55 Plus CNY 95, October / November '21

FINANCIAL, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF REMARRYING LATER IN LIFE Leaf Peeping Close to Home

55 PLUS

Issue 95 – October/November 2021

For Active Adults in the Central New York Area

cny55.com

Meet Juanita & Matthew The couple behind Critz Farms discusses their journey turning an out-of-use dairy farm in Cazenovia into a top destination. P. 30

MARILYN PINSKY: What the heck happened to good manners? P. 22

CELEBRATION It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Skaneateles P. 26

CORVETTES Enthusiasts share their love of Corvettes while helping others P. 20

Had a Stroke.

Back on Stage.

Musician Todd Hobin KNOW THE SIGNS • CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY

Central New York music legend Todd Hobin knew nothing about stroke — but he does now. That’s why he’s raising awareness about stroke risk factors and its signs and symptoms.

F.

FACE DROOPING

A. S.

ARM WEAKNESS

SPEECH DIFFICULTY

Fact: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Important to know: Stroke can happen to both men and women — at any age.

Good news: Stroke is preventable by managing medical risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices.

What to do: Time lost is brain lost. So it’s vital to know the signs of a stroke — F.A.S.T. Four words to live by: Call 911 and say, “Take me to Crouse.“ When it comes to stroke, every moment matters. As one of just 10 hospitals in New York State tohave earned Comprehensive Stroke Center status, and with the region’s newest ER and hybrid ORs, Crouse offers the most advanced technology for rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment

Read Todd’s story and learn more: crouse.org/toddhobin.

T.

TIME TO CALL 911

Old Forge

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Each of our neighboring hamlets has a unique Adirondack personality of its own

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55 PLUS | contents

FINANCIAL, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF REMARRYING LATER IN LIFE

55

Leaf Peeping Close to Home

PLUS

Issue 95 – October/November 2021

For Active Adults in the Central New York Area

cny55.com

Meet Juanita & Matthew The couple behind Critz Farms discusses their journey turning an out-of-use dairy farm in Cazenovia into a top destination. P. 30

MARILYN PINSKY:

October-November 2021 Story ideas?

Information about advertising?

Email editor@cny55.com or call 315-342-1182.

To subscribe to 55 PLUS, please see coupon on page 41. It’s only $21 per year.

What the heck happened to good manners? P. 22

CELEBRATION It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Skaneateles P. 26

CORVETTES Enthusiasts share their love of Corvettes while helping others P. 20

12 SAVVY SENIOR 6 GARDENING 8 DINING OUT 10 AGING 22 GOLDEN YEARS 28 MY TURN 40

www.cny55.com

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55 PLUS VISITS: MAINE 48

LAST PAGE

Donna Snowberger, 81, of Clay talks about how she enjoyes her volunteer work at North Area Meals on Wheels 4

55 PLUS - October / November 2021

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12 55 PLUS COOKS

24 RETIREMENT

• Sandra J. “Sandy’’ Callahan shares a recipe of one of her favorite dishes: orecchiette with sausage and broccoli

• Retired teacher who made and sold custom furniture retiring again

14 FOOD

• It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Skaneateles

• Longtime executive chef at Oncenter now on the road with his own food truck

LIFE AFTER 55 44 16 HIKING DRUGER’S ZOO 46

55 PLUS

• Retired physician Eva Briggs embarks on two hiking trips after a total knee replacement. She shares her experience

18 RETIREMENT • Retirees talk about what they wish they had known before they retired

20 CORVETTE CLUB • Enthusiasts share their love of Corvettes while helping others

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26 CHRISTMAS 30 COVER • Meet Juanita and Matthew Critz: the couple behind Cazenovia’s Critz Farms

36 INVESTING • Real Estate: Is it a good investment?

38 COOKING • Donna Pascarella shares her passion for cooking in a variety of classes

42 FALL • Leaf peeping close to home

Do you use I-81?

We can create a thriving community grid AND build a landmark tall bridge that keeps us moving. Before there is a final decision about the I-81viaduct, NYSDOT is required to consider your opinion.

How to make your comment Phone Email Web Mail

The public comment period ends Thursday, October 14th.

855-481-8255 i81opportunities@dot.ny.gov www.dot.ny.gov/i81opportunities Mark Frechette, P.E. NYS DOT Region 3 333 East Washington St. Syracuse, NY 13202

make your voice heard.

It’s go time!

Contact DOT and tell them to to:build a better bridge.

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October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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savvy senior

By Jim Miller

What to Ponder Before Remarrying Later in Life

G

etting remarried later in life can actually bring about a host of financial and legal issues that are much more complicated than they are for younger couples just starting out. Here are some common problem areas you need to think about, and some tips that can help you solve them.

• Estate plan: Getting remarried can have a big effect on your estate plan.

Even if your will leaves everything to your kids, in most states spouses are automatically entitled to a share of your estate — usually one-third to onehalf. If you don’t want to leave a third or more of your assets to your new partner, get a prenuptial agreement where you both agree not to take anything from the other’s estate. If you do want to leave something to your spouse and ensure your heirs receive their inheritance, a trust is the best option.

• Medical and long-term care: As a married couple, you and your husband will be responsible for each other’s medical and long-term care bills. This is one of the main reasons many older couples choose to live together instead of marrying.

Staying unmarried lets you and your partner qualify individually for public benefits, such as Medicaid (which pays nursing home costs), without draining the other one’s resources.

But, if you remarry and can afford it, consider getting a long-term care insurance policy to protect your assets.

See AALTCI.org to help you find one.

• Home: If you’re planning on living in your house or vice versa, you also need to think about what will happen to the house when the owner dies. If, for example, you both decide to live in your home, but you want your kids to inherit the place after you die, 6

55 PLUS - October / November 2021

putting the house in both names is not an option. But you may also not want your heirs to evict your spouse once you die. One solution is for you to give your surviving spouse a life estate, which gives him or her the right to live in your property during his lifetime.

Then once the spouse dies, the house will pass to your heirs.

• Social Security: Getting remarried can also affect your Social Security benefits if you’re divorced, widowed or are receiving SSI. For instance, getting remarried makes you ineligible for divorced spouse’s benefits. And getting remarried before age 60 (50 if you’re disabled) will cause widows and widowers to lose their right to survivor’s benefits from their former spouse. For more information, see SSA.gov.

• Pension benefits: Be aware that if you’re receiving a survivor’s annuity from a public employees pension, getting remarried may cause you to lose it. In addition, widows and widowers of military personnel killed in the line of duty may lose their benefits if they remarry before age 57, and survivors of federal civil servants that receive a pension will forfeit it if they remarry before 55.

• Alimony: If you are receiving alimony from an ex-spouse, it will almost certainly end if you remarry and might even be cut off if you live together.

• College aid: If you have any children in college receiving financial aid, getting married and adding a new spouse’s income to the family could affect what he or she gets.

To get help with these issues, consider hiring an estate planner who can draw up a plan to protect both you and your partner’s interests.

55PLUS cny55.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Writers & Contributors Deborah J. Sergeant Steve Yablonski, Christopher Malone Mary Beth Roach Margaret McCormick Columnists Bruce Frassinelli Marilyn Pinsky, Harold Miller Jim Sollecito, Marvin Druger Sandra Scott, Advertising Amy Gagliano Cassandra Lawson Office Manager Nancy Nitz Layout & Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo Chuck Wainwright

55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc.at 185 E. Seneca St. PO Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126.

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No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher.

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-1182 Fax: 315-342-7776 Email: editor@cny55.com Editor@cnyhealth.com

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gardening

By Jim Sollecito

Don’t Feel Squeezed

Don’t clamp down on your landscape planting now.

I

ndeed, it is that time of year again.

S u m m e r i s o v e r. We a re wondering whether we enjoyed it. The weather went sideways a few times.

Abnormally dry heat waves alternated with record rainfall and flash floods. Kind of like leaving a restaurant wondering if the chicken died in vain. But, really, no matter.

Autumn is long and luxurious and great for getting things done.

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55 PLUS - October / November 2021

Sights and smells are fresh again after the long uncomfortably sticky summer days. And you can save by doing your landscape improvements now instead of waiting until spring.

Spring 2022 prices have already risen significantly and we aren’t even there yet. Besides, fall is an invigorating time. After touting a new introduction all season, I love pushing a sharp shovel into the ground to add that improved plant variety to my own

home. Now, it’s my turn.

Figuring out what to plant is almost as much fun as where to plant it. I like to contemplate a bit before I actually do it. I subscribe to the 6 P approach: Proper Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance. During the process I sometimes talk to myself and we both laugh.

One objective of landscape design is to draw attention to the front entry.

Maybe even paint the door a brighter, bolder color. Another good solution is to determine that time when a landscape appears less interesting.

Then add a newer plant with better features, delightfully filling the color gap. It is never a good technique to add artificially colored waste-wood masquerading as mulch. All this accomplishes is to draw attention to the ground instead of the house. Yikes.

You may not need a complete revamp. Small things can make a big impact. Notable achievements are often contingent on the subtle tweaks. Note how the extremely colorful Hardy Hibiscus in the photo complements the old carpenter clamps that I found in the garage.

The average lifespan of landscape plantings is approximately 16 years.

House paint is half that. Both can really influence how you feel from the minute you look out your window every morning and again later when you drive back into your own driveway.

We learned during the pandemic that even little things make us feel better. If your plants don’t make you giddy or inspired or hopeful or serene or comforted or some other positive emotion, then maybe it’s time for a change. My favorite time of year is right now, since conditions allow roots to grow right through winter, establishing plants well ahead of those you might plant in the spring.

So don’t let your gray matter go to sleep. Evoke an emotional response.

Find something to inspire you. Take it home and improve your own piece of the planet. Constant improvement beats delayed perfection every time.

Right now is the time to make good things happen.

Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 468-1142 or jim@sollecito.com.

Community Heroes

Social Security

Q&A Q: Is it true I must now receive my benefits through direct deposit?

A: Anyone applying for benefits on or after May 1, 2011, will be required to receive their payments electronically.

Paper checks will no longer be an option for most people. If you don’t have a bank account, you can get your benefits through the Direct Express debit MasterCard. Switching from checks to electronic payments is fast, easy, and free at www.godirect.org.

You also can call the U.S. Treasury Processing Center’s toll-free helpline at 1-800-333-1795, speak with a bank or credit union representative, or contact Social Security for help.

Q: I got an email that says it’s from Social Security, but I’m not so sure. They want me to reply with my Social Security number, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name for “verification.” Did it really come from Social Security?

A: No. Social Security will not send you an email asking you to share your personal information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth or other private information.

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468-1142 315-468-1142 October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

9

Hearty crab cakes at Kaisai sit on a bed of greens dressed in eel sauce and Ssamjang (spicy Korean paste) aioli.

Dining Out RESTAURANT GUIDE

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55 PLUS - October / November 2021

By Christopher Malone

Kasai’s diablo ramen was one of the hottest dishes I’ve enjoyed. And, for as spicy as it was, there was an equal amount of flavor packed in, too.

Octopus bombs are crispy coated balls of the cephalopod and spinach risotto. They are served with an eel and pineapple ghost sauce.

Kasai Kicks It Up a Notch Syracuse noodle house is a hot spot

K

asai Ramen, located at 218 Walton St. in Syracuse, is cozy in Armory Square. A few years ago, owner Kyle Mastropietro opened up the Japaneseinspired restaurant where the former Opus and Daniel Jacks once resided.

Although Walton is a notable, popular downtown street, Kasai is tucked into the quaint western end and shaded by trees.

Walking in the doors, Kasai doesn’t scream Japanese or ramen restaurant.

There isn’t an effort to create a facade, no gratuitous amount of cookie-cutter, faux Japanese décor — thankfully — especially since the owners are not of that culture. Mastropietro didn’t take incredible aesthetics for granted: the beautiful exposed brick, the two-floor layout, and that spiral staircase.

If unfamiliar with ramen or Japanese cuisine, there’s something for everyone. Fear not the octopus or eel, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Kasai isn’t afraid of hot peppers either. Hottest to the mildest — reaper, scorpion, ghost, habanero and chili are ingredients scattered throughout the menu.

With that said, I ordered the spiciest options on the menu. Let it be known — and others can attest — my version of what’s hot or spicy is different than a typical person.

However, I do recognize when too much heat can ruin food.

I started with crab cakes ($9). Two (the description says “large” but I’d

say “medium”) hearty crab cakes sat on a bed of greens and came dressed in eel sauce and Ssamjang (spicy Korean paste) aioli. As packed as the cakes were, they were very light. This is a perfect starter for two people — maybe three or four depending on if you like to share. There was slight heat from the aioli but just enough.

Octopus bombs are crispy-coated balls of the cephalopod and spinach risotto ($8). My wife attested — she enjoyed these in Japan on holiday years ago. If you didn’t know these contained octopus, you wouldn’t have picked up on it — minus the few chewy bits. The four golf ball-sized bombs are served with an eel and pineapple ghost sauce. Without the sauce, these perfectly crispy seafood risotto balls are really delicious. The sauce adds a well-balanced sweet heat. Although the ghost does make

Kasai 218 Walton St., Syracuse, NY 13202 (315) 310-8500 | kasairamen.com facebook.com/KasaiArmory instagram.com/ kasai_armory/ Sun.–Mon.: Closed Tues.–Sat.: 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Fri.: 11:30 a.m.–midnight Sat.: 4 p.m.–midnight

an appearance, it’s not a jump-scare or overwhelming.

Each of Kasai’s steam buns are $4 each, but the barbecue brisket bun caught my attention. I can’t say no to crispy burnt ends, melt-in-your-mouth fat, nor the reaper sweet barbecue sauce and yuzu slaw (with spicy Japanese chili pepper sauce). Again, there’s a great balance of sweetness and heat. The reaper, the hottest pepper on the menu, wasn’t strong enough to claim a life. The soft, white, moist bun is probably to thank for lessening the peppery blow.

These steam buns are also small, like half the size of a standard taco.

Some may think this is pricy; however, the flavor-packed savory flavor is worth it.

Going down the menu, cue the short rib goyza ($12). These pan-fried dumplings were packed with short rib, which may have been an issue.

But the dumplings were also very thin and were falling apart before my chopsticks touched them. They fell apart when I picked them up and short rib spilled out into a pile or in the bowl of soy sauce. Still, the flavor was really good. The short rib was tender and far from dry.

Finally — to the ramen. Although I was torn between the smokehouse and diablo bowls, I opted for the latter. Its description reads: “Habenero honey shredded chicken, six-minute egg, kimchi, enoki mushroom and scallions over ghost, scorpion and reaper pepper-infused noodles, in a Satan’s Blood chile miso shiro broth.”

In capital letters: “Warning!!! This bowl brings the heat!”

You’re probably wondering how I ate this. My wife did. I even questioned it. Through the beads of sweat running down my face and into my eyes, I ate it slowly and over two meals. I can honestly admit, this was one of the hottest dishes I’ve enjoyed. And, for as spicy as Kasai’s diablo bowl was, there was an equal amount of flavor.

To end the meal and calm my burning mouth—matcha custard ($6).

The light, creamy custard with caramel on top was the perfect dessert.

After adding in a couple beers, the total with tip was under $95. It’s surprisingly affordable for the amount of food I enjoyed. Plus, it wasn’t overly filling.

Kudos to Kasai, I enjoyed your unofficial spicy challenge and survived.

October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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By Margaret McCormick

Sandy Callahan, Cicero Sandra J. “Sandy’’ Callahan has been cooking since childhood. The springboard was an Easy-Bake Oven she received for Christmas one year. It was her favorite toy, and she happily accepted payment of a quarter to make miniature peanut butter cookies for her brothers.

Since that time, she has learned how to make favorite family recipes, like lentil soup and sauce and meatballs (her mother’s sauce won an award at the New York State Fair one year) and immersed herself in the art of Italian cookies. Her father came from a big Italian family, she says, and she wanted to re-create the cookies made by her aunts from when she was young. She has a fat recipe file and can always be counted on to make cookie trays for family weddings and an impressive array of cookies at Christmastime — a “labor of love’’ that she shares with friends and family all over the country.

“I make the tri-colored Venetian cookies — or as my family calls them ‘flags’ — and my granddaughter just loves Grammy’s rainbow cookies,’’ Callahan says. “I make the chocolate ‘meatball’ cookies with raisins and spice, the sesame seed cookies that are so good with a cup of coffee and about 10 other varieties. My cookies are probably my claim to fame.’’

Callahan, 60, lives in Cicero with her partner, Bill Hirsh. She serves as the deputy clerk and treasurer for the village of Liverpool and cooks and bakes in her leisure time.

Weeknights are for simple suppers, like pasta dishes, chicken or something in the Instant Pot, and weekends are for experimentation, more timeconsuming recipes and family meals.

“I have always enjoyed cooking for others and am always on the lookout for a great cookbook,’’ Callahan says.

“If you can read, you can cook.’’

Above Sandra J. “Sandy’’ Callahan, 60 and her partner, Bill Hirsh, at their Cicero home.

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How would you describe your cooking style? “Simple but tasty. I enjoy going all out for holidays and celebrations and spending time in the kitchen, but for dinner after working all day, I prefer something relatively quick. I did cave in and get an Instant Pot (a

combined slow cooker and pressure cooker) during the pandemic. Being half Italian, I do make a lot of Italian food. I don’t use recipes for a lot of my cooking, they are things I’ve made over and over so I just cook and taste along the way. If a recipe sounds good, I’ll give it a try.’’

What’s your favorite thing to cook on a weeknight? “I have an arsenal of chicken recipes. I make an Asian red curry chicken that’s quick and delicious. Pasta is always a good standby. We love pasta with sausage and broccoli (recipe below). It comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. With a nice crusty piece of bread and a glass of wine, this is the perfect ending to a workday.’’

What do you like to cook when family/ friends come over? “I like to make a nice charcuterie board to have while I am preparing things. (I’ve been doing this since before it became trendy.) Lasagna is delicious and feeds a crowd. I also like to make a beef tenderloin. It is quick and easy and always a crowd pleaser, especially with a nice side of roasted potatoes or gratin potatoes.’’

What have you been cooking during the pandemic? “I made different types of homemade bread several times, I made Chinese dumplings for the first time and a lot of good, hearty soups.

I bought a baking steel — like a pizza stone only made of steel — and have been trying to perfect homemade pizza. The steel really retains the heat and makes an almost wood-fired crust in your oven in a matter of minutes.”

What’s your favorite recipe resource? “I have a library of cookbooks. I read them cover to cover, like a novel when I first get a new one. I am a fan of Pinterest. I used to get all the cooking magazines but now I just get everything online. I also love watching cooking shows, especially the ones on PBS.’’ What’s your favorite place to shop? “I love Nichols in Liverpool for meat, Vince’s Gourmet Imports for all things Italian and of course the farmers’ markets in the summer. For regular groceries, I like Wegmans and I’m a huge fan of Aldi. Trader Joe’s is great for cheese and all the other things you didn’t know you needed.’’

Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Recipe from Sandra J. Callahan

Ingredients 1 pound orecchiette pasta (or cavatelli) 1 pound broccoli florets (can use frozen; thaw first) 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound Italian sausage (hot or mild), casing removed 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese Instructions For the pork tenderloin: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette per package directions. When the pasta has about five minutes cooking time left, drop in the broccoli.

Put a large sauté pan over medium heat and heat the oil. Add the sausage to the pan and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

Cook until the sausage has nicely browned, about seven to nine minutes.

Reduce the heat and add the garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) and sauté for a minute or two.

Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.

Drain the pasta and broccoli and add it to the pan with the sausage. Stir to combine everything and heat for one to two minutes. Turn off the heat, add the grated cheese and stir to combine everything. If it looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to get the consistency you like.

The cheese will melt in and create a sauce. Serve pasta in bowls with more grated cheese to sprinkle on top.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Nominate a 55+ home cook for this feature! Email details, including contact information, to Margaret McCormick at mmccormickcny@gmail.com.

October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ food

Gerald “Jerry” Bolton and his wife Susan Pompo Bolton own and manage The Food Rescue Food Truck, which debuted in July 2020.

Going Solo Longtime executive chef at Oncenter and his wife now on the road with their own food truck

By Margaret McCormick

T

he first year Gerald “Jerry” Bolton hit the road with the Food Rescue Food Truck, it was his “side hustle.’’ For most of this season, serving meals to customers out of the bright red former fire vehicle has been Bolton’s full-time job.

In July, Bolton, 55, resigned his position as executive chef at the Oncenter, one of the biggest event venues in Central New York. For 24 years, he managed a kitchen staff of about 15, juggled events at the

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55 PLUS - October / November 2021

Convention Center, War Memorial sports arena and Civic Center theaters, created custom menus for brides and grooms and saw to it that hundreds of salads, entrees and desserts were ready to hit banquet room tables at the same time.

He loved his job and his coworkers and was a steady, unflappable presence in the Oncenter kitchen until COVID-19 hit in March 2020 and the complex went dark.

The shutdown caused him to re-

examine his priorities and gave him a taste of what life would look like if he put the food truck on the front burner.

“I love it,’’ Bolton says of the truck, which he operates with his wife, Susan Pompo Bolton. “I enjoy working with Susan. We have fun. We’re a team.

She’s been putting up with me for a long time.

“The food truck is working for us,’’ he adds. ‘’I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked, but this is a lot less stress.

For years, I’ve dealt with everyone else’s problems. With the truck, my problems are my problems.’’

The Boltons have been married 34 years and have two adult children.

In 2019, they (and a former business partner) purchased a retired 1988 Grumman fire rescue vehicle and hired a steelworker and metal fabricator to prepare it for a new life.

The truck’s interior was gutted to make room for a four-burner stove, flat-top grill/griddle, deep fryer, charbroiler (commercial grill), salad unit and workstation with a large cutting board. A two-and-a-half-foot aisle separates the work areas in the 16-foot space, which helps it feel less cramped.

“It’s a restaurant on wheels,’’ Bolton says proudly. “It has everything a kitchen has and we’re the worker bees.’’

One thing the food truck doesn’t have is air conditioning. “It gets really hot in there, make no mistake,’’ Bolton says. “I think I lost 15 pounds the first season.’’

The Food Rescue Food Truck debuted at a private event in July 2020 and started popping up around Central New York. This year, the Boltons joined the Syracuse Food Truck Association, a trade and advocacy organization for people in the mobile food business, and hit the ground running. They’re regulars at food truck “roundups” and breweries like Middle Ages Brewing Company in Syracuse, Local 315 Brewing in Warners and Skaneateles Brewery. They’ve also been booked for neighborhood gatherings, weddings and other private parties and corporate events. They collaborate with local fire and police departments on special events and donate a percentage of proceeds to first responders.

HOW TO CONTACT: For more information on the Food Rescue Food Truck, call 315-516-6770.

Bolton grew up in the Camillus area and graduated from West Genesee High School in 1984. His parents divorced when he was 15, and he got a job as a dishwasher at The Inn Between in Camillus to help support his mother and siblings. He went to work straight from school most days, he recalls. He quickly was elevated to vegetable prep and helped plant and tend the vegetables in the inn’s vegetable garden. It was his introduction to farmto-table dining.

He spent eight years at The Inn Between before moving on to another classic American restaurant, Morgan’s of Syracuse. There, he was one of three chefs. On his day off, he worked as a cook at a newly opened convention and banquet facility in downtown Syracuse, the Oncenter. He served as sous chef there for several years and was promoted to executive chef in 1997.

Susan Bolton, 54, learned to cook by watching her mother and says she has picked up skills from her husband, as well. She did most of the cooking at home when their children were growing up and worked with her brother for a few years at the (now closed) Second North Deli in Syracuse, making soups, sandwiches and pasta dishes. It was good training for the food truck, she says.

Operating a food truck isn’t as simple as filling the vehicle with food and gas and heading out. The Boltons do their prep work at Diamond Catering in Taunton and have also been assisting owners Dan and Teresa Seeley with special events. For food truck bookings, they keep an eye on the weather forecast and try to gauge what the audience might like. Their always-changing chalkboard menu features five to six items per event.

Jerry Bolton describes the menu as upscale American comfort food with

Sample of the food served by The Food Rescue Food Truck. Jerry Bolton describes the menu as upscale American comfort food with some Italian American influences

some Italian American influences. If it’s going to be hot, they might add a wrap or two. If it’s going to be rainy or chilly, they’ll add something hearty, like soup, chili, meatballs or chicken riggies.

There’s almost always a burger or smashburger on the menu, a variation of poutine (like “Piggy Poutine,’’ French fries topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, cheese curds and creme fraiche) and a quesadilla (sometimes with pulled pork or slowcooked shredded brisket). Hard to resist are fried potato chips with chef’s special seasoning, served with caramelized onion dip. The Boltons collaborate on the menu and divvy up the food prep, and Susan often adds a dessert. Sometimes, it’s jumbo chocolate chip cookies. Other times it’s something more elaborate, like banana bread pudding with bourbon caramel sauce. Susan also handles marketing

for the food truck, utilizing social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Retired chef Randall “Randy” Colman, who worked with Bolton at his family’s restaurant, The Inn Between, when Bolton was starting out, has visited the Food Rescue Food Truck several times and enjoyed specials including a shrimp po’boy, clam chowder and pulled pork sandwich. “He’s got a really nice concept for his food truck,’’ Colman says. “His wife is quite a culinarian, too. … “Everything I’ve had from there has been delicious.’’

Eventually, the Boltons would like to add a second food truck to serve simple fare like homemade soups and grilled sandwiches. For now, they plan to have the truck out and about into November, if the weather allows.

“Last year, it was snowing at one of our events,’’ Bolton says.

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55+ hiking

Yes, You Can Backpack with a New Knee Eva Briggs, a retired physician from Marcellus, embarks in two hiking trips after a total knee replacement. She shares her experience

By Eva Briggs, M.D.

I

n July 2020, I had a total knee replacement. When I asked my doctor whether I could backpack with my new knee, he said that I couldn’t carry a 50-pound pack. But I never could carry a 50-pound pack, even when I was young and athletic!

As the following tale reveals, hiking and backpacking are possible.

A friend suggested my first extended post-surgery hike. She wanted to tackle the Pinhoti trail, 350 miles from Alabama through Georgia.

The northern terminus reaches the Benton McKaye trail which, if followed, leads 70 miles to the southern end of

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the Appalachian Trail. The folks at the Pinhoti Outdoor center recommended March as the perfect time for the Pinhoti. That sounds crazy if you are in New York state where March is a time of ice and snow. But it turns out it is a perfect time to be in Alabama and Georgia. Spring weather, few bugs, blooming wildflowers and venomous snakes still hibernating.

So, we set out on March 5 to hike northward from Flagg Mountain. My friend figured out how to accomplish the entire 350-mile hike as a series of day hikes between strategically placed cars. That meant a lot of driving, but

we never had to carry more than day packs. With two cars, we could leave ourselves water stashes at road crossings during the few dry stretches.

The trail was mostly pleasant with only a few steep or rocky sections.

Our weather was stellar. We had only three days of heavy rain. One of those days had severe thunderstorms and a tornado threat, but we had reached the Hearn Inn in Cave Springs Georgia just as the tornado sirens went off. The cave for which the town is named is a tourist attraction. It was closed due to COVID-19, but the town opened it as a tornado shelter. We had tons of

rain and some local flooding, but no tornado and we were safe inside.

Another memorable rainy day saw us hike six miles only to reach a creek crossing impassable due to high rapid water. There was no way around. We had to hike back those six miles in the pouring rain. We skipped ahead the next day by car and continued our hike.

The hardest part of that adventure was the crazy forest service roads that we had to drive to stage our cars. I hope to never see Forest Service Road 500 in the Talledega National Forest again. We managed to finish more

quickly than anticipated, reaching Dyer Gap on April 9.

That hike was a prelude to my next hike, solo except for my little dog, Reilly, on the Appalachian Trail in Maine in June.

I had previously hiked a small section from Monson, Maine, south to the Kennebec Ferry. I decided to do a warm-up hike from the Kennebec ferry south to Stratton, Maine. Then, after a few days’ rest, it would be off Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness.

That warm-up was no joke. The temperature was in the 90F, hot and humid. Dry conditions meant carrying

Above View from Bigelow Mountain in Maine; Inset Tent used by the author during her trip.

Opposite page, Left Retired physician Eva Briggs and her dog Reilly pause along the 100 Mile Wilderness region in Maine, in June; Middle Image of the West Branch Pleasant River in Maine; Right Typical sign at Rainbow Ledges in the 100 Mile Wilderness, Maine.

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a lot of water because to Abol Bridge where the seasonal streams I picked up my car. were dry. The ferry I fetched Reilly is a short canoe ride from the kennel. across the river.

We then spent a day It was Reilly’s visiting old friends first canoe ride, and in Bangor, Maine, she was fine with b e f o re re t u r n i n g it. The first 20 miles home. involved a lot of I w a s n ’ t climbing over and quite done yet under fallen trees with summer and logs. More of backpacking. I a nuisance than headed to the difficult. But the next Cranberry Lake 50, a 15 miles, over the 50-mile hike around Bigelow Mountains, Cranberry Lake in were brutal. It is the Adirondacks. I probably the slowest wanted to backpack that I have ever someplace where I backpacked. Reilly Eva Briggs’ dog Reilly stands at Crescent Pond in Maine, about two miles north could actually walk was not a fan. She of Nesuntabunt Mountain. rather than scramble refused to walk over boulders, rocks further unless I carried her pack. And The remaining 65 miles of the and roots. I started a clockwise loop I had to lift her up and down boulder HMW were a bit easier. Less challenging from Wanakena, New York on July 21, after boulder. terrain and the weather cooled down one year plus one day after my knee Fortunately, I had three days of into the 80s. One advantage of the replacement. The weather was perfect, rest before heading north to the 100 hot dry weather was the paucity of with four dry days in a row. The highs Mile Wilderness. (HMW). There are no biting insects. I used to live in Maine were in the 70s, the lows in the 50s. paved roads, towns or services for 100 and typically the insects are relentless Despite the July rain, the dry June miles. We spent our rest days in a tiny, in June. We arrived at Abol Bridge meant very few insects. No black flies. rented cabin that had air conditioning. campground ahead of schedule, in No deer flies. Just a few mosquitoes That’s a rarity in Maine, but it made the the morning of the 10th day. The first easily repelled with DEET. Although heat bearable. order of business was to take a shower. I budgeted five days, I was able to We drove to the north end of the Ten days in brutal heat while hiking complete the loop in just three and HMW where we met shuttle driver, all day meant I was overdue for some a half days. Reilly loved the weather Lloyd Kelly. He drove us to Shaw’s cleansing. and terrain. For me the highlight was Hiker Hostel in Monson, Maine. He Since the next portion of my hike sitting on the shore of Olmstead Pond, told me to call if I ran into trouble was in Baxter State Park, which does watching and listening to a family because he knew 17 places to bail out. not allow dogs, I drove Reilly to a pre- of loons. The last day traversed the But how do you call when there is no arranged stay at the Katahdin Kritters muddiest terrain, where the trail goes cell service? I carry a device called a pet spa in Millinocket, Maine. She had atop a series of beaver dams. The Garmin InReach. It uses the satellite never been in a boarding kennel before water was high leaving only a narrow system to for two-way texting or to but was happy to have air conditioning strip for walking. Easy for a 14-pound trigger an SOS (like calling 911) for true and a soft couch to sleep on. dog. I spent a lot of time ankle-deep in emergencies. It’s slower than texting The next day I hiked to The muck. Once I even sank one leg in up to with a phone, but it is a great safety net. Birches, a lean-to 10 miles north at the mid-thigh. The wildflowers along the At Shaw’s, I arranged two food base of Mount Katahdin. The two other beaver ponds were beautiful. drops in the HMW. I planned to hike hikers stayed in their tents, so I had So, can I backpack with my new 10 miles a day, as no way could I the entire six-person lean-to to myself. knee? Yes. My knee never hurt. carry 10 days of food. The next day We received much-needed rain all I set out. It turns out that the first 35 night and it finally cooled off the next miles are tough, almost but not quite day for my attempt to summit Mount Eva Briggs is a as bad as the Bigelows. A lot of steep Katahdin. I climbed for about two and retired medical rocky segments and one memorable a half of Katahdin’s five miles. Then I doctor who rockslide. The rockslide was perhaps reached the boulder fields and decided practiced in 200 feet long but scary. And it was still that I really did not want to risk that Central New in the 90s. solo. True, the odds are that I could do York for several The night before our first food it. But I decided I would enjoy a stroll decades. She lives drop, I saw the obligatory moose back down more than a frightening in Marcellus. at East Chairback Pond. Reilly was brutal scramble to the top followed by exhausted and slept through the moose an equally tricky descent. visit.

Lloyd Kelly then shuttled me back 18

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Carlton and Shirley West sit in the living room of their home.

Robert Sarason and Jane Burkhead with their dogs, Omar and Snoop, at their home.

With deep family ties to the Community Foundation, Robert and I opened a donor-advised fund to continue our family’s traditions of giving and supporting the Central New York community.

GIVING BACK FOR CHANGE:

We make grants through our fund to numerous causes within our community about which we are passionate.

These causes include healthcare for women, arts, social justice and Jewish organizations.

ROBERT SARASON & JANE BURKHEAD

We also named the Community Foundation’s Community Fund as a beneficiary of our estate to support the greatest needs of the community after we are gone. We see the Community Foundation as an engine for transformative and societal change, ensuring our support will help future generations thrive.

Read more of Jane & Robert’s story at cnycf.org/SarasonBurkhead

315.422.9538 | C N YC F. O R G

55+ corvette club Syracuse Corvette Club: A Club with a Cause Enthusiasts share their love of Corvettes while helping others

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

estvale resident James Ennis has had decadeslong love affair with the Chevrolet Corvette. Now a retiree, he has admired the car since he was a teen.

“I used to work at Jack Salisbury’s Auto Service, a gas station-garage in Westvale while I was in high school, and fell in love with Corvettes in the 1960s,” he said. “They’ve always been something I’ve admired.”

Though the garage has closed, his enthusiasm for the Corvette has not waned. He finally bought his first Corvette in 2004 and became president of the Syracuse Corvette Club a year later. The club began as a shared love of the Corvette among a few friends at a picnic in 1968. That gathering has grown into the Syracuse Corvette Club, an organization that provides financial support to a bevy of local charitable organizations, as well as a platform for camaraderie.

The group incorporated July 2, 1973, as the Syracuse Corvette Club.

They still gather monthly at a variety of area restaurants for club meetings, host members-only events, trips and cruises and showcase their cars at open events.

These total about 70 events annually.

In addition to bonding over their favorite car, Ennis also likes the civic mindedness of the club. While the quarantine ensued, the club organized drive-by events for children’s birthdays since they could not host a party. Ennis said that watching 20 to 30 Corvettes rumble past in a row thrilled the children.

The group’s fundraiser, Vettes on the Beach, has raised a minimum of $1,000 each for nearly 200 charities during the event’s 28 years.

When Ennis joined the club, fewer than 200 were members. Those 20

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Jim Ennis is the president of the Syracuse Corvette Club.

Next to him is Sandra Winkworth, an officer at the club and his girlfriend. Ennis has owned a Corvette since 2004.

2013 Corvette Grand Sport owned by Jim Ennis.

numbers have swelled to 410. Most hail from central New York, but some members live as far as Kingston, Ontario and the Bronx.

“We meet people along the way who like who we are and what we do,” Ennis said.

The group has no age limit, but more are middle-aged than any other age group.

Ennis said that an 82-year-old who is legally blind joined the group, even though he cannot drive. He has a C4 Corvette that his driver uses to bring him to events. Ennis said that Corvettes have eight “generations” signifying the era in which they were built.

The first generation, C1 was from 1953 to 1962, followed by C2 (19631967), C3 (1968-1982); C4 (1984-1996); C5 (1997-2004); C6 2005-2015; C7 (20142019); and C8 (2020+).

He believes that the club draws people who not only enjoy Corvettes, but also traveling, cruising and socializing. “‘If you’re not having fun, it’s not our fault’ is our motto,” Ennis said.

While some auto clubs are more oriented towards “gearheads,” Ennis said that Syracuse Corvette Club is for general enthusiasts.

“Some take our cars out on the track—I’ve been on Bristol motor speedway and Watkins Glen—and some don’t like the tracks and like going for cruises,” he said. “It’s a wide-ranging list of things our club is involved in. Members can pick and choose what they want to attend.”

Their recent 4th Annual Vettes for Pets attracted 40 members to raise funds for CNY SPCA. The event resulted in a $2,500 check to the organization. The club’s efforts caused

the CNY SPCA to dedicate a kennel to the club. Members pay a registration fee to attend the event. Vettes for Pets includes a 50/50 drawing and basket raffles. Sponsors contribute to the effort.

Ennis and his girlfriend Sandra Winkworth, who is also a club officer, attend numerous club events with his 2013 Grandsport Corvette in “night race blue metallic.” He has also owned a 2007 convertible Corvette. He has three grown children, one of who lives in the area and has joined the club.

Ennis worked as a firefighter with the Syracuse Fire Department after 37 years. He has a custom plate on his ‘Vette that states “REMBR343,” dedicated to the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Winkworth works for the fire department in the fire chief’s office as an administrative assistant.

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aging

By Marilyn L. Pinsky

What the Heck Happened to Manners?

I beg your pardon, are manners a thing of the past?

I

realize I am outing myself as an old fogey by even bringing up this issue. There are some things I am getting more flexible about, but what is going on today in regard to manners?

For instance, I’m sure we all must have said a million times to our children during their growing years, “cover your mouth when you yawn,” but now I know I was right — nobody listened to a thing I said.

Everywhere I go I’m seeing the back of more throats than anyone except a doctor looking for strep. Let alone other body parts that only the person who diapered them used to see, is now being seen in public.

How did this happen?

Did somebody suddenly declare some things are no longer important?

Like holding doors open? If the person is at least older than 50, they will usually hold the door or even let me walk ahead of them. But if they’re younger, I’ve learned not to assume it will be held only to find myself walking into a door that will slam in my face if I’m not quick enough to stop it.

What are the latest rules about elbows on the table? As I’ve gotten older even I have changed my mind about that, as after one martini I really need that table to be there.

What about pulling out chairs? I think we have gotten so used to not having the chair pulled out, that it is dangerous when it is. I’ve heard of two women who didn’t realize the chair was being pulled out for them, sat down, fell hard on the floor and really hurt their backs.

I’ve also changed my mind about the younger generation calling me by my first name. I remember being unhappy when I took my 90-year-old mother to the doctor, and the young 22

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receptionist called out, “Mae, come up to the desk.” Now I realize it is a privacy thing not using your last name, so I’m OK with it. It is even starting to sound funny when I’m called Mrs. All that not withstanding, since when did RSVP become optional and you just turned up or not? I figured those were people who had never given an event and had to worry about how many reservations to guarantee or meals to prepare or people to invite. But still, they’re off my list.

This one is definitely not limited to any generation, as many older people are guilty of this—cell phone conversations in a public space that go on forever. They pollute the atmosphere for everyone around them.

If you’re stuck someplace, such as in an airline terminal, you have no choice but to sit there and listen to someone’s boring conversation. At least if they were confessing to something awful it would be interesting, but it never is.

Then there’s the Generation Z thing about “being authentic.” I think

it’s just an excuse to be nasty and hurt someone else’s feelings. Little white lies serve a purpose; they keep feelings from being hurt.

On the other hand, my children have told me there are rules about things that I don’t know, and didn’t even know I didn’t know, about. For instance, responding to a text message by writing “k” vs. “OK” vs. “kk” or putting a period after any one of those responses. Writing the wrong letter, with or without a period, can be offensive to the receiver and cause hurt feelings. Who knew?

And exclamation points. I love using exclamation points when I’m excited about something. I’m told that is a no-no now. (I loved writing that!!!!)

How are we even supposed to know about those things? And there are thousands of them to know. I still read Miss Manners in the newspaper and haven’t seen anything about Ks. Even yawning hasn’t come up. So is it a wash then? My ignorance of their manners vs. theirs of mine?

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55+ retirement

Second Retirement He retired once, in 1994, as music teacher from Liverpool school district; this October, at 86, B. Bradley Bowers is retiring from his second career of nearly 50 years: custom furniture making and vending at the Syracuse Regional Market

By Aaron Gifford

B

Bradley Bowers prefers not to blow his own horn — unless it’s a tuba.

The retired music teacher who played a key role in Syracuse’s Habitat for Humanity, an organization that he became involved with by happenstance, will quietly retire in October from his second career of nearly 50 years as a custom furniture maker and vendor at the Syracuse Regional Market.

The brass player came to Syracuse on a scholarship and realized his dream of conducting live performances, never imaging he’d embark upon so many experiences outside the performance

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halls along the way.

“My father never said the same thing that all parents said to their kids — ‘I just want you to be happy,’” Bowers said during a recent interview on the day after his 86th birthday.

“Instead, he said: ‘Be of service to others.’ He was not a big talker, just a doer. I’ve tried to follow that.”

Bowers, the son of Benjamin and Janice Bowers, grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Benjamin was an electrical engineer at General Electric. Janice was a professional vocalist [alto] who sang in a Christian church and a Jewish temple. During the summer months, after Bowers started high school, he took after his father and volunteered

as an usher for the Boston Symphony performances at the Tanglewood, venue in Lenox, Massachusetts.

He had the honors of seating former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, composer Aaron Copeland, and worldrenowned violinist Fritz Krisler.

Bowers took piano lessons from age 5 until he was in seventh grade.

He enjoyed it as a youngster, but as an adolescent, he got tired of practicing the instrument so often. In ninth grade, on the dare of a classmate, Bowers showed up for a sousaphone lesson to give that instrument a try.

“I picked it up quickly because I loved it,” he recalled. “Then I started dreaming of being a band director.”

Three years later, while watching

Syracuse University lose to Alabama in the Orange Bowl, Bowers set his sights on getting a spot in SU marching band, which he says stole the show in an otherwise boring football game. He did well enough at his 1953 audition to receive a scholarship, which he combined with the ROTC program.

That also meant that Bowers got to play in two campus bands.

“Back then we played at the [Syracuse] War Memorial,” Bowers said. “Maybe 500 people would show up to the basketball games because they weren’t very good. You can’t say that anymore.”

Bowers graduated magma cum laude with a degree in music education.

He taught instrumental music for just shy of one year at a junior high school in the Albany area before he reported or his post ROTC two-year military commitment as the transportation officer at Fort Totten in Queens. That’s where he learned to make furniture.

“We went from a $75 per month apartment in Pittsfield [Massachusetts] that was fully furnished to a threeroom apartment in Queens that was $200 plus utilities, with nothing in it.

We could either afford rent, or buy furniture.”

Out of necessity, Bowers decided to make his own. The wood shop at Fort Totten had the tools and materials that he needed. But there were no instructors, manuals or books — Bowers was completely self- taught.

The furniture making was put on hold for a while when Bowers and his wife, Judith, moved back to Central New York, where Bowers accepted a position with the Liverpool school district. As their family grew — their four children are now grown — more money was needed. During the summer breaks between school years, Bowers gave private music lessons, worked at an oil foundry, and took on jobs as a summer camp supervisor.

In 1972, Judith suggested giving up those seasonal jobs and try selling hand-crafted furniture at the Syracuse Regional Market instead.

Just as quickly as Bowers learned to read music, he figured out how to craft custom book cases, hutches, tables and benches from the drawings that customers provided him.

In his five decades working from May through December at the Regional Market, Bowers, calling himself “the world’s worst salesman,”

never advertised, and completely relied on word of mouth. He always preferred pine because it’s affordable yet durable.

“When I was growing up, I made one end table to pass the Boy Scouts woodworking badge, and that was under my father’s supervision,” he said. “When I was raising four kids, I had to learn quickly by trial and error because the money was very important. But now, I really enjoy being myself and working in the shop.”

The vast majority of Bowers’ work has been custom orders, but he always brought five or six simple pieces with him to his booth so potential customers could get a sense of his style. Most Saturdays, Bowers sold those pieces for half price. His most unusual creation: A cat house.

“The customer wanted it to be big enough for the cats to mate,” he recalled. “They had kittens, so I guess she was happy with my work.”

After elevating the instrumental music program in Liverpool, Bowers later accepted a job at Roosevelt Junior High School on Syracuse’s south side. Early on the experience was challenging, but rewarding.

Many of the students lived in crowded apartment buildings with thin walls and on weeknights could only practice the fingering on their instruments because the music would be too disruptive to neighbors.

“I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my teaching career there,” said Bowers, who retired in 1994. “I got more respect probably than I deserved from my students. We had some good times together and made some good music together.”

Between teaching and the weekend furniture gig, Bowers had little time to practice his own instruments or perform music. He picked that back up after his retirement, joining the Onondaga Civic Symphony and the LaFayette Community band, playing with those groups regularly until COVID-19 sidelined them in 2020.

He also belted out tuba solos at the Regional Market to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

As for building houses, that was another unusual opportunity that came Bowers’ way. In the early 1980s, John Knight of the Onondaga County Presbyterian Church talked him into joining the Habitat for Humanity

chapter he was starting, presuming that if Bowers could build furniture, he could build houses. This time, Bowers was not completely self-taught. He read up on residential construction and consulted with as many builders as possible. Bowers, Knight and the rest of the volunteers built the chapter’s first house, on Midland Avenue, in 1988. The first family they helped was Cambodian immigrants. Dozens of houses would follow.

Bowers gradually scaled back his volunteer hours with the organization as he got older. He no longer gets up on the ladders or manages matters at the board meetings, but he still donates to the cause.

He loves classical music and the color brown. His favorite pop song of all time is Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” He despises computers, tablets and cell phones. He’s hiked in some interesting places — New Zealand, Grand Canyon and Letchworth State Park. During the winter months, he prefers to stay local and cross-country ski in various locations in Central New York or the Tug Hill.

“I was on some skis every chance I got, but never in any hurry,” he said.

“I’m a stop and smell the roses type of skier.”

Bowers will have even more time to ski this coming winter after he exits the Regional Market for good. But he’s not ready to put his tools away just yet: There are plenty of home improvement projects waiting for him. Come spring and summer, he and Judith will dust off their hiking boots and take down their canoe. Boredom is not on the horizon for Bowers.

“You know me,” he said. “I’ll find something to do.”

HERPES BUT HONEST Professional Male Seeks

Professional non-smoking woman 50-62. Must be understanding or have gone thru the same unfortunate experience.

Reply to: thisplace77@ gmail.com October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ christmas No Bah Humbug Here!

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Skaneateles

By Mary Beth Roach

T

here’s no “Bah Humbug!” here.

Jim Greene, producing director of “A Dickens Christmas,” a holiday improv show held in the village of Skaneateles, finds it to be a festive atmosphere and he sees a real bond between his cast and the audiences.

“There’s a real connection there.

That’s kinda the magic of the whole thing. Simply, people looking you in the eye and saying ‘Happy Christmas.

How are you doing?’ It’s a warm, friendly time,” he said.

He qualified that statement, joking that while the mood might be warm, the temperature often isn’t. Since the show is outside and runs on weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it can get really cold.

To combat the more chilly days, Greene, also known during this time as Charles Dickens, and his cast dress in layers underneath their costumes.

After all, the show must go on.

The performances have become a holiday tradition and can draw as many as 5,000 visitors to the area each weekend, according to the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce.

H i s c o m p a n y, S c a r t l e t t R a t Entertainment, has been producing this classic in the village since 2001; even during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the cast and crew were able to do a virtual version, filming in the village before the stores opened and very few people were around.

For those not familiar with 26

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The performance of “A Dickens Christmas,” has become a holiday tradition in Skaneateles and can draw as many as 5,000 visitors to the area each weekend, according to the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce. Jim Greene plays the role of Charles Dickens.

Photo Credit: Jim Green

Greene’s production, it is not a retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic. Instead, it’s a creation of Greene’s imagination mixed in with pieces of history. The production is set in 1842, a year before the iconic author wrote “A Christmas Carol.” Dickens/Greene and Queen Victoria are touring Skaneateles and the townspeople are planning a big festival to mark the occasion.

According to history, Dickens made a visit to the United States in 1842, albeit without the Queen and most likely not to Skaneateles itself. But it makes for a great premise that has entertained visitors to the town for decades.

There are anywhere between 50 to 70 actors in the cast who play some of the legendary characters in the book — Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, the ghost of Christmas past, Mr. Fezziwig, for example. And Greene sprinkles in characters from other Dickens’ stories, like Fagan and the Artful Dodger, from Oliver Twist.

Other cast members play townspeople from the era and in the past, Greene said, they’ve had President Fillmore, canal boat captains, and members of the McLaughlin family, a well-known Skaneateles family who had owned a woolen mill and a teasel factory. As Dickens, Greene meanders the village during the production, encountering various persons along the way, and from the snippets of conversation he has and overhears, he decides that it’ll make a great story.

At 2 p.m. each day of the show, Dickens/Greene gathers the audience around the gazebo in Clift Park, on the edge of Skaneateles Lake, for the midday revels, during which the group sings “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Whoever sings the song the best wins a silver teasel, which is an actual teasel painted silver by Greene and his wife, Tracey, the company’s costume director. He said that there have been some teasel recipients to return 10 years later, wearing their silver teasel.

Teasels were a big cash crop in the area that time and were used in carding wool, a process that separates and prepares wool for spinning.

To prepare for his Dickens’ characters and the rest of the cast, Greene spends a good part of November rereading “A Christmas Carol” and watching classic film versions of the story.

When not in Skaneateles in the

weeks leading up to Christmas, Greene can be seen at various Renaissance festivals in various locales, including the one in Sterling, as well as Pennsylvania and Florida, where he got his start in this craft about 40 years ago. It was a start that happened by accident, he said.

While house-sitting in St. Petersburg, Florida, a friend, who was working for a Renaissance festival there, was hosting a party for coworkers and she invited Greene to attend. She told him that the festival was looking for fishmongers, rat catchers and other characters.

“I thought ‘I can be a rat catcher.’

I don’t know why I thought that,” he recalled. But he went to the party, was invited to audition and got the gig.

He continues to play that character in the Sterling Festival, doing four shows a day on stage and then mingling with the faire’s visitors.

The rat catcher character has also figured into the name of his company.

In this role, he created a game he plays with guests; the prize is a crimson rat.

But since Scarlett is Tracey’s middle name and her maternal family name, it was suggested he use that instead of crimson.

While he’s been doing Renaissance festivals for four decades, the 65-yearold has apparently been entertaining for years prior.

“I’ve always been a ham,” he said.

“When I was in fourth grade, I was doing Jonathan Winters routines.”

Greene grew up in Florida and worked for Walt Disney World for more than 10 years, but he and Tracey, also a Floridian, and their family left Orlando, opting to live in a smaller town. Having worked at Sterling and with friends in the Trumansburg area, they were familiar with Upstate New York. So, they moved to the area in 1999, settling in Dryden. He had worked on “A Dickens Christmas” for two years before being invited to take it over as its producer in 2001.

And it would seem that Greene and his alter-ego Dickens have at least one thing in common — their love of a laugh. As Greene noted, “I’ve always tried to be funny and perform that way,” he said. “I’m big on laughing.”

Coincidently, Dickens wrote in “A Christmas Carol:” “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”

October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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golden years

By Harold Miller Email: hmiller@mcsmms.com

Gill Donaldson: Olympic Gold Medalist, Good Neighbor and Friend

G

illian Donaldson of Auburn was 11 years old when World War II started. The “Battle of Britain” lasted five bloody years thereafter.

She and her family had lasted through World War II. They knew their London home wasn’t safe when the bombs started falling. Her parents arranged for Gill — as she was known — and her sister to be evacuated to the country. It was difficult to find accommodations.

They finally ended up at a school in Gloustershire, not far from a naval base where the cadets were being taught swordsmanship by a displaced Czechoslovakian ex-foreign legion master of arms named Karel Pollak.

Thanks to a member of the school board, Pollak was persuaded to be an instructor at Gill’s school. He signed her up to take fencing lessons, as it was “good for the figure.”

Gill, who would go on to win the medal in fencing at the 1956 Summer Olympic games in Melbourne, Australia, came to America to a course at Eastman Dental Dispensary in Rochester.

There, she met Bob Donaldson.

They had four children: Bruce, Jane, David and John.

By this point, Gill had traveled extensively with her fencing career.

There was a great exhibition match in Toronto for the Canadian National Exhibition. She was asked to fence in a ‘man vs. woman’ bout against an Italian, Edoardo Mangiarotti. He was quite the showman. She always said Mangiarotti was so gracious and let her get a few hits in before “he landed the last hit, whipped off his mask and kissed her to great applause; a true showman.”

She went on to Queens College and then the University College of Dentistry in London.

Gill told me how her father

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Gillian Donaldson, a fencing champion, died July 5 after a last swim in her beloved Owasco Lake. She lived in Auburn.

thought of America as “the country of the future.” She studied for a year at the Eastman Dental Dispensary as there was affiliation with that school in London. Bob Donaldson followed her back to England and did a year of his studies; really enjoying it, but always knowing in his heart that he must return to America.

They were both heartbroken after

he returned to Rochester. Gill fenced again in competition, but her heart just was not in it anymore. After much reflection and agonizing, she telephoned the love of her life. Long story short, they were married four months later.

This lovely woman belied her age of 92 when she died last July 5 after a last swim in her beloved Owasco Lake.

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55+ cover

The Couple Behind Critz Farms Matthew and Juanita Critz have turned an out-of-use dairy farm in Cazenovia into a destination for guests to enjoy its various attractions

By Mary Beth Roach

M

atthew and Juanita Critz are in the business of harvesting fun for their visitors.

Over the past few decades, they have turned an out-of-use dairy farm in Cazenovia into a destination for guests who travel miles to enjoy its various attractions from March to December.

Whether it’s climbing around on the play equipment; taking a wagon ride; sampling ciders and brews at the tasting room; viewing the cider mill at work, in season; cutting down your own Christmas trees; attending the music events; finding your way through the corn maze; picking pumpkins, apples or blueberries; seeing how maple syrup is made; enjoying some seasonal treats in the café; or browsing through the gift shop — Critz Farms has become a veritable playground for tourists of all ages.

Juanita estimates that in a typical year, they welcome between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors to their farm.

When Matthew bought the farm on Rippleton Road in the 1985, it was approximately 110 to 115 acres. The couple has since purchased other farm parcels near and adjacent to the original farm and today, it’s 350 acres of fun and education for visitors.

Originally, the farm was to be a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm, Juanita said. But it has gone on to become one of the first agritourism farms in the area.

The customers’ enjoyment is their underlying philosophy in running the business.

“Our outlook is family fun, entertainment, and along 30

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the way you sell product,” Matthew said.

Juanita added that it’s a “farm experience with an educational focus.” A former elementary special education teacher with the Jamesville-Dewitt School District, she chuckled, “Once an educator, always an educator.”

The roots of the business A SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry graduate, Matthew had been a partner in a Christmas tree farm in Harrisville in the Adirondacks. However, after about six years, he said, the partners had other business ventures in mind, so he moved to Cazenovia, an area he had lived in during his 20s and enjoyed, and he bought the farm.

Matthew started out planting trees, but since the trees need about eight years before they can be harvested, he needed something else to make ends meet. So, he started a contract Christmas tree trimming service.

Christmas trees, he explained, need to be trimmed every year, so he had contracts with different tree farms, some of them in the South and he and his crew would take to the road — all while tending to his own farm.

Some of his customers in Virginia and Delaware convinced him to try agritourism, an idea that hadn’t yet caught on in Upstate New York, but was popular in some of the Southern states.

He took their advice and started with a small pumpkin patch. Today that patch is about 40 acres, producing hundreds of thousands of pounds of the orange gourd. The

Photo Credit: Chuck Wainwright

The Critzes Matthew and Juanita share a laugh together while roaming their apple orchard at Critz Farms.

Matthew and Juanita Critz, the couple behind the success of Critz Farms, met on a blind date, married five years later and grew the business together, They just celebrated their 25th anniversary in July Critzes, of course, make them available for their customers to pick each fall, but tons are transported to wholesalers in such places as New York City, Long Island and Boston.

Agritourism takes hold But there was more growing on the farm than crops.

There were business opportunities taking root.

Of the families coming to pick their own pumpkins, Juanita said, “They’d come to get their pumpkin and they’d stay and talk with you in the driveway. It began to become clear that they wanted more to do. So that’s when we started little things.”

Their first fall festival event was one weekend in October. Now the Fall Harvest Festival runs seven days a week for seven weeks, from mid-September through to the end of October, although some activities are only offered on the weekends.

In addition to picking their own pumpkins, guests can pick apples and watch cider being made. One of the big attractions of the event is the corn maze, which the Critzes started in 1999. Matthew cuts the maze out early in the growing season, before the corn gets high, and aerials of the corn maze show different themes each year. This year, he said, the maze is of a monster truck.

Asked if anyone ever got lost in the six-acre maze, Matthew chuckled and said, “All the time.” But Juanita was quick to add a hint about finding a way out — just listen for the highway, since the maze is situated along Route 13, across from the main farm.

About a month later, commencing the Friday after Thanksgiving and running until the Sunday before Christmas, the Critzes host their holiday program, where families can cut down their own Christmas tree or choose one pre-cut at the gift shop; adults can take the chill off with a stop at the tasting room.

In March, it’s maple syrup time, and during the Maple Syrup Celebration, tourists can enjoy a pancake breakfast, take wagon rides, into woods, learn how sap is gathered, return to main farm area to watch the sap being processed and then get a taste of the syrup.

Following that, it’s the Apple Blossom Festival in May. The Critzes have added a new event to their summer calendar, with a large bonfire marking the Summer Solstice.

This is a Scandinavian tradition, which celebrates light triumphing over darkness. But, their biggest summer 32

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Matthew and Juanita Critz share a family moment with their youngest Patrick Allen, The Critzesson, stand in front of who manages the farm at and is set to brewery equipment their takeinover. farm Cazenovia.

event is the Blueberry Jam, with bands, food trucks, kids’ activities during the day, blueberry picking, blueberry cider, blueberry beer and blueberry fritters.

The ever-changing nature of their business appeals to the couple’s personalities. Matthew said his favorite part depends on the season.

When “we’re in the middle of pumpkins, I really like pumpkins. I’m a very seasonal person. I like the rhythm of the seasons. I like the rhythm of changing what we’re doing all the time. My favorite season is the one I’m in,” he said. “I think that a lot of people that are in business for themselves build their business around their personality.

The idea of shifting seasons and doing this and this fits my personality well. I couldn’t do maple 365 days a year. You get tired of it.”

And there were a lot of changes, especially in the mid2000s, for both the couple and the business.

At the same time they were running Critz Farms, Juanita was still teaching and Matthew was involved in

commercial landscaping work off the farm, which involved all the Cracker Barrels here in the Northeast and jobs around New York City and the Catskills, he said.

Continues growth Because of the demands of their business, Juanita resigned from teaching in 2010 and Matthew cut back on the traveling and they began developing their hard cider operation, which started in 2011.

Shortly after starting with the cider, people were asking about beer, Juanita said. They were allowed to have some guest taps with some New York state beers. Once they found out how popular they were, they got their farm brewery license in 2015.

Juanita joked that after leaving education, she was worried that there might not be enough “intellectual stimulation,” she said. “All of a sudden, I had to learn everything about all the federal and state laws about alcohol

and I got plenty of stimulation,” Juanita said.

Those laws and other regulations and permits required for all the different facets of the business, overseeing a staff that could number as many as 65 people on a busy Saturday, the production of cider and beers, and the logistics of the events they host are only part of the Critzes’ work.

Those crops need tending to. Working through a federal Department of Labor program, the couple is able to have a crew from Jamaica work from April to December to help prune, fertilize, herbicide and harvest the crops. They pick and load the pumpkins that are sold wholesale. Matthew estimated that each season, that amounts to about 15 tractor-trailer loads of pumpkins with approximately 50,000 pounds of pumpkins in a trailer load. In addition, there are about 50 acres of Christmas trees, with 1,000 trees per acre.

During January and February, the couple enjoys some traveling and take in some of their favorite outdoor activities, like hiking and skiing.

“We subscribe to the work hard, play hard philosophy October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

33

and try to reward ourselves with travel and recreational activities during the down time,” Juanita noted.

Matthew and Juanita celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in July. They met on a blind date in 1991, arranged by Juanita’s then-childcare provider, and married five years later. At that time, Juanita was a single mother of two boys, living in Cazenovia and teaching. Matthew has a daughter from a previous marriage, so theirs is a blended family.

The three kids all worked on the farm when they were younger, but the two oldest, Jessica and James, have chosen different career paths in Colorado and Manhattan, respectively.

Their youngest, Patrick Allen, is the farm manager and is being groomed to take over the farm, allowing Matthew, 69, and Juanita, 63, the chance to take four-day weekends every so often.

After more than three decades producing crops and fun for so many, what keeps them going?

“We know and love the work. We love growing food and other crops. We enjoy sharing our slice of paradise with the public and appreciate that we are making a contribution to the community,” Juanita explained.

According to the website, since it’s a farm, activities and hours can change, depending on the season. Some attractions are only offered on weekends. There is an admission fee during the Fall Harvest Celebration and for ticketed music events, such as the Blueberry Jam and barn parties. Otherwise, there is no admission fee to the farm.

ENJOY EVERYTHING AUTUMN Critz Farms is the perfect place to enjoy the wonderful autumn season in Central New York. Pick your own apples or pumpkins, and take part in their Fall Harvest Celebration until the end of October! The apples from their orchard also get turned into cider that you can enjoy from their spacious Tasting Room while you visit!

For the most up-to-date hours, and to see what other events are on offer, visit their website at www.critzfarms.com

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A Better P lace to Remember 34

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October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ investing Real Estate: A Good Investment?

Make sure you do your homework before investing

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

H

istorically, real estate has been thought of as a solid investment. It normally appreciates in value over time and offers investors reliable monthly income. Or, in the case of property flipping, a quick payout.

But is this still true?

“The recent bubble in residential and commercial real estate seems to be demonstrating that this time is a perfect opportunity to sit back and wait for a much better value in real estate investing,” said Randy L. Zeigler, certified financial planner and private wealth adviser for Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC in Oswego, an Ameriprise Private Wealth Advisory practice. “It doesn’t matter one’s age, I would stay very clear of this present real estate marketplace, expecting sale prices to decline substantially once mortgage rates begin to rise.

Alternatively, this is a very good time to sell property, just not replace with another parcel at this time.”

Selling while the market is high does seem to represent a safe financial move; however, some investors want to snap up smaller rental properties while landlords exit the business.

Doing so may help investors diversify their portfolios.

Other factors may make this a good time to buy.

“As for the buyer ’s markets, interest rates are at an all-time low,” said Kurt D’Angelo, a financial consultant with Equitable Advisors Syracuse. “They can get a mortgage at a low rate. But because the inventory is low, it drives the price up.”

Investing in a residential or commercial rental property may bring in reliable monthly income; however, if keeping rent at a reasonable level for the market means that the investor

36

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cannot make appropriate repairs needed, that property may not be a good investment. Investors who can perform repair work themselves or develop other affordable means of maintaining properties can help mitigate their overhead.

Potential landlords must also consider that this investment is more active investing.

“If someone’s not interested in managing the properties, there are other investments we can get in like real estate investment trusts

inside IRAs or brokerage accounts,” D’Angelo said. “You can get the returns in the RE market without the headaches of tenants.”

If it’s an investment to flip the property, the current seller’s market could offer a good deal for an investor able to renovate a run-down property.

D’Angelo advises developing a team of professionals for this kind of an investment. That’s not the time to go DIY and learn along the way.

“They need to do it in a short time frame to do it in a costly manner,” he said. “If it lasts for years, they’ll be in over their heads.”

But the investor should make sure that the property and the cost of upgrades will not exceed the local market. The cost of lumber and other renovation materials spiked, which may make the cost of an upgrade much higher than anticipated. The investor should carefully scrutinize the property before purchase to ensure that its repairs are within budget. As with a tenant building investment, the investor’s ability to complete the work can save significant money on the cost of repairs.

Most experts agree that landlords should receive 8% to 9% returns in rent based on the value of the property, minus taxes, property insurance and repairs. Those receiving less are not getting enough because of their sweat equity. Most property owners should set aside about 1% to 2% of the value of the property value annually for maintenance.

D’Angelo advises that anyone investing in residential rental real estate should seek multiple occupant properties and live in one of the units rather than single occupant properties, so they can reduce their risk and receive income as they renovate.

Multiple units can receive closer to a 15% return.

The pandemic also affected commercial real estate. D’Angelo said that businesses that flourished during the pandemic may need to rent larger facilities, which creates an opportunity for commercial landlords; however, new businesses started in the wake of the pandemic may not have as solid of financial footing, so landlords should screen applicants carefully.

“Some places where their employees are now working remotely, they may not need space and you can snap up some bargains,” he added.

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WE GO THE EXTRA MILE! October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ cooking

Cooking instructor Donna Pascarella teaches a fettuccine-making class at Vince’s Gourmet Imports in North Syracuse. During the pandemic, she created several cooking videos that were emailed to clients and posted online.

Mangia! (He eats!)

Donna Pascarella shares her lifelong passion for cooking in a variety of classes

By Mary Beth Roach

A

s the cooking instructor at Vince’s Gourmet Imports in North Syracuse, Donna Pascarella is able to share her lifelong passion for cooking with others.

Cooking has been a main ingredient in her life since she was a young girl, growing up on Syracuse’s north side and then Liverpool and watching her mother and grandmother cook. It enables her to keep alive the memories of her grandmother’s house and big Sunday dinners with all of her cousins.

“The house was about food,” she said in a recent interview.

To re-create those memories of grandmother cooking is the most common reason she hears from people taking the classes.

Having a career in cooking has been what Pascarella, 61, has wanted 38

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since she was at least 16.

“I always considered myself one of the lucky ones because I always knew what I wanted to do,” she said.

And what she wanted to do was to work in a restaurant and then own one.

So, she went to SUNY Canton and then Rochester Institute of Technology and for the first 10 years of her career, she worked in the food service operations of various hotels. And then, she wanted to open a restaurant, so she opened one in the trendy Park Avenue neighborhood of Rochester and ran it for four years, before returning to the hotel business.

Eventually, Pascarella moved back to the Syracuse area, currently residing in Jamesville, and worked at a variety of food-service related jobs at Syracuse University, her last position there being the catering manager at the Dome.

About three-and-a-half years ago,

she saw that Vince’s was looking for a new cooking instructor, so she applied and got the job.

When the pandemic hit and there were no in-shop classes, Pascarella helped around the store, until owner Sam Mondello suggested making videos of her cooking demonstrations and uploading them to social media.

She would do a recipe and email it to people who were interested.

The shop was started 15 years ago,

by Mondello and his father-in-law, Vince Lombardi.

The videos caught people’s attention.

“People were home and they were cooking if they weren’t ordering from restaurants,” she said.

Since this past spring, with individuals getting the COVID-19 vaccine, she noted that people are starting to go out more, get together

HOW TO CONTACT: To learn more about the classes taught by Donna Pascarella, visit www.vincesgourmet.com and scroll down to Cooking Classes and Events for all the information and a registration form.

with families and there’s a renewed interest in cooking and in her public and private classes.

The virtual demos have ended and the in-person classes take place in a large corner of the gourmet shop.

The area is lined with long stainless steels tables, and a large mural of a countryside adds ambiance to the area.

For public safety reasons, large sheets of plexiglass are suspended between each table.

Having it inside Vince’s shop is an asset, she said. Students get a

discount, they can bring their own adult beverages to class, they get to eat what they make, they meet other people and they can leave the mess behind, Pascarella joked.

“It’s a fun, different thing to do and you learn something,” she said.

During a fettuccine-making class a couple of months ago, Steve Lutwin of Syracuse had come to learn how to make pasta. Lutwin said he and his wife have tried to make pasta a few times, and “it came out all right, but I wanted to see how an expert does it.”

Because of his interest, his daughter, Erika Lutwin, had given him the class as a Father’s Day present and was attending it with him.

Another student, Laurie Walter, traveled from Auburn to take the class.

“I never learned how to cook,” she said. “So I took a class, her gnocchi class and it was so much fun, and it came out so good, I said ‘I gotta come back.’”

And Baldwinsville resident Diane Branish said she loved watching the videos and since she’s Italian, she thought the class would be fun.

The foods Pascarella and the students prepare show quite a range —

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different kinds of pasta, chicken dishes and desserts.

A lot of the recipes come from both Pascarella’s and Mondello’s families, but she’s become so adept at cooking over the years, she’ll create a new recipe or modify one. Because she has repeat customers, she wants to keep her classes fresh. So, she reads a lot and watches cooking shows.

“I love to do it. I continue to learn,” she noted.

In her private classes, she can work with students if they have something in mind that they want to make. For example, a group of friends had taken a recent class and they wanted to create an Italian pork dish.

“Anything Italian, if I can do it, I’ll do it,” she said.

A glance at the menu of classes being offered recently bears out Pascarella’s statement — chicken riggies and cannoli take-home meal; peach, amaretto and raspberry icebox cake and filled cannoli; fresh ricotta and lasagna from scratch; spinach ravioli and shrimp and sweet corn risotto with pancetta.

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October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bfrassinelli@ptd.net

Expressions My Parents Used All of us have gone through our time at home growing up surrounded by strange and interesting phrases

I

f you are approximately my age (82), you probably have heard the expression, maybe even used it, “from here to Timbuktu.” It generally is a reference to a remote, faraway place.

Timbuktu conjures up fabled images of long camel caravans, a place so remote it seems it might be at the end of the earth.

Growing up, I always thought that “Timbuktu” was mythical, a fantasy, not real. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Timbuktu is a real city of about 32,000 in the West African nation of Mali.

The fascination with this term largely came from my father ’s occasional admonit ion when I misbehaved. “If you don’t wise up,” he would say, “I’ll kick your ass from here to Timbuktu.”

When I found out that Timbuktu was 4,578 miles from my hometown in Eastern Pennsylvania, I thought to myself that this would have been some experience for my posterior.

All of us have gone through our time at home growing up surrounded by strange and interesting phrases such as this, so I am hoping that this column will help jog your memory in reflection of some on your youthful homefront expressions that your parents or relatives used.

A d m i t t e d l y, s o m e o f t h e s e memories might not be all that pleasant. On those few occasions when my dad did try to “kick” my butt from “here to Timbuktu,” it didn’t go quite that far, but the pain felt as if it did.

My father, an immigrant who spoke broken English all of my life, would generally make his discontent known in Italian. When angered, my father would let out a string of unmentionable words in Italian, which when translated into English would 40

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either lose their punch or didn’t make much sense.

But it was the way in which he would say them. His eyes became intent on the “victim” — usually me; he would grit his teeth, and his lips would curl up in a snarl.

Then he would let go with these epithets, such as “cane d’Ostia; brute bestia; Dio maledetto figlio de diavolo.”

(Dog of Ostia, ugly beast, God damn evil son of the devil.)

When my mom refused to let me go somewhere or to some event, I would plead my case by pointing out that “all of my friends will be there.”

Her reply was: “If someone asked you to jump off a cliff, would you?”

I would regularly beg and nag my mother to reverse her original decision, not once but multiple times. I always got the same answer: “If I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times: The answer is still ‘no.’”

I had a bad habit of not closing the door when I would come into the house. My mother’s admonition was typically, “Close the door; you weren’t born in a barn, you know.”

When we got our first television set in 1950 — a 12-inch RCA — I was fascinated with this new-fangled gadget and would sit on the floor about a foot from the set for hours, mesmerized by watching even test patterns. My mother warned that if I did this too long I could go blind.

Growing up, I hated carrots, but my mother insisted that I had to eat them. Sometimes she and I had a tug of wills to see who could outlast the other.

She generally won, because she was convinced that carrots would improve my eyesight. All I saw was red through the glasses I have been wearing most of my adult life.

The rule in our house is that I stayed at the table until I finished all

of my meal, even if I didn’t like what my mother had made. She tried to cajole me in different ways. One of her favorites was this: “You know, there are people in China who are starving and would love to eat this.” I made the mistake once of telling her to pack it up and send it there because I hated it.

When my parents wanted to point out some of the hardships they went through when they were growing up compared to how easy I had it, it was prefaced by “Back in my day…” Oh, my God, now I am using a similar phrase with my children and grandchildren.

As a toddler, I would sometimes try the “crying jag” routine to get my way. My mother abruptly ended this tactic by telling me: “Stop crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about.”

I did chores and worked in my parents’ corner grocery store, and for this I would get a small allowance. If on occasion I asked for more to buy something special, I would sometimes get a mini-lecture: “Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know.”

When I was a junior in high school in 1956, I would annoy my mother no end when a contemporary recording featuring Patience and Prudence came out. It was called “The Money Tree.” “See,

mom,” I joked as the song played on the radio, “money does grow on trees after all.”

She was not amused.

After I turned 18 but was still living with my parents, I came home after 2 a.m. one night — two hours past my “curfew” — and got an earful from my mother. “But, Mom,” I pleaded, “I’m considered an adult now.” She laid down the law: “As long as you’re living under our roof, you live by our rules.”

After picking up a few “dirty” words at school one day when I was about 8 years old, I came home and used the word “shit” in front of my mother. She grabbed me by the hand, marched me to the kitchen sink where she administered a purifying “antidote” with a bar of soap for my indiscretion.

“Anytime you use language like

that,” she bellowed to make her point clear, “you’re going to get your mouth washed out with soap, or maybe even worse.” That was the last time I ever used any out-of-the-way words in front of my parents.

On the occasions when I felt that the “sentence” didn’t fit the “crime,” and I protested, my mother ’s rejoinder was always the same: “You brought this on yourself” or “life sometimes isn’t fair.”

If my mother felt that her admonitions about the same topic went unheeded, she would in exasperation say, “Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.”

Under most circumstances, my mother was perfectly capable of handling the disciplinary duties in our home, but there were a few times — I can count them on one hand — where she would call for reinforcements, my father.

My father had enormous hands. I

swear that one swat could rewire my brain. I had to use extreme caution that I never pushed my mother to the point where I heard the dreaded words: “Wait till I tell your father what you did.”

I am a believer in the famous Alexander Pope couplet: “We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow; our wiser sons no doubt will think us so.” When I failed to pull something over on my mother, she said with a sly smile, “I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.”

On occasion while my mother was trying to lecture me, I couldn’t help but smirk. This would enrage her to say: “Wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you.”

Finally, during our Sunday afternoon drives in our 1949 Buick Roadmaster to visit relatives, if I behaved badly in the back seat and would not respond to warnings and threats, my father would end my rebellion by saying, “Don’t make me pull this car over.”

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Leaf Peeping Close to Home

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41

55+ fall Fall Foliage in CNY: Leaf Peeping Close to Home There is plenty to see and do right here in Central New York

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

hile many people laud the New England states for their fall foliage color, Central New York boasts numerous tours, trips and drives that offer plenty of leaf peeping opportunities—along with the homegrown attractions that make this region unique.

Consider taking a wine trail tour to experience both gorgeous color and the best vino the region offers without getting behind the wheel.

Quality Transportation Services (https:// qualitytran.com) in Geneva books local wine trail tours in luxury vehicles. In addition to enjoying the ride from site to site, the wineries’ tasting rooms and outdoor spaces provide with picturesque vistas.

Train rides with the Adirondack Railroad Union Station in Utica (www. adirondackrr.com) also offer a way to experience the foliage without driving.

Bring along the grandchildren to enjoy the Family Halloween Train and enjoy the beauty of Adirondack Park. Or grab your friends to come along on the adults-only Beer and Wine Train rides.

Gore Mountain (https:// goremountain.com/todo/scenicskyrides) in North Creek offers Sky Rides, a bird’s-eye view of autumn 42

55 PLUS - October / November 2021

Chittenango Falls State Park in Chittenango features a 167-foot waterfall and gorge trail.

color on the chair lifts. Sit back and enjoy the ride, along with panoramic sites of the mountains.

Who says leaf peeping has to be dull? Soar above the trees at Zipline New York (www.ziplinenewyork.com) in Hunter, the longest and highest zipline in North America and second largest in the world with speeds of 50 mph. Take along older grandkids who think leaf peeping is “too boring.”

View autumn foliage through a Camillus Erie Canal Park (www. eriecanalcamillus.com/boat.htm) boat tour on the Erie Canal, departing from Camillus. The four available boats include a replica historic boat, canal packet boat, and pontoon boats.

The 45-minute tour includes music and narration. The dessert cruise and dinner cruise have been canceled for 2021 because of COVID-19.

The 518-mile Great Lakes Seaway Trail National Scenic Byway starts in the north with views of Alexandria Bay down to the state border. Or drive the Amish Trail that spans Cattaraugus to Cherry Creek on Route 353.

Close to home, visit Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, which features numerous mature maple, oak and hickory trees; Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville, with its 15 miles of 10 hiking trails; Chittenango Falls State Park in Chittenango with its 167-foot waterfall and gorge trail; Highland Forest in Fabius, with 20 miles of trails; and Clark Reservation State Park in Jamesville, which boasts more than 12 trails on its 365 acres.

Consider packing a picnic lunch and making a day of your leaf peeping adventure. Or plan to visit any of the many locally owned eateries along the way. Bring along cash to patronize a farm stand or farm market and an insulated tote to bring home chilled foods. Visit the small shops that sell items you cannot find anywhere else.

Or stop to explore a museum.

For any of the guided/hosted tours, reservations are recommended.

Ask about any COVID-19 requirements or precautions.

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MORE PLACES TO VISIT Visit www.iloveny.com/things-todo/fall/foliage-report to track the state’s leaf color progress wherever you roam this fall.

October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

43

life after 55

By Michele Reed Email: bazanreed@hotmail.com

Photos by Bill Reed

Adventure on a Plate

Next to our hotel in Barcelona was a shop selling dry serrano ham, right off the pigs’ legs, hanging row upon row in the window. (2018)

T

here’s a thing going around on Facebook. It’s a list of foods considered weird, and you’re told to give yourself a point for every one of them you’ve eaten.

Now anyone who’s eaten a meal with me recently will attest to the fact that, as I get older, I avoid a lot of foods, especially those with spices that trigger heartburn. No sriracha for this lady.

Jalapenos? Nada.

But often I score highly on that Facebook quiz, 20 to 22 out of 24. You see, I wasn’t always so finicky. And on family road trips around America, and later, international travels with my late husband, Bill, we were always up for the local specialty.

In America it was easy: lobster rolls in Kennebunkport and soft-shell crabs in Baltimore. On our “barbecue tour of America,” we savored local

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varieties — like burnt ends of brisket in Kansas City and sweet red pork barbecue and white bread in Memphis.

We had pasties (little meat and potato hand-pies full of turnips and cabbage) on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and scrapple in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

When Bill and I started our journeys sans kids, that’s where the menu really got interesting: I enjoyed the alligator sausage so much in New Orleans (not to mention the alligator and crawfish etouffee) I convinced Bill to try it in Florida. “Tastes like chicken” is a cliché, but in this case, it’s true.

One memorable meal on our Alaskan journey was reindeer sausage for breakfast. As I recall, Bill’s uncle from Fairbanks didn’t tell us we were eating Prancer until we were done.

Things got even more interesting

— and adventuresome — when we headed to Europe. I’m Polish, so I didn’t consider it odd to have pickled fish and kielbasa on a breakfast buffet there, and tiny fried pierogi, eaten on the streets of Warsaw. Or tripe soup, followed by shots of ice-cold cherry vodka, swallowed in one gulp.

When we got to Scotland, we were eager to try haggis. The national dish of Scotland, haggis is a mélange of sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, mixed with oatmeal, onions, suet and spices, cooked in a sheep’s stomach. It’s hardly a mouth-watering image. But we wouldn’t be deterred, and washed down with a pint of Scottish ale, it really hit the spot.

Barcelona saw us venture further afield, as Catalan recipes draw from their peasant roots and that means nothing is wasted. One local restaurant — quite upscale with crystal chandeliers, silver and linens — nonetheless served up a steaming bowl of pigs’ ears, trotters and snouts, parts of the animal most often thrown away here. But then my Polish grandmother made her own head cheese with those same ingredients molded in a gelatin base, so I wasn’t shocked by the Spanish stew.

Another favorite was arroz negro, basically a bowl of rice swimming in black squid ink and cuttlefish.

I came to love octopus and fried baby squid, tentacles and all, and pescaito frito — tiny fish fried up and served in a paper cone. They were an addictive treat during tapas hour.

Speaking of cones, in Barcelona, you can go into the Boqueria market and come out with one filled with shavings of dry serrano ham, cut from a pig’s leg hanging with dozens of others on the wall, hoofs and all.

Choose the one with the black hoof.

It’s a wild pig, feeding on acorns in the foothills of the Pyrenees and considered a true delicacy, with a price to match.

When we settled in France, a whole new world of food some might consider adventuresome at best, and weird at worst, awaited us.

It’s a cliché that the French eat snails, but we had to try them, sauteed in garlic. They were wonderful. Foiegras is a staple, and we enjoyed it cold, spread on crusty baguette, or fried in a pan and served on salad as an appetizer. Anyone who grew up with fried liverwurst, as I did, knows how

Above Monsiuer Ramos’s charcuterie: head cheese in the foreground and in the back, fromage de langues de porc, similar to head cheese but made with pigs’ tongues. (Corneilhan, 2019) Inset A salad made of tripe was part of the “silk workers’ lunch” we enjoyed in Lyon.

(2018) Left Grilled octopus on a restaurant terrace in Barcelona. (2019)

good that tastes with a light sear.

We had mussels on the beach in Banyuls-sur-Mer, anchovies from the Mediterranean in Collioure, and bouillabaisse, or hearty fish stew, on the harbor at Marseille, where it originated.

Monsieur Ramos, the butcher in our village, took it upon himself to stretch our culinary horizons. We tried his homemade merguez, a spicy lamb sausage from Morocco, and boudin

noir, a dark blood sausage, one of his specialties. The boudin noir reminded me of Polish kiszka, a blood sausage made with barley. There was head cheese and pate made from pork liver, chickens with the head and feet still on and fatty duck breast to sauté.

One day, he handed me a package of kidneys for free, along with his advice on cooking them. Apparently, I didn’t do a very good job. Not only did they stink up the entire house,

they also tasted terrible. I told him, “I preferred the liver,” and was greeted with hearty laughter.

Two things I drew the line on, however. One was tiny pig brains, nestled in a tray. The other was horse meat, although he loved to tease me and Bill about it. “You Americans don’t know what’s good,” he would say.

I do know one thing: There’s a lot of adventure to be had in this world.

And much of it is available on a plate.

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October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

45

druger’s zoo

By Marvin Druger Email: mdruger@syr.edu

More Reflections on Love Love is a very complex phenomenon that deserves some thoughtful analysis

Y

ou can love your dog, your spouse, your job, travel, your hobby, even yourself. Are all these kinds of love the same?

They all evoke pleasant feelings.

It’s fascinating that such feelings can be produced by so many different stimuli.

Biologically, such feelings come when certain hormones and other chemicals are secreted. My father’s favorite song had the lyrics:

“Have you ever been in love, boys?

Have you ever felt the pain?

I’d rather be in jail, boys, Than to be in love again.”

Yes, love can be painful when it ceases to be, for whatever reason.

Human relations have love at their core, but love can be overridden by anger, fear and hate. These emotions are learned through experiences. We can learn to love, and we can learn to hate. Indeed, some people can even love to hate or hate to love.

I started thinking about love when

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I was walking on a street in New Orleans. A little girl stopped me in the street and asked, “Mister, I’m doing a study for my church. Can you tell me what love means?” Without thinking, I said, “Love is when you want to do more for someone else than you want to do for yourself,” This encounter led to the following poem: What Love Means

By Marvin Druger

One day when walking down the street, A little girl I did meet, She said she wanted to find How the word “love” might be defined, Then meaning was inside my head, And I was pleased with what I said, “Love is when I want to do Less for me And more for you.”

Isn’t that what love in human relationships is all about? The feeling of love comes when we do something kind for someone else. Even small incidents can bring such feelings. I was in Montreal with a companion and we couldn’t find a particular restaurant. I stopped a woman who was walking rapidly up a steep hill toward us. I asked her about the location of the restaurant. She said,” I know where that is. C’mon, I’ll show you.” She turned and walked with us down the steep hill to show us the restaurant. I’m sure she felt that “love” feeling when we said, “Thanks.”

My friend was outside her house in Syracuse. She noticed a high school girl trudging toward her home in the snow. The girl was obviously cold and distressed. My friend went to her and asked, “Can I walk you home?” The girl was relieved and pleased, and my friend was filled with that warm, fuzzy, “love” feeling.

When my brother died suddenly, I was in a state of shock. My daughterin-law immediately came to my house to sit with me in my time of dismay. My entire family called me to console me.

“Love” feelings filled the room.

When my wife was dying from terminal lung cancer, I took care of her at home. Many people regret that they didn’t do enough for their dying spouse. I didn’t have that feeling. I did everything I could for my wife. That “love” feeling was as persistent as the feeling of grief that I’ve had ever since her death.

So, why not do kind things for others. The pay-off is a feeling of love.

Some people think that love is sex.

Actually, sex is an expression of love, but people can have sex without love, or love without sex.

I was watching two mourning doves that visit my bird feeder every day. They are obviously mates. I call them Ella and Fitzgerald. I wondered

‘Why not do kind things for others?

The pay-off is a feeling of love.’ whether they experience love, as we do? Ella and Fitzgerald are obviously attracted to each other, but do they have feelings of love? Do any other animals on earth, besides humans, experience the feelings of love?

Certain pets exhibit bonding behavior to their owners, akin to love.

I wonder why humans don’t cherish love and express it more openly and more frequently? We certainly learn to hate, as evidenced by the long history of warfare that plagues humanity.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if humans didn’t learn to hate each other, but could replace hate and anger with love?

Hugging, kissing and touching bring about “love” feelings. What better relief from stress than a warm hug from someone? If you want to experience a “love” feeling, give a person a big hug, or kiss, or even hold the person’s hand. Most of us don’t do this often enough.

Some animals seem to have feelings of love or hate, and they also show fear. My daughter’s dog runs for cover whenever she hears firecrackers explode on the Fourth of July. Birds flee from my bird feeder when they see that I am near, or if a cat comes near.

Interestingly, birds do not seem afraid of squirrels, and both feed in close proximity on seeds on the ground.

How does a bird know to be afraid of a cat, but not a squirrel?

Usually, people don’t express love frequently enough. How often did you tell your parents, “I really love you.” I’m sure my parents loved me, but I don’t remember ever saying that to them. “I Iove you” are powerful words. Expressing this feeling openly and often will make you feel good, and certainly has that effect on the recipient of those words. Everyone wants and needs to love and be loved.

As I write this article, I have a “love” feeling, in the hope that my reflections and words will help readers think more about what “love” means in their lives, and express that feeling openly and often.

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October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ visits

10 Things to Do in Maine Fall in love with Maine. Most visitors do.

By Sandra Scott

M

aine offers something for everyone: beaches, mountains, nature, adventure, shopping, and

more.

Years ago it was a destination for those seeking a healthy location out of the city. Now it draws people looking for relaxation, adventure and fun.

Members of The George Bush family still maintain their summer estate on Walker Point in Kennebunkport. The northeastern most state is an all-season destination but most prefer to visit from April to November.

Lobster: Dining on lobster in Maine is a must-do — either a whole lobster in the shell or a lobster roll. First take one of the several lobster tours to learn about lobstering. Believe it or not: In Colonial Days lobsters were so plentiful that they were called the “cockroach of the sea.” They were considered a trash fish and fed to prisoners and used a fertilizer. It is no longer a “poor man’s meal.” By World War II it was considered a delicacy and prices soared.

Beaches: Most people head to Maine during the summer

1.

2.

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because of the beaches. Old Orchard Beach is the longest sand beach in Maine, at seven miles long. For surfing and volleyball head to Long Sands Beach, which is a sweeping two miles long. Those looking for a quiet place to sunbathe should head to Short Sands Beach. Want to avoid other tourists?

Check out York Harbor Beach directly across the street from the York Harbor Inn. Or, better yet, check out all seven of Maine’s beach communities.

Adventure: Looking for excitement? Check out rafting on the Kennebec, Penobscot and Dead Rivers. Spring melt-off will provide the fastest moving water but if it is a family rafting trip the best time is July through August. Other adventures include rock climbing, sky diving, parasailing, jet skiing, surfboarding and even a unique moose tracking adventure.

Sailboating: There are a variety of sailing experiences offered by several companies. There are day sailing trips, sunset trips and coastal trips but the most all-inclusive adventure is a week of sailing on a windjammer like the Grace Bailey.

The Grace Bailey is an authentic 19th

3.

4.

century sailing ship listed as national landmark. Weeklong windjammer trips include unforgettable experiences such as raft-ups with other vessels and a lobster and corn cookout on a deserted beach.

Historic: There are plenty of historic sites to visit including home of famous people like Henry W. Longfellow, Winslow Homers and Steven King House. Visit Fort Kent and Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village.

Take a stroll in the past lane at Old York. Experience over 300 years of New England heritage with a visit to the eight historic museums of Old York including a colonial tavern, an old jail complete with dungeons and cells, a riverside estate filled with antiques, and a warehouse once belonging to patriot John Hancock. Also on site are a nature preserve, a museum shop, a contemporary art gallery, and restored gardens. Guided tours are available.

Hiking: The Appalachian Trail, which begins 2,190 miles away in Georgia, ends on Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak. Acadia National Park, dubbed the “Crown Jewel of the Atlantic,” has 158 miles of hiking trails.

There are many shorter trails the end in

5.

6.

Above The Nubble Lighthouse is one of Maine’s many picturesque lighthouses.

secluded spots to take refreshing dip in a cool pool or trek to the top of Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise.

Lighthouses: Lighthouse aficionados will revel in the fact there are 65 lighthouses in Maine.

The Portland Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse in America, and also the oldest in Maine. The Nubble Lighthouse is one of Maine’s many picturesque lighthouses. It is located on a “nubble” of land — a barren rocky island. In Rockland, adjacent to Fort Williams Park, is the Maine Lighthouse Museum, with exhibits of lighthouse lenses, foghorns, lightships and maritime life-saving equipment. Each year in September is Maine’s Open Lighthouse Day, a unique opportunity for the general public to explore more than 20 historic Maine lighthouses, some of which are only open on this day.

Shopping: Shop ‘til you drop.

There are several outlets offering everything from A to W (Areopostale to Wilson’s Leather Outlets). The L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Interested in shoes? Check the New Balance Shoes factory outlet in Norway, Maine, or the Quoddy shoe factory outlet in Lewiston. No Maine trip is complete without a stop at the Golden Rod to watch taffy being made and buying some to take home.

Unique: Located on Old Mill Road in York Harbor is the Wiggly Bridge that connects the causeway to a pleasant hiking trail through the Steedman Woods. The bridge was built in the 1930s and wiggle it does.

Make sure you wiggle as you walk across the bridge. Not to worry it is very well maintained. Stop by Len Libby Candies in Scarborough to see the world’s only life-sized chocolate moose. It is made of 1700 pounds of milk chocolate.

And more: There is plenty to do all year. Summer brings beach lovers, fall the leaf-peekers, and winter the skiiers. Maine is home to uncrowded ski lifts and miles of ski trails. Wild Kingdom in York has exotic animals from around the world.

There are plenty of amusement parks and golf courses. Fishermen will revel in catching wild landlocked salmon, native brook trout, and offshore fishing for bluefish and other big fish. And, of course, there are whale watching trips.

7.

8.

The Grace Bailey is an authentic 19th century sailing ship listed as national landmark.

9.

10.

Tall ships join up in the Atlantic Ocean. Nautically called a “gam.”

October / November 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ last page

By Mary Beth Roach

Donna Snowberger, 81 Making a difference as a North Area Meals on Wheels volunteer

VOLUNTEER WITH MEALS ON WHEELS For those interested in volunteering, call the office at 315-452-1402 or visit www.namow.org and click on the Volunteers tab for more information.

A

s part of the North Area Meals on Wheels program, Clay resident Donna Snowberger is one of 300 volunteers helping to prepare between 450 and 500 hot and cold meals for their 280 clients living in northern Onondaga County.

Q: When and how did you start volunteering for the North Area Meals on Wheels?

A: I started here in 1996.

Q: What was it about this organization that made you decide to volunteer here?

A: I felt like I was doing more for the seniors that needed our help.

Q: Had you worked, retired and then volunteered here?

A: I worked at Goldberg’s Furniture for 19 years, retired from there, started volunteering at Birchwood Nursing Home [now Elderwood] in ‘92 and then came over here in ’96.

Q: What does your work involve?

A: Tuesdays and Thursdays I work the cold line, making lunches, then we bag them up so they can go out with the drivers, and then sometimes I go out front and help on the hot line.

Q: How often do you volunteer here?

A: Twice a week, and I fill in when they need me.

Q: How was it during the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: We still came in every day, did all the things we were supposed to do and they got a meal every single day.

Q: You were a lifeline for a lot of people.

A: That’s why I like doing this.

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Q: When you first got involved, were you surprised at the number of meals the organization provides?

A: Yes, I didn’t realize— and I don’t think most people realize – how many people need us to make their meals and deliver it to them.

Q: What do you get out of your volunteer work here?

A: I like the people I volunteer with. We make a lot of good friends.

We do things outside of here. Just knowing that every day the seniors are getting a nice meal, it’s prepared fresh right here for them.

Q: If someone was thinking of volunteering here, what would you say to encourage them to join?

A: To meet people. Just the feeling that every meal that goes out, somebody’s going to enjoy, and we help make it for them.

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