Around the Lake

It’s that time of year – the time to take in the beauty of fall colors all around us. There are three things that cause leafy greens to become blazing spectacles: pigments in the leaf, weather and length of night. There are four types of pigments found in leaves: chlorophyll (green), xanthophyllis (yellows), carotenoids (oranges), anthocyanins (reds).

As days become shorter and sunlight becomes weaker, the veins in leaves begin to shut down and the trapped sugars in the leaves prompt orange, red and yellow colors to show through. The intensity of fall leaf colors is affected by weather and moisture – warm, sunny days accompanied by cool (not cold) nights will produce the brightest displays of color, as will a warm wet spring. Should a late spring, summer drought or warm spell during the fall occur, a delay or decrease in the intensity of fall colors will result.

Let’s hope our dry summer will not affect the fall display we all look forward to every year!

Speaking of leaf-peeping, you may want to take in the beauty of our area with a one-and-a-half-hour train ride on the Stourbridge Line from Hawley to Honesdale. You may even spot bald eagles during your excursion! The rides take place on weekends throughout the month of October. The train cars are heated, and restroom facilities are available. The cost is $20 for adults, $15 for children. If you have young kids, you may want to take a ride on the Pumpkin Patch Express, available on Saturdays and Sundays in October. Bring the whole gamily and enjoy a two-hour ride with a stop in Honesdale, where children can pick their own pumpkin to take home. The cost is $25 for adults and $20 for children. If you have any questions, give the Stourbridge Line a call at 570 470 2697 or look them up at thestourbridgeline.net.

The Stourbridge Line’s Blue Moon Express is being held on October 29th. Wear your Halloween costume and take a ride along the Lackawaxen River. Once you reach the destination, an array of beer, wine and spirits will be available for you to taste and to purchase. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older with photo ID. The outing is two and a half hours long; the cost is $35.00. From October 1st to October 2nd beginning at 10:00 am, come on down to the Hawley Harvest Hoedown! New activities have been added this year – in addition to the scarecrow costume contest, horse and wagon rides, music, vendors and the petting zoo, a lumberjack / lumberjill competition is set to take place in Bingham Park, along with a corn hole and axe-throwing competitions. This year’s Fall Beer Crawl will be one you won’t want to miss, either! Many events are free, so call 570 226 4064, check them out on Facebook or go to visithawleypa.com to find out more! Quiet Valley Farm is holding their Harvest Festival from October 8th to 9th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. There will be wagon rides, craft and trade demonstrations featuring skills used during the 1800s, refreshments, a Civil War encampment, entertainment and lots of activities for children. The cost for advance tickets is $16 for adults and $8 for children; $18 and $10 at the gate. Call 570 992 6161 for details or go to quietvalley.org. Spooky Days on the Farm will be held at Quiet Valley Farm on October 28th and 29th from 5 – 8 pm. Help solve a murder with an event designed by a forensic specialist. The farm is very dark at night, so be sure to bring your flashlight! This event is not suitable for children aged 7 and under. If you have a hankering for some Halloween fun, be sure to take a candle-lit tour of Haunted Honesdale. The walks will be held on October 8th, 14th and 15th from 5:00 – 9:00 pm. Each tour lasts forty-five minutes, during which you will learn about Honesdale’s eerie alleyways, other-worldly-occupied buildings and the ghosts who haunt the Honesdale streets. Tours begin in Central Park and end at The Hotel Wayne, where encounters with apparitions have been documented. The cost is $18 for adults, $13 for children aged 8 – 12 (not recommended for children under 8.) Call 570 470 2185 if you dare!

Have tweens? Don’t know what to do with them? Don’t get yourself tied up in knots! Consider taking them to the Pocono Organics Market in Long Pond, PA on October 8th where they will learn to make pretzels! Preteens will make the pretzel dough and learn how to properly knot these Pennsylvania specialties. The class is for children aged 10 – 15 and is held from 3:30 – 5:00 pm. The cost for the class is $30.00. On November 12th, children aged 5 – 9 can make their own cake pops on a stick (with an accompanying adult) at the market. They can dip their pops into a chocolate coating and decorate their little cakes with icing and the toppings of their choice. Go to pocono-organics.square.site or call 570 646 1100 for details. Film buffs – the Black Bear Film Festival is being held this year from October 14th – October 16th for the 23rd time! The festival will feature original documentaries, short films, student films, dramas and comedies. Check out the cute town of Milford and enjoy shop and restaurant specials and try to find the Artful Bears all around town (go to the website to find a map of the bears’ locations.) While you are there, visit the beautiful estate, Grey Towers, and other historic buildings and special events. Visit blackbearfilm. com for more information.

The Art Factory of White Mills continues to hold classes through November, using mediums such as acrylic pours, alcohol ink, printmaking, watercolors and graphite and colored pencils. Creating something beautiful and unique is the perfect way to keep your mind and spirit feeling alive as the weather cools and leaves begin to fall. Visit this wonderful resource by going to theartfactoryofwhitemills.com or call them by dialing 570 251 1181. Check out their gallery, too!!