Scenes from New York

I spent the first part of my vacation last week at my daughter and son-in-law’s house in Columbia County, NY. It is very rural and, although it rained quite a bit, the scenery was lovely and the temperature did not get much higher than in the low 80’s.

These pictures show the entry to their house, their beloved “ladies” enjoying a drink and the little bird house that has ended up on the ground and now has been taken over by friendly field mice. mice.





The final picture is one that I took in Stanfordville, NY, which is in the adjoining county of Dutchess and is where they have their antique business. It is also where we all lived as a family back in the 60’s.



Just posting this entry makes me want to jump back in my car and make a return trip!

SCENES from VERMONT

I’ve just come home from a peaceful trip to New York State and Vermont. The weather was not the greatest but at least it was cool.

My oldest sister Mary is in a retirement home in Vermont. She suffered a fractured hip about 6 months ago and has a very difficult time walking. It was sad to see her barely able to maneuver. However, she is near her daughter and the plan is to move her there as soon as they can get an apartment ready for her.

I’m sure Mary won’t miss the retirement home...but she will surely miss the lovely river scenes that are directly across from it. She told me that she even sees youngsters swimming there sometimes.


I stayed overnight with my niece Wendy. She was house sitting for a friend and it was a treat for both of us. The home is a lovely converted farmhouse on many secluded acres of lush Vermont countryside. We felt like we were in a very expensive B&B !

The next morning I headed back to NY and stopped, on the way, at the Sugarbush Farm in Taftsville, Vt. I had been there before and I wanted to get stocked up on their wonderful home made cheeses and to revisit the picturesque covered bridge.

It was a lovely two days and even the rain couldn’t dampen my spirits. I wish you’d all been with me !

GONE FOR AWHILE …

Well, tomorrow I hit the open road. It’s my favorite type of get-away. I will be traveling North, by car, to visit my daughter and her husband in New York state and then on to St. Johnsbury, Vt. to see my oldest sister, Mary, and her daughter.

This is simply a hiatus ... a temporary break from my usual life. I will be back to the “blogging life” in a week or so.

I feel like I’ve acquired a new family and I will miss each and every one of you. However, I will check your blogs when I can get to a computer and will try to leave some comments along the way.

‘bye for now………Ginnie

1980 … DRIFTWOOD from the OUTER BANKS

My husband, our three children and I moved to North Carolina in July of 1978. We had survived a very rocky financial crisis in New York and we were starting a new life in the South.

By December of 1980 we had recouped enough to be able to think of a small vacation and we opted for a trip to the 200 mile-long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina known as the Outer Banks.

We stayed in Nags Head that first night and then headed south on the narrow road that snakes through the Outer Banks. We thoroughly enjoyed our drive but it was a little scary to say the least. There were many areas where the water was as close as 15 feet from the road on BOTH sides at the same time. It was Inlet water on the right and the Atlantic Ocean on the left!

At one point we spied a big piece of driftwood and Dick had to have it. He struggled it back to the blazer and we spent the rest of our vacation with half of it sticking out the back window.

Almost as soon as we got home Dick mounted his prized “driftwood whale” on the side of our house. Now it is 29 years later and I am reminded of that trip every time I come in the back door.

…but, where are the tomatoes ??

I have friends who have been very successful growing herbs and vegetables in pots, so I decided I would try my luck this year.

Here are my 6 tomato plants. I bought them when they were just 5” tall and the seller assured me that they would bear delicious tomatoes. Now it is 4 weeks later and look what I have…four pots with tall shoots of green leaves. Growth is a reality but not a tomato in sight…or even the hope of one.

My brother-in-law (who is a VERY successful gardener) stopped by about two weeks ago and he warned me that the plants were not getting enough sun. “They will get very leggy”, he said … and was he ever right ! But I still believed that I’d get a tomato or two. That hope is getting dimmer and dimmer.

I have no place that is in direct sun at my house because of all the tall trees, so I guess I‘ll just enjoy the foliage. It looks like I’ll have to go to the Farmer’s Market if I want any “home grown” tomatoes.