Got a Story to Tell?

Many of us have already heard about StoryCorp, the program where ordinary individuals tell their stories, their family’s story, or even a friend’s story. The story of StoryCorp is best told by StoryCorp itself:

“StoryCorps is committed to the idea that everyone has an important story to tell and that everyone’s story matters. Our mission: to help us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all — one story at a time. Since our founding in 2003, we’ve helped more than 640,000 people across the country have meaningful conversations about their lives. These recordings are collected in the US Library of Congress and in our online archive which is now the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered. Since 2003, StoryCorps has built the largest collection of human voices ever archived — and we want to add yours. Our mission is to build connections, encourage compassion between people, and share stories, big and small. Have an incredible story to tell? Want to have a meaningful talk with someone important in your life? We’d love for you to join in and preserve your voice for future generations. It’s simple to get started! You and your partner can record a conversation either using StoryCorps’ self-directed recording tools or at one of the StoryCorps recording sites.”

Kendal resident Cathie Campbell is one of the more than half-a-million people who — with her friend and fellow artist Tony Gagliano — has taken advantage of StoryCorp so he could tell a story about his father. To hear Tony’s story, click on the picture below.

Interested in telling your — or a friend’s — own story? Check it out at storycorp.org.

Contributed by Cathie Campbell

Book It: Hart's Art Now in Print—and On the Ether

Yes, it’s true! Jane Hart’s new book is out! The Newer Normal features her, uhm, special world we all know from “Art By Hart” on this august website. The Newer Normal can be found online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s website . . . and as an e-book on Apple Books.

Autographs, she notes with an “LOL,” are free.

The book is dedicated “to a wonderful and generous artist and friend, Mariet Van der Heide, and to Steven D. Prince, literary smartass extraordinaire, caption-wizard, and the man I love with all my heart.” It contains 100 of the daily drawings that she’s been sending to friends since the publication of her earlier collection of drawings. That earlier book was titled Stop Screaming: How Some of Us Made It Through Covid 19.

“Now that the pandemic is in our rearview mirror,” she continues, “we are free to worry about other aspects of life — some serious, some not so serious.” She offers this new book both for fun and as a worry-guide of sorts, as well as a reminder that, even in this “newer normal,” anyone who can share a laugh is never alone.

Special Observances, September 18 – 24

SEPTEMBER 18: NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY

Prepare to enjoy an American food icon — a cheeseburger oozing warm cheesy deliciousness on top of a moist, juicy patty (or two.) No matter how refined your palate might be, a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger seems to satisfy!

Tracing the origin of the cheeseburger starts with its predecessor: the hamburger. While it’s generally agreed that hamburgers traveled to the US via German immigrants during the 18th and 19 centuries, no one really knows its specific origin. Some say the hamburger can be traced to Ancient Egypt, where they shaped patties of ground meat mixed with a variety of different spices. Others believe hamburgers really started with Genghis Khan and his Mongol army. But, in both cases, where, pray tell, is the bun (not to mention the onion, tomato, ketchup, etc.).

Whatever the start, the point of modern hamburger origin is the German port of Hamburg. There was born the Hamburg Steak, a popular dish among Germans of the lower classes. While it was sometimes served raw, many Germans began to cook the meat. Sometimes it was salted or smoked, sometimes mixed with breadcrumbs. Eventually, out came the bread. And onward to the US, where it became an instant classic. After its introduction at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, it also became one of the most popular sandwiches of its time.

So, onward to the cheeseburger. While hamburgers are a German invention, cheeseburgers are an American innovation. Sometime during the late 1920s and early 1930s, someone came up with the brilliant idea to slip a slice of cheese on a hamburger. Some people claim that person was Lionel Sternberger — a 16-year old fry cook working at his dad’s restaurant in Pasadena, California called The Rite Spot. Others say the cheeseburger was invented in 1935 by Louis E. Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Boulder, Colorado. He had the excellent idea  of trademarking it, something he never enforced. It’s since become the generic name of the sandwich.

Today, the cheeseburger is one of the most popular sandwiches in the US. Traditionally, American cheese was the topping of choice, along with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mustard and ketchup. However, now-a-days, there are a variety of cheeseburgers — and a variety of cheeses, buns, innards — enjoyed. And in 1963, Dale Mulder, in his A&W Restaurant, invented bacon cheeseburger. What next?

SEPTEMBER 19: TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY

Talk Like a Pirate Day, though created as a joke, has become a beloved faux-holiday that lets everyone channel their inner Jack Sparrow. Did real pirates use much of the movie-and-TV vocabulary we now think of as “pirate lingo”? Maybe not. But, Talk Like a Pirate Day gives lets us break out of our routine, learn some history, celebrate a bygone era—and have fun.Go grab some grog (okay, rum), gather up some maties, and let your imagination take to the high seas! While ordering your coffee, ask if they have change for gold bullion. Try testing your pirate language out at the library when asking for the location of Moby Dick. Settle a debate with “I’m right or I’ll walk the plank!” And don’t forget to practice your “Arggh!” Then polish your persona with a swagger, limp or squint. Parrots not required.

Talk Like a Pirate Day was born in 1995, when 2 friends jokingly created the holiday while playing racquetball. They celebrated it together quietly for a few years, sharing the joke with a small group of friends. One day in 2002, they wrote humor columnist Dave Barry: Would he agree to be the spokesperson for National Talk Like a Pirate Day. He would! And he wrote a column about the holiday, giving it national prominence and spawning a wave of Talk Like a Pirate Day events and celebrations across the US.

From Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean, pirates continue to capture our imagination. Romanticized in literature and film as rugged outlaws, pirates have been around in one form or another for hundreds of years. First recorded in Asian seas after the collapse of the Chinese Han dynasty in the 2nd century, piracy grew across the world with the increase in maritime technology and ocean commerce that happened after the discovery of the New World.

Opened in 1967, Disneyland’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride remains one of the park’s most popular attractions. The last attraction Walt worked on before his death, “Pirates” immerses visitors in the richly detailed world of a Caribbean port falling victim to plunder. And then came the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” in 2003, with the iconic character Jack Sparrow. Not seen it? Do yourself a favor. Stream it — and embrace your inner pirate!

SEPTEMBER 20: NATIONAL GIBBERISH DAY

National Gibberish Day is dedicated to nonsense. Gibberish may be random speech sounds that mean nothing, or it may be speech that means something, but is a specific jargon that not many people understand. Got that? Most times, gibberish refers to informal speech, while gobbledygook refers to the formal writing or speech so technical and convoluted that it can't be easily understood.

The word gibberish was first used in the early 16th century, and the name may be an onomatopoeia (what a word!) of what unintelligible speech may sound like. In Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755, he wrote that the word gibberish “is probably derived from the chymical cant, and originally implied the jargon of Geber and his tribe.” His theory was that gibberish came from the name of a famous 8th century Muslim alchemist, Jābir ibn Hayyān. His name, Latinized, Geber. “Gibberish” was a reference to the incomprehensible technical jargon and allegorical coded language used by Jabir and other alchemists. After 1818, editors of Johnson's Dictionary rejected that origin theory. But who knows?

Celebrate the day by talking and writing gibberish. It really doesn't matter what’s said, as long as other people can't understand what’s said. If you want some help, try a gibberish translator by clicking here.

SEPTEMBER 21: PAUSE THE WORLD DAY

Pause the World Day is a day to turn off all the extra noise in our lives that raises our blood pressure and stresses us out. On this day, pause the world and forget your troubles.

Ever been overwhelmed by the omnipresence of sirens, television, screens, radio, drilling, mowing, and endless talking? For most of us, all of these constant noises are just normal. However, continuous and uncontrollable noise stresses our bodies by raising our blood pressure and heart rate and releasing stress hormones.

Pause the World Day encourages us to relax and enjoy complete silence, which is rarely experienced and appreciated. However, silence can help us connect with ourselves and listen to our emotions, offering a sense of calm and resulting in utter rejuvenation.

That’s all. The rest is just noise.

SEPTEMBER 22: LOVE NOTE DAY

Love Note is the one day where you get to channel your inner Victorian and send warm, heartfelt love notes to your favorite love! (And, hey, we’re declaring that can mean family members, dear friends, whom-so-ever). It is a chance to convey your deepest emotions by writing down how much that person means to you and sending it to him or her in a scented envelope or an email. If you are not usually the wordy romantic type, take this day as an opportunity to be a little cheesy. Even a plain “I love you” can make someone feel happy and loved.

The oldest record of a love letter can be found in an ancient Indian text called the Bhagavata Purana, an Indian text written about 5,000 years ago. Princess Rukmini sent it to King Krishna. In Ancient Egypt and Rome, the art of writing letters — both formal and informal was a topic of great interest. The art of the love letter was taught as a skill until the start of the 18th century. By the latter half of the 18th century, literature and writing had gone through a big shift due to the influence of the Romantics. Uh oh. According to the Romantics, love letters should come from the heart. The idea of teaching how to write love letters was questioned. Boo on the Romantics!

In the first half of the 20th century, without the internet or mobile phones, the love letter was the only significant exchange and medium of communication between lovers when separated by distance. By the second half of the 20th century, the internet and technology were born and the medium of the love letter slowly started to be replaced, first by telegraph and telephone.

By the “aughts,” we already have email, social media applications, and mobile phones to communicate with our loved ones. Sadly, the art of writing and receiving love letters has already started fading away. Mail now means email, not a physical letter. However, many writers and romantics around the world still keep this tradition alive.

Who it was who started Love Note Day is unknown. But it definitely seems to be an initiative to bring this forgotten medium back. But the ability of a short expression of one's love through the handwritten form—using flowery poetry or sincere prose—to warm and fill the heart in a deep way must not be forgotten. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Then right them down. Love Note Day aims to bring love notes back, if not forever, then just for a day.

SEPTEMBER 23: NATIONAL GREAT AMERICAN POT PIE DAY

The American pot pie: a blessing for body and soul. And on National Great American Pot Pie Day, we pause to celebrate it in all its glory. Have a “savory tooth”? Pot pies are your friend. And the best excuse for guiltless consumption of carbs.

Archeologists have traced the pot pie back to the Neolithic Age, around 9500 BC. At the time, the Greeks cooked meats mixed with other ingredients in open pastry shells, called “artocreas.” These then spread to the Romans, who prepared them with various meats, oysters, mussels, lampreys, and fish, and included a crust made of a flour and oil mixture. Pot pies spread to medieval Europe during the Crusades. In the 16th century, the English gentry revived the custom of serving pot pies, calling them “meat pies.”

The American pot pie — as distinct from meat-filled pastries — was first referred to in print in the US in 1785. It usually consists of a meat — chicken, pork, or beef, occasionally turkey or ham — and most times include vegetables such as carrots, peas, green beans, and potatoes. Another common ingredient is gravy. A top flaky crust is tops it all off, and usually there’s a bottom crust as well (but not always). Recipes abound for home-cooking, but they can also be found in restaurants or bought frozen in the store. Swanson Foods introduced the first frozen pot pies (chicken) in the early 1950s (the era of TV dinners).

SEPTEMBER 24: NATIONAL PUNCTUATION DAY

From the lowly comma to the flamboyant ampersand, National Punctuation Day celebrates the punctuation that makes our words legible and gets our point across. “Let’s eat, Grandma!” or “Let’s eat Grandma!” Clearly, punctuation saves lives. Though you might not have consciously considered punctuation since elementary school, you likely use it every day. Every year, the creator of the holiday — Jeff Rubin — sets a punctuation challenge, and punctuation quizzes and games can be found countrywide.

Celebrate National Punctuation Day was created in 2004 to help people recognize the importance of proper punctuation, so important when trying to convey a message. It's also an opportunity to have some fun with language, as well as brush up on your grammar skills.

Sick of hearing him complain about the widespread abuse of commas, semicolons, and apostrophes, Jeff Rubin's wife urged him to do something about it. So, it was that in 2004 he launched National Punctuation Day. Want to celebrate National Punctuation Day? Jeff Rubin has some suggestions. Click here to find out what they are.

In and Around Kendal

The Terrace: It’s More Than Flowers

Forget “silver bells and cockle shells . . .,” we got:

From tiny acorns a mighty oak may grow, but from a cutting Susan Yao received from her son, an ever-expanding pumpkin has grown! Stay tuned . . .

And as the summer moves into fall, Uriel Schlair has had success of his own: a watermelon!

Photos by Cynthia Ferguson

In Loving Memory of . . .

“Our” goats have returned home for the season. A couple of final pictures to remember them by.

In the vein of “a woman’s work is never done,” everyone is taking an afternoon nap, except on nanny goat nursing a couple of kids.

Photo by Mimi Abramowitz

Adieu until summer ‘24 . . . one mouthful for the road

Photo by Edward Kasinec

In Search of Finer Things

We had a visitor last week, who was determed — come hell or high water — to be part of Kendal

See starts her efforts . . .

Hesitant, at first . . .

She achieves entry . . .

Above photos by Peter Sibley

Sadly, too late to see the game

Photo by Edward Kasinec

A Final Flourish for the Day

From the terrace, August 30

Photo by Cynthia Ferguson

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Barbara Bettigole’s family shares a plethora of summertime birthdays. This year, she made a request: a Grands and Greats Weekend. Just her and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren shared a weekend in Cornwall, NY, in an airBNB that was straight out of a dream come true. “I mostly chatted and watched. The children played in the amazingly well-stocked playroom or the unbelievable outdoor playhouse/gym. The grown-ups cooked, hiked and played frisbee, etc. and took care of whichever child was available.” Seems it couldn’t be more perfect. But then it was: “We did a lot of eating. They’re all foodies.” So “dream come true” with whipped cream and a cherry on top!

With Any Luck, No Falling For You

We fall in love. Fall for scams. Embrace autumnal weather as Fall.

But one of the key things we at Kendal don’t want to do is take a fall. Sadly, Jo-ann Rapaport did this past summer (she’s fine now, we hasten to say) and had the bright idea that we add some prevention information to Res Web. Thus this segment is born. Click below for two good and basic discussions on steps to take (and some to avoid):

Art by Hart

The polar bear kids wished on the full moon for an early winter

Barbara insisted that the intimate photo with Curtis was a fake, generated by artificial intelligence

Fitch's effort to rehab lantern flies instead of stepping on them, was kind but misguided

The Brewers were known as the mountaintop Fred and Ginger

Gilbert didn't care what he watched, as long as he could sit in the comfy chair

Art and photos by Jane Hart

Special Observances, September 11 – 17, 2023

SEPTEMBER 11: I’M ON TOP OF IT DAY

It’s time for a post-summer resetting of calendars while we at Kendal figure out in-house and out-of-house commitments, along with travel plans, and all. (So much for the lazy retirement life.) So, this day is the day for all that, plus identifying identify what organizational needs are required to make it to 2024. Next step: focus on getting on top of one of the things that challenges them.

Cozi, a family organizer and communications company, created I'm on Top of it Day in 2005 “to celebrate and reward busy families of all sizes for being on top of at least one organizational chore that gives them forehead wrinkles.” Families are constantly juggling responsibilities associated with home, work, school, children, grandchildren (and some great grandchildren), meals, and community (near and broad) engagements — and it's hard to stay on top of everything all the time.

That’s all. No more. Get to it! Time’s a-wastin’!

SEPTEMBER 12: NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE DAY

National Chocolate Milkshake Day brings chocolate and ice cream lovers together. Forget the calories for just this one day and enjoy a tall, thick and delicious, chocolate milkshake! Simple, sweet, and delectable, chocolate milkshakes aren’t just one of the best treats ever, they’re also a reminder of our once-upon-a time innocence, when the streets of our neighborhoods drew the boundaries of our worlds. A time when a milkshake and fries was the perfect date and drive-in movies were all the rage. A quarter in the jukebox set the stage and good friends populated our lives. (Sort of like Kendal, but without the creaking of joints.)

The history of milkshakes began with the development of two milestones: the development of the electric blender and the creation of malted milk drinks. But before all that could happen, there had to be the spark of inspiration. And for that, we look back to medieval Britain and the eggnog: not the cool, frothy treat of today, but a hot, milky ale-like drink. It was a time when milk and eggs — the building blocks of eggnog — were foods of the wealthy. Eggnog was often consumed in indulgent celebration.

In 1885, somebody had the idea of mixing whiskey, milk, and eggs for an eggnog-ish drink and milkshakes made their welcome — if less innocent — appearance, available in pharmacies as both a tonic and a treat to customers. By 1900, the booze was replaced with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrup and the tonic aspect switched to fun. Early in the 1900s, a scoop of ice cream was added. And in 1911, Hamilton Beach introduced the Cyclone Drink Mixer drink mixers which began to be used in soda fountains, followed 11 years later with the invention of the electric blender (Steven Poplawshi, take a bow), which gave the milk shake the frothy drink we know today. The next breakthrough: malted milk powder, made from malted barley, wheat flour, and dehydrated whole milk, with the taste of toasted caramel. The malted milk shakes moved in beside alongside milkshakes at soda fountains around the 1920s.

And that, boys and girls, is the why and how we arrived today ready, willing, and able to indulge in the magic of the chocolate milkshake.

SEPTEMBER 13: INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE DAY

From National Chocolate Milkshake day we make the natural progression to International Chocolate Day, an unofficial — but highly welcome — holiday dedicated to the sweetest, tastiest addiction in the world: chocolate. Why This September 13? Simple. That’s the birthday of Milton S. Hershey, the American confectioner and founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company (which has nothing to do with the ice cream we indulge in here at Kendal. Just sayin’.)

Chocolate comes from the Theobroma cacao bean. The Spanish get credit for the word “chocolate,” derived from the Aztec word xocolatl, meaning “bitter water.” The Aztecs — hardy souls that they were — pounded the cacao beans and drank them without adding sugar. They thought the beans came from the gods. (Who among us would disagree?) Theobroma means “food of the gods.” Cocoa beans consist of pretty much half “cocoa butter” and half “chocolate liquor.” In 1527, Hernando Cortés brought cocoa beans back to Spain. Some brilliant soul created a chocolate drink that included sugar, which became immediately popular. And its fame spread. The word “chocolate” first appeared in print, in England, in 1604.

In the 18th century, all of Europe was enjoying a fashionable chocolate drink. By 1765, chocolate was being manufactured in what would become the US, but it was still only served as a drink. Candy made of chocolate had to wait until early in the 19th century. It was the Cadbury Company of England, in 1842, that first began to sell, on a large scale, hardened chocolate candy bars. Americans started indulging in the 1860s, first with “chocolate creams,” candies with sugar-cream centers.

The Swiss, however, were the first to consider milk chocolate. In 1875, Daniel Peter added chocolate to Henry Nestlé’s newly-developed sweetened condensed milk. Chocolate milk’s popularity quickly spread to and throughout Europe. Milton S. Hershey, who started the candy business at 14, had been quite successful. When he was introduced to milk chocolate production at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago he was sold on the idea, and introduced the first Hershey milk chocolate bar in 1900. Next came the Hershey's kiss in 1907; its trademarked foil wrapper was added in 1924. During WWII, Hershey provided troops with a “Ration D bar,” and later the better-tasting Tropical Chocolate Bar. These latter chocolate bars were resistant to temperatures higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which fit war circumstances better. Chocolate these days is the most popular flavor for different types of desserts, like chocolate chip cookies, chocolate milk and chocolate ice cream.

Though it originated in South American, the largest producer of chocolate is Côte d'Ivoire in Africa. However, the best chocolate is produced in Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain, the US, Austria, and Germany. The highest consumers of chocolate? While the US ranks among the top-ten chocolate-consuming country (per capita)—with a consumption rate of 10 pounds per person each year, it’s a picker compared to #1, Switzerland, where the average person consumes 19 pounds each year. Clearly, we must work (and chew) harder!

SEPTEMBER 14: NATIONAL COLORING DAY

National Coloring Day is dedicated to, well, coloring, whether your medium is crayons, colored pencils, markers, or some other method. There’s a benefit to coloring that serves adults as well as children. And especially for those who are going through — or have gone through — trauma and/or great stress, coloring is a , and those trying to decompress.

Here’s what we know about National Coloring Day: is a holiday, it’s been around for a few years. And that’s about all we know. Who created it and exactly when? Not really sure. It came about around the same time as National Coloring Book Day — a separate August holiday that was observed in August that created around about 2015. But today is National Coloring Day, instead, and we’re sticking to it!

The history of coloring better documented. Humans have used natural materials such as clay, charcoal, and ochre to create drawings and paintings of the things that they encountered during the day, especially images of the animals they hunted. As the years progressed, coloring materials became more sophisticated. The ancient Egyptians used ground minerals and plant extracts; in ancient Greece, lead and copper were used to create frescoes and mosaics. It was in the 16th century, that the first crayons were invented, using a combination of oil and charcoal.

The McLoughlin Brothers company is said to have invented the first coloring book, The Little Folks' Painting Book, in the 1880s. But, hang on, no crayons, in those days, paint was used in coloring books. Modern crayons didn’t come around the 20th century that modern crayons would be invented. And It wasn’t until the 1930s that crayons became the color-er of choice. Binney and Smith began producing crayons made from a combination of wax and pigment. This company became Crayola. Today, crayons and coloring books a child thing and an adults thing. In fact, adult coloring has continued to rise in popularity among people who recognize its benefits.

Color however you wish—crayons, paints of all natures, pastels! Today’s the day!

SEPTEMBER 15: INTERNATIONAL DOT DAY

Celebrated by both children and adults, International Dot Day is a day to connect, collaborate, and create. It’s a great day to foster self-expression. Participate by writing, drawing, painting, taking photos, videography, dancing, and making music.

It was all started 20 years ago when, on September 15, children books’ author and illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds, released his book “The Dot.” In the story, a little girl, Vashti, feels like she can’t draw. As encouragement, her art teacher says, “Just make a mark, and see where it takes you.” Vashi places a small dot on her paper. The next day, she is shocked to find her “drawing” in a prized position on the classroom wall. So proud of her work, she starts creating drawings with different kinds of dots. Eventually, having built her confidence, she realizes she can be creative artist. Eventually, Vashti passes the lesson she learned from her teacher onto someone else. A dot may be small, but it’s a powerful way to show your unique individuality and creativity. And you can build on it — stronger and stronger. That’s the story that inspired International Dot Day. “The Dot” has inspired millions of children and adults.

Terry Shay, teacher in Iowa, introduced the book to his entire classroom on September 15, 2009. Hence International Dot Day was born on September 15. Today, it is celebrated by more than 19 million teachers and students in 192 countries.

And dots all, folks!

SEPTEMBER 16: INTERNATIONAL EAT AN APPLE DAY

Well, we’ve covered days this week designed to celebrate chocolate milkshakes and chocolate. Now, it’s only right to honor the healthy apple. On International Eat an Apple Day, the 3rd Saturday of September, folks are encouraged to eat a juicy apple. Then, have another! Have as many as you want.

Throughout the world, apples come in 7,500 different varieties. In the US, alone, we grow 2,500 varieties: Macintosh, Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady, to mention but a few. Pick your favorite (or favorites), but don’t forget to try the relatively new Cosmic Crisp!

The apple originated in central Asia, in the Tien Shan mountain range of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. This older wild apple featured prominently in the region’s food and culture. Kazakhstan’s city of Alma-Ata — now called Almaty — loosely means “Father of Apples.” Merchants using the Silk Road discovered the wild apples and spread the fruit spread to western Europe. From there, European colonists took the apple to America. Over the years, these wild apples were cultivated and cross-pollinated to become the species we find in markets today.

Apples feature prominently throughout history, appearing in poems by Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, and in paintings by Caravaggio and Magritte. Apples have also appeared in folklore and stories. The Arabian Nights featured a magic apple that cures all human diseases. Even the biblical genesis story includes one, though the designation of the apple started in 12th century Europe. In Latin, “malus” means both “apple” and “evil,” which may be why it was chosen. Apples also had special meaning in Greek and Norse mythology, too.

If you aren’t into the simple apple, there are plenty of yummy foods made from this amazing fruit. On International Eat an Apple Day, drink some apple juice or apple cider (and don’t forget the fermented version). Eat an apple turnover for breakfast. Have a warm slice of apple pie or a caramel apple for dessert. Enjoy some applesauce for a snack. And there are oodles of popular apple foods around the world — including German apple cake, braised red cabbage with apples, and Polish apple pancakes.

Apples’ health benefit are legion — and legend: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. So eat one. Or two. Go ahead and splurge! It’s not like it’s chocolate . . .

SEPTEMBER 17: NATIONAL MONTE CRISTO DAY

A deep-fried egg-dipped ham and cheese sandwich, it’s a variation of the croque-monsieur sandwich first served in a cafe in Paris in the 1910s. Though usually made with Swiss cheese and ham. Other types of cheese can be used, and sliced turkey or chicken are sometimes added as well. It has other names, as well: French Sandwich, Toasted Ham Sandwich, French Toasted Cheese Sandwich. They’re all Monte Cristo.

The sandwich is said to have exploded onto the American food scene from its humble beginning in California when restaurants in and around Disneyland started serving it to customers of the park. It appeared in many American cookbooks from the 1930s through the 1960s (and particularly in the 1950s).

Bennigan’s restaurant started National Monte Cristo Day in June of 2015 to celebrate the delicious sandwich — in all its manifestations — known and loved all across the US.

In and Around Kendal

A Photographer’s Medley

The pool with afternoon sun

For those who love baseball, especially those Yankee devotees

A bug on a leaf

Photos by Art Brady

Hibiscus and Other Flowers on the Patio

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Carolyn’s Great Adventure in Rockwood Park

I scratched her head and she didn’t back off. (I know . . . against the rules, but I couldn’t resist)

This young buck wanted to meet my dog Allie, who ignored him. He was 3 feet from me and coming closer (gingerly) until a dog on the path started barking.

Photos by Carolyn Reiss

Friends of the Park

Generous friends of the park clearing invasive vines. 

Photos by Carolyn Reiss

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Last week, we asked you to send in 1 picture (or more) and a brief explanation for that old grammar-school saw: “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” And several people did! We hope to keep this series running through September, so get busy! Doesn’t have to be jaw-dropping or mind-boggling. The every- day and whimsical are more than welcome. Enough said, here’s the Blast Off:

From Hubert Herring and Lynda Mahoney Herring

We had a delightful week on Caspian Lake, in northeastern Vermont, with our daughter, her boyfriend, our son, and his dog. The swimming was excellent — much cooler than the hot tub that is the Kendal pool. We played bridge, went to see “Barbie,” had a couple of nice hikes. 

Jeff O’Donnell & Dorothy Muller

Having a wonderful time in the Berkshires volunteering at Tanglewood and on the local Climate Action Committee. I’ve ushered (or will usher) at 30 concerts/events from “Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me!” in late June to John Legend on Labor Day weekend. In between: amazing concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, and the Tanglewood Music Institute Orchestra (great young musicians). Not to mention the “unknown” local artists like James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma — and when Yo Yo Ma tested positive for COVID, Renee Fleming filling in singing Richard Strauss. Loving the serenity of being back in nature, not to mention fun ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) lunches. Try it next summer!

At the O’Donnells’

Tanglewood

Sharry & Art Lukach

Got a new hot water heater! Electricians and plumbers and guys to haul away the water and oil tanks, oh my!  Now, hot H2O on demand. Brave new world! Summer means our summer home in the East Hampton woods. We’re looking forward to visits when the “Hamptons” goes back to almost normal. 

© 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.