2015 Buffalo Bills training camp schedule

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The Buffalo Bills open their 2015 training camp on Friday, July 31^st at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford. There are five night practices, which will require free tickets, as well as one ticketed daytime practice. There will be a total of 17 practices open to the public through Tuesday, August 25^th.

2015 Buffalo Bills Training Camp Schedule:

• Friday, July 31 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Saturday, August 1 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Sunday, August 2 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Monday, August 3 – 6 to 8 p.m. (ticket required)
• Wednesday, August 5 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Thursday, August 6 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Friday, August 7 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Saturday, August 8 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. (ticket required)
• Monday, August 10 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Tuesday, August 11 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Wednesday, August 12 – 6 to 8 p.m. (ticket required)
• Sunday, August 16 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Monday, August 17 – 10 a.m. to noon (ticket required) – joint practice with the Cleveland Browns
• Tuesday, August 18 – 6 to 8 p.m. (ticket required) – joint practice with the Cleveland Browns
• Saturday, August 22 – 10 a.m. to noon
• Sunday, August 23 – 6 to 8 p.m. (ticket required)
• Tuesday, August 25 – 10 a.m. to noon

Information on how to obtain remaining tickets for ticketed Training Camp practices can be found here. Find out more about Bills Training Camp at www.buffalobills.com. 

Five Things to do in August 2015

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/arztsamui

August…really? Already? Where did that summer go? There are still a few weeks left in summer, so get out and do something fun – because it’s Buffalo, it’s what we do! Need some ideas? Read on!

Check out a county fair – it’s county fair season – here are some local ones to check out:

• Orleans County Fair
• Chautauqua County Fair
• Cattaraugus County Fair
• Niagara County Fair
• Erie County Fair
• Wyoming County Fair

Visit an art festival – the Lewiston Art Festival is August 8^th and 9^th, and the Elmwood Ave. Festival of the Arts is August 29^th and 30^th. One of the area’s newer festivals is ARTsPARKed at Artpark in Lewiston, taking place August 15^th – it’s part trunk show, part music and part visual arts.

Get your fill of corn – the Eden Corn Festival is August 6^th through 9^th, featuring animal competitions, a craft show, softball and baseball tournaments, live music, food and more.

Highland games, music, food and more – the 31^st annual Scottish Festival and Highland Games happens August 15^th at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd. in Amherst. Features music, dancing, food and beverages, the Highland Games and more.

Everyone is Irish… – at the Buffalo Irish Festival! This year’s festival will be at Buffalo RiverWorks, 359 Ganson St. in Buffalo, taking place August 28^th through 30^th and featuring live music, the Parade of 32 Counties, food and beverage and much more (like all Buffalo festivals!).

Discover Buffalo 2015: August cruise nights and car shows

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Car show and cruise night season is winding down – get out with your cars and bikes before the season is over. Here are a few of the upcoming shows and cruise nights for August.

Cruise nights (ongoing):

• Mondays – Elma Towne Grill Cruise Night (6650 Clinton St. in Elma) starting at 5 p.m. through August 31^st; Angry Buffalo at the Rose Garden (2753 Wehrle Dr. in Williamsville) starts at 5 p.m.; Lockport Monday Cruise Night at Ida Fritz Park (Main and Transit Sts. In Lockport) from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Tuesdays – Dug-Out Entertainment Complex (6856 S. Transit Rd. in Lockport) from 5 to 8 p.m. – also on Friday nights starting May 8^th from 5 to 8 p.m.; Pautler’s Cruise Night (6343 Transit Rd. in Clarence) – 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Wednesdays– Lancaster National Speedway and Dragway (Gunnville Rd. in Lancaster) Cruise Night from 6 to 11 p.m. – free admission; grudge racing $5 per run.
• Thursdays – Polish Falcons Auto Club Cruise Night (445 Columbia Ave. in Depew) from 6 to 9 p.m.; Quaker Steak and Lube Car and Motorcycle Show (6727 Transit Rd. in Lancaster) beginning at 5 p.m.; Akron Cruise Night (Main St. in Akron) – 6 to 8 p.m.; 97 Rock Classic Cruise Night at Transit Lanes (7850 Transit Rd. in Williamsville) and Santora’s (7800 Transit Rd. in Williamsville) – 6 p.m.

Car shows in August:

• Sunday, August 2 – Buffalo History Museum Antique and Classic Car Show at the Buffalo History Museum, Nottingham Ct. in Buffalo from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, August 3 – Taste of Clarence and Cruise Night from 3 to 9 p.m. at Clarence Town Park, 10405 Main St. in Clarence.
• Saturday, August 8 – Eighth annual WNY Cruise Against Cancer presented by TJ Hirsch Enterprises at Pautler’s, 6343 Transit Rd. in Clarence from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, August 9 – Eden Corn Festival Car Show at Eden Elementary School on Route 62 in Eden; registration from 8 to 11:30 a.m., judging starts at noon. Also, the 12^th annual Rotary Clubs Car Show at the Northtown Center at Amherst, 1615 Amherst Manor Dr. in Williamsville from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the 30^th annual Buffalo T-Bird Club All Thunderbird Show at West-Herr Resale Center, 5535 Transit Rd. in Clarence from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, August 22 – UAW/GM Lockport Component’s All American Car Show and Auto Expo at the GM Component Plant, 200 Upper Mountain Rd. in Lockport from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, August 30 – Toy Town Car Show on Main St. (Route 20A) in East Aurora; registration from 8 a.m. to noon, show from noon to 4 p.m.

Discover Buffalo 2015: 30 Hours in Buffalo, Part 1

(Because I’m sure this won’t be the only time this happens this summer!)

From last Friday (July 17) at 3 p.m. to Saturday (July 18) at 9 p.m., I felt like I didn’t sleep – THAT is what summer in Buffalo is all about!

It all started at the Eastern Hills Mall, where the Snap-On Road Show was getting set up throughout the day – Mom, Dad and I went there around 3 p.m. to see the goodies (for me – the OCC chopper and Cruz Pedregon’s Funny Car, for Dad – the chopper and the tool boxes, Mom…well, she was along for the ride – and to make sure Dad didn’t buy anything!).

After a quick bite to eat, I headed up to Main-Transit Fire Dept. (Dad was already there) for their annual Firematic Tournament, which is a lot of fun if you’ve never seen one.

On Saturday, we got the Ponies and a race car ready and headed to East Amherst Fire Dept. for the Man Up! Car and Bike Show, and Mom and I hit the Village of Williamsville Garden Walk (this happened while Dad and the team were up at the car show with the cars!). I then headed back to the car show to bring one of the cars home (the other two left so they could get to the race track for practice!).

Saturday night, I headed to Lancaster Speedway for Autograph Night, 4-Cylinders and Sportsman, plus the Big 10 Super Stocks and Late Models – by 9 p.m. (when the 4-Cylinders ended), I was beat!

I could’ve added one or two more things to Sunday, but a girl has to stop somewhere! There’s always next weekend, anyway!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

Discover Buffalo 2015: Man Up! Car and Bike Show – July 18th, 2015

The fifth annual Man Up! Car and Bike Show took place on Saturday, July 18^th at East Amherst Fire Dept. on Transit Rd., featuring a record 172 cars and bikes for a great cause – read more about it here in last year’s piece.

"Richie"

Team 49 in  the house!

"Sally"

After “Richie” won last year, we hoped “Sally” would get a prize this year – and she did :) We also had a new addition to the corral – Dad entered one of the Team 49 4-cylinders.

Sky #1 - torture!

Sky #2 - because one wasn't enough to torture me!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Race of Champions at Holland Motorsports Complex – July 11th, 2015

The Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour came to Holland Motorsports Complex on Saturday, July 11^th for a 100-lap event, and as a long-time racing fan, I have to honestly say it wasn’t one of the better shows I had been to.

One thing that has to be taken into account for an event like this is time, and that was the biggest thing they seemed to have forgotten. Starting a 100-lap Modified event at 10 p.m. when your track curfew is 11 p.m. isn’t smart. Neither is having a “10 minute autograph session” that goes closer to 30 when you know about the curfew.

Something (someone) else that wasn’t smart – the “roving reporter,” who was constantly referring to drivers by the wrong names during face-to-face interviews – that’s unacceptable.

A smarter move would have been to start the Mods show at 8:30 p.m. and continue the other classes at the conclusion, or just have fewer classes (there were four support classes). Another smart move – give the roving reporter a cheat sheet of names and car numbers so as to avoid looking like a fool.

The racing itself was pretty good – the Mods are always fun to watch, and the Chargers race got a little dicey at the end (especially when the driver who was wronged went after the driver who wronged him!). Patrick Emerling won the Modified race, and that was also cause for some controversy that’s too much to get into here. I just hope everyone involved learned a lesson from all the criticism they received on Facebook and the RaceNY forums.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: Proven Winners – Month Two

Time for an update on my Proven Winners goodies from May – there are still only two problems out of 18 plants, so I’m pretty impressed!

As mentioned previously, one of the Lemon Coral sedum died, but the other two are looking great!

The Summerific Perfect Storm hibiscus I received is no longer at a standstill – unfortunately, it’s very close to not even standing. This is a disappointment because I really love hibiscus.

On a happier note, the Meteor Shower verbenas that are in the same garden as the hibiscus are doing quite well.

The Fun and Games Leapfrog heucherella looks great huddled in with some other perennials, and the Magic Show Enchanted Indigo veronica is also looking good.

The three flowering shrubs I received are doing well, but a couple might need to be moved. Pink Mink clematis and Double Play Red spirea are both in my lilac/butterfly bush garden, but the clematis may need to be moved – it’s being overtaken by butterfly bush offshoots and I think the bunnies are getting at it! The spirea is also being crowded by butterfly bushes and dead nettle, so that may get a new home as well (or I’ll remove some of the other plants – it looks quite happy there!).

The Tuff Stuff hydrangea is looking nice as well.

As for the other annuals, Superbells Holy Moly! calibrachoa and Campfire Fireburst bidens are looking good in their containers.

Another container featuring purchased Proven Winners plants is looking fabulous – I’m always amazed by the Chocolate Drop trailing coleus.

Proven Winners provided me with many of the above-mentioned plants. All ideas and opinions are my own.

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Discover Buffalo 2015: Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour

On Thursday, June 25^th, Lancaster National Speedway hosted the Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour for the Ol’ Boy Cup 60, the first of three remaining scheduled races at the track (the first, in April, fell victim to weather). Wow, what a crowd for a week night!

Andy Jankowiak and Chuck Hossfeld

Chuck Hossfeld won the event, followed by Matt Hirschman, Patrick Emerling, Andy Jankowiak and Jimmy Zacharias. There was also Big 10 Super Stock, 4-Cylinder and Vintage Modified action on the card.

Matt Hirschmann

Patrick Emerling

This Saturday, July 11^th, the RoC visits Holland Speedway for a 100-lap feature, along with the Pro Modifieds, Chargers, Hornets and NYPA Midgets. It’ll be an exciting night for racing fans, so don’t miss it!

Other dates coming up on the RoC schedule:

• Friday, June 24^th – Spencer Speedway
• Saturday, August 8^th – Chemung Speedrome
• Saturday, August 15^th – Lancaster National Speedway
• Friday, September 4^th – Oswego Speedway
• Saturday, September 27^th – Lancaster National Speedway
• Sunday, October 4^th – Chemung Speedrome

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: Heavy Metal

This could actually be a “Khaleesi’s Garden” post as well, because there’s plenty of metal in the new garden! There are two main areas that house my metal garden, the new garden and the shed.

I finally got all of my “pets” in the new garden, which features three dragons, one baby dragon and a unicorn/Pegasus, as well as a wind spinner (not pictured).

The shed garden features the solar-light wind spinner and two minis (without lights), two sets (two different sizes) of calla lilies, two hummingbird spinners, two daisies and letters spelling out “BLOOM.”

This idea started with the solar-light spinner from Plow & Hearth via QVC – that’s also where the smaller ones came from.

The callas were no brainers – they’re one of the flowers I love and have had absolutely NO LUCK growing! What I spent on the metal ones, that will last a long time, probably equals what I spent on unsuccessful bulb purchases!

I had one of the hummingbirds last year – had to have a pair!

And I just thought “BLOOM” was really cute :)