You Get the Idea...

One must always be aware of fuzzy kittens at the office...


And a farm full of cupcakes


Chance apparently likes to dress like a fireman because he doesn't like the rain


I've seen how he puts out fires.


Here's the new $855 million children's hospital I worked on for a couple of years when in Chicago.  With the move, Children's Memorial Hospital has become the Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.  This place will probably be the most fun hospital ever built and a tourist destination.  Check it out at: http://luriechildrens.org/

PS-Congrats to the Children's Memorial staff, volunteers, donors, and the countless people that made it possible for such an awesome place to exist.  I'm very proud to say I played a very minor role in something that will help generations of children attain a healthy adulthood.

It's a Hot One Tonight

See this cow?  It's outside the Red Osier Restaurant in Stafford, New York (outside of LeRoy).  I had a piece of meat the size of this cow and it was the "petite portion."  They have a cut of meat that is 5 lbs. and it comes with a t-shirt.  Where's John Candy from the Great Outdoors when you need him?



The McGuiness Pub, Ronan Carroll's favorite Irish pub if he ever visits it, now has "Cruise Night" ever Wednesday.  Something I discovered on the way to getting ice cream.  



Kid's art hanging up at Lollypop Farm.  These were some of my favorites.  But, after I saw these I saw a bunch of others I like.  One has a talking fish I find humorous.



God, I wish we adopted out penguins.  I'd keep them in my office!



A donor breakfast even expertly pulled off by Jenny and Julie.  



The Owl House in downtown Rochester!



Edamame, fish tacos, and pulled pork sandwich.  All very good and fresh.  Not too hardy though since we had to have a post-dinner snack when we got home.  Quickest service ever too.  Megan and I were out on a date night and it took us longer to get there driving than to get seated, order, eat, and pay the bill.  Oh, the drinks were on the small side as well.  But, other than that, good stuff!



MEAT!



PETE AND MEAT!  They cart out the meat and carve it at your table.  They do the same with ice cream and a few other dishes.  I'm completely sold on this place and my grandpa's would have loved it.  


That's it other than being crazy busy at work these days.  Lots of events, meetings, installations, reports, budgeting, calls, and on and on and on.  It's all great though and I'm excited about the stuff I'm working to improve.


PS-this blog is now available to view in a mobile version.  Let me know what you think since I don't have a smart phone. 

FARM DAY!

FARM DAY @ LOLLYPOP FARM, THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER ROCHESTER!  I won't be face painting as originally planned, but you'll still be able to see me.  Sounds like we're going to have great weather and lots of good stuff.  Here's a link and more info:

FARM DAY LINK

Crazy about cows? Hungry for horse kisses? Saturday, April 30, is the day to be down on the farm! Experience all of our wonderful farm animals during our 10th annual Farm Day. The day will feature:

-Animal Cruelty Law Enforcement Officer Meet 'n' Greet

-Kids' Straw Maze, Crafts, Balloons and Face Painting

-Mercy, the painting mini horse

-Pet Assisted Therapy Animals

-Wagon Rides around the Farm Yard

-Food & Beverage Concessions

and More!

There's no entry fee for this educational and fun day for the whole family at Lollypop Farm. Donations will be accepted. We promise lots of farm fun for everyone!

That's a Lot of Bull...

I bet your job doesn't have a giant fiberglass cow (unless you're a co-worker of mine and then you do).  This guy use to be in front of a restaurant, but was donated to Lollypop Farm in the 70s, when we were in Henrietta.  He made the move to Fairport/Egypt and now guards the Farm.  His most notorious trip occurred when Fairport High School seniors stole him and put him on top of the school.  He is very securely bolted to the ground now...


 
Llamas.  Farm animals are available for adoption too.



With all the rain and mud these days, this is one happy pig



You may ask "When did Egon Schiele create a masterpiece portrait of Mike," but this is in fact an original Tachel.  It can be viewed at the new gallery space at Lollypop being installed in my cube.



Yikes.  Tachel was being a generous artist with a face like this.  P.S. I put ugly pictures of myself up here too



Megan chillin' on the slide on her old turf at Indian Landing Elementary School.  The genesis of her acting career and her famous line "Calling all mothers!  Calling all mothers!"  followed by a dancing routine involving the song Yakety Yak by the Coasters.  



KITTEN SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!  Rochester has a cat overpopulation problem and we need to find new homes for these guys and get as many as possible spayed or neutered.  So, here's a link for information and how to help:


CATS! @ Lollypop Farm, Humane Society of Greater Rochester

Autumn In Upstate New York

Two pieces of business before we start off:

1) Thanks to everyone for wishing me a happy birthday and all. An extra special thanks goes out to my new family. Dick and Marianne for the dinner and ice cream cake and everything else over the years. And, of course to Rich and Rachel, for letting us take up space in your house and watch everything from Antiques Roadshow to Jersey Shore. Thanks!!!

2) On the left, you'll notice a Facebook "like" button. I'm not 100% sure how useful this is. It may be an easier way for you to get updates on the blog. It may just end up being a pain. But, if you like Mike Kraus: The Blog give it a try and we can see how it works together!!!

And now, for the show...

The theme of this past weekend was "agriculture of Upstate New York. Megan is showing you some of the fine produce of the Rochester area

For my birthday, Rachel made me a card showing us holding hands because we are friends.

The Penfield Hots Garbage Plate. One of the most dangerous meals known to mankind. It's everything you like on one plate that will make you hate yourself when you eat it all.

The Apple Tree Inn, http://appletreeinn.us/, in Brockport, which is just west on Rochester. We met up with Pete and Sarah Marche here for an "afternoon of apples." You really can't go wrong with any meal here. Collectively, we had the salad with some kind of walnut apple dressing, the pumpkin spice soup, vegetable mac and cheese, "Our Famous Chicken Pot Pie," and a couple of other things. All of them were great. It was great by itself, not in comparison to the previous garbage plate...

Pete, Megan, and Sarah and Robb Farm, http://www.robbfarms.com/, picking apples

How 'bout dem apples?

What do you do when you see an apple you want high up on a tree? Ride someone's shoulders of course!

Moments after this shot, I had a decision to make: capture an iconic image of Pete standing at a 45 degree angle with his wife flying through the air or catch said wife for safety. I think helping catch Sarah was a wise decision since I don't want to alienate the few friends I have here.

Well... So much for not wanting to alienate myself. I have to show this pic of Sarah climbing the tree like Tarzan going after an apple? What's strange is I don't see any apples on this tree...

A few bags of apples later, a few other purchased fruits and veggies, and an apple donut later, we are all set. Thanks Sarah and Pete!

Here's Rachel "Tachel" at Wickham Farms, http://www.wickhamfarms.com/, which is some kind of a farm/farmer's market/amusement park/roadside attraction. It's a pretty popular place to bring the neighborhood kids and an interesting way to preserve some of the agriculture which is being depleted by the quickly expanding suburban developments. This is a bunch of kids of the Jumping Pillow

More of Tachel on the Jumping Pillow

Whoops...

One last bounce into the sand...

I believe this sheep is named Molly. Maybe the goat was Molly. Maybe there was no Molly at all...

Little Jerry Seinfeld knows how to take care of himself

Tachel milking the wooden cow. Just for piece of mind, don't look under the board on top of the cow.

Megan looking over the pumpkins that will soon be painted and carved

Tachel running through the little corn maze. There's a bigger corn maze, which is a 30-45 minute experience

Tachel the Scarecrow...

That's all from the hamlet of Rochester. Thanks again for everything involving my birthday. Also, don't forget to click the "like" button on the left.

xoxo,

Mike