Yes, I am alive...though being a typical male who does not do being sick very well, I would have told you last week as I SUFFERED through an absolutely HORRID cold, complete with congestion and all that other stuff that I was dying...not literally, but figuratively. So, my one day leave of absence to celebrate my birthday was far longer than intended as I spent most of the week laying in bed or on my sofa lamenting my imminent demise. So, first let me apologize for my absence. It was not intended, but the good news is I am on the mend and feeling much more chipper today...in short, contrary to my my gnashing of teeth and sworn oath that I was dying, I am not.
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| Train Garden During Snow Storm |
There is so much news to speak on...
We had our first real snow this past week here in Mountaindale NY last week...read that to mean one that has stayed around for a few days. Was just outside, and the weather is nice, temperatures hovering near fifty, the season feeling more like spring than the end days of winter. We received a STUNNING photograph of last years award winning Train Sculpture Garden in the snow storm from Micheline Gingras that I am sharing it...the train almost looks like and old abandoned O&W Steam Locomotive like the one that crashed here in Mountaindale back in 1903. Thank you so much for the sharing...the link embedded in "Train Sculpture Garden above shows the garden in summer time...will be interesting to see how the community maintains this beautiful space in coming years.
The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce embarked on a very unique program called Chamber on The Run, where they park in various Sullivan County communities on a week to week basis visiting on the local businesses, and attending to Chamber business. We are fortunate to have their motor-home/office parked on our own Main Street this week here in Mountaindale, and I can see there HUGE RV just outside my window.
Lets not forget that the Sullivan Renaissance Annual Conference is March 10th! A sure sign that Spring is almost upon us, and that means Sullivan Renaissance Project time. I personally had a great time being the Committee Chair and designer for MCDP's award winning Train Garden Project in 2011, the hours spent out on the train this past summer beautiful ones. This year, I will be working with the team over in Rockhill on an even bigger project and am very excited at all the things being pulled together over there as the deadline for summiting applications approaches.
In other local news, the brochure and historical signage subcommittee of the "Rails to Trails" Committee has been working VERY HARD on the deliverable items for two grants we received from "Parks and Trails New York". One of these projects is new Historical Signage out on the trail...this past week the overall forward design for these signs was settled upon pending final full committee approval. (Much thanks to the subcommittee members for their tireless efforts on these projects...Allen Frishman, Susan Carr, Adele Novick, Sherwood Martinelli and Barb Schmitt). Look for pictures later this week.
