Finally Finished - Part Two

This last storm is finally past leaving us with somewhere between 5 and 6 new inches of snow on top of the 11 inches from the other day. The good news is that this snow is much fluffier and significantly easier to shovel. My back was very happy about that fact. There were predictions of very cold temperatures (single digits at night) moving into the area but I just checked the forecast again and it seems to have been revised upwards (to the 20s and teens) from the last time I checked. There is still one night in the single digits but not the whole week. That is very good as far as I am concerned. Right now there is no new snow on the horizon but I think we will be living with this snow for quite a while. So enjoy the day and I will keep you up to date on future weather developments.

A Parrot In The Woods

While we are waiting for this next snow storm to play out (just started snowing a couple of hours ago - 2 inches so far) here is a lovely story written by WCA member Johanna Jordan. Enjoy!

A Parrot in the Woods

 Once upon a time, a pretty long time ago, around l977, (Imagine! I was just 40! ) I spent a week in Woodland at our family summer cabin totally alone (and without a car). 

Wilderness!   I wanted to experience BEING alone, I had (and have) never lived alone.

It was probably June--cool enough to have a small fire in fireplace at night, warm enough in the day to be outside all day.  

Which is what I did, roaming the area, walking up the creek, climbing hillsides, following deserted trails, even animal (deer) trails,

with never a worry about getting lost: one walked downhill, down stream, and eventually get to something known.

I sat in sunshine outside and watched butterflies: it was a great week for them, I saw many species.  They seemed to be attracted to the yellow plastic chair I sat in.

I saw hummingbirds, one doing his nuptial dance, spectacular swoops and dives.

I ate and slept whenever I wanted to.  I wrote, I drew, I made photographs, I walked, I watched, I observed.  I was quiet.  I talked to a few friends on the phone, not much.

I enjoyed  my time.  I experienced myself.

One day when I was walking about looking for dry wood for a fire, I heard a loud whoosh, sounding like the wings of a large bird.  I looked up,

and there was a magnificent parrot--sitting on a branch close to me.  It was red, green, blue, yellow, and very beautiful. It looked as big as a hawk or vulture.  It looked at me.

I held out my arm, purely instinctively, and it flew down onto my arm!  What was a tropical bird doing in the deep forest of the Catskill Mountains?

And what was it doing sitting on my arm?  Clearly it was tame, it did not fly away, and I could walk with it on my arm, feeling like a queen with a talking bird.

It did not talk.  At least, it did not talk to me.  I walked with it a bit, liking the feeling of the weight of the big bird as it adjusted its balance.

It would fly up into the tree branches, but return to my arm when I held it out. Soon I had walked to my neighbor's house, and they came out to marvel at the bird.

It seems they had heard about a resident further down the road who kept such a bird and had lost it.  So they called and arranged for it to be picked up.

It stayed around the neighbor's house for a few days, proved thoroughly tame (they said it ate off their plates at mealtime!) and eventually was reunited with its owners.

I was not at all reluctant to let it go; I wanted to continue my Experience.  And I did.

Jj 12/21/12   

Rick Altman Tomorrow At Harmony

Here is something fun to do besides dig out from the snow. The Rick Altman Trio is playing tomorrow night in Woodstock. Sounds like it will be a great evening of music. Here is what Rick had to say.

New Year's Eve is for amateurs, so come out this Sunday night instead, for jazz in Woodstock at Harmony.  Mike DeMicco will be joining in on guitar.  See the flyer for all the particulars, or you can always check www.rickaltman.com  

Finally Finished

It was a long day of digging out and cleaning up. The final total for this storm was somewhere between 10 and 11 inches (at least at my house). The snow was on the wet side and fairly heavy. I got a good workout just shoveling today.

Be very careful if you are coming to the valley over the weekend. In a lot of places there is a layer of ice underneath the snow and if you aren't careful it can send you or your vehicle sliding. I myself slid my car into the ditch on the side of my driveway and remained there until a wonderful young neighbor (thanks Brad!!) pulled me out.

Woodland Valley Road is fairly clear at this point. The town plows have been up and down several times and the surface of the road has a nice layer of salt and sand. Don't forget that if you need that same salt and sand mixture for your driveway there is a pile of it in the back of Town Hall between the highway garage and the recycling area. It is free to all residents.

The forecast for the weekend is for more snow on Saturday. Right now they are only predicting about 2-4 inches of light fluffy stuff but they will know more tomorrow. They weather outlets are also predicting temps to drop into the 20s during the day and the teens at night after the storm passes. And they are saying that they think January is going to be very cold. So all the snow we have just gotten may be with us for quite a while.

Well, that's all for now. I will update you as much as possible on this next weather event.

Starting To Dig Out

Just got in from the first round of shoveling. There is about 10 inches on the ground and the snow is still falling. The photo above is of the bench on my back porch and shows the depth. Shoveling is a bit of a challenge because the the snow is on the heavy side. But shovel we must. Remember to take frequent breaks as you clear your sidewalks, car and other areas around your house.

The town plows have been out and about. And although I haven't been on the road yet myself, I have seen several cars go up and down in front of my house and they look like they were doing OK. Since the snow is still falling be careful if you have to travel. Even though the town keeps the roads as clear as possible, until the snow stops, they cannot make it completely safe.

We have been lucky so far; there have been no power,  phone or internet outages. The wind has been quiet and there is not huge amount of snow in the trees so I am hopeful that I can say the same thing tomorrow.

I will keep you posted.

Snowing Like Crazy

It started snowing around 5:00 pm tonight and it is still snowing as I type. The snow was heavy from the start. I would say we have about 5 inches at this point. There seems to be some differing predictions for the storm tracks on the various weather outlets. Some say it will go to the east and the precipitation will change to ice and sleet. Some say it will continue on it's northward track. I am not sure if a change would make things better or worse.

The winds have been fairly quiet so the snow has pretty much stayed where it has fallen. So far there has been no disruption of utilities. Let's hope that continues. I will try and post again in the morning to give you all an update.

White(ish) Christmas

Merry Christmas to all in the valley that celebrate. The snow that fell overnight was minor (less than an inch). It was largely gone in the lower valley by morning but there was a frosted glaze over the upper valley for most of the day. The heavy snow is supposed to move in tomorrow evening. The forecasts regarding snow fall amounts have shifted back and forth. It is going to depend on the behavior of the warm air that is coming into the region. I will try and give you updates as the weather unfolds. If I do not post for more than 2 days you can assume that the power has gone out and I am unable. Hopefully, the warm air will move through and there won't be too much too report. We'll see.

Whether the Weather Goes Hither or Thither

Sorry for not posting for a few days, the holiday madness seems to overtake me no matter how hard I try and avoid it. Anyway, the slush on the ground a few days ago did indeed freeze solid. We then got about another inch (or so) of snow that is lying on top. It is just enough to make seeing the ice a bit hard. So there are places that are quite slippery out there. We are now waiting for 3 (yes, I said 3) different storms to hit the Hudson Valley area.

The first one is predicted to start tonight and go into tomorrow. It is not expected to be bad. The forecast is for anywhere between 1-4 inches. The second storm however, may dump a significant amount of snow on us depending on where the storm tracks. If it goes north and west we will probably only see about 1-3 inches. Unfortunately, if it moves slightly to the south and east we could get as much as a foot on Wednesday night into Thursday. They are not sure if the precipitation will fall as snow or if it will be a snow/sleet/rain event (aka wintery mix). But whatever the case may be, it sounds like a mess.

There is also talk of another storm following those two over next weekend. So fasten your seat belts looks like we are in for a bumpy weather week.

A Slushy Mess

A couple of inches of wet snow fell last night followed by a lot of rain. It has made for a slushy mess in the valley. The temperatures are forecasted to drop back down into the 20s and 30s so all sloppy snow has the potential of turning to ice.  For those of you who are coming for the weekend be very careful when you get out of your car it may be slippery.

More Phun In Phoenicia on Sunday

Besides the fun that is planned for Saturday in Phoenicia (see previous post) some local folks (including WCA members Margaret Braun & Richard Cohen) are throwing a little shindig at Morne Imports on Sunday. Since Sweet Sue's has been closed, the town businesses have been struggling more than usual. So stop by Morne Imports (and the other great Phoenicia stores too) and pick up some last minute holiday gifts. Buying local helps to keep our town thriving! Here are the details that Margaret and Richard sent for the event.

Holiday soirée at Marietta's!!

WHEN : This Sunday, December 23rd
from 4:00 - 7:00 pm

WHERE: Morne's Imports, Phoenicia

WHY:  Because we love our town and cherish our local merchants.

Sweets & egg nog & all our last minute Christmas shopping on Main Street!

And bring the little ones. Word is Santa Claus will be there because he needs mittens and galoshes too..

Hope to see you all,

Friends of Marietta :)

Holiday Festivities In Phoenicia

There will be a lot of holiday fun this weekend in Phoenicia. It all starts on Saturday December 22nd with the STS Christmas Show at 4pm. Santa will be greeting all comers at Mama's Boy at 5pm then the caroling will begin at 5:30pm. The evening's final bit of holiday fun will be a performance of the Handel's Messiah at the Wesleyan Church at 7:30pm. Best of all it's all free! See you in town!!

Reading By Bethany Saltman Dec 28th

WCA member Bethany Saltman will be doing a reading on the Saturday after Christmas in Margaretville. Below is the email Bethany sent out regarding the event. Sounds like a great night to me!!

Dear Friends,

If you are looking for something fun to do the weekend after Christmas, please consider attending this groovy event at the Openeye Theater in Margaretville on Saturday, December 28th (at 7 pm) and Sunday, December 29th (at 2 pm). The press release is attached, but in a nutshell: it's a bunch of holiday-inspired writing read by the authors or actors. I am reading an essay I wrote called "The Food of the Gods with a Recipe for Mystical Gravy"about learning to cook from my dad. My essay is forthcoming in the book The Cassoulet Saved my Marriage: True Tales of Food, Family and How We Learn to Eat, edited by Caroline Grant and Lisa Catherine Harper, published by Roost in March 2013 (more about the book is below, as well, in case you are interested!).

I would love to see you there. And out and about, as well. 

Please spread the word!

xox

Bethany

Sun Breaks Through

After what seems like an eternity, the sun has finally broken through the clouds and is shining on the valley. Yippeee! It rained here for several days but only briefly did the rain change to snow or sleet. I think we got lucky. So the roads and driveways here in the valley are perfectly clear. No sign of a white Christmas just yet but we still have a week to go. As always, I will keep you posted.

Leaping Trout Auction A Big Success

The auction of the art work from the Leaping Trout Project on December 8th was a big success. The sale of the art raised $4725.00 for Trout Unlimited. The piece that brought the most money ($1000.00) to the organization was one made by Woodland Valley's own Dakin Morehouse. Dakin is featured below with his art work and the proud new owners. Doris Morehouse also had a wonderful piece auctioned off that evening. All in all it was great fun. The people buying the art got great work at a reasonable price and Trout Unlimited raised much needed funds. So it was a win, win situation. Congratulations to all of the organizers!

Below is a letter from Mark Loete who chairs the project.

Dear Leaping Trout Artists, exhibitors, friends and supporters,

The 2012 Leaping Trout Art Project concluded with a big splash last Saturday night.  The entire Leaping Trout art collection was auctioned off to a packed house at the Arts Upstairs Gallery in Phoenicia.  Caterer and foodie-extraordinaire Amy Jackson of Amy’s Takeaway made sure auction-goers were well fed with fish-themed delicacies.  Auctioneer Jay Werbalowsky helped  project sponsor Trout Unlimited raise a total auction tally of $4,725.

The profit from the project will be used to further the stated mission of Trout Unlimited – to conserve, protect, and restore America’s cold-water fisheries.  In  the case of our local Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the cold-water fishery of concern is the Esopus Creek and its tributaries – the very lifeblood of our Catskill wilderness and sporting-based economy.  The contribution of our 2012 Leaping Trout artists, exhibitors, and art buyers will go  a long way toward insuring that the APWC-TU will continue to be a leading voice of advocacy for this critical renewable and sustainable  resource – the water our trout swim in, and the water we drink.

On behalf of the Ashokan-Pepacton Chapter of Trout Unlimited, we thank the 35 artists, 34 exhibitors, friends, art purchasers, and Trout Unlimited members who generously contributed to this project on a totally volunteer basis.  In particular, I want to personally express a heartfelt thanks to each of the 35 artists whose talent, creativity,  and imagination gave the project its rich character.  Working with you guys was a highly rewarding experience of a deeply personal nature.  You were the ones who made the 2012 Leaping Trout Art Project sing the grace notes. Thank you for believing in us.

Mark Loete
Chair – Leaping Trout Art Project
Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter – Trout Unlimited

Cute Little Santa's Helper

This photo just in from James Wolf. It is his adorable daughter Maya all dressed up in her festival holiday attire. This photo just makes me smile. Thanks to James for sending it for us all to enjoy!

Kingston Holiday Train

Photo © Dan Howard

Besides the local festivities this Sunday in Phoenicia and Mt Tremper  (see previous post) the CMRR is also operating their Winter Holiday Train in Kingston. Below is information on that full filled holiday activity. It's another great opportunity to ride the train and see Santa. I still think that Santa Claus must have a close relative in Woodland Valley. What a resemblance!! Don't forget to join the railroad and the Empire State Railway Museum this Sunday for a their annual holiday celebration right here in town! The fun starts at noon. See you there.

   ALL ABOARD the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s 2012 Winter Holiday Train! The Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR) is proud to announce the continuation of Holiday Train service in Kingston, New York, for their twenty-ninth year of operating trains in Ulster County. The CMRR, having reestablished passenger service in Kingston in 2008, for the first time since 1954, has been busy decorating the Train to provide you with, what is now a Holiday Tradition for the whole family.

Holiday Train service will be on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00pm to 4:00pm hourly starting December 1^st through December 30^th. Come ride with Santa through December 23^rd as he spreads cheer to all the good little children of Kingston! Be sure to bring your camera! Take a special train ride to celebrate the holidays and usher in the New Year. Tickets will be available at the CMRR station, located in the Kingston Plaza ball field parking lot near the Hannaford Supermarket - Adult fares are $6.00, Children (ages 2-11) ride for $4.00, and children under 2 years-old ride free with a paid adult fare.

Get into the holiday spirit and enjoy a one-hour excursion through the historic City of Kingston! The Holiday Train will depart from Westbrook Lane for a three-mile round trip; heading West across Fair Street, Washington Avenue, to the old C9 Bridge, and then back again. Trains consist of open-air seating as well as limited space inside our refurbished caboose. Please dress appropriately and make sure to bundle up!

Have a toy train set under your Christmas tree? Well why not bring the kids out to experience the real thing. Get ready for the holidays with a visit from Santa Claus and a train ride on the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s decorated Winter Holiday Train.  

Meteor Showers

The Geminids meteor showers last night were AMAZING!! It was a cold, sparkling, and absolutely clear night in the valley and the stars were out in force. I only stayed out a short while but saw lots of shooting stars! I know the peak of the showers were last night but I am going to go out again tonight and see if I can see any more. It is so very, very beautiful. We are lucky that our skies are free enough from light pollution to be able to enjoy this awesome show.

Free Holiday Party and Train Rides

This coming Sunday, December 16th the Empire State Railway Museum and the Catskill Mountain Railroad join together to bring our community a free celebration of the holiday season. Santa (who I think looks like he might have a relative in Woodland Valley) is scheduled to arrive at noon by mini-railroad at the museum on Lower High Street in Phoenicia. There will be a party there with snacks, model trains and lots of other fun from 12-3. Santa will give out free tickets to hop on the train departing at 12, 1, 2 and 3:00 from the Mt Tremper station just a short hop down the road. So come on out and join the fun! See you all there!

Nothing But Rain

We have had several days of intermittently cloudy weather here in the valley but at least we haven't had any snow. There have been several instances of brief rain but also periods sun too. The temperatures warmed up today into the high 50's at one point. Tonight it is supposed to drop down into the 20's and then be in the 40's tomorrow. But so far the really cold weather has held off. Let's see how long that lasts.

Auction Makes A Splash In Poughkeepsie Journal

WCA member Dakin Morehouse was featured in an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal about the Leaping Trout Art Auction this evening. Here is a link to the article for those of you who would like to read it.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20121206/SPORTS06/312060037

The auction will take place at The Art Upstairs in Phoenicia later today (see times below) but you can still see the art work at Leaping Trout Project site http://www.theleapingtrout.com (bidding online ended last night). Great job to Mark Loete, Stephanie Blackman and all the artists who donated their time to making this happen. It is a HUGE amount of work for all those involved but a great fundraiser for Trout Unlimited and a fantastic show for all of us to enjoy! Thanks everyone!

Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Arts Upstairs Gallery
60 Main St., Phoenicia

 5 - 6:30 pm: Reception and viewing of the Trout

Artisanal, trout-themed refreshments from Amy’s Take Away will be served.

6:30 - 8 pm: Live Auction

Miriam Rose Performs This Weekend

Another talented young WCA member will be performing twice over this weekend. Miriam Rose is scheduled to appear on Cabaradio tomorrow night at the Pine Hill Community Center. She will also be performing with the New Paltz College and Youth Orchestra on Sunday. Come to the shows if you have the chance or, if you can't make it, you can listen to Cabaradio at http://www.wioxradio.org on Saturday at 7pm.

Here are the details for the performances.

Cabaradio

Saturday, December 8th, 2012

6 PM: Potluck dinner
7 PM: Showtime
Pine Hill Community Center, 287 Main Street, Pine Hill NY
FREE

AND

College Youth Symphony

Winter Concert

Sunday, December 9 2012, 7PM 
Julien J. Studley Theatre 
State University of New York at New Paltz
performing

Fantasia on Christmas Carols
by Ralph Vaughan Williamswith the College-Community Chorale, Concert Choir 
Kent Smith, baritone soloist

Prelude to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg
by Richard Wagner

American Salute
by Morton Gould

Variations on America
by Charles Ives
directed by Carole Cowan, College/Youth Symphony
Victor Izzo, CYS Wind Ensemble
Edward Lundergan, College-Community Chorale and Concert Choir

Tickets available ($ 8, 6, 3) at the door

HEAP Assistance Today

For those in need of help with their home energy costs there will be staff helping people fill out the HEAP forms today at Town Hall.

HEAP Help

Home Energy Assistance Program

If you need help applying for HEAP or filling out the forms:

On FRIDAY DECEMBER 7^TH – 10am to Noon

Help will be available at the Town Hall in Shandaken

If you can’t make it at that time - call The Town Clerk for an appointment.. we can also arrange a home visit!

845-688-5004

Ffrenches In The Nutcracker

Woodland Valley's own lovely and talented Ffrench sisters will be performing in The Nutcracker at the UPAC theater in Kingston this weekend. Here is the email that I got from their proud mom Rebecca with exact dates and times. Try and catch the show if you can I am sure they will both be fabulous!

Hello all!

The Catskill Ballet Theatre is performing The Nutcracker in Kingston's UPAC Theater (on Broadway) this week: December 7, 8, and 9. The Friday and Saturday performances are at 8pm and the Sunday performance is at 2pm. Tickets may be purchased at ticketmaster.com (link below).

http://www.ticketmaster.com/UPAC-The-Broadway-Theater-tickets-Kingston/venue/129
Tickets are $27 for adults and $19 for children (It’s cheaper to buy at the UPAC box office than at ticketmaster, which adds a 6.20 service fee per ticket).
Camilla and Anna will be in party scene (CGF is a boy, AMF the maid); mice, and polichinelle.

Many of you have come in the past and we greatly appreciate seeing you at the performances. I love that some of you have made it a tradition. It’s a truly wonderful performance with principals from lauded companies.

Again, we Ffrenches (and the CBT) greatly appreciate your support.

Hope to see you this weekend.

xo
RebeccaHere’s a little info about the Catskill Ballet Theatre:Established 25 years ago, The Catskill Ballet Theatre Company is a regional ballet company, based in Ulster County, NY, providing cultural enrichment within the Hudson Valley through the art of classical ballet. CBT was formed in 1981 by Anne Hebard, David Howard and a handful of community members dedicated to offering an outlet for young local talent to perform.

Over the years this vision has developed into CBT, whose mission is to preserve the legacy of classical dance, enhance the cultural life of the community, and give young area dancers the opportunity to participate in professional ballet productions alongside working professional dancers.
 

CBT performs throughout the Hudson Valley offering full-length ballets that combine professional ballet dancers from all over the world as well as Ulster County students trained by a world renowned teacher.

Holiday Open House At The Library

Sorry I haven't posted much in the last couple of days. I have been a bit under the weather. But I am feeling much better now so I wanted to let you all know about the upcoming library holiday party. Here is the announcement that they sent to me about it:

Come see all your friends at the Phoenicia Library at our Holiday Open House Saturday, Dec. 15 11am to 2pm. Uncle Rock, Santa, raffles, crafts, treats, meaningful holiday cards and special book sale with free wrapping! Schedule and more info: http://t.co/ucWzPwoi

Snow Gone In The Valley

We had some light snow on Friday that changed into a wintry mix yesterday. We got less than an inch total but there was a frosty, wintery look to the valley. Today when I woke up the temperatures had rose into the low 50s and all the snow was gone. Right now we are getting some rain. It is supposed to stay warm tomorrow and than get colder again as the week begins. But all is still calm and well in the valley. I will keep you posted.

Time Change For Trout Auction

Due to scheduling issues, the Leaping Trout Art Project Live Auction time has been revised:

CATCH YOUR OWN LEAPING TROUT SAME DATE — LATER TIME Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Arts Upstairs Gallery
60 Main St., Phoenicia

 5 - 6:30 pm: Reception and viewing of the Trout

Artisanal, trout-themed refreshments from Amy’s Take Away will be served.

6:30 - 8 pm: Live Auction

The entire 2012 Leaping Trout art collection, currently on exhibit at the Arts Upstairs Gallery, will be auctioned on December 8, with the live auction commencing at 6:30PM.   We are pleased to announce that the Hudson Valley’s premier auctioneer, Jay Werbalowsky, has agreed to lend his talents to this event.  All proceeds of the auction will go to support the ongoing conservation efforts of our local Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which is sponsoring and financing this project. You can place a bid for your favorite Leaping Trout  online at any time prior to the date of the auction at http://www.theleapingtrout.com. Online bidding will be terminated at midnight of Friday, Dec 7. The highest online bid will become the opening bid at the live auction.

The new time schedule is revised from what was previously advertised, so we need your help in spreading the word. Please make sure your friends, family, neighbors and art patrons know about the 6:30 starting time for the auction.  You can follow the project on Facebook (at Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited, or APWCTU), our TU chapter website  (www.apwctu.org), and the Leaping Trout website (www.theleapingtrout.com).

Come join us on December 8 for the chance to bid on and own your own Leaping Trout. Share this e-mail. Spread the word!

Mark Loete
Chair – Leaping Trout Art Project committee
Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter – Trout Unlimited