Sunday Afternoon Vespers

May 23, 2010

Yesterday during a lull in the Niska-Day Parade, Doug Lohnas - world renowned Emcee Extraordinaire of Niska-Day Parades - made a shameless plug for the Organ  Concert at the First Reformed Church of Schenectady on Sunday at 5:00.  Since Doug is not a member of the First Reformed Church - you may wonder why the interest - well don't wonder long - the organist was none other than Susan Lohnas!

So of course we had to go- that and we do really like organ music!

It was a very enjoyable, relaxing hour- spent in a beautiful, historic church in the Stockade district of Schenectady.  According to the church website, "The First Reformed Church is Schenectady’s oldest congregation. Founded by Dutch settlers, Schenectady’s first colonists, the Church has long enjoyed an ethnically and ecumenically diverse membership". 

And it is a "Welcoming Congregation".  Nice!

The church is beautiful- inside and out. The woodwork amazing and the windows are gorgeous. I - of course - did not have my camera. Until I get some of my own pictures of this lovely church - I'll just have to show you a couple from their website.

The Organ Concert - really - Organ Vespers was quite enjoyable. 

Susan started with Fanfare and Processional -written by Douglas Wagner.  Interspersed with poems and conversation, she played for about an hour.  I think my favorite piece was Suspended Gardens -something she listed as a piece she - "cannot play at church" -  I think we all agreed that indeed it could be played in church - it was simply beautiful.

If you want to see the First Reformed Church of Schenectady's website and hear the concert:  http://www.1streformed.com/mod/media/view-library.php?cat_id=1&item_id=129

Niska-Day Dinner!

May 22, 2010

Headed to Craig School to partake in Giffy's Bar-b-Que.  Yummy.

What a beautiful day it was - a bit overcast - but nice.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.  The new location (well new last year I think), works out great.  Good parking and lots of room.  The only thing I worry about is the kids walking Balltown Road.... Oh and the picnic area needs garbage cans....

Niska-Day Parade

May 22, 2010

I LOVE A PARADE!

And there is no rain! - The 2010 Niska-Days Parade started at St Helens and zig-zagged its way up to Knott -then past Balltown and into the St James Plaza.  We had a vantage point right next to the Reviewing Stand and across the street from Emcee Doug Lohnas (who had the best view from the roof of the Co-op!)

Enjoy the pictures and we'll see you down at Craig School for the bar-b-que.  (No I am not riding the mechanical bull).

Jazz Concert

May 21, 2010

If you missed the Jazz Concert at the Blackbox theater last night -  too bad.  You missed a good time!
Sean Lane (1980 graduate of Linton HS) played piano - with Sean Kibel (woodwinds), Mike Moss (bass) and Paul DiNaise (drummer). Paul is also a graduate of Linton High, as was the vocalist Jody Shayne.  For more on Sean Lane please visit- http://seanlanemusic.com/slane/

The concert was a fund raiser for the Schenectady City School District Education Foundation. The Foundations awards mini grants to teachers in the Schenectady School District to fund special projects and items not normally covered by typical funding methods.  Walt Adams, host of the Jazz Brunch Show on 101.3, did a nice job as Emcee.

In addition there were three local musicians playing Trombone, Trumpet and Sax...2 high school students and a young man from the Schenectady area....unfortunately, I did not catch their names so if anyone has them - send them to me and I'll add them in.
I also did not bring my camera so I don't have pictures. - just this one of Sean off his website.

Baseball Hall of Fame - Cooperstown NY

May 15th, 2010

This was not our first trip to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it was a unique trip!  I signed us up to participate in a "Discovery Day of Learning", sponsored by the Discovery Channel.  What fun it was!  The sessions were all held at the Baseball Hall of Fame and we ate lunch in the ballpark.

Tons of information was shared about the Discovery Network as well as using Web 2.0 tools in teaching.  Everyone had laptops and cameras and we got lots of ideas and websites to explore.

But enough about the reason for going, the destination was the big draw.  We love the Cooperstown area.  We camped at Glimmerglass one trip and stayed at the Inn at Cooperstown on another.  Talk about polar opposites.  Today we drove in - just for the day. 

Glimmerglass is a state park - beautiful and quiet, but it has no electric and you have to 'dry camp'.  We love it.  We want to return and bring the canoe. 
On the other hand, The Inn at Cooperstown is a five star resort! And of course we loved that as well.  We are open minded people after all....

The activities for the two trips matched the choice of accommodations.  While camping at Glimmerglass - http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/28/details.aspx -the highlight of the trip was the "Beverage Trail" - Breweries, Wineries and Hard Cider.  Yummmm. www.thisiscooperstown.com/beverage-trail-farm-markets.cfm

While staying at "The Inn", http://www.innatcooperstown.com/, we visited the Fenimore Art Museum, http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/ , and the Farmers Museum, http://www.farmersmuseum.org/ .

Today we worked and played in the BBHOF itself.  Lunch was at Doubleday Field.  Where we just happened to catch the set up of a reenactment ball game.