Obecny's Bear
posted August 30, 2011 - by Carl Obecny
While we haven’t actually seen the bear(s), one evening about 5-6 weeks ago, I forgot to bring in the bird feeders. What a mistake that was! Our feeders as well as the wrought iron holders took quite a beating. In addition, we have seen bear scat in several spots around our blueberries and red currant bushes. Just about all the blueberries, not fenced, were stripped clean this year and a few bushes have experienced some minor damage. We’re assuming the bear was the culprit. One bear even left us a little gift right on our front patio!
So, they are out there. Which I must say, I’m happy about.
Backyard Bears in Beaverkill!
posted August 12, 2011, by Virginia Lawrence
On Tuesday, July 26, at about 11 in the morning, I was on the phone making a hotel reservation in Massachusetts. Roger and Liz were in the living room. Marina and Madeline had just gone down to spend the morning with the Adams grandchildren. Suddenly Liz started shouting at me to GET OFF THE PHONE.
I glanced out the window, and there at the top of the stone steps right beside our back porch was a massive black bear. I was so panicked that I couldn't remember how to call the Adams to warn them and the girls. I kept dialing the wrong number. Liz, meanwhile, raced out to the car and tore down the driveway to spread the alarm.
By the time I had finished struggling with the phone, the bear had vanished. Roger said it seemed to sense that we were there and hurried up to the top of the hill past the red chairs where it disappeared from view.
Of course we discussed its size. To me it looked massive and I guessed it to be about 400 pounds. Roger, however, felt it would be closer to 300 pounds. We did all note that it was shy and eager to leave us to our panic.
The next day I ran into John Adams who told me that the bear had come down the back side of the hill towards the Adams house, but that as soon as it caught sight of him in the driveway, it had rushed over the embankment into the road, and straight down to the picnic area beside the covered bridge. John followed and saw the bear check out the picnic tables before heading on over to the other side of the river, ambling in the direction of the main campsite. John mentioned that a much bigger bear has been spotted this summer on Reagan Road.
We then shared the story with Judy Rosen who passed it on to Rose Brown and Les Mattis. Les had his own bear story as it turned out. This summer he spotted a truly massive bear on his porch. The bear was on its hind legs playing with the bird feeder. Les, who is over 6-feet tall himself and has to stand on a chair to reach the feeder, estimated that the bear could reach up 8-9 feet, and that it might have weighed 500 pounds. He woke his grandson to come see the bear. The grandson, rubbing his sleepy eyes, declared the bear "cute."
A few days later in telling the story to Ross Francis, we learned that she, too, had seen a bear in the woods behind her house this summer, the biggest she has ever seen – 500 to 600 pounds she thought.
As a footnote: After the bear had appeared on his porch, Les called the authorities to see about having the bear trapped and moved to a less populated area. He was told that our area is, in fact, a preferred dumping ground for any bears they catch at the other end of the Catskills. Hmmm! Sounds like we may be in for more bear sightings.
Congregation Taken by Surprise
posted August 3, 2011 - by Virginia Lawrence from notes supplied by Stu Root
On the morning of Sunday, July 31, 2011, at the Beaverkill Methodist Church, choirmaster Stu Root, who was standing in for lay preacher Mary Hall laid up at home with a broken ankle, cut short his sermon about Jacob's wrestling match (Genesis, Chapter 33) to spring a surprise on the congregation. There was to be a wedding, and it was going to happen right then!
Lori Simpson Boomer and Bruce Boomer wished to renew their marriage vows in the church that had meant so much to Lori in her youth.
Lori is the granddaughter of Fred Rogers and Grace D. Rogers. The Rogers family lived for many years at the corner of Campsite Road where the Wiser-Adams family now resides. You may remember that the stained glass window at the back of the sanctuary is in memory of Grace Rogers, presented as a gift by Fred Rogers.
With Jacob's wrestling match curtailed, Lori and Bruce came to the front of the church where Lori introduced her mother, Mrs. Simpson, daughter of Fred and Grace, and a number of other family members. Mrs. Simpson gave a few words of thanks for being in our midst, and then read from Psalm 121:
I will lift up mine eyes to the hills
from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord.
Stand-in lay preacher, Stu Root, then read the vows scripted by Lori:
Lori and Bruce, more than twenty years ago you promised to love each other, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, and in sickness and in health.
Now Lori and Bruce, please repeat after me:
Again I take you to be my partner in life…
I give to you my unending love and devotion…
And I promise to dream with you forever.
After repeating their vows Lori and Bruce exchanged rings provided by best man Bruce Simpson.
Bruce Simpson then read from Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11:
I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.
Last of all, the stand-in lay preacher closed the ceremony saying: Lori and Bruce you may now seal your promises with a kiss.
And they did.
Berry Brook Farm Open House
posted July 4, 2011
Mermer Blakeslee and Eric Hamerstrom's garden
hosted by the Garden Conservancy
Saturday, July 9, 2011
10:00am to 4:00pm
details about the Bery Brook Farm Open House
summer schedule for the Garden Conservancy Open Days 2011
Beaverkill Church Schedule
posted June 14, 2011
BEAVERKILL METHODIST CHURCH 2011
Beaverkill Church will be holding services at 10 AM from Sunday, May 29 - Sunday, Sept. 4.
The Choir is directed by Stuart Root and the organist is Sean Carmichael.
Francis Waite is the Pastor and Mary Hall is the Lay Speaker.
This year we will have a rotating circuit of speakers at the pulpit who will address matters of faith from varying perspectives. he list through the rest of the summer, though subject to some degree of change, is:
July 3, Patricia Adams
July 10, Pastor Fran
July 17, Mary Hall
July 24, Pat Lackey,
mother of Roscoe resident Jeff Lackey,
who is visiting from her mission in Maun, Botswana
July 31, Mary Hall
Aug. 7, Bob Jones
Aug.14, Gary Jaskula
Aug. 21, Pastor Fran
Aug. 28, Ellen Singer
Sept. 4, Children's Service
The Beaverkill Church welcomes everyone and we hope to see you there. |
Photos: Trout Parade July 2010
posted December 7, 2010
Grand Master Mac Francis
more photos>> - photos Jane Sokolow
Elizabeth Hamerstrom
posted December 3, 2010
 |
Liz at 60 at the Vogels' house |
Elizabeth Hamerstrom, 92, died November 30th, 2010, at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home. Liz was born February 16, 1918, in Kansas City, Missouri to Ruth de Steiguer and Richard Beatty. Majoring in art history, she graduated from Radcliffe College in 1940. She moved to New York City and married Davis Hamerstrom, a young architect, in 1942. They were married for 51 years until Davis’s death in 1993. They lived in New York and Old Greenwich, Connecticut before they moved with their two young sons to the Beaverkill area in 1954. They formed, with Tom and Dottie Benedict, an architectural partnership, which designed many businesses, school additions, and residences in the area. Liz managed the office for almost 40 years.
She was a founding member of Natural Resources Defense Council, an early supporter of WJFF, and a contributor to many other charities. She served as treasurer for the Beaverkill Community Church.
All her life, she appreciated beauty and art. She was an expert editor, proof reader, and cook, hosting many parties for her friends of all ages, many of whom consider her the matriarch of the community. Fun-loving, unpretentious and practical, she had a dry, original wit.
Liz will be missed by her many friends; two sons, Ed and Eric Hamerstrom, daughter-in-law Mermer Blakeslee, of the Roscoe area; grandson, Hansen Bergamini, his wife Cecily Martin, and great-grandson Rafe, of Chicago, IL.
There will be a private gathering to remember Liz. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Catskill Mountainkeeper, PO Box 381 Youngsville, NY 12791.
John Adams Honored
President Obama has just announced that John Adams has been awarded the highest civilian honor - the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
November 18, 2010
White House Press Release here
Nature Post: Birds, Beetles, and Bears
John Kelly October 11, 2010
I think posts of sightings, no matter how episodic, anecdotal, and unscientific, are interesting and will become more and more so, and maybe even useful, over time. Here are some of my most recent ones:
Saw the same crowd of post adolescent, uber robust, frequent flier wannabe robins that visited Patricia at about the same date in September. Haven't seen this type of mob before. Also, no monarchs at all. The tiger swallowtails still show the flag.
Very oddly, no [or very few] Japanese beetles. Usually the grape vines are crawling with them. Reasonable sightings of turkeys; one flock of at least 13, two hens, no males. Not much coyote howling in Laraway Hollow, tho a pack must have made a kill around mid-day last Sunday as we were leaving, celebrating with the usual bloodcurdling shrieks and cries. Much woodchuck action, but this will take a full historic and analytic essay. Lady deer in usual numbers and frequency--they show at the top of the meadow around cocktail hour. Not trying to cadge an invitation I think, but they stare in a most wistful way. A group of five last week with one quite young--I hope not the coyote victim.
Bears. No sightings this year and no evidence of presence. Second hand, I'm told of several sightings and porch entries at the Lotz house on the banks of the Willowemoc across from the revivified Beaverkill Garage. Also have gotten more general word of unusual numbers of bears near the river on downstream towards Roscoe. Further to bears, I am glad that this venue has become available even tho I came up dry this year.
I have found that it is impossible to relate a bear story in this group. Hardly before even the briefest and most colorful tale can be completed, a distant look comes into the eye of the Beaverkill listener, and he or she is off their own bear story, obviously topping your own.
And indeed, if the listener has no bear story to claim, they will come up just as quickly with a second hand story of how their friend Blotz
managed to talk to a bear. The written word, however, foils them, and
I only regret that the ursines shunned me this year.
Weather Watch: Manor Flooded Again
posted on www. hudsonvalley.ynn.com on October 1, 2010
Click herefor a video report on the flooding in the Manor.
Nature Post: Bird Watch
Patricia Adams October 2, 2010
On September 19 a flock (at least 50) of robins landed in our yard at about 7 a.m. They kept busy pulling hapless worms out of the lawn ( I was surprised they could get them considering how dry it had been) for about an hour and then flew away. I assume they have flocked together for their trip south. I would love to hear about other flocks of birds passing through.
Our hummingbirds left around September 12. Also I only saw one Monarch Butterfly this year - and it was caught behind the window in our bathroom. Of course I let it out and he/she immediately headed south. Did anyone see Monarchs this year?
The heron is still here - has almost completely fished out our little pond.
Nature Post: A Wee Bird
Patricia Adams October 2, 2010
Louis Shawcross is the son of our cousin Neil Shawcross, who is a painter and many of the Friends bought paintings of Neil''s when we had a show for him up at the Gallery in Lew Beach a few years ago. Louis showed up at our door step, after hitch hiking from Vermont where he worked in a camp for children with disabilities.He had lost his wallet and passport so had no money or ID so stayed a month with us while he got things cleared up.I wrote about this incident to our family.
Thursday morning I was getting ready to leave to do my spots for WJFF and I saw Louis from my office window. He was walking slowing around under the apple tree looking at something in his hand. It looked like he was texting on his blackberry, but Louis doesn’t have a blackberry. I finished up what I had to do and then as I was leaving, I went out and asked him what he had.
“A wee bird,” he answered.
In his hands was a fledgling – and I could see it quivering.
“I think it’s going to die,” he said. “It’s just shaking all over. Those big blue birds (blue jays) must have injured it – they were diving at it in the grass. They were going to kill it.”
I’ve always heard that if you pick up a baby bird, the parents will not come back to it, and also, the little bird really did look like it was about to expire. But before I actually left, Louis said the bird had calmed down and he could feel its heart beat. The bird had a black cap above its eyes, and even to me, when he blinked his eyes, he looked a bit stronger.
I left, but Louis held that ‘wee bird’ for over 2 hours in his hand. Then when he felt the bird was strong again, he opened his hand and the bird flew to his shoulder and pooped. Louis checked the bird poop to see what it had been eating, so he could get it more berries. (choke cherries) Then he went upstairs and leaned out the window and let the bird go. That didn’t work too well, because first the bird flew back at him and hit the window. But Louis got it again and took it out on the lawn. Finally it hopped a bit and then flew into the lilac bush, where it still was when I got home in the evening. Louis could hear the bird and see the parents flying into the bush, but he couldn’t find the bird. He returned to the bush over and over and looked for it until the sun went down.
The next morning I had to go over to Ramsay and Ananda’s and I was in their living room with Violet and looked out the window- saw a movement – and there was the little bird! As I watched, the parents flew in and brought it food. Then I saw that they were Cedar Waxwings, who come through here in August – this must be why there is a baby bird so late in the season.
We watched Friday and Saturday – the bird flew first to a maple near the barn, the parents still bringing it food and then on Sunday flew away.
Seth Sternberg
posted September 6, 2010
Seth Sternberg died suddenly and unexpectedly on September 6th at his home on Pelnor Hollow Road. Seth was a member of the Friends of Beaverkill Community and it was he who donated the organ to the Beaverkill Church.
