A Good Day For A Drive

6:05

It's 5:30, quiet an overcast on a 58º morning.  No paddle this morning as we are taking a road trip to Virginia, to visit our daughter Jill and her family.  It's a drive we take quite often so it's no big deal, usually about seven hours.

Yesterday was a busy day, getting ready for a getaway to celebrate our granddaughter Hayden's graduation from Patriot High School in Bristow, VA.  The morning went more or less as usual, with a short paddle for me, breakfast in Bemus, then a good yin yoga class with Danielle as she continues to introduce new things in class.  After class, I dropped a couple of books off at the library, made sure I have a couple for our visit and drove home just as it started to drizzle.  In fact, it seemed to drizzle on and off much of the afternoon but it did not bother us as we were in the house trying to figure out what to bring to Hayden's party and graduation.  It's going to be in the high 80's for the weekend so we have to get out appropriate attire.

3:40

I ended up grabbing all my winter shirts, mostly flannel and putting them in the attic after replacing them with all my short sleeve shirts, mostly aloha shirts that I have collected over the years.  Evie took time out from organizing the house and packing to put together our dinner, pasta with fresh tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, and chicken and it looked so good that I had it for lunch.  I did not want to start the last season of Bosch so I rewatched the first episode of THE WIRE, trying to decide if I want to watch it a second time,  

Our car was packed and ready to go by wine time.  It's becoming more and more difficult to pack for a trip for some reason, mostly because we cannot make up our mind what we will need, whether it will be hot or cold, dry or wet, so we bring too much.  Sound familiar? It felt good to have it done and sit down an enjoy the late afternoon with a glass of wine even if it was overcast and raining.

6:05

Dinner was already made so there was no hassle, just heat up the pasta and make a salad.  We were able to watch Jeopardy and a couple of other shows but by 9:00, I was glued in front of the TV, watching the first game of the NBA finals.  Evie was tired so she went up to bed early because we wanted to be on our way early.  

A Two Heron Morning

7:39

It's 6:30 and we are both up, listening to Morning Joe on a wet, misty lake morning.  Not a touch of color other than gray although it is not raining.  It's 56º and may get up to 70º later in the day.  It's now 9:10 as I finish this.  I was able to get in a half hour paddle, photograph a couple of herons, before driving over to Bemus for breakfast with my friends.  

Kayak Morning

Great Blue Heron Poised On Long Point Fishing Dock

A Heron Scrambling Along the Long Point Shoreline

Yesterday was a strange day for us.  Rain was predicted much of the day so we had to make some choices as to when to get outside and get some work done. I was able to get in a good long paddle under gray skies and no rain, unlike the day before.  And I went to yoga class, then the hardware store, stopping at Arby's on the way home to pick up a couple of gyros for lunch.  When I returned home, Evie was cutting our grass, assuming this was her best chance to cut the lawns before the rains.  I knew, however, wet weather was coming because I drove home in the rain.  I decided to follow her lead, fired the other lawnmower and cut our neighbor's yard in light, then heavier rain, unfortunately.  By the time we were both done, the lawns were looking good and we were changing clothes.  We felt righteous, having gotten the lawns done before the rain, well, sort of.

I have wanted to try a gyro from Arby's for months so yesterday was the day.  I had them in the oven, staying warm as we cut the lawn so when I was finished,  I sat down to a sandwich and watched Bosch, finishing Season Four.  The gyros were surprisingly good, not quite up to a gyro stand in Istanbul but still good.  I will get them more often.  We looked forward to relaxing in the afternoon gray but as the weather gods would have it, contrary to the weather reports, the sky cleared up and the sun came out, making fun of our having cut the lawn earlier in the rain.  We had already put away all the gardening things and much of the work was done so we didn't get out again.

We showered and got ready to drive over to the Viking Club, arriving there at 6:00.  Because they got in trouble with the State for serving a nonmember, they had two people checking for cards at the gate, signing in guests and putting a stamp on their hand.  We easily found seats at the bar because the club was not very busy.  We ordered a beer, struck up a conversation with Rocco and Jan, a couple who have just moved to Maple Springs from Pittsburgh.  Rocco is an avid fisherman and is always giving us much needed advice.  Because it was so slow at the club and Evie had a hankering for wings, we decided to go to the Village Casino, our wing place for close to forty years.  

It was practically empty and we were the only ones at the bar.  We struck up a conversation with the bartender, a junior at Brockport.  We ordered the wings special, 15 wings with three different sauces.  Bud Lights were a buck so that's what we drank with our wings, like the old days when we could get a bucket of Bud splits for a dollar a piece.  The wings were great, just out of the fryer so Evie was happy,  me too. We may have closed up the place when we left at 8:15.  We watched, what else, Jeopardy, then some home improvement shows before going up to bed.  

THE OTHER AMERICANS: LAILA LALAMI

This novel follows the family of Driss Guerraoui, an immigrant from Morocco.  He's been living in Southern California for thirty years, raised two daughters and first owned a donut shop (burned down) then opened a diner.  He's the victim of a hit and run accident which sparks the rest of the novel.  We learn about the repercussions through multiple points of view:  Driss, his wife, daughters, a bystander, and a cop.  It's not so much a novel about racism although it's there as about family, their attempts to love each other despite the obstacles of race, class, culture and religion.  It's a good read and interesting as Lalami, the writer, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her first novel THE MOOR'S ACCOUNT. 

More Gray, More Rain

View From Our Porch At 5:43 AM

Morning Visitor To Our Dock

I was up at 5:45 to a light drizzle although it hardly wet the ground.  At the moment, it's 6:30, overcast although not raining.  The sound of purple martins fills the air as they flirt with our martin house.  I have yet to see anyone out on the lake fishing, quite a difference from the weekend.  I paddled for a good hour, over to Warner Bay, back along Long Point, over to Sandy Bottom and home.  I had the lake more or less to myself at first until a couple of bass boats passed by, ruining the quiet of the lake.  I also met a paddler, out for a morning like me.  

Kayaking Morning In The Reeds

A Rare Sighting Of A Northern Pintail

More Wood Ducks

Yesterday was one of those days. overcast and wet yet neither of us minded it.  I guess we had enough sun and blue skies over the weekend so that yesterday was fine.  And Evie's garden, our lawn, both looked glorious after the miracle of rain early Monday morning.  The dahlias, recently planted, seemed to just sprout overnight.  I made a poor choice by kayaking just as it started to drizzle, then rain, so I came back soaked but happy to have been on the lake.  At 9:00, I drove to yoga for a good class, always, especially since we never had to work on our warrior poses.  After class, I picked up a book on reserve at the library, got some cash at the ATM in Lakewood and stopped at Walmart to get a few things for the garden.

When I drove into our yard, Evie was outside, ready to drive to Wegman's, as it was 5% Tuesday and a stop a TJ Maxx's to return some things.  I had a quick lunch of hummus on a bagel with tomatoes and some of Linda's potato salad before driving to Jamestown at 1:00, for a teeth cleaning.  I have learned how to get on the good side of the dental hygienist as well as the dentist.  I just ask them about their kids and they are instantly my friends.  I did not linger and was home just as Evie was returning at 2:30.  Because of the cloudy skies and wet yard, we spent the rest of the afternoon inside, reading, watching TV, playing Words With Friends.  Early morning, I had noticed rain overflowing our gutter so I grabbed the ladder from the side of our house and cleaned the gutter over our front porch. I was surprised it was so clogged since I had cleaned it late last all after the leaves had fallen.  

We had a brief wine time, commenting on how much we were enjoying the wet, overcast afternoon.  Dinner was simple.  Just make up a plate of Sunday night's leftovers, ribs, and barbecued beans and heat them up with the microwave.  Add the potato salad and we had a great dinner thanks to Linda.  We watched a couple of Jeopardy, then the last episode of Rake to see how it ended,,.not well as if the writers just gave up and winged it. 

A Cloudy But Wet Morning

6:12

It's 6:45 and I am sitting out on our front porch, listening to Morning Joe on my Beats Headphone, thanks to my grandson, Nick.  It finally rained last night; I woke at 4:00 to the sound of raindrops on our roof.  We probably got a half inch, just perfect for Evie's garden.  Right now, its just overcast so I will get in a paddle.  It's just after 8:00 and I just returned from a brief paddle in the rain.  I started out fine but then the drizzle picked up and I was soaked when I returned home.  At the moment, I am finishing the blog on our front porch as it continues to pour, peppering the lake's surface, pounding on our gutters.  I love it.  

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was a spectacular Memorial Day, lots of sun, blue skies, and puffy white clouds.  I was out on the lake by 7:00 for a good hour.  When I returned, I finished the blog but Evie kept interrupting me with one more thing she wanted me to do that day, as the honey-do list keeps growing.  I can't complain really because she outworks me most days and yesterday was one of them.  She wanted to get the dahlias in so that was going to take a good part of the morning.  While I got out all of our summer stuff, mixed some compost with topsoil, and turned over a couple of beds, Evie arranged the pots around the beds, then dug holes, and planted probably 25 plants, marking them so she knew their name.  She wanted to get it done by lunch so that we could have lunch on the boat.

So, about 12:30, we climbed into the boat for the first time and cruised on a windy afternoon, a choppy lake, over to Bemus Point and back.  We had a simple lunch of pita chips with hummus with pieces of tomato mixed in to give it a pop.  We were out over an hour, just taking our time.  We relaxed early afternoon, as I read and took a nap and Evie watched some TV.  Mid-afternoon, Evie fired up the lawn mower and cut our lawn because she knew rain was predicted overnight, in fact, for the next two days. So by 5:00, all the lawn furniture was out, the garage cleaned, the dahlias planted, and the lawn cut.  It was time to reward ourselves and fortunately, Linda and Ron had invited us over for dinner.  

We arrived at their house, set among 'the lawn's wide sweep' about 5:45.  And I don't exaggerate as they have close to an acre of property, now green with grass.  We walked down to the lake and sat in chairs with our beer to enjoy the sun and lake before returning to have a second beer on their side porch.  Dinner was something out of the best rib joint in Kansas City as Linda outdid herself.  Four racks of ribs, homemade barbecue sauce, her special potato salad, homemade beans, salad, and bread.  By the time we finished, I could hardly get up from the table I was so full.  We ended the evening with a strawberry parfait, watching videos of musical groups from the Vietnam area because Ron is teaching a course on music and Vietnam at the Chautauqua Institution this summer.  It should be good. We didn't get home till 10:15 and both of us were ready for bed.

A Sunny Strangely Quiet Memorial Day Morning

We Celebrate Our Daughter Jill's Military Family

5:56

6:01

6:02

It's 6:25 and both Evie and I are up to a chilly morning, 51º with lots of sunshine and blue skies.  Many of our neighbors are up for the weekend as it's the traditional date for many to open up their cottages, put in their docks, launch their boats.  I was able to paddle for a good hour, north this time, to the end of Whitney Bay and back, on a delightfully calm, sunny morning.

Kayak Morning

Campground's Docks

Yesterday felt like a Sunday and obviously, it was.  We did not do much as we both we happy to just sit around the house or out on the dock and not worry about the garden or the house, just be in the present whatever that means. I did get in a long paddle since it was Sunday and I did not have a yoga class.  We took our time finishing up the blog and sat out on the front porch, watching the neighborhood wake up.  I was not sure we would be having a big breakfast until I smelled the bacon frying in the kitchen while I was watching the last two quarters of the Raptors/Bucks game.  It was fun to see the fans go crazy when the Raptors won, with thousands standing outside in the rain, watching the game on a big outdoor screen.  

It Takes A Family

Breakfast was, as usual, tasty making us wonder why we don't have eggs, home fries, bacon and a bagel more often.  Good question.  Instead of eating in front of the boob tube and watching CBS Sunday Morning, we went crazy and sat out on our front porch as the day began to heat up.  It was a good day to enjoy the dock despite the occasional clouds, so Evie spent a good part of the afternoon enjoying being outdoors.  Before going out, she prepped our dinner of a salmon salad, roasting the salmon and washing the lettuce.  I set up the hoses for watering our garden with water from the lake, using a sump pump.  And my garage always needs straightening up or organizing, so I took a stab at the shelf in my garage with assorted junk.

Chautauqua Belle Heading To Celeron For The Month

Both of us were looking forward to the cocktail hour, the reward for a day spent relaxing mostly.  We had Manhattans, our favorite Cape Cod chips and an onion dip.  It was pleasant sitting on our porch and we both remarked how quiet the lake was for a Memorial Day Weekend.  Maybe the fact it was overcast sent most of the boats back to their docks.  We enjoyed our salmon salads with a bagel and watched a couple of episodes of PBS's UNFORGOTTEN, a series everyone seems to like and it's already into its fourth season. We had enough watching TV and went up to bed just after 10:00.

The Morning Roar Of Bass Boats

Porch Party!

6:09

It's 6:52 and I have been sitting on the front porch, watching the morning wake.  First, a bright morning sunrise and quiet, now a heavy cloud cover and the roar of boats.  It's a pleasant 60º and should cool off some, with highs in the low 70's and I am listening to a Bill Simmons podcast as he discusses the NBA playoffs.  It's 9:25 as we finish the blog.  I took an hour and a half paddle, over to Bemus Bay and back, hugging the shoreline looking for birds.  It started out calm, then as I turned the point, it became windy, then settled down as I came home.

Kayaking Bemus Bay

Enjoying Long Point In The Morning

A Hungry Spotted Sandpiper

Yesterday was excruciatingly hot by midafternoon, with an 84º high, making me sympathize with those who live in Arizona and Florida where the heat gets even worst.  It was, however, bearable in the morning, so we were outside getting things done before the heat.  Evie had been busy the past few days clearing out some of the unwanted junk from our attic, so I had to make two trips to the Transfer Station, getting rid of the trash.  I also have to admit to a guilty pleasure in throwing away things that we no longer want, clearing up space, putting things in semi-order, in other words, downsizing.

Around 11:00, it was heating up and I was working up a sweat just walking around in the yard so I decided to get in the water and rework the ropes holding my boat in place.  I wasn't sure I could do it because the lake temperature is still in the 40's.  I went slowly, first to my knees, then waist, then chest so I could work on my boat which took about 10 minutes.

First Swim

By then, I was either used to the water or numb so I decided to go all the way and dove under water.  Honestly, it felt great, energizing but I did not linger.  I came out and lay on the dock, warming up with the sun, drying quickly.  Evie and l lingered until we decided to go back to the house.  Evie put on her suit and went back out to enjoy the sun.  I heated up the leftover chicken marsala with rice, watched another Bosch and wrapped a blanket around me because my body was still cold from my swim.

Our Yard On A Saturday Afternoon

I am reading one of Don Winslow's earlier novels and fell asleep reading it till 2:30 when I went out to join Evie on the dock.  The heat was oppressive so I lasted only a half hour and both of us came in, having had enough of the 84º afternoon.  Fortunately, we had closed up the house late morning so the house felt nice and cool.

Betsy And The Birthday Girl, Barb

Our neighbors, Barb and Jim, were having their annual porch party so Evie put together both our dinner, portobello mushrooms stuffed with spinach for dinner, and guacamole to take to the porch party.  We walked over at 5:30, with our appetizer and beers.

Neighbors

It was fun to get together with some neighbors who we have not seen since last fall.  We sat around talking, enjoying the appetizers since everyone brought something, as dark clouds, heavy winds came in and left, with hardly a drizzle.  The highlight was the 72 bottles of homebrewed beer, given to Jim by his brother in law Chris for his birthday.  We didn't get home until 8:00.  Evie quickly heated the mushrooms with spinach for our dinner although neither of us was that hungry.  All I really wanted was the last piece of cheesecake with strawberries. We watched the end of a Colbert, a boring Barry, then started a movie we have both seen a couple of times, THE HELP.  I was happy to get back to my book.  

A Wood Duck Morning

Loving Couple

Preening

A Difference Of Opinions

6:04

I woke at 6:00, to a cloudy sky although now, at 6:40, the sun has peaked through the clouds.  It's 55º and so far, a fairly quiet Memorial Day weekend on the lake.  The wind is beginning to pick up, rustling the trees, ruffling the lake.  I was able to paddle for a good hour, running into our neighbors also out for a paddle with their grandson.  And I came as close as I ever have to a pair of wood ducks.

Kayak Morning

Family Paddling 

Yesterday was a strange day because it started to rain a couple of times but not enough to wet the walk.  It was windy, as I struggled kayaking with the waves.  I went to yoga, for the fifth time this week, no days off for me.  I stopped for coffee, sat and talked with Dave and Bob, the bookstore owner for 15 minutes, mostly about exotic foods we have eaten.  Dave wins the prize for having eaten monkey when he was in Vietnam.  

The afternoon went quickly after a lunch of two Sahlen hot dogs with Stadium Mustard and I am close to finishing Season Four of Bosch.  I finished my book, THE OTHER IMMIGRANTS,  and liked it quite a bit.  I thought it might be a tomb on racism but it was much less a part of the novel than I thought.  I napped briefly before deciding to finish up the brick walk and then clean and wash the car, filthy from my trips to the gravel pit, picking up not only gravel but topsoil.  While I worked Evie ended up walking close to six miles as she cut both our lawn and our neighbors, loving it.  She was exhausted when it was time to shower and get ready for dinner but it felt good.

We were going to the Bark Grill in Westfield with our friends, Linda and Ron, a restaurant that seems to open and close over the years.  We have been there a couple of times but the last time was probably ten years ago.  We had reservations, fortunately, as it was quite busy.  It used to be, maybe thirty years ago, one of the go-to restaurants in the area and I think they are having a come back.  The menu was interesting.  We ordered a calamari basket for an appetizer, then the fish fry, either haddock or cod.  Everyone really enjoyed theirs and the coleslaw was top notch.  The inside has not changed much and the dining room is quite dark but we were lucky to get a table near the window.  And, as often happens when we go out together, our checks are never correct.  She even asked us who had what before making the check.  We figured out what would be fair and just paid the checks without having her redo it.  

We were home just as it was getting dark, at 8:45, in time for Jeopardy and Stephen Colbert before going up to bed to read.  It was fun to rediscover a new old restaurant.  

A Morning Of Blue

6:02

8:28

8:29

It's 6:30, a morning of a blue lake and sky and 51º.  The sun rose just before 6:00, so I was up in time to watch it march up over Long Point.  A few fishing boats have passed by, as the martins and barn swallow swoop and sweep, like aerial acrobats.  It's a good beginning to a Memorial Day Weekend.  It's 6:45 and the lake is beginning to ruffle as the wind picks up so I better get out there sooner rather than later.  It's 8:30 and I am back from a paddle, having talked with my neighbors at the end of their dock before crossing the lake to the Bathhouse as the wind picked up.  It was calm along Bemus Bay but when I headed home.  I had to fight the waves, some which splashed up over the side into the cockpit. Fun, sort of.  

Kayak Morning

Paddling Along Long Point

Morning Bible Study On Tip Of Long Point

Yesterday began with a short paddle because I had breakfast at 8:00 with the guys.  For the first time in quite a while, all seven of us were in attendance.  It's too many as talk usually ended up at each end of the table.  Charlie brought books to give out and Jack brought three jars of homegrown asparagus.  I took one of each home.  When I returned home, Evie was out on the dock, waiting for Chris to bring our boat to our dock.  He arrived just after 9:00 and I helped tie it up.  He needed a ride back to his truck so Evie drove him because I had yoga at 10:00.  

Spotted Sandpiper

Yoga class is fun as Danielle keeps introducing something different, learned from having just spent a month at a yoga retreat in Northeastern India, near Nepal.  So far, it seems as if she has learned new breathing techniques, ways to begin our asanas.  After class,  I did a quick run through Aldi's, picking up some salmon, strawberries, and salad for the weekend.  Meanwhile, Evie was busy working on our side yard, spreading mulch, giving it that finished look.  Once again, I had to make my own lunch, toasting some onion rye bread and making a salami and tomato sandwich to go with vegetable soup.

The rest of the afternoon was typical for us, napping and reading and working outside.  I continued my work on the brick path, overgrown with moss and weeds and grass. The neverending garden and yard is starting to look manicured, ready for the big day when we plant approximately 20 to 30 dahlias, our favorite flower, although they are almost too much, so extravagant and lush.  

It had warmed up enough although so that we could sit out on the front porch and enjoy a glass of beer or whine although the wind gusts were alarming, shaking the trees, even the house.  As we were sitting on the porch, enjoying the late afternoon, I saw a kayak paddle floating by and realized it was mine.  The wind must have picked it up and thrown it in the water.  I put on my swim trunks and waded out to get it in freezingly cold water.  I thought I might swim this weekend but maybe not after my brief dip.

Dinner was quick and fairly easy, warm up the rotisserie chicken and add the Marsala Simmer Sauce from Trader Joe's, roast the asparagus from Jack, and make a salad.  I cannot eat an Indian meal without lots of plain yogurt, giving the sauce a rich touch.  We watched Jeopardy with great anxiety as big winner James Holzhauer squeaked by with a win.  If he had missed the final question, he would have lost.  We also watched Colbert interview Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.  We like her quite a bit but she was a bit over the top with Stephen, too passionate about her causes, like Bernie I guess.  I like a more measured response.  We ended the night returning to HBO's Barry, watching the final episode from Season One to catch up with what was happening, then starting Season Two.  

A Sunny Not Rainy Morning

6:00

6:21

Well, as usual, the weatherman's predictions were wrong.  We have sun instead of rain, in fact, the sky has cleared up after some clouds.  I was up at 5:30, expecting a Chautauqua gray morning.  It's 6:20, with the sun in full force, the lake slightly ruffled, birds singing, the first baby swans floating by with their parents.

First Family

It's 6:30 and I finish this draft so I will be able to get in a paddle before driving to Bemus Point at 7:50 for breakfast with the guys.  I have to be back by 9:00 since Chris is dropping off my boat then and I have to drive him back to his truck.  It's 7:30 as I finish and I was able to get in a paddle over to Long Point and home.

Kayak Morning

I often have a hard time remembering what I did yesterday, most likely because it was almost a carbon copy of the day before and the days all tend to merge.  So I started the day with a paddle, drove to a yoga class and came home to a wife working outside.  Sound familiar?  Lunch was the same as the day before, the rest of the scalloped potatoes and ham and I watched another Bosch, also familiar.  I just remembered that before lunch, I worked on edging and weeding our brick garden path, a chore that usually takes a couple hours.  I got a good start on it before lunch.  

Because I was up so early, I tried to nap but was unable to get more than a cat nap, I was enjoying my book THE OTHER IMMIGRANTS, so I didn't mind not napping for long.  We both then alternated between working outside for a bit, then coming in to relax until 3:30 when just as Evie had powered up the mower to cut the grass, the rains came so both of us came in.

Our evening, however, differed from the usual as we were going out to dinner with our friends and neighbors, Ken and Marjorie, a couple from Pittsburgh who have had a cottage up here as long as us if not longer.  They are both retired teachers so we have lots in common, especially wonderful grandchildren.  Earlier Evie had made reservations for the window seat at Forte, in downtown Jamestown, one of the areas finest eateries.  

A Great Evening At Jamestown's Forte

We arrived at 6:30 and there was already a line to get in.  Fortunately, we had reservations.  We usually get the steak special, steak, salad, fries, rolls and a brew for 15 bucks but I  bucked the group and had their special, a duck burger with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and greens.  I cannot say I loved it but enjoyed it enough to not regret ordering it.  The garlic fries, however, were heavenly.  The others all ordered the steak special and enjoyed it.  We had a good time catching up on the past six months since we had not seen them since October when they closed up their cottage for the winter. 

A Local's Vanity  Plate

We were home by 9:00, excited because we both had taped last night's episode of Jeopardy.  Is anyone not watching Jeopardy each night as the winner is now up to almost two million dollars?  We ended the night with Colbert interviewing Howard Stern.  He is a force, taking over Stephen's show, which rarely happens.  I was happy to get back to my book when it was over.