Where Sentinels Soar
An SLHS ’81 Classmate Collaboration
Featuring the World Class Eagle Photography of Peggy Ivimey
Framed with Words by Dick Monroe
Saranac Lake, N.Y.
6-25-2022
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In A Land Beyond Lands
Beyond Times Born Before
Nature’s Habitat Heritage
Filled with Legends and Lore
Mountain Lake Magic
Gateway to God’s Door
Pristine High Peaks Palace
Where Sentinels Soar
Lake Colby, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
6-19-20
Peggy Ivimey Photograph
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Peggy and I grew up in Saranac Lake each hiking our own unique route. Peggy came up through St. Bernard’s. I attended Petrova.
We went through high school together as casual acquaintances more than friends.
It was only recently in today’s social media world that we became Facebook friends. I found her loon photography posts there to be simply amazing. I had been having some success writing & sharing poems & stories for a while. Sometime during 2020 We agreed to collaborate. The result, “Serenade of the Loon”, proved a great success. It was well received across social media and in The Adirondack Almanack.
As we worked on that piece, I also became aware of Peggy’s extraordinary bald eagle photography. Later that winter as Christmas approached, I reached out to Peggy about the prospect of purchasing some of her framed photographs as both as mementos for myself and gifts for my children.
Peggy agreed. I selected several photos from her Facebook studio’s “Gallery of Eagles”. Shortly thereafter she & I rendezvoused in Saranac Lake, where I purchased four of Peggy’s framed bald eagle photographs. One framed photo for each of my three children. They all now hang proudly in their homes.
The one below was my favorite. I kept it for myself.
Peggy Ivimey Photograph
Peggy and I agreed then that at some point we would collaborate again for a piece on bald eagles.
Bald eagles hold special meaning for both Peggy and me.
We each have our own eagle stories.
Peggy had already been photographing eagles on Lake Colby and in and around the tri-lakes area for a number of years,
Female Bald Eagle
Lake Colby, Saranac Lake
6-4-16
Peggy Ivimey Photograph
when in 2011 she suffered a broken neck and struggled through a long recovery while juggling the challenges of being a single mother raising her daughter, working as a pharmacy technician, and pursuing her degree at North Country Community College and career in Saranac Lake as a nurse.
It was during this time that she forged bonds with Sylvia, a rehabbing bald eagle who had taken up residency at The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge in Wilmington.
Adirondack Wildlife Refuge Wilmington, N.Y.
12-12-20
In Peggy’s own words:
“I broke my neck and had a long recovery in 2011. The live eagle cams saved me from insanity! Then Sylvia arrived at the refuge in the fall of 2011. I was able to show all my fellow “eagle-holics” Sylvia’s progression from juvenile bald eagle to full maturity.”
Sylvia at The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge
12-13-20
Peggy Ivimey Photograph
“They all love Sylvia!“
“I miss her now, but she’s doing well at The American Eagle foundation in Pigeon Forge, TN.”
Peggy Ivimey Photograph
For my family’s part, our attachment to eagles centers around my father, Tom Monroe, whose career with the DEC brought our family to Saranac Lake in the early seventies. Prior to his death in 2017 he instilled in his children and grandchildren a deep appreciation for the Adirondacks during many family adventures and camping trips up to and around Middle Saranac Lake.
When my brother and I were growing up, seeing eagles on the lake was a rarity. However, during the last few years of dad’s life, Middle Saranac Lake eagle sightings became more common. Dad took great pleasure in them.
Since Dad’s passing, whenever one of the kids spots an eagle overhead near our camp, they say, “Oh look! There’s Gramps, watching over us.”
Peggy Ivimey Photo
These days, Peggy spends her free time photographing eagles at various locales in and around the Tri-lakes area and sharing her world class photos on Facebook.
Overlooking the Ausable River
Wilmington, N.Y.
5-6-23
Franklin County, N.Y.
Wilmington, N.Y.
5-6-23
Adirondacks
6-27-2021
Whether it’s Peggy sharing snapped eagle pics taken on Lake Colby, or one of my children spotting an eagle overhead on Middle Saranac Lake, every bald eagle encounter has a magic all its own.
Here in These Mountains
Gateway to God’s Door
Franklin County, Adirondacks
circa 2022
Peggy Ivimey Photo
Pristine High Peaks Palace
Where Sentinels Soar
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Until Our Trails Cross Again:
We hope folks enjoyed our classmate collaboration.
Sincerely,
Peggy Ivimey & Dick Monroe
SLHS ’81
Wilmington, N.Y.
5-6-23
(Author’s Endnote: This story appeared in the 6/14/23 online edition of The Adirondack Almanack.)
About The Author
rdmonroe5
Lifelong NYS resident. Raised in Saranac Lake. Cornell graduate(ROTC). Army veteran, Airborne/Ranger qualified, 10th Mtn Div, stints in Honduras and with JTF VI. 3rd degree Black Belt; 3x cancer survivor; published writer with several featured stories in Adirondack Life Magazine. Residing in Watertown NY with wife Robin & our 3 adult children. Loving Life. Living in the Day I am in.
Good Morning Richard, We are so very lucky to have you. I enjoy the spring and fall migration of the raptors in the flyway that goes right over our farm. Winona and I were surprised a couple years ago when a bald eagle visited a deer carcass over the period of several days. The coyotes, crows and other scavengers helped complete the clean-up. I had seen eagles at the Montezuma but not here. A distinctly beautiful creature.
Thank you, Alan! Have a great day!