Smyrna & more Finger Lakes...

Just down the road from us is the little village of Smyrna - home to the Smyrna Citizens Band. Every Monday night during the summer they perform on the porch above the library. This is their 89th year (I think they're the oldest continuous village band in the state) so of course they're really good. It's sort of like going to the drive-in movies. You can back in across the street and listen to the music from the comfort of your car (then honk your horn after each number). Or you can bring your lawn chair, or you can stand or sit on one of the steps or porches. The fire department serves hot dogs and hamburgs before "the show" and the Methodist Church has a GREAT selection of homemade pies. This Monday was also my birthday. It's not every girl who has a town band dedicate "Teddy Trombone" to her on her birthday!

Later in the week it was back to Finger Lakes. First stop - Auburn. (For those of you interested in real trivia, Auburn was the birthplace of talking movies. In 1924 Case Research Lab partnered with Fox Studios - result... Movietone News.) Anyway, the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn currently has a special "Made in New York" exhibit - well worth a stop.

Then it was on to find a campsite for Tillie (her first overnight this summer). Notice in the photo her "younger sister" is at a campsite below (can you expect anything less from a campground named "Cheerful Valley"?!) Not to hurt Rambo's feelings, but Tillie's bed IS a bit more comfortable and roomy...

Our destination that night was to see "La Cage aux Folles" (local production) at the restored 1898 Smith Opera House in Geneva. It's a beautiful theater saved, thank heavens, from the wrecking ball in the 1970's.

However, the real purpose of the trip was to go to the Peppermint Festival in Lyons. (John was pooh-poohing the idea but ended up having a GREAT time - thank heavens!) Lyons was the home of the Hotchkiss Oil Co. until it was sold in 1990 (peppermint oil is now made in Indiana). H.G. Hotchkiss, as I'm sure you know, was the world's Peppermint King. The company was established in 1839 and at one time there were over 100 stills on peppermint farms in the area distilling the oil. (Wonder if they distilled other things as well....) Wild peppermint found in the area proved to be the highest quality in the world. The Hotchkiss company bought the oil from the farmers, further refined it (how did they do that?), and sold it worldwide. The company's back door opened onto the Erie canal. Apparently you could smell the factory for miles around. (I, of course, had to buy a peppermint plant. Now to find a place to plant it where I don't mind it spreading all over! - should I begin looking for a still on ebay?)

The Barge Canal (it replaced the Erie Canal) goes through Lyons and, as it happened, the Schooner Lois McClure was docked there for the day. This boat is a reproduction sailing barge canal built by the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vermont and is spending the summer on the Barge Canal stopping at various towns so folks can take tours. John LOVED it. My boat of choice on the other hand was the little tug boat that's pulling it through the canal (the schooner only sails across the lakes).

Even without the boat and the festival, Lyons is a pretty little village to explore. If you're ever out that way, be sure and plan a stop. It's a great place to stretch your legs.