Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Taconic Crest Trail End to End Hike on May 10th

Click below to view photos of the E2E finishers taken by John Pecoroni:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=fdr8d49.7ektyawx&x=0&y=a9yugx&localeid=en_US


The “End-to-End” is a 29-mile hiking endurance challenge held biennially in May. This daylong event pits entrants against 29 miles of up and down travel along the Taconic Crest Trail, which runs in and out of three states (NY, MA and VT). The hike includes 7,827 feet of uphill grades and 9,470 feet downhill. An entry fee is required and the number of entrants is limited. A commemorative trail patch and completion certificate are awarded to finishers. Registration materials are mailed out in January on a first come, first served basis.

If you would be interested in helping out for the next event in 2010, please e-mail Pam Bailey:
pambailey22@yahoo.com and share what you have done already. We will begin planning in December 2009. There is a substantial amount of work that needs to be done to pull the whole thing off. We need help with several committees including sweeps, car movers, communications, and many other things. Trail work is another task that we never seem to have enough people to do the job we'd like to. If you become a member of the Club you will see notices of planning meetings posted in the quarterly schedule.

This has to be a "before" photo! Photo from Valerie Boyd

Neil Roberts piped everyone awake at Berry Pond. Photo from Valerie Boyd

Saturday, May 17, 2008

How about a buscycle as a club project?

Thursday, May 15, 2008

THC Members Hiked Black Dome Sunday May 11th


Black Dome was carpeted with Spring Beauties, Red Trillium, Trout Lillies and Dutchman's Britches. Fragrant, beautiful spring in the Catskills. What a glorious Mothers Day!!!

Spring
By Gerard Manley Hopkins

Nothing is so beautiful as spring—
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.-Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.



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Wednesday, May 07, 2008

BACKYARD FORAGING: EDIBLE WILD PLANTS with Sean Rowe

The Friends of the Dyken Pond Center Present:

Backyard Foraging: Wild Edible Plants

With Sean Rowe

It has been said that nature is like a banquet. You just have to know where to look. This series of classes goes beyond your average plant walk. Students in this intensive course will learn the basics of the art of foraging including how to safely identify edible species for the dinner table and how to avoid the poisonous look-alikes. Each Saturday class will have students gathering a handful of delectable goodies from the landscape and learning identification skills and harvesting techniques. Each Sunday class will teach how to properly prepare wild edible plants. Students on Sunday will prepare, cook and share a meal at the end of the day. Each month will cover different, seasonal plants and plants will not be repeated from one month to the next. Each class is designed to either stand alone or be taken as a continual series of knowledge and information. To register for the Sunday class, it is recommended that you also take the Saturday class or have some familiarity with wild edibles.

Sessions are as follows:

May 17 and 18

June 21 and 22

July 19 and 20

Fees and Times: Saturday class: $15; $14 members 11 am – 3 pm

Sunday class: $20; $18 members 11 am – 4 pm

Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 10 participants.

Please register early by calling the Dyken Pond Center at 658-2055, or

send an e-mail to dykenpond@fairpoint.net.

Participants must dress appropriately for being outdoors and bring a lunch and drink

Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center

475 Dyken Pond Road

Cropseyville, New York 12052

518 658-2055

www.dykenpond.org

Thursday, May 01, 2008

A Happy Earth Day Poem-Click Photos to Enlarge





A Happy Earth Day Poem

My help is in the mountain
where I take myself to heal
the earthly wounds people
give to me.
I find a rock with sun on it and
a stream where the water runs gentle
and the trees which one by one give me company.
So must I stay for a long time
Until I have grown from the rock
and the stream is running through me
and I can not tell myself from one tall tree.
Then I know that nothing touches me
nor makes me run away
My help is in the mountain
that I take away with me.
Earth cure me. Earth receive my woe. Rock
strengthen me. Rock receive my weakness. Rain
wash my sadness away. Rain receive my doubt.
Sun make my song sweet. Sun receive the anger from
my heart.

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