Guitar Gig at Sackets Art Gallery and Snappy Grillers

Saturday September 6, 2025 

Ukulele group playing at Sackets Harbor Art Gallery

Woke up to rain, heavy at times, put a damper on my Saturday Farm Market gig. I usually play there from 11:00 - 1:00. Then I had a one hour gig at the Art Gallery in Sackets Harbor at 3:00. This was an opening for a music themed art show. A woman demonstrated a sort of new age music shower utilizing crystal bowls, a drum, rain stick and couple other instruments. She created quite a relaxing atmosphere and guided attendees through a meditation of sorts. Next up was a ukulele playing a variety of folk songs and some sing along tunes. I was on at 3:00. I was caught off guard as I wasn't expecting a recital type presentation. So I winged talking a bit about guitar history and playing pieces by Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani and Francisco Tarrega. Followed that with some Beatles tunes, Classical Gas, and a few others. Overall I got positive feedback and folks seemed genuinely impressed. Personally I feel it was one of  my better performances. But I did enjoy it once I got started. 

By the time I got home the weather had cleared, was windy, cool. I lit up the grill and out on some Hoffman Snappy Grillers hot dogs. Had home grown tomatoes and green beans too.

Lit up the grill for some Snappy Grillers

Hoffman Snappy Grillers 

Tomatoes and Jalapenos from our garden

Scarecrow Fishing From an Easy Chair

Scarecrow Fishing at Hayes Bay Rd, Three Mile Bay NY. copyright Gary Walts 2025

It was a warm, windy day here in Northern NY. I worked on the side porch for a good portion of the day. Then ran some errands at 3:30. Back home at 5:00 and we decided to go to the lake, Wilson Bay in Cape Vincent to be precise. On the way there we encountered this scarecrow fishing from n easy chair. It was where the Hayes Bay Road meets the Isthmus Rd (CO RT 57), Three Mile Bay. Couldn't resist snapping a couple shots.

Scarecrow Fishing at Hayes Bay Rd, Three Mile Bay NY. copyright Gary Walts 2025

Health Items: Skin, Cologuard,

 Today I sent a stool sample off to Cologuard for for routine screening for colon cancer. Then I went to a Samaritan Hospital Lab on Coffeen St, Watertown for routine blood work testing. At 2:00 I was at Northern Nurse Practitioners for a full body skin exam. That revealed a spot on my back that the nurse said looked like a squamos cell cancer. Need to get a biopsy of it. 

August 22, 2025, A Full Day.

City of Watertown viewed from a State St parking lot behind Sportsmans Barber shop.

 Friday August 22, 2025 was a busy day for me. About 9:00am I dropped some return packages at the UPS Store for the Better Half. At 11:30 I got a haircut at Sportsman's Barber Shop. At 1:00 I was picking up some items at Sam's club and saw a display for Halloween merchandise. That seems really early to me. Around 4:00 I put a coat of Olympic brand wood stain on new side porch porch floor. The area is about 5 feet by 12 feet. Took 45 minutes for that job, then had to clean my brush with mineral spirits. at about 7:00pm I grilled some cheddar Jalapeno sausages. 

Grilling sausages in evening.

First coat of stain applied to side porch.

August 22 Halloween display at Sam's Club in Watertown.

Stroll On Broadway and Wine Cruise

 What I did today, Saturday August 23, 2025.

Aboard the wine cruise on the St Lawrence River at sunset.

I played two, one hour sets at the Stroll On Broadway event in Cape Vincent this morning. Oddly, I never snapped any photos while there. First set was n front of The Little Book Shop from 11:30 to 12:30. The 2nd set was at Cup of Joy from 1:00 to 2:00. They both went well and I received many compliments. Got back home at 3:00. Brothers Ron & Al were at my house. They were out for a motorcycle ride along the St Lawrence River and were meeting brother Dale on his motorcycle in Chaumont.

The evening we spent on a wine cruise of the St Lawrence River. That was by Coyote Moon Winery and Clayton Boat Tours. It was great fun. Ticket purchase included bottle of wine and a snack box. Beer and wine slushies were also available during the cruise. Most of the passengers were affected by the spirits and the atmosphere became very festive. It was great fun and entertaining. We were back home about 9:00pm. 

Brother Al, left, and Ron at our house in Chaumont.

Sunset on the St Lawrence River .

The village of Clayton, NY, on the St Lawrence River.

Two Guitar Gigs, A Swim and Cape Vincent Photo

 Saturday August 16, 2025

Boy playing on dock, Cape Vincent, NY.  photo copyright Gary Walts

Sunny, hot and humid today. Oatmeal for breakfast. 10:30 I was at the Saturday Farm Market in JB Wise Parking Lt, Watertown NY. Played 2 hours. Back home a little before 2:00. THEN, I discovered I missed a gig. I was supposed to be at The Strand Theater in Watertown to play at 2:00 for an art auction to benefit the Lions Club. YIKES!  I thought the job was for Sunday. Anyhow, all was not lost. I was to play 2:00-3:00. Instead I played 3:00-4:00. It was a nice event. Afterwards the Better Half and I drove to Cape Vincent where I went for a swim and then snapped the above picture of a boy running on a dock. I used a Sony a6600 camera and a Minolta 500mm f8 mirror lens to grab the photo.

Guitar tips received at Saturday Farm Market

Art auction at the Strand Theater in Watertown

Art auction at the Strand Theater in Watertown

Art auction at the Strand Theater in Watertown

PHOTOS: Re-building Chaumont House Side Porch

Completed framing deck yesterday, August 13.

I am presenting here some photos of  the side porch re-build project at our Chaumont House. The photos were snapped various days beginning August 1st through August 13th. Yesterday (the 13th) I completed framing up the floor joists. I was replacing old rotted wood with new pressure treated lumber. The job was a pain as I tried to tie new wood into remnants of the original. It's not an example of my finest work by any means. It's solid as Sears was in their early years. Next I will make tongue and groove deck boards to same dimensions as the originals. The weather during this project has been mid 80's to low 90 degree temperatures with high humidity. Slow, sweaty work. 

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

Side porch repair, Chaumont, NY August 2025

What Caught My Eye: Bubbles with Dishes

Photo copyright Gary Walts August 5, 2025

I snapped this photo August 5th. I was cleaning up after  making some food and these utensils I was washing caught my eye. The colors and the bubbles and the arrangement of the items (unplanned) simply caught my eye so I snapped it.

Boat Cruse Guitar, Bat, Porch Boards

Thursday August 7, 2025

Me playing on a boat cruising the St Lawrence River, 

Played guitar aboard a boat cruise on the St. Lawrence River. It was an event put on by Orion Art Gallery as a fund raiser for the Watertown Zoo. It was about 2 hours. Used my Guild Mark V classical guitar, Roland Street Cube battery powered amp. 

Earlier in the day I picked up pine boards for new floor on side porch of our Chaumont house. 27 boards, 1 & 1/8 inch by 6 inch by 8 ft long. Came to a couple dollars over $500.00 withtax. Purchased at Home Depot on zero percent credit for 12 months. Beautiful deal. 

Started the day out by discovering a bat sleeping in our basement. I dispatched the creature. I must seal up the basement. I have no idea how they are getting in there.

Phil Ashwood, Jerry Merril & ? waiting to board boat cruise, Clayton NY

New boards for side porch floor.

Dead bat discovered in basement. Found another one the day before this one. 

First Tomato Side Porch Work

First tomato from our garden this summer.

I worked some on the side porch of  our Chaumont house. Trying to determine how to replace the one corner post and support the new floor boards. Was visited by brother Ron today to get his iput on how I should go about it. Day was sunny, somewhat subdued by smoke in the atmosphere from Canadian wild fires. Temperature hit 82 degrees. Very little rain lately so watered the garden. Garden is pathetic this year. Tomatoes are coming in strong now. Ate the first ones this evening. I think the variety I ate was Early Girl. Not particularly flavorful. Maybe be better in a couple more days of ripening.

Guitar Gig at Plein Air Festival - Bella Brook Winery

 

Detail of one of the paintings.

Today I had a pleasant guitar gig at the plein air festival art show and sale at Bella Brook Winery, Hammond, NY. The art was displayed in a cavernous hall at the winery. The building has a lot of reverberation that magnified the sound of people mingling and talking as well my guitar playing. It was one of those situations where I had difficulty hearing myself, or so it seemed. Anyway, I trusted i was sounding better out in front of me than what I was hearing. I got plenty of favorable comments and compliments. Outdoors the weather was windy, not overly warm, partly overcast. In general a gorgous north country day. The winery is 55 miles from our Chaumont house. I present here a few photos from the event.

This beautiful quilt was raffled off at the event.

Guitar Playing and Grilling Today

Saturday August 2, 2025

Played guitar today at the Saturday Farm Market in Watertown. 2 hours. $100.00 I haven't been there in 3 weeks. Saw old friend Phil Ashwood there. Bought some nice green beans there. Weather was sunny, breezy, low humidity. Just a lovely day. Later I fired up the grill and did some hotdogs to go with the green beans. 

    

Sunday Drive: To Newton Falls

 Sunday July 27 2025

Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.

Yesterday (Sunday) the Better Half n I visited Brother Bruce, nephew Bryce, at brother Ron's place in Natural Bridge, NY. This was day after our annual family & friends party also at Ron's. We had to pick up some odds and ends from the day before. When we left we decided to drive to Star Lake just to take in some scenery. We decided to drive through Newton Falls where I made a couple quick snapshots. I liked the old playground equipment outside the fire department. We later discovered a body of water called Chaumont Pond. This was near Cranberry Lake. 

At one point we stopped at a store and got some chicken fingers and a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, the Cherry Garcia flavor. It was delicious. 

Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.

Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.

Playground at Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.

Playground at Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.

Playground at Newton Falls, NY, once a vibrant paper mill community.