Our backyard peony tree has a hard act to follow. The front yard peony we left behind at the old house was one of the most bountiful of that bunch of plants we’d put in the ground on our dozen years there. We put this plant in a couple years ago and hoped. It’s showing…

This time around at NBT Bank Stadium, found merchandise on the racks I couldn’t resist for myself. I also put my new Syracuse Mets hoodie on as soon as my dear wife Karen and I got back from the Mets store. She had decided upon a long-sleeved shirt that stayed in the bag. Already, you…

During the pregame ceremony Sunday in the Carrier Dome, the announcer proclaimed Gary Gait the greatest college lacrosse player of all time. We indeed live in the GOAT generation. And my 40 years of living in Syracuse included the time Gary Gait spent with brother Paul Gait winning national championships for the Orange. He’s launch…

By shovel, by foot stomp, every time I pass by these pipes I make sure the path is clear. I learned the hard way our first winter here that they lead to our furnace. If the air flow gets blocked, it’s as if the heater can’t breathe, and down drops the house temperatures.

Sometimes the winter and my need to get the car as close as possible for possible plowing makes the art of taking out the garbage and recyclables a bit of a tight squeeze. My job to haul them out to the curb, so no complaints here. My dear wife Karen, when she drops stuff out…

Earlier this winter I thought that maybe I’d made a bad call when I’d decided for the whole-season option and sent our plowing company the check to cover our driveway needs through winter. OK, maybe we still would have come out better if I’d checked the pay-per-plow box. But I still feel pretty good when…

Even when my trusty shovel allows me to keep up with the falling snow … I often look the next time to discover the blowing winds have given me the task of another go at least part of the walks.

As far as I’m concerned, the longer the shovel designated for side alcove and backyard path/deck work remains tucked right next to those steps, I’m happy. You know where I stand in the snowfall category. The less, the better.

It really has been quite a November for Mother Nature around our part of the world.