The magazine that re-introduces its readers
to this special New York State region each passing season

My Own Words
by Mark Stash

Spring and its Various Opportunities

Right now I’m sitting by the side of a pool, watching my kids’ swim practice. This is the second year they’ve been involved in a YMCA club program, and I’m starting to associate winter and early spring with the swim season.
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Scrapbook

2009 Photo Contest Winners



2010 Photo
Contest Guidelines

Past winners

Cover: One of the Finger Lakes Region’s most strikingly handsome songbirds is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, which brightens up our backyards and woodlands in spring with its colorful plumageand rich, whistled melody. Photo by Marie Read

Take a Mid-Winter Nature Break With the Great Backyard Bird Count February 12-15, 2010 Bird watchers coast to coast are invited to take part in the 13th annual...Read More

Photo by Zachary Cohn

SPORT
Positively Strong
Parkour Finds a Foothold in the Finger Lakes

One Saturday afternoon last August, I took my 14-year-old son, David, to a parkour training session in Manhattan Square Park in Rochester. Although he’s tried plenty of sports – soccer, basketball, baseball, track, swimming – he’s never been passionate about any of them. Still, he’s an active kid who likes to be outdoors climbing trees, trying out handstands, or practicing a spectacular dismount from the swing he has long outgrown. Read More

Letters to the Editor

Responses to the continuing controversy whether there are mountain lions in western New York (lay folk claim to have seen or heard them, DEC biologists retort with the old fall-back “need proof in the form of scats, a body, or irrefutable photographs”) misses the key question, “Are there viable populations of mountain lions in western New York?”
Read More Letters Here

GardenScape ’06: Reflections

Spring 2006

In February, it’s nearly impossible to beat the winter blahs unless you can flee someplace south. In March, it’s even harder. With the ground still frozen and blizzards routinely forecast, even the most patient gardener can grow desperate. If you find yourself on hands and knees looking ... [click here to read more]

Higher Education in the Finger Lakes
Give your college career a jumpstart. View a comprehensive listing of local colleges and universities, along with practical articles about college life that are especially helpful.
	Choosing a College That's Right for You College Financing Made Easy(er) Common Ground is Key to Roommate Success LISTING: Colleges & Universities LISTING: Majors & Degree Programs
View PDF. Click on advertisers to visit their websites

Natures Orchestra:
A Celebration of Birdsong

Spring in the Finger Lakes always arrives in its own sweet time. March and April with their chilly weather and drab landscapes seem never-ending. But listen! Nature’s orchestra is already tuning up. Birds are singing! Read More

IN THE KITCHEN
Flipping and Jumping for Sauté

story by Chef Eric K. Smith,
New York Wine & Culinary Center
photos by Mark Stash

The cooking method we call “sauté” is really very basic, but needs to be done properly to achieve the perfect outcome. To sauté, use a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over very high heat. Start with small tender cuts of meat, followed by a garnish of pre-cut vegetables and the addition of spirits or a good local wine. Re-hydrating the reduced wine with a flavorful stock and then adding a few finishing agents helps create a meal fit for a king “a la minute.”
Read the Recipe