Travel

Rocky Mountain National Park: Day 1 Of The Alpine Adventures, Mind Officially Blown

July 23, 2013 by Leah Leave a Comment

I’m in Heaven. I mean, I might as well be because I’m so freaking high in the air. Altitude sickness is awful. When Ashley and I got to Estes Park, CO yesterday we felt sort of drunk and queasy and dizzy and headache-y…ick. But we woke up this morning and felt awesome, so awesome that we ate a giant breakfast at Notchtop Bakery and Cafe. I had a French toast sandwich, which is every bit as amazing as it sounds. French toast with ham, eggs, and cheese squished between it, accompanied by a pile of potatoes. Perfect hiking meal.

I have to tell you, this place is magical. It’s doing a number on my brain. The landscape is so incredibly vast that I simply can’t take it all in. We headed to Rocky Mountain National Park after breakfast to do some hiking and we started with the basic trails. As we were driving into the park it dawned on us that there are not enough words in the English language to adequately describe in sheer beauty of a place like this. So I will tell you what we did and let these two dimensional pictures sort of speak for themselves. Please come here. If you have legs and eyes you need to come here to experience this place.

The first stop we made was at a meadow called Sheep Lakes where we looked out on a few ponds with grasses and wildflowers swaying in the breeze. We also met a fabulous volunteer named Darrell who was very knowledgeable and told us where to head. We then headed to the Alluvial Fan which was a waterfall that had broken through a dam in the 80s and flooded the valley.

Onward and upward to Bear Lake, probably the most popular easy trail in the park. We parked at the park & ride on Bear Lake Road, which just reopened on Saturday, and took a shuttle bus up to Bear Lake. Crazy ton of people…and a terribly easy walk to this pretty lake with epic views from all angles.

July is peak wildflower season and they were everywhere. Reds, yellows, purples, whites, pinks peaking out of rocks, showing up in the most challenging of places during this short season of blooming. Dining needles were also having a heyday and their blue bodies looked gorgeous against the deep greens of the landscape.

The Bear Lake trail continues to several other lakes and I wanted to see them all, so we headed next to Nymph Lake, a small body of water with wild yellow water lilies dotting the surface.

The trail continues onto Dream Lake. Each lake had about .6 miles in between but, my Lord, we were huffing and puffing all the way up. There were these little old ladies pacing us and were like, dang, if they can do it so can we! With the air being so thin it was tough at times to get a full breath of air, so we stopped often and drank lots of water. The views up to Dream Lake were the most magnificent we saw all day. I could have just parked myself on that trail and sat all day looking out into the vastness.

Dream Lake was lovely, so tranquil and blue. There were trout swimming near the surface, hanging out, chipmunks scampered up right next to Ashley, and the trees framed the lake perfectly.

I continued onto Emerald Lake by myself and the incline was ridiculous. I had to stop a few times just to catch my breath, but the view kept getting better and better. Emerald Lake was pretty deep and the trail basically dead-ended at the lake so there was no walking along the edge.

Across the lake was a giant waterfall that sounded like it was crashing to earth. It looked so small from where I stood, but there was no mistaking its actual size based on the sound.

My legs didn’t give out and I didn’t die, so I had some soccer dad take a pic.

A marmot!!!!! I was so excited to see this little guy! He looks like the mountain version of a groundhog. He ambled around for a bit and then scurried off.

As we headed back down we realized why everyone heading down earlier had looked so refreshed. It was a total piece of cake! We took some longing last gazes at our favorite spot and headed into town for dinner. Tomorrow we head up Trail Ridge Road for more crazy alpine adventures!!

A Season Of Plenty: Harvest And Home

July 20, 2013 by Leah Leave a Comment

I’ve been eating insane amounts of tomatoes. I think eating tomatoes makes a person happier. I’ve been eating so many tomatoes I fear I might start to look like one. The Sun Sugar little yellow cherries are ridiculously delicious. It’s wrong. A vegetable shouldn’t taste this good.

A plate of homemade pasta with Sun Sugar tomatoes, zucchini, fresh basil, garlic, and capers.

I’ve also been eating tons of cucumbers and zucchini. The beans are finished. I ate those. The peppers are doing well. I am also consuming those at an alarming rate. The downside to all this produce consumption is that I can picture my body going into some kind of jittery withdrawal when the growing season ends and I am forced to haul myself to the grocery store to buy food again.

It is almost the end of zucchini season here, but I was distressed to find that my plants have succumbed to the squash bug. I was hoping my plants were stronger than that, but no. They cheated on me…with a bug. At this point, all I can do is tear the eggs off the plant, squash them on the patio and spray with insecticidal soap, a mixture of diluted Murphy’s Oil and water.

I’ve hardly had to do any spraying. I’ve sprayed the soap on some aphids, but for the most part, mother nature is helping me out. I have two garden spider webs with small spiders in them that are taking care of some bugs. And I’ve also noticed the birds hanging out on the tomatoes every now and then. So far, I’ve seen two dead tomato hornworms, but no damage and no more worms, so thank you, birdies!!!

The watermelon are slowly getting bigger. Excitement!!! These are the Doll Baby variety.

I went to Long Island for a week at the beginning of the month. It was wonderful. I wrote a piece about home for Women You Should Know that posted while I was up there. Being near the beach made everything better for a while. I mean, tell me, how could anyone be in the presence of such beauty and not be changed in some way for the better?

Bridgehampton beach on a summer day.

Ye olde mighty Atlantic.

A potato field down the street from mom and dad’s house in Mattituck on a walk to Bailie Beach.

Bailie Beach on a clear summer day.

My spot on Bailie Beach after braving the icy Long Island Sound water up to my calves.

Dad’s daylily garden. Every single one of these plants was hybridized by dad so they are each unique in their own special way. This is where the magic happens.

The docks in Greenport have finally been repaired following Sandy. I never get tired of this familiar sight.

A lavender farm in East Marion in full bloom. The color was almost as intoxicating as the smell. Perfumed rows.

A pretty sunset on Bailie Beach after a steamy summer afternoon.

Then I came back to my garden. And next week I head to Denver to be in my best friend’s wedding. Before the wedding, another BFF and I are hitting Estes Park to become one with nature in the Rocky Mountain National Park. We plan on hiking till we’re sore, drinking ungodly amounts of tea, and hopefully still being able to fit into our bridesmaid dresses at the end of the week. This is a big moment, when a bestie gets married. She will be my third bestie tying the knot. I have 5 who I consider BFFs because we’ve been friends so long it’s hard to imagine not knowing them. They have made my life better in so many ways. So I’ll stand beside my girl and try not to cry and thank God that she found a good man. That’s a really good prayer for a girl to have for her girlfriends…that they find good men who will love them like crazy.

I hope to post pictures of the trip next week if a bear doesn’t attack us in the park.

LIGHT: Bruce Munro At Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

May 30, 2013 by Leah Leave a Comment

Tonight was officially the second night the Bruce Munro light exhibit was open at Cheekwood and we were dazzled. I brought Rob down there with me, we sprayed a healthy dose of bug spray on ourselves, and walked into a wonderland of light. This is only the second time this installation is being shown in the U.S. The first time was at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, another place near and dear to my plant-loving heart.

Vogue named the Light exhibit at Cheekwood #2 on its list From Memorial Day to Labor Day, 31 Ways to Make the Most of Summer. An impressive feat for our little city! This is the largest installation the garden has had since Chihuly came a few years ago and blew us all away with the sheer awesomeness of his nature and glass exhibit. You can find more information about British artist, Bruce Munro, here.

Please know, I wanted to give you an idea of what this looks like so you will go visit, but these pictures can’t possibly do justice to the magic of being there in person. And I just renewed my membership so I can take two guests every time I go. Hit me up, people!

As you walk into the gardens, you happen upon the water towers, made of 10,000 bottles of water all laced with fiber optic lights. They looked amazing when the dark closed in. Ethereal music was floating through the speakers in each tower and added such a cool vibe, I was sad to leave. If they had been able to pipe that music through the entire garden, it would have made the whole experience completely epic.

Then we headed to the Japanese garden where the bamboo forest was lit with dozens of fiber optic filament lights from the below. The effect made it seem like fairies could be flitting in amongst the tall bamboo. I could have stayed in this one spot all night.

The Zen garden had one feature, a blue moon that shifted between shades of white, green, and deepest indigo. The effect was very peaceful and could bring a person to a trance-like state if they stared for too long. The pavilion was flanked with lit candles on both sides, which added a softer, more natural light that clashed pleasantly with the fiber optics happening everywhere else.

As we headed across the field to the pond, the tipi lights were flashing so fast it was hard to concentrate on them for long. The effect with the reflection on the water was really stunning though. They were definitely the party lights of the garden, except no EDM music was playing over there. Sad. The information plate said they were meant to invoke memories of our history.

The shallow pool is always a favorite spot of mine to sit when I’m at Cheekwood. The water is so quiet, so tranquil, and the simplicity of the orbs was a perfect accompaniment to the space. The still water gave a mirror effect that made it look like you could step right out and skate around those orbs.

We headed up to the house where there were some ceiling chandeliers to die for. The one in the solarium felt like a shower of falling stars and the one beside the winding staircase looked like small bells hanging from silken threads.

Back outside the house was the most incredible display of thousands of tiny suspended lights all over the property. Every inch of green space was covered in these lights. They looked like internally lit lollipops or glowing tulips with colors that shifted and changed. It looked like the wind was blowing through them, causing the colors to glow and fade like embers. These were probably the most impressive and beautiful part of the exhibit, but also the trickiest to actually get a picture of. This is where the “you had to be there” part comes in.

Overall, Cheekwood is decked out in a finery of lights. It took us a little over an hour to go through the place, and would have taken longer if we’d stopped to look at the art in the house (which I’d already seen) and perhaps grabbed a glass of wine at the bar before heading out. I will definitely be visiting this place many times (and bringing friends) as this exhibit continues through November.

The exhibit is only open at night on Wednesday-Friday, not Saturday, so be sure to plan accordingly. Admission is $15 for adults ($5 if you are member, or if you are with a member who has guest passes, like me). Other visit details are listed here. Be sure to support Cheekwood while this wonderful installation is here. We need this botanical garden to thrive and bring more incredible art exhibits to the city!

A Day On Shelter Island: Mashomack Preserve, Marika’s, & The Islander

April 28, 2013 by Leah Leave a Comment

Ah, lovely Shelter Island…impossibly beautiful, quiet, simple, quaint, and utterly peaceful. I’ve gotten into the habit of paying the $2 at the ferry terminal to walk on the ferry, hang over the edge of the boat, and turn my face to the sun like a dog with its head out the window. I can’t help it! The salty air is intoxicating and some of the most magnificent homes line the coast of Shelter Island. The Chequit is a short walk from the ferry, along with some cute little shops and restaurants.

Today we took the car over and had a bit more mobility. We stopped in town, walked down to Bliss Department Store and looked out at the empty harbor that will soon be teeming with boats now that spring is here.

Then we headed to the Islander for lunch. The Islander has a great clam chowder (or so I’ve been told, since I don’t eat seafood) and all of us enjoyed our lunch. The prices are reasonable, the staff is very friendly, and when Rob and I were there in September we were treated to a view of the resident turkey flock (gaggle?).

Just down the road is Marika’s Antiques, a lovely eclectic antique/vintage store that has tons of retro furniture, jewelry, and art. I love this place! It’s an absolute treasure trove. Marika is brimming with personality and you can tell she loves what she does. Every room is packed with stuff and there are buildings out back packed with more stuff. The place is a picker’s paradise!

After Marika’s we headed for the Mashomack Preserve, which took all of us by surprise with its beauty. The preserve is owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy and has 2,039 acres of pristine land on the coast.

There are about 10 miles worth of trails that are all well maintained, and even though they run through the woods and meadows, it seems that one could avoid deer ticks in the season if careful and dressed accordingly. We took the yellow and red trails, about 3.5 miles, that took us past the shoreline, through some marsh, and into an expansive meadow where bluebirds and swallows were nesting.

The meadow was a field of rolling golden grasses, boulders, and pairs of bluebird houses set up throughout. A feeling of peace hung in the air. The woods were quiet, save for bird calls, the muted swish of wings on a branch, and the crunchy undergrowth noises of chipmunks and squirrels foraging.

I would love to come back when the marsh grasses are a lush green and the meadow is alive with butterflies.

We drove around the island, past the mansions on Shore Road, and I have to say, there wasn’t one house we passed that I couldn’t dream of living in, even the small ones. The whole island is picturesque. I always feel like life on the island must be so peaceful, so quiet. Oh the writing a person could do!!! Just for kicks I checked the real estate section in the Suffolk Times and the least expensive home listed on Shelter Island was $449k, boasting 1,000 square feet, and needing lots of updating. I found a lovely place in better condition for about $795K. I really need to win the lottery.
These times at home are so special. As much as I love my house in Franklin and feel so utterly blessed to have it, I miss the water terribly. You can’t grow up by the water, move away, and not miss it…simply impossible! I would love to move back here, but there just isn’t a way right now…there may never be, but I will hold each moment I have here close to my heart.

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