If we must have summer in Lake Placid, NY, opening day 2018 would be a great template. Every summer day would be sunny, clear, 72 and blue; warm, but not too warm. The birds would sing and the butterflies light. Today was simply a perfect Adirondack summer day.

There is a lot to be said for summer in the Adirondack Mountains, but snow skiing is not among those words. This makes me sad, but I’ve learned to cope. The trend of warmer Adirondack summers helps; the trails dry out faster, lake swimming is wonderful, road biking a delight, there are more flowers, and the songbird population is plentiful, recovered from the days of aerial bug spray.

Hurry, summer is (mercifully) short in the Adirondack Mountains!

The pace here is faster in the summer, we squeeze in as much gardening and outdoor work as we can, 37 degree mornings remind us we live in the mountains and autumn starts in August.