Sunday March 26, 2023 
Yearn To Learn
Education is something we take for granted
It’s how the seeds of wisdom are planted
Everyone has the opportunity to make the world better
You need not be rich or a trend setter
Just put your mind to the test
And let your ambition and goals do the rest
Don’t worry about which school or the cost of tuition
What’s important is that your dreams come to fruition
The world should instill complete dedication
To the significance of education
It’s said that the more you learn the more you earn
Great minds took special attention
To develop each and every invention
For without a filament we would be without light
Left to wander around aimlessly into the night
If it wasn’t for the wheel their wouldn’t be a car
And mankind wouldn’t get very far
There would be no planes in the sky
If man didn’t have the courage to fly
Nothing is as impossible as it seems
Great ideas sometimes require elaborate schemes
A wise man uses his brain, for it is better
To discern, than it is to complain
Knowledge frees us from the chains of adversity
And protects us from calamity
Remember to ask for wisdom from the Lord above
And teach everyone the attributes of kindness and love
Donna Masters, Troy
We Did It Again
We did a lot of fishing this summer,
My young grandson and I.
Some weeks, we fished 5-6
Days out of seven !
We caught wild brook trout
In cold mountain streams;
We caught panfish for fun and to eat
From local lakes and ponds.
We caught really big smallmouth bass
in a nearby river.
And….the cellar steps
Went unpainted..!!
We did a lot of exploring: Creeks…
For frogs crabs, hellgramites and other critters;
Forest and field, scouting for
Deer, rabbits and turkeys…
And the garage floor, with all its flaws
Went unpatched and got worse.
We ate hot dog lunches
At local convenience stores.
We enjoyed snacks and drinks
in my truck, streamside or out in the woods.
And, all the while, necessary home maintenance
Projects were ignored and piled up.
And, now, as summer ends, I think….
We made all the right choices..!!
Lloyd Barnhart, West Sand Lake
To the Citizens of West Sand Lake,
My name is Kaylie, I am fifteen years old and I am one of the residents of Barnes Road. I have lived on Barnes Road for my entire life, surrounded by open fields, forest, and several ponds. For those of you who have not heard, there is a plan to put a commercial party barn in an agriculturally zoned area. Does it make sense that a business could be put right in the middle of an agricultural road? My answer to that question is no and I have several reasons to support my answer. My first reason that the party barn should not be constructed is specifically because Barnes Road is agricultural. There are over five farms on our road ranging between livestock, equestrian and crop production. A party barn on our road would not fit in with the agricultural environment. We would not appreciate the music, talking and alcohol that would be the byproduct of the events. It is very easy to hear sounds from even a half a mile away. I can hear our neighbors talking on their porch or giving riding lessons up the road. Because of the noise our animals would not be able to get the proper quality of rest. The equines work hard during the day doing lessons, driving, jumping and ground work. Another reason many of us within the community do not support the party barn is because of the possibility of our animals being physically hurt. The animals can wander into the road if they get out and it would be easy for someone attending the events, who doesn’t know the road, to hit one on accident. The majority of the traffic on our road are people who use it to get to work every day. We also have large farm equipment crossing and driving on the road, which makes it dangerous for cars due to blind spots and curves located in several places. I hope that my reasons for not supporting the party barn have inspired you to join our fight. We all love our animals and we would hate for them to be negatively impacted by a commercial building put on an agricultural road.
Submitted by Shari Mantini, West Sand Lake
Lets Play “Football”
The leaves are turning stunning hews of orange
The air is crisp thus begins fall
It’s time for the men of steel to put on their
Helmets And pads to play football
The fans wear peculiar makeup and funky clothes
What they were thinking, only God knows
They gather in groups like the dog pound
Where human canines and fake bones can be found
The hearty players run up to the line
The first hike is made after the whistle is blown
The fans anxiously wait for the ball to be thrown
The quarterback scrambles for his life
Trying to avoid a sack which leads to strife
Many successful players give the Lord the glory
Showing how faith and prayer tell a happy story
The sport requires dedication and determination
This captures everyone’s imagination
Every play is planned with extreme precision
Yet circumstances require they make a quick decision
They play no matter what the weather
Rain cold and even snow
Players slip and slide and put on a good show
The crowd is loyal and stays till the end of the game
Because life without football wouldn’t be the same
You take out your team jersey to wear
Because you hope its lucky, if not, it shows you care
The game is so close its coming down to a field goal
You pray it goes in and doesn’t hit the pole
The kick is up and it is …….. good !
The game ended just the way you hoped it would
Some fans are glad, yet others are sad
Either way there is another game next week
Football is always an adventure that I shall seek
Donna Masters, Troy
I Gleam
As a young boy
I would scream
As a teenager
I would scheme
As a young man
I would dream
As an older man
I just gleam
Walter De BELL, Troy
The Way to the Rainbow by Barbara Leavell Smith, Petersburgh, NY
With the clouds darkening
and the waters rising,
not to mention the voice of God,
Noah had no problem getting motivated to build the Ark,
and no problem getting volunteers to come on board.
The Flood itself gave them the power and the will.
But, after days of being cooped up together,
seasick and homesick for their natural habitats,
the giraffes and lions and anteaters and ants
and peacocks and porcupines and sloths and humans were getting fed up.
“This is all getting a little old,” they told Noah.
“We’ve been ingenious, kind, forbearing and brave for long enough.
It’s time to celebrate.
It’s time for all this to be over.”
“But it is not over,” said Noah.
“And it will never be over unless
we keep on being ingenious, kind, forbearing and brave.
That’s what this Flood is all about.”
“Well, er, OK then,” said the fed-up animals.
“But we need a second wind.”
“We need a second wind,” said Noah to God.
And God said,
“The wellspring of the second wind is within yourselves.
It has been calling you for years.
For each of you, it is different and the same.
It is your Everest.
You may not reach the summit,
but you will find your second wind
if you begin the climb.”
So they each began the climb,
and they found the second wind
to keep on being ingenious, kind, forbearing and brave
until that became a habit.
Then the waters subsided. And God sent the rainbow.
Make America Great Again
Saying “Make America Great again” will make some people go berserk.
It’s because it sounds to them as if they may have to do some kind of work.
They flip the switch on the wall, it eliminates the dark
They don’t care if we have power in Stephentown,
They live in Averill Park.
It wasn’t done for you or me, they paved a stretch of 43
So they could ride more comfortably
When they go to Jiminy to ski.
And speed and put other’s lives in jeopardy.
“It’s all about me” is their motto,
They learned it while still on the bottle.
Or was it while they were at their mother’s breast?
When she sang to them that “You’re the best” and “far superior to the rest.”
They don’t see their selfishness is a sickness at its best,
And will hurt them in the end, but until then my friend,
Let’s make America great again.
People like me and you who care, and are prepared to share, can
Make America greater than it’s ever been.
God Bless America!
From Alps Mountain to Canajoharie
These are lands that I know and love
God Bless America, my home sweet home.
Dean Evans, The Outhouse Poet, Stephentown, September 14, 2020
The East Greenbush Library is no “dismal sight”
In a recent letter to the editor, the East Greenbush Library was criticized because they were taking extraordinary measures to keep their patrons and employees safe. The letter writer wrote “caution is a fine thing sometimes”—sometimes?
We are suffering from the worst health care challenge in a century. The pandemic is killing Americans by the hundreds of thousands. This is no hoax. One can stick their head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist, or buy into the lies perpetrated by Washington politicians, or imagine this entire virus will just “magically disappear” but the truth is we are living (and dying) every moment of every day surrounded by a virus that does not discriminate because of age, gender, political party, race, creed, rich or poor. We are all in this together.
Rensselaer County is still seeing active cases of COVID. The County State Office Building had to close four departments recently to be cleaned and disinfected after one person tested positive for the virus. As of September 17th, forty-two people have died and the number of persons who tested positive for COVID stands at close to 900.
Libraries are one of the most precious resources a free society is privileged to enjoy. Cudos to the East Greenbush library for making every effort to continue to serve the public in these trying times.
Judy Ziller, Nassau
I’m talking about Dublin
I’m talking about Dublin
her hills of emerald green
and her young ladies
are as petty as you have ever seen
I’m talking about Dublin
her sky is royal blue
and her young men
grow up loyal and true
I’m talking about Dublin
with her walls of cobblestone
in every house you’ll find a dog
with every dog you’ll find a bone
I’m talking about Dublin
land of my Father and Mother
the home where I lived
with my seven sisters and eight brothers
I’m talking about Dublin
with her beautiful open land
where the air is so clean
and her people so grand
I’m talking about Dublin
where I visit every year
and still when I see her
my heart sheds a tear
I’m talking about Dublin
so if I hear you talking about her too
you better show her some respect
or I’ll give you the ole Dublin one, two
I’m talking about Dublin
Walter De BELL, Troy