Back to School

Summer seemed especially short this year. Paul went off for a new job in North Creek NY. The kids stayed home. There were lots of things to catch up with around the house. I've started a veggie garden again after several years of not having one. With the bunnies I wanted to make sure the poop wasn't laying around smelling up the place. The plants are loving the fertilizer. I am loving the fresh vegetables and herbs.

Claire and Justin had big birthdays this year... 16 and 30. Where has the time gone?
I waited and waited for my car to be fixed, finally gave up, and flew to New York. Good thing Paul picked up the antique spinning wheel in Arizona and drove it to NY for Stella. Without driving there was no way for me to take it. I was only at Innisfree for about 10 days. Paul's job did not work out so we had the time together. We never have time together so I guess the Universe gifted us. I guess having time alone at camp is just not in the cards for me yet.

Stella Boyer came up to pick up her gorgeous blue spinning wheel and brought the 2 bunnies I reserved from her earlier. We so enjoyed having Stella, her son, and friend Tina at camp for the day. The ladies and I have decided to get together for a spinning/knitting/crafting weekend next summer.

My birthday was spent driving into Utica/Whitesboro to pick up a little buck from Kim in Canada and two does from Joan Hastings. We were now up to 5 bunnies to drive cross country to California with us. We left camp for Ohio where Lisa from Somerhill Farm lives. We picked up Maximo, a red satin angora buck who is beautiful and so personable. In Ohio we got the remaining health certificates for bringing them into California and then got headed west again.
We had 6 rabbits stacked behind us in the Mustang convertible. Illiad, the little buck who traveled from Canada, liked putting his paws in his water dish, shaking them off, and then licking his paws instead of drinking out of the bowl. He cooled us off many a time on the way. These bunnies have such funny sweet personalities. They had a lovely time riding in and out of the hotels on the brass luggage carts. So cute.

It was so hot while we were gone, my daughter brought the 2 rabbits at home into the house. Both adult, one doe, one buck. Guess who is pulling fur and making a nest tonight... We may have baby bunnies in the morning.

I have had students for 5 days now. I was moved to a new school for the year. Our district is trying two schools as K-6 schools this year so several of our 6th grade teachers have moved to the elementary schools. It is working out well, I think. I have also been changed from a math/science teacher to a language arts/social studies teacher. I wasn't thrilled about either change to begin with, but now believe I got the better end of the deal than the teachers left behind at my old school. The reward for getting named one of the 6 "Middle Schools to Watch" in California was to have our 6th grade team broken up and get a new principal who is a micromanager and is very pushy when it comes to standardized test performance. (Not that it was needed, our school was the only middle school in the district that has passed the 800 mark. I guess the inflated CST scores the students have been coming to middle school with will be continued to be inflated in the middles school as well...

Well, hope the school year goes well for you all. I am looking forward to it. Also looking forward to puttering around the yard again, finish the bunny hutch for the new rabbits and expanding the garden around the new cages. Now I just need to get rid of the gopher...

Ahhh Summer

Let's see...what have I been doing. School for me got out the end of May. It is now July 11th and I haven't left for New York yet.
I have been working outside around the pool, patio, and garden for six or more hours a day since school got out. It's starting to look nice. The pool is filled again and the kids are using it. I have ignored my plants and yard for so long now. I lost all interest in most everything for the last couple of years. If feels good to get something in shape. Now that I finally got water that will reach where I garden I am out watering and planting like crazy. Good thing too because it is really hot.

My car is being fixed. Three people hit it in it's first year. Hope that's the charm. I am going to drive it to New York. It should be out of the shop in the next couple of days, then I hit the road. I have to carry a carrying cage for my bunnies. I am bringing back four Satin Angora bunnies. I have told a woman I will pick up her spinning wheel in Philadelphia. I am driving a Miata. Hope the weather is good because I may just need to keep the top down from Philadelphia to New York once I get the spinning wheel.
Needless to say I am traveling light. That's not something easily done for me. At least I have a spinning wheel, circular sock knitter, and sewing machine at camp already. I have to remember to take a couple of the bobbins and some fiber, and some basics for the sock knitter. Of course I need to take a couple of knitting projects too. Clothes you say? I don't remember what I left, but I do have some there. One bag with enough clothes and toiletries to get across the country and that's that.

The kids are not going to camp this year-Summer School, though they weren't offering the classes my daughter needs to take. Paul is already in New York, about an hour away from Innisfree/Cool-Shag-Na. He got a job in North Creek as Chief Mechanical Officer of a new railroad. Start-up is next week if they can get everything done. Jobs appropriate for him just aren't available in California. He's finally got a job that he deserves and can shine. Unfortunately it's on the other side of the country. Well, he or we can visit.

Before I go I still need to get two cars registered and one more fixed. It needs some suspension work and the muffler separated on Saturday. It sounds like an airplane. It's checked out and arrangements are made except for the welding of the muffler. Still need to get to the dentist and make appointments for kids to get their whooping cough shots so they can go back to school in August.
I am essentially a single parent again and hitting the road for three weeks. At least there is another mom available. Jessica, a friend of Claire's who has been living with us since before Christmas will have her mom staying with the kids while I am gone. Justin and Audra will be checking in and hopefully swimming and taking some veggies from my garden. I think all will be alright. I hope so because I really need to get away from it all for a while. I just don't know who I am anymore and need to be away from my regular life to get a grip on where I am going. The Adirondack Park is a good place for reflection on the natural world. Or should I say real world?

Ta Ta For Now...

Been in the Woods for a Week

We are still settling in. Lots of things to do. The boys have jobs now. This is their 3rd day. They are working at a Riding Stable. This is supposed to be a busy weekend. It's rained every day they have worked so far. They get there at 8 am and have been coming home about 12ish. The people running the place are going to give them riding lessons and show them the ins and outs of being a guide when they take tourists out on the trail. I would have loved that as a first job. They are doing some shoveling too. After all they are the new guys and there is tons of "fertilizer" in a horse barn...

Went yard sale-ing yesterday. Came home with a bicycle and a boat. The boys negotiated a deal on an 8 foot dinghy which we had to carry back to camp in the Expedition. Needless to say there was very little room for the kids on the way back. Alex and Mike squeezed themselves around the boat to get home. Alex literally was draped across the bottom of the boat (it was upside down). Fun stuff. I posted a picture on my Facebook page.

Happy 4th of July everybody. Hope your adventures are as good as the ones we're having at the moment.
Love Ya!!!

We've Driven Off the Map!

We drove into camp early this morning after driving most of the night and taking a nap at a service area about 20 minutes from Utica. We didn't want to get to the grocery store too early and get hassled by security waiting for it to open. Besides, I was really tired. Nobody was at their best when we did get to the grocery store before 6 am and found that it was open 24 hours a day. Anyway, we stocked up and headed to camp a bit more than an hour from there. It rained on the way, but not hard. It is such a heady experience driving closer and closer, the smell of the balsam and pines perfuming the way. My eyes dilate to soak in the green. I LOVE trees! We don't have enough of them in Southern California. They aren't lush like these either.
I guess we are now officially off the map until we come into town to get on the internet. Through Otter Lake and after Old Forge our GPS signal failed. Our cell phones don't work here either. So I guess, we are officially off the map for the summer. You may see me sporadically here. If you don't, Have a Great Summer!!!

Prepping to Leave for Camp!

It's getting close. The car is getting it's last touches/repairs for the trip. I am procrastinating getting my laundry done. I guess we'll all be trying to get everything done at once. Today is the planned day for getting the car carrier and Swing-Away out and ready. The kids are starting to get excited. I guess my oldest daughter will get to join us this trip too. It'll be good to spend some time with her. Lots of catch up work around the house to try to get to. Some more driving practice on the freeway in the Expedition with loaded weight for my son. We have a birthday party for my youngest daughter to get through Friday, Father's Day and Summer Birthday dinner Sunday, orthodontist appointment on Monday then ON THE ROAD!
I wish everyone was going but Paul needs to work and Justin has other things going on. Besides someone needs to look after the house. Hopefully they'll come out before we leave. Paul will probably fly in to drive us home. It's usually quite a haul on the way home. It's strange to be starting out without them.
I finished knitting a bag for the trip. I just have to felt it now. I need to get what I want to work on this summer organized. I would so like to work on some glass flame working but that is just too much equipment to have to take along. I don't know what Jewelry making stuff would be appropriate either.
Time to start packing...

Summer is really over for me

See you next year Innisfree and Cool-Shag-Na.
I've been home and back at work for two weeks now. School is in full swing complete with parent meetings, back-to-school nights this week, lesson plans, and tech problems. My son is playing stand-up bass this year and my daughter auditioned for a play at one of our high schools, so will have to be taken to rehearsals regularly after school now.
Not too much knitting going on. I am trying to finish one more pair of socks before Summer of Socks '08 is over on Sept. 1st. I guess I'll have time to knit waiting at rehearsals.

We're working hard to get the house back together with the living/family room relocated to a bigger room and the computers relocated too. Furniture, books, and knick-knacks are all over the place. There is practically no where to sit down. We are almost done with the painting of the two main rooms and should be able to get furniture moved tomorrow (I hope.) I can't wait to see how everything looks when it's organized. Maybe I'll even have a lamp to sit and knit under.

The bathroom work is almost done. I finally have a tiled shower upstairs. Just have to wipe off the haze, seal the grout, hang the shower curtain, and take my first shower. Oh yeah, the handles still need to be adjusted. Bought primer to seal the replaced piece of wall too. We'll have a really nice bathroom soon.

My older kids are at Innisfree now enjoying the lake and my new finished kitchen. I am very envious. I only got to use my kitchen one day while we were there with all the renovations. And I really didn't get to have that much fun with everything there was to do. It's still just a wonderful place to be.

Wow, It's been a long time since I last posted...

Here it is almost the end of my summer already. We've finished a lot of what we needed to do in the kitchen at Innisfree. The dry-wall is finished and painted and the floor is almost completely finished. Only one or two more coats of polyurethane to go. Here's our progress.


We found a pretty great mountain-man builder/plumber/finisher/manager/hunter/farmer/you get it, he does everything. Looks like a number of projects we can't finish will be done this fall. Yippee!!!
I finished 3 pairs of socks, two on the needles (two more started before June 21 so they don't count for Summer of Socks '08.) Then my friend Leigh Ann came up and got me started on string bags... Two down, one started.
I spent my birthday visiting my aunts in Malone and Plattsburgh with my family and cousins. It was a pretty nice day.

Best Cousins Ever

We have had a great time so far at camp. We've had the great fortune to visit with our favorite cousins. Here we all are in front of the "Caboose." Didn't do that much. It was just great to catch up and spend time together. Now back to the kitchen.
The boys made up some ice cream with the old hit and miss engine.

The Glow continues

Went back to work today, but am still remembering the beautiful Fall colors. Really tired, but happy. I did catch my husband's cold while we were gone. Hope I kick it quickly. Almost finished my purse version of a water bottle carrier bag while I was gone, but ran out of yarn for the strap. Hoping to finish in the next day or two.

Images of the Woods in Fall

I've been told this isn't typical for Fall. It was very warm this weekend.
I am home. Happy we made the trip. Born and raised in California, I have never seen the leaves change before. It is spectacular. I can't get over the depth of color. Every leaf is different.

Isn't Innisfree beautiful with the stairs and door stained. My son and daughter did it after the rest of us drove home in August. This is the first time I've seen it.

I went around today taking close ups of leaves. Every time I looked again I wanted to take more photographs.
DH was great shutting down camp for the year. Talking on the way back down the mountain to the airport I described what it felt like to go for the weekend. It was like visiting an old friend, or like touching the roots of my existence. It is primordial and familial all at the same time. I love it there.

Oh, and DH had fun playing with his friend in the leaves.

We're Here in the Adirondacks!

Got here yesterday and hung out at the Adirondack Scenic Railroad and Van Auken's Inn in Thendara for drinks and dinner. It was fun. Got to Innisfree after dark. Then Paul had to get the water and water heater working. I was too tired to take a shower last night, but did have hot water to wash with.
The weather is unbelievable here. It was in the 80s with blue skies Friday and probably in the 70s today. Had a great pancake breakfast at Keyes Pancake House in Old Forge. Then we drove around taking pictures of the gorgeous leaves.
I've been told we are about a week past peak color, but OHMYGOD it's beautiful. Went in to Old forge Hardware and saw my friend Danielle who runs the yarn department. Then shopped a bit. We were invited to take the train to Utica today with our friends who run the place. The scenery is fantastic, particularly along the Moose River. I wish I could have leaned out of the train to get pictures. The whole area is packed with people, just like holiday weekends in the summer. I was always told that Inlet closes down after Labor Day, but it was hopping there too.

Yeah, I disappeared a while...

Wouldn't you if you had these great kids to hang out with? It's so good to have us all together in such a magical place.

I haven't blogged in a while. The whole family has been at camp. We've been having fun together! Justin is out of the Army!!! We took a flight over the Fulton Chain of Lakes to celebrate. This is the pontoon plane we rode in.
Meet Tom Payne who flies out of Seventh Lake. He's a great guide! He even took us over and showed us an Osprey nest far from the populated areas.
This is Raquette Lake from the air.

Mr Bill has been very busy too, though I don't know how much fun he is having.

New Kayaks for Innisfree

Today Paul started putting up insulation, drywall, and green board in the kitchen so that we can put in the cabinets after getting up around 4 am to chase mice for me. The kids and I went and tried kayaks. We ended up getting a pair of them. They are nice little recreational kayaks. They are Wilderness Tsunamis, one mystic blue 120 and one mango colored 125. The kids paddled from the dam at 6th lake to our dock about midway up 7th, then went across the lake to the lean-tos and went swimming and swung on the rope swing into the water. They are tired, but really happy.

Here are the cabinets when they got here Monday and my moving men.

Our engineer did the perc test for the leach field today too. Looks like it will be right before we leave before they start work.

Water Witching at Innifree

I finished the section of floor I have been scraping tiles off of. I am tired and my hands and back hurts. Just as I was sitting out at the picnic table saying I couldn't do all the steps I need to do to finish the floor, our well guy showed up. We located a couple of different places to put the well. He used the brass rods to locate the placement of the well. My son, husband and I all got to try it ourselves too. It works! Chuck says that it works with the electrical charge of your body.
So we have a place to dig and an appointment to drill in the next couple of weeks. We are waiting on the engineering of the leach field and septic system and a start date for excavation. I hope it's soon. I've got to start getting some money back for the Crow's Nest.
We took a drive down South Shore road and caught sight of a couple of deer across the pond near 4th Lake. I was just thinking we always see deer walking along the road or in town, but never drinking. Guess I was wrong.

Happenings at the lakes

7/8/07
Woke up to a mouse in the bathroom. Then he came out into the hall ran up and down a broom I had against the bathroom door to keep him from coming out and ran into a couple of the bedrooms. They are cute and all and have lived in these woods much longer than me, but I don’t want to share my house with them. Paul set a Have-a-Heart trap for me. Last year one caught itself in one of the traps we had stored on the porch. Paul took it for a little boat trip to the beach near Eighth Lake and let it go there. What a guy.
The kids are still sleeping. I have been debating what to do with the strawberries and rhubarb. I was going to make a coffee cake, but decided we really like strawberry rhubarb pie best.
Trying to start a new knitting project, but can’t decide what to do. Am kicking myself I didn’t pick up this bag of fabric at a yard sale yesterday. There was one piece I would have liked to use for a knitting bag. vintage stuff…
May go to the Old Forge Arts Center and sign up for the classes I want to take. I missed the pen and ink class already.
7/7/07
Old Forge had their Antique Boat show today at the waterfront. Lots of wood hull old motorboats. They were really beautiful. My favorite was one that was built in 1903, “The Indian”. It had a cool shaped stern. Here are some details of my favorite

I remember my grandfather having a wood motorboat when we first used to go to camp in the 60s.



Of course everyone is always looking for this...
We walked around town afterwards. I need a bunch of odds and ends to get camp in shape, but couldn’t find anything I needed. At least we stopped to eat and had some Buffalo wings. I hadn’t had my first wings yet. I think that makes us officially here.
Justin got here late this afternoon. We’re at an Inlet 6th and 7th Lake Association meeting listening to a talk on invasive aquatic species in the lakes. We have Eurasian milfoil in the lakes and they are being really proactive in trying to remove it and prevent it from spreading. We have wonderful lake water quality and want to keep it that way.