A Visit to Pymatuning Lake

Last weekend we were invited to the North Shore Boat Club at Pymatuning, where we spent the most beautiful, relaxing morning. Conneaut Lake is the largest natural lake wholly within the state of Pennsylvania. Pymatuning is just a few miles away and is much, much larger than Conneaut Lake. It's technically the largest lake, but it's actually a reservoir and borders both Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Conneaut Lake is a busy lake full of speedboats, jet skis, cottages and visitors. Pymatuning, on the other hand, is serene, quiet and wooded.There are strict speed restrictions for boats on Pymatuning. We could never do this safely on Conneaut Lake. Below, Kate and I take the kayaks out.

Will and Bob have their turn.

Bob said our morning at Pymatuning was like summer camp. Our friends who invited us have a rustic cabin near the lake where they brought Ben to shoot a rifle. The kid came back with grin from ear to ear.

After a little target practice, the boys (the older boys) get ready to kayak. They were the luckiest of all of us because they saw FOUR bald eagles.

Just so Will didn't feel too left our about not shooting the rifle, our hosts sent him home with a handful of firecrackers. Clearly we're not in California!

Fishing from the Docks, Bill's Midway Marina, Conneaut Lake

I love the wholesome, old-fashioned fun at the lake. No tv, no video games. When my daughter's friend visited, they went out to the dock to fish. Teenage girls! Fishing! This wouldn't happen at home. I love the lake.

Midway Beach 4th of July Parade, Conneaut Lake

The 4th of July Parade, not being on the 4th, was more accurately, a 7th of July Parade.The 70's themed parade of golf carts and bicycles followed the usual path - starting at Midway Beach, going up Lakeview and then back down Midway to the beach again.

Conneaut Lake's equivalent of a grand marshall (the kid on the bike) leads the parade down Midway Drive.

We're in Steelers' territory, so it's no surprise that there was a cart decorated to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970s.

My aunt Iris (left), me (middle), and my mom (right) waiting for the parade to start.

My boys and my dad

What's a parade without royalty? Miss Bicentennial!

The whole crew watching the parade.

Past Midway Beach Civic Club Parades:

2009 - Cowboys and Indians

2010 - Christmas in July

Snails Pace Acres with our Friends

We wanted to show our visiting California friends all of the area's best sites. High on our list was Snails Pace Acres. Within a mile of our cottage, yet entirely another world, our relatives raise Morgan Horses on their farm.  I'll share our entire two day itinerary in another post. 

A gorgeous horse inside the barn.

This is Oliver. He's eyeing me so suspiciously. Funny story about Oliver...Mikey and Curly had a llama named Carmella. She was their only llama. One day Mikey looked out at Carmella in her pen and saw a little animal standing next to her. Upon further inspection, she discovered newborn little Oliver standing there. Apparently, when Carmella had escaped months earlier, she'd had a little adventure with a llama down the road and had successfully hidden the resulting pregnancy. 

Will was dead set on catching a frog in the farm's pond. It's harder to do than you'd think.

We had planned on just looking at the horses, but good old Curly saddled up a horse and let the girls ride, flip-flops and all.

It was my first time back at Snails Pace Acres since Mikey died this past winter. I was reminded of so many happy memories of spending time with her and the horses.

4th of July Cookout at the Cottage

This is one heck of a place to get to. Because of it's proximity to, well, nowhere, we don't get a lot of visitors. When our good friends from home said they'd be at a volleyball tournament in Columbus we begged and pleaded for them to make the drive to the lake. Actually, it didn't take much begging or pleading. Being the good sports that they are (and probably really curious about what actually goes on at the lake), they drove the four hours from Columbus to Conneaut Lake to spend two nights with us before returning to California.

Here are our visitors during our 4th of July cookout. I wonder what they're thinking.

We had a lot of family over for the 4th. Kate with her little cousins below.

 Our very casual cookout.

Usually I put more thought and effort into this. This year, though, since Bob wasn't here and we had house guests, I decided to relax, provide hot dogs, sausages, and s'mores and have guests bring everything else. So easy!

My sister-in-law and my nephew. Being a two year old boy, little Charlie was only interested in the 'pinchers' (aka tongs).

We have a new darling cousin in the family. Don't panic anyone - it's an empty bottle and he was closely supervised!

My daughter (left) and her friend. I think they must have been separated at birth.

After dinner by the cottage we moved down by the lake for a fire, s'mores, and fireworks.

Every try taking a picture of nine kids between the ages of 11 months and 14 years old? This is the best I could do! Good looking group, isn't it.

Part II Girls' Trip - MacKenzie Childs and Aurora

The MacKenzie Childs farmhouse and studio where all of the pottery and furniture is made is on the east side of Cayuga Lake.  Click on the website if you're not familiar with MacKenzie Childs' zany designs. Believe it or not, I think it's toned down quite a bit from when I remember visiting the Manhattan store 17 years ago. Regardless of whether or not this is your style, it's an impressive place to visit. 

The property, overlooking Cayuga Lake, has a large studio, shop, pond, fields, barns and renovated farmhouse. The farmhouse, below, is the showcase of everything MacKenzie Childs. I have never seen an old building so meticulously restored.

Every inch of space oozed with MacKenzie Childs details.

A view of the lake from the farmhouse, below.

After visiting MacKenzie Childs, we ate the most delicious lunch at Pumpkin Hill Bistro in Aurora, which was also in an old farmhouse that sits amidst picturesque fields. Not only was it absolutely charming, the food was local, fresh and wonderful.

Is that the best looking salad, or what?

I love an open kitchen.

We spent our mornings and evening relaxing at our beautiful Bed and Breakfast. Below, my aunts and cousins sip their morning coffee on the porch swing.

The inn's darling dog Bender.

An old barn on the property.

We weren't there long enough for me to see everything. Did you know Ithaca and Cornell are at the bottom of Cayuga Lake? I had no idea. It's on my list for next time.