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On Saturday we traveled to the town of Cazenovia, NY, for their annual kite fest and art show events.

The weather cooperated, producing gorgeous skies for showcasing the kites. The predicted thunder storms did not materialize.

Barry launches his kite with help from Nancy and Larry.

Barry’s kite aloft.

This unique kite featured a long line of little people dancing in the wind.

Near the kite event was the Art Park, a series of gardens and an art gallery, currently showing a juried watercolor exhibit.

An Art Park resident, singing at a pond’s edge.

We ended our day in the Village of Cazenovia with mud pies for dessert at the Brewster Inn, overlooking Cazenovia Lake, and a visit to the local farmer’s market.

This Tuesday our hike leaders, Scott and Doug, took us on a trek through misty, fern-laced woods to the highest point in their home town of Maryland.

Scott rescued many of these tiny “red efts” from the trail. Red efts are eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) in the second stage of life, the terrestrial juvenile stage. After two or three years as a red eft, the young newt will find a suitable pond and transform into the adult aquatic stage which is olive green with red outlined spots.

This ancient deformed tree stands in the younger forest, overlooked by past logging expeditions.

After the hike, we had a tour of Scott and Doug’s four acre spread, including a vegetable garden, meadow and woodland garden. This colorful beetle was perched on a red elderberry tree.

We missed the ADK hike to Van Hornesville Gorge, but made the trip later in the week with Nancy and Faith, photographer friends. A very easy and beautiful walk took us to some caves and the steep steps leading to Creamery Falls. We spent about an hour at the foot of the falls. This spot is perhaps the most enchanting place that I have ever been. The gorge is ringed by layers of rock, covered with hanging gardens and mysteriously misshapen tree roots. “Fairy houses” and ferny glades are everywhere, and the sound and spray of water adds to the magic.

The trail to Creamery Falls

A tiny cave shelter in the roots of an old tree.

Rock gardens near the falls.

The cascades of Creamery Falls.

Mid-stream, beneath the falls.

Rocks and vegetation along the stream.

Fantasy forms in roots and trunks.

The lower falls.

These steps take us back to the trail.