Wednesday, June 23, 2010

June 14 to 20

Monday
Sun and cloud today. We continued our dry run for the fall bus tour in the Schoharie Valley (Glen, Charleston, Central Bridge, Schoharie, Middleburg, Fultonham etc.) and the Mohawk Valley (Amsterdam, back to Schenectady, Rotterdam Junction, Auriesville, Fultonville and Fonda). Walked 5.9 km.

Tuesday
Sunny today and warmer. We continued our dry run tour heading west from Johnstown, NY towards Utica. Passed through Fonda, Palatine Bridge, Nelliston, Stone Arabia, Ephratah, St. Johnsville, Mohawk, Ilion, Franfort, Utica, New Hartford, Oriskany and Rome. Stayed at the Holiday Inn at New Hartford, NY and had a nice swim in the outdoor pool. Walked 7.5 km.

Wednesday
This morning we had a bit of rain. We followed the clouds all day on our trip along the NY Freeway (I-90) from Utica to Newburg and then Fishkill, NY. We arrived at Fishkill about 2 pm and were able to check in early. We unpacked and then had a quick look around Fishkill for stores. Walked 6.5 km.

Thursday
We relaxed this morning and about noon went and picked up our names tags and lunch tickets for the PALAM bus tour. The tour started off about noon and headed north on Route 9 through Wappinger Falls, Poughkeepsee, Hyde Park to Rhinebeck. Here we stopped at the Historic Beekman Arms Hotel for lunch (very good) and then a lively talk by a local historian. After that we visited the Quitman House and the old Palatine Farmstead. After that we took a drive to Clermont which is one of the Hudson Valley estates and where the NY Livingston Family lived. Walked 7.7 km.

Friday
Sunny today and warm. We are in Fishkill, New York attending the National Conference of the Palatines to America. We have also done a bit of touring as far south as Sleepy Hollow, NY where Washington Irving wrote about the Headless Horseman. We visited Philipsburg Manor in Westchester County today. We both attended the banquet tonight and heard a very good talk about the Palatines from an historian Philip Otterness. We have been watching the Weather Channel and all of the tornado activity in the mid-west. Isn't that something! Walked 5.9 km.

Saturday
Sunny and warm today. I attended four lectures at the Palatine Conference today. Had time after the conference to go for a swim on the hotel pool. Walked 5.8 km.

Sunday
Cool this morning as we headed home to Ottawa. The day warmed up later. We headed due west on Highway 84 from Fishkill, NY. This took us to Scranton, PA after we passed by Lords Valley, The Promised Land and Newfoundland. Interesting names mostly associated with Quakers I suppose! Then we headed north on Highway 81 which took us through Binghamton, NY and then to Syracuse where we had a great lunch at the Cracker Barrel. We passed through the edge of a rain storm on the way. After lunch we headed to the boarder we we waited 35 minutes to cross over. I always seem to pick the wrong line! We arrived back home in Ottawa at 6 pm. Walked 8.7 km.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

June 7 to 13

Monday
Sunny with some cloud today, cool wind, abt 19 C. I did a few hours of research on Ancestry for my Link family. I am finding lots of new stuff. My wife and I and older daughter went canoeing today at Petrie Island on the Ottawa River. We have a 40 year old cedar strip canoe which is still in very good shape. Just a few minor leaks. We were out for about 45 minutes and had a couple of very light rain sprinkles. We then went to see the turtle pond at Petrie Island. Walked 9.2 km.

Tuesday
Sunny with cloud today, abt 20 C. The garden is growing and I am trying to keep the rabbits away with physical cages made from chicken wire that sit over each row. I have used this method before with some success. I usually have to give up a row of something too them to save the rest! This was my day to sort books for the Friends of the Library and Archives Canada. Did a bit of Link genealogy. Biked 9.7 Km. Walked 8.2km.

Wednesday
Sun and could today, abt 22 C. Rain in the evening. We still need it. Worked on my Link genealogy again today. Watched some Andromeda in the evening. Walked 8.8 km.

Thursday
Rained over night and this morning. A little sun late in the afternoon. We all went out for supper to our younger daughters home. Good meal and dessert! Walked 6.7 km.

Friday
Sun and cloud today, abt 23 C. Took our daughter to the airport today to fl back to Milwaukee. In the afternoon I cultivated all of the gardens. In the evening I cut the lawn. The last patches of new grass I sowed last week are emerging. Biked 10.6 km. Walked 8.2 km.

Saturday
Rain this morning and probably overnight. Worked on my Abbs and Link families today. went shopping at Canadian Tire for a new windshield wiper. Biked 10.9 km. Walked 5.0 km.

Sunday
Today we headed off from Ottawa abt 7 am to do the dry run for our bus tour in the fall through the Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys of New York State. We drove to Montreal then south and east to Chambly, Quebec, then to Iberville and Napierville to Highway 15 and south to the US at Champlain. Stopped at Plattsburgh for lunch (great salad bar at the Butcher Block) then headed down highway 87 through the Adirondacks to Lake George. Then back on 87 to almost Albany where we turned west to Schenectady and then further west to Johnstown, New York where we stayed at the Holiday Inn. Had prime rib for supper, Yum. Walked 4.9 km.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

May 31 to June 6

Monday
Haze around this morning from the forest fires in Quebec. The wind is from the east and it smells like something is burning. The air quality improved by evening. Did some more gardening today. The planting is all done now and I just need to water regularly until we get rain. We are watching a new science fiction series, Andromeda. We like SF and action! No genealogy today. However, we did start working on the Tour Guide for our Mohawk Valley, New York bus tour in September. Walked 9 km.

Tuesday
Thunderstorm and rain over night. It was badly needed here. The ground is clay and it cracks when it gets really dry. Cloudy most of the day with some sun in the afternoon. This was my day to sort books for the Friends of the Library and Archives Canada. After that we took our older daughter to the train to go to Montreal for an information Conference. In the evening I attended the monthly Board meeting of the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. Walked 6.6 km.

Wednesday
Sunny in the morning, clouding in the afternoon. Abt 28 C. I spread some peat moss and black earth on a patch in the front lawn that was beginning to look kind of bare. I need to spread a bit of grass seed as well. I put the roto-tiller away for the year. The back patio looks better now and we have space to sit out there in the afternoon. Biked 10.7 km. Walked 6.2 km.

Thursday
I think it rained a bit overnight (TS) and in the morning. I spread grass seed on the remaining spots. The spots I seeded last week are growing grass already. Walked 5.2 km.

Friday
Cloud and sun today, abt 26 C. Did a bit more gardening this morning. Cleaned the weeds out of the driveway and cut the lawn. Did some trimming with the weed whacker. This afternoon we went to Lowe's where my wife bought the lawn swing she wanted on sale. Took about two hours to assemble, with some difficulty. We picked up our daughter at the train after her conference in Montreal. Biked 9 km. Walked 8.6 km.

Saturday
Cloud and sun today, abt 24 C. Cooled down in the evening to about 12 C overnight. Quite windy as well. Did some Link genealogy and started to read a biography on Columbus. This evening just before I was going to bed I decided to do a bit more work on my Link genealogy. Good thing I did because I made a break through in finding the surname of my 2nd great-grandmother Mary Link, wife of John Link. Her surname was ABBS from England. Walked 6.7 km.

Sunday
Rain today, abt 14 C. This will be good for the lawn and other plants and my new grass. Stayed in and worked on my Link Genealogy today after the breakthrough last night. Went shopping for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Walked 4.8 km.