Books in Blossom Authors Events for the Williamson Apple Blossom Festival, May 2010

"Books in Blossom", theme for the 51st Williamson Apple Blossom Festival gets underway May 8th lasting through May 16th, 2010. Authors from and books relating to Wayne County, New York are participating in the Books In Blossom events.

Wednesday, May 12th the Williamson Free Public Library will host local authors to meet and talk with readers through formal scheduled presentations and informal gatherings. Children book readings will be throughout the day at the Williamson Library children's reading circle and the youth room. Poetry and prose readings will also be ongoing throughout the day at the Library. Local author books will be available for sale and author autographed per request, with all book purchases, cash or check payable to the author.

Participating local authors and books include:
Local History and History authors JoAnn Meaker (Ontario), aviation history, Paul Roxin, nautical history Susan P. Gateley (Wolcott) and photo books of West Barrier Bar Park, Fair Haven by Peterson Gateley and Pat Cooper Maxon (Sterling), Civil War / NYS 10th Calvary presented by Ron Matteson (Ontario-Walworth), Pultneyville's own John E. Connors' book, Pettiness in Paradise and Other Tales of Appleboom Point, and the book of Christine Moll that started as a family storybook that she published to share with her community. Children and Youth book authors, Sally Valentine Steinmiller (Ontario), Alex Reid (Williamson), and Actor-Author Deborah Smith Ford (originally from Sodus) guest to the Williamson Apple Blossom Festival will present her book, The Little Apple.

Stories for adults and children will be available by Eileen Loveman (Pultneyville) and the cycling journal adventure of underground railroad history by Jim and Carol May (Williamson); Poetry and Prose by Eileen Loveman and Dick TenEyck (Williamson); timely Fiction books by Brooks Tenny (Williamson) with topics ranging from unmanned aircraft warfare to drug traffic trade and Michael Pealo (Marion) book on life-death issues of women in dangerous, abusive relationships. Memoir, Nonfiction- Spiritual hardcover book presented by Jane Marla VerDow of days growing up on an apple farm in Williamson, New York.

Writing and Publishing topics will be presented during the morning May 12th at the Williamson Library by Susan P. Gateley of Whiskey Hill Publishing at 10:30 AM followed by Educator-Self Publisher-Published Author, Dick TenEyck from 11-12 noon. An evening Self to Independent Publishing information session will begin at 6:30, presented by Jane VerDow of Rising Sparrow Press.

Local authors will also be doing book readings and signings at The Apple Crate, Williamson Main Street. Meet the author, discuss their books, get an autographed copy by the author during the author's scheduled times May 12th through Sunday May 16th, 2010. Author MaryJane Auch and Herm Auch, Illustrator (Ontario) will be book signing at The Apple Crate as well as several local authors from the list above. Contact The Apple Crate / Nancy Jordon who will host this opportunity to inquire about specific times for each author.


Friday, May 14th the Authors will be on Main Street Williamson in two Authors Tents from 6 PM-dusk

Saturday, May 15th Local Authors will be participating in the festival activities, returning to the Authors Tents 9 AM-dusk, and
storytelling along the parade route 2:00 PM to parade start time 3 PM.

Grand stand readings, West Main Street, Sat. May 15th at 11:15 by author Eileen Loveman, Pultneyville, NY from her books, "Rhythm and Rhymes of the Heart" and Eileen's George and Bob Stories, a treat for young at heart and youngest.
Actor Deborah Smith Ford, and Author of "The Little Apple" will be entertaining at the Grand Stand 12 noon-12:45 PM.
Joanne Meaker, Ontario NY, author of Images of America, Ontario at 12:45 sharing her researched Town of Ontario history then published through Arcadia Publishing.
Alex Reid, one of Williamson's favorite storytellers will entertain us with stories from his book, Reid's Short Reads 1:30 PM.

Sunday, May 16th meet the authors and book signings Authors Tents 10 AM-4 PM.
Hospitality Tent Local Authors will be sharing their stories from 12-2 PM, Sunday May 16th. Author Paul Roxin will stop by after the Williamson Airport Fly-in Breakfast to tell us stories from his book, One Foot on the Ground: A Pilot's Memoirs of Aviators & Aviation. He could keep you entertained for hours talking about Women in Aviation; Detroit Michigan Aviation/Ford Motor, The Greatest Generation, B24 Bomber production and aviation; and Mohawk Airlines.

Grand Stand storytelling by local authors Sun, May 16th 3-4 PM coordinated with the Hospitality activities and Zoo events Sunday afternoon. Jim and Carol May will be speaking 3 PM about their cycling adventure through the Underground Railroad Trail and their book, "Underground Cycling" prior to the bike drawings sponsored by Herm and Wilma Young. You must be present to win.

Join us in celebrating local literature writing and publishing. Truly Wayne County has had a bountiful harvest of artistic, creative writing talent through the years.


Jane VerDow, Rising Sparrow Press

Sarah

Dedicated to my Grandmother, Sarah (The Piano Player)

Came from Holland just under 2 years of age. Great-grandparents and two siblings, all three children under the age of five at the time of their immigration to the USA. Ship: The Veendam.

Photo Restoration/Video: Jane Marla Ver Dow (2010)

Video Music: John Jarvis, Some Kind of Sunrise

Names of "Home Towns" In Holland (Providence) I saw printed, though letters switched or left off or added on through speech translation handscripted now in print or handwriting versions of the storycarriers. Here I will write them as Zeelandic Flander; Zuidzande; but most common I saw Cadzand. Speech we often heard Zuid-er-zee. I assume that meant land Zuidzande next to or on the zee (Noordzee/North Sea). Funny how sound and letters get lost over time.

Then, the waves and Sea...Now, still fighting the elements to work the land and to preserve home...that remains like Homeland, northwest Netherlands. The draw towards living near water remained in the hearts and Souls of next generations and there they settled along The Great Lake; Ontario. Farmland, rich and higher elevation this new place called, home.


I wrote this in loving memory to "the Grandparents I never met" and to include them on the day my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Grandma Sarah passed at age 40 (Dad, 14) and my Mom's Father, William had passed (1945) prior to their wedding day, 1946.

God, watch over me and mine I pray
Your Ocean to cross so vast.
Dream You planted in my heart just as deep
Your Promise be true, what I sow may I reap.
Set my sail to horizon -America, there may
Mother Liberty open her arms.
Captain my ship as she sails on the Sea
Me a lad or babe, Mother praying over me.
Farmland rich for Your Hands did make.
My gifts all I bring, from Thee.
My hands able to labor and music I play
Send Your Love and Guide my way. Amen.



Happy Heart Day to my Lucier-VerDow Family, 2010

Photo Restoration: Jane Marla VerDow

I love doing photo restoration of old photos. At first I thought it was my imagination, but as I was doing the close pixel work on photos of people I knew, I sensed them there with me. Everything about them. How their skin felt to me, or smells of their day from work or food; simply put, I could sense them on a touch level.

What really intrigued me...when retouching the photos of Grandma Sarah, the grandmother I never knew or met or had the gift to touch, this feeling-touch sensation would still travel through my mouse click into my hand...then to my heart.

Same I sense with old books or old papers. Guess that's the real story behind my rare and old book searches and the interest ephemera collecting. I connect this way.



For more of the same: old photos and restoration in process, or family immigration stories

http://lakeontarioshoreline.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=16


Janie

Lake Ontario Chimney Bluff

Take a walk along the southern shoreline of Lake Ontario in Upstate New York.

This video shows the land path. Stay tuned for Lake Ontario views of the bluff.


Short video.

Clam Bakes

Family Clambake Photo; 1952.
Grandpa in shaded area of photo, 3rd from left. Mom and Dad Center. Little Nancy, child standing in front row. Janie?...not thought of yet.


Cherry Picking Group Photo; 1954.
Left to right: Uncle Johnnie, Mom and little Nancy. Grandpa second from right with Wolf.

My best guess, the "last day of picking for the year", some day around August 10th, and Dad more than likely not in the picture because he had "gone with the load" (translation: the last cherries picked that day for the season delivered to the canning factory).

What would come next day or at least within a couple? Nancy and Grandpa would take a drive to the ice cream store and eat "pig's dinners".

Ah yes, Grandpa and his clambakes. Every year. Family reunion. Steamed clams, salt potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and about a hundred pies, sure as day that at least some of them (notice I didn't write one of them) would be sour cherry and apple. The only rule; had to be a month with a "r" in it...'cause of the quality of the clam, of course. "Don't want to eat all that sand!"


"Uncle Johnnie"
The "professional" fisherman. "Fished every mile of that Lake, from here to Canada and back."

I'd hear stories told down mostly by my Dad about the size of the fish Uncle Johnnie would catch. His favorites to tell though were always about the size of the waves in the middle and how those storms could come up outta' nowhere.

Dad would throw his shoulders back proud, "Uncle Johnnie had sailed and fished the Ocean and always said Lake Ontario had more dangerous waters. It's the way the waves break on that Lake. They roll on the Ocean. On that Lake they can come from all directions at once in a storm; rolling, and crashing, and breaking. Uncle Johnnie he knew how to handle a boat out there. But I'd never try it. Not in a storm. Not in the middle. Too far to swim to shore when you are stuck out there in the middle. I'd want a pretty good size boat to try it. Then, not sure I would."

In answer to your question: yes, my Dad has crossed Lake Ontario on a boat, The Colberg when it travelled back and forth from the Port at Charlotte (Rochester) to Canada as a young man... and yes, that was a pretty large boat, indeed.

Roots;Land and Water

Maternal Grandfather came from London ("Home" Kent, England) on The Saint Louis, (1910) as a young man of 20. Plans were to come to America to be a barber and to send money back home to his Mother. He was sponsored by a family (farmers) in the town of Ontario and worked for them until he purchased a farm, settled in the Town of Ontario, became a Father, and played coronet in the Ontario Fireman's band.

He never returned to England. Two of his brothers traveled England to America then back, then returned to America from 1909 to 1920. His brother purchased a ticket for the Titantic voyage but at the last minute "missed the boat" by a "change in plans".

Grandma Sarah (paternal line) came from Holland (farmers) with her family; Mother and Father ages 24 and 25, with three young children (born to that date) all under the age of five. Sarah, age 1, became ill on the voyage (The Veendam) and years later it was summized by the nature and lengthly period of time of her liver illness that she had contracted hepatitis on the journey. Her passing left 6 children ranging in ages from 2 to 16 to be raised by my Grandfather, the oldest children, and extended family.

2006, my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion and for the gathering of family and extensive list of their friends of all ages I put together a scrapbook. I honored the fact that Mom's Dad (age 52) had passed the year prior to their marriage and Dad's Mom (age 40) had passed when he was 14 years old; neither of them living to be a part of that day in 1946.

I wrote this in loving memory to "the Grandparents I never met" and to include them on this day, 60 years later, in celebration of their children:

God, watch over me and mine I pray

Your Ocean to cross so vast.

Dream You planted in my heart just as deep

Your Promise be true, what I sow may I reap.

Set my sail to horizon -America, there may

Mother Liberty open her arms.

Captain my ship as she sails on the Sea

Me a lad or babe, Mother praying over me.

Farmland rich for Your Hands did make.

My gifts all I bring, from Thee.

My hands able to labor and music I play

Send Your Love and Guide my way. Amen.

Maternal family line; Great-Grandma and Grandpa. His family came from Holland sometime before the Civil War...stories were recorded by newspaper that he remembered the day President Lincoln was shot (about 5 years old at the time).

My Grandma had a green thumb for vegetable gardens and flowers. Memories of her many; spading dirt by shovel in the Spring and tending her gardens each Summer through Fall, a gift she inherited and learned from her father and then passed on to my Mom.

Photos taken near the Water, down on her Lakeshore; Ontario, the Great Lake. This place where families settled and they chose to be the caretakers of the land deposited there, a place to root children, and then to raise them near. She, this Great Lake and they, each generation, each family, each one...took a moment to be recorded as having been there...in this place, settled, together.

Good Friends

Grandpa, closest to water pictured above with a friend, was a farmer by trade, and an avid fisherman by hobby and at heart. His older brother, John was the "professional" fisherman on Lake Ontario waters. Stories told down of family back home in Holland, "farmers and fisherman on the Sea, they were."

Names of "Home Towns" In Holland (Providence) I saw printed, though letters switched or left off or added on through speech translation handscripted now in print or handwriting versions of the storycarriers. Here I will write them as Zeelandic Flander; Zuidzande; but most common I saw Cadzand. Speech we often heard Zuid-er-zee. I assume that meant land Zuidzande next to or on the zee (Noordzee/North Sea). Funny how sound and letters get lost over time.

Then, the waves and Sea...Now, still fighting the elements to work the land and to preserve home...that remains like Homeland, northwest Netherlands. The draw towards living near water remained in the hearts and Souls of next generations and there they settled along The Great Lake; Ontario. Farmland, rich and higher elevation this new place called, home.

Dad carried on the tradition...early morning fisherman with fish tales to tell, taking a break from farming.

Mom never learned to swim, was more fond of viewing or sitting near than being in the water. Still...the story has been told and retold how she jumped into the water (a pool, not the Lake or Bay) and saved me from drowning when I was 2.

"A day at Pultneyville Beach"

Mom sitting the closest to the Lake.

The pathway;my life

and on the pathway...of my walk...I discovered me...some I already knew, some I was still discovering...and as I walked towards I sensed it pulling me...and on the lookbacks, I saw and felt replayed all life I had known and lived...and once I reached the end of where I could no longer walk...the answer I was searching for, there I found...and I smiled, no, truth told I laughed outloud...and said "thank-you", most grateful ...then I played there...content I walked back out and followed my path...some steps I already knew...and some I was still to discover...

Janie

A Farmer's Faith

Written on a March Sunday, 2000 when we were talking in a Church home of Jesus drawing lines in the sand. My heart and mind drew me afterwards to the lakeshore where this was written.

While others questioned where it was written and talked of straight lines and tiers of oppression holding others down, I was picturing Jesus with stick in hand drawing a circle in the sand around the woman and asking “How much space do you need?” And saying “Fill your space.”


Written June 21st, 2001…
Now on this morning of late June 2001 on the 21st day, somehow blossom time makes sense.

The Lake, ...for the first time my home on Earth discovered in my time and in God’s Time the Way my Creator planted the dream in my heart as it would be for me so many years before. I had traveled for a lifetime a Soul path to the crest of the hill, sat there always in body or mind sense looking to the Lake and praying when God’s Presence and guidance was most needed... dreamt of walking the final mile alone to the Lakeshore, then…stepping in and walking to my body balance point that allows strength and complete submission without fear, then…returning to create what God was dreaming of, too.


This was the body of what was written at the Lakeshore late March of 2000…


To provide support for the process of growth and discovery, those choosing to support that process may find that growth occurs naturally when righteous actions are abandoned, power is given rather than taken, and control is seen as unnecessary. Although forcing action-response may be the necessary tool or approach to spark awakening, to merely do so limited by hungry desires and wants or our predetermined and well-worn pathways, we risk taking the life force from the tree for only the tree knows its own time and growth space.

The true miracle of growth often comes with the passage of time in fertile ground, with supportive waiting, the balanced new air of Spring following the hardship, quiet and rest of a long Winter.

While the farmer rests and dreams, the buds of growth each respond on their own time clock, and awaken to their self and God determined Path; their opening. Wishing the onset, wishing to control the timing, wishing the blossoming, does nothing but breed the disappointment, the anxiety, the painful awareness of the long Soul wait. Believing, holding faith, and trusting that on their own each will open in their God Time to their predetermined Earth time, we dream of blossoms and fruits abundant.

It is true that the combined, the unison May time blossoming holds beauty beyond description. My eyes, oh, how many times they have been blessed to witness this event of color. Yet, no less spectacular, no less a miracle, no less eye opening is that single late flower bloom of the single blossom cluster that my eyes have always been with vision to see on that late June morning.

When all the others have faded and by now well turned to fruit, this one single blossom how captivating, so powerful in its aloneness that it holds our attention when the others have long ago become, reviving our memory of what had come before balanced against a hope-vision of what is yet to be. We do not force this one to be like the others, to catch-up, to expect this one to become the biggest fruit on the tree but rather, we sit back in curiosity and with support equal to that which we have given the others, respond to the grace that it is by just surviving and simply being, and anticipate what it may become.

We know without proof of knowing, our hearts open to our discovery and God’s gift in that moment when our eyes were most open, that this flower of blossom as it comes to fruit in its own God Time and God Space, and mirrors the image God has pictured, that by observing its presence and doing nothing, we watched a miracle of its own discovery.

Janie


Above is an edited version of a longer story.
Appears in full, nonfiction spiritual novel, Dear Daisy by author, Jane Marla VerDow

http://www.risingsparrowpress.com/Bio.htm

http://www.risingsparrowpress.com/announce.htm

Lake Ontario Shoreline

Day One.


The wise words told to me by a beekeeper at a farmer's market...

"Bloom where you're planted."