Hoosick Falls — OH YEAH!

My Helen just brought this VERY exciting story by Chris Churchill in the Albany Times Union to my attention:

 Downtown rises in Hoosick Falls

If you're looking for the next up-and-coming downtown, keep an eye on Hoosick Falls. 

Yes, Hoosick Falls. Seriously

**snip**

As planned, that store, called Parsons Outpost, will be stocked largely with Hoosick-made goods — including food from nearby farms — and is intended as a community gathering place.

**snip**

From my vantage point, Hoosick Falls has a lot. A walkable downtown and neighborhoods. Affordable homes. A great little library. Scenic beauty and quick access to the countryside.

It is, actually, a classic small town, the kind of place that seems primed to attract families looking for a great place to raise children. Give Hoosick Falls a second look.

 Hoosick Falls, to my mind, has always been a perfect little town. It's in one of the most beautiful parts of the country — within the Taconic Range, near Vermont's Green Mountains. There's hiking, camping, skiing and just general, fab-ola beauty to absorb. It was famed primitive artist Grandma Moses' home and is now where conceptual artist Jenny Holzer lives and works. There are farms all around, breweries, music festivals, wineries and a ton of great people.

Did I forget to mention Pumpkinpalooza? It's on Saturday the 27th of this month, This is the sixth year for the fest.

From a write up of Pumpkinpalooza4 in the Bennington Banner:

Headlining this celebration will be the area’s only Punkin’ Chunkin’ competition. This thrilling exposition of manmade machines will take place at the Town of Hoosick Athletic Fields on Main Street on Saturday, Sept. 29. Teams are invited to build a non-motorized pumpkin hurling machine to enter into the contest. Each machine will have six chances to hurl small pumpkins at targets set up 100-250 feet away.

 There's way more than just team pumpkin hurling (though, honestly, isn't that enough?), go to the link and check it out!

So then, I'm five zillion kinds of psyched that there's revitalizing action going on. Hoosick Falls is a fabulous little gem. OK, that and it's the place I think of as, that feels like, home town to me.