Tuesday, March 10, 2015

a country weekend



We are climbing the walls around here, so it was nice
to escape to the Catskills for a weekend.


There's plenty of snow there too, but hey, it's country snow.
I haven't been in ages, because the pipes burst and
our kitchen flooded and had to be ripped out, too depressing to see.
But it's almost back together now.

The waterfall is frozen, which always amazes me,
the water rushes so fast I wonder how it stops in space and time,
what is that instant when water becomes ice?



Saturday we drove to Table on Ten for breakfast.
Conde Nast Traveler wrote about them in this article on food in the Catskills, 
which made me suspicious, but the article does a pretty good job of describing
the western Catskills, our neck of the woods.

And there were eggs with brilliant orange yolks
and fresh sourdough bread, and delicious treacle cookies.
Treacle! 


Saturday night we had dinner with friends,
and Sunday I made the rounds in Margaretville, where I had my store,
saying hello to friends and buying a few books at the Bibliobarn.


And then home Sunday night, to cats, books, and a pink quilt
that I am disproportionately fond of.


Remember the greenhouses in my last post?
I brought home some begonias. Touches of pink
brighten up the bleak late winter.


32 comments:

  1. Sounds like a lovely weekend... And Jen, you can never, never go wrong with pink!! Smiles...Susan

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    1. This pink thing is new to me (maybe because I had three sons, though that sounds sexist you know what I mean) but it makes such a great accent color!

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  2. Ah, how does a waterfall become ice? Good question. I saw that your salt water waves became slushy.. Our first spring flowers are blooming - buttercups and grass widows, and I saw a pair of mountain bluebirds searching for their spring home here in north Idaho.

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    1. Buttercups! I love buttercups. What are grass widows?

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  3. I find frozen waterfalls absolutely fascinating too. how is it possible? I remember visiting Niagara Falls in winter and how surreal it all seemed. I'm glad you had a nice weekend. this winter is getting a bit old and tiring, isn't it?

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    1. I wish I had studied science when I was younger. I thought it was boring then, and now I find it fascinating. But there's so much, and I read things and prompt forget them.

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  4. I have never seen a frozen waterfall , only on tv. It is amazing - when does it happen!
    its like everything stops in time.
    How great that you enjoyed your Catskill home again. Seeing old friends and buying books.
    Spring is on its way here.
    Your pink rose adds a little sunshine for you.
    stay warm Jen..
    val xxx

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    1. Like time stopping is the perfect description, Val!
      I'm enjoying looking at everyone else's pictures of early spring while I wait for he snow to melt.

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  5. Hello Jen, What a shame about your kitchen--especially after all the hard work you put in. I hope the damage wasn't too severe, although I know about frozen pipes. I wish I could browse in that Bibliobarn. Internet buying does have its points, but still nothing will replace a large store filled with old books.
    --Jim

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    1. Browsing in used book stores is such a pleasure. You would love the Bilbliobarn.

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  6. Stunning stuff here, Jen. Thoroughly understand your pink comment above and I don't think it's all that sexist. Your pink flowers are so intense; skill combined with passion ... the best! Keep the faith; it will warm up there at some point; it has to.
    Thanks for being out there for us,
    Diane in Denver

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  7. So sorry about the kitchen. But your photos are beautiful, and seems like a good weekend was had by all.

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    1. I missed not going--it's a special place to me.

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  8. what a beautiful post! And these begonias!!! I am addicted to them ;)

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    1. Me too--I could definitely start collecting begonias. Their foliage is so interesting and varied, and the flowers lovely. lis they do well in shade.

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  9. I also wish I had studied science when I was young. Perhaps we would better understand why we are drawn to pink. jk
    I've missed your posts Jen but I'm so seldom online with Blogger nowadays. Maybe in a few months I'll make a grand entrance. You seem happy. I truly hope so.

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    1. I've missed you, Rubye Jack. I think about you and wonder how you are. I'm so glad you popped in. xo

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  10. I adore that first photo, is that a squirrel doing acrobatics to tease the cat? Bummer about the kitchen! but it is a chance to redo it, which can be a good thing....

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    1. Yes--it was cat and squirrel calisthenic. We were able to save most of the kitchen. New floor and replacing some cabinets. We just redid it a couple of years ago, other wise it would have been a good excuse for something new!

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  11. Oh no, you just renovated that kitchen. I'm sorry, I hope it is salvageable. INteresting about the waterfall, there were photos of parts of Niagara Falls that were frozen and it amazed me because I thought that the rapid weighty rush of the water would not let that happen. And then there was the big fountain in Bryant Park which just froze, it was an absolute work of art. Begonias were my Grandmother's favorite, she would have loved those.

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    1. I saw those pictures of the Bryant Part fountain--captivating! My grandmother had African violets. :) We had to replace the floor, kick boards and a couple of cabinets, but everything had to be removed to do the floor, so it was a mess. No big deal though, in the big picture.

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    2. African violets, my Mom, although she had a terrible time keeping them alive :(

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    3. I can picture my grandmother's right now. She kept them on a metal tv tray with scalloped edges.

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  12. ok...country snow, fresh bread, old books, waterfalls and pretty paintings.....can I come visit because that all sounds like heaven to me.

    Stay warm and keep saying to yourself, "spring will be here soon!" xo

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    1. Sarah, the grass is always a little greener (or whiter) on the other side, isn't it?

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  13. Always love your images! I think I need that book on housekeeping ..... x

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    1. Thanks! I m sure it would be a fun read.

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  14. That beautiful kitchen? I'm so sorry! Hoping it will be back together soon....in time for a Catskills' Spring.

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    1. Ashling! I was thinking about you recently. I've been volunteering at a cat shelter.

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  15. Did the cat find something curious out of the window? Cats are good at catching pleasure.

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    1. If you look at the top of the window you'll see a squirrel. :)

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