Living and gardening in an older Hudson Valley home
General posts about my home
Seeing other people’s gardens and speaking with them about their gardening experience is satisfying and rewarding. On June 24, 2023, Andrew and I organized a garden tour. We hosted a brunch for 12 people at our house, followed by a tour of our yard. Here are a few photos of the gardens we toured. We […]
In Winter my projects are usually focused indoors. Once Spring starts my attention shifts to the outdoors and indoor activities are given second place. This past Winter, I embarked on a project that spilled into my Spring schedule. The wall space on either side of the fireplace was empty. Over the past several years, I […]
Autumn leaves take the spotlight in the Hudson Valley this time of year. Miraculous displays of red, yellow, gold and brown provided stunning vistas in all directions and surprises of color around every bend and corner. It was truly a gorgeous season. Rains in the past week have caused most of the leaves to fall, […]
It has truly been a busy Spring season. No one thing has caused it to be busy, it is just the amalgamation of an assortment of activities. I wake up each day wondering, where have I spent my time? Why isn’t it possible to just lie in bed. The life of the leisure class. I […]
Often it feels like Winter hangs around longer than it should. This year, I know this was the case. I compared photos of our yard from one year ago. The plants are blooming 2-3 weeks later than last year. There was some snow left in the yard, from a large pile, just two weeks ago […]
What a difference a year makes. While sitting in church on Christmas Eve this year I recalled my experience the year before, in 2019. Then I had waited outside St. Thomas’ church, on 5th avenue in New York City, for over an hour in the cold – just to ensure I would have a place […]
We all wallow in the past. This year, 2020 is the consummate year to look backwards. The COVID pandemic has made us long for the past and wary of our unknown future. No where is this more evident than in the anxiety everyone has about Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving is a nostalgic laden American tradition […]
My home has a ladies dressing room between the master bedroom and the bathroom. It has a built in vanity, full length mirror, ironing board, storage drawers, shelves and hanging spaces. All the original cabinetry remains intact and I assume the square, clear, plastic handles are also original. It serves little purpose for me, as […]
Hidden things are usually staring us in the face, they aren’t really hidden at all. Such is the case for an odd room in the house. The realtor, when I bought the home, described it as the Au Pair Suite. It is easy to tour the house and not realize the space is there. This […]
Gordon Marvel, the architect of the house, designed many built-ins for the rooms. They give the house character and are always noticed by visitors. Fortunately, they were not altered over the years and I will likewise preserve them. Telephone Niche – Leading from the entry hall into the living room is a small hallway (not […]
