Cambridge Buzz: February 2008

Cambridge Life 2/29/08 Cambridge Life 2/29/08

(Photo: John Carlson)

HEY EVERYBODY....DON'T FORGET THE HUBBARD HALL AUCTION - Tonight, February 29th. Preview and silent auction begins at 7:00 pm and Live Auction with Ron Seifert begins at 8:00 pm sharp. Admission is only $5.00 with cash bar, desserts and hors d'oeuvres available.

Here we are, Sadie Hawkins' Day! Remember that one - the day a woman supposedly gets to ask the man to marry her? Well, it really isn't February 29th at all. According to the Lil' Abner web site: Sadie Hawkins Day, an American folk event, made its debut in Al Capp's Li'l Abner strip November 15, 1937. Sadie Hawkins was "the homeliest gal in the hills" who grew tired of waiting for the fellows to come a courtin'." Sorry Ladies, you'll have to wait until November.

Lost marriage proposals aside, it would be nice to have someone help shovel the snow, because I'm so all over shoveling snow for this year, aren't you? Seems we've been getting quite a bit of the white, with another storm due to come in this evening.

It's been just another week here in Cambridge, NY.

Views From The Hil 18 Views From The Hil 18

Cartoonist Hilary Allison adores your comments and can also be reached at mailto:hilaryallison@activist.cc.

Moon over Cambridge Moon over Cambridge

Cambridge Eclipse
Photo by Rick Lederer-Barnes

Thanks to CambridgeBuzz reader Rick Lederer-Barnes who sent this wonderful photo of the moment before total lunar eclipse last Wednesday night. Rick writes, "I wanted to pass along this photo of the eclipse I took from our back porch in the village on Wednesday night. It was a spectacular sight, and emphasizes how clear the skies are in Cambridge. We moved to the village back in October, but I've been monitoring the buzz since at least July (when we decided to move here)."

Rick believes from looking over star charts that the lower left bright dot is Saturn.

Welcome to Cambridge, Rick and family, and thanks again for sharing this wonderful shot of the heavens with us!

Photographer's Log Photographer's Log

Mardi Gras Dancer

Cambridge Fireworks Display, July 2007

This is one of my “ladies”. They are portraits of women, which I create from photographs I’ve taken of objects somewhere in our Valley. You have seen one or two in the past 2 years and I now present another for your amusement.
Her headdress, earrings and necklace are comprised of fireworks from the Fourth of July in Cambridge last summer. As I worked with the brilliant rocket display I suddenly began to see several kinds of exotic bird’s feathers and thought of Mardi Gras: the time of lights and music and dancing.

I can see her now, aflame with joy, passionate festivity, dancing through the streets of New Orleans or Rio, beautifully alive and lost within the throbbing rhythms of drums. In her vivid mystery she calls to other revelers in the streets to come join her dance-- they follow, hypnotized by the brilliance of her costume and fluidity of her movements. I can hear the music; feel the heat of climate and crowd. My eyes squint through the dazzling lights and colors trying to see her as she disappears down the street amidst a vast bouncing, undulating, locomotive sea of people all moving as one great beast down the tunnel of the street into the night. Ah, to let the soul move the body again. --June Mohan
Photos: (Copyright Mohan 2007) To contact the artist, please send email to: junemohan@hotmail.com.

Cambridge Cooks: Game Day Hoggie Dip Cambridge Cooks: Game Day Hoggie Dip

Photos: Debra Pearlman

This past Christmas, my niece, who is a writer for the TV show Ugly Betty, was on strike. Being someone who hates not working, she used her time to put together a "family cookbook." Everyone submitted their favorite recipes, which I now happily will share with Cambridge Buzz readers.

This recipe comes from my nephew Noah, but originated with his friend Paul's family. It makes a great dip for any big game day - and with March Madness just around the corner, I thought it would be good to share. It's kind of a meat tapenade meets antipasto salad.

WHAT YOU NEED:

DICED 1/4 LB EACH OF:
Genoa Salami
Soppresatta Salami
Pepperoni
Hot Capicola
Peppered Ham
Prosciutto
Provolone Cheese
White American Cheese
COMBINED WITH:
2 medium onions, diced
4 large tomatoes, deseeded & diced
1/2 c. kalmata olives, diced
1 bag of lettuce, shreded
1-2 Tbsp. oregano (to tase, fresh will be more pungent)
Mayo, just enough to hold the dip together
Salt & Pepper, to tase
Oil & Vinegar, to taste (use a good red wine vinegar)
3 baguettes (mix of French and sourdough), cut into 1/2" rounds

WHAT YOU DO:

1. Dice meats and cheeses and put into a cold bowl. Set aside in fridge.
2. Dice onions, tomatoes, olives and combine with shredded lettuce.
3. Combine all chopped ingredients in a large bowl (thats' meats & veggies).
4. Stir in mayo, just enough to bind everything together
5. Mis in oregano and salt & pepper to taset Add oil & vinegar (if desired and to taste. Mix well.
6. Slice baguettes into 1/2" rounds.
7. Serve in a bowl with baguettes to dip on the side.

You can make this ahead of time and let the flavors really blend.

Enjoy!

Views From The Hil 17 Views From The Hil 17

Cartoonist Hilary Allison adores your comments and can also be reached at mailto:hilaryallison@activist.cc.

Photographer's Log Photographer's Log

Spring in the Balance?
Late winter walking around town, if you can really call it "walking" as you glide your way down icy sidewalks and wade across curbside ponds being sure to always to have your "smart feet" on-- I find myself bracing against the next slip or slide. Still, there is beauty in all this ice and wetness, and... the promise of spring. Ah Spring! February always makes me impatient for the first flowers that mark the beginning of the new growing season, yet I know, as close as it may be, it is still a snow fall or two or three away, and I will just have to watch my step and look for those small but gentle reminders that Spring is indeed in the balance. -- John Carlson

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Cartoonist Hilary Allison adores your comments and can also be reached at mailto:hilaryallison@activist.cc.

NOT TO BE MISSED - Ice Breaker Winterfest NOT TO BE MISSED - Ice Breaker Winterfest

Sponsored by The Towns and Villages of the Battenkill Valley

Art does not stop when the snow flies. The Ice Breaker Winterfest is a collaborative effort of artists, commerce and communities to promote our regions arts and attractions. The days will be filled with artists making and demonstrating their skills with sculptures out of snow, blowing and forming glass, glazing and firing Raku. The Crandall Library will present stories around a bon fire at Battenkill Valley Outdoors and Salem Art Works.

This multifaceted three-day event, offers something for all age groups. Bonfires will blaze at most venues, and local businesses and youth groups are joining together to create this community-wide event.

Here are some of the scheduled events. To see a full listing of Ice Breaker Witerfest Event visit The Towns and Villages of the Battenkill Valley website.

Battenkill Valley Outdoors: Winter tracking, back country camping and weather permitting - cross country skiing, snowshoeing, mini snowberm golf, and snow ice cream making.

Snow permitting, the Villages of Cambridge, Salem and Greenwich will have: Snow sculptures created by the community, lead by a sculptor from Salem Art Works.

Participating artists include:
mi Chelle Vara of Ballard Road Art Studio creating in Greenwich
Daniel Richmond will be in Cambridge at Railroad Park (by the Depot)
Adam Zaretsku, Zac Woard, John Umphlett, Gary Humphreys, and Theresa Smith will sculpt on the grounds of SAW in Salem.

Come out enjoy, there will be something for every member of the family!