WANAKENA WEEKLY #150 - 12/08/22 - 12/14/22


Happy Thursday!


WITHINANUTSHELL
– Storm crow flies in.... SNOW ON THE WAY! Red sky sunrise Thursday morning even says so. Getting windy out there! THURSDAY NIGHT SNOW SLAMMER. We're going to experiment with an "ADVANCED PRESS" element to the WANAKENA WEEKLY this week: check back on this edition #150) THIS Friday (16th) around noon for updated STORM REPORT (photos, etc... SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF PAGE) BOOM BOOM BOOM! Anyhoo... Wanakena DID receive a small dusting of a few inches or so this past week. Enough to see the LOST KITTY prints in the snow. It's still out there and now reports are coming in about ANOTHER LOST KITTY. Wilderness lost love affair in the making. These are some HARDY cats, got down to ONE degree the other morning; COLD AND CLEAR. Cranberry Lake IS NOW frozen-over and The Oswegatchie is frozen up to the rapids. Could have sworn the eyes saw an evening grossbeak down near the corner of Ranger School Road. Deer spotted out on the Croquet Court. Black squirrel shuffle. A moose go hit by a car near star lake (?). Snowmobile trails remain CLOSED (for now). Updated WANAKENA DOCK fund-raising info below! All for now. Regular Town Board Meeting Second Wednesday, January 11th @ 6:30 Star Lake. Here’s a link to the most recent town board meeting minutes HERE: Town Of Fine: Minutes: Town Board Meetings [Digital Towpath] Today's Ice Jam Danger remains LOW (two years in a row without an ice jam). ONLY ***5*** WANAKENA WEEKLYS LEFT UNTIL WW #156 (that will be THREE years’ worth of WANAKENA WEEKLY).


ADVANCED PRESS -
!!!!!!!!!!!!SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FORECAST
- 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! Wanakena, NY 10-Day Weather Forecast | Weather Underground (wunderground.com)


DOWN AT THE ABODE
- We appreciate all of our friends, neighbors, family and strangers who are able to take the time out of their day to go out of their way and support small and local businesses! CHEESE CURD FRIDAY PM. HANDMADE BASKETS by Wanakena's own Sue Paterson!!!!! CHECK EM OUT! 1919 Cranberry Lake USGS map HISTORIC REPRINT $15.... add $7 and we'll throw it in the mail for you! JUST ASK! Thanks! PARTY TIME: 2023 NEW YEARS EVE BALL DROP AND OPEN HOUSE PARTY starts at 8pm. Here it is: **** FLOWJAK EVERY SUNDAY 3-5 PM **** What is FLOWJAK? It'll be what we make it. It's a music meet-up; a strum-circle. Old songs, new songs. Jamming, singing, clapping. "All traditions and abilities". Bring your instruments, bring some songs, or just bring yourself. "Free and open to all" SNOW CROQUET COURSE IS OPEN - c'mon out and play any day or night. FRESH SUPPLY of ART SUPPLIES up on the shelf. EVERY SATURDAY MORNING SWICKAMILLO SOURDOUGH $6 loafs - here till they're gone! THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON! Fresh supply of beautiful organic produce from Juniper Hill Farm (like last winter) via Wadhams, NY. Pinch, arugula, potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, buttercup squash, radish, kale, sweet potato, carrots cabbage, apples, lettuce. AND MORE! C'mon!!! Get down here and eat this stuff!!! EXHIBITION EXTENSION! The fantastically colored and patterned interstellar landscapes by Albany, NY's Matt Gwizdala will remain on-view. Coffee bar and stools always around for you to linger upon - come hang a while. The Clifton Community Library in Cranberry Lake has installed a fantastic Library Drop Box. Folks in town will be able to drop-off library items and also pick-up pre-ordered items! CALL UP THE LIBRARY AND GET IT DONE! Perhaps visit their website, too. We are open SIX DAYS A WEEK though the winter; closed on Wednesdays and open "late" Mondays and Tuesdays. "Your delight is out delight!"






ABODE CONTINUED
- Looking ahead... Mark it down: our IceJamBoree 7TH Birthday Bash during Presidents Day in conjunction with Clifton-Fine Weekend/WhiteOut Weekend. Fresh Produce ALL YEAR LONG! Fresh is best. COLD BEER SOLD HERE! Over SIXTY varieties of beer/cider/etc... in the walk-in cooler. Plenty of non-alchoholic drinks available as well. Bread, milk, eggs and many more dry, cold and frozen groceries. TAKE A PEEK. Candy, snacks, ice cream and soft drinks. Fresh ground HOT COFFEE and baked goods at the counter. Mittens and socks! Books, maps, music for your browsing pleasure. Camping/fishing/hiking knickknack patty-whacks. Howard Graham's 2022 liquid gold. Front Porch is wapped in plastic for the winter - WEEKENA LIBRARY always OPEN on the front porch. Why be a square when you could be a deconstructed cube?






WANAKENA POST OFFICE 13695
- Open for business six days a week! Thanks, Mary for running the show! Send us a postcard: POB # 1 Wanakena, NY 13695

BLACKWATERS CAFÉ AND TRADING POST - Open 8AM - 3:30PM Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Special dinner hours Fridays until 7pm! Closed Sundays and Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays. www.blackwaterscafe.com


RANGER SCHOOL
- STUDENTS ON-LEAVE FOR HOLIDAY BREAK - See 'em after Martin Luther Kin Jr. Day! Class of 2023 in session! Campus hiking trails remain open to the public. Stay away from the buildings, though. Park way up in the student parking lot if you must. Alumni newsletter: fALL 2022 Newsletter.pub (nysrsaa.org). CHECK OUT THEIR TRAIL CAM. Webcam | The Ranger School | SUNY ESF - Also for fun: Why Colleges Should Not Sell Their Radio Stations - Radio World


PACKBASKET ADVENTURES
– New Year's Eve SPECIAL! Website says: "We are OPEN FOR BUSINESS - Come have a safe and relaxing stay!"


WANAKENA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
– There are a few permanent kiosks that stay up all winter long! Worth a look! C'mon out and take a peek. History Center and The Walking Tour around Wanakena has been CLOSED-UP and TAKEN DOWN for the cold-weather months.

WANAKENA CHURCH – Closed for the season! See you in the spring. Did you know this song was performed and recorded via the Wanakena Church Organ in May 2016? Cranberry Lake | Z Plan (bandcamp.com)

WANAKENA PUBLIC BATHROOM AND DOCK - As of 11/16/22 the BATHROOM IS CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. The old dock has sold! Make way for new! This spring! Great job everyone! In case you or anyone else was wondering: Wanakena Sewar and Wanakena Water are well and in working order as well. Speaking of pickles: Wanakena Saturday Morning Pickleball has wrapped it up for the season; pickle paddles are packed-up!


WANAKENA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
– First time ever: someone had to get paid to mow the cemetery (no volunteers available). 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.

WANAKENACCOMODATIONS - "Where do people stay?" is the question... the answer: IN A TENT. Just kidding - it's more complicated than that. But we'll start with the tent (or hammock, or under stars, etc...) Lots of primitive camping!!!!!! All free and open to the public!!!!!! State Campground when it's open. Looking for more? A roof over-head? Coyote Den Motel in Cranberry Lake. Besides that, Packbasket Adventures Lodge in Wanakena. Wanakena has a number of "vacation" rental homes available. They are all of ADKbyOWNER/AirBnB/VrBo variety -only available during warm months only, usually. It's someone else's place that YOU stay at. In other words: you can't just show up in Wanakena and expect to get a hotel roof under your head. You need to plan accordingly with your fancy pants smart phone. Do an internet search for Wanakena ADKbyOWNER/AirBnB/VrBo rentals and stuff will pop-up.


HAREWOOD
– Snowmobile trails not-yet-open! Clifton Community Library accepting donations for local long-term care residents! Bridgework has FINISHED over the Oswegatchie in Cranberry Lake. Vroom vroom! Neon Sign is hanging back up at Stone Manor... it's now lit up and says: "NO VACANCY". That's almost as funny as the fire department's sign jokes! Clifton Community Library in Cranberry Lake is OPEN six days a week (closed Mondays)! Don't forget about the Book Drop Box at Otto's Abode! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers gearing-up for another season - looking for support! They deserve it: voted BEST club in the STATE last year! FIRST STRIKE CLFD Fishing Derby January 28th, 2023! Lakeside Genral Store has CLOSED for the season. The business has been sold to new owners and we should all be excited to see what happens next! NEW Motel in town! It's called Coyote Den. Right by the Oswegatchie on Rt. 3. The HUB and TILLY'S are still in early developmental stages. Five Ponds Partners kickstarted and initiated port-o-johns at some local trailheads! Tooley Pond Duck Decoy Showroom in Cranberry Lake is OPEN! John Dragun NEON ARTWORK and MORE down in Windfall! Cranberry Lake State Campground is CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. Don't forget about our other nearest-by neighbors to east: Sevey's Point and Thirsty Moose! By January 1, 2025, every operator of a motorized boat in New York State must obtain a boating safety certificate in order to legally operate their boats. There are no age exceptions to this law — and, if you're from out of state, New York will recognize your boating safety course certification.


OUT WEST
- Snowmobile trails not-yet-open! Santa is coming to the Legion Saturday Dec. 17th! Santa will also be at the Fine Fire Hall December 18th! FREE COMMUNITY MEAL at St. Huberts Church Wednesdays at 5PM! Hop on shuttle #22 of the St Lawrence County Volunteer Transportation Bus if you need a lift! Have you heard about the Holy Grail Gift Shop in Star Lake? CCL Book drop has moved from the (CLOSED Coffee Fever) to the Star Lake Community Bank. Clifton-Fine Hometown Heros Banner initiative has been engaged! Banners on rt. 3 like Harrisville, Croghan and more! More information to follow. More info to come. Clifton-Fine Senior Citizens Meeting. Tuesday the 15th around noon at Community Center. Baptist Church of Oswegatchie asking for donations! Star Lake Ice Rink ("Town of Clifton") is HIRING for the upcoming season! GET ON IT!!!! Figure Skating Sign-ups now! Circle K Holiday Tree Elves are coming too. Cranberry Lake Mountaineers gearing-up for another season - looking for support! They deserve it: voted BEST club in the STATE last year! The new Star Lake Church is celebrating ONE YEAR of service! AA every Friday night at SOS 7pm. Western Adirondack Presbyterian Church in Star Lake welcomes you! Largest Adirondack solar project to date goes before APA (adirondackexplorer.org) Coffee Fever has CLOSED. "For good." Yikes! That also means NO CCL book drop-box there - luckily there is one at Otto's Abode in Wanakena. Hillside Diner has recently closed for good, also. Wanakena's closest neighbor, Mountain Gate Redemption near Benson Mines, is having a garage sale soon since they will be closing for good. SCOOPS Ice Cream has closed for the season. Jrecks has closed for the season. Twin Lakes Hotel, American Legion, Todd Hardware are OPEN! Dollar General and Circle J’s in Star Lake are OPEN! SOS is OPEN here and there for programing. CF Golf Course, Clifton-Fine Hospital, Community Bank, Adirondack Pharmacy, Clifton-Fine Community Center OPEN! Still further west in Oswegatchie UB’s, and Adirondack Rustics are open! Green Pinky Farm near Oswegatchie is OPEN! CFCSD Fitness Room: OPEN to community members (paperwork required). Also, the school is ALWAYS hiring, various positions. Lots more to discover on their facebook page. GO EAGLES! Need a good port-a-potty? Call-up the H Brothers! Remember the PACKRAFTING RACE this past summer? Here's a NEW website worth checking out with maps and photos of the race: EMWC 2022 — Packrafting Adventures.


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


THIS TIME LAST YEAR HERE
- Otto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY # 97 - 12/09/21 - 12/15/21 (ottosabode.org).
AND TWO YEARS AGO!!!!! HERE - Otto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #45 - 12/10/20 - 12/16/20 (ottosabode.org)

WHAT ELSE? - 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! How about a SUBMISSION?!! Write “submission” in the subject line if emailing. Wanakena Weekly is archived on our website. www.ottosabode.org Wanakena Weekly is brought to you by the folks at Otto's Abode.



"This winter's weather it waxeth cold, and frost it freezeth on every hill..."
- From the Old English Ballad, The Old Cloak

ONLY ***5*** WANAKENA WEEKLYS LEFT UNTIL WW #156 (that will be THREE years’ worth of WANAKENA WEEKLY).

ADVANCED PRESS - Seven wet inches of the white stuff as of 9:30am Friday. The snow slowed down quite a bit this morning but has picked back up since! No school; snow day!




As of Saturday morning, Wanakena woke up to about a foot (total) of snow! Its wet but not too wet! NICE and COLD ground below, too. Great snow for sculpting and Snow Croquet course is STRONG. Forecast looks cold with no sign of major thaw! Here's a shot from Friday evening: