DONUT Adventure!!!!!

Janie wanted to introduce me to two of her favorite places, so we met up this morning  at my house and headed south on the Transit.  First stop : Mayer Brothers CIDER MILL in West Seneca, New York.  Janie bought two boxes of donuts (I think one half dozen in each box) and I bought two cider donuts to take with me.

Then it was on to Paula's Donuts in Williamsville, NY.   I really had never heard of this place until Janie mentioned it.  But since I never met a donut I didn't like, I was willing to check it out.

Paula's Donuts (inside) looks a lot like an old time diner.  There was such a wide variety to choose from so I started with a peanut stick.  It was good, but not as good as the peanut sticks from DeCamillo's.  I ate half of it and decided I had to have a cream filled donut.  So, I went up and got myself one.  

I should have taken a picture of it, because it was so full of cream, that it was spilling out all over the place.  This was the best donut I have ever had.  

 I hope to go again soon!

Lunch at THE FIELDSTONE

I met up with a bunch of girls who were in my high school graduating class (1967) at THE FIELDSTONE today for lunch.  It was Barb, Lynette and her grandson,  Carol (Lynette's sister) Bonnie Thomas, Liz Tenbrooke and Marie Johns.  I had one of the specials (french onion soup and chicken salad sandwich).

After lunch, I asked Barb if she wanted  to to down to the canal to take a walk.  She said yes and we met up at Wide Waters pier.  We had a nice walk.  Not very much fall color to see though.

SOLO Youngstown Adventure Monday October 6, 2014

The other day while driving home from Concordia Lutheran Church, I noticed a dwelling  that looked like it was a one room schoolhouse in a former life.  It was a nice fall day, so I decided to take a drive out to see it and take a picture.  I packed myself a lunch and headed out:

I found the one room schoolhouse easily enough (on Beebe Road not far from the church) and here it is:

I looked at the Niagara County map and decided to drive to Youngstown to see what I might see.   Before getting to the village I went to two farmstands and purchased several items at SANGER FARMS

(including a pumpkin pie).  Once in the village,  I visited a PEACE GARDEN, an art gallery and checked out two diners.  This tiny library is at the Peace Garden

Once again, I was disappointed by the lack of fall color, but I found this interesting  (at the Peace Garden in Youngstown.

The ONTARIO HOUSE is a huge old hotel which still offers rooms and meals, but it was closed today.  I hope to return someday and have lunch here.  

LOCKTOBERFEST, etc. Saturday October 4th, 2014

Peggy and I met up at my house and went to LOCKTOBERFEST.

 The event was held on Canal Street, right off of the Big Bridge.  There was an EXPANDED Community Market and some other events.    All we went to was the expanded market.  We each bought a few items and enjoyed talking to the various venders.  The weather kept changing and involved sun, clouds, wind and rain!  At one point, the vendors had to hold onto their canopies!

Then we went to the fire hall in Wrights Corners where they were having a fall festival including a chinese auction, vendors selling all sorts of items and various food items including chowder.  We spent about a half an hour looking around.

Then we went to Concordia Lutheran Church in Newfane

and met up with our cousin Becky.  We each bought a lot of tickets for the Chinese auction and had chowder and soda.  Both Peggy and Becky won a few items, but I didn't win anything.  The chowder was very good!

Gasport Adventure

It was too nice a fall day to NOT spend some time outdoors!  After Bible study, several of the ladies went out to lunch, but I declined because I could not bear to be inside any longer.

I picked up a slice of pizza at THE VILLAGE EATERY and a large drink at the convenience store next door and headed out towards Gasport.  I located the winery where my niece will be married this coming Saturday evening (so that I will know how to get there on Saturday) and kept going.  Before getting to the Village of Gasport I stopped at this farmstand

(White Pines Nursery) and purchased a few gourds and one ear of indian corn (is that what they call it?).  I proceeded on towards Gasport and I saw signs for BECKER FARMS and decided that since I was already in the area, it was a perfect time to check it out.  On the way there, I passed some magnificent ruins (of an old mill) and decided to stop on the way back.  

I thoroughly enjoyed BECKER FARMS..

....and walked around for close to an hour seeing the sights.  I bought a "paint your pumpkin" kit to have on hand when my grandkids visit next month.  (I hope my four small pumpkins last that long).  Here are some of the many pictures I took:

 alpacas

I am not sure what this building is used for but there were rows of seats in behind the railing.  

1894 barn

  

NEXT STOP, the remains of the old mill 

 Royalton Historical Society Informational Sign for the flour and saw mills

This was once an active mill district. From 1812 through 1965 there were flour, grist and saw mills. 

Royalton Historical District Informational Sign.

Pretty much adjacent to the old building, but across the creek I stopped at this gift shop:

 The outhouse still has a "seat" in it.  The gift shop was closed. I hope to go in it another day.

On the way back to the Village of Gasport, I stopped at this farmstand and bought two more gourds.  

Once back in Lockport, I stopped at NIAGARA PRODUCE and bought some sweet corn and a tomato.  

HARTLAND ADVENTURE

A couple of weeks ago, I found an old schoolhouse

that is used for the Hartland Historical Society and while I was exploring it, I found out that they had a Fall Festival coming up.  Peggy suggested we go to the festival and I agreed.

It turned out to be a very nice INDIAN SUMMER day.  On my way out to meet up with Peg, I stopped at a great yard sale and bought three glass/china items. I met up with my sister, Peggy, at her house just down the road from the schoolhouse and we went.  We had only been there a few minutes when our cousin, Becky, walked in so she joined us.

They had lots of food available including chicken chowder.  They offered a Chinese Auction:

I bought ten dollars worth of tickets and

divided them up between a four slice toaster and a decorative fall plate and gourds.  

The turkey dinner was delicious.  

The music was just starting up when Peggy and I left.

Joe Szalay and and the Creek Side Musicians.

    Peggy and I drove around the area a bit, since I have not seen much of it.  She pointed out a few Amish farms/businesses.  We decided to do some urban exploring of a building she and Dave had noticed several days ago on Rose Road.  We parked at St. Patricks Cemetery and walked the half mile to the site.

with all of these around: 

We explored the cemetery a bit, looking for a suitable spot for a geocache and then headed back to Peg and Daves house.  

On the way home, I stopped to take a picture of this old silo 

The owner was selling pumpkins and vegetables nearby and he said people are always stopping to take pictures of it.  He said there used to be a huge barn behind it, which he had torn down.  

Erie Canal Adventure: 9/26/14

My sister, Gail, and I set today as the day to take a two hour boat cruise on the Erie Canal.

I had some errands to run and then had some extra time before meeting up with her, so I went to the Art Galleries on Market Street.  I knew they were in an old building,

but I didn't know the significance of the building and I didn't know that many pieces of old equipment, etc. are still in the building, as well as some original work areas that have not been covered over.

There are several small galleries and I saw some very good and very interesting artwork including this.

I met up with Gail at REID'S for lunch....I had a white hot with onions and sauce, fries with sauce and a chocolate milkshake.  

Then we headed to CANALSIDE (a party house where they also offer boat tours of the canal).

We purchased tickets and boarded at 12:30.  First we headed west and passed through the locks and then we went a mile or maybe more and returned, going through the locks a second time.  Then we continued past CANALSIDE, all the way down to WideWaters.  

It was a great tour.  It was neat to see the canal from a different perspective.  Here are some of my pictures.  

rear view of some stores on west Main Street.

view of the canal from the "bow" of the ship!

at the BIG BRIDGE

our captain!   

this is the famous upside down

bridge.

this is the locks opening up for our return trip.

some fall color on the south side of the canal in Lowertown.  

The highlight of the cruise/tour was when I got to sing along with that old Erie Canal Song.....

I don't know the name of it.....it starts "I have got a mule and her name is Sal....."

"fifteen miles on the Erie Canal" and "Low bridge, Everybody down"  Also, seeing these old remains of a very old structure was pretty neat.  

My complete set of pictures is here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/sets/72157647648817437/