New book documents a year of daily visits to the Manlius Swan Pond

MANLIUS — Village of Manlius resident Martha Ballard Lacy has been photographing and writing about her daily visits to the Manlius Swan Pond since April 1, 2023.

During her first visit, Lacy witnessed Faye, the village’s adult female mute swan, scratching the dirt to make a nest in preparation for the four cygnets that now call the pond home. The next day, she returned to discover Faye sitting on the nest.

Almost immediately after she began regularly checking in on the swans, Lacy, now 89, started compiling her photographs and journal entries in a scrapbook.

In January 2024, she joined a creative writing group at the Manlius Library. Months before joining, she had initiated a project to transform her scrapbook into a book format.

She presented her first “Manlius Mute Swans” manuscript to the writing group in March 2024.

According to Lacey, her fellow members encouraged her to share the story of the swans and helped her hone her writing skills and edit her manuscript.

“[The group] is wonderful,” Lacy said. “They are very, very clever.”

With help from her daughter Karen Lacy Kinross and her granddaughter Allison Lacy Kinross, Lacy self-published her book through the company Shutterfly.

“Our whole family was together for a college graduation on Mother’s Day weekend when I proposed using Shutterfly [to] our daughter and her daughter,” Lacy recalled. “[In] the past, they had made Shutterfly books, mostly just with photos. I sat with them [and] moved my manuscript and photos to their computers. They took photos of each page of the scrapbook, and a book emerged.”

On May 31, 2024, a copy of Lacy’s 30-page hardcover “Manlius Mute Swans” book arrived at her door.

“I could not believe [how] beautiful [it was],” she said.

After examining the book and making a few edits, Lacy placed an order with Shutterfly for 24 copies.

“Manlius Mute Swans” includes color photos and written accounts of Lacy’s visits to the pond from April 1, 2023, through April 1, 2024.

The book’s photographs capture Faye; her long-time mate, Manny; and their two male and two female offspring. The writing documents everything from the cygnets’ arrival and development to Faye’s tragic death last spring and the court dates that followed.

Last Memorial Day weekend, the four cygnets and their mother were stolen from the swan pond. The cygnets were recovered and eventually returned home, but Faye was killed and eaten. Manny was ultimately removed from the pond after being aggressive towards the cygnets.

Using newspaper articles and other written sources, Lacy has also weaved into her book information on mute swan characteristics and behavior, the history of the Manlius Swan Pond, the village’s 119-year connection to swans, the 1994 and 2012 attacks on the Manlius swans, and the village’s dealings with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding mute swan licensing.

On June 12, Lacy reported that the 24 copies of the latest edition of her book were expected to arrive later that week.

“I am excited,” she said. “. . . I’m so proud; I’m almost 90.”

One of the copies will be gifted to the Manlius Library and housed in its history section. Additional copies will be sold for $35.

According to Lacy, Village of Manlius Mayor Paul Whorrall has offered her space to set up a tent with her book during the community’s Fourth of July celebration and Swan Fest.

“I’m really proud of all the hard work and dedication that Martha put into writing this book and letting everyone know the story and history of our beloved swans here in the Village of Manlius,” Whorrall said.

Lacy is a relatively new resident of Manlius; she moved to the village last April but has lived in the area for most of her life, previously residing in the Central New York communities of Westvale, Cleveland, Jamesville, and Skaneateles.

She retired from the Syracuse City School District after teaching for many years.

Lacy holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and earned a master’s degree in home economics education from Syracuse University in 1990 at the age of 55.

She and her late husband, Richard, were married for 62 years and have three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

In their retirement, the couple visited all 50 states and many other countries.

Today, Lacy walks at least two miles a day, except when there is snow for cross-country skiing. She enjoys getting to know new people through her church involvement and volunteer work with various organizations.

“Many people in Manlius have seen me walking on all the streets and on local trails,” she said.

To request a copy of “Manlius Mute Swans,” email Lacy at [email protected].