For the record.

Here in Elmira, New York, we have a little scene every Thursday night, in downtown Wisner Park. Each week there is a self-professed Christian group with signs and chanting, protesting gay marriage. That's their official purpose.

Across the way is another group protesting the protesters. Some of my coworkers are there, because they don't want gays to think that all Elmirans hate them.

At that hour I am working, and don't join the protesters. When I am not working, I live in a nice little neighborhood, where we are nearly all married couples.

Some of our couples are gay. A few years ago, we lost a few couples to old age and death. Some of those couples were gay. We love our neighbors and miss the ones who passed on.

If I were not working nights, I know which protesters I would join, or at least visibly support.

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Little Pond

Dodged another bullet, I hope. We expect the next round in November or December.

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Little Pond

Whoopsies...

Summertime and the dogwalking ain't easy.

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Street Painting is coming!

Update: I really missed it, but family comes first. I'm told the artwork was astounding, some of it virtually 3-D. Let's hope that the photographer posts his shots.

Check out the link in the comments section below!

Our downtown is usually pretty quiet, but today the street painters are going to make it quite pretty.

I will take the camera there and have a look...

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Little Pond

Way too hot today

...but on the 4th I took Ellie to visit the River Access site on Grove Street. The grass is very high. She leaped like a dolphin on the waves. I took some video but just looks like I didn't hold the camera right. If she were larger it might have looked better.

But then it wouldn't be the HuggaMutt.

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Little Pond

Freedom. Nothing like it.

God Bless America.

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Hiking Tanglewood.

Sunday morning was partly cloudy, so I rushed to our local nature center for a nice, cool walk in the woods, hoping to be there and back before it rained.

Got some great shots and a lot of new aches and pains.

I think it was worth it.

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P.S.: don't forget you can click on the pictures for detail!

Ahem! Your attention, please!

If you haven't yet discovered my Everloving Blogmother Sissy Willis' site, you are missing out on some excellent photography. Just as I dearly love my Chemung River and the surrounding countryside, so Sissy grooves on Chelsea.

Chelsea is a port city and Sissy watches and catches it all on film. Her work is to be featured at Chelsea's Pearl Street Gallery, and they will open with a gala party.

Sadly, this little homebody will remain close to her River.

Go visit with Sissy, and see why her photos were selected for display at the local artshop.

Brava, Sissy!

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Little Pond

Music.

It's not just for Friday any more.

Visit Norm first, then open a popup for the player, so you can surf the net to the tunes. This time, though, it's a video composition.

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The River is Low

It's noisy and it stinks!

Actually, it isn't too bad in the downtown area, where the water is still spilling over the dam. Troutfishing is still good, there.

However, if anyone plans to visit the southern part, just below the city...

Stay out of the water, and away from anything that looks like mud.

My hikers are sitting out on the porch, where I hope the sun will dry them enough to allow me to brush them. Then I will clean them and sit them back in the sun again. Later I will apply some more water proofing, but for now, I can't get near them.

I bathed Ellie and I showered, but when MammaDog came by to collect her, she mentioned that something was very stinky.

SIGH... Still stinky, that is.

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Damn these rainy days.

RJ's garden , Thursday, June 5, 2008.

On the other hand, we wouldn't have such a lush garden without precip. There's a very young bunny out there, but he's hiding from me right now. The spinach calls him every morning just before RJ goes to work. We haven't the heart to shoo him.

Now for just a touch of the sunny days of yore. Look fast, because they run away like an excited HuggaMutt!


Just kidding. The forecasters promise temps in the mid 80s (approx 27C) later today and 90's (32C) tomorrow.

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Little Pond

It poured.

But just before the rain resumed, I ducked around the house and snapped Husband RJ's prized irises.
The deep purple iris is the symbol of Elmira College, which used to be Elmira Female University, I think. Purple and gold, colors that are sometimes reflected in the sports uniforms.
Lately, those colors are more accurately reproduced by the clematis vines that grow on the fences of the soccer and baseball fields attached to the main campus.

But these are nice, just the same.

Later we went to the Chemung River and got even wetter.

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A Heartfelt Thank You

to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and to those who put their lives on the line to protect our beautiful country and our wonderful way of life.

God Bless and Keep You.

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Chemung River Valley, USA

Local Lore

Like any beautiful area worth its American salt, Chemung County nourishes an old tradition of horrible monsters, lovely maidens and brave heroes, all compiled into a love story.

Full legend is here, as told by Dr. Robert Lyon, a descendant of an old settler family from the late 1700s. A quick recap:

Tiny little Eldridge Lake, not much more than a puddle, really, has its very own legend. Ours involves a settler's boy failing to fit in with his native tribe. Unable to compete with the other, more successful braves, the young man wanders on his own into forbidden territory, the quicksand marshes that surround Eldridge Lake. There he sees a maiden of unearthly beauty weaving flowers into garland. He chooses to pursue her, and she returns his affection. She sets out into the lake in her white canoe and calls upon her father, the Great Spirit, to bless their love. Gaspara, the monster of the lake, immediately rises and drags her to her death. Days later the body of the young man is found dead in a white canoe on Eldridge's shore.

Newest update: the lake monster, Gaspara, is now called Jasper?

A resurgence in interest in Eldridge Lake is being celebrated this holiday weekend.

A lovely, public supported rebuilt carousel will also open for the season.

Many people worked very hard to make this year's opening a reality.

If you can stand one more shot of cute goslings,

You should go here.

I walked the usual route around the levee and Foster Island. It is already incredibly lush and overgrown.

Unfortunately, the tall grass and weeds hid the burrow that snagged my boot, and I went down in a heap. Thirteen years of Multiple Sclerosis has taught me how to fall and I was unhurt, though a little sore. No broken bones.

Regrettable casualty? My Monopod. I'd reinforced that thing at the lower two joints to stop just such nonsense. Natcherly the third joint up bent and snapped. I will once again reinforce it, with dowling and tons of electrical tape.

Can anyone direct me to a sturdier support? It can't be too expensive, because I'm sure to break it. I am willing to augment it, though.

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Little Pond