Volunteered at this event last night. It had markets..
And lights
For $30 a car load great place to visit with friends and family.
Peace Love and Lights
Month: December 2024
A Final Christmas Gift From Gina Raimondo, Commerce Secretary
While I am trying not to be political believe we need to be aware that the folks in the Biden Administration are working right up to the end to ensure our country keeps moving forward.
Who knows what the next 4 years will bring, but this endeavor should assist under privileged communities.
Thanks, Gina for all your hard work!
Thu, Dec 19 at 9:22 AM
| Bipartisan legislation will modernize the EDA and other regional commissions whose mission is to spur economic growth in communities across America. |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, December 19, 2024 Media Contact: Office of Public Affairs, publicaffairs@doc.gov U.S. Economic Development Administration Reauthorized by Congress for First Time in 20 Years Bipartisan legislation will modernize the EDA and other regional commissions whose mission is to spur economic growth in communities across the country WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) celebrates its historic reauthorization by Congress, allowing it to continue its legacy of promoting American innovation and competitiveness by providing grants and support to communities across the country. Since 1965, EDA has led some of the nation’s most impactful programs to strengthen public works and infrastructure, job creation and workforce development, disaster recovery, and technology and industry advancement. EDA has not been formally reauthorized since 2004. “Reauthorization will allow EDA to continue meeting its mission of ensuring communities across the country have the resources they need to expand economic opportunity, invest in innovation, and recover from disasters. This bipartisan support from Congress will allow EDA to evolve, modernize, and provide the services that communities across the nation need to build resilient, thriving local economies,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “EDA’s investments have helped countless communities invest in their local workers and businesses, and reauthorization means they will continue creating and saving jobs, and bringing new investment to every corner of our country.” From the period of January 2021 through November 2024, EDA was responsible for directing nearly $6 billion in investments in 3,393 awards across nearly every state and federal territory. These projects are creating or saving more than 554,700 jobs and generating more than $67.7 billion in private investment. These investments include hundreds of construction projects, creating thousands of good-paying jobs that modernize American infrastructure and support long-term, resilient economic growth. “The country has changed since EDA was last authorized, with new industries, new challenges, and the residual impacts of a global pandemic and the rising intensity of natural disasters. Over the last 20 years, EDA has evolved to ensure its programs make America’s communities more competitive, resilient, and secure. This reauthorization legislation will allow EDA to continue to meet the moment for generations to come,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Cristina Killingsworth. Key benefits of EDA’s reauthorization include: Strengthening Tools to Support EDA’s Role in Job Creation and Placement: Codifies EDA’s role in establishing industry-led workforce training partnerships that invest in innovative approaches to workforce development that will secure job opportunities for Americans. Aligns EDA to better support other key Department of Commerce priorities, including: Supply Chain and Manufacturing: including elements of The ONSHORE Act for prospective site development in industries with national security implications Broadband: Modernizes EDA’s ability to deliver broadband projects via inclusion of the E-BRIDGE Act Modernizing EDA’s Authorities for Critical Grants and Resource Delivery Establishes the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience: EDA is uniquely positioned to coordinate federal support for regional disaster recovery efforts in partnership with its extensive network of Economic Development Districts(EDDs), University Centers, and other stakeholders in designated impact areas. Adds and modernizes eligibility criteria considerations, allowing for the consideration of additional key statistical factors to support grantmaking. Improving EDA Operational Efficiency and Transparency Codifies an EDA definition of pre-development enabling EDA to provide assistance to distressed communities to prepare for much larger infrastructure investments in the future. Permanently enacts EDA’s disaster hiring authority enabling it to quickly respond to meet the needs of future disasters. Formalizes the relationship between EDA and Regional Commissions, increasing efficacy of regional programs. EDA’s reauthorization is a critical component of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress. “EDA is driving our nation’s job growth, building resilient supply chains, and investing in our local economies. Reauthorizing the EDA will give this critical agency the tools and resources it needs to better support local businesses and organizations and equip our communities with climate-resilient infrastructure, in turn strengthening both local and regional job creation and our competitiveness abroad,” said EPW Chairman Senator Tom Carper in a previous statement. “This reauthorization will help the EDA carry out its mission to drive investment, create jobs, and grow our local economies, particularly in rural states like mine of West Virginia. I appreciate Chairman Carper, Senator Cramer, and Senator Kelly for joining in this effort to reauthorize the EDA,” said EPW Ranking Member Senator Shelley Moore Capito “I am proud to have helped negotiate this package to reauthorize the Economic Development Administration and recognize the importance of tourism and outdoor recreation for economic development…,” said Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, Representative Dina Titus in a previous statement. “This measure also includes important provisions to reauthorize and modernize federal economic development programs…. I want to thank Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer, Subcommittee Ranking Member Grace Napolitano, as well as Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Capito in the Senate, for their hard work in developing and negotiating this final measure,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves in a previous statement. “…I applaud today’s passage of the Water Resources Development of 2024… “This legislation also includes provisions to grow the economy and create jobs by reauthorizing the Economic Development Administration…T&I Democrats remain focused on delivering good-paying jobs and safer, cleaner, greener and more accessible transportation for all Americans,” said Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Representative Rick Larsen. About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov) The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. |
My Christmas Gift
Purchased an Amish made garage for my Christmas gift 🎁 to me. While I don’t expect it for awhile am looking forward to it.
It will be brown and had some storage space in the eaves. Will be getting the garage door painted brown as well.
Have extra insulation for the inside so am sure that will help.
Enjoy!
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Shawangunk Wine Tour
Signed up for this tour over a month ago and when I found it on my calendar decided to venture forth.
So after a quiet night on the psych ward came home, slept 3 hours, and journeyed on with hydration and medication 💊 in hand.
First stop Brooklyn Cider Mill.
Here they had a cider tasting, and a holiday shop. This was the starting point of the tour. Received my gift bag with a tasting glass, a grape wreath, and my first ornament, seen above.
What a friendly group but discovered I lacked the taste for cider, so next stop…
Another great venue with tasty 🍷 but none which struck my fancy, however friendly folk, and what views of the Shawangunk Mountains!
White Cliff Vineyard
Here I snagged one of my favorite bottles which I had first discovered at the Bethel harvest days. Yum and under $20 to boot.
Last stop was my favorite venue.
With a bit of the Godfather air this place knew how to serve and entertain.
Wine tasting
One of the best French Onion soup I ever had..
And they even had 🎶
What a fun day!
Under the weather..
Have found myself with a testy cold during this holiday season. Am grateful for the 12 containers of turkey soup in the freezer, however, for one of the first times in my life I lack the desire to eat. What a wonderful thing! However, have eaten all sweet stuff in my freezer, frig, and cabinet, to compensate.
So what do you do when you find yourself in this predicament – rest, fluids, Vitamin C, and loads of tv.
Enjoy!
🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲
Cookie Exchange
Another fun seasonal event, The Bethel Woods Volunteer Cookie 🍪 Exchange! What a nice get together with the venue sponsoring cocoa and 🍎 cider both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. Sadly, I was on my way to work from the event so I selected the former.
Now I have a selection of cookies 🍪 to bring to my daughter’s Christmas Eve party.🎈
Holiday House
Each year the New Jersey Botanical Societies throughout the State take a room in this historic home to decorate for Christmas. What creativity and wonder is displayed.
Take a peek 👀 and enjoy.
Wish I had more history regarding the occupants of this home. It’s been 30 years since I’ve done a summer tour. From memory believe the owners were involved in New York City banking.
The wreath on the Pump House door. The wreaths throughout the home were exquisite. This was the first one experienced.
And on the front door of the home..
The Tree at the entrance
This room had a Victorian theme.
In the wreath were teacups ☕️
And the entrance..
The white ornaments are made from dried allyium flowers which are then painted.
Some closeups
And I did some retail damage at the gift shop. Picked up some cute Christmas items and had a delicious lunch via the Hot Dog Caboose of Midland Park, 201-444-2531.
What a delightful day. Will have to return in the summer when the gardens are in bloom.
Sadly, the Home is only open for one week, but check the dates for next year.
How to pay for Christmas..
Now, that you’ve got your Christmas list from all those peeps you have to gift, here’s ideas on how to find those gifts cheap, and finance the payments on that which isn’t cheap…
- Buy from Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Family Dollar – I just got a pair of jeans for $3.97 from the Family Dollar sale rack. Leave the tag on, and it will be quite a topic of conversation at Christmas dinner. 75% off. And what a hoot when they try to take it back to get the full price..
- Aldi’s – this is my favorite go to grocery store. They also sell clothing and shoes. Recently purchased a pair of $17. snow boots that look designer and now most of my clothes are purchased here. I’ve moved up from Walmarts. My only wish is they sold stock but those smart German’s keep it to private. Several years ago when Mr. Aldi died he was the richest man in Germany. Go figure. They know what they are doing.
- And my final suggestion is below – 12 months free credit. And while I’m not Henry Wells I do have one of these and am grateful for its benefit. Give it a try.
Happy Holidays!
What I Want For Christmas..
I’ve always loved Robert Redford and I’ve come to love him even more every day as he brought my son in law into my life. My daughter when 37 said to me, “Ma, I’m tired of dating. Wish I could meet some nice guy.” And believe me I was feeling the same sentiments for several years as I heard her of her dates.
Then in early December of that year went to Lourdes and said a few prayers. Lo and behold when I returned she began to speak of this guy from Minnesota, Greg. They met while working at the Sundance Film Festival, and after several years married. Though I sent a thank you note to Robert Redford I never heard back, however, I’m sure he heard from me. So, now in my Christmas wish, here is his home that I wish I could buy, however, am happy to enjoy if only through pictures. And thanks again Robert for bringing Jeanie and Greg together.
Robert Redford, 88, selling another California home to spend more time out of state
The Nutcracker
And for those who can’t catch a Nutcracker Ballet – here’s a UTube version.
Enjoy!
Young Retiree Needs a Life 