A New Cross-Country Track!

The Oxbow Trail has been incorporated into the school cross country route.
After running around the Minerva Deland track, the kids drop off down a slope near the stream, and then run along The Oxbow Trail.

Think back a few years when this trail was almost swallowed up with Ragweed, and many noxious plants. No one came here, no one could even see they were on a shoreline.

It’s a completely different place now, and I love talking to people who really appreciate what the Scouts (troop 208) and ECNA members have done!

Please Be Seated!

I am delighted to announce that we have new bench seats along The Oxbow Trail. This is another EAGLE SCOUT project. This time the scout is Bryan Webb.

Brian designed and made these SIX benches, and with the help from a few volunteers dug the post holes, installed and cemented them in today.

All the lumber and cement was donated by 84 Lumber in Victor.

Bryan has placed them close to the shoreline and picked the best views. These will make watching the world go by a real pleasure.

Bryan’s father has a brush-hog and he kindly gave The Oxbow a final season haircut.

Our thanks to all the helpers and those who donated to the cause. We now have enough money to do our first mow in the spring.

Lunch for the workers was provided by PERINTON PIZZA

If you’d like to donate, here is the link https://gf.me/u/ywyg73

Spring Haircut!

We’ve sprung from a deep winter to early summer in a couple of weeks, and the grass is making up lost time. You could almost hear it growing over the past few days.

So, we’ve employed our man with the brush hog to for our spring haircut. He’s done a fantastic job and carefully mowed the grass, but left patches where there are Lily of the Valley, Ferns, Siberian Bugloss, day lilies and in full bloom now, Night Stocks.

Our inspection yesterday morning was a delight, the perfume of the Night Stocks and freshly mowed grass was a pleasure to inhale.

This mow costs $200 a time and was paid for by Mike Caswell & Doug Kucmerowski (from Brockport).

We anticipate we’ll need to do this a couple more times, but Fairport residents need to chip in here. It’s too much to expect us to carry a $600 cost.

So, come on folks. If you use the Oxbow, for walking your dog, strolling, fishing etc. chip in $5 or $10 to help us out here please.

Here’s our GOFUNDME web page.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/d2mfgs-ecna?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Many thanks

We look forward to seeing down the Oxbow!

A Host of Golden Daffodils!

We planted several hundred Daffodil bulbs last fall and this spring, and over the past few days, they are just beginning to flower.  There are a few places still to burst out, but I expect the next few warm days will help them. The last couple of weeks of April should be when The Oxbow is at its prime for daffodils.

We have also replanted several spots with Snowdrops.

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Does anyone know what these little white ground covering flowers are?

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These blue flowers are perennials too, and have bulbs. Does anyone know what they are?

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IMG_0307Join the Erie Canal Neighbors Association and help us look after The Oxbow.

Plants needed. If you have perennials to dispose of, please let us know. Email us here please

 

White Deer! The perfect camo – for winter!

This morning, I had a phone call from a close neighbor. He said, “Take a look out of your window, there is a white deer in your back yard!”

And sure enough, there was!   Just look!

Has anyone else seen this guy? Perhaps he should become the Fairport Village mascot?

What should we call him?  Put your answers below.

Clean up cancelled!

In view of the current pandemic, we will not be able to group up for our annual clean up of The Oxbow!

But, there is no reason for you to stop visiting and doing some work on your own or with your children and spouse.

As you can see here, someone has been busy routing through the woods and shoreline. It still amazes me how much debris is still around. I found two tires today, but they need digging out when I get time.

One job folks can do is to “Pick Up Sticks’ . There are lots of them around, so plenty to do. I’ve been placing them in piles in the woods, and as you can see, over the past couple of years, they have grown quite large.

My dogs, Barkley (the best dog in the world-) and Morgan (hmmmm!) are looking into one pile here because some furry friend has made a den there. So these woodpiles provide cover and will encourage animals to stay here.

We could do with some leaf raking too, so I can plant more seeds and make flower beds. Lets make this a haven for birds, butterflies and bees.

Please come down and spend a couple of hours helping out, but be safe – practice ‘social distancing please!

It’s SPRUNG!

Spring that is! and to prove it, we have flowers!  With many more to come.

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Snowdrops are one of the first to burst forth and we have several spots where they are spreading well. I’ve dug up quite a few from this patch and transplanted them throughout our park. Hopefully there will be many more next year to welcome the Spring.

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Remnants of the cottages gardens occasionally show themselves with a crocus here and there. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many of them.  I think I should move them into one area where they will not be so lonely looking.

Look out for the many patches of daffodils about to bloom next week. We planted hundreds!

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Unfortunately, we still have not removed all the Amur Honeysuckle bushes, and they are beginning to sprout now. I find I can often pull these Illegal invasive species out of the ground as they are shallow rooted.   More work needed to rid the area of these invaders.

dont pick

Last year, several people were seen picking the daffodils and perennials we planted. It’s disheartening to see a disregard for other people’s work or enjoyment. So, we’re posting these notices around the Oxbow.

If you have any perennial plants you wish to donate, please let us know by email admin (@) ecna.us