Only Fifth of Six

Findley Lake 12/3/11

2011-12-06T14:10:00.001-05:00

This is the latest we've ever kayaked on Findley Lake. Part of the lake was covered with a breakable layer of ice - which of course we had to navigate through. Really crunchy on the sides of the boats.

Great Lakes Tour - Beloit

2011-08-22T21:23:00.000-04:00

August 21-22, 2011
Left Michigan Sunday. Picked up Martin at O’Hare as we drove through Chicago. Visited the Porter Grandparents in Beloit Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Stayed at the Beloit Inn - view from our room across the Rock River of the Beloit Iron Works buildings. Dropped Martin back at the airport Monday on our way back to Oberlin. Total driving for this trip - 2,700 miles - slightly more than if we had driven from Oberlin to the Pacific coast of California.

Great Lakes Tour - Michigan

2011-08-20T21:23:00.000-04:00

August 18-20, 2011
Our Michigan experience. After leaving Canada we stayed Thursday night at Sid and Nancy’s house on Lake Huron near Port Hope. Friday morning we toured the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse where Sid and Nancy volunteer. Stayed that night at Bob and Barb’s cottage on Houghton Lake. Saturday we visited Judy and Steve near Traverse City - inspected their evolving cottage on Long Lake. Stayed that night at the Boulevard Inn in St. Joseph on Lake Michigan.

Great Lakes Tour - Gananoque

2011-08-18T21:22:00.000-04:00

August 17-18, 2011
Stayed Wednesday night at the Granaoque Inn near where the St. Lawrence River connects with Lake Ontario. Thursday we drove along the lake shore, taking the ferry to Picton on Prince Edward, and then got hung up in horrendous traffic in Toronto.

Great Lakes Tour - St. Lawrence River

2011-08-17T21:21:00.000-04:00

August 17, 2011
Wednesday evening we took the twilight tour from Alexandria on the Uncle Sam boat tour wandering near several of the St. Lawrence 1,000 Islands including a circumnavigation of Boldt Island. Saw several ospreys hunting and a couple hanging out on a buoy. After the tour we drove into Canada for a night in Gananoque.

Nicki Retires!

2011-07-28T15:57:00.004-04:00

Nicki's last day of work at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music! There was a bit of a celebration.

The Fungus Returns

2011-06-20T12:52:00.001-04:00

June 17, 2011

June 20, 2011

Our Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) has made its annual appearance - only a few weeks after the departure of our eastern screech owl family. Maybe the fungus pushed the owlets out? We discovered that it had arrived June 17th. Note the rapid growth between that day and today (June 20th). This is much earlier than the past two years - probably attributed to our very wet spring. (Click on the photos above to see larger versions)

The Oberlin Reception

2011-05-29T14:35:00.000-04:00

Laura and Seth's reception for Oberlin friends and family.

Owl & Owlet

2011-05-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

The Eastern Screech Owl in our backyard tree has an owlet.

Oberlin's Big Parade 2011

2011-05-07T16:21:00.000-04:00

Oberlin's Big Parade is usually held the first Saturday in May. This was the tenth year for the parade and the weather was perfect for the event. There is no theme or purpose other than a show of creativity, a gathering of community, and the fun of a parade.

Kayaking Again

2011-04-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

And so the kayaking season begins anew. And Findley Lake has awoken from the winter. Geese with goslings, great blue heron, a green heron, turtles, and trees in bloom.

A Hard Rain Did Fall

2011-04-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

We had some heavy rain April 25th. Swamped our back yard, coated most of the windows, and streets in Oberlin were flooded. Nothing came in the house (knock on wood). I did prep the kayaks.

The Wedding

2011-04-17T09:48:00.001-04:00

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

2011-03-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

Last weekend Nicki and I visited the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Erie near Toledo. They were having an event where you were allowed to drive into the refuge on trails normally not allowed for vehicles. Saw a lot of the usual ducks and geese. But also photoed at least one eagle perched in a tree (total spotted during the day 6-8). Most unusual sighting was when Nicki got out of the car to take photos of a colorful duck and she almost stepped into a clutch of 3 birds that exploded away. While we were quickly taking pictures we thought they were large hawks - until we got home and took a closer look at the photos and found we had disturbed three short-eared owls. At least one of them circled us while turning its head to watch us. A little later we found a box turtle in the middle of the road so we helped it to a safer location near the water. Of course, when we returned home we took some shots of the full moon (even though there was a bit of haze in the air).

PS - Our eastern screech owl has returned to the tree in our backyard. Must have kicked the squirrels out.

Snowstorm - February 25, 2011

2011-02-25T16:39:00.000-05:00

We had a bit of snow early this morning. Schools were closed but not the college of course.

Detroit Trip

2011-02-22T23:21:00.002-05:00

Nicki and I did a quick trip to Detroit last weekend. Met Bob and Barb Friday afternoon. Main event was the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum. Toured the "Fakes, Fogeries, and Mysteries" exhibit as well as much of the rest of the museum, had a supper in the cafeteria, and then crepes on the very short but severely cold windy walk back to The Inn on Ferry Street where we stayed that night in the Raymond C. Smith Carriage House suite. Breakfast Saturday morning in the Inn's main house, a quick stop at the GM Renaissance Center, and then back toward Oberlin with lunch at Ohio's Maumee State Park Lodge. A nice get-away from home (and we beat the bad weather that hit Monday).

Florida Trip - January 2011

2011-01-25T14:29:00.003-05:00

A long weekend trip to Florida. Staying with Bob & Barb in their vacation home in Hudson. Mild mostly sunny weather - quite a difference from wintry Ohio. First day was spent mostly at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - manatees, alligators, and various Floridian wild birds. On the trip back to Hudson there was a stop on the Gulf shore at the Pine Island Beach/Rock Island Bay where we watched flocks of mostly sea gulls. Sunset at the Robert K. Rees Memorial Park near New Port Richey. The next day was a long rural drive on Rt. 19 to Tallahassee to visit family friend Patty. The final day was a short sunny walk along the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks before the flight back to the frozen North. Thanks to the Akron/Canton, Detriot, Tampa, and Atlanta airports.

Owl Updates

2011-01-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

Our Eastern Screech Owl has continued habitation of our backyard tree. He'll (she'll?) usually pop out of inside of the hole to perch and watch as Oliver runs around the tree. Yesterday he napped on the hole's edge and gradually gained a coating of snow. Visitors have stopped by - small birds, squirrels (of course), and a red-shouldered hawk. Nicki and I have been adding and updating photos to our collection which can be found in a previous blog entry below.

2011-01-12T14:08:00.001-05:00

Winter around our house - January 12, 2011.

2010-12-29T16:21:00.002-05:00

Three videos of Zahira playing and talking and kicking and finally getting fussy. Best viewed on my Picasa site - get to it by clicking on the image above and then either selecting each video separately or clicking on "Slideshow" and seeing all three together. If you are looking at a video individually you can see it full-screen by clicking on the four arrows in the bottom right corner of the video. Sorry about the first two being a little sideways but it has taken me a while to figure out video on my Nano.

Zahira & Christmas in Oberlin

2010-12-26T14:12:00.001-05:00

Zahira and Sarah have arrived. Nicki continues reading. Oliver meets the baby and he shares his toys.

Memmott Sled

2010-12-24T17:33:00.001-05:00

This is a sled that I believe was designed and built by my father. He constructed the box and mounted it to a traditional Flexible Flyer style sled. The sled was painted a deep black and the box was white with red trim and a red “M” on the back panel. I changed the black to hunter green and lost the "M" under several coats of paint. I needed to replace the bottom of the box as it was rotted and plywood was peeling. I also replaced most of the hardware - either the metal pieces were rusted and brittle or were oddly mis-matched (big screws to connect the sides when trim nails would have worked better). The pull rope was very deteriorated of course. Lots of sanding and tweaking and painting. The intent is to bundle-up Zahira and she will become the first next-generation rider. I'm sure she will be much cuter than the occupant in the scene above. Photos to be added later.

First Snow

2010-12-07T11:49:00.000-05:00

Winter has arrived. Oliver doesn't mind playing in the snow at all.

Eastern Screech Owl

2010-11-13T22:21:00.001-05:00

I thought Oliver was barking at a squirrel in our back yard - until I saw a little gray feathery creature watching us. Not sure if he/she has established a residence on our property but it is welcome. A much better visitor than the usual squirrels. (Photos are being continuously added as long as the owl remains in residence)

Zahira Reads

2010-10-26T22:19:00.002-04:00

From Zahira Reads

Click above to watch Zahira read with Nicki. Books are easy stuff when you are 3 months old.

Oliver Wants That Ball

2010-10-06T22:54:00.002-04:00

Oliver put his ball up onto the clothesline and he wants to play with it.

Hans' Burial & Obituary

2010-09-11T13:48:00.000-04:00

Hans-Axel Stechow passed away Saturday, August 28, 2010 at New Life Hospice of St. Joseph in Lorain, Ohio.

Born in Gottingen, Germany, in 1933, naturalized in 1945, grew up in Oberlin, Ohio.

He graduated from Oberlin High school in 1950, attended Oberlin College (‘55), radar training at the Naval Air Station in Memphis, and electronics engineering at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute New York.

He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corp. (‘50-’54 Korea); ‘56-’58 he worked under government contract for Butler Aviation, La Guardia, NY installing radar systems in Europe. After working for RCA Cherry Hill, NJ as a technical representative in Europe, he transferred to a position with the Strategic Air Command where he conducted classes in electronic theory and supervised the repair of systems manufactured by RCA. Under government contract with Unitec Corporation, Timonium, MD as a field engineer stationed in Southern Germany, he supervised men on a special assignment to Turkey visiting Turkish military establishments. With Brush Instruments Division (Clevite Corporation - Cleveland, OH) in Belgium, he provided technical support at International electronics expositions, and conducted demonstration tours through-out the continent.

Employment in Oberlin - first at Gilford Instrument Laboratories (technical writing of operators’ and maintenance manuals; sales office manager; advertising manager). In Cleveland, he was senior account executive at Brand & Gerber & Shick.

Before his debilitating stroke in ‘93 he served as Director of External Affairs; Director of Bridge to Asia at the National Association of College Store, Oberlin, OH.

Stechow was a member and former president of the Prospect School PTO, president of the Oberlin City Club, past member of Rotary, past secretary of Firelands Association for the Visual Arts (FAVA), member of Cleveland Advertising Club and American Society of Association Executives; served as council member then five years as president at Grace Lutheran Church; a member of Gideon Bible Society; a member of the American Legion.

Hans’ ability to communicate really touched people; writing, editing, music, public speaking. He was a voracious reader and possessed an exuberant curiosity. His interests included music, animals, sports, table tennis, pool/billiards, languages, puns, chess, tournament bridge, motorcycles and sports cars. Three dogs, a variety of birds, ferrets, a skunk, and Rex rabbit owned Hans. He was a golfer and bowler on local leagues as well as basketball player in his earlier years, most notably on various Marine Corp. teams. As a teenager, he won several awards as a cellist and in 1950 was first-chair cellist in the Ohio All-State High School Orchestra. As a self-taught jazz pianist he was much in demand in the Cleveland area and for his extensive musical talent at weddings and civic entertainment.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years Norma (nee Gordon); sons Peter Wolfgang (Laurie Nixon), LaGrange; Keith Richard, Oberlin; Michael Ara-Thomas (Marijana Andjelkovic) - Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia; David Bryan - Buffalo, NY; six grandchildren Alexander Wolfgang, Alyssa Stechow; Jennifer, Jonathan - U.S. Marine Corp., Andrew and Lauren (Dan) Stechow Schilke; two great-grandchildren Wesley and Meira Schilke. Sisters Barbara (Robert) Harris, Lansing, Mich.; Nicola (John) Memmott, Oberlin.

Predeceased parents Professor of Art History Wolfgang and French Teacher Ursula Hoff Stechow.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Oasis Animal Shelter, Oberlin OH, New Life Hospice of St. Joseph - Lorain, OH, Grace Lutheran Church, Oberlin, Ohio.

Celebration of Hans’ life will be held September 11, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 310 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, Ohio. Burial was at Oberlin Westwood Cemetery at 10:00 that morning.

Common Snapping Turtle

2010-08-25T20:36:00.001-04:00

On her way home from work this afternoon Nicki found a rather large turtle crossing West College St. Of course it needed to be relocated. So we contained it in a recycle bucket and drove it over to the Oberlin's Westwood Cemetery - which has a small algaed-covered pond well protected with a border of shrubbery. We checked a half-hour later and it wasn't where we left it so all may be well. We're pretty sure it was a Common Snapping Turtle. (By the way - the picture showing Nicki picking up the turtle is NOT the way you are supposed to pick up a snapping turtle. We know that now after doing our research tonight) (And the last photo is a toad that Nicki found in a flower pot)

Findley Lake 8/20/10

2010-08-21T21:51:00.002-04:00

Quiet, warm evening. Especially quiet for a Friday night. One regal great blue heron - a real poser - never gave up his roost. Water level was a little low. The area could use some rain.

Findley Lake 8/13/10

2010-08-19T12:06:00.001-04:00

Another late afternoon/early evening excursion on Findley Lake. The usual herons. But the unusual deer in the forest, a cormorant, and an osprey - and a huge snapping turtle swimming next to my boat that startled me so much I didn't the camera in position fast enough to get a shot of. My back has been cleared by a specialist so we are ready to officially re-begin this kayaking season.

Blimp

2010-08-12T22:05:00.000-04:00

Nicki and I were taking Oliver for a walk in Tappan Square this afternoon and a Goodyear blimp flew overhead. Oliver was too busy doing his squirrel herding to notice. (photo by cellphone)

Findley Lake 8/10/10

2010-08-11T19:11:00.000-04:00

A warm summer evening. A very quiet owl watching me watch him. A very compliant heron posing. And even a sleepy turtle. Nice time on the water.

Findley Lake 8/6/10

2010-08-09T23:16:00.000-04:00

Turtles - lots of turtles. A very calm snake. And several herons. A good evening on Findley Lake.

Back to Kayaking

2010-08-08T14:09:00.000-04:00

Finally! Back in the boats - despite medical advice. And it felt very good. Nice weather. Our animal friends missed us. A couple hours on the water as the sun set. Maybe we'll do it again this weekend. The weather is just too good to pass up.

Oliver visits Hans

2010-08-04T15:26:00.000-04:00

Zahira in the Movies

2010-08-02T17:27:00.000-04:00

From Zahira Movies

Zahira

2010-07-19T11:07:00.000-04:00

Zahira Yaretzi Cruz - born 9:59 PM, July 16, 2010, to parents Sarah and Sergio Cruz in Oakland, California.

Origin and Meaning of the Name Zahira
Gender: Girl
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Radiant, dazzling

Origin and Meaning of the Name Yaretzi
Gender: Girl
Origin: Aztec
Meaning: You will always be loved
Pronunciation: (yah RET tzi)

From http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/

Family Reunion - Little Valley & Ellicottville Weekend

2010-06-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

A gathering of the brothers and sisters for the Little Valley Central School Alumnae dinner weekend and Memmott family celebrations in Ellicottville.

California Trip - January 2010

2010-06-24T23:58:00.001-04:00

Driving to California to deliver to Sarah a vehicle and several baby items (the family bassinet on wheels in particular). A long and entertaining drive with lots of wondrous sights. Perhaps I'll add details as time becomes available. (The Picassa view of the above slideshow has the captions - just click on the photos)

New Driveway

2010-06-17T13:20:00.000-04:00

Having our driveway replaced. The crew came yesterday (Wednesday) and tore out the old well-cracked drive and did the framing and foundation. Today (Thursday) they brought a bigger crew and did the pour. Note that we had "color" added to the concrete. Watch for more photos of the finished product.

New Vehicle

2010-04-13T16:26:00.000-04:00

Here's our new "kayak-hauling" vehicle.

Kayaking Again

2010-04-04T22:59:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the unusually and early warm weather (and the lack of a need for physical therapy) we have started our earliest kayaking season - and it felt very very good. The wildlife at Findley included lots of turtles, some very relaxed geese, and more turtles. Hope the weather holds up so this will be a long season.

Michigan Trip - North Coast of Ohio

2010-03-09T12:54:00.001-05:00

Nicki and I took a trip to Lansing to spend the weekend with Bob & Barb. Good weather for a change so it made good traveling. We spent most of Saturday at the Quiet Water Symposium held on the Michigan State University campus - a celebration of paddling in Michigan. Lots of canoes and kayaks and information about parks and waterways in that state. Big event - lots of people attending. Sunday we did a leisurely trip back to Oberlin along the coastline of Lake Erie. First saw several groupings of trumpeter swans in the middle of cornfields - mostly in pairs. Explored Magee Marsh which is a protected wetlands and a great spot to observe migratory birds (though it is early in the seasons so we only saw geese and ducks). Just after leaving that spot and just before the Davis-Besse nuclear power station we discovered two eagles perched in a tree near the road. All of the photos were taken by my "little" camera so the quality is a little less than I'd prefer.

Snow

2010-02-28T14:30:00.001-05:00

We had some snow over the past two days. Views around our house.

More Snow, More Oliver, More Chasing

2010-02-27T23:37:00.004-05:00

You can't get too much of Oliver chasing his ball in the new snow. He really could do this all day long.

And this is Oliver after chasing the ball - panting.

Maybe it is time to start an Oliver blog?

Chasing the Ball - Winter Style

2010-02-26T21:05:00.002-05:00

Oliver would chase the ball all day long - regardless of the weather.
But in the snow is better - and bestest when you can get all covered
with snow.

Oliver in the Snow

2010-02-26T20:37:00.000-05:00

We had some snow today. That doesn't stop Oliver from playing in the backyard with his ball. The photos show Oliver's ball before he started playing (covered with new snow), the ball after a little play, and Oliver waiting for me to kick the ball into play (covered with snow after playing for a while).

Collegium Musicum

2010-02-21T15:49:00.002-05:00

Nicki participated in the Oberlin College Collegium Musicum 20th Anniversary Reunion this weekend. She was one of about 100 choir members - mostly alumni from the past 20 years mixed with current members of Collegium and guests. The program can be downloaded here. Rehearsals were Friday evening, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon, with the concert Saturday evening. My job was to take photos during the Saturday rehearsal. Most of the rehearsal photos were taken at Fairchild chapel where the Collegium usually performs their concerts. The last few photos are from Warner Concert Hall - a bigger hall was needed to accommodate the size of the choir and the audience. Excellent music - mostly from the 1500’s. Nicki wants me to explain that she sang in Collegium when she was in college and was invited to sing in Collegium in the 80's as an alum. This reunion was mostly to honor Steven Plank who has directed Collegium for the last 20 years.

Snow

2010-02-07T15:04:00.001-05:00

Scenes of snow around our house from February 6th's winter storm.

Winter's Night

2010-01-31T11:55:00.001-05:00

A very cold clear night with a full moon - experimenting with my camera.

California Trip - January 2010

2010-01-21T20:48:00.001-05:00

Here's the sampler set of photos from our California trip (reduced from the 1,500 or so that we actually took). Hopefully more explanations will be added here but that takes more time and thought. Short outline: fly to Los Angeles, one night in Santa Monica, Getty Museum, drive up the coast on Highway 1, one night in Morro Bay, one night on the Monterey Peninsula, four nights at Sarah and Sergio's, museums, lots of good food, Sarah's school, great weather, rainy weather, and fly back from San Francisco.

Day Trip to Western New York

2010-01-11T12:33:00.002-05:00

I did a quick day-trip to the Western New York area Sunday. The objective was to attend the visitation for Mary Budzinski's mom at he the O'Rourke & O'Rourke Funeral Home in Salamanca. On the way I drove by the 413 Fair Oaks homestead. The photos note the ice problem on the western side of the house and the unusual (but maybe correct?) trimming of the rhododendrons in the front yard. I liken it to the palm-tree approach. Met Jim and Martha at Dina's in Ellicottville for lunch. Note the photos of hard-edged photojournalist Jim and folksy commentator Jim demonstrating the use of flash and non-flash styles. We all then went to the funeral home meeting Ed and Theresa who were already there. A brief discussion was initiated concerning Memmott brother/sister reunion possibilities - most likely is the usual June Alumni Weekend. Details will need to be further explored. On my way out of Salamanca, while I was driving across the Main St. bridge, an eagle flew low over my car and west along the river - not more than 8 or 9 feet above me. Very pronounced white head and yellowish beak. I've never seen an eagle in that area but the water in the river was still ice-free and flowing so maybe it was a good hunting area. All happened too quickly to get a photo. Driving for this trip was uneventful - roads were clear and traffic light. Back in Oberlin a little after 8:00PM.

Winter

2010-01-05T16:52:00.002-05:00

Just a few shots from around our house.I sort of feel obligated to document this season's weather.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T16:26:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone is having a good holiday. We think Oliver had the most fun today - unwrapping and playing with his gifts (and very willing to help us with ours!). If it squeaked, crinkled, or came in a box - it was his! The photos really don't show how much he had shredded and spread the wrapping paper.

Trains

2009-12-21T13:33:00.000-05:00

As part of my duties as a Bill Long Foundation board member I am serving as a part-time "engineer" during the display of trains at the Oberlin Public Library. This continues a tradition started by the manager (Bill Long) of the Oberlin Co-op Bookstore many years ago. Every 3 or 4 years the board sets up the train display and then runs them for a period. More information and archived photos showing the set-up of this year's display and the trains in past years can be found on their site's Trains page. Clicking on the above photos will take you to my entire collection of larger versions of the train photos (more than a hundred so far). I also serve as the website's webmaster (no surprise there).

Oberlin's Frank Lloyd Wright House

2009-12-07T11:16:00.002-05:00

Nicki and I finally toured the Weltzheimer/Johnson House - designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1948. Only 3/10's of a mile from our house - we frequently walk our dog past it - we've lived in the neighborhood for almost 30 years and we're only now taking the tour. Small, compact house on a good sized piece of land in a very quiet part of Oberlin. Many typical Frank Lloyd Wright elements. Very informal leisurely tour. I took a few photographs - hard to resist.

Chicago Trip - St. Joseph

2009-10-20T23:27:00.000-04:00

Final day - stayed Monday night in St. Joseph, Michigan, at the Boulevard Inn looking over Lake Michigan. Good dinner, good breakfast, good walk down the hill past the Amtrak station and on the beach.

Chicago Trip - Porter Grandparents

2009-10-19T23:21:00.000-04:00

Monday Martin, Nicki and I drove up to Beloit and had a very nice lunch and visit with the Porter grandparents.

Chicago Trip - Millennium Park & Lakeshore

2009-10-18T23:16:00.001-04:00

Martin, Nicki and I drove into downtown Chicago and visited Millennium Park and walked over to the lakeshore and had a nice long walk south to the Shedd Aquarium. We didn't actually tour the aquarium - the walk outside was our focus.

Chicago Trip - Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House

2009-10-18T23:06:00.001-04:00

First day in Chicago - took the photographic tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House. A little more than two hours of wandering through and around the Robie House with a small group led by the Assistant Curator. Time to see the details and areas not normally part of the tours. Between Nicki and myself we probably took 400-500 shots. Nice sunny cool autumn day.

Tree Fungi

2009-09-28T14:06:00.003-04:00

We have an unusual fungi growth on a tree we had trimmed 4 weeks ago where a dead branch had been removed. You can see growth just in the 3 days between the first and latest photos were taken. The tree advisor contacted a professor from Ohio State and they may remove the growth this Wednesday for use in his classroom. Unfortunately the tree will need to be taken down as the fungi is an indication of problems within. I'll update this entry as growth continues and as the tree disappears.
.
Update - 9/30/09 - The fungi is gone. The arborist and the OSU professor ooohhhed and aaahhhed and cut it off late this afternoon. We'll hear about the class reactions soon I hope. More photos were added to the series above. For a couple of them I climbed to the very top of our house roof to try to get an angle to show the top of the fungi - successfully.

Crushers Game

2009-09-12T14:30:00.002-04:00

Nicki and I attended the September 9th playoff game between the Lake Erie Crushers and the Kalamazoo Kings. Crushers won 4-2 and now lead the series 2-1. Very good game to watch, friendly crowd, lots of park food, and fireworks after the game. More satisfying than an Indians game. Nicki even managed to snag a game ball. The couple behind home plate are neighbors Rick and Sue. They attend Crushers games regularly and got us the tickets.

You can never get enough of Oliver

2009-08-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

We've been through a series of exercise balls but Oliver never tires of chasing and herding. We have major playtime at least 3 times a day. We can't end the day and head for bed without a late-night bout of chase the ball. It's what he does best. And now he's on YouTube.

Baseball

2009-08-23T14:06:00.004-04:00

Nicki and I attended a Lake Erie Crushers game last night against the Evansville (Indiana) Otters (Frontier League independent professional baseball). Same division as the Traverse City Beach Bums that we saw with Steve and Judy. The Crushers won - started out strong 11-0 and held on to win 11-8. Cloudy and slightly cool evening - great for watching baseball. Very good seats right behind home plate. Nice for our first game.

Roof Work

2009-08-22T16:30:00.002-04:00

Week one of the roof work. Entire roof shingles removed and new ones installed. Replacing the 3 skylights on our porch roof and moving them to our garage. New skylight over our kitchen. Pictures will be added as we head towards completion.
.
Roof work (shingles and skylights) was completed August 28th with the gutters being added August 31st. Now for interior touch-ups.

Michigan Trip 2

2009-08-17T15:29:00.002-04:00

Completed our second trip into Michigan last week. This time we pulled the kayakamobile with us to add to the adventure. Tuesday it was a straight drive to J and S's place on Long Lake near Traverse City. Completed the day with a stop at Moomers Ice Cream - great old-fashioned ice cream with a view of the contented cows grazing on the hillside below. Wednesday was kayaking in the hot sun on Long Lake, a baseball game with the Traverse City Beach Bums losing a close game against the Sauget, Illinois, Gateway Grizzlies, and then another visit to Moomers. Thursday we did another outing in the kayaks on Long Lake, then a car ride to the Short’s Brewing Company for late lunch/early dinner, a little shopping in downtown Traverse, and a stop to pick up a pint of ice cream at Moomers. Of course each day we had excellent sunsets and topped the evening with games of Spinner. Friday we did a morning kayak on Long Lake and then started a round-about return trip to Oberlin, driving to the west coast of Michigan down to Manistee (watched a freighter heading out onto the big lake), dinner with B & B in Lansing, and finally home a comfortable 20-30 minutes before midnight (no stops for ice cream). The kayak trailer worked well, the traffic was tolerable, and the vacation was enjoyed by all. So ends the summer.

Houghton Lake

2009-08-05T15:41:00.002-04:00

A weekend at Bob and Barb's cottage on Houghton Lake (Michigan). A quick drive up last Friday collecting Barb and Bob's mom in Lansing on our way. Laura stayed with Lucy and her parents in Lansing. David and Ashley arrived at the lake Saturday with their two dogs. Lots of wind, cool evenings, moderate days, some heavy rains, decent sunsets, great food, quiet times, good conversation, no boating. Back to Lansing Sunday. Returned to Oberlin Monday.

A Memmott Family Special Weekend

2009-06-29T00:16:00.004-04:00

Just a few quick snapshots from the Memmott family gathering at the Little Valley homestead - including the house a little depleted, the LVCS alumni gathering, the living room playroom and office sans furniture, and the Sunday's "final" gathering of brothers, sisters, and the younger generations. To see larger and more detailed versions of the photos click here.

The Last Classroom

2009-06-15T21:27:00.003-04:00

Could this be the last classroom I ever call mine? It will never be the same. Really. Wednesday the powers that be plan to knock out the East wall (to the right of the door) and expand the room about 10 feet with a new wall. Maybe one that finally has the electricity that was never installed when the room was first constructed two summers ago. It will become a full size classroom. I took several carloads of materials I have bought and collected over the last 35 years - mostly books. The only thing yet to do is to meet with my current principal and do the ceremonial returning of the keys. And then it is done.

Stacked

2009-06-10T17:30:00.004-04:00

Only in Oberlin. Our city employees are very creative.
Addendum (7/22/09): Our recycle cans got the same treatment.

Retirement! (Almost)

2009-06-05T17:15:00.003-04:00

I'm done. It's official. Thirty-five years is enough. I have just completed my last teaching day and retirement has begun - of sorts. Still need to clean and pack my classroom and that will take a couple weeks. And tonight is the High School graduation which I should attend (need to take photos for the school website anyway). Lots of hugs from kids - and protests (take a closer look at the photo above). So onward.

Trailer

2009-05-16T17:39:00.007-04:00

One more step toward getting back on the water. Last Saturday I had a hitch installed on the CRV. Today we picked up a trailer from Car Gear in Akron. They put it all together so all I had to do was attach it to the hitch (and pay for it of course). Meanwhile therapy goes well on the shoulder so I'm hoping that real soon we'll be able to load the kayaks onto the trailer and begin the 2009 season in earnest.

Addendum: At the top is a better photo with the kayaks on the trailer and a better perspective of the trailer's size.

New York City Trip - March 2009

2009-04-05T13:02:00.005-04:00

A few photos from our March 25th-29th trip to New York City including the view from our hotel window, Central Park, Natural History Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MOMA, and the Cloisters. We did begin our trip with a night in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, and ended with an overnight in Little Valley but no photos were taken at those locations. Visits with Martin, Bridget, and Martha. Lots of good food and good walks. A good time was had by all. Click on the above photos to see bigger versions or a slideshow.

Deer at Midnight

2009-01-31T16:22:00.002-05:00

Two deer visited our front yard bird feeders just after midnight. They gorged for a while and then slowly moved on. Luckily Oliver slept through the whole thing and we didn't miss the bark. If he had only known... It is very hard to adjust the camera in the dark especially knowing if the flash started working the deer might notice. The last 3 shots were unflashed.

Looking back...

2008-12-25T18:33:00.004-05:00

Looking back over 2008 there are two happenings that stick out: our family gathering in California early in the summer and our kayaking. For Christmas I made posters for Nicki to celebrate both of those events.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T10:39:00.003-05:00

Oliver wishes everyone happy holidays! May Santa bring you plenty of treats, may the squirrels stay away from your bird feeders, and may the weather allow for walks and car rides and chasing balls in the snow.

Free Dog Food for Voting!

2008-11-04T18:18:00.003-05:00

Oliver thinks it is a good idea.

Michigan Trip

2008-10-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

Nicki and I were part of a guided canoe/kayak tour in several loosely connected lakes including Gun Lake in Michigan. We started with a champagne brunch on the launch ramp, entered the water on one smallish lake (where we met the swans and geese), went through a culvert to another (where we met the turtle), carried our boats across a road to a narrow waterway through the tall cattails and weeds, which eventually flowed into Gun Lake. Afterwards we had a late lunch at Sam’s Joint. The weather was perfect, the company good, and the guide got us through the maze of cattails. Nobody got wet and nobody complained. A very good day.

Oliver and his Ball

2008-10-08T10:44:00.009-04:00

Oliver has a strong attraction to balls - tennis balls, soccer balls, great big exercise balls. This particular ball became very deflated soon after this video was filmed (teeth do that) but that doesn't stop Oliver from trying to play with it. I think a major expense for us will be ball replacement.

Evening update: We found a supplier for the exercise balls so Oliver has a brand new toy (with two extra backups handy). We even had a choice of three colors! He barked his joy watching me pump up the new one - and I think I've learned what the "exercise" in "exercise ball" means. I can see a strong possibility of a new video forthcoming.

PS: Can you name that tune?

Oliver

2008-09-26T20:11:00.002-04:00

Meet Oliver, our newest dog. So far he's shown that he can really herd an exercise ball. And he has "come", "sit", "down", "stay", and "heel" mastered but I predict we adults may be a little lax with consistent enforcement. We'll see how that works out. It may be interesting as we get accustomed again to sharing a house with a dog.

Fallen Tree

2008-09-15T10:20:00.002-04:00

We had a bit of a problem during a storm last night. The top third of a very large sweet-gum tree broke off in the high winds and came down in our yard but luckily leaned gently(?) onto the front of our house. It smushed the rain gutter but didn't penetrate the roof or break our big living room picture window. We weren't at our house during the fall but had a call soon from a neighbor. Early morning call to the insurance agent. Possible appointment later today with our tree trimmer guy. And maybe some roof work?

The storm also knocked out power in our section of Oberlin for almost 12 hours which gave us an evening of candlelight and a lot less technology. But nice that our cellphones did work.

California Trip - Summer 2008

2008-07-07T22:33:00.010-04:00

To see the photos in much larger screen-size versions, click on the photo group title that appears when you slide your mouse cursor over the bottom left corner of the small photo. When you get to the Picassa site collection click on the "Slideshow" link. There are 5 groups of photos in this post.

Wedding Celebration

Held at the Roberts Regional Recreation Area, near Oakland. Friends and family of Sarah and Sergio. A beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Yosemite Valley & Evergreen Lodge

Monday’s breakfast was in downtown Alameda. Arrived in the valley of the Yosemite National Park mid-afternoon. Began with a walk to the Lower Yosemite Falls. Martin climbed to the base of the falls while Sarah, Laura, Nicki and I waited and watched and played with the cameras. On the drive out of the valley we spotted a bear (tagged 31) and a one-antlered deer in the same meadow. Arrived just at sunset at the Evergreen Lodge and had dinner in their outside area and roasted marshmallows in the fireplace of the recreational building (internet access and free landline phone). Watched a few shooting stars on the balconies of our cabins. Tuesday began with Martin and Sarah climbing up to a pool beneath Bridal Veil Falls, lunch in the Ahwahnee Dining Room, walking in the valley, and then back to the Evergreen Lodge. A good sunset, great dinner again in the outside dining area, more marshmallow roasting. Nicki spotted a deer running between our cabins.

Carlon Falls - Tuolumne River

Kids woke up Wednesday with a scorpion in their bathtub. Martin relocated it to a more natural environment. Goal for the day was to swim beneath a waterfall. Headed for Carlon Falls near the Evergreen Lodge on the northern border of Yosemite National Park. We thought it would be a nice scenic walk along the Tuolumne River but it turned out to be a mile and a half one-way of undeveloped trail with some steep ups and downs. You wonder what you’ve got yourself into but the falls was worth the exercise. Nice drive back to Alameda. Dinner with Sergio at Zachary’s Pizza Excellent deep dish pizza - not Lorenzos- but the best on the west coast.

San Francisco Chinatown

Started Thursday with a great breakfast in Oakland - Rockridge Cafe. Then we drove into San Francisco and did a walking tour of the Chinatown area. Finally we drove south along the coast to the Half Moon Bay area watching surfers and pelicans with dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.

California Coast - Beginning & End of Trip

Photos taken Sunday along the coast near our hotel in Alameda at the beginning of our trip and Thursday near Half Moon Bay at the end of our trip just before going to the airport for the overnight flight home. Touchdown Friday morning in Cleveland at 6:30 AM.

Around the house...

2008-06-27T17:04:00.003-04:00

Got a new camera - a Nikon D300. I do this every couple years to keep pace with the technology. Here's a few experimental shots around the house taken yesterday before, during, and after a summer thunderstorm. To see the shots in a bigger slideshow form just click on the D300 link above and then "slideshow". Nicki wasn't left out - she got a Nikon D60 which is smaller and lighter and has a few less of the gizmos I like playing with.

Kayak Season Begins Again

2008-06-15T22:11:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy spring so kayak season started late and slowly. So far Nicki and I have only been to our local favorite Findley Lake and a smaller and less eventful lake near it. Photos above from several visits to Findley Lake - Blue Herons, Green Heron, Night Heron, Turtle, and a Birdhouse.

Portrait in Rods

2008-05-14T21:13:00.003-04:00

Two of my favorite 4th grade students decided to create portraits of several teachers using cuisennaire rods during our math class. I was their first subject and I think they captured me well.

"Hat Day" at Prospect

2008-05-09T13:17:00.002-04:00

It was Hat Day at my school - Prospect Elementary School. Note the new computers in the background.

Poetry Reading

2008-04-29T23:49:00.001-04:00

My 3rd graders read their favorite poems by Shel Silverstein.
Click on the run arrow to start the readings.

Visitor

2008-03-29T13:55:00.004-04:00

This is the 2nd or 3rd year that our local white squirrel has dined at our birdfeeders. Our only worry is that he/she makes an easy target for the hawks that frequent our yard especially now that we've lost our snow. There are several white squirrels in Oberlin but this one resides in our neighborhood. She/he does not socialize with the routinely colored squirrels. We often hear the rumble of their chases across our roof.

Independent Study Fair

2008-03-22T22:01:00.006-04:00

This is what I do this time of the year. We had 46 kids working on independent research projects since last November and presenting in a big fair with judges last Wednesday evening. A list of projects and the kids' work can be found here with almost 300 photos here.

A good time was had by all - kids, parents, and the 51 judges we had working that evening. The kids are already talking about next year's projects.

A Little Too Much Snow

2008-03-08T19:09:00.006-05:00

It started snowing early Friday afternoon and after school I shoveled the driveway. Today (Saturday) I've snowblowed twice (after doing some maintenance work on its sparkplug and muffler) and it is still snowing. A good old-fashioned snowstorm - a blizzard. In between snowblowings I went out for gas and house stuff. Glad I have all-wheel drive and snow tires. Still had to dodge the college kids walking in the unplowed streets.

Of course, Nicki just left to go to a student's piano recital at the Con. I warned her about the adverse conditions. Now I'm waiting for her phone call so I can tell her I told her so. (PS - She made it there and back but reports conditions as awful)

Dog Tracks in Snow

2008-02-27T13:50:00.004-05:00

Well the snow kept coming last night and now we have a total of about a foot. No school again. Got a 6:00 AM call form the Superintendent requesting several event cancelation notices to go on the district website.

Part of my morning was taking the snow blower out to clear the drives - just like yesterday. Nicki had to go into work. Oberlin College's motto when it comes to weather and all else: "Fearless". She took her camera and got shots around the Conservatory while I contained myself at home.

I'd call last night's debate a draw. A little testy at times which was expected. And they both sounded like Democrats which helps. Didn't change my vote.

Bird Tracks in Snow

2008-02-26T13:59:00.004-05:00

Four to eight inches of snow - the magic numbers with the magic words. And we have no school today. We haven't had many full 5-day weeks in school lately. Next week the kids have Elections Day off while the teachers work.

Once again it is time to remember the exposure compensation numbers for snow photos (+1).

Tonight is the Democratic debate in Cleveland. I'm sure they will spend some time talking about the weather. Ohio must be important again. Nice to have so many phone conversations with my union brothers. They sure want to know how I'm going to vote next Tuesday.

Valentines Day

2008-02-15T00:11:00.003-05:00

For our celebration of the day (and yet very spontaneously) Nicki and I went into Cleveland to see the Cleveland Orchestra play. They did a Hungarian opera selection called Bluebeard's Castle by Bartok about a bad duke who takes his new bride to his dark and gloomy castle. She finds 7 locked doors and wants them opened to brighten up the place. It's the old fatal "if you love me there will be no secrets". He suggests she leave the doors locked and don't ask questions but she insists. First door finds a torture chamber with walls covered with blood. Second door finds all his bloody weapons of war. Third door finds jewels and riches - splattered with blood. Fourth door finds a garden and more blood everywhere. Fifth door finds some other bloody stuff - I forget what. He keeps telling her he loves her and please stop asking - but she doesn't of course. Sixth door finds a lake of tears (symbolizing sadness over running out of blood?). And the last door finds his three dead former wives - which she joins. And he's back to being alone and sad. It really fit the valentines theme perfectly. Somebody had a sense of humor about scheduling. The singers and narrator actually did the lyrics in Hungarian and they ran the subtitles off a thing hanging from the ceiling and their voices were fantastic. The orchestra was great - very moody. We had good seats and the tickets were free (Nicki has connections at the office).

Ursula

2008-01-26T21:08:00.001-05:00

Ursula Stechow
1911 - 2008

One of her grandchildren jokingly said that Ursula was one of the three most powerful beings in the universe, along with Yoda from Star Wars and Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid. Indeed, Ursula Stechow was a powerful figure in Oberlin for many years. Her influence was felt both here and abroad. When she saw that something needed fixing in the city or on the campus, she made the call that got it fixed. When someone needed to be heard by an influential music critic, she made certain it would happen. In spite of her tiny size, Ursula commanded attention, demanded action, and was loved and respected in this community and around the globe.

No one was less pretentious than Ursula. She treated everyone with equal respect, but she also had equally high expectations of everyone, regardless of position or station in life. As a beloved French teacher at Langston Middle School in Oberlin, she was an inspiration for many young minds to pursue careers in teaching French. She also taught French and her native German to other interested students of all ages. Nobody understood the English language better than Ursula, who was often fierce and quick with corrections.

Ursula’s caring nature for animals (she was once dubbed “the bird woman of Oberlin”) and for friends she helped through their elderly years, her recognition and sponsorship of talented musicians, and her commitment to the arts made her a beloved part of the Oberlin community. But nothing in life was more important to her than music. Music was Ursula’s soul. A fine violinist, she enjoyed playing chamber music with family and friends. She was also a “consumer” of fine music performed by others, sometimes critical but always understanding and appreciative. And she loved and believed in Solfege as the basis for teaching and learning music.

Ursula Hoff was born in Hanover, Germany on February 15, 1911. She met her future husband, Wolfgang Stechow, when he was conducting the orchestra in which she played at the University of Goettingen, Germany, where she was studying medicine. They were married in 1932 and emigrated to the United States in 1936, when Dr. Stechow’s career was threatened by the Nazi government. After four years in Madison, Wisconsin, the Stechow family moved to Oberlin where Wolfgang was a professor of Art History.

Ursula passed away on January 16, 2008, at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1974. She is survived by her son, Hans-Axel (Norma) of Oberlin, daughters Barbara Harris (Bob) of Lansing, Michigan, and Nicola Memmott (John) of Oberlin, nine grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and one great, great grandchild.

The family is planning a memorial service for sometime in the future. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute - Oberlin Conservatory of Music, 77 West College St., Oberlin, Ohio 44074-1588, the Oberlin Schools Endowment Fund, 153 North Main St., Oberlin, Ohio 44074, or OASIS Animal Shelter, PO Box 11, Oberlin, Ohio 44074-0011.

Seasonal Lights

2008-01-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

The deer are ours. The bicycles are in the front yard of the Oberlin Inn.

A Hatbox from Connecticut

2008-01-02T21:35:00.000-05:00

Laura lives in Connecticut. Norma had this hatbox.

"A Christmas Story" House

2008-01-02T21:12:00.000-05:00

The movie "A Christmas Story" is set in Hammond, Indiana, and most of the film was shot in various locations but the exterior shots of the house were filmed in Cleveland, Ohio. Nicki, Laura, Sarah and I had a real nice mid-afternoon dinner at the Great Lakes Brewing Company and on our way home we did a quick visit to the "A Christmas Story" house and museum. The neighborhood is a little worn being in a depressed section of the city and only a half-mile from the former steel mill area (now a shopping mall of course). If you have time to kill in Cleveland we highly recommend a visit to the museum. Get directions - it's not easy to find. (Photos mostly by Sarah)

School Uniforms?

2007-12-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago someone suggested to our school board that they institute school uniforms for our students.
So I thought this would be a good opportunity for a language arts experience for my students as well as a way to gather some input from those that would be most effected by the school board's decision. And another nice way to use technology. So I set up a blog on my classroom website. To get to the blog just click on the word blog. Keep in mind that most of the comments are my 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade students with several posts submitted by older brother and sisters, a few parents, a couple teachers, the school board president, and an older former school board member (the "mysterious Kevin W." as my kids refer to him). I do have very stringent rules about posting - after all this is a language arts activity. And if a student has errors in his/her post I take the opportunity to edit with the student. All posts require my approval before they become visible. No slang - no slams - no cute CUL8R text - no calling someone else's comments "stupid". So far there are 230 posts and some of them are pretty good. I dare you to figure out who the 3rd grader is and who is a 6th grader. If you want to see the rest of my class website just go to http://jmemmott.oberlinschools.org/. And, by the way, it is pretty obvious what my students feel about the school uniform idea - can't tell you how many exclamation marks have been deleted during the editing process!

Cricket

2007-10-29T22:59:00.000-04:00

Sad news. Our "young" dog Cricket died quickly and unexpectedly Sunday evening, October 28th. She had been acting oddly starting mid-afternoon - not eating or greeting us at the door with the usual sock in her mouth. By 10:00 she couldn't move and by 10:30 she had passed away - quietly and I'm convinced without pain. Both Nicki and I were with her.

The "old" dog Samantha seems accepting though a little confused.

This is going to take some getting used to.

Cricket was at least 10 years old. No services are scheduled. Burial will be in the family backyard plot after cremation.

John & Nicki

Taste of Ellicottville

2007-08-11T22:00:00.000-04:00

The day after Jim's retirement party (see below) the siblings all rendezvoused for the Taste of Ellicottville. Lots of good food and beverage, manageable crowd, and warm but tolerable weather. And afterwards relaxing on the homestead porch.