Fog And Quiet On The Lake

6:46

Purple Martin House At 7:27

It's 7:00, the fog has disappeared and only the quiet remains.  I was up a half hour ago, watched a fishing boat cruise by but for now, it's only an occasional duck.  Although it's overcast, there is some color off to the south. Just a few minutes ago, I saw the first purple martin scout of Spring, alight on our house and view the apartments.  It's now 8:40 and I have just returned from kayaking in a light drizzle, and it's always a good paddle if I get a photo of a wood duck even though I missed one of a hawk.

Kayak Morning

Wood Duck Saileth

Yesterday I sensed the first whiff of summer, as the temperatures rose into the 70's and I was able to wear a tee shirt outside when working.  I did not kayak because it was a windy day, ruffling the lake, even blowing the leaves around while I raked.  I left for yoga at 9:40 and left class feeling good, one of the reasons for going I suppose.  I stopped at Sav A Lot and picked up some buttermilk for Evie then came home.  While was gone, Evie had been busy, my lunch was ready, a Rueben sandwich warming in the oven.  I knew that it was time to put the purple martin house up, so I got out my waders, fastened the house on a pole and carried it out to the lake's edge.  First, however, I had to pound a pipe into the lake's bottom with a sledgehammer, making sure it was straight and we could see the house easily from the kitchen. Once the pipe was in, I carried the house out, raised it in the air on the pole, and placed the pole into the pipe.  It fit perfectly and I raised the house to its maximum height and we now have 12 condos ready for purple martins.

Woodlawn/Victoria This Morning

I was done by 1:00 and came in and ate my lunch.  Evie left for the gym about 1:30 and was gone until 2:30, begrudgingly getting in a walk.  I read and briefly napped after lunch but wanted to get some things done in the yard, so I was out raking leaves, putting poles away, and taking leaves and twigs up the hill by 2:30.  I was out until 4:00.  Evie was busy, too, putting together a special salad because we were going to our neighbor's house for dinner.  Besides the greens and a special dressing with tahini, Evie tops it with onion rings.  She decided to make her own, so she first soaked the sliced onions in buttermilk for a couple of hours.  Then, dusted them with seasoned flour and deep fried them in hot oil, quite a project for a salad but worth it.

We went to Maryanne and John's house at 6:30 and walked into their house with a completely redone kitchen.  It was really neat, great cherry cupboards, granite, and really nicely arranged.  They both love it and we can see why.  For dinner, we were having Evie's favorite, eggplant parmesan with a side of edamame pasta, which was quite tasty.  Dinner was great and I went back for seconds despite two salads, one Evie's, the other a fruit cup and garlic bread.  We had not seen them since they visited their first grandchild in Maryland so we had lots to talk about.  We ended the night with Talenti gelato, topped with fresh raspberries.  I clearly made a pig of my self enjoying each spoonful of the raspberry/chocolate chip gelato with a raspberry.  We were home just after 10:00, the end to a great night out.