Saturday, August 31, 2019

Emma's Birthday...Loretta's Birthday...Our August "It's the Berries" Trip and More

Emma is now a teenager, too!

She and I, celebrating her 13th today with brunch at Almost Home...

And a morning at our local Farmer's Market...where we found Amish Beefsteak tomatoes as big as your fist, A cinnamon roll candle, fresh green beans, Amish cinnamon rolls with pecans and icing, and fresh melon.



Tonight she is having an Urban Camp Out with her Sis & friends. Big Tent..Campfire...S'mores and Dogs and no little brothers!!!

Off to Grandma Nancy's for the night.

James found his own playtoy...

And it is beautiful!

Can't wait to hear it plugged in.

Flame maple top and inlay all around.

So proud of him and The Crew for striking out on their own in Construction after years of working together for someone else.

Equal partners!

You guys will do great!

It has been a busy week!

Our (John and I) August Escape together to Shelbyville and Rushville.

A stop at The Grand.

Several fun new machines...and REAL LIVE DEALERS (for blackjack and poker) coming in January!




Sipping white wine/margarita track-side we caught several of the horse-races for the day.

I absolutely love the horse races!

Brunch at the Casino...and a stop by Shelby's where I now have an oh-so-sparkly bit that matches my other ring perfectly.


It is beautiful, John!!!

And the scent du nuit provided by him (and Party Lite Candles) of Mixed Berries. Obviously, we had to bring Raspberry Pastries back to our room to accompany it!

We've stayed here before...nice kitchen area...view...hot tub (may need a snorkel...it's huge and deep...also the perfect way to end a long day...I'm sleeping here...)..and a king bed full of cloud-soft fluffy pillows.

Remember "Just like Old Times" by Todd Snider

Coke Machine Glowing Through A Parking Lot
They Call It a Room with a View...

Well...this kitchen actually has a view.
Beautiful in the early morning sun!

The little bear (also brought by John) we have dubbed

RALPH- Our Adventure Bear

Who will be accompanying us on these treks from now on.

Thursday we were able to celebrate Loretta's 78th Birthday with her!

We took her to brunch and some shopping...brought gifts from us and her friends still here is Greencastle...and a small chocolate cake.

She had a wonderful time!

Oh...and while we were out shopping...I found THIS...

Quite possibly the best Halloween Decoration (for later) EVER!!!

I am seeing incorporating this into my Crazy Cat Lady Costume this October...having it on a small blanket on my lap stroking it...lol. A heavy old bathrobe and rollers and face cream.

Of course, we had to screw with Sofi, first.

When she discovered it she hissed...and spat...and finally gave it a good whack or two.

But now, she seems to have made her peace.



"It's behind me...isn't it???"  
                                          ~Sofi


Sofi so happy we were home and loving on her...oh...and KFC Chicken.

(which she has come to expect...spoiled thing...)

Playing with us, as we dozed together, after the long drive back.

Then dozing a bit herself!

Sofi, face-rubbing and "marking" John well before he left.

I think sometimes she views him as her own personal toy she can play rough with...

"Yeah...he's BACK now...and he is MINE."
                                                         ~Giz

The only cat I know who actually has Resting Bitch Face.

She re-marks him every time he returns home.

lol!

The early part of the week punctuated by Sofi in Heat.

So- you wake up and she is rolling around and trilling and me-so-horny...and

I LOVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(...very different for her because with the exception of Myself, John and my sister, Lisa, she is very standoffish and makes it clear she just TOLERATES pretty much everyone else...)

But NOT when she is in heat.

For 3 or 4 days she loves...everything...

The comes the morning when you reach over to love on her and it is just like flipping a switch...

"OH HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And she bites you...

Speaking of Cat in Heat...did anyone else catch this great shot by Reuters of Melania and Trudeau?

Seriously the only time my cat ever has that face...is when she is in heat.
Okay?

Be afraid Justin...be very afraid!
 

We've been doing the Hurricane Watch with Lennon...as well as a few of my friends in Florida.

And three of the projection maps that have come out of it.





and this last one, which is probably more accurate.


As of today it looks like it has turned even more east though and Florida's coast may be out of the direct landfall.

Let's hope.

The G-7 was kind of a side-show.

With Boris Johnson and Donald Trump it was like a Dumb  and Dumber Reenactment.


 And sadly...they forgot to sit them at The Kids Table...

So, the adults in the room had to kind of talk around them (as they told Booger Jokes)

Macron did pull off a great

"Guess Who's Coming To Dinner"

By inviting IRAN.

AWKWARD!!!!

And Trump did not attend the Climate Change talks

Using the excuse he had scheduling conflicts with India and Germany.

Even made more awkward when the photo shows both India (PM Modi) and Germany (Merkel) actively involved at the talks and Trump's empty chair.

OMG...he LIED.

IKR???

Who saw that coming????

Not terribly surprising, and they probably got more work done than if he had been there. Face it...he would have had nothing intelligent to add to the  conversation.

(...we are working on coming up with a REAL president again...I swear we are...)

In other news we LOST Andrew Luck
(...who retired from The Colts at 29...)

and I saw THIS

Remember Microsoft's "Clippie"

Yes...now I have to get a box of paper clips and a bag of googly eyes. 

This Week's Movie was an old one (2014) that I had somehow missed...Chris suggested it.

A dystopian look at what is left of humanity and how they have managed to survive after a terribly bungled attempt at reversing global warming.

A perfect late in the picture role by Ed Harris.

A lot to take in/process and I am going to do a re-watch soon.

A lot of action. 

A lot of thought provoking scenes.

Excellent all around film.

If you missed it the first time around (like me) this is a must see.

This Week's Book

Which is less of a book about painting...and more a book about the artistic process...using any medium.

The challenge to "ART" daily...or at least often (regularly) and how if you don't you can get lost...and stop.

Its principles can be used toward many outlets of creativity in daily life.

Well worth the read.


Taking a rest now...and looking forward to Labor Day with Nicole!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

More anon!








































Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Virtual AT: RPH Shelter to the Connecticut State Line





"Good Morning!  Beans, back...on a mission to finish (virtual)  NY and make
Connecticut before we stop today!"

Our 27th day on the Virtual AT.

66 degrees this morning, and pouring down cold rain earlier.

At least the rain has stopped, but it is cold!!!

The Blaze App says 52 degrees in Maine right now.

(...thinking of knee to chest high fording streams in 52 degrees...which will be much colder by the time we arrive, is daunting...)

Since its completion in 1937 only about 12,000 people have made it on a thru-hike.

Only about 1 in 5 thru-hikers actually finish the trail.

So, let's see what the rest of New York has to offer...and find the NY-Connecticut State Line today!

Come on...

Our first sight along the way

The Taconic State Parkway



(...I have had to fortune to actually drive this in REAL-TIME and is an amazing stretch that winds through upstate NY past mountains, grassy meadows and waterfalls...truck traffic is not allowed and the speed limit is 55 MPH...The Chief Diner remains off the Taconic and 23...a vestige of the 1950's aluminum diners where you can get a burger, fries and a malted or  chocolate soda in original surroundings...and it is just wonderful!)







 (...ahhhhhhhhhhh nostalgia....but I digress...)

Down Mount Hosner to Mount Egbert.



 Past Morgan Stewart Shelter


Which we take a short hike from to find the famous

DOVER OAK


Video

https://youtu.be/NMrzBH8XCac

The Dover Oak is the Oldest Known Oak Tree at over 300 years old, and measuring almost 22 feet in circumference.

I love ancient trees and the several that we have already come across on this hike makes me wonder what lies ahead!

On we go...

Across old Route 55 and up West Mountain


 and our very first City Skyline Glimpse



It is funny. Although I am not adverse to big cities...and have spent time in this one real-time...I am very glad, after the quiet and back-to-nature that the AT has provided over the months, to only be viewing it from a mountain-top.

We have been on the trail since June and it is now August.

The hustle, bustle and crowd of NY would be overwhelming now.

You can also see Nuclear Lake






Old article re: Nuclear Lake in the NYT.


and a 1972 article from the Poughkeepsie Journal


https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2014/08/12/dateline-nuclear-lake/13976085/

And I am thinking swimming here might still be a bad idea, okay?

To Telephone Pioneers Shelter


Miles from 55-the nearest road...the NY National Guard Helicoptered in the materials to build this shelter!

You're Welcome.

Although a privy was built as well...the water situation is iffy here at best. Most reporting a mere trickle from the spring nearby.

Which brings us to the ONLY railroad station along the AT.





And face it...there are probably hikers who reach this point after 2 or 3 months from either direction NOBO or SOBO...and say

"To HELL with this!"

And hop a ride home.

Who could blame them?

(...but this is virtual..so on we press...)

Opening a pack of M&M's to give us the extra energy boost for the next 3 miles we will need to make it to the state line.

 Not long now...

Past Hurd's Corner and Leather Hill Road

A brief rest stop at Wiley Shelter


Down Duell Hollow Road to Hoyt Road

And at last The Connecticut State Line



Okay...that is a little underwhelming...

1451.5 miles down and 738.5 miles to go.

Taking a couple of Zero Days...hotel...hot bath...good meals...rest a bit....and Friday we will start Connecticut!

Until then..

Love,

"Beans" 



 New York Hike

https://youtu.be/uxijAVoHiKI












Monday, August 26, 2019

Virtual AT: Fingerboards Shelter NY to RPH Shelter NY


If you didn't think the season was changing...waking up in the low sixty degree temperatures would straighten you right out.

Back to our Virtual Hike.

Had to go in for supplies early...but back on the trail with renewed motivation. It rained earlier but has passed, and I have supplemented my morning coffee with hot cocoa to take the chill off.



Past Seven Lakes Loop

 And Goshen Prong...to Goshen Mountain


By William Brien Memorial Shelter


Up Black Mountain





Past Beechy Bottom Brook



and West Mountain Shelter

and Ridge Hike

to Bear Mountain


Where we find another lovely boardwalk.


And discover the Trail goes right through the Bear Mountain Zoo!!!





Bear Mountain Zoo

https://youtu.be/ZhR-_BVAiTU

Across the Bear Mountain Bridge spanning The Hudson River




Walk Across

https://youtu.be/Vad6sDe4VsA

Following the Camp Smith Trail to Anthony's Nose.



Flag at Anthony's Nose.

(...okay...who was Anthony and why did someone name a landform after his snozz...must find out...come on...you have to be curious about it as well...)

Ah ha...

"The peak has been known as Anthony's Nose since at least 1697, when the name appears on a grant patent. The eponymous Anthony may be St Anthony, as a rock formation called "Saint Anthony's Face" existed on Breakneck Ridge nearby before its destruction by quarrying."

Now we know, as Paul Harvey would say,

The Rest of the Story.

The only thing left of poor Saint Anthony's face is his nose.

Moving on...

Until hours later we reach tonight's destination

RPH Shelter


Which is kind of homey in its own curious way.

Inside






The RPH standing for

Ralph's Peak Hikers Shelter.

Another inside view





We are early off tonight...so that means a bunk!


Squeaknee, Bearsong and Chiefdaddy at RPH

https://youtu.be/PkVp7JB5B28

Soon to fire up the Campstove!

Love,

"Beans"