24 February 2009

Snowshoeing in the Adirondacks

Last weekend I took a quick trip up to Albany to join Emily, Doug and Benjamin on a snowshoeing trip in the Adirondacks. We headed up to a small town halfway between Lake George and Lake Placid where we hiked to a yurt at Falls Brook.
Saturday was a perfect day with plenty of sunshine and minimal wind. We headed out to find the frozen Stony Pond but we never quite made it. We still had a great time enjoying the blue sky and fresh snow.

Little Squirt in the Yurt

Benjamin and Emily enjoying the nice warm yurt. This kind of backpacking is way better than sleeping in a tent. You don't have to load your pack down with the tent, a ground pad or any kitchen gear. Did I mention that it was heated? It was heated. The yurt came fully equipped with a gas stove and kitchen items. Emily and Doug made some delicious Thai food on Friday night -- I'll take that over tinfoil dinners any backpacking trip. Winter camping is cold, you say? Then opt for a yurt. Ours was well heated with this trusty unit, that worked so well that we heated water on it. Little hands and wet shoes beware. This heater will burn or melt anything that touches it. My only recommendation: install a fan to promote air circulation. The air from the waist down was freezing, waist to head was semi warm, and the high ceiling area enjoyed if you were sitting on the top bunk was a veritable sauna. Our yurt at Falls Brook. Emily and Doug were very dilligent about making sure Benjamin stayed warm. Here is the happy family gearing up for a day out in the snow. Ben loves his hunting bunting.

Winter's Beauty

Obviously this trip was mostly about enjoying the beauty of winter. There's something so peaceful about a quiet forest covered in a thick blanket of snow. While taking breaks on the trail, we enjoyed that deep silence that is only enjoyed in the back country during winter. Here are a few glimpses of that beauty.

16 February 2009

Beautiful and Delicious

Last week I went with some friends to a gallery event at the McLean Project for the Arts. It was called Gals in the Gallery, a ladies night that also had a demonstration by a internationally renowned pastry chef. The theme for the evening was the Art of Chocolate and the chef built a beautiful chocolate sculpture right in front of us. We got to taste some yummy treats too.Here is part of the final product. He made these amazing roses out of white chocolate paste. Alisha, MacKenzie and me enjoying a fun girls night out. Besides the sweet treats, we also saw some intriguing art.

09 February 2009

Good Memories

I didn't take many pictures during my holiday trip to Oregon. But I did manage to find these old pictures. It's fun to look at photos from the past and remember how much more simple things were. Or maybe they just seemed easier. Being an adult seems to bring responsibility and big decisions and sometime disappointment. Life was a little easier when I was running around the driveway with friends and sticking my tongue out. I seemed to do a lot of that. I don't remember exactly which vacation this was, but I'll venture a guess and say it's when we went to Cove Palisades. It could have also been Ft. Stevens. Camping was such a great vacation. I wish I did more of it now. Really it's all about sleeping in a tent and cooking and keeping the fire going. Not much else to it. I have no idea where or when this picture was taken, but I like it. Someone told me I look like Dorothy. I especially like grandma Henderson in the background. This looks like it could have been a school concert. More importantly, I remember loving that shirt. I wish they still made cool shirts like that. I have more pictures that I'll post in the future. I'll save them for when I don't have anything new to report.

01 February 2009

Bananas for the Steelers

So as you may know, I'm not a huge professional sports fan, however, I do enjoy a good Super Bowl party. Tonight I went to a fun gathering with friends and since I didn't really have a favorite team, I picked the Steelers. When at the grocery store looking for something to bring, I saw a box of Nilla Wafers and got an idea.
Here is my version of a Super Bowl winning dessert. I think I'll call it "Bananas for the Steelers". Congratulations Pittsburgh and fans everywhere. There's plenty of pudding left over so stop by for a celebratory snack. In case you don't know what the Steelers' logo looks like, click here.