Happy Thursday!
Hello everybody! We've made it past Oktoberfeast Weekend! Pretty much past peak foliage, sure... BUT STILL LOTS O BEAUTY! The local hiking trails have been getting used, that's for sure! SOME OF THE BEST HIKING AND CAMPING OF THE YEAR! This should go without saying: YOU CANT LAND YOUR HELICOPTER ON CAT MOUNTIAN, OR OLMSTEAD POND, OR ANYWHERE IN THE WILDERNESS UNLESS IT'S AN EMERGENCY! The FEAST was splendid... WOW THAT WAS A LOT OF CROCK POTS! AND THE WEATHER WAS GREAT! (We've gotten some much needed rain since!) A book end to summer, indeed. Public Dock and Bathroom STILL OPEN! This past weekend the Wanakena History Center has closed its doors for the cold weather months. Droves of second-home owners in Wanakena have drained the water out of the pipes, boarded it up, powdered it down and shut it off till spring; boats are out of the water for sure. Just like the leaves on the trees and migrating birds: change is upon us... and coming fast. Frosty mornings become more prevalent as fewer and fewer leaves remain suspended by the branch. There is a wonderful sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after a long and busy summer season. The change of season comes right on time and with a loving embrace of the change of pace. Some might view it as "over" but we know it as our way of life. Sometimes "nothing going on" is just what the doctor ordered. And nothing is something, isn't it? Curly dried leaves blow down main street. All afternoon. Cheers to what's behind us and what's to come. And as you longtime readers know... We're still here and open all year! The weather forecast for THIS upcoming weekend looks enjoyable for getting out and about and enjoying some fresh air! Otto's Abode is stocked-up with all sorts of groceries, gear, goodies and gifts! WHY DON'T YOU STOP IN AND SPEND SOME TIME AND MONEY! Coming up in a couple weeks: Z-Park Halloween SpookTronic Open Mic Costume Spectacular is just a couple weeks away! Saturday November 1st 6-9PM! There was A LOT of talent at last month's open mic AND WE EXPECT THE SAME THIS TIME AROUND! TEN MINUTE SLOTS TO SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT! ALL FORMS OF TALENT ENCOURAGED! SPECTATORS WELCOME! COSTUMES PLEEEEEEEASE! After this, Open Mic takes a break until WHITEOUT WEEKEND! It will also be our TENTH BIRTHDAY BASH ICE JAM-BOREE! Friday Feburary 13th 2026! Before all that, though you can jot down some other dates: WINTER SOLSTICE EVE CELEBRATION Saturday December 21st! AND OF COURSE... NEW YEARS EVE MIDNIGHT BALL DROP! Coming up at The Legion in Star Lake for the rest of October LOTS OF STUFF: Halloween fun, Taco Parties, Meet the Candidates, LOTS OF STUFF!
HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYBODY! SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY OVER AND NOW'S THE TIME WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED AND CONSISTANT BUSINESS MORE THAN EVER! IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE DO PLEASE CONSIDER COMING ON DOWN AND BROWSING OUR WIDE ARAY OF GROCERY ITEMS! CHECK OUT OUR ROBUST SELECTION OF MAPS BOOKS AND GUIDES THAT FOCUS ON THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE AND HISTORY! WALK-IN COOLER WITH OVER SIXTY VARIETIES OF BEER, CIDER, N.A. AND MORE! WHETHER YOU'RE STOPPING IN FOR HOT COFFEE, QUICK LUNCH, LAST-MINUTE DINNER IDEAS OR DOING SOME GOOD OLD GIFT AND GEAR SHOPPING, THANKS FOR CHOOSING TO TAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO SHOP AT OTTO'S ABODE! QUALITY INCONVENIENCE SINCE 2016! AND DONT FORGET... OPEN AIR OPEN MIC SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1ST 6-9PM! RAIN OR SHINE! IN BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC WANAKENA, NY! GATEWAY TO WILDERNESS AT THE MOUTH OF CRANBERRY LAKE! NORTHWESTERN ADIRONDACKS IN SOUTHERN ST.LAWRENCE COUNTY! WE'RE OPEN AND HOPING YOU'LL STOP BY AND COME FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND PERHAPS WHAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT! CHEERS FROM YOU'RE FAVORITE YEAR-ROUND INCONVENIENCE STORE AND MORE! THANKS FOR SHOPPING LOCAL!
RISE AND SHINE CLIFTON-FINE... Starting from the west... Historic Fine Town Hall Building in Fine Village seeking input for its use and future! Fine Volunteer Fire Dept and Post Office! Lodge at Dodge Pond IS FOR SALE. UBs Mercantile and ADK Rustics in Oswegatchie (Home of The Bargain Hunter!) are OPEN! Oswegatchie Baptist Church Community Garden GROWING! Around Star Lake: Star Lake's ADK Holy Grail gift shoppe OPEN with A GIANT LOON out front!! ADK Pharmacy OPEN. EARTH MOVING AT THE OLD CONCESSION STAND. Clifton Fine Central School GO EAGLES! Fitness Center at the school is open M-F 5-8am & 5-10pm and weekends 5-10pm! Community Bank OPEN! Clifton Fine Hospital OPEN and HOPIN' you're healthy! They raised enough money to expand - check out their live construction camera! And look out for Food Truck Thursdays and Farmers Markets in the summer! Dollar General OPEN! Twin Lakes OPEN! CF Arena HAD A GREAT WINTER! Golf Course CLUB GRUB at the CLUB HOUSE has BREAKFAST LUNCH AND DINNER They are closed for the winter but will be back! CF Golf Course OPEN!! Star Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Water works! SOS Adirondack Exhibit Center EVENTS HAPPENING... stay tuned! Every Friday Night, open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous at the Schoolhouse 7PM. Clifton-Fine Community Center and Food Pantry & Free "Community Meal" Wednesdays! Todd Hardware OPEN and FOR SALE!!!!!! Coffee Fever SOLD? Circle Jays OPEN! What's The Scoop Star Lake Scoops ICE CREAM! American Legion OPEN and REFURBISHED with LOTS OF EVENTS! Newton Falls Giving Box & Post Office & Community Church OPEN. PAPER MILL CLOSED! BENSON MINES CLOSED! Mountain Gate Plaza Bottle Hometown General Store, Deli and Redemption Center OPEN JUST DOWN THE ROAD at CLIFTON CORNERS bottle redemption no longer in operation! Down in Wanakena Packbasket Adventures Lodge and Event Space in Wanakena OPEN... with NEW OWNERSHIP TRIVIA NIGHT EVERY FIRST TUESDSAY OF THE MONTH!! Mary holds down 13695 Wanakena Post Office - Clifton Community Library Book Drop Box and Lost and Found and MORE out-front on Otto's Porch! OTTO'S ABODE OPEN ALL YEAR DOWN HERE!
Wanakena Ranger School class of 2026 IN SESSION!! Wanakena Historical Association has closed the History Center for the winter! BUMMER! Don't forget about the Wanakena Walking Tour and Labyrinth trailheads campground AND MORE! Clifton-Fine Summer Series in ZPARK SUMMERTIME check it out CLIFTON FINE ARTS. Common Thread Quilt Fest Labor Day Weekend! Out in Harewood: Wooden Fish Hathery OPEN! Billy's BLACK LIGHT ART SHOW this past Halloween! Cranberry Lake Volunteer Fire Department! Down in Windfall Wooden Fish Hatchery and Dragun Designs! Birch's Lakeside OPEN! Tilly's? Cranberry Lake Art Show 2026 GET READY!! Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub (AT THE OLD CHURCH) hosts space use, dock use, summer concerts and summer lectures! Clifton Community Library OPEN! Cranberry Lake Boat Club summer events! CHECK OUT THE Cranberry Lake DEC Campground! Cranberry Lake Mountaineers Snowmobile Club, check 'em out! THEY HAVE A GREAT LISTING OF LOCAL YEAR-ROUND RENTALS ON THEIR WEBSITE! Grasse River Railway has created a NEW MAP and is OPEN FOR USE! Sevey's Point at Sevey's Corner OPEN. Thirsty Moose Childwold OPEN with new owners coming soon?!! ROLL SNOWPACKERS ROLL! Childwold Presbyterian Church though September 15th! And don't forget... Back West: 2E's, Golden Glow, Edwards Opera House, Jim's Auto in South Edwards OPEN! Plum Brook Cafe in Russell OPEN! Jockos in Degrasse OPEN and re-painted and hosting SUNDAY FUNDAYS!! CLIFTON-FINE RT. 3 CORRIDOR ROLL-CALL ROUND-UP! We're Southern St. Lawrence County. We're Northwestern Adirondacks. We're BOTH. We're NEITHER! WE'RE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-LESS! WILD WEST! GREAT SOUTH WOODS WAY SOUTH OF THE ROCK! ALL THAT STUFF! OH YEAH! (Who's missing? What's stale? Les us know! Zoom Zoom!) Also... if you appreciate the work put into these newsletters (and Otto's Abode in general) consider donating something extra to the cause! We're on VENMO as Otto's Abode. Or as Click and Clack used to say: Write our address on a twenty-dollar bill and mail it to us!
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Those few pale Autumn Flowers, How beautiful they are than all that went before, than all the Summer store, how lovelier far! And why? They are the last – The last! – the last – the last! O, by that little word how many thoughts are stirred! That sister of the past! - Unknown
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