The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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The Corona Chronicles: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

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Creative pursuits: A lemonade stand with proceeds going to frontline healthcare workers

This past February my neighbor and I drove to the city with our kids to see National Geographic Encounter’s Ocean Odyssey. As we sped down the Saw Mill, she asked me if I’ve been following the news about a new virus called COVID-19 that originated in China and was now raging through Italy. Yes, I had heard murmurings but the illness was somewhere else not on our shores. “Buy toilet paper, Purell and plenty of wine,” she said. Thank goodness for well-informed neighbors.

Now that my kids have completed iLearning, I’ve had the time to reflect on how COVID has impacted our family. Each family has had their own struggles living in the “new normal” and this is a glimpse into ours.

The Good

Let’s start with the good. Life pre-COVID, our life was in the fast lane–running from one activity to the next from after school activities to birthday parties to playdates. COVID put that to an abrupt halt and our lives have slowed down significantly. My mom always admonishes me saying that we run ourselves ragged. “You didn’t have a million after school activities and you turned out ok.” Hmm, maybe she has a point.

Isolation forces your kids to come up with their own entertainment when they weren’t on devices. I’ve enjoyed watching my kid’s creativity blossom from making a lemonade stand to raise money for frontline healthcare workers to devising carnival day in our house, my kids have created fun options that don’t even cost a cent. Having weekends devoid of activities, we’ve had a chance to explore treasures in our backyard with hikes at Ward Pound Ridge and Pruyn Sanctuary.

We’ve had more time together and one of the best things about this has been our ability to have dinner as a family every night. With my husband’s long hours in the office and frequent business trips, we sometimes managed to only have dinner as a family once or twice a week and I’ve always wanted more of them – but be careful what you wish for. I’m up to my eyeballs in dirty dishes with everyone home 24/7.

The Bad

I am not a patient person and some of my most harrowing moments of this pandemic has been iLearning. I realize how fortunate I am – I haven’t lost loved ones or have a job that puts my life at risk during this pandemic but iLearning has tested every fabric of my being. I had to sit down with my first grader for almost every assignment, prod my fourth grader into completing assignments and then harass my sixth grader daily who at first showed the most promise with iLearning but then lost motivation after it extended beyond anyone’s wildest imaginations. The yelling, the crying, the role of being the resident nag–it was all too much. And all this fighting was going on with my husband in his home office trying to be on conference calls. “My clients are wondering why WWIII is going on in the background,” he said so many times I lost count. So I let my kids go back to playing Fortnite as default entertainment.

The lack of planning for a dinner with the grandparents or a trip to a museum in the city has filled me with sadness. It’s this lack of possibilities and planning for the future that I am mourning most during COVID which leads to the ugly section.

The Ugly

The lack of predictably with COVID and who will fall victim to it scares me. Right now with the NY infection rate hovering at 1% as we go to print, I feel like we are in a “sweet spot”. It’s only a matter of time though before it gets worse again according to epidemiologists. And so I wonder should I stock up again on canned beans and Clorox wipes?

Each morning I scan the New York Times headlines. Never before have I felt so hopeless about our future. The politicization of mask wearing, the high infection rates in the Sun Belt, the double-digit unemployment numbers and the racial disparities in how this disease is affecting our nation, it’s too much to absorb. I now shut down after reading for a half hour instead of compulsively reading like I did in the early stages of the pandemic. And each afternoon while I hash out the day’s headlines with my neighbor in my cul-de-sac during a “COVID cocktail hour”, I’m grateful she suggested in February that I stock up on wine.

On Accepting Isolation-and Learning from the Prescient John Lennon

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Artist: Corinne DECARPENTRIE, courtesy of pixabay.com

The fantastic and, generally, under appreciated John Lennon song, “Isolation” contains the following lyrics:

People say we got it made
Don’t they know we’re so afraid
Isolation
We’re afraid to be alone
Everybody got to have a home
Isolation

            I don’t think the wonderful ex-Beatle was being especially prescient concerning our current situation with Covid-19 but I do think he instinctively understood the myriad of feelings one might experience while enduring a forced segregation. His somewhat unique plight was being, perhaps, the most famous artist in the world and falling in love with a person that his enormous number of fans would not accept. His emotional isolation from the world he lived in was painful and raised questions of personal freedom, racism and an intrusion upon his own life choices from people he didn’t even know.

            Fortunately, Lennon was able, as great artists tend to do, to use his pain to drive his creativity. His beautifully raw first solo record, “Plastic Ono Band”,  is mainly about his life, love and struggle.  To those who’ve never heard it I can’t recommend it any more fervently. For those returning to it, I believe it can be a source of positivity in this specifically challenging period. Also, not a bad time, in general, to go back (or begin) listening to complete albums. Most of us absolutely should have the time to do so at the moment.

            As we are all now faced with a conscious and necessary effort to isolate and separate from anyone other than our own families I have no great words of wisdom other than the obvious. This situation should be taken seriously and every effort should be made to isolate and social distance. This is not negotiable and is the only hope to get things headed back in the direction of normalcy.

            For my family that means doing whatever work we can from home and otherwise trying to pass the time productively, meditatively and not generally freak out. At the moment I’m looking at three, way past their prime, bananas and contemplating baking banana bread. I’m taking my time with it and may even have this be my evening activity. The bananas can wait. How much blacker could they get anyway?

            My wife is taking work calls which I think is fantastic. Any sense of ordinariness is welcome and I’m happy to have her occupied by what is usually just another day’s work.

            My son, when not playing video games online with his friends, is now considering what graduate program to enroll in when, hopefully, schools are open again in the fall. A very strange feeling to get long awaited and diligently earned acceptance notices in the middle of all of this. It all seems to fade into the background as we wade through these strange days. However, any whiff of conventional good news linking us to the past and a hopeful future are welcomed. Notably, the discussions comparing and contrasting the various programs feel especially sweet and meaningful.

            The hardest day to day aspect of isolation for my family is the absence of my daughter who remains at boarding school. Safety-wise, she couldn’t be in a better situation right now. We miss her terribly and the only saving grace is that, I suspect, she’s happier right now being with her friends than stuck at home with the family like many teenagers would be.

            As for me, I’ve already went for a hike, chopped some wood (sounds more masculine when written down – the actual execution was not pretty but all my digits remain intact), texted with nervous friends/relatives, ate first and second lunches and am still, at my own pace, eying those bananas.

 

Northern Westchester: A Kayaker’s Paradise

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PHOTO BY ROSS EAGLE
aquilinestudios.net
Wampus Pond is popular with kayakers.

Looking for a way to relax, reconnect with nature, soak in the sun, and get some exercise, all at the same time? Try kayaking. Northern Westchester, with its beautiful ponds, lakes, and river, offers various kayaking experiences, ranging from easy outings to more challenging adventures.

Where to Go

Kayakers can look no further than Wampus Pond in Armonk for an easy, serene adventure. Wampus Pond, part of the 102-acre Wampus Pond Park, is open to kayakers throughout the summer. The natural water pond was once a reservoir that fed the New York City water supply. The park surrounding the lake is particularly peaceful and filled with history, including early 20th century rock shelters.

For beautiful, endless views of blue, and a chance to experience the more challenging Hudson River waters, head west to Ossining Beach. In 2011, a kayak launch was opened at the Louis Engel Waterfront Park. This launch enables kayakers to launch off the beach rather than off a dock. Head west for a view of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

Travel about four miles north to Croton Point Park and kayak on the Croton River, which ardent kayaker Paul Okura calls “a local gem…so clean and beautiful.” The Croton River is crystal clear, peaceful, and scenic, and it offers exquisite views of the Palisades. Croton Point Park is one of the oldest parks in the Westchester County system. According to Mary Kaye Koch, Director of Marketing for the Westchester County Parks Department, “Croton Point is a beautiful spot for bird-watching while you are kayaking down the river. On the clearest of days, you can even see all the way down to New York City.” Visitors can plan to picnic or camp out at the park as well.

Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, right off of Crompound Road in Yorktown Heights, offers two lakes for kayaking. Bring your own kayak to Crom Pond or Mohansic Lake, the two freshwater ponds in the park. The park itself, known for its spacious picnic areas, pool, hiking trails, basketball courts, and playgrounds, offers a chance to enjoy a range of other activities as well.

George’s Island Park, located off of Dutch Street in Montrose, offers another easy, scenic launch spot in Westchester County. “If you’re looking for a tranquil spot for kayaking, George’s Island is perfect,” according to Koch.” With a boat launch for boats up to 21 feet long, George’s Island gives kayakers an opportunity to connect with nature and observe the diverse wildlife. Boat fees vary by park. Check out parks.westchestergov.com for more information.

Touring Options

Throughout Northern Westchester, kayakers can go at it alone or sign up with a service for a more guided kayaking experience. Between May and October, Hudson River Recreation offers two to three hour expeditions on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Tours meet at Croton Point Park or the Echo Canoe and Kayak Launch in Croton on Hudson. Kayak along the Croton River, passing historical sites like Van Cortlandt Manor.

Hudson River Recreation tours are geared towards adults, but if you are looking for a family kayaking experience, try Hudson River Expeditions. Hudson River Expeditions takes you a little farther north to Peekskill and the Bear Mountain area. Kayakers can either navigate their way through the Peekskill Bay and see the city from a new perspective or travel through the Bear Mountain region, visiting the historical site of Fort Montgomery. They offer both family tours with single and tandem kayaks in the Peekskill region and custom tours that can be booked for six or more participants.

Safety Precautions

John Clark, program director of Hudson River Recreation, suggests that kayakers “expect the unexpected and plan for it.” He suggests that kayakers always wear a US Coast Guard approved life jacket, take lessons, and learn rescue techniques. “You have to know what to do if you fall out!” Clark warns. Paying careful attention to the weather and tide conditions is also extremely important. Dress for the water, not the air. Finally, for a successful trip, Clark says to make sure that someone else knows where you are and where you are going.

Okura has one final suggestion to ensure that everyone on the water enjoys their experience. “People should respect the no noise zone and bring headphones if they want to listen to music.” This way people can serenely connect with their natural surroundings and enjoy the ride.