Strolling down the aisle at the garden store, my sister and I are plucking packets of seeds off the rack and throwing them into our cart. We are on a mission to rebuild the garden in our front yard. We have no coherent plan for the project; we just know it needs to happen fast. Last summer, our parents ripped…
There’s a charm in simplicity that’s often overlooked—a sense of nostalgia, a feeling of calm—but a spritz captures it. Easy to make, easy to drink, perfect morning or night, upscale or poolside, a spritz is arguably one of the most versatile, effortlessly iconic drinks. Put your feet up, grab a straw, and breathe. You can drink a bubbly, refreshing spritz…
Chicken cashew Thai food is new for me. Ask me how or why it's taken me so long to give it a shot, I couldn't tell you, but it was about time. And for all the spots in town, there was one that was recommended most often for my initial venture into the vibrant cuisine — The King and I.…
Chelsea Felton and Lauryn McCabe have become the reluctant keepers of Patron Saint’s signature green. So far, about twenty-five people have asked for the exact hue to paint their homes with it. The other day, McCabe finally broke. “I’m not happy about it,” she says. She treats the custom emerald paint color as classified information. Another patron liked the whole…
Its name sounds like it was lifted from a fairy tale, and catching sight of the structure along Whalen Road in Penfield, it looks the part, too. The Mud House, built in 1835, is one of a handful of surviving rammed-earth structures left in New York State built from (you guessed it!) mud. Built by William Gors, the house took…
Timberstead, in the village of Burdett, near Seneca Lake, does not announce itself. It rises gently from the landscape, shaped as much by the contours of the hills as by the intentions of those who built it. Surrounded by forest, meadow, and two tranquil ponds, the house invites presence. From the moment you enter, there is a quiet call to…
For centuries the lotus has been admired in Chinese culture for its purity and resilience, gracefully rising from murky water to reveal vibrant blooms. At Bergen Water Gardens and Nursery, where one can find the largest selection of lotuses outside of China, this iconic plant takes center stage. Located in Churchville, tucked between Monroe and Genesee Counties, Bergen Water Gardens…
Rochester is home to a very special neighborhood beautification program. Blocks in Bloom transforms lower-resourced neighborhoods, one block at a time, by helping residents plant front yard flower gardens. Volunteers from the Rochester community and certified Master Gardeners from Cornell Cooperative Extension work with residents to prep, plant, and maintain perennial gardens that will enhance the appearance of neighborhoods for…
“It’s a hard life, but it’s a good life,” says Stephanie Castle of Tenderfoot Farm. She and her husband, Jeff, bought a neglected house, barn, and seven-acre property in Churchville in 2017. They’ve transformed it into a beautiful sanctuary where they can live out their dreams with their two young sons, using a unique combination of knowledge, creativity, and environmental…
