Smoke Rise Flowers: Readers Remember

My recent article titled June Kinnelon Flowers: Multiflora Rose generated two responses from former Smoke Rise and Kinnelon residents. I share them with you here.

From Kim Vawter

Hello-

Not sure if this "rose hedge" was planted or if it grew across what was 716 Orchard Road. I remember a long hedge of multifloral roses on a hedge that ran across the front of our property a few feet from the road. Of course none of the roads of the Smoke Rise area of Kinnelon had sidewalks so this plant (ing) would have been where a side walk would have been. It was always the backdrop for Easter pictures. I recall that it was almost as tall as a spirea bush and just about as dense. 

We also had wild honey suckle around the area and you could suck the end of the blossom to get a tiny bit of sweetness! I recall wild blueberry bushes to the left of the property. (I could never remember North, South East or West in Smoke Rise. I had to learn that here in the midwest where everything is flanked by the "River" Missouri River to the EAST.)

Not all smells were wonderful. Back in the woods where you could dig up great batches of good rich black dirt you also may have encountered bad smelling "skunk cabbage." If you were very careful and you took a walk deep into the forest you might find the tiny pale "lady's slipper" or the fragile "jack in a pulpit."

From Lynn

Hi Christine,

Have memories of the beautiful Pink Mountain Laurel everywhere in Smoke Rise but especially on our Brush Hill Road property. The had a lovely scent best left in the wild. Apparently it is somewhat poisonous and affected a Ruffed Grouse my brother Peter had found on the way home from school. Ever the Good Samaritan, Mother nursed it by eye dropper and put it in a basket covered with a towel in the living room unbeknownst to me. When I arrived late at night, of course I had to investigate, at which point Mr Grouse took flight around the house until we gave him his freedom.

My earliest memories were prior to living in SR at a charming house on Long Island where Mother had a North flower bed tucked next to the house filled with tiny fragrant Lily of the Valley. Forever a delicate and favorite scent.

Best regards,
Lynn

Thank you, Lynn and Kim!

By the way, after desperately searching for it, I finally came across some honeysuckle last weekend. Emma and I enjoyed tasting the sweet nectar.

Happy Summer!

June Kinnelon Flowers: Multiflora Rose

I wrote this article about June Kinnelon Flowers Multiflora Rose last summer. By the time I had it finished, summer was over. As I look out my office window, I spy the Multiflora Rose already blooming... which means that my timing is perfect!

I'm always amazed at the intensity of memories brought on by flower scents - particularly wild ones. Take honeysuckle or multiflora rose.

Per the Wisconsin department of natural resources, multiflora rose is considered a nuisance weed and can neither be sold or propagated.

The New York State Ski Blog: Wild Roses says "They have, IMHO, the most intoxicating, beguiling, and alluring aroma ever."

I agree. The smell reminds me intensely of summer. It's a spicy, peppery smell that I long for. In fact, it's a smell that I remember from childhood in McLean, Virginia, walking to the community pool. It's a smell that blends with the intoxicating Honeysuckle flowers and nectar that is now almost impossible to find given the carefully manicured landscapes.  My most trustworthy source of honeysuckle is by the movie theater, in a weedy section between the parking lot and Kakeout Road by the New York Sports Club [aka the Butler Bowl].

Getting back to Multiflora Rose. In early June, you'll notice vast expanses of these marvelous wildflowers. We have them across from us on Sleepy Hollow Road, bordering a wetlands area. These photos I took across from Our Lady of the Magnificat on Miller Road in Kinnelon.

Now that I've reminisced based on flowers and summer scents, I'd love to hear from you. Which are you favorite summer memories and what plants smells do you associate with them?

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Ramstein Beer Dinner at the Smoke Rise Inn this Thursday, May 17, at 6:30 PM

For those of you who do not know it, we have a wonderful local resource here in the Highpont Brewery in Butler which makes Ramstein German style Ales and Lagers, regularly winning contests and placing amongst the very top against national craft breweries.

This is your chance to check out their beers and get a great meal besides at the SR Inn.

The Smoke Rise Inn Ramstein Beer Dinner will take place this coming Thursday, May 17 at 6:30. It's not too late to call and make a reservation at 973 838 7770. You will need Adobe Reader to read the flyer link above.

Or look here:

Just hit CTL-+ (browser only) to make the image larger.

There will be 2 of the ales, the Double Platinum Blonde, and the Classic Hefe-Weizen, and 2 of the lagers, the Imperial Pilsner, and the unfiltered Amber Lager, all of which I personally think are fabulous. And they taste good, too!

Plus there will be Chef George's great food: Ancho Chili Glazed Shrimp, Hong Kong Style Baby Back Ribs,  Southern Fried Chicken Stuffed with Andouille Sausage, and Slow Roasted Brisket with a Roasted Corn Salsa

Check out the Ramstein Beer website, and take a drive down there at the bottom of Kiel Ave in the big old red brick rubber factory building where, every day of the week, you can buy growlers (refillable gasketed jugs) and fill them with their beers on draft. They also have some bottled beer as well.

Reservations can be made at the SR Inn at 973 838 7770.

Come to the Beer Dinner! See you there!

~Ted

Taking Care of Your Computer For Free -- The Best FREE Software -- Talk at the Kinnelon Library Wed 7 PM Apr 11 2012

It Costs No Money!

I will be giving a talk at the Kinnelon Public Library Wednesday, Apr. 11 at 7 PM, which is the 4th of 6 such talks a month apart, on the subject of taking care of your Windows PC, new or old, with special attention in Part 3 to:

The Best FREE Software for Your PC, including :

1) Libre Office (Open Office) A Microsoft Office Substitute -- Do Not Pay for MS Office -- you can get Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and more workalikes, that suit most everyone just fine. Works just fine with Office files, such as doc, ppt, xls, and so on.

2) Google Chrome -- If you are still using IE, don't -- Chrome is SO much faster, and simpler to use that you need to switch right away -- unless you like waiting around for your browser to catch up.

3) Google Picasa -- Hands Down the Very Best Photo Manager, Light Editor, Uploading and Sharing, and Printing Program, EVER. If you rake photos and print them, you must have Picasa.

4) Dropbox --Share a common directory with other computers, family and friends!  Never lose a critical data file again! Share and sync your Quicken, Outlook, Powerpoint, or whatever files with another computer, and you CANNOT lose them ... well ... hard to, anyway.

5) Skype -- Free video Phoning for everyone, except for the price of an HD VidCam (less than $50, sometimes less than $25). Works easily, great for family and business.

6), 7), 8), ... and so on. We have a list -- there has to be something on there for you!

Come find out what you have been missing, and avoid spending money on expensive commercial software!

We will repeat our "Open Mike" period at the end of the talk so you can find out why your computer isn't doing what you want:

All of you Kinnelon and North Jersey people, and everybody else, are welcome to come.

Call the Kinnelon Library at 973 838 1321 and reserve a spot.

See you there!

~Ted


PS: Check out the Working Computers Blog article, The 7 Best Free Software Programs As Of January 2012, for more on the subject -- we will have more software to recommend at the talk

PPS: This talk pertains to PCs running Windows 7, Vista and XP

Photo Credit: various websites

You get the idea!

Anthony Franco's -- Good Pizza and Good Food -- My New Fave for Local Italian with Delivery in Kinnelon

OK. This is the place. I've seen better photos, but ... hey .. it's the food that  counts!

I don't normally care enough about the local Pizza and Italian places to write a review of one of them or to give one a plug, but I am making an exception in the case of Anthony Franco's, on the corner of Rt 23 and Kinnelon Rd, simply because it is so good, and not just for Pizza. We've tried a lot of the local places and many of them make a good pizza and decent Italian dinner food, nor do I have anything bad to say about them. Anthony Franco's is different, and several steps above most of the competition.

All of the Pizzas we've tried have been REALLY good, not only with great tasting toppings, such as great cheese, and broccoli rabe and sausage, cooked just right, but the crust is great with great yeasty flavor. No cardboard here. Beyond that, we've tried the Chicken Parmigiana, Calamari, Salads, and more. All have been really good to great with generous portions.

For what you get the prices are conmpetive. On paper, or on the menu, some of the prices are a little higher than the local competition's, but after the first bite, there isn't much -- competition, that is.

Since they are quite close, deliveries come fairly quickly as well. Call 'em  up!  973 492-1700.

Support your local Pizza Man!

~Ted

Photo Credits: Top Shot of the AF restaurant lifted from the AF website, Bottom is a Screen Shot of the website landing page.

Taking Care of Your Computer For Free -- How to Buy the Right Computer Cheaply -- Talk at the Kinnelon Library 7 PM Mar 15 2012

What? You don't like it??? It's the latest thing ...

Whoops, I meant to post this earlier in the week! Y'all come now, y'hear?

I will be giving a talk at the Kinnelon Library tonight, Thursday, Mar. 15 at 7 PM, which is the 3rd of 6 such talks a month apart, on the subject of taking care of your Windows PC, new or old, with special attention in Part 3 to:

Buying the right Computer, and Not Paying Too Much for It, including :

1) Who to buy a computer from and how to get the best price, by at least several hundred bucks.

2) What kind of computer you really need and how you can make sure it lasts a long time.

3) How to get the Very Best Deals on related computer equipment and software as well as consumer electronics of all kinds.

I will discuss where you can get the best deals online for top tier name brand machines such as Dell and HP and whether or not you should consider an extended factory warranty, as well as buying from local resources such as BJ's, Best Buy, and so on.

We will repeat our "Open Mike" period at the end of the talk so you can find out why your computer isn't doing what you want:

Ask Your Questions and Solve Your Problems --"Open Mike" -- Questions such as

1) Is my machine too old? When do I need a new machine?

2) How can I "pin" that program to my Taskbar, and what is a "Gadget?"

3) Why does my computer ... ?

4) If you have a laptop with a problem, bring it along and we'll take a quick look.

5) Questions and on-the-spot diagnosis will be limited by the time available!!!

All of you Kinnelon and North Jersey people, and everybody else, are welcome to come.

Call the Kinnelon Library at 973 838 1321 and reserve a spot.

See you there!

~Ted


PS: This talk pertains to PCs running Windows 7, Vista and XP

Photo Credit: various websites

Maybe this would be better ...

Kinnelon Library Talk -- Taking Care of Your Computer Part 2: Bootable and Cloud Backup, Feb 15, Thurs 7 PM

Don't Just Be a User! Take Care of that Relationship! With Your Computer!

I will be giving a talk at the Kinnelon Library Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 PM, which is the 2nd of 6 such talks a month apart, on the subject of taking care of your Windows PC, new or old, with special attention in Part 2 to:

Software to Backup Your Computer including :

1) How to be Rebooted and Back in Business in minutes after a system drive failure.

2) What is the difference between an Archive backup and a Mirror backup and why you should care.
     Hint: One boots the computer and the other ... doesn't.

We will explain Bootable Mirror or Clone  Backups, On-Line Backups to the "Cloud", and take questions from the audience on  their computer's ills and mysteries.

And we'll show how to do this stuff with Free Software!

If you want to read about what will be covered and what won't, take a look at the Working Computers post  titled, Taking Care of Your Computer for Free -- Bootable Backup / Cloud Backup -- Talk at the Kinnelon Library Feb. 16 7:00 PM, which goes into detail.

All of you Kinnelon and North Jersey people, and everybody else, are welcome to come.

Call the Kinnelon Library at 973 838 1321 and reserve a spot.

See you there!

~Ted


PS: This talk pertains to PCs running Windows 7, Vista and XP

Photo Credit: various websites

Taking Care of Your Computer for Free -- Talk at the Kinnelon Library this Thur., Jan. 19 7:00 PM

It needs a little love!

I will be giving my 2nd talk at the Kinnelon Library this Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 PM, which is the first of 3 such talks a month apart, on the subject of taking care of your Windows PC, new or old, with special attention in Part 1 to:

Free Software to Disinfect Your Computer including :

1) What to do when you first notice that you have an infected machine.

2) What are Restore and Recover and why you should care

The free software includes Malwarebytes'  and Spybot's  free programs which you can download and install from these links.

I cannot over-stress the importance of acting quickly if you think you have such a problem, so whatever you decide to do, pursue disinfection yourself, or have someone do it for you, do it right away. 


How to Surf Safely -- Howto explore the internet without getting infected, or having your identity stolen:

1) How to know if a website or download is safe

2) When to say Yes and when to say No


Ask Your Questions and Solve Your Problems --"Open Mike" -- Questions such as

1) Is my machine too old? When do I need a new machine?

2) What is the best Free On-Line Backup?

3) Why does my computer ... ?

4) If you have a laptop with a problem, bring it along and we'll take a quick look.

5) Questions and on-the-spot diagnosis will be limited by the time available!!!

All of you Kinnelon and North Jersey people, and everybody else, are welcome to come.

Call the Kinnelon Library at 973 838 1231 and reserve a spot.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you previous attendees (from last summer), and all of you new people

See you there!

~Ted


PS: This talk pertains to PCs running Windows 7, Vista and XP


Photo Credit: www.cosmosmagazine.com

Pilates at the Kinnelon Library

Pilates at Kinnelon Library

Introductory Pilates with Dee Schneider

 6 sessions

January 10 – February 14 @9.30am

  

 Please call Kinnelon Library to sign up: 973 838 1321

~Ted

Wegmans, Wegmans, Wegmans ... Please!!!

Galeries Lafayette Paris -- Not Wegmans

Would you like to have a food store nearby, that carried a fantastic array of ethnic and gourmet items, priced them as if the store were a BJ's or Costco, had a prepared food aisle out of a Paris store such as Galeries Lafayette Gourmet, a liquor store that offered excellent wines, really excellent, including Spanish Cava, NZ Sauvignon Blanc, Rioja, and more, at $6 a bottle? And much more, including all of the regular grocery store items priced at well below regular grocery store prices? Geez! I would like to have that nearby, too! And we do have such a store, just not very nearby. Wegmans in Bridgewater, about 45 minutes away, down I287, is an amazing place, that inspires, excites, and, well, makes me sad ... that it's not closer.

Voila! They Are the Same! No?  Wegmans Bridgewater

Galeries Lafayette Gourmet in Paris with Tasting Bars for Sampling

Recently we made the trip, and while I am not willing to make that trip every week, I expect we (yes, I mean we) will go every couple of months or so.

Wegman's Main Prepared Food Aisle with Some Sampling Stations --
 View From 2nd Story Cafe Section

We were very entertained, the whole family. There is the spectacle of unusual and unexpected food, such as Broccoli Romanesco, think fractal green cauliflower, and not only great Sushi, unlike regular stale supermarket sushi, but sushi ingredients for making your own, a fabulous pastry and bakery section, and enormous fresh fish section with more varieties than King's or even Corrado's. Plus there is the interest in watching food being freshly prepared -- veggies being freshly cut and packaged at a station above the veggie display case, cheeses being cut and packaged at the cheese counter, and so on.

Broccoli Romanesco -- Green Fractal Cauliflower

Wegmans Prepared Food Aisle -- One End -- Note Tables on 2nd Level Overlooking

Lest you think I am kidding about the prices of staples, 1 Gal. of Skimmed milk was $2.69, exactly the same price as BJ's, and a couple of dollars per gallon less than Pathmark or Stop and Shop. Colombian Coffee was about the same price as BJ's as well. And a lot below that of Pathmark or Stop and Shop.

There is an element of Trader Joe's as well, but of course on a grand scale -- packages of frozen, portion-wrapped Atlantic Salmon (and other types of fish) in 3 lb bags for $6 per lb, and portion wrapped packages of prepared veggies ready to cook, high-quality and unusual ethnic and organic foods ...

We ourselves tried the sushi, which was excellent, the lemon custard tarte, and apple galette from the bakery, which were excellent as well. We bought several cases of wine, and, though we did not recognize some of the names, all were very good, and, well, at 6 bucks a bottle, there wasn't much of a risk.

Add to all of the rest a very friendly and instantly helpful staff and cashier, and I am almost suspicious that it's too good to be true. For goodness sake, when you buy wine, it's packaged into a reusable 6 bottle carry bag, gratis!

Handled Wine Totes, Apple Galette, Lemon Tarte, et al

It's an interesting concept and business model -- more than entertaining enough to be a destination by itself, a great place to eat, with a cafe section overlooking the main food aisle for great people watching, warehouse prices, a full service grocery store, unusual and high quality foods, high-level prepared foods and bakery goods ... is there no downside?

Well, the only one I can think of is distance.

If you haven't been to Wegmans, and the description interests you, go.

You won't be disappointed.

~Ted


PS: I noticed the Spanish Cava (Sparkling Wine) we had purchased at Wegmans for $6 was available at Roserne for $13.90.

PPS: Wegmans has a blog. You can find Wegmans on Twitter as well as a Wegmans iPhone app. You might also enjoy First taste of the Wegmans experience - Boston.com.


PPPS: Misc Photos we took

Looking back toward entrance. Shortly thereafter we had to put 
the camera away.

Clean Bathrooms! Notice the clever stepstool.

More Galeries Wegmans

Specials Posted As You Enter. You'll find similar
signage throughout the store and specific to the 
product category.

3 Upcoming Kinnelon Library Programs, on Teddy Roosevelt's Life and Times, Reliving the Life of a 2500 Year Old Biblical Town, Tom Doyle on Guitar with Vocals by Sandy Cory

Sunday, 13 November 2011 @ 3pm

Theodore Roosevelt: His Life and Times as Seen Through Political Cartoons, Postcards, and Pictures of the Period

This lecture, music, and slide presentation covers the turbulent and exciting life of Theodore Roosevelt, America's 26th president. Stories about other public figures of the times are also part of the program.

Please call Kinnelon Library to sign up 973 838 1321 ________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, 15 November 2011 @ 7pm 

 "Reliving Biblical Times: A View from Tel Burna Where Past and Present Meet" 

 Presented by Debi Weisselberg-Cossuto

 Have you ever thought of what it feels like to uncover a hidden lost world? To touch history - not just read about it? That is what archeology is all about, and we would like to share excitement and experiences with you. Tel Burna - a fortified town over 2500 years old - is located on the border between two ancient political rivals: Judah and Philistia. The archeological research at the site has begun to reveal how people living in this border city lived and interacted with others, and how their lives were affected by their close proximity to "the enemy". 

Please call the Library at (973) 838-1321 to register for this free program. ________________________________________________________________________ 

 Sunday, 20 November 2011 @ 3pm 

 Tom Doyle and his Guitar - Vocals by Sandy Cory

 Tom's interpretation of big-band, swing jazz arrangements on guitar accompanied by the sensuous vocal of his wife, Sandy, reminds you of Les Paul and Mary Ford. He has worked with some of the best names in the business, such as Goerge Benson, Tommy Emanuel and Sting. His captivating talk will keep you wanting more!  

Please call Kinnelon Library to sign up - 973 838 1321

~Ted

Kinnelon Public Library Presents Author and Former Kinnelon Resident Stephanie Stiles Discussing Her New Book -- 'Take It Like a Mom' -- Sun, Oct 23, 3 PM

KINNELON PUBLIC LIBRARY

 will host

Stephanie Stiles

Author and former Kinnelon resident, Stephanie Stiles will discuss her book: 

‘Take It Like a Mom’

 Sunday, October 23 @ 3 – 4.30pm 

One thing sets her apart from other modern-day superheroes: mom genes. 

Annie Fingardt Forster used to be a lawyer who wore dry-clean only and shaved both legs. But things have changed. Now a stay-at-home mom, she wears cargo pants and ponytails and harbors a nearly pathological hatred towards hipster parents.

PLEASE CALL KINNELON LIBRARY TO SIGN UP 973 838 1321

~Ted


PS Where did she go? Stephanie, that is.

Human Trafficking Presentation at the Kinnelon Library Wed., Oct 12 7 PM

Kathleen Friess, the Program Coordinator for Major Crimes/Human Trafficking will present on

The NJ Human Trafficking Task Force

Wednesday, Oct 12 at 7 PM

This is Ms. Friess' second visit to our Library. What is Human Trafficking 101; The NJ Task Force; New Jersey and Human Trafficking? This is an introduction that will provide a basic understanding of human trafficking, the crime and its victims. 

We will also discuss why New Jersey is a prime location for human trafficking and what New Jersey is doing to combat this criminal activity. 

Please call the Library at (973) 838-1321 to register for this free program.


~Ted

Free College Planning Presentation at The Kinnelon Library: How To Present A Strong Application

The Kinnelon Public Library will be hosting the following presentation on college applications:

The College Planning Process: How to Present a Strong Application Package

Thursday, October 13 @ 7pm

Maryanne Melnyk

Ms. Melnyk is an experienced certified Supervisor of Guidance in a strong academic high school who has helped hundreds of students through the college selection and application process. She has published an article in the NJEA Review and was interviewed on NBC News.

She will host this free informative presentation detailing how to put together a strong competitive application package.

For more information: email mam24@optonline.net


~Ted

OLM: Looking for Founding Parishioners!

Our Lady of the Magnificat Church (OLM) in Kinnelon is getting ready to kick-off its Golden Jubilee year-long celebration of the founding of the parish. Needed: founding parishioners!

From the parish bulletin:

"We are looking for the names of those who joined the new parish of Our Lady of the Magnificat in September 1961-September 1962 and who are still living. Children who were alive then and are still parishioners today would qualify. We would like to designate them as honorary chairpersons of the jubilee year. Please call the rectory with this information. If they are out of town, please give us their address."

Several of you have asked about Our Lady of the Magnificat. Were your families founding parishioners? If so, I'm sure Monsignor Carroll would love to hear from you!

To contact the rectory, call 973-838-6838 or email pastor@olmchurch.org.

Given the upcoming 50 year celebrations, I plan on sharing with you a Cornie Hubner, Didja Know? story titled "Our Lady of the Magnificat" - as soon as I take a few photos of the Chapel.

In the meantime, from the Parish archives, here is the history of Our Lady of the Magnificat Chapel:

"The Chapel of Our Lady of the Magnificat was built in 1954 - a replica of a 13th century English Church. The ancient theme is represented throughout, lacking only flying buttresses to be pure Gothic. The Chapel is approximately 73 feet by 33 feet, built of native stone with walls 16 inches thick, and a pitched, slate roof. The soft color of the interior wood walls of Philippine mahogany and oak furnishings are complemented by the shape of the dark overhead truss, the cathedral ceiling being excellent for acoustics. There is a special feeling upon entering the tight space of the alcove and expanding into a larger arrangement of space where the arched window in seven shades of blue is prominent and draws all attention.

The Chapel was the dream of Henry Wise Miller and his wife, Audrey Frazier Miller. It is built on land which was owned by Robert Morris in 1792 and Benjamin Howell in 1809 (gentlemen renowned in New Jersey history), and purchased by Mr. Miller in 1925. Mr. Miller was born in France, scion of a prominent New Jersey family who ancestors included a Senator, an officer in the East Indian Army who served under the Duke of Wellington and a great grandfather who was President of Harvard. He was married to the writer, Alice Duer Miller (best known for "The White Cliffs of Dover") until her death in 1942. In the process of publishing his autobiography All our lives: Alice Duer Miller he met and married Audrey Frazier Miller. He drew his own architectural plans from memory of the church he had seen in Harescombe, England, and from books. No expense was spared in its construction. The Chapel was named Our Lady of the Magnificat based on his favorite passage from the Gospel of St. Luke.

In 1952, Henry, who was not Catholic, and Audrey Miller bequested the acres to the Diocese of Paterson, for the future formation of parish now known as Our Lady of the Magnificat. Mr. Miller was in failing health during construction of the Chapel and shortly before his death he was affirmed to the Catholic faith. He lived to see the Chapel dedication of July 2, 1954 and died September 15, 1954. His was the first funeral Mass in the Chapel. Mrs. Audrey Frazier Miller died in Arkansas in June of 1976.

The Chapel remains an architectural and cultural landmark in our community of which all citizens in Kinnelon can be justly proud."

What are your memories of Our Lady of the Magnificat? What major celebrations do you remember taking place there? What role has it played in your and your family's lives? Let me know in the comments.

P.S.: If you have photos, send them along. I'll share them on the blog!

Kinnelon's Stonybrook Highlands Neighborhood

At the end of the school year, Emma was invited to her friend's birthday party, which took place in Kinnelon's Stonybrook Highlands at the "community pool." I thought I had misunderstood. After all, Kinnelon is all about community lakes and beaches. Isn't it? Not, as you will discover in Mary Beth Grybowski's story titled "My Neighborhood".

My Neighborhood

Wow, look at the date! It is already August 15, 2011! Where has the time gone?

You might think that I am talking about this Summer passing by too quickly. Well, that is partially true, but for me, today marks the 5 year anniversary of our move to Kinnelon.

Now, you might be wondering where I live. If so, I’ll give some hints and see if you can guess. I don’t live within the 5,000 acres behind a gate, or within the area known as Kinnelon Estates. I have seen many a wild turkey in my yard, but I don’t live within Pheasant Run. In fact, during the last heat wave, there was a mama wild turkey drinking from the water feature in the Koi pond while her little ones looked on. My street and driveway are quite steep, but I don’t live in Round Hill Estates. There is something secluded deep in the woods behind my house, but I don’t live in Hidden Acres. I can take a cool dip nearby during the Summer, but I don’t live within Fayson Lakes or Lake Reality.

OK, can you guess where I live? If so, can you also guess what is hidden in my neighborhood? Since my younger siblings call me ‘the blabbermouth’, I will have to tell you, because I am terrible at keeping a secret. I live in a community called Stonybrook Highlands. Our secret is that we have a swimming pool on a piece of land that is approximately 5 acres. It is a homeowners association, so we each own a little piece of this property and we pay yearly dues on it. There are usually a few openings to the pool each Summer, but you must be recommended by someone in the neighborhood. Stonybrook Highlands is made up of the houses on Highlands Drive, Misty Ridge Circle, Galloway Terrace, Chilhowie Drive and just a few houses on Boonton Avenue.

We have several meetings a year, to discuss the budget and planned activities. We have an Autumn and Spring cleanup at the pool, a Halloween Parade the Sunday afternoon before the festival of ghouls. There is a BBQ and a camp out on the grounds in Summer. But in Winter, the pool area hibernates, much like the local black bears.

Our neighborhood association even has officers. Tom is our President, Ellen is our Secretary, Anne is our Treasurer, Kim is our Social Director, and Tony takes care of running the pool facilities. A few other people deserve a little recognition. John keeps our directory up to date with addresses and phone numbers. Cliff recently stepped up to lend a hand with the taxes for the association.

I hope I don’t get in trouble with the neighbors by telling you our BIG secret. Actually, if our neighborhood had a website or blog, you would have known all about it already.

One final word of warning : Don’t try to sneak into the pool off-hours. One of the officers has a ‘Bird’s Eye View’ of the pool property and he is a very fast runner.

Mary Beth Grybowski

-----

Thank you, Mary Beth!

Did you know about Kinnelon's Stonybrook Highlands neighborhood and its lovely community pool? I bet the campout is great fun and that Halloween Parade is perfectly ghoulish!

Kinnelon's Camp Rickabear

Summer Camp at Kinnelon's Lake Rickabear - a Girls Scouts of Northern New Jersey day camp - begins today and camper Emma has been chomping at the bit. [You see her here on her first day of camp last year.] This is her third year attending camp at Lake Rickabear, a 40 acre spring-fed lake, and enjoying 332 acres of Kinnelon natural beauty. Life truly doesn't get much better for a kid!

[FYI - Lake Rickabear was the site of Lake Rickabear Club, a private recreational facility for professional men and their families per a 1955 and 56 entry in Google Timeline. I'm told it was also a corporate retreat facility, possibly for Curtiss-Wright? Readers, if you can help me fill in the gaps, please let me know in the comments. Thank you!]

In anticipation, Emma writes the following:

-------

Every summer I go to a fantastic Summer camp. This camp is called Rickabear. During the camp season there are three sleepovers. I go to each and every one. I like the counselors, lifeguards and specialists. My favorite counselor is Dani. We have a lot of fun together.

In the beginning of each week, we have a swim test. Last year, I started out as a bullfrog, then got retested and became an angelfish. After I passed angelfish, I became an iguana. This is the order of categories for swimming: bat, beaver, bullfrog, alligator, angelfish, iguana and sea serpent.

• A bat needs a lot of training.
• A beaver needs some help.
• A bullfrog swims with a noodle and works on strokes.
• An alligator swims sometimes with a noodle, but mostly swims without.
• An angelfish starts going to the farther docks and does laps.
• An iguana swims to the red dock and learns the butterfly stroke.
• A sea serpent has mastered all of the strokes.

Depending on your swimming category, you get a different color swim cap. Bats, beavers and bullfrogs wear green. Alligators and angelfish wear a yellow swim cap.  Iguanas and sea serpents wear white. When you reach a yellow or white swim cap, you can go on a kayak.

There are other things that you might do during the day like Sports, Arts & Crafts and Boating. If you are ten and up you get to do archery. I am 9 and 3/4 to be exact. Miss Amanda helps out at Arts and Crafts. Melissa does Sports. Oh and then I forgot Miss Jess who does Nature Fun. Miss Lisa also does Nature. Then we have our nurse; I forget her name.

There are units you get assigned to. There is unit 1 through unit 12, then you go to the teen unit. The highest unit I've been in is Unit 6. My friend Kathleen also goes to Rickabear.

There are 8 or 9 different buses. I am on bus 6 - Minnie Mouse.

The head lifeguard's name is Meg; her partner is Trish. Sometimes we have drills. The drill is when we can't find any campers.

I have so much fun at camp all Summer long!

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If you'd like a visual taste of Kinnelon's Camp Rickabear, you might enjoy Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey's YouTube video.


I wish I were a kid again...

What were your favorite memories of Summers in Kinnelon? Let us know in the comments.

Computer Maintenance: How To Take Care of Your PC Program at Kinnelon Library: 5/3/11 7pm

Register for Kinnelon Computers' Free Computer Maintenance 'How To' Discussion at the Kinnelon Library with Ted Whittemore on May 3rd, 2011 at 7 PM.

Many of you may know that, in addition to reviewing hot sauces and creating Kinnelon's own SR Fresh Hot Sauces, Ted Whittemore also keeps computers in working condition in and around Kinnelon [Note: Ted runs my company IT Department :-)].

For those of you wanting to learn more about how to maintain, clean and backup your computers, look no further than the Kinnelon Libary on Tuesday, May 3rd at 7pm when Ted will be sharing advice and tips on how to take care of your personal computer.

Here are the details, which are listed in the Kinnelon Library Bookmarks Volume 29, Number 2 dated April/May/June 2011 on page 4:

"How to Maintain, Clean and Back Up Your PC for No Money!"
With Ted Whittemore of Kinnelon Computers

Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 PM

Tips include:

• Preventing your computer from dying dust bunny death
• Keeping your computer going for the long haul - defrag, clean, and monitor your machine
• Protect your computer with top-of-the-line free Anti-Virus Software
• What to do if you do get infected and how to be prepared
• How to be back on-line in minutes after a computer failure
• Protect your files, personal info, settings, and data with Free On-Line Backup to the Cloud (Internet)

And more!  Please call the Library at (973) 838-1321 to register for this free program.

If you have specific questions you'd like Ted to address, feel free to include them here in the comments. Otherwise, be sure to reserve a spot and be prepared to learn many valuable tips on how best to maintain your computer. And they cost ... NOTHING! Hooray!

Thanks for your help in getting the word out.

I hope to see you then!

Butler's Ramstein Beer: Best NY Area Brewery

Congratulations to our friends at Ramstein Beer at High Point Brewing Company, Inc. in Butler for being listed as a Best Local New York Area Brewery by CBS New York.

This is the second year that Ramstein Beer has been included in the listing.

What I find interesting is that, of the 15 local New York area breweries listed, one is located in New Jersey, four are in New York City [Brooklyn and Chelsea Piers], one is in Vermont, 2 in Pennsylvania, and the remaining seven are in New York state.

We sure are lucky to have Ramstein Beer just down Kiel Avenue in Butler!

Here's what Greg Zaccardi, the owner, wrote to fans of Ramstein Beer:

"We would like to thank you all for your support over the past year.  We aim high to meet your standards. As a result, we are proud to mention that we have been recognized for it by CBS News.   For the second year in a row we were voted one of the "Best Local New York Area Breweries".  Quite a feat being the only one from NJ.

Cheers and thanks again,
Greg"

By the way, the article lists some terrific craft beer resources for the New York City area - from meetups to beer menus to guides. You'll find this information at the end of the article.

I don't know about you, but we're looking forward to the first Ramstein Been open house of 2011 taking place in March! Details coming soon...

10 Holiday Gift Ideas With a Kinnelon Twist

'Tis the season to be thinking of gifts. Lucky for you, I've been thinking of the very subject for a while and jotting down unique gift ideas with a Kinnelon twist. Here's my list of 10 Kinnelon Holiday gift ideas.... whether you've been naughty or nice!

1. Get your special someone a Growler from the High Point Brewery and fill it with Ramstein Beer. In so doing, you not only share the best German style wheat beers in the state, but you also guarantee conversation -- about the growler, the beer, the water in our area and other fun topics.

2. What about Dinner at the Smoke Rise Village Inn? Great food, the most child-friendly environment you could ask for in a building filled with more history than most other buildings in Kinnelon.  It's open to everyone.

3. Jen Singer has a new book available titled Stop Second-Guessing Yourself--Baby's First Year: A Field-Tested Guide to Confident Parenting (Momma Said).

4. Speaking of books, don't forget Lynmarie McCullough's Grand Hall Character Ball...

5. and The Age of Conversation 3, a collaborative book about social media marketing best practices - to which I contributed a chapter. Proceeds from sales of the book benefit Charity: Water.

6. or Liz Holste's Skiing in New Jersey!

7. Have you checked out the wonderful note cards with scenes of Kinnelon available at L'Ecole Museum?

8. If you need to get all dolled up for the Holiday celebrations, consider visiting our friend Anne Walsh at Anne's Hair Spa in Butler.

These next two are very close to home...

9. Ted's SR Fresh Hot Sauces make marvelous stocking stuffers plus they are sure to enhance your Holiday meals.

10. Treating yourself to a new computer this year? Ted can make recommendations and help you convert your existing data onto your new computer. If you haven't yet, check out Ted's Working Computers blog for lots of valuable advice for keeping your computer [and you] happy.

Bonus! Although not a Kinnelon resource, my friend Devon Valenti is based in New Jersey [Princeton to be specific] and her company's product is terrific.  Offer your special someone with a smartphone the gift of CoPilot Live, an app based GPS navigation device!

What would you add to this list of Holiday gift ideas with a Kinnelon twist?