Patti Gibbons Art

   Clermont from the woods.  Barn on the property    Amtrack heading north  Ice Heaves on the Hudson in Tivoli  My adventure partner bought tickets for this weekend's "Behind the Ropes" tour at Clermont State Historic site. Normally the house is closed for the winter, but they had a new fund raiser which opened it up for the weekend, so that one could tour rooms without the ropes, and see some of the decorative objects up close! I have gone to Clermont many times over the years; the fields offer acres upon which to picnic, paint, or play. The front lawn of the house is often set up for croquet. I have visited the house, mainly back when it was free; now you have to pay to park and stroll the grounds during peak tourist season. But I don't mind, because the money helps keep these historic sites open. Because it is a state site, no photographs are allowed inside the house. The interior is the most interesting thing about ...

   The Last Ice on the River  From Trinity Church back yard.  Trinity Church and Rectory Tiffany Window in Hall  William Morris Window Church Location: Saugerties, NY. 2/7/16 Temp: 45 degrees Weather: full sun River Conditions: all ice nearly gone. Low Tide. Total mileage for the day: 6.5 miles Wind: none Path: slightly muddy Ice conditions: mostly melted, save for a few chunks washed upon the shore. Lunch: Hudson Valley Desserts Price: 4.95 for soup and buttered roll Value: excellent and lovely staff Difficulty: (trail from trailhead to lighthouse) easy. Flat, maybe 1/2 mile in. ?  Splendid day to walk and catch views of the mountains along the Hudson River on the path to the Saugerties lighthouse. I had wished I bought a picnic and lunched on the river. The sun was warm on the lighthouse deck - the sky and water such wonderful blues.  We then walked from the lighthouse into town for soup and cookies. Excellent choice...