Designing in Life

Hiking on a Sunday

It just seemed like the right thing to do, plus Nick needs to get into hiking shape so he can finish the last 56 miles of the 280 mile Long Trail that runs the length of Vermont.

It was a misty morning and looked as if Mt. Abraham was pretty socked it.  That didn't deter us because the high 50 degree temperature was just right for hiking.

This is the head of the trail.

As you can see, we're headed into the clouds.

Rather mystical looking, don't you think?

A few hours after we started, we reached the summit.  We sat and had some sandwiches and drank some water while we talked to the summit caretaker.  A few other people joined us.

Yup, pretty socked in.  If you're wondering what's behind us, here is an older picture of us on the summit.

It's a beautiful view from the top, but we'll just have to see it another day.

I did manage to get a bit banged up on the way down when I slipped on some wet muddy moss on a rock. – but aside from a massive bruise on my upper thigh, a small abrasion on my knee and a bruised palm nothing was broken and I'm no worse for the wear.  Hey, life is short and you've just got to enjoy it when you can, in spite of the bumps and bruises!

Fair Weather

Sometimes it's very hard not to look up at the sky, especially when the weather changes from hot and humid to crisp and cool. The difference in temperature allows me to look at distant (or not so distant) mountains that pop from the sky because there is no haze to hide them.  The clouds are especially interesting on these days because the sky seems to be the bluest of blues which accentuates the shapes and types of the clouds.

 

As I was driving to work this morning, I noticed how blue the sky was behind the cirrus clouds that were forming.

 

By the time I got to work, they were spread out even farther.  These cirrus clouds indicate fair weather (with rain often following about 24 hours or more later) and are often referred to as "mare's tales."  This is what my local meteorologist says about them.  "Cirrus clouds are high and thin and made entirely of ice crystals.  Forming above 20,000 feet in the atmosphere, they often look like wisps of white hair.  Cirrus clouds, which are a sign of warm moist air rising up over cold air, are sometimes an early signal that thickening clouds could bring light rain or snow within one or two days." 

Although we are not going to have any snow in one or two days (but frost is predicted in higher elevations and the lowest lying points tonight) we are supposed to have a rainy weekend.  If I had not heard that weather report this morning, I would have predicted this weekend's weather myself from what I was seeing in the sky.

And that's all Willard has to say about that!!!

It's Wednesday

Ah, Wednesday, the middle of the week, somewhere betwixt and between the weekend.  Today it's cloudy and overcast and the day just has a boring feel to it.  If you're feeling the same way, here is a little memory game from Flicker to help while away a few hours, which of course, will get you a few hours closer to the weekend!  Just type in a category of pictures you'd like to see (like flowers or birds or trees).

Have fun!

Sunday is not Always a Day of Rest

There were far too many things to attend to on Sunday.  Sometimes it's just hard to know where to start.  But first ...

 
This is what happens to one of your raspberry plants that produced raspberries for the first time this year when you have a bumble bee stuck in your hair and you're driving your lawn tractor and you're afraid to put your hand in your hair to get it out because it might sting your hand but if you don't it will sting your head and because of all of this you're not paying attention to your driving and suddenly the bee stings your head and you jerk the tractor and...run over the raspberry bush that produced raspberries for the first time this year...geez.

And this is the hole that had to be dug to fix the satellite cable that got cut in half a year ago by mistake (by someone not paying attention to what HE was doing) that worked for a year until this past week when there was no television reception unless you went outside and jiggled the wire then maybe it would work for a little while until on the show you were watching they were just about to tell you who committed the murder and then it would stop working because the cable had to be dug up and fixed – which it was.

So this is the thingamajig that is connected to our water system that kept blowing the breaker and causing the water to shut off especially when you had just lathered your shampoo into your hair or wanted to just wash your face and who knows why it would throw an incredible spark when you turned the breaker back on but the house didn't burn down and now it's fixed and I can take a shower knowing I won't have to go down two flights of stairs with shampoo in my eyes to turn the breaker back on!!!

 

This is the tree branch that fell in the yard that had to be cut up and piled up and dragged away until suddenly – we ran out of steam which ended a very full day of work.

Adventure on the Indian River

On Thursday, Nick and I drove over to Indian Lake, NY to the Adirondak Rafting Company for a day of adventure.

On arriving, we were greeted by the welcoming committee.

Our plan was to get there about an hour before departure (which we were), so that we could have breakfast at this little bakery across the street.

After breakfast, we went back to find the rafts being loaded for our trip.  We boarded the yellow bus and took off to the river with our guide, Carrie.(we highly recommend her!)  After some careful instruction, we were off and rafting.

Notice, there is no one NOT smiling or having fun.  It was 5 hours of a great time.  Although I don't have a picture, I did get in line to jump off a rock (25 ft high, maybe?), which Nick didn't think I would do.  Hey, you only live once.

Kettle Mountain

Virgin Falls

Arial view of Blue Ledge. 

These 3 photos were taken by MelodyThomas Photography.  They photographed our trip and these photos were on the cd that we decided to buy.  It is impossible to take pictures while you're trying to paddle and listen for the instructions from your guide, so we were happy that there were photos taken.

So now I can cross  white-water rafting off my list.  What's next?  Well, I have always wanted to para-sail off the New Jersey shore.  I think it will have to wait until next year.

Nick and I have this coming Tuesday off, and the weather is looking good.  Stay tuned, I'm sure there will be some small adventure to share with you.

Blueberry Tea Cake

Have you ever bought or has anyone ever given you one of those recipe books that schools and churches and different organizations publish?  You know, the ones with the paper covers and plastic binders with recipes that are all from the creative kitchens of those people who belong to the schools or churches or organizations who are publishing the cookbook?  I thought you did.

These are the only 2 that I have left.  They're a bit worn, and there are quite a few recipes in them that are excellent.  However, I remember making a coffee cake from one of the books I no longer have that was, well to put it mildly, a major flop! 

Now, I admit that if I wasn't trying to make it at 2:30 am after a shift at Fire and Ice (where I waitressed so many years ago – and after probably having a few drinks), I would have noticed that the flour had been omitted from the recipe.  The ingredients included real coffee, which I thought would give the coffee cake a nice flavor.  When I pulled it from the oven around 3:30 it looked dark and sort of gelatinous.  So at 7:00 am, when people arrived, I had a quiche in the oven and the "coffee cake" on the table.  Needless-to-say, we laughed about it for years, and a few of you reading this might actually remember our "Every Other Wednesday Morning Breakfasts!"

So, without further comment, here is one of the recipes that I've made for years from one of the above cookbooks.  And, since this is blueberry season in Vermont, what better time time make this!  Enjoy.

Blueberry Tea Loaf

2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs beaten
1 c. sour cream
2 tbs. lemon rind, grated
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. walnuts (optional)
1 c. blueberries
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda together.  Add sugar, nutmeg and grated lemon rind.  Cut in butter.  Add beaten eggs, sour cream, vanilla, nuts and blueberries.
Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. (check this in 50 minutes and then keep your eye on it.  Maybe oven temperatures were different at one time)

The Wow Factor

Yup, there are things that just make me stand back and say, "WOW!"  I bet I'm no different that you.  Maybe the difference is what it is that brings you to the point of "Wow."

This dinner plate dahlia is one of them.  It showed up at my desk at work yesterday.  One of my bosses grows them and every year brings them in to share.  This is a small one.  I saw one on someone's desk that was almost twice the size of this one.

And here is another thing that stopped me in my tracks.  Burnt red Frye Campus boots.  Many years ago I had a pair of them.  I loved them and wore them all of the time.  They were comfortable and fashionable and about $125 less than they are today.

I'm told by someone in my house that I will not wear these.  They will sit in a corner and I will not even look at them.  That is simply wrong.  Two years ago was the first time I saw Frye boots in red and fell in love with them.  When I finally got around to place an order, they were sold out – everywhere.  I  think I should have these, I think I need these.  Call me crazy, but these just scream "Wow" to me.

Brunch, Anyone?

I think Brunch is a very civilized meal.  You get to have breakfast with a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa.  I mean really, what's more civilized than that?

It was a very nice morning on Sunday, so we set up our brunch table in the back yard.  Sally was here from Albany, NY helping our friend, Martha, with some catering the night before.  Shannon, Sal's daughter (twin Andrea was missing) was able to come along with Roger, Martha and Tom.  Nick took the picture.

I picked some flowers during my Friday garden tour and arranged them so that I could put them on the table outside.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, it's true that summer has finally arrived at our house.

After 3 or 4 dips in the pool during the day, a little yard work and some cleaning up from brunch, we settled later in the evening on the deck to watch a suspended sun dip into the west.  The only way I could capture it was through my sunglasses.

In the words of my late Uncle Paul..."this was my kind of day!"

Friday Garden Tour

Before giving you a tour of my weed-filled flower gardens, I want to share these two pictures taken the other evening.  There was thunder heard in the distance, so I thought there might be some rain. Looking closer at the sky, I saw a rainbow sort of suspended in mid-air.  The middle was covered in clouds.  It was subtle, but fascinating.

Notice the thunderhead in the right corner starting to grow.

It's barely visible in the upper right hand corner.

Okay, on with the tour.

Hydrangea

What I think is a rogue pumpkin growing near the hydrangea.  I grew some pie pumpkins near here last year, so maybe that's what it is.  All I know is that if we can eat it, it gets to stay!

Zinnias

Cosmos

Hollyhocks

Black-eyed Susans

Some impatients and hosta

I have been trying to weed, but the weeds have gotten the best of me this year.  I must say, though, that when I start looking at all the flowers that I have, the weeds just sort of disappear, and I just enjoy the colorful array. 

Still, I guess that weeding is in my weekend plans!  Have a great one.

Business as Usual

Yup, that's right.  After a 4 day mini vacation, mostly driving, I'm back to work. 

It takes about 6 1/2 or 7 hours to drive to South Jersey where my sisters live – however – I left on Friday and knew I would get into heavy traffic on the NJ Turnpike.  Hey, everybody wants to get out of the city on the weekends, and heading to the Jersey Shore is not that far, well, as the crow flies, that is.  So, it took me about 8 hours and 10 minutes.

On Saturday, we sent to a Civil Union ceremony.  I got to see some relatives that I have not seen for some time.  It was a happy occasion and we all had a great time.

My sister, Michele, me, sister JoAnne, my cousin Paul (my sister Michele and I swear he used to cheat at Monopoly, c'mon Paul, you're old enough to fess up!) and his mother my Aunt Doris.  Sharp as a tack she is!  She had only met Nick once and that was one of the first people she asked about.

I am truly sorry I did not take a picture of the desserts.  My cousin Lyle and his partner, Roland had all of their friends make the desserts.  A friend made the cake – then there were biscotti, cream puffs, cannoli, tortoni and a gazillion Italian cookies just to mention a few!

On Sunday I was planning to head to North Jersey near South Amboy to a party for Nick's great-niece.  Before I left, however, I got a call from Beth saying their car had died in Beach Haven, which is on Long Beach Island.  So, things changed.  I left my sister's house and drove to Beach Haven.  It usually takes 1 hour 45 minutes, but it had rained, so all those people who were so anxious to get to the Jersey Shore on Friday, were now anxious to get home.  Soooooooo, it took me 3 hours and 15 minutes to get there.  But it was worth it because I got to see Beth, Jim, Chloe, Phoebe and Jim's Nona and mom.  I walked in the door and dinner was on the table. Jersey tomatoes?  From the garden out back?  WOW, there is nothing better in the summer than a Jersey tomato and if you don't believe me, you'll just have to go there and see for yourself!!!

After the meal we went to the beach, which is only a short block and a half away.  Chloe went to feel the water so she could let us know if it was warm or not – and it was wonderful, probably in the low 70's, so Beth, Jim, Chloe and I (Phoebe was at home asleep) went out to ride over the waves.  Chloe even ducked under some of them with her dad.  Wow, now that's a sign of growing up.

Chloe and Beth having a serious discussion.

Chloe having a warm snuggle with her dad.

Sorry, no pictures of Phoebe.  The visit was so short I forgot to get the camera out in the house.  I did get a chance to read stories to both of them, which I oh-so-love to do.

After another mini-meal (it's all about the food when you visit Italians – and delicious food, at that!) Jim and I headed for Jersey City.  On Monday I drove home, but not before a stop at my favorite place, Trader Joe's.  (Thanks Connie!)  The drive home only took a little over 5 hours.  Honestly, a piece of cake.

And that's what I did this past weekend.  What did you do?