Photo by Linda Mahoney Herring
Photo by Art Brady
Photo by Edward Kasinec
The Founders Bench in Rockwood Park, just restored by the preserve administrator— very special for contemplation
Photos by Edward Kasinec
Photo by Art Brady
This you may already know, but, if not, knowing it makes a difference. There’s an enemy a-foot—and a-wing! Pictured below, it's the dreaded spotted lantern fly (or SLF). He’s a handsome fellow, but destructive as hell.
And clearly when he’s not sucking trees and other vegetation dry, he’s partying, because the spotted lantern fly proliferates like crazy. Sleepy Hollow has declared war on these (literal) suckers in an effort to save their victims which include but are not limited to the tree-of-heaven, red and silver maple, walnut, wild grape vine, sycamore, rose bush, oak, birch, fruit tree, Virginia creeper, and porcelain berry. A recent article in the Hudson Independent explains it all. Click below to read.
And the next time you see a spotted lantern fly, squash him (or her)! You can find out the best method (personally, we find the shoe-to-bug method best) in the Hudson Independent. If you love our trees and plants, join the fight!
Article contributed by Jane Hart
Let's face it: English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in a pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham?
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
Contributed by Barbara Bruno
Here at Kendal, we’re so fond of Hudson River sunsets. This is what a sunset looks like from above the clouds.
Contributed by Simone
Here’s an interesting article contributed by Joe Bruno, Chair of the Computer Committee. It is written for the generation behind us who might be concerned about their parents’ computer security. Well, we are their parents’ generation, and we should all be concerned about computer security. It’s where so much information about our lives lives.
Joe noted in particular that the article is from Malwarebytes “which pushes their program.” He added that he likes Malwarebytes. Many of us use it and like it, as well. However, even if you don’t go the Malwarebytes route, there are plenty of good other suggestions there.
If you have further questions, either call Joe or staff member Anthony Bradford, both supreme experts on the wild and sometimes wonderful world of computers.
Contributed by Art Brady
Contributed by Bobbi Roggemann
Contributed by Bobbi Roggemann
AUGUST 21: POETS DAY
This day is dedicated to the crafters of poetry: Poets. Poetry “uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language.” Its meanings go beyond prose. And its forms are many (including sonnets, limericks, and haikus), as are its types (such as narrative, epic, and lyric). Over the course of literary history, poets have used different styles, resulting in a history of poets as diverse as the literature they have written.
“What is Poetry?” has been a question vexing philosophers forever. Aristotle wrote a book — aptly named Poetics — trying to define it. The history of poetry is lengthy, traceable in written form as far back as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, written in Akkadian, during the late 2nd millennium BC, to celebrate and memorialize the great deeds and attributes of a king and a culture. In ancient Rome, professional poets were sponsored by wealthy patrons in Ancient Rome. Patrons of poetry continued on through the Renaissance period. At the same time, troubadours were travelling poets.
Poets have written in all languages. Even in the long-ago, poets did other things besides write poetry. William Shakespeare also “worked in theater,” both as writer and actor. Shakespeare, of course, is one of the best-known poets. Worldwide, his work serves as the foundation for academic study of poetry in colleges and secondary education, alike. The Victorians loved him so much, they coined a word for their admiration: Bardolotry. But it took a while for his rise to poetry fame. It took hundreds of years after his death in 1616, for Shakespeare to become the legend known today. Such is the plight of a poet.
The poem by a poet is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language. It includes sound symbolism, phonaesthetics (look it up), and meter. For the poet, a poem is a form of communication that expresses ideas in the literal sense, bringing out the meanings deeper rather than giving the mere definition of the words. Poet’s Day is a form of tribute or honor to the world’s most creative personalities who write poems.
AUGUST 22: NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY
National Tooth Fairy Day is a reminder for kids, young and old, to relive the fun of visits from the Tooth Fairy when a newly lost tooth was exchanged for a fun surprise under their pillow in the morning! The origin of fairies dates back to 13th-century England when they were described for the first time by Gervase of Tilbury. The tradition of a child receiving a gift for a lost tooth can be traced back to medieval Europe. In a collection of writings called The Eddas about the Norse and Northern European traditions, there is a reference to a “tand fe,” which directly translates to “tooth fee.” As part of this tradition, children would receive a small fee from their parents when they lost their first tooth. This is because teeth were a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Some Viking warriors would even wear a string of teeth as a necklace during battle to protect them.
In many cultures around the world, various traditions around the tooth fairy are celebrated! The tooth fairy herself (or himself — the verdict is still out) has been around since at least the Middle Ages. Europe, Russia, some parts of Asia (especially China), and North America have certain traditions that revolve around the concept of a tooth fairy: a child loses a tooth, leaves it under his or her pillow that night, then a special creature stealthily exchanges it for a coin or a treat during the night. That creature is sometimes a small animal such as a mouse, rabbit, cat or dog; sometimes a mythical creature akin to a fairy.
The closest counterpart of the modern Tooth Fairy came in the form of an 18th-century French fairytale “La Bonne Petite Souris” (“The Little Good Mouse”). The first written American record only reaches back to a 1908 Chicago Tribune article. Author Lillian Brown provided parents with a magical suggestion for getting their children to have their loose milk teeth pulled: Tell them the Tooth Fairy would leave 5 cents under their pillows for every tooth lost. In 1927, an eight-page script for a children’s play titled “The Tooth Fairy” was written by Esther Watkins Arnold. The play became widely popular; schools enactments spread it far and wide. Since then, the Tooth Fairy has become a global phenomenon, reportedly paying visits to children in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
In the US, over the years, the tooth fairy’s largesse has varied. In 1942, columnist Bob Balfe wrote in the Palm Beach Post that the fairy gave his children War Stamps to put in their books, popular during a time when the war effort was a motivating factor. Today, the average payout ranges from $3 to $4. However, if a tooth falls out during the night, with no time to break a large bill, the amount could climb higher.
AUGUST 23: HUG YOUR SWEETHEART DAY
Hug Your Sweetheart Day is for wrapping your arms around that special person in your life — your sweetheart — and showing your love for them with a hug. Hugging has been around for millennia and is practiced by almost every culture as a way to connect with others without using language. The word “hug” seems to have come from “hugga,” an Old Norse word meaning “to comfort.” “Hug” was first used around 1610 to describe a wrestling hold. It began being used for its current meaning in the 1650s.
Hugs may actually have a scientific basis for happy feelings. They release a hormone called oxytocin, produced in the pituitary gland, into the bloodstream. This hormone helps lower blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone cortisol. It also reduces anxiety, improves mood and memory, and increases bonding and closeness. Those who hug often tend to have increased empathy for others. In order for hugs to be beneficial, however, both the huggee and the hugger must trust each other and both want to hug. Otherwise, the opposite effect happens, and cortisol levels rise, causing stress. Bottom line: think before you hug. Even your sweetheart. After that, it’s pretty much up to the two of you . . .
AUGUST 24: PLUTO DEMOTED DAY
For many years, kids in science class used a cute little mnemonic device to remember the names of the solar system’s 9 planets: “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Up Nutty Peanutbutter.” But that mother no longer serves peanutbutter. Why? Because Pluto has been demoted! What’s a mnemonic to do?!
Pluto was the Solar System's 9th planet for 76 years. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ, it was given the name of the ancient Greek ruler of the underworld, Pluto, by an 11-year-old girl named Venetia Burney (Google her, if you like).
In 1992, questions arose around Pluto’s legitimacy as a planet after the discovery of large objects in its region, including one that actually had a larger mass than Pluto itself. Eventually, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) settled on a definition for “planet,” which ultimately excluded Pluto. From that point forward, it has been known as a “dwarf planet.” A dwarf planet is defined as is a celestial body that orbits the sun and has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape but that has not cleared the area around its orbit and is not a moon.
Because Pluto is very far from us — on average about 6 billion kilometers (4 billion miles) —little is known about it. In size, Pluto has a diameter of about 2250 kilometers (1400 miles), or about two-thirds the size of Earth's moon. Pluto's orbit is highly eccentric. Its orbit around the Sun is not perfectly circular. This means that the distance between it and the Sun varies over time. It takes Pluto about 250 Earth years to orbit once around the Sun, and about 6.5 Earth days to make a full rotation around its axis.
Closer to home, Neil deGrasse Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, entered the fray early on in the 1990s. He — and the Hayden Planetarium — have been in the forefront of the discussion ever since. During a 2009 NPR interview, Tyson stated that other celestial bodies of ice discovered in the outer solar system acted similarly to Pluto because they crossed orbits with other planets. According to Tyson, that's simply nothow a large celestial body considered a planet should behave. The astrophysicist went on to say that Pluto’s demotion as a planet shouldn't be looked at negatively. Instead, Pluto should be considered the first object discovered in an area of the outer solar system known as the Kuiper belt. Interested in hearing more of what deGrasse Tyson has to say about Pluto? Below are three Youtubes featuring short clips of him explaining:
2017 C-Span 2: Book TV (Click here)
2017 Neil DeGrasse Tyson on Stephen Colbert (Click here)
2014 Neil DeGrasse Tyson, “Pluto Is My Favorite Comet” (Click here)
AUGUST 25: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FOUNDERS DAY
National Park Service Founders Day recognizes the conservation and preservation efforts of the National Parks System. Whether enjoying scenic trails, open spaces, watersheds, or recreational areas, the National Parks Service provides a natural outdoor resource accessible to every American. Hiking and biking trails entice visitors to explore and offer an outdoor experience like no other.
On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act, establishing the National Park Service. As part of the Department of Interior, the National Park Service protects 84 million acres in 400 areas across the 50 American states and territories and the District of Columbia. It’s mission today? “The National Park Service preserves the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.” The service is led by a director who is nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The first national park, Yellowstone, was established in 1872. Congress passed legislation to preserve the land as a public park that would benefit the Americans. This made America the first country in the world to create a public park solely for the benefit of its citizens. This was only the first of many steps the government would take to create and preserve national land, forests, coastal regions, wildlife refuges, and historic sites for posterity.
The National Park Service has 22,000 workers involved in permanent, temporary, and seasonal employment. An additional 340,000 volunteers are also enrolled with the service. These parks welcome almost 300 million visitors every year. When the National Park Service was created, it managed 35 parks and monuments. In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt brought 56 national monuments and military sites into the National Park Service, bringing areas of historical, scenic, and scientific importance together. For a new park to be created, there must be an act of Congress. But, with the Antiquities Act of 1906, the president can proclaim national monuments on lands under federal jurisdiction.
With such an expanse of land in its jurisdiction and so many people involved in the land's preservation, the National Park Service's original goal of conservation for future generations is still being met. This is celebrated today with National Park Service Founders Day!
AUGUST 26: NATIONAL TOILET PAPER DAY
National Toilet Paper Day recognizes (nay, celebrates!) this essential item. We often overlook this essential item until entering a public restroom and realizing: no toilet paper. Who created National Toilet Paper Day? No one knows, but whoever it was surely deserve a shout-out for dedicating a day to honoring this humble yet important invention.
Over thousands of years of history, there have been many ways to “clean up.” In the early days, people just used their hands. Over time, a wide variety of items came to be used: rocks, leaves, and corn cobs among them. Squatting over a creek was common, with waste washed downstream by the current. From at least 79 AD until the fall of the Roman empire, the Romans cleaned themselves with a tersorium: a sea sponge on a stick, it was simply rinsed off, then left for the next person. Very egalitarian.
Fortunately, progress and invention intervened. Toilet paper was invented in China in 580 AD. It came in sheets and was coarse and expensive. While most of the population couldn’t afford it, in 1391, the emperor’s toilet paper was made in sheets, each specially perfumed. It wasn’t until the 15th century that toilet paper began to be manufactured in China.
During the 18th century, when newspapers and magazines arrived on the scene in the West, they were often read, then re-purposed for the outhouse or Water Closet. The Sears catalog and the Farmer’s Almanac were legendary for ending up for that use.
It wasn’t until 1857 that toilet paper began being sold in the United States of America, at first in loose flat sheets of paper. On December 22, 1871, Seth Wheeler from Albany, NY, received patent #465,588 for the toilet paper roll. By the end of the 19th century, toilet paper began appearing in perforated rolls that made use more convenient, and companies began advertising toilet paper as “splinter free.” Then, in 1930, the Germans invented the perforated rolls we know today. Americans love their toilet paper and use more of it than any other country; the reason might be that some countries prefer a bidet over toilet paper.
For many decades a debate has raged over whether the roll of toilet paper should unfold over the top of the roll or under it. There are many arguments for each direction. Seth Wheeler’s 1871 patent for the toilet paper roll clearly shows diagrams of toilet paper coming off the top of the roll.
But, wait! There are other pictures of Wheeler’s invention where the toilet paper unrolls from underneath.
So, which way is the winner of this debate? You decide.
One final note: When a roll of toilet paper is used up, most people toss the cardboard core out. But that cardboard roll is recyclable! Placing it in the paper recycling bin, or composting it, saves space in landfill.
AUGUST 27: NATIONAL JUST BECAUSE DAY
Today you don’t need a special reason to celebrate. It’s National Just Because Day. Why? Simple: just because. If you want to make spaghetti for breakfast wearing last year’s Halloween costume, more power to you. It’s a day to stop worrying about the whys.
Just Because Day has also become a great way to spread random acts of kindness. Send a thoughtful card to a friend, just because. Give your grandchildren a call, just because. Pick up your neighbor’s cubby-mail and deliver it, just because.
The original version of Just Because Day may be a movable holiday called Because Day, first celebrated on the third Wednesday in May. It was invented in the late fifties or early sixties, by Joseph J. Goodwin of Los Gatos, California. He turned the gift of a transistor radio for his wife into their own family holiday. For the Goodwin’s, it wasn’t so much about a radio as it was about celebrating life, free afternoons, and family. And so, what began as a wholesome family holiday celebrating the beauty of spontaneity, grew into an annual celebration across the US.
As we grow up and assimilate into the world, we tend to fall in line with always doing what is expected of us. And for many people, that might get a little boring. On this very special day, these unspoken rules society has paved before us no longer apply. This day is your golden opportunity to do whatever it is your heart desires. This day is to encourage you to march at the beat of your own drum. Your chance to do something with no rhyme or reason. It’s also a golden opportunity to spread some positivity to others! Pay a tab for the table next to you. Leave a nice note in someone’s cubbie. The possibilities are endless and the only thing holding you back? You!
Young Thornton would understand the joke in ten years
Yet another Trader Joe's recall/ microscopic ballerinas in the cream of kale soup
Ms. Bonify's school for young geniuses was off to a flying start
Preston was sure that riding in the Stones' tour bus had been more exciting in the '60s
Art by Jane Hart
Who I Am
a wrinkled orange peel
a soft smooth aromatic pear
I’m sinuous
a delicate fragile dandelion
carried by the wind
carried by the spirit
a gentle breath
planting seeds of life
planting seeds of hope
tough as nails
tenaciously forcing through rock
growing roots in crevices
surviving
going round and round
inside becoming outside
turning twisting on the road of life
wanting to find love
wanting to belong
being a creative person
seeing challenges as opportunities
as gifts
needing a solitary quiet space
for an aesthetic impulse
to become an intuition
to make art
to write poetry
showing the world and myself
who I am
I am wabi sabi
healing repairing
transforming
Contributed by Edward Kasinec
Barbara Bettigole sent proof positive that her recently born great grandson — young Benjamin Jacob — is particularly gifted. Not only is he deeply into books at this young age, but he is so even when the material is upside-down. This lad needs careful watching . . .
Contributed by Carolyn Reiss with assistance from Art Brady
The Coast Card Passes By
Contributed by Joe Bruno
The Working River
Contributed by Joe Bruno
The Final View of the Day
Contribut4ed by Rita Benzer
Contiributed by Harry Bloomfeld
Homographs are words of like spelling but with more than one meaning.
A homograph that is also pronounced differently is a heteronym.
The bandage was wound around the wound.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Contributed by Barbara Bruno
I want to grow my own food but I can't find bacon seeds.
This is my step ladder; I never knew my real ladder.
I checked into the hokey pokey clinic and got myself turned around.
Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
Made with love really means, "I licked the spoon and kept using it."
According to the BMI chart at the doctor's office, I'm 8" too short.
Anything seems possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds demand.
There is no "I" in team, but there are three in "narcissistic."
Inventor of the wind chill factor died at 82, but he felt like he was 64.
I'm on the lookout for #1, my dog isn't house-trained yet.
I married my wife for her looks, but not the ones I'm getting lately.
Do race horses slow down when they see police horses?
Contributed by Jane Hart
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C.S. Lewis
Contributed by Jane Hart
This is what a bubble looks like in mid-pop.
Contributed by Bobbi Roggemann
Contributed by Bobbi Roggemann
Contributed by B Bobbi Roggemann
AUGUST 14: WORLD LIZARD DAY
Every year, World Lizard Day celebrates a specific type of reptile: lizards. Does thinking about lizards induce ennui? Ridiculous! Lizards are fascinating. There are about 6,000 lizard species, spread out over every continent except Antarctica. As you ponder the miraculous opposable thumb of human beings, consider these features of the lizard:
Most kinds of lizards absorb water from their food, which means they don’t need to be near water.
Lizards range in size from 2 inches in length to over 11 feet.
A lizard has a tail that regenerates. If it breaks off, no sweat: it grows another one.
Some lizards can change colors.
The lizard, which has been around since the dinosaurs, is a reptile characterized by its scaly skin a long body and tail, four legs, and moveable eyelids. Cold-blooded, they need sunshine in order to survive. Most lizards lay eggs, however, some lizards birth live babies. To protect themselves, lizards have many different defense mechanisms. Some of them can run like hell to escape danger. Others can make themselves appear scarily larger when confronted by an enemy. Some, like the Gila monster and Mexican bearded lizards, have venom. The venom of the Komodo dragon is so strong it can kill a human. Consider that should you ever find yourself on Indonesia’s Komodo Island.
World Lizard Day is mostly about lizards as pets. Over 9 million people in the US have lizards as pets, most commonly the African fire skink, chameleon, gecko, green iguana, long-tailed lizard, Chinese water dragon, and the bearded dragon. Doing research before you buy or adopt a pet lizard will help you figure out what kind of lizard would best suit.
AUGUST 15: I LOVE COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS DAY
I Love Cowboys and Cowgirls Day is a day to honor, reflect on, and celebrate the legacy of cowboys and cowgirls. The dawn of cowboys and cowgirls started with the Spanish, who brought cattle-raising traditions and horses to the Americas in the 16th century. The term cowboy, which is the English translation of the Spanish word for “vaquero,” first appeared in 1725. A vaquero was an “individual who managed cattle while on horseback.” The word derives from “vaca,” which means “cow.” Today, cowboys tend cattle on ranches. Historically, they herded and drove cattle in the West and South, and their role has since become one of legend, romanticized in Wild West shows, song, and television and film. The first major cattle drives took place in the 1860s. Cattle were driven north to railheads by cowboys and then transported to northern slaughterhouses. Whites, many of whom had participated in the Civil War; African Americans, who many times were treated better in the frontier environment; Mexicans; and American Indians all worked as cowboys. The birth of barbed wire and, a harsh winter in 1886-1887 lead to the collapse of the cattle industry, and the expansion of railroads to areas previously out of reach killed the need for the cowboy.
Cowgirls perform the same ranch tasks as modern cowboys, but their historic contributions were not well-documented. Many women worked on ranches and, in some cases, ran them. Cowgirls rose in prominence with the rise of Wild West shows and women such as Annie Oakley. The National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum has worked to illuminate the role of cowgirls.
AUGUST 16: NATIONAL BRATWURST DAY
Sadly, not everyone has had the pleasure of enjoying a bratwurst. Hence National Bratwurst Day. Typically made from pork, bratwurst can, in fact, be made from any meat. Sometimes known by the nickname “brat,” bratwurst is a heavily spiced sausage usually enjoyed either on its own with a side of sauerkraut or on a roll with mustard. The word “bratwurst” comes from two German words: “wurst” is the word for sausage; “braten” means “to fry.” Pretty much says it all.
Bratwurst has been around since 1313. It was introduced to the US in the mid-19th century by German immigrants. In Germany, brats are a snack food, mostly seen in pub-like establishments, with the addition of sauerkraut or potato salad and dense rye bread and pretzel. New York City may have hot-dog vendors, but Germany has bratwurst carts!
Very traditional recipes for bratwurst call for both eggs and cream, but every region in Germany has a different type of bratwurst recipe: 40 varieties in all! Franconian bratwurst recipes, for example, are usually heavily laden with marjoram, a method that dates back to the first bratwurst. These bratwursts tend to be large and filled with coarsely ground meat, which gives them an overall juicier texture and flavor. Those from Corburg, on the other hand, only use salt, pepper, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Bratwurst recipes in the US can also differ region by region. No matter the size, shape, or innards, World Bratwurst Day celebrates all varieties and encourages us to explore the culinary world of the brat! Note: most people like to accompany bratwursts with a cold beer. Win-win.
AUGUST 17: NATIONAL THRIFT SHOP DAY
National Thrift Shop Day celebrates the thrift shop. Thrift shops aim to help those most vulnerable in communities. Known by myriad names, thrift shops are also referred to as consignment stores, second-hand stores, resale shops, and hospice shops.
Before thrift shopping became common, people usually liked to repurpose their clothes. During the 18th century, hand-me-downs to younger siblings proliferated or were remade into a different style. When they had exhausted their use as clothing, the material would be recycled as furniture stuffing. While people often sold their items if they needed money, the thrift shop concept had not yet been created.
By the late 19th century, the US experienced a massive cultural shift. The Industrial Revolution increased the production of clothes and goods. At the same time, the country saw a flood of new immigrants. Many new to America — in addition to rural folk — moved to urban areas. The process of buying new clothes and disposing of old ones quickened. Pawnshops and scrap yards arose, but clothes once owned by a stranger indicated a lower social status and were off-putting.
Meanwhile, Christian ministries needed funding for their outreach programs, and religious affiliation groups such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill changed the narrative. In 1897, the Salvation Army launched the “salvage brigades,” residents who went around the neighborhood asking for used clothes. In return, they’d receive food and lodging. Then, In Boston 1902, a Methodist minister created Goodwill, which hired poor and disabled people to collect goods and make necessary repairs to them. These shops provided immigrants with a place to find clothes, with the added intent of promoting “Christian values” alongside social service activities.
In the 1920s, thrift shops reflected the department stores of the time. Initial impressions began to change after thrift shops stopped being known as “junk shops.” By 1935, there were nearly 100 Goodwill stores nationwide. They were particularly useful in the Great Depression and World War II: an affordable option to full-priced stores, with the added advantage that the money from sales went to charitable programs. People warmed up to the idea of thrift shops as a way to find “vintage” items and niche goods. Ever since, the thrift shop has steadily shed its negative image. Another advantage: thrift shopping also helps the environment. Every item purchased from a thrift shop is one less item in a landfill. Recycling at its best!
AUGUST 18: SERENDIPITY DAY
Serendipity: the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. A happy accident; a pleasant surprise. Serendipity Day is celebrated to encourage people to confront unexpected good fortune.
Horace Walpole coined the word “serendipity” in 1754. He described the genesis of the term in a letter to his lady love, explaining that he was inspired by the Persian novel “The Three Princes of Serendip.” The story follows three princes banished from the kingdom of Serendip, (now commonly known as Sri Lanka) in order to demonstrate their worth. Serendipitously they encounter revelations not sought, while traveling the world. As a result, serendipity is associated with embarking on a journey and discovering something unexpected.
Serendipity Day was celebrated for the first time in the year 2010. Its goal is to inspire individuals to live their lives in a more opportune way, being open to and accepting of the limitless options that life presents.
AUGUST 19: NATIONAL HONEY BEE DAY
National Honey Bee Day — on the third Saturday in August — is a celebration for beekeepers, honey lovers, and all blooming things. The day recognizes both the honey bee and the beekeepers who tend the hives. It also encourages everyone to enjoy and buy locally grown honey. As important is learning about honey bees and providing them with a supportive environment. Planting wildflowers, orchards, and other flowering plants, supports pollinators such as honey bees. They depend on the nectar of a variety of plants for their survival. Conversely, we depend on honeybees for our survival, too! Without their pollinating abilities, many nutritious plants wouldn’t reproduce.
Honey bees do sting, but only if they perceive a threat, such as damage to their hive or being swatted at. Since they seek sweet nectar, sugary drinks and sweets will attract honey bees when flowers are not blooming yet. So, keep your beverages covered! If a honey bee comes close, either hold still or move slowly away. The honey bee will fly along to the next sweet thing as long as it doesn’t feel threatened.
AUGUST 20: NATIONAL BACON LOVER’S DAY
Hallelujah, it’s National Bacon Lovers Day! Hardly any other aroma on Earth is as stirring as bacon sizzling in a pan. Bacon has been such a massive part of western cuisine since 1500 BC. For thousands of years, we have relished the smell of bacon frying — not to mention its chewy taste. Note, however, that pigs were domesticated from around 8500 BC, so for seven thousand years, humans wasted the bacon right under their noses. How sad!
Bacon was such a desirable cut of pork that, in the 12th century, a church in the English town of Great Dunmow challenged the married men to a wager. If a man could go a complete year and a day without quarreling with his wife, a side of bacon would be the prize. Thus the term “bring home the bacon.”
Until well into the 16th century, the term “bacon” referred to any cut of pork. Only in the 17th century did the word indicate the product we know today. The late 1700s saw the rise of commercial pig farming and bacon production. With rising population rates and an increase in available machinery, bacon was one of the first food items to be mass-produced. Fast forward a couple of centuries to when the Industrial Revolution took the pork industry to a completely new level of production. Before then, bacon and other pork products were produced at home. Most people kept private pigs. Even in urban environments, it was common for people to keep pigs in their basements.
Bacon is still a household favorite. In the US, bacon refers to meat from the belly of the pig, known, logically, as pork belly. Bacon from the loin is called Canadian bacon. To make bacon, the pork is cured using salt and is then dried, boiled, or smoked. The smoking of bacon is often done with hickory, mesquite, or maple wood, and flavors such as brown sugar or maple may be added. More often than not, bacon is pan-fried. Popular as a breakfast food, it is also loved in sandwiches — such as the BLT or club sandwich — as a complement to salads, and as a wrapping for other foods. “Bacon mania” has swept the United States and Canada since the late 1990s. Despite the high sodium and nitrate content of bacon that lower its health benefits, there has been a great increase in the amount of bacon being eaten and in the number of new bacon recipes.
Wild Thing
I know who I am
a wild thing of nature
a bold eagle
trying to find my way
creative energy
wanting to mold
my art work
into organic shapes
I am a solitary delicate flower
With petals made of steel
Climbing life’s mountains
Wildly reaching for the top
Emerson longed to meet someone who wasn't just another water porcupine
Their first on-camera date was an embarrassment for both of them: Dody had lied about her age, and Skip had lied about his species
When Chuck invited Marla for a romantic getaway, he had no idea about her baggage
The Nadels found city air curiously buoyant
Art and photos by Jane Hart
After the Rain, from Alida, 2nd Floor, by Jane Hart
This guy’s sticky feet allow him to cling to the Bruno’s window, by Joe Bruno
These past few weeks we’ve been following the young bird family nesting under the leaf of a rubber plant on the Bender’s balcony: the nest building, the five eggs, the hatching . . . and now it comes to an end. The last little bird has flown the coop. Momma has tidied up and is ready to start life again without shells, constant feedings, and the ceaseless chatter of her brood. The rubber plant that shielded the avian family is on its own again.
The last one about to fledge
Momma’s closing up shop
One last look from the railing
Photos by Ginny Bender
The Kendal bunny (“If I hold perfectly still, they won’t see me”), by Carolyn Reiss
On Wednesday, August 2, Kendalites boarded the Kendal van for a trip to Hyde Park, the site of the FDR Library and Museum, that — from all reports — was fascinating.
A presidential welcome
A more relaxed welcome — in the style of Franklin and Eleanor
The company they keep
Photos by Harry Bloomfeld
Also at Hyde Park . . .
A day later, Edward Kasinec visited the Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA) and found this inviting patio.
© Kendal on Hudson Residents Association 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.
Photographs of life at Kendal on Hudson are by residents.