Category: Ray Lenarcic

By R. J. Lenarcic Back in the 50’s, Memorial Day was truly memorial. I recall vividly the annual parade attended by probably a thousand people. Or more. From my grandparents’ front window over Bride’s Cigar Store, I watched the...

By R. J. Lenarcic Memorial Day Two boys sit rocking back and forth, As bands play marching tunes. They laugh. “That man don’t have no legs,” they say. And creamy pink buds of dogwood trees Are swept away by the breeze. The boys...

By Ray Lenarcic The sun, now it shines on the green fields of France. There’s a warm summer breeze; it makes the red poppies dance. John McDermott has always been one of my favorite singers. The Irish balladeer is especially...

By R. J. Lenarcic I think that we all experience a day, or event, which changes our lives forever. Maybe it’s that teacher who inspires us to become all that we’re capable of being. Or that girl or guy who upon meeting we know...

By R. J. Lenarcic Recently, on a rare sunny morning, me friends and I were breaking bread at the Ann Street Deli in Little Falls, where one finds the best pancakes this side of heaven, when the subject of St. Patrick’s Day...

By R. J. Lenarcic The mist enveloping Carrauntoohil Mountain hung so low that if you raised your hand above your head it would disappear. As Liam looked around, he marveled at the beauty of it all-tree covered hills, a valley...

By RJ Lenarcic One of the great joys of my life was the time I taught fourth grade at Deerfield Elementary School in 1966-67. And I’ll be forever grateful to three people for the opportunity. My late cousin Donnie Wenberg who...

By RJ Lenarcic Once upon a very long time ago, there lived a boy named Jeffrey, aged 8. He and his sisters, Sarah and Carrie, and brother, Samuel, resided with their parents on a farm a few miles from the sleepy village of...

By R. J. Lenarcic For the past several years in recognition of Black History Month, the Herkimer County Hunger Coalition and Greater Herkimer Lions Club have each donated a book to Herkimer County elementary and high schools and...

By RJ Lenarcic I vaguely recall learning about Valentine’s Day and all its trappings in first or second grade at Monroe Street Elementary. Mrs. Sullivan was the teacher. Friend Jerry Sullivan’s mom. Jerry the “papist” went to...