A Morning For Kayaking

6:20

6:21

It's 7:15 and I am sitting out on our front porch, watching the sun play hide and seek with the clouds.  It' a perfect morning to be out on the lake, calm and a pleasant 62º, and I have watched five or six kayaks paddle by our dock.  Once I finish this, I will be out there, too, paddling into the rising sun.  Well, I was wrong about a fine morning for a paddle.  By the time I got out on the lake, the wind had picked up, the waves were one to two feet and I had to fight my way home, getting wet in the process. And as I finish the blog at 8:50, it feels like a fall morning, windy with a cool 68º.  We love it.

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was a mid-summer day in August, hot and humid, making it uncomfortable to be outside although we did not bother us early and later, a nice breeze made it peasant for Evie to sit out on the dock under an umbrella.  After my early morning paddle, we got things organized, so that I could take the trash to the Transfer Station.  I also filled a couple of five gallons cans with gas for my boat, making sure it's gassed up for the next week.  When I returned home, Evie was spraying a porch table, to finish off our porch furniture.  For some reason, I decided to go to Tri James, to pick up a couple of baskets of dirt, three buckets of stones. I spread the stones around our foundation on one side of the house which seemed low, and the dirt was for our compost pile.  By the time I was done, I was drenched with sweat so I took a quick swim to cool off.  Evie had heated up the leftover chicken tikka marsala and rice for my lunch. It was pleasant enough in the house because we had closed it up early, so I ate lunch and watched another episode of the DOGS OF BERLIN.  

Evie, meanwhile, having finished her painting and prepped an appetizer for a Woodlawn picnic later in the day, went out to enjoy the dock for the afternoon.  I stayed in, however, read and napped and ended up on the porch reading, not wanting to sit out in the sun.  Around 4;:00, Evie came in and baked the mozzarellas sticks coated with panko and dressing, perfect for dunking in a marinara sauce.  We walked down to the picnic at 5:25, one of the three gatherings of neighbors we have each summer.  It lasts for an hour or two, perfect for catching up with the neighbors and still go out somewhere for dinner if you want.  We were anxious to meet our new neighbors who bought the cottage three homes away from us.  They seem nice, live in the Cleveland area and have three kids.  

Woodlawn Neighbors

We left around 6:30 as the gathering began to break up and sat on our front porch with a glass of wine, waiting to develop an appetite after the appetizers.  Finally, around 8:00, Evie heated up the leftover iskender kebab, warmed some pita bread and we had dinner.  We watched the final episode of the year of  Real Time With Bill Maher, hilarious and outrageous at the same time. It was a good way to end the day.  

Overcast And Bass Boats

6:44

6:51

6:52

I am sitting out on my front porch listening mostly to the sound of boats, roaring by or starting up, drowning out the sound of purple martins.  I guess the 4th of July weekend has started early.  It's 67º and we may get some rain but I doubt it.  It's 9:20 as I finish this blog and it just started to pour.  Fortunately, I was able to get in a long hour and a half paddle, down to Maple Springs and back.  And I photographed the same loon as earlier in the week but he must be injured because when I paddled within 15 feet, he hardly moved.

Kayak Morning

A Solitary Loon

Rain At 9:33

Yesterday was 85º in the sun, unbearable without an umbrella or shade but we better get used to it.  I kayaked before the heat so it was fine on the lake.  I decided to go to yoga although I am going to cut back on classes for the summer.  I stopped at Wegmans, out of habit I think, then looked for an umbrella and stand at Home Depot but they were out of them.  So I had a thought, why not try Kmart and I found one, as I was one of the three shoppers in the store. Why it's still open is one of life's great mysteries.  

When I returned home we set up the umbrella on the dock but we were unhappy with the base.  So Evie jerry-rigged it on one of the dock posts and it works fine, saving me 35 bucks.  I had the leftover mac n cheese and half of burger for lunch and Evie, having prepped dinner, changed the sheets, and cleaned the kitchen, went out on the dock to enjoy the afternoon.  She was out there till 5:00, loving the shade of the umbrella, and the afternoon breeze, making an 85º pleasant.  I started a new series which I found on Netflix called the DOGS OF BERLIN.  It's a who done it with a twist.  Germany's best soccer player, a Turk, is found murdered the day before Germany's World Cup match with Turkey.  After lunch and a nap, I tested life on the dock but chose to stay in the house and watch the women's soccer team beat France 2-1 in Paris, a great game.  I thought France dominated most of the second half but could not overcome a 2-0 lead.  

We sat on the porch enjoying a libation, wine for Evie and a gin and tonic for me, a nice change.  Around 7:00, I fired up the grill and grilled some Turkish koftes, lamb meatballs with lots of spices.  We ate outside on our newly painted wire table.  This dinner is called an iskender kebab in Turkey.  Basically,  we place lightly toasted pita bread squares on a plate, add three or four koftes, cover them with a spicy tomato sauce then finish with yogurt.  It's one of our families favorite dinners.  It was pleasant eating outside as the heat had let up and there was a gentle breeze.  Around 8:00, we went inside, cleaned up the kitchen, then watched some TV, Colbert and some of the news programs.  

A Hazy, Lazy June Morning

6:59

8:15

I woke at 4:00 to the Bemus Point Emergency siren, blasting across the lake but was able to get back to sleep til 5:40 when I woke to a bedroom filled with light.  It looks like we could have another warm day with blue skies. A great morning for kayaking, sunny, light breeze, placid lake, and spotting of an osprey.  

Kayak Morning at 7:15

Kayaking Home At 7:45

Yesterday was a good day with one caveat; it was too warm for us, just right for most of our neighbors.  When it gets into the '80s with humidity, with tend to wilt like our plants.  It was fine, however, in the morning for a paddle over to Tom's Point.  I went to yoga, then to Walmart to pick up more spray paint because Evie has been giving our outdoor furniture a new coat of paint. It's amazing what a coat of paint will do.  Everything looks new.  

A Hungry Osprey

When I got home, Evie was out kayaking and the chairs were ready to paint. My lunch was ready, veggie soup and a half of hoagie sandwich.  I watched the last episode of BAD BLOOD and thought that Declan had been killed but he miraculously survived to film most likely another season.  Once Evie was done with the painting, she went out to enjoy the dock which became comfortable because the wind picked up.   I joined her briefly but decided to clean both kayaks and then even did some cutting of weeds.  We both swam to cool off and the water is great this time of the year.  Around 4:00, Evie did some watering of her garden and we set up our tables and chairs, ready for the 4th of July.  

We then relaxed on the porch, Evie with wine, me with a vodka tonic, and stayed until 7:00 when Evie grilled a couple of burgers for our dinner.  She likes to grill them inside, like a diner, and with some Mac N Cheese from Bob Evans, we had a dinner to rival any greasy spoon.  We watched Colbert, waiting for the Democratic debate and we stuck with it for an hour before getting tired and uncomfortable, as the candidates promised various policies that are going to come back and haunt them when they face Drumpt.  Biden looked defensive, often fumbling his responses.  Kamala and Pete seemed to be the most rational whereas Bernie reminded me of an angry grandfather.  Overall, the group looked disorganized, somewhat chaotic, as one candidate after another would interrupt the other despite the protests of the moderators.  

A Fine Morning

5:25

6:28

7:30

It's just 6:00 and the sunrise is partially hidden by clouds on a quiet morning on the lake.  A few purple martins are singing, it's 57º, and the lake is smooth and gray, ready for a paddle. I was out for an hour, before breakfast in Bemus, paddling over to Tom's Point and back, a good start to the day.

Kayak Morning

Heron Off Of Tom's Point

Yesterday was a normal Wednesday, with a good hour of kayaking, then yoga class with Jen and coffee at Ryder's Cup.  Evie needed a few things from Wegman's so I stopped there again and was delighted to see how quiet it was after 5% Tuesdays.  I also did not want Evie to bother with lunch so I picked up a hoagie so we could split it when I returned home.  

Evie had a bad night, so she was not her usual busy self although she did get a couple of things done outside, like spray painting our wrought iron table and four chairs.  They look great, like new and it did not take her long.  It was a surprisingly windy afternoon so we never did make it out on the dock, preferring to either sit on the porch and read or the side yard and catch some sun.  It was an easy and leisurely afternoon until about 5:00 when Evie put together our dinner of chicken tikka masala.  Once that and the rice was done, we were able to enjoy a glass of wine on the front porch before dinner.  We ended up talking for quite a while with our neighbors two daughters, Cris and Kathy, up for a visit with their parents.  It was good to catch up with their lives, one in Maine the other in Kentucky.

Dinner was good, of course, the chicken tikka marsala made better by a couple of dollops of yogurt and we had a salad.  We watched the first episode on HBO of Years And Years, set in Great Britain, a satire on what the world might be like when Trump and his anti immigration, nationalistic policies, gets a second term and starts a nuclear war with China.  It's both funny and not so funny, even scary.  There are six episodes, one each Sunday. It follows a bizarre family, the modern  21st century family I guess with gay and mixed-race marriages, old codgers, and trans children, a look into the future that scares the hell out of populists both here and abroad.  We ended the night with Colbert and the first forty-five minutes of the Democratic debate.

Pink Skies In The Morning

5:43

5:58

6:34

I was up at 5:45, to a quiet morning, only the birds are singing.  A few clouds dot the pink and blue morning sky.  It looks like we might have another nice day.  I had a great paddle, photographing both a loon and osprey, rarities along the lake at this time of the year. 

Kayak Morning

Juvenile Loon

Osprey

O Happy Days

Yesterday was another surprise, a sunny day with highs in the 70's, perfect for being outside,  I kayaked my usual route, on choppy waves to Long Point, over to Sandy Bottom and on the way home, the lake settled down.  I had a good yoga class with Julie, then went to Wegman's to pick up a few things, with lots of shoppers, as the Chautauqua Institution season started Monday, with up to 7500 visitors during the week, so lots more shoppers are in the stores.  

Mom And Her Ducklings

What's Up

Evie had a good day, enjoying working in her garden, weeding, and hoeing, making it look well kept, even manicured.  And our lawns look spectacular, the envy of any golf course, the results of rain, sun, and mowing.  Around 2:30, we drove off to Niobe, to pick up my Subaru, where they installed new rotors, both under warranty so I did not pay a cent.  We ended the afternoon with a swim in the chilly lake waters but it felt great, once we were in and used to it, the rub.  

For dinner, I had picked up a rotisserie chicken at Wegman's, so we had that along with a salad and baked potatoes, something easy since Evie had a busy day. And we can use the leftovers for tonight when we make chicken tikka marsala.  We watched Colbert, then some junk TV to fill up the time before bed.    

A Threatening Morning Sky

6:06

7:00

7:05

It's just after 7:00 and the sky has darkened over the past hour, looking as if it might storm but behind me are blue skies.  The wind picks up briefly, then dies.  The lake's basically empty on a 68º morning.  It rained a quarter of an inch overnight, and we might get more this morning.  I don't know whether to get out and paddle or wait for the dark skies to clear.

Kayak Morning

And Old Guy

Maryanne And John, Early Morning Canoeing

Yesterday turned out to be another nice day here at the lake.  I got in a paddle, then drove off to yoga for a Yin class, basically filling my morning exercise and fun.  When I returned home Evie had been busy and when I left, she was already out working in her garden.  She had cosmos and zinnias, growing in small yogurt cartons from seed, so yesterday was a good day to transplant them.  Once that was done, the garden was complete for the summer and all we have to do is watch everything grow, then blossom, then fade away in the fall.   

Lunch was leftover lemon chicken, rice, and garlic spinach, just as good as the night before,  I watched Bad Blood and Declan is baaad.  Evie left to get her hair trimmed in Lakewood around 1:45 and I read a bit then drove to Lakewood as we were dropping my Subaru off at Finns Auto in Niobe, a twenty-minute drive because I was having trouble with my brakes.  Finn's is out in the middle of nowhere, close to the PA line but he has a reputation for being the best Subaru mechanic around.  I hope so.

We didn't get home till 3:30, enough time for Evie to get in some dock and swimming time and for me to get back to my book and relax on the couch.  It was a fine afternoon and we were reluctant to leave the lake but we were meeting Linda and Ron at the Viking Club for Cubans.  

Hanging Out At The Viking Club 

So we left at 6:00, found a seat outside on the patio along with lots of other Vikings and enjoyed a couple of brews and sandwiches.  It was sunny when we sat down but slowly the dark clouds took over and by the time we left, it looked like it might storm.  We were home by 8:15, in time to watch the second episode of BIG LITTLE LIES which is just as good as the first season.  It's got us hooked.  

Clouding Up

5:54

6:01

6:04

 I was up just before 6;00, to an overcast sky with a gap just above the horizon, large enough for the sun's rising was able to shine through for a few minutes.  Now all is gray, sky and lake, with a light wind and 58º.  It's 8:20 and I had an easy paddle, over to Long Point, across to Sandy Bottom, a talk with our neighbors, Tina and Jim at the end of their dock, and home.

A Sunday Morning Paddle Home

Yesterday was the third summer-like day in a row, a seeming miracle after a spring of rain and cloudy skies. We enjoyed it to the fullest, spending most of our day outside.  It was Sunday, a day for rest so we had no big plans.  I took a long paddle down to Snug Harbor Marina and back.  We then had a leisurely morning until 10:30, when we decided to boat down to the Chautauqua Institution, dock our boat and go for a walk.  Unfortunately, the dock was full and we could not find a spot for our boat, so we decided to just go for a long cruise on the spectacular Sunday morning of blue skies.  We were gone for an hour and a half, mostly cruising the shoreline, looking at the houses, yards and docks, most unoccupied. 

We were back around noon and both of us were hungry so Evie got busy in the kitchen, making our breakfast of bacon, eggs, and bagels.  We ate out on our front porch, watching the lake become more and more busy.  We then had a full afternoon ahead of us.  Most of it was spent out either on the dock or in the side yard, enjoying the sunshine.  It was almost too hot in the side yard although I am not complaining about the sun and warm weather.  Evie's garden is loving it.  Mid-afternoon, Evie put together our dinner of Greek lemon chicken, spinach and rice.  After a nap,  I made a stab at organizing my garage and was able to put some things in the attic, others out near our compost pile so that the garage is easier to navigate,  We just have too much stuff, mostly chairs which we don't need until late July when the kids arrive.

We enjoyed wine time of course because it was Sunday afternoon and most of the weekenders were heading home like we did for 30 years.  It's striking how quiet the lake becomes late Sunday afternoon after the peak hours of around 1:00.  I counted at least 25 boats near Long Point early afternoon and maybe two or three at 6;00.  Around 7:00, we had one of our favorite dinners, something we have been making since living in Turkey. chicken thighs with lemon and oregano, gravy and rice, always a winner.  We watched another Colbert, then Grey's Anatomy, cheesy and predictable but addicting if you don't think too hard.  We decided to save Big Little Liers for tomorrow and watched THE GOOD FIGHT, a bit silly but something to watch.  

A Sunny Morning Of Great Blue Herons

6:00

8:50

It's 6:45 and I have been up for an hour.  Our neighbors, Tina and Jim, have just paddled by so I need to get moving and get out there and kayak.  It's a lovely morning, a calm lake, partly cloudy sky and a surprisingly cool 48º.  It's 8:30 and I have been out for close to an hour and a half, paddling down to the mouth of Snug Harbor as the crow flies, 30 minutes, then back, hugging the shoreline, taking my time.  I literally ran into a couple of herons as I paddled.  I would be lost in my world, look up and there was a heron, sitting on the dock, 15 feet away, looking at me.  This happened three times as I kayaked.  

Entrance to Prendergast Creek

Kayay Morning At Snugs

Prancing Heron

Close Up

Yesterday was the second day of summer, but the first genuine summer and dock day for us.  We had over 12 hours of sunshine, something we have not seen in months.  I got in a long paddle to start the day before coming in and finishing the blog,  We had no real plans for the day, nothing we had to do but get in a boat ride.  So we got our few Saturday chores done, gathering the trash so I could take it to the Transfer Station and feel my work was done.  And it was.  Around 11:30, we jumped in the boat and took a nice cruise north to Prendergast Point, then across to the Viking Club and home, about an hour cruise.  It's always a trip to be out on the lake when there's a blue sky, with puffy clouds, and just a few other boats, a glimpse of real freedom.  

When we got back, we made a decision, a rarity that early in the day, to go out for dinner.  So we had lunch, quesadillas, then spent most of the rest of the day either out on the dock or in the side yard when the wind became too cold.  I did finish my book and am not looking for something else to start.  Lots of choices but it's always tricky to find the right one.

We left at 5:30 for dinner. We decided to try a restaurant called the Trillium Lodge, a forty-five-minute drive, in Cherry Creek.  It had opened a year ago after the old Trillium had burned down.  We had heard good things about it and follow it on Facebook.  We were not sure how busy it would be and because it was a long drive, Evie made reservations just in case.  Well, after a pleasant drive through the countryside, we walked into this vast wood cabin like an empty bar.  We had a good laugh with the hostess when she remembered we had made reservations.  There was plenty of room.  

Trillium's Bar Filling Up

So we sat at the bar, struck up a conversation with the bartender, Amber Lou, ordered a couple of beers and perused the menu.  We decided on burgers and fries and I had their special onion soup made with Guinness. As we waited for our food, the bar began to fill up and by the time with left, the place was starting to get busy.  I would like to say we loved it but the food was average at best although we loved the ambiance.  It's a neat bar/restaurant. 

Trillium's Patio

When we walked out, we noticed a patio in back and it was an amazing garden, with a small waterfall, all kinds of plants, trees and an interesting wall or fence to block out the neighbors,  Next time, we will sit out there.  We took a meandering way home, following the crazy route via GPS, on roads we had never been on before.  It reinforced out the belief that Chautauqua County had some of the most beautiful drives through woods, hills and valleys.  

Trillium's Bear

We were home by 8:30, in time to have a bowl of vanilla ice cream with peaches and watch Bill Maher's Real Time before going to bed.  His final monologue pushed the idea that there was only one person who would be a shoo-in to beat Trump...Oprah.  He's probably right because these days elections are about the most popular celebrity.  

A Sunrise

5:53

5:59

I was up at 5:30, to a chilly 51º morning but the sky was clear, the lake calm.  At 5:59, the sun rose, the first sunrise on the lake in quite a while because of the cloudy skies.  It looks like a perfect morning for a paddle and I  will be out there early before the fishing boats take over.  It' 8:50 and I have been out paddling for 80 minutes on a beautiful morning.  It was hard to come in.  I photographed a couple of more herons and I apologize for all the heron photos on the blog many mornings but for now, they are the only birds I observe other than the obvious geese or mallards.    

Kayaking In To The Sun

A Wading Great Blue Heron

A Perched Heron

Friday was a surprise as it was a pleasant, mostly sunny first day of summer despite the cloudy forecast.  I did get in a paddle even though it was choppy and I came home wet.  Yoga was good, as usual, and everyone in the class was regulars.  I was tempted by a coffee but resisted and came straight home.  Ir was a good move because the sun had just come out and the lake was inviting.  I decided to get a few lake chores done, starting with removing our purple martin house, alas, as we have no martins.  We cannot figure out why they avoid our house after years of having them.  Since I was already wet from taking down the house, I put a couple more buoys in the water to protect our dock from crazy fishermen.  And I did some deep diving looking for a chaise lounge which must have flown off our dock overnight.  I finally found it in five feet of water, about 20 feet from where it had been sitting.  Once that was found, my lake work was over other than baling out my rowboat with three to four inches of water.

Lunch was something Evie had found in the freezer, not sure what but it reminded me of chili but it also had white beans which we never put in our chili.  It was good for a lunch and I watched another episode of BAD BLOOD which I am really liking.  The new crime boss, Declan, is Boss.  It's one of those series where you cannot help rooting for the bad guy, the head gangster, like Tony on the Sopranos.  He was a killer, a badass but we rooted for him.  Evie spent a good part of the afternoon in the side yard, reading her book.  

Clouds Of Summer

It was a perfect day for just enjoying the first day of summer, cool in the shade, nice and warm in the sun.  I joined her after my nap and we didn't budge until wine time around 5:30.  We sat on the porch, enjoying some chips and salsa and a glass of wine until time for dinner.  We were having pizza, leftover and frozen from a couple of weeks ago.  Evie always sautees some mushrooms and adds them to the pizza, making it better.  We had a salad and a Pepsi with our pizza and were happy, watching a couple of Colbert's, then another episode of Tales Of The City but it became too explicit for us so we will be watching something else. We are a couple of prudes.  We ended the night with Gray's Anatomy, the first episode, first season.  Yep, after all our kids and grandkids have watched it, we thought it was time for us. A soap opera but delicious.