From Ithaka to Ithaca

Tonight is our last night away from home...we've spent a few days exploring the New York Finger Lakes region...From the MacKenzie-Child's Studio in Aurora, home also to Wells College, to the sweet little village of Skaneateles (pronounced "skinny atlas")...the Cayuga Wine Trail where we visited wineries including the oldest winery in the area, Lucas Vineyards...We drove through the beautiful campuses of Cornell University and Ithaca College overlooking the city of Ithaca. We were surprised to learn that Ithaca is home to over 100 waterfalls and we set out to find a few of them. The city's slogan is "Ithaca is Gorges" and our view from Cornell down through the gorge to the lake in the distance was spectacular! We walked across the gorge on a pedestrian suspension bridge. It was breathtaking...

Our stay was highlighted by the wonderful bed and breakfast that we serendipitously found on "Google". Situated on Country Road 34 on the east side of the lake, there is an 80 year old apple orchard and picture perfect English gardens...Recently refurbished and opened by a lovely young couple, The John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant was such a rare treat. The host and hostess, their two beautiful sons and their pot belly pig named Prep made us feel so at home...John is a phenomenal chef...dinners were heavenly, but my favorite meal was his unique rendition of French toast. It is worth the trip to Ithaca just to stay at their inn.

...more to come once we get home and settled back to our wonderful life in Naples.

Chip Pix

Too many photos to just pick 3!

These are a few of my favorite pix of Chip! In the one where he is on the bike we were going to the P.O. to mail a package and he was on a business call.

We had a lot of quiet time along the way to read and I really like this photo of him...The t-shirt picture, well, I just couldn't resist adding it!

Last Stop...Winter Harbor

We made our way across Lake Oneida on water as smooth as glass...the last voyage for Ithaka in 2007...a much nicer ride than the day we left Naples 12 1/2 weeks ago where we had waves washing up over her bow. We were up before the sun and watched a glorious sunrise as the morning mist gave the horizon a muted tone...no hard edges today. Everything was silky.

The folks here at Winter Harbor in Brewerton New York are wonderful...we've spent the day completing the tasks necessary to get Ithaka ready for her Winter storage...The Summer went by quickly; I can hardly believe we are heading home in just a few days...too many memories to think about at once. When I look through all the photos I feel the need to pinch myself, "did I really do all that, see all those places, meet all those people ?" Once I get sometime to sort through all my emotions I know I will add a few more posts...a few more photos...

We rented a car and once she's out of the water, possibly as early as tomorrow morning, we are heading to Ithaca New York. We couldn't think of a better way to end our adventure but to spend it in another Ithaca...where else would we have gone? ..and so, Ithaka stops here in Winter Harbor, but our journey of "discovering Ithaka" goes on and on...

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." ~Dr. Seuss

I'll be brief...

We are laying low in Sylvan Beach New York...counting the days till we go home...Our internet connection is poor, so I may have to wait until we get to Brewerton, our last stop of the Summer, before adding additonal posts and pix.

We are cleaning the boat-stem to stern, shipping stuff home (we bought coffee table books at each beautiful spot we stopped) and trying to eat all the food in the 'fridge! (I'll diet next week).

Thank you to all who travelled along with us by reading our blog all Summer...we love and miss you all...your emails really helped keep us going.