 |
| Classic Old Accordion |
 |
| Polka Band |
 |
| 6:05 |
 |
| 8:25 |
It's a gorgeous Chautauqua Lake morning, a cool 55ª, sunny, no wind and a calm, almost empty lake. I was out for over an hour, paddled by a couple of fishing boats and kayakers but that was it, a typical Monday on the lake.
 |
| Kayak Morning |
 |
| Heron At Campground |
Sunday was a day of uncertainty because of the forecast. We were planning on attending the annual Gowanda Slovenian Club picnic, an hour's drive but the rain was forecast most of the weekend and even yesterday. I was able to get out for a paddle but wore my rain jacket and we spent much of the morning checking the changing forecast. About noon, it poured here as we received close to an inch of rain and it looked like Gowanda may have gotten rain as well. We sat around most of the morning and early afternoon either reading or watching the Olympics but by 2:30, it looked like it was clearing up in Gowanda, southwest of Buffalo, so we showered and were on our way by 3:00.
 |
| Amish Hay Fields |
 |
| Amish Trail |
The sun came out and our drive there along the Amish Trail was picturesque, with fields of green, blue skies, and puffy clouds. We had to take our time because numerous Amish buggies were out on the roads and the speed limit most of the way was 55 mph. We knew we were getting close when we passed through the town of Persia.
 |
| Slovenian Club Pavilion |
The picnic was held at the Collins Conservation Club, just outside of the town of Gowanda. This is the third or fourth year we have attended and like the past years, we were lucky with the weather. For fifteen dollars apiece, we could have all the food and beer we wanted. It was crowded with locals, few Slovenias however, and as we walked in, we could hear the polka band playing. Like previous years, the picnic table in front of the band seems to always be empty so we settled down to listen and watch the brave few dance to the polka. Food was basically beef on wick, hot dogs, baked beans, corn on the cob, and all the beer you could drink.
 |
| Evie With Dorothy And Louis Selan, August 2017 |
 |
| Dorothy Celebrating her 90th With Her Son, 2021 |
We recognized a few from previous years, especially ninety-year-old Dorothy. We were befriended by her and her husband Lewis, WW II vet at our first picnic. He has since passed away and was a founding member of the club in 1926. We sat enjoying our food, walked around, bought some lotto tickets and even won two-pint bottles of booze.
 |
| Coleslaw Guy |
 |
| Leader of The Band |
We recognized the two accordion players from previous years and they knew Evie's cousin Tony, the Polka King, from the polka parties held each Thanksgiving weekend in Cleveland. Evie talked with them at breaks and she remembered talking with one a couple of years about how coleslaw has to be made with white vinegar and he had bought his own coleslaw to the after picnic party. Well, he brought some this year as well, wanted us to stay for the party which would start at 8:00 but it was too late for us. So as we left, he pulled us aside and said next year, he would bring a bowl for Evie and keep it for her at the picnic. What a great guy. We did end up dancing the polka after filling up on food and drink to old favorites like the politically incorrect 'I don't want her you can have her, she's too fat for me." Evie also befriended three sisters originally from Gowanda who come every year to the picnic from Michigan. They told us we have to go to the Slovenian Sausage Fest in Kirtland in September and they will also be there. It takes place at the Slovenian Club which we used to go to back in the 1970s with Evie's Dad.
 |
| Homeward Bound |
We reluctantly left about 6:30 and took our time going home. Like earlier, it was a perfect time for a drive through the green fields of Western New York. We were home by 7:45, relaxed with the Olympics, closed the windows because it rained again, and ended the night with an episode of the White Lotus on HBO Max. It turned out to be a great day.
No comments:
Post a Comment