Happy Thursday! Happy June!
This past week’s weather in a nutshell: The HOT HOT HEAT made way for some nice cool rainy days and nights. A much-needed shift in the weather. Much needed rain. The woods were pretty dry – wildfires reported around the Aridondacks - and the Oswegatchie River low. A quiet week of weather featuring some heavy rain, some light rain, some sunshine, some clouds. Bunch berry and an unknown white puff flower bloom in the forest. The heat really did a number on the blackflies, though it did bring out some early deerfly – just a couple. Trout Lilly all done. Wanakena Wayne (a Maryland native ) reported a Baltimore Oriole at his feeder. The honey locust out front is just starting to glow. Full moon Friday!
Looking like a warm Thursday and Friday – maybe up to 80? – and possible thunderstorm and temperatures cooling back of with daytime temps in the 60s though the rest of the weekend. HOT then a cool, wet P O P. Temps up around 80 by Wednesday. This weather forecast is brought to you by Wanakena’s own PATTIJACKNAN weather team – a garage pole mounted weather station managed by a few rag-tag nature-lovers. THANKS, TEAM! This weather station can be found at:
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/ny/wanakena/KNYWANAK8
Bridgework continues: BIG WEEK for the Wanakena Carbridge. TEMPORARY Traffic lights went up! There are FOUR places in Wanakena where a driver/biker/walker/etc… is met with a red/yellow/green traffic light: From River Street heading towards the bridge from the east, on Main Street heading toward bridge and on the south side of river on South Shore Road and on Reid Road for the two residences located there. A bunch of people are complaining: “Are all those traffic lights necessary?” “That’s why we sold our house!” It’s hard to tell if these are poor attempts at jokes or if people are really scared of traffic lights.
And the workers keep bridging! Within a day the new, temporary roadways leading up to the temporary bridge was paved with fresh asphalt. Could smell it in the air! Large concrete road dividers neatly lined up along the roadside. Handy dandy flashing yellow safty lights remind you to use caution. Don’t get distracted! Yes! They blink! Yesterday they started dismantling the old green car bridge. Someone said: “it’s sad… that bridge is so wanakena.” It’s true – an old relic of when bridges made loud clanking sounds when driven across, and a steel decking you can see right through below your feet and watch the Oswegatchie flow by twenty feet down. It was like floating on steel air.
Also, THE ROCK HAS WON! Did you hear? Did you see! THE ROCK HAS WON! All spring the sound of the *mechanical woodpecker* has rung through the air. BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG pause BANG BANG BANG BANG pause BANG BANG BANG etc… And then they tried some small explosives. A muffled *BOOM* followed by more giant mechanical wood-pecking. And all that work and the rock remains. A small part of it at least. We’ll have you note Adirondack Granite is some of the OLDEST and HARDEST rock found ON EARTH! So now when you approach the temporary car bridge from the north you will have to so an extra swoop’n’swerve as the road had to be built AROUND the rock.
Community Notice: The Wanakena History Center Bottle Donation Cart has been relocated from down on River Street behind the public bathroom to smack-dab in front of the Wanakena Historical Association’s Wanakena History Center. It’s right on Second Street on top of the hill. Now, when you slam-dunk your garbage bag of empty cans in the cart you can more easily envision all of those nickels being transferred to the cause to preserve and celebrate Wanakena History though a totally remodeled *original* Wanakena structure containing important artifacts such as bowling pins and alligator skin travel bags. Get thirsty and bag those cans! Piers and Terri take care of the rest. NO DOG DOO BAGS PLEASE! Don’t get us started on the dog doo bags.
Speaking of DOO… A LARGE number of geese created a LARGE amount of geese excrement across the river under and around one of the Wanakena Historical Association’s Walking Tour Kiosks – Watch Out! Your new sneeks might quickly loose their fresh appeal if you trot around in too much of the stuff. HONK HONK. (this image does not accurately depict the rather - large gaggle that created the rather large "mess")
Paul Smiths Adirondack Watershed Stewards located thoughout the Adirondacks are located at the State Boat Launch in Cranberry Lake seven days a week. When you pull up to the boat launch with your watercraft a Watershed Steward will talk to you about where your boat has been, if it’s clean, drained and dried. The objective is to try and reduce/eliminate the risk of Aquatic Invasive Species being transferred from one body of water to another. Unfortunately, Cranberry Lake has TWO launch sites and only one is monitored. It’s sort of like wearing sunglasses with only one protective lens. Sort of, but not really. Because if you only have one lens you are only causing damage to one eye. Whereas if Aquatic Invasive Species get in Cranberry Lake – the whole lake suffers. Water quality suffers, plant life suffers, animals suffer. The “unofficial” boat launch in Wanakena by Blackwaters Café remains unprotected.
It felt like a slow week of news so we decided to investigate the Titos Burritos sticker out on the back of the stop sign by the Wanakena Sign. Turns out Tito’s Burritos is a New Jersey chain boasting burritos (duh) and wings. Why not?
Down at the Abode we have rearranged the Social Distance Lobby as we have found customers very respectful of mask-wearing and social distancing. Someone dropped off a bunch of DVDs in the WEEKENA LIBRARY book box and it’s been observed folks of all ages have been enjoying the service during this past week’s rain. Eight Miles to Harewood remains on-view though 6/22. Our "COVID-METER" remains locked at 'phase one'. Another big milestone will be putting chairs back in the place.
Blackwaters Café and Trading Post in Wanakena has announced via their facebook page that they are cleaning their picnic tables in conjunction with PHASE II Governor Cuomo announcement allowing outdoor seating at resturaunts!!!!!! B-Dubz is open for pick-up/take-out Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat 11-6pm. The best way to order is through their take-out window or website
www.blackwaterscafe.com
Cranberry Lake’s HUB has their PUBLIC DOCK in place at the old church. If you’re out on Cranberry Lake you moor your boat at the dock while you stroll down the strip. Maybe visit the library and museum when it opens? Please wipe the Cranberries off your boots before going into a business.
Stone Manor Diner and Motel in Cranberry Lake, Lakeside General Store in Cranberry Lake, UB’s Mercantile in Oswegatchie, Todd Hardware, Adirondack Pharmacy and Circle K in Star Lake, Mountain Gate Redemption near Benson Mines, and Sevey Point at Sevey Corner remain open for business in one way or another (open, take out, pick up, drop off, etc…). Post Offices are open too (Thanks, Mary!)
Duck Decoy and MORE showroom open for pop-ins. “Showroom FILLED” 481 Tooly Pond Rd, Cranberry Lake – 315-848-4223
Always beautiful photography at the Wanakena Tracks facebook page.
The Clifton Community Library in Cranberry Lake hosts via Facebook Live bedtime stories most nights read aloud by Ms. Kate the Librarian!
Hillside Diner in Oswegatchie, Twin Lakes and Coffee Fever in Star remain temporarily closed.
Todd Hardware in Star Lake and the Star Lake Golf Course are BOTH hiring! Lumber yard help and Club house attendants. Sound like pretty sweet gigs.
Kim’s Lost Dog Report: There are currently NO lost dogs in Wanakena. This rather large frog was spotted crossing the road, though. Lost? Probably not. It made a very large squishy noise as it was peacefully tapped-on-the-butt-booted and hopped away in the direction of off the asphalt.
All for now!
Any questions, comments, concerns, trail condition inquiries, legends, jokes, animal sightings, etc…feel free to email
otto@ottosabode.org or call 3158483008 or pop-in the shop! Wanakena Weekly is archived here: http://www.ottosabode.org/p/wanakena-weekly.html
There is a time to fish and a time to dry nets – Chinese Proverbs
