Happy Fourth On A Refreshing Saturday Morning

6:58

8:02

It's 8:15, and I was up at 6:30 to a pleasantly cool living room — a sensible 69° instead of 78°. I opened the windows to let in the breeze. It will still get up into the high 70s later and may rain, but here's hoping the heat wave is gone. I did get in a paddle for forty-five minutes, and it rained as predicted, but only for a couple of minutes. I was literally the only one out on the lake because of the forecast. 

Kayak Morning

Threatening Clouds

Eastern Sky

By the way, I'd like to make the case for supporting newspapers like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, or the Washington Post — papers that spend the money to get the facts straight. They're needed more than ever now with the likes of Trump and his cronies in the White House. I get both the Times and the Post and don't begrudge spending the money each month to support them. I also have a paid subscription to Heather Cox Richardson, another amazing voice of history and truth.

Yesterday was another hot one, probably climbing into the low 90s later in the day. I did get in a good paddle early in the morning before it got too hot, but I still worked up a sweat. My only big decision of the day was whether to mow the lawn on Friday or wait till Saturday. Big decision. So after writing and publishing the blog and having a good breakfast, I decided to mow, taking water breaks since it was already in the mid-80s. It took about 45 minutes with a few pauses, and I worked up quite a sweat, so I jumped in the lake to cool off when I finished. It wasn't even lunchtime yet, so I set up the hose to water the plants and quickly trimmed the privets in the front yard, getting things ready for the Fourth. That was basically it for the day.

I had leftover chicken and noodles for lunch and watched my show — it's getting really good. Afterward, I read for a bit and napped a good half hour, then relaxed the rest of the afternoon while Evie got things done, prepping for today. By 5:00, we were both tired and happy to sit on the front porch with a glass of wine, but the heat soon got to us and drove us back inside — unfortunately. The lake was the busiest it's been all year, and it was fun watching our neighbors' kids ride a foilboard — a small surfboard that lifts up out of the water on a hydrofoil. How cool. If I were forty years younger, I'd spend the fifteen grand to get one myself. I'm going to try to talk my neighbor into it.

Happy Hour

For dinner we had baked potatoes topped with eggs, salsa, and cheese, along with bagels — easy and delicious. We watched the Argentina/Cape Verde World Cup match until halftime, when Evie headed up to bed. I stayed up through a 30-minute overtime before Argentina finally scored the winning goal. Argentina is ranked #1 in the world, Cape Verde #67, so it would have been a monumental upset if Cape Verde had pulled it off. The announcers called it one of the greatest games in World Cup history. Who knows. I ended the night with my series — one more episode to go. Can't wait.

Hanging Tough In The Heat

6:24

7:51

Kayaking Friends, Jim And Tina

It's 8:20 and partly cloudy, and a bit cooler than when I woke at 6:00 — 73º then, 79º now, getting warmer as I sit happy and comfortable on my couch, although I have yet to turn on the air conditioner. I was out on the lake by 6:30 for 70 minutes, down Woodlawn, across to Long Point, then back across to Sandy Bottom, where I stopped to talk with Tina and Jim. On my way home, I was about to turn into our dock and was looking down the lake to see if there was a heron when I looked up and saw a heron staring at me on our dock, about 20 feet away. I quickly grabbed my phone, took several photos before he flew off and landed on my neighbor's dock.

Kayak Morning

North

Looking East Towards Bemus Bay

Heron On Our Dock

Up Close

Same Guy On Neighbor's Dock

Heron Above The Reeds/ Getting At An Itch

Great Blue Heron Relaxing

Yesterday was a hot one, obviously, whenever I stepped outside into the sun. The day began at 7:20, which meant I didn't have time to kayak. So I wrote some of the blog, then drove over to breakfast at the Lake Life Cafe, which was hopping. I ordered my usual: egg, cheese, and bacon on sourdough toast and an iced coffee. There were just two of us, Jack and me, and we never talked about politics or Trump — a miracle. I was home by 9:00, ready to kayak, and was pleasantly surprised to see the weed cutters cleaning our waterfront of weeds and algae. I didn't get out for a paddle until close to 10:00 and was only out for 15 minutes before I returned and finished up the blog, and Evie published it.

After breakfast, I decided to drive to Lakewood and stop at Ryder's Cup, hoping to see my friend Neal. His son owns a roofing company, and we fear we have a leak in one of our bedrooms and need someone to come check it out. Unfortunately, he wasn't there, and he doesn't seem to be coming around like he did during the winter months, so I'll have to get other ideas from friends. I stopped by the Chautauqua Lake Association to drop off a check for cleaning up the lakefront and weeds, something I do each year. I couldn't pass up a stop at Wegmans, and though it was busy, all checkout lines were open. I bought everything we might need for the Fourth and was home by noon.

I had lunch, a toasted cheese and ham sandwich, compliments of Evie, and watched my show. I then went upstairs to read, finished my book, Ghost Town, and took a brief nap. Because it was unbearable to be outside in the sun for long, I spent maybe 25 minutes cutting the dead wood from our lilac tree, then pulling out sucker vines that grow around the branches of our rhododendrons and tend to choke them. This is something I have to do each year, two or three times.

The rest of the afternoon went quickly, as I started a new book, The Detective Up Late by Adrian McKinty, until wine time, when we listened to Jake Tapper and the breaking news. We decided to try the new Middle Eastern restaurant up the hill called Coasta. We ordered two gyros online for thirty-two bucks, and I picked them up 15 minutes later. They were decent, not great. They could really improve them by getting rid of the feta, adding more tomatoes, and topping the gyro with tzatziki sauce. Both were a bit dry, and the sauce would make a big difference.

We finished our series Families Like Ours and recommend it. Evie went to bed around 9:00, and I watched some futbol, then another episode of my series The Agency, which I also highly recommend.

Another Hot One

7:24

9:50

It's 7:30, and I've been up for 15 minutes on another 77º morning. It's too late to kayak now, so I'll head to breakfast at 8:00 and kayak when I get home, skipping yoga today. It's too hot, and I want to get a few things done in the yard.

Cutting Weeds In Our Lakefront

It's late, 10:00, and I had breakfast until 9:00, then worked with the weed cutters to clear our front yard, and then kayaked for 15 minutes.

Looking East

Kayak Morning

A Couple Of Weed Cutters

Kayak Morning

Yesterday began early with an uneventful paddle — no shots of wildlife, just a long paddle down to Sandy Bottom and back. I have no yoga on Wednesdays, so it's an open day to do as I like. I voted to stay home and have a leisurely morning, enjoying coffee and listening to Michael Smerconish until 10:00. I then borrowed a weed cutter attached to a rope from a neighbor and used it off my dock for about 25 minutes. I got back in the water and raked, and between throwing the weed cutter off the dock and cutting with my rake — going back over the area I'd cleared two days ago — I still filled three buckets of weeds and left them to dry on the dock. It was pleasant to be in the water, and when I finished, I took a quick swim. When I got out, though, the sun's heat was surprising, even though I was wet. It was 11:30 by then, so I came in and changed into dry clothes, and Evie made me a great lunch: fried eggs over onions and potatoes.

I watched my show during lunch, and since I was taking my Outback in for an oil change and tire rotation, I tried to get in a brief nap — no luck. So I read and relaxed until 2:30, then drove off, stopping at Petersons for a basket of peaches. I haven't been to the Subaru dealer in a while, but the same guy has taken care of me and has been working the desk for 16 years. It took about forty-five minutes, but I was entertained first by Fox News trying to explain the similarities between Teddy Roosevelt and Donald Trump. Then Trump came on and, as usual, went off topic — rarely speaking about Teddy, just how wonderful he is, how he's loved by everyone, and how America is hot, the hottest country in the world. Well, I can attest to that, since it was 90º when I left for Wegmans. I had to pick up a prescription and a jelly donut for Evie.

When I returned, it was too warm to sit on the front porch, so we relaxed with a glass of wine, and I took a few minutes to turn the weeds on the dock so they'd dry thoroughly. We had the leftover chicken and noodles and corn, and it was better than ever. We continued watching our Danish series until 8:00, when the US/BHG game started. I stayed up until the very end, and Evie lasted through the first half. The US won 2-0 but lost their top scorer to a red card, so they played the last 36 minutes down a man, and he'll be ineligible for their next game.

Heat Wave

7:32

8:45

It's 9:00, and I have been up since 7:20, out on the lake by 6:45, hoping to beat the heat. It was 77º when I woke, and I was surprised by the breeze, which made it difficult to paddle back after heading south to Sandy Bottom. I even tried to take a photo of an osprey, but the wind and waves made it impossible to focus, and he flew off.

Kayak Morning

Northern Blue

Yesterday was the beginning of the heat wave and the first day we turned on our air conditioner, and I have to admit, walking into the house after being outside was a delight. This is our second year having air conditioning, and it was a good choice, as our summers have become warmer and warmer. Tuesday, I was up early and out on the lake, and had written the blog before Evie woke. We got it published by 9:00, and I was off to yoga with Courtney at 9:30. It's a good class, and there are four of us who have been together for four or five years now. It's rigorous, and we always feel much better when it's over. I skipped coffee on the way home and stopped for gas — $4.29 a gallon, so I didn't fill it up, hoping for lower prices down the road.

When I got home, Evie was off in Jamestown for a blood test, then shopping at Wegmans. I relaxed a bit in the nice cool living room, then had lunch — the last of the kuru fasulye — and watched my show, The Agency. I was hoping for a good nap, and though I didn't turn on the air conditioner in my room, it was pleasant enough. I may have slept a half hour, not sure, then got up because I had things I wanted to do. First, I gathered the weeds that had been drying on the dock, filled two garbage cans with them, and hauled them up the hill to the wood pile. Then I decided to take my first boat ride of the year. Evie wasn't interested, since it was so warm, so I was only out for twenty minutes, testing the boat and motor — everything's copacetic. Since it was going to be hot for the next few days, I closed up the bimini top and put the cover on the boat, timing myself: twenty minutes flat. After that, I jumped in the lake and enjoyed the weed-free patch I'd cleared next to our dock. The water was chilly at first, but it gradually warmed as I stayed in and pulled more weeds.

I was done with chores by 4:30, and when Evie had her Zoom call at 5:00, I turned on the TV and watched the World Cup match between France and Sweden — France won 3-0, and they're looking like clear favorites to win it all. Before her call, Evie had simmered chicken thighs and set them on a tray, and once we were ready to eat, I barbecued them on the grill for a nice char and color while Evie boiled noodles in the chicken broth. This is one of our go-to dinners over the years — we loved it, and wondered why we hadn't made it sooner. Afterward, I watched a couple more episodes of our Danish apocalypse series. When Evie went to bed, I was about ready to watch the Mexico/Ecuador World Cup game, but the start was postponed an hour because of lightning. So I watched my series instead and caught the first fifteen minutes of the World Cup game once it kicked off at 10:00.

Heat Advisory

8:22

6:29

It's 8:00, and I just returned from an hour paddle down to the Power Boat Club and back to Woodlawn. It was 71º when I woke at 6:15, and for the first time, I worked up a sweat while kayaking. It looks like we'll have temperatures in the high 80s for the next four days. We may see rain on the fourth, with temperatures in the low 80s.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Great Blue

Osprey

Yesterday was a different kind of Monday — no biking or hiking, just another hour paddle early in the morning. The Chautauqua Institution opened its season Monday, and its 10:45 lecture series began with two women, Norah O'Donnell and Deborah Roberts, kicking off the week's theme: Women Who Change the World. So after kayaking, the blog, and breakfast, I grabbed my bike, hooked it on the Outback, and drove to Chautauqua Shores, a neighborhood next to the Institution. I rode my bike half a mile to the gate and stood in line with 15 or 20 people, waiting to get my ticket to enter the grounds. I found a bench in the Japanese Garden along with a few others and listened to the hour-long talk. Both women are passionate about women's rights and filled the audience with stories of women from the past who affected great change. They ended by taking questions from the audience but punted when asked if their media outlets censored some of their stories — both said trust was important and they wouldn't compromise it. I rode my bike back to the car and drove home.

View Of Ampitheater

The Assembly

O'Donnell And Roberts

I was home by 12:30 and had leftover pizza for lunch, then started the second season of my Paramount+ series, The Agency. After lunch, I tried to nap, since I'd gotten up so early, but had no luck and ended up reading instead. Around 2:30, I put on my bathing suit and went out on the dock, took the cover off my boat, and started it, letting it idle while I finished putting up the bimini top. Then I spent a good hour in the water cutting weeds, putting them in a floating container, then hauling them onto the dock to dry. Later today, I hope to take them up the hill once they've dried out some. It was tough going — the weeds were up to the water's surface, four or five feet tall. I basically cleared a 30- or 40-foot square just off our dock, so we can swim and get wet without fighting the weeds. When I was done, I got a ladder and took down a couple of bird feeders for the summer and put them in the garage. By the time I finished, I was ready to relax on the porch with a glass of wine.

While I was out working, Evie was on the phone with our daughter Beth for a good hour. For the first time in years, Beth has an empty house since Marisa headed back to med school on Sunday. It's a big change, and she's doing well.

Chautauqua Belle

I changed into dry clothes, and Evie already had a glass of wine waiting for me on the porch. We enjoyed it for a bit, but it was a little too warm out there, so we came back inside, which was cooler despite not running the air conditioner. Around 6:30, Evie breaded a couple of pork chops, fried and baked them along with potatoes, and we had dinner at 7:00 with a salad and applesauce. We watched a miniseries called Families Like Ours on Netflix — Denmark will soon disappear due to rising sea levels, so the entire country is asked to leave and start new lives in neighboring countries. It's decent, and scary because there's so much truth in the rising water levels.

Summer Arrives This Week

6:29

8:34

It's 8:40, a beautiful sunny morning, and it seems as though the lake has yet to wake. Few boats other than me and my kayaking friends. Where are all the 4th of July visitors? This is usually the busiest week of the year. I'm listening to a bizarre podcast — sports writer and podcaster Bill Simmons interviewing Taylor Sheridan of Landman and Yellowstone fame. I was up at 6:15, on the lake by 6:45 for an hour and a half. A good 15 minutes of my paddle was spent talking with my kayak friends, Tina and Jim. Both of us had paddled across the lake to Warner Bay, so it was a long paddle out and back.

Kayak Morning

North

Paddling Towards Warner Bay

Sunday was another sparkling day on the lake, lots of sun and highs in the low 80s, a perfect day to be outside, and I took advantage of it early, then relaxed. I was out on the lake for close to an hour as usual and was lucky to see a single heron. When I returned, Evie picked out the photos while I wrote the blog, and then we published it. I was anxious to get outside, so I strapped my bike on the Outback and drove to Mayville Park and left my car there. I biked Webb's Trail, an old railroad track with hardly any elevation, so it's an easy ride, especially on the way back to the park. I then rode down Sea Lion Drive to the end and back to the car, and was out for a good hour.

To be honest, I was exhausted when I returned, more tired than usual, so I went upstairs and lay down on my bed and read until Evie made my breakfast, a version of huevos rancheros that was delicious. I watched another episode of The Agency, then was happy to go back upstairs to read some and take a nap. The rest of the afternoon I was unsettled for some reason — I didn't feel like reading or doing anything outside, so I just hung out and attempted to read. Finally, at 5:30, I washed up and got dressed to go out to dinner with Ron and Linda. They picked us up at 5:45 and we drove to Jamestown to our favorite pizza spot, Pace's Pizza. We were fortunate to find a table outdoors on their patio with a nice breeze. We had a great waitress, ordered our beers, then pizza for me, meatballs and two salads for Evie. It was a lovely night to be outside, enjoying good company and food. We talked about plans for the next couple of weeks — 4th of July at our house and a birthday celebration for Ron, his 80th on the 22nd of July. We left around 8:00, were home by 8:30, and were both tired. Evie went up to bed, but I made myself stay up and watch the last two episodes of my series before heading up myself.

A Quiet Sunday Morning Paddle

7:12

It's 8:40, and I was out on the lake for an hour. I was surprised at the lack of action — just a few guys out casting at the docks. I paddled down Woodlawn, across to Tom's Point, where I shot a heron and ducklings, then back past Sandy Bottom and home. A good way to spend the morning.

Kayak Morning

Kicking Back, Paddling North

Great Blue At Long Point

Heron With Duckling

Saturday turned out to be a good day. Not a lot on the agenda, but we got a few things done. I started with an early paddle, returning around 8:15, and we discussed our day over coffee. At 5:00 we had a gathering of our Woodlawn neighbors to discuss various topics, and we usually bring an appetizer. Evie searched through recipes and landed on baguettes toasted in butter and maple syrup, topped with brie. It sounded good, but we needed baguettes and brie, so after my trip to the Transfer Station I decided to swing by Wegmans. By 10:00 I was dropping off the trash and on my way to a busy Wegmans. I only needed a few things, so I was in and out fairly quickly and headed home.

Before lunch, we decided it was time to take the canvas curtain down from the back porch. I got out the ladder, and with Evie's help I undid the clasps and we pulled down the curtain, carefully folded it so as not to crease the windows, and tucked it under a bed in one of the bedrooms. One more thing off my spring to-do list! We also rolled up the curtain on the front porch.

Lunch was egg salad sandwiches, a nice break from my kuru fasulye. I watched another episode of The Agency, then went upstairs and tried to nap but ended up reading instead — still working through These Truths. We wasted much of the rest of the afternoon on our phones or reading, though I did get in some weeding and watering when I got bored. Evie, meanwhile, put together our appetizer, and we hoped everyone would like it.

By 5:00 we were on our way to the meeting of Woodlawn neighbors. It's always fun, since many of our neighbors are summer people we don't see during the winter months. We spent a good half hour just getting reacquainted and catching up before a brief informational meeting. We voted on raising our dues to $250 a summer, since snow plowing has been depleting our bank account. We stayed until 6:45 and came home with an empty appetizer plate — everyone seemed to love it and wanted the recipe. 

Porching It

We sat on the front porch until 8:30, watching the blue sky fade. Evie went to bed, and I watched the England/Ghana match until I got bored by the lack of action, then watched another episode of The Agency before turning in.

Sky

Clouds

These Truths: I'm still early in our history, and it's not a pretty picture. Along with devastating the Native American population, we imported millions of enslaved people. Slavery seemed to contradict Christianity, creating a problem of conscience for the early settlers. Unlike Spain and France, which assimilated native populations to a greater degree, we largely avoided it. Eventually, the colonists arrived at a solution to their moral problem with slavery: they invented the idea of "race," a social construct that let them enslave Black people on the premise that they were simply inferior, not human.