Vol. 2 . . . . . June 2012 . . . . . No.

6
June is a month to celebrate Dads and Grads. It is, also, time for our 1 st Art Collective and we all begin to gear up for the summer season in Sharon Springs. But, let's take a look at May and chat about the Garden Party. We asked visitors to tell us why they came to town. This is what they said. ~ I discovered Sharon Springs about 20 years ago when my daughter moved to Massachusetts. My many trips on Route 20 brought me here. We used to stop by The Rockville Cafe when Doug and Garth had that. Marilyn Engle - - a Fabulous Sharon Springs Groupie We are drawn to the area and keep coming back! I love how things have progressed from the first visit! ~ Hello, We're from Troy. We meant to head East but somehow we went West and landed here. It's charming & vibrant, and we're glad to have taken a wrong turn. We are in the right place after all. Tim Fleming, Edna Golden R. Fleming (I hope I have transcribed your names correctly!) ~ Coming to Sharon Springs is like coming home. Everyone is so friendly and caring love to come for the day! Kathy Bunting, Kristen Rutledge - - Fabulous Sharon Springs Groupies, too! ~ It's always wonderful weather when I attend any of the Fests of Sharon Springs. Lots of happy faces and vendors and the D. Landreth Seed tent is always bustling. The most enjoyable aspect of the Garden Fest, however, is always seeing the friends and residents that we've come to know. It's great having dinner or drinks at the American and running into people you know and having great conversations. ~Teri Tighe In the evening, after the Garden Party, 9 wanna be stars participated in Karaoke night at Dairyland on Route 20. They all got rave reviews and, hopefully, will be back for more. It is an event that the sponsors would love to have more often so stay tuned for future dates this summer. ALSO, IN MAY . . . KARAOKE AT DAIRYLAND

Mitchell Owens, Sharon Springs' own celeb bon vivant, attended a tribute concert for Burt Bacharach at the line in the Blue Room, he told Mrs. Obama that his ten-year-old daughter, Catherine, is an enormous fan of hers. To which the First Lady replied, "Well then, when you get home, you give her a big hug from me." And, folks, when I heard this - I, too, hugged Catherine. You know, 2 degrees . . .

MR. OWENS WENT TO WASHINGTON

White House (yes, the big white house in Washington, DC) several weeks ago. While he was in the receiving

HER-STORIANS CORNER ~ MS. NANCY PFAU, TOWN HISTORIAN

Having just finished reading Daisy Goodwins The American Heiress [highly recommend especially to

Downtown Abbey fans!], I thought this months column could peek into the lives of the 19 th centurys fabulously wealthy set, like the Vanderbilts whom we always mention as guests at the Pavilion Hotel.We know that on their forays here in the 1850s, 60s and 70s they came laden with many trunks, immortalized in a poem by William Allen Butler:
One case of a bride was brought to my view, Too sad for belief, but alas! twas too true, Whose husband refused, as savage as Charon, To permit her to take more than ten trunks to Sharon. More of the poem can be found in The Short Season of Sharon Springs. Of course, a lady needed many outfits when dressing for each day: a morning dress, an afternoon tea dress and an even more elegant dress for dinner [plus additional outfits for various sporting activities like tennis or croquet AND her nightclothes]. * Not to mention her unmentionables or undergarments, which would have included several corsets in the late 19th century, a well-bred lady tried to attain the perfect 18 inch waist by being squeezed into rigid corsets. If you ever wondered why it took so long for women to get the vote, this is one explanation: as a result of the stress corsets put on their bodies, women were prone to fainting spells, could you trust them to vote? Florence Vanderbilt, granddaughter of the Commodore, was born in 1854, so most likely a visitor to Sharon Springs in her early years. She married Hamilton Twombly in 1877, the year of her grandfathers death. At her marriage, her parents gave her a house at 684 Fifth Avenue [along Vanderbilt Row as it was known] and a Cottage at Newport [these are still definitely mansions]. In addition the couple built their own estate, Florham in Madison, NJ 1,000 acres, 100 plus rooms, an entrance hall lined with 12 marble busts of the Caesars, indoor pool, orangery, and a railroad siding for their own private Railway Car among other extravagances. A guest described Florences returning from church in NYC one Sunday, She emerged from her violet Rolls Royce wearing a violet hat, violet gloves, and carrying a bouquet of violets. Even at the end of her life [she died in 1952 at age 98 after 75 years as head of the New York social scene],

Florence had a staff of 126 people. WWII changed things even for the wealthy. One night at a dinner party, an ambassador observed that the war must have had an effect on her household. To which Mrs Trombley replied, This week we lost four and from the pantry alone!** *One also could not wear the same dress too many times! ** Tidbits about Florence Twombly gleaned from David Patrick Columbias The Two Mrs. Vanderbilts New York Social Diary, 12-28-07

Jennifer Delpit's Artist Statement I like putting things together. I like taking things apart. I cant leave anything alone. I fidget. I shuffle. I obsessively organize and reorganize. I like scissors and glue. Accumulation and evolution. Fusion and alchemy. Patience and time. Everything I make - assemblages, collages, decoupage - undergoes an often years long process* of layering and cross-referencing. Even my photographs are double negatives, created from 35mm film shot a decade ago. I pair two negatives together (usually b&w with color; I like the way the from the original negatives. *This mainly involves making lots of ever-shifting piles of random things that sit around for a long time and accrete slowly but surely into something I more or less consider finished. For now. color infuses the b&w) and scan and print them digitally. The only photoshopping done is to remove stains

ALSO HAPPENING AT VILLAGE HALL GALLERY . . . MARY BEACH Mary was born in 1919. From an early age her interest in art was evident. During her lifetime she would remain a devoted artist to her last day on earth. In the next few months, as my research continues, I will share more with you. But, for now the biggest news is that her original collages will be on sale for one day only - June 16th - in support of The Art Collective. The prices will never be this good again! Stop in to see her work, ask questions and get a piece of history while the collages are still available. ~okay, one tidbit. Did you know that Mary worked closely with Allen Ginsberg as well as William Burroughs?

SHARON SPRINGS NEWS: News & Love from the New York House Bed & Breakfast We are looking forward to the graduation of our daughter, Stephanie, from Sharon Springs High School this June. She will be going on to college to pursue studies in Psychology so she can continue her involvement with children with disabilities. She has been accepted at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA and has also applied to Concordia in Bronxville, NY.

She has been a great help at school, assisting several of the teachers at the elementary level and she is always willing to help out at the Chamber's booth during our festivals. We can say that we have received with children. We will miss her, but not her messy room! many compliments from guests and other families about Steph. She is always willing to help out anyone For Mothers day, we took a ride to Newport , RI by taking all secondary roads. What great places you can find when you get off the interstates! We found some great buys on paintings to finish decorating our rooms and visited a whole lot of antique shops along the way. It was a beautiful weekend to spend with my beautiful wife Kelly! Earlier in the month we had some guests drop in from Vermont. They had just set out for a drive, got as far as Sharon Springs, and stopped for food at the Black Pearl. While they were there, they decided to stay and do some sightseeing, so the Barrs gave them our phone number to see if we were available. They were a great couple and I know they made a day of it because after checking out at 10AM, their car was still parked on our street until late afternoon. They loved hearing the history of the area and were anxious to go explore the village. The one comment we commonly hear about Sharon Springs is that we are the idyllic small-town America where everyone is friendly and we all help each other. Lets keep it up! The Spring House Spa has expanded their hours to Friday through Sunday 10-6 and also Thursdays and Mondays by appointment. For your convenience, you can book online! We are working up a whole new website and menu.....stay tuned! We have also ordered some new Tula Hats. They were a big hit at the Garden Party! Eco-friendly and country chic. Jim Grinchis and Norm Phenix of 204 Main Bar & Bistro are proud to announce the opening of BANK, a gallery, at 204 Main Street, Sharon Springs, NY. The gallery will feature works from up and coming artists, some from the area, some not from the area. The first show features Chris Duncan, sculpture, Canajoharie ; James Richardson, sculpture, Cooperstown: Michael McCarthy, metalwork, Ames ; Duncan Chase, sculpture, Rochester ; and Steve Larsen, wallpaper, Seward. The gallery will be open Fri., Sat., and Sunday from 12 till 5 pm and by appointment. My Sister's Cafe will be open Friday - Sunday 8 am - 3 pm. We are also available for catering, private Come an' get 'em! The Cafe is located at 116 Beechwood Road, just off Route 20 in Sharon Springs.

parties and by appointment. We will be doing a Father's Day Brunch featuring Louisville Hot Browns -

The Sharon Springs Farmers' Market is beginning our 2012 season on June 2nd at our new home at the Roseboro. We are so delighted to have the new space, new vendors, and new grant funds! Yes, we got our grant. It was tough competition, over 130 applicants and around 40 were approved, so we are pleased and thankful to the Governor's office for deeming our little market eligible. We are still struggling however to get all our advertising and other costs met, so donations are more than just welcome, they are very needed! That being said, we are looking forward to a fabulous market season. We happily announce the return of previous vendors Black Willow Pond (Carrie), Earthly Remedies (Erin), Wyfee's baked goods and Jams (Colleen), and Weathertop Farm produce (Kate), and we give a big welcome to three new vendors: Nectar Hill (organic meats, honey, cider, and a lot more), Honey Bee Farms (Lucas, with his bread, cheese, hummus, spanikopita, wow!) and Cross Hill Heirlooms (Jenna, with heirloom vegetables of all kinds). Keep your eyes out for the schedule of events, which will be coming out soon! We will be having all kinds of fun events this year, for all ages. Don't forget to join us every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9am-2pm at the Roseboro on Main Street. We are so thankful for your continued support and words of encouragement. ~ Thanks, Kate. We love having the Farmer Market in town!

Cobbler & Co. have begun their summer hours ~ OPEN 7 days a week, 10-6. They all want to send a big congrats to Sam Johnson, graduating from Cobleskill-Richmondville this June. She heads to the College of Saint Rose in the fall. Stop by Cobbler and Company and wish her well. Not to panic, she'll be with us through the summer.

Adelphi Paper Hangings has developed a second contemporary wallpaper pattern this time for the BANK, the new gallery in town. Like the wallpaper at 204 Bistro and Bar this one is a random pattern no two strips are identical. As part of an ongoing project to develop new, decidedly non-traditional patterns using the historic method of block printing were looking for other, local spaces and interested parties. If this sounds intriguing please contact Steve at 284-9066. __________________

conspired with others to kidnap David and Daniel, but alas we have to settle for their occasional visits. If you can help him in his search we would appreciate it! WANTED: Sharon Springs, NY silver souvenir spoons. Pantina required (no modern inscriptions) email David at: Historyboyonebay@hotamail.com

OUR FIRST CLASSIFIED AD David is one of our favorite Sharon Springs visitors. From time to time I have

WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT?

As a very young child, I remember that we rarely had sugary sweets in our house except for a few special days of the year, such as birthdays. If company was coming, my mother would allow me to accompany her to the bakery to buy a dozen dinner rolls but then take my hand to lead me out of the store without so much as a blink at the pastry case. By the next day, all evidence of the treats had disappeared. Today, it seems to me that my mother had extraordinary wisdom about nutrition that was not readily available at that time, as that eating too much - too much added sugar, too much refined grains made into flour to create sugary delights, too much food altogether was a sure road to gaining weight and losing health. I thank my mother and previous generations for their wisdom around achieving good health through good nutrition, and for not telling me, but rather showing me that the wise action is to back away from the pastry display case in the bakery and to go home to help with weeding the garden. Today, these nutrition-related problems are referred to as lifestyle-related chronic diseases and they have become a global problem. The proof of the origin of these chronic diseases is continually being defined through scientific research and deductive reasoning as we watch our fellow man overindulge in these unnatural foods that are now manufactured by food scientists to be addictively delicious and capable of remaining fresh on our shelves for months. These processed food surrogates have become so available to us that we can have them any time and any where, with a wink-of-the-eye social approval of our peers. They are incorrectly rumored to be cheap, but they are ready to eat and sold at every grocery store and quickstop gasoline station in the world. Whose responsibility is it to fix these nutrition-related health problems that are costing the United States alone billions of health care dollars every year? In my opinion, it is the responsibility of every person on our planet to contribute some effort toward re- creating the health of our world. This includes the food scientists who design nutrient- deficient foods that are absolutely irresistible in taste, texture, smell and look, the manufacturers who market and sell these products as healthy foods, the people who buy these products without so much as a whimper about the almost certain early health problems they and their children will develop as a result of eating this junk food, the government who over-subsidizes the production of corn and soy so that they appear in all processed foods, and anyone else who currently eats it is today, through TV cooking shows and many books. Somehow, she and those before her had figured out

this food. Hey, wait! Isnt that just about everyone on the planet? Sarcasm aside, I believe that it is up to those of us who do understand the less-than-nutritious nature of our current food supplies and how these foods are dramatically damaging our health to somehow educate those of us who, as yet, do not understand that we have a problem with our food supply, and not with our will-power! health counselor. Linda Keller, Ph.D. is a research scientist, public health educator, and a certified integrative nutrition and

The Art Collective

June 16th . . . 10-5 on the lawn @ the American Hotel _____
Kate Ehle RC Oster Lori Mollitor Michael Tills Mary Ann Nolan Mary Ann Nellis Judy Olson Jenn Delpit Karen Katz Tom Jessen Richard Walker Austin Jetton Jonathan Swartwout Phil Scalia Mary Ann Thomas Susy Easterly Leila Durkin Tracy Helgeson

Village Hall Gallery representing 34 artists Don't miss this opportunity to meet the artists, discuss their work and support their art!
Tickets are still available for the Craftsman tour. There will be 2 tours led by Town Historian, Nancy Pfau and Special Projects Editor for Architectural Digest, Mitchell Owens. leaving from the American Hotel, at 11 and 2. Tour stops include Adelphi Paper Hangings(makers of historic, block printed wallpaper) Thistle Hill Weavers (custom weaving based on historic and original patterns) and Chartwell Studios (specializing in murals, faux finishes and decorative works) Tickets are $10.00 contact Heidi at American Hotel 518 284-2105 or

info@americanhotelny.com

I know you are so busy and maybe a bit timid about exposing your talents, but -hey, if you are willing to

GET YOUR STEIN GOING AND YOU COULD WIN A GIFT CERTIFICATE

show us some Steinishisms you could win a 25.00 dollar gift certificate from The Chatter (redeemable only July issue! So give it a try. If you start writing ala stein you begin talking stein ala and somehow it begins to sense of it all the sense of anything only to find it is all senselessly sensible.

at Village Hall Gallery.) The deadline has been extended until June 28 th. The results will be published in the all make sense of stein is stein sense that can be sensible but sometimes senseless and you wonder about the

CONTINUING IN THE LITERARY THEME A NEWLY RELEASED BOOK BY JACK SINGER

SHARON SPRINGS, N.Y. A narrowly averted deadly fight over cheating during a poker game brings together two unforgettable characters:Howard Edgemont, a smart lawyer from the East born to privilege, up when a widow hires them to look for her son, Dan,who struck it rich in the Alaskan gold fields. She lost contact with him a year after he claimed a gold mine and fears the worst. Justice at Forty Below follows the two men as they brave the dangerous Chilkoot trail on the way to Alaskas gold fields, braving deadly cold, near-starvation and bloodthirsty men with their own motives. Drawing on all their skills, they take on a gang of men ruling a mining town, persevering in their quest to find the truth of what happened to the lost miner. During their wilderness adventure, the unexpected happens: Howard falls in love. Soon this lawyer-turned-gunslinger and his courageous friend get the answers they are looking for and must battle for their very lives. Author Jack Singer has had adventures of his own: fighting forest fires in the Pacific Northwest and teaching with his wife at a remote Eskimo village of 250 people on the Yukon River in Alaska. Singer has a forestry degree from Rutgers University and a teaching degree from the University of Alaska,Fairbanks. He learned survival skills from Yupik Eskimo elders. Those skills,as well as life-threatening experiences in the Alaskan wilderness, inspired this unforgettable novel. For additional information, please visit www.justiceat40below.com. Also for sale at Studio North. and Jake Bartholomule, a former Civil War hero with enviable survival skills. In this new novel, the two pair

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