Beacon Bits -- Only the Best

I just finished a two-week "stay-cation" in the Hudson Valley. I don't think there is a more perfect time of the year to experience the variation of weather conditions that are invigorating as the leaves go through their medley of colorful changes. I had the full gamut from frost to fog to the finest and clearest of days that suggested the need for a morning wrap, which unfolded during the day as the clouds marked the advancing time to an earlier sunset and need to bundle up once again. But what better time of year than this to have some freedom and lots of choice for a variety of events that are as plentiful as the multitude of apples for the munching. (Oddly enough, to the day of our early snowstorm this time last year, the weather is once again on my mind as I chose to post this blog today while taking an extended vacation day in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy.)

 

I sampled the annual Woodstock Film Festival at the Upstate Films in Rhinebeck with a viewing of the documentary Chasing Ice, which provides the visual evidence of climate change with James Balog's time-lapse photographs; they convincingly capture the dwindling size of glaciers (EIS.) A picture is worth a thousand words. See it to believe it.

I attended the Friends of Boscobel Applefest on a glorious Sunday afternoon under a tent on the lawn of this historical landmark in Cold Spring. Enchanting. Despite the bee sting.



 

I went to the Francis Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie for the first time and know that it will be the first of many visits; next time I will take the 2pm tour led by a docent who is an art history major at the school. What an amazing valley treasure!

I made a quick stop at the Apple Pie Bakery at the CIA in Hyde Park and spent a leisurely half-day at the famous Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck. Yum :)

I didn't make it to Manitoga, home of designer Russell Wright, because of the flooding deluge of rain on the scheduled day of the hike-tour. (Oddly, it's the second time I didn't make the tour; last year it was canceled by the October snowstorm! Beware 10/29 when making plans for next year!!) But the rainy day was the perfect opportunity to go to the Dia Museum in Beacon for a walk in and around the large installation sculptures housed in the renovated Nabisco box factory; a space with north facing clerestory windows that made the most dreary day bearable with the presence of its inner light and the diffuse autumnal colors through the opaque glass windows to the south, east and west.

In between these wonderful outings and catching up with errands and house projects, other enjoyable local events on Main Street in Beacon included an author's event at BIRE where Trudie Grace, curator at the Putnam Historical Museum, presented a slide talk about the history of Cold Spring (Images of America: Around Cold Spring, www.arcadiapublishing.com) and two wine tastings at the Artisan Wine Shop: Wines of the Loire Valley (10/7/12) and Wines of Spain (10/21/12.)

 

 

I've already described the classes that CIA grads Tim Buzinski and Mei Ying So host at their specialty wine shop in a previous blog (see 4/6/12 posting), but the joy of watching this

 

 

Beacon "power couple" at work is worth mentioning repeatedly.  Both classes allowed their expertise to shine: Tim and Mei had just visited vintners in the Loire Valley, so we saw their personal slide show for a visual representation of the olfactory and gustatory pleasures at hand.

 

 



We learned about Sancerre and Vouvray (my favorite), cabernet franc and Muscadet. We sampled and commented and tasted an array of complementary goat cheeses, a marriage made in the Loire valley, and longed for more as we were assured that these wines are particularly appropriate for the autumnal weather and fare.

 

The encore event took us to Spain where we found out about Tim's passion (yes, above and beyond his usual enthusiasm) for Spanish regional wines including sherry, rioja, malvasia and  regional delights from Galicia, Andalucia and the Canary Islands. I sensed something special was going to happen when the usual six glasses for tasting had multiplied to nine, along with exquisitely paired tapas; the nine glasses were a lot to handle for an evening, but with bottles to go, they will be there for further enjoyment with "big food", friends and family. (I must admit I was too busy to take photos at this tasting.)

 

I especially appreciate Mei's 'behind the scenes' touches that make the presentation and organization of materials for personalized tasting notes a treasure to keep for future reference.  While the tastings book-ended my vacation, the good news is that there are two more to come: Wines for Holiday Meals (11/10/12) and Sparkling Wines from Champagne to Prosecco (12/5) with food pairings; bound to be true gifts of the season.

 

Some Food for Thought:

While I was driving along our local roads, such as 9D, from Breakneck down to Bear Mountain on weekends during the month of October, I couldn't help but think -- when or if Indian Point melts down -- I really hope it's not during the height of the annual autumnal pilgrimage of leaf peeping, mountain climbing, apple and pumpkin picking and oompah-pahing during Octoberfest. We would surely go up in a blaze of glory.  www.closeindianpoint.org

 

 

Beacon Bits -- Year's End

Resolutions are always made to be broken. So I'm not planning to write about my resolve for the coming year. I will take into consideration what I have learned about the effectiveness of goal setting rather than succumbing to the tradition of the New Year. To truly change behavior, one needs to be mindful of one's interest and motivation to do so, and then be painfully aware of the patience required to develop new habits. Breaking down the goals into measurable and attainable 'baby steps' is imperative. So is rewarding oneself sooner rather than later; delayed gratification is never effective. Modest expectations and recognizing one's progress, however slow, will be reinforcing. The "tortoise effect" is real. I believe this is somewhat true for two issues that have been important to Hudson River Valley residents who have voiced opposition to fracking in the Marcellus Shale and who are against the re-licensing of Indian Point. Within the past year, activists have gathered, emailed, protested, raised funds and awareness and reached a critical mass that has gained steady momentum over time.

I'm pleased to report that as 2011 comes to a close, some minor victories have been won:   

(1) Entergy lost an appeal with the NRC "A federal commission dismissed an appeal from the owner of Indian Point Energy Facility on Thursday, declining to hear arguments on a previous ruling requiring the company to beef up its plan to deal with major accidents" suggesting that emergency procedures related to its proximity to the Ramapo fault need to be addressed before re-licensing for 2015 can proceed; and (2) "The action of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), to postpone its vote on natural gas drilling and hydrofracturing (“fracking”), demonstrates both the critical importance of this watershed and the political power of the natural gas industry." Both of these 'victories' have been the result of forces that want to contain reckless energy development and curtail corporate assumptions that their rights and values are more important than quality of life in the near and distant future for all residents. These are initial successes, however small, that speak to the need for continued lobbying and activism on both fronts.

Some food for thought: It would be great if there were some 'Public Service Announcements' about energy conservation to highlight the need for ongoing behavior change related to our interaction with the precious environment we live in. (Maybe this could be a theme for Beacon's Electric Windows 2012.) If we want to deter development of deleterious energy sources, we have to look at our side of the equation as well. If we require less power, we are responsible stewards of our limited natural resources. So here are the "top 10" small steps to take for daily care and concern for the use of our natural resources to keep 2012 green.

1. Turn off the computer, TV and lights when not in use. Avoid outdoor lighting unless absolutely essential for safety or visibility.

2. Stack the dishwasher to capacity; use the energy efficient cycle and run early in the AM when rates are lowest because use is down.

3. Turn off the faucet while flossing in between brushing.

4. Recycle, recycle, recycle.

5. Learn to compost.

6. Respond to email requests to sign a petition or write a letter or make a phone call to officials in support of conservation issues.

7. Plan for your next vehicle to be hybrid.

8. Join Scenic Hudson, our region's steadfast advocate for land conservation and sustainable development.

9. Follow the Rivertown Kids and learn some of their lyrics and environmental tunes

(e.g., Solartopia, It Really Isn't Garbage).

10. Pick up litter that you see when walking down Main Street in Beacon.

Make 2012 a green leap of faith with modest behavioral change that with slow and steady action that is guaranteed to truly make a difference. After all, the hare thought he could slack off and still win the race, but the tortoise stands alone as the iconic example of how slow and steady always wins the race.

Beacon Bits -- Act Now

I just read a saying on my Farmer's Almanac desk calendar, "there are always 19 fine days in October." I thought about my recent 10-day 'staycation' packed with daily outings and simple pleasures and found the statement to be humorous since all ten were good days and there are now 9 days left in the month! The saying reminded me that there's no time to waste; so out came my planner, pen in hand, checking various websites and newspaper listings, looking for special events and things to do. There's still enough time for another author's talk at the BIRE with photographer Ted Spiegel and for one of the last tours for the season of Manitoga, home of designer Russell Wright, to fold more experiences into the fabric of this autumn season.

Reflecting on all the happenings of this month makes me remember all the joys of past Octobers, my favorite month of the year. And it brings to mind that all the happiness is not only planned, but spontaneous as well. Camera in hand, camera left at home. Being alone or sharing the experience. Intended outing or accidental find. A picnic along Fishkill Creek at Madam Brett Park. A walk along Beacon's waterfront for the annual Pumpkin Festival and catching a glimpse of Pete Seeger and the Clearwater. A trip to Storm King Art Center. A ride to Innisfree Garden. A moment's grace and haiku drifting into my mind as the image along Route 9D across from Storm King Mountain makes an impression.

Storm clouds are clearing;

The break of an autumn day--

Golden boughs ahead.

I also am mindful that as the month presses on and the days grow shorter, the clock is ticking and time is running out on two important sociopolitical issues: the votes on re-licensing Indian Point nuclear power plant and rescinding the moratorium on fracking in New York state. These are two issues that affect the natural environment in the Hudson Highlands and Hudson River Valley, both directly and indirectly. The river towns from the Bear Mountain bridge to the Newburgh-Beacon bridge all fall within the 'peak fatality zone' and the watershed area on the western banks of the river with local farms and orchards could be adversely impacted by chemical wastes from unregulated hydraulic fracturing processes. I wondered how many individuals hiking Breakneck Ridge over the last few weeks in October thought about being in the crossroads of two potential environmental disasters. During leaf peeping season you can see that even without any urgency, a traffic jam at the Bear Mountain circle leading across the Bear Mountain bridge to the 'goat trail' of Route 6/202 or north on 9D or 9W or west to the Palisades Parkway may last several hours. There is clearly 'no exit' or evacuation route if a nuclear crisis occurs along the local roads as they twist and turn, follow the river,  and go up and down the mountains.

Some food for thought: Just as the leaves begin to 'blow in the wind' and questions about right action take hold and individuals voicing concerns about our societal values are more visible and prevalent, as in Occupy Wall Street, know that there's still enough time to balance the personal and the political this autumn season. It's time for action and purpose. Time for a letter to Governor Cuomo and the other politicians about conscientious decision-making about denying Entergy the renewal of licenses for plants 2 and 3 at Indian Point. Consider it another good day in October. There's time for planning a bus trip to protest fracking. It will give you a head start on all the good days in October months in years to come. People in the Hudson River Valley have always sought to protect the natural environment; protesting is second nature. While Pete Seeger visited OWS on 10/22/11, he lives and sings and sails and stands for justice in the Hudson Highlands every day of the year.



Hudson Highlands - A watercolor by Amanda Epstein
http://www.aewatercolors.com/



Beacon Bits - Neighbor-to-Neighbor

Last week, my new neighbors moved in to their home. I knew what day they were coming and decided to be “old-fashioned” by greeting them at their door with a bag of goodies (cheese, crackers, grapes, two-bite brownies, cold beer and bottled water) while the movers were finishing up with the last few boxes. It felt like a neighborly thing to do and it seemed to make them feel as good as it made me feel. It made me think about the concept of “neighborship” that I had been focusing on over the last year because of experiences I’ve had in relationship to ‘being a good neighbor.’

Hubris aside, I thought I had come up with a new word, “neighborship”. However, since I made assumptions when I started this blog last month without first checking if any existing blogs had been named “Beacon Bits” (only to discover that there were other people who like to play on words), I realized I should at least google the word to see if it was original or not. I found that “neighborship” was defined as ‘the state of being neighbors” (noun) in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary and that there was also a social networking website that facilitates ‘neighborship’ (http://www.neighborship.com/nh/). The simple definition offered in Webster’s focused primarily on propinquity, the state of living close by and having an attraction because of one’s proximity to a neighbor. This seemed to be a passive act and not what I had been thinking about when I previously thought I coined the phrase, “neighborship.”  So while the word isn’t original, my definitions for neighborship seemed to be focused on active engagement and the quality of relating to neighbors, as follows.

Neighborship (verb): (1) the act of building (giving and receiving) social support in everyday contact with individuals within one’s own neighborhood; (2) a state of kindness, generosity and extension of emotional or instrumental social support with one’s neighbors; (3) practicing the Golden Rule amongst neighbors; (4) the art of crafting relationships with one’s neighbors when friends and family are not available (physically or emotionally); (5) the state of friendship or kinship with a neighbor without the implied intimacy or shared personal history.

My act of kindness or implementation of the Golden Rule with my new neighbors felt right to me because it intuitively made sense that offering food in the midst of moving was comforting, welcoming and simply met some basic needs during a stressful time of transition and hectic activity. It was an initial act of neighborship.

In my google search, I also found a transcript of the NPR show recently aired on July 4, 2011 on All Things Considered: The Key to Disaster Survival? Friends and Neighbors. A researcher, Daniel Aldrich of Purdue University, has been studying how neighbors are frequently the first responders as they reach out to help one another during crises such as Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 tsunami and the earthquake in Kobe. People handing out blankets and water or directing others to get assistance were engaged in neighborly acts; those individuals with the larger social networks were frequently the most protected during disasters. The strength of the relationships and previous involvement within the community appeared to be an inoculation against the immediate effects of the disaster for specific individuals.

This made sense in light of my definition of neighborship; the common theme of social support and reciprocity were from the psychology literature. The occurrence of individual researchers or academics coming to similar conclusions without having contact or communication with each other is common when evidence from systematic observation builds across a variety of contexts. My phenomenological thoughts on neighborship appear to be grounded and validated by Professor Aldrich’s field research.

Originally, I was not thinking of neighborship in terms of a being saved in a disaster, but rather, how the daily interactions and social support with one’s neighbors decreases stress, enhances quality of life and overall physical and emotional health, and builds resilience. In this overwhelming global state of affairs, we may all need a bit of local comfort. So why not really reach out to our neighbors? Furthermore, here’s some food for thought for Beaconites: practicing neighborship may be bolstered by the reality that we are in the peak fatality zone of Indian Point. While advocating to close it down (http://www.ipsecinfo.org/;Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, 1-888-474-8848), it just might be in our best interest to start building trust with our neighbors and to begin crafting supportive relationships with those who just may become the best and only evacuation plan being offered in case of a nuclear disaster in the Hudson River Valley. Falling short of such a disaster, the practice of neighborship will only bring our community closer together.

Beacon Falls on Fishkill Creek