Mid-October Faves

 

Already mid-October. I love this month...the cooler mornings,the crunch of  leaves underfoot, scent of woodsmoke from the firepits, the balsam is really starting to be so fragrant in the mountains, the cold, crisp apple cider, the warm glow of an apple-scented or cinnamon candle.....soups and stews coming back to the dinner menu...a wonderful time of year to count our blessings and show the Lord some thanks!

I'm linking up with other bloggers to share FIVE of our FAVE blessings from the week.  Our host is Susanne from Living to Tell the Story. Head on over to learn more!

My husband Dave, me, my uncle David 
photo courtesy of my aunt Helen
on the trail to Big Pond

BIG POND
Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area
Eastern  Adirondacks on the edge of the High Peaks Region
4 October 2023

• FAMILY FUN:  My aunt Helen (my mom's youngest sibling and the only active aunt left..one is in a nursing facility) and her husband Dave were up our way from Virginia to visit family.  They wanted to hike with us so because my Dave was on vacation all week and we were heading north anyways for a mini-vacation in the High Peaks region, we decided to do an easy hike to a beautiful remote pond.  It's located in the Schroon Lake/Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area of the eastern Adirondacks. The trail is 2.4 miles in from the parking area and it is a beautiful trail.  I took many photos but these two capture it well. I'm thankful we had a good hike (my aunt is 82 and her husband is 12 yrs younger!) and the bonus blessing is that my uncle treated us all to a yummy lunch at a local Irish pub. Then this past Sunday, my sister Joy, my oldest daughter Courtney and I went to Stockbridge (MA) for our Annual Autumn Girls Day Away.  Claire is now a full time  optometric tech at this place so was scheduled to work. Joy, Courtney and I had fun shopping, walking all over, browsing in the jewelry stores, and eating lunch at this place. I managed to get 3 Christmas gifts while we were in the Berkshires. But I didn't manage to take any photos cause we were so busy talking, eating, and shopping! Even though the day was chilly, it was sunny and autumn-like after a very warm week.  I'm thankful for family and making memories. 

Trail blazes/markers.  They weren't kidding.

lower Stag Brook Falls
after a quarter of a mile hike
up steep rocks
for the ADK 50 Falls Challenge

Block Cascade on Stag Brook
this is the end of the trail and is only a half mile up
for the 50 Falls Challenge!

• FINDING FALLS! Dave and I spent a couple of nights in the high peaks/Lake Placid area of the Adirondacks which is about 2.5 hours north-west from our home. My goal for Thursday was to find 3 more waterfalls for the ADK 50 Falls Challenge and then get some signatures/stamps/town seals for some of the towns in that area for the ADK 102 Challenge.  What a wonderful day!  It was so warm up there and it was unusual. Typically that region is in the 50s or 60s the first full week of October but last week it was 79 the day we hiked!  Actually the entire time we were away the temps were in the 70s and certain areas in the high 60s.  At night it was cooler. Dave and I drove to the Whiteface Mountain recreation area/ski center (Whiteface Mt is our state's 5th tallest peak). I've been on the summit as a little girl when my dad drove up the summit road.  I would love to hike it someday but I know with my back/neck issues I won't do well.  Anyways, we found the start of the Stag Brook trail (there are 2 falls along this trail in the challenge) and let me tell you: even though this was a trail that was only a half mile long, it was STEEP and rocky.  WOW.  It was fun though and well marked.  Even without markers you just make sure the brook is on your right.  At one point we had to cross the service road and then we saw the last falls.  This is only a half mile up Whiteface Mt. It's just glorious!  We decided to take the easy way down (Dave's idea) so we walked along the service road for a couple of yards and tookone of the   ski trail down, which was a lovely meadow of wildflowers and loose rock. We then drove over to Jay, NY where we found the other falls I needed to find for the challenge. The falls in Jay are right in the town park and are just beautiful. They are on the East Branch of the Ausable River. Below are a couple of photos from that area. I'm thankful we found the three falls!

East Branch of the Ausable River
from the historic covered bridge in Jay

Jay Falls on the East Branch of the Ausable River
High Peaks Region, Adirondack Mts
5 October

• STAMPS, SIGNATURES, SEALS:  So ever since the ADK 102 Challenge book came out in about 2015, I have been determined to get to all 102 towns/villages in the "blue line". (the actual Adirondack Park) (if you click on the links you'll understand the history/size, etc). Basically, the Adirondack Park/Mountains  is the largest park in the contiguous United States. It's 3 times the size of Yellowstone National Park and is about the same size as Vermont (about 1/5 of the entire New York State). It comprises 6 million acres. Anyways....I have about 10 towns left to find.  I knocked off several towns in the high peaks region....in fact, I got to all of them except 1 as it was too far over on the coast of Lake Champlain so I'll get it next spring on a day trip.  I discovered some wonderful people and places in these very small towns.  Dave and I had a blast. We saw the following towns where I either got a signature from a business owner, or the town hall seal, or the post office stamp:  North Elba, Lake Placid, Wilmington(home to Whiteface Mt), Jay, Lewis, North Hudson, Moriah, Port Henry. I had already done about 6 others in that area.  Here are some highlights of our road trip. This was from Wednesday and Thursday the 4th and 5th of October. I'm so thankful for God's beautiful creation and the mountains and towns of the High Peaks. 

Hurricane Mt 
as seen from the Adirondack History Museum
I have climbed Hurricane twice and love it.
If you zoom in on the picture, you might be able to see the firetower standing on the summit. Yes, I've climbed the tower twice, too! 
Hurricane stands at 3688 feet in elevation
It's one of my fave mountains to climb

The historic Iron Center
in the town of Moriah/Village of Port Henry
on the shores of Lake Champlain

The town hall bell in the town of Lewis
just to the north of the Adirondack History Museum in the village of Elizabethtown

Dave in front of the ADK History Museum
a self guided tour for only $5!

• MOUNTAIN MORNING!  Dave and I had to check out of the inn we were staying in by 11 AM so we first went to breakfast on Friday morning in downtown Lake Placid to this amazing bagel shop.  We were planning on hiking Mt Van Hoevenberg, a short, steep mountain at the Olympic Bobsled Run Center in the Mt Van Hoevenberg Recreation Area in North Elba, about 5 minutes down the road from our inn.  Since we had to go that way anyhow to get out of the High Peaks region and back to the Northway to go home, we decided on the morning hike followed by a few minutes at the Upper and Lower Cascades Lakes. (near the high peak Cascade Mt which I have climbed twice.  Cascade is 4098 elevation making it one of the 46 tallest mountains in NY and Mt Van Hoevenberg is 2939 feet of elevation). After a delicious breakfast of coffee and egg on a bagel, we packed up, checked out and made our way over to the parking area for Mt Van Hoevenberg.  There were 4 people ahead of us on the trail.  We had the trail mostly to our selves as they were younger and going faster.  We did a steady climb. It's a beautiful trail and most of it contains rock steps and switchbacks to help ease the climb. It is steep!!  My sciatica kicked in about a half mile up. Total miles is just under 5 miles. It took us about 1.5 hours to get to the summit where we lingered in the cold wind and sun for about a half hour, drank a lot of water, and headed down to the cars. We had the entire first overlook to ourselves and then the summit to ourselves after the first 5 minutes. It was absolutely glorious! Going down only took us 35 minutes. I'm so thankful we hiked this new to us mountain. Here are FIVE of my fave pics from the hike: 

Dave on the first half mile of the trail
Mt Van Hoevenberg
High Peaks Region ADK
6 October

My fave part of the trail because no rock steps!
Rock steps are very hard on the low back and knees
This is after the first mile up the mountain

The High Peaks of the Adirondacks
as seen from the Mt Van H overlook
this is at the 2.3 mile mark

Photo compliments of Dave
on the Summit of Mt Van Hoevenberg
looking out over the High Peaks.  
NY's highest peaks (Marcy and Algonguin) are in the clouds
in the far background

From the summit of Mt Van Hoevenberg
High Peaks Region ADK

• PEACEFUL PAUSE:  After hiking up and then down the mountain, we headed over to the Olympic Plaza where the awards were given out during the 1980 Olympics.  It was so cool to see!!  

Awards Plaza
Olympic Center
Mt Van Hoevenberg Recreation Area
High Peaks region ADK

We then got in the car after taking our hiking boots off, had a quick snack since it was close to lunch time, drank more water and then headed west.  We made a brief 20 min pause at one of the most peaceful places in the High Peaks region.  The Upper and Lower Cascades Lakes in the town of Keene. Every time I go past this spot, it is summer and it is packed with tourists. It was so refreshing last Friday morning to be the only people there. The clouds rolled in, the sun went away and we made it back to the car just in time for the rain to start pouring down. By the time we made it to the ADK Northway it was a huge downpour. The further south we went towards home, the less rain we had and by the time we were back in our town,  the weather was warm and sunny.  I'm so thankful we had this peaceful pause in this enchanting spot. 

One of the most iconic Adirondack scenes:
Lower Cascade Lake
Keene, NY
High Peaks region ADK

Looking west on Upper Cascade Lake
High Peaks Region, Adirondacks

It's been a pretty good week back but last week in the High Peaks region was just magical.  We are now in normal Autumn temperatures and I'm ok with it. I actually like it a bit cooler anyways, and at night we do still sleep with one of the 2 bedroom windows open for fresh air.  I've been cleaning out closets and getting a start on some Christmas shopping due to some local sales. I've also finished decorating for the season.  I'm thankful for the time to do these things and not cram it all into the end of a work day.  Retirement so far has been lovely!

A glimpse of  the dvd cupboard and wall shelf
of our family room 
I had lit an apple spice candle on Tuesday as it was a gloomy day

Our Front Porch is all set for Autumn
I actually plan on switching the pots for the mums:  
today I'll be putting the white mums into the blue pot 
and the orange mums will go into the cream pot. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!