Monthly Archives: October 2009

11 October 2009

The Greater Ithaca Art Trail

By Nicki

I spent a majority of today on The Greater Ithaca Art Trail.  This weekend and next weekend – October 10/11 and October 17/18 – 53 different art studios will open their doors to the public.

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I strategically planned my day but wish I had more hours.  I started my day in Groton, NY at Thou Art Gallerage.  Nancy is amazing, as is her art.  She also have several other artists’ works on display and for sale.  She says there is an exhibit coming up of Steve Gallow’s photography in December.  I cannot wait for the date as I will be up – unless I am snowed in.

I, then, took some time out from my gallery hopping.  I know I had just started but it is not often I am in Groton and I went to visit friends.  Thanks so much to Steve and Polly Codner for putting up with me and for lunch.

I continued on the Art Trail to Gary Rith Pottery.  In case you don’t know, it is the purple house on NYS Route 366 in Etna.  I will be back before the holidays, Gary, as I am thinking my mom needs a teapot set.

I had my son’s GPS with me today so I left Gary’s and put in the address for Stephanie Levy.  She is in The Federal House, a bed and breakfast, in Lansing.  Stephanie and her husband run the bed and breakfast.  Her jewelry is amazing and very beautiful.  I saw a watch there that I loved.

A quick aside, as I was walking into The Federal House, I saw a brochure for Knock on Wood.  Unfortunately, there is no web site on their business card – just a phone number (607.277.1763) and email address (kow@twcny.rr.com).  They now make beautiful wooden jewelry boxes.  If you are looking for one, please give them a call or email for details.  My interest in Knock on Wood is that I was given a cutting board from them at my wedding 25 years ago.

Also, another aside about The Federal House, there is a park just down the road.  I actually parked there as it was good to stretch my legs.  At the back of the park is a beautiful waterfall.

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I left Lansing and headed into Ithaca proper.  I was heading to Kitschen Sink at 210 Elmira Road.   You can contact Liz, the owner, or as her business cards say “chief cook and bottle washer,” at 277.4914.  She does wonderful paintings and multimedia art.  She also has other artists’ work on display in her studio.

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I do apologize for not getting more pictures as I was going around today.  My camera, as I was explaining to Gary, took a trip to Niagara Falls this weekend without me.  I should have asked to borrow Steve’s for the weekend.  Oh well, next time!

Thanks to all the artists who participate in the Greater Ithaca Art Trail.  I wish I could have seen more of you today.  Special thanks to those of you I met today.  Know that I will remember what you do and will tell others about you.

5 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Art, Just my Thoughts

9 October 2009

Great Books Week – Friday – Special Gift

By Nicki

October 4–10 is Great Books Week, and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE)  is hosting a blog tour about books to celebrate.  The prompt for today is “When I want to give someone a special gift, I give them [name of book] because…”

This prompt is very misleading as it changes so frequently.  My current favorite, and it will ring true with many but will not with other readers, is to give friends who are turning 50 Jimmy Buffet’s A Pirate Looks at 50.  Granted, this does mean that my friends are turning 50.  I think I would give this book to others also.  I absolutely love Buffet’s writing style.  On top of that, his look at 50 is so unique.  When many people are feeling life is coming to a close, the book makes the reader realize that it is just beginning.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Book Reviews, Just my Thoughts

9 October 2009

Project Feed Me

By Nicki

Project Feed Me

Project Feed Me is a nine week program designed to help feed hungry families.  While people from all over the world are participating, the food is given to you local food bank.

In the US, you can find your local food bank here.  If you cannot find one listed, I suggest contacting a local social services office or your own house of worship for a food bank near you that can use the food items you collect.  If you are reading my blog from somewhere other than the US, I would suggest those two starting places if you do not know of a local food bank.

To participate in Project Feed Me, you need to do four things.

  1. Register!  Registration is free and takes very little time.  It is also a way to track the impact that Project Feed Me has.
  2. Commit to buying two of the recommended food items per week.  The list of recommended food items will be posted each Monday, starting Monday, October 12, on this blog.  ***The recommended food items are a list of items that have been predetermined by Food Banks across the country. The recommended food items will be posted at nono2yoyo.com every Monday Starting Monday October 12. It will be your responsibility to check back each week to find out what the weekly item is and ensure you are buying the foods that are recommended and  needed by the food banks.**
  3. Commit to getting three others to participate.
  4. At the end of nine weeks, deliver your food to your local food bank.

And, so you can see the effect of a project like this, you can visit Natalie’s blog here.  About two-thirds of the way down the page, there is a table that shows the impact.

Help those who need food!  Join Project Feed Me.

1 comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Family, Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts

6 October 2009

Great Books Week – Tuesday – Fav Childhood Book

By Nicki

October 4–10 is Great Books Week, and the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE)  is hosting a blog tour about books to celebrate.  The prompt for today is “When I was a child, my favorite book was … because…”

I have very fond memories of reading Gertrude Chandler Warner’s The Boxcar Children.  I loved the idea that these kids were on their own and living in a boxcar.  I had traveled on a train so the thought that four children, three of them older than I was at the time, could live in an abandoned boxcar just made me dream of all the wonderful adventures that could happen.

I also was brought up, from age five, by my grandmother so a book where children were being raised by a grandparent really hit home with me.

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6 October 2009

Fall Color II

By Nicki

I have been trying and trying to hit a good day for taking pictures of the fall colors.  Today, as I headed out on my seven mile plus run, the leaves were more beautiful than I had seen yet this autumn.  It was sunny.  Unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me.

I had a meeting later in the evening so left my house about 6:15 pm and headed to drive my run route and take all the pictures I would have taken as I was running, if I ran with a camera.  The sun was starting to set so the colors were not as brilliant as during the height of the afternoon sun but they were still beautiful.  A few of the shots have been altered to get better contrast.

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6 October 2009

The Camaraderie of Runners

By Nicki

I run by myself.  I run for myself.  I jokingly tell my friends, when asked why I run or what I am running from, I am running from all the heredity that my parents are trying to give me.  This became even more true after my father’s death this past March.

My friend Steve runs also.  He would always tell me about the races, about the people.  He would say he always meets someone new, how friendly everyone is.  He has, on occasion, encouraged me to run with him during training or to try a race.  I always say I run alone.

Then, this past weekend came.  I went with Steve to the Wineglass Marathon, which races along highways from the Philips plant in Bath, NY to Corning, NY.  I was there at the start line.  The people, whether runners or other support people, were wonderful.  We all talked and laughed together.  I was amazed at the camaraderie that was apparent.  But, as I thought back about things that Steve had told me, this was what he had talked about.

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I went to the half way point in the marathon, 13.1 miles.  I got there well ahead of runners and took pictures to be sure to have them.  I wound my way back to just about the water and GU stations.  I stood on the side of the road with two gentlemen from Rochester.  Their running club – no, I am not sure I am ready for that yet – had about a dozen people running.  One of them had had to withdraw from the race due to an injury.  They stood there, cheering on everyone who came through the point.  When one of their runner friends would come through, the gentleman who could not run the full marathon would run to the corner with the friend and then loop back and do it again.  They both encouraged me to run a marathon or a half marathon or a 5K.  They didn’t even know me but were welcoming and encouraging to me.  The talked about meeting these same friends at 23 miles and running them in.

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The light really went on as I stood on the bridge watching runners come across to the finish line.  These people had trained for months to reach a goal.  Some had the goal of finishing.  Some had the goal of finishing in a certain time.  Some had the goal of qualifying for Boston.  Everyone on the bridge was clapping and cheering for people, whether they knew them or not.

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The world of running is truly a wonderful place to be, wonderful for the individual and wonderful for the whole group of runners.  Support is abundant.  Encouragement is amazing.  I am, now, seriously thinking of training for a distance run.

9 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Fitness, Just my Thoughts

5 October 2009

Anticipation – NANOWRIMO

By Nicki

I am so looking forward to November.  I have a lot going on in October but November will mark my second time participating in NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month.

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words in November.  Last year, despite it being a major election year, I managed to write from November 1st to November 12th and banged out just over 14,000 words.  I don’t know what happened but I could not write after that point in the month.

If I look logically, although I have never found writing to be logical, at the task at hand, I should manage to write about 1670 words a day.  Realistically, I only manage to write on weekdays so I think I need about 2400 words a day based on 21 days in the month that I will write.

Unlike many other people, I have never really planned out my writing.  It just flows and, then, doesn’t.  I did, last night, sketch out a few plots and characters but immediately threw it out.  I did not like what I had put down so wasn’t going to use it.

Readers, if you love to write, check out NaNoWriMo.

Leave a comment | posted in Just my Thoughts

4 October 2009

An October Weekend

By Nicki

The past week has seen rain almost every day from what I can remember.  I think I have tried to blot it out and not remember for fear I will shrivel up from overexposure to moisture.

The weekend, on the other hand, was amazing.  The weather was picture perfect.  I could not have asked for better weather to head out of town for the weekend.

I spent Saturday doing this and that.  I dropped my son off at work and then heading over the hill to the Newark Valley Apple Fest.  I left with northern spy apples, fudge and cheese.  YUMMY!

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From there I started south on NYS Route 38.  I pulled over to watch about three miles worth of motorcycles head up the highway.  Then, I headed to The Hickories Park in Owego for the Traci’s Hope benefit.

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From Owego, I headed north on NYS Route 96B to Ithaca College where I was picking up a friend who was running the Wineglass Marathon today.  While at IC, I took a few shots of Cayuga Lake and the area around the college, including one that looks out towards Cornell University.

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We headed to Corning to pick up the registration packet and then to dinner at Market Street Brewing Company.

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Sunday morning, we were up bright and early – so it was not truly bright outside and off to Bath, NY.  I am a marathon novice so wanted to see the start along with the finish – and points, at least one, in between.  Philips Lighting hosts the start of the marathon.

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I was absolutely amazed, as I left the start area, at the clothing that was thrown on the side of the road.  After talking at length with Andy from Rochester, I understood.  People bring old stuff to keep warm so they don’t care about leaving it behind as they shed their clothing.

My first stop was at the half way point.  I got there well ahead of runners and staked out a spot along the side of the road, before the drink and GU stations.  I walked up a ways on Steuben County 125 and took a number of pictures of fields, tree color, fog, the halfway point marker before returning to hang out with two gentlemen from Rochester who could not run today and who were rooting on friends.

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Once I could get out of the school parking lot, I headed to Corning to find parking and stake out a spot at the finish line.  This sport is really cool!  I like that everyone cheers on everyone as they come across the bridge to the finish line.  I watched other people come across the bridge before my friend Steve did and was as happy for all of them as I was for him.  I cannot imagine running 26.2 miles.

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The day turned out to be wonderful and I had a great time.  Steve did a fantastic job with the race and I hope to see him run many more.

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2 October 2009

Adult Children

By Nicki

Now doesn’t that title sound like an oxymoron.  I have always said, jokingly, that once one of my six children gets a college degree there is a sign that lights up over the door that says “No Re-Admittance.”  The sign had been working pretty well until recently.  Now I need to check it and see what has gone wrong.

I understood that any of the kids, upon graduation, would move back in if they did not have a job.  No income, loans due.  I can understand needing a place to live.

I did not expect that my son who has a full-time job in Syracuse would decide the daily commute was a good thing.  He finally, after having been here for about three weeks, admitted his furniture was in storage and his lease in Syracuse terminated.

I was speechless.  There was no question about moving back here.  There was no discussion.  Now I have to figure this mess out.  He needs to pay rent.  He needs to help around the house.

So what do the rest of you think?  Suggestions?

Leave a comment | posted in Family, Just my Thoughts

2 October 2009

Fall Colors I

By Nicki

I have been trying to snap a few fall color pictures for the last couple of days.  The weather, though, has not been cooperating. It has been overcast and cloudy.  I think the normal upstate NY fall weather is effecting the way I look at things.  I am going to try to get some shots this weekend but until then, here are some of the shots of fall around my area.

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