Time Falls Back in Cold Spring

Janice and Adam went without power for a few days after another storm pelted the north east last week, but all is getting back to normal. Yet some of our friends are still in the dark. Unusual weather has become the usual in 2011. It’s autumn in Cold Spring and the clock is set back to give us one more hour of daylight. That extra hour is exactly what we needed this weekend — the porch is finally finished.

Janice told me that the boys asked why they didn’t get their Tony hats last year. I just thought they outgrew the home-spun gifts. So this weekend I made Jesse a ski cap, and Ellis, a ribbed watchman’s cap. After unraveling and joining all the swatches and scraps from Troy’s cowl there was even enough SWTC Saphira to make a small pompom for Jesse’s cap. To my surprise the boys were very excited. Don’t these little gentlemen look so handsome in their warm winter gear?

Janice and Adam are ready for winter too. The porch looks almost brand new after sanding, two coats of outdoor enamel, and replacing a few planks. I can’t say enough about the wonders of Bondo and a good quality paint — so shiny and clean. I’ll be back in the Spring to work on the front steps.

Every post has been capped and every rail primed and painted. Jesse made a winter-inspired Lego snowman that looks at home on this post.

We had excellent weather and some hearty family meals over the weekend. Janice made a Peruvian pulled pork served with mango salsa and stuffed acorn squash. I made a hand-rolled gnocchi dinner with garden fresh sage butter and lemon zest for Sunday dinner. For dessert we ate most of the Halloween candy — oops, sorry kids.

The mums are out but so are the hungry deer — may the twain never meet. The autumn leaves are now turning red and gold as the sun sets lower on this Hudson River town’s horizon. It casts a peach-colored glow that pushes long shadows down cold streets. I swept away the spider webs which hung with pearls of dew strung between the ivory rails and admired our handiwork. I said goodbye to the porch, packed up my tools, and headed back to Brooklyn.