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``Cock your hat _ angles are attitudes.’’ _ Frank Sinatra We celebrated the end of April with a Straw Hat and Sun Bonnet Show. Residents and staff wore hats of all shapes, sizes and colors as we gathered in the living room to enjoy strawberry shortcake and share stories of our hats. The stories included where the hats were purchased, special occasions when they were worn, and many fun and humorous tales.
Susan Kenyon, Activities Director, documented the occasion by taking photographs of everyone in their hats. The following week she made a poster of the ``Hats of Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home.’’ It was remarkable how many wonderful smiles shone beneath the brims.
We all enjoyed coffee, tea and sweets while viewing photographs of Susan’s family vacation to Cape Cod. Her daughter, Elle Kenyon, compiled the photos into a presentation accompanied by music and it was truly artistic and joyful. We saw treasured stones and shells they collected on the beach, many that were heart-shaped to add to Susan’s collection. The photos triggered memories of past trips.
We welcomed May with dancing around the Maypole.
Some of the residents and staff took turns weaving colorful ribbons around the pole while others watched. Deanna Gable’s daughter, Ireland, was the youngest to learn the dance.
On May 6, the local chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization met at the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home and invited us to attend their exceptional program. Dr. John Davis gave a wonderful presentation on the history of the Thanksgiving Hospital and Bassett Hospital. The presentation included photographs and a detailed, fascinating history of the hospital, highlighting the important contributions of several members of our community, including the Clarks and Coopers. We are thankful to Dr. Davis and the Women’s Educational Philanthropic Organization for the intriguing program.
The organization also honored resident Leon Rathbun for creating and donating beautiful bird houses recently.
On the afternoon of May 6 Sam Wilcox and Joel Fox performed Baroque music in the living room during happy hour. Sam played the piano while Joel played different types of recorders. Their beautiful music filled the Home, and our hearts as we all enjoyed their artistry.
Bobbie Mook and Susan Kenyon created new floral arrangements for the dining room tables just in time for Mother’s Day. Greens provided a backdrop for white daisies, delicate pink wax flowers that rose above the bouquets in the center. We are still enjoying the cheerful blooms at mealtime.
Maureen Micek, chair of the Food Committee, attended the annual food show with Food Services Manager, Kathy Lindberg, Cook Darcey Schilling and her husband Brett, dining service staff, Karen Lottridge, and Administrator Laurie Blatt. Foods were sampled and ordered to create new recipes for the summer menus at the Home.
The May Birthday Party was held on Friday, May 14 to celebrate birthdays for residents Sue Stevens, Bill Bowes, and Maureen Micek and staff Renata Hickey, Karen Lottridge, and beloved dog, Dudley Dune. Darcey Schilling baked and decorated an amazing cake with a maypole extending from the center. The pole was covered with lavender ribbon and tiny ribbons draped from the top of the pole to cupcakes that fanned out in a circle surrounding the cake. The cakes were topped with pastel flowers made of delicious icing. It was a delightful celebration! As the spring continues we are enjoying the smell of lilacs and the display of deep pink tulips from the porches where we relax and enjoy time together.
Columns
Home Notes: Thanksgiving Home features hat show
- Columns
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
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Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
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Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
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Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
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Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
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Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
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Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
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Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
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Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
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'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
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'Who's on Worst?' reveals the ugly in baseball
The Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players, managers and owners from our national pastime. Any of us who have watched Major League baseball have inevitably seen some of these immortals practicing their craft. But we have also likely witnessed a sample of their opposite brethren, players who shouldn't have been in the Major Leagues. Has there ever been a definitive source that "celebrates" the non-accomplishments of the worst that Major League baseball has to offer?
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Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance
I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Life in Hungry has taken a turn for the better
I can truthfully say spring has finally arrived in Hungary. It's almost time to wear shorts and sandals, for summer will be just around the corner. This brings me great happiness and great sadness, my adventure is coming to a close. Really what a time it was, I don't think I can compare it to anything else.
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The importance of speaking up ...
Over the years we have come to understand that, in writing a weekly column, it is not possible to always please everyone. And such was the case with our column that ran at the end of March in which we wrote about our experience as in inpatient following a total hip replacement.
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Public schools created
The Common School Act of 1812 marked the start of New York's public school system. Much of the credit for this was due to the radical Otsego County politician Jedediah Peck (1747-1821). To quote the NY Education Department:
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Book takes readers on path for equal rights
One of the most troubling aspects of our history is race relations. It takes a long time to achieve true equality in a society when the heritage of one ethnic group is slavery and Jim Crow laws. Even today African Americans are more likely to be stereotyped as athletes than doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The path to a "color-blind" nation is still a work in progress.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Experiencing India at every new turn
Come, sit down. Hold this and, wait ... ah, there you go. Obeying these commands, I found myself seated on the pavement, wearing a turban and attempting to make sounds out of a recorder-like instrument for the black cobras in the baskets not two feet away from me.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Will I be American or will I be Thai today?
When would someone have the ability to present themselves as a native of a country of their own choosing? When they’ve lived eight months as an exchange student, of course!
Continued ... - Second host family makes Hungary feel like home
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
