Celebrating "almost" summer!

Salmon River Reservoir



Me, rescuing a turtle that was in the middle of the road.



Martina in a bag! she just loves getting into things!





What's happening - Saturday was spent getting stuff done around the house. My hubby worked up at the barn property burning stuff and mowing.
On Sunday we took a drive up to "Tug Hill" For those of you who are not from around here The Tug Hill Plateau is west of the Adirondacks. What makes it special is all the rivers, creeks and lakes. You go from small town to small town. In the winter, what makes is special is the snow!!! It is the snowmobiling capital of NY! They get feet and feet of snow. Like it is not unheard of for them to get 12 feet of snow! The snowmobile trails up there are like three lane highways. So we had fun just driving around. We stopped at the Salmon River Reservoir. Which is a very big lake in Redfield. We ate our lunch at a little park there. Does anyone know the difference between a lake and a reservoir?

I just found out that my husband has to go to West Virginia on Tues.! They have to haul equip. back and forth between WV and PA. So he will be gone for a good many days. He thinks about 6 days. I am making him a good dinner tonight then I will help him pack. I know some of you would hate this life style. but I really don't mind it! I encouraged him to take the job and told him I would be supportive and not complain. I cherish the time we spend together (like this weekend) but I also am very independent and I do like being alone! So for me this is the best of both worlds.

Knitting - I am knitting myself a summer tank! I love the colors,it is a cotton year and is really soft. It is a real simple 4 row repeat. So far, I like it!


Books I have read - The Ballad of Frankie Silver" by Sharyn McCrumb. I liked this book (but didn't love it). It was two mysteries in one. One took place in 1831. An 18 yr. old girl was hung for killing her husband. This part was suppose to be true, I haven't looked it up yet. I really liked this part of the book mostly because I love historical books and I also fell in love the Frankie (Francis). The other part was present time double murder on the Appalachian Trail. This part was OK but I didn't think it was as interesting as the historical part. This took place in TN.

Contests - Dar at Peeking through the pages, is having a few giveaways! Scroll down on her site to find them!

My mom won two books this week! So congrats. to her! go mom, go mom!

Reading through the states -
1. California - Echoes, by Erin Grady
2. Florida - In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner
3. Iowa - The Learning, by Ruthann Weaver
4. Massachusetts (Cape Cod) - A Year by the Sea, by Joan Anderson
5. South Carolina - Bastard out of Carolina, by Dorothy Allison
6. Kentucky - The Believers, by Janice Holt Giles
7. Minnesota - Hit By a Farm, by Catherine Friend
8. North Carolina - Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler
9. Montana - My Hutterite Life, by Lisa M. Stahl
10. Kansas - Waiting for Summer's Return, by Kim Vogel Sawyer
11. Idaho - Indian Creek Chronicles, by Pete Fromm
12. New York - The Lives they Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic, by Darby Penney and Peter Stastny
13. Arizona - Whispers, by Erin Grady
14. Alabama - The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary Sewing Circle, by Lois Battle
15. Alaska - Building from Within: Alaskans Who Build Their Own, by Joan Koponen
16. Colorado - Tomboy Bride, by Harriet Fish Backus
17. Wisconsin - Welcome to Tyler: Whirlwind, by Nancy Martin
18. Arkansas - Sweet Baby, Sharon Sala
19. Washington - North of Beautiful, by Justina Chen Headley
20. Illinois - The Perfect Match, by Kimberly Cates
21. Wyoming - Letters of a Woman Homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
22. Hawaii - Flip Flopped, by Jill Smolinski
23. New Hampshire – Handle With Care, by Jodi Picoult
24. Tennessee - The Ballad of Frankie Silver, by Sharyn McCrumb


Top 5 - Favorite movies (PLEASE keep the categories, just type in your answers)

1. Chick Flick - "Sleepless in Seattle"
2. Classic - "Gone with the Wind"
3. Book turned into movie - "Message in a Bottle"
4. Action Movie - "Die Hard"
5. Favorite all time Movie - "Dances with Wolves"

Come with me to the Adirondacks!

We went to our cabin in the Adirondacks over Memorial Weekend. We left Saturday morning and came back Monday. We had good weather except for a couple of small showers. These are some of the flowers that grow every year in our yard up there. Until my hubby mows them down, He saves a few small patches for me, isn't that nice?



One of our projects for this weekend was to tear down the old chimney and patch the roof. This is my husband on the roof. A few years ago we put up a new stovepipe and moved the woodstove. He said it was a good thing that we did because he found out as he was tearing it down that it was in terrible condition! He was surprised we had never had a chimney fire! Great, now he tells me!


On Sunday we drove to Speculator, about 30 min. from our cabin. We went on this walk that we have never done before. It is called "The Sacandaga Pathway" It is a trail that goes along the Sacandaga river. It was kind of confusing, paths going every which way,we ended up not even seeing the last half because we circled around by mistake! But... just our luck, it was a good thing because just as soon as we got in the car it started raining! It stopped as soon as we got to the next town and the sun came out again.

There are these boardwalks and pathways all along the river.

A lookout of the Sacandaga River.

Calla Lillies along the walk.

Now that's a woodpecker tree!




Then we drove up to one of my favorite places in the Adirondacks, the village of Long Lake. Actually they call them Hamlets up there (anyone know the difference?) One picture is the lake going one way and one of the lake the other way. I would LOVE a cabin on this lake! but it is soooo expensive1 I guess they know they have a good thing going. It is a very nice town, very "New Englandish" It does get crowded in the summer.


This is one of the best kept secrets of Long Lake. There used to be a restaurant called the Island restaurant. You could get the best breakfast there. It has been closed now for a few years. There is a Realtor in the building now. Behind the building is this pathway to an island! You are allowed to walk out to the island up to the "posted" signs. No one really knows about this, as you can see - no people! My hubby and I walk out there every time we are in Long Lk.


This is a Bar and Grill that had burned down. Were these "Hell's Angels" not happy with the service they received there?


My husband in front of a sea plane on Long Lake.


Along the lake there are sea plane rides. We took one on our honeymoon years ago! This a plane taking off.





This is Hoss's Corner Store. You can't visit Long Lake without going to Hoss's! To say that it is a great gift shop is an understatement. It is really an all round Adirondack store. It has books, jewelry, clothes, stuffed animals, blankets, maps, camping supplies, oh yeah and gifts! Do you notice something kinda different about the store? It has a tree growing up through and out the top!




This is in the back of Hoss's store, there are little shops, gift shops, pizza, etc.


Then on to home and normal life again.


Top 5 - things you take on vacation (except clothes of course, we all take those don't we?)

1. Books
2. Knitting
3. Camera
4. Binoculars
5. Money

My parents are here!!!!! and... Happy Birthday to Me!

Pictures -
1. & 2. - My mom giving my daughter a make-over! (They both loved it!)
3. & 4. - The ankle socks I knitted for my mom. Look at all the little cables.
5. - Male and female Cardinal
6. & 7. - Male and female Rose Breasted Grossbeak (they have been coming almost everyday for a week now)

What's happening - My parents are here from TN. So far I have taken my mom to "Fingerlakes Fibers", a yarn shop in Watkins Glen and we went to Walmart on the way home, then went to one of our local wineries called "Americana Winery" I bought one bottle my mom bought three! Sat. night we went to my in-laws to celebrate my birthday. It was really nice! Was suppose to be my parents, husband's parents, our daughter, and us, but then I noticed two extra chairs... I was about to ask why the extra chairs when two of our best fiends showed up! That was a great surprise. We had great cake, ice cream, coffee, and presents, of course. On Tues. (my actual birthday) My mom and I are going shopping as soon as I deliver the kids to school. We usually go to the outlet mall, but my mom has not been shopping in Ithaca in years and Ithaca has changed so much! Then Tues. night My mom and Dad are taking us out to dinner. They will be staying till Thur. It is so great to have them here.
One of the little girls I watch informed me today that her mom is baking me a cake for my birthday! I asked her if was OK that she was telling me this, she said she was suppose to tell me. How nice! What great families my kids come from.

Knitting - So now I can tell you one of the things I have been working on, a pair of ankle socks for my mom (pictured above). These were really fun to make, and I know they look complicated but they were easy. Or I should say, they are easy if you are an experienced knitter and have done socks before. I love doing cables so these were fun. I think my mom loves them, she has been wearing them and they fit nice. When we went to the yarn store I bought two more things of sock yarn. One looks like a lemon/lime and the other is a pink and gray.

Contests - Jenn's bookshelf is having a HUGE giveaway to celebrate her 200th post!
WendyKnits (not me, a different Wendy!) is giving away some hand dyed yarn!!! It is beautiful!

Books I have read - I read Jodi Picoult's new book "Handle with Care" WOW what a great book! For those of you who have never read one of her books, you should! She is a great writer, I have read all her books. Handle with Care is really 3 stories in one. Six yr. old Willow was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease) these children can break bones bumping into things, even picking them up wrong. She will live her whole life in pain. The mom has to quit her job to take care of her full time. So money is short. The mom ends up suing the Dr. for "Wrongful birth" because they should have been able to tell when she was pregnant so she could make a choice it end the preg. or not, but she was given that choice too late. This is not about pro-choice or pro-life it is just that she should have been given that choice and she was not! The father does not agree with the lawsuit so this causes a strain on their marriage. Meanwhile her other daughter (13 yrs. old) feels invisible because of her sisters disability and the lawsuit and starts harming herself (I won't tell too much in case you read it). And their lawyer, who is adopted, is looking for her birth mother. So there is alot going on. The ending is - WOW! I very highly recommend it! And it took place in NH, so one more for my list.


Top 5 - Favorite colors (this one should be easy)
1. Purple! this has been my favorite color ever since I can remember.
2. Pink, don't purple and pink go great together?
3. Turquoise blue
4. Sage green
5. Maroon

Happy Mother's Day

Pictures - Lilacs!!!!

What's happening - We lost power this morning for a few hours! Our town and the next two towns north and south of us. Don't know why. School was delayed for two hours. So I had my children longer. They thought it was great fun- no school. I was worried about my ice cream!!!! When our power is out we also do not have phone service! AND... our cell phone service here SUCKS! sorry! So it was real fun trying to get a hold of all the parents to tell them about school and find out if they were coming. I had to call one family 4 times before I could say a full sentence. Which brings me to another point - I am getting a new cell phone! Should come today! I am excited! It is a fancy phone (compared to what I have had). I am hopeful that the reception will be a little better.
On Sat. we went to my In-Law's for my Father-in-law's birthday get together. It was nice, Boston cream pie! Yum! My daughter's boyfriend was up for the weekend so he came too, and he just fit right in.
I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day! My daughter and hubby gave me 2 rose bushes! It looks like the roses are going to be an orange-red and a pale pink. I will take pictures when I plant them and again when they bloom. We also bought chicken BBQ (I love Chick BBQ!).
Today (Mon.) my hubby leaves for PA to work. He won't be home much this week, if at all! So... I will be lonely! Send me some extra lovin'! I told him, "Good now I can cook some of the stinky food I love that you hate!" He said - "Like scallops?" LOL YEAH! and maybe shrimp and some cabbage if I can find some. and I will make Mexican food too, he hates that!
My friend Chris should be home from the hospital now. I hope to be able to go and visit her this week. Please keep up the prayers. I can not tell you what is wrong because I feel that it is her business to tell not mine, but she has asked for prayers.
My parents are coming for a week from TN! They will be here on Fri. Yea!!!

Knitting - I have been knitting up a storm, I promise! I still can't show any pictures, soon!

Contests - Dar at Peeking between the pages is giving away 2 copies of "The Moment Between" by Nicole Baart. This sounds like a real good book. So be sure to enter! And if you win give it to me! Ha ha ha ha ha!

Books I have read - Flip Flopped by Jill Smolinski. I liked this book. It was fun, straight forward Chick-Lit. It takes place in Hawaii (so I can cross that state off my list). It is about a woman divorcing her husband for cheating on her, said husband is now living with the hussy/homewrecker. And he has the nerve to want full custody of their 5 yr. old son!


Top 5 - Favorite childhood activities or toys.
1. Barbies! Just ask my mom, my sister and I had a whole walk-in closet full of barbie stuff.
2. Books, once I got hooked on books I never stopped reading.
3. Coloring
4. Playing outside, my sister and I played outside all the time from what I can remember.
5. Jacks! Yes, remember those. Me, my sister and a neighbor friend used to play jacks all the time. I was VERY good! I could go from one to ten and back to one again without a mistake!

Oh my goodness! You are not going to believe this but just as I was finishing writing this - Fex Ex arrived with my new PHONE!!!! So I am going to open it and take a picture of it for you.- Notice it opens both ways. How fun! OK, gonna go play with my new phone now!

This week in pictures!

Pictures -
1. Martina in one of her favorite places, the window.
2. All my hostas are coming out.
3. I have violets all over the yard.
4 & 5. - Stupid squirrels!
6 & 7. Male Goldfinches
8 & 9. White Throated Sparrow
10. Female Redwinged Blackbird. I don't get to see too many females so I was glad to catch this one.

What's happening - Glen's allergies have been bothering him, sneezing, runny nose etc. On Sat. we went to Auburn to go to the mall, Dunkin Donuts, and PetCo. We had a good time. PetCo is a real nice store! We usually go to Petsmart in Ithaca, but I think I would like to go to this one again. It is farther though. While we were in Dunkin Donuts Glen got a call from work asking if he wanted to work on Sun.... Well duh! OVERTIME pay! So we got up at 4:00 am and he was gone by 5:00 headed for PA. He had to stay the night. He called me from the hotel (they pay for lodging and food)and said the room was real nice. He was sharing with another one of the guys. So on Sun. I had breakfast with Ashley at a diner.Then just kinda hung out, read, knitted, and visited with my friend Pat. In the afternoon I was on my side porch looking at my birdies when I heard motor cycles. Which is not surprising because the neighbors have them. They really sounded close, like they were in my driveway. So I peeked around the corner and saw two motor cycles but know who they were because they still had their helmets on. I thought they were here for our tenant. Then one helmet came off and it was my sister and her boyfriend! I haven't seen them since Christmas. I was so glad they stopped by. Ashley came over for dinner that night (chick parm) and we watched Amazing Race together.
One of my friends, Chris just had some surgery, so please keep her in your prayers.

I won "Girls in Trucks"!!!!!! Yea! I wanted this book so bad! I am so excited. I won from - This that and the other thing.. I also won from Dar on her blog - Peeking between the pages - "Boneman's Daughters" by Ted Dekker. I read two others by him - Three (excellent!!!!) and House which he wrote with Frank Peretti. I also own Skin but have not read it yet. I think this is the first time I have won two books at the same time! This is my lucky month. Well it is my birthday month. I can consider these books as birthday gifts! Yea!

Knitting - Working on a couple of gift items! Can't tell!

Books I have read - "The Perfect Match" by Kimberly Cates, I liked this book. It was simple, no suspence, just a love story. But very enjoyable. I have read so many very "Deep" books lately I really needed an easy love story. I was about a woman just moved to a small town and opened a pet shop. A man raising his two girls on his own (the mom left) The two get together through a dog.

Also read "Letters of a Woman Homesteader" by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. This was a true account of a single mother moving to the west in 1909 to become a homesteader. This book is made up solely of her letters to her former employer who she obviously was very close to. Some of it was interesting but I found it to be harder to follow in letter form and kind of slow.

Contests - Jenn at "Jenn's Bookshelf" is giving away 5 copies of "Made in the USA" by Billie Letts. She is the Author of Where the Heart is, Shoot the Moon, and The Honk and Holler Opening Soon. These are all good books, so you all want to try win Made in the USA!
Dar at Peeking between the pages is also giving away 5 copies of "Jantsen's Gift" by Pam Cope and Aimee Molloy. I don't know anything about this book so go to her site to read her review.
AND... Deborah at "Books, Movies, and Chinese food" brought to my attention that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! She is doing a huge giveaway.

Reading through the states -
1. California - Echoes, by Erin Grady
2. Florida - In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner
3. Iowa - The Learning, by Ruthann Weaver
4. Massachusetts (Cape Cod) - A Year by the Sea, by Joan Anderson
5. South Carolina - Bastard out of Carolina, by Dorothy Allison
6. Kentucky - The Believers, by Janice Holt Giles
7. Minnesota - Hit By a Farm, by Catherine Friend
8. North Carolina - Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler
9. Montana - My Hutterite Life, by Lisa M. Stahl
10. Kansas - Waiting for Summer's Return, by Kim Vogel Sawyer
11. Idaho - Indian Creek Chronicles, by Pete Fromm
12. New York - The Lives they Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic, by Darby Penney and Peter Stastny
13. Arizona - Whispers, by Erin Grady
14. Alabama - The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary Sewing Circle, by Lois Battle
15. Alaska - Building from Within: Alaskans Who Build Their Own, by Joan Koponen
16. Colorado - Tomboy Bride, by Harriet Fish Backus
17. Wisconsin - Welcome to Tyler: Whirlwind, by Nancy Martin
18. Arkansas - Sweet Baby, Sharon Sala
19. Washington - North of Beautiful, by Justina Chen Headley
20. Illinois - The Perfect Match, by Kimberly Cates
21. Wyoming - Letters of a Woman Homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart
(remember I am only posting my list once per month now so I will not have it on again till the first week of June)

Top 5 - Things you find exciting
1. Winning books! (or anything for that matter, but especially books)
2. Going to Ithaca for pizza (we also go to Barnes and Noble, Petsmart, etc.)
3. Seeing my parents (I only get to see them once or twice a year, they live in TN)
4. Going to either our cabin or lake property
5. Weather - I love to follow the weather (storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.)