Wearing Flip Flops in The Snow

When I started this blog a couple of years ago, my goal was to present a realistic picture of what it is like to live or spend time in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. I have frequently mused (like Tom Ridge) about whether I tend to paint a prettier picture of Adirondack living than someone else might see. In an effort to balance the books, I occasionally try to tone it down and not rave about how absolutely wonderful it is to live here in Lake Placid. It is tough to tone down the raving however, because life in the Adirondacks truly is a sweet one if you like the outdoors and natural beauty. Just recently, and as usual, a trip out of town reminded me of the astonishing natural beauty of the Adirondacks. Last week I took a break from the cool mountain air and visited the humid sea-salty coast. There is nothing like a little time in South Jersey to remind one about the sublime effect of nature’s peace and quiet. It was great to see family, friends, and the ocean, but dealing with the rigamarole is a trial. How many people can back out of one Wawa parking lot at the same time? A Wawa is a quick market found every half mile and native to Southern New Jersey. The contrast of being around many people in a small area versus a few people in a vast forest is impossible to miss. But still New Jersey is precious to me; family connections and the ocean draw me back every year. This year’s trip was punctuated by numerous questions from some of the family about my odd life in the Adirondacks. Yes, the temperature really does get down to 30 degrees below zero. I explained I am not so weird; there are many ex-pats from New Jersey who now make their home in the Adirondacks. I pointed to the plaque on my cousin’s wall that read, “Jersey Girls Wear Flip Flops in the Snow” as testament to the fact that one can be a Jersey girl like me, and still love living in the Adirondack Mountains. And yes, I’ve worn flip flops in the snow.