Lake Life in the Fall

If you've been reading, you know that over the summer I fell in love with the lake. Sal and I would go there every chance we got, which would usually be once a week, sometimes two if we cleared our schedules. I became obsessed with the breathtaking views of nature, the colors of summer, the bright blue sky and sun reflecting on the lake, and the sound of a fishing pole being casted and Sal's excitement when he caught a big one! So when the fall season came around, that didn't mean we stopped going to the lake, even though it was starting to get chillier and chillier near the water. Instead, we found ourselves sitting on the porch, sipping on wine and enjoying the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. I didn't think it was possible, but the lake seemed to be more beautiful with the reds, browns, and yellows.

I understood then why so many people leave the bustlin' city, and head to the countryside... why so many authors rent a cabin in the woods to write out their long novels. It's a truly relaxing place that cannot be copied, a place that cannot exist anywhere else ... not in someone's backyard with full views of the neighbors, not in someone's' room with the loud television and computer screen, and not even on a train with tons of people surrounding you. Those can be sanctuaries to some, but it does not compare to being by the lake, in the country, with few neighbors, with few other sounds that the water, the trees moving, and the fish jumping. 

The usual happened... Sal fished, while I read my book. We were together, but doing the things we loved separately, and that just made it perfect. Sometimes he'll stop me from reading to bug me to take a picture, but I secretly love it and am super proud of him when he catches a big fish, even the little fish make me proud... I tend to like the smaller ones better because they're just so cute! He usually always throws them back, unless it's a fish that his buddy can fry up and eat. 

More often than not, we'll leave the lake with our stomach's growling. Sometimes we wait for his friend to come home so we can all have dinner together, sometimes we'll head home and eat when we get back home, and more recently we've taken several trips to a delicious restaurant right down the road called Smokey's, which has proved to have such great food time and time again. Before we know it, we'll be regulars there, and the waiters and waitresses will know our names! 

Without these little getaways, away from the reality of our day to day chores and work, I think I would have lost my sanity a long time ago. Thankfully, the lake is just a short drive away. 

Apples & Weird Snapshots

Every year when fall rolls around, I have to do two things: go apple picking and pumpkin picking. It's tough to go apple picking, because September sometimes doesn't feel like fall, and then I completely forget until all of the apples are off the trees. This year, I made sure Sal knew I wanted to go apple picking and we were able to reserve a day during my "weekend" that worked for both of us, after we worked out of course. After we were all showered, we headed up to an orchard up north that we had been to two years ago - Masker's Orchard. Last year, we went to a different orchard and we didn't enjoy it; there were barely any apples to pick, and though I'm not sure if it was because we went late in the season, we just were not pleased with the selection.

Grabbing our apple bag at the entrance, we parked the car and started walking through the orchard. The views were breathtaking, and I found myself paying more attention to the color of the leaves on the trees, that is until I took a bite out of an apple. The apples were so juicy, fresh, and natural that I found it hard to pay attention to anything else. It wasn't until I finished an apple that I was able to refocus and realize that I had to put more apples into the bag.

Sal wasn't about to pay $30 bucks for three apples. So we wandered around, snapping pictures, and finding the best apples in the trees. It's fun getting lost in the orchard, even when you have a map right on the bag. We talked about what we would make with our apples, knowing that it probably wasn't possible for us to eat them all by ourselves. We had high hopes of making apple sangria, but when I looked at recipes online, I noticed that we would need a lot more than one bag of apples if we wanted to make a big batch.

We quickly grew bored of just picking apples off of the trees, so we decided to take funny pictures, and I challenged him to climb a tree - not sure what I was thinking with his knee being injured and all, but it made me smile and laugh, and Sal would never miss an opportunity to make me happy. He was so determined to get a few snapshots, but I honestly did not understand how he wanted me to pose. He described it perfectly, at least in his head, but I still did not understand the point. And while I will post the pictures, I still do not get them. But hey, at least they're funny... right?

As you can tell I'm trying my hardest not to laugh, because I really did not (and still don't) understand it. It's fine though, as long as the pictures made Sal happy. He's not a huge fan of all of the cliches during any season or holiday, but I'm a sucker for them. I love going apple picking and pumpkin picking in the fall, and I love seeing the tree in NYC during Christmas time, and I have to go see fireworks on the 4th of July. 

After we finished picking our apples off the trees, we headed to eat a late lunch/early dinner. We stopped at a cute restaurant near his friend's house by the lake, and it turned out to be a great decision. I'm always worried about going to new places having not heard anything about the food, or read any reviews.  We both got sandwiches and they were surprisingly tasty! I don't mind eating sandwiches so much, but I always try and skip the fries, though I usually steal a few from Sal (I know Sal, you don't share food, haha). 

It was still early so we decided to stop at his friend's house. I popped open some wine, poured it in a mason jar and sat on his deck, with a clear view of the beautiful fall foliage and the incredible lake. I was so relaxed, and kept thinking to myself that I could honestly get used to this. Imagine coming home from work, stressed after a long day or long commute, and just being able to take a deep breath and look at the absolutely perfect views of nature. It's such a calming feeling, and I didn't want to leave. I usually have a book on me, but it wasn't the case that day, so I downloaded one on my phone (I hate reading on any kind of technology, I'd much rather have a paperback), and slowly, I felt the tension ease from my shoulders, and my mind slip away. 

As the sun was setting, Sal's friend came home, and we messed around with the four-wheeler that he's holding for someone. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day, however cliche that may sound. I didn't want time to slip from me that night, but like all other days, they must come to an end. At least I was able to watch the sun set over the lake, I mean what better way to end your day?

Lake Life

If you didn't know from my previous posts, Sal and I would choose the lake and country side over the city anyway. Our getaways are always to states like Pennsylvania and upstate NY for wineries and hiking. We prefer a slower, quieter way of life and although I'm not sure when that exactly started, I'm pretty happy it did. Ever since Sal's friend bought a house on the lake, we've been there almost once a week. We make sure we head to CKO bright and early, head home to shower, pack our bags and then we're off. It doesn't take too long to get there, but enough to ponder what's for lunch. Often we grab food to make at his house, but more often than not we stop for sandwiches at a little place up the street. Before we know it we're putting our chairs out to bask in the sun. Okay, I'm basking in the sun, while Sal fishes. 

When I first went to the lake, we walked around it, and I realized there was a small beach - how perfect, I thought. Since that day, I haven't spent any time on the beach, aside from a stroll here or there. I would much rather stay near Sal and watch him fish, honestly. I'm not sure why, but I always have such pride when he catches a fish, and I love being the one to photograph it, even though I complain to no end. While he's got his fishing pole in the lake, I'm buried in my NASM Personal trainer books, studying for the big exam. Aside from the occasional wind, it's a perfect place to study. I take study breaks occasionally, to just breathe, and once, I even caught my own fish! You could just imagine my excitement. That rush when you feel the tug on your fishing pole, and you reel it in, knowing that you've caught a fish, it's indescribable - and at that moment you get why your boyfriend loves it so much. Don't worry, I threw him right back, but not after I made Sal the photographer!

Whenever I go to the lake, I feel myself breathing deeper, easier. It's as if I am finally able to relax, and I feel all of the tension leave my shoulders. I take in deep breathes, and let them fall out of me. I say this every time we go to the lake, but it never gets old for me. I swear I see myself living there, though I don't think they have any hospitals in the countryside.

When his friend comes home from work, we make sure we either have things for him to grill for dinner, or know he's stocking tons of burgers in his freezer. Grilling after a day on the lake - what could be better? We hang out on his deck, that overlooks the lake, and admire the sun going down. We talk and we talk, listening to his friend play the guitar, take in the smell of the steak or burgers on the grill, and watch as the stars pop up one by one. It's truly incredible how many stars you can see when you're in an area without lights and buildings; I swear I could stare at the stars all night if I could.

Dinner at the Mohawk House

After seeing a friend's post about a great restaurant [Mohawk House] near me, I was intrigued. The food, the views, the atmosphere, it all seemed great. The next time Sal and I had a date night, I suggested it. Even though it took us awhile to get there because our GPS has failed us, we eventually arrived and had our car valeted. We were worried because we were not dressed for the type of place that valets cars, but after asking the man that parked our car, he assured us that we were fine.

We walked in and asked for a table for two, and was quickly brought to the left side, where we noticed right away that something was different. My friend's pictures that I saw had been dark, and what she had recommended wasn't on the menu. The atmosphere was clean and crisp where we sat, and I felt underdressed. We were served our bread, but I kept mentioning to Sal how out of place I felt, even though we could have had a perfectly nice dinner. It was expensive and I wasn't about to spend that kind of money on dinner, at least not when we've been trying to save for the future. 

I grabbed my phone out at the dinner table, something I never do when we're on a date and searched the restaurant's website. With one click I realized that there were two sides to the restaurant, and we had sat on the dinner side instead of the bar and lounge side. Sal worried about telling our waiter we wanted to switch sides because he would ultimately lose the table, but when I want something, Sal knows by now that it will be given. We kindly asked the waiter if we could sit on the other side and when we walked over there, I immediately relaxed, although not until we apologized to our waiter multiple times. The atmosphere was much calmer and enjoyable. We excitedly grabbed the menus, having heard a lot about the food, and ordered quickly. With a glass of wine in our hands we clinked glasses, because what's wine without celebrating something. 

We ordered the mussles to start which were out of this world. Thanks to Sal I've actually been eating mussels for a couple of years now... I don't know why I was so nervous to eat them - I mean if you pay not attention to what they look like, the taste is great! I got the chicken sandwich with an arugula salad for dinner, and Sal enjoyed the burger with fries. I took half of mine home to enjoy for lunch the next day. The food was delicious, and I would definitely go back.

We were mistaken in thinking that the restaurant was actually on the lake, so we drove to the lake nearby, the lake that we normally run our Turkey Trots next to, and found an ice cream shop. I most certainly enjoyed cookie dough ice cream, because I just can't ever resist ice cream... It's my weakness. We talked out in the chilly spring air until they started packing up the chairs, that's when we knew we had to head back home.

The whole car ride home we held hands; those are the nights I wish never ended.

A Day at the Park

I don't have many weekends off, and those few times I do have off, I always have plans whether it's a race or a party. So when I had off on a Saturday with no plans, Sal and I decided to make the most of the beautiful weather and we headed to a local park, with a lake where he could fish. He brought me to Barnes&Noble beforehand and I picked out a book that I could read while he fished. I'd fish with him, but I wouldn't want to show him up and catch more fish than him, haha... I'm only kidding. Afterwards, we headed to the park, with a fishing pole and a book in hand. As I made myself comfortable on the bench, Sal set up his bait on his pole and our relaxing day began.

Before I knew it Sal caught a fish, and being the professional fish picture taker, I whipped out my iPhone and snapped a few. While the fish were small, Sal was still happy with his catch. I returned to my book shortly after, soaking up the rays of sunlight. 

It felt like hours had gone by, and so we decided to rent a paddle boat on the lake, which was the funniest workout I've ever done, it even beats Zumba! Trying to steer and peddle is not as easy as it seems, even with two people doing it together. I couldn't help but laugh as we tried to retrieve one of Sal's fishing lines that had gotten caught in a tree! At first he assigned me to retrieving it, until he saw what a disaster that would be, and instead he made me peddle until I got as close as I could and then put me in charge of steering, again a bad idea. Our legs began to get sore after we peddled around the entire lake and the half hour seemed to drag! 

We were melting by the time we got back, and so when Sal suggested we grab Italian ice, something I will never crave or ask for... ever, I quickly obliged... because it was that hot. We picked up our Italian ice and headed to the street fair. Why we walked around outside in the heat some more is beyond me, but it ended up being a nice ending to the memorable day together.