My mom, Terre Levin, has been sending me sweet descriptions of her gardens, the animals she sees and various other amazing stories relating to the farm house she and my dad moved in to a few years ago in Saugerties, NY. I decided it would be nice to log all her stories here.
THIS IS WONDERFUL!!! Terre and I are friends and we share a great love for nature and gardening, dogs and nature…..did I mention nature???
It is great to read her musings. Thanks Samantha!
Marjory
Hello Terre, I do hope that I have the correct Terre here…Terre Levin of Saugerties, New York?? My grandmother was Maria Fesl, she and my grandfather owned the School House Road house and land from just before WWII till sometime in the 80’s I believe. Terre had sent my mother and dad a card telling them about her blog and hoping that they could read it. They are not able! Computers mystify them. They passed the card onto me to respond to and so here I am. My dad (Maria’s son) never really lived on the Saugerties property, he was 18 to 20 years old when they moved from New York City and at that time he was in the army. He met my mother while serving on the west coast and never really went back to New York. We visited often during the summers so I am fairly well acquainted with the farm, the old house and the incredible barn. I assume from your blog….On the brink….that you know that the owner before my grandparents was one Mr. Brink? Other than this I don’t have much to share with you about your home. My grandparents were both characters….Nana Fesl was Austrian and a great cook and an accomplished needlewoman (crochet), Papa was German, loved his beer which he drank from quart bottles and loved chess. They had moved to the US to get away from Hitler, lived in the Bronx for years and years till finally making their American dream come true by buying the farm in Saugerties. Dad believes that they paid $3200.00 for it! I am so pleased that you love the farm and living there. It’s passed into good hands apparently. Enjoy it! Nancy
I also mailed a similar note to you – I got your address from Mary Alice also. It was SO great to hear from you. Both Mary Alice and Lorrie Muller told me a lot about your mother. Also, one day, a young man drove by verrrry slowly, then drove by again in the other direction, very slowly, so I went over to the car only to find out that your grandmother was his nanny – she took care of him while his parents worked. His name was Chip (I think) and he was moving away so was reminiscing about his youth before he left. I gave him a tour of the house and he told me how it had been changed by the Mullers (and also by us). Your grandmother’s picture hangs in Mary Alice’s garden house, so I’ve also seen what she looked like.
Please email me (terre@petelevin.com) with any more information you might have. This has been great fun.
Terre…I will email you at the address you gave me! I love email. I also have at least one old picture….well I’ll email you, nancy