Life in the Slow Lane (The Pearl): September 2017

Sept. 23 - Forks Farm Market

Orangeville, PA

“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.” —Pearl S. Buck

Regular blog readers know we love farmers markets...it's our favorite way to spend a Saturday morning. We've visited large and small markets all over the country and I know I've said we've found our favorite in the past, but I think we've found another favorite. The market we visited with our son and his family in Pennsylvania is a true farmers market...it was located on a local farm. Forks Farm hosts a farmers market about twice a month with the local farmers in the area.

The setting is amazing...it takes place on the shady road that leads to their home. The old barns and farm buildings house some of the vendors, entertainment and farm animals the children love to pet. They also have a food truck that offers wonderful choices for lunch and you're welcomed to walk along the creek and enjoy a picnic lunch. Some days they offer wagon rides in their pastures. We purchased New York strip steaks, heirloom carrots, lima beans, tomatoes, apples, cheese and fresh butter. These ingredients along with the fresh herbs from Kyle’s garden made for a marvelous dinner.

Just a few of the beautiful offerings at the market

It's apple season in upstate New York and Pennsylvania...and they are amazingly good

Graham really enjoyed this Honey Crisp apple

Wonderful entertainment to listen to while you shop or just relax and take in the activities at the market.

I love all the colors and photo ops a farmers market provides.

Cora and Graham really enjoyed petting the animals at the farm

Anchored Strong

I saw this poem on a fellow blogger's Facebook page the other day...it's from a Hallmark card and seems perfect to share considering what so many of us have been through this fall. Things may be broken and out of place and lives disrupted, but we all stand strong with foundations that are deeper than the destruction on the surface. It's a time for reflection on what really matters in our life and to be thankful for the family and friends we have.

"A house stood near the salty shore

as storm winds whipped against its door.

The tide rolled in and clouds turned gray.

It tried to wash the house away.

The ocean roared with all it could,

the waves crashed down, but House still stood.

Then Storm let up, flopped on the sand,

and said, "Hey, House, how can you stand?"

The house said, "Storm, that's all you got? You know, I'm built to take a lot.

You've drenched and soaked me through and through, and ripped my roof and shutters, too.

You've chipped my paint and cracked each pane, but I can take a little rain.

See, I am anchored in the ground,

that's where my strong foundation's found.

And from inside, my light shines bright, no matter if it's day or night.

Yes, even after all you've done,

You, Storm, have passed.

Here comes the sun."

These two pictures were taken by John Martell, a professional photographer in Rockport. This picture was take the morning Hurricane Harvey come ashore

and this picture was taken about a week later...no matter how bad the storm...the sun and the sea look the same once it passes.

Sept. 21 – The Pearl is Hibernating

Beacon Bay Marina

“It’s during the worst storms of your life that you find out who your true friends are.” –Unknown

We knew the cruising season was short up this way, but it got even shorter thanks to Hurricane Harvey. We lost half of August, all of September and the first weeks of October this year…a good seven or eight weeks of time we had planned to explore the Adirondack, fish for salmon, enjoy fall festivals and the changing of the leaves and especially spend more time with family. All those things can wait and we’ll definitely be spending more time in New York in the coming years.

Tuesday Stan moved the boat up the lake to Beacon Bay Marina in Cayuga and I drove the car, we spent the afternoon packing and loading up the car with things we take home. We’re getting pretty efficient at this job. We spent Wednesday winterizing the boat…this is the first time we’ve left the boat this far north, but we think she’s ready. We’ve done everything we can do and in a few weeks the yard will shrink wrap her and she’ll be ready to sleep through the long, cold New York winter. We’re already looking forward to next spring.

Leaving our slip in Ithaca...we will return.

Stopping for a pump out before we leave the marina

Stan leaving Allan H. Treman State Marine Park

Arriving at Beacon Bay Marina

Beacon Bay Marina

Inside storage at Beacon Bay

Our last night on The Pearl

The Pearl being hauled out for the season

Having her bottom cleaned before we put her to bed

Being parked in her winter home

On the hard for the season.

The Pearl and Enterprise...at least she'll have company during the winter. This boat belongs to friends we met at the marina in Ithaca.

Wrapped and ready for the winter.

Signs of Fall

“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” –Unknown

Fall is arriving in upstate New York. The hills are slowly changing from the deep, cool shades of green to the warm colors of red, gold and orange...it's beautiful. Unfortunately we won't be in the area when the peak of fall colors arrive this year, but we've enjoyed the changes we're seen. Hopefully next fall we can stay longer.

The roadsides and fields are rich in color with the yellow of goldenrod and the brilliant purple of New England aster. Both are late summer-early autumn wildflowers.

Sept. 15-17 The Captain's Birthday

Allan H. Treman State Marine Park

“As I grew older I thought the best part of my life was over…then I was handed my first grandchild and realized the best part of my life had just begun.” -Author Unknown

We had a great weekend celebrating Stan's birthday. It started Friday with a picture perfect weather day. We started the day with coffee on the flybridge, something we haven't had time to do much of lately, but truly enjoy. Later we drove up the lake to the Thirty Owl Winery for lunch. They have a wonderful little bistro that over looks the vineyard and Cayuga Lake. Their menu is small, but the items are all made with locally grown ingredients and it was one of the best meals we've had in the area this season.

Our lunch...Stan had the salmon with a diamond honey glaze, hazelnuts, coconut and roasted vegetables and I had the daily quiche special with roasted red peppers, garlic and gruyere cheese. Both were outstanding. We choose their Pinot Gris to round out the meal.

The Bistro

Our view with lunch

Thirsty Owl Wine Company is a destination winery, midway up the west side of Cayuga Lake, dedicated to producing high quality wines since 2001. The winery sits on 150 acres and with over 2,000 feet of lake frontage, where visitors can taste fine wine or enjoy a superb meal while enjoying breathtaking views of the lake. The Thirsty Owl Wine Company prides itself on producing only the highest quality wines, in a friendly atmosphere, with the most spectacular view of Cayuga Lake.

On the way back to the boat we stopped at Taughannock State Park for a little while. It was such a beautiful day for just relaxing in the park...something we needed a little of.

Saturday we drove down to Bloomsburg to see our son and his family. We spent two amazing days playing with our grandwonders and collecting hugs and kisses...definitely the best way to recuperate after a very stressful three weeks.

We enjoyed going to a community day at the local airport and then to the park for a birthday party for one of Graham's friends.

Thanks for reading our blog and spending part of your day with us. The Pearl is also on Facebook - stop by and say hi or follow us on Instragram or Google+.

Finger Lakes Wineries (Part III)

"Don't postpone joy." ―Edie Windsor

I had this post ready before we headed home for hurricane duty...so I guess I might as well share it now. Our adventures on The Pearl are over for this year, but we'll be back to upstate New York next year to explore a little more. We'll be home in Texas for the fall and winter...new adventures await us there.

The Finger Lakes region of New York is gorgeous...no matter where we go, it's impossible to find a bad view. We're having fun visiting different wineries, having a glass of wine and soaking in the scenery. It's a great way to enjoy a beautiful afternoon, so here's the third installment of Finger Lake Wineries.

Silver Thread Vineyard was established in 1982 on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. It’s a boutique winery focused on sustainability and premium estate wines. The vineyard is 8 acres and only produces 3,000 cases per year and has an off-the-beaten-path location…making it one of our favorites. The winery is named for a local waterfall, Silver Thread Falls, known as one of the loveliest in the Finger Lakes. I think we’ll have to find this waterfall before we head home. (I did a little research...it's on private property, so unaccessible to the public)

This is their tasting room over looking the lake

We bought a bottle of Dry Riesling...we enjoyed a glass and took the rest home. The turtle image on their label is an earth symbol to the Iroquois people and reminds them to care for the land and water that give them the gift of wine.

Here is a list of wines they offer...they even do a wine and chocolate pairing. We had just eaten lunch so we past on this option, but it does look wonderful.

Chateau LaFayette Reneau has produced estate-grown vinifera wines for over 30 years. Their 110-acre estate provides optimal sun exposure and airflow for consistently aromatic white wines and rich, full-bodied red wines. The tasting room is situated in a fully restored, century old barn nestled on the southeast side of Seneca Lake.

I had the Dry Riesling - Ripe honeydew nose with mineral notes and a lingering citrus finish.

Stan had the Pinot Noir - Medium-bodied with a lively nose of cherry and oak

Kings Garden Vineyards is another boutique winery that produces 2500-3000 cases of wine a year. The vineyard is located in the Finger Lakes “banana belt” region, just a quarter mile from the eastern shore of Seneca Lake on 28-acre. They concentrate on making quality Cabernet Sauvignon and other dry reds, but they also produces semi-sweet and sweet wines to round out their selection.

The name “Kings Garden” comes from the annals of history - French and English colonists who settled in the area brought grapevines with them and christened the nutrient-rich land “Kings Garden.” They began making wine in 2005, went into full production in 2007, and opened a tasting room in 2008.

Shalestone Vineyards was started in 1995 and they’ve devoted themselves to producing only red wines. In a wine region mostly known for producing Rieslings and other white wine varietals this has set them about from the rest. They are the only vineyard in the Finger Lakes to solely produce red wines. Their tag line is “Red is all we do.”

The tasting room was modeled after the historic Queen's Castle of Fossenvue built in the 1800s. It is formed by the shape of the roof that slopes from the edges to a small peak in the center.