Main Street Banners & Flowers

The design committee of the Mountaindale Community Development Project worked over the winter to develop a new set of banners for our Main Streets.  They were funded with our Phase II Sullivan Renaissance Award from last summer. We were all so delighted when the banner delivery arrived. But then it rained, sometimes torentially, every day and then it was brutally hot, which made climbing a ladder to install them on the telephone poles around town an unpleasant task. Luckily, today's balmy weather was just perfect! Our new banners are a wonderful addition to our charming street and will be greeting all the summer visitors to Mountaindale this season.

Our interesting recent weather also created some challenges for the volunteers who worked on our flower box enhancement project this year. The original design of our Main Street flower boxes came to us from the Technology Education classes of the Fallsburg High School. They look terrific but had a flaw in practical application in the scope that we use since there are nearly 30 of them around town. A lot of water would leak out of the side slats, which was inefficient from both a water conservation and volunteer labor standpoint. A portion of our Renaissance winnings also went toward refurbishing the planters as well as enriching the soil with a precise mix recommended by the knowledgeable staff at EarthBox.

With a lot of support from local Girl Scouts of Troops 401, 580, 234 and 738, as well as students and parents of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale, we got the planters planted and out on the streets earlier this month. The Girl Scouts will continue to assist during the summer with watering tasks as well as working in the Communty Garden behind 51 Main Street and Radiant Yoga of Mountaindale. The Scouts are hoping to be able to grow enough vegetables to be able to donate some to people in need in the community. They will also have a small herb garden in an EarthBox planter that we purchased.

Yoga Students Lisa & Greg lending a hand

We are very fortunate for the support from the Scouts, Karate families and Yoga students who helped with other tasks to keep Mountaindale looking beautifully in bloom. They helped with maintenance of the Hummingbird Garden. It needed a lot of weeding and trimming after the winter. We are lucky to have Janet Gula in town as she is also the owner of My Secret Gardener and was the original designer of the Hummingbird Garden. I have also noticed how wonderful our Rock Garden at 37 Main Street looks next door to HospitalityGreen, thanks to all of the extra TLC that Evadne Giannini has been giving it.

I guess what I am saying is, "It takes a village" to keep our hamlet looking so great!  Thanks to everyone who participates in this effort!

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law

I was glued to CNN around 10AM to catch today's historic Supreme Court rulings. The decision largely supported President Obama's health care overhaul, in a mixed ruling that Court observers were rushing to analyze.

The decision was a striking victory for the President and Congressional Democrats, with a majority of the court, including the conservative Chief Justice, John G. Roberts Jr., affirming the central legislative pillar of Mr. Obama's term. It will be very interesting to see what political rhetoric & spin stems from this event between now and November.

Annual Monticello Fireworks Display

Virgelio Carpio photograph

For the past 43 years, the Monticello Raceway has offered our community one of the most amazing Fireworks Shows in Sullivan County and this year will be no exception.  On Wednesday, July 4th the Raceway will stage its 44th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza after the last race. That night, the first post will be at 5:30 PM. “The fireworks will be presented approximately 20 minutes after the racing program ends on July 4th,” said Shawn Wiles, the Raceway’s Assistant General Manager. “And since there is free admission to the entire facility it’s a great opportunity to come and see the fireworks close-up on the tracks apron where the best view is afforded.”

Along with the live racing program that evening, the Mighty M also offers simulcast wagering on both harness and thoroughbred races from tracks around the country and at some harness facilities in Canada.

Story courtesy of John Manzi

Tick Alert!

I noticed that I have been having numerous conversations lately with a variety of different people about ticks.  TICKS - just the very word makes me feel a tickly sensation on my legs! I have heard tick stories this week from birders, gardeners, appraisers, Rail Trail hikers, dog walkers, and seen them on nice little clean kids. These blood sucking creatures are nowhere as appealing as Robert Pattinson and a most unwelcome guest. An increase in the tick population is probably the result of a mild winter and the unusual weather this spring. You run the risk of one of these insects hitching a ride on you or your pet any time you are in the grass, especially if the grass is a bit high. If they can remain undetected, they will bite the host and bury their head/mouthparts in the skin so that they can begin feeding on the blood.  Undisturbed, they will become engorged and resemble a plump grey green bean with 8 tiny legs.

How can you avoid all this? Inspection is critical any time you have been in the grass. Check your legs and clothing and wear light socks when possible. It is important to apply a strong bug repellent, designed for ticks, although I have heard stories of bites despite the spray. Ticks are parasites with a fairly thick shell or carapace, which makes it difficult to kill them easily. If you find one already feeding, it is critical to resist the temptation to yank it off as you might just rip the body away from the head which can remain embedded in the skin and cause an infection. Most ticks do not carry diseases, and here is a good link for a procedure on How to Remove a Tick. There are also different kinds of ticks so it is beneficial to identify whether the tick you have found is a Dog Tick, or a Deer Tick, known for carrying Lyme Disease. A bullseye shaped rash is often an indication of a Deer Tick bite.  Flu-like symptoms and joint & muscle pain might indicate that further medical attention should be sought immediately.

Going Postal for Girl Scouts

New Forever Stamp

 I recently discovered that there is going to be a special stamp issued to honor the 100th year anniversary of Girl Scouts with a Celebrate Scouting Forever Stamp. It will be issued by the US Postal Service on June 9th for public purchase. As a 'Forever' stamp it will always be good for USPS First Class postage to mail letters weighing one ounce or less no matter what the postal rate.

Our local Stamp Club, the Sullivan County Philatelic Society, will be hosting a special Stamp & Coin Show at the Ted Stroeble Recreation Center on Jefferson Street  in Monticello from 10AM - 4PM on Sunday, June 10th.  Those of you who are stamp collectors or interested in learning more about this popular hobby may wish to stop in to see what is on display.  Admission is free and you will be able to meet a variety of stamp and coin collectors in this, the club's 40th annual show. The show will also feature door prizes, hourly prize drawings, and will be honoring Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America.