Summer Seems Over

6:36

8:12

It's 6:35, and I'm waiting until 6:50 for the sun to rise before I kayak. It's a quiet lake, a quiet neighborhood, as many people head home for the fall, closing up their houses, taking in their boats and docks. For us, September and October are the best times of year: cool weather, a quiet lake, and lots to do.

Sun Rising At 7:00

Into The Sun

Rising Above Tom's Point

North

It's 8:20 and I was out paddling for over an hour on an empty lake. It was a spectacular morning, lots of sun and blue skies, and good for birding.

Heron

Osprey

Heron

Osprey

Labor Day was quiet, as we stayed home and didn't celebrate, mostly because our families live so far away. So it was a normal weekday: we got up early, then took a leisurely paddle on the lake for close to an hour and a half. I didn't feel like coming in, so I just hung out there, luxuriating in a quiet lake morning. When I did come in, Evie was up, so I joined her with a coffee, and we finished off the blog and published it.

Webb's Trail

Shade And Sun

I knew I didn't want to sit around all day, so I drove to Mayville, parked my car, and went for a 50-minute bike ride down two sections of Webb's Trail, an abandoned railroad track. The second section is built up so that there's a twenty-foot drop on both sides of the trail — an engineering marvel. After the trail, I took the Mayville pathway to the Mayville cemetery, rode around it, and then headed back to the car. It was a good day for a bike ride, and I saw lots of riders, mostly on Route 394. On the way home, I stopped at Stedman Corners and picked up a half dozen ears of corn for dinner. And that was it for me physically for the day.

Mayville Cemetery

I was home around noon, and Evie was already out enjoying the sun in the side yard. I had both broccoli salad and an Asian cabbage dish for lunch and watched something on TV. I then read and tried to nap, but by 2:45 I was in the TV room watching the first half of the U.S. women's basketball team's easy win over the Czech women. I was bored after the first half, so I worked in the yard, raking up stones and placing them along our fence to create a barrier for heavy rain.  Meanwhile, Arlo and Louis came over and were busy boys building wooden forts and helping Evie put together a train track.  They had their usual piggys, milk and Calvin and Hobbs on the front porch.

Around 4:00, the wind had calmed down, so we grabbed a libation and went for a good hour-long boat ride on the lake, down to Maple Springs and beyond, across to Chautauqua Institution, and home. It was fun to be back cruising the lake, especially on such a blue-sky afternoon. While I put the boat cover on, Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters, then prepped our dinner — pork chops, seared them, and put them in the oven. We relaxed for a half hour, then had dinner and watched a couple of episodes of ER. The last episode was amazing, as a patient stabbed both Lucy and Carter. Lucy dies and John survives, but the tension for forty-five minutes as the cast tried to save them both was palpable — television at its best. I was in bed reading by 10:00, tired from the day.

A Bright Shiny Labor Day Morning

My Girlfriend and Me

6:58

7:00

7:00

It's almost 9:00, and we are both up, as the sun fills the lake with its reflection. I was up just before 7:00 as the sun was rising and out on the lake for close to an hour and a half, relishing such a spectacular lake morning.

Kayak Morning

Sun Rising Over Long  Point

Paddling East

Into The Sun

Eagle

Heron

Osprey

Sunday turned out to be a good day, starting with our usual long paddle. The morning was typical for a Sunday, I think — we both listened to various news programs on Sirius, often hearing the same story repeated hour after hour. We published the blog around 9:30, later than usual, and then I wanted to get in some exercise, so I decided on a hike around our neighboring woods, Victoria and Woodlawn. I was a bit worried about ticks, so I wore treated pants and a long-sleeve shirt. It was a good walk; the paths were partly overgrown but still visible. I was out for a little over half an hour, basically walking a circle. When I got home, Evie had just showered, and I decided to take one as well rather than wait until later in the day. I felt great afterward and was ready for a good, relaxing day.

Kinney's Run

Victoria Woods Trail

For lunch, Evie made me a western with the leftover meatloaf, and I loved it. I then read and napped but was up by 2:30, ready to watch the US women's basketball team play Italy in the FIBA World Cup in Germany. They were lucky to win by three points and played terribly, unable to hit threes or even layups. Only one player was in double figures, and Caitlin Clark scored one point. After the game, I went out to our side yard and started raking up stones, getting it ready for power seeding. It's going to take a while to get it done.

We left at 6:00 for Linda and Ron's house for dinner. It was nice enough to sit on their front porch and enjoy a libation or two, along with a Bloody Mary shrimp and avocado cocktail. Our dinner was great: meatloaf, carrots, and mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes, and we loved it. Linda was upset because we'd had meatloaf the previous day, but it didn't matter — it was delicious. For dessert, she made a chocolate cake and served it with ice cream, and we got to bring half of it home. We stayed until 9:30, and it was a great way to spend my 83rd birthday. Dining at Linda and Ron's is always a delight, with great food and lots of laughs.

We were home around 9:40. Evie went up to bed, but I stayed up until 10:15, then joined her, tired from the day.

Seksen Uc

7:09

9:10

It's 7:30, and I've been up for a half hour, waiting for the fog to lift so I can see Long Point. It's a chilly, fall-like morning of 54º, and highs will be in the low 70s — our favorite kind of day. It's 9:15 and I just returned from a paddle, as the fog has practically disappeared. I got out on the lake around 7:00, talked with Jeff, my neighbor, for 15 minutes, then paddled down to Wells Bay as the fog lifted. On my paddle home, my phone suddenly went quiet, an emergency sign came on, and it said the phone was too hot. So I turned it off, waited 15 minutes, and it was fine. I guess having the phone in the pocket of my fleece, in the bright sun, caused the heat.

Kayak Morning

Wow

North With Long Point On The Right

Cormorant

Fog, Geese, Trees

Osprey

Juvenile Eagle

Saturday was a busy day on the lake, as Labor Day Weekend and the 4th of July are the busiest days on the lake, especially with nice weather. I was up and out on the lake yesterday just as the sun was rising. I paddled for 80 minutes, a joyful way to spend my morning. When I returned, the wind was starting to pick up. Evie was up, so we finished up the blog, and I had breakfast. I'd listened to a gerontology talk during my paddle, and the speaker emphasized that exercise is key to aging well. So even though I didn't feel like doing anything, I decided to ride my bike. I drove over to Bemus, parked by the bridge, and rode through Bemus, down Lakeside Drive, then around Long Point State Park, then back to my car. I was out for 50 minutes and did well. I'm glad I went. When I got home, we got the trash ready, and I drove off to the Transfer Station, my one routine I keep each week.

Long Point Trail

Evie had a couple of walleye sandwiches ready for me for lunch when I returned. Yum. I watched another episode of Goliath and a few minutes of college football. I can't believe the college football season has already begun. I was happy to lie down upstairs, read my book, and take a short nap. Around 2:30, I called my sister Ellen and we talked for a good half hour, while Evie put together two dishes — broccoli with bacon and mayo, and an Asian cabbage and chickpea dish — for a side or lunch. Yum. Then Evie and I decided to sit out on the dock and read, and though it was windy, we stayed out for a good hour. The clouds were amazing, the sky was blue, and the boats were zipping back and forth by the tip of Long Point. We didn't come in until it was time for a glass of wine.

Afternoon Clouds 

We had the leftover meatloaf for dinner. I had mine with mashed potatoes and gravy, and Evie made herself a sandwich with lots of ketchup. We watched the usual until Evie went up to bed, and I am almost finished with Goliath. I then went up to bed and finished my novel, Heather, liking it more than I thought I would.  

Said in 2018 by Four Star Admiral Mc Craven:

Top Of The Morning

6:44

6:44

8:47

So far, it's been a stellar morning — lots of sun, clouds, birds, and a light wind on the lake. I was up at 6:30 and was out on the lake just as the sun was rising. I paddled over to Long Point, then to Tom's Point and home, and was out for an hour and twenty minutes. It's 8:55 as I start the blog, and Evie's up, enjoying her morning coffee. I'm not sure what the day will bring. I listened to a geriatric doctor talk about how important it is to exercise every day. I wonder if kayaking counts, because I don't feel like biking or hiking.

Kayak Morning At 6:59

Sun Rising Over Long Point

Like A Blake Painting

Into  Clouds And Sun

Bridge

Juvenile Northern Goshawk

Heron Morning

Dad And Daughter

Osprey

Same guy

Friday began with a good paddle, as usual, and I took some amazing morning sky photos along with a few shots of eagles. When I returned, I made breakfast, wrote the blog, and then thought about what I wanted to do, if anything. I finally decided on a 25-minute drive to Westfield, then biked around the area's grape vineyards, something I've done before. I took the long way, along Hardscrabble Road, then Rt 20 to Prospect Road, and parked in my usual spot at a tractor sales lot. Unfortunately, I lost my mojo and didn't feel much like biking, so I was out for only a half hour, riding into just one of the fields. After biking, I drove into Barcelona, stopped briefly at the harbor, then at the beach, before buying three frozen walleye fillets for our dinner.

Vineyard As Far As Eye Can See

A Bit Tart Concord Grape

Beach Next To Barcelona Harbor

Deadwood On Lake Erie

I was home by noon and just wanted to lie down for a while, so I went upstairs, read, and fell asleep briefly before coming back down. Evie knew I was feeling lousy, so she made me a great lunch — egg and cheese sandwiches on English muffins. I watched the final episode of Season Three of Goliath, then went back up to read and nap. I came downstairs around 2:30 and felt better after napping. I thought about doing something, then thought better of it, so both of us just sat around waiting for wine time. By 5:00, the walleye fillets were breaded, tartar sauce made, and potatoes scrubbed and in the oven. We sat out on our front porch until 6:30, when Evie baked the walleye fillets and pulled the potatoes out. We loved our dinner — fish and potatoes — and watched another episode or two of ER. I finished the night with some tennis, watching Serena and Venus play doubles, then another episode of Goliath.