The following were on display in Manhattan this summer/ early fall. I was on my way south from Grand Central and it was nice to see this on little strips of land between north and south board lanes. These are all phone photos.
There were others to see. I love the art that is viewable to all. Enjoy the rest of your week!
I do not have the lens for this, but I thought I would try anyways. I made a quick trip up to Ontario, Canada during the Thanksgiving holiday. This is one little town I like to stop in. It is on the lake and has a river that goes downhill emptying into it.
In the late summer or early fall there is a salmon run going up the river. Fishermen line the river hoping to snag one. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Here’s hoping the coming one is too!
This bird seems to be a big deal in my area. Some have acted like it was a major tick on your bird watching list. We do not seem to be in its breeding or non breeding range, however, there are maps that show in huge swathes of areas that are breeding and non-breeding areas. I am told this is a loggerhead shrike, although it was far away and I could not get a clear picture.
I did see the tell tale signs along the trail. I saw low bushes with pointy branches with impaled insects on them. Oddly this reminds me of the shish kebab I ate last night.
I do not think I would have spotted this bird on my own. I have issues spotting the smaller birds at long distances. Luckily a few others spotted it in the general vicinity of the bushes I found, although not close, and closer to another taller bush with an insect impaled on it. It was quite a distance and I’m not sure my lens is working so great in the past coupl of months.
Regardless of the poor quality of the image I was happy to get the chance to see this bird. Is this bird really that rare to find? I’m sure other bird watchers have seen it.
I have seen art displayed outside via murals on sides of building in NYC. I have seen poetry on mailboxes. I was surprised to find artwork on the sidewalk. This street art is by Goat. As their website says they are the first street artist to blend AI with street art.
This piece is called Gym Rat.
Goat or Go4tart’s Instagram is at the link below:
https://www.instagram.com/go4tart/
You can see other work by this artist at their shop by going to the link below:
https://www.shop4goat.com/we-love-nyc
I hope I can find more of their work in the future. Sometimes you find interesting things by looking down instead of up.
Always take the scenic route, you never know what adventures you will find.
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Deciding to travel on some more rural roads on a trip I came across a cool little farm stand in a trailer. I decided to stop and check it out.
Hardeman Orchards is located west of the Village of Red Hook in New York on Route 199.
They had different varieties of apples for sale including my favourite: JonaMac. JonaMac is a cross between a Jonathan and a Macintosh. They also had pumpkins, other vegetables, apple cider and donuts.
This was the highlight of my stop. I believe the farm stand worker said it was apple cider mixed with vanilla ice cream. It was surprisingly light for a milkshake. It did not taste very sweet either, which is a plus in my book.
If you are in the Red Hook area check out the Hardeman Farm Stand on Route 199. Eat the donuts, get a milkshake or buy some fresh picked apples. The village also has some quaint little shops and restaurants that are worth checking out.
Some signs of autumn include the changing colours of the leaves, cooler temperatures, and birds flying south for the winter. In Saugerties, N.Y. another sign of autumn includes the Rimington’s new Minions Hay Bale display presented during the start of the Garlic Festival.
This year I finally got to meet the couple behind this display. This is my fourth year documenting it. The Rimingtons told me this is their sixth year putting it up. This year’s theme is hip hop music. This year they incorporated some artwork in the form of banners as well as a few skeletons. RIMS Driving School is their business.
As I was talking to the Rimingtons, people were showing their appreciation by yelling thank you for the display from their passing cars.
This display is across from Dunkin Donuts as you are heading into the village from the Thruway exit. It is on 127 Ulster Avenue. I recommend pulling into the shopping area across the street and parking. You can view it from that side of the street or cross over. Ulster Avenue in Saugerties is a very busy road and there is no parking street side in that area.
If you are leaf peeping in the Catskills and in the area of Saugerties head into town. Besides this display there are a variety of businesses in the village to stop for a bite, go antiquing, or walk to the Lighthouse from the parking area on Lighthouse Drive.
What a fun way to celebrate the start of autumn and Halloween. Thank you to the Rimington Family!
Just another loon picture from earlier in the summer. I am really busy at work, but hope to get somewhere on an upcoming holiday if it works out time-wise and health-wise.
Enjoy these last days of summer. Fall is closing in.
Lessons from a Loon
Spend time at the lake.
Go for a long swim.
Surround yourself with beauty.
Don’t be afraid to dive deep.
Unknown Author
These were on display in a store in Lake Placid. Raccoons are seen as a nuisance to some in New York. I do not know the history of these animals, whether they were trapped or road kill. My understanding from one store owner I asked a few years ago some of these displays are old.
The only place I have seen displays like this is in the Adirondacks. There is a long history of trapping in the Adirondacks beginning with the Native Americans with the Europeans entering the region with metal traps in the 16th century. Trapping still exists today in New York with a designated season to do so.
Are you looking for something to do Labor Day Weekend? Barton Orchards in Dutchess County is hosting a Sunflower Festival.
What is at the festival? There is a hayride to the Sunflower area of the farm. Included in the price are 2 sunflowers. You pay an additional fee if you pick more. They have animals, at least one food truck, lobster rolls, and tap room. They also have a farm store that sells pies, sauces, drinks and other items. They also have activities for the kids.
Barton Orchards is located off the Taconic Parkway in Poughquag, NY. The address is 63 AppleTree Lane. It is about 1 1/2 hours north of Yonkers and the Bronx.
They give you a plastic bag to keep the flowers you pick in as well as loan you clippers to use to cut the flowers. There are coolers where you can add water to the bags at the sunflower field. They also sell metal vases for the sunflowers at the field under the tent. One of the bands was playing at the sunflower field area.
There are open 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 2nd. Their hours on Sunday and Monday are 11-6.
Get out and enjoy Labor Day weekend. Click on the link below for more information about the activities at Barton Farms..
What can you do with a large concrete wall? You can turn it into a mosaic or mural. This is exactly what they did in North Creek, N.Y.
This mosaic is on Main Street in North Creek. The mosaic depicts the animals and activities that make the Adirondacks what it is. It was artist Kate Hartley’s idea to turn this 180 foot concrete wall into a mosaic. She had the help of over 700 volunteers including students from the area and visitors, so this was a community project.
I could not get pictures of the whole wall. There were cars parked in front of it. Below are the sections I could get. The rest I took closer pictures of sections of the wall.
They did a great job picking out activities that one can do in summer in the area.
Again these pictures do not represent the entire mosaic. I love seeing artwork like murals and mosaics. It is always a bonus to find out it was a community project. I think this mosaic did a great job representing the local area. If you are skiing Gore in Winter or White Water rafting the Hudson River, stop by and check out the mosaic. It’s Purely Adirondack.
