Fall Trees Downtown

Fall Trees Downtown, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Fall in Eastwood

Fall in Eastwood, originally uploaded by Melsky.

It's fall! I took this yesterday on my way to work. When I came home it had gotten much colder and this morning it snowed a tiny bit.

Halloween Decorations in Eastwood

Halloween Decorations in Eastwood, originally uploaded by Melsky.

It seems like every year people get more and more into decorating for Halloween. I like the scary type decorations best, much better than those giant inflatable ghosts and pumpkins.

Dill

Dill, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This was taken on Labor Day. I'm late on my updating! My dill plants did very well this year. However, this is not my garden. I took it at the Beaver Lake nature center in Baldwinsville. My friend and I went kayaking there. One of my goals this summer was to go kayaking and I just barely made it.

Now it's really feeling like fall, cool weather and many leaves changing. I just took my air conditioners out.

Sunflowers and Tomato

Sunflowers and Tomato, originally uploaded by Melsky.

It's starting to feel a lot like fall! I love fall. I love the cooler temperatures and the colors. Though it really hasn't been an unpleasantly hot summer.

This is a tomato that grew through my fence. I was growing them up the fence on the other side. Also two of my smaller sunflowers. The one that looks like a chrysanthemum is a teddy bear sunflower.

We are buying another house, a very nice one on Tipp Hill.

Five Birds

Five Herons, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Probably Herons or Cormorants. This photo was taken while I was kayaking on Beaver Lake. I enjoyed it a lot and would like to go back. Sadly I went on the last day they rent boats there for the year - it stops on Labor Day. But I will be back to walk on the paths around the lake.

Here at home my garden is in great form. I'm getting a lot of tomatoes and yesterday I made a wonderful tomato vegetable soup with some of the slightly too ripe ones. My sunflowers are blooming. On of them is 8 feet 10 inches tall! The stem is two inches across.

It's supposed to be hot today but I can tell fall is coming. Some of the trees are changing. I'd like some cooler weather but no frost until my pumpkins are ready.

Garden Produce

Garden Produce, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Tomatoes, spicy Thai basil, Italian basil, mint and chives from my garden.

The tomatoes have taken a while to ripen. It's been very cool here, especially at night. Tomatoes need hot nights to ripen properly.

My acorn squash died, it got all moldy from the rain every day. But the zucchinis, dill, marjoram and corriander are doing well.

New House

New House, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is the house that we will hopefully be buying. We find out on Friday.

Note: We did not buy this house.

Sunflowers in the Sun

Sunflowers in the Sun, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Sunflowers, sunflowers, sunflowers. And my garden. That seems to be all I write about lately. I've been staying home a lot since my trip. I've had several minor illnesses and just not feeling much energy. Even so I did manage to go out drinking and dancing one night, which I will write about later.

The big news is that we are buying a house. It's in Tipp Hill (or I should really say on Tipp Hill I guess). It wasn't my first choice of houses but the only thing I really don't like about it is that it's got only one bathroom. The bathroom is off the kitchen, and it's huge and has been re-done. So has the kitchen. It has a huge garage which used to be a barn. We really don't need that though. The yard is small, which is nice that it's low maintanance but I was hoping to have a huge vegetable garden next year. I think it will be a good house for us. Now I have to schedule an inspection!

Caterpillar

Caterpillar, originally uploaded by Melsky.

These caterpillars are eating the dill in my garden.

Sunflower

Orange Sunflower, originally uploaded by Melsky.

The birds and squirrels ate most of the sunflower seeds I planted but a few of them did grow and this one is the first to bloom.

I'm back in Syracuse

Oliver, originally uploaded by Melsky.

after my trip to California. It's good to be back. I had wondered if I would feel sad that I didn't live in California anymore but I really don't. I did enjoy the super cold summer weather in San Francisco a lot, and the bars and restaurants and the efficient and affordable transit.

After the Mojave desert, Syracuse seems really green and lush. Today it's not too hot, it's overcast and it was a pleasant day to get back. I slept all day after taking the night flight (left Ontario, CA airport at midnight).

My trip was very inspirational, I got a lot of ideas for paintings and other art. Since part of the trip was getting stuff from my old house in the desert I got a ton of beads and art stuff that I had forgotten that I had. I have to find a gallery or cafe to display my artwork here.

It's so great to see my garden and cats again too. The garden has grown a lot and did not have to be watered at all while I was gone. That is amazing if you have grown up in California having to irrigate everything.

Traveling

Oliver Helps Me Pack, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I've been traveling in California - San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, Hemet and the Mojave Desert. My cat Oliver helped me pack for the trip. People I talk to are surprised how cheap Syracuse real estate prices are.

Downtown Syracuse

Downtown Syracuse, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I really love that red and black building.

Jefferson Clinton Hotel

Jefferson Clinton Hotel, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I'm waiting to hear if the offer for our house is accepted. If it is I will post some photos here. They said it may be today but the person who has to officially accept the offer has been very busy. We are buying a foreclosure.

We had a nice fourth of July weekend. We had a barbecue on Friday and we went on a walk where we saw the fireflies I talked about in my last post. Then on Saturday my husband went to work and I did some work around the house and garden. Saturday night we ate at Lemon Grass, a Thai restaurant in downtown Syracuse. It's a great place, but expensive.

I have a bunch of restaurant reviews to write. Each time we go to a restaurant in Syracuse I write notes on it and tell myself I'm going to write it up in my blog.

Twilight in Eastwood

Twilight in Eastwood, originally uploaded by Melsky.

a great sunset the other night!

We have an offer on a house now. It's on Tipp Hill, which is on the west side of downtown. I'm really hoping it goes through.

Yesterday it was the fourth of July and we went on a walk. We saw some fireworks, both the ones on the lake from a distance and people shooting them off in the neighborhood up close. But they paled in comparison to the coolest thing - fireflies! Fireflies are magical and create an amazing sense of calmness and joy to see them.

Hello

Hello Cat Sign, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I've been very busy lately. We are house hunting and also planning a trip to California so I have not been online much! But soon I will upload some photos I've taken while driving around looking at houses.

We are probably moving to Tipp Hill, which is very exciting.

Syracuse Freeway

Syracuse Freeway, originally uploaded by Melsky.

It looks a lot smaller in proportion to the sky.

Tipp Hillbillies at Art on the Porches festival

Tipp Hillbillies at Art on the Porches festival, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Pirates and little children danced to the music of the Tipp Hillbillies.

Syracuse Cat

The photo I had linked to on this post originally was removed from Flickr, so here is a photo of my neighbor's cat!

Art on the Porches festival here I come

Little Paintings, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I will be doing my first festival in many years this Saturday. It's Art on the Porches, a festival with art, music and food in the Strathmore neighborhood of Syracuse.

These are some of the paintings I did for it. They are indoor/outdoor paintings on wood and have a protective varnish on them so they can be used on porches or outside.

I will be showing my art at 107 Ruskin, at the corner of Summit from 11-5 Saturday June 14th. I hope you will come visit me.

A band I want to see is playing at the festival - the Tipp Hillbillies. But they are not playing near my porch. Maybe I can sneak off for a few minutes though. I'm near the Evans stage so there will be a lot of music and I imagine I will like at least some of it.

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Wildflowers

Wildflowers, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is an arrangement of wildflowers, also known as weeds! I love the way their stems curve.

I think I'm going to do a series of Syracuse wildflower photos.

Me and a Thistle

Me and a Thistle, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This was taken in a parking lot off Armory Square when I was walking around after my yoga class.

Erie Canal Before Storm

Erie Canal Before Storm, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Yesterday my friend and I were going to meet at the gym and work out, but we decided since it was such a lovely day that we would go for a walk on the Erie Canal Towpath instead. Except that once we got there the sky had turned dark. But behind us were blue skies and light. It was lovely. We only walked for about ten minutes before we got rained out.

SCYTHIAN at Kitty Hoynes

SCYTHIAN at Kitty Hoynes, Syracuse, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I went to see this band at Kitty Hoynes last Wednesday. I liked the band, I think. I mean I couldn't hear them that well, what with all the people to the right and left of me having loud conversations. I guess to hear a band at Kitty Hoynes you have to stand right below them.

It's funny becuase the evening started out with a band that was much too loud. We were looking for a place to have dinner and my husband suggested the Syracuse Suds Factory, where he has lunch a lot. So we went in, and they had live music. It was a swing/jazz sort of band, and it was so loud I could not hear my husband talking at all.

You know that sort of snotty expression "if the music is too loud, you are too old"? Well, I think this may have been the opposite. The people in there seemed like they were a lot older than us. Perhaps they lost their hearing going to too many metal shows in the 70s and they've now mellowed to a point where they enjoy a little lite jazz LOUD. Everyone did seem to be having a good time.

We ended up eating sushi at Ambrosia. Good, but incredibly expensive. Their martinis are a great deal though, seven bucks for a big fat martini that you could almost take bath in. Memo to self: Go to Ambrosia for drinks only.

Back to Kitty Hoynes, I did enjoy the show but it was frustrating not to be able to hear it, and that place is just not set up for live music. There's just not enough room around the stage and at the other sides of the bar you can't hear them. I don't think I will go there for any more bands. I am going to try out the traditional Irish music they have on Saturday afternoons though. I think it's probably a much better venue for that sort of thing. These days I'm a lot more into the traditional music. I must be getting old!

Syracuse, NY in 1939

Syracuse, NY, originally uploaded by Aaron & Em.

Found on Flickr, taken by someone's grandfather. Very nice.

Syracuse Water Tower

Syracuse Water Tower, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Corner

Corner, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is the corner of the VFW Hall in Eastwood.

I Kiss You With Tulips

I Kiss You With Tulips, originally uploaded by Melsky.

More spring flowers. We have lots of tulips and daffodils here in Eastwood and there's no deer to eat them!

Spring Tree in Bloom

Spring Tree in Bloom, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Syracuse is really in bloom right now, especially the trees.

In other news, I gave notice at my job and they were really nice about it. I feel really happy. Soon I hope to have a job in an office, and hopefully in downtown Syracuse.

Dandelions

Dandelions , originally uploaded by Melsky.

I love dandelions, though to most people they are weeds. I think lawns with them scattered through look so pretty.

Industrial Beauty

Industrial, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I was struck by the symmetry and coolness of this electrical thingy by a factory. Don't those things on the top look like owls? This is pretty close to my house.

Spring Lilacs

Spring Lilacs, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I think spring is here, though we are supposed to have cold weather and frost this week.

Hanging Streetlights and Signs

Hanging Streetlights and Signs, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is Syracuse University. I'm glad they kept the green space, benches and pathway in front of this grand building instead of turning it into a parking lot.

Clinton and Walton Streets

Clinton and Walton Streets, originally uploaded by Melsky.

I like the jumble of buildings here!

Downtown is in between where I live and work, and my husband works there. I end up going there a lot to work out at the YMCA and to pick up my husband from work. I enjoy walking around, especially now that trees are blooming.

Not that many people live in Downtown Syracuse. The housing there is a strange mix of ultra expensive Armory Square loft apartments (1200 buck or so, that's expensive for Syracuse!) and the senior apartments above the YMCA. The retail and restaurants are similar, dollar stores, discount clothing stores and greasy spoons contrast with the fine dining, fancy clubs and posh yet arty dress shops of Armory Square.

I would like to see more people living downtown, and more variety of retail downtown. It's the easiest place in Syracuse to live without a car, as it's the bus hub. Nearly every route passes through downtown. There are so many beautiful old buildings that are under utilized.

They are building a new condo/retail/office development right across from the old armory. On one hand it's cool that they are building more housing, though I think it's going to be quite expensive. On the other hand, it's weird to see a new building going up in an area with so many great old buildings waiting to be loved again.

Red and Green House

Red and Green House, originally uploaded by Melsky.

On Burnet Ave in the Hawley Green Area. I love the color combination on this house, it always catches my eye as I go by it.

I haven't been posting here much. The big thing is I'm working full time. Sadly, I hate my job. It sounded so much like it would be a great job for me but it's just not been. I'm not doing what I thought I would be and I'm micromanaged to a painful degree.

It's seasonal so I'm trying to decide if I should try to tough it out and wait until the end of the summer or just go now. It would be such a relief to not have to go there. I've had many jobs in my life but I've never had one where the clock stands still and time just drags. It's so hard to feel happy when I spend such a big chunk of my day doing things I hate in a place I don't like.

It is frustrating because I was very determined to do good in this job. It's my first full time job in a long time. I'm not working with computers at all and I do a lot of repetitive tasks like writing the same thing over and over again on a form. Every job has boring stuff but I'm used to being given a list of tasks to complete and not being micromanaged. I get bored writing the same phrase over and over again on 100 pieces of paper and it's hard to concentrate.

Anyway, I hope to have a new job soon. I would really like to work in downtown Syracuse and hopefully I will.

March Snowstorm

March Snowstorm, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is the day after our late March snowfall - four inches!

Freeway Lansdscape

Freeway Lansdscape, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Taken from the car, but I pulled over and wasn't driving.

I got a job and on my way to fill out the paperwork I turned into a side road to turn off and then saw this scene.

It's snowed a surprising amount today, much more than I thought it would.

Syracuse Parking Lot

Syracuse Parking Lot, originally uploaded by Melsky.

Today I walked home from downtown without a jacket. I was slightly chilly at first but warmed up soon from the sun and walking.

This is where they pile up all the snow from the rest of the parking lot. All that stuff that looks like piles of dirt is just really dirty snow.

I walked up Burnett Street and went to a cafe called Sugar Pearl. Got a lot of great photos on my walk, will have to sort and post them tomorrow.

Downtown Syracuse

Downtown Syracuse , originally uploaded by Melsky.

The tree has goggles!

Driving Through Syracuse

I should have used a photo of a car or road or something for this post, but I used this one instead because I like it so much. I took it while walking downtown on my way to meet Dave to go and take my driver's test. Shortly after this I took the test and passed. Now I can drive.

It's weird to be able to drive. The car is in the driveway right now and I could go anywhere I want. I'm not sure where I want to go.

I don't like taking photos while driving and a lot of times when I'm driving and I see something I might like to take a photo of I've already driven past it, and it's really not worth it to backtrack, park, get out of the car, and take photos. But then again I can drive places specifically to get out and walk around.

Back to the driver's test, I had a very rude examiner. I know that they don't want to be friendly with the people they are testing, but this guy went way too far the other way. He seemed really angry. Maybe he was just having a bad day, someone was suing him, his wife just left him and his hemorrhoids were acting up really, really badly. I was happy I passed but it left me feeling really rattled and nervous.

Driving is hard when you don't know the area. Even places where I have been a pedestrian a lot, like downtown, I have a hard time because I didn't notice which streets were one way or no turns when I was walking. I went to pick up my husband at his office yesterday and I had to take a very roundabout way.

This weekend I'm thinking of going skiing at Osceola. It may be the last weekend to ski.

Icicles

Icicles, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is my house (the pale green one) and my neighbor's house. The biggest icicle is probably seven feet long.

The photo was taken early this morning, and since then I keep hearing crashes as another icicle falls.

They can be very dangerous, you don't want to stand under them.

Winter Sunrise

Winter Sunrise, originally uploaded by Melsky.

This is the sunrise two days ago, before we got all the snow.

Feb 27 Syracuse Snow

Feb 27 Syracuse Snow, originally uploaded by Melsky.

We got about six inches of snow yesterday and last night. It's still snowing! It's the kind of snow that coats the trees and makes them look all frozen and magical. I love it.

Doc's Little Gem Diner

On Sunday my husband said he wanted to go to a diner for breakfast. I had seen photos of this sign on Flickr, so I wanted to go there. Even if the food was horrible, I knew I could at least get a photo of that beautiful sign.

The food wasn't horrible, but it wasn't that great either. It was truly average diner food. It's the kind of food I regret eating right after I eat it, just because it's so unhealthy. If I eat something unhealthy I want it to be amazing, not just average.

The best thing about eating there was the waitress. She was friendly and efficient. The prices were very reasonable too.

I don't think we will hurry back there, but I'm glad we went.

Stone Barbecue

Stone Barbecue
Originally uploaded by Melsky

One of the things I love about this area is you see great stonework, like this home made barbecue I saw on my walk through Eastwood.

Some day I would like to make one of these.

Train Tracks on a Bleak Day

Train Tracks on a Bleak Day
Originally uploaded by Melsky

On my birthday I took a walk to Wegman's and did my grocery shopping, then my husband picked me up and took me to dinner at Bonefish Grill, a seafood restaurant. I was shopping while hungry though, which is a bad thing, though the only thing I got that wasn't on my list was blue cheese.

One of the things I like about winter in this climate is you can do your grocery shopping and leave it in the car for a while. We have natural refrigeration.

I'm going to enter this art contest. I'm working on a painting for it.

One of my goals for 2008 is to get in a local gallery. Even if I don't win I think entering will help get me some exposure. Plus I will have another large painting.

I just realized a couple of days ago that it was already the middle of February and I've done almost nothing to realize this goal yet! So this very motivating contest comes at a good time.

My Neighborhood

This is a street a few blocks away from my house. It looks just like my street, and is very typical of Eastwood.

One thing that's funny about this area, all the older houses have these long driveways with the garage in back. That is fine in the summer, but it's hard in the winter when you have to clear such a long driveway. Didn't they realize that this is not a practical layout? The newer houses all have the garage in front.

I do like the fact that the street is not dominated by big old ugly garage fronts and usually I like a style of neighborhood layout with garages behind the houses, especially if they are accessible from a back alley like they were in Toronto.

Maybe the garages used to be stables which you would want further from your dwelling.

A Day Trip to Song Lake and Heiberg Forest

On Saturday I went to Song Lake, which is near Tully, NY. The people whose house we were at had a great place, right on the edge of the lake with a dock in their back yard.

We took a walk around the lake and saw some old falling down houses which were a big contrast to the rich fancy homes on the lake:



I would love to go in to a house like that and explore it, but it's probably not very safe between collapsing floors and whoever might be hanging out inside.

Then we went to the Heiberg Forest, where they have lots of trails for walking and cross country skiing. I was sorry I didn't have my skis, though it was late enough that we wouldn't have had much time before it got dark. I couldn't believe how much snow this place had in comparison with Syracuse. I really want to go back there with my skis.




The Heiberg Forest is owned by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and is used as a classroom. We saw a maple sugaring area where the trees had tubes connected to them.