Ashland Speaks

By Lula Anderson

How time flies the older one gets! Remember when summer seemed to last forever? Now it's the second week in August. The daylight is getting noticeably shorter, the air has a sleepy feel to it, the colors are starting to take on the yellow hue. By 6:30, we're looking for a sweater to put on to ward off the evening chill. It is great sleeping weather, but the lakes are cooling off for those who enjoy swimming, making it refreshing, but not lounging around in a wet bathing suit. Reminder: start thinking about Halloween, and get your candy before it's sold out. I couldn't believe the aisles were full of Halloween products last week. Rush the season!

A few weeks ago the President said he wanted to bring back the Presidential Physical Fitness program inaugurated by JFK. Several of the "old timers" reminisced about their school days when gym class started out with a quick run around the gymnasium to get the old heart rate up. In the warm weather it was once around the field which was a mile run. Oh yes, there were many who cheated on that run. Some changed quickly and ran to the last quarter mile post and when the instructor came out, pretended they ran the entire distance. When talking to many friends, it's surprising just how many did that. We then did warm up exercises, before the many sports. When I was in high school we enjoyed archery (not me, I was probably the reason why they stopped), track and field, baseball, soccer, basketball. We had gym every day. We enjoyed the time using up our excess energy. Now they have gym every other day in most schools, and kids get to sit and watch. In the '60's they started the President's Physical Fitness program and for a few weeks each student had to have their progress recorded to monitor how the school was doing. I personally have no problem with PE exams. Better than sitting and vegging out.

Don't forget the Jewett Fire Department Brooks chicken BBQ this Saturday (Aug 16) starting at 4:30. The Ashland Community Church will be having a bake sale on the grounds. Pick up some extra dessert or breakfast bread while you're there.

The North Settlement Church Restoration will be unveiling their new Historic Market on Saturday, September 13 at 11. Pastor Mark Hamann will offer prayers, The Greene Room Players Songbirds will sing. Old photos will be on display and cookies will be served. If you have any old photos relating to the NS Church, please bring them along. The church will be 200 years old next year. Let's make sure it lasts another 200.

Mitchell Hollow Chapel Service is Sunday, August 17th at 2 PM.

Peach Shortcake and Roast Beef Dinner on Tuesday August 19th, Take out only at the Tannersville Rescue Squad Building for the benefit of the Kaaterskill UMC.

Pete O'Brien celebrated his 99th birthday on Aug 8, and Carol Yost will be 90. Take the time to send a card or a phone call .

Jack Gates was up from North Carolina visiting Joan. Keep them in your prayers. Opal will be coming home from rehab this week. Continuing prayers for Joyce Valenti, Claudia Bracallello, Eric Towse, Janice Maben , Greg Beckmann and Pat Decker.

Thanks to all who attended the East Jewett Pancake dinner and Ice cream social. It was a fundraiser for the Albany City Rescue mission . The shelter has provided care for over 300,000 and counting.

AS I REMEMBER IT

A few weeks ago while I was at the dentist, Peter asked me if I knew anything about the local ponds, and who is in control of them. His office is right in Windham, across from the cemetery, and if you didn't know it was a pond, you'd think it was just a yucky lawn. Many years ago, the insurance writers and the government asked farmers and people with no water near them to dig a pond for fire fighting purposes. With new construction, most developments need catch ponds to control flooding. They are beautiful, but with hot weather and no rain they turn into a green, slimy mess because of algae. Many homeowners put in aerators to move the water to keep the dreaded mosquito under control. Watching TV, the news is reporting on a rise in West Nile and other mosquito bite related diseases.

The pond in Windham is the Creamery Pond which was the cooling system for the creamery. In the winter the workers would cut ice and put it in the ice house with sawdust for summer use. The cool water of the pond was circulated into big concrete vats to store the milk cans in when they were brought in. Now it just sits and turns green.

Have you ever spent a summer day in the middle of a lake doing absolutely nothing but floating? The sun shining off the lake makes it glimmer and then the breeze comes and it ripples. Fish jump, bullfrogs croak, dragonflies buzz eating bugs. Maybe you hear the buzz of a lawnmower in the distance, sometimes people talking from a distance, but it's mostly pure bliss and solitude.

Hopefully you will be able to experience the total decadence of a day floating on a pristine lake—-with no yucky green algae.