This great blue heron showed no fear. It hung out near a boat launch. I kayaked out a short ways and it actually walked towards me. It was fun to watch.
As usual these are taken with a zoom lens. I am thinking this is a juvenile. It seems it is not as knowledgeable as it should be in the ways of the world. As much I enjoyed it walking towards me and these are not cropped a lot, I just hope it becomes more knowledgeable about safety in the future. Have a great week!
I do not make restaurant posts too often. I love off the beaten path or hole in the wall places as I usually find the tastiest food there. The place I stopped at last weekend is off the beaten track and has great food. I think Pop- Eez Smoke deserves a shout out.
My GPS took me on a different route from New Paltz to another destination than it has before. When I passed the signs for BBQ and brunch on a farm, I knew I had to turn back and see what it was about. Pop-Eez is located on 2098 Bruynswick Road in Wallkill, NY. Pop- Eez is open weekends 10-3 from May- November. They also do catering for events.
Their kitchen and walk up ordering window is in the red building, while the indoor seating is in the green building. The offer outdoor seating at picnic tables behind the green building.
As the first signs show, Pop-Eez is on the grounds of the Patchwork Quilt Farm and Inn at the Ridge Bed and Breakfast. The inn was built in 1796 and is furnished with pieces acquired from that time period and shortly thereafter.
I was told no seed oils or processed sugar are used when they cook. They use local maple syrup or honey. They use apple wood to smoke the meats. In addition many of the vegetables they get from the farm or source locally in season.
They advertise as Texas style smoked BBQ. I lived in Texas a few years and found when I returned I had difficulty locating restaurants that offered food authentic to what I tasted in Texas. Pop-Eez’s smoked chicken sandwich tasted authentic, which is a rare find in New York. It is on a farm, and as their sign says organically grown. The chef, Sal, I was told was in the first graduating class of the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America. Sal and Bev run the inn. Sal’s son, Justin, runs the farm and restaurant.
I ordered the smoked chicken sliders, which came with slaw and they threw in zucchini. I also ordered the vegetable dumpling that comes with scallions and mustard. All were divine. I appreciate restaurants that include good quality vegetables with the meal. As you can see I decided to eat at one of the outdoor picnic tables which come with umbrellas.
Other offerings on their menu include: smoked brisket sandwich, smoked brisket tacos, or shiitake tacos. They also have meals that include cornbread which include smoked brisket and smoked pork ribs, or meals with smoked sausage or hot dogs with brisket. Desserts include pie, pastries, and cornbread with berries.
On another trip I ordered the cornbread with berries for dessert. They use hand whipped cream made on the premises for this dessert.
The chef makes and sells his own hot sauce, which is on the lower end of spicy hot. The house sauce, I’m told, is what started it all. It is cayenne based, fermented hot sauce. No cooking is involved in making it and there are no additives. As you can see in the picture of the bottle, the seeds and skins of the pepper are in the bottle.
The grounds behind the restaurant are lovely with views of ponds and the Shawangunk Mountains. The Adirondack chairs shown above are on a pond with lotus flowers currently in bloom.
This is a resident rooster, Champion, who wanders the grounds. He is harmless and even posed for some pictures. They have more chickens penned up near the inn.
This is Chuck, the resident pit master, greeter, Maître d’, and crumber. This dog is very friendly, greeted me at my car, sat next to me while I ate (most likely on crumb duty) and posed for pictures. No worries, he is very well behaved.
This restaurant, farm, and inn support Heroic Food, an organization that helps veterans by training them in agricultural trades and farming in preparation for jobs in the food sector. The farm has employed people in this program.
If you are into Texas style smoked BBQ, want some farm fresh food included in your meal, a meal overseen by a CIA trained chef, or want to support a business that helps veterans stop by Pop-Eez BBQ. The views from the property are the added bonus.
For more information click on the link below to see Pop-Eez on Facebook.
It seems like either this dragonfly had a death wish, or it was taunting this turtle. It kept landing on it shell and head.
Maybe the dragonfly thinks it is a rock. Is so, the dragonfly has a short memory because it kept going back to land on the turtle.
Turtles have been seen catching and eating dragonflies, so I’m sure the turtle could have considered the dragonfly as food.
Whatever the story is, I do not think it is wise for the dragonfly to tempt to turtle, but he may not know better. Have a great weekend, and get out an enjoy nature.
I found this turtle on a walking trail in the woods maybe 1/4- 1/2 mile from water. It appeared to be out of place. I have never seen one on a hiking trail before that was not close to water.
It looks like both a stick and worm are sticking out of its mouth, so it was obviously finding food along the way.
I thought maybe someone caught it and carried it into the woods. Hopefully, it found its way back to water. What kind of turtle is this?
Before I took this picture, the cormorant kicked off this floating platform some other turtles who just wanted to enjoy the sun. The lone turtle to remain was not having it. He kept standing his ground. The turtle was trying to engage him in a stare down, but the cormorant never looked him in the eye.
When I left the turtle was still standing his ground. Maybe my presence gave him some bravado. I believe this may be a juvenile cormorant. I caught it on this pond near the Hudson River on three separate nights. Given that great blue herons and green herons stop here to fish and numbers of turtles call this home, there must be food to be had. Have a great Labor Day Weekend!
The following photo is of the loon tagged B4 on Rollins Pond in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. I think this year was the first year I have been on this pond, but decided to return to it a few times for a few reasons.
The number one reason I went back to this pond on this trip was loons were there. Secondly, although this pond does allow motor boats, I did not see any the trips I was there, only kayaks. Thirdly, it does connect to other nearby bodies of water, some of which I have been on in the years past as well as on this trip. Some of these include Floodwood Pond, Fish Creek Ponds, Square Pond, Little Square Pond, Copperas Pond, Follensby Clear Pond, etc. Through Fish Creek Pond you can paddle into Upper Saranac Lake. Incidentally, this pond has what looks like a very nice DEC state run campground with a lot of spots that have water access, perfect if you want to kayak. This may make another reason to return in the future.
I did notify the Adirondack Loon Center with pictures of this loon with its tag that it was alive and well and was sighted in Rollins Pond. If you see a tagged loon in New York notify the Adirondack Loon Center. If you see a loon in winter further south, do the same. They like to track where these loons are year to year and since some loons visit other ponds daily, they like to know that as well. Happy Sunday!
I was hoping to see some birds or other creatures from a rail trail in the Adirondack Mountains (Adirondack Rail Trail) that cuts through a wetlands type area before it turns into woods. Did not see many birds or dragonflies. However, on my return heading towards the parking area I saw this bear politely sauntering across the trail after a bicyclist passed by.
Down the trail in the photo appears to be Fowler’s Crossing trailhead and parking. It crosses route 86 between Ray Brook and Saranac Lake. My understanding is the trail goes between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. From Saranac Lake it goes to Lake Clear, then Floodwood and on to Tupper Lake. Not all sections or the trail are open yet. I only walked a few miles and back. Check the websites related to the Adirondack Rail Trail to find out which sections are currently accessible.
This was taken on the fly with a regular lens. I did not have my zoom lens on the camera. Rats! Sometimes I think animals are more polite than some people. Have a great Friday! Get out and enjoy the outdoors!
I could not tell what this Greenie was trying to catch. Is it a feather, or some kind of bug? Is it something from a tree?
I think it was hoping for a dragonfly. Do you know what the object of his attention is?
I read somewhere this lake was private, but I found a state operated fishing access boat launch. This means you can kayak here.
This launch has a parking lot across from a gas station store off of route 3 in Star Lake, NY. There are a few parking spaces. I seemed to be the only one that was launching a boat. Others stopped to park there to eat lunch it appeared. It had at least one picnic table at the parking area. I did not see a privy/ outhouse on site.
Above is the road down to the launch. I walked my kayak down with the use of kayak wheels.The road was very affected by erosion and had ruts near the top. I am not sure if this area was affected by the storm that delivered 10 inches an hour or so north.
The lake had many houses along certain parts of it, some having boat houses. These are not as elaborate as the ones in the areas of Lake Placid and Saranac Lakes.
This heron flew into a tree branch on the shady side of an island.
There were multiple adult loons here sticking together when I was there. I think I saw 4. They were getting along and diving down in spurts. This was taken with a zoom lens at quite a distance and heavily cropped. The quality is not as good as the photos I get of the loons who swim up to my kayak.
There were two cormorants in a tree. This one had better light on it.
These signs are in the shape of the Adirondack Park. They had a few of these no wake signs up on the lake. All boats were slow moving that day. I was more concerned with the wind.
I did not take too many photos of the lake itself. The wind again concerned me. In addition there were many houses along parts of it and people in the water or on shore. I try not to take pictures including people when I can.
This is the boat launch from the lake. It was easy to get in and out of the lake here, the ruts due to erosion made it a little difficult to move your kayak down to the water. I rate it a nice lake to a canoe or kayak on a day trip.
I believe in order to control where osprey build nests in different spots in New York they are building platforms on top of telephone / power poles etc, to attract their nest building to that location. I usually see these as active osprey nests once they are built.
This osprey nest had two osprey on it when I first saw it , but one flew away to an area with possibly a creek or river nearby. I assume this is an adult. I do not think I saw any young. I am guessing they fledged already.
It was a nice find. My GPS actually led me the wrong way to get to the nearby location I was stopping at. I’m actually glad it did. It had me backtrack and go a different way when I continued ahead after it readjusted. A mistake by the GPS worked out to be a good thing. Take advantage of these moments. Have a great week!
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