Journey to the Catskills: Impulsiveness. Irresponsibility. Vocation: Writer. Reader. Editor. Publisher. Professor. Avocation: Walking. Gazing. Happiness Is: A balancing act. Favorite Dish: I am ravenous for nothing in particular. Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Jared Fagen
Journey to the Catskills: My husband, Dick Demenus, and I were invited up to the Catskills in the summer of 1996 to visit a friend who had a house in Shandaken. We weren’t familiar with the area at all, although Dick had done some hiking around Hunter Mountain and Woodland Valley years before. I remember swimming in the Pine Hill Lake and just being enchanted … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Jan Albert
Journey to the Catskills: I was born here in the Catskills along the upper East Branch of the Delaware River. My whole world view began and ended in the hills and hollows during my growing years. Trips to either Oneonta or Kingston, NY were trips to the City. I was fortunate to be raised by a whole community of farmers, loggers and local merchants and … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Rudd Hubbell
Journey to the Catskills: In 2012 I bought a house on 6.3 acres in a village I had never heard of. A broker from Olive kept taking me further and further down Route 28. I was a full-time art professor in Tribeca, and a native of Brooklyn. After spending many summers in Lake Luzerne (the Lake George region of NY), and spending three wonderful years … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Miguel Martinez-Riddle
Journey to the Catskills: I came to Bovina in 1989. I was exiting yet another marriage and needed a place to ride motorcycles and drink beer. Back then Bovina was an unknown sleeping beauty. It was my escape from NYC until I started the farm in 2008. Then the full-time labors/learning began in an agricultural habitat not designed for Citi/idiots like me. Vocation: My wife … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Steve Burnett
Journey to the Catskills: In a matter of speaking, the Mountain Eagle. My father worked at the Mountain Eagle as a young man before I was born, then moved our family to the area in 1989 to work at the Mountain Eagle a second time. We’ve moved around a bit, but have been here ever since, and in Middleburgh since 1990. Vocation: A little bit … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Matthew Avitabile
Journey to the Catskills: I came to the Catskills – more accurately, Delaware County, decades ago, as the first-time director of the Delaware County Historical Association. I still remember that time – almost 13 years as director! – as a time of intense learning, including some lessons about communities and museums I still use today. I’m the rare person who came here for a job, and I … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Linda Norris
Journey to the Catskills: I came to the Catskills because of Helen Levitt (the great American photographer and cinematographer) who invited me. We stayed six weeks, and I mostly cooked and made a video about where we were. “Summers with Helen” can be viewed on Vimeo. Vocation: Film and photography*. Avocation: My photography is also my hobby. Happiness Is: Enjoying life every day. Favorite Dish: Freshly picked … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Elaine Mayes
Journey to the Catskills: I was born here. I longed to leave and did for a while, but came back. Not because I especially liked it – it was a lonely place 40 years ago – but these mountains were (and still are) kin to me. I was in Iowa, but writing from within the Catskills, this place and people, my people. I had to … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Mermer Blakeslee
Journey to the Catskills: Fate. I somehow always saw myself ending up (somewhere like) here, even whilst growing up in London. First time I saw the mountains in person, I knew it would happen. Eventually it did. Vocation: A communicator of stories; a teacher of music*. Avocation: Runner. It was amazing to discover around the mid-way mark of life that I was actually good at … Continue reading Humans of the Catskills: Tony Fletcher
