Fans of the work of Annie Navasky will find an example on display with a variety of other small works at The Third Floor, painter Joan Griswold’s new studio/gallery in Great Barrington.
Local Painter Makes Good
All posts by Bruno
Board Meeting Minutes: April 2, 2017
Present
Anne Navasky, Joanna Merlin, Michael Rosenberg, Susan Krimm, Judy Reibel (community member Wendy Liddell also attending).
The meeting was called to order by Michael Rosenberg.
Road Repairs
There was a discussion of the state of the Hillsdale neighbors road. Tom Shepherd has been pursuing a road engineer to go over all of the trouble spots with him in order to try to find a solution to the problems that would be more permanent than the current solution offered by Carmen Barbato, which is to patch as the problems arise. Four main trouble spots were delineated: the area between the farmhouse and the Rosenberg house, the area in front of the Reibel house, the dip in the road leading to the four houses on the hill, and the back road leading to the Liddell house and the Souza/Viso house. Judy pointed out that Carmen’s repair system has been working for us for 40 years. Anne pointed out that he often tries to avoid bringing in new gravel when it is needed because he knows that we are trying to keep costs down. Susan said that Tom Shepherd may need to find a new engineer, since the one he is pursuing seems to be unavailable recently.
Financial Report
Susan Krimm gave the financial report. As of April 2, 2017 the community had $11,441 in the savings account and $9122.12 in the checking account with another $2000 about to be deposited, making the balance $11, 122.12. She related that the community will be processing a 3% increase in rent for Debbie Meier in June, 2017.
Farmhouse
There was a discussion of the farmhouse. Tom looks in twice a year to do “troubleshooting”. As to repairs in between times, Debbie should email Michael Rosenberg and he will take care of the problem. She should be notified that in an emergency, should she not find anyone available to help, she should call repairmen and take care of the emergency herself. The community will reimburse her for appropriate expenses.
Annual Meeting
An agenda was set for the Annual Community Meeting, which will be held on July 16th.
- Introduction of new members (Including Eva Thaddeus)
- Letting the community at large know that Jane Rose’s site is on the market
- The road.
- The fence around the tennis court—wire fencing with steel posts is what is required.
- The Barn: we have a received a very approximate estimate to make it sturdy and “save” it for the future. We should discuss as a community the pros and cons of mending it and the suggestion that we take out a mortgage to do so.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Meeting held at the home of Susan Krim; minutes submitted by Anne Navasky.
All the Complicated Details
Winter Trees
All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.
—William Carlos Williams
We sowed the seeds for a cover crop in the new community orchard, an organic blend of Winter Rye and Hairy Vetch, selected by Eva.
The idea is to plow the crop under after it grows, to prepare the soil for our delicious new fruit trees. The snow had other ideas; we’ll see what the coming months bring, but the instant winter was beautiful:
Annual Meeting: June 12 2016
Present
Anne and Victor Navasky, Joanna Dretzin, Judy Reibel, Marti Bone and Michael Rosenberg, Susan Krim
Present by Proxy
Frank Haupel, Bruno, Miri and Jenny Navasky, and Patrick Thaddeus
Absent
Charles Perrow, Deborah Meier and Jane Rose
Financial Report
Michael Rosenberg chaired the meeting and called first on Susan Krim to present a financial report. Susan reported that as of June 12, 2016, the community had $11,353 in the Chase checking account and $6,339 in the Chase savings account (with some large bills expected in September, such as taxes and insurance). She also pointed out that there were two expensive projects that the Board has been considering: 1) tennis court fence and 2) major road repair. There was a discussion of the two expensive projects.
Tennis Court
Susan posited the question of how many people would use the tennis court. Michael pointed out that even if community members did not use the court themselves, a functioning tennis court would be an asset for those who contemplated renting their house in the summer months.
Road Repair
Anne described the areas of the road which needed special attention: the severe dip on the way to the Blackman, Dretzin , Thaddeus and Navasky houses; the flat area in front of the Reibel house; and the turnoff road that runs past the Haupel and Perrow houses. Anne will explore hiring an engineer to make some suggestions of how to approach the repair. Susan and Michael said they would ask Tom Shepherd to look at it and see if he could work with Carmen Barbato to make some successful permanent repairs.
Recycling
The recycling issue was brought up again. Susan reported that she had asked Carmen Barbato to start recycling, but it was never effected. She also suspects that although we may present him with recycling bins, that the garbage is not actually recycled on his end at his private dump. No resolution was reached.
Community Orchard
Anne presented a proposal by Eva Thaddeus and Bruno Navasky to turn a small tract of land on the far western side of the meadow south of the pond, into a small fruit orchard. They would first designate the area, have Will Chase plow it, they would plant a cover crop for one season before planting the trees. The community would be responsible for plowing and purchasing the trees ($50 to $100 apiece). This proposal passed unanimously.
Farmhouse/Barn Repairs
It was decided to ask Tom Shepherd for a proposal to fix the barn. Tom also looked at the stairs in the Farmhouse leading to the basement, and said because the area is too narrow for a banister to be installed, they should be used only by workmen and not the tenants.
Board Election
Michael called for nominations for the Board. There were no new nominations and the current board agreed to serve for the next year. Their election was unanimous.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
The meeting was held on the morning of June 12, 2016 at the home of Judy Reibel. Minutes submitted by Anne Navasky.
Board Meeting Minutes: May 15, 2016
Present
Michael Rosenberg, Frank Haupel, Susan Krim, Judy Reibel, Anne Navasky and Joanna Dretzin.
Michael called the meeting to order.
Financial Report
Susan reported on the financial condition of the community, which seems to be good. At this moment the capital fund (savings) has $ 6180 and our regular account (day to day useable funds) has a balance of $ 11,600. There are no arrears. Susan warned that we shall have expenses coming up, and a discussion of the Road ensued.
Road Renovation
The road is going to need major renovation at the dip leading up to the 5 houses on the hill. Anne volunteered to explore the possibility of having a road engineer look at the road before Carmen does any patching. It was decided to ask the engineer to look at 3 problem areas: 1) in front of the Perrow house where water collects, 2) the dip in the road, and 3) the flat area in front of the Reibel house.
Farmhouse
There was a discussion of the farmhouse rent. We did not increase the rent as agreed upon in 2015. Therefore there will be a 6% increase in July, 2016. (This amounts to $72 per month). The next 3% increase will be in July 2017. Susan has asked Tom to inspect the farmhouse to make sure there are no ongoing safety issues, after Debbie mentioned problems with the stairs leading to the basement.
Geese at Pond
There was a discussion of the problem of some geese possibly settling at the pond. Various methods of removing geese were suggested. The Board decided to wait And see if they disappeared by themselves.
Community Orchard
There was a discussion of a suggestion made by Eva Thaddeus and Bruno Navasky to plant a small and limited fruit tree orchard in the field to the south of the pond. The board decided that it would be a good idea and Anne was instructed to have Eva and Bruno mark the area they were interested in planting. Community members who are interested in this will be able to see the anticipated area and make comments. Judy Reibel requested Peach trees. Since the earth has to be turned over first and left to air, the actual project is not imminent.
Annual Meeting
An Agenda for the coming community meeting was decided on. It is as follows:
- Michael will chair the meeting .
- Susan will give a financial report and summarize what’s been accomplished this past year. (ie. the septic installation, the removal of the old tennis court fencing).
- Michael will call for a discussion of new fencing at the tennis court and the proposal for an orchard.
- Michael will call for a vote of officers. He will then adjourn the meeting.
With no further business to discuss, the current meeting was adjourned.
Meeting held at the home of Susan Krim; minutes submitted by Anne Navasky.
The Goshawk
I’ve spotted it twice now, once in the winter and once in the early fall (see photo below). If the two sightings were one and the same bird, it seems we have a goshawk in the neighborhood.
The goshawk is a large hawk, with a reputation for secretiveness, and among falconers, for its unruly nature. It’s fast and graceful in flight (look for two wing beats: “flap, flap — glide”). You can remember it by its light shoulder and belly, dark red eye and pronounced eye-stripe (hard to see in my photo above, but easy here), and by its appearance in the breathtaking H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald, as well as this poem by Hillsdale poet Peter Kane Dufault:
Goshawk
That harbinger of God’s hardness,
North American Goshawk —
storm-grey above, ice-grey beneath,
segment of a winter azimuth —
detached herself from this morning and
seized a black hen and caromed
thirty yards through the soft snow, wrenching
feathers and flesh out, too
blood-crazy to kill clean. . . .
Tell me
if it’s not hard how a haggard
hasn’t even the hangman’s mercy
but tears the heart out alive — that she
should have been made so;
and so, too, that when the dog
ran yapping and drove her off,
the grey crucifer levitated
in such a cold pride of windblown
lightness over the tines of the trees
you’d have forgiven her, even
if she could have torn
in that worse way there is:
with a word, never breaking the skin.
Spring Forward
“What leaf, this time of year, is so pale?” —Carl Phillips
The luna moths had their week earlier this May, and that was about all the spring we got in the mad rush from winter. Everything sprung at once — there were fawns and fox kits in the woods, baby minks and bobolinks in the marshes and meadows. And the stage was set for summer.
In other news, Debbie Meier has a friend visiting during the first week of August with a toddler. If anyone knows someone who wants to pick up a little babysitting income, please contact Debbie. And Eva Thaddeus and family are back on the east coast, and we all look forward to their increased presence in the community.
Welcome back everyone. See you in the pond!