MohawkValleyLiving_101_APRIL2022

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ADVENTURES EXPLORING THE ARTS, HISTORY AND CULTURE OF OUR REGION

101

APRIL 2022

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May 1st

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contents 6 9 11 14 17 19 21 24 25 27 31 33 37 42 45 46

Oneida County History Center ADK Journal Restaurant Guide Antiques Guide Nature in April MV Astronomy Club MV Gardens MV Crossword Home Made Here Tales from Shawangunk Writings of Richard Enders On The Farm with Suzie Matt Perry’s MV Nature Gallery Guide Advertiser Directory Contest Answers

Hummus Where The Heart Is

by Sharry L. Whitney

When Lance and I first moved to Utica in the late 80s, we barely knew of hummus, let alone other Mediterranean foods like tabouli and baba ghanoush.

As young “starving artists,” we were first introduced to a wider culinary world by necessity. Our first office was on Rutger Street and around the corner on St. Vincent was a Middle Eastern market. I discovered Lebanese spinach pies (fatayer) and chickpea pockets. Three for $1! Our young son (coincidentally named Vincent) had these for lunch almost every day. We were also introduced to baklava, though this was a “splurge” at $1 each. Two 3-packs of pockets and two baklavas fed our family of three for $4!

We were only at that office for a year and that food market is long gone (I don’t even remember the name), but it is a fond memory. Those memories came flooding back recently while visiting Deansboro Superette. Michelle Peck lost her father, John Gazzal, last year, but she and her family are keeping the longtime Deansboro mainstay alive. What surprised me was that they only introduced their Mediterranean foods (which they are now famous for) about 20-30 years ago! And it was only because their customers demanded it. Her father and grandfather didn’t think local people would be interested in their family’s traditional food. It seems inconceivable nowadays when Mediterranean food is everywhere and an integral part of our region’s diet.

Coming from a “meat and potatoes” upbringing, I fondly remembert he many introductions to foods that were once “exotic” to me. It’s been a long journey and many road trips since the days I would choose the “safe” chicken option on a menu. Now there isn’t anything I won’t try. I mean, I had pig ears... once. •

MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING MAGAZINE April 2022

PUBLISHERS Lance and Sharry Whitney EDITOR Sharry Whitney DESIGN & LAYOUT Lance David Whitney ASSISTANT EDITOR Shelley Malenowski CONTRIBUTORS Peggy Spencer Behrendt, Carol Higgins, Suzie Jones, Melinda Karastury, Rebecca McLain, Matt Perry, Cynthia Quackenbush, Denise Szarek, Gary VanRiper CONTACT US (315) 853-7133 30 Kellogg Street Clinton, NY 13323 www.MohawkValleyLiving.com mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com Mohawk Valley Living is a monthly magazine and television show that explore the area’s arts, culture, and heritage.

Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of Mohawk Valley Living, Inc.

watch mvl every sunday!

7:30am and 11pm on wfxv 11:30am on WUTR 20

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. Enter by the 15th of the month to be entered in a $100 shopping spree at one of our advertisers!

(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.

They came from far. They came from near, to “take the waters” running clear.

From Clifton to Saratoga Springs, in these they drank and bathed like kings.

HINT: 2 words, 14 letters See the answer and winner to last month’s riddle on page 46!

Mohawk Valley Living is brought to you by

Steet-Ponte autogroup

the Oneida County History center

Verona Mineral Springs

By Joan Klossner, History Center Volunteer

The nineteenth century was the golden age of mineral (water) springs. Fifty towns in New York State had resorts or sanitariums around groundwaters that contained elements like magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sulfur, making the state the leader in the number of mineral springs. One of these resorts was located in the town of Verona and provided healing waters for over 100 years. The lavish Verona Springs Hotel, built in the 1840s and known for its “water cure,” hosted prominent people from all over the world.

The Verona mineral springs were first discovered by Native Americans who lived and hunted in the area including the Mohawks, the Oneidas, and the Senecas. They called the springs “medicine water” and brought their sick to drink and bathe in the waters. They camped by the springs and killed deer who came to partake of the salt licks that were there. There were trails from

the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, indicating where they had traveled to get to the springs.

Local settlers learned about the curing properties of the waters as early as 1800. People brought jugs and barrels to carry the water home that was reputed to cure skin diseases, rheumatism, kidney, liver, and stomach troubles. As the desire to stay at the site grew, Havilah Eames, who had purchased the tract that contained the springs, erected a small boarding house for people to stay in 1830. Eames channeled the stream where the mineral water was found into a well, which made it easier to control the use of the water. He built a shelter over the spring and part of it was used as a bathhouse.

In 1841, Nathaniel Adams purchased the property and began the expansion that led to its renown. He built a hotel known as “The Spring House,” which was reported to contain 62 rooms and is believed to have built a replacement bathhouse, a pavilion over the spring, a large barn, an icehouse, a bowling alley, a rustic summer house, and a windmill to pump the water for the bathhouse and a bottling room. Adams and his wife sold the property to Charles C. Wardwell and Dr. Seymour Curtis in 1853.

Dr. Curtis established a water cure and was the first owner to conduct treatments on a scientific basis. Dr. Nelson Hunt and his wife Dr. Angennette Hunt purchased the complex five years later. The couple was looking for a place to carry on work they had been doing at Saratoga Springs.

Dr. Nelson Hunt performed administrative duties of the Verona Springs. Dr. Angennette Hunt was responsible for the medical care of the patients and supervised the dining room because the diet was part of some patients’ treatment. Friends and former patients of the Hunts flocked to the facility to partake in the healing waters as well as the quiet country setting. This contributed to the growth of the reputation of the springs and brought prominent, wealthy people from all over the country as well as other countries.

The Spring House was modern for its day and had running water in the kitchens, bathrooms, and toilets. The water came from a spring on a nearby hill and flowed by gravity through wooden pipes called pump logs. The Hunts purchased land over the years to build up a farm large enough to provide food including garden vegetables, eggs, milk, butter, and poultry.

Not much new building was completed during the Hunts’ tenure. A small cottage was built for Dr. Angennette’s mother, which came to be known as the Barn Cottage, and was later used to house families who came to visit for long periods. Two more cottages were built for the same purpose and were called the Garden Cottage and the Maple Cottage. The names were attributed to each cottage’s

R

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r New Unde ! rship Owne

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(315) 858-0955 7

proximity to the barn, the garden, and a large maple tree.

Verona Mineral Springs was touted as one of the oldest and best-known health resorts in America. An ad in the Brooklyn Eagle in 1902 claimed that it was the “only known Sulfur Lithia spring in the world.” Although Saratoga Springs had the reputation as the earliest and most popular mineral spring, it was also luxurious and expensive.

An 1855 Waterville Times article subtly points out the difference between Saratoga and Verona.

“Verona Springs are not extensively known to fame. It is time, however, that they had a wider reputation among that large class of men who annually seek a brief respite from the cares of business, and who desire a secluded retreat where they may have the comforts of a home, plain substantial food, with the privilege of doing about as they please, without having to pay for the glitter of gold and the glare of mahogany.”

Verona Springs was located about three miles from the village of Verona and a mile from the village of Lowell. Guests were met by horse and buggy at Rome, Verona, and Greenway before the railroad came through. Not everyone who came to the springs was there for the curative waters that were described by one guest as smelling like a sewer and tasting like rotten eggs and rotten oysters mixed with soft soap. The bucolic setting and access to the nearby wooded areas were attractive to some who were just looking for a relaxing vacation.

As the Hunts aged and their health declined, they decided to cut back on the number of guests coming to the resort and spend their remaining days in quiet solitude. Dr. Nelson Hunt died in 1892, and after his wife’s death in 1901, the property was purchased by Dr. G. N. Lehr who renovated the hotel. Unfortunately, it burned down from an overturned lamp in 1905. The following year a niece of Mrs. Hunt built a 22-room building and conducted a sanatorium for a short season each summer until 1909 when Dr. Lehr again became the owner.

In 1916, a lightning bolt from an electrical storm struck the “new house” and burned it to the ground. This act of nature brought about the demise of Verona Mineral Springs, which had reached the height of its popularity around 1875. It became one of the many mineral springs that fell into a state of decline in the twentieth century. •

Fill your Easter Baskets here!

Chocolate Bunnies Panoramic Eggs Sugar Cookies 315-765-6463 • 531 Varick St., Utica • www.facebook.com/SoSweetCandyShoppe

Support Support LocalLocal Farmers!

Better with Farmers!

Horn’s Family Farm LiveFarm to Table.

Pasture Raised Beef Farm Raised Pork Goat Meat Cuts Range Free Eggs (Chicken & Duck) Frozen Chicken Other Local Products

1608 Genesee St, Utica (315) 735-3642

Open Tues.-Fri. 10-4, Sat 10-2 www.oneidacountyhistory.org

PULASKI

Farm to Table.

Fresh Check out our new Thanksgiving line of products!

Turkeys!

Tues-Fri: Noon-6, Sat: 10-3 • www.hornsfamilyfarm.com

Easter Hams!

MEAT MARKET

Homemade Polish Foods Variety of Kielbasa • Cold Cuts Pierogi • Golabki

1201 Lenox Ave., Utica • (315) 732-8007

www.polishfoodutica.com • Mon-Fri:9-5, Sat: 9-4:30, Sun Closed

315-853-5001

Better SeeLive our new line of with products!

9629 Main St., Remsen • (315) 941-7539

8

Oneida County History Center

Open for our 76th year!

Easter Hams!

Order one of our famous hams smoked right here!

Fulled stocked with quality meats!

Prices are down, come stock up!

The 4 Corners in Clark Mills

Thurs-Fri 10-6, Sat 8-1, Closed Sun -Wed

Hand-Painted Easter Eggs!

adirondack journal

Puzzled About What to Do in April?

Gary “Papa” and his grandson Levi work on a puzzle

by Gary VanRiper

Deliveries daily Here to help

• DESIGN STUDIO •

ns 3 Generatio e th Serving y! lle Mohawk Va

All of Life’s Events!

Birthday Get Well Weddings Love You Sympathy

• Planting design & installation • Spring and Fall Cleanup • Pruning, Edging, and Mulching • Lawn Installation and Renovation

www.acetisclassicgardens.com 47 Clinton Rd (Rt 12B) • New Hartford

Mary LaBella • (315) 525-0888

Jump-start your garden with our plant starts!

Our shack is stocked with: Oliver’s Organic Eggs, Kriemhild butter, Jones Family Farm cheeses, Shaw’s Maple products, Heartsease Hill honey, Kelly’s Jellies, and more!

Fresh veggies & scones on Saturdays!

7443 E. South St., Clinton 315.853.5901 • Open Daily 9-4

A

Cold Cuts, Pecorino Romano, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Imported Provolone, & much more!

Visit us for all your Italian Favorites!

You’ll love our prices!

1150 McQuade Ave., Utica Mon, Thurs, Fri: 8-4, Wed: 8-3, Sat: 8-Noon, Closed Sun & Tues • 315-724-5578

CLASSIC GARDENS

Complete Landscape Services & Nursery

View our gallery at: www.Labellaflowers.com

Szarek’s Succulent Shack

Nursery Open by Appointment Only

B

• Walks and Patio Installation • Walls and Water Gardens • Mulch Delivery or Pick-Up • Lawn Mowing

(315) 735-2206

oulevard T railers Inc. as low as $20 Bucks!

All Used Fiberglass • Aluminum Caps & Lids Soft Tonneau Covers/Bedliners New-Used-Damaged-Obsolete • Many are $300 to $1000*

*Cash and Carry. Not installed

2 Oriskany Blvd., Whitesboro • (315) 736-5851 www.boulevardtrailers.com • Mon-Wed: 9-6, Thurs: 9-5, Fri: 9-4, Sat: 9-1

9

With warmer weather beginning to set in, so does summit fever.

The challenge hiking in the mountains in early spring is the tremendous run-off of melting snow overflowing rivers and streams, and trails that are thick with mud. In fact, hiking above 3,000 feet in the high peaks is discouraged until after May when trails have hardened. That makes trail navigation safer for both the hiker and the environment.

One of the things we like to do in our household when not involved in some outdoor activity, and that doesn’t involve electronic devices, is jigsaw puzzles.

Subject matter varies, but there is a definite lean toward the great outdoors. I also have a partner to work with which has made puzzling a lot more fun.

Our grandson, Levi, began doing puzzles with me several years ago, and now at 5 ½ years old has become a master at it. If you don’t believe me, just ask him! He now prefers puzzles with at least 500 pieces and, over time, we have come to make a great team. He sees shapes, and I lean toward patterns and colors. And I have to admit, I’ll be staring at pieces right in front of me and he’ll just pluck one out at random and pop it in place. I have to become better at recognizing shapes. So says, ‘the master’.

We are also becoming puzzle critics, analyzing our favorite companies.

There are so many manufacturers and have found ourselves leaning mainly toward White Mountain, Cobble Hill, and Ravensburger.

Maybe we’ve inhaled too much puzzle dust, but we’ve enjoyed the activity so much we recently connected with the New York Puzzle Company in New York City and are having our own 500-piece jigsaw puzzle produced from cover artwork from our Adirondack Kids book series!

So, even after the trails have hardened we’ve found while on vacation or at the family camp on a rainy day a puzzle is still an enjoyable thing to do. Those are times we get every family member in sight to join in! • Gary VanRiper is an author, photographer, and pastor at the Camden Wesleyan Church. He has written 19 children’s books with his son, Justin.

Learn more at: www.adirondackkids.com

We always take a photo of grandson Levi when he places the final piece.

Entitled, North Country, this 1000 -piece puzzle from Buffalo Games & Puzzles, took all the kids and the grandkids an entire weeks’ vacation to finally complete.

Hop to it and order your Cassata and Easter bread today!

Available April 7th-16th

Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe 707 Bleecker Street, Utica, New York 315-735-9712 Mon, Wed-Sat 7-3, Sun 7-Noon, Closed Tues

Family Monuments Mausoleums & Columbariums Granite Cleaning & Repairs Cemetery Lettering Pre-Need Memorials

All Sizes!

Put the car back in the garage!

Spring Planting & Monument Cleaning

A family run business specializing in the manufacturing of affordable, well-contructed:

Storage Sheds Pole Barns Gina Trzepacz-Timpano 10

Preplanning Provides Peace of Mind

(315) 736-1781 • 1309 Champlin Ave., Yorkville

Decks Garages

(attached or unattached)

Free estimates for Pole Barns & Garages (315) 853-5285 4932 Rt. 233, Westmoreland Fully insured with over 30 years experience! See examples at: www.ssheds.com

the mvl restaurant guide

cassville n Ope or ay f frid er! n Din

Friday Fish Fry 11:30am-8pm

1/2 lb.

Juicy Angus Burgers!

1717 Route 8, Cassville (315) 839-5000

Open Mon-Thur 6am-2pm, Fri 6am-8pm Sat 6am-1pm, Sun 7am-Noon , Breakfast Served til Noon

CLINTON

Visit our New website!

1

#

Primo Pizza

Where good friends Meet to Eat! Enjoy breakfast or a quick lunch!

Enjoyprimopizza.com

315-381-3231

The Most Unique Upside Down Pizza You Ever Tasted!

g Celebratinin 13 Years !

Clinton

8170 Seneca Tpke., Clinton (315) 732-3631 Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat & Sun 7am-1pm

MVL Ad_Layout 1 7/8/15 3:05 PM Page 1

cold brook

Weekday Specials Tues- 20” X-Large Cheese Pizza . . . . . . . $13.95 ($2.95 per topping)

Wed- Sm. Cheese Pizza & 20 Boneless Wings . . . $19.00 Thurs- 2 Large Cheese Pizzas . . . . . . . . $21.00 (plus tax/toppings extra)

Specialty Rolls

S a u s a g e . . . . . . . . $12.95 S p i n a c h . . . . . . . $11.95 A n t i p a s t o . . . . . . $14.95 Sausage & Greens . . $14.95 S t r o m b o l i . . . . . . $13.95

2755 13324 826-5050 2755 State State Rt Rt.8,8,Cold ColdBrook, Brook,NY NY• (315)•826-5050

Mon. 4 -Open 9pm • Thurs, Tues. Closed Wed. - Sun.Sun 12 Noon Fri &•Sat 12-9, 12-8- 9pm Great Food • Great Spirits • Great Times Not taking

LifeOffering is Good atFare The Tavern!Reservations Pub & Ohio Daily Specials!

Open Daily 7am-3pm

Tues-Thurs: 11am-8:30pm, Fri & Sat: 11am-9:30pm, Sun: 1pm-8pm

7756 Route 5, Clinton Located next door to Spaghetti Kettle • Enjoyprimopizza.com

Marcy

little falls

823-3290

Breakfast, Lunch, Homemade Soups & Sandwiches and our delicious Desserts Including our Famous Cream Puffs!

Canal Place, Little Falls Next to Showcase Antiques

Tomato Pie

Please order one day in advance $11 +tax

please! s e y , m a Ice cre 9663 River Rd., Marcy

Soft and Hard Ice Cream!

19 Flavors of Hard Ice Cream 33 Flavors of Soft, Flurries & Milkshakes Take Out & Delivery!

PLUS Fresh Haddock • Giambotta Mushroom Stew • Chicken & Biscuits Meatloaf Goulash & More!

Open 7 Days a Week • 797-7709 11

NewHartford hartford New

Phoenician Homemade comfort foods

RESTAUR ANT Full menu available!

23 beers on tap, specializing in NY State craft beers!

2021 Authentic Lebanese best Food

Eat In, Take Out & Curbside Pickup!

u

u

BEST OF THE

Specials and our full menu available for takeout and curbside pickup.VOTED #1

Open Buffet Mon-Fri: 11:30-2:30 Open at 11am daily

#1 - Best Local Bar #1 - Best Wings! #1- Best Fish Fry

Online ordering: ThePhoenicianrestaurant.com 10 Clinton Rd., New Hartford www.killabrewsaloon.com • (315) 732-9733 Call ahead for parties of 5-10 • Mon-Sat 11:30am-8pm

623 French Road, New Hartford (315) 733-2709

“We are your home town pizzeria!”

past 5 years!

Voted #1 pizza for

(315) 736-4549 • Open 7 days a week • 4462 Commercial Dr., New Hartford www.tonyspizzeriaanddeli.com

ROME

Homemade comfort foods Full menu available!

23 beers on tap, specializing in NY State craft beers! u

2021 u

best BEST OF THE

VOTED #1

Eat In, Take Out & Curbside Pickup! #1 - Best Local Bar #1 - Best Wings! #1- Best Fish Fry

Open at 11am daily 10 Clinton Rd., New Hartford www.killabrewsaloon.com • (315) 732-9733

utica

Offering Grab-n-Go meals, Salads, & Deli items!

Wed-Sun: 7am-2pm UTICA: 1256 Albany St. • 315-790-5200 Hours: Wed-Fri 7am-2pm WHITESBORO: 103 Main St. • 315-768-1462 Hours: Sat & Sun 7am-1pm

Sheri’s

EASTSIDE DINER 1st Floor

Breakfast, Lunch, “Grab-and-Go!” Deliveries, 8am-2pm Take Out & Catering!

Check out our weekly specials on facebook and at www.rososcafe.com

Open: Monday-Friday: 9-2 185 Genesee St., 2nd Floor, Utica

315 735-7676 12

Breakfast • Lunch Homemade & Fresh Daily!

Friday Fish Fry • Breakfast Served All Day

2199 Bleecker St., Utica (315) 790-5250 Open 7 Days a Week, 7am-2pm

Dine In & Take Out

Thank you for your support!

Reservations appreciated

Gluten Free Appetizers, Pastas, Entrees, & Desserts!

(315) 33PIZZA

615 Erie Blvd. W., Rome

Open: Mon & Thurs: 4-8pm, Fri: 4-9pm Sat: 12-9pm, Sun: 3-8pm, Closed Tues & Wed

r Check out ou menu on

DiCastro’s BRICK OVEN

Utica

Breakfast Sandwiches Deli-Style Wraps/Sandwiches Salads, Soups & more!

Homemade Baked Goods & Multi-Color Bagels - a kid’s favorite!

S

2 Locations: 219 N. Genesee St., Utica Now at: 1401 Oriskany Street W., Utica

(315) 790-5353 • Open 7 Days a Week

Free Delivery (min. $25) • Family Owned & Operated!

Utica

vernon

American & Italian Cuisine Serving Lunch & Dinner

Contemporary American • Indoor Dining Open • Reservations Only

900 Culver Ave., Utica • 315-765-0271 • Open Wed-Sat 4:30-8pm

We can’t wait to see you again!

All staff wearing masks, please wear yours until seated. Visit www.willowsofutica.com

whitesboro

Family owned- The Vullo family has been catering to your menu needs since 1972!

5656 Route 5, Vernon • (315) 829-2203

www.theblackstallionny.com Open Wed-Thurs: 3-9pm, Fri & Sat: 3-10pm, Sun: 12-7

yorkville

Serving Lunch & Dinner Lunches Served Friday & Saturday Happy Hour Daily 4-7, $2.75 Drafts & $3 Well Mixers

Tuesdays

All-U-Can-Eat Spaghetti Wednesdays

$8.99 Pasta Specials, 10 Boneless Wings $7.50

Dine In, Take Out, & Curbside Pick-Up!

409 Oriskany Blvd., Whitesboro • (315) 736-7869 Catering & Banquet Facilities Available • www.69steakhouse.com

KARAM’S Middle Eastern Bakery & Restaurant

Traditional Lebanese fare for breakfast & lunch!

Middle Eastern Specials & Groceries • Pita & Flat Bread • Spinach & Meat Pies • Baklawa

(315) 736-1728 • 137 Campbell Ave, Yorkville Tues - Fri: 9am -5pm, Sat: 9am - 3pm • www.karamsbakery.com

mv living

antique shopping guide Madison-Bouckville

Spring Shop Hop Canal House Antiques • Cider House Antiques • Cobblestone Trading Company • The Depot Antiques Gallery • The Gallery Antiques at Pinebrick Madison Inn Antiques • Turnpike Antiques • Valandrea’s Venture • Victorian Rose • Whistle Post Antiques • Whistle Post Creations

Spring

Spring

Shop Hop!

Shop Hop!

April 8-10

April 8-10

10-5

10-5

Canal House Hazel Mae’s Antiques Located in the Shoppes Multi-Dealer Shop

Specializing in antique furniture, glassware, jewelry, books, linens and so much more.

at Johnny Appleseeds 3402 Old State Rd, Erieville Rug Hooking • Punch Needle Wool • Supplies • Classes

6737 Route 20, Bouckville (315) 893-7737 Open Saturday & Sunday 10-4

The Gallery Antiques at Pinebrick

(315) 893-7752

6790 Rte 20, Bouckville

www.thegallerycoop.com

Open Apr-Oct: 10-5 daily; Nov-Dec: 10-4 daily January-March: Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10-4 www.depotantiquegallery.com

Whistle Post Antiques

Spring

Shop Hop! April 8-10

10-5

Shop Hop! April 8-10

10-5

Spring

Shop Hop! April 8-10 10-5

Spring

Shop Hop April 8-10 10-5

Painted and Repurposed Vintage & Antique Furniture

6831 Indian Opening Rd., Bouckville

Open Sat & Sun 10-4 (315) 893-7162

14

6768 Route 20, Bouckville (315) 893-7676

Our lovely gallery offers a full range of antiques, fine furniture, and vintage collectibles!

Spring

A multi-dealer shop specializing in advertising, petroliana, lamps, glass, furniture & quality smalls.

Look for our 1960s Texaco sign!

MADISON INN ANTIQUES

ANTIQUE GALLERY

FURNITURE • TOOLS BOOKS • COLLECTIBLES GLASS • PRIMITIVE

7417 St Rte 20, Madison 315-893-7639 • Open Fri, Sat, & Sun 10-4

Victorian Rose

Vintage, Antiques, Crafts & Collectibles Spring

Shop Hop! April 8-10

10-5

Open Fri, Sat, Sun 10-4

315-893-1786 • 3371 Maple Ave., Bouckville www.victorianrosevintage.com

Specializing in Lionel Trains We Buy & Sell!

(315) 838-0144

All Things Stenciled Handcrafted Signs & Decor (315) 893-7604

6845 St. Rt. 20 Bouckville Hours: Sat & Sun: 10-4

Celebrating 23 years in business!

Attic Addicts The Queen’s Closet Pristine, Practical, and Priced Right!

Specializing in estate sales, large and small.

Conducted with respect and dignity.

Call for a consultation: (315) 736-9160

Consignment at its Finest!

Clothing, Jewelry Household Items Furniture Winter Hours: Tues-Fri 11pm-5pm, Sat 10:30am-3pm, Closed Sun & Mon

New consignment by appt. only

Facebook: The Queens Closet & Attic Addicts

A little bit country, a little bit primitive!

Furniture, handmade felt wall hangings and pillows, silk wreaths & arrangements, Warm Glow candles and more!

Westmoreland Formerly of Barneveld

22 Oriskany Blvd., Yorkville (315) 736-9160

Black Cat ANTIQUES & GIFTS

Antiques & Art

7000 Sq. ft Multi Dealer Store!

Now Open!

5475 State Rt 233, Westmoreland Artsy1Antiques@GMail.com

Open Wed- Fri 10-6, Sat & Sun 10-4

Broad St. Flea Market 601 Second St., Utica

(315) 941-0925 • Wed-Fri 10-5, Sat & Sun 10-4, Closed Mon & Tues

Indoor & Open Year Round!

Large selection of vendors with an even larger variety of items!

14 East Main St. Earlville (315) 691-5721

Open Tues-Fri: 9-4, Sat: 9-2, Closed Sun & Mon

Furniture: Victorian to Mid-Century Lots of Art! Architectural Salvage Primitives Records, Books, & Collectibles

New Handmade Soy Candles, Lucky Bamboo, CBD Products, Incense, Jewelry, Zippo Lighters, Craft Items, Furniture & Household Items!

Like Us! Large selection of DVDs & CDs Inventory always changing so stop in often! Vendor applications always accepted.

Multi Dealer Antique Shop

Primitives • Furniture • Artwork Smalls • Antique Accessories Wed-Sat: 10-4, Sun: 11-3 • (315) 264-1755

4803 Rt. 31, Vernon

Little Little Falls Falls

Antique Center More than 50 vendors on 2 floors!

Antiques • Art • Crafts Open 6 days a week, 10-5, Closed Tues Handicapped-accessible • 315-823-4309 Thruway Exit 29A, 25 West Mill St., Little Falls www.littlefallsantiquecenter.com

Celebrate Spring!

Find a treasure for your pleasure!

Like us on Facebook!

Also the home of...

All kinds of Unique Vendors under one roof. Artisans, Crafters, Antiques to Retro including Food Items.

Vendors Wanted

142 North Main St., Herkimer • 315-628-1506

Open Tues-Fri: 10-4:30, Sat: 10-4, Closed Sun & Mon www.mohawkvalleycommunitymarket.com • www.renewedandrescued.com 15

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

Over 160 Vendor booths and display cases!

100 E. Main St., Mohawk (Thruway Exit 30)

(315) 219-5044 www.mohawkantiquesmall.com

So why not visit us at the Antique Mall and find some great deals?

MOHAWK ANTIQUES MALL

Not Your Average Auction House.

Call today for information on our appraisal & auction services.

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MV NATURE

nature in April

story and photos by Matt Perry A walk in the April woods can be an uplifting experience. Particularly after going through a harsh winter, the reawakening forest is a balm for the soul. April is the month when the forest understory literally and figuratively has its moment in the sun. Before the tree canopy fills in with foliage, and the trees produce their flowers, spring ephemeral wildflowers can monopolize the sunshine as well as have the undivided attention of early emerging pollinating insects. Although several of the earliest blooming flowers will bloom in March if the snow is gone, most wait for April to show their colors. White is the most common color for the petals of forest flowers, but pink and purple come in a close second. Several different violet species represent a spectrum of hues from white to yellow, and from pink to blue.

The earliest blooming violet in our woods is the Round-leaf Violet which is yellow. Common Blue Violet and Long-spurred Violet are purplish-blue, and they typically bloom after the Round-leaf. Next, Sweet White Violet (white), Canada Violet (white and pink), and Smooth-stemmed Yellow Violet have their turn. The woodland wildflowers also come in a myriad of shapes and sizes; from the minute snowflake-like blossoms of False Bishop’s Cap to the showier three-petaled flowers of the trilliums. Odd irregular shapes are best repre-

sented by the Yellow-spotted Salamander Jack-in-thePulpit, which looks like a fluted Art Deco vase, and Dutchman’s Breeches, which resemble tiny pairs of white trousers hanging upside down on a line. Foam Flower and the baneberries put out dense sprays of small flowers that look like little firework displays. False Solomon’s Seal has a tight cluster of whitish flowers that emanate from the end of its long leafy stem, while the unrelated True Solomon’s Seal’s greenish bell-like flowers hang down in a double row along the span of its stem. The spade-shaped leaves of Wild Ginger are much more prominent than its odd, maroon-colored flower. Its flower has three pointed petals, and it lies against the ground, well beneath its leaves. The foliage of Mayapple is also good at concealing its flower.

Its waxy-looking bloom is white and reminds me a little of a car headlight. It emerges at the point where the leaf stem divides and is well below the plant’s umbrella-like leaf.

Although migrant birds pour into the region during April, they are not always the source of the most prominent sounds in the forest. Frogs, primarily Spring Peepers, are responsible for much of the soundscape. The calls of the peepers are loud, high-pitched,

buoyant whistles that can sound like birdsong.

Indeed, many inexperienced birders have attempted to track down the mysterious bird making the peeper call, only to come up empty-handed. Spring Peepers are tiny and so well camouflaged that they are practically invisible in the woods. They also tend to stop vocalizing when a person gets close to them, so zeroing in on one is that much harder. It is easier to find them when they are in their spawning pools, although it may only be eyes and the tip of their noses that protrude above the water. Most of us associate the peepers’ calls with nighttime, but they can create an impressive din during the day as well. This is true, particularly around vernal wetland habitats. However, it is during the first relatively warm, rainy night in spring (usually in April) when they move from their overwintering places and travel over land to find new spawning ponds. Around wetlands that are close to roads, peepers and other amphibians like Wood Frogs and Spotted Salamanders, will readily get into trouble when they try to cross wet roadways in the dark. Many get killed in this way. Friends of amphibians will sometimes station themselves

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along the road near productive wetland habitats. In the night, armed with lights, and hopefully wearing reflective clothing, volunteers pick up amphibians that linger too long in the road and help them get to the other side. When engaging in this activity you must be mindful of traffic and avoid becoming a casualty yourself. I have taken part in a few of these events and it’s a great way to see otherwise hard-tosee salamanders. Most memorable to me was helping some surprisingly large Yellow-spotted Salamanders (which look like yellow polka-dotted lizards) and Wood Frogs across the road.

Birds arriving in April include the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush, Rufous-sided Towhee, Winter Wren, Tree Swallow, and Yellow-rumped (or Myrtle) Warbler. Most of these birds are usually heard before they are seen. They come back from the south impatient for the breeding season and brimming over with song or, in the case of the sapsucker, with sprightly calls and its own distinctive off-kilter drumming pattern. The males spend some time chasing each other around the woods giving argumentative volleys of “squawk” calls, which sound more like vocalizations a raptor might make and not a bird in the woodpecker clan. Seeing the male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is always a pleasure. His bright red cap and matching chin patch stand out much more than the pale-yellow belly from which his name derives. When observed from a distance, a white slash down the sapsucker’s flank helps to distinguish the species from other black and white patterned woodpeckers. Initially, upon arrival, Hermit Thrushes do more calling than singing. Indeed, they seem to be perpetually irritable and have a couple of different vocalizations that betray their mood.

The more familiar is the “way” call, which is very distinct and usually emanates from somewhere along the banks of a hemlock gorge. The species also expresses its trepidation by slowly dipping its reddish-brown tail up and down like a lever. When the Hermit does sing, it lends the spring forest an ambiance of mystery. Its somber, flute-like tones are given in a row of four or five phrases, performed in an even meter. With the Hermit Thrush, the opening phrase is a single whistled tone that doesn’t vary in pitch. Soon the Hermit will be displaced in our woods by the slightly larger, but similar-looking Wood Thrush. Come May, the Wood Thrush will lay claim to the mature forest habitat. The Wood Thrush and other May arriving songbirds will be covered in next month’s nature article. Until then, go outside and experience the awakening forest and other habitats. It’s surely the best time of year to study nature. •

Spring Peeper

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Hermit Thrush

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Round-leaf Violet

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler

N

18

Mohawk valley astronomical society

taking flight by carol higgins

It was a cold, cloudy, and windy day on December 17, 1903, when two pioneering young men cemented their names in history books. After four years of experimenting, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright’s flying machine named “Wright Flyer” took to the air and marked the start of the age of airplanes. That first powered and controlled flight only lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet, but was a revolutionary step forward for the world. This month we celebrate another flight milestone on April 19. It is the first anniversary of the day a flying machine flew on another planet for the first time!

Meet Ingenuity – NASA’s experimental helicopter on Mars.

It may seem like an easy task to build another rotorcraft, but that is not the case.

Mars presents difficult challenges, including an atmosphere only 1% as thick as Earth’s, a gravity force just one-third of Earth’s, and temperatures that drop to -130 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Ingenuity took six years to design, build and test, but the brilliant engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) were up to the task.

Launch day was July 30, 2020, and the little explorer hitched a ride on the underside of the car-sized Perseverance rover.

They landed in Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021, the site of an ancient lake and river delta where scientists hope to learn more about the planet’s watery past. After numerous tests, Perseverance dropped Ingenuity to the surface on April 3.

With a fuselage about the size of a tissue box, the entire helicopter is only 19 inches

high, weighs four pounds, has two pairs of carbon fiber blades that span about 4 feet, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter” four landing legs, and a solar Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech panel that charges six lithium-ion batteries. During the frigid nights, heaters protect the electronics and avionics. phisticated instruments, drills, and cameras Ingenuity’s 30-day mission called for five but are limited by terrain. Aircraft can fly to flights, specifically designed as a technology areasImage unreachable byESA, theW.rover and are Hanny’s Voorwerp.

Credit: NASA, Keel, Galaxy Zoo great Team demonstration with significant goals: fly in scouts. the thin Martian atmosphere, verify autonIngenuity’s incredible success is a omous operation because the communica- game-changer for the Perseverance rover tions delay between the two planets prevents and planners designing future robotic exreal-time remote control, and test small and plorers for other planets and moons. One lightweight components in the harsh envi- year later it is still healthy, and after flight 21 ronment. on March 15 this year, the mission was exThe moment of truth came on April 19, tended to September to perform reconnais2021. The first flight was a single vertical sance for Perseverance as the rover begins a takeoff, climb to 10 feet, hover, rotate about scientific investigation of the old river delta.

90 degrees then safely land in what the mis- In April, Mars is in the eastern sky before sion team affectionately named Wright dawn. Just think, a helicopter and rover are Brothers Field. Although it only lasted 39 working together on that planet. Oh, and seconds as planned, the first flight was a below Ingenuity’s solar panel is a postagegreat success! stamp-sized piece of muslin fabric from the Four more flights occurred over the next Wright Brothers 1903 plane. To learn more few weeks, extending the aircraft’s altitude, about Ingenuity and Perseverance, visit the downrange distance, hover maneuvers, and https://mars.nasa.gov website. • taking photos in the air. The fifth flight was on May 7, marking the end of the technology demonstration phase. But because the Join MVAS Sat., April 23, 8:15-11 PM hardware was still fully functional, the team for our free stargazing event at received wonderful news – the go-ahead to continue flights.

Barton-Brown Observatory Since then, they have uploaded multiple 206 White St., Waterville software upgrades and pushed the hardware See www.mvas-ny.org for info to see what they can learn. Rovers carry so-

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mohawk valley Gardens & recipes

sunflowers for ukraine by denise A. Szarek

The Sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, has become a symbol of peace and solidarity for the war-torn country since it was invaded at the end of February Sunflowers, or “Sunnyashnikiis” of Ukraine, have been grown in that country since the mid-1700s. According to MIR Corp, a travel company that specializes in eastern European destinations, sunflower oil became increasingly popular in Ukraine because the Orthodox Church did not restrict its use during Lent. (Orthodox Church members weren’t supposed to cook with butter or lard between Ash Wednesday and Easter.) As a result, fields of sunflowers became more widespread, and sunflower seeds became an in-demand snack.

The sunflower is thought to be one of the few crops that originated in North America and expanded in popularity, especially in Eastern Europe and Russia, during the last several centuries All gardeners need to recognize that as a result of the invasion of Ukraine, access to a significant portion of the world’s potash, a key essential plant nutrient—the middle number in the trilogy on all fertilizer labels—is now cut off. So is a huge chunk of the world’s urea fertilizer made from natural gas. The price of food is going to go way up because Big Ag is so dependent on these urea and potash supplies.

Fortunately, organic gardeners don’t need these chemicals, so if ever there was another reason to go organic, this should be it. And while some sunflower seeds can be eaten, you are going to want to do more.

Again, you have a big reason to grow at least some of your own food this year. And fortunately, organic gardeners share, so “Plant a Row for the Hungry” this year. Food pantries and community outreach services like the Utica Community Fridge and veteran outreach agencies will delight in receiving fresh veggies from your garden.

Still, in my opinion, gardeners the whole world over should be growing sunflowers in solidarity with the millions upon millions of Ukrainian gardeners who won’t be able to do so this year.

While gardeners can help reduce how much world leaders need to worry about surging food and fuel costs, there are those solidarity sunflowers to plant. Fortunately, few plants are easier to grow. Those oc-

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casional seeds dropped by birds around winter feeders sprout by themselves when warmer weather comes around. All you have to do is drop one or three seeds into damp potting soil in a 4-6” container—yogurt containers are great. You don’t even need to remove the shell.

There are several types of sunflowers. The “Ukrainian” type are tall plants with big flowers on single stalks that result in birdseed or can be eaten by gardeners. I think these are the ones to plant, but there are bush types with much smaller flowers and lots of branches, and even cutting types for displays in vases.

Most gardeners only know one kind of sunflower, the golden yellow giants with stout stalks, short petals, and a broad disk that—with the rapt attention of honeybees—becomes a full platter of plump seeds. But there are many other forms now available to American gardeners. One of the reasons sunflowers have become so fashionable is the incredible range of colors and types.

Shortest sunflowers. Perhaps the shortest sunflowers available, though they have full-sized flowers, are Sunspot and Big Smile. Odd as it may seem, these unique plants grow only one to two feet tall but bear full-sized blooms up to a foot across. Better proportioned, but still small enough to charm a child, is Music Box. This mix of colors ranging from creamy yellow to mahogany red is only three feet tall.

Low growers. Only slightly taller, but aimed squarely at flower arrangers, are some of the latest European and Japanese varieties. Sunrich Lemon and Sunrich Orange are two well-named new hybrid sunflowers that grow only 30 to 36 inches tall and, planted at the close spacing appropriate for cut-flower production, produce uniform, black disk blooms that not only hold in the vase but don’t shed pollen on the table like old-fashioned sunflowers. The same is true of Sunbeam, with traditional golden yellow flowers and a unique green center that is very attractive.

(Pollenless flowers are seedless if isolated from other pollen-producing varieties.) Similar, but slightly larger, is the pale yellow German cultivar Valentine, a personal favorite of mine. Other good mid-sized types are Sonja, a gold orange, and Floristan, an autumnal-colored mix, both of which are fine for cutting. A new, dark red cultivar is Prado Red. All of

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these, because of their restrained size, will be at home in mixed bouquets.

Tall sunflowers. Next up on the size scale, growing four to eight feet tall, are a whole range of sunflowers that are useful both for cutting and for general garden and landscape use. Two choice cultivars are Lemon Queen and Velvet Queen, five to six feet tall, with six-inch blooms. Velvet Queen is a deep burgundy red with a black disk. Sol d’Oro (called Sungold in some catalogs) and Orange Sun are a similar height but fully double, with the ray flowers completely crowding out the disk and making the blossoms look like 4-6” pom-poms.

At the high end of this middle range are the mixtures Autumn Beauty, Color Fashion, and Evening Sun, all of which grow six to eight feet tall and contain a wide and wonderful range of colors weighted toward the autumnal shades that are so attractive in the late-summer garden. Our favorite is Autumn Beauty, but all three are sure to please, especially if your garden is small and space is limited. One packet of seed will give you a hedge or a bountiful cutting.

Sunflowers for Cut Flowers Don’t grow the cut-flower types of sunflowers as you do traditional kinds. First, you’ll want to set aside a spot in the garden just for bouquet-making, a place where the flowers can be cut with abandon. Cutting gardens are better if separate from flower borders, where overall plant appearance, not yield, is the goal.

Second, skip the fertilizer and space the plants only six to eight inches apart—at most. Rich soils and wide spacing are the banes of cut-flower types because pampering makes the plants grow much too large and produces flowers of such size that they are hard to use in a bouquet. Some commercial growers space their plants at only three to

four inches! The plants themselves may not look like much, but the blooms will be beautiful, and just the right size for arranging.

Third, plant every two weeks for a continuous crop of flowers.

Most of the cutting-type sunflowers will be ready for harvest just about 60 days from sowing (during the summer) but they don’t last a long time, so you should replant every two weeks if you want a steady supply of blossoms for bouquets.

For maximum vase life, cut sunflowers just as the blossoms begin to open—preferably the day before you need them. Harvest in the early morning, when the plants are still full of moisture from a night’s rest.

Immediately after cutting, remove all but the two or three leaves just below the blossom and plunge the stems directly in a bucket of water.

A teaspoon of sugar per gallon of water will help the blossoms open fully. Change the water when you switch the stems to their final vase, as bacteria thrive in sugar water and will cause the blooms to deteriorate prematurely. Well-grown, promptly harvested, properly treated sunflowers will last 10 to 14 days.

Alas, in times of war there are always symbols of solidarity and grief. Yellow ribbons around trees, Blue Stars in windows. Unfortunately, I am sure you get the idea. This spring, there should be sunflowers out by the mailbox, no matter when you start them. • While all parts of the sunflower are edible, and sunflower oil is delicious, my favorite part of the sunflower to eat is the seed. It’s great as a snack food, in salads, granola, etc. But it makes a great nut butter alternative to peanut butter that causes allergic reactions for many. This is a recipe another CSA farmer shared with me many years ago and I’ve been making it ever since...

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MVL RECIPES

Cinnamon Sunflower Butter

Finding raw sunflower seeds can sometimes be tricky. I’ve had success using bags of roasted/salted seeds, and roasted/ unsalted seeds, as well. If your seeds are already salted, leave out the salt called for in the recipe, instead, salt to taste. If your seeds are already roasted, skip that step.

2 cups raw sunflower seeds 1/4 cup sunflower oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste (or seeds scraped from 2 plump vanilla beans)- vanilla extract is not a good substitute here! Vanilla bean paste works best 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon zest of 1/2 a lemon, optional

Toast the sunflower seeds in a 325 ° oven, on a rimmed baking sheet, until fragrant and golden. You’ll want to stir them once or twice along the way to ensure even roasting.

Let cool for ten minutes.

Puree the seeds in a food processor along with 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, and the sea salt (if using). As the motor runs, drizzle in another 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil.

Scrape down the sides once or twice along the way, you’re aiming for an even, creamy consistency, and it may take some time. Once the mixture starts to look smooth, add the vanilla paste and cinnamon, and pulse to incorporate.

At this point, evaluate the consistency, if your sunflower seed butter is on the thick side, drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of oil while the processor is running.

Taste, and add more salt if needed (and the lemon zest. if using), as well.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

I usually fill 3 half mason jars.

Great for gifting!

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Deansboro Superette

Deansboro Superette has been the social hub of Deansboro since it opened in 1967

When Michelle Peck’s grandfather Anthony Gazzal opened the Deansboro Superette in 1967 on the corner of Routes 12B and 315, it was a typical small-town grocery store. His wife, Helen, managed the store with help from their son, John, who would grow up in the business. Michelle now manages the store like her father did with help from her siblings and daughters, after losing her father last year.

“Everyone misses him. People used to come into the store just to visit with him. I can’t replace my dad.”

Michelle is making a sub sandwich for a customer as she reminisces about her father. She makes it lightning-fast, almost unconsciously. She has been working at the store since she was 9 years old.

“This is all I know,” she concedes. “I’ve seen the kids of the kids of some of our original customers.

They are my family.”

Though Deansboro Superette is famous for its “monster subs,” it is their traditional Syrian food that brings in customers from miles around. Surprisingly, it was decades after the store first opened before they considered offering their family’s traditional foods.

“We used to have college kids from Hamilton and Colgate stop in assuming we would have Middle Eastern food. We just never thought

Michelle Peck (left) with her daughters, Torrie, Sarah, and Alaina and her late father, John Gazzal

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it would be popular around here. Now you see Mediterranean food everywhere.”

Deansboro Superette offers hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, tabouli, and stuffed grape leaves made fresh every day. Their secret: family recipes passed down from Michelle’s late grandmother Helen (Nassimos) Gazzal. Helen’s father, Carmen Nassimos, moved to the United States from Syria and settled in Utica, and opened a small grocery store.

As Michelle is busy slicing tomatoes in the kitchen/deli, another customer walks through the door. “Hi, Sam,” she calls from the back of the store with a smile. While she tends to his food order, a small gathering of customers congregates at the front of the store for a gab session. Her daughter, Torrie Peck (a fourth-generation Gazzal), sits behind the counter with a smile, just like her grandfather did, ready to moderate. •

John and his father, Anthony Gazzal, early 1980s. John’s children and grandchildren are carrying on the tradition of the Deansboro Superette and its Mediterranean food offerings.

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Rt 12B, Deansboro • (315) 841-4377 Open Mon-Fri: 6am-6pm, Sat: 6am-3pm www.deansborosuperette.com

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In 1974, Tim and Peggy Spencer Behrendt set off on an adventure. They began a new life in the woods of Cold Brook, NY, without modern conveniences like electricity or indoor plumbing. These are excerpts and reflections from Peggy’s journal chronicling their adventures and also her childhood memories growing up in Westmoreland.

In the early dusk of late winter days, our daughter, Rebekah walks across the road from her house after work to visit with us and watch a favorite TV program together.

I sometimes suggest that she might be more interested in visiting our kitties, but she insists she loves us all and dangles a string to entertain them while we drink mint tea and chat.

She is the classic “favorite aunt” for other neighbor cats as well, who visit her daily.

They meow mournfully outside while patting on the glass until she benevolently lets them in. She isn’t insulted when one stalks around like a haughty landlord and deigns to eat a treat before demanding to go back out right away. And she’s pleased when the other beggar gobbles the treat then snuggles onto the guest bed in the loft for a long afternoon nap.

When it’s time for Becky to go home, the forest is replete in deep, frigid darkness. Tim insists on escorting her back to make sure she is safe. Yes, she is 57 and has been walking this road since she was 8, but he still feels she needs protection. We’ve tried to convince

him of her independent capabilities but have failed. I think that it’s an instinct so innate, no rationalizing can suppress it.

It’s true, though, that in winter our walkways are often pure ice and falling is a big concern. If you don’t wear cleats or special boots, the safest way to walk on it is to take baby steps and shuffle along slowly. I call it the North Country Shuffle. In Florida, they have a different kind of dance, the No-SeeUm Hop. This dance may be observed nearing dusk when people in shorts linger too long in one spot. It is characterized by the frequent lifting of one’s legs and slapping them with your hands.

I’d prefer to keep cozy at home but if I don’t go with Tim accompanying Becky, Becky will then want to escort Tim back because he is 84 and she thinks he needs protection. When he leaves her at her door, she sometimes secretly and quietly follows her father back to the bend in the road to make sure he’s safe and almost home.

A perk to this is that she gets to listen to him singing—his clear, melodious voice reverberating between majestic spires of snow-draped evergreens, a chanteur processing through the hallway of a great, natural cathedral!

This could go on all night, so I also accompany them, tiredly braving the cold to make sure

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Our cottage looks lonely but we will return in spring

they’re both safe, and there are perks for me as well.

If the sky is clear, I link arms with them so I can walk looking up at the sky (and share body heat) as our boots crunch harshly on the brittle ice. The Adirondacks are one of the remaining areas on earth where light pollution is almost nonexistent. At first, I can only see a planet or two in our solar system with a few of the brighter stars. As my eyes adjust, more and

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Tim and daughter, Rebekah, look out after each other

more stars magically appear; tiny, precious jewels glowing in obsidian velvet.

Soon the entire dome above us fills with points of light more ancient than time and it takes my breath away! One time, a shooting star blazed across my field of view before bursting near the earth and my chills were not from the cold! It really is worth it to move out of our comfort zone sometimes!

This year, we decided that going to camp out in Florida in the winter is too stressful and our 30-year-old truck and 45-year-old camper

are too old to rely on, so we have tried something new. We’ve spent the coldest months of winter in our children’s guest house, Whispering Pine. It’s just up the road a few hundred yards, is lots bigger than our cottage, and sports all the modern amenities that we are not used to; like hot and cold running water, central heat, shower, toilet, etc.

I was afraid to leave our cozy, comfortable, familiar, little home, and procrastinated moving. We managed to stay there last winter, but winter’s daily chores and just the energy needed to keep warm took so much out of us, we had little to spare for having any fun.

But this year, we’ve had the energy to play; play with our great-grandchildren, hike with our children, cross-country ski, build silly snow-people, and just enjoy the magical beauty of winter.

I felt a little guilty about not sticking to our peasant lifestyle. I remember being disappointed when I learned that an admired author of a book on the wonders of north country homesteading had moved to a condo in his later years. But I was still young and couldn’t understand how age diminishes one’s stamina.

Living in Whispering Pine this winter has felt like the epilogue to the classic story where

Cinderella moves into the castle with her Prince. When I wash dishes here it can’t get over how easy and how pleasant it is to have warm water running with the twist of a wrist.

I’m used to using icy cold water poured from a pitcher that I’ve dipped into a larger bucket of water Tim has brought from the creek after chopping a hole in the ice.

And having a toilet! I know it’s not a discreet topic, but I’ll bet many folks in our country don’t realize what a luxury it is to sit on a warm seat in a warm bathroom and not be too concerned with what to do with it afterward (especially in the winter when it’s impossible to bury it.)

There’s also a big refrigerator here right inside in a warm kitchen where I simply open a door instead of kneeling onto the floor to lift the trap door of the root-cellar to get food for our meals!

I was afraid we’d desperately miss the intimacy with the outdoors our cottage lifestyle affords, but we still have huge windows that look out into our forest. What I don’t miss is sitting in my chair with one side of me chilled from the cold that emanates from our cottage walls when temperatures are near zero and below, with only the other half of me comfortably toasty from the heat from the woodstove.

Then there are the frequent draughts of pain-

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fully cold air from our door only a few feet away whenever one of us enters or departs.

Whispering Pine feels like a luxury resort! We spend our winter days in a large, warm room on lazy-boy chairs overlooking the forest through well-insulated, big windows from the second story. It’s a bit like being in a fancy treehouse! We watch birds darting about a bird feeder below and get to see the secret passage of graceful deer strolling among forest byways beyond our yard.

Learning how to keep a fire in the ancient potbelly stove that supplements the gentle, steady We play with our great heat from the oil furnace has been grandchildren interesting, as well as simply “keeping house” in such a large space. I’ve sometimes felt like a newly married housewife, excited about having a nice, new home to keep. I like homemaking!

Will we want to go back to what many would call “camping out” after living this luxury? Yes, we plan to return in the spring to the tiny cottage in the forest by the woodland brook that we built out of youthful dreams and hard work so long ago. Without the op-

We have enough energy to play in the snow

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pressive cold to fend off, we will be comfortable and reasonably content with meaningful chores and activities to pursue until next winter. Once again, we will get our water by dipping a bucket into translucent, flowing waters amid the return of cheery chatter and songs of excited forest birds. We will hold the new handrail for support as we ascend the lopsided steps from the creek as we carry this precious treasure home. Our chores will keep us active, strong, and engaged with meaning.

We know that one day, if we live long enough, we will probably want and need to stay in Whispering Pine all year and know how lucky we are to have this option thanks to the benevolence of our children. Perhaps we’ll rename it; “Home for Tired Behrs,” but for now, it’s the Winter Castle of Shawangunk for Cinderella and her Prince. •

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the writings of richard D. enders

Conversations With my Father By richard enders (1941-2021)

EXCERPT FROM PATENT PENDING – CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER

chapter 4 Utica Catholic Academy High School. Sister Gertrude. Now there was a woman. Top-shelf teacher. Never referred to us by our first names. Once, when I was standing at a urinal in the boys’ room she came barging in, unannounced, her Daughters of Charity garb swooshing, and her winged headgear flapping, as she sought out her prey.

“All right Jonesie, where are you? How’s your memory today? Remember my science lesson about fumes? The one about smoke always rising? Ready or not, here I come. Flush it down the toilet, Jonesie. Right now. And I’ll take the rest of the pack, if you don’t mind. That’s the temple of the Lord you’re fooling with and its destruction will not be tolerated. Not on my watch. We’ll discuss your punishment after school. Now march yourself to the principal’s office, Jonesie, and sit there until lunch hour is over.”

She turned to me, “Don’t worry Enders. I grew up with seven brothers.”

I have to admit that I never felt the same about it again, knowing that a nun had seen it.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure she saw anything. When she came in that boys’ room, I tucked it away like jack lightning and she was moving like gooses#!t through a tin horn. But, I’ll never know. It’ll always rank right up there with the mystery of the holy trinity. Are they?

Or aren’t they? Did she? Or didn’t she?

Did you hear what they said yesterday morning?

(Acts out the presentation of the flag at the graveside service) “This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation, as a token of our appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by your loved one.”

A “grateful nation.” Wow. You were right, dad. No generation escapes fear. That’s been true from the time cave-dwellers worried every day about keeping warm, finding food, and avoiding death at the hands of neighboring cave-dwellers or savage animals or unknown diseases.

Remember our greatest fear back then? In Cornhill?

Polio. Infantile paralysis. Because we went to Catholic school, it was assumed that none of us would ever catch it. Which was probably my first realization that being Catholic carried no guarantees. Why else would Carol have caught polio?

From the time I got word of her being sick until the time Jonas Salk became a household

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name, I’d picture Carol in an iron lung. And whenever I walked to school, I would hold my breath from the time I passed the McManus’s until I passed Carol’s house and rounded the corner onto James Street.

I was germ-free. My problem was solved.

Until one day when my legs hurt so that I fell five times coming home from school. The doctor came to our house a couple of times, arranged some tests, and then he checked my legs one last time.

“Mr. and Mrs. Enders, it’s not polio.” “Oh, thank God!” “It’s rheumatic fever.”

When you all left my room, I heard him saying something about my heart. Which was really confusing because it was my knees that hurt. Then I heard him say you had to keep me in bed. For three months. I was to get out of bed for nothing. Nothing.

It wasn’t so bad, really. Except for the bedpan and that silly-shaped bottle I had to pee in. Oops. That silly shaped bottle into which I had to pee.

And, of course, there was the best gift ever. The mutt that snuggled her way into permanent residence in the middle bedroom at 1569 Seymour Avenue.

Canine audience for all my private theatrical productions. A captive audience of one. Boots.

Mom never missed sprinkling holy water over my bed every night, or the traditional Catholic prayers, followed by “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I much preferred the other nightcap that both of you would whisper at the doorway: “Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.” After all, I didn’t relish the idea of dying in my sleep. And I knew there were no bedbugs in my bed. A few fleas perhaps. But no bedbugs.

The confinement proceeded without incident but spilled over into the summer. Sister Marie James saw to it that I did all my homework and graduated from third grade with a 97.5 average. In September, she welcomed the pale, forever-now-to-be-handled-with-kid-gloves Richard back to school.

One of my happiest memories was finding out she’d be my fourth-grade teacher. •

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On the farm with Suzie

On Farm Kids and Driving

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Margaret turns 16 this month and can’t wait to be a fully licensed driver This month marks a rather auspicious birthday for our youngest daughter. Margaret is turning 16 and cannot wait to be a fully licensed driver.

Of course, she is no different from many kids her age. I was no different, either. A driver’s license meant the opportunity to get out of the house on my own terms and time schedule, to see my friends, and do things without being tethered to my parents. It also meant getting a job, a paycheck, and freedom.

As a farm kid, Margaret has been driving all sorts of equipment from a pretty young age—younger than perhaps many non-farm parents would think is appropriate. She started driving our electric golf cart around our fields at the tender age of seven. She was maybe ten years old when she eagerly volunteered to drive the skid steer and move hay bales while Dad baled. She now wraps bales using our New Holland TS110 and gladly drives our cars or pickup truck up around the farm.

She is fearless.

Much of this confidence is due to her experiences on the farm. She can parallel park, use her side mirrors, even back up a trailer—which is far more than I could say for me 10 years ago, much less at her age. She has even started “shopping” for her first vehicle.

My husband Peter remembers learning how to drive his grandpa’s little John Deere 2020. He was 12 or so at the time and would spend summers on his grandparents’ beef and grain operation in Willmar, Minnesota. He loved to help mix the cows’ rations and feed them, all under Grandpa Heymer’s watchful eye.

Before driving the tractor, little Peter would ride behind the seat, standing behind Grandpa while pulling the mixer. In retrospect, it was an extraordinarily dangerous place to be. If he had slipped, he would have fallen onto the spinning PTO or slipped under the heavy tires.

All of these scenarios are dangerous, of course. And despite best efforts on the part of their parents, farm kids are often exposed to potentially hazardous situations.

I believe I have written about this before—how farm families 1.) are accustomed to using the equipment on their farms and over time become relatively comfortable with a certain measure of risk and how to manage it and 2.) teach their children who are exposed to these risks how to stay safe, allowing them to learn and help on the farm as their age and abilities increase.

That is not to say farm accidents do not happen. They

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Peter with his dad, 1974 do. In fact, according to the US Government Accountability Office, more than half of the kids (ages 15-17) that died in work-related accidents from 2003-2016 were working in agriculture. Considering that such a small minority of the population works on farms, this is an alarming statistic. Operating machinery or driving ATVs and other vehicles accounted for a large portion of those fatalities.

Growing up in town, I did not learn how to drive until my dad took me out for my first lesson in our 1981 Ford Escort station wagon. Simultaneously driving a manual transmission, checking my mirrors, obeying traffic laws, and avoiding accidents were stressful!

I had no concept of my vehicle’s size or its power, and curbs seemed to appear out of nowhere for me to hit. I was unaccustomed to listening to the engine and understanding when to shift gears. The entire experience could not have felt more foreign. Meanwhile, my dad chuckled at me the entire time; he knew I would get it eventually.

Ask anyone who grew up on a farm about their experiences and I think you will hear how much they loved the freedom, the opportunity to add value by helping out, and working hard. They also likely gained an enormous amount of confidence in their physical and spatial abilities. It is where they learned the mechanics of engines large and small—and how to pull things apart in order to fix them. There is a can-do, independent streak woven into every farm kid.

It is hard to watch as our youngest daughter grows up and takes those big, next steps. But we have given her 16 years of responsibilities and learning opportunities. Our Margaret is more than ready to pass the written exam and prepare for her road test. She is better prepared than most! • Suzie Jones and her husband, Peter, own Jones Family Farm in Herkimer. Together, with their children, they produce specialty goat cheeses and gelato. Find them at local farmers’ markets and online at www.anotherjonesfamilyfarm.com

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It was cold and snowing, but somehow the birdsong I was hearing made it seem more springlike. It was March 3, 1996, and I had set out into the woods at Sherrill Brook Park to find owls. As I continued into the woods and got closer to the gorge, I looked up to see a Great Horned Owl. She was perched on an open branch 30 feet high on a trailside tree. I thought it was interesting that an owl could be in such an obvious and exposed place and yet no crows were harassing it. No sooner did I have that thought than I began to hear crows calling nearby. Indeed, the crows had discovered the owl at the same time I had. That was probably no accident; the crows had likely been monitoring my movements and I led them to the raptor. That’s right, the woods have eyes! The owl, already irritated due to my presence, now had the added vexation of the crows. Swiveling her head, she looked back-and-forth between me and the crows a few times. She then flew in the direction of the field border. A little later, when I went back in that direction, I saw the owl again. The crows had caught up with her and their taunting and mobbing were relentless. The owl flew again, closely flanked by her tormentors. The raucous chain snaked back into the deep woods. I wondered if she had a nest somewhere in the gorge. I found a potential candidate nest about 40 feet high in a Hemlock tree. The nest’s construction told me it had originally been made by a Gray Squirrel. However, it could have been re-purposed by a Great Horned Owl (Great Horned Owls never build their own nests). Still, I found no sign of recent habitation. There were no feathers around the site, nor did I see any regurgitated pellets or “whitewash”. Unless it was very

recently adopted, it was most likely not the owl’s nest, but I noted the location and would check it again another day.

Tuesday, March 5th was again cold and wintry. It snowed consistently through the morning. I checked around the west section of Sherrill Brook Park to see if I could find any owls. I immediately saw an adult Northern Shrike songbird on a high perch by the road, but no owls. I left and headed to a wooded swamp in Clinton. There I was looking specifically for a Great Horned Owl nest I had seen the previous year. For a half-hour I meandered through the snow-covered swamp, peering up into trees, hoping the nest was still there, all the while trying not to break through the ice. I finally found it! With my binoculars, I could make out some down feathers poking out of the nest, but the structure looked uninhabited. Crows were calling from a distance and that gave me hope there was an owl somewhere in the woods. I kept breaking through the ice and there was no way to tell how deep the water was underneath. As it was, I nearly sunk below my boot line several times. From a distance, I saw no “whitewash” or any pellets at the base of the nest tree, but any such sign could have easily been hidden by fresh snow. After I moved some distance away, I turned back to watch the nest. Moments later a group of crows came in pursuit of a Great Horned Owl. I got a fair look at the large bird which likely was the female owl I had watched the year before. I thought about waiting to see if she came to the nest, but it was snowing harder by then and I had disturbed the nest site enough.

The snow was nearly unrelenting that winter, but on Saturday, March 9th, the sun occasionally

Individual Barred Owls can be identified by their unique “barcodes,” not unlike fingerprints broke through, and it snowed only lightly. There were two feet of snow on the ground and that meant I would need my snowshoes. I went to the west park woods at 6:45am. I was searching for a Barred owl I had seen in that area some days before. I made a zigzagging course, off-trail, going through the woods and towards the hemlock gorge, but I didn’t find anything. However, on my way out through the wetland, I saw the figure of a large owl perched very low on a snag. He wasn’t that far from the road. It was a Great Gray Owl, a denizen of the far north and Northwest. I wasn’t that surprised to see this rarity since I had found one the previous week on the opposite side of the park. I initially thought it was a different bird, darker than the first, but based on plumage details, I concluded it was the same individual. The bird’s chest showed light horizontal barring overlaid by darker, thicker, vertical barring. His flight feathers showed a tight pattern of alternating brown and cream-colored stripes. His back showed a similar motif but faint-

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er. It more resembled gray herringbone overlaid that flew over and he twisted and tilted his head with a regular pattern of brown spots. I noted the to track them. After watching him for a half-hour, rough edges on his flight feathers. Of course, this I retreated to the car and parked where I could obis the secret of silent flight the Great Gray shares serve him from a warmer place. I decided not to with other owl species. His facial disk showed a inform anyone about his presence. Unfortunatetight pattern of dark concentric circles. Most dis- ly, photographers and bird watchers become too tinctive was a stark intrusive when it comes to white “chalk line” rare birds – particularly owls. which marks the diSince the Great Gray has no vision between his fear of people, he could be chest and head. In seriously endangered by the the middle of that crowd. People may inhibit his line, right below hunting and cause him to fly the bill, is a black into danger. Particularly giv“bow tie” mark. en how deep the snow was, This owl looks like he should be left alone to conhe has on a white The Northern Saw Whet’s call is similar to a Screech Owl’s centrate on survival. shirt and tie! Like In the afternoon I returned the Barred Owl, the to check on the Great Gray Great Gray lacks the Owl. By then it had become prominent feathered ear tufts of the Great Horned windier. Lake effect snow squalls were interOwl. The Great Gray is often considered the largest spersed with sunny breaks. It was still quite cold. I of North American owls, but, at 2.5 pounds, they strapped on my snowshoes and walked down the typically weigh less than Great Horned Owls (3.2 trail to the west park woods. I saw nothing of owls pounds). Their apparent larger size is attributable or songbirds. I heard only a solitary Brown Creepto their over-generous coat of feathers. I watched er give a soft high-pitched call note. I walked to the perched bird as it peered intently at the ground. the wetland area where I had seen the owl earlier With his finely attuned hearing augmented by his in the day. It was not hard to relocate. He was on facial disk, he was trying to detect the movements a low perch, 15 feet high, and close to the trunk of of prey beneath the snow. At one point, he turned a scrub elm. I leaned up against a tree and settled his head back-and-forth near 260 degrees. He then down to observe him. He was initially quite sleepy itched his head with his large feather-covered foot. with eyes half-closed. Still, occasionally, he casuHe knew I was there but showed little interest in ally twisted his head around to look at one thing me. He was much more interested in the crows or another. He yawned a few times which made

me yawn too! His down feathers were fluffed out and were being ruffled by the wind. At one point he became fully alert, and he began to direct his attention in various directions – one after the other. He took an interest in the place in the snow directly above my submerged boots. For a moment I believe he thought my foot was a mouse under the snow. Fortunately, he didn’t try to catch that mouse! Instead, he shifted his attention towards the ground in another direction. He was peering so intently I expected him to pounce at any second, but he didn’t and soon relaxed. At one point he shifted his body on the branch, revealing his well-feathered legs and feet. It was then that I saw his black talons gripping the branch. Then, looking straight ahead, he moved his head up and down and in an exaggerated circular pattern (clockwise).

He did this a few times before settling back down.

He lifted his tail and defecated, which is something raptors occasionally do just before they fly, but he did not fly. He opened his mouth a few times and I thought he was going to bring up a pellet, but that didn’t happen either. And then, for the first time, he seemed to notice me, and he gave me an intense, penetrating look. That lasted only a minute and then he reverted to his usual indifference, and to not even looking over when I made a noise or adjusted my gear. All in all, it was a rather surreal scene, particularly during a sunny break, when a swirl of light snow drifted around him and sparkled in the air like fairy dust. The giant owl looked all the larger among the stunted wetland trees and for a moment I felt like I had been transported to his boreal domain in the far north. I imagined the

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“We’ll Take Care Of You” Rare Great Gray Owl. Its flight feathers have rough edges that make for silent flight. owl’s mate on a nearby nest, brooding young, and waiting for a food delivery. And then, the sound of a vehicle on the highway disrupted the illusion. The owl and I both turned our heads to watch a town sander truck go by. Not wanting to outstay my welcome, I left the owls’ audience and headed home. The snow and clouds prevailed once more, and wind gusts rocked the trees back and forth. I would return another day.

Sunday the 10th began with light snow flurries. Temperatures quickly climbed into the 30s and the sky broke to reveal the sun.

I went out at 6:45am to look for birds. My first stop was the west park woods to look for the Great Gray. I hiked to the place where I saw the bird the day before. After a few minutes I saw him; he was closer to the road this time and was perched on a very low snag. He took little notice of me but was otherwise alert. While I watched, he flew to several other perches including one on the other side of the highway. On the south side of the road, on another low perch, in full view of traffic, he set about hunting. He angled his head down and focused his feathered dish array directly onto the snow beneath him.

If there was prey beneath the deep snow, he would be able to detect its sounds and movements. At one point, a crow flew in and perched in a tree above him. It gave a few harsh “kaaaw” calls to alert its distant brethren of the location of the predator. The owl looked up and snapped its bill in a threatening manner. The crow abruptly lifted off but returned shortly thereafter with a raucous posse. The owl was not up for the harassment and retreated. He flew low across the highway and disappeared into the dense forest on the north side of the swamp.

On Tuesday the 12th I set out at 6:20am. I started at Sherrill Brook Park. The temperature was in the low double digits, but a warm-up was in the forecast. The first bird I saw that morning was a Barred Owl. It was perched in a large deciduous tree about 25 feet high and sitting very close to the trunk. The bird didn’t move but had its gaze fixed on me, usually through half-closed eyes. I had seen a different Barred Owl in that very spot the week before. That individual had a single buff-colored feather on one shoulder which was very distinctive. At that time, I was trying to distinguish individual Barred Owls by memorizing the pattern of bars on their breasts.

This individual had 11 finger-like bars on the upper part of his chest.

The bars were like fingerprints, or like a barcode. I watched this inactive bird for about 20 minutes, and he watched me the entire time although he may have fallen asleep at one point. Interestingly, when a squawking crow flew directly over him, he didn’t even look up.

Contrast that with the behavior of the Great Gray Owl who turned his head at every crow that passed. The whole morning to that point I had been hearing crows in the distance and it was clear they were harassing someone. Moving as stealthily as I could in the deep snow, I made my way to the gorge to investigate. Unfortunately, I was not quite stealthy enough. A large Great Horned Owl lifted from a grove of Hemlocks on the side of the gorge and flew to the east with an explosion of shrieking crows trailing behind. That evening, I took a walk in the Kirkland Woods. Again, I was looking and listening for owls. Just before dark, I heard two Great Horned Owls calling backand-forth almost incessantly. The female’s call is higher-pitched than the male’s call, and so I could tell who was who. Great Horned Owls had nested in those woods in the past and I was hoping I could find their new nest, but I couldn’t do it in the dark. Eastern Screech Owls and Barred Owls are also known to breed there but I wasn’t finding

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them. Perhaps they were intimidated by the omnipresent Great Horns. I did at one point hear a soft “tu tu tu tu” call, which I was reasonably sure was a Screech Owl, but I couldn’t rule out the Northern Saw Whet Owl, which also could be inhabiting those woods and it has a similar-sounding call in its repertoire.

On Thursday the 14th, the sky was cloudy. The temperature started out in the 30s and by the end of the morning, it had risen to 50°. I entered the park woods at 6:20am. Once again, I was searching for owls. I heard my first Song Sparrow of the season. I had been seeing a few around throughout the winter but this was the first one I heard give a full-throated song. Robins and Brown Creepers were singing also. In the west park woods, I saw a Barred Owl perched 15 feet high in a maple tree on a branch that went over the trail. I got a nice close look and determined that my method of identifying individuals by their “barcodes” was not always going to work. The pattern of this bird’s chest barring was diffuse and irregular, and I couldn’t count the bars. However, I could tell it was a different individual from the one I saw the day before. This bird was shyer, and after only a few minutes, it escaped into the deep woods. All was not lost because I soon came upon another Barred Owl. By its barcode, I could easily determine it was the same individual I had seen the day before. Like the last time, the bird was not disturbed by my presence and even dozed off while I was watching him. By the number of Barred Owl sightings I was having in this area, I was almost certain there was a nest somewhere close by. This species typically nests in tree cavities. I had a look around in the woods but found no good candidate sites.

Saturday, March 16th began sunny and cold, but the temperature eventually crept up to 30°. I set out into the west park woods at 6:15am, and this time I easily found the Great Gray Owl. He was hunting in the same wetland area where I had found him before. Interestingly, he wasn’t the only owl in that area. There was a Barred Owl perched in the woods about 100 yards away. I decided to check out the Barred Owl first. This individual was not either of the last two owls I had seen, but the one with the buff feather I had encountered the previous week. The pattern of bars on its chest was very regular. This owl was watching me, but didn’t look worried, and stayed in place while I walked around. I checked for the other two Barred Owls but did not find them. However, I could hear crows harassing something not far

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away. Maybe it was another Barred or perhaps it was the Great Horned Owl I saw the other day. In the wetland, the Great Gray was actively hunting, and he changed perches often. He was alert to each sound, from the creaking of trees to the vehicles passing by on the nearby road. His head was on a swivel, and he watched each crow that flew over.

Two did pause to harass him, but their hearts were not in it and the mobbing was brief. Certainly, they were not merciless in their persecution like they are with Great Horned Owls. They seem to know that the Great Gray is no real threat to them. While the Great Horned Owl takes a very wide range of prey, including crows, which they will attack in their nests at night, the Great Gray limits its menu to small rodents. The Great Gray was seen making two strikes at the ground but was unsuccessful in catching anything. When preparing to strike he would first bend his head down towards the ground. Next, he would plunge feet first into the snow, attempting to grasp the unseen victim in his talons. It seemed an impossible task, but owls can do it even when the snow is deep. As usual, he showed little more than a passing interest in what I was doing, and I didn’t get too close, so I didn’t disturb his hunting.

Late in the afternoon, I visited the Great Gray once more. He was actively hunting in the same wetland. I saw him change perches many times.

By this time, the setting sun was filtering through the trees, barely illuminating the owl, and I hoped there was enough light for my camera to work with. During the shoot, at one point, the owl rather dramatically opened his bill at me. Was that a threat or was he yawning? Shortly after that, he flew onto a perch much closer to me, which meant he probably wasn’t peeved. The wind was blowing, and his fluffy down feathers were catching it and ruffling on his underside. At one point he dove down, plunged his talons into the snow, sunk deep, and caught something. With little effort, he rose from the white powder and flew away towards the tree line. I believe he didn’t want to risk sharing his prize with me. I left with the owl distant but still in view and with my useless camera dangling around my neck.

That year I continued to pay attention to owls, but soon my concentration became split between them and all the migrant songbirds and waterfowl returning to the region. What strikes me now, looking back at these quarter-century-old experiences, was how relatively easy it was to find owls back then. So many other birds were also easier to find

Great Gray Owl by Dave Cesari during that time. Indeed, in many ways, we live in quite a different world today – one in which birdlife is not so abundant. Of course, some of the areas I used to frequent have since been developed, and the habitats were destroyed. Over the last two decades, factors such as disease (particularly West Nile Virus) have done their part to significantly whittle down owl populations. However, there remains a cause for hope. Even while I’ve been writing this article, I’ve been intermittently serenaded by an Eastern Screech Owl that likes to perch in one of the backyard apple trees. Hopefully, the future is brighter for owls, and they will one day become as plentiful as they once were. At our nature preserve, we have done a lot to create habitat for them. We’ve reforested old fields and planted some dense groves of conifers. We’ve installed owl nest boxes and have established a healthy prey base. We shall see if someday we can match the number and diversity of owls I experienced back in the winter of 1996. •

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GALLERY GUIDE

Detail from the painting “Quiet Time in Maine” by Ann Larsen, one of the paintings in the 71st Annual Central Adirondack Art Show at View Center for the Arts in Old Forge this month.

Al Hirschfeld: Caricaturist to the Stars

A Fossil Imagined, George Hendrickson

April 1–September 11, 2022

On view by appointment April 4–May 13, 2022 4 Elements Studio

During his eight-decade career, Hirschfeld gained fame by illustrating the actors, singers, and dancers of Broadway plays, films, and popular entertainment.

His portfolio reads as a who’s who of 20th-century entertainers.

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Fenimore Art Museum

5798 Hwy 80, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-1400 • fenimoreartmuseum.org

Abstractions of Nature, Eric Shute & Collin Blackmore

Fred Aataire and Ginger Rogers, 1987. Al Hirschfeld.

Lithograph. The Nocciolino Collection.

Larry Migliori & Maria Ringlund, Siblings’ Photography

Through April 30, 2022

Kirkland Art Center

April 1–29, 2022 Reception: Friday, April 8, 5:30-7:30pm Fusion Art Gallery

Open: Tues & Thurs: 10-2, Sat: 1-4 E. Park Row, Clinton, NY (315) 853-8871 kacny.org

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Unchained: Allan Rohan Crite, Spirituality and Black Activism

Current Circumstances Paintings by John Fitzsimmons

Through May 8, 2022

Through May 31, 2022 Artist reception Sunday, April 24, 2-4pm

The first exhibition to explore how the spiritual art of Allan Rohan Crite (1910–2007) reflected the African American quest for racial justice in the years leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.

New works and recent figurative works.

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Made in Paint IX

These Aren’t the Paintings You’re Looking For

Gallery repens April 9, 2022

The Sam & Adele Golden Gallery

Through April 24, 2022,

Golden Artist Colors 188 Bell Rd., New Berlin, NY www.thesagg.org

A group exhibition of work by the artists Steve Ellis, Scott Woolsey, Julian Caso and Monte Wilson

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The Other Side

PrattMWP Gallery

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2011 Genesee St., Utica, NY Hours: Thurs: 12-3pm, Sat: 12-3pm or by appointment, masks required www.theothersideutica.org

Central Adirondack Art Show

Yashua Klos: Our Labour

April 2-June 5, 2022

Through June 12, 2022

Along-standing Old Forge tradition.

Wellin Museum of Art

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Catering Club Monarch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 RoSo’s Cafe & Catering . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Willie’s The Original Bagel Cafe . . . . . . 13

Garden Centers and Greenhouses Aceti’s Classic Gardens . . . . . . . . . . 9 Casler Flower Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Green Lakes Home & Garden . . . . . . . 7 Juliano’s Farm and Greenhouses . . . . . . . . . 28 Szarek Succulent Shack . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CBD Products RAW ADK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Utica Hemp, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Charities House of the Good Shepherd . . . . . . . 20 Cheese (See Produce, Local)

General Contractors Ed Smith Contractor and Handyman . . . . . . . 21 Gift Shops/Shopping The Artisans’ Corner, Clinton . .

Between Us Sisters . . . . . . .

Fusion Art Gallery . . . . .

Shoppes at the Finish Line . .

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22 17 27 17

Jewelry Alison’s Jewelry & Repair . . . . . . . . . 31 Fall Hill bead & Gem . . . . . . . . . . 39 Goldmine Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Lighting Mills Electrical Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Liquor Stores and Wine Ilion Wine & Spirits . . . . . . . . . . .

Brimfield Farm Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Prospect Falls Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Trenton Station Liquor & Wine . . . . . . . . .

36 24 19 41

Maple Syrup (See Produce) Meats (See Delis) Media Weekly Adirondack . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Monuments & Memorials Yorkville Memorials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Musical Instrument Sales, Rentals, Lessons Big Apple Music . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Natural Food Stores Cooperstown Naturals . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Peter’s Cornucopia . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Optometrists Towpath Vision Care . . . . . . . . . 10 Paint and Painting Supplies Urbanik’s Paint & Wallpaper Co. . . . . . . . 37 Physical Therapy Achievement Therapy & Wellness . . . . . . . 38 Inertia PT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Pizzerias DiCastro’s Brick Oven . . . . . . . . . . 12 Primo Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Tony’s Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Pools and Spas Swan Pools & Spas . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Primitives Between Us Sisters . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Butternut Barn . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

45

Produce, Local Ben & Judy’s Sugarhouse .

Grassy Cow Dairy . . . .

Horn’s Family Farm . . .

Jewett’s Cheese . . . . . .

Shaw’s Maple Products . . .

Stoltzfus Family Dairy . . .

Tibbits Maple . . . . . . .

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26 32 . . . 8 . . . 26 . . . 39 . . . 32 . . . 24

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Quilt and Yarn Shops/Services Tiger Lily Quilt Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Real Estate Agents Howard Hanna .

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Restaurants and Cafés (See also Diners) Ann St. Deli . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Black Stallion Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . .

Club Monarch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DiCastro’s Brick Oven . . . . . . . . . . .

Karam’s Middle East Bakery . . . . . . .

Killabrew . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ohio Tavern . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Phoenician Restaurant . . . . . . . . . .

RoSo’s Cafe & Catering . . . . . . . . . .

Route 69 Steakhouse . . . . . . . .

Sammy and Annie Foods . . . . . . .

Willie’s The Original Bagel Cafe . . . . . .

The Willows . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 13 7 12 13 12 11 12 13 12 12 13 13

Septic Installation and Repairs Yanuk Excavating . . . .

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Sharpening (Tools and Blades) Ron’s Sharpening . . . . .

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Shoes Karaz Shoes .

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GOODSELL MUSEUM Local Adirondack History

2993 State Route 28 Old Forge, NY 13420

315-369-3838 www.webbhistory.org Headquarters of the Town of Webb Historical Association

Mohawk Valley Native Kim Bass’ Film Receives Nationwide Release

Tyson’s Run opened at the Marquee Cinemas in New Hartford and in theaters nationwide on March 11. Mohawk Valley native Kim Bass wrote, directed, and produced the inspiring family drama about a 15-year-old boy who doesn’t let autism hold him back. The film is expected to be available on other traditional viewing platforms starting in late May.

Signs Whistle Post Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Storage Sheds & Garages Pleasant View Structures .

Shafer & Sons . . .

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40 10

Tents and Awnings Brownie’s Tent and Awnings . . . . . . . . . . 26 Trailers and Recreational Vehicles Boulevard Trailers . . . .

Tree Services and Tree Farms Rick Turk Tree Service .

Vermicompost Devine Gardens

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Yogurt Stoltzfus

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Wineries Prospect

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Weddings and Banquets Club Monarch . . .

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last month’s crossword solution Answer to last month’s puzzle about “the first sign of spring” is: Snowdrops—Snowdrops are one of the very first flowers to appear, often peeking up through the snow.

Winner: Valerie Ingerham 46

Answer to last month’s puzzle about what to call a procession during the year’s 3rd month: March March Our winner is Raymond Roback of Clinton He chose Ramon’s Bakery for his shopping spree

Keeping Mohawk Valley Living on the road for years!

Steet Toyota

Steet-Ponte Ford Lincoln

Steet-Ponte Mazda

Steet-Ponte Volkswagen

Steet-Ponte Chevrolet

United Auto Sales

Steet Toyota of Johnstown

Steet-Ponte Nissan

Yorkville (315) 736-8241

Yorkville (315) 927-5081

Herkimer (315) 866-5080

Johnstown (518) 762-7222

Yorkville (315) 736-3381

Yorkville (315) 736-8291

Yorkville (315) 736-3361

Yorkville (315) 864-7500

Welcome to the Steet Ponte Auto Group family, Steet-Ponte NIssan!

Steet-Ponte autogroup

Stop in today and see why it’s so easy to do business with us! www.steetponteautogroup.com

M

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