The Stone House Bed and Breakfast

Valentine's Day Origami

2012-01-30T17:44:00.001-05:00

We like to have fun with our seasonal gifts for guests. Here we're using origami to make small boxes for chocolates; - these come free with your reservation on and around the 14th. (Although we're nearly full both weekends either side of the 14th, there's still good availability on the day - and if you'd like one of these for any booking in February, just call and request one).

Second only to the Virgin Islands........

2012-01-17T13:36:00.003-05:00

We've always said that this area has the potential to grow as a tourist destination. Last year, we were featured as a 'gourmet' destination by the Canadian press, and now the Lonely Planet has rated the Hudson Valley #2 in its top 10 US travel destinations for 2012, (just after the US Virgin Islands). To quote: "It’s a real city break, with leafy drives, wineries and plenty of farm-to-table foodie options that draw even spoiled-for-choice Manhattanites away from the city."

(The photo is of Lake Minnewaska, taken by Sam).

We go green! (It's official)

2011-12-15T11:30:00.012-05:00

Together with seventeen other lodging establishments, we were recently honored at a reception at Belleayre Mountain, as recipients of the Green Concierge© Bronze certification. The program, administered by environmental consulting firm HospitalityGreen LLC, trains and assesses lodging facilities to ensure they meet standards for waste reduction, energy and water conservation, environmentally preferable purchasing, and recycling.

We have all made both small and large changes to meet this standard, e.g. using energy efficient light bulbs, recycling, composting, using non-toxic cleaning products, upgrading sinks, showerheads and toilets to water-conserving models, purchasing recycled-content paper products, and sourcing local produce whenever possible. A tracking tool helps us track measurable environmental improvements.

Evadne Giannini, Founder and CEO of HospitalityGreen LLC, said “..it’s wonderful to see how far they have come. They have been so dedicated to the program and now that they are officially certified, we hope to see the Catskills flourish as an eco-tourist destination.”

It was nice getting a pat on the back, and wonderful to meet some inspirational owners, one of whom also runs a farm! Plus the carrot cake was awesome. Thank you Evadne for arranging that, and for all Hospitality Green's hard work and help.

November Harvest

2011-11-12T15:52:00.004-05:00

We're gathering in the last of the crops from our garden for this year - this is mainly kale for our own use! We've also been drying big bunches of herbs to use in our winter breakfasts. This season we grew a lot of our own flowers for use in the guest rooms too.

Sinterklaas Goes Bi-Coastal

2011-11-09T10:22:00.004-05:00

This is a great free family event, so good to hear it's back on both sides of the river. On Saturday, November 26th there's a full day of activites at the Rondout, which this year is hosting the opening Sinterklaas event. This is where he's sent off on a tugboat to his destination at Rhinecliff. (We all know Santa usually arrives by boat, right?).

Children (accompanied by adults) are invited to a workshop from 12.30 to 2.30pm at ASK at 97 Broadway to make their own bejeweled Crowns & Branches to wear and carry in the parade later. Come and see stars, puppets, music and costumed players. There'll be a reception at the Downtown Visitor's Center after the parade, and a dusk tree lighting ceremony. Read more here!

What would you do?

2011-11-06T17:19:00.004-05:00

ABC News correspondent John Quinones and his fiancee stayed with us this weekend. As you might imagine from his current show "Primetime: What would you do?" John is a gregarious person, with a deep and genuine interest in everyone.....His relaxed manner put everyone at their ease, the conversation flowed, with lots of laughter, and breakfast broke all records by only stopping at noon!
But here's a dilemma: when you have someone well known stay with you, do you ask them for a photo for your blog? Well, we don't always. You can usually tell when someone just wants a quiet break. In this case, we thought it OK to ask, and John graciously accepted. Thank you John, and it was great meeting you.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-30T14:40:00.003-04:00

Well in the last ten days we have been struck by lightning, had a small earthquake and then last Sunday we were hit by Hurricane Irene! We have been very lucky and come through it all unscathed. In this photo you can see the tail end of the storm clouds passing over the corn fields just along at the end of our road. The guests who were here during the storm were very brave and we had an informal party by candlelight on Sunday night - power was restored later that evening. We're celebrating the return of internet access today by posting this blog! Apologies to anyone who's being trying unsuccessfully to contact us in the last couple of days.

Phoenicia International Festival Of The Voice

2011-07-21T08:27:00.003-04:00

August 4, 5, 6, 7, Phoenicia, New York.

http://www.phoeniciavoicefest.com/

1000 Buddhas

2011-07-16T11:20:00.004-04:00

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is a world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist master, a living buddha who embodies wisdom and compassion. His seat in North America is just 12 miles from here, on Overlook Mountain above Woodstock, NY, and is called Karma Triyana Dharmachaktra (KTD). His Holiness will be visiting KTD tomorrow (Sunday) and giving teachings there on Monday and Tuesday. This is only the second time that he has been able to visit North America and you can read about this visit as it happens here. His Holiness the Karmapa will be giving the "Empowerment of 1000 Buddhas" and you can watch the teaching and empowerment here.

Hudson River Photographer

2011-07-11T12:13:00.006-04:00

One of our favorite Wedding Photographers Diane Stredicke has a wonderful spread of photos on her blog of Andrea and James's Fall wedding here at the Stone House. She is a very talented photographer who always captures the personalities of her couples and the joy of the occasion. We have to say that the Stone House and the surrounding country look great too! You can see more of the shoot here:
http://www.hudsonriverphotographer.com.

Eco-Tourism

2011-06-11T23:42:00.014-04:00

As you can see from these two pictures taken the other evening in the nearby Minnewaska State Park Preserve we live in an area of great natural beauty. The Mountain Laurel was blooming and a baby Red Salamander wandered across the trail.

With the Lower Esopus Creek passing through our property, The Catskill Mountains just to the north of us, The Shawangunk Ridge just to the south and the magnificent Hudson River immediately to the east, we are literally surrounded by unique, rich and diverse ecosystems.

We feel that providing accommodations for guests in such an area brings with it a responsibility to protect the environment that we inhabit. So over the last few months we have been working with The Green Concierge Project to gain accreditation for our environmental sustainability practices. Now we have added a page to our website detailing our Environmental Policy. Let us know what you think - any feedback to help us extend this work is very welcome.

Great Press!

2011-06-03T18:38:00.006-04:00

It was early Spring and we had a booking from Eve Dumas, journalist for the quality broadsheet La Presse in Montreal, who had heard great things about Fleisher's in Uptown Kingston and wanted to stay somewhere nearby. Did we have any places to recommend for the gourmet tourist on a trip to the Hudson Valley? We had more than a few, and sent her many links. She visited all of them.
It turns out that her extensive trip encompassed Saratoga Springs down to Tarrytown. The four page article (published April 30th) really celebrated our local area, and one page listed us together with Tuthilltown Spirits, Damon Baehrel at the Basement Bistro, Bedford Post Inn, and Stone Barns, as "Five places to visit in the Hudson Valley". WOW!

The Chef, The Publisher and the Baby Snapping Turtle

2011-05-31T11:32:00.018-04:00

It's been a busy Memorial Day weekend here at The Stone House, and we met many wonderful people. Chef, cookbook author and television personality Sara Moulton and husband Bill came to stay.
“Other TV chefs may own famous restaurants and perform with theatrical flair,” noted TV Guide’s Herma Rosenthal, “but Moulton’s the one you can actually picture popping over to help you fix the lumpy gravy or the fallen soufflé.” Find out more about what Sara is up to, and pick up some great recipes at saramoulton.com .

Also up for the weekend was publisher Jill Schoolman, who runs her own publishing house archipelago books, a not-for-profit press devoted to publishing excellent translations of classic and contemporary world literature. Her spring 2011 catalogue, which you can see in the middle photograph above, features a cover photograph by Jill herself.

Our third featured visitor is a newly hatched Snapping Turtle we found in the garden this morning, trying to head down the bank towards the Esopus Creek. The shell was still soft, and it looked tiny on the palm of our hands. We set it down to continue on its way...

New Flowers, Old Lens

2011-05-25T22:26:00.005-04:00

One evening recently I decided to take a stroll around the garden.

I had a old Dallmeyer lens on my camera, maybe 80 years old.

The soft, warm tones of the old lens seemed to give the new blooms an etherial glow in the damp evening light.

Sometimes it takes an old lens to show us this precious world in a new light. (Sam)

Rekindling enthusiasm for a disappearing art.......

2011-05-23T23:57:00.007-04:00

Recently a certain wedding dress for a certain Royal wedding received a lot of attention. But who knew that the train, all 9 feet of it, was created at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace? Embroiderers also worked on the skirt, changing their needles every three hours and washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep the lace pristine.

Meet Mary Ann Kronk, who is an enthusiast for the fast disappearing art of needlepoint. She has started the Needle Arts Guild of Historic Hudson Valley in Beacon, with the ambitious goal of creating a Guild that will promote, teach, preserve and pass on this unique and creative art form for future generations. Currently she gives workshops in historic settings, such as the Bevier House museum just down the road from us. She is doing a workshop there on July 23rd. Contact us for further information, or check out her site at http://nacientneedle.wordpress.com/

We hope to have needlepoint workshops of our own here soon! Let us know at host@hurleystonehouse.com if you would be interested, and we'll let you know when the workshops will be scheduled.

Spring Flowers In Our Back Yard

2011-04-25T22:59:00.005-04:00

Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt

2011-04-03T22:37:00.004-04:00

Franklin D Roosevelt's home on the Hudson River, in Hyde Park, NY, is about 30 minutes south of us. There is a whole complex of historic sites and trails here to explore.

Chagall in High Falls

2011-03-29T22:37:00.013-04:00

Marc Chagall and Virginia Haggard Mc Neill

The history books tell you that the famous painter Marc Chagall escaped France for New York in 1941, only to return triumphantly to France again in 1949. They tell you that his beloved first wife died here in 1944.
They don't usually tell you he bought a house in High Falls, just a 15 minute drive away from here.
They don't tell you that he lived there from 1946-1948 with Virginia Haggard, or that they had a son. He was very prolific during that time, producing 90 to 100 works, as he rediscovered "the colour of love".
We attended a very interesting lecture by Vivian Jacobson this evening, who worked with Chagall for the last eleven years of his life. It seems that the Dorsky Museum (at SUNY, New Paltz) is putting together a major exhibition to shed light on the significance of his time here, including the importance of his relationship with Virginia. Locals have tales to tell, and much is yet to be discovered. For anyone who loves Chagall's work, this really is quite exciting. We hope to find out more. Watch this space.

Bouquet with Flying Lovers, Marc Chagall 1947

Saugerties Lighthouse

2011-03-26T22:42:00.006-04:00

It's a pleasant evening walk to the Saugerties Lighthouse on the Hudson River. This is the only lighthouse on the river that can be reached on foot, as it's connected to the mainland by a spit of land which is a publicly accessible nature trail. The first lighthouse was built here in 1838, the present one in 1869.

"....we laughed and laughed, and told stories for an hour and a half......."

2011-03-24T22:26:00.005-04:00

We always like to see what our guests say in their reviews and comments and we've just had a really nice review on bedandbreakfast.com that we'd like to share with you:

"We experienced a one night stay at The Stone House B&B in March of 2011. When we arrived we were greeted by Nadia who welcomed us and escorted us to our room. She had a very friendly and well mannered character. She offered us a brief tour and history of the House. We gladly accepted, and off we were learning about the restoration challenges and actual history of the House. We were intrigued by the details, architecture, and building methods of the time the House was built. Original fireplaces, pots, floor boards (12" wide), ceiling joists, 15"+ thick stone and cement walls, single pane glass windows, and even bathtubs truly made this place feel like you were living in the past. The room we settled in, was "The Lacemaker". We could not stop looking around, wide eyed and mouths open, and whispering..."Babe! Look at this!", "Hun, Check this out!” The place was beautiful, very well maintained, wonderfully restored, and extremely clean. Nine AM breakfast was a very unexpected experience. The food (emphasis on the bread and coffee) was so good, we couldn't stop eating. It tasted and felt so home cooked and right off the land. The company we had at the table (guests) made an unforgettable impression on us. We laughed and laughed, and told stories for an hour and a half. The room we were in contributed greatly to our moods and set the stage for a relaxed and friendly time at the table. Sam, who attended the table was such a well mannered and sophisticated gentleman, who just like Nadia, made the whole place and experience feel personal and one of a kind. We could not stop thinking about our experiences at The Stone House Bed and Breakfast. We felt so grateful for people like Nadia and Sam who take on challenges to preserve the past and provide our generation an unsurpassed place to stay. A place that that outlives and exceeds, service, locale, price, quality, and feel of any mainstream hotel out there. Yes, we’re are going back for more."

Many thanks to all our guests who write reviews. You can see more here:
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com
and here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com

Things found, things unknown

2011-03-18T23:36:00.006-04:00

This is the doll, 3 1/2 inches high, that we found behind forties sheetrock, in what is now the Lacemaker room. We often wonder if Olive (see below) hid this keepsake from her childhood there, for future owners to find......
Next to her are various objects found in a cigar box in the attic. This cigar box is intriguing to us because it's the only thing we have found that has ties with her life in Kingston, when she was still living with both her father and mother. (She would later live with her mother's family in this house).
Behind the doll, on the toy bench, is a 1925 membership card for her father Harry H. Clearwater, for the Rondout masonic lodge in Kingston. Also in the box is a 1927 newsletter for a different Kingston Lodge, which lists Alphonso T. Clearwater as the Lodge's "Historiographer".
Alphonso T. Clearwater (1848-1933) was a judge on the New York Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and is also known for being an important collector of early American silver. Was Olive related to him? That we don't yet know.

Olive Clearwater

2011-03-14T12:12:00.008-04:00

Here are two photos we have of Olive Clearwater. The bottom one was possibly taken in the 1930s, with the southwestern side of the house in the background, the top one possibly in the 1940s. In the early 20th century, this was her grandparents' house, and she came to live here with her mother when she was a girl, eventually owning it herself and remaining here until she died, in the 1990s. Olive was an avid historian, and she received a 'Pride of Ulster County' award in 1986 for her book "Hurley in the Days of Slavery", which she wrote together with fellow Town Historian John J. Hofler. Through her maternal line, Olive could trace her ancestry back to the Olivers in the mid 19th century, who were in some way related to the original Kool/Cole family who originally built the house.

Lots of Links with Historic Hugenot Street

2011-03-06T17:53:00.016-05:00

In the 17th century, before the British came to this part of North America, the Dutch established Wiltwijck (now Kingston) in 1651, and Nieuw Dorp (now Hurley) in 1662. In 1678, a few French-speaking Hugenot families struck out on their own, and left Wiltwijck and our very own Nieuw Dorp(Hurley) to found New Paltz.
Now, the Historic Hugenot Street in New Paltz (just half an hour away) offers 6 acres of a National Historic Landmark that features seven unique houses that date to the early 1700s - a great place to visit.
So why do we mention this? Well, the way the Dutch and the Hugenots built their houses was very similar. And this Saturday, at the Historic Huguenot Street the curator/administrator for the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art will give an insider's glimpse of the way the Dutch room there (pictured above) was acquired and installed.
And why do we mention that?! Well, we're restoring a room on the ground floor of this house (scroll down to see 'Groote Kamer' below and the recent photo in our local Daily Freeman paper) that's now got a huge early fireplace in the same style.....The enormous hood was hand-crafted by William McMillen (top photo, left), who's an acquaintance of ours, and he made the one for the Metropolitan Museum of Art too!

Hudson Valley Thaw

2011-03-02T11:34:00.005-05:00

As you can see in the little video above the Hudson Valley is gradually thawing out after a very snowy winter. The first few shots in the video were taken at Awosting Falls in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, one of the highest waterfalls in the area with a drop of 60'. The last few shots were taken from the Walkway Over The Hudson , the last shot looking downstream towards the Mid-Hudson Bridge.

Video Blogging!

2011-02-18T23:59:00.005-05:00

So, in order to show you folks even more of the wonderful house and gardens, what goes on here and the great activities in the area, we have decided to add HD video to our blog. Here is our first test post, the Esopus Creek running through our garden as the snow begins to melt.

Esther and Jared

2011-02-13T21:42:00.006-05:00

A wonderful group of people celebrated Valentine's Day weekend with us this morning. It was a chance to relax and enjoy good company, and an excuse to eat pecan waffles with chocolate ganache, and custards with fresh raspberries, and strawberries dipped in (even more) chocolate. Esther is a photographer who works for the NFL. We feel quite blessed by the people who visit this house, and we think you can see by the warmth and joy in Jared's and Esther's smiles just what we mean. Check out some of Esther's vibrant portraits here: www.esthernisanova.com/ .

Dutch Babies

2011-02-07T15:48:00.003-05:00

For a delicious breakfast, 'Dutch Babies', or small Baked German Pancakes, never fail to impress. Made from an eggy batter baked in the oven in cast iron skillets, the mixture puffs up to great heights and becomes golden and crisp around the edges. Timing is everything as it has to be served immediately, invariably starting to collapse the instant it is whisked from the oven.

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup all-pupose flour

pinch salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 400-450F.

Butter four small 6 inch skillets.

Beat the eggs thoroughly in a mixing bowl and blend in the milk. Slowly sift the flour and salt into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Add the melted butter and mix briskly until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the skillets and bake for 15 minutes.

While you're waiting, get the lemon juice and sugar ready - you don't want to lose a second once they're out of the oven!

Take the pancakes out of the skillets and sprinkle with lemon juice (not too much!) and dust with powdered sugar.

Serve immediately.

Pellegrino

2011-02-01T14:59:00.002-05:00

We like to have a complimentary bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling natural mineral water in each room when guests arrive. As well as tasting really good it looks great!

Meet the Murrays

2011-01-16T11:25:00.007-05:00

Meet the Murrays, from Philadelphia, who stayed with us this weekend. It was the first time the children had been cross country skiing, and they had a great time on the Saturday learning at Mountain Trails cross country ski center in Tannersville in the Catskills. This has all the equipment you'll need ready for hire. With 35 kilometers of patrolled and groomed trails, marked to their degree of difficulty, it's the perfect place to get to know this sport. Lessons are offered too.
On the Sunday, they went to the Mohonk Preserve in the Shawangunk mountains just south of us. The Visitor Center there has daily updated information on which trails have been groomed. For hiring equipment for the Shawangunks and local trails, Rock and Snow in New Paltz is definitely the place to go, but get there early, as they don't take reservations!
For experienced cross country skiers who can lay their own trails, the Hurley Rail Trail adjoins our property and offers 10 miles of a gently sloping gradient all the way to High Falls, with many parking options where roads intersect it, for exploring shorter sections only. High Falls offers great places to eat, and a range of gift and antique shops to reward the intrepid traveller.

Snow

2011-01-08T17:34:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year !!

2011-01-02T22:35:00.010-05:00

Happy New Year!! It's been a wonderful season and we'd like to wish all our friends and visitors a healthy, happy and prosperous 2011. In only our second full season, so many of you returned, and we're honored. This house certainly wouldn't be the same without you.......there's still a lot of heritage to uncover here and the renovation continues, albeit at a slower rate. There are also facts to gather, artifacts to catalogue, and books to be written. We hope to share more of the house's history with you this season on our blog!

Baked apples with cranberry coulis

2010-12-16T21:22:00.006-05:00

This tastes of.......well, this time of year. It tastes of festive lights and frosty mornings and mulled wine. It's baked apples with a filling of raisins and craisins soaked in a little rum, processed briefly with nuts, and topped with streusel. And then you pour cranberry coulis around it, which is nothing more than a cup of fresh cranberries, another of orange juice, just a little sugar and some cinnamon, heated, and pressed through a sieve. Delicious!

The Plenty Of Hurley

2010-12-12T23:01:00.007-05:00

Harold Donaldson Eberlein (1875 - 1942) was a prolific writer. This passage appears in Historic Houses of the Hudson Valley, published 1942, but likely published for the first time around 1915.

"Old Hurley is just as Dutch as Dutch can be......Hurley cheeses and Kingston refugees have given Hurley most of its renown in the outside world. So plentiful and so famous at one time were the former, that Hurley was popularly credited with having "cheese-mines." The "pot-cheeses" of Hurley were much esteemed by Kingston folk and there grew up a brisk trade in this toothsome commodity.......The following old Dutch verses, done into English by a local antiquary, tell of plenty at Hurley, not only of pot cheese but of many other kinds of foodstuffs as well;-

What shall we do with the wheat bread do?
Eat it with the cheese from Hurley.
What shall we with the pancakes do?
Dip them in the syrup of Hurley.
What shall we with the cornmeal do?
That comes from round about Hurley?
Johnnycake bake, both sweet and brown,
With green cream cheese from Hurley.

Does this not reflect the reign of peace, plenty and contentment? The old Dutch, indeed, is truly realistic as the question comes "Wat zullen wij met die pannekoeken doen?", and at the answer, "Doop het met die stroop van Horley," one involuntarily licks his chops over the dripping sweetness of "die stroop". "

Sinterklaas is coming to town

2010-11-30T16:47:00.003-05:00

Rhinebeck has a Sinterklaas extravaganza on this Saturday 4th December which revives (amongst other things) some of the ways the 17th century Dutch would have celebrated St. Nicholas' Day, December 6th. This is a great cross-cultural community event that seeks to put creativity and authenticity before the commercialization of the holiday season.

Shows and other events take place all day and into the evening. The Starlight Parade draws on any and every tradition including ancient Winter Solstice celebrations. Who's in it this year? Well, there's Sinterclaas on his white horse, the Grumpuses (his wild sidekicks ), the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (which dates back to the 11th century), St. George and the Dragon, and a Snow Goose, to name but a few. We'll be baking some authentic Dutch Spekulaas cookies for our guests this weekend to honor this time of year.

"If you have never experienced a town fully immersed in celebreation - that would be most of us - this would be something magnificent to observe and participate in..." The Huffington Post

Fall wedding.......

2010-11-12T15:27:00.005-05:00

Our garden, perched high above the Esopus Creek, made a perfect spot for the wedding this October of Andrea and James, from Minnesota.

"Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you."

(Native American)

We wish both of them every happiness. Thank you for sharing this very special day with us!

An Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black Special Edition and a Hudson Valley photo shoot

2010-10-27T23:08:00.006-04:00

Back in May, we looked out and saw the MOST beautiful car we'd ever seen parked on our drive. Nadia would admit that cars aren't her strong point, but there was no mistaking that this one was a cut above the rest. The style of it just blew her away....what was it??? Turns out it really was a 2010 Aston Martin, a DBS Carbon Black Special Edition no less, on loan to Stephen Walker, the Photo Director of Nylon mag. He stayed with us one weekend and took the DBS on a photoshoot in the Hudson Valley. This is a very, very special car.......thanks for letting us take the photos and have a closer look! You can feast your eyes on more at http://www.astonmartin.com/.

We thought we'd share this on the day that James Bond's 1964 DB5 sold for a cool $4 million (all proceeds going to charity) - here's the film clip where 007 gets the car. Just don't touch the red button.....

"Groote Kamer" (Great Room)

2010-10-22T12:32:00.013-04:00

We have been working hard to restore what we are calling the "Groote Kamer" or Great Room. Located on the ground floor, with it's own drive, patio and entrance, the 22' x 17' room features the remains of an 18th Century Dutch "jambless" fireplace, glorious wide plank floors, a reproduction panelled board wall enclosing the bathroom, enormous beams and the original wide plank ceiling.

This is a room that's still evolving. Eventually the outside door will be a reproduction Dutch door (the kind that's cut in half horizontally), and the fireplace hood is being reconstructed as we speak......The beautiful hand crafted chandelier comes from Hurley Patentee Lighting, which is actually right next door to us! The Patentee Manor was the next house that the original Kool/Cole family went on to build after this one, so it's especially appropriate for our lighting to come from there, and wonderful that their designs are so authentic.

Meet Molly and Alex

2010-09-25T22:36:00.005-04:00

Meet Molly and Alex, who stayed with us this week, just as the foliage was starting to turn. They had a great time exploring the area, and picked two pecks of apples! Molly Sawyer is a sculptor whose work you can see here. You can also see it if you happen to be in or near Jersey City the first weekend in October, for the 11th Annual Open Studio Tour Weekend. Thanks both of you for being great company.

Levon Helm Free Concert at Gills Farm

2010-09-14T22:34:00.002-04:00

We just heard - Levon Helm and his band will once again be playing a Free Concert right here in Hurley, NY, at Gills Farm Stand on Route 209 on SUNDAY OCTOBER 17th. Come on over!
Last year:
http://stonehousebandb.blogspot.com/2009/10/hurley-fun.html
Great review and pictures and set list for the Mountain Jam appearance earlier this year:
http://mountainjamblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/levon-friends-review-pictures.html

11th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble

2010-09-12T21:15:00.004-04:00

The Hudson River Valley Ramble celebrates the history, culture and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, as well as the amazing landscape, communities, and trails throughout the region. What began as a modest event that was held during one weekend in September, has grown in popularity and in numbers over the years. This year, the Ramble takes places over three weekends in September.

Guided walks on 9/18 include 'Birding for Late Risers' at Minnewaska Lake and looking at wildlife on the Esopus by Saugerties. There's also a 'Panther Mountain History Hike' in the Catskills, taking in Giant Ledge and the summit.

On 9/24 there's a 'Harvest Moonwalk' on the railtrail between New Paltz and Highland, and on 9/25 there's 'Exploring the railtrail in Rosendale' and 'The Rondout National Historic District Walking Tour' - the Rondout is now part of Kingston, but was once its own important port, with large paddle steamers and mountains of coal from the many barges that docked there.

All these are 15-30 minutes away from us. There are many more to choose from, and also several kayak trips. Let someone else plan your day for you and just relax into the landscape and the company!

For more details, visit http://www.hudsonrivervalleyramble.com/

Harvest

2010-09-03T13:15:00.002-04:00

Basil, rhubarb, beans, elderberries, tomatoes, black walnuts, rainbow chard and gladioli.......

Cyclists extraordinaire

2010-08-30T12:25:00.005-04:00

Meet Tim and Flavia, from Boston. They decided to explore the Shawangunk Ridge, cycling first to High Falls, then on to New Paltz over the ridge via Rosendale, with a well-earned rest at the Waterstreet Market. Having been told in the cycle shop there that there was no way they could go back up using the steep route with 3 gear bikes, they did it anyway! From the top of the ridge, they found a great way down through the Mohonk Preserve, taking in the 'Million Dollar View' at Spring Farm Trailhead, and then later using the railtrail that goes from High Falls right up to our house. They had a fantastic time and recommend this route to anyone with mountain or hybrid bikes......and maybe a few more than 3 gears!

New ways, old ways

2010-08-25T20:52:00.006-04:00

What could be more traditional than freshly baked bread for breakfast? Most mornings we include this now, and it's making everyone very happy indeed ..... but this is not traditionally made bread.

It's a new way of baking that's been around a couple of years, that doesn't require kneading. A wet dough is mixed with enough ingredients for at least four pound loaves, and is then left a couple of hours to rise before being placed in the fridge, where it can be left for up to two weeks. Every time you want to bake, you scoop out a portion, shape it briefly, and leave it for a while before baking. That's it!

The recipes we're using right now come from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg MD. Zoe trained at our very own Culinary Institute of America, 30 minutes away in Hyde Park. Check out Zoe's website! Our favorites right now are Betsy's Seeded Oat Bread (above) and the 100% Whole Wheat and Flaxseed Bread. Certianly the tastiest way of getting your Omega-3s. Yum.

Sunset at Ashokan

2010-08-02T20:09:00.004-04:00

Nothing much to add really... just wanted to share the view. The Ashokan reservoir with the Catskill Mountains, about 5 miles from here.

Music, sweet music

2010-07-26T23:27:00.004-04:00

Patti Lupone stayed with us this month, together with her team, for the Bellayre music festival. It was great, such a treat for us. We got to go to the concert and enjoy her fabulous company, and she got to relax a little despite her hectic schedule. 'Coulda, woulda, shoulda' was a great showcase for all her talents, and we're looking forward to her returning to the festival next year.

See Patti's 'Ramblings from the Road' if you want to get a sense of her larger-than-life warm-hearted, fun-loving, passionate persona......and take a look at this video of her at the 2008 Tony awards to see her give her all and wow the crowds......This weekend you can catch her celebrating Sondheim's 80th birthday with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. We love you Patti!

Back home, Steve Reich is in town this weekend! That's to say, he's 20 minutes down the road in West Hurley by Woodstock, at the historic Maverick concert hall, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his seminal work Drumming (1970). Steve Reich and Musicians will be joined by NEXUS and So Percussion to perform this and other seminal works from the 70s, as well as Nagoya Marimbas (1994).

Ebelskiver or Poffertjes?

2010-07-23T19:56:00.008-04:00

Nadia writes:

We found a cast iron pan at a market in Red Hook two years ago. I always wondered what it was, and then saw the Danish filled-pancake pan in a Williams-Sonoma catalogue, and realised it was for making Ebelskiver, a kind of baked donut you make on the stove top. Although ours has hearts, it's the same size and has the same seven deep wells. This was exciting, I researched the recipes and had a lot of fun experimenting with fillings (fruit, chocolate, nutella)......but, at the end of the day, they were all too 'doughy'. The light, whipped egg white texture was wonderful, but the taste wasn't quite right.

So, seeing as we're a Dutch house, I tried Poffertjes, a traditional Dutch meal. The authentic pans for Poffertjes have smaller wells and more of them, but I decided my pan would do just fine. They're a yeasted buckwheat pancake mix, traditionally served with strawberries and whipped cream, and dusted with powdered sugar. No filling, just very puffy. They taste really good. And today I wondered, do I dare make Poffertjes with a filling.....?

........After a hard evening's recipe testing, Sam and I can confirm that Poffertjes do indeed work with fillings, specifically, two Ghirardelli's 60% bittersweet chocolate drops. We think we might have next Valentine's Day breakfast sorted. It will, of course, take much more recipe testing between now and then to get it just right........

New Trailways Website

2010-07-17T23:28:00.003-04:00

So you want to know how to get from the Port Authority in New York City, to the Trailways bus terminal in Kingston, NY (a couple of miles away from our house - so we can come and pick you up) and thus get here without a car? At last there is a simple website with the answer.

Fresh Local Flowers

2010-07-16T20:18:00.008-04:00

We like to have fresh local flowers around the house every day, sometimes homegrown, sometimes from local farms and florists. Nadia picked up the beauties in the top photograph this afternoon from Gill's Farm Stand on Hurley Mountain Road, about one mile from here, where they were grown. The exotics in the lower photograph may not have been grown quite so locally, but they are from our favorite local florists, Green Cottage in nearby High Falls. You can see the Green Cottage video here.

Wildlife In Our Garden

2010-07-09T15:59:00.002-04:00

Here are two Pileated Woodpeckers we saw in our garden today. The young one was learning to find food, ably demonstrated by its parent, who had found a lot of bugs in one of the large sugar maple trees at the front of our house. They left quite a mess of wood on the lawn. Hopefully the tree doesn't mind......a lot of bushes and trees are stressed right now, due to lack of rain, so we're actually hoping there'll be thunderstorms soon! These birds were breathtaking to watch, with the tree just a couple of yards away from our breakfast room.

Stone House Day

2010-07-04T14:24:00.004-04:00

Yes - it's that time of year again. Next Saturday, July 10th is Stone House Day here in Hurley, New York. For more information go here. Come and visit our historic village!

Fireworks

2010-06-25T21:47:00.004-04:00

There are floral fireworks in our garden at this time of year - like these delicate Hollyhocks, reminding us of cottage gardens back in England (we are both from the UK). The Hollyhocks are doing very well this year and some are reaching enormous proportions!

Also fresh from our garden - blackcurrants and whitecurrants, as seen here in Nadia's "black and white cheesecake". We've picked 10 lbs of blackcurrants from just four bushes, which equals about twenty pounds of jam...hard to believe they were just four small sticks in the ground two years ago when we planted them.

As for the real fireworks: - you can start the July 4th weekend early by enjoying a firework display at the Rondout waterfront in nearby Kingston, NY, this Sunday June 27th. The street festival starts at 4pm and includes live music - the fireworks start at 9.30pm.

2010-06-19T12:22:00.002-04:00

This weekend visit Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Steve Earle, Shawn Colvin, David Broberg Quartet, Pete Seeger, Joan Osborne, Buckwheat Zydeco, Subdudes, Keller Williams, Railroad Earth, Donna The Buffalo. 7 Stages with live music and performance artists!

Timo Weiland

2010-06-17T23:37:00.002-04:00

The very talented Mr Timo Weiland came to stay last weekend. We've only just discovered his website, and it is the very coolest thing on earth, which you absolutely must see. Timo is also the perfect gentleman, in that he will turn around and drive back to return a room key, even if he is half-way home. Thank you very much Timo, and please come back soon!

Timefest!

2010-05-29T10:17:00.004-04:00

This coming weekend June 5th and 6th, the Timefest comes to Kingston, with re-enactments of Dutch colonial history, boats, food samplings, walking tours, art competitions, music and dance, and free tours of the Senate house museum in the historical uptown area on both days.

The uptown Kingston farmers market on Saturday morning will be even more lively than usual with its own special events. Transportation - the 'history jitney' - will be provided to the many other events midtown, and downtown by the Rondout riverfront. Not to be missed! (Dawn and Rob, is that you in the photo?)

Top Chef

2010-05-26T22:38:00.005-04:00

Guess who the gentleman on the left is, staying with us last weekend with his lovely partner? If you're in LA visit his new restaurant The Gorbals , which sounds amazing. Don't know what he thought of our breakfast, but he finished everything and asked us how we made our green tomato chutney, which has to be a good sign.......

For those of you who've told us you follow our blog, apologies for the recent lack of entries. We've been busy. The Art of Painting has a new bathroom, the garden has a new herbaceous border and fruit trees, The Girl with the Pearl Earring room has a TV/DVD (which you can discretely hide in a 19th century trunk if that's too modern for you), and the second kitchen (the one with the cauldron and the beehive oven) is being limewashed. As well as that, a first floor room is getting its original 17th century jambless fireplace restored. We'll share photos soon.......just as soon as we get a moment.....

A Special Day

2010-02-16T21:51:00.003-05:00

We're beginning to realise that we are part of a very small and select group of 18th Century Dutch barns and houses dotted up and down the Hudson Valley that people crave as wedding venues or as places for their families to stay. It was charming to see these two at Marisa and Jon's wedding last Fall walking through our herb garden. The house and grounds seem to be a natural venue for wedding photography.

Conserving The Fireback

2010-01-31T21:12:00.003-05:00

This is the fireback in our front room fireplace - recently restored using a special wax. It is probably mid-eighteenth century. It could be from the Netherlands, but could also have been made in America. Firebacks were very common in Colonial fireplaces, increasing the efficiency of the fire by reflecting the heat back into the room.

Ours seems to depict the king of the gods, Zeus, in an angry mood, gathering clouds and throwing thunderbolts. In Greek mythology, Zeus didn't want humans to have fire, so Prometheus stole it and gave it to them so that they could keep warm and cook, and defend themselves from animals.

On the left you can see two eagles. Eagles are associated with Zeus but might also refer to the way that, in his fury, he tied Prometheus up and had eagles peck his liver out, because Prometheus seemed to value friendship with humans more than reverence for the king of the gods. Being immortal himself, Prometheus' liver continually grew back only to be pecked out again and again........but he was eventually rescued.......In Aeschylus's play 'Prometheus Bound', this myth is used to portray how friendship is morally superior to tyranny.

We think it's an interesting connection, fire and friendship - after all, an open hearth fire evokes feelings of companionship and warmth.....and better to muse on that than worry about being struck by thunderbolts!

The Walkway Over The Hudson

2009-12-27T23:56:00.002-05:00

Here is the view yesterday of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, with freshly forming ice in the Hudson River, as seen from the new Walkway Over The Hudson State Park. Even on a gray winter's day the view is spectacular. The Walkway, once the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, is well worth a visit....... As the New York Times reported on Oct 6, 2009:

"the latest example of the new kinds of infrastructure for tourism and recreation that are reshaping the Hudson Valley."

Adrien Grenier and The Honey Brothers

2009-12-03T23:13:00.004-05:00

Adrien Grenier, star of the hit comedy HBO series Entourage , and The Honey Brothers stayed at The Stone House for 10 days recently while working on their new record with Grammy award winning producer Malcolm Burn in his Kingston, NY, studio. Adrien is the drummer for the band. Andrew Vladeck and D.S. Posner are standing next to the beehive oven outside the house. Check out their music!

Opening the Beehive Oven

2009-11-09T13:30:00.003-05:00

Our friend Jim came round to dinner last night and persuaded us to open up the beehive oven.....it was exciting, and didn't take too long. First the bricks blocking the front of the oven came out, and then we swept out about 3 bucket-fulls of old ash and mortar. The oven is about 4 feet deep! The flue is just above the opening, and peering up we could see how it joined the chimney.

There was more, though - just infront of the oven there's supposed to be a chute into which you sweep the ashes (after the fire has burnt itself out and made the oven warm, before you place the bread etc. inside for baking).....This chute slopes down to the right, so that when you sweep the ashes into it, they are deposited into the main firebox, at ground level. Bricks had to be removed at the top and bottom of this chute, but inbetween them was just loose dirt, river stones and rubbish, including some silk stockings and bits of newspaper dated 1934! Now all we need to do is repair the chimney, repair the inside of the oven, and find an oven door. This requires someone small enough and willing enough to crawl inside.........any volunteers?

The Stone House In The Fall

2009-10-27T13:37:00.004-04:00

Some of the trees here have now lost their leaves. But this just opens up the views.

Farmer John Gill on his tractor

2009-10-25T17:18:00.003-04:00

Until the end of October you can go for beautiful hay rides in a wagon pulled by this tractor along the far side of the Esopus Creek behind our house. The rides start from Gill's Farm Stand at the end of our road. Watch out for ghosts, monsters and witches......and just lift your feet up when he fords the creek!

Hurley Fun

2009-10-11T20:10:00.003-04:00

Mr Levon Helm walks to the stage at The Levon Helm Band's free concert at Gill's Farm, Hurley NY this afternoon.

Farmer John Gill prepares to fire his pumpkin cannon with a 97-foot-long barrel that shoots pumpkins nearly 1 mile at a speed of 600 miles per hour.

The audience for the gig stretches into the Pumpkin Patch.

It was a beautiful Fall afternoon here on the banks of the Esopus, just a few hundred yards from our house. We were told "Levon doesn't have his voice today, but it will be back!", and it was a great show anyway. Everyone loved it, it was a privilege to be there. Thank you Levon!

Levon Helm Band at Gill's Farm this Sunday

2009-10-09T18:31:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again. The Fall Farm Festival at Gill's Farm Stand on Route 209 - walking distance from our house! The Levon Helm Band is playing a Free Concert on Sunday, October 11th, from 2-4 pm. http://www.levonhelm.com/john_gill_farm.htm

Last years concert: http://stonehousebandb.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-levon-helm-concert.html

The Making of Electric Dirt, his latest album: http://www.levonhelm.com/electric_dirt.htm

High Falls

2009-10-05T21:57:00.003-04:00

These photographs are from the "Country Seats Tour" (see last post). They were all taken yesterday in High Falls, NY - about 5 miles from here.

The bottom picture is The Jacob Hasbrouck House. Jacobus B. Hasbrouck, a descendant of one of the 12 French Huguenot patentees of New Paltz, built this house some time before 1797. Hasbrouck, who was from a wealthy family with large landholdings, owned and operated a grist mill on nearby Rondout Creek. Beginning as a two-room house, with a kitchen wing added later, the house has Georgian characteristics such as a center hall and plastered ceilings. Georgian features in Huguenot houses outside of New Paltz are not uncommon. Signs of a granary door still exist on the west gable end.

The middle picture is of The Elmendorf Barn. This traditional Dutch timber-framed barn was built in 1851 by James Henry Elmendorf on land owned and lived on by the Elmendorf family since at least the late 18th century. The barn’s framework of massive posts and beams leads the eye to the soaring rafters above, echoing the vaulted nave and side aisles of Gothic cathedrals. The anchor beam of the middle bent was recycled from an earlier Dutch American barn. Late Dutch timber-framed barns are rare and this example testifies to the persistence of the Dutch tradition well into the 19th century.

The top most photograph is of the proud owner inside the Van Wagenen House. The Van Wagenen House was built in the late 18th century, replacing a house that may have dated to 1682. It was likely built as one unit except for the kitchen addition on the south end gable wall. The enclosed staircase is original. With its symmetrical façade–a door in the center leading to a spacious central hall, it is a classic example of a Dutch house with a strong Georgian influence. The house has been meticulously restored.

What's Dutch

2009-10-03T22:58:00.003-04:00

Hudson River Heritage and Hudson Valley Vernacular Architecture combined forces this weekend to present the "21st Annual Country Seats Tour. Dutch-American Rural Architecture– from Hurley to High Falls –Ulster County, NY." We were honored to be part of this tour today and met many interesting people visiting our house. The tour continues tomorrow and you can learn more about it here: Whats Dutch .

Woodstock Film Festival

2009-10-01T00:38:00.005-04:00

10 miles up the mountain from here - The 10th annual Woodstock Film Festival will take place September 30th-October 4th, 2009. The “fiercely independent” festival includes more than 150 films, panels, concerts and special events in Woodstock and the neighboring towns of Kingston, Rhinebeck and Rosendale. For more information visit: http://www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/ .

The 10th Annual Woodstock Fillm Festival will present the World Premiere of Guy Jacobson and Adi Ezroni's REDLIGHT, Sunday October 4, 7:00pm at the Bearsville Theater. Narrator and producer Lucy Liu will be in attendance for Q&A. Ms. Liu will also partake in the ACTOR'S PANEL with Vera Farmiga, Sunday, October 4, 12:00pm at Utopia Studios at the Bearsville Complex.

Grant and Tamara

2009-09-27T22:12:00.004-04:00

Staying at The Stone House last weekend: Grant and Tamara. Grant is a painter and apparel designer for GAP. Tamara makes sculptures, you can see them here: http://www.tamarazahaykevich.com/ .

The Milkmaid visits Manhattan

2009-09-12T22:29:00.006-04:00

Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632–1675) painted The Milkmaid about 1657/8. To mark the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage from Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum has lent the painting to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art in New York. Find out more about the exhibition here: http://www.metmuseum.org/ .

While you're at the Met visit the New York Dutch Room, 1751 (Bethlehem, New York), the top image above, which is in The New American Wing: http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/american_decorative_arts/period_rooms.aspx#03

High Point - Catskills

2009-09-07T22:58:00.000-04:00

The Catskill Mountains look beautiful at this time of year.

Meet your local farmers!

2009-09-05T17:59:00.002-04:00

Joanne Michaels with her new book Hudson River Valley Farms at the Woodstock and New Paltz Arts and Craft Fair today. Meet your local farmers! The book details 44 varied farms in the valley, including many that are open to the public.

http://www.joannemichaels.com/

Blueberries turning red

2009-09-04T16:53:00.002-04:00

The nearby Shawangunk Ridge is an extraordinary environment. In this picture taken at sunset yesterday we can see wild blueberries in the foreground growing in a crevice in the hard conglomerate rock that makes up the ridge, surrounded by a "dwarf pine barren" - a very rare environment. In the fall the Blueberry plants turn bright red. You can get great views from here across to the Catskill Mountains.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawangunk_Ridge

http://www.shawangunkridge.org/

http://shawangunks.org/

http://www.mohonkpreserve.org/

Our Backyard

2009-09-02T14:09:00.000-04:00

Nadia Kayaking on the Esopus Creek at the bottom of our backyard this afternoon.

Esopus Bend

2009-09-01T22:29:00.001-04:00

http://esopuscreekconservancy.org/

The Ashokan from Overlook

2009-08-31T22:06:00.002-04:00

About 7 miles away from us, up into the Catskill State Park, lies the Ashokan Reservoir. Started in 1908 at that time it was the largest man-made reservoir in the world and the main water supply for New York city, 90 miles to the south. Here you can see it from Overlook Mountain, near Woodstock, a great hiking spot about 20 minutes away from us by car.

Flowers in our Garden

2009-08-30T12:14:00.001-04:00

18th Century Delft Tile

2009-08-29T22:20:00.002-04:00

One of a set of tiles above one of the fireplaces in our house.

A Great Review

2009-08-26T13:45:00.002-04:00

It's been crazy busy here through August, with bookings almost every night and full on the weekends. We have been amazed at how thoroughly many of our guests have studied our website. One lady staying last night had been following this blog for almost a year! Some have very kindly written reviews of our B & B on various websites, like this wonderful one we discovered yesterday:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g47942-d1466964-r36248217-The_Stone_House_Bed_and_Breakfast-Hurley_New_York.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

Stone House Day 2009 in Hurley, NY

2009-07-06T21:00:00.004-04:00

This is part of the interior of the Hyman Roosa, Elmendorf, Bevier Stone House, with additions and alterations, Main Street, Old Village of Hurley, Ulster County, NY. This part of the house is thought to date from about 1710. The house is owned by our friend Jim, who as you can see is doing fantastic work restoring it. You can tour the house next Saturday when it is open to the public. You can see a larger version of the photograph here: http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=3696388318&size=large

At The Stone House Bed and Breakfast we will also be open for "Stone House Day" on Saturday 11th July 2009. This is the annual event here in Hurley, NY, where many of the local houses built in the early 1700's are open to the public. This year is the 60th anniversary of Stone House Day. To learn more visit the website:

http://www.stonehouseday.org/

Hudson's ship the Halve Maen (Half Moon)

2009-06-11T11:27:00.003-04:00

The replica of Henry Hudsons ship which he sailed up what is now known as the Hudson River in 1609 off Rhinecliffe NY. The sloop Clearwater in the background. You can learn more about the Half Moon here: http://www.hrmm.org/halfmoon/1609moon.htm

And the Clearwater here: http://www.clearwater.org/ .

This picture was taken yesterday at a Hudson River Heritage event as the Half Moon came up to Rhinecliffe and the Rondout at Kingston to celebrate the 400 hundredth anniversary of Hudson's voyage. You can learn more about Hudson River Heritage here: http://hudsonriverheritage.org/ .

"The Lacemaker" room, circa 1700-1720, now available

2009-06-07T23:36:00.006-04:00

Our earliest guest room, The Lacemaker, is now completely finished and available. It is quite possibly the oldest guest room in New York state that you can stay in. The first guests experienced it this weekend and loved it. For more details see here: http://hurleystonehouse.com/Lacemaker.html

Quadricentennial - The Hudson Valley marks historic 1609 voyage

2009-04-21T22:17:00.005-04:00

Here in the Hudson Valley it's an auspicious time to be in an early Dutch-American house. This year marks the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage in 1609, sponsored by the Dutch East India Company, when he discovered the river that now bears his name. He sailed across the Atlantic and up the river in "de Halve Maen" as far as present day Albany looking for a western route from Europe to China and India. Although Hudson was English, he was sailing for the Dutch, so his discovery laid the foundation for a claim by them on this area of North America. He was followed by Dutch explorers and merchants, who established New Amsterdam on Manhattan around 1625, spreading out from there into the Hudson Valley and across to the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers. The English took control of the the New Netherlands in 1664 but the Dutch influence here lasted well into the 18th Century. We are very lucky to live and work in a house that exemplifies this influence today, and to be in a position to share it with guests in this quadricentenial celebration year.

For an extensive list of some of the signature events taking place up and down the Hudson Valley this year, along with listings for museums and historic sites hosting related exhibits try http://www.exploreny400.com/, or http://www.hudson400.com/.

Mistress and Maid

2009-04-10T22:37:00.002-04:00

At last the final touches have been added to the Mistress and Maid room and we've had our first visitors staying there. Perhaps what took the longest was the hand-made quilt which Nadia had fun with over the winter (there are great quilting shops nearby in Woodstock and Kingston). The room has a Scandinavian feel, with a small hand painted armoire, white bed and pale rug on the original painted wide-plank floor boards. There is a c. 1810 mahogany reeded leg Pembroke table and the final element was a grained white Swedish Queen Anne style chair that we picked up last week in nearby Hudson - a great place to find furniture with over 70 antique shops.

Ellery

2009-04-07T10:55:00.008-04:00

The wonderful and talented Cincinnati based duo Ellery came to stay this last night. Ellery is comprised of husband-wife team Tasha and Justin Golden, who released their debut record as Ellery in 2006. Reviews have identified Ellery's dynamic indie-pop style as "emotionally-charged:" the sound, the lyrics, and the live presentation. Not surprisingly, Ellery's songs tend to feel personal to - or even possessed by - their fans, often from the first listen. They were visiting Kingston to talk with Grammy-winning producer Malcolm Burn, at his studio there, where they will be recording their new record in June. Malcolm has worked with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Kaki King, Rachel Yamagata, Gillian Welch, Ryan Adams, Iggy Pop, and more.

Ellery said they chose to stay here at The Stone House because the aesthetics of the Dutch American architecture and the decor appealed to their sensibility. They enjoyed a well deserved rest from their non-stop touring and took some of their huge breakfast with them back on the road. They are featuring The Stone House in their Ellery Stimulus plan to get the record made. We wish them every success. http://www.myspace.com/ellerymusic .

Hudson and Claverack

2009-04-05T22:38:00.004-04:00

Today we went to see the Jan Van Hoesen House between Hudson and Claverack, New York, about 30 minutes drive. The Van Hoesen House is a circa 1730 Dutch American house built principally of brick which was identified by the Preservation League of New York State as one of "Seven to Save" endagered properties for 2009. You can find out more about the house here: http://www.vanhoesenhouse.org/ . It's interesting to see a house like ours which basically hasn't been touched since the 19th century. These Dutch American houses derive from building styles and methods brought over by the early Dutch settlers who built them up and down the Hudson Valley.

The village of Claverack has many fine houses and nearby Hudson is famous for the more than 70 antique shops on Warren Street, its thriving Arts scene and nightlife. In one of the antique shops we were lucky enough to find a Gustavian style chair from Sweden which will be going into the Mistress and Maid room: http://hurleystonehouse.com/Mistress.html .

Finishing our Maple Syrup

2009-03-26T20:16:00.002-04:00

We have been boiling down the Maple sap every day outside using fallen branches from the garden and finishing off inside on the stove, filtering between each step. As the sugar concentration rises, the boiling point of the solution rises. When it boils at 7.1 degrees Fahrenheit above the boiling point of water it's ready to filter one last time into glass jars. When these had cooled down we had lovely amber Maple Syrup! We boiled down about 50 gallons of sap to get just over a gallon of syrup.

Next step - try it on the Buttermilk Pancakes.

The Sap Is Rising

2009-03-19T18:12:00.003-04:00

Here's Nadia "tapping" one of the two giant Sugar Maples in front of our house. At this time of year Maple sap can be collected and boiled down to make Maple Syrup. It takes 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Let's see how much we get!

This weekend and next there are many opportunities to see Maple Syrup production in action - go to http://www.mapleweekend.com/ for a list of locations. We want to drive into the Catskills to 'Oliverea Schoolhouse Maple' (picture at top) and 'Remsburger Maple' are also just 20 minutes away at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck.

The Hudson River at Saugerties Lighthouse

2009-03-04T20:14:00.000-05:00

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-21T10:38:00.003-05:00

A bit of a cliche maybe, but there are many wonferful winter activities very close to us in both the Catskill and Shawangunk mountains. Ice Climbing and Hiking with routes from easy to hard, or take the kids to Sawkill Family Ski Centre , just 15 minutes away, for Snow Tubing, Skiing or Snow Boarding (845 336-6977). Belleayre Mountain Ski Center has 47 trails, parks and glades (from beginner to expert), with almost 200 skiable acres and offers great deals, such as $25 lift tickets. Hunter Mountain is not much further away. Or try Cross Country Skiing on the beautiful Mohonk Preserve .

If you fancy something a little warmer try the 12th annual Chilli Bowl Fiesta in nearby Rosendale on Feb 28th. At UPAC in Kingston we have Emmylou Harris tonight, and Garison Keillor and k.d. lang both coming soon.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T10:44:00.005-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Recently I made the Linzer Torte from the current Joy of Cooking. Everyone enjoyed it so much, I thought I'd try and adapt it for some Valentine's Day cookies. These are nutty and spicy, with a raspberry jam that gives just the right amount of sweetness. In an airtight container in the fridge they keep well for a week.

1. If you can't get ground almonds, use a clean coffee grinder to grind blanched almonds. You'll need 3/4 cup.

2. Combine with 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (optional), 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

3. Add 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 egg yolks and the grated zest of 1 lemon - the easiest is to blend it all in an electric mixer/food processor if you have one.

You have to wrap the dough and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Then roll out (with plenty of flour to avoid sticking), between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick, and cut out cookies using a heart shaped cutter. Make a small round or heart shaped hole in half the cookies. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for about 15 mintues, and sandwich with raspberry jam after dusting the cutout cookies with powdered sugar. (You need to boil the jam first for a couple of minutes, and then let it cool down again). This makes about 20 2 inch cookies. Enjoy!

New Website

2009-02-06T21:47:00.002-05:00

Visit our brand new website: http://hurleystonehouse.com/

Online Availability Checker

2009-01-25T16:04:00.003-05:00

You can now check the availability of our rooms online and make secure reservations.

Try it here: Check availabilty

It's cold out there.........

2009-01-14T22:15:00.005-05:00

Today it was between 5 and 16 degrees Fahrenheit, or about -15 and -9 degrees Centigrade/Celsius. Last year there was hardly any snow, this year we've had our drives snow-plowed about 6 times already! There's about a foot out there right now. We often go to the Shawangunks, where friends are actually cross-country skiing to visit each other - the snow's been just right for laying new tracks.

As we're right next to a rail trail that leads to High Falls, we're thinking of getting our own skis and doing the same. High Falls (about 15-20 minutes by road) is a great place to go eat, and has a surprising wealth of furniture, antique, culinary and gift shops, perhaps partly due to its proximity to the Mohonk Mountain House. Many guests at that famous hotel come down the mountain to shop and eat there. Here are some good photos of the Shawangunks taken in warmer weather: http://shawangunks.org/photographs/ .

Cooking and friends

2009-01-02T20:44:00.006-05:00

The holidays are coming to an end, but the Christmas cake may stay awhile for us to look at a little longer.....English Christmas Cake's are rich fruit cakes that keep well, wrapped in marzipan and royal icing. I love being creative in the kitchen, and sometimes wish I had more time for it....one of my dreams is to eventually restore the beehive oven and bake artisan bread in it, but that's not going to happen anytime soon!
Tecia Poulas found us this house, and continues to be the most amazing resource for us. Apart from anything else, she's an excellent cook and we often swap recipes. I'd recommend the book she found us on breakfast menus, but perhaps that should be a trade secret. What more can you say about a realtor that leaves hot buttermilk pancakes and champagne on your doorstep on Christmas morning? Here she is holding up another book she found us recently on the history of these houses.
Our new business venture in this house has been blessed with the enthusiastic help of many people, but Tecia stands out for her resourcefulness, exertion and genuine joy at what's possible when you try. http://www.nutshellrealty.com/agent-tecia-poulas.php or mailto:orTecia@nutshellrealty.com

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

2008-12-15T21:39:00.003-05:00

Strange to think this house has seen about three hundred Christmases.......We had fun this weekend putting up all the lights and finding the decorations stored in the cellar. We call this the 'breakfast room', but it's large size makes it both a dining and a living room. The fireplace has a seventeenth century cast-iron fireback, dating back from the time of the original jambless fireplace. On the left of it are the sofas, with books and games (boardgames, cards, a croquet set), as well as a display cabinet with old photos and artefacts that we found as we renovated. On the right are the dining tables and chairs, and other antiques. The beams in the large downstairs rooms of this house are massive - about a foot wide and one and a half feet deep.

Discovering the past

2008-11-25T22:51:00.006-05:00

This is the bottle I referred to in the previous entry, found lying on top of the knee high wall on the first floor at the front of the house, above the main entrance. Beside it was an old chisel. We looked closely at a couple of macro shots of the remains of the label. These are the only words we could make out:
"For expelling ........... various conditions. Children ...... as they do ................ worms thoroughly without pain cleanse the ...............cure bowel and ................ complaints ............ cheerfulness to the spirits ..... only to the ........ Brothers, Kingston, N.Y.......... restore health ..... darling child whom you would give your life to ........."

Goodness only knows what the bottle contained......

Stages in the renovation process

2008-11-23T23:06:00.004-05:00

Hard to remember what this was like when we started. But you can see the beginnings at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ommane/2294690757/ and a few steps along the way at http://www.flickr.com/photos/21748528@N00/2388155477/ . We found an old chisel and what might have been a bottle of laudanum behind the walls when we first gutted this part of the building. This area and another new bathroom next to it were both closet space likely created in the 19th century when the large main staircase to the upper floor would have been put in.

Going for color

2008-11-22T18:55:00.018-05:00

Another room has been finished, this time it's an overhaul of one of the two original bathrooms that this house had when we arrived. We kept the bath once we realized we could refinish the old cast iron tub, and used brick shaped tiling in keeping with early twentieth century decor. The two antique Delft tiles you can see were a gift, so no knowing how old they are, but we believe the designs are exact replicas of 18th century ones, showing children at play. As for the color, we just liked it........it's cheerful, and looks great when the sun shines through the window.

Second bedroom takes shape

2008-11-17T21:53:00.005-05:00

We used the similar silk fabric and Frette sheets for the bed and canopy as in the first bedroom (pictured previously on this blog) but the effect is quite different. Although the blue check bedroom is bigger and grander, visitors often say they like this room more because the lower ceiling and exposed beams give a stronger impression of the age of the house. Both bedrooms we've featured so far have en suite bathrooms that have exposed beams, wide plank flooring and knee-high stone walls. We modelled the bed canopy on one we saw at the Jean Hasbrouck house in New Paltz. (This house was re-opened to the public this year after extensive renovations and is a great place to visit - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Hasbrouck_House).

All the space upstairs would originally have been used to store grain. If the smoke from the large jambless fireplaces downstairs rose through the plank ceiling/floors, so much the better, as it would have deterred mice from eating the crops stored up there! The large entrance hall and main stairway would have been installed in the 19th century. Just outside this room you can see where the narrower floor planks of that later landing join the original wide planks that are far older. We have Luis at Ulster Hardwood Flooring to thank for the beautiful finish he gave to many of the floors upstairs. Thank you Luis!

The Ashokan

2008-11-12T13:30:00.004-05:00

The Ashokan reservoir in the Catskill State Park this morning. This is the main water supply for New York City and is about five minutes from our house up in the Catskills.