NNY Living Sep/Oct 2012

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24 COVER | 30 WHY WE LOVE NNY Twenty five reasons, from cheese to kayaking, why life in the north country is unique.

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ASK A DOCTOR | 16 KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY Dr. Karen Williams answers questions from readers.

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WELLNESS | 17 A CHILDHOOD EPIDEMIC Michelle Graham offers ways to fight childhood obesity.

FEATURES | 28 FORBIDDEN LOVE STORY How one author turned her family history into her first book and a publishing deal.

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36 AWARD-WINNING HOBBY A group of local wine makers nets 14 awards at the state fair.

46 LETTING GO Releasing anger is the only way to keep it from festering.

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DESTINATION | 20 UNLIKE ANY OTHER A world-class weekend spent in the Finger Lakes region. |

GARDENING | 26 WINTER PREPARATIONS Readying the gardens for snowfall is no light task. |

FOOD | 38 FLAVORFUL RATATOUILLE Using summer’s bounty, a hearty stew is in the making. |

HISTORY | 40 NATIONAL TREASURE The tie between Watertown’s Thompson Park and national landscaping landmarks. |

MY NNY | 44 WATERCOLOR WATERWAY An artist’s take on the St. Lawrence River’s boat traffic. |

WOMEN’S WISE

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THIS IS NNY | 24 TIME-TESTED TRADITION Sailing has long been the focus for the Crescent Bay Yacht Club and Hospice Regatta.

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CONTRIBUTORS Michelle Graham is the wellness director for the downtown YMCA. She lives in Watertown. She writes about positive ways to engage youths in physical exercise to combat the growing childhood obesity epidemic. (p. 17)

Norah Machia is a veteran Watertown Daily Times reporter who lives in Watertown. She visits a north country winemaking club that took 14 medals at this year’s New York State Fair. (p. 36)

Kyle R. Hayes is associate magazine editor for NNY Living. In 36 Hours, he visits the Finger Lakes. In our cover story, he shares 25 reasons to love NNY and in Authors, he shares the story of a Three Mile Bay writer who landed a major book deal. (p. 24, 28, 30)

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’s Thompson Park came to be (p. 40)

Varick Chittenden is founding director of Traditional Arts in Upstate New York and a SUNY Canton professor emeritus.

In Modern Folklore, he writes about how people are remembered in today’s obituaries. (p. 14)

Brian Hallett is an art teacher who lives in Adams and whose family owns Halletts’ Florist and Greenhouse. He writes about steps to prepare your garden for the coming north country winter. (p. 26)

Katie Stokes is a freelance writer who lives in Hounsfield. She writes about how to create lasting north country family traditions that include fun for all ages. (p. 18)

Peggy DeYoung is a nationally certified interior designer who owns the Porch and Paddle Cottage Shop in Clayton. In Homes, she writes about a 1910 Arts and Craft-style bungalow in Clayton that underwent an extreme makeover. (p. 42) Boo Wells is chef and owner of the Farm House Kitchen, a catering company and cooking school in Sackets Harbor. She shares a Ratatouille recipe that’s perfect for fall harvest. (p. 38)

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Joleene DesRosiers is a transformational speaker and freelance writer who lives in Pulaski. In Women’s Wise, she writes about positive ways to let go of anger so it won’t fester with continuous frustration. (p. 46)

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MARKETPLACE A New Attitude ….................................. 12 Ameriprise Financial …......................... 41 Atwater Vineyards …....................... 22, 23 Center for Sight ….................................. 11 Clarence Henry Coach ….................... 13 Clayton Opera House …..........................6 Community Performance Series …...... 27 Curtis Furniture …................................... 10 DANC ….................................................. 35 Essenlohr Motors …................................ 27 Fuccillo Automotive Group ….............. 45 Fulkerson Winery …............................... 23 Gerald A. Nortz ….................................. 44 Glen Motor Inn ……............................... 22 Gold Cup Farms ……............................. 27 Gorgeous View Motor Inn …................. 23 Great Brook Solar ….............................. 41 JCC Continuing Education …................. 5 Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors ..….. 34

Jerlando’s Ristorante …......................... 23 Macars …................................................ 37 Mountain View Prevention Services …................................................ 8 NNY Community Foundation …............ 15 NNY Living ….................................... 37, 47 Pompous Ass Winery …......................... 22 Red Newt Cellars …............................... 23 Renue Spa and Skincare ….................. 19 River Hospital …..................................... 19 State Farm Insurance ….......................... 8 Taylored Architecture …........................ 29 The Three C’s Limousine ....................… 48 Truesdell’s Furniture …............................. 7 Wagners Vineyard …............................. 22 Watertown Daily Times …...................... 42 Watertown Savings Bank ….................. 29 WWTI-ABC50 …........................................ 2 YesterYears Vintage Doors …............... 19

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.

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HOMES

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ABOUT THE COVER

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42 ARTS & CRAFT MAKEOVER Interior designer Peggy DeYoung shares the story of how a 1910 Arts and Craft-style bungalow in Clayton received a classic extreme makeover. |

COLUMNS

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6 EDITOR’S NOTE 14 MODERN FOLKLORE |

DEPARTMENTS

7 8 9 10 11 16

18 THE NNY LIFE 46 WOMEN’S WISE

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UPFRONT BEST BETS CALENDAR BOOKS & AUTHORS SOCIAL SCENE HEALTH & WELLNESS

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36 HOURS IN ...

THIS IS NNY FEATURES FOOD HISTORY MY NNY

Johnson Newspapers Graphic Artist Todd Soules created this issue’s cover depicting 25 reasons to love life in the north country. Twenty five things were chosen to highlight why living in Northern New York is a unique and special experience.

From cheese to the weather, find out the reasons we chose by turning to page 30.

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EDITOR’S NOTE THERE’S A LOT TO LOVE ABOUT NORTHERN

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New York. In this issue we share reasons large and small that make our hearts beat strong for a part of the state and country like few others.

Want to buy an island? That’s possible in NNY. Addicted to cheese? No problem here.

How about some fresh Atlantic cod or sea bass?

Just hook up with Robert “Rob” Babcock, also known as “The Fish Truck Guy.” Mr. Babcock owns Owls Head Lobster. Fancy yourself a lover of fine art? We’ve got that, too, with the largest collection of original works by Frederic Remington. Got a sweet tooth? Don’t leave the north country when there’s fresh cider at Burrville Cider Mill.

Flip to page 30 to start reading our cover story by associate editor Kyle R. Ken Eysaman Hayes. Kyle shares the complete list of 25 reasons to love NNY.

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SOCIAL SCENE — This issue’s Social Scene section, which begins on page 14, features nearly 44 faces from roughly 30 organizations from across the north country. On Aug. 11, we joined the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park for its fourth annual “Bobcats, Bears and Brews.” Proceeds from the event, which featured local breweries, wineries and food vendors, benefitted the zoo.

On Aug. 25, we joined the Jefferson County Historical Society for its first “History on the Water — Awards of Distinction Dinner” at the Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont. The event honored six individuals and organizations who have greatly benefitted the historical society’s collection, preservation or presentation of north country history. Among the honorees were: John B. Johnson, Northern New York Newspaper Corp. general manager, who received

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the T. Urling Walker Award of Distinction; Neighbors of Watertown, which received the Robert R. Sturtz Award of Distinction; the Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance, which received the Historical Society Award of Distinction; Highway Legends Car, Truck & Motorcycle Club, which received the Babcock Society Award of Distinction; North Country Goes Green, which received the Historical Society Award of Distinction; and Maria Roche of Carthage, who received the Olive Paddock Preservation Leadership Award.

On Aug. 26, we returned to the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park for the North Country Arts Council’s “Go Wild for the Arts” event.

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NNY LIVING ONLINE — We invite you to visit us online at www.nnyliving.com, where each week we bring you “5 Things Friday,” our weekly version of “Best Bets” to help you plan your weekend. You’ll also find more recipes and food features as well as a behind-thescenes look at north country arts and entertainment venues and programs. We recently posted a preview of the 50th season of Ogdensburg Command Performances, which begins its golden year on Oct. 3 with “The Blues Brothers Revue.” The kick-off show is sanctioned

by Dan Aykroyd and the Belushi Estate and combines comedy while paying homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, soul music and gospel. Also recently posted online is a season preview for the 40th Syracuse Stage season, which kicks off with “Moby Dick” on Oct. 4.

And, for those of you who haven’t visited us on Facebook, we encourage you to drop in and “like us” so you can stay on top of all the latest content and promotions as we announce updates.

Warm Regards,

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE n our November/December issue, we present a holiday gift guide featuring the wares of local artisans just in time for the gift-giving season.

Also coming in November/December: n CULTURE: The sounds of the seasons.

We present a preview of this year’s holiday concerts from all parts NNY. n DESTINATION NEW YORK CITY: We travel to the Big Apple for a taste of metropolitan culture as the city begins its annual holiday transformation.

n CHEF’S TABLE: We visit Rainbow Shores in Pulaski where Chef Rebekah Alford shares a recipe for opera cake — in six acts. n PLUS: Arts, Food, Social Scene, Modern Folklore, Wellness, Ask a Health Pro, The NNY Life, History, 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 ] Latest American Girl doll ‘grew up’ during War of 1812 Sackets Harbor

The newest American Girl doll, available this month, is a native of the north country.

Caroline Abbott, the 13th heroine to join the American Girl family of historical characters growing up in important times in this country’s history, was released Sept. 4.

American Girl describes Caroline as an “independent and adventurous 9-year-old girl whose story is set near Lake Ontario during the War of 1812 ... Going above and beyond to help those around her, Caroline gives of herself without expecting anything in return.”

Caroline will launch with six historical books written by Kathleen Ernst of Wisconsin. The first book, “Meet Caroline,” has her father, a shipbuilder, taken prisoner by the British.

As part of Caroline’s launch, American Girl is hosting Caroline’s Share the Hero in You video contest. Now through Oct. 31, girls will be invited to create and submit a video clip up to 60 seconds long about a time when they felt like an everyday hero.

Six finalists will be selected. The grand-prize winner will receive a trip for four to Washington, D.C.

Fall art classes at Watertown YMCA

The Watertown YMCA Arts Center has opened registration for fall art classes for preschool children, children ages 5 to 12, teens and adults ages 18 and older. Classes start the week of Sept. 10.

For preschool children, ages 2 to 6, the Y offers “Artstart,” “Parent-Tot Art” and preschool music classes.

For youths ages 5 to 12, there is are kids sketch, paint box, studio art, “Claymania,” canvas painting, famous artist series, multi-cultural series, unusual art and holiday workshops.

Teen classes offered include “All About Me,” charcoal and drawing, “Teen Clay: Handbuilding and Wheel Throwing.”

For adults, ages 18 and older, the Y is offering a hands-on clay handbuilding and wheel throwing class. To register for any classes, visit www.watertownymca.com or call 775-9622.

UPFRONT

Go behind the scenes at Wild Center

Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes at the Tupper Lake Wild Center? The team at the Wild Center is now letting visitors see what makes the 54,000-square-foot facility operate on Thursdays at 3 p.m.

Now through Oct. 31, the Wild Center will host a behind the scenes tours on Thursdays only that takes visitors closer to the green energy system that runs the building, learn how the life support system keeps the trout and otters happy and visit with the wild animal ambassadors who staff the facility.

Tours are $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 7 to 14. For information, visit www.wildcenter.org.

The history of hunting in the north country on display until December

The Jefferson County Historical Society “Hunting and North Country Patriotism” exhibit will be on display through the end of the year.

The exhibit, hosted in the main gallery, showcases some of the tools and traditions of one of the north country’s favorite past times.

On display are photographs, decoys, hunting paraphernalia, Native American artifacts and a sampling of the museum’s historic firearm collection, with pieces dating back to the Revolutionary War. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults; $5 for senior citizens and active duty military and spouses; $4 for students and free for children ages 5 and younger. For more information, visit www.jeffersoncountyhistory.org or call the Paddock Mansion at 782-3491.

North Country Arts Council opens doors for artist studio time

The North Country Arts Council is opening its doors in the Franklin Building, 50 Public Square, Watertown, on Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon for local artists looking for studio space to work on their projects.

Open studio is free for arts council members and $5 for nonmembers. There is no instruction or pre-registration. Artists simply enter through the center door of the Franklin Building and proceed into the atrium studio on the left.

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BEST BETS BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE

[ EDITOR’S PICKS ] auditorium, 1100 State St. Sponsored by Ogdensburg Command Performance series. Presented by L.A. Theatre Works, this classic romantic comedy is still one of the most acclaimed and strikingly modern works of world literature. Tickets: $15-$37. For ticket or show information, visit www.ilovetheatre.org or call 393-2625.

POTSDAM SUNDAY, OCT. 21

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 n Fall Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Adirondack Museum. In conjunction with Smithsonian magazine’s “National Museum Day,” a day of free admission to the museum with Smithsonian magazine tickets available at www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday. Fall festival includes wagon rides, arts, crafts and music. Information: www.adkmuseum.org or call 1 (518) 352-7311.

CLAYTON SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 & SUNDAY, SEPT. 23 n 15th annual Vintage and Classic Street Meet, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, downtown Clayton. Sponsored by Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Rain date: Saturday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Sept. 30. Registration at the American Legion Post No. 821, 518 Riverside Drive or register online at 1000islands-clayton.com. All vehicles and motorcycles welcome. For schedule of events, contest and award ceremonies, visit www.1000islands-clayton.com/carshow. Information: 686-3771.

n David Gonzalez’s “Sleeping Beauty,” 3 p.m., SUNY Potsdam’s Snell Theater. Sponsored by Community Performance Series. Nationally-acclaimed storyteller David Gonzalez and his pianist transform “Sleeping Beauty” into a multimedia musical extravaganza. Tickets: $10. Information, tickets: www.cpspotsdam.org

SATURDAY, OCT. 27 n “Beethoven’s 9th,” 7:30 p.m., Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall, SUNY Potsdam. Presented by Orchestra of Northern New York. Performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral.” Tickets: Adults, $22; senior citizens, $20; students ages 13 and older, $10; children ages 12 and younger, free. Information, to purchase tickets: www.orchestraofnorthern newyork.org.

WATERTOWN

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OGDENSBURG

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TUESDAY, SEPT. 25

TUESDAY, OCT. 16 n “Pride and Prejudice,” doors open, 7:15 p.m., curtain, 7:45 p.m., Ogdensburg Free Academy

n Fireball Run Adventurally, noon to 7 p.m., downtown Watertown between Sterling and Stone streets. The Fireball Run Adventurally is a national live event and film series sponsored by NBC Universal Studios. It is an eight-day, 15 city, 2,500 mile interactive road rally supporting the Race to Recover America’s Missing Children. The day downtown will feature a farmer’s market, live radio feeds, music from local bands, sidewalk sales and booths from local businesses. The Fireball Run teams will be arriving between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Information: www.watertownny.com or www.fireballrun.tv.

[ ARTS, MUSIC, THEATER, CULTURE ] ALEXANDRIA BAY SATURDAY, OCT. 6 n Oktoberfest, noon to 8 p.m., Thousand Islands Winery, 43298 Seaway Ave. Pig roast, wine and beer, grape crushing demonstrations, grape stomp competitions, hay rides, vendors, farmer’s market and live music. Admission: $4 at the gate. Contact: 4829306 or visit www.thousandislandswinery.com.

CANTON SATURDAY, SEPT. 22, & SUNDAY, SEPT. 23 n Remington Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, village green park. Sponsored by town and village of Canton, St. Lawrence County Historical Association, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York and the St. Lawrence County Arts Council. Featuring artist Jack Taylor with demonstrations at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., and musician Colleen Cleveland at 4 p.m. Other events include the Frederic Remington Exhibit “Vanished Arizona: Reminiscing about the Old West” at the Silas Wright House, letterboxing trail, children’s games and dress-up, horse drawn carriage tours of the village and a student art competition exhibit. St. Lawrence County Arts Council art show and sale is Saturday only. Remington 5K Fun Run begins at 9 a.m. Sunday in Evergreen Cemetery, beginning at the Remington grave site and ending at the home that Frederic Remington was born in. Free admission.

CLAYTON FRIDAYS THROUGH SEPT. 28 n Clayton Wine Cruise, 6 to 8 p.m. every Friday from June 22 to Sept. 28, leaves from Clayton Island Tours, 428 Riverside Drive. Take a scenic two-hour cruise aboard a Clayton Island Tours boat with Coyote Moon vineyards wine and River Rat cheese and crackers. Cost: $32.95 per person, which includes food and a bottle of wine.

Seats are limited, call Coyote Moon at 686-4030 for reservations.

TUESDAY, OCT. 9

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 n Fall Raku firing, 5 to 8 p.m., Thousand Islands Arts Center, 314 John St. Information: www. tiartscenter.org or 686-4123.

SATURDAY, OCT. 13 n Harvest Festival, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Coyote Moon Vineyards. Live music, award-winning wines, wine slushies, mulled wine, farmers market, vendors, food, hayrides, bobbing for apples and pumpkin painting. Admission: $3; military, $2; free admission for those age 21 and younger or Wine Club Members and one guest with Wine Club Card. Information: www.coyotemoonvineyards.com.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20

SATURDAY, NOV. 10-MONDAY, NOV. 12

n Punkin Chunkin Festival, various locations throughout Clayton. Sponsored by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Pumpkin chunkin contest, food, decorating, barbecue and scarecrow contests. Information as it’s available: www.1000islands-clayton. com or 686-3771.

n 25th annual St. Lawrence County Arts Council Artists’ Studio Tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. A self-guided tour of local artists at locations throughout St. Lawrence County. Brochures are available with maps, artist information and pictures of artists’ work. For information as it becomes available, visit www.slcartscouncilorg, email arts@slcartscouncil. org or call 265-6860.

LOWVILLE SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 & SUNDAY, SEPT. 23 n 2012 ATV Manufacturers Outdoor Expo and Trade Show, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Flat Rock Inn, Lowville, and Timberview Lodge, Turin. Manufacturers, dealers, demonstration rides, workshops and vendors. Information: www.tughillatvexpo.com.

OGDENSBURG WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3 n “Blues Brothers Revue,” doors open, 7:15 p.m., curtain, 7:45 p.m., Ogdensburg Free Academy auditorium, 1100 State St. Sponsored by Ogdensburg Command Performance series. A performance sanctioned by Dan Akroyd and the Belushi Estate, the Blues Brothers Revue combines comedy, hit music and mayhem. Tickets: $15-$37. For ticket or show information, visit www.ilovetheatre.org or call 393-2625.

MONDAY, NOV. 5 n Dan Groggin’s “Nunset Boulevard: The Nunsense Hollywood Bowl Show,” 7:15 p.m., curtain, 7:45 p.m., Ogdensburg Free Academy auditorium, 1100 State St. Sponsored by Ogdensburg Command Performance series. Tickets: $15-$37.

For ticket or show information, visit www.ilovetheatre.org or call 393-2625.

POTSDAM

SACKETS HARBOR SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 n Second annual War of 1812 Walk, registration, 8:30 a.m., Seaway Trail Discovery Center, 401 Main St. Sept. 19 is New York State’s day to commemorate the war of 1812. Purchase a walker packet for $5. Cost: $3 to walk and earn American Volkssport Association/ international Volkssport Federation credit. Sackets Harbor 1812 pin award: $4 for those earning credit; $5 for non-credit walkers. Walkers completing the Sackets Harbor 1812 Walk for the AVA credit will receive free admission to the discovery center and the weekend Great Lakes Seaway Trail 1812 quilt show. Information: Daryl Giles, Great Lakes Seaway Trail Volkssport Association, 646-1000 ext. 200.

WATERTOWN FRIDAY, OCT. 5 n Women’s Day 2012: “You Are You...Be Proud of Being You!,” 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn. Sponsored by Northern New York Rural Health Care Alliance. Guest speaker: Tara Costa, 2008 Biggest Loser contestant and founder of the Inspire Change Foundation. Other topics include health and stress management, how to build self esteem of our daughters and self defense and maintaining a safe environment. Vendors and hourly door prizes. Information: www.nnyrhca.org or contact Sandy Hazen at 755-2500, sandy@nnyrhca.org.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22

SUNDAY, OCT. 28

n Opening gala concert: “The Romance of Brahms,” 7:30 p.m., Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall, SUNY Potsdam. Presented by the Orchestra of Northern New York. Performing Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 and Piano Concerto No. 2 in Bb Major, Op. 83. Tickets: Adults, $22; senior citizens, $20; students ages 13 and older, $10; children ages 12 and younger, free. Information, to purchase tickets: www.orchestraofnorthern newyork.org.

n “Beethoven’s 9th,” 3 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Washington Street. Presented by Orchestra of Northern New York. Performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 “Choral.”

Tickets: Adults, $22; senior citizens, $20; students ages 13 and older, $10; children ages 12 and younger, free. Information, to purchase tickets: www.orchestraofnorthernnewyork.org.

TUESDAY, OCT. 2

n Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music,” 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 and 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dulles State Office Building auditorium, Washington Street. Presented by the Watertown Lyric Theater. Information and tickets: www.watertownlyrictheater.org or call 775-8474.

n Aquila Theatre’s “Cyrano de Bergerac,” 7:30 p.m., Snell Theater at SUNY Potsdam. Pre-show lecture at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by Community Performance Series. Cyrano de Bergerac is one of the most famous romantic adventures in world literature, a story of Cyrano, an excellent swordsman from Gascony, a region in France famous for producing stubborn, courageous and grandiose soldiers. Tickets: $20-25. Information, purchase tickets: www.cpspotsdam.org

THURSDAY, NOV. 1-SATURDAY, NOV. 3

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 Clayton Community Band concert, 7 p.m., Clayton Opera House, 405 Riverside Drive. Tickets: $5.

CALENDAR

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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) “Little Night” by Luanne Rice 2) “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E. L. James 3) “Deadlocked” by Charlaine Harris 4) “What Doesn’t Kill You” by Iris Johansen 5) “Unnatural Acts: A Stone Barrington Novel” by Stuart Woods

Top eBooks at Flower

1) “Tribute” by Nora Roberts 2) “I Remember Nothing” by Nora Ephron 3) “One Bad Apple” by Sheila Connolly 4) “Lily’s Wedding Quilt” by Kelly Long 5) “Sleeping with Anemone” by Kate Collins

Books of local interest

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Black River resident Hope Marston, author of 35 children’s books, has released “Sackets Harbor Powder Monkey — The War of 1812.”

The book, the first self-published

by Mrs. Marston, concerns Rankin McMullin, 11, who joins the warship Oneida to fight the British and end laws that force New York farmers to smuggle potash across Lake Ontario. His job is to carry gunpowder.

The story notes how the Oneida was

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[ MOST READ, LOCAL AUTHORS ] built to patrol Lake Ontario and protect Sackets Harbor from an attack. On July 19, 1812, the ship’s lookout spots five British warships heading toward Sackets Harbor.

Rankin is assigned to carry powder up to the three-ton gun on a cliff.

Mrs. Marston notes that although the book is a work of fiction, the historical events and the people named in it are real. Assisting her with naval details was Sackets Harbor native Burt Phillips.

The book, published through CreateSpace, sells for $7.95 and is available at amazon.com. n

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History Press has released “The Battles at Plattsburgh: September 11, 1814” by Keith A. Herkalo.

The book explores Plattsburgh’s key and often-overlooked role in the War of 1812.

“Many other, more famous engagements were ruses meant to divert U.S. troops away from the prize Plattsburgh would afford: a clear pathway to New England,” according to the book’s jacket.

Mr. Herkalo, a Plattsburgh native, is the city’s clerk and a founding member and current president of the Battle of Plattsburgh Association.

The book sells for $19.99 at http://historypress.net.

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Keith Publications/Wicked Ink Press has published the e-book “A Twisted Tale”

by Malone native Dick Moomey.

The suspense/thriller centers on the town of The Valley, which is on red alert after its chief of police is grotesquely murdered. His replacement, Barney Markham, is puzzled by many things, including the use of Ken Black’s name on the tombstone where Chief Lelander’s body was found propped up.

Mr. Moomey, an Army veteran, taught for six years in the Lisbon Central School District and spent 25 years as principal of Monroe-Woodbury Middle School in Orange County. He lives in the Saratoga Springs area and is working on two novels.

“A Twisted Tale” sells for $6.95 at www. wickedinkpress.com n

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History Press has released “Great Camp Sagamore” by Beverly Bridger.

Great Camp Sagamore, on Raquette Lake, was built by William West Durant and purchased by Alfred Vanderbilt in 1901 to be his family’s Adirondack retreat.

Mr. Vanderbilt and his wife, Margaret, welcomed visitors for decades.After Mrs. Vanderbilt’s death, the massive camp changed hands and began to decline.

It was rescued by preservationists and became a National Historic Landmark in 2000. Today, visitors and lodgers help maintain its grandeur.

Ms. Bridger is the director of Great Camp Sagamore and oversees preservation efforts.

The book sells for $21.99 at http://histo rypress.net.

[ Jefferson County Historical Society “History on the Water” ] Crescent Yacht Club, Chaumont

From left, Joseph Rich and wife, Carol.

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

From left, E. Hartley Bonisteel, Reg J. Schweitzer and Cathy Mitchell. The Jefferson County Historical Society held its first “History on the Water — Awards of Distinction Dinner” at Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont on Aug. 25.

The historical society honored six north country individuals and organizations.

SOCIAL SCENE

From left, Maureen Cean, Beth Fipps, Kathleen Thompson and Randy Fipps.

KEN EYSAMAN PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

From left, Colin Burns and Alexandra Dandrow. For more photos of this and other events, including award winners, visit us online at www.nnyliving.com.

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SOCIAL SCENE

[ 4th annual Bobcats, Bears and Brews ] New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, Watertown

From left, Doug Burke and Olivia Vondenheuvel.

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

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From left, Jenny L. Watkins, Felicia A. Passino and Sarah White. The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park sponsored the fourth annual “Bobcats, Bears and Brews” on Aug. 11. Proceeds from the event, which featured local breweries, wineries and food vendors, benefitted the zoo.

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From left, Brooke Sholette, Lindsay Gendron, Rachel Fazio and Shantelle Curtis.

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

From left, Patty Sitterly, Debbie Hill and Sarah Lalonde.

[ North Country Arts Council “Go Wild for the Arts”] New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, Watertown

From left, Ellen Marie Wiseman and her husband, Bill. Mrs. Wiseman is the author of the book “The Plum Tree.”

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

Plein air painter Robert P. Hedden begins a new piece at the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park and North Country Arts Council’s “Go Wild for the Arts” event held Aug. 25 and 26 at the zoo.

SOCIAL SCENE

Members of the Northern Blend Chorus, a women’s a capella barbershop chorus, performed as part of the arts council event.

KYLE R. HAYES PHOTOS | NNY LIVING

Neil Newman and his wife, Aline Alexander Newman, a freelance writer and children’s book author from Turin.

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MODERN FOLKLORE

The new obit: How will your life be remembered

BY VARICK CHITTENDEN

HE LOVED GOLF,SPEARMINT-LEAF candy, jazz, blues, laughter, the company of good friends, a good story and a well-mixed stinger. He was a kind, patient, loving man who dedicated his life to his family and helping others. — Michael, 69, Sackets Harbor These days, I often find myself picking up the local morning newspapers, skimming the headlines, and then going directly to the obituary pages. I like to think my habit comes from living in one place for so long and knowing—or knowing of—lots of people. I don’t like to think that it’s because of my age! An old axiom

vors and funeral and burial arrangements.

John B. Johnson Jr., third-generation publisher and editor of the familyowned Watertown Daily Times, says that for a long time, their paper adhered to “strict professional standards” for obituaries, because they believe they are creating a historical record. That sometimes meant also including facts that families didn’t want, like divorces, criminal records, or suicides. But with severe belt-tightening during the recent economic downturn, the paper started to charge by the inch for obituaries, a

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We live in a death-denying culture. In grief-stricken moments after their loved one dies, family members express how they think of him or her, want to remember loss and want to talk about him or her.

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— Mary Jones, bereavement counselor St. Lawrence Valley Hospice & Palliative Care

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among journalists is that the obit page is among the most read in the entire newspaper, before sports, stock market news, comic strips and advice columns.

In recent years, however, I’ve been noticing some interesting changes in the content of local obituaries. Unlike the New York Times and other major city newspapers that have published only the obituaries of people whose lives and accomplishments the editors deemed newsworthy, our small-town papers have long included the passing of everyone in their coverage area. The standard format included the deceased’s birthplace and parents’ names, education, marriage, work experience and employers, survi-

practice common at most other papers for some time.

According to Mr. Johnson, that now means that the deceased’s survivors can include (almost) anything they want in the text. The notices are now usually written by a family member or someone from the funeral home. The effect has been noticeable.

Putting aside my twitching blue pencil left over from more than 30 of teaching writing, the part that interests me most is the frequent inclusion of “special interests” or “favorite things to do.” For months now, I’ve collected examples of “the new obituary” from several local sources. Here are a few:

and entertainment in fireworks, mostly when they were lighting the fuse instead of observing. Those who knew and loved Jordan will remember him as an extremist who liked to have a fun time. He will be greatly missed.”

Mary Jones, a bereavement counselor for St. Lawrence Valley Hospice & Palliative Care, likes it this way. She said, “We live in a death-denying culture.

In grief-stricken moments after their loved one dies, family members express how they think of him or her, want to remember their loss, and want to talk about him or her.”

As a folklorist, I like it, too. It makes the life three-dimensional, a hint of how interesting the person was, even in their love for the simplest things. It can be the stuff of stories told by family and friends for generations to come. Although I’m not planning anything soon, this makes me think about how I’d like to be remembered. How about you?

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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Charlotte, 72, “enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening, crossword puzzles, reading the New York Times, preparing Hungarian dishes, and traveling.” Fay, 71, “loved to build anything, and there was nothing that he couldn’t build when he put his mind to it.” Irene, 89, “enjoyed square dancing with the Seaway Squares, sewing, and quilting.” Vernon, 80, “enjoyed music, playing guitar, hunting, fishing, and his cat Tip-it.” Barry, 54, “enjoyed hunting, fishing, and was an avid Jeff Gordon NASCAR fan.” Harrison, 84, “had a continuous garage sale at his house, although it was more for meeting people than it was to sell items. He loved his dog Missy.” Francis, 72, “enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and caring for his three pet turtles.” Paul, 90, “enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf, and manhattans with his numerous good friends.” Jo, 61, “was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, who was loved by many. . . . It was common knowledge among family not to call at 7:30 when Jeopardy was on.” Maria, 95, “loved the Sacred Heart, Saint Anthony, Saint Jude, Saint Elizabeth Seton, and Dexter [her hometown]. . . .

She loved gardening, dancing, bowling, knitting, her family and friends, and the Lawrence Welk Show.”

Some seem more like eulogies, like this one for a farm woman who died at 82: “While residing on the farm in Malone, Ellen was always known to have a big, beautiful, and bountiful garden. Once the ground was worked up in the spring, [it] was planted, maintained, and harvested by Ellen. She instilled strong Christian values in her children. Ellen enjoyed square dancing and bowling.

In later years, watching the birds at the feeder or on the birdbath gave her special delight. Part of her daily routine included crossword puzzles and, more recently, completing the ‘jumble.’ Without a doubt, watching and cheering on the New York Yankees gave her the most pleasure.”

The obituary for a 27-year-old man killed in a motorcycle accident is quite telling: “Jordan was a unique person and a good father and friend. He enjoyed spending time with his family, whether it was a camping trip or kite flying with his kids. He took pleasure in just about any outdoor activity: from hunting and fishing to boating, water skiing, snowmobiling, downhill skiing, dirt bike riding, and off roading with his truck ‘that went one year without a dent,’ spoke Jessica.

‘He was a motor head,’ says his brother Jason. Jordan and Jason both found fun

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HEALTH

Prepare kids for illness prevention From ticks to gluten-free eating, Dr. Karen Williams answers reader questions Ticks were a widespread problem this summer because of the dry weather, what’s the first thing to keep in mind after a tick bite?

We have been seeing an increase in tick-borne disease, such as Lyme disease, but it’s important to remember that most ticks do not carry disease. You should check for ticks on yourself and your children whenever you have been out near the woods, hiking, camping or near a lot of brush. If you notice a tick, remove it as soon as possible and wash the area with warm, soapy water. The sooner a tick is removed the less likely it is to spread disease. You should call your doctor if you develop flu-like symptoms, a sore at the site of the bite or any rash.

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With the kids back in school, what should I know about lice? First and foremost it is important to remember that having head lice has nothing to do with cleanliness. Actually, lice can attach more easily to clean hair than to dirty hair. While most people get squeamish and itchy with just the thought of lice, outbreaks in elementary schools are very common and if your child comes home with lice it is nothing to be ashamed of. You can help prevent the spread of lice by reminding your children not to share hats, helmets, combs, brushes or even headphones. Eradicating lice can be frustrating and challenging but just follow the instructions on the medication and stick with it. Finally, remember that head lice do no spread any other diseases.

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I recently began an exercise regimen that keeps me on my feet, walking and jogging.

What should I do to guard against blisters and maintain healthy feet? The most important thing you can do to maintain healthy feet is to have the right equipment. First, I recommend getting professionally fit for the proper shoes for the activity you are doing. Jogging stresses the feet differently than walking. Also, you cannot base the size of your running or walking shoes on the street shoes you wear. Often, you will need a slightly larger size for a proper fit with exercise. Moisture-wicking socks also can protect the feet from hot spots and blisters. As with any exercise program it’s important to start slowly and gradually increase your activity. Blisters and other foot problems may be a sign that you did too much too soon.

Recent studies say that organic foods aren’t any healthier than ‘regular’ foods, should I still try to eat as organic as possible? The jury is still out on this subject. What the most recent

adequate sleep and a balanced diet, which includes a nutritious breakfast daily, will help keep them healthy and disease free. It is also important to follow the guidelines set forth by the school regarding illness. If your child has a fever they need to stay home. This will ensure that the rest of the class is not exposed.

I read that teens should be getting as much as 10 hours of sleep a night, is that much sleep recommended? Absolutely! Very few teenagers actually get enough sleep these days. Between homework, sports, music programs, TV, video games and social networking, teens are staying up later and getting fewer hours of sleep. The only time our bodies require more sleep than the teen years is during infancy. A teenager’s body is rapidly developing both physically and intellectually and to optimize this growth, nine to 10 hours of sleep a night is required. Studies confirm that if you get an extra hour or two of sleep you will retain more information than if you try to cram in more studying. I frequently see teens in the office complaining of fatigue.

Usually that doesn’t mean that your high school student is anemic or has a thyroid problem, but rather they need more sleep.

BY KAREN WILLIAMS, M.D. study shows is that while organic foods have fewer pesticides and some organic food are higher in certain nutrients there is insufficient evidence to show that the health benefits are greater. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t eat organically grown produce. I’m a big fan of trying to buy local produce. It’s much fresher and usually tastes better! Anyone who has had shortcake with local strawberries or asparagus right out of the garden can attest to that.

However, I wouldn’t recommend limiting your fruits and vegetables to only organically grown products if it means eating fewer of them. Try to balance it and maintain a healthy five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

School has started. What should I remind my children of to make sure they aren’t the ones coming home sick? We certainly do see an increase in viruses and illness at the beginning of school, especially in the younger children. There really is no secret to keeping kids healthy during school. Good hygiene and hand washing is paramount in preventing these illnesses. Ensuring that children get

Gluten-free eating is said to help people feel less sluggish and improve overall health, but what are the downsides to being G-free if you don’t medically have to be? If you follow a completely gluten-free diet you may be lacking some nutrients such as iron, calcium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate. Additionally, many people on a glutenfree diet consume inadequate amounts of fiber and this may lead to constipation. Our digestive tract contains beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that help the immune system and these bacteria may be decreased if you are gluten-free. Being completely gluten-free is time consuming and can be very expensive, so unless it is medically necessary everyone should try to eat a diet balanced with lean proteins, healthy grains, fruits and vegetable.

DR. KAREN WILLIAMS is board-certified in family medicine. She is owns Complete Family Care & Laser Center in Watertown where she and her staff provide comprehensive health care for the entire family. Contact her office at 18983 U.S. Route 11, 782-0059. This column is for informational use only and is not intended as medical advice or primary care. See a licensed health care provider to address any health concerns.

WELLNESS

A crisis looms with our children

BY MICHELLE L. GRAHAM

Thompson Park is another beautiful place to get out, walk and enjoy the animals and the outdoors. Make exercise a regular occurence in your home almost like having an appointment. Set aside time each day for physical activity, exercise and fun. n We live in an area where we celebrate beautiful seasons. Each season boasts new things to do. Fall is a great time to be outside and walk trails or hike in the nearby Adirondack mountains. We even have some local trails that are wonderful in our own area. The Black River Trail, Calcium Trail and the Nature Center on Wellsley Island are terrific this time of year. n Although the winter months bring cold and snow to our area, that, too, is a great time to be active. Get out and walk, snowshoe, cross-country ski, downhill ski, sliding, play tag, build a snowman and get outside and get moving. All are fun for children and adults. n Healthy eating begins in the home.

The old saying that we are what we eat is so very true. Learning super supper habits now sets the stage for a life of healthy habits and eating. Set limits to less nutritious foods. Examine menus when you eat out. Teach your children about moderation in food. Let your children help you grocery shop, plan and prepare meals. Not only will they learn to shop and cook, but they also will learn to put a healthy meal together. For sure, an extra hand in the kitchen can be helpful for everyone involved. A wonderful website to see good eating in action is www.choosemyplate.gov.

The key to anything is to set a plan in place. When you have a plan, you can accomplish anything. Start with making small changes with eating and then slowly add in exercise. Over time, you will be amazed at what you can all accomplish.

The road to healthy living takes time and patience. Set our children of today on a course for many healthy tomorrows.

MICHELLE L. GRAHAM, MS, is wellness director for Watertown’s Downtown YMCA. Contact her at ymca_mgraham@yahoo.com.

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AS WEAPPROACH FALL,WE EMBRACE and look forward to structure and a more regular schedule. After the carefree days of summer, we almost crave it. Our children head back to school or college and the warm summer breezes of June, July and August give way to cool fall days and nights. Any way you look at it fall leads to change. There is a change in temperature, a change in season and yes, a change to our daily lives.

During this beautiful and colorful time of year, some of our children engage in fall sports. However, not all children play an organized sport or activity. The fact is that fewer and fewer children are getting involved in physical activity. It’s no secret that so many of our children are caughtup in the whirlwind of technology of phones, iPods and computers.

Not that technology is a bad thing.

These inventions have certainly made our lives easier and no doubt more interesting. The problem lies with the fact that our children spend far too much time with technology and not enough time actually getting up and moving their bodies.

Just like rest, our bodies also need exercise and proper nutrition.

National statistics report that one

in three American children are either overweight or obese. Obesity crosses all barriers, rich, poor, black and white and everything in between. This is alarming perhaps, but not a surprise. Walk into any school or mall and our crisis is evident.

Of course, technology is not the only thing to blame. Our lives are more fastpaced than ever before. Certainly eating on the run and fast food have become common in our families and society. We are even seeing adult diseases in our young people that we have rarely seen before.

Things like Type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure are some diseases that are becoming more prevalent among overweight youth.

First Lady Michelle Obama has even launched “Let’s Move,” a huge campaign to fight childhood obesity. Her intention is to get our children more active and eating healthier. With such a weighty problem the question becomes what do we do to help our youth and prevent the children of tomorrow from having the same issues?

The key to solving these problems is to get everyone in the family engaged and involved in finding a solution.

Some suggestions: n Make rules regarding technology and television time. Engage your children when you set the rules and then everyone knows the expectation and the consequences. n Find fun activities that your children actually like. Physical activity does not have to be formal, or structured just interesting enough to keep children engaged. n The recommendation is that children should be active for 60 minutes a day. n Get your children active at a young age in swimming, walking as a family, indoor sport activities, hiking, riding bikes and simply playing outdoors. A playground also is an awesome place to not only have fun but be active as well.

Children love running around and simply being free. The New York State Zoo at

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THE NNY LIFE

Create your own north country family traditions

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BY KATIE STOKES

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I T WA S S O M E W H E R E B E T W E E N jotting “tablecloth” and “koozies” on this year’s Old Forge Enchanted Forest trip packing list that I knew we had perfected that particular annual family outing.

Each year since we started taking the kids on an annual trip to Enchanted Forest, I’ve culled new tidbits from other water park-goers that I shaped into this year’s ultimate — or over the top, depending on whether you ask my husband or me — Enchanted Forest packing list.

After three years and three attempts, I got it right: we got there early on a Friday morning and had our pick of my prescreened shaded spots. We ate a picnic lunch under shade trees on a blue-andwhite cotton table cloth. I remembered the right number of plates, napkins and utensils. I even packed a couple of ice-cold beers for mommy and daddy to enjoy right before leaving the park for the day to head over to our hotel across the street.

Perfect day. All around.

I’m sure everyone has their signature variations for these types of tried-and-true family outings. The point is that you take the trip often enough to get it down pat.

Now that we’re moving into fall, I’m putting together more lists. At this writing, I’m planning my daughter’s perfect birthday party for the weekend after Labor Day, which we use, more or less, as a goodbye to summer. It’ll be hard to top last year’s mermaid party extravaganza, complete with waterfall, shell cupcakes, shimmery mermaid make-up and handbeaded crowns. But this year’s pajama glam party is on the right track to blow last year’s out of the water, so to speak.

Next up, we’ll be taking a family hunting trip to my husband’s ground blind.

My packing list for that outing so far includes a camera, some snacks and drinks and my daughter’s pink bow and arrows,

I have no idea if I’m doing any of this right. I’m learning as I go. ... No one gave me a manual on how to raise kids in general, much less in the north country. which probably won’t get used, but will look really nice in the photos.

This is why we love living and raising our family in Northern New York. It’s not just the places we visit or the things we do, it’s the joy of tweaking each trip to fit our kids’ ages, their current interests, and never forgetting to include ourselves in on the fun.

Here are three more of our favorite north country fall activities with a little about how we’ve made each one special: APPLE PICKING Behling’s Orchards in Mexico is our favorite apple orchard. The folks at Behling’s have it down to a science, with wagon rides to your favorite apple types, fresh cider donuts and produce for sale in their shop, along with a little carnival for kids that includes rides, a maze and a giant inflatable slide.

To make it special for our family, we take our time on the drive down and rubber-neck the salmon fishermen that always line the Salmon River that time of year. This year, to hopefully move one step closer to our perfect family apple picking day, we plan to get there earlier, then stop for a picnic on the way back.

BURRVILLE CIDER MILL We’ve gone every year since my daughter was born. I have a picture of my husband carrying our pink fleece blanketwrapped daughter across the parking lot.

I also have photos of the kids at every age, cheesing in front of the waterfall that runs behind the mill. We let the kids pick out their own apples and choose a pumpkin.

They don’t always choose the pumpkins I would choose, but it’s so hilarious watching them become so passionate about an inanimate object, I can’t bring myself to say no. Unless it won’t fit in the car. Only then do I use my mom veto power.

KATIE STOKES is an Oklahoma native who has called Northern New York home for more than a decade. She is a freelance writer and blogger and the mother of two children, Diva and Hunk.

She and her husband are raising their children in Hounsfield. Visit her blog at www.NNYLife.com.

Her column appears in every issue of NNY Living.

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TRICK-OR-TREATING When I was a kid, my mom didn’t let us go trick-or-treating. Devoutly Catholic, she didn’t believe in the superstition of dressing up for Halloween. I respect her beliefs, but nowadays I’m making up for it with my own kids.

I’m preposterously gleeful about dressing them up, and sometimes scour the Internet and local stores for hours looking for the perfect accessories, especially for Diva. They’ll probably hate Halloween as much as my mom, but for different reasons.

I also like to spread Halloween out over the final weeks in October. We go to Boo at the Zoo, the mall’s Halloween event and we spend Halloween night in Sackets Harbor — just like my husband did when he was a kid — then go back to my in-law’s house for a hot supper.

Personally, I like to let my kids gorge on the candy for the entire evening, then hide their stashes until they forget about them. Hey — No judging. I let them keep the crazy pumpkins.

I have no idea if I’m doing any of this right. I’m learning as I go. For one thing, I grew up in a different climate, in a different family with different traditions. For another, no one gave me a manual on how to raise kids in general, much less in the north country. But, pretty much any of the time that we’re together, it feels exactly right, so we’ll just keep going from there.

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Stu Gallagher Photography for Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Kristian S. Reynolds for Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Clockwise from top left: A gorge in Watkins Glen State Park. Belhurst Castle. The view from Glenora Wine Cellars. Finger Lakes Riseling. Inside the Watkins Glen International Motor Racing Research Center. Lakewood Vineyard on the western bank of Seneca Lake. Fresh blueberry croissants made by the Stonecat CafĂŠ and served for brunch. A vintage MG roadster races around Watkins Glen International Speedway.

Watkins Glen International Speedway / Flickr

Stonecat CafĂŠ / Facebook

Stu Gallagher Photography for Finger Lakes Wine Country.

IMRRC / Facebook

36 HOURS

Uncork adventure in placid Finger Lakes wine country The perfect pampered getaway awaits just a short drive south

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TEXT BY KYLE R. HAYES | PHOTOS COURTESY FINGER LAKES WINE COUNTRY

FRIDAY, 2 P.M., IN THE LAP OF LUXURY Most 36 Hours weekend trips begin by checking into a hotel and exploring the destination at hand, getting a feel for your location and setting the tone for the rest of the weekend away from home. This trip is a little different, though setting the feel for the rest of your weekend in the Finger Lakes is still the goal. Stop number one is the Belhurst Castle, a turn of the century American castle that was built from 1885 to 1889 with materials imported from Europe. The story goes that Mrs. Carrie Collins, a descendant of Henry Clay, supervised the building of the castle and lived there until the time of her death in 1926. Ownership of the castle was transferred

to her grandson who then sold it to Cornelius J. “Red” Dwyer. Mr. Dwyer opened up the castle as a speakeasy and gambling casino from the early 1930s into the 1950s.

Belhurst was the center of attention throughout the early and mid-1900s, and remains so today. Throughout the summer and fall, Belhurst is bustling with activity with dozens of romantic weddings held on the premises, winery visits to the estate’s vineyard or with couples looking to spend a romantic weekend together, wining and dining around the estate grounds.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Belhurst maintains the dignity of centuries passed but is a modern day retreat, consistently honored with awards for its wines and recognized as one of the most romantic getaways in the North East. Getting there is as easy as exiting the New York State Thruway at Exit 42 and taking Route 14 south to Geneva.

Belhurst Castle, 4069 State Route 14, Geneva, www.belhurst.com, (315) 781-0201.

Seneca Lake. One of the most fun accommodations could be in the castle’s turret, dubbed the “tower suite,” which includes a widow’s walk that overlooks the lake. At the Vinifera Inn, “reserve rooms” are luxurious, with lake views, a king-size bed, in-room Jacuzzi and gas fireplaces. If you’re looking to set the mood for the rest of the vacation, checking into one of the castle’s rooms will do just that.

FRIDAY,3P.M.,CHECK INTO CHAMBERS Belhurst Castle offers an array of different accommodations, both inside the castle’s chambers themselves or in the luxury Vinifera Inn and White Springs Manor outbuildings, which are still on the castle’s campus. Rates vary depending on lodging location and travel dates, with more elevated prices until November, when rates drop. Most accommodations are furnished with historically representative furniture, wood beams and paneling but with the comforts of modern appointments, like soaking Jacuzzi tubs and sweeping views of

FRIDAY, 7 P.M., LET’S EAT With a sommelier curated wine list and numerous awards of excellence from Wine Spectator magazine, Edgar’s at Belhurst castle is a renowned restaurant serving some of the most exquisite food in the country. Using seasonal ingredients and foods native to the Finger Lakes, and offering pairings with local wines, Executive Chef Casey Belile has defined dining at the castle as unique, but with familiar flavors that diners can relate to.

The seafood risotto, which includes shrimp, lobster, scallops and mussels poached in a red

FRIDAY, 4:30 P.M., PRIMP AND PROPER Begin your mini-vacation with an hour or two at the spa before your reservations at Belhurst’s Edgar’s restaurant. Whether you’re traveling with friends or with a significant other, booking one of the heavenly “Sacred Mountain” hot stone massages at the castle’s Isabella Spa and Salon is definitely a way to unwind from the week. The full-service spa has something for everyone, including husbands and boyfriends, from facials and foot massages to haircuts, blow outs and a quick warm lime or lavender blossom scalp massage for $30.

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NEW YORK’S FINGER LAKES REGION IS an expansive portion the state that encompasses more than a dozen towns and villages and some of the most picturesque geography in the north east. What’s most saddening is that the beauty of the Finger Lakes can all be missed when traveling down the New York State Thruway between Syracuse and all points west, like Rochester and Buffalo or Niagara Falls. Along the thruway are signs denoting the beginning of the Finger Lakes Wine Region, but the pristine waters of Saranac Lake or the bustling wine villages can’t be seen from I-90. Luckily, September marks the beginning of fall, which could quite possibly be the best time to take a trip to the Finger Lakes region and spend the weekend exploring dozens of wineries, touring a storied castle or discovering a new getaway that’s within three hours of Jefferson County.

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clam sauce atop three cheese risotto, is a personal favorite. Edgar’s offering of steaks is one of the restaurant’s highlights. All steaks are aged for a minimum of five weeks to ensure tender meat of the best quality. Steaks are then hand carved into a variety of offerings, from frenched bone-in ribeye to prime rib, and fired over mesquite wood.

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SATURDAY, 10 A.M., TIME TO PLAN Checkout for your castle accommodations is at 11 a.m., so take your last fleeting moments to plan the rest of the weekend. With more than two dozen towns throughout the Finger Lakes and more sights than could possibly fit into the next two days, it’s necessary to make a plan before departing. Just about

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anything is possible in the region, from a culinary adventure to wineries and restaurants, to museums and literary landmarks like Mark Twain’s gravesite, to more adventurous fishing expeditions and boating adventures beginning at the Finger Lakes Boating Museum in Geneva. Visit websites like www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com or www.fingerlakes. org for pre-determined itineraries and travel ideas or look for a list of local companies that offer services to plan your weekend for you, for a small fee, and then take you on tours of the region, like Experience! the Finger Lakes, www.experiencefingerlakes.com.

SATURDAY, 11 A.M., A NEW HOME From Geneva, travel down the east side of

Seneca Lake but follow the lake’s edge to Hector. A charming small town along the shore, Hector provides the perfect central location for a few days of activities. It’s right along the route of Seneca Lake wineries and vineyards but not far from tourist destinations in Watkins Glen or even Cayuga Lake and Ithaca.

There are a few options for bed and breakfasts in the Hector area, but the Magnolia Place Bed and Breakfast offers a unique setting in an 1830s farmhouse overlooking the lake with innkeepers Theresa and Ted willing to accommodate just about any need. The friendly staff at the inn is tried and true locals that can answer questions, help plan day trips and offer expert opinions on wining and dining.

Plus, wake up every morning to a home-

cooked breakfast with locally grown seasonal ingredients. Magnolia Place Bed and Breakfast, 5240 State Route 414, Hector. www.magnoliawelcome.com, 1 (607) 546-5338.

SATURDAY, NOON, A LOCAL LUNCH One of the most renowned restaurants in Hector, with a cult-like following, is the Stonecat Cafe, 5315 Route 414 in Hector. This fullservice restaurant and cocktail bar is owned

by Scott and Jessica Giles Signori. Mr. Signori mans the kitchen as head chef and has created a menu full of approachable regional cuisine that could be served in the Finger Lakes or at a chic downtown restaurant in New York City.

He specializes in organic, local offerings that come from farms and businesses listed right on the menu. Stonecat’s pulled pork barbecue is unforgettable and you will want to take home two armfuls of their fresh focaccia bread.

Stonecat Cafe, 5315 Route 414, Hector. www. stonecatcafe.com, 1 (607) 546-5000.

SATURDAY, 1 P.M., GET TASTING The safest way to embark on your winery tour is by having one of the Finger Lakes tour companies drive you to and from each winery on your list. Visit www.senecalakewine.com/ transportation.html for a list of transportation services that will pick you up and drop you off in anything from a bio-fueled trolley to a chauffeured limousine. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is the largest of the Finger Lakes wine trails, with 32 member wineries. Some vineyards are small, family owned operations with a handful of offerings while others are large, sprawling companies with dozens of product offerings; however, between them all are hundreds of awards, both national and international, for their unique wines. Right outside of Hector is the Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, home to the ever-popular Red Cat and White Cat wines, and not far from the Leidenfrost Vineyard and Chateau Lafayette Reneau.

Along the southern tip of Seneca Lake are more than 15 vineyards, but allow about 45 minutes at each for tours, tastings and shopping. End your tasting travels at Glenora Wine Cellars in Dundee. Glenora’s Veraisons Restaurant has a stunning dining room and terrace for a truly gourmet dining experience.

Seneca Lake Wine Trail, www.senecalakewine.com

Please see FINGER LAKES, page 45

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SUNDAY, 1 P.M. HEAD FOR THE HILLS Before hitting the road, take in the natural splendor of the Finger Lakes region by visiting the Finger Lakes National Forest.

Encompassing 16,212 acres between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, this forest has more than 30 miles of interconnecting trails that will take you into gorges, which have made Ithaca famous, ravines, woodlands and pastures. If you need to stock up on some adult refreshments to take home or are looking for an added souvenir, there are a handful of trails that meander into the vineyards of neighboring wineries, who will gladly welcome you to a tasting table or gift shop. Headquarters for the forest are located on Route 414 in Hector, so start there for your trip into the woods.

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THIS IS NNY

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CONTINUING A SAILIN

S

ailing has long been a pastime enjoyed by generation after generation of north country families. Few places exhibit this time-tested tradition more than the Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont.

Celebrating 111 years since its founding at Sackets Harbor’s Navy Point, the Crescent Yacht Club, which moved to Chaumont in 1904, remains a social organization with more than 150 active members that are brought together by their love for boating and being out on the water.

On Aug. 10 and 11, the club hosted the 19th annual Hospice of Jefferson County Charity Cup Regatta. Sailers took to the lake in droves both days to witness youth division races on Friday and a full-scale regatta race on Saturday, with proceeds from both events benefiting hospice services for the terminally ill.

TEXT BY KYLE R. HAYES | PHOTOS BY JUSTIN SORENSEN

NG TRADITION

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25

TODAY’S GARDENER

Time to prep your garden for a north country winter

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BY BRIAN HALLETT

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THE BEGINNING OF FALL MEANS the perennials heavily to insulate them from cooler temperatures, beautiful leaves, the cold. Spread four inches of compost, bountiful harvests of crisp sweet apples wood chips or other mulch around the base and yard work. Yes, I said yard work. of the plants. This practice also will curb Fall is the perfect time to add some curb weed production in the spring. appeal with colorful hardy mums, corn Now that you’ve cleaned up your garden stalks, golden orange pumpkins and and yard, you can reward yourself and pay spring flowering bulbs. Heading out a visit to your favorite garden center. You into your garden in the fall can be a nice will find a large variety of spring-blooming break from pre-holiday planning. I know bulbs and hardy garden mums bursting that when I pick up a rake or my favorite with colorful blooms. Mums are a perfect trowel worries seem to disappear. replacement for summer annuals in widow In addition to raking leaves to add to boxes, deck planters and in the garden, your compost pile, you can focus on cleanblooming from late August to late October. ing up your flower gardens. It’s a good time When choosing mum plants, keep in mind to compost spent annuals in your garden that the ones in bloom give your flower garand your window boxes and cut back peden an instant shot of color, but the mums rennials before winter, especially if you’ve with tight unopened buds last longer. Perihad some trouble with foliage diseases. odically water and keep your garden mums Any diseased leaves should be bagged up moist. Pinch back dead flowers to promote and burned or thrown away. They should future blooms. Use your thumbnail and innot make it into your compost. Although dex finger to remove dead blooms and any it isn’t typical practice to chop down entire new plant growth that becomes too leggy. plants, you can prune back your perennials This procedure keeps mums compact and four to six inches above ground. During bushy through the growing season. winter, foliage left in

While many place is a food source people tend to treat for birds. Stems also mums as annuals help the crowns of by replacing them the plant because every fall, if you they offer insulation. place mums in the Check the perennial ground properly plant to make sure and don’t forget it’s no longer bloomto prepare them ing. If the blossoms for winter, they’ll are spent and the come back with a foliage is starting to wide array of color die back, the perenevery year. Wait Alliums nial is dormant. You until the first frost also can cut it once it’s experienced a hard has passed or before the ground freezes freeze. If you cut it back too soon, temperato prepare mums for winter. Choose a ture warm-ups will cause it to re-grow, sunny location to plant them. Receivwhich steals energy it needs to survive an ing five to seven hours of daily sunlight unpredictable north country winter. prevents mums from having tall, spindly Head to your local garden center and branches with small, sparse flowers. buy some mulch. This time of year you can Plant mums in well-drained soil. Use a benefit from a price break. Many garden shovel to dig a hole that is as deep as the centers don’t want to winter-over mulch. So, mum’s container and twice as wide. Add with your bargain mulch in hand, mulch peat moss or compost to the soil to boost

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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nutrient value. As with any plant you buy from a nursery, remove it from its plastic container and gently loosen its roots with your fingers. Plant garden mums 18 to 24 inches apart. Do not fertilize mums that are planted in the fall. Again, you do not want to encourage growth that draws energy from the plant’s ability to survive winter. Pinch off any dead blooms and use four to six inches of much to fill in around the plant between branches.

While you are working your mums into your garden, it’s an excellent time to plant some spring bulbs. A little effort now can really burst curb appeal in the spring. Bulbs, which bloom in the spring, are planted in the fall because they need a period of cold weather to produce a good crop of flowers. Fall-planted bulbs that can survive a north country winter include tulips, daffodils, snowdrops, hyacinth, crocuses and alliums, my personal favorite.

Look for a good firm bulb. You don’t want to be able to push in and feel that it’s soft; that’s not a good bulb. These bulbs should be put in the ground about six weeks before it freezes or when the soil temperature drops to 55 degrees lower. I have to say that while I really enjoy tulips, I do not recommend them if you have an abundance of deer or squirrels.

Regardless of what bulb you’re using, plant it with the top up. The pointed end always goes up. Little roots come out from the flat base. Some bulbs are actually hard to tell which way to plant. If you are unsure, plant them on their side. They’ll actually find their way up through the soil.

I also recommend that you not plant your bulbs in a row but in small groups of five or seven. This gives your garden a more natural look. Work the soil where you are planting bulbs to a depth of eight to 12 inches and spread a three- to four-inch layer of compost or peat moss and mix it into the soil. Add a little bit of bone meal down in the soil or just a little phosphate, slow release. It helps energize bulbs in the spring. Make sure you also mulch over the top of the bulbs, it helps insulate the soil a bit and helps insulate the bulb. Go about two inches of mulch, no more than four.

Next year, you will notice a profusion of bulbs coming up and blooming anywhere from early to late spring followed by a fall show of flowering mums. Spend some time this fall with the staff at your favorite garden center and do a little research for your garden, then dig into the soil and get started. Gardening is good for your mind, your body and your curb appeal.

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AUTHORS

A tale of passion and forbidden love

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Three Mile Bay author lands deal with NYC publisher

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A

BY KYLE R. HAYES | PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BOVA

A POOR GERMAN GIRL FALLS IN LOVE with a wealthy Jewish boy just in time for their relationship to be outlawed in the midst of World War II and Adolf Hitler’s regime. The complicated love story is all set in a picturesque German village surrounded by glorious hillsides and outlined by cobblestone walkways.

It’s the setting for a Hollywood blockbuster movie. But it’s not on the silver screen. Not yet.

The forbidden love story is told through the pages of “The Plum Tree,” a period fiction by Three Mile Bay author Ellen Marie Wiseman.

The story of Christine Bolz, a young German girl who witnesses the atrocities and aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust first hand, is one that was many years in the making for the author.

“I wrote the first draft of the story on a plain old legal pad in three days,” Mrs. Wiseman said in her first interview for the book. “I had no formal training, had never taken a writing course, but I knew the story I wanted to tell.”

“The Plum Tree” and Christine Bolz’s life is loosely based off of childhood tales that Mrs. Wiseman’s mother, a German-

Ellen Marie Wiseman born woman who lived through World War II and moved to the United States nearly a decade after the war had ended, had told her.

“I wanted to tell my mother’s story but I also wanted people to understand what the war was like for real people living through it and what people who weren’t Nazis, who weren’t Jews, saw and what they went through,” Mrs. Wiseman said.

“Of course, I realized that if I wanted to

sell the book, I had to have a twist. That’s where the love story came in.”

The setting of the book reflects the “fairytale village,” as Mrs. Wiseman describes it, that her mother grew up in and that Mrs. Wiseman visited several times throughout her childhood, and the book holds some semblance of her family’s lives in Germany.

“The things that happened to Christine’s father in the book really happened to my grandfather,” she said “He was drafted and he fought in the war. My mother and her family went months never hearing from him or knowing where he was, if he was even alive.”

The book is being published by Kensington Publishing Corp., based in New York City, and will be available Dec. 24.

So how does a resident of a tiny town in Jefferson County, with no formal writing experience, have a book published by a national publisher?

“It was a lot of work, it took me two years and 72 rejections from agents before Michael Carr, my agent now, requested the first three chapters I’d written,” Mrs. Wiseman said. “Quickly after he requested the rest of the book and two days later

asked me to meet him in Burlington (Vt.) for lunch. Talk about nervous. We drove up there and had a two hour lunch and talked about what the book could be.”

After she was signed on with an agent, Mrs. Wiseman’s book was sold within three weeks to Kensington, in early 2011.

Once the book was sold, then came months of edits and revisions, cutting down word count and focusing the storyline.

Throughout her journey as a soonto-be-published author she had many supporters, from her mother, Sigrid, and her husband, Bill, to a newly-found friend and mentor, William Kowalski. Mr. Kow-

‘The Plum Tree’ signings n 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 4, A Fiction Addiction, 102 E. Malloy Road, Mattydale n 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 10, Lyme Free Library, Main Street, Chaumont n “The Plum Tree” is available for pre-order on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, BooksAMillion.com as well as for Kindle and Nook. It will be released Dec. 24. Visit www.

EllenMarieWiseman.com or Facebook.com/ ellenmarie.wiseman for a full list of availability.

alski is the author of “Eddie’s Bastard,” “Somewhere South of Here” and “The Good Neighbor.” He is also a new fiction

reviewer for the Globe and Mail.

“When I was writing the first draft of the book, I didn’t know if it was any good.

I had sent a message to William and he offered to read the first 10 pages,” Mrs. Wiseman said. “From there we kind of built a friendship and he mentored me.

He taught me about structure and voice and, probably most importantly, to always return to the plot, always return to the right foot.”

Mr. Kowalski said that Mrs. Wiseman’s first draft was where he saw the potential for her to be a published author.

Please see PLUM TREE, page 45

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COVER STORY

Why we love the north country 25 reasons that make Northern New York unique TEXT BY KYLE R. HAYES | PHOTOS BY STAFF

Central Park redux

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FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED WAS a celebrated journalist and landscape designer throughout the 1800s and was lead designer on projects that included the grounds of the United States Capitol building and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. One of his most famous works was Central Park, the 843 acres in the center of Manhattan that Mr. Olmsted designed with Calvert Vaux. In Watertown resides another scenic parks: Thompson Park, named after the late John C. Thompson, former executive at the New York Air Brake, who anonymously donated the park land to the city of Watertown.

Following Mr. Olmsted’s retirement in 1895 due to failing health, his son, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., and step-son, John C. Olmsted, took control of his firm, which became known as Olmsted Brothers.

Olmsted Brothers also was the firm that Frederick Olmsted recommended to Mr.

Thompson to design his park.

Much of the Olmsted original design remains today, with sweeping, manicured hills and cobblestone-lined pathways.

Though on a smaller scale, the zoo, pools, monuments and walkways of Thompson Park are reflective of the splendor of Manhattan’s Central Park.

For the love of cheese

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The agricultural roots of the north country can be seen just about everywhere, from summer farmers markets to the corn fields and crops that most people drive by almost daily. But there’s one thing that is unmistakable in the north country’s quest to show pride in its history.

That is the celebration of cheese.

Each year, two north country festivals celebrate the heritage and business of cheese making in the region. The annual Cream Cheese Festival in Lowville is in

recognition of the world’s largest cream cheese manufacturing plant, operated in Lowville by Kraft. The festival celebrates the creamy substance that goes great with bagels but also keeps food on the table for dozens of Lewis County families. In years past it has attracted more than 10,000 people into Lowville and was named to TripAdvisor.com’s top 10 list of “wacky festivals” in the nation, placing third.

Fairly new to the scene is the Adams Cheddar Cheese Festival, which was in its third year this past July. In its three years of existence, the cheddar cheese festival has grown to a town-wide event that recognizes the agricultural heritage of southern Jefferson County.

“The Cheddar Cheese Festival celebrates the agricultural and cheese making industry in Jefferson County,” said Connie A. Elliott, an organizer for the annual Cheddar Cheese Festival. “I don’t think people realize, with Great Lakes and Adams Reserve Cheese, how world renowned our little town of Adams is.”

You can buy an island, if you’d like

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Nowhere else in the world would someone looking for real estate have the option of buying an entire private island, with many to choose from, within a 50 mile stretch of river.

Currently on the market is Ina Island, a nearly $2 million private island with a three story home featuring 18 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and six fireplaces. Outside, there is a bridge to a gazebo and a tennis court.

For something a little smaller, there’s St. John’s Island, a single bedroom and bathroom cottage with Boldt Castle views for $450,000 that was built in 2005.

Both properties are listed with Garlock Realty, who specializes in St. Lawrence River real estate.

“What really draws people to buy real estate here is that there is only one St. Lawrence River, there are no other Thousand Islands in the world,” said Matthew R. Garlock, owner-broker for the realty.

What better reason is there to hop on a boat or borrow a jet-ski and go house hunting?

From the Atlantic to Watertown

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a loyal group of customers who camp out waiting for him to arrive; they bring bagels and cream cheese and he provides the smoked salmon.

450 million years in the making

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The north country is often known for its harsh winters and hot and humid summers, but what many people, even those who have lived their whole lives in the northwest corner of the state, don’t realize is that Chaumont is home to one of the last and best examples of alvar grasslands in the world.

The Chaumont Barrens Preserve is a prairie-like landscape that sits on a foundation of limestone, making it a sprawling expanse of grasslands, limestone woodlands, cedar forests and a rare plant community that is open to the public. According to The Nature Conservancy and nature.org, the bedrock at Chaumont Barrens is about 450 million years old and the conservancy claims that Chaumont was once at the bottom of a shallow tropical sea near the equator.

However old it may be, the Chaumont Barrens are a perfect place to spend an afternoon wandering around and seeing unique wildlife and plant life. Just don’t forget the bug repellent.

The Rolls Royce of snack foods Tom Hanks nibbled on them in “You’ve Got Mail,” Carrie Bradshaw and the girls scoped them out, and the attractive salesman, in “Sex and the City,” and they’re produced right in Theresa. Martin’s Pret-

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JUSTIN SORENSEN | NNY LIVING

zels are handmade artisanal pretzels with a time-tested Pennsylvania Dutch recipe baked by members of the Martin family.

A family treat for more than a century, these pretzels with a signature crunch have become famous by not only being sold throughout the north country, but at three New York City Greenmarkets.

“Lloyd Martin worked at the original Martin’s bakery in Pennsylvania and traveled to Theresa and bought a dairy farm. Some 10 years later, he decided to open another bakery there,” said Martin’s Pretzels co-owner Alfred Milanese.

Mr. Milanese said that since launching the bakery in Theresa and having an outpost in New York City, the pretzel products have achieved global fame and recognition, with shout-outs in the New York Daily News, Vogue magazine and on the Food Network.

“It is a world class food,” Mr. Milanese said. “It is a Rolls Royce artisan food that is on the shelves of a local store.”

Martin’s Pretzels are available at Hannaford in Watertown, Big M stores, Gold Cup Farms, Clayton, and Jefferson Bulk Cheese Store on outer Arsenal Street.

They are also sold at the farmers markets in Clayton, Watertown, Syracuse and Old Forge. Visit the bakery online at www. martinspretzels.com.

Sub shop culture

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Ask a college student, 20-something young professional or just about any north country native where the first place is they eat when they come home for a visit and the answer isn’t normally mom’s kitchen counter. It’s Jreck Subs.

Jreck Subs has a cult-like following at its nearly 40 locations throughout Central and Northern New York. Locals grew up eating Jrecks, not Subway or Quiznos with their fancy breads and toasted

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“Hi Debby!”

“Thanks, Steven!”

Robert “Rob” Babcock, otherwise known as “The Fish Truck Guy,” in Watertown’s Washington Street Plaza, knows his customers well.

“You have to be personable, you have to know the product and how to sell it,” he said on a sunny afternoon in late August.

Mr. Babcock is the owner of Owls Head Lobster, a fresh seafood delivery truck that stops in the Washington Street Plaza from 7 a.m. to noon on Thursdays. Mr. Babcock has been operating the business since 2004, but the truck has been making regular stops in Watertown and points in the north country since the 1980s. Mr. Babcock also stops in Cortland, Ithaca and Hamilton, where he sells fresh Maine lobster, tuna, salmon, shrimp, trout, bluefish, halibut and a few dozen more products, plucked fresh from the ocean.

“People might be surprised, but our best seller isn’t lobsters so much anymore, it’s the scallops,” Mr. Babcock said.

Mr. Babcock has become an honorary member of the north country community. He said that every Thursday he has

Reason No. 4 why we love NNY: The fish truck guy.

Rob Babcock of Owls Head Lobster sells seafood out of his truck Thursdays in the Big M parking lot off Washington Street in Watertown.

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subs, so it’s a sign of home.

“It is a north country staple. There is a sense of family when you go in there,” said Jenna L. Jamieson, an Adams Center native.

Miss Jamieson attended SUNY Cortland with Kelly A. Randall, also an Adams Center native. When they would come home for school breaks, Jrecks was the first place they hit for turkey subs.

“It’s something that not everyone else in the state can enjoy, so it feels like home,” Miss Randall said. “We solve all of our world’s problems in that Jreck Subs booth.”

Jrecks was actually started in 1967 by five Carthage Central High School teachers in the back of an old, converted school bus.

The company grew to more than 20 stores in 1974 and today churns out thousands of their infamous meatball subs and deep fried goodies from Auburn to Malone.

A world-class play spot

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8

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If you’re ever stopped by someone with a kayak strapped to the roof asking “Where is Hole Brothers?,” point them directly to the Black River, just off Newell Street in Watertown and not far from Hudson River Rafting Co. Hole Brothers is called a “play spot” by kayakers nationwide who flock to the Black River for some of the best rafting in the state. The spot is comprised of three rapids, called “big brother,” “middle brother” and “little brother,” is considered world class and has been the site for many kayak rodeo competitions because of its predictable waves and holes deep enough to pull off all sorts of tricks. What makes it even more welcoming is the calm shoulders of the Black River just outside of Hole Brothers that allows for onlookers to catch a glimpse of some high flying kayakers perfecting their moves right on the Black River.

Hard-pressed to find better

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When autumn descends on Northern New York, there’s no spot more perfect than hanging around the Burrville Cider Mill. With their famous fresh cider doughnuts, made right before your eyes, to the fresh-pressed cider and a massive selection of New York State apples, it’s hard to go home empty handed.

The historic mill, which is perched next to a picturesque waterfall located at 18176

Reason No. 14 why we love NNY: Our ‘new’ neighbors. Northern New York’s Amish community has grown in the past few years, making the region all the more unique and diverse.

JASON HUNTER | NNY LIVING

Route 156 between Watertown and Carthage, is owned by the Steiner family. Just taking a look at Yelp.com reviews shows the vast appeal of this local gem.

“The place is just adorable, charming and quaint,” said a visitor from Washington. Another Yelp critic from Wharton, N.J., said, “Family owned and warm hearted! You can smell the doughnuts from the parking lot.”

The mill itself dates back to 1801 when it was originally used as a sawmill and gristmill. Today, the Steiner family uses apples grown in their own orchards and varieties sourced from across the state in their unique cider blends. Opened on Labor Day this year, the mill is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through the end of November. For information, visit www. burrvillecidermill.com.

A unique trip through the Adirondacks

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The Adirondacks offer natural splendor that Upstate New York has become famous for throughout the world, and there’s many ways to take in the Adirondack Park, from hikes to camping and car rides. One unique way to travel the Adirondacks is by the original “highways” of the mountains, on a 90 mile journey through the heart of the mountains from Old Forge to Saranac Lake.

Deemed the “Adirondack Canoe Classic,” this 90 mile, three-day canoe race has drawn as many as 500 competitors from throughout the United States and the world paddling canoes, kayaks and guide boats through the waterways of the mountains.

An annual event held for more than 25 years, the Adirondack Canoe Classic travels some of the same paths that the

early settlers of the scenic Adirondacks took, mixing lake and river flat water paddling with canoe carries and overnight camping. A true way to take the Adirondacks back to their roots. Visit www.macscanoe.com/awa for more information about the race.

Big birds

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They are 11 feet tall, weighing between 1,400 and 1,600 pounds each and they’re a staple of the drive from Alexandria Bay and all points south.

The three monstrous crows along Interstate 81 generally cause quite the stir for anyone taking a leisurely drive down the highway. Perched in a roadside meadow, the three crows are the work of artist William L. Salisbury.

At the time of their installation, Mr. Salisbury told the Watertown Daily Times that the crows were a statement about the nervousness and dreadful anticipation of the millennium. But he also noted that the crows “are just plain old-fashioned fun.”

No matter the interpretation of the crows and their meaning, those three pitch-black figurines will always be a statement that adorns the roadside, and will forever be a talking point for any tourist passing through town.

Just like mom used to make Chicken and biscuits on Monday. Spaghetti and homemade sauce on Tuesday.

Chicken barbecue with all the fixings on Wednesday. Lasagna on Thursday and turkey pot pies on Friday.

No, not menus for a weekly shopping list, but a sampling of the various

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church-sponsored dinners in any given week throughout Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

Despite the generosity of church members on Sundays, many local churches turn to community-building events like church dinners to raise funds for special causes or just regular church operating costs.

To church leaders, these suppers offer a way to bring the community in while also helping sustain the future operation of the church. To community members, it’s the opportunity to enjoy a home cooked meal, often with time-tested recipes, for as little at seven dollars per person. A win-win to say the least.

Farm fresh

of the north country culture. The old world farming techniques they’ve brought with them fascinate passersby and are reminiscent of days long gone, when local farmers used similar horse and plow to till their fields.

Lured here by the calling of a rural landscape and fairly inexpensive farmland, the Amish community brought with them their now-famous handcrafted foods and crafts, which are sought after by collectors from around the country.

It’s no shock to see a half-dozen people picking through hand-woven baskets that rest at the foot of a black buggy parked on the street corner in Norfolk during the summer.

13 15 Our ‘new’ neighbors

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Few people will forget the first time they were driving down the street and came across a black buggy with its wooden spoke wheels and towering horse pulling it. At first, there’s the shock, as a horse is sitting exposed in the middle of traffic, and then comes the curiosity.

Since the early 1970s, the Amish community has ingrained itself into the fabric

One man’s lasting impact If there is one artist who has made an indelible impact on the culture of Northern New York, it is Frederic Remington.

The artist, known for his Western influences and famous bronze sculptures, has proven St. Lawrence County proud even today, more than a century after his death. Mr. Remington is a tie from the north country to points throughout the country and the world, including the Oval Office. An original casting of Mr. Remington’s “Bronco Buster,” a bronze sculpture copyrighted in 1895, resides in the President’s office, often seen in videos and photographs.

Mr. Remington’s ties to the north country started at birth, being born in Canton and extended into spending many years in Ogdensburg and having an island in Chippewa Bay on the St. Lawrence River.

He died in 1909 and left his widow, Eva Caten Remington, who upon her death

Guns, gas, groceries & guitars in one store

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Dick’s Country Store in Churubusco, a tiny town on the northern border of the state, has a unique smattering of offerings.

On a sign pointing to the store, it’s noted that Dick’s Country Store, also known as the Music Oasis, is the home of “gas, groceries, guns and guitars.”

Richard “Dick” Decosse Jr. took over the country store from his father in the 1970s, and has since expanded the offerings to include firearms and a huge assortment of guitars and music equipment. The store is a unique north country resting place that now offers everything but the kitchen sink.

Located just outside of Chateaugay, Dick’s Country Store has capitalized on the small town that is the birthplace of Orville H. Gibson, the founder of the Gibson Guitar Co. The Gibson Guitar Co. was founded in 1896 as the original maker of guitars and mandolins. Today it’s an international brand beloved by rock stars and everyday guitar enthusiasts alike.

Beside guitars are musical instruments of all sorts and the country store also serves as a backdrop for dozens of local musicians who stop by for a quick set or are a part of larger concerts and music festivals that Mr. Decosse organizes.

Reason No. 15 why we love NNY: Frederic Remington.

In this May 2011 file photo former Wyoming Sen. Alan K. Simpson takes a closer look at Remington’s artwork during a tour of the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg. Remington was a north country native.

JASON HUNTER | NNY LIVING

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It is hard to resist the draw of a farmers market. With more than 30 to choose from throughout Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, each market offers its own personality with unique offerings and a little something different from all the rest. In Watertown, there’s live entertainment that rings through Public Square on Wednesdays and food trucks; in Ogdensburg, there are a few quieter markets with a heavy focus on fresh foods that are picked earlier in the day and brought directly to the market for purchase.

“What’s nice about our market is that everybody supports each other,” Sandra M. Porter, market manager for GardenShare’s Ogdensburg farmers markets, said in May when the markets were opening for the season. “It’s also nice that there’s so much attention brought to eating and shopping locally. Our vendors get along so well and I’ve found over the years that the farmers are planting crops so they can participate in the market from beginning to end.”

What makes shopping at the farmers market special is that all of the money spent is funneled directly back into the community, with local vendors and farmers reaping the benefits.

bequeathed to the Ogdensburg Public Library everything she had of his work. In 1924, the Frederic Remington Museum at 303 Washington St., Ogdensburg, opened.

To this day, the Frederic Remington Museum is an innovative gallery and community center that highlights the life and works of Mr. Remington, but shines as a cultural icon, much like its namesake artist, in St. Lawrence County.

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Community spirit

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One less tangible thing to love about Northern New York is the community’s ability to pull together when needed and provide support in times of need.

Whether it’s for a family that was displaced from their home by a destructive fire, or a young teen that is fighting for their life after being diagnosed with a form of cancer, there’s always a helping hand extended by a neighbor or friend.

Many transplanted community members, who have maybe only spent a few years here or have recently relocated to Northern New York, will tell you that the sense of community is unlike any other.

Benefits for community members are almost always well attended, local businesses donate thousands of dollars in goods and services for each and not to mention the volunteer hours spent bringing the community together to help one another.

Oh, Canadians!

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How many times, when describing the north country region to an out-of-towner, does one say “Northern New York, a few miles from Canada”? More often than they would care to admit. However, it’s true. Northern New York’s proximity to Canada has not only given it a geographical landmark, but has opened the doors for a cultural exchange.

Sure, Canadians are responsible for hikes in sales tax earnings, given their penchant for spending during holiday shopping sprees and eating at local restaurants; but our neighbors to the north also give us a look at a micro culture unlike our own. Travels to Kingston, Gananoque or Brockville open the door to a multicultural experience that you’re not likely

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to find within the confines of the north country. Not more than a few miles away from points in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, Canada is a historical playground with stores, theaters, movies and more that one would be hard pressed to find in the northern part of New York State.

The next time you’re standing in line behind a few Canadians with their shopping carts brimming with deals, or stuck in a line of traffic at the border staring at Ontario license plates, think of all the opportunities those Canadian neighbors are taking advantage of and try and discover comparable ones on their side of the border.

The blasted weather

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One day it’s sweltering, the next it’s frigid. The weather in Northern New York may be the No. 1 complaint from anyone who lives here, or even passes through in the middle of January, but it’s also a reason to love living so far from the equator.

This past winter aside, the north country has seen some of the most intense snow and ice storms in the Northeast.

However, summers are typically pleasant, allowing for many days spent cruising Lake Ontario, speeding down the St. Lawrence River or just hanging out on the shores and beaches of both. Even though most native north country citizens will admit that winter gets quite tiresome come March, they would have it no other way.

A long summer may also get just as many complaints, as fall, with its apple picking and leaf peeping, is one of the most glorious times of year.

Hitting the slopes The snow-packed winters that the

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region has become famous for do bring happiness to certain business owners, notably those who own the community ski areas like Dry Hill in Watertown and Snow Ridge in Turin.

Skiing or snowboarding Dry Hill and Snow Ridge has become a staple for local winter enthusiasts. Snow Ridge itself, owned by Russell F. Horn, has more than 22 trails ranging in difficulty, a full-service restaurant, lounge and ski shop. Dry Hill Ski Area has been owned by Timothy L. McAtee for more than 20 years, who has expanded the scope of the hill to include a snow tubing park for extra winter enjoyment and worked to improve trail runs.

A community ski slope is one of the unique features of life in the north country, giving local skiers and snowboarders the ability to drive just five miles outside the city of Watertown to take a chairlift up Dry Hill for an afternoon ski run. No need to pack up the snow gear and drive hours into the mountains of Vermont.

Anchors away

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For many decades, the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario have been destinations for those who love everything nautical. With places like the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton celebrating the history behind the boating culture, Northern New York is a boater’s play land. Just this summer, a mega yacht called the “Luna,” which is owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, made the St. Lawrence River home for a few days, causing quite the stir among river residents.

The boating history of the north country’s waterways has been celebrated by local yacht clubs for decades. Popular establishments like the Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont, which is more than a century old, and the Henderson Harbor

Yacht Club, which is celebrating 65 years this season, have continued to draw membership throughout their tenure.

Continuing to thrive not only for boating but for social reasons as well, local yacht clubs are a reminder of days gone by. In his “Commodore’s Welcome,” Art Bronstein, who is 2012 commodore for the Henderson Harbor Yacht Club, noted that the lake’s splendor is not only something he and the yacht club members appreciate, but is also something visitors enjoy as well.

“Henderson Harbor is one of the prettiest places on the planet,” Mr. Bronstein said. “Visitors to our club have been overwhelmed by the beauty of the harbor and the friendliness of our club members.”

Ghost busters

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The late O’Ward Satterlee is said to roam the halls of Satterlee Hall at SUNY Potsdam. At the Brambles Inn and Gardens in Potsdam, owners who have died are believed to be visiting guests a little too late at night. In Watertown, the county’s first courthouse and jail, located at the intersection of Court, Massey and Coffeen streets, was the final stop for axe murderer Henry Evans, who is said to still hang around downtown decades after he was sentenced to be hung until dead.

The ghost stories of days gone by are in and of themselves an interesting aspect to life in the north country. Organizations like the Northern New York Paranormal Research Society specialize in uncovering the truth behind ghost encounters and the team at W-PBS has produced a series of programs titled “Folklore & Frost.”

Whether it’s footsteps in the night, or whispers in the hallways, ghosts stories abound with a north country twist.

The show goes on

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“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Sound of Music,” “Love, Loss and What I Wore” and “Meet Me in St. Louis” are all Broadway-caliber productions that have made their way onto local stages.

However, it wasn’t New York City-based artists who strapped on their dancing shoes or belted out the high notes in these productions. In fact, it was neighbors, business leaders, volunteers and supporters of the arts who live and work in surrounding communities.

Grassroots theater organizations have become a staple of the arts, with groups like the Watertown Lyric Theater and the Little Theatre selling out performances time after time. The Little Theatre has been a mainstay on the arts scene for more than 80 years now. The organization is one of the state’s oldest continually operating community theater companies and was established in 1932.

Staging thousands of performances, and selling even more tickets, this theater group made up of young and old, new members and veterans, continues to draw crowds just like it did 80 years ago.

How low is Lowville?

24

For someone who has grown up in the north country, the pronunciation of the town of Lowville would never be without a long “o.” Nor would one bat an eyelash when saying Gotham Street with a long “o” and unlike the way it’s pronounced in “Batman” movies.

Why, exactly, do north country natives have uncommon pronunciations to several towns and streets, like Madrid in

St. Lawrence County being pronounced with a long “a” unlike the Spanish city with which it shares a name? We may never know.

In the meantime, Keyes Avenue in Watertown will forever be pronounced with a long “y” and not like “keys”; Norfolk in St. Lawrence County will drop the “l” and be pronounced “Norfork”; and Theresa, the town between Philadelphia and Redwood, has a pronounced “th” and is never said like Teresa, a woman’s name.

A very special place

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The federal government has its National Register of Historic Places, but the Canton-based Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, otherwise known as TAUNY, has taken it a step further, with a local twist.

Not necessarily places on the Register of Historic Places, TAUNY has chosen more than two dozen locations in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties that are considered “outstanding local cultural landmarks” and dubbed them part of the Register of Very Special Places. From Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington to Sunday Rock in South Colton, the Register of Very Special Places denotes landmarks that contribute to the evolving folklore of the north country. The list is constantly growing, with nominations always being taken on the TAUNY website. For the full list, and maybe a few suggestions of places to visit that you’ve never seen before, visit www.northcoun tryfolklore.org.

KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Living. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LI VI NG

35

FEATURES

‘Cellar Dwellers’ pop at state fair Amateur wine-makers take 14 medals in annual competition

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

BY NORAH MACHIA

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A G R O U P O F N O R T H C O U N T RY amateur wine-makers who belong to a club nicknamed the “Black River Cellar Dwellers” recently won a total of 14 medals from the New York State Fair competition.

“Making wine is easy,” said one of the winners, Joseph P. Hulbert, Pierrepont Manor. “But making great wine is a challenge.”

It’s a process in which “you really get to play mad scientist,” he added.

Mr. Hulbert took home one silver medal for his Concord Blush and two bronze medals — one for Spiced Apple and the other for Diamond wine. He has won a total of 11 state awards and two international awards, and last month wrote an article about the local wine-making club that was published in WineMaker magazine.

It’s an impressive record for a man who started the craft of wine-making at age 47 after he decided drinking beer was causing him to experience too much acid reflux.

“It also became a way of saving money,” Mr. Hulbert said. “Now it’s become an addictive hobby.”

Mr. Hulbert and five other north country residents who won medals at the New York State Fair belong to an amateur wine-making club that meets monthly at The Winemaker on Court Street, a beer and wine-making supply store.

The “Black River Cellar Dwellers” meet at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month, and people with all wine-making skill levels are welcome, even first-timers.

There is no cost to join.

Other north country residents who won medals include Erik Johannessen, Sackets Harbor; Darrell Sweredoski, Rutland; Brad Sholette, Watertown; Norman Yerdon, Adams; and Randy Stevens, Lorraine.

The Winemaker was opened in 2008 by J. Peter Hludzenski and his son, Andrew J., who themselves are award-winning amateur winemakers. The father-and-son

PHOTO SPECIAL TO NNY LIVING

Joe Hulbert’s award-winning wines, from left: Diamond, Concord Blush and Spiced Apple.

team took a gold and bronze medal at the Winemaker International Amateur Competition sponsored by WineMaker magazine in 2010.

The club members “give each other suggestions and encouragement” when it comes to the wine-making process, Mr. Hludzenski said.

Once people have tried it, Mr. Hludzenski encourages them to enter competitions such as the New York State Fair because “the experts will tell you what they like and don’t like” about the wine, resulting in “good information”” to help people improve their craft, he added.

Mr. Hludzenski said club members have several options when it comes to making homemade wine. Some use commercially prepared juice concentrates; others use pure juices with no preservatives or make their own juices using locally grown fruits.

Some club members have even started growing their own grapes.

Mr. Sweredoski has a vineyard with 400 vines of Marquette grapes that are used to make dry red wine. He recently sold 1,800 pounds to the Tug Hill Vineyards, Lowville, for their wine production.

In the north country, “the grape growers and wineries work hand-in-hand” to produce the best possible products, Mr. Sweredoski said.

Mr. Sweredoski has not yet made wine from his own grapes, which he started growing about five years ago, but he plans to give it a try later this year.

He won a gold medal at the New York State Fair for his Strawberry-Rhubarb wine, which he made from fruit sold locally.

“I got the strawberries from Behling’s in Adams,” Mr. Sweredoski said. “We picked the best strawberries that we could find.

That really showed through the wine.”

“You can’t make good wine unless you have good fruit,” he added.

Mr. Johannessen, who won a silver

From left, Joe Hulbert, Brad Sholette, Norman Yerdon, Darrell Sweredoski, and Randy Stevens, all members of the “Black River Cellar Dwellers” winemaking club who won medals at the New York State Fair.

Club member Erik Johannessen, who also won a medal, is not pictured.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO NNY LIVING

medal for his native white wine entry, started making wine in 2008 after finishing a tour of duty in Iraq and retiring from Fort Drum.

For Mr. Johannessen, wine-making actually ran in his family, although he didn’t start the craft until later in life.

His late father, who was a member of the Minnesota Grape Growers Association, had developed a type of cold-hardy grape in Minnesota which could withstand cold weather climates. At that time, however, Mr. Johannessen was a teenager and didn’t pay much attention to his father’s work in developing hybrid grapes.

But after retiring from the military, Mr. Johannessen decided he wanted to give wine-making a try, and began the process of trying to find a grower who was cultivating his father’s hybrid cold-hardy grapes.

Mr. Johannessen conducted research on the Internet and made a lot of phone calls, finally tracking down cuttings of his father’s grapes from an out-of-state grower.

“Basically, I got my Dad’s grapes back,” Mr. Johannessen said. “I’m growing them now. It takes about three years to grow the vine before you have any fruit.”

His award winning bottle of wine was made with juice purchased at a Finger Lakes winery, he said.

“It’s nice if you can grow your own grapes, but it’s a lot of work to maintain a vineyard,” Mr. Johannessen said.

The largest number of New York State Fair medals was won by the club president, Norman Yerdon. Mr. Yerdon won two golds, silver and a bronze for his fruit wines and another bronze for his hybrid white wine.

Mr. Sholette, who also grows and sells his grapes to the Tug Hill Vineyards, won a silver medal for a hybrid White Wine; and Mr. Stevens won two silvers for a fruit and a native white wine, and a bronze for a hybrid red.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LI VI NG

NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer living in Watertown. She is a 20-year veteran journalist.

Contact her at norahmachia@gmail.com.

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FOOD

Ratatouille is a perfect recipe for a bountiful garden harvest n Don’t let a good backyard haul go to waste this fall

BY BOO WELLS

heat, which will allow the sugars in the vegetable to cook — or caramelize. When vegetables are cooked in multiple layers, as opposed to a single layer, they steam, which leads to mushy vegetables.

Cooking the vegetables all separately is another way to prevent overcrowding and steaming. It also is the best way to

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

Vegetables that are cooked until tender and slightly browned or carmelized make the most flavorful Ratatouille.

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“IF YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, THEN I ONLY WANT TO eat the good stuff.” — Remy Remy, a.k.a. “Little Chef,” the star of the deliciously fun Disney movie, “Ratatouille,” said it all. There is no doubt in my mind that the rat had it all figured out. “The good stuff” — the fresh stuff, the stuff from the farmer’s market, the stuff from our gardens, he didn’t say it, but I’m sure he meant the stuff we cook at home for our families — the stuff from scratch — not the stuff from a cardboard box or freezer bag.

This is a great time of year for the fresh stuff. Actually, there is a little too much fresh stuff in my garden right now. There is just too much zucchini, too many onions, too much parsley and too many tomatoes. What is a person to do with all this stuff? Well, if life gives you lemons — make lemonade. If the garden gives you all that other stuff — make Ratatouille.

There are two key factors to a good Ratatouille. The first is to cook the vegetables in a large enough vessel. A large pan, such as a seven-quart Dutch oven, allows for a single layer of each vegetable and avoids overcrowding.

The single layer maximizes the vegetable’s contact with the

ensure that you cook each type of vegetable to perfection. For example, zucchini and summer squash take much less time to cook than eggplant. If you cook them together in your Dutch oven, you will most likely end up with overcooked, read mushy, squash and only partially cooked, read bitter and spongy, eggplant. Vegetables that are cooked until tender and slightly browned or caramelized make the most flavorful Ratatouille.

There is one other factor that makes for an amazingly delicious Ratatouille: serving it over creamy Brie and Parmesan polenta.

I could probably keep prattling on all day about caramelizing and pan size, whole foods verses foods from cardboard boxes, but there is still so much good stuff to get out of the garden.

I may even can a few hundred tomatoes so that I don’t have to suffer through a dull and tasteless store-bought tomato in March. After all, according to the rat, “You are what you eat,” and who would want to be considered dull and without taste.

Certainly not me.

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.

AMANDA MORRISON | NNY LIVING

Farm house ratatouille, left, is best when locally grown, garden-fresh ingredients are used. The chef’s recipe makes an exceptional fall dish at harvest time.

Farm house ratatouille (Serves six)

INGREDIENTS 1 pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 3½ cups) Kosher salt 9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 pound zucchini (3 or 4 small), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick half-moons (about 3 cups) 1 pound yellow summer squash, (3 or 4 small), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick halfmoons (about 3 cups) 1/4 cup chopped garlic (6 to 8 large cloves) 1 pound tomatoes, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups) 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley INSTRUCTIONS Toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander and let sit in the sink or over a bowl while you prepare the other vegetables.

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, the thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape into a clean colander that’s set over a bowl to catch the juices.

In the same skillet, heat another 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and get browned around the edges, about 5 min. Add the rosemary, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re extremely soft, another 10 to 15 min. Gently fold into the onions in the colander.

Heat another tablespoon oil over medium-high heat, add the squash and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Shake and stir to distribute the squash slices evenly in the pan so they all get browned. Cook over until tender and nicely browned on both sides, five to seven minutes.

Add to the colander and gently fold with the onions and peppers.

Drain the eggplant on paper towels, and pat to blot up surface water. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over high heat. Add the eggplant, and distribute the cubes evenly in the pan so they all get browned.

Increase the heat and cook until lightly browned on several surfaces, about five minutes, and then lower the heat to medium. Cook until the eggplant is very tender, another 13 to 15 minutes. Add to the colander.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and let sizzle for about 30 seconds then add the tomatoes and all their juices and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

As you’re cooking, scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze all the cooked-on vegetable juices. Cook until the tomatoes soften and then add them to the vegetables in the colander.

Now let the vegetables sit in the colander for 15 to 20 minutes. At that point, you should have around ½ cup liquid in the bowl. Pour the liquid into the sauté pan and reduced to about 1/4 cup. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the vegetables, along with the ba-

sil and parsley. Taste for salt and add more if needed.

Serve soon, if you want it to be warm, or let the ratatouille cool and serve at room temperature.

Brie and Parmesan polenta (Serves six)

INGREDIENTS 5½ cups (or more) water 1 teaspoon salt 1 garlic clove, pressed 1½ cups coarse-ground or regular white or yellow cornmeal 5 ounces chilled Brie (rind removed), cut into ½-inch pieces 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces) Cayenne pepper Ground white pepper Ground nutmeg

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LI VI NG

INSTRUCTIONS Bring 5½ cups water, salt, and garlic to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thick and creamy, whisking constantly, about 8 minutes.

Stir in Brie and half of Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with cayenne pepper, white pepper, and nutmeg.

Whisk until polenta thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve.

This can be made two hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 450-degree oven for 10 minutes, thinning with more water if needed.

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HISTORY

New York’s other ‘Central Park’ Noted landscape architect had hand in Watertown’s Thompson Park

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

BY LENKA P. WALLDROFF

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BY THE 1850s,MANYAMERICAN CITIES were undergoing significant changes.

Hundreds of thousands of people across the nation had left their homes in outlying rural areas and moved into urban centers looking to fill jobs created by the Industrial Revolution.

This influx of people to the cities led to overcrowding, tenement housing, and generally bleak conditions. Social reformers of the day began to consider what could be done to enhance the quality of life in urban centers. One of the answers was the “City Beautiful” philosophy — a method of urban planning that championed aesthetically pleasing architecture and open green spaces, not just for their own sake, but as a vehicle to bolster civic pride and moral virtue among urban dwellers. Though the philosophy did not gain any real momentum until the 1890s, it did help bring about the planning and eventual construction of urban parks and green spaces across the nation — including Watertown’s Thompson Park.

Originally called “Watertown Park” on its architectural drawings, what we now call “Thompson Park” was referred to as “City Park” for the first 25 years of its existence. The park was the brainchild of local industrialist John C. Thompson, the secretary and treasurer of Watertown’s New York Air Brake Company.

In 1899, Mr. Thompson decided to make a generous donation to Watertown’s citizens. Perhaps influenced by the City Beautiful philosophy that was in full swing by then, Mr. Thompson resolved that his gift would take the form of a public park and green space for all people to enjoy.

His frequent business trips to Manhattan had him familiar with Central Park and its designer, Frederick Law Olmsted. Mr. Thompson wrote to Mr. Olmsted, who had by then retired from the landscape architecture field, asking for a recommen-

JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Park-goers enjoy the wading pool at Thompson Park, ca. 1910. The pool was reputed to only be 14 inches deep.

dation of a firm to design what Thompson originally envisioned to be a 75- to 100-acre park in Northern New York.

Mr. Olmsted was a mighty figure and, as such, deserves special mention. He has long been acknowledged as the Father of American Landscape Architecture. While there were other landscape architects who preceded him in North America, none had left as large a legacy as he, altering the face of our country through his living designs.

Indeed, Mr. Olmsted designed some of the most famous green spaces in America.

Besides Central Park, which was his first commission in 1858, he also designed the landscape of the George Vanderbilt II’s Biltmore Estate outside Asheville, N.C. — his last and largest private commission constructed between 1889 and 1895.

Among many others, Mr. Olmsted also is credited with the designs for Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Emerald Necklace in Boston, the campuses of Yale, Cornell, and Stanford universities, as well as the

University of Chicago, and the grounds of the United States Capitol building.

Mr. Olmsted retired in 1895 due to failing health and passed control of his firm to his son, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., and step-son, John C. Olmsted. The firm then became known as Olmsted Brothers and remained a leader in landscape architecture until the 1980s. Olmsted Brothers also was the firm that Frederick Olmsted recommended to Mr. Thompson for the design of his park.

Designs for the park began in July 1899 after Mr. Thompson purchased land colloquially referred to as “The Pinnacle” on the northwest edge of the Tug Hill Plateau.

The land already was a popular overlook and at the time that Mr. Thompson bought it, a combination of forest and open pastures. Watertown’s mayor and City Council endorsed the park scheme. However, a condition of the gift was that all who knew of Mr. Thompson’s identity as the donor were to keep it secret.

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.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LI VI NG

The original plan the Olmsted Brothers designed included nearly 500 acres, but the design had to be scaled back as Mr. Thompson could not acquire the additional parcels need. However, by 1904 he had managed to buy an additional 17 parcels for a total of 366 acres. Mr. Thompson originally wanted observatories and conservatories to be included in the Olmsted Brothers design but the architects rejected them as being too costly to maintain given the annual maintenance budget of $3,000 to $5,000.

Despite budget issues, construction continued until the Olmsted Brothers had fulfilled their contractual obligations in March 1904. Afterward, construction of the park slowed due to cost overruns. It continued sporadically during the next 15 years making measured progress.

Until 1917 the park, though open to the public, had been privately owned.

By December of that year, 191 acres were offered to the city of Watertown. This portion included all of the new construction and developments made to the land since Mr. Thompson bought it. The city happily accepted the gift, even with the deed restriction that the land could never be sold, given away, or rented. The deed further specified that no admission fee may ever be charged to the public unless the fee is used for “park, charitable, philanthropic or educational purposes.”

The originally gifted 191 acres were added on to during the next 50 years, some from the Thompson estate and some from other sources. The zoo, which was not in the original Olmsted Brothers plans, was added during the 1920s, as was the swimming pool. Additional features including the administration buildings, stone piers that run alongside Gotham Street, the band stand, concession stand and water tower also were later additions.

Until Mr. Thompson’s death in 1924, his identity as the park’s benefactor was successfully kept secret. However, following his death, in gratitude for his generous gift to Watertown and her citizens, the City Council renamed the park “Thompson Park” in his honor.

— Kenneth Mix and the Jefferson County Historical Society contributed historical background about Thompson Park used in this column.

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HOMES

Clayton classic inspires creativity 1910 Arts and Craft-style bungalow sees extreme makeover

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

BY PEGGY DeYOUNG

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THE TAYLOR FAMILY MOVED BACK to Clayton to raise their daughter on the St. Lawrence River that they both love.

John, a historic architect, chose an Arts and Craft Bungalow in the heart of the village one block from the river and main business district as his home and office.

He opened Taylored Architecture this past year after renovating their home.

Clients meet in the upper office, while they’re surrounded by John and Kristen’s creativity. What was the cold attic, became the “sky suite” which was dramatically brightened by skylights and painted wide plank floors in Benjamin Moore’s “freshly cut grass” swatch.

After living in the Washington, D.C., area, the convenience of small town life is just what the couple was looking for.

Kristen also has started her own business, Taylor Public Relations, working out of their home.

Their home is a classic 1910 Arts and Craft Bungalow. The exterior has ex-

tended eaves with open rafters supported by authentic handmade brackets. The large open porch is framed with square columns and has unique cutouts in the porch walls. Generous windows flank the entrance allowing the sunlight and river breeze to cool the home in the summertime. Entrance to the living room is directly from the front porch in this efficiently planned home. They have recently created the new bluestone pathway to provide a larger area for plantings and privacy.

The Bungalow style was made popular

by Gustav Stickley who published plans in his Craftsman Magazine. Sears Roebuck also sold kit homes, delivering them to owners via railroad boxcars. Town historians speculate that this house might be a Sears catalog home that would have arrived at the Clayton train depot on the waterfront.

Inside, the kitchen, dining and living areas are separated only by partial walls and simple tapered columns. The interior has lots of with character. A built-in window seats adds seating in the dining room. The rooms have tall baseboards, picture rails, wooden floors and a brick fireplace. Kristen chose new lighter colors rather than the traditional tones used in Arts and Craft bungalows. Walls are a light shade of apple core and castle rock with bright white trim throughout.

Fabrics and rugs draw their color from carefully selected art by river artists.

At Porch and Paddle, she chose painted furniture with craftsman detail. The dining table and chairs are a moss green with mahogany-stained table top. Upholstered arm chairs repeat the slat back of an original Morris chair. Woven flat-weave rugs add warmth and color. The chandelier is hand forged in Vermont.

The kitchen addition and renovation

Clayton bungalow ARCHITECTURE: John Taylor, Taylored Architecture, Clayton, www.tayloredarch.com FURNISHINGS & INTERIOR DESIGN: Porch and Paddle, Clayton, www.porchandpaddle.com

project was their biggest endeavor. They enlarged the space by incorporating the back porch footprint, which kept the original rooflines. Inset cabinetry construction with single-panel doors reflect the simplicity of the Arts and Craft style.

Kohler’s farmhouse sink with honed Carrara marble countertops and backsplash complete the style. A favorite piece is the Bluestar gas range and hood in ruby red — one of 250 standard colors and made in Pennsylvania.

The master bath was renovated with Dal tile’s classic white subway tile, double apothecary sink, Carrara marble countertop and a reproduction clawfoot bathtub.

The small hexagon unglazed porcelain tile replicates bath flooring of the era. The 1910 stained glass window was added for privacy and accent.

“We believe that great design doesn’t have to be expensive. We have done the majority of work on this house ourselves and have chosen furniture and fixturesmostly from local vendors — with quality, frugality, integrity, and design impact in mind,” Kristen said.

The hands-on renovation continues to be a labor of love as the exterior is painted, and Marvin Window’s divided light cottage style windows in Wineberry will soon replace the white vinyl insert windows.

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.

Clockwise from top, extended eaves and open rafters appoint the porch. Sunlight pours through large windows in the dining room. Simple tapered columns separate the dining and living rooms. A Bluestar gas range and hood in ruby red is a kitchen favorite. A double apothecary sink with Carrara marble countertop on classic white subway tile gives the master bath unique character. The exterior is a stucco finish.

NORM JOHNSTON | NNY LIVING

JA NUA RY RY 2012 VI NG SEPTEMB ER//FEBRUA O CTO BER 20 12 || NNY LI LIVING

43

MY NNY

‘Thousand Islands traffic’

BY JOAN SENKOWICZ / CLAYTON

MEDIA: Watercolor on paper.

DATE: October 2011

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

ARTIST’S NOTES: “It’s hard not to fall in love with the Thousand Islands, a place where fishing boats and freighters can coexist. I’ve lived here for

44

40 years and still get a thrill every time I see the St. Lawrence River.”

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

FINGER LAKES, from page 23

AUTHOR, from page 29

Finger Lakes National Forest www.fs.usda.gov/ fingerlakes.

“When I first read Ellen’s draft, my first thought was that there was something very strong there,” Mr. Kowalski said. “I don’t think she believed me when I told her that it would be published someday.”

Mr. Kowalski also noted in an email that it takes a special writer to become a tried and true author.

“Many people can write well, but can’t tell a good story,” he said. “Ellen had a great story from the beginning. I knew the rest would fall into place, because she was dedicated and courageous.”

Mrs. Wiseman was also one of the founding authors of a blog called Book Pregnant, bookpregnant.blogspot.com. Book Pregnant is a collective of authors who are working through the stages of becoming published later this year and into 2013.

“It’s the what to expect when you’re expecting a book,” she said. “There’s no training school to become an author, so we kind of commiserate with what we’re going through and we help each other through the process.”

Now that Mrs. Wiseman’s first book is on the fast track, with a publication date set, she is hard at work on a second book also being published by Kensington.

SUNDAY, 3 P.M. TIME TO MOTOR Before leaving the Finger Lakes after a relaxed weekend, head over to the bustling town of Watkins Glen. Home to Watkins Glen International Speedway and the International Motor Racing Research Center, this town has motor oil running through its heritage. If you visit on the right weekend, the gearhead in your family will be able to sit back and watch a local Corvette, Porsche or Ferrari club racing around the country’s original road track. For something a little quieter and more relaxed, the International Motor Racing Research Center has centuries of motor racing history under one roof. With race cars in the lobby and books lining the walls, it’s hard not to want to spend the afternoon thumbing through the history books of one of the nation’s oldest pastimes.

Watkins Glen International, 2790 County Route 16, Watkins Glen, www.theglen.com, 1 (607) 535-2486; International Motor Racing Research Center, 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, www. racingarchives.org, 1 (607) 535-9044.

GETTING THERE From all points north, take Interstate 81 south to Syracuse. Take the New York State Thruway, Interstate 90, west. Take Exit 41 for Seneca Lake and the eastern portion of the Finger Lakes region. Take Exit 42 to get to Geneva.

“I have a two-book deal, with an option for a third, so I’m currently putting ideas together for the second book,” she said.

“It won’t be another history novel, so I’m trying to come up with some storylines that really interest me.”

KYLE R. HAYES is associate magazine editor for NNY Living. Contact him at khayes@wdt.net or 661-2381.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LI VI NG

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WOMEN’S WISE

Don’t let anger run to ‘infinity and beyond’

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 | NNY LIVIN G

BY JOLEENE DESROSIERS

46

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED THAT you never stick with one emotion for very long? Take anger, for instance. When you become angry with someone, you express that anger for a certain period of time.

But eventually, you let the anger go. It’s often replaced with sadness or frustration because the situation was never resolved.

So then you carry on for some time with that frustration. But even that grows old and before you know it, you end up angry all over again. This cycle can be best illustrated with an infinity sign. And if you don’t get out of it, you’ll roll along it’s track, well, to infinity and beyond.

There are two ways out of this trap: First, you could escape it with distraction. Distraction, however, usually comes in the form of addiction or other unhealthy behaviors and only yields temporary results. You may take this route for a while, but eventually, you’ll start looking for another out.

Second, you could change the model of your world. This is truly the only way out of the trap. Most people have exactly what they expect out of life all figured out in their heads. And when these expectations aren’t met, they get angry, and then frustrated, and then angry, and then even more frustrated.

You need to change your expectations to meet “what is” in this life. And “what is” is exactly that — what’s happening at all time before you, to you and within you. It’s accepting what is and rolling with it. What we resist, persists. If you continue to resist the way a particular situation unfolds, you will continue to find yourself lost in the loop. Yet, if you accept that it happened and move with the natural

Somewhere along the line we learned to get angry at the way certain situations unfold before us. Yet, the world has always moved with uncertainty and it always will. It’s a matter of finally accepting this. flow of things, you’ll find yourself up and out of that loop in no time. Practice this.

Everyday. You’ll find that traffic jams are what they are (and really aren’t so bad), and not making it to the store before it closes really is no big deal.

Somewhere along the line, we learned to get angry at the way certain situations unfold before us. Yet the world has always moved with uncertainly and always will.

It’s a matter of finally accepting this and moving with it. You can still love, laugh and live a remarkable life. The best part is that you’ll be able to do it better than ever.

DO YOU KNOW OR are you a Northern New York woman who has done something inspiring? If so, reach out to us. We want to share your story.

Email us at nnyliving@wdt.net.

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.

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