• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Rosslyn Redux

Reawakening a home, a dream and ourselves

Menu
  • Home
  • Explore
      • Themes
        • Wanderlust to Houselust – Why in the the world did I swap globetrotting for roots and rural renovation?
        • Archeology of Home – What the heck is “home” (and why do we suspend rational decision-making when it comes to our homes?)
        • Rehab Ad Infinitum – Resisting—and finally accepting—the fact that revitalizing our home and ourselves has no finish line.
        • Redacting Rosslyn – Less of a theme and more of a catch-all, this is a meta look at DIY-ing our renovation project (and this storytelling project).
        • Close
      • Topics
        • Lake Champlain (99)
        • William Daniel Ross (82)
        • Essex New York (59)
        • Boathouse (46)
        • Daily Munge (42)
        • Essex on Lake Champlain (42)
        • Seasons (39)
        • Artifacts (37)
        • Champlain Valley (36)
        • Historic Essex (34)
        • Adirondacks (33)
        • Themes (32)
        • Lifestyle (32)
        • Where's Rosslyn? (30)
        • Lifestyle (30)
        • What's Rosslyn? (26)
        • Seasons (22)
        • Rosslyn boathouse (21)
        • Gardening (21)
        • Nature (20)
        • Summer (19)
        • Organic Gardening (19)
        • wildlife (18)
        • Summer (18)
        • Vegetable Garden (15)
        • Rosslyn safari (14)
        • Winter (14)
        • Daily Munge (14)
        • Adirondack Mountains (13)
        • Manhattan (13)
        • Spring (13)
        • Autumn (13)
        • Lake Champlain boathouses (13)
        • Historic rehabilitation (13)
        • Flood (12)
        • orchard (12)
        • Gardens (11)
        • Gardening (11)
        • New York (11)
        • Renovation (11)
        • Adirondack Chair (10)
        • Nature (10)
        • House (10)
        • Full and By Farm (9)
        • Rosslyn (9)
        • Sherwood Inn (9)
        • Vermont (9)
        • Griffin (9)
        • Artifacts (9)
        • Winter (9)
        • Essex boathouses (9)
        • dock house (8)
        • Essex-Charlotte ferry (8)
        • Rock Harbor (8)
        • video (8)
        • Fruit tree (8)
        • Fruit and Vegetable (8)
        • Spring (8)
        • Autumn (8)
        • Boquet River (7)
        • history (7)
        • North Country (7)
        • water level (7)
        • Holistic Orchard (7)
        • Organic Orchard (7)
        • French Breakfast Radish (7)
        • Themes (7)
        • Adirondacks (7)
        • Meadows (6)
        • Asparagus (6)
        • Daylily (6)
        • Hemerocallis (6)
        • Green Home (6)
        • The Poetics of Space (6)
        • Live (5)
        • flooding (5)
        • Green Mountains (5)
        • Hickory Hill (5)
        • Kestrel (5)
        • New York City (5)
        • North Country New York (5)
        • poetry (5)
        • storytelling (5)
        • Vegetable (5)
        • Wadhams New York (5)
        • timber rattlesnake (5)
        • Crotalus horridus (5)
        • Rosslyn Gardens (5)
        • Snow (5)
        • Bald Eagle (5)
        • Catherine Seidenberg (5)
        • Holistic Orcharding (5)
        • Trail camera (5)
        • Blood’s Bay (5)
        • Champlain Valley (5)
        • haiku (5)
        • Poetics of Place (5)
        • Wildlife camera (5)
        • Carriage Barn (4)
        • Cuore Di Bue (4)
        • artist (4)
        • Doug Decker (4)
        • ferry (4)
        • Homeport (4)
        • Hyde Gate (4)
        • Kitchen garden (4)
        • mallard (4)
        • Old Dock Restaurant (4)
        • Paris (4)
        • Susan (4)
        • Tasha (4)
        • The Depot Theatre (4)
        • waterfront (4)
        • Westport (4)
        • Westport New York (4)
        • Whallons Bay (4)
        • art (4)
        • Instagram (4)
        • Imperial Star Artichokes (4)
        • The Sherwood Inn (4)
        • Carriage house (4)
        • Postcard (4)
        • Artichoke (4)
        • Cooking (4)
        • Natural Health (4)
        • Essex (4)
        • Wadhams Mills (4)
        • Rosslyn artifacts (4)
        • Radish (4)
        • Tanglefoot (4)
        • Eastlake (4)
        • John Davis (4)
        • poem (4)
        • Compost (4)
        • Ice House (3)
        • apple trees (3)
        • architecture (3)
        • deer (3)
        • duckling (3)
        • Essex Inn (3)
        • Facebook (3)
        • garden (3)
        • hammock (3)
        • Henry Howard Ross (3)
        • Labrador Retriever (3)
        • Lake Champlain floods (3)
        • memoir (3)
        • National Weather Service (3)
        • sunrise (3)
        • The Farm (3)
        • Tilly Close (3)
        • USGS (3)
        • vintage (3)
        • Westport Marina (3)
        • Sid Couchey (3)
        • Squirrel (3)
        • Pear (3)
        • Depot Theatre (3)
        • Apple tree (3)
        • iPhoneography (3)
        • Khoresht-e Bademjan (3)
        • Merchant Row (3)
        • Cedar-Apple Rust (3)
        • Eve Ticknor (3)
        • Crater Club (3)
        • Ducks (3)
        • Adirondack Coast (3)
        • Wellness (3)
        • Slow Food (3)
        • Essex Horse Nail Company (3)
        • Vintage postcard (3)
        • coyote (3)
        • Watercolor (3)
        • Carriage Barn (3)
        • North Country (3)
        • Friend or Foe (3)
        • Homestead (3)
        • Vintage photograph (3)
        • Rosslyn Redux (2)
        • Adirondack heritage (2)
        • Adirondack Park (2)
        • adventure (2)
        • Al Katkowsky (2)
        • Albion Wadhams (2)
        • architects (2)
        • artifact (2)
        • barns (2)
        • Bill Amadon (2)
        • Boston (2)
        • Burlington Vermont (2)
        • Burnell chair (2)
        • Champlain Area Trails (2)
        • Chris Craft (2)
        • CSA (2)
        • David Hislop (2)
        • Deerfield Academy (2)
        • dockhouse (2)
        • environment (2)
        • Essex Farm (2)
        • Essex Provisions (2)
        • Essex Renaissance (2)
        • Essex Shipyard (2)
        • Essex Village Historic District (2)
        • farmhouse (2)
        • fireplace (2)
        • flood damage (2)
        • Fourth of July (2)
        • grape vines (2)
        • H.H. Ross (2)
        • herb garden (2)
        • High Peaks (2)
        • high water (2)
        • Hurricane Irene (2)
        • Interior design (2)
        • Lakeshore Road (2)
        • Make Way for Ducklings (2)
        • maple syrup (2)
        • Meadowmount School of Music (2)
        • monologues (2)
        • Montreal (2)
        • Muskoka Chair (2)
        • Old Dock (2)
        • pear trees (2)
        • performance (2)
        • Question of the Day (2)
        • rattlesnake (2)
        • Rome (2)
        • Ross (2)
        • Rosslyn Roundup (2)
        • Rudder Club (2)
        • skiing (2)
        • social media (2)
        • spinach (2)
        • strawberry (2)
        • swimming (2)
        • Thomas Lee (2)
        • Tom Duca (2)
        • tomatoes (2)
        • Vintage Adirondack (2)
        • Westport chair (2)
        • Willsboro (2)
        • writing (2)
        • Doug (2)
        • Gator (2)
        • Champy (2)
        • Cooper's Hawk (2)
        • Red fox (2)
        • Fox (2)
        • John Deere Gator (2)
        • Mourning Dove (2)
        • dove (2)
        • Bird feeder (2)
        • Victorian Architecture (2)
        • Pruning (2)
        • Fruit tree grafting (2)
        • Apricot (2)
        • Peach (2)
        • Plum (2)
        • Corn Snake (2)
        • Archeology of Home (2)
        • Basement (2)
        • Google Search (2)
        • Weather (2)
        • Cucumber (2)
        • Norman Rockwell (2)
        • Pumpkin (2)
        • Melissa Davis (2)
        • Greek Revival architecture (2)
        • Mother Nature (2)
        • Boat lift (2)
        • Thunderstorm (2)
        • Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae (2)
        • Pixie Crunch (2)
        • Eastern Red Cedar (2)
        • Juniperus virginiana (2)
        • Brussels sprout (2)
        • Tomato (2)
        • Swiss Chard (2)
        • Wavy Glass (2)
        • Samuel Keyser (2)
        • Tracking (2)
        • DIY (2)
        • Home (2)
        • Mystery (2)
        • Green Building (2)
        • Green Design (2)
        • Federal architecture (2)
        • Cross-country skiing (2)
        • Winter storm (2)
        • Broccoli (2)
        • Photograph (2)
        • Bobcat (2)
        • Beggs Park (2)
        • Matt Foley (2)
        • Timber crib dock (2)
        • Sailboat (2)
        • Antique photograph (2)
        • Garden tip (2)
        • coywolf (2)
        • Spring flooding (2)
        • Insect (2)
        • Mulberry (2)
        • Mulberry tree (2)
        • Pest control (2)
        • Where's Rosslyn? (2)
        • Fauna (2)
        • homestead haiku (2)
        • Stereoview (2)
        • Repurpose (2)
        • Coeur de Boeuf (2)
        • Ancho Magnifico (1)
        • Ascent Pepper (1)
        • Brandy Boy (1)
        • Brussels Sprouts (1)
        • Burlington VT (1)
        • California Wonder (1)
        • Casper Eggplant (1)
        • Cherry Buzz (1)
        • Créme Brulée Pepper (1)
        • Edward Pais (1)
        • Engineering Ventures (1)
        • Fastbreak Cantaloupe (1)
        • Felicity Pepper (1)
        • Green Zebra (1)
        • Jeffords Steel (1)
        • Kellogg's Breakfast (1)
        • Millionaire Hybrid Eggplant (1)
        • Orange Wellington (1)
        • Paul Hobbs (1)
        • Petite Treat Watermelon (1)
        • Pizza Pepper (1)
        • Prosperosa Eggplant (1)
        • Ruby Watermelon (1)
        • Sweet Seedless Hybrid (1)
        • Tye-Dye Hybrid (1)
        • weathering steel (1)
        • 19th century (1)
        • 57th Street (1)
        • Adirondack Almanack (1)
        • Adirondack Art Association (1)
        • Adirondack Base Camp (1)
        • Adirondack furniture (1)
        • Adirondack lifestyle (1)
        • ADK827 (1)
        • Albany (1)
        • Alvin Reiner (1)
        • Amadon (1)
        • Andy Nash (1)
        • anthem (1)
        • architect (1)
        • artists (1)
        • Ausable River (1)
        • babysitters (1)
        • Basin Harbor Club (1)
        • Bayliner (1)
        • Beaverlodge (1)
        • Beverly Eichenlaub (1)
        • Bill McKibben (1)
        • blackberries (1)
        • Blockhouse Farm (1)
        • blogging (1)
        • Bluff Point (1)
        • bocce (1)
        • boonies (1)
        • Bretton Woods (1)
        • Bruce (1)
        • Bruce Ware (1)
        • Bryan Burke (1)
        • Burlington (1)
        • C.G. Stephens (1)
        • Caleb James Coatsworth (1)
        • Caleb James Coatsworth Esq. (1)
        • camp directors (1)
        • Camp Dudley (1)
        • Canada (1)
        • career (1)
        • CATS (1)
        • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1)
        • Charlotte VT (1)
        • children (1)
        • Coatsworth (1)
        • community (1)
        • Concord (1)
        • COR-TEN (1)
        • Corten (1)
        • Couchey Hill (1)
        • Country Life in America (1)
        • Craig Morgan (1)
        • cufflinks (1)
        • cutting hay (1)
        • cutting soap (1)
        • czechsteve (1)
        • daily munge (1)
        • DEC (1)
        • digital library (1)
        • digital museum (1)
        • Dino Dogan (1)
        • Dix (1)
        • doctors (1)
        • Dogwood Bread Company (1)
        • Double A Vineyards (1)
        • Douglas Yu (1)
        • draft horses (1)
        • drunk (1)
        • duck (1)
        • earrings (1)
        • East River (1)
        • Eggplant (1)
        • Elizabeth Gilliland (1)
        • Elizabethtown (1)
        • Emilie Drinkwater (1)
        • empathy (1)
        • entrepreneur (1)
        • environmentalists (1)
        • Essex Glass (1)
        • Essex Marina (1)
        • excitement (1)
        • Farm (1)
        • farm members (1)
        • farm stand (1)
        • farm with horses (1)
        • farmer (1)
        • farmers (1)
        • farming (1)
        • Father's Day (1)
        • Faubourg St. Germaine (1)
        • film (1)
        • fishing (1)
        • flowerbeds (1)
        • France (1)
        • friends (1)
        • Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1)
        • Galleria (1)
        • Garcia Marquez (1)
        • gestation (1)
        • Giant (1)
        • Gilliland (1)
        • gin and tonic (1)
        • Google Earth (1)
        • Grape (1)
        • Great Camps (1)
        • Great Pumpkin (1)
        • Hamilton (1)
        • Harry Bunnell (1)
        • Harry C. Bunnell (1)
        • harvesting (1)
        • Haussmannian (1)
        • hay wagon (1)
        • Heather Stewarts (1)
        • Henry H. Ross (1)
        • HEPA (1)
        • heritage (1)
        • hiking (1)
        • Himrod (1)
        • Hobie Cat (1)
        • horse-drawn mower (1)
        • hummingbirds (1)
        • Hurricane (1)
        • idealistic (1)
        • idyllic (1)
        • imagination (1)
        • interstices (1)
        • investment (1)
        • James Graves (1)
        • Jay Range (1)
        • Jeffords (1)
        • Jerry Spooner (1)
        • Jill Piper (1)
        • Jim Spooner (1)
        • jogging (1)
        • Johnny's Smokehouse (1)
        • Joseph J. Harley (1)
        • June (1)
        • kale (1)
        • Kathryn Cramer (1)
        • kids (1)
        • Kim Rielly (1)
        • Lake Champlain Committee (1)
        • Lake Champlain Hotel (1)
        • Lake Champlain marinas (1)
        • Lake Champlain Transportation (1)
        • Lake George (1)
        • Lake Placid (1)
        • Land of My Dreams (1)
        • lawn mowing (1)
        • lawyers (1)
        • LCT (1)
        • Letters To A Young Poet (1)
        • Live Well (1)
        • Living to Tell the Tale (1)
        • Loon Lake (1)
        • mansion (1)
        • Margaux Project (1)
        • Mars (1)
        • Martin Sexton (1)
        • McKim Mead and White (1)
        • meetup (1)
        • Michael Leslie (1)
        • Midden (1)
        • Mike Winslow (1)
        • Monosodium glutamate (1)
        • Montreal Canada (1)
        • moon (1)
        • moonbeam (1)
        • moonrise (1)
        • MSG (1)
        • music (1)
        • My Kind of Livin (1)
        • nannies (1)
        • National Trails Day (1)
        • Neighborhood Nest (1)
        • Neptune (1)
        • New York State Route 22 (1)
        • non-profits (1)
        • Normandie Beach Resort (1)
        • nostalgia (1)
        • novel (1)
        • NYS Route 22 (1)
        • Old Adirondack (1)
        • Online Communities (1)
        • Otter Creek (1)
        • Panoramio.com (1)
        • Pantouf’s (1)
        • parenting (1)
        • party barge (1)
        • picturesque (1)
        • pigeon house (1)
        • play dates (1)
        • politics (1)
        • Premises Architecture + Design (1)
        • Quiche (1)
        • quince trees (1)
        • raccoon (1)
        • Rainer Maria Rilke (1)
        • realtors (1)
        • vignettes (1)
        • voice (1)
        • Redneck Yacht Club (1)
        • Reducting Rosslyn (1)
        • Chimney (1)
        • reinvention (1)
        • Reliance (1)
        • relics (1)
        • Rhinebeck (1)
        • rhubarb (1)
        • Richelieu River (1)
        • Robert McCloskey (1)
        • Roland Garros (1)
        • Roof (1)
        • Roof construction (1)
        • rustic (1)
        • Sangre de Cristo Mountains (1)
        • Sara Kura (1)
        • Saranac Lake (1)
        • ShipStore (1)
        • short story (1)
        • snakes (1)
        • snapping turtle (1)
        • Soil (1)
        • Sometimes That Happens With Chicken (1)
        • Split Rock (1)
        • steel (1)
        • Stephen Maselli (1)
        • Stephen Phillips (1)
        • Steven Kellogg (1)
        • Steven Rochen (1)
        • stillness (1)
        • Sutton Place (1)
        • Taos (1)
        • Taos New Mexico (1)
        • teachers (1)
        • tennis (1)
        • Travel Writing Contest (1)
        • Tree (1)
        • Triberr (1)
        • tweetup (1)
        • Twitter (1)
        • United States (1)
        • United States Environmental Protection Agency (1)
        • vacation destination (1)
        • vacation rental (1)
        • Vergennes (1)
        • Versailles (1)
        • violin (1)
        • virtualDavis (1)
        • Ross Store (1)
        • W.W. Durant (1)
        • Wabetsu (1)
        • Wanda Shapiro (1)
        • Washington County (1)
        • waterski (1)
        • waterskiing (1)
        • Westport chari (1)
        • Whallonsburg New York (1)
        • whimsical (1)
        • whippoorwill (1)
        • White Mountains (1)
        • Whiteface (1)
        • William Gilliland (1)
        • Willsboro New York (1)
        • Willsboro NY (1)
        • Windsor Hotel (1)
        • windsurf (1)
        • WOKO (1)
        • work horses (1)
        • writers (1)
        • yoga instructors (1)
        • America (1)
        • American flag (1)
        • Old Glory (1)
        • flag (1)
        • W.D. Ross Mansion (1)
        • Peach Reliance (1)
        • Peach Contender (1)
        • Apricot Sugar (1)
        • Apricot Harlayne (1)
        • Little Lotta (1)
        • Richie Rich (1)
        • Harvey Comics (1)
        • Little Dot (1)
        • Bruce Klink (1)
        • Ruth Couchey (1)
        • Couchey (1)
        • pigeon (1)
        • Discovery Channel (1)
        • Predation (1)
        • Flag of the United States (1)
        • Lorri Shepard (1)
        • Apple (1)
        • Fruit tree pruning (1)
        • Snake (1)
        • Northern Water Snake (1)
        • Copperhead (1)
        • Eastern massasauga (1)
        • Sistrurus catenatus (1)
        • Glenn Estus (1)
        • Lake Champlain monster (1)
        • Archeology (1)
        • Excavation (1)
        • Foundation (1)
        • Lawn (1)
        • Aeration (1)
        • Soil compaction (1)
        • Tennis court (1)
        • Lapine House (1)
        • Wesley Hackett (1)
        • Hawk (1)
        • Internet (1)
        • Windsurfing (1)
        • stone wall (1)
        • Mary Wade (1)
        • Christmas in Essex (1)
        • folk art (1)
        • Rosslyn art (1)
        • Crab apple tree (1)
        • hail (1)
        • hail storm (1)
        • New York State Department of Transportation (1)
        • Retaining wall (1)
        • Google (1)
        • digitalstorytelling (1)
        • Google Search Stories (1)
        • Google Search videos (1)
        • SallyLesh (1)
        • Louisa Johnson Townsend (1)
        • Sarah Carter Townsend (1)
        • Ingersoll Day Townsend (1)
        • Lunch at Toad River (1)
        • All My Houses (1)
        • Zucchini (1)
        • squash blossoms (1)
        • Mink (1)
        • American Mink (1)
        • Roman (1)
        • Seine (1)
        • Napoléon III (1)
        • Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1)
        • Lutetia Parisiorum (1)
        • Autumn leaf color (1)
        • Adirondack High Peaks (1)
        • leaf peeping (1)
        • Fall foliage (1)
        • Ellen Pober Rittberg (1)
        • Vermont Public Radio (1)
        • indigo bunting (1)
        • Rehab (1)
        • DIY Tips (1)
        • Earl Nightingale (1)
        • Gluten-free diet (1)
        • Muffin (1)
        • Carrot (1)
        • Black Krim (1)
        • tornado (1)
        • Château Ramezay (1)
        • Hurricane Isaac (1)
        • Photo of the Week (1)
        • Flue (1)
        • Thanksgiving (1)
        • Christmas (1)
        • Turkey (1)
        • Leftovers (1)
        • Corn Cakes (1)
        • Turkey Gravy (1)
        • Essex Heritage Center (1)
        • Asher Benjamin (1)
        • Guy H. Mason (1)
        • Dueling Banjos (1)
        • Deliverance (1)
        • Mark Kroos (1)
        • Steve Malone (1)
        • John Boorman (1)
        • Parlington Hall (1)
        • Rain gutter (1)
        • Stone carving (1)
        • Painted turtle (1)
        • Cycling (1)
        • Turtle (1)
        • Independence Day (1)
        • Boat (1)
        • Kohler (1)
        • Climate change (1)
        • Day Lily (1)
        • Perennials (1)
        • Garter Snake (1)
        • Asphalt shingle (1)
        • Construction and Maintenance (1)
        • Materials and Supplies (1)
        • Standing Seam Roof (1)
        • Contractor Foibles (1)
        • Rosslyn wine cellar (1)
        • Neptune Grapes (1)
        • Perseid (1)
        • Meteor shower (1)
        • Nero di Toscana (1)
        • Fordhook Giant (1)
        • Magenta Sunset (1)
        • Henry David Thoreau (1)
        • Sweet corn (1)
        • corn on cob (1)
        • Racoons (1)
        • Doodle (1)
        • Amy Guglielmo (1)
        • Aquavisions (1)
        • Indian Summer (1)
        • Chicken of the Woods (1)
        • Mushroom (1)
        • Mycology (1)
        • Horticulture (1)
        • Edible Fungi (1)
        • Chard (1)
        • Cantaloupe (1)
        • Green bean (1)
        • Leeks (1)
        • Sunday (1)
        • Slow cooker (1)
        • Chicken Provencal (1)
        • Glassblowing (1)
        • Foibles (1)
        • Roto-Rooter (1)
        • Septic tank (1)
        • Bathroom (1)
        • Plumbing (1)
        • Essex Column (1)
        • Valley News (1)
        • Cold Snap (1)
        • Frost Quakes (1)
        • Holidays (1)
        • Charlotte Vermont (1)
        • Champlain Bridge (1)
        • Venison (1)
        • Adirondack Life (1)
        • Willsboro Meat Market (1)
        • Green Chile Stew (1)
        • Game (1)
        • Boldt Castle (1)
        • Édith Piaf (1)
        • La Vie en rose (1)
        • Invention of Hugo Cabret (1)
        • Hugo Cabret (1)
        • Brian Selznick (1)
        • Hugo (1)
        • Movies (1)
        • Culinary Adventures (1)
        • Peru Tractor Center (1)
        • Carriage House Garden Center (1)
        • Babe (1)
        • Tractor (1)
        • Snow removal (1)
        • Grouse (1)
        • Federal Emergency Management Agency (1)
        • FEMA (1)
        • United States Geological Survey (1)
        • Ski Nautique (1)
        • Rainbow (1)
        • Gaston Bachelard (1)
        • Keri Smith (1)
        • Jason McNulty (1)
        • Carpe diem (1)
        • August (1)
        • Tito Ingenieri (1)
        • Lego (1)
        • Reuse (1)
        • Do it yourself (1)
        • Sustainability (1)
        • Furniture (1)
        • Wax (1)
        • Cleaning (1)
        • Maintenance (1)
        • Green Product (1)
        • Underground living (1)
        • Sustainable architecture (1)
        • Green roof (1)
        • Food (1)
        • Mattress (1)
        • Box Spring (1)
        • Sciatica (1)
        • Milk Snake (1)
        • Ray Faville (1)
        • Linda Faville (1)
        • Lake Champlain Transportation Company (1)
        • Herb (1)
        • Emmet Carter (1)
        • Emmet Carter Green Design (1)
        • Nancie Battaglia (1)
        • Albion V. Wadhams (1)
        • Ice Eater (1)
        • Beggs Point (1)
        • Janelle A Schwartz (1)
        • Mountain House (1)
        • Hamilton College (1)
        • Academic Program in the Adirondacks (1)
        • Bob Biesemeyer (1)
        • Marion Biesemeyer (1)
        • Walter Biesemeyer (1)
        • Sunnyside (1)
        • Ethel Alvey (1)
        • Plum tree (1)
        • Essex Regattas (1)
        • Christine Herrmann (1)
        • radicchio (1)
        • raised bed (1)
        • nasturtium (1)
        • Beets (1)
        • Roadkill (1)
        • Cucumber Mosaic Virus (1)
        • Game camera (1)
        • Radish Greens (1)
        • Kevin Boyle (1)
        • Accoya (1)
        • Doors (1)
        • Michael Phillips (1)
        • Essex Town Historian (1)
        • Robert Hammerslag (1)
        • Todd Goff (1)
        • Rev. Stephen F. Bayne (1)
        • Noble Clemons House (1)
        • Essex Community Church (1)
        • River Rat Glass & Electric (1)
        • Hyperlocal (1)
        • Advertisement (1)
        • C. W. Sherwood (1)
        • F. S. Sherwood (1)
        • Adirondack Guide (1)
        • Camp-of-the-Pines (1)
        • Old Stump Bridge (1)
        • David C. Hislop (1)
        • Heidi LaBate (1)
        • boating (1)
        • Dock (1)
        • Ski boat (1)
        • Winterization (1)
        • Corn stalks (1)
        • Sweet potato vine (1)
        • Demolition (1)
        • Dining room (1)
        • William D. Ross (1)
        • Raptor (1)
        • Butternut Flats (1)
        • Helle Cook (1)
        • Notion of home (1)
        • Green Frog (1)
        • Bathhouse (1)
        • Antique postcard (1)
        • Mosquito (1)
        • coywolves (1)
        • coyotes (1)
        • George D. Anson (1)
        • Anson's Dairy (1)
        • Rhododendron (1)
        • Spring rain (1)
        • Alpenglow (1)
        • Nectarine tree (1)
        • Nectarine (1)
        • Apricot tree (1)
        • Peach tree (1)
        • Beaver (1)
        • postcards (1)
        • White-tailed deer (1)
        • Craigardan (1)
        • The Ross Mansion (1)
        • Rain (1)
        • Dianne Lansing (1)
        • David Lansing (1)
        • Alan Wardle (1)
        • Steven Holl (1)
        • Nail Collector's House (1)
        • mosquitoes (1)
        • insect repellent (1)
        • mosquito repellent (1)
        • catnip (1)
        • lavendar (1)
        • garlic (1)
        • basil (1)
        • marigolds (1)
        • Geranium (1)
        • peppermint (1)
        • lemon balm (1)
        • Citronella Grass (1)
        • Old House Journal (1)
        • What's Rosslyn? (1)
        • Historic Essex (1)
        • Hyperlocal (1)
        • Ice House (1)
        • architectural (1)
        • backyard safari (1)
        • Ballard Park (1)
        • Beatrice Disogra (1)
        • critters (1)
        • Fence (1)
        • Homesteading (1)
        • honey bees (1)
        • illustration (1)
        • Jon Leibowitz (1)
        • Manse (1)
        • Mark Fraser (1)
        • meander (1)
        • morning (1)
        • Neoclassical manse (1)
        • orange cucumbers (1)
        • painting (1)
        • Ric Feeney (1)
        • S.R. Stoddard (1)
        • Seed saving (1)
        • Snow fleas (1)
        • Spider (1)
        • Springtails (1)
        • Steamer Vermont (1)
        • sunburst (1)
        • Wadhams (1)
        • walking stick (1)
        • Westport Steamboat Landing (1)
        • Westport Yacht Club (1)
        • Upcycle (1)
        • Farm-to-table (1)
        • Equipment (1)
        • John Deere (1)
        • Farmhouse Furniture Wax (1)
        • Sweet Grass Farm (1)
        • Purpose (1)
        • Vox Pops (1)
        • trout (1)
        • local food (1)
        • garlic scapes (1)
        • Orcharding (1)
        • Mulberry wine (1)
        • Illinois Everbearing Mulberry (1)
        • Morus nigra (1)
        • Morus rubra (1)
        • Muse (1)
        • Aerial Photography (1)
        • Drone Photography (1)
        • Boquet Mountain (1)
        • Midsummer (1)
        • Eye in the Sky (1)
        • Manse As Muse (1)
        • Crowd-sleuthing (1)
        • Albee Road (1)
        • Sandy Point (1)
        • Seeded Glass (1)
        • Old Glass (1)
        • Antique glass (1)
        • Senorita Serendipity (1)
        • wonder (1)
        • Eastern coyote (1)
        • lakefront (1)
        • pier (1)
        • Oxheart Tomato (1)
        • homing (1)
        • George McNulty (1)
        • Phillip Keuhlen (1)
        • time capsule (1)
        • Chuck Sherwood (1)
        • Florence Sherwood (1)
        • Sherwood Inn Cottages (1)
        • Cottages (1)
        • rolling renovation (1)
        • Heirloom (1)
        • Oxheart (1)
        • Ox Heart (1)
        • Canis latrans var (1)
        • Coyote Q&A (1)
        • Adirondack Anthem (1)
        • History (0)
        • Historic Home (0)
        • artifacts (0)
        • Darth Vader (0)
        • Frankie Colton (0)
        • James Earl Jones (0)
        • Mary Gullo (0)
        • W.D. Ross (0)
        • Bob Kaleita (0)
        • Adirondack rustic (0)
        • Steve Maselli (0)
        • Heritage (0)
        • Nature (0)
        • Cooking (0)
        • Tropical Storm Isaac (0)
        • Preservation by Neglect (0)
        • Phoenix Mills (0)
        • Cossayuna New York (0)
        • Holidays (0)
        • David Ulin (0)
        • Berries (0)
        • Allergies (0)
        • Natural Remedy (0)
        • Frances T. Ladd (0)
        • Levi H. Cross (0)
        • Wildlife (0)
        • Squash (0)
        • Winter Squash (0)
        • Hyperlocal (0)
        • Champlain Valley (0)
        • winter (0)
        • Willsboro Paper Mill (0)
        • W.D. Ross Mill (0)
        • Historic Property (0)
        • Wildlife Sanctuary (0)
        • cam (0)
        • Harper's Weekly (0)
        • kindling (0)
        • Recovery (0)
        • Rewilding (0)
        • Riparian (0)
        • Rosslyn Rhapsody (0)
        • splitting wood (0)
        • Begg’s Park (0)
        • flane (0)
        • Jonathan Schier (0)
        • Dan Faber (0)
        • Dutchy Ahrendt (0)
        • Ruud Vekemans (0)
        • Larry Blanchard (0)
        • Wayne Gryk (0)
        • Michael Kempster (0)
        • Elaine Miller (0)
        • Greg Delia (0)
        • Jacob Sawitski (0)
        • James C. Stephens (0)
        • Rob Cagnina (0)
        • Shirley LaForest (0)
        • George Pataki (0)
        • Eddy Foundation (0)
        • Black Kettle Farm (0)
        • Lakeside Preschool (0)
        • Mark Hall (0)
        • Erin Hall (0)
        • Essex Farms (0)
        • Jim Van Hoven (0)
        • Colleen Hoven (0)
        • Cedar Hedge Farms (0)
        • Gayle Perry (0)
        • Bob Perry (0)
        • Adam Perry (0)
        • maritime port (0)
        • shipbuilding (0)
        • Lynx rufus (0)
        • steam yacht (0)
        • crowd researching (0)
        • Vintage Essex Trivia (0)
        • Essex Steamboat Landing (0)
        • Morris Glenn (0)
        • crowd sourcing (0)
        • Gates (0)
        • Carpentry (0)
        • Close
      • Format
        • Image (19)
        • Video (17)
        • Gallery (13)
        • Aside (6)
        • Munge (4)
        • Quote (2)
        • Audio (1)
        • Link (1)
        • Close
      • Search
        • Close
    • Close
  • About
      • What’s Rosslyn?
        • Home
        • Boathouse
        • Carriage Barn
        • Ice House
        • Historic Property
        • Wildlife Sanctuary
        • Close
      • Where’s Rosslyn?
        • Lake Champlain
        • Adirondacks
        • North Country
        • Champlain Valley
        • Historic Essex
        • Close
      • Why Rosslyn?!?!
        • Rehab
        • Lifestyle
        • Nature
        • Gardening
        • Seasons
        • Artifacts
        • Daily Munge
        • Close
    • Close
  • Connect
    • Social
      • Social Widget
          • Instagram
          • Facebook
          • Twitter
          • YouTube
          • Pinterest
          • RSS
    • Newsletters
      • Newsletters

    • Recent
      • Friend or Foe: Eastern Coyote
      • Coeur de Boeuf Haiku
      • Keuhlen Family at the Sherwood Inn, August 1951
    • Close

Recovering from Irene

Rosslyn boathouse after Hurricane Irene
Rosslyn boathouse after Hurricane Irene

Much of the North Country is still recovering from the devastation wrought by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene. Four weeks on, I return to the notes I jotted during and shortly after Irene passed through Essex, New York.

A sheet of water cascades in front of the parlor windows. I’ve sunk into an armchair to watch the white caps rolling into our stone seawall. Into the dock beneath Rosslyn boathouse. Wind surges, thrashing and straining the leafy limbs of the gnarled old maple tree on the front lawn, violently snapping the boathouse flag.

Hurricane Irene has been delivering a less devastating blow to the Northeast than originally anticipated, and yet our lawn is littered with branches, entire tree limbs and even the top half of an Aspen which snapped off next to the carriage barn. Lake Champlain‘s water level has risen dramatically, gobbling up the sand beach and lapping at the stone seawalls currently being rebuilt north of our boat dock.

I initiated this post during the worst of Irene’s wind and water, however I quickly abbreviated my commentary. My mind flashed back to Lake Champlain’s destructive spring flood. I grew superstitious, my premature relief that Irene had taken it easy on us replaced by dread that I was underestimating her impact.

The next day I continued my observations after a demoralizing round trip to Plattsburgh. My suspicions had been confirmed. We were lucky; others unlucky…

The day started well enough. Clearing skies. Sunshine. Only a light breeze, virtually imperceptible after yesterday’s 65mph gusts.

I checked the waterfront, noted the dramatic rise in water level then celebrated the absence of damage to the boat house. I walked the lawn and counted about a dozen broken limbs strewn over the grass. The top third of an aspen tree had snapped off and lay crushed to the south of the carriage barn. But no serious, unrecoverable damage.

My sunny disposition clouded briefly upon finding 27 bags of ready-mix concrete that had been left uncovered by the fellow rebuilding the stone seawall. All had been soaked and were now petrified, unusable.

Nevertheless, I departed for Plattsburgh relieved that we’d escaped virtually unharmed.

This is where my notes end. The day would force me to recalculate my earlier conclusions. Yes, Susan and I had been fortunate. Rosslyn had been virtually unscathed by Irene. But many of our neighbors in Whallonsburg, Willsboro and Wadhams and throughout the Champlain Valley were underwater.

Normally I’d drive through Willsboro, up and over Willsboro Mountain and then pick up “The Northway” (NYS Route 87) north to Plattsburgh. But I’d already heard that roads were closed beyond Willsboro, so I turned south toward the ferry dock to try another route. Our Town Supervisor was directing traffic at a road block, so I stopped and rolled down my window.

“What a mess. Roads are closed everywhere.”

“Can I get to Plattsburgh?”

“Route 12 is the only access to The Northway.”

“Toward Lewis? That’s fine.”

“Would you show those folks how to get to Meadowmount?” she asked, pointing at a car with out-of-state tags that was parked across from the Masonic Hall.

“Sure.”

“Good luck!”

I pulled in front of the car and parked. I introduced myself to the driver and explained that they could follow me to Meadowmount. They were grateful.

With 20/20 hindsight I should have realized that I would need to take Route 12 to the Lewis exit on the Northway and then cross over and lead them into Meadowmount from Betty Beavers Truck Stop. But there are a half dozen local routes between Essex and Lewis that would be quicker. It never occurred to me that all of them could be flooded.

They were. And over the next thirty minutes I tried every one only to be stopped at road blocks or unmarked, submerged roads. Staggering. But most heart breaking of all was Whallonsburg, a hamlet of Essex a couple of miles inland from Lake Champlain. The Boquet River flows directly through the middle of Whallonsburg and it had flooded so high that five or six houses along the river were totally inundated. A couple of homes had water up the the second story windows! Emergency services had been set up at The Whallonsburg Grange, and volunteers were directing traffic and assisting displaced residents.

I would revisit this heartbreaking scene the following day during a bicycle ride assessing the damage all along the Boquet River corridor. By then the water had retreated and residents were dragging furniture and carpets and clothing and books and appliances out onto their yards. Over the next couple of days enormous dumpsters were filled with the destroyed possessions. During my most recent conversation with a friend who lives in Whallonsburg I learned that at least one and maybe more of the homes were condemned. Despite the devastation, it’s been heartening to experience the community spirit and volunteerism that have resulted. The community has pulled together to help the residents effected by Irene with a fundraiser (Good Night, Irene) and countless hours of volunteerism.

Still trying to absorb the depressing situation in Whallonsburg I proceeded to attempt one road after another. And it seemed that with each “dead end” our entourage collected another vehicle. In due course our entire caravan made it out to The Northway, hopefully in time for one of the cars to make it to the airport without missing their flight. At Betty Beavers I got out and explained to the first car how to get to Meadowmount and offered them my card in case they got stuck. Only a few days later I received a gracious email from them explaining that they made it safely to the music school where their son had studied some years prior.

I mention this detail for the same reason I explained the community recovery efforts in Whallonsburg. Irene’s proverbial silver lining may be the humanizing influence. People connecting and helping one another. This was also the case last spring when Lake Champlain flooded its banks for weeks on end. In both natural disasters the disruption and destruction were catastrophic, but in both cases effected communities rallied and supported one another. This civic responsibility, this community spirit underpins the attractive North Country lifestyle that has embraced us since moving from New York City to Essex in 2006.

In closing, the photograph at the top of this post was taken after Lake Champlain’s water level rapidly rose due to the runoff from Irene. Although it pales in comparison to the water levels last spring, it was surreal to watch our beach disappear as water levels returned to typical spring levels.

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Pocket
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Reddit
  • Telegram

Explore:

Post Format:

Themes & Topics: Redacting Rosslyn Tags & Keywords: Boathouse, Boquet River, Champlain Valley, Daily Munge, Essex New York, Essex on Lake Champlain, Historic Essex, Hurricane Irene, Lake Champlain, Meadowmount School of Music, North Country New York, Whallonsburg New York, Willsboro New York

Share:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Pocket
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Reddit
  • Telegram

Related:

Reader Interactions

Your thoughts? Cancel reply

Copyright © 2022 · GEO DAVIS

 

Loading Comments...