An Early, Early Morning

Celebrating My 75th With Rich And Linda 

It's beginning to get light at 6:30 and I have been sitting here in darkness since 5:30, waiting for something to happen.  So far, only clouds, a streak of color just above Long Point.  I can hear some fishermen, getting ready to head out as well as the screech of an occasional seagull.  Otherwise, it's a quiet morning on an empty lake.  It's 8:00 and I just returned from a forty-five-minute paddle.  I watched a couple of crows chase off an osprey and as I paddled into my lakefront, a heron flew off from our wall, about twenty feet in front of me and I never saw him standing there hunting.

Kayak Morning

Osprey

On Our Dock

Yesterday was a fun 75th birthday as my sister Linda and brother in law Rich, came out to the lake to spend the day and evening with us.  They didn't arrive until noon so we had the morning to get a few things done.  I got in my paddle before breakfast, then drove off to Lakewood for yoga, then to the Lighthouse to pick up some corn and peameal bacon.  I was home by noon and  Linda and Rich arrived at 12:30.  It's an easy two-hour drive for them from Euclid.  My sister is involved in both local, state and national garden clubs, so the first thing she did is go with Evie to look at her garden.  Rich and I unloaded the car and all of us sat on the front porch, a pleasant day finally to be outside as the heat and humidity had diminished.

Lunch Al Fresco

It was nice enough to have lunch outside, chicken enchiladas, sweet corn and strawberry lemonade.  We had not gotten together in a while so it was fun to catch up on their family, their four children and, thirteen grandchildren, a number now in college.  Tempus Fugit.

All four of us relaxed after lunch, some on the porch, others inside reading or napping until 3:30 when three of us drove off to Celeron to see the new Chautauqua Harbor Hotel.  When we arrived, the parking lot was packed to our amazement as the hotel had just opened a week ago.  We figured out why when we walked in.  They were having a ribbon cutting ceremony, the grand opening of the hotel.  Everyone was dressed up, so we felt a bit out of place but were able to tour the grounds, the inside bar, and dining room.

Linda And Rich At Chautauqua Harbor Hotel Lake Front

It is really first class, especially the outdoor patio, Carousel Bar, pool, and lakefront.  It certainly will be a destination spot, especially in the summer when the outdoor area can be used.  We then took a long way home, through Lakewood, past all my hangouts, Ryder's Cup and Eight Limbs Yoga, and were home by 5:30.

Dinner At Ellicottville Brewery

We relaxed on the front porch with a drink for an hour before driving over to Bemus,  to the Ellicottville Brewery on Lakeside Drive.  Because it was Thursday night, it was not very busy and we easily found a seat inside.  We had a good waitress, ordered beers, and a pretzel with beer cheese for an appetizer, our favorite.  Everyone ordered something different for dinner, from burgers to ahi tuna, to shrimp tacos to a salad.  It was a nice way to celebrate my birthday.  We were home by 9:00 and sat out on the front porch talking until 10:30 when we all went up to bed. No late night carousing or drinking for this crew.