Thursday, March 6 | 7:30 p.m. KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS®
Traditional Irish Ensemble Thursday, March 6 | 7:30 p.m. KEYBOARD CONVERSATIONS®
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Saturday, April 5 | 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 | 2 p.m.
JOHN WATERS: THE NAKED TRUTH
JOHN WATERS: THE NAKED TRUTH
Filmmaker and Cultural Icon
Thursday, April 10 | 7:30 p.m.
Filmmaker and Cultural Icon April 10 | 7:30 p.m.
Folk Rock Ensemble Saturday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m.
May 10 | 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS 315-797-0055 or 1-800-754-0797 munson.art stop by the welcome desk
Next Issue: March 1st
On the cover: Melissa and Michael Peek enjoy a romantic evening at Tailor & The Cook in Utica. Melissa was formerly dancer/host with the Utica Comets, currently Coordinator of Transfer Pathways, HCCC. Michael is Housing Development Specialist for the city of Utica and a longtime musician.
I Love February
by Sharry L. Whitney
How are your New Year’s resolutions going? If you’ve already abandoned yours, you’re not alone—only about 9% of Americans actually stick to them. I understand why we feel the urge to make resolutions—a new year, a fresh start! But honestly, January 1st isn’t the best time for that. The days are short. The weather is cold—especially this year! The post-holiday chores still linger— putting away decorations takes priority.
I found myself imagining New Year’s Day in Cape Horn, located at the southern tip of South America. There, January 1st comes with 16 hours of daylight. Imagine setting resolutions with the sun shining, birds singing, and everything lush and green—you might actually have a better shot at sticking with it.
When we reach the month of February, I always feel a sense of relief. The days are sunnier, making it easier to be motivated to get out and about. To help you do just that, we’ve included some Valentine’s Day date ideas that might inspire you to try something new.
In celebration of our 20th anniversary, we will be working to bring you more ways to get out there and explore the arts, culture, and heritage of the Mohawk Valley! •
Note: This month, we say farewell to Suzie Jones. Although we will miss her storytelling, there’s no telling where this talented and creative farmer’s path will take her next!
Riggie is roaming around and hiding in the advertising areas of the magazine. Next to him you’ll find a letter. Find all the Riggies and rearrange the letters to answer this riddle. Submit your answer by the 15th of the month to be entered in drawing for a $100 shopping spree at the advertiser of your choice! (Excluding media and banks) One entry per household per month. Mail to: Riggie’s Riddle, 30 Kellogg St., Clinton, NY, 13323 or email: mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com
NOTE: Please enter Riggie’s Riddle and crossword puzzle in separate emails.
When in Rome in 1928, youmayhaveseenGaryCooperhere. Andthoughhediedin‘61, hewasseen hereagainwhenitwasrebornin‘85!
Hint: 2 words, 14 letters
The answer to last month’s riddle about Madame De Castro is Dutch Settler Winner: Beth Kalkowsky of Mohawk
The answer to last month’s puzzle about a local face getting a lift is McCauley. McCauley Mountain’s new chair lift is open! Our winner is Dianne Malysa of Cassville
A Year in the Life of the Spring Farm Beaver Colony
part 2, by matt perry
We resume the story of the Spring Farm Beaver Colony’s 2024 season where we left off in the January issue.
The beginning of July was relatively cool and dry. At this time, the Beavers, including the matriarch, Tippy, were only coming out in the afternoon, and GenLo, the colony’s patriarch, hadn’t been seen in several weeks. All the Beavers appeared to have Pale Beaver Ticks on them—a species of tick that specializes in parasitizing aquatic mammals. Tippy had the most embedded ticks and was hampered by them. Because of the ticks her left eye was closed. Her condition made her more timid than normal, and she was hesitant to come close to shore, even for a sweet potato. I began exploring ways to give the Beavers relief. I spoke with several wildlife health experts, and there was a medication that might help. However, there seemed to be no practical method of administering it to wild Beavers, at least none that wouldn’t require a serious intervention.
Meanwhile, life at the pond continued. Chinquapin did some work bolstering the dam at Julia’s Pond. He was rapidly becoming the colony’s new workaholic. As for the
season’s new kits, I still hadn’t seen them yet, but I often heard them. They would call out excitedly from inside the lodge each time one of the older Beavers entered with a treat. The two-year-olds began to lose their treats to the kits inside the lodge and would come out for replacements.
The temperature on August 1st was in the mid-80s. Julia’s Pond dropped a foot below its peak level, and Lucy’s Pond was also low. Although it is not unusual for Beavers to let their ponds drop substantially in mid-summer, the ongoing tick problem made me wonder if GenLo had slacked off on dam maintenance. Without seeing him, I could not be certain. Thankfully, by this time, the Beavers had fewer embedded ticks and Tippy was beginning to open her left eye again.
brief look I got, the kit seemed healthy— quite a relief, given our experience with the previous season’s brood. (Chinquapin’s litter mates, two of which had serious health issues, didn’t survive.)
The streams were already running high, and that much rainfall could easily bring them to flood stage.
In early August, I caught my first glimpse of one of the new kits. She emerged with Tippy—briefly following her mother before switching to Tosh who was heading back to the lodge with a sweet potato. From the
It was raining on August 9th, and more rain was in the forecast as the remains of Hurricane Debby were poised to bring several inches of additional precipitation. The streams were already running high, and that much rainfall could easily bring them to flood stage. I was concerned about the condition of Julia’s Pond dam. Although it was holding—a significant increase in water volume flowing into the pond would put a great deal of pressure on the top layer of the structure, which was visibly eroded. The Beavers’ most important infrastructure was spared major damage. High winds associated with the storm brought down several large trees around the Sanctuary.
Cooler-than-average weather persisted into early September, with temperatures dipping as low as 40° on the morning of
A male Wood Duck in bright breeding plumage
the 3rd. For the first time, two of the new kits appeared together that afternoon. They both took sweet potato pieces tossed into the water, although they were startled by the splashes. By this time the Beavers had added significantly to their new food cache. They were hauling trees from the Little Valley and sinking them beneath the pile. They transported large trunk pieces and treetops, using their considerable strength and ingenuity to haul them up the trail, over dams, and through the ponds.
During the second week of September, the weather was autumnal, with relatively warm days and chilly nights. It had been a few weeks since I saw Tippy and several months since my last sighting of GenLo. I had no solid evidence that either had left the colony. Indeed, it would be highly unusual for the parents to abandon the territory while the kits remained.
In the last week of September, work on the lodge began in earnest. The Beavers plastered its exterior with mud and added branches. Their food cache was growing, thanks mainly to Aspen and Gray Birch saplings they pulled from the meadow near Morton’s Pond. There were also signs of heavy Beaver traffic along the trail between the southeast shore of Julia’s Pond and the
berm of Wick’s Pond. It was lined with Bluestem grass taken from our wildflower meadow. The Beavers were harvesting this grass in bundles and towing it back to the lodge for bedding in their lodge chamber.
Following a dry spell, rain returned on October 2nd. The Beavers continued to work diligently on building their submerged food cache. They had been tackling a large apple tree near the access gate. After taking down a secondary trunk, sectioning it, and towing it away, they had begun cutting into the main trunk. Spurred on by the cold weather, the Beavers ramped up their logging operations.
By October 25th, the weather had turned cold again. The Beaver ponds were being unevenly maintained. While Julia’s Pond’s water level remained stable, Lucy’s Pond looked like someone had pulled its plug. Meanwhile, the food cache grew, and I noticed many new branches piled onto it. Many of these were not intended as food but served instead as weights to anchor the mass and keep it submerged.
By this time, six Beavers—all the kits— were coming out in the afternoon. Two of the new kits, now named Sweet Gum and Pagoda, readily took treats from the ski pole, while the third, Honeysuckle, did not.
I continued to search for signs that the parents, Tippy and GenLo, were still in residence. When the young Beavers were all out, I was sure I heard chewing noises from inside the lodge which could only be coming from the parents.
During the second week of November, the Beavers resumed foraging in the Aspen grove by Morton’s Pond. They also ventured deep into the main reforestation field—going as far as its eastern edge—a half mile from their main pond. At the access gate area, the Beavers were still working on the large apple tree, finally bringing down its main trunk. To reach some of the high branches, they had to climb partway into the tree. I have seen Beavers climb into trees before. They are not built to climb vertically, but they are adept at scrambling up branches or tree trunks with a shallower incline.
By November 15th, the weather had turned cold again, with lows dropping below freezing. For the first time this season, ice covered the main beaver pond, though it was thin and easily broken up by Beavers. At night, the Beavers were winterizing the lodge. Sometimes two at a time, they were lugging mud and branches up the lodge’s sloping sides. A Beaver carrying
mud walks on its hind legs, holding the load in its front paws and against its chest.
Overnight on November 21–22nd, we received six inches of wet snow. The weight of the snow bent trees and broke limbs; collapsed bushes on our foot trails made travel through the sanctuary difficult. Tippy was the first Beaver to emerge in the afternoon. The big surprise was seeing GenLo come out at the end of the afternoon. I hadn’t positively identified him since May—the longest time I had gone without seeing him. He appeared to be in good physical shape. He moved well in the water; his tail, legs, hands, and teeth all seemed in good condition, not bad for a twelve-year-old Beaver!
A heart-warming and entertaining collection of stories about growing up in Utica, NY, where family and friends were central to shaping who we are. The tales offer a unique glimpse into life in Utica during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—a time when life was simpler and tight-knit communities played a key role in shaping our identities through shared experiences.
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By early December, Julia’s Pond had more ice on it. Chinquapin spent some time breaking it up using traditional Beaver methods: leveraging his weight to bust it down, using his head as a battering ram—attacking it from below, and biting at it.
There were several icings and subsequent thaws throughout December, but we ended the year with the Beaver colony in a solid position. Their food cache was ample, the main pond’s water level remained high, and the dams were in good repair. Their lodge had been thoroughly winterized, and the Beavers themselves appeared healthy. We confirmed that GenLo remains the colony’s patriarch and primary worker. After a long stretch without seeing him or Tippy, it was reassuring to learn the pair was still in residence and running the show. Only time will tell what challenges the colony will face in the coming year: dwindling food resources, a new tick season, and the dispersal of the older kits. Will Tosh and Pippin remain for another year? Will Chinquapin leave before his second birthday? Will Tippy have a new litter of kits in the spring? We shall see. •
Matt Perry is Conservation Director and Resident Naturalist at Spring Farm CARES in Clinton. He manages a 260 acre nature preserve which is open for tours by appointment. His nature videos and photos can be found on the Spring Farm CARES’ Nature Sanctuary Facebook page.
the mvL restaurant guide
MV events
JAN 30-FEB 2
57th Cooperstown Winter Carnival
Fun-filled weekend of events celebrating the whimsical, uplifting spirit of winter, setting the stage for a vibrant mid-season celebration for both locals and visitors. Village of Cooperstown cooperstownwintercarnival.com
FEB 1
9th Annual Cardboard Classic Sled Race
12pm
Build, decorate, and race your cardboard sled. The Lanterns, 275 Rasbach Rd., Clayville
FEB 5-8
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
7:30pm
The Theater at Woodshill brings this electrifying and iconic work to unity Hall. The 1962 Broadway hit won the Tony Award for Best Play.
Unity Hall 101 Vanderkemp Ave., Barneveld unityhall.com/woodshill
FEB 7&8
Magic Rocks!
Illusionist Leon Etienne
Fri at 8pm, Sat at 4pm
You’ve seen him on America’s Got Talent, Jimmy Fallon, Masters of Illusion and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, now’s your chance to be wowed live!
The Showroom Turning Stone Resort 5218 Patrick Rd, Verona turningstone.com
FEB 7&8
The Snow Queen Ballet
Fri at 6:30pm, Sat at 3pm
The Central New York Academy of Dance presents a ballet based on the classic fairy tale from Hans Christian Andersen.
Rome Capitol Theatre
220 West Dominick Street, Rome romecapitol.com/events
FEB 8
Utica Anime-Fest
10am–5pm
An anime collectors’ convention featuring vendors with anime merchandise, manga, cosplay items, and more. Delta Hotels by Marriott Utica, 200 Genesee Street, Utica uticaanimefest.com
FEB 8
Half Moon Orchestra
Galentine’s Day Concert
7–9pm
Symphony meets sisterhood, an evening of orchestral arrangements from your favorite girlboss musicians! Lightbox Events Center, 852 Bleecker St., Utica halfmoonorchestra.com
FEB 8
KAC Mardi Gras Gala
7–10pm
Annual KACelebration fundraiser. Tickets include food, drinks, great live music with Steve & Steve, Monk Rowe, and a silent auction you won’t want to miss! Kirkland Art Center, 9-1/2 E. Park Row, Clinton • kacny.org
FEB 8 & 9
Winter Carnival at McCauley
7–10pm
Saturday night: Live music by Joe Bolton Band, dinner in chalet, coronation of king & queen followed by fireworks.
Sunday: Cardboard sled race.
McCauley Mountain Ski Area
300 McCauley Rd, Old Forge mccauleyny.com
FEB 8
Millers Mills Ice Harvest
7–10pm
The Millers Mills Grange carries on the annual tradition offering younger generations an opportunity to step back in time. 107 Finger Ave, West Winfield
FEB 12
2025 MASL All-Star Game
Skills Challenge at 6pm
All-Star Game at 7:15pm
The Major Arena Soccer League All-Star Game, featuring top players from the league.
Adirondack Bank Center, Utica uticacityfc.com/allstar
FEB
13
Jazz Night w/ Monk Rowe “Swing to Soul”
7–9pm
With pianist Rossano Sportiello, “One of the world’s leading jazz piano players on the scene today, specialized in the styles from Harlem Stride Piano to Bebop to Contemporary Jazz.”
Kirkland Art Center
9-1/2½ East Park Row, Clinton • kacny.org/kac-live
FEB
14
LoveLetters, A Play by A.R. Gurney
7–9pm
The Black Bear Players at View are proud to present a special production for Valentine’s Day! presented with a glass of “bubbly” (NA on request), hand-dipped, chocolate-covered strawberries and a Valentine flower
View • 3273 NY-28, Old Forge 315-369-6411 or visit ViewArts.org
FEB
14
Annual Chili Bowl Luncheon
11am–3pm, Pottery sale at 10:30am
Choose a hand-crafted bowl (or two!) made by our fabulous local and regional potters (mostly made in our own pottery studio) and try chilis and soups donated by a number of area chefs and restaurants.
View • 3273 NY-28, Old Forge 315-369-6411 or visit ViewArts.org
The Olde Kountry Market
FEB 16
Pajama Day At The Tepee
10am–4pm
Pajama Party at The Tepee!. Shop in your PJs at the Tepee. Sales through out the store and refreshments. It’s a fun way to shop and support a small business in Otsego Co. celebrating 75 years! So just roll out of bed, and shop in your PJs!
The Tepee
7632 US Highway 20, Cherry Valley thetepee.biz
FEB 20
Art Alive! Family Days: February Break
10am–2pm
Sing along with Alex and the Kaleidoscope for a lively and unforgettable concert experience for audiences of all ages. Museum of Art Auditorium
Enjoy the unique experience and state-of-the-art Open Mic sound system. Refreshments are available for a donation. Unity Hall
101 Vanderkemp Ave., Barneveld • unityhall.com
Ellen Harriet Clapsaddle
America’s most collectible postcard artist
Ellen Harriet Clapsaddle (1865-1934) was a commercial artist and illustrator and is known as “America’s most collectible postcard artist.” She is credited with over 3,000 designs in the souvenir/postcard field. Born in Herkimer County, NY, in the hamlet of South Columbia, she attended the one-room schoolhouse on the corner of Prey Hill Road and McKoons Road. She graduated from the Richfield Springs Academy (later known as high school) in 1882 and went on to attend Cooper Union Institute in New York.
Clapsaddle is best known for her “Snow Baby” images. One of her 1910 card designs, Midnight Angel, was chosen by the United States Postal Service for the 1995 traditional Christmas Stamp. Clapsaddle’s artwork still appears today in prints and commercial art. She is buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Richfield Springs.
Ellen Clapsaddle achieved remarkable success by transforming her artwork into single-faced cards designed to be cherished as souvenirs or sent as postcards. During the “golden age of souvenir postcards” (1898–1915), artistic designs gained significant value due to their strong marketing potential. Her work frequently revolved around holidays, particularly Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas. Today, her postcards—commonly referred to as “Clapsaddles”—are highly collectible.
february Crossword
Answers found in the pages of this magazine!
Across
2. Baguette x 2?
4. Mohawk Valley Girl visits this shop in Richfield Springs this month. 3 words
6. Effect’s catalyst.
8. Our cake recipe this month is “practically health food!” 2 words
11. What The Grapevine restaurant is famous for!
13. Suzie Jones loves the tradition of this art form
14. The acorns of this tree are an important food source for wildlife. 2 words
Down
1. The bark on this tree resembles burnt potato chips. 2 words
3. This planet, names for the goddess of Love will be its brightest of the year on February 16.
5. The bark on this tree contains chlorophyll, allowing photosynthesis without foliage. 2 words
7. You’ll be a “kid in a candy shop” at this shop in Clinton. 2 words
9. When life gives you snow, make ___!
10. The Utica Zoo’s Black-Crowned Night ___ is named Roman.
12. Warm up with ___ at a local cafe.
Unscramble the letters in the yellow boxes then email your answer to: mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com by the 18th of this month. You’ll be entered to win an MVL Mug and a bag of
Put the Art in Heart
Is the way to your love’s heart through art? Surprise them with a “date night” art class! 4 Elements Studio has couple’s Clay Dates on February 5, 8, 12, 19, 22, & 26. This one-time lesson for two involves learning to throw on the pottery wheel. Your pieces will be fired for a lasting memento! No experience necessary, but they sell out fast!
Make a stained glass window ornament at the Kirkland Art Center on Sat., February 8. Or perhaps the way to the heart is through the stomach? Sign up for a Pierogi-Making class on February 12, or Sourdough Bread Baking on February 26 at the KAC in Clinton!
4 Elements Studio, 809 Court Street, Utica 4elementsstudio.org/art-classes.html
Kirkland Art Center, 9-1/2 East Park Row, Clinton kacny.org/classes
Romantic Rome
If you’re looking for romance, get tickets to the Candlelight Concert on Valentine’s Day at The Capitol Theatre! 6pm: Coldplay X Imagine Dragons or 8:30pm: Valentine’s Day Special. Before or after the show, enjoy some wine, food, and maybe some live jazz right next door at Franca’s Roma MVL Tip: No parking on West Dominick? No worries–there’s a parking lot on N. George St. behind the venues with a convenient walk-through alley. If coffee and cartoons are more your scene, visit The Capitol during Cartoon Madness, February 17-22, shows daily at 3pm. Meet next door prior at The Copper Easel for coffee, snack, and conversation. Cafe open until 3 or 4pm.
Capitol Theatre, 220 W. Dominick St. • romecapitol.com
Franca’s Roma, 260 W. Dominick St. • francaswines.com
Copper Easel, 216 W. Dominick St. • thecoppereasel.com
Cupid’s Country Jam
Cupid’s Country Jam
For a down-home country Valentine’s Day, kick things off with a barbecue at Piggy Pat’s Smoke & Ale House. The smoky slow-cooked ribs or tender brisket is the perfect comfort food for a cold February evening. Make your dinner reservations for 5pm so you have time to mosey down to the Stanley Theatre in Utica, where the excitement of Scotty McCreery Live in Concert awaits! Concert starts at 7:30pm (10-minute drive from Washington Mills). McCreery made history in 2011 as the first country artist and the youngest artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, Clear as Day, at No. 1
Piggy Pat’s, 3955 Edgebrook Pl., Washington Mills piggypats.com
Scotty McCreery Live in Concert Stanley Theatre, 259 Genesee St., Utica Tickets: 315-724-4000 • thestanley.org
I Love YOUtica Wild About You
Your Valentine’s date is in the bag at Bagg’s Square! On Saturday 8th or 22nd, shop local product and produce at Oneida Co. Farmers’ Market at historic Union Station. Afterward, walk east or west on Main Street. East: leads to Bagg’s Square Brewing Company West: follow Main St. to the end (stopping to visit Bagg’s Tavern historic landmark, of course) and follow the sidewalk to Utica Coffee Roasting (6-minute walk). Enjoy hot drinks and snacks at either location. Make an afternoon of it and enjoy an early dinner at Tailor & The Cook or hop over the Mohawk River to enjoy homemade pasta, tomato pie, and other local favorites at It’s A Utica Thing! Or skate into their heart with tickets to a Utica Comet’s Game! Feb 8, 15, and 19th Get them now, tickets sell fast!
Oneida Co. Public Market February 8 & 22, 9am-1pm 321 Main St., Utica • oneidacountypublicmarket.com
Bagg’s Square Brewing Company, Opens at 11am 330 Main St., Utica • baggssquarebrewing.com
It’s A Utica Thing!, Opens at noon 350 Leland Ave., Utica • itsauticathing.com
Utica Comets Tickets: uticacomets.com/games Utica Auditorium, 400 Oriskany St. W., Utica
Share your knowledge of animal love with your love—plan a date to the Utica Zoo! Did you know only 3-5% of mammal species are monogamous? Visit the wolves, foxes, and gibbons (all monogamous) plus the “love birds”: bald eagles and barn owls—also the very rare monogamous bird species. Rent some snowshoes and explore the snowshoe trail. For something special, schedule an Animal Experience with your favorite animal (book two weeks in advance). There are Gibbon, African Painted Dog, Zebra, Camel, and Dwarf Goat encounters! Or adopt your favorite animal and receive a souvenir photo and plush toy as a memento of your date.
Bonus: Add ice skating and snacks at the Memorial Parkway Skating Rink. Bring or rent skates.
The Utica Zoo, 1 Utica Zoo Way, Utica • 315-738-0472
Ice Skating: 220 Memorial Parkway Skating Rink Skate rentals and concessions available Open Fri: 5-8pm, Sat: 11am-1pm & 3-5pm, Sun: 10am12pm & 2-4pm Adult Skate (18 and over) Tues & Thurs: 12-1:30pm
Fall in love again in Little Falls! Get nostalgic at the Little Falls Antique Center or Showcase Antiques. Explore the shops at Canal Place, including Little Falls Diamond Company where you can pick out a pair of polished “love” stones to carry in your pocket, like rose quartz, red jasper or aventurine, unakite, or white jade. Perfect mementos of your romantic outing. Or head up to Main Street to Paca Gardens and get matching alpaca socks to warm your toes and your hearts. Bundle up and take a romantic stroll from Canal Place along the Mohawk River and look for ice formations, or hike or snowshoe the short .1-mile hike to Buttermilk Falls then warm up with hot chocolate or coffee at the Café at Stone Mill. Enjoy dinner at a romantic restaurant or make it a getaway and spend the night. The Canal Side Inn and the Inn at Stone Mill have Romance and Dinner & Stay packages.
Canal Side Inn, 395 Canal Pl. • canalsideinn.com Inn at Stone Mill, 410 Canal Pl. • theinnatstonemill.com Little Falls Diamond Co., 411 Canal Pl. • littlefallsdiamond.com Paca Gardens, 27 W Main St. • pacagardens.com Buttermilk Falls: digthefalls.com/buttermilk-falls-little-falls
story & photos by matt perry
Winter reveals a quieter, more austere side of the Mohawk Valley’s forests. Without leaves, the forest might seem uniform, but a closer look reveals that trees have unique traits that persist even in the coldest months. From bark texture to branching patterns, buds, and overall shape, these characteristics help us identify trees and understand their ecological roles. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common tree species in the region, focusing on how they interact with their environment and support the web of life in the forest.
The Black Cherry is a tall, narrow tree with bark that resembles burnt potato chips on mature specimens. This tree thrives in welldrained soils and is often found in areas of secondary growth. Its small black fruits, produced in late summer, are an important food source for birds such as Cedar Waxwings, Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, and thrushes. The Black Cherry’s early colonization of disturbed areas helps stabilize soil and prepare it for slower-growing tree species, playing a critical role in forest succession.
The Bitternut Hickory is notable for its sulfur-yellow buds in winter, a rare splash of color in the muted landscape. Found in upland forests or moist lowlands, this tall, arrow-straight tree supports a variety of wildlife. Its nuts, while bitter to human tastes, are eagerly consumed by squirrels and other small mammals.
The nuts—often buried by squirrels and forgotten—spout easily in rich soils. Bitternut Hickories also contribute to forest health by supporting fungi that form symbiotic relationships with their roots, enhancing nutrient uptake.
The Quaking Aspen is easily recognized by its smooth, pale green bark. Its bark contains chlorophyll, allowing the tree to photosynthesize even with no foliage. This tree thrives in a wide range of soils and is one of the first species to colonize disturbed areas, quickly providing cover and habitat for wildlife. Quaking Aspen stands, which often grow as clones from a single root system, are incredibly biodiverse, supporting many insects, birds, and mammals. In winter, its buds are a key food source for Ruffed Grouse and other birds.
The American Basswood is often found in rich hardwood forests with fertile soils. The smooth bark on young Basswoods transitions to deep vertical ridges as it ages. Basswood is important in supporting pollinators, as its flowers are a major nectar source in summer. Sapsuckers have a particular fondness for the sap of Basswoods, and it’s rare to find one that doesn’t show lines of drilled tap holes created by the bird. Even in winter, the Basswood’s bulging reddish buds provide food for browsing deer. Its soft leaves, when decomposed, enrich the forest floor with nutrients, promoting
soil health and supporting understory plants.
The Eastern Hophornbeam is a medium-sized tree with shaggy, vertically peeling bark. It often grows on dry slopes and ridges, tolerating poor soils. The hophornbeam’s seeds are a critical winter food source for birds such as finches and chickadees. Its dense canopy provides shade that helps regulate soil temperature, benefiting the surrounding ecosystem during the growing season.
The Red Oak is a majestic tree with dark gray bark marked by long ridges. Its acorns are a cornerstone of the forest food web, feeding various animals, from White-tailed Deer and Black Bears to Blue Jays and squirrels. Red oaks are often found in well-drained upland soils, where their extensive root systems prevent erosion and improve water retention. Their fallen leaves decompose slowly, creating a thick leaf litter that provides habitat for salamanders, invertebrates, and fungi.
The White Ash has bark with a diamond-shaped pattern and opposite buds that
The Paper Birch has white peeling bark
resemble a bishop’s hat. Found in moist, fertile soils, White Ash trees provide shelter for cavity-nesting birds such as woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees. Their seeds, known as samaras, are consumed by birds and mammals, while their shade creates cool microclimates that support understory plants and animals. In the Mohawk Valley and many other regions, ash trees are dying due to an exotic insect called the Emerald Ash Borer.
The Sugar Maple is the most encountered tree in our forests. It is known for its symmetrical crown and sharply pointed brown buds. Like other members of the maple family, the Sugar Maple’s buds occur opposite each other on their twigs. Sugar Maples thrive in upland forests with well-drained soils and are a keystone species in northern hardwood ecosystems. Their dense canopy regulates temperature and light levels, supporting shade-loving plants like spring ephemeral wildflowers, ferns, and mosses. Sugar Maples also play a key role in nutrient cycling, as their leaves decompose quickly, enriching the forest soil.
The American Beech is easily identified by its smooth gray bark, even in winter. Its elongated buds are rusty-brown and pointed—highly distinctive. Some beech trees will retain their old leaves through the winter. The dead foliage is a tan color and is sometimes used as an emergency forage for wildlife. Beech trees are commonly found in moist, well-drained soils and form dense stands that create
2025 Winter Market Season
American Basswood’s bark shows extremely long, dark furrows
The Yellow Birch has golden peeling bark
The bark of the Eastern Hophornbeam’s peels horizontally in thin strips
unique habitats. Their nuts are a high-energy food source for wildlife, including Black Bears, White-tailed Deer, Blue Jays, and Wild Turkeys. The now-extinct Passenger Pigeon once relied on them. Beech roots often form associations with mycorrhizal fungi, which enhance nutrient absorption and benefit surrounding plants. In the Mohawk Valley and many other regions, the American Beech is being affected by Beech Bark Disease (BBD), and many have died from this disease which fractures the trees’ bark and disrupts its ability to feed itself. Fortunately, a small but significant proportion of the population is somewhat resistant to BBD, so we should always have some beech trees in our forests.
The Eastern Hemlock is a graceful evergreen with reddish-brown, furrowed bark. Its small, rounded buds sit at the ends of delicate twigs, and its roughly conical shape provides year-round shelter for wildlife. Eastern hemlocks thrive in cool, shaded areas with moist soils, often forming dense stands that regulate stream temperatures and provide critical habitat for fish like brook trout. Porcupines, deer, and other wildlife like to browse their soft needles. Their shed needles enrich the soil with acidic organic matter, influencing the composition of surrounding plant communities.
By focusing on these features, winter unveils a hidden richness in the forests of the Valley. Each tree plays a distinct role in its ecosystem, supporting wildlife, stabilizing the soil, and enriching the forest floor. Learning to identify these species in winter not only enhances your appreciation for the natural world but also deepens your understanding of the complex relationships that sustain these vibrant ecosystems.
The bark of Shagbark Hickory trees has very shallow, flat furrows
Black Cherry has burnt potato chip bark
It Has Been An Absolute Pleasure
by suzie jones
The art of storytelling is fascinating to me. Who hasn’t gotten lost in a good book or been transported to another world in a movie?
I especially enjoy listening to others share their personal, real-life experiences. In fact, I just scored tickets to a Moth* StorySLAM event and couldn’t be more excited! Not because I want to tell a story; but rather, because I love hearing others bare their souls (if for only a few minutes).
For both the storyteller and the listener (or reader), sharing a personal story can be powerful, therapeutic, and even mind-blowing.
Storytelling is how we communicate our humanness to others. Demystify the unknown and replace it with commonalities; give the listener—or reader—insight into a life they’ll never know. Make the world a little smaller, one story at a time.
Writing this column for over 10 years has been therapeutic for me. Whether I’ve shared stories about other farm women who have inspired me, the horror of a barn fire, or my baby girl going off to college, this monthly column has allowed me to unload, decompress, and generally share my story—inviting the outside world onto my farm and into my living room.
Mohawk Valley Living has also given me an amazing audience. These generous people stop me at farmer’s markets and festivals, in line at the grocery store, and even in traffic at a stop light to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my stories. (Thank you!)
It is exactly because I so highly value the power of sto-
We didn’t have to improve load lift capacity by up to 22%. We already had the competition beat. And we didn’t have to increase the backhoe’s digging depth by 30%.* But we did. And now, after more than a 1000 hours of testing from the scorching heat of Texas to the frigid air of Michigan, the new 2024 MT2 models are here. Proven and ready to outperform expectations of what tractors this good should cost. Start Blue. Stay Blue.
rytelling that I’ve decided to step down from writing for Mohawk Valley Living. It is time for other voices to tell the story of farming in the Mohawk Valley. There are so many other farmers with their own unique voices and important stories to tell in our area. And I am dying to hear them!
I learned recently that my eighth-grade Language Arts teacher, Barb Gusick, passed away in my home state of Wisconsin this past December. She was one of my favorite teachers of all time—funny, confident, opinionated. She challenged her students with a wide variety of reading and writing assignments and first set me on the storytelling path.
But it was something she did outside the classroom that had its greatest effect. Unbeknownst to me, Mrs. Gusick had shared one of my essays with a student in a remedial class. Dan, a classmate, was struggling in her class; reading just wasn’t his “thing”. She gave him an essay I had written on Where the Red Fern Grows, a book I adore to this day. An avid hunter and dog owner, Dan later told me that my essay had brought him to tears…and got him reading.
I’ve since learned it is impossible to predict when (or if) something I write will affect someone else; whether it will inspire them, cause them to think about a topic another way, or maybe appreciate our region a little bit more. All I know is it has been important to share my story and I am beyond fortunate to have had this opportunity. It has been an absolute pleasure writing for you—thank you for being here! •
*If you’ve never heard of The Moth, you’re in for a treat. Google it, my friend, and listen!
**Folks missing Suzie can still find her at the Clinton Farmer’s Market every Thursday during the summer season. You can also sign up for their farm’s newsletter at anotherjonesfamilyfarm.com
Shop
Cookie mixes & Valentine’s Day candy!
Warm hands Warm hearts
so sweet candy SHOPPE in
clinton
by Maryann Vanderpool-Imundo
Discover a portal to childhood nostalgia at So Sweet Candy Shoppe on College Street in Clinton. Here, people can shop for sugary treats in an enchanting atmosphere, like the wonderland pictured in the popular board game Candyland.
A chime sounds when entering the shop, and your eyes are met with a captivatingly magical display. The ceiling trim is painted with drips of chocolate, sprinkles, and hard candy twists. Colorful shelves of “penny candy”, salt water taffy, lollipops, chocolates, cookies, and fudge entice the partaking.
Margaret Rienzo, owner of So Sweet, said of her childhood: “I remember, when we visited my grandmother she would give my sisters and me a quarter so we could go to Corgi’s and get a big bag of candy.” Like many American neighborhoods in its day, Corgi’s, a little grocery store on Bloomfield Street in Rome, was a happy epicenter for neighborhood youngsters. These fond memories inspired Rienzo to establish So Sweet, a
As a child, Rienzo’s favorite candy picks were Bullseyes, Mary Janes, and Root Beer Barrels. Accordingly, she offers them in tilted glass jars with other “penny candy” from the 60s and 70s. “They’re no longer a penny,” Rienzo explains, “the price has gone up.” However, they’re still a bargain at 15-20 cents a piece. Their best seller is the Atomic Fireball.
So Sweet’s shelves also include Gerrit’s Satellite Wafers, a vintage candy made of light airy wafer discs filled with little candy beads. One customer reminisced that when she was little, she and her friends would play-act receiving communion with Satellite
Owners of So Sweet Cany Shoppe in Clinton, Roy and Margaret Rienzo
So Sweet Candy Shoppe recently moved to the village of CLinton
Wafers because of their likeness to the host. Rienzo said, “They’re actually made of the same ingredients, minus the candy beads.” The same was also said about Necco Wafers.
Butterscotch, lemon drops, and peppermint stars, jokingly referred to as “Old People Candy,” are making a comeback. Their long-lasting flavor and low-calorie count (20) appeal to the weight-conscious. They also make a nice decoration when set in an antique glass candy dish, a current mid-century modern trend.
So Sweet offers a wide variety of chocolates in the glass display case. For example, you’ll find chocolate-covered cherries, pecan clusters, vanilla creams, chocolate-covered graham crackers, chocolate mints, and truffles. It was Rienzo’s mother who influenced her interest in chocolate crafts.
Rienzo credits her husband with the preparation of So Sweet’s fudge and roasted nuts. She says, “Roy is very involved. In 2005, we bought our first commercial fudge machine. That’s his thing. I don’t even know how to operate it.” This led to them selling fudge at local farmers’ markets and craft fairs. “The fudge sold tremendously,” she enthused.
In 2021, the Rienzos got a nut roasting machine which is another one of Roy’s tasks. Almonds, cashews, and pecans glazed with cinnamon and toffee are packaged in cute wrappers that read The Nutty Bavarian and picture a jovial husky fella wearing lederhosen.
“I do all of the baking,” said Rienzo. Cookies, brownies, macarons, and biscotti are all made in-house. Peanut butter and chocolate chunk cookies are available every day along with rotating specials. French macarons, a meringue cookie with filling, come in pistachio, strawberry, and chocolate.
February at So Sweet will include Valentine-themed treats like chocolate-covered Oreos, pretzels, and marshmallows sprinkled with pretty candy hearts, and red velvet and champagne macarons. “Chocolate-covered strawberries are our best Valentine seller,” Rienzo said and added, “We will have Valentine gift boxes prepared for the store, but we can also customize those boxes.” This pleases customers by accommodating their preferences. Packaged with dec-
Chocolate-covered cherries
Center island candy display
orative hearts and bows add a special touch.
Reflecting on her career, Rienzo said, “I was always interested in creative arts. I learned cake decorating as a teenager at Griffiss Air Force Base, and later, I was a floral designer.” In 2003, she had a separate kitchen built in her home, obtained a cottage license, and went into business under the name, Candy Jar Confections. She performed both careers for a while then, after 30 years of floral design, Rienzo established So Sweet on Varick Street in Utica as her primary occupation in 2016.
Rienzo gained many customers and made friends with her Varick Street neighbors. Michelle Klosek, owner of the Stiefvater Room said: “I love Margaret. She is so sweet,” a perfectly dovetailed description which Rienzo earned with her generous gift basket donations to local charities.
After eight years on Varick Street, a need for a larger space prompted her to move to Clinton in 2024. Klosek recently visited Rienzo and said: “She’s doing great, and she deserves success!”
Comfortably settled in her new location, Rienzo says: “It has really warmed my heart. Everyone has been so welcoming and told us that they’re glad we’re here.” These grateful well-wishers are school kids, families, and business neighbors, but mostly they’re older adults wishing to take a trip down memory lane. Touched by the community’s reception, Rienzo refreshes by emphasizing So Sweet’s purpose with her favorite catchphrase, “Candy: For the child in all of us” •
Maryann Vanderpool-Imundo is a poet and creative writer that enjoys history, collecting antiques, and dancing in participation with the Patrician Ballroom Dance Club, The KAC Line Dancers, The Edelweiss Schuplatlers, and The Craobh DuganO’Loony Irish Dancers.
Back in Time Collectables Plus Crafts in richfield springs
Sometimes I find the best places completely by accident. I was in Richfield Springs recently, about to pull into the library, when I noticed a storefront window full of antiques. I quickly postponed my literary plans to discover Back in Time Collectables Plus Crafts.
As I walked in, I noticed a sign on the door to the window, inviting me to take a closer look. Of course, I did! It was packed with things, yet it was not cluttered. Old glassware, ceramics, furniture, and toys, including many matchboxes. I especially admired an old vase and a pair of lamps.
Soon, I was in the main part of the store, admiring, exclaiming, and sternly forbidding myself to buy everything I liked. It was easy, however, to notice things I thought family and friends would ejoy. I made mental notes of all the people to tell about the place. I had a lovely conversation with proprietor Mark Whaley and his assistant. The store opened in September 2023 (I guess it has been a while since I’ve been in Richfield Springs). I must get there more often. I noticed some dollhouse furniture exactly like those I used to have, roughly a hundred years ago. The assistant said she remembered playing with similar things. I mentioned how, as the years pass, going through an antique store becomes a real stroll down memory lane.
There were also items too old to bring back my memories. This is when an antique store becomes a history lesson, or like a trip to a museum (I do love museums!). I am no expert and would not have been able to place any of the items on a timeline (I can barely do the math to tell you how long ago I had a dollhouse!). But it doesn’t take an expert to appreciate beauty. I was quite taken by a table full of old tea cups. I have an old tea cup that belonged to my grandmother. I can certainly see the lure of collecting different ones. I positively purred over a box of vintage jewelry. One thing I emphatically do NOT need is more jewelry. Then again, if I sort out what I have and perhaps get rid of some of it. As I said, I must make more trips to Richfield Springs!
I did purchase a teeny tiny frog. My late husband Steve used to collect frogs. I’m sure I can find space for just one little one. Back home, I started making big plans for donations and garbage runs, to make more space in my house so I can shop at stores like Back in Time more often. •
Proprietor Mark Whaley enjoys overhearing customers’ delight in finding memorable items
PARADE OF PLANETS
by carol higgins
The memorable snow storms in January confirmed that winter has arrived in the Mohawk Valley, bringing happy news for those who enjoy winter sports. But winter also delivers cold and cloudless nights, providing astronomers with the best observing conditions of the year! Cold air holds less moisture and makes the sky more transparent and clear, unlike summer nights when high humidity creates haze and distorted views. In February, we are in for a stargazing treat. Along with great “seeing” conditions, seven planets in our solar system are visible in an alignment often called a parade of planets!
To begin your viewing adventure, look toward the western sky after sunset. You will see a very bright object that appears to be a big, white star. It is the planet Venus. It will be at its brightest of the year on February 16th. Next, look below Venus and toward the horizon for Saturn, a small, pale golden object best seen in early to mid-month. In the southeast, pale blue Neptune is in the constellation Pisces, but you’ll need a telescope to see it. Continue eastward to see greenish-blue Uranus near the constellation Aries, also a telescope object. You will find big and bright Jupiter high overhead in the constellation Gemini. Its four Galilean moons are visible through binoculars and telescopes. Look toward the east for Mars in the constellation Gemini—easy to locate because of its
reddish-orange color. Mercury finally appears in the west after sunset in the last few days of February.
Whether you just look up at the night sky or use binoculars or a telescope, you will have a very different experience when you observe the planets in our solar system in person instead of looking at online images or leafing through books. As you enjoy the view, here are a few fun facts to ponder.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun. Temperatures reach 800° Fahrenheit (F) during the day and a chilly -290°F at night. Despite its location, Mercury isn’t the hottest planet. Venus holds that record at around 900°F because its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat. Mars is home to NASA’s high-tech Curiosity and Perseverance rovers and a fleet of orbiters, all aimed at uncovering the planet’s watery history. Jupiter holds several records, including the largest planet. It also has the shortest day, taking only 10 hours to spin once on its axis. Of its 95 moons, the four we see through telescopes are fascinating. Io is the most volcanic world in the solar system. Scientists believe the saltwater ocean below Europa’s icy surface may have the key ingredients to support life. Ganymede is the solar system’s largest moon and the only one with a magnetic field. Its sub-surface ocean holds more water than Earth. Callisto is our most heavily
cratered object.
Saturn wins the “most moons” contest with a whopping 146 moons. The largest is Titan, the only moon with a thick atmosphere and surface with rivers and lakes of liquid methane and ethane. Uranus has an axis tilted at 97 degrees, so the Sun shines directly over each pole every quarter year. Extreme seasons are the result, including a winter that lasts 21 years. When it comes to the speed of winds, Neptune tops all planets. Its winds can reach 1,200 miles per hour.
We certainly live in an interesting celestial neighborhood. If you would like a good sky chart for reference, the skymaps. com website provides an excellent monthly chart that can be downloaded for free. So dress warmly and head outside in February when the night skies are crystal clear. The parade of planets is there waiting for you!
Wishing you clear skies! •
Hanny’s Voorwerp. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, W. Keel, Galaxy Zoo Team
Illustration of our solar system’s planets Image credit: NASA
february 2025 GALLERY GUIDE
Through March 1, 2025
Cooperstown Art
Main St., Cooperstown 607-547-9777 •
• 4elementsstudio.org
Kirkland Art Center 9½ E Park Row, Clinton 315-853-8871 • kacny.org
Through February 27, 2025 The Pratt Munson Gallery MUNSON 310 Genesee Street, Utica 315-797-0000 mwpai.org
Through
• mwpai.org
AMY E. BARTELL: DEAR WORLD
Through February 15, 2025
A new series of mixed media images that speak to a delicate, splintered landscape of dualities with cracks through which ineffable beauty has grown but stories have fallen.
heart-warming and entertaining collection of stories about growing up in Utica, NY, where family and friends were central to shaping who we are. The tales offer a unique glimpse into life in Utica during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—a time when life was simpler and tight-knit communities played a key role in shaping our identities through shared experiences.
Citrus-Squash Cake
by Nat Levin
I am on a perpetual quest to temper the sweetness inherent to winter squash (see my November ginger risotto recipe) — but if I can’t do that, then I want to enhance it. Enhancement mode led me to consider the possibility of a squash dessert, ideally paired with citrus. Citrus and squash are natural companions, not only in their coloring but in flavor as well. Both carry a fruity note reminiscent of raspberries, and this is especially pronounced in certain varieties of squash, like Autumn Frost, available throughout the winter from Kingfisher Farm via Local Foods Mohawk Valley.
With Claudia Roden’s iconic whole-orange cake in mind, I began experimenting with squash/citrus combinations. Finally, I settled on this recipe, which produces a soft, richly yellow cake that is slightly bouncy from the pectin in the citrus. It’s not overly sweet, and in fact, has a slight bitter note from the pith. The squash and citrus have so many vitamins, it’s practically health food! Enjoy plain, or with a dab of crème fraîche and raspberry jam. It tastes even better the day after baking.
Recipe:
~320 grams/1.5 cups cooked squash. A 1.7-pound squash yielded this much squash flesh. (Sub any dense-fleshed winter squash like honeynut, kabocha, or butternut)
2 seedless mandarins, ~ 130 grams total weight (sub tangerine, clementine, Meyer lemon, or one large orange)
113 grams/1 stick of unsalted butter, softened 198 grams sugar/1 cup of sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
240 grams/2 cups All-Purpose flour
8 grams/2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp Morton kosher salt
Roast the squash: prick with a fork and put on a baking sheet at 400° for one hour. Remove from oven and let sit until it’s cool enough to touch. Remove skin, seeds, and stringy bits. Boil the citrus: put in a small sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for one hour, covered. Drain and cool.
pick out the seeds and add the squash.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and squash/orange
If you turned your oven off, preheat to 350. When the oranges and squash are cool, put them in a food processor or blend er and puree. If the citrus isn’t seedless, start with the citrus and pulse a few times, then
Humous, Kibbie, Falafel, Babaghanoush , Taboulie,
Jack Riffle and Natalie Levin of Local Foods Mohawk Valley
TALES FROM SHAWANGUNK
by Peggy Spencer Behrendt
Tim and I have both experienced failed relationships. Some of them understandable, some mystifying. I located and called my freshman college roommate recently. “Hey, Astrid! It’s your old roommate Peg Spencer!” “I can’t talk right now,” she replied, “I’m in the middle of cleaning the bathroom.” “When is a better time I can call?” I asked, but thinking, “Is that more important than hearing from someone after 66 years? Why doesn’t she offer to return my call when she’s through?” “Maybe tomorrow,” she answered vaguely. I called “tomorrow” several times, and the following day. No answer. She was obviously uninterested. I thought we’d gotten along pretty well. The only thing I can think that she might still be mad about is that I’d borrowed a sweater from her without asking (and probably not washing it), but I think that was our other roommate, Joyce. Hers fit me better.
Not long ago, I found a phone number for Tim’s first serious girlfriend in high
school. She was a petite, pretty, and a very popular drum majorette. However, she was a year older than Tim and found a new beau at college whom she eventually married. Like Tim, the new beau played college football and claimed that in a subsequent match between their two universities, Tim purposely hurt him. Tim says he had more important things to think about during the game than revenge for an old girlfriend. Anyway, we called them thinking it might be nice to let bygones be bygones and catch up after so many decades. They didn’t sound too excited to hear from us but were civil until Tim (who hadn’t considered what they might have to talk about) made the mistake of asking if she was still short. “I’m not short!” she retorted and that was that. “Dumb question,” I admonished Tim afterward. “I know!” he answered with considerable chagrin. We feel fortunate to have had many successful long-term rela-
Behrendt
Tim and Peg share their wedding pizza
Is this the sweater I borrowed from my freshman roommate?
and friends but of course, many have disappeared into the void of time and space.
The poignant words of an old popular song called “My Old Flame” sometimes come to my mind. “My old flame, I can’t even think of his name, but it’s funny now and then how my thoughts go flashing back again to my old flame...” We joke that it’s a miracle that someone still likes us after they get to know us, but it’s truly heartwarming and we are grateful.
Tim and I have managed our relationship for 51 years. I’ve lived up to my marriage pledge to love and hate him, and he has made me “his Valentine” through it all. I know, hate is a pretty harsh thing, but being honest, it flashes through me occasionally and I can sulk for a long time. Tim is more even-tempered than I am. I can probably count on my fingers how
many times I’ve seen him really mad. Miraculously, he’s put up with my moods. I prefer being in love. It’s my favorite feeling. I’m in love when I dwell on a pleasant memory. I’m in love with my friends. I’m in love with my kitties. The list may be infinite.
I think love happens to us regularly in ways we don’t consciously realize. It’s such an intangible feeling but can be expressed in many tangible ways. I like the way Tim defines it.
• We love one another when we forgive each other when hurts are exchanged.
• We love one another when we accept each other’s differences and shortcomings and don’t allow them to obsess and alienate us.
• We love one another when we listen and attempt to understand.
• We love one another when we support each other’s interests, as these are the lifeline to a strong will to live.
• We love one another when we speak the truth as best we can discern it, hon estly but gently, and help clarify occur rences, options available, and possible consequences so that challenges help each of us to grow with the inevitable changes that beset us all.
• We love one another when we cooperate and work together fairly through democratic consensus when problems arise, and joint action is needed.
• We love one another when we offer what is needed in a way that builds self-sufficiency and human dignity.
• We love one another when we give generously and receive graciously, for all of us need help at times.
• We love one another when we, with tolerance and civility, respect each other, for all this is love in its
fullest meaning, a bountiful offering of the cosmic creative processes to us and us to all.
I also love new experiences. When Tim and I went to the big mall in Syracuse for the first time, we felt like awestruck peasants in a noisy, busy carnival of consumeristic copiousness. It was amazing, interesting and fun! People were walking around on ropes and ladders high in the air like circus aerialists. It was pleasantly noisy with music and people talking and milling about. There were fantastic colors and shapes of objects for sale in a multitude of storefronts with lights and signs urging us to come see their treasurers. I was interested in replacing the winter coat I had bought on sale at the old Duofold outlet in Ilion over thirty years ago. It still kept me warm but seems to have gotten larger and
Turkey tracks on our road
Self sculptures in snow for our Valentine’s anniversary
We visit Destiny mall for the first time
baggier, or I’ve gotten smaller. I heard someone refer to it as a Michelin Man look and that bothered me. Since we no longer camp out in Florida and are here all winter, we needed some new gear anyway, to get through these long months of snow, cold, ice, and cloud cover and I’d prefer not looking like a tire mascot!
After our exciting visit to the big city of Syracuse, we take a nighttime walk on Shawangunk Road to test our new coats in subzero temperatures. All is still. The tracks of turkeys and squirrels are the only evidence of traffic. We run into daughter Becky and her husband, Gael, who is taking time-lapse pictures of the stars which are so multitudinous this night. The smells of city traffic are replaced with pine and snow-filtered air, and we marvel at the comprehensive quiet of the snow-blanketed forest. There are no motor sounds, nor rustling of leaves; no background music and scanner beeps; no cacophony of human voices, just pure, unadulterated, peaceful silence in a world of glittering, white, marshmallow pillows under deliciously starry skies. We love our home. We love life. We love our earth. •
Saturday, February 22, 10 am–1 pm 217 Shawangunk Rd., Cold Brook, NY
Affordable Child Care with Friends, Family, or Neighbors
Receive child care assistance through a trusted friend, neighbor, or relative with our Legally Exempt services. We guide families and caregivers through the process step by step
Celebrate mid-winter 2025 by creating a two-dimensional picture of your favorite things in the snowy season, subtle shades of blue & pink hued skies, a warm cottage, skiers, or sledders, a snowperson. Anything you want. Using soft, natural wool dyed in many colors you’ll learn how to easily adhere textured images to a canvas of wool felt with dry felting technique. You’ll want to frame this and enjoy it in the years to come. Materials $20. Register by February 15th. Call 315-723-2813
