Walnut Mountain ~ Liberty NY

Monday's Hike Started here.

Hey! I can see my house from up here! ( Not really.)


The climb up Walnut Mountain is easy. I would have to say ridiculously easy. It requires no huffing and puffing, and no scrambling over boulders--just nice well-maintained paths and a gentle grade. Since the mountain is shaped like a walnut, you can wander around on top for quite awhile.


Hey! I can see Swan Lake from here!


Long ago there was a lookout tower up here someplace. I found some old ruins and foundations ~ not much left of them, you really had to look to find them. They were behind these boulders.


There were many trails, well marked.

Trails and Toys

We wanted to check out the rail trail in Parksville NY yesterday and saw that what appeared to be a bypass was being worked on.


The rail trail system is becoming popular.


The trail was gravel at first but gave way to some terrifically muddy spots. It was a another warm day (a shorts and sleeveless day) but I wear a t shirt , long hiking pants and boots. (thanks to modern technology we have lightweight boots and these light miracle fabrics = no sweat.) but this trail was wet and overgrown.


here you can see the trail becomes a little bit of bridge above this creek.


The nearest landmark for the trail is Litwin's Drug Store on Main Street. A beautiful building, with a carved mortar and pestle design on top, obviously built for a pharmacist. Who knows how much longer the building will be there?


We gave up on the muddy trail after a short time and decided to go and hike up nearby Walnut Mountain instead (photos tomorrow.) We followed it for less than half a mile.


Toys were a summer promise at all the little stores.



Litwin's had a toy department in the back, with a little neon sign above it... TOYS... Since kids got plenty of picnic foods and sweets all summer, toys were the big deal items to plead for, hope for, wish for.


Toys advertised again... and hardware. I like the grocery store a lot. The couple and baby walked up as I was taking pictures and walked right into the frame and stopped. So I snapped them. The baby was checking everything out with great interest.

Callicoon NY Canoe Regatta ( 11th Annual )

Getting ready for the regatta.


A beautiful day ... I'll post more Callicoon photos throughout the week.


Modern kayaks are descendants of Inuit canoes and are very popular in the Catskills and Hudson River Valley Region. They were raffling off a nice kayak, but I forgot to go back and buy some tickets.


The beautiful Delaware River


I forget what the good cause was, but they raised a lot of money for it, which is the main thing. Getting out and doing something fun for a good cause.


Canoeists who live along the Pennsylvania shore came down to the river from their back gardens and joined in.


The Sullivan County Democrat canoe is in the crowd.

Stormy Haverstraw NY

I enjoy walking around the Village of Haverstraw, but especially love the river views and Emeline Park. It's a very small park within walking distance of two marinas.

I was trying to get a snap of lightening, but missed it every time.

For the past few weeks it's been puddles and mud.


a little herb garden behind an Italian restaurant next to Emeline Park... and a few ducks.


View from First Street, where I'm standing in the rain.


These steps lead from the park to First Street.


Many architectural gems in Haverstraw.






Barn door






Thunderstorms all week...

Congers Lake ~

Minutes before I shot this video, a lone cormorant was standing in this spot. When he flew off, I approached the shoreline. Seconds after I shot the video two white herons performed a quick aerial ballet. This lake is a bird lover's paradise.

And The Rains Keep Coming

A few hours at Congers Lake Park is a real treat.


In between thunderstorms we walked for a few hours at Congers Lake Park. The sun was busy trying to dry things out.







The park is dedicated to children who died nearby, in the worst school bus accident in the history of New York State. It was over 30 years ago, and the crash led to all sorts of new rules for bus safety and bus drivers.

The park is any kids dream, no matter what age you are. There's a great skateboard park ... and great wide smooth paved trails for those who are confined to wheel chairs.

Besides roller hockey games, birthday parties are held at the park, and they include 1 hour on the roller rink.


This is a park for everyone.





Some teens had the same idea we did ~ to get some good old Vitamin D before it started storming again. Sure enough, by the time we got home, it was hailing, and after the hail came another thunderstorm.

Rain Rain Rain & Rain, Plus Rain.

This week was very rainy, but my friend Nora and I managed to enjoy a 179 acre park just around the corner from her house. Owned in the early 1900s by the well-known movie producer Adolph Zukor, this park in New City offers a fitness trail, hiking trails, horseback riding, a horse corral, nature study, soccer, and cross-country skiing.

I had never heard of a rain garden, but have planted things like this in times of drought. I'd never thought about using the technique in flood prone areas.


The reason we walked over to the park was this bit of blue sky. We figured we might have an hour of sun to frolic in.


Sunshine!

To see a great map of the park click here!


We started off jogging, but there were slippy muddy patches, so we walked.


It's a lovely trail, very well marked and maintained, and there are optional exercise stations (the exercises are easy, so it's fun.) We did the ten jumping jacks but it began to thunder. We opted to stay on the trail and just get wet. Of course we were thoroughly drenched. (It was worth it, but note to self: buy rain togs for hiking!)


Although Rockland County is New York's smallest county, it is just loaded with all types of parkland. Kennedy Dells and Monsey Glen are two places that are gems, and most people don't even know about these two lovely wooded parks.



Wildlife is plentiful in these parks, so it isn't hard to spot Deer, Rabbits, Raccoon, Squirrel, Groundhog, Chipmunk, Hawks... you may also see or hear or smell Skunk, Woodpeckers, Crows, Thrush, Warblers, Vireo, Pigeon, Doves, Canada Geese, Woodcock, Mallard Duck, Fox, Owls, Porcupine & Beaver.

A pretty place, with pretty trails, sports fields, and a working farm uses one area for crops. Plans for the future at Kennedy Dells includes an arboretum, more gardens, and more guided hiking trails.

A wonderful place to picnic and spend time with friends~ Check it out the next time you're passing through Rockland County.