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Off to Manitou Springs, CO

By on October 27, 2021 in The Pearl
“The journey is my home.” -Anonymous
We decided to take a little detour on our way back to Texas this fall. We’re going to spend the next week exploring and relaxing around Manitou Springs, Colorado. It’s been the quintessential tourist town since the 1870s, when visitors discovered the healing waters the Ute Indians had been drinking for years. The Native Americans who once lived here considered this area sacred and believed the water had healing and spiritual benefits (Manitou). The waters come from the underground streams from the Colorado Rocky Mountains which collect minerals along its journey. The town became a hub for those looking to recover from tuberculosis and other ailments. But Manitou Springs has a lot more to offer than healthy water. They have tons of diverse shops and art galleries, natural attractions like the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, endless amounts of hiking trails and great restaurants.  

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Sept. 29-Oct. 3 Cold Spring, NY

By on October 4, 2021 in The Pearl

“Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.” –Dalai Lama


This weekend was our final salute to summer. We spent five wonderful days with our family in a little town on the Hudson River, just 50 miles north of Manhattan. Cold Spring is an unspoiled, charming village directly across from West Point, surrounded by the beautiful Hudson Highlands. The central area of the village is on the National Register of Historic Places due to its many well-preserved 19th-century buildings, constructed to accommodate workers at the nearby West Point Foundry and is full of eclectic boutiques, antique shops and farm-fresh eateries. 

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Sept. 13-16 – Mid September Updates

By on September 17, 2021 in The Pearl
“I love the sounds and the power of pounding water, whether it is the waves or a waterfall.”  -Mike May

September in the Finger Lakes…it doesn’t get much better. Peaceful beautiful sunny days to enjoy the amazing countryside we call home. On Monday we picked a winery we haven’t visited before on Seneca Lake…wow have we missed out. The Leidenfrost Vineyard was a great place to spend the afternoon enjoying each other, a picnic, a bottle of wine and a great view of the lake. 

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Aug. 18-21 Girl Time in NYC

By on August 24, 2021 in The Pearl

“May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.” – Trenton Lee Stewart


I spent most of last week with my friend in NYC. She and her husband live on their boat in Jersey City with a wonderful view of lower Manhattan. Donny had business in Wisconsin so I came to keep Pam company. We had a lot of great girl time. 

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Finger Lake Breweries and Cideries (Part X)

By on August 22, 2021 in The Pearl
Meier’s Creek Brewing Company is a new craft brewery and taproom located in Cazenovia. Their single mission is to create extraordinary beer with food to match. The brewery sits on 22 acres of beautiful farmland with hops out front and miles of trails out back. adventure awaits. Their core values drive them to achieve their goals and inspire others: “work hard, play hard”, “together, we’re better”, “follow true north” and “dream big.”

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Aug. 8-14 Vermont Vacation

By on August 16, 2021 in The Pearl
“Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.” –Unknown

Our August stacation…was actually a real vacation. We left the state and enjoyed a week with our family in the mountains of Vermont. We were joined by Bryt’s parents Tom and Cynthia. We had two adults for every child, that’s a great way to take care of kids. There was always someone for the kids to do something with and plenty of time for everyone to relax.

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Aug. 8 – Indian Ladder Trail

By on August 9, 2021 in The Pearl
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” -Jawaharlal Nehru

We’re on our way to Vermont to spend a week with family. Check in time at the house we’ve rented isn’t till 4:00, so we thought we’d check out the beautiful Thacher State Park on our way. The park is situated along the Helderberg Escarpment (The Great Ledge), 15 miles southwest of Albany. It provides a marvelous panorama view of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. We hiked the Indian Ladder Trail today.

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Aug. 2 – Cascadilla Gorge Trail

By on August 3, 2021 in The Pearl
“Water is the most perfect traveller because when it travels it becomes the path itself!” ―Mehmet Murat ildan
We hiked the Casadilla Gorge today, or I should say we hiked half of the trail…it was a combination workout. A five mile bike ride to the falls and back and then a .59 mile hike. The prettiest portion of the trail was closed for repairs. We’ve hiked it several times, so I will include a few pictures from other hikes. 

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Chasing Waterfalls in New York

By on July 28, 2021 in The Pearl
 “A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power but because of its persistence.”  –Jim Watkins

The best thing about having a rainy summer…lots of water at the falls. A lot of the smaller falls around upstate New York can be dry by July and August, but this year they are amazing. We’ve visited 18 waterfalls so far this summer. Eight of those were this past week while we took a short getaway to Cazenovia. All were on our way there and back to Ithaca. There are waterfalls everywhere up here.

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Green Lakes State Park

By on July 26, 2021 in The Pearl
“Put your feet up, take a break, sit back, relax…you’re at the lake.”  –Anonymous
I’ve seen pictures and read about Green Lakes State Park since we arrived in Ithaca in 2017 and I’ve always wanted to go. This past week we had a chance to experience it for ourselves. What a truly beautiful unique place it is. Most lakes in upstate New York and around the world are dimictic lakes, which means they have a complete mixing of lake water in the fall and spring. Green Lake is a meromictic lake, which means its water layers do not intermix. No turnover in water means you can see all the way down to the bottom of the lake.

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