August in the Mountains

By Megan Staples, clinic Development Assistant

I grew up in a busy suburban town, north of Philadelphia. Each year as an escape, my family lived at our mountain property during the month of August. Our “mountain escape” is located on what is really a large hill that was split by the Pennsylvania and New York state borders. Next door (and by next door, I mean 75 acres away) is a dairy farm with over 150 cows, a few horses, pigs, and even a peacock! On the property is a large pond with sandy banks, lots of fields and forest area, and an old maple tapping shed that is leftover from a defunct maple syrup company. For three young kids, this is paradise!

The New York Finger Lakes are only a short drive from the campsite and made for excellent day trips. Here are pictures of us swimming in our pond and hiking through the falls at Watkins Glen. My little brother is wearing an eye patch after hurting his eye in a fishing accident – he embraced his inner pirate for the rest of the summer.