caywood station --
News and notes from this week's Pennysaver:
"There are two families with the names that begin with the letter 'H' that should stay home from Bingo more often so someone else can win once in awhile."
You know who you are, H. Both of you.
"To the lady looking for a Gregg Shorthand book, would you please leave your number in this column again. I have several of them."
We don't often brag about it, but we're on the cutting edge of technology here in the Finger Lakes.
"If Owego is such a cool town, why are there so many complaints in the Readers' Column?"
Yeah!
"This is for Tioga ding-a-ling - the Obama care plans now number five plans and are working their way through the house and senate and changing daily. I suggest you take course in government. You need it. You are delusional. You don't have a clue!"
Take that, Tioga ding-a-ling. Tough to argue with that kind of logic.
"I see that there's two outside bathrooms, or port-a-johns, so to speak, at the end of the grandstands for the haunted house. Why don't we be proactive and leave those there all winter. They are halfway between the skateboard park and where the kids will do ice hockey. That way our fairgrounds won't turn into an outside commode. What do you think? Is this a good idea?"
No.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Community Voice
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What Would Laura Do?
caywood--
What the f*? I plucked an apple from its storage area in the unheated office yesterday and found it was rotting! We have to make it through the whole winter with these things as our only fresh(ish) fruit!
So, let the apple-drying begin.
Still, this made K and I wonder what those pre-electric pioneer folk did. Yes, dry the fruit outside in the sun, that we know. But how did they keep the birds (and bugs) away from it? K says she read they covered it with muslin. But what if you live in a superhumid area, like say, the Finger Lakes? K conjectures you just ate a lot more mold and grime than we do now.
Day in the Life
caywood--
Morning:
Afternoon:
Evening:
You know Fall has rounded the corner from summerside to winterside when you bust out the amber liquids.
Upstate Story
romulus--
No jobs and cheap beer. 
Then again, the beer doesn't seem that cheap, especially when you don't have a job.
Question: Does this mean Romulus' only ATM is looking for a new home?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Feelin' Fit!
trumansburg--
... well, not really! That's why we signed up for the Chris Bond 5K in Tburg again this year.
Here's Karen, Jen, and Nhu, ready to run!
Meanwhile, somebody needed to hold the t-shirts and walk the dog...
The walking contingent was happy to be joined by Kit.
And nature provided the perfect conditions.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Phoebe with a Vengeance
around the house--
Five pounds of constant menace, Phoebe, rules our home with an iron claw. When she isn't terrorizing Bella (braver every day, to her credit), she is driving the humans insane. Truth be told, she is mainly driving Karen insane, as Anisa has lived under Phoebe's regime for 15 years and has acquired a "learned helplessness" approach to survival.
Phoebe's Activity List
- Standing in the doorway or at the top of the stairs to scare Bella
- Perching on the highest point i.e. hip or shoulder of a sleeping person's body
- Not letting Ruby sit on any human lap or get any human attention
- Shedding
- Drinking out of our water glasses
- Eating Bella's kibble
- Walking in the wet bathtub
- Jumping on the table
- Jumping on the counter
- Standing in the sink
- Standing on the stove, licking leftover soup from the pot (today: 4:30)
- Imitating velcro (winter long activity)
- Resting her chin on Anisa's wrist while she types
- Waiting for humans to leave the computer, so she can sit on it
- Typing coded messages to those on the outside
- Just wanting to be loved but it's hard when you are so misunderstood
It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, Phoebe was practically at death's doorstep. Things didn't look good. In fact, they looked bad. She's no spring chicken after all. But she napped, clawed and purred her way back to health and has resumed her active lifestyle.
There's a lesson there.
Caywood Caption Contest
the photo desk--
As you know from your vigilant reading of Caywood Days, Lisa (above, with friend and fellow Hubbard, Daffodil) took some kick ass pictures while she was here. Her output included some portraits of the Caywood denizens, which she snapped using her supersecret spycamera attachment like those WPA documentarians.
Submit your caption entries now. Prize: Fame. You have no idea how many readers flock to this blog.
New Hobby
the surroundings--
There is a hickory tree in the yard; Jay and Amy had told us about gathering hickories from it, but we never had. Until now!
The green part is the outer husk, which must be removed. 
It accounts for about 40% of the size of the hickory... they are actually pretty small, as nuts go.
They are currrently "curing" or "drying." We'll let you know how it goes.
Finally, just a nice picture of a Fall day, like one of those on which I gathered hickories from the lawn.
Lisa's Visit
in and around Lodi--
Last week, Lisa came to visit from DC. What fun! (All the good pictures on this post I ripped off from Lisa's Flickr photostream.) We went apple picking (no pictures), junk picking (I don't care what you say, Hub, you're a junk store and there's no shame in that)...
... pumpkin picking at the place we've gone each from year since being here (Christina, Mom and Dad, does this look familiar?)...
... dog walking at the SPCA...
... hunting...
... dutch baby making...
... taking walks...
... watching hawks*...
* actually, this is a vulture
... and otherwise soaking it in!
Thanks for coming up, Lisa! Y'all come back soon, hear?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Password: Cheese & Crackers
canandaigua--
You know Karen never brags...
... so I must do her bragging for her! That is the Lively Run Goatcheesecake that she made at the, ahem, Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty Local Foods Recipe Contest COOK OFF! Her recipe was selected and yes, she had to go make it for JUDGES!
As you can see, she was not even nervous.
She won second prize! Lisa, our friend visiting from DC said, "She was robbed!" And... it was true. Karen would never say this, since she's a good sport and all, not in it for the glory. But Lisa and I know the truth: ROBBED! If you want to hear the story, ask Karen. Use the password above. 
Also, she was the prettiest one here.
