Missing Cat

George & Jen Holz's beloved cat has gone missing. Here is the info and photo George sent to me. Please keep your eye out for her!

Fat cat "Sakura" missing. Black and white with pink ears. Friendly. Good mouser. Will come to food. 
Last seen Tues eve 8/29.

Holz Farm 
T. 845-688.5212 
C.917-797-2817  
C. 845-800-4540 
redjen15@gmail.com 

Time To Clean Up

Ok folks, so the blizzard is finally past. I took the handy snow ruler out yesterday and measured and I would say that we got about 26 inches in total. I shoveled off my back porch (digging out the car is next) and the snow was fairly easy to move. It was on the light and fluffy side so it wasn't too heavy. But now I have to go out and clean the car so I will get a better sense of it today.

We got very lucky in this storm and didn't get the high winds that knocked out power in Woodstock and Shokan. The power never even flickered here. And since the snow didn't stick in the trees there doesn't seem to be a lot of limbs down either.

The town plow trucks have been up and down several times so the road looks fine at this point. But I am sure the end of everyone's driveway will have a nice mound of snow. Everything comes with a price.

So although the snow totals were high, I think the clean-up will happen in short order today and everything will be back to normal by tomorrow. Although they are forecasting some light snow for later I am hoping it will not add up to much.

The temps are cold though. It is in the teens right now but it is supposed to warm up in a day or two. We might see some melting and re-freezing if that happens so it could get slippery for the weekend. We shall see.

Nice to blog to you all once more. I may go silent again for a while but I have to say that this has made me miss blogging a bit.

Stay warm and travel safe!

Blizzard News

Well folks, it has been quite a while since I blogged last. In answer to all the questions I have received, no, I didn't die (obviously), no, I am not sick (thank God), no, nothing is terribly wrong (politics aside). After nine years of keeping this blog I just needed a break. And I actually still need a break. But this blizzard situation has compelled me to do a little community service and give those of you who are not here the specifics about the storm as it is in the valley.

The snow started around 3am with small flakes falling heavily and stacking up fast. When I woke up it was virtually a whiteout situation. But we have never gotten the wind that all the weather stations were predicting. Actually it has been eerily still and quite all day.

The snow is not sticking in the trees either (which is good). It doesn't even seem to be accumulating in the pines around my house. I think the flakes were so fine and light that they just slid off and fell to the ground.

Right now I would say we have about 18 inches. The whiteout situation is over at this point. But the snow is still falling. It has changed from the rapidly falling, small flakes to larger, heavier flakes. The temps have remained in the 20's all day.

We have also had power and phone all day. But I haven't heard the plow trucks. So I am not sure what the situation is with the roads at this point. But I think everyone here has tucked in and is waiting out the rest of the storm. I don't think anyone is out on the roads if they don't have to be.

So stay safe and warm wherever you are and I will post again at the end of this storm.

Joe DeSarle Sings "So In Love"

Woodland Valley resident Joe DeSarle sent me this link (see below) to a video he made. The piece features Joe singing "So In Love" from the play Kiss Me Kate. You might remember that this was the musical that was featured on Friday Night of this year's Festival of the Voice (although Joe didn't sing it there). Joe does a great job with the tune and I thought you all might enjoy it too. Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I073KbEFVWg&feature=youtu.be

Tony And The Turkeys - By Boreegard

       TONY AND THE TURKEYS


When we got back home from Texas,
A few days before Thanksgiving,
Tony—the big Maine Coon cat, 
Who allows us to share our home with him,
Took me aside for a brief conversation.

“You know boss (he calls me boss to make
Me feel good),
That flock of wild turkeys you’ve been
Chucking cracked corn and sunflower seeds at,
Has been making themselves right at home
In your absence.” 

“They’ve pecked the H E double L
Out of Ma’s flowery things, and they’ve been
Strutting in obscene feathery processions,
All through the herb garden. Have they no shame?
Now, what are you going to do about this mess?”

“I can hardly sun myself properly of a warm afternoon,
Or pounce on the occasional high grass vermin,
Which is my catly right and duty, as you well know,
Without those cacophonous gobblers strutting through the yard,
Interrupting my action with their peck peck peckings, 
And their gobbley gobbledy gobblings.” 

I scratched his head, and while he purred away
Like a 14 inch chain saw, I said this to him:
“My dear Tony of the bologna (He doesn’t know what 
Bologna is, but he likes the rhyming sound of it),
That particular flock of tough toms and sweet hens
Is a permanent part of our scene. They are sacrosanct.”

“But you and I will have the ultimate revenge. To celebrate
Thanksgiving, I’ll roast one of their domesticated
Cousins, and we will feast for many days upon its tender flesh.
And of its bones, dear cat, I’ll make a beautiful brown broth,
That we will spoon and slurp and long remember.” 

                                                            Mike O’Neil aka Boreegard

Last Wish By Mike O'Neil aka Boreegard

LAST WISH

Red Rock is the deepest, most majestic
Pool in our Woodland Brook.
Alice Jean wanted her corporeal remains
To be put there when she died.

Even after the brain tumors were excised,
And her perfect memory was a thing of
The past, she would voice this wish
Again and again.

On a clear July morning, her son Peter
Took her ashes and slowly added her
To the strongly flowing current,
At the head of the pool.

Her sister said a silent prayer.
Peter, Jim and I bid her
A good journey—and the brook
Sang her its eternal song.

The song she’d longed for.

Boreegard
July 27, 2016

Shandaken Studio Tour 2016

The Shandaken Studio Tour is next weekend. You can view maps of all the studios online. I just received this email from Dave Channon who is organizing this year's tour. Here are the details he provided.

Come out and join us on the tour next weekend if you can!

Friday July 15 at The Arts Upstairs - Kick-off party & "Short Tall Tales" with host MC Sparrow 7-10 pm

Saturday July 16 at The Arts Upstairs - 6-9 pm  -  Gala opening with Jonathan Wilner's solo show

Saturday and Sunday July 16-17 10 am - 5 pm  - Open studios self guided tour. 

View maps online at:  ShandakenArt.com   Start at any studio and pick up a free catalog & guidebook. Also available at shops in Phoenicia.

Ricarda O'Conner Workshop

WCA member Ricarda O'Conner sent me this information about her next workshop. Here is what Ricarda had to say:

My monthly workshop, MEDITATION, INTENTION and THE ZERO POINT FIELD is coming up:

Sunday, July 10th @ 2:00 - 3:30 pm     

This workshop is designed to tune-up your conscious awareness, help you tap into your most vital joyful power, and boost your ability to transform every area of your life. Although the workshop has a basic structure it is different each time, reflecting the unique energy and intention of the participants. 

To read a brief description of the workshop, click on the link: 

http://www.ricardaoconner.com/news.html#meditation

            

Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Place: Sage Center for Healing, 6 Deming Street, Woodstock, NY (downstairs in the yoga studio).

Cost: Only $20

To save your space, register by simply calling or emailing:  sagehealingcenter@gmail.com  845-679-5650  Or just drop in!

Looking Forward to Seeing You,

Ricarda

Paul Misko On WIOX

Paul Misko sent me this message to pass on to all of you. Here is what Paul had to say:

On Wednesday, July 6th, I will be doing one of my Catskill trivia quizzes on WIOX Radio Roxbury. One of the contestants will be Linda Mc Donald who is known by many in the valley. Folks can listen in via their computer by clicking onto this link, or just google wiox radio, Roxbury, N.Y. and go to the home page. It airs from 6p.m. to 7p.m. You might actually learn something... but no promises are made.

http://www.wioxradio.org/index.html

Mike O'Neil Tells Fishy Tales

The Jerry Bartlett Angling Collection at The Phoenicia Library will present "On The River" July 23rd, 2016 from 12:30pm to 2:30pm. This is another installment in the ongoing series of fishing discussions celebrating the 20th anniversary of the collection. Woodland Valley's own fishing expert, Mike O'Neil will be among the people telling fish stories. He will talk about his father Paul O'Neil's experiences as fisherman, author and sports writer for Time and Life magazines. Joining him will be Cal Smith, Hank Rope, Roger Menard and Ed Ostapczuk. If you are interested in fishing this promises to be a great discussion!