2011 Kia Sedona Rear Brakes Replacement

Just replaced the rear brake pads and rotors on my 2011 Kia Sedona van. I've done it before. Job was easy. One brake pad gave me trouble, didn't want to fit in place. Very tight. So I took a file and filed away a bit of the pad's "ears". Problem solved. Each side took about an hour. But there was another hour and a half or so gathering up tools, and then putting them away. I did drivers side late yesterday afternoon, the passenger side today. Price for pads and rotors at Auto Zone was $208. 42.

Visit to Pine Grove Community Church, Watson, NY.

Pine Grove Community Church, Town of Watson, NY

 Yesterday (Sunday August 16th) brother Al and I met Troy at the historic Pine Grove Community Church in Town of Watson, NY.  The church is a couple miles down the road from Troy's cabin. The church was hosting an annual ice cream social. Donations accepted. Music was provided by Capo 3, a man and woman duo. They were excellent. The church's acoustics were really good too. Ice cream provided by Stewart's Shops. I snapped very few photos. 

Ice Cream Social at Pine Grove Community Church, Sunday August 16th

Ice Cream Social at Pine Grove Community Church, Sunday August 16th

Ice Cream Social at Pine Grove Community Church, Sunday August 16th

Troy, brother Al and one of Troy's friends at his cabin near Lowville, NY.

Photo Exhibit Opened July 12

 Sunday July 12, 2025, 5:00pm.

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

My photo exhibit opened at the Iva Smith Memorial Gallery in Hammond, NY. There was a good turnout, mix of people and friends that I know, and many folks I had never met before. Other artists in various mediums were also showing work in other sections of the gallery. So it was a good mix of people. The work will be on view through the Summer. Gallery hours

Wed., Thurs., and Saturday 10:00AM to 5:00PM

Fridays 1PM - 5:00PM Other times by luck or appointment (718)753-7947

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

Iva Smith Gallery Photo Show Opening

Photo Exhibit Preview-Indian River Lakes Conservany

 

Friday evening, July 10, I attended the Indian River Lakes Conservancy meeting at the Iva Smith Gallery in Hammond, NY.  Their event happened 2 days before the opening of my photo exhibit at the gallery. Thus, that group had a preview viewing. It was a great event. Music by violinist / fiddler Kathy Sommers (she has same sound system as me, a Fishman SoloAmp 220.) I spoke about my photos for a few minutes and then mingled with the guests. Real good response to my work.  Today is the official show opening at 5:00. I am still under the weather from whatever head cold or resperitory illness I came down with. The Better Half is currently sick with it and will not attend todays event. 

Photo Exhibit Installation, Sick,

We dropped off photos at gallery on Tuesday

Been very busy and thus very tired. I have a photo exhibit opening Sunday, July 12, 5-7:00pm  at the Tuesday the Better Half n I dropped photos off at the gallery. She was beginning to feel sick. I was beginning to feel better having come down with some respiratory illness a week earlier. Wednesday she was feeling worse and had sore throat. (something I didn't have.) Arrived to hang the photos at 1:30. Finished hanging at 8:30pm. Long day. Made worse by lingering illness. Thursday morning (yesterday) the BH awoke at 5:30am much worse with temperature of 102.3 degrees. By 8:30 her temp went down to 101.3, and got better as day progressed. I spent most of thursday writing titles for the photos. 

Today is Friday. My head still congested. BH still feeling poorly., but better than previous 2 days. 

Spent 7 hours hanging photos at Iva Smith Gallery, Hammond NY

Spent 7 hours hanging photos at Iva Smith Gallery, Hammond NY

Spent 7 hours hanging photos at Iva Smith Gallery, Hammond NY

Spent 7 hours hanging photos at Iva Smith Gallery, Hammond NY

My Mother Making Donuts in 1987

 

My mother, Margaret Joan Walts, in 1987 making donuts at her home in Calcium, NY

I took this photo of my mother, Margaret J Walts, making donuts in 1987. While looking for negatives of other photos I came upon hers. I hadn't seen them in ages and ages. Most likely not since I processed and filed them away in 1987. I certainly never printed any of them. There are other pix in the shoot, of course, but this one captured it all. Her pose, the light, the kitchen. My mother made donuts as far back as I can remember. As a toddler she made donuts. They were famous in the family and among our friends and aquaintences. The donuts were a staple in our household for many years. She made large batches at a time.  Older country folks called them fried cakes. Everyone agreed they were excellent. 

Lunch On The Roof At The Strand

 

Thursday, June 11, 2026 I played guitar on the roof top of the old Strand theater in Watertown, NY. Thanks to the vision of local musician Joe Foy it is now a premier venue of entertainment in the downtown district. Thursdays feature a Lunch On The Roof program sponsored by HarmoNNY and the NNY Community Foundatin. 2 hours of live music. Bring a lunch from home or take out from your favorite restaurant. Bring it up on the roof. Enjoy. Following are some shots I took to give you an idea of what the place is like. 

To my surprise and delight my grandson Aiden and a couple of his friends showed up. Aiden took the photos of me presented here. 

Making Cole Slaw, Making A Mess

Making a mess, making cole slaw

Cloudy and overcast all day. Rain overnight last night. Been busy, once again neglecting this blog which really serves as a record or diary of things I do or go through. Very handy. Anyhow, my iPhone serves as a photo diary.  This afternoon I bought some chicken wings at Hannaford for $.99/ lb. Good buy. I coated them with a rub and then set about making a cole slaw with an oil and vinegar dressing. Makining that slaw makes a mess. But it's worth it. 

"Sunset on the Shore" Guitar Gig 2026

 

Me at the Harbor Hotel, Clayton, NY for the ARC annual event "Sunset on the Shore"

I had a wonderful evening last night (Saturday May 16th) playing at the Thousand Islands Hotel for the ARC Jefferson-St. Lawrence annual Sunset On The Shore event. A great time with good food, high quality silent auction items and more. Felt I did good job. Among the compliments I got was from a man who was really taken by Fernando Sor's Study No. 17 from Andre Segovia's book "20 Studies For The Guitar by Fernando Sor."He had never heard the piece before but was captivated by it.

Jerked Pork Chops and Red Stripe Beer

Hit 60 degrees here in Chaumont, NY today. Most of the day was cloudy, sun came out late afternoon. I grilled someJamaican jerked pork chops today accompanied with some Red Stripe beer. Put a new toilet seat on in downstairs bathroom. Mowed the backyard.  Overall a low key day. 

Cleaning the grill by fire. 

A Couple of Typical Breakfast Dishes of Mine

I have a wide range of foods / dishes that I eat for breakfast. These photos are two recent ones. The eggs are seasoned with a cajun spice blend and in back are a couple slices of liverwurst. This was on May 9th. The other is a plate with a whole large avacado, sliced, some Italian dry salami and some muenster and colby jack cheeses. Sometimes I go in streaks where I will eat oatmeal with raisons, walnuts, bananas, and maple syrup for days and days on end. In fact I once ate it almost every day for an entire year. Eggs are my second most common breakfast food. Another common breakfast is peanut butter on toast. I often make breakfast out of leftovers from dinner the night before. That's all I have today. Bon Apetit!

Ferns and Shadows Photo

The morning sun illuminating ferns at our home in Chaumont, NY

The morning sun illuminated ferns growing in our yard creating some nice shadows and textures prompting me to photograph them. I post two of the photos here.

Awoke to sunshine and 37 degrees this morning in Chaumont, NY. Remained sunny all day with high temperature of 58 degrees. Eric Jewett the wild animal pest control guy came and removed the one way bat exclusion valve. Trail cams have not shown any bats. 

The morning sun illuminating ferns at our home in Chaumont, NY

Iphone reports I've taken 4,070 steps today. 

Various minor purchases took me to Hobby Lobby, Lowe's, Hannaford Grocery,  and Michaels art supplies store. 

Current projects include working on side porch, practicing repertoire pieces for guitar gig  this Saturday and working on two upcoming photo exhibitions. One at Orion Gallery, Watertown, and the other at Yellow Barn Gallery in Hammond.