Beacon Bits -- Reach for the Stars!

I attended the annual meeting of BeaconArts on June 24, which was held at the "Red Barn" at Long Dock, and hosted by Scenic Hudson. It was a beautiful evening with overcast backlighting and a muted sunset as the ferry crossed the river with commuters on board returning to Newburgh from the Beacon train station. 

It felt fitting to be down by the river close to the eve of "Sankt Hans", a traditional Norwegian festival when bonfires are lit by the water's edge commemorating the festival of John the Baptist along with Viking-pagan rituals performed on midsummer's night. There were no bonfires in Beacon, just a lovely gathering of BeaconArts members, celebrating the culmination of a year with news and announcements of wonderful projects that they have been involved with -- Riverfest, Beacon Independent Film Festival and Constellation.

The energy in the room was high as Stephen Clair spoke of the line-up for Riverfest  on 6/28/15, rain or shine; when Terry Nelson reviewed the entries and theme ("Identity") for the coming year's BIFF to be held at the University Settlement on 9D on September 18-20; and when Melissa McGill spoke of her dream come true with the opening of the landscape art exhibit called Constellation on June 28th, an installment of lights on Bannerman's Island surrounding the castle and evoking the ghost of the building's skeleton and remniscent of the Lenape Indian's guiding stars. 

I sat at the meeting and felt the impact of human ambition and drive as I witnessed each person telling the tale of their dream unfolding successfully. I realized there were more dreams in the room that had unfolded and/or are still in the works and not fully developed. I realized that the culture of Beacon supports people dreaming dreams. Big dreams. Dreams that get realized. I knew that everyone in the room had the hope of reaching for the stars, from Scenic Hudson's success in land conservation to BeaconArts' promotion of the art culture in Beacon for over ten years with support for gallery openings, the music scene and film and live theater. And I remembered another person, not in the room, but ever present to Beacon, and his own dreams; how Pete Seeger would be so proud to see Beacon flourishing with all of its dreams!

Food for thought: It's my 4th anniversary of blogging (my first post was 6-21-11), and I believe that I can claim I have the longest running and extant blog about Beacon NY. "Newcomers" (A Little Beacon Blog, and Beacon Streets) outshine my blogging skills with their high tech, hipster presentations, but my down home approach will continue to highlight the heart and soul of Beacon. I will always write from the heart. I am proud to celebrate my 81 posts; 17 followers; 15,603 hits; and free-of-advertising blog posts that are written on the fly, in between my involvement as a friend and supporter/volunteer  of many groups in the community, while working 6 days/week--work not related to my blog at all, with the exception of practicing positive psychology. I think I can refer to myself as the NPR of Beacon blogs -- the independent and commercial-free 'station' for people who think, feel, react and want to explore wide-ranging and diverse topics without bias or influence from marketing. I guess that was my dream when I first starting blogging and it continues to be my dream. So do, please, come 'dream a little dream with me'; it just might turn into a big dream, as you too might reach for the stars!

Thanks to Beacon Citizens Network for having a link to Beacon Bits!

Proud Supporter of BeaconArts and River Champion for Scenic Hudson.

Beacon Bits -- Sunday Promenade

There are so many venues, events and activities along Main Street--something for everyone as they say. I thought I would share a few of my favorites over the last month of Sundays:

Taking an afternoon workshop about creating an Etsy site taught by Hudson Valley Crafters expert -- Karen of Karmabee -- offered at Nixie Sparrow, where every class is special and intimate and includes a cold drink :)

Stopping at the Howland Public Library and then visiting friends, Marcia and Vicky, at Beacon Reads, the used book store next door, which supports the Friends of the Howland Public Library with the funds raised from the sales.

Picking up a Farah Fawcett Vanilla paleta at Zora Dora and spending time with its owner, Steve, for a chat that last long enough to sometimes get a second pop to take home.

Checking out The Beacon Bite food truck (parked next to Ellas Bellas); an easy stop to pick up a casual lunch and make a new friend while dining al fresco.

Previewing the sculptures on display for this year's Beacon 3D project; I couldn't resist the virtual doughnut (just like the others who photographed this iconic image for the event.)

Doing many of the activities above with a service-dog-in-training as a volunteer with Puppies Behind Bars (PBB.) PBB works with inmates at Fishkill and Downstate Correctional Facilities in Beacon to be puppy raisers for service dogs for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. After all, everything is better with a puppy!

Food for thought: I have to laugh out loud when I remember one of my favorite, classic 1960's film, Never on a Sunday with Melina Mercori, that portrayed a Pygmalion-like character transformation. Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that in my life, all things happen mostly every  Sunday! I often wonder what happened to the day of rest I was promised. But with simple chores and a walk down Main Street with its myriad permutations of things to browse, consider, visit, participate in, the act of ambling along provides rest and renewal in its own unique way. So take a stroll; saunter down Main Street on a Sunday afternoon on a no-rushing, slow-walking, community-focused promenade.

Beacon Bits -- Hudson Fjord Valley

Two weeks ago, I attended a well-run and very organized meeting for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail at the Chalet on the Hudson down by the Breakneck Ridge tunnel on Route 9D. There was an overwhelming turnout for this "final" public presentation of the proposed development plans. I was impressed with the slide presentation that broke down the project into seven segments: (1) Cold Spring station to Little Stony Point; (2) Little Stony Point to Breakneck; (3) Breakneck Ridge to Metro North railroad whistle stop; (4) Metro North Whistle stop to Dutchess Junction Park; (5) Dutchess Junction Park to Fishkill Creek; (6) Crossing Fishkill Creek; and (7) Fishkill Creek to Beacon train station. The initial segment of the project will begin this summer with the expansion of the Washburn parking lot and improvements for walking and biking along Fair Street to Little Stony Point.  The environmental review and draft master plan will proceed during 2015-2016 with ongoing community and public input. The next phase occurs in 2016 with funding already provided for the Breakneck connector in segment three above. Needless to say, this is a very large and expensive undertaking and is not without controversy. Specific information about the development plan can be found on the Hudson Highland Fjord Trail website and the slides from the presentation can be found on Scenic Hudson's update on the project.

One of the members of the audience asked a question about the 'f-j-ord' trail, clearly enunciating a hard 'j'. I realized that many people might not only know how to pronounce this Norwegian word correctly, but they may not also know exactly what a fjord is! 

The best way to describe the correct pronunciation for the word 'fjord' is to think of 'fj' as a blend of 'f' and 'y' in one syllable (making it a unusual dipthong in the English language) -- 'fy' followed by 'ord' (like 'orb' with a 'd') which maintains its monosyllabic nature. You may want to ask fellow Beaconite Sunny Gandara, who hails from Norway and who writes the blog Arctic Grub, to say it a few times the next time you see her. (Today would have been a perfect day since it is the Norwegian holiday celebrating its constitution, which was written 201 years ago. Happy Sytende Mai -- 'congratulerer med dagen'!) 

A fjord is an inlet from the sea that has been formed by glacial movement. Technically, the fjord in the Hudson River near Storm King mountain qualifies as such a formation since the valley was formed from glaciers moving southward through our region and the river is tidal from Narrows Bay to Albany. Of course, the fjords of Norway are the most famous, dramatic and majestic, but the view from river in this region is reminiscent of the fjords in the new world.

So it is exciting to think of the natural beauty of the region being enhanced by improved access for walking and biking along an historic area north of West Point to Newburgh Bay, by the roadside, close to the river and through the woods. It will create the opportunity to slow down the travel from Cold Spring to Beacon paralleling the train ride that never fails to amaze someone seeing it for the first time or on a daily commuting basis. The fjord, the river, the mountain, the trees -- it cannot get much better--or so it seems.

But it can get better since the safety for pedestrians and hikers and vehicles in the 9D corridor from Cold Spring to the Breakneck Ridge whistle stop leaves much to be desired. I travel the route twice daily and have witnessed cars that pass on a double yellow line, speeding cars going 65 mph and passing two to three cars at a clip, eager hikers standing in the road right outside of the north end of the Breakneck tunnel, bicyclists navigating parked cars hoping someone doesn't swing the door wide open without looking, as well as garbage piles along the roadside on any given Monday after a weekend of hikers, It's an accident waiting to happen---including the possibility that any incident at the Indian Point nuclear power plant could necessitate emergency evacuation through the region on a busy hiking weekend just like the recent fire in the transformer on Saturday, May 9th brought to mind. 

Food for thought: Some ideas and suggestions that might not have to wait until the final approval and funding of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail comes to pass include the following: (1) lowering the speed limit through the corridor immediately; (2) posting no passing zone signs and having double lines only; (3) reclaiming the small parking area near the Breakneck trail head for emergency vehicle parking only and sufficient space for large garbage containers; (4) hosting a campaign offered by Leave No Trace for outdoor ethics to educate hikers about conservation and respect for nature; and (5) raising awareness that free parking should not be taken for granted with outreach and publicity to support the Empire Passport program, which supports state parks through its parking fees. Most of these suggestions would benefit the local people driving through the area on a daily basis, not only when hikers are present, and the suggestions would enhance the experience for all the visitors who may come to conquer Breakneck, but who could learn more about respecting and treasuring the highlands for future generations.

Beacon Bits -- A Bit of Earth

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. It has been almost 50 years since I recall standing on a busy street in Brooklyn with my high school girlfriends with a record player and extension cord borrowed from a local store where the passing shoppers heard us repeatedly singing the song from the musical "Hair" -- "Welcome, sulphur dioxide, hello carbon monoxide, the air, the air is everywhere; breathe deep, while you sleep, breathe deep." It was our version of social media in the 1970s.

Fast forward to the here and now and we are still trying to raise consciousness about the environment and all the impending crises: dirty water, no water, garbage in the oceans, melting arctic ice, vanishing species, hydrocarbons, fracking, GM foods, pesticides, and rail transport of crude oil among others. For those of us living in the Hudson River Valley, we may be ahead of the curve in our understanding and action on the issues; we have had great role models, including Pete Seeger, founder of the Clearwater and its campaign to clean up the PCBs from the river. We know that we still have a lot to do, but we also see the rewards of all our  efforts to make a difference--like standing in awe of the eagles return to Dennings Point.

So I would like to take this Earth Day to celebrate the efforts of one of our local heroes, Sarah Womer, founder of Zero to Go, who recently waged a successful Kickstarter campaign (with a little help from a lot of Beacon friends), to create a pick-up service for compostable materials and in all ways, to raise awareness of waste that shouldn't go to waste. Sarah has been an indomitable force in changing how consumers and venues collect and dispose of garbage at community events. 

Since 2013, Zero to Go has handled 18 events throughout the Hudson Valley and Manhattan, including the Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, The Peekskill Hop and Harvest Festival, Beacon’s Riverfest with Local 845, the HeFestus Iron Pour, benefits for Common Ground Farm and other Beacon events. Now she'll be including Beaconites with the Compost Project. 

You can read more about Sarah on her Zero to Go website; she doesn't need me to tell her story, but she well deserves being held in high esteem for her actions, goals, determination, and dedication to Mother Earth. Congratulations, Sarah!!

Food for thought: 

Persistence is a well studied personal attribute. It is more than 'time on task'. It is also about ambition, eagerness, effort, work discipline, and perfectionism. Amazingly, persistence usually gets stronger in the presence of obstacles and difficulties. Persistence has also been found to be associated with the capacity for self-transcendence. Seeing beyond one's own perspective, that is, selflessness, is an important outcome of persistent behavior. The entire community benefits from the efforts of persistent individuals. So when we think of persistence in Beacon as we celebrate Earth Day, we will always think of Pete, but now you can also think of Sarah Womer, the persistent waste manager. 

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." Tobias Wolf

Beacon Bits -- Spring Thaw

It's been one of the longest and coldest winters I can ever remember. From the first snow that fell the day before Thanksgiving to the Alberta Clipper on this last day of March, it seems perplexing that the spring holidays are already upon us and I just now realized that I never posted a blog during the month of February! No -- my fingers didn't freeze -- but I did do some nesting as I prepared for a wonderful trip to South Africa where it was still summer. 

Even though there was enough to do in Beacon during the long winter, the spring thaw heralds a renewed attitude about participating in community life. You can tell that everyone is ready to be more active as you walk along Main Street; you see more people lingering to chat while out and about running errands. While the true portend of spring in Beacon is the re-opening of Zora Dora, the chill in the air stirred my desire to soak up the sunlight and break out of town, so I opted to go to the open house held at Crown Maple at Madava Farms in Dover Plains. 

Traveling into the northeastern parts of Dutchess county is something that is easier to do when embarking from Beacon, a true gateway to the Hudson Valley. It was a long drive on a Sunday afternoon, but the time investment was profitable with very little traffic and rewarding sightings of blue sky and melting snow in the open fields and woods along the county roads dotted with horse farms. 

Driving through the gates and up the unpaved road was easy without the fresh snow and ice cover that I missed by only one day. At the end of the road, one approaches the large, modern building, also known as the sugar house, home to the producers of the best organic maple syrup stocked on the shelves of local grocers. 

The open house/festival included a tour and explanation about the sugaring process from tapping the trees to the vaporization and distillation of the sap into the syrup. Of note was the delay in the season this year, which usually begins in February when the below freezing nights turn into above freezing days; this year the season began on March 1st and might run through early April if the diurnal variations in temperature continue.

There were free samples of maple cotton candy and syrup coated popcorn and a chance to compare the amber, dark and very dark syrups in the tasting room. The color changes from light to dark with the length of the season. I learned that the more expensive golden color syrup is associated with its limited run. But I also realized that the dark syrup has a complex and intense flavor that may be preferable for cooking or baking.

Picnic tables are placed in the open floor plan of the factory-showroom where visitors can sit and enjoy the food offering from the cafe, all of which have a touch of Crown Maple syrup.

Other than this open house weekend, there are other special events and the 800-acre farm is open to visitors on most weekends (11am to 5pm) for guided tours, use of the trails, and even trout fishing on the property. It's well worth a look-see and the excursion is quite do-able within 1/2 day from Beacon and back.

Food for thought:  Spring is a season when the simple things can bring about a sense of awe. The lengthening days arouse nature to give birth in all of its ways. The season offers some of the best opportunities for getting close to the earth, the mountains, and the river throughout the valley. And in so doing, awe, a powerful emotion, is repeatedly evoked. Recent research suggests that awe slows down the subjective experience of time. Awe gives us the present moment. Awe creates a greater sense of satisfaction. Awe allows us to be patient and kind. Awe can influence our decisions. This enhanced well-being and sense of awe can be facilitated by exploring the natural and majestic environment in Beacon's backyard for the next few months as spring unfolds like the soon-to-be flowering bulbs and trees. Make this an awe-inspiring spring; do something awe-some!  It's guaranteed you will feel wonder-ful!

Awesome Maple Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 c. maple syrup

4 tbs. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 tbs. heavy cream

Beacon Bits -- Anticipation

Now that the 12 days of Christmas are long over, we look forward to the 12 months of happenings and events on Main Street in Beacon. Here are a dozen reasons why.

1.   Weekly tastings of impeccable wine with Tim and Mei's knowledgeable advice about food-wine pairings at Artisan Wine Shop.

2.   Another taste of a great grass-fed burger at Poppy's, owned by one of the Food Network's Chopped winner, Paul Yeaple.

3.   A chance to get a seat for Sunday brunch at Beacon Bread Company.

4.   Monthly auctions for collectibles sponsored by the Hudson Valley Auctioneers.

5.   Valentine's Day chocolates at Alps, a longstanding,  family owned establishment.

6.   The relocation of Beacon Pantry to its bigger storefront and the new schedule of monthly cheese classes.

7.   The new rota of craft happenings at Nixie Sparrow.

8.   Gathering with friends at the new and improved location for The Hop.

9.   Shopping for spring clothes at Echo and other local clothes stores like Beacon Vintage.

10. Getting on track with healthy choices at Ellas Bellas, Beacon Natural Market, along with occasional treats at Beacon Bagels!

11. Diverse musical performances at Towne Crier Cafe and Howland Chamber Music.

12. Second Saturday's gallery openings with the highest caliber of artists, such as Daniel Berehulak's show, "Braving Ebola" sponsored by Fovea (now at Hudson Beach Glass), as well as local photographers' work at the Howland Cultural Center's show, "This is Beacon."

And what about the stirrings for continued renovation at the Beacon Theatre and the development and construction of the movie theater in the middle of town?

Food for thought:  Anticipation. Planning. Expectations. Unexpected surprises. It all happens in the future. But the future is never guaranteed, so we need to relish our future orientation while we never forget to take advantage of the here and now. Make it happen now. Make use of the resources and opportunities right at hand. There will be no regrets. Plant a few ideas in the moment and enjoy what is in store along the way.

Beacon Bits -- Botsford Briar Bed & Breakfast for a Weekend Get-a-way in Beacon

Long before The Inn at Beacon on Main Street was conceived; years before the Roundhouse opened its boutique accommodations on Fishkill Creek, and even before The Swann Inn opened its doors, the Botsford Briar Bed and Breakfast (BBB&B) was established as the pioneer B&B service in Beacon in 1994. Happy 20^th Anniversary!

Located on High Street, its purple turrets and iconic Victorian angles are visible from either Route 9D or as one treks uphill from the Beacon train station. Replete with 92 windows and charming stylized one-of-a-kind guest rooms, the Botsford Briar beckons to short-stay visitors, as well as long-term guests, who want to explore Beacon’s charms.

So BBB&B was the natural recommendation I made to a friend who reads my blog and decided to come for the solstice weekend to have a birthday getaway weekend not very far from upper Westchester in order to explore the shops and galleries on Main Street that she’s been reading about for several years.

My friend stayed for two nights and had several conversations with Shirley Botsford, co-owner and inn-keeper at BBB&B along with Charles Fincham, and learned that the B&B is in the throes of becoming a school for literary and visual arts (Botsford Briar Arts School) with offerings in writing mysteries, learning to sew/quilt/knit, meditation and new topics on the horizon. Shirley, author of Daddy’s Ties, and a local fine crafts artist who participates in gallery showings, has been a dedicated to hospitality and parlor pleasantries since she first hosted meetings in her home when Dia Beacon was first being proposed!

My friend shared some of her highlights of her weekend adventure in Beacon and noted the lovely meal at the Roundhouse after sitting in the lounge “between the fireplace and the falls”; the wanderings into Clay, Wood and Cotton, Hudson Beach Glass, Riverwinds, Beacon Barkery, Gwenno James, Vintage Beacon, After the Barn and other venues along the way. She lunched at the Yankee Clipper because she “likes diners”, had coffee at Beacon Bagels and took note of the other restaurants and boutiques. She liked the pop-ups and the craftiness and appeal of the bicycle menorah and Christmas tree at the Visitors Center. 

We had grabbed a quick and very confusing supper at Dim Sum Go-Go before attending the holiday performance of the family-friendly, slapstick production of Cheaper by the Dozen at the Beacon Theatre. We also went to Dia: Beacon after Sunday brunch when we could comfortably catch up and talk knitting. She was enthusiastic about her weekend ambling about town at a comfortable pace, but she did note that many shops “didn’t open according to the posted hours”, reminding me of the adage about the ‘early bird getting the worm’; and she was taken aback at an unfriendly response at a popular coffee shop when she asked about use of the restrooms before she had a chance to process what she might order.

I was concerned that she may have been disappointed about her visit to my town, and that she would not continue reading my blog, but she assured me that the weekend was a lovely gift to herself and that she was pleased with the sights and sounds reminiscent of Beacon Bits.

Food for thought:  There are many times we may not have an inkling of how our words and actions influence others. In friendship and in relationships with significant others, the ability to influence or persuade one another are an important attribute for a successful partnership. Influence and persuasion require trust. Trust builds rapport. And rapport opens us up into possibilities of learning and growing together. My insider’s view of Beacon allowed my friend to express curiosity and to take a risk. Her outsider’s view made me think about how Beaconites need to continue to grow skills in hospitality for those living outside (as well as inside) the community. We both gained a new perspective. And we both gained the gift of renewed and deepening friendship this holiday season.