The month of June. New York, Connecticut, Lake George and Summer Camp reunion. The journey continues

I planted this Hosta in 2010 and took this selfie last week.

See the size of the leaves! I love these plants and they have white, pink or blue flowers on long stalks.

Another new plant for Lee and Mary Rohde. So I have left about 10 different plants around the USA to date.

Lee and Mary Rohdes converted Apple Cider Mill in Chappaqua, NY. Lee did all the work with help from his two sons and I over a period of nearly 30 years.

Lee's vegetable garden. So many homes in the USA have these.

The West side of Lee and Mary's home. The Plum tree on left was flattened by the last Hurricane Sandy, but Lee trimmed the brnaches and put it back in the hole and 'voila'!

Lee's 85th Birthday dinner. Charlie Holcum, Mary Rohde and Lee Rohde. The red rose is an Abraham Lincoln.

Christine Rohde and Susan Rohde.

Doug and Gilbert Rohde watching WC Soccer!

Christine rehearsing for church. She is a seasoned opera singer apart from being one of the best reconstructive surgeons and sang two peices during the church service. Beautful voice.

This family, with mother missing, play as a 6 piece band. Magic tohear them play. Makes me homesick for the SACS bands.

This is one of Doug Rohdes vegetable gardens. We staked 84  tomoatoes.

Tomotoes tied up with blossoms showing already.

Old Boy number 42, Aadil Mammon at ElDorado for breakfast in Scarsdale. Aadil works at the exclusive Country Club in Scarsdale New York as a sous Chef.

Tim's Earth Science Classroom at New Canaan High School.

NCHS Lockers. Not like the SACS ones!

Start of Valedictory (Graduation) at NCHS. Staff (Faculty) on the left.

VIP's on the platform (centre) and graduates marching on to the field.

NCHS Madrigal Ensemble lead the Star Spangled Banner.

Multi-purpose sports hall where the graduates assembled before going out to valedictory.

Grade 12 parking lot. Is that a Blue Mustang GT I spy there? Jealous!

Up to the Adirondacks. Breakfast at the General Store on Schroon Lake.

Foundation laid at Tim's new Lake House, Lake George, NY. Now for the basement walls.

Tim addressing the early arrivers at the Alumni Reunion of the Camp Read Summer Camp staff where I ran camps in 1986/7/8 and 1993/6.

Climbing Mount Stevens on the Curtis S. Read Scout Camp.

Halfway break on the climb.

View from the top to the North.

Looking towards the South from the peak of Mount Stevens. I made it!

Closer two lakes are part of the Scout Camp property. The bigger one is Brant Lake, NY.  

As far as I know, these are called 'Indain Paintbrushes'. Right next to the peak of Mt. Stevens.

Megan, Ben and Tim.

Some of the Alumni looking North for landmarks.

Climbing tower at the Summer Scout Camp. It also has internal climbing walls, also on all four sides. 74 feet high.

Alumni gather for the pole toss.

You stand at the diagonal pole, loop a long piece of rope in your hand. Toss it over the bar making sure the one end stays neat the diagonal/slanted pole, run to the log, tie a timber hitch around it, grab the rope and double clove it around the slanted  pole leaving the pole off the ground. This is done in 14.8 seconds by Bill Daley the 2014 winner here doing his thing.

Runner-up for 2014, Tom Barlow the 2010 winner.

Celebratory cake for the reunion.

The river which feeds the lakes at Camp Read. So beautiful and serene.

Waterfront at Camp Waubeeka, the Southern end of Read.

Back to Connecticut and this is the TV cabinet that Tim built for Barbara.

Cut timber before.......

,,,the splitter........

...a good two days labour. split wood for next winter!

One more month to go in the USA then home for 11 days then off to London. The journey continues.

Fine wine, vegetable garden, Ben and Megan's engagement and Summer Camp.

On my return to Connectictu, this was for dinner. Thanks to Graham Weerts for putting us onto this fine wine label. Reisling was our choice for dinner. Graham is the Chief Wine Maker at Stone Street Cellars and the principle wine grower for the Kendal-Jackson Estates in Sonoma, California.

Of course there were some Sam Adams and Bass before dinner!

Potatoes in bags and Peppers, Beans and Broccolli.

Tomatoes in cages with straw mulch and Basil

Peas, Turnips, Beetroot and Spinach.

One of my favourite American plants - Hosta's. Easy to grow and up to 3 meters in width with leaves up to 60cm long and anything from yellow to all the greens and white highlights to blue leaves with white, pink and blue flowers on long stems. Very tough and rewarding.

Ben and Megan with Ben's Orange Birthday cake made by Barbara, his mom.

Part of dessert. Berries, berries and more berries!

Ben's Birthday cake is cut and someone gets to have a MASSIVE slice!

The Haag siblings with Nancy hidden by Rick on right. Judy standing back right, Bob, Kerrin, Ben, Megan and Tim with Barbara cut off the left corner. Oops!

Megan and Ben, the happy newly engaged couple.

Into the Adirondacks and at Tim and Barbara's lake house on Lake George. Foundations for the new house..

Tim and Barbabra's present lake house on Lake George in upper New York State with the foundation hole for the new house right alongside.

The new utility pole effectively destroying the view from the front of the house!

Back at my Summer Camp, Camp Read in Brant Lake. This is Lake Waubeeka where I began my love affiar with this amazing place in 1986 at my first Summer Camp as Field Sports Director. Feels like a part of my soul is here.

Something I remember from Camp so many years ago was the amazing variety of really large and colourful moths. BIG 'eyes' to scare off predators. Nearly 15cm accross the wingspan.

Eager Beaver weekend and our 5 guys job to build a Horse corral at the Old Farmhouse next to the Horse Barn.

Instructions from Steve Hammond, the Reservation Director, on what we need to do at the Horse Barn for the day - build a Horse Corral.

Another beautiful moth at Camp Read. Also about 15cm long.

Bob Newton Dining Hall at Camp Buckskin where I was Director for two years 1987/88.

The new Trading Post at Camp Buckskin.

One of the many 'old' Ford trucks at the Central Office driven by Tom Chluosa, the IT expert and telephone rigger at Camp Read.

The new Handycraft Lodge at Camp Waubeeka.

Job well done. Horse corrall complete 2 hours ahead of schedule. Thanks to Steve, Tim, Tom and Dedrick and me too for a job well done.

A view of the Horse corral from the Old Farmhouse above.

Tim spotted this massive Snapping Turtle on the side of the road moving from one swamp to another. He was totally unperturbed by our presence. Make sure you get nowhere near that beak!

The weatjer up here was so perfect today and working in the heat through the day was magic. Started 08.00 and finished 15.30 with building the Hirse Corral. we then had time to look at all the new buildings and to just sit and enjoy a magic evening in this really beutiful part of the USA. We go back again in 2 weeks for the 53rd reunion of the Alumni and then Tim and I will be involved in building at his new Lake house which is nearby on Laek George. a good Summer awaits.