A Mini Respite

The gorge at Watkins Glen State Park, Upstate New York

I just got back from a lovely few days with my mom and my sister in upstate New York where we rented a little cottage with a big fireplace and a jacuzzi. We had some time at the spa (gobbling lots of cheese and drinks here and there), found a great German restaurant one night, and went for a hike along the gorgeous rim trails of Watkins Glen State Park near the Finger Lakes.

I was fascinated and grossed out at the same time by the jelly fungi on the left (which I thought was a bunch of raisins at first) and amazed at the shock of color in these mushrooms although the detail from the photographs doesn't seem to translate here, sad times. Isn't it incredible what colors and forms nature can come up with?

It was really a beautiful place and I'm told that in the summertime, when the Gorge Trail is open (we hiked the rim trails since it was closed due to a lot of ice that is still melting), it actually looks like Rivendell where you can walk around the punchbowls and behind the waterfalls of the gorge thanks to all the man-made walkways and bridges of stone from when the park used to be a private resort in the Victorian era. We got just a glimpse and wish we could come back to see it in the brilliant greenery of summer:

 

I love living in the city but, for me, there is nothing like heading outdoors to some place that is a bit wild and miles from the sound of cars and  people to make me feel happy and refreshed. It's simple, free, and I don't know anything else that makes me feel as good as getting off my butt and on my feet in the woods!

P.S. rolling out my "Vintage Shop" embroidery pattern tomorrow since I've gotten way more intricate with the stitching than originally planned. I had been working towards getting it out today and was looking forward to it but I think the extra night of work on it is really going to be worth it and hope you'll agree!