Things to Celebrate

Hello from cool, dreary, and rainy Philadelphia! The perfect kind of day to just stay inside and be cozy, and that's pretty much what I plan to do.

We have been kind of busy lately. I have been getting ready for both The Tim's birthday, and for Thanksgiving. The Tim always gets into a flurry of cleaning activity around this time of year, in preparation for holiday season, so he's been working on that. The cats are either sleeping and avoiding it (actually preferred), or busy snooper-vising. 

Yesterday was The Tim's birthday, and unlike today, it was a perfect fall day - sunny, cool, and just a touch of wind. He took the day off from work, and I swapped my volunteer shift with someone else, so we were both home for the whole day. He had asked to go out to breakfast at a place in the neighborhood, so we headed there first thing. He had one of his fave things, a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, with tomato, onion, etc. as well. I had the tofu scramble, which is really good, and comes with fried potatoes, which we both enjoyed. We were stuffed until it was time for dinner!

The Tim had told me what he would like for his birthday, and for once, I had been ready for over a week, so that worked out really well. He requested a cheesecake for his birthday dessert, and we enjoyed that after presents, while the kitties enjoyed some kitty treats. 

We had originally planned to go out to dinner, but he said later in the afternoon that he was feeling slightly out of it, like he is getting a cold, so we decided to do that another night, and just had leftover chili and some grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. It was a lovely day, and fortunately, this morning he felt much better. A good night's sleep I'm sure helped. 😊

Over this past weekend, I put out our Thanksgiving decorations. I don't have a lot of them, but I love having them. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday, and I feel that a lot of the time, it gets short shrift. 

I posted this photo as well as a few others on Instagram, and got so many comments from people saying they remembered these particular candles from their families growing up! I just have always loved them.

My other exciting news is that I finished the body of the cardigan I have been knitting! Here is a not-lovely bathroom selfie for you to get an idea how it looks.

This is the Fidalgo Cardigan, and it is one of the most favorite things I have ever knit. I love that as you are knitting the sweater, you are knitting the button band - no hassle having to pick up stitches after the fact! I have learned a few new-to-me skills with this pattern, and it is so well-written that I feel like it would be understandable to just about anyone. I watch the designer's podcast, and she is just one of those people that I would love to be friends with. Yesterday afternoon, I managed to knit half of the first sleeve, so I'm hoping this will be an FO before long.

So that's been what has been going on around here. The Tim had a lovely birthday day, even though it means that now for a few months, we'll be same age (he always loves being "the younger one" for most of the year). We're looking forward to Thanksgiving next week, not just because we both love the holiday itself, but for the first time in four years, The Tim won't have to work! He also took the Friday after off, so we will have a nice long holiday weekend together to enjoy. I'm so happy about that. Obviously, we've survived the years when he had to work on Thanksgiving Day, but it's just so much better when he can have the day off and be at home too.

I hope your week has been kind to you, and that you are enjoying any crafting projects you have. See you next time!

Wednesday FO Post: Greg's Requested Socks

Hello there! I'm just going along as usual around here, so believe me, you're not missing anything too thrilling happening. But on the plus side, I do have an FO post for you today.

When I put out the call over the summer to family members asking if anyone would like knit socks, Greg responded really quickly! He asked for socks in the team colors of the Baltimore Orioles, and in the weight like another pair I'd knit for him (worsted weight). Greg is married to my niece La Liz, and is one of the most knitworthy people on the planet.

Project: Greg's Requested Socks

Pattern: Plain Vanilla Sock pattern that I usually use

Yarn: Berroco Vintage, in the colorways Orange and Cast Iron

Needles: US size 5/3.75 mm

Notes:  When I started this pair, I wanted to try something different somehow. I started with corrugated ribbing, but it just didn't look good to me. So I did a couple of knit rows in black, then did a few rows in "colorwork," alternating the colors. Then I did some rows of ribbing in black for the rest of the cuff. I thought that looked a whole lot better.

I didn't get them to him before the end of baseball season, but he said he didn't care, he was wearing them anyway! He actually sent me a photo of him wearing the socks, and the Musselburgh Hat I knit for him a few years ago! Apparently, they fit just fine, and he sounded really pleased, all the way around.

I told him he is always more than welcome to request anything, anytime. When someone gives you such happy feedback, it's not a slog to knit for them, if you ask me.

*****

Right now, I'm at the end of the body of a cardigan I've been knitting. Actually, I'm knitting the bottom ribbing again, because I ripped it out yesterday. I had bound off, using the Tubular Bind Off as suggested in the pattern. But it just looked incredibly crappy to me. So I decided to take it out and either do something else or try again and hope my results were better (I've had much better luck with that bind off before). Well, between it being a sewn bind off and the yarn being really stick-to-itself, I ended up taking out all but the first row of hem ribbing. No big deal really, it won't take me long to re-do it. As a matter of fact, I'm halfway there already!

But I also want to make something for myself that is kind of holiday-ish. I have a couple of things in mind, but first I need to find the yarn in my stash, and then wind it before I can start. So I'll likely do that over the next couple of days.

This morning I put all of the ingredients for chili into the crock pot, so I am pleased to say that dinner is sorted for today. That's always a nice feeling.

So now you're caught up. I hope this week is being kind to you, and that you are working on something that makes you happy. See you next time!

"The Legend Lives On, From the Chippewa On Down ..."

 

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald

If you are of a certain age, you have likely heard the song by Gordon Lightfoot called "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," commemorating something that happened 50 years ago today.  The Edmund Fitzgerald was pretty much considered the ultimate ship for purpose, and much like its unlikely predecessor, the Titanic, was considered pretty unsinkable. Which we have learned time and time again, does not seem to be an actual quality.

Anyway, this time of year, it always comes into focus because of the unfortunate anniversary, and of course this year being the 50th anniversary, there are all kinds of stories about it and the people who worked on it.

I have my own story about the Edmund Fitzgerald, though it happened six years before the ship's demise. 

One of my father's fondest dreams was to someday go on a cruise. Of course, it never happened, because we barely had enough money for necessary things. He worked in the trucking industry, dealing with all kinds of transportation issues and people. In the later part of September 1969, one of the people he dealt with on a regular basis asked if he and my mother would like to go on one of the big ships that transported ore and other materials around the Great Lakes. Apparently this was something that they did on a yearly basis, with maybe up to 10 non-crew people traveling on the ships. 

My mother had no interest in doing this at all. But my father was so excited, and he really saw it as a chance to finally go on a huge ship through famous waters. So off they set for a 10 day trip, on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

Towards the end of the trip, my father got really sick. Two days after they returned, he went into the hospital. The cancer that had started in his stomach five years before, returned, settling in his liver. He never got to come back home, and he died on the Monday of Thanksgiving week in 1969.*

My mother said that except for the last couple of days, he absolutely loved being on that ship, and everything about it. She said that she was glad that they went, because he kept saying how wonderful it was.

Six years later, the actual wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald occurred. A massive tragedy affecting the lives of so many families who would never be the same. And then Gordon Lightfoot came out with his song, which told the tale in the most evocative and heartbreaking way.

Every year when the anniversary rolls around, it reminds me of my own personal anniversary that is approaching. I have always felt the shipwreck more as a personal thing than I should, given that no one on the ship on that fateful day had any direct connection with me. But I guess the fact that I knew of the ship beforehand, and it was associated with my father's last happy earthly adventure, made it all more personal.

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes 

When the waves turn the minutes to hours?" 

-- lyric from "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

*This year happens to be a repeat of that week, with November 24th being on a Monday. On the occasions that it happens that way, I am somehow always surprised - as if that should have only happened once.

And Then Monday Morning Arrived ...

In the last post of Bridget Tries to be a Responsible Pet Owner, we had the story of Alfie, who enjoys a trip to the vet every time he goes. Today's post is called Milo the Koodle and the Visit to the Vet.

Well, it almost didn't happen, because I could not find said cat. I tried several ruses, and then decided as a last gasp to give all the cats some wet food and see if he showed up. Which he did, so I grabbed him mid-meal (which made me feel terrible, but desperate times and all that), forced him into the carrier, and we headed over the vet's office. 

Fortunately, we were one of the first appointments of the day, so we didn't have to wait. The vet tech took apart the carrier, pulled him out, and they wrapped him up like a Koodle burrito. They managed to do a thorough check up, take blood, and give him two shots. Fortunately for them, he was so scared and so wrapped up, it happened without incident. And then we came home. Total time from when we left the house: 40 minutes.

And then, once out of the carrier, he gave Alfie and Esme a good whack, and disappeared again. The rest of us went on with our days.

I was reading, and about 3:45 p.m. he reappeared and jumped up onto the armest. 

I went to pet him and he growled. So I left him alone, and by about 8 p.m. he was letting me pet him again. And since I woke up this morning, it's clear he didn't kill me overnight - phew!

And so now we are safe for another year, unless something terrible happens, which hopefully will not. Everyone made it one more time.

The End. 

*****

Today is our 47th wedding anniversary. We are planning to go out to dinner tonight, but since The Tim is working today and tomorrow, we have no crazy plans. Our weekend plans to go look at chairs for our TV room didn't happen, because I had a serious reaction (as usual) to my Covid vaccine, and was completely out of commission. But the chairs are going to be our anniversary gifts, and we are both anxious to get new ones, so it will happen sooner rather than later.

And that, my friends, is the excitement around here. I have an FO post for you, but want to be sure to wait and be certain the item is received before I write about it, so it will happen soon. First though, I need to mail the package. I find that helps with the person receiving things ... 🙄

This Morning vs. Monday Morning

Alfie and I just got home from his annual check up at the vet. Needless to say, a very thorough bath was necessary. But other than that, Alfie was and is quite pleased. He doesn't mind being in the carrier at all, and sees the entire thing as a chance to be social, and then visit with people who are completely interested in being with him. They talk to him and make a fuss, they give him treats, they let him sniff around the exam room - I mean, what's not to like? Yes, he got a shot, but no biggie. 

And that's this morning. Then there will be Monday morning, when Milo the Koodle will be making his annual visit. Let's just say it ... won't be pretty. For anyone and everyone involved. I need to spend my weekend preparing for the trauma that will be felt not just by Milo, but by me. Because not only will I be seen as the enemy who will be trying to get him into the carrier and then taking him to the vets, but when we get home SOMEONE MUST PAY. 

Send prayers. 😉

You may ask, well, what about Esme? Well, what about her? At some point, I'm hoping that she will let me get to the point where I can pick her up, but right now it isn't happening, so we're just lucky that for all intents and purposes, she seems healthy.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?" 

*****

Anyway, this too shall pass, and hopefully with minor injuries to me. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the rest of today, and likely do some knitting in between the other house chore things I want to accomplish. Can you believe that at this moment in time, I have only one project going? I can't remember the last time that was the case. I'm enjoying it, and making a lot of progress, but I also think this weekend I will cast on at least another pair of socks.

Meanwhile the other afternoon, I knitted a pine cone for my fall garland:

This was the fiddliest little item so far, but it didn't take that long so it wasn't like something I was trying to work on all day long. 

Next up will be the pumpkin, and then I'll start over again. I think I would like to have at least two of each thing on the garland, so I'll see what it looks like once I have that amount - maybe I'll need a few more! But in any case, I'll have fun making these little things, even once the garland is done. Because they are the perfect little spurt of paying attention but not for too long.

The Tim especially wants me to make a green pine cone to see if it looks like a tiny Christmas tree. I'll let you know.

I'm so glad that so many of you commented that you also like to put up decorations for yourself to enjoy for holidays. It's nice for once to not be an outlier on something! 

In other news, I *think* fall is finally here to stay in Philadelphia, and I couldn't be happier. Cool sunny days, and chilly nights are so wonderful. Though it is supposed to rain later next week, which is actually good since there is a serious drought happening. And unless I have to be out in it all day, I actually enjoy rainy days. 

Next week is our anniversary and also Halloween. And then November will be starting, which I'm sorry, just seems crazy. Originally, we planned to take a trip next week somewhere to celebrate our anniversary, but neither of us did much about it, so we'll probably go out to dinner someplace that's nicer than usual for us, and that will be nice. We have agreed that for gifts, we are going to buy ourselves some new chairs for our TV room. The current ones are at least ten years old (probably much older), and frankly I'm surprised they are still in one piece. So one of these weekends - maybe even this one - we'll look for replacements. I always think it's fun to get new furniture or a rug or something in a room - it makes the whole place seem different!

And that, my friends, is the excitement around here. I hope all of you enjoy your weekend, and have a chance to do something you really like or want to do. See you next week!

Decorations Make Me Happy

Shortly after fall started, I put out some of my fall decorations. because nothing makes me happier than having a reason to put out decorations in our house and/or outside. I don't have a ton of fall decorations, but there are enough to fill a box about the size of a large shoebox.

Then last Friday, I decided it was time to add in the decorations I have for Halloween, which are in a larger box, mostly because there are a few that are ceramic, and are wrapped in lots of paper. Needless to say, the cats find the wrapped things much more interesting, because they feel once they are unwrapped, it makes for a great place to sit.

I realize the photo at the top of this post is small, but I am including it because I am overly proud of how well I managed to make the top of the living room bookshelf look *just* the way I'd hoped and I wanted to share it. I was so proud of myself when I got this set up, I immediately took a picture. 😂

Is it the most amazing display of items ever? No of course not, but every time I am in the living room, or even when I walk through it, I notice it and it makes me so happy. Which is the point of decorating for any holiday or event, if you ask me. And in the world we currently are forced to live in, I firmly believe that even small amounts of pleasure give us outsized joy. I'm a big fan of take what you can to make your life better, as long as you are not hurting anyone else. 

I know that soon, we'll be seeing people putting out their Christmastime decorations - it used to be only the stores put out things early but I've noticed people starting earlier every year bringing out their holiday stuff, even before Thanksgiving in the U.S. (We don't because I have Thanksgiving decorations, which will surprise approximately none of you.) 

Does that bother me? Frankly, I don't care. I'm more bothered by people who take everything down the evening of December 25 or the very next day and never mention the holiday again until the next year, but that's up to them and since I don't live with those people, who cares?

People need happy things more than ever these days. And for lots of people, that means having their houses decorated for Christmas, even when it's weeks away. It's looking forward to someone's birthday, or a weekend away to a place that allows them to be in a different mindset.

So I have my fall and Halloween decorations giving me my little escape these days. Then I can take a walk outside, see the changing leaves, and maybe even see others' who have decorated. I like having a reason to smile and forget at least for a moment that there are other things upsetting me and stressing me at levels that are unprecedented. 

So I am asking you to do two things: 1) decorate things if you want to, whether or not anyone else thinks you should or it's the "right" time to do so, and 2) if you come across someone who has done so even if it's not something you care about, let them have the little bit of joy without pointing out that it's too early/too much/too whatever. 

Frankly, if *that* is the thing bothering you the most these days, you might just be the absolute luckiest person on the planet. So you know, enjoy that!

Monday FO: Keith's Requested Socks

Hello from a rainy and cool Philadelphia! This is one of those days when staying inside doesn't seem like such a bad idea. I thought I'd show you my latest FO, since I know that according to the tracking info on the package, that they have been delivered to the recipient.

Project: Keith's Requested Socks

Pattern: Plain Vanilla Sock pattern that I have used forever

Yarn: KnitPicks Hawthorne Fingering, colorway Vancouver Multi

Needles: US size 1/2.25 mm

Notes: Over the summer, The Tim informed me that for now, he had all of the handknit socks he wanted. So since I a) have lots of sock yarn, and b) like to knit socks for myself AND for other people, I put out a call to the nieces and nephews for anyone interested. I got a good response, and decided I would knit socks in the order requested.

Keith was up first. He said he would like socks that were a basic color with bright accents. So I pulled out this skein of sock yarn I had bought a while back during one of the KnitPicks sales. Then I looked through my bits and bobs, and found some leftover old Fortissima sock yarn to use for the contrasting cuffs, heels, and toes. I figured since it looked like the yarn had bright pops of color, low-contrast would be nice otherwise.

I'm glad I did that, because the yarn was actually brighter all the way around than it looked in the skein or wound up. 

As you can see, the bright turquoise made a sort of striped effect on the foot of the sock. But it pooled in a kind of weird way on both socks - here's a photo of the same two socks, turned onto their other sides and photographed:

I don't mind it, because they are socks and would be on my feet, but I don't know if that will bother Keith or not. At first, I thought, oh well, just wear each sock with the non-pooled side facing inward on each sock, but that's not how they will work. One thing I can say is that in real life, they are not nearly as bright as they are in these photos, so I'm hoping he'll like them, even if they are not quite what he had requested. I think they would be fine unless you are in a conservative office environment, and I don't think that's the case where he is (he works for an international liquor distributor whose company logo colors are *really* bright, though not these colors). In any case, I told him that they were now his to wear or do with as he wished.

I do have to say that the Hawthorne Fingering yarn was kind of unpleasant to knit - not terrible, but not very soft. Since these were a gift, I soaked and blocked them, and they did soften up some after that. But I don't think I'll go out of my way to look for this yarn again. 

*****

The next request was from another niece's husband, Greg, for a pair of heavier-weight socks in the colors of the Baltimore Orioles. I'm well underway with those, even though baseball season is over for the Orioles already (and also for the Phillies ... sigh). But when I send them, I plan to tell him they'll be fresh and ready for next season! 

One thing that amused me was that, for the most part, the requests I received were from the guys. I think they are just more likely to wear socks most of the time. Most of my nieces seldom wear socks, unless it is extremely cold. 

Of course, what do I care? I was just pleased that anyone at all was interested in receiving a pair!

Fall Makes Me Happy

OK, fall does not make me all that happy when it's 85 degrees at the beginning of October, but a) according the weather people, it's supposed to actually cool off to appropriate temperatures after tomorrow, and b) I can still put out some of my fall decorations, which make me smile. And let's face it, in this s**tshow of a world, we gotta take the smiles where and when we can!

I've been busy knitting, and have finished a pair of socks that I'll share with you once the recipient has received them. Not that he reads this, but someone who knows him may and I want them to be a surprise. I'm going along well on the cardigan I started, but don't have any recent photos, so you'll have to wait a little bit longer to see what one.

But remember the little acorn I knit a few weeks ago? Well, now he has a leafy friend!

I have to tell you, this little leaf is so fun and so quick to knit - I may end of with LOTS of leaves! This is another part to the garland I have started, and I'm so pleased with how it turned out. 

Aren't they cute together??? I'm not making any hurried effort on this, because it's kind of a when-I-feel-like-it project, and fall comes every year.

In keeping with the fall theme, and leading up to Halloween, The Tim bought this Halloween throw for us at one of the Aldi stores nearby. Not bad for $5.00, right?

And on our way to Rehoboth Beach, The Tim wanted to stop at the outlets because he wanted to look for something specific. I bought one of these black cat pillows at one of the stores there. I also got one for Amanda.

This is sitting on the couch in our living room, and let me tell you, it's been quite shocking! So far, only The Tim and I will still sit on the couch. 🙄

Meanwhile, Amanda says their kitty has claimed theirs for herself. Go figure.

That's all the news for now. I hope you are all doing well and knitting, reading, cooking, baking, whatever makes you happy at the moment. I'm off to start dinner (I'm writing this late on Monday afternoon), and it's a good thing because I'm starting to get hungry and sadly, dinner has yet to cook itself ...

Vacation, parts 3 and 4 and Then That's It

Happy October 1! I love October, and today we are having some nice cool weather, so I am a happy camper. 

Thanks to all of you who have gone through these last few posts with me, all about our vacation week. I know sometimes you're just not in the mood to see other people's photos ad nauseum, so thanks for your kind comments.  Today I'm sharing our last vacation day in the Poconos, and then the weekend after in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with my niece Amanda and her husband Pat.

Since we had been able to visit Promised Land State Park on Monday, we realized that we could make a differen trip on Tuesday after we checked out of the place where we were staying and go to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Originally, given what else we wanted to do, it would have been out of the way and maybe pushing it as far as our energy levels. But when it turned out that it could be the only Tuesday activity, we decided we needed go to for sure!

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was the world's first sanctuary for birds of prey. It became an official sanctuary in 1938. It's a perfect place to see all kinds of raptors and also take an amazing hike along one of the trails leading to astonishing views. We (of course) took the easiest trail, since we'd never had a chance to visit before, and weren't sure what to expect.

So onward we marched. First we headed to the South Lookout:

They have biologists stationed at the lookouts to count birds and on an average day, they can easily count up to 1000 birds of prey! When we arrived, around 10:30 a.m., there had already been 400+ sightings.

The trails were challenging, since they were not always smooth ones. This was definitely not a trip for the faint of heart. 

I really liked this rock/small boulder along the trail - you can't see it here, but the colors in it were a beautiful gradient.

This is a staircase of rocks up the mountain to the North Lookout - and it's worth mentioning that not only do you walk UP these stairs ... but you have to walk back DOWN them afterwards!

However, it is worth the effort, because:

We even found a friend!

While we were there, we saw several hawks, two turkey vultures, and two bald eagles! There were also other birds that were pointed out, but you needed binoculars to see them, and we didn't have a pair. But the whole experience was truly magnificent. I highly recommend a visit to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary!  We'll definitely go back again sometime (with our binoculars!).

So after that, it was home to the kitties. They were very glad to see us and of course had several tales of horrible neglect and starvation from the cat sitter, in spite of many photos she sent to us that showed the contrary ...

We were home for Wednesday and Thursday, and then on Friday morning, headed to one of our most fave places, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. When we went last year with Amanda and Pat, Amanda found this really nice, really reasonable place only a few blocks from the ocean, and easily walkable to restaurants and shops. We loved it, so we stayed there again. Here is the view from our room - right down the street, you can see the ocean. 😊

Amanda and I had The Tim take a photo of us to send to our friend Lisa. Amanda calls this her "thank God I have a weekend away from my govt job during this horrible administration!" look.

Saturday morning, we went to breakfast at this Victorian hotel restaurant along the boardwalk. They have birds in the parlor, and we had a lovely chat with these two.

This is Moose.

This is Emro.

Both had a lot to tell us, and were happy to sit on our shoulders. They are really characters!

Sunday, we all had breakfast and headed to our respective homes and kitties, after a really fun weekend that was relaxing and the perfect way to end the summer and our week of mini-vacations. 

Rehoboth Beach, early, on the very last full day of summer.

Vacation, Part 2

After our day in Jim Thorpe, PA, we headed further north to the Pocono Mountains. Neither of us had been there before, and the drive up was so gorgeous! Not just working our way up mountains, but the leaves were beginning to change color, so we saw stunning vistas along the way.

We made our way to a new place that we heard about on Instagram (!), called The Rex. It used to be a motor lodge and was recently redone to become cabins backing right up to Promised Land State Park. The prices were extremely reasonable, considering what it included, so we decided we would give it a go. 

We had our own fire pit in the back:

And it was completely outfitted with everything you need - you could easily buy food and drink and bring it along with you, and never have to leave the grounds at all. This was the kitchen:

We were very happy there for our visit. It was comfortable, cozy, and in the middle of such a beautiful area that you looked out the window to nature no matter where you were. We would definitely stay there again!

We did get a notice about a young black bear in the area, but alas, we did not spot said bear. But there were very strict guidelines related to storage of food and warnings about leaving anything at all that was edible in your car!

The next day, we headed to the Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area and to Raymondskill Falls, the highest waterfall in Pennsylvania. We hiked around, being amazed by our surroundings, and the waterfall itself did not in any way disappoint.  

We took this selfie after approximately 400 tries - The Tim took over the camera, and he added some kind of filter, and well, let's just say we should not be allowed near technology. But we finally figured it out, and ended up with a decent photo. 

The whole place was so incredibly beautiful that we were there for about two hours, walking the trails and seeing everything. 

White asters everywhere.

LOTS of goldenrod everywhere we went!

We had planned to go to Dingman Falls, but it was closed due to some kind of repairs and maintenance, so we headed to Bushkill Falls. When we got there, we realized that it was privately owned, and though the grounds looked lovely, it was a steeper cost than we wanted to pay to walk the trails. 

So we pivoted on some plans, and instead of going to explore Promised Land State Park the next day after checking out of our lodgings, we decided to finish off Monday by going there. As I mentioned, part of it backed right up to where our cabin was, but we went to the "official" entrance and let me tell you, it was well worth any effort to go there!

After exploring one part of the park, we decided to visit and walk around Conservation Island, where there are all kinds of campsites. For the first time since arriving in the Poconos, we saw more than just a few people (though still not many). Like everywhere else we'd been on Monday, it was stunning. 

We didn't even get close to seeing most of the park, but it was just all amazing. We ended up having one of the best days and again, we were lucky because the universe blessed us with weather that can only be described as perfection.

Our little cabin looked better than ever when we got back there after a long and busy day of activity. We had some leftovers from our dinner the night before, so we decided to just zap them in the microwave and settle in to our cozy spot.

We enjoyed our explorations, and loved our place, but we did agree that we were not really people who would enjoy living in a place that was remote or isolating. Neither of us really want to be somewhere that requires us to drive just to get to a market or a drugstore, etc. Even The Tim, who more or less drives as part of his job, and likes to drive, prefers not to if possible. So it's unlikely we will be moving to any of towns in the Poconos. 😊 

Since we had changed around our plan that was originally for Tuesday, we had to come up with a new one. It wasn't hard, and I'll share that with you the next time around. So Part 3 of Bridget and The Tim Do Nature will be coming soon!

Hooray for the First Day of Fall! And, Vacation Photos, part 1

Happy First Day of Fall! I've been waiting for this - not because it's a guarantee that fall weather will be the only weather we experience for the next few months, but because it means that the really hot and humid days are either gone, or will become less and less frequent. And the cool, crisp days will be taking their place. Which is very very good in my book.

For those of you in places that will now be enjoying spring, I hope it makes you happy to be changing seasons. 😊

Last week was our week of mini-vacations, and we enjoyed every single minute. We were lucky to have great weather the whole time we were away - the only cloudy or rainy days were the couple of ones that we were at home, and that was fine with us - we just hung out and cozied up! But our travels went without a hitch, and we just had the best time.

Today I'll share photos from our trip to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. We had a great time, walking around the little town, and along the Lehigh River. In a smart move - that in our case was just dumb luck - we were there pretty early in the day. So we had most places and most of the street just walking along to ourselves. Just about the time we were getting ready to leave, it started to get really really busy.

So here are some photos for you (you may have already seen these if you follow me in Instagram, so feel free to skip this part).

I love Victorian buildings, and there were quite a few! I'm especially a sucker for a round tower.

This is an old Presbyterian Church.

 

This is the local jail, where several member of the Molly Maguires were held and later executed. 

K

The Tim found a yarn store for me to check out! It was small but had some nice yarns, and the owner, whose name I am 99% was Diane, was so friendly and chatty. I didn't buy anything, but I really enjoyed my visit.

This was a whole little shop devoted to jerky - not something you see in most towns ...

There was a super cool old sightseeing train, but it was mostly full when we arrived, and so we skipped it, since we were on our way to the Poconos after this, and had a bit of a trip.

Before the town was named Jim Thorpe, it was called Mauch Chunk. I don't think I'd really want to live somewhere with "chunk" in the name, but maybe that's just me ...

Our plans for coal picking were ruined when we saw this - I mean, how are you supposed to start a vacation without coal picking???? 😉 We managed to get over it  ...

The Lehigh River was so pretty and the walk along it so peaceful.

This is Karma (adult dog) and Mochi (puppy). Their owners were trying to teach Mochi to walk with the harness, and wanting him to use Karma as inspiration. We saw them several times, going up and down the street past the shops, and then saw them again right before we left.  Apparently they all made some progress, but everyone was exhausted!

Both of them were extremely sweet.

We had a good morning into afternoon walking around sightseeing, and stopped for a cup of tea and a donut along the way. We left Jim Thorpe thinking we would definitely like to return sometime, and see a few things we decided to skip once it started to get busy. 

Besides, we had a cabin in the Pocono Mountains to check into! I'll show you that and the places we explored in Part 2 on another day.

I hope all of you have a good week, and that this new season will be good to you.