News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
(Click image to see full-scale.)
The Resurrection of Christ
Francesco Fontebasso
circa 1759
The Tridentine Diocesan Museum
Trento, Italy
In the painting, based on a highly effective theatrical variant, Christ resurrected in a burst of clouds is invested by light and floats above the sepulchre, holding the white banner. Below, two angels open the empty tomb, while the terrified guards flee.
Wishing everyone much much happiness and joy as the world celebrates Easter today.
(Click image to see full-scale.)
Wilhelm Marstrand
Kiss of Judas, n.d. (after 1860)
Oil on canvas, 57 x 51 cm.
The Nivaagaard Collection – Denmark
With dynamic brush strokes, dimmed lighting and a dramatic composition, Marstrand has depicted the moment of Judas’ betrayal of Christ. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas has just identified Christ to the soldiers by means of a kiss. With weapons and torches in hand, the menacing soldiers have gathered around the company, ready to arrest him. Marstrand has depicted Judas in a stooped posture to emphasise his treasonous but also guilt-inducing act of betrayal. This stands in sharp contrast to the depiction of Christ, who with his straight posture, calm expression and stoicism radiates an acceptance of his ultimate fate. Marstrand amplifies the dramatic nature of this fateful scene by painting the entire composition in a sombre colour palette, only broken by a single light from a torch. The format suggests that the picture is a sketch for an altarpiece.
One of the best things about the spring and summer is to awake to the sounds of birds singing. There are lots of swallows around Huletts in the summer and they should always be left alone because all swallows are state and federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
I’ve always wondered exactly where our swallows “winter homes” are? One great thing about the new artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, is that you can get answers to questions you want to learn more about extremely quickly without doing any searching. So here is what ChatGPT gave me when I asked the question.
Question: Where do barn swallows from upstate New York go in the winter?
ChatGPT answer: “Barn swallows from upstate New York migrate to warmer regions for the winter. These migratory birds typically travel to Central and South America. Specifically, barn swallows are known to winter in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and other parts of South America.
Migration is a common behavior among barn swallows and many other bird species to avoid harsh winter conditions and ensure a steady supply of food. They return to their breeding grounds in North America, including upstate New York, during the spring and summer months for nesting and raising their young.
The long-distance migration of barn swallows is an impressive feat, and these birds cover thousands of miles during their annual journeys.”
It seems our small swallows travel the farthest in winter!
As we complete another circle around our sun, it’s my habit to reflect on our past year. I’ve always believed that it’s good to reflect on what happened over the last year and what might shape the future. I also like to move into the new year by taking one last look back at what I consider the top “news” story of Huletts Landing from the past year.
I have been posting and writing here on the Huletts Current since November 2007. I have done this annually since then and I usually get feedback one way or another.
So here it is for 2023. While it may have happened on the other side of the mountain, I am naming the actual installation of the Champlain Hudson Power Express cable down Route 22, through our beautiful Town of Dresden, as the Top News Story of Huletts for 2023. My rationale is below.
Seen here in June 2023, the cable bringing power from Canada to New York city was actually installed along state Route 22 in Dresden during 2023.
The project has been in the works for many years, but during 2023 the actual cable was installed along state Route 22 here in Dresden. It will carry electricity that will be generated almost exclusively in hydroelectric plants in Canada down to the New York city metropolitan area. It will not carry gas, oil or other hazardous materials. It will carry a lot of power though. The CHPE is expected to be fully operational in the spring of 2026, delivering 1,250 MW of renewable power directly into the New York Metro area. This $6B project ensures that generations of New Yorkers will benefit. Wide support exists from communities up and down the line, as well as labor and environmental groups. The buried line also ensures reliable power delivery in extreme weather.
It will have an an enormous future impact on Huletts in that it will bring revenue to Dresden, the Whitehall school district and Washington county for many years. The developers of the project estimate that it will bring $1.4 billion in tax revenue to communities throughout New York State over 30 years. The payments to local jurisdictions are expected to start in 2025 in the form of payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements. The early estimates are that the Whitehall Central school district will receive combined payments of $750,000 for the first year, growing to about $2 million in the 30th and final year. The Town of Dresden is estimated to receive $3.27 million in total PILOT funds over 30 years. Our locally elected office holders will decide how these funds will be appropriated. Every voter should ask; “how is this money going to benefit us?”
There will be much more on this in the years to come, making the installation of the Champlain Hudson Power Express cable down Route 22, through our beautiful Town of Dresden, as the Top News Story of Huletts for 2023. Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas! Wishing you and your family the very best of the season!
(A Ukrainian religious painting, from an iconostasis, showing the Adoration of the Shepherds. Tempera on wood. Circa 1650 to 1700.)
A rare depiction of the Risen Christ encountering his mother, Mary, from the altar of Our Lady in the Staatliche Museum, Berlin. Rogier van der Weyden (1400 – 1464).
Wishing you and your family much happiness and joy as the world celebrates Easter today.
News 10: Lake George Region Lights up with Northern Lights
On Thursday March 23rd, Northern Lights seen above Lake George.
NASA: A Powerful Solar Eruption on Far Side of Sun Still Impacted Earth
Did You Know?
St. Patrick wasn’t actually Irish
Despite being the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick was born in Britain in either Scotland or Wales (accounts tend to vary on this point). His parents, Calpurnius and Conchessa, were both Roman citizens and his mother gave birth to him in 385 AD.
Slavery was what brought St. Patrick to Ireland
As a teenager, St Patrick was kidnapped by a pirate raiding party and sold into slavery in Ireland. As a slave, he looked after and herded sheep for many years before fleeing to a monastery in England. While there, he became a devout follower of Christianity and ordained a Bishop, after which he returned to Ireland as a missionary.
The shamrock as an Irish symbol is said to have been popularized by St. Patrick
As stories go, St. Patrick supposedly used the iconic shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity while preaching. With each leaf representing Christianity’s Holy Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it was a symbol that showed how they could be three different spiritual entities and yet all part of the whole.
St. Patrick actually wore blue, not green
Although everyone is expected to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, all surviving artworks of St. Patrick show him wearing blue robes. It’s the reason why through the years, flags, sports uniforms and coat-of-arms featured the color. As time progressed, green as a national color grew in favor particularly in the 17th century.
St. Patrick probably didn’t drive all the snakes out of Ireland
One of the most popular myths about the Irish saint is that he rid the country of snakes, however modern science has since ruined that belief for everyone. As Ireland has always been an incredibly cold country, scientists have said that it’s highly unlikely that there were any snakes to begin with and there are no fossils to disprove this theory.
Patrick was not St. Patrick’s given name
St. Patrick’s given name was Maewyn Succat. It wasn’t until he became a priest that he adopted a new name – Patrick, after Patricius (which relates to the Latin root meaning father).
Mikaela Shiffrin won her 83rd World Cup race yesterday, passing fellow American skier Lindsey Vonn for the most World Cup wins by a woman. The two-time Olympic gold medalist won the giant slalom at Kronplatz in Italy.
Wow. Wow. Wow. THIS is how @mikaelashiffrin became the winningest woman alpine skier in history. ??
Congratulations to the best woman to ever do it!! ?#stifelusalpineteam // @Stifel pic.twitter.com/T7rAxHIzdp
— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) January 24, 2023
IS 9:1-6
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
Today is the last Sunday of Advent. The last candle to be lit is referred to as the Peace Candle.
Traditional Advent calendars were made of paper and imported from Germany. The boxes for the days of the season were shaped like windows and one was opened on every day of Advent. The numbers for each day were placed arbitrarily so that part of the fun was finding the appropriate day. The windows opened either onto religious scenes or images of toys, musical instruments or sweets.
On the third Sunday of Advent the joy candle, the only pink one, is lit. Many times it is also referred to as the Shepherd Candle.
In the United States, the Christmas tree became common in the early 19th century. Several cities with German connections lay claim to the first public American Christmas tree: Windsor Locks, Connecticut maintains that the Hessian soldier Hendrick Roddemore, who was captured after the Battle of Bennington, put up a Christmas tree there in 1777, while a POW there. Other claims are made by Easton, Pennsylvania (1816) and Lancaster, Pennsylvania (1821).
On the second Sunday of Advent the faith candle, also a purple one, is lit. Many times it is referred to as the Prophecy Candle or the Candle of Preparation.
It is believed the first Advent wreath dates to 1839 and was the idea of Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808-1881), a Protestant pastor in Hamburg and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor.
It’s not known when Advent was first celebrated, but it has certainly existed since the days of the early church. According to the historian/bishop St. Gregory of Tours, the celebration of Advent was in existence in the 5th century when the Bishop Perpetuus of Tours, who died in 490, ordered the faithful to fast three times a week from St. Martin’s Day, November 11th until Christmas Day.
Today’s traditions during Advent are both religious and secular. Some originated as religious and have become less so, and most began in Lutheran areas of Germany. These traditions included praying an Advent themed daily devotional (a book of Bible verses and prayers for each day of the season), lighting an Advent wreath, lighting a Christingle, performing seasonal music, keeping an advent calendar, and of course, erecting a Christmas tree.