"The Catskills are not merely mountains — they are a mood, a particular slant of light that changes everything it touches."

— John Burroughs

Quote Of The Day

"The Catskills were my Olympus; there every feature of nature wore a divinity, and I felt in its presence the awe of a worshipper."

— Thomas Cole

Science has a message for animal lovers: adopting a pet is genuinely good for you. A growing body of research links pet parenthood to better physical health, reduced stress, and improved mood — with one 2025 study finding that  having a pet can boost overall life satisfaction by several points on a measurable scale.

The benefits go further than warm feelings. Dog owners are significantly more likely to meet recommended exercise guidelines, and 95 percent of pet parents in one survey said they rely on their animal for stress relief. Pets also ease loneliness, encourage daily routine, and even strengthen neighborhood social bonds.

Of course, adoption is a long-term commitment requiring time, finances, and lifestyle considerations — but if you're ready, a shelter pet may be the best investment you'll ever make.

Family & Kids Outdoor Events – August

This is Koi

Hi there! This cat is new to the shelter, and we're still getting to know them. Once we know more about their personalities and their preferred living arrangements, we'll post it here! Check back in a few days to learn more about this shelter animal.

Interesting Facts

Ulster County, New York holds some genuinely surprising quirks that even longtime New Yorkers tend to miss:

• Cement Capital of the World: In the late 19th century, Ulster County produced nearly one-third of all natural cement made in the United States, and the cement quarried around Rosendale was used in the foundations of the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument.
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• A County Older Than the Nation: Ulster County was established in 1683 under the English colonial government — more than 90 years before the Declaration of Independence — making it one of the original twelve counties of New York.
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• The First State Capital: Kingston, Ulster County's largest city, served as New York's first official state capital in 1777, until British forces burned it to the ground just months later.
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• Underground Railroad Hub: The county was a significant corridor of the Underground Railroad, and the Hasbrouck House in New Paltz sheltered freedom seekers traveling north, a fact only recently brought to wider public attention through archival research.
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• Finger Lakes of the Hudson Valley: Ulster County contains the Shawangunk Ridge, which harbors rare globally imperiled dwarf pitch pine barrens — an ecosystem type so unusual that ecologists classify it as a globally rare community found in very few places on Earth.

Tip of The Day

Discover Ulster County's Hidden Hamlet Trail

Instead of defaulting to the well-trodden Woodstock strip, spend an afternoon driving the back roads connecting Ulster County's smaller hamlets like Kripplebush, Accord, and Kerhonkson. Each one has a distinct character — quiet general stores, roadside farm stands, and stone walls that predate the Revolution. Pick one you've never visited, park the car, and walk a half-mile in each direction from the center. You'll almost always stumble onto something unexpected: a family-run cidery, a hand-painted sign for fresh eggs, or a 1700s Dutch church tucked behind a cornfield.

This approach works especially well on weekday mornings when tourist traffic is low and locals are genuinely happy to talk. Ask anyone you meet what they think is underrated in the county — the answers will keep you busy for months.

Docking for dinner just got easier. The Hudson Valley is home to a handful of restaurants where you can pull up by boat and eat well — no car required.

From Frank Guido's Port of Call in Catskill, where Cajun seafood boils meet views of the Hudson River, to Shadows on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie with its butter-poached Chilean seabass and marina access, options span the full length of the valley.

Other standouts include Hudson Water Club's tiki bar in West Haverstraw, Lake House on Lake Mahopac, and Trata on the River in Piermont — all reachable by boat, all worth the trip.

From the stage to the studio — after years in the music industry, a Woodstock-raised artist found herself back home, heartbroken and injured, after being replaced on David Byrne's American Utopia tour in 2018.

Encouraged by painter Kate McGloughlin, she returned to the Woodstock School of Art and rediscovered a lifelong compulsion: drawing flowers, something she'd been doing since childhood on everything from homework to grocery bags.

Now a graduate student at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, she writes about how Woodstock's landscapes, community, and unconventional spirit are inseparable from her identity — and her art.