Mohawk Ambulance

While looking through the photos of the Mohawk art, I stumbled across this one. Some days, it seems that all that is left of the native culture is their names...

Anyway, this is just down the street from me. We have private ambulance service here, and Mohawk Ambulance has been in the city for as long as I can remember. For the longest time, they had no competition, thus their slogan 'The Ambulance.'

Sweetgrass basket

Another example of traditional art by the Akwesasne people. This is a basket woven from sweetgrass. It's part of the exhibit at Union College called North By Northeast. The poster reads:

Sweetgrass is a marsh grass cherished by basketmakers for its pliability, colour and wonderful smell. Either woven a couple of strands at a time or braided, it is the signature element of many Haudenosaunee and Wabanaki fancy baskets. Picked in the summer, the grass is cleaned, tied into bundles and hung in the shade to dry.

'In Mohawk and Haudenosaunee culture, sweetgrass is referred to as the 'Hair of Mother Earth.' Its sweet fragrance is appealing and endears us to our Mother Earth. We know we are not disconnected from her when we can smell her sweet hair.' -- Salli Benedict (Mohawk)

Mohawk beaded collar

This is a beaded collar made by Niioieron Perkins of velvet, cotton, satin and glass beads. It's currently on display at Union College's North By Northeast exhibition, courtesy of the Akwesasne Museum. I can't imagine how long it took to make this. It's beautiful, and I'm glad I got to see it.

The Mohawks gave their name to the river that Schenectady is built on. Their culture predates the Europeans here by who knows how many hundreds or thousands of years. We don't get to see much of that culture any more.

Autumn is here

Went to Union College to see an exhibit called North By Northeast (more tomorrow) and it was such a typical autumn day that I took Autumn's photograph!

Rosie

This is Rosie, the Scottish Highland cow. She lives at Indian Ladder Farm, a short drive from my house. Although I live in the city proper, I don't have to travel very far to be in genuine farm country, whether it be fruit trees, corn fields or dairy cows. Really, upstate is mostly farm land interspersed with cities along the major rivers (Hudson and Mohawk) and highways (NY State Thruway and Adirondack Northway.) Once off those major thoroughfares, it's pretty rural.

If you're up at Indian Ladder, Rosie is behind a double fence because of those long horns. The folks there don't want you to get accidentally poked as Rosie looks round. She likes apples and will lean in tight if you scratch her under her eyes and on her neck. Very friendly, is Rosie!

Cucuzzeddi

Cucuzzedda is a Sicilian word that generally translates to zucchini or squash. The spelling of Sicilian words tends to be somewhat... flexible, but the meaning comes across to those who have heard it spoken.

These things are over a yard / metre long!

Skywatch Friday

There's a group of photo bloggers who post a photo of their sky every Friday - it's called Skywatch Friday. Click the link to see the marvelous skies from all over the planet.

Don't know what to say about this one. Hand held and a bit shaky, but I don't think the effect was too bad.