WANAKENA WEEKLY #195 - 10/19/23 - 10/25/23

Happy Thursday!

WITHINANUTSHELL - Reporting from Otto's Abode in WANAKENA, and are open all year long! Thanks A TON to the folks who are able to take the time out of their days to go out of their ways to support this and other small family-owned businesses. Thanks for the kind words and helping to keep keep it all a float! It has been a BEAUTIFUL Autumn, has it not? Few weeks back we had that long stretch of "perfect" and have enjoyed lots of wonderful Fall days since. Still lots a colorful leaves on the trees - tamarack turning gold, what a sight! Migrating birds passing through. Four-pack of raccoons ramble round town. Any deer out there? We have NOT yet had a good hard frost. Looks like we may wake up to one early next week, though. A couple from Nebraska came out from four days back there and reported mostly pleasurable solitude. WEAR ORANGE IN THE WOODS! Mules! Weather for this weekend begins WET but looks to dry off JUST IN TIME FOR OPEN MIC! Tell your friends, come on out to WANAKENA! Don't forget.... place your order on Monday for Packbasket Adventures' Take-Out dinners hot and ready Thursday and/or Friday nights! Regular Town Board Meeting Second Wednesday, November 8th @ 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]. We are less than a year away from the SUPER LOCAL Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024! Plan on it! Get up here! Today's Ice Jam Danger remains LOW (THREE years in a row without an ice jam). KIM AND TOMS LOST DOG REPORT - As of today, there are NO lost dogs in Wanakena. 

DOWN AT THE ABODE - Heads-up: !!!!!WE WILL BE CLOSED WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 15TH!!!!! This weekend...  OPEN AIR OPEN MIC FULL MOON HALLOWEENIE COSTUME PARTY THIS SATURDAY OCT 28th 6-9PM!!!!! LAST OPEN MIC OF THE SEASON!!!!!! Dont miss this oportunity to see some local talent and perhaps share some of your own! ON VIEW - CHOCK CHECK (KEYS TO THE CITY). More info to come. We have in-stock the BRAND-NEW 2nd edition Cranberry Lake 50 Guidebook. Happy to mail one to you - let us know. ON THE SHELVES: Fresh produce, bread, milk, eggs, groceries, frozen meats, cheese, ice cream, candy. Beer cave with other sixty varieties of beer, seltzers, hard cider and more! Hot coffee, and tea. Swickamillo Sourdough every Saturday morning and random baked goods throughout the week. Maps galore! Books, music, art supplies. Fishing, camping, hiking knickknacks. Gifts, goodies and more! We rent bear canisters. All sorts of ART and GLORIFIED junk on-display throughout the shop. Out on the porch you'll find a community message board, a Clifton Community Library DROP BOX and the Wee-Kena Library. Out in ZPARK you can have a picnic and play CROQUET EVERY DAY if you want to! ALL YEAR LONG! Mallets-in-hand, balls-in-pockets; hittin' sticks, wicket clicks. Occasional campfires and home of the Clifton-Fine Summer Music Series. And don't forget: THREE YEARS of Wanakena Weekly archived on our website. 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?

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.

PACKBASKET ADVENTURES – Lodge open for business and PICK-UP DINNERS TO-GO Thursday and Friday nights - place your order Monday. Visit their website for more information: www.packbasketadventures.com

WANAKENACCOMODATIONS - "Where do people stay?" is the question. The aforementioned Packbasket Adventures Lodge in Wanakena is a great option. Also, there are all sorts of AirBnB/VRBO/ADKbyOWNER/ places - some are open year-round (Suzie's Guesthouse and Legacy Stays), most are not. Coyote Den Motel, Birch's Lakeside Campground and the Cranberry Lake State Campground are near-by options. And of course: Lots of primitive camping all around in Wilderness/Wild Forest State Parcels - all free and open to the public, first come first serve... LEAVE NO TRACE - CARRY IT IN CARRY IT OUT. Don't forget about the Town of Fine Wanakena Primitive Campground and Picnic Area on South Shore Road by Cat Mountain trailhead.

RANGER SCHOOL - Class of 2024 in session! Visit their website for more information: www.esf.edu/rangerschool

WANAKENA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION – Get out here and check out that footbridge! Although the History Center is CLOSED for the cold-weather months, there are numerous informational kiosks located around town for you viewing pleasure all year long.

WANAKENA CHURCH – Sunday services have concluded for the 2023 season.

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.

TOWN OF FINE WANAKENA CAMPGROUND AND PICNIC AREA - First come first serve. Please leave no trace and carry in what you carry out.

WANAKENA PLAYGROUND - Is in good shape! Lots of Pickle Ball played there this past summer.

WANAKENA SEWER AND WATER - Are operational!

WANAKENA PUBLIC BATHROOM AND DOCK - Public bathroom remains open but will close for the cold-weather months. AS OF 10/24/23 THE PUBLIC DOCK HAS BEEN MOVED TO ITS WINTER HIBERNATION LOCATION! 

HAREWOOD – Clifton Community Library open Tuesday - Saturday. 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! Coyote Den Motel OPEN! Down in Windfall you'll find the Tooly Pond Wooden Fish Hatchery & Duck Decoy Showroom and John Dragun Neon shop OPEN for business. Snowing yet? Cranberry Lake Mountaineers gearing up for another great season of snowmobiling. Birch's Lakeside has closed for the season. Cranberry Lake State Campground closed through May 16th, 2024. Tilly's summer 2024? Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub protects the historic church & grounds promote regional info and tourism/shopping Facebook stuff on Facebook. Cranberry Lake Boat Club still floatin'! 2024 Cranberry Lake Art Show August 10th and 11th! Don't forget about our other nearest-by neighbors to east: Sevey's Point and Thirsty Moose in Childwold! 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 - Friday night Halloween Party at Twin Lakes! This SATURDAY the 28th! 2-4pm Truck or Treat at the Star Lake Fire Department! Halloween Party at The Legion Saturday night with DJ Troy!!! NOVEMBER 4th, 9am - 3pm Holiday Bazaar at St Huberts. NEW OWNERS at the old Mountain Gate Redemption center near Benson Mines and also NEW OWNERS at the old Little River Shop. ADK Holy Grail Gift Shop, Twin Lakes Hotel, American Legion, Todd Hardware, Adirondack Pharmacy, Community Bank, Dollar General and Circle J’s in Star Lake are OPEN! New York State's smallest hospital - Clifton-Fine Hospital - is open! CFCSD Fitness Room and OPEN GYM: OPEN to community members (paperwork required). GO EAGLES! Further west in Oswegatchie UB’s, Green Pinky Farm and Adirondack Rustics (HOME OF THE LEGENDARY "BARGAIN HUNTER" NEWSPAPER) are open! Alcoholics Anonymous Friday nights 7pm @SOS. Hop on shuttle #22 of the St Lawrence County Volunteer Transportation Bus if you need a lift! FREE COMMUNITY MEAL at St. Huberts Church Wednesdays at 5PM! Community "Giving" Box down in Newton Falls. Cranberry Lake Mountaineers are gearing up for another fantastic season of snowmobiling! Fingers-crossed for the Town of Clifton Star Lake Ice Rink will have ice this winter!

WHAT ELSE? - Like what you're reading? Tell a friend to tune-in as well! 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!

"To ensure never being hungry, lick a piece of bacon when the moon is full." - unknown