Rain, Rain, Come Again...Beacon's Drought Makes Brown Lawns En Vogue

Those who may have lamented the constant downpours and repeat rainy days in June, which put a slight dent in the kickoff of summertime pool and waterpark memberships, may be wishing for those rainy days to be back. The rain in July only yielded 1 inch of rain, according to an article published this week by Brian PJ Cronin in the Philipstown Paper, and April was a light month for rain.

On one of his famous hikes, Brian hiked up Mount Beacon to take pictures of the Beacon Reservoir to reveal the mud that is baking in the sun, which is usually covered by water. The Beacon Reservoir is about to hit 60%, according to weekly measuring and reporting by Beacon's Water and Sewer Department.

Therefore, a Stage 1 Drought Alert has been issued for Beacon with the following voluntary recommendations:

• Using a car wash to wash your car, not washing it with a hose.
• Refrain from watering your lawn; lawns will go dormant if not watered and return when moisture returns.
• Refrain from washing streets, sidewalks, driveways or exteriors of structures with a hose.
• Fix leaks.

Water usage makes a big difference to the Reservoir. As Brian pointed out in his article when he brought up the last time a Stage 1 Drought Alert was issued in November 2013 during an Indian summer, that the Reservoir rapidly recovered after "temperatures dipped, snow fell, and outside water use dropped dramatically."

So here's what you can do to preserve the green in your yard and keep water in the Reservoir:

• Keep the weeds for a bit. There is a strip of bright green in our yard...why? It's weeds! We never seeded the area after digging around it to widen the driveway. So hey crabgrass that just won't die - you have a purpose for the moment of making our yard look good.
• Brown lawns are cool. It's un-cool at this point to water your lawn. So just go with the new, sandier shade of lawn!
• Hay mulch the garden. Naysayers of the hay mulching method may want to change their minds and accept the very few sprouts of new hay that pop up through dried hay, and just lay the hay down thick. This hay mulched garden has only been watered twice all season with a watering can.

This hay mulched garden has been watered 2x with a watering can all season. If we have no grass, we at least have giant butternut squash leaves.

Hello little baby butternut squash! And hello healthy weed that needs to be covered in more hay mulch.

Beacon Dental Visits All Schools in Beacon School District to Educate Kids (Sponsored)

Beacon Dental regularly visits every school in Beacon's school district, talking to children of all ages about oral health and the importance of brushing. Reading to your children about going to the dentist is also important, and helps them look forward to doing the right thing for their bodies! Little kids love having their teeth counted, and teenagers like a healthy smile! Call Beacon Dental today to make an appointment: (845) 838-3666 and visit their new website to get to know the team: www.beacondental.net

Beacon Dental is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and we thank you for supporting businesses that make this publication possible!

Poughkeepsie Nissan: New & Pre-Owned Cars With Great Service

Poughkeepsie Nissan

1445 Route 9 

Wappingers Falls, 12590

www.poughkeepsienissan.com

Today's options of buying a car are abundant. So many choices! Small and fast? Roomy yet sexy? Lease or buy? And who is going to service this car once you buy or lease it? Poughkeepsie Nissan is a full-service dealership who can put you in the car of your dreams or needs at the moment with plenty of financing options. Their friendly staff listens to your priorities about a car, and can match you with a great fit. Not only do they sell Nissans (which has the best-looking and best-packing mini-van out there, starting with the 2012 model - the Nissan Quest), but Poughkeepsie Nissan has an extensive selection of used cars in a range of prices. Chances are, whatever model of a used car you are looking for, Poughkeepsie Nissan has one in their huge lot. Give them a call today to see if they have the car or truck of your dreams, and if they don't, they might be able to find it. Poughkeepsie Nissan offers a guaranteed credit approval and is home of the Lifetime Powertrain Warranty on all new and pre-owned vehicles.

P.S.: Did you know that Executive Manager Fran Pomarico is from Beacon? He has a soft spot in his heart for Beacon, NY, and knows that nowhere else is quite like it. Meet their whole staff.

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM POUGHKEEPSIE NISSAN

Poughkeepsie Nissan knows you want a great selection in your next car purchase. That is why they have one of the largest inventory collections in the area, with one lot dedicated to pre-owned cars of any make or model, and another lot for new models of Nissan vehicles. If a pre-owned Subaru, VW or even a Ford is the car of your dreams, you will probably find it at Poughkeepsie Nissan. Or drive away with a current-model Nissan!

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LIFETIME LIMITED POWERTRAIN WARRENTY

Poughkeepsie Nissan knows every car that comes into its lot. That's why they offer the Lifetime Limited Powertrain Warranty on used cars with under 100K miles. This covers the Engine, Transmission, Drive Axle and a Towing Allowance. Poughkeepsie Nissan's service station is top-notch and works on imported and domestic cars. Their appointment system will keep all of your records, and even remind you if your car is due for registration renewal. This makes buying a used car a bit more reassuring!

Search for your car now!

 

Antalek & Moore's Distracted Driving Campaign in 2015 (Sponsor)

Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
340 Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508

(845) 831-4300 
www.antalek-moore.com

Take a moment today to put down the phone while driving, asks Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, LLC in their Distracted Driving campaign video. Ten year old Abby Pagones, daughter of one of the partners of the agency, returns to the screen to lecture Patrick Moore about the illusion of multi-tasking while driving. Watch it here! bit.ly/AntalekMoore

A special message from our sponsor, Antalek & Moore, which is part of their awareness campaign for Distracted Driving. Thank you for supporting businesses who support A Little Beacon Blog!

Saturday Morning Wooden Kids Letter Project With Paint And Sparkles

Target on Rt. 9 at the Poughkeepsie Mall is stocked with fresh craft projects, and if course school supplies. But what I love doing is keeping my cupboards stocked with craft supplies, or "projects" as we call them, for an ever-ready supply of imaginative entertainment for the kids and me, especially if a lot of TV watching has been happening and you want to break up the cycle.

This morning's colorful curveball to the expected Saturday morning question: "Mommy, can I watch a show?" was this set of NEW paint (bye bye crusty old paint jars!), a wooden letter of my child's name, flat sparkle circles, and spools of blue themed ribbon. Oh, and the red placemat that was an easy $1.39 to pickup two of and use one for paint and marker projects and one for eating.

My son had free use of the paint brush and color choices, and then I introduced the flat sparkle circles, followed by gray glitter glue (from last year's holiday $1 isle at Target...of which I stocked up on several!) to really lock the circles in place. He had fun practicing shaking the glue to the top of the bottle and then squirting it into one spot. And if course smushing the flat sparkle circle onto the glue, which made a nice decoration that looked like stamped melted wax.

Lastly, he picked out a ribbon to cover the outer rim of the C and used two hands on the scissors to cut, and voila! We completed our Saturday morning project while I enjoyed a cup if coffee and then we got ready for swim class!

Basil That Went to Seed, Went to the Bees for Basil Honey!

Normally when my basil or cilantro bolts and goes to seed, I feel like I did not use it enough. By not pruning it by clipping stems to use in a summer gazpacho or pesto, I wasted it. Not so, thinks this honey bee, who found the white flower sprouting from the basil and took its nectar. Longtime bee enthusiasts may not be surprised by this source of food for the honeybee, but this new gardener had not considered a bolted herb to be such a treat.

A backyard honey bee pursuing the flower from basil.

Throughout our backyard are butterfly bushes and other flowering bushes that we planted there purposefully to feed the bees. Recently we decided to not poison the clover and to let bees take from the clover, thereby risking our bare feet in the grass!

Curious about honey basil, however, I sent over a note to Deb Davidovits, the beekeeper and founder of Beacon Bee. You have seen her lip balm, honey and other bee based products in stores like Beacon Natural Market or at events like the Beacon Jazz Festival, which is where I spotted her. It was at the Beacon Jazz Festival that I learned of her honey that was flavored by the black locust trees in the spring, so I asked her about basil honey. She had tasted thyme honey, which she said was delicious, and lavender honey, but not basil honey.

Deborah Davidovits, founder of Beacon Bee at her stand at Beacon Jazz Fest.

Is basil honey possible? Says Deb: "If a beekeeper places hives in the middle of a field of apple trees, where there is nothing but apple trees for acres in any direction, and the apples are known to be blooming while the bees are there, it will for sure be apple blossom honey."

I felt very lucky to have seen this bee at my basil, because I will never clip that flower again so that the honey bees can use it. And then Deb described this feeling perfectly as she reflected about being a beekeeper: "Part of what I love about being a beekeeper is how much I am learning about seasonal changes, effects of the weather, what plants are around me and when they bloom, etc.  In general, becoming more aware of the natural world and how magnificent it is!" Deb has an insightful blog in which she explores what it means to be a beekeeper, and shares some amazing photos, like how to wear bees - in your beard!

Bounties of Farm Fresh Produce - Plus Cookie Dough) Come to Key Food

Fresh, glorious produce in the Hudson Valley has never been a problem, thanks to the numerous farms in the area farming this rich land. In fact, I was just watching Splash the other night (a great compromise for a mermaid obsessed daughter and her mom who wants to watch rom-coms), and the produce pier in New York City that is run by Tom Hanks gets a shipment in of cherries from upstate NY.

A new display of farm fresh produce from New Jersey at Key Food.

Finding good produce at Key Food has been possible since the new family of owners came in five years ago, but this summer they stepped it up by bringing in farm fresh lettuce, corn, purple bell peppers, green and yellow squash, carrots, scallions and tomatoes from a farm in the Garden State itself, New Jersey. Other big grocery stores in our area have brought in farms, including Hannaford during the Fall when winter squashes are harvested locally. You also might notice it at your own Whole Foods when they label which farms they are working with.

Cookie dough from The Cookie Dough Cafe, also at Key Food.

The selection of independent and interesting brands still pops up with surprises on Key Food's shelves in Beacon, like the "Don't Bake It, Eat It" cookie dough from The Cookie Dough Cafe found in the dairy section next to the traditional roll of Nestle cookie dough. But The Cookie Dough Cafe's brand of cookie dough, branded as "gourmet edible cookie dough" is much, much tastier and creamier. With more vanilla and butter in every bite, you can select from chocolate chip, monster (which is M&Ms and chocolate chips), and an Oreo cookie flavor. With a butter/sugar base, it easily turns into a spreadable frosting on these freshly baked Ghirardelli double chocolate brownies for a summer cookout.

You may feel compelled to pick one of all of this produce and then cook up a summer salad with fried mushrooms, scallions, squash and salmon! You'll need it if you OD on the cookie dough...

Windows on Main: 2015! #WOMS2015 Has Blog-Bombed A Little Beacon Blog (Sponsor)

It is time! Windows On Main is popping up in storefronts all over Beacon, and when they aren't yarn-bombing lamp posts, they have blog-bombed A Little Beacon Blog, where we are serving as an Official Media Sponsor! Expect to see plenty of art here at the blog and in our Instagram and Twitter feeds.

Diana Currie's yarn-bombing in-progress

For the past eleven summers, Windows on Main Street invites local artists to create art installations designed around the locations they occupy. This yearly exhibition stimulates interaction between artists, businesses, and the community, and can certainly be credited towards helping shape Beacon, the way that many public art events have built up Beacon that are connected to the fiscal sponsor, BeaconArts.

Diane Landro's artwork in-progress

THEME
This year, for #WOMS2015's 11th annual exhibition, the contributing artists will be creating their window displays based around the theme of Industrial/Metal. Maps are available throughout the city, and art is on display from the far East end of Main Street to the far West end of Main Street from August 8 - September 12.

Ryan Samuelson work in progress

PARTY!
Windows on Main 2015 kicks off on August's Second Saturday with a party from 7pm-9pm at Quinn's located at 330 Main Street. A "Small Works Show," an exhibition by the artists of WOMS2015, will be on display at BAU: Beacon Artist Union, 506 Main St. from August 8 – September 12 with a formal reception held on Saturday August 15 from 6pm-8pm. A Closing Party for Windows On Main at large will be held on Saturday, September 12, 7pm-9pm at Dogwood, 47 East Main St.

WOMS 2015 Coasters- Spot them at all the local watering holes

ARTISTS
Beacon Free Media  ::  Dream in Plastic

Ed Benavente   ::  The Carriage Works Building

Erica Blair  ::   Fabhaus

Jennifer Sarah Blakeslee  ::   Beacon Bread Company

Riana Casas  ::   Max's On Main

Diana Currie  ::   Dogwood

Diana Currie   ::  The Dummy Light

Jared Deal  ::   Blackbird Attic

Lena DeLeo  ::   Mountain Tops

Daisy Farrell   ::  Gilded Twig

Marcy B. Freedman  ::  Lauren & Riley

Joseph Gasparino   ::  Drink More Good

Theresa Gooby  ::   Barb's Butchery

Ethan Harrison & Chris Janks  ::  Peoples Bicycle

Erica Hauser  ::  Utensil

Laurie Hogan  ::  Bank Square Coffeehouse

Micheal Kriegh  :: Quinn's

Diane Landro  :: Tito Santana Taqueria

Stephen Lewis & Yali Lewis  ::  Beacon Instituye For Rivers & Estuaries

Kristen Macauley   ::  After Eden Gallery

Teresa Marra   ::  American Gypsy Vintage

Vickie Raabin  ::   Miss Vickie's Music

Brianna Rascoe   ::  Nella Bellas Boutique

Marlene Ratliff   ::  Sacred Journey

Ryan Samuelson  ::  Terra Luminarium Gallery

Chris Sanders  ::  The Beacon Bagel

Teresa Schmittroth  :: Artisan Wine Shop

Amanda Spinosa & Cory Spraker  ::  Audioccult

Kat Stoutenborough  ::  RiverWinds Gallery

Team WOMS  ::   The Hop

Coulter D. Young III  ::  LocoMotive CrossFit

Coulter D. Young IV  ::  Raddish

Keely Sheehan display from WOMSX

Teresa Marra display from WOMSX

Tess Elliot in front of her winning display at Peoples Bicycle last year.

SPONSORS
We are happy to have WOMS2015 blog-bombing A Little Beacon Blog as their media sponsor!
See behind-the-scenes photos of a yarn-bombing in the works, and other artwork in progress on the WOMS2015 instagram account. The big reveal takes place during August's Second Saturday and will run through September 12th.

Team WOMS: Teresa Marra & Diana Currie

The event is organized by Teresa Marra and Diana Currie. WOMS2015 is presented by Rhinebeck Bank and sponsored by The Roundhouse, Beacon Free Media, Beacon Independent Film Festival, A Little Beacon Blog, Kimberly Coccagnia Photography, LocoMotive CrossFit, Utensil, Oak Vino Wine Bar, Spire Studios, River Therapeutic Massage, Gilded Twig, Rogue Social, Quinn’s, BAU: Beacon Artist Union, Dogwood, Art In Context, Kelly Ellenwood, Ryan Pinnetti, Barbara Caprara, and Barbara Fisher.

BEACONARTS
BeaconArts, formed in 2002, is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to foster and encourage the advancement of the City of Beacon as an arts and cultural center. Members include artists, galleries, specialty shops, restaurants, services, and supporters of the arts. Projects and events include Beacon Second Saturday, Art Along the Hudson, Beacon Open Studios, Windows on Main Street, Beacon Riverfest, Beacon Independent Film Festival, and Beacon 3D. The BeaconArts website and free, weekly email newsletter promote these events and those from members. BeaconArts distributes a quarterly Beacon Guide that shows all member galleries, shops, restaurants and more. The Guide is free and available at Dia:Beacon, the Beacon Visitor’s Center, locations along Beacon’s Main Street, and throughout the Hudson Valley.

Give Me An Egg And Cheese Sandwich. In A Wrapper. To Go.

Good things come in brown paper bags, wrapped in foil or parchment paper, especially when warm and melty.

On the weekends, we are often on the go and don't make a big production of going out to brunch because it's a big enough production just getting out the door with kids. Yet who wants to make breakfast and clean it before our big trip up Rt. 52 and onto Rt. 9 for a shopping expedition for kids clothes and low price pantry items at Target?

So I wished this morning for an egg and cheese sandwich from a deli and did a mental walk through of all of the breakfast places on Main Street, and hi Beacon Bagel! The guaranteed spot-hitter for a breakfast sandwich that can fill you up on until a late lunch. And they serve it all day, unlike other sandwich shops that turn off breakfast!

[WINNER!!] Mystery Photo Contest #12: Hint: "It's Not Scrabble" Prize: 2 Free Tickets to Beacon Jazz Festival!

Thank you to our sponsor of this contest, Studio Pixelated!

Studio Pixelated is offering personalized training for your social media campaigns, and is taking new clients for social media execution for businesses located in Beacon.

THE REVEAL PHOTO!
It's not a mystery anymore! Anik Desjardins Burns correctly identified the mystery photo as a letter at the train station!

The Mystery Photo was the letter "n" by artist Chris Janks, the last letter in the Welcome to Beacon sign at the entrance of the train station.

WINNER!
Anik and her daughter are ecstatic to be at the 1st Annual Beacon Jazz Festival. Thank you guys for participating in the contest!

PRIZE
2 Free Tickets to the Beacon Jazz Festival this Saturday! Details about the festival in our Annual Events Guide!

HINT #1
It's not scrabble.

HINT #2:
Train commuters will recognize this. The question is - which one?

RULES
- The Winning Entry must be made in the Comments below, and not at any social media channel.
- You must identify WHERE this picture was taken, and WHAT the picture is.
- First right answer wins!
- Prize must be picked up by the winner within two weeks of winning.
- Winners must wait 30 days before entering another contest.

Go Go Go!

Post your answer in the Comments below!

Be the sponsor of the next contest!

Click here for details...

Candlelight Vigil to Protect The Hudson River From PCBs If GE's Cleanup Stops

From Schuylerville to Pier 63 in Manhattan, Scenic Hudson is hosing a Candlelight Vigil to encourage GE (General Electric) to continue the clean-up of our most treasured natural and economic resource: The Hudson River. Says the EPA: "During a 30-year period ending in 1977, when EPA banned the production of PCBs, it is estimated that approximately 1.3 million pounds of PCBs were discharged into the Hudson River from two General Electric (GE) capacitor manufacturing plants located in the towns of Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York. In 1984, 200 miles of river, between Hudson Falls and the Battery in New York City, was placed on EPA’s National Priorities List of the country’s most contaminated hazardous waste sites."

Oftentimes taken for granted as a river to boat on, or a river to gaze upon from a highrise apartment in New York City or from the mountains of the Hudson Valley, the Hudson River was once an economic engine, as well as a major mode of transportation and war strategy during the Revolutionary War, which is why Newburgh was the headquarters of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, as well as a very wealthy town for industries who shipped between Newburgh and New York City (which...honestly may have contributed to the pollution of the river). The economy thrived during a time of high shipping, which is why so many of the philanthropic names you see on streets, parks, buildings and librarys are related to wealthy families with shipping businesses. Not to mention its history with the Native New Yorkers before Dutch and British settlers came here and renamed it.

GE was ordered to clean up the Hudson River in two phases, the second of which we are in now, which may be coming to an end, despite "leaving behind millions of pounds of heavily contaminated sediments that eventually will flow past Beacon and Newburgh," according to Scenic Hudson.

Tonight, in a dual event at Long Dock Park, which is right next to the Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park who were both extremely instrumental in spearheading the cleanup of the Hudson River through song and public pressure, Scenic Hudson has organized a Candlelight Vigil to keep the pressure on GE and governments to stay on the clean-up. Beacon now has public floating riverpool that Toshi and Pete Seeger envisioned and set up in the Hudson River. Riverpools were actually quite common in New York City until the river became too polluted.

When you go to the free Riverfest concert tonight, you will easily be able to participate in this activism to show your support for a cleaner Hudson River. You can also visit Scenic Hudson's website to sign a petition, volunteer or donate.

Going To The Dump: What Happens at Beacon's Transfer Station/Recycling Center

The Town "Dump", Now Known Is The City of Beacon The Transfer Station for Recycling Dropoff

Living next to a neighbor who has lived in Beacon for over 20 years and has a pickup truck, I hear about trips to "The Dump" quite often. In fact, my husband and I have pickup-truck-envy because we would also like a large pickup truck to cart loads of stuff we clean out of our house and yard to The Dump whenever we want to. My other neighbor is a hay-mulching urban gardener in his teeny back yard, and got himself a baby pickup truck to visit The Dump to pickup free dirt and mulch. In my fifth year of living in Beacon, I decided to be a Big Girl and go to The Dump myself to see what it was all about.

First of all, it is no longer called "The Dump", since it is not a static place of trash getting dumped and left behind (or at one point long ago, burned). In fact, when the garbage men come to pick up your trash, the trash gets dealt with by Royal Carting, a company contracted with the City of Beacon, and is not taken to The Dump at all.

This spot has been renamed to "The Transfer Station," or the "City of Beacon Recycling Center," depending on which city-issued flyer you are looking at. The sign outside the building reads "City of Beacon Recycling" and the official page for it at the City's website has it named The Transfer Station.

Busy Bodies At The Transfer Station

The Transfer Station is quite a busy spot. In fact a whole Richard Scary story with all kinds of bulldozers and conveyor belts could be illustrated about The Transfer Station because of the type of waste that gets re-purposed there. Leaf piles and grass clippings get turned into dirt. TVs and electronics have their own special dumpster bin that gets picked up by Royal Carting for a fee that the City of Beacon pays.

Royal Carting then takes some of that scrap to AW Scrap Processors on 9D to melt for scrap metal, the money of which is then paid to the City of Beacon, according to then Highway Superintendent Anthony "Zep" Thomaselli.

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
A view of the compost pile of leaf clippings in the back, with a bulldozer to turn it. In the forefront is the dumping pit for furniture.

The Dumping Challenge: Taking A Chair To The Dump!

To see how it all worked, I challenged myself to take our old chair that was soaked in cat pee to The Dump aka The Transfer Station. The Transfer Station is located down Dennings Avenue, which is a right turn at the intersection near the basketball courts if you are leaving Beacon and passing the Beacon Dental complex on your left. You'll drive through a residential area, and then keep your eyes peeled for the Transfer Station on your left. I actually drove right past it because I saw a sign that read "City of Beacon Recycling" as pictured below. If you drive past The Transfer Station, you'll dead-end into a parking lot that you've been to before when you wanted to hop onto the walking trail around Dennings Point along the train tracks.

Being that we don't have a pickup truck, fitting the chair into the car was tricky, but I made it. The first step is to drive onto a large scale that is operated by Dave "Zeek" Secor. My first question to Dave was: "Is this The Dump? Am I in the right place?" to which he replied "Yes." Dave then asked me if I had lived in Beacon for a long time, only because old-timers are becoming the only ones still calling it The Dump.

Car on a red scale to be weighed before dumping its trash.

Dave's next question to me was to verify if I'd paid all of my City taxes. Residents of

Beacon do get to dump 250 pounds of material free of charge within a date range each year

if they have paid their taxes. Anything over 250 pounds for the year will be charged to the resident by the City of Beacon. This includes furniture, TVs, and extra trash that otherwise would have been collected in your trash can. The limit does not include grass clippings and brush, which is free. This year of 2015, the date range is May 19th - September 26th. The reason for the limit is that Beacon does pay Royal Carting to pick up this material, so hundreds of pounds of extra trash from your home or summer "Clean The Shed" project cannot be a total free for all.

Dave "Zeek" Secor on the right, and retired Water Department employee Ralph Durso who likes to visit old buddies.

Next step is to back up you car and...dump your stuff! The furniture goes into this bin that faces the giant mound of decomposing leaf bags on the left, and dirt on the right that was previously leaf piles and grass clippings. TVs and other things go into another bin.

Get ready to dump!

Here's a video of me actually tipping the chair into the dumpster. And be sure to subscribe to our YouTube playlist,

Real Live Scoop

!

MARY, MARY QUITE CONTRARY, WHERE DO THOSE GARDEN BAGS GO?

In the Summer, there is a lot of yard cleanup going on, and you may drive past bags of grass clippings and weed pickings left out on the street. And they may sit and sit. That is because in the Summer, there is no official pickup schedule by the City of Beacon to pick up these bags, like there is in the Fall when City of Beacon trucks are picking up leaves from October to the first snowfall, says Thomaselli. "We have so much to do, that we try to collect the grass clippings on rainy days. For the whole month of April, however, we do pick up brush and bags frequently. And in January we pick up Christmas trees." There is a number you can call to let the City of Beacon Recycling know about your grass clippings that need picked up, and that number is 845-831-0932. Otherwise, you can drive your yard waste to City of Beacon Recycling building on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays within designated hours posted on their website in special biodegradable paper bags, and dumping it is free.

Piles of brush compost (left), mulch (center) and the final stage of dirt (right).

DIRT DESSERT

If you needed a lot of dirt in your back yard to start a new garden, or to make a flower bed deeper at the base of a tree that is otherwise solid roots, then The Transfer Station / City of Beacon Recycling Center is the place to pick up such dirt. Located in the far back of the lot is a very tall mound of dirt that is the result of months and months of decomposing leaves, brush and grass clippings. Those brown bags you see on the side of the road - those all make it to The Transfer Station and get dumped into the tall pile of biodegradable bags, turned a bunch of times, and then transferred to a giant sifter to sift out most trash that accidentally made it into the leaf bags. However, collecting the dirt has become so popular, that the dirt itself is getting rare because it is in high demand from residents and  local farms and organizations like

Green Teen

who take it by the truck-load to plant their garden initiatives all over town, including at Tito's and at South Avenue Elementary School.

So as you are out weeding your flower beds and gardens, and mowing the lawn, you can feel like you are doing an even better job, and

giving back to your fellow neighbors, because those clippings can turn into golden dirt for others! If you are feeling extra proud of what you just dumped, take a picture of it and tag us on

Instagram!

Beacon Dental Celebrates 10 Years in Business! (Sponsored)

In 2015, Beacon Dental celebrates 10 years in business! Located in the plaza on Wolcott Avenue at the intersection with South Avenue, Dr. Wang built the office from the ground up, designing it to give her patients the best care possible. That construction also helped improve the area. In the Spring of 2015, Beacon Dental held a party with a live band for their patients, and were paid a special visit by Mayor Randy Casale, who represented the city's appreciation for Dr. Wang's involvement with the Beacon community.

Dr. Hongli Wang was presented with a certificate from the City of Beacon by Mayor Randy Casale in recognition of contributing to the education of dental health to all elementary school children in this district, and for her donations and support for Beacon Barks, Halloween parades and other events that have helped to define Beacon today.

Call them today to schedule your next appointment for a teeth cleaning! Beacon Dental provides comprehensive care utilizing the most recent advances in the science and the art of dentistry, with an emphasis on education, preventive care, restoration of function, and aesthetics.

Beacon Dental is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and we thank you for supporting businesses that make this publication possible!

Cat Rocks: Family-Friendly Hike in Pawling

Today we’re going to hike The Appalachian Trail. Well, 0.07% of it.

Your kids probably aren’t quite ready to hike 2,150 miles from Georgia to Maine (although they might be), but this 3-mile round-trip hike to the scenic overlook known as Cat Rocks, just below the summit of West Mountain in Pawling, is a good introduction to the AT.

Expect some company: Cat Rocks can be a crowded spot. It’s the halfway point in a popular 7.5 mile day hike that goes from the Appalachian Trail Metro-North stop on Route 22 all the way to Route 55 with a stop over at Nuclear Lake. (Guess how Nuclear Lake got its name? You’re right!) But it’s always fun to meet people who are in the middle of through-hiking, or at least tackling large sections, of the AT, and this hike even gives you a chance to check out an AT shelter.

We especially enjoy this hike in early spring when the skunk cabbage has emerged, seasonal snow-melt streams are rushing, and tasty fiddleheads and ramps can be found if you keep an eye out. Plus, since the trees haven’t filled out yet, when you get to Cat Rocks you might be able to see your car parked at the bottom.

Cat Rocks lookout in spring

On the other hand, I’m starting to think that the view from Cat Rocks is probably even better in the fall during peak leaf season. Anyone want to head up for a hike this fall?

1. Begin by parking here on West Dover Road/Route 20, by the massive, 300-year-old oak tree known as the Dover Oak. More than one guide to the AT claims that the Dover Oak is the largest blazed tree on the entire 2,150-mile length of the trail. Speaking of blazes: You’ll be following the white blazes for pretty much the entire hike.

   Parking area

   Appalachian Trail

2. Cross the road and take the stairs down into the skunk cabbage marsh. There are some boardwalks to take you over the muddiest parts, but you should still be wearing something waterproof on your feet. 
3. After the marsh is the hike’s only tricky part: a rocky outcropping that you’ll have to scramble up. The ascent is gradual enough that it’s not too difficult, but if it has rained recently, the rocks can be quite slippery. Take your time, and keep a hand on the wee ones as you guide them up the slopes. 

   Rock scramble

4. It’s smooth sailing from here. You’ll soon reach a wooden bridge that traverses a seasonal stream. Also, look for a tree on the left side of the trail right here that Cooper swore looked like a giant dinosaur foot.

   Exploring the stream

5. Shortly after that is the junction with the 0.1 mile-long blue trail, which branches off to the left. It’s worth your time to check it out. Not only is there a beautiful rushing stream with cascades and frog ponds, but it also leads to the Telephone Pioneers Shelter - so named because it was built by the White Plains chapter of the Telephone Pioneers back in the 1980s. The Telephone Pioneers is what they used to call the volunteer service programs run by the various telephone companies. Today they’re known as the Telecom Pioneers because landlines? LOLOLOL. What’s also notable about this particular shelter is that a mini-library is attached to it, run by the Pawling Free Library. Hikers are encouraged to take, or leave, a book. The last time we visited the shelter we ran into a section hiker named Gas (all AT hikers give themselves a trail nickname) who had so far hiked the AT all the way up from Georgia, and he told us that was the first library he’d ever seen attached to a shelter. 

   Appalachian Trail: Telephone Pioneers shelter

6. Backtrack to the junction, and continue along the white-blazed trail for the final push to the top. Cat Rocks is actually just off the trail itself. You’ll see an unmarked trail branching off to the right around here, and the view will be partly visible. Head right for about 100 feet and you’re there, facing east. Plop yourself down and have a snack! If you want to reach the true summit of West Mountain, head back to the trail and push ahead another 0.1 mile for a north-facing view. 

   Almost to the lookout

7. From Cat Rocks, backtrack down to the trailhead. Again, use some caution when you reach the rocky, sloping outcrop near the trailhead. Honestly, we’ve found that it’s easier to just slide down most of it on your bottom. We call it “booty-scootin’” which Coop find hilarious. Then he won’t stop saying “BOOTY SCOOTIN’! BOOTY SCOOTIN’!” for, like, days. You know what? Maybe it’s better to walk down.

   Cat Rocks lookout in summer

Round-trip distance: Just under 3 miles.

Where to park: The parking shoulder is here on West Dover Road/Route 20, on the side with the giant oak tree (trust me, you can’t miss it). If you’re coming from the south: If you pass Valley View Farms Road on the right, you’ve gone too far by about a mile. If you’re coming from the north: Once you pass Valley View Farms Road on the left, start paying attention, because you’ll hit the trailhead in about a mile.

What to pack for the kids:

• Snacks and water
• First aid kit
• Insect repellent (The bugs can be bad on the trail’s swampier sections in the summer.)
• Binoculars 
• Waterproof shoes with good grips
• Maybe even a book to leave at the shelter library

Brian PJ Cronin, editor of Hudson Valley Parent magazine and local writer extraordinaire, shares his writing talents in focusing on family-friendly hikes for our Hiking Series. The beautiful photography is by Kristen Cronin, local do-gooder and co-founder of For Goodness Bake.

The Cuteness! Marjorie Poses With Her Prize From the "Where Is This Contest" Mystery Photo

We have been doing the "Where Is This?" Mystery Photo contest for a few years now, and this is the first time that the donor of a prize from the Prize Bag of awesome prizes has taken a picture with the winner! This month, Marjorie took a few guesses as to where the mystery photo was taken - and what it was - and correctly identified it as the chair at the door of Dogwood!

SallyeAnder, located right here in Beacon in the building of Two Way Brewing and BCAP, donated the prize of a Summer Basket of Sallye Sunshine Soap, Gardener's Hand Soap, No Bite Me Cream, No Bite Me Bar, and Lakeshore Soap. Yummy! The entire contest was sponsored by StudioPixelated, a digital marketing boutique located in Beacon who helps small businesses make a big impact both nationally and locally in social media and in Google (and yup, it's run by yours truly :) ).

Guess what? The prize for the next "Where Is This?" Mystery Photo contest is 2 tickets to the Beacon Jazz Festival which is in our Annual Events Guide! So keep your eyes peeled for that and be sure you are signed up for our newsletter to get the first alert! There is a sponsorship opportunity for the next contest if you run or work for a business that loves contests and loves Beacon and would like to sponsor the contest! Click here for details. 

Marjorie, pictured left, and the owner of SallyeAnder.

Here is the original mystery photo...Could you have guessed it? 

Test your knowledge of Beacon! Where was this photo taken? Find the answer here!