Simply Saratoga Spring 2023

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Chad Beatty

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ MANAGING EDITOR

Chris Vallone Bushee

MAGAZINE DESIGNER

Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

Kelly Schoonbeck

ADVERTISING

Jim Daley

Cindy Durfey

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Samantha Bosshart

Sue Clark

Colleen Coleman

Nicolina Foti

John R. Greenwood

Carol Godette

George Hanstien

Wendy Hobday Haugh

Robert C. Lawrence

Charlie Kuenzel

Bill Orzell

Megin Potter

John Reardon

Rob Sgarlata

Jordana Turcotte

Ralph Vincent

PHOTOGRAPHERS

The George S. Bolster Collection

Sue Clark

Michael Gallitelli

George Hanstein

Wendy Hobday Haugh

Library of Congress

Tom Moore

New York State Musuem

Randall Perry Photography

Kathleen Quinn

Super Source Media Studios

Matthew Tufts

PUBLISHED BY SARATOGA TODAY

2254 Route 50 South Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 tel: (518) 581-2480

saratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

SimplySaratoga.com

Simply Saratoga is brought to you by Saratoga TODAY, Saratoga Publishing, LLC. Saratoga Publishing shall make every effort to avoid errors and omissions but disclaims any responsibility should they occur. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the publisher. Copyright © 2023. Saratoga TODAY Newspaper.

SAMANTHA BOSSHART

Samantha Bosshart joined the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation in 2008. As Executive Director, she advocates for the preservation of the unique architecture and rich heritage of Saratoga Springs. Samantha previously worked at Historic Albany Foundation and Galveston Historical Foundation. Samantha completed her coursework for a Master of Arts in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University and received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Indiana University.

COLLEEN COLEMAN

Colleen Coleman is the owner of CMC Design Studio LLC and is well noted by her clients for bringing high energy, attention to detail, organization and more to each project. Her collaborative efforts with clients, as well as others in the industry, translates to a comprehensive design to completion for her clients. Her unique approach to defining each space matured into what she has coined as “Creating Environments for Life” - reach her at colleen@cmcdesignstudio.net.

NICOLINA FOTI

Nicolina Foti is the Farm to School grant coordinator and agriculture educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County. She has a B.S. in Agriculture and Sustainability from SUNY Empire. She lives with her husband in Galway, NY where she grew up on the family farm. There she developed a love of horses and other farm animals. She says it’s extremely fulfilling to work in agriculture, helping farmers in this important Saratoga County industry.

CAROL GODETTE

Born and raised in Saratoga Springs, Carol Godette’s fascination with neighborhood stores began at age 11 when she frequented Rowland’s. A passionate educator, Godette taught elementary school in the Saratoga School District for 31 years. Carol is a co-owner of the local Ben & Jerry’s franchise. Godette and her husband live in her childhood home where they raised their two children. She welcomes your comments and stories/photos on neighborhood stores via email: saratoganeighborhoodstores@gmail.com

JOHN R. GREENWOOD

John Greenwood is a leftover Saratoga Springs milkman who loves capturing stories about the people and places that surround him. John and his wife Patricia have been holding hands since high school. The couple recently retired and are looking forward to having more time to enjoy the nooks and crannies of the surrounding area. You can explore more of John’s writing at rainingiguanas.com, where you will find the glass half full and the weather mostly sunny.

GEORGE

HANSTEIN

George Hanstein was a photographer in New York City and New Jersey for 20 years. He decided that he had enough of city life and built a small house in the Adirondacks near The Great Sacandaga Lake, in pursuit of a quieter life. He worked in a local school district there, teaching photography to High School Seniors. Since retiring, he has filled his days spending time with his Golden Retrievers, doing photography, taking road trips and writing about things that spark his interest.

WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH

Northville freelancer Wendy Hobday Haugh’s short stories, articles, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and regional publications, including Woman’s World Weekly, Highlights for Children, and WritersWeekly.com. Her stories have appeared in 15 different Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies. To learn more, visit wendyhobdayhaugh.com.

CHARLIE KUENZEL

Charlie Kuenzel is a native Saratogian who spent 36 years as a Science educator in the Saratoga School District before retiring 6 years ago. Charlie, along with Dave Patterson are the co-owners of Saratoga Tours LLC who for the past 16 years have educated and entertained thousands of visitors to the city with stories to tell the exciting history of our great city.

ROBERT C. LAWRENCE

Robert Lawrence, a retired elementary, middle, and college educator, authored What's With Those Adirondack Mountain Names? (The Troy Book Makers), which describes over one hundred mountain place name origins. Bob, a Saratoga County resident, enjoys many outdoor activities with his wife, Carol Ann, and their wire-haired Dachshund, Adi (Adirondack). Contact: adkmountainnames@gmail.com

BILL

ORZELL

Bill Orzell is a retired Geographic Field Analyst and Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic. A fervent sportsman, who resides in DeRuyter, New York, he has a lifelong appreciation of the economic, political, social, and sports history of the Empire State, with a special appreciation of the unique equine, human and geographic narrative which defines the Spa as the place to be.

MEGIN POTTER

Megin is an expressive writer and artist with work published in books, newspapers, corporate communications and online. A resident of the region for over 20 years, she continues to discover anew the interesting people, places and products it has to offer. As a mother to her active young son, she is inspired to explore even more.

JOHN REARDON

John Reardon purchased Compliments to the Chef in July of 2004 and has enjoyed selling over 6,000 high quality cookware and cutlery items to his Foodie Friends ever since. His wife Paula - as well as being a college professor - helps out along with their son John and daughter Aubrey … and they fit right in to his Foodie Team! If you ask John or Aubrey to cook up a special dish, you’ll see a gleam in their eyes! John reminds us... “Life Happens in the Kitchen” and yes… “Anyone can cook!”

JORDANA TURCOTTE

Jordana Turcotte is a lifelong New Yorker and a Saratoga County resident since graduating from RPI. After staying at home for a bit with her children, she decided on the “rest of her life job” as Professional Organizer. Starting Simply You in 2008 fulfills a passion for organizing. When she isn’t organizing, you’ll find her volunteering at her kids’ school, being Mommy chauffeur or hanging out with her two rescue dogs.

RALPH

VINCENT

Ralph Vincent is a lifestyle writer enamored with the Spa City. As an enthusiastic contributor to Simply Saratoga Magazine, he enjoys writing about a variety of topics including home entertaining, cooking, and cocktail crafting. His body of work also includes articles on subjects of special significance to him such as his experiences as a pet parent, gardening, and Yaddo. He resides locally with his partner Steven and their adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Vallone Bushee, Creative Director/ Managing Editor

Happy Spring, Saratoga!

Our SPRING issue is always about people, and I hope you love this line up as much as I do… We have TWO artists, (and I hear our spotlights are even enjoyed by NON-ARTSY types!!)

TWO musicians, and a ton of other interesting people that I want you to know. And one guy that I just heard about when Sue Clark sent me some photos to pique my interest. Wow - did they ever! OMG, wait till you meet Jimmy Thomas!

People often comment on what a great read Simply Saratoga is, and I couldn’t agree more. I love what I do, and I have the best writers, contributors, and photographers! We have an awesome Spring Fashion Section, a Summer Camp Directory to linger over with the kids, and great events that you should be adding to your calendar. The Soroptimist Secret Garden Tour, the Historic House Tour, the Woodworkers Showcase… get that calendar out, things are warming up around here!!

As always… I must close with a big THANK YOU! to our advertisers, without them, Saratoga TODAY couldn’t continue to offer these beautiful publications free of charge to the thousands that read them. Please mention us by name when visiting these businesses…

Simply Saratoga, the Saratoga TODAY magazine!

I wish everyone a blessed year filled with good health, great times, and purpose!

Cover Photo by MICHAEL NELSON

ARTWORK BY CHRIS LESKE

SARATO GApreserving

SKIP SCIROCCO

WRITTEN BY SAMANTHA BOSSHART, SARATOGA SPRINGS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SARATOGA SPRINGS PRESERVATION FOUNDATION

Imet Commissioner of Public Works Anthony “Skip” Scirocco in May of 2009, when as part of National Preservation Month, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation recognized his efforts to restore the granite stairs of City Hall and return the lions that had once graced them. The lions were placed in front of City Hall when Saratoga Springs was incorporated as a

city in 1915, but they were later removed. The project to enhance the front entrance included the removal of the existing deteriorating concrete stairs, installing radiant sidewalks, replacing the modern glass front doors with wood doors that incorporated a historic window above that the staff had found in City Hall, and adding a vestibule. Skip beamed with pride, humbly accepted the award, and thanked his staff for their efforts.

Being born and raised in Saratoga Springs, Skip had a strong appreciation for our city’s history. This was the first of many preservation projects that the City of Saratoga Springs would be recognized for under his leadership.

It was not until concerned citizens approached the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation about the poor condition of the white pine trees that served as the backdrop to the Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial in Congress Park that I got to know Skip. People feared that the trees might fall in a storm and irreparably damage the bronze sculpture that serves as the unofficial symbol of our city. In 2011, I approached the then Mayor, Scott Johnson, and Skip about establishing a formal partnership to restore the Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial. The Foundation and the City would raise the necessary funds and together oversee the project to restore the locally and nationally significant memorial.

Sculptor Daniel Chester French and architect Henry Bacon, who would later become most well known for their collaboration of the Lincoln Memorial, were hired by Katrina Trask and George Foster Peabody to design a memorial to recognize Spencer Trask’s contributions to preserving the spring waters of Saratoga Springs after his tragic death in a train accident. In 1915, Walter P. Butler accepted the Memorial on behalf of the city as one of his first public acts as the first mayor of the newly incorporated City of Saratoga Springs.

A committee was formed that regularly met with Skip and his staff at the time, Donna Buckley and Debbie LaBreche, to undertake the project. The initial scope was only focused on the bronze sculpture, the architectural surround, and immediate landscaping. However, as more was learned about Charles Leavitt’s original landscape

design, encompassing the entire northwest quadrant of Congress Park, the scope and budget for the project grew exponentially – which at first, I do not believe Skip was particularly excited about. The final project included not only the original scope of work – removal of the white pines that had reached the end of their life cycle and planting of new pines, replacing the overgrown arborvitae along the reflecting pool, but also the restoration of the rambling stone creek, landscaping surrounding the pond, adding plantings along the south side of Saratoga Arts, replacing the asphalt walkways with more appropriate concrete sidewalks that were ADA compliant, and installing eight benches and ten light fixtures.

In the early evenings, I regularly checked in on the progress of the project while I was walking my dog and that was when I would often see him smiling with his wife Corinne as they cruised through Congress Park in their yellow 1957 Thunderbird convertible. It was these moments that I got to know him better. “He always liked to drive around to check on things throughout the city,” shared Corinne.

The Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial after the 2015 restoration. Inset, Skip Scirocco and Samantha Bosshart kicking-off the start of work in 2014.

Skip, who got his nickname because he was born on leap year, loved to cruise around in his 1957 Ford Thunderbird with his wife Corinne.

A fond memory of the project we shared was the two of us seeing the Spirit of Life wrapped head to toe in protective bubble wrap. A less fond memory was discovering the thousands of bricks from the former Congress Hotel that lay buried and needed to be removed to trench the electrical wiring for the light fixtures. There were also moments of panic as to whether the project would be completed on time - June 26, 2015, the 100th anniversary of the original dedication, especially as new sod was being rolled out just hours before the ceremony. It was at the rededication ceremony that we both had the joy of seeing more than 500 people come out to celebrate and spontaneously sing “Happy Birthday” to our Spirit of Life. It was not until after the project was complete that we both saw the tremendous impact of the project - a relatively unused, overgrown, dark part of the park was now full

of activity throughout the seasons. It is the place of community gatherings, picnics, engagements, weddings, and family photos of residents and visitors, as well as a place for quiet inspiration and contemplation.

Not long after seeing that transformation, Skip began the restoration of the 1922 Katrina Trask Memorial Gateway. “On his own initiative he took on that restoration and carried through the lengthy project after the conditions were discovered to be much worse than expected,” shared Rumara Jewett, a local artist who has done extensive research about Katrina and Spencer Trask. “The Commissioner said ‘I want the rededication ceremony to be just like the original’ so we studied the historical record to re-create as much as possible of the original November 15 heartfelt dedication in the snow.”

Left: In 2020, Samantha giving Skip a Preservation Recognition Award for the restoration of the Katrina Trask Memorial Gateway.

Right: The ballroom of the Canfield Casino. Photos provided by the City of Saratoga Springs.

Skip with his staff in front of Deer Park Spring following its restoration. He was proud of his work at City Hall and his efforts to restore the Civil War monument in Congress Park.

“He loved Congress Park and the Canfield Casino,” shared Corinne, his wife of 54 years. Under his leadership, many projects were completed at the Canfield Casino. The front entrance of the building was enhanced – the stairs were restored; the dogs, reproductions based on the originals in the Saratoga Springs History Museum, returned; and brick sidewalks with radiant heating were installed. In addition, significant structural repairs were made, the skylights and laylights in the ballroom were restored, the plaster ceilings were repaired, the wood floors were refinished, and lighting and sound equipment were greatly improved.

In Congress Park, Skip was also responsible for the restoration of the Deer Park Spring and the continued maintenance of the historic, hand-carved Marcus Illion horses of the Carousel. Unfortunately, he was often faced with acts of vandalism in the park – the “Day” and “Night” urns, the Morrissey Fountain, and the Civil War monument in honor of the 77th Infantry Regiment. Each time he ensured that they were restored. Other projects he oversaw included the restoration of High Rock Spring and the roof of the City Landmark Drink Hall.

“Commissioner Scirocco was very committed to the City's preservation and his instincts steered many challenging projects to success. You would often find him in the midst of a dusty project site asking questions and offering helpful insights,” shared Debbie LaBreche, City Engineer.

Skip was also proud of the 1871 City Hall renovation that took place after the lightning strike in 2018. He saw it as an opportunity to improve the entire building, a Local Landmark. Working with Mike Veitch, Business Manager for the Department of Public Works, spaces were reconfigured; handicap accessibility was improved; electrical wiring and plumbing were updated; and central air conditioning was installed –removing unattractive window air conditioners. The hall of the first floor and Music Hall received appropriate period treatments, making for more welcoming spaces. Unfortunately, due to Covid the completion of City Hall was not publicly celebrated as Skip had hoped. To mark the 150th anniversary of City Hall, we requested that he host a tour of the

building for Foundation members in December 2021. He was surprised by the overwhelming response to the tour. I remember him smiling ear to ear as he gave the tour and shared about the project. Sadly, this turned out to be the last time I saw Skip. He passed away on April 6, 2022. Skip made a lasting impact by preserving the historic architecture and landscaped heritage of Saratoga Springs for future generations. Deservedly, Skip was posthumously inducted into the Saratoga Springs History Museum Hall of Fame in October 2022. I was honored to be asked to speak at the induction ceremony and I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him.

To see a video of all the projects he undertook, please visit the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation’s YouTube channel. SS

Northville Folk ArtistLINDA FINCH Bringing HistoryTo Life

WRITTEN BY WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH | PHOTOS PROVIDED

Adirondack folk artist and Sacandaga Valley aficionado Linda Finch is every bit as impressive a storyteller as she is an artist. She grew up listening to her elders’ vividly detailed accounts of life in the Sacandaga Valley prior to the 1930 creation of the Conklingville dam. Over a dozen small communities lay within the proposed reservoir’s path, and Finch’s own great-great-grandmother, grandparents and mother were among those displaced, forced to leave their beloved homes and farms to make way for a reservoir that would ‘serve the greater good’ of downstream New Yorkers. Having grown up in Gloversville and spent every childhood summer lakeside in Northhampton, Finch has long been fascinated by the valley’s unique history. After earning an undergraduate degree in Art from SUNY New Paltz, she earned a graduate degree from Cornell University’s Industrial Labor Relations School. An adventurous traveler, Finch lived in California, the Southwest, and Chesapeake Bay, MD, before finally settling in Sullivanville (near Ithaca) and working for the State Education Department. After retiring, she moved to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she owned a banana farm. Upon returning to Northville in 2017, Finch noticed that, with the passage of time, fewer and fewer residents and summer visitors were aware of the Sacandaga Valley’s rich and storied past. Determined to preserve its history by sharing the wealth of local information she’d acquired over her lifetime, Finch set about painting a series of scenes depicting key places and events from the valley’s past. Initially, she painted a triptych (three related works), after which a grant from the New York State Council for the Arts partially defrayed the expenses of eight additional paintings. But the artist soon realized that she had many more stories bottled up within her, begging to be told.

“Fish House”

Folk Art and Plein Air painter Linda Finch.

Finch Fine Arts, Northville, NY.

Artist Spotlight

“As with any developing community,” Finch says, “there’s always a share of heartache. But in the case of the Sacandaga River Valley, there’s a lot more than usual. When I paint my Sacandaga scenes, I’m not just painting. I’m documenting a time period. With every painting, I include a historic explanation. It’s cathartic for me to share the history and get it all out there for others to understand. I think of myself as a visual storyteller. Having spent a large part of my career working for the State Education and Labor Departments as a marketing rep for a nine-county area, sharing information is a part of who I am.”

The unexpected arrival of a pandemic gave Linda Finch the perfect opportunity to isolate at home, hunker down, and paint nonstop. “My nemesis is boredom,” she says, “so being homebound with such a big project was a godsend.” Before starting any new piece, she clearly visualizes every last detail. “By the time I begin, all the details are done, finished in my head. All I have to do is fill them in. The hours just fly by when I’m focused and lost in the zone.”

To date, Finch has completed 24 historic Sacandaga Valley folk art scenes, but fresh ideas for additional pieces are always brewing. The artist researches extensively before undertaking a painting, often spending months gathering pertinent and intriguing backstory from old maps, postcards, newspapers, and books. The facts, figures, and old photographs unearthed by Finch and her researching helpmates—including husband Henry Fletcher, daughters Anna and Amanda (both artists themselves), several history buff friends, and seven local historical societies—provide the grist for each of her local paintings. Using eye-popping carnival colors, Finch creates works so vibrantly detailed you could spend hours studying just one and still not catch every nuance. Available as giclee prints on presentation paper or canvas, every scene provides a visual feast as well as a fascinating history lesson. On her website, the artist narrates the stories behind many of her Sacandaga paintings in a video titled, “Linda Finch Adirondack Folk Art Exhibit.”

Although well-known today as a folk artist, Finch is actually an Impressionist painter at heart. From June through September, she organizes and leads plein air sessions (painting outdoors in daylight) at local scenic sites, offering artists an opportunity to pursue their passion beyond their

studio walls in the presence of other like-minded individuals. In 2004, Finch turned to folk art painting in earnest when—in response to an environmental issue of critical importance to her then-hometown of Sullivanville—her civic and artistic focus shifted to fracking. After witnessing firsthand the dire effects of fracking on her rural community, Finch created 17 paintings to more fully educate people about the disturbing effects of the process. In doing so, she referred to herself as “an environmental activist, trying to squeeze 1,000 words into every picture.”

Ultimately, Finch’s fracking series garnered lengthy exhibits at Cooperstown’s Fennimore Museum and the Bennington Museum in VT. “It was so freeing to not be tied down to realistic perspective,” she points out. “I was able to pack so many details into each scene.”

In 2017, when the idea for her upcoming Sacandaga Valley triptych emerged, Finch realized that the folk art genre would be a perfect fit for the project. “My folk art is visual storytelling that conveys a specific sense of time and place,” she explains. “It echoes the culture of the region and is a tribute to people past and present who live in the Sacandaga Valley. It differs from what people usually consider folk art. It’s not saccharine or memories reimagined, but often crass and somewhat edgy. It’d make Grandma Moses cringe,” she adds with a smile.

Linda Finch has said that her extensive portfolio of Sacandaga times-gone-by won’t exceed 30 pieces. But, given the area’s rich history and the artist’s dedication and passion for research, the final count may be even higher—only time will tell. In the meantime, one thing’s for certain: Finch’s efforts to preserve the region’s unique history through visual storytelling are warmly welcomed and much appreciated. To see more of Linda Finch’s work, visit www.finchfinearts.com or contact her at lfinch7777@yahoo.com or 518-538-3899. SS

…More Photos on SimplySaratoga.com!

“The Doin’s” – Northville’s annual July 4th celebration and parade was always a highpoint of summer.

NEIL PEDERSEN’S Unlikely Combinations Create Uncommon Beauty

When Steel N Wood artist Neil Pedersen set up for the annual Northville Rotary Woodworking and Fine Arts show last summer, he stashed two large bins of additional sculptures and woodworking creations underneath his already fully stocked, U-shaped display tables. The fact that, by noon on the last day of the three-day event, both bins sat empty speaks to the immense popularity of this intriguing artist’s work. One whimsical piece, however— which Pedersen christened ‘Hilda’—kept watch over his wares the entire weekend. Sporting coiled springs for hair, spoon eyes and scissor glasses, apple corer mouth and a driftwood nose, Hilda served as the artist’s mascot/ companion throughout the show.

“I didn’t expect that one to sell,” Pedersen remarks. “It’s just a little bit of insanity.”

“And FUN!” chirps a smiling woman, browsing nearby.

The unexpected pairing of diverse materials is a hallmark of Pedersen’s sculptures. Deeply committed to repurposing, the artist uses pretty much anything and everything in his creations, from the tiniest screws and washers to silverware and cooking utensils, bicycle chains and sprockets, saw blades, Venetian blinds, even piano hammers. Pedersen’s wildly creative, often humorous metal sculptures draw people in. They enjoy trying to identify the many components involved in a piece, while marveling at the intricacy and beauty of the finished product.

Although Pedersen occasionally frequents flea markets in search of low-cost materials, he acquires many useful items for free by the side of the road. “I usually ask people if they mind if I take things,” he says, “and they’re usually receptive. A friend of mine, who has a 150-year-old farm machinery graveyard on his property, has given me permission to help myself to anything I need. I’m all for repurposing things.”

Steel N Wood artist Neil Pedersen of Galway at the Northville Rotary Woodworking & Fine Arts Show, July 2022. Artist

WRITTEN BY WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH | PHOTOS BY WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH AND NEIL PEDERSEN

Pedersen’s 2000-square-foot workshop also houses an impressive supply of materials left over from his halfcentury career as a cabinet maker. After working 25 years for two different contractors, he took a leap of faith and went into business for himself. Upon his retirement 25 years later, his spacious workshop became a kind of man cave/studio where he could pursue his own artistic vision.

‘Learning to weld’ had always figured prominently on Pedersen’s bucket list. In 2013, he finally purchased a welder and taught himself the craft. Armed with this new skill, he began pairing scrap metal and his fertile imagination to create what he referred to as “junk art.” But don’t let the name fool you—Pedersen’s work is anything but junk! The industrial elegance of his art is both eyecatching and mind-boggling. By fusing commonplace items in uncommon combinations, he creates incredible pieces that prompt viewers to stop, study, and smile.

Pedersen and his wife Sharon—whom he describes as “very understanding”—reside in Galway with their two cats and one German Shepherd. While Pedersen creates his Steel N Wood products in a separate building, Sharon is busy making cheesecakes, tea breads, and cakes for her own business, Cheesecakes & More. “I’m out in my workshop all day, and she’s downstairs in the house in her basement kitchen. We hardly see each other,” Pedersen quips.

Neil Pedersen grew up in Scotia. At age 12, he purchased a 1953 Shopsmith—a professional multipurpose woodworking tool—and proceeded to teach himself the fine art of woodworking. Now 69, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t creating something with wood. Today, working both with wood and steel, Pedersen participates in three big shows yearly: the Northville Rotary Woodworking and Fine Arts Show in July, Rotterdam Junction’s Mabee Farm Arts & Crafts Fall Festival in October, and the Barn at the Bridge Annual Artisan Fair in Burnt Hills, the first weekend in November. His work is also displayed at the William Coffey Gallery in Northville.

Pedersen admits that packaging and transporting his work for shows is “a nightmare.” But it’s a necessary evil for any artisan who wants to get his work out there for others to see and enjoy. Personable with a quick wit, he always enjoys interacting with people, gauging their reactions to his art and listening to their comments.

“In a perfect world, I might only enter juried shows,” says Pedersen, who received a blue ribbon at the 2019 Northeast Woodworkers Association Show in Saratoga for professional excellence in the Totally Woodturning category. “Juried shows compel artists to do and bring their best. The competition is stiff, and I welcome that. Bring it on!”

Pedersen regularly plies his woodworking trade by making fine wooden bowls in assorted sizes, rustic burl bowls, root ball bowls, goblets, vases, and his ever-popular ‘dizzy bowls.’ Wildly colorful, these intricately layered bowls require a meticulous process of dyeing, gluing, slicing, and orientating the pieces in a circular motion. “Dizzy bowls are not as hard to make as they appear,” the woodworker explains. “They’re just time-intensive, consisting of up to 90 different layers.”

Neil Pedersen only does one-off pieces, and he welcomes commissions. “The more challenging, the better,” he enthuses. “If you can dream it, I can make it. I can probably make it, that is—and the crazier, the better.”

When asked if he’d object to being called a ‘quirky’ artist, Pedersen breaks out in a grin. “I’ve been called worse.”

To contact Neil Pedersen, call 518-882-1371 or email steelnwood65@gmail.com

…More Photos on SimplySaratoga.com!

A mixed-metal sculpture by Neil Pedersen.

Neil Pedersen creates a stunning array of wooden bowls, including root and burl bowls.

Pedersen’s dizzy bowls are intricate and dazzling!

from Corinth to NASHVILLE

WRITTEN BY ROB SGARLATA | PHOTOS PROVIDED

MATT PACCO grew up in Corinth watching his father, Paul, play bass at Saratoga Abundant Life Church. Today he lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his family and plays lead guitar for the Rhett Walker Band.

Paul began teaching Matt guitar when he was seven. Paul is primarily a bass player. “I don't think he could live with himself if he didn't teach me bass,” Matt said. “I played bass for two years with Rhett Walker. I needed that gig. I'm grateful to my Dad.”

At 12 Matt filled in on bass when Paul wasn't available. At 16 he switched to electric guitar. “Worship music is challenging. It flows and shifts. You might stay on a bridge for five minutes or change songs on the fly. You play different styles. The important part is that you are leading people into Worship. It's different playing in a band. I have a show this weekend and I know what I will play from start to finish.”

Matt studied at SUNY Adirondack and was one elective short of graduating when he decided it was time to move on. His guitar instructor suggested Berklee College of Music in Boston. Matt passed the audition, but when he considered the cost, he got cold feet. “My parents could see I wasn't sure. They said I could wait. I had lost the fire to perform. I didn't want to be a teacher, which is ironic because I ended up teaching for several years.” Working at Stewart's Shops and playing in bar bands, Matt decided he needed a “real job.” He landed at Adirondack Trust Company and was offered an opportunity to start a career in banking. “I was sitting there in a suit and tie, clean shaven. They wanted to map out my next 30 years,” he said. “Something in me said no.”

Friend and drummer, Adam Meliski, had moved to Colorado Springs so Matt chose to go there. He wasn't going to take his guitars. “My parents convinced me to take them,” he recalls. “Adam flew out to drive with me. Driving through Kansas Adam gets a call from his church asking if he knows any electric guitar players. Adam answers, “I'm sitting next to one.” The following Sunday Matt played guitar at New Life Church. Matt feels God's hand in his life. “I would be wondering what I was going to do and this voice from inside would say, 'we'll figure it out.' It has been that way from the move to Colorado right up to now. I feel blessed.”

Soon Matt joined Desperation Band, touring two weeks at a time, and traveling the world. In 2013 he and Melissa married. The next year his school restructured, and he went from 40 students to10. Producers he worked for moved and Desperation Band was cutting back. “It was time for a decision. I was in my 30s and if I was going to make it in music, I had to put myself out there.”

Matt and Mel decided they had to move to either Los Angeles or Nashville. They fell in love with Nashville and made the move. They were living off their savings when Matt answered an ad for a bass player and started playing local Nashville honky-tonks. A few months later Matt got an audition with Christian rock band, Finding Favor. During the audition he learned they were hitting the road the next day with 130 shows. Melissa told him to go for it, so Matt quit the country band. Finding Favor ended in 2018 and their bass player joined the Rhett Walker Band. When he couldn't make a run of shows he asked Matt to fill in. Two years later the guitar player quit, and Rhett asked Matt to take over. “Playing with Rhett and the guys is a blast,” he said. “We are like brothers. The music and work -great, but the conversations and life we live together makes it special.”

Matt feels the calling on his life is to be a musician who carries the Gospel. “I've always felt my place is out with people,” he said. “I can share the Gospel with everyone, not just people in church.”

JIM GAUDET AND THE RAILROAD BOYS

Make The Good Times Roll!

WRITTEN BY WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH | PHOTOS PROVIDED (UNLESS NOTED)

If you’ve never attended a performance by Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys, you’re missing out on one of the Capital Region’s true musical treasures. Since 2006, The Railroad Boys—comprised of singer/ songwriter Jim Gaudet on guitar, Bobby Ristau on upright bass and backing vocals, Sten Isachsen on mandolin and backing vocals, Sara Milonovich or Tucker Callander on fiddle, and ‘Upstate’ Richie Pagano on piano—have been playing festivals and venues, big and small, all over the country. Their original music, driving energy, and camaraderie have attracted many a guest artist over the years, and in January 2023, following founding member Bobby Ristau’s retirement, the group welcomed Bob Buckley into the fold. When asked how the band’s name came about, Gaudet chuckles. “There’s no real significance. The first song I ever wrote for the band happened to be called The Railroad Boys, and somehow we latched on to that. I didn’t want my name attached, but I was outvoted on that one.”

Jim Gaudet writes nearly all The Railroad Boys’ songs, but pinning down the band’s genre can be tricky. Although it started out bluegrass, its style has morphed over time into what Gaudet calls “hillbilly rock ‘n roll.” Still, limiting this band to just one label seems a disservice because, in his songwriting, Gaudet does it all: Americana-roots, classic and outlaw country, Southern rock, honky-tonk, blues, Cajun. You name it, he’s probably done it. In fact, last April at the 4th annual Capital Region Thomas Edison (aka Eddies) Music Awards ceremony at Proctors Mainstage, Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys were honored to win Country/Bluegrass Artist of the Year.

Gaudet performs with bandmates Sten Isachsen and Sara Milonovich at his daughter's August 2021 wedding.

Photo by Michael Gallitelli.

Last April, the band won CountryBluegrass Artist of the Year at the 2022 Eddies Music Awards ceremony at Proctors Mainstage.

Gaudet entered the local spotlight in 1990, playing solo ‘covers’ at open mic nights at Albany’s Eighth Step and Saratoga’s Caffè Lena, a venue he still enjoys playing several times each year. A storyteller and songwriter at heart, Gaudet began composing his own music and lyrics. Eventually, his success as a solo artist performing original songs led to him being signed with an independent label out of New York City. But after Gaudet and his wife, Peg, welcomed son, Jimmy, and daughter, Mary, the demands of his agented performance schedule became too much. Given his full-time employment with the NYS Department of Social Services and his desire to be there to enjoy raising his kids, he decided to take a break from music.

Gaudet has no idea how many songs he’s written, but the thrill of creating never wanes. “I’m always checking out YouTube and WEXT,” he says. “I get a lot of ideas by listening to what other performers and songwriters are doing and learning from them.” Some songs come together quickly. Others, like A Girl Like You from Gaudet’s recent solo album, REAL STORIES, take their time. That gorgeous song came together “in bits and pieces” over a period of 30 years!

The fact that audiences connect more readily with wellknown, time-tested cover tunes presents The Railroad Boys with a unique challenge. “Since we play mostly original songs, we try to connect with every new audience by getting them involved lyrically,” Gaudet explains. “In writing something new, I’ll often take a couple of catchy, easily remembered phrases—like ‘She never said, and I never asked’—and go from there.” In his song Darkside of Lonesome, Gaudet incorporates roughly a dozen well-known idioms and Bible verses. The familiarity of the lyrics draws people in, making them feel at ease and a part of the show.

Gaudet has a uniquely animated, conversational style of singing, his tone every bit as original as the songs he writes. Clear diction, an abundance of good humor, and vocal inflections that follow each song’s emotional arc make you feel like you’re talking with a good friend over the back fence. Gaudet can growl, yowl, even yodel with the best of them, and when he belts out a snappy “Hey!” between verses, you can feel the room’s energy surge. Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys have a ton of fun onstage. Their friendship is palpable and, better yet, totally audience-inclusive.

In 2019, Gaudet released his first solo album since 2007. A departure from the band’s full-bodied sound, REAL STORIES AND OTHER TALL TALES is Jim Gaudet at his storytelling best, pared down and vulnerable. The album includes 13 songs never intended for the Railroad Boys, as well as a 15page booklet providing backstory and lyrics for every song. Masterfully produced by Greg Anderson, the CD also features the artistry of Sara Milonovich on harmony vocals and fiddle and Richie Pagano, working his magic at the piano.

“I treasure this CD,” Gaudet says. “But the timing of its release worked against widespread exposure because the pandemic struck, venues closed, and gigs were cancelled. Still, I’d love to get it out there more. It’s very close to my heart.”

In 2011, Jim Gaudet was clinically diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Thankfully, however, its progression has been slow. “Some days are harder than others,” he admits, “but they’re all good.” Managing the disease involves maintaining a rigorous medication schedule, coordinating meals and protein intake around his meds, doing yoga and meditation, vocalizing daily, and getting plenty of exercise, including weekly boxing sessions at Schott’s Gym, Albany.

Presently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, and Gaudet certainly has his darker moments. But he gratefully attributes his ability to keep living a full life to three things: his music, his wonderful bandmates, and the loving support of his wife and family.

“Both our kids live nearby, and our daughter blessed us with our first grandchild late last year. We’ve waited a long time for that,” he beams, “and we are thrilled.”

Musically, Gaudet never wants to go a day without playing his guitar. “Yet sometimes I pick it up and can’t play at all. I’d love to be doing some solo shows, but the tremors make that impossible. When they kick in and my left arm cramps up—it’s always the left—there’s no coping, no answers. I’ve been lucky so far, though, in that I’ve generally been able to time my medication to work with my performance schedule.”

Jim Gaudet loves what he does, and it shows. For bandmates and fans alike, he puts his all into every performance. “Two or three years ago,” he reflects, “I never imagined I’d still be playing at this point. Even six months ago, I thought December ’22 would be it. But I’m still out there—still writing, singing, playing. If God has given me another day, I have to make a choice: is it a day to squander or make the most of?”

Without question, Gaudet has chosen the latter. And we’re really glad he has.

To learn more, visit jimgaudet.com or facebook.com/Railroadboys SS

Last year the band was featured on WMHT's A House for Arts (AHA!) Showcase.

WENDY HOBDAY HAUGH Keeping Magazines Alive Meet...

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED

The history of magazines dates to the days of Benjamin Franklin. Once a luxury only the wealthy could afford, magazines became a low-cost, widely-available way to inform, entertain, educate, and inspire audiences world-wide.

“I have always loved the diversity of magazines,” said freelance writer Wendy Hobday Haugh, whose short stories and articles, nearly 300 to date, have been published in dozens of national and regional magazines, including Highlights for Children, Hopscotch, Boys’

Quest, American Profile, Grit, Woman’s World Weekly, Saratoga Living, WritersWeekly.com and of course… Simply Saratoga.

“A single magazine can hold a treasure trove of stories. There’s always a little something for everyone, so if one piece doesn’t engage you, another one surely will. I also love the shorter length of magazine stories and articles,” Wendy continued. “They’re doable: able to be fit in, read, and enjoyed even on the busiest of days.”

WHY THIS WRITER WRITES

In the late 1970s, Wendy began writing short stories and articles for children. Through the years, her portfolio of work came to include parenting articles, household tips, poetry, profiles of fascinating people and stellar felines, a church history, articles about writing, and one published book.

“The beauty of writing is that there's always something new and fresh to write about, and with every finished piece comes the possibility of publication,” said Wendy. “That intriguing prospect keeps me digging in and digging deep. I’m happiest when immersed in a writing project.” While there have been countless rejections during Wendy’s more than 40 years of writing, the thrill of writing for magazines remains.

“Nothing beats the adrenaline rush of an acceptance letter,” she said. “The pay is nice, sure, but it’s the initial correspondence—whether by letter, email, or phone—that rocks this writer’s world. Acceptance letters give writers courage and confidence: the courage to continue being hopeful, despite daunting rejection, and the confidence to keep writing and sending out.”

INSIDE THE BIZ

Wendy enjoys pitching editors directly and has never worked with an agent. ”I’ve always loved the challenge of pitching stories and building new editorial relationships on my own, so I’ll just keep approaching editors who do not require agent involvement.”

Over the years, working with a half-dozen different editors, Wendy has had 36 mysteries, romances, and fillers published by Woman’s World Weekly. Since 2013, 18 of her personal stories have appeared in 16 different Chicken Soup for the Soul© books.

“The competition for any slot can be fierce, but that doesn’t stop me from trying,” Wendy said. “Freelance writing requires determination, persistence and, at times, a really thick skin. But the rewards are many! Every piece you write, whether accepted or not, makes you a stronger, better writer.”

Since September 2019, Wendy has written two dozen magazine stories for Chris Bushee, Saratoga Publishing’s magazine editor (with more to come!)

“Chris is, by far, the most enthusiastic and interactive editor I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Wendy.

“In many ways, Chris reminds me of Amy Newmark, editor and publisher of the Chicken Soup for the Soul© books. Both women exude incredible warmth and charisma, boundless energy, and a true love for their writers and their readers. Amy and her staff make writers feel like they’re a valued part of the Chicken Soup ‘family,’ and that’s exactly how Chris Bushee makes her writers feel; like they’re a valued part of something positive and joyful in this world. Among freelance writers, Chris is truly a gift.”

Read Reality, the latest of Wendy Hobday Haugh’s stories, in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Advice That Changed My Life© , available March 14th from booksellers everywhere.

For more information, go to www.wendyhobdayhaugh.com

Meet... RICH JOHNS: Coach Kindness

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED

Rich Johns practices what he preaches. A motivational speaker who extolls the virtues of acceptance, empathy, and gratitude, Rich is living kindness.

“That, to me, is why I’m here,” he says about his mission. “It means more than money or a job. That’s my legacy.”

MAKING CONNECTIONS

The son of second-generation immigrants, Rich Johns’ grandparents escaped unrest in Syria when their families fled to Upstate New York. Rich was raised in South Glens Falls where his father was a barber and his mother worked for the Sears department store.

“My mom and dad were the salt of the earth and we didn’t have a lot,” he recalls. What Rich was given plenty of was respect - even as a child hanging out in his dad’s shop.

“We knew our teachers really well and they knew us. They all got their hair cut from my dad, so we had some great conversations in that place. They got to know and respected our parents (no matter what position in life they had) and that kind of respect got built into me so that when I became a teacher, I got close to people others maybe would not have.”

EARNING HIS BADGE OF HONOR

Rich met his wife of 52 years, Karen, while they were both attending SUNY Potsdam. To Rich’s dismay, his daughter, Nicole, who is now a psychotherapist, didn’t get to meet her grandmother before she died - something he regrets because he knows she would’ve loved her as much as he did.

Rich taught elementary, middle school, and coached tennis at Saratoga Springs High School for 38 years. Under his guidance, his teams won numerous league and sectional titles, ranking among the top teams in the state.

Rich hadn’t even considered coaching until the district’s Assistant Superintendent, Clay Bishop, asked him to take up the role, saying to him that the more kids he could affect in a positive way, the better.

“When people call out, ‘Hey, Coach!’ I’m honored because I spent a lifetime in that position. The name, Coach, is a badge of honor,” he said.

DEVELOPING CHARACTER

Recognized with numerous awards for teaching excellence and his positive impact on hundreds of players, Rich is also the founder of Act with Respect Always, a “pay it forward” charitable organization that he started with his tennis program and sixth-grade students.

Since his retirement, Rich has continued to spread the nonprofit’s message of hope, reaching tens of thousands of people through presentations, mailings, and social media. His relatable and heartwarming approach is rooted in the idea that each person is unique and deserves to be seen.

“The meaning of life is to give acceptance, affection, appreciation, and attention,” said Rich.

He introduces the “What’s Your 99?” personal character assessment scoring system that encourages mindfulness. He also shares ideas like those in Sam Demma’s book, Empty Your Backpack, which promotes the idea that by letting go of the limiting judgements weighing us down, we can “empty our backpacks” and cultivate empowering beliefs instead.

“One thing kids need is total acceptance from their teachers and we, as adults, need to accept the fact that kids are under tremendous pressure – from parents, teachers, and themselves,” Rich said.

TURNING THE TIDE

In response to the increasing number of children struggling with anxiety and depression in the schools that he visits, Rich encourages the practice of developing a “Solid Five” group of trusted people who won’t pass judgement under any circumstances.

Up front about his own bouts of depression, Rich said to turn the tide, we need to identify those who can be like a safe haven for us when we’re in need.

To help build this circle of support, Rich created “The Visible Project” after the tragic deaths of two area students. By simply writing a note of gratitude, Rich poses, you are spreading kindness in a way that’s not just inspiring but can be potentially life-saving, as well.

ActWithRespectALWAYS.com for more information. SS

Meet…

JIM RICHMOND: Brookside’s History Buff

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED

HISTORY SPEAKS VOLUMES, and several of those have been written by James Richmond.

James (Jim) Richmond is founder and coordinator of the local history group, the Saratoga County History Roundtable. He is currently on the board of the Saratoga County History Center and in 2019 he was part of a team that helped raise $100,000+ to save Brookside Museum (which was in danger of closing).

More Saratoga County Stories

YESTERYEAR LIVES HERE

As an independent historian, Jim is a Saratoga native helping us all to understand a little bit more about how the past molded our lives here today.

A 1969 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School, Jim pursued both history and economics at SUNY Potsdam. While there, he met his wife, Diane (while she was attending the Crane School of Music). Now married for 50 years, they have three children; Jason, Brian, and Carolyn.

After college, Jim worked in the financial management division of General Electric for 20 years before switching to their marketing and communications department.

Since retiring a decade ago, he’s devoted endless hours to researching, preserving, and disseminating local and regional history.

PUBLISHING THE PAST

Jim’s first publishing endeavor was a pamphlet on the history of Rowland’s Hollow Mill on Rowland Street in Milton. His first book, War on the Middleline (2016), details the lives of early settlers whose life was interrupted by a British raid during the Revolution. That was followed by Milton, New York: A New Town in a New Nation (2018) which he coauthored with the town’s former historian, Kim McCartney. Jim was a founding member of the Saratoga County History Roundtable in 2018, and began encouraging first-time authors to publish their essays in the Roundtable’s quarterly journal, “The Gristmill”.

In addition to Jim’s fundraising work for the Saratoga County Historical Society at Brookside Museum, he has lead efforts to create exhibits and organize Historian Tours, helping the Museum to expand their offerings and rebrand as the Saratoga County History Center.

“A great group of interested people became the core of the museum and helped it to start over in a big way,” said Jim.

His contributions were recently recognized with an award from the Association of Public Historians of New York State.

THE OLD WORLD MEETS UP WITH THE MODERN AGE

When the pandemic closed Brookside Museum to the public, Jim was instrumental in keeping local history alive, but remotely.

The museum’s virtual Experts Next Door series was launched and “The 1780 Ballston Raid”, a 19-minute video commemorating the 240th anniversary of the British Raid on Middleline Road was released.

Karen Staulters, Milton’s Town Historian (from 2018-2022) has served with Jim on Milton’s Historic Structures and Places Committee for several years and worked closely with him to create a script and conduct interviews for another video entitled, Forgotten Crossroads: Rock City Falls.

It’s Jim’s goal-oriented approach that helps keeps everyone on-task, said Karen.

“Jim is all about telling the stories that have been buried for a long time. That’s why he works so hard.”

CREATING A KINSHIP THAT TRANSCENDS TIME

In addition to publishing his own research, Jim helps to share the investigations of so many others.

Since March 2020, he has solicited and published150 articles, written by 45 authors, which have been distributed to local “History Buffs” and appeared on page 2 of Simply Saratoga’s parent company, Saratoga Publishing’s, weekly issue of Saratoga TODAY.

Two essay collections; Saratoga County Stories, and More Saratoga County Stories, have also been published as a result.

“There’s been terrific book sales, and that, alone, is a real big way of getting all these stories out,” adds Karen.

In 2021, the Saratoga County History Center established the Saratoga County Public History Award, and its inaugural winners; Jim, and writer Carol Godette, were recognized at the Brookside Museum’s standingroom only event.

This March, a new video about the crossroads of Bacon Hill will be released. Jim said he was “immensely surprised” by the little-known family stories he uncovered, and the response of the community to the planned video.

“It was go, go, go, for 40 years there and when I retired, I knew I wanted to pursue my interest in history that had long been put on the back burner,” said Jim. SS

“The more we learn about the past, the more it helps us set aside stereotypes and the preconceived notions we have about things we don’t know well.”

Bacon Hill project committee

Meet…

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY SUE CLARK

JIMMY THOMAS

Doggie Paddle's Best Friend!

QUESTION:

Who launches a kayak alone into the cold waters of the Mohawk River in late fall during the notorious Atlantic storm season, then paddles on to NYC and into the Atlantic via the Hudson River, before joining up with the more sheltered 3,000-mile Intracoastal Waterway, and then paddles his kayak all the way to Key West? Who then turns around, jumps on a bike, and pedals his way back to Glenville, NY, ending an over 4,000 mile epic journey on February 4, 2023?

And mind you... this winter journey ended on the same weekend that featured the Mount Washington Observatory recording a record cold temperature of -46 degrees and a record smashing wind chill temperature of -108 degrees, while Schenectady County was also gripped in an arctic blast of freezing temperatures and wind. It was difficult to stand outside for more than 10 minutes, let alone ride a bike for miles!

And who completed this epic journey for the sole purpose of supporting fellow veterans- who want to get a service dog to improve their life?

ANSWER:

Saratoga County resident and Army veteran Jimmy Thomas.

Jimmy knows the value that a service dog can add to a veteran's life, thanks to receiving his very own Golden Retriever "Boots," whom Jimmy credits with helping him understand the benefit of service dogs. Jimmy has clearly seen the need to raise awareness and funding so that other veterans can feel the kind of support "Boots" provided in Jimmys life, and hopefully get their own service dog. Many are going without and having a very difficult time.

Out of this concern, the DOGGIE PADDLE project was born. Jimmy wanted to do something BIG that would attract people’s attention to this very important cause, so he proposed a 4,000 miles plus route that would start September 24, 2023, and end in mid-winter. When first proposed, many thought Jimmy's idea was impossible, even dangerous. Jimmy was putting a kayak in the water in late fall. He admits he had only some river experience using a kayak and had never been on the ocean. He would be ending his awareness journey on a bike, riding 2,000 miles mid-winter with possible snow, ice, and cold conditions.

Tough time of year for using a bike and kayak as one's main mode of transportation. At least cars have a roof, a heater, and a radio.

Naturally Jimmy needed help pulling off this epic journey.

Rotary organizations have a long history of supporting veterans' causes. The Glenville Rotary got behind Jimmy's idea, with many Rotary volunteers playing strategic roles to help carry out Jimmy's dream. The Glenville Rotary team contacted numerous Rotary organizations up and down the East Coast to ask that they also support Jimmy. Many did by providing food, shelter (Jimmy did not travel at night) and a platform for Jimmy to speak at, in the community that he was invited to stay in.

The marine world is nothing to trifle with during storm season. Any sea captain would tell you that Jimmy did not choose the easiest time of the year to take a 2,000 mile trip on the water, especially in a small kayak. Lifelong friend, past President of the Glenville Rotary and current Assistant Governor for Rotary District; Beth Kissinger managed Jimmy from her home base, speaking to him every night on the phone. The weather conditions and evening plans were a regular topic, along with any concerns. Beth worried often about Jimmy's safety on the Atlantic and Intercoastal Highway, which is used heavily for commercial boating traffic. She followed weather and sea condition reports regularly to share with Jimmy. Jimmy was often bone tired after fighting strong currents and steep waves. Beth arranged to meet him several times during the trip, including when he safely reached Key West.

Beth Kissinger, Jimmy Thomas and Shirley Gawlak

Some said Jimmy’s proposal brought too much risk. That didn't stop Jimmy. And risky conditions did occur. This in turn kept his managing partner Beth up at night. Storms can blow up into Nor’easters bringing along sudden freezing temperature drops. At the beginning of the trip, Jimmy was ordered out of the Hudson River by the US Coast Guard when Hurricane Ian came calling here in our area. While kayaking down the eastern seaboard Jimmy and his kayak were nearly sucked under by a passing ferry. Jimmy experienced ocean storms with accompanying high winds and waves while sitting low in the water with a heavily packed kayak... not exactly an enviable position. He had to take out some weight from his kayak eventually to lighten the load. Many rivers emptied into the waters Jimmy kayaked into. Where rivers meet the ocean, the water conditions can reveal a fearsome place with confused waters, floating debris, and industrial waste. Huge steel ships would be unable to steer around or even spot Jimmy and his kayak up close, especially in foggy conditions. Jimmy had to watch for dead heads - (vertical floating logs with only the tops visible on the water surface.) He had to face wind, driving rain and steep waves. He got soaked. He got cold. He lost 40 pounds. He slept outside in a tent in 25-degree weather. He was often tired out from sea conditions. On the road with his bike, he was hit by cars twice. Not serious crashes, but enough to get attention. One guy got mad after hitting Jimmy with his car and wanted to fight him. Numerous times Jimmy himself had to maneuver his bike out of the way so that he didn't get hit by other motorists. He peddled through the Appalachian Mountain Range, hitting snow in Harrisburg. Jimmy was passed by thousands of speeding motorists per day on main highways. Jimmy said he had to have his head on a swivel, and that making sure he didn't get killed was the hardest part of his journey. As for marine life, I asked Jimmy if he had seen any whales. He said no, but he did say he was surrounded by sharks throughout the Keys! Jimmy also reported that an alligator rammed his kayak, spun him around, and then disappeared around Key Largo. Dolphins often played around Jimmy's kayak. A manatee lifted his kayak up a few inches until Jimmy poked him, and the manatee slipped back under the water. Jimmy also had to deal with navigating his kayak between big ships. Jimmy got used to the rhythm of those that make a living from the sea due to his daily runs. He reported that fishing boats left out of ports early in the morning, and came back later in the day, like clockwork. Numerous fishermen came up alongside of him and told Jimmy that they had heard about a crazy guy kayaking to Key West. Jimmy was that guy!! The US Marine Highways have great communication channels, just like truckers do, to help stay on top of weather forecasts, and Jimmy was the talk of the marine airwaves!

Jimmy made it back to Schenectady County on February 4, 2023. The plan was for Jimmy to be escorted through Schenectady by a huge escort of our finest police departments - Schenectady PD, Schenectady Sheriffs, the NYS Police, Rotterdam PD, and Glenville PD., to the Empire State Aerosciences Museum, (ESAM). Meanwhile Jimmy was experiencing one last threat to his safety - brutally cold wind chill temperatures - so cold in fact - he had to stop in Schenectady to warm up for a short period of time due to his eyes watering and then freezing shut. We all remember February 4 for good reason. Most citizens stayed in the comfort on their warm homes that day due to the extreme cold temperatures that a recently arrived Arctic front brought with it. The night before, the Mt. Washington Observatory weather station recorded a record-breaking wind chill of -100 degrees below zero. Albany in turn recorded a low of -34 degrees the night before. The day Jimmy arrived in Schenectady was still frigidly cold and windy out. With just a quick stop to unglue and warm up, Jimmy was on the road again with his escorts.

Upon arriving at ESAM, Jimmy landed into a sea of press, town, city and state officials, Rotarians, civic organizations and much more. A big beautiful American flag was hoisted high by the Thomas Corners Fire Department. Cameras flashed. Cheers went up. Jimmy was welcomed back as a hometown hero, and as someone who is a stand for all veterans in need of a service dog. I bet you he slept very well in his own bed that evening.

I think we can all agree that Jimmy Thomas is one tough guy with a razor-sharp focus. He did what he set out to accomplish - he raised awareness for veterans everywhere in need of a service dog.

Welcome Home Jimmy!

If Jimmy's journey to help veterans inspires you, and you would like to donate to the Doggie Paddle cause, contact doggiepaddle.org SS

Jimmy Thomas ended his +4,000 journey here.

Meet...

Charlie Wheeler: MR. METICULOUS

The day I spoke to Charles (Charlie) Wheeler, he was bidding adieu to his wife, Mary Lou, who was off to help coordinate details for the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club Home Show. Before she left, he rattled off a quick to-do list for the day.

This casual, organized, efficiency isn’t unusual for Charlie, it’s his modus operandi.

During Charlie’s more than 40-year hospitality career, he was responsible for deciding how millions of dollars were spent in the building and operations of huge venues. In his free time, he has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable organizations. That is, when he’s not driving his tractor, meeting with other arms historians, or shooting clays with vintage doubles.

ONE COOL CHARACTER

A native of Loudonville, Charlie took on leadership roles at an early age.

He is the seventh generation to attend Albany Academy and was surrounded by WWII 10th Mountain Div. veterans as a youngster. Charlie’s education was interrupted upon his mother’s passing when he was eight years old but he went on to graduate from Shaker High School before earning his Bachelors from Utica College of Syracuse University.

Following infantry training, Charlie graduated from Combat Engineers Officer Candidate School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. A year later, he served in Vietnam (as a 3rd generation 1st Lieutenant in the army) where he received commendations for his service.

Returning to civilian life in the summer of 1971, Charlie joined Hyatt Hotels in Albany as a management trainee. Within two and a half years, he’d advanced to Director of Sales.

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER PHOTOS PROVIDED (UNLESS NOTED)

Photo by Super Source Media Studios

THE CAPITAL’S CHAMPION

After seven years (and following a stint in North Carolina) Charlie left the Hyatt to become the first Director of the Empire State Plaza Convention & Arts Center. He worked for nearly two decades with the NYS Office of General Services, and was co-founder of the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Empire State Society of Association Executives.

Managing public venues provided Charlie the opportunity to assist in the planning of events with headlining entertainers, actors, dignitaries, numerous presidential candidates, including Jimmy Carter, and sports figures such as, Mike Tyson, Mickey Mantle, and Phil Simms.

To further promote regional tourism, Charlie served on the Albany County Convention Bureau board (for 14 years) and worked with multiple tourism promotion agencies in the region.

LET’S DO THIS

Next, Charlie left the Capital District to oversee the construction and startup operations of the Northern Kentucky Convention Center (where he stayed for a decade).

“When I got to Covington, which is located across the Ohio River from the Reds and Bengals stadiums in Cincinnati, there were two roles of blueprints and a twoacre empty lot,” he said.

The $30.5 million construction project was completed and operational two-and-a half years later.

“Tying it all together and having it all work efficiently in this 200,000 sq ft building was demanding, but when an opening day review came out in the newspaper saying that the venue was ‘easy to find, the staff was friendly, and the food was great,’ I cried. Talk about investing heart and soul.”

SERVING SARATOGA

In 2006, Charlie returned to the area as the Saratoga Race Course’s Facilities Manager and was involved in millions of dollars in capital construction projects. Also serving as the track’s Community Relations and Planning Manager, he pursued the goal of sharing the historic venue with nonprofits for fundraisers beyond track season.

Charlie served on the city’s Preservation Foundation, City Center, Rotary Club, and Convention and Tourism Bureau boards. He has also volunteered with the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, Life Works Community Action (formerly the EOC), and area non-profit groups.

“It’s just wonderful that I’ve had the privilege of living here,” he said.

Charlie and Mary Lou have six children, and 11 grandchildren between them. Their Brittany Spaniel is named “Saratoga’s Brandy Alexander,” …or “Brandy,” to those that love her. SS

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Happy 30th Anniversary to…

Northeast Woodworkers Showcase

What started 30 years ago, with the humble beginning of being held at a high school - put on by a few dedicated woodworkers - now has over 600 members with a show occupying over 15,000 square feet. And Showcase Chairman, Wally Carpenter, says they’re still growing!

The annual Saratoga favorite Northeast Woodworkers Showcase highlights all areas of the art of woodworking in a dedicated exhibit room featuring over 500 exhibits of original designed fine furniture, wood sculpture, carvings, intarsia, musical instruments, exquisite turnings, toys, accessories, and all other things crafted of wood. Exhibits, both amateur and professional, will be judged, and compete for coveted NWA award ribbons in multiple categories, including Best of Show and Peoples Choice. In addition to the exhibits, there will be numerous national and regional trade vendors, offering for sale, wide varieties of wood and woodworking related tools and accessories for all skill levels, many of whom will be demonstrating their products.

A traditionally popular demonstration is the Toy Factory where NWA members create wooden toys to pass out free to the children, as well as giving attendees the opportunity to turn their own pens.

Lectures and demonstrations on a wide range of woodworking topics, presented by nationally and regionally recognized master craftsmen, are held continually throughout the two days, and are free of charge. Internationally known Garret Hack is a featured speaker. Part of Showcase involves the Totally Turning symposium dedicated to the art of turning wood for which there is a separate charge, and all attendees must be pre-registered; woodworker.org/about-totally-turning/

 MARCH 25 & 26

Saratoga Springs City Center

522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Admission is $15 per person, children under 12 free. WoodWorker.org/about-showcase

MUD ROAD

SUG AR HOUSE

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY GEORGE HANSTEIN

I recently got to spend a day with Vern Duesler III and Vern Deusler IV. Vern and Vern own and operate Mud Road Sugar House. These guys are very passionate about all things maple syrup, and I was about to learn about their operation and the history of their business.

The business was started by two other Verns, Vern I and Vern II. Along with his dad and granddad Vern III started Mud Road Sugar House. There is history and love in every bottle of sweet maple syrup that they produce. They take pride in what they do, and it shows.

It was a cold January morning when I arrived at the sugar house to meet the Deuslers. I was greeted by the younger of the two Verns. I told him that I was interested in learning about the operation and Vern was more than happy to accommodate me. He had a huge smile and looked every bit the part of a Maple Syrup producer with his Carhart Jacket, orange ball cap and work boots. We went into the sugar house so that Vern could show me around.

It was still a month or more before the place was in full operation, but the Deuslers were wasting no time in preparing. The shed, attached to the sugar house was full to the brim with wood to be used as fuel for the boiling. The huge evaporator was partially assembled and it was clear to me that the day the sap runs, the Deuslers would hit the ground running. Shortly after we got in the sugar house Vern’s dad, Vern III, pulled up. Between the two of them, I had access to a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge about maple sugaring.

The Mud Road Sugar house is quite a serious operation. It takes approximately 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. In order to produce the 500 to 600 gallons of syrup they produce they need about 30,000 gallons of sap. The amount of sap to make a gallon is approximate and dependent on a number of things including weather and the soil that the trees grow in. Even with the best conditions and in the best years it takes a lot of work to produce the delicious syrup that the Deuslers produce.

The Deuslers tap approximately 3,500 trees. They told me that they almost never put more than two taps in a single tree. The taps are attached to lines that run, mostly downhill to collection tanks. Vern III makes his rounds with a tank on his truck and collects the sap from the collection tanks each day. The sap then goes through a reverse osmosis machine that removes about 70 percent of the water from the sap. This cuts down the time the sap needs to be boiled to reach the perfect sugar content. They bought the reverse osmosis machine about 15 years ago and they both said it saves a huge amount of time and work. Vern IV does most of the boiling and he approaches this job the way a scientist would. He uses a number of instruments to test the maple syrup to make sure it has the perfect sugar content, clarity and consistency. He told me he uses a digital refractometer to check the sugar content. He only draws maple syrup when it is at 66.6 brix. And I thought you just hung a bucket on a tree and got syrup. There is much more to making maple syrup than I would have thought! Vern IV explained that sap needs to be heated to 7 ½ degrees above boiling — and boiling temperature changes according to barometric pressure, so even that has to be checked every day.

I enjoyed, very much, learning about maple sugaring from the Deuslers, but what I found most enjoyable was seeing their passion for what they do. They love talking about the business, but they really enjoy telling the family story about starting the sugar house in 1965 and how the whole family and many friends are also involved in the business. There is no doubt they put in a tremendous amount of work, but as the two told me, more than once, “it’s a labor of love.”

The Mud Road Sugar House is at 261 Mud Road, St. Johnsville, Ephratah, NY. If you have a hankering for maple syrup and wish to see the operation, it is well worth the ride. The two Verns will be more than happy to show you what they do.

Their website is: MudroadSugarhouse. com. The last two weekends in March are NY State Maple Syrup Weekends & Open houses – come on over! SS

Mountain Esther Mountain NAME THAT

WRITTEN BY ROBERT C. LAWRENCE Part of the "WHAT'S WITH THOSE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN NAMES?" Series.

While kayaking on beautiful Lake Durant near Blue Mountain Lake, New York, one June day, my wife, Carol Ann, asked me, "Where does Blue Mountain get its name?" So we visited the nearby Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake (now the Adirondack Experience) to find a book on the subject. But, unfortunately, there was no such book.

Thus, I began researching the place name for Blue Mountain and other oronyms (mountain place names). Nobel Prize Literature Winner Toni Morrison once remarked, "If you find a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." So, I wrote, What's With Those Adirondack Mountain Names? which provides insight into more than one hundred Adirondack oronyms.

Not surprisingly, only four of these mountains: Esther Mountain, Mount Jo, Grace Peak, and Mount Inez, were fortunate enough to have women's names bestowed on them. Who were these women? What are their stories? In this column in Simply Saratoga magazine, we attempt to pique your interest, but the whole story is in What's With Those Adirondack Women Mountain Names?

Legend has it that in August 1839, Esther McComb, an adventurous fifteen-year-old girl, set out to climb what would later be known as Whiteface Mountain, despite her parents' wishes. Unfortunately, she took a wrong turn resulting in ascending a neighboring nameless mountain. While exploring that mountain, Esther became lost, but fortunately, searchers found her the following day. After the incident, her mother jokingly called the mountain Esther. The name stuck. Locals, too, called the mountain Esther. Still, outsiders did not even know it existed, including Geologist Ebenezer Emmons,

who had surveyed the area in 1837 and had given the Adirondacks its name. It would not be until C.H. Burt mentioned it in his 1865 book, The Opening of the Adirondacks, that people learned of the mountain's existence.

In 1923, Wallace Goodspeed, whose family was one of the first settlers near today's Esther Mountain, told the story he had heard as a boy to Charles Beede, a famous Keene Valley guide. Beede retold the story to author and historian Russell Carson, who later published it in Peaks and People of the Adirondacks.

Grace Hudowalski, the first woman to become an Adirondack 46er, described in The Cloudsplitter (Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club publication) in 1939 what it must have been like for Esther McComb to climb the peak. Grace said, "She pushed on through brush and tall trees, scaled bump after bump, and pulled herself over ledges until she finally stood atop her mountain…she had climbed a mountain for pleasure. Unheard of! For Adventure. Incredible!"

That same year a plaque by the Adirondack Forty-sixers was placed on Esther's summit, commemorating Esther McComb's spirit and the ascension of the mountain "for the sheer joy of climbing." Imagine that!

What's With Those Adirondack Mountain Names?

(The Troy Book Makers) is available at the following retail locations: Market Block Books (Troy), The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza (Albany), Open Door Bookstore (Schenectady), Northshire Bookstore, and Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company (Saratoga), in many retail establishments in the Adirondack Park and on Amazon.com. SS

Esther plaque – Credit: John Sasso

Summer Camp at Saratoga Arts extends our mission of cultivating a vibrant art community. Students learn from professional teaching artists who bring art history, technique, and appreciation to all ages while having fun.

Visual Arts programs are geared to our youngest “mighty mites” (ages 5-9) and our slightly older students (ages 10 -14) who will work with the teaching artist on a theme during the week. The week’s theme may take them through the historical evolution of a technique, may offer them a deeper dive into a particular genre, or may introduce them to less familiar worldwide art.

Our Teen Studios for ages 13 – 18 are geared toward young artists who are interested in pushing their art to a new level. Each week-long studio session focuses on a genre from painting or drawing to comics and collage.

Young artists have access to Congress Park and to our Galleries for added inspiration and enjoyment during their sessions.

Our staff is dedicated to supporting each budding artist, nurturing their learning, respecting their approaches, and helping them experience the joy of art. Physical and emotional safety is a priority for each team member.

Summer 2023 week-long camps run from June 26 – September 1. Registration available at www.saratoga-arts.org/education

SARATOGA ARTS

320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-584-4132

www.saratoga-arts.org

UNPLUG & GET DIRTY Kids&Clay Summer Fun

SCHOOL’S OUT, SUMMER’S HERE!

IT’S TIME TO RAMP UP THE FUN AT SARATOGA CLAY ARTS CENTER!

Summer 2023 brings an exciting series of clay programs for ages 6-16, taught by professional local artists/teachers and ranging in themes and techniques. Camps are open to all skill levels, beginning and up. Pinch pots, slab projects, wheel throwing, glazing, and firing techniques come together to provide each student with exciting new experiences, new skills and their clay creations to take home to use and share with friends and family. What could be better than playing with clay all summer?! Come unplug, make art, and make friends. Choose from several themed half-day week-long summer camps, with the option to put morning and afternoon camps together for a full-day experience! Classes run July 3 – August 25. Come for one week or all eight.

Visit Saratoga Clay Arts Center’s website at www.saratogaclayarts.org for more details on programs, registration dates, fee details, and while you are there, take some time to check out the rest of their site see all that is happening at the center.

REGISTRATION BEGINS FEBRUARY 10!

Get ready for some messy, exhilarating, creative fun this summer!

SARATOGA CLAY ARTS CENTER

167 Hayes Road, Schuylerville, NY 12871

518-581-CLAY (2529) • info@saratogaclayarts.org

www.saratogaclayarts.org

TRAIN LIKE A NINJA!

WHERE FITNESS IS ALWAY FUN!

SWING, CLIMB, LEAP & SOAR SWING, CLIMB, LEAP

As one of our Ninjas, your child can expect our skilled coaches to guide them through increasingly challenging obstacles, resulting in increased strength and stamina.

Ninja Lab Summer Camps run Monday through Friday in one-week, half day or full day sessions. Ninja Campers can choose between the morning session: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. or afternoon session: 1- 4 p.m, or full day session: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Campers will be put into groups of similar ability.

Age-appropriate drills will always be used, with a heightened emphasis on skill and long-term athlete development. Every child will be engaged and having fun, while building strength and self-confidence and finding their inner-ninja! All our coaches at The Ninja Lab are CPR certified and background screened. Age requirements: Incoming 1st - 10th graders.

$50

SARATOGA ROWING ASSOCIATION!

Get out on the lake and Learn to Row this summer with SARATOGA ROWING ASSOCIATION!

We have introductory camp options for ages 12-17.

Our Middle School Learn to Row Camp for rising 7th & 8th graders features two weeks of gaining water skills and fitness while enjoying the outdoors and making friends! The camp concludes with a team-wide race on Fish Creek which parents and fans can spectate from a charter boat. Middle School sessions run Monday-Friday from 9 AM-12 Noon. Each session is limited to 30.

You may attend more than one session and each session will build on the next. Start with LTR#1 and then continue with LTR #2/3.  Rowers can take one, two or three sessions to build on the skills learned in previous sessions.  You must take LTR #1 2023 before signing up for LTR #2/3.

The High School Learn to Row Camp (or Varsity Try-Out Camp) is for competitive minded athletes entering grades 9-12. Come out on the water and discover this exciting racing sport! You will learn the rowing stroke, gain fitness and conditioning, and taste the thrill of side by side competition in boats with up to 8 teammates.

Rowing is also an excellent crossover sport, so if you’re looking for a change, a new sport for your off season, or just a new activity and community, this could be a great fit for you!

High School sessions run Monday-Friday 9 -11:30 AM, and you may sign up for multiple sessions (highly encouraged if you plan to join the competitive varsity squad in the fall).

SARATOGA ROWING ASSOCIATION

543 Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 | 518-587-6697

For more information, email programs@saratogarowing.com

www.saratogarowing.com

Saratoga Rowing Association is home to multiple decades of national and international success, regularly qualifying for national championship races and making podium appearances.

Come join our community of welcoming, hard working, and teamoriented athletes who continue to build on this legacy!

Summer Camp

Greenfield Summer Day Camp Simply Focuses on Kids Just Being Kids in the Great Outdoors

In today’s over-structured world where kids spend a big part of their days looking at electronics, the one thing most grade school parents agree on is when school is out, they want their kids out… in the great outdoors. When summer comes, the pressure is on for parents to adequately entertain them without overscheduling or breaking the bank. The Town of Greenfield’s summer day camp is a perfect solution, with its morning-only format and a full array of traditional activities that promise to leave children exhausted and happy.

Campers spend 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. at the Maple Avenue Middle School, at 515 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Activities include rotating stations of fun, featuring such things as obstacle courses, hiking, Taekwondo, arts and crafts, as well as many organized games and sports like soccer, flag football, kickball and more. Campers participate in themed days like “Super Hero” and “Hat” Day and painting, tiedying and rock climbing. They receive weekly visits from Uncharted Wild LLC to encounter live wild animals, regularly scheduled “Water Days” for splashing around and even the chance to pal around with some local llamas. Rainy day activities bring the children inside to the school’s gymnasium and cafeteria. Fridays end

each week on a sweet note with treats from ice cream trucks and Stewart’s Shops.

“Our ever-changing schedule will send kids home exhausted and dirty from an actionpacked morning at camp with friends,” said Town of Greenfield Recreation Director Rebecca Sewell.

Students ages 5 to 14 are welcome and will be supervised with a 2:10 counselor/camper ratio. The camp features 25 trained camp counselors, most of whom once attended this camp themselves. Parents can choose early drop off for an additional cost and all students are eligible for the town’s Free Lunch Program, daily on-site and during camp. Signups open in March to Town of Greenfield residents, and in April open to the public. More information can be found by calling Rebecca Sewell at 518-428-2267 or visiting greenfieldny.org. Scholarships are available.

The Town of Greenfield is home to 8,200 residents in Greenfield, Porter Corners and Middle Grove. It spans more than 41,000 acres of land bordering the Adirondacks. Other summer activities sponsored by the Town of Greenfield include golf and tennis camps and a PGA Junior golf league at the town’s Brookhaven Park and Golf Course in Porter Corners.

JUNE 26-JULY 28

Monday-Friday

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (early drop off and transportation available)

LOCATION: Maple Avenue Middle School 515 Maple Avenue Saratoga Springs, NY

Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs Summer Camp

The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is the only Preschool through Grade 12 independent school in Saratoga County, serving the community for over 40 years. We provide an age-appropriate curriculum and create multiple experiential, immersive learning opportunities that support artistic, academic, physical, and social growth. Our school values and promotes justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to cultivate social responsibility, personal integrity, intellectual curiosity, and practical capacities.

We’re Expanding! Our Early Childhood Programs are now at two distinct locationsa beautiful In-Town Campus and our beloved Forest Campus. Now offering full-day and half-day options for children ages 3 - 6. Enrollment for 2023-2024 opens March 1. Contact us to learn more or to schedule a tour today.

And Introducing- Waldorf Explorations: Highschool beyond the classroom. We’re launching a new program to allow high school students to follow their passions by creating their own path which leads to a NYS high school diploma. The “Waldorf Explorations” program is an individualized plan alongside traditional in-person classes. This program can incorporate outside experiences, independent study, alternative forms of education, international exchange, and college level courses. We’re partnering with local colleges, international Waldorf schools, art studios, professionals, and experenced-based organizations to create alternative education pathways to meet a wide array of interests and possibilities.

FOREST SUMMER CAMP | 45 Kaydeross Avenue West | Ages 3-6

June 12 - July 21 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Located on Spa State Park land, our one-of-a-kind Forest campus features numerous forested hiking trails and ample yard space for climbing, gardening, digging, playing, and working. The farmhouse provides a nurturing indoor space and respite from extreme weather.

LOWER SCHOOL CAMP | 62 York Avenue | Grades 1-5

June 19 - July 28 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Come walk to the many local parks with us for water play, games, and a picnic lunch. Then head back to school for crafts, free play, stories, and snacks in the shady yard of our beloved Lower School campus.

FOREST CAMP SCHEDULE

Week 1 - June 12-16

Wonder with Bubbles & Water

Week 2 - June 19-23

The Dynamics of Air

Week 3 - June 26-30

Discover the Earth

Week 4 - July 3-7

The Wonderful World of Bugs

Week 5 - July 10-14

Trees & Flowers

Week 6 - July 17-21

Cooking at the Forest

LOWER SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Week 1 - June 19-23

Wet Felting

Week 2 - June 26-30

Needle Crafting

Week 3 - July 3-7

Create and Construct

Week 4 - July 10-14

Yoga & Nature Crafts

Week 5 - July 17-21

Cooking Class

Week 6 - July 24-28

Design & Daydream

For any questions, email admissions@waldorfsaratoga.org

Randall Perry Photography

Architecturally

FOLLOW US AS WE EXPLORE SOME OF THE AREA'S unique spaces...

Randall Perry Photography

Livable Luxury

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS BY RANDALL PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

Having children shaped how a young family lived in their 1892 residence. Located on a beautiful corner lot in a highly-desirable, walkable neighborhood, the house, purchased in 2016 by Michael and Valerie Napoli, was quaint and cozy but was not a comfortable fit for their quickly growing family.

By retaining the framework of the original structure but adding 2200 sq. ft., the yearlong construction project more than doubles their living space

and won Runner-Up for Favorite Luxury Home in the 2022 Saratoga Springs Showcase of Homes.

The major renovation of this 19th century home makes for a timeless modern farmhouse tailored to accommodate everyday family life.

Approachable Aspirations

This 3,800 sq. ft., three-floor, 4-bedroom, 4.5 bath house is far from cookie-cutter.

To craft a home that fits their unique needs and lifestyle, the couple turned to architect Bob Flansburg, owner of Dreamscapes Unlimited, and worked hand-in-hand with Dave Gadomski of DSG Construction and Remodeling.

“Mike and Val were very organized. They knew exactly what they wanted down to every detail,” said Dave. “It was a good partnership. We didn’t have to waste a bunch of time, and aesthetically, there were some moving components, but most were set in place, so that was a huge contributing factor to the project and getting it done. It was a miracle we did what we did, when we did.”

Valerie, a licensed real estate agent since 2008 and currently working for Julie & Co. Realty, was the interior designer and has gone on to work with DSG Construction on other projects since finishing her own home.

Right at Ease

The open concept of this home’s floorplan easily adapts to life. It brings a cohesively flowing energy that feels less static than its predecessor’s walled-in rooms.

“A big part of us building an open concept home is that we love entertaining and wanted to have more space to host our family and friends,” said Valerie.

The exterior displays architectural elegance with timber frame gable accents and a foundation of antique tumbled brick (sourced from North Carolina) at the base of the home.

In the backyard, the rectangular fiberglass in-ground pool is fenced off from the rest of the entertaining area, providing peace of mind when youngsters are around. The Italian porcelain patio, with its 11’ ceilings, surround sound system, and seating for 12, creates an outdoor area ideal for summertime gatherings.

Calling Card Entry

The timeless nobility and durability of exposed brick (which reminds the couple of their time in New York City) can be found throughout the house. Used in both fireplace backsplashes and behind the master bath’s soaker tub, its use in the archway that divides the foyer from the dining room is truly mighty.

“Brick has been used in accent walls for a long time but people don’t do it in modern homes (because of the cost) so it was interesting to see how it’s been incorporated into the interior,” said Dave.

In the living room, the tones of the couple’s existing camel leather furniture play off the brick nicely in a color scheme accentuated by a vibrant Italian painting that evokes memories of the couple’s overseas travels.

Polish & Practicality

The relaxed host knows the kitchen will stand-up to whatever comes its way.

A place to cook and connect, here, an oversized 8’ island with quartz countertops sits comfortably among the sleek white cabinetry and soft honey bronze hardware.

Tucked into the corner, across from the pantry with its built-in wine cooler, natural light pours into the breakfast nook from the easternfacing windows. One of Valerie’s favorite places, the window bench seating in this bright and inviting spot is fun for family mealtime.

Randall Perry Photography

Randall Perry Photography

Hero of the Household

Often overlooked but essential for busy households, the mudroom is a handy catch-all entry, corral clutters, and features black walnut surfaces. This beautiful wood, salvaged on-site from a single tree, is also used upstairs in the stylish tiled laundry room.

In the powder room, the downstairs bathroom off the playroom, and in her daughter’s bedroom, Valerie took risks with wallpaper. Using a dark, moody grass cloth to contrast the light, airy feel of the rest of the house, and busy designs to counterbalance its otherwise clean aesthetic, wallpaper injects added interest into the space.

Randall Perry Photography

Privacy, Please

The calm tranquility of the upper level is hinted at starting in the stairwell, where molding adds depth and an old-world charm to the walls.

A welcome retreat is established with open ceilings and exposed rafters in the master bedroom.

In addition to the relaxing tub, the sumptuous bathroom features dual vanities, water closet, and spacious shower with sliding barn glass door.

Valerie added that being so closely involved (while building their dream home) gave her a new appreciation for that builder / homeowner relationship and is looking forward to working with Dave on many projects to come!

Colleen's Picks

A Carefully Curated Selection of HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

WRITTEN BY COLLEEN COLEMAN OF CMC DESIGN STUDIO LLC

I don’t know about you, but this year feels like a new beginning to me. Even as the snow is falling, I can sense the warmer air peaking its head into New York, proposing a fresh start to the past few years! I’ve seen our local shops flourishing again, our restaurants packed with diners and smiles a mile wide as I chat with friends about their plans for this coming year! I’d say it's time to start planning for a Spring Refresh! And I have just the right shops to send you to for everything from fun loving gifts to outdoor living space revivals! Shall we…

CURTAIN & CARPET CONCEPTS

46 Marion Avenue #7, Saratoga Springs CurtainToCarpet.com | 518-886-1389

I’ll have to say, when I walked into CURTAIN AND CARPET CONCEPTS, my eyes were immediately drawn to these Lush Feather Down Pillows in neutral hues. Ready to spruce up any space in a classic format with timeless essence. These fine linen pillows are accented with luxurious rabbit poms, offering a warmth while calling you to sit for a spell. The knit worsted woolen pillow adds a texture to the mix while the Brazilian patchwork cowhide pillow is perfectly durable for areas of the home with a little more traffic and daily use.

At ACCENTS AT ALLERDICE, in Malta, I found the most precious items for either your own home or a Spring Pick-Me-Up gift for a friend. For starters, look at the precious Wool Felted Birdhouses! Yes, they’re meant for the outdoors! It just put a smile on my face to see all the varieties available at the shop. And with a sweet, buttoned bottom, it’s easy to clean out and invite in new guests. And as a dog lover, I couldn’t help but select these lovable Pup kitchen Towels, portraying our furry friends at their best! There are plenty more to choose from as well! And lastly, oh…these Chala Hand Bags were so darn cute I had a hard time choosing which ones to show you! From pets to flowers and more, these whimsy bags come in a variety of sizes, transforming from a wristlet, to crossbody or shoulder strap. Even the zipper pull is detailed to coordinate with the theme at hand!

ACCENTS AT ALLERDICE

2570 U.S. 9, Malta Allerdice.com | 518-899-6222

Colleen Coleman is the Principal of CMC Design Studio LLC located in Saratoga Springs. With certifications in Kitchen & Bath Design, Aging in Place and True Color Expert, her curated design extends into all areas of her field including new construction, historical and major renovations. Her passion is in designing & customizing hand-crafted cabinets for all areas of the residential market.

Susan Blackburn Photography

CHALA HAND BAGS

THE FURNITURE HOUSE

1254 NY-9P, Saratoga Springs

TheFurnitureHouseNY.com | 518-587-9865

Out at the lake, THE FURNITURE HOUSE is getting ready to update your porch or patio with new selections from Summer Classics. Their new Pointe Collection is crafted of a natural teak frame with raffia woven seat. Not to worry…these weatherresistant attributes are marine-grade, featuring their UV-resistant N-dura™ Resin Wicker, made for years of outdoor entertaining. Mortise and tenon joinery add to the beauty and durability, topped with Summer Classics exclusive Dream Cushion™ technology in a variety of colors and patterns to choose from. Don’t delay, NOW is the time to order your outdoor furniture to ensure you have it just in time for your first pool party!

EARL B. FEIDEN APPLIANCE

1771 U.S. 9, Clifton Park | 518-383-2215

785 U.S. 9, Latham | 518-785-8555

EarlBFeiden.com

And look at what’s available at EARL B. FEIDEN APPLIANCE! BlueStar Appliances have revolutionized cooking, making its owners swoon in giddiness over the color choices! Since 2006, BlueStar made it fashionable to choose your appliance color, right down to color matching your favorite hue if necessary! And with a vast selection of metal accents, your kitchen will surely be one-of-a-kind! Take for instance this 48” Dual Fuel Range with 12” Griddle finished in a hue of green with gold accents. The exterior beauty goes deep into the culinary magnificence as well. Selected “Best New Kitchen Appliance” at the 2023 IBS Show, this range offers the new X8™ burners capable of producing 25,000 BTUs for searing, down to 500 BTUs for simmering, all with elegant ease. The oversized convection electric oven is multi-racked and fits commercial-size 18” x 26” baking sheets! Cooking modes include Bake, Convect Bake, Roast, Convect Roast, Broil, Proof and Dehydrate, plus Sabbath setting and a temperature probe. The French Door Wall Oven also features 9 professionallevels of cooking with an enhanced touch-screen and industry leading capacity. The built-in, temperaturecontrolled bake stone allows for perfect artisan breads and pizzas! And the French doors makes access to hot dishes inside easy to reach when stacked over a conventional oven or tall storage. Best of all, these appliances have been handcrafted right here in Pennsylvania… since 1880!

GRANITE & MARBLE WORKS

8 Commerce Park Drive, Wilton GraniteAndMarbleworks.com | 518-584-2800

Let’s keep talking color! Allow yourself to take in this stunning Agate Gemstone Slab currently at GRANITE & MARBLE WORKS. The agate stone exterior is not as impressive as it’s inner parts. Once opened, however, its beauty is revealed in layers of color and movement. This slab showcases the interior diversity of blues, mossy greens, off white, taupe, golden tones, and varying hues of red; all which lead into a dark natural background fusing each slice into a glorious medley of color and mystery. How could an owner of such beauty ever tire of speculating over the amassed collection of agate stones within! In fact, part of this slab is currently being cut for a customer’s kitchen island. I’ll be featuring this process in our Simply Saratoga H&G issue, due out in May! Don’t miss this exclusive look into the cutting and polishing areas of Granite & Marble Works. Stay tuned…

Let’s chat hats! Just in at IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA, these Straw Hats in a variety of colors and styles are perfect for our upcoming sunny days with hand-in-hand walks in the park. The Saratoga Fedora will naturally afford its owner a tip of the brim to those who pass by while the Wide Rimmed, colorfully woven option with leather strapping is perfect for beach walks and gardening! For the home, they also brought in Leather Keepsake Boxes trimmed with a decorative horse bit ranging in sizes from 12x9 to 9x6. The smallest option has a flip top while the bigger boxes offer a true removable lid. Great as a desktop organizer, photos or even stacked to create a custom side table. And keeping with our conversation on color, look at the vivid Saratoga Pillows crafted from performance fabric and finished in colorful welting & patterns. Prop one up on a guest bed or add a delightful detail to your front porch rocker. Either way, these pillows speak volumes for our love of Saratoga!

Just down the street at DARK HORSE MERCANTILE, I spotted Melissa Crase’s one-of-a-kind painting “Colors of Racing.” She truly captured the essence of this majestic animal with highlights of reds, blue and that touch of green that seems like a summer’s day. The stance of the trot, for me, depicts the steadfastness of the horse and its ability to ride like the wind when its turn is up to perform! To add to this, Dark Horse also features Glacier Rocks to keep your beverage as cold as the chiller without diluting your favorite aperitif. Made of granite, these circular stones can mull amid your favorite Etched Saratoga Springs Glass and keep your visitors well chilled as the warmer days come to rest on our area. With all the colorful trends finally coming back into vogue, I’m loving what 2023 will bring to our area! Its time to re-energize and delight in how fortunate we are to live in such a richly historic area. Let’s all get out this Spring and continue to honor our local shops and eateries. Together, we make Saratoga Springs the best place to live, work and play!

Until next time my friends,

Moving

WRITTEN BY JORDANA TURCOTTE OF SIMPLY YOU

Moving is challenging.

Remember moving as a college student? You didn’t have a lot of stuff, but had plenty of friends to help. But now, moving – as an adult – can be one of the most stressful events you will go through.

Moving makes you confront all the “stuff” you have – the sentimental stuff, the purchased and unused stuff, the “hasn’t fit in years, but might” stuff – all those decisions are overwhelming. Put those decisions on a time crunch and it can all be, just too much. Two major things to do before any move: Declutter and Plan.

Decluttering is the best thing you can do for so many reasons. If you don’t want it now, you won’t want it later. Make informed decisions now on when you last used something; packing it up, just to let it sit, doesn’t make sense. Moving can be costly (volume and/or weight of load), so the less stuff you bring, the cheaper the move. Unburdening yourself on the front end sets you up for a simpler new space. Next, planning.

Planning when doing anything big removes a lot of stress. Planning for a move is imperative. Mapping out when you are going to move and working backwards to maximize decluttering and packing times helps you feel in control of the move process start to finish. Post a calendar with sessions for going through and packing each area. Enlist help if you can, there is a lot to do. Lists will be your friend – to-do list, to-call list, to-buy list. Post them prominently.

Depending on the move you are doing, here are some other considerations to think about:

• Moving to a smaller place needs more emphasis on size and quantity of furniture and storage needs. A good example is if your new kitchen will be half the size, less of everything is your goal.

• Moving to a larger, brand-new home can be exciting, but you may not want your current/old furniture in the new space. Again, moving it can be costly and if you sell before moving you not only have the cash now, but will spend less on the move.

• Moving out due to divorce may sadly lead to a splitting of belongings. Change is hard enough, but letting go of bad memories is a good thing. Only bring what will best set you up for your life going forward, to create a new you!

• Moving in with someone and merging two established households can be another big task. The biggest is who is supplying what! If two households are merging; making a list of your favorite pieces of furniture (with dimensions) you want to bring helps planning where things will fit. Next, work through each room and decide whose stuff will be brought to set up which space – it can be a mix, which is fun. Not only is this a major first communication exercise, it will help with move planning and costs and ensure you don’t end up with tons of duplicate items with no place to put them. Undecided items become clutter.

By decluttering and planning you can minimize the stress from a move and hopefully capture the excitement of a new space and the change itself. Imagine the life you want in the new space and move only what supports that new life. Lastly, less really is more!

TEN LIFE EVENTS TO RETHINK LIFE INSURANCE

TEN LIFE EVENTS TO RETHINK LIFE INSURANCE

Mackenzie Frederick, CPCU, CLU, Owner/Agent M. Frederick Insurance, Inc.

Mackenzie Frederick, CPCU, CLU, Owner/Agent M. Frederick Insurance, Inc.

Life Insurance: two little words that have such a big impact on the future. The best time to start a life insurance program is yesterday. The second-best time is today. Policy options and rates are dependent on health and age. Life is full of curveballs and many things are beyond our control. The good news is, there are many simple, affordable options that can help you take care of multiple goals at once and provide peace of mind for the future. Life insurance is truly love insurance, and it’s better to be a decade too early than one minute too late. Here are some important times to rethink your plan.

Life Insurance: two little words that have such a big impact on the future. The best time to start a life insurance program is yesterday. The second-best time is today. Policy options and rates are dependent on health and age. Life is full of curveballs and many things are beyond our control. The good news is, there are many simple, affordable options that can help you take care of multiple goals at once and provide peace of mind for the future. Life insurance is truly love insurance, and it’s better to be a decade too early than one minute too late. Here are some important times to rethink your plan.

1. GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE

1. GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE

Have your parents co-signed on your student loans, auto loan or first apartment? If something happens to you, they will be on the hook for the balance. A small policy can help take care of this concern.

Have your parents co-signed on your student loans, auto loan or first apartment? If something happens to you, they will be on the hook for the balance. A small policy can help take care of this concern.

2. GETTING MARRIED/ CODEPENDENT LIVING

2. GETTING MARRIED/ CODEPENDENT LIVING

If you are living with someone that depends on all or a portion of your income, it is important that you take care of this person. The amount of coverage for this policy should include consideration for things like housing costs, living costs, insurances, and any outstanding debt.

If you are living with someone that depends on all or a portion of your income, it is important that you take care of this person. The amount of coverage for this policy should include consideration for things like housing costs, living costs, insurances, and any outstanding debt.

3. BUYING A HOUSE

3. BUYING A HOUSE

A stressful process! Most of the insurances required for closing are for the bank. Before you move in (and life gets even busier with renovation projects) put something in place that protects your family and their ability to stay in the home if the unexpected should occur. A policy to cover your outstanding mortgage amount typically equates to a reasonable premium that you would consider part of your new regular housing expense.

A stressful process! Most of the insurances required for closing are for the bank. Before you move in (and life gets even busier with renovation projects) put something in place that protects your family and their ability to stay in the home if the unexpected should occur. A policy to cover your outstanding mortgage amount typically equates to a reasonable premium that you would consider part of your new regular housing expense.

4. STARTING A FAMILY

4. STARTING A FAMILY

your outstanding mortgage amount typically equates to a in their absence. Paired with a valid will, life insurance is an

It is imperative to secure coverage that will provide funds to take your children into adulthood if something should happen to you. Also consider getting coverage on a stay-athome parent to cover the cost of replacement services in their absence. Paired with a valid will, life insurance is an important part of family estate planning. Additionally, starting a life policy on a child is a fantastic way to set them up for their future!

It is imperative to secure coverage that will provide funds to take your children into adulthood if something should happen to you. Also consider getting coverage on a stay-athome parent to cover the cost of replacement services in their absence. Paired with a valid will, life insurance is an important part of family estate planning. Additionally, starting a life policy on a child is a fantastic way to set them up for their future!

5. JOB CHANGES

5. JOB CHANGES

We often hear “I have life insurance through work,” while that is a great benefit to have, it is rarely enough to cover a person’s true coverage needs, and there are often hidden restrictions and taxation. People are changing jobs more than ever, and employer expenses are on the rise. It is recommended to have a policy that you own and control that is not tied to an employer.

We often hear “I have life insurance through work,” while that is a great benefit to have, it is rarely enough to cover a person’s true coverage needs, and there are often hidden restrictions and taxation. People are changing jobs more than ever, and employer expenses are on the rise. It is recommended to have a policy that you own and control that is not tied to an employer.

6. INCOME CHANGES

6. INCOME CHANGES

that is a great benefit to have, it is rarely enough to cover household needs in the event of an untimely death of the

Has your family recently experienced a change in income? While it might not seem like a priority, it is more important than ever to get life coverage in place. Many affordable options are available to cover outstanding debt and household needs in the event of an untimely death of the main income earner. On the flip side, if you suddenly have an increase in income, it is important to not fall victim to “lifestyle inflation” without taking care of the basics first.

Has your family recently experienced a change in income? While it might not seem like a priority, it is more important than ever to get life coverage in place. Many affordable options are available to cover outstanding debt and household needs in the event of an untimely death of the main income earner. On the flip side, if you suddenly have an increase in income, it is important to not fall victim to “lifestyle inflation” without taking care of the basics first.

7. STARTING A BUSINESS

7. STARTING A BUSINESS

More than ever, everything depends on you. Take a piece of your worries off the table by securing an income for your family if something happens to you. Life insurance also plays a role in business planning: Many banks require coverage to secure commercial lending, Key Person coverage can be utilized as a business continuation strategy, and covering the payments on policies for employees is a great tool for retention.

More than ever, everything depends on you. Take a piece of your worries off the table by securing an income for your family if something happens to you. Life insurance also plays a role in business planning: Many banks require coverage to secure commercial lending, Key Person coverage can be utilized as a business continuation strategy, and covering the payments on policies for employees is a great tool for retention.

8. PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT

8. PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT

What will your tax liability be when you retire? If something happens to you will your spouse still be able to retire? Do you have funds immediately available to others to take care of funeral costs? Permanent life insurance can help address all these concerns and more.

What will your tax liability be when you retire? If something happens to you will your spouse still be able to retire? Do you have funds immediately available to others to take care of funeral costs? Permanent life insurance can help address all these concerns and more.

9. SAVING FOR COLLEGE

9. SAVING FOR COLLEGE

There are types of life insurance policies available to help you achieve multiple goals at once. A “return of premium” policy could be thought of as a savings account with life coverage. Every penny you pay in premium is given back at the end of the term if the death benefit is not used. This allows you to have life protection in place while also meeting a savings goal, such as a child’s education.

There are types of life insurance policies available to help you achieve multiple goals at once. A “return of premium” policy could be thought of as a savings account with life coverage. Every penny you pay in premium is given back at the end of the term if the death benefit is not used. This allows you to have life protection in place while also meeting a savings goal, such as a child’s education.

10. RECEIVING AN INHERITANCE OR LEAVING A LEGACY

10. RECEIVING AN INHERITANCE OR LEAVING A LEGACY

Preserve and grow your wealth to leave a legacy using permanent life insurance. You can change your family’s story forever!

Preserve and grow your wealth to leave a legacy using permanent life insurance. You can change your family’s story forever!

From now until 3/31 anyone who contacts us for a FREE insurance review or sends us a referral will be entered to win a dining experience from Hudson’s Private Chef Services!

From now until 3/31 anyone who contacts us for a FREE insurance review or sends us a referral will be entered to win a dining experience from Hudson’s Private Chef Services! No purchase necessary.

No purchase necessary. CALL

In the Kitchen JOHN REARDON WITH

Hello my Foodie Friends!

When I was growing up, there was a small but very well stocked family grocery store three houses away from my family home. It was called Mule’s Market and it was located on Liberty Street in Meriden, Connecticut. It was run by an Italian family and when I say family, I mean all the brothers, sisters, wives, mothers, fathers, grandparents and well, a lot of people! This was before big chain grocery stores existed. Therefore, this family market had to have a little bit of everything. If it was Italian foods you wanted, Mule’s Market had it and it was delicious. I had the opportunity to work there when I was 16 years old and I was always coming home with giant care packages for my mom, who they loved. They would send me home with spaghetti and meatballs, fresh Italian bread, lasagna and fresh cuts of meat, as they were butchers as well. All their prepared foods were from family recipes and that is why they were beloved in the community. Whenever they would bring out a new recipe, they wanted to know my mother’s opinion right away. They tried to recruit her, but all they got was me. The store was always filled with wonderful aromas of different foods. My experience in the market and the trying of new recipes began my journey to becoming a “foodie.”

Over the years, more and more people (of all ages and backgrounds) are experimenting with food dishes more than ever before. Hence, the term ‘foodie’ has become increasingly popular and trendy. We can all call ourselves “Foodies,” enjoying food, cooking, and experimenting with different ingredients, methods, and recipes. You may find that you are pulling up old traditional recipes from generations past and love sharing your creations.

Through the many years Compliments to the Chef has been in business, I have had a multitude of individuals come in and share stories of being a foodie. What I truly enjoy seeing are individuals who are very young venturing with the culinary arts. The knowledge and interest in quality tools has been amazing and very rewarding to see. Many are focused on food preparation and optimizing nutrition. Food has become a huge social culture being something that engages all the senses and brings people together in a physical space.

For people who love cooking but are not professional chefs, what is it about cooking that you really love most? Many of our customers have stated that; although they are not a professional chef, they absolutely love cooking! They love the ability to be creative. It allows experimentation with different types of spices, cultural cuisines, and cooking techniques which can be educational. Cooking can give you a sense of satisfaction knowing that you created something amazing. Cooking a meal is one of the most personal and intimate things you can do for someone. The best part is when that special someone “compliments the chef!!”

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs and share your foodie stories. Our growth as a business continues through the conversations and recommendations from our customers. We love hearing how you experimented, the successes and “catastrophes,” and your aspirations for learning a new recipe or conquering a family tradition. I have served some wonderful meals that I am proud of. However, there have been plenty of times that I thought something was a disaster. I just try again. Have fun.

Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.”

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Pie

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE PIE DOUGH:

• Dough for single-crust pie

• 1-1/2 cups light corn syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 large eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Chopped peanuts, broken Nutter Butter cookies, whipped topping

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR CHOCOLATE PIE DOUGH:

1. Preheat oven to 350° On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge.

2. In a large bowl, beat corn syrup, sugar, peanut butter and salt until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake until top is puffed and center is almost set, 60-70 minutes; cover top loosely with foil during the last 30 minutes to prevent overbrown-ing.

3. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack. (Top may sink and crack slightly upon cooling.) Serve or refrigerate within 2 hours. Top as desired.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home at tasteofhome.com

Entertaining

RALPH VINCENT WITH

Ideas for relaxed entertaining your guests will love …and you will too!

A Flatbread Pizza Party!

Spring is here and what better reason to celebrate!

Would you like to invite the gang over but are looking for something easy and delish to serve? How about a pizza party or better yet, a flatbread pizza party? Add some wine and cocktails and you’re ready to go!

Pizza made with a flatbread crust is my new fave way to enjoy this hot cheesy delight and I think it will become yours too. It is sooo easy to prepare - just start with purchased flatbread, add your toppings and bake. The list of toppings and combinations is endless so you can be as creative you like.

I have three of my flatbread pizza recipes to share with you. You can follow each recipe, or use as a template for your own delish creation. The first recipe combines savory mushrooms with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Marinated artichokes, tomato, and scallions top the second. Number three is interesting and entirely plant based with smooth creamy hummus topped with fresh veggies.

But before we start on the pizzas let’s talk cocktails! My latest libation creation is a spring inspired version of the classic Negroni cocktail with a strawberry and rhubarb kick. Yum!

I hope you enjoy these recipes. As I always say, have fun in your kitchen cooking (and making drinks!) for the people you love, and always remember... it doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to taste good!

Strawberry Rhubarb Negroni

• 1 ounce of Campari

• 1 ounce of Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin

• ½ ounce of sweet vermouth

• ½ ounce of orange juice

• Fresh strawberry slices to garnish

• Optional splash of club soda or seltzer

DIRECTIONS: Pour the first four ingredients into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled, about 30 seconds or so. Strain into an ice filled “rocks” glass and garnish with a few strawberry slices. You can top the drink off with a splash of club soda or seltzer if desired.

Flatbread Pizza with Hummus and Veggies

• 1 flatbread

• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and a little more to drizzle

• ¼ cup hummus of choice

• ½ cup of chopped fresh broccoli

• ½ cup of finely chopped red bell pepper

• ¼ cup of finely chopped purple onion

• Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the flatbread edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle spread the flatbread with hummus and top with the veggies. Add salt and pepper, drizzle lightly with olive oil and its ready to go!

Flatbread Pizza with Mushrooms and Fresh Herbs

• 1 flatbread

• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• ½ cup of shredded Italian blend cheese

Flatbread Pizza with Artichokes, Scallions and Roma Tomato

• 1 flatbread

• 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup of shredded Italian blend cheese

• ½ cup of marinated artichokes drained and chopped or broken apart

• ½ of a Roma tomato thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon of thinly sliced scallions

• Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Cover with the cheese, artichokes and tomatoes, and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and the flat bread is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the scallions. Let it cool a bit and enjoy!

Pizza Recipes: I use purchased flat bread each measuring about 7 x 9 inches. I like “FlatOut” Multigrain. Each recipe makes one pizza, but you can multiply the amount of topping ingredients to make as many as you need. To serve I usually cut each pizza into four slices, but you can make smaller slices if desired.

• ¾ cup of sliced fresh mushrooms, white or baby Portobello work fine

• 1 tablespoon each of minced fresh dill and parsley

DIRECTIONS: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the flatbread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Cover with the cheese and mushrooms, and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the flat bread is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the dill and parsley. Let it cool a bit and then enjoy!

HOMESTEADER

and where to start

WRITTEN BY NICOLINA FOTI, AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR, CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

OF SARATOGA COUNTY

Part of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County Homesteading Series

Being a homesteader has a beautiful and humbling appearance to it. Providing for yourself and possibly others is a very grounding effort, but it is also a very overwhelming idea. Therefore, for this issue, I would like you to hold up a mirror because we are going to talk about how YOU can become a homesteader. As Desmond Tutu said: "There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.”

Start with what you like or enjoy and start small. Do what is necessary, then do what is possible. The whole idea of homesteading is to be sustainable, so build your homestead sustainably. This means growing slowly and in a capacity that you can handle. You will have a hard time if you start with a 2-acre garden, but if you start with a small raised bed garden or some planters, it will be easy to grow from there (no pun intended). It is easy to add and grow what you are developing rather than trying to keep your head above water because you started too big. Starting small is also a great way to avoid burnout. When you take the time to grow 50 tomato plants and more than half of them die due to blight, disease, or just not realizing what you were doing can be very discouraging. Start with four tomato plants, possibly try different varieties, and see what you like or, what I look for is, what I don’t like. Remember, give yourself credit; having a few planters with vegetables, having a dozen chickens for eggs, and canning five jars of tomato sauce is all still homesteading, and it’s a great start.

Most importantly, you don’t have to do it alone. A great resource and help can be your local Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) office. Whether or not they have an established homesteader program, they will have experts on all the aspects of homesteading. If you want to learn how to garden successfully, you can take our Master Gardner program. If you have questions on the best varieties of vegetables to grow for numerous reasons, contact your CCE office. Have issues with your plants, contact your CCE office. Do you want to learn how to preserve all those fruits, vegetables, and even meats you grew yourself; take the Master Food Preserver course through CCE, or just take a single canning class to sharpen your skills. If you want to raise some livestock for meat, milk, or fiber, contact the CCE office. Whether you are looking for a formal workshop to learn and network with others, or you have some specific questions and are seeking one-on-one guidance, the experts at Cornell Cooperative Extension can provide help and information! Explore all the resources at www.ccesaratoga.org.

HISTORY

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GEORGE S. BOLSTER COLLECTION

HIGH ROCK SPRING DEILVERY WAGON, 1875

Saratoga’s BEGINNING

WRITTEN BY CHARLIE KUENZEL | IMAGE COURTESY OF THE GEORGE S. BOLSTER COLLECTION

EEvery city has a story, and every story has a beginning. The story of Saratoga Springs starts long before it was known as the “The Place to See and be Seen.” Centuries before the thousands of summer guests visited the grand hotels and drank the famous mineral waters the Native Americans of this area, the Mohawk, used the springs, planted crops, and hunted the fields and forests of the area.

The Mohawk had named this area “Sarachto-gue” which to them meant the area of the great salt springs or the hillside of the great river. A city would not be found in this area for centuries until permanent European settlers came to the area in the later years of the 1700s. On November 2,

1708 Queen Anne, of England, granted 13 people land with the royal act called the Kayaderosseras Patent. According to the Mohawk, the name Kayaderosseras, meant “the country of the lake of the crooked stream,” and of course that crooked stream is what we now call, the Kayaderosseras Creek; that flows into Saratoga Lake. This patent was for a huge tract of about 400,000 acres of land that was located west of the Hudson River and north of the Mohawk River. The tract was not awarded until years later when it was somewhat reduced in size and finally surveyed in 1769-70 and broken into 25 allotments with 23 allotments that are each divided into 13 equal lots.

Two of the 25 allotments plus a five-mile square of land (5,029 acres) was given as payment to the surveyors and others that helped with the surveying and conveyance of the land. On October 22,1771 at the Brock Tavern in New York City, the grantees drew lots to determine ownership of the 13 lots in each of the 23 allotments. The most important allotment to Saratoga Springs’ history was lot #12 of the 16 allotments that would become most of the land making up the city today. Lot #12 was drawn in the name of Rip Van Dam and was 2,800 acres in size. When all 23 allotments were divided, Rip Van Dam had received about 30,000 acres which is the equivalent of 46.875 square miles of property. Since Rip Van Dam had died in 1749 the land went to his heirs.

The original thirteen patentees were Johannes Beekman, Rip Van Dam, Anne Bridges, Nanning Hermance, John Tudor, Johannes Fisher, Joris Hooglandt, John Stephens, John Tatham, Adrian Hooghlandt, Peter Fauconnier, May Bickley and Sampson Broughton. When the land was being surveyed it was a piece of the then very large Albany County. Saratoga County was not formed until February 7, 1791. The area of the present-day city of Saratoga Springs was very sacred to the Mohawk mostly because of the healing waters that flowed from the springs. The Mohawk kept the waters of the High Rock secret and protected it from visitation by area settlers. The High Rock spring was referred to by the Mohawk as “The Medicine Spring of the Great Spirit.” The story is that it was not until 1771 that the Mohawk allowed the first European to visit the area to take the waters. In that year an ill Sir William Johnson, who served as Agent for Indian Affairs for the British, was carried by the Mohawk on a litter to visit what many believe was the High Rock Spring. In Sir William’s account of the event, he refers to visiting a spring “northward of Schenectady.” Since the Mohawk respected Johnson as a friend and they knew he had been suffering from a lingering illness that they felt could be remedied with the use of the waters at a spring, they probably

brought him to the High Rock. During his stay of four days at the spring, he drank and bathed with the waters and at the end of those days he felt stronger and walked most of the way back to his house in the Mohawk Valley. Soon after his arrival home he wrote to friends to tell the amazing story of the curing powers of the High Rock.

New knowledge of the mineral springs began a strong push by interested settlers to be able to buy land in the area and build near the springs. After deals with the Mohawk were arranged, the first area of the city to be settled was around the High Rock Spring which became known as the Upper Village. The city’s first permanent settler to the Upper Village was Alexander Bryan in1787. Eventually settlers would also build in the area around the Congress Spring that was discovered in 1792 and that became known as the Lower Village. Over time the two villages would grow to be one with the name Saratoga Springs. When Gideon Putnam and his wife Doanda came to Saratoga Springs in 1789, the path of the city changed forever. They immediately began to see the wealth potential from harvesting the timber of the area and understood the concept of the saying “If you build it they will come.” Gideon built a sawmill and began to turn the native white pines into shingles, shakes and barrel staves. Gideon later recognized that the mineral springs were a draw for tourists to come to the city for their health. At first, Gideon and Doanda leased land and as their wealth increased, they bought 300 acres of land to start the Lower Village near the Congress Spring. He would build the first hotel in 1802, called Putnam’s Tavern and Boarding House, located on the northwest corner of Broadway and Congress Street. Area residents laughed at his initiative since the land around the boarding house was really in an unsettled thick pine forest with no other settlers in the immediate area.

As the Putnams’ success continued they continued to buy land, built a bath house, tubed the springs and donated land for a church, school and burial ground. Gideon and his wife

Doanda laid out the early streets of the city including Broad Street at a width of 120 feet, to be later called Broadway. Washington Street and Phila Street were named after Putnam children. The Putnams’ vision changed the city forever.

One year after Putnam’s Tavern and Boarding House was opened, Gideon added an addition to the hotel because of its successful first year of operation. Eventually the expanding Tavern and Boarding House became known as Union Hall. The Putnam family owned the hotel until 1865 when it changed its name upon change of ownership to the Grand Union. By the 1870s the Grand Union would be one of the largest hotels in the world. In 1811 Gideon starts construction of another hotel across the street from the Union Hall and called it the Congress Hall. Unfortunately, Gideon fell from the scaffolding during construction and died in December of 1812. Doanda lived until 1835 and was a tremendous force in not only keeping the family together but in the daily business operations of two major hotels and assorted properties. A New York City social writer commented in his column after a visit to the Union Hotel, “I can’t understand if the name of Union Hotel describes the national union of the states or the quality of the Putnam family.”

Before Gideon died, he posted a list of the “rules of the springs.” It was Gideon who set forth the idea that the water would always be free at the spring. This custom set the stage for the social patterns for summer visitors for the rest of the 19th century and made Saratoga Springs a very different social experience from other summer destinations. People lining up without preferential treatment at the springs to “take the waters” each morning helped to define the social interactions of the summer. The vision of Gideon and Doanda Putnam helped to define the early years of the city as a health resort. Saratoga Springs was now poised to grow from a wild pine forest to a unique city that would become the number one tourist destination in the United States in the 1800s. SS

Rarely Seen

Photos

of Old Saratoga Springs

CONGRESS SPRING

This is an image of the famed Congress Spring, the way it looked in 1877. In the 1800s our mineral springs were privately owned, and their architecture and appearance was at the discretion of the owner. This ornate version was designed for the country’s Centennial Year of 1876.

WRITTEN BY CHARLIE KUENZEL | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GEORGE S. BOLSTER COLLECTION

PAVILION HOTEL

One of the very early hotels in Saratoga Springs, the Pavilion was located on the northeast corner of Broadway and Lake Avenue. The hotel was razed years ago and is the site of the present-day City Hall.

THE ADELPHI HOTEL

The Adelphi Hotel was built in the later part of the 1800s. Although it was not one of the four largest hotels in the city, it has survived the years and was renovated a few years ago, becoming a beautiful destination in the city.

On SPOT. This

6 FRANKLIN SQUARE

CARLSBAD SANITARIUM/ HOTEL RUSSELL/ MULTI-USE BUILDING

Historians could encapsulate the essence of 6 Franklin Square in one word: fortitude.

Over the past 180 years, the building morphed from "most handsomely arranged dwelling in Saratoga" to "sanitarium" to " luxury hotel" and, in its grey period, "fire hazard" until finally returning to grandeur as a multi-use building.

Despite the obstacles and challenges of owning a large, old wooden structure in one of Saratoga's most famous squares, each owner's fortitude kept this historic landmark alive.

WRITTEN BY CAROL GODETTE | PHOTOS PROVIDED (UNLESS NOTED)

The Marvin Brothers, proprietors of the nearby United States Hotel, were the property's first owners in 1839 in what Assemblywoman and former director of the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, Carrie Woerner, describes as the "first fashionable neighborhood in Saratoga Springs." Purportedly the neighborhood was first called Marvin Square, after the Marvin Brothers. Later, the Marvins renamed it Franklin Square in honor of Benjamin Franklin. The next time you pass this magnificent building, stop, and notice its varied architecture. Notice the original Federal and Greek Revival elements, modified in the 1890s with the addition of Colonial Revival porch columns. Today’s structure consists of two separate buildings combined by Dr. E. Valencourt Deuell in 1893. A January 21, 1893 news article in The Argus states, "Dr. Ethan Deuell has purchased from Mrs. Ruth Corey her cottage and grounds on the northwest corner of Clinton and Division streets, fronting Franklin Square, and also the Sackett cottage and vacant lot on Division Street. He will remove the latter building and unite the lots with the Corey premises."

Dr. Deuell was an esteemed surgeon and physician. He served as an Army surgeon in the Civil War and was an expert on cholera treatment. After the war, he pursued his interest in treating patients holistically by touring Europe's grand spas to study this approach. His favorite was the Bohemian spa Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), inspiring him to employ "The Carlsbad system" - a holistic health care approach of diet, exercise, and use of mineral waters- under his medical supervision in Saratoga Springs. So, in the early 1890s, this former Little Rock, Arkansas resident relocated his family north to fulfill his dream.

In 1893, he purchased 6 Franklin Square and turned it into the Carlsbad Sanitarium, named after his favorite European spa- The Carlsbad. The hotel's convenient location, unsurpassed food and table service, and physician-monitored health regime attracted well-to-do customers. As the hotel prospered, three additions occurred: in 1901, Deuell added a wing on the north side; the following spring, he had a third story constructed over the main building; and finally, in 1903, a three-story extension to the main building added 22 guest rooms with private baths.

Deuell's dream of making Saratoga the world's No. 1 spa resort was cut short when he died of a coronary rupture while testifying in the 1905 case of Dr. Richard McCarty versus the Natural Carbonic Gas Company. McCarty's hospital was near the gas company, and he felt its smoke damaged his property. McCarty asked Deuell to serve as an expert witness on the detrimental effects of soft coal smoke on the respiratory system. Deuell's shocking death on the witness stand interrupted the trial and stunned the community.

The Hotel Russell’s address was once listed as 1 Clinton Street. Due to its prominent Franklin Square location the official address is 6 Franklin Square.

Photo courtesy of the George S. Bolster Collection

This postcard from The Beatrice Sweeney postcard collection shows the Carlsbad Hotel. Sweeney successfully nominated the Franklin Square Historic District to the National Registry of Historic Places.

However, 6 Franklin Square soon became reincarnated, thanks to the fortitude of brothers J. Thomas and Charlie Russell. They took over the hotel's operations in 1912, initially keeping the Carlsbad name. In 1917, a Saratogian news article stated, "The Hotel Carlsbad will hereafter be called the Hotel Russell, after its owners, Charles and J. Thomas Russell who wish their names more closely identified with it."

Charles married Elizabeth Black in 1920, and the Hotel Russell became their home, where they raised their four children. Each time a child was born, Charles planted a sugar maple in their honor on Division Street. The rambling antique-filled hotel had 50 rooms to accommodate some of the many tourists who visited Saratoga.

Extended family member Tom Moore says, "As a child, it was a magical place to wander through and play, filled with secret hiding places and interesting objects."

Moore even worked there one summer and recalled "the classic, majestic porch with a high ceiling and imposing pillars. It felt private as vines grew up high on trellises. Guests passed the time out there on rocking chairs."

But despite its charm, owning a hotel presents challenges. The World War II years were tough. Tourists were few, yet Charlie wanted to continue his daily breakfast service. Coffee was rationed. Somehow, he secured it on the Black Market and safely hid it in the attic. Unfortunately, a secondfloor gas heater caused a fire that spread to the attic- the distinctive smell of roasting coffee emanated throughout Franklin Square, much to Elizabeth's embarrassment.

Keeping track of keys for the sprawling hotel took a lot of work. Russell made his life easier by getting the same skeleton master key for every room. At the start of each summer, he got 50 identical keys from the hardware store, unbeknownst to his guests.

In the summer of 1968, the Russell family felt 89-year-old Charlie Russell should consider closing the hotel. His son, David, took a leave from his job and spent the summer living and working at the hotel. At the end of the 1968 season, the family reported that the business barely broke even. The elder Russell didn't care- he loved what he did and continued running the hotel for another three years until his 1971 death.

Turn of the century view of the Carlsbad. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

This 1968 photo from the Russell family shows the kitchen staff preparing breakfast.

Charles and Elizabeth Russell outside of their hotel. Photo coutesy of the Russell family.

The Russell family sold the declining hotel to Edward VanHarthorne. He briefly ran it as the Hilo Hart Hotel before moving to Hawaii.

It was a dark period for Hotel Russell and Saratoga. Vacant turn-of-the-century buildings were the rule rather than the exception, especially in the Franklin Square area. As a result, the roof leaked, vagrants broke windows to gain entry, and the foundation crumbled. Nevertheless, unsung hero Bob Israel, a reasonably new Saratoga Springs resident who loved the city, purchased it for $25,000 in 1982. Despite its National Register of Historic Places status, no one thought 6 Franklin Square could be saved.

"Everyone assumed I would tear it down. On the day of the bank closing, we had a rainstorm. As I walked in to view my purchase, I was faced with a stream of water running down the front staircase," says Israel.

Fortunately for Saratoga Springs, the persistent Israel didn't tear it down. Instead, with the help of grants and the city's Facade Easement Program, he took on his most extensive renovation program to date: a multi-use property. He reconfigured the space to create 15 unique low-to-moderate-rent apartments. His vision has always been to help "the working poor."

Additionally, he created six commercial units. Today, passers-by can't help but slow down and admire the fashionable bridal dresses, one in each of the three large front windows of Lily's Saratoga. The famous bridal shop is now an attractive central feature of Franklin Square. The obstacles Israel faced filled a notebook. Initially, neighbors were fearful of traffic and parking problems. Israel solved parking by buying the building across the street that includes a large lot. Currently, Israel’s Franklin Square Associates, run by Charlie Israel, owns five buildings in the Franklin Square neighborhood. They are heavily invested in the neighborhood’s well-being.

The fortitude and determination of men like Deuell, the Russells, and Israel helped save a critical piece of Saratoga's story. Their courage and resolve helped make us the community we are today.

Author's Note:

Thanks to Joe Bokan, Tom Moore, Tommy Russell, Bob Israel, and Helen Edelman for granting interviews and to Mitch Cohen for his deed research.

The Hotel Russell was a popular site for conferences.

This sign hung in the Hotel Russell. Photo courtesy of Tom Moore.

Interior of Lily’s Saratoga

Vestibule of the 15 apartments of 6 Franklin Square

19 th century Saratoga Springs

Renaissance Man

WRITTEN BY BILL ORZELL

Some individuals are incredibly fortunate in displaying innate talents, apparently present from birth. One such Saratoga native of the nineteenth century was noted local artist George M. Crane, who was born in 1855. Mr. Crane grew up in Saratoga Springs, at the time when Maple Avenue was known as Front Street, and was the son of Judge John W. Crane, who had also served on the planning committees for two Saratoga Springs landmarks, Convention Hall and the present City Hall. The family of the Saratoga County Judge had relocated from the stony fields of New England, drawn by the more fertile soil of eastern New York. He began his study of law in 1847 and married Mary E. Martin of Washington County in 1852; their union produced their son George.

As early as 1876 The Saratogian described young George as, “equally at home in the biting caricature of cartoons, in the delicate touch of landscapes and of sunsets, and in the bold sketches of animal life.”

His parents recognized their son’s intrinsic talents, and added a room to their home on Front Street for use as his studio.

His talent for capturing likeness, landscape and animal form, combined with living in Saratoga Springs, led to his easy progression into equine art. Following the 1878 death of John Morrissey at the Adelphi Hotel, Charles Reed was the operating partner of the Saratoga Race Course, and owned the popular veteran steeplechaser Trouble This legendary timber-topper was often ridden by jockey Pat Meaney, who tended his garden on Stratton Street in the Spa City, and was captured in motion by the work of George Crane. In early 1882 The Saratogian wrote, “There is on exhibition in the Broadway show window of Chas. Hall Adams' furniture store an oil painting, the very clever handiwork of Mr. George M. Crane, whose skill as an artist is well and favorably known here. It is handsomely mounted, and the painting has already today been viewed by a large number of people. The title of the picture is "The Two Champions, P. Meaney and Trouble.” The scene represents the Saratoga racing park...”

This report was followed by another one month later detailing an oil painting Mr. Crane produced from photographs and placed in the same exhibition space, of the race horse Foxhall, whom James R. Keene bred in Kentucky and raced in Europe. The transpontine Ascot Gold Cup winner was named for his son, famous Gentleman Rider and U.S. Olympic Gold medalist (polo) Foxhall Keene. George Crane’s easel also produced a wonderful image of the legendary Hanover, a

Belmont Stakes winner, who previously won the United States Hotel Stakes at Saratoga. In 1884 George Crane painted the Empire State seal in the auditorium of the new high school designed by Alexander Patterson on Lake Avenue, site of the present central Fire Station.

In the late 1880’s Mr. Crane produced an oil painting for the Hon. Michael N. Nolan of his celebrated steeplechaser, Bourke Cochran, again with Saratoga’s favorite transplanted son of Erin, the famous Jockey Pat Meaney, in the irons. This work hung for decades in Mr. Nolan’s Saratoga residence at 24 Circular Street. At this same time George Crane was painting new scenery for the Putnam Music Hall on Phila Street, in support of their popular performances.

In addition to art, George Crane was also a musician and played the cornet in the 77th Regiment band, where he served as secretary. He would be frequently called upon to solo, his rendition of “The Last Rose of Summer,” was especially poignant for Saratogians. George went on to join Doring's band of Troy, with whom he frequently traveled. He was an acquaintance of James H. Riley, the Saratoga Lake sculler, and voyaged with his contingent to London for the World Regatta to be staged on the River Thames. The folks back in the Spa City anxiously awaited George’s telegrams detailing the success of Riley’s “git thar” stroke, and the outcome of wagers. He became involved with organizing the successful rowing regattas on Saratoga Lake. George was also instrumental in bringing the renowned Australian oarsman, Edward Trickett who was for many years the "Champion of the World," to Saratoga Lake, where he established quarters and a training camp at Charles Reed’s Meadow Brook thoroughbred farm near Snake Hill.

Image of Michael N. Nolan's steeplechase champion gelding Bourke Cockran clearing a fence with Pat Meaney up. The painting, thought to have been created by George M. Crane, was photographed in the Nolan residence at 24 Circular Street in Saratoga Springs. Courtesy of Kathleen Quinn.

George M. Crane 1894 painting recreating the Civil War duel titled "The First Battle of Ironclads, Monitor & Merrimac." Courtesy of the New York State Musuem.

George followed the lead of his father Judge Crane, and was active politically; campaign posters he produced enlivened Broadway for many election seasons. He also would create merchandizing art. Local businesses such as Garside’s butcher shop on Caroline Street, displayed an excellent rendering of the proprietor’s Fat Cattle, the title of the work which hung behind the scale.

In 1892 Mr. Crane completed a six by nineteen foot oil painting of the memorable naval duel between the Monitor and the Merrimac, to be placed in the drill room of the New York State Armory recently constructed on Lake Avenue by master local builder Andrew Robertson, from the plan of State Architect Isaac Perry. Saratoga Springs had long been a favorite location for Civil War Regiment reunions, with some of the most famous old soldiers Generals Sheridan and Grant taking part. This perhaps was the inspiration for a companion piece created for Armory display, the equally large “Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg,” completed in 1893.

The father and son duo were involved with one of Saratoga Springs primary industries, as directors of the Congress Spring Company. The artesian waters were the felicitous inspiration for George Crane’s entry in the 1894 inaugural Floral Fete event. Summer resident Franklin W. Smith of Boston considered Saratoga Springs a model launch pad for his idealistic principles of expression, one of which was a floral fete and parade, celebrating the essential goodness of nature linked to the best efforts of mankind. George compassed the float sponsored by the Congress Hall hostelry, which honored the Fountain Primeval of Saratoga Springs origin. The Floral Fetes were planned for September, after the track season ended. His second effort in the 1895 renewal bestowed further éclat upon the artist, again underwritten by the Congress Hall Hotel.

The Saratogian reported, “The float was of unusual size, drawn by six powerful horses, bedecked with nodding plumes and gaily jingling bells. Mounted on three of the animals were, men dressed in the picturesque costume so often seen upon the streets of Saratoga during the winter season. From the rear of this float there sloped forward a toboggan slide, from the top of which a toboggan was just starting. On one side, near a grotto, from which hung glittering icicles, was a boy on snow shoes. In marked contrast to the other floats in the procession, the decorations were icy-clad pines and cedars, emblems of YuleTide, which against the shining snow made a picture of crystal beauty. When the signal for "Bataille des Fleurs" [Battle of the Flowers] was sounded, most appropriately from this float was thrown snowballs, instead of flowers, which would have been anachronous from such a frost suggestive representation. It is impossible adequately to describe the effective beauty of this picture, which could only be appreciated by those who were so fortunate as to witness the parade.”

The evening would conclude with a gala held at the Spa Community’s new Convention Hall on Broadway, decorated by George Crane. This ‘funding-mechanism’ appealed to so many of the sensibilities of Gilded Age ladies and gentlemen.

George Crane died in his home in Saratoga Springs on September 11, 1900 at the young age of 45. Inconsolable, only 16 days after the death of his beloved father, he took his own life. It is easy to historically piece together a timeline of human events, and yet nearly impossible to understand thoughts, emotions and motivations of others, especially when separated across time by several generations.  The members of the Crane Family are permanent residents of Saratoga Springs, in the family plot at Greenridge Cemetery. SS

1894 Saratoga Floral Parade and Battle of the Flowers Program. Courtesy of the George S. Bolster Collection.

Robson & Adee postcard view of Broadway in Saratoga Springs where the Floral Fete Parade took place, and Convention Hall (lost to fire 1965) where the Floral Ball was staged.

"IT WORKS!"

WRITTEN BY JOHN R. GREENWOOD | ARTWORK BY CHRIS LESKE

This story is about savoring snippets of everyday life and preserving them as treasures. My preservative of choice is writing them down. As you can see by my friend Chris Leske's painting, he chooses to capture his joy in watercolor.

This story took root weeks before this scene when Chris pulled into my driveway one afternoon. Our visits usually begin with smiling handshakes and his side-kick Millie wagging her tail like she just discovered a vault of tennis balls. This visit was different. Chris had an unfamiliar look of concern on his face. It was the same look I'd seen for years every time one of my drivers at work came into the office with a truck problem. It might be an air leak, a flat tire, or as in Chris' case, directionals that refused to cooperate. Those years of experience taught me when to put the comedic commentary on hold and re-emerge as the problem-solving wizard I purported to be.

Man#1:

"What's Up?"

Man#2: "Blinkers."

Unless we're telling tall tales or reliving our glory days, man-banter is normally sparse and uncomplicated.

To understand the underlying theme of this piece, I must explain that Chris' beloved 2000 Ford Taurus Wagon; "Mabel," is his pride and joy. She transports him from country to town with an occasional stop at Soave Faire for painting supplies. He has kept her in pristine condition with dreams of a future at the Amelia Island Concours d' Elegance. Fords were created to keep us on our toes and ready for the next mechanical "surprise." This particular head-scratcher was intermittent directionals that seemed to self-correct with a wiggle and waggle of the flasher relay tucked about two miles up under the dash. When you own a twenty-year-old classic, you fear car dealerships more than the dentist. You're always afraid the estimate will be more than the value of your prized possession.

Since the directionals worked after some gentle persuasion, the diagnosis of two non-mechanics was that something was broken or loose behind the fuse panel.

Still, we both agreed that maybe we should try a new flasher first. With an insane cost of more than a half tank of gas, we returned from the auto parts store with a new flasher and high hopes.

You might think the painting above occurred at this point, but you'd be mistaken. The numbers on the new part were not exact matches; although it fit, it did not fix the problem. The man at the parts store had given no guarantees, though he was kind enough to take back the part.

Jump ahead a few weeks. After we'd both pestered every car-loving friend we had looking for guidance and a miracle, Chris made one last desperate call to the NAPA Auto Parts store in Corinth. After answering several specific questions, the parts tech acknowledged that he thought he had the correct flasher we needed and that it was half the price of the one we'd tried a month earlier. So, with Millie the Wonder Dog perched between us in my pickup, we headed over the mountain in search of the Holy Grail.

An hour later, with fingers crossed and a silent prayer, we plugged in the bargain flasher with matching numbers. Chris sat behind the wheel, and Millie and I stood at the back of Mabel, Chris and I hoping to see blinking lights, Millie wishing I'd throw the damn ball in my hand.

Well, as you can see in my friend's story-by-paint, this one has a happy ending. The scene of a grown man grinning from ear to ear in relief, me, fist-pumping the sky, and a persistent border collie who finally got her wish, was a joy you can't swipe a card to buy. It can come on any given day in any number of ways; you simply have to embrace life enough to grab it when it breezes by.

Here's hoping all your blinkers blink and that someone cares enough to throw you the ball. SS