Columbus Discoveries

If Columbus had actually landed on our shores this weekend, he would have thought he had found Heaven and not India. The Hudson Valley had hit its peak.
After breakfast at the very modest and friendly Marco's Diner, where Olvia vouched for the fluffiness of the pancakes, Saturday was a look at the Hudson River from the banks of Athens. Hudson River Valley painter Thomas Cole couldn't have asked for a more perfect subject to paint. Then at Green Lake, armed with a rig consisting of a twig, found string and hook, and stale potato chips for bait, the kids caught and released a brace of brim.
At Black Horse Farms, we sampled their usual goodies-- handgrown or handmade-- and splurged on handmade mozzarella, goat cheese, fresh tomatoes, apples, and a divine cheesecake by Michele in Freehold. Needless to say, the remainder of the day consisted of wine, food, and tree gazing.
Sunday brought another road trip; this time west to visit Bouler Design Group's parcel of property near Windham. Here the kids were kids, and played by racing leaf boats in the rapid creek, while James and I scouted out possible bulding sites for the Living Machine's House H or House F. Afterwards we touched base with Mary King of Village Greene Realty in Windham and scouted out some properties for several clients.
The only sad note of the weekend was the four car accident our builder Keith Abrams of Green in Greene was involved in. Thankfully he and his family only sustained minor injuries.
As I write this in the golden light of the afternoon, there is a pot of purple mums by my side, a fire in the outdoor pit, and handpainted Halloween cards drying on the table. I guess this is why they call second homes, vacation homes.