fog in the valley.....

The fog over Mudge was pretty incredible this morning. From Long Pond, it looked like a whale of a thick cloud. I clicked this off, drove down to Mudge, caught the fishermen seen below and POOF, it had disappeared! Or had it......?

Umbrella anyone?

~Well, has everybody had enough rain yet? Sake's alive! Today was quite a day of it, starting with 2+ inches in a little over an hour early this morning, which caused washouts, delays, detours, a serious accident in Sharon and minor havoc here and there and everywhere. Our ground is so saturated that any rains which fall just run and gain speed and strength in volume. I had a culvert tube plug(one of three), causing water to flow up and over the header we had built and on to the second tube under our driveway. At it's peak, it went over that header as well, and on to the third tube.(all ten inch by-the-way)  That second tube was a life saver, and it was like a water cannon on the discharge side! I got the debris cleared from the first one and it was a huge relief! It was like a big whirlpool when it opened up and sucked downward. My heart relaxed when that happened! The rains had plugged the end of the tube with grasses and sticks that came when the torrent came rushing down thru the near-bye woods.

That was just the start of the day. The rains continued off and on throughout the day, probably a good four, five, maybe even six different times. When it stopped, the sun would come out and you would think you were all done. Forty minutes later it would be teeming again. And we just had thunder and lightning here at around 8:30 when I started on my two blogs for today. We missed a blog yesterday because of "busy-ness". :)

Sure hope tomorrow is somewhat more stable in the weather department!

Remember.....look up!

"It's the hap-happiest time of the year......."

NOT!

-Where else, but The Sharon Pharmacy. ......your Halloween headquarters!!

Construction Equipment is getting smaller and smaller

I think I first became interested in construction equipment as a child, when I read Virginia Lee Burton's Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. I enjoyed it again years later when I would read it to my son when he was a small guy. I loved my Tonka trucks as a little guy. When I turned fifteen, I worked for two summers and weekends throughout the year on a farm, where I learned to drive tractors, bale hay, care for equipment, back up wagons full of hay and I even got to drive a bulldozer a few times. And all kinds of other things too! So construction equipment and such and I go back a long ways together. I used to raise the plow on Bill Herrick's Command Car when it snowed so deep we couldn't shovel it as a kid.(that was done by spinning a "steering wheel" about nine hundred times to raise/ nine hundred to lower---phew, such work!)


 I'm not sure if you all have seen, but the power company took down four huge willow trees alongside Murtagh Road this spring. Since then, the land owner, (Jack Murtagh) has been doing lots of clean-up. His son Brian, who owns New Images Landscaping, has removed all the stumps, all the underbrush and poison ivy, brought in lots of dark, rich soil and is really turning what was an overgrown area into a really nicely improved space.


I really enjoyed watching Brian work his equipment late one afternoon last week. Brian can really make the equipment "talk", and he has really done a lot of work in a very short amount of time. It seems he tends to work a few minutes here and few minutes there, like after hours from his regular work. Whatever, he's doing a great job, and if I win Powerball™ ( I'll need to buy a ticket first), I think I'll buy a couple of these to "play" on our land. Oh, I hope I win, I hope I win!

Busy day...

Sleep.
Wake-up.
Shower.
Dress.
Church.
Lunch.
Burn another big brush pile.
Shower.
Run to store for bread and milk before it closes.


Coming home from store, I say to myself, "self, you need a picture for the blog today"...


Thus, September skies......
(I told you all to look up ^!)

My next house will not be in the woods.

Start to finish.....

Started the day by having a bunch of personal papers shredded at The Salisbury Bank office in Sharon this morning. They started shredding right at 9am and I am told they were extremely busy till noon. What a nice service to the community SBT...Thank You!

A pile quickly assembled to be shred!

     I worked the store from one till eight this afternoon/evening and did you all get a chance to see the September sky this evening? Ah-may-zing!!


     Here's a view from the plaza, looking due-west..

Wish I sold umbrellas....

I need to read-up on how to photograph rain......when I took the shot it was pouring in the plaza today......and in my shot it looks like a little rain........Hrumpf!





I had a delivery late this afternoon, and the ride was amazing.......

Oblong Valley on a Rainy Fall Day

Back in Season...

Not only do we have deer, turkeys, squirrels and all the critters to look out for in the roads now, but it's that season of big yellow buses filled with our precious little buggers. Pay attention out there folks! Let's all stay safe!

Green Field

Fall may be coming, but it's not here yet. (yes!) A lovely still-green field in mid-September.

Fred Roy Wildlife Area

Seven A.M.


Warmer water temperature than air temperature makes for fog over the water at this time of year. Get out early and enjoy it. It makes for special sights while they last.

At-home weekend....

This summer I hired an extra employee,  a part-timer during the days to give me some time off occasionally to do some things around the house. It never worked. The store got busier, the paperwork grew, and well, so much for taking time off. Yesterday, Al gave me the day off. I took it!  So I went home and just went to work outside in the back woods. Clare joined me in the burning of two large brush piles, and bending over nine thousand times or more picking up sticks and throwing them on the fires as well. A friend came up with his little tractor and bucket and moved a bunch of split wood from down in the woods for me, and I got that all stacked as well. Today, following church, Cat joined in and we burned another brush pile and cleaned up a zillion more sticks and logs and vines and what-have you.....


I ache for sure, but it really looks so much better. I hope you all got to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine this Saturday and Sunday!

Pic-a-nic on the Town Green

     The Sharon Democratic Town Committee sponsored a picnic event today on the town green in front of the town hall. Like any good picnic, there were hot dogs, hamburgers, salads and desserts for all to enjoy. And I am told much of the goods in the salads was from local farms and gardens. Yumm! Unfortunately I couldn't attend so Cat took my camera and caught up with the goings-on. From what she said, it was quite well attended, and of course the candidates who are running for positions in November were all there to "press-the-flesh" and meet folks, be they Democrats or not. The picnic was open to everyone, not just those of the Democratic Party.

The interesting part to me was that the committee took the time to honor two folks who have retired from the town committees after many, many years of service to all of us on the respective boards. Honored today were Helen Humeston, who served on the Board of Tax Assessors for many, many years (long as I can remember).

Roberta, Tom and Helen

Also honored today was Mike Silverman, who was on the founding board of affordable housing here in Sharon, and has served for many, many years as well. A tip of the hat if I may to both of these good folks for their years of dedication to our town.

Connie, Lynn, Mike and Roberta




So that's what happened in Sharon today. I was happy that Cat was able to grab these pics for today's blog. Thanks again Cat!

Undiscovered?

I haven't quite figured out our new eatery in Sharon, the Black Goose. Their lunches seem to be pretty busy most days, and I've stopped in for supper a couple of times, and there are always friends and neighbors there, which is great to see. But what's going on with breakfast? I was there this morning, had a great plate of three pancakes and a good cup of fresh-brewed, it was something like $5.95 or whatever, and there was no-one else there, from 7:30-8:00AM. Doesn't anybody else like a good deal? I don't know, but I think that their breakfasts are great, with something for everybody. I was there one day last week, and there was but one customer at the counter, plus myself. Peculiar... But the food business is a funny business. One day your empty, the next your swamped. You just never know.

So, I guess I'll just say, I think their food is pretty darn good, it's priced very fairly (almost low for around our vicinity) and I sure hope more people start to support them as best they can, when they can. If we want a place to eat in this town, which I think we do, we all have to support it. They need our support when we can, just like the market, the pharmacy, Bodhi Tree, the Roaring Oaks and Art's, Autosport and Carl's, Jack and myself just to name a few. Small town businesses cannot exist without all of us doing our part where we can, when we can.


 Have a awesome weekend everyone!!

Budgetary Cutbacks now in Effect

Due to financial constraints placed upon the Town of Sharon Highway Budget by the Board of Finance, the Board of Selectmen have confirmed that citizens can now write and post their own road signs.

Normal "No Parking this side" or similar signs will soon be a thing of the past....












:)

Haven't gotten out the last few days to grab any shots, so tonight's entry will be a little glimpse from our summer trip to the coast of Maine. Hope you enjoy it, and can maybe see why we go back each year.....will try to get out and about this weekend....

Sharon.....$3.979 per gallon--Regular Grade--Tonight

Torrington...BJ's Wholesale Club...Tonight

Cumberland Farms was showing $3.729


Never will I understand zone-pricing, which somehow has something to do with pricing of gasoline based on the average income of those who live in a certain area......If the income is more, then the wholesaler can charge the retailer, thus the consumer, more. At least that is what I was told once.....


Now, if that theory worked in government income taxes....

BIG Renovations!!!

In case you are unaware, the former Sharon Motor Lodge closed for good last fall I think it was. It was a real eyesore, and was really very rundown in need of much repair. It went through the winter with a local bank as the owner, and it was placed on the market for sale in early spring. Earlier this summer, the family which owns the Mizza's Pizza  Restaurant organization purchased it and has started a massive renovation project.


I was given a tour this evening from Eddie, the major partner of Mizza's. He showed me that from the top of the roof to the driveway, everything is being replaced and updated. Everything. And I mean everything! Painting, plumbing, electrical, furniture. Local contractors (yes!) are doing the work that has been undertaken thus far and his vision for the future is clear. A clean, friendly, and affordable twenty-room complex. The pool, which was worn out, will be filled in and much landscaping will be done. The bridge is being repaired and the driveway will be raised and pitched away, so occasional heavy spring rains and run-offs will run away from the building, and not towards it. Already he has removed many tall ugly trees and much underbrush. In time he will landscape with new plantings that will work with the property, and enhance it. The man has a vision, and I truly, after spending this time with him this evening, feel he was and is the right man and family to own this property. I wish him much success with his investment, and I feel that he is destined to be a great success, and that Sharon has indeed had a very good new neighbor come to town. A clean, quiet business, which will employee a number of folks, and provide a good facility for our northwest corner, for tourists, parents of prep-school students, racers and their fans and as an extra bed, when we have more relatives in town than we do beds in our homes!


I applaude them on their investing and believing in themselves and in Sharon. Very exciting! Very exciting indeed!

Sharon Remembers, and pays tribute..

Sharon Fire Department's Tower One set up out front of the Sharon Congregational Church today at A Service of Remembrance--The 10th Anniversary.

The view from inside through the almost 200 year old windows...showing the old and the new....

Dr. Ifeoma M. Okoronkwo was a guest speaker at today's service. She was at work in New York that day, and shared vivid memories...

Former Chief Tom Casey spoke about numbers, and how certain numbers will never, ever be forgotten...
9-1-1 is #1




















Music was preformed by Michael Brown, of  St. Bernard's, and by Lost, Now Found, a group formed within the Sharon Methodist and Congregational churches.

Following the moving service, many, many of the folks who attended all took a moment to shake a hand and give a hug of thanks to those members of the fire company who were able to attend the service.


This service was put together by the Sharon Ecumenical Clergy Association. Special thanks to them for organizing and putting this tremendous event together and for their leadership on this event.


May I also take this time to give thanks to Chief Carberry, his officers and all the active members of The Sharon Volunteer Fire Department and The Sharon Volunteer Ambulance Squad. Your dedication to your townspeople is exemplary.

ex·em·pla·ryAdjective/igˈzemplərē/

1. Serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind.

►

We Remember...

Sunny Start

     Remember yesterdays blog photo entry and all the fog? Here was the same view,  from maybe twenty feet more to the east, and about thirty minutes earlier, around 7 AM straight-up. Quite a change wouldn't you say? Today was without a doubt a top-ten for sure.... sure hope everyone got a chance to enjoy some part of it....

Foggy Start

This days start up on the hill was, well, as you can see, pretty foggy. I would estimate the altitude here to be about nine hundred to a thousand feet above sea level, perhaps a bit higher.


When I turned west and started down the hill, as I got down to around six or seven hundred feet it cleared right up. That was around seven-thirty this morning. By 9 a.m., it had all pretty-much burned off and it turned into an absolutely gorgeous day in my book. Such a great day to follow all the recent rains. Hope you all got to enjoy some part of it!

What's wrong with this picture?


A picnic table made for little guys, taken over by three big guys. Guess they're still young at heart.........

Fast deer or

slow shutter speed?


I'll get her next time........

Remember when....

...this hillside was covered with a herd of milkers? And when Leon would lead them and Louis would walk behind, and the sign would be displayed, saying "cattle crossing"? Oh, and if you had to go to Lakeville in a hurry, you wouldn't go around 5 o'clock on 41, you'd go via Low Road or Mudge Pond? That was a while back now, huh? Truthfully, I wish Nina and Scott moved their girls back and forth, but I guess that's part of the old school way of farming. Do cows ever leave their stanchions anymore?

Gorgeous glass work...

Never took my camera out of the house today, so you'll have to suffer with a leftover from yesterday's crafts fair trip...magnificent work.....

Today was a busy day in our family, but all in a good way! First, we left town! Did you miss us? We went over to New Paltz, New York to the Ulster County Fairgrounds to a crafts fair of great distinction. We went last Labor Day, had such good time, we had to try it again. 

Some of the work there is just so amazing.....

I sort-of wish I could just walk into an event like this and buy something from everyone there. You know they all work so hard on their crafts to be able to be at a show like that. In the end, we only made a few small purchases but we are extremely happy with them.

It was indeed fun to be walking down one of the aisles and running into Sharon's own...Peter Hill of Pink Cloud Gallery! I got him to give us a smile between customers.

One of the eye-opening events of the day was seeing some of the results of Hurricane Irene. As you drive west out of New Paltz proper, you cross over the Walkill River., on a bridge about the length of the bridge at Great Falls in Falls Village, just two lanes wide instead of one (maybe a little longer, but not much). Once you cross the bridge, for the next two miles or so down to the fairgrounds, you pass through the center of beautiful farm land. The lands have, for the last two years anyways, been planted to corn, with about a twenty-five foot swath of sunflowers on the side of the road, on both sides of the road. Here is a pic from last year....

Here was todays view, in roughly the same area....

For those two miles or so, the water rose almost 5-6 feet! Five feet! The corn crop is totally gone. The sunflowers are totally gone, with few exceptions, which now actually act as measuring sticks as to the height of the water. A pumpkin crop is now gone, and pumpkins were seen here and there for the miles as well. This one farm has lost everything of this years crop. So very sad. Made my tree down, three days with no power and wash-out under my porch very, very trivial. The Walkill is not a big river by any means. But the amount of water that ran through it till it all receded must have been incredible. Cat took lots of photos of the damage, but they hardly tell the story..... Devastating losses for this farmer.

Old Glory was flapping with a nice wave as we passed under her on The Mid-Hudson River Bridge in Poughkeepsie. I wondered just how did they get it way up there, so high as it is. Whatever... Our flag is a beautiful flag. Long may it wave.

Upon getting back to Sharon, I went to hear Congressman Chris Murphy speak at a local gathering. Chris is running for The U.S. Senate seat which will be open when Senator Lieberman retires next November. He currently represents our Fifth Congressional District in Washington. Whom I endorse is my business, and I don't believe I will try to ever persuade anyone in my blog on how they should vote. I'll just say that I did enjoy listening to what he spoke of, and do find him to be a very caring and knowledgable man. I think that's fair without being overly political.


So, that was my busy day. I hope all you out there in cyber-land had a good day, and have a better day tomorrow.

Late summer skies..

     A week or so back I suggested to you all to look up, and take in the skies, as the seasons are about to change from the dead of summer to late summer, and then on into fall. Our neck of the woods offers the opportunity to see many great skies. While not like the "big sky" of Montana, there are a few locations where it can be very, very special. Some of you may not to be able to get there, so I'll keep looking upwards when I get a chance, and see if I can't bring in a few good ones. (they make excellent desktop pictures for your computer!) Liked this one a lot, and hope you do too! I do hope you all click on my pic's with your mouse and see them in full screen. Helps with the enjoyment factor...
     Hope you all have an enjoyable holiday weekend.

Cobra

It's that annual weekend at Lime Rock. Lots of cool cars will be around.

Vroom!

Unique promotion

First things first. I know this is the second time for covering this subject.


Second. I do not promise I won't do it again.


With that said, today was the first of the month, and that is the day the gas station in Sharon gives away free coffee. Any size. All day. So the reason why I am bothering to post again is the zaniness of the staff on these "promotions". I thought todays was quite good and deserving of another run through the blog. So I tip my hat to the crew @ xtramart in Sharon for their originality and goofiness (not to mention, being about six or eight feet from traffic, while sitting in a kayak) and for a lot of spunk to get out there in front of those you know, and, well, as I said, act pretty dang zany.