Piseco Family

  Gail and I were able to coordinate with Kristi and the boys, Chips and Ann for a sweet visit on Piseco Lake.  They're all Californians now, but Chips and Ann still spend summers in the North Country and Kristi was able to come with Harper and Dusty.  Geoff had his hands full in California with the house, and that was before the bear broke into their cabin in the mountains.

  I never get enough of the lakes and mountains, and it's great to have welcoming company when I get a chance to get up there.

   The first morning there, Gail and I ventured out into the fog on the lake.  I had desires to see the newly built trail up to Echo Cliffs on Panther Mountain and decided to get there by paddling to the trailhead at the DEC campground.

  This was the condition of much of the trail since I first went up it about 20 years ago.  Chips says it's one of the most-used trails in the Adirondacks, and it was never in a good spot.

  Where it couldn't be rerouted, steps were built to bypass the worst of the erosion.  The switchbacks at the lower elevation were done quite well and the trail will hold up to all who make the .6-mile trip to the cliffs.   

  And it's worth it to go up even on a hazy day.

  Looking up to the cliffs from the water.

New houses being built on the south end of the lake come with this massive stone wall.

 

Roxy was her normal, coy self.  She warmed up to everyone and got passing scores from Ann.

 

  Want to learn about birds?  Stick around while Arend-Steinharts play the birding board game.  And remember, it's an American Goshawk, not a Northern Goshawk. 

It's a long walk from the boat to shore.

  Based on a tip from a coworker who grew up there, I advocated for a hike up Crane Mountain.  When I kept being admonished for not giving specifics on the distances expected, I compiled data from various sources.  

  A stop at Crane Mountain Pond on the way up.  Not too far for anyone yet.

  From the top.  Several rock outcrops along the ridge provided excellent view from northeast to northwest.  Garnet Lake was just below is.

  We took the longer route since Roxy wouldn't have fared well on the ladders.  I had to check out the big one just below the summit.

  After identifying each amphibian, bird and insect along the way, snacks assured energy to go down and see more.

 Nice spot.

Another nice spot.

   Don't let anyone tell you there are 30' beavers.  The truth is, they climb trees in the Adirondacks to eat.

Much time was spent down at the beach and out on the floating pad.  And why not?  I walked out from the shore during the meteor shower and was rewarded with a rare look at the Milky Way but not many meteors.  Gail and Dusty both saw spectacular meteors.

I've always felt not enough municipalities combine airports and cross county ski trails.  Piseco gets it done.

Roxy and I followed it to the bridge Chips helped build a few years ago.  Now to ski it...

What we all know: Skiers are foxey.

 The road walk between the airport and the house overlapped with the Northville Placid Trail.

 Looking forward to the next visit with the Arends.  Hope it's not too long away.

 

Happily Married

   Stacy and Jimmy put together a wedding that went beyond fine, in fact, I heard Gail describe it as the sweetest wedding in memory.  I'm assuming ours is excluded from consideration.

  Ellisons in a row.

 

  Siblings, still smiling. 

  Those who have married into the clan. 

  Aging or ageless brothers.  You make the call.

 Fixed it.

Four cousins (three first and a second), four others. 

  The on-deck batters.  They are putting together plans for Colleen and Quinn's October wedding in Chicago.  Sue and Brian are writing checks and checking venues.

Darryl wears a suit and tie for the second-to-last time (prediction by a brother).

Champions!  I can't think of a couple more enthusiastic about their lives together.  What a joy.

 No one was hurt.

GrassRoots '25

 

  Our crew managed to assemble the Infield Stage for another GrassRoots Festival.  It's getting harder every year to remember how it goes.  

   Nailed it.  Credit goes to Connie and Andy for figuring out the correct order of the sign pieces.

   Community Build 2025.  A "train station" pavilion for a park in Mecklenburg.  

   Last minute chores with the West Virginia boys and Andy.  Alan got an unnecessary free cup of coffee from the Cabaret vendor.

   Then the music started just as it always does, with Bubba George as it always has.

   A new treat came in the form of a big band that has been playing a regular gig in Ithaca at the Deep Dive.  They created a bit too much wind and concern arose about the strength of the stitching and tape on the awning, but it held and the weather was not a major factor for the rest of the weekend.

  Donna on Thursday, ahhh.

  A couple of Joes with a couple banjos.  I was not asked to sign either that went in a raffle, nor did I win either.

 

   Vieux Farka Toure was as legendary as his father from long ago.  The bass player in the traditional Malian outfit sure looked like he was from NJ, but it was actually Syracuse.

  It's a shame an odometer wasn't installed in the Wagon.  Considering it has been followed by at least 10 parents at all times, we could calculate roughly how many steps have been taken and CO2 inhaled.

 Always a dance during Jim Lauderdale.

   John Gurche painted again.  I think I heard this one is going to the Trumansburg Central School.

   A few pictures from the fine collection posted to the Ithaca Voice.  Joe was all over, Yxi's kept me well fed with arepas and their sides.  Neighbors with their kids are always cute enough to make the media.

 

    The Byrne Brothers (and their father).  Some Irish guys really got things going, first in the Dance Tent, then again at the Grandstand. 

  I'd say they are likely to go somewhere someday, but they've already been there.
 

Cimafunk came from Cuba and lived up to the name.

  Showing my trust in our work, I was willing to be on the guest platform with 30 people dancing their asses off, in addition to a maniacal 9-piece funk band.

   Gail and I had fun testing our counting skills while watching the percussionist from Cortadito do at least eight different rhythms.  We failed the test, and just watching his left foot was too much to keep track of for me.

  The GrassRoots Festival Chamber Orchestra has been doing their magic every Sunday morning for 20 years.  Somewhere along that time, they had Judy Hyman create a score for Jeb's song, "Mystic Waters."  I'm glad they're willing to bring it back for encore performances.  The conductor, Cayenna Ponchione, who used to live in the area, returns from Oxford, England every July for a welcome visit.

  One of those GrassRoots moments.  A bunch of young guys discovering new music/artists, and then discovering a long-lost twin.  They were all digging John Specker, a real driving force for the existence of the festival.
 

Gail and I missed the activities on Saturday this year, but Lukas Nelson's set on the Infield, the big event, was professionally taped and available for viewing any time here. 

 

  

The pavilion, tables and benches were finished up and moved to the planned location in Mecklenburg.  Check it out next time you're there.

   Some say GrassRoots is like New Years as it ends the waiting, but when it's over, the waiting begins.  Gail and I went down to the most local bar on Tuesday and heard Richie, Joe, Sam and a guitar player play some tunes.  This is supposedly the first song Richie wrote, and a groan went up from some when he sang the line, "Summer is over, tell me where has it gone."  It's only the midpoint of summer, but winter is coming...