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."