Wrapping up at Niagara

July 23-31, 2012
(I promise that I’ll get caught up…really)

Youngstown, NY
Four Mile Creek State Park (NY) site 65

So do you want to hear the rest of the story about that camera shot?  Well it started about a week or so earlier.  We wanted a good but smaller camera so that we would actually use it more, especially while we were at Niagara so we ordered a new Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 with 16x zoom.  It was delivered to us while we were at the farm in PA.  Do you also remember the shot of that nice Observation Gazebo along the walkway on the Canada side?  Well it appears that the camera wanted to sit there a bit while the rest of us walked away.  We didn’t realize it was gone until after supper.  I walked back to look for it but it was gone of course.  We wrote it off as one of those things that happen in life and continued to enjoy our evening of fireworks.

That was on Friday.  Fast forward a couple of days to Sunday.  Gin and I decided to stay at camp to relax while Dan, Tricia, Brandon and Amanda went back to enjoy the Canadian attraction, Journey Behind the Falls.  While they were there,  they checked the lost and found at the Park Police building.  The officer said they did indeed have one turned in on Friday matching that description!  It was locked up for safekeeping and they would need to wait around for about 30 minutes while someone came in that could unlock the storage room.  (I could think of worse places to hang out for a while since the views were gorgeous.)

After checking to make sure it was our camera, Tricia signed for it and brought it back to us.  They had taken that picture of our camera at the Falls to tease us.  We were sitting outside at our MH when they got back from their day trip and Brandon said that they had taken a really nice picture that they wanted to show us.  Tricia came over and had that shot open on her camera.  We just smiled, jumped up, and gave her a big hug!!  We were so happy to have it back!  A good Samaritan had turned it in to the police just a few minutes after we walked away from it.  Thank you Dan, Tricia, Brandon and Amanda for getting it out of lock up for us!  So now you know the rest of the story.

We enjoyed being tourist while here but we enjoyed the relaxing down time with friends also.  On the last day here I joined Tricia, Brandon and Amanda for a little hike to the Niagara River in nearby Artpark.  It’s another NY State Park in the area that has a music venue and art on the grounds.  Here’s some examples.

 

We found a trail that led us down to the Niagara River and got a good view of some of the whirlpools.  I love the color of the water and like the River about as much as I like the Falls.

 

We saw several of the Whirlpool Jet Boats go by with lots of people in them.  They had on their ponchos so I’m sure they all got wet at some point.

 

We enjoyed our relaxing time at this cg too.  On a clear day, we could see the skyline of Toronto, Ontario across Lake Ontario.

   

There were many beautiful sunsets over Lake Ontario.  Here are just a few parting shots.

 

I think this one is my favorite one though.

The End

Cameras

Huntington Beach State Park site #111
Murrell’s Inlet, SC

We visited with Sherry and David a few precious minutes this morning before they headed north to their house in Va to take care of some things.  It was wonderful visiting with them.  They are good people.  We’ll see them again in April at the RV-Dreams rally.

I rode my e-bike around a little bit taking pictures with our new camera.  It’s a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS much like Karen uses for her blog. Wow! It really does have a super zoom feature!  Our other two cameras are also Canon’s.  One is a small powershot that we take when we paddle and the other is an EOS Rebel T1i with a 250mm zoom.  It takes great pictures, but we always seem to have the wrong lens on it.  The new camera is versatile.  I like the fact that you only have one lens so you are always ready.  You do have to hold your breath to get that real tight zoom.  Here’s a few shots to see what you think.  I was still sitting on the e-bike and the end of the boardwalk to the beach for this shot.  No sand in my shoes.  (Remember that all the pictures will enlarge if you click on them.)

I rode over to one of the observation boardwalks over the marsh for a few more shots.  This flock of birds just looked like specks on the water and I could hardly see what this cormorant was doing on the post.

I enjoyed watching this pelican from a “close” distance, and this great egret was enjoying the sun on the causeway.

  

While I was on the causeway, a gentleman with a tripod, camera, and a huge zoom lens walked by.  Some other folks had told me that a rare Bald Eagle had been perched high in a tree for a while.  I spoke with this guy and he was kind enough to point him out to me.  He had been waiting all morning for him to fly but had to leave.  I’m sure he got some nice shots but this one is quite nice and much easier.

While the chicken wings were cooking on the grill, we sat back and watched the NC State-UNC football game on the outdoor tv.  State won.  It’s been a tough year for the NFL Panthers so we have to enjoy the ole college team.

    

This cute little marsh wren kept boppin’ around and on top of the MH tire.  It was interesting to watch.

As the game wound down, Gin got a nice fire going while I walked to the visitor’s center boardwalk to see if I could get a decent picture of the sunset.  I love these two Wilson's plovers reflecting on their day.

As the sun set to the west, the full moon rose in the east.  It was another wonderful Sylville, and Ginville, kind of day.

  

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Checking the Area

Cascade Lake CG site #P4
Pisgah Forest, NC

After getting caught in that storm yesterday on the lake, we decided that we wouldn’t go out there today.  We had put a hummingbird feeder out yesterday evening and it didn’t take them long to find it.  We may need to refill it before we leave.

I saw that family of Canada Geese feeding on the bank at an empty campsite so I grabbed the camera to give it a try.  You’ll notice that at least one of the adults kept their head up and alert at all times.  I got hissed at when I got a little too close.

The young family that is camping next to us enjoyed getting a little closer to the geese.  They were also feeding them a little bit of bread.

Gin and I took a walk to the end of the road.  There is a path through the woods to an old log cabin that is falling apart.  It had electricity and indoor plumbing at one time but the roof had fallen in a long time ago.  We saw these Mallards getting all pretty for each other as we came back to the MH.

And this squirrel found a mushroom or something to eat on.

I drove to the campground office to chat with the host some, and she told me that the old log cabin was owned by the older gentleman that owned all this property at one time.  It was just a cabin in the woods with a beautiful view of the lake.  This property was developed by the Cascade Power Company and we wanted to see the dam.  We had paddled towards it last year but didn’t go close because of the warning signs.  We know there’s a very curvy gravel road on the other side of the lake, and we were told that the dam is visible from there.  We decided to take a little trip in the Suki.  Glad this turtle was already across our lane.  He was big and I’m sure he would bite if you were to try to pick him up.

We found the dam.  I had also heard that a grist mill used to be here.  It was so steep, I don’t know how anyone could get down there and back up.

This gravel road was in pretty nice shape, but you could tell that the driveways to peoples homes weren’t in that good of shape after all the recent rain.  This drive was almost like hiking in the woods but driving instead.  It was so lush and green.  There was a little stream running beside the road.  There are about 250 waterfalls in this area but only a few are easy to get to.  Gin got a shot of this private waterfall.

Luckily that gravel road opened up at a paved road that we were familiar with.  We went to a produce stand and got some fresh vegetables for supper.  They also had homemade brownies and I can’t resist.  It was a good way to end another great day in Sylville.

Brookgreen Gardens

Murrells Inlet, SC
Huntington Beach State Park site#119

Yesterday we went to Brookgreen Gardens for a few hours to leisurely stroll through the sculpture gardens.  It’s right across from the CG and was also property once owned by the Huntington’s.  He was a philanthropist and poet while she was a sculptor.  They bought three large old rice plantations in the 1930’s to establish a winter home with better climate than New York.  Early snowbirds but on a grandiose scale.  :)  When they passed away, they deeded all this ocean front property to the state of SC so that it could become a beautiful state park for the public to enjoy.  I’m very thankful that they did.  If you stay at the CG, get a coupon for the gardens at check-in.  The ticket at the gardens is good for 7 consecutive days because it’s so large that you can not see it all in 1 day.  We intended to get to the zoo area, but that will have to wait until another time.

It was a cool breezy stroll and we were tired when we finished.  I had seen a brown sign on the main road pointing to a boat landing (Wacca Wache) that was on the Waccamaw River.  It’s a nice landing with a marina and nice looking restaurant on the waterfront.  We may take our kayaks there someday when we’re full-timing.  After an early steak dinner, we sat by the campfire in the evening and enjoyed more time in Sylville.  Our neighborhood raccoon wandered around the edge of the woods but didn’t bother us.  As long as I can see what’s making all that noise, it’s ok. :o

We tried out our new camera so here’s some shots of some of the many very nice sculptures.  I must say that my favorite ones were not made by a person but rather by nature.  The live oaks there were absolutely magnificent.  They look like sculpture the way their branches twist around.  One old tree was standing there before the US Constitution was written.


The Fountain of the Muses…

Pegasus…

That beautiful old Live Oak…

Gin in the sunlight…

Diana…

Horses…

Gray beards in the trees…

Lioness and cub…

Forest Idyl…

Actaeon…

Seated Faun…

The grounds…
 
 




Dionysus…

Me in the shade…