Historic Landmark on the Hudson River

Category: More Logbook

  • Sudden storm burst

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    The weather forecast called for scattered thundershowers, but no one seemed prepared for the storm that ensued this afternoon. Gale force winds. Lightning. Heavy downpour of rain. Hail. A few kayak paddlers and a hiker took refuge in the lighthouse and waited out the storm in the parlor. I hurried around the lighthouse closing windows…

  • Nature channel

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    This morning, Bobby Dangerously and I motored up the creek with the barge to haul some lumber. Along the way, we noticed a Great Blue Heron perched on a tree branch at the shoreline. While we admired this stately and elegant bird, another creature appeared. Behind the heron, the face of a baby raccoon peeked…

  • Varnish party

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    What do ice boaters do in the summertime? Dream about frozen water and varnish their boats. Last night, the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club organized a varnish party to spruce up one of the historic stern-steerer ice boats. A group of men gathered in Straatsburg, NY at the old Burger-family barn and lowered the Whiff…

  • Preservation efforts

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    The lighthouse received a paint job last week.  Rudy LaBounty and crew showed up with their tall extension ladders to paint all the high, hard-to-reach places. Peaks and valleys and gutters on the house roof. Vent cap and roof of the lantern room. Cornices. They even replaced some of the slate roofing tiles.

  • Tiger lilies

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    Brilliant orange tiger lilies are blooming along the trail. A cluster of them near the start of the trail appear as a splash of orange against a background of green. Note: Please don’t pick the flowers.

  • Question for the Keeper

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    What are those fish that are jumping and why do they jump? Sitting outside on a summer evening, the nearly full moon clearly reflected in becalmed waters. A stillness prevailed, punctuated by the occasional SPLASH of large fish jumping, like an exclamation point to the end of the day! The fish jumping raised a pair…

  • Pick-your-own mulberries

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    The mulberry tree on the outer island is heavy with ripe purple berries.  The red-winged blackbirds seem to like them. I’ve seen people (adults and children alike) in the tree branches enjoying a sweet juicy snack.  The berries that aren’t collected by birds and humans fall to the deck where they get smashed underfoot, staining…

  • Wild and domestic

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    This afternoon, I did two things that I’ve never done before. First, I made pasta noodles from scratch. Invited to a potluck dinner at the Germantown Community Farm, I didn’t want to embarrass myself by showing up with store-bought food when there was bound to be a bountiful table of homegrown and homemade eats. So,…

  • The usual suspect

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    A squirrel ate all my parsley! Last month, with the help of friends and family, I planted various culinary herbs in pots and planters around the lighthouse. Basil, oregano, thyme, sage, mint, to name a few. Of all of these, the squirrel chose parsley. And the lettuce. At least, I suspect the squirrel, who was…

  • An unobstructed view of the night sky

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    Earlier in the week, I sailed to New York City on the sloop Clearwater. For someone like me who lives alone on an island at the fringe of modern life, a trip to the big city is always exciting. Nevertheless, I was glad to return to the lighthouse and get away from the urban light…