Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Sunset at Point Breeze – 08-20-15
What do you do when you have a perfectly amazing day and you don’t really want it to end? Why, you go to Point Breeze and watch the sunset, of course! That’s exactly what I did this evening! It was a breezy evening, but not at all chilly, and the water was just ever-so gently moving with the breeze. There wasn’t hardly anyone around……probably because of the heavy rains, earlier in the day – they may have thought it wouldn’t be pleasant at the lake! But, they couldn’t have been more wrong! So, me, a lone fisherman, a couple out walking on the break wall, and an occasional person passing by, got to enjoy it all for ourselves…..and, the sunset was definitely not a disappointment……what a beauty!
The lone fisherman…..with three poles in the water under the crescent moon!
A couple strolling on the break wall
One of several ducks (or geese, not sure) that were flying around in the breezy sky
The lighted flag waving in the breeze against the dark night sky
The good Lord certainly blessed us with all his splendor, tonight…….life just doesn’t get any better than this!!!
Albion’s Second Annual Sip and Stroll Wine Walk
The Albion Merchant’s Association did it, again! Today – August 15, 2015 – was their second annual Sip and Stroll Through History Wine Walk and it was AWESOME!!! Last year, the inaugural event was on a slightly smaller scale to give it a try and it was pretty darned amazing – I had so much fun, I looked forward to this year’s event ever since – in fact, I bought the very first ticket sold! I bought my ticket from Lisa Stratton at the Hazy Jade Gift Shop even before word got out they were ready to go on sale!!!! This year, they amp’d it up with more local wineries, more merchants involved, and some extras to add to the experience and give people who may not want to do the wine tastings a reason to come downtown and join in on the fun! Some of the “extras” didn’t work out quite as planned, but that’s OK……the main event – the wine walk – was FANTASTIC and the rest has room for improvement and expansion next year!
All that said, I do need to get up on my soap box for a minute, here…….I get really sick of hearing people complain and whine about how there’s never anything fun to do in Albion – how it is a boring, dead town! Then, when the Albion Merchant’s Association or other organizations work their butts off to put together an awesome event like this one and many others, I don’t ever see any of the nay-sayers taking advantage of them! It is sort of like voting – if you don’t vote, you really don’t have a right to complain about the election results…….and, if you never take advantage of what is out there to enjoy about your town, you really don’t have a right to say there isn’t anything worth doing! OK – soap box neatly returned to my closet!
Don’t get the wrong idea about my rant — there was a nice size crowd at the event and everyone I saw was having a great time! It was a steady flow of groups – never over crowded at any point so you could really enjoy each stop without long lines and I didn’t go to any stop that didn’t have a nice group there and more coming as I was leaving. So — it was well attended, but I would have liked to have seen the streets REALLY packed……the organizers work hard to put these events on, so get the word out about how great this year was…..this event and others will only get better as they evolve, so let’s get out there and support the efforts of the organizers and show them how much we appreciate them!
Thank you not only to the Albion Merchant’s Association and those who worked to organize the event, but also to the following downtown shops who opened their doors as the tasting locations. And a very special thank you to the wineries who came offering their finest products for us to taste – I’ve included links to the various winery web sites – click on their names below to visit them. Each winery brought several wines to chose from for tasting – and you could purchase bottles at a discount at most tastings, if you found one you really liked (I was a good girl, I only bought two bottles, this year…..but, I made a mental note of the wines I enjoyed from wineries I haven’t visited, yet). Each representative from the wineries was very knowledgeable and explained their wines, talked about their wineries, and helped the tasters really have a good time! Also, each business had food available to munch on and pair with the wines. It was more like a sip and eat and stroll event!!! 🙂
- Hoag Library – Zambistro‘s, Medina, NY, catered the VIP reception at this location
- Pullman Memorial Universalist Church – Leonard Oakes Estate Winery – Ridge Rd, Medina, NY
- The Hazy Jade Gift Shop – Schulze Vineyard – Burt, NY
- Dance Reflections – Vizcarra Vineyard at Becker Farms – Gasport, NY
- Shay’s Shamrock – Lake Effect Ice Cream – Lockport, NY (offered wine infused Popsicles)
- Bindings Bookstore – Victorianbourg Wine Estates – Wilson, NY
- Arnold’s Auto Parts – Schwenk Wine Cellars – Kent, NY
- Xpress Fitness & Tanning – Five Sons Winery – Brockport, NY
- Uptown Browsery – A Gust of Sun East Winery – Spencerport, NY
- Knight’s Pride and MMIM – 810 Meadworks – Medina, NY
- Morrison Realty – The Winery at Marjim Manor – Appleton, NY
- Krantz Furniture – Chateau Niagara Winery – Newfane, NY
- Downtown Browsery – Lake Ontario Winery – Hilton / Webster, NY
- Empire Trading – Salamanca Estate Winery – Albion, NY
So — of course, I took a ton of photos…..here are just a few:
Registration and VIP reception at the Hoag Library
Zambistro’s did a great job decorating and with the food! The Library and the Historical Society put out books with entire years of old local newspapers (think they said they were Albion Advertisers, but might have been Medina Journal Registers) and type plates – nice touch to the theme “Sip and Stroll Through History”!
The Pullman Church always goes all out for these events – here are Pastor Lee Richards and church member, Jim Knight, dressed as Bacchus, “God of Wine”
Before others started to arrive
Aren’t these wine necklaces cool? I should have bought one – would have been fun to wear to other wine tasting events!
The Leonard Oakes Estate Winery representative with Bacchus
Look for the purple and green balloons – that’s where the wine is!!!
Inside the Hazy Jade Gift Shop! Why, there’s Skip Stratton – friendly UPS man and husband of shop owner, Lisa Stratton!
Schulze Vineyard offering delicious tastes in the Hazy Jade!
Vizcarra Vineyards in Dance Reflections
Inside Shay’s Shamrock – they offered wine infused Popcicles from Lake Effect Ice Cream – YUM!
Bindings Bookstore
I peeked over a book rack to get a shot of the Victorianbourg Wine Estate rep pouring some wine for a happy taster!
Schwenk Wine Cellars was at Arnold’s Auto Parts
Nice selection from Schwenk Wine Cellars
I’ve been wanting to try some of Schwenk’s wines – they didn’t disappoint!
Oh, goodie – more purple and green balloons!!!
Not sure how I missed getting a photo inside Xpress Fitness – I loved the wines that Five Sons Winery had to offer, so I was definitely in there!
Uptown Browsery with A Gust of Sun East Winery
Knight’s Pride hosted 810 Meadworks – they are Western NY’s first Meadery – a fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey with a beer-like taste. I’ve wanted to try their beverages – I didn’t particularly care for the one they brought (sorry, that’s just me, I’m sure), today, but it was interesting enough that I definitely want to try more!
Looks like I also missed getting a photo inside Morrison Realty, too! They hosted the Winery at Marjim Manor and I tried this year’s Katapalooza – they made it with a different fruit base than in the past, but it was just as incredible as other vintages….love Katapalooza!
Chateau Niagara pouring inside Krantz Furniture – that’s my friend and store owner, Linda Krantz Smith at the end of the table in the center with the red shirt
Krantz Furniture looking mighty festive!
Lake Ontario Winery with several offerings in the Downtown Browsery
Music by the Sophisticates – very, very nice – jazzy!!!
The only tasting location I missed – and I’m not sure how I missed it – was the Empire Trading Company! And, I really wanted to try the wines offered by Salamanca Estate Winery! I’ve seen their building just off the Ridge on Hindsburg Road in Albion and have been curious about them! DANG! Well, I guess I just have to stop in at their winery and try them there!
This is the old Citizens National Bank building – the historic site that is etched on this year’s commemorative wine glasses
This year’s commemorative wine glass
The two wines I bought, today – both from Schulze Vineyard – they are very grapey and so delicious! There were others that I made mental notes about getting in the future, but my wine rack is well stocked right now, so promised myself I wouldn’t go overboard…..but it wasn’t an easy promise to keep!
Bad Ash BBQ was there, but they sold out by 4:30…..I didn’t even get a chance to get down to where they were and get a photo before they were packed up and gone! Good for them! Also, some farmers were set up on Bank Street with a market, too, and there was also a book signing going on at Bindings Bookstore and a “anything on wheels” car show at Arnold’s Auto Parts! It was a great day!
I am already counting the days until next year’s Wine Walk……again, thank you to the Albion Merchant’s Association for caring enough to put on this and other amazing events for our Village!
Cool Stuff in Batavia
On the second Tuesday of each month, a group of ladies from my church gather for lunch. Every month we go somewhere different – sometimes close by, sometimes further away. This month, we went to the restaurant at Terry Hills Golf Course in nearby Batavia. Batavia is about a half an hour (if that) south of here – it is a straight shot down route 98 from downtown Albion right into Main St. in Batavia. I never used to go to Batavia much – with the exception of going for brunch at The Firehouse or pizza at Pontillo’s, Batavia didn’t hold much attraction for me in my younger years. But, in the last few years since I’ve been back home, I go fairly often. I started going that way mainly because my nephew and his family live there…..then, I started using a dentist in Batavia. Whenever I would go for either, I’d check out what else might be worth the short trip. Batavia has a Target and an Office Max – both of which I like to occasionally visit, but there are also several really good restaurants. I’m finding more and more that Batavia has a lot to offer. I also always enjoy looking at the beautiful old buildings I drive by whenever I am driving through town – they have some stunners!
So, when I got ready to head out for the ladies lunch, I put my camera in the car – I thought I might take a couple photos of the firehouse and the jail and a few other cool places – just a few shots….not many….just make a couple stops on my way out of town. Well…….I paid more attention than usual and found OTHER stuff to stop and photograph……and, in attempting to get a place to park in some of the spots, I had to go around a few blocks and discovered MORE stuff……the plan to take a couple photos on my way out of town turned into about two hours of driving, stopping, walking, and photographing all kinds of things that caught my eye in Batavia! So……here are just a few of the almost 200 photos I took!
Just thought this was a cool name for a dog grooming business!
Another business name that made me chuckle!
And, I really liked the name of this day care!
This gorilla is announcing how BIG the slices are at Batavia’s Original Pizzeria
Batavia’s Original Pizzeria used to be Pontillo’s! After a change in ownership and some legal battles, there’s no more “Pontillo’s” in Batavia, but I hear the pizza here is still AWESOME! I need to check it out sometime!
You know I can’t resist cow or horse statues! This one is right on Main St in front of the beautiful Cooperative Extension building!
And, then, there is this lovely horse at Oliver’s candy store….I cheated, I didn’t stop and take this photo yesterday – I knew I had one in my files from a previous post, so I decided to use the one I had and save my time for other photos! hehehe
I pulled into a parking lot to get a shot of a church across the street and noticed this on another church – beautiful!!!
The church across the street
I pulled in behind Main St in a parking lot to so I could walk around some and found this little waterfall! This is Tonawanda Creek! I knew there was a large creek or small river that flows through Batavia, but didn’t know anything about it and certainly didn’t realize there was this peaceful setting and small
waterfall right there in the middle of the bustling downtown!
I’ve noticed this International Peace Garden many times and always wanted to stop for a closer look! It commemorates the War of 1812 and spreads out along a nice size stretch of Main St. The next few photos show many of the elements of the Peace Garden.
LOVE this cool bench in the Peace Garden
Beside the Peace Garden is the Holland Land Office Museum. The museum is operated by the Holland Purchase Historical Society and preserves and showcases local history. The Holland Land Company consisted of a group of Dutch investors from Amsterdam who purchased a large tract of land covering all of Western NY, part of Central NY, and into Western Pennsylvania in 1792 and 1793. This building was the fourth land office in Western NY, built in 1815. After the Holland Land Company disbanded, the building was used for many things until the Holland Land Office Museum opened in 1894. I’ve often wanted to check this out, so I finally did!
I like to think that it is something really cool to know that the land my house is built on was part of the Holland Land Purchase – it says so on my abstract…….but I do know that is not unique or special because ALL of Western NY was part of that purchase…..but, I still think it is cool!!! hehehe
I love the cool stuff you find just by looking UP and being observant!
This is the home of the Genesee County Jail…..an amazing building made of Medina Sandstone and brick!
The fire house on Main Street…..Love this building!!!
As with many historical towns, there is a monument in the center of the busiest section of town where Main St and Ellicott St meet
This is O’Lacy’s Irish Pub — I love this place!!! Just a little restaurant tucked away behind the busy downtown streets that has the BEST Irish stew I’ve ever had……Beef, Lamb, or Guinness, depending on which one they made the day you visit!
The walk-way to the door of O’Lacy’s is paved with Leprechaun foot prints!!!
This building is now the home of Center Street Smoke House but, it originally housed newspaper offices and printers
When returning to my car, I noticed this sign across the parking lot – cool name for a florist!
I’ve heard a lot about these free library stations popping up across the country, but this is the first one I’ve ever seen, personally! It was on a corner in a residential area I passed through while going around the block to get a parking spot!
Batavia is also home of the New York State School for the Blind founded in 1868
And, Batavia is home of Batavia Downs – horse racing and casino! I’ve never been inside, but would love to go to the horse races, sometime, and even try my luck at the casino!
I noticed a helicopter making his approach for landing at the county airport. I was close by, so I decided to see if I could get some photos of his landing……alas, he landed much further up the runway than where I was standing, but I did get some good shots of him taxiing in!
And, finally…..there is the best “find” of the day! This house took my breath away!!! The photo pales in comparison to how it looked up close and personal…..the colors, the detail, the amazing porch, the flowers, the wicker furniture on the porch……it just all comes together to make one absolutely gorgeous home that I would LOVE to live in!!!
So, that ends my adventure in Batavia……just a dent in what caught my eye and, I’m sure, an even smaller dent of what I could have found if I did even more exploring!!!
You Don’t See That Every Day!!!
I go through Mount Albion Cemetery 3-4 times a week to water the crocks on our family graves – sometimes more often, if it is a particularly hot/dry spell – sometimes less often, if we’re getting a lot of rain. But, in general, I go several times a week. It is so beautiful, there……quiet, shady, peaceful…….just a wonderful place to enjoy a lovely day!
Last Sunday, I went through after church. I entered the usual gate (the smaller one east of the main gate), drove to my Great Grandmother Freeman’s plot and watered that crock – deadheading any spent blossoms, then made a stop to take care of Charlie’s and my Grandpa and Grandma Freeman’s flowers, and then proceeded out the main gate……just like every time I go, except on days when I feel like just driving around and checking out the other sections. But, that particular Sunday, I was in the right place at the right time and witnessed something very strange and definitely not something you see every day!!!
As I pulled around the chapel to head out the gate, I noticed a small group of young people and it looked like they were setting up for a photo shoot. As I got closer, I noticed they were applying fake blood all over each other! I did a double take! The curious (read: nosy) side of me had to go back to check it out! So, I drove up the street, back in the east gate, and around to the chapel, parked the car, and went over to see what they were up to!
I introduced myself, told them I write a local blog, and asked if they minded telling me what they were doing and if I could take some photos. They seemed very happy that I was interested enough to stop and ask! (…..and for those who will jump right to the conclusion that they must have been filming one of those local movies……NOPE…..that’s not it!!!)
They told me they were participating in GISHWHES (The Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen)! According to the flyer they gave me, “GISHWHES is the single largest contributor to Random Acts (click here for more info). Many of our scavenger tasks are to benefit the community and help get people out of their shells, others are just to have fun and be the goofiest you can be. GISHWHES has broken 5 Guinness World Records, including the most pledges to complete a random act of kindness in 2012.”
They told me that they are a team and they were completing one of the GISHWHES challenges to earn points. This particular challenge was to play croquet in a historic location…..as zombies!!! So, they had a croquet game set up in Mount Albion Cemetery (listed on the National Registry of Historic Places) and they were getting themselves ready to play by smearing each other with “blood” and “open wounds”! IT WAS A HOOT…..so cool to see!!!
Sooooo……why didn’t I run right home and post the photos? Why did I wait until a whole week later to share my cool and unusual find with the world? Well, there is a rule for their challenge – they can not share anything related to their challenge on social media until after the week long challenge period is over or they could get disqualified……so, I was a nice person and kept my promise to not write my post until today…..and here it is!!!
Here are some of the photos I took:
The team participants: (l-r) Henry Haines, Irene Youngman, Angel Smith, and Page Smith
Yep…..definitely NOT something you see every day!!!
Want to know more about GISHWHES? Here is a video that was posted on their web site and you can visit the web site by clicking here.
It Happened At The Fair
The last week in July is fair week in our town…..the Orleans County 4-H Fair, to be specific! All the 4-H-ers work hard all year long for the chance to show off their efforts at the fair. I love the fair! I love the celebratory atmosphere, the food, the people, the exhibits, the animals, the food, the smiles and laughter, the sounds……did I mention the food???!!! I usually try to go at least a couple times in the week long event to support the 4-H-ers who deserve a lot of praise for their hard work. This year, it was too hot to wander around in the sun the first couple of days, but I made up for it the rest of the week! I went with a friend on Wednesday – we had our dinner there and walked around some. Then, I went back Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with my camera to capture as many of the wonderful sights and activities as I could! I ended up with over 200 photos…..it was really hard narrowing it down to what I have chosen to share here……but, I did narrow it down and here they are…..
Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, I give you a sample view of the 2015 Orleans County 4-H Fair!!!
The Rides:
The Food:
Just one of several dinners – Pulled Pork, Chicken BBQ, Fish Fry, and Steak
4-H and Farm Bureau booths with pies, fries, hot dogs, burgers, milkshakes, etc…
T-Shirt says it all….”What do I do? Tend the crops, care for animals, feed the world!”
The Games:
Duh! Of Course I played I Got It!!! I even WON a game…..I gave the token to a little girl sitting next to me!
The Animals:
Just as I stopped at this cow and lifted my camera, she let out a huge, loud, long “MOOOOO”! Not sure if she was excited to get her picture taken or if she was scolding me for taking it from this angle……hahaha!!!
This adorable alpaca stole my heart……isn’t she just the cutest sweetheart you’ve ever seen?
The Ribbons:
There’s my sweetie alpaca, again…..she won a blue ribbon!!! Well, of course……
The Car Show:
The Entertainment:
The Who Dats played Friday night…..great local band, includes my friend, John B on guitar (second from the right)
Magic show several times daily
The Chainsaw Chix carving their hearts out several times daily
The Beatles…..well, a Beatles tribute band called Mr. Mustard…..played Saturday night – they were sooooo good!!!
The Pork Chop Review – performing pigs – were adorable several times daily! LOVED THEM!!!
The Pork Chop Review also included pygmy goats that were absolutely adorable!!!
And, then there was Elvis…..or she thinks she’s Elvis!!!
A singing pig……so funny!!!
And all the other cool stuff:
What a great play house for some child’s back yard!!!
Lots and lots of farm equipment
I remember the first year we made the World’s Largest Apple Pie…..we made the Guiness Book of Records!!!
And…..it isn’t a country fair without a LOT of cowboy boots everywhere you look!!!
This next photo was included above in the rides section….but, it is worth posting, again! It tells the story of the fair in one photo…..the fun and games and celebration of the fair with an image that sums up the reason for it all in the background – silos!!!
That’s all, folks……I had my fill of sugar waffles and other fair food and enjoyed all the animals and fun…..can’t wait for next year’s fair!!!
Thank a Farmer!
IF YOU ATE, TODAY…..
THANK A FARMER!!!
Farmers are the backbone and foundation of this great country! Locally, we live in a major farming community. Orleans County, like much of Western NY, depends on farmers to keep our economy going and our citizens fed. And, they work hard to do that! While you and I are sitting by the pool or enjoying a picnic on a hot summer day, our local farmers are out working their butts off in the fields and orchards to feed America….regardless of the weather or whatever they may rather be doing! Because, when planting time comes and when the crops are ready for picking, there is no calling in sick or taking a vacation day! Case in point – it was a rainy day while I was out taking photos, today – I saw many farm hands in the fields working to get as much of the crops in as they could before the heavy rain came, including a crew out wearing rain slickers as they picked (I hate that photo didn’t come out)! So, whatever you ate or drank, today or any day, you can be sure that it was thanks to the hard work and dedication of a farmer! As they say, it was men in overalls who built this nation and continue to work the land and keep it going strong!
It is that time of year when local farm markets and produce stands pop up all over the county. Locally, we have a wide variety of farms offering wonderful, fresh, and delicious produce, fruits, meats, and dairy products — some large family farms, some smaller family farms, and even an abundance of Mom and Pop stands where folks who like to garden set out whatever they grow over what they can use to sell to passers-by! They make it so easy to shop local and home-grown! No reason to buy produce shipped in from out of the country or grown under unknown conditions…..support our local family farmers……even if you MUST buy your produce while you’re in the grocery store – most have sections in the produce aisles labeled “locally grown” to choose from that are stocked by local farmers! But……the freshest way to go is to stop in at one of many farm markets in the area – just choose one – you can’t throw a stick without hitting one near you! We have Rush’s, Kirby’s, Watt’s, Bannister’s, Brown’s, Panek’s, several Amish families, those working the muck lands, and so many more…..this just names a few of the many…..there are way too many to name here – this in no way is meant to slight any not mentioned!!! I so look forward to summer when I can hit them all and get an amazing variety of fresh from the farm foods to enjoy!
So, to honor our local farmers, I drove all around the country side – north, south, east, and west – to capture photos of local farms and produce! I spent all day driving around and didn’t put a dent in the farms out there! Check out the best of the photos……and prepare to get hungry and have your mouth water from the beautiful offerings…….and get your own butt out there and support our local heroes – the farmers of Orleans County!!! And, for those of my readers outside Orleans County and outside New York State……you know your local farmers – support them!!!
Markets and Produce:
And….talk about FRESH…..I watched this corn being placed in this basket directly from the field as I was pulling in the driveway at Rush’s……yes, I went home with some…..direct from the field to my kitchen in a matter of a few hours!!! And, it is ALL that fresh at ALL the markets and stands – I just happened to witness this one!!!
Looks like the corn was the most popular item at this road-side stand, today!!!
Farm Scenes:
The rich, black muck is such a beautiful sight……especially when it has veggies growing in it!!!
And….don’t forget that FISHERMEN also put food on our tables:
Part of what I bought on my travels, today, from Rush’s and Kirby’s:
And, finally, my Grandpa – Marlin Freeman – was a fisherman and a farmer…..he always believed in growing what he needed and what he needed beyond what he could grow, he bought from local farmers first – ALWAYS!
Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday trip
Hopefully, the title of this post isn’t confusing…..I’m writing it on Wednesday, there will be very few words, and it is all about a road trip I made and photos I took on Tuesday! Got it? 🙂
So…..Tuesday the Ladies Lunch group of the Albion First United Methodist Church went on our monthly luncheon – we chose the Wilson Boat House restaurant in Wilson, this month! Of course, on the way back, I couldn’t resist making a couple stops…..even though it was a gray, drizzly day!
Photos taken at Wilson Boat House:
Seafood Wrap…..DELICIOUS!!! And everyone else’s meals looked amazing, too!!!
Photos taken at Olcott Beach:
Photos taken at Marjim Manor Winery – on Route 18 near Olcott Beach:
That’s all……
Cycling the Erie Canal
I had a great adventure, today! I didn’t leave the Village of Albion. I didn’t knock anything off my Adventure Bucket List. I didn’t go exploring or visit any exciting location. But, it was a great adventure, just the same!
Every year, about 500-600 or so cyclists make a group journey along the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany – it takes them eight days to make the trip along this 400 mile section of the Erie Canal. They started out in Buffalo on Sunday with their first over night stop in neighboring village Medina, where they set up a tent city at the Medina Middle School. Today – Monday, was day two, which will end in Fairport for the night. Cyclists have come from all over the world to participate in this ride for the past 17 years.
This year, I was lucky enough to be able to join several members of the Albion Merchants Association and others from our Village that gathered to greet the riders and offer them free bottles of water and information about our historic downtown. It was an incredible morning! I arrived at the stop point on the northwest side of the Main Street lift bridge about 7:30 am – there were already a few early starters beginning to come through. Over the next couple of hours, many more passed through and most stopped to talk, get some water, rest a little, and ask lots of questions about Albion. Many also took the time to cross the bridge and ride through downtown and visit two of our historic churches that were open to the cyclists…..a few also rode further up Main Street to get coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts or Tim Horton’s. Two and a half hours later, I was hot, tired, and so very happy to have taken over 120 photos and met some wonderful people out on an adventure of a lifetime! I can’t wait until next year and see how many more great people I can meet!
Here are just a few of the photos I took! For more photos of the cyclists when they were in Medina and Albion, check out the Orleans Hub coverage by clicking HERE and HERE!
Main St lift bridge from the welcome stop!
A few riders got an earlier start than the bulk of the group
A cyclist takes time to read the canal information board
There were many different types of bikes – several variations on this ergonomic style looked really comfortable!
Members of the Albion Merchants Association and Pawlak’s Safe-A-Lot prepare the welcome tent with free bottled water, information, and a supply of books on the canal and Albion/Orleans County history available for sale
Welcome to Albion Where History Lives!
The merchants gave me this sign to hold as I greeted the riders, but I was so excited to talk to them and take photos that I kept forgetting to flash the sign, so I gave it back! 🙂
Another cool and comfortable looking bike!
This gentleman came all the way from Poland to participate in this ride! He was such a nice and interesting man to talk to – he had all kinds of questions about Albion! I also read on the Hub that someone came from as far away as Australia!
These two gentlemen were from NC – the one on the left was from Raleigh and the one on the right was from the NC coast! And….to prove what a small world it is….when I told him I lived in Sanford for many years, he asked about what I did there and we discovered we had a mutual friend – one of my former co-workers at Pfizer!!!
There were several tandem style bikes!
Soon, there was a steady stream of riders coming through!
With most stopping for water and information – quite a few were interested in seeing examples of cobblestone and sandstone buildings in our Village
Bikes parked so the riders could stretch and walk around a little
More cool style bikes
These ladies were from Albany – the one in red told me she teaches the history of the canal in her classrooms, but this is the first time she’s participated in this ride!
LOTS of riders during the peak time
Many added hat brims to their helmets to help shield the sun, but not many were as colorful and pretty as this lady’s!
This family had quite a set up – an ergonomic tandem style bike for Mom and Dad with an attached cart for their two-year-old daughter – the youngest rider in the group! (BTW – I heard that the oldest rider was 91-years-old)
This is Sherri Swift and her two-year-old daughter, Cadence – with Dad, Sean, who really does have a head! They drove from Tulsa, OK to participate in the ride!
Sherri and Cadence being interviewed by Mr. Orleans Hub, Tom Rivers
Just as they were getting ready to move on, Cadence came up to me and asked if I wanted a picture of her in her helmet! How cute is that? Of course, I did!
Riders enjoying the benches and shade on their break
One gentleman early on asked me how often the bridge is raised – he really wanted to see that! Alas, he was long gone when this boat came through and the bridge was raised to the delight of those who were there at the time!
One of many riders snapping photos of the bridge fully raised and a boat passing under it!
This boat made many riders very happy!
The mural located beside the welcome station
And they just kept coming…….
The lady in the yellow and green on the left walking towards me was from California!
A nice trucker stopped to allow the bikers to cross Main Street to the other side of the bridge on their way out of town!
Headed on their way to the next town and, eventually, Fairport to stop for the night
And, there goes Cadence and her Mom and Dad….
Cyclists checking out the Pullman Universalist Church to see the Medina Sandstone construction, Tiffany stained glass windows, and the other history features of this gorgeous church!
Bill Lattin talking with a cyclist about the history of the Pullman church
Admiring one of the amazing Tiffany stained glass windows
Touring our lovely downtown area and Courthouse Square
The Presbyterian church was also open for touring
These riders were so kind as to come back inside so I could photograph them in the beautiful Presbyterian church
So, there you have it…..the 17th annual Cycling the Erie Canal Journey! I’m sure that as I am writing this, all the cyclists are sound asleep in their tents in Fairport, resting up for the next leg on their eight-day journey! I wish them safe travels and perfect weather and hope they all love every inch of route and all that NYS has to offer them! See you all next year!!!
Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
Tuesday was Adventure Day! A dear friend and I started out early with a big breakfast out to give us a good foundation for the day. Then, we spent about an hour and a half at Vidler’s 5 & 10 (see previous post) in East Aurora, NY. After that, we spent a couple hours touring the historic Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum in North Tonawanda, NY. And, we finished off the day with a stop at Paula’s Donuts in Clarence, NY for a deliciously fresh donut to eat there and one (or two) to take home! WHEW! A lot to cram into one day, but all three places were on my Adventure Bucket List and all were in the Buffalo area, so we just decided to knock all three off the list in one big day trip!
I ADORE carousels!!! I always have….they have always been my favorite ride at any amusement park, fair, or carnival….I get all nostalgic when I see one or listen to a wonderful old Wurlitzer Military Band Organ, or even just hearing the song “Teddy Bear Picnic” (or, for that matter, just thinking about a teddy bear picnic)……and, I have collected carousel horses for many years! I just love them! So……when I discovered that within about an hour and a half drive from my home there is one of the most famous and historic carousel factories in the world, I instantly put it on my Adventure Bucket List!!!
The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum is located at 180 Thompson Street, North Tonawanda – visit their web site here! The Allan Herschell Company (1915-1970) was founded in North Tonawanda, NY and produced carousels and other amusement park rides. Their specialty was the manufacture of portable carousels that could be used by traveling carnival companies. They hand carved over 3000 wooden carousels across four Herschell companies that operated at this location across the years. The museum is fascinating!!! Much of the original equipment is on display with videos and message boards that explain how each step of the process was completed. There is also many examples of vintage amusement park rides on display and an original 1916 carousel – it was one of the first carousels shipped out of the Thompson St location after it opened in 1915. It is 40 feet in diameter and has 36 beautifully hand carved horses and over 580 lights! It is unique in that it has a combination of horse styles – the outer row has larger wild looking horses in the 1916 Allan Herschell style and the two inner rows are older style horses dating back to the late 1890s.
One of the most interesting parts of the tour was watching how they made the music rolls for the band organs! Someone had to sit and carefully represent specific sheet music into hand drawn master rolls by marking the measures and drawing dots in various lengths indicating the length each note is held in multiple lines, each representing a different instrument on the band organ! The hand written masters were put through a machine that created a master template with holes in each of the hand drawn dots, which in turn was put through a machine to transfer the song to the musical rolls that would be sold with the carousel. Each master held one song – each musical roll that was sold with the carousell contained ten songs. The process was very involved and extremely time consuming……and just fascinating to learn about! It was also very interesting to watch videos of how the wood was hand carved into parts of the carousels and the various animals that went on the carousels and then assembled and painted to create the final product!
The ultimate joy, though, was getting to ride the vintage 1916 carousel……what a thrill……what a wonderful memory!!! Alas, I had to ride it by sitting in one of the stationary chariots cause I can no longer get up on the horses, but it was still an experience I will never forget!
Here are some photos…….if you are ever in the general area, I highly recommend you include a visit to this museum – it is an incredible experience and wonderfully educational!!! And….it is great for kids, as well – they have a vintage kiddie carousel, a kid’s craft room, and a Kiddieland with cool vintage amusement park rides for children to ride on and enjoy!
The four Herschell companies
Vintage 1923 kiddie carousel
The next TWO photos compare the hand carved wood style of Allan Herschell (second photo) and the newer fiberglass molded styles (first photo) – the newer ones might be flashier, but they lack the depth and craftsmanship of the hand carved styles!
Also – in the first photo you see a portrait of Allan Herschell
All Herschell animals began with a painting that was used as a model
Original Wurlitzer Roll Shop – equipment used to make music rolls
Table where an individual sat to transcribe the sheet music into a series of dots onto the music master roll
Vintage barrel organ manufactured in North Tonawanda
Wurlitzer Military Band Organ – all vintage band organs were manufactured in North Tonawanda either by Wurlitzer or one of three competitors
Vintage Wurlitzer home player piano manufactured in North Tonawanda
The carving room display
Parts in various stages of carving – hard to see in this photo, but the mane on the smaller partially carved horse has the most incredible detail!!!
The frog is unique to the Herschell companies – other companies carved a variety of animals, but only Herschell made a frog and Herschell’s frog is the only animal that was adorned in human clothing
I was fascinated by the detail work and craftsmanship in the carvings!
Photograph of workers performing various tasks in the carving process
We both really liked this ostrich
The center base of the 1916 Vintage Carousel
Vintage Artizan Band Organ
LOVE THIS…..great words to live by:
“Once Around is Never Enough”
An amazing day……I had such a great time and learned so much!!! Check it out……well worth the time!!!
Vidler’s Old Time Five and Dime
Want to go back to the day when you could pop in to a local Five and Dime store and pick up anything you could possibly want for a reasonable price? What if I were to tell you that you CAN? And, that the place you can do it is possibly the largest variety store in the world…..I mean, this place is B-I-G!!! Well, you just may want to visit Vidler’s 5 & 10 in East Aurora, NY! I did just that this week for the very first time! A friend and I wandered around this place for about an hour and a half and, while I think we say “most” of the store, I know there were sections we didn’t get to at all and others that we just glanced at!!! When they say whatever it is you want, you can find it under the awning, they aren’t kidding! And, it is like stepping back in time and walking into an old time Five and Dime store…..just like the ones every town had and every family shopped at…..only MUCH larger!
Here are a few photos I took while I was there……and, you can visit their web site by clicking here and taking the virtual tour of the store to see so much more of it!
Love the kindly shop clerk who welcomes all who pass by or enter the store!
Window display – considered getting a Where’s Waldo shirt and hat!
Any kind of old fashioned soda you could want….including some odd flavors, like Bacon and Peanut Butter & Jelly!!!
Into character items? If they don’t have it, it doesn’t exist!
I was like a little kid with all these funky hats to look at! LOOK – there’s a pink flamingo one!!!
Here I am trying on a purple “Princess” tiara….and practicing my pageant wave!!!
Love this motto!!!
These photos were all taken in just the first section we walked through……I got so involved in looking at all the cool stuff, I realized I had stopped taking photos, so scroll back up and click on their web site link to take the virtual tour to see what I missed getting photos of! There is an office supply and stationary section that would put Office Max, Office Depot, and Staples together to shame……and a whole section with some of the cutest fairy garden supplies ever…….and aisles and aisles of stuff that would make any kid (big or little) squeal with excitement…..and old fashioned candy treats galore…..and so much more!!! And then, downstairs, the kitchen section goes on and on and on and on – with every gadget, utensil, pot, pan, and virtually anything you could ever want to use to cook or bake with that you could possibly think of…..and then there is a zillion more you’d never even consider!!!
Do yourself a favor and go experience this store at least once…..but, allow a good couple of hours to take it all in!!!
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