A Sadness At The Renaissance Festival

Back in 2012 the  Renaissance Festival had cleared out a new section for exhibits.  In that new section were some unbelievably awesome old trees. The trees were listed as being between 270 – 300 years old.  People were forming lines to take pictures of their kids with these trees, me included.  They were sooo awesome.

This year I noticed that there were many booths right along the tree line and I remembered the trees and went looking for them and their plaques.  What I found was disturbing and sad.

This poor old tree is damaged. Say ‘hi!’ to Saver (5’2″)  Remember this?  Here is what it looks like now –

Just the bottom half of the tree is left.

Oooold tree.  – Only now it looks like this –

Cut down and used as a decoration.

We had to get in line to get this picture and Spider Bait moaned, groaned, and bitched through the whole thing. Mooooommmmm!!!!!  – And now this –

This tree is still alive, but no plaque, large branches are missing, and they have a sign hung on it.

I was so depressed over the fate of these trees.  They were so beautiful back in 2012.  I was told by a tree trimmer that removing all the trees around old trees can cause problems for the old trees because the trees around them offer protection from the elements.  It’s just sad.

Renaissance Festival 2015

No summer is complete without a trip to the Renfest.  We love the atmosphere, the shows, the people and the shops.  With Saver of Bugs back at home, it was a true family event.

This year will have fewer pictures of the shows in order to show you some of the other things that promote the atmosphere. Feel free to search ‘Renfest’ to see pictures from past years. Enjoy!

Look at all those cars. There were a few people there that weekend. And there’s another hill you can’t see in the photo!

This is one of our favorite stops.  There are glass canteens hanging in front there with some ornamental balls to the right. I have purchased one or two of the balls over the years.

Mad Maggie and her Dragon Richard roaming the grounds.  ‘Richard’ performs tricks.  Think of every groaner bone joke you can.  You know, like ‘boning up’ on your tricks? Groan.

A small play and rest area with shops down below.  Like Hedge Witch Apothecary which has a stunning array of organic herbal products and teas.  I could just stand there for hours breathing in the scents.

Skidmark, the Village Beggar, hamming it up for my picture.

Cast In Bronze, “The Carillon” another staple of our trips.

Me on the same convenient tree as last year. No, I’m not pregnant. The dress poofed when I sat down. Soooo attractive! 😀

Saver of Bugs, on the other hand, looks great!

Isabella, Cursed in Stone. I do not know how she can stand all day in that outfit! Not to mention, sweaty pig that I am, all the make-up would just run right off! How does she stay cool!?

Isn’t her costume just awesome!?

We, of course, had to try some medieval skills. See that arrow hanging off the side on the upper left? Yep, that’s me! 🙂

Zinnia, the Bubble Fairy. She wanders around making bubbles, large and small for the kids.  There is bubble juice in the metal cone.  She interacts without ever saying a word.  Her face is sooo expressive!

And while we were there, we had to shop!

Spider Bait added to his shot glass collection. The dragon’s head is the base when you stand it up to use the glass.

My flip phone is in there for perspective. Saver of Bugs got (clockwise) a tealight lantern which is red not orange (we couldn’t get the colors to photograph correctly), a bird whistle that works by putting water in it and then blowing, an agate geode that is thin enough on the back to let light in and make the insides glow reddish-brown, some pretty metal necklaces, a dumoriterite crystal, an emerald crystal with other things mixed in (she forgot to ask), and two polished agate necklaces. Quite a haul!

Clockwise – A fanny pack with multiple pockets (two zippered), a pewter fairy with crystals, a lepidolite crystal (it’s purple), a dumoriterite crystal above (blue), and to the left a sunstone crystal (orange and white), and a septarian sphere.  I didn’t do so bad myself. (I save up for this weekend every year 🙂 )

I can’t wait for next year!

Ryder’s First Trip To The State Park (Part 2)

We’re here!

“Mom, what is that? It’s loud and jumps all over the place!  Will it eat me?”

“What’s that, Ryder? Let’s go look.”

“Yes! Good Boy!”

“Good boy, Ryder!” /  “Mom, it’s wet!”

“Are we done, mom?” / “Okay, Ryder, let’s go!”

“Ryder, waaaait!!!”

Ryder and Spider Bait checked out the cave. Ryder goes on alert and shortly after people show up!

The springs, of course!

Ryder checking out the view from the path that led up to where a hotel and spa used to be over 150 years ago. The wall Ryder is standing on is very, very old!

I found this really interesting lichen. It was four inches across!

We spent some time letting Ryder follow his nose on nearby trails. Dogs need to be dogs!

And then Spider Bait and Ryder led the way home!

Of course, this being me and all, it wasn’t quite that simple. 😀  Upon reaching the car we realized we hadn’t brought a towel to dry Ryder off with or a sheet to protect the back seat. *shakes head* So back down to the creek in a rocky spot to bathe the dog and then make sure he stayed out of the mud on the way back to the car.  That kept the mess to a minimum.  We’ll remember next time!

Ryder’ First Trip To The State Park (Part 1)

A month ago, right before things went crazy around here again, Spider Bait and I managed to get Ryder to the State Park for the first time.  The walk to the Mineral Springs would be an easy jaunt along and over and through a creek.  The weather was gorgeous and with all the rain there would be plenty of flowing water to introduce him to.

Not far into the woods I came across this gorgeous patch of wild monarda. The scent was heavenly. You can’t see in this photo, but the area was alive with bees and flies and many other insects taking advantage of the nectar.

“What’s that?!” Ryder wasn’t sure the ‘brown’ water was still just water. 🙂

Ryder finally decided it was worth dashing through.

Along the way was this gorgeous boulder.

I asked Spider Bait to see if he could get Ryder to investigate the boulder. Notice how Ryder has his head down, nose glued to the ground.  I was waiting for him to wander into the water somewhere and get a snoot full, but he was paying attention and only snorted mud. 😀

“Ryder, what’s that?” Our phrase to get him to check something out. Very useful when he’s spooked over something. “Let’s go up!”

Of course, with a slow loading camera I had to choose to wait for the ‘up’ part. There was a brief scrabble and slide off, but instead of being deterred, it fired him up. A more determined assault followed. Success!

Shoulder rub! Such a good puppy!

Another interesting boulder with lovely growth on it.  It is amazing the places plants find to grow and thrive.

Spider Bait and Ryder traversing a rocky portion of the creek. Ryder now considers himself an old hand. Not all the time in the creek was training time. Where this trail is located, the creek is part of the trail. There are two wooden bridges put up where the creek is too rocky, steep, or deep for easy crossing for the average person. You can see the one up near the cave in the background of this picture.  Large rocks have been placed to help keep your feet dry in shallower parts, but when the water is up – expect to get wet!  (and muddy!)

We’re here!

More to come!

 

I Couldn’t Resist. Another Ryder Then And Now.

Going by the week, four weeks to a month, Ryder just turned six months old. By birth date, August 1st will see him six months old.  My, how time flies when life is smacking you around.  Despite no serious formal training other than housebreaking and some basic manners, he still has turned out to be a really good dog. Gotta love those Border Collies.  They can’t help but learn things, taught or not.  I can’t wait to see who he becomes as time goes by.

A picture opportunity presented itself tonight at dinner and I couldn’t help but grab it.  Enjoy!

At 7 1/2 weeks – I’m too tired to eat my supper. A new home is very tiring.

At six months – I’m getting plenty of exercise while we’re babysitting Grandma’s Schnoodle. My family calls her ‘crazy Daisy’.

On a side note: For those of you following Le Tour De France, here is a cool video of the switchbacks on Lacets de Montvernier that the riders will be climbing today:

 

Sometimes It’s Nice To Have A Crochet Buddy

It’s nice to have a crochet buddy from time to time.  Even if he can be a bit of a lap hog. 😀

 

Ryder at 20 Weeks

I thought it would be interesting to show the difference that only a few months can make in a puppy’s life.  Ryder came to us at 7 weeks of age and was 9 lbs at 8 weeks of age.  He is now 20 weeks old and 33 lbs. It is amazing how much he has grown!

Remember this little guy? Aww, isn’t he sweet?

How about those ears!?

He made himself at home pretty quick! To think he was so tiny not so long ago!

These days he pretty much fills the crate!

Our little disc dog?

Isn’t so little any more!

He was so tiny next to my foot! I was afraid of accidentally squishing him!

So big now!  And he’s not even done growing!

Get that ball!  This Jolly Ball survived its previous owner (Jake) and has been passed down to Ryder.

Mine!

“Catch me if you can!” –  He does love his ball!

“What’s that?” Attention puppy style!

Attention pre-teen style! Note the foot on the frisbee staking his claim.

Such a tiny bundle! Not even a lapful.

Now he doesn’t fit in my lap at all!

I hope you enjoyed the past and present comparison.  It certainly is astonishing how fast they grow!

Ryder’s First Two Weeks

As much as this was supposed to be a post about Ryder, it is also a post about reality biting me in the butt.  Remember I mentioned in the first Ryder post how puppies are worse than human babies?  Bringing a puppy into the house for the first time in over 30 years (my youngest in the past 30 some years was 6 months) was a major shock to the system.  I’m a night person.  I perk right up at about 10 or 11 p.m. But the Husband has to go to work in the a.m.  So the puppy has to go to bed at a reasonable hour so that he is up with the Husband and getting fed the same time as the cats.  He certainly isn’t going to go back to sleep and he can’t be left running around unsupervised.  And it wouldn’t be fair leaving him in his crate for hours more waiting for me to crawl out of bed. And that certainly wouldn’t help his sleep schedule any.  So that translates into mom, here, having to get up at what, for me, is an ungodly hour of the morning.

Getting a dog sooner than planned meant I hadn’t adjusted my sleep schedule back to a more day oriented routine.  It was like getting thrown into rough water without a life jacket.  I am a light sleeper and thus have a very low tolerance level for sleep deprivation.   My inability to adjust quickly (i.e. go to f@#king sleep at night!!!) that first week was killing me.  I couldn’t function.  And I was getting mad at the dog for existing.  I was ready to just give him away.  I didn’t want him anymore. The hell with having a dog.  I was shocked at how angry I was and how willing I was to consider getting rid of the dog.  I was not in a good place.

As a result, the Husband is going into work an hour later at a more normal time so that I have extra time for sleep. (He normally likes to get in before anyone else so that he has peace and quiet to work undisturbed.)  He is also handling the middle of the night trip to potty.  Unlike me, he can fall back asleep in like 2 minutes and said it made no sense for me to keep trying to handle the potty trips.  Which made me feel bad ’cause I’m the one who brought the dog home out of the blue with no prior setup for it.  But, he was right.  I’m still not sleeping well but the extra I get has taken me from insane to somewhat functional.

Something I’m sure everyone appreciates.

Despite the insanity, some things have gotten done and this second week I have been actually falling asleep by 12:30.  Fingers crossed for continued improvement and attitude adjustment.  It’s been really, really hard giving up my evenings.  Here are some pictures from our first two weeks:

It’s hard to be angry with someone who curls up to sleep at your feet even when the floor is hard.

I’ve learned that walking on a leash can lead to many interesting places. 

First bath. But since puppies get cold easily, I was wrapped up in a towel and rubbed dry and cuddled till I fell asleep. Nap time!

I now pee outside when asked except when I’m nervous or scared. Mom wishes this meant no more accidents in the house. I’m working on it!

I like my chewy and my basket of toys.

Dad got out that monster thing that sucks the carpet. I ran and hid in mom’s lap.

Mom eventually left me to go pat that noisy monster. I was waiting for it to eat her.

I eventually came over to take a look, but I don’t think I want to be friends.

Tired puppies hate missing anything. But they are no match for the Sandman. (Puppies can sleep in the darndest positions!)

Mom says it’s important for me to stand still while I get my feet wiped off. I can do this on the porch now, too!

I’m learning to play on my tie! There are lots of good things to eat out here. Unfortunately, mom is a buzz kill. She keeps sticking her fingers in my mouth and taking away the rocks ‘n things I want to eat.

I have a ball to herd. It rattles!

This one bounces funny, but I can drag it around!

After all that work, I need another nap. And this is a really great place to do it!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

The Mineral Springs In Winter

I’ve been dealing with a case of cabin fever here recently as the weather has been bitterly cold and not safe for me to be out in.  But the sun was shining Wednesday with temperatures in the 20’s, so I figured I could handle it if I broke out the heavy-duty winter gear.  With winter coming to a close, I decided to see the mineral springs in all their winter glory. It was supposed to be a joint trip with Spider Bait as my companion, but a meeting beckoned and I was on my own.  So I bundled up against the nasty cold (I have circulation issues) and off I went.

It was a quiet walk through the woods.  It was midday on a weekday and I had the trail to myself.  Crisp clean air and no one talking over the muted gurgling of the creek and the occasional bird.  Heaven.

I love seeing all the little things that can live on rock.

The left side of the springs. I love all the colors from the minerals in the rock. The cascade of frozen water on the right is the water from the creek that flows into the grotto.

The front view of the grotto. Long frozen ice falls glittering in the sun.

Here’s a side view of the falls from the right.

Here’s the bowl the flowing water from the springs has formed over time. Notice the spring water hasn’t frozen. It is a constant 58 degrees.

Here is a picture of the back of the grotto. The whole front was a nasty sheet of ice, so I wound up using the wee creek from the flowing mineral waters to creep behind the ice falls.  Not that the inside was much better!  Though the grit falling off the ceiling helped give me traction.

The view looking out.

The backside of the falls.  That little sliver of creek to the left is how I got inside.

Ice!

I had trouble with the lighting inside. Gah! These are feathery ice crystals that formed on the ceiling at the back of the grotto. This photo was taken without a flash.

Same crystals with a flash.

At this point I left the grotto and went up a side path to sit on a bench above the grotto and take in some sun.  It was blissfully quiet except for a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers drumming and squawking.  But since they can be quite shy, I was more than happy to share space with them.  Sorry, no pics.  They didn’t get close enough for my cheapo camera to see them as more than just specs in the trees.

Eventually I was forced by the cold to get a move on.  I had gotten wet climbing around and wet plus cold is Bad.  So back down the trail to the grotto I went.

I felt a need to acknowledge the absence of my son.  Say, “Hi!” to Spider Bait’s stand in, his walking stick. I grabbed this as an afterthought on my way out the door. It helped me survive many treacherous spots on the trail and in navigating the ice in the grotto. The walking stick is 5 feet tall, if you’re wondering.  Thanks, “Spider Bait” for the company and the help!

My first selfie.  My son said there had to be a picture of me on my trip.  Ugh. (I won’t tell you how many times I had to do this to get my whole face in the photo.) Time to go home!

Beautiful ice patterns in the creek.

The way home.

Hope you enjoyed the walk!  If you would like to see our summer pics of the mineral springs, go here.

Outing Part 2 – My Hike To The Mineral Springs

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Special thanks to Spider Bait for using his fancy schmancy new phone to help with the photos.  My camera was very finicky about the light there at the end and I got lots of dark photos.  His fancy phone did much better than my camera.

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After I had been on the lake with my new kayak long enough to feel guilty about leaving Spider Bait on shore all alone, I headed back in and offered up the kayak so he could take a spin.  He declined and said he wanted to take me hiking up to the mineral springs.  So I deflated and bagged the kayak and then changed back into shorts and shoes.

Back in the 1800’s the mineral springs were a big deal and boasted curative waters.  They even had a resort on the hill above them at one time.  Now it is all woods and a hike to get to them.`

Into the woods we went.

One of the first interesting things I spotted was this tree. It doesn’t look it in the picture, but this tree is quite large with a huge hole in it.

 

And then I found a fungus among us. 😀

And an interesting burl on a tree. The wood framing you see to the left are supports for a bridge across a section of the creek.  It was a Boy Scout Eagle project.

I love how Mother Nature is reclaiming this tree.

“Come on, mom!” “I’m coming, I’m coming. There’s a damn bug down my shirt!” Did you ever notice how your kids always take these less than flattering shots of you?

We made it! This is the main cave at the spring. We have had a very dry couple of months. Normally there would be water cascading off the top of the cave in a waterfall.

This is a pile of rocks that have broken off in the middle. There is a smaller cave to the left.  You can also see the drips running off the edge to the left of the rocks from a small creek that runs down into the spring area.

Part of the steps from the upper trail down to the spring are original back to when the resort existed. You can see the springs at the end of the bench where the iron stains are.

These are the mineral waters that everyone came to drink.

Water and time have eroded an almost perfect bowl into this rock.

Of course, after hiking through the woods in the heat we were both thirsty.  Spider Bait went first.

“Brrr, it’s cold!”

Well, if he thought it was cold there was no way in heck I was putting my face in there.  So I dug out the ziplock bag I had for my camera on the kayak.  It made a perfect canteen.

Some for him…

And some for me!

We then decided to grab roots and climb up above the springs and look around. There was a creek up there with neat rock formations.

I wish I had had a flash light so I could see how far back inside that little cave/overhang goes.

I found some interesting lichen up there.

And a tree growing right on the edge of the rocks.

And then it was time to return Spider Bait to school and get home for dinner.  So one last look around…

The springs from the creek bed up above. I’m going to want to come back after we get some rain so I can see the waterfall.

I managed to catch Ms. Bumble Bee just before we came out of the trees by the car. It was a nice end to the walk.

Hope you enjoyed the trip!  Night!