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January 30, 1992 - Happiness Is a Mountain Hideaway4A • The Suffolk Times • January 30, 1992 Happiness Is a Mountain Hideawa By Paul Stoutenburah Good friends of ours own a cabin up in the Catskills and offered it to us any time we'd like. The offer stayed in the back of our minds like some little nest egg one would hold for a special time. Our occasion came last week when we decided to take advantage of our friends' offer for four or five days in isolation amongst their mountains. I had watched the weather patterns on TV and except for a day of rain which we'd be traveling in, the hope was for snow squalls and cold weather. A good sign for us. We drove in the rain for five hours to their cabin. First, over our own Long Island Expressway, then through the maddening confusion of getting off the island to the New York Thruway, where things started to get better and better as we switched to Route 17 and headed into the Catskills. From Roscoe we drove along a winding blacktop road around one of New York City's great reservoirs. Here is the water New York uses and depends on for survival. At one point we turned up Mary Smith Road, a well - maintained road, and then familiar landmarks started to show up. Alongside the road a small brook danced in its blackened ribbon through the white ice of the surroundings. Here in the Catskills they, too, had come out of the deep freeze and were being pelted by the rains that had followed us all the way up. We made one stop at the bottom of the hill to let Aunt Carrie and Uncle "H" know we were using the cabin up back and then we were there. Even with the rain and soggy weather we were in high spirits. Light switches were found, MAIL A BALLOON INABOX Orders must be placed by Feb. 7th BALLOON BOUQUETS for Valentine's Day Local Delivery tic 76J -3609 or 323 -2585 Focus on Mature pumps and heat turned on and the boxes of gear we'd brought along were hauled in. As Barbara settled us in, setting a pot of stew on the stove for dinner, I walked about surveying the vistas from the little cabin we were to spend four days in. Remembered Views Below, the brook ran with its wonder- fully distant murmurings. A clump of hemlock, deep in its winter green, made an almost cathedral -like mass out the other window. I remembered these from seasons past and how when you walk through them you seem to be walking on a super -soft cushion of moss, wet and wonderful where it was always cool. Out of the back bedroom window the mowed fields of the old homestead of years past rolled off in the distance. The barns, now silent, seem sad for their lack of activity. All about us the rolling mountains of these ancient Catskills rose, putting us in a world far away from what we'd known. The following morning my weather judgment had paid off and the snow that was predicted started to paint the land- scape white. Our world was rapidly changing from one of wet and brown to winter's delight. At one time it was streaks of white all driven in one direc- tion. Then there'd be a lull and flakes soft and fluffy drifted down in a maze that reminded one of those glass globes you used to marvel at as kids when shaken upside down. The snow seemed to come down gently in the silence only snow can bring. It was a fairyland and we were being hypnotized by its beauty. Then all of a sudden the scene would change and no snow would fall and we'd wait for the next move. This might be tiny, almost invisible flakes that would sprinkle down as gentle as fairy dust. Our world was complete. Our panorama of changing snow squalls and peaceful whiteness continued all morning making that first day at the cabin a memorable one. Later, the sun would come out for short periods as if Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh MOUNTAIN BROOK —The patterns of ice and snow are endless when water freezes. to say, "See here. Look at this. A new world I've painted." It was too much and I would have to go out and see for myself. The only sound was the crunch of snow underfoot and the gurgling of the brook when I approached it. The woods were asleep. Nothing moved. Tiny bits of green could be seen amongst the whiteness here and there. A small seedling hemlock, hoping to make its way in the crowded world, lifted its leafy head. A bit of princess pine showed its almost moss -like branches and then there was the leaf of wintergreen I had to pluck for its special scent. These were all I could see beside the browns and blacks of trees and bushes. Of course, there were the dull brown masses of grass and the broken stems of ferns that told all life was put on hold in this deep -freeze country. This was the time when all must sleep 'til the sun once again moves north and warms the earth. Perhaps the most memorable part of our visit in that wonderful land of white were the evenings. We'd watch the dark- ness sneak in over the mountains and tone everything into an evening dusk paved with a snow that came and went. 1 A49A 1 AAim nww'= 78 Years Ago Jan. 31, 1914 The Modern Woman: A New York paper has an editorial on "Why the Stars Wink." We didn't have to read it, having long ago come to the conclusion that they couldn't help it when they saw a modern woman pass a lamp post. Violent Exercise: Beware of the turkey trot knee. A well -known physician says there are no less than 100 dis- tinct movements in the turkey trot, and 50 in the tango, and he is now treating a number of men and women for swollen knees due to this violent exercise. Suffolk Has 3,297 Cars: According to the official statement of Secretary of State Michel May, of the 13,780 commercial vehicles licensed, Suffolk County has 191. Of the total of 118,477 pleasure vehicles so licensed, 3,297 were registered in Suffolk County. 50 Years Ago Jan. 29, 1942 Airplane Observers Needed: Remember France? She thought the Maginot Line impregnable. Paris laughed at the thought of the Germans getting through. Remember Pearl Harbor? Even the Army and Navy thought it absurd to be concerned about an attack. They did not even bother with a 24 -hour Air Corps observation watch. A fire was started in the grand fireplace with dried logs that added that special touch to a snowbound night. We brought some recordings along to play and as the snow streaked past the big thermopane windows we listened to arias from my favorite composer, Puc- cini. We looked at each other without words, knowing we'd hit on something special, something few would be privi- leged to enjoy and yet it took so little to make it happen. Our dog in his 14th year, tired from his afternoon walk, lay sprawled on his blanket dreaming of his own world of wonder. How comforting a fire can be. As we gazed into its waving yellow flames and radiant heat I thought of all those through the past reaches of time who had enjoyed its blessings from the earli- est cavemen to our own special night with Pavarotti filling the room with his brilliance. Man has used the fire for comfort and security and to me it seems so basic. Yet, today, so few know of its warmth and delight. What a shame. In a better world these wonders of snowy nights and fireside splendor would be had by all. But for now Barbara and I, along with our old dog, were the bene- factors of its charm. Germany now has 150 bombers with a cruising radius of over 6,000 miles! The Germans are counting on our being asleep too. Let us show them we are not so careless. We need volunteers for our East Marion observation post. It must be manned 24 hours a day. Phone Greenport 472 W and offer two or three hours a week for our coastal defense. "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." 25 Years Ago Feb. 3, 1967 Robins Island Sold: Robins Island, which sepa- rates the Great and Little Peconic bays, is about to be sold to an out -of -state syndicate for approximately $2 million, it was learned this week. County Executive H. Lee Dennison and Southold Town Supervisor Lester Albertson both said they had heard about the impending sale of the 434 -acre island owned by millionaire sportsman John W. Mackay. Mackay purchased the island in 1956, reportedly for $500,000. It has been used as a private shooting preserve since then. For Sale: Four bedroom house on bay, white sand beach, with docking. $35,000. New three bedroom ranch, $18,750. Old-fashioned house, six rooms, $7,500. Progress: Once upon a time when you said your bat- tery was dead you were talking about your car, not your toothbrush.