I love summer for so many reasons -- the extra time I get to spend with my children ages 11 and 8, the beautiful weather, hiking in the Adirondacks and catching up on all my reading! While I make a point of keeping up with what's new and exciting in children's lit -- (or stuff I never had time to read...) I also love to read adult literature.
If you like thrillers, I would highly recommend two books by British author, Tom Rob Smith. Child 44 is the story of Leo Demidov, an MGB agent in 1940's Russia. Though there "is no crime" in Stalinist Russia, Leo is on the trail of a serial killer who is murdering children throughout this vast nation. In a follow-up, Tom Rob Smith continues Leo Demidov's story in the book The Secret Speech. Both books were tough to put down and do not disappoint. A third book in the series, Agent 6, already published in Great Britain, is due out on January 5, 2012 in the US. Can't wait!
Hiking....
As I was driving through Keene Valley last week on my way to hike to the Gulf Brook Lean-to and Lost Pond, I was overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounded me. Though I have travelled to many places both within the United States and Europe, I would be hard pressed to find a region more beautiful than what is in my own backyard.
While I can understand the desire to hike the high peaks that many people have, my children and I have taken shorter trails this summer and have found great scenery, solitude and satisfaction. We have gone swimming in brooks, ponds and waterfalls, climbed up rock flumes and bushwacked through overgrown trails and over downed trees. We have met people from all over the world including Vietnam and Germany and a legally blind gentleman who led his party to the top of Coon Mountain. What adventure!
Some trails that we have loved:
Tenant Creek Falls -- a hike that included three waterfalls and swimming holes at the bottom of each.
Gulf Brook Lean-to and Lost Pond
Augur Falls
Coon Mountain
Silver Lake Bog
Owen and Copperas Ponds
Mt Severance
With a few more weeks left of summer, we are sure to add a few more to our list!
Katrina,
ReplyDeleteI live in Hope (just outside of Northville) and we have many hiking trails around here. The Northville/Lake Placid trail begins a few minutes from my home. My family is interested in GeoCaching, which is a great way to get in a hike and also search for GeoCaches. Have you tried any GeoCaching? We do live in such a beautiful area with everything you could want to enjoy the great outdoors. Enjoy the rest of your summer with family! Mary H.