The fourth has passed but we are still enjoying summer days. Roll out your lazy hazy crazy days of summer! (We may be the only ones who remember that song from music class near the end of school.) The massive heat wave seems to have finally lifted and it is time to hit Lake George.
Lake George Events
Why visit The Adirondack Retreat chalet in August?
History buff much?
You will enjoy the Surrender of Fort William Henry Ceremony on August 9th.
Outdoor athlete maybe?
Watch or enter the Great Brant Lake Canoe Race on August 10th.
Watch or enter the Lake George Triathlon Festival August 31st to September 1st.
Head out for a white water rafting trip, rent a boat, take a great hike, or enjoy the hundreds of other outdoor activities our beautiful area has to offer.
Lovin' the music & theatre & art?
Don't miss the Lake George Music Festival on August 11th.
Swing those hips at the Adirondack Independence Music Festival on August 30th.
Enjoy a production from the Adirondack Theatre Festival on August 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th.
New Adirondack Creature Candle is Born to Camp!
When we attended the LARAC festival with my rustic hand-poured soy candles. One of the festival goers asked us if we made a campfire scented candle. We now refer to him as Campfire Dave. I immediately looked for a scent and found a few I thought might work.
A camping trip shortly afterwards sealed the deal. A new candle in the Adirondack Creature Collection was born!
We went camping at Jabe's Pond in Hague. The 30 minute drive up to Jabe's Pond from The Adirondack Retreat was fabulous as we drove up 9N with the spectacular Lake George views. Our 19 year old ginger and two oldest grandchildren joined us.
This was the most beautiful camping trip I have ever taken in my (soon to be) 5 decades of life!
We took a tiny row boat and guide boat out to our campsite. (The kicker is that it POURED rain nearly the entire time!)
I have no idea why they call this a pond, it is huge. I had to dive into the difference between a pond and lake and it truly is relative size. When we lived in northeast PA this would have been a lake for sure as the pond is over 150 acres.
It poured and poured, however we were able to start a fire in between downpours
and...
BOOM
I knew EXACTLY the right scent for the new candle. The only thing I needed to do now was find my Adirondack Creature Candle inspiration.
As the sun started to go down, an eerie sound began to creep over the pond. I looked at my hubby Gene to see if he too was a bit scared and I whisper:
What is that sound?
Gene, answerer of all outdoor questions, responds:
Loons!
I was so taken with the sound, I never recorded it. However if you have never hear a loon, you have to check out this video I found from Cornell:
As my nose was full of that beautiful campfire scent (I know, some people do not like that scent, maybe the joy in the scent is due to nostalgia.) and my ears rang with the eerily peaceful laugh of the loons, I knew what my next rustic soy candle would be.
Laughing Loons by the Campfire
This will be 12th in the Adirondack Creature Collection. If you run over to our store right now, you will not yet find that scent as I am still perfecting the color. But contact us and we will let you know as soon as it is available.
Campfire Dave tested it and this is what he had to say:
Pros: I immediately had the ash/wood smell scent. The wooden wicked offered the crackling of the fire!
Cons: I had trouble keeping it from going out until I learned to tilt the candle.
Thank you again Dave for your inspiration and feedback. Wooden wicks are awesome in that they give a more natural sound and ambience, but lighting them does take some practice in the beginning.
Thank you again to Dave and also mother nature for giving us Jabe's Pond!
I am hoping to return for my big five-OH.
(I hope Gene reads this blog!)
What's Up at the Itty Bitty Lil Adirondack Homestead?
As you may remember Gene & I are living in a tiny home (in the process of being built by Builder Gene ;) on our land shared by The Adirondack Retreat chalet. A long time ago our 2nd oldest son brought home two ducks and I remember saying to him:
No way! We are not having birds here.
Now that was when we lived in a development that didn't allow poultry of any kind.
Needless to say, the ducks stayed (illegally I may add) until we moved.
Two ducks became seven ducks and then I learned that ducks are the gateway animal to farming!
So now we have our beloved ducks that pay rent every day in the form of eggs.
Ritz Quackers
Cheese Quackers
Saltine Quackers
Triscuit Quackers
Oyster Quackers
Club Quackers
& Flip
(Flip joined us before the naming convention began.)
When you visit The Adirondack Retreat you just may hear them splashin' and quackin' just beyond the trees. We enjoy fresh eggs every day and I have even learned how to freeze them for the winter!
We are brand new to this, so any experienced homesteader reading this, we would be more than happy to hear any advice or tips you have. I am learning by reading, but mostly via mistakes.
We keep making homemade ducks in our incubator and they free range during the day. We are very blessed and hope to add our next animal to our teeny tiny homestead soon.
Our quackers have been helping us finish the Quack Shack next door to The Adirondack Retreat chalet.
Thank you for sharing our Adirondack adventures. Whether you visit The Adirondack Retreat chalet as our guest, enjoy our Rustic Soy Adirondack experience candles, or just keep up to date reading our blog, we appreciate your support.
Make it a great summer!
Shae
(& Gene of course)
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