Foggy, Wet, and Overcast

7:41

What a difference 24 hours makes. Yesterday at this time, I was waking to a beautiful sunrise but today all is gray and wet. It's warmer, 46º, and won't rain all day but the sun probably won't be out to dry things out. 

Long Point

Yesterday was a busy Sunday for me because Evie is still bothered by a sore back. I was up later than usual and didn't get out on the lake until 8:15. I paddled my usual route, across to Long Point and back to Wells Bay and home, and once again, seemed to be the only one on the lake. Unfortunately, I saw no birds of interest other than Canadian geese but they are everywhere these days. I was home by 9:15 and Evie helped finish up the blog. I knew she was not able to walk the CI, our usual Sunday morning walk, so I strapped my bike on the Outback and drove to Bemus on a chilly morning. It was cold going into the wind, but just fine when it was at my back. I took my usual route, along Lakeside Drive, serenaded by leaf blowers, then around Long Point State Park and back to Bemus where I parked my car. It was another super day for a bike ride although bike trails in the park were thick with leaves, making it hard to see the tree roots. 

When I got home, our neighbor's grandchildren, Arlo and Louie, were over and Evie was having the best time playing with them. They shot balloons up into the air and the boys chased them in the yard and played some indoor games, They were there for a couple of hours having a great time until their Mom called them home, Once they went home, Evie made our breakfast, home fries, eggs and bagels and we watched CBS Sunday Morning as usual. Once breakfast was done, I cleaned up the kitchen, watched football briefly, then read and tried to nap. 

We both took it easy the rest of the afternoon but by 3:30, I decided to mulch the leaves since our maples finally are bare. I fired up the mower and it took me about forty-five minutes to get it done, knowing that I would probably have to mow at least one or two more times because of leaves from neighbors' trees. Still, it was nice to see our yard looking so good if for only a few hours. 

6:02

We were having a pot of red beans and rice for dinner and both of us thought biscuits might go well with the beans. So Evie got out the food processor, made the dough, cut out the biscuits, and baked them before dinner. The beans and rice were decent, reminding me of chili, but the biscuits hit the spot and we have enough left for another meal. After dinner, we watched some old episodes of Hometown while we waited for the Bills game to begin. We watched the first half, speeding through the commercials because we saved the game. By halftime, we had enough football and TV and went up to bed, the end of a seemingly long day. 

Sunny, Windy And Cool

7:36

7:55

9:25

It's 9:35 as I start this blog and the sun's reflection is blinding, filling our living room with its welcome light. I just returned from a 50-minute paddle, a bit tough into the southeasterly wind, but a cakewalk on the way home. I  saw nary a boat as I paddled, just lots of Canadian Geese.

Kayak Morning

Northern Blue

A Gaggle Of Geese

Yesterday, a Saturday by the way, was another fine autumn day. I know I keep saying this but it's true. Everyone I have spoken to agrees; this has been the most beautiful fall in memory, the colors spectacular, with lots of sun-filled days. I know it will end but we will enjoy it while we can. I was not up as early yesterday as usual but I could get in a good paddle, for over an hour, and photographed some migrating ducks. After the blog and breakfast, I got busy, with Evie's help, making a pot of red beans with andouille sausage. Watching the Somebody Feed Phil series set in New Orleans was the inspiration. I had it simmering on the stove by 11:00 and it was time to straighten the kitchen, gather the trash and drive off to the Transfer Station. By the time I returned, it was too late to go for a bike ride so I went for a hike around our woods, always worth it, trudging on a bed of leaves, the trees still colorful. After my walk, I had lunch,  the last of Evie's soup, and a half of chicken salad hoagie. 

Victoria Walk

Fallen Leaves And Trees

Our Naked Red Maple

By the time I finished lunch, I had lost my mojo, no thoughts of a bike ride. Instead, I fell asleep reading my book, not such a bad idea. I also watched some football as Ohio State was playing Penn State and needed a fourth-quarter rally to win. It seem wrong to be sitting inside on such a beautiful afternoon but we were partying at 4:00. So we showered and literally drove up the road. Our neighbors bought a house and four acres and put up a huge barn for storing boats and cars. It was done a few weeks ago and to celebrate, they invited friends from near and far to celebrate. They had music, local musician Bill Ward and scary movies, as well as lots of food and beer and wine. It was a fun happening and the weather cooperated so we could all sit or stand outside. It was fun to see neighbors and friends, usually here just in the summer, up to celebrate. The highlight was our neighbor's grandson singing a pizza song. 

Louie Sings

Susan, Barb, Elizabeth And Evie

Julie, Tom, And Barb

A Fun Afternoon

Two-Thirds Of The Proud Barn Owners

We left around 6:30 and I was full from enjoying some of the goodies, pizza and cookies, but Evie was still hungry and made a salad for her dinner. We watched a couple of episodes of Kleo, then some of the usuals, before going to bed by 10:00. It ended up being a really fun day. 

Not A Cloud In The Sky

7:26

7:58

Canadian Geese

9:35

It's later than usual as I slept in till 7:15, unusual for me. The sun has yet to rise but a pink glow tops the shoreline. It's 35º and the highs should get up into the 50's, with sun all day, another fine Autumn Saturday. The sun just popped up over the Bemus shoreline, filling out living room with light so I have to move to another chair to avoid its blinding light. It's going to be hard to avoid the sun when I kayak this morning. And at least thirty or forty Canadian geese are feeding just off our neighbor's shoreline, highlighted by the sun's reflection on the water. It's later than usual as I finish this up, 9:45 because I was out paddling on another stellar morning, over to Long Point, then Tom's Point and home.

Kayak Morning

Through The Reeds

Coots

Eagle

Juvenile Eagle

Migrating Ruddy Duck

Friday was cool and sunny, a perfect day to be outside. So I spent most of the morning outside, beginning with a long paddle. It was a glorious morning to be out on the lake, one of few boats. Today looks like it will be the same. We then finished the blog and did a few things around the house, cleaning the kitchen, drying, and putting away a few dishes. Evie is still bothered by strained iliopsoas (my diagnosis) so she did not do much during the day but relax and use a heating pad. I wanted to get some exercise since it was such a sunny morning so I drove to Mayville, parked my car, and rode my bike. 

Walking Sea Lion Drive

I started on Webb's Trail then rode through Mayville and down Sea lion Drive, running into friends, Joe and Jan out for a walk. This is about the third or fourth time we have run into each other, me riding my bike, the two of them walking. It was a perfect fall day for an hour's ride although the wind picked up on my way back to Mayville and I really had to push myself. After my ride, I stopped at Tops to pick up a few things for red beans and rice, then went to the Lighthouse for a chicken salad sub for lunch.

Webb's Trail

Evie and I shared the sandwich for lunch along with a bowl of her cabbage soup and watched some TV, the nonstop repetition of the assault on Pelosi's husband. It was fun to turn to Fox News which of course downplayed, just another example of the Dems being soft on crime. The rest of the afternoon went quickly, with lots of reading my book, a good, long nap, and more reading. Evie relaxed as well so we wasted a sunny afternoon, on our couch, reading or watching TV. We were busy enough the past two days to deserve a day off.

Long Point At 5:51 pm

Bemus Point

We were able to enjoy the late afternoon sky with a glass of wine before getting dinner ready. Evie had potatoes in the oven since 5:00 and at 6:00, after happy hour, she fried up the breaded pork chops and baked them in the oven to finish. The pork chops were perfect, fat and juicy, as were the potatoes, homemade applesauce, and roasted cauliflower. We started a series and a film, but ended up going back to our regulars, Jeopardy and The Great Britsh Baking Show, alas. 

Getting Colder: 32º

7:12

7:26

7:48

9:15

It's just before 8:00 and the sun has risen although it's hiding behind clouds. The lake is calm, steam rising above its surface and duck hunters are out, their gunshots upsetting the morning quiet. It's 9:30 and I was kayaking for an hour, on another beautiful but cold morning. Unfortunately, I saw no interesting birds, just a few geese dunking for weeds.

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Seagulls

Thursday started out poorly, overcast and threatening but turned out to be a decent day by mid-morning. I skip kayaking on Thursdays because I go to breakfast at 8:00 Bemus Point and it's too dark to paddle until 7:40 or so. After breakfast, I went to a crowded Yin Yoga class, always crowded, and it contrasted with Wednesday's class of just three. Danielle has always been the most popular because she's knowledgeable and the class is relaxing as we never do any standing poses. After class, I stopped at Tractor Supply to buy a tarp for storing things outside during the winter. I was home, then by noon. 

Evie was sore from all the gardening and mowing so she was taking it easy so I had to make my own lunch...bummer. I warmed up soup, toasted a bagel, and spread peanut butter on it and that was my version of a tasty lunch. I continue to watch Endeavour, mostly because I don't have anything else on my list at the moment. It's not great but I must like it enough because I keep watching. My afternoon was mostly relaxing and reading after lunch, without a nap for once. By 3:30, however, the leaves were calling so I fired up first one lawn mower, mulched half of the yard, then the other, making sure my ten-year-old Honda mower still works. It took me about forty-five minutes to get the lawn done, then I did some raking and mulching of the pine needed and took a couple of barrels of detritus up the hill.

Changing Colors Of Long Point

We relaxed for an hour, enjoying a glass of wine before Evie fried up some burgers for our dinner. We also had an easy MacN Cheese, compliments of Bob Evans. We watched another fairly new film called Luckiest Girl Alive. As you can imagine, she's not that lucky but the film is worth watching. We ended the night with Jeopardy and another Somebody Feed Phil but this time, we were not taken with it despite the fact that it took place in New Orleans. We were upset that he never mentioned the famous Cafe Du Monde, our favorite, and their beignets. 

A Chautauqua Gray Morning

7:31

9:05

It's 7:30 and I slept in till 7:00 and it is just beginning to get light. Both the sky and lake are gun metal gray on a 40º morning No rain is predicted and we should have some sun in the afternoon, making it ripe for mulching,  It's 9:15 and I just returned from breakfast to a sky with some light highlighting the grayness of the clouds. 

Late Wednesday Afternoon

Get Out The Lawnmower

4:49

Long Point 4:49

Wednesday was, as predicted, gray and wet, and we got close to an inch of rain during the day. I was lucky to get in a paddle and spotted another heron but still, few if any migrating birds. I was on my way to yoga by 9:40, after breakfast and the blog, and was surprised that we had only three of us in class. It was my kind of class because we practiced many new poses, at least to me. I left feeling both good and sore, especially my hips. When I returned home, Evie had made a pot of her cabbage and vegetable soup and had my cheese and ham sandwich warming in the oven. What a gal. She had a busy afternoon of shopping and getting her hair done so she was off by 12:30. I loved my lunch and watched another Endeavour as my afternoons seem mostly the same. I then read, napped briefly, and read more until Evie returned at 3:00.

Kinney's Run

Woods

Woodlawn Creek

Because of the weather, I didn't get outside until 4:00 when I went for a short walk up the hill to the road and home, just as it started to drizzle again. We were thinking of going out to eat but fortunately, I checked the restaurant's website and they are closed on Wednesday. The gods are smiling on us. We then enjoyed wine time with hardly a worry about dinner because we had leftover rigatoni and eggplant pasta from the night before. With a salad and sourdough roll, we were happy. We watched a new film on Netflix, The Good Nurse, and enjoyed it, with strong performances by Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne. We ended the night with another episode of Somebody Feed Phil. This time he visits Lisbon and we really enjoyed it. The only problem is the series makes me feel like we live in a culinary desert unless you like wings, burgers, or beef on weck. 

Frightening Images  -- The Future?

Keeping Up

7:14

7:33

7:35

It's 7:25 and I have been up since 6:45. The sky is finally starting to lighten, a blend of gray, white and cream on a  54º and windy morning, The sky was so striking this morning that I ended up walking outside every five minutes to take another photo. I was surprised that I had a good paddle, the wind was not a problem. I went as far as Wells Bay, then came back to paddle Woodlawn, the only boat on the lake as far as I could see.

Kayak Morning

Sandy Bottom

Kayaking North 

Looking South

My Buddy

Yesterday began with a dismal morning sky, gray and overcast. I did manage to get in a paddle and even photographed a heron. I was back in time to finish the blog, had breakfast, and headed off to yoga by 9:10. Class was not crowded, mostly regulars, and I felt much better after it. When I walked out of the studio, I was shocked by the sunshine, such a contrast to my morning kayaking.  I stopped at Ryder's Cup and had coffee with Paul and met a new yoga student from Lakewood, Dave, a retired podiatrist, and Bob, from Sherman. It was warm enough that we were able to sit on the front porch. 

Our Maple Tree

I was home by 12:30 and Evie had my lunch ready, the last of the chicken noodle soup and the leftover meatloaf and mushroom gravy. I am sticking with my show, Endeavour although it seems dated compared to today's mysteries. And I am enjoying my book, The Winners, about the intense rivalry between two hockey towns in Canada and the problems as a result. I briefly napped and was soon outside with Evie as we continue to work on 'keeping up with the leaves. For the last few days, we have mulched the front yard only to wake up to another yard filled with leaves. And yesterday they were so thick that Evie had to mulch the front yard twice while I did the side and back yard. I also raked leaves out of the borders around the house and garage, mulched them, and put the mulch in our compost pile along with pine needles. Finally, I packed up Evie's dahlia tubers in a plastic case and covered them with vermiculite. 

6:10 PM

We finished the yard work by 4:30, in time for Evie to make a Zoom call with her sisters at 5:00. In the morning, Evie had put together our dinner, eggplant and tomato pasta, so all she needed to do was make the rigatoni and a salad. Dinner was delish, of course, as we both love eggplant. We watched two episodes of Somebody Feed Phil. This time he visited Vietnam and Isreal. We are becoming big fans of the show and think the series rivals Anthony Bourdain. After watching the two episodes, I was ready to get on a plane and fly to Vietnam.  We ended the night as usual, with Colbert and Jeopardy. It was a busy but surprisingly fun day.