WILDFLOWER ADVENTURE: May 9, 2015

Today at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, they were offering a WILDFLOWER WALK.  Elaine and I had decided to go together a few days ago, but all of a sudden May got terribly hot and we were concerned that we would not enjoy a hike in the woods in such hot temperaturesWe decided to brave it anyways and met up at my house and headed out towards ENWR.  We arrived a few minutes early and went into the Visitor Center to use the restroom.  I borrowed a pair of binoculars from the front desk.  

The small group (I think 12 people, including a couple of young boys) gathered in the conference room and our leader (Kathy) talked about what we could expect to see and experience.  Then we caravaned behind her out to the ONONDAGA trailhead. I think  this was the same trail that we went on the night I went on the OWL PROWL, a couple of weeks ago.

We walked the trail, stopping to look at flowers and snakes, birds and bugs.  It kept getting hotter and hotter.  A couple of people dropped out of the hike early on. When we reached the Y in the trail, I told Elaine that I had had enough and was going to go back to the parking area and wait in the car. She said she was ready to go, also.  We walked back to the car.   We saw two Canada Geese  in a swampy area, so stopped to take pictures.  

We drove back to the Visitors Center to return the binoculars and headed back towards Lockport.  We stopped at OLEARS Mini-Mart on the Chestnut Ridge  for lunch.  We split a toasted beef sub (it was really good) and then we had ice cream cones.  

Salt Spring ADVENTURE (May 8, 2015)

Chickie and I met up at her house at 9:30 a.m. and headed to Barker for some geocaching.  Our first stop was at a cemetery on Hosmer Road.  This one was quick and easy.  Then we found one at THE BABCOCK HOUSE.

I should say that I found it.  After I located it, I let Chick find it, but she needed a LOT of hints!  Then it was just down the road to SAWYER CEMETERY where Chickie found another easy one.  We explored that old cemetery a bit and did not see any Sawyers buried there. 

Then we located the SALT SPRING trail, where a geocache is hidden.

I knew the geocache was difficult, so we skipped it and hiked to the Salt Spring.  We had a bit of difficulty finding it since the white trail markers stopped when the trail split into two part.  We chose the wrong part first, so we backtracked and tried the other way.  We had to cross a bridge that really needs some work, it was kind of treacherous but we got to the Salt Spring.

The three hundred year old spring has not been active for a long time unfortunately, but the tree stump remains.  

Next we located the small park on Lake Ontario where BARKERVILLE is hidden.  Chickie found this one pretty easily.

Then we decided it was time for lunch.  I thought we might find someplace to eat in Barker.  The Niagara County map was kind of vague about where the village of Barker was.  

As we were looking for a way to get to the village we saw this place.  

Sandy's Country Kitchen.  We checked it out and it looked pretty good so we decided to eat there.  I ordered a BLT and Chickie ordered a bowl of clam chowder.  While we were waiting for our food to come Chickie asked me where the next cache might be.  I went out to the car to get the info. and ran into my cousin Becky who was just arriving.  She joined us and ordered baked fish.  Chickie and I were very pleased with this diner, our total bill for the two of us came to less than eight dollars.  

We had one more geocache to find PORCUPINE which was in a wooded area behind the Barker Town Hall.  Chick found this one quickly.  Then we headed back to Lockport.  I dropped Chickie off and went to OFFICE MAX to pick up my computer where I had left it for a check up.

A couple hours later, I joined Peggy and Bev for supper to celebrate Bevs birthday at CALAMATAs.

Victorian Tea and Basket Raffle at the UCC Church in Lockport, New York 5/1/15

I reserved a table for eight.....Bonnie and two of her friends, Elaine and Becky (my cousin) and Barb and at the last minute, Peggy decided to join us...so we filled the eight seats. We got to meet Bonnies pastor, who is leaving for another pastorate in about a month

The tea was great!  Punch, tea, sandwiches, all sorts of deserts!

They had around 175 baskets and they were really good ones.  Becky won two baskets and Peggy won a basket and two gift certificates!  Barb and I didn't win anything.  The other ladies left before the numbers were drawn, so they may get phone calls telling them they won.

Between eating and the drawing, Barb, Peggy and I went to the library where they were wrapping up their spring book sale.  We each paid two dollars and filled a grocery bag!

Mini Solo Road Trip

Today was an absolutely gorgeous Spring day and after doing some volunteer work at the church, I decided to take a couple of hours and do some exploring.  Also, I wanted to try out my binoculars.

I headed out towards the IROQUOIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.  I stopped at TOPS and purchased a wrap and a chocolate milk and headed on my way.  I wondered if I would be able to find the Visitors Center on Casey Road.  I did find it and spent about fifteen minutes there, looking around, picking up some information and purchasing a postcard.

Then I looked at a map and decided to drive around a bit.  I continued down Casey Road and then went east into Alabama, NY, and then got back on 77.  I drove on 77 for a bit, stopping at a couple of overlooks and trying out my binocular.  They work well, but are old and big and bulky.  

 I turned north on Salt Works Road.  which took me right through the refuge.  I noticed this interesting sign 

When I reached the corner of SALT WORKS ROAD and WEST SHELBY ROAD, I saw a really small old cemetery.  I stopped to take a couple of pictures.  

According to findagrave.com  this is the OLD WEST SHELBY CEMETERY.  

I turned west on West Shelby Road, and passed the fire station and continued.  I found another old cemetery (I think it is on Gilbert Road), and stopped to take a couple of pictures 

findagrave.com says this is the GILBERT CEMETERY and it in Royalton Center (Niagara County) and now I realize that I have been here before, about 13 months ago when I stopped to  find a geocache while driving across the state.

I continued in the direction I thought would take me to Lockport(west) and found myself on Chestnut Ridge Road (the second time). 

I stopped at a place called OLEARS and had an ice cream cone.   Its a convenience store, a couple of miles east of Lockport on Chestnut Ridge.  Mostly, I wanted to find out if they serve food there (for future excursions) and they do.  

It was a great afternoon!  I was in three countys: Niagara, Orleans and Genesee!

SLAVIC Adventure 4/24/15

A while back, my friend Arlene suggested I might be interested in a store in Buffalo:  SLAVIC BAZAAR.  I picked Chickie up this morning and we headed to Buffalo to check it out.   We new we had arrived when we saw this mural!  We drove around a bit looking for a place to park and eventually wound up right back here and squeezing into a non parking spot in front of their small plant.

We went inside and browsed and spoke to the very friendly clerk. It was too early for lunch (10:30) so we decided to go out and geocache and explore until noon or so.  

The first place we headed was to THE IRON ISLAND MUSEUM where there is a geocache hidden  I found it within a minute or two and let Chickie find it on her own.  It was in am ammo can.  There was a guy idling in his car in front of the museum so we took the cache to my car.  We had a rough time opening it up but Chickie finally did it.  We signed the log and moved on.

We could see the BUFFALO CENTRAL TERMINAL in the distance and decided to drive there for another geocache. We could not find that geocache, even with a good hint.  Chickie had never seen it and she regretted that she had not brought her camera.  

Then we headed towards this cache : WNY RAIL HISTORY #2 Wagner Palace Car Co. and it was kind of deja vu for me.  I recalled that Peggy and I looked for this geocache years ago and were on the wrong side of the train yard and could not figure out how to get to the other side.  The same thing happened this time.  We were on the wrong side, and there was no clear route to the other side.  We drive a bit, kind of keeping our eyes out for a possible way over, but when we saw the abandoned WILDROOT BUILDING, with a door that appeared to be open, we stopped and looked around a bit.  The door did indeed open but without flashlights, we were afraid to go inside. 

By then it was time for lunch so we found our way back to the SLAVIC BAZAAR.  Chick recognized some places we passed, since she lived in Buffalo with a friend for a couple of years after high school.

Back at the SLAVIC BAZAAR, we each ordered lunch. I had a potato pancake, a cabbage roll and a crepe with sweet cheese filling.  They were all delicious!  Then we shopped for items to take home.  I bought candy, cookies and some cheese pierogies.

Then we headed towards home.  It was a great day.  I want to go back to the SLAVIC BAZAAR again.

Tyler and Chris Stop Briefly in Lockport on APRIL 15, 2015

When I visited Plainwell Michigan a couple of weeks ago, I did not get to see my son in law, Chris because he was in Dominica teaching a course.  I was happy to hear that he was going to a conference in Worcester, Mass and might stop in Lockport on the way.

 They had an hour and a half and since Tyler was documenting his trip for school with pictures we went downtown.  First stop GRIMBLES (Chris  really enjoyed this old time hardware store, then to the Lockport Police Station to visit Mike, and then down o the locks.  Unfortunately, LAKE EFFECT ICE CREAM was not open (Tyler specifically asked to go there!

Here are a couple of pictures I took when we stopped to see Mike.

OWL PROWL Adventure: April 18, 2015

Earlier today, I went to a VOLUNTEERS BANQUET for the Lockport CareNet Center.  I have done some volunteer work for them, which is why I was invited.  I sat with Peggy and David.  Lunch was wraps, salad and a lemon desert, along with soda.  It was very good.  The banquet itself was disappointing since they did not have any type of program.

This evening Mary Ann picked me up so we could go to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge for an OWL PROWL.  She has gone several times in the past.  This is the inside of the Visitors Center on Casey Road.  Apparently, the building is very new and replaced an older, smaller building.

We arrived a few minutes late and everyone was in a conference room down at the end listening to the leader describe what we would be doing.   He stressed that there was no guarantee that we would see any owls.    When he was finished, we got into our car and followed him to a parking area near the trail 

Here is our leading giving us last minute instructions.  He explained exactly where we would be going and what he would be doing and what he expected of us.  

We headed down the trail.  It was still light out, but dusk was quickly approaching. I took these pictures on our way to the first stop.  

By the time we stopped it was getting dusky.  Our leader started to call out to the owls (a particular kind) and after a few minutes they flew in and landed in the branches overhead.  Here is a picture of a BARRED Owl, which is the one that flew in.  

But of course, we could not see it this well, since it was dark out by then.  

 It was spectacular!  Next time I will take my binoculars with me!  Many of us had small flashlights which we used to illuminate the ground in front of us.

We backtracked and he tried  to call in other owls but we did not have any success.  We finally arrived back at the parking area and then walked a ways down the road where he tried again, without success    He asked if anyone wanted to make a stop on the way back to the Visitors Center, and most people did, so we followed him and stopped while he tried again.  Again, no success.  But it was a beautiful spring evening and I enjoyed every minute of it.  

I hope to become involved in more activities at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, now that I know a bit about it.  It is less than a half an hour drive from my house!    I drove through the refuge (or maybe along the side of it) many, many times while driving between Oneonta and Lockport over the years