Postcards From the Lake: Summer Days

If all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, does mostly play and not much work make Jack (or Jeanie) more interesting? Or just mellow? Or just plain happy?

 

Yes, there has been some work -- the earlier mentioned beach is a project! But here's how it's looking so far.

 And I hauled several large limbs that fell post-ice storm back into the woods. This one was much taller than I! 

 

Rick tended to the screens and getting all the stuff that's blown in off of them. I don't know what this was, but there we found him, dead on the screen. Fortunately, the outside. I would have hate to discovered this one in bed!

 

But it's been mostly play for us here at the lake. You can imagine what that means for Rick -- lots of riding!

 

And the weather has been perfect for it, so he's been out rather a lot, including several long, hilly rides that he views as training for the Eastern provinces, New Hampshire and Vermont, where he'll be cycling later this summer. 

 

When he's not on the bike, you're likely to find him practicing his guitar. He's very dedicated -- like many hours a day. Mostly, that's nice -- until he starts exercises that drive me nuts, like water torture. And I wish he'd learn a new song. But I have to admit, he's doing it the way it should be done -- practice, practice, practice.

 And then you might find him on the kayak.

 

Some of the water has been pretty rough with high winds but earlier in the morning it's quite smooth and lovely. 

 

Me? Well, in the morning I visit you all on the blog and catch up on email. Then I'm just as likely to pick up a book. So far into July I've finished six books and not a single disappointment to be had. 

And of course, there is the painting. I said when I started my England journal that I would probably be in England again before it was finished. I take that back. It will likely be finished by the end of the month!

 

I'll likely finish it in the next couple of weeks. Then I'll start writing the content. I''m loving this project and in some cases think it's one of the better things I've done. Maybe not as good as the pet portraits. Definitely not as good as the pet portraits. But right up there with a somewhat different style. Here are a couple of details.

 

There are jaunts into town or the farmer's market too, and occasional times with friends. But some of the moments I love most are the walks and watching the world of wildlife on the beach. The ducks are always fun. 

 

The flotilla of 75 or more geese at twilight was beautiful too -- but I'm glad they didn't decide to come up on my beach!

I'm still enjoying the Killdeer family. I worry when I don't see all three together. Now the chicks are getting almost as big as mom and it's harder to tell them apart.

 Dinners involve the grill unless the weather is poor. 

 

We're into grilled veggies this year (lots of zucchini), along with chicken, salmon, burgers, brats and pork tenderloin.

 

There are days when we have no mojo and that's OK too. I've been in a bit of funk with the constant headaches that come with my ear issue. That surgery can't come soon enough. And I bruised or sprained a muscle near my hip with an unfortunate twist, which is no fun. But fortunately, there are some good things on the horizon, like a road trip to visit friends and another house guest. And then, of course, there is this one. Lizzie is out of self-sequestration. 

 

She splits her time sleeping on the chair in the bedroom and on the porch. Looking cute. Our upcoming house guest is allergic to cats. My guess is that she'll want to stick to him like glue. 

 

That's my girl. She's such a sophisticat.

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