The Journal Holiday 2023 by publisher-milfordjournal

Living Upriver Uniting the Upper Delaware River Region of PA, NJ & NY

Holiday 2023

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Holiday 2023

Cover Line

Fireplace warmth inside the home of J Morgan Puett. From the book, Living Upriver. Photo by Barbara de Vries

Publisher & Editor

Amy Bridge publisher@milfordjournal.com

Associate Editor

Graphic Design

B’Ann Bowman

Maureen Taylor

Editorial Readers Robert Bowman Amy Smith

Advertising Team

Amy Bridge amy@milfordjournal.com Susan Mednick susanmed2@optonline.net

Kimberly Hess kimberlyhess212@gmail.com

The Journalists

The Poet

Barbara de Vries • Bob Chernow Alison Porter • Will Voelkel • David Richard George Kibildis • Eric Francis

Norma Ketzis Bernstock

Mission The tri-state upper Delaware River highlands and valleys are a place of rare beauty… Seeing the region and living in it almost aren’t enough. Such beauty should be captured on canvas or film so that one can truly appreciate it, glimpse it in the quiet of an art gallery or museum, or between the pages of a poetry book or literary sketch. The Journal Group’s mission is to capture these momentary snapshots of beauty graphically and through the written word. We celebrate our area and the uniqueness of the people who live and work in the tri-state region. From Pike to Wayne and Monroe to Lackawanna Counties in Pennsylvania, upriver to Sullivan County and on to Orange County in New York, and to the headwaters of the Wallkill River and

along Warren and Sussex Counties’ rolling hills in New Jersey, with quaint, historic towns and hamlets at the center, the Journal Group opens its doors to our communities, businesses and organizations, to serve as a communicative journal of all that we have to offer for those who live here and for those who love to visit us, too.

Publication Information The Journal Group publishes The Journal ten times a year and distributes it in eight counties in PA, NJ and NY. We assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission. We reserve the right to refuse to print advertisements that we deem inappropriate. All rights reserved.

Contents

Holiday 2023

12 • art • Barbara de Vries 18 • food • Gathering Family 22 • history • Whole Forests 28 • life • Fantasy World 34 • nature • Beautiful Spurge 6 • journal entry 7 • poem 10 • around the towns 38 • reflections 40 • market scope 42 • signs 5

Journal Entry

“Some people are worth melting for.” From the movie, Frozen

s the year draws to an end, I contemplate the friendships I have and have had in my life. Where would we be without friends?

There’s a certain chemistry that attracts two people, taking them from stranger to acquaintance, and into a solid bond of friendship. It’s primeval, an instinctual force that draws us toward one another—seeking commonality, yet respecting and embracing our differences at the same time. “We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is, at last, a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindness there is at last one which makes the heart run over.” This poignant quote was written by Ray Bradbury in his dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451. Of course, family ties are important. People like to say that blood is thicker than water, but if you are one of the fortunate ones, family members are friends too. We talk about some friends as being “like family.” My sister has been lucky to have a group of five friends from high school that have remained true friends for over forty years. They call themselves “the six pack.” They’re always there for each other at major life events and make a point of having a reunion for a few days every year to honor their friendships, even traveling across the country to be together. 6

Through the years, friendships have been immortalized in books, plays, movies, songs, and poetry. Shakespeare was believed to have said, “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” I believe that there can be different friends for different stages of our lives. Some, but very few, are with us all the way through. Friends don’t have to share the same age, faith, color, or even gender. They can be someone you work with, or a friend of a friend. They can share hobbies or not. There are no rules when it comes to friendship except to know that true friends can count on and trust in one another. To all my friends that have had my back this year, again I say thank you. I wish everyone a beautiful, friend-filled holiday season and a happy new year!

Amy Best holiday wishes from B’Ann, Susan, Kim, and Moe at The Journal.

Poem

Gatekeepers Have you ever heard nighttime murmurs, seen tulips mysteriously bend, tall grasses sway in unstirred air? Do you wonder where lost trinkets go, why dogs sniff and bark in a frenzy when nothing’s there? Sequestered by the speckled shade of a towering oak nestled between two boulders on a mound of soft green moss sits a fragile woodland dwelling. Search for the door into a magic space occupied by winged faeries, omens of good fortune. Honor this home of mythological souls who offer protection from the world’s evils. Leave an offering of flowers or shiny baubles for these gatekeepers of happiness and peace. - Norma Ketzis Bernstock This poem and the faerie house above, constructed by Phyllis Chekenian, were produced for the art project, “Magical Homes for Fairies and Gnomes,” sponsored by the Wayne County Arts Alliance.

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Around the Towns Holiday Issue

Through December 30th Fridays–Sundays 5–8 p.m. Holiday Lights in Bloom. Orange County Arboretum, Thomas Bull Memorial Park, Montgomery, NY. Free. Info: www.orange countygov.com.

Through December 31st 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Holiday Market. Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ. Info: 973.948.5200, www.petersvalley.org.

Through January 4th Small Works & Crafts for the Holiday Season. Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council, Newton, NJ. Exhibition & sale. Info: 973.383.0027, www.scahc.org.

November 30th–December 3rd Thursday–Sunday 7 p.m. The Gift of the Magi. Dingman Ferry Theatre, Akenac Park, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Heart-warming romantic comedy. $10. Info: dingmansferrytheatre.com.

December 1st–3rd Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. German Christmas Market. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. $7–$10. Raising funds to give back to the community. Info: 973.534.8628, www.germanchristmas market.com.

Friday 6:00–7:30 p.m. Saturday 1:00–2:30 p.m. & 6:00–7:30 p.m. Sunday 1:00–2:30 p.m. A Christmas Carol. Grey Towers, Milford, PA. $15–$30. A theatrical production. Info: 570.296.9630, greytowers.org.

Friday 7 p.m. Saturday Noon & 5 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m.

Books & Literary Gifts New & Used Books & Special Orders Wednesday-Sunday 10:30-4:30

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The Nutcracker. Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, Chester, NY. $18–$45. Info: 845.469.7000, www.sugarloafpacny.com.

December 2nd Saturday 9 a.m.–noon Breakfast with Santa. American Legion Post 851, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Pictures with Santa, gifts for children 12 and under. Reservations: 570.213.2593.

10 a.m.–2 p.m. Holly Days Craft Fair. Dingman Delaware Elementary School, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Jewelry, wood crafts, ornaments & more. Presented by DDES PTA. Music, Santa & Mrs. Claus. Info: Facebook: DDES PTA.

10 a.m.–7 p.m. Light Up Milford. Milford, PA. Activities, cookie swaps, photo booths, tree lighting with Santa. Info: milfordpa.us.

Noon–1:30 p.m. Over and Under the Snow. Van Scott Nature Reserve, Beach Lake, PA. Reading of the story about what animals do when there’s snow on the ground, followed by craft making. $10. Registration required. Info: 570.226.3164, www.delawarehighlands.org.

Noon–5:30 p.m. Holiday in Hurleyville. Hurleyville, NY. History hike, gifts, Santa, tree lighting, live music & more. Info: 845.434.8044, Facebook: Sullivan County Historical Society & Museum.

1 p.m. Gift of Dance. Honesdale High School, Honesdale, PA. Presented by Honesdale Dance Studio. Portion benefits Dessin Animal Shelter. Info: 570.251.8350, honesdaledance@gmail.com.

1–9 p.m. Goshen Christmas House Tour. Goshen, NY. Self-guided tour of Christmas decorations. Inside: 1–5 p.m. $40–$45, Outside: 5–9 p.m. $25–$30. Hosted by Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange and Sullivan. Info: 845.294.5124, www.cccsos.org.

3–5 p.m. Opening Reception: Michele Araujo, Joy Episalla & Carrie Yamaoka. Catskill Art Space, Livingston Manor, NY. Artists talk: 3–4 p.m. Exhibit: December 2nd–30th. Info: www.catskillartspace.com.

December 2nd–3rd Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Holiday Fineries at the Wineries. Shawangunk Wine Trail Wineries, NY. Self-guided wine tasting tour & holiday decorations. $35. Advance tickets only. Also December 9th– 10th. Info: 845.256.8456, www.shawan gunkwinetrail.com.

1–4 p.m. Old Fashioned Holiday Weekend. Foster Armstrong House, Montague, NJ. Also December 9th–10th. Music: December 3rd, 2 p.m. Montague Elementary School Bell Choir; December 9th, 2 p.m. Harmony in Motion. Info: 973.293.3106. Facebook: Montague Assoc. for the Restoration of Community History (MARCH).

1–4 p.m. Walpack Christmas. Rosenkrans Museum, Walpack, NJ. Free. Also December 9th– 10th. Hosted by Walpack Historical Society. Info: 973.552.8880, walpackhistory.org.

2:30–7:00 p.m. Old Time Christmas. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, Stroudsburg, PA. $18/ adults, $10/children 3-12. Also December 9th–10th. Info: 570.992.6161, www.quiet valley.org.

December 3rd Sunday 9:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. St. Nicholas Faire. St. Mary’s Most Sacred Heart Hall, Port Jervis, NY. Christmas crafts & vendors, raffles, bake sale. Info: 845.200.9411.

3 p.m. Holiday Matinée. Milford Theater, Milford, PA. Midtown Quartet. Hosted by Kindred Spirits Arts Program. $30. Info: 570.390.8699, www.kindredspiritsarts.org.

December 8th Friday 6:30–8:30 p.m. Christmas Open House. Hill Memorial Museum, Newton, NJ. Tour & free refreshments. Hosted by Sussex County Historical Society. Info: 973.383.6010, Facebook: Sussex County Historical Society - NJ.

December 8th–10th Friday–Sunday Hawley Winterfest. Hawley, PA. Music, holiday fare, crafts, house tours, carriage rides & more. Hosted by Downtown Hawley Partnership. Info: 570.226.4064, visithawleypa.com.

December 9th Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Winter Wonderland. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. Holiday gifts, tricky tray, pet adoptions. Hosted by Eleventh Hour Rescue. Info: 973.664.0865, www. ehrevents.org.

Noon–5 p.m. Handmade for the Holidays. Wallkill River Center for the Arts, Montgomery, NY. Items made by local artisans. Seasonal refreshments: cocoa, cookies, mulled wine. Info: 845.457.2787, wallkill.art.

3 p.m. Holiday Concert. First Presbyterian Church, Hackettstown, NJ. Performance by Stone

Soup Symphony. Free. Info: 908.509.1047, www.stonesoupsymphony.org.

4:00–7:30 p.m. Moravian Christmas Lantern Walking Tours. Hope, NJ. Luminaries, unique stops & presentations. Hosted by Hope Historical Society. $20–$25. Info: 908.459.4918, www. hopenjhistory.com.

December 9th–10th Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Warwick: Home for the Holidays. Railroad Green, Warwick, NY. Buggy rides, sights & sounds of the holidays. Hosted by Warwick Merchant Guild. Also December 16th–17th. Info: 845.988.5080, Facebook: Warwick Home for the Holidays.

December 10th Sunday 1–3 p.m. Nature Photography. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Learn beginner techniques. $5. Info: 570.828.2319, www.peec.org.

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Wreaths Across America. Old Newton Burial Ground, Newton, NJ. To remember & honor veterans. Sponsored by the Sussex County Historical Society. Info: 973.383.0015.

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4 p.m. Christmas in Germany. United Methodist Church, Milford, PA. Performance by Delaware Valley Choral Society. $10–$15. Info: dvchoralsociety.org.

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December 17th Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Back in Time: A Yuletide Stroll Down Main. Stillwater, NJ. Wagon rides, bell choir, carolers, food vendors, music & more. Hosted by the Historical Society of Stillwater Township. Info: www.historicstillwater.org, Facebook: A Yuletide Stroll.

January 6th Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

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Eagle Watch Bus Tour. Winter Field Office, Lackawaxen, PA. Hosted by Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Scenic drive on heated bus. $35/non-members, $25/members. Also January 20th & 27th, February 3rd, 17th & 24th. Reservations: 570.226.3164, www. delawarehighlands.org.

January 21st Sunday 1–6 p.m. Winter Birds at Pine Island. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Travel to Pine Island, NY, by van in search of migratory species & wintering birds. $25. Info: 570.828.2319, www.peec.org.

February 10th Saturday 10 a.m.–Noon Winter Ecology Hike. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Learn how plants & animals survive the winter. $5. Info: 570.828.2319, www.peec. org.

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At left and right: Home of Laura Chávez Silverman from Living Upriver. Photos by Barbara de Vries

Art

By Barbara de Vries

Artful Homes, Idyllic Lives

Living Upriver

he idea for my new life-style book, Living Upriver, is rooted in lockdown seclusion, when my husband, our three daughters, and I stayed home on our mountaintop in Milford, Pennsylvania. Like so many families, we came together after several years of going our own way. Our daughters Kiki and Leila were studying in the Netherlands and flew home when the pandemic suspended in-person classes. Iona, our eldest daughter, worked in film casting in New York City. I picked her up from her Brooklyn apartment a few days before the city shut down. To all of us, coming home meant being back in Milford. Reunited, we took turns cooking and baking, went on long nature walks in the Delaware Water Gap National Park, celebrated holidays, and birthdays with dance parties, adapted to remote working and studying, made

art and books, shared stories at the end of each day, and appreciated the gift of being who we are together, as a family of adults. When we eventually went down into the valley and fanned out across the Delaware River, we found a somewhat changed social landscape. The bond that my family and I felt during lockdown had also stirred for others throughout the Pocono and Catskill Mountains, from the banks of the Delaware River to the shores of the Hudson River and everywhere in between and beyond. I had discerned this renewed sense of kinship on social media, and then I experienced it in person. People enjoyed simpler, cozier lives while sharing everything, which inspired new communities. A fresh web was being spun by those who’d already transitioned to Continued on next page

country life—after 9/11, the 2009 stock market crash, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, or simply twenty-first-century city burnout—and by those who’d escaped to their family’s homes, weekenders, longtime locals, and first-time visitors.

that had cool houses, and then their friends. As I visited these lovely homes, the feeling of Living Upriver came into focus. I edited my scouting pictures, presented them to the publishing house Rizzoli New York, and soon after the book was greenlighted.

They found one another online and on Zoom, and exchanged ideas about homemaking, cooking, gardening, parenting, home schooling, art, music, design, discoveries in nature, how to simplify, and staying true and sane—all with the urge to pioneer a larger utopian picture and a new place called home. They made spare beds available to friends, luring them away from traumatized cities, promising nature, healthy living, wholesome food, and new connections. After the pandemic, they created destinations that grew into new communities, joining each other for farm-to-table meals, nature walks, exhibitions, craft fairs, farmers markets, retreats, and more.

Mildred’s Lane, the home of our longtime friend J Morgan Puett and her son, Rabbit, was where our “pod” met most Saturdays during the lockdown. Outside, by the campfire under the tree, we kept each other sane and grounded. Mildred’s Lane is J Morgan Puett’s private family space as well as a multipurpose art environment.

Before I began scouting for my book in the fall of 2021, I bought a professional camera, a great lens, a tripod, and a proper camera bag, and I contacted friends such as J Morgan Puett and Diane Townsend and Judah Catalan, explored Instagram accounts such as Homestedt and Audrey’s Farmhouse, and connected with friends of friends 14

Continued

“The site-specific language that we call workstyles keeps evolving through experimental activities and it’s an engagement with life, our relations to each other, and to the site itself,” Morgan says. Art collaborations can be found all over the Lane and at the Mildred Complex(ity), the offshoot gallery in Narrowsburg, NY. Morgan designed the 3,200 square foot home, following her own esthetic. As a result, the house doesn’t have drywall, paint, or baseboard and trim. There are interior barn doors and walls made from horizontally slatted wood and a rusting steel exterior wall. Interior walls and ceilings are

At left and right: Mildred’s Lane, the home of J Morgan Puett, from Living Upriver. Photos by Barbara de Vries

Art

made from blue steel, which was darkened with the same chemical that is used for antiquing jewelry. The kitchen, dining area, and covered porch contain hand-hammered metal tables and chairs, as well as comfy vintage fauteuils. High narrow windows on both sides of the kitchen evoke the feeling of socializing in a chapel. We met Laura Chávez Silverman, a creative director, and her husband, George Billard, a filmmaker, at Mildred’s Lane a few years ago, when they were in transition from New York City to rural life in Eldred, NY. Laura first came to the Upper Delaware River area with her friend Scott Newkirk. A few years after a deal for a cabin near Scott fell through, she found her current home. “It needed some cosmetic work, but it was cute and had solid bones,” she says. When they added a large three-season room (with a boulder in the middle), the cabin almost doubled in size. Looking for a way to connect with the community and to share her knowledge of the local ecology, Laura developed the Outside Institute. (See the Nature article in The Journal, May 2018.) “A place to learn everything we need to really feel part of the natural world,” she says. Continued on next page

Art

Continued

She recently opened an outpost in Callicoon, NY, where people can sign up for nature walks that explore the landscape and ecosystems of the Upper Delaware River and Hudson River Valley. Her “forest immersion walks” are based on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku—the simple act of walking mindfully through the woods. Foraging walks are an opportunity to discover wild edibles in season, while Laura teaches identification skills and how to forage responsibly.

In search for a space large enough to consolidate their growing businesses, Anna and Tom are bringing the defunct North Branch Cider Mill back to life. “Along with our design studio and maker space, we plan to fire up the old cider-making equipment and have an American-Swedish-style café in the mill,” Anna says. My first shoot for the book, the only one I did during winter, was at the Bovina Fermentory in the Catskills. It was the first time I had used my new equipment, and I bumbled through the day. Luckily, Elizabeth and Jake were busy preparing a grand Valentine’s Day dinner and left me alone. When I reviewed the pictures, I noticed small dots on almost every image. I eventually figured out that they were the fluffy seeds from the ornamental grasses Elizabeth had placed on each table. I also used all-natural light, which led to some very dark images. Happily, both were solved by Photoshop. I am not a self-conscious photographer who sets out to create perfect pictures of perfect rooms in the perfect homes of perfect people. Instead, I hope to create a livedin feeling as if someone has just left the room. I do re-arrange things, sometimes adding, other times removing, objects. I like to keep pets in the frame—cats often pose in the perfect place, whereas dogs never sit still. When I shoot people, they’re engaged in what they love to do. I believe that keeping it authentic makes a life-style book less aspirational and more inspirational. And I make books because I hope to inspire.

At left and right: Home of Anna Aberg and Tom Roberts from Living Upriver. Photos by Barbara de Vries

I found Anna Aberg and Tom Roberts on Instagram. Their upstate life began when the couple created the Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club in Sullivan County, NY. Its success led them to move from New York City to the country, and eventually they opened a second bed-andbreakfast destination. To make room for their private life, they renovated a third house, the Upstate Swedish home, which is featured in Living Upriver. Meanwhile, many of their guests bought their own properties and came to Anna and Tom for help with the design and renovation of their new homes. Recently, in an ongoing quest to create the perfect place, Anna and Tom designed the Homestedt house, a partially prefab structure that they build in less than six months.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS 17

Food

By Alison Porter

Traditional and Not So Traditional

Family Gatherings

uring the shortest days of the year, my aunt would invite everyone over for a non-holiday get-together. It was a brilliant idea ahead of its time, and her parties were arguably more fun than the official family gatherings. I don’t think there was a formal title or name for this get-together. It was usually held the day after a traditional celebration, such as Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. In my house, we dubbed it the “Day After (insert holiday name here) Party.” It became synonymous with a relaxing, refreshing, and fun time. A festive day when we started with red fizzy drinks in cut glass punch cups set up in the center hall of my aunt’s sprawling house and ended up in the hot tub. In between, we ate at no specific hour, without any assigned seats, and grazed from the generous offerings on the giant sideboard whenever we wanted. Those invited to this celebration included a hodgepodge of cousins, second cousins, friends, roommates, house guests, and romantic interests. As my generation of children grew older, our family had evolved from a homogeneous freckly clan to a wide mix of cousins and in-laws, with varying life experiences, plus guests from other cultures and countries. It was the best kind of party, one where you know enough of the crowd to feel comfortable but got to meet a lot of interesting new people too. We all had the freedom to roam around the rooms of this Victorian grand dame, which had been built for a large family, and was being lovingly restored by my aunt, her mother, and two other friends. It boasted a custom hot tub located in a ground-floor turret. The octagonal tub comfortably held ten people and even had a television nearby. It never failed to impress. A later showstopper was the huge pool table set in the center of the metallic copper-walled billiard room. Although this was, by definition, not a holiday party, the gathering managed to recapture some of the magic we had felt as kids. Back then, we were innocently unaware of the effort and planning that went into making a celebration, so when it happened it was all a big wonderful surprise. And while this was new and exciting to us children, our parents had probably had the same traditional holiday meal with the same food for

a couple of decades under the direction of my grandparents. As my grandmother ceded the holiday hosting and cooking duties to my mother’s generation, gradually new dishes and flavors were introduced to expand the straightforward (dare I say bland?) offerings from years past. Some deviations from tradition were accepted and enjoyed, others not so much. We were a tough crowd. Looking back at our meals on the actual holiday, I am sure that the creamed onions that my aunt made were superb. She was truly a talented cook. But, at the time, you could not pay me to try the little bulbs bobbing around in that gloppy white sauce. Actually, my frustrated aunt did offer a dollar to any child who would taste a creamed onion. My sister was the only taker. A dollar was a lot of money as a kid, and the future purchasing power at the candy store outweighed the short-term ick factor. She made it through the sample alive and had a crisp bill to show for it. Similarly, oyster stuffing was considered a delicacy in many places, but not in our family. Two stuffings had to be served. One, the fancy oyster variety, and the other, our tried-and-true cornbread stuffing. I still remember the drives to our cousins’ homes, where we three kids sat in the back seat of the car, with appetizer and vegetable serving dishes arranged and wedged securely around us to prevent spilling. It smelled great but we couldn’t move an inch. For these family parties, my mother always put in a lot of effort and it showed. She would seek out new ingredients and inventive recipes for holiday-themed dishes. The year that endive appeared on supermarket shelves, Mom created a festive hors d’oeuvre using the green-edged endive, pairing it with a spoonful of sour cream and a dollop of red caviar. That went over well. Her secret special potatoes were also a perennial favorite. On more than one occasion, we would have thirty or so restuffed baked potatoes, still warm and smelling heavenly, wrapped in containers snuggled at our feet. And then there was the year our family was put in charge of dessert. My mother definitely understood the assignment! She went all out with homemade Continued on next page

Food

crusts, using every pie plate available. In addition to the regular standbys of apple, pumpkin, and mince, she also introduced chocolate cream, banana cream, and lemon meringue pies. Armed with a quart of heavy cream, and her trusty hand mixer, Mom carefully packed the pies along the back shelf of the car. This time, she did not trust us kids to hold the pies without wrecking her amazing creations. But before we even got on the parkway, my father was forced to slam on the brakes, and the pies pitched and slid everywhere, like items on the deck of a boat in a storm. My parents exchanged sharp looks in the front seat, and we pulled over to the side of the road. My mother checked the pies for damage. Amazingly, they had stayed intact. She then carefully balanced one pie on each of our knees. We traveled with quiet concentration as we worked to keep the pies steady, while breathing a sigh of relief at the narrowly averted disaster. The three of us 20

Continued

were proud to deliver our pies to our cousins’ house, all in one piece and as beautiful as when we left home. The first time I ever had chocolate fondue was at one of my aunt’s “Day After” parties. It was a brilliant idea and added greatly to the overall fun of the day. The fondue craze of the 1960s had definitely passed by that point. Like so many, our family had made meals of dunking bread chunks in melted cheese and calling it dinner. We had also cut up expensive cuts of meat to cook in oil and serve with different sauces. In the end, we found out that we were not huge cheese lovers, and that cheaper cuts of meat were more practical for our hungry family. Since then, the avocado green pot with Scandinavian designs and colorful tipped long forks languished in the back of a kitchen cupboard. And here now was my aunt, with the help of my mother, rescuing these pots from obscurity.

Before the main desserts and coffee were ready, my aunt set up two fondue stations on a long, low coffee table in the living room. The youngest people were sprung free, untethered from waiting for dessert in the dining room. And those still lingering at the table enjoyed a little peace and quiet. This had the mental effect of loosening everyone’s collective belts and gave everyone breathing room. The kids wasted no time staking out their plates near one of the pots. Favorite fruits were claimed and hoarded. In a way, it was a glorified s’mores party. By the time the second shift of adults had moseyed in from the dining room, a cheerful disaster lay before them: smears of chocolate and strawberry crowns all over the place. Still, there was plenty of fondue and dipping fruits left to go around, and they too joined in the dipping. Today, I try to keep alive the “celebrate-for-any-reason” vibe that my aunt originated and my mother embraced. Endive is still a go-to versatile hors d’oeuvre base. Over the years, I have spread curried cream cheese and mandarin orange slices, Boursin cheese and sundried tomatoes on endive leaves. Today, I top endive with ricotta cheese, honey, and red pepper jam, or with whipped cream cheese, everything bagel mix, and balsamic glaze. It’s still a universal crowd pleaser.

My mother’s fondue pot still works, and I find that I am accidentally “trending” when serving fondue. I have added a few extra dippers, like Rice Krispy treats, pretzel rods, and even some savory mixtures like tajine and garlic salt. For me, chocolate fondue is a relaxing way to end a celebration. Tastes evolve over the years, but the importance of gathering together with family and friends remains an enduring way to connect and strengthen our relationships. Whatever holidays you celebrate this season, please find moments to savor peace and joy with your loved ones. A joy-filled holiday season to all!

Recipe for Holiday Gatherings

Chocolate Fondue

For the Fondue 1 ½ cups heavy cream 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken up 6 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, broken up 1 teaspoon grated orange rind 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau liqueur For the Dippers • F resh fruit: strawberries, bananas, mandarin orange segments, apples, pears, pineapple • D ried fruit: apricots, mangos, prunes • O ther ideas: marshmallows, graham crackers, pound cake, butter cookies, Rice Krispy treats, biscotti, pretzel rods, potato chips Accompaniments for the Plates These can be sprinkled or drizzled on individual plates: nuts, coconut flakes, caramel sauce, grapes, candied ginger, blueberries, dried cherries, raisins, and popcorn Toppers These can add savory contrast: chili powder, tajine, garlic salt, everything bagel mix. Anything you fancy. Directions for Making the Fondue • In a medium saucepan, heat the cream on medium-low heat until hot but not quite simmering. • Add the chocolate pieces and stir until melted and of a smooth consistency. If the fondue becomes grainy stir in a teaspoon of milk or cream. • Remove from heat, add the orange rind and Grand Marnier and stir. Serve warm. To Serve: Arrange the fruit and other dippers on platters, preferably more than one platter, with fondue forks or skewers, small plates, and plenty of napkins. 21

View of a rainforest. Photo courtesy of Peter Pinchot

History

By David Richard

The Legacy of Conservation

Gifford Pinchot.

Peter Pinchot. Photo by David Richard

A Tale of Two Pinchots

rom Milford, PA, to Cristóbal Colón, Ecuador, is a distance of 2,680 miles, and from 1898 until 2023 is a span of 125 years. Yet a single thread binds these places and times together into a fabric of conservation, particularly conservation of trees and their habitats. Peter Pinchot is the grandson of the legendary Gifford Pinchot, whom President John F. Kennedy called in a 1963 dedication speech at Grey Towers, “more than the father of American conservation … He was a practical idealist.” Peter and Gifford, generations apart yet linked by a common philosophy and guided by a similar set of working principles, each pursued a course of applying “the greatest good for the greatest number of people” and of preserving and responsibly using the natural resources with which they were entrusted. While Peter and his wife, Nancy, call Milford home, the natural resources and focus of Peter’s work today lie in a tropical rainforest in Ecuador northeast of Quito. The business he has co-founded, based on fifteen years of field research, community development, and eco-wood product development, is appropriately called “Whole Forest” because all the tropical hardwoods sustainably harvested there are used and aesthetically blended into the finished products the company makes.

For those who do not know local history, Gifford Pinchot took a similar approach to the questions of sustainability and conservation over a century earlier. Working largely from Grey Towers, his home and also site to some of his field research and forestry training, first as chief of the Division of Forestry of the US Dept of Agriculture then as founding chief of the US Forest Service, Gifford supported sustainable usage of timber, minerals, and other natural resources, not isolating them from the needs of the people. This approach helped him create the national forest system and maintain these and other natural resources for use by the public, hopefully in perpetuity. Both men faced considerable obstacles and opposition to their efforts. Clear-cutting forests in Gifford’s time was widely practiced and supported by a powerful lobby. In fact, the Pinchot family fortune was made in timber using this practice, and it was only through its own education and reform that the family, especially Gifford, turned back the practice, as widely as possible, in Northeastern PA and across the country. We spoke with Peter about his family legacy in conservation and application of its principles within his business. The Journal: How do your efforts, historical and now Continued on next page

History leading up to the founding of Whole Forest, parallel the efforts of Gifford Pinchot? Peter Pinchot: Gifford’s father, James, came of age just after the Delaware watershed was cleared of its forests. The soils were too rocky for good agriculture, so he went to New York to make a living and suggested that Gifford go to France to train as a forester. There is a strong parallel between Gifford Pinchot’s philosophy of forest conservation and forest management and our Whole Forest project in Ecuador. When I was growing up, I was a John Muir fan (and still am). I thought my grandfather was a utilitarian steeped in scientific forestry, but that he lacked the almost religious commitment to preservation that Muir championed. As I got involved with practical conservation issues, I came to understand the intelligence and value of Gifford Pinchot’s focus on the social and economic value of forests and the need to focus on managing them sustainably to benefit the current generation, but always looking to the benefit of future generations, who would inherit the forests. That idea is the foundation of long-term conservation and is the basis of how Whole Forest works with communities in Ecuador to protect endangered rainforests. The Journal: Why did you choose Ecuador as the base for your sustainable forestry efforts? Why the rainforest? Peter Pinchot: The destruction of tropical forests produces 10% of the emissions leading to climate change and is one of the largest sources of species extinctions and threats to indigenous communities living in the forests. The same process that happened in the Delaware watershed between 1820 and 1850, when all the trees were cut down for timber and to make farmland, is happening now in tropical forests. A friend of mine joined the Peace Corps and found himself in a community actively involved in clearing its forest for crops and cattle. The Journal: What are the main obstacles you have faced in saving a portion of the Ecuadorian rainforest? Peter Pinchot: How many lights are there on a Christmas tree? Okay, we knew we had to make the forests more valuable than farming so that the communities would have an incentive to keep them and manage them. But in the tropics, there has been little development of a forestry industry that can deal with the exceptional diversity of species. So, we spent 10 years with grant funding to create a new forest industry that could become profitable and build a local economy that would improve the livelihoods of forest communities. We had to reinvent the wheel. The Journal: What are the main lessons you’ve learned?

Continued

Peter Pinchot: The most important is that whatever you start out doing in a complex enterprise is most likely wrong. If you are patient, you learn from your mistakes and gradually figure out a path that works. No guarantees. Persistence is essential. The Journal: How have you worked with the indigenous people in the rainforest to make them partners and stakeholders in this venture? Peter Pinchot: There is no path to conservation without putting the communities and stakeholders as the top priority. This was the most important wisdom of Gifford Pinchot. Conservation is based on developing resources for the present generation, protecting them for future generations, and making sure that the benefits go to the common people, not to the rich and powerful. That platform was how the US Forest Service was formed and gained the political capital to take 10% of the land into National Forests. Social justice is a key to achieving conservation outcomes. The Journal: How has the Whole Forest endeavor evolved over time? Peter Pinchot: It started as a US Peace Corps project, became a partnership between the Peace Corps, the Forest Service, and two non-profits with funding from USAID and private foundations, and then became a for-profit business with community shareholders. It grew to over 100 community employees with a manufacturing facility run by three community women, selling wood products to international markets. The Journal: How does Whole Forest utilize the full spectrum of native hardwood species and why? Peter Pinchot: In many tropical forests that have a great diversity of tree species, less than 5% of the trees are known in the market place. So, the forests have very low economic value. To raise the value of markets, we harvest over 60 species, but very few members of each species. We have developed products that have a beautiful array of colors and textures from the whole forest, ergo our name. The Journal: How does Whole Forest maintain the rainforest as a sustainable ecosystem? Peter Pinchot: We do not build roads into the forest, but instead use a portable sawmill and bring sawn lumber on a cable system. We only harvest 3 to 5 trees per acre in a 20-year rotation. We call it arthroscopic logging. The majority of the forest is untouched. The Journal: What sort of products are you creating, and who do you expect will purchase these products?

Trade show booth. Photo courtesy of Peter Pinchot

Peter Pinchot: We now make flooring, countertops, and wall panel tiles, each made with dozens of different species that bring the rich colors of rainforests into building projects. Our primary path to market is by getting specified by architects and interior designers for their projects. Our products are found in homes, restaurants and bars, and offices. Whole Forest is also gaining carbon certification for the carbon we protect and restore in the forests we manage. Global forests capture and store over 30% of fossil fuel emissions, while deforestation releases 10% of emissions. By protecting existing forests and restoring degraded forests, Whole Forest supports the natural process of forests in capturing and storing carbon in trees and in the soil. The Journal: What’s your vision for future conservation? Peter Pinchot: Big question. We are facing at least three

serious conservation challenges: climate change, loss of biodiversity (species extinctions), and loss of traditional knowledge of indigenous cultures. Protecting and restoring forests by supporting forest communities helps reverse all three challenges. *************** Big challenges usually require many small steps forward to reach an overall goal. This was as true in the time of Gifford Pinchot as it is now for his grandson, Peter. Conservation, in particular, requires an ongoing effort and vigilance, whether its principles are applied in an Ecuadorian rainforest, a Northeast Pennsylvania logging community—or your own backyard. David Richard is a publisher, writer, poet, photographer, art collector, and pooch lover, living in Milford, PA. His company website is www.lifeenergyarts.com.

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By Will Voelkel

Left: Hallie Balogh. Middle: Owen Carso. Right Auttie Grace.

Life

Ah! To Be Young, Gifted, and Writing

hen I first met seven-year-old Hallie Balogh ten years ago, she was a neighbor’s daughter. Little did I know that years later I would be interviewing her and two other teenagers to showcase them as young, self-published authors of fantasy novels. Hallie, 17, and Auttie (Autumn) Grace, 18, are seniors at Delaware Valley High School in Milford, PA, and the authors/collaborators of Empire: To Earth and Back. Owen Carso, 16, is a junior at DVHS who authored A Deal with Death. The Empire novel is the first in a planned series and tells the tale of a group of kids from another planet who discover a mysterious orb. The world as they know it disappears, and they find themselves transported to Earth, where they must find their way home against all odds. A Deal with Death is a fast-paced, dark comedy that takes place one evening in a New York City apartment, where humanity, mythology, and the supernatural collide to determine the fate of one man…and the world. 28

Owen’s favorite subjects are English and history. Auttie is in the high school’s early childhood education program and ultimately plans to pursue a Master’s Degree in creative writing. Hallie has a particular interest in environmental science, which she plans to pursue next year when she attends college in The Hague in Amsterdam. “I love the sustainability aspects of environmental science, and my interest in that is reflected in my writing,” she explains. Indeed, all three young authors reflect their passions in their books. Owen has written eight books, and Hallie and Auttie have collaborated on two. All three started at a young age with short stories and lots of support from their parents and teachers. When they met in the fifth grade, Hallie and Auttie took an instant liking to each other and began collaborating on short stories and a movie script. Owen started writing before he could even put pencil to paper. He would sit down with one of his parents and narrate a story about things that interested him. “Scoo-

by Doo, people I knew, whatever. My parents would write it down exactly as I narrated it, and then they or I would illustrate it.” By the second grade, he was writing two-page stories and by the fifth grade, he had completed his first full-length novel. Hallie, Auttie, and Owen were recently featured as panelists at this fall’s annual Milford Readers & Writers Festival, where they discussed their writing with great insight and humor. I decided then and there that their stories should be shared with a wider audience by interviewing them for The Journal. The Journal: What are the themes that interest you the most and draw you to writing? Hallie & Auttie: It’s a combination of Hallie’s interest in the environment and Auttie’s interest in psychology. In our book Empire: To Earth and Back, you see Hallie’s ideals of sustainability, and she writes the action elements. Auttie’s focus is on the characters’ emotional and mental health. We like to represent themes and issues that we feel are under-represented in novels. Owen: When I was little, my mom used to read junior classics with me, particularly the junior versions of Gothic novels such as Dracula and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I’ve always loved mystery stories. A lot of those interests

have stayed with me over the years and manifest in different ways. Now what I enjoy writing about the most are death, madness, imprisonment, dark hallways, murder, shadowy castles, evil sorcerers, and betrayal. Fun stuff! The Journal: Owen, I was really drawn in by the frantic pace of A Deal with Death. Owen: That work is unique compared to my other works because it’s short. It’s challenging for me to write anything short because everything always ends up being longer than I anticipate. If I plan to write a novella, it turns into a novel. So that’s how it started—just this idea in my head about this man who cheats death, which is a super common theme. You see it in all kinds of ancient myths. But then I imagined, what if death’s dad shows up, and who would that be? And then death’s mom and brothers? And death’s boss? So that’s what led to the breakneck pace. But I wanted to put a comedic spin on it, too, to make it my own because, like I said, we’ve all seen the story of someone trying to cheat death. The Journal: What do each of you find most challenging about writing? Owen: For me, the hardest part about writing isn’t the actual writing or editing process, which I enjoy. The hardest part is just coming up with the ideas. It’s taxing; Continued on next page

Life

Continued

it can be exhausting. And most importantly, it takes a lot of time. After that is where the writing and the fun actually begin for me.

Hallie & Auttie: We fully agree.

Hallie & Auttie: We love both the writing process and coming up with the ideas. But Hallie especially hates formatting (they both laugh in recognition).

Hallie & Auttie: We want to build our company, H.A. Stories, into a publishing house for anyone looking to start their writing journey, especially young women. And the second novel in the Empire series, Empire: At Esprit’s Core, is coming out at the end of 2023.

The Journal: Hallie and Auttie, what do you enjoy most and least about collaborating? You told a great story at the Readers and Writers Festival about not talking to each other for a week or more at one point. Hallie & Auttie: True. We enjoy working off each other. When we’re writing, we often get so excited about certain aspects of the story and we get so attached to the characters that we sometimes start arguing, but we work it out.

The Journal: What’s next for each of you?

Owen: My next novel, My Cursed Gloved Hands, was released in November. This winter, on January 19th and 20th, Delaware Valley High School Drama is performing A Deal with Death as a one-act play, and I will be starring as Jared, the lead character! ***************

The Journal: What’s the best advice you can offer to aspiring writers?

Three young authors with dreams, goals, plans, and very promising, exciting futures. We wish them well!

Owen: Sit down and just start writing. Write about what you know and enjoy. When you start out, you don’t need to start with full length novels. Just do it. And don’t be afraid to promote your works. No one can read them if they don’t know about them.

Will Voelkel is a New York native turned full-time Milford resident and a frequent contributor to The Journal. He enjoys traveling, kayaking, flipping houses, and executive producing comedy headliner performances in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

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Excerpt from A Deal with Death, Owen Carso A layer of mist cloaked the figure, but as he approached I saw that his horse was undead, its coat the color of midnight. Red flames danced in its empty eye sockets. Within seconds, the horse was towering over me. The figure himself was clad in a long black cloak that concealed his face. With a grunt, he dismounted his horse and readied his scythe. “Who are—what are you?” I stammered, but deep down I knew the answer.

Excerpt from Empire: To Earth and Back, Hallie Balogh and Auttie Grace I was chained to a bed rail. I looked next to my arm and saw a tall stand with a bag filled with water hanging from the top. Why was I hooked up to an IV? I heard a noise, footsteps coming this way, and quickly closed my eyes. A tugging sensation in my gut told me I was traveling back to the present. Good, I didn’t want to know any more about what I had just seen.

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Nature

By Bob Chernow

A Holiday Star

The Poinsettia

he beautiful poinsettia boasts its holiday red and green colors throughout the world. Primarily associated with the holiday season, the poinsettia is not poisonous, is named after a slave holder, and half of its worldwide sales originate from one company that was started by a man over 100 years ago who originally sold it only as cut flowers. The poinsettia is named for Joel Roberts Poinsett who was the first United States Ambassador to Mexico in 1828. Poinsett was also a botanist, and after admiring the native Mexican plant, he shipped several back to his South Carolina greenhouse and to friends and botanical gardens in Philadelphia, where they were displayed at the first Philadelphia Flower Show in 1829. He was also a cofounder of the National Institution for the Promotion of Science, which later became known as the Smithsonian Institute.

of Christ’s eventual crucifixion. Another suggests that the star-shaped leaf pattern resembles the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the wise men to Bethlehem. The Ecke family is largely responsible for the production and popularity of poinsettias around the world. In 1900, Albert Ecke emigrated from Germany and settled in California where he originally sold cut flowers, before buying his own land and growing flowers and vegetables. He later grew poinsettias in the ground from which he harvested cut stems for sale.

In 2002, the US Congress declared December 12 as National Poinsettia Day to honor the plant, its economic importance, and its cultural ties with Mexico. The date also marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. Because Poinsett was a slave owner, in recent years there has been some effort to restore the plant’s Mexican name, cuetlaxochitl (kwet-la-sho-she). Ancient Aztecs cultivated the cuetlaxochitl for decoration and processed red and purple dyes from the plant for clothes, textiles, and cosmetics. And from the white milky sap known as latex, they processed medicines. The 16th century legend of Pepita may have contributed to the association of the poinsettia’s red and green colors with the holiday season. It involves a poor peasant girl who was walking to church but had no gift for the holiday offering. Her brother encouraged her to pick some wildflowers from the side of the road, which she did, and then placed them on the altar where they magically turned into a beautiful poinsettia. Thereafter, the plant became known as la flor de nochebueno, or flower of the holy night. There are several other early accounts of possible connections of the poinsettia with the holiday season. One claims that Franciscan monks in Mexico used the plant in nativity processions during the 1600s and chose the plant because the red color signified the blood sacrifice

After developing special grafting techniques that produced superior plants, Albert Ecke sold entire plants that still were grown outside. When his son took over operations, production was moved into greenhouses where there was more control over growing conditions. Trains transported plants across the country for sale to wholesalers. The Paul Ecke Ranch has consistently been responsible for 70% of domestic production and 50% of worldwide production. As airfare became more economical in the 1960s, Ecke Ranch switched from shipping full plants by train, to shipping smaller plants in the form of cuttings and starter plants by air. This increased the volume Continued on next page

Nature of their sales, and plants would get to wholesalers faster so that nurseries could grow out the cuttings for sale to their customers. Ecke sales increased due to good business and marketing practices, but the company also had a research facility that developed plants that were more compact and bushier than those of their competition or the Mexican native plant. Paul Ecke Jr., who died in 2002, was a great promoter of poinsettias for holiday use and donated plants to the White House and television show sets, including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Good Morning America, and the Dinah Shore Show. In this way, viewers could see beautiful arrangements and might be motivated to duplicate the floral display at home. In the 1990s when competition and labor costs increased, Paul Ecke III opened production facilities in Guatemala. He sold the business in 2012. So, are Poinsettias poisonous? Most people believe that they are. However, according to Poison Control at the National Capital Poison Center, poinsettias are not fatal if eaten by humans or pets. Some people may develop mild skin irritation through contact with the milky sap if touched. If ingested, some people and pets may develop mild mouth irritation and stomach upset. The scare of

Continued the deadly poinsettia may have originated from a story over a hundred years ago about a child who was found dead next to a wild poinsettia plant. People assumed the plant was the culprit even though there was no evidence that the child had eaten or even touched it. The vibrant red color of the poinsettia is not the flower but rather modified leaves called bracts. As days get shorter and temperatures fall, the plant’s upper leaves lose their chlorophyll, and the red emerges. This sensitivity to light, known as photoperiodism, is also displayed in other holiday plants such as the Christmas cactus, whose flowering is triggered by shorter days. Today, there are more than 100 varieties of poinsettias including shades of white, cream, pink, purple, orange and yellow. There are also marble and bicolor varieties. While poinsettias are commercially grown in all 50 states, California is the top poinsettia-producing state. The poinsettia is the second largest potted flowering plant crop after orchids. In 2019, there were 47 million poinsettia plants sold on US farms for $216 million. Most poinsettias are sold in the six-week period before Christmas, which creates a very short-term market. In order to increase sales, breeders are trying to promote the orange poinsettia for Halloween and Thanksgiving, and the white and yellow varieties for Easter. To care for your indoor poinsettia, keep the plant at a temperature of 60–70 degrees, avoid drafts, and keep the soil evenly moist. The amount of light is not critical if the leaves have already colored up. Do not place the plant on top of a radiator as this will dry out the plant. If you keep the potted plant on a saucer or inside the foil, make sure to drain off excess water after watering to avoid rot.

Tidbits about the Poinsettia • The bloom of the poinsettia is a small yellow flower at the end of the stems measuring a quarter inch across. • In their native tropical habitat, poinsettias, known to botanists as Euphorbia pulcherrima (beautiful spurge), are woody perennial shrubs that are leggy, grow 10–15 feet tall, and bloom in winter. • The characteristics of the compact bushy plants that we admire today were achieved through growers’ use of selective breeding, grafting, pruning, and the use of plant growth regulators.

You can save poinsettias and have them bloom again next year, but many people do not bother. After the holiday season, continue to care for your plant with adequate water and light. It can be placed outside in the summer in a temperate climate. Starting in late September or October, put the plant near a window in a room where you do not use artificial lights. You want the environment to mimic nature where the days are getting shorter and the nights longer. The reduced light will cause the leaves to change color. If additional light is added during this time, it may interrupt the process and the leaves may stay green. Continue to water and avoid drafts. After several weeks, possibly sometime in November, you should notice that the bracts develop their color. Whether you buy one for yourself or give or receive one as a gift, the poinsettia, the world’s favorite potted holiday plant, has become a beautiful way to celebrate the season. Happy Holidays! Bob Chernow is a geologist who recently retired from teaching and enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors in Swartswood Lake, NJ.

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Reflections

ued

By George Kibildis

Poetic Thoughts

hat is a successful poem? In September of 2008, I asked this question of the then Poet Laureate of the United States, Charles Simic. The occasion was the opening day of the 12th Biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, the largest poetry festival in North America. My question was presented in a mid-afternoon, seventy-five-minute session, “Poets on Poetry,” held under a huge white tent with over three hundred attendees. Our Poet Laureate spoke from the podium on a brightly lit stage adorned with a wonderful collection of multi-colored fall mums. Charles spoke about his relationship with poetry and his experiences with other poets. He talked about his personal lifetime experiences and how these experiences influenced the writing of his poetry. During most of the session, Charles read and commented on his own poetry, beginning with his earlier poems and working his way up to his more current oeuvres. With a little more than fifteen minutes remaining, he opened up the floor to questions. As Charles was talking about his poetry career, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experience with poetry. My writing began in grammar school and extended some sixty years later into my retirement. With two file-cabinet drawers full of poetry and two self-published, yes, vanity books, recently completed and another two nearing completion, I began thinking about what were the differences between Charles Simic’s poems and mine. And I also asked myself why he was famous and popular and speaking on the stage about his poetry, and I was not.

Under the huge bookstore tent that fall day were thousands of poetry books for sale, all very similar in appearance to my two books: each vying for attention with eye-catching, provoking covers, begging to be picked up, transcendently discovered, and subsequently purchased. What is the distinguishing factor that sets apart the closeted, unpublished, unknown poet from the others? Perhaps, our Poet Laureate would divulge the secret! Charles, with eyes squinting in the direction of my raised hand, pointed at me, left the podium to walk over to the end of the stage and listened for my question. “What is a successful poem?” I shouted to him. He acknowledged that he heard the question, walked slowly back to the podium and repeated the question to the audience. His first response was something to the effect of—ten years, yes, a poem that could last ten years could be considered successful. Then he immediately reflected on poetry that had been around for thousands of years, mentioning famous poets of the past. He then wove what I considered to be a complicated and erudite response as he was literally thinking out loud. Charles gave a sincere, thoughtful, imaginative, and interpretive answer to my question but, like much poetry I read today, one that I couldn’t quite grasp.

M E A ND

I imagine many poets who aspire to be known, loved, and “institutionally” accepted ask themselves the same question: What is a successful poem?

How did Mark Doty, Robert Haas, Kevin Young, Martin Espada and Joy Harjo—all of the participating festival

poets—get their poetry noticed to the extent that they were invited to read and talk about it in front of appreciative and, I suppose, understanding admirers?

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With no apparent concluding summary on the horizon, Charles squinted in my direction, shrugged his shoulders slightly, and lifted his hands as if to say, will this do? I gave him a thank you wave and let him off the hook by not being a pest and insisting on a more objective and definitive answer. So, was my question fair? Yes, I believe it was, however, with some caveats. Since that day in 2008, I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t believe there is an objective, empirical, universal answer to the question. I believe that the answer can be personal and subjective as well as social and objective, and that there is more than one answer. In my opinion, a successful poem can be quite a few things: A poem that has been completed; one that has been accepted for publication in a magazine or book; one that makes you money; or a poem that someone other than a loved one or relative tells you has touched them. Perhaps it is one that has been recognized and become well-known after you are dead (although you won’t get to enjoy its success), and finally, it might be a poem that brings its writer much pleasure and (yes, dastardly word) pride and one you don’t tire of reading and rereading even though nobody else may share your experience. I think most poets yearn to be recognized for their work and have it appreciated by others, but poets need to write from their inspiration. The nature of poetry is that the writing can be profound to some and nonsense to others. Poets experience the emotions of a thought or an event that become the inspiration to write a poem, complete it, and, yes, be proud of it. And that’s what makes a successful poet.

Westminster Chimes As I awake from my afternoon nap, Staring out the bedroom window in a rapture trap. The sun brightly shines its magic on the trees, And the leaves quietly sway in a gentle breeze. From the living room the grandfather clock stirs, Imparting its quarter-hour melody hauteurs. A pause then the bold sounding full hour announcements, Time to decide waking moment’s pronouncements. But outside not far-away a faint repeating, Not to stir as its repertoire is fleeting. The Westminster Chimes in the church steeple, Announcing time to the community people. Two soulful messages musically to impart, Time for quiet contemplation from the heart. - George Kibildis

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Stepping into the quaint, dark-brown cottage with the inviting glass-paned windows brings you home, even if your home isn’t decorated in a beautifully warm and charming style, which is just the atmosphere that Leslie Brennan, proprietor of Branches Antiques and Vintage, set out to create in her Branchville, NJ, shop four years ago. Leslie, a resident of Branchville, grew up in Morris County, with an artistic mother and a father who restored furniture. Art and antiques are in her blood. Embracing an eclectic style, she considers all of her merchandise to be decorative arts for the home. The inventory is changing constantly—from a mix of antiques dating from the 1700s to gifts for the present day, such as bath products, table décor, and silk robes. “I love all the pretty things, it’s the soul,” Leslie says. “Antiques are gifts, each item is unique, such as our nice selection of very collectible Roseville pottery from the early 1900s. They used slip casting to create their patterns, but the finished glaze or other variations are all different. We usually have about twenty pieces of furniture at all times. I love the atten-

tion to detail in the hand-crafted dovetail seams of these time-honored antique pieces.” Walking around the cozy shop, I see hand-cut crystal, lovingly displayed near custard satin glass, and milk glass, which in turn is sitting next to hand-hammered copper pieces. Nestled in a basket atop an antique table sit vintage and antique Christmas ornaments, waiting to decorate someone’s holiday tree. “Curating ideas is my niche in life. The key is a knack for decoration. I help my customers to coordinate colors and styles and explain how to group objects together. Some bring in photos of their homes,” Leslie explains. “To create an atmosphere, it’s important to mix and match. Décor should be more about what you love, and not necessarily about an intrinsic value that you have. Our merchandise is moderately priced; you don’t feel intimidated to be in here. “After the pandemic shutdown,” Leslie continues, “I realized how emotional it was to see people out and about and shopping again. Serving the community is very sweet. We’re on a good trajectory.”

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Signs

Planet Waves by Eric Francis

Aries (March 20-April 19) Do you recognize your worth, not as some abstract concept, but rather in productivity, commitment, experience and wisdom? Are you willing to offer yourself totally, without hesitation? If you are considering “saving some of yourself for later,” you will miss out on the benefits of your gifts today.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) The one thing you don’t want is to have decisions made for you. Rather, stay a step ahead of yourself — one step, not five — and make your choices as the need or opportunity arises. You will be doing this in accord with your previously understood values and guiding principles, so this will be easier than usual.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) You know that your strength and power must move and flow — and that is the nature of the bubble that always seems to be about to burst, threatening to take you with it. Yet the astrology of the next few weeks comes on like thunder and rain. The key to maintaining your sanity is not looking outside yourself for your value, your sense of belonging, or the deeper stability that you are reaching for with every facet of your soul.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) The changes that have come into your life in recent years have surely presented challenges, and one of them has been understanding your need to stand on your own. This has mostly been about your partnerships. However, as Pluto makes its way into Aquarius, the next stage will be moving toward independence from the influences of your family.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) A discovery about yourself that you make at this time will give you plenty to consider, and reveal several options you hadn’t seen before. Yet the reminder that comes along with them is a bold one: you cannot live with anything but your truth. Fortunately, your truth is the most accessible thing in the whole wide universe. Or is it? Be more daring, and then learn something along the way. By learning, I mean discovering that something is possible. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Be sensitive to any situation that seems deadlocked; those are the very places where your energy is trapped and needs to be set free. A policy of waiting for something to move is not a good idea. It will be much preferred if you are the one who initiates the action. Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) Despite the seeming complexity of your situation, and a diversity of factors you don’t really understand, you can avoid making the same mistakes again. That’s the essence of your whole situation: at this particular turning point, you have the option to set yourself free from a habit that has had you running in circles. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) Under the influence of Chiron (approximately 20112018) you developed a concept of what you needed to heal, and I suggest you review your notes from that era. What was the status of your most important relationships during that period? What were the main properties of the social world in which you lived? Saturn is here to help you finish what you began under the guidance of Chiron.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) You may have feelings that are difficult to express to an intimate partner. You might begin by expressing them to someone who will not be threatened by an honest recounting of your fears, needs and desires. It will be easy enough to deny these things, and pretend they have no real influence on you. Yet tuning them out will not help anyone. You don’t need to be under this kind of pressure. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) If you are present with your work that will be its own reward, and you may proceed with daily focus as your motivation. Part of the larger lesson here is learning to be precise and solid with your words, whether spoken or written, including when you are reading or listening. Steer away from anything that wastes your time. Only you can evaluate your own fears, and only you can determine what to do about them. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) However long you’ve delayed a certain idea, I suggest you get yourself in motion because the time is ripe not just to make moves in the world, but to let go of emotional attachments that have been holding you back. Firing up your professional life in a new way will make it easier to see the changes that you need to make at home and potentially with certain family bonds. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Notice the situations where there is a net gain for everyone and nobody has to sacrifice. Yet a true friend is someone who shares what they might need themselves — and you won’t have many of those in the course of a lifetime. But you may discover at this time that you have one or two of them, and you are invited to treat them well.

Read Eric Francis daily at PlanetWaves.net.

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