Calling All Memories of Our River

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

ALERT: Deadline approaching for memories of the Hudson River: July 1.

As reported last week here on the Residents Website, the Kendal Mission for the upcoming Mermaid Festival is the history part. (Otherwise, the mission is Have Fun!)

The Festival aims to teach a new generation of Rivertown dwellers to respect, love, and take care of the river. We who savor that river every single day have been asked to help the festival and the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Historical Society develop a history of Kingsland Park and use of the Hudson River.

They are particularly interested in having anyone who has memories of using Kingsland Point Park and/or swimming in or otherwise using the river to provide some oral or written history or old photos.

If you have any such memories, please let Carol Moneteleoni (cubby 4311 or ext. 1803) or Jon Masters (cubby 3306, ext. 1875) know. DEADLINE IS JULY 1.

Bred for Humor . . .

For all you dog lovers out there, here are some of the lesser known breeds.

Cross breed Dogs:

Pointer + Setter = Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet

Kerry Blue Terrier + Skye Terrier = Blue Skye, a dog for visionaries

Great Pyrenees + Dachshund = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed

Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso = Peekasso, an abstract dog

Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel = Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle

Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever = Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists

Newfoundland + Basset Hound = Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors

Terrier + Bulldog = Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes

Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly

Malamute + Pointer = Moot Point, owned by . . . oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway

Collie + Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work

Deerhound + Terrier = Derriere, a dog that's true to the end

Bull Terrier + Shitzu = Bullshitz, a gregarious but unreliable breed

Contributed by Cathie Campbell

June 25: Election Day

If you are a registered Democrat, Tuesday, June 25 is the day to vote for contested races for three offices! The Democratic Primary will be held at Philipsburg Manor from 6 am to 9 pm.

There is no contested offices for the Republican Party Primary this year.

The two contested races and candidates for each are:

92nd New York Assembly District

Candidates: Thomas Abinanti, Maryjane Shimsky

Westchester County District Attorney

Candidates: Susan Cacace, Adeel Mirza, William Wagstaff

The League of Women Voters of Westchester recently held Candidate Forums for each of these two offices. If you would like to view the forums, click below:

June 24: It's Muriel Fox Day!

Happy Muriel Fox Day! And about time, too!

Muriel was a Co-Founder of NOW — the National Organization for Women — and the powerful NOW LegalDeffense and Education Fund, pivotal forces in the Second Wave Feminist Movement. And for the week of June 24, Westchester County will formally say Thank You with Muriel Fox Day — proclaimed and endorsed by none other than the county itself.

The second wave broadened the scope of the first wave’s (late 19th/early 20th century) debate to include a wider range of issues: sexuality, family, domesticity, the workplace, reproductive rights, de facto inequalities, and official legal inequalities. Second-wave feminism also brought attention to issues of domestic violence and marital rape, created rape crisis centers and women’s shelters, and brought about changes in custody law and divorce law.

We would say more but could never compete with her new memoir “The Women’s Revolution: How We Changed Your Life” or with Muriel’s June 24 (7:30pm) program, in the Gathering Room, on her experiences, achievements . . . and book.  

On June 26, from 4-6 pm, there will be a refreshment-laden Book Party for Muriel and her book. If you wish to purchase the book — at a Kendal-only 20% discount — go to Dianne Morris’ apartment (1217) between 4 and 6 pm. Then, Muriel will sign the book in the Gathering Room.

Staff Appreciation Day

Last week we said a big Thank You to our staff — those who prepare and serve us meals, clean our apartments, fix what needs fixin’, soothe our fevered brows, and otherwise make life as lovely as it is here at KoH.

The celebration included festive eats and each Thank You envelope featured an original design by Jane Hart.

Our new interim HR Director says Thank You!

Photos by Diana Arias

Words, Words, Words

My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned: couldn’t concentrate.

I saw an ad for burial plots, and thought to myself this is the last thing I need.

What do prisoners use to call each other? Cell phones.

The invention of the lock was the key to success.

I can never understand my trigonometry teacher because he always talks in sine language.

What is a thesaurus’ favorite dessert? Synonym buns.

When a female sheep turns around and goes the other way it makes a ewe turn.

I'm competing for that stair climbing competition. Guess I better step up my game.

Never discuss infinity with a mathematician, they can go on about it forever.

Contributed by Joe Bruno

For Your Funny Bone

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Art by Hart

Blair seemed like an odd choice for nature counselor at the Kiddie Camp

Miss Paunce’s was the only pre-school with a certified climbing teacher

The Schaye brothers were always on the outside looking in

Nobody knew if Chloris or Doris was the real evil twin

More and more, Matt and Myra lived in their own separate maelstroms

The Whitmores hadn’t factored in a heat wave

Art and photos by Jane Hart

Poetry by Sheila Benedis

Tree Apparel

I relate tree’s apparel

its leaves

to tree’s true feelings

in all four seasons

trees in winter

have lost their leaves

but not their life force

trees are compelled

to shed their apparel

in the cold

proudly show off their structure

their beauty their power

their magical world

for all to see

as spring descends

buds sprout tiny delicate

moss green leaflets

lively bright colored flowers

trees still look elegant

still happy

still magical

in the warmer weather

minimal covering of authentic life

but gradually leaves grow

into a deep forest green

completely cover the branches

summer reigns

apparel takes over                                                                           

trees have lost their life force

in the heat

very dark very

almost despondent mood

until fall approaches

after a brilliant show of color

trees happily drop their leaves

shed their apparel

disregard the cold

get ready for winter spectacle

bring armature back to life

so strong

so happy

so excited

in their glory

a mystical world

through an underground

network of roots and soil fungi

trees perceive and interact with environment

share water and nutrients

communicate their needs

in cooperative ways

have intelligence

store memories

send distress signals

respond to attacks

trees are social beings

support each other

have a consciousness

similar to humans

have a positive effect

on our emotions

In and Around Kendal

Near and Far in Rockwood Park

Photos by Carolyn Reiss

And Speaking of the Park

What’s up in Rockwood Park?!

Photo by Joe Bruno

If you’re asking what’s with the digging in the park next door, Joe Bruno reports that they are planning to put in a bathroom with a septic tank and they were testing the soil to see if the leach fields would work there. He was also told they will also be putting in a new parking lot with the exit being near Kendal.

The Sound of Music

The Harpsichord in Mary Powell, just before the entrance to Alida, is up and running (e.g., it’s tuned!). And clearly already in service.

Photo by Philip Monteleoni

Happy June Birthdays — And to All Centenarians, Too!

All the June babies — including Ellen!

Photos by Harry Bloomfeld

Out and About

Democracy in Action

An ardent display of democracy occurred in Sleepy Hollow recently. And a Kendalite was right in the middle of it. The issue under debate was whether the town should or should not fly the traditional LGBT Pride flag each year in the month of June to honor Pride Month.

At the June 11 meeting of Sleepy Hollow’s Trustees, the public gathered to give testimony. Anne White was among them. To see the measured process of the meeting in a video of the meeting, click the button below. The testimony begins with its introduction by Mayor Rutyna at the 13:43 mark. Anne’s testimony begins at the 22:17 mark.

A motion to approve the flying of the flag was made and approved. On June 14, the flag was raised above Sleepy Hollow’s Village Hall in celebration of Pride Month. Anne White was there to help and celebrate.

Photo by The Hudson Independent Newspaper

The Mermaids Are Coming, The Mermaids Are Coming

Have you heard the legend of the Hudson River Mermaids? You will . . . At the very, first annual Mermaid Festival, Saturday, July 20, at Kingsland Point Park.

The Mermaid Festival is a community celebration that encourages Hudson River access and education. Its goal is to connect residents with the river today so we can all be part of its future. The mission: is teach river stewardship through history, art, safety education, story-telling — and fun. The festival seeks to inspire river use through the exploration and participation in water activities and to celebrate the magic and myth making in the Hudson River and along the banks of Sleepy Hollow.

There’ll be a costume parade (on both land and water), music, face painting, food trucks, and a bouncy houses. That all? Nope. Look forward to fun art, history, and beach activities, too.

So, what’s it mean to Kendal? Well, if you don’t want to march in costume or get your face painted, or bounce, or even if you do — and if you come from this area at any point in your life — be part of the Kendal Mission for the Mermaid Festival Mission, the history part! We have been asked to help the festival and the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Historical Society develop a history of Kingsland Park and use of the Hudson River.

They are particularly interested in having anyone who has memories of using the park and/or swimming in or otherwise using the river to provide some oral or written history or old photos.

If you have any such memories, please let Carol Monteleoni (cubby 4311 or ext. 1803) or Jon Masters (cubby 3306, ext. 1875) know. DEADLINE IS JULY 1.

The Elections Are Coming, The Elections Are Coming!

June is the month for primary elections! This year, there is no Republican primary. The Democratic primary will be held on June 25, 6 am - 9 pm, at Philipseburg Manor.

Three offices are included on the ballot for Sleepy Hollow: US Congressional District 16, 92nd New York Assembly District, and Westchester County District Attorney.

The League of Women Voters of Westchester recently held Candidate Forums for the candidates running for these positions. You can view videos for each forum by clicking on the buttons below.

The Democratic primary will be held on June 25, 6 am - 9 pm, at Philipseburg Manor. Closer to the election, you can sign up at the front desk for a Kendal van taking voters to the site.

There Are Authors Among Us

Muriel Fox’s book is hitting the shelves as of June 18! Want to know what it’s about? Here’s what the NYU Press had to say about it:

A Rare First-Person Account of the Women’s Movement

A comprehensive, indexed memoir about the Second Wave women’s movement by the cofounder of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Muriel Fox offers rare, firsthand stories of 29 women and one man, including Betty Freidan, but also many who have not previously been recognized for their contributions.

As NOW's public relations director, Fox orchestrated nationwide outreach. She was NOW's vice president, then Chair of the Board, then chaired the National Advisory Committee. As Betty Friedan’s main lieutenant and director of operations, Fox drafted numerous letters sent by NOW under Friedan’s signature to government officials demanding faster action to reduce sex discrimination, including a letter that helped persuade President Lyndon Johnson to add gender to Affirmative Action and open opportunities for millions of women.

Unlike books relying on secondary sources, Fox’s memoir is built mainly from her own Feminism Files containing hundreds of letters, clippings, notes, and photographs that she archived.

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Muriel will be delivering the Monday Night Program in the GR on June 24. And there’s a Book Party in the GR on June 26 from 4 to 6 pm.)

Words, Words, Words

I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.

Buying a new toilet was a big expense for me, so I decided to sit on it for a while.

I bought a vacuum cleaner six months ago and so far all it’s been doing is gathering dust.

I was addicted to the hokey pokey . . . but, thankfully, I turned myself around.

I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but it doesn’t matter, none of them work.

Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft drink. 

It was on the news the other day that a person at my condo got arrested for stealing cement. But they had to let them go because there was no concrete evidence.

I recently took a pole and found out 100% of the occupants were angry with me when their tent collapsed.

Contributed by Jane Hart

I Never Knew That . . .

Q.  What is the history of the invention of the microwave oven?

A.  In 1946, an engineer named Percy Spencer was studying electromagnetic radiation which had been harnessed in WWII. One day he discovered that a Mr. Goodyear candy bar that he had in his pocket to nosh on in the afternoon, had melted.  It gave him an idea, and he and his colleagues at Raytheon (where he worked ) set about to build an oven that generated heat from this source. 

By 1961 they had succeeded, but its size (six feet tall and weighing 350 pounds) made it suboptimal for distribution and widespread use. Subsequently many others joined in the search and, by 1974, an oven similar to what we use today had been constructed. 

A recent poll concluded that about 90% of American homes now have a microwave.

Contributed by Norman Sissman

For Your Funny Bone

Art and Poetry by Sheila Benedis

Social Butterfly

my mother

a Phi Beta Kappa cum laude college graduate

a mathematics teacher

wanted a child

who was a social butterfly

she never accepted me

tried to give me social skills

mainly dancing lessons

ignored my good qualities

my intelligence

never  exposed me to normal childhood activities

never took me to museums

never allowed me to take piano lessons

or go to concerts

I lost friends easily

felt very lonely

in high school I was on the high honor roll

a friend called  to congratulate my mother

she finally told me

social skills were easier than academic skills

she felt college was not important

I majored in mathematics in college

but was starved for music

attended every classical music concert possible

worked at inception of computer industry

found my love of art later in life

with support from my husband

why couldn’t I be a social butterfly?

my mother had no knowledge of Aspergers

even less concern for me

my blooming as an artist

was left for me to carry out

to leave behind to the world

Meditation 3

Art by Hart

Chuck had avian charm, but Lizzy did not date seagulls

Little Orphan Annie’s line of retro clothing had yet to take off

Kira’s algae hair gloss treatment was a mixed blessing

Finch wasn't sure he liked being Brenda’s Little Tomato

Sophie’s stories were by far the most interesting

Art and photos by Jane Hart

In and Around Kendal

Another Beautiful Rockwood Day

Early Morning

Photos by Carolyn Reiss

Uh Oh

Did the goats really get that hungry?

Photo by Gerry Mahoney

Ah, but then the culprit (not a resident) confessed. Seems some people — even with the flashing lights — don’t know the meaning of S-T-O-P. Ignoring same, they ran the stop sign, jumped the curb, and — voilà! — the sign in front of Alida. A cautionary tale?

Photo by Joe Bruno

Summer Is in the Air—and New Art Is on the Walls!

Photos by Harry Bloomfeld

A Walk in Springtime

A Well-Cropped Meadow

Green Meadow by the Still Waters

Falling Waters

Gold on Mount Kendal

Photos by Edward Kasinec

On the Terrace at Day’s End

Photo by Cynthia Ferguson

Celebrating a Job Well Done

All the work was done and the result was a great success. Those who had pitched in to make the new Summer Is in the Air art show happen (and assorted spouses) held an FDR celebration (after a couple of days of sleep).

Photos by Arthur Brady

Out and About

Maria in Wonderland

Recently, Maria Harris and family took a trip to the New York Botanical Gardens. Suddenly, they were down the Rabbit Hole and Through the Looking Glass in the new exhibit Wonderland: Curious Nature, on view now ‘til October 27.

Inspired by Alice’s cottage-crushing adventure in Wonderland, the bricks of this little house are made — wait for it — from mushrooms!

Maria et al happened upon the Red Queen (and company).

The show explores the life and times of author Lewis Carroll and myriad influences that shaped Alice’s iconic journey and its enduring impact on popular culture. Spanning 250 acres of gardens and exhibits, it also highlights the bizarre worlds of real-life plants and fungi that make up the eccentric ecosystems that produced them.

Think you’ll want a nosh while there? Wonderland: Curious Nature offers a range of dining possibilities, from tea-time treats to hearty meals at the Looking Glass Cafe and The Rose Court.

For more information, click here.

I Never Knew That

Q.  What causes lightning and thunder?

A. Since Kendal was built, two handsome large pine trees in Rockwood Park have been destroyed by lightning; one was observed by residents living in the northern ends of Robert Fulton and Alida.

I was surprised to learn that, in our age of sophisticated science, the mechanisms of lightning and thunder are not completely understood. What we do know is that positively charged ions sometimes accumulate in storm clouds. When they reach a high enough level they burst out and stream into areas of negatively charged particles, creating a flash of light and electricity aimed at the ground or at other clouds. This bolt creates rapid heating of the adjacent air and the noise this makes is the thunder. The reason we hear the thunder after we see the lightning ( when actually they occur simultaneously) is that sound travels considerably slower then light. In fact, if you could measure the interval accurately, you could determine how far away the lightning occurred, based on the known speed of sound. 

Contributed by Norman Sissman

Words, Words, Words . . .

I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.

Buying a new toilet was a big expense for me, so I decided to sit on it for a while.

I bought a vacuum cleaner 6 months ago and so far all it's been doing is gathering dust.

I was addicted to the hokey pokey . . . but, thankfully, I turned myself around. 

I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but it doesn’t matter; none of them work.

 Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft drink.

It was on the news the other day that a person at my condo got arrested for stealing cement. But they had to let them go because there was no concrete evidence.

I recently took a pole and found out 100% of the occupants were angry with me when their tent collapsed.

Contributed by Jane Hart