Holiday Greetings from the Holz Farm

New Snow

We got about 8 inches of fresh snow overnight. It's light and fluffy at this point and easy to shovel. I just took this photo with my point and shoot camera at the base of my driveway so that you all can see that everything is covered again. Time to start digging out!

Best Wishes from Carol Seitz and Harry Jameson

Tracks

At this time of year it always fascinates me to see the tracks of all the different animals in my yard. Sometimes it almost looks like they are throwing a party while I am out or sleeping. I came across these wonderful, clear tracks and just had to take a photo. Can you guess what animal made them?

Bougainvillea

Here is another beautiful photo by one of our Florida snowbirds. This bougainvillea (yes, I did have to look up how to spell that one) is growing with the orchids around their pool. Best wishes to everyone in Florida from WV. Right now, those of us still here in the valley are starting to look a little pasty. Think of us while you are working on your tan!

Rain and Warmer (Relatively Speaking) Temps

We had more rain last night. The rain and warm temperatures continue to melt the snow left over from the last couple of big storms. The forecast for today is partly cloudy with highs around 44 degrees (a heat wave by Phoenicia winter standards). So the snow will probably continue to melt during the day.

All Clear

Just wanted to let anyone who is coming up from the city tonight know that all we got was rain yesterday and the roads and driveways (assuming you had it plowed from the last big storm) are clear. It was fairly warm today (high 30's) and some of the snow pack melted down a little further. So you can relax and enjoy the ride up.

Recycling Old Computers

There is a new non-profit organization in Phoenicia called Reboot4U. What they do is take in any old computers you may have and provide them free, at low cost or in exchange for doing local volunteer work to people who otherwise could not afford them. They work with the library, the Boy Scouts, Head Start, senior residences and residents to distribute the computers they receive locally. They will also teach folks basic computer skills. They take in old machines, erase the hard drive and reformat it. Then they prepare it for it's new owner by installing new software and security systems and get it ready to go online. This new project has the added benefit of helping our planet by keeping old machines out of the landfills. Reboot4U is now serving Shandaken and Olive. So if you have gotten a new computer for the holidays consider donating the old one to this organization for recycling. You can contact them online at REBOOT4U.ORG@gmail.com or through their new website www.reboot4u.org.

Another Wintery Mix

The last storm we had on Sunday ended up melting a lot of the snow pack down and clearing almost all driveways and roads. The remaining layer of snow that is left is rock solid ice at this point though. Right now (6:45 am) it is sleeting out. We are expecting the ever popular "wintery mix" today but they say that 1-3 inches of snow could accumulate later. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Ho! Ho! Ho! - Merry Christmas!

May You Have the Spirit of Christmas
Which is Peace
The Gladness of Christmas
Which is Hope
The Heart of Christmas
Which is Love

Merry Christmas to All and May Peace Prevail on Earth!

Christmas at Six

Somewhere is the Christmas list I crayoned out to Santa,
Somewhere are the ashes from the evening’s lovely fire,
Somewhere are my parents, who swept me off to bed,
To dream of the saint who would soon shoot down our chimney.
All of that is here, as I number sixty-six.
Somewhere.

Mike O'Neil
December 24, 2007

Holiday Wishes from Your Neighbors

Happy Holidays from Michael Ottavi and Ricarda O'Conner

Santa's Helper - Jean Druffner

WV resident Jean Druffner served popcorn and good cheer at the holiday party in the Empire State Railway Museum. The rain kept some folks at home but everyone who attended had a lot of fun at the party and riding on the train singing Christmas Carols.

Lots of Rain and Fog

It has been raining hard pretty much all day today making everything a wet, sloppy mess! Ugh! The fog rolled in later in the day just to add to the fun. If this stuff freezes overnight my driveway will be like a skating rink in the morning. Get out of the way if you see me headed downhill!!

Tommy Healy WV Resident/Trainman

In the above photo, Tommy Healy, trainman for the Catsill Mountain Railroad and Woodland Valley Resident, welcomes holiday riders. Tom is a long term member of the board of directors of the CMRR and is one of the driving forces behind the railroad. Tom and a number of other railroad volunteers also restore track and vintage railroad cars. The photo below of the coach at the Mt. Pleasant station was restored as well as decorated by the group with Tom's help. He also took the photo. Talk about multi-talented!!
(PS to Tommy - Great set of marker lights!!!)

Just Some Flurries

We have had a bit of flurries almost everyday this week but it hasn't amounted to much. There is still about 8 to 10 inches of compressed snow left from the last couple of storms which at this point is the consistency of concrete.

Holiday Events Rescheduled

The Shandaken Theatrical Society, The Empire State Railway and the Catskill Mountain Railroad will try again to bring you a day of fun this Sunday, December 23rd. The festivities (postponed from last weekend) begin at the STS at 12:00 for "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and then move to the Empire State Railway Museum for refreshments and a ride aboard the CMRR train featuring Santa Claus! The train rides are scheduled for 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00. The event is free for all but donations are accepted. See you at the museum!

Send Your Holiday Messages

I would like to post holiday messages from any of the WCA community that has the time to write them. Just send an email with a message to me at wvview@gmail.com or cs@carolseitz.com and I will cut and paste it into the blog. It would be great if it had a photo too. So take a digital picture of yourself, or you and your friends or loved ones (that includes pets too) and email it to me. Don't miss this chance to spread good cheer for the holidays!

Holiday Train

The holiday events sponsored by the Shandaken Theatrical Society in conjunction with the Empire State Railway and the Catskill Mountain Railroad were cancelled and rescheduled for next Sunday December 23rd. Because of the last minute weather related decision to postpone the events, and so as not to disappoint the folks that had braved the storm, the ESRM and the CMRR welcomed people and provided train rides to those that did show up. Many of the volunteers for both organizations are WCA members. Here are a few photos taken at the event.





Here Comes Santa (longtime friend of Dakin Morehouse) and his helper, trainman Tommy Healy













Santa boards the train















Santa and Mrs. Claus (a close friend of Doris Morehouse)









Woodland Valley residents and CMRR volunteers Tommy Healy and Harry Jameson join Santa and Mrs. Claus

You Can Still Sign Up To Ski

Even if you couldn't get to Bellearye today to sign up for the Shandaken recreation ski program, if you want to get the discounted price for the 3 days after Christmas, you can fill out the form for the program you got in the mail and put it in Tina Rice's mailbox at 948 Woodland Valley Road. If you have any problems or questions you can call Tina at 688-2106.

What a Mess!

We had about 8 inches of a wintery mix today. It was a big mess. First it snowed, then it hailed, then it rained, then it hailed again and then things got better and it sleeted for a while, now it's snowing again. Oh what fun!! The roads are very slippery - beware!!

Calm Before the Storm

The valley was peaceful and beautiful today. Although we had 9 inches of snow it was cleaned up in no time. The calm before the storm. The roads were clear and everyone was digging out from the last storm and getting ready for the next one. The snow is supposed to begin tonight. Let's see how deep it gets!! I've got my snow ruler ready.

Lots of Snow

We got a lot of snow today here in the valley. By my snow ruler (there really is no such thing, I just have a regular ruler I shove into the snow, but I thought it sounded more official) I have 9 inches in my back yard. The Thruway was dicey on the way back from the city this afternoon. The worst part was 28 right after you go through the tolls. I don't know why but there was several broken down trucks and the snow wasn't well plowed in that spot. It got better going west though. Shandaken was actually the clearest spot on 28 west of the Thruway. That was about 4:30 pm. We are expecting another storm Saturday night into Sunday. It is a nor'easter and expected to be even worse than this storm. I'll keep you posted.

An Orchid Grows in Florida

This photo was sent to me by one of our WV snow birds in Florida (who for obvious security reasons shall remain nameless). It is growing by their pool. It is nice for me to think that something is growing somewhere.......not here though. Here in WV we are learning the true meaning of the phrase "dead of winter". Although that has it's own beauty.

Happy Hanukkah

Tomorrow, December 12th, is the last night of Hanukkah. I wish to extend holiday greetings to all the Jewish members of the Woodland Valley Community. Happy Hanukkah!

Slippery Roads - Drive with Care!!

Monday December 10, 2007 - 10:00 am
Drive with extreme caution if you are coming in or out of the valley this morning. There is a layer of ice over everything and the roads are VERY slippery!

Buy Local for the Holidays

Just a small reminder that if you are looking for holiday presents this season you might want to think of getting them from a local store. Buying local supports our neighbors with shops in town and in the end keeps our money in our community. Phoenicia has a lot of great places to buy presents, Tenderland Home, Gateway to Tibet, Morne Imports, The Nest Egg and don't forget (my personal favorite right here on WV Road) Bethkin Antiques. All the folks that run these stores are an important part of our community and your support helps them make a living and stay open. So......when your looking for that perfect holiday gift remember to look in your own backyard!

Great Deal For Residents at Belleayre

COME AND VISIT YOUR MOUNTAIN
SUN. DEC. 16,2007

The Town of Shandaken and Belleayre Ski Center are pleased to announce the 2007-2008 Ski Program - All residents of Shandaken are encouraged to participate

The 2007-2008 ski program will kick-off on Sunday December 16, 2007 with a special one-day price for Shandaken residents only!!
$10
MANY NEW FEATURES ADDED TO THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR, SO SIGN-UP EARLY TO GET ALL THE GOODIES!!!

You must attend the kick-off (Sunday December 16 - 8:30 to 11:00 in the Lower Lodge) in order to sign-up for three special $21 ski dates, December 26, 27 & 28

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!!!
Sign-up early and show up on either Dec. 16 or Jan. 6 and you will receive your own swipe card, loaded with 13 Sundays @ $16 per ticket for each Shandaken residents. Also included will be 13 Sunday swipes @ $21 for your guests to ski with you. No more standing in line and waiting. Sign/show up on either of these two dates and you will have your own swipe card to use at ANY counter where tickets are sold and get this deal. Another great feature…you can pay by credit card if you wish. Anyone who has not signed-up or shown up on either of these two dates will still be able to participate, but will have to be at the Lower Lodge on Sunday mornings between 8:30-10:00 to receive their tickets and will only be eligible to bring one guest for the season.
Remember: a group lesson is included with each ticket

2008 Sunday Ski Dates
January.6, 13,20,27
February.3, 10,17,24
March.2, 9,16,23,30

As a special reward for those that attend at least 7 Sundays under the program, Belleayre is offering an additional $10 lift ticket at the end of the season which is tentatively scheduled for April 6, 2008.

Equip Yourself
You are encouraged to provide your own equipment, but if you need to rent, here are some great deals, just mention you are with Shandaken Recreation.

Belleayre Mtn. Ski Shop
(@ the ski center)
254-5600
$9 full-day skis, boots, poles
$20 full-day snowboard, boots

Jimmy’s Belleayre Ski Shop
(@the base of the mtn.)
254-5338
$10 full-day, skis, boots, poles
$15 full-day snowboard, boots

Full-Season Rentals may be available, call the shop of your choice for info.

New Dusting of Snow

A bit of snow fell on the valley today. It didn't amount to much. It was just enough to make everything look frosted.

Chile Allam's View of the Valley

A word about C.C. (Chile) Allam—Chile was an editor at New York’s Daily News. He lived in our valley for many years and died at the Kingston Hospital in the early ‘90’s. The cabin he writes about here is a small one in Roxmor that is still standing (knock wood). He eventually moved down to the old white school house, where Bill and Susan Thompson now live. This feisty and beautiful piece of writing is my favorite winter sketch of our valley.

Mike O’Neil
Dec. 2, 2007

All Outdoors
With Hi Wright

(While Hi Wright is undergoing minor repairs, his column is conducted by friends. This one is written by a man who lives in two worlds—a metropolitan newspaper office and a Catskill mountain trout stream).

By C. C. Allam

MOST OF YOU WHO READ THIS COLUMN PROBABLY LIVE IN YEAR-ROUND HOUSES, HOUSES THAT ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO MEET THE RIGORS OF A MOUNTAIN WINTER. By and large, your winter probably brings little more actual discomfort than does the winter of a New York City dweller. Certainly, on that basis, there is no reason why you should have your head examined because you choose to live and work in a land where the snows are frequent and deep and the cold often is prolonged and biting. But…
Suppose you chose to live two and a half days a week in a house intended to be only a summer dwelling, without water in the winter and at the top of a climbing, unplowed road usually impassable to a car when there is more than six or seven inches of snow? Case for Bellevue? Well, that is what I often ask myself.
I have this camp in the Woodland Valley of Ulster County, near Slide, highest peak in the Catskills, and I go there from my job in New York two and a half days every week, summer and winter. I’m not asking for sympathy, but, let’s face it, from the end of October until the end of March, there is a lot of plain, physical discomfort. So why do I do it? I dunno, and yet I would be absolutely lost if some week I could not make it.
Forget the drive up the Thruway to Kingston, the 25 westward miles on Route 28 and the final three miles up the Woodland Valley road. They can be murder in a heavy snow in the middle of the night when I drive up. But forget that and concentrate on my arrival at the foot of the private road going up into the colony in which my camp is situated. There are a couple of feet of old snow and a good hard new one is swirling all around me and the wind is cold enough to freeze your blood. So I park just off the road knowing that in the morning the gallant Shandaken township plowboys will bury the car so snugly that I’ll have to shovel out.

I LOCK THE CAR AND START UP THE ROAD, WHICH COILS A THIRD OF A MILE UP A SHOULDER OF PANTHER MOUNTAIN. I’ve done it hundreds of times, but the old snow and the new combine to obliterate the track so that every now and then I have to hunt around to get back on course. I am puffing when I get to the top of the first long rise. There I get a level stretch for a breather and I think how different it looked last August when I wore only a thin shirt, shorts, socks and shoes. Then comes the second steep climb, and I’m home. That third of a mile that I can do in five or six minutes in summer may have taken me 40 minutes, and I’m puffing again while I get out my key.
Once inside, with the lights on, I look at the thermometer. Since I can have no heat there while I am away in the city, the INSIDE temperature may be as low as 10 above. I turn on the kerosene space heater and start building a fire in the fireplace. If I was prudent the week before, there will be a basketful of small, starting wood beside the fireplace and a pile of larger wood on the porch table. But sometimes I am in too much of a hurry to be prudent, so now I may have to wallow out into the snow to the woodpile.
I pick up the Big Ben I keep on the mantle, but my fingers are too numb to turn the winding key. I take a pair of pliers out of the drawer and wind it with that. The clock gives a few hearty ticks and then stops; it is so cold that the oil is congealed, so for about 15 minutes I have to shake it frequently, letting it sit on top of the space heater between shakes, and finally it ticks away without a break. More than once I have had to turn the radio knobs with pliers too. I never before realized how necessary fingers are.
Meanwhile the inside temperature goes up quite nicely until it hits the upper 30’s, and I feel elated. Then there is some kind of slowdown which I suppose a heating engineer could explain but which baffles me. From that point on the thermometer seems only to creep.
But I still have on my thermo boots and heavy hunting coat, and as soon as it gets up to 40 I sit down in my chair before the fire and read until it reaches the middle 50’s, the point at which I think it is warm enough to get ready for bed. I reached the house at 1 a.m.; by this time it is almost 4.

I FILL THE HOT WATER BAG FROM THE TEAKETTLE THAT HAS BEEN ON TOP OF THE SPACE HEATER (SURE THERE IS AN ELECTRIC RANGE, BUT WHY USE THE JUICE?). I shove the hot water bottle into the down sleeping bag on top of my bed, I climb into pajamas in front of the fire, lower the kerosene heater, put up the fire screen open the bedroom windows, slide into the bag and zip it up. My face is cold in a pleasant sort of way, but the rest of me is snug. But, brother, when you sleep in a bag, you don’t want to top off your evening with a couple of bottles of beers!
Of course the next two days and nights are more comfortable because the space heater never goes out. But there is constant carrying—groceries, wood, kerosene and water from a spring not too far away. For a week or two after the inside water system has been turned off, I feel sort of lost, but then I get into the winter stride and find I can do very well for a day with a tenth part of the water you would use for your morning shower.
There would have to be rewards for all this or I really should have my head examined. One of them is the complete freedom and satisfaction I feel the minute I get through the front door. Another is the real comfort of my old outdoor clothes. One of the biggest is the couple of hours I spend over breakfast about noon in front of the window that looks on my busy bird-feeder. Another is sitting there looking through the bare poles of the winter forest at Mt. Wittenberg, landmark of my part of the valley.

BUT LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE OTHER NIGHT TO GIVE YOU A REAL CLUE TO THE FASCINATION. It was the second night of the year’s first snow—only a baby snow of about four inches, but there was a full moon turning it whiter than snow ever was before. About 11:30 I went out for a walk through the colony. The sky was full of big scurrying clouds, as though through a hole in the ice. I took a flashlight with me but never used it. I could even read name-boards at the various camps without it.
The roofs were brilliant squares and rectangles of snow supported by sidewalls that were only masses of inky black. Finally I got down to that flat stretch where I get a breather when I’m climbing up to the house, and there, though it was the second day of the hunting season, I surprise eight to ten deer. After they smelled me and high-tailed, I looked toward Wittenberg. I am sure I never will forget that night and that sight.
Before me was a snow-covered field and beyond that was the Craig barn with its roof sloping upward away from me, shining under the moon with the pure radiance of the first Christmas. My delighted eyes followed the roof to the peak and on upward to where the long snow-sprinkled mass of Terrace Mountain crouched under the cold tower of Wittenberg.
I often have regretted that there is not a full moon every week, but standing there surrounded by the moonlit mountains I realized that men could not endure the beauty of the full moon more than once a month.
What do you think? Should I have my head examined?

Records to CDs ??

I am one of the avid readers of "The Blog" and just love to learn more.

I have a lot of old records that I just love to listen to, but have been wondering if it is possible to have them put on to CD's. I don't know much about "burners, etc..." and looking for some help here, if anyone does this kind of work or can teach me I would love to hear from them.

Rannie Arp
56 Grandview Acres

email: ranarp@juno.com - phone 688-5441

Free Christmas Train Ride

The Empire State Railway Museum and The Catskill Mountain Railroad once again join together to bring us FREE Christmas train rides. There will be refreshments and music and a very special visit by Santa Claus!! This is a lot of fun for kids of all ages so put it on your calendar! And be sure to say hi to the many WV residents who volunteer for both of these organizations.

December 16th
Trains leave at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 pm.
Board the train at the Empire State Railway Museum on Lower High St. for the ride to Mt. Pleasant and back.
Free to all.

Weather Update - Current Storm

Sunday 12/2 3:00 pm. We have had about an inch of snow through the day today. The temperatures are cold. It's about 16 degrees right now up at the top of the valley.

Sunday 12/2 9:OO pm. There is a small layer of sleet over everything but still no major precipitation. The temperature has risen to about 18 degrees....wow, a WV heat wave! Keeping an eye out.

Sunday 12/2 Midnight - It is 25 degrees and raining up in the valley. How is that possible? Your guess is as good as mine. The rain, by my house at least, is hitting the ground and freezing. BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU ARE DRIVING!!

Monday 12/3 8:45 am. - 32 degrees and raining lightly. There is a thin layer of ice on everything......so I repeat, drive carefully.

Monday 12/3 10:30 am - 34 degrees and intermittently sunny. Not much in the way of accumulation. Everything is sort of a goopy (is that a word?) glazed mess.

Monday 12/3 3:32 pm - Light flurries. The sun melted most of what was on the ground. Temps dropping again....25 degrees. Only the tiniest of snow and ice on everyone's driveways.

Monday 12/3 8:00 pm - Light flurries continue 20 degrees. Not even an inch on the ground.

Tuesday 12/4 10:30 am - We got more snow overnight. Weirdly enough though there seems to be more in town than here at the top of the valley. I got an inch or so at my house and in town it is more like 3 inches. So if you are coming up expect a bit more snow in your driveway if you are closer to town. Right now it is 16 degrees and still snowing. No power outages to report in the valley.

Wednesday 12/5 8:45 am - The storm has seemingly passed. We ended up with anywhere between 1 to 4 inches depending where you live in the valley. Driveways might be slippery so beware.

I am going to end this post here. I will start a new one if we get more winter weather. Safe travels to people who are coming to the valley.

PS - Always keep in mind that these weather reports are coming from the top of the valley. If you live closer to town it is several degrees warmer and usually a bit less snowy.