Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Day

This morning I attended the American Legion's Memorial (Beacon NY) in honor of the United States Service Men and Women, and our Veterans.  The speakers read the names of all the residents who gave their lives to preserve our freedoms.  Also, they honored the Veterans in attendance.  Wreaths were placed in front of the Memorial and flowers were placed at Fishkill Creek.  This was a morning well spent.

Thank you to all our present Service Men and Women, and our Veterans.  This includes my eldest grandson who is a new United States Marine.  We appreciate your service to our Country.  Because of your commitment, we continue to live free.  God bless you all!


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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Mexicali Blue

Here in New York, we've had several days of rain.  I was happy to see that today the weather was changing.  As this weather pattern moved on, we experienced a very cold wind.  The temperature was 63 degrees.  The wind was 24 mph, gusting to 35 mph. My daughter and I and the two youngest children in the family, attended a surprise birthday party for a long-time dear friend at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls.  Most of the people had winter jackets on, in the end of May.

I don't consider cold weather my friend, thus living in San Diego, CA.  After an hour, we left and took the children to McDonald's in Wappingers Falls.  I walked a few stores over to a mexican restaurant named Mexicali Blue in the small complex.  It was so cold, I ordered the Black Bean soup to go so I could join the rest of the family at McDonald's.  The soup was good.  It had spices that hit the back of my throat.  The staff was very friendly.  The restaurant, clean and inviting, serves Southwestern and California-style food.  I would return for a taco or burrito.

Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to rise to 73 degrees, more to my liking.

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day celebration started with lunch on Saturday at Cosimo's on Delafield Street in Poughkeepsie, NY.  My three New York daughters and I enjoyed a delicious meal.  We started with Wood fired Crab and Artichoke fondue with Brick-oven Foccacia and Caprese.  Absolutely delicious.
Then we ordered sandwiches.  I had the Steak Sizzler, which was Rosemary scented Rib-eye with peppers, Gorgonzola and crispy onions.  Since I had the appetizer, I opened half the sandwich and enjoyed the steak, etc. and brought the other half home for one of my grandsons.  When I returned to my Beacon daughter's home, this grandson had returned from reffing a soccer game so he relished the half sandwich.  When I checked the online menu, I discovered that this restaurant has a "small plate" offering.  I probably would have  enjoyed something from that menu instead of the larger lunch.  Perhaps another time.

On Sunday, after Mass in Fishkill, I joined two daughters, their families as wells as one of my son-in-law's parents (very good friends) at the Bull and Budha Restaurant on Main Street in Poughkeepsie for their Mother's Day Brunch.  My appetizer was a crab and avocado salad.  It was so good that I decided to ask my son-in-law who is a Chef Instructor at the Culinary School at the Art Institute in San Diego to make it for my birthday.  The entree was skirt steak with a corn and edame mixture on the side.  There were two choices for dessert, a chocolate lava cake with pistachio and coconut filling, and the Chef's cheesecake.  I chose the Chef's cheesecake (his own recipe).  This will be another request for my son-in-law.

A lot of eating for one weekend, though I actually eat only a small portion of each course.  I recommend both restaurants, which I consider upscale.


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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Climbed Mt. Beacon




This past Sunday,my 16 year old grandson and I climbed Mt. Beacon (officially called Beacon Mountain) on the banks of the Hudson River in Beacon, New York.  The top of this mountain is 1,531 feet above sea level.  With the trees just starting to bloom, I was able to see further into the woods.  I listened and watched for any bird I might see.  However, we only heard two birds and they were nowhere to be seen.  The trail that we chose is a dirt and gravel road used for maintenance.  The locals call it the "fire road."  The topology varied from level to steep and leveling off again, and so forth up to the top.  This is considered the easiest approach to the top.  On the way up, we passed the reservoir, which supplies the City of Beacon with its water.  The photo above shows the Hudson River with Dennings Point (in Beacon) on the eastern side of the river and Newburgh, NY on the western bank.





As we started to leave, my grandson told me about the monument commemorating the Signal Fires used on Mt. Beacon during the American Revolution.  We found it on the edge of the mountain behind an old fenced-in communication tower.  The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) erected a monument at the site in 1901 and repaired it in 1929.











As I wrote above, we only heard two birds, but high on the mountaintop were two butterflies.  One lit on a rock enabling me to photograph it.


The mountain was the site of an incline railway.  For years there has been talk about rebuilding it.  Also, in the 1920s and 1930s, there was a hotel, restaurant and a casino near the top.  I told my grandson that I would definitely like to see what remains of the buildings.  We'll do that on my next climb.



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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Thanks for Reading

I'm very grateful for you, my readers and for the time you take to check out my blog.  My reading audience circles the globe.  I've seen that you live in Korea, Ireland, England, Germany, Russia, France, Chile, as well as the United States.  I am curious about what interests you and what brings you back to read more of my stories and view my photos.

Also, as an update, when I visited the soccer fields in Freedom Plains (Ducks ), I noticed that the white duck is no longer there.  Perhaps someone rescued it.

Please share a comment, if you are able, and tell me where you live.  Thanks so much and keep reading. 


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