Hudson Valley

Happy Maple Weekend!

~ chiarraigrrl ~ Leave a comment

maple leaves

It’s time to celebrate the New York State tree – the sugar maple. The sugar maple was adopted as the state tree for the Empire State in 1956. This weekend (and last, though many of us were too busy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to notice) is the 23rd annual Maple Weekend – when maple farms across New York State invite the public to come tour their maple farms and see firsthand the process of producing maple syrup and related products. The Maple Producers Association also has a comprehensive list of pancake breakfasts available this weekend to try your New York maple syrup, as well as an interactive list of participating maple farms to visit. Check their website for more details.

One for the fiber enthusiasts – Perfect Blend yarn shop, Saugerties NY

~ chiarraigrrl ~ Leave a comment

perfect-blend

If you’re going to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck this year (more commonly known simply as “Rhinebeck”), a quick detour to the Perfect Blend Yarn and Tea Shop in Saugerties NY is well worth the trip. It’s a lovely little shop, with tea samples and all manner of delightful yarn (including the much-loved Madeline Tosh). The staff are friendly, and there’s even a table and chairs to sit and rest a while (and maybe cast on a new project while you’re at it).

 

It also happens to be down the road from the gorgeous Saugerties Lighthouse, which is a worthwhile trip in and of itself, and benefits from easy walking to cafes and independent bookstores nearby- click here for more information about Saugerties to help plan your visit.

Hudson Valley postcard: the Hudson-Athens lighthouse, Athens NY

~ chiarraigrrl ~ 1 Comment

WP_20150823_15_03_25_Pro

Typically the first place I expect to see lighthouses is by the ocean. So when I heard people talking about lighthouses in landlocked upstate New York, I was initially a bit surprised- but naturally, there are lighthouses on the Hudson (as on any navigable river and even some large lakes, like the Great Lakes). For anyone interested in lighthouses on the Hudson, Kevin Woyce’s book “Hudson River Lighthouses and History” is an excellent source for histories of the lighthouses along the Hudson from New York Harbor to Coxsackie. Continue reading →