All Treats on this Halloween

This is one you'll surely want to click on the picture! I'm not saying the cherubs didn't learn anything at school today, but you can see why they might have been distracted by my costume. I left Bean at home.

Mr. Golden Shovel gets more recognition

One of the hardest things about being Mr. Golden Shovel of 2006-2007 was shoveling this section of the neighbor's sidewalk. It was cracked, busted, and uneven. Can't tell you how many times the shovel handle ended up in my gut when doing this stretch. But no more, when this job was done it ended up smooth as silk. I'm sure they did it just to honor their own Good Neighbor. Now if it would just snow...

Ride for Life

These are some of the 320 riders who rode part or all the way around Cayuga Lake on Saturday. They are about to take the Victory Ride through Ithaca for the post-ride dinner at Stewart Park. Nice job folks, you raised over $210,000 for a local AIDS organization.

Ride for Life

Raising $1800 for a local AIDS organization, riding 100 miles on a team with two great guys and waiting for a massage, those are the reasons for the thumbs up sign.

Ride for Life

Armin Huerich checks in with the family after his ride. There's no truth to the rumor that he took/made calls while riding. Fortunately for fans of fine music, he was on the air at 6 am the next day to play the best music on the radio as a Salt Creek Show dj.

Ride for Life

Jerry Merskin (see July post from John Francis visit) is all smiles as he dismounts after 100 miles.

Ride for Life

At the end of the ride volunteers from the Finger Lakes School of Massage try to soothe some weary bodies. I know the massage was the highlight of this moment, but Gail kept saying, "It felt so good to be under a blanket."

Ride to Death

I couldn't resist having fun with Gail on the table. She almost died laughing.

The Honeymoon

We selected a place suitable for biking, reflecting and looking ahead. The Rocky Mountains from Jasper, Alberta to Glacier National Park, Montana provided this and more. Here are two samples of the scenery we were treated to regularly. You can click on all pictures for a better look. To view all the pictures and read some commentary, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/gailst/JasperToGlacier2007 It works best to click on the first one and then advance using the arrow at the top. If you view as a slide show the captions are over the bottom of the pictures.

The Honeymooners

What a great place to take our first lunch break of a 560-mile bike ride.

The Honeymoon Helpers

Dottie Dubey was a fantastic companion to have along for such a momentous occasion. And having a ride for a spell didn't hurt either.

The Lower 400

Well the buckwheat has sprouted on the first bed of the future "City Slicker Acre Community Garden." Thanks to CSP Management for allowing me to dig up their grass and start some community action!

The t-shirt

Seems hundreds of you all have the same question; What is that shirt Gail's wearing? Well it was a special-issue from a great party earlier this summer at Thor Oeschsner's (writer of "Big John") farm to raise money for Full Plate Farm Collective. Wish I could wear one of these. Guess I'll have to take solace in just being able to call Thor a friend and hope I never see him in one of these perilous situations.

Righting a Wrong

With this group in town coinciding with John Francis' visit, it was easy to lose focus on what's REALLY important; that is, getting a shot of little Willie McMahon up on the blog.

Righting a Wrong

Oh, we know who is gorges!

John Francis Visit

John Francis, banjo player and author of PlanetWalker, How To Change Your World One Step At A Time came to speak and perform at Cornell and Grassroots. Thanks to the fact that I am married to his Ph.D advisor's awesome daughter, I got to spend a nice amount of time with him. We passed the banjo back and forth, and were accompanied by the guitar of our mutual friend, Jerry Mirskin. Gail and I ate a really swank dinner at Banfi with him instead of a meal at the laid back, hippie vegetarian hang out.
Of course I took him to see some of Ithaca's finest sights.
In case you don't know who John is, he gave up motorized vehicles for 22 years and didn't speak for 17 of those. If you would like his book, I still have some copies and owe him the $.

John Francis Visit

It seemed like he had a good time doing it and telling his story.

John Francis Visit

Folks were rapt by John's appearance at Grassroots. They started lining up early to get his book. A cloudburst as he finished cut sales short.

John Francis Visit

It looks dark as John headed back to Ithaca with Gail and I, but we still were able to stop for a view of Taughannock Falls. Thanks to Marilyn and Alan for getting John to Ithaca and Grassroots, and Irving for helping to get John to safety when he walked out of the Amazon with malaria.

Revisiting the Scene

Lots of family in town this week to stay at a cottage on the lake so we had dinner at our house then walked to the wedding site. Here's three sisters and their newest sister-in-law. And me.

Revisiting the Scene

Here's some of the darling nieces at the waterfall.

Just Married

Here we are, married for five minutes.

At the swimmin' hole

It's that time of year again when the best place to cool off is in the gorge, and I did some exterior decorating at my favorite spot in Six Mile Creek. Best rock I've ever worked with. Learn more: http://www.sixmilecreek.org/index.html

At the swimmin' hole

I also watched these fish awhile. It appeared to me the one on the left was making a nest of stones. The one on the right was just chillin'. Go to "What to do in the Soo" posts (March 2007) to see why I know so much about fish. Maybe even post a comment to explain what's really up with these two ichthyolers.

Grid 'n Garden

Soon after the snows from the April storm melted, Gail and I threw a real bash to celebrate the emerging garden and discuss the workings of the solar array on our house. Lots of great people came, lots of great people didn't come. We're just glad to have nice friends and neighbors (not that those two groups are exclusive) that were able to come see our "works in progress."

Grid, Garden 'n Gibian

Steve was just about to stir things up when this shot was taken.

Grid, Garden 'n Gals

Here's a couple of sweet gardeners. They make an asphalt pad look fantastic.

Grid, Garden 'n Grin

These guys came out from under the drink tent, but they didn't go much farther. I understand that John didn't even have a bike!

Grid, Garden 'n Gig

An awesome band played their first gig. They're looking to add a third banjo.

Grid, Garden 'n Groan

Some guests disparaged the wisdom of having the party. But I'm glad they came anyway.

The Pay-Off: Part Three

I don't even know where to begin with this stunning photo! Ithaca's first recipient of the "Golden Shovel Award" for being a conscientious neighbor when some aren't. I just want people to not get discouraged when they choose to walk, I'm not out for any recognition.
But what the Sam Hill? What's that on the ring finger?!?
Help.

The Pay-Off: Part Two

What a sad theme going on here. This is an Ithaca police officer talking with one of the boys in the student apartments next door. They have been spending their nice days outside shooting cans with a pump-gun of some sort. Finally fed up with the sound of the "game" I called dispatch and put a stop to their "harmless" (illegal) fun. The cop kept the gun in lieu of issuing a ticket.

The Pay-Off

The neighborhood kids had a ball with the pile of snow a few days later. The one on the left is in the act of throwing a snowball at the college kids' cars. It's more benign than shooting them.

Snowday, sad day

when snow falls stays packs
when the day is carefree
when work is set aside
when flowers bloom

say hi to a neighbor
smile at a stranger
support a friend

there's no need
to care about
who it may
help

Help

Real progress

The other day I was looking at our car and thinking, "As convenient and useful as they are, they really turn us into self-centered, reckless, destroyers of life." I continued thinking, "What if those of us who really don't need one decided to get rid of their car? It's not like there won't be any (until gas is reserved solely for the military, but that's another blog). We'll still be able to use one when we really need to, lots of nice people we know may still let us use their car or give us a ride. Of course, we'd have to refrain from pointing out all the absurdities associated with rampant car use, we want to avoid becoming insufferable after all." I admit, I started to get a little dizzy...

The disappearing car...

Then I noticed the car being enveloped in this strange mist, or fog...

And it was gone

And then when the fog cleared, all that was left was two license plates on the ground! We'll see now if we really can get along without one.

Winter Camping In The Adirondacks

It was another great trip to Pharaoh Lake in Mid-March. Fortunately I got Steve Nicholson to go this year and he had the brilliant idea to build a snow wall to block the wind. He was invited back.

Winter Camping In The Adirondacks

Steve and I take a break from construction of the wall.

Going to the Soo

Gail and I spent our winter vacation visiting Geoff and Kristi in Sault Sainte Marie, MI. Gail's sister Martha and her husband Jeff were there with their daughter, Mariana. It was quite a drive...

What to do in the Soo

You can visit the lab where they raise fish (salmon) to research things like water temperature and development.

What to do in the Soo

The research station shares space in a hydro power building.

What to do in the Soo

You can get a tour of Lake Superior State from Geoff and see the lab where they study fish. Those are the fish in the jars.

What to do in the Soo

We went skiing everyday at the cross country ski center near Kristi and Geoff's house. Here Mariana flies past Auntie Gail and her mom.

And they live near a park with swings!

Of course jumping off at the apex of the swing wasn't so smart