Morning coffee with loon serenade
Edition #19
Good morning. This is Jenn.
If you are new here, welcome to Outdoors with Jenn where I share my adventures to inspire you to step outside your comfort zone. I have a reputation for constantly seeking new adventures. Please come along as I offer my stories, photos, favorite places and introduce the compelling people I meet as I roam locally and afar. Along the way, I may delve into deeper subjects that may impact my journey - the environment, personal relationships, challenges with aging and an ongoing battle with my sense of self.
Sharing a cup of coffee with you today
Today, I am posting a photo (above) I snapped during our recent visit to the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Each morning, I would wake up and listen for the haunting sounds of the loons. I make a cup of coffee and head outside to see if the loons were swimming by our cottage yet. The sound of a loon can travel quite far. We were blessed to have a pair of loons with their chicks swim by almost every day at sunrise and sunset.
To learn more about Adirondack loons, visit the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation in Saranac Lake.
Thank you for joining me for coffee (or your favorite morning beverage) today. I enjoy sharing my adventures with you and hope you continue to come along.
What’s going on this week for me
My recent post on Paddling Lewey Lake to Miami River in the Adirondacks marked my 50th published post on Substack. Since going live on Substack in early February, I’ve made so many new friends who continue to inspire me in both my writing and photography.
Thank you to all of you who have opened up your hearts and minds to offer your guidance to make this journey.
More big news - my post Paddling Lewey Lake to Miami River in the Adirondacks made the top 25 most read Travel posts on Substack for August 14, 2024. I am not sure how this works but I do think I owe a lot of it to you - my readers, subscribers and my followers for your comments and your hearts. This made my day - my week - my month and my year.
I hope you continue to stay in touch as I work on new posts on the following -
A history of Blue Mountain Lake and an historic Great Camp with a paddle to private Eagle Lake
A recollection of my hiking adventures on the Northville-Placid Trail in New York - celebrating 100 years as the first established through-trail in the United States
A photo essay on the Adirondacks in New York
A parting shot taken from our cottage on Lake Abanakee in early August just before sunset.
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My favorite reading right now on Substack
Jon Norris is a professional photographer and Explore Landscapes is his newsletter sharing essential landscape photography tips and advice. Jon just returned from Sequoia National Park in California where he hiked, backpacked and shot unbelievable photos of the Milky Way. Jon is leading an Astrophotography workshop in September at Sequoia. His shoots a lot at the Joshua Tree National Park in California and offers workshops, both online and in person.
Check out this offer from Jon! He is offering three gift subscriptions to Explore Landscapes - a wealth of information on dark sky photography and more. Please send me a private message with your email and I will forward it to Jon.
Pamela Leavey in Words and Pictures writes about how simple Daily Affirmations can become our Greatest Teachers. She eloquently reminded me that we can learn from those difficult relationships with other people - an issue very close to me with a family member. I felt good after reading her Daily Affirmation words. Here are a few of her words:
Today, I am re-minded that our greatest teachers in life are often those with whom we have the most problems.
I recognize that there is so much I can learn from any personal relationships that are troublesome and might cause me discomfort and pain.
Julia Hubbell continues to inspire almost every day with her entertaining posts at Too Hold for This Shit: How to Take Your Life Back from an Ageist Society. Her latest is called You and I Are Too Old Not To Take On A BHAG (Big Hairy Ass Goal) which is right up my alley - I am always training for something.
Please do not miss this - Erik Hogan of Field Notes - just back from a mission trip to the Honduras. Another must read. His photography is inspiring and thought-provoking.
The Slow Sip by Cathy Jacob. Cathy is helping me slow down this summer with her challenge she calls - Join Me for the Summer of Sloth. Cathy explains how easy it is be a sloth for the summer - I do not have to do anything. So anytime I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that I am a sloth this summer. Join me. You have fun doing nothing.
Laura’s Letters. Laura’s post on “why introverts are so darned lovable and good looking too” enlightened me. After reading her letter, I discovered a lot about being an introvert - I enjoy solitude, I like to learn by watching and being around a lot of people drains me.
Keith’s RWK Newsletter: Looking for a remote work location? Read Keith’s newsletter. Keith posts weekly about daily life in and around the Keweenaw peninsula community of Chassell in Michigan. He shares hiking adventures via photos and his GoPro.
My curated list of adventure books on Bookshop.org
Sometimes we fall is an uplifting story that offers a reassuring message about finding the courage to take a small risk--and the sweet reward that may follow.
Find out more about how you can purchase this book and also view my complete list of recommended adventure books at Bookshop.org. Every purchase on this site financially supports independent bookstores.
Thanks for having coffee with me today.
If this is your first time here, a little bit about me.
I have a reputation for constantly pursuing new adventures. A long-time runner, nordic skier, and endurance junkie, I have dabbled in running and skiing ultra marathons and climbing mountains over 14,000 feet. The bulk of my professional career was spent working in finance, higher education and most recently as a running coach.
I have written and published numerous articles online for my running and fitness followers. Inspired by my high school journalism teacher and mentor, I sense an urge to remain connected to the outdoors and share my journey with others.
Hope you can come along.
The adventure continues.
Last summer, I was in Minnesota and I loved hearing the call of the loons. You have a lovely view.
Congrats on making the 25 most read Travel posts on Substack! Very well deserved! I thoroughly enjoyed that post, as well as sharing my morning coffee with you and your post today!
Several years ago, my wife's friend worked as a bird conservationist at the Loon Center in NH. We were invited to spend the 4th of July weekend at the Loon Center circa 2014. It was my first time actually learning about the loon. I've always been captivated by their beautiful calls, but I knew so little about them as a species.
Speaking of loon calls, the common loon's call is the one of the most sampled sounds in pop music history. It has appeared on so many Grammy winning tracks...The loon should get an honorary Grammy and royalties.