Cloudless And Sunny

 

Gorgeous

7:08

It's another quiet morning on the lake, a boat or two, light wind, and 59º. It's 8:45 and I was out for only a half hour but was treated to two different ospreys, high up in a tree, looking no doubt for breakfast. 

Kayak Morning

Fog Rising

Osprey Woodlawn North

Victoria

Yesterday was an easy day as we did not have much on our bucket list for the day. I got in my usual kayaking although it less than a half hour because of the wind and waves. After breakfast, I decided to get in a bike ride and I knew we were out of peaches so I rode the Riverside Trail into Jamestown but stopped at Petersons Farms first to pick up the peaches. I rode the trail into the city, along the Chadokoin River, then downtown around the Comedy Center. When I rode under the Main Street bridge, I noticed that homeless were ensconced on both sides of the bridge, out of inclement weather. Jamestown, according to the newspaper, has over 300 homeless and is seeking state aid to deal with them. A new brewery has opened on 3rd called Wicked Warrens so I checked it out and was impressed, a bar seating 30 to 40 people and lots of tables downstairs as well as upstairs. I hope they make it. I then stopped for a coffee and sat and relaxed, people-watching for 15 minutes at Crown Street Roasting. I then rode back to my car, behind the Subaru dealer along the Riverside Trail.

Chadokoin Bridge From Mc Crea Point

Jamestown

I didn't get home until 12:45 and was hungry so I sauteed some pita bread and heated up the leftover Indian veggies and ate my lunch watching the last of some of the Olympic events we had recorded. I am going to miss watching various events. I then read some, took a brief nap, and then finished up my book, The Good Detective and started another, Past Crimes by Glen Eric Hamilton. Evie spent a good part of the afternoon relaxing in the side yard and enjoying the fall-like afternoon.

We had our wine time until 6:00 when Evie fried up some potatoes and a nice couple of fat pork chops. Along with corn on the cob, we had a delicious dinner. We started a couple of films but ended up watching the closing of the Olympic games the rest of the evening. It was quite a production and made France proud I would think. They did an amazing job over the past two and a half weeks. We had to laugh at Tom Cruise zip-lining down from the roof of the stadium and taking the Olympic flag out of the stadium on a motorcycle, then onto a plane, which took it to LA where we were serenaded by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billy Ellish and Snoop Dog on Venice Beach. What a contrast to France's closing ceremony.

A Sunday Of Olympics

7:28

9:04

It's just about 8:00 on this cool, 58º partly cloudy morning. I have yet to see a boat on the lake and all I can hear is the cawing of some crows. It's August, right? It's 9:25 and I paddled for only 25 minutes because of the wind and waves, making it difficult to paddle and take photos of birds. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Blue

Yesterday was a long day because I spent much of it watching or waiting to watch both the women's volleyball and basketball finals. First, however, I went out for a fifty-minute paddle and photographed a couple of ospreys as well as a heron, my usual morning paddle. Evie finished up the blog and I had my breakfast. Then, I went out and did some weeding along our lake wall. Various weeds and loosestrife have grown about around the cement cracks so I pulled and cleaned the wall of all vegetation which tends to eat away the wall. It was an easy job, took only a half hour. By then I was ready to watch the US women's volleyball team play France. Unfortunately, they were run over 3-0 by a talented French team and ended up with a silver medal, to go along with the Men's bronze on Saturday.

Cosmos In Evie's Garden

Around 12:30, Evie made me an egg and avocado sandwich for lunch and I watched some of the other Olympic events saving the Women's basketball game for after my nap. So after lunch, I read and napped briefly before deciding to watch the game. Unfortunately, I had seen the final score so I knew the US had won but only by a point so it was not as much fun watching. The US was clearly the better team but on any given night, they might lose. Well, they lucked out, and France's final shot was a two-pointer, not a three, giving the US a 68-67 victory. Interestingly, France's best player, in fact a couple of their best players play for Fenerbache, my team's bitter rival in Turkey. 

Sunday Dinner

We took it easy then because we were going out for Sunday dinner at Linda and Ron's. By 5:50, we were both showered and ready, Evie in tights and a flannel shirt, me in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. We had appetizers out on their front porch and went in for dinner just as it became cool.  Linda made a tasty dinner, chicken meatballs with rice, feta cheese, and spinach, reminding me of a Greek-style dinner. We had chocolate mousse for dessert and were happy, mostly because we are beginning to think Trump might be the loser he already is. 

Where Went The Sun?

Home

7:39

9:25

It's 8:05 and a half hour ago, the house was filled with sunshine.  Now a huge gray cloud hangs over the sky. It doesn't look like rain, just lots of gray highlighted by some of the sun's light peaking through. It's later than usual, 9:30, and I just returned from another 50-minute paddle on a surprisingly quiet Sunday morning lake. 

Kayak Morning

Clouds Over Long Point

North

Hanging On A Woodlawn Dock

 Osprey Sighting

Another Heron

Those Eyes Are Scary

Yesterday was a typical Saturday except for watching the Olympics on and off during the day. I paddled of course for close to 50 minutes on a lovely morning. Once breakfast and the blog were done, I gassed up my boat with ten gallons to prepare for the next few weeks. It felt good to get it done because using a siphon to empty the five-gallon cans was a hassle. It was a leisurely morning in fact I went upstairs and read on my bed with the windows open, a nice breeze cooling the room. Around 11:00, Evie had cleaned out the refrigerator and gathered the trash so I was off to the Transfer Station.

When I got home, I read some then had my lunch, the leftover tuna salad and watched the Olympics men's volleyball gold medal game between France and Poland. I was really tired having gotten only five hours of sleep so I went up and took a decent nap. 

Looking South From North End Of The Lake

Webb's Trail

I woke with some energy so while Evie enjoyed sitting in the side yard reading, I drove to Mayville Park, parked my car and rode my bike on Webb's Trail, then Sea Lion Drive for almost an hour. It felt good to be doing something and it was nice and cool so I hardly worked up a sweat. I then spent the next two hours watching the US defeat France in a sloppy but exciting basketball game, thanks to the amazing three-point skill of Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter ever. He hit four threes in a row in the last two minutes to cement the US's victory.

Dahlia

Once again, we had a leisurely happy hour on the front porch with a glass of wine. The wind had died down and the lake calmed as well. It's always a part of day which we look forward to. Earlier, Evie had made our dinner Aloo Gobi, of roasted cauliflower, garbanzo beans, potatoes and Indian spices so once it was heated up, the pita bread toasted, with had a tasty. We finished the series, TRYING and as I mentioned were disappointed in the final season. We then watched Olympic table tennis and a couple of the relays won by Americans. It was a good way to end the day. 

Pretty In Pink

Partly Clouds And 60º

7:14

9:00

I woke to a blinding sun and I was thinking I might have to move off my couch but a few minutes later, the clouds came in, darkening the living room. It won't be long before I will be changing seats as the sun moves south. It is just after 9:00 and I was out paddling under a dome of spectacular clouds. What a way to start the weekend. 

Kayak Morning

Above The Reeds

Northern Sky

Ready To Launch

Yesterday was typical in that I got in both kayaking and yoga. I was up early again and kayaked for forty five minutes, scaring off an osprey but photographing the usual heron. I took my time getting ready for yoga, enjoying breakfast, finishing the blog and getting ready. The class was small, just four of us, which is usual for Friday. After class, I was tempted to stop for a coffee but resisted and came straight home. 

Evie had gotten a few things done but needed help sticking to a task. I know the feeling. Lunch was easy and good, the leftover tuna salad from Thursday night's dinner and I watched some of the Olympics. Since I was up so early, I was looking forward to a nap and probably slept for nearly an hour and a half, groggy when I woke. Sometimes naps energize, other times they don't. We were not sure about dinner so I suggested burgers. So I drove off to pick up ground chuck at the Lighthouse Point Grocery and some goodies at Tops before returning home, ready to sit on our front porch and enjoy a glass of wine and another lovely afternoon sky.

Dinner was a nice big fat juicy burger, with pickles, Trader Joe's special sauce, and mac n cheese, compliments of Ohio's Bob Evans. We watched three episodes of TRYING, taking a time out from the Olympics, and are disappointed in Season Four. We ended the night with the Olympics, watching the USA's women's four hundred-meter relay win a gold and, unfortunately, the men once again lose because of a poor handoff. 

Morning Drizzle And Gray

6:22

It's 7:15 and I have been up for an hour, listening to a Bill Simmons podcast discussing yesterday's Olympic basketball game where the US eked out a win over Serbia.  As I look out, I wonder if the rain will stop long enough for me to get in a paddle. It's 7:30 and the first boat of the morning cruised by. Maybe the rain has stopped. 

Kayak Morning

Overcast Northern Sky

Still Gray

Yakking Heron

Perched Above The Reeds

Thursday was a windy day and it did not die down until early evening. I skipped kayaking and went to breakfast in Bemus Point because of the wind. When I returned, I finished the blog and was in no hurry to do something but finally, around 10:30, I drove over to Long Point and rode my bike for forty-five minutes, over to Warner Bay, then around Long Point. I made the mistake of riding on some of the back trails which were littered with tree roots. If I go too fast, it shakes the bike, too slow and I practically fall over.  Fortunately, I made it without a mishap and vowed to never ride that trail again. After my ride, I picked up some corn for our dinner and then came straight home.

Trails Around Long Point

Tip Of Long Point

Evie had most of the lawn mowed and worked in her garden. It was surprisingly warm out and she was sitting in the shade still sweating from mowing. She did take time out and made me a veggie wrap for lunch and I watched more of the Olympics. I actually napped because I had another bad sleeping night, getting four and a half hours. I am not sure about my iWatch because checking my sleep app often depresses me. If I didn't realize I wasn't getting enough sleep. I wouldn't know and wouldn't have worried about it. Does that make sense? 

Neither of us did much the rest of the afternoon. I did watch the first half of the Serbia/US game then took a time out to enjoy a glass of wine on the porch before dinner. Dinner was tuna salad and fresh corn on the cob, both perfect for a warm afternoon. We watched the US women's volleyball team beat Brazil in five before going up to bed. 

Cooled By A Southerly Wind On A Overcast Morning

7:12

9:17

The title is a bit long-winded but the breeze is cooling the living room, like an air conditioner and the chimes keep ringing. It's 67º, however, not as cool as yesterday's 59º morning. It's 9:25 and I just returned from breakfast at a busy Lake Life Cafe in Bemus Point. It's a windy morning, too windy to get out there and kayak I am afraid. Maybe a bike ride is in the offing. 

Yesterday was a good day for the most part, as I got in a forty-five-minute paddle before 8:30, then had breakfast and finished the blog. I wanted to do something physical so I left for Lakewood with my bike, parked my car outside Ryders Cup, and rode to the Celeron Hotel and back, an easy forty-five-minute ride, just right. I had coffee with Dave, the "mayor" of Lakewood, then drove to Wegman's because we were having friends over for drinks and appetizers and Evie needed a few things.

Celeron LIghthouse

Lunch was corn chowder and a roast beef sandwich and the Olympics. When I  got tired of TV, I got back to my book, a Spenser novel, the first set in Boston, and napped briefly. The rest of the afternoon I either read or watched the US women defeat Nigeria in a fairly tough basketball game. 

Dahlia In The Morning

Our friends arrived at 6:30 and it was warm enough to sit on the front porch. They are from Hudson and I taught or coached all four of the kids, a couple graduating with Beth or Jill. It was good to see them, catch up on their families, and talk with Katie's daughter, Anna, who will soon be a freshman at Reserve. They filled us in on their amazing family decision to buy 37 acres of land in Costa Rica, including a house and building lots. The four kids plan on building over the next few years, making it a vacation destination or rental spot. It sounds cool and the one house is amazing, isolated but lovely with great views. They left around 8:00, returned to the Atheneum and we spent the next hour watching more of the Olympics, getting our fill before bedtime. 

Gretchen, Anna, And Katie

Parly Cloudy And Cool

7:11

9:05

It's an amazingly cool morning, at 59º, with temperatures in the 70s the rest of the day. What a relief from the hot days of summer the past couple of weeks. It's 9:15 and I paddled for forty-five minutes on a cool, windy morning on the lake. The lake was gleaming, the sky changing, a fine morning for kayaking. 

Kayak Morning

North

Yesterday was different because it rained on and off much of the day. It started with a long paddle, breakfast and then I was off to yoga with Julie at 9:30. five of us tend to be regulars, at least for the last couple of years. When I walked out of class, it was pouring to my surprise. So I drove home in the rain and Evie had been busy and made a peach galette for our dessert. She also made a pot of corn chowder for my lunch along with a veggie wrap, both delicious. I watched some of the Olympics, then read and finished my book, The Highwayman, then downloaded three or four new books to see which one I liked. 

Kinney's Run

It was a good afternoon for a nap, with the rain and cooling temperatures. Around 3:00, I watched some of the women's volleyball against Poland, then some basketball, as the American men defeated Brazil soundly. Around 4:00, I was determined to get some exercise so I walked up the hill via Kinney's Run which was overgrown from lack of traffic. I was out only a half hour but it felt good to do something physical.

6:13 Rainfall

At 5:00, Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters and I finished up watching the basketball game before dinner. Oh, yea, I forgot to mention our excitement at the announcement of the Vice President. Although we like most people knew little about him, after his amazing robust, and exciting acceptance speech, we have even more hope for the future. Dinner was roast beef sandwiches, salad, and peach galette for dessert. We alternated news channels with the Olympics and turned on Fox News for a laugh. They were talking about the economy, never mentioning Tim Walz. Some things never change. Evie went up to bed around 9:30 and I stayed up to watch the American come from behind and win the 1500-meter run. It was exciting because he was the underdog and came from behind.