kayaking – This Old House 2

Up the river with two paddles

Because this ain’t sh*t’s creek 🙂

It’s a glorious summer day here in New England and we took full advantage by throwing Ruby and Torch in the back of the truck and setting out just over the bridge in the Salmon River.

My experience is that being surrounded by the beauty of nature, especially these bodies of water I’m lucky to live near, washes away the anxieties that are life. When I push out into the river and take a deep breath in, I feel the stresses leave me as the salty air refreshes, invigorates, heals.

Have you gotten your dose of natural beauty today? Step away from the chaos of the TV, the news, the papers, the computer, your phone!…. Drop your cares at the door.. go find it, drink it up, soak it in. Life is short, friends. Go live it –

snapshots of a beautiful weekend

It was a glorious weekend weatherwise,

and we took full advantage.

I hope you had much of the same and were able to get

out and enjoy it.

Saturday – Kayaking at Griswold Point at the mouth of the CT river –

I love driftwood…

wouldn’t this be an awesome piece in the backyard?

It’s kind of cool when the young adult children actually

enjoy spending some quality time with the ‘rents.

Except when mom gets annoying with the camera…. apparently.

We beached it on Griswold point, a nature preserve and private estate
where the owners are kind enough to let kayakers rest for a bit –

and did some shell seeking before heading back to the launch.

..and there was a fun poolside gathering of family as well.

Opie and I got in some quality riding out in the
newly mowed hay fields yesterday…

..and M&M gave Ben a bath.

M & M also made these adorable vases…

My son, … the crafter?… Ah, young love.

It’s a new week, all. Let’s make it a good one –

– after I go to the dentist this morning to have a cavity under a crown filled.

*sigh* Pass the Xanax.

Here and there

Did you get a look at that Harvest moon in recent days?… my camera does not do it justice in these pics. The soft lavender of the evening skies over This Old House cast a serene hue…

My sister and I got together to kayak on Friday….

Why haven’t we done this more often?!

She handled Torch, Mikes big touring kayak, very well.

On Saturday we arrived at the Guilford Fair to fawn over my little blue ribbon,

only to dive immediately into the totally sinful fair food.

Ferris wheels are so photogenic, aren’t they?

Yesterday the guy and I took a quick ride over to Devils Hopyard..

Below is beautiful stone archway underneath the road that runs through

the park, right next to the falls.

There are two, built before the WW’s.

Nowadays, the labor would be too expensive to do so.

It’s a shame, some of what we’ve lost in architecture as the world has become

something different.

Many lovers initials carved or written on this bench….

One of my favorite breakfasts on Sunday morning…

I should make these more often. My version is Gluten free – they don’t

leave you feeling bloated and too full… it’s a beautiful thing.

A shot of the Ferris wheel last night, still aglow one hour

after the Fair had closed down for another year.

I had to pick up my photo entry and the feel of the fairgrounds was so very different than when you are being pushed along the midway with the crowds. The booths and rides were still lit up, the attendants relieved and ready to pack up and go home. The ponies were untacked and loose in their pony ride corral and the food vendors dined together with jovial expressions and laughter you don’t see while their services are in high demand by the people.

Did I tell you about my sexy new crock pot? I’m too lazy to look back over the posts…

Sweet and sour stew recipe HERE

Hammonasset River

We took advantage of some absolutely beautiful weather yesterday

and trucked Ruby and Torch down to a river entrance under the highway.

The water was murky…. bleh.. but once we got out closer to the sound

and the brackish water, the sights and lack of sounds were soul soothing.

It’s the only time I get my guy to unplug.

I picked up a zombie hitch hiker along the way…

The tide was going out and wind blew in, so the paddle home

was more strenuous than the cruising out…

Two things you must always factor into your paddling..

1. will the tide be for or against you,

2. same with the wind.

Sunday Sauce was waiting on the stove…

I’m pretty sure no woman ever shot a man while he was making a Sunday Sauce.

– just sayin.

Sea Dog

Last night I gave it another go with dog and kayak.

He climbed right in and sat quietly for a ride around the cove..

…not even a quiver.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Two Cousins and their grandmother …..

…and another evening at one amazing little oasis.

You don’t have to travel the world to find the perfect place for respite.

Sometimes it’s just down the road a piece.

“Can I just have one more Moon Dance with you… my love”.

Eddie and Phil

I woke up this morning to an overcast sky. A phone call down to Joshua Cove confirmed glass water conditions, perfect for kayaking. Off I went with camera in tow to see what I could see.

Can you see the difference between low and high tide? Notice the top step on the ladder…

Yes.. that much of a difference in just hours. ..amazing, really.

During low tide conditions, even at the mouth of the cove below,

I could get out of the boat and walk anywhere, knee to waist deep at most.

Perfect conditions for clamming, judging by the number people out there on this overcast morning.

So.. being me, you know.. … …

(and this is where my husband would get all embarrassed

and try to hold me back, good thing he wasn’t with me…..)

I saw two guys who looked very serious and knowledgeable

about what they were doing. I paddled over slowly, hoping not to

disturb their space and asked if I could take their picture for my blog

and possibly my next attempt at a painting.

This is what I love about people…

in a world where there is so much we could be discouraged about with one glance

at the days news coverage, there is so much to appreciate if you’re only open to it.

…..Like two East Haven guys who are happy to oblige a stranger

who wants to take their photo and tell a little of their story.

Eddie and Phil are two buddies who’ve been clamming these waters for twenty years or so.

As Eddie describes it…

“Clamming is just a nice time to have the sun on your back and a friend by your side

as you talk to people in the water and tell a story of the best bucket you got the day before.”

One of the secrets of a life well lived, right there.

It’s the simple things, people.

Ruff start

Frasier was awesome yesterday at the cottage. He stayed right with me as I wandered around and was respectful of the neighbors dogs as well. I dragged my little red Kayak, Ruby, over to the edge of the lawn with the intention of taking Frasier for a ride at some point in the day. We went down to the dock to see what he thought of the water in the cove. At low tide there is actually some beach under the dock.. so he waded in confidently and loved the water. Awesome!

A little while later, we were again sitting on the dock soaking in the sun. Frasier lounged comfortably right along with us, even though the wind had picked up and we were rocking just a little.

He was so good I let him off leash.

He wandered over to the cement pad where we had stepped down onto the beach

early in the morning…

and decided to jump in head first.

That’s a face plant in the water right there.

I guess he thought he could still just walk around as he had

early in the day at low tide.

After I dragged his distressed little self by the collar out of the water,

trying not to drop the camera in the drink,

he was not amused and hightailed it to the top of the stairs.

After a good long while he ventured back down

to beg mom to please lets leave the dock now..

please.

Needless to say, we didn’t get in the boat yesterday.

Today’s not looking good either –

Where do you find Peace of Mind?

On the pond yesterday

the quiet, the stillness….

no noise but the paddle threading the water.

Soaking in the blue blue sky,

clear autumn-like air

and green hues of the sun-filtered water plants..

… bliss.

The boat floats!

I finally got Mike out in his new kayak yesterday – we threw Torch and Ruby in the back of the truck and headed over to Cedar Lake for his first “tour” in the new boat. Torch is a Hurricane brand touring or expedition kayak, made for rivers, lakes, flat water, etc… and it’s streamlined for a smooth glide, easier maneuvering. His big blue sit-above, the sea kayak by Liquidlogic, was more of a barge. So… his mango-orange kayak feels more… oh, shall we say, tippy. Now, it’s not gonna tip unless you want it to, so as long as you aren’t thinking those thoughts, you’re gonna stay nice and dry.

He kept thinking those thoughts.

My Ruby is a Necky Manitou…

I absolutely love it. Not expensive, still great capability for this kind

of kayaking. It’s size is perfect for the average woman.

So … it’s gonna take some getting used to, Mike and his relationship with the Torch, but in the long run he will see that he is free as a bird in that boat, compared to trudging along in the barge.

One can hope.