We're back from vacationing up in the Adirondack's....

 and we had a wonderful time!   The first night we went to a community play that took place in the local upholstery shop by day and the 'Recovery Lounge' by night.  The name of the play was called 'The Real West' and it kept our attention for sure.  It was a fun night.

The next day we headed out for a hike up Whiteface Mountain.  It was a glorious day and the top of the mountain was a comfortable 66 degrees while at the base it was in the sweltering 90's.  It felt so good up there and the views were clear and grand!

Here we are making our way up.

Tah Dah!!!  We made it to the peak!

The girls posing at the base of the mountain.

On Wednesday we hiked in Keene, NY.  It was a shorter hike but this time there weren't any railings to help us up.  I thought this hike was more difficult even though it was far shorter in distance.  Here's a picture of the girl's after our hike.

On Thursday we took a ferry to Vermont and enjoyed a day of sightseeing and shopping.  Definitely a must for us girls.  We started off at the local country store.

It was cute as a button on the outside

and inside.  We picked up some local maple syrup.

We dropped the girls off at the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory (that's B & G's sign in the distance) and my husband and I went to the antique store across the street!  A good trade off for me.  I picked up some treasures that I can't wait to show you!!  One of my fav finds was an old vintage maple sap bucket that someone had painted a Vermont winter scene on the front of it.  I'm picturing it on my front porch this winter stuffed with boughs!

Then we headed up the street to The Trapp Family Lodge.  You remember The Sound of Music Trapp Family?  This is where they moved to when they left Austria.

The Trapp Family Lodge

and one of the many paintings inside the lodge.

A picture I took while heading back to New York State via ferry.

I can't go on any vacation without taking pictures of lovely cottages.

Not only did I think this porch was charming but I love the idea of the ski's hanging on the ski rack.  Another idea I hope to steal and use on our cabin's porch some day.

I have a soft spot for window boxes.  So pretty!

I hope you're enjoying your summer.  I can't believe how hot it's been!  I hate to mention it....but I'm seeing leaves changing color and starting to fall already.  I think the change of seasons is bitter sweet.  ~amy

Piecing Together Our Adirondack Cabin

We've been working on a plan for the small cabin up on our land in the Adirondacks.  Here's a plan of the main level.  The part of this plan I'm excited about the most is....the oversized screened in porch on the front of the house.  From inside you'll be able to get onto the porch from the 2 french doors and those same doors will provide us with a lovely view of the mountains.  We plan on using that outdoor space/room a whole lot.   Do you notice inside there's a window to the left of the stair landing?  We're planning in the future to make that window into a door that will lead into a master bedroom on the main floor but that'll have to wait until retirement days.  If you have any suggestions or ideas I would love to hear them.  Nothing is set in stone yet.  That's the beauty of the planning phase.  Right now....we're working on the upstairs plan.  I'll show you that plan when we get it drawn up and then onto drawing the plan for the walk out basement.  It's a small structure but we're trying to make it functional but still roomy.  If you'd like to see all of the posts concerning the process of  making our dream cabin into a  reality...please click onto 'Cabin/Cottage' under labels on the sidebar. 

Piecing A Cabin Together

Well....it's that time of year again when I start talking to you about our cabin plans.  Just to recap a little.....we have some land up in the Adirondack's in Northern New York State.   That's where we want to build our small vacation home.

Here's the land

....and here is some wonderful and I mean wonderful vintage fabric I found at a yard sale last summer.  Look at those WOW graphics and vibrant colors!

I took a quilting class that my friend Pam taught at the new fabric shop in town called 'Stitches'.  I made this table runner to match my vintage fabric.  It was my first experience at quilting and it was a lot of fun!

I found a set of these adorable juice glasses to match

...and I found this painting of bird feathers.

Here's everything grouped together. 

Additionally...I'd like to have a farmers sink in the kitchen and use the vintage fabric as curtains below it. I'd like distressed stained red cabinets and some open shelving to put the red cherry and rooster juice glasses in. I'm hoping for a big chunky wooden kitchen table to put the table runner on.  Not quite sure where the painting will hang but one thing I know for sure is that it'll match.  I hope you'll find this journey of piecing together our dream cabin fun. I look forward to your input. ~amy

The Adirondack's...We Had A Wonderful Time At The Dartbrook Lodge

   

Thank you Susan from A Southern Daydreamer for hosting another fun Outdoor Wednesday. 

I would like to share with you an earlier post.  I posted this in June...before I had the pleasure of participating in Outdoor Wednesday's. 

Please schroll down and read about one of our visit's to Keene, NY and our stay at the Dartbrook Lodge. 

On the babbling brook in Keene, NY is the Dartbrook Lodge... 

Posted on 6/22/09

Hello! I hope your last week was lovely! We had a great trip up in the North Country. The Dartbrook Lodge in Keene, NY is where we spent the bulk of our nights. I can't get enough of this lodge. It's rustic. The staff is gracious and the grounds and decor are beautiful with wild flowers amongst the pine and birch trees. From the property you can see the Adirondack high peaks and hear a babbling brook. Yes...there really is a brook at Dartbrook Lodge! Please enjoy the pictures below of the main lodge and its porch. I hope you can see through the pictures how special this property is. It's like stepping back in time except with all of the amenities of today.  Craftsmanship at its best.  Tomorrow I'll show you pictures of the inside of the cottage we stayed in and some of the other cottage's that they let me peak inside. I hope you enjoy a warm and sunny summer day! ~amy

An outside view of the main lodge.

Notice the bark siding.

Plenty of places to sit, relax, read a book and just take it all in.

Pretty lamp on the reception desk in the main lodge.

The front of the reception desk. Look at all of those twigs.

Bench in the reception area.

These stars hanging from the porch ceiling light up at night. They were so pretty!

Checkers anyone?

Some more rustic furniture on the porch. These were big rocking chairs.



If you're interested in seeing the inside of the cottages I posted earlier of the Dartbrook lodge...please follow these links...

Inside Dartbrook Lodge 6/23/09 
&
Inside Dartbrook Lodge 6/24/09

The High Peaks Timberloft....Keene, NY

Thank you Susan from A Southern Daydreamer for hosting another fun Outdoor Wednesday!

Nestled in the Mountains up in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks...

14 miles from Lake Placid, NY....

Off of route 73....

Near the bakery....

Across from the church.....

On the Ausable River.....

Is the Timberloft.  Won't you come in for a spell?

Sit...relax...play a board game...read a book

and look at the pretties.

Special touches like this make all the difference....don't you agree?

There's a comfy bed up in the loft and below. 

The kitchen in the Timberloft is well equipped and functional.  You can prepare anything from a light snack to a full meal. The option is yours.  More fresh flowers on the island. 

Lighting up the wood stove on a cool autumn night or after a day at the slopes is warm and inviting.

The bathroom has it's own little outhouse (plumbed of course) and the windows over look the river.

Another view of the kitchen.

Two charming windows up in the loft overlooking the woods and river.  The rustling of the leaves and the sound of the water flowing is relaxing and music to my ears.

I hope you've enjoyed your tour of the Timberloft.  Please stop by if you're ever up in Keene, NY.  I'm sure Hannah and Scott would love to have you visit.   We enjoy our visits for sure.  They're wonderful hosts.   ~amy