THE HUNT IS ON

Welcome back to another edition — hope you enjoy and I’ll see ya out there.

With a Crew Member approval rating of 97.61% — I’m proud to announce that the quest for the best breakfast sandwich in our lands has begun.

Last week I mentioned that the rules and requirements for eligibility are clear and binding, but I was wrong. Based on your feedback, I removed the hard and fast rule of bacon must be included. With that small refinement, they are now etched in stone as stated below:

Now I ask for your help. This long, treacherous, and delicious journey will be guided by your hand. If you know of (or have heard rumors of) a GRADE A breakfast sandwich, please submit it below.

Let’s give submissions a week or two before taking the top 20 most-voted sandwiches and setting forth to find and crown our champion.

PROPERTY: Old auto body garage and apartment

PETS: Bugs the pup, Tangerine the kitty, Atlas the guinea pig.

SKY: The asteroid Amphitrite reaches opposition on May 28th. You’ll be able to spot it in the night sky with a pair of janky binoculars. This asteroid clocks in at nearly 200km, making it one of the largest S-type asteroids which are stony and rich in silica.

SIGHTINGS: Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

CODE RED: You only have a few hours to grab your spot at the next Dinner Club in Woodstock on the 28th.

HOW THIS THING WORKS:

✦︎ You take a quick quiz about your interests, food preferences, and what types of folks you are looking to meet — you know, that kinda thing.
✦︎ You get matched with five other Catskill Crew Members based on those quiz results.
✦︎ You’ll receive your invite the morning of the dinner and discover which restaurant your group will be dining at.
✦︎ During dinner, everyone across town will receive a notification with the secret location of an afterparty to keep the good times rolling. This is optional, so if you’re in a food coma, you can go home and sleep it off.

TOGETHER WITH IVY (CHIEF BUG OFFICER)

One of my first bug encounters that felt iridescentally magical as a kid was witnessing hundreds of ants swirling in a frenzy on the closed peony buds in my mom’s garden. What is drawing them in? Why peonies? Is this ritual essential for the peony to bloom?

Now I’ve learned the science behind this display and I am just as delighted. This behavior is called biological mutualism: both ant and peony benefit from the relationship. In late spring when peonies begin to bud, they will secrete nectar from extrafloral nectaries (sugar secreting glands) located on their sepals (green leaves that cup the unopened bloom). This nectar is rich in sugars, amino acids, and lipids: an abundant, rich, and easily accessible food source that is highly attractive to ants.

Pests like thrips and aphids are not interested in the nectar, but rather the peonies’ emerging buds. Luckily for the peony, ants are aggressively protective when it comes to their food, fending off other bugs but not damaging the peony itself. Once the peony has bloomed, it will stop producing this nectar and the ants will seek out other food sources. Their time of mutual benefit has passed but will return next spring!

I am inspired by their dynamic to ask myself this question: how can I facilitate a mutualistic relationship with my environment? How can I tend to the land and critters I love in a way that provides substantial, sustainable care?

EDITOR’S NOTE: I currently have peonies in my garden; I’ll keep an eye out for those ants. Thanks Ivy.

Turn the screens off, take a seat and enjoy some snail mail. The Spring Quarterly is shipping out — directly to your mailbox. P.S. one tree planted for every letter mailed

MOUNTAIN MEMORY GAMES: TEST YOUR SKILLS

CATSKILL PUZZLES: HAVE SOME FUN

LAST WEEKS SCRAMBLE: PHLOX

Your contributions go directly toward keeping Catskill Crew alive and well so we can have more fun and build a stronger community. I appreciate any and all support my friends! - Michael

ADD AN EVENT

Chicory Naturalist, Kingston – Book Club: How Flowers Made Our World at 6PM rsvp encouraged

Tubby's, Kingston – Chess Night from 6-9PM

Draught Industries, Beacon – Story Screen Trivia at 7PM free

Draught Industries, Beacon – Story Screen Trivia Night details

Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston – Sharkey and His Pals, a Presentation with Stephen Blauweiss and Gary Bohan Jr. at 7PM seal college

Unicorn Bar, Kingston – Nonfiction for No Reason at 7PM literary series

Falcon, Marlboro – The Nynes Variety Hour: An Evening of Disaster & Triumph at 5:30PM learn more

Shandaken Inn, Shandaken – Tap Takeover with Upward Brewing from 5 to 8:30PM

Van Dusens, Lexington – Live music with Gunga and Oakley Munson at 7PM frosty

Athens Cultural Center – Writing Children’s Books at 6PM learn some stuff

Bubba's Biscuit Bar, Hudson – Story Screen Trivia at 6:30PM hang out

Morton Memorial Library, Pine Hill – "A Guardian and A Thief" by Megha Majumdar at 5PM info

Unicorn Bar, Kingston – New York Queer Comedy Festival: Comedy Night at 8PM deets

Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill – Monsters of the American Cinema take a gander

Community Theater, Catskill – Stolen Kingdom (Roadshow Edition) and Q&A at 7PM get tickets

Left Bank Cider, Catskill – Fly fishing: tying and fishing BFS streamers at 6pm tight lines

West Kortright Center, East Meredith – Nour Harkati: Tunisian Blues at 7PM tix

Roxbury Arts Center – American Patchwork Quartet at 7:30PM nice

Andes Hotel – Cans & Clams followed by karaoke at 5PM solid combo

Ashokan Center, Olivebridge – Old Time Rollick 2026 jay ungar

Unicorn Bar, Kingston – Julie's Girl's Club: Color Me Gay Mixer at 6PM have fun

Brunette Wine Bar, Kingston – If You Love Love: Soul & RnB with DJ Jeszack at 7PM 10 year anniversary

Sky High Farm, Ancram - Spring Bird Walk at 8AM birdies

Wild Hudson Valley, Cairo – Spring Foraging Workshop at 10AM register here

Catskill Forest Association, Arkville – Catskill Club 3500 Club: Wilderness First Aid Course at 9AM today and tomorrow

New Memories, Parksville – Too Short To Suck Film Festival more info

Basilica Hudson – Light Up the Night, a fundraiser concert for Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School at 7:30PM good stuff

Forsyth Park, Kingston – Hudson Valley Faerie Festival: An Enchanted Wonderland at 12PM woodland attire

Historic Catskill Point, Catskill – Concert in the Catskills: Parmalee at 7:30PM more info

Fellow Mountain Cafe, Hunter – Makers Market from 11AM-2PM

Mountain Top Historical Society, Haines Falls – Guided Birdwatching at 8AM join in

Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Catskill – Sunday Salon Lecture at 2PM deets

Andes Hotel – Hike and BBQ Benefit for the Andes Rail Trail Bridge at 4PM sweet

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville – Forest Bathing at 11AM register

Starlite Motel, Kerhonkson – Phoenicia Diner Pancake Pop Up at 11AM-3PM

How is it June already.

🦗