Walking Tours of Elmira

Sugar Coated Winter Morning February 2011

2011-02-09T15:53:00.000-05:00

Berry Bush

Bird Feeder tree

South West view

Squirrel feeder

Corner of Guinnip and First

Higher up the bird feeder tree

Front porch view

Side door view

Little Pond

Greenery in Elmira Heights

2008-09-18T10:51:00.005-04:00

Believe it or not, this wild and wooly scene is right in the heart of Elmira Heights. If you have a bike, you probably already know it.
There is a lovely bike path set right into the wetlands. In the winter and early spring, it is rather nasty and desolate, but in the summer and fall, it's gorgeous.
Above, a view of the path looking towards Upper Lake Road. At my back is Grand Central Avenue. To the right and out of sight is the connector road that links the two, right next to the Lindenwald House. It's all wetland and lowland here. Very verdant and peaceful.
Ah, there's the destination. On the path, looking west to what appears to be a carnival building, no? At this point, every citizen of the Elmira area should recognize where this is.
Eldridge Lake and Eldridge Park. No reason not to visit, although the concessions and the carousel are closed. If you double click the above picture, you may see the walkers and their dogs on the distant bank.
Weeping willows, pretty Victorian style buildings, skating park, kiddie playground, a few sanitary facilities, and lots of running space. Good place to bring your pet for a walk. HuggaMutt goes their often with MammaDog, although I myself am not too keen on the drive.

Still, it's a popular destination for all Elmirans. Just be sure to bring a bag and pick up after your pup. It would be a shame to mess it up.

Don't forget to double click for a larger, detailed picture!

pb
Little Pond

Janet's garden

2008-08-06T11:00:00.001-04:00

Every summer, those of us who live on the edge of the city and the town look forward to a changeable display. Some years the seasonal storms pre-empt the show. So far, so good.It's just a little touch, really. But it's what makes local living so nice.

Further up, just beyond the cross-street, is RJ's yard, also quite flowery. But the walk through here is special.
Sometimes the containers multiply. Other times, there are damaged ones that disappear.
Good to get a couple of shots, before it changes again. Thanks, neighbor!

pb
Little Pond

Urban Snowscape.

2007-02-15T07:47:00.000-05:00

February 15, 2007. 7:50 AM Easter Daylight Time. -6 degrees F. -20 degrees C. Only 4 wheel drive plied the streets last night. The city is clogged with parked cars, including ours. The plows made impenetrable barriers of ice and snow in front of every driveway. Last night the city threatened to tow the cars, even as they made it impossible to park them properly.

It is very, very quiet. The day will be cold, cold, cold. The asthma-inducing sort of cold.

Ellie and I are looking forward to an interesting walk.

pb
Little Pond

2006-07-02T14:16:00.000-04:00

Good thing Ellie's not with me today. It's one of her favorite watering spots! Gosh, I hope they don't mean us. We always pick up, although not the wetting. Feeling pretty guilty.

2006-07-02T14:14:00.000-04:00

Here is an early July view of my neighbor's container garden. This will go pretty wild before the fall. The storefront itself is just getting going, so we'll give her time to load it up for our camera.

2006-07-02T14:13:00.000-04:00

Here is a strange sight for July. A red maple, certainly. An ornamental, maybe. But what is causing the premature kill? Been lots of rain, and plenty of sun. The pretty red is early kill.

2006-07-02T14:11:00.000-04:00

This is the opposite side of the block from the container garden. These overflowing gardens make our walkways look lush and almost wild.

2006-07-02T14:09:00.000-04:00

Husband RJ's property is the envy of the neighborhood. See how prettily the impatiens rings the porch? Now let's get a couple of closeups of the lilies in the background...

2006-07-02T14:07:00.000-04:00

Notice how differently the camera's autofocus changed the lighting of these lilies. The brightness of the lemon-lilies messed it up. The tigers make a nicer shot. Love my lilies! So why go inside?

2006-07-02T14:05:00.000-04:00

This brings me back. VeggieGirl is the light of the household. Husband RJ takes more shots of her than even of his own gardens!

2006-06-24T21:16:00.000-04:00

Cover of the Carousel tab published to commemorate the opening of the new merry-go-round at Eldridge Park, Elmira, New York, USA. Story below.

Wakeup Call Answered

2006-06-24T20:46:00.000-04:00

A lovely restoration project is nearly completed. Some very concerned citizens began an ambitious project to bring a new carousel to Elmira. It's almost done. What's left is going slowly, as each animal is being "adopted" by individuals and/or groups interested in Eldridge Park.

When I went to Elmira College in the early 1970's, the park was already in decline. I remember a shabby amusement park that was shunned by us students. Later, I watched as, piece by piece, the place deteriorated. Buildings were taken down or simply boarded up. Fields were turned to sports, and later, simply lay fallow. Everything was finally razed and the carousel sold away.

The whimper of neglect was a wakeup call to a very few, hardcore, rememberers. And they answered.

They first answered by calling. Calling and searching and beating the bushes for like-minded Elmirans and transplants.

The resident and transplanted Elmirans became the answerers. The answerers also became callers and the subsequent answerers became the groundswell of natives who were unhappy that the developers and city fathers had erased the evidence of those memories.

The callers and answerers located and wooed the preservationists, the artisans and carvers who could make the carousel rise again. And the work began.

The preservation efforts were encouraged and funded by the rememberers, who were joined by more and more rememberers. All have stories about Eldridge Park and the carousel of their childhoods.

And all these people, all along the way, appealed to the local newspaper to broadcast their plea: Everybody help us! We are rebuilding our history! Will this work? Can history be recreated after its been erased?

The answer is a resounding YES!

And the echo is also YES!

Happy endings always make me cry.

pb
Little Pond

2006-04-13T09:34:00.000-04:00

Sunny view of our little feline friends. It's cool, so I placed them in the sun. This is a Kitty Walk. If money were no object, we'd buy the whole town, and they'd never come in!

Good enough to eat.

2006-04-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

We went down to the levee to find these, but were more impressed with the colors in our own backyard.

2006-04-01T13:55:00.000-05:00

Husband RJ should be proud of our little rock garden. It's just a touch of color on a city corner.

Rock garden

2006-04-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

There isn't a clear spot in the yard. Croci are everywhere, but so is the windblown trash. See the fuzz? Our work is cut out for us.

2005-12-24T07:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas tree on Guinnip.

Frosted Front Facade

2005-12-17T20:06:00.000-05:00

After a really good storm, our little house looks invitingly snug. Barely out the door, and I'm already looking back. All effects of the ice are gone, and only the heavy, packing-snow is left.

2005-12-17T20:04:00.001-05:00

The view up Guinnip. Already makes me feel like a short walk will do, rather than a long tramp. Ellie agreed, and we were home in a trice.

2005-12-17T20:04:00.000-05:00

Our backyard shed is really quite sheltered with all the snow. Looks a little dreary here, but is actually enchantingly peaceful.

2005-12-17T20:02:00.000-05:00

To the walker, each street is actually a series of tunnels. The trees are heavy with snow, and the hoar is still in the air, making things sparkly in the sunlight.

2005-12-17T19:59:00.000-05:00

Even blue sky and white snow cannot cancel the frigidity of the day after the big storm. The camera seems determined to present this shot as stark contrasts, rather than the blinding white impression my eyes remember.

Ready to Go?

2005-10-26T11:04:00.000-04:00

Grab a leash, water bottle, hat and let's visit our own little neighborhoods. Ellie's ready.

pb
Little Pond

Apples for Animals

2005-09-25T11:49:00.000-04:00

Hey all you horsey people and deer lovers.!!

You've probably noticed our apple trees, at the corner of Guinnip and First on the city/town line. Those apples are for the taking. We use no pesticides and they are generally not fit for humans. But they are great for feeding stations and snacking horses.

2005-09-25T10:48:00.000-04:00

Feel free to pick from the trees and please, please, grab any bagged ones you may see. I'll come to the door and wave. And the GrandDog will bark her butt off at you.

You're welcome. And thank you.

pb
Little Pond

Back Towards Harris Hill for a New Blog!

2005-09-19T09:27:00.000-04:00

I grabbed the GrandDog and camera, threw them in the Tracker and rode out to Personius Woods, where Tanglewood had Doggy Days a few weekends back. We also stopped at Harris Hill Dam on the way back. Ellie was whimpering with fatigue by the time we headed home for a nap.

pb
Little Pond

Who's killing our street people...

2005-09-17T13:12:00.000-04:00

and why doesn't anyone seem to care? That was the question that began to bother me again. I spent the entire morning shuttling between home and the milling station/recycling center. Each time I passed the murder sites of two people with whom I had passing acquaintances. One was an older gentleman who liked to ride his bike around town, despite encroaching senility and the concerns of his family. The other was apparently a street person. He seemed normal to me and I never thought of him as a street person. We shared a love of animals and the sites of Elmira. The latter I've been encountering for decades.

Each was murdered in an out-of-the-way place, and neither person's case was solved. To my knowledge. This is not to say that the police are not still on the case. Our blue knights have a way of surprising us with new developments and arrests well down the road, and seemingly out of nowhere. I expect to hear more.

I was stunned and saddened to see the photo of the older gent on the nightly news. We had just that Sunday shared the air hose at the Mobil at Church and Hoffman. Seemed like a nice morning for a bike ride.

Many scoffed at the idea that I knew the "Street Person" who also died. Why? Of course I would know the regulars, those who loved the sights of Elmira, same as I do. He was a nice guy who loved animals, same as I do. He wasn't afraid to talk to people, same as I do. And he wasn't crass or vulgar.

Frankly, I miss seeing them. And frankly, I still hurt about it. Hope the police get back to us soon.

pb
Little Pond

Dunn Field, Brand Park, and More!

2005-09-05T15:28:00.000-04:00

You know you have to visit with Ellie and me on the Southeast Levee, linking Brand Park and Dunn Field. We were looking for the original Chemung River Fishing Access Site.

pb
Little Pond

Doggy Days at Tanglewood!!!

2005-08-27T12:38:00.000-04:00

You are officially invited to take your dog to Tanglewood. Personius Woods, to be exact.

We've have never had so much fun with so many dogs and doggie-type people! Doggy Day was Saturday, August 27, 2005, but now every day is doggy day at Personius Woods. Dogs are definitely allowed and are encouraged to bring their people, too. Who else is going to pick up after them?

No doggy? Leave the poop packet behind and head up to Gleason Meadows and Frenchman's Bluff. Or is it Buff? This is the main site anyway, and visitors can pick up maps and attend events here.

Scroll down for Doggy Days. If you recognize yourself, please accept my apologies. I rarely identify humans in the blogs. Security Mom, you know.

Addenda: Spoke with Tanglewood that afternoon. They could really use donations to pay for the new facilities, and there are postings around the place saying so. The donations are just a suggestion, like we usually find in museums, art galleries, etc.

Good News: There are none at Personius Woods. Even Better News: They are planning another Doggy Days event, so bookmark the Events Page, because I expect to see you all there! Doggy Days Rock!!!

pb
Little Pond

2005-08-27T12:18:00.000-04:00

Here we are at Tanglewood on Coleman Avenue. These canines include the biggest, the smallest, and the very nicest dogs we met. Ellie loves them all. We took a little time to meet each other and to let the little darlings get over the rides in the cars.

2005-08-27T12:13:00.000-04:00

Our guide, Gus, and his human, Carl. Both are attached to Tanglewood. There were a few little fellows from the SPCA, learning to get along with strangers.

2005-08-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

Lots of sturdy footbridges, slung low over the creeks. Our buddies were too busy with each other to worry about the local critters scurrying around us.

2005-08-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

Some heavy duty walking here. But there are many, shorter trails, as well as a lovely, broad meadow when the little guys can run free.

2005-08-27T12:09:00.000-04:00

And here we are back at the parking lot, poop packets in hand. Thinking maybe we should blog this place further. Wonder if MammaDog would help?

Walking Tour of West Elmira?

2005-08-23T10:37:00.000-04:00

Can't believe how tricky this is. GrandDog Ellie attracted the usual doggy attention, with an added surprise. Many West Elmira dogs are unleashed. Totally. Expensive, gorgeous purebreds, just running in and out of traffic on the side streets. Oh sure, they are lovely, sweet and want to play. The danger is to them, not from them. Furious and worried, I may never go out there with Ellie again. What could be worse than witnessing the HBC death of someone's pet. I did once as a little girl, and am still traumatized.

No photos. Too busy returning one little fellow to his (difficult-to-locate) owner, to keep him from following us home.

pb
Little Pond

Update

2005-08-18T11:30:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Ferris is back, working on her landscaping. Nothing keeps the gals in this neighborhood down for long. Thanks for your prayers.

pb
Little Pond

A Rose for Esther

2005-08-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

One lovely Rose of Sharon, belonging to Mrs. Ferris, our neighbor. Been away a few days and we miss her. But cars plugged the street and driveway, and I had to dodge photographers and reporters to get this shot.

Jeanine Pirro

2005-08-12T13:42:00.000-04:00

Mrs. Ferris' little Girl. She tells us that her mother had successful cancer surgery and should be home before too long. Hope so; we miss seeing her and little Holiday on their walks.

One of the crowd

2005-08-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

Blogging Husband RJ's butt. Joined him in welcoming home our neighbor's daughter, the Republican candidate for U.S.Senate.

Mrs. Ferris' Little Girl Comes Home To Elmira

2005-08-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

Of course you know, Dear Hometown Tourist, that Jeanine Pirro is Mrs. Ferris' daughter. And we can't be any prouder of her than we are now.

No, not because she's running against Hillary Clinton. That's soooo OldNews. It's because she's coming to visit. Hope she brings her Mom, our neighbor.

Watch here for links when she does. It should be all over the paper. ;)

pb
Little Pond

When things get heated...

2005-08-02T14:53:00.000-04:00

...We go where it's cool. Pack a picnic hamper and head up to Harris Hill, New York. Bring the dog: Ellie will be there, too. You'll find us at the overlook, listening for the gliders and their towplanes.

pb
Little Pond

Just ONE Cool Day, Lord?

2005-07-26T10:12:00.000-04:00

Took Ellie hunting along the strand of riverfront behind the Water Board. Lot's of things to dig around there. Plenty of room to run, too.

Update: July 26, 2005

Let me get just one cool day, please. Then I will top off the new site: Morning at Harris Hill. Hell or high water, we will post it in the next two weeks.

pb
Little Pond

Pardon my Butt

2005-07-13T11:07:00.000-04:00

What's cuter than a puppy butt? How about all the babies down along the strand of riverfront on the Chemung. We saw duck families, too. Not a great day for photography, at least early on when it was cloudy. Ellie was yanking the lead, eager to move along, poking at everything.

The thought does occur to me: if this is all the stuff I can see with a squirmy little dachshund tugging me, how much more you will find quietly walking and watching. Bring a camera, and leave behind the phones and radios.

pb
Little Pond

2005-07-13T11:06:00.000-04:00

He's barely visible here. Harry the Heron, as the local kids call him. Just chilling. We are too far away to bother him, I think.

2005-07-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

Well, we tried to be quiet, but Ellie is just plain antsy. Not even interested in the heron, who's annoyed and leaves in a huff.

2005-07-13T11:03:00.000-04:00

Watch for the babies. They will often be just sitting there, looking back.

2005-07-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Along the riverfront are many holes housing small animals. Watch your step. Or bring a dog along to find them for you.

The Community Bookstore

2005-07-02T18:45:00.000-04:00

Grab a cool drink and head to the corner of North Main and West Gray Streets! It's Walking Tour Weekend in Elmira, New York.

pb
Little Pond

New Blog Coming!!!!

2005-07-02T12:25:00.000-04:00

I spent just two hours in Elmira Downtown Saturday (7/2/5) and got such a slew of wonderful things to see that I have to make an entirely separate site. You, dear Hometown Tourist, will be able to take a snack and visit our little country-sort of city in one sitting. These will be sights you can see just walking around one block. Perfect for the disabled, or elderly and excellent for Independence Day weekend!

pb
Little Pond

Extremely Hot Monday Morning

2005-06-27T12:11:00.000-04:00

Wanted to get out of the house before the heat set in. Don't think I succeeded, even though it was only 9 AM.

Hot, buggy and noisy were the watchwords of the day. Definitely a city walk, with city and suburban sights and sounds.

pb
Little Pond

2005-06-27T12:02:00.000-04:00

Today's visit to the strand along the Chemung begins with noisy mowers, clearing the area. Actually not a bad thing for us. Ellie gets to see more and I stay unscratched.

2005-06-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

A freshly mown walkway is welcome today. Bugs are everywhere, eating me alive. And bare legs don't need high grasses, full of ticks and mosquitoes.

2005-06-27T11:59:00.000-04:00

As usual, we scare out the geese just as we hear the first honks.

2005-06-27T11:58:00.001-04:00

Got woodchuck? Not this time, Ellie.

2005-06-27T11:58:00.000-04:00

Tried to keep Ellie out of the muddy river.

2005-06-27T11:57:00.000-04:00

One pretty copse after another makes for a peaceful, woodsy walk

2005-06-27T11:56:00.000-04:00

Brand new trash dump. So what does the (obviously stolen) sign say?

2005-06-27T11:55:00.001-04:00

Naturally.

2005-06-27T11:55:00.000-04:00

What on earth? A raggy umbrella makes a cheerful warning sign.

2005-06-27T11:54:00.000-04:00

Looking back from Demarest Parkway. These lucky residents seem to acknowledge their good fortune by maintaining spotlessly manicured properties.

Putting the Park into Parkway

2005-06-27T11:53:00.000-04:00

Back over our shoulder. Too quiet here, as I expected to see children playing.

2005-06-27T11:52:00.000-04:00

View of the parkway, looking north to Water Street.

2005-06-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

Yard decorations on the parkway. There were more, too. The dragon was at the end of a driveway. But it's fun to spot the little porcupine tucked in among the shrubbery near another house.

What children??

2005-06-27T11:49:00.000-04:00

All lies. I never saw any children. Heard a few. Must be too early yet. Maybe too hot. Soaked in sweat ourselves. Granddog and I headed home.

Sunny morning on the Strand

2005-06-23T11:16:00.000-04:00

Granddog Ellie was itchy and needed some exercise. We grabbed up the camera, a hat and some baggies and headed toward the Chemung. This time, though, the water was muddy and I steered her towards the inside of the strand itself. There are lots of paths, and they change over the year. This will be our last visit before the kids take over the area for the summer. Children love my Granddog, but she doesn't trust them. We will dedicate this summer to learning to love the children. Right Ellie?

The paths are cool and intriguing, some leading out into sunny grass, and other leading into deeper woodsiness. There are many things waiting to be discovered.

pb
Little Pond

2005-06-23T11:06:00.000-04:00

Surprise! A tree fort or stand. No hunting allowed, so it must be a tree fort. The paths are ever-changing, and continually delight me. My back is to the path that took us back to the WestSide. I need a cooler morning for more exploration of the paths. Husband RJ is waiting at the house, so we hurried back to West First Street.

2005-06-23T11:04:00.000-04:00

This poor tree was butchered by the storm. It is now pretty much all that is left of three very large trees whose canopies interlaced, shading the street from curb to curb.

NorthWestern Exposure

2005-06-23T11:02:00.000-04:00

A new view of my neighbor's place. Bright and sunny, and no privacy. I wonder how they feel about that? Do they welcome the light or hate the exposure?

2005-06-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

So here also is a different view from before. The canopy is gone, changed forever. And I miss the ornamental that was to the extreme right.

2005-06-23T10:58:00.000-04:00

So what was a lovely shade garden is now a sunlight garden. Given time, the plants will jostle around for a different dominance, based on sunloving plants instead of shade lovers.

Albino Robin

2005-06-21T10:36:00.000-04:00

Go to the Star-Gazette website to see a most unusual backyard visitor.

An albino robin.

Be warned, the SG site is chock full of advertising, popups and all.

pb
Little Pond

Double Cheat

2005-06-20T11:57:00.000-04:00

Renegging on my promise to post, I will instead offer a double cheat.

I'm letting Shelley at BurningBird give a tour of a botanical garden. Haven't been to one in years, since we left the Washington, DC area. I wish we had one here. They are an excellent tonic both for winter doldrums and hot, muggy summer Dog Days.

Shelley's photos are astounding, as always. The difference between photography and shutterbugging.

pb
Little Pond

Need a Fix?

2005-06-18T12:08:00.000-04:00

Granddog Ellie is back visiting, so we expect to post again soon.

In the meantime, visit Darlene at NatureInfo. I promise this is more than just a quick fix for those who favor our visits to the waterfront and beyond.

pb
Little Pond

2005-06-12T15:47:00.000-04:00

Your hostess.

Walk through Riverfront Park

2005-06-10T15:16:00.000-04:00

Thursday morning I took Ellie downtown. I had forgotten that Wisner Park is dedicated to the Farmer's Market on Thursdays. Some booths were already in full merchant mode, while others, especially the lunch wagons, were still setting up. The heat made me seek the shade of RiverFront Park, along Water Street. We started near the Main Street Bridge.

pb
Little Pond

2005-06-10T15:10:00.000-04:00

The park is extremely noisy. The automobile traffic has nothing on the racket the gulls make! We were drawn to the riverwall and amazed at the sheer numbers. Their cries echo and become the backdrop for our visit.

2005-06-10T15:08:00.000-04:00

Mother Goose and her babies. I always look for families. Seems like our water birds have more than one set of babies each summer.

2005-06-10T15:06:00.000-04:00

People wade the shallows to fish from the islands in the Chemung. The gulls swirled around this fisherman as he wandered over to find a good spot.

2005-06-10T15:05:00.000-04:00

I wanted a shot of Granddog in front of this fountain. Forget that. She's terrified of it, and would not settle down for a sitting.

2005-06-10T15:03:00.000-04:00

Many shady spots with peaceful views of the river are dotted throughout the park. Lunchtime must be busy here.

2005-06-10T15:02:00.000-04:00

When VeggieGirl and MammaDog were little, we used to get a thrill out of riding our bikes down into this underpass.

2005-06-10T15:00:00.000-04:00

Fountain-formed foam catches Granddog's attention.

2005-06-10T14:57:00.000-04:00

The sign says "Stay off the Island." No problem. Ellie didn't seem interested in wading.

2005-06-10T14:55:00.000-04:00

DeFilippo Law Firm, right in the park itself. The windows are mirrored to give them privacy from all us tourists.

2005-06-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

Ellie sips from the still waters away from the fountains.

2005-06-10T14:51:00.000-04:00

Glider City scupture.

2005-06-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

A verdant view almost hides the city. My back is to the river.

2005-06-10T14:46:00.000-04:00

Chemung Canal Trust Building seen from under the Clemens Center Parkway bridge.

Cubism Fountain now named!

2005-06-10T14:44:00.000-04:00

I know there's a name for this fountain, but I call it the Cubism fountain. I'll post the name when I learn it. T-intersection of Water and Baldwin.

2005-06-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

The terminus of the trails is the Lake Street bridge, but its sweet to follow the sidewalk back and let Granddog walk in the grass.

2005-06-10T14:40:00.000-04:00

This stark sculpture is actually a sundial. There's a little plaque set into the cement that describes how it is used.

2005-06-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

It's back to the shady park for me.

2005-06-10T14:38:00.000-04:00

Riverfront Cafe, with diners enjoying the morning sun. Right next to the Sundial on West Water Street.

2005-06-10T14:37:00.000-04:00

Butterfly tree in a shop window facing Riverfront Park. The little buildings give away the provider: Chemung Historical Society.

2005-06-10T14:35:00.000-04:00

More of the display by the Chemung Historical Society.

2005-06-10T14:34:00.000-04:00

Clemens Square is located inside the block surrounded by Gray, Main, Water and the Viaduct. Used to be pretty hopping in the summer. Kinda sleepy now.

2005-06-10T14:33:00.000-04:00

We passed the Community Bookstore on the corner of Gray and Main. I usually send tourist to the CB when I cannot answer their questions. There's gotta be someone there who can help, and if not, maps are for sale.

2005-06-10T14:31:00.000-04:00

Wisner Park, Famer's Market, every Thursday in the summer. Ellie was intrigued by the cooking odors that pervaded the entire downtown.

2005-06-10T14:30:00.000-04:00

Ellie was plumb tuckered out by the whole trip. In fact, MammaDog came by to scoop her up and whisk her back to Golden Glow for some real rest.