Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Recent Adventures
I’ve had some interesting adventures in the past week or so. One adventure took me by surprise and I learned about something I was totally unaware, while another adventure introduced me to a haunted mansion and delicious new wines, and yet another resulted in a peaceful outing, a great meal, and some lovely “finds”. All were interesting, fun, and left me with mementos of the experiences – in one form or another.
I’ll start with the first and, frankly, most memorable of the adventures. A few weeks ago I was checking out the website for a local winery I had heard a lot about – Leonard Oakes Estate Winery – I tasted some of their wines at the Lawn and Garden Show at the Fair Grounds this summer and really liked them. Their home page had an advertisement for an event they were having on September 1st – a Steampunk Festival. The poster listed features such as jewelry and craft vendors, live music, food trucks, and some odd, but fun, sounding competitions and games. I thought the name of the festival was odd, but it sounded interesting and a great way to check out the winery. So, on the first, I decided to pop in and wander around to see what it was all about. Well…….I quickly realized I had no idea what I was getting myself into! The people attending the festival were dressed in costumes – sort of like the old west or old England with a fantasy twist – top hats, faerie wings, pub wench outfits, Lewis and Clark type explorer garb, goggles, etc. And LOTS of big beards, artistic goatees, and handle bar mustaches!!! LOTS – even some of the women had them! I wondered what alternate universe I had stepped into! I wandered around and listened to the band play – they were very good, by the way – but, I felt about as out-of-place as a virgin in a whorehouse and I felt like everyone else was gawking at me more than I was gawking at them! haha So, I didn’t stay long. I realized that the term “Steampunk” must have had some specific meaning. Since I have never heard of it before, I did what I should have done before I went —- I googled it!!! Apparently, it is a futuristic/fantasy genre that became popular in the 80’s and 90’s and is still growing. The more I read about it, I realized I’ve seen previews of several movies with this type of theme – old steamer ships flying through the air with people dressed in old English attire – not generally my taste in films, but I know they were hugely popular. The Batavia Daily News Online did a story on the festival a few days later and one of the quotes was “Its the Victorian Era meets the future.” I guess that sums it up! I did enjoy wandering through the festival – even though I was definitely the odd duck there – and I was happy to experience and learn about something new. The following photos are: The event poster, a photo I found online that shows the typical Steampunk costume, and three photos that were included in the Batavia Daily News Online article – I didn’t take any photos, myself — I didn’t want to look any more out-of-place than I already felt – the odd duck taking pictures of the locals! {smile}
Leonard Oakes Estate Winery is just up the Ridge from here a little way — maybe 15 minutes or so from my house. So, I wasn’t too far away when I left. It was still early and it was a glorious evening – warm and sunny, so I had the top down on the pony. I decided to take a leisurely drive north through Lyndonville and pick up Route 18 to Point Breeze to watch the sun set over the lake. And what a gorgeous sunset it was — an amazing ending to the day! I sat there watching people fishing and the boats coming in and just enjoying the incredible sun set! What a treat!
My next adventure was yesterday and involved another local winery. One of the items on my “places to go and things to do” list was to visit The Winery at Marjim Manor. Marjim Manor is a historic home that has been a residence, a farm, a retreat and camp run by nuns, and now a winery, as well as the owner’s current residence. It is also famous for the spirits that reside there — and I don’t mean the wine! The house is haunted! It has been featured on the TV series Ghost Hunters and Most Terrifying Places in America, seen on the Travel Channel. Here is a short clip from Youtube and the photo I took of the front of the house while I was there.
So, I got up yesterday morning and decided to take a road trip to visit Marjim Manor, which is about a 45 minute drive from here. I also decided that, since I would be so close to Olcott Beach, my trip would include shopping on the boardwalk at Olcott. It was a dreary day, but I didn’t care – I would make my own sunshine, take an umbrella, and hope that it would clear up as the day progressed. Well……I got about 15 minutes or so down Route 18 and the wind started kicking up BAD and the rain turned into a driving rain that made it difficult to drive! I considered turning around and heading back home, but – you know me – I was determined, so I kept driving. The weather got scary – there were trees and limbs down, lots of debris in the road, and the wind had taken someone’s large trampoline and threw it against a telephone pole – I saw it wrapped around the pole a ways down the road from the nearest house! Just past where you would turn south to go to Lyndonville, there were firemen, police, and a bucket loader clearing a large tree and associated debris from the road. But, I kept going — I was sure it would clear up and all would be fine. I was right! By the time I reached Marjim Manor, the sun was peeking out and it had stopped raining. I went in and purchased the $5 tasting package – taste 4 wines, a keepsake wine glass, and 10% off any purchase. I listened intently as the fun and knowledgeable staff described each of their featured wines. I picked two that peaked my interest to taste and then asked the staff for two other recommendations. I thoroughly enjoyed all four wines I tasted and wished I could have tasted them all. I purchased three bottles – a sweet white wine called One Hundred Windows (named for the 100 windows in the house) , a medium red wine (with a blush color) called Spring Lake Stuben, and a red wine called A Gift From The Vine – all award-winning wines with amazing flavors. I also purchased tickets to an upcoming Ghost Hunt event being held at the manor in October. I hope to take my brother and his wife for my brother’s birthday — should be fun!
I left Marjim Manor and headed to Olcott Beach. Unfortunately, only one shop was open – I thought it was due to the weather, but later discovered it was because I was too early – the shoppes don’t open until noon. It was a little chilly and very damp, so I looked through the one shop, found a couple nice pins, and headed back home. I got home in time to whip up a batch of baked macaroni and cheese to take to the pot luck family dinner at the church to wrap up the day. Here are a couple of photos I took at Olcott showing how rough the lake was and how dark and damp the day was. But, I still enjoyed myself – it was a great day – I discovered a unique winery, tasted some amazing wines, and it is always a great pleasure to be near the lake, no matter what the weather is!
So, that brings us to today — the third of the big adventures! I got up and went to church – it was a lovely service – we had a farewell reception for a gentleman who has been a life long member of our church for almost 93 years and is moving away to be near his children. It was also the first day of Sunday School – the adult class I joined is reading and discussing 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. After church, I decided to go back to Olcott Beach to finish the shopping I had planned to do yesterday, but the weather kinda put a wrench in that plan. Today was a much nicer day! The warm sun mixed perfectly with the cool breeze coming off the lake. The lake was calm and the sky was beautiful! And the shoppes were all open!!! I strolled through the shoppes and found a gorgeous handmade necklace and earring set from VacantiArts and a pretty stone ring at another shop. I sat on the boardwalk looking out onto the lake and watching the boats for a while – just loving being near the water. Then, I went to Mariner’s Landing for a late lunch/early dinner. I had a shrimp cocktail, which was perfect – the shrimp were huge and plump and delicious! I also had a very nice salad and they brought me a small loaf of fresh, hot bread that was so dense and yeasty – YUM! For my entrée I chose the broiled scallops with mashed potatoes. If a chef is not careful, they can ruin scallops in a split second — just a hair too long on the heat and they can be rubbery and chewy! These were done to perfection — amazing and scrumptious!!! I strolled around a little longer and then headed back home, where I curled up with the girls for a little nap! Another absolutely perfect day! Here are some photos I took today to show the contrast of the two days – what a difference a day makes!
Next adventure on the horizon — this Tuesday I will be headed to Letchworth State Park to have lunch at the Glen Iris Inn with some ladies from the church. I can’t wait — I plan to go early so that I can explore a little and take in the beautiful Genessee River Gorge and maybe wander through the museum after lunch. I’ll write all about my experience afterwards – stay tuned!
Laugh Out Loud Funny!
OK, so yesterday morning I was going about my business of getting myself ready for the day. You know, making the bed, brushing my teeth, putting clothes in the laundry, going from room to room upstairs doing all the morning ritual things I do every day……..including laying out the clothes I planned to wear on the bed so they were ready for me when I got out of the shower. Most of the time I come out of the shower and my clothes are right where I left them, neatly folded and ready to put on. Sometimes, however, they are fluffed up and turned into a pillow for Megan to enjoy. Well, this morning, I returned to the bedroom to find one of the funniest sights I’ve seen in a long time……..so funny, I laughed out loud so hard I had to sit down to compose myself!!!
Picture it……..Megan is sitting in the middle of the bed looking all innocent and sweet……….with my underwear on her head!!! The waistband was draped around her shoulders, her head was sticking out one of the leg holes, and the…..well, shall we just say the center piece between the leg holes……was positioned neatly across the top of her head!!! And she was just sitting there all prim and proper looking at me like there was nothing at all unusual going on!
When I saw her, I cracked up, bent over and slapped my knees, and sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed so I could continue laughing without falling over onto the floor in hysterics!!! Megan, always the character, knew I was laughing at her, so she went into full performance mode wiggling and rolling around on the bed all excited and eager to please her audience…….she pulled at her costume until she had one of her front legs caught in the same leg hole her head was protruding through! Frustrated at that, she flopped around until she freed herself and shook her head and threw the costume half way across the room onto the floor! She, then, came to me for her applause……..a ritualistic combination of rubs, pats, and kisses while she rolled around on the bed playing with my hands.
I know…..you’re all wondering where the picture is……surely, I would take and post the photo of such a humorous scene! Nope – no photo! First, I, of course, didn’t have a camera upstairs and handy, so capturing Megan in her comical costume was not in the cards. But, even if I had been lucky enough to get a photo, I certainly wouldn’t post it on here……..well, maybe if I were to recreate it with a sleek, sexy little leopard print thong……..hhhmmm, nope, not even then!!! Sorry, you’ll just have to use your imagination (and if you do, please imagine it with the sleek, sexy little leopard print thong)!
Have a great day………and find something to laugh out loud at – it really does make the day feel so much more enjoyable!
Ladies Outing
The ladies from my church go out to lunch on the second Tuesday of each month – the monthly Ladies Luncheon. They go to a different place every month, sometimes local in Albion and sometimes they travel out-of-town. Yesterday was the second time I joined them for the luncheon – I guess that, along with my decision to sign up to make two pies for an upcoming fundraising dinner at the church, makes me a Church Lady (no Dana Carvey jokes are necessary, thank you very much).
I went to the first one last month because I thought it might be a nice way to get to know some of the other women who attend the same church I do. I know a few people, but am working on getting to know others. We went to The Village Inn on the Ridge last month and there were about 20 of us. It was very nice – I enjoyed the lunch and conversations with the women who sat around me. This month we went to Oakfield, NY, a town about a 30 minute drive south from here, to a fairly new restaurant called The Caryville Inn. It was a slightly smaller group, this time, with about 15 attending.
The Caryville Inn is a very nice little place on Main Street in Oakfield. I don’t believe I’ve ever been to Oakfield, which I mistakenly called Oakland to one of the other ladies when we were walking into the restaurant and I mentioned that I didn’t think I’ve ever been to the town – she corrected me by saying “Oakfield. Oakland is, of course, in…” and we both said “California” in unison and I laughed and said, “now, Oakland I’ve been to, but not Oakfield”. We had a little chuckle over the slip up. Anyway, as usual, I digress…….Oakfield is a quaint little town with a beautiful gazebo at the intersection of the main route coming in to town and Main St. The Caryville Inn is a small restaurant with an attractive brick facing that really sticks out visually on the street. Inside, there is a bar area and several tables behind a 1/2 wall. The waitress was very friendly and entertaining – she made our experience there enjoyable. The menu is full of sandwiches, burgers, salads, and they had a couple of homemade soup of the day options and a few specials. Everything sounded good – I chose a burger with homemade chips and a cup of steak and potato soup. Every plate that came to our table looked delicious and everyone was pleased with their choices. As for me, the burger was very good – the flavor of charcoal flame broiling was very tasty, but the soup was amazing — the highlight of the meal…..that is, until some of us decided to have dessert! The choices were cheese cake, coconut cream pie, and lemon cream tort – all three choices were selected at the table – I had the lemon cream tort, which was heavenly!
So, lunch was a hit and the restaurant was a very nice choice that I will definitely go to again. The conversations and company was very enjoyable, as well. I think I’m finally starting to put names with faces and feel like I know some of the ladies.
By the end of each get together, we decide on where we will go on the next month’s Ladies Luncheon. Next month is going to be a real treat — I can not wait!!! We’re going to the Glen Iris Inn in Letchworth State Park – about an hour and a half drive away. Letchworth is known as the Grand Canyon of the East and is absolutely gorgeous – it has been many, many years since I’ve been there – what a treat it will be to go on an adventure there after all these years! Here is a link to the Letchworth State Park website, if you’re interested in learning more about it. I have heard that the Glen Iris Inn is an incredible place – I have never been and am so very excited about getting to go. As soon as I got home from yesterday’s luncheon, I visited the Glen Iris Inn website and got even MORE excited (I already know what dessert I’ll be ordering, for sure)! I will drive myself so that I can get there early and do some exploring and see what else I can do after lunch – make a day of it! The foliage won’t be out in full, yet, but I’m thinking it may be starting to turn – regardless of the fall colors, it will be an amazing day of scenic viewing…….and nice lunch conversations with the ladies.
So, there you have it…….an outing, a restaurant review, anticipation of a grand adventure, and my initiation as a Church Lady……..OK, now we can bring Dana Carvey into the story:
What do you see?
Who doesn’t like to look for cool shapes in the clouds? I, for one, love to watch the clouds. On gorgeous days, when the clouds are either so bright white and fluffy or wispy strokes across a brilliant blue sky, I can find myself entranced and watching the clouds for what seems like hours. I even enjoy a window seat in an airplane so that I can look out at the clouds to pass time when I travel – they look like snowy mountains and, from the perspective you get from looking down at them, you can usually see some really cool shapes.
I have extra special fond memories of when I was a little girl – 5th / 6th grade or so – and my best friend, Cathy, and I would lay in the yard on a blanket with my portable record player. We’d play our 45s and listen to Sugar, Sugar…..Crystal Blue Persuasion……Put A Little Love In Your Heart…….and other songs of the day by The Monkees, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, etc……and lay there on our backs looking up at the clouds and sharing what we saw. Quite often, we’d look at the same cloud and see totally different things, so we’d try to get the other to see what we saw! We’d lay there for hours on end just laughing and talking and singing and watching the clouds.
Yes, I have a lot of years of experience in cloud watching and have seen many, many different things in the clouds……..my over active imagination can really run wild when cloud gazing! Typically, the shapes I see are made from the fluffy outlines of the clouds – you know, an over exaggerated profile of a funny looking face or a plush teddy bear or a lofty castle or other similar things. But, this morning, I saw something I’ve never, ever seen before! I have seen photos that other people have shared of very distinctive “cut outs” in the clouds, but always thought they were probably photo-shopped! I really don’t remember ever seeing anything that specific myself…….until this morning! And, I would have missed it, if I didn’t look at just the right moment and was lucky enough to have my camera right there within reach and thought fast enough to use it and didn’t get up to go outside for a better shot!
Here is how it all happened: I was sitting at my desk in the den, like I do every morning, reading the local newspapers and catching up on Facebook and my Words With Friends boards. My desk faces the front window that looks out over my front porch. I was reading and glancing out at the neighborhood, like always. I noticed the sky across the street was full of grayish clouds and wondered if it would rain again today or not and then went back to the article I was reading. A few seconds later, I looked out at the sky, again, and there it was………a break in the clouds that was a perfectly shaped sky blue heart! It stood out like a sore thumb against the darker clouds and I was mesmerized by it! Luckily, I keep my camera in the center drawer in my desk and I thought quick enough to grab it and snap the photo. It only lasted a few seconds – by the time I snapped the picture, it was already starting to lose some of its shape. I thought of going outside onto the porch for a better shot, but I could tell by the rate it was breaking apart that I got the best shot I was going to get. And then, it was gone…….no trace of it ever existing! Like it formed just long enough for me to see it…….like it was just for me at that short moment and then it was gone! But……I captured it forever in this amazing photo – not quite at its most perfect form, but before it disappeared:
So, I sat for a while wondering what it might have meant………was it a sign of something good coming my way……….was it a confirmation that the good news I got yesterday is going to go as planned……..or was it just a freak occurence that I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to be able to experience it? Who knows! I’m just so very glad I saw it and captured it! Maybe I’ll go buy a lottery ticket – it sure is my lucky day!
Thoughts, Words, Friends, and More
So, it has been a while since I’ve jotted down any thoughts on here. Certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t had any thoughts to jot down. I have! In fact, I tend to think of a topic or have an adventure or see something or experience something worth blogging about just about every day! I think “I need to write about this” and even think through the spin I’ll put on it and how I’ll compose it. But, then, I get off on something else and don’t do it. So, it isn’t for lack of inspiration. And, it certainly isn’t for lack of time, either! I always have a lot going on, but there is time to write, if I just put my mind to it. The last possible excuse would be lack of interest, but that isn’t true, either! I really enjoy coming up with things to write about and the actual process of putting them in a blog. So, I can’t think of a single reason why I don’t jot something down every day or at least a couple of times a week………I just don’t! With that said, I’m going to attempt to get some recent thoughts and activities out there.
There was a time when having words with your friends meant sitting down for a chat or calling them on the telephone – having a physical face-to-face (or at least an actually spoken) conversation – or perhaps writing a letter with a pen and paper and mailing it to them in an envelope with a postage stamp on it. Then along came technology and email and texting and Facebook – the end, it seems, of face-to-face conversations and handwritten notes. But, now, Words With Friends has a whole NEW meaning and it has nothing to do with conversations or communicating at all. You see, Words With Friends is a game you play online with…..you got it…..friends! I know, this isn’t a new game – it has been around a long time, now. But, it is new to me! My nephew, Bryan, got me hooked on it a little over a week ago and I’ve been playing it like an addict ever since! I love it and using the words “hooked” and “addicted” are serious understatements! Words With Friends is a form of Scrabble. You get letters and use them to form connecting words on a board for points with a partner. The concept and basic rules are the same. The differences, though, are what makes it even better than Scrabble……..and I always did enjoy a good game of Scrabble! First, you can play with a friend who lives across town, across the state, or across the county! You can have multiple games going with multiple friends from all over the place – like, right now, I think I have at least five active games with friends in NY, NC, RI, and FL – all at the same time! I choose to play with actual friends I know, but you can also play with random strangers, if you want to widen your partner base. In regular Scrabble, you don’t know if an odd combination of letters might make up a word you never heard of before – but, in Words With Friends, you can play with the letters to try odd combinations and the game will tell you if it is an actual word or not – it won’t accept it, if it isn’t a word! Also, a game may last several hours or several days – your partner may play a word or a few words and then log off and go to work or tend to some errands and come back to it later in the day. That can be somewhat frustrating, if you have the time and want to keep playing………but, they may also end up waiting for you to play your word while you’re off doing stuff, so it goes both ways. That’s also the benefit of having multiple games going at once – if one game goes idle while that friend is busy, another game may gear up for a few rounds. It is exciting to log on after being out and about and finding that it is your turn on a couple of boards! So, that’s my new little guilty pleasure – Words With Friends!
Shopping is another activity that has taken on a new meaning for me, lately. A few months ago, I started “church shopping”. When I was growing up here in Albion, my family church was the First United Methodist Church. I was baptized there and went with my family for many years. In my mid-teens, I went to a little country church for a while and then returned to the family church as a young adult. I didn’t want to just assume that I’d feel most comfortable returning to the church I grew up in, so I shopped around for a while. I visited several churches in town over several weeks and experienced very different ways of worship. When I went to North Carolina Wesleyan College, one of the required courses was Religious History. During that course, I studied all the major religions, including all the different denominations within the Christian religion. I found it fascinating and really enjoyed that class. As I visited the different churches in my shopping expedition, I was reminded of what I learned about Christianity in that class. Although all Christian religions have a similar thread, they all tend to have their own views, interpretations, and formats for worship. I really enjoyed each and every service I attended – each for their own special features – and I participated in some very touching ceremonies. For instance, one Sunday the church I attended held a renewal of vows for a couple who had been married for 70 years – I was overwhelmed with emotion and I didn’t even know them – it was so beautiful! Some congregations were a little more openly friendly than others, but in every single one there were multiple people who noticed a new face and took the time to come over to greet me and thank me for visiting their church – I felt welcomed and included in every church I visited. But, when it came down to a final decision, I decided to make the Albion First United Methodist Church my home church once again. It is the same, but also not the same as it was all those years ago. The church, itself, is exactly as I remember it and the services are familiar and comfortable – as far as format and standard parts that are second nature to me. There are a few familiar faces, but for the most part, the congregation is made up of people I will need to get to know, so that is different. A couple of my neighbors also go there, so that is nice, as well. I also really like the pastor – he is new to the church, too – his first week was the first week I went after ending my shopping. I have found…….or should I say RE-found……..a church home and I am settling in as an active member. I went to the monthly ladies lunch a couple of weeks ago and am brushing up on my knitting and crocheting skills so that I can join the ladies prayer group that makes lovely prayer shawls to give out to members who are going through some tough times. I look forward to other activities that will gear up in the fall and finding out more about how I can contribute some of my time to the church.
The Orleans County Fair started up this week – yesterday, in fact. I always loved the fair and carnivals. Sadly, not many towns still have carnivals, but they do still have county fairs. I am hoping to take in some of the fun, food, and sights at the fair this week.
I went to Point Breeze this past Saturday – a lovely spot where Lake Ontario and the Oak Orchard River meet – with my nephew, his wife, and their son – my adorable 2-year-old great-nephew, Nolen! It was such a wonder-filled day having lunch with them and watching Nolen enjoy feeding the ducks and swans, throwing rocks into the lake, exploring for pretty stones for his Mommy, and checking out the lighthouse. It is one of my most favorite spots in the world and sharing it for the first time with a 2-year-old was an amazing adventure!
Well, I think I need to get on with my day……..I’ve spilled enough thoughts for one day and I need to check my Words With Friends boards to see if it is my turn to create words from random letters! 🙂
Saturday Evening on the Patio
This evening, like most evenings, I went out to water the plants and new trees and bushes just after the sun really got into its initial descent for the night – about 7:30-ish. I started with the front yard and then headed out to do the back yard. I left the patio door open so the girls could watch me do the front yard either from the back yard through the fence or from inside looking out the windows. Then, when I did the back yard, they followed me around making sure I did it right and didn’t miss a pot!!! It was such a gorgeous evening, so when I finished with the back yard, I sat on the wicker love seat on the patio to take some time to enjoy it with the girls. I love relaxing on the patio and just sitting back and listening to the sounds and watching the sky and tree tops.
Tonight, the air was a comfortable mid-70 degrees and the sky was still a bright, clear blue and it wasn’t “buggy” at all. I leaned my head back and watched as the light, feathery clouds floated slowly across the sky and the tree tops waved ever so gently – barely moving. The birds were chirping and there were some distant sounds of a party – some faint music and voices with laughter. Amy started out sitting on the love seat beside me while Katie sat on the patio gazing across the yard to the neighbors and Megan wandered aimlessly around the yard playing with her ball and sniffing for signs of intruders (or bugs……). I watched as a jet glided across the sky leaving the tell-tale white jet stream behind. I wondered where it was going, who was on it, what their stories were, and what their plans would be once they made it to their destinations. As the sun set, it shined on the tree tops, making them glow. The yellow tips on the Locus tree just across my fence line shined bright in stark contrast to the darker Maple trees behind it. Such beauty to behold!
After a little while, Amy got down to pester Katie and give her kisses. Megan immediately noticed the empty spot next to me and seized the opportunity to join me on the love seat to show me her ball – as if it was a brand new ball that she found lurking in the grass – not the same ball that she has brought to show me at least a thousand times before. Once I had a chance to adequately praise the beauty of her ball, she leaped down and ran out into the grass with it, dropping it for something more interesting that caught her attention. Soon, I was drifting off into la-la land from the gentle breeze on my face……..all three dogs were sprawled out either on the patio or in the grass – mostly dozing and occasionally looking up in response to a bird flying low across the yard or a sound that interested them. I had just decided it was about time to go in when Katie decided to take her turn beside me on the love seat. So, to keep her from feeling like I didn’t want to sit with her, I stayed a while longer with one arm around her shoulders and holding her hand – she loves to hold hands!
When I finally did give in and went inside, I found a surprise in the form of a plastic wrapper on the living room floor. Upon closer examination, I noticed that it previously contained the eight hamburger buns I purchased earlier in the day, but hadn’t put in the bread box, yet…….and, apparently, left too close to the edge of the counter in the kitchen. The bag was empty —- not a crumb remained —- all eight of the buns, gone —- all eight of them!!!! I concluded that Megan decided to take advantage of the time it took me to water the front yard plants – I know it was Megan and I know it was while I was in the front yard, because I noticed Megan in the house through the living room windows and the other two in the back yard while I was in front and then, all three followed me around while I was in the back. So, Megan had quite an evening snack…….little piglet that she is…….and I need to get more buns for the hamburgers I planned for dinner sometime in the next couple of days!!!
So, that was my Saturday evening……..what a joy (except for the discovery at the end)!
$#*t Happens……
OK, so I know that “stuff” happens and there’s not much you can do but laugh (or cry, as the case may be) at it and move on. But, when the same (or very similar) thing happens twice within a short amount of time, you have to think there is a “force” of some kind out to get you! I’ve never been one to think the world is out to get me……even though I really do seem to be a magnet for the odd, bazaar, and unusual circumstances. But, this morning really made me wonder “why me?”!!!
It all started a few weeks ago. My brother and his wife were here painting the inside of my garage. When my sister-in-law was cleaning up, she took the paint tray out to the driveway to rinse it out with the hose. She was struggling to get the hose to turn on when it suddenly shot a hard blast of water into the paint tray, which twisted in her hand from the pressure and splattered white paint all over the hood of my beautiful red Mustang!!! OMG!!! I just stood there in shock!!! I couldn’t breathe or move or even believe what I was seeing! Luckily, it was water based paint, so she rinsed the car off and then I rinsed it, again, and took it to the turbo car wash here in town. It looked like we got it all, but when it dried, there was still a slight milky film, so I took it to the Auto Detailing shop run by ARC in Medina and it was my old vibrant red pony again! I was able to laugh about it – after all, it was a freak accident – no one’s fault and it was all fixed, so no problem, right?
Well, this morning I was headed to the Albion Strawberry Festival. I found a good spot to park, but it was on the other side of the street. Just up another block was my brother’s house, so I pulled into the driveway just to turn around to go back to the parking spot. When I got into the driveway, I saw their garage door open and thought “cool, they’re home, I’ll stop in to say hi”! So, I pulled down the driveway to the back yard. Just about the end of the driveway, I heard a “POP” and saw something spray up on the side of the car. I pulled around, got out, and said “OK, what’d I hit?”. My brother said “Oh my God……you do NOT want to come around and look at this”!!! Not heeding his warning, I walked around to the passenger side of the car and found it COVERED with thick, goopy paint – a light pale silvery gray color! I paused and stared at it for a moment and then cracked up in hysterical laughter!!!! I was obviously in shock and couldn’t believe my eyes! Apparently, my sister-in-law had just walked away from her paint tray (they are painting their house), which was in the driveway, and I didn’t see it and ran over it – in fact, the crumbled paint tray was still caught between my tire and the body of my car!!! Again, luckily the paint was latex and water based – it washed off (if she had been working on the trim, instead, the paint would have been oil based and I would have been in serious trouble)!!! To be safe, I ran through the turbo car wash and will make an appointment to get it hand washed, again, but it looks like it made it through another possible disaster!
So, should I read anything into this? Was it just my bazaar luck to have two freak accidents so close together that both involved dowsing my beautiful pony with paint? Or is something trying to tell me I need a paint job or something bad is lurking in the future for my car? Nope – not gonna think that way! It is just one more colorful story I have to tell about my beloved pony – one I can look back on and laugh! Cause, after all, $#*t happens and what good would it do to get all freaked out about it?
Bring it on, Summer!
May is here and the anticipation of summer and all that summer brings is raging rampant! It will soon be Memorial Day Weekend – the ceremonial start of the summer season (even though summer doesn’t “officially” start until June 20th). Thoughts of flowers, picnics, the lake, lounging on the patio, and other summer fun fill my head. I am so looking forward to this summer – this area has so much to offer in the summer and I plan to enjoy it as much as I can!
Everywhere you look, people are getting ready for summer – sprucing up their lawns, opening up their pools, and setting out their lawn furniture. I am no exception. Sometime next week (if the weather forecasts hold), my yard will undergo a transformation – new flowering trees will be planted, old bushes will be removed, new beds will be prepped, and new plants will be strategically placed to give the yard a colorful look that will compliment the house and reflect my personality. Soon there will be weeping cherries, weeping crab apples, dogwoods, Bradford pears, azaleas, hydrangeas, peonies, rhododendrons, lilacs, roses, day lilies, and more – all in pinks, purples, reds, and yellows. Then, by Memorial Weekend, I’ll hit the local nurseries and pick out hanging baskets for the front porch and flats of beautiful annuals to plant in crocks around the patio. The wind chimes will be placed on shepherd hooks and decorative items will find just the right spots to add a little “something” to the landscape. This is the last of the big projects I have planned, for now, so once this is done I’ll be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty and the fun of summer!
And then there is the lake! I talk a lot on here about how much I love Point Breeze, but there is a lot more to Lake Ontario to love! After all, it is one of the Great Lakes! Last week, I went to Newfane to the nursery that is doing the landscaping I’m having done. I went to pick out the trees and finalize the types of plants I wanted. Newfane is north of the Ridge towards the lake just inside Niagara County. If you take the road that goes through Newfane all the way to the lake, you run right into Olcott…and right into Lake Ontario, if you don’t stop when you’re supposed to. My Mom, my brother, and I used to go to Olcott a lot when I was little. It was so much fun – lots of rides and arcade games and hot dog stands and ice cream and, of course, the lake! So, when I was done at the nursery, I went on down to Olcott to look around. It was very quiet – not the busy place it tends to be in the summer season, but there were several crews hard at work getting things ready for the visitors that will soon be making their way down there. Building exteriors were being painted, streets were being cleaned, landscapers were sprucing up all around, and other odds and ends were being taken care of. It was a fairly warm day, but very windy and it had rained the night before, so the lake was rough and churned up – but it was still a joy to see.
I parked the car and wandered along the main streets – looking out over the lake, checking out the picnic park, admiring the lighthouse, and grinning ear to ear when I saw that the wonderful old carousel and arcade games are still there and would be opening Memorial Weekend! (Click here for info on Olcott Beach Carousel Park) One memory that stands out for me about Olcott Beach is the Skeeball machines — I loved playing them when I was a kid! You place your coin in the machine and get a set of wooden balls that you roll up the ramp to make them jump into one of several rings for your score…..and a PRIZE. It was so much fun! And, of course, since I absolutely adore carousels, the carousel brings fond memories, as well! I can not wait to go back and check it out once it opens up for the season!
Here are some photos from my afternoon adventure at Olcott Beach:
So come on, Summer……..bring it on!!!! I’m ready to put the top down on the pony and just go drive and see what I can find!!!!
Ring Them Bells
I love the sound of bells and chimes. I typically have several wind chimes out in the yard to sing with the breeze. I haven’t put them out here, yet – I’m waiting for the planned landscaping to be completed before I figure out the best place to put them, but I will be enjoying them soon enough. Before I left Sanford, I was shopping at the Artist Colony and bought a lovely set of chimes made by a local potter – I can’t wait to hang them on the front porch – they sound amazing! I was also happy to learn that my washer and dryer “chime” a little tune when they are done doing the laundry!
There are two chimes that bring me a lot of comfort and enjoyment:
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I have my Grandfather’s mantel clock – it sits on top of my Grandmother’s china closet. It had stopped working some time ago and I recently had it repaired. It now chimes the most beautiful Westminster tune and then chimes the hour at the top of every hour around the clock. It gives me warm fuzzy feelings and I love it!!!
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A sound that I attribute to the joy of small town living is the ringing of church bells several times every day. I can sit on my patio and hear them play for about 10-15 minutes at 7:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 6:00 pm. Every day. So beautiful.
The church bells and chimes that have become a part of my life are calming and joyful. I hope they never end!
Directionally Challenged
I readily admit it. I have a major problem. I am, to put it bluntly, directionally challenged. I can get lost in my own back yard if getting around it requires the ability to know what direction I’m headed. I am proud to say that I have gotten lost in major cities all over this great country of ours! So much so that it was a running joke with co-workers who traveled with me on business to not let me navigate cause I’ll get us lost! I not only don’t know where north, south, east, or west are, I often have to stop and think about my left and my right! Also, I do better with written directions because I have a difficult time figuring out where I am and where I’m going on a map. I know……I’m a mess! So, I am extremely grateful for the invention of the GPS device! I have a big one……..that talks to me (remember, I don’t do well with maps – just tell me where to turn, which way to turn, and when to turn – don’t make me have to follow a map – especially when I’m driving).
But, there is some good news here and yet another reason why I’m happy to be back home. There is only one place on the planet that I actually DO know where north, south, east, and west are! I can tell what direction I’m facing and if someone says “it is on the east side”, I know what side they mean! That one place is right here in Western NY. And I owe it all to Lake Ontario. No matter where I am, I almost always know where the lake is and that it is north. I can just look towards the lake and picture a compass in my head – I’ll be facing north and east is to my right and west is to my left and south is behind me!
So, there you have it……..if you need me to know what direction something is, you’d better either do it here in Western NY or ensure I have an actual compass or GPS in my hand!
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