Autumn in New York
By Shannon Ferguson
4 Nov 2009
What city do you live in? What neighborhood?
I was born and raised in Dutchess County of Upstate, New York, minutes away from the Hudson River and about an hour and a half north of the city (only a train ride away).
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?
Rural, quiet, "quaint", independent, friendly, creative, scenic, natural, handmade.
How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?
I grew up on a sheep farm (not just sheep - chickens, guinea hens, turkeys, ducks, and even a goat once) outside of Rhinebeck, the town where I went to school from Kindergarten all the way to my Senior year.
What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?
Rural New York is not a side of New York people often get to see. Autumn has always been my favorite season; scenic backroads featuring multicolored trees and majestic bucks with their heads full of horns and flocks of turkeys, wild foxes, and the howling of coyotes at night. Any non-money related drawbacks to living here is that you do feel sometimes separated - from where I live it's a 30 minute drive across the Hudson River to get to the nearest city big chain store like Walmart or Target. But of course I only feel like that when I get the hankering for a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and realize I am far too lazy to drive that far.
Do you feel that you belong there?
I never really appreciated how wonderful it is here until I really "grew up". Now that I have seen more of the world and have a family of my own, I understand how lucky I had it growing up in a beautiful place like this.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?
When you tell someone you're from New York, they automatically assume every time that you are from "The City". That's just not the case!
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?
To see the best sunsets, park at the train station overlooking the hudson and walk down to the water. To see the best view, climb to the top of Burger Hill. Walk the powerlines at dusk and bring a blanket to sit on for when you get to the top.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?
There are lots of places to go for free where you can walk/bike/run and thoroughly experience the wildlife and nature this part of New York has to offer. They are all just a short drive away!
Anything else you'd like to add?
“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years” - Thomas Wolfe
