Many perks at GoArt!'s 'Picnic in the Park' this year, including author from Bethany

Abigail, age 7, showed us her cat-face Monday at GoArt!'s annual "Picnic in the Park." She had just been to the face-painting booth.

While I was there taking pictures, I ran into some, shall we say, figures of historical interest.

Jacob Richardson came dressed in the get up of a Revolutionary War soldier, complete with weapons and an old-fashioned belt (which soldiers needed to keep all their materials together, since their uniforms had no pockets).

Richardson was there to represent "Frontiersmen Camping Fellowship," a program of Batavia Assembly of God Church.

Also, a horse and carriage ride, just like the old days.

Also, Genesee County native Lynda Breckenridge Gaetano, author of the "Up South" series, was there to promote her books.

Gaetano now resides in Austin, Texas, but was raised on a dairy farm in Bethany. Her books are set in Genesee County and, all total, span a time frame ranging from the early 1800s, when pioneers first came to the "woody wilds" (as worded in a promotional pamphlet produced by the publisher, Blue Stocking Press) of Genesee County, up until the time of the World War II years.

They include a mixture of folk tales, real life stories and local history, all told from the perspective of a wizened sugar maple tree.

Gaetano has published her work in three volumes: "Spring," "Summer" and "Autumn." She hopes to publish the "Winter" volume soon.

The title, according to Gaetano, is based on a phrase her uncle and brother used whenever they would go to the Southern Tier to pick up goods.

"A lot of people don't know that in Genesee County, the Southern Tier is higher (in elevation) than the Northern Tier," Gaetano said.

Water from these high elevations goes south to form the Genesee River, which flows north into Lake Ontario. Hence, whenever you're travelling southward in the Genesee region, you are going "up South."

Gaetano said she was happy to be back in Genesee County promoting her books. While she has lived down South for many years, she still considers Genesee County home.

"You meet good people wherever you go," she said, "but there's something special about this place."

Her "Up-South" books are available for purchase at the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia. Two of them -- "Spring" and "Summer" -- are available at the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia, and the "Spring" volume is on the shelves of the Corfu Free Library, Le Roy's Woodward Memorial Library and Oakfield's Haxton Memorial Library.

Here are some other photos of the Fourth of July festivities and attractions:

Mariachi music and dance.

The Batavia Players performed selections from their recent musical, "On Broadway Too!"

 

Elle Fronckowiak and Beth Ryan were there representing Genesee County Right to Life.

April Meier, dressed in a bridal gown, represented Susan Meier Photography.

Dick Lawrence, a prevention educator who works with senior citizens on medicine safety and related topics, was there to represent Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA).

We hope everyone had a pleasant Fourth of July and enjoyed the fireworks!