s The People's Parade will start at Rothermel's Park at 11 AM. Line up before that. The Band steps off at 11 sharp. Bring your baby, bike, dog, or horse and march in the Parade. Short walk around town. Cookies and Lemonade at the Bandstand during talks and singing. The Malita will begin at noon with the reading of the Declaration of Independence and rifle shooting. Pi Restaurant will be selling hot dogs. The Farmers Market will be in the parking lot in front of the Post Office from 8-12AM. Come and share the Red, White and Blue feeling of a small town fourth of July.

The 5th annual Northern Columbia Triathlon is scheduled for Sunday August 9th. Start planning now. There are levels for all ages and degrees of competition.  The swim is 1/4 mile in beautiful Queechy Lake and then take a 18 mile bike ride thru the countryside to Ghent, then if your legs can keep you going it is a 4.5 mile run in to the village of Kinderhook. You can do it alone or with a team of three people. If you can't participate take a minute to be at the finish line and cheer the participants over the line. This whole event benefits the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. All registration fees and donations go to the foundation. It is another reason to live here in Columbia County. Don't get caught sleeping like Rip Van Winkle or you'll miss it. For more information and to register  to www.active.com.

Last weekend the Village (Kinderhook that is) was so busy. With the opening of the Farmers Market and the OK run with 500 participants you couldn't find a place to park for the first time in months. All the vendors came back to their place from last year plus two new ones. Oh boy a fresh pie every weekend until October. This weekend there will be something different....Music!!! A core group has gotten together and found musicians to perform for nothing in front of Michael Devines Home store from 9:30-11AM. That should put a little Music in the Air. Ampersand, featuring Beth Lawton and Rob Sunderland will play Folk and Early American Traditional songs for all to enjoy. come for the music but stay and discover our unique shops, cozy cafes and the freshest local produce, baked good and seasonal plants on the village square green. Weather permitting we will see you there. Don't miss it, if you stay in bed the weekend will be over and you will have missed another event that makes Columbia County special.

The Kinderhook Faire and the Military Muster and Parade are behind us. The tents are down and the sound of drums and rifle fire are gone for another year. OK get ready for this coming weekend. The 11th annual OK 5K race will be taking off at 9AM in the village square sponsored by the Kinderhook Bank. Race forms and information at email address ok5krace@hotmail.com. There is a 1 mile youth race at 8:30 am for runners from ages 6-13. That race is sponsored by Fairpoint Communications. The village will be alive with water bottles, nylon running gear and amateur camera buffs. Trophy's are awarded in front of the Bank after the race. At 10AM theso popular Farmers Market sponsored by the KBPA will start for the year. Additions this year are Cheese and Bread booths. Flowers, pies, suppers, desserts and produce will be available. Also there is two great Book Sales happening also.  Kinderhook Memorial Library Lawn Sale and at St. Paul's Episcopal Church McNary Center. There is an Early Bird admission to both sales at 8AM for $5.00. both continue until 2Pm. So if you can't find something to do in Kinderhook this weekend you must be in bed the the blanket pulled up over your head. Get out there and do something. If you don't it will be Monday and you will have missed the weekend in the country.

Welcome Top Chef winners. Just kidding!!!!  Wednesday May 20 will be Celebrity Chefs night at PI's Restaurant at `6 Hudson Street, Kinderhook. The evening will benefit Community Hospice and the chefs are all connected to our local Hospice Community. Jason Wertheim, Carole Heaney and Tom Barber have all volunteered to cook supper for us:

Curry Carrot Salad and steamed clams are the apppetizers

Mixed green with orange sections make a great organic salad

Entrees are NY strip steak by Jason, Honey glazed salmon by Tom, and grilled chicken by Carole;

Dinner include rolls and butter are $35.00 with 15% of the night meals going to Hospice

Seatings are at 5:30, 6:00 7:30 and 8:00pm.   Please call 758-9355 for your reservation and the number of eaters for the evening. A raffle and 50/50 always make the evening fun and exciting. Don't miss it. It is another evening you will be glad you live here in Kinderhook. We will be looking for you.

This remarkable 10 year old 3BR, 2.5BA two storyy colonial sits stately on 3.46 acres in a beautiful neighborhood. It is accompanied with an in ground pool, gardens, and stone walk ways. Views of the Catskill enhance the desirability of this open floor plan with propane fireplace, wood floors and a bonus room above the 2 car garage. Beautiful sunlight streams in from a back porch to move in rooms of neutral palettes and pristine decor. Priced to sell $399,000

Tomorrow at 1 o'clock The Easter Bunny will arrive in town. He/she will actully put on their Easter bonnet and garb right here in the Century 21 office. The village will have eggs on the lawn of the Van der Poole historic home where village children will search high and low to find them. Children then  will line up for a personal picture with Mr. Rabbitt at the bandstand where each child will receive a candy bag Decorated with balloons and Easter decorations the attractions on Broad Street will be easy to find. I heard youngsters at Bagel Thyme saying that the Easter Bunny comes tomorrow. It's a big deal. The snow has melted and KP has planted pansys already around the Village.You'll see them tomorrow, if you come, if not you will have missed another great day in Kinderhook. PS we already have more vendors then we had last year for the craft fair on May 30th.

Looking for a house. We have to make a move. When can we come? It's still a buyers market, right?

After viewing the local MLS and the Century 21 web site, call and make an appointment to view some property.  Call Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday for weekend viewings. Combine similar prices ranges and styles of homes. Give the seller time to get the house ready, Flowers, candles, music, garbage, the pets.

Group what your ideal home would be. A $169,000 starter home, a $285,000 ranch, a foreclosure, and a $475 Victorian is not what you should call to make appointments for. Ask to see ranches in a particular school district between $200,000 and $300,000. Make your life easy. To see so many homes all over the board is exhausting for everybody.

Bring along your camera, a bottle of water and a fiber grain bar. Listen to your agent. Focus on house hunting, not the grocery list,  your presentation at work, or the Macy's one day sale. Ask good questions about school, bus routes, child care, the quickest way to work, a new insurance agent etc. Talk to your agent. Let them know  what you like about some of the houses and what you didn't like about others. If you like a house, put it on a list to see again in a different light.

After spending the day with your agent thank them for their time. Make sure you have their business card with phone and cell number and e-mail address. Let them know what your thinking about purchasing:

1.You have decided not to buy at this time, but keep us informed about availability

2. We are going to look in another area.

3. We can not commit at this time.

4. We need to look for something bigger, smaller, newer, older, or with more land.

Please don't leave your agent hanging!!!!!!

Are you exploring options for your child's education? Are you looking for more sports and less arts? More science and less recess. Do you as a parent want to be involved in your childrens education? On March 28th there will be an Independent School Fair from 10:00AM to 12:00 noon at the Kinderhook Village Hall on the second floor at 6 Chatham Street.

Visit and speak with school representatives from area schools. Find out answers to questions you might have. Are you thinking of moving to the area and want to explore options? The following schools that will have representation are:

Academy of Christian Leadership

The Albany Academies

Berkshire Country Day School

Darrow School

Doane Stuart

Emma Willard

Mountain Road School

Robert c. Parker School

Woodland Hill Montessori

This annual event is sponsored by Family resource centers of Columbia County and the Kinderhook Memorial Library. Question? call 518-758-6192 or 518-392-3911

March 7, 9AM to 4PM at St Pauls Church in Kinderhook will host hundreds of good clean hardcover and paperbackbooks at their McNary Center on Sylvester Street one block from the Village Square. Baked goods, and coffee, soda,and  juice will be served all day long. Special magazines, children's fiction, gardening, cooking, art, architecture, history, military, mystery, religion, virtually all subjects will be available. There is a $5.00 early buying and regular prices. 3PM bag sale of a $1.00 per bag except specials. From 9AM to 3PM.regular pircies, no admission charge.  The librarians are still looking for donations of new or used books in good condition. You can drop of donations in the McNary Center lobby weekday mornings. If you have questions call David Palmquist 758-1378