My sister lives within sight of the Hudson River. I grew up on the other side of the Hudson River from where her home is now.
Hudson River orchards
My Father lived within miles or minutes of the Hudson RIver his entire life. His gravestone now overlooks the Hudson River. Be forewarned, this post might get a bit maudlin! It seems at times the Hudson River courses my veins. Traveling to see my sister a week ago made it surge.
My sister lives among apple orchards and has barns on the property!! I love barns.
From her front porch she has a view of a barn that is homely but true.
I would rather sip tea with book in hand on a porch looking on that honest piece of architecture than the McMansion that is being built within view of my back porch this Summer! (Sorry (truly) to the new owners of McMansion, I know it must be their dream home…)I find magic at this farm-house on a hill both at ground level
Passion flower and frog
and growing up pergolas.
I want her to set up her easel and PAINT. She is a gifted artist who took life study classes from a young age and painted on into college. But she finds her creative outlet in a special room filled with colors and textures. Her quilts dazzle, and if you are lucky, you get handmade gifts like this…
Gifts! and you will have home-baked bread for lunch!
There are reasons to love the Hudson River Valley and the sloping hills that rise above it, but home for me is Connecticut where we live on a pond that streams far to the Long Island Sound. Living near water keeps you connected; I feel fortunate..
My good-bye today is to my dear friend and garden mentor who has enriched my life in so many ways. Countless. Her Children have planned a Memorial Service at our local Nature Center today. Some of her garden buddies have been asked to bring a jelly jar full of flowers from their gardens. This departed friend knows I am not a flower arranger or floral designer! But I think she would be satisfied with what is growing in my garden this morning. Joan, I picked them for you. I know you wouldn’t like the dinner-plate dahlia. You preferred the small and mid-size dahlias. But you allowed me this one transgression to our friendship. You and I will have a smile this morning when you see my big white dahlia open wide just for you!
Jayne In Georgia 
Beautiful post with memorable images. Love the red barn and the passionflower. We had passionflowers growing up trees bearing tons of fruit in my boyhood home of Sydney, Australia, but not any frogs of note.
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No frogs? Snakes I can do without, but I do find the frogs fascinating!!
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How did I miss this post? Your images are splendid – they humble me!!! When you left, I started to weed in earnest – one imagines that the gardens exhaled a collective sigh!
The river runs through our veins and reconnects us to the sacred – Nature. Thanks, pops, for this legacy. And thanks Jayne, for reminding me of the beauty that touches my daily life.
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