Our Sweet Joli

We lost our dear Joli this morning. Please look at Ed's blog, Upstate Outpost, to read more about the sweetest companion anyone could ever wish for. She filled our lives with light, humor and mystery. She was a brilliant student and patient teacher. Supplied kindling. Made the yard safe from cats and squirrels. Tamed little children and big dogs. Last week she finally got to do what she had been itching to do for years: minutely explore our neighbors' cellar. She joins Gyp and Sallie in the pantheon of best dogs.

Rap-Shaw: One Hole, Par One

Rap-Shaw: Huge Project

Rap-Shaw: Flag Over the Channel

Joli at Rap-Shaw in July

Rap-Shaw: Dogs Just Wanna Go Fish

Rap-Shaw: Diane's Gift

Sky Over Stillwater

High Peaks in the Whites

Treeless Mt. Washington, looking east from Mt. Tom. Washington is in the clouds more time than not. This break lasted 3 or 4 hours. 

North and South Hancock, looking south from Mt. Tom.

Mt. Washington was my first peak in the Whites, with a camp group when I was 12 or 13. 

I had already been up it in the car with my parents. We stayed on top in the hotel, now long gone. 

More recently I went up it in winter in a snow cat with a group for an overnight at the Observatory, a wonderful experience with some education thrown in.

There are 48 peaks officially over 4000' in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I readily admit to being a peak bagger. On this trip I hiked up my numbers 32. Mt. Waumbek, 33. Mt. Tom, and 34. Cannon Mountain, over 6 days. I am feeling pretty happy about that, and wishing I had done them all when I was a lot younger.

Remaining? Carrigain, Willey, Isolation, Wildcat, Wildcat D, Carters Dome, Middle and and South, Moriah, Osceola, Tripyramids North and Middle, Cabot, and Owl's Head.

Yep. I left some doozies till last.

Somebody just recently asked me why I would hike up Cannon when I could go up in the aerial tramway.  

New Hampshire Natives

Bear, Cubs and Surprises

Mama Bear and twin cubs tore across the road in front of me and dove into the brush, down an incline and into the boggy end of a pond. 

I stopped and looked to see if I could see them. Yes, there they were, looking back at me.

Other people who stopped thought they had seen three cubs. Yes, across the road was the third cub, in distress to be separated from the family.

As I hastily retreated to the car, up flew Mama, back across the road to retrieve this slow third child.

They regrouped and flew back across the road to rejoin the other two cubs. 

Triplets! And yep, there I had been a moment earlier, standing directly between a Mama bear and her cub. 

Clouds Building Below Crawford Notch NH

Shapleigh Bunkhouse in Crawford Notch NH

Crawford Notch NH

The weather in the White Mountains is changeable and can be very fierce. The weather this week turned out to be perfect...sun, some warmth, a little rain to cool things off, amazing sunrises and sunsets. This is sunset behind Highland Center at Crawford Notch. I stayed in Shapleigh Studio, a former artist's studio made into a 16 bed bunkhouse, very reasonably priced and comfortable. Shapleigh is on the right.

Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods NH

Always a stunning sight, this historic hotel remains an icon in the near view close to the western flank of Mt. Washington in the White Mountains of NH. I come here for the hiking.

Google it for some interesting history.

Our Garden in July

Love Me: Heart

Found here and there on the near east side, pasted to utility poles. The city took several down; others remain and weather. I like them.

Men's Garden Club of Syracuse

The Men's Garden Club plants and maintains the flower beds around the main building inside the zoo every year. The plantings are looking really good as always!  Thanks!  

Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Romani and Karina

The zoo has built a huge yard for the elephant group, and now we are seeing behaviors in the elephants that we could only imagine when they were in the old yard.

Here Romani and her daughter Karina are walking shoulder to shoulder, and they kept this up for several minutes, peacefully taking a stroll. They seem so ... dare I anthropomorphize? ... happy!

Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Red-tailed Hawk

Our common Red-tailed. The zoo puts on a terrific bird show every day.

Rosamond Gifford Zoo