...J&J's Excellent Adventure: From white dunes to wild lakes

Jay and I took 10 days this summer to head back to the east coast to be with our families for some summer fun. Thanks (not really) to an El Niño year combined with climate change, we have had a very hot and dry summer in the Pacific Northwest. But somehow even a hot Pacific Northwest day doesn't seem like a hot New England or Upstate New York day - it lacks the humidity that makes you want to run to the ocean and swim. I love hot Northeast summers and Jay and I had been looking forward to spending time with his family on the Cape and in the Adirondacks with my family celebrating some big birthdays!

The minute we arrived on the Cape we were off to the beach. I love walking to the inlet of Sippewissett Marsh from Allison's house! The amazing scents, sounds, and colors of the marsh all have become so important to me. One day Jay and I swam from the West Falmouth Beach to the inlet with his stepdad, Jim. It was so great to be in the warm open water swimming again. And once you arrive at the inlet, you can swim forever in the narrow waterway when the tide is running because that spot is a natural endless pool. With goggles and a decent stroke you can swim in place for as long as you want to!

Lovely West Falmouth Harbor

One day we took the chance to visit Matt, Jay's stepbrother, on his farm- Pariah Dog Farm. Check out all the garlic Matt was drying out behind him! We ate a ton of garlic while on the Cape and it was all amazing thanks to Matt and his girlfriend, Jen. We have been watching the growth of Matt's farm over the years and are thrilled with how successful he has been. If we still lived on that Cape I like to think it we would be his most enthusiastic supporters (after his father).

Staying with the White/Churchill duo always means amazing food. I'd say we spent all of our time either swimming, sitting and talking on the beach, or eating and talking in the kitchen. My kind of vacation! Here they are all (not me!) digging into some Mya arenaria, the softshell clam.

Allison, Lee, and Jay heading up to Bowerman's Beach Club for a dip on the most amazing weather day (of course, the day we had to leave)

Soaking up that hot sun on a gorgeous white sand beach

The family!

The Woods Inn from Fourth Lake, Adirondacks


Correction: This was written by Bob Lockman.

Although we sadly left the Cape, we excitedly drove to the Adirondacks. It sucks to leave one place and family you love, but it is an odd feeling because you are headed off to another place and family that you love. We were driving north to the Adirondacks to celebrate my mother's 70th birthday along with my other "mother", Bobbie Lockman's 70th birthday. My parents and the Lockmans have been going to the Adirondacks for 35 years and they have been friends for even longer. Their daughters (Julie & Christina, and Julie & Katie) have grown up together playing in the Adirondack snow, lakes, and mountains. Our bond to this place is so strong that even thinking of the Adirondacks makes my heart skip a beat. Bob wrote a great newspaper article for the Adirondack Express (see left) in celebration of their 35th trip to this wild place and in honor of the 70th birthdays of two amazing women.

Normally when our families descend upon the tiny town of Inlet, we rent little cabins with kitchens and somewhat musty beds and interiors. It never mattered because we were there to be outside and together. But this time the matriarchs of the families decided they didn't want to deal with cooking and cleaning for a week in those cabins while celebrating their birthdays. So we all convened on The Woods Inn, a lovely old (restored) lakeside Adirondack camp that we have eaten at for years but never stayed at. Sadly, we didn't really have great weather but at least we had great company. The ADK were never really known for being an incredibly hot and sunny place, but man, it is gorgeous so rainy weather doesn't really matter.

Our first full day in the ADK was a wet one, so the whole group headed over to The Wild Center to explore, learn, and play. Here my nephews Jackson (left) and Henry (right) gave me their most awesome moose impressions. I'm pretty sure that picture of Henry will make me laugh for the rest of my life. I love those guys. Apparently everyone else in the Adirondacks decided to spend their rainy day at the center and it was a bit crowded for me...BUT I was still impressed with the scientific displays and tons of great opportunities to get kids excited about science and the outdoors.

The day of the big celebration a group of us decided to hike up Bald Mountain. We thought it would tire out Henry and Jackson (begin laughing now, those kids have an insane amount of energy, it is awesome). My mother, who had not been up the steep hike in a long time, practically bounded up the trail. She is 70 going on 25 I think!

Lovely Fourth Lake from Bald Mountain

My man is the best

As a gift to our mothers, all four daughters got together and hired a professional photographer to take family photos. Here is the entire Barber/Lockman clan with spouses and kiddos. We don't need to share genes to be family, I love them all. And naturally, it hasn't always been just our two families. Bob's sister, Pat and her family (the Gordons) have been going to the ADK with the Lockmans are even longer than the Barbers..... and their kids Kelly and Scott are also dear to our hearts. Ann and Don Smith have always joined us too - my memories go back to Ann's cats in a tiny cabin and lots of laughter over campfires. They are not in these photos, but we love them all and we were so happy to have almost all of them join us for the party!

The birthday girls getting ready to cut their cake! We celebrated all night while dancin' to a band that gawked at Sara when she requested a Prince song. Even if they didn't know Prince, they still got everyone in the group out on the floor dancing. Jackson even pulled out some seriously amazing moves!

Scott and my father sporting the original AASSS shirts (read on for an AASSS description) while Katie and Jay photobomb.

The next day was blustery and stormy in the morning, but by the time the afternoon rolled around the clouds left and the sun came out. Jay was pretty excited about that as you can see.

My uncle, David, came up for the celebration which was a real treat for my mother in particular.... but also for me because I don't get to see him or his wife, Connie, very often. Even he got excited about the great sunny weather because he jumped into the lake with the crew (clothes and all)!

The Big Dipper over Fourth Lake

We are all a bunch of AASSS members here in the Adirondacks. That means we are part of a serious club called the Adirondack Association of Shooting Star Searchers. For decades now the Perseid meteor shower has landed on the week the Barber/Lockman clan descends on Inlet. We had an official AASSS meeting on our last night at The Woods Inn. Finally, a clear night! We saw tons of shooting stars..... but no UFOs this time around. There was an odd light coming off a nearby mountain that was generating a lot of conversation though..... =)