Bass Boat Saturday Morning

Bass Boats In A Hurry At 7:05  a.m.

Art or Algae? 

Awake at 6:05, utter darkness, but now, at 7:00, some light, a gray lake and sky, windless, 48º, as bass boat after bass boat roars out of Long Point Marina, crazy to catch that first fish, heading north or south, rarely stopping in our nook of the lake.  Light rain much of the day, coolish, fall must be here.

I began yesterday morning with yoga, a class of four, with Courtney, who is beginning to offer some variety in her classes which I enjoy.   I stopped for coffee at Ryders, no Wegman's, and came home to a gray day at the lake, cool as the temperatures never reached 60º. We are both at sixes and sevens, not sure of what we want to do so we do very little.  We have not been able to enjoy the outdoors for the past couple of days which limits our options, no enjoying the dock or swimming.  Remember, I swam in Lake Erie this past Tuesday on an 85º day.  So we both read, watched some TV, listened to music, did a few things around the house but mostly waited for 6:00, when we were going out for dinner.  I did, however, put on my waders and work on the dock, taking out the lag bolts put in last June when the lake was so high.  It turned out to be an easy job with a power drill, zip and the lag screws came out.  And I took a walk through the woods for a half hour, trying to keep up with my wish to either walk or ride my bike five or six times a week.  Walking in the woods, even as compact as Woodlawn/Victoria, settles the mind.  I think I am becoming a neophilist (new word), a haunter of the woods, one who loves the forest and its' beauty and solitude.

Mary Ann Miller And Evie At The Landmark, in Jamestown

Our neighbor, Mary Ann Miller, had asked us Thursday to go out to dinner with her, as she was up here alone, with out any family for a few days.  We couldn't go Thursday so she made sure we could go on Friday.  We picked her up at 6:00, and she was sitting on her front  porch, dressed to the nine's as usual.  We went into Jamestown to a fairly new restaurant called the Landmark, in the old Ironstone, where we spent many a fine Saturday evenings with my parents, listening to the trio of golden agers play big band music.  It has a good reputation, the parking lot full, as was most of the restaurant.  We sat in the dining room though there is also a bar with tables off to the side.  Inside it has been redone but the basic seating areas are the same as the Ironstone.  The owner, or so he seemed, stopped by to talk, to explain the menu, especially the fish, which seems to be its speciality, with six or seven different offerings from sole, to sea bass, to grouper and of  course salmon.  Both Evie and Mary Ann got the salmon piccata,  as good a salmon as they have ever had.  I had scallops with a lobster sauce, on top of pureed vegetables. It was also good but I would have preferred simple scallops with lemon, garlic and butter.  They do not really need a lobster sauce.  For dessert, we split a coconut cheese cake three ways.  And, we took home three doggy bags, two salmons and some dessert.  It was a exceptionally fine dining experience and we will be sure to return.   It's nice to know there's another good restaurant around, to go along with Jamestown's Forte, Westfield's Brazil's, Fredonia's Rocco's Italian, and the Nic L Inn, out in the boonies, all four excellent choices.

We were home by 8:30, happy with our night out with Mary Ann, and we were just in time to watch the new Bill Mather show, Real Time, live this time from Washington.  He was doing Real Time and immediately following the show, he had to jump in a limo and be driven ten minutes away where he was doing another live show at a different showcase in Washington, D.C.  His guests for the Real Time were amazing, Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Seinfeld, then a panel of Haley Barbour, John Huntsmen, and Andrea Mitchell, all heavy weights, attesting the popularity and power of Maher.  A good way to end the day and start fall... laughing.

It's now 8:00, just as gray as earlier, with a light misty rain, not the best weather to be fishing.

Bassing It Just Off Our Dock