Welcoming the sounds of summer
Be sure to get out and support Adirondack Theater Festival
The Front Page
Morning Update
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
By Ken Tingley
It was something I had not heard in my backyard in a long, long time.
It was metal on metal, a clang announcing summer had arrived on Memorial Day weekend. In my youth, I remember those family matches stretching into twilight with the entire family present and only the fireflies and the sparks after a shoe would connect with a stake lighting the way.
On those long ago weekends, you could hear the the distinctive echo of a horseshoe connecting with its target a long way off. You knew when someone in the neighborhood was playing.
My brother visited for the first time since Christmas this weekend. I had resurrected my horseshoe pits and I told him we would get in a game this weekend. But the rains came and the pits were muddy.
But before he left Memorial Day morning, I twisted his arm and we got in a game.
We were rustier than the old shoes we were playing with and I think we were both embarrassed by our performance. But the sound of metal on metal stayed with me long after we said goodbye.
I kind of hope that someone in the neighborhood took some comfort that someone had managed to get in the game.
I remember my grandfather and father playing as a young lad. They both were far better players than me. But by the end of our one game, the shoe was starting to turn the way it should. There was the Fourth of July still to come and hope for more games.
Bringing back theater
When I returned from Texas last week, I was surprised to see a mailer from the Adirondack Theater Festival announcing its upcoming season.
It was another sign things were getting back to normal.
I got around to reviewing this year’s lineup yesterday and noticed that tickets had already gone on sale on May 6. I went online to get my tickets and was shocked to see most of the tickets were still available.
I hope theater fans are just late getting their tickets. I’ve been attending Adirondack Theater Festival shows for more than 20 years. It is Broadway caliber original theater and it would be horrible to see it leave. It was one of the great regional assets for our community.
I urge everyone to get on atfestival.org and get their tickets.
Vaccine passport
The Adirondack Theater Festival is limiting its tickets to those who have been vaccinated. It is requiring each person attending to show proof of vaccination.
I think that is a good idea and should be the standard for any big spectator event such as SPAC concerts or Thunder hockey games. At least for the near future.
I recently got my Excelsior passport online. It allows me to have my Covid vaccination handy on my phone if I need it.
What really surprised me was that New York is the only state in the country that has a digital passport. We appear to be way ahead of the pack in that regard. So far, over 1 million New Yorkers have gotten the passport.
Other states should follow suit.
Vote for my new book
I’ve been talking marketing with my publisher for my collection of columns that will be out this summer.
I’ve been asking you all to give my book a vote on Something or Other Publishing’s website so that they can keep you all updated on the progress of the book.
If you haven’t voted for the book, click on this link and punch in your email address so that you will be kept up to date on the publication of the book.
Be sure to share the link with your friends and relatives, too.
There are over 80 of columns from the past 30 years in the book and I’m proud to say that the columns have stood the test of time. I selected the columns I felt best told the story of the people who live in our communities. I think you will all enjoy the collection.
