Halloween

Photo of Jack O’ Lanterns by Katheryn Laible

Katie’s mom always felt a main point of All Hallow’s Eve was to scare bad spirits away before winter gave them too many opportunities to wreak havoc. Given 2020, we’re all for doing anything we can!

We are thankful for all who care to take the threat this virus poses seriously while also forging creative ways forward. Halloween is a huge examples of this. Much is going on!

Some great local events are featured in this recent Main Street News (as well as other important items) including endeavors by the Greenport BID, “Nightmare on Main St.” in Huntington, and a “Trunk or Treat” in Kings Park. Their verymost recent edition also has NYS Guidelines for safe Halloweening, more great events and, we can NEVER say it enough, LOTS of other valuable information!

Mommy Poppins offers a family guide to Halloween 2020

Places perhaps a bit spookier are on LIHauntedHouses.com

We are intrigued by the History of Halloweenon History.com

Here is a brief exploration of the connection (or maybe not) between All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day, and Samhain. from the BBC.

Here’s a History of the Celtic holiday Samhain from Time Magazine. Which, due to it’s being an Irish word is, in fact, pronounced SAW-in.

However you choose to celebrate (or not!), we wish you all the best! Be safe, be smart, and enjoy!!!

Down to Earth with the Synchronicity Network – Thanks for Great Resources!

Photo of Bee on Aster by Katheryn Laible

Here at home, one way Katie’s been overcoming pandemic poos is through her garden. It works!!! She’s been weeding, mostly, identifying local and invasive species with apps like PlantNet and iNaturalist, and then wrestling those who’d best go out of the Earth until she’s too tired to do it anymore.

The reward has not only been a tremendous amount fresh air and healthy stress sublimation, but a yard full of gorgeous asters, goldenrod, wild raspberries and delighted pollinators! In recent week, the birds have started coming. It seems her yard is well rated on the Zagats Migration Edition!

She’s been grateful for the Huntington Gardeners and the Long Island Native Plant Gardening Group on Facebook as she’s overcome her well-earned terror of poison ivy and endeavored to cultivate and better understand her own hyper-local ecology. They are wonderful!!!

You can find others in our ever-evolving Down to Earth with the Synchronicity Network (submissions welcome!). Soon, we will add KMS Native Plants LLC, one of a growing number of sources for local plants and an excellent resource itself!

Autumn is a great time for planting. There are still a few weeks to take advantage of it! Katie has been transplanting volunteer native trees and plans to purchase native plants this weekend! Her gardening grand finale for 2020 will be the Winter Solstice, when she will honor a tradition started when her first child was tiny: Planting bulbs as a rite of faith that spring will dawn again.

This helps, too! Brain Pickings, we love you! Speaking of well-known appreciators of Long Island and human nature, Maria Popovich recently resurfaced this lovely meditation on Long Island’s own “Walt Whitman on Democracy and Optimism as a Mighty Form of Resistance” Read it, and carry on with whatever great mission you are on!

 

Spencer’s Picks: Overcoming Pandemic Fatigue; Art, Science & Suggested Solutions; The Happiness of a Dog

Dr. Spencer Thomas atop the Uffizi in Florence, Italy

Photo of Dr. Spencer Thomas atop the Uffizi in Florence, Italy. Photo by Katheryn Laible

 

As usual, when he’s not scrying into the mysteries of metals at the atomic level, or pondering puzzles of more efficient means of tapping energy, Dr. Thomas is bringing some light into our life. Here are a few of the things he’s brought to our attention:

Now that we’re about a month into the college semester with social distancing and remote learning, a lot of people I know are feeling a bit of a drag. You are not alone: Lonliness at Pandemic U: 14 tips for college students and their parents

Along similar themes, but more for everyone:: Your Surge Capacity is Depleted. This is Why You Feel Awful (and a couple good things you can do about it)

One thing that’s helpful is — to help! Here is a heartwarming and inspiring story from one of my very favorite professors from back in my undergrad time at Stony Brook. Bente Videbaek is an amazing person who has been working hard to make sure people have masks Facebook Page: “Humans of Mather Hospital”

When you feel a bit grounded and ready to stare some of the bigger challenges facing humanity in the face: Countdown is a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. One of the speakers, Dr. Rose Mutiso, is a friend of mine – we were graduate students together. She’s the incredible CEO of the Mawazo Institute, which supports women scientists and leaders throughout East Africa. She has also spoken at TED and written in Scientific American about the challenges that people in Africa face building digital and clean-energy infrastructure.

One for the Coltrane fans out there: The most feared song in jazz, explained. It’s not too hard for a layman to follow this breakdown of “Giant Steps,” even as it’s still among the most challenging things a musician may face

Finally, no big point here, but a bit of joy for you since we could all use it: The happiness of this dog after they put prostheses on

Spencer Thomas received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. After some time at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, we are DELIGHTED to welcome him back to Long Island as a researcher at Stony Brook University. He also happens to be Katie’s brother. For a time, Spencer studied metals at the atomic level; the way atoms are arranged in a material can change its properties; one can take ordinary metals make them stronger, more flexible, corrosion resistant, even radiation resistant. We’re still endeavoring to understand what he’s doing now well enough to explain it so simply.

Spencer believes that no matter who you are, good communication can put scientific concepts within reach. The modern world demands scientific literacy and it is the responsibility of scientists to make that possible.

Vision Smart Growth Awards, Summit

We also deeply missed being able to gather with 1,000 community leaders at a live Smart Growth Awards this year. We are grateful for all our sponsors at Vision Long Island do to advance Smart Growth, their focus on serving Main Street (especially now!) and for their endeavors — like so many other nonprofits — to ensure their important work continues.

The online version was still deeply valuable. You can read a brief description of the honorees here. Check out their YouTube page for a video of the event itself, as well as great videos at the sites with the honorees.

Please also continue to check out the Long Island Main Street Alliance for news and information aimed at helping Long Island’s small businesses.

The Smart Growth Summit will also be virtual this year!

“In a time of social distancing and being unable to meet in person, the 19th Annual Long Island Smart Growth Summit is an event that takes on more importance as we seek to assist our local communities through economic recovery guided by placemaking principles.

This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, we will be holding a virtual program that will feature workshops, technical worksessions, and plenary sessions on regional and local issues facing downtown redevelopment, complete streets projects, infrastructure investment, regulatory relief and economic recovery through the Coronavirus.

For years, Vision has brought together thousands of civic members, chambers, community-minded developers, environmentalists, design professionals, labor, academics, seniors, young people, and minority owned businesses along with federal, state, county, town and village officials from Long Island and the region.

We need your continued energy and participation to help shape recovery efforts so the many years of progress made in our local communities is not lost.”

When: December 2nd through 4th

For More Info and to Register: Visit their Eventbrite page

ERASE Racism Virtual Benefit

Join the movement for a Just Long Island at ERASE Racism’s Virtual Benefit. Your participation and donation will help them to address structural racism in our communities and increase equity in housing and education.

When: November 17th

Honoring: Roger Tilles philanthropist and New York State Regent for Long Island. (You can read our own recent piece on Roger here), and Newsday for their 2019 investigative report, “Long Island Divided,” which exposed widespread evidence of civil rights violations.

Leadership Awardee: SCO Family of Services for demonstrating a strategic commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Silent Auction: Open from November 9th–18th. To participate, please visit https://ERASE.givesmart.com/

To Purchase E-Journal Ads, or for Sponsorship Information: visit www.eraseracismny.org.

To Support ERASE Racism: Make a donation here.

The Breakfast Club is Back, Offering Comfort and Inspiration to the Unemployed

Valentina Janek’s vocation is to show that she is unstoppable, and so are you!

She is pleased to announce that meetings of the Long Island Breakfast Club, which is designed to uplift and inspire middle aged folks who are out of work, have resumed.

When: Saturdays, November 14th and December 12th at 9am

Where: G’s Club, 157 Hempstead Ave, W. Hempstead

To RSVP: Email vjanek@optonline.net

So have meetings of the Long Island Writer’s Club designed to help you get that book written!

When: Tuesdays November 17th and December 15th at 6pm

Where: G’s Club, 157 Hempstead Ave, W. Hempstead

Fee: $30

To Register: Email vjanek@optonline.net or call 516-314-8989

Additionally, their LI Breakfast Show, billed as Long Island’s #1 Talk show, has a new website! She recommends you tune in and check out “The Foodies” with their regular reviews of LI restaurants. Tina Valentina & Gregg Cajuste are confident they offer the best Podcast at G’s Club twice a week as well as a new YouTube Channel. Most recently, check out their 100th Show on You Tube. For sponsorships, contact vjanek@optonline.net or call 516-314-8989.

The Coltrane Home – A Story in Pictures

Photo of Elvis Costello and Yushiro “Fuji” Fujioka by Katheryn Laible

We were really interested in Steve Fulgoni’s story about discovering the John & Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills, and his journey since. We’ll tell you more about that soon. First, though, we’ve started tracing our own journey volunteering with the wonderful Friends of the Coltrane Home.

For Katie, it all started when Trudy and Tawaun Weber, normally in church on a Sunday morn, showed up at her door and said, “Get in the car. Bring your camera. Now.”

She went, soon finding herself in the Greenwich Village restaurant of one of the world’s greatest collectors of all things Coltrane, Yushiro “Fuji” Fujioka. There, musical greats, local community members and others joined in a very special event to celebrate the purchase of the home and to passionately advance an endeavor to transform it into a museum and education center worthy of its former owners’ extraordinary, multifaceted legacies.

Here is the story of that day in pictures.

Proceeds from any purchases beyond production costs benefit the Friends of the Coltrane Home. Please contact Katie to inquire about pieces.

 

Syosset Road Renamed in Honor of Gus Scutari

Photo of Gus Scutari and Eagle Scouts of Syosset Troop 205

Gus Scutari with Eagle Scouts from Troop 205 in 2019. Photo by Katheryn Laible

Today, a portion of Underhill Boulevard in Syosset was renamed in honor of one of Long Island’s most ardent champions of Americanism and good citizenship, the passionate organizer of the Syosset Memorial Day Parade, Gus Scutari.

You can read about it on the Nassau County NY webpage.

You can find images from the event taken by Gus’ friend, whom he smartly recruited to join the Syosset American Legion, Terri Squires on the Legion’s Facebook Page.

Gus passed away early this spring at the age of 99. Here is the piece we got to write with him: Gus Scutari: Syosset’s Humble Champion of Americanism. He had a number of interesting things to say that we are still thinking about.

He is dearly missed and greatly appreciated. Thank you, Gus.

Recent and Recently Updated Pieces From the Archives

We offer the following — Click each link to read the articles!

Down to Earth With the Synchronicity Network: Thanks for the Great Gardening Resources!!! Some of our favorites, including a few new ones!

Follow the Phoenix: Still They Rise. Obviously, we are very white and have our own point of view. The black community itself is far from a monolith in its thinking. We encourage you to read, listen and think for yourself. Here are some good resources to get started and for what it’s worth, some of our own humble thoughts.

The Adventures of Craig & Trudy, Chapter 3: Lessons in Community Trusteeship, The Huntington Township Chamber Foundation

A Man on a Mission: NYS Regent Roger Tilles. We got to sit down with him a million years ago last December, What he had to say seems even more relevant today…

How Shall We Rise? Reflection from the Holidays. How do we ensure that the damage being done by both the virus and its cure are not in vain? How do we use this experience to be better stewards of each other and this planet we share?

Get LI Counted! The Census Matters! The 2020 Census affects how much federal dollars our region will receive for the next decade. Long Island already pays a lot more in taxes to the Federal Government than it gets back. Undercounts make it worse. Plus, they impact all sorts of planning, at all levels. PLEASE GET COUNTED AND SHARE THIS ARTICLE EXPLAINING WHY,