History, Natural History & the Arts
Stropharia semiglobata
I awoke to see
pupils floating
in balls of light
In that shade
enchanted by
the music of
Time missed,
they hovered
in the darkness.
Like a guru
meditating.
Strange creatures
haunting every room
of my brain. Oval and
mushroom shaped.
Like the red and white
knapsack of a dwarf, so
mischievous and charming.
As quaint and extraterrestrial
as an English fairy tale.
The era of “Monster Concerts” started in Vienna in 1839 when Beethoven’s pupil Carl Czerny organized a performance to raise money for victims of a flooding of the River Danube.
Twenty pianists at ten pianos performed a program of four-hand duet pieces. In the history of musical entertainment, the tradition was raised to a new level after the end of Civil War in America. [Read more…] about Showmanship: The Master of Brass Meets The King of Waltz
The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls has announced the return of its Folklife After Hours Series with Songs Celebrating 100 Years of Votes for Women by Tisha Dolton, set for Monday, March 29th. [Read more…] about Songs Of The Women’s Suffrage Movement Watch Party Monday
Play ADK is a nonprofit organization working to create a state-of-the-art children’s museum in Saranac Lake, NY that hopes to offer exhibits and experiences to engage children in meaningful play and exploration, and provide valuable resources for families. [Read more…] about Plans Afoot For Adirondacks Children’s Museum
View, the Center for Arts and Culture located in Old Forge, is set to open the 70th Annual Central Adirondack Art Show to the public on April 3rd.
The Show is a long-standing Old Forge tradition, showcasing some of the finest artists from throughout the Central Adirondack Region and beyond. Held for the first time in 1951 in the front yard of View founder Miriam Kashiwa, it’s a testament to the significant place the arts hold within the hearts and minds of the residents and visitors to the Adirondacks. [Read more…] about 70th Annual Central Adirondack Art Show Opening April 3
Wild Predator Attacks
What’s the chance that you will
be attacked by a wild predator?
Slim. Attacks are so rare each one
rates its own listing on Wikipedia.
If the 20th Century was an indicator,
you’ll more likely die domestically.
Black bears, wolves, and mountain lions
killed fewer Americans than lightning,
bathtub drownings, or getting crushed
underneath falling vending machines.
The most recent reported black bear
attack in the Adirondack Mountains
(2018) came when a man hospitalized
after his ATV crashed lied, reporting
how he had fought off a black bear.
The newest grant round of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation’s Legends & Lore Marker Grant Program is now open.
The program was developed to help local communities commemorate their unique legends and folklore and to promote cultural tourism with roadside markers. [Read more…] about Legends & Lore Marker Program Grants Available
I Know You Know
I accepted your apology
implicitly, but the aftertaste
of those emails stuck in
between my teeth like a
kernel of popcorn. I tried to
pick it out, you know I did.
Yet, it remains below the
crevice of the gums, a half
buried fleck of fake gold.
When the New York State Writers Institute put out the call for Trolley submissions last spring, the word “coronavirus” was indeed novel. Since then, we’ve witnessed a path of death and mourning sweep through our cities, towns, nation, and the world.
Last week marked one year since the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. Its effect on our society is both immeasurable and quantifiable: 2.5 million dead worldwide, including more than 500,000 in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data shows that life expectancy in the U.S. decline by a full year in the first half of 2020 — the worst decline since World War II. [Read more…] about Trolley Literary Journal Seeks Submissions
Theatres throughout the Adirondacks are collaborating to promote youth theatre educational opportunities and live theatre programming for the 2021 summer season. [Read more…] about Adirondack Summer Youth Theatre Opportunities Announced