Overcast And Wet

7:29

7:30

9:15

I was surprised to wake up to a wet morning, overcast sky after such amazing autumn days Friday and Saturday.  It's a chilly 48º, as guys were here at 6:30, ready to take out the dock next door.  The early bird gets the dock, I guess.  I was able to get in a good paddle, without getting wet.  I did not see a heron or wood duck, just cormorants, and mallards.  The dock guys around the lake were out early.  Jeremy, the guy we buy our corn from, also takes out docks, so he was out in Victoria, pulling in a dock with his wetsuit on.  I really admire him, growing his own  corn, selling it during July and August, and putting in and taking out docks in spring and fall.

Kayak Morning

Bringing In The Docks

Yesterday was the kind of day with its crisp temperature and sunshine that reminds many of football season, weekend markets, apple orchards, displays of pumpkins and mums and, of course, leaf raking and cutting the lawn.  Evie's back won't tolerate any lengthy car rides so we will enjoy the lake, get some things done and save our outings for another season.  I got in a great early paddle, came home and we finished up the blog, then started our weekly routine of getting trash ready to take to the Transfer Station.  It always amazes me how much trash two people can generate in a week.

When I returned from the Transfer Station,  I decided to make one of my favorite Turkish peasant dishes, kuru falsulye, basically a white bean stew with onions, Turkish spices, and tomato paste.  Easy right.  So I got out our Magic pot, threw in a pound of white beans, turned on the pressure cooker and in a half hour, the beans were ready to add to the sauteed onions, spices and tomato paste.  I then let it simmer for an hour or two, let it sit on the burner and put it in the refrigerator after it cooled.  Now I have lunch for the next few days.

The afternoon went quickly for both of us.  Evie ended up dozing in the yard, enjoying the sun, and I took a nap, read, and watched some football after my lunch of two leftover hot dogs.  Four dogs in less than 24 hours may be a bit too much even for me, a hot dog fan.  Around 3:30, I fired up the lawn mower, made Evie stay inside, and cut the lawn, knowing that we might get rain overnight and we did.  We were planning on going out for dinner somewhere Evie could stand but by 6:30, we were lazy, so Evie ordered us dinner from Andriaccio's, a local Italian restaurant, three plus miles away.  I picked it up and I had the chicken parm, good not great and Evie had an unappetizing meatball sub.  We ate dinner (with, of course, a huge salad), watching another outrageously funny Real Time With Bill Maher if you aren't a Trump supporter or religious. We ended the night with Colbert and I stayed up a bit longer watching Ohio State football.  They did not look good but I saw this morning that they had a late comeback to beat Penn State by a point.  I guess having grown up in Ohio has made me an Ohio State fan, like the Browns and Indians.

A Morning Of Blue/Gray Clouds

Canadian Geese Heading South

6:44

6:46

7:32

7:32

7:42

It's after 7:00, the bass boats have roared by and it's a striking morning of clouds, lines of gray clouds sit above the Bemus shore, their reflections filling the lake surface.  It's 53ª but because of the lack of wind, the front door is open and there's no bite in the cool air.  I just returned from a long kayak paddle, observed numerous cormorants, much more prevalent than last fall.  And I shadowed a heron for about five minutes hoping to catch him diving in the lake for a fish.  His patience matched mine and I caught him.  As I was paddling home, I spotted another heron sitting on top of a neighbor's boat lift.

Kayak Morning

Hanging Clouds

Great Blue Heron

Yesterday was such a magnificent fall day, blue skies, light wind, lots of sun, a calm lake that I wanted to frame it and put it up on the mantel to enjoy this winter.  And Friday was not as dramatic as Thursday though we did watch more TV than usual following the deliberations of the Senate.  It's hard not to care.  There were respites, however, as I paddled early, then went to a yoga class of three, where I learned how to hold my head when supine.  Like most who work at a computer, I tend to hang my head forward, even when standing, often leading to neck discomfort.  Yoga teaches you how to stand straight, with less stress on the back and neck.

Cormorants Drying Their Wings

After yoga, I drove out in the country to see about a boat cover from an Amish canvas maker.  He was, unfortunately, out measuring for canvas porches covers, popular in the area so I made an appointment with his wife to take my boat to him on Wednesday.  It's about ten miles from our house, on hilly and gravel roads, a mess when it rains or snows.  When I got home, Evie was busy in the kitchen, doing what women in the kitchen do, what men pay no attention to, like washing the cupboards because they are dirty from years of cooking.  Some of the doors have loosened up so I got out my trusty screwdriver and tightened them up, my help for the day.

Great Blue Perched

For lunch, Evie made me broiled tuna and tomato sandwiches and I watched more of LUTHER.  Because it was such a beautiful day, Evie was able to get in some sun time, relaxing, even falling asleep in our yard.  For some reason, I never made it outside, staying in reading and napping, thinking about things we have to do to wind up summer.  So I got out my trusty squeegee and bucket, filled it with water, a dollop of cornstarch, white vinegar, and Dawn and washed the windows in the front and side of our house. Evie loves clean windows, and I have to admit I do too.

By 5:00, we decided to have a glass of wine and appetizers and enjoy the late afternoon.  Unfortunately, it was too cool to sit on our porch, so we sat in the living room, listening to the roundup of the day's news.  No worry about dinner because both of us had a hankering for a Sahlen hotdog and some greens.  Evie threw them in a pan, rolled them around until brown, and we had our dinner. We watched Colbert, another series, some news, and Evie finished dinner with a nutty buddy ice cream cone and I made myself a tin roof, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and Spanish peanuts, my Mom's favorite. 

From A Year Of LivingYour Yoga

"We often worry about so many things, most of them beyond our control.  Just today, let go whenever you can by embracing the understanding that you are not in charge of the world."

A Crisp, Fall Like Morning On The Lake

Good Morning

6:45

I was up at 6:15, and have been able to watch the sky open up, change from darkness to a vast cloud bank, to some light, now the northern end of the lake is clear, a light blue, yet a vast, threatening cloud bank hangs over Long Point and points south.  I can't wait to get out on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Sun Rising

Morning On The Lake

Wood Ducks

Yesterday was a typical morning, as I am enjoying my getting back in a routine.  A quick paddle, breakfast at Bemus, finished the blog, then drive to Lakewood for a good yoga class.  It was not as leisurely because I have to get my paddle in before 7:30, so I can get ready for breakfast.  Anyways, I came straight home from yoga, arriving about 11:30 and Evie was already glued to the TV.

Other than stopping briefly for lunch, a salami and tomato sandwich, and a brief nap during the forty-five-minute break, both of us with glued to the TV, to the drama of the questioning and testimony of Kavanaugh and Ford.  Dr. Ford was absolutely convincing in her story and I find it hard to believe anyone could doubt her.  There was nothing phony or staged about her narrative and it moved many viewers to tears.  In the end, it seemed there was no way Kavanaugh would be confirmed.  The pundits are agreed that she was believable, her story compelling.  Then came Kavanaugh and though I felt his pain, what his family had gone through, I immediately felt he was playing the victim card and it reminded me of Clarence Thomas's anger, calling his confirmation a high tech lynching.  Kavanaugh did not blame it on racism but on liberals, democrats hatred of Trump, even blamed the Clintons. He often appeared, unlike Ford, defensive, repetitious, evasive and angry.  Then Linsay Graham stepped in, Trump's shill, with an emotional outburst, blaming all of this on the Democrat's willingness to do anything to defeat Kavanaugh.  In other words, like the Republicans, they were playing dirty politics.  The thing he never talked about the veracity of  Dr. Ford's accusations and showed a lack of empathy for her.  It was all the Democrats out to destroy Kavanaugh, not that Dr. Ford was not telling the truth.  As one pundit said, he seemed to be auditioning for the Attorney General's post, after Trump fires Jeff Sessions.  As for Kavanaugh, we could feel his hurt but were uncomfortable with some of his answers, or refusal to answer, like whether he would ask for the FBI to step in.  In the end, after all the histrionics, it was still a 'he said, she said.'  Like most politicians, we ended up believing what we want to believe, not necessarily paying attention to the facts.  My final thought: why did the Republicans refuse to allow the FBI to gather more facts, to allow reason and facts triumph over passion.

By the time it was over, we were exhausted, as was anyone who watched this OJ moment in American history.  It was not a pretty spectacle and nobody, with the exception perhaps of Dr. Ford,  came out of it looking good.  It was a relief to have dinner, our leftover Greek lemon chicken and rice and salad and watch some Stephen Colbert, another episode of CBS All Access's One Dollar before going to bed.

The Long Days Of Summer Wane

6:57

7:10

 It surprises me how long it stays dark on these fall mornings, how quickly it gets dark at night.  The sun rises and sets now at about the same time, a few minutes after 7:00, as the days get shorter.  I am writing this in pitch dark at 6:30 on a chilly, 50º morning.  It's 6:50 and I finish writing this.  It's light enough to see Long Point, still too dark to kayak.  I still hope to get it in before I drive over to Bemus for breakfasts at 8:00.

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was another rainy morning but it started to clear up some in the afternoon, as we glimpsed some sunshine before it set.  I had a good paddle, in the rain, and was home in time to head off to yoga at 9:30.  There were only three of us in class which we all loved.  Lots of room, a personal yoga teacher, a good class.  Afterward, I stopped for a coffee and picked up some eggs but that was it and I drove straight home, no bank, no dentist, no shopping, no ticket, a good morning.

When I returned home, Evie was watching the breaking news, more stories of Kavanaugh's high school and college activities.  We could almost see the commentators drooling as they brought forth one accusation after another.  Last week it was the drama of Florence, this week of Kavanaugh. What will next week bring?  Evie gave me a choice for lunch sandwiches, toasted cheese, salami or BLT.  How can I pass up bacon, so she made me two great sandwiches and I watched another episode of Luther?  I then read and napped and woke to more breaking news, the never-ending, continuous 24 hour brouhaha.

Since we were going out to the Viking Club for dinner, meeting Linda and Ron, our first evening out in quite a while, Evie did not need to worry about dinner.  She did, however, cook up the apples we bought on Monday from Tops and made some applesauce.  I did some work in the garage and attic, started taking the air conditioners out of the windows and putting them in the attic.

Before leaving for the Viking, we were entertained by the Trump Show, comedy and tragedy in a half hour.  He's your crazy uncle, rambling on, making no sense, never answering a question, but thinking he's the smartest and funniest man in the world.  It would be funny if he weren't our president.  We left for the Viking at 6:15, found a table where Evie could stand if need be, ordered beers just as Linda and Ron walked in.  It was a slow night at the Viking but it's also autumn so many of the RVers have already headed to Florida to avoid the beautiful fall weather.  I ordered wings, haven't had them in a month and the others had various sandwiches.  We also shared an order of onion rings.  We talked about the usual, the crazies running our country and what we hope to do this fall.  Three of us love this time of the year, even look forward to the coming of winter,

We left around 8:00, having enjoyed another good evening at our club.  We were home in time to watch some Colbert and watched the news, switching back in forth between the rationals, CNN and MSNBC, and the Trump channel, Fox News.  It was good to go upstairs to read my new book, MR. PENUMBRA'S 24 HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan.  I have also read his most recent book, SOURDOUGH which I enjoyed.

Lighting, Thunder, And Rain

7:20

So, I woke at 6:00 to all three of the above, a thundering sky, lighting and constant rain.  It's warm enough to leave the porch door open so I can listen to the rhythm of the falling rain.  It's 7:00 as I start my blog and it's just starting to get light, as Long Point is a barely recognizable shape.  It's a comfortable 68º and we should get rain on and off all day.  I just returned from a paddle, starting out on a calm, windless morning, no rain, but paddled home in the rain.  I did get a close up of a blue heron who did not notice me floating up to the dock until I was 15 feet away.

Kayak Morning

 

Paddling Home

Yesterday began with a light morning rain, a paddle to Long Point and back in the rain.  The rest of the morning the rain let up so I could get out in the yard and clean up the deadfall and take it up to the woodpile.  I skipped yoga so it was nice to have a morning of leisure, doing what I wanted, reading and working on the blog.  Evie started prepping dinner, Greek lemon chicken and made up a shopping list for me.

Great Blue Heron

 

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Lunch was a bowl of ramen with an egg dropped on top of the boiling noodles left to sit for a minute.  I watched some TV then left for a dentist appointment at 1:30 in Jamestown.  When I arrived, I had to park on the street and put my fifty cents in the parking meter for an hour.  Of course, the teeth cleaning took longer than I expected and I wondered what would happen if the parking meter expired and I was a couple of minutes late.  What were the odds I would get a ticket?  As I was talking with the receptionist about my next appointment, I looked outside to see if there was a problem.  And to my dismay, the meter maid was giving me a ticket, three minutes after my time expired.  I ran out to tell her I was coming out but she ignored me, left the ticket on my windshield wiper. My intuition,  of bad luck, was confirmed.  At least my teeth were clean.

Mr. and Mrs. Wood Duck

I then drove to Wegman's to do a big shopping but at first could not get on their app. so I could see the shopping list Evie had made.  So I went to the office and the customer service person showed me how to go to settings and click on Wegman's.  I have never had to do this before so it was news to me. As usual, I had trouble finding some of the items Evie had on the list and when I got home, I handed her the receipt, since I never, ever come home without a wrong item. This time I bought gallon storage bags but not for the freezer, SOS pads but not minis as Evie indicated on the app. Mea culpa, again.  C'est la vie.

Cormorant Drying Off

We relaxed with a glass of wine as Evie put together our dinner, baking the chicken in the oven and making a gravy of lemon, oregano and chicken juices.  This is another favorite and we always have it with rice.  We also had a couple of ears of corn and a salad to finish off our dinner.  We watched a couple of episodes of a new series on CBS All Access called ONE DOLLAR.  We are not sure about it but will stick with it.  We then ended the evening with laughs, watching Colbert, then Cheers.

There Went Summer

6:58

For the first time, the past couple of days have made me realize summer's end.  This morning, especially, seems fall-like, with strong winds, overcast skies, a rough lake, and 56º.  I have no interest in getting out there to kayak but you never know.  As it gets lighter and lighter, however. the morning looks more and more inviting.  It was so I paddled over to Long Point, fighting the wind and rain, over to Sandy Bottom, and it stopped raining and calmed down on the way back to our house.  I am glad I went and I was definitely the only crazy out on the lake.  

Kayaking At 8:05

Never Tiring Of Heron Photos

Yesterday I decided to return to my routine, write my blog and head to yoga.  So after a short paddle on a windy, rough lake, I drove to yoga at 9:00.  The class was not as crowded as usual, the summer people have left but we still had 17 women and moi.  I could tell that I have not been to class in a couple of weeks but it felt good to lose myself in the stretches.  We were having leftover for dinner so there was no need for me to do any shopping but I stopped at my mechanics because I light came on in the car.  He reset it and said it was probably the change in the weather that set it off.  When I got home, Evie was talking to my sister, Ellen, and had written to Judy and Ray, one of the first couples that we befriended when we first got married.  Out of the blue Judy had decided to track us down, guessed at our address and sent a letter and photo of she and Ray.  They were our neighbors in Babbitt Garden Apartments in Euclid, Ohio, from 1965-1967 and like us, had a new baby.  It was fun to be in touch with them after, what, fifty years and they are planning a trip to Chautauqua in mid-October.

I was not very hungry after yoga so I made myself an omelet with feta cheese and it was just right and I watched more of the ' the week-long breaking news (Kavanaugh is accused of sexual impropriety)' with Evie.  We left for Mayville at 1:00 because Evie had an appointment with our PA because of a persistent cough and I wanted to get a flu shot.  That took a half hour.  We then stopped at the Board of Elections and Evie signed up for a mail-in ballot because she will be recovering from her back surgery in November and may not have been able to vote.  We ended our trip with a stop a Tops grocery, to get apples and a few other goodies, and stopped for corn at the Amish wagon in Mayville's park. 

When we got home, we were both whipped, so Evie went to the couch and I took a half hour nap, waking about 3:45, refreshed. So I decided because rain was predicted for the next couple of days, to cut the lawn.  Evie, of course, could not stay on the couch and watch so I fired up both mowers and we cut the lawn quickly, less than a half hour. And after cutting the lawn, I hauled two barrels of twigs up the hill to the wood pile. The lawn looks great this morning though the front yard is once again littered with deadfall from last night's heavy winds.

This Morning's Deadfall

Gray, Windy And Wet At 6:53 PM

We relaxed with a glass of wine as the wind picked up, the sky darkened and it started to rain.  At 6:30, Evie steamed the corn, heated up the leftover beef stroganoff and made a salad.  The stroganoff was even better last night, like many leftovers.  The corn was as good as we have had it this summer.  And we watched a couple of episodes of Showtime's political series, The Circus, then an episode of A Place to Call Home.  We finished the night with The View, a nice mixture of politics, talk show, and a soap opera.  Philistines are us.

Windy And Gray, A Choppy Lake

A Bowl of Dahlia

 A cool 57º morning, a southeasterly wind, and an empty lake.  I took a short paddle, battling the waves south, to Sandy Bottom, cruising home. 

Kayak Morning

Among The Reeds

Yesterday was a classic fall day, blue skies, puffy clouds, calm lake, and lots of football, even golf. The day ended with a full moon rising over the lake.  We had a long morning coffee after I took a paddle over to Long Point and back.  After our coffee and getting a few things done, like starting to clean out my boat, organizing our pantry, Evie made a big breakfast.  Afterward, we watched some football, fun because Buffalo won, their quarterback showed great promise, similar to the Browns Baker Mayfield.  We then got some sunshine, watched some of Tiger's march towards victory before going for a boat ride over to Bemus and back around 5:30.  

Earlier in the day, Evie had put together a beef stroganoff so dinner was mostly heating up the stroganoff and boiling the noodles.  While we enjoyed our stroganoff, we watched Bill Maher, always outrageous, entertaining, and right on.  We wonder how he gets away with the things he says.  We ended the evening watching Netflix's new series, MANIAC.  It's confusing, at times riveting and we finally think we know what's going on.  Maybe

. 

Burning Off The Fog

7:22

7:23

8:02

A chilly 47º fall morning, with heavy fog, making me put off my paddle until the fog lifted. And it did but slid in again when I neared Tom's Point, so I paddled home, along the shore, in heavy fog.

Paddling Towards Tom's Point In The Fog

And one of our favorite photographs from the past:

Our Daughter In Law, Mary, With Her Mom, Rose Accurso...She Will Be Missed

A 53º Morning Kicks Off Autumn

Friday's Late Afternoon Winds And Thunderstorms

6:57

8:47

Heavy winds last night, thunderstorms, loss of electricity for a couple of hours.  A windy gray morning, a paddle cut short because of heavy winds and waves,  then a walk in the woods to start the day.

Dahlias For Our Rose