Tis' the Season

It's fall, the time when you've got to work fast and diligently to get some food put away for the winter that will hopefully come and put and end to the growing season. This is probably the favorite at our house, canned peaches. The freezer's almost full too.

Tis' the Season

A new feature in our food production is a dehydrator. We've done a few batches of tomatoes, and one batch of Thai peppers. The first person to contact me with the number of peppers in this pile can have a tablespoon of powder (a year's supply).

Tis' the Season

Not everything ends up dehydrated. I've just finished a "root cellar" under the basement stairs. Fortunately there are still potatoes to be dug.

Porch Fest

Ithaca's second best neighborhood recently held the second "Porch Fest" where lots of stellar musicians play music on the front porch and people go around and listen. It's great to see the streets blocked with people and the porches overloaded with talent. I bet there's a few dozen bands that have toured the US and Europe represented in these two photos. What's in the soil down there in Fall Creek?

Porch Fest

Not everybody played music on the porch; Karen, Jessie and Red just drew a crowd by sitting at Amy's and having drinks and snacks. Kevin displayed the best way to get around to the 30-some bands who were playing.

Porch Fest

Occasionally a band didn't fit on their porch, or in this case it wouldn't have made much sense as it's an enclosed one. JazzHappens did a great job turning the day into "Front Lawn Fest."
Gotta know how to improvise if you're going to play jazz I guess.

Porch Fest

Here are the Aceto Brothers playing with their dad, he's in his 90's but can still sing like a bird and play a sweet mandolin.

Three Day Bike Trip

Looking way back, Gail and I took a little three-day trip on our bikes with overnights at Mt. Irenaeus in Allegany County, and a B&B in Hammondsport on Keuka Lake. Three nice rides but quite a bit of up and down between Hammondsport and Ithaca. Stopping for garlic knots in Watkins Glen didn't help the hardest climbs from there to Ithaca.

Steve Earle at The State

This week I finally got to a Steve Earle concert after listening to him for almost twenty years. It was at Ithaca's Historic State Theater and like a few other shows I've been to there, it goes on my all-time great concerts list. I'll leave the review to the professional writers, but I've got to say he said it best when he said he "is a miracle" after all he's been through. And yet he keeps writing great songs and doing shows like the one the other night where he plays for over two hours, giving it his all to the point he's drenched in sweat after the first fifteen minutes.
In reality it wasn't the first time I'd seen him live. Gail and I were in Saratoga Springs for a one-day festival this summer and he performed for about an hour, but it was just a taste and he was too far away in the big venue and tough to see/hear, it was enough to increase my anticipation. Another time I was in Washington for a rally opposing the war that still rages (even if we don't hear much about it anymore), guess we haven't been singing loud enough, and he was coming up on the bill but the buses were heading back to Ithaca and I had to leave before he came on. I just spent half my morning with him on Youtube, and came across this song from that show. I thought it was brilliantly used for the radio advertisements for his Ithaca show.

Tense times on vacation

Gail and I took a nice trip recently to the Adirondacks and Vermont. Our first stop was Piseco Lake in the southern section of the Adirondacks where we visited with Geoff, Kristi, Ann and Chips at their "camp." We had some great time on the water with kayaks and the lightest canoes any of us had ever lifted. Gail and I rode our bikes around the lake (with two near-collisions) and pictured here is Chips and first mate, Kristi, heading out for the sailing races. The boat was tipping pretty far at times in the strong but shifting winds. Ann feared a tip-over was imminent.

Tense times on vacation

Geoff and Gail kept an eye on the situation with much concern.

Tense times on vacation

Gail, Geoff, and Ann (not in the picture, she wanted to start the dishwasher before heading out) went out in the motor boat to be in close proximity for a rescue if needed.

Tense times on vacation

The races got underway, but at a considerable distance from my vantage point. I couldn't tell what was going on but all the sails remained upright.

Tense times on vacation

A shower passed the south end of the lake where the races were being held, obliterating my view of the boats. I remained dry throughout.

Tense times on vacation

With the races nearly done and evidence that Chips and Kristi had the sailboat firmly under control, the rescue team returned.

Tense times on vacation

Geoff tried to get some action on this cruiser, but a broken something-or-other (sailing has such technical jargon) prevented him from turning. I don't understand why he didn't just sail straight.

Tense times on vacation

Gail and Ann were reluctant to head back out to rescue Geoff, and suggested he jump ship.

Tense times on vacation

I was ready during the whole ordeal to call the Coast Guard at a moment's notice if necessary. Just one more tune first.

Unfortunately, the camera got put into Gail's knitting bag when another shower came our way and we didn't take any more pictures the whole trip-too busy to knit. But thanks to Amy, Richard and Max for a great stay at their house in Plattsburgh, NY; Tii for providing an opportunity to camp a night on the Brewster River and two nights at her house in Strafford, VT. and Dottie and Stan for a great dinner and a Lui Collins concert. It was good to see Mark Wholley, play tunes everywhere we went, and take some sweet bike rides on Grand Isle and along the Connecticut River in NH and VT. Special thanks go to Katy Nicholson for taking great care of Bean and leaving three pounds of butter in the fridge for us.

Getting Around Town

Here's a great concept recently added to Ithaca, Carshare. For a minimal fee we can use a car, or pickup truck, for a few hours. So far it's come in handy for a plumbing job Gail tackled, to pick up rolls of insulation, and to get a disabled bike.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

It was twenty years ago I found myself in this area as a resident. Initially I was splitting my time between Mary Ellen's house in Newark Valley (or my sister "Nearby" as one Mexican acquaintance understood her name to be), my girlfriend Lynda's apartment in Endicott, and on this farm pictured on Honeypot Rd. in Candor.
In time I became a full time resident on the farm with Carol Chambers, Jim Vendryes and Matt, Dylan and Will. Underneath the phantom road Fresh Logic Studios (they supplied all the aerial photos for these posts) inserted into the picture is the log cabin we built and I lived in. The logs for the cabin came from State forest up the road and were cut and delivered about the same time I moved in. Carol and her first husband, Mike Ainsworth, made part of the barn into a residence and over the years we expanded the living space to accommodate Carol and Jim and the boys using lumber milled from trees cut out of the woods in the top left of the picture. We used draft horses to do the logging. The garden was behind the barn, garlic being the main crop, we grew up to 1000 lbs. in a year. The pond was added after I left, and you can see by clicking on the picture it's just starting to fill.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

From 1996 to 2006 I picked apples at the Cornell Orchards. One year I stayed on after the harvest and did "orchard work" for a month or two. There was a rainy day that the work involved cutting down all the trees that were in this area. They were on the lines you can see, and depending on the resolution of the picture when you click on the photo, you might be able to see the individual stumps. The darker line on the right was the infamous Lincoln T row; trees trained on trellises about five feet off the ground, impossible to pick by anyone over four feet tall. It was here I picked my record, 12 bins, or 204 bushels in one day. I was picking cider apples and it didn't matter if they were bruised, and back then you could shake them down and let the FOOD TOUCH THE GROUND!

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

After I left the farm on Honeypot in 1999 I moved into a little cabin on Ray Light's property in Caroline. The cabin isn't visible in this shot, it's under the trees on the left, near the semi trailer. Ray had an interesting collection of items. An 8'x10' cabin won't show up very well from this distance anyway. I stayed here for four years, swimming in the pond, skiing in the adjacent state forest, and gardening in the brown area in the middle of the picture. This was the only fenced garden I ever enjoyed, Ray had goats.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

Here's the cabin I lived in at Ray's place. It is 8'x10', two stories and high enough to stand upright upstairs (as well as down). Some people thought I was a bit nuts living there, but Ray lived there a year or two with his wife-before I moved in of course.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

Here's the current and hopefully final location: Columbia St. in Ithaca. At the time of this picture the new garden is visible behind the house and I have yet to encroach onto the lawn to the east. You can read all about life here at 318 and see lots of pictures in other posts because the era of digital photos began here for me.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

Here's this year's garlic harvest, my twentieth. It's enough for Gail and I, seed for next year's crop and some for gifts. I think ten pounds is more than 100 times easier than 1000 lbs.

The Final Cut

Gail says the trouble with getting a short haircut (see "Summer Time" June 2008 post) is you immediately want it shorter. Can't say that I've experienced that sentiment, but I think she's found the length she can live with. I know I can live with it.

Family Visits

Every year for about four decades now, Mary Ellen graciously brings our family together for a "Week on the Lake." Some stay the whole time, others drop in and out, and a few send their regrets. This year she outdid herself and found the most comfortable accommodations to date. It had a large deck with several levels, stairs (65) down to the beach where there was a dock and another cabin. The house was adorned with elaborate gardens, room for croquette, and enough bedrooms for everyone who came. Thanks Mary Ellen, it's a great tradition.

Family Visits

Gail and I are lucky there's a lake so close to our house because it means the family will come over for dinner during the week and see some of the sights around our neighborhood. Here we are on our way to the Commons for a free concert featuring Preston Frank and Donna the Buffalo.

Family Visits

The purpose of having a lake house isn't to spend the time in the house, but in the lake. Willie couldn't get on land most of the week with so many people taking him out in the canoe, kayaks and just plain swimming. Thanks again to David Morales for the use of his fine kayaks, they were a hit this year just like last.

Family Visits

Tom and Mary demonstrate that sometimes the house is so cozy you've just got to sit around inside when you're at the lake.

Family Visits

Not only was the house nice, but the dock was perfect for offering the lake some banjo tunes or catching rays as Colleen and I demonstrate here.

Family Visits

Even with a comfy house on the lake the gang got out for some fun in the local gorges. Here's a shot of the swimming hole at Treman State Park were they swam for about half an hour until the E-coli test results came back and closed the creek for the day. I think that's Mary McMahon jumping in and Pat and Colleen walking at the base of the falls.

Family Visits

Gail and I took her mom, Carol, up to the lake house for a visit before she headed back to Madison. Here's an action shot (Gail's knitting, how much more action do you need?) of them and my mom on the beach.

Family Visits

Do to a missed message I missed this walk to Taughannock Falls, in fact I was probably driving past the overlook as this shot was taken. I highly recommend visiting this waterfall if you're ever in the area, but if it's winter don't ski down the mound of ice that forms at the bottom unless you're Regis Carver. And never walk near the falls as rocks disengage from the cliffs and have killed unsuspecting tourists.
This is a picture you surely will want to click on.

Family Visits

I split my time towards the end of the week between the GrassRoots Festival and the lake house. One morning Mary Ellen, Janet, Sue and Brian walked up the driveway with me and headed to the Americana Winery. I never heard how they got back, but it was downhill all the way so maybe they walked.

Family Visits

The week was kicked off with a party Gail and I threw at Stewart Park (see following posts). It was a chance to have lots of nieces and nephews around for a group shot. There's a 24-year span in this picture!

Monthiversary Party

When Gail and I celebrated our nuptials last summer (see May 2007 postings), several people were outraged there wasn't a big wedding celebration that included free beer, torturing children by asking about their plans for the future, and standing around. We got all the bases covered this July when we got most of our families and several friends together at Stewart Park in Ithaca. Ironically, the quickest to bemoan missing out on the free beer was my brother John, who wasn't able to attend. He was famously represented by my cousin, John, who was willing to make the trip to and from Buffalo in a day since it didn't involve a funeral.

Monthiversary Party

The party started off with about an inch of rain, unfortunately that kept many people away.
Fortunately the Nicholson Boys know how to turn lemons into lemonade. Even more fortunate, neither of them drowned in the parking lot.

Monthiversary Party

4-square was a big hit and had more than a few people sweating. And who knew how much fun could be had with balls, rope and pvc pipe?

Monthiversary Party

It was a time for family portraits, with Gail officially in the photo, and family to meet friends-Connie O'Brien shares 4-square strategies with Shannon and Mary McMahon.

Monthiversary Party

Every "wedding" celebration needs a good cake, this one was no exception. It proved to be a hit with both friends and family. Leftovers pleased GrassRoots volunteers.