Latest News
Norfolk sculptor’s raven lands at The Mount
Patricia Platt
Sep 16, 2026
Bronze sculpture “Tierra y Cielo” by Jon Riedeman.
Barry Webber
A bronze sculpture by Norfolk artist Jon Riedeman is on view through Oct. 24 at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, Massachusetts. The work is one of two dozen large-scale sculptures selected for this year’s juried exhibition, which carries the theme “Flourish” and celebrates connection, growth, hope and resilience. The exhibition is free and open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.
Riedeman’s sculpture, titled “Tierra y Cielo” (Earth and Sky), depicts a raven balancing two ideas at once.
“Across cultures, the raven represents survival, transformation and wisdom,” explained Riedeman. “The raven is neither in flight nor at rest, balancing strength and vulnerability as it reaches outward. Its extended wings suggest growth and possibility, while its firm grip on the branch reflects stability, grounding and connection to place.”
Riedeman built the original in microcrystalline wax over an aluminum armature, and it was cast in bronze at Argos foundry in Brewster, New York. It recently received a fresh patina from WellSculpt, a foundry in Albany, New York.
Barry Webber, director of the Norfolk Historical Society and Museum, commented on having local work featured at the show.
“I love visiting the annual sculpture show at The Mount, and this year especially, knowing that Jon had a piece in the exhibition,” he said. “It’s so wonderful having such a talented sculptor in Norfolk.”
Sculpture at The Mount is a fixture of the Berkshire cultural season, drawing thousands of visitors over its summer-to-fall run. Selection is competitive: Guest juror Jess Wilcox reviewed the 2026 submissions from an open call alongside Mount staff, trustees and professional artists. Because the grounds are expansive, large-scale work is favored, and all materials must withstand outdoor conditions, including extreme heat, direct sun, heavy rain and high winds.
Many of the sculptures are available for purchase. When a piece sells, the artist receives 70% of the sale price and The Mount keeps 30% to support the program. Not every work is for sale; that decision rests with each artist. Visitors interested in a specific sculpture can inquire about availability and pricing.
For more information on “Sculpture at The Mount,” visit edithwharton.org.
Keep ReadingShow less
Bobby’s Chicken Provençal
Bobby Graham & Matthew Marden
Sep 16, 2026
A taste of late summer, with tomatoes, herbs and plenty of good sauce.
Bobby Graham
September is one of our favorite times of year in the kitchen.Summer isn’t quite over, fall is beginning to make itself known, and gardens and local farm stands are overflowing with some of the best tomatoes of the season.
That’s when we make this Chicken Provençal. It’s one of those recipes that feels special enough to serve to friends but easy enough for a weeknight dinner for two.That’s how we like to cook: simple, generous food that brings people to the table without keeping you in the kitchen all evening.
The tomatoes are really the star here. They cook down with garlic, shallots, Herbes de Provence, white wine and capers into a rustic sauce. The chicken cooks right alongside everything, soaking up all those wonderful juices.
Serve it straight from the pot with couscous or rice to catch the sauce, a simple green salad and perhaps a crisp, cold white wine.Put it all on the table and let everyone help themselves.
Easy, delicious and made for sharing. Our kind of dinner.
Bobby’s Chicken Provençal
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced o 5 ripe medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh parsley or basil, roughly chopped, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
• Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook until deeply golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots to the same pot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, being careful not to let it brown.
• Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, Herbes de Provence, capers and bay leaf. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Nestle the chicken back into the pot, skin-side up, along with any juices that have collected on the plate. Spoon a little of the tomato mixture around the chicken, leaving the crispy skin exposed.
• Transfer the uncovered pot to a 375-degree oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes have softened into a rich, rustic sauce.
• Remove the bay leaf, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Scatter fresh parsley or basil over the top and serve straight from the pot with lemon wedges alongside.
NOTE: Don’t worry about making this too perfect.Use the tomatoes you have, add a little more garlic if you love garlic, throw in a few more capers if that’s your thing.Put the pot in the middle of the table, open the wine and enjoy.
Each month, Bobby Graham and Matthew Marden, owners of Dugazon in Sharon, share a recipe inspired by the traditions, stories and a sense of welcome.
Keep ReadingShow less
NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night at Innisfree Garden
D.H. Callahan
Sep 16, 2026
Visitors gather at Innisfree Garden for the 2025 moon-observation event. This year’s event will be on Sept. 19.
Photo provided
There are hundreds of moons orbiting the planets of our solar system. Jupiter has more than 100, and Saturn has even more. In 1975, the International Astronomical Union created an official process for naming the moons of Jupiter after the lovers and descendants of the ancient Roman God, Jupiter. Only one moon in our solar system is called “The Moon”: ours.
The Moon is more thoroughly explored than the bottom of the Earth’s ocean. It’s the source of countless fables and stories throughout human history. It’s Earth’s closest neighbor. But how often do we nonscientists take the time to really look at it?
On Saturday, Sept. 19, Innisfree Garden in Millbrook will host a special event in celebration of International Observe the Moon Night. The annual event, started by NASA in 2010, invites people around the world to observe, appreciate and learn about the Moon. Inspired by the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, the event has sparked hundreds of official and unofficial gatherings of scientists, amateur astronomers and curious folks looking for a clear view of that celestial body.
The event at Innisfree is more than just looking up at the sky, though that certainly is part of it. It’s hosted in conjunction with the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Society, a nonprofit group of amateur astronomy enthusiasts in the area. NASA, however, is the principal organization responsible for such events. Each year, it designates a Saturday evening in autumn, which aligns with a waxing gibbous moon-phase. It aims for a perfect half-moon, as the shadows and level of illumination during that phase make viewing easier and more dramatic, but the Moon has yet to comply with requests to accommodate our earthly calendar.
The Mid-Hudson Astronomical Society will place telescopes throughout Innisfree, allowing attendees to view the Moon from slightly different angles using a variety of equipment. Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars, as even a little extra magnification can really enhance the view.
As the sun sets and the Moon takes the night’s stage, award-winning science writer Corey S. Powell will give an informal talk about the Moon’s history and importance to humanity. Powell has served as editor-in-chief of Discover and American Scientist magazines. He has worked with famed science educator Bill Nye on the television programs “Bill Nye Saves the World” and “The End is Nye,” as well as his “Science Rules” podcast.
While the event is open to everyone, a little personal restraint is required to be part of the program. Attendees will be asked to keep their phone screens on low and use only red-light flashlights so as not to ruin other visitors’ night vision.
The event is also an opportunity to explore Innisfree at night, when the gardens are usually closed to everyone but opportunistic wildlife. Will they be observing the moon as well? To find out, make your reservation at innisfreegarden.org.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
Kent Tritle performs at Smithfield Church
Millerton News
Sep 16, 2026
Joshua South
On Saturday, Sept. 19 at 3 p.m. at Smithfield Church (656 Smithfield Road, Amenia), organ virtuoso Kent Tritle will perform works by J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jean Demessieux and Rachel Laurin on the church’s historic tracker organ. The 14th annual performance benefits the Oratorio Society of New York. A reception with Tritle will follow. Suggested donation is $25; all are welcome.
Millbrook receives $25,000 grant for LED lighting upgrades
Leila Hawken
Sep 16, 2026
MILLBROOK – Lighting upgrades at Village Hall and throughout Millbrook will move forward with the help of a matching grant from Dutchess County.
The Village Board of Trustees accepted the $25,000 Municipal Investment Grant at its regular meeting Wednesday, Sept. 9. The grant will fund the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting throughout Village Hall and the replacement of other municipal lighting across the village.
LED systems use far less electricity than traditional lighting, improving energy efficiency and reducing costs.
Mayor Peter Doro said the required $25,000 match will come from the village’s unrestricted funds, bringing the total available for the lighting upgrades to $50,000.
Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia median home price reaches $389,000
Christine Bates
Sep 16, 2026
31 Yellow City Road, a three-bedroom ranch with distant views, sold in May and was transferred in July 2026 for $440,000.
Photo by Christine Bates
AMENIA — The median price of a single-family home in Amenia rose 21.5% year over year, reaching $389,000 for the 12 months ending July 31, 2026.
A year earlier, the median over the same 12-month period was $320,000, while the comparable figure in 2024 was $345,000. The current median is 12.8% higher than it was two years ago.
The figures exclude sales pertaining to the Silo Ridge Field Club, where multimillion-dollar properties occupy a substantially different segment of the market.
While Amenia home prices increased sharply from a year earlier, the number of homes sold changed little. Excluding Silo Ridge, 27 single-family homes sold during the 12 months ending July 31, up from 25 during the preceding 12-month period.
There were 31 sales during the 12 months ending July 31, 2024. The latest total remained within Amenia’s historical range of approximately two to three home sales per month.
Fifteen single-family homes were publicly listed for sale in Amenia in early September. Seven were priced below the current median of $389,000.
Silo Ridge has accounted for most of the money changing hands in Amenia’s real estate market this year. Public and private transactions in the town totaled approximately $25 million for the year through July 31. Eight Silo Ridge sales represented about 80% of that volume, or approximately $20 million.
July Transfers
60 Roundabout Way – 3 bedroom/2.5 bath townhouse assessed at $967,400 transferred to MW Bros LLC for $2,250,000
31 Yellow City Road – 3 bedroom/2 bath split level ranch on 2.58 acres transferred to Deborah Marturano for $440,000
51 Depot Hill Road – 3 bedroom/1.5 bath home on .62 acres transferred to Harmanpreet Singh for $381,000
Depot Hill Road (Parcel #297367) - .7 acres of vacant land transferred to Habitat for Humanity for $30,000
108 Westerly Ridge Drive — A 27.01-acre property with western views transferred to Poconnuck Land Partners LLC for $700,000. It previously sold for $850,000 in December 2005 and was listed for sale beginning in 2016 for $1.5 million, according to OneKey MLS.
* Town of Amenia property transfers are supplied by Dutchess County Office of Real Property. Property details are from Dutchess Parcel Access, and current market data are from OneKey MLS and InfoSparks. Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in CT and NY.
Keep ReadingShow less
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
loading
