A hair under 60F at 8.30am with a mix of sun and clouds, rising to 75F by 1pm.
© J.N. Urbanski 1.20pm
Daily Catskills: 06/23/16
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Tag Archives: Country Living
Evening Catskills: 06/22/16
I rarely have the opportunity to present a good sunset because the sun sets behind my ridge and is obscured by an acre of trees, but occasionally I get a good shot of our peaceful evenings.
© J.N. Urbanski 6/22/16 8.40pm
Daily Catskills: 06/22/16
65F at 8.30am, sunny with armadas of scudding clouds, rising to 77F by the afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 2.20pm
Daily Catskills: 06/21/16
65F at 8.30am rising to 78F by mid-afternoon. Another scorcher.
© J.N. Urbanski 12.30pm
Daily Catskills: 06/20/16
64F at 8.30am, humid and cloudy rising to 84F by mid-afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 11.45am
Daily Catskills: 06/19/16
84F by noon and very bright with hazy cloud cover.
© J.N. Urbanski 7pm
The Catskill 35: Southwest Hunter
© J.N. Urbanski
The hike to Southwest Hunter was beautifully serene until halfway up The Devil’s Path I suddenly found myself in the midst of what I thought might be – but was not – young Giant Hogweed patch and froze in terror with my elbows in. I avoided touching it, but the dog raced on ahead of me and brushed through all the leaves that obstructed the path. “Giant hogweed!” I shouted to my hiking mate, who happens to be my husband. “Don’t touch it! Don’t touch the dog!”
“OK,” he said, nonplussed and walked on, clearly not fussed at all. I shouted out the consequences of brushing past Giant Hogweed to his back as he retreated into the forest brushing it with his bare arm. I proceeded gingerly through the patch passing what looked like enormous coriander leaves on stalks topped with large, distinctive, white floral umbrells.
The plants were six feet high and far too big to be poison hemlock. Out came the mobile phone, which remained raised in the air for a while and – lo and behold – you can get a faint signal on certain spots on the Devil’s Path and the occasional strong one. Good news. A spousal debate over tiny Internet images of Giant Hogweed ensued that became more annoying than the prospect of being burned by a poison plant…
Daily Catskills: 06/17/16
A scorching 80F by noon with clear skies.
© J.N. Urbanski 4pm
Daily Catskills: 06/16/16
64F at 8.30am and clear skies, rising to 80F by 3pm. Cloudy in the afternoon with brief periods of sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 3pm
Rhapsody in Hue
© J.N. Urbanski
Dotted around the Catskills through the warmer months this year, in leafy nooks and floral crannies, on (disused) train tracks and atop mountains, you’ll find Plein Air painters at their easels from dawn to dusk. The East Branch of the Delaware River Plein Air Group meet every Tuesday and yesterday they were painting on the curated grounds of The Blackbird Inn in Halcotsville, possible the most picturesque hamlet in the Catskills. There were patches of vivid red poppies; fresh mullein glistening with essential oils, getting ready to start their journey upwards like cornstalks from a double set of train tracks; kayaks laid out on the shore of Lake Wawaka were waiting for visitors from far and wide to Susan’s Pleasant Pheasant Farm.
Daily Catskill: 06/14/16
52F at 8.30am, clear and sunny rising to 66F by noon.
© J.N. Urbanski 10.15am
© J.N. Urbanski 10.15am
Daily Catskills: 06/13/16
48F at 8.30am and grey with a chilly breeze, rising to 60F by mid-afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 5pm
Daily Catskills: 06/12/16
64F by mid-morning, lowering to 55F by 5pm. Windy, chilly and overcast with brief periods of sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 2.40pm
Daily Catskills: 06/11/16
60F by mid-morning with torrential rain, rising to 72F and sunny by late afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 5pm
Daily Catskills: 06/10/16
64F by mid-morning with a steady breeze, rising to 74F by the afternoon with mostly clear skies.
© J.N. Urbanski 7pm
June Events in the Catskills
© J.N. Urbanski
Today Friday 10th through Sunday June 12th, the Catskill Center is hosting Taking Flight: Birding in the Catskills.
Saturday June 11th, the Catskills own live radio event, Catskill Cabaradio will be hosted at the Pine Hill Center, in Pine Hill. Hosted by Elly Wininger, the event will be “an evening of music, drama, local lore, and laughs”, exploring the theme of “Food in the Catskills” with some of the region’s most celebrated and unique residents. In addition to growers, purveyors, chefs and food activists, there will be performances by a crop of regional talent including musician Chris Maxwell, poet and storyteller Margot Farrington, and young Maxwell Barnes, saxophonist. The potluck dishes are some of the best cooking in the Catskills.
Voices of Wisdom Gathering at the Blue Deer Center on June 11th and 12th. The gathering will start on Saturday at noon. People will sit by the fire and each of the two elders will speak in turn, offering the wisdom that they see is needed in that moment. The talks and conversations will be followed by a potluck dinner. The Blue Deer Center is
The 5th Annual Living History Cemetery Tour hosted by Middletown Historical Society will be held at Halcott Cemetery in Greene County near Fleischmanns on Saturday, June 18th. Tour goers will visit eight departed residents, portrayed by local actors, who will talk about their lives, loves and losses. Meet a fugitive “calico Indian;” a little girl remembering her Halcott childhood punctuated by tragedy; a farm couple whose long life together was ended by a charging bull; a young World War 1 soldier who fell to the Spanish flu. Tours begin every 20 minutes starting at 4pm. Reserve a tour time by calling 845-586-4736 by June 15th.
Straight Out Of The Ground Farm is hosting a farm dinner on Saturday June 25th for $55 a person. Make a reservation here.
Amy’s Takeaway in Lanesville is open all weekend this weekend from Friday, June 10th through Sunday, June 12th, 2016, 11am to 7pm with a special menu.
© J.N. Urbanski
Daily Catskills: 06/09/16
52F at 8.30am, rising to 63F by mid-afternoon with clear skies and high winds.
© J.N. Urbanski 4pm
Daily Catskills: 06/08/16
55F at 8.30am, sinking to 52F by mid-afternoon, cloudy, chilly with afternoon rain and down to 48F by the evening. A cold snap.
© J.N. Urbanski 6.20am
Daily Catskill: 06/07/16
63F at 8.30am with rolling clouds, light breeze and brief periods of sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 9.30am
Daily Catskills: 06/05/16
65F by mid-morning, overcast with heavy rain.
© J.N. Urbanski 12.30pm
Daily Catskills: 06/04/16
77F by mid-morning, humid and cloudy. 87F by mid-afternoon and sunny.
© J.N. Urbanski 12.30pm
Bebert’s Potato Cake
© J.N. Urbanski
Bebert’s Moroccan Cafe & Grocery opened in Fleischmanns last week. I wrote an article in the Watershed Post about it that you can find here. For the article, I had a tasting of Bebert’s condiments, and Bebert made a delicious Moroccan Potato Cake to go with some iced tea, which I mentioned in the article. The potato cake was delicious and included one of my favorites: peas. Here’s his recipe:
Boil 8 medium potatoes. Peel and mash coarsely. Beat 5 eggs, add to potatoes and mix well. Add 4 ounces of green peas (fresh or frozen). Add 2 slices of preserved lemons finely chopped. Season with 1 teaspoon of paprika, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into oiled, medium cast iron skillet. Cook in 350F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Invert skillet and serve hot or room temperature.
© J.N. Urbanski
Daily Catskills: 06/03/16
66F by mid-morning, humid, overcast after overnight rain and a bit gloomy. 73F by 2pm and muggy.
© J.N. Urbanski 2.20pm
Catskills Weekend: June 4th & 5th
© J.N. Urbanski
On Saturday 4th June from 10am to 3pm, the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Interpretive Center hosts a book fair. 5096 Rte 28, Mt Tremper, NY, 12457.
On Saturday 4th, 11am to 1pm: National Trails Day, where Catskill Center and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference will be celebrating the grand opening of the newly constructed Nature Trail at the at the Maurice D Hinchey Catskills Interpretive Center.
On Saturday 4th June at 3pm, at the Erpf Gallery in the Catskills Center in Arkville, Robert and Johanna Titus, along with Art Murphy, will be speaking about the exhibit entitled The Geology of the Devonian: the Heart of the Catskills. After the talk there will be a reception to celebrate 25 years of the “Kaatskill Geologist” in Kaatskill Life Magazine.
Saturday & Sunday 4th & 5th June, Paint Main Street in Roxbury with Catskills artist Lisbeth Firmin. Tickets available at the Roxbury Arts Group.
Saturday Night: Pizza Night at Lazy Crazy Acres Farm in Arkville.
Sunday 5th June: Washington Square at Opus 40, a sculpture park and museum in an abandoned bluestone quarry in the town of Saugerties, NY, in Ulster County, about 100 miles north of New York City created by Harvey Fite, one of the founders of the Bard College Fine Arts Department. It’s a stunning monument on 70 acres that you can walk around. Admission is free on Sunday morning to anyone bearing an acoustic instrument for the picking circle.
An article from the Wall Street Journal on how to treat tick-infested clothing.
Where to stay while enjoying these events: Spillian in Fleischmanns, Breezy Hill Inn, River Run, Foxfire Mountain House, or The Emerson.
© J.N. Urbanski
Daily Catskills: 06/02/16
65F at 8.30am, clear and sunny.
© J.N. Urbanski 8.30am
Daily Catskills: 06/01/16
71F at 8.30am, quickly rising to 81F by 10.30am, clear and sunny.
© J.N. Urbanski 9.20am
Daily Catskills: 05/31/16
59F at 7.30am, sun rising through a shroud of mist. Update: 84F by mid-afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 7.50am
Daily Catskills: 05/30/16
61F by 8am, still humid after overnight rain with mist rising off the mountains. 82F by mid-afternoon with very hazy sunshine and early evening rain.
© J.N. Urbanski 2.45pm
Daily Catskills: 05/29/16
85F by mid-morning, hazily overcast, very humid with a light breeze and isolated showers.
© J.N. Urbanski 4.50pm
Daily Catskills: 05/28/16
69F at 8am with hazy sunshine, rising to 86F by mid-morning with scattered clouds. Scorcher.
© J.N. Urbanski 11.15am
Daily Catskills: 05/27/16
81F by 11am, overcast but scorching in the brief periods of sunshine. Late afternoon rain and humidity. Steamy.
© J.N. Urbanski 4.40pm
Changing Landscapes: Fleischmanns
© J.N. Urbanski 4/9/16 11.30am
The cluster of old A.H. Todd & Son barn buildngs between the school on Wagner and Bebert’s Cafe on Main Street in Fleischmanns were demolished last week. The picture above might be the last image of the buildings standing. Update on this to come.
Weekend Links: 05/27/16
© J.N. Urbanski
Fleischmanns gains an exotic cafe; read my article in the Watershed Post.
A Memorial Weekend yard sale on Saturday and Sunday in the parking area between Arkville Bread Breakfast and Union Grove Distillery.
Fleischmanns is having a Memorial Day street fair on Saturday, 10am to 4pm.
If you come to visit, don’t forget to pack up your trash and take it with you. Last year, the Blue Hole, Peekamoose’s swimming hole was strewn with rubbish. Days and weeks later, hikers were still bagging litter on their way home. Jeff Vincent highlights this problem in his piece in this week’s Watershed Post. As a mountain guide, he regularly carries out rubbish on his hikes. This year, the DEC has issued new rules for enjoying the area.
If you have any weekend links you would like to suggest, please email [email protected].
Daily Catskills: 05/26/16
82F by noon, with hazy sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 5pm
Catskills Pizza
© J.N. Urbanski
The “Earthy” at Lazy Crazy Acres Farm‘s Saturday Pizza Night.
Daily Catskills: 05/21/16
63F by mid-afternoon, humid and overcast with some rain.
© J.N. Urbanski 4.50pm
Daily Catskills: 05/20/16
63F by 9am, clear and sunny. 73F by mid-afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 2pm
Daily Catskills: 05/19/16
60F at 8am, clear, warm and sunny with rolling clouds. 70F by 1pm.
© J.N. Urbanski 5pm
English Food in the Catskills
© J.N. Urbanski
If you like a proper British slap-up meal, this Saturday and Sunday May 21st and May 22nd, Arkville Bread Breakfast, home of the best fish and chips in the Catskills will be serving it up. On both Saturday and Sunday mornings, full English breakfast will be served. Plus on Saturday, a full British lunch too. ABB is open until 2pm Saturday and 1pm Sunday.
Menu
Full English Fry-Up
Bangers & Mash
Eggy Bread
Bacon Butties
Sides include Bubble & Squeak, Heinz Beans, Black & White Pudding
Scones
Get Ready.
43285 State Rte 28 (on the other side of the tracks at the crossroad of Rte 38)
Arkville, NY 12406
Tel: 845-586-1122
Daily Catskills: 05/18/16
57F by 9am, with hazy sunshine, rising to 66F by 2pm.
© J.N. Urbanski 2pm
Pizza Night at Lazy Crazy Acres Farm in Arkville
© J.N. Urbanski
We’ve waited all winter for a lot of things and Pizza Night at Lazy Crazy Acres Farm in Arkville is one of them. You can’t spit in the Catskills without hitting good pizza and Lazy Crazy Acres’ delicious pies are up there with the best, hand made right in front of you in their outdoor oven. Lazy Crazy Acres is a picturesque, rural homestead nestled in Rider Hollow by a roaring brook, with chickens, kittens, a barn, maple syrup for sale ($10 a pint), a kids’ play area, a rhubarb patch and hay rides up to their ridge above the farm that boasts stunning 360-degree views of the Catskill Mountains.
Daily Catskills: 05/17/16
55F at 9am and overcast rising to 61F by mid-afternoon.
© J.N. Urbanski 7pm
Daily Catskills: 05/16/16
36F at 7am, clear skies and cold with blustery winds. Blossoms still hanging in there despite the cold snap. 54F by 1pm and windy.
© J.N. Urbanski 2pm
Farm to Belly: Rhubarb
© J.N. Urbanski
If you let your rhubarb go to seed every year for two or three years without harvesting, it’ll become so strong and well established that you’ll end up with robo-barb: a fat, thigh-high bush with stalks as thick as broomsticks. It will be worth the wait to eat rhubarb from a three year old plant. I’ve tucked a little one-ounce shot glass from Amsterdam to help with the comparison here (pictured above). Pick stalks that are ten inches long at least. The shorter one here pictured above was taken by accident. Take only half the plant, as you need your rhubarb plant to go to seed before the winter. The best thing about rhubarb is that the animals hate it more than the asparagus, so it goes untouched year after year. Its season varies from April to June and although it’s considered a vegetable, it’s used like a fruit. It can go to seed as early as a month after the first harvest. Some brave souls eat the stalks raw. However, the leaves are poisonous, containing oxalate, so cut them off with at least an inch of the stalk and discard immediately.
Daily Catskills: 05/15/16
45F at 9am with a morning mixture of cloud and snow and brief dashes of sun.
© J.N. Urbanski 11.30am
© J.N. Urbanski 7.30pm
Daily Catskills: 05/14/16
66F by noon, with hazy sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 9.30am
Daily Catskills: 05/13/16
63F at 8am, humid and misty with light rain. Rain for most of the day.
© J.N. Urbanski
Daily Catskills: 05/12/16
54F at 7.30am rising to 81F by 2pm. Clear, warm and sunny.
© J.N. Urbanski 2.20pm
Artist’s Reception in Hunter, Alix Hallman Travis
Travis, A.H., Winter Apples with Turkeys, o/c, 30×30 in.
An artist’s reception this weekend for “Catskill Mountain Life; a celebration of community”, paintings by Alix Hallman Travis at THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION’S KAATERSKILL FINE ARTS & CRAFTS GALLERY, Hunter Village Square, Hunter, New York, from 1pm to 3pm.
Exhibition hours: Friday & Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 10am to 3pm or by appointment.
Catskills Sandwich: Breadfellows Bread and Homegrown Zucchini
© J.N. Urbanski
Homemade Catskills sandwich: Breadfellows‘ delicious semolina bread, lightly toasted with boiled eggs and last year’s home grown (frozen) zucchini sauteed in butter. Tasty.
Daily Catskills: 05/11/16
A whopping 75F by noon, clear skies and hot on the peaks.
© J.N. Urbanski 10am
Daily Catskills: 05/10/16
61F by the afternoon and bright with wispy cloud cover.
© J.N. Urbanski 5pm
Daily Catskills: 05/09/16
47F at 8am rising to 62F by 2pm. Clear and sunny all day with a light breeze.
© J.N. Urbanski 2,.30pm
Daily Catskills: 05/08/16
55F by 1pm, sunny, breezy with an armada of passing clouds.
© J.N. Urbanski 1pm
Daily Catskills: 05/07/16
44F at 9.30am rising to 61F at noon with brief periods of sunshine.
© J.N. Urbanski 4pm