Happy Thursday!
WITHINANUTSHELL - *Cough cough* Hello everybody! We went from dry and clear scorching heat to cold dank haze this past week. Wanakena Water Company saw a record for daily use. We finally got some rain! More on the way. Forest is still dry! Be careful with fires! And don't forget about all that invasive species stuff! Clean yer boat, clean yet boots, etc... Almost bass season! Temps have DROPPED. Mosquitos have been heavy so far this spring! Have been and continue to be. A lot of players out on the court mallet-in-hand, balls-in-pockets; hittin sticks, wicket clicks. COMING SOON! The next big event: Wanakena History Center OPENS June 17th - big party with live music, reimagined and dramatized local lore, sound effects, smells, food, NEW Trappers Exhibit and MOREEEEE! ALSO, hype-soup stewing soon after: FOURTH OF JULY in Wanakena and CLBC 5k. A week later: JAGUARDINI LIVE IN WANAKENA. Until then, it's a peaceful June in Wanakena. Oh yeah, and the smoke wasn't too bad and has since lifted. CARRY ON! Regular Town Board Meeting Second Wednesday, June 14th @ 6:30 Star Lake. Here’s a link to the most recent town board meeting minutes HERE: Town Of Fine: Minutes: May 10, 2023: May Town Board Meeting [Digital Towpath]. We are less than a year away from the SUPER LOCAL Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024! Get up here! Today's Ice Jam Danger remains LOW (THREE 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)
SCRAPE THAT BRIDGE - Footbridge Maintenance - The Wanakena Historical Association is spearheading a volunteer effort to scrape, prime and paint the foot bridge over the next two years. The plan is to scrape the bridge this year and undertake priming and painting next summer. This timeline will allow the pressure treated wood used for construction of the bridge time to dry more thoroughly by leaving exposed for the season……which will ensure the next round of painting sticks! The Ranger School has generously offered use of their barge the last week of June (June 26-30). The barge will be set under the bridge, allowing access to the exterior and bottom surfaces. We will have tarps set up from the bridge cross beams to the barge to catch the scrapings, as well as a floating boom across the river to catch any debris that makes it into the water. If you can spare a few hours to assist with this project, it would be greatly appreciated. There is a sign-up sheet in Otto’s, or you can call me at 802-272-5547, or email bethdaut@gmail.com. Please bring a scraper if you have one. Thank you! - Bitsy Daut
DOWN AT THE ABODE - All welcome to a Tuesday night of experimental music out in the forest of the foothills along the Oswegatchie River in Wanakena, NY. The disco light will be spinning in the Gazebo at 7:00 p.m. on July 11. You are invited and encouraged to join Otto’s Abode as they welcome the return of Jaguardini. Perhaps some of you will remember—from five years ago—the electronic grooves, guitar shreds, film projection, bodily decoration and physical amplification through oscillation, and more. Virginia-based Jaguardini is currently on a summer tour that will range from Florida to Montreal and heaping handfuls of stops and stays in between. Welcoming Jaguardini to the stage are local north country noise enablers Claude and Ola. The artistic shapeshifting of Claude and Ola has a good chunk of their most recent available-attention as co-founders and members of Public Service Initiative, a Potsdam, NY-based free jazz ensemble. What else? Otto’s Abode encourages $5 – $15 suggested donation help make projects like this possible! No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Rain or Shine! Ask about camping! More info: Experimental Music to Rock the Stage in Wanakena - CRANBERRY B[L]OG (cranberryblog.org)
ABODE CONTINUED - Open Air Open Mic out in the gazebo every last Saturday of the month through October!!!!! You know we're here! You know we're open! Don't wait for a Facebook post to tell you to do so! "Forget the herd!" C'mon down to our inconvenience store! Sure, shopping at a big box store saves you a few bucks, but does it help a small business such as Otto's Abode? What are you really saving? Why is the stuff so cheap? It makes our stuff seem "expensive". THINK ABOUT IT!!!! We're not telling you NOT to shop BIG, but if you are ABLE to shop small and shop local, every bit counts. Thanks! Got some great gifts from local artists/crafters here in the shop. Maple Syrup! Worms and Crawlers! FRESH PRODUCE! stocked all year long. Organic farm eggs! Swickamillo Sourdough every Saturday morning and random baked goods throughout the week. 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. We've heard word CL50 maps and guidebooks won't be available for another month or two - ass soon as they are available, we will have them! Check out our books, music and art supplies. Fishing, camping, hiking knickknacks. Gifts, goodies and more! "Where's the Art?" Open your eyes! Did you know? We rent bear canisters - they make a conga-like great drum too! Hot off the press: Otto's Abode was awarded $15,000 from the SLC IDA for refrigeration upgrades! 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. CROQUET EVERY DAY if you want to! "Where's the art?"... seriously?!?! Occasional campfires. What else? "Quality service year-round!" Yep, that's right - we're out here open and hopin' you'll be out and about and looking to poke your head in the shop and perhaps spend a little of that hard-earned dough! 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. Broadcasting LIVE from the back room of Otto's Abode WANA 87.9fm THE GOOSE. HONK HONK! (temporarily "down".) 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! Why be a square when you could be a deconstructed cube? Blah blah blah. Concerning ART: Are tubes of paint not studio assistants?
MARTIN'S MESSAGE - We have the first Spring seeded spinach at the stand starting today along with the first field lettuce. The lettuce heads are still teenagers so are fairly small and taste delicious. We have generous amount of cucumbers from today’s picking (about 4 bushels) We also have the normal asparagus, herbs, rhubarb scallions etc. I hope that we get a good rain as the fields are really dry and the air seems hazy and smoky like it needs a good washing. I wonder if the smokiness could be from the wildfires in Canada. The strawberries are not close to ready yet. They normally start around June 14-18th time window. We had a freeze a few weeks ago that damaged most of the earliest flowers so it looks like what would have been the first 1 or 2 pickings will be nothing. There are lots of small green berries on the rest of the flowers. These huge temperature swings and no rain are not ideal either so I expect a mediocre strawberry season- not disaster, not awesome. - Daniel
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. Marty S. "retired" and can often be seen "supervising."
PACKBASKET ADVENTURES – "We are open year-round by reservation to adults and children 12 yrs. and older." Adirondack Lodgings & Adirondack Guide Services: Old fashioned Adirondack Lodge & Guide Services Packbasket Adventures - Packbasket Adventures
RANGER SCHOOL - Summer Session started last MONDAY. ESF students FORCED to Wanakena for a month! Only the strong survive. Ranger School hiring various. 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. Cool map of trails: James F. Dubuar Memorial Forest Trail Map | Trailforks CHECK OUT THEIR TRAIL CAM. Webcam | The Ranger School | SUNY ESF
WANAKENA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION – June 17th! Party at the History Center!!!! Food and NEW Trappers Exhibition to follow! Common Thread Wanakena Quilt Fest Labor Day Weekend! There are a few permanent kiosks that stay up all winter long! Worth a look! C'mon out and take a peek. History Center has been CLOSED-UP and TAKEN DOWN for the cold-weather months - will all re-open end of June 2023. Home (wanakena.com)
WANAKENA CHURCH – LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN!!!! LIVE MUSIC AND THEATRICAL READING OF MAN OF THE WOODS: JUNE 17th IN CONJUNTION WITH THE HISTORY CENTER SEASONAL RE-OPENING!!! Stay tuned for more info. 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 - OUTDOOR PUBLIC BATHROOM OPEN! NO SMOKING IN THE BATHROOM! PLEASE DONT DUMP YOUR GARBAGE IN THEIR EITHER! "NEW Dock is there, floating and boating, no overnight docking. Also: Wanakena Sewar and Wanakena Water are well and in working order. Speaking of pickles: Wanakena Saturday Morning Pickleball HAS RESUMED SATURDAY MORNINGS ALL SUMMER - TALK TO JERRY C.! Croquet in ZPark ALL YEAR LONG; whack'em balls! Speaking of ZPARK: CLIFTON FINE SUMMER SERIES LINE-UP ANNOUNCED!! If feeling so inclined write checks to C.F.E.D.C. (Clifton Fine Economic Development Corporation) with "Cultural Arts" in the memo. DOWN AT JACNACKS THEY SAY YOU CAN HEAR THEM PLAY ALL THE WAY. CLIFTON FINE ARTS.
WANAKENA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION – 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 start with the tent (or hammock, or under stars, etc...) Lots of primitive camping!!!!!! All free and open to the public!!!!!! Don't forget about the Town of Fine Wanakena Primitive Campground and Picnic Area on South Shore Road by Cat Mountiain trailhead. Always: 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. Perhaps plan accordingly with your fancy pants smart phone. Do an internet search for Wanakena ADKbyOWNER/AirBnB/VrBo rentals and stuff will pop-up. Also, check it out: Massawepie Boy Scout Camp has rentals in the offseason - seek and you will find. Tent on a hillside.
HAREWOOD – Cranberry B[l]og is BACK! Go Local - CRANBERRY B[L]OG (cranberryblog.org) Their NEW is by US and another post mentions OTTO'S ABODE! "Go Local!" Or in other words: "Proof Is In The Pudding!" Birch's Lakeside is OPEN!!! They had an ICE CREAM TRUCK and BOUNCY HOUSE!!!!! News: NO TILLY'S THIS SUMMER BUT PROBABLY NEXT SUMMER! Coyote Den OPEN! Cranberry Lake History and Heritage Center OPEN first Fridays of the month 10-2pm. Clifton Community Library has PICKEBALL this saturdays at 10AM! ART on display from Clifton-Fine Central School - OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK! The library has announced their summer events! Don't forget about utilizing the Library Book Drop Box at Otto's Abode - it's a fantastic service brought to you by Library folk! Cranberry Lake Hub has announced LIVE MUSIC with KNOTTY PADDY in July, has invited Adirondack Explorer to talk about journalism and is "... accepting building and grounds use requests for the summer starting now." Tooley Pond Duck Decoy Showroom in Cranberry Lake is OPEN! Cranberry Lake Boat Club events this the summer: Fourth of July 5k, POKER PADDLE JULY 22nd!!!!!! NEW Cranberry Community Center Webcam! gotsnowcams.com - New York paul@NorthernChateau@.com. CLFD Backwoods Craft Fair July 14 and 15! Cranberry Lake Art Show August 11th, 12th, 13th! Cranberry Lake State Campground now takes walk-in registration from now on - WHAT TOOK SO LONG? Bridgework has FINISHED over the Oswegatchie in Cranberry Lake. Vroom vroom! Five Ponds Partners kickstarted and initiated port-o-johns at some local trailheads and will do it again next year! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers voted BEST club in the STATE last year - TRAILS closed! Great job everyone! John Dragun NEON ARTWORK and MORE down in Windfall! Don't forget about our other nearest-by neighbors to east: Sevey's Point and Thirsty Moose in Childwold! Speaking of lakes: 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. KAPEESH?!
OUT WEST - SUMMER YOGA at the Clifton Fine Community Center EVERY FRIDAY starting June 2nd! Friday June 16th FARMERS MARKET at the Hospital in Star Lake! Jrecks open? SCOOPS in Star Lake has OPENED for the season! ADK Holy Grail Gift Shop is OPEN!!!! Golf Course got a NEW lawn mower! Green Pinky Farm is GREENING-UP! SOS Crochet Club Sundays 1-4 -stay tuned for more events all year long! Clifton-Fine HOMETOWN HERO Banner initiative has LAUNCHED! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers voted BEST club in the STATE last year - TRAILS closed! Great job everyone! Star Lake Fire Dept! 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! Twin Lakes Hotel, American Legion, Todd Hardware are OPEN! Dollar General and Circle J’s in Star Lake are OPEN! CF Golf Course, Clifton-Fine Hospital, Community Bank OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK - CHA CHING, Adirondack Pharmacy, Clifton-Fine Community Center OPEN! Still further west in Oswegatchie UB’s, and Adirondack Rustics are open (HOME OF THE LEGENDARY "BARGAIN HUNTER" NEWSPAPER)! Fine Fire Department! CCL Book drop has moved from the (CLOSED Coffee Fever) to the Star Lake Community Bank. AA every Friday night at SOS 7pm. Largest Adirondack solar project to date goes before APA (adirondackexplorer.org) Star Lake Ice Rink ("Town of Clifton") did NOT open this winter.... bummer! Heard some Ranger School Squirrels got to use it. CFCSD Fitness Room and OPEN GYM: 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? Five Ponds Partners got 'em out at the trail heads! Call-up the H Brothers! What else? J&L / Benson Mines History | Facebook What else? LOTS! NEWTON FALLS - The Post Office (13666) opened March 13th, 1896 in Newton Falls. Robust Paper Mill Facebook group here: Newton Falls Paper Mill | Facebook
KIM AND TOMS LOST DOG REPORT - As of today, there are NO lost dogs in Wanakena. Woof Woof! Not only do these two Fine folks work their tails off to report about lost dogs.... they drive all the way into a different ZIP code to Cranberry Lake to water the new plants at The HUB! Can someone teach those Harewood folks how to use a garden hose?!?!? UPDATE: Jack and Nann will be trucking it over to give the plants a drink as well!
THIS TIME LAST YEAR HERE - Otto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #122 - 06/02/22 - 06/08/22 (ottosabode.org)
AND TWO YEARS AGO, HERE - Otto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #70 – 06/03/21 - 06/09/21 (ottosabode.org)
AND THREE YEARS AGO, HERE - Otto's Abode: WANAKENA WEEKLY #18 - 05/04/20 - 06/10/20 (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!
"But what on earth is half so dear - so longed for - as the hearth of the home?" Emily Bronte (1818 - 1848)