Advertisement
I knew you couldn't resist getting in on this band wagon. We're off again for more excitement in our neck of the woods. The tune being played is: Happy Days Are Here Again". You just have to think it's fun to make it fun, you know. Hop aboard...your seat is always saved just for you.
Last week took us to two cemeteries. Time to "do the graves" for Memorial Day. Now, this is our first fun experience. Geeze. Years ago, I would accompany my grandmother, mother and 2 aunts to "do the graves". Now I "do their graves". They used to dig the tops of each grave...back then, there were only 4 graves. They would dig the entire grave and plant live flowers all over it. Now, that was a job! But many hands made it easier. And they looked beautiful. Don't know how long the flowers lasted cause I don't remember going back every week or more to water them. Times have changed as well as who is "doing the graves". More often than not, it is just Cory and me who go to the cemeteries. We take many yard and cleaning tools. Our graves in the Hornell, NY
cemetery hold my great-grandparents, my grandparents and my parents. The paid perpetual care seems long gone. They did cut the grass this year...sometimes that hasn't even been done. There is still grass between and close to the headstones. Only one headstone had dead grass stuck all over the front of it. Usually, all of them are like that. I've written complaint letters to the association and they respond with "not enough money or staff". That's why we come prepared. Cory weed whacks the grass, I clean off the graves with Cory's help. I place artificial flowers on each graves. A lot different than what these ancestors used to do. I hope they don't mind. Lulu actually labored, best she could, to give us a hand (even though she has none). Such a devoted gal. My aunts and uncles (2 sets), my cousin and her son are buried in the Howard, NY cemetery. They keep this cemetery in much better shape...it is a lot smaller than the huge one in Hornell. I read many familiar names on the surrounding stones from the time my mother and I lived on the farm with my grandparents for a few years in Howard. So
Old Hornell Store
Tuttle & Rockwells many memories flood back when you are around the graves of those who have gone before you. I miss them all. Memorial Day=Memory Day. Okay, that's enough fun for one day. Moving on.
Speaking of Hornell, NY. I lived in Hornell after my father died in 1957. This story ends in fun....don't fear. At that time, my mother and I moved from Chelmsford, Massachusetts to Howard, NY (outside of Hornell) where we lived 3 years on my grandparent's farm. Then we rented a house in Hornell. I went to Hornell High School and graduated in 1962. My mother and 2 aunts went to the very same school I attended. After graduation, I went to the University of Buffalo where I met Cory. My mother stayed in Hornell until she retired from teaching and moved to Wellsville.
I have many fond memories of Hornell. There was a department store on Main Street called Tuttle & Rockwells. My mother spent hours in this store in their sewing/ fabric department. She was a Home Economics teacher and her speciality was sewing. Of course, I knew every inch of this store. For fun, I would ride the elevator. I remember the long,
metal suction tubes that the clerk would use to send your money and get change for your purchase. I used the old bathroom located down a skinny hallway behind the counters where these tube containers ended up. A fantastic store in its day....closest to a Macy's that one could find in this rural part of New York. But here's where the fun begins. This big old store still stands proudly on Main Street. It is no longer a department store. Someone had converted it into an antique store. It's nothing like it was but a few remnants of the old Tuttle & Rockwells remain. The elevators are still there but don't run anymore. The old bathroom is walled off so you can't even get to it now. But the rows and rows of the metal suction tubes still are in place behind the counter upstairs. So the other day when we went to this big, old antique shop I took a few memory pictures to share with you. This was fun. I even took a couple pictures of mannequins that I knew Lulu would love. The old dressing rooms were still there, also. Oh my, how many times I would
Bathroom behind walled doorway
Old tubes & entrance to where they worked them use those curtained cubbies. It was a true delight to wander through all these old haunts......fun, fun, fun and more fun. Remember, the fun is how you make it. More memories to enjoy.
As we travel around, I always wonder "what if"? What if we lived here? I snapped a couple places for you to ponder. The first place, I would definitely have to change the tarps so they matched. The second place, I would need to find the door. Life in Allegany County! It's fun to fantasize.
Many of you know about Cuba ( NY) Cheese. We always take lots of it to share with our friends in Florida. They had a sale the other week so we went there and bought a load of their cheese. Cory loves it year round. This was fun. Especially, if you like cheese.
I found a couple pictures that we had taken in an antique shop with Sam & Sandy in Florida. Now, that was fun and even more fun cause we were with our dear friends.
We don't have a lot of local restaurants in our area. We have McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut. Wellsville is known
for its Texas Hot and Beef Haus restaurants. There is an Italian restaurant called I'talia. But one of the favorites of many is Hot Diggity Dog. It is open air and had tasty delights. It's fun to go to....you'll like it!
This occurrence that I am about to discuss was not fun. It's the second time it has happened. The first was when we were in Florida and our daughter discovered the disaster. We have been faithful filling our many, many bird feeders. The birds love us and we love them. Well, Mr. Big Black Bear also loves our bird feeders. He did it again. He returned and tore each feeder down and ripped apart many of them. Noooooo. Why??? Cause that's what they do! Rats! We moved our outdoor camera to our deck so we could see if he came back the next night......and yes, he did! But there was nothing to tear down or eat. I tried to save the picture of him but somehow lost it in the system...rats. He is one big bear!! Our neighbor had him visit them and do the same dirty deed. He found a footprint and said it measured 9 inches
across....a big bear! Cory hung just a couple feeders now....and put them high in our tree. Half a loaf is better than none so I have to be satisfied with this solution. I really don't want a bear encounter or anymore destruction by it. Rats. We did leave one hummingbird feeder up and I caught a couple pictures of those sweet, fast flying, feathered friends. Good!
Now for the biggest surprise that will make you really happy. It certainly made Cory and his extended family happy. We found a long lost relative. His name is Goatbreth Guenther and he lives in Russia. We thought the serious, sturdy woman in the picture was his wife but it's his sister, Hogsnout. He is almost like a twin to Cory. I did a collage of Goatbreth and Cory in case you doubt the similarity. We can hardly wait to meet them. What a family reunion we will have. We hope you can attend. Lulu is jumping up and down (best she can with no legs) with excitement. She put her red nose on for Red Nose Day. She thinks Goatbreth will love her, especially with the red nose.
So, this has
been more of our fun and frolic that we find to do...in our neck of the woods. Try not to be jealous of us. At least, you get to experience it through our blog. We find it all to be extra fun knowing you shared it with us. We'll be back. Be ready for what comes next.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.05s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 11; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0221s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
DeAnne
non-member comment
fun &frolic
Ah the memories! We sold some of our larger antique items @ the Eriie Line [remember the 1800's cradle and aqua dental chair?] Also have established new hummingbirds in our new digs! Thanks for the flashback!!!