WANAKENA WEEKLY #159 - 02/09/23 - 02/15/23


Happy Thursday!


WITHINANUTSHELL
- Whiteout Weekend THIS WEEKEND. Get ALL the info on their website: Adirondack WhiteOut Weekend (google.com). Thanks to everyone for helping spread the word! Tomorrow is the big day! Make sure to make your round up to the Labyrinth and at the short-cut from "downtown" to RS Road/BDubbz for special lighted spectacle/experience brought to you by folks of WOW. There will certainly be a change in the weather. AS OF NOW: The croquet course has a base of ice (that is good) also, the harvested snow mounds remain (that is also good.) We will receive some rain tonight, but it won't get too warm. This rain will land on the course and freeze (right?) and then the rain should turn to some sort of snow tomorrow morning/afternoon. This should make everything pretty and give us a nice dusting of snow to buff into the croquet course. GAME ON! And of course, OPEN AIR OPEN MIC tomorrow night 6-9pm. We'll keep it going later into the evening if the demand is there. The campfire will be GOING GOOD! So, wear your best socks, throw on some layers, and enjoy a wild winter evening in Wanakena! Going to be a crispy clear night with stars aglow nearly new moon. IT'S THAT SIMPLE! C'mon out and celebrate Otto's Abode's 7th birthday party and dabble in some Clifton Fine Adirondack Whiteout Weekend activities (SEE FLYER). Saturday looks to be a "beautiful" day (how boring!!!!) and we'll have the campfire going and the Croquet course will be tight! REMINDER: WE'LL BE CLOSED FOR WINTER BREAK NEXT WEEK - WILL RE-OPEN THURSDAY MARCH 2ND! The Cranberry Lake Boat Club ICE OUT contest has begun. SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND! Wanakena is getting some new telephone poles - photo below! Town of Fine crew moved A LOT of snow off of the roads the other day. Scooped up the banks and hucked 'em down in the ditch! Check this out: Store Cranberry Lake | Birch's Lakeside General Store, Campground and Marina (lakesideoncranberry.com) Claude and Ola have a NEW ALBUM here: Hilary Hawke and Claude & Ola (bandcamp.com) Wanakena mentioned in recent article here: Best in snow | News, Sports, Jobs - Adirondack Daily Enterprise Make sure to "CLICK BACK THROUGH THE YEARS" via our 3 YEAR archive of Wanakena Weekly! See WOW of the past! Regular Town Board Meeting Second Wednesday, March 8th @ 6:30 Star Lake. Here’s a link to the most recent town board meeting minutes HERE: Town Of Fine: Minutes: February 08, 2023: February Meeting Minutes [Digital Towpath] Today's Ice Jam Danger remains LOW (two years in a row without an ice jam).



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)


CLIFTON-FINE ADIRONDACK WHITE OUT WEEKEND 2023
- !!!!HOLY MOLY!!!!! It is happening!!!!! Whiteout Weekend ALWAYS lands on Presidents Day Weekend and this year it is February 17th and 18th! Check the website!!!! Check the facebook!!!! CHECK YOURSELF!!!! Bundle-up and get your ass out here!!!!!! Adirondack White Out Weekend | Wanakena NY | Facebook and Adirondack WhiteOut Weekend - Area Info (google.com)



DOWN AT THE ABODE
- OTTO'S ABODE 7TH BIRTHDAY BASH FRIDAY NIGHT! ICE JAMBOREE! BUNDLE UP WHILE THE MERCURY GOES DOWN! CAMPFIRE ALL WEEKEND! Reminder: MATT GWIZDALA WILL BE THERE! That's right. YOU can meet the artist responsible for the fantastic gwiztastic paintings we've been showcasing here at Otto's for the past few months. OPEN AIR OPEN MIC out in ZPARK Friday, Feb 17th, 2023, 6pm - 9pm. WE'LL HAVE THE FULL SETUP! GUITAR, BASS, MICS, THE WORKS. This event is held in conjunction with Otto's Abode's SEVENTH Birthday Bash and Clifton-Fine Adirondack White Out Weekend. Campfire and Snow Croquet ALL WEEKEND! DONT FORGET: we'll be here saturday tending to the campfire and whacking those balls! Oh yeah... this is important too: We're taking a WINTER BREAK! Yes, That's right. We'll be CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY FEB 20 - MARCH 1st. Will be back open Thursday, March 2nd!!!! No more FLOWJAK. Produce rack is STOCKED with a bunch of fresh Juniper Hill greens'n'gourds and more. Organic farm eggs $5.75! Swickamillo Sourdough every Saturday morning and random baked goods throughout the week. Fresh Cheese Curd. Got some great gifts from local crafters here in the shop. Lots more to look at! Not a bad place to hang out, ether. C'mon down to Wanakena and poke around a bit! Otto's Abode is a self-proclaimed Adirondack Art-Centric Travel Agency an Inconvenience Store. Why be a square when you could be a deconstructed cube?





ABODE CONTINUED
- REMINDER: WE'LL BE CLOSED FOR WINTER BREAK NEXT WEEK - WILL RE-OPEN THURSDAY MARCH 2ND! Sure, shopping at a big box store saves you a few bucks, but does it help save a small business like Otto's Abode? What are you really saving? If you are ABLE to shop small and shop local, every bit counts. Thanks! Fresh produce stocked all year long. Dry, cooled and frozen groceries galore. Bread, milk, eggs. Beer cave with other sixty varieties of beer, seltzers, hard cider and more! Ice cream, candy and snacks. HOT coffee and tea as well. TONS of Maps for browsing and/or buying. Check out our books, music and art supplies. Fishing, camping, hiking knickknacks. Gifts, goodies and more! "Where's the Art?" Open your eyes! On top of buying/selling stuff we provide local information about events and trail conditions to the best of our knowledge and have often helped outdoor recreationists in a pinch; the cool kids call it a "Trail Center" these days. Community message board out front. Clifton Community Library DROP BOX on the porch. Wee-Kena Library on the porch as well - take a book, leave a book. Missing something? Perhaps what you've lost is in our lost and found? We have every issue of Bargain Hunter from 2018 - Present. And don't forget: Wanakena Weekly online every week! Missed a week? No problem.... CHECK THE THREE-YEAR ARCHIVE! Cheers to us and cheers to you. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to go out of the way to support small, local, family-owned businesses!



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 The business and property are for sale. Check the website.

RANGER SCHOOL - 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

PACKBASKET ADVENTURES – Website says: "For the comfort and safety of our guests and ourselves, we accept reservations only from those with proof of complete COVID vaccination and booster(s). Come have a relaxing stay in safe environment!" Adirondack Lodgings & Adirondack Guide Services: Old fashioned Adirondack Lodge & Guide Services Packbasket Adventures - Packbasket Adventures

WANAKENA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION – Big white pine branch in the yard... who gonna cut it up?!?! 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 - will re-open end of June 2023. Home (wanakena.com)

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? Keen Dream | Z Plan (bandcamp.com)

WANAKENA PUBLIC BATHROOM AND DOCK - Funds for the NEW WANAKENA DOCK have been fully raised thanks to donations big and small! Get ready! Here it comes! The old dock has sold! Make way for new this spring. As of 11/16/22 the BATHROOM IS CLOSED FOR THE SEASON. 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 - As the Zplan song goes: "I got the Hotel Wanakena tryna' find a place to stay-a blues" but less-poetically and more often heard: "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
– White Out Weekend events on the horizon! Plan accordingly! Adirondack WhiteOut Weekend (google.com) Check this out! Store Cranberry Lake | Birch's Lakeside General Store, Campground and Marina (lakesideoncranberry.com) The Cranberry Lake Boat Club ICE OUT contest has begun. SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers voted BEST club in the STATE last year! 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! Bridgework has FINISHED over the Oswegatchie in Cranberry Lake. Vroom vroom! 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 (CLOSED FOR WINTER)! 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 and will do it again next year! 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
- White Out Weekend events on the horizon! Plan accordingly! Adirondack WhiteOut Weekend (google.com) UB's has live minnows and more! Star Lake Ice Rink ("Town of Clifton") is making ice when they can! Though, it's not looking good.... BUMMER! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers voted BEST club in the STATE last year. 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! Wanakena's closest neighbor, Mountain Gate Redemption near Benson Mines, is open. Western Adirondack Presbyterian Church in Star Lake welcomes you! Quilt Fest folks meet at the Presbyterian Church a couple times a week - join in! 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! Have you heard about the Holy Grail Gift Shop opening up this spring 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. AA every Friday night at SOS 7pm. 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. SCOOPS Ice Cream has closed for the season. Jrecks has closed for the season. Check out Green Pinky Farm near Oswegatchie! 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!


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

THIS TIME LAST YEAR HEREOtto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #106 - 02/10/22 - 02/16/22 (ottosabode.org)

AND TWO YEARS AGO, HEREOtto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #54 - 02/11/21 - 02/17/21 (ottosabode.org)

AND THREE YEARS AGO, HEREOtto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY # 2 - 02/13/20 - 02/19/20 (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. 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!




“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; re-made all the time, made new.” - 
Ursula K. Le Guin