Vine Valley Revisited

Greetings from the sunny south-still. This time last year I would have been packing to return to the store in Vine Valley. Today, I am just enjoying time with my girls and my sister-in-law, who was finally able to take a few days off since Covid hit last January. I trust, hope, you have found the new store page, which is just Vine Valley Store, without the general. They have many items for sale that you did not see last year such as more tshirts, Heart of the Finger Lakes g...lasses, pizza, hot dogs, bread and bagels from a local source and donuts sometimes. I do not think the deli is open yet, but it will be Memorial Day weekend. Fred and I have offered services to help them get the subs going. I believe they are also having a chicken barbecue on Memorial Day. So many good things happening at the store that, I confess, I did not have the energy to accomplish. The salads and baked goods were all I could keep on my plate. (Speaking of salads, I told a few people I would be willing to make some potato/tuna Mac salads for an event they may have during the summer, but I do not believe I will be supplying the store with salad this summer, although asked. ) I know you are as happy to have the store open as I am and I know you will support them to the best of your ability. Last summer was a hard one for all, so spread this wings this year and Eat! Drink! Swim! Hug! We will be around. Thank you. See more

Greetings Vine Valley. I have had Facebook gurus here trying to help copy and paste the Fox’s Vine Valley mine so you can find one another. No luck. In any case, here is her address. Hoping you link so you know what is happening at the store. I may just have to cut you loose and close this account. new address: https://www.facebook.com/Vine-Valley-store-1040369817878401 Good luck. Will check back later to see if successful. Beth

Greetings Vine Valley. I have been trying to pass this website over to the new owners, unsuccessfully as it turns out. My brother-in-law set up this account as the manager with me as a co-manager. For some reason, he has been dropped as the manager and I have been unable to add the new owner as a manager. I will continue to try, but probably need someone more electronically knowledgeable than I to fix the situation. In any case, the update about opening as I know it follows. ... Tonya Fox, the new owner, plans to open weekends in April and May, with the full opening by Memorial Day. I believe she is trying to get her feet wet prior to Memorial Day and also needs to be open for a few days before she can acquire the liquor license. I am not quite sure what she plans to have available, but know she has contacted the deli salesman, has a handle on Cuba Cheese, Coke/Pepsi maybe, and other vendors. I think the deli will not be fully open until Memorial Day weekend, but other staples in the store will probably be available. When I know more, I will let you know. I probably will not have this Facebook page situated until after I get to NY in late May. Bear with me, please. My niece, Mackenzie, the potter of the mugs we sold last year, is a Facebook wizard. I hope she can help her poor aunt. Actually, my 6 year old granddaughter frequently chastises me. Mimi, why did you leave all these Apps open on your iPad?! I am sure I am quite a trial to her! We have fared well this winter. So far, no visits to the emergency room for Fred, which has been a yearly occurrence for the past several years. I probably should not tempt fate by mentioning this. We are all vaccinated and hope all of you have managed to secure at least your first shot. I know that we feel much less vulnerable now than in January prior to vaccination. In any case, I need to sign off as I am running on low power. My NY children coming to visit next week so we will all be together again. I am a blessed woman. Take care. I shall be back soon. See more

Good morning Vine Valley. I will probably have to sign off from this page at some point and let the new leasers make their own footprint, but not quite yet. Just in case you want to know, the Fox family have finally been able to satisfy the town and have moved on to file for a liquor license. Nothing can be finalized in the liquor area until the store is open for the season because the liquor authority requires interior pictures of the merchandise for sale to assure them tha...t you have goods to sell in addition to alcoholic beverages. I can’t recall the percentage, but I believe 75% of your floor space must be grocery products with the rest alcoholic beverages. There is your learn something new every day tidbit. Moving on. The reason you have been on my mind has to do with potato salad. Yes, the first batch has been made and consumed. As usual, it is all about the potatoes. To you snow birds or to anyone who is able to escape the polar regions of New York, if you have not discovered Detwilers farm market in and around Sarasota/Venice region, look them up the next time you are here. They are a family owned business, Amish, so not open Sundays, and they have outstanding fruit/veggies/ fresh fish. Anyway, the last time I was in there they had the most beautiful Yukon Gold potatoes I have ever seen. Oh, here is tidbit number two: use the Yukon’s for potato salad. None better. Consequently, I made potato salad, my first batch since September when the store closed. Tidbit three, as some have asked for my secret recipe. No secret- potatoes, eggs (maybe 6 for small batch), onion, celery, mayo, miracle whip ( just a blob), grain mustard (another blob), onion powder, salt, pepper. No, I do not measure as I am, as Alan Williams said, just a throw it in kind of a girl. As I told some people who asked, I will be happy to make you a batch of salad if you need for some occasion in the summer. Or once a week? Or maybe you will be happy with what the store will sell when it opens. I am quite thankful that all will be well at the Robeson general store. We still have our place in Indian Village, but we are not sure if we will keep or sell. Even if we do sell, I am never far away. Speaking of thankful-both vaccines have been administered and tolerated. Because it is Florida, there are few mandated restrictions so, up to this point, we have been fairly secluded except for daughter and family. Now we can just cut loose if we choose. I see a West Coast Auction Company auction in our near future. Take care. Try to get warm. Blessings to all. See more

Holiday Greetings Vine Valley. I promised myself that I would send a Christmas message and would have forgotten to do so were it not for the Cuba Cheese. I was prepping the breakfast casserole for tomorrow by pre-cooking the sausage and onion and shredding the cheese. Bam! Yes , exsharp Cuba Cheese is the only cheese suitable for a casserole, mac and cheese, etc because it can hold its own with the other ingredients. There you have my culinary tidbit for the end of the year..., 2020! I do not want to wish my life away, but this year has been long and full of suffering and I am ready to be done with It! Last year on Christmas Eve, I was sitting in the Methodist Church in Vine Valley with my Florida daughter and granddaughter. No visitors this year from Florida. No visits from my older daughter and family either as she was quarantined last Friday. She has had 2 negative Covid tests, but is still isolated from family, especially us old ones. She works as a social worker in a maximum security prison, assigned to suicide watch recently. Consequently, I had to voice my concerns when some folks were appalled by the prospect of putting prisoners on the list for Covid vaccines. Even if your unchristian self thinks prisoners should all rot and die, they are a confined population who require many people to treat them in some fashion. These workers are essential and are exposed throughout everyday all day . Have a little mercy. So, these are my thoughts tonight. I was going to tell you a story about ice skating on West River, on Clare and Alvy Slacks pond after mass on Sundays, about snowstorms on Christmas and putting riding toys together for the younger ones after midnight mass on Christmas eve-sometimes until 3am, about my brother wearing my moms skates after stuffing the toes with socks so they would fit him, about traveling through fields behind Charland's house in search of monstrous snow drifts- but I think this is long enough. I ill save the stories for another day. I have not left you, but I have been working on my wellbeing. Merry Christmas to all. May peace fill your heart. Bless you and yours. See more

Salad. That is what is on my mind. And s. It is the weekend for my Salad Extravaganza! Cowboy Caviar (aka, Corn) ( for #1 granddaughter) Fruit... Pasta Broccoli Slaw Plus the usual- Macaroni, Tuna Macaroni, Potato Baked Beans tomorrow with the Tuesday I will be sitting, hopefully not canning tomatoes. Which reminds me-Should you wish to can tomatoes, I have a deal for you. 25 pounds of canners for $8. Wahoo. Please do not resist, because if you do, I will be up to my armpits in tomatoes on Tuesday. Help!

Salad. That is what is on my mind. And s. It is the weekend for my Salad Extravaganza! Cowboy Caviar (aka, Corn) ( for #1 granddaughter) Fruit... Pasta Broccoli Slaw Plus the usual- Macaroni, Tuna Macaroni, Potato Baked Beans tomorrow with the Tuesday I will be sitting, hopefully not canning tomatoes. Which reminds me-Should you wish to can tomatoes, I have a deal for you. 25 pounds of canners for $8. Wahoo. Please do not resist, because if you do, I will be up to my armpits in tomatoes on Tuesday. Help!

Greetings on what should be a produce post Thursday. Alas, no new produce. No melons, no cukes, no corn, no spaghetti squash, no bananas either, not lettuce, nor onions. We do have, however, plenty of tomatoes for $2 basket and a few peppers at 4/$1. Unbeatable, I would say. On a begging note, last year I begged you to come buy beets or else I would have to bake Beet Muffins. I actually had someone waiting, in anticipation, for my first batch (Mr. Bubday)! Now I am just stra...ight out begging everyone to come buy just 4 gourds each. They are amazing to see. I know you cannot bake them, boil them, chop them, or dice them. You cannot even freeze them or eat them or can them, but they are unique and great for fall decor. Actually, Camden and I thought to hollow some out to use for water vessels. I, personally, have one behind the counter that resembles a cudgel, which I just may use on the next man who gives me a hard time about wearing a mask. ( yes, it has been only males who have been snarky about the mask requirement). I almost forgot, rather than produce Thursday, it is salad Thursday. I have not made a corn salad all year, but it is here, almost. It is called Cowboy Caviar and is my number one granddaughter’s favorite. It will be ready tomorrow. I have also made a fruit salad, which has been a requested item that I partially ignored as it is so time consuming. Pasta salad ready tomorrow as well. Plus, if I do not mind saying so, I make a really good pot of beans to accompany my Dogs on the Beach. After all this chopping, baking and mixing, I am going to lay down my spoon for a good length of time. My Middlesex History Group came for lunch yesterday for what was their last luncheon with me at the Vine Valley Store. As they were partially the reason I began this journey initially, I owe these wonderful people a debt. I am thankful to know them and will continue meeting with them on Wednesdays, and, perhaps, even become a functioning member! Although we will be closed the week after Labor Day, we will reopen Sept. 12 and 13th for some final sales. After that, we will be done. Thank you for supporting us so well. Now just be as supportive to our succcessors, please. See more

Did you notice that the Vine Valley post from the weekend lacked my usual flair? The one with the posters, et al? That is because it was created by Ryan Mitchell, source of koozies, stickers, Vine Valley T-shirts, and now posters. I am just giving Ryan a little poke. He has contributed a great deal to our well being and I appreciate it. Now for Produce. This is a story of what you could call Un-Produce. Camden and I were talking about hollowing out gourds to make drinking ve...ssels. My natural thought progression led me to the song, Follow the Drinking Gourd. Time for a history lesson, folks. You can never take the teacher out of me. (My apologies in advance. ) The Drinking Gourd is the Big Dipper. The song was used on the Underground Railroad to teach escaping slaves how to find directional North=freedom, as the North Star is an integral part of the Big Dipper. Songs, quilts, and drawings were used to show illiterate slaves how to find their way North. So, what does this have to do with Un-Produce? We have cases of gourds of the most interesting shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, if you are not going to carve them or hollow them out to use to carry your water as you meander around Canandaigua Lake-they are purely decorative at 4/$1. Other than that, more peppers at 4/$1 and more tomatoes $2 a basket. The Produce end. The history end. My end. I am probably beginning to think about counting down the days. From September of 2019 until May of 2020, I made one salad, maybe two: One potato ( that my husband said needed work), one tuna (edible). Baking was limited to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and granddaughter. I am thinking I may need to repeat this schedule. Until next week, or maybe sooner if the spirit moves me. And DO NOT forget DOGS on the BEACH next Saturday, Sept 5. We will be outside and distant! A complete meal for $2, including my famous baked beans. If you are a bean lover, or even if you are not, they rock. See more

Good morning Vine Valley, Only two weeks left to stop by the store and stock up on Vine Valley merchandise! We received our last shipment of Vine Valley T-shirts, kozies and stickers for the season and we still have a few wooden signs, coffee mugs and Robeson Store branded items. We also have a limited supply of vintage style Vine Valley prints for sale.

Mind? What mind? I forgot to thank you so here goes. As I was driving home from Seneca Farms in Penn Yan, stuck behind a horse and buggy, I was reminded of your generosity this past Sunday. Jo Wal, publisher of the West River News, printed every fort nite, asked me to put a collection jar out for the Mennonite horse killed in the accident of a couple of weeks ago. One child was not injured, physically, because he was riding his bike ahead of his family wagon. He was, howeve...r, traumatized and did not speak for several days. One of his concerns was how to step up to take care of his family without their horse, which had been euthanized. The jar I put out Sunday, for the horse, was filled with over $50 in just that one day. I delivered the money to the Edgewood Country Store on Monday. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who contributed. You warm my heart. (While there, I accidentally passed through the quilt fabric room and heard some pieces calling my name. Never one to ignore quilt fabric, I succumbed. ) Seriously, however, thank you. The family thanks you. Blessings to you. the end.

Hmmm. Another Produce day. I wish I had something scintillating to say. Maybe I should write rhymes about vegetables. Tomatoes are so red and cheery I can see them though my eyes be blurry. Round and red and oh so tasty... I am so glad they are not pasty. Cantaloupe is impossible to rhyme I love to eat them all the time. The corn is selling by the dozen The peppers came from a Mennonite cousin. The veggies here you need to buy Else baking them, I’ll have to try! I really don’t like rhyming poetry that much unless they are like the above-just silly stuff. I hope to see you stop by before we close. NOTICE!! We are having DOGS ON THE BEACH- September 5, from 11:30-1pm. Hot dogs, beans, soda. Hope you have time to come and say farewell.

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Would you be mine? Must be i am in the mood for a little Mr. Rogers today. I would like nothing more than to soak my feet in a pool with Mr. Rogers while he talked about caring and sharing. My family was here last weekend. It is a rare occurrence when all my children are in the same place at the same time. I miss those times dreadfully. In any case, It is time for the Thursday Prod...uce lineup. CORN-Finally-$3 dozen Cantaloupe-$2 for one or 2/$3 Garden tomatoes-$2.50 basket Spaghetti squash-2/$1 Peppers-5/$1 New red onions-3/$1 Because it is Thursday, it also Seneca Farms day. This means I need to be off at some point to pick up ice cream. I hope you have taken advantage of at least one of the flavors we have from this amazing dairy. Speaking of going to get the ice cream-guess I get an early release to do so. Later. Take care of your families.

Nothing starts the day like coffee in my big bellied mug made by Upstate Pottery. Available in the store. Hand thrown. Microwave and dishwasher safe. New supply came in last night. Thank you, Mack. You are the Pottery Queen.

I knew I was in trouble when noon rolled around and no dynamic duo! The auction ends at 11 so I usually see them roll in around 11:30. The later the arrival back at the store, the scarier the contents of the car. I guess they were listening when I told them to be more creative and not get the same ole stuff-No more peppers, cucumbers, yellow beans, zucchini as we still have some from last week. They are still worth eating, though, believe me. Our prices are still cheap, so ...don’t forget us when you are looking to expand your meal options. Just like shrimp-is zucchini: you can bake it, broil it, sauté it, kabob it, cheese it, spiral it, zucchini gumbo, zucchini and grits! Oh, hold on there a minute. There is nothing you can to grits to make them taste unlike a mouthful of sand. Anyway, add to this, eggplant (2/$1). While it is not as versatile as zucchini, it does make a good Parmesan. Cook up some spaghetti squash (2/$1) with beautiful red onions (3/$1), and you have a dish fit for a queen. In the fruit area, there are blueberries ($3 pt or 2/$5) and some luscious cantaloupe ($2). On a side note, which may or may not be worth reading-some people have stepped forward who are eager to take over this store next year and for that, I am most thankful. The store will be open next summer, as usual. I find I am unable to keep up the pace required to do the job I want to do. Yes, I could buy salads and baked goods, but that is not me. So if I cannot perform adaquately, I need to exit the stage. I talked to my cousin, Dan Robeson, this week to see if he was disappointed in me for leaving. He assured me that he understood and that we had done a beautiful job. Thank you, Dan. I love you. At least I will continue to see him weekly at the history group meetings and, for that, I am grateful. So, until next Thursday-stay safe and Mask On! Forgot the bouquets-$1.50! See more

Good Thursday afternoon Vine Valley. Facebook always greets me with what’s on your mind? Today is one of those days when I am not sure I have a mind let alone knowing what is on it, if anything. Don’t you just hate it when you wake up in the night, intending to take a short trip to the loo, and end up awake for hours thinking of people, places, and things that could wait until morning or another day or maybe never? Right about now, I am tired to my soul. I was ready to be h...ere three years ago, but now it is approaching time to move on. I do not feel I am quitting, but moving. Today, I am missing my brothers so forgive my maudlin mood. Moving on to my Thursday purpose. Cukes-5/#1 (even more, for god sake) Peppers-5/$1 ( there are no words for the amount of peppers I see) Squash (green and yellow)-5/$1 (yellow squash not my favorite) Yellow beans-$1 a quart We still have some peaches at $2.99 basket And $2.50 a basket for tomatoes that actually look and taste like tomatoes. Unfortunately, Fred did not have his muscle with him today at the auction ( that would be grandson, Camden), and he could not manage the tubs of melons and corn. Consequently, yes, we have NO melons or corn. Maybe next week when Camden is off vacation?! Yes, he is in vacation and don’t get grandpa going on that one! Grandma let him go! Take care of yourselves, Vine Valley. Speaking of Vine Valley-we have a new supply of grey Robeson Store T-shirts and some blue Vine Valley ones coming next week. Don’t forget the handthrown Finger Lakes mugs made my Upstate Pottery. Plain mugs as well. Gorgeous. And that is all I have to say about that and everything else. See more

Good fruit and vegetable Thursday, Vine Valley. We certainly had a bit of excitement last weekend. For a minute I thought I saw Dorothy and Elmira Gultch flying by, but it was only tree branches and sideways rain. Poor Gordy at the Community House seems to be on a roll of questionable luck. It was bad luck when the truck slammed into the back wall, but there was no one hurt when the front of the truck ended up in the kitchen. You could also say that the enormous tree falling ...on the Community House was bad luck, but the railing on the porch seems to have taken some of the weight so there is only a small dent on the peak of the roof to indicate anything untoward had even occurred! At the store both Fred and Camden got stranded on the porch when the door latch jammed. They had gone out to try to save the hanging plants, but the storm came, the door jammed and, in retrospect, it was a bit comical. Of course I was inside trying to unjam the door, snug and dry. Now to the purpose- Tomatoes 4/$2.50 Zucchini 5/$1 Cucumbers 5/$1 Green peppers 3/$1 Freestone Peaches $3.99/ basket of 5 Unfortunately, the corn was still expensive at $5 dozen so we do not have any this week. Maybe it will come down next week. So, what an odd weather day. It is hot and humid outside, sometimes pouring and sometimes just steaming. A few customers are around and a few beachers. And, of course, I am around. Right now, I am up to my neck with a pasta salad that I hope sees the deli case by tomorrow. See more

Good Friday morning, Vine Valley . Although cloudy on occasion, it is a bit less overcast than last night! It was also a quiet early evening at the store, which was not a bad thing. Between baking, salad making, doctor, cheese pick up, lettuce pick up, ice cream pick up, I was not ready to pick myself up off my butt to make 8 subs that were looming in a call that never happened. Dodged that bullet. I am more prepared for that call this morning than I was last evening. Anyway..., this is your day late veggie post. I am looking at some plump, juicy tomatoes at $2.50 for a basket of 4. Toss them with the 4/$1 cukes and you have a tasty summer side dish. I did do that last year and put the concoction in the salad case, but not a big seller. I do not believe I will do that again unless I still have several cases of tomatoes on Monday. So, have a heart and come buy some tomatoes and, of course, zucchini. I have made bread once and looks like I will have to do it again; however, it only takes about 2cups of zucchini for two loaves. I’d have to start baking bread now and keep doing it until Labor Day to use up the supply sitting in the cooler. I would, however, rather you take some off my hands. I remember threatening Mr. Bundy last year with some beet muffins if people did not get in here and buy beets. Thankfully he was saved. I did splurge and buy myself 4 pints of black raspberries last Saturday because I was craving a pie. It is my favorite kind, maybe. I just love pie. I probably already mentioned this, but my grandmother Armitage was a pie baker, and eater! She had to have a second piece of pie to get the taste of the first one out of her mouth. Anyway, enough of Vegetables and pie. See more

Good Monday afternoon, Vine Valley. This is my first day off in a couple of weeks and I am enjoying being home for the day. I have not been exactly lazy because I brought home black raspberries that are now pies, rhubarb that has been transformed into a crumb cake for the store, blueberries whose fate is yet unknown, potatoes cooked for salad, and small shell pasta for ??? Yes, I am afraid we have reached the point of zero pasta rings. Actually, I think I have 2 boxes of good... rings and 2 boxes of Wegmans rings. Fred and I went out on a pasta hunt on Saturday in the monsoon. No luck in Canandaigua, no luck in Geneva, or Bath, or Penn Yan. I am going to try the Wegmans brand and maybe the quality has improved. So, much to my dismay, the only Mac you may be seeing with tuna is a baby shell. My mother-in-law used shells and she made a good tuna salad so as for the regular Mac salad, I am not sure. I have seen it with bow ties and with elbows. Elbows are not my favorite so you probably won’t see them even though they are plentiful. As I am writing this, I am wondering why. Why have I spent many minutes and many more words writing about pasta? And baking? Good grief. One could suppose that I do not have much of a life. That would be a wise supposition. I sometimes wish I did not eat, sleep, and breathe the Robeson store, but I do love this place. It has been a bit overwhelming for a couple of reasons. The past year + has been a test of endurance: Fred’s health, the pandemic and its ever present fear, our aging, and an increase in business in the store. Those of you who have been in the store know that we have put a For Sale sign in the window. Of course, the building is not for sale, but the contents are. We are hoping that someone steps forward who wants to buy us out and keep the store open. I want to keep the store open, but we cannot do it after this summer. It is a good summer business and if anyone wished to invest more time and money, it could be even better. There is a place for breakfast offerings beyond my baking. There is a place for a larger food menu. And more ice cream concoctions. We just do not have that much energy any longer. So, this has been a tale of macaroni and leaving. Both sad states, but neither are fatal. Bless you for your support in all things pasta and beyond. See more