Priceless Day

We went on a bike ride in perfect weather.  He led the way to the lake park.  The forget-me-nots are blooming in the grass.  We decided to lie down in them and take our picture.

We were celebrating.  It took us two mornings and an afternoon, but we painted a room. One morning we cleaned the room out. The next we sanded, primed, and taped. In the early afternoon, we painted the room green. I love it.  It will be a nice, happy room for our oldest daughter this summer.

At the lake, we played on the swings, watched boats, and looked for fish.  We saw a few small fish.  He said they are "yellow perch."  One day, perhaps I'll have a fisherson.

Saved by a Community and Bread

When he was a boy, Charles "Chub" Came was sledding down a steep snowy bank toward the north side of Oneida River. The river water was about four feet deep, swift, and turbulent under a thin layer of ice. Charles sped down the hill.  He meant to turn left before the river, but lost control of his sled. He crashed through the ice into the current and was immediately swept beneath it.  From the porch of a hotel overlooking the river, Mr. Charles Kenyon and Mr. J.W. Emmons witnessed the accident. They rushed for the bridge to a small open space of water. Mr. Emmons bravely went out onto the ice, put his face over the hole, and watched for the appearance of the body in case it passed beneath him. When it did, Mr. Emmons reached down, grabbed Chub, and passed him to Mr. Kenyon who took the boy to safety. They resuscitated Chub, but he was suffering from hypothermia. Mrs. Everson, who was baking bread at the time, took hot loaves from the oven and surrounded Chub’s body with them to help revive him.  

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This is my retelling of a true story I found in a little self-published book by Katherine J. Barclay at our local library. It happened in Brewerton more than a hundred years ago. It's amazing how stories like these have helped me feel more connected to this place. Of course all the people in the story have since passed away. Their bones are buried in the nearby Riverside Cemetery.

Another Sign of Spring

"Have you seen the giant spider web in the bathroom?" he asked.

"No," I answered. 

I didn't see it anywhere.  Until this morning.  The sunlight was shining just right or it would have stayed invisible.  Transparently thin lines weave a massive, frightening, layered, intricate...beautiful...web.

"Have you seen the spider?" I asked.

"Not lately," he answered. 

Has it gone out in warmer weather?  I hope so.  I'm going to clean away that web now.

Spring

It finally feels like spring.

Chocolate Frogs

I was in Salt Lake this week and discovered V's Chocolates.  Somehow, my brother's wife has a relative or friend or someone who is a part owner or something of the company.  My brother and his wife bought boxes of these as a thank you gift.  When I saw them, I decided I absolutely had to buy a box to take home to my family. 

We went to the factory but they closed just five minutes before we arrived.  Thankfully, they have a kiosk at Fashion Place Mall.  My family loved them!  I wonder if you can order them on-line?  Probably.