Chautauqua Weather Returns: Chilly, Windy, and Overcast

Kayak Woman

6:25

6:25

I am up at 6:20, to the wailing of a north wind through the trees, a chilly morning, as I sit in my fleece, even sweat pants,  hugging my knees on the front porch, to keep warm.  The lake is choppy, flags flying wildly, no boats out, and a very Fall like morning of 57º.  I love it.

Yesterday was cabbage roll day!  I went off to Topp's and the Lighthouse  around 9:30 to pick up the ingredients for my mother in law, Dot's cabbage rolls.  Two springs ago, we were in Scottsdale and Evie and I helped her make her cabbage rolls, as I wrote down her method carefully on my computer. So I called up the recipe and while I shopped, Evie made the tomato sauce, boiled the cabbage so when I returned, all she had to do was mix the beef/pork mixture with rice, parsley, eggs and salt and pepper. Then, the two of us put together forty rolls, wrapping the meat mixture in a packet of cabbage leaves.  It went quickly with two of us, about 15 minutes.  Evie then layered the rolls with sauerkraut, poured the tomato sauce over them, and baked them for close to two hours, filling the kitchen with wonderful smells.  I cannot wait to enjoy them on a cool day in August with our kids.  We sat with the Leonard's, mentioned the cabbage rolls, and Bill reminisced about the good old day when he had them.  So, Evie took them over a few to have for their lunch.

Cabbage Rolls, Yum

Before the shopping and cabbage rolls, we went kayaking on another amazingly quiet lake, a bit overcast though the sun would occasionally peak through the clouds.  We went off towards Whitney Bay this time, down beyond the campground as far as the two new Mc Mansions and back. We both commented on how the weeds seem so much better this year, perhaps because of the rain and higher water level, or the fact that it just may be seasonal, some years better than others.

I cannot even remember what we did yesterday afternoon, as one blends into another.  I know I am finally reading a book I like, Kate Atkinson's LIFE AFTER LIFE.  What a pleasure it is to be reading a book you really enjoy.  I started two recently, read perhaps a hundred pages of each before putting them down with disgust.  Not so with LIFE AFTER LIFE, which I immediately got into though I must admit to being unsure about the early deaths of a couple of characters, who seem to reappear later in the novel. Perhaps I misread or she's playing tricks with her readers.  It begins in 1930, jumps back to 1910, then moves into the 1930's and 1940's, following a fairly well off British family, their daughter Ursula in particular.

I know I gassed up the boat late afternoon, getting it ready for the weekend, cut some weeds with Evie before the rains came about 5:30.  We sat on our front porch, enjoying the down pour with horseradish cheese and crackers, as it rained on and off the rest of the night, a thir of an inch as of this morning.  

For dinner, we had club sandwiches, with chicken, bacon, and tomatoes, a salad and watched a few more episodes of Nurse Jackie, as she continues her downward spiral into lies and drugs.  It reminded us both of Walt's situation from Breaking Bad, where one bad decision leads to another, to more lies, to more danger. as each episode leads the main protagonist deeper and deeper into despair.  We sit on the edge of our couches, anxiously waiting for the bottom to fall out, the drug use discovered, the lies brought light.  It's also interesting that both have families which they love but their addiction trumps all, especially in Jackie's case.

An Overcast and Wet Tuesday Morning

Kayak Man

6:20

Well, it's almost 7:00 and I have been up for an hour, watching the sun peak, occasionally, through the heavy clouds.  It rained a half an inch last night, the second rain like this in a week,  great for Evie's garden, in fact, all our plants and shrubs.  They have never looker greener, healthier.  It's tempting to go kayaking right now, with a streak of light over the Bemus shore, clouds above, and a gray and pink lake, silent and not a boat in sight.

We did go out early, for a kayak ride, yesterday morning, to Long Point, the Marina, and back to Wells Bay and home.  The lake, at least for this time of the year, seems quiet, without the kind of traffic we are used to during the summer months.  I am not complaining mind you, but it is strange...are all the visitors waiting for August?  At 9:15, I left for yoga with Danielle, leaving Evie in the kitchen, roasting a brisket.  Yoga was not overly crowded, one guy, the usual ladies, and we worked on chest openings quite a bit.  I do know that there is a constant though not unpleasant soreness in my body, a result I suppose from yoga stretches.  When I returned home, Evie had put together the lasagne's, baked and wrapped them, and put them in the freezer.  And just as a lark, she also made a banana bread from a recipe she had recently come across.

Two Lasagna's Ready to Freeze

Banana Bread

During the afternoon, because rain was predicted, Evie cut the lawn, making it just in time, on a very humid and warm afternoon.  I tried to nap but couldn't,  so I decided to scrape the boards on our front steps, which were peeling, and paint them.  Of course, we could not find the paint we needed; it was not in the back closet where we both know we had seen it.  So I want off to Sherwin Williams, to buy a gallon (this particular paint only comes in a gallon), and with 40% off, it still cost me over forty bucks, a deal I guess.  When I got home, Evie had found the paint, in the garage, where she had put it earlier in the summer. That's what comes of cleaning out cupboards, closets, and reorganizing!  But the new paint was perfect, thick, covered well, with a primer, well worth the money.

Regatta?

For dinner, I had read about a grilled Sicilian chicken, so earlier in the day, we had made up a marinade of lemon, herbs, olive oil and parsley, put the whole chicken in a plastic bag and let it sit in the refrigerator till 5:00.  I put it on the grill, in an aluminum pan, with potatoes, but the breast skin stuck to the bottom when I turned it and it did not brown the way I would have liked.  My quest to make a good chicken continues.  The chicken was juicy though somewhat bland, despite the herbs, salt and pepper. The upside of the meal, we had the best corn of the year, perhaps because we used Evie's herbed butter on it.  It was like eating candy on a stick

We watched Sunday night's episode of The Killing and it was riveting.  Linden and Holder are so good, the show so well done that we laugh when we watch The Newsroom, which seems infantile and derivative in contrast.  Their relationship, understated and intense, rarely goes beyond professionalism though Holder, in a moment of despair, tries to kiss Holder, which she rebuffs.  We know there's chemistry but both are wary of relationships, especially one which might endanger their friendship.  It makes the series so compelling as well as the fact that we still are not sure who the killer is, with two episodes to go.  Who do you think did it Pat? The Mom's boy friend? The young kid?  We think it's a cop, Holder's former partner.

Mist Rising Along Long Point

6:20

6:30

Both Evie and I are up at 6:15, a brilliant, blinding sunrise for a few minutes before the clouds shroud  the light  No boats, only a few kayaks, paddle through the mist rising from the lake, a first for quite awhile, as the temperature has dropped this morning to 60º, a fleece like morning on the porch.

Sand Castle at Sports Men Club at Wells Bay

Yesterday was Day 2 in food prep for the kids arrival on Friday.  We did, however, get a great kayak ride in early morning, out to Tom's Point, with the music from Praise on the Lake, a morning religious service at the Italian Fisherman, occasionally wafting our way over the water.  Only a couple of ski boats were up early with us, so it was a lonely paddle along the shoreline, as neighbors were starting to wake up, gather on their porches for coffee.

When we got back, Evie began her cooking, putting a brisket in the oven for a few hours. Then, she made up hankie pankies, froze them, ready for easy appetizers.  She also put together the lasagna sauce,  for two lasagna, and made up some herb butter, for our corn.  Late afternoon, she went shopping at Wegman's, her last I hope for awhile, as my checking account is in danger of bankruptcy.  When she got home, I helped bring in the groceries, a couple of the bags so heavy I could hardly carry them, making me wonder how Evie put them in the car.  By the way, she already has a pork shoulder in the oven this morning, for making pulled pork barbecue.  What a woman!

While Evie shopped, I watched Phil Mickleson win the British Open, with an amazing last six holes, four for birdies, to win.  It's interesting that his early round was hardly covered because he was not one of the leaders until maybe the 13th hole, when he suddenly was in second place.  They continue to follow Tiger, hoping he may get his game back together.

Before our dinner,  I sliced the brisket, Evie put gravy over it, and she froze it.  It looked too good to freeze though I will have to content myself with a few bits of meat while carving.  We had spaghetti, left over and frozen from last week, with eggplant, mushrooms, and meatballs.  I made too many noodles as usual, so it was more noodles than sauce.  When will I ever learn that less noodles always is better.  The flip side, I now have a couple of easy lunches, the leftover spaghetti.  By the way, when I was growing up, we always called it spaghetti; somewhere along the way it became pasta and  I wonder why?  Is there a difference between spaghetti and pasta or are they the same thing?

Kayaking as the Fog Rises

We watched a couple of more episodes of The Newsroom and I still am not taken with it, especially the silly coincidences, the romantic relationships, the glances and looks, the corniness of it all.  I am surprised that Aaron Sorkin has written it and cannot see its smaltz.  I am ready to jettison it and look for something else to watch.

A Welcome Cool On An Overcast Sunday

6:25

A Fishing Morning

I woke to filtered light, through our bedroom shades, was surprised to see it was on 6:15.  It was a quiet lake but now, a half hour later, ski boats and jet skis have gone by, so people are up and ready for the day.  Nevertheless, the lake still seems quiet and empty for a day in later July.  It 66º, the coolest it's been in at least a week and feels delicious.

Yesterday morning we got quite a bit of rain so I decided to go to yoga, to begin my day.  There were five of us, a good class for once with Chris, as we did a variety of poses, both standing and lying down, on both our back and stomach, so I felt good when I left.  He read from a book by called The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with translations and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, not your common name. For many yogis, this book is like their Bible.  His mantra, in a few words, 'Just do good and be good.' Chris read about the four pillars from the first Sutra, Friendship, Compassion, Delight and Disregard, and went on to explain them.  I found it interesting enough to order the book and I now have it on my Kindle.  Let's see how much of it I read.

After yoga, I got my coffee from Ryder's for the first time in a week, came home, gathered all the trash and headed to a busy Transfer Station.  It always feels good to dispose of the weeks trash, to come up with an empty garbage can.  Today was the beginning of Evie's preparing meals for the family arrivals, next Friday.  While I shopped at Topps and the Lighthouse, she defrosted both our freezer and small refrigerator, getting them ready for next few weeks.  When I got home, with groceries, five pounds of ground chuck, a five pound brisket, and two pounds of meatloaf mix, she began making sloppy joes for lunches, as well as hanky pankies, lasagna, and vegetable soup, all to freeze and bring out when everyone arrives. Making three meals a day for two weeks becomes a lot easier when you can pull something our of the freezer for lunches or dinners.

Rain Filled Hostas

It cleared up in the afternoon, so we could enjoy the outdoors, getting some sun, kayaking, cutting some weeds, and swimming.  It was quite warm in the sun, humid as well from the rain, but it was fine in the water.  At 5:15, we went to the Woodlawn picnic, in the Scholtz and Miller yards.  We were the first ones to arrive, and we all wondered if anyone else was coming.   Finally, we had about 15 neighbors gather, to share appetizers, have a drink, and catch up.  We stayed only an hour, as did most. Though sparsely attended, it's still fun to get together.

Ladies of Woodlawn

The Guys Gather at Woodlawn Picnic

We were full enough after the gathering, so Evie boiled a few Slovenia sausages, and that was our dinner.    It was a pleasant night, so we sat on the porch and enjoyed the early evening with a beer before eating dinner.  I love porches, as do most of us along Woodlawn, where they, the porches, are always filled with people in the summer months.  Porches are the best, however, when it rains and you are dry and cosy under the roof.  We watched a few more episodes of Nurse Jackie, read some, and went to be around 11:00.

Rain, A Cooling Breeze On An Early Saturday Morning

My View From Our Porch, 5:55 This Morning

Evie Heads to Long Point

Up at 5:30, to lightning, some thunder and rain.  I quickly came downstairs, put on the coffee, got my computer and went out side to sit on my front porch.  The house is quite stuffy so I opened most of the windows, sot this lovely breeze could cool it some.  It's now 6:30 and the rain has continued since I woke up, great for Evie's garden, a relief from the heat of the past five days.

Yesterday was perhaps the most unpleasant day of the week, sickeningly humid and warm, so that it was not much fun to seat outside unless you were in the shade and there was a breeze.  So, we stayed in the house or out on the front porch a good part of the day. Early morning, however, Evie went kayaking in and despite the heat, i decided to go to yoga for some reason, mostly to support the new yoga teacher.   It was a good class, just four of us though, and I felt energized after class, something I really needed in this weather.  After yoga, I returned a couple of books at the Lakewood library, picked up the newest Kate Atkinson and Khaled Hosseini books, a surprise to see them still on the new book shelf.  I am having a hard time finding something to read that I like, as I have started on two books the last couple of days and have not much liked either one of them.

We got tired of sitting inside so around 4:00, we decided to cut some weeds, keeping cool by dipping in the water.  It was still quite warm, even when wet, as the lake has warmed up in the last week.  We worked for about and hour before coming in and getting ready to go out to dinner, to Taco Hut, in downtown Jamestown with the Mc Clures.

Enjoying The Evening

Mc Clure's Rockin Out

We have come to enjoy Taco Hut, with Dos Equis on tap, fairly typical but tasty Mexican fare, especially the Mexican portabello pizza, which Evie and Linda ordered.  The main reason for our meal downtown was the free concert on the Jamestown Ice Arena Plaza by a band we have liked called Smackdab.  The band played from 7:00 to 9:00 and we got there around 7:30 and stayed till the very end, enjoying the music and people watching.  It's both an energizing and depressing experience, energizing because Jamestown is attempting to resurrect it's downtown with events like this, depressing because the audience is mostly made up of the residents of downtown Jamestown, many 'beaten down by life,' but happy to be out in the plaza on a warm night, enjoying the music.  Some were probably dependent on some kind of assistance, many elderly residents of the old Jamestown Hotel.  Both young and old, however, enjoyed themselves as the band rocked, kids danced barefoot, adults pranced and preened.  It was quite an evening, a perfect venue for taking photos of the spectators enjoying themselves.

Lovin It

Retro Lady

Hangin Out

Lady in Orange

Downtowners Rockin Out

Dancing The Night Away

We walked back to our car around 9:00 and were home by 9:30, after a fun evening 'on the town.' It feels good to go downtown and become part of the city for a couple of hours, to see how differently people live from our privileged existence.  We are indeed fortunate, especially to live on the lake.

I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt

Already An Uncomfortably Warm Morning (Strong Winds Late in Day)

6:10

Rich and Linda Holzheimer

Well, it's been a warm morning, the warmest so far, as it was 74º inside when I got up, 75º outside.  At the moment, it sunny with some haze but late in the day, they expect winds to pick up and storms may come in.

Yesterday was a wasted day for me, as I spent a good part of it in Erie, getting my car fixed.  The bright side, it was all under warranty despite the car being 13 years old.  We started the day with a great breakfast with Linda and Rich, pea meal bacon from the Lighthouse, fried eggs, and everything bagels from Wegman's.  It was nice enough to eat outside, so all our meals the past couple of days have been al fresco despite the heat.  They left for Euclid, a two hour ride, about 10:30 and, unfortunately, the drive took three hours because of construction on Interstate # 90 in Ohio.   Not a fun way to end a brief trip.  Nonetheless, it was a busy but fun couple of days, making us wonder why we don't do it more often.  They will stop here in a couple of weeks, when our kids are here, after a weekend in Saratoga Springs.

A Breakfast of Bagels and Pea Meal Bacon

We did some cleaning up after they left, but I had to leave for Erie by noon.  I waited over an hour for my car, stopped at Wegman's, got gas for my car and boat, and was home at 3:30, to a hot, humid afternoon on the lake.  Amazingly, Evie has just finished cutting the lawn in the heat and she was ready to jump in the lake to cool off.  I decided to go kayaking, to cool off, so I went down to the reeds, anchored my kayak, and fished in the water, as I walked among the sand and rocks, in water up to my chest, keeping me cool and refreshed.  I caught a couple of perch, but it was a good way to spend an hour on a hot day.  When I returned to the dock, Evie had just thrown a two and a half pound bass back into the lake, her biggest catch of the summer.  And I was not there to get a picture.

Bye Bye Chautauqua

It was surprisingly pleasant out on the dock, despite the sun and heat, so we sat out till 6:00, fishing and having a beer, jumping into the water when we got too hot.  We had dinner around 7:00, as I grilled a couple of burgers outside and Evie made a salad, a simple dinner after two days of feasting with my sister and brother in law.  It always feels good to eat simply after company, as if you are making up for all the eating and drinking from the past couple of days.  We watched The Daily Show and Colbert, then a couple of episodes of Nurse Jackie, the second season.  It does not seem as good as the first season so far.  And the first season ended with her overdosing, perhaps trying to commit suicide or so we thought and there is no mention of this in the new season, not even an allusion to it.  Strange.

Morning Haze and Heat Redux

6:10

Another close morning, as the humidity and haze are apparent even this early, at 5:50.  It's warmer this morning, 72º and the expected high is 84º.  The sun has already risen as  I write this, high in the sky and I am beginning to feel it's warmth on the porch.  Ugh!  This is not my kind of weather...give me a cold, snowy winter morning.

Belgium Waffles and Dale's Maple Syrup

Yesterday, despite the heat and a high of 89º, was a fun day with Linda and Rich.  It began with an Evie specialty, Belgium waffles with pearl sugar, tiny bebe sized globes of sugar.  She made the batter the night before, with yeast, to let it rise.  We sat outside, around 9:30, for the waffles, with bits of sugar in the waffle, and maple syrup made by my good friends, Dale Conly and Mac, who live in New Hampshire.  Before our trip annual trip to Wegman's, I wanted to work up a sweat, with a quick kayak paddle to Long Point and back.  On the way back, I was stopped by the Sheriff for not having a life jacket.  What an irony.  They are rarely if ever on the lake, seem to do nothing positive or helpful, but stop me on a Wednesday morning for not having a life jacket.  Well, I apologized, said I always wear one, which I do, and started paddling home to get it before they could decide whether to give me a ticket.  So, I guess I will wear my jacket, knowing the fuzz are on alert on the lake, keeping it safe from law breakers like me.

The Wegman's Jam Man and Admirer

We went to Wegman's mostly because my brother in law picks up Wegman's famous jam for his kids in Euclid.  He literally cleaned off the shelf, getting lots of looks from customers and the cashier.  We also made a quick stop at Evans for libations.  We also decided to pick up some ground chuck, corn, and pea meal bacon at the Lighthouse, so we would not have to go out later.  Back home by 1:00, so Evie grilled some Sahlen hot dogs, and along with some barbecued beans, we had lunch, out side again in the shade of the trees.

Linda and Rich Crusin'

After a two hour hiatus during a warm afternoon(the thermometer reached 89º), of reading and napping, all of us went  out on the dock for a refreshing swim and, fortunately, the water was great, clear and cold, unlike the day before.  Because it was so pleasant in the water, I dunked both of my kayaks, cleaning them both inside and out.  All of us really enjoyed swimming and sitting on the dock but around 5:30, we piled in the boat and took another cruise up the lake, to the Chautauqua Institute, to view the Purell House which, unfortunately, was hidden by trees.  We then went over to the Viking Club, parked our boat, and showed Linda and Rich around ' our other club.'  I bought a pitcher of Labatts and we sat out side at a picnic table, enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Enjoying A Beer At The Viking Club

We were home by 7:30 and my sister Linda had made, earlier in the day, one of our favorite shrimp dishes, Asian shrimp, cooked shrimp in a sauce of mayo, sliced red onions, and lemon juice.  The shrimp is best if drenched in mayo, onions and lemon juice.  It is amazingly good, something our family has been making for, dare I say it, 35 years.  Around 8:00, I grilled some burgers and Evie cooked some local corn and about 8:30, we sat outside at dusk, enjoying our dinner.  It was perfect night to sit outside, the burgers and corn were great, and we ended the day with a fudgesicle, taking all of us back to our childhood.  What a great day.

Late Dinner At Fresco