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.
Location
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.
Hours
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.
Overview
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.
Activities
They did a great job picking out activities that one can do in summer in the area.
Hiking
There are a lot of mountains to climb in the Adirondacks.
White Water Rafting
There are white water rafting trips out of North Creek on the Hudson River.
Kayaking or White Water Kayaking
You can kayak calm waters of lakes or ponds or kayak white waters in the Adirondacks.
Tubing
There are places that bring you there and pick you up where you end.
Camping
There are many places to camp in the Adirondacks. Some you pay a fee, others that are more wilderness sights are free. Some can only be accessed by canoe, kayak or boat.
Canoeing
Like kayaking, there are calm waters to paddle on and not so calm.
Wildlife
Moose
Moose are seen the Adirondacks. I saw my first (NY) one last year crossing a road early in the morning. By the time I stopped my car and picked up my camera it was on the other side of the road into the woods. This was north of Tupper Lake.
Great Blue Heron
Common on many types of water. They move around and fish on lakes, ponds, streams, etc.
Black Bear
Black bears are frequently sighted in the Adirondacks.
Pileated Woodpecker
Loon
Common Loons are on almost every lake and pond large enough to take off on and have enough fish.
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.
I have seen school buses turned into Skoolies. Skoolies are school buses turned into tiny homes or campers. This mini school bus was turned into a vendor space by one of the people behind Mother Nature’s Beauty, a soap vendor. I have not seen school buses used as advertising/ vendor space too often. They have shelves on the inside of the bus that are visible from the other side that hold product on display. They told me they use the bus to go from event to event to sell their wares. I caught them at the Dutchess County Fair. They will be at Stormville Airport’s Flea Market In September, October and November. Check their website for the dates, and for other locations.
4-H is alive and well at the Dutchess County Fair in New York. This was taken in one of the dark barns at the fair where the animals and their owners were resting. The cow was nuzzling with the girl.
Some people go to the county fair to go on the rides. Some go for the food or vendors. I go mainly to see the animals. One event I do not want to miss is Dock Dogs.
This dog almost caught it before he landed in the water.
Just like humans have competitions at the fair in 4H raising animals, baking pies, and doing artwork, dogs have their events. One of the Dock Dog events at the fair is one in which the owners throw an object, the dogs run the length of a long dog to go after it, and they are judged by how far they jump off the dock before they land in the water.
I believe this was a senior dog.
Focused Brown Dog
This dog just seemed so focused on the task and serious. I had to include several images of him.
Running for the toy.Almost catching it before he landed in the water.
Frisbee Dog
This dog’s preferred toy was a frisbee. He was able to go quite a far distance in the pool. O love the expression on its face.
County Fairs have a lot to see. If you have not been to one in a while, make sure you visit one next year.
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchill
The colour of the water appears to change in minutes when out kayaking on a lake. A lot of things come into play such as cloud cover, sunlight, time of day, what is nearby on land will all affect how the colour of the water appears. If you wait around you just may get to see the water appear to be different hue.
This is a loon from Upper St. Regis in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. In other pictures that day, the water appeared green and different shades of blue etc. Change sometimes is good.
from the song Stuck in the Middle With You written by Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty and performed by Stealer’s Wheel
These Adirondack loons were pausing for passing planes and eagles as well as motor boat and jet ski action on the lake. I am sure the mom was teaching the baby about safely crossing the lake. The baby should be well prepared for life. Other things I saw the mom do this trip were attempt some fish hand offs in the water instead of above water, and having the baby attempt to fish in the buoyed area of the lake that boaters avoid due to boulders near the water’s surface.
We have had a cooler than normal wet summer. It has rained a little to a good amount most days. Get out and dodge those storms. Enjoy what you can.
Stuck in the Middle With You performed by the Steeler’s Wheel
Another picture I got on the day I went to a friend’s house to watch hummingbirds. I went up to 1/3500 of a second an still did not stop wing action.
They are fast little buggers. Since they are mostly seen at her feeders in late afternoon it is hard to go up on the ISO too high. Then it become grainy. Get out and enjoy the critters. Just around the corner they will be leaving.
What is one place where you can paddle more than one body of water while not getting out of your boat, and it is close to the towns of Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake? Middle Saranac Lake is one of the options.
South Creek Boat Launch
One trip from Middle Saranac you can make is paddling to the Weller Ponds. Both of these are accessed by boat through passageways between the bodies of water. One way to get into Middle Saranac Lake is through the South Creek Boat Launch. It is right off Highway 3 going from Saranac Lake to Tupper.
There is a parking lot that can handle several cars. There is a privy/ outhouse closer to Highway 3 in the parking area. They have several barriers up. It is hard to walk a kayak through on wheels. It is easier if someone is there and you can ask them to be a second set of hands to carry it over the big rocks. Once you get it in the water it is a gradual descent into the water which is great for kayaks. People canoeing prefer the dock. I wish they would get rid of one of the big rocks, so people could easily get their kayak or canoe through.
South Creek Passage to Middle Saranac
Middle Saranac Lake
Hungry Bay
Hungry Bay is the northern end of Middle Saranac Lake directly north across the lake from the South Creek entrance to the lake.
Because of the wind and predicted threat of thunderstorms around the time I would try to get back to the parking lot, I skirted the edge of Hungry Bay to be safe.
Passage from Hungry Bay to the Weller Ponds
Weller Pond
The above is looking towards the entrance of Weller Pond. I did not take too many pictures on this pond because it looked like the campsites along it and on or near Tick and Tok Islands were occupied. There were also kids out on the lake in boats.
The above picture is looking towards the northern part of Weller Pond from the east side.
Little Weller Pond
If you are heading from Middle Saranac to Weller the passageway to Little Weller Pond is on the right before you get to Weller. This is the passageway leading into Little Weller Pond.
It is a smaller body of water, hence its name. There are no campsites along this body of water.
Passageway Back To Middle Saranac Lake
This is the passageway looking south and heading back towards Hungry Bay of Middle Saranac Lake.
Camping
There are camp sites along Middle Saranac Lake and Weller Pond. These sites have to be reserved through http://www.reserveamerica.com or through the reservation number at 1-800-456-CAMP. I have never seen all the sites on this lake occupied on my visits. Campsite 81, pictured above, has a lean-to. Only two other sites, one on the east side of the lake and one on the northwest side of Weller Pond have one. Most of them involve pitching your own tent. They come with a picnic table, a fire pit, and a privy/outhouse.
This was a group of boys and men who were heading for a campsite on the lake for the night. They took all their gear on their canoes with them. They traveled with several canoes. This canoe gave me permission to take their picture.
Wildlife
Every time I visit this lake I either see loons or hear them. I saw two together near the South Creek entrance to the lake. I also heard two and saw one in Hungry Bay. An eagle nest is on a nearby body of water, so you may see one circle looking for fish.
Middle Saranac Lake
This lake is a motor boat lake, although the times I have been here I have mostly seen people in canoes and kayaks either fishing or heading towards campsites along the lake. There are a few private houses as you get closer to the west side. I’m not sure if some of them are water access only or they are ones accessed through the private road, Bartlett Carry.
This visit it was a treat to watch a sailboat take advantage of the winds and circle around the lake.
As you can see from the above photos, one of the positives about paddling this lake are the Adirondack Mountain views.
Entrance to South Creek
I highly recommend paddling this lake and route. You get nice mountain views. I would recommend as always bring food and water. You never know when you might need to pull off for a passing thunderstorm or because you need a rest. The unoccupied campsites have great views and make great picnic spots.
When I first saw this, I thought this hummingbird was spitting out water. Turns out it is sticking its tongue out. This is only a problem when they can not retract it. I took several pictures in a row and I believe this is the only one with its tongue out.
Thanks to a friend who has hummingbird plants and feeders and her very gracious invitation, I was able to photograph multiple birds visiting her plants and feeders. She finds this time of the year is the best time to see them. The best times to view is between 2-5 p.m. She usually sees them frequently in August after they babies fledge.
It is amazing what you can catch coming to a feeder! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Sharon's Iconic Travel Photography Blog 