Raquette Lake

Raquette Lake is the largest lake in the Adirondacks.

It has a surface area of nearly 10 sq miles and a shoreline of 99 miles. Only 12 miles of shoreline are accessible by automobile. Until 1933 transportation in this area was provided by railway and steamship but  when the highway was built in 1931 it killed off the older modes of transport.

We took a scenic cruise on the lake on a boat patterned after the older vessels.

This church is on the original townsite. It has been restored and regular services are held here again.

There are a boys camp and a girls camp on the lake. They have been in operation for nearly 100 years and attract campers age 7-16. Tuition is $12,000 FOR THE 7 week season but as uniforms are required the average cost for the summer stay is $15,000.

This is the boys camp.

At the other extreme of the camping experience are those who take a canoe into the wild and sleep under the stars…

Tomorrow we’ll be starting home. We’re taking the I routes and pretty much driving through so I don’t plan many photo stops. Thank you all for coming along with us.

Tom

Adirondacks

Our niece Danicia and her husband own a small resort in Inlet, NY on Fourth Lake in The Adirondack Mountains. We arrived Monday and are leaving Saturday for the long drive home.

This is their lakefront taken in the early morning with the fog still blanketing the lake.

This is the cabin we’re staying in. It is their off season we got the best one.

Yesterday we took two short hikes. The first was to Ferd’s Bog

Then we walked part of the trail to Budd and Sis Lakes. We didn’t go all the way to the lakes but the trail followed a mostly dry streambed through the Eastern Hardwood woods. This is the sort of woods we had where I grew up and I’ve always loved them. So different from the forests of the Northwest.

Tom

Dollism

This International BJD convention established the timing for this trip. One of the highlights of any BJD convention is the photo backdrop area where you can pose your dolls and photograph them in the settings and props provided.

Here Jon and Shayla pose in the woodland setting.

Like in the Sasha Festival there is a costuming contest. BJD costumes tend to be more extreme than Sasha costumes.

Lots of dolls for sale. BJDs are all about customization. Wigs change, eyes change and when you purchase one new you have choices of skin color, body type and if you buy it blank you can have a custom face up… Dollmore was showing these two Alexias. This is exactly the same doll. Different wigs.

Tomorrow Dollism winds up and we’ll be off to the Adirondacks Monday morning.

Tom

Randolph

Many of the small towns locally seem to be holding their own at best. Randolph, for whatever reason, be it enthusiastic local boosters or… seems somewhat prosperous. There is a decaying downtown business block but Bob says that there are presently plans to renovate it when funding becomes available. The little inn we’re staying at is in the old fire house, completely renovated. Being in the heart of Amish country makes it a desirable travel destination.

This  is “Vern’s Place” a restaurant across the street from the inn that serves breakfast and lunch. We had breakfast here every day of our visit.

Randolph Presbyterian Church

In a little downtown pocket park we found this nice mural.

Today concludes our visit here. We’ll be going on to Buffalo which is only 1 1/2 hours from here. The next blog post, or two, will be from Dollism. 

Tom

Barn Quilt Project

A couple of years ago the local tourism board promoted the “Barn Quilt Project” Local businesses were invited to take a 4’x4’ backing board and paint a representation of a quilting square on it. They made up a map showing all the locations where the quilt squares were posted. Carol and I set out to find as many as we could. Many are now gone. Some of the businesses have closed and some of those which remain have removed or repurposed the board. Still, enough remain to make for an interesting hunt.

Tom

Western NY–Amish country

When I lived here there were several Amish families in the area but they have multiplied since. This is beautiful country; rolling hills with farms interspersed with woodland. The trees are just barely beginning to show the colors which will paint these hills orange and red in a very few weeks.

Amish do not use automobiles so horse drawn buggies are commonly seen on the rural roadways.

Neither do they use tractors or self powered equipment of any sort. This is farming the way my grandfather did it back in the 20s.

As it happens we were out on our drive when the schools let out. Note the footwear on these Amish kids.

Tom

Burton, OH

OK, so technically we’re actually in Randolph at this point. Last night we had a very nice supper with my uncle and aunt and two cousins. We’ve not seen them in 4 years, since my dad died, so it was marvelous to see them all again.

Today’s photos were taken Sunday while we were still with Carol’s aunt. Unlike others I’ve posted, these have been run through some of my favorite PhotoShop filters to enhance contrast and saturation. Gives a more dramatic look….

Burton Fire Hall

Congregational Church

Hill Hardware

Hopefully tomorrow some local images….

Tom