Art by Hart

With his morning workouts and his high-tech roller shoes, Dobbin had a chance at the Belmont

Bodie identified as a Norwegian Forest Cat

Alvin’s puppy had already outgrown his under-the-seat travel carrier

Grace, an empty nester, had to think about her next move

Fiske, a super-sized mosquito, camouflaged as a flower for hunting purposes

Art and photos by Jane Hart

In and Around Kendal

8:20 pm from the Clermont Bridge

Photo by Cynthia Ferguson

Adventures in Rockwood Park

Purple Martins, Mother and Child

Photo by Carolyn Reiss

Rockwood Adventures with Daphne

For those who sadly followed the recent demise of Daphne (aka “The Lady Tree”) in Rockwood Park, we give you Her Final Resting (and Disposal) Place and . . .

. . . not a stone’s throw away . . . could it be a new Daphne rising from the proverbial ashes?

Photos by Mimi Abramovitz

Out and About

Maria’s Memorial Day Walk

On Memorial Day, Maria Harris decided to take a walk by the river. The day was warm and only got warmer. But then she arrived at an enchanting sight: the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, unsheathed, renewed, and — dare we say it—refreshed.

Lynn and Art’s Great Adventure, by Art Brady

In mid-May, Lynn & Art Brady spent 5 days in Chincoteague Island, VA, and were entranced by the birds, the “beasts,” and the beauty of the area.

The Birds

American Oyster Catcher

Black-Headed Gull

Cormorant (possibly?)

Ibis

Turkey Vulture

Duck (interested in kicky tires?)

The Beasts: Mares with Foals — and, Finally, a Stallion

Stallion (he’s the third from the right) with Mares and Foals

The Beauty

Surf at Assateague Beach

Coast Guard Assateague Lighthouse

Photos by Art Brady

American History ala a Close Shave

I’m sure that Burma Shave actually saved some lives. People laughed and then were more careful! It was a real “service” to America, even though it was an advertisement and it was one of the rare “really useful” ones!

For those who never saw any of the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930s and ’40s:

Before there were interstates, when everyone drove the old 2 lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers’ fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4-line couplet . . . and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream.

 Such as:

DON'T STICK YOUR ELBOW

OUT SO FAR

IT MAY GO HOME

IN ANOTHER CAR.

BURMA SHAVE

 

TRAINS DON'T WANDER

ALL OVER THE MAP

'CAUSE NOBODY SITS

IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP.

BURMA SHAVE

 

SHE KISSED THE HAIRBRUSH

BY MISTAKE

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS

HER HUSBAND JAKE.

BURMA SHAVE

 

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD

TO GAIN A MINUTE

YOU NEED YOUR HEAD

YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT.

BURMA SHAVE

 

DROVE TOO LONG

DRIVER SNOOZING

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

IS NOT AMUSING.

BURMA SHAVE

BROTHER SPEEDER

LET'S REHEARSE

ALL TOGETHER

GOOD MORNING, NURSE.

BURMA SHAVE

 

CAUTIOUS RIDER

TO HER RECKLESS DEAR

LET'S HAVE LESS BULL

AND A LITTLE MORE STEER.

BURMA SHAVE

 

SPEED WAS HIGH

WEATHER WAS NOT

TIRES WERE THIN

X MARKS THE SPOT.

BURMA SHAVE

 

THE MIDNIGHT RIDE

OF PAUL FOR BEER

LED TO A WARMER

HEMISPHERE.

BURMA SHAVE

 

AROUND THE CURVE

LICKETY-SPLIT

BEAUTIFUL CAR

WASN'T IT?

BURMA SHAVE

 

NO MATTER THE PRICE

NO MATTER HOW NEW

THE BEST SAFETY DEVICE

IN THE CAR IS YOU.

BURMA SHAVE

 

A GUY WHO DRIVES

A CAR WIDE OPEN

IS NOT THINKIN'

HE'S JUST HOPIN’

BURMA SHAVE

 

AT INTERSECTIONS

LOOK EACH WAY

A HARP SOUNDS NICE

BUT IT'S HARD TO PLAY.

BURMA SHAVE

 

BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL

EYES ON THE ROAD

THAT'S THE SKILLFUL

DRIVER'S CODE.

BURMA SHAVE

THE ONE WHO DRIVES

WHEN HE'S BEEN DRINKING

DEPENDS ON YOU

TO DO HIS THINKING.

BURMA SHAVE

 

CAR IN DITCH

DRIVER IN TREE

THE MOON WAS FULL

AND SO WAS HE.

BURMA SHAVE

 

PASSING SCHOOL ZONE

TAKE IT SLOW

LET OUR LITTLE

SHAVERS GROW.

BURMA SHAVE

Contributed by Mike Kornfield

Primary Elections: Your Right and Responsibility

‘Tis the season for primaries. This year, there’s only a Democratic Party primary. It will be held Tuesday, June 25, from 6 am to 9 pm, at Philipseburg Manor. If you’re registered with the Democratic Party, mark your calendar!

Not registered to vote in New York? You can remedy that by filling out a registration form. The deadline for registering is June 15. Forms are available by calling either:

Westchester Board of Elections: 914-995-5700

Or, much more convenient:

Annette Leyden at ext 1202

WHO CAN VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION?

New York has a “closed system” for primary elections, which means only those registered with the party can vote in the primary election.

WHO’S ON THE BALLOT?

Two offices are being primaried this election:

New York State Assembly

Tom Abinanti

MaryJane Shimsky  

District Attorney

Susan Cacace

William Wagstaff

Adele Miriam

Kendal will have at least one van trip to the polls on Primary Election Day. A few days before the Tuesday, June 25, Primary Election, there will be a sign-up sheet at the front desk.

CAN I VOTE EARLY OR BY ABSENTEE BALLOT?

Yes to both early voting and absentee ballot. For more information about either or both, please call Annette Leyden at ext 1202.

There Are Heroes Among Us

YPIE Honors Carolyn Reiss

Carolyn has volunteered at Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE) for 8 years, providing mentoring and enrichment for college-oriented students from low-income or first-generation families. Her role includes developing meaningful relationships with “her” students, serving as a conduit to broaden their horizons, providing connections to resources to help them reach their potential, and supporting them through high school graduation.

On May 21, she was honored at a Gratitude Celebration as Volunteer of the Year for Yonkers Middle High School, one of six public high schools in the city.

YPIE Volunteer of the Year

The adult next to Carolyn is the college advisor. The tall student is her student who started at Fordham in 2023. The student at the far right is her other student, who is at NYU. The other young women are “graduates” of the YPIE program. The young woman in the white top is “doing pre-law at John Jay,” next to her is another YPIE student who just graduated from Purchase college, having completed her degree in 3 years. Amazing young women — with a committed, and suitably honored, volunteer.

Congratulations, Carolyn!

I Never Knew That

In Switzerland, It Is Illegal to Own Just One Guinea Pig

The Swiss are known for their historic commitment to neutrality, but they’ve taken a firm stand on one of the most important issues of our time: guinea pigs. Because guinea pigs are social creatures who grow lonesome without a friend, it’s illegal to own just one of them in Switzerland. The law was introduced in 2008 as part of a legislative effort to grant social rights to pets. Should one guinea pig depart this mortal coil and leave its companion alone — and its owner in potential legal trouble — rent-a-guinea-pig services have emerged as a temporary solution.

Guinea pigs aren’t the only pets afforded special status in Switzerland. Goldfish are also prohibited from being kept alone, cats must at least have access to a window where they can see their fellow felines prowling around, and, for a time, dog owners were required to take an obligatory training course with their pooch, although that law was repealed in 2016. For all this, Switzerland doesn’t have an official national animal — though both the country and the Alps in general are strongly associated with cows and Saint Bernards.

Source: Interestingfacts.com

Contributed by Jane Hart

Art by Hart

Irving embodied all the qualities of a first class bubble pipe

Lucia found life in a goldfish bowl predictable and reassuring

Alexa loved her quiet early mornings on the lake

All it took was a jumbo poster, and Minerva had reinvented herself as a Life Coach

Dobbin wanted to look fabulous for the Belmont

Art and photos by Jane Hart

Out and About

An Unusual Visitor

Valerie Wallace’s son Andrew, who lives in Hartsdale, sent the following email and photos, around 8:15 pm:

“This afternoon — about 3:30 — I got back to the apartment from a run and was in our living room starting to take off my shoes and I looked up and saw this magnificent red-tailed hawk on the fire escape right outside the window.  He was there for a long time.  I watched him for about 15 minutes . . . about 30 minutes [later], he was still there.  He then left, but when I stepped into the living room while I was making dinner about 30 minutes ago, he was back! Seems very much at home.”

Watching You . . .

Handsome Profile

The Intrepid Traveller

Gerry Mahoney has been sailing around the British Isles and sending lovely pictures of her stops along the way. This group — her final before returning home — are from the Shetland Islands and Bergen, Norway.

Shetland Islands

For Shetland tv show fans, Jimmy Perez’s home

True son of the Isles: a Shetland pony

Bergen, Norway

Last stop: Bergen, a beautiful Norwegian city

Weird-looking guy, Ibsen

The TASH Farmers Market Celebrated Its #10

Be a Soft-Plastic Buddy!

Keep those soft plastic “contributions” coming! And the emphasis is on “soft”! Nothing hard-edged, nothing boxy, no soda or water bottles. YES to the following types:

And “Yes” and “Thank You” to all the intrepid souls who have been scouring their apartments for this stuff. Keep it coming! We have a June 30 deadline and it doth approach with speed.

Reminder: Yes, we’re doing this for the environment, but also for the kids of Washington Irving School. Be a soft-plastic-donating-buddy for the Buddy Bench! Our soft plastic can turn into their happy friendships.

Words, Words, Words . . .

Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it’s a whole sentence.

I’m trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find.

I got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts. I won’t lie, it was a rocky road.

I went to the toy store and asked the assistant where the Schwarzenegger dolls are and he replied, “Aisle B, back.”

I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.

Q:  What do you say to comfort a friend who’s struggling with grammar?

A:  There, their, they’re.

Q:  What did the surgeon say to the patient who insisted on closing up her own incision?

A:  Suture self.

Contributed by Joe Bruno

New to Residents Website: Book Review

We had an email from Norman Sissman the other day with a brilliant idea — and the kick-off for it. In Norman’s own words:

I was struck, recently, by the realization that over the course of 19 years of Kendal resident publications there has never been a book review. I am surprised by this, considering the high level of literary sophistication and intellectual curiosity that characterize our group!  So, of course, I am motivated to end this  tradition.

The subject of this book is a concern that most of us seniors have had although not always a welcome one. The author: Julian Barnes, a well-regarded British novelist.  The title: “Nothing to Be Frightened Of.”  It is a 250 page non-fiction search by Barnes of literature and history from which he attempts to find some relief from his dread of dying!  It is erudite and witty; it surveys the creeds of most religions and examines a large number of biographies, from Voltaire to Churchill, from Stendahl to Edith Wharton, from Stravinsky to  Shostakovich, often comparing their plans for death and what their final days were like.  Barnes also inserts vignettes of his family, from the deaths of his emotionally remote parents to the cantankerous comments of his brother, an academic philosopher.

 Barnes never succeeds in his search for consolation, but along the way, his work provides many merry macabre musings.

Title: Nothing to be Frightened Of

Author: Julian Barnes

Thanks, Norman, for a great idea! How about it, folks? Are you reading something interesting, provocative, fun, thought-provoking or any combination thereof? Reviews should be limited to 150 words. Send them to kohresweb@gmail.com.

I Never Knew That

We often don’t realize where nursery rhymes, some dating back centuries, came from. Some have evolved over centuries, bringing a whole new version to modern children. Others have remained tried and true since inception.

There was a little girl,

Who had a little curl,

Right in the middle of her forehead

When she was good,

She was very good indeed,

But when she was bad she was horrid

Many curly-haired troublesome children heard this short-and-sweet rhyme growing up — but perhaps didn’t know about its relatively prestigious origins. Famed American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, known for works like “Paul Revere’s Ride,” wrote this goofy little verse about his own daughter. His son Ernest Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in his book, Random Memories, that “it was while walking up and down with his second daughter, then a baby in his arms, that my father composed and sang to her the well-known lines.”

Art by Hart

With egg-laying now an official Olympic sport, Henrietta trained day and night

Coach could hardly believe how well his team was shaping up

Sherwin was certain that the new brood was something other than cicadas

Everybody loved it when Tabby played his kettle drum

When most people were just waking up, Leicester was already halfway through his to-do list

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.