Once again this year we need a WCA member or members (we can split up the chores) to volunteer to get snacks for the July 11th annual meeting. You do not have to pay for the food we will reimburse you from the WCA funds. You just need to go and buy it, maybe cut up a few things (cheese, fruit and/or veggies). I have soda, seltzer and juice from the Menla potluck so you won't need to get the drinks. Brave Emma has the paper products (cups, plates etc.). We just need someone to get the pretzels, chips, cheese and crackers, maybe make a crudite or fresh fruit salad and get or make a cake. Anyone up for the task? Email me here at wvview@gmail.com or my personal email address (if you have it).
Thanks,
Carol Seitz - Your Blog Mistress
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Gow Job
The following is from WCA member Cardi O'Conner.
"Look sharp when you are tooling around Woodland Valley or Phoenicia: there is a sweet new “modified” in town. Specifically, it is a 1926 Model T roadster, also known as a “gow job”. Designed by Mike Ottavi, the roadster emulates the T-modifieds built before WWII to race on the Southern California Dry Lakes (as well as the So-Cal streets).
Mike’s modified was custom built by E.J. Kowalski of Reading, Pennsylvania. it has correct period styling and details---which basically means the original 1926 body was stripped way down. Fenders, running boards, splash apron and the rear passenger compartment were all removed. The rear of the frame was shortened and stepped, making a shorter wheel base and also lowering the car. The little roadster is simple, noisy and tough. It is also a rocket.
The origin of the name “gow job” is up for grabs, but some say early hot-rodders would shout to their rivals, “Fords are for gow, Chevys are for plow!”. Mike’s modified has a powerful V8 under the hood, so if you ask for a ride, please be aware: When Mike punches it, guaranteed your stomach will do flips. It’s as thrilling as an amusement park ride."
- Cardi
That's the brake light
On Plank Road
- All photos taken by Cardi O'Conner
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ice Harvesting at Simpson Memorial Ski Slope
These photos were sent to me by Jay Simpson. They show the ice harvesting that occurred on one of two ponds located on the land that later became the Simpson Memorial Ski Slope and is now Romer Mt. Park. This valley has so much great history. We are lucky to have people who have kept detailed records and photos so we can all learn about it. Thanks for sending these Jay!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Astrological Study with Alexander Mallon
Here is a message from WCA member Alexander Mallon.
Astrological Study with Alexander Mallon
Phoenicia location ... near Woodstock, NY
845-688-9751
Starting Thursday June 25, 2009
* 7pm Thursday eve's ..
* Five Session 'tracks'...Class to be on-going in '5 session sign-ups'
* Each class roughly 2 hrs in length
* In depth student participation and personal chart review
* Astrological and astronomical interweaving .... with telescope time!!
* Some beginner material through Intermediate and Advanced-Level study....
.... Best of All .....
* Only $15 per class!!...keeping costs low to enable student participation!!
....some of the topics to be covered....
-Principles of Astrological Practice
-Planetary concepts and mythos
-Forecasting techniques
-Asteroids
-Fixed Stars in chartwork
-Chart interpretations (... plenty of this!!)
-Houses and house systems
-Horary Astrology
-New Planetary bodies discovered
- and as always ... much much more!!!
Astrological Study with Alexander Mallon
Phoenicia location ... near Woodstock, NY
845-688-9751
Starting Thursday June 25, 2009
* 7pm Thursday eve's ..
* Five Session 'tracks'...Class to be on-going in '5 session sign-ups'
* Each class roughly 2 hrs in length
* In depth student participation and personal chart review
* Astrological and astronomical interweaving .... with telescope time!!
* Some beginner material through Intermediate and Advanced-Level study....
.... Best of All .....
* Only $15 per class!!...keeping costs low to enable student participation!!
....some of the topics to be covered....
-Principles of Astrological Practice
-Planetary concepts and mythos
-Forecasting techniques
-Asteroids
-Fixed Stars in chartwork
-Chart interpretations (... plenty of this!!)
-Houses and house systems
-Horary Astrology
-New Planetary bodies discovered
- and as always ... much much more!!!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Astronomy Club
Here is a message from WCA members Lauren Altman and Miriam Rose.
Greetings,
The first meeting of the Catskill Astronomy Club (working title) will be Monday June 29, 4pm at the Phoenicia Library. All ages are welcome, please bring your ideas and enthusiasm. We may alternate meeting sites with the Olive Library if that is desirable to folks.
Hope to see all of you starry-eyed Terrans there.
Miriam & Lauren
Greetings,
The first meeting of the Catskill Astronomy Club (working title) will be Monday June 29, 4pm at the Phoenicia Library. All ages are welcome, please bring your ideas and enthusiasm. We may alternate meeting sites with the Olive Library if that is desirable to folks.
Hope to see all of you starry-eyed Terrans there.
Miriam & Lauren
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Father's Day Poetry by Mike O'Neil
Even though I posted this poem last year I thought it was good enough to put up again. Happy Father's Day to all!
FATHER’S DAY
Hey nonnie nonnie,
There’s fish in the bay,
It’s Father’s Day,
It’s Father’s Day!
And for the while,
They’ll be scraping and bowing,
Oh hidey-ho,
They’ll be kowtowing.
But comes the morrow,
When Daddy Day’s done,
There’s no more cake,
And no more fun.
Oh, no more fondle,
No more fawn,
It’s “Get out there,
And mow the lawn!”
- Boreegard aka Mike O'Neil
FATHER’S DAY
Hey nonnie nonnie,
There’s fish in the bay,
It’s Father’s Day,
It’s Father’s Day!
And for the while,
They’ll be scraping and bowing,
Oh hidey-ho,
They’ll be kowtowing.
But comes the morrow,
When Daddy Day’s done,
There’s no more cake,
And no more fun.
Oh, no more fondle,
No more fawn,
It’s “Get out there,
And mow the lawn!”
- Boreegard aka Mike O'Neil
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Deserving Dad
This just in from WCA member Paul Misko.
"Last year I built a new bird house and designed it with a picture window which would face my porch. A solid wood panel remains in place at first so the newlywed birds don't hesitate to move in. After the nest is built and the eggs are laid, I can simply slide out the solid board and gain a clear view of the nest. Here is a shot of the five chicks inside, and one of Dad outside wondering how he's going to feed all those hungry mouths. He's also keeps busy chasing away the bluejays that try to steal the chicks. He certainly deserves a nice Father's Day Gift, instead of a "cheep" one."
- Paul
"Last year I built a new bird house and designed it with a picture window which would face my porch. A solid wood panel remains in place at first so the newlywed birds don't hesitate to move in. After the nest is built and the eggs are laid, I can simply slide out the solid board and gain a clear view of the nest. Here is a shot of the five chicks inside, and one of Dad outside wondering how he's going to feed all those hungry mouths. He's also keeps busy chasing away the bluejays that try to steal the chicks. He certainly deserves a nice Father's Day Gift, instead of a "cheep" one."
- Paul
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Shrimp Creole A La Boreegard
Boreegard (aka Mike O'Neil) made this wonderful shrimp creole for the potluck on Sunday. I asked him to share the recipe with us. Here it is. Try it for yourself.
"A word on what's Cajun and what's Creole. While both the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana share similarities, Paul Prudhomme is quick to point out their differences. Cajun cooking is country cooking that can trace its venerable roots back to Southern France; from there it traveled to Nova Scotia, and from thence its Acadian migration to Louisiana (see Longfellow's Evangeline for a poetic take on this last leg of the trip). Creole cooking has elements of French cuisine, but has a more cosmopolitan background and includes Spanish, Italian, American Indian, African and other influences too. Chef Prudhomme stated simply, "It's city cooking." In this case the city is New Orleans."
- Boreegard
Ingredients
· ½ pound hot Italian sausage.
· 1 pound raw shrimp.
· Three tbsp. olive oil and a tad of butter.
· 1 cup coarsely chopped onion.
· 1 cup chopped celery.
· 1 bell pepper, chopped.
· 4 cloves garlic, minced and chopped.
· 1 cup chicken stock
· 2 cups ripe roma plum tomatoes, diced.
· 1 bay leaf
· ½ tsp. dried thyme
· ½ tsp. dried basil (or 2 tbsp. fresh)
· salt and ground black pepper to taste.
· 1 tsp. sugar.
· 8 oz. tomato sauce.
· Corn kernels from two ears of corn.
To Do
1. In a frying pan. Cook sausage, and remove. Cut into ¼ inch slices.
2. Shell and de-vein shrimp. I generally don't de-vein if they're small shrimp.
3. Melt oil/butter in the frying pan and sauté onion, celery, sweet pepper, and garlic until limp.
4. Add bay leaf, stock, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, LA hot sauce, tomatoes, quartered sausage and simmer, covered, on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and corn, and simmer slowly for 20 to 30 minutes (until mixture has thickened the way you like it).
6. Turn the heat up for a minute and then add the raw shrimp. Turn heat off, and cover pan. Depending on the size of the shrimp, they will be finished cooking in anywhere from five to ten minutes or so. Test them. So many people insist on overcooking shrimp (a sin of the worst sort). This technique should keep you from that transgression.
Serve with rice. Serves four with a little leftover.
You can also refrigerate it, and serve it cold on a hot summer’s day..
This is a good one, if I do say so myself, mon ami.
"A word on what's Cajun and what's Creole. While both the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana share similarities, Paul Prudhomme is quick to point out their differences. Cajun cooking is country cooking that can trace its venerable roots back to Southern France; from there it traveled to Nova Scotia, and from thence its Acadian migration to Louisiana (see Longfellow's Evangeline for a poetic take on this last leg of the trip). Creole cooking has elements of French cuisine, but has a more cosmopolitan background and includes Spanish, Italian, American Indian, African and other influences too. Chef Prudhomme stated simply, "It's city cooking." In this case the city is New Orleans."
- Boreegard
Ingredients
· ½ pound hot Italian sausage.
· 1 pound raw shrimp.
· Three tbsp. olive oil and a tad of butter.
· 1 cup coarsely chopped onion.
· 1 cup chopped celery.
· 1 bell pepper, chopped.
· 4 cloves garlic, minced and chopped.
· 1 cup chicken stock
· 2 cups ripe roma plum tomatoes, diced.
· 1 bay leaf
· ½ tsp. dried thyme
· ½ tsp. dried basil (or 2 tbsp. fresh)
· salt and ground black pepper to taste.
· 1 tsp. sugar.
· 8 oz. tomato sauce.
· Corn kernels from two ears of corn.
To Do
1. In a frying pan. Cook sausage, and remove. Cut into ¼ inch slices.
2. Shell and de-vein shrimp. I generally don't de-vein if they're small shrimp.
3. Melt oil/butter in the frying pan and sauté onion, celery, sweet pepper, and garlic until limp.
4. Add bay leaf, stock, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, LA hot sauce, tomatoes, quartered sausage and simmer, covered, on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and corn, and simmer slowly for 20 to 30 minutes (until mixture has thickened the way you like it).
6. Turn the heat up for a minute and then add the raw shrimp. Turn heat off, and cover pan. Depending on the size of the shrimp, they will be finished cooking in anywhere from five to ten minutes or so. Test them. So many people insist on overcooking shrimp (a sin of the worst sort). This technique should keep you from that transgression.
Serve with rice. Serves four with a little leftover.
You can also refrigerate it, and serve it cold on a hot summer’s day..
This is a good one, if I do say so myself, mon ami.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Big Fun at the WCA/Menla Potluck
The potluck on Sunday bringing together the members of the Woodland Community Association and the staff of the Menla Mountain Retreat was a big success. It turned out to be a gorgeous day and between both groups we had about 50 people in attendance. The food was scrumptious and the company was even better! Let me extend our thanks to all the folks at Menla for their hospitality! Here are some photos of the event taken by WCA member Cardi O'Connor. Thanks for documenting the fun Cardi!
- Carol
- Carol
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Beautiful Home for Sale in WV
Real estate agent and WCA member sent me this information on a house she is represnting in Woodland Valley.
"That glorious brand new Log Home contempo on The Woodland Valley Stream has been reduced by $200,000! It is now priced to sell quickly at $495,000. Gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry opens to Dining Room and Great Room with Cathedral ceiling. Great Room opens thru sliders to streamside patio. Master Bedroom Suite with it's own fridge and deluxe jacuzzi also opens to Patio on the stream. Spiral Staircase leads to Balcony with 2 Bedrooms, Full Bath and a Reading Alcove. Great location for streamside entertainment. Low yard maintance. Call Lynn Davidson Lic R.E. Sales Person at WESTWOOD METES & BOUNDS REALTY, Ltd. for a Viewing: Office # 845 679-0006 X110 or Home Office # 845 688-7020."
- Lynn
Click Here to View Listing
Click Here for Virtual Tour
"That glorious brand new Log Home contempo on The Woodland Valley Stream has been reduced by $200,000! It is now priced to sell quickly at $495,000. Gourmet kitchen with walk-in pantry opens to Dining Room and Great Room with Cathedral ceiling. Great Room opens thru sliders to streamside patio. Master Bedroom Suite with it's own fridge and deluxe jacuzzi also opens to Patio on the stream. Spiral Staircase leads to Balcony with 2 Bedrooms, Full Bath and a Reading Alcove. Great location for streamside entertainment. Low yard maintance. Call Lynn Davidson Lic R.E. Sales Person at WESTWOOD METES & BOUNDS REALTY, Ltd. for a Viewing: Office # 845 679-0006 X110 or Home Office # 845 688-7020."
- Lynn
Click Here to View Listing
Click Here for Virtual Tour
