Sixteen seconds of zen at Crabtree Falls. This is just one of five major cascades that comprise the 1,300 foot waterfall. It is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The clip was filmed June 17, 2013.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Monday, June 24, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Happy Couple
Ah, here I am again after a lovely getaway with my husband of 21(!) years. We got back Tuesday, but I wasn't ready to get back here until today. The lone post I literally phoned in was on Sunday and it wasn't until now I saw the glaring typo, stupid tiny phone screen and clunky mobile interface.
Anyhoodle, we ran away Sunday, leaving the older boys home to care for the dogs and the younger two with their Aunt Meryl. Max has a semi-complicated medical routine and really needs adult help, otherwise I would have left all four home to shift for themselves. Apart from a few bulletions from Meryl via Facebook and email, we didn't hear a peep from them until Tuesday, about 20 minutes from home, when Nate called to see when we would be home. Not bad for a boy renowned for this check up calls when Larry and I go out for dinner.
As for the trip we stayed at the lovely Afton Mountain Bed and Breakfast. From there we visited two breweries, we highly recommend The Devils Backbone, George Washington National Forest, and a quick trip to Charlottesville for dinner. We ate too much, drank too much, did some hiking, read books, and had a lovely time, just the two of us. Now on to the pictures.
We got lucky with the weather on Monday when we went hiking. Larry had done some research before hand and picked out Crabtree Falls. From what I understand it is the tallest waterfall in the US east of the Mississippi. The height of the falls is just under 1,400 feet and it is quite a trek to the top. The first picture was taken about 3/4s of thew way up by a very nice fellow hiker with her two teenage children. There are numerous viewing areas along the falls which comprise of a series of falls.
The next picture of part of the falls midway up. It is an impressive torrent washing down the mountain. Throughout the hike there are numerous small signs warning of the dangers of straying off the path and clambering on the wet rocks. The first sign bluntly states 23 people have died since the mid 80's. A believable statistic when you see the sheer drop offs and the rushing waters. In fact the 28th victim was claimed just this past April (so yeah the sign was a little out of date).
The final picture is from near the top of the waterfalls. Larry though this was the most impressive part and I have to agree. What amazes me the most is just how much water is pouring down the mountain side. We didn't get to see the headwaters of the stream, which was located farther back on the mountain's top. However it must be like a fire-hose considering sheer volume of water.
Anyhoodle, we ran away Sunday, leaving the older boys home to care for the dogs and the younger two with their Aunt Meryl. Max has a semi-complicated medical routine and really needs adult help, otherwise I would have left all four home to shift for themselves. Apart from a few bulletions from Meryl via Facebook and email, we didn't hear a peep from them until Tuesday, about 20 minutes from home, when Nate called to see when we would be home. Not bad for a boy renowned for this check up calls when Larry and I go out for dinner.
As for the trip we stayed at the lovely Afton Mountain Bed and Breakfast. From there we visited two breweries, we highly recommend The Devils Backbone, George Washington National Forest, and a quick trip to Charlottesville for dinner. We ate too much, drank too much, did some hiking, read books, and had a lovely time, just the two of us. Now on to the pictures.
We got lucky with the weather on Monday when we went hiking. Larry had done some research before hand and picked out Crabtree Falls. From what I understand it is the tallest waterfall in the US east of the Mississippi. The height of the falls is just under 1,400 feet and it is quite a trek to the top. The first picture was taken about 3/4s of thew way up by a very nice fellow hiker with her two teenage children. There are numerous viewing areas along the falls which comprise of a series of falls.
The next picture of part of the falls midway up. It is an impressive torrent washing down the mountain. Throughout the hike there are numerous small signs warning of the dangers of straying off the path and clambering on the wet rocks. The first sign bluntly states 23 people have died since the mid 80's. A believable statistic when you see the sheer drop offs and the rushing waters. In fact the 28th victim was claimed just this past April (so yeah the sign was a little out of date).
The final picture is from near the top of the waterfalls. Larry though this was the most impressive part and I have to agree. What amazes me the most is just how much water is pouring down the mountain side. We didn't get to see the headwaters of the stream, which was located farther back on the mountain's top. However it must be like a fire-hose considering sheer volume of water.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
A Quiet Place
I think one of my favorite places on Friday was this quite little garden just to the side of the main entrance to then National Gallery.
It was cool and shady with comfortable benches facing the fountain. Max and I relaxed there after all the activity and walking in the Museum of Natural History. The National Sculpture Garden between the two was nice, but this spot was a better place to rest.
It was cool and shady with comfortable benches facing the fountain. Max and I relaxed there after all the activity and walking in the Museum of Natural History. The National Sculpture Garden between the two was nice, but this spot was a better place to rest.
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Capital Field Trip
Today was the big fifth grade field trip to Washington DC and I got to spend the day playing tourist with Max.
Our school does the big DC trip a little differently than most others. Instead of large groups of students being herded about on a set schedule we have as many parent chaperons willing to come allowing us to scatter to the for winds. Each chaperon has one, possibly two students, we are dropped off at the Museum of Natural History at roughly 10 and picked up at the Air and Space Museum precisely at 2:30 pm. DC traffic being what it is if we are just 5 minutes late on our departure another hour is added to the drive.
As a result the kids get to go to the museums they want.
Max chose the Museum of Natural History, the National Gallery, and the Air and Space Museum. The later was only the result of A) we had lunch there and B) that was our pick up point. He really wanted to go to the Lincoln Memorial, but with a half hour hike to and from he decided it wasn't worth the effort. The weather was perfect, not at all the scorcher that was originally forecast. I had a good time as did everybody else on the trip.
Our school does the big DC trip a little differently than most others. Instead of large groups of students being herded about on a set schedule we have as many parent chaperons willing to come allowing us to scatter to the for winds. Each chaperon has one, possibly two students, we are dropped off at the Museum of Natural History at roughly 10 and picked up at the Air and Space Museum precisely at 2:30 pm. DC traffic being what it is if we are just 5 minutes late on our departure another hour is added to the drive.
As a result the kids get to go to the museums they want.
Max chose the Museum of Natural History, the National Gallery, and the Air and Space Museum. The later was only the result of A) we had lunch there and B) that was our pick up point. He really wanted to go to the Lincoln Memorial, but with a half hour hike to and from he decided it wasn't worth the effort. The weather was perfect, not at all the scorcher that was originally forecast. I had a good time as did everybody else on the trip.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Greener Pastures
Yesterday we drove west to Fluvaana to do a bit of inner tubing on the James River. Along the way we passed by the Virginia Department of Corrections work farm in Goochland. The concept of such a place always amused me and for once I was able to take a picture as we drove by the place for bad cows.
When we got back home I decided to look the place up and find out exactly what the deal is behind the work farm. It turns out it is a far nicer place than I thought.
The Virginia Department of corrections has teamed up with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to rehabilitate retired racehorces for life off the track.Each horse is matched with an inmate with the idea of the prisoners learning new job skills in the processes of caring for and training the horses.
So after all it isn't a jail for bad cows. Though there is a dairy farm onsite...
When we got back home I decided to look the place up and find out exactly what the deal is behind the work farm. It turns out it is a far nicer place than I thought.
The Virginia Department of corrections has teamed up with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation to rehabilitate retired racehorces for life off the track.Each horse is matched with an inmate with the idea of the prisoners learning new job skills in the processes of caring for and training the horses.
So after all it isn't a jail for bad cows. Though there is a dairy farm onsite...
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Lazy Days of Summer
School starts all too soon and I want to know where our summer went. Between traveling, various sports camps, and appointments our summer break has flown by.
The closest I've gotten to the so called lazy days of summer was when we were up north. Even then we were busy exploring places such as mt childhood haunts. Pictured here is one of my favorite spots, the Union Village Dam.
The kids at first didn't believe me when I told them I would swim there. They soon learned that I was right as we moseyed upstream to my favorite swimming hole.
That was a good lazy day.
The closest I've gotten to the so called lazy days of summer was when we were up north. Even then we were busy exploring places such as mt childhood haunts. Pictured here is one of my favorite spots, the Union Village Dam.
The kids at first didn't believe me when I told them I would swim there. They soon learned that I was right as we moseyed upstream to my favorite swimming hole.
That was a good lazy day.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
White Mountains
It has been rather beachy here lately so I thought I would share some nice cool greens and blues from our trip up north.
It is the view from my cousin's house of New Hampshire's White Mountains. It really was an idyllic spot to spend our vacation time. I look forward to going there again.
It is the view from my cousin's house of New Hampshire's White Mountains. It really was an idyllic spot to spend our vacation time. I look forward to going there again.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Artist of the Week: Sand Castle
The artist, or rather artists, of the week are Jake, Nate, Max, and Rebecca. It was a real pleasure watching all four of them working so well together during our entire time on the beach. They were very happy to help each other build various structures in the resulting sprawling complexes they created.
In the top picture you can see all four working away with the Lost Pearl in the background. I couldn't resist taking this picture of the pirate party boat in the background. It gives the fortification a little more meaning.
In the next picture, featuring Miss Rebecca, there is a close up picture of one of the many bridges. The kids found the sand to be ideal for building all sorts of ambitious structures. No internal drift wood supports were needed. The sand was just wet enough to hold together and form almost any shape. They didn't need buckets of water to keep the structure from crumbling away. The biggest threat was stray toddlers (of which there were mercifully few with the notable except of two cuties that were well corralled by their doting father) and the advancing surf.
The kids were careful to erect the main body of their fort high enough on the wash to lessened the danger of advancing waves, but not where the sand was too dry to stick together.
In the third picture you can see Nate and Rebecca working on the details of the fort. They discovered that the sand could hold a squared edge and as a result they made small houses throughout the structure. Near Nate you can also see a few more of the bridges. Nate was the main bridge builder and was in fact the one to request documentation of their efforts.
Anyhoodle as you can see the whole thing did sprawl out over a large area. The beach wasn't terribly crowded, which may have been been due to the fact it was early in the day and rain clouds were sweeping in. Either way the kids could build to their hearts content until it was time to go.
Now at the water's edge Jake made a sturdy structure with dribble castles on top. He had help from his siblings to create what was initially a thick wall to repel the waves. Then it evolved into a squat tower. It got washed over a few times,but that didn't deter Jake. He would repair and replace as needed. Max was more than happy to help out with the connecting wall.
Max, in fact, was happy to help out wherever he was needed. His siblings would remain working in one area, while he bounced about.
Here is one final view. Again it is looking out towards the ocean, but as opposed to the top picture it is down by the tower. I like how the breaking wave gives a note of impending mayhem.
It was a good weekend at the beach.
I am particularly proud of how well the kids got along and even went so far as to invite others to join in on the fun. On Saturday (these pictures were all taken on Sunday) two boys roughly the age of Jake and Nate helped work on the day's sand castle. For a brief moment I had six children and all was good in the world.
In the top picture you can see all four working away with the Lost Pearl in the background. I couldn't resist taking this picture of the pirate party boat in the background. It gives the fortification a little more meaning.
In the next picture, featuring Miss Rebecca, there is a close up picture of one of the many bridges. The kids found the sand to be ideal for building all sorts of ambitious structures. No internal drift wood supports were needed. The sand was just wet enough to hold together and form almost any shape. They didn't need buckets of water to keep the structure from crumbling away. The biggest threat was stray toddlers (of which there were mercifully few with the notable except of two cuties that were well corralled by their doting father) and the advancing surf.
The kids were careful to erect the main body of their fort high enough on the wash to lessened the danger of advancing waves, but not where the sand was too dry to stick together.
In the third picture you can see Nate and Rebecca working on the details of the fort. They discovered that the sand could hold a squared edge and as a result they made small houses throughout the structure. Near Nate you can also see a few more of the bridges. Nate was the main bridge builder and was in fact the one to request documentation of their efforts.
Anyhoodle as you can see the whole thing did sprawl out over a large area. The beach wasn't terribly crowded, which may have been been due to the fact it was early in the day and rain clouds were sweeping in. Either way the kids could build to their hearts content until it was time to go.
Now at the water's edge Jake made a sturdy structure with dribble castles on top. He had help from his siblings to create what was initially a thick wall to repel the waves. Then it evolved into a squat tower. It got washed over a few times,but that didn't deter Jake. He would repair and replace as needed. Max was more than happy to help out with the connecting wall.
Max, in fact, was happy to help out wherever he was needed. His siblings would remain working in one area, while he bounced about.
Here is one final view. Again it is looking out towards the ocean, but as opposed to the top picture it is down by the tower. I like how the breaking wave gives a note of impending mayhem.
It was a good weekend at the beach.
I am particularly proud of how well the kids got along and even went so far as to invite others to join in on the fun. On Saturday (these pictures were all taken on Sunday) two boys roughly the age of Jake and Nate helped work on the day's sand castle. For a brief moment I had six children and all was good in the world.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
White Mountains Sunrise
I think this picture of the sun rising over the White Mountains is my favorite one of our trip up north. Our bedroom faced east and we soon discovered exactly what it means to travel hundreds of miles north.
The sky would begin to lighten at 4:30 am, a rather unwelcome prospect at first. However, we soon adapted since it was so utterly quiet. After the second morning I realized I should bring my camera upstairs and try to take pictures. The eve of our last day I finally did and was rewarded with this spectacular picture of the White Mountains.
As I recall this was at about 5:30 when the sun peeked above the horizon. I was able to angle the camera just right to get the flare of its appearance. I think the big mountain with the two humps is either Moosilauke or Washington, my money is on Mooselauke.
The sky would begin to lighten at 4:30 am, a rather unwelcome prospect at first. However, we soon adapted since it was so utterly quiet. After the second morning I realized I should bring my camera upstairs and try to take pictures. The eve of our last day I finally did and was rewarded with this spectacular picture of the White Mountains.
As I recall this was at about 5:30 when the sun peeked above the horizon. I was able to angle the camera just right to get the flare of its appearance. I think the big mountain with the two humps is either Moosilauke or Washington, my money is on Mooselauke.
Friday, January 06, 2012
New Jersey Sky
I never quite got to the MCP Project 12 this week, which really isn't a big deal now that it's a monthly theme. So instead I'm featuring a quirky picture from our drive home from up north.
Larry was at the wheel as we drove through New Jersey. It was not the nicest of days, the sky was still overcast from the previous days weather. The clouds, however, had the strangest almost luminescent quality about them.
I was struck by the clouds' strange beauty and fished out my camera. I have done nothing to this picture, except a bit of cropping. The clouds really and truly looked just like the picture. It was as though the sky was painted in watercolors.
It is not the *best* picture, but considering we were bombing along at highway speeds I am happy enough with the shot I got. It was sometime after 11 am and I have no idea what caused that interesting atmospheric effect.
Larry was at the wheel as we drove through New Jersey. It was not the nicest of days, the sky was still overcast from the previous days weather. The clouds, however, had the strangest almost luminescent quality about them.
I was struck by the clouds' strange beauty and fished out my camera. I have done nothing to this picture, except a bit of cropping. The clouds really and truly looked just like the picture. It was as though the sky was painted in watercolors.
It is not the *best* picture, but considering we were bombing along at highway speeds I am happy enough with the shot I got. It was sometime after 11 am and I have no idea what caused that interesting atmospheric effect.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Farmville
Not the game, the actual town.
I've been amused by the whole Farmville thing over on Facebook. Mind you I don't play the game, instead I keep thinking about how there is a very real place in Virginia called Farmville.
I had been by there years and years ago, long before the game ever existed. It wasn't terribly significant to me back then, other than the rather odd name. Fast forward back to the present, the town's name has had a whole new dimension added. The funny part is that Farmville is relatively built up. It had far more to offer than the quiet county of Cumberland where Bear Creek Lake State Park is located.
So when I went there this summer I just had to take a picture of the "Welcome to Farmville" sign.
I've been amused by the whole Farmville thing over on Facebook. Mind you I don't play the game, instead I keep thinking about how there is a very real place in Virginia called Farmville.
I had been by there years and years ago, long before the game ever existed. It wasn't terribly significant to me back then, other than the rather odd name. Fast forward back to the present, the town's name has had a whole new dimension added. The funny part is that Farmville is relatively built up. It had far more to offer than the quiet county of Cumberland where Bear Creek Lake State Park is located.
So when I went there this summer I just had to take a picture of the "Welcome to Farmville" sign.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Cloudy With a Chance of Cough
This is how my head feels.
It's not completely stuffed, but it is cloudy in there.
I went to Chicago this weekend with Larry for a wedding. The Groom was a friend of Larry's from Grad school and Larry was in the wedding party. Which meant we got fabulously fed all weekend long. We also met up a college friend and his family (they too have four kids that we finally got to meet in person) and a friend of mine from high school. The only meal we paid for was a quick bite to eat at the airport while we experienced a presidential delay.
The President was in Richmond and the airport got locked down before our flight was scheduled to appear. While the commander in chief was being driven to the airport, boarding Air Force One (which I might state is huge in person. I know it's a 747, but dang all that for one man), and jetting away; no planes were allowed to land or takeoff. As a result our poor plane had to refuel in Norfolk before landing in Richmond. So we had a one hour delay because of the whole presidential visit. We had a direct flight, but quite a few peopled missed their connections. Unfortunately I forgot to bring a camera, but I was able to get a few pictures with my cell phone.
So except for that (and my stupid cold from traveling in airplanes), we had a wonderful time.
It's not completely stuffed, but it is cloudy in there.
I went to Chicago this weekend with Larry for a wedding. The Groom was a friend of Larry's from Grad school and Larry was in the wedding party. Which meant we got fabulously fed all weekend long. We also met up a college friend and his family (they too have four kids that we finally got to meet in person) and a friend of mine from high school. The only meal we paid for was a quick bite to eat at the airport while we experienced a presidential delay.
The President was in Richmond and the airport got locked down before our flight was scheduled to appear. While the commander in chief was being driven to the airport, boarding Air Force One (which I might state is huge in person. I know it's a 747, but dang all that for one man), and jetting away; no planes were allowed to land or takeoff. As a result our poor plane had to refuel in Norfolk before landing in Richmond. So we had a one hour delay because of the whole presidential visit. We had a direct flight, but quite a few peopled missed their connections. Unfortunately I forgot to bring a camera, but I was able to get a few pictures with my cell phone.
So except for that (and my stupid cold from traveling in airplanes), we had a wonderful time.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Where I Was Last Week
Normally we do just one big trip in the summer and that had happened last month.
But this year we decided to mix it up a bit.
Since our trip up north was on the short side due to various commitments and we had such a good time this past spring at Shenandoah River State Park we thought we would give another state park a try. We looked up various parks in the state and settled on Bear Creek Lake. We could swim, fish and canoe! And as an added bonus, the park is about an hour out of Richmond.
Which turned out to be a very good thing since on T
hursday I had to drive Jake back for an evening marching band rehearsal.
The cabin was pretty much the same as the one we stayed in last spring, right on down to the wilderness themed upholstery on the furniture. Larry had the brilliant idea that since there was no dishwasher, everyone should wash their own plates, glasses, and silverware. That certainly made my life easier!
As for the park, the lake was a bit smaller than we envisioned. However, that didn't stop us from using the canoe on a daily basis. Nate brought his best friend along and the older boys would frequently take the canoe out and try to do a bit of fishing. They lost quite a few lures, but after switching to live bait Nate was able to snag a crappie.
Max and Rebecca didn't do much in the way of fishing. Instead they had fun at the small swimming area/ beach on the other side of the lake. Rebecca even joined me in swimming across the lake. Actually it was more kick-boarding since she is not a strong swimmer. That little adventure was a great deal of fun even though we got admonished by a park employee for 1.) swimming outside of the swimming area and 2.) swimming when the lifeguard was no longer present. We survived and were allowed to return to our side of the lake.
We all had a great time and look forward to our next state park adventure. If you click on the picture of Rebecca silhouetted by the morning light it will lead you to my Flickr account where there is a whole slew of picture in the Bear Creek Lake photo set.
But this year we decided to mix it up a bit.
Since our trip up north was on the short side due to various commitments and we had such a good time this past spring at Shenandoah River State Park we thought we would give another state park a try. We looked up various parks in the state and settled on Bear Creek Lake. We could swim, fish and canoe! And as an added bonus, the park is about an hour out of Richmond.
Which turned out to be a very good thing since on T
hursday I had to drive Jake back for an evening marching band rehearsal.
The cabin was pretty much the same as the one we stayed in last spring, right on down to the wilderness themed upholstery on the furniture. Larry had the brilliant idea that since there was no dishwasher, everyone should wash their own plates, glasses, and silverware. That certainly made my life easier!
As for the park, the lake was a bit smaller than we envisioned. However, that didn't stop us from using the canoe on a daily basis. Nate brought his best friend along and the older boys would frequently take the canoe out and try to do a bit of fishing. They lost quite a few lures, but after switching to live bait Nate was able to snag a crappie.
Max and Rebecca didn't do much in the way of fishing. Instead they had fun at the small swimming area/ beach on the other side of the lake. Rebecca even joined me in swimming across the lake. Actually it was more kick-boarding since she is not a strong swimmer. That little adventure was a great deal of fun even though we got admonished by a park employee for 1.) swimming outside of the swimming area and 2.) swimming when the lifeguard was no longer present. We survived and were allowed to return to our side of the lake.
We all had a great time and look forward to our next state park adventure. If you click on the picture of Rebecca silhouetted by the morning light it will lead you to my Flickr account where there is a whole slew of picture in the Bear Creek Lake photo set.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Sunday in the Park
With some cousins.
I can't believe it has only been a week since I took this picture. We had a little get together last Sunday with some of Larry's extended family. Spouses and children were welcome to attend.
Larry's mom organized the whole shebang, from scouting out an idyllic spot at the park to ordering sandwiches from the local deli. She was able to corral up Larry's brother, her brother and his wife, three cousins and their respective children. It was the first time that our kids have gotten to see some of their second cousins.
The picnic was a huge hit. After the initial shyness wore off the kids all had a great time. Larry and Nate taught some of the littles how to play lacrosse, Rebecca went exploring with Abby and Alex, and Max and Jake just plain had fun with all the other kids. We completely lucked out on the weather. The rain held off until we got back to my in-laws' condo. Then it was time for ice cream and playtime with grandma's toys.
I know we had a wonderful time reconnecting with family and our kids are hoping that we will do this again next year.
I can't believe it has only been a week since I took this picture. We had a little get together last Sunday with some of Larry's extended family. Spouses and children were welcome to attend.
Larry's mom organized the whole shebang, from scouting out an idyllic spot at the park to ordering sandwiches from the local deli. She was able to corral up Larry's brother, her brother and his wife, three cousins and their respective children. It was the first time that our kids have gotten to see some of their second cousins.
The picnic was a huge hit. After the initial shyness wore off the kids all had a great time. Larry and Nate taught some of the littles how to play lacrosse, Rebecca went exploring with Abby and Alex, and Max and Jake just plain had fun with all the other kids. We completely lucked out on the weather. The rain held off until we got back to my in-laws' condo. Then it was time for ice cream and playtime with grandma's toys.
I know we had a wonderful time reconnecting with family and our kids are hoping that we will do this again next year.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Mountain Time
As I mentioned yesterday there was a bit of mountain hiking during our vacation. My mom lives in Vermont surrounded by a plethora of hiking trails. I declined both hikes using inadequate footwear. I love my sandals, but they are not really suited for long hikes. For some reason I neglected to toss in the car a pair of sneakers for myself.
Of course what I define as a good hiking shoe is completely different from Rebecca's ideal. She knew they were going to hike up a mountain and yet she chose a very girlie outfit. A pretty blue dress with brown flats was her idea of a hiking ensemble.
For the first hike the idea was something easy for the whole family. Gile mountain is not at all far away and fit the bill. Larry took this picture of Max, Nate, and Rebecca at the top. It was a bit overcast, but you can see all three had fun on their adventure. They opted not to scale the fire tower on top, but from there you can get a very impressive view of the surrounding area.
The next day just Larry and Nate went off for a much more challenging hike. After a bit of discussion on various spots they settled on Mount Cardigan. It was no walk in the park, but it didn't seem to slow down Nate aka goat-boy very much. They made the summit, a far more impressive affair since it is bare rock and the camera's battery promptly went kaput. Larry used his cell phone and got some nice shots, but I don't have them yet.
They had a good time and it made for a nice father and son moment. Plus Nate got to burn off some of his excess energy before we headed on over to in-law's in CT. Four hours in a car is not much fun for an active boy. We like to make sure he gets some exercise before we stuff him in the car.
Next year I'll try to remember to bring sneakers so I can join in on the fun.
Of course what I define as a good hiking shoe is completely different from Rebecca's ideal. She knew they were going to hike up a mountain and yet she chose a very girlie outfit. A pretty blue dress with brown flats was her idea of a hiking ensemble.
For the first hike the idea was something easy for the whole family. Gile mountain is not at all far away and fit the bill. Larry took this picture of Max, Nate, and Rebecca at the top. It was a bit overcast, but you can see all three had fun on their adventure. They opted not to scale the fire tower on top, but from there you can get a very impressive view of the surrounding area.
The next day just Larry and Nate went off for a much more challenging hike. After a bit of discussion on various spots they settled on Mount Cardigan. It was no walk in the park, but it didn't seem to slow down Nate aka goat-boy very much. They made the summit, a far more impressive affair since it is bare rock and the camera's battery promptly went kaput. Larry used his cell phone and got some nice shots, but I don't have them yet.
They had a good time and it made for a nice father and son moment. Plus Nate got to burn off some of his excess energy before we headed on over to in-law's in CT. Four hours in a car is not much fun for an active boy. We like to make sure he gets some exercise before we stuff him in the car.
Next year I'll try to remember to bring sneakers so I can join in on the fun.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
En Vacances
So as my faithful few have probably figured out I was away on vacation, hence the lack of posts.
We did our usual grand tour of New England, visiting Grandparents and cousins. We had beach time, mountain time and lots of family time. Pictured here is our marshmallow roast on the beach.
Normally we will do it after dark, but a front was rolling in and we thought it was best to have it before the storm hit. We were just winding up when the western sky started to spark with lighting. Four buckets of sea water later the fire was out and we retreated to the safety of the big yellow house.
I'll share more photos in the next couple of days.
We did our usual grand tour of New England, visiting Grandparents and cousins. We had beach time, mountain time and lots of family time. Pictured here is our marshmallow roast on the beach.
Normally we will do it after dark, but a front was rolling in and we thought it was best to have it before the storm hit. We were just winding up when the western sky started to spark with lighting. Four buckets of sea water later the fire was out and we retreated to the safety of the big yellow house.
I'll share more photos in the next couple of days.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Photographic Reality
For every nice photo of my kids I get a dozen or so of pictures like this.
I actually like this one. It captures that classic bunny ear pose that pretty much everybody has done at some point.
As for the sculpture (it is a multi-element work), it's Barbara Hepworth's "The Family of Man." And of course it's at Pepsico's Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden. For another picture of this sculpture and a few others check out Urban By Design Online.
I actually like this one. It captures that classic bunny ear pose that pretty much everybody has done at some point.
As for the sculpture (it is a multi-element work), it's Barbara Hepworth's "The Family of Man." And of course it's at Pepsico's Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden. For another picture of this sculpture and a few others check out Urban By Design Online.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Passage
We have had some utterly gorgeous weather lately.
On last Friday Jake, Rebecca, and I took a flight up to New York. The weather was stunning and Grandma took us to the Pepsico headquarters to tour the gardens. I already featured one sculpture here and I have a few more to share.
Today's work was created by Richard Erdman and is titled Passages. I love the stark contrast of the bright white stone against the cool lush green of the grass. Unlike most of the larger works that rest directly on the grass, It's set in a little isle on crushed white stone.
The sunlight was at just the right point in the sky so that the shadows weren't too distracting, instead they emphasize and define the shape of the sculpture. I usually gravitate towards more classical forms, but this one really grabbed me. Something about just made me happy. I would love to see it at different times of the year and see how it looks as the seasons change.
On last Friday Jake, Rebecca, and I took a flight up to New York. The weather was stunning and Grandma took us to the Pepsico headquarters to tour the gardens. I already featured one sculpture here and I have a few more to share.
Today's work was created by Richard Erdman and is titled Passages. I love the stark contrast of the bright white stone against the cool lush green of the grass. Unlike most of the larger works that rest directly on the grass, It's set in a little isle on crushed white stone.
The sunlight was at just the right point in the sky so that the shadows weren't too distracting, instead they emphasize and define the shape of the sculpture. I usually gravitate towards more classical forms, but this one really grabbed me. Something about just made me happy. I would love to see it at different times of the year and see how it looks as the seasons change.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Refreshing
After flying to New York today, my inlaws took myself along with Jake and Rebecca (the rest are stuck at home with Daddy) to the Pepsi World headquarters.
Sounds less than exciting, right?
Wrong!
Turns out that PepsiCo has a gorgeous sculpture garden open to the public. From the NY Job Source I lift the following description:
And might I add wow!
I don't really care for the drink, but the garden was incredibly maintained with some truly spectacular pieces of art. If you ever have a spare hour or two on a sunny day and are in the area, go and visit.
Update: I neglected to credit the artist and give the title of the sculpture pictured above. It is "Girl with a Dolphin" by David Wynne.
Sounds less than exciting, right?
Wrong!
Turns out that PepsiCo has a gorgeous sculpture garden open to the public. From the NY Job Source I lift the following description:
PepsiCo World Headquarters is located in Purchase, NY, approximately 45 minutes from New York City. The seven-building headquarters complex was designed by Edward Durrell Stone, one of America's foremost architects. The building occupies 10 acres of a 144-acre complex that includes the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, a world- acclaimed sculpture collection in a garden setting.
And might I add wow!
I don't really care for the drink, but the garden was incredibly maintained with some truly spectacular pieces of art. If you ever have a spare hour or two on a sunny day and are in the area, go and visit.
Update: I neglected to credit the artist and give the title of the sculpture pictured above. It is "Girl with a Dolphin" by David Wynne.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A Modern Wonder
I learned about this modern wonder over at AMCGLTD.com in a post titled Boat Wheel.
The structure is an utterly ingenious solution to the problem of connecting two canals that are separated by an eight story drop. As Scott noted, if you go to this site you get to see a wonderful animated gif of the wheel in action.
I love the whole thing, it's a ferris wheel for boats. I think it's great that it is being promoted as a tourist destination. The whole thing makes me want to go back to Scotland and see the beast in action (I'm such an engineering geek).
The picture I have here I snagged off of Flickr and was uploaded by nomipare. I couldn't quite figure out how to load the animated version of the wheel in action here, so I had to settle on this poster.
The structure is an utterly ingenious solution to the problem of connecting two canals that are separated by an eight story drop. As Scott noted, if you go to this site you get to see a wonderful animated gif of the wheel in action.
I love the whole thing, it's a ferris wheel for boats. I think it's great that it is being promoted as a tourist destination. The whole thing makes me want to go back to Scotland and see the beast in action (I'm such an engineering geek).
The picture I have here I snagged off of Flickr and was uploaded by nomipare. I couldn't quite figure out how to load the animated version of the wheel in action here, so I had to settle on this poster.
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