It's October 12th, the "traditional" or real Columbus Day everyone and why I specifically waited to post on the actual holiday! Does anyone even remember anymore?
Columbus
Day Weekend is a favorite time of year of ours, especially when I would get a
few extra days off from my hectic teaching schedules.
Wherever I’ve taught, the school districts
have workshops for the staff before releasing us for a three or four-day break
from classes.
Normally
I don’t have a post for this weekend, because, well … I’m usually in workshops (but
this year I only have one). The good
thing however, is that I’ve planned ahead!
Although
this is a little different in my regular posts, I thought you might like to
know what types of things I’ve done when away from my regular duties. The descriptions may be brief, but it all
comes together with a purpose.
Thanks for joining us on Daily Favor Blog.
Driving
with Mr. Daily
I
suppose for most, Columbus Day Weekend was like any other long weekend, but not
for us. Anticipation began every year in
late September, as temperatures start cooling down. My husband regularly called upstate New York
to hear the changing leaves reports in the Adirondack Mountains and Catskills.
Hubby
kept up this daily ritual of calling for thirteen years, longing for the time
when he could actually visit these truly remarkable places he heard about from
the time we first met! It started after
I initially shared with him the details of my family holidays that we made back
“home” to NY, as my parents would say (both being from there).
“My son (daughter), do not forget My
teaching, but keep My commands in your heart, for they will prolong your
life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and
faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the
tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the
sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:1-4 NIV)
We
prayed, waited and continued in our faith. Finally, God opened the opportunity
for us to go; hubby couldn’t have been more elated! We made the decision to trek up to New York
and see the glory of the Lord through nature for ourselves. Packed and ready, with our traveling boots on
we headed to the Adirondack mountains.
You
might have thought we were about to take a world tour with all the food and
“stuff” we brought for the weekend adventure. This was a long time coming and
hubby wanted to be prepared. Believe me
– we were!
Peaceful
Villa
Traveling from Southern New Jersey, the
trip takes about six hours, but the drive in the fall season is worth every
minute of it. Heading northward you see varying stages of color changes
in the “Godscape” around you.
Nearing
the Lake George region, you are surrounded by the mountainous tree backdrop,
with the leaves at peak colors of bright orange, red, gold, green and brown. By the time you see the waterfront you have
to stop in awe of the magnificence of God’s creation.
Upon
arrival in Lake George District we check in to our weekend accommodations.
Hubby learned to make the reservations a year in advance, because Columbus weekend is always the prime time to view the fall foliage, and the village
usually closed down for the winter right afterwards.
Over
the years we stayed at different cottages, cabins or lodges until we found
favor at a place called Sun Castle Villas. It was on a private estate
that dated back into the 1800's, and the entry to the mansion house served as
the office.
Waking
up to the smells of hubby making breakfast in this warm and cozy chalet was so
relaxing for the soul, it revitalized me every time we went there. The favored cooking part my husband likes to do all
the time, but eating and sipping hot chocolate in front of ceiling to floor windows
overlooking the lake is something we don’t get to experience every day.
Our
rental chalet was a photographer’s and writer’s dream. Located right on the lakes edge it offered days
of peaceful quiet times, and a fantastic unobstructed view of the "Queen
of American Lakes".
A
Prayer for Christmas Snow
Among
a few of the “recreational” activities Hubby has fished right outside the front
porch from our villa on a little deck, and we have gone horseback riding in the
thick forests that surround the lake.
With
Lake George as our base, it is a good jump-off point for site-seeing in the
Adirondack Region. One of the things on my bucket list was to travel
further north to North Pole, NY and Santa's Workshop.
The
only thing that could make it more special is if it snowed while we were there,
but the weather had been exceptionally warm and there wasn’t one flake reported
for the season. Sounds ridiculous, but
would God hear a prayer for snow? Why
not?
“Delight
yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm
37:4)
Christmas
snow came early that year and God answered my prayer with a yes! The day we pulled into the parking lot at
Santa’s North Pole it started to snow!
The
staff at “the Pole” were ecstatic as the people poured in to the village. As a matter of fact, it snowed so hard that
the Forest Rangers closed off the road that led to the summit of White Face
Mountain.
A
Gem to Behold
We
visited Blue Lake Mountain and a Garnet mine. Actually, the mine tour was
closed for the day when we got there. We did, however, see how they go
about the mining process and view the end result of their labor - the gorgeous deep
dark red garnet gemstone.
Olympic
Size Travel
Before
we made plans for our yearly Lake George trips, we tried to include various
places we wanted to go and scheduled each appropriately so we could see as much
as possible. Sometimes that meant doing marathon driving to get to a certain
place and back to our villa by nightfall on the lake.
An
example of that was being able to visit the ski resort and Olympic Village of
Lake Placid which is also in the Adirondacks. The ski jump structure from the
1980 Olympics is still in place. Obviously it's been renovated for repairs.
Hubby always thought that it would be so
cool to go off the ski jump. After seeing this towering structure, he
changed his mind. It’s massive!
Ferrying
Along
A
day trip from Lake George that became an annual event for us was taking the seven-minute
Fort Ticonderoga cable ferry across Lake Champlain into the New England States.
The ferry had tables set up to sell cute little bags of fresh Vermont apples for
munching on while relaxing as we saw the shoreline drawing near.
From
there it was a short trip into a town where we visited apple and pumpkin farms
that sold their specially made Vermont maple syrup, cider, fudge, jams,
preserves and extra sharp cheddar cheese.
On
one particular trip Hubby participated in a taste test between Vermont and New
York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese. When they asked for his decision of
which state won, he didn’t have a favorite liking both selections but smiled and said, "Not sure
yet. You keep cuttin' and I'll keep testin'." Funny enough – they did!
If
you came to pick apples or your own pumpkins the festivities begin with a
hayride out into the fields and back. Along
the way you could stop off at the petting farm with turkeys that followed the
visitors, chickens, a donkey and a litter or two of piglets.
The
family that owned the farm were always so friendly and made our visit outrageously
enjoyable with all the activities and goodies they provided.
Shop
the Day Away
Making
a semi-circle from the ferry lead us back to Glens Falls just south of Lake
George and into the shopping districts, where we saw a mint conditioned candy
apple red Corvette belonging to someone visiting the area. It got to the point that we looked for it and
without fail she was there ten years in a row.
Shopping
was spread out over three areas for us. The Lake George Village Mall, the
quaint shops at Bolton's Landing and the more "citified" Aviation
Mall in Glens Falls.
Things have changed
over the years around Lake George. I guess now it is more of a year-round
resort, which sort of takes away from the heritage of it all (at least for me
anyway).
Oooo
… that’s it for now friends!
Have
you enjoyed reading about some of our weekend excursions from over the years? Come back next time for part 2 of "Waiting for
Favor Season".
I’d like to leave you with this
thought from the Lord … remain faithful then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man!
If this article has encouraged or helped you, please share it by using the social media icons provided at the end of this post.
Until next time, remain faithful and God will favor your heart's desire!
“I delight in favoring the prayers of the Righteous.”
- Jesus Christ
*Unless noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the
individual(s) privacy.
Note: When used, the words satan or devil are not capitalized
deliberately, because we give him no place in our lives.
Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as
treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual
awareness.
What’s New This Week: Click on link.
The Adirondacks Season by Season by Heilman Carl (Hardback/ color)
Maybe you don’t know the Living God that I
know, but would like to have this kind of favor in your life
also. Click on the above tab “Tell Me About Jesus” for more information
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Scripture reference was taken from the New King
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Image credit: Google Images Creative
Common License if not specified.
Image Columbus Day Genesis 1:31 North Pole NY and Santa
Workshop Olympic Village of Lake Placid Fort Ticonderoga Cable Ferry
Labels: Daily Favor Blog,
Favored1, Waiting on Favor Season Part 1, Holidays, Columbus Day Weekend,
Columbus Day, Seasons of Favor, Waiting on God, Steamboats, Lake George,
Adirondack Mountains, Horseback Riding, Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain,
Vermont, New York Regions, Lake Placid Olympics, North Pole New York Santa’s
Workshop.