Yesterday, Leena and I along with Leena's childhood friend Ritva and her husband Hans took a drive up the Hudson River to visit Springwood, the home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Hyde Park, NY. The scenery was lovely - all the way. The landscape is totally green now with all the trees in brillant green leaf - just three or four weeks ago they were bare sticks on a brown background.
 |
| Leena, Hans & Rita with their mouths full |
I hit some traffic driving into the City to pick them up it was lunch time when we arrived. So after getting our free tickets with my National Parks Senior Pass (just want you to know that I'm taking full advantage of my senior, almost-retired status) we stopped in at the Henrietta Nesbitt cafe for lunch. The menu was surprisingly inventive (do you think it the influence of the Culinary Institute of America down the street?) for a National Historic Site, and we enjoyed our food.
I had forgotten all the contributions FDR made to the social welfare of the United States in the very difficult economic times of the Depression, especially instituting Social Security, as well as a host of other programs for "relief, recovery and reform." You can read more about
FDR on wikipedia
 |
| Leena, Penny & Ritva with Eleanor & FDR |
We toured the house. The second floor was closed for renovation but as a substitute for the bedrooms we caught a glimpse of the kitchens. And we enjoyed FDR presidential library (the first) with many exhibits about the Roosevelt's personal and professional life. It all made me want to rush home and start reading about the Roosevelts and the New Deal.
The grounds were lovely although cut up and littered with construction debris - funded by money from Obama's Recovery Act.
All in all, a wonderful day of exploration in an idyllic setting. And here is Leena saying good-bye to FDR's little dog Fala.
No comments:
Post a Comment