Our Journey Home

We decided to take it nice and easy going back home. No more 18 hour trips for us. We wanted a little time to relax and enjoy God's creation around us. We had been so busy working it was nice to relax a bit.
We camped out in the Adriondicks for two nights, at Meachem State Park, right on the lake. We made a lot of funny memories there. We didn't have good luck in getting dry firewood. Most of what we had/found was green and wet! So we had what some may call a fire! LOL
We rented a canoe for a day and just pulled it up to the campsite. The first time we went out in the canoe it was quite windy and cold. By the time we got to the middle of the lake the wind picked up even more, as well as the waves and it was hard to row. I was a little scared but we were ok. The next morning it was as calm as could be!
We drove around enjoying the mountains and went into Lake Placid, a very cute town. We saw some beautiful, rugged country up there.
Wednesday we drove south, through the Adriondicks, making our way home to the next campsite. Then we hit rain, and lots of it. We suddenly thought that a motel sounded like a better option. Using a coupon we had we got a good deal in mid- PA.
Thursday we bedded down in beautiful VA. We were at a funny campground. It had a small store and recreation room that they also sold hot burgers and fries ect. Well Thursday evening is Bluegrass night. So there we sat with our computers (free wi-fi ) listening to some good bluegrass music.(but NOT good singing!!! A lady with a smokers voice should not sing Ring of Fire!!!)
Friday we went to Poly-Face Farm(next post) and then decided to head on in home. As soon as we stopped at the Alabama rest area I new where we were for all the heat and humidity!! ARRG! Oh well. We were off to surprise everyone the next day!

Meachem Lake campground
Blowing up the air mattress

Trying to dry the wood! LOL

A waterfall we found driving around, we hiked down to

The other side of the falls, a deep gully

On the bridge looking down to the chasm below gushing with water, kinda scary!

White-Face Mountain, near Lake Placid, NY

Ben decided to paddle the canoe to our campsite

The rough waves

All bundled up

A pretty sunset

We went back out on the lake as the sun set and it was a lot calmer

I love this picture. We went out early the next morning as the sun was coming up. We took Midnight with us this time. She wanted to come but was a little nervous.

"Hello? Yes, can you help me? They have me couped up in the floorboards of this truck driving all over the place for days on end!!"

Our campsite in VA

Wilder Home

Later the same day we also visited Almanzo Wilder's home as a boy! It was really neat. The origianal house is still there, along with the same 84 acres. The barns burnt down but they rebuilt them on the same location. They dug and found the original foundations and rebuilt. No pictures were allowed inside :(. They had a lot of items from that time period in the house, the only thing we know for sure belonged to them was a quilt. They were more of a well-off family. I liked seeing the horsehair furniture in the parlor!

This sugar-maple was there when Almanzo lived there. It is around 180 years old.

They had these pictures from the book all over reminding you of things Laura talked of.

I even got the old pump working

The barn

Down by the stream they walked to

St Lawarence Seaway Locks

We left on a Monday and took the day to take in some of the area, later camping in the nearby Adirondacks
The Ocean Liner coming into the Locks

It's hard to really see how big the ship was with the pictures.
It was over 700 ft longIt drops it in about 7 min.

And off it goes to Quebec

Ben on the observation deck below me!

I thought this sign was really neat.
It was just north of the locks. I guess I was closer than ever to Santa!

Our last days on the farm

June 7 found us packed up and leaving Gorden Family Farm. Ben and I realized we had learned a lot but felt our wheels spinning in learning more. We both love farming and do think we will do that eventually but along a little different lines than where we were and felt God leading us on. We have learned a lot, made many memories and made a lot of friends. Thanks Gordens for letting us come and learn.
We were going to rent a little U-Haul trailer to go back like we did going up. However many people are moving out of NY and the rental prices were outrageous! It was almost 3 times what we payed before. So for less than the rental price we bought a little trailer and compacted what we had and packed tight! It worked out great and allowed us a little time to get back home. (next post)

Ben spent the last week doing a lot of weed-wacking fence lines! Tiring work

"Just call me Ben Two-Feather!"

Some flowers in the hay field

A heavy fog settled over the farm one morning and it was so pretty

The apples coming along

We looked kinda red-neck packing up!
The trailer loaded up!

You couldn't fit much more in the back of this truck!

Haying and Horsepulling and other Happenings

Oh look a place for us! LOL

This is in Wal*Mart parking lot. That field you see behind the signs had corn growing last year and you can smell the cow farm walking across the lot

Who in the world is this couple?? Looks like trouble!

Do you like butter? Let's check with the buttercups!

Ben tedding some hay

One evening went to town about 15 min away, St. Regis Falls, hence the falls!

It was very beautiful and relaxing!

Some turkey hunters were out back hunting all morning and this is what we saw out the window as we sat down to eat breakfast LOL

The beautiful garden

Some more attempts at photography

My favorite!

Yeah Haying!

Saturday Jim hosted a horse-pull here at the farm. First they had the miniature horses pull! Those things were so small but could pull alot!

A baby miniature horse! Very small!

The horse-pull.
It was amazing. They got up to almost 4 tons! I will think of horsepower in a different light from now on!

All ready for the horse-pull!

Gimme that money!!! They sold hot dogs, hamburgers and goodies at the pull.