Autumn Skies

Presque Isle State Park

7:03

7:18

8:03

It’s 7:40 as I start this, and we’ve both been up since 7:00. Evie is going to kindergarten today because it’s Halloween dress-up day. I’m up because I’m usually up at this hour. My only plan so far is to kayak, if the northerly winds aren’t too strong. It's 9:15, and I paddled for only 20 minutes because of the wind and waves. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Paddling South

Yesterday was an amazing day. We were both up early. I had breakfast in Bemus at 8:00, then took a short paddle at 9:15. Evie finished the blog and left for school at 9:30, so it was a busy morning for both of us. After relaxing a bit, I was ready to drive forty-five minutes to Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula off the coast of Erie, PA. It’s one of my favorite places to ride my bike, and I try to go at least once in the fall and once in the spring. I left around 10:30, arrived at 11:20, and joined the other bikers and hikers on the trail, 13 miles of asphalt that circles the peninsula. As you can see from the photograph, the northwest side has some of the best inland beaches in the United States, and the east side is wooded and faces Erie and the bay. I rode for over an hour, stopping a couple of times at one of the great beaches and at the Perry Monument at the tip of the peninsula. Lots of people my age were out enjoying the day, biking or walking. It couldn’t have been a better day for a bike ride and was warm enough to wear a long-sleeve T-shirt. 

One Of The Inland Ponds

View Of The Bay Side

One Of Eleven Great Beaches

Biking On The Bay Side

On my way home, I stopped at Burger King for a Whopper meal and was home by 2:00. Evie was back from school too, enjoying some lunch and watching TV. I was really tired, especially my legs from the ride, so I read and tried to nap, to no avail. Around 4:00, we both showered and got dressed because we were going out to dinner with our neighbors, Jim and Barb. We left at 5:15 and enjoyed the fall colors on the half-hour ride to the Whiskey Hill Saloon in Cassadaga. 

Dining Room

The Bar

Scary Corner

Bench

Entrance

It’s famous for its Halloween decorations, and it didn’t disappoint. We found seats in the bar and ordered beers, appetizers, and their famous garbage wings. It wasn’t too busy, with just a few people at the bar and in the restaurant. Service was great, and we enjoyed our appetizers and wings. We drove home in the dark, and all four of us were tired from the day. Evie went to bed around 8:30, and I stayed up to watch some football and started a series called American Primitive.

Our Granddaughters in Anime

Orange Glow In The Morning

7:13

8:03

It’s 7:15, and we’re both up, alas, watching the skyline turn orange. It’s Thursday, so I have breakfast at 8:00 in Bemus, and Evie has school. My plan is to finish the blog when I get home, then drive forty-five minutes to Presque Isle and bike the perimeter of the peninsula, one of my favorite places to ride. It has great asphalt trails and some of the best inland beaches in the States. It's 10:00, and I did get in a short paddle, down to the reeds and back on another amazing lake morning. 

Kayak Morning

A Cloudless Northern Sky

Yesterday began with an early rise and a good but short paddle, since I had to leave for Physical Therapy just after 9:00. I was out for only 25 minutes, came in, finished the blog, then drove to Jamestown for a half hour of PT. It seems like a waste of time, at least for me, because I could easily do everything I did there at home. Afterwards, I stopped at Burger King, picked up two breakfast sandwiches, and brought them home. Evie was starving, so she devoured hers. Around 10:30, I decided I needed more exercise, so I drove to the Chautauqua Institution and rode my bike around the perimeter twice, about a 50-minute ride. As always, it’s a great place to ride this time of year, with only construction workers and vehicles on the tree-lined streets.

Thunder Bridge

Arboretum at CI

Lunch was easy: cooked a couple of hot dogs and watched more of my show, Lioness. One episode to go. While I read and napped, Evie drove to Mayville to drop off some packages and vote. She talked with the agent, who said lots of people are voting early. I’m going to wait until next Tuesday, just to see if there’s a problem. I’ll bring my passport and birth certificate like everyone else who wants to prove they’re a US citizen. Nobody I know ever does this, but people of color had better if they want to be sure they can vote. ICE will be picking them out.

After Evie returned home, we both enjoyed a leisurely afternoon as usual, although I kept eyeing the lawn and the falling leaves, wondering if I ought to get out there and mulch. Instead, I talked with my sister Ellen for a half hour, catching up on her days. 

Long Point

Long Point

By 5:00, the Long Point shoreline was highlighted by the setting sun, and it was time for a glass of wine, so the mulching will have to wait until today or tomorrow. Earlier, before 5:00, Evie put together one of my favorite easy dinners, eggplant pasta: eggplant baked in the air fryer, topped with tomato sauce, and served with rigatoni. Yum. And there’s enough left for another dinner or a couple of lunches. We watched TV, and by 8:15 I was watching some NBA action, but I ended the night with a disappointing finale to Lioness, obviously setting up another season. What BS.

Pink And Grays

7:16

7:54

7:54

It’s 7:30 and I have watched the sky paint swathes of pink on the gray as I enjoy my coffee. I was up at 7:00 and hope to be on the lake before 8:00. It’s 46º and one of the first gray mornings in a while. It’s 8:50, and I was out for only a half hour, down to Sandy Bottom and back. I have PT at 9:30 in Jamestown, so I cut my kayaking short.

Kayak Morning

Rising Sun And Clouds

North

Great Blue

Tuesday was a good day for both of us. We were up at 7:00, and by 9:30 Evie had showered, gotten ready for school, and helped me finish publishing the blog. I was in no hurry because I’d decided to skip yoga; it was too nice to be inside. After Evie left for school, I cleaned up the kitchen, hitched my bike to the Outback, and drove to the beginning of Riverwalk, just behind the Subaru dealer. The trail follows the Chadokoin River to McCrea Point, then winds through the city, down 3rd, to the walk along the Chadokoin and the dam. I stopped at Crown Street Coffee and relaxed with a cup for 20 minutes before biking the 25 minutes back to my car.

Jamestown

Chadokoln Rivers

River

Mc Crea Point

For lunch, I picked up a gyro at Arby’s and brought it home. I enjoyed it while watching some TV, then read and napped until 2:30, when I drove to Jamestown to meet Evie at our health care specialist, Jessica’s. After talking with her, we decided to stick with Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plan, the same as this past year. The shopping area is a mess because they’re putting down a new layer of asphalt, so it took a while to get home.

We had our wine at 5:00 as usual and put red potatoes in the oven at 5:15 for an hour. At 6:30, Evie breaded and air-fried the tilapia, and we had a tasty fish dinner while we watched our shows. I watched some NBA at 8:00, then finished the night with Lioness until 10:00, when I went up to bed.

40º And Blue Skies

Eagle In Tree Above Whitney Bay

7:03

7:11

It’s 7:30 and we’ve both been up since 7:00, watching the sky change and enjoying our first cup of coffee. It looks like a typical Tuesday for Evie, with kindergarten. I’m skipping yoga because it’s too nice to be inside. Instead, I’ll ride my bike on the trail into Jamestown and back.

9:20: I was out for an hour, paddling north to Whitney Bay and back.

Kayak Morning

Moon Over Whitney Bay

Into The Sun

Cormorant

Yesterday began with a great paddle, into the sun for the first half, literally blinding me, then at my back on the way home. I love this amazing weather, but paddling into the sun is not fun. We then finished writing the blog and posted it by 9:30.

I wanted to get in some physical activity and combine it with some shopping, so I drove into Lakewood, parked across the street from Ryder Cup, and rode for forty-five minutes into Celoron and back. It was surprisingly chilly, and I should have worn my heavier fleece and vest. The lake was amazingly calm, not a ripple, during my entire ride. I then had a cup of coffee and talked with Dave and Joe for 15 minutes before driving to Home Depot, then Wegmans, and home by 12:45.

Looking North From Harbor Hotel

Looks Like A Big Pond

While I was gone, Evie put together a photo album for our grandson Rhys, reminding him of his visit to the lake a couple of weeks ago. It's really cool, including a poem Evie wrote with help from ChatGPT.  Around 1:00, she made me a couple of cheese sandwiches for lunch, and I finished up the last of the broccoli cheddar soup. I’m into my book, finally, and enjoyed reading, then napping briefly until 2:30. 

Needs Mulching

We both took it easy until 4:00, when I turned on the electric mower and mulched the leaves in the front yard. It looks like I might have to do it one more time. I was done in time for a glass of wine and the news, mostly about who is going to win next week’s election. What a bore.

7:59 PM

Moon Rising

Dinner was gold pan chicken parm from Wegmans, with spaghetti, and it was surprisingly good. We’ll buy it again. We watched the news on TV, then some Monday Night Football, finishing the night with another episode of Lioness.

What A Beautiful Morning

7:14

7:30

7:52

9:10

It’s 9:20, and we’re both up listening to Michael Smerconish. I was up at 7:15 and out on the lake around 8:00 for over an hour, paddling down to the Power Boat Club and back. It was an amazing morning: blue skies, light wind, no boats, lots of sun, and a heron sitting at the north end of Woodlawn.

Kayak Morning

North

Great Blue Heron

Sunday was a typical day for both of us. It began with an early morning paddle under sunny, blue skies, then home to finish up the blog. Neither of us wanted to do much, so we sat around enjoying the morning with our coffee. Around 10:30, I decided to go for a walk in the woods, always colorful this time of year, and was out for a half hour.

Victoria/Woodlawn Woods

Lunch was the usual: eggs and toast before the start of another afternoon of football. We either watched football on our devices or napped. I did work for about a half hour in between games, putting away more chairs and tables for the winter and getting things ready for the cold weather. I watched too much football, to be honest, but it’s Sunday, right?

After our wine, neither of us felt like fussing with dinner, so we had hot dogs, the broccoli/cheddar soup, and a great salad while watching TV. Around 6:40, the Hunter's Moon rose over the Bemus shoreline, so I walked out and took some photos.

6:45

Hunter's Moon

At 8:30, we switched to the Chiefs game, our second favorite team. Unfortunately, they lost to Seattle. I ended the night with another episode of Lioness before getting back to my Gabriel Allon thriller.