The Brasher Falls IGA Grocery Store

I returned to my dogs and my little farm apartment in the afternoon, let the pooches out for a romp and made myself a quick lunch. But night falls early out on the northern tundra this time of year and I wanted something - well, interesting for dinner. So I left one more time for the little town of Brasher Falls. They have there a brand new IGA market which surely must be the envy of less fortunate towns like Fort Jackson, Winthrop, Nicholville and Hopkinton. Brasher Falls is only 15 to 20 minutes from my front door:

I probably should have said something first and asked for permission, but I didn't. I just began walking around snapping pictures. The Brasher Falls IGA is a real old fashioned market. It has nearly everything a person could want in the way of groceries, toiletries, household cleaners or pet supplies:

There appeared to be four employees - two behind the meat counter, a young boy at the cash register and an older man stocking shelves. I'll wager it's a family affair:

A dairy aisle and frozen foods. Who needs to make the long drive into Massena to shop at Wal-Mart when everything you need is right here? I'm not being snarky, by the way. I really mean it:

Even fresh fruits and vegetables:

I can't even remember what I bought that day except that I know I got two small steaks for just a couple of bucks. I wondered if the price would even cover the cost of packaging:

The place was booming and the register had a line. The cashier carried an older woman's groceries out to her car for her without her even asking. I was impressed:

I snapped only one photo of downtown Brasher Falls as I left the store. I only needed one photo because it all fit in one:

Traveling The Port Kent And Red Tavern Roads

Well, I'd driven up to the farm and taken lots of photos on my trip. I'd toured the back roads around the farm and taken even more photos. I'd only been able to stay one night and it was time to return home. So I put the dogs into the back of the car and began my journey down the dirt road which bisects my farm. It's all forest at first, but then I pull onto a blacktopped road and pass once again through farm country. I stopped to snap a picture of this farm field filled with multiple rows of cut and split fire wood, each row hundreds of feet long:

And I passed this lovely "Dairy Of Distinction" as I traveled:

In tiny Nicholville, I passed this church whose bell no longer resides in the steeple. Now it sits on the lawn. I'd guess that the old steeple rotted out and was replaced by the newer, skinnier one you now see:

I crossed the highway and decided to take the Port Kent Road down through the Adirondacks. That route is easy (but lonely) traveling in the summer, but I wouldn't want to brave it in the winter. Along that road I passed a field filled with turkeys and several males were displaying. But when I tried to get their photo, they folded up their tails and began walking away from me. I finally snapped the picture anyway before I lost them altogether. When I got back into my car, they once again began displaying so I got out again and they folded up their tails and began once again walking away. I guess I'll have to be happy with this photo:

This being the Adirondacks, the farm fields gave way to conifers:

And to mountains seen through the still bare hardwood trees:

Port Kent Road is amazingly flat and straight, but one can see the mountains all around:

I'd venture to guess that the "plains" you see in the distance are marshes alongside the St. Regis River:

And after passing through the tiny town of St. Regis Falls, Port Kent Road becomes Red Tavern Road. It's named, of course, after this historic red tavern. It's difficult to see in this photo but "Red Tavern" is painted on the roof:

You may recall the last time I passed this way and stopped to have a beer. I'd been told that this is a real old fashioned wayfarer's inn. One can rent a room, but after the bar closes, the electricity is shut off. I never found out if this is true, but I plan to ask some day. It was too early in the morning for me to stop on this trip:

Eventually it becomes the Port Kent Road again and is bordered by marshy wetlands, courtesy of the ubiquitous St. Regis River, with mountains as their backdrop:

It's certainly scenic and I drove for long periods of time without passing another car going in either direction. There were no homes, no campgrounds, no people. Except for this single road, this is wilderness and I wouldn't want to have car trouble here. Well, I'll continue my journey in tomorrow's post: