Town of Sharon vehicle

Parked in front of the about-to-open Sharon Farm Market most every day lately has been the T/O Sharon vehicle that our building inspector/fire marshall Stan MacMillan Jr. drives. Now there are some who might say "uh-oh....Stan's finding problems for the Choi's" but not me. I say that I am very thankful for Stan and all that he does.

Many years ago, when I was very active in the fire company, it seemed to me that we had our share of fires in Sharon, of which some were quite sizable, causing damage to many structures. But if my observations are at all correct, the amount of fire calls of serious nature are far less than just 15-20 years ago. And frankly, I give much of that credit to a building inspector who does his job, and who knows the codes and enforces them. Working with Stan is simple when doing a project. The answer? Do it right. Plain and simple. Don't cut corners. Follow the code. Do it right. That's all Stan makes you do, and it's for your own good.

Stan has been at the new market a lot, because the Choi's have had to restore a sad, sad store. I know he's been writing lots of things for them to do before letting them open. But in the long run, I am sure that The Choi's (and you and I as their customers) will appreciate having a totally safe and sound market, from the roof to the floor, and everything in-between. Nothing like what the previous owner had quite obviously, or what he left the new owners to correct.

T-Minus 3 days....and counting!

 Can't wait!

Snickers Please!

      I sure hope my owners bring me a candy bar........this driving has got my sugar-levels down and I need a boost....and what are you looking at and why are you taking my picture? Haven't you ever seen a boxer that can drive before?

Buddies.........

For many years now, each morning, court is held at the front counter in The Sharon Pharmacy. Well, it's a court of a different type though. It's the kind where two people get together and discuss everything from local city hall, national politics, baseball scores, N.Y. Giant football, what they may have had for dinner, how are things at Housatonic Valley Regional High, and just about anything else that may come to mind. And just who is it that holds these meetings? Why none other than Chris Heacox and Tom Flanagan of Sharon.

Chris and Tom have been buddies for as long as I can remember, and I think that it is really cool that they continue this daily ritual. I'm not sure who gets more out of it, Chris or Tom. Chris has a fantastic memory, this I have always been aware of, so he is probably absorbing lots of "when I was a lot younger" or "we never did that when I was a kid" stories and perhaps a tall tale or two. And that Tom shows such a great interest in all that Chris is involved with, well that too is really cool!

What happens on the days that Chris is off, or comes in late? Well, brother Dave steps in and he and Tom do their share of commiserating! Probably some of the best kind of medicine that the Sharon Pharmacy dispenses....lasting friendships!

PS...T-Minus 5 days!

T-Minus 6 days!

The first of the groceries were delivered yesterday to The Sharon Farm Market. I peaked in the front door today and suddenly there was product on some shelves! I think I saw salad dressings, and the potato chip racks were filled to the front edge! Anybody besides me just a wee-bit excited that a market will once again serve our fair town, and it's up to us to help make them a success.



Having been in retail business for more than 30 years in Sharon, if you do not have the "locals" support, it doesn't matter how many weekenders you call your customers. Well, having known the Choi's for almost seven months now, I think I have come to a major clear decision. The Choi's care about you, and me and our neighbors. They are in Sharon for the long run and they are here to give us the best store they possibly can. And the folks they have brought in as their partners, Link and his wife in the meat department, and Alex and Lee, who will be running their JAM product lines and so much more in the deli and bakery areas, they too are very caring people. SERVICE will be for-real in the SFM.  And there is soooo much more. Sushi. Fish. Flowers. Produce. Oh ya. And Pizza, from Mizza's.

We've just gone since January 10th of 2009 with no market in Sharon. Twenty months. The Choi's have laid it all out on the line for Sharon. They have financially invested tremendously in this store, and more is being done, and will be done. We need to invest back with them, so Sharon doesn't find itself in this predicament again. I can't wait. This is going to be a good thing. A really good thing.

Mardi Gras....in Sharon, in September no less!

 ~for the last number of years, there have been some pretty extraordinary fundraisers held at the Sharon School that have been benefit of The Sharon Volunteer Fire Company. A large number of folks start the planning more than a year in advance. The transformation of some areas of the center school have been very remarkable. This year was a Mardi Gras theme...

Attendees (a couple hundred I bet) enter through the old front door and proceed downstairs to the cafeteria. The cafeteria is nicely theme decorated with tables spread around with all kinds of nibbles which have been contributed.

 Outside in the playground area, a large tent has been set up with tables and chairs and tall bar tables to stand at, where one gets to visit with friends and enjoy some refreshments. At 8 pm, upstairs in the gym, which shows no semblance of being a gym, there is a whole themed dance floor, with a band for the evenings dancing.

 The band played till 11:30 I think (I left shortly after 11, and they were still playing). It was a real nice evening, shared with lots of townsfolk , all for a great cause.  Not sure if and when the next will be, but if they do one, I highly recommend for you to come out and enjoy. If dancing is not your thing, many come for the just the food and visiting, and head home when they're ready.

One of the attendees in the spirit!

Day Off!

 The blog went to the Mardi Gras, so no blog today.....we'll be back tomorrow!

about the cell coverage in Sharon.......

      if this is the best place to talk on a cell phone in the Sharon plaza vicinity, then I think we'd better complain to one of the big guys, before one of us gets run over!!!  Can you hear me n......SQUISH.........

Clouds over Sharon...

Did anybody look up today at about 11:45AM over Sharon Mountain? The sky was amazing! My little digital probably doesn't do justice, but here's what it looked like with my little camera......fall skies can be so beautiful!

Come Back Jenny...Come Back Jenny.......!!

  Two blogs today. The first a request.  Almost a plea.  A big  "come-on Jenn, get it going again"......   Jenn Hansell, of Sharon is the person who is probably most responsible for getting me started doing my little blog. Why? Because she did, (for quite some time) just a tremendous blog, sharonctdailyphoto.  which I truly enjoyed!  Go to her blog, and go back in the old history, and follow through it......It is great!

     Jenn stuck her head in my store yesterday and said she is thinking of getting back into the swing of things on a full-time basis.

So today I am making a public shout-out........

         "Jenn..........start it up! We miss you!!"

A "Foose is loose" in Sharon!

Lets clear things up. I am not a car fanatic, but I do appreciate styling and those who take care of their investments and have fun with them. I've watched enough boring tv shows that I know enough to channel-hop and often can find a good car show. Chip Foose is a car designer from California who has quite a name in the business, and I have watched many of his shows. Today a customer came in and lo-and-behold he was driving a Foose car. A 49 Ford, chopped, dropped and all those other terms.... Whatever, I checked it out and it was pretty dang cool! Another neat car right here in Sharon!

Pretty cool.....

Left town again....(just for a little while!)

     Yep. You heard it right. I went over to Millerton for some diner food, as our diner in Sharon continues to figure out whether to be open or not (huh?)....

 The Oakhurst operates in what many of us refer to as the old Millerton Diner, at the foot of Main Street, across from Fish Street. I think it's owned by some of John Harney's family. I know they had a good selection of Harney tea's available!

     I find the diner to be fairly comfortable, and the help that I've met in the few times I've been there seem quite nice. The offerings food wise look quite tasty. I have enjoyed a good burger the two times I went. And it's not just a burger. It's believe it was angus or some special grass-fed beefer. Whatever. Yummie! If I was the old secret diner dude from channel 3, I'd think I'd give it 3 out of 4 forks......check it out sometime. At least it's open.

     After dinner, we took a stroll up Main, and I was checking out the antique store window. I got a kick out the bases for the lamps. Not my style, but, hey whatever works.....

     Now here was the one which really caught my eye. A sign.    Gay Farm, (for those of who have been around Sharon for a good while)you will remember was on Gay Street right in the middle of the flats, on the left, heading north. The owner that I remember for the many years was a family name Schmeltzer, Col. Schmeltzer I believe was his name. He brought Pete "Sarge" Ruggiera with him and they operated the farm thru the 60's and 70's, followed for a time by Peter Wood. The name Gay I believe came from someone named Gay Southwick, who apparently owned it prior to the Colonel. Least that's the little info I've dug up. Anyways, the asking price for the sign.....over $200! It could be yours......!

Memories...........

     wish I had one. I took the long way to work this morning from Lakeville, coming down around Mudge Pond, alias Silver Lake, alias Crystal Lake.  I took a couple of pic's thinking they would serve for todays blog, BUT I'm not sure. I might have done this before, and I didn't take the time to look back to last year. So, if you remember and I did indeed repeat, please forgive me. My thought was to do a take on the Crystal Lake, because it sure was shimmering like crystals as I was driving bye, so I pulled off to enjoy the view. And the peace and quiet. A real gem!

     It was also very interesting to see how low the water level really is. My bet would be a good 5-6 inches, but I am just speculating. I don't ever remember standing down next to the water like I did, where I did.

     When I did get up to the plaza, I ran into JP (John Peterson), my neighbor from up on the hill. He was out in his Chevy Bel Aire, with John "JP" Perotti,(another neighbor) and they were waiting for the rest of The Robots (Retired old _astards out taking shots) who gather and go play a round of golf at a different club like every other weeks or so, from early spring to early winter. They play from the other side of the Hudson, north to Pittsfield, east towards Hartford, and everywhere in-between. Today they were playing local, just over at Torrington CC, in Goshen. Good for them!( and it picks up from yesterdays study with another great set of wheels!)

Carz-n-plates..

What with Lime Rock just around the corner, and a number of car collectors in the area, we do from time to time have an abundance of unique vehicles in our area, as well as some rather fun or even "different" license plates. 

"6"?????

Here are just a few I have happened across in recent weeks..

24 Model "T"

Jag-u-ar

not sure how a dog bus is "agriculture"..

Morgan

"Beauty of the Beast!"

     My wife and I take pride in supporting the local Legion Post here in Sharon with there dinner fundraisers. Saturday night was the first of their roast beef dinners this fall, the next being in November. Friday night the work began of marinating the "beasts" in an old time-tested marinade. The recipe goes back to the 60's, when the local Masonic Lodge held beef dinners on the playground behind Sharon School.

Last two beefs!

The legion acquired their recipe some time back and it's just is so good! The group cooks 220 pounds of roast beef, which they acquire from Freshtown in Amenia, who has been very helpful to them in their purchases. The first beef was on the grill shortly after 11 AM this morning.

                                                               Down from Maine this week was Gene Stahovec, an old-time Sharon boy, who was preparing to enjoy the feed. He was there with his sister Judy Loucks and his mom, Alma Stahovec, who though she is moving along in the years was there and enjoying the feed!

Larry Hardisty ventured across the line from Amenia to support the group and enjoy the feed. We sat with Jack and Kathy Hawley from Lakeville, and enjoyed a nice chat over dinner. They say they always look forward to coming to Legion suppers in Sharon.

After the dinner, we caught up with brothers, Pete and Dennis Pederson, who I am assuming are the real "cooks", judging by the apparel and the fact that they always seem to be near the grill when I visit their suppers. Pete told me he enjoys the dinners, and the working together with the other guys. His wife is one of the ladies on the serving line. Oops...almost forgot....they also offer a salad, rolls, the beef, green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. And there always is some kind of dessert, with tonights offering being chocolate-chip cookies.  For drinks they offer water, sodas,and coffee.

Dennis has always been a quiet guy, but you can always count on him being there to get the job done. I got a kick out of his shirt, which gave me a great laugh. That's also something I find to always be happening at any of their suppers. Always a good time, with lots of smiles and laughs going around at all the tables. It really is a great home-town  function, and you really get to meet many locals from neighboring towns.

Oh yes. Our mayor was at his post, collecting funds at the door, along with help from Bob Hock and his wife Marilyn (apologies if I spell her name incorrectly).

In October, (the 9th I think) they have a roast pork dinner, then another beef dinner in November. Come February, they have a bar-b-que chicken dinner, another favorite of all. So, if you missed in the past, I highly recommend any of the upcoming dinners, for a great meal and most-likely, a really good time!

Sunbathing...in Sharon (caught on my camera!)

     Bet you weren't expecting this when you saw that title, huh! I was down visiting my Mom and Dad's headstone at hillside the other morning when I saw a shadow swoop low over head. I looked up, and boy did I have company! Some of Sharon's carnivores roost in the tall pines there, and before they start their daily hunts they soak in the warmth from the morning sun.

It took 20 years but, hey, it's getting done!

     Twenty years ago I was thirty-something, and the water was beginning to rise at Margaret Keilty's. It was starting to rise mainly when the hospital started covering more of its land with buildings and asphalt. That no doubt was a big cause for a lot more water suddenly coming across her land and starting to erode her land. You see, Margaret is down hill from the hospital. And that's when Margaret began her pursuit of some help, from those up above her, and mainly at the town hall. But apparently, no one wanted to tackle to job. Well, finally someone got involved recently, and then they got some advisers, and minds started working to come up with an answer. I am not going to credit anyone in name today as to who may have started it, but I do know that First Selectman Bob Loucks and General Contractor Florien Palmer sure seem to be those that have promoted it of late. Wednesday morning I stopped down at the site of that days digging on King Hill Road.  The Palmer Excavator was at work digging a hole where a large cement distribution piece was going to be placed. Again, we have another project with a local contractor working along with the town's road crew on a project. Again, logical to this observer.

     The project they decided on, consists of, as I understand it..... building a small pond-like area where water will gather, near Hafford's, and then it will go directly underground in large pipes down to just past Margaret's house where it will cross under the road and go down through the side of the land where the septic beds are, all the while underground. At the far edge it will come out and flow into a large purge-pool, which will hold the water and let it flow out gradually into the swamp, where it then flows to the valley brook. A relatively basic plan, allowing gravity to work, directing it to an area where it can flow out with presumably no harm to anyone.
    

 Nice. Very nice.

Oh yes. One other thing. In the findings from the experts who did approve the job, there is more water than just hospital water involved. It actually starts way up on Upper Main Street, on the north side of the watering trough, where it crosses Main and starts its way down the hill. With every bit of asphalt we put down, wherever it is, there is less ground to absorb.

Mudgetown culvert job

     Probably some of you are so disinterested in yesterdays and probably today's post. If that be the case, then I apologize for boring you. But, it's my crazy little blog, and you are along for the ride, (if you choose to be) sorry, maybe tomorrow will be a better day for you!

     Today (this morning) I rode over to Mudgetown to see the culvert work that Kraig McGarvey of Sharon did in the earlier part of the summer.( Again, using local workers. Smart move.) Over there, where there was not one drop of water in the brook, he just put in footings and re-bar for future new end-walls if they are needed. Key words....if needed. What they have done also is get accurate measurements now and they can monitor if the walls start to move. These are old laid-up block walls which, unlike a poured wall, do weaken and deteriorate much quicker over time as compared to a poured concrete wall. I guess in a way you could say these are sort of preventive moves so that if they do have more problems later, the repairs can be made more easily. An investment I guess it what it really is.
     To this taxpayer, it seems like a good move. I have seen many things that our town did over the years that I personally felt were, well, lets say, questionable. Thats not something I am saying of late, and I guess thats a good thing.

Town projects.......

    Today begins a series of blogs with photos from a few projects that are, or have been going on in our little town of Sharon. Today I start with the work being done to the culvert on Calkinstown Road, just a couple of hundred feet up from Gay Street.

    This project is the third I think of some bridge/culvert repair being done on town roads here in Sharon by Sharon contractors in recent months. The brother's Amerighi, Dave and Mike, whose company is Sharon Masonry, are doing the repairs to this culvert. A whole new base of concrete has been poured, over which all the water flows. Repairs have been done to the end walls, and rebar (reinforcement bars) is in place for future use in case the walls need more repair. The craziest thing about this culvert is that a 8" or 10" water main goes cross-wise thru the culvert area, because it comes down the hill from the Calkinstown reservoir. A funny note also is the water in the pipe is from the reservoir, and the water in the brook passing thru the culvert is run-off from Beardsley Reservoir. So, water runs from both reservoirs in two different directions in the same small area........at least I think that's right.

I'm not sure who to really thank but it sure is nice to see local workers from our town doing work on our towns roads and bridges when they can. If they are capable, and can do the job, why not?

"and the sign said, long-haired......."

The title has absolutely nothing to do with this posting. My posting today just gives you first glimpse at the new signage being installed at the plaza in Sharon by Todd Tufts of Sharon. Uniformity, appealing font and designs, borders, and new lighting is to follow soon.

A nice improvement to the plaza in my mind.

Frog pads and more

If you travel from the west on Herrick Road, just before hitting Route 4, at the bottom of the hill, the marsh on the left is just about solid with lilly pads. Now, if there is a frog for every one of those pads,well, it's a miracle Merle & Debbie get any sleep! What a noisy place!

Growing up just a long home-run away from this location off Rt.4, this is some of my old "stomping grounds", so-to-speak. I broke my left collarbone coming down Herrick on my bike, long before they paved the east side of the hill. I hit a rock with my front tire, flew over the handlebar and well, it was my first attempt at solo flying. The flying was painless, but the landing, well, that stunk! Summers I swam at Hatch's pond, and winters we skated and tobogganed there as well. The picture with the tree is looking into the former Hatch pond. If not mistaken, this is all really growing in more and more. Perhaps in a hundred years or so the pond will be gone. Won't be my worry, whatever. And Merle & Debby's house.....I used to snowmobile there on Sundays when Jack "Flick" Anderson and Harold Jones were selling Polaris snowmobiles. And in the summer, Josh Lovell would collect the hay from there for the farm at Hatch's. But that too is ancient history....

Photo Click (or double-click) for larger

I received a note from a follower of my blog and asked why I don't do the photos larger. I informed them that you only have to click or perhaps dbl. click (depending on your system)  ON the photos, and they should enlarge to full screen, or close to.  Hope this helps you, and others...

Herrick Home

What used to be (why do I bother saying that?) the Herrick House on Herrick Road is now owned Mr. Ray Learsey and his wife Melva Bucksbaum. This house and grounds have undergone extensive renovation the last number of years. While some found their addition of a building which has a particular name I don't know, but basically is a specially built facility in which to store and display art to be controversial, I kept saying lets wait till it is done. Well, it and the house are done, and quite frankly, I think that it is all quite beautiful. Here is a pic of their home from one evening last week. I've not seen the inside, but if its anything like the outside, I bet its gorgeous.

Ancient history: I remember as a child sitting on Bill Herrick's couch and having his St. Bernard the size of a small elephant push me off onto the floor, as I guess it was his couch. That was around 1959 or so. Maybe a little later, but not much. Boy, that is old news......