autumn at the lake Archives

This Season’s Staycation: A Regional Guide to Fall Leaves

Posted on October 3, 2020October 7, 2020 Camille Smith

Photo courtesy of @kickhisasscbass via Twenty20.

Across the U.S., viewing fall leaves in various parts of the country is a popular hobby — especially for lake homeowners who love the outdoors. Last year, we wrote about the top 5 lakes for viewing autumn foliage as a testament to this pastime.

However, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been traveling less to avoid exposing or transmitting the virus. According to The Washington Post, the pandemic will likely change the future of travel.

So what does that mean for leaf peepers across the country? While you won’t fly to faraway destinations to pursue this seasonal hobby, that doesn’t mean that you can’t view beautiful foliage locally.

Think of it as a staycation. Within driving distance from your home, you’re bound to find plenty of gorgeous autumnal colors to photograph. When it’s peak season in your region, here are the best spots to see fall leaves!

Southeast

Photo courtesy of **Linn Cove Viaduct** via Blue Ridge Parkway Daily.

For this region, late October marks the peak season. Just in time for curating Halloween photos of pumpkin carvings against a backdrop of fall leaves.

But if you venture beyond your lake house’s backyard, there are even more picturesque foliage views in store. Given that this region is where the Appalachian Trail ends, it’s no surprise that one of these locations is the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina.

This scenic trail stretches 469 miles into the Appalachian highlands, and the panorama of multicolored leaves on a mountain is simply stunning. Close to the hip, thriving city of Asheville, you can visit the nearby Lake Rhodhiss, Douglas Lake, or Lake Jacossee on your trip.

Midwest

Lake Geneva – Photo courtesy of The San Diego-Union Tribune.

From Lake Michigan to the Missouri River, the Midwest offers much more than its reputation of friendliness. There’s plenty of gorgeous destinations for viewing fall leaves.

One of these hidden gems is Geneva Lake in the town of Lake Geneva (confusing, we know). Just 80 miles northwest of Chicago, this historical town is fantastic for classic fall activities like boat tours, apple picking, and Oktoberfest.

Slightly further east is Brown County, Indiana. Renowned as a hotspot for artists, its rolling hills are incredible during the fall. For a more adventurous trip, try out a biking trail in Minnesota’s Root River Valley.

Northeast

Lake Winnipesaukee – Photo courtesy of Denis Tangney, Jr. via VisitNH.gov.

When it comes to Fall leaves, the northeast region is perhaps the first that comes to mind. You may envision charming small towns draped in fall foliage — like the fictional Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls— scattered across states like Connecticut and Vermont. While not entirely accurate, there’s truth to this New England fall fantasy.

One of these is New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee loop. The state’s largest lake offers a 97-mile drive around its border. Especially during the fall, you’ll want to schedule plenty of time for pit stops at quaint towns Laconia and Meredith.

Outside New Hampshire, Maine’s Acadia National Park, Connecticut’s Route 7, and Woodstock Vermont are other must-sees in the region.

West

Photo courtesy of Craig Tuttle/Getty Images via Departures.com.

This region’s wide-open spaces make fall leaves more visible than ever. Whether your home is on California’s Lake Tahoe or Washington’s Puget Sound, there’s a place to take photos of fall leaves nearby.

In the northwest region, a stand-out location is Idaho’s Teton Scenic Byway. It’s technically on Wyoming’s outskirts, but the real star is the Teton Mountains’ incredible view. Around sunset, the orange and red glow matches the leaves colors for a stunning show.

Further south, New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle is a popular autumn destination due to its hiking and biking trails and picturesque views.

Although COVID-19 has stopped many of us from traveling, it can’t stop us from enjoying fall leaves locally this year! No matter what region your lake house may be in, we hope you enjoy your autumn staycation.

Hosting Thanksgiving at Your Lake House

Posted on November 19, 2019November 18, 2019 Camille Smith

Lakeside Thanksgiving Turkey Day dinner table setting — *Photo courtesy of* *The Cottage Journal*.

When thinking about your ideal Thanksgiving holiday, what do you imagine? Maybe it’s a massive turkey roasting in the oven, a table crowded with friends and family, or a group huddled around the TV watching the parade. Perhaps it’s crunching leaves outdoors, starting the morning with a Turkey Trot, or playing football in the backyard. Whatever comes to mind, this holiday certainly evokes a sense of warmth and gratitude.

Living room on lake during autumn — *Photo courtesy of* *Lily Pad Cottage.*

At Lake Homes, we believe that there’s no better setting for these cozy, Fall feelings than your own lake house. As your own scenic getaway retreat, a lakehouse is the perfect place to take a step back from your hectic, everyday routine and reflect on what you’re thankful for.

However, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving at your lake house this year, we recognize the irony– you’re experiencing the high stress of cooking, decorating, and pleasing your guests on a holiday that is intended for peace and relaxation.

While there’s a necessary element of planning involved, you deserve to enjoy this holiday too. We’re here with some tips on decor, food, and dining that will hopefully help you to stress less on Turkey Day this year.

The Decorations

Pumpkins on table setting in front of wine glasses — *Photo courtesy of* *TheStranger.com*.

When decorating your lake house for Thanksgiving, homeowners advise aiming for a natural look. On the lake, you’re lucky enough to be surrounded by plenty of materials that you can use to create this festive, woods-inspired atmosphere.

Take it from a lake home owner. Jenny Block, writer and author of the upcoming book Be That Unicorn, lives on Lake Livingston in Texas. She explains, “The lake is always part of my decor. I’ll use glass gourds mixed with real gourds and pumpkins and woven cornucopias that spill over the table. I also love having blue jugs with fresh mums.”

Autumn fall seasonal tablescape with white and gold pumpkins — *Photo courtesy of* *Shining on Design.*

In a similar vein, Lake Michigan resident Shane Pliska, president of the botanical garden wedding venue Planterra’s Conservatory, employs natural decor to celebrate Thanksgiving. Specifically, he incorporates decorative branches into his designs.

Pliska comments, “In mild years, I’ll clip Japanese Maple branches with brilliant red leaves still intact. I’ll also use branches from in-bloom witch hazel and bright orange berries from the Mountain Ash Trees.”

Ultimately, the scenic lake in your backyard is a decoration in and of itself. As such, it’s important to let the water, foliage, and other natural features steal the show. By incorporating these existing natural elements into your indoor decorations, you extend the same natural beauty into your home.

Whether you choose to display fresh flowers or spray paint pine cones and scatter them across the table for a DIY project, you’re sure to create a sophisticated, yet rustic environment for your Thanksgiving guests.

The Food

Thanksgiving Turkey Day Friendsgiving dinner laid out on table — *Photo courtesy of* *Lake House Effect.*

While cooking for several guests can be a joy, as any host or hostess knows, it can also be stressful. To relieve some of the inevitable anxiety that accompanies baking for the masses, it’s a good idea to stick to traditional recipes.

Thanksgiving Day is not the appropriate time to roll the dice on a new dish. Adhering to classic holiday staples like turkey, pie, and green bean casserole is a simple secret to pleasing your guests. Pliska adds, “My mother still cooks the most flavorful turkeys, and I have the honor to be the carver. Her secret — small sized turkeys. This means she’ll typically cook two birds to feed ten people.”

Maintaining the traditions of well-known recipes evokes a sense of comfort and familiarity that is ultimately a hallmark of this holiday. However, there’s always room for a little fun.

Apple Pie Bourbon shots with cinnamon sticks — *Apple Pie Bourbon Shots* *from Delish.com*

Fall themed cocktails are a low-risk way to serve unique flavors and twists such as Apple Pie Bourbon Shots or Warm Apple Cider with Fireball. Pliska has a family recipe for Ginger Bee that includes 1.5 part vodka, 1 part Domaine de Canton, a teaspoon of honey, and a teaspoon of lemon juice served on the rocks with ginger beer.

However, don’t forget to include something fun for the younger guests at your lake house. There are plenty of creative Thanksgiving treats that are sure to be a hit at the kids table.

As for leftovers, Block’s rule of thumb is that every guest must take some food home. She believes that it’s best to “under promise and over deliver” so that your friends and family can enjoy the same dishes for a few more days.

The Dining

Fall autumnal tablescape for holiday season — *Photo courtesy of* *Heritage Farm and Garden*.

In the world of design, we’re often told that “less is more.” However, Block suggests that the opposite may be true when creating a Thanksgiving tablescape. “I’m a layered table girl,” she says, “I always have a table runner with a place mat on top, I’ll wrap a festive ribbon around the napkins, and leave gourd baskets with bread in them. I like a table to look full.”

She also enjoys writing her guests names on placeholders to make the table personalized. Pliska agrees that having multiple items on a table, including a variety of textures, can create a festive environment.

For example, he enjoys incorporating velvet cloths into seasonal themes. He comments, “I love the versatility of velvet, as it can dress-up more rustic or harvest themed décor that might otherwise seem dowdy.”

Autumn fall tablescape in front of lake — *Photo courtesy of* *The Cottage Journal*.

If you opt for a Thanksgiving dinner over a lunch, it’s also important to remember that your key backdrop — the lake — will be harder to see. As such, Pliska says the solution is “candles. Lots of candles.” Whether it’s a large candelabra or something smaller, they’re sure to invoke a warm ambiance.

This idea of a full table, including as many versatile items and fun patterns scattered across the tablescape, brings out the plentiful, overflowing feel of Thanksgiving. Plus, it’s harder for guests to notice a potential food spill. “It’s a happy abundance,” Block emphasizes.

We hope some of these insights are helpful in planning your own holiday at your lake house. Happy Turkey Day!

For more tips on preparing your home for the season, read “Fall Décor and More – Getting Your Lake Home Ready for Autumn“.

4 Best Novels for Autumn at the Lake

Posted on November 21, 2018June 5, 2019 Staff

Rest and relaxation are major components of the lake lifestyle, which is all about enjoying life and leisure. When the weather’s cool and the leaves are falling, what better way to do that than curling up with a good book?

In the summer, we gave you a list of some light-hearted novels to enjoy while sunbathing lakeside. But in keeping with the solemn mood of autumn, we’ll take a look at some books with a darker edge.

Now grab a warm blanket, pick a seat with a waterfront view and dive right into these four moody narratives.

Iron Lake

William Kent Krueger’s suspenseful debut novel is a perfectly thrilling autumn read.

Set in frigid Minnesota lake country, Iron Lake reveals the dark side of a small town’s sparkling snowy landscape.

It’s safe to say Cork O’Connor, former sheriff of Aurora, Minnesota, has sunk to rock bottom. Disaffected by a nasty divorce/custody battle and haunted by past mistakes, caffeine and guilt fuel his half-lived existence.

As a cop on Chicago’s South Side in years past, there isn’t much that Cork hasn’t seen. But life finds ways to surprise you. A brutal murdered judge and the disappearance of the community’s all-American boy sends the small town of Aurora reeling.

Suddenly, the former sheriff’s life is jolted by scandal, corruption and conspiracy. As O’Connor digs for clues to solve the mystery, his obstacles grow taller.

Not only must he defy high-powered locals trying everything to thwart his plans, but he has to do it all while navigating a lakeside blizzard that’s buried the whole town.

In the midst of his quest, however, O’Connor happens upon a town secret not even Chicago could’ve prepared him for.

This suspenseful whodunit is ideal for those chilly, rustic-colored autumn afternoons. After all, everyone loves a classic murder mystery, right?

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

This New York Times bestseller tells the story of how fame on social media can balloon into colossal proportions in the blink of an eye.

On a particularly restless night, April May stumbles upon a peculiar ten-foot-tall sculpture unlike anything she’s ever seen. The odd part is this figure seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

Fascinated and unaware of its significance, April and her friend take a video with the sculpture and uploads it to YouTube.

What she didn’t know was these mysterious, alien sculptures showed up overnight in cities all around the world. The next day, April awakens to viral fame and a life that is forever changed.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing relevantly explores how social media is making a lasting impact on our culture. Green comments how we as a society deal with fear and the unknown, as well as how dehumanizing fame can be.

This thought-provoking fiction is an appropriately bold account of cultural oddities in the 21st century.

The Giver

While it may be a young adult novel, The Giver is a must-read for all ages.

The Community–a dystopian society in the near-future–is a place of uncompromising equality. The Elders have eradicated everything from colors and emotions to climate and memory of human history to enforce “sameness”.

And much like a beehive, all citizens of the Community have a set-in-stone designated role, assigned from birth. Lifelong job assignments, however, aren’t given until the age of 12. It’s then that Jonas learns he is to be the next Receiver of Memory.

As Receiver, his job is to advise the Council of Elders on laws from a place of wisdom and perspective. The high-status position requires Jonas to be trained by the former Receiver–the Giver, a wise yet mysterious man.

During his training, Jonas gains access to all the knowledge forbidden to everyone else in the Community. Not only is he now able to read books–almost all of which are banned–but the Giver bestows upon him a tragically beautiful gift.

In a dizzying psychedelic journey, Jonas receives all the disallowed memories of human history. Suddenly his sense are shocked awake by alien concepts: the sights and smells of an ocean; the magic of a rainbow; the coldness of snow.

As the memories flood in, he also learns of war and famine. He learns to feel emotion. And for the first time in his life, Jonas can see in color. Now he’s on a mission to make the rest of the Community see it too.

The Giver is a timeless commentary on the interconnection of pain and pleasure and the importance of individuality.

The Lake of Dead Languages

The Lake of Dead Languages, by Carol Goodman, tells the story of “youthful innocence drowned by dark sins.”

As freshmen at the Heart Lake School for Girls–an isolated boarding school in the Adirondacks–Jane Hudson and her two roommates were best friends.

Between sneaking out past curfew and performing half-serious rituals on the lake’s shores, the three were inseparable. But just before graduation in the dead of winter, a ghastly triple suicide changed everything.

Jane, the lone survivor, left the school after that, packing away all memories of that dark turn of events for more than two decades. However, twenty years after that unspeakable tragedy she returns to the school–this time as a Latin teacher–in hopes of a fresh start.

But as long-forgotten secrets are revealed and copycat tragedies ensue, Jane is thrust back into the life she thought was safely behind her.

This daring thriller and national bestseller begs the question: can you ever really escape the past?

For those days when it’s just too cold to enjoy the lake, curl up with a hot drink and indulge in these four well-written masterpieces.