One of my favorite warm weather activities is kayaking. It provides such an incredible sense of relaxation. I love the days when the lake is like glass and the water is very flat, the sun shimmering over the top of the water as it sets. I enjoy the little natural surprises you happen upon. The turtles sunning themselves on logs, herons along the water’s edge, the occasional fish jumping. One of my favorite experiences was paddling along a rock slide and seeing two small animals I initially thought were abandoned kittens. My cousin and I went closer to shore and discovered they were in fact minks. They were so cute and as curious about us as we were about them. They came down to the shore line and were following us along the rocks as we moved by. I had never seen them before and unfortunately, I have never seen them again, although I look for them every time I go by that particular area. There is so much serenity on the water, to just sit and feel the rocking motion of the kayak, like a baby in a cradle, trailing your fingers in the cool water as the sun warms your face. It brings such a sense of peace and calm.
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Spending time with my grandparents was always a magical space for me and I dare say my cousins as well. When my brother and I were young, we would spend a week with our paternal grandparents up at the lake and a week with our maternal grandparents at their home each summer. We loved those visits. There were so many special moments our grandparents made for us.
On my Dad’s side, our grandfather would take us fishing despite his intense fear of the water – something I never knew until I was an adult. He helped out at a local dairy farm and would often take us to visit so we could interact with the cows and horses on the farm. Our grandmother would make fried dough for breakfast, homemade pizza, and homemade cavatelli. I would sit with her and roll the pasta with my fingers and chat up a storm – she was an incredible gossip! She always made me my favorite chocolate pie. It was rare that my grandmother was anywhere other than creating something in the kitchen. We all had our favorites and she made sure she made that for each one of us. Fridays were declared her day off which was dubbed “Clean out the refrigerator day” instead of cooking we had whatever was left over from the week. On my Mom’s side, we would spend hours in the pool at our grandparent’s house with our cousins – our favorite past time walking around the perimeter of the pool until we had a massive whirlpool going – there were a lot of us (I was the oldest of 7 which eventually became 12 which then eventually became 14 as my aunts and uncles got married and more kids were added to the mix) and we could really get it moving. The ice cream man was about the only thing that could get us out of that pool. My grandmother would pass out change when we heard the music from the truck coming down the street and we would run and wait in the front of the house to pick out something cold and sweet. She would make us pancakes in the morning and make blanket forts for us with card tables. My grandfather drove a truck for Roadway and often got home later in the evening and we would all vie to be the one to get him his shot of Schenley’s. They would let us stay up as late as we wanted watching all sorts of shows we couldn’t watch at home. Wonderful memories of moments I will always treasure! As a child I spent several weeks each summer at my Grandparents camp on Lake Champlain. It was a truly wonderful place to be and I have such fond and special memories of it. When it gets dark at the lake, it gets very dark. The dark brought out the magic. I loved the lightening bugs sparkling through the trees. I loved the sound of the Whip-Poor-Will calling. And I loved that on a clear night it seemed as though you could see every star in the sky. One of my favorite things to do was to head down to the beach at night and lay out on the very end of the dock. As I lay there the darkness of the sky met the darkness of the lake water and I felt as though I was floating in a tunnel of black. You could hear the gentle lapping of the water against the dock causing it to rock ever so slightly. I would stare up at the stars, sometimes trying to identify different constellations, sometimes just getting lost in a dream. In that blackness the stars seemed so close – like you could reach up and touch them – they seemed to wrap around you like a blanket. It was so soothing and serene, just lying there, breathing in the lake air, feeling the warmth of a breeze across your face, for just a short time it felt as though you were in another time, another place. If I got really, really lucky I would see a shooting star – of course I made a wish!
My first experience of Camden, Maine was a chance discovery. We had been dealing with some stressful family issues and I decided to take my Mom on a long weekend away in Maine. No plan, we just got in the car and began driving. My Mom loves Nubble Lighthouse so that was our first stop. Throughout the weekend we worked our way up the coast stopping at many of our former family haunts Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, Portland, Freeport, Boothbay, and Rockland. When we were young my parents used to bring us to Maine for summer vacations – usually to Old Orchard Beach as our base and we would wander and take day trips from there. It was something we had always loved and looked forward to each year. I fell in love with the Maine coast on those trips. We typically didn’t venture much further north than these locations. On this particular trip however, I wanted to keep driving and we happened upon Camden. We stopped because the downtown area looked so charming and we got out and walked around. I spied what looked to me like a castle up on a hill overlooking the downtown area. That piqued my curiosity as my ideal fantasy dream home has always been a castle on a cliff side overlooking the ocean. I just had to get a closer look – turns out it was an inn, the Norumbega Inn, a beautiful historic stone home built in the 1800s overlooking Penobscot Bay. I vowed right then and there that I would someday splurge on a vacation and stay in this amazing place. Unfortunately, I still haven’t delivered on that promise to myself – but it is on my bucket list to be sure. While driving up to see this, we passed a sign for Mt Battie and I noticed you could drive to the top, so we did. And this, this is where the magic truly began for me. I stepped out of the car and over to edge of the mountainside overlooking the bay and I got chills. The view was stunning and I had an overwhelming sense that this was exactly what I needed to find on this trip. After wandering around the top for a little bit I went back and sat on the rocks looking out on the water – and I was embraced with such an encompassing sense of peace. I sat quietly, watched and began to re-energize. I’ve gone back to the top of Mt. Battie a few times after that first visit, but it has been years since I saw this wonderful place. I think I need to make this happen again soon!
The visit to Ballysaggartmore Towers is the closet I have ever come to walking into a fairy tale. You enter a wooded walk through an old growth forest to the main structures on the property. As you wander the path you are surrounded by lush greens, moss-covered downed trees, various ferns along the forest floor beneath a lush tree-covered canopy. I was fortunate to be there in early summer and wild rhododendron were in full bloom. The shocking bright reds and fuchsias peeking through the trees were beautiful and added a magical touch. One of the first structures you come upon are the towers and the stone bridge. As I approached, I half expected trolls to come up from the river bed and over the bridge asking for a toll to pass through. As you continue on you come across an open grassy space upon which sits a beautiful façade which would have been the entrance to the estate. It’s an arched entranceway bookended by gorgeous stoned turrets. The architecture of the buildings is quintessentially what you would expect a classic fairy tale castle to look like. Your imagination could run wild crafting a story here. I’d love to go back and spend a day wandering and writing allowing the ghosts of the another time to send me a tale to tell. While traversing the path to head out, there was a section where many, many tiny flying things were fluttering throughout the air – they looked as if they were tiny bits of feather flitting about. I imagined them as fairies dancing through the air and I couldn’t help but laugh and smile at my good fortune and at experiencing such a lovely enchanted place. There are many things to admire about Athens, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, the seat of ancient knowledge and philosophical thought, great works of literature and theatre, as well as the gods and goddesses of myth. All of which encompasses the heart and soul of the city; all personified in the Acropolis. It is the very center of the city by design. No structure can be built higher than twelve stories, so no structure will ever block the view. No matter where you are, from all points and angles, the Acropolis is visible. While impressive in the light of day, it becomes otherworldly once the sun has set. My first night in Athens and my first Grecian sunset was witnessed from a rooftop over dinner with a stunning view of the Acropolis. As the sun began to set, beautiful pinks and oranges crept over the horizon. The blue sky made way to muted grays as the shadows deepened over the surrounding trees, mountains, and structures all the while the oranges becoming ever more vibrant. As the intense red-orange sun set down behind the mountains and the sky darkened to a more steely gray the lights on the Acropolis slowly came up. As you sit there looking at it, it doesn’t seem real, it feels as though you are looking at a picture or a movie. You expect to see Athena herself emerge from the ruins with her owl. What a magnificent sight that would be! I spent my last night in Athens, much like the first on another rooftop, another amazing view. This time much later in the night with a very dark blue-black sky, just a few days shy of a full moon, taking it all in for one last time. Yamas! Every year there seems to be that one toy everyone wants. I remember one year so vividly - I must have been about six or so - all I wanted for Christmas was Baby Tender Love. She was a baby doll that you could feed water from a bottle and she would cry and pee. Nothing else would do. So Christmas morning I opened package after package and I got all sorts of doll accessories - a high chair, clothes, bottles, a carrier, everything you could ever need to take care of a baby doll. Baby Tender Love was nowhere to be found in any box however. I was a very unhappy little girl!
As we always did we went to my grandparents house later in the day for Christmas dinner. Grandma, Grandpa, and all my aunts and uncles asked me what I had gotten for Christmas and I told everyone the sad tale that Santa didn't bring me the doll I wanted. It didn't matter that I got a bunch of great gifts - I didn't get the doll. There was nothing anyone could do or say to make me happy. I moped around all day long. My parents probably wanted to disown me. Later in the day it was time for round two of gifts from all the relatives and grandparents. My Grandfather always. played Santa and passed out the gifts to all the kids. He gave me my gift from him and Grandma - I opened it and there she was - Baby Tender Love. Gram and Gramp didn't let me down. I was so excited; I don't think I put her down the rest of the night. I loved that doll! I still have her, all these years later; she is tucked away in a box up in my parent's attic. She will always be special and hold so many dear memories for me. I love Christmas! Ever since I was child, I have watched the Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center on TV. I always wanted to be there! More particularly, I wanted to be there on my birthday! Last year I finally got to cross that off my Bucket List. So as I sit here, cuddled up under a blanket, watching on TV this year, I am reflecting back on what was one of the best birthday celebrations ever! Two very good friends, Nicole and Sandy, helped make my wish a reality. We took the train down to the city sipping mimosas on the way. I was given a "Happy Birthday" tiara, which I happily donned all day long. When we got to the city we kicked the adventure off with lunch at the Bryant Park Grill, one of my favs. I love the Bryant Park Holiday Market so we spent some time wandering there and watching some folks skate at the rink. Then it was off to stroll down 5th Avenue and take in all the store windows and holiday decorations. My favorite was Lord and Taylor's scenes from an Enchanted Mansion, complete with a library filled with mischievous mice. A very close second was Saks with Art Deco inspired Fairy Tales, of course my alter ego, Snow White, made an appearance. Visiting Santa at Macy's Santaland was a must! That was our next stop. Despite Nicole thinking the elves were freaky and "just not right," (they were just very happy), we got an audience with the big guy in red. I wasn't prepared for the question: "What do you want for Christmas?" I had no idea what to say! Of course, that was followed up by shopping. Sandy got the buy of the day with an amazing pair of red shoes; perfect for holiday parties. I had to have a birthday cupcake at Magnolia Bakery. The staff noticed us standing in line, and me with my tiara, and they all stopped and sang "Happy Birthday" to me. It was awesome! We were then off to dinner at Johnny Utah's - still recuperating from knee surgery, riding the bull was out of the question. After dinner it was time, the highlight of the adventure, the tree lighting ceremony. We actually got lucky and managed to get much closer to the tree than we thought we would be able to. The entertainment consisted of Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet, Mariah Carey, Cyndi Lauper, LeeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Pentatonix, and Trisha Yearwood, just to name a few. The interesting part of being there in person is that you actually hear more music. Some of the artists do a rehearsal before the actual taping and there is some activity that just never makes it on air. Christmas is my favorite time to be in the city! I loved being there and participating in a wee bit of Christmas magic! It was a wonderful way to spend a birthday and kick off the Christmas season! Thank you Nicole and Sandy! As I was driving to my grandmother's house today, I went past a house that always brings to mind a night from high school I will never forget. I grew up in a very rural community consisting of lots of farms and wooded areas. There are many backcountry roads and houses are spread far apart. It was on one of these roads where the incident occurred....kind of in the middle of nowhere.
I was a cheerleader, and my squad began a tradition of decorating the senior players and coaches houses for Homecoming. We wanted this to be a surprise, so we did the decorating after midnight so they would wake up to it the morning of the big game. This was probably our second or third year of doing this, so by now we figured most people expected it. Well we were wrong about that. There were four of us. We had already done a couple of houses and went to the house of one of the assistant coaches to decorate. The house was one of the only ones on the road; there were no other houses in sight from this location. We parked the car on the road, and innocently began putting up streamers, balloons, and a sign in the trees beside the house. We were trying to be quiet about it, but apparently not quiet enough. Suddenly we hear "Come out with your hands up!" We stopped what we were doing and stood looking at each other. Someone yelled again. We meekly made our way to the front of the house and there on the porch is an older man in his underwear pointing a shotgun at us. Clearly we had woken him up, and he was none too happy. So the four of us are standing there, dressed in jeans and our varsity jackets, hands in the air filled with balloons and streamers, trying to explain to a very angry man what we were doing. I wish I had a picture of this sight, it seems hilarious to me now, but we were scared out of our wits at the time. We were finally able to convince him that we meant no harm and he demanded we leave; which we did without hesitation. We drove away and pulled off the road when we were out of sight of the house. I don't know how long we sat there trying to calm our nerves. I know my heart was pounding and I was shaking like a leaf. We thought perhaps we had the wrong address. We came to find out later, the house was actually the parents of the assistant coach, and he lived in an apartment in the back of the house. We were lucky his father didn't shoot first and ask questions later. As is typical of small towns, the news of this spread quickly and fortunately was something many were laughing about by game time. Sometimes looking back gives us the energy we need to keep moving forward. I reflect on my college days and think this was definitely the best time of my life. I loved the whole experience. There is a freedom I felt when I was at SU that I never had before and have not experienced since. Don't get me wrong, there were certainly ups and downs, but I was always truly happy when I was there. I traveled to campus for Homecoming. I met up with a friend, Sara, who lives in Syracuse and enjoys football. It had been quite some time since I last visited and I was very excited and happy to be back! As we drove closer to campus, the memories came flooding in. I instantly started pointing out all the places I remembered, peppered now with buildings and changes I hadn't yet seen. While all so familiar as to feel like I was back home, there was so much that was very different. We parked at South Campus and took the shuttle down to the main campus. "There's the street I lived on Junior and Senior year," I piped up, all smiles. When the shuttle dropped us off, and I took my first steps back on campus, I actually skipped from the joy of being there. We made our way across the Quad, "There's my steps!" I exclaimed as we passed by the covered stairs I navigated up and down multiple times a day Freshman and Sophomore year. "And that statue, that was always my Dad's favorite." On and on I went, telling stories and sharing memories on what was just a short walk to the Dome. I have no idea if my friend was amused or bored, but she humored me and listened, and I am appreciative of it. The Syracuse Orange took on the Pittsburgh Panthers that afternoon. Our seats were amazing (thanks Sara). We couldn't have been closer to the action unless we were right on the field! There was the band, the cheerleaders, the twirler, and Otto! I love the atmosphere of a college game. There is great energy and vitality and being there didn't disappoint. It was a close game, well played by both teams. Syracuse held the lead the entire game and lost it right at the end with a field goal by Pitt in the last seconds. I would have preferred a win, but I enjoyed every minute of it! After the game I was eager to continue my walk down memory lane and visited the campus news center. I spent time working there as a producer of a news broadcast once a week and on occasion I did some reporting. Back in my day it was called Univeristy Union TV (UUTV for short), today it is Citrus TV. It has undergone quite the transformation since I was a student there! The building it's housed in has been completely renovated; it looks beautiful - as you walk in the door it looks like an art gallery. The studio itself has been completely updated and they now have an actual set. We basically had a desk in a room with black curtained walls. It was fun to see and I'm happy it is thriving. I had the pleasure of signing my name to the Alumni Wall - that was a real kick. The current students were so friendly and accommodating - I enjoyed chatting with them. It was great to reflect back on and remember how exciting it was to be just trying to get yourself launched in a career. Remembering what motivated you and how invigorating it was to do something you were experiencing for the first time. I will treasure those days forever and I am grateful to have the opportunity to go back and relive it a bit every now and again. |
AuthorThese are my thoughts, personal stories, and personal opinions. Often triggered by something that transpires throughout the course of a day. Archives
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