Fog Rising

5:48

6:20

6:28

Great Blue Heron

Early Morning Paddlers In The Fog

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, low 60's, blue skies, and lake.  Evie's still enjoying a sleep in the morning and I just returned from an hour and a half paddle.  I did photograph not only an eagle but three or four different herons, a good morning on the lake.  

Jim And Tina

I spent the last 15 minutes of my paddle talking with fellow paddlers, Jim and Tina, up for the weekend.

Kayak Morning

Great Blue At Long Point

Bald Eagle At Power Boat Club

Bootey Bay Heron

A Rare Photo Of Two Great Blue Herons

Yesterday was another humid day although the temperatures never did get into the 80s.  I got in my paddle early, wrote the blog and then, as Evie made a quinoa soup, with lots of fresh vegetables, I practiced yoga for the first time in a couple of weeks.  I have to get more disciplined, either walk, practice yoga or bike every day.  So far, I am on day two.  We decided to do some shopping for an umbrella for the dock since the old pole snapped as the result of heavy wind and we could not figure out a way to fix it.  Unfortunately, the two stores we went to did not have any left.  We ended up doing a quick shopping, then at Wegmans, picking up enough for the next three or four days.  

Cone Flowers

When we returned, Evie was determined to find a way to jerryrig the umbrella, worked at it, was able to force it into the pole but it was still weak.  I then found a pipe in the garage, wide enough to fit over the pole and give it rigidity and viola, Evie had an umbrella.  We were both shocked and excited that we had figured out a way to fix it.  Afterward, I had lunch, a bagel and the quinoa soup, healthy and warming.  I watched my show and started a new book, The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye, a Lizbeth Salander Swedish thriller.  She became famous in The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo. 

I fell asleep reading, of course, joined Evie in the side yard, enjoying the sun for once.  Around 5:00, we both took showers and at 6:30, met our friends, Linda and Ron, at the Chautauqua Institution's Golf Club, where we sat outside on their clubhouse patio and had special, burgers, fries and a beer for 13 bucks.  It was a pleasant night to sit outside, as golf carts raced by.  The meal was average at best so we most likely will not be back although the surroundings, the green lawn, and trees. were inviting.  

Dudes And Chicks

We closed up the place, as usual, took a selfie and were home by 8:30, in time to watch some news, then another episode of Hometown before bed. It was a good day. 

A Chautauqua Gray Morning

6:29

6:29

I have just returned from an uneventful paddle, no photographs of interest, yet it was fine to be out on the lake in its utter grayness.  Most mornings have been filled with sun, not so today and I liked it.  I listened to a podcast about a book called The Twilight of Democracy.  Every Trumper should read it if they are capable.  It looks at the rise of authoritarianism, the demise of democracy in Poland and Hungary, and the United States of Trump, a scary read.

6:29

Yesterday brought some rain showers around noon but Evie was smart enough to get the lawn mowed and put the mower away just as it started.  I was a busy boy as well, putting together my new Weber Grill with the help of a friend or rather he put it together with a minimum of help from me. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes, as the directions suggested.  If I had done it alone, it would have taken a couple days as I am mechanically challenged.  Anyways by lunchtime, the lawn was cut and the grill was ready for barbecuing.  So what did we have for dinner?  BLTS! Go figure.

Lunch was the leftover chicken shwarma and rice, still tasty and filling and I watched my show.  I took a nap during the rain, woke to find Evie out in the side yard, enjoying the shade after the rain had stopped.

I sat with her for a bit, reading my book, got bored and went out on the dock, cast in my line and caught a small perch, a miracle.  

By 5:30, it was wine time on the front porch, with lime Tostitos and sweet onion salsa from Wegman's.  It was a pleasant evening as the rain had stopped, the sky cleared up and boats went home so we stayed out on the porch until we became hungry.  Evie fried up the bacon and made us sandwiches.  I had a Pepsi which always seems right with a BLT for some reason.  We started a series that we did not like, went back to the breaking news on CNN, and while channel surfing, found the movie "Julie and Julia" and rewatched the last half which was an enjoyable way to end the evening.

  

Almost August

6:06

6:06

6:20

8:56

A partly cloudy morning as it is cooling off.  I paddled for forty-five minutes, discovering just as I paddled out that my camera battery was dead so no photos of wildlife this morning, just photos of the morning sky while paddling, spectacular in their own right.  I listened to Leonard Cohen, songs of love, longing, regret, and sadness.

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was another day, what else is there to say these days as not much changes.  After kayaking and the blog and messing around in the kitchen, I drove off to Jamestown to get stitches removed from my arm by the dermatologist.  Then I stopped at Wegman's since its on the way home and it is hard to pass it by because we always need something, like ice cream, yogurt, or salad. I was home by noon and was already hungry so I heated up the leftover chicken shwarma and rice, a tasty lunch, and watched my show.

Coneflowers And Phlox

I am reading the new Michael Connelly, much different from his other books as he follows Jack McEvoy, a somewhat disgraced journalist who happens upon a serial killer while trying to get a story.  It follows his usual outline, but instead of detectives, it is a journalist following the killer.  We did not do much in the afternoon and at 4:00 went over to our neighbors', Bill and Joyce, and sat in their front yard until 6:00 enjoying a glass of wine, various nuts, and talking about the good old days at the lake when we had our families up for part of the summer. 

Earlier Evie had taken the leftover ratatouille, added more squash and tomatoes, and Turkish spices to it and we had a tasty pasta dinner with Foccacia from Trader Joes. We were determined to finish Money Heist, Part IV so we watched the last three episodes and were left what is going to happen next in Part V, still to be made.  We then watched a brief of the success of the series as the actors have become famous all over the world because of the series.  Interesting because it was not a big hit in Spain until it was released worldwide and became a big hit. I think Evie's had enough but I will watch Part V when it is released.  Like many series this long, we are both pulled in and pushed away as it's uneven, often silly but at times, intense, a crazy combination of numerous love stories set in violence, robbery, defiance, brutality, and death.  Ir often echoes current events, modern themes, and social concerns. 

Back To The New Normal

7:06

8:54

It's 8;30 and I have been out for an hour, a quiet morning on the lake.  I was able to photograph all three of my favorites, heron, osprey, and eagle, so it was a good morning.  For the first time, I listened to a political podcast, FiveThirtyEight Politics, as they discussed the various Vice Presidential candidates; their sense is it will be either Kamala Harris or the new front runner, Susan Rice.  We may find out in the next week.

Kayak Morning

Heron Hanging Along Woodlawn Docks

Osprey Near Camp//ground

Bald Eagle Above The Reeds

Yesterday was an unpleasant day for both of us.  We were off by 7:45 and an hour and a half later, Evie dropped me off at the Ashtabula Cleveland Clinic for a stress test.  She then drove off to Trader Joe's, another hour drive, and picked up the goodies we miss, wine, chocolate, cheese and bacon, all necessities, along with other sundries.  We are stocked for the rest of the year with our three staples and the total bill was evidence of that. The stress test involved mostly sitting around, having a dye injected, then an MRI, and surprisingly, no treadmill test because of the Corona Virus.  Instead, they injected a drug that mimics the treadmill.  I could feel it was getting hard to breathe as if I was out of breath from running.  After another half hour wait, I went back under the MRI for 14 minutes and done, three hours later.

Evie picked up around 12:45, the car groaning with stuff from Trader Joe's and we stopped at Mc Donalds since I had nothing to eat since the night before.  We were both hungry and devoured our burgers, fries, and cokes.  We didn't get home until after 2:00 and quickly put away everything so we could finally relax.

Because I was whooped from not sleeping well and getting up early, I took a good nap while Evie relaxed, looking for a cool place to read.  We had no energy to do much other than wait for wine time so we could sit on the front porch and enjoy the early evening.  

For dinner, Evie bought a chicken shwarma from Trader Joe's, basically marinated chicken thighs, ready to grill.  Along with rice and a salad, we had a quick and easy dinner after a long, tiring day.  We are back to our viewing triad, Colbert, Home Town, and Money Heist but are soon to run out of all three, So we will be looking for a new series or two. 

Monday, Monday

6:36

7:15

It's 6:20 as I start this because I have to leave for a Stress Test at 7:45. It's a warm 72º, a quiet morning on the lake.  I did manage to get in a half-hour on the lake, returning at 7:15.

Kayak Morning

Cloud Reflections On Woodlawn

Sunday was another fun day, not much going on.  We had an easy morning, for me kayaking down to
Snug Harbor and back and Evie, the lucky dog, slept in until after 9:00.  By the time she got up, I had paddled, written the blog and put on the photographs.  We decided early on not to get much done because of the heat.  Once the blog was written, Evie watered the garden from the lake and I ended up reading on the couch, tired from my paddle and lack of sleep.

Dahlia

We had our big breakfast on the porch after a hiatus, eggs, bacon and a bagel, just enough to fill me up and get me ready for a nap.  I slept briefly, read some more and finished my book and started a new Michael Connely novel which appeared on my Kindle. We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in our side yard, in the shade, avoiding the heat, cooled some by a light breeze.  For some reason, I had a hankering for popcorn so I went in an made a pot, brought it outside and we devoured it along with a nice, tall glass of lemonade. 

We went in around 4:00 to shower and get ready to go for drinks at our friends' Fred and Judy's home in the Chautauqua Institution.  We had to get gate passes, fortunately, for the summer and a parking pass to get to their home.  They have been up since mid-June and spend their winters in Davidson, North Carolina. We got to know them because I played three on three basketball tournaments with Fred back in the day.  Judy is an amazing artist, has had shows all over the United States. 

Fred And Judy

They, like us, have been careful to quarantine.  We sat outside on their porch, enjoying a glass of wine and separate appetizers, de riguer recently.  It was great to see them and we vowed to get together before they head back to North Carolina because they miss their grandson.  We understand.

We were home by 7:30 and Evie made a quick ratatouille with the eggplant she had baked yesterday and heated up the leftover turkey and zucchini meatballs, so we had an easy dinner, serving the meatballs on pita bread with a sour cream and sumac sauce.  We watched a Colbert, then another episode of Money Heist, and we are getting to the point where we cannot wait for it to finish. 

Hot Dogs, Corn On The Cob, And Bonfires

6:04

6:16

8:40

I am sitting comfortably on my couch, on a bright, sunny Sunday morning after a seventy-five-minute paddle down to Snug Harbor and back.  Nothing interesting to photograph, a few mallards and that's about it except for a fishing boat flying a Trump flag, a first on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Saturday was a day of waiting, waiting for the neighborhood gathering at 5:00, for dinner and a bonfire at 7:30.  It was another warm day on the lake, humid and uncomfortable both in and out.  We did get our morning chores done, basically gathering the trash and taking it to the Transfer Station.  My neighbor volunteered to take my old grill to the Transfer Station so I got rid of it and am now ready to start putting together my new grill. Neither of us did much after that, no yoga, bike riding for me, just reading on the dock. 

Making me quesadillas for lunch was the extent of Evie's efforts for the day.  For me, it was eating it in front of the television.  Once we were done with those, it was dock time for Evie, reading and a nap for me, the usual. I did join her on the dock but soon it was uncomfortably hot as the wind died down.  I went in and Evie went for a swim, then a shower to get ready for our meeting at 5:00.  The neighbors gather three times a summer, to talk about our association and mingle, usually with food and drinks.  Because of the virus, we did not have food, practiced distancing, had a brief meeting, and talked with each other briefly before heading home. 

Picnic And Bonfires With Maryanne And John

A Fun Bonfire Evening

At 7:30, we drove to our neighbors, John and Maryanne's, where they had a bonfire going in their front yard, right on the lake.  They had lots of goodies spread out for dinner, deviled eggs, sweet corn, watermelon, chips and dip, perfect for a picnic.  We munched on appetizers as we roasted the corn in the fire and the hot dogs. It could not have been a nicer evening as it cooled down, the stars were out, the lake had calmed down.  They had gathered wood earlier in the day from their woods, enough to keep it going until 11:00 when we went home.  For dessert, Evie had made a blueberry and raspberry parfait, with Greek yogurt, cream, and brown sugaar which reminded us of a chilled Creme Brulee.  It was quite a hit along with Maryanne's deviled eggs. A fun evening with friends but it went too fast.

 

The Gang's Not Here!

Summer. 2017

For the first time in twenty-four years, our kids and grandchildren will not be enjoying the lake, the great meals, and each other this summer. We have gathered here summer after summer, watching the grandchildren grow into young adults, something we always cherished.  Unfortunately, because of the Cov19 virus, we agreed to cancel the gathering this summer, for the health of us as well as our families.  How sad making.

6:39

It's an overcast morning, with the sun occasionally breaking through the cloud cover.  I was out for close to an hour and a half, paddling over to Tom's Point and home.  I was rewarded with a couple of photos of herons and one bald eagle, perched high in the tree by the Power Boat Club.

Kayak Morning

The Bridge At Bemus Point

Bald Eagle Ignoring Me

Bald Eagle

Yesterday was another hot one and we better get used to it. It did not change our day much as we are ignoring the heat and just doing what we want.  I paddled, had breakfast, wrote the blog.  Evie got busy doing her thing. Around 11:00, we both decided to get some exercise so I went for a bike ride in the neighborhood, on #394, and some back roads, a big mistake.  It was excruciatingly hot riding on the road, with no shade and lots of trucks and cars, so I cut my ride short and came home after twenty-five minutes.  When I got back, Evie was cutting the lawn, taking water breaks, to make it easier and safer in the heat.

Northern Sky

Clouding Up

Great Blue Heron At Booty Bay

Great Blue At Tom's Point

Around 12:30, Evie made me a salad with the leftover English cut and I watched my show and could not wait to get back to my book Winter Prey.  I fell asleep reading of course and then joined Evie briefly on the porch.

Amish Country

Around 3:30, I left for my friend Jack's house because we were having a meeting of the breakfast club but instead of eggs and bacon, we were having beer, pretzels, and nuts.  Jack lives on a 60-acre piece of property, with a great garden where much of his land is farmed by the Amish.  It's a beautiful area of Chautauqua, north of the lake, set up on a ridge so on clear days we can see Lake Erie. 

Dick, Joe, And Jack, The Gentlemen Farmers

We sat out on his patio, enjoying our beers, talking about John Deere tractors and vegetable gardening, like a bunch of farmers.  Jack showed us his handy work, a water fountain, set inside his garden of various vegetables and flowers. It was a nice respite from our daily routines.

Beers, Not Eggs

When I returned home, Evie had dinner prepped so we sat on the front porch and enjoyed a glass of wine before dinner.  We had Palestinian meatballs, ground turkey with zucchini, and spices. For sides, we had eggplant slices topped with mozzarella cheese and the meatballs had a sour cream and sumac sauce. We watched a Colbert and two more episodes of Money Heist.  We are getting bored with Part IV but will stick with it to the end.  We finished the night with the last piece of cherry pie and added ice cream. 

Edison Opening