Though this mini trip was planned a long time ago, the timing was perfect. I’m spending a few days with two friends who I’ve known since childhood. We’re doing everything possible to avoid thinking about the election. Dutchess County, NY is about a two-hour drive from NYC, mostly on scenic highways. The area is filled […]

Pookah is a homebody. He loves nothing more than a day when he goes for very quick walks and spends the rest of the time in the apartment. Yesterday was a gorgeous day and I decided we needed to spend time outside. It’s an easy drive to Ft. Tryon Park. It took some doing to […]

I decided I needed to get out of the city, even if only for a few days. So, I’m spending the weekend in Cold Spring. It’s a charming Hudson River town. And, in many ways fits in with my recent posts about quirky American towns. For many years I lived close enough to come for […]

This morning, I traveled a short way upriver to Beacon. When I was younger, I often hiked in the area. Just driving past reminded me of the difficulty of those trails, including the aptly named Breakneck Ridge trail. As I watched rain dripping down rocks, I imagined how slippery the trail must be. Even on […]

Yesterday I headed home after my brief stay in Cold Spring. Driving back there were hints of spring—daffodils, weeping willows swathed in pale green, buds ready to burst. But, for the most part, branches remained bare and there was a grayness that contrasted sharply with the intense blue of the sky. My first start was […]