Old Forge To Forked Lake

I thought last weekend was gonna be a 'stay at home weekend' to get garden beds weeded and edged, windows washed, and maybe even some recording in. I was taking a break watching Barefoot Contessa layering salmon with dill and salt when Billiam stuck his head in the door and said, "Hey the sun is shining, lets pack up the kayaks and head up north." Of course, he didn't have to twist my arm. I jumped up and we were packed and on the road in about 20 minutes. I really don't know why we just don't sell this house and move there. After a to go dinner from Slickers and walking the sidewalk past my favorite movie theater to be joined by a pair of scruffy deer for a light breakfast the next morning in Old Forge's own, Walt's diner which I learned was once called, The Ferns. And after pouring over a map of northern Raquette and the Long Lake area, we discovered route 3 which turned out to be a lovely paved forest road that winds past Buttermilk Falls to Forked Lake. Once there we found we could drive the kayaks right down to the boat launch to put in. The sky was that deep indigo blue you'd think you'd only see in Tahoe with a lonely jet steam etched into the ozone. After loading up our gear and getting Lou settled on his towel in the bow of my kayak. I pushed off and wouldn't you know it! The minute I got into the middle of the first bay, a wind came up out of nowhere making the paddle extremely hard! White caps and water spraying in my boat and Lou shakily looking at me thinking..why are you doing this to me? I made it to the yonder shore and kayaked close trading white caps for small clouds of black flies which weren't at all bad compared to other spring kayaks. Once on the Stillwater Hotel deck after battling clouds of black flies on a kayak to the Kettle Hote, an elderly man at a different table stared at me as I was trance like brushing my hair repeatedly. He finally asked me why I was brushing my hair for so long and I retorted back, I'm not brushing my hair I'm scratching my bug bites!" Looking over at Bill in his new 16 foot Current Design with a rudder easily cutting through the water I knew a shopping trip to Mountain Man was in my near future. My beloved twelve footer that I've had now for 6 years, and has carried me to many memorable woodland and swampland experiences, I knew I had to retire before one of these dark glacial lakes swallowed us both alive. A longer boat with a rudder is simply a must to safely kayak these larger and unpredictable lakes. So after about an hour of exploring Forked Lake paddling in between bouts of sunshine and wind, we decided to zig zag back to the boat launch and find another place to put in on a northern Raquette shore. Well! That didn't happen, as the last leg of my paddle was just a little scary, fighting yet another freight train of Adirondack wind to get across. I beat it. I'm buffing up by jesus! No bat wings on this girl! Arriving at the boat launch I looked over at Bill as he was scrunching up to shore in his boat. I must of had some kind of warrior look on my face because he quickly put out a peace offering of a shopping trip to Mountain Man in which I quickly accepted. After trying out three different kayaks the Delta Seventeen won hands down. She's fire engine red and tracks like a dream! I'm not a 46'er because of my fear of heights but I've kayaked hundreds of times on many lakes, reservoirs, streams and ponds. I've hiked miles of trails and camped in many a remote campsite and lean to that makes me feel truly validated and worthy of being called a woman of the Adirondacks.

2012 SBA Entrepreneurial Success Award! WAY TO GO CHOBANI!

So proud to have this fine company in my back yard! They've provided many jobs for the people in the area, (including my daughter Aurora) and put out a fine, natural, made in New York product. I've been cooking now with Chobani yogurt for the last few months trying out different recipes and have to say the vanilla pancakes are to die for and my breakfast smoothies couldn't be better! Congratulations to Hamdi and his hard working staff. I think all the musicians in New York should go out in the fields and play their music to keep the cows happy so they keep putting out good milk. What a video that would make!

Red Tailed Hawk

Coming home from my workshop at the Writer's Jubilee I was lucky to spot this beautiful, red tailed hawk lunching on a woodchuck. Ironically my workshop was focused on my children's song, Woodchuck And Crow. I guess my woodchuck had a happier ending as he is now residing some where in the Adirondack Mountains and this poor creature became a field feast.

. The woodchuck in these shots became a field feast.

Shopping With My Girl

Aurora has a big weekend coming up traveling to New York City with Chobani. I'm so excited for her! So we spent the whole morning shopping for some duds to gussy her up. She's a beauty! She found a lovely, blue gown, a short, brown, sweet little thing of a dress, some pumps and jewelry for like 130 bucks at Macy's. The following weekend she travels to Washington DC. I'm so happy for her in her job. She'll have health benefits soon and a raise. When she became full time shortly after Christmas they gave her an iPhone 4, a mac book pro and her own office. Amazing! Today I learned Chobani means shepherd. Thank You Chobani!

Swamp Turtles

On This 20th day of April, 2012. An unusually warm day. But nothing about the past winter and now this spring has been normal. Central New York and surrounding states are actually in fire alert with no snow melt and spring rain fall. Every where is very, very dry. The swamp is down but not to bad. I've kayaked it even shallower. Once out today we were lucky to find hundreds of painted turtles sunning themselves along the newly budded shore of the swamp. It became a game to quietly float up to these hard shelled sun bathers to snap some shots. I did have one turtle who poised quite nicely. Another special time at the Nine Mile!

On The Mend

ITS ALL GOOD! Nick AND Bill are really doing great together! Bill is finally going out of his way to be cordial. Nick was asked aboard the white red neck handy man van and has helped Bill on a few jobs. Its so nice to walk into the kitchen and hear them just TALK! I've been living in a house divided for the last 6 or more years and didn't know how much more I could take. Living with the two people you love the most, but hate each other is no easy task. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel much better about everything as a whole.
So I got a new lens for my Nikon. My dear ole friend, Richie Rich (because he's got a cake job at Colgate, a confirmed bachelor with not wife and kids thus able to buy the nicest toys around) gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. A Nikkor18-200mm lens for a $150.00. He bought it for 1,800.00 but dropped it thus damaging the auto focus at 18. I have to manually focus in. NOT A PROBLEM! So I'm having fun. It is a big honkin think tho. I still might break down for a little point and shoot for kayaking.
Here are some shots from a five mile hike around Woodsman Pond in my back yard of Brookfield. I'm so lucky to live where I do.

Picking On A Cherry Martin

There has been an accident resulting in the demolition of my Martin guitar. I just can't seem to keep one in the house. The first Martin I bought with the gigging money saved from playing Tuesday nights at the Big Moose Inn was stolen from the trailer park next door to Price Chopper where Nick left if after borrowing it to play at an open mic. This time, the result of a Nick/ Bill scuffle.
(Bill is in the dog house big time and there just may be a divorce lawyer in my future.) My life is far from perfect...living in between two men with a 46 year gap in between has been no picnic. All in all, it's all on the mend and I again took my advice. Don't stay mad just get even. Hit them where it hurts the most. The pocket book thus my new Cherry Martin. She's one beauty and a lot nicer than the last, made-in-China-Martin.