Bailey.

I have moved into a Cabin out at Pine Lake called Bailey. Bailey is a 34 year post and beam building that has a lot of windows. It's heated mostly by a pellet stove that smokes more than it makes flames. So far we have seen around -9ºF, or -22.7ºC for my friends over seas. I afraid to say we will probably get colder this weekend. Bailey does not act well around those temperatures. Never the less, sleeping on the second floor ensures I am always warm if not sweating.

I am realizing everything has names around here. This is Baxter, Brié's car. Yes it runs well, and yes it is very loud inside. I sometimes can't believe I live with someone who's dream car was an original VW purple bug back to the age of 15. It's kind of awesome, I think.

-Some exploring was done-

The river behind Pine Lake.

The precariously balanced bridge.

Zoë hung out for a couple of days to play the banjo and sit in on my eastern philosophy of consciousness class.

The boat house is her favorite cabin here. 

Bits and Pieces of Vacation

This is the scarf Zoë made for me that Mabel decided to wear. Below is Oliver (my brother) wearing the yeti hands and holding pizza in his mouth.

On the last evening in Maine I got to play Settlers of Catan with David, Donald, Charlotte, Zoë, Jason, and others. I think Charlotte won.

My friend Yasir came from London and we taught him how to ski. 

Oliver gave out "Liquid Noise" -a soda whose recipe was based mostly in pineapple juice and liquid noise. Due to three batches of soda for twenty-four bottle and the use of dry ice to carbonate the flavors varied bottle to bottle.

This is the brewer of "Liquid Noise."

New York City

I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in Manhattan with Zoë this weekend. Surprisingly it was about the same cost (bus wise) to go to NYC then home as straight from Hartwick. 

I suppose Barnard, or Columbia, or both, have this tradition called Orgo. On the eve of the organic chemistry final students gather outside the library and yell with a marching band or something like that. The tradition includes throwing papers out your window and marching with the band through the library blasting music. Below is the marching band or what was left at one in the morning. After there is a midnight breakfast where professors serve students pancakes.

Zoë by the lights at Columbia

Ice

Winter has begun, the lake has started to freeze over. Today (Tuesday) is the first day I have seen the lake freeze over almost entirely except for a few holes. With such a reflective material I had a lot of fun playing with the light.

 

 

The water is about six inches deep with half an inch of ice frozen over. It looks like a martin landscape. I forget about the cold rot in late December, the smell is distinctive, even this cold.

 

Cinder Block and Lilly Pad in Ice

 

These two are extremely low light mistakes.

 

 

The sound is wicked low, but Jenna and Kyrie we're throwing rocks across the ice into 8 foot wide holes way out in the middle of the ice. As they bounced across the ice they made noise of a high tension cable twanging, it was really awesome. 

The Artistic Folk of Pine Lake

Out at Pine Lake I am in the midst of several artist. Remember this thermos from a few post back? Well, a friend of mine made a clay version.

I have been pressured into glass blowing, I think I will start second half of next semester.

This is Vanessa grinding a bronze project. I love the retro spaces at Anderson Center for the Arts.

Winter at Pine Lake

I have been enjoying the sauna twice a week. Next semester I will have the sauna caretaker work study which means lighting the fire and sweeping out the building after.

Yesterday, I walked around and took some photos until I could no longer feel my hands. The temperature was supposedly 27ºF but that did not include wind chill.  I am currently living in the lodge which you can see up to the right in the photo below. Next semester I'll be in a cabin.

 

 

  

All deer footprints.

I like how clear the water gets when it is about to freeze.

  


Cob House


 

I know each month by its light. December certainly has the most red fire like. Two nights ago the ice crystals high in the atmosphere formed refracted the moonlight into perfect halo. I attempted a photo but the light was way too low.

 

First snow in December

I just want to share how incredibly beautiful Pine Lake and Hartwick College is after a good snow.