Caroga lake Updates

Well gang , back again and searching for substance.....of which I have none! It's another" Wunderbar" of a Day here in Caroga Lake. Sun is shining , just about 30 degrees outside, the dogs and I have taken our walk out on the frozen pasture and they have worked off the built up energy since our last walk a couple hours ago. Was thinking about making it over to the Bee Yard and checking on them...Hoping in the next couple- three hours (( MY slang)) the temperature rises up so that they take a cleansing flight . We will see. Jen and I looking to get out and soak up some sun shine. Ali has a birthday party to go to in town, one of her classmates. Yesterday we stopped by the Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation District and placed our order for Blue Berry Bushes...20 plants for $70 , 18 to 24 inches tall. What the heck......the bears can't just live on Honey alone!!!! ( Those S.O.B. 'S) Still ticked over them getting the hives last May... Hey, I hear, bear meat is quite "Tasty"!!!! Dan ( the Bee Guy ) and his wife, Jenny came up last night to the camp and we had dinner and watched a movie. Dan made a Pea Soup and I made.............Hamburger Helper. A great time was had by all. I thinking it's getting time to dig out that BBQ and do some Q ing. Looks like I can open it...Just cant reach the gas tank valve. Til next time gang......Jerry

Stained Glass Project !!

Back again Gang.. This is my 1st

Stained Glass Project . My Lovely Bride , Jennifer knowing that I had interest in doing Stained Glass located a Stained Glass studio in Gloversville and enrolled me as one of my Christmas gifts. Thanks Jen!

For my 1st project it's a little rough, but ...it's my 1st. Sort of looks like "Weed"... Don't it?

Getting started Tuesday night on my 2nd project.

We are both sort of suffering here with" joint" pain ( No pun intented and we did not smoke the stained glass project...LoL ) , we are waiting for the change of weather that is coming, causing the pain. No tree tapping today because of the pending weather change.

The weather still warm and they say that we are going to hit 50 today but along with the warm weather comes rain.

Til next time gang...........Jerry

TGIF

TGIF. We've had a very full week, and I am looking forward to a planned uneventful weekend. No road trips, no appointments, no ideas. Those are the best kinds of weekends for me. Although I have been feeling quite good lately, I must admit that my shoulder/arm has become a rather reliable barometer, and this is quite literally, a pain in the shoulder. The snow that fell this week was of the lightweight powdery type, but the weather that followed each snowfall rendered it heavy and humid. This in turn makes my shoulder hurt, alot. Which in turn makes me grumpy and unmotivated. Which in turn makes Jerry annoyed and grumpy. Which is why I say TGIF. Let's just start a new week, and put this one behind us.

I was reading my favorite blog (besides ours) The Yarn Harlot (see link on the sidebar). She is a canadian knitter/author who has a ripping sense of humor about knitting, teenagers, life in general. I get her. She is one of those people who understands why beer must sometimes be considered breakfast. Only under extreme circumstances of course, but there are days where that is simply the only possible solution to anything. Now that I am essentially unable to have any adult beverage of any type (due to the fact that I take so many medications and mixing medications with alcohol is quite possibly the most unwise choice I might ever make, in a sea of unwise choices) I do miss that resource for relaxation. It's Five O'Clock Somewhere is not simply a line that gets a good laugh. It is a viable policy based in fact. Sometimes, it just needs to be five o'clock. The reason is unimportant - if you are in that pitiable frame of mind, you need an antidote. Beer is a inspired antidote. But alas, for me, not so. Now I simply read about others antics, and enjoy them vicariously. I can have that five o'clock sensibility without actually participating. It is truly just a frame of mind. I treat myself to sparkling grape juice and kick back. It does the trick. TGIF!

Sun Set In Caroga !!!

What the Heck...I can do a second post for the day!!! Weather is still warm and the sun coming through the trees moved me. Here is what we are seeing through our back door. Enjoy, we do! Jerry

Learning to make Maple Syrup

Well Gang It is a beautiful Day here In Caroga Lake.....52 degrees and the sun is shining. Dave (also goes by Dan too) lives down the road from us, has started to do some making of Maple Syrup on his property , I was lucky enough to be able to help and learn how it's done. Today we tapped some maple trees, something that I have never done or witnessed how it was done. There is at least a couple ways of tapping the trees...One is to hang a bucket under the tap and the other is to tap the tree and connect the trees after tapping by using a hose to bring all the sap to one location for collection. This is us tapping trees and using hose the empties into a bucket (Dave in photo) More of trees that we drilled holes into the connected together for collection.

These are his neighbors trees that we started, sap was running as we drilled and was running thru the hoses

Back on Dave's property tapping more, Brian you know this road, we walked it during hunting season, back to the tree stands.

Tree tap and hose leading into green bucket.

In the old days they used buckets, Dave is using plastic jugs... trees tapped and sap running in through side of jug for daily collection.

We will doing more on Friday morning and Collecting sap to be boiled off at a later time.

All though it was very warm today some spots I had to use snow shoes to get to the trees, if you didn't you sank down to your waist..

Til next time gang...... , Jerry

Deep thoughts in the morning

The plow is passing by this morning, as we have received "a couple three" inches of fresh powder (Jerry's slang, although I've heard others use it too - never heard it before him. Interesting.) Even so, I spotted a moth on the window shade this morning so that must mean that the dormant insects are coming to life. I purchased a box of Miracle Grow the other day because I'm feeling the need to feed the plant life that is all around the house. All of these things indicate one thing: SPRING! I am not desperately waiting as some of our friends are; I am still enjoying the snow and all that comes with it, but the thought of spring and all that comes with that is rather exciting as well. I guess what I like most is the change of seasons. Allison and I are both enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, and sharing our love of coffees and flavored beverages. This time in the morning is precious to us, we spend a few moments together and just talk about whatever moves us. Sometimes we don't talk at all, which can be a bit uncomfortable for us, but the fact that we can get past that is encouraging to me, whenever that happens. It shows that we can get through the circumstances of menopause and adolesence ocurring at the same time. It also shows that God has a serious sense of humor, and never fails to enjoy it. He's laughing now. Even though my daughters gave and continue to give a real bumpy ride through their teenage years, I would not miss it for a million dollars. There is nothing like a teenage girl to put your world in perspective. They take away all your power and all your rationale. You are reduced to your real self, and forced to use your personal resources like never before. No sense of humor? Get one. Fast. Low self-esteem? You need to toughen up and pull yourself together, or they will eat you alive. Feeling bad about something? You will be hard pressed to find a better friend or a softer shoulder to cry on. They are the best of us, and the worst of us. They are us, reflecting back what we have chosen to reveal to them. It is the most volatile and real relationship you may ever endure and enjoy, and it is worth every tear and every gut-busting belly laugh. These are our daughters and they are the future of our world. They will be teaching the next generation how to love and how to resolve conflict. They will pull from their experiences and use that knowledge to raise their own children, and their daughters will use that knowledge again. It is a massive responsibility, a thankless task, and a love that knows no boundaries or limits. There is no more complicated relationship than Mothers and Daughters. What a trip, eh?

This is the road to Irish Dance Class. At the top of the hill is a barn, where we kill ourselves for two hours on Thursdays. I have gone down this hill sideways, and this is the driveway where I learned the benefits of four-wheel drive. You may not see it in this picture, but it is a long slopey icy path. My driving skills have improved tremendously since we've lived here this winter. I am no longer intimidated by snow or ice (although I do make sure our AAA membership is current). I just get in the car and do it. Otherwise, it will never get done. If you wait till the weather improves, you'll be waiting a long time.

The barn where we dance is cold and sparse, but it gets warm as soon as we start hopping around. It's a great way to exercise, because who can resist a good reel or jig? Hearing all the hard shoes slamming the floor in unison is a thrill. Somewhat like tap dancing, but without all the flash. All the moves come from your legs and feet. They are doing all the work, and your arms and upper body are just along for the ride. It's quite a challenge and I am still struggling with the steps. Allison is not struggling, she is flying. I keep reminding her that I have 36 years on her, and to stop smirking. She just laughs. Well, enough philosphy this morning. Drive safe, have a great day and try to fit in a jig when you can. It helps alot. Jen

Uh oh.

Having just spent about an hour writing for the intent of posting a message of no great substance, but some involved thought, I am tragically reporting that I leaned over to get my tea, and deleted it all. Aarrgh. I don't have the heart to rethink it all, but trust me when I say, you didn't miss War and Peace. Maybe a few humorous thoughts on life in the north country during the month of February, but not much else. I will not attempt to recreate this bit of fluff, for posts of no substance shouldn't be this time consuming or thought provoking. Until tomorrow - Jen

A Post Of No Substance...,Just For Fun!

Well Gang.. I'm Back Blogging after being away for a few days. I have been busy with snow cause it does snow here ......A Little !!!! Here is a photo of the road in front of the house...They do a good job and come right after it snows to clear road. Below ...Jen is coming home after a ride into town picking up a few kitchen staples. Just Kidding....WOW that's some snow........... The sun is shining here, Very little wind and 11 degrees outside and crawl space 47.1 , a toasty 72 here inside. As you saw in Jen's post we did jar some honey over at Dan's and it's ready to travel south. My Neighbor is getting ready to tap some of his Maple Trees in the next couple weeks and produce some Maple Syrup. I have never seen how it's done so I've invited myself to help him boil off the sap... I'll keep you advised. They say that we are going to get some weather in the 40's this week to help melt off the snow that we have on the ground........40's , spring cant be too far away. Spring & Summer Remembrances Photos Clear, Clean, Adirondack Lake Water A rope swing.... Cool Nights Around The Camp Fire It's won't be long now!!!! Til next Time Gang.....Jerry

Weekend Update

Even I, who takes some perverse pleasure in seeing a teenager occasionally get taken down a notch or two, has to feel bad for Allison, who got on her bus this morning after spending her whole vacation week truly sick in bed. She was still coughing a bit last night, but somehow miraculously this morning, she feels totally better. That is rotten, no matter how you're scoring it. We did get a few fun things in during vacation, like a trip to the library, but that was it. She did not deserve this week of sneezing and fever. Sometimes, you pull that short straw. We'll have to make sure that spring vacation is more exciting, although from the looks of things here, it will be the same view out the window. I don't think this white stuff will ever melt. There's just too much of it. Even yesterday's prayer at church included a plea for more spring-like weather, "because we're just plain sick of it". It was pretty funny. I guess it is starting to wear on everyone. I had a little adventure on Saturday, and have learned once again the importance of cracking a window when starting the car to warm up. Jerry and Dan had gone to his bee seminar in Albany, and Allison and I were getting ready to head into town to the library. I had done the chores needed to make a clean getaway (walking the dogs, setting the pellet stove, making sure everything is turned off) and was feeling rather proud of myself. I had managed to shovel a bit more of the porch and the stairs, and ran out to get the car started with a few moments to spare. I turned the heat to the appropriate settings for maximum melt/heat, and came back in the house. "What a champ!" I thought. I am home alone and getting it done! Go girl! There is no stopping me now! And don't ya know, I had locked my keys in the car, with a full tank of gas, and running. Running! All I could think was "Damn! He hasn't been gone four hours and I am stranded and in crisis! Do I ever win? Will he never think I'm functional? It's very disappointing to me who prides herself on being self-sufficient and effective and I just never seem to get out of these things looking anything but stupid and clumsy. How does this happen? After a few minutes of beating myself up, I placed a call to Jerry just to see if we did in fact have a third set of keys to my car. As he did not answer his phone, I was forced to effect a solution myself. TRIPLE A! That's right! The best $75 ever spent! I WAS SAVED!!!!!!!!!! If you are not a member, let me tell you, they have come to my (our) rescue on more than one occasion. More than five occasions! Actually, at least once a year, which pays for itself immediately. Trust me, I know.

If I had not already called the big guy, I would have let it be a private blip in my screen, but he had already been alerted to my faux pas, so I had to come clean. But at least he didn't have to race back from Albany to turn off my frigging car. I called AAA and they promised to be here within a half hour. True to their word, the young man arrived, used his window picking tool and within one minute (ONE MINUTE!) the car was open and I was free to go. Off to the library we went. Not a major adventure, but one I will remember for awhile. Hopefully, I'll remember not to lock the car when the keys are in the ignition. I don't remember doing it, but apparently memory is becoming a bit of a problem. Maybe we should grow blueberries in our pasture. I hear they are helpful towards memory retention. Clearly, I need alot of blueberries. Sunday after church we headed to Dan and Jennies so the Bee Guys could bottle some of their liquid gold. Four cases later we're back in business. Not a bad days work. If you're looking for Adirondack Honey, we are trafficking once again. Some pics from our weekend. And how was yours?

Jerry and Dan -The Bee Guys

The Road to Town on Sunday Morning. That white stuff just keeps coming.

More Road. You have to admit, it is beautiful, even in its abundance.

Our Product. Adirondack Blend

How cool is that?

Snow and Food. Food and Snow

It just keeps coming. Another six inches last night. The perfect white powdery kind that resembles the fake snow you use for a Christmas village. I love this stuff. Jerry was somewhat off the hook this morning, as he ran out at 7 AM for a beekeeper's seminar in Albany. However, being the upstanding guy that he is, he DID walk the big dogs, and cleared the porch AND my car. The big dogs are both pathological liars though. They wake up with me at 8 and both go through the "I need to go out immediately" dance, of which I responded by taking them out for a nice walk and being a responsible Master. When I got inside, I saw the note from Jerry on the kitchen island; "Both dogs have been walked, have a nice day". Those sons of bitches (in the truest sense of the word) both lied to me, and I was forced to walk around out there in the 14 degree weather when they had already been out. Now the fresh air and the walk certainly won't kill me. But the timing was a little rough. I hadn't yet had a cup of tea, and I was somewhat groggy. Speaking of tea, I purchased a "whistling" tea kettle yesterday, because I have gotten into the habit of turning on tea water, walking away and forgetting about it. It has not been a bit problem yet, either Jerry or I will walk past the stove and say "are you making tea?" But I figured before there is a tragedy I'd best remedy the situation. I guess that means I'm getting old, forgetting about putting something on the stove and walking away. Should I be concerned? I don't think its quite that bad yet. I got out for a bit yesterday, doing some grocery shopping in Gloversville. I switched out our grocery store this week just to break up the monotony. I tend to get the same things all the time, which gets a little boring when food is our activity. So, the new grocery store was an interesting jaunt. A very different clientele, and much different food choices. I think next week I'll go back to the Johnstown, because I missed the larger veggie section. I am making vegetable soup today, because it's just Allison and I, and I could use some nutritional variety. We're getting quite adept at cooking on the old cookstove. Allison has become proficient at biscuits and cookies, I am learning the intricacies of the oven as well and have perfected cakes and breads. Jerry cooks everything perfectly. Except of course, the sauerkraut. I read his blog the other day and had to disagree (internally, of course). Being of irish descent, the secret ingredient of all german cookiing does not sit well with me. Anything sour is an immediate turnoff. His pork roast was to die for. The sauerkraut? Not so much. I prefer the irish way of adding brown sugar to sauerkraut, which gives it the same golden color, but renders it sourless. More of a sweet and carmelized cabbage concoction. This horrifies my little liebchen, so we both cook it our way when we're in charge of the roast. Neededless to say, I concede the kitchen more often than Jerry, and usually doctor my sauerkraut in the crockpot with country-style pork chops. We manage to co-exist in this little country kitchen, and it works out fine. As you can see from our picture yesterday, we're not suffering in the food department. Laately, we've been cooking together, which is fun. We came up with a soup recipe that used turnips (rhutabegas) and vegetables and the secret ingredient in the broth was raw honey. It was fabulous. It's a good thing those dogs got me out this morning. Now that I look at that picture again, maybe we'll go for another walk.

Welcome to Heaven !!! Some Eye Candy

Well Gang Back here again with some "EYE CANDY"

By that I mean photos of whats going on around here.

We are now and still a winter Wonderland. Enjoy!

Jen and I.... Winter makes her look better....Me , not so much!

I always hate how I look in photos.

A walk down our road along the cemetery to the Bee Yard.

The dogs love this.

Checking the Hives, I'm standing on about 18-20 inches of snow.

Bailey is adjusting to the snow, reports are that he came from the south before we rescued him.

My Bride

LQQKS like this Northern Life agrees with her.

It's a whole lot colder then this picture makes it look.. Sun is out but wind is blowing.

This is what I awoke to this morning,

I plowed about 8 inches away yesterday and will be back at it soon. Ali still hugging the couch with a cold,sore throat and in general feeling crappy. She has been to the Dr's and just told to ride it out. Sucks for her as this was a week off for her from school and spent the time sick.

I have a Bee thing at Albany College on Saturday .

Sunday after church we will be jarring Honey , Bob , Dom , Jeff & Linda ...It's on it's way

Anybody else interested in honey, contact me at CarogaBee@aol.com , we will be making a run down state soon.

On the reading side , I am about to start a new book called " Adirondack Justice" ,author Ron Feulner.

Set in the southern Adirondacks of upstate New York, during World War Two, eleven-year-old Mary, and her younger brother, Chief, survive the premature death of their Abenaki mother only to suffer abuses from their white alcoholic father. When they are sent to live with a widowed aunt, it appears they have a good home, but an unplanned pregnancy and two mysterious deaths change that. This colorful character and plot driven novel about rural life in a small Adirondack town before interstate highways opened the mountains to urban America will interest anyone who cares about the human condition. It is set against a backdrop of sawmills, hillside farms, country stores, and one-room schools. It is about two children growing up, but it is not a children's book. The Author, Ron Feulner, a retired school teacher, lives with his wife, Alice, in a small cottage on the southern fringe of the Adirondacks.

I was able to pick up a sign copy of the book last weekend while Jen and I did a little sight seeing in Northville, a small town along side of the Sagandaga Lake. A great little shop called "Adirondack Country Store".

Well I think I have said enough for today... Heading out to do some plowing, temp here 21 degrees and blowing snow, crawl space holding at 47.3. A toasty 73 here inside near the Pellet stove

Until next time gang.........Jerry

Two Posts in One Day? What's Happening? Winter

I am back. True to form, Daphne had less interest in being outside when she saw the snow. Her little paws and legs are not built for snowplay. She does her business and runs back inside. I met Jerry out at the road and refilled his coffee mug. He is doing a bang-up job with snow displacement. The weather forcast for the next few days is frigid, and the snow has to be removed and rearranged before tonight or it will have to stay put. It's hard to move frozen mounds. I'm looking in the freezer for something to defrost, and coming up uninspired and hungry. It's always around this time of year that I start to crave fresh veggies and homegrown tomatoes. Here in the northeast, culinary expertise is limited to soup. There are some great soup offerings around here, but that's about it. There is a restaurant called Saltzman's Hotel and they serve "home cooking", which means your arteries are hardening while you're sitting at the table. Everything is fried or covered in "country gravy" and even I who loves fried food and gravy covered home goods is horrified at this dinner selection. There isn't a salad or fresh fruit to be found within 30 miles of here. Actually, that is not so true. There is a restaurant in Canojaharie (7 or 8 miles from here) that is supposed to be a culinary delight. Manhattan quality menu and delicious and fresh food. That will be worth a try one of these days. On another subject, I have recovered sufficiently from my trauma the other night to finally talk about it. The Drowned Mouse. When we went to PA on Monday to visit with Jerry's Mom, we left the house as we always do. We do make sure there is no dog food in the bowl on the floor, so as not to entice another species. But we neglected to empty the water bowl. And so, we enticed a small field mouse to try and get to the water. Now, I don't know where he came from, and I am not too interested in finding out, because that would introduce a whole new set of problems. I'm better off ignorant of the access location. However, this one little guy did get in, and decided either to get a drink or to have a bath. Both motivations were unwise as he was unable to get OUT of the dog bowl and subsequently drowned. I find this tragic. I was devastated to find him floating when we got home and I bent to pickup the dog's bowl and fill it wish fresh water. There was the bloated body of a small field mouse floating around in the bowl. After dealing with my sense of grief and regret, the big questions became this; how did he get in and why was he comfortable enough to be perusing the kitchen area for water? Does this happen when we're home and I have just missed it? What the devil is going on here? I have not seen a mouse or his droppings since the house was insulated from the underneath. And now this? Unless he was on a suicide mission, this was just a tragic accident that occurred because we were not here to shoo him away long before he was able to climb up on the dogs bowl (which is quite a substantial climb for a little mouse) and attempt to get a drink of water. At the same time, I am quite relieved that his first attempt at water was from the floor and not from the counter. This gives me somewhat of a feeling of relief. Somewhat. The more I think on this, the more inclined I am to think "Cat". Cats can hold down the fort here while we travel with the dogs, who apparently are enough of a deterrent while we are in residence. It's the few days we're away now and again that there is clearly some partying going on in the rodent population. Cat. I wonder how Daphne will take this news. Actually, I wonder how Jerry will take this news. I think it may be a solution. I'll think on that for awhile while I make another cup of coffee.

Ramblings on snow.

Jerry is out there again rearranging the snow. We received another 6 plus inches last night, and I am particularly thrilled. It is again a winter-white wonderland. My happiness and Jerry's happiness are directly related to our snow-participation. I sit here in my jammies at 9:00 and he is outside since 8:AM moving the stuff, shoveling it off the roof and clearing off the porch. A different world for sure. Sorry Jerry. I drew the long straw this time. Actually, I think the long straw simply belongs to me. You rock. Daphne has awakened and is ready to step outside. She has no idea what she is in for. Silly dog. She too owns a few long straws. I love being a girl. That would make a great song don't you think? ha ha. Well kids, keep in touch. We're loving the mails and comments. It's a long winter here in the great northeast. Keep the fleece - Jen

IT'S SNOWING SOME MORE!

Well Gang it's Wednesday night here inside of the Adirondack Park and it's snowing, 4 inches on the ground and at last report they say we will get 6 inches by morning....I'm guessing more. As it has not snowed here for a couple weeks I took the plow off of the truck which takes only a couple min's to do alone...no help needed. Today after we received abou 2 - 3 inches I decided better put the plow back on, the reported "one min plow" , meaning that it only takes one min to put on....yea right! I was out there putting it onto the truck and had told Jen to come looking for me if I was not bak in 30 min's...well she was out after 30 min's and she helped for a good 15 min's helping... We got it on but it takes a lot of work. Be back later, Jen's legs hurt due to weather change, I'm off to rub her legs...WHoooo HOooo Til next time gang Jerry

Spring Thaw

I'm baack! I didn't disappear, I was just taking time to smell the roses. Actually, the crocus. We were in PA for a quick visit with Jerry's Mom and believe it or not, we were experiencing some type of spring. There was NO SNOW on the ground in PA, and the dogs were happy, happy, happy! So was I. I didn't realize it, but I was quite thrilled to actually take a walk and not have to step gingerly. It was wonderful. Bailey seemed quite at home walking on grass and sniffing the shrubs. He is a southern boy after all. With a whole week behind me and no blog to speak of, I am ashamed to say that I was waiting for something to blog about and coming up quite short. Our days seem to be taking on a bit of a ground hog repetition. Wake up, clean up, take care of some minor chores and then settle in for a craft or a movie or something. Dinner, TV and off to bed. Intersperced in this incredibly exciting lifestyle are an occasional activity or night out. Jerry's been doing his stained glass, Allison and I are irish dancing (Allison is dancing, I am suffering) and we are all getting outside as often as we can, just for a ride or a walk or some kind of vitamin D fix. The real news that I have discovered is that I think I may enjoy fresh snowfall over melting snow. As much as I love spring, this is going to be a rough transition. The road crews here do not salt the roads when it snows, they dirt the roads. It is more cost effective and actually saves the vehicles somewhat. However, the melting snow and the dirted roads make, you guessed it, mud. So spring thaw is mud season, and it is terribly gross. I mean disgusting gross. I don't even like to open my car door without wearing a glove because it is just so filthy. But at 17 or 20 degrees,a car wash is out of the question. So, this weekend when I come to Long Island with Allison, I will be passing through a car wash and enjoying seeing the whiteness of my car. Last week we came out of the store and I had trouble finding my car in the parking lot because I was subconsciously searching for a white car, and my car has not been white since mid-october. I finally had the foresight to chirp my automatic door opener and the car called out to me. It was that dull grey/brown car that I never would have found on my own. Ever. The inside is almost as bad because traveling with three dogs and not accessing a car wash is a cumulative pig-sty, without the pig. So, winter is still here, and we may get 6 or more inches tomorrow. The mud will be covered over and I will be happy again. It will have to melt sometime, but I just have to make sure I get myself somewhere that has melted prior to us, like downtown Johnstown. I can drive into town and sit in the park and enjoy spring, and then drive back up the mountain to our house which is going to be about a month behind the rest of the world in spring thaw. That sounds like a plan. Bailey will probably want to join me, I think he really likes the grass.

Pork Roast.....!

Well Gang , We are making a Pork Roast this evening for dinner, More on that Later. We hope all had a great Valentines day.........It was our anniversary also. That's correct Valentines Day and our anniversary. We had a great night here at the Camp in the Adirondacks. We 1st thought that we might go out to the local ski mountain, Royal Mountain just down the road from us, the Ski Patrol was having a fund raiser . Food from 6-8 and then a local band after that. The other option was one of the local restaurants here in Caroga who was having a D.J. for Valentines Day. Us being "Older Folks" tried to hold out til later in the night before going out for dinner cause if we go out too early we will be home by 6:30 and done for the night. We thought that Jen , Ali and me might hit the road around 6:30 and "DRIVE SLOW" to one of the two places that I mentioned , have dinner and be back....Say 9 o'clock? Which is late for us. Then come home and get a movie on HBO ON DEMAND , two more hours and we end up our day 10:30 or 11 pm and we are not looking too bad...Right? At about 6Pm while hanging around the Living room here at the camp and watching T.V. that ......."LETS COME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN" is starting to be crossing our minds separately, Ali has already bailed on going out for dinner and given us her blessing on the subject of going out for dinner. I breach the subject about another plan and Jen Jumps at " SOMETHING ELSE" too. The plan now is to get Take Out and eat here, then a Movie on HBO. Now what do we do for Dinner? Remember we are in the Adirondacks and lQQking for take out. We decided on Apple Bee's down in Johnstown which is 20 Min's away down the mountain. Jen places the order and I'm out the door at 6:15 for the pick and hungry . I did the 20 Min's in 15 and at the Apple Bee's "to go"side door early hoping they are..."Waiting For Me!" No such Luck...... I pay and at 7:20 leaving to head back for the Camp with our dinner. But 1st a short drive to the liquor store for a bottle of wine. It our anniversary and Valentine's Day. It's close to 8 pm and I'm walking into the front door with "TAKE OUT". WHoo HOooooo? Nah, not so bad...Here with the girls at the camp, food will soon be eaten. Wine too for Jen and Me... and a good movie. There is Just something about eating "TAKE OUT" for dinner....Not left overs, but your dinner. It brought back remembrances of eating in the squad room at work . The only thing that saved it was that I had Jen and Ali here . We ended up then Picking on HBO "The Secret Lives of Bees" Great Choice! We Loved It!!!!! See it if you can, we had read the book first. All in All.... we had a Great Night here in the Camp. Well back to the" Pork Roast". Do this and you will love it.. In a roasting pan, empty a large can or bag of sauerkraut with juices, 3 bay leaves and one large onion cut up, diced some what. Here's the secret ingredient , 3 cubes of beef bullion warmed in 2 cups of water ( Microwaved) and poured onto sauerkraut, mix all and spread out in baking pan. Then add 1/2 to 3/4 tea spoon of Caraway seed on top of that mix. Then on top of your sauerkraut mix place a loin of pork ( 1,1/2 to 2 pounds) and cook covered at 325 for 40 Min's, after that mix sauerkraut around, return to oven uncovered until internal temp reaches 160 degree's . Add what ever side dishes you want and enjoy!!!! Til Next time gang....Jerry

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

Happy Valentines Day!!!! From Jen, Allison and Jerry

Caroga Lake Updates

I haven't posted in a couple of days Because I have been searching for material, Jen tells me she only posts when she has something of substance to post......... That's not the case here, I still don't have anything so you might want to click off to something else because I'm going to give you a lot of useless info.....I Have Nothing of substance to report ( Click now cause here it comes!). The weather here has been taking a turn towards spring ever so slightly over the last few days, snow piles have gotten smaller. That being said we had snow yesterday here in Caroga Lake, I t was that sideways snow, first coming from the west then the east and then back to the west, you know the type...... All said and done we have a 1/4 inch dusting on the ground and 20 degrees here with the sun shining . I was able a couple of days ago to walk the dogs out on the pasture as you have seen but now as spring is starting to peek out a little, both the dogs and I are falling through the 12 to 15 inches left which makes it very hard to walk out there. We had company over the last two nights for dinner , Wednesday night it was our friends from Rain Dance Ponds, a Alpaca farm, Rich and Ula ( Hope I spelled that correct ,Ula). Jen made a very nice beef stew in the crock pot and Ali made cheese biscuits like you see at Red Lobster Restaurant. It was a very nice visit and we are looking forward to seeing them again, it was their 1st time here, they live down in Dolgeville which is about 20 miles away from here. Last night Dan ( the Bee Guy) , his wife Jenny and Jenny's brother inlaw Kevin stopped by for dinner and Board games. We ( Jen & I ) made a vegetarian Lasagna using Butternut squash and soy products.....it turned out very good, Dan made a pot of vegetarian noodle soup which ended up being very tasty. We played a game called "Catch Phrase" which is a battery operated game. It shows you a phrase and you try and get your team to say the phrase with out you using any of the phrase words as clues. The thing is ticking and time is running down.. you need to get your phrase guessed and pass it on like a hot potato before it stops ticking.. Lot of fun, go get it and try. So for those of you who did not click away............That's all for today Don't forget tomorrow is Valentine's Day and in our case , our Anniversary . Get that last minute stuff done, Make sure to HUG & KISS your mate today and every day. So long Gang from Caroga Lake where the kids are all good looking and are above average in intelligence.. ( I stole that line, See if you can guess from.....Hint...Radio show) Til next time Gang.....Jerry See,,,,,, I had nothing and I'm sure you have seen this picture before!

Today is a big day for me. For us. It has been two years since I had a heart attack, and it is a day for reflection and celebration. Since that day we have been through a number of life-altering changes, and we have survived and thrived and celebrated every day. With Jerry by my side supporting me every day, I have been able to gain my strength and my soul back. There is nothing like a few backhands from God to get your attention, and two years ago I chose to listen. I was smoking and stressing and worrying and taking on the responsibilities of the world, and I lay in the hospital bed thinking that I was done. My time was up. When the doctor told me I needed to make some lifestyle changes if I wanted to see the future beyond that day, it registered loud and clear. Two years away seemed very far. Too far. I was worn out, tired and broken-hearted. The previous years had taken their toll. With more fear than bravado, I realized I had had my last cigarette, and that was that. For me, it was a very clear choice. All of a sudden quitting was easy. Much easier than dying. When faced with that choice I didn't even want a cigarette. I wanted to see my children grow up, I had alot of experiences I was hoping to enjoy, and I wanted to see the future with Jerry. All of this required my participation and dedication if I was going to see that happen. No excuses. I won't say the withdrawal was easy, but the reason for the withdrawal was as easy as it could be. Just do it. So I did. And Jerry did it right along side me. That just blows me away. I am so lucky to have someone in my life who cares that much for me to suffer like that. And suffer he did. The past two years have seen alot of growth in our lives. My family and especially Jerry have been incredibly supportive and helpful. He has nursed me along when I needed it, kept me focused and allowed me to be crazy when I needed that too. We have been able to live our dream and change our life and enjoy it all together. That is a blessing I am grateful for every day. It has not been without its heartaches and adjustments. Leaving our oldest kids on Long Island is probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but I am also confident that our relationships have not suffered but changed and grown because of our distance and extended visits. Another blessing. Allison is thriving. It just knocks me out each day when I look around and realize that all we hoped and prayed for is coming true, and it is working like we planned. We work hard at it and it is paying off. I went to the cardiologist this morning for a stress test, and other than some minor artery changes in my leg, I am in good shape. A high five to the cardiologist and a nice trip home with my buddy gave me plenty to be thankful for, and I am. Tonight we are enjoying a game of cards or something with Dan and Jennie, and a glass of sparkling grape juice to toast the day. Who would have thought two years ago that we'd be living upstate, retired, and working towards running a farm, with an apiary on the side? If anyone thinks back to two years ago, what were you doing? Things have probably changed dramatically for alot of you - but I am lucky enough each year to have a date that I can point to where I made the changes necessary to give me precious time with my family, and the choices necessary to make sure I'm around for a long time. Without getting all sappy and teary- I am incredibly proud of that. Just thought I'd tell ya. High Five.

A Sunny Day Walk :>)

Well gang we did get some "D" from the sun today. Warm too! This is the church that boarders our property and it's cemetery . Very quite here today . As you may or may not know our bee yard is at the the back of the cemetery so I have to walk the edge to get to the bee yard. The church and cemetery looked picturesque so I took a shot With some warmth I figured it's time to open some of the bee hive entrances so that the bees can get out and do a cleansing flight ... You know, get rid of bee poo. That's if any are still alive. I might get a better idea tomorrow if it warms up to 50 and they fly...I will see the poo out on the snow

Had to dig down a few feet.

While digging did see some frozen bees outside of hive...a good sign because I cleaned the entrances in the beginning of January and those bees not there (out front) so still could be alive

The snow acts like insulation keeping the warmth inside, the bee's are trying to keep inside of hive warm by eating honey and moving wings at high rate

Jake and Bailey got a little run around time too. LQQK who's not on a lead!

Bailey is doing better off the lead but still not 100 percent. A walk in the pasture

"RUN FOREST !!!!! ,RUN!!!!!"

Til next time Gang.......

Jerry

In Door Work!

Well Gang...... We did a little inside trim work which was long over due! Jen and I hung half logs around a couple of arch ways and doors leading from the kitchen down the hall Today it's over 40 outside and I'm working inside ....Go figure. They say we are getting temps in the low 50's in the next couple days, Tuesday or Wednesday. Ran out of trim molding to finish doors and archways.. The guy who made the trim from tree log measured but he must have lost the 2ND page of his amount list because I'm about 150 ft short.. Or he left it back at the shop.....We will see , I have a call into him for more or the missing trim. Then it's base board and more flooring and the hallway is done! Well got to do a little construction tool clean up and then it's outside to enjoy this sunny day. Until next time Gang......Jerry