A Mostly Gray Morning

5:58

7:58

It's 8:20, and I woke at 5:00, got up at 6:00, and was out on the lake by 6:30 for close to an hour and a half. I paddled over to Tom's Point, thinking I might spot some herons or eagles. It takes close to a half hour to paddle there, and it's often worth it. Not today — the trees and lakefront were devoid of any waterfowl. Most of my paddle was under gray skies, and it wasn't until close to an hour in that the sun began to break through the clouds. Fortunately, as I paddled home along the west shoreline, I spotted a couple of herons and ospreys, making it a good morning on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Bemus Bridge

Starlings?

Finally, Some Sun

Wow

Osprey

Great Blue Heron

Osprey

Another Osprey

Yesterday turned out to be a busy day. It started early with a good paddle — I was on the lake by 6:30, back on my couch by 7:30, and had a good hour and a half to finish the blog and eat breakfast before leaving for yoga at 9:10. Evie was up around 8:00, chose the photos for the blog, and reread it before publishing. I then left for yoga and had a hard time finding a place for my mat because the studio was crowded — over 20 gals and moi. Our teacher was new, having just passed her 200-hour course with Tara. She was pretty good, and the class clapped for her at the end.

After yoga, I drove down to Ryder's Cup, bought coffee, sat down, and soon two friends, John, a retired teacher, and Dave, the honorary mayor of Lakewood, joined me, and we talked for a good half hour. We always have a good time, mostly talking about the good old days, like the old men that we are.

John And Dave

I was home by 11:30, and for lunch I had my Turkish white bean stew, kuru fasulye, over rice, and watched some TV. I tried to nap but ended up reading until 1:30, when I got ready to drive to Jamestown for another doctor's appointment. I was in and out in 15 minutes and on my way home. When I returned, Evie was chopping up veggies for our stir-fry. I wasn't ready to relax for some reason, so I fired up the mower and cut the lawn. It usually takes me 45 minutes with a short water break. I was done by 5:00 — happy hour time — so we both relaxed with a glass or two of wine before dinner.

Around 6:30, Evie put together our dinner, a Mongolian stir-fry with cabbage and beef, served over rice. It was really good, and I have enough leftover for my lunch. We couldn't find anything to watch, so we went back to our old standby, a couple of episodes of ER. Evie then went up to bed, and I watched the Indiana Fever game, then a bad crime series called The Following. I won't be sticking with it. I was happy to go up to bed, read my book, The Calamity Club, and eventually sleep.

Love it!! Trump Changing Planes

Sun Rising On An Overcast Morning

6:20

7:29

It's 7:39, and surprise, we're both up enjoying our coffee. I was up at 6:15 and out on the lake by 6:35 to an overcast sky, the sun hidden by the gray. As I paddled, though, the sun gradually burned through the clouds, lighting up the morning. I was out for just about an hour and photographed a single heron sitting atop a pine tree in Victoria.

Kayak Morning

All's Gray

Northern Sky

Neighbors Skiing

Sun Rising

Sun

Sun Above Long Point

Heron Atop A Pine Tree

Same Guy, Likely Squawking

Monday was a busy day. I was up early as usual and out kayaking by 6:30, and it turned into a good birding day — I shot four different herons. When I got back, my brother-in-law Jim was up showering, getting ready for his camping trip to the Allegheny State Forest. He was in no hurry to leave, so we gave him some advice: park near the Art Roscoe Cross Country Ski building, a spot that puts you at the start of five or six trails we've hiked over the years. Around 9:30, Evie made us a delicious breakfast — fried potatoes and onions topped with a couple of fried eggs, cheese and salsa — and it was nice enough to eat outside.

Jim left around 10:30, and unfortunately, within the hour it started pouring, at least here. It lasted maybe 25 minutes and dropped a half inch of rain, so it should have set up decent camping conditions for him later in the day. I helped clean up the kitchen and then didn't do much until lunch, when I made a sandwich since I was still full from Evie's big breakfast.

Evie's Zinnias

After lunch, I read and napped, then got ready to head to Jamestown for a doctor's appointment at 2:30. It was quick, and I was on my way to Wegmans by 3:00. Since it was Monday, I figured Wegmans wouldn't be crowded. Was I wrong — even the parking lot seemed full. Fortunately, they had plenty of checkout lines open, so I was out quickly once I'd finished shopping.

I was home by 4:00, put things away, and got a few things done around the house until 5:00, when Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters. So I read my book until wine time at 5:45, and it was cool enough for us to sit out on the front porch and enjoy the sunny, blue-sky afternoon. Dinner was easy — leftover eggplant pasta with brioche rolls — and afterward we struggled to find something to watch. We made the mistake of starting a new Netflix series called Sterling Point, and one episode in, we'd had enough. Evie went up to bed after that, and I finished my series, The Truth Wins Out, on Prime before heading up myself to read and sleep.

A Four Great Blue Heron Morning

Evie And Her Sister Elaine's Husband Jim

6:10

8:35

Well, it's almost 9:00, and I was up at 6:00, on the lake by 6:15 for close to an hour, and have been sitting on the porch with my brother-in-law, Jim, since I finished kayaking. He arrived last night and is off to camp in the Allegheny Forest for a week, ending with a family get-together at the Bee Hunter Pavilion. 

Kayak Morning

Sun Rising

Northern Gray

Sun Rising Above The Reeds

Heron Along Long Point

On Jim And Tina's Dock

Sandy Bottom

Victoria

Sunday was another fine day, lots of sun, not too hot, and nothing that we had to do although we knew my Jim would be arriving sometime in the afternoon. So I got in my paddle early, like today, on an almost empty lake. After my paddle, I was tempted to do something, either go to Wegmans or bike, but thought better of it and stayed home and got a few things done. For example, getting a bedroom ready for Jim, putting in an air conditioner in case he needed it. After getting things ready, I read much of the morning until 1:00, when I had breakfast or lunch, kuru fasulye and rice again, and watched my show. 

Bald Eaagle

By 1:30, I was upstairs reading and fell asleep for a good half hour, which I needed. Around 3:00, Jim arrived, and we sat around talking for an hour before deciding to go for a boat ride over to Bemus and back along the Lakeside Drive shore. It was windier than we thought, but we managed and even got a decent photo of an eagle in the trees next to the Long Point Marina. 

Dining Al  Fresco

We were home by 5:30 and sat on the front porch catching up on Jim's family, especially his two children, Kiana, who just graduated from Purdue, and Alex, a graduate of the University of Illinois. Around 6:30,  Evie went in and put together our dinner: eggplant and mushroom pasta and a salad. It was nice enough to eat outside in our side yard, making for a nice evening. We then took it easy, talking and reminiscing until it was time to go to bed, around 9:30, because the three of us were tired, Jim from his drive and us as usual. 

A Quiet Morning On The Lake

 

6:33

6:33

It's 8:15 as I start this, and I have been up for two hours. I was out paddling on the lake by 6:40, and for the first half hour, I had the lake to myself. Then a few fishing boats appeared, and later my neighbors skied by. I paddled down Woodlawn, across to Long Point, then back to Wells Bay and home, and was out for 70 minutes. Now both Evie and I are enjoying the morning sun and our coffee as I finish up the blog.

Kayaking

Breakfast is Served

Dives

Yum, A Fish

Osprey

North

Rising Sun

A Different View Of A Great Blue Heron

Saturday was mostly a day of relaxation for both of us, and it felt good to not do much. I got in my paddle, of course, wrote the blog, and published it. We listened to Michael Smerconish on CNN until 10:00, then both of us got the trash ready to take to the Transfer Station. It's a busy place on Saturday morning, and I have a feeling anyone on this side of the lake, not just North Harmony residents, brings their trash there. I was home by 11:00, and Evie was getting a few things done while I finished up my book.

Evie's Zinnia

For lunch, I cooked some rice and topped it with my kuru fasulye, typical Turkish fashion. I loved it, watched my shows, and then decided to read upstairs and nap. When I came down around 2:00, Evie was putting together our dinner — breaded eggplant slices cooked in the air fryer.  Around 4:00, I walked down to get our mail and ended up talking with a couple of neighbors I haven't seen in a while. I then talked with my daughter Beth in Dallas, who is about ready to begin school, since Dallas starts classes this early. She is looking forward to getting back to teaching.

Evening Sky At 8:30

By 5:00, we were on the front porch enjoying the lake view and a glass of wine until 6:30, when Evie made us Chautauqua sandwiches — eggplant, with tomato, cheese, and mayo. Yum. We watched a couple of our shows and around 8:30, the sky clouded up and I expected a storm, but it must have passed us by. I finished up the series Dark Winds before going up to bed to read my new book, The Calamity Club, enthusiastically recommended by my daughter Jill.

Threatening Evening Sky

Dock At 8:35 PM