It was a busy day and that's a good thing. When I returned from my walk the girls were done with their breakfast and ready to go. First stop; the Notre Dame cemetery to weed and trim the grass around the head stones and to introduce the girls to their French relatives.

Then it was off to the homestead to do some gardening. Crystal helped grandma in the flower beds and raspberry patch. Hailey worked with grandpa in the vegetable garden. Together we pestered the weeds into submission for the day and thereby giving the veggies a boost. It was a perfect opportunity for Hailey to learn what veggie plants look like in their adolescence. I mentioned that I was going to rely on her and Crystal to keep the weeds at bay while I was hiking in New Mexico and she was happy to agree.

Lunch at the Bedrock reacquainted the girls with Wendy and homemade potato chips and french fries. Then it was back to the river for play time. The girls went in but the cold sent them to the shore for a spree of bubble generating with bubble wands. Then Crystal practiced her innovative culinary skills preparing her world famous rock, shell and seaweed sushi. Unfortunately I was too full from our recent lunch to partake. Hailey retreated to her all time favorite pastime; novel reading.

After a scrumptious supper rustled up by Grandma, consisting of pan seared chicken breasts, salt potatoes, and fresh salad, we raided grandpa's stash of Dove dark chocolate for desert. We did a resupply trip to Walmart. Did you know that they have books at Walmart?

Back at the river the girls met up with their chum Grace from next door and they took their bedtime bath in the frigid water. When they exited the river, grandpa had a fire roaring in the chiminea and grandma had all the fixin's for Smores. Dark settled in with mosquitoes. So it was Deep Woods Off and fire smoke to discourage voracious blood sucking. The river was still as a stone and smooth as glass; a picture perfect end to the day. Then it was in to the bug free safety of the camp for a read, a blog post and some girl journaling.

All in all a good day.

Blogger turned this photo without permission. Imagine it rotated one quarter turn counter clockwise. :)

South Texas has invaded northern New York!

YEAH!

Hailey, rel, Crystal, & D. June '09

I'm considering a career change;
I'm going to run for the NYS senate.
My current career, love it as much as I do, requires me to act like a responsible adult most of the time.
As a NYS senator I'll be free to act like a child in perpetuity. And do nothing and still get paid. In some circles that's referred to as stealing. As a childish NYS senator I'll be exempt from the rules that guide the populace.

Everybody made fun of him. Laughing at the cobble job patches that held him together. They made bets about whether he'd last another winter.

Sure he was old and weathered. Yes his cribs were arthritic and he leaned and sagged in places. Some of his nails were working themselves loose. Still, he was sturdy enough, not rickety like some he'd seen float by this spring. He'd withstood the river's anger when the north wind pushed her the wrong way, and bathed in her calm at the end of the day.

There was one fellow that liked him though, and thought him handsome in his waning years. The man appreciated the storms he'd weathered, and understood the pressure the frozen river exerted on him every winter. The man seemed to enjoy strolling his length out into the breathtaking beauty to reflect and stare, pensive.

This man has been a regular visitor these last five seasons and the two of them had formed a bond. The man thinks himself old but to the dock he's a young man in his prime. He seeks the dock's wisdom of many seasons and the weathered old dock gives up his secrets slowly, in bits and pieces when the man comes to the river edge. " Take life one wave at a time," says the dock. Sometimes the man listens. At least he acts like he heard. Other times he seems too preoccupied to listen.

On these restful summer nights the old dock is content to watch old Sol's descent, and teach the man patience; their friendship unspoken but ever present.

A view of a segment of the Maple city trail, where I do some of my training hikes.

Here it is Tues. into my return-to-work-for-a-week week. Time to put a post up to get by the Father's day post. Aside from Christmas, I think holiday posts are good for one day and one day only so don't leave a holiday post up too many days. That's just me.

So how is it that a guy who takes the summer off for the first time in 50 years is back to work for a week? I'm glad you asked. December last when planning for this 9 month work year we determined that I could take 12 weeks off without financial hazard. So it was decided that since we rent a camp on the river every summer, June through August would be the perfect time to take off. However We have fall activities that we enjoy and two in particular require a week off from work. so a week off in September for the canoe race and a week off in Nov. to take our granddaughters to Disney meant cutting the summer vacation down to 10 weeks: Work one week in June and one in August.
The up shot to all this is that I've discovered that a week back to work is a nice reprieve after three weeks off. Remember now that this vacation includes a 2 week hike in July in the New Mexico Rockies, so these past three weeks have been devoted to an intense training routine, plus getting the garden in and of course making time to get some kayaking in. I was ready for a rest. Yessiree, a week of work is just the break I need so as to not get too tired of vacation.

Of course, true to form, this first week of summer came in with warm sunny days that are forecast to last the week. Oh well. Last evening after supper we sat at the river's edge and watched the river calm itself down and make a perfect reflective surface for another soothing sunset.

Must get ready for work. You all have a great day and I'll do the same.

I've forgotten whether or not I ever received a tie as a gift for father's day; certainly not from my children. On the other hand I believe that at least on one occasion I gave my dad a tie. It was the thing to do in those times.

To Bob and Davis: Thanks for starting our lives.

To BL: thanks for Hailey and Crystal, they are the joy that makes life worthwhile.

Jacob; Can't wait; I know Sophia will love having you for her dad.

Michelle; Thanks for being the beauty in my days.

D.: Thanks for making me a father!

A more appropriate Father's Day gift in our times:

Summer starts today. Hip hip hooray.

We have a saying her in our neck of the woods: We have two seasons here; winter, and the 4th of July................ Hmmmm

the river has been shrouded in a foggy mist for 24 or more hours. And as much as I enjoy sunny days and calm waters there is something eerily romantic about ships passing in the mist. While I'm typing this , the morning mist is beginning to dissipate, but enough remains to blur the image of the Canadian Steamship Lines' laker plowing a furrow through the channel. It's diesel chugging rhythmically , the apparition floats by evoking images in my mind of ghost ships of yore.

The rain clouds have cleared the area and the weatherman says cloudy today but no more rain. the surface of the picnic table has a few wet spots but more dry than damp . The grass is lush with a sleek wetness. I'm happy in knowing that the garden and flower beds have been refreshed with the day long drizzling of yesterday and through the night.

Seven minutes on the dot since the ghost ship passed, on it's journey to the Great Lakes, and it's wake is lapping against the shore reminiscent of the ocean waves washing the shores of our consciousness and imbuing the body with a deep penetrating relaxation. Deeper and deeper the reverie seeps, filling every organ, every nerve with-in; calm.

Jacob, Kristy and Sophia came to camp last weekend. You can't see Sophia 'cause she's only twenty weeks old, well almost twenty-one weeks tomorrow, but she's right there under Jacob's hand. This particular picture was snapped down in Texas a couple of weeks ago.

It was a momentous weekend for a number of reasons: We had our first BBQ of the summer (chicken, glaziers, Italian hot sausage, salt potatoes and Kristy's fave; roasted fresh veggies. It was an early Father's day for me. And it (the weekend) will forever be remembered as the first time Sophia kicked. We inferred that to mean that she too enjoyed her first BBQ at camp. Guess that means that she'll be a frequent visitor.

Sunday morning we had the traditional breakfast of eggs, garlic bread toast/English muffin (Kristy and garlic have strong disagreements), real bacon, V8 and/or apple juice, and cantaloupe.

We did exciting things like sitting and reading, watching Kill Bill parts 1 & 2, taking long walks, kayaking, doing laundry, forgetting house keys, watching the river and boat traffic. We sipped some wine, and drank some beer (taking a cheat day from the EAS program---- Jacob is doing fantastic with his program.)

Friday night we had a delicious dinner at the Granview and some stimulating conversation RE: politics, and changes in culture ie; table manners and what is in vogue and whether or not it matters all that much. (I've been mulling a post along those lines for 2 weeks.)

It's said, and I believe, "you can't go home again." But you can go back to the place that was formerly home and remember old times, and just as important; making new memories.

Jacob and Kristy looked on-line at houses to buy in their area, Buffalo, NY.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Pull up a chair and enjoy my morning.

I pledge alligence to the flag

of the United States of America, and

To the republic for which it stands,

One nation under God,

Indivisable; with liberty and

Justice for all.

The sun is rising

Johnny Cymbal - Mr Bassman (stereo)

While out for a walk this AM, "Mr. Bass man came up on my ipod; my walk became a dancing jog! :>)

A new day, a new week. When I take time to think of all the things I'm thankful for; the list would take the better part of a day to enumerate. With a list so long anyone item gets gobbled up in the enormity of "The List."

The things I'm thankful for: I'll keep the list to ten things, of no particular order or importance, but rather 10 things that came to mind as this thought came to the fore in my mind this morning after being up for two hours.

1. I woke; thank you God!
2. witnessing dawn
3. placid river
4. fresh coffee
5. exercise; my ability to partake.
6. a loving (mouthy) cat
7. brisk cool air
8. vacation
9. The garden and the cemetery are planted.
10. My wife's smile. (Her warm body was nice to cuddle during the night too.)

Yesterday I had some errands to run and one was to get my hair cut. In fact I had decided to get all of them cut. You know; hairs-cut. I walk into the barber shop and pick up a portion of the newspaper to read while I wait. Two minutes after I sit down this tall slim blond girl, whose name escapes at the moment, asks me if I'm a walk in. I nod in the affirmative and she says, "I can take you over here. I say hello to Molly who's cutting, curling, perming, oh hell I don't know; doing something with Barb's hair.

Sitting down in the chair I offer that today I'm going to take it easy on the girl and request a simple cut. "And how do you want it today", she says.
"Shave it all off says I."
"Like you're serious? Really? You want it all cut off, right down to the scalp."
"Yes mam, that'd be it exactly."
She teases, "OK let's start with a Mohawk, you game?"
"Smiling from ear to ear, I say "sure."
Now there is a two inch wide swath of long wispy white hair left fro front to back. She pulls it up and says to Molly, the hair dresser at the next chair, what do you think Moll, put some gel in this and spike it up real good, and we can have a pretty decent punk look don't ya think?
Then she wants to know if anybody had a camera phone so as to record this cut for posterity. All in all we had great fun and entertained everyone in the shop.

When she learned, during the course of our conversation, who my kayaking bud is she offered that she also cuts his hair regularly. I told her to offer him a look-a-like cut to mine the next time he wanders in.

Then it was back to camp and some kayaking.

So what do you think of my Telly look?

Still in the same spot after more then 24 hours; under the sage plant. Maybe he's trying to gain wisdom. No, it must be a buggy place.

While planting my vegatable garden yesterday my garden supervisor kept a watchful eye on my endeavors.

green grass- gary lewis and the playboys

Day two!
Here we go.

The Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays

And so it begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!