Dog day afternoons

Posted 8/21/12

As Paul Harris and Tom Jorgensen of the Old Farmers Almanac explain, the phrase “dog days” “conjures up the hottest, most sultry days of summer,” coinciding with the rising, at dawn, of …

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Dog day afternoons

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As Paul Harris and Tom Jorgensen of the Old Farmers Almanac explain, the phrase “dog days” “conjures up the hottest, most sultry days of summer,” coinciding with the rising, at dawn, of Sirius, the dog star, in the constellation Canis Major. Who knew? I thought it had something to do with our dogs panting in the midday sun. Curious to learn more, I delved a bit deeper and found the origin of the expression to be even older than me. My go-to source, www.wikipedia.com, informs us that Greek poets Hesiod and Aratus (Attorneys at Law) refer in their writings to “the heat of late summer that the Greeks believed was actually brought on by the appearance of Sirius [and was] associated with heat, fire and fevers.”

OK, then. To sum up: it’s been rather warm. I’m not complaining, just making conversation. It has not escaped my attention that a few leaves have fluttered to the ground (tinged with red and gold) and while hesitant to acknowledge the changing of the guard, a small part of my psyche looks forward to all things harvest. That said, I’ve spent the past week staying hydrated, while making sure that the Wonder Dog was cool, as we traversed the countryside in search of art, music and bagels. That’s right, I said bagels… but I’m getting ahead of myself. With summer waning, the roster of events in the Upper Delaware River region was outta control last week, and I did my best to cover a wide swath, continuing my mission to confound those of you who think I’m one of a set of twins.

Last Thursday, Dharma curled up in her reserved seat at the Forestburgh Playhouse for “42nd Street,” which (IMHO) is the best large-scale musical ever produced at that theatre. In order to give my “humble opinion” justice, I’ve reserved some space in the Arts and Leisure section online at www.riverreporter.com, so visit us there for my full review. Suffice it to say that the production is beyond fantastic, and while you still have time to “hear the beat of dancing feet,” I would advise making reservations (www.fbplayhouse.org) since the place was packed.

Heeding my own advice in last week’s column, I made my way to Zac and Barry Shavrick’s “Flashburn Four Festival” on Friday night, and caught metal sculptor (and Liberty HS grad) Zac perusing last week’s edition of the paper, while gently admonishing me for making (yet another) error. I failed to give readers the proper info for finding him, so this time, I’m leaving it up to you. Go to www.google.com and type in his name. The results (like the father and son’s sculptures) are astounding.

After a brief respite to cool off, I made my way to Port Jervis, NY, where I had heard that 35 artists were about to unveil new work in a place (https://www.facebook.com/pages/UpFront-Exhibition-Space.) I had not visited for far too long. Not only is the gallery incredible, but these folks know how to throw a party. The live music by “In Spite of Ourselves” was as hot as the rising temps outside and the food (no, I am not on their payroll) was amazing. Dharma and I sampled a variety of tasty treats (www.forkliftcafe.com) that went above and beyond the standard art reception fare, which causes me to whine for less cheese. Just sayin’. The variety of artwork on display is astounding, and I made some new friends, caught up with those I have not seen for ages and stashed some mushroom caps in my camera bag for a midnight snack.

It was difficult to tear myself away from the dessert table, but I had promised the dog that we would make a stop on the way home to hear (why don’t you people have websites?) Albi Beluli singing a tribute to the Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, NY. Joining him on stage, Dancing Cat proprietress Stacy Cohen was as entertaining as ever, channeling Janis Joplin as only she can, and the appreciative crowd howled for more from them both. Google Beluli, who can often be found at the Cat. He’s wildly talented.

Oh right, the bagels. The third annual homage (www.thebaglefestival.org) to the breakfast staple took to the streets in Monticello, NY last Sunday, featuring more than 100 vendors, two stages with live music, classic cars, a giant American flag made entirely of bagels, and a “Bagel Triathlon,” which entailed stacking, rolling and throwing ‘em for sport. Festival organizer Jeff Siegel had promised massive attendance and he was right. Literally thousands showed up (despite the sweltering heat), and it was great to see downtown Monticello thrumming with activity. Dharma had ice packs lining her satchel, and was the envy of her canine companions that we met along the way. These next few weeks could be the last hurrah, so whether they’re “dog days” or not, let’s get out there and make the most of it!

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