Summertime

I believe that this is the best summer I've had in a long time. The weather has been exceptional - a little humid, but nothing a hose, shower, pool or creek can't help with.

I've been spending time with RB up at his camp - it's paradise - just about 45 minutes North of where I live and it feels like it is in the middle of nowhere. It's beautiful, quiet and just empty of lots of people. When we went last weekend I may have seen 10 people - maybe and most of them were in vehicles leaving the area.

Sitting in front of the fire and having a conversation with RB or just sitting there and listening to the birds, animals, life in the woods - I can't describe how good that is for my soul.

I've also spent time in my house - starting to move things around a bit. My mom moved out and honestly it still feels like our house - but I don't know that she'll be moving back ever. So now I'm starting to make changes and rearrange. It's not painting time yet - I'd rather do that in the fall or spring when I can't spend as much time outside.

My front porch is a haven as well. I sit in one of the Adirondack chairs with a cup of coffee and a book, Henry the cat stretches out on my lap or across my shoulders, Einstein lays on the bench next to me. The wegalia makes my space private along with the shades and I can sit there and read, or listen to the neighborhood waking up and getting on with their day.

I firmly believe that life is what you make of it. I've always known that but RB has helped me to see it and live it more consistently. My life is good - better than I could have imagined actually. Summertime....

Peace

This place just gives me a sense of peace and calm. It's up near Forestport and to me is as close to heaven as anywhere on this earth. A lot of that has to do with the person I am with when I'm up there, but it's also the beauty, the serenity, the quiet, the water running over rocks, the birds and other animals in the woods.

This picture was taken around 7 in the morning (I totally lose track of time when we are up north) - the landscape was changing every time I looked around - the sun cast shadows and lights up areas as it rises in the sky and everything looks new again.

At night it was the fire that mesmerized me. I could just stare at it for hours, and did as a matter of fact...

Nature waking up!

This was taken with my iPhone using the Hipstamatic Camera App - specifically the JohnS 195226 lens. This app basically takes pictures that look like photos from years ago - I love this lens a lot - the pictures always come out with these blue green hues and sometimes even a watercolor feel to them.

Camp

I've been working a lot lately and haven't really gotten to spend time at RB's camp. Well we enjoyed it yesterday and today. It's really warm here - 90's all week from what the weather reports are saying and RB has a creek behind his camp - like 30 feet from his door. We took plastic Adirondack chairs and sat in the creek - What a fantastic way to cool off! We made a little trip up the creek walking over and around rocks and tree limbs. I got way more sun than I thought only because the water keeps you so cool - it was in the sixties.

Our original plan was to cook hotdogs over the fire, but RB had the brilliant idea to go to a local landmark, The Buffalo Head Restaurant - it's been around for decades - actually it's older than me! We both had fantastic steaks, shared a shrimp cocktail and just enjoyed the food and atmosphere. We went back to camp, RB got the fire going again and I had a couple of marshmallows - burnt - not toasted, thank you very much.

We crashed early - the water had really cooled us off and so much fresh air really knocked me out. We had coffee and hotdogs for breakfast this morning! It was fantastic - we went for a short walk down the road and just as we hit the end of his driveway I heard something crashing in the woods - thinking it was a deer. No - it wasn't - it was a bear!

I was zoomed in all the way to get this picture - he was probably about 40 feet away. And thank goodness, he was not interested in us at all. 

Here is a shot of RB's creek area - it goes from a few inches deep to over my head in places - for the most part it was about 2-3 feet deep. Then there were the fishies...like minnows - that kept nibbling at us - it's funny feeling and then it gets annoying to have these fish nipping at us. 

There is foam on the creek because about 50 feet upstream there are lots of rocks and the water rushes over it. It's a little slice of heaven here. RB's camp was built by him and his friends - it still needs work, but it has great bones. I look forward to spending more time there with him.