Bits and Pieces

It's late and I have to get up early again tomorrow, but it's been a week since I've posted anything so here I am.

* After not spending any time at the pottery studio for several weeks, I have now been thrice in less than one. I met a friend there on Friday evening and spent 3 hours playing with the clay I'd wedged up two weeks ago. I'm sculpting figures again. On Monday I stopped quick to uncover my work so it could dry completely, and tonight I made a return trip to play in the mud some more. My friend Myung was there again, and some other familiar faces as well. It was nice to see my friend Ginger who I haven't seen there in a very long time. In January I start a new hand building class and will make some more friends.

* I was slightly under the weather this past weekend, and after meeting my friend Laura for breakfast after church on Sunday morning, I went home to take a nap. I slept a whole 2 1/2 hours and then went to bed early to boot. I was asleep well before Idris. And then I beat him into bed again on Monday night. By Tuesday morning I was feeling all rested and well again.

*  I finished reading a book on Friday night. It took me a couple of weeks, but I can finally say I read the book I bought over a year ago and left on my shelf. It was just too much information to absorb at the time. The Body Keeps the Score is not an especially easy read, but it is full of fascinating information. I'm still digesting much of it, and starting a new book as well. Going with something different this time, but yet another book I purchased and left (mostly) unread. Desiring God by John Piper was recommended by a friend years ago. Perhaps my concentration has been off for that long...? Anyway, I am making a valiant attempt to use some of my downtime at work in a more constructive manner. While babies sleep, if they sleep, and all sleep at once, I read.

* Hannah and I took Idris down to the bay to feed the birds just before dark on Saturday evening. No bread, just a bag of canned corn. The seagulls were happy with our offering and the child was thrilled to feed the birds. I was happy to take pictures of my grandson and his mom doing what I used to do with my kids not so very long ago.

* The past couple weeks have been emotional. The book I read was difficult in ways I wasn't expecting. Although I am in a healthier spot emotionally than I was a few years back, I can still find the wind knocked out of me every once in a while. Sometimes the drive to work is teary as I continue to work through hard stuff and as I watch my family work through hard stuff as well.

* Thanksgiving is almost here. Bethany is hosting as well as Sabrina. I will be taking pumpkin pies to Beth's house and eating dinner there, and making a visit to Nate and Sabrina later in the evening. I am looking forward to the long weekend off work. Four day weekends are unheard of at the daycare, unless it's Thanksgiving, which makes Thanksgiving a little like Christmas!

Things With Wings

Yesterday morning found me up and ready to face the world a little earlier than normal. We dropped my vehicle off to have her "shoes" changed and hopped across the street for a quick breakfast at the Original Candy Kitchen.

When we returned home it was bright and sunny, the kind of day that calls me outside and tells me to bring my camera, so I packed my lunch for work and went out to see what I could fnd.

I met a beautiful flock of murmurating starlings just over the hill.

Actually, they were mostly congregated along the road, but I know that murmuration is their intent. Incredible! And yes, it always reminds me a little bit of Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds."

I drove along Lake Road and stopped to look out over Lake Ontario at the Ontario boat launch by Bear Creek. The lake was looking cold and green.

And since I had plenty of time and nowhere to go but work, I decided to see what was happening down by Irondequoit Bay and the outlet to Lake Ontario.

On a thin layer of ice along the shoreline of the bay a flock of seagulls was gather. their feet slipped as they walked across the slippery surface.

I tossed them a few stale Triscuits to fight and scramble over, and snapped pictures hoping for something wonderful.

I arrived at work 20 minutes early, but satisfied with having taken in a bit of sunshine and winter beauty. It was an "interesting" day at work. "Help me! Help me! Help me!" And all I can to is try in vain to assuage her anxiety.

Snow!

Winter, in my childhood (and most adult) days meant snow, lots of it. Christmases were white and January deep and dark. We spent hours traipsing through snow up to our knees and drifts waist high. We walked around the block atop piles of snow created by the ever-passing snowplow. We tried, in vain, to shovel the driveway before Dad returned home from work, but found the task monumental. Dad, with shovel in hand, became a snow moving superhero.


We've had two, maybe three, good snowfalls this season and we're creeping up on February, so I was just a tad disappointed that I didn't have more than a few minutes to capture winter's glory yesterday morning. I took my camera with me just in case and was blessed to have time to drive down by Irondequoit Bay and over the outlet bridge on my way to Rochester.

 Traffic was mostly nonexistent on my way up toward Rt 590 and I stopped to catch the snow highlighting every branch and needle on an evergreen tree along the way.

My friend at work was anxious again today. Once she was tucked into bed for an hour and a half, I gazed out the window at the snow laden courtyard, read my books, and wrote in my notebook. The snow outside was heavy, the wet and sticky kind that turns an otherwise gray and dreary landscape into a winter wonderland. It was a snow fight/snowman building kind of day, but I did none of that. Instead I soaked in the beauty of winter as I walked out in the dark to clean off my vehicle and make the drive home. Even in the dark snow is magical.

Today

Pumpkin pie. Every Thanksgiving celebration must have pumpkin pie. Because leftover pumpkin pie is breakfast the morning after. (My pies are in the oven.)

I'm no longer watching The Trio on Thursday's so I am picking up a few extra hours at work. I'll be there every other weekend and 3 hours every other Monday evening, as well as my normal Tuesday and Wednesday. It's something extra. Not much, but something. On my way in to work today, I took a detour down Empire Boulevard and stopped at the south end of Irondequoit Bay to snap a few photos. This weathered old post caught my eye.




I've not seen anything snowy that I wanted a photo of, aside from the chicken coop, but the bay was pretty. There are just a few trees on the cliffs still sporting bronze foliage. And then there is the naked sycamore still hanging onto a few sparse leaves.

Down By the Bay (again)

It's not looking or feeling terribly wintry. The trees are stark and leafless, and the grass lies green across the yard. Last week I took a different route to work and ended up at the southern tip of Irondequoit Bay, with my camera.

Once upon a time 70 years ago, much to my grandma's dismay, this was my father's favorite playground. As a teen, he and a friend would often rent a boat and go out on the bay, sometimes fishing, sometimes following a creek inland or into the swsmp, and sometimes paddling to the opposite bank. Dad loved the water.

My mom did not love the water. She had fallen in a creek as a very small child and "nearly" drowned. (I don't know exactly what that means... My husband was found unconscious at  the bottom of a pool as a small child and he still swims...) Apparently Mom was a sinker because she always claimed to "swim like a rock."  Thankfully, though I wouldn't win any swimming contests, I can keep my head above water. Just please keep that seaweed off of my toes.

Me N'eider

My dear daughter had fallen behind on her business paperwork and called for help, so late this morning I headed out to Webster to lend a hand. I wrote out addresses, signed invoices, and stuffed envelopes. I snuggled a small boy named Jacob and enjoyed a visit with my daughter. It was a good morning.

Before heading home I took a detour down to Irondequoit Bay. Nothing too exciting there, but I did stop to snap a few photos. A woman by the pier asked me if I was a photographer.

"I play," I answered with a smile.

"Are you a birder?" she asked.

"Not really, " I said, but I was there to take pictures and this is where the water fowl congregate.  Ducks, geese, swans, and gulls...

"There is a rare bird here this year, " she told me. For a moment she had it in her sight, but when I looked into the glass I saw nothing but water. It was too cold to hang out long and I soon headed back to my vehicle.

"Maybe I'll google it, " I told her.

"It's a King Eider, " she said, "I'm Eider a king or eider I'm not."

I laughed and assured her I wouldn't forget, and I haven't.

Kayaking

For years now I have wished to go kayaking. Today my wish came true when Rachel and I headed down to the Baycreek Paddling Center. We opted for two single kayaks and headed out on Irondequoit creek and into the Ellison Wetlands. It was a beautiful morning.

At one point Rachel asked me if I'd seen any alligators... I didn't see any and we paddled on. We saw dragonflies, water lilies, ducks, and... wait! what was that? It wasn't an alligator, it was a crock. (ha ha!)

I loved our trip up the creek and back. We didn't travel too far, but were out for an hour and had a great time together.

Dragonflies were abundant. They're one of my favorites. I credit that to my mom who always made a big deal about how pretty they are.

 

Apparently ducks love the swamp. There were several pairs wondering what in the world we were doing.

 We paddled as far as this little "island" in the middle of the creek, and doubled back around it. In some ways I felt like I could stay out there for hours, but my shoulders and wrists were getting tired, and my back, not used to sitting on my butt with my feet straight out in front of me, was starting to ache, so we headed back toward the bay.

Rachel and I enjoyed lunch together at Panera Bread. I filled my soda cup with brewed tea. I didn't taste it until I had already eaten most of my soup and salad. I remarked to Rachel at how dark it looked, and she replied that it must be very strong. One taste told me it wasn't tea at all, but cold, black coffee. Oops. Wonder who messed that one up? I opted to make it into iced coffee and fixed it up with some half and half and several packets of sugar.

Time Out

I didn't do much blogging last week and left a bit of a hole in my usual routine. Guess that happens sometimes.

Today I took Hannah out to babysit for a couple hours at Bethany's house. While she was there I took the opportunity to spend some time alone. I drove down to the Webster side of the Irondequoit Bay outlet, past the spot where the firefighters were ambushed in December of 2012. Most of the empty burned out lots have brand new houses being constructed. Only the Spengler lot remains empty and it is so small that over time it will not even be known as an "empty lot" at all. There is no way to drive that little stretch of road without remembering that fateful morning.

I found a parking spot on the lake side away from the construction area, but the view of the water was blocked by houses. There is better parking on the west side where we normally feed the birds, but at this time of year getting there requires a long drive over the bay bridge and down through Irondequoit back to the lake again. The sun was warm and I had taken my Bible and a Max Lucado book along with me. I had two hours to spend so I read Ephesian 4 and 5, and then turned to the book, "The Next Door Savior". At one point I got sleepy and dozed off eventually finding that my mouth was hanging open. Thankfully there were only a few people wandering about down there and all of them passed being my vehicle.

Didn't get much accomplished at home, but I did do two loads of laundry and straighten up the couch. And, I managed to make something for dinner too. Guess that counts for something.

Down By the Bay

It was dark and dreary. Rain threatened. I grabbed several pairs of small mittens, a few extra hats, and my camera. We packed four small children into the van and headed toward Webster. One quick stop at Target on the way, to buy Cheerios for hungry birds and a bottle of Ibuprofen for My Darling. I left Hannah in the van with the kids and the radio. All was well.

While I traversed the aisles of Target my car battery was draining. I had turned the engine off and left not only the radio playing, but the lights on. Good thing for that cheap cell phone. I put in a call to Bethany who was out running errands with my favorite son in law and not far away. God worked out the details once again. I had pulled straight through the parking space and had the nose of my van facing the outer aisle, my daughter and her husband had a pair of jumper cables with them, and I had just bought snacks. I was blessed to be rescued. (Talk about Not-so-random-acts-of-kindness...)

When we finally arrived down at the bay, we discov- ered a huge pile of bread had been left in the parking lot. It wasn't quite the feeding frenzy I had imagined, but the kids still had fun. They tossed some bread to a few swans, poked at some dead fish, and climbed on rocks.

Even the seagulls were all but absent today. They normally fly overhead, squawk, fight, and multiply in rank as we toss them tidbits. That was not to be this morning. Thankfully, no one appeared bitterly disappointed that the birds weren't hungry.

Hannah and Bethany made a new game instead and tossed handfuls of Cheerios at each other and into the wind while Jakie popped handfuls into his mouth. The wind down by the lake was cold and fierce. Each child donned a hat upon getting out of the van and several small children opted for mittens after running about the beach for a bit. Even Hannah found a winter coat and knit hat necessary.

It was probably ten degrees warmer up at Bethany's house just above the bay, and a lot less windy!

Hey, how about those Cheerios?
:0)

Tuppence a Bag

Winter wouldn't be complete without a trip down to Irondequoit Bay with a bag of something to feed the birds. This time it was Cherrios. The wind was fierce and biting.