Posted by: David Giacalone | June 16, 2010

a mid-June sunset (with geese)

– sunset over the Isle of the Cayugas behind Cucumber Alley –

For the first time in many weeks, I had the means, motive and opportunity to take pictures of a lovely Stockade sunset as seen from my block (and mostly from my backyard) along the Mohawk.   As an extra bit of luck, a noisy jetski (isn’t that redundant?) roused a flock of geese on the River and they became part of my sunset tableau.  The results can be seen in this posting.  [As always, click on a photo for a larger version and scroll over it for a description.]

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– flustered geese hung around long enough for me to take a few shots –

.. the geese stand still longer than the Hodgkins goslings . .

– gooseless beauty from my backyard at sunset:

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– Do you think it’s time for a new masthead here at suns along the Mohawk?

– one laggard goose flies past my backyard –

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Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets

Posted by: David Giacalone | June 5, 2010

stalking the Stockade Sidewalk Sale 2010

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– the scene at Governor’s Lane and Front St. around 9:30 AM  – click on any photo to enlarge it

Neighborhood events rarely disappoint me, but today’s Stockade Sidewalk Sale came pretty close.  Perhaps the scores of participating sellers from 2009 sold out their inventory at last year’s Sidewalk Sale.  Or, maybe a week’s worth of weather forecasts for morning and afternoon thunderstorms and intense rain on Saturday discouraged folks from getting a permit and setting out tables this year.  Either way, the result was a paltry number of “garage sale” sidewalk tables sporadically dispersed around our Stockade neighborhood.

Luckily for me, I got to enjoy the company of Sylvie Briber and the enchanting Ms. Lollipop again this year (see our 2009 sidewalk sale stroll here).  I didn’t take many photos, but a cute dog and a cute kid saved the day sufficiently to warrant this lightweight posting.

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Posted in Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | May 28, 2010

around the block around sunset

– a motor boat is passing the Isle of the Cayugas (in the shadows) ’round sunset on May 27, 2010 –

It seems like it’s been a very long time since I’ve taken sunset photographs worth sharing here at suns along the Mohawk.  Maybe I’m not getting out as much that time of day with my camera, or my timing has been poor, but I haven’t been oohing nor ah-ing much at sunsets in the Stockade during May.

Last Monday, for instance, I had to settle for a novelty shot in my backyard when sunset provided almost no coloration in the sky and only the most subtle orange glow on the Mohawk River.  When I started on a short stroll around my block just before sunset yesterday (Thursday, May 27), I decided to focus instead on two subjects of interest to me over the past few weeks: the trees of Washington Avenue (which deserve to be saved) and the new Stockade Historic District Street signs (which we celebrated in a post on May 14), rather than counting on sunset heroics.

Nevertheless, as you’ll see below, the pre-sunset sun’s rays added a nice splash or hint of gold to many of the photos.

[As always, you can click on a photo to get a much larger and sharper version, and scroll over a photo for a description.]

– still standing: trees enhance the scene on Washington Ave. –

From the same block, here are two shots of one of my pet causes (scroll down this posting for more photos): a grand, unique old box elder (box elm?) tree, which has been maligned as being “too ugly” to be worth saving when the street is repaved; plus the Historical Society bathed in pre-sunset sunlight:

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. . . continuing my walk, I checked out the new street signs at Union and Church Streets:

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. . . first, the corner of N. Church and Union St.

. . . and then S. Church and Union Sts:

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– on the way back home, I snapped a couple more photos of the endangered trees on Washington Ave.:

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Bonus: Last tulip standing

in my favorite Stockade backyard (May 2, 2010).

p.s. Here’s a picture taken along the Mohawk from Riverside Park on Memorial Day 2008 and turned into a photo haiga [an image plus related haiku poem] to celebrate Memorial Day. (Find more Memorial Day haiku, senryu and haiga at f/k/a.)

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Posted in Mohawk sunrise or sunsets, Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | May 16, 2010

Planting Day 2010

– flat-fulls of annuals were ready for planting in prepared flower beds yesterday at Riverside Park –

– Remember to click on a photo for a larger, clearer image, and to scroll over it for a description.

They came on foot, and by auto, wagon and stroller, on a picture-perfect Spring morning.  They came solo, in couples, and en masse.  There were toddlers, scholars, Boomers, and Seniors. They came on Saturday May 15, 2010, for Planting Day 2010 in Riverside Park (see our coverage in 2009).

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As expected, Jennifer Wells and Carol DeLaMarter were there first. But many other Stockadians, along with a group of students from Union College, trickled in after 9 AM, with many staying until lunch at Noon.  I was there weeding, pruning and snapping photos for the first hour of Planting Day, and came back early in the afternoon to see the results of the labors of a few dozen Park and flower lovers (once again finding Jennifer and Carol at work).

This post presents my haphazard recording of some of the people and scenes at the event.

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– Owen and his dad Dale chose to help prepare the area under the blooming red horse-chestnut tree for new flowers –

-Tom Hodgkins brought his kids, ready to work and charm –

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Jennifer Wells again served many roles from manager, head coach and planner to hands-on equipment operator.

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And Union College students — “neighbors” from the Union crew team — helped with weeding and preparation of the flower beds, before starting to plant assorted annuals:

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On my return around 1 PM, I focused on the showcase flowerbed on the southwest border of Riverside Park.  It was well-weeded and tilled, and had lovely new annuals that will soon grow into their full glory.

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follow-up (8 PM Sunday, May 16, 2010):  Jennifer Wells just sent an email thanking all who helped and letting us know Planting Day 2010 was a big success.  Jennifer said:

“Thanks to Bob, Sue, Linda, Carol, Bill, Fred, Greg, David, Mabel, Beverly, Marge, Susanne, Rob, Lydia, Dale, Mary, Jessica,  Michelle, Lauren, Oren, Tim and his progeny and others from the community, and a huge thanks to the Union College Crew.  Under a bright, cool, and blustery sky – a near perfect day — we had about 40 people turn out to help set up and plant the gardens on Washington at RiversidePark.  For the first time, we got the whole thing done in one day including painting the planters.  Many hands make light work!  The Stockade Association provided sandwiches with everyone fully enjoyed.”

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Posted in river seasons, Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | May 14, 2010

historic district street signs arrive along Front St. (updated)

If you’ve been on Front St. over the past couple of days, you might have noticed that the much-anticipated Stockade Historic District street signs have been installed at each Front St. intersection in the Stockade (except Front and Washington Ave.).  I’m commemorating the event with this posting.  Thanks again to Beth Petta for her hard work and persistence on this project.  [I’ve asked her to supply me with the names of others involved in the project and will include them when I receive them from Beth.] Below you will find both a close-up of the street corner signs at each intersection and a photo of each signpost.

– as always, click on a photo for a larger version, and scroll over it for a description –

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Posted in Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | May 13, 2010

Walkabout 2010 preview

[click on a photo for a larger version]

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– SCCC Community Archaeology Project behind 32 Front St. –

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– 23 Front St. (above) –

– 22 N. Church St. (above) –

— 18 N. Church St. (above) –

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Posted in Stockade Views

Posted by: David Giacalone | May 11, 2010

more than lilacs blooming in Flower City

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– Rochester’s Highland Park is site of an annual Lilac Festival (May 14 – 23 this year) –


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– as always, click on a photo for a larger version and scroll over it for a description –

My original hometown, Rochester, NY, calls itself the Flower City, and is especially famous for the world’s largest lilac collection — over 500 varieties and 1200 bushes – in Highland Park.  Rochester’s Lilac Festival is held annually in May at the Park.  Back in town last week for Mother’s Day and other family matters, I was told the 10-day Festival did not start until next Friday, May 14, but many of  the lilacs were already in full bloom at Highland Park.

However, when I went yesterday (Monday, May 10) to enjoy the lilac array without mingling with the 500,000 folks expected for the Festival, I discovered that a couple days of high winds and rain, plus night-time frost alerts and a little snow, apparently ruined a lot of the blossoms.    There still were plenty of lovely lilacs, but — at least in the portions of the Park that I strolled — not the impressive displays of bushes and trees fully abloom that I remember from prior visits to the Festival.   (If you were planning on attending, don’t despair, because late-bloomers will surely fill out many of the stands of lilacs before or during the Festival.)

Nevertheless, my visit to Highland Park was far from a bust — because lilacs are not the only attraction at Highland Park.  Before I ever saw my first lilac, I drove past the stairway shown in the photo above and immediately stopped to take a closer look at the beautiful scene.  Azaleas and rhododendrons more than made up for the minor lilac disappointment as I rode and walked through Highland Park on a day with bright blue skies and postcard clouds.  Here are a few photos to show you why:

– bright morning sun set white and pink azaleas aflame throughout the Park –

. . . . . .

. . beyond the azaleas and among the lilacs, I found rhododendrons and more:

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– a large flowering almond caught my attention . . .

. . . so did a climbing tree and flaming bush:

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Posted in visits elsewhere

Posted by: David Giacalone | April 25, 2010

Stockade tulips 2010

– click on a photo for a larger version –

. . . from the Mohawk River

to Union St. . . .

. . . with Lawrence in between

The annual tulip crop is out in the Stockade, and other blooms are adding delightful variety (click for my 2009 tulip sunsets, and 2008 tulip coverage).  Below, in no particular order, you’ll find tulip views snapped from Wednesday through Saturday this week — April 21 to April 24, 2010.   Scroll your cursor over a picture for a description, click on it to enlarge.

. . . . Lawrence Circle . . . . .

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. . . Riverside . . .

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. . . . . with Lawrence .  . .


. . at Goodrich House . .

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– early-morning tulip-watching yields views of the Mohawk River . . .



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– finally, one more stop for tulip-time with Lawrence the Indian:

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Bonus: A few shots from a favorite tableau at Riverside Park:

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.

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Posted in Stockade Views

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