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This (out-of-copyright) map is for somebody interested in the old Retallick Mansion near Canajoharie. Just skip over it, if it's not your cup of tea. Or have a look if it is your cup of tea.

@ Albany, New York.

This beauty is on display in the underground area of the state office complex in Albany. It's owned by the New York State museum/archives.

According to the sign, Pierce-Arrow was located in Buffalo, New York and made high-end luxury cars. There were only 160 vehicles of this style (type 43) produced. It cost $2,995 at the time.

Pierce-Arrow made a slight error in their business strategy during the Great Depression (which started with the stock market crash of October 1929). They refused to make any less expensive cars. Maybe they felt that they'd be compromising their integrity...or their brand. In any case, fewer people were willing to shell out big bucks for a car during a major economic downturn. Pierce-Arrow went out of business in 1938.

(By the way, former Governor Nelson Rockefeller's limo out on display again, too.)

p.s. A co-worker pointed out that the hood ornament was missing on the Pierce-Arrow. I don't know what the story is behind that. Maybe the museum has it and was afraid someone would steal it. So, they left it out of the exhibit.

@ Town of Florida, New York.

I don't need to watch the President's State of the Union Address tonight to know that things are a little precarious in the U.S. of A.

A seasonal version of the scene above has existed since (at least) the Spring of 2011. It appears that someone is ready to "man the barricades" should a revolution (maybe Civil War II) begin. Who knew that the pieces of a metal bedframe (?) could do double duty as barricades?!

Lest you think that I'm making too much of one little driveway, note that the property owner has another large land parcel across the street. Its front and back driveways are adorned with a "Don't Tread on Me" flag display similar to the one above. The driveways are often blocked by side-by-side pick-up trucks, too. Now THAT's a more serious deterrent than an old bedframe. Message received loud and clear, dude.

@ Town of Palatine, New York.

This farm is right across the road from the former Wilbur Saltsman farm. It's quite a bucolic scene. I couldn't pass up taking a few photos. If you pick the largest size photo, you can just make out a horse and buggy (with a triangular reflector on it) in front of the house.

The house is fairly new and illustrates the "plainness" that the Amish favor. If we could see the front door in the photo, I bet that it's painted light blue. All of the Amish homes in the area have a blue door. It takes the guesswork out of finding kindred spirits, I assume.

I finally said goodbye to my 10 year old Honda (with an oil leak that wasn't worth fixing) and bought a 2012 Nissan Rogue. I'm very happy with it. I look forward to many fine years of "exploring" in my new vehicle. Photography will be involved, too, of course!

My travels were severely restricted for the last six months due to my aging car. I plan to make up for lost time now...before the snow flies and the bitter cold arrives! Watch out if you see a middle-aged gal in a gray (actually, I think it's called "graphite") Rogue careening down the road. It's me! Consider yourself forewarned. LOL.