Fogged In

6:32

It's just 7:00, and Beth and I have been up for over half an hour, enjoying our coffee and the fog. I doubt that I will kayak this morning due to the fog, and it feels good to just sit in my living room and relax. 

Barcelona Beach, Lake Erie

Yesterday was another warm day, but a good one. I paddled for close to an hour before most fishing boats were out and shot a couple of herons. Beth was up early with me, and when I returned from a paddle, Evie was up as well and both were planning the week ahead when all our family arrived. Beth and I usually drive to Barcelona and walk the beach, looking for interesting, heart-shaped stones so we left Evie behind to get a few things done, and we took the long, picturesque way to Barcelona. Walking out to the beach for a quarter of a mile along the Chautauqua Creek is always interesting, sometimes filled with trout fishermen, but none yesterday. We walked the beach, littered with mostly stones and driftwood, for half an hour then returned to our car around 12:30.  For lunch, we stopped at Jack's Barcelona Drive In, a fixture in Barcelona and always busy. We sat at the counter and ordered perch sandwiches with mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes, and they were great. I got hand-cut curly fries as well. 

Mouth Of Chautauqua Creek

The Beach Head

Driftwood 

Mouth Of Chautauqua Creek

Lake Erie

We were home around 1:30, and I was ready to fall asleep reading my book while Evie and Beth read on the front porch. We didn't do much the rest of the day except make a list of things to do over the next couple of days and what we needed from today's shopping at Wegmans. Much of this was done as we were enjoying wine time on the front porch. Dinner, chicken with artichokes and mushrooms, was already made, so all we needed to do was heat it up in the oven. We were too lazy to set a table, so we ate on the porch, our plates on our laps, a first. We watched an episode of The Resident, a series Beth had watched in 2017, and liked it, so it was fun. Evie then went up to bed first, and Beth followed shortly after, around 9:15. I went up early, too, wanting to read and bored with the news. 

Happy Hour

A Gray Morning On A Quiet Lake

    

Got An Itch?

Heading Out

7:24

It's 8:44 and Evie, Beth and I are sitting in our living room, talking and enjoying our coffee. I paddled for close to an hour, over to Long Point, back to Bootey Bay, and home, shooting two herons along the bay. It looks like a gray but cool day, with highs in the 70s.

Kayak Morning

Northern Gray

Sitting On  Boat Top

Great Blue

Same Guy

Sunday was a hot, warm, and busy morning because our daughter Beth was arriving in the afternoon. I kayaked for an hour before it got too hot. After coffee and relaxing, we got busy, getting the upstairs bedroom ready, putting in the air conditioner, changing the bed, and vacuuming. I then emptied the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen before heading out to the dock to gather all the drying weeds and take them up the hill to the woodpile. We actually didn't have that much to do because Evie had been getting the house and bedrooms ready for a couple of weeks. 

We took time out late morning and early afternoon. I had the leftover burger for lunch and I watched the last set of Wimbledon, won by Sinner, a likeable and articulate twenty-three-year-old from Italy. I then watched the first half of Caitlin Clark's team destroy a Dallas team. I got bored with it after the first half and went upstairs and read and napped. After my nap, I cleaned both porches and put down our canvas curtain on our front porch because we had 15 minutes of torrential rains before the sun came back out.  

Stormy Weather

We were supposed to leave for the airport around 3:00 but Beth's flight kept getting delayed, so that we eventually left around 6:15, after showering and getting ready. We stopped in Fredonia at McDonald's for dinner, then got caught in a 20-minute traffic jam on Interstate 90 and arrived at the airport, finally, at 8:00, about ten minutes before Beth walked through the gate. We were on our way home by 8:30 and arrived home just before 10:00. Beth had a quick snack and then all three of us went to bed, tired from our day.

Lots Of Sunday Sun

A Noble Heron

8:12

It’s 8:23 and another sunny morning, and I was out for close to an hour and photographed a couple of herons, both along Sandy Bottom. Evie’s up as well, and we're enjoying our coffee, thinking about what we need to do today to get ready for our daughter Beth, who arrives this afternoon for a week at 4:45. We're excited. 

Kayak Morning

Heron Perched Above Sandy Bottom

Heron # 2, Hunkered Down

Yesterday was a typical Saturday in some ways, different in others. First, I kayaked, finished the blog, and had breakfast. Usually, we then gathered trash so I could go to the Transfer Station. Evie wanted to put it off because she wanted to mow the lawn before it got too hot. Not a chance. So while mowing, I drove off to Mayville to pick up a five-gallon bottle for our cooler. When I returned, Evie was on the front porch, soaking and literally exhausted from mowing. I volunteered to finish the last fifth and she was more than happy to let me. I mowed for maybe ten minutes and worked up a sweat. 

We saved the garden for later when Evie had cooled down. By noon, the trash was gathered and I was off to the Transfer Station, which is how I measure my Saturdays over the past fifteen years. Lunch was a couple of tomato sandwiches, finishing them off. I finished my show and don't know what to start today during lunch. I went upstairs to my nicely air-conditioned bedroom, read for a couple of minutes, then took a nap. Midafternoon, Evie put together tonight's dinner, chicken with mushrooms and artichokes. Around 4:00, I was bored with reading and went out and cut weeds in the lake for forty-five minutes. I think I am making some progress because our swimming area is practically weed-free. 

Wine Time: 5:15

I was on our front porch by 5:00, after a shower, to enjoy a glass of wine. Our neighbor, Missy, took time out from her family to sit on our porch and have a glass of wine with us. They usually have so much family that we rarely get a chance to talk. Earlier, when I went to Tops, I picked up hamburger and buns because Evie wanted burgers for dinner. So by 6:30, she had burgers fried and made, with pickles, mayo, and mustard, along with some cheesy pasta. We watched another couple of episodes of The Resident before Evie went up to bed and I started a PBS series called Lewis. I am sure I have watched a few episodes before. I was in bed by 10:30, reading until I fell asleep.

The text below revised the above text using ChatGPT: Vive la difference 

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It’s 8:23 on another sunny morning. I was out for nearly an hour and managed to photograph a couple of herons, both along Sandy Bottom. Evie is up too, and we’re enjoying our coffee, thinking about everything we need to do today to get ready for our daughter Beth, who arrives this afternoon at 4:45 for a week. We’re excited.

Yesterday was a typical Saturday in some ways, different in others. I started the day kayaking, finished a blog post, and had breakfast. Usually, we then gather the trash so I can take it to the Transfer Station. But Evie wanted to delay that a bit—she hoped to mow the lawn before it got too hot. No chance of that. While she mowed, I drove to Mayville to refill a five-gallon water bottle for our cooler.

When I got back, Evie was on the front porch, drenched in sweat and clearly exhausted from mowing. I offered to finish the last fifth of the lawn, and she gladly handed it over. I only mowed for about ten minutes, but still worked up a sweat.

We saved the garden work for later, after Evie had cooled down. By noon, the trash was collected, and I made the usual Saturday run to the Transfer Station—how I’ve come to mark the weeks over the past fifteen years.

Lunch was a couple of tomato sandwiches—the last of them. I finished my show but haven’t decided what to start next during lunchtime viewing. I headed upstairs to my pleasantly air-conditioned bedroom, read for a few minutes, and then took a nap.

In the afternoon, Evie prepped dinner: chicken with mushrooms and artichokes. Around 4:00, bored of reading, I headed out and cut weeds in the lake for about 45 minutes. I think I'm making progress—the swimming area is almost entirely weed-free now.

By 5:30, freshly showered, I was back on the front porch enjoying a glass of wine. Our neighbor Missy stopped by for a glass, too, taking a break from her family. They usually have such a crowd that we rarely get the chance to chat.

Earlier, on a trip to Tops, I’d picked up hamburger and buns because Evie had a craving for burgers. By 6:30, dinner was ready: juicy burgers with pickles, mayo, mustard, and some cheesy pasta on the side. We watched a couple more episodes of The Resident before Evie headed to bed, and I started a PBS series called Lewis. I’m sure I’ve seen a few episodes before. I went to bed around 10:30 and read until I drifted off.

Sunny And Too Warm

When We Were Young (2010)

7:52

8:02

Well, we'd better get our work done early because the high will be 88º today and tomorrow's high will only be in the high 70s.  I was up just before 7:00, was on the lake by 7:15 when it was already a warm 74º. I took my usual paddle and interestingly, the herons seem to return to the same perch, one on the stern of a boat, another up in the trees above the reeds. 

Kayak Morning

Blue North

Under A Boat Canape

Practicing Yoga

Above The Reeds

Yesterday was a day to get things done for next week when the kids arrive. I kayaked as usual and was ready to head into Lakewood by 10:00. I first stopped at the bank to cash some checks, then on to Wegmans for a quick run-through. On my way home, I knew Evie needed pork chops from Tops, so I drove up to Mayville and picked some up, and then drove home. I also watched some of Wimbledon on and off during the morning. It reminds me of when my Mom used to come to the lake, and she always liked to watch Wimbledon and the US Open since she played tennis into her 80s.

Since I have been skipping breakfast lately, I was hungry and heated up some turkey soup and made myself another tomato and mayo sandwich. Evie was busy upstairs getting the bedrooms ready for next week. I took the cover off the boat after lunch and we intended to go for a boat ride but by late afternoon it was too hot so I put the cover back on. I took my usual nap, finished one book and started another called Wildburn by John Stonehouse. We spent most of the afternoon inside because of the heat and looked forward to a nice air-conditioned happy hour at 5:00. Warm temperatures ten years ago did not seem to bother us, but today, they do. We rarely sunbathe and hardly take advantage of the dock. preferring our porch.

Afternoon Stroll On Our Dock

Dinner was an easy version of teriyaki chicken thighs, done in the air fryer, with corn on the cob, a salad, and five cheese pasta from Bob Evans. We were hungry so we won't have leftovers for tonight. We watched a couple more episodes of The Resident, and after Evie went to bed, I watched Caitlin Clark Fever defeat a good Atlanta Dream team.

Friday Morning Haze

6:35

7:58

It's 8:15 and we are both up, enjoying our coffee and the morning. I was up at 6:30 and kayaking for an hour, my usual paddle, over to Long Point, back to Sandy Bottom and home. I was fortunate to shoot a couple of herons and osprey. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Osprey South Woodlawn

Heron Fishing Along Long Point

Heron Above The Reeds

Osprey High Up In Victoria Pines

Yesterday was an unusual day because I didn't get in any physical exercise; I was just lazy. I got in an hour on the lake, a good way to start my day. Both of us had a couple of things we had to do. Evie was off for a hair trim at 9:40 in Lakewood and then did some shopping at TJ's. I went over to Greenhurst and talked with Steeners Pub's chef, Nate, to finalize catering of a rib and mac n cheese dinner when our kids arrive. I also picked up a few more tomatoes from Peterson's Farm for lunch.  We had him cater last year, and it was great. I then drove to my plumber's office and paid off the rest of the bill for our new air conditioning. It was a bit cheaper than the estimate. 

I was home by 11:30 and relaxed until Evie returned about 12:30. She volunteered to make me BLTs for lunch with the tomatoes. They were scrumptious. I was tired from getting up so early so after lunch I read and fell asleep for about half an hour. The rest of the afternoon I either sat on the front porch or on the couch and read while Evie worked in the kitchen, making up a couple of trays of baked ziti for dinner next week and freezing them. 

We had our usual wine time at 5:30 and along with some appetizers, cheese and crackers and just like the day before, it was a beautiful, blue sky afternoon, with a quiet lake. We had no worry about dinner because we had almost half a of pizza left from Wednesday night's dinner at Pace Pizza. We heated it up and along with a salad and raspberry pie for dessert, we were happy. We watched some of the news and then another episode of The Resident before Evie went up to bed. I watched some of the Summer NBA game because Cooper Flagg was playing, and ended the night with my show. 

Sunny Morning

6:07

7:12

I was up at 6:00, out on the lake by 6:20 for forty minutes and the lake was practically empty. I paddled across to Long Point, back to Sandy Bottom and home. It was a fine morning to be on the lake.  I just returned from breakfast in Bemus and I am expecting a Zoom call from Turkey, to talk about my experience playing basketball in Istanbul in the 1970s for an article.

Kayak Morning

Long Point

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue

Wednesday ended up being a good day, although I was a bad boy and skipped yoga. We had a substitute teacher, so I bagged it, I had the usual morning of kayaking and blogging, but by 9:30, I was off to Lakewood to have coffee with some of the guys at Ryders Cup. I was the first to get there, soon joined by Neal, who owns a gutter company and is from Sugar Grove, PA. Later, Paul, a retired lawyer, showed up so we went out and sat on the porch. I left for Walmart around 11:15 and did a quick run-through because I received a message from Evie that Tractor Supply was hosting a food truck selling lobster rolls from 11:30 to 2:30. I arrived in the parking lot at 11:30, but there was no food truck. I assume it was at another Tractor Supply not in Lakewood, so I drove home. 

Evie was busy in the kitchen putting together a few meals to freeze for when our kids arrive next week. She offered to make me a couple of sandwiches for lunch: a ham and cheese, and half of a baloney and cheese.  I am still watching Capitani, a series set in Luxembourg. After lunch, I read and napped for a good hour again and woke feeling refreshed. I wanted to do something, so I went out and edged along all the flower beds before showing and getting ready to go out to dinner at 6:00.

Ron and Linda picked us up at 6:00, and we drove to our favorite pizza restaurant in Jamestown, Paces Pizza, on Third Street. A couple of years ago they built an outdoor patio in the back of the restaurant and it's a lovely place to eat, surrounded by greenery with a new canvas roof. Our waitress was great, efficient and quick, and we soon had our beers, ordered our dinner, and within 15 minutes we were enjoying pizza, salad, and meatballs. It was a lovely night to eat al fresco, just like in Italy, sort of. Evie and I always order a large and end up taking enough home for tonight's dinner. We were dropped off around 8:30, and we watched some TV until 9:00 when Evie went up to bed and I watched Jen Psaki on MSNBC rip into Trump in a 15-minute diatribe, which had me worked up, wanting to do anything to get rid of him. She showed how inept, confused, and out of touch he has become.  It was really focused, fact-based, or lies if you are a Trumper. I ended the night with something more tame, my series Capitani. 

Overcast and Fog

A Rare Sighting Of A Green Heron

8:02

It's 8:13, overcast, and 62º. I paddled for just about an hour, down to Bootey Bay and back along Woodlawn. A few boats are out fishing, and I was the only kayaker on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Henry, The Heron, Above The Reeds

A Juvenile Green Heron

Yesterday was a typical day for me. It started with a decent paddle, the blog, and breakfast, but I had to hurry because I had yoga at 9:30. The class was onerous because I didn't feel much like doing it, but I persevered. Evie was going shopping in the afternoon, so I came straight home. Evie was organizing things for our great-grandson Rhys, getting out toys which we saved from when our grandchildren came to the lake. And she is child-proofing the house for an active boy. I was tired and went upstairs and read on my bed, with the windows open because the heat had subsided for a least a day or two. 

Lunch was the best, tomato and mayo sandwiches on good bread. While I was enjoying my lunch and watching my series, Evie left to shop at Wegmans, beginning to fill the pantry with goodies for the arrival of our family in eight days. Our daughter Beth arrives this Sunday so she will be a big help as well. After lunch, I took another good nap because I continued to have only six hours of sleep.  I woke up around 2;30, just as Evie returned from Wegmans so I helped her unload the car and put things away. The rest of the afternoon was relaxing, although I did take a couple of garbage pails of weeds up to the woodpile.

Jim Serving Dinner, A Low Country Boil

By 5:30, we were at our neighbors, Jim and Barb's house, enjoying strawberry margaritas and three good cheeses on their front porch. Former Woodlawners Tom and Julie were also invited, so the six of us reveled in another sunny and blue sky afternoon.  Around 6:30, we adjourned to the picnic table covered with paper, as Jim emptied a low-country boil onto the table. For the next hour, we feasted on shrimp, crab legs, corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes.  We have read about low country boils, but this was the first time for Evie and me and we loved it. What a great way to enjoy food, just pour it on the table and dig in. Around 7:45, we returned to the porch and enjoyed Julie's blueberry pie a la mode, with blueberries from their garden. 

Oh, What A Night

We walked home around 9:00, sated with a delicious dinner and dessert. Evie was tired and went up to bed, and I stayed up until 10:00, watching another episode of Capitani.