I Never Knew That

Nursery rhymes, some dating back centuries, have left a strong mark on many of our childhoods, but we often don’t realize where they came from. Some have evolved over centuries, bringing a whole new version to modern children, while others have remained tried and true since their inception. From women’s prisons and peep shows to wholesome tales of beloved pets, here are the origins of some beloved nursery rhymes.

Mary had a little lamb

Little lamb, little lamb

Mary had a little lamb

Its fleece was white as snow

Poet Sarah Josepha Hale first published a version of this poem in 1830. Around 50 years later, an elderly woman named Mary Sawyer stepped forward as the real Mary. Sawyer’s story goes pretty much like the version we know and love today. She rescued a little lamb that had been abandoned by its mother and hand-fed it until it regained its health. One morning, she and her brother decided to bring the lamb to school. The lamb hid in a basket by Mary’s feet until it bleated, drawing attention from the teacher, who gently let the lamb outside so Mary could bring it home at lunch. The other kids did, indeed, laugh.

In a letter included in a 1928 book detailing the story, Sawyer says that the lamb grew up and had a few lambs of its own.

Source: Interestingfacts.com

To Be Continued . . .

Contributed by Jane Hart

Just Joking . . .

Students in an advanced Biology class were taking their mid-term exam. The last question was “Name seven advantages of Mother’s Milk.”  The question was worth 70 points or none at all.  One student was hard put to think of 7 advantages.  He wrote:

1) It is the perfect formula for the child.

2) It provides immunity against several diseases.

3) It is always the right temperature.

4) It is inexpensive.

5) It bonds the child to the mother and vice versa.

6) It is always available as needed

And then the student was stuck. Finally, in desperation, just before the bell rang indicating the end of the test he wrote:

7) It comes in two attractive containers and it’s high enough off the ground where the cat can’t get it.

He got an A+.

Contributed by Bob Abramovitz

Art by Hart

Terry’s birthday party was wild

When it came to poultry fashion design, Yves-Charles was crushing it

Runch-Higgins rested on his laurels so long, they took root

Nobody judged Mrs. Jervis as harshly as her own inner jury

Suzette’s Alley Cat chic was taking the fashion industry by storm

Murf was bluegrass to the core

Art and photos by Jane Hart

Out and About

On April 10, a Kendal van full of residents had a special treat: a tour of Rockefeller University, one of the world’s premier bio-medical research institutions. A graduate-only university, Rockefeller can boast 29 Nobel laureates in its 123-year history. While the institution is usually off limits to most non-researching members of the public, the hearty band of residents toured both the architectural and the bio-medical splendors of the organization.

Photos by Harry Bloomfeld

I Never Knew That . . .

Q:  Why does the moon appear larger when it is on the horizon than when it is directly overhead? In considering your answer, keep in mind that the actual size of the moon and its distance from the earth are invariable.

A:   A decade or so ago I read a report of an experiment on this subject by a group of psychologists. Their conclusion was surprising because it did took into account no physical feature of the horizon, such as whether it consisted of buildings, mountains or a line of trees. Their explanation for the “moon illusion” is that all humans have an innate conception that the distance to the universe is shorter out to the horizon than directly above us; thus, the moon appears larger because it is conceived to be closer!

Q:  When, where and how was the raglan sleeve introduced into the design of clothing?

A.   Fitzroy Somerset, the First Baron Raglan, was a general in the British Army. During the Battle of Waterloo, in 1814, he received so severe a wound that it required an amputation of his left arm. After his return to London, he discovered that the seams of his shirts and sweaters rubbed his amputation scar and were painful. Off to his tailor, who created the new sleeve form in which the seams were not in contact with his scar. Of course, it was named after the Baron and not his employee who actually created the new style.

Contributed by Norman Sissman

The Day the Earth Went Dark . . . Almost

The Sun and Moon Come Together

Solar eclipse through a telescope

Photo by Maria Harris

As the day grows dark.

Photo by Greg Lozier

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

The People— At Home

Thanks to The Rapaports, Kendalites — staff and residents — turned out in droves to view the almost-total eclipse of the sun. They chose their spots, their seats (or not), their excitement (or not). And they took pictures—of the eclipse and of our community in awe of it (or not).

Photo by Harry Bloomfeld

Photo by Tom Wolzien

Photo by Jo-Ann Rapaport

Photo by Harry Bloomfeld

Photo by Joe Bruno

Photo by Joe Bruno

Photo by Joe Bruno

And Away

Maria Harris attended the Spectacular Super Solar Eclipse Viewing Party art the Hudson River Museum to get her view of the event.

And to Top the Week Off…

Look close: there’s a double one right above it, too…

Photo by Harry Bloomfeld

Lexophilia . . . or, Maybe, the Opposite . . .

Venison for dinner again? O deer.

How does Moses make tea? Hebrews it.

England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

I tried to catch some fog, but I mist

They told me I had type-A blood, but it was a Typo.

I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.

Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

I know a guy who’s addicted to brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.

This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I’d never met herbivore.

When chemists die, they barium.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down.

I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.

Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

Broken pencils are pointless.

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.

I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx

I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.

Velcro — what a rip off!

Don’t worry about old age; it doesn’t last.

 

Contributed by Barbara Bruno

"Elegant Paper" Sculpture and Poem, by Sheila Benedis

Elegant paper sculpture

easily I slide into a meditation

on beauty and intricacy

found in natural world

 

each curve each shape

of a unique leaf

unfurled   by a  gingko tree

 

whispers a tale

a tactile and visual journey

a medium for story telling

 

my natural material

handmade paper

embraces my transformative touch

 

textures echo nature’s own handiwork            

my respectful collaboration

with the organic world

 

marriage of craftsmanship and nature

produce an elegant paper sculpture

Art by Hart

Somebody convinced the wildlife that they’d be safer in a gated community

Grandpa kept the chicks amused so that they wouldn’t look up at the darkening 3:00 pm sky

It was dress rehearsal for the new Birth of Venus tableau

Pilates did wonders for Marcel’s flexibility

The Whittles’ clutter finally won

Art and photos by Jane Hart

Duck!

Oh, Joy, oh Rapture! It is getting close to that time again. That time when the world opens up bright and shiny and they arrive. So squeezy, so colorful, so ready for action. Yes, it’s true. It’s . . .

. . . or, anyway, getting close to it.

Saturday, April 27 is the day — and it starts at 11 am (though the duckies really race a little later).

How important is this vaunted day? Well, Kendal on Hudson is one of the two Presenting Sponsors (the highest rank of sponsors). Ponder that!

Why is this day of all days important? It’s a major support for the Rotary Club of the Tarrytowns and all the good work they do. What good work? Click here to learn more.

Rubber Ducky Derby Day (which, if you practice, will come trippingly off the tongue) happens in Patriots Park right at the border of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. There are booths. There are excited children. There are rubber duckies. What could possibly be better? Only one thing could be: donate!

Yes, it’s true, you, too, can back one or more duckies and have skin (or feathers) in the game. One ducky will cost you $10. But, wait, there’s more! A Six Quack can be yours for $50. And — be still, my heart — a Tub o’ Ducks comes in at $100. And — here’s the best part — you can name your ducky(s)! If you think you can stand all this excitement (or even if you can’t) click here for more information. Yes, that’s right, you can back your ducky(s) online.

Only 3 more weeks to plan! Better get ready to get your ducks in order!

Daphne's Demise: Part 2

Ranger Su, Susan MH Lewenz, the community relations ranger at Rockefeller State Park Preserve,  has posted a eulogy of Daphne, the Rockwood Park “Lady Tree” who was felled with recently by a powerful wind storm. It includes some information about her life, and references to Kendal’s name for her. She also has included a photo and a sketch of Daphne by our own Linda Herring. 

A EULOGY FOR OUR GRAND DAME

On Monday March 11, 2024, sometime in the afternoon our Rockwood "Grand Dame" succumbed to sustained winds of over 48 mph. She withstood many challenges in her long life, but she could stand no more and her magnificent form fell.

I speak of the one of the most beautiful and largest trees in the Preserve. She lived her life providing a shady respite to visitors who enjoyed a spectacular views of the Hudson River and the Palisades shielded beneath her boughs.

The Grand Dame was a giant red oak. Our Park Manager Peter Iskenderian believes she may have been over 300 years old.

“I feel like I lost an old friend,” said Melissa Rinzler, who watches over all the residents of Rockwood as part of the Preserve's Guardian program.

"I loved seeing her on my walks, and especially the image of the lady" said Linda Parker, Office Manager of Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

Several ladies from Kendall on Hudson told me the tree had been known by many as “Daphne” because of its likeness to the Daphne of the famous “Apollo and Daphne” sculpture which many saw in her trunk.

The great lady’s broken form will take many days to clear. Our team is hard at work respectfully clearing her remains from the trail.

Feel free to give them a wave as you pass, but please keep a good distance for your own safety.

More pictures to come of the massive removal and cleanup project. And, of course, the ultimate planting of a new red oak which we hope will grow up to be, one day, the new Grand Dame.

Rest in Peace, Grand Dame. You are gone but not forgotten. And, like all our fallen trees, you will continue to nourish and provide shelter for Preserve residents for many years to come.

And a Post Script: “Thanks to Kendal Resident, Carolyn Reiss  for help with this post.”

Linda Mahoney Herring’s memorial to Daphne, including her portrait and a little piece of her rescued from where she met her demise:

Words, Words, Words . . .

  • Parking Lot sign: Remember what the valet who parked your car looks like because we do not have valet parking.

  • How do you milk sheep? Bring out a new iPhone and charge $1500 for it.

  • To get rid of unwanted junk during the holidays, put it in an Amazon box and leave it on the porch.

  • Interviewer: “So tell me about yourself.” Me: “I’d rather not, I kinda want the job.”

  • When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.

  • When I say “the other day,” I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.

  • I don’t mean to interrupt people; I just randomly remember things and get really excited.

  • I had my patience tested. I’m negative.

  • When I ask directions, please don’t use words like “East.”

  • My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb.

  • If you answer the phone with, “Hello, you’re on the air!” most telemarketers hang up.

Contributed by Jane Hart

© 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.