The Journal Holiday 2025 by publisher-milfordjournal

CRITTERS

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Publisher & Editor

Amy Bridge publisher@milfordjournal.com

Graphic Design

Maureen Taylor

Susan Mednick susanmed2@optonline.net

The Journalists

Will Voelkel • Alison Porter

Jane Primerano • Bob Eckstein

Eric Francis

Associate Editor

B’Ann Bowman

Advertising Team

Amy Bridge amy@milfordjournal.com

Kimberly Hess kimberlyhess212@gmail.com

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

Mission

Editorial Readers

Robert Bowman Amy Smith

David Dangler dangler908@yahoo.com

The Poet

Chuck O’Neil

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 eight 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.

The Buck in the Snow from Critters by Bob Barnett. Encaustic wax, sumi ink, and dye on cardboard and plywood.

Photo by Alan Wiener

Flowers by

Patricia Watwood

The needle points south gulls humpback whales encompass winter salty you

packages linger rest in front of the painting: white surf noise in me

Haiku is lovely. So delicate, yet so expressive.

a garland of lights origami boxes glow in a silent room

-Haiku by Nancy Wheaton

In order to truly appreciate haiku, I wanted to share a bit of its history. Its origins have been traced back to eighth-century Japan where it grew to be an emerging poetic form of expression. In the 1600s, the Edo period in Japan became a time of peace and prosperity. The arts flourished, education was abundant, and woodblock artists published print books.

One of the most famous haiku poets of that time was Basho, who traveled to Edo, which is now Tokyo, to study his craft. Basho started his own poetry school in 1674. He became distinguished as a poet who showed the beauty of things that were not necessarily considered beautiful and who juxtaposed totally different yet powerful images to tickle the brain.

Traditional Japanese haiku, which was written in calligraphy, an artform itself, is usually focused on a season or seasonal event and often times shows the fleeting aspects of nature. It may have some symbolism in its use of a particular animal: for example, a turtle is a symbol of longevity, a crow one of loneliness.

In its simplistic brevity, the haiku poet is able to express imagery of a particular moment in time.

Sending thoughts of peace and prosperity for everyone this holiday season!

Amy, B’Ann, Moe, Susan, Kim, and David

Lines for The Knob

We see into the life of things -Wordsworth from “Lines Composed Miles Above Tintern Abbey”

Morning noon and in moonlight before the cities and the cemeteries

Before the demons and the hymns and the holy names

Before the first fires

before paintings in caves

You stood in the mist under sun thunder snow

You whom the maker of mountains made whom we climb

To get a better picture of where we live

Watch over us in the village below

Busy always earning our keep making the most of our days

And know there are times in town

From the yard the restaurant porch

Driving down Broad Street a second floor window

The post office parking lot when you come into view

A sight for our sore eyes your risen ground

Crowned with trees

Lodestar there at any hour in every weather

Just as you are

Something for us to look up to

- Chuck O’Neil

Chuck O’Neil has written five poetry collections, most recently better gods. He and his wife, Celeste, have lived in Milford since 1982 where they raised their four children. In 2022, O’Neil was named Poet Laureate of Milford.

Coming of Santa Claus by Thomas Nast framed in Nouveau by Larson Juhl

Around the Towns Holiday

Sasha Romoleroux-Sanchez, DVM

Marlena Piehler, DVM

November 28th

Friday 6 p.m.

Winter Wonderland Parade & Christmas Tree Lighting. Honesdale, PA. Parade, Santa’s arrival, cocoa, donuts and photos with Santa. Hosted by Greater Honesdale Partnership. Pre-registration required. Info: 570.253.5492, visithonesdalepa.com.

November 29th

Saturday Noon–6 p.m.

Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting. Ben Winstanley Park, Greenwood Lake, NY. Live music, local shopping, Santa’s arrival, family fun, food & drinks. Info: villageofgreenwoodlake. gov, Facebook: Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting.

5 p.m.

Christmas Parade. Branchville, NJ. Trophies, food, music & drinks after the parade at the firehouse. Hosted by Branchville Hose Company # 1. Info: bhc1christmas@gmail. com, 862.354.3336, Facebook: Branchville Hose Company No.1.

Through December 31st

11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Handmade Holiday Event. Peters Valley School of Craft, Layton, NJ. From unique jewelry to exquisite home decor. Info: 973.948.5200, www.petersvalley.org.

December

Season of Hope Holiday Toy Drive. Project Self-Sufficiency, Newton, NJ. To benefit over 2,500 children in Sussex and northern Warren Counties. Call 973.940.3500 about two-day toy shop in December. Info: www. projectselfsufficiency.org.

Through January 8th

Holiday Market and Exhibition. Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council, Newton, NJ. Opening reception: December 6th, 2:00–4:30 p.m. Info: 973.383.0027, scahc.org

December 5th

Friday 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

Holiday Workshops. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Orange County, Middletown, NY. Create holiday wreaths, kissing ball, tabletop tree. $50 each workshop, materials included. Registration required. Info: 845.344.1234, Ext. 240, cceorangecounty.org.

December 5th–7th

Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Friday 7 p.m. Saturday 12 p.m. & 5 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m.

The Nutcracker. Warwick Center for the Performing Arts, Chester, NY. Presented by the Warwick Dance Collective. $30–$45. Info: 845.986.2466, warwickperformingarts.com

December 6th

Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

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

Noon–5 p.m.

Handmade for the Holidays. Wallkill River Center for the Arts, Montgomery, NY. Local artisan craft fair. Info: 845.457.2787, wallkill.art.

Noon–9 p.m.

Light Up Milford. Milford, PA. Activities, tree lighting with Santa. Hosted by Pike County Chamber of Commerce. Info: 570.296.8700, pikechamber.com

1–4 p.m.

Holiday Bows & Boughs. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Create your own holiday decorations. $25/wreath. Info: 570.828.2319, peec. org.

2–3 p.m.

Where Do the Animals Go When It Snows. Van Scott Nature Reserve, Beach Lake, PA. Reading of the story, Over and Under the Snow, followed by craft making. $5–$10/ adult; $2–$5/child. Registration required. Info: 570.226.3164, delawarehighlands.org.

5–8 p.m.

Christmas Festival of Lights. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Sparta, NJ. Children’s crafts, snacks, drinks, visit from Santa & Mrs. Clause. Lighting of 25 donated trees & live nativity. Info: 973.224.0986, www. sothnj.org.

December 6th–7th

Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Holiday Fineries at the Wineries. Shawangunk Wine Trail Wineries, NY. Self-guided wine tasting tour & wreath decorations. $50. Advance tickets only. Also December 13th Info: 845.256.8456, shawangunkwinetrail. com

11 a.m.–5 p.m.

German Christmas Market of New Jersey. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. $7–$10. Supports local charities. Info: 973.264.9336, germanchristmasmarketnj.org.

Winter Crafts Fair. Amity Gallery, Warwick, NY. Hand crafted gifts, live music. Info: 845.258.0818, amitygallery.org.

1–4 p.m.

Old Fashioned Holiday Weekends Foster Armstrong House, Montague, NJ. Also December 13th–14th & 20th. Info: 973.293.3106, montaguehistorical.org, Facebook: Montague Assoc. for the Restoration of Community History (MARCH).

2:30–7:00 p.m.

Old Time Christmas. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, Stroudsburg, PA. Christmas in the 1800s. $18. Also December 13th–14th Info: 570.992.6161, quietvalley.org

December 7th

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: 845.865.8212.

December 12th–14th

Friday–Sunday

Hawley Winterfest. Hawley, PA. Music, holiday fare, crafts, house tours, carriage rides & more. Hosted by Downtown Hawley Partnership. Info: 570.226.4064, www.visit hawleypa.com.

December 13th

Saturday 10 a.m.–noon

Winter Ecology Hike. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Learn how plans & animals survive the winter. $5. Info 570.828.2317, peec.org.

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Winter Wonderland. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ. Holiday gifts, tricky tray, pet adoptions. $5. Hosted by Eleventh Hour Rescue. Info: 973.664.0865, ehrevents. org.

12:30–2 p.m.

Music at the Mansion. Grey Towers, Milford, PA. $10. Carolers stroll the corridor during museum tours. Also December 20th and 27th. Info: 570.296.9630, greytowers.org

3 p.m.

Holiday Concert. First Presbyterian Church, Hackettstown, NJ. Performance by Stone Soup Symphony. Free. Info: 908.509.1047, www.stonesoupsymphony.org.

December 13th–14th

Saturday–Sunday 1–4 p.m.

Walpack Christmas. Rosenkrans Museum, Walpack, NJ. Free. Hosted by Walpack Historical Society. Info: 973.362.5211, walpack history.org.

Saturday 7 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m.

Holiday Extravaganza. Marsh Hall, Port Jervis, NY. Holiday music & readings. Presented by Presby Players. $10–$15. Info: 845.856.1231, Facebook: Presby Players.

December 14th

Sunday 11 a.m.

The Sights, Scents and Sounds of Christmas. Stillwater Collective, Stillwater, NJ. Live music, specialty foods, holiday vendors, Mr. & Mrs. Clause. Presented by Historical Society of Stillwater Township. Info: 973.370.5969, Facebook: The Stillwater Collective.

December 18th

Thursday 1–7 p.m.

Community Blood Drive. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Sparta, NJ. To make an appointment, visit donate.nybc.org and enter sponsor code 71131. Info: KReutter@ nybc.org.

6:00–7:30 p.m.

Eagle Watch Volunteer Training. Via Zoom. Hosted by Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Registration required. Info: 570.226.3164, www.delawarehighlands.org

December 19th

Friday 8 p.m.

Twelve Twenty-Four Concert. Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, Chester, NY. Holiday rock orchestra concert featuring rock-edge holiday music. $35–$55. Info: 845.208.5554, www.sugarloafpacny.com

December 21st

Sunday 4 p.m.

Christmas Cheer. Drew United Methodist Church, Port Jervis, NY. Performance by Delaware Valley Choral Society. $10–$15. Info: dvchoralsociety.org.

January 3rd

Saturday 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

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 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st, February 7th & 14th. Reservations: 570.226.3164, www.delawarehighlands.org

January 10th

Saturday 5–9 p.m.

Fur Ball Dinner & Dance. El Sombrero Restaurant, Rock Hill, NY. $80. Benefits Sullivan County Animal Shelter. Info: 845.467.1347.

February 13th–16th

Friday–Monday

Presidents’ Day Family Camp Weekend. PEEC, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Cross country skiing, nature hikes, animal tracking & more. $270. Info: 570.828.2319, www.peec.org.

February 19th

Thursday 1–7 p.m.

Community Blood Drive. Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Sparta, NJ. To make an appointment, visit donate.nybc.org and enter sponsor code 71131. Info: KReutter@nybc. org.

31 Jersey Ave, Port Jervis ( 845 ) 754-1808

WINTER ART SHOW

December 5th – January 26th 2026

ARTIST RECEPTION

Saturday, December 13th 1pm to 6pm

BIG SHOW POP-UP

February 7th – 15th, 2026

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT

Pub Style Food • Budget Friendly Online Ordering Available Dine In or Take Out

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Breakfast Served 9am-12pm Saturdays & Sundays!

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Puck

Opposite page: Patricia Watwood

Exploring the Wild Fey World Patricia Watwood

To walk into Patricia Watwood’s art studio in Milford, PA, is to be instantly transported into another world, a world that exudes a sense of magical realism. Paintings, faeries, nymphs, and human portraits accompany ethereal and otherworldly creatures, oversized and colorful Italian crepe paper flowers, and of course, the tools of an artist’s trade: rags, oil paint, cans, bottles, paint tubes, and easels. Outfitted in a flowing floral dress, Patricia herself seemed a bit ethereal but very grounded as we spoke.

Patricia, a self-described narrative figurative oil painter and recent transplant to Milford, explains that her passion has always revolved around creating visual things through drawing, crafting, and painting. “While I’ve painted many realistic portraits over the years, I’ve moved to a more narrative form of storytelling through my work.” she explains.

Raised in St. Louis and schooled at Trinity University in San Antonio, she worked for several years in theatrical design in San Antonio, Seattle, and St. Louis.

“My theatrical design work offered me the wonderful opportunity to be creative in a highly collaborative environment, where people work together to create the whole,” she says. “After several years, I decided to leave theater work to pursue oil painting, always a love of mine and a form of art that is highly individualistic and that fits my evolving personality and needs.”

When Patricia was twenty-five, she moved to NY to pursue an MFA in oil painting at the New York Academy of Art. “Living in Manhattan and then Brooklyn was an exhilarating experience,” she says of her twenty-eight years in New York City. “Frankly, my art was out of sync with most contemporary artists,” she admits. “I was more aligned with classical visual language such as the Hudson River School of grand landscapes, sweeping vistas, and natural environments.” Her figurative works, including portraiture, have been exhibited at Dacia Gallery and the Forbes Gallery in New York City and the St. Louis University Museum of Art.

In addition to her oil painting career, Patricia also became an accomplished artist in drawing. Her book, The Path of Drawing: Lessons for Everyday Creativity and Mindfulness, published in 2022, nurtures creativity and mindfulness with step-by-step drawing lessons, relaxing exercises, and instructive practices.

“Today, many people look to cultivating creativity as a means to improve one’s quality of life, to unplug, to alleviate negative conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression, and to build resilience and enjoy the present moment. Practices such as meditation and journaling are adjacent to drawing, an accessible and personal medium that can facilitate both creativity and mental and spiritual health.” She hopes to offer a “lunch and learn” on drawing this winter in Milford.

Continued on next page

Her current work has interesting origins. Over time, her interest in realistic oil portraits and landscapes began to give way to more theatrical renderings of what she calls the “fey world,” marked by an otherworldliness. She sometimes combines the human element with the world of faeries and other ethereal creatures; other times, her art reflects a completely allegorical world. She is heavily influenced by characters in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, such as Titania, Oberon, and Puck.

“My husband and I have two non-binary children, and they have gifted me an entrée to the younger generation. My art has been heavily influenced by observing how people of their generation relate to each other and how supportive they are of each other’s uniqueness,” she explains.

Her current body of work is inspired by the younger generation’s fluidity, bodily autonomy, and an approach to the human experience that is different from her own very traditional upbringing in the Midwest.

Sister Ann Manganaro SL MD

Patricia uses oil paints to combine her love of nature and her awareness of the fragility of our environment in forming her original themes.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have moved from New York City to Milford, which reminds me in many ways of my hometown in St. Louis. The icing on the cake was when I discovered my affinity with Gifford Pinchot of Grey Towers for nature and conservation.” She is currently involved in Delaware River Keeper and Delaware Highlands Conservancy events and plans to add Grey Towers Heritage Association to the list next year.

“After all those years in big cities, I longed to return to my hometown roots. I find Milford the perfect place to create and relax.” She especially enjoys the shops, restaurants, and natural beauty of Milford and Northeastern Pennsylvania in general. “It was scary in certain ways to give up city life, but I find a sense of serenity here that cultivates peace in my mind and helps me focus on my work and my family. I’m looking forward to getting further involved in community life and meeting new friends and neighbors.”

Patricia Watwood’s current solo show, The Fey Wild, is at the Equity Gallery on New York’s Lower East Side through December 6th. For more information about Patricia and her art, visit www.patriciawatwoodstudio. com.

Will Voelkel is a frequent contributor to The Journal He also restores and flips lakefront homes in the Milford area.

Watwood’s Fey World Inspirations

The Fallen Caryatid (left) is a repeated theme in my work. A caryatid is a classical Greek sculpture figure often carved into an architectural column. When the figure is crouched, instead of standing (as also found in Rodin), she represents the female figure that is bound into her role, but persistent in her effort upholding her burden.

Puck (page 12), painted in oil on linen, is the Jester of the Fairy Court. He may perform service to Queen and King, but he may as well make mischief and upend the expected order of the world. I imagine Puck as a trans-faerie that weaves and warps the tapestry of the magical night.

My painting The Outer Boundary (middle) depicts a priestess who keeps vigil on the outer edge of the Fey Wild, keeping the ancient rituals and lighting the smoke that signals her sisters of a threat.

In Celestial Phenomena (right), the cerulean glow of twilight inspires us to look up and breathe in. A state of wonder opens as we take leave of the harsh rays of the rational sun and a liminal gate of magic and possibility slips open. The day blind stars emerge and remind us that the night contains a mystery of potential beauty and unmasked chaos. Is it the stars, fireworks, or the end of the world?

Sofas

Recliners

Vanities * Bars

Polywood Outdoor

Furniture

Clocks * Curios * Lamps

Barstools * Desks

Paintings * Benches

Grandfather Clocks

Power Li ing Chairs

Dinette Sets * Reclining Sofas

TV Consoles * Sleeper Sofas

Loveseats * Bedroom Sets * Mattresses

Bombay Chests * Swivel Chairs

Rocking Chairs * Dining Room Sets

Bakers Racks * Area Rugs

Gun Cabinets * Entertainment Units

Cocktail Tables * Ottomans * End Tables

Bookcases

Fireplaces

Sofa Tables * Wing Chairs * Wine Cabinets

Holiday Gifts from the Heart

As soon as I recover from Thanksgiving and can easily hoist myself off the couch, I start thinking about food again. Energized by copious amounts of turkey, cranberries, and gravy, I am suddenly brimming with enthusiasm for the upcoming holiday season. The holiday spirit has seized me and taken me captive.

I imagine that I will be hosting gatherings with cute little nibbles and cocktails. I can envision inviting neighbors over for a cup of tea and Christmas cookies. I know that I will be baking a lot of cookies, but maybe this is the year for a gingerbread castle. Maybe I can host a holiday singalong. Probably not, but maybe. One thing I do know is that I will be making homemade treats to share with family and friends.

Over time, I have created my own personal tradition, which usually occurs the weekend after Thanksgiving. I block off time, cue up my holiday playlist, beginning with Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas, and I get busy in the kitchen.

I make a few types of cookies, depending on my mood. They vary from year to year, but I always make three special gifts that never change, based on popular demand.

These are chocolate truffles, cheese twists, and limoncello. For some people, these are more important than Christmas cookies.

Chocolate truffles were the first holiday gift that I ever made and gave to my friends. I was in high school, and after a big mess in the kitchen, I presented the results, wrapped in fancy boxes, to all in my friend group. They were a hit. After all, truffles are pretty much pure creamy chocolate flavor bombs. At that time, they seemed very exotic because no one knew what truffles were and anything French was de facto elegant. And, again, they were chocolate. What teenage girl doesn’t like chocolate?

Even though chocolate truffles look very complicated to make, they are not. The ingredient list is simple, high quality chocolate, heavy cream, a little butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder.

The tricky part has to do with handling the chocolate. It’s all about temperature and timing. The most important things to remember are to chop the chocolate into very small pieces and to heat the cream to a simmer without boiling it. Hot cream poured over the chopped chocolate allows it to melt without separating and helps ensure a

smooth, not grainy, texture. Working with a well-chilled mixture helps the process too. If the chocolate starts melting in your hands while forming the balls, pop the bowl back in the refrigerator for a few minutes and start again.

Shaping the truffles into perfect chocolate spheres is one of the best jobs I could ever have. I get to coat my hands in cocoa powder, and then roll a scoop of chocolate into them. Working quickly takes practice but worth the effort.

Early on, I sometimes felt like I was in an I Love Lucy episode. Once, I had an itch on my nose and scratched it, leaving cocoa powder on my face, but I didn’t realize it. When I went to wash my hands and recoat them with fresh powder, the cocoa got in my nose and I sneezed. I did not sneeze in the direction of the bowl, but my face and apron were covered in cocoa, as was the floor. I cleaned up and started anew, laughing the whole time.

Cheese straws are another longstanding and popular gift from my kitchen. They seem to confer a sense of elegance to whatever gathering they are served at. I somehow associate these fancy snacks with Audrey Hepburn, an actor I had a girl crush on at one time. I had seen, or maybe just imagined that I had, a scene in a movie where she was having an aperitif and there were olives and cheese straws served with it. That was how I aspired to live. Nibbling on a cheese straw or holding it like a long cigarette was the closest I would come to being a sophisticated jet setter for a long while.

The original cheese straw recipe I used involved making homemade puff pastry dough. This was both labor intensive and time consuming, so cheese straws made rare guest appearances at the table and were reserved for special events only. Then, good quality puff pastry made its way to the freezer aisle of the supermarket. This also allowed me to play with different ingredients and flavor combinations beyond the classic Parmesan cheese. My current fave uses “everything” bagel seasoning.

Puff pastry is basically a blank canvas to layer on any flavor that you choose. I recommend checking out the bagel store for seasoning inspiration, like poppy, sesame, or onion toppings. Try experimenting with new spice profiles like tajine and curry. It’s also fun to pair different flavors to different cocktails. This holiday season could be your personal FAFO moment in the most delicious way possible.

Limoncello is a more recent addition to my repertoire. An older Italian woman once offered me some of her homemade cordial in a tiny glass. I was electrified by the intense lemon flavor, followed quickly by the burn of the alcohol. She shared her recipe in vague terms, and I have finally settled on a reasonable approximation of it.

I start making the batch of limoncello as soon as I can after Thanksgiving. This is mostly because the longer the

peels sit in the vodka, the more time they have to infuse their flavor into the alcohol. But also because the jar looks festive on the counter and I like to give the concoction a stir once in a while to monitor its progress over time.

Two things that I have learned in making limoncello are to use organic lemons, and to let the peels steep for as long as possible, up to a month, in the vodka. I follow these guidelines as best I can, and even if I can’t, I remind myself that a pretty good batch of limoncello is much better than no limoncello at all. I usually save some in a mason jar in the refrigerator for myself, and decant the rest into cute little bottles to share.

Gifts from my kitchen during the holiday season are a way for me to show my affection for family and friends. The time and attention I spend on preparing them is most like a spiritual practice. It is a way for me to take a step back from rushing around, shopping, and buying in a busy time of year. I like to spend time at home in the kitchen with my girls, friends, or just by myself. It is a way for me to reconnect with happy memories growing up. These homemade gifts are as much a gift to myself as they are to the recipients. I wish you a happy and peaceful holiday season.

Easy Chocolate Truffles

8 ounces highest quality dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa content, finely chopped ½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or Grand Marnier liqueur Pinch of kosher salt

Unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder for dusting

• Place the finely chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Set aside.

• In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until it simmers with bubbles around the edge of the pot. Do not boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it stand for about five minutes to melt the chocolate.

• Stir the mixture gently until it becomes smooth and glossy. Add the butter, salt, and liqueur and stir until incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap pressed into the mixture and refrigerate for at least two hours or until it is firm enough to handle. The mixture may be stored for up to three days at this point.

• Using a teaspoon or melon scooper, quickly form the chocolate into one inch balls and place them on a parchment lined baking pan. For best results, return the pan to the refrigerator for 20 minutes before coating them in cocoa powder.

• With clean hands coated in cocoa powder, roll the truffles in your palms to form smooth balls. Rest the truffles on a chilled baking sheet and return to the refrigerator to firm up before storing.

• Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best flavor, let them come to room temperature before serving, about 20 minutes. The truffles may be

frozen for up to three months in a freezer safe container and thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Makes about 24 truffles.

Everything Cheese Straws

⅓ cup “everything” bagel seasoning

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, preferably all butter, thawed

2 large eggs, slightly beaten Flour for dusting

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the seasoning, cheese, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Chill two baking sheets in the refrigerator.

• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry sheets into two 11 by 16 inch rectangles. Brush the pastries with beaten egg followed by the everything bagel seasoning mixture. Using a sharp knife, trim the long edges of the pastry to even them out. Cut each rectangle crossways into 15 ½ inch strips.

• Working with one strip at a time, twist each strip into a spiral. Place on the chilled baking sheets lined with parchment paper about one inch apart. Gently press down the ends of the straw into the parchment paper to set the shape. Return to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes before baking.

• Bake until the twists are golden brown about 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool completely before removing from pans. Makes 30.

Limoncello

12 lemons, preferably organic 1 bottle (750 ml) vodka or Everclear 3 cups water 2 cups sugar

• Using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemon in long wide strips. Reserve the lemons for another use (I squeeze the juice and freeze it in ice cube trays.)

• Scrape away as much of the pith as possible from the peel. The pith, or white part, causes bitterness. Place the lemon peels in the bottom of a wide mouth jar or pitcher. Add the vodka, give it a stir and seal the container with a lid or plastic wrap.

• Let this sit on the counter for at least four days or up to four weeks, giving it an occasional stir or shake. The longer the peels are infused in the vodka, the more aromatic the lemon flavor will be.

• Stir the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved, about five minutes. Let cool completely before pouring the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand overnight or up to two days.

• Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate for at least four hours and up to one month. Makes about 6 small bottles.

family mausoleum.

Bottom: Tri States Rock.

Photos by Jane Primerano

Laurel Grove Cemetery

History Telling

Sitting on a peninsula that juts into the Delaware River in Port Jervis, NY, is a large, rolling peaceful tract of land featuring ample open space and gardens. Laurel Grove Cemetery is full of beautifully carved tombstones. Fourteen thousand people have been interred there, and still there is plenty of open space, which was originally crisscrossed with carriage paths that had been paved over the years.

The layout of Laurel Grove is typical of the cemetery designs of Howard Daniels, a noted landscape architect of the mid-1800s. Daniels’s designs incorporate hills, swales, vistas, and woodland features.

According to cemetery history, Laurel Grove Cemetery, built in 1856, was part of a post-1820 movement that changed cemeteries from somber places remembering the dead with little ornamentation and an occasional visit from farm animals to landscaped parks for strolls and carriage rides.

In 1889, the Minisink Valley Historical Society was founded to protect and celebrate the history of the area, including the cemetery. It stores considerable information in its files in the Port Jervis Free Library.

New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania meet at the confluence of the Neversink and Delaware Rivers under the Route 84 bridge at Carpenter’s Point, where Carpenter’s Ferry once launched into the river. Members of the Carpenter family are buried in a family plot at the southern end of the cemetery, very near the monuments, according

to the Delaware River Heritage Trail Guide, by Peter Osborne, former executive director of the Minisink Valley Historical Society.

There sits a monument, named the Tri States Rock, dated 1884, which is not in the river, and a small, concrete structure at the actual confluence. The exact spot had been determined by renowned Philadelphia astronomer, inventor, and surveyor David Rittenhouse in 1769 to settle a 100-year dispute among the colonies of East and West Jersey and New York. Both monuments are part of Laurel Grove Cemetery.

Dr. John Conkling, cemetery founder and first president of the cemetery association, was a major figure in Port Jervis, which was founded in the 1820s and named for John Bloomfield Jervis who oversaw the construction of the Delaware and Hudson Canal.

Conkling was among the 19th century residents who were interested in the history of the Minisink Valley, the long stretch of land from the Delaware Water Gap to the conjunction of the three states, now mostly covered by the Delaware River National Recreation Area.

Nancy Conod, current executive director of the Minisink Valley Historical Society, and Joanna Muhlbeck, board member of Laurel Grove Cemetery, shared many stories with me in a discussion we had in the society’s library room.

Local legend has it that John Conkling bought the original portion of the cemetery for his estate but found the land

Entrance to Laurel Grove Cemetery

was too rocky for its intended use. Conkling’s son, William Edgar Conkling, died on November 11th, 1854, at 24 years old. His was the first body buried on the property, and his grave is marked by an obelisk.

John Conkling got a small percentage of the proceeds from the sale of graves and also received wood from trees that had to be removed, Conod said. He didn’t want any live trees cut, she added.

Today, the cemetery has monuments and mausoleums that reflect the history of the area and is a part of the Delaware River Heritage Trail.

Founders of Port Jervis are buried there including numerous mayors and two US representatives, William Stiles Bennet and Francis Marvin. According to Osborne’s book, among those interred are some of the more genteel relatives of Newark-born author Stephen Crane, who had visited Port Jervis often as his father served as a Methodist pastor there. This was during the period that the author was exploring the slums of the Bowery. In the 19th century, the Bowery was the hub of entertainment and nightlife in New York City with theaters and vaudeville houses, full of artists and immigrants, exactly the opposite of the comfortable and sophisticated city Port Jervis was becoming.

There are Civil War veterans buried in a separate Veterans’ Lot. The first soldier buried there was John G. Rosencrantz, 17, who was wounded at Williamsburg and died in Baltimore. James Bennett succumbed to fever contracted in camp at age 27. John Broadhead died from wounds received at the Battle of Wilderness. Daniel Mifflin Brodhead was wounded at Wilderness and later died. Cornelius Cuddeback Shimer was killed at Spotsylvania Courthouse and buried on the battlefield but later reinterred at Laurel Grove.

Of the Civil War veterans buried in Laurel Grove, none survived longer than Edwin Franklin Lawrence who died November 29th, 1936, and is believed to have been the longest surviving Civil War veteran in the area. The historical society is in possession of his uniform and other paraphernalia from the Grand Army of the Republic Post 500 of Brooklyn.

Ottoway Moore, a former black slave, is buried in the cemetery. Moore was in the employ of one of the cavalry officers who served under Gen. Hugh Judson Kilpatrick, a prominent Union officer during the Civil War. Kilpatrick was born in Wantage Township, Sussex County, NJ, on a family farm near the village of Deckertown, now Sussex Borough.

Dr. Sherri Talbot-Valerio

Lynching victim Robert Lewis was buried in Laurel Grove; the black community of Port Jervis paid for his burial. Lewis was lynched by a white mob of 300 in Port Jervis on June 2nd, 1892. In The Journal, Summer issue, 2022, local author, Michael Worden told the history of the lynching as he was interviewed about his book, Lynched by a Mob.

Railroad workers were also buried in a plot purchased by the Erie Lackawanna but were later turned back to the cemetery.

Like every historic cemetery, Laurel Grove has its share of ghost stories. The most common “sighting” is Julia Dean Cooper, a Broadway actress whose parents were vaudeville performers. She died in childbirth at age 37 in 1868. People claim they have seen her walk through several sections of the cemetery.

The late author Clifford M. Buck, who published in Dutchess County, NY, newspapers, wrote that he was shown a Minnisink paper published in 1969 that read: “In Laurel Grove Cemetery, a short distance from the main entrance and near the Neversink River, in an unmarked grave, sleeps one of the most beloved actresses in the history of the American Theatre—Julia Dean.”

Although by all appearances an upscale cemetery, Laurel Grove does have its Potter’s Field. There is also a children’s section along one of the carriage paths. Conod explained that in the early days of the cemetery, most families would not have the finances to bury a very young child, so those graves would be in a separate section. Most of the graves in that section are not marked.

The Laurel Grove Cemetery Association must do a lot of planning to maintain the nonprofit cemetery that is overseen by the New York State Division of Cemeteries. Muhlbeck noted that some of the former carriage paths have been taken over for graves, but all graves must be accessible. Some plots were purchased by families who later left the area, and she said that it helps the cemetery if these are sold so they can be used.

Every year the cemetery association sends a letter to friends and donors asking for vital support to help maintain the cemetery. In the past, they have held charity walks, including a cemetery tour.

Laurel Grove is a scenic, park-like setting visited by hundreds each year. Its beauty reflects the history of the Minisink Valley, and it is a striking example of how people of the mid-nineteenth century viewed their final resting places.

By Amy Bridge

Eric Lane and Bob Barnett

The Critters Collaboration

Ididn’t really notice the lake view as I took my time walking slowly down the many wooden steps. The walkway is lined with a wisteria-wrapped railing, which leads to the 1950s renovated cottage that is perched on a rocky ledge in a small lake community in Sussex County, NJ.

Once inside, I’m greeted by two shy but friendly “purrers,” a grey and white tabby and his tuxedo brother. And then I am ushered in, to have a seat by the window in the back of the house that perfectly frames a view of Paulinskill Lake— reminiscent of a mysteriously romantic evergreen bayou.

What else would I expect from a home occupied by an artist and a playwright?

Our conversation follows the commonalities between their chosen professions, which are found just below surface, and include point of view and perception. A writer and

an artist both notice detail, picking up on nuances that others might skip over. As writer Eric Lane explained, he often develops his characters and dialogue first, by paying attention to what is said, but also by hearing what hasn’t been said. Then the story’s plot begins to emerge.

It is a process similar to how an artist must look for negative space and also see the shadows. What’s not in a painting can be just as important as what is there. Working on a film set requires studying with a critical eye in order to tell a graphic story.

We are interrupted only by Checkers the cat, who seems interested in knowing what’s in my tall glass because his goal, I am told, is to get at the ice cubes.

For over 35 years, Bob Barnett had worked as a member of United Scenic Artist Local 829 as a Scenic Artist for films

Snowy Owl , and other arrwork by Bob Barnett.

Photos by Alan Wiener

and Set Designer for theater. Some favorites projects include Ang Lee’s Ice Storm, where he said they “worked with tons and tons of hair gel, brought in from Jersey, to make that ice a reality.” And Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, in which “all the scenic work was included in the film, from the underside of the bleachers to the back lot in Paterson, NJ, where we created the opening scene of the movie.”

During the pandemic, work was set aside, and Bob decided to take his painting to a new level. He built an artist studio down by the lake—with good ventilation because he knew he’d need it with his newly found love of working with encaustic wax. He began a series of workshops at R&F Handmade Paints in Kingston, NY, the definitive place to study encaustic wax.

He prefers using a corrugated cardboard base with either rice paper or newsprint layered on top. Next, he applies several coats of encaustic wax to create the desired textured effect; then applies Sumi ink for added depth.

Bob showed me ethereal paintings inspired by trips to Maine and Alaska. Even local farms or cloud formations proved inspirational.

For a writer, inspiration sometimes comes from dialogue, character, or an actual story plot. For the painter, it can be instant inspiration: a passing landscape, a river scene, a black bear.

So, I ask, how did the inspiration for the Critters collaboration, their latest project, come about? Bob answers that it was quite an organic process. He was inspired by a momma bear and her two cubs. And the story grew from there because husband Eric Lane, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and book editor, was now involved, and an art/theater project was born.

“It was mostly unspoken. I saw his painting, and it sparked an idea,” Eric explained. “After graduating as a double major at Brown University, I came to NY and became a writer for the soap opera Ryan’s Hope. This was great training, but I knew I wanted to be a playwright. In 1988, I started Orange Thought Productions, off-Broadway, where we experimented and learned. A young Jennifer Aniston starred in our first production.”

Eric’s 2008 play Ride has been produced around the country and is in the process of becoming a musical. “The

The

play begins at a farmstand in Northwest NJ,” Eric said, knowing that our local readers can connect with that. He just received exciting news that a production is slated in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2026.

Bob’s encaustic painting Bear Outside My Window on a Snowy Night was the first to inspire Eric to write a twopage scene between a bear and doe. “It was inspired by our life on the lake. I saw the painting as the story of a deer who has lost her fawn and a bear who comes along and tries to intimidate her. Over the course of the play, they become best friends,” said Eric.

The scene was read at New Circle Theater Company in New York City. The reading ran five minutes, followed by a discussion that lasted 90 minutes. This inspired Bob to create another painting that inspired Eric to write another scene. Then back and forth, with another reading at Ensemble Studio Theatre, where Eric is a Member Artist. “Each time the story develops, new layers are added,” Eric explained.

In the fall of 2024, LARAC’s Lapham Gallery in Glens Falls, NY, held three readings, surrounded by forty of Bob’s paintings. Eric had contacted Martha Banta, whom he had worked with many times over the years, and asked her to direct the play. Martha is the Founding Artistic Director of the Adirondack Theater Festival and is currently directing Mamma Mia!, which is on Broadway for a limited engagement.

“Having Martha on board created a wonderful bonding experience with the actors, artwork, and adult audience, all coming together,” Eric said.

Six actors embody the eight strong female characters: a bear, her cub, a doe, fawns, an owl, a fox, and a stinkpot turtle. “The play is about friendship, motherhood, birth,

death, and all the survival situations that an animal in the woods (or a human) has to face. Drama and humor exist side by side in life, and I always try to incorporate that in my writing.”

“This past January, we were back at New Circle with a workshop production directed by another Eric, Eric Nightengale, which included a simple, elegant set, costumes, lights and sound,” Eric said. “Audiences saw themselves in the characters, story, and emotions.”

“The characters create a community,” adds Bob. “The play has a tone that is warm, serious, and funny and a profoundly moving story line.”

“I see it,” says the Owl, who holds a unique perspective from up high. “Feel the connection when I fly across the night. An irrefutable tie between us—bear to owl to crow—across genus and species, feathers and fur and fins and paws and scales and talons, all joining together in a single magnificent soul,” from The Critters Collection.

One of the hallmarks of this collaboration is the passion that both Eric Lane and Bob Barnett have for combining their talents and producing work together. Collaboration is the theme and the marker of any healthy relationship; Eric Lane and Bob Barnett have taken the notion a step further.

As I make my way back up the steep staircase toward my car, the cats don’t follow me out. They are inside critters.

The Critters Collection will be on exhibit from January to March 2026 at wild project, 195 E 3rd St, NY. (thewild project.org) For more information about Bob Barnett and Eric Lane, visit www.bobbarnett.net and www.ericlane writes.com

Marketscope

The outside of the restaurant is a European Tudor style; the interior offers an elegant rustic atmosphere, where coffered wooden ceilings beam down on a fieldstone fireplace. The walls are adorned with stained glass, an ornately carved cuckoo clock, and oil paintings of thatched roof cottages and the like. The Black Forest Inn in Stanhope, NJ, envelopes you in its warm hospitality.

This family business began in 1978 when Heinrich and Elke Aichem purchased the restaurant. Heinrich had trained as a chef in Europe. When their son, Heiner, and daughter, Barbara, were ready to take over, Heiner was sent to Germany to train with chefs there. Barbara runs the front of the house.

“Our delicious sauces are what complement each meal,” Barbara says. “We serve Maultaschen from the south of Germany, a veal and spinach ravioli, and Jagerschnitzel, with a wine and mushroom cream sauce. We have an excellent Pommery mustard sauce for fish. We also have a glass cabinet in the entry foyer that’s stocked with Stollen and imported chocolates for sale to take home.”

“We’re not just German,” Barbara continues. “Germany is considered the heart of Europe, and our food incorporates all the European influences. We do have the stereotypical heavier German food, but we also offer lighter fare.” The Flammkuchen is a German pizza made with fontina, mozzarella, and crème fraiche.

Throughout the month of December, the Black Forest Inn offers a traditional roast goose dinner. Every January, they host a game dinner in conjunction with the NJ Outdoor Alliance. Barbara said that people really look forward to this buffet.

Barbara, Heiner, and his wife, Holly Aichem, have embraced their family business. They recently added a food truck into the mix. They were at the NJ State Fair in August, and during Oktoberfest, they frequented farms, orchards, breweries, and corporate events. They’re looking forward to serving their German-inspired food at soccer’s World Cup, which will be held in East Rutherford, NJ, next year.

BLACK FOREST INN

Invites you to join us throughout the month of December for a TRADITIONAL GOOSE DINNER. Make reservations for your holiday gathering whether it’s a family gettogether or an o ce party.

DON’T MISS OUR ANNUAL GERMAN CHRISTMAS

Family Run Restaurant for Over 47 Years

With live music on Saturday, December 13th featuring a special holiday á la carte menu, cozy and warm atmosphere including a replace and a German band playing Christmas carols adding to the festivities. We open at 1:00, the band starts at 5pm and plays for 4 hours.

If you’re tired from all the holiday running around, relax with us CHRISTMAS EVE ON WED., DECEMBER 24th from 4pm-10pm featuring a special holiday á la carte menu.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR

Join us on New Year’s Eve. We’ll be open from 4pm-11pm and feature a special holiday á la carte menu.

WILD GAME DINNER

Annual event held on Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 2pm. Features an extensive cocktail hour and beautiful wild game bu et. $80.00 per ticket. Makes a Great Holiday Gift!

For more information about any of the above events give us a call! 249 US

Cartoons by Bob Eckstein, author, illustrator, and world’s leading snowman expert

“First

Aries (March 20-April 19) – The notion of “who you are,” meaning who anyone is, but especially you, has become so unstable that it seems impossible to hold your center. In fact it would seem there is no center. Listen to your fears and anxieties rather than running from them and you will learn a lot. In this and other ways, spiritual matters are trying to get your attention. Your chart suggests that you need to give yourself permission to desire. What, exactly? Your anger will teach you.

Taurus (April 19-May 20) – Sooner or later you have to have an honest discussion about relationships. It could be with yourself; it could be with a partner; it might be with a therapist but most of them can’t do the ‘honest’ part; it might be with a close friend. It doesn’t really matter who, as long as you emphasize what is real about you: your real desires, actual perceived needs, your emotional and spiritual state — all of it.

Gemini (May 20-June 21) – Uranus has temporarily retreated from your sign. I suggest you consider what you’ve learned and observed about yourself over the past few months. What you’ve experienced over the summer is going to prepare you for the next seven years of your life — if you learn from it. Uranus comes with a streak of genius and more than a small dose of anarchy and instability. It can bring sudden changes of fortune, and in any event it always delivers movement, change and progress.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) – Despite the sense of opportunity calling you most of the year, you may be struggling to connect. Events this month will bring you within reach of at least one ambitious goal, though you will need to have one in order for that to work. Just pick the thing that’s the most important or that you like the best. Your actual speciality is being you, but there is something else, and you may overlook it because you love it so much.

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) – Amidst the storm of astrology the past year, the most stand-out thing is the reorientation of your relationships involving Pluto entering your opposite sign Aquarius (technically, your 7th solar place). For you it’s the pin in the pinwheel. It represents a shift in every relationship dynamic in your life, from the most personal one-to-one relationships to how you interrelate with groups to your relationship with yourself, which is the most important part. The bottom line: being true to yourself will get you everything.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) – There exists the question of whether it’s possible to self-actualize when you’re in a relationship. This is a difficult matter, as we are all in relationships of various kinds; but I’m talking about the kind where your entire identity is invested in the connection. Are certain kinds of growth possible within that framework, and what happens when your evolution accelerates? Where shared commitments are involved, be clear if you need help; state what you can and cannot do. And yes, this will be a test of whether your relationships are sustained by love, or by something else.

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) – Libra is the sign of both balance and dependable relationships, and these things are rare to find. You’re unlikely to find them outside yourself and more likely to be a source of stability for others. Given the prevailing state of chaos, it would help to have superpowers, and you have a few to work with: your gift for language, the sense of what a game everything has become, and the power to direct your energy in specific ways. Be sure to keep a conscious handle on this ability.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) – The notion of living for one’s principles has largely been reduced to advertising and public relations. It’s a tagline, like “fair trade” or “artisanal.” But it cannot be for you. And the problem is that the whole notion has become so atrophied that most people have no concept what it means except for appearances. You must reckon with this on both levels — the deception associated with image, and the truth of what matters and cannot be compromised on.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) – While your sign has a freewheeling, stop-at-nothing reputation, it’s easy for you to get caught in small details and what you think are the expectations of others. There’s an old expression about dancing like nobody is watching and singing like nobody is listening. That’s what your chart is talking about. Being daring is involved, and for you, that means risking some form of disapproval that does not actually exist. Few even take an interest in what you do or what you decide — but you must.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) – The holidays are approaching and if you have the choice, you can give yourself permission to not do the same old thing with your relatives, if you’re fortunate enough to have them. Even Capricorns like change every now and then, and this would be a refreshing one. The main difference is being free of obligation (a truly Capricorn thing if there ever was one) and having the freedom to make choices without guilt (another Capricorn thing).

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) – You can be open about things most people don’t even think about. Secrets of a spiritual nature, and a deeply personal type as well, are things you can leave out on the table and are often comfortable discussing. There are little weird things about Aquarius, and this is one of them. You’re in the zone where these elements form new compounds of consciousness. When we talk about healing, a big part of that is seeing as whole that which is not separate and never was.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) – The next few months come with the instruction to wrap up unfinished business. We can see this with the final return of both Saturn and Neptune to your sign, ending long cycles for the world and for you personally. It’s rare enough that the slow-movers visit any sign, and for years, you’ve had two of them working together. But even on the far end of those transits, there is still work to be done and discoveries to be made. Make any necessary adjustments and focus on what you want to happen rather than what you may regret.