Rosy Ramblings

Last full day at FDR Historic Site. 😓

until next October!😀

Daily walk through grounds …

Roosevelt Ride to Poughkeepsie Train Station with Ranger Victor to pick up folks coming up from NYC.

AKA Sweet-Daddy-V, or The Legend. Incredible storyteller…friend

Top Cottage. A place so serene, so close to nature.. sitting on the porch lookng across to the Catskills or being in the living room…My favorite.

 

Lunch in Rhinebeck with dear friends, Dick and Linda. Fabulous home cooked meal!  So great to spend time with them and they were so gracious.

Last night, many of the Park Rangers met at Darby O’Gills to celebrate the almost end of the very busy month of October and to relax,  enjoy and have a few beers.  Special friends, Bob, Paul, Ken, Mike, Elizabeth, Jason, Kevin, Jerry, etc.

 These are truly Great guys and gals…and I was so honored to be a part of the gang.  Amazing fellowship.

Today is another tour of Val-Kill and Stone Cottage. Scenes of the grounds at Val-Kill.

Possibly the prettiest day yet..60s, clear, sunny. I could not be inside on a day like this

Val-Kill cottage

Stone Cottage

 Val-Kill garden…beautiful roses

I hiked Eleanor’s Loop again..about 1 mile.

I sat in the sun and lounged poolside

Cookout? Hotdogs? Lots of family gatherings were held at Val-Kill.

Grandchildren”s play house

Bridge at Val-Kill (kill is Dutch for stream)

Scenic Hudson on an awesome afternoon 

Bellefield.  The headquarters for the NPS in Hyde Park., and former home of the Newbolds, who were neighbors of the Roosevelts

Bellefield garden..late in the season.

Dinner (And beer) at Hyde Park Brewery.

Winding down… ⚘⚘⚘

A Very busy day…

Chilly morning..51 degrees.. Started today with hearty breakfast at Eveready Diner. 

My daily walk down drive…very windy, coming from the North.

 Gusty winds.

Kay spent a long time in the museum. After  I went on my daily walk,  then did docent duty in the Museum.

I said good-bye to folks in Archives, Matt, Virginia, and talked more about possible research projects. Possibly doing off site.

Oval Office Desk, Chair, Four Freedoms. Portrait. 

   

Most poignant artifact in the museum. The desk and chair from the Oval Office.

Took my rental Kia Sportsge back to Avis in Poughkeepsie. I really liked this car…easy and fun to drive. And I am getting a very nice refund for early return.

At 10:30 we went on the house tour of Springwood.  Between leading tours and taking tours to learn when I first got here, I am estimating this could be my 16th tour of Springwood. But it never will grow old. 

I ended up backing up one tour and helping a lady in a wheelchair use the lift. Kay waited patiently. 

We toured part of FDR  Museum.  I did some docent duty while Kay began to tour the museum.  I think she was a bit shocked to learn how massive this museum is…like 12 years and 82 days…LOTS of significant history. 

Eveready diner for dinner.

Another busy day. 

Rainy morning.  🌧  And all day long.  Heavy rain., wind, thunderstorms.

Mr. James stable in background. This was on am walk with only a light mist.

Entrance to Grave site (RoseGarden)

Talked to Cliff Laube, my contact in Archives. Said our good-byes. We will talk more in the summer  about research project for next year.  Cliff said i could become the Roads Roosevelt scholar..reference to possible Campobello next year .

Symbolically I did my last tour this afternoon  which turned out to be the last tour of the day.  Monsoon rain, wind,  lightening and all others had to be cancelled.. I was drenched, head to toe. Marvelous!

Rangers  Ken and Paul explaining why we could not take the tour during thunderstorms. 

Dear friend from college,  Kay, arrived this afternoon so I can play personal tour guide. 😊

I met with Mike Autenrieth, NPS, who was my initial contact here and got a copy of my volunteer service agreement with beginning date of 9-18-2017. There is no ending date and I will just be on hold until next year. Said good-bye til Oct 2018 

Then I began my day with my usual walk through Rose Garden, paying respect at the graves, down the driveway, around Springwood and Library/Museum.  About 2 miles.

Springwood 

This acternoon, I met with Paul Laurelli who is the Gardener for The Rose Garden and Caretaker for the Grave site. He gave me this framed photo that he had taken.  What kindness and generosity in this special place. 

Then as I was going into the museum to serve as docent, I ran into Paul Sparrow, Director of the Library/Museum and we talked for a few minutes. I told him how much I treasured being here and planned to come back next year. He said he would look forward to seeing me next October. 

Then he said, “This is a sacred place.” 

Beginning of my last week in Hyde Park. It will be very sad to leave this special place.

This morning I went to church at St. James  Episcopal Church. Reverend Chuck Kramer is back from his trip to Ireland.  Yea!! Intetesting sermon on Celtic reference to “thin veil”.  A place where the veil between the holy and the human is traversed. 

Reverend Chuck reminds me of Nathan at Episcopal Church of the Advocate in Chapel Hill.  In style,  delivery,  message. Felt right at home!

I met friends, Dick, Linda, their son, John, and we had delicious lunch at the IceHouse restaurant in Poughkeepsie.

View from IceHouse looking at the Walkway Over The Hudson

Icehouse outside dining

Pretty day on the water

Mid-Hudson Bridge (officially the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge)

Cruise boat, Manhattan, out of NYC.. Classic Harbor Line

At Poukeepsie, after lunch, Linda, John, Dick, and I walked along the Hudson.

We asked a lady to take our photo. She suggested that we act silly, for an action shot….oh so easy

Ended today with my usual walk down the driveway at FDR Home.

Another beautiful morning for a walk with Ranger pal, Victor, along the driveway at FDR Historic site. 

Then we went to the Poughkeepsie Train Station to pick up folks coming up from NYC to Hyde Park for the day.

Then to Top Cottage with Carol and Carlos 

View from Porch at TC.

Fala at TC

 TC Pig (pigs are among the many things that FDR collected)

Victor was the tour leader and as usual, was outstanding. 

Carlos and I decided to hike down from TC to Val-Kill which is about 1 mile 

A beautiful afternoon, so we took a picnic to Norrie State Park, located on the banks of the Hudson.  Wine, cheese, bread, Prosciutto, grapes, chocolate cake, Apple cake, etc. Feast!

  Another Magnificent Day 🌞

With Carol and Carlos. Breakfast at Eveready diner in Hyde Park. Super breakfast.

Tour of Val-Kill and Stone Cottage.. Eleanor Roosevelt’s cottage.

Stone Cottage

Dining room at Val-Kill

Living room at  Val-Kill

Val-Kill cottage

Views of Hudson from Vanderbilt. Weather was magnificent.  Sunny, clear, breeze in the 70s.

Roosevelt pew (39) in St. James Episcopal Church

Dinner in Rhinebeck at Market St. Restaurant.  With Dick, Linda, Carol, Carlos and me.  A fabulous  restaurant. 

Perfect ending to a delightful day

In the morning we completed touring the FDR Museum. Total of about 4 hours over 2 days..so much to see and comprehend.

For me, the most meaningful item in the museum is the actual desk and chair used by FDR in the Oval Office. 

And seeing the worn fabric on the arms of the chair.

Then we had lunch at Culinary Institute of America at Caterina de’ Medici. 

  Beautiful campus, superb food, wine, service.

Caterina de’ Medici

Tour of the kitchen

Lovely campus

Walk  down to the Hudson after lunch on a gorgeous day.

Then a tour of CIA with cake and chocolate on display.

Full day..fun day..