July 20, 2012 - Three Arrows Cooperative Society

Three Arrows Cooperative Society 

THE VOICE OF THE HILL 

2 Rochdale Road, Putnam Valley NY 10579 

David Ripps, President July 20, 2012 Halona Balgley, Editor 

Sylvia & David Ripps, Issue Editor 

This Week at Three Arrows 

For updates: http://www.ThreeArrowsco-op.org/calendar 

Friday, July 20 

8:30 PM, NTSH 

Schmooze: The Occupy 'Movement' From the Ground Up 

Saturday, July 21 

9:45-11:00 AM, NTSH 

Chorus with Sylvia Ripps & Judy Gorman 

11:00 AM, Lakeside (Upper Barn in case of rain) 

Arts & Crafts / Oobleck 

11: 15 AM-12:45 PM, NTSH 

Movement with Sharon Bromberg 

2:00-4:00 PM, NTSH 

Labor Day Show Rehearsal with Chuck Cosler 

8:30 PM, NTSH 

You Never Know, a one-woman show with Carrie 

Carmichael 

Sunday, July 22 

10:00-11:00 AM, NTSH 

Yoga with Kay Harel 

2:00 PM, Upper Barn 

Arts & Crafts / Build a Birdfeeder 

2:00-4:00 PM, NTSH 

Labor Day Show Rehearsal with Chuck Cosler 

Tuesday, July 24 

10:00 AM, Ernie’s Room 

Writers Workshop with Hal Drooker 

Thursday, July 26 

6:30 PM, NTSH 

Potluck dinner 

7:45 PM, NTSH 

Three Arrows Film Festival 

“Notorious” presented by Bruce Dancis 

Friday, July 27 

8:30 PM, NTSH 

Schmooze: Fresh Perspectives: Navigating Gender in the 

Workspace, Relationships and Community with Jenny Cooper, 

Shana Bromberg, et al. 

Schmooze, This Friday, 8:30 

The Occupy 'Movement' From the Ground Up 

Will you be OCCUPIED Friday night? Come to the 

Schmooze, "The Occupy 'Movement' From the Ground 

Up." 

Is there anyone among us not familiar with the new 

connotation of the words "1%" and "99%"? Do you, 

nevertheless, have lots of questions about the Occupy 

phenomenon, like: 

� Who are the Occupiers? 

� What are their goals? 

� Who sets their agenda? 

� Are they having an impact on our political 

consciousness? 

� Given their differences from previous social 

movements, what are their prospects for 

success--how do they even define "success"? 

� WHAT NEXT? 

On Friday night you can hear from an experienced 

scholar of social movements, and from people who have 

been engaged in Occupy activism from the start. 

. 

This Week’s Film 

Thursday, July 26, 7:45 PM, NTSH 

"Notorious" (1946, U.S.): World War II may be over, 

but German Nazis who have escaped to Brazil are 

plotting their resurgence. It's up to a U.S. agent (Cary 

Grant) and the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy (Ingrid 

Bergman) to stop them in Alfred Hitchcock's exciting 

and romantic thriller, one of the best from the "Master 

of Suspense." Presented by Bruce Dancis. 

Next Issue Editor 

Next week’s issue editors will be Akiel and Zarina 

Bilgrami. Please send submissions to 

AB41@columbia.edu by Tuesday, July 24 by 7 PM. 

The Voice of the Hill July 20, 2012 1

This Week’s Specials 

Saturday Night at NTSH: 

You Never Know 

This Saturday evening's entertainment is the one-hour, one woman show, "You Never Know" written and 

performed by Carrie Carmichael. 

It introduces Carrie's New Jersey chauvinist Uncle Eddie, the kind of quirky, unforgettable family character 

we all take for granted. And yet, Uncle Eddie's legacy survives in ways he never could have imagined. The 

IndyStar reviewer, Jay Harvey, said that Carmichael presents her family and Uncle Eddie "nonjudgmentally 

and with affection, yet with an abiding sense of wonder that will be familiar to anyone who's ever wondered 

why we don't know better the people we should know best." 

Carrie Carmichael, a former Three Arrows member, is a New York writer, born and bred in New Jersey. She's 

the author of the first book about bringing up children free of gender prejudice. "Non-Sexist Childraising" 

was in print nationally and internationally for more than a dozen years. Her other books are "How To Relieve 

Cramps and Other Menstrual Problems," "Old Fashioned Baby Care," "Big Foot: Man, Monster or Myth?" 

and "Secrets of the Great Magicians." 

Her many magazine articles include a LIVES column for the New York Times and essays for Family Circle, 

Staste and Esquire of Japan. She is the winner of Women in Broadcasting awards and Odyssey Foundation 

awards for her work on the NBC Radio Network. 

With standup and acting credits off-off Broadway and on television, Carrie is thrilled to introduce you to her 

Uncle Eddie. "You Never Know" debuted at the Cape May Stage and has been performed all around the tristate 

area, in Florida and at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival. 

Carrie volunteers as a broadcaster for Gatewave Reading Service, for the visually disabled. She reads "The 

Science Times" of the "New York Times. 

Carrie, a good friend to many of us, was a Three Arrows cooperator from the early 1970s to early '80s.( Her 

house is now the London House.) She has two adult offspring, actor Dave Greenfield and Casey Greenfield, a 

partner in the law firm Greenfield, Labby. 

~~Nina Drooker 

Arts and Crafts: 

Saturday 11 AM at the Lake (Rain Location: Upper Barn) 

OOBLECK: As seen on MYTHBUSTERS! OOBLECK is made of cornstarch and water. It is both liquid 

and solid at the same time, making it a unique mixture. Come make it, play with it, walk on it and learn why it 

is called a "non-Newtonian substance". 

Sunday 2 PM at the Upper Barn 

BIRDFEEDERS: Make an easy birdfeeder for your chickadees, finches and other feathered friends using our 

quick-to-make birdfeeder kits. Bring a clean and dry one or two-liter plastic soda bottle to paint. Birdseed will 

be provided to get your bird-buffet started. 


That Was The Week That Was 

Schmooze Review: Chris Letts Encourages Pragmatic Environmentalism 

“The Ecology, Health, and Maintenance of Barger Pond,” led by naturalist Chris Letts, provided an 

evening’s educational entertainment for about 30 lucky members and friends last Friday. Carol Gruber 

introduced the program, recalling the Barger Pond of her childhood where one could pick bushels of 

blueberries from a rowboat, it was teeming with tadpoles, frogs and turtles, there were (blood-sucking) 

leeches, and the lily pads seemed closer to the shore. Chris replied giving us a geological context in which to 

understand the changes we are witnessing. His explanations about the historical Barger Pond and its 

prehistory in the time of the glaciers offered an illuminating perspective for us to ponder. No pun intended 

here – he called Barger Pond a lake not a pond, because it has an inlet and an outlet that are not seasonal, so 

they allow for the flow of water all year long. In historical times, long after the glaciers receded, deep winter 

ice from the Hudson Valley became famous, not only locally and in New York City, but as far away as India 

and Caribbean islands. It was cut here, insulated in sawdust, and transported by ships outfitted with windmills 

to pump out melted ice water. The trade was sufficiently lucrative to continue for quite some time before the 

advent of refrigerators. Just think of the ice boxes of old, which some of us still remember, and our cute stone 

building called an ice house, which is typical of the Lakeland of Putnam Valley and neighboring townships in 

Westchester and Putnam counties. 

From the sterile, crystal clear, icy waters of glacial melt to the murky water we swim in today is the story of 

organic growth over a period of about 15,000 years. The vegetation underwater, and the pioneer species 

around the edges of our lake today (willow, button bush, swamp maples) are all setting the stage for the 

subsequent development of a meadow, which will lead to a forest of prevailing native tree species. That will 

take, perhaps, another thousand years (at least). Meanwhile, the deposition of organic materials (a.k.a. muck) 

at the bottom of the lake contributes to this natural trajectory and is causing a shift in the acidity of the water, 

so that different plants and animals find habitat - hence, the beavers, otters, muskrats and aquatic creatures 

that include not only many species of catfish and sunfish, but also turtles, snakes, and frogs. 

Based on his familiarity with small bodies of fresh water, including lakes, ponds, and rivers, Chris offered 

several recommendations for us to consider. First, he said we should be regularly testing for the pH value of 

our lake water (not only for the presence of e-coli, directly relevant to our health), but also for nitrates and 

phosphates. And he reminded us that global warming will likely speed up the process of change. For our 

delectation as a lakefront community with a passion for swimming, we might want to consider such 

intervention as dredging to counteract the deposition of organic matter that, eventually, would lead to the 

natural course of development of our lake into a meadow. That might be an expensive option. [I recollect that 

the Town of Putnam Valley, who owns Barger Pond, applied for a permit and conducted hydro-raking a few 

years back to reduce organic matter.] 

Chris advised us to be cognizant of the balance and diversity of plant and animal life, which is dependent on 

such factors as sunlight and temperature. In an effort to reduce organic matter, for example, the removal of 

water lilies can raise the lake water’s temperature by reducing shade, which allows in more sunlight. The lake 

is a living ecosystem that demands our respect and he advocates for a more pragmatic approach to 

environmental concerns. To begin, he suggested we maintain a logbook with wildlife observations, that we 

record measurements of various kinds, and that we collect oral histories so that we may better understand 

what’s happening in Barger Pond. 

~~Carol Bier 


Mud & Muck - Art & Science 

↙↙↙ 

Photo of Barger Pond by David Ripps 

Saturday last, we were lucky to have Francesco Filiaci, biology teacher at the Calhoun School and master 

potter, spend the day at Three Arrows. In the morning he demonstrated making large pots on the wheel in the 

lower pottery studio to our own aspiring potters including Paul Stein, Rick Marcus, Danny Balgley, Sylvia 

Humphrey, Isabel Cordero, Nat Fay, and Susan Vladeck. All were very impressed with both his skill and his 

ability to explain technique. A measure of his success was the two bowls subsequently created by Danny 

using the techniques we all learned. 

~~Susan Vladeck 


After lunch Francesco drew a group of children and adults to the dock where he showed us all that Barger 

Pond is a healthy ecosystem since we have a number of species that are very sensitive to pollution, such as 

our beloved dragonflies. We pulled out a bucketful of muck, and nets and petri dishes of water and examined 

them for little creatures. Then we looked at tiny lake animals under microscopes and magnifying glasses. We 

saw pond skimmers—minuscule and small ones, whirligigs, 1/8 inch long fish and many more. Andy fished 

out a sunny for us and we put it in the fish tank so everyone could see it well. There was a big tadpole with 

two legs—half way to becoming a frog! We found out that the lake is clearer at the fishing dock than in the 

swimming area by lowering a black and white Secchi disk into the lake. We found we could just barely see it 

at two and a half meters down at the fishing dock, whereas we lost sight of it at a meter and a half in the 

swimming area. 

In the evening, after the children's performance, Francesco introduced us to the natural substances that allow 

fireflies to glow that cool (temperature) light. It was exciting to be able to mix the dried enzymes from sea 

fireflies and see them glow. There was a very interested group of Three Arrowsers—adults and children 

leaning over the table in Ernie's room. Francesco's enthusiasm was infectious! 

Let's think about building a cabinet for the science equipment on the dock so we can experiment every 

weekend and keep a log of what we find! Between the schmooze and the pond studies, we are really getting to 

know our Barger Pond this summer. 

~~Sylvia Humphrey & Isabel Cordero 


Francesco at the lake 

First "Family Performance" of the Season—Two Views 

Saturday at 6 PM saw the inauguration of the first of three planned "Family Performances" for this season. 

The "Family Performance" was presented to Three Arrows children and families , six months and older. They 

were sitting at the front of the NTSH next to and around the musicians, as Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco 

Moshers told the kids about the history of Zydeco music and explained the instruments and their origins to his 

rapt audience. The kids had a chance to play the rub board instrument and accordion during musical numbers, 

and Captain Squeeze answered their questions about accordions, The Beatles and Zydeco music (a corruption 

of the French "les haricots). Zydeco is a uniquely American music from Louisiana combining many 

influences including Cajun and Celtic music. 

The Zydeco music was infectious. There was not a still foot in the house and the kids all joined in to learn a 

dance. 

The Zydeco Moshers then took a brief rest while preparing for the adult concert, while the children enjoyed 

their traditional games of tag and rolls-down-the-hill before heading off for the luminescence talk at the dock 

or off to bed. 

Joel Roselin, Chairperson of the Family Life Committee, explained the plan to integrate children into some 

planned adult programs like this one, not just present special programs for children. 

The well attended concert was great fun for the kids and the adults who accompanied them. Mark your 

calendars for the two Family Performances coming up. 

~~Karen Brodsky 


Saturday Night Family Program 

On Saturday evening, kids and their families came down to the Social Hall for the first of this season’s family 

concerts. Musicians from Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers entertained everyone with music and 

hands-on education about the accordion and scratch board. The kids had a wonderful time dancing and asking 

questions about the instruments. Many thanks to Sharen Duke and the Social Committee for providing this 

great entertainment for the kids. After the concert, our son Noah wrote his “review” for the Voice. 

--Julie Bromberg 

My Experiences At Yesterday’s Concert 

Yesterday I had a GREAT-with-a-capital-G time at the concert! When I first entered the room/zydeco party, a 

few other kids were on the washboard. I sat through, decided it was a good song, and when it was over, raised 

my hand. I GOT PICKED! I liked the waltz I was playing. I was like, k-tz!-k-tz!-k-tztztztz. I danced quite a 

lot! After the concert, I went outside and had a rolling-down-the-hill race with James (my friend from 

Queens), Ezra (my brother) and the other kids. It was a great day! 

~~Noah Bromberg, age 7 

A Zydeco Moment 

Zydeco sounds a little Yiddish with that z and all. But it’s Creole for a genre of a merry music from 

Louisiana, heard in the dance halls of the 1700s. And heard with modern variants at our first musical 

Saturday, when “Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers” rocked Norman Thomas Hall last weekend. 

Accordions, fiddles, drums, various guitars, and “scratch boards” jived out lilting melodies, one more lively 

than the next. Other genres frolicked among the tunes—blues, fifties rock and roll, and crowd-pleasing songs 

by rock icons like the Beatles, Elton John, and the Doobie Brothers, with a cover of “Black Water” lush with 

rounds and harmonies, so true to the original at least two of us fans indulged in stealth Karaoke. 

Now, dance music begets dancing. The light-hearted tunes set the light-footed to stepping. And the not-solight-footed 

too. Dancing is nondiscriminatory. Dancing queens (and the occasional king) synched with the 

music in extravagant freeform moves, suave ballroom dances, a conga line that wended among the café 

lounge-abouts, and even a group line dance that lured many of the shy of limb from their seats. 

The music inspired a mix of dancing perhaps because it is a hybrid, with typical hybrid vigor, assembled by a 

hybrid, the Louisiana Creole, a mix of Haitian migrants, freed slaves, French settlers, and German and Irish 

flotsam. A hot-weather people, inclined to outbursts of joy. Zydeco? Music whose raison d’etre is dancing, 

shaking loose, feeling all the glee of feet free to homage joy. 

It was a perfect storm for dancing. Saturday night is a moment to dance. We were gifted with dancing music. 

QED. We danced, some with our feet, but all, I hazard, with our hearts dancing under our ribs. Dancing was 

what the moment was for. Well, for those for whom dancing is the natural response to music. For dancers of 

this ilk, moving limbs, following riffs, matching gesture with phrase is a matter of is. It depends on what your 

definition of ‘is’ is. Dancing music is for dancing. It is not a spectator sport. 

So, it turns out, the z in Zydeco is not Yiddish, but the classic onomatopoetic “Z” for zippity, zany, zesty. It 

just belongs here. Zydeco always and forever a zip of zing in our history. 

~~Kay Harel 


Art and Math Workshop 

Below are two photos of Carol Bier’s terrific Art and Math workshop, where about 17 children turned paper 

plates into a ball through folding of circles into tetrahedra. Technically, the ball was an icosahedron that was 

then passed around like a soccer ball. However, a soccer ball has a different isometry (its faces are pentagons 

+ hexagons). 

We constructed the icosahedron from 20 tetrahedra, each one made from one paper plate. Gillian Zolot was 

particularly fascinated that it was all made from paper plates. Among those present were Rashi and Sammy 

Roselin,with grandparents and Joel; Noah Bromberg with Emi; Andy Rosenthal; Gabriel & Gillian Zolot; 

plus Carol Bier and Jerry Cooper’s three grandchildren. 

The workshop was enjoyed by children and adults alike. 

~~Sylvia Humphrey 


↙↙↙ 

Three Arrows Calendar 

All entries to the Three Arrows calendar are made by Waddy Thompson. To add an activity to 

the calendar email Waddy at: Waddy_t@yahoo.com. 

. 

Progressive Dinner, August 4 

Assignments for the Progressive Dinner on August 4 will be coming soon. If you are NOT 

going to participate in the Progressive Dinner, contact Sylvia at: SylviaRipps@aol.com or 845- 

528-8127. 


From the Committees 

On the Waterfront 

Hours – Thank you all for answering the Lake-use survey. There were not enough people who said they 

would be at the lake before noon on a regular basis. So, these are the final hours the lifeguards will be 

working during the week: 

12:00 - 6:30 Monday to Thursday & 12:00 - 7:00 on Friday 

The weekends will remain as is: 

10:30 - 7:00 on Saturday & 10:30 - 6:30 on Sunday. 

Thunder – We would like to remind everyone about the rules concerning thunder. If there is thunder, the 

lifeguard will ask you to immediately get out of the water or return your boat to the dock as quickly as 

possible. There is no swimming or boating until ½ hour after the last sound of thunder. The dock is not a safe 

place during a storm. On Sunday, we barely got off the dock as loud thunder and lightning began. We heard 

that later, in between the storms, but while there was still some thunder, there were people swimming in the 

big crib. This is too dangerous! The lifeguards are the final authority on this issue! Please don’t try to 

persuade them it’s safe to be in the water when they have decided it’s not. 

Welcoming guests at the dock – I know we all like the dock to be a welcoming place for friends, family and 

other quests who we might not know. Rather than asking “Who are you?” Please introduce yourselves first. 

You can easily do it by saying: “I don’t think we’ve met; I’m ….” or “Hi, I’m….”. When I’ve done this, it’s 

wonderful how open people can be. So let’s try it. I know you will get to meet some interesting people that 

way and they will feel welcomed to Three Arrows. 

Chairs – If you are at the dock enjoying the early evening light, please stack the chairs before you leave. The 

lifeguards cannot stack them while you are in them. Thanks. 

New larger lifejackets – We have purchased two very large life jackets. They are available now. 

From the lovely waters of Barger Pond-- 

~~Carol Marsh (Chair, Waterfront Committee) 

Swimming Instruction – Our wonderful lifeguards, Brian Powers, Patty Daley and Kristen 

Schaefler, are available for private swimming lessons. Please contact them directly: Brian – 

914.224.5740; Patty – 845.519.5655; Kristen – 845.803.9718. 


Healthy Septic Systems 

You may have noticed an email regarding the condition of your septic system. The Three Arrows 

Environmental Health & Safety Committee has initiated record keeping regarding the maintenance of an 

individual site's septic system (list attached to the email). If you have not done so already, please reply to the 

email you have received describing your site's current septic system status. Even if you are planning service, 

please reply with that information. Check the list attached to the email to be sure your information is current 

and accurate. If you have replied in the past, THANK YOU! 

Our community responsibility for healthy septic systems will help protect our ground water and thus our 

drinking water from wells. Putnam County advises that summer houses should be serviced every 5 years, and 

full time residences more frequently. 

Mahopac Septic (845-628-4526) has provided us with a group rate that expires September 2012, so when you 

call ask for the group rate. 

Rates for weekday service: 

$195 for up to 500 gallon tank; $225 for up to a 1,000 gallon tank (prices vary with more complicated jobs) 

Please reply to the email you have received recently providing current septic info. 

3asenvironmentalhealthsafety@gmail.com [This email is a personal mailbox for Roxi Marsen to keep 

records of our septic system management.] 

~~Roxi Marsen 

↙↙↙ 

Recipe for Environmentally Safe Stainless Steel Cleanser 

1 cup baking soda; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 3 tablespoons borax 

Add club soda till paste is made. 

Below are: a link to the video showing the recipe being made, Leslie Reichert’s Website and her book about 

green cleaning. 

http://www.ehow.com/video_12212288_make-own-stainless-steel-appliancecleaner.html 

www.greencleaningcoach.com 

Joy of Green Cleaning by Leslie Reichert. 


Among Ourselves 

Birth of a Book 

Members always announce the birth of children and grandchildren. We are announcing the “birth” of our 

daughter’s first book, Resources For Reform: Oil and Neoliberalism in Argentina, by Elana Shever, Assistant 

Professor of Anthropology at Colgate University. Needless to say, we are VERY proud of this most recent 

“birth”. 

~~Sylvia & David Ripps 

Maya's Three Arrows Adventures 

↙↙↙ 

Maya Drooker just completed her fourth annual two-week visit to Three Arrows from California. 

Granddaughter of Hal and Nina Drooker, daughter of Eric and Emma, Maya, now 7 years old, had a great 

time—perhaps her greatest visit so far! The sun shone every day, and she was at the lake every one of them. 

With a small band of stalwarts, she watched fireworks over the lake on the Fourth, despite an accompaniment 

of thunder! She took part in the Fourth of July on the Seventh Party, participating in all the games ably 

directed by Bruce Zolot, as well as a host of creative workshops in the arts and sciences conducted by Sylvia 

Humphrey, Susan Vladeck, Isabel Cordero and Carol Bier. Maya attended two pot luck dinners. (At the 

second pot luck, she was able to make up for the serious lack of Klondike Bars at the Fourth of July Party, by 

serving these delicious treats to an appreciative group of heretofore deprived children and adults.) She 

watched half of The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek on Movie Night, and while the story was too arcane for her, 

she howled at the slapstick. 

Maya played energetically on land and water with beloved friends: Andy Rosenthal, a gallant prince among 

boys; Gabe, Jillian and Carly Zolot; Noah and Ezra Bromberg; Elizabeth, the Balgley’s granddaughter; Jake, 

our caretaker Bryan’s lively son; and Jane Grauman’s (a member of the Gorman clan) son Zack. She spent a 

great day with Sammy and Rashi Roselin, capped by a pizza supper out, and another long day with Carol Bier 

and Jerry Cooper and their visiting California grandchildren Ziggy, Taya and Tali. 

Cate Crowley, for the fourth year in a row, brought her wonderful dog Annie over for a visit, to do tricks and 

play Hide and Seek. Cate and Maya got a chance to sing a duet and make a short video of an original song 

with lyrics by Maya, to send home to her parents in Berkeley. On a visit to Cate’s house, the music continued 

with an impromptu violin concert by Maya. Julie Rubin, as has become traditional, painted her toenails in a 

rainbow of shades. 

On her last day, beloved Uncle Star and cousin Rain arrived to add to the fun at the dock. 

Maya fully appreciated Three Arrows for its beauty, its bugs, its wonderful lifeguards, and especially for the 

extreme friendliness and helpfulness of all its inhabitants. She looks forward to many summers to come. 

Thanks, everybody, for making a little girl feel very happy and very much at home. 

~~Nina Drooker

July 20, 2012 - Three Arrows Cooperative Society

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?