Streamside Planting - Saturday September 18th

Michael Courtney sent me this message about the project he is organizing this Saturday. Since most of us use the Espous to swim, fish, etc, etc. I thought some of you might be interested. Here is what he had to say:

"We will be doing a volunteer streamside planting project this Saturday. Can you post info on this on the WV blog?
Info is below. I also included a planting clip art file and a pdf of the flyer for the event. This is part of our Creek Week."
Thanks! Michael

Saturday, September 18, 9:00 am – 12:00
Location of Event:_ Meet at Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program Office, 6375 State Route 28. Just west of Phoenicia, across from former Margo’s Restaurant.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Help plant trees and shrubs to restore stream side vegetation on a local stream. We will meet at the project office and carpool to the planting location. Bring boots, workgloves, a shovel if you have one and water bottle.
RSVP to Michael at (845) 688-3047/ph or mcc55@cornell.edu

Michael Courtney
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
www.ashokanstreams.org
(845) 688-3047/ph

Happy Birthday Jeff!

Aileen Schwartz wants to wish her husband/best friend a Happy Birthday!!

Happy b-day from everyone in the WCA too, Jeff!!!

Maya at 10 Months

Gorgeous little Maya, daughter of WCA members Julia Rose and John Raffaelle, is now 10 months old. Here are some photos of her from a recent outing. She just gets cuter everyday!!

My Favorite WV Doorbell

I recently came across this doorbell in WV. It made me laugh and I thought you all would enjoy it too. This just proves how ingenious valley folks can be!!

On the Anniversary of 9/11

Mike O'Neil aka Boreegard wrote this poem to help us observe the anniversary of 9/11. May all who perished that day rest in peace.

Anniversary

I think of those innocents on the high towers
who, rather than waiting to be choked to death
by the moiling acrid smoke or burned by the
terrible approaching fires, chose to implement
their own deaths—and jumped.

And of those many, I think most strongly
of the couple who fell
clutching each other in an inseparable embrace
to the last.

My Manhattan son, Dan, saw all this
and cried, as did we all. Damn damn damn!

This morning, on the anniversary—if one
can use that word
He took two perfect long stemmed roses to work
opened his midtown window
and let the petals fly away in
Manhattan's strong morning wind.

He thought on this for a time
and then began to work, as the migraine imposed itself.

J. Michael O'Neil

Work Begins on WV Road

The work to repair the stream bed along WV road just before the Fawn Hill bridge began earlier this week. The trucks, heavy equipment and stone have been brought to the site and staged along the side of the curve. If I have the time I will try and get some photos of the progress in the next few days. Drive slowly as you come in and out of the valley to avoid the men and women who will be working on the project.

Another Great Blog Story

OK, so a few posts ago I put up the "Burning Hat" duet video featuring Dennis Havel playing the musical saw. A day later I got an email from someone who calls herself "The Saw Lady" in NYC. She found the entry via Google and has invited Dennis to play next year at the annual Musical Saw Festival in New York City www.MusicalSawFestival.org. Who knew there was such a thing?! Turns out there is a festival once a year where musicians from near and far come to show their expertise on the saw. "The Saw Lady" is an accomplished player herself! You can check out her website if you are interested at http://www.sawlady.com. She has played at an amazing range of venues with other accomplished musicians. Dennis is very excited by the prospect of getting together with other like minded folk to share the creation of some interesting music. I will keep you all posted on the time and date for the festival so that you can attend if you feel so inspired.

Miriam Rose at the Woodstock Farm Festival

Miriam Rose will be playing at the Woodstock Farm Festival on Wednesday, September 8th, from 5:30 to dusk. Please see flyer for details. The acoustic tent is the one in the Houst parking lot, where the actual farmers' market tents are located. See you there!

Boreegard Confronts Pig Liver

Boreegard aka Mike O'Neil sent me this recipe a while back. Here is what he had to say about it:

SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED is visiting family in Indiana for a few days, so I get to cook things for dinner that she would not enjoy. This is assuredly one of them.

I’d hoped to find calf’s liver in town at one of the food emporiums, but there was none to be had. The only liver I finally found was pig’s liver. Pig’s liver is tender, but has a strong taste, and benefits from a soak in milk for several hours—which I’ve done.

I well recall the New Year’s Eve advice at the Martino’s party that I got from Joe’s Uncle Frankie—a stone mason who made his own wine in his basement and praised the taste of pork liver. “Its’a sweet,” he told me. So in a way I’ve looked forward to tonight’s cooking for over 25 years.

Then it was time to drink another shot of Sambucca and watch Joe do his version of the Tarantella, all the while waving his handkerchief in the air. THE THINGS ONE REMEMBERS!

Elements of this recipe are taken from Gene Leone’s CALF’S LIVER ALA LEONE. Instead of calf, think pig.

PIG’S LIVER A LA BOREEGARD

One and a half pounds of pig’s liver, sliced in half inch slabs.
1 egg beaten
½ cup of panko bread crumbs, some four, some minced garlic.
4 slices bacon
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. oil
Fresh parsley and sage, chopped.
A small onion, chopped.
½ cup cheap sherry
Salt and pepper.

TO DO

In a fry pan, cook the bacon to a crisp. Reserve the bacon and lose most of the fat.

Add butter and oil to the pan.

Bread the egged liver and fry in pan in a hot pan for two or so minutes per side. The liver should be medium rare.

Remove liver to a warmed dish.

Sauté onions and herbs in pan.

Add Sherry to form a sauce. If not thickened to your desire, add a little more flour.

Return liver to pan and warm. Then Serve on delicate pieces of toast, with sauce on top.

Mamma Leonne and Gene would approve of this one I think.


Boreegard
August 14, 2010

Burning Hat Duet

I have never posted a video to the blog before but someone sent me one that I just couldn't resist putting up.

It is a video of the WCA's own Dennis Havel playing music while his hat burned. It is absolutely amazing that anyone should play the musical saw so intently that their hat would burst into flames. I am still not sure it wasn't done with smoke and mirrors. But regardless, there is some pretty fancy talent coming out of Woodland Valley! God, I love this place!!

Video by Chen Yong