Christmas at Hudson Valley Cabin - 2010

The new lamp post made it possible to "build" a new tree!

Views from the dam opposite the cabin were taken on 2 different nights and the reflections differ greatly!

Some closeups from the front lawn!

There are additional lights along the driveway and at the entrance.

The beginning of a new lamp pole - cut down a tree and debark it!

Putting the lights and pulleys on the pole!

Getting the post to the hole!

Putting the post in the hole!!

Hooking up the electricity!

New light at lake's edge! The finished product!

A new windchime - pine trees get a haircut!

A new windchime has been added to the collection at Hudson Valley Cabin - see the installation!

The 2 pine trees at the side of the cabin needed some trimming - here are the guys at work!!

Another successful proposal !!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO GAYLE & JEFF!!

Another happy event at the cabin!

And just look how Jeff set the stage for this special question.

He hid the flowers in the car and set up the table while Gayle was in the cabin. She had no idea it was happening until she came outside!

What a guy!!!

As far as we know there as never been an unsuccessful proposal at the cabin - and there have been many!!

Another service we'll provide for you - let us know your plans and we will be happy to prepare the cabin for you with flowers, champagne, etc. so that you don't have to do all the work that Jeff did!

Joe's tree!!

Tommy and Joan purchased a tree to be planted at our Hudson Valley Cabin in remembrance of a very, very good friend of all of us - JOE WEBER.

The planting took place on June 5th - no cabin guests that weekend - just Tom, Joan, Jackie (Joe's wife), Serge, Karen (with 2 broken wrists - no help from her!), and Kojack.

We will all miss Joe greatly but we can smile when passing his tree and remember all the special things he meant to each of us!!

We gave Joe's tree a special place as David's Park is beginning to get a little crowded.

It's present location will be a constant "hello" to all you guys visiting the men's PP house during our annual August picnic!

More sterile carp for the lake

June 2010 -

Since 1992 we have periodically stocked the lake with sterile carp in order to control the weeds and algae in the lake and they do a great job. They enter the lake at about 6 to 8" in length and GROW! In 1992 40 were purchased and put in, in 2002 another 40, and this year we had 25 put in.

It is necessary to get a permit from the DEC to buy these fish and they can only be put into bodies of water that have no way of escape so that the fish can't get out to eat what they are not supposed to.

The fish are not cheap! So - cabin guests if you do catch one - please release!!

Serge is supervising. John is putting an overly anxious fish back in the bucket so that it can be properly put in the lake!

A repair leads to minor disaster!!

May 28th!

Serge and Tony are working to repair the steps off the dock leading into the lake.

Karen (the go-fer) and photographer decides that she needs more photos and heads for the camera which is in the car - never makes it and winds up on the railroad tie steps with 2 broken wrists!

(No photos of this event!!)

Luckily our guests for the weekend had just arrived and Dorothy was knowledgeable about things like this so she kept my wrists in ice packs until our volunteer emergency team arrived. Never know what will happen when you rent at Hudson Valley Cabin! Thanks Dorothy!!!

A Walk Thru the Gorge

Yesterday was such a warm and beautiful day that Kojack, Joy, and I decided to take a walk through the stream and gorge. This was a first for the 3 of us together.

The water was warm and not running very rapidly as it sometimes does.

These 2 photos show the dogs at the beginning of the walk when there is no gorge and later into the walk when it would be impossible to climb up the sides - although they did try!

When we are at the top looking down it sure looks like a 40' gorge.

From the bottom looking up it doesn't look quite as high!

It was a fun adventure!!

A new clearing in the woods in front of our shed so that we can turn around easily with our cars or the tractor. Work has just been completed - it will look greener later in the season!

Notice that the "Men's PP House" is still there.

Potential new guests - don't worry - we do have indoor plumbing!!

Our herb garden is almost ready for our guests - except for the Basil which won't be planted until mid-May after danger of frost is past. Plants look small now but they will grow!!

SAGE CHIVES TARRAGON

This year we were lucky - the Sage and Tarragon survived in their pots for the first winter ever while we lost the Rosemary, Mint, Oregano, Cilantro, Thyme, and Dill. Of course, there is never a chance the Basil will survive and we do replant Parsley every year - 2 pots of both Basil and parsley as they are the favorites with our guests.

The Chives never die! In fact they spread so rapidly that I had to uproot 2 pots of chives to make room for the other herbs. We began years ago with only 1 pot of chives and this spring were up to 4 pots! The local garden club got the chives in 2 of our pots!

Our perennial flower garden by the dock - you should see what it looks like in July, August, and September!!

Will post a photo taken during these months later in the season!

We now have a nice collection of violets at the dock's edge - mixing with the Grape Hyacinths.

Will have to plant some daffodils in the area so that we have some bright yellow in the mix for next April!

Notice our sign - NO DIVING from dock or boats!

New dockside picnic table at Hudson Valley Cabin

Just out of the workshop-----

Karen and Serge just finished the construction of our new dockside table and benches.

Serge being the mastermind, designer, and "boss" of the project. Karen being the gofer!

Note the date on the table leg: 4-2010.

That's so we will remember when it was done and see how long it will be before we have to make another set -

25 years????

Grape Hyacinths gone wild at the cabin

The graveled area near the dock is alive with multitudes of grape hyacinths and its difficult not to step on them but we are trying!

Such a beautiful time of the year as early spring flowers are blooming!

WiFi comes to Hudson Valley Cabin

Dial up is gone!!!

We now have wireless service at the cabin. It hasn't been tested yet but we are supposed to have service for up to 300 feet in all directions which means that if you are brave enuf you can take your laptop out in the rowboat!! Better yet - just take it down to the picnic table at the dock.

"Critters" at HUDSON VALLEY CABIN

Friendly Frogs on the porch!

Cat and Dog on a flower pot

Rabbit drowning in snow

A very friendly spider

Our guardian moose!
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Wind Chimes at HUDSON VALLEY CABIN

We love wind chimes and so do our guests!!

Here are just a few of those that are near or "on" the cabin.

HUDSON VALLEY CABIN in January

Our Kojack is enjoying the snow!

Our "fresh herb garden" in January!

Deer tracks across the lake and along the dam!

ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SAYINGS!!!