Four Is Enough

Better Together

5:42

5:59

6:14

It's 6:30, the sun's up, and I have been up since 5:30, alas, reading the NYTimes, always depressing and enjoying a cup of coffee and the quiet of early morning on the lake. We are down to four, just Beth and Marisa have stayed, as Tom and family left yesterday morning for home. It's 8:15 and I just returned from a long, hour and a half paddle to Long Point, then Tom's Point, and home, photographing a couple of herons and an osprey so it was a good morning.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Heron Perched At Tom's Point

Osprey At Tom's Point

Heron And Goose At Tom's Point

Same Old Guy Above The Reeds

Yesterday began well, with a 50-minute paddle, but after coffee and breakfast, we had to bid goodbye to Tom and his family. They left early despite their late afternoon flight to see Niagara Falls and Buffalo before flying home at 5:30. It's been a fun week but it always has to end as life intrudes or rather I should say work for most. 

A Sad Farewell

Visiting Niagara Falls

Once they were on their way, I had the gargantuan task of gathering trash from the week and taking it to the Transfer Station. I packed up the Subaru, dropped it off, came home, and relaxed for an hour, then took the rest and dropped it off, with a feeling of accomplishment. 

When I returned, the threesome was finishing up breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen but the house was tranquil and empty, after getting used to fourteen filling the living room each morning. I debated whether to go for a swim but settled for a great breakfast of peameal bacon and eggs. We had no plans for the day so much of the afternoon was spent in the shade of the yard because it was too hot on the dock, reading or napping. Again, we seemed to enjoy our leisure, not wanting to do much other than hang.  I guess that's what vacations are for.

We were having a vegan dinner, so Beth got busy around 5:30, making an elaborate recipe for French fries, cutting them into steak fries, then boiling them briefly, before baking them for forty-five minutes in a 475º oven. While they were cooking she made a  Caprese salad, with tomatoes, burrata cheese, and basil.  Once the French Fries were brown, she drizzled garlic oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and feta cheese on top, then put them back in the oven for five minutes to finish them off. We ate outside and I have to admit, the fries were to die for.  For Evie, it was the ketchup and you can see. We made enough so that we can have them with eggs this morning for brunch. 

Dinner

An "Amused" Husband, A Crazy Granny

We ended the night in the TV room watching a film Evie and I thought Beth and Marisa would like called The Fallout, about the effects of a school shooting on two students. It's riveting and emotional and true to life. We were happy to head up to be by 10:30.