Last Days in NY and Heading Home

The first part of this post will be dedicated to the Best Groomer Ever...Brandi....that is my best friend's daughter-in-law and her next door neighbor. Now you don't have to take my word for it...just ask these two...Farm life can get a little busy and Petunia had been working hard as a cow hand and it was time to get her spruced up. So "umpa" grabbed his granddaughter and off we strolled to the friendly neighborhood Groomer. Come on dogs!The brand new beauitful shop...I think it matches the Coop de Palace nicely don't you!Come on Bear...you can watch!Oh the beautiful view back to the farm!Such nice new furnishings.No time to rest Petunia!The new look...perfect!Shortly after "Tunie" got her wash Debby got out the hog for some photos.The next morning we spent more time with the gang and said our goodbyes!

No tears...until next time!Morgan and I drove to Syracuse and hopped the plane. This is the view of Interstate 81 looking at Oneida Lake and the way back to Watertown.We headed west toward Chicago and here you can see the east coast of Lake Michigan.Heading round to Chicago.After a little wait in Chicago we took off for Huntsville.

Chicago skyline.Watching the setting sun.Just before landing in Huntsville.We had a great trip and can't wait to visit again!

Thanks to everyone who made our trip such a special one.

And BKRCHC...you are my bud!!!

Out and About in Northern Ny

Deb's log home is just so inviting. I enjoyed seeing this sweet baby Mourning Dove that, although he fell out of his nest, he was always at home on the porch and his mom was usually sitting with him enjoying the view with us too!The girls and I took a trip to see the old homestead. It was just not the same. They did put a new roof on...and were in the process of staining the porch, and blacktopped the driveway......but my little apple trees were gone, and the front garden was gone, and sadly no sign of our Guinea friends. Now, I'm just going to tell myself, and this is probably what happened, that the young couple's mom (mom-in-law) took the trees and garden flowers knowing that the kids were just working too hard outside the home to keep up, and that they found a better home for Buddy and Gimpy and the gang.We drove around the lake......and stopped by a good friends cottage. She was not there but her husband was and it was good seeing him too. I love Cathy and Cabot's cottage on Lake Ontario. They plan to move there permanently and really re-do this old cottage.Cabot and Cathy have a great sense of garden and cottage life...I hope to visit again when it becomes a place they will always be!We stopped at the Blue Heron in Chaumont for lunch with our good birding friends, Bob and June, and Dick and Marion. We miss you all!Off to Rachel's "other parents" Dan and June's beautiful property on the Black River in Dexter NY. I say "other parents" because I'm pretty sure Rachel spent as much time with her best friend Christine's family as she did with ours. I never said this to Dan and June but thank you so much for all the wonderful times that you gave to Rachel and I hold you both up as being a family that stands up above many as the type of family we should all strive to be. What a wonderful world this would be if we all had the values that you hold to. Speaking of families! Back to Deb and Crist's Farm.They are blessed to have their son and daughter-in-law living right next door with their two sweet granddaughters. Life is very good for Deb, watching her grand babies learn to be little country girls in such a beautiful place to live.Her son rescued an old chicken coop that was no longer being used on the farm and turned it into a coop de palace!Who doesn't love fresh eggs on the farm!I bought this sign for my bud Deb a few years ago which she displays in her kitchen and it really says it all... ...don't you think!

Family and Friends in Northern NY

Ok, there are a gazillion photo, well, 540 something, but it seems like a gazillion, and now I know that Jenny is the Master of Blog Trip posts, so I will bow down to Jenny and just do my best here without boring you all to death.

That first day at Rachel's, we also went to a pool party at her good friend's home. Here is Rachel and her boyfriend, Max, showing off one of her many talents.

As you can see Morgan is quite impressed...almost dumbfounded.We also went to dinner, with Max's family, to a Japanese Restaurant with a funny name.Now maybe I don't get out much but it's not everyday someone cooks food in shapes at your table and kids with Mohawks walk by in the background.Things really started to heat up!

But we had a great time and I really enjoyed our time with Max and his family.We survived the night and the next morning I was rearranging furniture at Rachel's apartment.

Also, I didn't take many pictures of the things I should have so this is all you get.I was up so early the morning we were to go to Deb's house, that I told the girls I wasn't waiting and headed up north. I could do just that because Rachel gave me her car to use for the trip and she had Max's. Thanks Max!!!

Maybe some of you remember My Second Favorite Place to Be (Click there to go back in time) and here it is!Look matching Subarus! I must have a big influence on my friends and family!!And this is where Deb and I sit and drink coffee and chat about all the happenings in our lives.The girls arrived and we decided that Morgan was about to shoot up past Deb in height...hard to believe someone the size of Morgan can ride a big ol Harley Davidson!!So here are my three kids all together. Isaiah, Rachel and Morgan. It was great to see you all at once! Isaiah you can't be 28 years old!!! Oh and that is Big Hen, Julie, just so you know!We had a wonderful cookout and invited friends and sat and enjoyed the evening...until the bugs chased us away! What a day.What a wonderful place to be.

Heading to Northern NY

Somehow I managed to catch a rather nasty cold either before or during our trip to NY but luckily for me it didn't hit until I got home...hopefully I wasn't contagious during that time. If I was...I'm so sorry to all that will come down with it...it's no fun at all. I'm feeling much better today so will start the trip memories today.

Our plane at the Huntsville International Airport just getting in.Leaving Huntsville and the Tennessee River.Our view along the way...almost always this......mountains! How nice!We changed planes in Dulles, Washington DC and on to Syracuse. We arrived at 11:30ish PM......and Rachel picked us up and whisked us off to Wegman's, her favorite grocery store, to get some creamer for my morning coffee and other goodies for our stay at her apartment.Here is her new car...as you can see she has very good taste!The next morning we drove to Onondaga Lake to meet her good friend and co-worker Angela and her daughter Alexis, for a picnic lunch. We had a very good time!Morgan, Rachel and Alexis having a blast. (Thank you, Angela, for taking some great pictures of the fun while I was enjoying my time on the picnic table watching at a distance! You too Rachel!)We fed this squirrel grapes and made the seagulls jealous!Heading back to Rachel's to get ready for a pool party, we had to stop for the train and its colorful graffiti.Rachel's beautiful apartment. She is on the top floor. The grounds are perfect and her place is just beautiful......even if her mom says it "needs more pretty things"!!!

Now I know what to send you for your birthday!!

What a Wonderful Trip!

We had such a wonderful time with friends and family!

Thanks Rachel for making it possible and Deb for your welcoming home!

Will post more soon, I think I got kennel cough from the airplane!!

hahahaha!