Journey to the Catskills:

After vacationing in the Hampton Bays for a number of years, I decided to come back to the place that I loved as a kid – my family used to spend summer vacations in the Catskills near Greenville. In 1972 I rented a house in Pine Hill for the summer along with some friends. While there, I fell in love again with the area and decided to find property up here. After two months of searching, I found the perfect place to build my house in Halcottsville. I had a shell built and finished it off by myself over many years. The first summer I spent here was without water or well. Fortunately, the artesian well at Hubbell Brothers kept us going and hauling water in 5-gallon containers every day for both drinking and showering was a necessity. The following year, I had a well drilled and life became a lot easier. 

Vocation:

I have been retired from work with the Deaf as a Speech/Language Pathologist/Supervisor since 1999. During the 32 years that I worked with the Deaf, I was an adjunct professor at NYU, Hunter College and Saint Joseph’s College (18 years). My final involvement with education was at Margaretville Central School as Chairperson of the Committee on Special Education for nine years. I left this position in 2010 and became fully retired. Over my career, I have written numerous articles related to the Deaf for various speech and hearing professional journals. 

Avocation:

Although my interests are varied, in 2010 I became part of a fantastic group of people who signed up to volunteer at WIOX Community Radio. I continue to produce a weekly program for WIOX (The Catskills Cafe) as well as Power Folk for Blues and Roots Radio in Canada. A number of other radio stations in America and France use my hour-long podcast titled Mostly Folk.

I also love magic and have been doing it for the past sixty years. I have performed on numerous stages both for deaf and hearing audiences. Additionally, I love photography which I have studied and received numerous awards for. 

As a volunteer, I served on the Boards of Margaretville Hospital, The Open Eye Theater, WIOX Radio, Fairview Library, and The Margaretville Hospital Auxiliary.

Happiness Is:

Living here in The Catskills with my wife Rain, and two dogs. Someone once asked me what is on my bucket list, and I truthfully told her that I have no bucket list. This is it. My home here in The Catskills is all that I ever wanted and have no desire to be elsewhere. As one of my neighbors used to say: ”Halcottsville is the place that you don’t have to leave to get away from it all.”

Favorite Dish:

This is a tough one, but it certainly would involve pasta. I especially enjoy making homemade pasta with our own pasta machine. I enjoy eating out whenever that is possible. If not, just give me a tuna sandwich and I’ll be happy.

Ideal Country Home:

As I have already noted, I would have to say that my ideal country home is the one that I have and live in. This alone keeps me busy. Gardening and landscaping in the summer and hibernating in the winter is what I really enjoy doing. Living here and loving the land and the people who inhabit it is all that I need.