C O L D

Well, we have cooled down a lot, we have had several FROSTS and a few eager gardeners have lost their Tomatoe Plants, and everything else that was planted, we are waiting for the full moon around June 4th or 5th which should be the last FROST and we will plant out little garden!!!! I put some 10-10-10 fertilizer in it and mixed it up about a week ago and its ready for planting as SOON AS IT WARMS UP!! We have not been fishing as the winds are cold and out of the north with lots of rain.

We did a fundraiser Saturday at Church, we did Homemade Spaghetti Sause with sausage and meat balls, tossed salad and bread and did fair, we expected more people but times around here are tough money wise but we covered our cost and was able to give the church some money towards the roof repair job.

Last Thursday night was our "Stone Soup Supper", the menu was Polish Sausage, Saurekraut, the Polish Sausage was cooked from about 8AM till 4PM in the Juice from the saurekraut and was it ever delicious, we also served Baked Beans, and Mac aroni Salad and cakes, pies, cookies and 175 people enjoyed an evening of fine food and some good conversation.

Our Minister is going on Vacation so am busy getting some sermons written and planning a few services while she is gone.

Hopefully it is going to warm up and we can get in some gardening and do some more fishing. Hoping everyone has a great week, don't forget our service men and women!!!!!

Computer won't let me download any images so.......

DON"T FORGET--REMEMBER THE VET!!!!!!!

MEMORIAL DAY

THANK YOU TO ALL PAST VETERANS AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE STILL SERVING FOR OUR FREEDOMS!!!!

HERE AT WEST SIDE TERRACE OUR RESIDENT VETERANS ON FRIDAY MAY 22ND DECORATED OUR FLAG POLE.....

AND THEN ON SATURDAY MAY 23RD WE GATHERED AT 10 AM FOR A SHORT SERVICE TO PAY OUR RESPECT TO THE FLAG, OUR PAST AND CURRENT MILITARY MEN AND WOMEN AND I HELD A SHORT PRAYER SERVICE, WE HAD ABOUT 36 RESIDENTS ATTEND OUR SERVICE. WE HAD 8 ATTENDING AND 3 WHO WATCHED FROM THEIR WINDOWS OVERLOOKING THE AREA..... We had WWII, Korea, Vietnam, represented by the Navy, Army, Marines who were there...

Following our service we played the National Anthem and raised "Our Colors" ....

We went to the Memorial Day activities and parade to get the pictures for the Legion Files as we alternate years with the VFW on doing Memorial Day and it was the VFW's turn this year. Thankfully I did not have to dress up and relaxed, went thru the crowds visiting old friends and as a favor to the VFW I did some photo's for them as they didn't have a photographer taking photos.

This is a photo of the VFW and Legion Commander and the Guest Speaker, Retired Command Sgt. Major Mitchell...

The picture below are some of my friends, they are WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf war era............The "EMPTY CHAIRS" are for those MIA or POW who were unable to be with us but are

"NOT FORGOTTEN"!!!!!!!!!

Here below are 3 of the best old "Sailors" around, and also "friends of mine"... We have a Lt. Cmdr, a Master Chief, Senior Master Chief all retired Navy and they allowed me, a lowly E6 to stand in their presence.... These 3 have more Sea Time Moby-Dick an are great guys!!!! The expression on my face caught by the camera was due to the fact a wandering hand grabbed me and is giving me a """"Wedgie"""!!!!!!!

NEVER FORGET...REMEMBER THE VET!!!

TERRIFIC WEDNESDAY

We woke up to a beautiful sunny warm morning, had coffee and packed lunch an on our way fishing, we have tried to set 1 day aside each week and go fishing and have some quiet quality time, we have fished a lot and have not been very lucky in catching anything yet.

We headed out "ON the Road Again" as "Old Willie" would sing it!!!!

We drove up into Lewis County and into the Adirondack Park, I had to redo the poles for Trout fishing before we started fishing.

It was early with not much luck, Anna Mae hit the first fish, looked like a Trout but it jumped off as she was bringing it in but she kept smiling.

We were fishing the Belfort area and decided to move on.

The next spot was a Beautiful Place, the water was like a mirror and the scenery was beautiful.

We moved along and went up into Clear Pond and fished there but no luck there. Anna Mae took a break and streched her back muscles and walking around found a "LADY SLIPPER", it is a dainty little plant, not all that common and when it blossoms it looks like a Ladies Slipper and is a Protected Plant in New York!!

We stopped and had a nice lunch in the woods at a quiet spot, It was a public fishing access and had fire pits and picnic tables and we dined on cold "Southern Fried Chicken" and enjoyed our lunch, we watched Geese come in and land, we saw 2 deer wander thru and the Great Grey Heron fly in, after lunch we packed up and moved on and headed up into the Long Pond area, it was great as there was nobody around, sun shine and quiet.

We fished the Long Pond Stream in the pools in the Rapids and it was easy access for My Honey to walk around the flat rocks and enjoy herself, but her back did start hurting!!

I went over to a small pool and climbed some rocks and must have finally found the hiding spot because BINGO, "FISH ON".... I latched onto something scrappy and a nice little fighter, finally got it up on the rocks and it was a nice Brown Trout, not the biggest fish BUT one of the hardest to catch BUT it was the First one of the season, What a thrill it was playing this thing into shore.

We are "Catch and Release" fisherpeople with trout, After we catch a trout we put them back and hope someone will catch them again!!!!!!! However if we go bass, perch, crappie or bull head fishing and get enough we keep them for a fish fry. It was a beautiful day to spend fishing, chatting and holding hands and enjoying "Mother Nature" and all of her beauty!!!

As we approach Memorial Day dont forget our Veterans!!!

Madhouse Monday!!!

We woke up to a "FROST" this morning, it was 26, some of the ladies hanging baskets didn't survive the Frost. "They "Bit-the-Dust" so they say. The weekend was busy, Saturday we had a complete "Fire-Drill" complete with evacuation, our complex has 50 units and 6o residents, the alarm went in at 8AM, and in pulled the fire trucks......






Everyone evacuated the building and those who didn't come out the Firemen went in a found an they brought out either willingly or not!!!










Fort Drum sent its big ladder truck for rescue operations or air attack!!








We all went to a central staging area in the garage for a head count and the Fire Chief made arrangements with me that I be allowed to take photos of the event for reference.










All went well and every one returned home in about an hour.








That's my Honey with the Blue Sweatshirt and Cane, and some ladies who got sick of standing made it to where they could sit down!!!!!!!








Sunday was a busy day, Church was at 11AM, followed by a Congregational Meeting to review the Constitution and By-Laws that myself and others members spent the last 8 months re writing and making much needed changes, I was on the last commitee that did it 8 years ago.



Following Church and Meeting we served a lunch of "Sloppy Joes" and Desert and then had to rush home and get decked out and head for the Funeral Home as the American Legion has lost another WWII Veteran and we again went and did our Honor's for a fallen Comarade" which is always sad and it takes a lot out of me!!!! It has been busy at our funeral Homes and my left foot has 2 large blisters from marching from the Legion the 2 blocks up and then back to the Legion. Also the Fire Department was there with an "Honor Guard posted" as this Veteran was a life member of the West Carthage Fire Dept. and he was also a long time Part-Time Village Policeman, truly a man who served his community!!!!!! After our service the Veterans of Foriegn Wars Post arrived to do their Service.


I went to the Legion this morning and spent a lot of time doing records and updates to account for all the current local fallen Veterans sending in my reports and updating the Database.



On a HAPPY NOTE....It was a nice but cool day, I relaxed this afternoon by watching the birds, we were lucky to get a Red Breasted Grosebeak at the feeder ......






and the Hummingbirds are here is full force fighting each other for possession of the feeder, this is right outside our front window which gives us a great view of the feeding and also the fights.........





Dinner was early, we had Country Ham, Link Sausage, Eggs.. sunny side up, english Muffins, coffee and it was yummy!!!!


Anna Mae is off to Church for a Prayer Meeting. Her back surgery is not coming along as well as hoped for, most days there is not much change and the pain level on a scale of 1 to 10 is an 6 to 8 and she still has problems with the pain meds as they knock her down and steal her energy!!! BUT she can walk with the cane and for that we are truly blessed.



Memorial Day is fast approaching, let us not forget those who have served us so bravely, those serving now and the families of those serving who must endure the hardships of seperation and loss!!





NEVER FORGET - REMEMBER THE VET!!!

Catching up!

Well, it sure has been busy, I made it thru my Sunday Sermon on May 3rd, It was a simple sermon with the title "I Believe", there was not a lot of reading as most of it was preached from the heart and soul!!!! Afterwards got all those "atta-boys" and of course the ladies all wanted to give me a hug!!! It was a great Sunday!! The 'Minister" called me and thanked me for filling in and said she hoped I wasn't trying to take her place!!!

We rode up to the St. Lawrence River to Chippewa Bay where one of our past Ministers has a Camp, we had not seen him in a few years and after getting lost a little bit we got there, had a nice lunch, some great conversation catching up and an invite to come back and he gave us a key to the place and a key to his boat, he lives and preaches in Pennsylvannia now.

We spent the rest of the week getting ready for Installation of Officers at the American Legion, I made up 150 programs, we spent the day Decorating the Elks Lodge and setting up the POW/MIA table, wrote a few lines of speech as I was asked to do the "Master of Ceromonies" this year, I was asked to also do the POW/MIA ceromony which always opens all meetings and events of the Legion Post, I then moved right thru the program and awards, I was re-elected to the Post Historian and Public Relations Officer posts, Here I am with Commander Ralph on the left and our new Commander Barry on the right.

The event went well with all Officers there installed and then the Auxiliary was installed.

The Awards Ceremony was started and then I shifted gears as I am also the Photographer for all the Legion Events to record for further years viewing down the road. I took my position to take more pictures and the Commander made the Legionnaire of the Year award presentation which I photographed .

I then had my Honey take the picture of me presenting the outgoing Commander with his Picture Year Book of Events, Past Commanders Pin and a Final hand shake and Salute for a "Job Well Done".

Next the Commanders Award was presented, Then as I was waiting to take the picture for the Commanders Appreciation Award.... he called my name off which was a surprize to me, so I quickly handed the camera to my Honey who took the pictures on me accepting the Commanders Appreciation Award.

The Elks lodge which I am also a member of did a great job in the kitchen, The dinner was a very large portion of fresh, moist, delicious, cut it with your fork dark and white meat pork roast, pork seasoned dressing, taters and green beans, salad and rolls and then a very delicious cake to follow up the evening. We both came home very tired and glad and so starts another year, I have served as a past - trustee, also as Finance Officer and the rest as Post Historian which I enjoy. I have been asked by a lot of the membership to run for Commander of the Post next year but it is too soon yet to commit.

We packed the Elks Club with over 125 people and were honored that 3 of our former WWII Veterans were able to attend the Dinner,

and we also had 3 former Korean War Veterans there!!

we had all the Vietnam, Iraq, Afghan, Persian Gulf, "Veterans" in attendence also who declined group photo shots!!!!!

We packed the Elks Lodge with about 150 Members and guests for the event.

With the approach of Memorial Day we need to never forget those who have served and those still serving. We have been attending funerals this week and have 2 more to do having lost 5 veterans in a short period of time!!!!!!

NEVER FORGET - REMEMBER THE VET!!!!