Weekend before last Charlie and I went apple picking and hiking in the Catskills on a visit with his daughter in New Paltz. It was a great weekend but clumsy Susannah managed to step in a woodchuck hole and further damage an already tender shoulder. Turns out it might be a torn rotator cuff.....MRI was … Continue reading Apple Pickin’ Time

One of the many good things about Charlie is that he gets me off my duff and out doing things. Things I love to do but am too lazy to do alone. We've been biking this summer, and I'm loving it. I didn't have a bike as a kid and have ridden only sporadically since … Continue reading Rolling, rolling, rolling…

The sky threatened but we remained optimistic: A first baseball game for Kelsey couldn't possibly be rained out. We'd chosen an early game - 5:00 - so Kelsey wouldn't be up too much past her bedtime. So there we stood, under the roof at the ball park, watching the drizzling rain. Music played: "Riders on … Continue reading Take Me Out

Last Friday through Sunday Charlie and I took a trip to the Adirondack High Peaks Region by way of Cranberry, Tupper, Saranac, and numerous other lakes. On the way we took a short "warm up" hike on Moose Trail which runs adjacent to the Oswegatchie River from Wanakena to Inlet. We saw a group of … Continue reading Piqued by a Peek at the Peaks

Last weekend it was a picnic with my sibs, their kids, my kids, and of course the granddaughter. This past weekend it was a family reunion of a different sort: Friend Charlie's annual "Crary Camp." Having been assured that his family is as crazy - if not crazier - than mine, I felt it would … Continue reading Family

The plan was to leave for California to visit my son, Aaron, on Friday, June 26 and come home on Tuesday, July 7 with lots of trips to see the diversity of the state...So here's the flight story: first flight (6 am Friday) cancelled, second flight (6 pm Friday) delayed to the point I missed … Continue reading Finding LA, or how to fly coast-to-coast in 36 hours or less

This post has nothing to do with the Democratic position on anything.It's not about snorting drugs at a teenage bash.It's about the old-time party line. Today one might call it a conference call but when I was a kid, it was just the way the telephone system worked.I swear I can still remember the old-fashioned … Continue reading Party Lines

Last Saturday Kelsey and I had a playdate - actually a chance for mom and dad to have some quality time without the little one. Although I'd planned a trip to the zoo, Miss Kelsey had other ideas. She loves the playground at the local elementary school which just happens to be around the corner … Continue reading Playdate

Today's segment: From Poolsbridge to Bolivar, about 2 miles one way - a shorter hike so we'd be done in time for the Chief's game. This painted turtle was one of only a few basking in the sun. The green heron is a photo I've been wanting to get...he flew up in front of us … Continue reading Erie Canal – Poolsbridge to Bolivar

May 24th, the second leg of our Erie Canal Trail trek. What started out as a quiet day for wildlife changed into a veritable smorgasbord of fauna! We saw a Baltimore oriole, catbird (across the canal, hence the blurriness), an Eastern towhee -- colorful!, great blue heron, and what I think is a Great Crested … Continue reading Erie Canal – Manlius Center to Poolsbridge