Mid-March in Chichester

A foot,  or so, of snow remains in places in Chichester. There has been quite a bit of melt. Last Friday, 11 March, Phoenicia received 4.9 inches of rain. As a result of all that melting snow and precipitation, the creeks and streams are running fast, and muddy. I took this video (Spike Lee has nothing to worry about) early on Saturday afternoon. Take a look, and a listen, to how Stoney Clove Creek looks, and sounds. [Click on the four-arrow icon to pop out the video viewer to full screen.) Click on the title of this post to see a slideshow of how other parts of Chichester, and Wilson State Park, looked.

After one flood ...

From deep in the archives, these photos appeared, bringing back memories of a flood some years back. In September of 2005, in fact. This piece of abstract art was composed by Chichesterites of items that were washed up in various Chichester properties by the surging waters of Stoney Clove Creek.

Febnruary 2011

Feet of snow remain on the ground, with a thin layer of ice over fluffy snow. Walking in unblemished snow was difficult.

Roads are clear; take a look at Stoney Clove Lane:

January 2011

During the winter season some people go to Wilson State Park, along Wittenberg Road, with their dogs. It is an oasis of open land where dogs can run leash-free. In its starkness, it can seem a beautiful place.

2010 Year end

Only 9 inches of snow fell in Chichester; New York City got 20 inches of snow from the Bloomberg storm.

Haines Falls - Kaaterskill Falls hiking/biking path

This article appeared in the Greene County Daily Mail on November 26, 2010.

Poet's Walk Park

Country Road 103 run north-south on the Dutchess County side of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, intersecting State Route 199 (between Route 9G and the River Hudson). Turning north from 199, up half a mile, sits the Poet's Walk Park. Said to have inspired Washington Irving, it is a lovely spot even in the throes of late autumn.

Ongoing CPOA grounds rehabilitation

Steel beams were back in place, and planking was being added, to make a temporary foot bridge.

Little by little, progress being made in rehabilitating the grounds.

Dining Out: Sweet Sue's in Phoenicia

An article appearing in the 12 November 2010 issue of the Times Herald-Record discusses our favorite and renown local eatery. Its subtitle sums it all up: Order a stack of bliss at this Ulster treasure

Watershed coalition reaches land agreement with NYC

From the Daily Freeman.

Hiking Diamond Notch

Off Route 214, in Lanesville

Onteora Lake and trail

In West Hurley, along Route 28 (just before the Hobo Deli area), there is a New York State DEC site, Onteora Lake: aside from the lake, there is a hiking trail.

October 18 pictures of CPOA grounds

Finally, later on Saturday the 16th, Jerry Ciacciera managed  to start, and move, his truck:

The Phoenicia Times

As Janis Chron wrote in her email of Friday 15 October, a column appeared in the New York Times edition of  Wednesday 13 October, written by Peter Applebome, about the demise of the Phoenicia Times (and of the Olive Press).


There’s often something appropriately operatic about a newspaper’s farewell, but as far as group hugs go, it would be hard to beat the one that accompanied the final edition last week of The Phoenicia Times, with its memorable slogan, “Covering the Town of Shandaken, Wild Heart of the Catskills’ High Peaks.” 

There were farewell columns by the food columnist, the hiking columnist, the farming columnist and most of the paper’s regular voices. There were heartfelt farewells from readers (“Loss does not describe it. I see it as creating a very bleak vacuum”). And there was a quite lovely front-page obituary, with its reference to long-dead Catskill papers: The Hancock True Flag, The Pine Hill Sentinel, The Star of Delaware.

“When newspapers die, there’s no headstone to mark their passing. But I’d like to imagine that somewhere in the Catskill Mountains, in a clearing on a hillside ringed with a crumbling stone wall, there’s a little plot where mourning readers can pay their respects.”

What was most interesting about the tribute was its provenance. It began as a post on a relatively new Catskill Web site, The Watershed Post, and it was written by the site’s editor, Lissa Harris.

Tanbark Trail, Phoenicia

Behind the Phoenicia Post Office, inside of the Phoenicia Park, in the back, there is an access to the Tanbark Trail. A group of volunteers have carved out a mountain-side trail that is somewhat over 2 miles long, something strenuous at intervals, and a fun hike with some incredible views. We were there on a beautiful autumn day. Some of our views:

A young hiker with, Inchie, a friend on his hand.

A view from the Phoenicia Overlook.

Route 28, headed east from Phoenicia.

Far off in the distance, the Shawangunk Mountains.

October 10 & 11 pictures of CPOA grounds

Additional October 1 flood pictures

Lee Wecker and John Boudreau sent along pictures of the flood damage, including this near-miss to their house:

The Ostrander Bridge collapsed into Stoney Clove Creek, alas.

DELUGE!

Story in the Daily Freeman reporting on the flood; includes photos and videos.

Flood Damage Reporting for FEMA

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County sent along this posting.

October 1 flood - Chichester photos

Amy and Len Lerner sent these photos along:

(above) Looking down from the Stoney Clove Lane Bridge.

Stoney Clove Creek seen from the Lerner estate.

Remains of the Ostrander Bridge leading from Route 214 to the community house.

Our intrepid reporter on the job.

October 1 flood article

This e-article in the Kingston Daily Freeman includes photos and videos on the flooding in Phoenicia and damage to Route 214.

Rt. 23A study reveals development strategy

This article appeared in the Green County Daily Mail. A two-year long look at how to best prepare the Route 23A corridor through the Town of Hunter for future development was unveiled at a workshop for community and public officials at Hunter Mt.’s Kaatskill Mountain Club.

Leaf-Peeping and Time Travel

A New York Times article on train rides and viewing autumn foliage includes a bit on the Catskill Mountain Railroad. An accompanying slideshow includes pictures of the railroad and views along the Esopus.

Labor Day 2010

Blast from the past

Found these pictures in my archives

Last night at the Lobster

O'Nan, Stewart. (2007). Last night at the lobster. New York: Viking.

Book discussion, CPOA clubhouse.

Cowgirl

Holly George-Warren read excerpts from her new book, The cowgirl way : hats off to America's women of the West (2010). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Robert Burke Warren serenaded us with cowgirl (and cowboy) songs, including Dale Evans's Happy Trails to You.

Après le déluge

Rain began falling on Sunday at 6am, and kept raining all day long. All that water, and it was much; how much? this much:

wrought many changes with the volume of water and the subsequent modification in its course and speed. Our beautiful swimming hole is now inundated.

By one measurement, 6.14 inches of rain fell in Phoenicia. Our home-made measurement was 8 inches of rain. If one inch of rain equals one foot of snow ...

Phoenicia voice to be annual event

This article that appeared in the Daily Freeman, on 17 August 2010. Click here to see entire article.

PHOENICIA — The first Festival of the Voice in Phoenicia this past weekend proved to be such a success that organizers plan to make it an annual event. Audiences for the main stage productions were several hundred each. At the smaller inside venues, events were sold out to the point that, after packing as many people as could fit, some ticket holders were given refunds and an apology. After being turned away, some stood outside and listened through open windows to catch some of the experience. For a three days starting last Friday, Phoenicia was converted into a haven for lovers of music, voice and stage.

Hanging out with the boys

After the tubing ends, the Esopus rambles on its way to, eventually, the Ashokan Reservoir. West of Route 212, east of Phoenicia, it meanders along. A small byway, Mount Pleasant Road, begins by the Antiques sign (at the east end of Emerson), Turn left if approaching from Phoenicia, or right if approaching from 212. Immediately after, there is an angler's parking area. Leave the car, and go ahead. No, that is not Stonehenge, just a whimsical collection of rock sculptures. On Monday, we took a walk along this stretch of the Esopus.