Fog Rising

6:51

9:03

7:13

Well, I woke to fog at 6:40 but now at 7:20 the fog has lifted and I can see across and down the lake. It's chilly again, 43º, with the high later in the mid-60s, on this, the last day of May. A light wind carries what's left of the fog so it will be a good morning to kayak. It looks like the wind is picking up so I better get out on the lake sooner rather than later. On a beautiful morning, I was out for 50 minutes; it couldn't have been nicer. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Blue

Great Blue Heron

Same Heron

A Hawk

Yesterday was a different day for me because I skipped yoga class and felt like a bad boy.  The day began early because I had breakfast in Bemus at 8:00. It's always a nice change from yoga or kayaking. When I got home, Evie was ready to leave for her class trip so I decided to get in a paddle, a short one because of the wind which made it tough to stay out on the water. When I returned, I put my bike on my car's bike rack and drove over to Bemus, parking near the bridge. I started into Bemus my usual way but they were paving the roads through the neighborhood so I had to change my usual route. It was my usual ride, down Lakeside Drive to Long Point State Park, then through the woods and out to Long Point, then back through the woods to Lakeside Drive's end, then back to my car. It was out for over an hour, so it was a good ride. 

Long Point Trail

Long Point

I then decided to visit Evie and Midway Park where her kindergarten class was enjoying the rides. I found her at the playground and met the four boys she was responsible for, one, Tyler, when introduced, grabbed me by the legs and gave me a hug. I can see why she loves these kids. I stayed for 15 minutes, met the teacher and then drove home. I stopped at Hogans Hut for a Cuban sandwich and came home and enjoyed it while watching the last episode of my series, Prey. I then took a brief nap, then read some of my new novel, Toxic Prey by John Sandford, his newest. 

Grandma Evie And The Boys

Wheeeee!

Evie's Buddy, Anna

Evie was home by 2:30, ready to take it easy after a busy and fun trip with the kids. I was still energetic so I grabbed the hedge trimmer and worked on our front hedges, leveling them off and giving them some shape. After I was done, I had a good talk with my daughter Beth in Dallas. They are back in their home after a couple of nights in a hotel because they lost electricity from heavy winds. We were then alerted that a verdcit in the Trump case was imminent so we turned on the TV and listened as he was found guilty on 34 accounts, unbelievable but well deserved. I give the jury credit for acting with courage, knowing they might be harassed by the Maga crowd. Whenever they lose, it's fixed or political, If they win, it's just and fair. Dinner was great, pork ribs cooked with sauerkraut, served with mashed potatoes, the best. We ended up watching another episode of The Veil, lots of the news, and Colbert. Once Evie went up to bed, I watched the Mavericks destroy Minnesota, a surprise. They will meet the Celtics in the NBA finals next week, 

Bright Sunny Day

7:35

9:15

It's 7:30 and I have been up for a half hour, to a glorious morning of clear skies and sun. It should be another fall-like day, lots of sunshine and the high around 60º.  Right now it's a chilly 49º. Love it. It's 9:20 and I just returned from breakfast in Bemus, a fine way to start the morning. Evie is off to Midway Park and will meet the kindergarten class, excited to watch the kids on the various rides. I was able to get in a brief paddle, riding the waves south, fighting them and the wind home. 

Kayak Morning

A Windy, Wavy Northern Paddle

Yesterday was back to normal for a Wednesday, with a good, long paddle to start the day, then finish the blog and have breakfast. By 9:30, I was ready for yoga class in Lakewood, just four of us. After class, I stopped at Sav A Lot and picked up two packages of pork ribs, one for sauerkraut, the other to barbecue. I got that barbecue hankering. I was home just about noon and Evie had been working in her garden, pulling weeds and planting. Her dahlias still don't look good as few are sprouting and neither of us are sure why.  It may be a summer with few if any dahlias, alas. I had a chicken pot pie for lunch, six minutes in the microwave and potato salad so I was happy. I then started a new book and napped of course. My day does not seem complete without a nap these days. I guess if you average six hours of sleep a night you deserve a nap. 

We both worked in the yard during the afternoon, Evie planting and weeding, me moving hostas to another spot. By 5:00, we were getting ready to go out to the Viking Club for dinner since it was Wednesday night. We picked up our neighbors and drove over to the club, meeting our seven other neighbors. As usual, the table was filled with beers and popcorn until we got our meals, an hour after ordering because the club was so busy. And at last, someone won the Queen Of Hearts, 12 grand, so we were saddened that it was none of the Woodlawners. The good part is we don't have to go back next Wednesday for dinner because the food on Wednesdays is basic, Wings and Things. We were home by 8:30, in time to watch some of our usual TV shows, Colbert, etc, and went to bed early. 

Fogged In, Again

A Great Blue Heron, Finally

7:10

8:41

It's 7:00 and I have been up for close to an hour, chasing geese off our lawn as the fog seems to be slowly receding, at least I can just about see Long Point. It's a chilly 53º and will stay in the 50's, and low 60s the rest of the day. It's 7:30, clearing up so it's time to go kayaking. It's 8:45 and I was out kayaking for an hour, spotted two great blue herons but only was able to take a photo of one. It was, however, a great morning on the lake, not a ripple, as  the sun slowly burned away the fog and clouds. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Goose And Her Goslings

Ready To Take Off

Yesterday was a different sort of day of day because I didn't get out for a paddle until 10:00 because of the fog and rain early on. I decided early on to skip yoga and get a few things done around the house since Evie was going to be at kindergarten class. I worked on a clogged-up drain, pouring some drain cleaner down it, hoping it worked. And I took some deadwood up the hill and cleared out and organized our garage. It needed it. 

Around 11:30, I drove to Lakewood for my first appointment with a chiropractor/massage therapist, hoping to alleviate my back pain. My first appointment was more an evaluation although my therapist also worked on a few areas that seemed to be tight. I guess I am out of alignment, one leg shorter than the other, one shoulder higher than the other. Hopefully, after a few sessions, I can find some relief from my back pain although it seems to be mostly a result of arthritis. I go back in a week for a session. Overall, it was an interesting and informative hour-and-a-half session and I liked my chiropractor. 

First Visit With Debra

When I returned home, all I wanted to do was lie on the couch and finish my book, The Hunter, by Tana French which is what I did. Evie got home around 3:00, having shopped at Wegmans' after her class. She is starting to get organized for the arrival of our family in July, buying lots of necessities for the week, like paper plates, paper cups, and food items she knows we will need. Once everything was put away, both of us relaxed until dinner time. We enjoyed a brief happy hour after Evie's' Zoom call with her sisters at  5:00 and then had dinner, the leftovers from our Memorial Day picnic, burgers, dogs, potato salad, and baked beans, thanks to Linda. We watched two episodes of a new series on Hulu, The Veil, starring Elisabeth Moss, from Mad Men. We then watched an old Hometown, and the news, about the terrible storms in Dallas where our daughter Beth lives. They have moved to a hotel because they have no power like much of Dallas. We also watched Caitlin Clark play for a few minutes and after Evie went to bed, I watched a quarter of the Dallas/Minnesota game. 

Morning Fog And Drizzle

 

7:26

8:35

It's 8:00 as I start this and the lake does not look too promising, as a light mist hangs over the gray. It's a chilly 56º and may stay in the 50s most of the day. It's 8:30 and I got geared up to paddle, but it started to rain so I bagged it until later if at all. It looks like the rain has stopped so I might get out there. I finally got out for a brief paddle, no rain, dark clouds, and a few fishing boats. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Clouds

Yesterday was a strange day as Sunday's busyness and crowds contrasted with Memorial Day's quietness and emptiness. Most celebrations occur on Sunday because most have to head home on Monday afternoon or evening. It was a windy morning and I didn't get out on the lake until late because of it but only lasted for 20 minutes. We were having Linda and Ron over for dinner so we had some prepping to do. Since we were having burgers and hot dogs, I drove to the Lighthouse to get their freshly ground chuck, which makes the best burgers. Surprisingly, it was not very busy but that may have been because of the Memorial Day parade in Mayville. 

Baby Groundhog Comes To Say Hi On Our Porch

We did get some rain on and off during the day so we ended up taking Evie's dahlias in and out to avoid the downpour until we just decided to leave them on the porch. We did not have much prepping as Linda was bringing potato salad and baked beans. Evie made coleslaw and dessert and put together the burgers for later. I had scrambled eggs for lunch and looked forward to napping and reading much of the afternoon once I swept and cleaned both porches. My book expires in three days so I have to keep reading because I want to find out 'who did it.' 

Linda and Ron arrived at 6:00 and we had beer cheese and pretzels along with wine and sat out on the chilly front porch. Who would have thought we needed a sweater or jacket to sit outside, And because of the rain, we decided to eat inside as well. Around 7:30, Ron and I went out and grilled the burgers and Smith's dogs. Dinner was a perfect start to summer picnics even though we ate inside. Linda's beans and potato salad were great, as was Evie's cole slaw and blueberry/raspberry yogurt parfaits for dessert. They stayed until 9:15 and then headed home in the quiet night. We cleaned up the kitchen and Evie went up to bed but I watched a bit of the NBA game before joining her.

Windy, Overcast And Raining

8:02

8:59

So far it's a wet, gray Memorial Day and we may have rain on and off for the next couple of hours and then cloudy skies for the rest of the afternoon. Yesterday, however, was gorgeous, with lots of sun, and a beautiful day to be on the lake. It's 9:00, still drizzling, so I will have to put off my paddle till later this morning if at all. I did get out on the lake around 10:00 for twenty minutes and the wind was too strong to stay out much longer. 

Kayak Morning

North

Sunday went quickly for both of us. I didn't get a paddle in until 9:45 because of the heavy fog, slowing down the day. Once I finished, published the blog, and had breakfast, it was 10:30. I spent the next hour or so getting out the summer chairs and tables, washing them down, spraying them with the hose, and ensuring all the cobwebs were gone. By noon, our yard was ready for guests and I could then head off to Wegmans to do some shopping with the rest of the locals. Sunday is always a busy day at Wegmans for some reason, especially yesterday but all the checkout areas were manned so it was not much of a wait once I was through shopping. I also stopped at Evans to pick up some libations before driving home.

It was 1:30 before I sat down to lunch, a bagel with an avocado and fried egg, compliments of Evie. Because we both had a busy morning, we felt like we deserved a leisurely afternoon. Evie got some sun out on the dock and I read, napped, and enjoyed sitting on the porch. It was strange to be the only ones without family or guests, as houses on both sides of us were overflowing with both. We felt like our former neighbors, the Leonards, as the two of them used to watch us with our kids and grandkids. The lake was the busiest it's been this year, because of the weather and long weekend. By 5:00, we were enjoying a glass of wine as Sunday fun began to settle down, on the lake and in the yards. For dinner, I grilled a steak and Evie sauteed mushrooms, roasted asparagus, and baked potatoes, a feast. We found a film we liked on Prime, The Road Dance, slow to begin with but we ended up liking it. It's set in Ireland on an island during WWI. We ended the night as we usually do on Sunday night, with a Hometown. Once Evie went to bed, I stayed up long enough to see Anthony Edwards's amazing dunk, seemingly rising higher and higher over the opposing players and slamming the ball through the rim. I have never seen anything like it but it was not enough for a win as Dallas went up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series. 

Morning Fog

7:44

It's  8:30 and I still cannot see beyond our dock because the fog is so heavy. A few fishing boats have floated by, casting their lines under the docks, hoping for a bass. It's 62º and I am going to wait for the fog to lift before I kayak. It's later than usual as I finish, 10:26.

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was a day of opposites in some ways. I got in a late kayak, not getting on the water until 8:30 but had a decent paddle. I then had breakfast and finished the blog and neither of us was in a hurry to get busy. Finally, around 10:30, we gathered the trash and I went to the Transfer Station. When I came home, I decided to play and Evie decided to work. So I put my bike on the car and drove off to Mayville to ride, Webb's Trail and Sea Lion Drive, just finishing as it started to rain. As I biked, Evie mowed the lawn and she, too, finished mowing before the rains, about an inch. After my ride, I stopped at Tops and the Lighthouse for a sub sandwich for my lunch. 

Lots Of Green

It started to rain when I returned and during my lunch, my sub, and I watched my show. We both then did little for the next couple of hours, mostly because we had our plumber/electrician over and he was putting ceiling fans in our two back bedrooms. He's a good guy, works quickly and noticed our pipe from the furnace to the roof needed to be replaced. He will be getting that done in the next couple of weeks. Once he was done, I fell asleep while reading, of course, and neither of us got much done the rest of the afternoon. We looked forward to sitting on our front porch, with a libation and chips and dip and the sky had cleared up by then. 

Porch View

A Slice Of A Rainbow

We never tire of sitting on our porch late afternoon, as the lake quiets down, the sun's warmth begins to ebb, and the sky constantly changes. We were surprised at the lack of action on the lake and in the neighborhood despite it being Memorial Day weekend. We were not complaining. We had pizza and a salad for dinner, perfect, and watched a few of our shows but nothing really interesting or different, the same old. After Evie went up to bed, I watched the first half of the NBA game, then went up to read and sleep. 

Hazy And Lazy

7:41

9:27

Lots of sun so far at 8:15 and some wind, as the flag keeps flying. It's 64º and we may have some rain later in the day but not much. I assume our neighborhood will get crowded because of Memorial Day for the first time since Labor Day, 2023. It was an uneventful paddle this morning, 35 minutes on a choppy lake with no sighting of herons, eagles, or osprey. 

Kayak Morning

Yesterday began with a phone call just as I was waking from my Chris, asking if I would be there when he dropped off my boat and could take him back to his truck. So 15 minutes later, we were tying up and boat and I was driving him to Prendergast Point. I then decided to get in a paddle even though it was later than usual, was out for 35 minutes came in made breakfast, and finished up the blog. It was a busy morning but by 10:30, I was ready for some leisure. At 11:00, I went back out to the dock and spent a good half hour to forty-five minutes, cleaning the inside of our boat, vacuuming, and washing down the seats. Around 12:30, our good friends from Hudson, Barb and Mike stopped by after visiting Barb's Dad's grave in Jamestown and leaving flowers. They usually spend four months plus in a cabin outside of Jackson Hole each winter. And they were agonizing over whether to buy a great house and property overlooking the Tetons and Snake River, near their cabin. It would totally upend their life, moving them full-time to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, so they punted as far as I know. A good but sad decision. They left at 1:00 for lunch at She Sings with Barb's cousin, Ethel. And Evie left at 1:00 for a doctor's appointment in Jamestown so lunch was on my own, a couple of avocado and tomato sandwiches, and my show, Prey.

Evie was home by 2:30, ready to relax and I had my usual afternoon, reading and napping. It was an easy afternoon but by 4:30, I was on my way to a friend's house on 394 for beers. The four of us sat outside and enjoyed getting together, all four of us, for the first time since last fall. We had lots to catch up on. I was home by 6:00 and had a glass of wine with Evie as we sat and watched the action on the lake. Dinner was the leftover Japanese meatballs and Evie made more sauce. With rice, corn on the cob, and salad, we had a nice dinner. We watched a film called The Mechanical Man, about two seemingly losers who find each other. We hoped it would be better than it was. We ended the night with HGTV, Jeopardy, and then some basketball. 

Dick's Amish Barn Sign, Ready To Be Hung

Sunny, Cool, And Boat Docked

7:47

9:43

For once I slept in until 7:30 and just as I was getting up, the phone rang and my boat guy asked if I would be home because he was bringing my boat to my dock and needed a ride back to the launch. So I met him at our dock in 15 minutes, tied up the boat, and drove him back to the Prendergast Point launch and that was it for me before 8:40. It's 9:45 and I am finishing up the blog after a half hour paddle, on a beautiful lake morning. 

Kayak Morning

Yesterday was a school day for Evie and yoga for me. I did get in a half hour of paddling before driving off to Bemus Point for breakfast at 8:00. My routines do not change much. I was home just after 9:00, finished the blog and was off to yoga by 9:40, class with the ladies at 10:00. After class, Evie needed a prescription from Wegmans. As a result, I didn't get home until after 12:00. For lunch, I heated up the leftovers from Tuesday's dinner, Korean fries, topped them with a couple of eggs, and had a delicious lunch. I finished the first season of Prey and started the second season. After lunch, I read and napped as usual, not planning on getting anything done. Evie arrived home at 2:30, having made a couple of stops and regaled me with stories of her kindergarteners. 

Lake Life

We were going to neighbors for heavy appetizers at 5:00, so we hustled to get ready and walked over just at 5:00. It was a beautiful night to sit at our side and Pat had the table set with all kinds of appetizers. We sat and got caught up on their life in their new home in South Carolina.

A Great Night With Darren, David, Pat, and Ollie The Westie

It was a fun night and we left full of sandwiches, various cheese and crackers, and a delicious ice cream ball for dessert, a perfect evening. We watched the finals of Jeopardy and an upstart from Pittsburgh defeated James, the former champion in a great match. It's been fun watching the series over the past couple of weeks. I ended the night with, of course, a quarter of basketball before bed. 

8:25 In The Evening