In and Around Kendal

Spring Comes to Rockwood Park

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Enclosed Green

Photo by Edward Kasinec

Rockwood’s Secret Garden

Photo by Edward Kasinec

Torrents of Pink

Photo by Edward Kasinec

Fresh Swamp Cabbage along the Brook

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Storm’s A-Comin’

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Rockwood Is For the Birds, by Carolyn Reiss

Mocking Bird in Flight

Tree Swallow, Upon Arrival

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Tree Swallow, Upon Departure

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

The First Purple Martens

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

The Final Eclipse Shot

The Eclipse: in Abstract

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

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

© 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.