If the blossoms and buds made it through the last night's cold temperatures, they'll come out looking like these apple blossoms, shot by John of Catskills Photography in Monticello on May 5 and submitted to the Watershed Post Flickr pool.
Above: The Jay Ungar and Molly Mason Family Band performs "Ashokan Farewell" at the Folk Alley studio in 2011.
You know the tune. The first two notes give it away. By the third note, it has you already transfixed in some haunting memory, whether you've heard it a few times or a few hundred.
('Oblivion' being, in this case, New York City's watershed land acquisition program, which was poised to swallow the old SUNY New Paltz environmental education center until Ungar stepped in to broker a deal.) Read more
Whether it's affection or guilt that motivates you, odds are you're looking to spend quality time with Mom this weekend. Julia Ward Howe founded Mother’s Day on this continent in 1870, calling out for an international celebration of peace and motherhood. Before that, there was "Mothering Sunday" in England -- working class folk were given a day off to go see Mom, and they also took a day off from Lent. We may have largely lost the knack of matriarchy and Goddess worship, but if you’re looking for a way to celebrate yo’ mama, the Catskills have plenty of options lined up.
Here's our county-by-county guide to 2013 Mother's Day events in the Catskills.
DELAWARE COUNTY
The Annual Mother’s Day Wildflower Hike to Kelly Hollow is a four-mile ramble sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Club You’ll enjoy sparkling streams and an active beaver pond, and have a chance to experience spring ephemerals like violets and jack-in-the-pulpit. Participants will gather at the Old Schoolhouse 2.2 miles west of Margaretville at 10:30 on Sunday. There’s a limit of 20 people- call Howard Raab at 845.586.3112 for reservations.
Also in Margaretville, prep Mom for a season of gardening at gardenFest, a Main Street extravaganza of gardeners, food vendors, petting zoos, live music, and all things flowering and green on Saturday from 10am to 3pm.
Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch with Lindsey Webster and an awesome menu will be served up at the Andes Hotel in Andes between noon and 3pm.
At Catskills Escape in Franklin, Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday includes a Mandarin Souffle lovingly crafted of local eggs, organic citrus, and butter, and your table will be resplendent with a seasonal bouquet.
The Roxbury Arts Group has a very special treat lined up for Mother’s Day Eve. On Saturday night, the First Lady of Woodstock, folk-rock stunner Melanie, will perform with her son Beau Jarred Schekeryk in Roxbury.
At Tay Home inAndes, the mother-daughter chef team of Mary Elizabeth (mother) and Chef Nicole Roarke (daughter) will share recipes and stories from their cookbook "Cooking Across America" from 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Tastings and demos will abound.
Above: [From left to right] Lindsay Day, Issis Orrego, Alana Moskowitz, and Chelsea Shultis celebrate after taking a 3rd place ribbon at the 31st Olympics of the Visual Arts in Saratoga Springs, NY on April 23. All four are students at Margaretville Central School. Photo contributed by MCS art teacher Jennifer Wentland.
The arts practically are a varsity sport at Margaretville Central School these days.
Two weeks ago, MCS students took several prizes at the statewide "Olympics of the Visual Arts" in Albany, including 3rd place in the High School Drawing category and 3rd place in the Fashion Design at the Middle School level category, according to MCS art teacher Jennifer Wentland.
And you can see student art all over Margaretville and Fleischmanns now through Memorial Day in local businesses that have become impromptu art galleries for the Youth Art Month Art Show, which is sponsored by the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce. A ceremony awarding prizes in the Youth Art Month Art Show will take place in June.
Above: "Fiddleheads", May 8, 2012, at Frost Valley YMCA, by Robin White. Just one of the 60-odd photos submitted to our photo contest.
Wow, you Catskills folks take a lot of photos.
Submissions from across the Catskills poured in last night to our 2013 Catskills Outdoor Guide Photo Contest. At midnight, when the contest ended, we had a total of sixty-something entries. (I'm not sure of the exact number because of duplicates.)
Photo by Linda Law. Courtesy of the Center for Symbolic Studies.
C’mon out and frolic ‘round the Maypole. The Center for Symbolic Studies's annual Beltane festival, taking place this year on Saturday, April 27, regularly draws a crowd of over 1,000 to celebrate the return of warmth and light. (Picture a Renaissance Faire with a lot less commercialism and a lot more Magick and you’ve got the idea.)
This annual rite of spring boasts dancing horses, dancing dragons, and a host of other mythic creatures, the poetry in motion of the Vanaver Caravan and their youth troupe, the Stone Mountain Masquers and Festival Singers, giant puppets, clowns, jongleurs and craftspeople all joining to welcome in the May Queen, blending centuries-old Celtic with right-now Rosendale into a spicy gumbo. Read more
Above: Video of Richie Havens performing "Freedom" at Woodstock in 1969.
Folk legend Richie Havens, who was the opening act at the 1969 Woodstock festival, died on Monday of a heart attack in his home in Jersey City. He was 72.
Havens and two members of his band were pressed into urgent service as other musicians -- including the planned opening act, the folk-rock band Sweetwater -- fought traffic on the roads leading to Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Woodstock, New York. Read more
Seeds of change, sprouting at last. Photo taken in a Catskills garden on April 17 by Julia Reischel.
The official Earth Day, April 22, falls on a Monday this year. Celebrations and events around the region are taking place this weekend, next weekend, and in between. (Properly so: Isn't every day supposed to be Earth Day?)
Here's the Watershed Post's guide to the goings-on.
DELAWARE COUNTY
The little town of Andes is celebrating Earth Day in true no-nonsense Catskills style -- by getting to work. On Saturday, April 20, citizens will convene at 9am at Hogan's for the annual Andes litter pickup. Bring gloves, boots and any trash-grabbing "reacher" tools you may have at hand, and feel free to email annroberti@yahoo.com for more information. Read more
Above: Just some of the entries in this year's Catskills Outdoor Guide photo contest, as pictured on our 
