Another day trip to a Pennsylvania State Park

 On Thursday we took another day trip to a Pennsylvania  State Park.  Today we are traveling to the Poconos.

Of course there always seems to be a large vehicle in front of you when you want to take a picture. It being a week day, there is always heavy traffic. Mostly tons of trucks and now school buses.

Well, the ride was pretty going through the mountains, just had to overlook the traffic. Coming and going.!!!

We saw some mountains that had been drilled out and they produced these lines in the rocks. It was kinda' neat to see them.

Everyone once in a while we would get a clear shot of the mountains,but it had some haze over it.

As we were getting closer to our destination things were clearing up a bit. Both traffic wise and weather wise.

The ride was getting pretty with all the trees. We are more into the mountains now.

We finally got to our destination.  Lake Wallenpaupack, in Hawley, Pennsylvania.  Last November my husband and I spent the week here. I have a post that I had put on about it.  Today was just the day trip. But the reason we came on the 3 hour ride was to visit and have lunch with a wonderful couple that we had met there the last time we were there.  We met them at the motel where we were staying. They live only about 20 minutes from the motel. But they were in the middle of renovating their home. Jim told Sheree to take a few days away from all the mess and destruction and stay at the motel. And that is how we met Jim and Sheree!  The four of us hit it off right from the start. We e-mailed off and on since November.  Knowing that we would be at our daughter's this week, I asked if they could meet us at a restaurant there that we ate at a few times. They could and it turned out to be a beautiful get together and afternoon.

Our waitress graciously took our picture. Jim and Sheere in the back, my husband and I in the front.
The restaurant was overlooking the lake.  It was very active that day with all the boats and jet skis,etc. Not like in November when we were there last.

We had a nice lunch with them. And than Jim asked us if we would like to go to get a cup of coffee at the Cocoon Coffee house down the road, before we had to part our ways.
Of course we said yes, as we wanted to extend the time together.

    

 I was excited when we pulled up to this building. We had passed it many times when we were there in November. But did not know what it was. We just liked the oldness of the building.  It used to be an old Silk Mill, many many years ago.  They would keep the worms in the small building and than use the cocoons to make silk.  They have since made the smaller building into a coffee shop. The insides are the same, just cleaned up . And what a nice place to spend some quiet time with a cup of fresh brewed coffee and a pastry or muffin. They also served light salads.  But since we had eaten lunch we just enjoyed the coffee and sat around and talked. Getting to know each other more.

The building behind the coffee house is where they made the silk.  Now used for college classes, and some speciality shops. We did not have the time to go inside on this visit, but maybe on another visit there.

So glad they kept this building intact and used it in today's world without destroying it .  Hopefully we will get a chance to go inside the larger building at another time.

Time was getting away from us, so we had to make plans to head back.  But not first without stopping at the lake to take a few summer pictures.

 

We had to sadly say good bye to our new found friends. And we thanked them for treating us to lunch and taking us to the coffee house for a great cup of coffee. We left with many rounds of hugs and the promise to try to get together again in the near future.

 

 

 

Hope you have a chance soon to ~Take the Time~  and meet some new found friends.

Friends are the Spice and Sweetness in my life.

 

Hugs, Eileen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visit to a Pennsylvania Park.

  

 

 

 

   

  Summer is coming to an end, and everyone is winding down with last minute vacations, and getting ready for back to school. It can be a let down after the busy and hectic summer days.

                                 

 

 

                   
 Our daughter Jill and her family took their last vacation this week, and we, Nana and Pop Pop did house and granddogs and grandcat sitting for the week.  I wanted to get the girls pictures just before they left for their trip.

 

I think I tried to get too many pictures, when they finally reacted like this. Ugh, Nana ....no more pictures please!

 

 

They live near many beautiful parks, anywhere from about 20 minutes to a couple of hours.

So my husband and I decided to use some of our time there and visit some of the Parks. 

 

 

 

 

 

                     
We checked out the map and looked for a park that was not too far away. We came upon the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Pennsylvania.   The Park is located in the French Creek State Park.

 

 

 

                             
We came upon the Hopewell Furnace  , the community and iron plantation.   The plantation was built in 1771. It carries a lot of history with it. Visitors can visit the park for free.   You can walk around the grounds and look at all the buildings during the working of the Ironworks period of this Era.

 

We did not go into the settlement on this trip. But rode around on the outside grounds. It would be a good Fall trip to spend with the family one day.

 

 

We decided to ride around the park and see what else was offered there.

We came upon this beautiful lake at the end of the parking lot.

 

 

 

   As we got out of the van and walked over to the lake, we saw it was filled with beautiful pink water lilies.!!

 
What a beautiful sight this was.!  Just following  the roads and coming upon this lake with all this beauty growing there was amazing!

                                                                   
Being a State Park, they provided kayaks and canoes and small boats to use on the lake.

It was a perfect day to sit and enjoy the beauty of the lake and the sky reflections in the water.

 

 

 

 

                              
How nice it would be to be a duck and live on the lake. The water was so clear and it was so peaceful. Even the people that were there were quiet. Like no one wanted to break the quiet beauty.

                                                                     
Dragon Flies were flying around and alighting on the rocks in the water. How pretty is their blue coloring.

   
    A frog popped up out of the seaweed to say hi to us. We told him we loved his home.!!!

A crane was running on an little island across from us. I think he was trying to hide from the men .

                                                      
We decided after a while to drive around the area some more and see what else the park had to offer.
We said goodbye to the ducks and told them we would be back again some day.

 

     

    
We drove through the tree lined roads , looking for signs of something else to see. Just the riding through the park, was so pretty. Everything green and it was a sunny day. Bet this place is beautiful in the Fall with the colorful Fall leaves.!!!

After a short ride through the park, we saw a sign that said Swimming Pool.  Wow, what a swimming Pool it was.!!  It is right next to the lake. So while you are swimming in the pool you can overlook the lake and what is happening on it!!  How cool is that!???????!

The park also offers picnicking, camping and cabin rentals.

 

We had a beautiful day but had to get back home to the furry babies. Didn't want them to be by themselves for too long.

Hope you enjoy this visit with us to the French Creek State Park in Pennsylvania.  We will be visiting another park this week. Hope you can ~Take the Time~ to enjoy some of the Parks that your State has to offer.

Have a good upcoming weekend.!

Hugs, Eileen

"Live...Laugh...Love"

                  I have this sign hanging in my kitchen and it is one of my favorite sayings.
   Our granddaughter came to spend the night with us on Tuesday night. And we Loved, Laughed and
   Lived  the next day to the fullest.

                                                             

                 Neve is going into the Third grade this year. She had gone to meet her third grade teacher  
     on Tuesday evening. I was thinking that I would like to do something a little special when she
     came to our home afterwards to celebrate her going into the third grade.  Hmmmmm, what would
     be fun and something different. Got to thinking that  we use cakes for birthdays, weddings,
     anniversaries, etc.. Why not get one to celebrate going into the next grade.  So my husband and I
     went to the store and picked up this little  adorable decorated cake. I bought a #3 candle to put on it.

                                                            

 
            
                              I also bought some school supplies and a fancy bag to put them in.

                               She was so excited when she saw the cake with the lit #3 candle on it. 
           It just made it all worth it and was so glad that I came up with this idea to celebrate a  new step
    in her growing up  in life.

  
                    Of course she blew out the candle and was ready to eat it! We served vanilla ice cream with it. The cake was chocolate....what else would it be for a celebration!

                             
                                                   This was her first attempt at cutting a cake. :-)    LIVE

       
                                After eating the dessert, she opened her special gift bag.

          
                              This was one of her favorite things. A giant Minnie Mouse eraser.!!

                                                                                                          
                                      Mother and granddaughter  loved the special celebration.  And one I am thinking of continuing through the years.   LOVE

                                                                              

                                 After Kimberly left to go home, Neve wanted to watch Beauty and the Beast with Nana and Pop Pop.

                         Pop Pop wanted to make his little one comfortable , so he got her this pillow to put behind her back while she watched the movie.   What can I say?   LOVE

                 The next morning we decided to go to a State Park. One that we had taken our other granddaughters to at one time, and that I put on another post.

                   We stopped at this restaurant in Gettysburg, Pa. to get some lunch before heading to the park. The name of the restaurant is Dunlap's and has served  families delicious meals for many years.

                           
                           Neve's choice was a grilled cheese sandwich, applesauce, and pink lemonade to drink. Pop Pop ordered a meatloaf dinner, and I ordered a fried chicken dinner.  We decided to get ice cream later at our favorite ice cream store on our way home.

                 Some of the new replacement fences that are being put up on the  Gettysburg Battlefield .
  We passed many of these as we headed to the Caldonia State Park.  

                              
     When we reached the park, Pop Pop and Neve went over the bridge to go to the play ground. 

The mountain stream was so nice and clear. And provided wading for some of the childrend that were there.

Neve enjoyed the slides . Going up was only half the fun.

                                  She likes to do dramatic poses when she knows the camera is on her.  LAUGH

                
                                             Getting ready for the descend down the slide.

                                                                                                
                           Here she comes!!!  Still posing.  :-)

                                                                               

                              The slide does crazy static things to your hair.!!

                                                                             
                And that is the end of that round of slides. On to something else.

                 A great time on the playground. Spending the time together is so much fun.!!!   LIVE

                       
                 Our last stop for the day was at a discount store called  Ollie's . 
Where you can find so many neat things at discount.  Neve wanted to get a little shopping in before we went home. Typical girlie thing to do. Don't know if you can see the gray bag behind her back as she is going in.  She had $4.00 in quarters that were burning a hole in her pocket. She put them in a small gray plastic bag to take in the store.  LAUGH 

                                                                             
She was so excited with her purchase. She bought the first thing she saw. She has four dogs and always thinks of them. This purchase was originally $10.00 on discount, but they had another sale on it and she got it for $2.49!  Pop Pop said she was so happy and was dancing around at the cash register, because she not only got it on sale, but she got change from her $4.00.!!   LAUGH

                 One of her doggies that will get the benefit from her purchase. :-)

                                                                                  

                   Sadly we had to take Neve back home. Pulling her suitcase behind her and tears in her eyes. She wanted to stay longer, but they had other things to do. Next week is starting back to school for her and they want her to get on a schedule now.

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    This post is kinda' long. But I wanted to ~Take the Time~ that we had together. And how Live, Laugh and Love can come into all our lives.  

                                                              hugs,
                                                            Eileen