Down the Old Road…I Really Want An Antique Automobile
“I’ve been looking at, toying with, buying an old car, antique automobile, that I could take to cruise-ins, antique car shows, or just cruise around town in. They’re cool! Are they good investments? You have a couple of them. What really do they cost and how much does it take to maintain them?” This inquiry is something that I frequently...
A Few Good Men!
It’s not just for the Marines, ya know. The Masons have been seeking good men, here in Garrettsville and around the world, for quite some time now, and doing pretty well at it, as a matter of fact. The Masonic Lodge–the Free and Arch Masons, along with affiliated groups such as the Shriners and the Knights Templar, have been derived from...
Cancel The Obit!
Rumors of my demise have been wildly overwrought. For the few of you who missed the News of the World, Nightly News, and MSNBC special on current events–I have indeed been cruisin’ the ‘Ville accessorized with an arm sling, not to mention the accompanying blue language involved in getting the da- - -d thing on so that it can do...
Confidence Game Swindled Local Farmers
A man giving the name of Thomas Sexsmith appeared in the vicinity about a week ago, and being a good talker, he succeeded in getting several of our prominent farmers interested in a patent milk cooler. His plan of operation was to leave a cooler with the farmer, with the understanding that it was only left for exhibitions, not...
WWJD – Your Package Will Arrive Tomorrow
That may be true for now if you are a “Prime” member but I predict that soon a more costly “Prime +” will be available when Amazon no longer has the resources (workers) to deliver “RIGHT NOW”! This is only a prediction on my part; Amazon will extract a high price for that service but there will always be...
Dog Days
Well, there all sorts of stories about why this part of the year is sometimes referred to as the “Dog Days”, most of them having to do with Sirius, the Dog Star (part of the constellation Canis Major, not to be confused with Procyon, Canis minor, the Little Dog Star), the brightest star which we get to see on...
Alea jacta est
Or “Alea iacta est,”, if you are a Latin purist (I know you’re out there somewhere.). Mrs. Grissinger, my Latin teacher in 9th and 10th grades, probably wasn’t up on the latest translation/ third person singular/imperative and all that, or any other notions of what Suetonius said that Caesar said. Anyway, supposedly, this is what Julius Caesar said when...
No “Farmer In The Dell” Here
I’m thinkin’…. A rough estimate of the cost of the strawberries (2) that I have got so far, from the pots which I have planted this year alongside the house, is somewhere around $15.87, each. The plants themselves look fine—plenty of big green leaves, plenty of blossoms–however, the end result appears to be kind of paltry. No shortcake happening...
A.P.B. — All Points Bulletin
This is one happenin’ place, by gummy. The amazing rehabilitation/renovation/reconstruction/ remodeling of the eyesore on Maple Avenue is heading for the home stretch. It got stripped down to the studs, re-wired, re-plumbed, re-configured (moved purposes of some spaces), re-imagined altogether, to make it–once again–into a livable space. Insulation in the walls, drywall on the walls, addition of a side deck,...
Green Sleeves…and shoes…and gloves….
Time for the annual–more or less–horticultural–slash–porch kitty–slash–stuff going on–report. All of you waiting with “bated breath” can relax now. (What is this “bated”? Any relation to “rebate”, “debate”, “exacerbate”, “probate”, “abatement”, “incubate”, “reprobate”, ”intubate”? Huh? Well, there are some 20 playable words in Scrabble featuring that particular root, meaning : to lessen or lower; to deprive of. Or you...
Messages From Mother Nature: We’re Back!
Often in nature we talk about phenology, the annual cycle of events that occur year after year on an annual basis, bird migration is one of the most spectacular of these events. One of the best descriptors of migration has been defined by Keith Bildstein , a noted ornithologist. Migration- the seasonal, directed movements organisms undertake while traveling back...
And Another Thing…
I keep discovering (Not through Spring Cleaning–perish the thought) more stuff to put out on the Big Community Yard/Garage Sale coming up in May (as advertised on the electronic bulletin board downtown at the light). Tons-o-stuff stashed around here; some of it I vaguely remember acquiring, some of it, might as well have come from King Tut’s tomb or...
Bikes Away
Well, the eighth annual Road Apple Roubaix was a smash ! Anyone coming into town on Saturday could testify to the popularity of the event, just by observing the parking situation. The nearest comparison might be a really big night at SummerFest or the last big drawing of the long-running Queen of Hearts raffle. Cars, trucks, vans, SUV’s–any vehicle...
SmartAssemblage?
he Mighty G-Men came away with the top standing in the very small school division and one of the top ten individual scorers in the entire meet. Varsity team members at the competition included Jack Rado, Cameron Edwards, Rene Fenshaw, Cass Swenson, Lillian Kercher; team members unable to attend included Katey Cisney, Emma Huter and Ellie Shay; they deserve credit too, a team doesn’t get to be good unless practices and competitions are an over-all effort, you know, a TEAM.
Baaahhhh
Actually, it’s been a sort of wet-wool period so far. No little lambies gamboling in the green grass to usher in the Vernal Equinox, a sort of prediction for a snowflake or two, 50% rain for the Road Apple Roubaix (Those people will ride in anything…and boast about it afterward.), sunshine for a few days, rain for a few...
Hear No… See No… Speak No…
Can we quit talking about nothing but the weather? Granted, the weather has been pretty, shall we call it, remarkable–and we have remarked upon it at length. The sledding hill in back of the Y got a work-out, as did the various fleets of snow-removal and salt-spreader trucks. Some of the remarks were NOT something that one is likely...
Way TMI!!!
A recent feature in the AB-J has indicated to me that I am on the “way to hell in a handbasket”, or, as the “Car Guys” and “Sports Illustrated” have said upon occasion, “a sign of the Apocalypse”. The title of the section is LIFE, the particular feature was : Your Decor, What does your bookshelf say about you?...
It’s About Time
Perhaps you have a loved one in an area nursing home. Perhaps you love live music and frequent the many venues in the area, including some of the Open Mics. Perhaps you attend flea and farmers’ markets around Portage County. If any of the above fits you, then you have likely heard ‘It’s About Time-Duo.’ Comprised of Pat McIntyre...
Messages From Mother Nature ~ White?
During the winter months in northeast Ohio, snow isn’t the only thing that is white. When the snow flies…. some animals turn white too! Say what? As we all know birds, insects, and animals have different strategies when dealing with winter in northeast Ohio. Most birds migrate south, some insects bury themselves in the ground, some reptiles and amphibians...
Fa-la-la-la-la and All That
Guess what holiday is coming up. Go ahead, guess. There have been candy canes hanging around since somewhere around July Fourth, Santa Claus began flying in earnest somewhere around Labor Day and the lay-away departments must be stuffed to overflowing by now. Speaking of something similar, what’s this latest scam, “Buy now, Pay later? Like they always say, “If it...
Messages From Mother Nature: The Golden End of Summer
As the hot muggy days of summer wane and you begin to can see the familiar V formation of geese flying south, Monarch’s flit among the flowers, making their way to Mexico, and the woods becoming quiet as many songbird species leave for winter. The autumnal equinox announces fall is officially here on September 22. But to many, Goldenrod,...
And We’re Off!
Most recent R-C bulletin claims that the Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a very cold winter for much of the country. I have not got my 2022 copy yet, but it’s on my list to check out. As usual, there will, no doubt, be variations by specific locales, but I’m getting my woolies in order, just in case. Could...
Festive Enough For Ya?
My favorite part was walking home from the crush of downtown merrymakers--through the rain, which was showing no sign of letting up for awhile--only to decide that the fireworks were not likely to be a feature of the evening, since the operators of the system would be likely to have difficulty getting their matches going to set things off....
Musical Musings
Hello Everyone, I am Ethel Wupperman, you may have read some of my recent articles. I am a woman on a mission, I hope to help give a boost to some of the area organizations that got hit hard from COVID 19 and the mitigation that occurred. Although the list seems endless, I am concentrating on 3 areas that are...
Messages From Mother Nature: The Ladybug
“Excuse me sir, but would you please call me by my correct name…. I am a LADY BEETLE, not a common bug!” Some explanation is in order for our snooty ladybeetle. Lady bugs are really beetles, not bugs. All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Within the insect world, there are several distinct groups, Butterflies and Moths...
Sic transit gloria mundi
“Thus passes the glory of the world” Have I used that line before? How about “Time flies when you’re having fun.”? Well, both apply just now, as regards the latest project which I am involved in. That is to say, cleaning out Mother’s house. Bless her heart, now that she’s gone, I can write about her...things that she never would have...
Up, Up and Away!
Wasn’t that a song some time back? “Up, up and away in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon”...or something like that? Goes on to say, “Would you like to ride in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon?” Catchy tune. Google says that The 5th Dimension and Dionne Warwick got the most play with it. Anyway… Saturday last I was engaged in my...
Horticulture Hotspot!
Well, if it ever rains again….. What’s up with this weather? Every day, just about, the weather guru’s keep saying that there “may be scattered showers, with a chance of thunderstorms”...” isolated rain showers and T-storms”...”possible T-storms with hail or heavy rainfall”. And what have we been getting? Zip. Zero. Nada. Which is about what I am getting on the...
March… Lion or Lamb?
It is my pronouncement that March came in like a lion then left like a lamb…being chased by a Polar bear. We get everything around here.The very mention of lambs brings up all sorts of images; I love lambs. They always manage to arrive on the coldest/wettest/most inclement night of the Spring/Winter--in the middle of the night, when sensible...
Messages From Mother Nature: Aliens or Owls?
Let us set the stage…it is late January; you are lying in bed tossing and turning. It is 2am, wind howling, snow blowing, and it is hovering around zero outside. It is so miserable outside; you think of the old saying “it’s not fit for man nor beast”. Suddenly you hear a whooo whooooooooo whoo-whooo. Then a minute later...
