Calverton Column: Donate warm clothes at Riley

Happy Halloween! This is my second-favorite holiday. I love everything about it, from the pumpkins to the candy corn, it is all good. I hope each of you has a great time.

Let’s keep up the great work in donating those warm coats, jackets, vests, gloves and mittens to Riley Avenue Elementary’s before-school childcare program. All sizes are needed and your help is very much appreciated. This is the program’s 12th year and your help is needed now more than ever.

Everyone is settling in quite nicely at Riley, and all are having a fun learning time. Parent-teacher conferences will be held Nov. 8, which means school will be closed that day. School will also be closed Veterans Day, Nov. 11, to honor the men and women who have served or are currently serving to protect our country’s freedom.

Diana and Ray Cheshire’s annual company from Germany returned this past summer. Their daughter Bonnie Roth, son-in-law, Engelbert, and sons, Liam and Matthew, had another great visit. They enjoyed many trips to the beach, fished and truly had a great Long Island summer. The Roths, along with their daughter, Chloe, who lives here on Long Island, also ventured to Niagara Falls and Cornell University and spent two nights in Allegheny with former Calverton residents Diane and Warren Voegelin. We can only imagine how two kids from Germany answered their teacher as they were asked, “What did you do on your summer vacation?” Hmm, “We just went to the USA and Canada.” So cool. See you all next year!

I have a cute fish pond at the farm with seven feeder fish in it that I bought last year. Let me tell you that they are now the size of sharks. I just brought them home for the winter as the pond is not deep enough for them to survive in. My buddy Gene and I scooped them out (all but one but we’ll get him yet) this past weekend. You should’ve seen the looks on the frogs’ faces. You could see the annoyance in their eyes.

OK, happy birthday to my cousin Larry Taylor Jr. (Oct. 26), and Joey Quinn (aka Abbott), and myself (Oct. 28). I wish us all a very happy birthday. I love you both and hope we all have very perfect days.

That is all for this week. This is my last week at the farm stand for 2011. Speaking for all farmers, I pray next year is a better one. Take care, be safe and I shall talk to you next week. Bye.