A Morning Of Contrasts

6:50

7:12

7:12

8:10

Well, it's 7:30 and we both have been up for an hour. The morning sky started out gray, then some sun and blue arrived, and now it's overcast again with drizzle. The weather gods obviously cannot make up their minds. It's 9:15 and I paddled for 45 minutes, the last three minutes in the rain. 

Kayak Morning

Woodlawn Heron

Among The Reeds

Victoria Tree

Friday was a special day, my 81st birthday although it didn't feel like 81. And it was a normal day for me, just different because of birthday wishes from friends. I got in a 50-minute paddle and loved it because I photographed an eagle, hawk, and heron. When I got home, I had breakfast and wrote the blog and decided to go for a hike. I knew Evie was tired from the past few days and wanted to just be home so I called my neighbor, Jim, to see if he wanted to go. 

Entrance To Trail

An Abandoned Blind?

Trail Needs Work

So around 10:00, we were off to the David And Margaret Naetzker Preserve, 72 areas of woods. The first half is mostly uphill although not too bad and then there's a loop at the end and we followed the same trail down. Another couple and their baby in a backpack also followed us on the trail. We were out for about forty-five minutes and walked less than a mile and a half. 

Goose Creek

Porch Overlooking Goose Creek

First Time Hike

Couple From Nevada Out For A Hike

Jim suggested stopping at the Goose Creek Valley Greenway Preserve, 21 acres, with practically no trail but a lovely viewing porch of the woods and Goose Creek, a perfect place for late afternoon happy hour. We will be back. On the way home, we once again ran into the couple with their baby, talked with them briefly and the wife is from Jamestown but they live in Nevada and are just visiting. They must have walked at least 7-8 miles. 

Evie's Dahlia

I got home around noon and Evie had been busy, feeling her mojo finally which was great. She suggested making Big Boy BLTs and I was all for it. They were so big I had difficulty getting my mouth around it but I managed. I watched the second half of the Chiefs game. The rest of the afternoon was typical: napping, reading, and getting a few phone calls wishing me happy birthday. We decided to have a simple evening, with a Manhattan, good cheese, and leftovers because we are going out tonight to celebrate at Colaos, an Italian restaurant in Erie, PA. After dinner, the leftover African stew on couscous, we watched Caitlin Clark's Fever lose for the first time in a week or two.