Schoharie in Spring

A Spring Outing to Schoharie

April 2019

          Spring has started to emerge. The grass is greening. Been on the golf course a couple of times. In the midst of Easter singing. 

Last night (Friday, 4/12) was an ecumenical  evening of Lenten prayer and song at St. Clement’s in Saratoga, arranged by Mendelssohn Club Director Jeff Vredenberg and wife Brenda. The church is beautiful. It’s “A Redemtorist Community,” referring to a Catholic order that serves the poor. The latter seems ironic, considering it’s Saratoga, and word is the order will be moving out of the area. Don’t know what will happen to the church. Tonight’s choir is drawn from several sources. An hour of rehearsal, tho the music isn’t too complicated and mostly familiar: “Amazing Grace,” “Adoramus Te Christe,” “Lift High the Cross,” etc.  The music is lovely, and Marjorie says the basses sound especially good. Brenda is very excited that a few of us basses can hit a low D, her “favorite note.” I notice Jeff’s very active directing, much like an orchestra conductor. A nice service, but not a big audience. Refreshments after, highlighted by Brenda’s sinful chocolate-chip cookies. This was a nice lead-in to the Holy Week choir marathon next week.

           A recent newspaper article highlighted the re-opening of an Easter Egg museum in Schoharie as a fundraiser for the Library. Sounded intriguing, especially since Marjorie has her own small collection. And a good excuse for a Springtime jaunt. After overnight rain, Saturday is a beautiful day: clearing as we start out, heading into the 70s. A pretty 45-minute drive SW thru the hills to Schoharie. Impressive old houses and buildings, and the town is all decked out for Easter: “Eggs About Town,” part of the “Easter Egg-stravaganza.” 

 A good down-home breakfast in the Country Café on Main St. To the pretty Library nearby, but the Ukrainian egg decorating demo proves more a class than expected, so we don’t stay.

Off to the Schoharie Easter Egg Museum. This was the “work and passion” of Mildred Vrooman, who passed away in 2012 at age 103. More than 3,000 eggs, “no two eggs look alike.” 

Eggs are decorated and grouped around a variety of themes: historical and fairytale scenes, from Snow White to the Last Supper, religious motifs, seasonal displays (Christmas and, of course, Easter), 

other stand-alone decorated eggs, including a tree holding 660 eggs! The collection is perhaps a bit cheesy, but impressive and pretty nonetheless.

Nearby on Covered Bridge Lane is a covered bridge over Schoharie Creek. It’s a short walk over the bridge, past Lily Park (where there will be an Easter egg hunt later), 

and up a hill to Old Stone Fort and cemetery. We had been here Fall 1986 for a Revolutionary War re-enactment, complete with musket fire!

I find photo ops in the cemetery while Marjorie checks out the nearby artisan show, which proves uninspiring.

Heading out of town we pull into Carrot Barn. We wander separately a bit, I find beautiful flowers in a greenhouse for photos. When we rendezvous Marjorie is surprised to hear there’s a greenhouse. I show her, and that becomes a highlight of the day. She strikes up a conversation with friendly & helpful “Greenhouse Brian.” 

The plants are wonderful, including unusual petunias M can’t pass up. A woman passing me says “I hope this is what Heaven looks like.” And a sign says: "Don't Kill the Ladybugs." Brian explains they've released 100,000 ladybugs to take care of aphids. Marjorie buys a number of things in pots plus 2 bags of potting soil to get the gardening season started.

Back home to unload the flowers, the first buds showing on our trees and tulips starting to come up. The day’s activities continue. A trip to Skechers for shoes yields an unprecedented (for me) purchase of 4 pairs (walking & golf sneakers, more comfy black shoes for concerts, boots to replace my old winter wear) and 2 for Marjorie. I complete my lovely Spring day with a driving range session.

Sunday brings more enjoyable times. A lovely Palm Sunday service at St. Pius X. Then off to an Empire State Youth Orchestra concert at Troy Music Hall, joined by Elizabeth from the Irish Heritage Museum and Marjorie’s airport museum shop coworker Lydia. Music Director Carlos Agreda is nearing the end of his 1^st year with ESYO; we hosted him last summer while he got settled in the area. Our friend Beth receives a “Luminary” award for her efforts over the years with ESYO. Carlos gives an informative pre-concert talk, then we enjoy looking down from our box on his energetic almost dancing conducting of a wonderful concert. 

A good lunch at nearby Bootlegger’s Bar & Grill. Afterward Marjorie calls grandson Miles to let him know tomorrow is the anniversary of the Titanic sinking (4/15/1912). Something he had been fascinated by. Back home I watch Tiger Woods complete his comeback from physical and personal problems to win the Masters.

A fine Spring weekend!