Corning Holiday

The first time I came to Corning, years ago, there was a major rain storm. I was on my way home from Washington D.C. and thought it would be a good idea to check out the Outlet store to see if the rain abated. I pulled into the parking lot and ran through a couple of inches of rain on the lot to the ?entrance canopy. Someone opened the door and I went in to warmth and to escape from the torrent. Then I started to explore and had one of those magical moments when one discovers something special - in this case, the Corning Museum of Glass. It was only when I went out the in door that I discovered I had to pay and by then I had totally lost interest in the 'outlet stuff'.

Ron had been to Corning before in his bus driving days but had never done the museum. What a wonderful time we had watching a gaffer make a beautiful glass piece in the Venetian style. We did have some fun shopping for our two girls and then went off to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. The latter is not to our taste but it was well done. Ron did try to find some live music Sat. evening but it was not to be.

Sunday found us at the Horseheads Maranatha Alliance Bible Church - interesting, but between pastors. In the afternoon we drove through the historic portion of Elmira where there are dozens of quite large old homes. In the same area, over 13,000 civil war prisoners were housed in 1864-5. We tried to see the Mark Twain Room at Elmira College but it was Sunday and everything was shut up tighter than a drum. We did see Samuel L. Clement's gravesight. Then on to Ron's fantasy - the National Soaring Museum at Harris Hill. Ron has not yet tried gliding - but did enjoy the replica model gliders and two opportunities at simulation.

Tonight we had another of those magic moments. Ron phoned and found some live jazz. We ended up back in Elmira at Green Pastures - a jazz club serving chicken and collard greens. Howard has run the place for 75 years and introduced us to his son who now runs the place. They had been to Toronto twice when Howard Jr was a child. We did hear jazz but from a juke box which has CDs of all the performances ever done in the club. The group who was supposed to show never did. Instead we were treated to a gathering of regulars who included us in their conversation. A neat time.

Pictures:

Margaret heating glass in 'the glory hole'

The crystal table and boat made for the World Fair in 1904

Ron in the simulator

The jazz club