No snow and High waters

I woke this morning December 23 really missing my Island.  I realize I have skipped much of the story of our build but this morning being almost Christmas I feel I need to jump to a different part of the story. We can catch up on the rest later.

As I said I woke this morning really missing my island , the rest of the family was sleeping , I decided to take a walk.  We live in the southwest corner of the Adirondack Park, in New York State. The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 by the State of New York amid concerns for the water and timber resources of the region. Today the Park is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, greater in size than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Park combined. (Adirondack State Park Agency description).  Much of the park is privately owned but it is all overseen by the Park Agency and we have restrictions on what we can and can’t do.

I headed down the road on this 50 degree morning, which is about 30 degrees above a typical December day here.  I think that is why I was missing Roatan this morning a hazy rainy morning with no snow and a quiet in the air reminded me of mornings we have spent on the island.  As I walked down the road thinking how strange it was to have such a warm, snowless Christmas week here when we expected to be In Roatan experiencing a warm, snowless week. See our plan was to spend the Christmas holidays working on our Lodge in Roatan this year, but due to Island time, a change in builders and just fate I guess we do not have a home there yet; our build does not start till January.

I am amazed at how vastly different and yet emotionally the same my two homes are.  The Adirondacks and Roatan are two of the most amazing locations in the world and I feel equally at home and at peace in both.  I believe places have a spirit about them , by that I mean an underlying feeling of peace, tranquility, excitement, anxiety, compassion, frustration and the list could go on and on. Anyway in all the places I go I feel an underlying energy that drives the area , some good and some bad. I think people are drawn to the places where they feel at peace and comfortable with the overall spirit of the area.  I know this may sound like a crazy theory but we have spent our entire life savings on the dream of building a Eco-lodge in Roatan, I never claimed to be sound of mind. Anyway I feel the same spirit about the Adirondacks and Roatan.

While walking down the road enjoying the calm peace in the air with underlying humility of the history of those that came before, and excitement of new adventures that lingers in both my homes.  I was reminded of some of the very real ways my home in the Adirondacks and Roatan differ.  Up ahead in the woods I could hear the yipping of a pack of Coyotes. Coyotes are definitely something you do not encounter on the Island. As a matter of fact there are very few threatening animals on the island.  On my walk I had already seen several dear and the neighbor’s chickens. There are defiantly chickens on the island and everyone has their opinion of them but I have never felt threatened by a pack of chickens. I was walking by myself and decided that a trip to the end of the road was not a wise idea. In contrast I have been known to change course while snorkeling and coming upon a 4 foot barracuda I am not sure if the threat is the same as encountering a pack of Coyotes or a Bear but I have decided to not find out on either account. .  In the Adirondacks we have chance encounters with Bear, Bald Eagles, as well as many other spectacular birds and woodland animals, while on the island we look for encounters with Sea Turtles, octopus and many other spectacular sea creatures. This is an example of how they are very alike and very different.

As I walked down to the creek behind our home I am reminded of how water is one of the connecting factors in our homes. We spend our time here in the summer kayaking, swimming and tubing. While on the island we spend our time snorkeling and enjoying the beautiful Half Moon Bay.

In both locations we find the people to be diverse, intriguing and most are welcoming and helpful. The culture and history is rich and interesting. So on this warm Christmas in the Adirondacks my heart is once again divided between the beautiful island of Roatan and the vast Adirondacks, I am blessed to have wonderful people in my life here and we have started what I hope to be long time relationships with people on the Island.  God has truly given us two amazing places to call home.

Wherever you call home this Christmas remember to be thankful for all the wonders in the world and people around you. Look for the good in all Gods people and take some time to share a story, a toast a song with those that surround you.