My Heaven
I have travelled to and lived in some of the most beautiful places in the world, but there's still no place I would rather be on an August afternoon than sitting on the porch of "Veery Cottage," overlooking Seneca Lake. It is my place of pure bliss...my family surrounding me, cool water to swim in and cool nights for bundling up, woods to hike through, fresh produce at our fingertips, delicious meals every night, and a breathtaking view to gaze at all day long. This special little place is called Glenora, and even a 3 week vacation here doesn't ever feel long enough.
I begin to get the itch in April...by that point I have totally re-energized after the busy holiday season and I'm ready for something new to look forward to. It's our trip to The Lake that both Brian and I begin fantasizing about and planning for...even though it won't be for another 4 months (one of my key prerequisites for a husband was "must love the lake" and luckily he had no problem with that one.)
Last year we introduced our new baby to Glenora. It was clear even at that age, Isabelle is our nature girl -- always happy outside, which is quite convenient at this cottage since we practically live outdoors.
This 100 year old family cottage has been passed down through 3 generations (Izzie being the fifth) and there is nothing quite like it. It's a log cabin (we aren't really sure how it still stands) that is essentially open-air -- one large porch which serves as the living room, a tiny den/bedroom where we migrate to on cold days, and an even tinier kitchen where gourmet meals are prepared every night. We sleep in the "North Cabin", a few steps down the path, where the cool breezes come through the screened windows every night as we snuggle under layers of heavy wool blankets to stay warm. A short (and very steep) hike takes us down to the dock where we spend our days laying in the sun and swimming in the "refreshingly" cool lake water (although for me these days it's really just hovering over my little motor-crawler).
The view of Seneca from our porch.
Another perk to this place is that wine is always flowing -- the Finger Lakes region is home to dozens of wineries, one of them just a short walk up the hill from our cottage.
Of course it might seem like heaven to me, but this place is the heaven in heaven for sweet Crockett. Without doors to go in and out, she is free to roam through the woods, and she could happily spend the day diving and swimming in the lake. As happy as this place can make her, it can also be a place of great worry for us. Crockett likes to keep us on her toes and she has gotten a reputation for surprising us with a new "doggie drama" episode every year...
Her first year it was a fall off a cliff that made our hearts stop (luckily no injuries), two years ago it was the tick disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, that landed her in the animal hospital for almost a week, last year it was "swimmer's tail" that kept her up all night (who knew it's fairly common for a dog to sprain her tail after lots of water diving?), and of course this year she didn't want to spare us from a day of distress. The night that she arrived up here with my parents (while we were still in Charlotte) poor scared little Crockett fled from the house during a nearby fireworks show. I was worried sick since Crockett never wanders far and I just couldn't stand not being there to help. It wasn't until the following morning that my parents finally found her (at a neighbor's house down the road where she spent the night).
When we were finally reunited I couldn't love on her enough...the thought of losing my precious pup was unbearable.
Granddaddy loves sharing his ipad with Isabelle.
Isabelle enjoying her daily peach from one of the nearby Mennonite Farms...this is about the only time she sits still.
Evening cocktails on the porch.
Isabelle entertaining the boys.
Having a bunch of "foodies" in this family guarantees 5 star meals every night. This place may seem simple, but the meals are top notch and we sometimes plan our days around them! Thanks to the Mennonites we enjoy delicious local produce everyday. The best part about dinner is where we eat by candlelight in the open-air dining room downstairs.
Down at the dock, Isabelle loves to make "stone soup."
The fun part - crawling up and down the dock as I hover over her.
Despite the water temperature in the low 70s (not exactly Lake Norman bath water), Isabelle seemed to enjoy floating for a bit.
Isabelle took her first steps the day before we left to come here, so I thought for sure she'd be walking up here. I was hoping she would, since the old wooden floors, the dock and the outdoor living are not exactly "crawler-friendly"....but no such luck. She has not showed us any free-handed steps since then, but with the right gear Isabelle is ready to go anywhere. Knee pads and the good old bloomer dress tuck-in seems to work. Very cute.
The chilly morning gear: fleece pullover over pj's, knee pads, and slippers that don't stay on.
My little adventure girl loves to crawl off the porch and onto the path...
Dirt and rocks? No problem.
We do a lot of laundry here.
Isabelle's new favorite thing: the sandwich. PB&J, turkey and cheese, egg salad. You name it, if it's between bread she'll eat it. Crockett sometimes tries to help her.
What a happy baby at the lake!
Isabelle loved her first Kayak ride!
The whole family LOVES the lake!
We all sleep well at the lake. This is truly my heaven.
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