Art and Poetry by Sheila Benedis

Social Butterfly

my mother

a Phi Beta Kappa cum laude college graduate

a mathematics teacher

wanted a child

who was a social butterfly

she never accepted me

 

tried to give me social skills

mainly dancing lessons

ignored my good qualities

my intelligence

 

never  exposed me to normal childhood activities

never took me to museums

never allowed me to take piano lessons

or go to concerts

I lost friends easily

felt very lonely

 

in high school I was on the high honor roll

a friend called  to congratulate my mother

she finally told me

social skills were easier than academic skills

she felt college was not important

I majored in mathematics in college

but was starved for music

attended every classical music concert possible

worked at inception of computer industry

found my love of art later in life

with support from my husband

 

why couldn’t I be a social butterfly?

my mother had no knowledge of Aspergers

even less concern for me

my blooming as an artist

was left for me to carry out

to leave behind to the world

Meditation 3

Art by Hart

Chuck had avian charm, but Lizzy did not date seagulls

Little Orphan Annie’s line of retro clothing had yet to take off

Kira’s algae hair gloss treatment was a mixed blessing

Finch wasn't sure he liked being Brenda’s Little Tomato

Sophie’s stories were by far the most interesting

Art and photos by Jane Hart

In and Around Kendal

Another Beautiful Rockwood Day

Early Morning

Photos by Carolyn Reiss

Uh Oh

Did the goats really get that hungry?

Photo by Gerry Mahoney

Ah, but then the culprit (not a resident) confessed. Seems some people — even with the flashing lights — don’t know the meaning of S-T-O-P. Ignoring same, they ran the stop sign, jumped the curb, and — voilà! — the sign in front of Alida. A cautionary tale?

Photo by Joe Bruno

Summer Is in the Air—and New Art Is on the Walls!

Photos by Harry Bloomfeld

A Walk in Springtime

A Well-Cropped Meadow

Green Meadow by the Still Waters

Falling Waters

Gold on Mount Kendal

Photos by Edward Kasinec

On the Terrace at Day’s End

Photo by Cynthia Ferguson

Celebrating a Job Well Done

All the work was done and the result was a great success. Those who had pitched in to make the new Summer Is in the Air art show happen (and assorted spouses) held an FDR celebration (after a couple of days of sleep).

Photos by Arthur Brady

Out and About

Maria in Wonderland

Recently, Maria Harris and family took a trip to the New York Botanical Gardens. Suddenly, they were down the Rabbit Hole and Through the Looking Glass in the new exhibit Wonderland: Curious Nature, on view now ‘til October 27.

Inspired by Alice’s cottage-crushing adventure in Wonderland, the bricks of this little house are made — wait for it — from mushrooms!

Maria et al happened upon the Red Queen (and company).

The show explores the life and times of author Lewis Carroll and myriad influences that shaped Alice’s iconic journey and its enduring impact on popular culture. Spanning 250 acres of gardens and exhibits, it also highlights the bizarre worlds of real-life plants and fungi that make up the eccentric ecosystems that produced them.

Think you’ll want a nosh while there? Wonderland: Curious Nature offers a range of dining possibilities, from tea-time treats to hearty meals at the Looking Glass Cafe and The Rose Court.

For more information, click here.

I Never Knew That

Q.  What causes lightning and thunder?

A. Since Kendal was built, two handsome large pine trees in Rockwood Park have been destroyed by lightning; one was observed by residents living in the northern ends of Robert Fulton and Alida.

I was surprised to learn that, in our age of sophisticated science, the mechanisms of lightning and thunder are not completely understood. What we do know is that positively charged ions sometimes accumulate in storm clouds. When they reach a high enough level they burst out and stream into areas of negatively charged particles, creating a flash of light and electricity aimed at the ground or at other clouds. This bolt creates rapid heating of the adjacent air and the noise this makes is the thunder. The reason we hear the thunder after we see the lightning ( when actually they occur simultaneously) is that sound travels considerably slower then light. In fact, if you could measure the interval accurately, you could determine how far away the lightning occurred, based on the known speed of sound. 

Contributed by Norman Sissman

Words, Words, Words . . .

I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.

Buying a new toilet was a big expense for me, so I decided to sit on it for a while.

I bought a vacuum cleaner 6 months ago and so far all it's been doing is gathering dust.

I was addicted to the hokey pokey . . . but, thankfully, I turned myself around. 

I have a few jokes about unemployed people, but it doesn’t matter; none of them work.

 Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft drink.

It was on the news the other day that a person at my condo got arrested for stealing cement. But they had to let them go because there was no concrete evidence.

I recently took a pole and found out 100% of the occupants were angry with me when their tent collapsed.

Contributed by Jane Hart

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

© 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.