize what a stupid thing they did and return it undamaged.
The weather is looking like it may be a lovely day! Here is this years poster designed by the adobe photoshop queen LInday Szybist of Van Tine Imaging. And the two signs by David Grace.

The Hush Of Summer

2009-08-23T11:10:00.001-07:00

So much has happened this summer it makes my head spin to think about it. I've camped, kayaked, hiked, cooked, performed, traveled and marketed for the past three months in a constant frenzy! Mom has done really well with her rugs in the farmers market and now has her rugs on display and for sale at the Cooperstown Farmers Museum and Fenimore Gift shop.
I also got to spend three days camping with my dearest friend from high school. Once I got her out of her house. We did what ever we wanted. I took her kayaking on the swamp. The last time we kayaked the swamp we only got ten minutes out and had to turn around to avoid a thunder storm that quickly descended up us.
The next day we packed up and camped site 210 on Limekiln. I've known Jen for over 40 years and thought I knew just about everything there was to know about her. I was wrong. I remember as teenagers, I talked her into camping trip with my family on Raquatte. As I remember she came along but wasn't really happy about it and went home early with some friends of my parents as they were there a week ahead of us and had to leave. On this camping trip I learned from Jen that her parents took Jen and her sister camping many times as kids. ON RAQUATTE no less. I never knew that! Anyway Jen wasn't to impressed with Limekiln as its a busy family oriented campground. She said to me she was further out in the wilderness staying home. I chose Limekiln as its close to Inlet and has toilets and showers not know Jen in fact was an experienced camper.
So we got through her hot flashes and since the next morning dawned a blue sky gem we packed up and drove out to Stillwater.
As luck would have it with boy scouts and other boaters and campers buzzing around the pavilion. We got campsite 45.
After a short visit with Luke the ranger, Mother Marion and Joe. We loaded the kayaks and set out for site 45. My favorite place on the planet. It was love at first site for Jen as she stepped upon the private golden beach. She stood there taking in Stillwater's surrounding beauty and tranquility and said, "So how much did you pay for this site? " I laughed and said, "Nothing!" "It's free!" "All you gotta do is get here!" LIke me she walk around setting up the tent and kept repeating. FREE FREE This is FREE!
What a time we had drinking peach champaigne and other spirits. Singing, laughing, kayaking, cooking in the beautiful wilderness of the Adirondack mountains. I will never forget the great time we had. I do regret one thing tho and that is for not taking off my treasured silver celtic rings. I skinny dipped the last night we were there and the water took both rings right off my fingers. I will kayak out on Labor day weekend as the water goes down at summers end and if fate allows, I will find the rings. I keep my fingers crossed.
I lost my dearest friend Ed this summer. His time was coming and we all knew. Aurora came home and found Ed dead in front of the TV on July 31st. I was in Stillwater waiting for Ryan and Julie and the grandchildren. We had Marion's camp for a week. I was sad but we had fun collecting "ED" rocks for the grave site. Bill built Ed a little coffin and buried Ed out back. I see his grave from my kitchen window. I also found a lovely piece of driftwood from the Driftwood God Beach and brought that home for a grave marker. The amazing thing is, is that when Bill dug little Eddies grave, he dug up a horse shoe. Yep! Ed was a lucky dog and we all loved him so. Ed was the Club Ed mascot and chef stow away dog.
His last days tho were not so happy. I'll choose not to remember these and only the good. No more dogs for a while.
Skyway is coming! We have a lovely line up this year and I'm looking forward to is as always! David Grace had painted another lovely sign for the southern end of the park and Linday Szybist, being the Adobe photo shop queen that she is has out done her self again in poster design.
My mother has entered into her 70th year and Malcome his 50th. I helped Nancy and together with the help of her long time girlfriend put on quite a party!
While cleaning out and elderly ladies home, Bill came across of old vinyl records in mint condition and brought them home. I found a record player at BJ's built to look like and old time wooden record player for only ninety bucks and brought that to the party. Everyone had a hoot playing the old records and reading the covers.
I have a really busy weekend upcoming with 3 gigs back to back. The Colgate Bookstore Book Fair, The Colgate Inn then the Clinton Arts and Music Festival the next day. Labor Day I have a private party in Stillwater. The Skyway Festival on the 12th then....VACATION! I miss my empty days to write and record. I have another CD brewing in me. It will be interesting to see what the next batch of songs will come from me.

Cooperstown!

2009-07-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so PROUD of my parents!
My mother is really kicking some hooked rug butt!
She has a booth every week in the Hamilton's Farmer's Market. She has done a show at the Hamilton Center for the Arts, The Barge Canal Coffee House and the Earlville Opera House.
She now has rugs for sale at the Fenimore Gift Shop and the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown which is HUGE!
My father is in full support acting as her manager and I'm busy with her website and taking shots of rugs and inventory.
Who would of thunk 30 years ago I'd be an apprentice to a hooker!
Summer is literally flowing by with all the rain we've had. Nick is in Portland Maine and I'm home holding my breath. He did call the other night with news of a job working for a man who owns a lot of rental properties. He has his own apartment and is working off the security deposit. I'm can't give him anything more as I'm in the middle of good match of tough love. I'm winning! He needs to find his legs and stand independently. Everything I've given him is either sold, lost or stolen. I'm done.
Aurora is working her tail off and doing really well!
I'm holding out for the Bose!

A Good Horse

2009-06-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Well here it is! My first attempt at a music video.
A Good Horse is one of those songs when the lyrics just fell into my lap one day and I literally wrote it down in an hour.
I LOVE those kind of songs gifted from above!
I don't know the exact date I wrote it but it was recorded in 2004 on my Once Sated CD.
Again what would I do with out Rich Grant of Digital Media and Design, Reyna Stagnaro for her mandolin playing, use of her cozy basement and magical woods for the setting. A special thank you to Fred the horse and Jimmy Wunderlich on harmonica!

Four Days on Stillwater

2009-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

We did it. Billiam and I weeded the camping trailer and packed our kayaks with only the bare necessities to stay at Stillwater site #45. Thursday Bill quit work early and we loaded up and headed up to Old Forge where we decided it was too late to camp. By the time we traveled the 10 mile dirt road to the boat launch it would be dark setting up the camp. So we got a cozy room at the hotel right there on the pond. After a fine meal of salad with fresh grilled tuna for me and a burger for Bill we went to see A Night At The Museum at the Old Forge theater. It was just OK. I was really impressed with the camera collection in the lobby!
So bright and early we got up and headed north to the Hard Times for breakfast then out to Stillwater!
After packing and icing and a short 20 minute paddle we were at the lovely site 45.
We had stopped at Dicks for two Swiss Gear self inflating mattress's which we learned that you need to let them self inflate on their own two or three times before using. Duh! Stupid company should of put that information on the out side of the box. So Bill had to blow them up!
We ate like kings! I pre-marinated a frozen filet mignon and chicken thighs which as they thawed they marinated! I also wrapped potatoes seasoned in olive oil and seasoning in foil to throw in the coals. Delish!
The gig went great at Mother Marion's as always! It was great to see all the local Stillwater folks and fun to meet new people.
One sure thing in the Adirondacks. You never know who you will bump into.
The same people who did the pig roast were there again. I've GOT to start writing down names as I'm so bad at remembering them! My Aunt "social butterfly" Loretta had a rolladex where she kept track of whomever she met! A little type A but not a bad idea.
We ended up getting our kayaks towed back to our camp site by Doug after the gig as it was raining an the water was really choppy. I can't remember his last name but I got a private gig on Labor Day weekend from him! I had to move all my sound equipment in and played in the dining room. Everyone loved it! I also met a nice bunch from the Raquatte Lake area that may be giving me a call to play on the 4th of July weekend. That will be a busy weekend!
So Sunday rolled in with a lovely mystical fluffy white fog and burned off to a piercing indigo sky! It was beautiful!
No WAY was I going home! We kayaked all day and put in at least nine miles! We discovered site 35 on an island to sign up next ! I'm hoping to get Jennifer and some more people! It would be a blast!
Sleeping in the night with bullfrogs croaking and Loons singing their midnight laments and the sound of water just is so relaxing and wonderful. A perfect balm for my sorrow trying not to worry about Nick.
I let him go for the weekend. I had too.
Today I broke down and put 25 bucks in his checking account and sent out his birth certificate and GED. Tough loving is the hardest thing to do. He needs to figure it out.
So the weekend was great!
We woke up Monday morning, packed up and kayaked in the rain back to Stillwater. It was good to sit a my car again and made me appreciate my shower and bed all the more. I can't WAIT for the next camping kayaking adventure again!

A New Summer

2009-05-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Honest to god time just flies by. I've been so busy with home repairs. Billiam and I have had a new tin roof put on. It was quite a job with Brian Harris our neighbor down the road and Bill's partner Ford ripping off he old roof and replacing with purlins and the tin sheets. But its on and now for the garage. Next is to replace the siding. I'm going for yellow. Not mustard. just a nice shade of cream yellow. Everytime I see a yellow house, it makes me feel happy.
Nick is in Portland Maine for the summer. I can only let him go. I've done all I can for this kid and it's his turn to fly. Sadly Morrisville didn't work out for him and he flunked out breaking my heart in the process. Well its his life.
Another sad thing for me is that I don't have my summer Tuesdays at the Big Moose Inn. I guess music just isn't in the cards there this summer. Because of this I'm stepping back from the music scene up in the Old Forge area. I refuse to go back to playing the late night hours. I enjoy the dinner hours where I can be home by a reasonable time.
I will miss the shimmering lake from the from the front porch of the Inn and also all the great people I have met or would of met.
Nothing lasts forever!
So new challenges in front of me! I'm a farmer in a market now with my mother. We have quite a nice booth thank you very much! The booth is called Further East Gallery named after my friend Patrick Mills first gallery. Mom and I are selling her hooked rugs and Skyway Loungers! Mom is kicking some hooked rug ass let me tell you. I've been busy photographing (with the help of Rich Grant) her rugs and running her website.
Being in the market has been wonderful for both of my parents! Dad parks his lawn chair out back of the booth and toddles around the park meeting different vendors and buying us sweets and coffee. Its great to see him up and around again smiling and so talkative.
I've got some new songs ready to record but like always will wait to go into recording land until I have at least 12-15 songs written.
Arizona is a big shot on the fall horizon.