A Day Of Welcome Rain

6:33

It's 7:20 and I have been up for an hour, listening to the rain fall on a chilly 64º morning. What a difference from yesterday's heat. It looks like we will have some relief from the 80+ weather for at least a week, enshallah. It's 7:40 and I will be driving to Bemus for breakfast in a couple of minutes to start my day, followed by yoga in Lakewood. 

Yesterday was a warm one again, high in the 80s but it didn't deter us from doing things. I got in a good paddle early, before the heat, and came home to finish up the blog and have breakfast. I had planned to go to yoga, but the class was cancelled, so I decided to ride my bike again, despite the heat. I drove to Mayville, parked my car and rode for an hour, my typical ride, Webb's Trail, the Sea Lion Drive and back to my car. Fortunately, there was a breeze and much of my ride was in the shade so it was bearable. On the way home, I stopped at Tops and picked up a few things Evie wanted for dinners later in the week. 

Biking Webb's Trail

Evie was busy while I was gone and even had a pot of corn chowder simmering on the stove. For lunch, I had a couple of salami and tomato sandwiches and continued watching Quarterback on Netflix. They follow three NFL quarterbacks in 2024: Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins, and Jared Goff. After lunch, I returned to my book, Big Breath In, by John Straley, and also took a short nap. Because of the heat, neither of us did much the rest of the afternoon, typical for us I guess as we have some energy in the morning, then coast the rest of the day. Evie spent a good part of the afternoon out on the dock reading and I joined her after a while. It was surprisingly pleasant, nice and breezy with some shade from our umbrella. We came in around 5:00 for wine time on the porch, and by 6:30, we were enjoying the corn chowder, leftover schnitzel sandwiches, and a salad. We watched our show, The Resident, until Evie went up to bed and I then watched Quarterback until 10:00, when I went up and read some before falling asleep.

Foggy Morning

7:19

8:43

It's 8:55 and the fog is beginning to lift. When I woke, I could not see beyond the dock but now, Long Point is visible although colorless. When I woke at 7;10, I was going to skip a paddle because of the fog but then said the heck with it, and went out, hugging the shoreline down to Sandy Bottom and back. I was rewarded with a couple of photos of herons in Woodlawn, making the paddle worth it.

Kayak Morning

Reeds

Geese And Fishermen

Some Sun

Heron On Boat Cover

Heron Hanging In Woodlawn

Same Guy

Yep

Yesterday was hot, perhaps the hottest day of the summer. Because I was out on the lake by 7:30, it was pleasant to kayak, the temperature in the low 70s. I was not what I wanted to do but decided on a bike ride into Jamestown, thinking it might not be that warm in the morning...it was. So I parked at the beginning of the Jamestown trail, took it to McCrea Point, along the Chadakoin, then into the city and around the park, through the city to the coffee shop, essentially a forty-five-minute ride. It's nice to have a coffee shop as a goal, and I sat there for 15 minutes, enjoying an iced coffee and people-watching. I then had an easy 20-minute ride back to my car. I then stopped at Peterson's Farm, one of the reasons I decided to bike to Jamestown, and picked up a basket of peaches and some tomatoes. 

Skateboard Park Next To McCrea Park

Chadakoin River In Jamestown

Jamestown Coffee Company

I was home by 12:30, and Evie had been busy, cleaning and mowing part of the yard. She was relaxing on the front porch, reading when I got home but volunteered to make me a couple of tomato and mayo sandwiches for my lunch. Yum. I watched my show, then went upstairs to my air-conditioned bedroom, thank god, read and fell asleep in the coolness of air conditioning. I slept briefly and was up by 2:15, wondering what to do with the rest of the day. Fortunately, Evie had two ideas so around 3:00 I went out and trimmed some of our overgrown privets, blocking our view and set up the sump pump to water our lawn and garden. At 5:00, Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters, and I went out and siphoned ten gallons of gas into my boat, and then jumped in the lake to cool off. I came in and showered briefly before joining Evie on the porch with a glass of wine. 

Earlier, Evie had pounded out pork tenderloin into cutlets and breaded them. By 6:30, we had Wiener Schnitzel cutlets and parmesan potatoes for dinner. We had enough so that I can have schnitzel sandwiches for lunch today. We watched a couple more episodes of The Resident before Evie went up to bed around 8:45, and I watched Quarterback on Netflix, tired of cop shows. 

Another Hot One

Eagle

7:20

It's 8:50, sunny and warm, and I just returned from an hour paddle, down Woodlawn, across to Long Point, back to Bootey Bay and home. It was in the mid 70s and I felt the heat as I paddled and was glad to get home. 

Kayak Morning

Grert Blue

Osprey

Heron In The Reeds

Heron

Eagle

Same Guy

Monday was another sunny and warm day although it started with a heavy fog so that I never did get out on the lake. So we had a leisurely morning, breakfast, coffee the blog but by 9:30. I was on my way to bike in Lakewood. I parked my bike behind the gas station, then rode into Lakewood, stopped at Ryders and because a couple of my friends were there, I sat down on the porch for a half hour and had coffee. Then, I rode through Lakewood to Celeron, past the Harbor House Hotel, and then headed back to my car, about an hour of riding. 

Harbor House Hotel

When I returned, Evie was busy cleaning the living room, especially the carpet, which is beginning to show some wear. I wasn't that hungry so I had an ear of corn and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch and watched my show. 

Kathy, Medio, And Us

We were both tired from our morning, so we took it easy for the rest of the afternoon. I napped and read, of course, and I think Evie even fell asleep briefly on the porch. So we spent most of the afternoon on our porch, and were happy when our former neighbor's daughter and husband stopped by on their way home from Canada.  We talked about the good old days and their travels in Europel It was fun to catch up, to see them and by the time they left, it was wine time. Around 6:30, Evie microwaved the pork, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut from Sunday's dinner and also microwaved two ears of corn. As usual, leftovers are just as good if not better than last night's dinner. I know it's getting boring but we watched a couple more episodes of The Resident and you will be glad to know Conrad is back working at the hospital, having convinced the hospital to take him back because he could bring the health and care of the local pro soccer team to the hospital. Sound realistic? Evie went to bed after two episodes, and I watched my show until 10:00. 

A Morning OF Heavy Fog

7:31

It's 8:20 and I should be out on the lake but I'm not. Instead, I am sitting in my living room with Evie, looking out at the fog. We can barely see beyond the dock so I doubt if any boats are out yet. It's 71º and we should have anoher sunny, humid, warm day, with the high in the mid 80s. It's almost 9:00 as I finish this and it's still too foggy to kayak.

Yesterday, a Sunday, as I recall, was a day of rest for both of us. No big plans, just hang tight and enjoy relaxing at home. I did get in a long paddle, after writing the blog and then adding photos when I returned at 10:00. The reason from the delay was rain so that I didn't get out on the water until 9:30. I had my usual breakfast of yogurt and fixings when I returned then wondered if there was anything I could do around the house or yard. Finally, I remembered there were some kind of wild trees growing under the pines in our backyard and around the privets and lilac in the front yard. So got out my electric handsaw and cut down a couple of these wild trees in the front and back yards. I then cut them down to a size that would fit in my Outback and took them up the hill to the woodpile. I worked up quite a sweat. I needed a haircut and thought it might be a good time for Evie to cut it and she agreed. I sat on the front porch, which worked out well and once I was trimmed, I jumped into the lake, washed my hair, then dried off while sunning on our dock. 

We usually have a big breakfast of eggs and toast on Sundays but because I had a serving of Vodka Pasta leftover from Saturday night's dinner, I heated that up and had it for lunch. Yum. I watched another episode of Countdown, a cheesy thriller but it's something to watch. I was tired by the end of lunch and went up and read some of my book, Adam Haslett's Imagine Me Gone. I must have napped for at least an hour because I couldn't figure out whether it was afternoon or monring for a moment. While I was napping, Evie put together our dinner, pork, sauerkraut and tomatoes and let it bake in the oven for an hour or two. Neither of us did much the rest of the afternoon other than wait for 5:00 and wine time. We cherish sitting on the front porch at that hour, usually with some kind of libation and taking in the view, although some idiot next door hit our dock when trying to dock his boat. 

We loved our dinner along with a cucumber salad, thanks to our neighbor Missy's garden. We still have not found anything new to watch so we are sticking with The Resident. Conrad, the chief resident, has just been fired for being outspoken. Problems. Evie stayed up for a couple of episodes then went to be around 8:30 and I watched my noon series, Countdown, until 10:00 when I went up to bed. We are creatures of habit. 

Gentle Rain

Friends For 60 Years

7:14

It's 8:15 and it has been raining for the past half hour and Evie and I have been sitting on our front porch with our coffee, listening to it fall, so rare lately. It's 70º and it looks like I won't be out kayaking this morning. The rain just paused so maybe I can still get out on the lake and wear my bathing suit in case it rains. It's 9:45 and I did get out, just as the drizzle stopped and was out for 50 minutes.

Kayak Morning

Lower Woodlawn

Upper Woodlawn

Amazing Sky

Victoria Heron

Upper Woodlawn Heron

Yesterday was a wasted day for both of us. I didn't get much sleep so I had no energy and Evie picked up on my lack so she didn't either. I did get in a nice paddle, over an hour on a sunny morning. We prolonged out coffe hour until 9:30, when we finished up the blog. I then made breakfast, my usual Greek yogurt(with 16 grams of protein), oats, cinnamon, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and blueberries. Sound healthy? Taste good? Yep. Since it was Saturday, the one thing we had to do was gather the trash and I would then take it to the Transfer Station. Well, yesterday, because we still had trash from when our kids were here, I literally filled up the Outback with trash. When I arrived, a young worker helped me unload the car, which was nice. I was then on my way to Runnings to return the vest I had bought the day before. It didn't fit right and it was meant for a hunter, not a biker. On my way home, I stopped at Target and did a quick run-through, and I was amazed at the variety of items they offer, from home goods to food, fresh vegetables, sporting goods, and almost anything else you might want. And yet, it's not a very popular store.

Blue Sky In The North

I was home by 12:30 and Evie had gotten a few things done and offered to make me a sandwich for lunch. I ate it along with corn on the cob and finished up the Ballard series, which I enjoyed on Prime. I then started a couple of books and still have not found something I like. I napped briefly despite not having much sleep. Mid-afternoon, I decided to do something and went out and trimmed the privets which took me all of 15 minutes but I felt better about myself.

We showered and then by 5:30, we on our way to meet friends from Ohio in Jamestown, at La Cucina Della Nona, our favorite Italian restaurant. I have known the guys, John and Stan since college so we have lots in common, mostly basketball and coaching because the three of us did both. We often meet for breakfast in Erie as well the past few years. John and Penny lived in Ohio and Stan and Carol have a place here in Chautauqua and spend their winters at the Villages in Florida. We talked grandchildren,  the past few months, vacations and of course basketball. We stayed until 8:00 and vowed to see each other again but sooner rather than later. We were home by 8:30, relaxed for a half hour on the front porch before Evie went up to bed and I watched some TV until 10:00. 

Light Fog And 67º

6:47

It's 8:38, and I just returned from an hour paddle. Much of my time was spent talking to my neighbors, Jeff and Nancy, who had just returned from skiing. It's clearing up, mostly cloudy with the sun peaking through occasionally. 

North

East

Heron

Same Heron

Friday was another warm one, with a high in the low 80s, making it uncomfortable to do much outside, so we didn't. After my paddle, breakfast, and the blog, I wanted to go to Lakewood, to Runnings, to pick up a couple of things. On my way, I stopped for a coffee and ended up sitting on the front porch with the guys for an hour. I then stopped at both Runnings and Wegmans, of course, before driving home. It was after noon by the time I returned, so I had leftover chicken cutlets, which had just been sauteed for lunch, dipped in Siracha mayo. I watched another episode of Ballard and am really into it.

Because of the heat, both of us did little the rest of the afternoon. I napped and read and Evie watched some TV and read, finishing up her Anne Tyler novel, Three Days In June. We were looking forward to 5:00 because I bought sushi from Wegmans for an appetizer to go along with a Manhattan. The air had cooled off enough to sit outside on our porch with the fan going. We spent a good hour enjoying the late afternoon, then had dinner from Wegman's, Asian noodles, and chicken fingers. Both were a good choice and an easy dinner. We watched a couple of episodes of The Resident before Evie went up to bed, and I stayed up another hour before joining her. 

A Night On Fireboat Edward Cotter/Engine 20

Cruising The Niagara River With Neighbors

6:22

It's 7:30, an overcast, 70º morning, and I was out on an empty lake for 65 minutes, photographing an osprey enjoying breakfast and a couple of herons. 

Kayak Morning

Neighbors

Eastern Sky

Osprey Enjoying Breakfast

Heron And Turtle

Same Guy

Yep

Thursday was a good day, beginning with kayaking, followed by yoga, a nap, and lunch, then an early evening cruise on the Fireboat Edward Cotter around Buffalo, New York's harbor. My morning paddle was for an hour. Evie and I then enjoyed discussing the past week with our family as we decided on our day. I wanted to get in at least one yoga class, so I went to Yin Yoga at 10:00 and stopped at Walmart and picked up a couple of camp chairs, on sale by the way, for our boat ride Thursday evening. Lunch was easy, the leftover Chicken Milanese cutlet on bread, and I watched my show. 

One Of the Few Businesses Left In Buffalo

1940 Battleship

Buffalo's City Hall

Floating Tiki

Hobie Cruising

We spent much of the afternoon getting ready for our drive to Buffalo and boat ride. I, of course, got in a brief nap, but by 3:30, we were both showered and ready for our trip. It's an hour and a half drive, but we hit traffic backed up in Buffalo so we didn't get to the Buffalo River dock until 5:15. Our neighbors, Joe and Betsy, won a two-hour ride on the fireboat in a raffle a few months ago and invited  20 to 25 friends and family for the cruise. It was a warm night, in the 80s, but because of the lake breeze, we were comfortable. 

Abandoned Ford Plant

Water Cannons

Yep

Neighbors

Bud With Crew

We spent two hours cruising the harbor, inlet waterway, down past Ralph Wilson Park to the Peace Bridge and back to the Tifft Nature Preserve, where the crew fired up the water cannons and shot streams of water into the area for at least ten minutes, creating rainbows and inviting seadoos to race through the shower.  We were out for two hours, mostly on the headwaters of the Niagara River, enjoying the view of the city and the coastline, as well as feasting on libations and food, compliments of the group. Everyone loved it, and I highly recommend it. We left around 7:45, arriving home by 9:15, tired but happy from our night on Lake Erie. We had a snack before Evie went up to bed, and I followed around 10:00.