A Walk to Moose Pond

On Sunday Caitlin, Conor and I decided to take a little drive.  I wanted to take some mountain pictures so I could replace the Christmas picture on the blog.  We had a limited amount of time because Caitlin had clothes in the dryer at the laundromat.  I headed toward Bloomingdale, when Caitlin suggested going to Moose Pond.  Upon driving toward the pond, we found that it is only possible to drive partway down the road during the winter, but Caitlin assured me it was only a short walk from where we were parked to the pond.   Silly me, I believed her.  You must understand that I do not do a lot of walking, it's just not a part of my daily routine. Although I keep making resolutions to walk,  I'm not very good at keeping those resolutions.  

Anyway, we set off on the path and started walking, only to discover that Caitlin was wrong about the length of the walk to the pond.  As we were walking my mind was going a mile a minute thinking we should turn back, Caitlin has laundry in the dryer, I left my purse on the front seat of the car, this is farther than I thought it would be, we need to get back to meet Travis, and so on and so on.  This is a problem that I have-not living in the moment.  I don't think I am alone with this problem.  So I told the rolodex in my brain to stop spinning, and began to  relax and appreciate all that I was surrounded by, not just the woods, but my lovely children as well.   After all, how often do I get to go for a walk in the mountains with two of my children on a beautiful sunny day? Here are Caitlin and Conor, blazing the trail. 

Look at that pretty blue sky.

We made it to the lake.  It was at least a mile walk, which I realize is not really that far, but I was proud of me for doing it, especially when there was a mile walk back to the car.  This is Conor, fulfilling one of his lifelong ambitions, to walk on a frozen lake.

I was sure that he was going to fall through the ice, but he didn't. and he was very happy to go out to the middle and take the picture of the mountain I had wanted.  I kept wondering if the handknit scarf I was wearing would be strong enough to help pull him out if he fell through the ice.

Conor left proof for the next intrepid hiker that he had been on the lake.

This is as far as I ventured from shore.

Caitlin  did some snow art also.  This is a drawing of her cat Sterling, and a drawing of Conor saying I am soooo right.  I think there might be a little sibling stuff going on here.  

Here I am,  with proof that I was, indeed, at Moose Pond on a snowy day in February.

We saw this lichen covered log on the walk back to the car.  I think this would make a pretty colorway if it is possible to produce a dye the color of the silvery grey lichen.

When we arrived back at the car my purse was still there, Caitlin's laundry was still in the dryer at the laundromat, and we made it back to Saranac Lake in plenty of time to meet Travis for dinner, so all my worries were for nought.  I have to keep practicing the not worrying. Life is too short, and I really do know that worrying does not change anything.  I am happy that I was able to relax and enjoy a beautiful day in the Adirondacks with two of my darling children.