A festival I didn’t want to miss! I’ve been looking for local honey, it’s around here, but my timing and sense of direction seem to consistently miss it. So happy to visit this one in NJ.
There were lots of local veggies and SO many honey choices, it was a challenge to only take one.
A favorite way to buy fresh garlic 😋
The squash were so unique, they would be great for decor!
Living in the Poconos, you’d think it would be pretty easy to try a one night backpack trip in the nearby woods, something I keep wanting to try. So when my neighbor Eric invited me to camp in his backyard for a night (aka “glamping”), of course I said yes!
He got a couple of steaks, I roasted some veggies, and he cooked the steaks over a campfire. After a delicious dinner, he doused that fire, and we started a second one close to our tents, where we drank a little wine, meditated, drummed and relaxed.
So, before sleep, we each went to our houses for a bathroom break. I returned to the backyard first, sitting next to the fire. Eric came outside and saw a bear. The bear was headed to the backyard where I was sitting! 😵💫
I was quite unaware, and he called my cell, so he could warn me – after hearing his warning, I looked up and said “OH, it’s a BEAR!” About 70’ away! So I said, “hey bear” and with that the bear decided humans are going to be annoying, he turned around and left. Hard to believe I still went to sleep shortly after. 🤷🏽♀️
Trying to fall asleep was a challenge, because Chuckie (a neighborhood cat) was SO happy we were outside with him. He kept trying to climb into each of our tents. (In the morning , he did end up jumping onto Eric’s head THROUGH the tent. Quite a feat!)
At one point, we heard something, looked out toward the woods across the road, and saw LOTS of eyes reflected in the light! It was thankfully, only a bunch of deer laying down. Later, we also heard a couple times, a very low growl. I know it wasn’t Chuckie, he fell asleep laying on my tent, and purred loudly for most of the night. (slightly smelling of skunk due to him probably rolling in skunk-scented grass earlier). Wonder what the growl was from? That will remain a mystery. At least it didn’t keep me awake for long. 😴
And there you have it – one night of outdoor sleeping in the Poconos. No need to go to the woods, nature is everywhere, even across the street!
Hi! Sorry I’ve been quiet for so long, my favorite pastimes of hiking and sketching somehow went lower on my priority list lately. It’s a process, making a home fit just “so”.
But I did get out for a couple of easier local hikes, and even got some sketching done!
A month ago, I was SO determined to get a sketch in, that I didn’t let a little (downpour!) rain stop me! Hah! Needless to say, any sketches ended up being indecipherable scribbles. 😂
Recently I was able to return to Dingmans Falls when it wasn’t raining and found this lovely tree next to a stream with velvety moss on its roots. 
And yesterday, returned to a trail first tried last year. Named Tumbling Waters, it’s on PEEC property, about 3 to 4 miles long, depending if you take the side trail/ steps to the gorgeous falls. (Which we did, of course!)
Hiking with a friend who happens to be a neighbor, who also likes to stop and sketch really enriches the entire experience.
For these, I used a dark wash Derwent pencil, and a small waterbrush to create shadows. This allowed me to get simple with shapes and values. 
And that’s it for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed your summer, in spite of rain or heat or mosquitoes! Fall is just around the corner with crisp cool (bug free) days. 🍁 🍂
If so, you might enjoy these blue irises that recently finished blooming. Even though it didn’t seem likely, I couldn’t stop trying to capture their unique loveliness with my pen and paint. They’re gone now, but should return again and again, for us to see their rich intense beauty.
This one, the “messiest”, which I drew using the flower’s shadows, just happens to be my favorite.
Do you have a favorite?
“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot prevent spring from coming.” – Pablo Neruda
Marking another trip around the sun and celebrating spring, I tried a new hike, Brink Rd Access Loop near Newton, NJ. It was easy to follow, with great views from the ridge portion. I only saw 2 other hikers, and got to see 2 fluffy white tail deer.
There were plenty of vignettes to sketch, so I took lots of photos, and these small images were a result of quick lines and color to reflect what I most enjoyed here. I hope you enjoy them too.
Appalachian trail (AT) shelter
On what was supposed to be my last day in Texas, we drove the 2 hours to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to do what might be the most challenging hike of the week.
We did the Devil’s Hall trail, nearly 5 miles, with an elevation of 6,400’. Guadalupe Mountain (adjacent) is the highest point in Texas, at 8,751’.
The trail started off relatively easy, then switched to a wash, where we scrambled over large boulders, until reaching near the end. I decided not to attempt the final scramble around a tree, crossing over rocks in a stair formation. It probably wasn’t that difficult, but I was near the end of my energy, and we still had to go back over all those boulders, which grew larger in my mind as we returned. We had a bit of a challenge when we missed a trail turn on our return. I track my hikes with Alltrails, and the result where we walked around looking for the correct path looked like an Etch-a-Sketch drawing! 😆
El Capitan at Guadalupe Mountain Nat’l Park – what you see as you approach the park
Devils Hall trail sketched on site
Another Devils Hall trail sketched on site
Near the end of Devil’s Hall trail ( where I decided to stop!)
After our hikes, I was glad that I had prepped for the higher elevations by doing longer hikes with additional weight in my pack at home. I had no problem with altitude sickness, and our hikes were under 5 miles each, so not too challenging.
The next morning, at 3 am (!) my flight was delayed, so I had an extra day in El Paso. We spent it around the city, and enjoyed a delicious birthday lunch with Eric and his sister. So a days delay return to home turned out to be a lovely celebration. 🥰
After the Organ mountains, the next day we tried Franklin mountains, somewhat lower in elevation but with enough drama and wind to keep the 3+ mile hike interesting. This state park is within the city limits of El Paso. 
This view shows the layers of rocks, made over millions of years, visible from a nearby visitor center. 
The drama is created by the rugged landscape with craggy rocks, in sandy desert colors against a pure cobalt blue sky. 
We (well, I 🙃) wanted to see the Aztec caves, but it was a bit much after our hike, so I did get a few photos of it to sketch.
Aztec Caves
I hope you’re able to view this video showing the wind that day!
(Be sure to listen for the genuine Texas Yeeehawww! 🤠)
Just click on this link: Franklin Mtn wind
A recent trip to El Paso, Texas, allowed me to temporarily escape the final blasts of our northeast winter. This is where Eric, a dear friend and neighbor, spends his winters. He grew up there, and was a great tour guide and generous host. I got to see landmarks and history and there was so much to learn. The sketches so far are from the places we went hiking.
Coming from NE Pennsylvania (elev= 900’) I was concerned about altitude adjustment. (El Paso elev = 3,760’) So before leaving, I went on slightly longer hikes and even added a few pounds to my pack. That seemed to do the trick, and there were no issues with altitude.
Our first hike was in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, NM, just over the border.
An online description: The Organ Mountains are a steep, angular mountain range with rocky spires that jut majestically above the Chihuahuan Desert floor. They range from 4,600 to just over 9,000 feet, and are so named because of the steep, needle-like spires that resemble the pipes of an organ.
Coming from the Poconos, the first views of these were awe inspiring.
We did a 3+ mile hike on the La Cueva trail, a great introduction, with deep blue skies and a cave to explore. Stopping to sketch made the hike take longer, but I could’ve spent all day here!
La Cueva/ The Cave
Starting off the year in High Point State Park with a new (to me) trail – Monument Trail loop, 4 miles. I did this clockwise, but recommend going counter clockwise. Sunshine and cool temps made for an easy enough trek. So easy, that it seems it will be busy on weekends, so a return here will be a weekday. I didn’t stop to sketch, but used my photos for these.
Nice stonework at the entrance
I just adore trees with unique shapes!
Have you lost a glove?
View of leafless tree looking over the lake