Holiday feel

Great prep. Yes, workers at Onondaga Lake Park have made progress in setting up the many light displays that will soon be twinkling every night pre-Thanksgiving to post-New Year’s Day. Twinkle in my eye. It makes my autumn stroll jaunty indeed.

Back home

Almost empty. As the last days of October wound down, I took a stroll through my lovely Onondaga Lake Marina to take note of the boat count. Going, going, almost completely gone. Can’t say I blame the owners for taking their crafts out of the water and bringing back to wherever they spend the cold…

Happy Halloween

Pretty setting. The good folks who set things up at our neighborhood supermarket Nichols do a good job of finding the right mood each holiday season. A lot for this day. They carefully picked the right ingredients for Oct. 31 for all who enter and exit the store. Happy Halloween, all.

The perfect present

Thank you, my dear wife. My dear wife Karen heard me talking about how I thought a seven-wood would help me improve my golf game. Just the club to help me hit better shots out of the rough, where my drives tend to wander. And easier to hit than an iron from the fairway, too,…

Cupcakes squared

Great minds. Elisabeth and George came over bearing gifts. First, they brought a couple of great puzzles for dear wife Karen’s birthday, including the cool collection of cupcakes. Then they toted a plate full of homemade apple cupcakes. We all thought they looked fantastic side-by-side. And the real-life cupcakes tasted great, too.

Making the most of the old truck

Straw poll says. I wondered while I drove west with my dear wife Karen what the folks at Sauders market would display in the vintage truck they park out front. During our summer visit, it was ears of corn. The winner in autumn is … Easily-handled bales of hay straw. Perfect for building your own…

Mums abound

Big and colorful. It’s undeniable that the mum is a mainstay in Central New York in autumn. And the folks at Sauders market had an eye-opening display out front. Beautiful.

Honeycrisp our goal

One bag, yes. During our pleasant drive west to Sauders, I knew one of the items I wanted in our car for the trip back home was a bag of Honeycrisp apples. It is that time of year for great local apples of all sorts here in Central New York. And there were the Honeycrisps…

Here’s to lunch

Combo meal. My dear wife Karen and I were fascinated by the cafe attached to Sauders on our first trip west this summer. So we timed visit two for lunch time. After a wait on line behind a half-dozen or so other hungry parties, I decided on the combo special of grilled cheese and chicken…

Pumpkin time at the market

Colorful lineup. My dear wife Karen and I decided it was time for a little drive west to take in the sights of seasonal displays put our by Sauders market. They didn’t disappoint us with the pumpkins and gourds out front of the Amish-run establishment. Easy pickings. If the big orange to-carves or leave-on-the-porches weren’t…