Let It Rain

Barcelona Beach, Lake Erie

It's an overcast morning, fog rising over the hills to the east and 65º.  We received close to three inches of rain in the past 24 hours and should get more today.  We have had four of the wettest months since we have lived here.  I had a boring paddle, no herons, no eagles, just a weed cutter in our front yard, clearing out an area of weeds.

Kayak Morning

Weed Cutter

Yesterday we decided to get out of the house, curtail our dock time although the afternoon rain forced us to modify our plans.  I had a great paddle, photographed an eagle and osprey, making my morning.  We decided to drive up to Lake Erie, to the beaches of Barcelona, and look for rocks.  We parked near the Chautauqua Creek and walked the quarter of a mile along the creek to the lake.  The lakefront was a mess, a result of spring storms, heavy winds, and a high lake. 

Maria, Beth, And A Beach Of Driftwood

Collecting Rocks To Paint

We had to walk over twenty feet of detritus, mostly logs and wood before getting to the twenty-foot beach.  It was hot and humid as well, so it was not the most fun we have had when rock collecting.  We walked for a half-hour before deciding we had enough and headed back to the car.  We were home by 12:30, having stopped at Portage Pies in Westfield for a peach/blueberry pie, the best part of our excursion.

We then spent the afternoon alternating between the dock and the porch.  I didn't have any lunch because I was not hungry but did take a nice nap,  Beth was the first to get out on the dock and when Evie went out to join her later, it started to drizzle then pour, sending both to our porch.  Mid-afternoon, the sun came out and the lake calmed down, so Beth and Evie went for a paddle, down to Wells Bay and back.  It was a good choice because it began to rain again soon after they returned.  When the rain let up, around 4:30, Evie, Beth and I took advantage of the respite to swim and wash our hair. 

Kayaking In The Afternoon

Around 6:00, we left for Steener's Irish Pub for their steak special, a favorite of our grandchildren.  The Pub was crowded, with an outdoor volleyball game going on and lots of patrons inside.  Despite the crowd, our waitress quickly took our order and we had our steaks in 15 minutes.  I ordered the rib eye, the others, the filet.  Unfortunately, our dinners, our steaks, were average although the french fries were great.  Still, it was fun to eat out and we had a peach/blueberry pie a la mode to look forward to when we got home.  The girls played cards until 9:00 while I read and then all four of us had pie and watched three more episodes of Working Moms.  Even I am becoming a fan although there always seems to be at least one uncomfortable scene for me, not for the others.  I was happy to get back to Jackson Brodie in the BIG SKY.