What is it about a small town that can help us curb the spread of a virus? Is living in a small town safer? And, is all this change going to affect how we interact as a community?
Two words. Population density. Population density is a major consideration when it comes to the spread of viruses. As we saw in the early stages, viruses spread rapidly in dense populations like major cities. Small town life allows us to interact with our community and get what we need without having to expose our
For the past few years I looked at the year 2016 as one of, if not the worst we have had to endure. I’ve long since forgotten most of my issues with that particular trip around the sun, with the exception of our family having to endure not one but two burglaries barely six months apart. So from that alone you can understand why I was happy to see 2016 ride off into the sunset. Or to Hell, it didn’t matter to me.
Then 2020 came along and said, “Hold my beer.”
Now, I knew 2020 was going
2020 has been a pretty massive bummer. Yes, it’s true. However, saying it over and over again isn’t going to make it any worse or any better, nor is continuing to focus on all of the reasons (all 5,479 of them) why 2020 has been so bad. We need to focus on the positives, kid and yes, even in this God-awful flaming pile of dog feces that has been 2020 there are positives.
Here are 20 good things that happened this year.
1. We Took So Many Walks Around Our Neighborhood
So many walks
by Susan Zehnder
In 1950, while visiting an auto mechanic in Ithaca for repair work on his car, a Chemung County farmer was asked, “Do you have any land on your farm where a small quarter-mile dirt track could be built?” The auto mechanic, Karl “Blue Eyes” Beilou, was a driver and member of the Finger Lakes Racing Association, and his group was looking for a new place to race. The farmer he asked was Eli H. Bodine, a fan of auto races, operator of one of the largest poultry farms in Ne
Finally.
Heading toward the beginning of a new year, the ongoing distribution of more widespread COVID-19 vaccinations appears to be the long-awaited mile marker on this incredibly long and hard road back to public health and economic renewal.
First and foremost, make no mistake that reaching this point of potential renewal is the product of personal responsibility, and enormous perseverance and sacrifice on the part of so many.
Every single one of you who have heard the public he
I trust you had a blessed Christmas with your family, or even celebrating from a distance but still keeping in touch! It always brings joy to hear from our kids and Grands : ) I also started sewing a new recliner quilt for Ed (photo attached) – the center panel and fabrics from three different friends, yet they mesh so well as if purchased together! But, I made a mistake in sewing. Had to rip it out and redo a side panel. Isn't that how God takes the pieces of our life and fits them all togethe
A little ditty about chicken and Italian dressing...
Two American favorites put together in a toasted bun. Add a little mayo lettuce and cheese put it in a container and serve it to me. If you haven't guessed it from my corny song what we have here is a chicken spiedie from On a Roll. This is one of my favorite subs always has been. Chicken was cooked right and good size sub.
This was a large at around 10.00 which is well worth it. I would have liked a bit more Italian flavor in
If there’s anything that exemplifies the Christmas season, it’s the music. The familiar faith-based carols and popular melodies embody the meaning of a beloved holiday as well as add to our joyous spirits. But Christmas music back in the early days of America wasn’t what we think of today. Obviously, there were no radios for listening to popular tunes, no records, cassettes, CDs or MP3s to buy.
And, if anyone was dreaming of a white Christmas, it certainly wasn’t with a popular tune! It
Welcome to the world of genealogy research where your ancestors come alive! It’s exciting to put names, faces, and personalities to your family’s past. Here, we’ll delve into clues to find those whose genes flow through your veins, and who contributed their part to who you’ve become today. But, I need to warn you – it’s addicting!
I used this poem, Dear Ancestor, in the 600+ page manuscript I wrote on researching my mother’s complete ancestral history.
Your tombstone stands among th
I cut enough broccoli heads in the garden last Saturday for dinner. December 12th !!! It was so good! An odd blessing in December! The remnants of our ash trees are slowly becoming firewood. The weather in the past two weeks has allowed outdoor work, and Kerm is splitting the big chunks that remain into useful pieces for our wood stove. As the old adage says, wood warms twice --- once while getting it ready to burn and then again when it sends its heat throughout the living room. My doct
The headline of the week, the start of COVID-19 vaccinations across America, might at first appear unrelated to the state comptroller’s announcement last week of divesting the New York State Pension Fund of investments in fossil fuel companies.
Under the surface, however, there’s a connection between the two that’s critical to the future of manufacturing in New York.
We have been hoping and praying for a COVID-19 vaccine. The fact that starting this week we’re on the doorstep of wid
More than just the popular Christmas evergreen to celebrate the holiday, the Christmas tree has a storied background. Holding treasured memories for each of us, it’s been said to represent strength, perhaps to resist temptations or to remain strong in harsh times. We often consider it a symbol of our Christian faith, a reminder of Christ’s birth and everlasting life, but it has also been an ancient symbol of wisdom and longevity. President John F. Kennedy referred to the durable evergreen as a
What does an old broken antique rocking chair have in common with Christmas? Read on...
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! We all have special memories wrapped up like treasures from holidays past - the smell of fresh pine when just the right tree is brought in and set up, strands of beautiful colored or pure white lights, decorations from gorgeous and fancy to simple and elegant in an array of colors and styles, scrumptious cookies and candy being made with their aromas wa
We’ll start here. Christmas With the Kranks is a terrible movie. It’s bad, really bad. As a movie, it should be relieved that it’s a Christmas movie because that’s the only reason why it still gets play. Well, unless you’re a hardcore Tim Allen head or gear your movie-watching towards those that only include a scene in which Jamie Lee Curtis barely has any clothes on. I mean if that’s the case, you’re basically watching Christmas With the Kranks and True Lies on a loop. That’s a weird way to liv
by Kathleen Reed
While my own birthday won’t come with any festivities this year, my thoughts are on someone else’s birthday. One very dear to my heart.
April 26, 1920. This year would have been my father’s Centennial.
Happy Birthday, Daddy!
You know how we see toddlers’ eyes widen in awe at the sight of an airplane….as wonder and amazement registers with the realization that there are people flying through the air?
I found it fascinating that as a child, my Dad watched
Pictured above we have soft and hard shell beef tacos. Some rice on the plate and beans off to the side also Jarritos mexican soda. Not pictured is plain cheese nachos and steak quesadilla.
The soda was good reminds me of Squirt soda. I was told the quesadilla was good and the shell itself was good enough to eat alone. There was a good portion of nachos and plenty of cheese not spicey of you're worried about that and not the fake orange cheese. Both styles of taco were great. I did prefer
The season of Advent is here; a time of preparation, waiting and expectancy. It feels as though, not that long ago, I was putting away the Christmas decorations from last year; the CDs, the bright ornaments, the door wreath. But we picked up the new evergreen wreath yesterday, made by S-VE FFA students, and also a lovely pink poinsettia. The time of many holiday celebrations is surely with us.
I’m a little puzzled by what seems to be jealous clutching of the Christmas holiday and the r
We need to keep close watch on the future of our family farms.
A key action of the 2019 legislative session was the approval of controversial legislation (S6578/A8419, Chapter 105 of the Laws of 2019) known as the “Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act,” sponsored by two New York City legislators and pushed hard as a “progressive” hallmark by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Throughout the year prior to this law’s enactment, I joined many opponents, including the New York Farm Bureau, to warn a
