This time Good Neighbor Tim’s got the butterfly

By mid-July, I’d hoped to be able to proudly show you the purple blossoms on my most mature of butterfly bushes in the backyard garden of my dear wife Karen and I at our home in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood. Yes, I can, but not in the striking manner in years past. Here’s…

Back to work on Monday, it’s only been 17 1/2 months

Monday morning, I’ll walk into an office and sit behind a desk. I’ll move fingers across my keyboard and work as hard as I can to reduce the pile my bosses put in front of me. I’ll keep all of the emotions inside. The touch of anxiety. The hint of Happy Dance. The inclination to…

A butterfly can’t always wait for a garden

I’d say on this Sixth of July that our backyard butterfly garden in our Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood is doing quite nicely. The three along the back fence, the purple eldest at left, the center white lady transplanted from my sister Frannie’s garden on Long Island, and the great multi-colored baby at right, are…

All-American night at the park

The folks who run the Syracuse Chiefs and the city’s department of parks and recreation decided that NBT Bank Stadium was the perfect place for a July Fourth doubleheader. The 7 p.m. Triple-A game between the Chiefs and Pawtucket Red Sox and following fireworks display drew quite a buzz. By 6:30 p.m. all entrances to…

A red, white and blue hello from Syracuse

After watching the Great American Hot Dog Eating Contest from Nathan’s Famous on the Coney Island boardwalk on ESPN. (Yay Joey Chestnut, Mr. Eight-Time.) Before heading off to NBT Bank Stadium to watch the Syracuse Chiefs play the Pawtucket Red Sox followed by the city’s annual fireworks display. (We’re ready for some big ooh’s and…

Syracuse Chiefs win on the field, now the fans should follow

The season of baseball promise fulfillment continues on the north side of Syracuse. On Saturday night, my dear wife Karen and I went out to NBT Bank Stadium with a whole bunch of her co-workers at the Syracuse Media Group. The company that publishes The Post-Standard, syracuse.com and the glossy magazine bought section 118, reserved…

Paul Russo was a jazz guy who wanted everybody to be, too

If jazz music in Syracuse was part of your life, you knew Paul Russo. The man made certain of that. The Syracuse native loved the style of music to its heart and his core. His son Craig played Latin jazz, put out albums. His brother Victor taught jazz, won awards as educator of the year.…

Diamonds in my dreams

We stepped off the top step at NBT Bank Stadium Saturday and I looked across the concourse and out over the beautiful green grass. It hit me again. Every time time I go to a baseball game at a professionally kept field or watch a major league game on TV. I have lawn pattern envy.…