NNY Living July/Aug 2012 by NNY Business

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CONTRIBUTORS Norah Machia is a veteran Watertown Daily Times reporter who lives in Watertown. In Health, she answers the question, ‘What is LASIK?’ She also writes about the renewed draw to drive-in movie theaters in the north country. (pgs. 19, 35)

Michelle Graham is the wellness director for the downtown YMCA. She lives in Watertown. She writes about ways to prevent diabetes, determine if you are pre-diabetic and solutions in the form of programs at the YMCA. (p. 18)

Kyle R. Hayes is associate magazine editor for NNY Living. In our cover story, he writes about how life in the north country reflects a lost slice of Americana (p. 32)

Lenka P. Walldroff is a former museum specialist, conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and curator of collections for the Jefferson County Historical Society. She writes about how Watertown was dubbed the “Garland City.” (p. 40) Brian Hallett is an art teacher who lives in Adams and whose family owns Halletts’ Florist and Greenhouse. He writes about how gardening brings both families and community together. (p. 22)

Varick Chittenden is founding director of Traditional Arts in Upstate New York and a SUNY Canton professor emeritus. In Modern Folklore, he writes about Amish immigrants. (p. 16)

Katie Stokes is a freelance writer who lives in Hounsfield. She writes about how childhood memories of summer camp have shaped her relationships with her two children today. (p. 21)

Peggy DeYoung is a nationally certified interior designer who owns the Porch and Paddle Cottage Shop in Clayton. In Homes, she writes about ways to create the perfect outdoor living spaces. (p. 42)

Joleene DesRosiers is a transformational speaker and freelance writer who lives in Pulaski. She writes about north country artist Wilson Bickford and how he came to pursue a career in the arts. In Women’s Wise she writes about following passions. (pgs. 30, 46)

Boo Wells is chef and owner of the Farm House Kitchen, a catering company and cooking school in Sackets Harbor. She shares a recipe for homemade barbecue sauce that can add sweetness to nearly any dish. (p. 38)

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MARKETPLACE

A New Attitude …....................................... 14 Aalsmeer Motel and Cottages …............. 28 American Cancer Society ..................….. 39 Ameriprise ….............................................. 37 Avon Shoes …............................................. 23 Boyce Auto Sales …................................... 13 Budget Blinds ….......................................... 23 Center for Sight …....................................... 18 Cheney Tire …............................................ 37 Clarence Henry Coach …......................... 15 Clayton Opera House ….............................. 8 Clipper Inn ….............................................. 37 Community Bank …..................................... 2 Community Performance Series …........... 29 Creative Cups ............................................ 41 DANC …...................................................... 12 Essenlohr Motors …..................................... 34 Gerald A. Nortz …....................................... 44 Gold Cup Farms …..................................... 23 Great Brook Solar …................................... 29 Groff’s Corner Automotive ….................... 13 Hands of Ki Holistic Center ….................... 34 Islander Marina and Lodge ….................. 20

Ives Hill Retirement Community ….............. 3 JCC Continuing Education …................. 7,28 Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors …......... 40 Lee Buick GMC …....................................... 13 Macar’s …................................................... 42 Massey’s Furniture Barn …......................... 10 NNY Community Foundation …................ 17 NNY Living …............................................... 39 Nortz & Virkler …......................................... 13 Renu’e Spa and Skincare …...................... 20 River Hospital Foundation …...................... 20 Service Plus of Boonville …........................ 13 Simonton Auto Sales ….............................. 13 State Farm Insurance …............................. 19 Three C’s Limousine …................................ 48 Truesdell’s Furniture ….................................. 9 Vandusen Auto Sales …............................. 13 Watertown Auto Rental ….......................... 13 Watertown International Airport ….............. 6 Watertown Savings Bank …....................... 45 Wolff’s Body Shop …................................... 13 WWTI-ABC50 …............................................ 47 YesterYears Vintage Doors ….................... 23

Publishers

John B. Johnson Jr. Harold B. Johnson II

General Manager John B. Johnson

Executive Editor Bert Gault

Managing Editor Robert D. Gorman

Magazine Editor

Kenneth J. Eysaman

Associate Magazine Editor Kyle R. Hayes

Advertising Directors Karen Romeo Tammy Beaudin

Circulation Director Mary Sawyer

Photography

Norm Johnston, Justin Sorensen, Jason Hunter, Melanie Kimbler-Lago, Amanda Morrison

Ad Graphics, Design

Rick Gaskin, Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules NNY Living (ISSN 2165-1159) is published six times a year by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2011-2012. All material submitted to NNY Living becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.

Subscription Rates

Six issues are $10 a year and 12 issues are $15 a year. Call 315-782-1000 for delivery.

Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to keysaman@wdt.net Advertising For advertising rates and information in Jefferson and Lewis counties, email kromeo@wdt.net, or call 661-2422 In St. Lawrence County, e-mail tbeaudin@ogd.com, or call 661-2512 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y. a Forest Stewardship Certified facility. Please recycle this magazine.

>> Inside JULY /AUG ’12

35 COVER | 32 AMERICANA LIVES Life in the north country often reflects a nostalgia of days gone by. |

THIS IS NNY | 24 A DAY AT THE FAIR A day at the Jefferson County Fair is packed with fun.

WELLNESS | 18 WARD OFF DIABETES Diabetes prevention should be a goal for everyone.

DESTINATION | 26 GOOD TIMES ON DECK America’s great shrine to our national pasttime isn’t all that Cooperstown has in store. FEATURES | 31 TEACHING MOMENTS Artist Wilson Bickford quit his day job to pursue his true passion: teaching art.

GARDENING | 22 GROWING COMMUNITY Making memories is just one benefit of communal gardens. |

35 TODAY’S DRIVE-INS Drive-in theaters celebrate a revival of family entertainment.

HISTORY | 40 THE GARLAND CITY Looking to Public Square to solve the mystery behind Watertown’s nickname. MY NNY | 44 PAINTER’S PERSPECTIVE A north country native’s depiction of Singer Castle. WOMEN’S WISE | 46 ARE YOU STUCK? How to dig yourself out of a psychological rut. |

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HEALTH | 19 WHAT IS LASIK? LASIK eye surgery is gaining popularity throughout NNY. |

FOOD | 38 BARBECUE DELIGHT Nothing says summer like pork and barbecue sauce.

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HOMES

ON THE COVER

42 OUTDOOR LIVING Interior designer Peggy DeYoung shares secrets to designing the perfect outdoor living space, including a visit to a home in Hannawa Falls. |

COLUMNS

8 EDITOR’S NOTE 16 MODERN FOLKLORE |

DEPARTMENTS

9 10 11 12 14 18

21 THE NNY LIFE 46 WOMEN’S WISE

UPFRONT BEST BETS CALENDAR BOOKS & AUTHORS SOCIAL SCENE WELLNESS

24 26 30 38 40 44

THIS IS NNY 36 HOURS IN ... ARTS & CULTURE FOOD HISTORY MY NNY

Photographer Justin Sorensen captured Grant and Gail R. Simons, owners of the “Root Beer Truck” at the Lewis county Fair in July. The couple traveled to county fairs in Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis and Oneida counties with their truck this year, selling root beer the old fashioned way, out of a barrel. For more on the Simons, turn to page 33.

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EDITOR’S NOTE LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I OFTEN FIND myself waxing nostalgic about “the good old days,” longing for a simpler time when life didn’t move at warp gigabit speeds and conversations between people didn’t unfold in some crude, abbreviated language that even the best military cryptologist couldn’t decipher. Sure, advances in technology have given us great tools. But they also have led some to yearn for a past when simple pleasures were, well, less complicated. Here in the north country we are lucky to see more than a handful of anachronisms play out in our day-toKen Eysaman day lives. Taken together, many of the things that appear to be out of their time or place represent a sort of lost slice of Americana. Things like drive-in movie theaters, general stores, community bands and roadside produce stands, where an honor box is nothing more than a cash register for patrons honest enough to leave the right amount of money. In our cover story, which begins on page 32, associate editor Kyle R. Hayes examines a few of the things that spell Americana in the north country. I hope you enjoy this feature and, as always, I invite your feedback. 

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tions across the north country. On June 2, we joined Little Theatre of Watertown for its 80th Anniversary Gala at the Black River Valley Club. Eighty years is an amazing milestone for any organization, but especially noteworthy when it’s a volunteer-based nonprofit. No doubt, Harold W. Conde took a leap of faith in 1932 when he founded Little Theatre to provide “real people” an opportunity to perform on stage so patrons could view theater that wasn’t on the movie screen. If only he could see the group today. On June 16, we joined Renué Spa and Skincare Center for the first Midsummer’s Eve Masked Ball, a formal event that benefited children’s charity programs of the Watertown Evening Rotary Club in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation. Our congratulations go out to Renué Spa owner Tracey Bartholomew who worked hard to pulled off a great event. 

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BEST OF NNY — Our next issue, which hits newsstands in September, will feature a series of short stories that are, in essence, reasons why we love Northern New York. As we begin to compile our list, we want to hear from you, our readers. What are your top reasons why you love Northern New York? Drop me an email at keysaman@wdt.net, or write a note on our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/nnyliving and let us know. Warm Regards,

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SOCIAL SCENE — This issue’s Social Scene section, which begins on page 14, features 18 faces from nearly two-dozen organiza-

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE n our September/October “Why I Love NNY” issue, we highlight some of the best parts of life in the north country. Also coming in September/October:

n ARTS: Syracuse Stage kicks off its 40th season this fall with some all-time favorite performances. We preview what’s in store. n DESTINATION FINGER LAKES: We travel to New York’s Finger Lakes region for some bucolic beauty, with a few small surprises along the way. n THIS IS NNY: We go along for a ride with

local sailors at a regatta for a unique look at one of the north country’s favorite traditions. n PLUS: Arts, Food, Chef’s Table, Social Scene, Modern Folklore, Wellness, Ask a Health Pro, The NNY Life, History, Today’s Gardener, Homes, My NNY & Women’s Wise. n FOLLOW US ON Twitter for updates at @NNYLivingMag and visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NNYLiving. Catch exclusive previews with our e-edition and unique content on our website at www. NNYLiving.com.

[ NORTH COUNTRY NEWS & NOTES ] NNY Community Foundation director named to state arts council

Rande S. Richardson, Watertown, executive director of the Northern New York Community Foundation, has been selected as a member of the New York State Council on the Arts Regional Economic Development advisory panel for the 2013 fiscal year. He is one of 20 statewide representatives who will meet at NYSCA headquarters in New York City in August to review grant proposals seeking up to $4 million in available funding. For more information about the New Richardson York State Council of the Arts, visit www. nysca.org.

Artist submissions sought for Remington Museum juried art show

The Frederic Remington Art Museum will hold its 2012 New York State Juried Art Exhibit from Sept. 29 to Jan. 6. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 27 and is open to adult artists working in New York State. Entries may be made through email to lafo@fredericremington.org or on disk dropped off to the museum at 303 Washington St., Ogdensburg. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional works made within the last five years are eligible, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, photographs, computer generated art and mixed media. For submission information and regulations, visit www.fredericremington.org or lafo@fredericremington.org.

Country singer Shelton presents $1 million to USO in Watertown

Country recording artist Blake Shelton presented a $1 million donation to the United Service Organization on behalf of J.C. Penney’s new philanthropic program, jcp cares, during his Watertown concert July 6.

UPFRONT

Performing as part of the 2012 Disabled Persons Action Organization Summer Concert Series, Mr. Shelton also announced that J.C. Penney would donate $1, up to $50,000, to the USO for each customer that checks in online to J.C. Penney via foursquare from July 23 to July 31. J.C. Penney provided more than 300 complimentary tickets to Mr. Shelton’s concert and arranged for them to meet the performer backstage.

CPS presents enchanted evening with Belle and friends

The Community Performance Series will be hosting an “Enchanted Evening with Belle and Friends” prior to the “Beauty and the Beast” performances on Wednesday, Aug. 1, to Saturday, Aug. 4 in SUNY Potsdam’s Snell Theater. The special event gives children the opportunity to meet the characters of CPS’s “Beauty and the Beast” production in costume and on the set of the musical. Tickets for the enchanted evening include a personal photograph with the characters onstage and a production poster, which can be used to obtain character autographs. Tickets are limited; contact the CPS box office for details, 267-2277.

Five Potsdam artists selected for business incubator project

Five Potsdam artists have been selected to develop a business plan as part of the village’s arts microenterprise and incubator project. The village received a grant to fund the program through the North Country Regional Economic Council and began seeking applications from artists who needed funding to create a business in Potsdam. All five businesses will go through a 10-part course on how to develop business plan, designed to help artists define how their business will function and how much money they will need to get started. The businesses will then apply for grant money through the incubator program. Each will vie for a slice of an $80,000 grant and can apply for a maximum of $30,000.

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BEST BETS ALEXANDRIA BAY

[ EDITOR’S PICKS ] FRIDAY, AUG. 31 n Nellie McKay concert, 7:30 p.m., Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive. In a concert sponsored by North Country Public Radio, Nellie McKay presents “Home Sweet Mobile Home,” her latest album of all-original material. Tickets: Center seats, $35; side seats, $30. Information, purchase tickets: www.claytonoperahouse.com.

FRIDAY, AUG. 10 – SUNDAY, AUG. 19 n Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days, throughout downtown. Family and special events, sword fighting group “Tales from Remikreh,” land invasions, tall ships, entertainment, food and vendors. Information, full schedule when it becomes available: Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce, 482-9531 or visit www.visitalexbay.org.

CANTON

OLD FORGE SATURDAY, AUG. 18 n House tour by boat, leaves at 10 a.m. from Old Forge Pond. Sponsored by the View arts center. Tour waterfront homes along the Fulton Chain, from historic sites to spectacular new designs, individuals with noteworthy homes host visitors and offer tours. Reservations required. Admission: $65 per person; $50 for View members. Reservations, information: 369-6411 or visit www.viewarts.org.

TUPPER LAKE

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 & SUNDAY, SEPT. 23

n Remington Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Village Green Park and United Universalist Church. Remington 5K Run/Walk, 8 a.m., Evergreen Cemetery. Art show and sale in the park, featured artists, children’s games, Frederic Remington exhibit, horse drawn carriage tours of the village and live music. Information, vendor information: www.northcountrysites.com/remingtonfest.

CLAYTON SATURDAY, AUG. 11 & SUNDAY, AUG. 12 n 48th annual Antique Show and Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Cerow Recreation Park Arena. Sponsored by the Thousand Islands Arts Center. Wine and cheese preview on Friday, Aug. 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. Annual show and sale with more than 85 vendors showcasing quality antiques. Tickets for the Friday preview, call the arts center at 686-4123. Information: www.tiartscenter.org.

SATURDAY, AUG. 4 & SUNDAY, AUG. 5 n “Tupperpalooza” Weekend, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Tupper Lake Municipal Park. Sponsored by Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce. Activities include: Fireworks; seaplane rides; craft fair vendors; music by Bittersweet; DJ; activities for families; New York Craft Beer Event; dunking booth; cardboard boat regatta; Warrior Run; sumo wrestling; climbing wall; obstacle course. Free admission. Cost to participate in various activities. Information: Faith Bedore, 1 (518) 359-3328 or faith@tupper-lake.com.

WATERTOWN SATURDAY, AUG. 11 n Fourth annual Bobcats, Bears and Brews, 5:30 to 9 p.m., New York State Zoo at Thompson Park. Sponsored by Tilted Kilt, Otis Technology and My ABC 50. Live music, beer, wine and food. Tickets: Advance, $30; at the door, $35; military or groups of six or more, $25. Tickets include entry to event, commemorative sampling mug and tasting tickets. Rain or shine.

[ ARTS, MUSIC, THEATER, CULTURE ] ALEXANDRIA BAY FRIDAY, AUG. 24 n Victorian tea and island tour, tour leaves at 2 p.m., Uncle Sam’s Boat Tours. Sponsored by Alexandria Township Historical Society. Visit Casa Blanca on Cherry Island, summer home of Edith Amsterdam and family. Sip tea on the verandah overlooking Millionaire’s Row and the main shipping channel. Tickets: $25. Information, tickets: 482-4586 or visit www. alexandriahistorical.com/victorian-teas/

SATURDAY, AUG. 25 n Boldt Castle Gala, 8 p.m., boats leave Uncle Same boat Tours at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by the River Hospital Foundation. A black-tie affair featuring music, dancing and elegant refreshments. Information, tickets: www.riverhospitalfoundation.org or call 482-4976.

THURSDAY, AUG. 30 – MONDAY, SEPT. 3 n 12th annual Blues in the Bay, performances begin at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday-Monday, upper James Street. Free admission. No coolers allowed under the tent. Raffle for two guitars donated by Dr. Guitar Music, $5 per ticket. For musical line-up, visit www.visitalexbay.org.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 1

FRIDAY, AUG. 17 n The Marshall Tucker Band, 7:30 p.m., Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive. With hit singles like “Heard it in a Love Song,” “Fire on the Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take the Highway,” the Marshall Tucker Band has earned seven gold and three platinum selling albums. Tickets: Center seats, $50; side seats, $45. Information, purchase tickets: www.claytonoperahouse.com.

FRIDAY, AUG. 17-SUNDAY, AUG. 19 n Biennial antique race boat regatta, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Antique Boat Museum, 750 Mary St. Celebrating 20 years of vintage racing and is visible from the shoreline. Boats are also on display at the Gold Cup building. Information: 686-4104 or www.abm.org.

GOUVERNEUR TUESDAY, JULY 31-SUNDAY, AUG. 5 n 161st annual Gouverneur-St. Lawrence County Fair, St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds, 85 E. Barney St. Demolition derby, monster truck and cycle show, super modified tractor pull and American Idol’s Aaron Kelly performs July 31. Information: www.gouverneurfair.net.

HENDERSON THURSDAY, SEPT. 13 n Athena Award Presentation Dinner, 6 p.m. , Ryan’s Lookout restaurant. Sponsored by the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce. Cost: $45 per person; $410 for corporate tables of eight. Register: www.watertownny.com or 788-4400.

CAPE VINCENT

LIVERPOOL

SATURDAY, AUG. 11

n Autos on the River, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Cape Vincent village green. Sponsored by the Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce. Event includes vintage car show, farmers market, contests, face painting and children’s activities and music. Free concert on the green from 5 to 7 p.m. Information: 654-2481 or thecape@tds.net.

n 71st Central New York Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Long Branch Park, 347 Long Branch Road. Tickets: $10; senior citizens, $7; children ages 5 to 12, $4; children younger than 5, free. Information: www.CNYScottishGames.org.

CLAYTON

SATURDAY, AUG. 11 & SUNDAY, AUG. 12

THURSDAY, AUG. 2

OGDENSBURG

n Summer Exhibition Opening Reception and Auction, 5 to 7 p.m., Thousand Islands Arts Center and Handweaving Museum, 314 John St. Information: www.tiartscenter.org.

n Wine, Beer and Food Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Richard Lockwood Civic Center. Sponsored by the Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce. “Pride of New York” event with food, beer and wine produced in New York State. Information: www.ogdensburgny.com.

THURSDAY, AUG. 23 – SUNDAY, AUG. 26

OLD FORGE

n “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” 7 p.m. ThursdaySaturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive. Performed by Watertown Little Theater. General admission: $12. Tickets: www. claytonoperahouse.com.

Van Halen. Family and pet friendly. Tickets: $20; ages 6 to 10, $10. Information, to purchase tickets: www.forgefest2012.com.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 & SUNDAY, SEPT. 23 n Stems and Steins Wine, Beer and Food Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Hiltebrant Recreation Center, North Street. Sponsored by the View arts center. A celebration of wine, beer and food from across the state with an Adirondack flourish. Admission: $5. Information: www.viewarts.org or 369-6411.

ROSSIE SUNDAY, AUG. 12 n Town of Rossie bicentennial celebration, opening ceremony, noon, town barn and Rossie Community Center, 908 County Route 3. Chicken and pork barbecue, historical displays, children’s games, New York State Zoo at Thompson Park booth, horse drawn carriage rides, raffles, opening of the 1976 time capsule and sealing of the 200-year time capsule.

SACKETS HARBOR FRIDAY, AUG. 10 – SUNDAY, AUG. 12 n Disney’s “Camp Rock: The Musical,” 6 p.m. Friday, 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday, Sackets Harbor Playhouse. Sponsored by Watertown Lyric Theater’s Lyric Youth Theater. Proceeds benefit the Watertown Urban Mission’s Back Pack Program. Bring a donation to fill the backpacks. Admission: $12; students and senior citizens, $10. Tickets available from cast members or at Sherwood Florist.

WATERTOWN TUESDAY, AUG. 14 n Journey and Loverboy concert, 7 p.m., Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds. Part of the Disabled Persons Action Organization’s Summer Concert Series. Reserved admission guarantees chair seating; general admission is first come, first served bleacher seating. Tickets: $75; general admission, $55. Information, to purchase tickets: www.dpao.org.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 14 & SATURDAY, SEPT. 15 n 2012 Bravo Italiano Festival, Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds Arena, Coffeen Street. Sponsored by the Italian-American Civic Association. Miss Italia Scholarship Pageant begins at 7 p.m. Friday. Information as it becomes available, www. iacawatertown.com.

SATURDAY, AUG. 11 n Forge Fest 2012, noon to 10 p.m., North Street Recreation Center, 100 North St. “An Adirondack Tribute to Rock Legends,” with tribute bands performing favorites from Bon Jovi, Led Zepplin and

TELL US ABOUT IT — Have an event you’d like to include in NNY Living? Email us at NNYLiving@ WDT.net with the details or visit www.NNYLiving. com and click Events.

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n Blues at the Winery, 2 to 6 p.m., Thousand Islands Winery, 43298 Seaway Ave. Live music, southern style barbecue, wine, beer and wine slushies. Free admission, tastings and tours. Information: www.thousandislandswinery.com.

CALENDAR

BOOKS Top titles by checkout at Flower Memorial Library

The current top five book titles by checkout at Watertown’s Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library are: 1.) “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett 2.) “Driving Mr. Yogi: Yogi Berra, Ron Guidry, and Baseball’s Greatest Gift” by Harvey Araton 3.) “Home Front” by Kristin Hannah 4.) “Kill Shot: An American Assassin” by Vince Flynn 5.) “The Sins of the Father” by Jeffrey Archer

Top eBooks at Flower:

1.) “Endurance” by Jack Kilborn 2.) “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett 3.) “Eyes of Darkness” by Dean Koontz 4.) “A Fair Maiden” by Joyce Carol Oates 5.) “Full-time Father” by Susan Mallery

Books of local interest

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Fitness professionals Christopher and Jessica Page, owners of Page Fitness, Watertown, have co-authored the book, “Bigger Better Faster Stronger: The World’s Leading Fitness Experts Reveal Their Top Secrets to Help You Achieve the Ultimate in Health Longevity.” Mr. Page served in the Air Force from 1989 to 1994, received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from University of Kentucky and became certified as a strength coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Mrs. Page is a licensed massage thera-

[ MOST READ, LOCAL AUTHORS ] pist who began teaching group fitness in 2005. In 2009 she became a LesMills International certified BODYPUMP instructor and certified with distinction in BODYCOMBAT. She won the Model Capitol Championships in Annandale, Va., in 2009 and was a top 10 finalist in the International Fitness America Pageant in Miami. The book is published by CelebrityPress and available on the Page Fitness website, www.pagefitness.com, and amazon.com for $19.95. n

“Those Carp People — and Other Tales of Life Along the St. Lawrence” has been self-published by Watertown Daily Times features writer Chris Brock and Laughing Carp Publishing, Watertown, through CreateSpace. The book contains 10 short stories of small-town life along the river. Its title story, based on a fictional account of incidents in the writer’s hometown of Waddington, won first place for short

fiction in the 2008 North Country Writers Contest sponsored by Jefferson Community College. Other stories in the collection have been published by the online magazine Thousand Islands Life. The book sells for $13.99 and is available at amazon.com. It’s also available in a Kindle edition for $4.99. n

A new guidebook published by Sackets Harbor-based Seaway Trail Inc. details some of the stories about pirates, sailors, daredevils, battles, shipwrecks, lighthouses and other attractions to be found along the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. Stories in the guidebook, titled “Sailors, Keepers, Shipwrecks, and The Maid,” take place in a region stretching from Lake Erie to the St. Lawrence River and include such waterfront locales as Sackets Harbor, Dunkirk, Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Rochester. The book is $9.95 and available online through www.seawaytrailstore.com. n

Silvana Gargione, a native of Lawrenceville, N.J., and lifetime Wellesley Island summer resident, has written “St. Lawrence ABCs, 1000 Islands, 26 Letters, 1 River.” The historical non-fiction picture book was illustrated by Megan Gaffney, a summer resident of Bartlett Point, and is published by ThreeSmallRooms. The book is available in hardcover, $22.95, hardcover with digital download, $25, and as an audiobook, $1.99. All three variations are for sale at www.stlawrenceabcs.com.

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SOCIAL SCENE

[ Little Theatre of Watertown 80th Anniversary Gala ] Black River Valley Club, Watertown

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

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Top, from left, Kay Barker and Margaret Tommeraus. Above, Jeffrey and Kate Comet. The Little Theatre of Watertown celebrated its 80th anniversary with a gala celebration June 2 at the Black River Valley Club. The Little Theatre is a volunteerbased nonprofit organization that was founded in 1932 by Harold W. Conde. Mr. Conde founded the organization to provide “real people” the opportunity to perform on stage and allow patrons to view theater that wasn’t on the movie screen.

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

Top, from left, Dave and Barbara Murphy, Daniel Allington and Jane Jenkins. Ms. Jenkins is Little Theatre treasurer, Mr. Murphy is assistant treasurer and Mr. Allington is second vice president. Above, from left, WWNYTV-7 sportscaster Mel Busler and wife, Rose. Mr. Busler was master of ceremonies for the gala.

[ Midsummer’s Eve Masked Ball ] Dulles State Office Building, Watertown

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

Top, from left, Tracey A. Bartholomew, Renu’e Spa and Skincare Center, Watertown and Clayton, and husband, Jonathan M., HSBC Bank, Watertown. Above, from left, Lucy Gerviss, Schwerzman and Wise, Watertown, and Charles Berkman, Rose and Kiernan, Watertown. On June 16, Renu’e Spa and Skincare Center sponsored the first Midsummer’s Eve Masked Ball, a formal event to benefit children’s charity programs of the Watertown Evening Rotary Club in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation, at the Dulles State Office Building.

SOCIAL SCENE

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

Top, from left, Tom Cesta and wife, Maria. Above, from left, Brandy Lucas, GYMO Architecture, Engineering & Land Surveying, Watertown, and president, Watertown Evening Rotary club, and husband, Jeffery, Budget Blinds, Adams Center.

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MODERN FOLKLORE

‘New immigrants’ with black buggies fitting in

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BY VARICK CHITTENDEN

FOR MOST OF US WHO LIVE IN THE north country today, having people from other countries and cultures move nearby hasn’t been a very common experience. They may speak another language among themselves, go to a different church, eat different food, celebrate different holidays or have different values. Getting used to each other is a challenge. For a century or more, most new arrivals adjusted to local ways pretty quickly, quietly kept their own ways, or left. What was once one of the fastest growing parts of the state is no more and hasn’t been for a long time. Jefferson County today—especially the area right around Fort Drum—is the exception. In the first waves of settlement in the early 19th century, for example, St. Lawrence County’s total population was among the highest of rural counties in the state. In the 1850 census, a half century after New England farmers began the first wave of white immigration to establish small farms and villages, 68,617 people were counted. That was 10,000 more than Westchester County, more than twice as many as Broome (with Binghamton) and four times as many as Rockland (a relatively short distance from the city of New York). By 1890, St. Lawrence County had 89,083; in 1950, 98,897 and, in 2000, 111,284. Growth in the past was attributed at first to new immigrants from foreign lands: French Canadians who came to work in the Adirondack lumber woods, Irish to be tenant farmers or domestic workers, Italians and Armenians to meet the sudden needs of industries like Alcoa in Massena or Watertown, Polish and Slavs in iron mines of the Champlain valley, Jews as pack peddlers, selling essential goods to far-flung country homes.

These people apart provide a great opportunity for us to experience ‘the other’ in amiable, nurturing ways that should be good for all. But the changes in American life–the growth of cities, the increasing mechanization of physical labor, greater mobility as transportation became easier and more people becoming formally educated, for example–caught up with places like Northern New York as time went on. The Golden Age of the north country was slipping away. Young people left for better employment opportunities or military service, travel introduced many to other places they might like to live, and small farms–the bulwark of local life−were disappearing, giving way to agribusiness, corporate-style. In the early 1970s, however, that all began to change here, especially in our rural areas where farming has always been the dominant way of life. “New immigrants” started arriving, one family at a time, with their black buggies and horse-drawn farm wagons. These were the Old Order Amish coming in mostly from Holmes County, Ohio, one of the largest Amish settlements in America. Of course, the Amish are hardly new to America. The first families began arriving in eastern Pennsylvania by the mid-1700s, having left Europe because of religious persecution. Today, most Amish still want to keep a small farm and land here is cheap by

of outhouses seems unsafe or unhealthy to others. And the objection of one family to routine surgery to repair the defective heart of a 1-year-old child as contrary to their religious views was controversial to others, to say the least. In their word, “that’s just our way,” but it’s hard for us to understand. By and large, these new arrivals to the north country are welcome and, in their own way, really fitting in. Unlike the generations of earlier immigrants who over time assimilated into the general culture of local life, these Amish will likely not do

that. We will not become like them; they will not become like us. But these “people apart” provide a great opportunity for us to experience “the other” in amiable, nurturing ways that should be good for all. With that new immigrants could have that kind of experience everywhere in America. VARICK CHITTENDEN is senior folklorist and director of special projects for Traditional Arts in Upstate New York and Professor Emeritus of Humanities at SUNY Canton. A version of this column previously appeared in Voices: A Journal of New York Folklore. Reprinted with permission of the New York Folklore Society.

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others’ standards. Abandoned farm buildings on rural roads make our local counties an ideal site for the Amish to relocate. In the years since they have continued to move in significant numbers. Despite the long, cold winters and short growing seasons, they find this place works for them. By now, there are at least eight communities scattered through our four northernmost counties, with a population of at least 2,500. The first to arrive came to Norfolk in 1974, followed the next year by Swartzentrubers from Ohio, who settled around Heuvelton. More recently, communities have settled in Lowville (1999), Burke/ Malone (2002), Hopkinton/Nicholville (2003), Lafargeville (2005), Bombay (2010) and Philadelphia (2011). It’s become common for the rest of us to see Amish families at the local feed store, loading up grain or other supplies. But we also see them at the new Wal-Mart Supercenter, buying snack food or school supplies. There are some country roads where you can find, in season, strawberries or cabbages or baked goods at roadside stands about every other house. There are nearly a dozen saw mills, a buggy maker or two and, I’m told, as many as 40 or 50 men making furniture for Pickens General Store in Heuvelton that features Amish-only crafts. Amish women and girls have been supplementing family incomes since they first arrived here by making and selling quilts in their traditional dark colors (or, on commission by one of us “English,” in bright colors of our choosing.) Whole families are now making woven reed baskets, some of whom set up photogenic displays at busy corners during the summer months to appeal to tourists. While their entrepreneurship is admired and, for neighbors who have come to know them, their friendship is valued, these Old Order Amish–said by scholars to be among the most conservative anywhere−are seen as both exotic and confusing. Not all of us are as welcoming as we might be, in part I’d say because the ways of the Amish are so different from modern life for most of us. Their refusal to put red warning triangles on their buggies because it violated their rule against displaying bright colors seemed foolish to many north country drivers. Ignoring local building codes that require smoke detectors in houses or distant placement

WELLNESS

Diabetes prevention top priority BY MICHELLE GRAHAM

Miss ‘Ask a Doctor’? n We have compiled neverbeen-published health questions and answers from local medical providers on our website, www.NNYLiving.com.

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D I D Y O U K N O W T H AT T Y P E I I diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases among Americans? According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 60 million Americans have pre-diabetes. We know that people with this condition are at an increased risk to other diseases as well, such as cardiovascular disease and other obesity-related illnesses. Because obesity has reached pandemic proportions, Type II diabetes is also on the rise. There has been a lot of research surrounding diabetes prevention. It has become a major focus in the health care

industry and some insurance companies are beginning to pay for programs that help curb the risk for diabetes. Are you at risk for Type II diabetes? If you answer “yes” to three or more of the following questions, provided by the New York State Health Foundation, you may want to follow-up with your medical care provider for further testing. n Is your blood pressure 140/90 or higher and have been told that you have high blood pressure? n Have you been told that your cholesterol levels are not normal? n Are you inactive? n Have you been told that you have pre-diabetes? n Does a parent or sibling or other close relative have diabetes? n Did you have gestational diabetes? n Do you have a body mass index of 25 or greater? n Are you 45 years of age or older? If you find out that you have prediabetes and are willing to make some changes, the YMCA Diabetes Prevention program may be the right choice for you. For the past two years, the YMCA

More than 60 million Americans have pre-diabetes today. Because obesity has reached pandemic proportions, Type II diabetes is on the rise. has become greatly involved in reaching those individuals at risk for Type II diabetes through the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program, which is a 16-week lifestyle change program with healthy eating and increasing physical activity, being the core of the program. The YMCA has run this program successfully and participated in further research to prove how impactful prevention programs can be in changing long-term outcomes with the at-risk population. To get involved with the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program or for further information contact myself or Steve Rowell at the Downtown YMCA, 782-3100. MICHELLE L. GRAHAM, MS, is wellness director for Watertown’s Downtown YMCA. Contact her at ymca_mgraham@yahoo.com.

HEALTH

20/20 no longer hindsight n LASIK eye surgery growing in popularity BY NORAH MACHIA

JASON HUNTER PHOTO | NNY LIVING

Dr. Debra A. Koloms of Center for Sight performs eye surgery at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg. Earlier this year, she performed the first LASIK surgery in Ogdensburg.

LASIK / More info n Contact Center For Sight at 788-6070 or visit them online at www.centerforsightnny.com.

patients can receive initial evaluations and follow-up appointments at the practice’s other locations in Gouverneur, Potsdam, Massena and Lowville. The procedure is offered on a monthly basis in Watertown, averaging about 35 patients each time. Since it just started in Ogdensburg, it’s being offered every other month averaging about 20 patients. Each patient must undergo an evaluation to make sure he or she is a good candidate for LASIK and does not have any medical conditions that would contradict having the procedure. “We customize the treatment to each person’s cornea,” Dr. Sanni said. “There is no one treatment for everyone.” There are continuing medical advances that allow for patients with a variety of eye problems to undergo some type of corrective surgery. The Watertown practice is

offering advanced options such as Custom Lasik, which uses a wavefront analyzer to generate a 3-D map of the patient’s entire optical system, and provide the surgeon with a highly-detailed view of the eye. Also being introduced next month is Blade-Free LASIK, which uses a technology called IntraLase. The procedure involves the use of the IntraLase laser beam to create a corneal “flap” which allows the surgeon to reshape the cornea without the use of a blade. The minimum age for LASIK surgery is usually between ages 19 and 21, when the “eye stops growing and the glasses prescription remains stable,” Dr. Sanni said. The oldest person to have LASIK at his office was 75 years old, the physician said. The procedure itself takes between 20 to 30 minutes, although there are both evaluation and follow-up appointments required. “We’ve had a lot of corrections officers, police, pilots and Army personnel interested in the procedure,” Dr. Sanni said. “It’s also been beneficial for those people who are very involved in sports activities.”

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THE WATERTOWN CENTER FOR Sight first started offering LASIK eye surgery more than 15 years ago. But the idea just didn’t seem to catch on. In fact, there was so little interest in the procedure, which is aimed at eliminating the need for contact lenses or glasses, that the practice stopped offering it. “There just wasn’t that much demand for it,” said Dr. Noaman Sanni, chief ophthalmologist. “It was still a very new idea.” LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis. The procedure reshapes a person’s cornea to improve vision and can be used to correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. In recent years, the procedure has been refined and has grown in popularity. So in 2010, the Watertown Center for Sight decided to give it another try. The eye care practice started offering LASIK at its office, located at 1815 State St. The practice uses the Advanced CustomVue Procedure, which can “treat a broad range of vision problems,” Dr. Sanni said. “More than six million eyes nationwide have been treated with this system,” he said. The timing proved to be right the second time around. “As more people had this done, there developed a greater sense of comfort about it,” Dr. Sanni said. “Now most everyone knows somebody who has had LASIK.” The Watertown physicians recently started offering the procedure at their Ogdensburg office to accommodate patients in St. Lawrence County. Dr. Debra A. Koloms, staff ophthalmologist, performed the first LASIK surgeries in that office in January. Although LASIK is offered at the Watertown and Ogdensburg offices only,

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That was the main reason Kyle R. Pignone, 33, decided to have LASIK surgery done last September at the Watertown Center For Sight. “I’m an athlete, and not having to wear glasses is ideal for sports,” said Mr. Pignone, who participates in softball and volleyball leagues. Mr. Pignone, a radiologist and CT scan technologist at Samaritan Medical Center, also rides a snowmobile, Jet Ski and motorcycle. “The LASIK changes your life one hundred percent,” he said. “It’s unbelievable to just wear sunglasses and not have to deal with regular glasses or contact lenses.” Mr. Pignone got his first pair of glasses in the second grade. He switched to wearing contact lenses in high school. “My eyes were terrible,” he said. “I was so nearsighted, I would have to hold a book up to my face to read it.” Although he wore contact lenses for years, Mr. Pignone confessed “I was bad at taking care of my contact lenses. I was not disciplined.” What he really wanted was “maintenance free eyeballs,” Mr. Pignone said. “People who have normal vision don’t understand,” he said. “They can just wake up and see.” The day after his LASIK procedure, he went golfing, Mr. Pignone said. “It was amazing,” he said. “I would say my eyesight was 85 to 90 percent normal that day.” The Watertown man said he researched medical practices in Syracuse and Canada, which were advertising low prices for the procedure, but decided to stick close to home. “It may be cheaper in some other places, but by the time you add up the cost of gas and hotels, you really aren’t saving much money,” Mr. Pignone said. Besides, the Watertown Center for Sight was an established practice with a good reputation, he said. The Watertown practice charges between $1,900 and $2,400 per eye, depending on which type of corrective surgery is chosen. They offer several payment options, including monthly payments for up to two years with no interest. NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer who lives in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist. Contact her at nemachia@yahoo.com.

THE NNY LIFE

Like high-plains weather, parenting delivers surprises BY KATIE STOKES

was hundreds of miles away. Yet, the wind still picked up until it was impossibly loud. I remember looking over at my best friend from camp, Ann, who later moved to New York and became an actress, and seeing raw fear on her face, and thinking there was nowhere to go. We came to a tree that had sacrificed itself to the storm by flinging its top half into the middle of the road. Our barely 20-something counselor-cum-canoe instructor ordered us all out of the back of the truck, shouting over weird licks of wind while we were pummeled by water balloon-sized gobs of rain. Thunder seemed to crack the sky in half — in front of the cloud it was bright, sunny and doggedly hot and behind it was a swamp-aired, chilly twilight. I don’t think I saw it, but I heard a couple older kids shouting about a rotation, which is the last thing you want to hear in the middle of a violent Midwest thunderstorm. The air around us was heavy and something just felt strange and backward. You can imagine what that moment felt like to a mosquito-bitten, colt-legged teen surrounded for the first time by the full force of nature without her parents. We were being asked the impossible: to conjure superhuman strength and move a tree so that we could stay ahead of the storm. Our poor counselor had to make only the right decisions for probably the first time in his life, because there’s no learning from a mistake like that. In a situation like that, you realize that sometimes you have no control — and neither does anyone else. Not over the big things anyway. Obviously, the story didn’t end with me being sucked into a vortex. We got lucky. Together, we slid the tree off the road just far enough for the truck to teeter around it on the shoulder. We raced back to camp, to the safety of our bunker-like dining hall where we waited out the elements. And then we just sat down and ate dinner. Just like that, our lives went on. As a parent, I’m not that scared every day. If it were that scary, I would right now be

Please see NNY LIFE, page 45

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HAVING GROWN UP IN OKLAHOMA, I’ve been through my fair share of naturerelated close calls: thunder loud enough to make my ears pop; lightning bright enough to make me believe the world was being sucked up into heaven; hail that left pockmarks deep enough to stop a billiard ball from rolling down the hood of my car. I even saw a tornado up close once. The panic it induced was so wretched and thick, I glanced at the dancing tendril only long enough to get the impression that it was really, truly there before I peeled off in the other direction in my hail-ruined Toyota. Never could I have guessed that a life spent with the imminent threat of tornadoes would prepare me in any way for parenting. But, in certain situations, parenting and life in “Tornado Alley” have at least two things in common: terror and luck. Before children, the day I felt closest to blind, free-falling fear was a day toward the end of summer camp when I was about 13. Our group of 15 young campers was practicing for an epic three-day canoe trip, a culmination of a summer spent paddling heavy fiberglass war canoes up river, learning to read rapids made different every day by shifting rocks, trees and water levels, before we flung ourselves brazenly headlong down the Illinois River on the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas for nearly half the week. We’d passed the entire day on the river like teens do in water in the heat of summer: flirting, joking, splashing, creating inside jokes, making naïve innuendoes, singing cheesy songs at the tops of our lungs, losing T-shirts or sunglasses or bags of Fritos in the more serious splash fights. By the time we finished our day-long practice run and loaded up for camp, a wall cloud that seemed half the size of the entire state started to fork lightning all around us. About half of us rode in the back of camp’s old Chevy, trailing the canoes behind us. During all my previous close-call weather experiences, I’d counted on my father to tell me when and where to run and hide, if it was even necessary to do so. At that age, I was more or less smart enough to get myself in out of the rain. But just barely. That hot summer day though, my dad

TODAY’S GARDENER

Grow a ‘victory garden’ to share with family, friends

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BY BRIAN HALLETT

IN 1917,THE NATIONAL WAR GARDEN Commission launched the War Garden Campaign or Victory Garden program. People planted vegetable, fruit and herb gardens at private residences and public parks to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. Gardeners could share their skills in support of the war and be rewarded by the produce grown. The American garden is about sharing with family and friends. It is not just about the plants that grow, but the relationships of the gardeners themselves. I grew up in a gardening family. My mom and dad turned an acre side lot in the village of Adams into a productive source for organic vegetables, berries and fruit. My dad was a type A accounting teacher and his need for order was evident in his garden plan. Everything was planned out in an orderly grid with rototilled pathways between neatly measured rows. Our entire family planted, weeded, harvested, preserved and canned. My parents were rewarded with a cellar pantry and root cellar full of organically grown and locally sourced food before it was trendy or controversial. I never remember the work in the garden being a choice, but, like most kids, I do remember feeling like hand weeding 500 feet of corn by myself seemed way too unpleasant. Also, like most kids, I would rather go to someone

else’s house and work than stay at home. My grandparents gardened in Adams Center for more than 50 years. My grandmother was an amazing cook who defined a cook’s meddles by their ability to blend flavors and ingredients based on what was available and she rarely used a recipe. My grandfather was a ceramic artist and the garden my grandparents shared with family and friends reflected their appreciation for nature, the growing process and a creative spirit. I realize now how ahead of their time they truly were. Although both gardens were productive and beautiful in their own right there was something magical about opening the heavy wooden gate and entering my grandparents’ lovingly maintained fruit and vegetable garden. You were treated to a blend of cool-to-your-feet grassed pathways, mulched raised beds filled with vegetables and flowers growing in compost and organic soil, trellised climbers, dahlias, berry bushes, rain barrels and comfortable shaded benches. My grandparents shared their time with me as we worked the garden together. Some of my fondest memories and conversations with them took place over a glass of iced tea in a shaded part of their garden. Successful gardens are about sharing: sharing work, sharing time and sharing produce. This past spring a group of friends at work decided to help one of our friends who’d had a difficult year

and she couldn’t get into her garden and keep up with all the things she wanted to do. When the day arrived, we all had brought our tools and plants sourced from local greenhouses, as well as plants from our gardens. After a bit of direction from our friend, we dug in and started weeding, planting, moving plants, filling containers, cleaning out and mulching beds. Time flew that morning as we helped each other. Interestingly, the balance was wonderful. A few friends are older and have limitations, but their garden knowledge was phenomenal, while some of us have stronger backs and are able to lift bags of soil and mulch, dig holes, run a chain saw and clear weeds and brush. It all worked out and within a few hours we swept through the garden adding new life and encouragement to our dear friend. It makes me wonder, why isn’t this done more often? It reminds me a bit of the trades made in my grandparents’ era of things such as a barn raising or crop harvesting. When people come together to help one another, it changes the attitude from both sides and just like when I was a kid helping in someone else’s garden seems less like work. All around it was amazing. Starting a gardening group is fairly easy. All you need is a plan and some people you enjoy spending time around. The time can include a meal together and some time planting, weeding, harvesting and preserving. It can be family and friends with varied skills, just a willing spirit and a bit of sweat and I believe your time shared will change how you view gardening. BRIAN HALLETT is an art teacher at South Jefferson Central School in Adams and his family owns Halletts’ Florist and Greenhouse in Adams, which has been in business for nearly 30 years.

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THIS IS NNY

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M 24

A DAY AT THE FAIR

idway rides and fried dough, demolition derbies and a tiger-tamer, the 195th annual Jefferson County Fair had something for everyone. This year’s fair, still the longest running county fair in the United States, attracted just shy of 51,000 people, in early estimates, to Watertown’s Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds. We unleashed our photographers inside the fair gates to catch a day at the Jefferson County Fair. They returned with a series of snapshots of one of the oldest traditions in Northern New York. From a tired cow-wrangling little boy to the towering swing ride that lifts riders more than two stories high, they captured a slice of life that can only be found at the fair. Clockwise from top left, patrons spin around in a fast-moving midway ride. A frightening sign urges fairgoers to drink water. Jerome A. King, 14, Watertown, rides bumper cars with friends. Young girls perform ballet before judges during the talent show. Garrett C. Phelps, 6, Copenhagen, hangs out with his brother and sister’s cows in the cattle tent. Patrons ride the “Skyflyer.”

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN SORENSEN AND AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING

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Clockwise from top: the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Brewery Ommegang, Fourth of July at the Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Museum, the Otesaga Resort Hotel veranda, downtown Cooperstown, memorabilia from Hall of Fame player Hank Aaron, Fenimore Art Museum and Doubleday Field.

36 HOURS

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A grand slam of activities awaits in Cooperstown

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Baseball, brews and more in home to first Hall of Fame

TEXT BY KEN EYSAMAN | PHOTOS COURTESY COOPERSTOWN /OTSEGO COUNTY TOURISM FRIDAY, 1 P.M., CHECK-IN TIME Cooperstown and the surrounding area offers plenty of options for overnight accommodations with roughly two-dozen hotels within a 30-minute radius that range from affordable to luxurious. If you favor a more personal place to rest your head, there are some 30 bed and breakfast inns within minutes of the action. For those looking for just the right place, Otsego County has plenty of choices with more than 400 B&Bs from which to choose. Want to rough it for a night or two under the stars? Glimmerglass State Park, just eight miles outside the village of Cooperstown, overlooks Otsego Lake. The park maintains 42 campsites for use from May through September, all of which are outfitted with picnic tables, grills and fire rings. Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, 1 (607) 547-8662 http:// nysparks.com/parks/28.

Also on the trail, visitors age 21 and older can sample locally made brews at Brewery Ommegang and Cooperstown Brewing Company and taste America’s oldest beverage at the historic Fly Creek Cider Mill. Cooperstown’s centuries-old history of quality drink dates back decades before baseball. In fact, it was once North America’s hops-growing capital. Four beveragemakers founded the trail in 2004: Bear Pond Winery, Cooperstown Brewing Company, Brewery Ommegang and Fly Creek Cider Mill. In 2012, two additional beverage crafters joined: Butternuts Beer & Ale and Rustic Ridge Winery. Last year alone, nearly 21,000 people took to the trail. At each location, visitors can enjoy tastings, tours that provide a behindthe-scenes look at how the beverages are made, or walk around in specialty shops. www.cooperstownbeveragetrail.com.

FRIDAY, 2 P.M., WHET YOUR TASTE BUDS WITH SOME SUDS Now that you’re all checked in, it’s time to crack a cold one and explore. The Cooperstown Beverage Trail is the state’s first sanctioned “cuisine trail” that winds along 23 miles. A farm winery and a historic water-powered cider mill produce world-class beverages.

FRIDAY, 5 P.M., MAN VS. FOOD Nestled right on Main Street, the Cooperstown Diner is a family-owned, small-town diner that guarantees no one will leave hungry. It offers big-time hearty, home-cooked meals — most notably its half-pound jumbo burgers, which on any other planet would likely weigh more than a few pounds. But if you’re hanker-

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A WONDERFUL FACT ABOUT LIVING in Northern New York is its close proximity to a veritable world of treasures, most within a reasonable day trip of home and inside the Empire State. Less than three hours from Watertown, an easy jaunt down Route 12 to Utica, east on the New York State Thruway to Mohawk and south on Route 28, is Otsego County and Central Leatherstocking Country. Home to Cooperstown and the great shrine to America’s pastime — the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum — this rural swath of south central New York is lush with streams, hills, valleys and beautiful lakes. At eight miles long, Otsego Lake is the area’s largest, and is often described by James Fenimore Cooper, the noted 19th century author who penned the great American novels “The Deerslayer” and “The Last of the Mohicans.” In addition to providing an outlet for recreation, Otsego Lake is the drinking water source for Cooperstown and the entire watershed for Otsego Lake is on the National Historic Register. While most widely known for the Hall of Fame, which draws tens of thousands to Cooperstown each year, activities in this off-the-beaten-path village include much more than baseball and apple pie.

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ing for a real “grand slam,” breakfast is served all day until closing. This tiny diner is so small that on its website it claims to have “only half an address.” But, as owners Earle and Janet Hayford promise, they will always find room to fit you in, no matter the season. Here, you are sure to meet regulars who don’t need to order as the staff knows what to dish up when “the usual” is called for. Stay for a while and listen up as you might learn something about Cooperstown not noted in a guidebook or on the Internet. Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, 9 p.m. summers. Cooperstown Diner, 136 ½ Main St., 1 (607) 547-9201, www.cooperstowndiner.com. If something a bit more upscale pleases your palate and fits your budget, the Otesaga Resort Hotel offers fine-dining in a formal setting like few other places in its Main Dining Room. Patrons will enjoy an imaginative menu that changes daily and emphasizes foods from central New York. Hudson Valley duck breast with tart apples and wild berry emulsion or country paté with lingonberries, gherkins, Swiss chard and grain mustard sauce are just two of executive chef Michael A. Gregory’s timeless classics that harken back to the first meal served in 1909. A five-course evening dinner menu, at which gentlemen are required to wear

jackets, is accompanied by fine wines, candlelight and piano music. In-season, the Main Dining Room is open daily for dinner 6-8:30. Inquire about the dress code when making dinner reservations. The Otesaga Resort Hotel Main Dining Room, 60 Lake St., 1 (607) 544-2519, www.otesaga.com/Dining. SATURDAY, 9 A.M., PLAY BALL! An early start to the day will give you a chance to beat the crowds and leave room to pack more of the unexpected into your visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, where 150 years of history are on display. The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum opened its doors June 12, 1939, the country’s first sports hall of fame. Since, the museum has drawn more than 13 million visitors. While most baseball historians refute the claim, folklore has it that Abner Doubleday invented baseball on a cow pasture in Cooperstown in 1839. Spread over three floors, museum collections feature just shy of 40,000 threedimensional items, 500,000 photographs and three million books and documents. The museum tells baseball’s story through a three-story timeline. The hallowed Plaque Gallery is the hall’s centerpiece. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, year-round,

closed only Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day; summer hours, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through the day before Labor Day. General admission — adults: $19.50; seniors 65 and older: $12; children 7-12: $7; children 6 and younger: free. AAA members: adults $17.50; seniors $10.75; children $6.25. Military veterans: $12; active and retired: free. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, 25 Main St., 1 (888) 425-5633, www.baseballhall.org. SATURDAY, 2 P.M., HIT THE TOWN After hours on your feet strolling through the Hall of Fame, hop on a vintage trolley and tour Cooperstown for the afternoon for just $3; $2 for children 12 and younger. The village has a two-block downtown district with one traffic light and a year-round population of 2,200. With a menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers and wraps, break for a late lunch at the All American Café, the only outdoor restaurant on Main Street. Feel like a treasure hunt? The website www.thisiscooperstown.com notes that there are more than 50 unique antique shops and dealers in and around Cooperstown. So, grab a map and explore. SUNDAY, 10 A.M., FARMVILLE Another early rise will guarantee a full

day before the drive home. One of the country’s oldest rural life museums, the Farmers’ Museum, provides visitors a chance to experience 19thcentury life firsthand through interpretive exhibits and demonstrations. Founded in 1943, the museum features a working farmstead, a country fair with its prized Empire State Carousel, a recreated historic village and a colonial revival stone barn that’s listed on the National Register for Historic Places. The museum’s collection of more than 23,000 items includes period objects that range from carriages to butter molds. A wide range of interactive programs for families and adults are featured daily. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 8. General admission — adults 13-64: $12; seniors 65 and older: $10.50; children 7-12: $6; children 6 and younger: free. Active, retired and career military: free. The Farmers’ Museum, 5775 State Highway 80, www.farmersmuseum.org.

GETTING THERE From most points in the north country, travel to Lowville and continue on take Route 12 to Utica and merge onto I-90 East, the New York State Thruway. Continue on the thruway until Herkimer/Mohawk. Take exit 30 and merge onto Route 28 South until you reach Cooperstown. From Watertown the roughly 125-mile drive takes about 2-and-a-half hours. KEN EYSAMAN is editor for NNY Living. Contact him at 661-2399 or keysaman@wdt.net.

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SUNDAY, 1 P.M., AN ART MECCA, AMERICAN STYLE “A collection any museum in the world should envy,” the New York Times once stated of the Fenimore Art Museum. Indeed, the museum features one of the finest collections of folk art, American art and the renowned Thaw Collection of American Indian Art. Perched on the western shore of Otsego Lake and housed in a 1930s neo-Georgian mansion, the Fenimore Art Museum showcases a perspective on the heritage and history of America through art. The collections it houses include some of the best examples of American landscape, history and genre paintings, American folk art, photography and American Indian art. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 8. The Fenimore Café is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. General admission — adults 13-64: $12; seniors 65 and older: $10.50; children 12 and younger: free. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Highway 80, 1 (607) 547-1420, www.fenimoreartmuseum.org.

ARTS

Passion, paint and people Following one-time dream brings unexpected rewards

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TEXT BY JOLEENE DES ROSIERS | PHOTOS BY STAFF

WILSON BICKFORD LOVES WHAT HE does. He is a professional artist, instructor and author, and he thrives within every second of it. From Albany to the north country, Mr. Bickford drives his passion into budding artists, eager to learn the craft. But like many of us, he didn’t think following a passion would pay off. He was wrong. “I always had the desire, but I just didn’t want to put the time into it. I didn’t think it would be lucrative. So I focused on music instead. I was 14 when I heard my older brother play guitar and sing. I wanted to do the same, so I started devoting all my time to practicing music.” Mr. Bickford continued to pursue music, leaving his drawings behind in a dusty drawer. Eventually he got married and had children, and, like so many people, settled for a job that didn’t satiate his artistic passions. He continued to play music in local bands, but drawing and art disappeared completely — until he turned 30. “I’ve always liked to draw,” he said. “One night I started doodling on my own after work. Then I decided to be bold and try something different. So I started play-

ing with paint. I didn’t know a straight brush from a script liner brush, nor did I know how to mix colors, but I kept on playing. One thing led to another and I got more into it. The next thing I knew, I was completely hooked. Every spare minute I had, I was painting. I was trying to improve. I could see improvement with each piece.” Taking things one step further, he began to bring some pieces to restaurants to sell. As patrons began to see his wildlife renditions come to life, they wanted to learn, too. Within a few months of his restaurant gallery displays, soon-to-be artists were calling to ask if he could teach them how to paint. “I never dreamed about being an art instructor or teacher,” Mr. Bickford said. “It just worked out that way. I had a gentleman come to my home one day and say, ‘I really like to paint. Can you show me what you do?’ So I started having him come to the house on Monday evenings. I would walk him through a little project of painting clouds and trees. He would mimic me and do it, too.” Those Monday nights turned into regular classes. Before long, Mr. Bickford

was teaching in his town and neighboring towns. JoAnne Raymond, a Florida resident who takes advantage of the classes when she’s in the north country, recommends Mr. Bickford to anyone interested in painting — art background or not. “It’s a talent that I didn’t think I had, but because of Wilson’s laid-back teaching style and easy-going nature, he makes everybody believe they can do it,” Mrs. Raymond said. “He shows you that everybody can paint. He’s very patient. He never tells you that you can’t do it.” There was only one problem Mr. Bickford faced as his class size grew: his day job was getting in the way. For 10 years, the artist worked from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a mining facility. He would then go home, clean up, and hit the road again to make it to a 5 p.m. class. After a decade, however, the double life exhausted him. He needed to make a choice. “I was burning the candle at both ends. But it wasn’t all bad. I realized I was making more money teaching my classes than I was at my full-time job. So I talked to my wife and we decided after our daughter graduated college I would throw caution

MELANIE KIMBLER-LAGO | NNY LIVING

JOLEENE DESROSIERS is a transformational speaker and freelance writer who lives in Pulaski. Contact her at joleene@joleenespeaks.com. Visit her at www.joleenespeaks.com.

Top, artist Wilson R. Bickford paints in his Fowler home in 2007. Mr. Bickford has produced a series of instructional DVDs about painting. In 2003, the artist turned his love for painting into a full-time job. Above, Mr. Bickford helps students during a winter landscape painting class earlier this year at Windance Art gift store, 345B East Orvis St., Massena.

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to the wind, pull the plug on the day job, and live out my dream. That was in 2003. I was 42-years-old.” The result was a lucrative business that brought him a book, “Wildlife Landscapes You Can Paint,” his own art supply product line and his own television show on CW 15 in Albany and Schenectady. Mr. Bickford credits the Internet for his success. “I was just painting for enjoyment,” he said. “I never expected it to turn into a full-time art career. But it’s the best move I’ve ever made. Its one of those things that has become my life and I can’t imagine not doing it.” Nor can Mrs. Raymond. It has reignited her passions and given her a new sense of who she is with every stroke she paints. “Every time I attend one of his classes, I walk away with a painting I can be proud of,” she said.

COVER STORY

A lost slice of

A M ER I CA N A

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Anachronisms abound in north country way of life

STORY BY KYLE R. HAYES | NNY LIVING

THE DEFINITION OF NEW YORK’S “north country” is a fluid one, depending on whom you’re talking with, their upbringing and their knowledge of the state’s geography. If you’re chatting with a Manhattan native, the north country is the area south of Poughkeepsie that follows the Hudson River into White Plains and Yonkers. For anyone familiar with the Adirondacks, they will tell you the north country is from Tupper Lake and east to Plattsburgh. Anyone in Franklin County will argue that you can’t go any farther north than Malone and Hogansburg without crossing the U.S.Canadian border. No matter the definition of the “north country,” there is one thing that makes life in our north country, west of the Adirondacks and north of Syracuse, unique and that is the small town communities with their distinctive personalities: their Main Street businesses and village green concerts, strawberry festivals during the summer or community sledding hills in the winter. Life in the north country is a little

bit slower, more relaxed, but represents something uniquely American. Within the communities that hold their annual festivals celebrating local music or food they produce or are homes to drive-in movie theaters where you can see a handful of neighbors throughout the summer, a slice of Americana still lives. Whether it is the church bells ringing at noon on a weekday or a night of fireworks in July, the nostalgia of Americana is part of the web that has woven itself into the culture of what we call our north country.

THE GENERAL STORE

The general store is a landmark in any small town, from the days of the pioneers right up to modern times. Every small town is home to a general store where patrons would not only pick up some milk for breakfast, but talked with neighbors in line at the checkout counter. Pickens Hall, now home to Pickens General Store, is a cultural landmark in the riverside town of Heuvelton in St. Lawrence County. Built in 1858 by John Pickens

Sr., the hall contained the original Pickens General Store, the Heuvelton Bee newspaper and housed a second floor meeting hall and third floor opera hall. Today, Pickens General Store features an abundance of goods and gifts made locally in the Amish community. The store is a major fund-raiser for the Heuvelton Historical Association, a group of local historians and volunteers that purchased the building, saving it from being demolished, from the village of Heuvelton for $1. Since the purchase, hundreds of thousands of dollars and dozens of hours of volunteer labor have been poured back into the building, restoring it to its former glory as a community performance hall, general store and museum space. From bulk foods to Amish straw hats and homemade, local honey and the home of the annual Irish festival, Pickens Hall is the site of convergence for the Heuvelton community. The store even has a “proprietor,” a black cat with piercing green eyes named Mr. Pickens. Mr. Pickens started visiting the store each day as a kitten, until

ABOUT THE COVER

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY LIVING

Grant Simons and Gail R. Simons hang the sign on their root beer truck stand in preparation for the Jefferson County Fair. The couple has been using the same root beer truck since 1957.

NNY natives

roll through season with taste of past

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING

David Ruch performs traditional music from the War of 1812 at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield on Independence Day. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the war. Whether celebrating community, or marking history, performances like Mr. Ruch’s are fairly common across the region.

ing, housing an elevator, stairs and handicapped-accessible restrooms. Future renovations include the restoration of the third floor opera house.

THE COMMUNITY BAND

For more than 30 years, Potsdam went without a community band, a musical entity made up of musicians young and old that convened solely because they loved performing music. In the 1970s, the Potsdam Community Band began its hibernation, being resurrected in 2010 by Theresa Witmer, Ronald E. Berry and Laurel Kuxhaus. Ms. Witmer, the Potsdam High School band director, is musical director of the community band as well. “Unlike many community bands, we don’t meet every week or even monthly yearround,” Mr. Berry said. “We

set a concert date, we publicize the rehearsals to our database of people and people either say yes, they can come, or no, they can’t.” Mr. Berry, who is personnel manager for the band, said that community bands have a very strong following throughout the United States, with some having performed for more than 150 years. “Any individual band has its upsurges and downtimes, but we have seated as many as 85 musicians and as few as 60 for any one performance,” Mr. Berry said. “Our midsummer concert at the Potsdam Summer Festival always has a very good audience. We are happy to play music for two people or 500 people, we’ll play for anyone.” The mission behind the rebirth of the organization was to bring together musicians that

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one day he was nowhere to be found. The town historian, Linda Marshall, had learned that he was hit by a car, badly hurt and his owners, neighbors of the store, weren’t able to care for him. Ms. Marshall asked the owners if she could take him to be treated and he eventually made a full recovery and guardianship of the kitten was given to the Historical Association. Mr. Pickens now lounges about the storefront and greets customers as they walk through the doors. To show off the latest round of renovations, Pickens General Store and the Heuvelton Historical Association is hosting a grand re-opening from Thursday, Aug. 2, to Saturday, Aug. 4, at the store. The association is involved in phase three of the hall renovation, which includes a 4,571-square-foot addition to the back of the main build-

GRANT AND GAIL R. Simons are taking an unconventional tour of the north country. Instead of seeing the sights in the family minivan or towing a camper behind their pickup truck, they are doing it in their own way: via county fair. See, Mr. and Mrs. Simons are owners of the “Root Beer Truck,” a 1937 Ford truck that they’ve owned since 1957 and have retrofitted into a concession stand. Their tour started at the Oswego County Fair in Sandy Creek, moved to the Jefferson and Lewis County fairs, where we snapped their photograph for our cover, and finished at the Boonville-Oneida County Fair. At each stop, they set up shop with their circus stripe tee shirts and baseball caps as well as their sign depicting a giant mug of frothy root beer strung high above their stand. Mr. and Mrs. Simons, north country natives who now live in Lake City, Fla., serve oldfashioned root beer from a barrel with a splash of nostalgia. Their stand is a throwback to the 1930s, a time when soda fountains were manned by the local “soda jerk” and root beer floats were all the rage.

would perform music that they enjoyed playing and an audience enjoyed listening to. In their inaugural concert in the summer of 2010, the Potsdam Community Band had 84 musicians playing at the Potsdam Summer Festival. On Sunday, Aug. 26, at 2 p.m. on the Potsdam High School lawn, the Potsdam Community Band will be performing their end of summer concert, before teachers go back to classes and students return to the halls of the high school for another year.

THE LOCAL DINER

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Each community has a communal meeting place, whether it’s the local post office or in church on Sundays. In many small towns, there’s no place busier during morning coffee hour than the local diner. Truck stop, hole-in-the-wall or greasy spoon, diners are the hub of gossip, news and folklore in a small town. Lloyd’s of Lowville, named after the diner’s second owner, has been a fixture on S. State Street in Lowville since the diner was built in 1939. With its neon lights and signage atop the rounded roof, the diner is a throwback to 1950s soda shop culture. Inside, homemade foods fill the menu for diners seated at the lunch counter stools and wooden booths that line the wall. The diner holds such significance to north country history that the Traditional

Arts of Upstate New York, a Canton-based organization that celebrates folklore and culture in the region, placed the restaurant on its Register of Very Special Places. In Watertown, Harby’s Hots has filled a void for an all-American diner that offers little more than hamburgers, Hoffman hot dogs and homemade soups. Harby’s was opened in 1980 by the late Kenneth J. Harblin Jr., who turned the property on outer Washington Street from a 1960s automobile dealership into a restaurant. Harby’s is known for its big burgers, candy offerings by the cash register and a no-fuss attitude from both the staff and the customers. The walls are lined with photos of customers, days gone by and families that frequent the restaurant. Menu offerings may seem limited, but Harby kept things simple and stuck to what worked, no $13 dollar gourmet hamburgers in sight. The restaurant is now owned and operated by Mr. Harblin’s daughter, Susan Harblin-Dandrow, who has expanded business to include catering options and a $10 dinner special on select weeknights. What remains is a small, unassuming diner on the outskirts of the city of Watertown that welcomes their morning coffee club and a boatload of regulars who return for both food and conversation.

THE ROADSIDE STAND

Throughout the summer, farmers’ fields abound with fresh fruits and vegetables that make their way from farm to table via several routes, whether the farmers market, grocery store or community-supported agriculture shares. Even neighbors trade fresh-picked herbs for vine-ripened tomatoes. Though driving the back roads of the north country, there’s one point-of-sale that’s hard to miss, and that’s the roadside farm stand. The practice of buying from a roadside stand is committed to memory for anyone who grew up buying corn for dinner at the closest stand. Pull the car over, open the trunk, load up and leave your dues in a locked honor box for the farmer to pick up the next morning when they’re topping off the supply of fresh blueberries or ears of sweet corn. Getting to North Branch Farms, 7781 Lake Road in Belleville, means a quick jaunt through the tiny town, which has no stop light, just a four-way stop at the four corners of town. A handmade sign propped up on one of the stop signs directs customers toward the farm where Jay J. Canzonier and his wife, Kathryn D., have established a business all their own. Prominent by the roadside is their very own stand, nothing fancy, no computers or credit card machines. Fresh picked blueberries and mid-summer vegetables abound. Mr. and Mrs. Canzonier bought their farm, which now covers about 40 acres, in 2003, started planting sweet corn and eventually grew into vegetables like zucchini, peppers and cucumbers and you-pick strawberries, pumpkins and blueberries. “We will have the stand here at the farm and are opening up our stand on Route 3 in Henderson with the first crop of sweet corn,” Mr. Canzonier said. “We also have some offerings at the Sackets Harbor Country Mart.” During the fall months, the Canzoniers welcome the public into their homestead for hay rides and corn mazes when customers stop by to pick up a winter squash or pumpkin to take home. With such a dry summer, Mr. Canzonier said the effects on sweet corn, one of the biggest sellers for any north country farm, remains to be seen. “We were planting every five days from the end of April into June, so some plantings may be more affected than others,” he said. “We’ll just take it an ear at a time.” KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Living. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

FEATURES

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING

The MacFarland family enjoys the film “Brave” from the back of their pickup truck at the Alexandria Bay Drive-In.

A silver screen gem Fighting for survival, drive-in theaters draw thousands in NNY BY NORAH MACHIA

the Valley Brook as a side business to their dairy farm, people from throughout the county still seek out the traditional summer pastime. “We have our regular customers, and we always get new people,” said Mr. Dekin. “They drive up to the booth, pay their admission, and ask ‘now what do we do?’” One reason people are still holding on to this piece of Americana is that it offers an affordable form of entertainment, particularly for families, he said. “The admission price is much cheaper than a regular movie theater,” Mr.

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A LITTLE SLICE OFAMERICANA CAN still be found at drive-in theaters throughout the north country. But it hasn’t been easy for many of them to survive, and as one theater owner stated “a lot of drive-ins throughout the country have closed and the land has been developed for other things − the Home Depots, the Walmarts, the car dealerships.” There are two drive-in movie theaters operating in Jefferson County, one in St. Lawrence County and one in Lewis County.

“When this theater opened in 1952, there were close to 5,000 drive-ins nationwide,” said Michael D. Dekin, owner of the Valley Brook Drive-In, Lyons Falls. “Now there are only about 350 left in country, and maybe 30 in New York State.” Mr. Dekin added “it’s a miracle that we can support two movie theaters in this county, this one and the regular indoor theater in Lowville. You have to remember, there are about 27,000 people in Lewis County. There are more cows here than people.” Yet 60 years after his grandparents, Michael and Bessie Matuszczak, opened

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING

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Above, Alexandria Bay Drive-In owner Thomas H. Wade reaches up to turn off a light after starting up the cinema one projector system. Below, a strip of film runs up to the cinema one projector.

Dekin said. “You give them two movies, so if they don’t like the first one, they still have another one to watch.” The drive-in movie theater, an American cultural icon, surged in popularity following World War II, partly due to improved technology with the introduction of in-car speakers, according to industry historians. Their popularity also grew as a result of the postwar baby boom. But the drive-in theaters faced competition with the advent of color television in the 1960s, and later the emerging cable television channels and VCRs in the 1970s and 1980s. Another reason the popularity of the drive-in movie theaters started to dwindle in the 1970s and 1980s, however, was because the film industry started releasing only “second-run films” to the drive-ins, said Jeffrey Szot, owner of the 56 Auto Drive-In, Massena, which opened in 1955. That drove crowds away from the outdoor venues and into the indoor theaters to catch the latest “blockbuster” films, endangering the existence of the drive-in, an American icon, he said.

But that later changed, when legal challenges brought by drive-in theater owners nationwide prompted the film industry once again to release the new movies to all venues at the same time. That gave the drive-ins an opportunity to grow again, Mr. Szot said. “When we were able to start playing first run films, that drew the crowds back in,” he said. “It’s really nostalgic entertainment.” In recent years, the drive-ins have started to become more popular with families again, Mr. Szot said. “It seemed for awhile families weren’t looking for opportunities to spend quality time together,” he said. “Now that seems to be changing.’” The drive-ins offer “more of a chance for them to bond,” he added. Another unique and traditional part of the drive-in theater is the concession stand, Mr. Szot said. “We offer all food cooked to order, and our specialty, fried bread dough can match anything you would find at the state fair,” said Mr. Szot.

Some people who viewed their first drive-in movie many years ago are coming back, but this time, it’s with their grandchildren, said John Nagelschmidt, who co-owns the Black River Drive In with Loren E. Knapp. “They want to introduce their grandchildren to the experience,” he said. “Some of these children have never been to a drive-in.” But that’s not the only crowd in the audience. In keeping with the tradition of summer romance, the drive-ins “are becoming popular again with the first date crowds,” Mr. Nagelschmidt said. The Black River Drive-In was built in 1950, but closed for about 20 years following a fire in the mid-1980s which badly damaged the concession building. Mr. Nagelschmidt and Mr. Knapp, who had been a long-time projectionist, reopened the theater in 2006 after purchasing it from the previous owner and completing an extensive renovation. The decision to invest in the long-time abandoned theater was partly due to an investment by the Town of LeRay in bringing water and sewer service to that area on Route 3, Mr. Nagelschmidt said. The Bay Drive-In Theater in Alexandria Bay was built in 1968 off Route 26. It also faced similar challenges in remaining open, according to its history website page. The theater was purchased in 1982 by Thomas H. Wade, who made several renovations, including rebuilding and enlarging the snack bar, restrooms and adding a “mini-theater” indoor seating area. In

Drive-ins / Where in NNY n Valley Brook Drive-In, Lyons Falls, 348-6315 n 56 Auto Drive-In, Massena 764-1250 or www.jscinemas.com n Black River Drive-In, Black River, 773-8604 or www.blackriverdrivein.com n Bay Drive-In Theater, Alexandria Bay, 482-3874 or www.baydrivein.com

NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer living in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist. Contact her at nemachia@yahoo.com.

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1999, additional property was purchased to add a second screen. The owners of all four drive-in theaters are currently facing one of their biggest challenges – the conversion from 35 millimeter film to digital format, with estimated costs of up to $100,000 for the purchase of a new digital projector and other equipment. The change is the result of a decision by the film industry, which is moving toward the release of all motion pictures in digital format only. The Black River Drive-In switched last month to the digital projector, which was expected to provide the audience with a “brighter, crisper and more vibrant picture,” Mr. Knapp said at the time. Mr. Wade said the Bay Drive-In would probably be changing over to digital early next year, while Mr. Szot said his theater is also expecting to make the switch before the next summer season. But for the owner of the only drive-in theater in Lewis County, it will come down to the wire before a final decision is made. “We want to keep operating,” said Mr. Dekin. “Switching over to digital would not be such a big issue if it wasn’t for the huge expense involved with making the change.” “Changing to digital is a cost-saving measure on the part of the film industry, but it puts the independent theater owners in a difficult situation because the new equipment is so expensive,” he said. It’s “almost like having to refinance the theater all over again, in one of the worst economic climates,” he added. Mr. Dekin said he is hoping that as it gets closer to the deadline when all driveins must make the change, or go out of business, the price of the new equipment will drop. “We will decide at the last minute,” he said. “If there is a will and a way, we will find it.”

FOOD

Barbecue sauce helps make everything better From pulled pork to grilled chicken, try a sassy favorite

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BY BOO WELLS

THE INTRODUCTION WAS INNOCENT ENOUGH.WHO could have predicted the massive lifestyle change it would cause. How could anyone know the chaos that would ensue? In some respects it broadened our horizons, but in others it narrowed them. Of my three boys, Tucker, the youngest, has always had reservations about food. He has never eaten an egg, bananas repulse him, no foods with sauce, no fish or shellfish, no potatoes – unless they are French fries. He likes simple food – loves tacos, (no sour cream, no tomatoes), baby back ribs and pasta with marinara sauce from a jar. Stewart, the oldest, always has had the most sophisticated palate. At a young age he was eating escargot, venison, sushi and pad Thai. He’s always expected his plate to be attractively presented; proteins cooked properly, vegetables cooked al dente and side dishes like risotto or orzo. He is practically a professional food critic, which, by the way, every home needs as much as they need a bout of food poisoning. Patrick, my middle son, didn’t always like mixed or unusual foods, but times have changed. Now he can list off the various eclectic foods he has consumed; rattlesnake, frog legs, buffalo, osteridge, sea urchin and eel come to mind. As long as his veg-

etables are served raw, Patrick is game for almost anything on his plate. It all began one evening when a friend was having dinner with the boys and me. When his children were young and they did not like the dinner he had prepared he gave them barbecue sauce. I had never heard of such a thing. It seemed preposterous at the time. But, maybe it was worth a try, especially if it meant Tucker would actually eat the same dinner we were all eating. I gave in and handed Tucker a jar of prehistoric lizard barbecue sauce. He put it on his fish and ate it. He put it on his baked potato and ate it. The next night, he put it on his chicken and ate it. Like ranch dressing, it appears that barbecue sauce has a magical power that gets children to eat their dinner. Watching my son devour food served with prehistoric lizard barbecue sauce made me feel a little jealous and a bit insecure. I began to think — obsess actually. How could it be that my darling boy wouldn’t eat the food I cooked him unless it was covered in this sauce — it is good sauce, but if I made my own it would most certainly be better. Maybe Tucker would eat a scrambled egg if it was covered in my barbecue sauce. The challenge was more than I could take. A sauce was created. I have begun to question the whole barbecue sauce dependency. We recently catered a beautiful wedding at Tug Hill Vineyard in Lowville. The guests were dressed in their wedding finery. There was a champagne toast and elegant hors d’oeuvres passed on silver trays. The dinner was being served, herb and lemon marinated chicken breasts, pork tenderloin stuffed with spinach and apples, grilled seasonal vegetables and roasted new potatoes with caramelized onions. It was beautiful to look at and tasted fabulous. The food was amazing. Then a handsome young man popped into the kitchen and asked if we had any barbecue sauce. I was a little stunned. My father puts grape jelly on almost everything he eats, including eggs. I like ketchup with my grilled cheese. Patrick requests maple syrup with his sweet potato fries. And Tucker puts my barbecue sauce on almost everything, except eggs and bananas. Life is good. BOO WELLS is chef and owner of the Farm House Kitchen, a catering company and cooking school in Sackets Harbor. Contact her at sacketsfarm housekitchen@gmail.com or www.thefarmhousekitchen.com.

Clokwise from top left, mixing carrots and cabbage while preparing coleslaw; pulled pork marinaded in signature ‘bean’s barbecue sauce;’ a perfect plate for a summer picnic, complete with a crisp dill pickle.

JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY LIVING

Bean’s barbecue sauce INGREDIENTS ½ stick butter 1 cup finely chopped onion 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 cup cider vinegar 1 cup Worcestershire sauce 2 cups of ketchup

2 tablespoons dry mustard 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons paprika 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper INSTRUCTIONS In a non-reactive saucepan, melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic until

translucent. Stir in the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, dry mustard, brown sugar, paprika, salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the desired thickness. Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally to make sure it is not sticking to the pan.

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HISTORY Watertown’s Public Square is decked out in garland and patriotic bunting for a firemen’s convention, ca. August 1910. The city is historically known as the “Garland City.” JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

City shined with patriotism Watertown historically known as ‘Garland City’ during Golden Age BY LENKA P. WALLDROFF

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THEREAREINTERESTINGANDOFTEN amusing nicknames for cities all across the United States. From the well-known, such as “Sin City,” “The Big Apple” and “The Big Easy,” to the more obscure like “The Holy City” (Charleston, S.C.), “Charm City” (Baltimore, Md.) and even “The City That God Forgot” (Utica). Monikers speak to these cities’ current character or their history and Watertown is no exception. Long before it was known as “Snowtown, USA” Watertown was once affectionately referred to as “The Garland City.” Still its official (if lesser known) nickname, the city of Watertown shares the epithet with at least one other city in the United States — that of Ashland, Wisc. Watertown was settled during the first

years of the 1800s. With a large amount of natural resources at hand, the village quickly prospered and by the mid-1800s the once isolated settlement in the backwoods of New York State was coming into its own as a manufacturing and banking hub of the Northeast. Watertown had the highest rate of millionaires per capita of any city in the United States and a thriving downtown area that was frequently used to host events and parades. Though the exact year has been lost to history, it appears that sometime during or just after the Civil War period (1861-1865) business owners on Public Square began to hang red, white and blue bunting outside of their shops. These decorations were brought out for federal holidays, parades of all kinds and the welcoming home of troops stationed

at Madison Barracks. The tradition of hanging these decorations grew until the building facades along Public Square were filled with the tri-colored fabric during many civic celebrations and public events. At first glance, the bunting appeared to form large swags or garlands. It is from that impression that the city received its name — an epithet that was used in the local vernacular of the city throughout its Golden Age. The practice of hanging tri-colored bunting along Public Square persisted until the city began to slide into its slow decline following the end of the first World War. LENKA P. WALLDROFF is former curator of collections for the Jefferson County Historical Museum. She is a former museum specialist and conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

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HOMES

Create outdoor spaces that shine Hannawa Falls home great example of life with nature BY PEGGY DeYOUNG

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SUMMERISFINALLYHERE.WHETHER it is along the shores of the St. Lawrence River or Lake Ontario, at a retreat in the woods or backyard in town, outdoor living is a necessity. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Northern New Yorkers spend as much time as possible outdoors. Today, many new products are designed for outdoor living, tolerating sun, wind and the elements. The classic Adirondack chair is still a favorite. The angle of the seat and back and the wide arms, make this classic comfortable. On the terraces and deck of

this Raquette River camp, the Adirondack furnishings are made of Brazilian cherry, which is stronger than teak and naturally resistant to moisture and mildew. Wicker furniture has also been used in summer retreats for many years. The Bar Harbor sofas and chairs are historical reproductions using natural woven wicker with a modern protective finish for covered and screened porches. When it comes to maintenance, no cushion is the best. However, cushions add comfort and color. Sunbrella, a long time manufacturer of outdoor woven fabrics, stands the test of time. Each fiber is treated to protect the fabric from fading and mildew. Fabrics can be cleaned with a solution of water and bleach. All seats will get wet but quick-dry and open cell foam cushions are designed to shed moisture. Outdoor friendly fabrics make colorful hammocks and hammock swings in awning stripes an affordable and fun alternative to rope models. Woven outdoor area rugs are now being made of the same yarns used to make hammocks. These soft, colorful rugs resist fading, mold and mildew, and can be easily hosed cleaned. Celebrate summertime by incorporating bold patterns, bright colors, natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motifs of dragonflies, butterflies, red geraniums and perennial flowers in accessories and add a fun tablecloth and candle lanterns to complete your special outdoor space. The landscaping for this home in Han-

Outdoor living ARCHITECTURE: Grater Architects, Clayton LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: A.J. Miller Landscape Architecture, Syracuse

nawa Falls is reflective of the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in bird watching, insects and wildlife and is aimed to create a seamless transition from the house to the gardens. Large lawn areas were converted into wild flower meadows, flower and fruit gardens. On the main terrace, a granite boulder was installed that was made into a water feature. The water bubbles out the top and disappears into river washed pebbles below. Trees, shrubs and plants surround the water feature and the composition allows for birds to drink and bathe in the fountain. A second garden next to the main house sits in between the garage, covered walkway and front garden. Stepping-stones lead through this garden, down some steps to the rear lawn area facing the river. The plants used here included river birch, summersweet, hydrangea, astilbe and ferns. A private patio garden was designed for guests. Removing selected trees and shrubs enhanced the view to the river, creating a vignette from the patio. PEGGY DEYOUNG is a nationally certified interior designer who owns the Porch and Paddle Cottage Shop in Clayton. Contact her at deerrun@ twcny.rr.com.

MELANIE KIMBLER-LAGO | NNY LIVING

Clockwise from top, a covered walkway between the garage and the main house with stepping stones leading through the garden of river birch, summersweet and ferns. A granite boulder shaped into a bubbling water feature flows into a bed of river pebbles. Adirondack chairs made of Brazilian cherry in an outdoor seating area overlooking the Raquette River. Landscaping at the home features wild flowers and fruit gardens. A moth lands on a leaf in the garden. Architecture and landscaping for the home encourage time spent outdoors on the large deck and screened porches.

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MY NNY

‘Dark Island resident’ BY LYNNE REICHHART / WESTERNVILLE

DATE: 2010 MEDIA: Acrylic on canvas SIZE: 11 inches by 14 inches ARTIST’S NOTES: “I took my parents on a tour of Singer Castle for their anniversary and was inspired by the grandeur of it. I loved the contrast of the colorful stone and the red roofing. The day was spectacular, which added wonderful light and shadow to the view. The perspective further enhanced the magnificence. I grew up in the Thousand Islands and want to do more artwork of the area.”

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Give us your best shot. If you have captured a snippet of NNY through your lens or on canvas, email it to nnyliving@wdt.net.

NNY Life, from page 21 hiding out with my children in a bunker in an undisclosed location. But the terror feels the same no matter the circumstances, when they occur. And the fact that I can be just as afraid for my children’s lives when there is no noise or lightning never ceases to amaze. Their little bodies and our day-to-day interactions with the world are like natural disasters in waiting, and the helpers out there — doctors, police, firefighters — aren’t that much different than my old camp counselor. More educated and experienced, but just as helpless if the stars are misaligned. The same terror I had on that, my scari-

est of days, crops up in random times: like the day a 2-year-old Diva and I were both sick and I didn’t notice that she, who I thought was just resting on the sofa, had spiked 104.2-degree fever. I drove her to the emergency room in a half-delirium of fear because the Motrin wasn’t working and a lukewarm bath brought it down only half a degree. Or the time Hunk was in the hospital with the worst case of croup any of the doctors we visited had ever seen and he stopped breathing and turned “dusky,” as the nurses called that alarming shade of storm-cloud blue around his mouth. Or even in that split second when you’re not positive your child is where they’re supposed to be and you’ve

just read a nonfiction book about a pedophile serial killer. It’s just as jolting an experience as waiting to see if a tornado is going to blow your future to shreds. Those scenarios are almost as random as lightning strikes and tornadoes, and just as lucky — good or bad. A childhood of sky-watching taught me that, when it comes time, there’s no way to predict what will happen. There’s no way to hide from what’s out there. We can pray, hope and wish for nothing more than peace. KATIE STOKES is an Oklahoma native who has called NNY home for more than a decade. She is a freelance writer and blogger and the mother of two children. Visit her at www.NNYLife.com.

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WOMEN’S WISE

When feeling stuck, break chains and don’t give up

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BY JOLEENE DESROSIERS

We constantly constrain ourselves with our own self-limiting beliefs. Chains can be broken. Anytime. Anywhere.

FEELING STUCK IS UNCOMFORTABLE. It can hurt, make us feel worthless and even restrict our range of motion. And because it’s such an uncomfortable feeling, it can leave us in a place where we merely exist in life; a place where every day is only about going through the motions. Stuck is when we suddenly realize we’ve hit a wall with our jobs. It’s when we recognize that our relationship or marriage has gone south. Or it’s when we’ve shocked man said. given in to addictions and other self “This elephant isn’t going anywhere,” destructive behaviors that pull us farther the trainer said. “You see, when elephants away from the sun. are very small, we chain them to a stake in There is an old parable about a chained the ground immediately. They try and try circus elephant: A man followed a circus to break away, but eventually they give that was coming into town and wanted up because they know they’re not going to observe them setting up. He watched anywhere. They grow into adults knowas the workers removed ceiling tiles to ing that they are stuck and so they don’t accommodate the giraffes and spread even try. They just give up.” straw on the concrete floor in an attempt Ask yourself this right now, “What to make them more comfortable. On the chains are holding you back? Keeping other side of the large room a trainer was you stuck? And are they really holding chaining a large, 15,000-pound elephant you back? to a makeshift stake that merely rested on We constantly constrain ourselves with the concrete floor. The trainer covered the our own self-limiting beliefs. Constantly. end of the unsecured stake with straw. When you find yourself falling into that Stunned that someone would be so pattern, remember this story. And don’t irresponsible, the man asked the trainer, give up, ever. Chains can be broken at “Aren’t you afraid that elephant is just anytime, anywhere. going to up and run away? Head down DO YOU KNOW OR are you a Northern New Lincoln tunnel and wreak havoc?” York woman who has done something inspiring? If The trainer stood up and looked at the so, reach out to us. We want to share your story. Email us at nnyliving@wdt.net. man. “Not at all. This elephant isn’t going anywhere.” JOLEENE DESROSIERS is a transformational “But you weren’t able to drive that speaker and freelance writer who lives in Pulaski. stake into the concrete! He could just Contact her at joleene@joleenespeaks.com. Visit her at www.joleenespeaks.com. take off at any given moment.” the

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260 Washington St. Watertown, NY 13601 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED