• 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    Hiking Blue Ledges

    August 3, 2025 - By 

    Darby is now an almost 6 year old chocolate lab. She has been our wild mountain biking dog since 4 months old… sadly she’s got some arthritis issues that we’ve been working through – so biking is on the back burner (for now)…. Enter her HIKING era… This is our first hike since we started injections and I wanted to pick something pretty low key. Blue Ledges (aka: Blue Ledge on the Hudson) seemed to be the right choice, plus it’s one of the eligible hikes for the Indian Lake 4321 Way Challenge – and I love me a hiking…

  • birdhouse birdcam - birding

    BIRDCAM 2025: The First Visitors

    May 15, 2025 - By 

    BIRDS HAVE COME… and I am thrilled. And also, I have no clue how this camera app works. It has been a little over two months since we hung the bird house (March 11, 2025) … and I received the first “security alert” that there was movement in the birdhouse on May 11, 2025. And oddly enough, while playing in the app for a minute, trying to figure out how it worked – I noticed there was a security alert recorded back on April 21st – how I missed this – I do not know. So here is what has…

  • 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    Hiking to Rock Pond

    April 9, 2025 - By 

    Hike number three for today was Rock Pond. The longest hike, and also my favorite. The brochure for the 4-3-2-1 Way Challenge I had picked up showed this bridge on the cover and I wondered if we would be seeing this today, or if it would be a search that would end with me having done all of the hikes listed as part of the challenge just to find this wooden bridge. This hike was originally completed on 7/11/2017. Hike Report Needless to say… we found the bridge here at Rock Pond. Trip Stats Rating On a scale of 1-10,…

  • 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    Grassy Pond

    April 9, 2025 - By 

    Next up on our day of easy hikes for the 4-3-2-1 Way Challenge was Grassy Pond. This one was just a little bit longer than the last. Hike Report After completing Deathbrook Falls, we headed just a short way down Route 28 to the trailhead for Grassy Pond. Here we found another easy trail with some minor elevation and a beautiful pond destination. This trail was a bit muddy in spots, but overall was a great hike. Trip Stats Rating I would give this a 6 out of 10. While it was an easy hike, the views of the pond…

  • 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    Deathbrook (AKA Secret) Falls

    April 9, 2025 - By 

    This is one of my new favorite places! So peaceful, so beautiful, so nature. This hike was originally completed on 7/11/2017. Hike Report Today our plan is to complete the four “easy” rated hikes I need for the 4-3-2-1 Way Challenge. Yesterday, we did hike Buttermilk Falls, which is one of the eligible easy hikes, but in an effort to do as much hiking as possible while I have someone to do it with, I will take all the hikes I am able to squeeze into one day. First up on our list, was Deathbrook Falls. It is also known…

  • 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    Buttermilk Falls

    April 8, 2025 - By 

    If you are looking for a “non-hike, hike” then this is the one for you. In total, this clocked in a 0.2 miles total (and that was walking back and forth to see the falls from multiple angels.) Hike Report This hike was originally completed on July 10, 2017. We made a stop at Buttermilk falls as my first check off for the Indian Lake 4-3-2-1 Way Challenge. What a way to start. The falls were roaring! We spent about a half hour just sitting and listening to falls, and it was so peaceful. Not in peak season, this would…

  • 4 3 2 1 Way Challenge - hiking

    The 4-3-2-1 Way Hiking Challenge

    April 6, 2025 - By 

    I came across this hiking challenge back in 2017 and figured it would be a breeze to complete seeing as it only consisted of 10 hikes total. Enter life… and now 8 years have passed. I’m close… but still not quite finished with this challenge. Read more about the challenge requirements here. The challenge requires the completion of 4 easy rated hikes, 3 moderate rated hikes, 2 difficult rated hikes and either Snowy Mountain or Blue Mountain. When I originally started this challenge back in 2017, I had all the easy hikes marked off in one day. And then when…

  • birdhouse birdcam - birding

    Tris Home Birdhouse with Camera – 2025 Setup

    March 11, 2025 - By 

    For my birthday last September, my in-laws gifted me this birdhouse with an inside camera allowing you to watch what happens inside. I WAS SO EXCITED to put this out… and today was the day! You may be wondering why I waited until now (March) to put this up, seeing as I received it in September… Not sure I can really explain that… other than putting it out for the winter seemed like a waste? I wasn’t sure how the camera would react with the cold and if birds would even use the house in the winter. – clearly I…