Spiders and Snow

     A few days ago as I stepped into the shower I was greeted by a sizable daddy long legs spider.   I am not afraid of spiders but I don't necessarily like them either.  By the time my shower was over the spider was washed down the drain.  Good riddance!   So, I can imagine some of my friends who detest winter are disappointed when they open the door in the morning and are greeted with several inches of snow.    Our recent snowfall certainly is an example of that disappointment for them.  However, just as the spider washed down the drain, the forecast for rain may wash much of that snow down the drain.
    So what purpose spiders and snow in God's universe.   They are both loved and loathed by different people.   I first asked myself, "Why spiders"?     As a skier it is obvious the snow is provided for renewing water supplies and certainly for downhill skiing.  But spiders?   Well, maybe they are useful.   How about the beauty of the finely crafted spider web glistening with dew in the morning sun?  And probably in the order of ecology they contribute to a greater system we can only partially understand.    On the practical side, I understand the study of spider web material reveals possibilities of making very thin and strong strands of material.
   Let's get back to snow.  Although most of the public groan when hearing about the next snow storm, the skier delights in the news.  No loathing on the skiers part.  Just the hope for a powder day and great condition at the local ski area.  What a diverse people we are!  It is good to be tolerant of our differing likes and dislikes.   Yes, some can loathe both spiders and snow, or love them both.   Or they can love one and not the other.   Meanwhile, I am enjoying the anticipation of the next ski season.   A recent visit to Greek Peak gives me hope for an early start as I observed the beauty of snow making in full force.

Glorious Day for Making Snow

Construction Entertainment -Agriculture Conflict

   This morning I decided to take my daily constitutional walk along Route 13 in South Cortland to observe close hand the many construction projects under way.  I find it entertaining to watch construction projects and drive-by's do not give me sufficient time to savor the scene.  Over the last year or so we have had a plethora of new construction projects sprouting up.   The first project past Bennie Road headed south on Route 13 is a new Cannon Pool business building on the right.   Next on the left one will encounter the construction of the building for the Tractor Supply Company.  Directly across the road from Tractor Supply is the new Byrne Dairy yogurt plant opened earlier this year.   Continuing down the road on the right you will see the building in progress for expansion of  the Pyrotek Corporation.   And finally at the intersection with Gracie and Webb Roads a new Sunoco convenience store and gas station is nearing completion.
   The scenes were bustling with workers digging, paving,  and erecting elements of the buildings.   Construction machinery abounded.   A beautiful day when humans were creating new venues for manufacturing, sales and production of useful products.  At the same tine I was enjoying all the construction activity I was conflicted about the loss of fertile and productive land for agriculture.   Over the past several years there has been a creep of structures over taking some of the best agricultural land in Cortland County and perhaps even in the State of New York.  Yes, it is zoned commercial now and perhaps we should expect this to happen.   The question for me is,  When will it swallow up the the corn and soy bean fields that extend beyond this current spate of construction?  I am reminded that we can expect the world population in a few short years to expand from 7 billion to 9 billion  before it levels off.  I guess I will always lament the loss of valuable agricultural land to other uses,   Meanwhile, I am grateful I still have both the pleasure of observing creative building projects and watching crops growing of the remaining prime agricultural land.  Lets continue to applaud the land owners who put land into a trust that preserves our rural landscape.

Byrne Dairy- Yogurt Plant

Steel Erection at Pyrotek

Soybeans Have Been Harvested

Sunoco Station -Opening Soon

Tractor Supply Nearing Completion

Pre Season - Skier Fellowship

   Thanks to the leadership of Frank Bonamie our senior skier group had a great lunch at the Acorn Grill at Greek Peak today.   As Frank said, "I was ready for a few laughs".   And  we did laugh and lunch and and the eight of us had a great time catching up on our summer activities and reminiscing about the past ski season.   Frank was a generous host for the lunch too!!  We owe you one Frank!
   During the off season we all have found activities to keep us fit and to prepare for another season.  Frank may well be ahead of us with his new Skier's Edge machine.  He even can wear his ski boots on this new version of the Skier's Edge.
The rest of us have fitness workouts with tennis, walking, swimming and golf.  
    In a couple of months we all hope that Greek Peak will be open for business.  For some of us we anticipate trying out new gear.   Others of us will settle in with the tried and true equipment that has served us well in the past.  We all are looking forward to both the skiing and the fellowship.   Good health to all and sorry that many missed our lunch get together today.  Here are a few pictures to remind you all of what you missed ( Note - Dick got away before I could get him in the picture).

Andy, John, Gerry, Alan, Pat and Frank

Andy, John, Midge, Gerry, Alan, Pat, and Frank

View From the Hotel Entrance

When Less is More

    No doubt I am a minimalist.  In comparison to my senior generation, I think I am an anomaly.  I tend to want to minimize  things on my desk and be satisfied with lack of clutter in my basement, my tool bench and in general my surroundings.   To me having less is more satisfying.  In some ways that is strange since I grew up in a family with limited resources and often felt left out from  having things.  Perhaps this is maturing and really understanding that having things can also be a burden.
   The minimalist nature seems to play out in all things in my life.   A recent  home example is some landscaping rehabilitation at our home.   Over the period of 15 years or so since our home was built some of the landscaping grew in size to fully occupy the front of the house and even spill out onto the sidewalk.   Also some of the arborvitae required a ladder to access the tops for trimming.   After recognizing the problem it was obvious that many of the trees had to go.  See below for the before and after views.  Removal is now complete opening up the area and a modest amount of replanting is done.  Hopefully the careful selection of the new plantings will control the size.  And space will be available for annual flowers to add some color during the growing season.   To our eyes less will be more attractive.
   In the vein of less is more I can apply the same thought to skiing.  Carving a good turn is probably accomplished better with more subtle movements.   Finesse is likely better than trying to muscle your way down the mountain.
   Also another example of less is more.   For the the last two years we have owned a hybrid car - a Toyota Prius.   I like driving it in the "Eco" mode.   This means that I focus on gradual acceleration to the legal speed limit and try to anticipate red lights to minimize the amount of braking force needed.  This minimalist approach has produced an average 50 miles per gallon in 28,000 miles of driving.
    Although I am a minimalist advocate, maybe one can take it too far.   Probably some of the drivers around me are annoyed by my gradual acceleration when the light changes.  Maybe, the less or more that I need to work on in those situations is to be less annoying.  I guess the conclusion is that taking the minimalist notion to the extreme can be as bad as being a hoarder.
   And finally, I've written enough on this topic!

Before

After

Before

 

On Being a Character

    I am convinced that everyone has the desire to be an actor in one way or another.   Children for instance love to perform and often take on roles that amuse their family and anyone that will watch and hear them.   As we mature many of us shy away from performing as we become self-conscious or have criticisms of our behavior.  Yet I think that even the senior citizen enjoys playing a part once in a while.
   This past Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of portraying the life of Ezra Cornell at the Living History Museum of Central New York at Homer, NY.   My presentation was a part of the Tractors of Yesteryear celebration.   After reading three biographies of Ezra Cornell and writing a 50 page script and practicing several times I felt I had a sense of who Ezra Cornell was.   My goal in preparation was to absorb the essence of Ezra Cornell's psyche.  In doing so I expected that I could do a first person presentation with reasonable credibility.   To convince the audience of my authenticity as Ezra Cornell, I rented a 1860's period costume.   I think the visual impact on the audience was significant.   The costume also made me feel credible as well.
   For over an hour I imagined that I was Ezra Cornell telling my life story from the perspective of my last days on earth.  It was fun to stay in that character and I think my audience was at least informed if not entertained.   After all the work I put into this presentation, I almost wish I could get another gig to do it again.  Wouldn't that be appropriate?  Especially since it is the Sesquicentennial Celebration for the founding of Cornell University.   Yes, I guess I am a character and a ham!

Ezra and a Prop in Front

Costumed and Ready

Simple Wholesome Pleasures

   After a tennis work out today and a shower, I grabbed a fresh tee shirt from the drawer.  For some unknown reason the smell of fresh laundry struck me as special wholesome pleasure.   So that triggered further thought about simple pleasures life can bring.  Perhaps it comes under the heading of stopping to smell the roses.
     Here are a few wholesome pleasures that I find myself enjoying by trying to be more in the moment.
1.  The smell of baking bread.  I occasionally make bread in a bread machine.  The smell fills the house and stimulates the gastric juices.   (So tempting, my wife makes me do the baking in the basement)
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2.  Wood smoke wafting on an autumn breeze.  Visions of a cozy fire and a tasty beverage of your choice.
3.  The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans.   I routinely grind my own bean to make coffee and truly enjoy the process.
4.  The surprise of a beautiful sunset.   Gorgeous colors painting the sky.   Probably the same thing happens in the morning but I prefer to sleep in.
5.  The neatness of a newly mowed lawn.  
6.  The purity of dew on the grass.
7.  Fresh sweet corn on the cob.
8.  The smile of a baby.

Recent Sunset -Photo Taken From our Patio

     Readers, now it is your turn to savor the simple wholesome pleasures you can experience.

      In a few weeks the leaves will turn and we will be saturated with the brilliant colors of autumn.  I'll remind myself to store up those visions in anticipation of the grayness until the snow falls.  But as a geezer skier, I can anticipate the beauty of the snow that will clothe the earth in new beauty.

   

Rain on My Parade- Spouse to the Rescue

   I am convinced that minimizing the effects of aging entails daily exercise.  If my wife and I don't play tennis on a given day, some other activity has to be included at least for a half hour or more.   Gardening and other chores can substitute for athletics as long as I get up a good sweat.   This Labor Day weekend did not lack for exercise.  For two days I was repairing and maintaining my snow blower.   Each of those two days required about six hours of wrestling with the parts of the snow blower that had to be disassembled and then put together.  I must have sweat a gallon in the process.   We also threw in a couple of sessions of tennis as well.   Lost weight in the process but did vegetate one day to let the old body recuperate.

Disassembled Blower - My Wrestling Partner

   Now to the title of this post.  My day was taken up with morning chores and an afternoon guiding at the local museum.  No chance for vigorous exercise.  Post dinner this evening,  after a  brief rain shower, I decided to walk the neighborhood which normally takes about fifty minutes.  Several miles to work up a good sweat.  No rain when I left the house.   However, about 30 minutes into the walk the rain started and became a downpour.   In a few moments I was soaked and concerned about my smart phone getting wet.   Gritting my teeth and shivering a bit at the same time I was prepared to tough it out.   However, to my delight this geezer in distress sighted my wife's red Camry tooling down the street and Nancy coming to my rescue.   Great reversal in roles;  rescue of a geezer in distress rather than a damsel in distress.  Blessings to my lovely wife!
  As I write this I also hear a television warning regarding the weather.  Good thing I am under shelter.   Surviving to parade another day.

Golf Course Sight on My Walk for a Sunny Day