OK,
Mother Nature. We Give.
Snow, even big
snow being a fact of life here, we still may get dusted or even
dumped on one final time. And though it's been the first winter
in memory without a single sub-zero night in our valleys, most
of us we figure, have had enough and are ready for spring.
But first, the winner of the best end-of-winter-storm-story
we heard is Ben Smith of Lanesville. Four-wheel drive got him
almost to the top of the Notch on Route 214 but the snow was
just too ridiculous and he finally had to stop and walk down
to the nearest phone for some help. By the time he got back,
his pick-up was buried under 12 feet of snow. Now we've all
had days like that, but the avalanches are usually - you know
- metaphorical. When the snow actually crashes off the mountain
and buries your truck, it's usually time for a new truck or
to thank your creator you weren't in it.
The truck we hear, is fine which is way more than most us can
say about our favorite trees. All the ones we been lovingly
tending...the fruit trees, Japanese maples, redbuds, all our
little flowering treasures, they're now, well, depressingly
battered is a gentle way of putting it. And maple syrup this
year? Fuhgetaboutit. The sap barely ran long or hard enough
to warrant firing up the sugarhouses. And scarcity being the
mother of astronomical price increases, we figure syrup at retail
should easily top $120 a gallon before long, a decent portion
of what it actually costs to make the stuff, as if one could
put a price on that. So our prediction is that real maple syrup
will soon join caviar as a treat of choice exclusively on the
world's least affordable tables. But up in Canada where sugaring
is a state-sponsored national industry, it could take all the
country's Alberta oil money to keep its eastern maple industries
afloat. So yup, if you liked this winter you're going to love
global warming but it might require some extra income for pancake
toppings.
On the bright side for two-cycle engine buffs, this year's spontaneous
sounds of spring chainsaw festival should have an especially
large number of entries. And brush-pile aficionados will have
lots of viewing choices, particularly since new state regs say
we can't even think about burning them till mid-May at the earliest.
In forest fashion news we're hearing all the really smart guys
this year will be wearing their orange hardhats because they
realize the forest hasn't finished falling down yet from this
last storm. So looking up in the woods isn't just a nice thing
to do this spring, it's the prudent thing.
And speaking of looking up, we do think things are looking up.
Phoenicia's gallery and alfresco dining scenes are off to an
early and promising start. Almost eight hundred people turned
out for the big dodgeball tournament which raised over $4,700
toward a new wind turbine to supply energy for Bennett Elementary
School. Pianist Justin Kolb gave an extraordinary concert at
Onteora's stunningly tasteful new auditorium - not by the way,
paid for with local tax dollars - same night as the Olive Rec
basketball playoffs just down the hall, which even included
the Shandaken Eagles. Soccer registration is solid and with
good reason. Little League's opening day is April 15, and all
our district's kids can now play in the same league based at
Woodstock's beautiful Ric Volz field. Anyone who hasn't signed
up...it's a great league.
You need more good news? Local realtors, for the first time
in three years, are reporting a very busy early spring across
all price ranges for residential property. Aligning beyond the
usual seasonal stars to help this along are the lowest interest
rates in years and an April 30 contract deadline for first-time
buyers to qualify for an $8,000 federal tax credit. What we're
hearing is that interest for properties in the $200,000 to $400,000
price range appears significantly improved over the past two
years.
More things looking up? On the cultural scene, three of our
local international opera stars, Maria Todaro, Louis Otey, and
Kerry Henderson are planning a first annual major 3-day event
for mid-August, The Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, featuring
world-class operatic and other performances in the Parish Field
Park, the STS Playhouse, and at local churches and other venues.
Kicking off the Festival March 28 at 3PM will be a Gala Concert
at St. Gregory's in Woodstock, contributions and pledges gratefully
accepted.
Also in Phoenicia's Parish Field, the next few weeks will see
the installation of the big rope "Starclimber," a
38 x 40 X 12 foot-high children's play structure paid for jointly
by the town and by funds raised from volunteer efforts including
a bake sale and last summer's movie night and "Opera in
the Park." And in the woods right behind the playground,
the region's best semi-secret dayhike, The Tanbark Trail, will
be formally reopening later in the year, although it is fully
marked and usable now. Volunteers working through Shandaken's
Rec Committee have rebuilt and expanded the trail to nearly
two miles in length, with some of the best views for a short
hike anywhere in the Catskills.
Examples like these are just a smattering of course, there's
plenty of great community projects going on we've undoubtedly
failed to touch on here. Maybe it's that depth of our communal
giving that defines who we are together, but also makes it hard
to keep track sometimes. But we are looking forward to a great
spring, and hope to see everyone out there... somewhere... enjoying
themselves and one another... soon.
BP
