Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone had a good time today.   We stayed close to home and just did a little exploring around the area.  The 4th of July, traditionally,  has not been a celebration day for us.  Usually we're cleaning up from the night before's big Conesus Lake Ring of Fire parties and trying to relax and regroup.    We'll be there next year and plan another party with Dave's signature mammoth bonfire, fireworks, red flares around the lake  and good friends.

In keeping with our desire to stay close to home, we decided to explore the roads leading to and following the shore lines of the chain of small lakes east of the ocean.   They are narrow, beautiful, tree and fern lined paths that remind us so much of one of our favorite places in the country.....the Thousand Island region of northern New York.   As a matter of fact, Florence itself brings to mind the small riverside town of Clayton in the Thousand Island area.   It has a similar vibe and must have been settled around the same time because the buildings and piers are very similar.

These lakes are very pretty.  Mercer, Sutton, Clear, Buck, Munsel.    Nice cottages and lovely homes are scattered on the bigger lake's shores.  Boats pull kids on tubes around and through the numerous coves and fingers and people fish from their docks.    We see a number of vintage wooden crafts such as are common in the St. Lawrence River of northern New York.

The smaller lakes are more isolated with just hiking trails along their shores.

These two were just lazily swimming around the lily pads, quietly enjoying the water.   They made me think of all the years of Goldens that did exactly the same thing in our lake at home.   The sheer joy of a lake.