The Destruction Before the Construction

See the homes in back?

For years our family has enjoyed our backyard "expansion". Our backyard butts up against what used to be fields. Over the 30 years we have been here the land was on the market numerous times. Once, we were expecting a housing development, then condominiums, and even a cemetery (quiet neighbors!). These expectations never materialized. Either the lack of water, the lack of suitable access or town revolt, kept such plans from coming to fruition.

Bryan & cars (Note Berkshires (across the river) in background.)

Aaron on a hayride.

The fields were always mowed and the growth baled by local farmers (our 'neighbors') to feed their livestock. Then one year the tractors stopped coming and the fields grew. When the Glasco Bazaar was revived for a few years, the tractor came back and plowed a circle for families to go on hay rides.


Gone was the simple dilapidated farm tractor that so valiantly mowed the fields with grace, making way for his partner the baler to come and make beautiful hay bales. The first hay bales were the traditional block type, in later years they yielded to the large round bales. Thankfully we never modernized to the point of having them covered in white plastic, that look hideous and out of place in the natural setting.

Fall 2011

One year the tractor came back to cut a fire break. That was all the activity we had for many years.

So for the past 10 years, the fields have been left to grow and grow and grow.

This year all has changed. The tractor that came back this time it was a shiny green monster that cut not just the over-growth, but the small saplings and trees that came in its path. The first pass of the new tractor made new pathways.

Looking down the power lines toward the river.

Then they came back again and again...until most brush and trees were gone.

Looking south from Cafaldo's backyard.

Access to field on turn on 32.

Then a bulldozer came to remove all that the green monster couldn't chop up.

  
Until, today we have the destruction of the mini forest to get ready for the construction of low income (affordable?) housing.

Northeast edge of our property looking toward river.

Directly behind our house looking toward river.

Looking south from the middlle of upper field.

From field looking toward Cafaldo's shop.

Looking back toward homes (west) from field.

Spying on the bulldozer!

One day we had a view of brush.

The next day most brush was pushed back to edge of the mini forest still left.

Looking from our backyard across Mr. Allen's.

Stay tuned for updates and progress(?)

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and Flooding...OH MY!

Sunrise the morning before Hurricane Irene.
"Red sky in morning, sailors take warning!"

One might think we were in the end times...all this in one week in NY! I have now experienced three earthquakes in my lifetime in New York State.

Now I can say I have experienced a Hurricane (Irene) also in NY state. Topped off with torrential rains from Tropical Storm Lee.

The earthquake earlier in the week was a strong 5.8, but no damage was done around here.

The hurricanes brought major tree damage and destructive flooding happened all around us.

Thankfully we were spared.

We were concerned about trees coming down, but with prayer and the authority of JC, we watched limbs come down in our yard and one tree come down in our neighbor's yard without any damage.


Damage was minor in our little hamlet:

Our neighbors up the road.

Next door neighbor, Mr. Allen

We really expected Mr. Allen's tree to come down on his house. Fortunately, only a few limbs did and Central Hudson's tree cutters took more down, but left a good part of the tree.

Down by the Hudson River in Glasco, you can see the water was up on the cement blocks on Ciarlante's building.





If you double click on this photo you can see the seaweed and grass stuck in the fence.

No visible damage to the beloved conveyor, but the pier was underwater at some point.

The Saugerties Beach was under water twice, once with Irene and then Lee.

All in all, minor compared to others in our county and in neighboring counties who were not so fortunate...

Bushkill Creek in West Shokan on Watson Hollow Rd.

Gill Farms in Hurley

The Strand in down town Kingston, NY

Boiceville, NY

Bushkill Creek

We drove to Palenville one week after Hurricane Irene and the water was way down, but evidence of how high the water was is evident.

Kaaterskill Creek in Palenville

These photos give the juxtaposition of one area:

Beautiful falls on one side...

 A careful eye spots something amiss...

When you look to the other side you see, things are not quiet as serene as they appeared...

Oh my!!!
This is the bridge on Manorville Road in West Saugerties where it meets Ralph Vedder Road.

Changes...

This post is for our sons and daughter-in-law, Jessica. The photos are of the Saugerties Public Library in the heart of the town they grew up in. To the left in the first picture stands the original library. To the right the new addition  that is being completed.

This library is where all the kids went for story time when they were just tots. Then they took part in many a summer reading program in their school years. The paintings they produced during the years of art classes were proudly displayed here. In later years, many hours were spent looking up references for school papers or college prospects.

Of course nowadays with the internet, many folks think the libraries will become obsolete. Thankfully our town feels that it is a place that must be enlarged so many more families can use it as a place of refuge to read real books, learn crafts or languages, take a CPR or parenting class, and so much more.

We love our library in Saugerties and once it is completed and reopened, we are sure many more families will experience a lot of the same things we did. A computer can never replace the familiar musty smell of old tomes or the joy of feeling the glossy pages of a new magazine. Yes, you can still look up a subject of interest, or find a new recipe from some famous chef's cookbook, but to go through time in many of the historical volumes and escape from reality in the fictional writings of many many authors, just isn't the same as sitting in a corner of the couch on a rainy day and snuggling under a blanket turning page after page of a great book!

It will be fun to go back when the construction trucks are gone and the fences are down to be able to walk through the new building with it's bright and shiny surfaces. Personally, I relish the thought of still being able to return to the library of old that was not torn down, but expanded to do so much more. Kudos to the people of Saugerties for keeping it in town and using the old with the new!