Weissport Canals/Lehigh Valley Canal System

We took another long, peaceful walk today along the beautiful canals between Weissport and Jim Thorpe.

It's so very peaceful, and this time, we almost went all the way to Jim Thorpe, so we got a nice, healthy walk in. We saw lots of different fish species in the canal, and the dragon flies were plentiful, zipping back and forth over the clear waters. We also saw many frogs, and caught a glimpse of a small, golden colored snake by the reeds of the canal...only when we approached, he jetted very quickly into the green and disappeared.

The broad-winged hawks were flying low over the mountain gorge, so we were able to see all of nature's splendor on this fine, bright blue day!

There were occasional, leisurely bicyclists that would meander onto the path, then back off to the bike trails, and here and there, couples could be seen enjoying each other's company, and the beauty of the day.

Definitely not a place to miss when you come to our place for a lovely Autumn visit!

Dinner at Bake Oven Inn

The Bake Oven Inn, Germansville, Pennsylvania

We feel really blessed to live in such a beautiful area that is just stocked with wonderful things to do, and terrific places to eat, and trust me, we definitely take advantage of that.

We decided to go to one of our local favorites, The Bake Oven Inn. This restaurant is always a surprise and a delight, no matter how many times we go back. The staff and owners are so welcoming, and the ambiance is that of sitting in a quaint yet somehow sophisticated livingroom, minus any stuffiness!

Mark and I started off our dinner with the cornmeal dusted calamari and chili dipping sauce, which was cooked to absolute perfection, and the appetizer special of fresh mozzarella, tomato and arugula salad with a balsamic drizzle. Bake Oven Inn gets all of their produce and meats locally, as well as some of the local wines, so you can really taste how fresh and delicious everything is.

For our entrees, Mark chose the Roasted sesame thyme dusted Brazilian tiger fish, with herb coucous, roasted carrots and pineapple chutney, which was absolutely amazing (we always share!), and I chose one of the several dinner specials, which was a rootbeer marinated pork loin chop with roasted plantains and garlic spinach, also, amazing. I went for the chop since I was curious to see how a rootbeer marinated pork chop would taste (and it was surprisingly delicious and juicy), and since I trust master chef Mark Muszynski, I knew it could only be a culinary masterpiece, which his food always is.

For dessert, we had a warm chocolate cake with homemade chocolate raspberry ice cream, and fresh raspberry garnish. It was the "icing" on the cake, and absolutely mouthwatering.

So, if you come by for a weekend visit, be sure to put the Bake Oven Inn on your list of places to visit, for a truly unique, romantic and delicious experience.

You can view their information and menus at:

http://www.eatcuriousgoods.com/

Hope to see you soon!!