June 16 – Raymond B. Winter State Park

By on June 16, 2026 in The Pearl
“True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake. It’s making the choice to build a life you don’t need to escape from.” -Unknown
​​Today we decided to drive down the road and hike at Raymond B. Winter State Park. It’s literally located on Buffalo Road (our road) about 17 miles from our home. Plus all 120 state parks in Pennsylvania are free. Raymond B. Winter State Park was originally established in 1933 as Halfway Dam State Park. It’s famous for Halfway Lake, which is held back by the first hand-laid stone and cement dam constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

We chose to hike the Boiling Spring and Overlook Loop. We hiked about 2.8 miles through mountain laurel, ferns, blueberry and black berry bushes, pine and hemlock trees. It was a fairly easy trail and it was a beautiful day to be outside.

Halfway Lake is filled by spring fed mountain streams. The water temperature never rises above the low 50s, because much of the lake is filled with water that comes directly from underground. Little Bubbler is an artesian spring located on the west end of the beach. The sand bubbles as the water seeps up through the ground. I felt the water and it was like ice water.  

The lake got its name from a historic tavern and barn called the “Halfway House,” which was built in the 1800s. It served as a resting spot for teamsters transporting farm produce across Sand Mountain between Lewisburg and Centre Hall. 

Mountain laurel everywhere. It was so pretty.

The only pink ones we saw were in the open areas that got lots of sun. We aren’t sure if that is why they looked different. The flowers are just amazing.

Part of the trail.
The view from the top. We could just make out the lake and road at the bottom.

A small boulder field we went through. It was along the mountain ridge. It was formed 10-15 thousand years ago during the last glacial period.

Little Bubbler…it’s hard to tell from the picture, but there were about six holes where the water was bubbling up.

The beach looking across to the dam.

Our picnic spot.

Looking across to the beach from the dam side.

The dam. People fish from this side of the lake.

The east side of the lake looking towards the beach.

Our hike

June 16 – Raymond B. Winter State Park

By on June 16, 2026 in The Pearl
“True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake. It’s making the choice to build a life you don’t need to escape from.” -Unknown
​​Today we decided to drive down the road and hike at Raymond B. Winter State Park. It’s literally located on Buffalo Road (our road) about 17 miles from our home. Raymond B. Winter State Park was originally established in 1933 as Halfway Dam State Park. It’s famous for Halfway Lake, which is held back by the first hand-laid stone and cement dam constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

CONTINUE READING HERE…»

The Annual Valentine’s Day Fundraiser on Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, The Bahamas

By on June 16, 2026 in Kosmos

Dawn on Saturday, February 21 The anchorage had been fine with the last few days with both flopper stoppers out, but today the wind shifted back to its prevailing direction from the east, and the anchorage became super calm and … Continue reading →

More Photos and Videos from January & February 2026

By on June 15, 2026 in Kosmos

Photos from the Exuma Islands, The Bahamas Photo from Long Island, The Bahamas Photo from Hog Cay, The Ragged Islands, The Bahamas And a couple shots Christi took while she was in San Diego:

Keith’s Perspective on Rudder Cay, Staniel Cay and Georgetown, The Bahamas/Le point de vue de Keith sur Rudder Cay, Staniel Cay et Georgetown, aux Bahamas

By on June 14, 2026 in Kosmos

Saturday, January 24 – Friday January 30 — This week has been fun. On Saturday, Dad went diving with Bogumila. Fynn came over to our boat, then Keira came over. All of us and Bogumila went to the beach. We … Continue reading →

Lying Low in Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, The Bahamas

By on June 13, 2026 in Kosmos

Dawn on Wednesday, February 18 It was another day of puttering around the boat. Before doing school, Eric and Keith changed the generator oil and cleaned the sea strainer for the generator. Eric also ran the wing engine. Then Keith … Continue reading →

Hiking to a Viewpoint in Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, The Bahamas

By on June 12, 2026 in Kosmos

Sunrise on Tuesday, February 17 Our friends on Tiki Tour were at an anchorage a couple miles away from us. This morning, they sent a text saying that they were coming over to visit in their dinghy. Since we’d last … Continue reading →

Hanging Out at Hog Cay, Ragged Islands, The Bahamas

By on June 11, 2026 in Kosmos

Sunday, February 15 — We puttered around the boat in the morning and early afternoon. Eric and Keith put out both flopper stoppers. There was only mild motion, so one would have been enough for today, but the forecast said … Continue reading →

Back to Ithaca

By on June 10, 2026 in The Pearl
“We all come from the sea, but we are not all of the sea. Those of us who are, we children of the tides, must return to it again and again, until the day we don’t come back leaving behind only that which was touched along the way.” ―Frosty Hesson
It’s been a wet cool spring so we weren’t in a hurry to get the boat launched. To be honest we were enjoying our home and time with our family and didn’t even mind waiting till the weather improved. It seems there is something fun going on all the time in Pennsylvania. We picked an absolutely wonderful week to move the boat to the marina. Lots of sunshine, warm afternoons and cool nights that made sleeping on the boat very nice. 
We took advantage of the sunshine to visit a few of our favorite places. A trip to Sheldrake Point Winery is our traditional way to welcome the start to our summer season in the Finger Lakes. It was a beautiful day but a bit too cool for a picnic by the lake. So we enjoyed one of their sandwiches and then sat in the sun on their lawn…all while enjoying a bottle of their dry rieslings. 
Another day we drove over to Watkins Glen. A cute little town that sits on the south end of Seneca Lake. We had lunch at Lucky Hare Brewing overlooking the marina and we watched the boats moving around on the lake. We walked along the water and wandered around town doing a little shopping before heading up the west side of the lake to hunt for a waterfall we haven’t seen before. Another perfect weather day. 
We celebrated our first night back to the lake with dinner at the Flint & Stave in Seneca Falls.

I had the seafood risotto and Stan as usual had the grilled salmon.

The sunsets are beautiful in Cayuga, NY 

Launch day 2026 came on May 26…what a beautiful day.

Stan on his way to Ithca.

Home for the summer in our same slip.

The full moon was a Blue Moon this month.

Celebrating the beginning of the summer at Sheldrake Point Winery.

After our wonderful lunch at the winery we stopped by Gourdlandia near Ithaca. They grow, dry and make art out of all types of gourds.

We got better photos of the moon the day after the full moon since it came up later.

Our day in Watkins Glen began with lunch on the lake.

Views with lunch. Looking towards town and the public dock.

It was a wonderful day for a sail. This is the Schooner True Love built in 1926.

Pier House on Seneca Lake and one of the murals in town.

The Glenora Falls

Our little runabout is in and ready to be used. Can you spot The Pearl in the background?

Dinner at The Boatyard Grill.

I woke up one morning with the balloon going over the boat. Summer as truly began now.

My happy place. My favorite place to have my morning coffee.

Back to Ithaca

By on June 10, 2026 in The Pearl
“We all come from the sea, but we are not all of the sea. Those of us who are, we children of the tides, must return to it again and again, until the day we don’t come back leaving behind only that which was touched along the way.” ―Frosty Hesson
It’s been a wet cool spring so we weren’t in a hurry to get the boat launched. To be honest we were enjoying our home and time with our family and didn’t even mind waiting till the weather improved. It seems there is something fun going on all the time in Pennsylvania. We picked an absolutely wonderful week to move the boat to the marina. Lots of sunshine, warm afternoons and cool nights that made sleeping on the boat very nice. 

CONTINUE READING HERE…»