Stormy Weather Early/Sunny Weather Late

7:40

8:08

8:38

The outline of Long Point is just starting to develop, like a black photograph, out of the darkness of morning.  It's 7:23, 45º out and it's been raining for the past hour, in fact, for the past 24 hours, accumulating over two inches.

Yesterday felt like we were on the coast of Maine, last October, when a nor'easter ruined our visit to Acadia Park.  Constant, heavy southeasterly winds and rain marked the day.  Flags flew, branches bent, limbs fell, leaves floated downward, covering the green, mulched yards from the day before. Surprisingly, we had a hint of sunshine mid morning, for about ten minutes, before the rain began again.  Evie was off early, for a doctor's appointment, and I stayed home because of the plumber was coming at 8:30 to tune up our boiler, making sure all the zones were functioning correctly.  They were so we are ready for winter, we hope.  

By 10:00, we were sitting in our living room twiddling our thumbs, wondering what we were going to do with our day, no hiking or kayaking.  So, we decided to make a recipe I found for a lentil and squash soup.  Evie had picked up the squash at Tops after her doctor's appointment, so I cut it up in small pieces while she sauteed the carrots, onions, garlic with spices, like cumin, turmeric and mustard seeds.  Once they were ready, we added the red lentils, the squash, chicken broth, and let it simmer for forty five minutes before using the "boat motor" to blend it smooth.  It tasted just as we thought, a combination of French, Turkish and Indian flavors. 

Unfortunately, I did not have it for lunch because we had leftover chicken picata and rice, so I had that instead of soup,  saving it for the rest of the week.  At 3:00, I drove into Jamestown, stopped at discount grocery store, to pick up some walnuts from a truck load sale, saving three or four bucks a pound.  I also stopped at the dentist, to check some discomfort around a crown, but it is nothing serious.  Seriously.  

I was home by 5:00, in time to watch Evie sear our stuffed pork chops, put them in the oven, then join me for a glass of wine, as the wind continued to whip our trees, the rain fall.  What a miserable day, especially in contrast to the amazing weather we have had in both September and October. Two weeks ago we were sunbathing on the dock and Evie, not me, was swimming.  We watched the Republican debate, more a slug fest, good entertainment, than a debate, where everyone ganged up on the moderators, rightly so to an extent, with their 'gotcha questions.'  It seems like the candidate who is best at a rejoinder to an attack comes off the best.  They may not be the best leader, just the quickest to take offense, to attack.  Donald is good at it, so is Ted Cruz, neither, however, would make a good President.  Neither are statesmen like, and their styles remind me of the Soviet brute, Nikita Khrushchev, pounding his shoe on the podium at the United Nations in September, 1960.    

It's now 8:45, the winds have settled momentarily, the rain stopped, a blue sky and bright sunshine have appeared, so I have been walking outside taking pictures of the changing morning sky.  Evie's still sleeping, lucky lady, as I sit here listening to the pundits analyze last night's debate.  What would they be talking about if there were no debate I wonder.