The Years To Remember

Harlem Valley Rail Trail 9/24/22 A chilly but sunny day found me at the Orphan Farm Rd trailhead in Columbia County.  Fellow bike riders: Kathy, Rachael P, Jim C, Lori, Mary Margret, Kurt, Esther, Ron, Rich. Starting temp in the 50's which rose into the 60's but no higher. Total distance was 26.7 miles. This trail is mostly flat and paved the whole way. I guess I got too relaxed. We stopped for lunch at the Oakhurst Diner in Millerton, NY and it was warm enough to eat outside as long as we were in the sun. The ride was slower than even I like, but nice with very enjoyable company. It was about 2.5 hours riding and included a stop for ice cream! I tipped the helmet up a wee bit for the picture, but thankfully lowered it right back down an inch. I was in view of the parking lot, when I spotted a caterpillar on the trail. I stopped to pick it up and started riding with only one hand on the handlebar and one holding the caterpillar. This would have worked fine, but I spotted anothe

 The weekend went by so quickly. Among other things, I took Mom to visit Aunt Pat's grave to see if the headstone was installed. It was, but I could see the disappointment on Mom's face. It was really just a placque on the ground - very underwhelming. I checked the nearby plots, and could see that most of the family arrangements were similar. One upright large headstone, with subsequent family members arranged at the foot end and flush with the ground. It makes no difference to me, but to Mom's generation it's very important. I'm not sure what she plans to do about the headstone. We then stopped by the river to fly the drone and take a few pictures. Mom was fascinated by the little aircraft and that her unconventional daughter was investing good time and money into it.  Chemung River at Elmira, NY Me and Mom On Sunday, Sister 3 and 2 of her friends and niece Cassie and I went wine tasting on Keuka Lake. It was a nice day although wine tasting is a bit slower that th

9/14/22 Haircut, shopping, yard work, paperwork. That seems rather mundane and not noteworthy, but in between are moments of true joy. Sitting on the deck admiring the lawn and shrub trimming on a gorgeous summer day with a glass of wine. Doing yoga for the umpteenth day in a row, and noticing that I can finally flow from one posture to the next, breathe the way I'm supposed to, stretch my leg up into a lunge without assisting it there. Progress feels great. I've been saving a slab of granite from the kitchen remodel of 2012. It's been moved around the garage as I contemplate building or finding a base to make a garden table. The deck furniture I got from Sheila is lovely, but too much for the deck. What I really need is a coffee table rather than the two Ottomans. Inspiration struck on a rainy day. What if I took the cushion off one of the Ottomans and stuck the granite in as a table top? Voila! The granite slab could not have fit better if I had had it custom cut! And now

 Saturday's hike with Doris was the Bonita Lake to Western Ridge Overlook trail at Moreau State Park. It says five miles, but my tracker said 6.4 which makes sense since we overshot the connector out and did more milage around the lake. The weather was fine, the trail was dry, and the overlook quite nice for lunch. This was not a challenging hike, but I struggled on the ascents as I always do. I have hiked so little this summer that I've lost my hiking stamina. I'd like to get it back, though I definitely enjoy biking and kayaking more than hiking. The views from hiking cannot be beat though. A bend in the Hudson River Lake Bonita Such a pretty frog Lunch at the overlook Sunday and Monday (today) were somber gray days so I elected to give the house a good cleaning to get ready for fall. The windows were filmy, and the pollen dust was everywhere since the windows are wide open all summer. I did a fair amount of Yoga with Adriene , but I was getting itchy for activity outside

 I've been working in the garden but with the very recent cooler weather, it seems a good idea to get most of the produce harvested and eaten or processed for storage. I certainly don't save much money with my harvest, but it is enjoyable and gratifying to eat what I grow - no pesticides or E. Coli to worry about either. Asian eggplant - roasting now. The kale fortress worked - my unblemished leaves. Washed and chopped for the freezer. I met Susan and Lyne for the Sting concert at SPAC last night. We met early for snacks and wine, then enjoyed the show. Sting did not disappoint. His voice was a bit slow to start, but he belted out most of his hits flawlessly. And those 70 yr old biceps! Sting! I'm doing yoga each day to improve my flexibility and balance. That last hike made me realize that I need to work on those areas if I want to continue enjoying my adventures. Maybe a bike ride today? Yes. I've neglected the yard long enough, so I'm spending time mowing and tre

 September 2, 2022 I woke up very sore from the Ampersand hike, but I needed to pack up and set out to Corning to visit for a family picnic. I dawdled about the house, but eventually I pulled myself together and drove the 4 hrs to mom's house. She is getting much frailer each time I visit, but maintains she is not ready for household help other than what family does. Sigh.  Sept 3 Brother J called and invited me to join he and his daughter J, on Keuka Lake for the day. I couldn't abandon Mom right after I got there, so I said I could join at 1 pm. Turns out sister T and husband were going too. I did groceries and cleaning in the morning, then headed to the lake. We were joined by my older sister, M and her husband too. So it was four siblings (+ in laws and niece) for a fun afternoon on the lake! Me and sister T. I have never driven a boat before, but I managed to navigate for an hour with no problem. We all brought adult beverages and snacks so there was no danger of starving.