Wild Turkeys Visit Our Yard

Wild turkey wandering around our yard in Chaumont, NY. 

A pair of wild turkeys visited our yard in Chaumont NY today. They wandered around the backyard pecking at and inspecting things. Then they walked down the street and crossed over into a neighbors yard. I was able to get some nice photos of them with a Minolta 200mm f2.8 lens. That lens delivers amazingly sharp images. 

Wild turkey portrait. Creature was in our backyard. They are a rather homely bird.

Weather today started out partly sunny with high of 65 degrees. The day finished at under 40 degrees with some rain. There was also a funeral today for my brother Tom's mother-in-law, Ellen Dean from Calcium, NY. She was 82 years old. ai spent some time at Clay St too, accomplished little. Apt #4 has a problem with entrance door and some cieling and wall damage around the chimney. Brother Ron was there checked it out. Hope tohave hime repair it Sunday. iPhone says I walked 3,168 steps today. 

Clay St For Sale, Nice Drive, Robin

 

First Robin seen in our yard, Chaumont, NY.

Friday, March 14 2025. The Better Half and I met with a realtor at North Star Realty in Watertown, NY to have them market and sell our 4 unit apartment house on Clay St. We are listing it for $160K. After that we took a drive just to enjoy the beautiful day. It was mostly sunny and 60+ degrees. We drove RT37 to Hammond, from there cut over to Chippewa Bay on the St Lawrence River. We followed the river back to Clayton, through Depauville and back home in Chaumont. Most pleasant day. Once at home I spotted 3 Robins in our yard. The first ones I've seen this spring. Snapped photo of one of them with a 500mm mirror lens and a Sony a6600 camera.

Ice fishing on St Lawrence River at Chippewa Bay, NY.  It was 60 degrees

Clay St Outlet Wiring

   Yellow 12-2 romex house wire. This is what caught my eye today as I was working at Clay St apartments.

It was a sunny day here in northern NY with some wind and a high temp of 32 degrees. spent about  5 hours at Clay st apartment house doing some wiring. Specifically activating a couple of electric outlets that were installed many years ago but never had electricity going to them. They needed to be wire into a circuit.  Could have taken the outlets out but then would need to fill in the holes in the wall . Anyhow, project was a success. This was also first time in better than 2 weeks that I could raise my right arm overhead to do the job. My shoulder wouldn't permit it. I feel I may have overworked it so will take it easy tomorrow. 

Wiring outlets job

Wiring outlets job

Wiring outlets job

Clay St Gas Meter Damaged by Falling Ice

Clay St apartment house gas meter damaged by falling ice.

Saturday, March 1, 2025 I discovered the gas meter at our Clay St, Watertown apartment house was damaged by ice falling off the roof. The boiler has been running ok. I called National Grid THIS morning which is Monday March 3. They had a man out there within a half hour. He called and said the meter was not damaged, not leaking gas. All repaired. We think the damage happened a month or so ago because our most recent gas bill showed zero use. We knew that wasn't true. 

Gas meter damaged by falling ice. Note damage to vinyl siding also.

Gas meter damaged by falling ice. 

Pieces of gas meter damaged by falling ice. 

Bat in Attic in Winter and Pest Control Guy

 

Bat in our attic in February. I thought they migrated somewhere in Winter.

Saturday February 22, 2025,  I enter our attic with idea of putting a screen over the opening beneath the roof vent so as to prevent possibility of bats entering via that. However, I discovered a bat hanging on a roof rafter. His fur seemed to have a patch of grey or white hair. My research has lead me to believe the bats in our area migrate to a warmer clime in the Fall and return in Spring. Not this one. So I called a pest control guy and he came over this morning (Thursday February 27). Now the bat was nowhere to be seen, but we were not prepared to move through the attic to locate it either. The past week or 10 days the temps have been below zero here, reaching 10 below one night. Of course the attic would  warmer and the bat must be hibernating n our attic. BUT, days later it wasn't in view. I learned that bats will arouse every couple weeks during hibernation and move around.

This close up of bat was cropped from the wider view photo above.

The bat guy said he could find NO evidence of bat activity in our attic. If not for the photos he wouldn't believe there was ever a bat in there.  

One more thing. I have read in many different web sites that bat's do not stay in attics because they are too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Instead they go down in the walls. Sometimes these walls will lead into the basement and bats find themselves there.

Pileated Woodpecker In Our Yard Today

This pileated woodpecker was in our yard for about half an hour today. Snapped the photo with a 500mm f8 Minolta lens on a Sony a6600 camera. Weather was 25 degrees, overcast and gloomy. Difficult getting a good photo of the bird without scaring it off.  We met my brothers Al & Ron, and sister Suzy for lunch at Jeb's Restaurant in Lowville. About an hours drive from our Chaumont house given the sloppy, winter road conditions. Son Troy and his girlfriend and couple others happened to be there too. 

Pileated Woodpecker at our Chaumont, NY home. 

Oil Portrait of Gary Walts With Guitar

 Saturday February 8, 2025 at Orion Art Gallery, Mullin St,Watertown, NY. I pose with an oil paint portrait of me created by artist Jerry Merrill, Rodman, NY.  

Orion Art Gallery Feb 8,  2025

I was very honored that Jerry Merrill did this portrait of me. It will be a prized possession.

This day was Orion's winter art show and festival. One of the local radio stations was on hand broadcasting from the event. I did a short on air interview. Overall a great little event. 

Snowy Day, I Shovel Driveway, Chaumont, NY

 

Initial path shoveled in snow in our driveway.

It was a blustery, snow day here in Chaumont, NY today. High temperature was 21. I spent about two hours shoveling our sidewalk and driveway. It was windy and cold but I enjoyed being out in the crisp fresh air. My right shoulder has been bothering me much lately with a chronic pain. Shoveling snow however didn't aggravate it. 

Self portrait at end of our driveway, neighbor Jim's house is behind me. 

2 hours after I began our driveway is cleared of snow. 

PHOTOS: Snow Plow Truck Damages Rear Stairs at Clay St Apartment House

Plow truck driver pushed snow to extraordinary distance, plowing almost entire backyard.

Friday February 7, 2025 a snow plow truck was moving snow in our Clay St house driveway and hit a corner of the rear stairway. Very upsetting. This past September or October I rebuilt a portion of the stairs and I now need to do it again. I'm trying to sell the place and don't need such setbacks. I don't provide snow removal which is partly why we keep our rents a little lower. Tenants fend for themselves. However, I do go there and shovel snow anyway. As a result I've had some tenants over the years get friends with plows to do the driveway. Such was the case on this day. I have noticed my whole life how snow plow truck drivers like to show off by moving lots of snow in a short amount of time. They go to extremes plowing beyond the driveway perimeter, often tearing up the lawn and doing other damage as well. Such was the case here. 

Stairs damaged by an aggressive snow plow truck driver. 418 Clay St, Watertown.

Stairs damaged by an aggressive snow plow truck driver. 418 Clay St, Watertown.

Stairs damaged by an aggressive snow plow truck driver. 418 Clay St, Watertown.

What Caught My Eye: Building and Sky at Runnings Parking Lot Photo

 I snapped this photo in the parking lot of the Runnings store. The store is adjacent to Hannaford grocery store on Arsenal St. in Watertown, NY.  This is an example of what I call a "flat" photo. No real emphasis on depth or clearly defined separation of foreground and background. It's what caught my eye on this day, Wednesday January 29, 2025.

What Caught My Eye: Building and Sky at Runnings Parking Lot

Snow Sculptors at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown NY: Photos

 The photos presented here were taken yesterday (Saturday), January 25, 2025 at the Dry Hill Ski Area. The snow sculptures were created as part of Watertown Snow Town Festival. The event wrapped up this evening with a closing ceremony and fireworks. I didn't attend that. 

By the way, this is me, photo taken by Jerry Merrill.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

Snow sculpture event at Dry Hill Ski Area, Watertown, NY.

A Cold and Beautiful North Country Day

It was a cold and beautiful day here in the North Country. When I first got up t was 5 below zero at our house in Chaumont NY. I drove my 2011 Kia Sedona van to Cheney Tire on State St in Watertown dropping it off to have some repairs done. From there I walked to our Clay St apartment and spent next 3 hours shoveling snow. The air was crisp and cold. The work kept me warm. People find it hard to believe, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Later in afternoon Cheney Tire called and said it was doubtful my van would be finished today. Work being done started out as replacing rear shocks and springs. However on way into town a new sound erupted. A thumping, bumping kind of thing. Tuns out a front wheel was loose. I guess I never torqued down the lug nuts on the wheel after I changed the front strut assembly last week.

This resulted in damage to the wheel, the lug nuts, and lug nut studs. So... more repairs... more $$.

State St, Watertown, NY this morning.

Selfie of me during walk from Cheney Tire to Clay St.

Cold, snowy scene in Watertown, NY.

Recent snow on tenants car, Clay St, Watertown, NY

Our Clay St house after I shoveled snow for 2.5 hours

2019 Kia Sorento Rear Brake Job

Friday January 10, 2025 I replaced the rear brake pads and rotors on our 2019 Kia Sorento. Actually I only got the passenger side done. The next morning I did the driver side. There had been some pretty ugly sounds coming from the brakes which prompted me to get it done. Parts cost from Auto Zone totaled $194.58   As for weather it was sunny, no wind to speak of and temperatures from 17- 20 degrees. 

2019 Kia Sorento rear brake job. 

2019 Kia Sorento rear brake job. 

2019 Kia Sorento rear brake job. 

2019 Kia Sorento rear brake job. 

Flat Tire, Broken Spring, New Tire, New Strut, 2011 Kia Sedona

Side wall damaged by broken spring reveals why tire went flat. 

So yesterday I took the flat tire wheel off my 2011 Kia Sedona and discovered a spring broke and the sharp end gouged through the sidewall of the tire. This was the passenger side front. This same situation occurred on the drivers side a year or so ago. I bought a replacement tire from Cheney Tire in Watertown. Price with tax & fees came to $247.66 

I then went to O'Reilly Auto Parts and bought a strut and spring assembly to the tune of $235.43    

Detail of reciept from Cheney Tire in Watertown for a Firestone all season radial tire, size 220 70R/16

 

Detail of receipt from O'Reilly Auto Parts for loaded strut assembly for 2011 Ki Sedona.

Today I removed the broken strut. It was 15 to 19 degrees outdoors today. I spent a good deal of time out there and was very combfortable. There was sun and no wind. I wore 2 shirts, a winter vest and a winter coat on top of all that. I also wore long johns and a knit hat, gloves. 

3/8 socket on brake line retainer bolt

17mm wrench on strut to steering knuckle bolt.

Strut and spring assembly removed.

View of broken spring on the strut.