Last Wednesday morning it was a frosty 27 degrees at 6:15. And though there was frost on the ground both mornings this past weekend, the daytime weather was absolutely awesome – especially Saturday. Ron and friend Drew Miller spent the day at the “junk”, I mean “machinery” auction in Troy at the Alparon Park fairgrounds. They had a good time, visiting with lots of folks, and eating the typical burger and weiner foods. Ron didn’t make it back home until early evening, exhausted, and sporting a bit of a sunburn on his face and arms. I, on the other hand, spent much of the day ramming the roads by myself and having a great time at several of my most favorite shopping stop-offs. I took a bunch of plastic grocery bags to the Canton Clothing Center and the American Rescue Workers thrift store and, of course, could not come away without buying SOMETHING! A cute little basket for an outdoor plant and some pretty new drinking glasses topped the list. I then stopped at Rockwell’s Mill in Canton and bought several items to plant in the garden as an incentive to “get busy” and to make sure I got what I wanted before they were sold out – like last year when I got started so late. I bought onion sets, a package of lettuce seeds, plus bulk seeds: peas, green beans, and a little butter and sugar sweet corn. We always buy our corn from the neighbors, but I thought I’d try and have a little for fresh pickin’ of our own. Then, I tripped off to East Canton Baptist church to the “bag day” of their rummage sale. It looked like they had sold everything except the paper towels in the kitchen! One of the members/workers told me that when they opened on Thursday at 8 AM they place was packed – no parking spaces left in the lot – and cars were lined up along the road! Good for them! Their profits from the sale will go far in their outreach for sure. I bought a couple pieces of delicious pie and called it good enough. From there I went to Franklindale to the little market to buy “stuff” for camping (bacon, etc) and found they had gorgeous pansies and packs of alyssum for sale – in my favorite color, lavender. Of course I had to buy some – 6 packs no less! From there I headed back to Alba – thrilled with all my purchases – and enjoyed the wonderfully scenicl ride on the Southside Road, seeing lots of trout fishermen out in our beautiful little creeks and streams. A good day indeed.
I took advantage of the good weather and even got some much-needed yard work done. I scraped the twigs and leaves away from my peonies and saw several new shoots coming up. I picked a big bouquet of daffodils, saw buds on my tulips, looked at the forsythia and thought it didn’t look so hot, and heard a killdeer and woodpecker in the distance. It was all so wonderful. Spring is finally here!
Don’t forget the free breakfast at our Alba Church next Saturday the 25th from 8 to 10 AM. All are welcome.
There will be a Chiz Rider concert at the Alba Church Sunday evening, the 26th, beginning at 6PM. Admission is free but a love offering will be taken and refreshments will follow the concert in the fellowship hall.
The annual Maple Festival is this next weekend at the Alparon Park in Troy. There’s a lot to see and do.
We’ve heard lots of sirens blasting lately with fire trucks racing to brush fires. We’ve been told many times not to burn right now as it is so dry and the wind has been quite active. However, I do know that the ground is still really saturated as I heard our sump pump in the cellar “pumping” several times this past weekend. A word to the wise (?) – DON’T BE BURNING! However, on Monday evening, I came home from the LeRoy Heritage Museum Board of Directors monthly meeting through one of the most horrific thunderstorms I’ve ever experienced! Torrential rain came down and lightning lit up the sky as far as you could see – continuously – with the booming so loud and sounded so close! I was so relieved when I pulled into the driveway in Alba safe and sound. Ron and Palin were too. Perhaps now we can return to burning papers.
Quote by Doug Larson: “If people concentrated on the really important things in life there’d be a shortage of fishing poles”.
Food for thought: Beware lest your footprints on the sands of time leave only the marks of a heel.