May 17, 1994: First visit this spring after an historic heavy winter – 3-4 ft. of snow on the roof – (115 in. recorded in Sullivan Co.) very cold for a long period. Deer ate the middles from the hemlocks! Sad-looking trees.
Wild flowers in bloom:

• Yellow, white, purple violets
• Ditchman’s breeches
• Trillium
• Jack-in-the-pulpit
• Goldthread
• Foam flower
• May apple

May 28, 1994: Hi everybody! We reached Shunk early this morning (1:30). We woke up to fresh milk from the cow at the Ebys. Wes skipped rocks on the lake. My friend Kannan (he lives in Phila too) said this was the getaway of a lifetime. We visited Grandpa and Grandma and P.O.. Grandpa took us to take wild poke. Later, we went to Ithaca. We tried to go to these Buttermilk Falls but my sister and me I & others were terrified of the little catterpillars coming down from the trees. We plan to wake to fresh milk and leave tomorrow morning. Thank you for letting us use the place. We enjoyed the paradise. Gee, haven’t of heard that before.
Vinay Venkatesh

Hi! I am Kannan Ranganathan, friend of the venkatesh family. It was great meeting Grandpa & Grandma yesterday. the experience here has been more a dream to me. Hmm… I don’t know where to start…. The ride in the pick-up truck to pick “poke”, the freshly made grape juice, the dock on the lake, the deck at the lakehouse, the peace & the melencholy by the lake side, I can go on but I think I’d like to save it for the next time. Thank you soooooooo much for letting us use this place & making us feel at home. Needless to say “I’ll be back”….. (TERMINATOR 2, 1992).
…. Kannan May 29, 1994

Hi! I had a great time here. We missed you a lot. Even though the house was cold, outside was great. We all went to the lake, but we couldn’t go canoeing. Then we all went to the post office. We then went to Grampa’s house. then we all went in the back of the pickup truck and went to pick poke? My aunt and uncle came too. They said they loved it. Then when we were going to Buttermilk falls, there were way too many caterpillars. We later found 3 of them in the van. In the beginning, we had a little trouble finding the house because the roads had changed too (soo) much. Today we have to leave. That was a very short visit. Oh yeah! Yesterday we wnet to Ithaca Falls and toured Cornell Univ. Its big. Finally Bye!!
Vinita Venkatesh
May 29, 1994

May 27–29, 94: It was indeed great to be back (here) after a long three years. It was peaceful & calm.
Arrived at 1:30 am on 27th. Was frantic to find the … way. (Did not want anoy one to know, I did no know the house!) The roads had changed to confuse me too. Then Vijaya showed the way. behind every great man is a great woman (Ha! Vijaya!)

We had a heart to heart talk – discussions with grandpa and grandma. Invited them to Bangalore, India for Vinay’s Sacred thread ceremony on July 3, 94. We want the … Shunk to come to Bangalore!
Made a trip to Ithaca on May 28.
Today, may 29, we are going back to Ithaca to attend Madhuri’s graduation & be on our way to Murray Hill from Ithaca to be with my mother on Monday 30th before she leaves for India to prepare for Vinays STC in Bangalore.
Mom, we missed you and your pampering.
The fire we lit on 28th moring, & … were exotic.
Needless to say, it was nice to have been back at home, here at Shunk. Shunk from now on is to be called “THE SHUNK”.
Venkatesh.

May 29th, ’94: Hi! I am nephew of venkatesh, name: Navasinha w/wife Asha. Our maiden visit – we loved the whole setting. The nice familyish-type feeling even though all of you weren’t here. Grandpa & Grandma were extremely hospitable & it was a pleasure to meet w/them. We look forward to visit again soon. Regards. Narasinha & Asha

Dear Journal:
How can I leave without saying a few words? As before, we had a wonderful time in this peaceful, serene, calm (I don’t have “Rogets” to come up with more synonyms or strange words) home or ours. As Vinay was telling our friends, “Don’t call this Shunk: you are supposed to say The Shunk with respect, love, and attachment!”. We missed all of you, though! We hope to see the whole family next time we are here. (Has it ever been happening lately at all?. Maybe, we will all get together for Nina’s wedding!). Everybody is in the van waiting for me. I hate to leave this place, but I have to go. See you again, –
Love, Vijaya 5/29/94

June 24, 1994: Another great northern forest invasion – this time a worm called “span worm”. Bare deciduous trees everywhere, but where spraying too place. Dale had about 400 acres around the lake sprayed from a helicopter – (paid for from the logs – much $) We feel trapped by insects.
I do enjoy the new skylight!
J.

Somehow I missed “the book” on previous occasions. There will be more, however, so all is not lost
Erik (Alias “Captain Norway”)

Wowee. I had a wonderful weekend.
Sean (HOLH)

To future generations:
Don’t make fun of me now. At least I was alive when I wrote this.
– Jason

The only bad thing about the weekend was I had to leave. This place is just about perfect.
Rebecca

July 20, 1994: Charlie Eisenhood (5½) caught two sunfish early in the morning. the fish were 9 and 10 inches long. Gramma helped pull them in. Great grandfather Pop Pop cleaned them!

July 29, 1994: CHARLIE
5½

Thomas, 17 mo. and Charlie are leaving for Phila. today after spending two weeks here sans parents. Bill will come for them on Sat. then back to New Mexico.
Charlie was a great woodboy – carting dry wood to the wood box. He and Pop had daily Monopoly games.

9 July 1994: Elizabeth and Henry spent a week – half of it over-lapping with paul, Wendy and Nate – Very quiet compared to the 93 reunion!! Wet, cool, no berries. Added 8 pound maul and wedge to tool arsenal. Split some beech logs. Swam the lake width and back every day (Henry, that is, did). Pop Pop’s back operation was the big event. Sharpened all the knives with whetstone grinder from Weir Meadow. Much catching up on sleep. Good year for corn!! – Henry

12 August 1994: Paul Wendy & Nate depart 1230 after 5 very pleasant and relaxing days. We were delighted to be surprised by the Kolms being here as well. Nate got a good introduction to the lake – he took 3 walks around the lake & one down the grade. Wendy & Paul got a tour of the sawmill with Ann. No berries. 3 meals w/corn – perfect teething food.
Joanne Paul & Elizabeth did a lot of fernifying. We identified the following species:

• sensitive
• interrupted
• cinnamon
• lady
• hay-scented (disputed)
• christmas
• spirulose woodfern
• new york
• maiden hair
• bracken
• marsh (?)

The marsh specimen is under the picture windows at the south corner. Spirulose woodfern was identified on Friday’s walk north of the house near the Christmas ferns. Maidenhair is on the grade near the Hogobone Farmstead. Interrupted also found only along the grade. Hay scented, lady, and New York abundant throughout the woods. Lots of cinnamon at the norh end of the lake. Christmas found north of the house and on the hillside above the clearing opposite.
The dogs got in some swimming – Iniki is still a bit timid about jumping but she swam across 2 times w/ Paul and once after chasing the canoe halfway around the lake splashing along the margin. Susie swam in pursuit that same expedition, good exercise for her.
Time to leave – Paul & Wendy
NATHANIEL

August 22, 1994: We spent a wonderful weekend here visiting with Joanne and the Lindley families (who stayed at the other house). The Lindley reunion was held on Saturday Aug. 20 and included many descendents of D.T. and Mae Fasset Lindley. About 70 relatives gathered for the occasion. There were lots of new babies to meet and old friendships to rekindle.
Emily & Brian Wilken
(Ellie & Sydney)

Cornelia Bocchini Aug 30, 1994

Sept. 1 1994: new this summer:

• Tan roofing
• Hot water heater
• Sky light
• Mall & Mallet from Henry
• Radio-tuner, amplifier & Turntable
• Coffee-maker
• Tone Phone (out of sight)
• E-Z Cart
• Calif. coffee table brought up from Phila.
• Path & bridges to Troll Bridge (Clapper bridge & “7 steps”)

I’ve been here about 6–7 weeks – the longest in recent history. Much of the time I was attentive to Mother while Daddy was 3 weeks in hospital. (He’s now home and doing very well.) I have happily been using his new pick-up for mulch, dirt, & rock hauling. Much rain this summer – resulting in absolutely glorious ferns & fungus.

On the ferns: I capitulate on the hay-scented. It’s everywhere, but has no scent. Lady ferns were not easy to find (only one patch near one of the bigger riverlets) However, I found two new ferns:
(1) Rattlesnake – 6 widely scattered ones
(2) Silvery Spleenwort – groups near christmas ferns
That makes a total of 13
J.

Sept. 17, 1994: the 5 Mountain Ashes are glorious with their red berries.
J. & K

Oct. 17, ’94: Glorious warm fall weekend.
Poppop instructed us in how to shut down house for winter. Ken will carry the knowledge to the next generation. (Imagine not knowing this stuff all these yrs!)
K & J