By CAROL BRODIE
The last week of August
into the first week of September
was a busy one for us
as we did the Fonda Fair in
Montgomery County. Frank
went down on Sunday, Aug.
24, to clean up his Pancake
House. Then he, Dad, Mom
and I spent the next day
there as we set up the booth
in Scott Hall and Frank also
set up the Pancake House.
My cousin, Curtis Rouse,
helped us with unloading
and setting up in Scott Hall.
The fair officially opened on
Tuesday morning, Aug. 26,
and ended on Labor Day,
Sept. 1. Then we went back
on Tuesday and packed up
everything to bring home
and cleaned up the Pancake
House. We had a beautiful
week, weather-wise. It was
sunny and warm, though the
last couple of days did get
rather hot and humid. It was
a dry week, with the exception
of a light rain toward
evening on Friday.
Things were different in
our section of Scott Hall this
year as the Antiques booth,
which had been beside us the
past two years, was moved
back into the Heritage Building.
That building had been
severely damaged with the
June 2006 flood, so the Antiques
had been temporarily
moved to Scott Hall. We also
missed our terrific neighbors,
Cookie and Tom, as they’ve
been running the Friendly
Toy Party booth across the
door from us the past few
years. Friendly’s went out of
business earlier this year, so
we also missed our terrific
Friendly neighbors, Lisa and
Laura, at the Cobleskill Fair
earlier in August. It was neat
though that the four of them
and their families at least
came to visit us at the fairs
this year.
At Fonda, in the former
Friendly’s space, which was
expanded into another booth
or two, were some new vendors.
In fact, this was the
first fair they’d ever done.
They were from the Vails
Mills area and were selling
sneakers, shirts, and sunglasses.
Just past them were
the three remaining booths
for our side of the building, a
booth offering a free trip or
something (that booth was
empty the first day or two),
the Alliance for Life booth,
and the Gideons, in their
usual spot. Then of course,
across from us all, taking up
one side of the building, was
the fruits and vegetables display,
taken care of by Mike
and Liz Montario.
The Cherry Valley Memorials
moved in on Thursday
to fill the large empty spot
beside us by the end door.
Their booth was manned by
Mary “Kitty” Riznyk, along
with her husband, Larry.
The two of them also helped
Frank in the Pancake House
early in the mornings.
My dad celebrated his
84th birthday on Thursday,
Aug. 28, and was surprised
with three beautiful birthday
cakes! Friend Millie Duesler
brought him a cake as she
does every year, and Bob and
Lisa Harvey, who care for
the baked goods and craft
displays in the opposite end
of the Pancake House, also
brought him a lovely cake.
Daughter Barb and Mick
Kineke, who visited us at the
fair on Wednesday, came
with a beautiful cake as
well.
With Dad and Frank in
the Pancake House, Mom
and I are, more or less, stuck
in the Scott Hall booth all of
the time, so we don’t get to
“wander” around the fair. We
are therefore grateful for the
sweet people who do things
for us without even being
asked.
Like on Saturday, when
they had the free ice cream
sundae at the main gate, in
walks Lisa Harvey with two
sundaes, one for Mom and
one for me! Not five minutes
later, a very lovely lady,
Maureen Phillips, whom I
met at the fair many years
ago, walks in the door with
two more sundaes for us! It’s
great to have such terrific
friends watching out for us.
Maureen felt bad, but I told
her it was fine, we had a little
refrigerator, so we just
popped the extra sundaes in
there for later.
Quite a few friends and
acquaintances stopped by
the booth to see us. Among
them were Connie Meyers
and Foster Salisbury, Mike
and Cindy Zacharchuk and
son, Andrew, Jane Hawkins
and her brother, Mark, John
and Dora Moore, Lucy Ann
Card and daughter, Gabrielle,
Tony Desmond, Les and
Peg Chase, Jeremy and Malinda
Brodie and children,
Jerred and Jaidon, Steve and
Amy Fancher, Kay Yerdon
and Ernie, John and Donna
Burr, Brian and Tonya Mc-
Govern, John Snyder, Bob
Scramlin and Roberta Healy,
and Larry Roseboom. Laura
Bailey and her twin grandsons,
Trevor and Tyler, also
stopped to visit us the first
day of the fair. Then Laura
and husband, Ron, were back
again by themselves on the
last day when we got to visit
a bit longer and they shared
pictures of grandchildren
Aydan and Madison. Doug
Graham, who went to school
with my brother, Charley,
also stopped by to see us one
day.
This being the third fair
we did this year, we found
the attendance to be a lot
lower than previous years at
all three fairs. I know, that’s
not what the papers have
been reporting, but as a vendor
who is there every day,
from opening until closing
time each day, that’s my
opinion. The only exception
was the first day of the Otsego
County Fair, in Morris,
when there was free admission
at the gate.
Not only was there a record
crowd that day, but the
majority of the vendors did
well with sales. I can’t begin
to tell you how many fair-goers
stopped by our booth at
both the Cobleskill and Fonda
Fairs to purchase and
complain to us about the outlandish
gate admission prices.
Many of them said they
have no plans to attend the
fair again. I know numerous
other people who did not
even attend the fairs this
year due to the high cost.
Then there are the ones who
are very agitated in hearing
that next year’s Cobleskill
Fair plans to go to nine days
and they say it sounds like it
is, more or less, turning into
a carnival instead of an agricultural
fair. We’ve had people
stopping by our booth the
past few years wondering
why the agricultural part of
the fair seems to be disappearing
little by little each
year.
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 ...
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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.”
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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!
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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.
Continued ... -
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!
