A Word from the Publishers

Few articles we've published have elicited as much reaction as the one we published last spring by Dorothy Dow Crane entitled "Local Deep Down." One of the most eloquent responses came to us from Alison Sickler, in the form of the article in this issue. Perhaps, then, it's only appropriate that the subject of local identity emerges as well in the contributions of several other writers in this issue. Derek Gideon for example, another young writer, speculates on some of the former lives that have passed through the farmhouse in Rhinebeck where he grew up in the 1990s. Dorothy Crane herself finds that what stands out most about former Bard Professor Bernard Tieger is his tenacious attachment to his adopted town of Tivoli. And in our cover story, Paul Schaefer lays out a strong case for Tracy Dows (and family) as crucial figures in preserving the local essence of Rhinebeck. But it may well be Sheila Buff's article on the Omega Institute's Center for Sustainable Living that points the way forward for communities seriously concerned about local autonomy. Its pioneering water reclamation facility has attracted national attention not least because it offers a solid alternative to the kind of massive interference in the natural environment typical of the early 20th century — like the flooding used to create the Ashokan Reservoir.

— Paul

Guest Artist
For this issue, Maria Cristina Brusca made an album of scratchboard drawings to celebrate the tango dancers of the Hudson Valley. They remind her of her childhood in Buenos Aires — as in a marvelous dream when she used to fall asleep to the sounds of tango played on the radio. Maria Cristina is a fine artist, author and illustrator of children's books. She works from her home in Port Ewen.