The Years To Remember

The one spot in the neighborhood high enough to glimpse the Catskills to the south.  I like to take photos of nature, but it's a struggle to find anything worth capturing these days. It is a bleak landscape when the leaves go, and we get rain instead of snow. The past three days I've had to make due with a walk because it's too cold and windy to ride or kayak. I stop for half a minute to take a picture and I lose all  the heat I built up from moving. At least I keep up a good pace. I always notice this roadcut of fissile shale as I walk by, remembering my time as a geology teacher. That last heavy rain eroded some nice patterns in the beach sand. It's a miniature braided stream just like we saw in Iceland. Not a ripple on the water today, but tomorrow will be windy and rainy. Bright Sumac Bittersweet I surprised myself yesterday morning by getting out ornaments and decorating one of my three trees. I haven't pulled them out in several years, and I enjoyed making a w...

Today's solo ride on the Heldeberg-Hudson Rail Trail - 20 miles, 2 hours.  The reality of the upcoming winter has set in, and I need strategies to deal with it to keep depression at bay.  The financial reality of travel and my Mom's needs, means I won't be jetting off to warmer climates but once or twice this winter. Last winter I learned that challenges suit me well and keep me motivated. I also read an article in the Washington Post that was a study about how we are spending more time alone than ever, which is not good for mental health. And the pandemic is not to blame, just a cultural shift. All this to say I've set myself some goals to help me endure, even enjoy, the coming 4 - 5 months.  1) The bicycle challenge to ride at least twice every month in 2023, as well as a distance goal of a  cumulative 1000 miles. 😳 2) I want to explore Tucson AZ this winter including a ride the 40 mile bike path around the city and visit the biggest Rock and Mineral Show in the ...

It is Thanksgiving day and I have so much to be thankful for, but that is most likely evident in my posts so I don't have to enumerate them here. I enjoy a festive gathering as much as the next person, BUT I have grown weary of societal expectations for such gatherings.  I haven't been getting outside as much as I'd like for a few reasons, one being the weather. It has been so cold and windy that it's just no fun being out in it. I also spent last weekend with my mom doing my usual care taking routine. We tied in our game of Scrabble, watched The Great British Baking Show and I brought my bounty of carrots to turn into a carrot cake. I sent a text to a dear friend, thanking her for her cake recipe that I made for my mom last weekend. She responded by  expressing delight that I was 'home' for the holiday in my hometown. Now she and I have discussed this several times before; that my home is the house I currently live in, raised my daughter in, and built a life in...

The color of the sky at noon with clouds portending the coming snow. Today's hike was to Potash Mountain up in Lake Luzerne, NY. It's a short 3 miles up to the summit and back, but it did cause my knees quite a bit of pain on the way down. I suspect it's because they haven't repaired from Sunday's hike up almost 1700 ft. Another 1000 ft today was almost too much for my knee. But I managed. We stopped at a cheese shop on the way home and I'm enjoying Meyer Lemon goat cheese with my soup tonight.  Switchbacks up to the summit. Brunch on the ridge. Grateful for my brilliant idea to bring hot chocolate in a thermal travel mug. Hike leader Jim. I thought about how grateful I am that he leads hikes so often. If not for him, I would not hike nearly as much as I do. A peaceful stand of birch. I was lazy Monday and did not put the garden to bed, figuring I had time.  I was a little shocked to wake up to 20 degrees F. this morning and a very hard frost over the gardens. A...

Lake George, NY  What an enjoyable Thursday bike ride with Susan. She took us to the Feeder Canal  in Fort Edward which connects many (still working) paper mills to the Champlain Canal. We rode its gravel path for a few miles until it joined up to the Glens Falls - Lake George Trail which is thankfully paved. The day was warm and sunny and we stopped by the lake for a snack and I sent up the drone. We biked a respectable 26 miles in about 3 hours. Drone shot. Near the Million Dollar Beach of Lake George, NY. I don't know much about the pesto project, but the mural provided a nice pop of color. One day I will pay for taking pictures while riding my bike. But not this day. Friday I met Ken at the Tile Shop and he suggested I don't use a feature stripe on the bathroom wall as it would be broken up by both the shower glass wall and a window, plus its use is a bit cliche'.  He suggested very large format tile 2' x 4', which would go nicely with the floor tile I really l...

 It's November and I'm still pulling produce from the garden! I thought the arugula was done two weeks ago, but the weather has encouraged more growth so I picked another 2-3 salads worth, once I added in the baby kale which is still going strong.  Outdoor greens the critters seem to ignore - more for me. The indoor garden has had a decent start, but no comparison to outdoors. I will keep it up though, because I've invested quite a bit into it and I imagine it will make me happy in the dead of winter. Arugula and spinach under the lights - healthy but not as large as I'd hoped. Now these carrots, which I don't love, are another matter. I've started pulling them knowing I've got to process them, but I'm not sure in what form: carrot soup, just frozen rounds, carrot cake?  So many carrots! This is about 1/10 of the crop. Back in mid October I noticed one clump of iris was sending up buds but due to the late date I didn't give them much hope. Well, last...

The Carr parcel somewhere near Cherry Plain NY. Friday's hike was an RPA Friday Foray up to a new 1300 acre parcel of land acquired by NYS Environmental Conservation Dept. It's an important and exciting parcel as it links two other "forever wild" preserves on the plateau which aligns with the RPA's mission to create a contiguous pathway for wildlife from Florida up to Maine. Back story: The Alienist author Caleb Carr was the owner of this parcel, but stopped paying taxes a few years ago amidst a rancorous interaction with local authorities.  The NYS DEC stepped in and purchased this foreclosed property to add to its conservation project.  The hike started out fairly simply by using an existing trail, but at the high point on the NY-MA border, known as Misery Mountain, we were confronted with a 3 mile bushwhack. What an amazing group of retired 60 - 80 yr olds making our way down steep slopes, stream crossings, and rock ledges without the benefit of any trail.  I...

Persistent Pinks  Oct 26 - 31 The vertigo is not totally over, it seems just at the edge of happening again and as a result, I haven't been feeling great. I took a nice walk yesterday to get out of my funk as I've put on a few pounds which make my clothes fit uncomfortably. Back during working days, one of my colleagues described wearing tighter fitting pants (due to weight gain) as 'punishment pants'. Yup. Last night neighbor-friend Annette and I went to the RPA Forests Forever Gala. It was really nice to run into so many people from the past and catch up. I bid on a few things at the silent auction, but was not successful in placing the highest bid. Oh well, the evening was lovely and dinner delicious. Another walk today, but I waited til late afternoon and I almost ran out of daylight. This is the part of fall that is depressing  - night comes on so quickly these days.  Early voting is such a great thing. I can just add it to my list of errands any day during the wee...