The Manor House And More,...

This past weekend I was in Alexandria Bay, NY for a bluegrass music weekend event sponsored by Thousand Island Bluegrass Preservation Society. It was held at Bonnie Castle Resort. The orginal part of the hotel is called "The Manor House." Here you see that portion with the dining room and conference/stage area which has been added on the front.

The white railing in the first picture is the side of the deck which is accessable by a boardwalk and stairs.
The deck and gazebo provide a wonderful place to enjoy the expanse of the St.Lawrence River flowing by,...

Looking downriver is the view above, as well as the channel marking lighthouse here,...


Across from Bonnie Castle is Boldt Castle. This time of year it looks drab and almost haunted. In the summer it is awash with brilliant colors from all the flowers that border the walkways and porches. Each year more restoration is done. I haven't visited in five years -- definitely time for me to tour Boldt Castle again!


On the back side of the Manor House is the modern motel. This is one of two buildings where the guest rooms are. The bluegrass association booked the whole hotel, so no matter where you went you could hear music coming out of conference rooms and guest rooms.

Friday night on the banquet hall stage everyone enjoyed Dave Nichols and Spare Change, and Beartracks. Saturday night was Dave Nichols again and then Acoustic Blue. Both nights were outstanding shows! One of the nicest things was seeing the next generation of bluegrass stepping up to play. I don't know these little boys, but they were playing with family members in the atrium area when we arrived Friday afternoon.

Only 51 more weeks until next year's Bonnie Castle weekend!

Catching Up,...

Today I met a former co-worker for lunch. It was time to renew old friendship and catch up on children, grandchildren and life in general. Halfway between our homes is Baxter Mountain Tavern. It was an overcast day with a steady wind. The flags on the restaurant sign were whipping back and forth. It felt like snow would start falling any minute!





A welcome sight was the cheery fireplace!
Over the fireplace is a wonderful photo of the Adirondacks by noted photographer, Carl Heilman.

Moving on past the fireplace, sofa, and through the inner dining room,...

We arrived in the second diningroom with windows giving every diner a mountain view...

Looking out from our table...

The walls are decorated with interesting Adirondack items. What could be better than a wonderful view of the mountains, a fireplace, great food and service while lunching with a friend? Thanks for a such a nice visit, Deb!

Day Tripping,...

Saturday morning dawned to snow covered trees. Not a heavy snowfall, but enough to "frost" everything. A few big flakes were still falling when we pulled out of the driveway heading to Burlington, VT to drop a load of things off at Goodwill. The roads were snow-covered, but not at all dangerous to drive on. Within a short time that had all melted.

The river looked lovely as we drove by... And soon we arrived at the new ferry across Lake Champlain at the site of the Lake Champlain Bridge . The bridge is now gone and soon construction of a new bridge will begin. If you check that link you will see the original and majestic bridge. Now this is all that remains...

But life goes on, and so did we, ... boarding the ferry for the three minute crossing to Vermont. That's just a little bit more than the actual driving time to cross via the old bridge.

There is no more bridge. But,... in keeping with North Country humor,... The local favorite restaurant on the Vermont side is now called:

And now that the ferry service is established,.... the Bridge Restaurant, for now called the "No" Bridge Restaurant, welcomes New Yorkers back to the Vermont side of the lake.

For a great breakfast (or any meal!) visit the Bridge Restaurant in West Addison, Vermont. Say hello to owner, Lisa, and enjoy some eggs over easy,... my favorite! After breakfast we continued north to Burlington, dropped off our donations to Goodwill, did grocery shopping and arrived back home by mid-afternoon. A great trip for a late winter day.

Snow Day On The Hill,...

We are enjoying a "snow day" on the hill. The usual view is overcast, and now a few minutes after this picture was taken it's snowing hard again. Snow depth so far is 10.5 inches.


Looking down into the woods from the front deck...


The back yard and driveway,...


My new camper just waiting for spring,...


How to spend a "snow day?" Mitzi knows,... take a nap!

Or like Kiki, hang out by the window and watch the snow...

The plan for the afternoon is to bake some bread, and plan a nice dinner. I love a snow day!

Nap Time,...

Where is KiKi? She hasn't been seen for a couple of hours. After a search of the house this is what I saw... snuggled down under the comforter... Yes, that is a cat's ear!


Gee Mom, I was napping, and you started flashing that camera at me. I think I'm getting "the look!"
OK KiKi, go back to sleep.

An Evening at Home,...

What a comfy bed a mandolin case makes! Introducing "Peanut"... who's not really very small, in fact he's a very big boy now that he's all grown up!

Here's the mandolin in action!

Friends, music,... a relaxed evening at home!

A Boy And His Dog,...

What is better than a boy and his dog? ... Two boys and two dogs! Today my son and daughter-in-law took their boys to the local SPCA to adopt puppies.

Ian and puppy "Finn"...

A closeup of Finn enjoying life with his new boy!


And Owen and "Joey"...

Joey with a toy,...

I think we have two very happy boys, and two very happy puppies. Way to go John and Melissa for giving your sons such a wonderful gift. And I should also let you know that the boys are paying all the upcoming vet expenses out of their own savings from working on the farm. Am I proud? For sure!