A Morning Of Pastels (Empty Bowls, Dunkirk, NY)

7:34

7:38

7:40

7:55

It's 7:20 and I have been up for an hour, listening to C-Span call-ins discuss the deficit, both democratic and republican, a good way to get a feel for the divide in the American mind.  The morning sky is muted, especially compared to yesterday striking colors, as if the gods had pulled out their pastels, put away their oils.  It's 33º.

We had an atypical Saturday morning.  I was up early, of course, then Evie, then Richie and Sally.  They decided to walk the Chautauqua Institution this morning, then drive to Jamestown for their son Vince's hockey game at 1:45.  So Evie made them a Turkish omelet, eggs, tomatoes and feta cheese, and they loved it, especially the cheese.  Around 10:00, Evie and I drove off to Dunkirk, about 30 miles away to the Empty Bowls project, an annual event where area potters donate thousands of their bowls, to benefit the Food Pantry in Dunkirk.  This is the fourth year we have participated and we love buying various bowls, knowing all the money goes to the Pantry.  It's well organized, by area volunteers and students from SUNY Fredonia.  Last year we were 6th in line, hoping to get the first choice.  This year we arrived at the same time but were 50th, as people are catching on.

SUNY Fredonia Brass

Fortunately, as we waited in the lobby of the Clarion Hotel on Lake Erie, we were entertained by a brass band from Fredonia, playing Christmas music.  At 11:00, we joined the crowd and quickly scanned the tables looking for bowls we liked.  We picked out about 12, then narrowed it down to seven.  We paid then walked down the hall, where the bowls were washed by volunteers so we could get a choice of three soups.  We sat down with others, listening to another group play music.  When we were finished, more volunteers washed our soup bowls, then wrapped them up to take home.  Richie and Sallie gave us a donation to buy three bowls and we bought five, all for a good cause. It was a good morning.

Evie With A Grateful and Happy Potter

We were home by 1:00, just as Richie and Sally were leaving for the game.  I almost forgot about my weekly Saturday task, a visit to the Transfer Station.  So I gathered the trash, drove off, and my job for the day was done.  For lunch, I had some of Evie's vegetable soup, and a bagel and fell asleep watching some football.

December Fishing Frenzy

We had a leisurely afternoon until about 5:00 when Evie started prepping our Indian dinner.  Earlier, she had made the cauliflower soup, so she seared the yogurt/spice marinated chicken and simmered it in the Tikki Marsala sauce.  Richie and Sally stopped at Wegmans after the game, to pick up some of Wegman's jelly for my brother in law, then had a beer at the Southern Tier Brewery.

4:43

Around 4:30, Evie and I relaxed with a glass of wine, took photos of the moon rising over Long Point and were joined by Richie and Sally around 6:30.

Moon Scape

Rising

December's Full Moon

We had a great dinner at 7:00, as everyone liked the soup and chicken, the naan, the salad, creamed spinach, rice and just as we were ready for dessert, Vince, their hockey-playing son called to say he had left some of his equipment back at the hotel.  So dessert was put on hold and they drove off to Jamestown to pick up the gear and watch the third hockey game in two days, at 8:45.

Dinner With My Nephew, Richie, And His Wife, Sally

Evie and I had dessert, miniature cherry pies Rich and Sally bought at the CI earlier in the day, watched some TV, the Ohio State game for a bit, then Vice News, and went to bed guiltily around 11:00, too tired to stay up, the end to another good day.  I am not sure what time Richie and Sally returned but it was late.