We've been enjoying a streak of Septemberish weather, which has made spending time outdoors so much more pleasant. Last night was "Bark in the Park" night at the Jammers game.
We left our hound at home because we thought he would be too excited by all those other dogs. Maybe not. They were all very well behaved and nary a bark was heard. One young Lab in particular strutted proudly at the "tail end" of the dugout-to-dugout dog parade, clearly thrilled to be included by his human in this special activity, and could be seen in the stands wagging his tail for the rest of the evening.
Where were you, Jamestown? There were so many empty seats in the park on such a perfect night for baseball. Why would you stay home and watch television instead of going out and watching these "kids" (young men, but I'm old, so it's about perspective) playing their hearts out for their chance to move up the food chain to the big leagues?
Earlier in the evening, we stopped in at the "great unveiling" in Mayville's Lakeside Park of the newly minted Chautauqua County Greenway Plan. There was information galore from biking, hiking, equestrian, nature and conservation interests -- all of the usual suspects. Jump on board, Chautauqua county peeps, because this is part of our salvation -- to quit stuffing our faces with high carb and GMO snacks in front of our corporate entrainment devices, and get out and get active and healthy while enjoying the beautiful natural world we have been gifted with.
Between Mayville and the ballpark, we had a healthy dinner at one of our favorite locally-owned and operated establishments, the Labyrinth, which was also pretty darned quiet. I know the summer tourist season is winding down, and kids in neighboring states have gone back to school. But I hear so much crying from some of the locals about what a lame place this is and how there's nothing to do. REALLY, Jamestown? I guess that's true if you never get out and do anything.
Come out, come out, wherever you are!
THIS WEEKEND
Tonight and Saturday:
7th Annual Celtic Festival & Gathering of the Clans
Lakeside Park, Mayville
Friday through Sunday
44th Annual Fredonia Farm Festival in Barker Commons
Craft and trade show, music, food vendors, children's activities
Saturday 10 am - 4:30 pm
Monarch Butterfly Festival
Jamestown Audubon Center and Sanctuary
1600 Riverside Rd.
Jammin in the Vines III at Willow Creek Winery with Rusted Root
Special Guests: Big Leg Emma, Red Wanting Blue, & Gina Vecchio with Coaltrain
2627 Chapin Road
Silver Creek, NY 14136
Gates: 2pm
Tickets:
$25.00 Advance
$30.00 Day of Show
Available @ Winery Box Office & Tickets.com
Camping:
$10.00 a couple
Saturday night, closer to home
Serpentine Fire (Earth Wind & Fire Tribute Band) at Bemus Bay floating stage 8 pm
A longtime big city suburbanite transplants herself in a small town and embarks upon a search for resilient, sustainable community in western NY
Friday, August 24, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Perfect Day
It was 75 and sunny today, my idea of perfect summer weather.
We've been having some miscellaneous work done on the house by a friend who does those things, and I've been trying to keep the dog and cat out of his way.
I had lunch with Tom on the lawn at the college while reading over and discussing the climate action report he has been writing. I wonder how many schools that signed on to the 2006 commitment to reduce their impact on the planet understand the challenge at their feet. Even the right wing climate deniers are finally having to admit that our planet is burning up with a fever that is manmade. So when is the reality going to dawn on people that they need to change their behavior -- we're talking a major cultural shift here -- and when are our so-called leaders going to break the news? Surely not in an election year.
Alas, I will enjoy the 75 and sunny days while we have them, before humans resort to living in caves again (or something) to beat the heat. I worry about the world we're leaving to our grandchildren. A world in which harvesting rainwater is becoming illegal in some places.
Speaking of rain, we finally had some. Big, beautiful, nitrogen-producing thunderstorms that didn't cause any damage. And now, the grass is starting to grow again.
We still have too much lawn. I'll definitely be adding another raised bed, maybe two more, for veggies next year. It's great having fresh food just a few steps from the back door. While farms have been suffering from the dry summer, our much smaller "farm" has been manageable. The deer have discovered that they can reach over the fence and nibble on my pole beans (note to self: plant those farther away from the fence next time), but we are now harvesting carrots, beets, cabbage, tomatoes, and enough zucchini to feed a small African nation. Time to plant the fall crop of kale, chard, and arugula.
As is usual for summer in Chautauqua county, there's lots going on--it's Lucy Fest time again, Gerry rodeo time, Italian Festival time, and the Jammers are playing at home. I've been keeping myself entertained with a couple of church-related projects, and most people seem pretty occupied with summer travel and family activities. So there hasn't been a whole lot of activism going on here, except for a brief and amusing anti-fracking protest episode, which included a brief and amusing encounter with a sheriff's deputy. It was actually a very pleasant conversation with a dedicated public servant who confirmed the completely legal nature of the protest. With our country rapidly turning into a police state, it's a good idea to cultivate mutual respect and avoid stunts like fishing with donuts.
P.S. I wrote this yesterday and forgot to publish it. DUH!
We've been having some miscellaneous work done on the house by a friend who does those things, and I've been trying to keep the dog and cat out of his way.
I had lunch with Tom on the lawn at the college while reading over and discussing the climate action report he has been writing. I wonder how many schools that signed on to the 2006 commitment to reduce their impact on the planet understand the challenge at their feet. Even the right wing climate deniers are finally having to admit that our planet is burning up with a fever that is manmade. So when is the reality going to dawn on people that they need to change their behavior -- we're talking a major cultural shift here -- and when are our so-called leaders going to break the news? Surely not in an election year.
Alas, I will enjoy the 75 and sunny days while we have them, before humans resort to living in caves again (or something) to beat the heat. I worry about the world we're leaving to our grandchildren. A world in which harvesting rainwater is becoming illegal in some places.
Speaking of rain, we finally had some. Big, beautiful, nitrogen-producing thunderstorms that didn't cause any damage. And now, the grass is starting to grow again.
We still have too much lawn. I'll definitely be adding another raised bed, maybe two more, for veggies next year. It's great having fresh food just a few steps from the back door. While farms have been suffering from the dry summer, our much smaller "farm" has been manageable. The deer have discovered that they can reach over the fence and nibble on my pole beans (note to self: plant those farther away from the fence next time), but we are now harvesting carrots, beets, cabbage, tomatoes, and enough zucchini to feed a small African nation. Time to plant the fall crop of kale, chard, and arugula.
As is usual for summer in Chautauqua county, there's lots going on--it's Lucy Fest time again, Gerry rodeo time, Italian Festival time, and the Jammers are playing at home. I've been keeping myself entertained with a couple of church-related projects, and most people seem pretty occupied with summer travel and family activities. So there hasn't been a whole lot of activism going on here, except for a brief and amusing anti-fracking protest episode, which included a brief and amusing encounter with a sheriff's deputy. It was actually a very pleasant conversation with a dedicated public servant who confirmed the completely legal nature of the protest. With our country rapidly turning into a police state, it's a good idea to cultivate mutual respect and avoid stunts like fishing with donuts.
P.S. I wrote this yesterday and forgot to publish it. DUH!
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