Sunday Gray And Overcast

Saturday Evening At 6:50

7:48

8:50

I woke at 6:45 to what look likes an overcast morning, with perhaps some rain. Now, however, the sky has some blue and there's some occasional sun on a humid, 64º morning. It's 9:10 and although the sun has come out occasionally, at the moment it's all gray skies. I kayaked for forty-five minutes, on a changing sky, and a quiet lake, only a couple of bass boats and skiers. 

Kayak Morning

Sun Over Bemus Bay

Blue Sky North

Osprey

Saturday was not memorable, especially after our Thursday in Buffalo with our grandson Mitch. I was up early as was Evie and neither of us was in a hurry to start our day. I paddled for over an hour to Tom's Point and we did not get the blog published until almost 10:00. While I was kayaking, Evie had begun watering her garden with water from the lake. Around 10:30, we were both up and ready to get a few things done so the trash was gathered and I was off to the Transfer Station, then stopped at Jeremy's to pick up a dozen ears of corn plus one for seven bucks. We may have then had our first brief shower which seemed to characterize the rest of the day. 

Around 12:30, I had lunch, Evie's homemade soup, and a ham and tomato sandwich. I watched my show, finished my book finally. I guess if you can't wait for your book to end it's not very good.  The afternoon was seemed long for me because I did nothing but read and open and close windows. Rain was predicted on and off all afternoon and would threaten, perhaps rain for five minutes then stop. And it went on like that I assume even during the night although the total rain for the past 24 hours was an eighth of an inch. Evie, like me, wasted the afternoon although it felt good to her just doing nothing,

4:28

6:51

We had our usual wine time at 5:00 and by 6:30, we enjoyed dinner, more soup, and scrumptious BLT's with thick bacon and beefsteak tomatoes. Yum. We are still struggling to find a series we like and started a new one on AppleTV, Bad Monkey, but had enough after ten minutes. We ended up watching a British series called The Split, recommended by my sister Ellen, and stuck with it. We watched part of it a few months ago. Anyway, we ended the night with a Colbert before going up to bed. 

Daily Dahlia

Gray Skies But No Rain Insight

Coneflower

Rose

7:07

It's 7:54 and we are both up, finishing our first cup of coffee on a humid 68º morning. The lake is fairly quiet for a Saturday morning in August although a skier just passed by. It's later than usual, 9:45 because I was out for over an hour, across to Tom's Point and Bemus and back. And I am enjoying my breakfast, the peach/blueberry crisp with a scoop of ice cream.

Kayak Morning

Towards Tom's Point

Tom's Point And Bemus Bridge

Northern Sky

Heron And Wood Duck

Osprey

Yesterday was supposed to be a relaxing day after a couple of 'wild' nights and days for us. So I had no plans to go to yoga and just wanted to get in a good paddle which I did. So after coffee the blog and the paddle, Evie asked if I would help her in the garden and yard, and I said I would "love to." Evie was busy as well, mowing and working in the garden. I trimmed around all the garden and bushes, then cleaned the weeds off our brick walk with a weed wacker, which is much easier than taking out one weed at a time. Once I was done with that, I pulled weeds around our trees, overgrown with grass and weeds. And that took me to lunchtime, although I am not sure how. 

Dahlia

Dahlias

Lunch was the best, the beefsteak tomatoes from the Randolph market on sourdough bread with mayo and salt and pepper. Yum. I continued to watch my series, Justified, a decent not great series although I have stuck with it now for a couple of weeks. I was looking forward to my nap, with windows open and a nice breeze. I fell asleep reading as usual. I was up by 2:30 and along with Evie, read on the front porch, happy to have the lawn and garden looking great. We enjoyed a happy hour until 7:00 when we had dinner, the leftover stuffed eggplant and for dessert, a peach/blueberry crisp that Evie made in the afternoon. Topped with a ice cream, it's heaven. We watched Colbert and the news, CNN usually, with a few minutes of Fox for a laugh before going up to bed. Another good day. 

Jerusalem Artichokes

A Day In Full

At A Ceramic Architectural Workshop With Our Grandson, Mitchell

7:05

8:57

A sunny morning, again, and it is warming up, 62º out there. At 7:30, we are both up, enjoying our coffee, on our devices, and thinking about what the day will bring. It's 9:35, and I paddled for forty-five minutes, my usual, along Woodlawn, over to Long Point and back. 

Kayak Morning

Bemus Bay

Osprey

Great Blue Heron Above Victoria

Yesterday was a full day, starting with breakfast in Bemus Point with my friends. I skipped kayaking because we were driving to Buffalo, leaving at 10:00, because our grandson son Mitchell was part of a group of engineers and architects from all over the world who were participating in an Architectural Ceramic Workshop Showcase at the University Of Buffalo. 

For the past four days, eight teams developed a product, using ceramics, that might be used on the veneer of a building. The event has taken place for the past 10 years and is sponsored by Boston Valley Terracotta. Mitch's team was made up of Arup employees, two from London, two from Toronto, and Mitch from Los Angeles. Each team showcased their product yesterday, starting at noon and there were ten teams. We sat through the first four then decided to head home. Mitch's team was first and they showcased a veneer for a building using ceramics of different colors and textures. 

Mitch Explaining Their Project

Arup's Team Leader From London

Arup's Engineers/Architects 

Three spoke about the process and Mitch was one of the three and he was the most articulate and clear of the three, of course. We were impressed by each team, their knowledge, ability to explain their process and reasoning. Terra Cotta is used because it has low heat retention, is long-lasting, has interesting textures and plays of light. After the four showcases, there was a break and we were able to meet Mitch's team, take photos, and talk about their project. Mitch, a potter at heart, was really excited about it because it had some of the qualities of pottery and three of the team also were potters. We reluctantly said our good byes around 3:00 and headed home.

Selfie With Mitch's Team

The Team And Their Project

We were unsure as to our drive home because on our way to Buffalo, the traffic heading west  was backed up for miles because of narrowing down to one lane. So we made the decision to drive on back roads even though it might add a half hour or more on our drive. We got off at RT 219 and headed south, eventually approaching East Otto. 

In The Middle Of Nowhere, NY

I had read about a fairly new bar in East Otto called the Boar Valley Tavern and since we had not eaten lunch, we took a back road and found it. We were greeted by four bikers leaving the tavern and a parking lot full of pickup trucks and it was 4:00 in the afternoon. 

Notice The Wallace For President Sign Lower Right

We ventured in, past four bearded guys sitting outside drinking and luckily found two seats at the bar. The bartenders were women and friendly. It was wing night or afternoon so we ordered a basket along with beers. We felt comfortable and talked with a couple at the bar because the guy was wearing a FloraBama tee shirt, a bar and music venue we loved just on the Alabama/Florida border. 

Good Times At Zoar Valley Tavern

After finishing our wings and beer, we headed home through lush, green fields, stopping finally on #394 in Randolph at their market. I ordered a chocolate shake for dessert and Evie bought a melon and beefsteak tomatoes. 

Western New York's Beauty

We didn't get home until around 6:30, having driven close to 200 miles. It was worth it. We relaxed on the front porch and I was really tired from the drive and was happy to just relax and read. Around 7:30, we watched some TV and I had a snack, half of the leftover Reuben sandwich from 2 Ginger's Inn. We watched the news on CNN and went to bed early, whooped from our full day. 

Morning Fog

7:02

9:07

I woke just before 7:00 to fog so heavy I could not see beyond the dock. Now at 7:40, it's hazy, the sun is out and I can see across to Long Point and beyond. It's 9:30 and I just returned from breakfast in Bemus in a busy cafe. At 10:00, we are off to see our grandson Mitchell. He has been at a ceramic workshop with other architects from around the United States. Various teams work together on a project and their projects will be presented today. 

Yesterday was a good day despite a sore back. I was up early and got in a half-hour paddle, photographed a couple of ospreys before breakfast, and the blog. Evie had a doctor's appointment in Jamestown at 9:45 did some shopping afterward, and did not get home until noon. I decided to do something different so I drove to Chautauqua Shores, then rode my bike to the Chautauqua Institution gate, got a library pass, went in and sat outside the Amphitheater and listened to a lecture on how various plastics are ruining our environment, lives, as well as the ocean. I soon got bored and decided to ride my bike around the CI and it was a good choice because few people were out walking and it was a beautiful morning for a ride. It takes only 20 minutes or so and then I bought a coffee, sat outside the library and people watched until 11:45 when I rode back to my car and drove home. It was a nice change from either yoga or a bike ride in the woods. 

CI Youth Sailing Club

Thunder Bridge

Evie was home when I returned and offered to make me a couple of ham sandwiches for lunch. Yum. I watched another episode of Justified then returned to my book and briefly napped. The afternoon was one of leisure for both of us after a busy morning and we both spent time out on the dock enjoying the sun and breeze. By 6:00, I had convinced Evie to go out to dinner at a new bar called 2 Gingers on 2nd Street, near Jamestown  Community College. Formerly, it was a grocery store in the 1980s, then the College Inn and most recently Coach's Corner until Covid. Now it's a neat updated but tiny Irish Pub and has been open for just a year. We were a little surprised when we walked because it was empty except for a welcoming bartender. 

A Great Evening With Matt At 2 Gingers Inn

We were the only ones there except for one customer who came in, had a quick beer, and left. So we spent the next hour and a half, with a very talkative bartender and enjoying our dinners, Reubens and potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce. We ended up talking about our lives and the bartender and found him to be thoughtful and interesting, just the kind of guy we like and why we often enjoy sitting at a bar. He knew Jamestown pretty well and we talked about old bars like Mojo's and bands like Smackdab. He's lived mostly in Jamestown although he lived briefly in California. I assume he's single because hedid not mention a family. Anyway, it was an interesting night and we got home at 8:30. We then watched a Colbert and CNN before bed. It turned out to be another good day. 

Shades Of Gray In The Morning

8:09

7:05

It's 7:53 and the sun just popped out above the grayness on a 58º morning. Evie's up early because she has an appointment in Jamestown at 9:45. It's 9:15 and I was out for a half and good shots of both a heron and osprey, making my morning. 

Kayak Morning

Northern Sky

Osprey

Heron

Yesterday was not the best of days. I did get in a decent paddle but short because I had yoga at 9:30. I finished the blog, had breakfast, and was on my way at 9:10 for a 9:30 class. We began class with an easy pose, lying supine with a cushion pushed up against my lower back. I have done this hundreds of times . This time, however, my back cramped or tightened and I could hardly stand up. I did a few poses, trying to loosen the tightness to no avail so I packed it up and left class early. It was better when I stood and I had no problem driving home. So that more or less ruined my day. 

Evie left for a blood test and shopping just after I returned home, around 11:15 and I just relaxed on the couch, with a heating pad, and read until lunchtime. Lunch was the leftover mac n cheese and Evie made me a western omelet, with the leftover hamburger and put it on a brioche bun. Yum. I watched the last of the Olympics before erasing some 45 episodes saved on our TV. I went upstairs and read, napped on my bed, and woke feeling better. 

Because of my back, I took it easy and Evie suggested I take some advil every six hours which I did. She came home around 3:00, with groceries and some goodies from TJ's. Once everything was put away, Evie roasted some eggplant in the oven and made a delicious lamb, onion, tomato, and eggplant filling for our dinner, a Turkish dish called Karniyarik. We sometimes make it without lamb called Imam Bayildi, the Imam fainted. Around 3:00, our neighbor Pat and her Westie came over and she and Evie spent a good hour on the front porch catching up. 

Ollie, A Westie

At 5:00, Evie had a Zoom call with her sisters, and afterward, Evie put the stuffed eggplant together and let it simmer in a large pan until it was time to eat. We loved it, along with a salad and still have three left for tonight's dinner unless I have it for lunch. We were at a loss as to what to watch so we ended up switching channels, watching a few minutes of a series but ended up with Colbert who interviewed Caitlin Collins from CNN.