Last Week of Vacation Faves

 

My last week of vacation is almost done.  Tuesday I will  be going back to the PreK to set up our classroom, attend meetings, all that "back to school for a new year" thing.  And Autumn is only a couple of weeks away!  Summer is winding down and  I'm looking at all the blessings from this last week of vacation.

What blessings did God bring to you this week? please share and link up at Susanne's blog to partake in this weekly gratitude post. 

FIVE FAVES

Claire in Dave's kayak on Long Lake
27 August

early morning paddle heading towards town

morning games!

• MORNING FUN!  Saturday was the day Claire (our youngest) was heading back home as she had plans with friends on Sunday.  So her last morning at the lake/cottage was spent with me kayaking to town and back; breakfast on the porch together and then a game of shuffleboard and badminton.  We had so much fun together and I'm thankful her boss gave her those 3 days off so she could join Dave and I at the lake. 

Dave leading Gerri and I on the Catlin Bay/NPT trail
Long Lake, NY
High Peaks region of the ADKS

the blaze for the Northville/Placid Trail
a 136 mile hike one way

 First Glimpse of Catlin Bay on Long Lake

Catlin Bay "beach"
where we ate a snack/waded

• AFTERNOON FUN! After Claire drove away in her car, Dave and I grabbed our backpacks, stuck a couple of protein bars and our water bottle in them, and picked up our friend Gerri who was staying in one of the motel rooms. We drove just out of town to a trailhead that has 3 different destinations from it:  Catlin Bay on Long Lake, Shattuck Clearing (11 miles one way) and the last part of the Northville/Placid Trail (a 136 mile hike one way that many people do in a week staying at the designated lean-tos along the way.  I have hiked portions of the N/P trail).  This portion of the N/P trail is one I had never hiked on so it was fun to hike it to get to Catlin Bay, our destination.  It was a little humid so I was relieved to get there and stick my feet in the water while we sat in the sun, chatting and eating our snacks. We all really enjoyed this very easy trail. It's a different kind of a trail though: you hike downhill  to the bay and back UP on the return which of course is opposite most of the trails I do.  It was loads of fun.  Afterwards, we headed back to the cottage/motel to change into swimwear and spent time swimming and reading on the dock.  Then we invited Gerri over for a grilled chicken dinner on the cottage porch.  The evening sunset was beautiful....our last evening at the lake until next year! I'm thankful we had time with our friend and a wonderful last full day in Long Lake. 

  

  Saturday evening 27 August
  as seen from the cottage backyard

  
  

my front porch flowers!

the orange rose bush bloomed again!

• SURPRISE FLOWERS!  When we arrived home Sunday afternoon, Dave and I noticed right away that our flowers were just gorgeous!  The pink ones were starting to fade before we left but Courtney said the 2 days of rain (I called her to thank her for watering them) really helped them bloom again....same with the orange rose bush. I'm thankful my spring blooms are still doing well into late summer. 

(ignore the dirty porch walls).......
late summer porch decor

Front porch late summer arrangement
in a sunflower vase at 50% off!

• LATE SUMMER DECOR:  This past week I finally had time to put away some Independence Day decor and early summer stuff from the deck, porch and kitchen.  I put out my silk late summer arrangement into a new sunflower milkcan that I got on sale at H*bby L*bby.  I hadn't been there in a few months and was kind of sad.....disgusted....to see Christmas items out already.  Even H*bby L*bby rushes the seasons. (it's just so sad to me but I know it's how stores get customers....i REFUSE to buy Christmas stuff until at least November).  Anyways, I found the little sign on sale there as well and thought it was so cute for the porch wall next to our front door which features the same sunflower tin as last year. I'm thankful for fun summer items and good sales!

This is typical of trails in the Adirondacks
especially in the Central and High Peaks regions

This is about 1 mile in...
the easiest part of the first trail

Mady begins to climb on the 2nd trail

Deer Brook Falls (lower section)
Yes we had to cross here!

first rock scramble on last trail
leading up to the summit

The 3rd trail involved lots of rock scrambles 
and hiking on the distinctive grey granite called
Anorthosite  commonly found in the Adirondacks
especially the High Peaks region

Some of the High Peaks 
as seen from the Summit of Snow Mt
Elevation here where we stood is only 2360 feet
but because it's so small (short) it is very steep and the trail was 5 miles round trip

• MID-WEEK HIKE!  On Wednesday, my 14 year old niece Mady and I finally went on our mountain climb.  Last year we could not get together to do one.  She was thrilled that I took her up Snow Mt.  This is located in the heart of the high peaks region but the mountain itself is one of the shortest (elevation-wise) I have climbed. There are 3 different approaches to this summit. We chose the moderate one that shares the first .6 miles with the Rooster Comb Trailhead. I've climbed Rooster Comb with Mady and also 2 other times with friends. So we started out on the .6 mile trail which then we had to find the 2nd part of the trail....it was easy...and we hiked for 1.8 miles.  Well the signage after that was confusing but we thought we had it correct so hiked for another .6 (according to my fitbit) where I discovered I was only 3 miles from the summit of a high peak! (we weren't prepared for a high peak though as round trip that one is 10 miles). SO. We turned around and hiked back the .6 miles and discovered the 3rd part of the trail went to the right and that we had to cross Deer Brook in 4 different places. All with no bridge. Again, kind of typical for the High Peaks region. Then we discovered that we had a rather significant rock scramble.  Mady actually encouraged me to do this. I wanted to give up. My thighs were screaming. But on we went and wow the view was worth it.  It's a short little mountain but you get quite the bang for the buck. Once we got to the summit the fitbit recorded that we had hiked 3.8 miles.  On the way down, we did it correctly and it was only 2.5 miles back to the car.  I'm so thankful we had the day together up in the High Peaks region.  (and almost all of the out of state tourists were gone!! We were happy about that but I won't get into why on here ). I'm also thankful my knees didn't  give out on the way down.  My left knee was aching badly so I did have to climb down going sideways but overall it was a great climb! The funny thing is, I've climbed many of the mountains that are over 3000 feet high and longer in milage but this was one of the hardest compared to those!  It's really true that the shorter the mountain up there, the steeper it tends to be especially if no switchbacks which Snow really doesn't have. I'm just so thankful we had no major incidents as we were the only 2 hikers taking that approach. 

BONUS FAVE:  

last night 1 September on our deck about 8 pm.

Last evening I was starting to write up this FFF and decided to sit on the deck after dinner.

Well, dinner for us is usually about 6:30/6:45 so by the time we were done cleaning the kitchen, chatting around the table (Claire was home last evening to eat with Dave and I), it was close to 8.  I realized how I needed the deck light and a candle (for ambiance) and this is my fave time of year to sit outside in the evening cause the mosquitoes are gone.  The temps have been in the low 70s and 60s and it's just perfect for me. I stayed out side for about an hour and can't get enough of this weather!  So thankful it's finally not hot and humid!!

That wraps up my list of faves..........

I hope you enjoy the Labor Day weekend and the beginning of September.