Category Archives: Weather

Finally, a Beautiful October Day!

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I’ve been waiting for this..bright blue skies with puffy white clouds, a cool nip in the air, some wind to blow the falling leaves around…now that’s October and it gives me an excuse to share one of my favorite poems.

This was required reading for an English class I took in school. I think it was 5th grade English but I could be wrong. No matter when I was introduced to this poem, it’s stayed with me all of these years.

October’s Bright Blue Weather…by Helen Hunt Jackson

O suns and skies and clouds of June

And flowers of June together,

Ye cannot rival for one hour

October’s bright blue weather.

*

When loud the bumblebee makes haste,

Belated, thriftless vagrant,

And Goldenrod is dying fast

And lanes with grapes are fragrant.

*

Went gentians roll their fingers tight

To save them for the morning.

And chestnuts fall from satin burrs

Without a sound of warning.

*

When on the ground red apples lie

In piles like jewels shining.

And redder still on old stone walls

Are leaves of woodbine twining.

When all the lovely wayside things

Their white-winged seeds are sowing,

And in the fields still green and fair,

Late aftermaths are growing.

*

When springs run low, and on the brooks

In idle golden freighting,

Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush

Of woods, for winter waiting.

*

When comrades seek sweet country haunts,

By twos and twos together.

And count like misers , hour  by hour,

October’s bright blue weather.

O sun and skies and flowers of June,

Count all your boasts together.

Love loveth  best of all the year

October’s bright blue weather.

Last Chance

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Friday was too windy, Saturday was a wash out with heavy rains. Only one more chance to get those hot air balloons in the air. I am starting to feel like Goldilocks…one was too hot, one was too cold…will Sunday be “just right?

Two launches are scheduled, a dawn launch at the Warren County Airport billed as “Walter’s Mass Ascension”, a simultaneous flight of 100+ balloons including “The World’s Largest Inflated Petting Zoo” and The closing ceremony at Crandall Park , Glens Falls with a launch of 20+ balloons.

Certainly I wanted the 100+ balloons. Sandy and I headed to bed Saturday with our fingers crossed.

It was early. It was dark. I listened closely. I didn’t hear the pitter pat of rain. I didn’t hear any sounds of wind blowing. A gentle tap on my door let me know that Sandy was up and it was time to rise and shine if we were going to make it to the airport.

Once again the parking pass  allowed us to slip right into the airport and into a parking slot. We joined the throngs of people making their way through the damp, dew covered grass to the airport entrance.

Vendors were open already and breakfast was being served near the hangar. There’s something about the pre-dawn hours that seems to magnify everything from sights to sounds to smells.

We made our way to the same area we’d visited on Friday. There were more balloons spread out now and we could walk among them. There are no restraints or barriers.

The air was cool , skies clear and wonder of wonders…no wind! It wasn’t long before we heard the whoosh of hot gasses and balloons that had been lying flat began to rise from the ground like sleeping giants.

The filling process takes quite a few minutes but then one brightly colored balloon was off and in the air, soon another followed and then they were taking off in bunches.

We saw baskets beneath the balloons and some with only a chair for the operator.

There was a monster/alien balloon and a “United Nations” balloon covered with flags from around the world.

Over near the vendors the “Petting Zoo” was taking shape..a butterfly

a crab…

a rabbit…

and that elusive  birthday cake I wanted to get a picture of but wait…it’s T Rex and it looks like he’s making short work of that cake.

As dawn broke on the eastern horizon the untethered balloons filled the air.

I can see the allure of this sport.

Your spirits soar right along with the balloons.

I wanted to clap my hands and cheer but I had the camera in my hands.

As we walked back to the car we wound through the tethered balloons, up close and personal. And then they began to deflate. The chasers were on the way to catch the untethered balloons and collect them when they land.

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Time for breakfast. We headed to the Golden Corral where we were joined by George and Kelly and the Kids. Patrick and Catherine seemed to be wide awake for such an early hour.

My only plans for the rest of the day? Take a nap! 🙂

Checked in and Ready to Explore

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Now that I was settled in my lovely room in the Ashley House it was time to explore. I stopped in the Pastry shoppe and bought a decadent chocolate frosted brownie. I sampled it right away but saved half for later. I figured I’d need a treat after I finished my little jaunt.

As I started up the alley I ran into the tour guide again. He was looking for me. He wanted to be sure that I had found Ashley House and gotten checked in OK. I thought that was really nice of him. We chatted for a few minutes and then I headed on my way.

Everyone said it was an easy walk to the south lighthouse so with my camera around my neck, a spare lens in my bag and my tripod slung over my shoulder I set off to find the lighthouse.

I noticed that the street immediately began to go uphill but it was a gentle rise and I was merely meandering. I stopped in the parking lot of the restaurant “Fins” to take a picture of their parking spaces. I loved the idea of a series of fish stencils instead of plain old lines.

I made note of the statue in the little square and as I took my left around the  statue the incline became a bit steeper.

Halfway up the hill I spotted yellow iris’ and interesting lamps so stopped for a photo-op.

More flowers followed.

Then to my surprise I thought I saw a llama! Looking closer I could see there were several llamas and other exotic looking animals. I’d stumbled upon Abrams Animal Farm.

Apparently it’s a little petting zoo and the wool is used for yarns and fabrics.

Not too much further I reached what seemed to be the top of the hill and the road began to wind back down. Ahead of me I could hear the surf even before I saw it. This was one of my favorite spots. I climbed onto the guard rail and sat and watched the waves break on the beach.

 There were loads of flowers and their fragrance filled the afternoon air. It was still misty and overcast. It made me think of a rain forest rather than New England.

I could see that the road was going to start climbing again so I took some pictures and began the next leg of my trek. I thought I must be getting close because there were some bluffs right there.  ( Silly me).

As I trudged on I passed a beautiful church whose manicured grounds led right up to the edge of the bluff. It would be worth going to that church just for the view!

I was beginning to wonder how much farther I had to go because this was not turning into an easy walk…at least not for an overweight, 60 + female with a load of camera equipment.

Duck on fresh water pond with ocean beyond

Just about the time I thought I should  pack it in and go back I saw a sign that pointed on up the road and read simply “Lighthouse”. So just as before I figured I must be close and continued to trudge on upward. Except for that short down hill section where I watched the breakers it had been all up hill!

I was now farther away from the water. There were large homes and fields. Well maintained stone walls separated the fields as I trudged along. As people drove by they all waved like they’d known me forever.

I rounded another corner and there ahead of me in a field on my right was a pheasant! I recognized it from pictures in outdoor magazines but I’d never seen one live and in the wild before. It’s a beautiful bird. I began to hustle on up the hill to try to get close enough for a picture without spooking it. The closer I got the deeper it went into the scrub and brush but it didn’t flush. I stopped and lifted the camera. In that moment I knew I was too out of breath to hold the camera still. The bird was fast disappearing from view. I felt my opportunity slipping away so I took a chance. The shot was pretty bad but it’s a record of the experience so here it is. Proof it was really a pheasant!

After that fiasco I plunked myself down on rock wall to consider my situation..keep going or turn back. It felt like I’d been walking forever and may I remind you it was all uphill. Fog was starting to roll in and I could hear a fog horn in the distance. I decided to keep going just a little longer.

Perseverance pays off! I reached the top of the hill and there it was! The Southeast Lighthouse.

 As I walked down the driveway I was greeted  by a black and white cat that seemed to say  “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you”.

Block Island at Last

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High Speed Ferry Returning to Point Judith

The ferry cast off and as soon as we cleared the jetties it was apparent that we were going to hit some heavy seas. I was on the top deck (a true glutton for punishment) which was open. The deck below was enclosed and warm but silly me wanted to stay topside. It was kind of like riding a bucking horse.

The bow would go up and up and then ever so slowly we’d begin to tip into the trough and then picking up speed the stern would rise and with a crash of spray the bow would slice the waves at the bottom of the trough.

Up and down! I watched the rollers moving toward us and tried to judge how much the boat would buck by the depth of the trough approaching.

 All though it was cold and wet the 55 minute trip passed quickly. Pretty soon we were passing another jetty into a calm harbor.

The waves were crashing over the sea wall making a spectacular scene.

The Ferry unloaded quickly and I found myself standing in the middle of the parking lot a bit lost. In my rush to catch the ferry this morning I had left my reservation confirmation in the car. It had the address for my guest house. I thought it was right near the ferry but I didn’t see it as I looked around but I did see a Chamber of Commerce building.

At the Chamber I asked for directions to Ashley House. At first the woman at the desk seemed puzzled but she quickly brightened up and told me to go through the Harborside Inn.  As I headed over there I was approached by a taxi/tour driver. He also said I’d find it in back of the Harborside Inn so I short-cutted down an alley and sure enough..there it was. Only one problem. There didn’t seem to be an entrance.  But there was an ice cream and pastry shop so I asked there how to get into the Ashley House. The girl took me out to the front and around the corner to an alley, pulled open a door and pointing said “Up the Stairs”. So up the stairs I went following a long corridor of polished wood floors and doors along the length but after I wandered the whole length and went back down the other stairs, I found myself back out side and still no place to check in.

I began to retrace my steps to the Chamber building for more detailed directions when I bumped into the Chamber lady leaving. She asked me if I’d found Ashley House. I told her yes I found the house but where do I check in?. She then went into more detail. The Harborside Inn owns Ashley House and if I go to the front desk of the Inn they will do the check in and give me my key. It seems so obvious in retrospect.

Check-in, once I found it, was quick and simple. The clerk even gave me a map and a list of restaurants that were open. Since this was still the “off-season” many of the restaurants and shops were still closed although you could see them being freshened up with new coats of paint and displays set up for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

The clerk pointed out the 2 Lighthouses. She said the southern lighthouse was an easy walk from town but the other lighthouse was more challenging.  I thanked her and headed to Ashley House to find my room. I was anxious to see what the inside of the rooms would be like after my trip down the corridor.

I wasn’t disappointed. It was a beautiful room with a large sleigh bed, a TV and a private bathroom with shower. That was important to me as a lot of the guest houses on the island have shared bathrooms. I was very pleased.

 It was beginning to lighten up and the rain had stopped so maybe I’ll be able to get a sunset picture after all! But first I need to stop in at the Ice Cream shop and buy something as a way of saying thanks. Without the clerk’s help I could still be wandering around looking for the entrance!