About two weeks ago we made an excursion to the upper Hudson Valley to visit the home of one of the most beloved presidents of our time, Franklin Roosevelt. The grounds of his estate are kept wonderfully with may old buildings and gardens as well as quite a few miles of nature trails, which to our surprise eventually led along the scenic Huson River over to another estate of one of the Roosevelt's close friends the Vanderbilts. The houses on these properties required admissions for the family so we made the most of the good weather and explored the grounds and the surrounding lands. I also managed to get 3 new varieties of seeds for my ever expanding Iris collection at the breathtaking (yes even in the late fall) Vanderbilt gardens.
Our Rosie of the Blessed Sedum.
Rosie bean standing by a naked chick on a cell phone in the main garden at the Vanderbilt estate.
Always looking for a free ride, well as long as they stay little.
This was one of the biggest praying Mantis, I have ever seen. I still cant tell if it was gorged and getting ready for the long winter or if it was ready to give birth. I tend to lean towards the latter.
Little monkey just cant resist a tree
Either of them!!
This Amarillis has already lost these beautiful blooms and decided to grace us with a second set of it's massive flowers. Sometimes one just has to feel lucky to get some of natures "extra" treats
What a flower!!
I planted these guys outside all over the property, they are called Narcissus lilies. They are spring bulbs that come up in clusters from one bulb. They are very fragrant and people grow them inside as well. I put these in the dirt about a month and a half ago and because of the unseasonably warm weather almost all of the broke the surface and began to bloom. The sad part is that about two days after the blooming began we got back our winter weather. Now I have all these clusters of white flowers, bent over frozen solid. It's a cruel world!
We made a day trip to the upper Hudson Valley area. This is Bannerman Castle , located on a small island right below Poughkeepsie NY. It is an actually an abandond amunitions facility. we plan on returning in the spring for a day trip there.
There is actually a small train station there, and when I say small, well you literally have to take a dirt path to get to it. Yup, that's small!
Rosie chillin on the train on the comute in.
This one was in a whole series of window displays with a icey dolly theme. The girls went crazy! Thankfully it kept them distracted from the build-a-bear store across the street! whew!
Oooooohhhh!!!
Here are Robin and the Tigress getting ready for the party at Ella-Jean's school.
The back porch, again slightly on the small side. I always thought these people had money.
