Twitter & Blog Promotion

Remember how I said I wasn't going to actively use my new twitter account? Strike that. I want to promote my 2 other blogs and I'm trying to figure out twitter to help. Interested in mysteries? Follow my blog Cozy Up With Kathy. Do you armchair travel? Follow the adventures of my plush rats in Ratkins Deux the World. You can also follow them on Facebook- Ratkins' Travels. Become a follower of both blogs and join them with Networked Blogs. You can also follow me on Twitter: @KatreaderKJK. Thanks!

Photo Phriday - Amelia & Me at Deer Run Winery

Photo Phriday - Nene Goose

OK, I didn't actually take this picture today...I took it last Saturday. That's my hand and I'm feeding a Nene goose at the Gooseneck Hill Waterfowl Sanctuary. These friendly fellows are endangered and on the brink of extinction. How lucky am I, not only to see them, but get to give them a treat as well!

Photo Phriday - Mexican Gray Wolf

Vacation

I'm on vacation! I'm having a wonderful time-not doing much of anything! The main reason for my vacation occurred yesterday, when I went to the Cayuga Lake Wine & Herb Fest. Future events include lunch with a friend, the Buffalo Botanical Gardens, and time with my kids. I also hope to get things accomplished around the house-so far that hasn't worked too well. I also hope to make more writing time...that includes blogging. Hopefully, I can make that happen.

Photo Phriday - South Wedge

Vacation

I'm on vacation and am making the most of it! Friday Sam and I went on an extra long walk. I also both lunged and rode Harley. Stops at the liquor store, Target, and the grocery store rounded out my day. I relaxed in the evening by starting to watch Season 2 of True Blood. Saturday was my big day. I drove to Dunkirk, NY to attend America's Grape Country Wine Festival. I had a wonderful time. I really do love this event. You can sample wines from all over the state! They also have food products (with samples!) and you can find food and drink and live music to entertain you. They also offer fun seminars. I'm happy to make this a yearly event! Today was the Brockport Art Festival. I was so excited. This has always been my favorite festival. I planned on getting all kinds of Christmas shopping done. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I was. I walked the entire thing in 15 minutes...in fact I walked it twice. Vendors I'd been hoping to see weren't there. I didn't even wait for the wine tent to open. Sadly, I don't think any more festivals are planned-so much for the gifts I was planning to buy. Sigh. I stopped at my nursery and talked to my landscape guy for a while. My lilacs...and all the lilacs in the neighborhood are suffering from powdery mildew. The good news is that it rarely kills the plant. And I know what to do to deal with it. He also gave me some freshly picked radishes and cucumbers from his garden. Talk about fresh, he picked as we talked! Then I stopped in at the German Festival in Spencerport. Good food, German beer, and an Oompah Band. Now I"m relaxing and planning to watch more True Blood (I got season 2 from the library-so I have to watch it all in a week!) and the finale of The Next Food Network Star! So far my vacation is off to a great start!

Geographical Bookmarks

You asked...OK one person asked...but here's a picture of the bookmarks I made for a challenge. I didn't like my Rochester one-so I made 2 Buffalo. I'm not thrilled with the NY state one either, but...

Promotion

Several years ago I was part of an online group called The Traveling Rats. Wonderful plush rats created by The Raggy Rat Lady traveled the world, spending time with hosts from all over. One of those rats, Amelia Ratkins, retired to live with me. Recently, I decided to start the rats traveling again. While Amelia stays with me and does day trips and mainly local travels, her brother, Cabot Ratkins, is free to travel the globe as his sister once did. I'm not too web savvy, but I started a blog for them: Ratkins Deux the World. Amelia also has a Facebook page where I post even more pictures. We have a few followers on the website itself and a few on Networked Blogs. But we don't have many. I'd really like to promote my traveling rats. Check out the blog and you'll see a button on the top left corner that says "Follow". I'd really appreciate it if you would become a follower. If you're on Facebook request to become friends with Amelia Ratkins. If you're a part of Networked Blogs, please, follow them their too. Does anyone have ideas on how I can promote these traveling rats?

Ghost Walk

I went to the Rochester Ghost Walk presented by the Landmark Society of Western NY tonight. I've been wanting to go for years, and finally went, along with 2 friends. We had a great time.We met up at a church then went out in groups, following a leader carrying a lantern who led us down historic Arnold Park. We stopped at several houses where "ghosts" told us tales of their lives here in Rochester. The houses were absolutely gorgeous. (I need to go back in daylight.) The acting was quite good and the stories very interesting. I got back very late...that's why I'll say goodnight now.

Wish You Were Here

I just got the cutest postcard from my globetrotting friend, Vinnie. I love it-it has 2 Siberian Husky puppies (just about my favorite) on a Dogsled. But what makes it more special is the postmark. My beautiful Alaskan postcard was postmarked in Honolulu! Love it! Love you too, Vin.

Naples Grape Festival

The Naples Grape Festival is a major event in this neck of the woods, and up until this year, I always missed it. This year I made sure of the date and off I went. I had a grape time! I spent most of the day there, arriving just after 10 AM and leaving just after 3:30 PM. The entire valley was filled with all sorts of booths and by noon it seemed as if half the universe had descended into it! Yet, for all the crowds, things ran absolutely smoothly. For the most part, people were patient and courteous. As much as I loved checking out the craft booths, and I got even more Christmas shopping done!-I was really happy about the wine tent. For a fee you were able to get a glass (yes, another to add to my collection) and sample the wines from 13 NY wineries. I was excited to see several wineries with which I wasn't familiar so I could try their wines. I was also pleased to see wineries I know and love. These wineries served a mob today and I have to give a major hand to all the servers. I also met a lovely fellow from GRROWLS, a NY Golden Retriever Rescue. Oscar is a wonderful dog who loved his pets and wasn't shy about pulling me closer for more! If he hadn't already been adopted he may have come home with me! All in all it was a great day and I'm glad I finally experienced the Naples Grape Fest!

Keuka Lake Wineries

I discovered more wineries today as I participated in the Keuka Lake Wine Trail's Harvest of Food and Wine Event. There are only 8 wineries that participate in the Wine Trail-but there are several others around the lake. Trying to keep to my schedule, I only visited 1 non trail winery, although I had visited another in the past. I had a good time and enjoyed some great food. I'll detail more of my adventure tomorrow.

America's Grape Country Wine Festival

Yesterday I went to the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds in Dunkirk, NY to attend America's Grape Country Wine Festival. I had an AMAZING time. This was the first I've heard of the event, although this is its third year. I plan on going every year from now on! The event is 2 days, but I only went the first day. Let me tell you, next year I'll probably go both days. I didn't get to go to every booth! There were so many wineries...and they were pouring many wines...and healthy portions too! Plus I attended 3 seminars which also served wine...and healthy portions there too! I soooo wanted a Sangria wine slushie from Merritt, but I couldn't as I had to drive home. Ugh. It wasn't just wine either. They had some great food products-sauces, chocolates, nuts, and more. They also had beauty products (grapeseed oil) and even cigars! There was live music (great bands too). The first was a blues band and the second did classic rock. But it was the wineries that really stood out. I wound up missing a lot of my favorites and concentrated on places with which I was unfamiliar. One truly unique one was Pazdar Winery. They produce "unique hand crafted wines with attitude". I've never seen such unusual wines-peppermint, cinnamon...they even have wines made with habenero peppers!!!! A new favorite of mine is Thousand Islands Winery. I really enjoyed talking wine with Craig..who I discovered later is actually the winemaker! I loved all their wines, but, La Crescent and Raspberry Isle really stood out for me. I had a phenomenal day and already can't wait til next year to go again!

Wine Exhaustion

Today I went to America's Grape Country Wine Festival and had an amazing time. I met some wonderful people, had some fantastic wine, great food, and learned some new stuff. Unfortunately, even though I got home at a decent hour, the heat, the driving, and all the beverage consumed, has left me with wine exhaustion. I'm off to sleep now and I'll share details tomorrow!

Corn Hill Arts Festival

Today I went to the Corn Hill Arts Festival for the first time. I had a nice time, buying lots of Christmas presents, plus a few goodies for me. They had all sorts of neat things-including furniture (I wanted some things, but no way could I carry it-and he wasn't local), fountains, neat garden stuff (cute ducks with a body of a rock and metal for the head and feet), paintings (I added to my animal art-The Pet Adoption Network has paintings by cats in their care! Cheap and for a wonderful cause.) jewelry, recycled items and much much more. Unfortunately, a lot of my purchases were from a metal worker. My arms are so sore. And it was so hot! I didn't realize just how huge this thing was either! I had to park quite a ways away, then I walked to the neighborhood, then I walked around...half the time lugging all my metal! I just wanted to get out-but it was a long way back. Of course, the guys hawking the cold water when I first came in were nowhere to be found as I was leaving-but I did manage to find a freezie pop, and helped send a girl to camp with the purchase. Still, I knew I was getting dehydrated. I managed to get home, guzzle down some water, stand under a cool shower, and drink more. I'm still not properly hydrated. I'm happy I went, although I wish they'd have these festivals when the weather cools down!

Travel Misdirection

I had a bit of adventure with my Mom today. The heat was too much for Dad, so he stayed home while Mom and I went to the Polish Heritage Festival at the Erie County Fairgrounds. Now, I've been to the fairgrounds several times...but I've never driven. We hooked up Dad's new Gamin to help us get there and off we went. Unfortunately, darn thing wasn't always clear and we had some weird goings-but we got there. And I drove the Skyway; one scary piece of roadway that I don't even care to be a passenger on. Once we got to the Fairgrounds we almost couldn't find the place where the festival was being held. The entry wasn't the same as the last time we attended and there were lots of other events going on too. We finally found it, hidden behind other buildings with lousy signage. One handmade sign right at the entry gate-nothing to get you to the gate! There wasn't much there-but Mom got what she came for...plus a Christmas gift for me! I got a winter hat-but that was it. We did have a great meal-roast beef with salt potatoes and a dill pickle. Yummm. Mom had a Polish beer-but it was so hot and I had to drive that Skyway-so I just had a pop. We got home-but with more redirection. After the Skyway Mom told me I'd have to take a right exit to get to the 190, then the Gamin told me to take a right, I knew I had to take a right-so I took a right. Than that damn Gamin started in again, "recalculating..." I turned too soon. So I took the first exit. We decided to not try and get back on to the 190-and go a different route. We did-then that route had a major detour so we took another way. We finally got near home, when we were stopped again. A huge accident completely blocking the road home. So...back we went and around another circuitous path. We finally got home-hot and tired. Did I mention the AC wasn't really working? But, we did it. Mission accomplished!

Ratkins Deux the World

I have a new blog: Ratkins Deux the World: The Travel Adventures of Amelia & Cabot Ratkins. This blog will share pictures from the trips that 2 plush rat siblings take around the world. Amelia Ratkins was a member of The Traveling Rats and has retired from the majority of her traveling. She still comes with me on my little trips-so she will be postings pics from time to time. The real jet setter will be her new brother, Cabot. Cabot will be visiting friends and family worldwide. Cabot is on his way to me from the UK as I type. He already has plans to go to Austin, Texas, Orlando, Florida, and France! I'm excited to start their blog which will allow me the luxury of plenty of armchair travel. There's not much posted to the site now, but I will be sharing some things Amelia has done since her retirement in the days ahead. I hope you join us!

New Website

I'm going to be starting a new website/blog. A few years ago I was part of a group called The Traveling Rats. We had plush rats that traveled to hosts around the world, who then showed off their neck of the woods. When the rats stopped traveling Amelia Ratkins retired with me. To this day, I still take her with me and snap pictures wherever we go. I just haven't shared them. All this is about to change. I wasn't sure if a blog could hold all the pictures-but someone showed me her husband's photo blog-so I though I'd give it a shot. I may move to an actual website-but to start I'll work with a blog-since I know how to use this one...for the most part. At any rate, I know people all over the world and thought it would be nice to have more pictures from far off places. Although it may sound odd, I'm attached to Amelia and don't want to risk mailing her off, even to people I know. After all, the first Traveling Rat-Professor Magellan Ratkins disappeared in Australia, never to be seen again. Sigh. So Amelia is staying with me. However, the woman who created her, The Raggy Rat Lady, is making her a brother. Cabot Ratkins will travel the world while Amelia will travel closer to home, or wherever I may roam. Unlike the Traveling Rats, however, I will only send Cabot to people I know. I do know people from all over-and some of these people travel all over as well-so we should get to see some nice places.

I'm trying to come up with a name for this new site-and I have friends all over using their thinking caps as well. Here are some possibilities: Ratkins Deux the World, The Traveling Ratkins, A Tail of Two Ratties (or A Tail of Two Ratkins), Amelia and Cabot - A Rat's Tale, Ratkins Travel, Ratkins Travel Adventures, Ratkins' Travels, The Adventures of Ratkins, Ratty Travels.... Thanks Dad (and Mom), Mike, Jessica, Stephanie, Ray, Vinnie, Barb, Sonja and everyone else who has helped. As soon as I get a name I can get started with a bunch of Amelia photos. I'm excited-but need a name first. What do you think?

Cruise

I'm so excited for my friend, Vinnie. He booked a gig with a cruise ship and will be sailing the world! He'll be going to Alaska, Central and South America, Hawaii, and most exciting-Bora Bora!! While I'm envious of his adventures, I'm too much of a homebody to want to do something similar myself. Thanks, Vinnie, for letting me live vicariously through you. I look forward to many pictures and funny anecdotes!