Vacation Highlights

Mr. Happy and I took a recent vacation to a large 1800's Victorian bed and breakfast.  We're talking no TV, no radio, amazing food, and lots to do outside.

It's over a week later and I am still managing to hold on to that deeply relaxed and rejuvenated feeling!

Here are the highlights:

View from the balcony.  Took my breath away especially when the sun was coming up over the water in the morning.  Sleeping in held no value when there was such a beautiful world right out the window!

View of the Mohonk House from one of the high hiking trails.  (Looks like the hotel from "The Shining" doesn't it?  And the movie "Road to Wellville" starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Broderick was taped here in 1994)

This fire tower was the reward for one of the steeper hikes!  It was even more of a surprise to learn we could climb the interior stairs to the top and see all around!

View from the lake while on a row boat.

The fall setting made the already amazing views and scenery that much more seasonal!

Did a lot of kicking up my feet and taking it all in!

Ok, so this technically wasn't our honeymoon (we technically haven't had one yet), but I told the wait staff this was sort of our honeymoon and that I wanted to surprise Mr. Happy with a little something special.  They came out with candles on our dessert and sang us happy honeymoon!

All of the food was so delicious and this was the perfect sweet way to end our relaxing get away!

Tomorrow I will show you the greenhouse that we toured and all the divine plants and flowers we took in!

Life Hath No Limits

When Mr. Toast gave out the latest Creative Tuesday assignment of "Limits" I cringed.

My brain flung from speed limits to social limits to family limits to physical limits....  you can see how dreadful this was going.  It felt like a mini-battle in my head.

I scratched the topic on my "to do" list for several days and everytime I referenced it I immediately thought of life and how you are only as limited in your life or your life choices as you choose to make yourself. 

What I mean is that You create the majority of those limits on yourself. 

Wouldn't it be interesting if you could free yourself from those self imposed limits?  --Wouldn't things be grand!

Well, that is what I was trying to interpret here in my art piece.  What if I could create a piece of art where I even took the art limits off myself? 

• Roads don't have to be black with yellow lines and go straight.
• The sky doesn't have to be a certain color. 
• A pack of bikes can roam free without riders. 
• A pyramid can wear high heels. 
• Mountains can have holes with big ladders leading up to them. 
• You can color outside the lines.  After all, lines are self imposed restrictions or limits... you follow?

Here is my sketch:

 

The more I look at this.. I think I am the little rabbit trying to navigate the life with no limits.

 

 

Here is how the piece finished out in color.  I'm excited and relieved and happy with the results!

 

I felt free afterwards.  Like I'm no longer trying to hold myself back. 

 

 

A closer look at the riderless bike pack.

 

 

Holey mountains.  Rope bridges from hole to hole.  Unplugged lights that shine.  Walking pyramids with ruby red high heels on.  Just click them together three times and wish you were home!

 

 

Kites with no kite masters.  Sigh, it's a beautiful thing!  Strange and yet so wonderful!

 

 

How will you try to remove some of your own limitations? 

Whose to say that you can't switch careers mid life and pursue your passion.  Whose to say that you can't do something like play the piano even if you haven't got two hands. 

Whose to say? 

Sometimes our biggest fights are with ourselves.

Let yourself be free!

Happy Spot Hump Day: Top of Slide Mountain

Climbing and finally reaching the top of Slide Mountain = happiness!
(making it back to the car was pretty cool too!)

As we bounced up the mountain we were surrounded by leafy trees and low brush as we walked up the loose stone trail. The trail had quite a bit of mountain water flowing over it. Walking along the trail sounded something like "splosh, splash, plop. splosh, splash, plop."

We passed a DEC ranger on the way up which lead me to day dream a bit on how he had the coolest job ever! He even had a fantastic, rugged, boy scout looking uniform with colorful patches and a professional looking ruck sack!

As we neared the top we started to see the sky (see yesterday's post)! That was an odd relief. It was only 2 1/2 miles of hiking to the top, but I think we went up 2500 feet which complicated matters and maybe made it feel longer? Or I am just a bit out of shape? Of course I could blame it on the water and loose stone we were walking on, right?

The top was fantastic! It did smell a bit like an incense stick, but it had a great open space with a large rocky cliff that made for a great picnic area. Spicy grilled chicken sandwiches and chex mix really hit the spot!

I have been hiking for as long as I can remember. Mr Happy and I even shared an 18 or 20 mile hike as our first date! But I'm stumped to think of another hike that gave me more satisfaction about reaching the top of a mountain. It sounds cheesy, but it was exhilarating to know I conquered that mountain! Who's ready to do it again?

Trees and Sky

Knowing you are near the top of the mountain because you can start to see the sky = happiness!

Climbing Slide Mountain was one heck of a climb. We sloshed through water, mud, and loose stone all the way to the top while at a steady angle almost like this / Honest it was steep! My legs were burning and their was no end in sight until we started to see the beautiful blue sky! What a relief!

I'll show you what the top looked like tomorrow!

Hump Day Happy Spot

Closing your eyes and picturing a glorious sunset or sunrise unfolding in the sky before you = happiness!

It's Wednesday and time to think about your happy spot. Today my happy spot is Hessian Lake at a local State Park. I was there this past Friday for a great fireworks display. We got there in time to see the sun setting over the mountain and lake. Beautiful!! Go ahead work... just try and stress me out. It won't happen this week as I think about amazing sunsets I have seen.

One amazing sunset that is coming to mind is from my trip to Aruba last fall... you want to talk about AMAZING sunsets... they were absolutely breath taking. Strong pinks and red and oranges; dancing around the sky until the moment when the sun hit the water. *Sigh* Nope, just thinking about it melts the stress right out of my shoulders!

Where's your happy spot?

Happy Spot Hump Day

Closing my eyes and seeing one of my many happy spots in the middle of a meeting = happiness!

This was taken on a scenic viewing point along on the roads I travel frequently. A very lush and green view on to the Hudson river. And just look how darn cool those clouds looked!!

Ahh.... I am happier already just thinking about standing there!

Happy Spot Hump Day

Picturing your happy spot no matter what life throws at you = happiness!

This is a great spot that I go to in my mind... often (after going in person once)! The part I liked best was the quiet. Yes, I could hear the occasional lapping of a wave on the rocks or a bird overhead, but reality seemed so far away when I was sitting out on those rocks fishing or taking in some sun!

Where's your happy spot?

On a side note, I think I will have to start this as a weekly thing... let's do Happy Spot Hump Days!! Stay tuned in for next weeks!

Dwarf Pines

Enjoying dwarf pines up close and personal on a sunny day = happiness!

This is another picture from my hike a few weekends ago to Sam's Point Preserve which is home to the rare dwarf pine. It's really something to be on top of a mountain surrounded by tree that make me feel tall!