By the Brook One Early Morn . . .
Photos by Carolyn Reiss
The Back 40 Acres . . .
Remains of an Era
Photos by Edward Kasinec
River Views
A Hudson Greenscape, by Edward Kasinec
A Hudson Waterscape, by Ed Lannert
Out and About
A Day in the Country
Recently, Sheila Darnborough, Maureen Marwick, and Amanda Slattery visited Il Magazzino and, following lunch, enjoyed exploring works by Piero Manzoni and Yoichi Ohira.
What's So Punny?
1. Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.
2. What do you call a pig with laryngitis? Disgruntled.
3. Writing my name in cursive is my signature move.
4. Why do bees stay in their hives during winter? Swarm.
5. If you’re bad at haggling, you’ll end up paying the price.
6. Just so everyone’s clear, I’m going to put my glasses on.
7. A commander walks into a bar and orders everyone around.
8. I lost my job as a stage designer. I left without making a scene.
9. Never buy flowers from a monk. Only you can prevent florist friars.
10. How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced? A buccaneer.
Contributed by Don Butt
To Be Continued
A Man and His Giraffe
The poet Joyce Kilmer wrote in 1913 “ . . . only God can make a tree.” That may be so, but turns out one man can make a giraffe. And he lives here at Kendal (the man, not the giraffe).
As reported April 20, 2026, Philip Monteleoni has been working on giraffe construction for a while. At that point, he had a mock-up:
And, now, in Sante Fe (where Philip’s client lives), there is a Monteleoni-designed and executed (no giraffe’s were harmed for this project) full-sized giraffe. Because who doesn’t want a giraffe in his front yard?
Name and sex of the giraffe yet to be announced.
Grounds for Gardening
On a recent visit to the Ossining Starbucks, we discovered a miracle: something useful for free! Starbucks is packaging their used coffee grounds—in bags both large and small—and is offering them for free. They’re called “Grounds for Your Garden.”
Here’s what their website says about the campaign:
“How to Use the Grounds for Your Garden Program
Participating stores in the U.S. will fill old Starbucks espresso bean bags with spent coffee grounds and give them to you, no charge. In some cases, social media users have reported that their café gave them a whole lot more than just one bag—one Reddit user reported that they took home 100 pounds of compost from their nearest Starbucks.”
Want to know more? click here for the website:
Gazebo Dedication
It’s ready! The Bahary’s gift to Kendal in loving memory of brother Kamal and his beloved companion Susan—the structure now florally bedecked—will be formally dedicated on June 25, 2026. Recently, Lillian Hess sent a photo of the lovely structure all set for gazing into the river, reading, chatting, remembering, whatever suits ya.
I Never Knew That
In 1923, a Jockey Died Mid-Race—And Still Won
There’s nothing in the horse racing rulebook that says a dead person can’t win a race—which is exactly what happened to one Frank Hayes about a century ago. The 22-year-old, who had just made the jump from stable hand to jockey, had the misfortune of suffering a fatal heart attack while atop his faithful steed, Sweet Kiss, and the good fortune of finishing—and, because he didn’t fall off, winning—the race anyway.
The steeplechase (a race involving obstacles for the horses to jump over) took place on June 4, 1923, at the Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, New York, and was the only race Hayes ever won. Given that Sweet Kiss had 20-1 odds, the victory would have been an impressive feat even if the ill-fated Hayes had been alive to enjoy it.
There are competing theories behind the cause of Hayes’ heart attack, with one newspaper suggesting he had overexerted himself trying to lose enough weight to qualify for the race. “He was confronted with the task of taking off nearly 10 pounds in 24 hours,” the Buffalo Morning Express wrote at the time. “This morning he spent several hours on the road, jogging off surplus weight. He strove and sweated and denied himself water and when he climbed into the saddle at post time he was weak and tired.” Others believe the thrill of the race was simply too much for the inexperienced rider to handle.
Though unconfirmed, it’s believed that Sweet Kiss never raced again—and earned the nickname “Sweet Kiss of Death.”
Source: Michael Nordine, historyfacts.com
Contributed by Jane Hart (via Steve Price)
For Your Funny Bone
Hope IX Collage, by Sheila Benedis
Art and photo by Sheila Benedis
Art by Hart
It was clear that Bosworth couldn’t keep a secret
Mirsky couldn’t remember who he’d promised to call
New in the neighborhood, Sadie and Phil misunderstood their “birding party” invitation
It seemed that all Judy’s dinner guests arrived at the same moment
Despite her careful facade, you could tell that Lavinia was down at the mouth
Art and photos by Jane Hart
In and Around Kendal
Local Air B&B
Photo by Edward Kasinec
Mourning Dove
Photo by Ed Lannert
When the Planets Align
Moon over Kendal—and to the left: Venus, by Carolyn Reiss
Then, later that night, Jupiter—way in the upper left-hand corner—joined in the fun, by Lisa Rosenbloom
A Rainy Day in Kendal Land
Calm before the storm, by Edward Kasinec
Beauty after the storm, by Edward Kasinec
The Close-ups of Rockwood Park
Who, me?! by Carolyn Reiss
Crystal-clear Beauty, by Carolyn Reiss
Green streamers, by Edward Kasinec
Kendal Gardens A-Bloom
Photo by Carolyn Reiss
The Final Light of the Day
Photo by Greg Lozier
Out and About
The flowers that bloom in the spring! Tra La! Were exactly what Linda Edwards (the photographer here), Claire Tenny, and Lane Mauer went to see recently at the NY Botanical Garden. The new “Flower Power” exhibit in and around the Haupt Conservatory, encourages visitors to wander through psychedelic flower displays and art installations that evoke the free-spirited heart of the 1960s peace and love movement. Elsewhere in the Garden, classic VW buses, colorfully decorated, offer the perfect photo op.
Photo by Linda Edwards
Telling It Like It Is
Recently, The NY Times ran an Opinion piece by an adult child of elderly parents, decrying their lack of planning for the final stages of living, anticipating all the dire things that can happen to those of us “of a certain age.” (You can read it by clicking here.) Our very own Barbara Bettigole responded with an excellent letter to the editor published a few days later. In case you missed it, here it is:
To the Editor:
Lack of planning is only part of the problem for the elderly. Fear of the dreaded old people’s home is very common among those who are determined to die in their own homes. What is needed is a more positive view of the options for us seniors.
Developing attractive, safe, affordable, well-supervised living places, such as continuing care retirement communities, is a far better option than sitting in a chair watching TV, waiting for the Meals on Wheels delivery.
I moved to a C.C.R.C. from a private house, where I had no close neighbors and no public transportation. Here I have my own space, friends, activities, meals, transportation and access to help in emergencies.
Which is better?
Barbara T. Bettigole
Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
Staff Appreciation Fund
Weekly Construction Report
New RAO Workroom
New Terrace Entrance Doors
New Glass Wall in the Pool Area Down the New Hallway
From the Office of Ellen Ottstadt
I Never Knew That
The Origins of Memorial Day
When the Civil War ended in April 1865, Americans struggled to cope with the unprecedented loss they had experienced as a nation. Because the end of the war had come in the spring, communities began decorating soldiers’ graves with fresh flowers. Such “Decoration Day” rituals began popping up across the country on different days. In the South, many chose May 10, the anniversary of Stonewall Jackson’s death; April 26, the day of the final Confederate surrender; or June 3, Jefferson Davis’s birthday.
Northerners also chose a spring day for formal commemoration of the dead. In 1868, General John Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, officially designated the 30th of May “for decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country.” By the end of the 19th century, most Northern states had adopted the holiday.
One of the earliest known celebrations of what we now know as Memorial Day took place in Charleston, South Carolina on May 1, 1865, when the city’s freed Black residents organized a proper burial for hundreds of Union soldiers who had died in a Confederate prison, followed by a parade to honor their memory.
A century after General Logan’s declaration, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation making Memorial Day a federal holiday, changing the observance to the last Monday in May and standardizing the name as “Memorial Day.”
Source: American Experience.wgbh.org
Every Memorial Day, Sleepy Hollow High School/Middle School students plant flags in honor of the day.
For Your Funny Bone
Art by Hart
Just as she was about to give up, Fanny found a perfectly good used son-in-law on eBay
Ms. Minch was finding it harder and harder to see her doctor
Hoping to avoid gossip, Kira hid her boyfriend under a cow
Emily considered her kitchen a creative space
Without an umbrella or rain hat, Mary was a sitting duck for debris from the storm
Art and photos by Jane Hart
Hope VII Collage, by Sheila Benedis
Art and photo by Sheila Benedis
In and Around Kendal
May Birthdays
Photo by Harry Bloomfeld
Gardening Kendal-Style
Report (and photo) by Joe Bruno: “After hearing about recycling plastic, one resident gardener decided to grow some plastic. The crop’s coming along fine.”
“Our” River
Late Spring Frames the Hudson, by Edward Kasinec
Photo by Carolyn Reiss
Photo by Joe Bruno
Photo by Lynn Brady
A Morning Stroll in the Park
Photos by Carolyn Reiss