Life in the Bristolwood

Uh oh! I took so many photos going to my hometown of Jamestown, New York, that I decided to break this up into two separate blog entries!

We had planned to visit my parents and brother, Randy, the day after Christmas to celebrate.  It was not to be, though, as my mother caught a terrible cold that really hit hard!  I spoke to her every few days and she would tell me about the severe cough that seemed to linger, making life miserable and very tiring.  Thankfully, she began feeling much better the end of last week and the coughing was diminishing! (and becoming less “deep”)

We planned  our trip for yesterday and we couldn’t have asked for a better travel day!  It was a cold start…0 degrees. (F) As the day progressed, the temperature did warm up, but it was interesting watching the frost on the trees thicken as we headed into the higher elevations, then disappearing in the valleys!

I took a few photos as we got closer and closer to our destination. These are the places that I frequented in earlier days and I love.  This feels most like “home” to me….

Now,for a disturbing sign…..the first time I saw this billboard, I truly thought I dreamed it up!  I mean, it is soooooo graphic!  If I were a smoker and ever needed a good reason to quit, I think this sign might just be the ticket.  Every time I see it anymore, my eyes ache!

And from the strikingly graphic sign to one of the most picturesque farms I have ever seen…..

You must forgive the fact that all these photos were taken out the truck windows as there are signs all along the highway warning of “no stopping except for emergencies”.  I have taken so many photos of those barns out the windows with no success, but yesterday’s brilliant sky was the perfect backdrop and somehow, the photo wasn’t too bad!  Perhaps one of the reasons I am so attracted to this farm is the lovely yellow color, which is certainly a diversion from the typical “barn red”!

As we drove closer to Jamestown,  we could see a little change in the scenery…all of the pine trees looked like they belonged in a scene with a life-size Gingerbread House! They certainly had the “frosting”,  after all!

You can also see that the snow is definitely increasing in volume on the ground!  We finally reached our exit off the highway and I was so happy to be getting closer!  There was, however, one little side trip we had planned….

Now, if you have read here for any amount of time, you will realize that I find cemeteries not to be dreadful, scary places, but rather, some very attractive and beautifully peaceful spots to find remarkable photo ops!  I had seen some photos posted by a friend on Facebook that showed Lucille Ball’s grave marker.  I had wanted to visit there last fall, but we  never found the time.  I am so glad we didn’t, as the Lakeview Cemetery was amazing dressed in its snowy shroud!  I could have wandered about here for hours, but we needed to hurry a bit, as we were on our way to visit! So, for anyone who has laughed themself silly watching the I Love Lucy Show, the small town of Jamestown is very proud to hail as Lucy’s hometown!

The roads in the cemetery were plowed very narrowly and  don’t think I would have wanted to enter without four wheel drive! I had my little netbook propped in front of me with some very vague hints on how to find Lucille’s grave.  We drove right past it the first pass, but Mark said we should try once again.  Since the roads were so narrow, Mark needed to complete going around a loop because there was no turnaround and the snow was probably at least two feet deep! Oh, and by the way, this is a huge cemetery!

The above marker belongs to James Prendergast. He wa the founder of the city, thus the name, “Jamestown”!  I wish I would have photographed the writing on the front, as I cannot read it!

We also passed some other beautiful markers…..The Lady in Glass is a most awesome tribute!  There have been so many stories about this particular grave, but the bottom line is that the young lady’s father basically had the beautiful sculpture made to honor his daughter….

The grave is also beautifully landscaped with shrubbery around it, but the bushes were literally buried!

We made our way back up to the entrance and turned around, reentering the cemetery and Mark drove very slowly as I read the intstructions again.  We found the “Highland Section” and I got out of the truck and began looking….I was wearing a pair of very short boots and the snow came up above  my knees!  I counted the markers to the right, hoping I was aiming the right way.  When I saw this,  I knew I had found it!

This is a family plot,  listing Lucy’s father (Henry, of Scottish descent),  mother,  (Desiree),  Lucy, and her brother, Fred.

Under Lucy’s name is the  inscription, You’ve Come Home.

It was only after I had found the marker that I discovered a worn little path where others had visited Lucy’s grave!

Lucy was born in Jamestown but left as a tiny little girl. I read on the internet that she wanted to be buried in California, and was when she passed away.  In 2002, however, her children had her reinterred in the Lakeview Cemetery in Jamestown.  I was surprised that the grave marker wasn’t more elaborate, but it is much “fancier” than most modern markers.  The plot is located in an old section of the cemetery.

We made our way back out and were on our way to visit my family. 

We turned and headed south down Main Street….

Along the way, we passed S.G. Love Elementery School.  This is where I attended from Kindergarten through second grade….

We arrived and had a wonderful visit!  There is nothing as satisfying as visiting family and my mother fixed the most delicious meal!  We all ate until we thought we would burst!  

I will continue with my hometown visit in my next entry! 

I had been wanting to go back to the Woodlawn Cemetery in Canandaigua for awhile,  as I have never seen such a beautiful cemetery!  It is located on a side street,  back off the road.  The topography is wonderful, with some gently rolling areas that are just stunning in the Autumn!

This cemetery is old and there are many Canandaigua “notables” interred there.  It looks as though there is still room left for many, many more people,  but my favorite part involves driving back and up an incline to the oldest section.  This is where some of the most awesome statuary is located! 

This Celtic Cross isn’t in the old section, but it really is old!  I was going to convert the photo to sepia because I thought it would lend itself quite well, but I love he colors surrounding this marker!

The rest of the markers are located in the old section of the cemetery. I noticed that families would have an elaborate marker for the entire family,  with small stones, often bearing only the initials of the person buried within close proximity of the large marker.  Some of the stones are just beautiful works of art.

I love this one with the angel.

Standing amid the markers, some of them looked like chess pieces for a (bigger than) life-size game!

This  marker caught my eye.  It says “Little Max”….

And I will leave you with yet another Celtic Cross. 

When my father-in-law passed away nearly six years ago, we were told the cemetery only allows flat stones.  I guess that is because they are easier to maintain and they can actually mow the grass right over them. 

I got to thinking,  I wonder if  all the beautiful statues in the cemetery were for wealthy families, or did people actually spend a great deal of money to commemorate their departed loved ones?

This was one of those “do nothing in particular” days.  It was a dreary day with a few outbursts of rain in which it seemed the rain was falling by the bucket loads!  The sky would clear every now and then and even some streaks of sun made their way down through the overcast skies.  Certainly a “day of contrasts”.

Late this afternoon,  I decided to take a trip to the market down in Naples.  Some fresh fruits and veggies would be very welcome on a day like this.   I packed my little Panasonic camera to take along with me,  stopping in Woodville to see what was new in the ever-changing scenery.  As I pulled into a space in the parking lot,  I was thrilled to see a Mallard duck with her six youngsters.

I got out of the truck to see if my little bucket of cracked corn was in the back,  but unfortunately,  someone had removed it.  The mother duck was interested at first, thinking I might feed her and her brood,  but she soon swam away, her family behind her…

The air was so fresh.  We had some thunderstorms pass through this afternoon and it seemed the rain had powerwashed everything,  cleansing not only the dirt, but the air as well.  Even the grasses seemed to sparkle!

There are so manyvarieties of greenery growing lakeside, it would be quite a task identifying them all!  I loved the Wild Rose growing in the midst of cattails and shrubbery.

As I walked around,  I saw a couple also taking photos. We chatted a bit….they were as appreciative of the surroundings as I!   Everything seemed so perfect….even the fellow perched atop a five gallon bucket,  fishing from the dock.

Time was ticking, and I needed to get down to the market.  I reluctantly left,  feeling sad at the idea!

I did my shopping and then began the trip back home.  I decided to take the high road and with the glorious lighting,  I had to stop briefly at the overlook!

I had not seen the plaque below before.  It must have been placed recently. 

And I had never noticed the abundant cheerful yellow lilies, either!

This is looking directly east with Woodville below us.  (not seen)  The houses seen are the ones directly across from Woodville.  I love the big cloud shading the hill!

This is looking southeast…..

I scurried on home,  wishing I could linger and take more photos, but it was getting late.  Just shortly after arriving home, the sky opened up once again, dousing all in its way.  We have had a very wet summer thus far, but it has been very agreeable for me as the heat has been minimal!

 It seems our family has a ravenously nearly impossible-to-keep-up-with appetite for salads and salad components!  I spend more time in the produce aisles of the grocery store than anywhere else! Not complaining, mind you!

So, this afternoon, I found myself in need of taking another run to the store.  Instead of going to Canandaigua,  I decided to take a trip to the west, over to Honeoye.   You, dear reader,  just knew I would go on the back roads there,  didn’t you?

Honeoye is  situated in the valley between the hill I am traveling and the one off in the distance. The lake is also located there.

I pulled into a small park on the lake.  Outside of the lake access part of the park are baseball fields, a skateboard park,  and a basketball court.  There were several teen boys playing basketball when I arrived,  and although they were making a good deal of noise, I heard a really loud noise toward the lake.

The wind was sweeping down the lake and creating some impressive waves!

If you enlarge the picture below, and squint really hard, you can see (barely) little white “streaks” (to the right of the hill’s end on the left side of the photo) which are actually ski runs at a private ski club.

The waves were really splashing all over and I had to be mindful of the water hitting my camera. (or NOT!)

Even though there was no interesting waterfowl nearby,  there were some seagulls squawking and making lots of noise over the waves!

I walked around the little park, which is actually a point of land that juts out into the lake.  I smiled at the sign…..

The water from the lake was racing at the point of land, sweeping around into what I guess might be called an outlet?  There, the water seemed to calm down a bit.   I liked the way the tree below leans out over the water.

Although Honeoye Lake isn’t technically a “Finger Lake”,  it sure is pretty.  It is long and narrow, just like the Finger Lakes, but much smaller.  The hills surrounding the lake (as well as the Finger Lakes) just add to the beauty of the area.

This is a shot of the park with the lake on the right side and the inlet/outlet on the left.  The road may look as though it continue on to the houses and cottages straight ahead, but it ends, as does the land,  just past the picnic pavillion on the right side.

As I was leaving the lake,  a couple of Canada Geese flew overhead, in the bright blue skies!

Having a camera in my hand doesn’t detain me at all….it just causes me to be a tad more curious! Thus, I  pulled into a parking lot in the small town to see the pretty little park there. I had never noticed the monument there, but traveling through this small town never warrants a good look from the road, as there is always traffic!

The monument pays tribute to soldiers who served our country, from the Honeoye area.

I really like the bronze busts of the various soldiers.  One is a depiction of a Civil War soldier…..

A World War soldier…….(perhaps both I and II?)

And a modern soldier……

The monument has names listed from wars beginning with the War of 1812!  It designates who served, who was killed in the war, and who was a prisoner of war.  This type of monument is always very sobering to me.

There were also the prettiest yellow crocuses to greet onlookers…..

And a delightful gazebo!

As you can see, there is a lot of pride in this little area.  The gazebo sports a plaque explaining that its predecessor was destroyed by an arson fire in 1999.  It tells how community members pulled together supplying time and money to build this lovely replacement!

So, there you have a mini-trip to Honeoye.

I went to the grocery store and bought my salad supplies, along with a few other items.  I was torn between not wanting to leave the outdoors and going home…..when I left home, my laptop was reduced to several pieces with what seemed like a hundred teeny-tiny screws lying on Mark’s desk.  But that, my friend, is another post!

Last night, as soon as the kids’ company left,  I raced upstairs to lie down.  I could feel a tightening between my shoulders and a tension headache coming on.  Rather than taking medicine, I thought I would try to sleep.

When I awakened this morning, the headache was still there.  It has remained all day and it is annoying!

This morning, while I was talking to Michelle in her room, Mr. Nosy, aka “Murphy”,  came wandering in to see what we were doing.  I snapped a quick shot, and I really like this photo….

I had mentioned Michelle made Jacob a checkerboard cake.  I forgot to show a picture of the inside! It turned out quite nice, although the batter didn’t stay put!

I am rarely incapacitated by a headache, but I spent the entire day lying about today.  I feel like such a bum! I certainly hope tomorrow brings some energy and strength!

I know that hanging out at a graveyard isn’t the most “fun” thing to do, but it really can be quite interesting! While waiting for Michelle on Sunday,  I decided to pay a visit to a little cemetery I had mentally noted when passing by many times.  Stopping by such a place isn’t what I would ever expect my family to do, although they do often patronize my frivolous-to-them whims!

I walked around the place for a bit, and so many thoughts and questions began to fill my mind. …

There is no sign to alert one to this cemetery. It would be easy to miss if one wasn’t looking for it.  The grass here is rather lengthy, but we have had quite a bit of rain, so it would be hard to mow.  As I walked about, I also noticed that mowing with a lawnmower might be an indomitable task….I kept finding myself walking over pieces of stone that were probably very old gravestones that had broken off at ground level or just above.

The “occupancy” within dated back a goodly bit….there were people who were born in the late 1700’s and pretty much through to the mid-to-late 1800’s. The latest burial I found was in 1981.

Throughout the graveyard, there were several stones bearing the name “Dunton”.  In looking through the present telephone directory for our area, there are few Duntons living around.  There were also some “Karnes”, and when I looked up that name, I couldn’t find any locally.

I found two little stones that bore the names of children. The one below marks one “Essie” who passed away at only two years of age. There was also a marked that read “Little Libbie” on it.  There were other markers with several names on them, including the names of infants who passed away far too soon.

There were markers that had fallen to the ground, and some were in terrible disrepair. This one looks like it fell long ago and the earth around it has kept it somewhat protected from damage.

While most markers were rather humble in appearance, there were some that were certainly more stately. It would seem that the wealthier families were able to purchase monuments carved from more durable stone.

Many of the markers stated the date of death, noted in years, months, and days. So many of the graves memorialized people who passed away at far too early an age…

Considering some of these grave markers have been around for almost 200 years,  I guess it is remarkable they are legible at all! Many look as though the names they were created to commemorate disappeared many, many years ago…

This particular area made questions arise….Were there several markers here that tumbled on top of one another? Why were some of the stones sunken into the earth?

These two markers were so beautiful. It almost would seem that the hands that crafted them were related to the ones they marked. I couldn’t make out the names and information on them, nor was I given to crawling about on the ground. As it was, this cemetery is located in a rather “moist” area, and the grass on my ankles was making them itch like crazy.  I was a little concerned that my bare ankles would be calling out to any and all mosquitoes in the area, but thankfully, no mosquitoes were present!

Another question….Here is a marker with the name “Lockwood” engraved.  Many cemeteries have such stones marking an area where family members are interred.  The wooden cross with a cement “anchor” attached looks suspiciously modern…..The painted named looks as though done with a stencil recently. So, what is the story there?

I previously mentioned the name “Karnes”. Well, there seems to be a little problem with the Karnes marker in the form of an Ash tree! The tree stands  mere inches in front of the marker.

And another question….this couple passed away in the 1800’s, he in 1889 and she in 1898. The little statue looks like a mother and child, perhaps Mary and Baby Jesus.  It also looks very modern.  It appears to be well anchored between the graves.  Does someone still attend to these graves after all those years?

Here is a fine-looking marker that looks as though it could be repaired if someone took the time and knew how to go about doing it.

I kid you not when I say that this place is in disarray!

Another marker that is in need of repair.  These days, families are scattered not only around the country, but also the world.  How could the descendants realize these need repair if they cannot see them?

Although I did see some markers with dates as recent as the 1940’s and 1950’s, most are older than that. 

I was curious about the little metal marker on the ground. Apparently the marker was added after 1981 when a child of the couple the large marker was buried here.

Another marker found in a bit of a heap, with writing no longer legible.

And a beautiful marker in tribute to a young woman who passed away at the tender age of 21. 

There were markers with birth dates listed, but no date of death.  These people surely passed away, but were they interred somewhere other than where they had intended?

Curiously, the last grave that I photographed spoke volumes to me.  This little grave is leaning over so! It does look as though someone does tend to the grave from time to time. However, as I looked more closely…..

I saw such a hideously ugly spider that had spun a web from the stone to the flag to the ground.

One hundred years from now, we will likely be located in a similar place…..perhaps not with a fancy marker….it seems the modern cemeteries are disallowing the use of large markers any longer. With the type that is ground level, lawnmowers pass right over the markers without any extra care.

So, it all came to me that while we are in these “earth suits” given on loan to us, we must make a little difference in this world and down the line, when we are gone, others will make mention of our name and maybe even say a kind word. Perhaps our children will even decorate our marker with flowers.  But in, say, fifty, sixty years, we and our little grave sites will likely be forgotten.  What a sobering thought.

So, go out and make the most of this day!

While traipsing about on Sunday,  I was all over the place; from a high mountaintop, to Vine Valley,  and several places in between! The area where we live is just so rich in things to see and do, as well as some interesting history.

I stopped at an area where Mark is allowed to pass with a key because he is disabled.  New York State offers this program to afford handicapped people access to areas and wildlife that they would otherwise miss.

I photographed some places for Mark to see in case he was interested, and as I was walking away, a small stone marker caught my eye.  The type of stone was rather different from ones found here, so it certainly caught my attention. As I turned toward it, I saw that a small plaque was mounted upon it.

The inscription upon the plaque reads as follows:

Nundawao  Legendary site of the first Seneca Indian village is just across the river.

So, dear reader, you would like to see across the river?

This is section of the West River (which I mistakenly called the “East River”) that ties into the Canandaigua Lake. It has quite a bit of seaweed and algae growing on it….one of our canoeing neighbors informed us that Canandaigua Lake has a lot more flora growing upon it than is normal.  Perhaps our above-normal rainfall this year has contributed to the growth.

I Googled “Nundawao” and found this interesting document regarding the Seneca Indians and their history around Canandaigua Lake.

I certainly must make note of the fact that many historical sites have probably slipped right past me previously.  It is amazing that when searching out interesting photo ops, one is given the opportunity to also learn along the way!

Through the amazing wonderment of modern technology, here I sit, with computer, cell phone, and card from Wonder-Camera, in the mall parking lot, resizing photos to upload and write this entry!

This is an UNPAID ad for the DMC-TZ5 Panasonic Lumix Camera. I LOVE this camera!!! It is small, lightweight, and able to be smuggled taken anywhere. With its Leica lens, it offers great quality in a relatively inexpensive package. (around $300.o0 US)  With its Japanese technology, it really is a little gem. It comes in three flavors….silver, black, or blue. Guess which color mine is? Okay. Enough said.

Buffalo, I discovered, is famous for its grain elevators! I have seen these huge silos all my life and never knew their usage or history, until yesterday!

There are grain elevators on the left and on the right side of this photo….

If you read my blog, you know that one of my favorite things is storyboards! If you expand this photo and take a couple of minutes to read, you will be informed about Buffalo’s importance in the grain industry!

Buffalo has suffered for years and years….the brunt of many a joke about its large snowfalls. There is so much cool and interesting history located here.  Now that I have alerted you, dear reader, as to Buffalo’s “downside”, I will advise you….the skyway that you see in the photos is sometimes closed in really severe weather in Buffalo. Being so high in the sky, when that puppy freezes, it makes for some very treacherous travel!  Now that I have let the cat outta the bag, I will lead on to my next entry….a very light and lovely one, indeed!

Last night’s entry showed what we awakened to yesterday morning! Rain, rain, and more rain! The puddles at the campsite swelled and grew to the point where we wondered if we were going to need a rowboat to reach our camper when we returned early in the evening!

Mark had always wanted to see the Buffalo Naval Park, but when we got there, it was pretty late in the afternoon, and it seemed like all of the good parking spots were already taken. Mark decided to stay in the truck, but urged me to take photos. Oh boy!

All of the downpours we have had lately contribute to one glorious circumstance….everything looks fabulous! The grass is so green and the flowers, brilliant! The sidewalks all appear to have been freshly-swept and life just looks glistening when the sun appears. You will notice that in the photos that follow, colors are glowing, and the powerful clouds in the sky just amplify the intensity of sapphire skies. Yes, this was nearly intoxicating!

Remember, however, we are only a few “steps” away from the downtown of the city of Buffalo. The contrasts are beyond belief….

This photo is the USS Little Rock in the foreground. If you expand the photo, you will see the HSBC Arena (the domed shape just to the right side of the ship) where the Buffalo Sabres Hockey is played.  The long highway rising up above the water is the Skyway. I traveled that road so many times, going home to visit my family, while I was living in Buffalo! On the right of the photo are grain elevators for General Mills Foods. I will have a separate post regarding grain elevators….

Closer view of the USS Little Rock…

A very cool submarine called the USS Croaker!

This ship always gets to me and makes me cry. It is called the USS Sullivans. Yes, that is “Sullivans”, plural. This ship is named in remembrance of the five Sullivan brothers who served in World War II and were all killed.  The ship sports a shamrock on it as a tribute to the brothers’ Irish heritage.

Walking about in this park is an eye-opening experience, causing one to reflect, if only for a moment, upon the service men and women who have given their lives for our country. The park is so beautiful….perhaps a reflection of the American spirit that presses on, even in the midst of hard/bad times.

As promised last night, I am writing and photographing a gorgeous park located on Seneca Lake. Seneca Lake is, like all of the Finger Lakes, a glacial lake. It is the largest Finger Lake, and the second deepest lake in the US. It is home of the best lake trout fishing as well and was named for the Seneca Nation of Indians.

Because of its great depth, Seneca Lake has been used for submarine testing.

The beautiful area that is now named Sampson State Park began as a Naval training base, then became an Air Force base. Now, the area is a New York State park with some of the most beautiful views! The park has over 200 sites for camping, a marina for boats, and a wonderful museum. It boggles my mind that such a strong military area would eventually become an area open to the public for their pleasure.

As one enters the park, this friendly sailor is there to greet you!

Here is the plaque placed at his feet…

This large “modernistic” sculpture of an eagle is amazing…at its base is a granite platform with etchings of various aircraft used during the parks tenure as an Air Force Base.

Every turn one makes to the west, the lake is in full view. This has to be among  the prettiest parks in the state, and Seneca Lake is so very beautiful.  As one looks over across the lake, large farms come into view. These are some of the largest and most picturesque farms seen in New York State.  Also located around this lake are many micro-breweries, producing wines manufactured from grapes grown on the slopes surrounding the lake.

Outdoor museums rock! This particular museum displays a collection of aircraft, guns, and memorials of those soldiers who gave their lives for their country.

As we drove through the park, we only saw a couple of cars. We know that within just a few weeks, this place will be once again hopping with campers, boaters, and sunbathers. But for now………….

doesn’t the park bench in this photo look like the finest place to just drink in the views and do some soul-searching?