Waiting For The Snow That Never Falls

8:00

As Lake Freezes Over, These May Be The Last Swans Of The Year

It's after 8:00, have been up for an hour and a half, waiting for the snow to fall.  I waited yesterday, then last night and now this morning and it still has not fallen despite the Lake Effect Snow Warning that's been in 'effect' for the past 36 hours.  I don't know whether to be grateful or upset.  I guess I would like enough snow to make it ideal for cross country skiing but not so much that we might get snowed in.  Neither sounds viable at the moment.

Yesterday was a day of light rain, slush on the roads, a good day for yoga early for me, working out in the afternoon for Evie.  So, I was off early to a Level II yoga class which was quite difficult for me, but I stayed with it and by the end of class, I was glad I went.  There were nine of us which is pretty good for a Saturday morning at 9:00 class.  I was home by 11:00 after stopping at the library and Ryder's Cup for a coffee.  Evie had been busy while I was gone, making one of our favorite cookies, Russian tea balls, perfect for a snack in the late afternoon with tea or coffee.  They are messy however, heavily dusted with powdered sugar, like a New Orleans beignet, so I had to eat them over a plate.

Evie left for the gym and shopping around 12:30, so I had lunch, homemade vegetable soup and I made a hoagie with leftover steak, cheese, and tomatoes.  I watched some college basketball, got bored with that, so I watched another episode of TREME.  I cannot say I love this series yet but I will stick with it, set as I mentioned, three months after Hurricane Katrina, so the devastation of that storm is part of the series.  Evie was home by 2:00 when we both showered and got ready to go to Open Door Jamestown, an afternoon where all the museum and venues were open, free of charge.

Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (online photo)

Study Of The Institute

We decided it was a good day to visit the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Of Natural History, set in the woods just off the campus of Jamestown Community College. It was founded in 1984 and is a beautiful building, in the Arts and Craft style.   Peterson grew up in Jamestown, the son of Swedish immigrants, and we either were at Bud's Carriage House when he came in for dinner with friends or were introduced to him in the late 1980's.  I think the former is true but would like to think the latter. It's both a museum and an institute dedicated mostly to birding but to other species of the natural world as well.

Painting Of A Pileated Woodpecker 

 Cardinal

There was an exhibit of bird paintings by Michael DiGiorgio.  Most of his works were for sale in the two to three thousand range.   We spent a good half hour enjoying them, then explored the other various areas, for art and study.  There was a good crowd of people there, parents with their young children as well as a noisy class of students from one of the local schools.

Robert H. Jackson Center (online photo)

Sitting Room Of Jackson Center

Afterwards, we drove to the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, on 5th Street, and spent a half hour there.  We had also been there a couple of years ago but it was good to go back once again though it has hardly changed.  The posters donated to the center by our good friend Barb Cassell's father, Terry Jonethis, are amazing, one of the highlights of the museum, along with the pen and ink drawings of the various defendants from the Nuremberg Trials, led by Chief Prosecutor, Robert Jackson.

Poster Donated By Terry Jonethis

Auschwitz's Victim's Cry

Just before leaving, we struck up a conversation with the the Director of Development, Marion Beckerink, new to the Center and an attorney from Cleveland, Ohio.  We found we had mutual friends from our years at Western Reserve Academy.  She mentioned that this coming Wednesday, the Center was having a gathering to to benefit the center at Brazil's Craft Beer and Wine Bar; we hope to attend the aptly named 'Libations for Liberty.'

We left just after 5:00 and decided to try the bar at a new Jamestown Restaurant, Gialy's, the old Town House.  We were able to get seats at the bar, struck up a conversation with the bartender, a girl who was unfortunately, suffering from a toothache.  We ordered beers, relaxed for an hour but never really struck up a conversation with any of the patrons.  So we decided to head home pick up a pizza at Coppola's in Bemus Point and eat at home. So dinner was easy and good, pizza and a salad as we watched football, Bill Maher's Real Time, and Property Brothers, filling our evening with TV.