Phoenicia Wild West Weekend

I got this message from Michael Koegel of Mama's Boy Market. Apparently, there is a Wild West Weekend being planned. Here are the details.

"Cowboy Upstate" this Columbus Day Weekend at Phoenicia's first ever Wild West Weekend, October 12th and 13th.

Phoenicia, NY, recently voted one of the "Coolest Small Towns in America" by Budget Travel Magazine, is hosting a weekend of wild west themed events, including a Barn Dance, Gene Autry Film Festival, Chili Cook Off, Cowboy Concert and more.

Events will take place at various venues across Phoenicia including STS Playhouse, Mama's Boy Coffee Shop, The Phoenicia Library and the Parish Hall. Proceeds from some of the events will go to rebuilding the Phoenicia Library after it's devastating fire in 2011 and towards refurbishing The STS Playhouse.

In addition to these events, all local stores have been encouraged to adopt a Wild West theme over the weekend and western themed clothing will be sold at various locations across town. Participants are encouraged to dress appropriately to join in the fun!

Event creators, Michael Koegel and Holly George Warren came up with the idea for this event when Koegel (Owner of Mama's Boy Market and Artistic Director of STS Playhouse) heard local resident and writer Holly George Warren being interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross about a book that George Warren had published on Gene Autry. Ms. George Warren, who has published many books on a variety of subjects and was a writer for Rolling Stone, enthusiastically embraced the concept and the weekend was born.

Those interested in competing in the Chili Cook Off need to sign up at Mama's Boy Market and deliver their Chili to Mama's Boy by 11:30AM the morning of the event. Samples will be available for tasting to the general public, who will then vote on their favorites. Prizes will be awarded for best chili.

A complete events list follows.

Saturday October 12
11AM
Cowboy Poetry Slam
Phoenicia Library
Free

12PM
Gene Autry Double Feature
The Phantom Empire (Episodes 1 and 2) and Back in the Saddle (Featuring live music provided by the Catskill Ukelele Group)
$5 admission

7:30 PM
Barn Dance and Square Dance featuring The Earl Pardini Band
Parish Hall, Phoenicia
$10 admission, Kids under 12 free
Cowboy Grub Available (Tamales, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, "Cow Pies, sarsaparilla, etc.)

9:30 PM
Marshmallow Roast and Bonfire
Mama's Boy Market
Free

SUNDAY OCTOBER 13

NOON
Chili Cook Off
Mama's Boy Market
Sign Up to enter at Mama's Boy Market
Sampling begins at noon.

7PM
Sons of Phoenicia Concert (Featuring Robert Burke Warren and Friends)
Followed by an encore showing of South of the Border
STS Playhouse
$15

For More information Contact Michael Koegel at Michael@MamasBoyMarket.com

Michael Koegel
Mama's Boy

Facebook
7 Church St.
PO Box 418
Phoenicia, NY 12464
MamasBoyMarket.com
845-688-3050

The Rick Altman Trio At Harrnony

The Rick Altman Trio 

with Mike Ralff & Jody Sumber

An evening of jazz classics and original compositions

with vibes, bass, and drums

Sunday, September 29, 2013 8 to 11 p.m.

*donation*

HARMONY MUSIC

52 Mill Hill Rd. Woodstock, NY (845) 679-3484

 more info: www.rickaltman.com

Picnic Basket Returns

I got word a couple of days ago that Monica and Ken Palmer got their picnic basket back. No, the bear did not return it in person. It was brought back to them by Rolf Reiss who lives across the street from the Palmer family. Although I don't know the details of where and how Rolf found it, I have imagined that he wrestled Yogi to the ground bare (or bear) handed to reclaim the beloved item for Monica and Ken. What a good neighbor!

Tina Turnstile Sings Us A Message

Unitard comedy troupe member (and WV resident), David Ilku, has a new video. In it, David puts on his best Tina Turner drag to send us all a message about the corporate takeover of our communities. Once you get past how hysterical David looks as Tina Turner his message is a serious one. But as always, David is putting out his ideas wrapped in a hilarious package. You go girl....I mean boy.....I mean girl......oh, whatever....LOL!!

Let's Talk Garlic

The Hudson Valley Garlic Festival is this weekend. For those of you who would like to try growing some garlic in your own gardens, this is a great time to get some locally grown stock to plant. I have been growing garlic for about 14 years now and this year was another great year (see above). I have found that garlic does very well in Woodland Valley. It takes a couple of years to really establish your growing stock but once you do, you will find you will get consistently large heads in the mid-summer.

Garlic is planted 6 weeks before the first GROUND FREEZE (not frost). I always figure that to be around the first week of December. So I plant my garlic sometime in mid-October. You break up the entire head into separate cloves. Then replant the cloves about 6 inches apart and roughly 2 inches deep. It is best to only replant the largest cloves because clove size is the largest factor in determining ultimate head size. That's basically all there is to it. You can fertilize the garlic in the fall when you put it in the ground and again in early spring if you choose to do so.

Garlic is the first thing to appear in the spring. If it is hard neck garlic it will keep growing until somewhere in June when it sends up shoots called scapes. These scapes will turn into bulbils if you let them grow. That will sap the energy from the growth of the bulb main bulb underground so you want to break them off when they get big enough that you see the ridge that forms the bulbil. 

The top of the garlic plant starts to die somewhere in June or July. You want to pull the garlic out of the ground sometime in late July or early August. But deciding when to pull the garlic is the hardest thing to get right. You want to wait until most, but not all, of the plant has died back. If you pull too early, your cloves will be small. If you pull too late, your cloves will start to open up and then not store well. I tend to wait until all but the last two leaves have died. It is best to err on the side of pulling too soon rather than too late. 

Once you have pulled your garlic you want to let it dry for a month to six weeks with the top of the plant still intact. Some people never cut off the top but I find it harder to store so I do cut it after it has dried out. At that point I separate out the largest heads for replanting and store the rest for eating. You want to store it in a cool (but not freezing area). It should be out of direct light but, in my experience it doesn't have to be total darkness.

Ok, so that is what I know about planting garlic. Try and plant some of your own. The freshness and flavor is incomparable. And garlic is so good for you too! So get yourself to the garlic festival this weekend and give it try!

Benefit For Harp Family

Many of you have heard about the devastating house fire up on Route 42 this past week. People in town are putting together a benefit for the family. It will be held on Sunday October 6, 2013 (the poster date below is October 2nd but that is incorrect) at the Parish Hall on Main Street in Phoenicia from 3-6pm. For more information you can call Teresa at 688-9778 or Joyce Grant our Town Clerk at 688-5004.

PS - There is also a donation page on FundRazr - https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/dbXa2/sh/61twQ2?

Library Begins Work On Main Street Building

The library will begin it's rehab of the building on Main Street in Phoenicia this week, very exciting. Here is the message sent to me by the library's director, Liz Potter.

We’ve got some exciting news

Because of your support, it’s finally happening!

This Monday, September 28^th Harmony Builders will begin demolition at our 48 Main Street library.  Burned furniture will be discarded and charred sheet rock and beams removed.  Our beloved Main Street library will be made clean and ready for construction, which will begin immediately following in mid-October. 

Construction will take 8-10 months.  What remains of the old building will be completely redone, a two-story addition will be created, a ramp and elevator built.  Then interior essentials, such as shelving and new furniture, will be added.  We anticipate welcoming you into our new building next summer.

To learn more about our plans or to make a contribution to help us in the final leg of our fundraising, please go to:

http: //www.phoenicialibraryfund.com

We’ve been amazingly fortunate thus far, raising $620,000 through grants, insurance and individual donations.  But we have $180,000 more to raise.  So please consider giving at this exciting time as we start our rebuild.

This is a very good moment for us to express our gratitude to you, our community, for all your patience as we recovered from the fire.  You always encouraged us, kept us going, spoke and wrote on our behalf at town meetings, made donations, volunteered, and again and again, made us realize WHY it is so important to build an even better library. 

We can’t thank you enough.

On behalf of the trustees and staff of the library,

Liz Potter
Director, Phoenicia Library

PS. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at director@phoenicialibrary.org and I will respond right away.

Bring Back The Picnic Basket Yogi

Seems like Woodland Valley is awash in rogue chickens and thieving bears these days. Two nights ago one of my neighbors called me very upset because she had driven all the way to the Peekamoose restaurant for a lobster roll (that was the last night this summer that they would be serving them). When she got home the phone was ringing and she set her lobster roll down outside on the porch while she went to answer it. Unfortunately, in the two short minutes it took her to get the phone, a bear made off with her dinner. She was not amused. She had an acute hankering for lobster roll and didn't have the time or energy to go get another.

The next morning I received the following letter from Ken and Monica Palmer. Seems that a bear (the same one?) had been at their house too.

I was wondering if you can post in your blog that Our Woodland Valley Bear visited us upon our arrival from vacationing in the Outer Banks and I placed my beloved beautiful wicker picnic basket on my deck when emptying our camper last night and he grabbed it and took off with it!  There wasn't any food in it, just a couple of ceramic beach plates and mugs, 2 of my favorite wine glasses, a corkscrew, napkins, a purple peppermill and himalayian salt.................And a few other little odds and ends.  I've been taking this basket with us forever and can't believe we can't find it.  My son went across the stream and up the mountain where he usually stashes things................If anyone should come upon it please let them know.....................

Thank you

Monica and Ken Palmer

So keep your eyes out for a picnic basket and for heavens sake don't leave your dinner outside if you expect to eat tonight!

Bobtown At ESRM This Weekend

Bobtown in Concert

For Flying Cat Music

Saturday, September 21

7:30 p.m. (sharp), door at 7:00

Empire State Railway Museum

70 Lower High Street, Phoenicia, NY 12464

Admission is $15 or $13 with RSVP

to flyingcatmusic@gmail.com

For information email as above

or call 845-688-9453

Link to artist's website:
http://bobtownmusic.com/

It will be a dynamic evening Saturday, September 21, when Bobtown performs in concert for Flying Cat Music at the Empire State Railway Museum. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. with the door opening at 7:00. Tickets are $13 with RSVP or $15 at the door. For information or reservations email flyingcatmusic@gmail.com or call 845-688-9453. The museum is located at 70 Lower High Street in Phoenicia, NY 12464.

Bobtown is a hoot and a holler, and a shiver down your spine. This vibrant five member group is deeply wired, in a pre-electrical sense, to transcendent musical roots with field hollers foremost among them. Field hollers were a pre-Civil War vocal and percussive call-and-response music, thought to have pre-dated spirituals, which originated with African-American slaves working in the fields. Bobtown founder Katherine Etzel credits her fascination with field hollers to her experience as a youth working in Kansas bean and corn fields. With four vocalists and an eclectic assortment of instruments, Bobtown will set any room to rocking when the spirit calls them, but that is just one of many penetrating moods this versatile band summons from their audience.  

DEC Presents Land Classification Proposal

In 2011 the DEC acquired 1200 acres of land on Bellayre Mountain (which is commonly referred to as the Big Indian Acquisition). The agency has completed a proposal to classify those lands and they are presenting a summary of that proposal at a public meeting tonight, September 17, 2013,  7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Bellayre Mountain Ski Center Overlook Lodge in Highmount for examination and comment by the public. This plan determines potential recreational opportunities for the property and ensures protection of the natural resources (see link below for full announcement by the DEC). The meeting will be an opportunity for the community to meet with representatives of the DEC to share their thoughts and ideas about the proposed plan.  Comments can also be made in writing to the DEC Region 3 office and mailed to the address below.

NYS DEC
Region 3
21 South Putt Corners Road
New Paltz, NY
12561

or emailed to: wprudge@gw.dec.state.ny.us

All comments must be received by September 30, 2013

http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/93388.html

Register For Basic STAR With NY State

All homeowners receiving a Basic STAR tax exemption must register with New York State Tax Department in order to receive the exemption in the year 2014 and after. The registration requirement is not satisfied by your original application to your local assessor.

Senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR property tax exemption are not affected by this new requirement and do not need to register with the state. However, they are still required to file income information with their local assessor's office by March 1st, as they have in past years.

The STAR exemption is available for owner-occupied PRIMARY residences where the combined income of resident owners and their spouses is $500,000 or less.

The letters have been sent out this week to Shandaken homeowners. You need the code on the upper right hand corner of that letter to file with the state. You will also need the social security numbers of all owners and their spouses and information about any residency based exemptions in other states received by any of the resident owners. The site will also ask the residents to confirm that the combined total income of the owners and their spouses does not exceed $500,000.

The deadline for registration is December 31, 2013. I would advise everyone to register sooner rather than later.

The first link below is a tutorial on how to register for the STAR. The link on the bottom of this page will take you to the website to complete the registration form. Remember, it is better to do this sooner rather than later. You do not want to lose this important tax exemption.

Basic Star Demo-“the how to”

http://www.tax.ny.gov/e-services/otc/demos/star/starregdemo.htm

link to star registration

http://www.tax.ny.gov/

Thank You From The Shandaken Food Pantry

Jane Todd, who leads the Shandaken Food Pantry, sent the WCA a very lovely note in thanks for our $100.00 donation. Below is Jane's message to the Woodland Valley Community.

Dear Friends,

  Thank you so much for your generous donation to the food pantry.

  It comes at a time of struggle. The need has grown, as you may imagine! In 2013, we received $1500.00 from the town and have so far distributed over $20,000 in food.

 This is thanks to folks like you, who have recognized our efforts. We appreciate your thinking of us.

Fondly,
Jane Todd

The food pantry does great work in our community!! In the days ahead I would encourage anyone who can to donate individually to their cause.

Tee Botchford and Peter Moschberger Engaged

I got some great news from the Botchford family in the last day or so. Looks like Hawley's daughter, Tee and her long time beau, Peter have gotten engaged (that's Tee and Peter in the photo above - gorgeous couple!). But I will let proud papa Hawley tell you himself (see below). Congrats to Tee and Peter and both of their extended families!!!

Greetings All,

While I hate the impersonal tech world, this is the best way to contact many at one time.  We are excited to share that our daughter Tee and her beau Peter Moschberger became engaged during their stay in Santorini, Greece.  It all sounded very romantic with wine on their patio over looking the water with cruise ships passing by and the sun setting on the horizon.  Peter made the "ask" but doesn't remember what Tee said because his heart was pounding so loud he couldn't hear - but the answer was yes.  She has a beautiful ring and is very happy.  They arrived back home today.  They told us before they left Greece (Skype is wonderful) but we had to embargo the information until they got back so all family could know before "facebook"!  Tee wanted to let us know on Skype so she could watch Joyce cry!!  Peter was traditional and proper in meeting with me several weeks ago to ask for my blessing.  We are so happy for them and already consider Peter a member of our family.

- Hawley

The Chicken Has Gone Home To Roost

The lost WV chicken seems to have made out better than the lost WV cooler (see several blog posts back). It turned out that the chicken belonged to the Holz farm. Jen Holz went and retrieved the hen this morning. In her last message to me she said that the bird was resting comfortably and dining on pumpernickel and cheese. Ah, there's no place like home!!

Rooster/Chicken Found

I do so love keeping this blog. Sometimes the news I pass on to you is big, sometimes it's something small, like a lost chicken. Here is a message I received earlier from new residents Bonnie and Bill Guild.

"We just moved into a charming little house at 1043 Woodland Valley Road and were told about your neighborhood blog.  We were welcomed by the smell of pines, the sounds of the water, and a very friendly rooster/chicken, who seems to have adopted us.  We were wondering if anyone along the road has a farm where he might have wandered from, or is missing a pet rooster/chicken?  We don't have any phone service yet when we're there, but the owner can feel free to pick him/her up."

Bonnie and Bill Guild

So if anyone has lost a rooster/chicken drop by the Guild's place and pick he/she up. And welcome them to the valley until the rest of us have the chance to do it ourselves. And tell that chicken to stay closer to home. There are many other animals in these woods that would savor a good chicken snack.

WV Road News

I talked to Eric Hofmeister (the Town Highway Supervisor) a couple of days ago and asked him about the status of the road repairs on Woodland Valley Road. He told me that the road crews should be back within the next two weeks to finish the final resurfacing on the section of the road that had been ground and graded earlier this season. Along with the upgrade in the road surface, Shandaken Highway Department replaced a number of old culverts to improve drainage along the road. These were most needed upgrades. As Woodland Valley residents we appreciate the Highway Department's efforts in the continued maintenance of our town road.

Free Law Workshop For Seniors

Liz Potter at the Phoenicia Library emailed me about this very informative upcoming event. If you are a senior you might want to check it out.

Local Law Student to Provide Workshop for Seniors

Phoenicia. On Saturday, September 28 at Phoenicia Library, Brittiny Razzano and a fellow Albany Law student will provide a free, legal information workshop for local senior citizens, family members, caregivers and elder care professionals.  This is part of a project designed to bring useful legal information and materials to a student’s home community.

The Elder Law Pro Bono Project is a collaboration between the Albany Law School Pro Bono Program and the Rural Law Center of New York. There is a long-standing tradition in the legal profession of providing pro bono or free legal assistance to benefit individuals and communities. This program gives law students the opportunity to do pro bono work in areas across the state. Susan Patnode, Executive Director of the Rural Law Center of New York, added, “Senior citizens and their families, especially in rural areas, often don’t have access to critical legal information. This workshop will bring important resources directly to home towns.”

The Phoenicia Library is sponsoring this event. Workshop topics include Wills, Health Care Proxies, Executors and an overview of legal issues affecting seniors. All are welcome to attend, but in order to provide materials for everyone, please call 688-7811 to reserve your place.  Thank you to Pierro Law Group, LLC who is sponsoring the printed materials. 

CONTACT:

Elizabeth Potter, director, Phoenicia Library

845-688-7811

director@phoenicialibrary.org

Lark In The Park 2013

For all of you who love the great outdoors the 2013 Catskill Mountain "Lark In The Park" promises to be a lot of fun. The schedule is up and there are a lot of great things to do. At this point it looks like it is mostly hikes but they may add things as it gets closer (they have in other years) so keep checking back to the site. I have provided a link below.

http://www.catskillslark.org

More About The Cooler

It took a little while for the message about the cooler to be put on the blog. Richard Feuer (Tammy's husband) sent me an update about it's status yesterday. Here is what Richard had to say:

"Oops!  The cooler was sitting out for three or more weeks waiting to be claimed.  After three weeks it looked very disgusting and there was something goopy inside.  I think one of the freezer packs melted.  You can guess the rest of the story.  I hope it was not a cherished cooler."
- Richard

Cooler Found After Summer Party

Michele Keesee got this message from Tammy Feuer a little while back. I think the cooler is still on their porch so if it is yours you can pick it up there.

After Nat’s picnic, someone dropped a small blue soft cooler (Coldsac brand with an Academy Broadway patch on it) which had 2 Alaska freezer ice bags and a blue wine cooler bag in it.  It isn’t ours so we left it on our porch.  Can you let the group know that whoever it belongs to can pick it up on our porch-893 WV Rd?  Thanks, Tammy