While I may not be going to grandmother’s house, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and many have already made plans. Grateful to have options this year, I’m still vacillating, but might make a few stops on that day. Meanwhile, I’ve been traipsing through the woods, putting miles on the truck and hauling the dog from one end of Sullivan County to the other this past week. At times, I manage to cross the Delaware River and experience what Pennsylvania has to offer, but the county I call home (www.scva.net) covers nearly 1,000-square miles, so there was plenty to keep me occupied without crossing the border during the last few days.

It’s always nice to hear of new businesses opening their doors, and Dharma received two invites (“you’ve got mail” takes on a whole new meaning) last week to attend ribbon cutting ceremonies, so I agreed to drive her, take some photos and (her words, not mine) “tag along for the ride.” Our first stop was in Roscoe, NY where Rock Hill’s Sujit Padhiar welcomed Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce (www.catskills.com) President and CEO Terri Ward and guests, as he prepared to officially open Roscoe Fine Wines and Liquor for business on Route 206. In typical small town fashion, the only address I could find was “past the blinker, adjacent to the Chinese restaurant,” but wasn’t at all surprised to locate the place with zero difficulty. When asked what prompted the store, Padhiar (speaking directly to the dog) said that “folks had expressed a desire for a wide selection” (which was abundant) of wines and liquor in the region, and that the shop would “absolutely” be stocking locally distilled products. I don’t usually frequent such establishments (doctor’s orders), so I learned something (imagine that!) and was informed that state law prohibits the sale of beer (locally brewed or otherwise) in the store and that Dharma would have to seek that elsewhere. With micro-breweries popping up all over the Upper Delaware River Valley, that shouldn’t prove difficult, (her birthday is on the 25th) so I’m guessing that she’ll be pointing the way.

Not to be outdone, another ribbon was being unfurled in Barryville, NY, which is not-so-close to home, but it’s all in a day’s work. The party was sponsored by Green Door Magazine, (www.greendoormag.com) and proprietor John Pizzolato (www.stickettinn.com) has partnered with Melissa Volosin to open the Annu Juice Bar and a “luxury goods and lifestyle” shop offering a variety of items and refreshments. In celebration, more libations were on hand, courtesy of the Catskill Distilling Company, with the Dancing Cat Saloon’s Stacy Cohen behind the bar to provide locally distilled and non-alcoholic versions of apple pie cocktails (alongside the juicy concoctions) for the hordes of well wishers. This time it was the Barryville Chamber of Commerce (www.barryvilleny.com) assisting with the scissors (Dharma doesn’t have opposable thumbs), and we had the opportunity to tour the rooms as well, which the Facebook page describes as “a four-suite inn in the woods… on the property of an old church and graveyard in the historic town of Barryville, NY, on the Delaware River.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” I wheezed to the dog, “we’re due in Callicoon,” and off we went to observe another event. In partnership with Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy and Damascus Citizens for Sustainability (“like” them on Facebook) the folks at Green Door have created a “Social Media Event” called “The Delaware Is Me” and had a booth set up at the farmers’ market, inviting shoppers to participate. “Join us now until November 22 by sharing a photo for inclusion in a scrapbook celebrating the River and another year without fracking,” the Internet search revealed “hashtag your social media photos with #TheDelawareIsMe and email it to debra@delawareriverkeeper.org” It sounded cool, and after visiting with Green Door’s Ellie Ohiso and Trailer Talk’s Sabrina Artel, (www.trailertalk.net), I snapped a few photos of my own down by the riverside, purchased some goodies from the vendors and made my way home to check out the pics being uploaded to Green Door’s album on Facebook. The magazine, which “espouses the benefits of country living in a socially conscious society” is (IMHO) consistently on the cutting edge, and I continue to marvel at their ingenuity. During the coming week, I think we’ll go over the river (through the woods is a given) and check out what’s happening on the other side. One thing I do know: we all need clean water.