August 31, 2010
Talk about a bad start to a day! At 7 am on August 17th an intense storm swept through our town, and part of an oak tree came loose and fell on our roof. Over a year ago we had a tree surgeon remove three trees that we felt might be a future hazard. When we asked him about the oak tree, he said we did not need to take it down because oaks were very strong, the tree was very healthy, and it should be fine for another 100 years. Yeah, right!!!!
Fortunately, Aaron McGraw of Select Tree Care of Alfred, NY canceled his scheduled work for the day and came right out. He was a real artist in his approach to removing the tree without causing further damage. He studied the tree from several angles, chained the base of the fallen stem to the trunk so it would not fall, and rigged a pulley and winch to take weight off the end of the stem. It was simply amazing to watch him at work. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
This is the bedroom end of our home with the tree on it.
Stem swung off the roof using chain and pulley with hoist
March 27, 2010
Mat Woodworth (boldlinedesign@gmail.com), a most talented commercial artist, drew our Lewis family crest, and Monica and Ray Sommerville of Sommerville Pottery in Pulteney, NY are making test mugs with the image. We will soon be able to have our family crest on handmade mugs, trivets, cheese boards and other ceramic items. If folks want, I can take orders and deliver items to the Lewis reunion this August in Stonefort, IL. Here is our first piece – a mug with the crest. Click on “Lewis Family Crest Pottery” above for more photos and pricing information.
We are one of many Lewis families from Wales. Our crest was borne by Rhys Goch ca 1070. Rhys was a local tribal chieftain from the area near present-day Abergavenny, Wales. The crest is a Welsh dragon with a bloody severed left hand in it’s mouth. No one knows the exact story of the dragon with the bloody hand. There is a woodcarving of the crest in black oak over the fireplace of the dining room at Gregygnog, a manor that is now a residential educational center of the University of Wales Institute of Rural Health. It is #10 at this web page Blayney Room Lewis Crest
February 15, 2010
In December the State Forester spent a day in our 30 acres of woods by our home, and is developing a Forest Management plan to carry out over the next five years. The management objectives are to improve the forest for watershed, wildlife and recreation. Because of the diversity of the forest, and the management objectives, the forester enrolled our woods as a Certified Tree Farm with the American Tree Farm System. We named our farm “Highland Tree Farm” (we had to name it to get it enrolled). Here is the sign we have posted to show we are a certified tree farm.
Soon the forester will visit out other woods near Alfred, NY, and will certify it. We are naming that farm “Deer Run Tree Farm” in honor of all the deer that live there.
February 15, 2010
After nearly 20 years not being on university faculty, I am back in the classroom. This time I’m at Alfred University in Alfred, NY teaching “Management and Organizational Behavior” in the College of Business. I have 36 bright students, and am thoroughly enjoying the chance to be in the classroom.
December 23, 2009
After 12 years living in New Jersey, and working in New York City, I am so thankful to be back in Western NY. I learned a lot in those years, and saw a lot – including 9.11 and the aftermath – and am grateful for all those years meant. Now it is time for new adventures, new explorations, and new horizons.
Here is our new home:
