February 13th, 2023

Good morning folks,

    I’ve always liked old things. My whole life I have surrounded myself with old things, it has been the business of my life. I was an antique dealer for a brief spell. Now I sell old guitars, and old banjos, and old mandolins…. old is good…..sometimes even better! Maybe it’s a little self-serving, but this week I’d like to say a few things in defense of old people. At age 75, I am certainly qualified to know a little bit about aging. Despite several medical stumbles, I’ve been trying to do it as gracefully as possible. When I was younger, I spent a great deal of time with older folks, especially at my grandparent’s house. I "worked" in my grandfather’s bakery and engaged in conversations that I could only half understand. I knew my great-grandparents, Cologero and Catalda Ippolito and the dialogs I listened to were endless….often veering off into Sicilian dialect. It was the "stuff" than filled my youth….the stories of "the Old Country". But it’s not only the perspective of old folks, it’s the fact that they have just been around so long. They have lived through great deal of history. My daughter, Grace told me she was going to watch the Super Bowl at her friend’s grandparent’s house. Her friend’s grandfather is 88 years old and a diehard Philadelphia fan. She said it would most likely be really boring but I gave her this advice. Always take advantage of any opportunity to speak with someone who is an advanced age. It gives you a chance to interact with history from a living perspective, rather than reading someone else’s accounting of events…..you can actually engage with history instead of reading about it. If you want to find out what really life was like 60, 70 or even 80 years ago, converse with the people who lived through those times. These are called "first hand sources", and while they are not always the most accurate, they are certainly the most personal and interesting accounts of what life was like in the past. Over the course of the years, I have had many great conversations with Julie’s dad, Henry Schnepf, who is now 88 years old. It is with a great sense of satisfaction that I listen to him tell about life in the 1930s and 40s. His perspective is something that you cannot find in a book; it is firsthand and it is first class! That’s why I love him so dearly.

     So, young people, don’t just listen to old folks but engage them. Prod their memory, tickle their fancy, get them to relate the tales of their youth. It is worth your while.

Sincerely,

John Bernunzio 

Harkening back on old conversations about my grandmother inspired me to make two of the recipes that she taught me. Clam sauce on the left and stuffed artichokes on the right.

On Saturday night, we were able to leave work and get home to Penn Yan in time to go to Laurentide Brewery to see this great band. Heatwave Bluegrass ….guitarist Max Flansburg and mandolinist Richie Colf — hail from the regional Americana band Dirty Blanket….Banjo player Brandon Masur, who we’ve known for many years hails from the hills south of Canandaigua, NY. He is a true, "old soul" and a dedicated Ralph Stanley style player. Ever since he was a young kid, he always amazed me with his dedication, knowledge and talent.