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. 

Three More Days

6:57

8:30

According to the weatherman, a heat wave arrives Tuesday or Wednesday, so we'd better enjoy the next couple of days, with highs in the 70s. It's 8:50, and I just returned from an hour and twenty-minute paddle across to Tom's Point and home on a pleasant morning, in the low 60s. I was hoping to see eagles or herons at Tom's Point, but it was not to be. I did shoot an osprey on the way home. And I listened to a podcast where two British historians argued that Trump has been the most consequential president in 75 years, since Roosevelt. He's changed American politics and our relationship with the world in ways that an Obama, Johnson, or Eisenhower never did. I tend to agree, but with the caveat that he's changed things for the worse, not better.

Kayak Morning

The Sky

More Sky

Osprey

Yesterday was a typical Friday in that I had nothing I wanted to do — no biking or yoga. I did get in a good paddle as usual, and it was another stellar morning on the lake. How lucky I am to get out on the water most mornings of the year. Evie wanted to get a few things done, so I volunteered to sweep and vacuum both porches while she cleaned the bathrooms. I took everything off the back porch, which tends to get dirty, swept and vacuumed it, and then put everything back, making a big difference. For the lakeside porch, I just moved furniture around and swept and vacuumed. It took me a good hour, but I didn't mind it. I didn't start until 10:30, having read some, so by the time I was through, I was ready for lunch. I still had a pot of kuru fasulye left, so that's what I had, along with oyster crackers and Frank's Hot Sauce.

I watched another episode of The Agency, which I'm enjoying. I then napped briefly but was awoken around 1:30 by my neighbor mowing the lawn. Imagine mowing the lawn at 1:00 in the afternoon — what is this world coming to? I'd ordered some photos from Walmart and wanted to pick them up, so I left around 1:45, stopped for an iced coffee, then picked up my photos and browsed Walmart. I wore sweat pants and a black long-sleeve tee shirt and felt overdressed. I picked up some snacks for our wine time and couldn't make up my mind between Fritos or chips, so I bought both.

7:25 PM

I was home by 3:00, read, relaxed on the dock, and did some yard work and watering for a half hour — long enough to work up a sweat, so I took a shower. Around 5:15, we had wine time, with chips, Fritos, and dip. Extravagant! For dinner, we had the leftover pasta with sausage, mushrooms, and zucchini, and it was even better than the night before. Because we couldn't find anything to watch, we ended up watching the Spain/Uruguay soccer game. Evie had enough after the first half, so she went up to bed around 9:00, and I watched a bit more until I got bored and watched another episode of The Agency before heading up myself.

Aunt Tifa Vandalizing The Pond

 

Partly Cloudy And Windy

8:12

9:10

It's 9:20, and the sun keeps breaking through the clouds, and the wind picks up, then dies. When I got to Long Point, I had a tough time crossing the lake, but then the wind calmed down, and I had an easy paddle home.

Kayak Morning

Looking East

Another Heron Morning

Yesterday was busy, like most Thursdays. I was fortunately awake by 6:45 and got in a 35-minute paddle before returning home, starting the blog, then driving to Bemus for breakfast at 8:00. I was home by 9:10, finished up the blog, then left for Yin yoga at 9:40. Class was crowded, but I squeezed in at the front of the room. Most people like to stay in the back so no one can see them. I left feeling sore from a couple of poses, but eventually, the soreness went away.

For lunch, I had a bowl of kuru fasulye (white bean stew) and was happy. I watched another episode of The Agency. The rest of the afternoon went quickly, with a good nap, watching some World Cup, and reading my books — a good way to spend the afternoon. Around 4:00, Evie put together our dinner, an old standby: sausage, mushroom, and zucchini pasta with cooking sherry and chicken broth. Once it was done, we enjoyed our happy hour until 6:30, then had dinner, and we had enough leftovers for another dinner. Yippee. We watched another series called Bait, and of course, after a couple of episodes, we had had enough and watched something else. We still cannot find a series we like.

Around 9:00, I watched another episode of The Agency until 10:00, when I watched three-quarters of the Türkiye/US World Cup game. I stayed up until 11:30 to watch the game, but also because there were alerts for heavy rain, lightning, and hail. Fortunately, we avoided the worst — just some rain. I found out this morning that Türkiye won in the last seconds, 3-2, and they can head home with their heads held high despite two early losses.

Biking Presque Isle

Presque Isle State Park

6:40

9:0s

It's 7:38, and I kayaked for 35 minutes on a cloudy morning. Fortunately, it didn't rain, although it looks like today will be a rainy day. It's 9:15 and I just returned from breakfast in Bemus and have about a half hour to finish the blog before driving to yoga.

Kayak Morning

Cloudy Skies

In The Reeds

Same Guy

Poised To Fish

Yesterday was a great day, lots of sun and we were both active. I got in a good paddle, 50 minutes, and came home to a relaxing coffee morning with Evie. For some reason, I had biking in Presque Isle on my mind, and when I looked outside, it looked like a perfect day to ride. So after breakfast and the blog, I got my bike ready, attached it to the Outback, and left around 10:15. Presque Isle is a seven-mile-long peninsula that juts off of Erie, PA. It has a biking/walking trail around the entire peninsula and miles of some of the best inland beaches in the United States. It took me 45 minutes to get there, and I parked at one of the many parking areas. I've biked it three or four times before, so I knew the trails. I biked out to the Perry Monument, 7 miles, 46 minutes. Half of the ride was along the shaded bay side; the second half was along the lake side, with the amazing beaches. I ended up biking 12 miles along with walkers, inline skaters, other bikers, and families all on bikes. I ended up at Sara's, an outdoor eatery, and enjoyed a Smith's 12-inch hot dog with curly fries and a root beer for ten bucks.

Bay Side

Great Beaches

Perry Monument Construction

Erie

Erie Close Up

Typical Bay Side Path

Bay Side

Waiting In Line At Saras

On my way home, I stopped at one of our favorite nurseries, Stan's, on Buffalo Road east of Erie. Our fall-blooming clematis died for some reason, so I bought another along with a couple of geranium baskets, two for the price of one. I was home around 2:45, and Evie was relaxing on the front porch after mowing the front and side yards. It looked amazing. I then tried to nap but was still too psyched from my ride, so I went out and dug out the dead clematis and planted the new one up against our house.

Both of us were exhausted by 5:00 and were happy to relax on the porch and enjoy a glass of wine and the view, another blue sky, and puffy white clouds. Dinner was the leftover ham and potatoes, along with a salad and corn on the cob. We watched Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath, and then Evie went to bed, and I went back to The Agency on Paramount+. It was a busy but good day.

What A Morning

7:38

8:39

It's 8:50 and I just returned from a forty-five-minute paddle. Getting up later than usual, at 7:40, I was in no hurry to get out on the lake. By 8:00, I was out paddling, the lake and sky gorgeous, with some fog rising off towards Long Point. Today looks like one of the best days of the summer, full sun, blue skies, and highs in the low 70s, a good day to be outside.

Kayak Morning

Tuesday was another fine day, with a long paddle to start the day because I was up early. Unlike today, I was able to photograph a couple of herons before returning. After a light breakfast, I was off to yoga at 9:10, always a challenging class with Courtney. It's nice to see it well attended, likely due to the influx of summer visitors. I skipped Wegmans and Ryder's Cup but stopped at Evans to pick up some box wine for the next couple of weeks.

I was feeling off much of the morning, so Evie made me scrambled eggs and toast for lunch, and I watched a show called Young Wallander. It's not my favorite, but I couldn't think of anything else to watch. I then got back to my history of the United States and alternated between it and Ghost Town, Tom Perrotta's new book. I napped and woke feeling better, and went outside and planted and watered the rest of the plants we bought from Mike's. I relaxed and read the rest of the afternoon, but by 6:00, we were both showered and ready to pick up our neighbors, Pat and Dave, and go out to dinner at Steener's Pub in Greenhurst. 

Steak/Fries Night At Steeners Pub

This seems to be our go-to place on Tuesdays because of the steak special. During Covid, it was maybe twenty-two bucks for two steaks and fries. Last night it was forty bucks. It was a fun night, catching up on their winter in South Carolina. We left around 7:45 and were home by 8:00. We sat in the living room reading until 8:30, when Evie went up to bed, and I watched a new series on Paramount+ called The Agency. It's confusing, but I am starting to get it.

From These Truths: "One million Europeans migrated to British America between 1600 and 1800 and two and a half million Africans were carried there by force over that same stretch of centuries, on ships that sailed past one another by day and by night."

Partly Cloudy And Occasional Winds

I just returned from a 45-minute paddle, and it's 8:00. Obviously, I was up early and out on the lake before 7:00. It looks like a decent day, mostly sunny with highs in the 70s. I have yoga at 9:30, and that's about it for the day, other than reading my book, These Truths, a history of the United States. I have vowed to read it for at least half an hour every day.

6:38

7:49

I woke yesterday morning to rain and a wet yard, as we'd received at least an inch of rain in the previous 24 hours, and we needed it. I couldn't kayak because of the stormy weather, so instead I had a prolonged coffee and listened to Michael Smerconish along with Evie until 10:30. By then we had a list for Wegmans, so I drove off, stopping for coffee, then shopping. Monday is usually a good day because most shoppers wait for 5% Tuesday, although some things still haven't arrived from the warehouse, like red potatoes, in the past couple of weeks. I was home just before noon, and Evie and I put away the groceries.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Blue Skies, Clouds, And Waves

Great Blue Heron Among The Grasses

When I left for Wegmans, Evie was hard-boiling eggs, so I was looking forward to egg salad sandwiches for lunch. While I started making kuru fasulye, basically a white bean stew, Evie made me sandwiches. Since we couldn't get the pressure cooker to close properly, I had to simmer the beans for a couple of hours. So I had lunch, watched my show, then read and napped until 1:30. Then I got back to the fasulye, sautéing uncured pancetta before adding onions, garlic, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and Aleppo pepper. After that, I added the beans and water and let everything simmer for another hour, until the beans were tender and the flavors were right.

Great Blue Yesterday Afternoon

By the time I was done, the rain had stopped, and though the sky was still overcast, I went out for a half-hour paddle to get some exercise. While I was on the lake, Evie put together our dinner, a ham and potato casserole, and had it in the oven baking when I returned. By then it was 5:00, so we relaxed for a good hour and a half with wine before watching some TV and enjoying our dinner. For some reason, we really enjoyed the casserole and wondered why we don't make it more often. We watched a Harlan Coben thriller but got bored with it and ended the night watching Caitlin Clark and Indiana defeat Phoenix. After the game, I was ready to read and go to bed.

These Truths: The book's essential question feels crucial today and to democracy, with Trump attempting to govern like an autocrat:

"Can a political society really be governed by reflection and election, by reason and truth, rather than by accident and violence, by prejudice and deceit?"