suns along the Mohawk

A beautiful day, friendly crowds, lovely homes, food and festivities: in other words a very successful Stockade Walkabout for 2010. [update: click to see images of the 2011 Walkabout ; and our connection to WMHT’s Our Town Schenectady.]

Here’s a slideshow of about 40 photos to give you some of the flavor.  Below the slideshow you’ll find the pictures in gallery format; scroll over a gallery photo for a description; click on a gallery photo for a larger version; clicking on that larger version will bring you to the (usually) even larger jpg. source image.

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Many thanks to Lyn Gordon, Gloria Kishton, Carol DeLaMarter, all of the committee members, volunteers and sponsors.

.  .  . 

– new Historic District signs on Washington Ave. at Front St. and Cucumber Alley –

. . the “old” signs . .

 It’s been a year to the day since I wrote here about my sighting of the first examples of our Stockade Historic District streets signs right outside my corner window at Cucumber Alley and Washington Avenue. [Beth Petta shows off a new sign for the Alley, Sept. 10, 2009, in the photo to the left.]  Alas, it was only a tease and a trial run, and I was left anticipating the actual installation of the new signs in the near future.   In May 2010, I celebrated the arrival of the signs up along Front Street and at Church and Union — and wondered like a little kid when it was going to be our turn at “my” corner.

Well, it finally happened today.  Heading up the Alley from my front porch this afternoon, I saw a most welcome sight: the Stockade Historic District street signs, bracket and pole for Cucumber Alley and Washington Ave.

If I am correct that all the other Stockade Historic District street signs are up throughout the neighborhood, it is time to thank and congratulate Beth Petta and all those who have worked on this self-paid, “adopt a sign” Stockade project.  Special thanks to all of our neighbors whose donations made the project possible by “adopting” a sign or pole. (For the history of the project, see Beth’s article on page 3 of the January Stockade Spy, “Stockade Street Sign Project Finally a Go!” (pdf.).

. . . . .

– new [L] and old poles at Washington Ave. and Front St. –

Although there are some traditionalists who preferred the old green street signs; and a curmudgeon or two who were disappointed by the new poles, I must admit that I like the new signs more than the old and believe the new poles are an improvement over those sad aluminum ones.

p.s. Are the old signs going to be raffled or auctioned off? [see follow-up below]

follow-up (Saturday, September 11, 2010): Beth Petta sent me this message in an email this afternoon:

Lawrence and his Circle are very looking good as we head toward the Stockades’s 59th Outdoor Art Show next Saturday, September 11, 2010 (rain date, September 12).

Last year, the weather was threatening, but the Show was a big success.  See our posting “Outdoor Art Show: a weather gamble pays off” (Sept. 9, 2010).  As of today, Saturday’s forecast is great for an early-September event (sun and some clouds – 70°)

. . .

– Lawrence waits to again do his part a the hub of this year’s Outdoor Art Show –

As with all Stockade events, volunteers play an important part in this “Village” tradition, and the Art Show committee is still looking for a few good men and women (and youths) to help out as workers in setting up and taking down tents, framing and other Show implements, and/or as Hosts/Hostesses.  If you can do a 2-hour shift next Saturday, please call Deb Volks at 381-6322.  I’m looking forward to seeing my neighbors and many visitors along with scores of exhibitors at this year’s Show.

Bob Stern asked me yesterday if I had a nice shot that might be appropriate for the masthead of the newly-revamped version of the Stockade Association website, which is still a work in progress. He (and Neil Eklund) wanted an image with the dimensions of 1300 x 160 pixels, which meant the image would be 8.1 times wider than it was high.   With that aspect ratio, an interesting photo representative or evocative of the Stockade seemed like a tall (and wide) order.

[As always, click on a photo for a larger version and scroll over it for a description.]

First, I looked at photos already in my iPhoto album and was not at all satisfied.  Later, I took a very short stroll (in the 90+ degree heat) from Cucumber Alley to Lawrence Circle and snapped a few more.  As you can see, it may take a sharper eye than mine, with a wider-angle camera lens, to do justice to the Stockade and the header of the Stockade Association.

– you know this guy, who already graces a lot of Stockade public relations photos –

– the above shot would suit the masthead of “suns along the Mohawk” –

Please let me know (or — more directly — Neil Eklund or Bob Stern, who are continuing to work hard on reconstructing and improving the Stockade Association site) if you have any suggestions for an 8 x 1 view of the Stockade, or are already in possession of a good prospect.  Here are a few more examples from my first attempts over the past two days:

– good product placement? –

– my favorite Stockade corner (still waiting for those Historic District signs) –

– and a northward view in April from that same intersection:

. . . (click for the orig. photo)

– unobstructedly lovely; a nice shot for a dock-related posting or site (orig. photo) . . .

. . . here’s the same shoreline during a unique event last winter (orig. photo):

– – plus a little Stockade whimsy:

. . .

(click for orig. flamingo photo)

. . . delivering balloons for Walkabout 2009 (orig. photo) . .

. . and, finally, a tasteful detail:

. .

p.s. Many of our Stockade neighbors have already praised the new look and organization of the Stockade Association website.  Thanks to all who have worked on it.  I want to make it clear that I can take no credit for the site’s improvements to date, having done no work at all on it as of today, September 3, 2010.  I am, however, honored to have some of my photos posted at the site.

Supplement (Sept. 4, 2010): I took the above photo and the two below on Saturday afternoon, September 4, 2010:

..

– sometimes, a puddle in Riverside Park begs to be photographed or painted –

. . . . . . . . . . .

but . . .

At other times, encountered by a pair of spirited Stockadians, it begs to be jumped . . .

. . . especially, when they’ve worn their rainboots.  . . . .

Here’s the proof.  [Faces have been omitted to protect the innocent and the mischievous.  As always, click on a photo for a larger version.]

Puddle-jumping knows no generational boundaries, of course, and may even be passed along in a family’s DNA.

.

Turning around to jump a puddle from the opposite end is quite natural — and possibly inevitable.

The best thing about puddle-jumping is that there is almost always another puddle nearby.  Check it out for yourself sometime soon in Riverside Park or along the challenging but puddle-friendly sidewalks of the Schenectady Stockade.