Alice Seeger\’s Blog

The 150th Dutchess County Fair starts today!

The Fair always stirs up swirl of memories….

I remember when I was about 10 years old, my cousins and I would all pile into my Grandmother™s station wagon,
our clan would descend upon opening day of the Fair before the dew had a chance to dry.

Grandma™s ritual was to wander through the dairy barns with her œyoung uns in tow.
The cousins admired cows for maybe the first 15 minutes. At least we tried to develop an appreciation for the backsides of the cows with tails swishing but, truth be told, we had each been given one whole dollar, the cash was burning holes in our pockets!! In the 1960™s there were more than 40,000 cows in Dutchess County. It seemed, if Gram had her way, we were going to have to acquaint ourselves with each and every one of them.

We could hear the distant sounds of the carnival.
We knew there were delicacies to tempt our taste buds….. cotton candy, candied apples, snow cones!
We had been planning for weeks which ride we would go on first!

One by one, we joined a chorus of œGram, pleeeeeese… can we go nooowwwww?
Then we would begin to negotiate with Gram until we would break her down.

She would throw up her hands, shake her head and say, œOh… all right…. just one more barn and you can go.

Sweet freedom! Our tribe flowed down the hill to be absorbed in the throng on the midway.   We rode the tilt-a-whirl, and tried to win prizes from the carnies while we turned our toungs rainbow colors with sugary treats.

I wish Gram were still with us, I™d like her to know that I™ve grown to agree with her,
the best part of the Dutchess County Fair is on Livestock Hill. There are substantially fewer cows in the county now (somewhere around 8,000) but the livestock exhibit is a testament to farm values that are still alive and well in the Hudson Valley.

Family farms   provide organic, locally grown options that are healthier for individuals and better for the environment.

If you visit the Dutchess County Fair on Wednesday this week,
stop by the Horticulture Building. I™ll be working at the Master Gardeners information booth from 10:00am- 1:00pm

We™re going to Rhinebeck to the Dutchess County Fair!

The past few days have been so HOT my mind has been as hazy as the weather. Out of desperation to avoid the heat I began brainstorming some cool places to visit. My first thoughts lead me to the River. Kyaking seemed a good choice but since the forcast now calls for thunderstorms I thought it would be better to look for more protected spots cool off.
We are fortunate in to have a number of lovely restaurants with decks offering incredible views and delicious fare. Here are a few:

The Rhinecliff Hotel www.therhinecliff.com
Enjoy views of Rondout Lighthouse as you sip a “tall, cool one” on the covered deck. Friday and Saturday nights from 9-11pm, enjoy live music. On Sundays from 11:30am – 2:00pm they have a Jazz Brunch
Nick and I celebrated my birthday there in May. The food was delicious!

Traveling South to Poughkeepsie
River Station www.riverstationrest.com
Located between the soon to be “Walkway over the Hudson” formerly the Poughkeesie railroad bridge and the Mid Hudson Bridge, especially pretty at night with the colored lights! A great place to meet friends. Wednesday nights my friend Keith Swingle hosts Trivia Night there! Check it out!

A bit more Cosmopolitain in decor and price
Shadows on the Hudson www.shadowsonthehudson.com
Beautiful views! Whenever I’ve been there the deck has a lovely breeze!

Whereever you go on the Hudson, keep and eye out for Bald Eagles! We’ve been sighting them regularly from Poughkeepsie Yacht Club. Once even got to see an adult Eagle swoop down to snatch a fish from the river and fly across to the West shore.

As a child in the 1960′s here in the Dutchess County birds were less plentiful. We learned in third grade that the Eastern Bluebird was our state bird. It wasn’t until DDT was banned that I began seeing Bluebirds. Humming birds and wild turkeys, so plentiful now, were non-existant during my childhood.

This summer there were three jake turkeys that seemed to want to attend Dutchess Arts Camp! They sat on the back door step of Poughkeepsie Day School and looked in the window as if we might just let them in to attend painting workshops!

It’s a good trend, but not one we should take for granted. Always consider limiting or eliminating any use of pesticides or herbisides in your lawn and garden. We are all part of this wonderful planet!

If you know someone who is interested in becoming a homeowner in this beautiful area AND take advantage of the $8,000. tax rebate for first time homeowners please contact me!!
I am always happy to help someone find their wonderland!

Alice

Welcome to Alice Seeger’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into Good Green Life Choices and Living with the Land in Dutchess County New York .