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Showing posts from October 5, 2014

Coping With the Death of a Pet:

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The Rainbow Bridge:  Norse Legends, Lost Pets and Natural Parks When our family dog, Ella, had a stroke she didn't magically disappear and reappear a few weeks later as a puppy. She died on a sidewalk at 8 pm during a busy weekend in Ocean Beach, Fire Island. There was no way to cover up that she had passed on. She did so right in front of my son. It was horrible and uplifting all in the same moment. My husband and I had to make quick decisions because the vet was off island and we had to bury her in my mother-in-law's yard that night. The police grabbed table clothes from nearby restaurants and got a trolley to wheel our dog to our house. My children and I followed behind while people shielded their own children from the site of our beloved Ella. My children were beside us when we wrapped her in the cloth and put her in the ground. My children got flowers from the neighbors and we walked to the beach and threw flowers into the ocean waves lighted by a full moon.

Easy Adirondack Hikes: Silver Lake Mountain (Silver Lake, Au Sable Forks NY)

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Silver Lake Mountain Ascent = 900’ Distance = 0.9 mile We were all getting a bit antsy and looking for something to do before a trip to Plattsburgh. We wanted a quick, easy climb with a beautiful view. Well, that isn’t too much to ask for, is it? Not in the Adirondacks! With the same ascent (900’) and distance (0.9 mile) as Saranac Lake’s own Baker Mountain, Silver Lake Mountain is certainly a family-friendly option. Located in the Taylor Pond Wild Forest, the trailhead to Silver Lake Mountain, as outlined in my second Adirondack Family Activities™ guidebook, Adirondack Family Time™: Champlain Valley from Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities ) is easy enough to find. We plan on making this a quick jaunt as my kids are old enough to make fast work of these smaller hikes.