Auntie (Esther Coon Rider 1905-1993) was a natural cook known for her generosity of spirit and her love of cooking- frequently with ingredients grown in the kitchen garden. She thrived on providing pleasure and sustenance through her soul food- that heart and stomach warming fare needed after a day on the farm or a walk …
Shookville: A “Deserted Village”
Shookville Methodist Church; Photo taken July 27, 2017Courtesy of Bonnie Wood @ https://keepingnyhistoryalive.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeI7nu0D8IM&feature=share A Walk in Shookville If you wander the winding roads of Milan in Upper Dutchess County, New York, you may miss the hamlet of Shookville on Shookville Road in the blink of an eye. The walls and foundation of the old …
Just a Torn Scrap of Paper
Just a torn scrap of paper preserved within the pages of another text of related topic, but not belonging~Redman, Jacques and Hinman, Russell. "Natural Advanced Geography". American Book Company. 1898. Click the arrow on the Instagram post to view 7 more photos after the collage. https://www.instagram.com/p/B-XtxGiDD9z/ Photo Series "Advanced Geography 1898" : 1st image: Collage: …
Beacon Historical Society
Beacon, Dutchess County, NY The exhibit “Whispers of the Castle Keep” from the Bannerman Castle Trust intrigues me; the suspense builds as I wait until Spring to visit Bannerman Island. Vintage Photo of Working Men in Beacon https://www.instagram.com/p/B7M3CTqgslJ/ Beacon Historical Society ; I Hear America Singing These bricks were made from clay dug from the …
Vintage Recipes: From the Pumpkin Patch 10/27/19
Picking the perfect pumpkin is a family tradition. Whether a miniature or the largest pumpkin in the field is chosen to adorn the front step, much discussion and deliberation ensues. Each year, the trip to the pumpkin field ignites memories beginning with "Remember when...". The excitement and resulting anticipation heightens while bumping through the field …
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Reading an Old Book
Popular Natural History by Rev. J. G. Wood "I have been reading an old book." Coon, Burton. Trail's End Farm Notes. p. 354. My first observation was that Charles Hesselgrave of Ogdensburg, NY stamped his name and address five times in the first three pages of Popular Natural History dated 1885. As I continued to …
A Life Well-Lived
Reflection Shook's Pond; Series "Closing Up the Cottage for the Winter 2014"; Photo by Dave Shook Robert Shook at Shook's Pond; Series "Closing Up the Cottage for the Winter 2014"; Photo by Dave Shook How do we live a life well-lived? Reflecting on our own lives seems to naturally follow attendance at a memorial service, …
Vintage Recipes: All About Fruit 8/31/19
Inspiration sometimes derives from the most commonplace thought. When I was captivated with two thick volumes entitled The Cherries of New York and The Peaches of New York dated 1914 and 1915 respectively, I realized how many of my most precious moments included fruit. Cherry Blossoms Peaches Cherries with Pits Peaches with BlossomsAll images are …
Reading an Old Book: A Gazetteer with Maps
Though it began with an 1883 map, this research adventure took a very different turn as I fell "down, down, down" into a 'rabbit hole'. "[I] found [my]self falling down a very deep well...[I] saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs...I wonder how many miles I've fallen by this time...I must be getting somewhere near …
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Vintage Recipes: From a Farm Stand 8/10/19
From a Farm Stand Zucchini, patty pans, onions, scallions, and beets displayed in a vintage basket. Vegetables purchased from a farm stand in Milan, NY in July 2019. What is the lure of a farm stand? Meandering the backroads of New York state, I have frequently passed farm stands. What is it that makes some …
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Keeping NY History Alive 