Humid And Overcast

Evie's Dahlia

6:29

Our Neighbor, Nancy, Skiing

Fishing On A Paddle Board

It's 6:45 and I have been up for a half hour on a dreary morning here at the lake. It's 67º and we may have rain much of the afternoon if you can believe the weather app. Yesterday we were lucky to miss the heavy winds and thunderstorms and hardly got more than a ten-minute drizzle. I paddled for about forty-five minutes and was excited about my photos this morning, osprey, heron, skier, and paddle boarder. 

Kayak Morning

Darkening Sky

Great Blue

Great Blue And Neighbor's About To Ski

Same Heron

Near Campground

Above The Reeds

Yesterday was a hot one but a good one. I got in an early kayak and spotted both an osprey and heron so I was happy. After a leisurely breakfast, I left Evie weeding her dahlia bed and drove to Petersons, first, and bought another basket of peaches then drove to the start of the Riverwalk Trail, just behind the Subaru dealer. 

Chadokoin River

I biked into Jamestown, working up quite a sweat, then biked along the Riverwalk, passing the pedestrian bridges and finally stopped for a coffee on Main at Crown Street Roasting Company. It was quite busy as many seemed to be just getting out of the heat and enjoying the air conditioning. I then biked along Main, down to Mc Crea Point and back to my car along the asphalt Riverside Trail. I was home by 12:30 and Evie was finishing up watering her plants, ready to get out of the heat of the afternoon.

3:48 PM

7:04 PM

I had an easy lunch, ramen and pretzels and watched some of the Olympics before reading and napping in an air-conditioned bedroom. We both relaxed the rest of the afternoon, waiting for the thunderstorms that never materialized nor did the rain. It cleared up around happy hour so we enjoyed some chps and dip and a couple of glasses of wine before dinner. Dinner was leftovers again, still tasty, barbecued chicken and ratatoille and an ice cream sundae for dessert. We were happy and we watched the Olympics until we got tired and went to bed. 

Hydrangea

Another Afternoon At The Gowanda Slovenian Club Picnic

Evie And Polka Band Guys

7:26

It's strikingly quiet both in our neighborhood and on the lake. No boats to speak of and a partly cloudy sky. At 8:00, it's 68º but will warm up later in the day to the 80s with a chance of rain. It's 9:30 and I paddled for forty minutes, shot an osprey and heron and talked with my kayak buddies, Tina and Jim for a few minutes. 

Kayak Morning

North

Osprey

Wood Duck

Same Old Heron

Yesterday was a different sort of Sunday. It began with a brief coffee and breakfast with Evie's sister Elaine and her husband Jim because they were leaving by 9:00 for a picnic with family on Grand Island, just outside of Buffalo. Once they left, as always, the house felt empty and we were not sure what to do with ourselves so we relaxed with a coffee and finished up the blog. By mid-morning, Evie deemed the lawn dry enough to mow, so she fired up the electric lawn mower if that's what you would call it and began the mowing. I was good at watching her but also moved all the lawn furniture out of the way so she did not have to stop except to take a break. 

And that was it for the morning and much of the afternoon. For lunch, I had a leftover burrito from Saturday night's dinner and watched some of the Olympics. Once I was finished, I finished my book, started another and napped. We had planned to go to the Slovenian Club picnic but Evie was pooped from the weekend and mowing the lawn but reluctantly agreed to go. I didn't want to 'let the old man in,' and hoped to convince her to take the hour drive to Gowanda. So we were on our way by 4:00, arriving around 5:15. We easily found a parking spot because the gathering started at 1:00 and many were already leaving. When we went to pay, the gals selling entrance tickets left,  so we got in for free. 

Gowanda Picnic

We quickly grabbed a hot dog and sat down in the shelter, ate and people watched until the polka band, which had been on a break, started back up. The beer was free as were the hot dogs, beef of weck sandwiches, cucumber and tomato salad, baked beans and lemon squares so we had plenty of dinner as we listened to the band. The sad part of the picnic is few if anyone dances, either those who know a polka are too old to dance, or too young to know how to polka. One gentleman, in his 90s, who we remember from last year's picnic, did dance but could hardly leave the dance floor afterward without falling. 

Still Got It!

We stayed until 7:00 when the band took a break and talked with the same accordion player and his family for a few minutes. This is our fifth year, and he has been there every year. He's from Michigan and for the last two years, his son has played the banjo in the band. I asked him if he brought the cole slaw and kielbasa as always and he did. They get together after the picnic with others back at the Slovenian Club and party. We have always wanted to join them but we need more time.

Our hour ride home was easy, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon through Amish Country, the fields and trees lush with green. When we got home, we watched the Olympics until we got tired and were both in bed by 10:00, a long day. 

An Overcast and Humid Morning

Adieu, Jim And Elaine

7:44

It's 8:15 and all four of us are up because Elaine and Jim are leaving by 9:00 and driving to a family gathering on Grand Island, about a two-hour drive from here.  It's surprisingly quiet on the lake for an August Sunday morning. It's now 9:50 and Jim and Elaine just left for their family gathering and we are back to listening to CNN. 

Beginning Of Our Walk To Lake Erie

Chautauqua Creek

Yesterday was a great day as the weather cooperated and we had fun things to do. I did get up early enough to have a good paddle before the others woke. We were in no hurry but by 11:00, we decided to take a half-hour drive north, to Lake Erie, and take the path along Chautauqua Creek to the lake, about a half mile. The path was covered with tree limbs and leaves so the drizzle did not bother us and once we got to the lake, it stopped. It's a great view of the lake and the beach, for some reason, was covered with rocks perfect for skipping. We mostly meandered around the inlet before heading back to the car. We drove down to Barcelona's pier before driving home. As we drove through Westfield, there was an outdoor market, food booths and dry goods in their square. We had to stop because Elaine noticed a vendor selling tie-dye shirts and dresses and at their gathering today, everyone in the family was supposed to wear tie-dye. They left with a shirt, dress and top and it made our day. We briefly walked through the Octagonal Westfield Library because it's such an interesting building. 

Lake Erie Beach

Guys On Driftwood

Skipping Stones

An Octogenarian And His Young Wife

We didn't arrive back at the lake until almost 2:00 and were hungry so Evie made up plates of last night's dinner, popped them in the microwave and we had chicken, ratatoille, and noodles for lunch. We then relaxed until 3:30 when we had another ferocious game of bocce, won once again by Elaine and me. 

Smackdab Reunited

By 5:00, we were showered and gussied up and ready to drive to Jamestown because they were having free concert by our favorite local band, Smackdab, in front of the Comedy Center. We had to park a quarter of a mile away because it was a busy place. They had stands selling beer and food as well as merchandise and just as we arrived, the rain stopped and the band was able to start playing after 15 minutes so we had perfect timing. We found a bench to sit on and listened to the music and people watched for maybe an hour before we decided to go to dinner. 

Gathering Of Locals

Ah, Family

We drove to 4th street and parked a few minutes walk from the Brazil's Craft Beer And Wine Lounge. Unfortunately, the bar and all the tables were packed so the sent us downstairs to their coffee shop, the Laybritnh Press, and we were able to order drinks and dinner. It's a vegetarian place, perfect for Jim and Elaine who are vegetarians, and the menu is quite extensive so everyone found something they liked. We stayed until 8:00 and were home by 8:30, tired from our fun day. Once again, the Atlantic City Pie was the highlight of the evening. We stayed up late, wow, till 10:15 before going up to bed. 

An Overcast And Calm Morning

Crazy Sisters Cruise The Lake

7:10

Evie's Garden

It's 7:30 and I am the only one up on a humid 67º morning. There's not much action on the lake which is surprising for a Saturday morning in August. Well, it's a lot later, 9:10 as I finish this. I kayaked on a gray morning for 35 minutes and photographed both cormorants and an osprey. And, as I kayaked, Evie's sister Elaine walked the Woodlawn/Victoria loop and then went for a swim. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Gray

Cormorants

Taking Off

Osprey Above The Victoria Trees

Yesterday was a full day, mostly because Evie's sister and her husband were staying with us until Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the morning was filled with rain so there was no kayaking, just sitting around, talking, enjoying our coffee and planning our day. Evie made omelets for breakfast and by 12:30,the rain had about stopped so Evie and Elaine went for a swim.  

Swimming Sisters

Once they dried off and got dressed,  we drove over to Long Point Marina and walked out to the tip of Long Point and back, just the right amount of exercise.  When we returned home, we had lunch, a bean, tomato, and parmesan soup made by Evie and some meat and cheese and spinach-filled pastries from Adladdins Middle East Bakery in Cleveland, compliments of Evie's sister Elaine. 

Hiking Long Point

After lunch, we either relaxed or went for a walk. Of course, I napped since I got only six hours of sleep. Around 3:00, we motivated ourselves and played a rousing game of bocce won by Elaine and me. By 5:30, the sky had cleared and the sun came out so I took the cover off the boat and we cruised the lake, to beyond the bridge and back, a good choice. We didn't get back until after 7:00 and Evie had most of our dinner ready. I grilled the parboiled chicken outside on the grill, topping it with barbecue sauce. It was so nice that we decided to enjoy our dinner outside. So along with barbecued chicken, we had noodles cooked in chicken broth, ratatouille, and salad, a feast. We stayed outside until it started to cool off and the mosquitoes started to bite. 

Dining Outside With Family From Oak Park, IL

We sat around talking until Evie pulled out her Atlantic City pie, whipped up some cream and the four of us devoured this amazing-tasting pie, a recipe from my sister Ellen and nephew Pat. By 10:00, all four of us were tired and happy to go up to bed. 

Morning Rain

6:59

8:38

It's a wet morning here on the lake. I'm sitting on the front porch, listening to the rain on a gray morning. A few boats are fishing despite the rain on a humid 69º morning. It's 9:15 and we have been sitting on the porch talking for the last hour so I skipped kayaking this morning. 

Yesterday was a busy day of waiting, for Evie's sister and brother-in-law to arrive. It began early with a good paddle on a sunny morning and then breakfast in Bemus. After breakfast, we got busy prepping the house for guests and Evie worked both at cleaning and making food for the next couple of days. Our first task was to wash the front windows. For some reason, clean windows seem to be number one on Evie's list. I worked outside and Evie in, then she worked outside as well and they look spiffy. We then did a couple of more things which I can't remember.

Around 10:30, I took off to get a few things that Evie needed from the store. First, I stopped at Peterson's Farm to pick up peaches, locally grown. Then, on to Wegman's to pick up spinach because the boxed spinach was bad which Evie needed for soup. I picked up a few other things and was home just before lunch. Evie had by then a pie made and ratouille so the kitchen was a mess. I helped clean it up, I think, and then had lunch, ramen and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I then read and napped of course because I was tired from getting up at 6:00. Once I was up, I vacuumed the living room and cleaned out my second kayak, and took more dead fall up the hill. So I was done with what I wanted to get done and then helped Evie finish up. We both then took showers, me after taking a swim to cool off.

Dinner was leftover pizza and a salad, just as good as the night before. We watched another episode of TRYING, then some Olympics, as we waited for Evie's sister to arrive. They got her at 9:45, having stopped in Mentor Headlands State Park on their drive from Chicago. We sat up talking until 11:00 when all four of us admitted to tiredness and went to bed.

Jagged Clouds Hang Over Long Point

6:40

Rising Sun At 6:40

6:54

6:55

It's 6:30 and I have been up since 6:00. For a change, I am sitting on our front porch because it's much cooler than inside. And so far, the sun has been hidden behind the clouds so it's comfortable looking east over Long Point for the moment. It's 6:41 and the sun just popped out above the clouds but its light is modulated somewhat by clouds so it's still bearable to sit on the porch. It's 6:45 so I am going to get ready to kayak before breakfast in Bemus at 8:00. It's 7:35 and I just returned from kayaking for 30 minutes and was able to shoot two different ospreys before returning. It's now 9:25 and I have just returned from breakfast in Bemus at a very busy Lake Life Cafe.

Kayak Morning

Osprey Perched

Amazing Eyes

Yesterday was a busy day for Evie mostly and somewhat for me. It began as usual with a good paddle and by 9:30 I was off to yoga class with Danielle. The class was fine but increasingly I find myself checking to see if the class is almost over. I did not used to do this so I am not happy with myself or yoga. I then drove to Wegman's to pick up a few things for Evie because we are having family over today, Evie's sister Elaine and husband Jim. They are driving in tonight from Chicago. 

Dahlias Are Beginning To Bloom

Dahlia

When I returned home, Evie was busy making appetizers and cleaning the kitchen.She took time out to make me a quesadillas for lunch and I watched Olympic volleyball. I was tired most of the day for some reason, so I napped, read some, and then helped Evie prepare the house for today. We were both able to relax some by 3:00 and by 6:00, were showered and ready to go out to dinner with Linda and Ron.

Pizza Al Fresco

We drove to Jamestown and were lucky to find a spot to park and a table outside on Pace Pizza's new outdoor terrace. It's our favorite pizza restaurant, and eating outside makes it even better. We had a great waitress, and a hairdresser during the day, and she was quick to bring us our beers and take our orders for pizza. We ordered two salads because they were so tasty, especially their dressing. We also always order a large pepperoni and usually take almost half of it home for lunch or dinner the next day. It was pleasant on the porch, the sun falling behind the buildings and not too hot. We were home by 8:30 in time to watch some volleyball and the first episode of Season Four of TRYING. It was a busy day.