The voices of Ralph Kiner, Bob Uecker and Doug Logan all made me smile

The universe conspired on the day of America’s birthday party to urge me to build this gift of recognition to the voices that help mark our lives. As you saw in my post yesterday, we took Ellie B to march in the Manlius Fourth of July parade with the group from The Dog Gone Inn.…

Dogs on parade to celebrate the Fourth

The good folks of greater Syracuse turned out in a big way for the annual Fourth of July Parade in Manlius this morning. My dear wife Karen and I brought Ellie B, aka Dogamous Pyle, to march along with happy pets and dogged owners from Dog Gone Doggy Day Car, in the Sno Top Plaza.…

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Doobie Brothers on July Fourth. Ain’t that America?

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is coming to Central New York on July Fourth. How American. How jazzy. How cool is that? The M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest takes up its new slot in the entertainment schedule from Thursday to Saturday at Jamesville Beach Park, moving to the holiday weekend for its 31st edition. No more…

Syracuse is now in the ACC. Are you ready?

Wipe that one last tear for the Big East. Syracuse is now officially a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. July 1, 2013. It’s the day that’s been in the making since the surprise announcement in September, 2011, that Syracuse and Pitt were changing league allegiance. Since, Notre Dame was added (in all sports except…

Maybe I did play one round too many this week

As we swept through the aisles of Wegmans for our Friday night replenishment yesterday, my dear wife Karen stopped short. We already had the rice pilaf, bagged salad, chicken breasts, Shake N Bake … This was an unfamiliar department. Seasonal or households or some such. Karen was looking at a doormat. And laughing. She threw…

From the mailbag: Lou Gramm gets his day in Onondaga County, Walter Trout to sizzle at the Dinosaur

It’s officially Lou Gramm Day in Onondaga County. And you thought it was just Friday. Rochester native Gramm is the featured performer tonight at the Key Bank Balloon Fest in Jamesville Beach Park. Gramm, the lead singer during the Foreigner hit-making days three decades ago, has been riding a hot streak. A book chronicling his…

Sometimes golf can become more than a good walk, thanks to Mother Nature

It’s too easy to take notice when Mother Nature gives us one of those harsh reminders who’s boss down here on planet Earth. So we collectively stare and share after hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, destruction. Sometimes, though, she allows us a precious moment to breathe deeply and appreciate the second part of that often-used expression shock-and-awe.…

Mike Waters and I appear under the bright lights of live TV

Live TV is a different animal. I’m no stranger to these question-and-answer sessions. I’ve strained my ear to hear people’s golden words, inside and outside. I’ve hooked the Garth Brooks-like headgear up to my phone to best capture the thoughts and speech patterns of people of many walks of life. I’ve even sat in front…

It’s time to take a trip down the Bialczak Memory Lane

My sister Frannie has been on a mission lately. She wants some sort of hard copy to chronicle our family. It’s been years now that Fran, Dory and I have been on our own, Bialczak-wise. Our parents, Dolores and Frank, have been gone for a decade now. Frank was an only child. Mom’s older sister,…

Spectacular ‘Strawberry Super Moon’ spotlights Syracuse

They called it a “Strawberry Super Moon.” The Strawberry term is given to the first full moon in June. It’s said to have come from Native Americans, who used the light from the full moon to harvest their strawberry crop. The Super label is given to the full moon that is closest to the earth…