A Not-So-Fun Fact: Did you know that 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of the original Bambi, by Austrian writer Felix Salten? Many of us know Bambi in its 1942 Disney movie version — the young deer who tragically loses his mother to a hunter but...
Some of you have asked about my work with Historic Saranac Lake. These days, there's lots going on! A series of generous grants and massive fund-raising efforts have enabled the HSL to "break ground" on its restoration of the home of Edward L. Trudeau, founder of...
Since coming to Saranac Lake, I've been volunteering at the Historical Society. As part of this gig, I have the chance to handle some pretty cool stuff relating to the history of tuberculosis. You may know that the Trudeau Sanatorium was the first place the "fresh-air...
When I moved north two years ago, I knew it would be good for my writing career. It's quiet here, with few distractions and heart-stopping natural beauty. I've reworked my novel-in-progress, Seeds of the Pomegranate, and completed a second round of revisions on this...
Trademarked in 1889, Emerson's Bromo-Seltzer claimed to cure all headaches as well as brain fatigue, nausea, sleeplessness, nervousness, stomach ailments, and alcohol hangovers. The 1906 passage of the Food and Drug Administration required a listing of all...
As some of you may know, I moved to the Saranac Lake area about two years ago. It's a remote area of the Adirondacks, close to the Canadian border. For the last few months, I've been volunteering at the Saranac Lake Historical Society, which has, as its centerpiece,...
The first farm garden was laid out in 1902 in DeWitt Clinton Park. The park is located on 53rd Street near the Hudson River, in the infamous area the New York Times had just a few years before called "Hell's Kitchen." Writing about his mother's legacy a few...
Discovering the Farm Gardens of the early 1900s
This piece is a love story about my family's card and gift stop, where I spent most of my time growing up. It's also a tribute to my dad, Ralph Uttaro, who was truly the heart of the place. When I sat down to write it for submission to the HIPPOCAMPUS anthology, MAIN,...