Your stars in 2018
Venus, Mars and moonless meteors will pay us visits in the coming year.
Lifestyle
Erica’s Cancer Journey: Who, what, wear
Jeans or jeggings? Short-sleeved tee-shirt or long-sleeved tunic? Miniskirt or maxidress? Until I entered the swirl of seemingly nonstop cancer appointments, I used to dress according to occasion and weather; but now, I base my choices on that day’s medical events.
First Day hikes in the Hudson Valley
Monday, Jan. 1: Start off the new year with a walk on the wild side.
Survey asks: What do you want from your Joppenbergh?
From the 1930s until 1971, the steep-sided little Rosendale mountain became the site of ski-jumping competitions, which drew skiers from near and far, including several Olympians.
The Christmas Bird Count is one of the largest citizen-science endeavors, and anyone can join
Dec. 14–Jan. 5: The data collected at these counts comprise one of only two large pools of information used by scientists to track bird species over the decades.
Erica’s Cancer Journey: Nothing But Net(i Pot)
Cough. Blow nose. Cancel plans. Rinse and repeat.
Cut-your-own Christmas tree at Bell’s Farm
You’ve got your pick of Douglas fir, Canaan fir, concolor fir, Serbian spruce, Colorado blue spruce, balsam fir, grand fir, Korean fir, Meyer spruce, Fraser fir and Fralsam fir. Holly the Dog runs alongside as we cruise through sections planted in each of these varieties, and Gordie talks about the Bell family having worked this farm since the 1900s.
Medical marijuana’s uses continue to grow
The drug is an effective replacement for opiates and was recently approved for treatment of PTSD. New York State’s law is restrictive, allowing limited dispensaries and requiring the drug to be ingested in a distilled oil form rather than smoked. Still, there are over 30,000 regular users.
Woodstock home features the latest in passive house design
A principle of this design is to provide needed air circulation without losing hot or cold air in winter and summer, respectively. As a result, very little additional heating and air conditioning is necessary to maintain a comfortable room temperature.
Erica’s Cancer Journey: What is your ‘Why?’
In my cancer circles, I frequently hear women lament a challenging treatment or “scanxiety,” which is nervousness or anxiety before a test about cancer progression. And they often end with the thought, “I do it all for my kids.” My “Why” comes from a different place: I do treatment for me.