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...

Due to a lot of company over the holidays, my adventures were minimal; walks at Dietz Stadium,  walks uptown Kingston.  So when I got an invite to spend the weekend at my sister in laws house in Catskill, I jumped upon the chancc; dinner, hot tub, Qi-Gong, movies,great conversation, and, a walk. It is always exciting to have a change of view, and I love Larry's family and the town they live in.  It had been storming all day, and a brief break in the action prompted a group walk with the family dog. There are many side streets filled with lovely Victorian homes, and other great venues such as the Thomas Cole House, the Monastery, the Beattie-Powers Place, and on a good day- you can take the 2 mile walk on the bridge over the Hudson. As we walked, the sunshine rapidly faded, the fog closed in. It got very very dark and a mountain storm blew upon us. We were a half a mile from home. Rich knows the neighborhoods well, and we found ourselves following him, ...

 Inside Vanderbilt Mansion  The back end of Mills Mansion at Sunset  View of the Catskills and the Hudson from the Vanderbilt   Formal Italian Gardens at Vanderbilt More of the Gardens With the busyness of the holiday season, my adventures have been cut short. I managed to get a few nice walks in however, and some historical sightseeing to boot. The Hudson Valley is rich with the treasures of historical mansions. Olana, The Thomas Cole House, Clermont, Montgomery Place, Vanderbilt, Wilderstein, The Roosevelt Estate, Mills Mansion. And that are only the ones in a one hour radius from my Kingston home. Because my adventure friend is over 62, she has a National Parks Pass which can be obtained at any National site for 10.00. That gets you into the Federal parks for free, such as some of the Cape Cod beaches, and other parks around the country - and up to three other guests I believe FOR FREE. So, in the spirit of saving and not spending, w...

I cancelled today's afternoon painting class as there was only one student. I went home after my drawing class at the School of Art to do some chores, and ponder my walk route when Meredith knocked on the door, nearly threw me into her car, and we head to the mountains.  First a stop at  Kenco,  a FAB outdoor/sporting goods store that is family owned, on Route 28 to check out some winter walking shoes,  then to the Ashokan Reservoir .  (jury still out on what I am going to get shoe wise- feedback welcomed). The reservoir is one of several that collects and transports water to New York City. The history of its construction is fascinating, though very sad for the 1000s who farmed in the valley, surrounded by the majestic Catskill Mountains.  I would have not left easily either. I have gone there many times in my life -  practiced driving in Driver Ed there, walked, photographed and painted the views. I have stood in the spray of the a...

In the past 10 years post tri-malleolar fracture of my ankle, I have descended into a gradual but steady decline of my body.  I used to be a runner, skier, skater before the literal trip down the stairs bought me a dislocated fracture which changed my life, and left me with a body that was getting weaker with back spasms, hip bursitis, ankle pain and foot issues! I had a hard time doing some everyday things, and, I was gaining weight. It was the gift of a Garmin Vivofit from my daughter that changed my life. After doing some research, I discovered that a fit person walks about 10,000 steps a day. I was appalled at the fact that I walked far less.   So off I went to Montanos Shoe Store , and bought myself a pair of very comfortable and very purple Vionic sneakers. I have a dear artist friend who has become my adventure walking partner. We try to walk, whether together or on our own, 5 times a week. We walk the rail trail for convenience at times, but we find a ...

I wish I had been able to snatch tonight's image on my phone camera, but there was not enough light to catch the subtleties. Today I need the magic of words to keep this image safe for me. Twice a week I home, from Rhinebeck to Kingston, around 6:30 PM, give or take a dalliance with a friend. As I drive home I watch the seasons change in the late afternoon light, along a stretch of road that snakes around lands that run to mansions, farms, and the river. Gently it spills out onto the bridge which joins the banks of the Hudson with a mountain range.  The Catskills are the prize at the end of my journey. I watch with the wonderment of a child how nature and light paint the sky in every conceivable weather and light combination.  Today the sun is a low golden orb in a cloudless sky;  it has turned the mountains a color I cannot mix. They contrast with a huge endless sky that encases a field of  yellow, orange, with a hint of green which spills into a ...