The Years To Remember

 8/21/21 I'm trying not to drive so much (saving the planet) and just enjoy the beauty at home, so in that vein I decided on a whim to throw my kayak in the car and drive the 1/2 mile down to the lake for a morning paddle. The water was like glass and the reflections were amazing. I could even imagine I was floating in the sky at one point.  I was paddling about for only 30 minutes when the peace was shattered by folks and their motors. The waves started and I was suddenly reminded why I rarely kayak on my little lake in the summer. It's way too busy. As I headed back to the boat launch I got to marvel at the silliest giant boat on the smallest lake. Honestly I watched this ocean worthy craft take less than 5 minutes to circle the lake. I really wanted to pull up and just ask "Why?" Anyway back to my garden 10 minutes later for my final cup of coffee in peace.

 8/16/21 Another beautiful summer day spent playing with the girls. Amyjean and Ann Marie joined me at the waterfront park on Saratoga Lake. For the first time for any of us, the Lake was so still with no wind. It's usually a bit of a workout to get the half mile over to the creek, but this morning we paddled on glass. That continued as we made our way up the creek, admiring the woods, critters, and flowers along the way. Most of the way is shaded so the sun wasn't much of an issue on this hot summer day.  We stopped at the kayak shop right before Lake Lonely for a stretch and to ask a few questions of the guy in the shop. I also noted a freezer of ice cream by the door.😋  After a bit we headed out onto the lake and critiqued all the lake houses and why it wasn't the best idea to own one when renting is so much more simpler and versatile. Spoken only as individuals who could never afford a lake house in the first place! The entire lakeshore is private so there was nowhere

 One of my goals for this summer is to complete the 35 mile Albany - Hudson Electric Rail Trail. This gorgeous Sunday was perfect for the Kinderhook to Hudson section - a plan hatched at Lyne's pool a day or two before. We could not have had nicer weather - too hot for hiking, but with the breeze generated by the bikes speed, just right as long as we had lots of water*.  We parked next to a cornfield just south of Kinderhook where a couple of runners just finished their workout. They assured us it was a beautiful ride on mostly trail but with a few sparsely traveled road sections. They were right and the scenery was bucolic as depicted in the photo below. At one point early in the ride we passed a man sitting on a rock wearing only shorts, beet-red faced, and he uttered the word "water" as I rode past. My conscience would not let me continue on, so I circled back and asked if he was ok, did he need water? He replied yes so I had to hastily decide which of my water bottles

 August 10 2021 The garden has been displaying her gifts this summer. Between the hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and moths, I have been entertained with hours of relaxation, contemplation, and just joy. I guess I needed to quit gardening to realize that I am quite simply,  a gardener. After I retired I vowed to give it up. I had too many other interests to pursue and the critters left me enraged and defeated as they ate with impunity my most beloved plantings. Then the pandemic hit. My travel plans were put on hold, my socializing was disrupted, and I found myself at home most of the time. What else to do but work on the house in winter and garden in the summer. I did reduce the number and size of the garden beds as a friend pointed out that a full time gardener would be needed to maintain it all. Now I have the side garden to sit in and enjoy and the front borders to maintain. Every once in a while I get the urge to start a new bed, but so far have reasoned my way back from the edge

  August 4 2021 Pam, Amyjean, Amy, and I decided on a Catskill adventure to the south, so the Escarpment trail at North-South Lake was our destination. We made a quick stop first to visit Kaaterskill Falls from the viewing platform which I hadn't seen before. Then we moved on to the main event. The state park has an entrance fee, but I stopped in at my local  library to borrow the Empire pass. The plan was a 6.5 mile loop trail and Pam suggested we go clockwise and do the more elevation section first - a brilliant idea my knee appreciated. So down the road to the Mary's Glen trail to the North Point lookout. It was a hazy day in part due to the western wildfire smoke plus, it's summer. We could see the lake and the Hudson River, but not much else. After a good rest and lie about on the rocks we headed to the escarpment. What a pleasant hike down, stopping at the viewpoints - Lookout, Artists Rock, Sunset Rock, and Newman's Ledge. After we descended we took a walk to see

August 3, 2021 We seem to be in a weather pattern without rain, for the first time in a month! July was a record breaker with double the normal rainfall. I have no problem with that because I fear drought and I like cool days more than sweltering ones.  A friend and I went to the Dunham Reservoir for a lovely paddle on a mirror smooth surface. It was so serene and peaceful. We arrived around 9:30 am and resolved to try again closer to sunrise to really appreciate the early morning stillness. In any case it was a lovely paddle with just a little bit of wildlife. It turns out that 3 hours in a kayak is too much for our behinds as we had to take a break to walk and get feeling back. It was a soul filling trip! Mirror image A great blue heron not at all bothered by our presence Enjoying the morning sunshine  

 July 31, 2021 I left my comfort zone Saturday with an 8 mile hike up a 1500' mountain, which isn't all that high, but I haven't been hiking much distance or elevation lately, so I was worried. I was able to hike up the mountain without too much trouble, including the challenging last half mile of scrambling to the top. I could feel my wonky knee getting fatigued so I was concerned that the trip down might lead to injury. I put on a knee brace and made it down without incident. Then we set up a picnic on the shore of Thirteenth Lake and relaxed in the sunshine, Since it was a rather cool 68 - 70 degrees, only one of us went swimming, and James was rewarded for his adventuring with a raft of leaches clinging to various parts of his body. My instinct to stay out of the water was spot on! Peaked Mountain from about 1.5 miles away. The view from the top. My leap of success!