A Busy Day

6:31

7:03

7:43

It's 6:37 and some color is just beginning to appear over Bemus Bay. A faint breeze and 47º greet this morning on the lake. It's 9:20 and I had breakfast in Bemus at 8:00 after a half hour paddle as the sun rose off in the East. 

Kayak Morning

Sun Rising

Victoria/Woodlawn

Yesterday was a busy but fun day for both of us. Evie was up early and on her way with Linda to visit our neighbors, Joyce and Bill, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. I tried to kayak but the fog was so dense I had to turn around and come home. I relaxed then with coffee and finished up the blog, missing my photo editor and proofreader who was on the road again. I left for yoga at 9:40 and was part of a group to welcome a new teacher.  The class was free, to acquaint us with her, and it was packed, a surprise to me. After class, I hurried to Jamestown because I was getting my new crown put in at 11:30.  That took only 20 minutes and I was off to Labyrinth Coffee for a wrap for my lunch. I was home by 12:30, had half of my wrap for lunch along with a bowl of soup.

The Pittsburgh Gang

Evie meanwhile was being shown around Joyce's beautiful new home and had lunch with her and Bill, as well as their daughter Kathy and husband, Medio. It was a fun visit and Evie and Linda were very impressed with J & B's new digs from the delicious lunch to the beautiful campus.  Meanwhile, I was in my usual routine, reading, trying to nap, and wondering if I should get in a bike ride before 4:00 when I was off with the boys for beer. I finally just did a few things in the yard before being picked up and driven to Jack's home on Chautauqua Ridge.  

In The Woods

The four of us then rode his four-wheeler into his forty acres to his great cabin, set up high above a creek. It was a spectacular late afternoon, perfect for having a couple of brews with buddies on the cabin's front porch, the sun occasionally pouring through changing colors of leaves. 

Jack's Driveway

Boys On The Porch

It could not have been a nicer afternoon, making us wonder why we haven't done this more often. We stayed until 6:00, then took the four-wheeler back up the hill a half mile to Jack's house. It's a beautiful forest for a walk in all four seasons and Evie and I have walked it a couple times in the Spring looking at wildflowers with Jack and Diane. 

Beer Guys

Jack's Cabin With A View

When I returned, Evie was enjoying a glass of wine waiting for her boyfriend. Our dinner, the leftover chicken and rice were in the oven warming up. Before dinner, Evie filled me in on our fun day. It was nice for her to have an easy dinner and as always, we enjoy leftovers with a salad. We are into our series, The Killing, and watched three episodes, filling up our evening before going up to bed. 

Heavy Fog, Again

6:47

7:06

8:25

It's 8:10 and we have had a busy morning. Evie was up at 6:00, getting ready for a road trip with her girlfriend Linda to visit our neighbors, Joyce and Bill in Pittsburgh. They were on their way by 7:45 and I now sit here alone, waiting for the fog to lift so I can kayak. Today should be classic fall, sunny most of the day with highs in the 60s. It's 9:30 and I gave it the old college try. When I started out kayaking, the fog seemed to be lifting but once I got out, it only became thicker so I returned home after a 15-minute paddle. 

Kayak Morning

In To The Fog

Yesterday was a busy day for me, a trifecta, with kayaking, yoga, and a bike ride. It's good to feel like exercising again. So the day began with a forty-five-minute paddle in light fog and no bird photographs. I was then on my way to yoga by 9:10 and enjoyed a good class until 11:15. I came straight home because I knew Evie was going shopping because it was 5% Tuesday at Wegman's. She was on her way by noon and I relaxed for a bit and then had lunch, Evie's soup, crackers, and sardines, I am sticking with Game Of Thrones even though I am losing interest but hope it will pick up.

Falling Leaves

My afternoon went, as usual, reading and napping and waiting for Evie to return home. She was back by 2:30 and I helped unload the car and put things away. I was tired of reading by 3:30 so I drove over to Bemus, parked my car, and rode my bike for an hour through Bemus and Long Point State Park, my favorite ride. I passed only one hiker, walking her dog. When I returned home, it was after 5:00 and Evie was on a Zoom call with her sisters. 

Looking West From Tip Of Long Point

On Monday, I picked up a filet of Coho salmon from Aldi's and we had that for dinner, with rice and garlic spinach. We loved the Coho salmon and vowed never to buy farmed "Atlantic" salmon again. We were anxious to get back to our series, The Killing, and watched two episodes, before relaxing with a Colbert and Jeopardy. By 9:45, we had enough TV and went up to read and sleep. It was a good day, with lots of sun and cool temperatures. 

Light Fog And A Chilly 37º

6:51

6:51

8:27

It's 7:20 and I have been up since 5:30, waiting for the light fog to lift. I can see Long Point through the mist but it's still too dark out to take any photos. It looks like an overcast day with another high only in the 50s. It is  8:30 and I paddled for forty-five minutes, in light fog and it was chilly. I have yet to get out any winter gloves or hats. 

Kayak Morning

North

Long Point

East 

Monday was a good day to start the week, with lots of sunshine, temperatures in the 50s, and no rain. I got in a good paddle early, once the fog lifted, and was on my way to my annual urologist appointment by 9:45. My appointment was at 10:15 and I was on my way to shop by 10:30.  For some reason, I felt like shopping, a kind of therapy, so I picked up a few veggies at Brigotti's, then browsed Runners for a good half hour. They had a few nice things I wanted but I  bit the bullet because of my motto: "I don't want what I don't have." So it was on to Aldi's, then the bank and home by 12:30. While I was gone, Evie made another pot of veggie soup for the week and that was my lunch along with a couple of cheese sandwiches.

Once again I am having trouble finding a book I like. I started a book by Collen Hoover that I thought I might like but it turned out to be a romance, a silly one, as the narrator goes 'goo goo' eyes over a guy. So I fell asleep to the sounds of Evie mowing the lawn for the first time in a couple of weeks, the sounds of summer. By 4:00, I was determined to get some exercise so I drove over to the Chautauqua Institution and rode my bike up and down the streets as well as around the community for forty-five minutes on a chilly afternoon. I did not dress warm enough and my fleece was not heavy enough to hold off the wind but I persevered. 

Lake Front At CI

Thunder Bridge

While I was biking, Evie finished up the yard and put together our dinner, lemon chicken and rice with broccoli and a salad. We did enjoy a brief wine time before dinner. We ate at 6:15 and started The Killing, not the US version but the Danish version on which the US series was based. We thought we might not like it because we had seen the US series twice but we were into it and watched three episodes. We then watched Jeopardy, a few minutes of football, and ended the night with "Love It or List It." I also started a new book, The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg. set in the Swedish town of Fjallbacka, on the west coast of Sweden.

 

Fog Rising

Lucky Couple

7:08

7:19

7:38

 

7:42

7:46

7:46

It's still foggy out at 7:45 and I have been up for an hour. The fog was welcome because it meant the winds had died down and I would eventually be able to kayak. It did not freeze last night but was close to it, 36º. It looks like a sunny but cool day, with highs in the 50s. We will take it. It's 8:00, still foggy off to the south but I am going to get out there and stick close to the docks until it lifts. It's 9:30 and I was out for a forty-five minute paddle, a great morning on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Kayak Morning

Heron

Cormorant On Our Dock Ladder

Because it was Sunday, we made it a day of rest. For me, it was because of the heavy winds which made it impossible to kayak. So I stewed in my living room, drinking a couple of cups of coffee, wishing I could get out on the lake. By 10:30, we were both ready to do something so we decided since it was Sunday, our usual routine is to walk the Chautauqua Institution. It was a good place to walk, as most of the streets were protected from the wind. We walked for over an hour and just as we were heading back to the car, we ran into my kayak buddies, Jim and Tina, out for a morning walk as well. We walked with them to Thunder Bridge before parting. We were home by noon and decided to get something done before breakfast. So we pulled the four air conditioners out of the windows, thinking we would not need them till next summer. That's probably the kiss of death and we will still have an Indian summer with temperatures in the 80s. 

Walking CI With Tina And Jim

Around 1:00, we had breakfast, had avocado egg sandwiches, and watched the beginning of the Bills game. After the first quarter, I had enough of the commercials, taped the rest of the game, and read and napped, my usual. At 3:00, we both watched the rest of the game, sans commercial, and the Bills made an exciting comeback after a miserable first half and won with two seconds to go on a field goal, Go Bills!  I finally feel like a Bills fan after having been a Browns fan for 70 years. We then both read or relaxed as it was still windy out. By 6:00, we were enjoying a glass of wine and good cheese and crackers, luxuriating in the fact that we seemed to be the only two people around. 

5:50 PM

No one on the lake, no one in Pine Hill. And best of all, dinner was tube steaks, or rather Smith hot dogs, since we both wanted them. Along with a salad and mac n cheese, we had a tasty and easy dinner. We then watched a couple of shows, waiting for the Chiefs/Buccaneers game to come on. We watched the first half before giving up, having had enough football for the day. It ended up being a pretty good day, a walk, lots of football, and hot dogs. 

Empty Bowls (Fredonia, NY) And Dining Out --- A Good Day

7:05

7:05

7:06

7:30

7:30

It's 8:25 and I just returned from a five-minute paddle. The wind was too much and I hardly made past one dock before turning around and coming back. I have been up since 6:30, reading and enjoying a cup of coffee. Evie just got up so we are sitting here cozy as the wind chimes sing. 

A Five Minute Kayak Morning

Yesterday was the same early morning. I got in my paddle, wrote the blog and by 9:30, I was at the Transfer Station getting rid of the trash. By 10:15, we were dressed and ready for the forty-five drive north to Fredonia. For the past seven or eight years, we have attended the Empty Bowls Benefit. Potters from around the area donate their time making bowls and sell them to benefit the local Food Bank. It's a great way to support the Food Bank as all the money goes to it. When we arrived there were already at least a hundred people ogling the bowls, trying to decide which ones to buy. 

Empty Bowls In Fredonia

One Of The Potters

We joined the crowd, walking around the various tables which held hundreds of bowls, of different shapes, sizes and colors. Once we picked out six, we went to a table where our bill was tallied, $115 and all of it goes to the Pantry. We paid with cash and were on our way home via #RT 20 to Westfield, then home. We stopped briefly at a nursery that had an amazing Fall-Themed Playground for kids. We walked around a bit and couldn't even find the nursery because it was so busy with kids and rides of various sorts. We then drove to Westfield where they have their farmer's market on the green. We left with concord grapes and caramel corn.

Our Bowls

We didn't arrive home until 12:30, time for lunch. I heated up ramen in the microwave and Evie made me a bagel with avocados, tomatoes, and hot sauce. I watched my show, Game of Thrones, and some football for a few minutes. I was soon bored, however, and was happy to adjourn to read and nap. Evie, like me, spent most of the afternoon relaxing because we were going out to dinner. I should have gone for a walk or bike ride but lounged around instead, reading or watching some TV. I did tie up my boat more securely as the wind has really picked up the last two days.

Dinner At The Nickel

Linda and Ron came over at 5:30 and I then drove us forty-five minutes to The Nickel restaurant on Bone Run Road. We first started going there maybe twenty or twenty-five years ago. It's gone through a  couple of owners and we were happy to see it reopened recently. It's a beautiful ride, through South Valley to the restaurant. The restaurant was about half full and we were able to find seats in the main dining room. They seemed to be short on waitresses, just two for both rooms. So we had a bit of a wait for drinks, meals, and checks but we still liked being there. I had a tasty New York Strip and Evie had pecan-crusted walleye. As we left, Evie and Linda talked with the owner and bartender who were bragging about their twenty-three-dollar blood mary, with shrimp, watermelon, and a beef on wick hanging off the side of the glass. They wanted us to come back today to watch the Bills game and have one! We drove home in the dark, taking our time, keeping alert for deer because this was really out in the country. We arrived home around 9:15, in time to watch some TV before bed. 

Happy October

A Gray, Kayak Morning

Friday Night With Pat, Dave, And Darren

7:26

It's 6:50 as I start this and it's just beginning to get light although it's cloudy, chilly 54º, and drizzling. I just checked at 7:05 and it's not raining yet. I suppose it's waiting for me to kayak. Well, I got in a 50-minute paddle, spending at least 15 minutes of it chatting with fellow kayakers, Tina and Jim. It was a gray paddle, with light winds and I did not see any interesting wildlife.

Kayak Morning

More Clouds, More Gray

Yesterday was a good day for me because I got many things done which had been on my mind that I knew I had to get done this fall. The day did not begin well because of the heavy fog which stayed with us until 10:00 in the morning. I had already written the blog and had breakfast but I went for a half-hour paddle because it was such a beautiful morning, with a dazzling blue sky off to the north. 

Heron

Kayaking Friday Morning

Finally, Blue Skies

I then got busy with things that don't mean much to anyone but me. First, I bailed out my rowboat and rowed out and pulled seven buoys out of the water, all attached to cement blocks. I then removed the ropes and chains, leaving the blocks out by the privets for next year, and took the buoys, covered with algae back to the house, and filled a wheelbarrow with water and bleach.  I let them marinate in the mixture for fifteen minutes, then scrubbed them with a brush, getting most of the algae off and returning their color to white. I let them dry and they are ready to store for the winter. 

Next, I pulled the sump pump out of the lake, undid it from the hose, then pulled the hoses, four of them, out from behind the privets. They reach from the lake to Evie's garden and beyond and are perfect for watering. I then drained them, gathered them into a circle, and used a tie to secure them. Another small fall project is done. Finally, I took the cover off my boat and started the motor and bilge to get the water out of the boat. And because the gas gauge on my boat is not working, I drove to Hogan's and picked up five gallons of gas and siphoned it into my boat. It should be more than enough to take it out of the lake later next week before we head to Virginia. My assumption is I have a quarter to half a tank of gas but I cannot be sure.  Once all these small things were done, I was ready to relax and have lunch. While I was busy much of the morning, Evie put applesauce in containers to freeze. Big deal. 

Lunch was the leftover chicken, potatoes, and quinoa/rice mixture from previous dinners. I watched another episode of Game Of Thrones. After my busy morning, I have to admit I relaxed the rest of the afternoon, happy with my morning. I read, napped, and read some more or joined Evie in the TV room to watch the Weather Channel's continuing coverage of Hurricane Ian. 

By 6:00, we were both showered and walked over to our neighbor's house for dinner. Pat and Dave and their son Darren are originally from Houston but have just purchased a house in South Carolina. Because it's being renovated, they will be spending the fall and part of the winter at the lake for the first time. When we walked onto their porch, Olive, their rambunctious Westie , who loves Evie, greeted her with kisses and dog hugs. She's a hoot. 

Evie And Best Friend, Ollie

We sat on the porch enjoying a glass of wine and appetizers as the day began to wane. Dinner was one of Pat's and our favorites, ham balls, with a glaze, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and a salad. We loved our dinner and sat around the table, enjoying our dessert and talking until 9:30 when we headed home.  It was a fun night and we hope to have many more since they will be staying here rather than heading home to Houston. 

Dining Out With Neighbors