Brownies Kaboom

No, that is not a new dessert recipe.  It is more like an anti-dessert.  I put a double batch of brownies in an "ovenproof" Pyrex dish into the oven.  Fortunately, we were sitting nearby a bit later when we heard a muffled explosion from the vicinity of the oven.  I opened it and found glass shards and brownie batter all over the oven.  Fortunately, we reacted quickly, turning off the oven and pulling out the rack and placing a cookie sheet underneath to catch what was not already on the bottom of the oven.  After the oven cooled we cleaned and cleaned and hopefully got up all the glass.

I guess our guest is not getting dessert tonight.

Paddling the North Branch of the Moose River

We had a great paddle today - 12 miles down the North Branch of the Moose River.  We put in off Rondaxe Road in Old Forge and took out at Mountain Man where cars had been left.  The gelato at the ice cream place in Inlet on the way home was good too.  The only down side is that we drove about 2 hours each way, but the paddle was worth it.

Wildlife

This morning was the annual loon survey, so we were on the lake at 8 AM looking for loons.  I found the residents - 2 adults and a chick - and watched them for about half an hour.  Then later in the morning W saw a doe with a nursing fawn on the driveway.  My approach spooked the mother but the fawn ducked in next to the woodshed long enough for me to take a picture.

Paddling Middle Saranac and Weller

The two of us paddled about 9 miles today.  We put in at South Creek

paddled through Middle Saranac Lake

and into Little Weller where we saw this amazing sight.  We couldn't tell what we were seeing so we got closer than we should have to this loon on a nest, which was trying to look like a log.  We backed off as soon as we realized what it was, but I got a great telephoto shot.

Then we paddled into Weller Pond and explored, lunching at campsite 85.  The white water lilies (Nymphaea odorata in the Nymphaeaceae) are in bloom

and so are the pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata in the Pontederiaceae).

Paddle to Raquette Falls

Just the two of us put in at Axton Landing and paddled upstream to Raquette Falls and back, for a total of 12 miles.

We saw lots of ducklings, including many baby mergansers.  Can you tell how many are in this picture?  We never did get an accurate count.

Orchids at the VIC

We walked at the Paul Smiths VIC today looking for orchids, and we found them.
Rose Pogonia (Pogonia ophioflossoides)

Calopogon (Calopogon pulchellus)

White Fringed Orchis (Habenaria blephariglottis), which was just starting to bloom.

And this was the first time this season we had seen pitcher plants in bloom (Sarracenia purpurea)

Paddling Long Lake

We had a beautiful paddle today.  The weather was perfect with bright sun, moderate temperatures, and little wind.  We put in at the beach on Long Lake and paddled south to the carry and then back for a total of 9.5 miles.

While exploring a stream we came across lots of these flowers.  The common name is Swamp Smartweed,  Polygonum coccineum in the Polygonaceae.

Paddling from Wanakena into Dead Creek Flow

Cindy and I started in Wanakena and paddled down river and into Dead Creek Flow.  I hadn't remembered how large the bodies of water are, but the wind cooperated so it was not a problem.  We made it to campsite 39 and then turned around for a total of about 9 miles.  I used the GPS, but this sign must be handy for some folks.

Catching Up

We drove to camp on June 24th, in time for a Wayfarers party on Wednesday.  On the 27th I went to the Vermont Quilt Festival, which was great as always.  Today we joined friends on a bike ride on Cedar River Road near Indian Lake.  W managed the whole ride but the heat and the hills were too much for me so I turned around about half way.  I'd like to try it again when it isn't so hot.  I was surprised to discover when I headed back to the car that we had been going uphill most of the time, so the ride back was fairly easy.  Then we went to our friend's for lunch.  It is great to be back though it took some time getting used to being here again.