April 21, 2024
The weekend! In the days of constant touring, the weekend always meant travel, gigs, sleepless nights, road food, and being away from family. These days the weekends feel like family time. And so it was this weekend. Yesterday was Corey’s birthday. He’s 42 now. Kind of a shock to my system. And he is the fifth child to arrive on the planet for this old man.
Spending time with him is always wonderful. He has surrounded himself with all the pleasures of life. He works hard. The Hobin girls are a delight. They are a reflection of their mom, Erika. I had a blast painting with Lyra and Vega. Whether dancing, singing, or painting, their artistry runs deep. Although impossible to prove, I take full credit for their talent and beauty.
Yesterday Joann and I did a senior citizen thing. We went for a Sunday drive on the back roads of Oswego County. We are very much a farming community. Lots of horses and fields that go on forever.
We made two interesting stops. Both were completely random. The first was to Mexico Point Park. I never even knew that such a place existed. It was the site of a famous bar and eatery, The Mexico Point Inn. Civil War Era!! And it flourished into the 20th Century. It was turned into a club, and eventually a camp for boxers Carmen Basilio and John DeJohn. Who knew? And most of us Upstate know someone in those two families.
Oswego County and New York State took it over and turned it into a park.
Mexico Point Park – Friends of Mexico Point Park
Hidden away in a beachfront neighborhood we found The Derby Hill Bird Observatory. Lake Ontario is huge, birds flying North in the Spring have to go around. Their path leads them right along the shoreline heading East. Then up around the end of the lake through Sacket’s Harbor and north to Canada. Here are a couple of photos I took and the website. FYI, bird-watching takes patience. Bring a thermos of coffee.
