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.

Frying Bacon Photo for Walts Family Party

 I was frying bacon this morning for a potato salad when I snapped this photo. It's what caught my eye. 

Frying bacon. It's what caught my eye today. photo copyright Gary Walts 2025

The potato salad I made was for tomorrow's Walts Family & Friends party at brother Ron's place in Natural Bridge. It's become an annual summer event. After the salad I grilled some chicken marinated in Salamida's Spiedie Sauce. Pretty much whole day was spent prepping for the bash. 

I have so much I could be sharing on this blog but I have gotten out of the habit and but by the end of the day I am often too tired to bother. 

A few recent things I want to cover is my brother Al's recent 10 day hospitalization for kidney problems.

The passing of my high school sweetheart and ex wife Vicky Walts. 

Comments abut recent guitar gigs, particularly one last Saturday at Wrights Marina in Oswego, NY. It was for the annual Oswego PaddleFest. I arrived there with all my sound equipment, backup equipment, everything. EXCEPT MY GUITAR! I left it home. NEVER did that before. 

My Teenage Sweetheart and Mother of My Children Dies

Vicky Cornaire and Myself, Gary Walts, at my parents house in Calcium, NY in 1972

This was me in 1972 with my high school sweetheart and the mother of my children. We were young and eventually went our separate ways. During our years together she chiseled away a lot of my rough edges making me a better man. She was kind and loving. She was hardworking, artistic and independent. Vicky Walts passed away Friday afternoon, July 11, 2025. 

Vicky Walts with our first grandchild Stone Walts, December 1999.    photo by Gary Walts

2019 Kia Sedona Blower Motor Replacement.

Friday July 11, 2025. 

AC/Heater blower motor replaced because it was making high pitched grating and grinding noise. 

I replaced this noisy blower motor in our 2019 Kia Sorento. Easy to remove: 3 screws and a wire connection. Installing new one was challenging trying to hold motor in place while inserting the first screw. 3 hands would have been better than 2. All told it took me under 90minutes. The weather was 85+ degrees and high humidity. Caused me to sweat like crazy. Bought new motor at Auto Zone that totaled $131.75 with tax.

Blower motor receipt from Auto Zone