WANAKENA WEEKLY #82 - 08/26/21 - 09/01/21


Happy Thursday! Happy September!


WITHINANUTSHELL – Back to School! No yellow school bus coming into Wanakna this year, though. Ohh! It got nice an' chilly! Before that, last weekend, it was HOT and HUMID. Should be a nice cool and clear weekend ahead of us. "Feels like fall" they say. LIVE MUSIC in ZPARK this Saturday the 4th at 7pm.  That's right: Clifton Fine Economic Development Corporation's Cultural Arts Committee's last concert at ZPARK in Wanakena for summer 2021: Labor Day Saturday the 4th featuring FOLKFACES rowdy jazz and bluesy roots from Buffalo, NY @ 7pm - SPREAD THE WORD.... BE THERE! Last concert of the 2021 series. Head on out, have a grand ol' time and drop a few bucks in the hat. Other stuff happening around the Clifton Fine Region over the weekend, more information below in the regional news section. Coyote scamper through the village like they own the place - they do. Snowshoe hair too. Smooth sailing! The road into Wanakena (rt. 61) has been repaved! NOW SLOW DOWN! No lines painted yet, though. Speaking of slow: the Oswegatchie River is back to flowing at a more seasonal pace, miss hearing that RUSH though. BIG GLOB OF RIVER FOAM SPOTTED (photo below). We had have some decent rain a couple days ago, though - catching fish at noon in the sun post rain! Someone said there was a sick/injured loon spotted over by the Cranberry Lake Boat Launch and if it was found dead - bag it up and call up the loon center in Saranac Lake. Anyone else notice all the tent caterpillars (photo above)? Ranger School Crew was seen driving around in the big green vans post Cat Mountain Field Trip. The students are reported to be working hard and poking around town! Wanakena Church Service was held out on the lawn of ZPARK under the BIG tent last Sunday morning. We heard there was some vandalism/damage up at the Wanakena Cemetery; stuff broken and tossed about. Could have been animals, could have been some jerks. Be an animal; don't be a jerk. In other news: did anyone else receive a WhiteOut Weekend 2022 Email the other day? Is it that time of year already?!?! We think so! YIKES! Here’s a link to the most recent town board meeting minutes. HERE: Town Of Fine: Minutes: August 18, 2021: Town Board Meeting [Digital Towpath]


FORECAST
-  60s through the weekend! 40s at night! WOW! Change of weather! Staying cool though next week with some rain heading our way Sunday and Monday. Looks like a fantastic weekend - see you around! This weather forecast is brought to you by Wanakena’s own PATTIJACKNAN weather team – a Wanakener garage-pole-mounted weather station and crew. THANKS, TEAM! This weather station can be found HERE: Wanakena, NY 10-Day Weather Forecast | Weather Underground (wunderground.com)


DOWN AT THE ABODE
- New Paintings by Wanakena's own Bev McKeown. More info below. ART PARTY THURSDAY the 2ND (TONIGHT) from 5-7PM!!! Snack, drink, hang, art. We'll be covid-conscious, will you? Paul and Carol's show came down the other day after a month-long exhibit at the Abode. It was delight to host that fantastic group of artwork! Some art-fragments from their show remain on sale here at Otto's Abode. Junk Drawer Exhibit remains on view with some new additions. NEW stocked on the shelves: ART SUPPLIES. Drawing materials such as colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolor kits and a variety of drawing paper pads. The front porch is PACKED with produce; corn, greens, herbs, tubers, berries, grapes, melons and more! Delivery arrives Wednesday and we keep it stocked all week. Eggs and milk too. Dry goods in cans, dry goods in boxes, dry goods in bags, frozen meats, local cheeses, snack sacks, candy racks and more. Cold drinks, hot coffee. Walk-in cooler holds COLD beer, cider, seltzers and more! Books, maps, gifts and necessities. Trail information for any wondering soul; stop in the shop or give us a call. Right along the Cranberry Lake 50 and a hop skip and a jump up from the Oswegatchie River/Cranberry Lake! Post office next door for all your mailing needs 10-noon M-Sat - thanks, Mary! When else can we say? LOTS, but we've said enough!


ON VIEW - 
Paintings; Our Local Landscape - NEW Paintings by Wanakena's own Bev McKeown. On view at Otto's Abode September 1st - October 11th, 2021. ART PARTY THURSDAY the 2ND (TONIGHT) from 5-7PM!!! Some words from Bev about the show: Nothing is more exciting than looking at an array of colorful paints, painting surfaces and a beautiful landscape to stimulate one's curiosity and creativity. The paintings in this show all began with a vision: to embrace the colorful and dramatic beauty of our local landscape. My approach to painting varies greatly, often starting with one particular medium and ending in a mix of many. Redoing the exact scene over and over is a common occurrence. There is seldom an initial sketch drawn onto the canvas or paper. Instead, I just jump in and let the creative process begin, applying color to various section of the painting surface while establishing its composition and values. This is done very quickly, loosely and spontaneously to avoid over-thinking. It allows the freedom to relax and enjoy the unknown. A variety of painting mediums and painting surfaces opens the door for various painting styles to develop. Doing so, keeps painting interesting and challenging as I curiously explore the art of painting. Bev considers herself mostly a self taught artist, having experience in adult education classes and workshops. As a school age child Bev began sketching and learning the primary principles of art. She later progressed to oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolor and alcohol ink. Her work has been in various shows throughout the years. She finds nothing more fun and relaxing than to sit by her easel and “play” with paints. She calls it her “zen”. Bev Lives in Wanakena, NY.


BLACKWATERS CAFÉ AND TRADING POST
- "NOTE: We have suspended online ordering for 2 weeks – till after Labor Day. With in-person orders, it often gets to be too many orders all at the same time. Thank you for understanding!" & "Our Trading Post is growing! Not only can you grab a good bite to eat – you can shop for meats, cheeses and produce at our deli case, buy lures for fishing, find camping supplies, pick up a gift, your favorite teas, basic groceries, K-cups, specialty foods and t-shirts!" They are open Sun, Tues, Wed 8-3pm & Thurs, Fri, Sat 8-7pm (closed Mondays). CHECK OUT THEIR TRAIL CAM HERE: gotsnowcams.com - New York - paul@NorthernChateau@.com

WANAKENA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION – COOL TOTEM POLE! From a former Wanakena resident Ron Caton. Grand opening of the History Center was held on Saturday, August 21st! History Center is open Saturdays 10-2pm or make an appointment to check the place out! The Walking Tour around Wanakena is OPEN for the warm-weather season! Bottle and can drive outside of the History Center ALL SUMMER LONG! Get chuggin' and give up those nickels and NO DOG POO BAGS!!

PACKBASKET ADVENTURES – Website says: "We are OPEN FOR BUSINESS and following NYS DOH Guidelines. We are accepting reservations with proof of completed vaccination protocol OR proof of negative Covid test within 3 days of planned arrival. Come have a safe and relaxing stay!"

RANGER SCHOOL - Students are BACK. Campus is open to the public. Stay away from the buildings, though. CHECK OUT THEIR TRAIL CAM HERE: Webcam | The Ranger School | SUNY ESF

WANAKENA CHURCH – OPEN FOR SUMMER SUNDAY SERVICES STARTING JUNE 6th – Service starts at 9:15 AM!!! Ring that bell!

WANAKENA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION – Got yer raffle tickets? Announced that Cremation Remains burial has gone up from $150 to $250. Also, there is no longer a backhoe charge for cremation burial because they don’t use a backhoe for cremation burials any longer.

HAREWOOD –  NEW Cranberry/Wanakena-based BLOG here: Blog | CRANBERRY B[L]OG (cranberryblog.org). Tilly's at Stone Manor is OPEN (and hiring)! Check their facebook for hours. Clifton Community Library OPEN 6 days a week: Mon-Fri 10-2pm also Wed 6-7pm and Saturdays 10-1pm. Cranberry Lake Book Club first Mondays of the month in the pavilion out back. Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub has a new break wall and the public docks are laid out for YOU to dock your boat in Cranberry Lake! Lakeside General Store is OPEN! Tooley Pond Duck Decoy Showroom in Cranberry Lake is OPEN!!!!!!! John Dragun NEON ARTWORK and MORE down in Windfall… OPEN! What ever happened to Grass River Railway? We spoke with someone who’s workin’ on it! Also, check this out: http://cranberrylake.com/defaults.asp

OUT WEST -  Annual Star Lake Labor Day Regatta Saturday, September 4th - 9am - all sailing vessels welcome. Adirondack Exhibit Center AKA Save Our Schoolhouse hosting Newton Falls Beach Clean-up Saturday September 4th at 10am at NF Beach - FREE HOT DOGS FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. CF Hospital Craft Fair Sat, Sept 11th 10-3pm Clifton-Fine Arena! Saturday, September 11th Star Lake Fire and Rescue Field Day! Classic Car Cruise-In Parade and Fireworks!!!! NEW hours at the Fitness Room at CFCS: It is OPEN to community members 6pm – 8pm and 5pm - 10pm M-F and weekends 6-10am (paperwork required). Donate school supplies at Coffee Fever! Jrecks Subs OPEN out at the Golf Course Club House. WHAT'S THE SCOOP? Hard and soft serve ice cream on rt. 3 on the right heading up the hill into Star Lake - new hours announced. Clifton Fine Hospital is HIRING! Clifton Fine Central School is HIRING Bus Drivers, Facilities Maintenance, and many substitute positions! Mountain Gate Redemption near Benson Mines is open. Golf course is open. Twin Lakes Hotel, Coffee Fever, American Legion, Todd Hardware, Adirondack Pharmacy, Community Bank and Circle J’s in Star Lake are open! Alcoholics Anonymous Friday nights at 7pm in the SOS Building. UB’s, and Adirondack Rustics, Hillside Diner in Oswegatchie are open! They are taring down the old IGA in Star Lake. The following is copy-pasted from the Fine Town Board Meeting hours from Wednesday 11/11/2020: Jeremy wanted the board to be aware that the Dollar General is looking into putting a store at the former Great American site. This would not be required to go to site plan review since it is not a change of use.

KIM AND THOMS LOST DOG REPORT - As of today, there are NO lost dogs in Wanakena.

THIS TIME LAST YEAROtto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #30 - 08/27/20 - 09/02/20 (ottosabode.org)

ALL FOR NOW!!!!!!

Any questions, comments, concerns, trail condition inquiries, legends, jokes, animal sightings, cartoons, etc… Feel free to email otto@ottosabode.org or call 3158483008 or pop-in the shop! Wanakena Weekly archive here: http://www.ottosabode.org/p/wanakena-weekly.html Also, we probably wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to publish your submission! Write “submission” in the subject line if emailing! Wanakena Weekly is brought to you by the folks at Otto's Abode.


"The moon like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night."
- William Blake (1789)