...a rite of Spring!

Okay, it's true. Every year - sometime between Valentine's Day and Easter, we DO travel TWO hours for breakfast ...

...and usually wait in line for an hour...

...and then turn around and head back home!

It's not just about 'eating breakfast' though. It's about a lifelong family tradition, it's about a day of 'adventure' after a long Winter of being housebound. Definitely a JOURNEY with a DESTINATION as an added bonus! 'A rite of Spring!'.

Destination: MAPLE TREE INN - small maple shack in the Southern Tier of NY... only open for about 7weeks in the Spring while Maple Sap is running. The above map only shows the last 1/2 hr of our journey... mostly 'seasonal use only' (one lane, muddy & rutted 'paths') roads that show up on no 'real' maps!!

Prediction for Saturday was a balmy 40+deg - mix of sun and rain. ALMOST perfect! We left the house at 6am, to arrive shortly after opening (8am) - hoping to avoid the usual 1+hr. wait outside. We were in luck - only a 15 min. line!!!!

Breakfast consists of 'all-u-can-eat' Buckwheat pancakes and REAL maple syrup!! NOT the store bought stuff but honest to goodness 'boiled in the basement' sap!! Oh, and of course what is the ultimate breakfast carbohydrate splurge without a Maple Cream Sundae for dessert?!!

On the ride home, we traditionally stop by Letchworth State Park to walk off a bit of breakfast. The Fountain in the goldfish pond, which creates a varied ice formation every year - this years MUCH larger than usual... The railroad bridge, and the falls...
never stop amazing me!

The rest of the journey home is through small towns, stopping at any/all Thrift & Junk shops we spot. Many different ones yesterday which produced much goodnes!!

What a perfect time to find this "Kilt Wearin - Bag Pipe playin"Whiskey Bottle by Eric Olsen (designer for Haeger from 1947 - 1970s??, Had previously worked in England for Wedgwood and Spode). He is missing his cork-cap, but for a $1... can I really complain? I have two other whiskey bottles by Olsen, and know very little about them - if anybody out there has any info, PLEASE SHARE!!

Looking right at home with his counterparts!

'Ebony Cascade' HAEGER candle stick holder ($1.75!!!) joining a matching 'Aqua' (already in our collection!).

Sweet dark blue 'Salesman's Sample' vase (.25¢)... 4" version of the larger ones shown on catalogue pages.

Two sweaterclips (.50¢ ea) and a funky turquoise/black dress clip (.25¢) rounded out the day!!

Days like this only come once a year!