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@Elizabeth Whitehouse: While I wouldn’t necessarily think “this kind of comment” should get you expelled from a site, I do wonder what purpose you intended for it to accomplish. Long before Social Media facilitated “instant reaction” to written material, we all managed to be exposed to ideas that may or maynot fit our own beliefs....through radio, TV, magazines, newspapers and books et al. And, since the invention of Guttenburg’s printing press, there has never been (and still is not) any imperitive to challenge the author(s) directly. We are fortunate in some nations (like the US) to have the choice of what media we want to consume (or choose not to). It seems like a tragic waste of ones time to seek out content we disagree with for the sole purpose of offering an antagonistic response. I’m curious how you felt that your reply was beneficial to anyone. It’s doubtful you will gain any understanding of Linda’s perspective by replying as you did. Nor is it likely that your curt and disparaging remark will sway Linda or any of her readers to your perspective.

At this point, what do we, as a county, have to lose? Simply look at what has happened to our beloved county in the last 50 years, businesses are leaving, people are leaving, Chemung County is turning into one big "ghost town"... Charlie Lechliter

The state rules should change. The school districts, by state law, must create a budget and submit it to a vote the first week of May. If NY State cannot pass a budget so districts don't know how much state funding they will receive by then, the voting should not be held. It is crazy voting on a budget before you know how much state aid you will receive.

My Grandmother started me on my letter writing journey when she showed me a letter from her brother who still lived in Ireland. I was 10 years old and asked her if I could write to him too and she included my letter with her’s. I remember my surprise and joy at receiving his letter addressed to me and that was the beginning of 20 plus years of correspondence between Uncle Pete and I. Letters are sharing parts of yourself with others, your thoughts, dreams, hope, they are love, advice when needed. Letters are wonderful and I’ve missed writing them. I think it’s time to begin writing again. Thank you for this reminder.

Its entertaining and that's what a movie should be.

Cognitive dissonance.

Going to a blog/ column post specifically written for and aimed at those who do believe in a Higher Power of some kind and making such comments is not only tacky and ignorant, but if I know nothing more about a person that’s enough for me to know that, well, I don’t want to. It amazes me, when someone pops their head in here once or twice, and of ALL the content they can add thoughtful perspective to, choose this as the moment to “contribute.” But I’m not gonna kick you off this site. I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of being able to add another feather to that “hat” you seem proud to wear. I’m going to leave it, let it speak for itself, and let others form their own opinion of the person who made the commentary.

Enjoy your articles and look forward to more of them. Glad there is a forum where you can be published and people can read about your interesting family and life stories.

A thought occurred to me the other day as I drove past an "Adopt a Highway" sign that proudly proclaimed the local organization "sponsoring" a stretch of road strewn with litter. While it is not their "duty" to clean up....these businesses and organizations supposedly made a pledge to do so, and asked teh DOT to advertise for them. I'd love to see photos of the trash and those signs publicized....on their FB pages, in the local media....anyplace that might embarrass them into holding up their pledge.

Agreed! and that's why I'll do a pick-up-trash day when I'm able to take walks up my road for a bit, limited with worsening sciatica. The littering is just unreal - not only along the edge of the golf course, but also along and into the farmers' crop fields here and elsewhere. Folks don't know about cows getting what's called "hardware" - when they ingest metal or maybe plastic, it gets caught in their throat or one of four stomachs, can't be processed, aggravates and causes them to "go off feed". They can't eat or drink, lose weight, and end up being shipped to market. We lost several good cows because of that very problem when my husband farmed with his Dad... even tho we picked up trash along the roadside then too, some gets missed and gets into the silage. Roadside trash is a dirty blight on the eye, but a nasty problem for farm animals.

The good news is.....you might get to experience such carefree meals again later in life. The grandkids can take you dining in your geriatric years and these will mostly apply. The bad news is...you probably still won't remember how fun it was.

Over the years, Cuomo often touted that The Great New York State Fair held a "special" place in his heart. He celebrated the long "tradition". He bragged about the "food". He praised the "entertainment". And he emphasized that it was an "investment" that would grow revenue. What got under my skin was that he rarely (IF EVER) spoke of the fact that the whole concept of Fairs was built on the goal of fostering and promoting agriculture. Let's hope the new governor is less tone deaf.

Considering the shortages and supply issues we’ve seen in the past year, we should be doing everything in our power to make it easier on family farms, not harder. Because when that shipment from California or Mexico doesn’t arrive, what you gonna eat?

I might add that we could perhaps be more discerning when using the word "tragedy". That word suggests an event that was inescapable or inevitable....as an unforeseen accident or natural disaster. On the other hand, when an event is the result of someone’s conscious and deliberate actions...then “atrocity” may be a more accurate description.

I loved reading this. There's so much of this great state outside the crowded urban areas that we don't read about enough!

I love this blog! Yes, it's a lost art, but not entirely 🙂 I wrote letters for years to my grandparents and friends after my family moved away from living near them, and send cards out when I can. And I was overjoyed when my 10-yr-old granddaughter mailed me a handwritten thank you note for the purse I made for her a few weeks ago 🙂

What I don’t understand is how these Albany Elites can’t see that what NYS is mandating to stop/heal climate change has no effect whatsoever on the world’s climate. As long as Countries like China, India, Russia and others continue using existing, reliable forms of energy it makes no difference. I believe it’s the desire to “be first” that is driving these ridiculous decisions. Instead of talk about Canada being the 51st State I’d like to see Upstate NY be the 51st State.

These mandates are completely unrealistic but by the time anyone figures that out, the people who made these laws will be long gone from office. They'll have made their money on it though, you can bet on that.

I watch it every year, and every year I question why the hell I watched it. I guess it’s just tradition at this point.

I agree with you, sadly and unfortunately. The districts are shaped for the liberal cities to outnumber conservative towns.

I think some of this is a little bit of antiquated thinking, but overall he makes a good point.

I think we need to send “Rotund Man” out to try some more current places. He hasn’t done a review in a long time.

That’s assuming someone cares about doing the right thing in the first place. I’m sure these scumbags are thinking, “Hey, that $20 could buy a 12 pack of Busch Lite!”

I just took a recliner to the dump a couple weeks ago , it was $20.00 to dispose of it . C’mon a lousy 20 dollar bill isn’t going to break anyone to do the right thing …

New York State has some of, if not THE strictest gun laws on the books. What more would you have them do? Also, welcome to the site! 😃

Yeah, we get that, congrats. How about letting others who do live their life without criticism? You know, the same common courtesy anyone here would extend to you.

Then perhaps you should re-examine who is contributing to the destruction more, someone who writes about their faith in a blog or someone who professes to have “traveled to 90 countries” and “logged millions of miles.”

I couldn't agree more! I'm in that Winter Season too... funny, don't know how it happened so quickly!!

It was Linda . Parts of it took me back to to the few good times with my dad . As with your dad mine taught me more than i could list here and I thank him everyday for it !

Awww, thank you so much Hal! I'm glad this was so meaningful to you 🙂

You should probably go down there and teach them how to make it.

I couldn't agree more. It's bad enough in the more populated areas but anymore our country roads are becoming miles long dumping grounds for household garbage, furniture, tires, and more. It's disgusting.

I'm sorry about your Mom Linda. Sure sounds like she lived a full life though!

Thank you Linda for your poem and sharing yours and Eds situation ! I also believe that we are sometimes handed more than we can bear in this life , as with watching our life mates struggle through pain and illness and in some cases losing the battle . Ann tells me that God never gives us more than we can handle and I know in my heart what she says is true ! But I still wish that I had that “ magic pill “ to take away her pain , Eds pain and the pain of MsKreeds loss ! But then I read your words and a message comes through them to me . Put it all in Gods hands because inevitably thats were “ It “ all goes ! But then again He gave us each other to reach out and hold onto as well , maybe that is the magic pill . Again Linda , Thank you . I believe a lot of us needed those words right now .

I still have trouble “listening”, Linda, and you would think once you have experienced things you would know to pay attention. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Jeff raises a good point here. It's as though as the slovenly dress in public becomes more acceptable, so too does the crude behavior. I'm not a prude when it comes to blue language, Lord knows. But there's a time and a place. I shake my head at these guys driving around with "F-ck Your Feelings" stickers on their truck, sometimes with some sort of "I'm Country" themed sticker alongside. Son, that's not country, that's plain ignorant. Or the overweight lady in the too short tank top and pajama pants, body parts spilling out for all to see, screaming at her kid to "get away from the effing escalator" at the mall. At least the wanna be gangsters, walking around with their pants sagging below their ass, make it easy for the police to catch them in a foot chase.

Linda, this is a really beautiful and introspective poem! well done 🙂

Good job on the series Linda. Thank you. I'd like to offer up one more link, somewhat local in nature. Banjoman also mentioned it earlier in a comment. It isn't the friendliest site to navigate, but I love much of what I've found there over the years. Not just a genealogy resource, but a great local history resource for Bradford, Chemung and Tioga Counties. Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice

Reading this I believe your daughter was a truly special person with a beautiful soul.

A most beautiful and worthwhile destination, indeed.

Hal, I'm so glad this prompted your memories!! Don't be sorry, I loved reading about your time at the sap house! Obviously, those were good old times with some great memories!! Glad to hear your cousins, too, still enjoy this venture making maple syrup! I never had the experience with my relatives, and think I missed out on a lot! Thank you again for sharing with us, Hal 🙂

Thanks Linda ! Our family in Montrose PA had a “ sugar bush “ on the family farm . Good memories are brought to mind this time of year of the sap house and the hours spent there as a young boy . The Great uncles and grandfather feeding wood into the evaporator all night and day , the joking and the sipping of coffee ( they got the added bourbon ) and hot chocolate in the big overstuffed chairs where I would doze off for a bit between taking my turn bringing in the wood for the fire . If we were lucky we would have snow so us kids could make a snowball and the uncles would pour the skimmings on the snowballs for us as a treat . The sap house and farm are still there and the cousins still make syrup , all though much smaller amounts still just as good tasting when i can get some . Sorry to go on about it but this is one of those things that spark memories and I can still remember the smell of wood fire , boiling sap , cheap cigars and coffee with a hint of bourbon ! Thanks again !

Linda - I found that Joyce Tice's site on the internet was a treasure trove of information back when I was actively doing research. It covers just a three county area in the twin tiers - but I was mainly looking at lines in Chemung County at the time and I found it to be very helpful.

I laughed when I read the part about connections to famous people. Abby has found two in our lineage: Lady Godiva and then William I, otherwise known as William the Conquerer, the first Norman King of England. Then I found out it was through one of his bastard sons, which took the wind out of my sails I'll tell ya. Of course millions of other people are descendants of his as well, kinda like Ghengis Khan, so it's really not that special.

Beautiful poetry Linda I really enjoyed reading it. 🙂 PS. Also A friend shows up to help you move! 🙂

Thank you LR. I really appreciate your input! Will definitely reach out if I have any questions. 🙂 edit. Just reread your post. Holy moly. That was a lot to digest. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed reading it. Gonna read it again. 🙂. Wow.

LOL!!!! No, no, no 🙂 but then again... 🙂 Just trying to say some data in my research that others had accepted as legit, I proved otherwise by doing further research - like a 63-yr-old woman giving birth to one of my ancestors? What a record for Guiness that would be!! When you know the old Dutch naming pattern, you quickly realize she and hubby were more likely the child's grandparents! Another ancestor b. 1746 had a nephew by same exact name b.1764 - both served in Rev.War under same battalion or whatever it's called but each in a different smaller unit under different captains - kind folks who put up a big tall monument to my ancestor b.1746 in Carlisle, NY cemetery, near Cobleskill, used the wrong data from the nephew b.1764!! and etc...

Good for you!! It sure is fun and exciting!! And nice to have some of the footwork already done for you, plus making contact/friendships with extended rellies! But I have to add, part of my thesis for being able to have 3 articles published in the N.Y. Genealogical & Biographical Record was proving some data wrong that folks had believed to be correct, along with putting family data together that no one else had done. Keep reading each series in this section as I talk about it. I spent many Saturday mornings at Steele Library's genealogy section which holds the NYGBR that my articles are published in. I always wanted to go back and tell the workers thanks for their holdings which assisted me 🙂

Before choosing to imbibe themselves, they should have kept in mind that there's a reason for those bottles at the pub being referred to as spirits.