By CAROL BRODIE
The calendar says summer
arrives on June 21, but
with this heat (84 degrees, as
I write this column on June
7) and humidity, I believe it’s
already here! Now this is
weird — I have one calendar
that says summer begins on
June 21, but in looking at another
calendar, that one says
June 20! So which one is
right?!
Anyway, I do know that
this Saturday, June 14, is
Flag Day, so be sure to
proudly display your flag
that day.
I don’t know about anyone
else around the area, but
we’ve been invaded by the
caterpillar worms! One day
early last week, I killed a
couple of them on our front
porch. By the middle of the
week, we were killing up to
40 a day or more. They are
very annoying, to say the
least.
A much cheerier subject is
our birds! I finally spotted
what I thought I had heard
weeks ago — a house wren.
He/she seems to have built a
home in the purple martin
house, which is fine with me,
because maybe he will keep
those pesky starlings out of
there.
I spoke to Marion Holmes
last week, and despite the
fact that she, too, has house
wrens, she said her pair of
bluebirds finally came back
and have built their nest in
the usual place across from
her house in the nest box.
Marion was also excited to
share that she’d seen a female
blue grosbeak in a bush
by her house. She said it was
just there for a brief time but
she was glad to have been
able to spot it.
My girlfriend, Janette
Reynolds, emailed to say that
she and her husband, Gary,
had the pleasure of seeing a
male indigo bunting and a
bluebird last week near their
North Blenheim home. Apparently,
both birds were
just passing through as they
haven’t seen either one
since.
Dad, Mom and I had one
of the grandest surprises we
ever could have had last
Monday, June 2, when Rev.
Tom and Jeanne Briggs
stopped in to visit us. They
were en route home following
a weekend getaway and
went out of their way just to
come see us. We had a terrific,
though short, visit and
caught up on each other’s
families. They asked about
some of the people from the
South Valley First Christian
Church who were so good to
them when Rev. Briggs pastored
here from 1989 to 1990.
He was one of the best pastors
we’d ever had in South
Valley, and we miss their
family as much as they miss
us.
We feel very fortunate, indeed,
to have been able to
keep in touch with them over
the years, just as we have
with other former pastors
and their families, who’ve all
become like family to us. One
thing I will always remember
Pastor Briggs for was his
love and concern for the elderly
who are in the nursing
homes. He visited them
weekly and enjoyed reading
the Bible and singing to
them. Sadly, today many
churches can’t even make
time to visit the nursing
homes in December to sing
Christmas carols to the residents,
to say nothing of the
rest of the year.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthday wishes go out to
Kelly Sweeney-Brent who
turns 30 years old, Eric
Kruppenbacher, Diane Mollen,
Jessica Mollen, Nicholis
Brodie who will be 15, Bill
Mabie, Edith Riemer, Dana
Tripp, Ted Coleman, Gabrielle
Card who turns eight,
Alissa Lundgren who will be
12, and Jeremy Brodie.
Anniversary wishes go to
Joe and Jane Dent, Jeff and
Yvonne White, Mike and
Sara Kineke, Dan and Nellie
Moore, Tom and Laurie Laymon,
and Jason and Jamilynne
Myers.
Coming Events
The Cooperstown Area
Christian Women’s Club will
be hosting their monthly luncheon,
“Love Is in the Air,” at
the Tally Ho, in Richfield
Springs, on Monday, June
16. The meal will be served
at 11:30 a.m., with the program
to follow at noon.
The guest speaker will be
Kathy Bump, from Johnstown,
who tells how “I was
trying to find something to
fill my emptiness.” The special
feature will be Carmel’s
Bridal Shop & Formal Wear
with Carmela Chiodo of Richfield
Springs. Special music
will be “HappyTunes” by Diane
Ducey of Cooperstown.
For questions or to make
reservations, please call
Nancy at (607) 264-3402,
Dotty at (315) 822-6391 or
Peg at (315) 858-0525.
Bits and Pieces
Carolyn Sweeney reports
that “Charlie,” the missing
dog from the Bear Swamp
area, has been found! Carolyn
was talking to his owner,
who is a pharmacist at Bassett
in Cooperstown, and she
was thrilled to have him back
home again. Since he is part
beagle, he followed his nose
too far from home and ended
up on Hoose Road, in Roseboom,
where someone spotted
him from the notices left
in the area. Ricki said she
was going to put him on a
long lead so she can keep an
eye on him from now on.
Jim and Carolyn Sweeney
attended the funeral of Carolyn’s
cousin, Donna Jones-
Werner, of Amsterdam, on
Friday, May 9. Donna had
been a resident in a nursing
home for a number of years
and became ill.
On Saturday, May 10, Jim
and Carolyn Sweeney were
all packed and headed for
Boston for a long weekend
with their daughter, Kimberly,
and her family. They
were stopped for traffic on
Route 7, outside of Cobleskill,
by the car dealerships, when
they were hit from behind by
another driver. Their Ford
Explorer held up rather well,
so after some time doing the
paper work, with a dented
bumper and a couple of sore
necks, they started out again
for Boston, and the rest of
the trip was fine. Carolyn
jokingly told Jim, “Since this
was the second rear-ended
accident they’ve had on a
Boston-related trip now,
maybe it’s time he changed
his baseball team from the
New York Yankees to the
Boston Red Socks, if that
would help!” Despite the accident
and all, they had a fun
weekend with Kim and her
family, and they were surprised
at how big the grandchildren
had grown in just
two months’ time.
Jim and Carolyn Sweeney
went to Poland, N.Y., on
Sunday, May 25, Memorial
Day weekend, to visit Herb
and Brenda Belfiore for a
holiday cookout with family.
Brenda’s daughter, Cheryl
Sweeney and her family,
from Clinton, and her son,
James Sweeney, from Springfield,
Mass., were also there.
They also saw the Belfiore’s
new camping trailer they
just purchased for the family
camping trips.
Diane Mollen and Brian
Gibbs hosted a family picnic
and barbecue at their home
on Memorial Day, May 26.
Enjoying the day with them
were Marilyn Mollen, Jessica
Mollen and son, Grayson,
Damian Gibbs and his girlfriend,
Alysia Eibe, and their
friend, John, all three of Albany.
Renee Brant, Marilyn
Mollen, Ruthie Hendricks,
Jackie Hadden, Lisa Parietti,
Londa Webster, Veronica
White, and Margie Gould attended
the Ladies Seminar
at Baptist Bible College, in
Clarks Summit, Pa., from
Thursday through Saturday,
May 29 through 31. Marilyn
reports that they enjoyed a
musical concert on Thursday
night, followed by comedian
Martha Bolton, whom she
said was really funny. The
ladies stayed in the college
dorm rooms and attended
workshops over the next two
days. Marilyn says that 500
ladies attended the event.
She also mentioned that
Vickie Myers and Teena
VanDewerker-Finch attended
the same seminar the
week before.
Joslyn Mabie spent Saturday
through Sunday, May
31 through June 1, visiting
her grandparents, Leland
and Pat Mabie. On Saturday,
Pat and Joslyn went to the
Cobleskill Diner for lunch
where they happened to run
into Raymond and Sandy
Sutton, of Decatur. The Suttons
treated Joslyn to lunch
because she’s done so well in
track.
David and Sharon Thompson
visited Keith and Daphne
Thompson and daughter,
Elizabeth, in Morris, on Sunday,
June 1, and the five of
them enjoyed dinner at the
Morris home of Robert and
Maureen Joy.
Pat Mabie began working
at the Cherry Valley Museum
on Monday, June 2, and
Marilyn Mollen started on
Wednesday, June 4.
Town of Roseboom committee-
people Frank Brodie
and Marilyn Mollen attended
the Otsego County Republican
Committee meeting at
the Cooperstown Courthouse
on Tuesday night, June 3.
The Roseboom Area Senior
Citizen Club meeting
and covered dish luncheon
was held at the Roseboom
Methodist Church on
Wednesday, June 4, with 13
members attending.
The South Valley Women’s
Club meeting was held
at the Community Hall on
Thursday afternoon, June 5,
with President Jackie Hadden,
Marilyn Mollen, Linda
Buzzutto, Lucy Proper, Helen
Holmes, Allegra Schecter,
Jean Roy, Thelma Coleman,
and Sharon Volpe attending.
The ladies planned their
monthly dinner, which will
be pot roast, for Saturday,
June 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at
the Community Hall.
Thanks to all of you for
sharing your news happenings
with me! I had so much
this week, in fact, that there
are a couple of items I will
have to hold over until next
week. I look forward to sharing
all your news, so keep
calling me at (607) 264-
3225.
Columns
South Valley
- Columns
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From Fly Creek: Cheers for the Blue Rabbit!
My handwriting’s always been an embarrassment. Way back in elementary school, while most of the others were developing a clear, sometimes graceful hand (especially the girls), my penmanship showed no improvement.
Continued ... -
In These Otsego Hills: This and that ...
We have found the weather so far this year to be on the unusual side. And while we have no problem with the fact that we have received very little snow, we are of the opinion that what we have had instead is not particularly to our liking either. In fact, we are very hesitant to venture out much as we live in fear that the rain will turn to mixed precipitation which will freeze into a sheet of ice. And we are definitely opposed to encountering a sheet of ice underfoot. In fact, we are so hesitant that we now have taken to canceling our participation in events based on what just might be a dubious forecast.
Continued ... -
Book Notes: Feinstein’s latest is sheer enjoyment
Most people who follow sports have probably heard of John Feinstein. As a nationally known author, sportswriter, pundit and broadcaster, he has brought a unique angle to sports journalism. His groundbreaking book on Bobby Knight’s 1986-87 Indiana University basketball team, “A Season on the Brink,” still resonates today as an all-time classic.
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Book Notes: No Trekkie should miss Shatner’s books
It would be hard to find a television phenomenon as popular as “Star Trek.” Even though it was only on television for three seasons and 79 episodes (1966-69) it attracted viewers and devotees that still follow it passionately 45 years later. The fanatical supportspawned several movies and television spinoffs. Star Trek conventions continue to this day. There has never been anything like it.
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Up on Hawthorn Hill: Making sense of things
A book I have been reading investigates the various ways over time that we have made sense of the world. It carries the reader through to the present via several seminal classical texts and ultimately aims to suggest a strategy for “ finding meaning in a secular age.”
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In These Otsego Hills: ‘Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.’ − John Adams
Last week we were asked if we would be interested in previewing a documentary, “The Empire State Divide,”produced by the Foundation for Land & Liberty. And we were more than happy to do so as we understood the documentary dealt with the problems that continue to face family farms.
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From Fly Creek: Now wait a minute!
On the ninth day of Christmas, driving down Cooperstown’s Eagle Street, I saw something astounding! No, not “nineladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans” etc. I saw one jogger jogging. And puffing on a cigarette.
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In These Otsego Hills: Goals of the past and goals of the future
We have long subscribed to the concept that we are always more successful if we, number one, set a goal and then, number two, meet it. And this was our thinking when we decided before Christmas to watch at least part of every college football bowl game. It was perhaps an odd, if not completely nonsensical, goal.
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In These Otsego Hills: Not to our liking ...
It is with sadness that we note the recent death of Steve Nagel. The son-inlaw of our late husband’s cousins, Alice and Harvey Eckler of Fly Creek, Steve was married to the Ecklers’ oldest daughter, Gail. We had the pleasure of spending Christmas Eve with the Nagels and the Ecklers in Fly Creek, greatly enjoying the delicious food and delightful conversation.
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Up on Hawthorn Hill: Of birds and faith
I watch birds quite a bit. Every five days or so I send in a report to Cornell as partof its annual Project Feeder Watch program. The data, collected from volunteers from all over the country, enables scientists to track population trends. I would spend quite a bit of time checking out the visitors to our feeders anyway. Participating in the feeder program makes a personal pleasure that much more meaningful. It is rare that aesthetical and scientific endeavors work in tandem.
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Book Notes: Biography captures the real Stephen Colbert
It would be hard to find a comedian as unique as Stephen Colbert. As the host of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central he hasmanaged to leave his mark on the nation’s consciousness in both a serious and humorous sort of way. His unusual wit has allowed him to become American icon. It would be difficult to find another entertainer quite like him.
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From Fly Creek: Christmas and varied blessings
I’m still astounded! The last farmers’ market before Christmas, I was sitting up front, directly under the ceiling heater, shmoozing with the hoi-polloi. (That’s an awkward linguistic mix,but let’s let it go.) As I sipped my hot coffee, a gloved hand came to rest on my shoulder and a warm voice said, “Merry Christmas, Jim.” I looked to my left—it was Santa Claus!
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In These Otsego Hills: Always a learning experience ...
We must admit that we thoroughly enjoyed our 2011 Christmas celebration. We partook of Christmas Eve dinner at the home of Alice and Harvey Eckler of Fly Creek and Christmas Day dinner at the home of Sandy and Al Bullard of Milford. We had our usual Christmas Day brunch at home on Pioneer Street, although we must admit it was a tad bit later than usual as, what we enjoyed most about Christmas, namely our granddaughter Abby, took a great deal of time opening her Christmas presents.
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In These Otsego Hills: Coming up ... 2012
Difficult as it seems, 2011 is fast coming to an end. And it is always our hope that as a year draws to a close, the issues which have been in the forefront during the year will be resolved. Unfortunately, we suspect that will not be the case this year. Instead, we are fairly certain that many of the issues that plagued this year, will continue to plague next year. Thus we will find ourselves still musing about the same issues we have spent time with already. And while we have not come toany conclusions about many of the issues, we do think they would all likely benefit from both sides thinking critically about perspective, risk assessment and possible solutions.
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Up on Hawthorn Hill: Circularity
When she was a puppy my dog Gabby would run in what I described then as “circles of joy.” She celebrated her15th birthday a few weeks ago and despite the inevitable frailties that old age imposes upon all of us, she is doing pretty well.
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Book Notes: Grisham doesn’t disappoint
John Grisham is one of this country’s most popular authors. Every time he publishes a book it’s an instant best-seller. He appeared on the scene about 20 years ago with his tense legal thrillers, “A Time to Kill” and “The Firm,”and hasn’t stopped producing top-notch novels since.
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From Fly Creek: Still singing, beyond our hearing
This column from Christmas 2001 still speaks deeply to me, and perhaps will to you, too. Take it, please, as my Christmas gift.
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In These Otsego Hills: The 2011 Cooperstown Carol
Since 1984, with the exception of one year, 1999, we have looked forward at the end of the year to going through all the issues of the paper in order to glean those news items which have been worthy of note throughout the year and which should make their way into our annual Cooperstown Carol.
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In These Otsego Hills: Dear Santa ...
Although we tend to think Christmas is for children and thus rarely think about what we might like to have, this year we have decided to let Santa know what might be left under the tree with our name on it. Of course, we fully understand if our list is a bit long, a bit expensive and a bitlate. However, we have just finished reading our November issue of Health and so have just realized what we need that we do not currently have.
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Up on Hawthorn Hill: Irony abounds
These are querulous times. Dissent and disagreement, as uncomfortable as they sometimes are, are essential components of a viable democracy. Democracies are always messy because everyone has a right to speak his mind and because whenever a majority is able to gain the numerical upper hand it pretty much runs the show. Several political philosophers have written quite persuasively of what they characterize as the “tyranny of the majority.” Get enough people on your side and you have the opportunity to get your way so long as you are able to maintain power. I suspect that most thoughtful people would agree that wisdom is hard to come by.
Continued ...
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From Fly Creek: Cheers for the Blue Rabbit!
