I will be away from the lighthouse this week to volunteer on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. I’ll join the crew of the Clearwater in Poughkeepsie and help with the onboard-education program, teaching grade-school students about the river. In my absence, Dick and Karlyn will be taking
Read more →Storm windows out and screens in. The temperature reached the high 70s/low 80s today, so it was time open up the lighthouse and let in the the river breezes. The sunny weather was perfect for getting work done outside. Now, the boat shed looks happy after getting
Read more →Alosa is the genus name for shad, the anadromous fish which migrate up the Hudson River this time of year. Alosa is also the name of the 16′ sloop on loan to me from River Dick. Dick has another sailboat, and this one sat out of the
Read more →The nor’easter a couple of weeks ago brought high water and pounding waves. This combination severely damgaged the trail. Sections of the boardwalks were separated and scattered through the woods. Trees fell across the trail. Driftwood and debris clogged the footpath. Now, the trail clean up from
Read more →Marsh marigolds are blooming! The green plants recently emerged from the mud, and the bright yellow blossoms stand out.
Read more →My two brothers traveled from the city for a visit. Even though they were taking a day-off from work, they wondered if I didn’t have any special projects to do. There are always plenty of projects at the lighthouse, so we went to work. We assessed the
Read more →A school group visited the lighthouse this morning. The tell-tale long-braided hair and simple calico dresses of the girls identified them as members of the Bruderhoff Community in Plattekill Clove. Each student carried a miniature canoe. They carved and painted the canoes themselves. Inspired by reading the
Read more →Finally, after an overcast week, clear skies. In the western sky shined a crisp sliver of the waxing new moon and the bright planet Venus. The reappearance of the stars prompted me to dust off the telescope and take a look around. A magnified view of the
Read more →The river at flood-stage is a mighty force to behold. Wind-driven waves combined with high water have reeked havoc all week. After five consecutive nights and days of flood-stage high-tides, I am feeling worn down from contending with the aftermath of the flood. Damage to both deck
Read more →Needing a break from flood clean-up, I went to town for the evening. I returned in the dark. The wind, which had been blowing none stop for days out of the north, had finally stopped. The water was becalmed. In the stillness, I could distinctly hear the
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