Life in the Bristolwood

To the interesting cemetery that I found while on a little ride.  I was having some trouble resizing and saving the photos, then i had more trouble trying to upload them to the blog!  So, now that things are working well again, I wanted to show these photos of this very old cemetery.

As you look at the pictures, you can see that many of the headstones are leaning and falling down…and apart!

This particular stone I found to be very interesting!

Yes, in the midst of many others who left this life so soon, this woman lived 93 years! 

The next photo is very curious to me.  There is a section of headstones that are all set in this cement “foundation”! 

and, sadly, there sits a pile of broken bits and pieces off the headstones in a heap.

I suppose many of these “pioneers” lived so long ago, they and their memories are long forgotten.  This little cemetery situated near cornfields was such an interesting place to visit.  Truth was, I was no longing to linger.  It just seemed between the dreary weather and the isolated “feeling”,  I was ready to shoot and run!

I was so miffed last night.  I frantically tried to upload the last entry before the clock dtruck midnight, but I think I missed by a minute or two.  Drat!

Yesterday, after dropping Michelle off for her afternoon classes,  I picked up Carly and her daughter, Erin, for a little photo adventure.  I really needed that! It was awesome and we had fun wandering, too.

We went to the George Eastman House first. We weren’t there very long.  We really didn’t have a lot of time, as Michelle’s afternoon classes only run three hours.  Thankfully, Carly knows her way around the city very well….I never would have even known where to go!  After finishing up at Eastman House, Carly asked if I had ever visited the Mount Hope Cemetery. Nope.  But I would like to!

We got to the cemetery and it is really an incredible place.  Carly, being trained as an Earth Science teacher, knows all about land formations and such.  She told us the cemetery is built on what is called “kettles”.  As one wanders about, it is easy to see how this type of terrain is so named.  There are deep round valleys that do indeed look like kettles!  And, Carly said if the kettles fill with water, they become kettle lakes.  Thankfully, that isn’t happening at the cemetery, lest the dead might arise from their graves…..or at least their coffins might!

We had no sooner stepped out of the car when a male Cardinal began to flirt with us!  Can you see him? He’s the intense red “spot” in the center of the photo. Click to see him bigger! I stood there and took repeated shots of him, but it was nearly impossible to get focussed correctly on him. Only when I got home did I find this really cool shot of him…

The monument below was seen from the road and I told Carly we should go look for it.  The color was just beyond fascinating…and the monument is so beautiful as well!

I guess it really is impossible to capture the brilliance of the colors of the tree.  I don’t like to fiddle around with photos. I like to try to capture my subjects just as I see them. So,  I tried shooting upward into the tree!

Enlarging the pictures adds a lot…condensing them just detracts from the glorious colors!

We had wandered off just a bit from the car when I wondered if I had locked the doors.  Not that a “graveyard” is a typical place for pilfering, but I just wanted to make sure the car was locked.  We asked Erin to run down and make sure it was locked up, as we “oldies” didn’t want to clamber down a hill, then climb once again! Erin loves to run, so she scampered off and made sure everything was set.  When she came back, she was nearly doubled over, laughing hysterically.  She thought that both she and I had been pressing the wrong button for the locks.  She was so funny!

One of the interesting aspects of this cemetery is that no space was wasted in the past.  There are literally graves everywhere! Now, remember Carly called this land kettles….

The stones in this cemetery range from elaborate to simply initials etched into a tiny just-above-ground marker.

I couldn’t quite understand why some of the sites are terribly overgrown, either? The next photo was taken from a steep clifflike area.  There was a guardrail built at the edge from concrete upright “pillars” and horizontal iron bars, but the concrete was falling apart and the bars were not very likely to keep one from tumbling down the steep grade! Anyway, the mausoleum built into the hill across from the one we were on was intriguing!

As I was photographing the building, Carly and Erin had found some rather unique seating arrangements in a section of really overgrown graves!  The cedar trees looked like they were going to overtake the stones!

Now, how we could feel so comfortable and at ease amongst the “sleeping” is beyond me, but the atmosphere was amazing! We were having so much fun and it was just the kind of day where everything looks beautiful and perfect!

Carly told me there were a couple of famous people buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery. So, off we went on a little explore to find the monuments….

A brief history lesson. And, the monument. Buried in the same place is his wife,  and a daughter.

Apparently, Mr. Douglass was married twice as this marker is nearby….

As we walked along, I noticed this and smiled. Ironic it is in a cemetery, for in the crevice of a dead stump, a new little tree had taken root and was growing!

Another brief history lesson. On the way to Susan’s grave, what should Erin spot?

Definitely enlarge this one, as you can see the little fellow is sitting on the edge of a stone that says “safe with Jesus”. Too cute!

Susan B. Anthony’s simple, unassuming marker.  It seems so small for a woman who so greatly impacted the rights of women in this nation, and perhaps even elsewhere in the world.

And, one last tree shot….

We only covered a tiny slice of this huge cemetery. Perhaps one day we will revisit and see even more. 

Did you ever believe when you saw the title above that such amazing color would be found in an old, old cemetery?

Yesterday was my birthday and Carly had asked if we wanted to “continue our tradition”  of attending the Old Time Fiddler’s Fair at Genesee Country Village and Museum.  The fair is always held around the time of my birthday.   I asked Mark and he was happy to do this, as he loves the music.  It is always a fun day and one well spent.

We got to the museum and entered.  I looked at the venue and was a little disappointed as it seemed there weren’t as many fiddlers attending this year.  Perhaps I am wrong, but it seemed like there were fewer groups listed.  When I mentioned this to Mark, he said he thought the venue seemed a bit more sparse than in the past as well.

We listened to some music and then walked around the village.  This is one of my favorite things about visiting the museum. I never tire of seeing the people, animals, and buildings!  There is always something interesting there. Along the way, there are tents here and there with people teaching others a little, as well as “jam tents” like the one below.

We entered the village near the barn. In a large field, this little one was enjoying munching and walking around.

Off in the distance, a man in the blacksmith shop was giving a talk.

Behind the barn was a pair of oxen. They both refused to turn around so I could see their faces!

I really liked this photo of one of the men that was in the barn. There were all sorts of antique tools there that visitors could inquire about.  This was taken during a lull….I thought he was looking rather pensive.

Outside the front of the barn was a small space where some ducks and geese gathered around a small pond, a wooden tub filled with water, and a small puddle where they seemed to like diving their heads into! (must have been some good eats under the water?)

I really liked that black and white duck!  It was enjoying the little pond. Carly’s huband, Jeff, and the girls, had gone into a mercantile to look at goods sold there.  They caught up with Carly, my family, and I, back at the barn.  We went out back again to see the oxen.  This time, they were “hiding” behind some bramble.  This was one of my very favorite photos of the day…

We walked on up a hill to the village green. It was quite hot and I think we were all getting tired from the heat and bright sunshine on us!  The green was lush with places to sit and rest and just observe.  It is a fun spot, as it is interesting looking at folks from the past and today, mingling together.

A few years ago….when our kids (now 16 and 18) were small,  I remember a photo I took of a woman with a callilope.  When we heard similar music yesterday, we had to get up from our resting spot and take a look!  This man said he and his wife have differing opinions on music, so I wondered if the woman I saw all those years ago was his wife!  (Will have to see if I can find that photo…did not have a digital camera then!)

This man had a great face to photograph!

After this, we all headed back out to the parking lot….we had coolers of food for a picnic!  We sat in the shade of a pine tree and ate.  Afterwards, we headed back into the park but I left my Nikon camera behind.  Now, I wish I would have taken it!  I just had not taken many photos, so I thought I would only take the little Canon.  I will look at the photos from that and perhaps post one more Genesee Country Village and Museum entry! 

We had a very nice day. A nice day, indeed!

 Yesterday, as the day progressed, so did the temperature on the thrmometer!  I remember years ago when the kids were little, there was a day when the thermometer on out front porch read 96 degrees.  Well, yesterday, it actually rose just a tad above the 96 degree mark.  It was so incredibly hot!

Michelle has been lobbying for Mark to join her and Ben in the pool for a long time.  Mark loves that swimming pool. He bought it and set it up about a year before the spinal cord injury, in the hopes that the kids would learn how to swim.  When they were little, we spent a good deal of time in the water, playing, splashing, and teaching the kids about swimming. 

But I digress.

Michelle, Ben, and I all worked together to safely get Mark into the pool….It might look a bit funny to an observer, (and a whole lot less than graceful)  but it is important to make sure he enters without hurting his legs or feet as he cannot feel them very well.

After Mark was in the pool, Michelle carefully put Angus into the pool as well.  Angus enjoyed riding on the float, while Mark pulled him around.  Mark is able to move around in the pool so much more freely than on land.  He is planning on going into the pool again today as the temperature once again is on the rise!

Late in the afternoon, Michelle and Ben said they wanted to go to Penn Yan to play football. I immediately thought no way!!! They talked to their friends, and they asked Michelle and Ben to come on over and they would go swimming instead.  That sounded like a far better plan in my book.  Everyone hopped out of the pool..well, we helped lift Mark out,  and we were off again.  When we left home, the temperature was right at 96 degrees.

When we got to Penn Yan, the temperature was 100 degrees.  I thought I was seeing wrong…nope, the temperature really was 100 degrees.  It was a scorcher!  Now, this heatwave might not be so bad, except for the fact that we have had little rainfall in weeks.   We wandered on over to the Red Jccket Park and I thought I would take a few pictures.

The first shows how the grass has dried to the point that it looks like straw! The photo is dark…I was shooting into the sun and it is greatly shaded in this (grassy) area.

I (thought!) that as I moved down the hill a bit toward the lake, surely the grass might actually be “green”?,  but no.

Wow. The brown dried up grass really made it feel even hotter.  I didn’t want to linger too long. I went on over to the Red Jacket statue….the plaque below explains a bit.

I especially like the detailing on the back side of the statue’s jacket.  The intricate details depicting items from nature found in the region always fascinates me.  It is so beautifully done.

I decided to defy the heat around me, walking all the way down to the lake.  Phew!  The view is beautiful with the autumnal golds, but no!  It is summer!  It should be bright and vivid greens!

On my way back to the truck, I came upon this ginormous oak tree!  It was at least six feet across at the bottom!

No wonder the Bible speaks of the mighty oak!

Mark and I drove around a little, taking in sights and watching people.  People were warned to stay indoors because of the heat, but the lake draws folks.  Many swimming areas all around the state have issued comments that they will remain open for an extra hour to allow people to be refreshed in the water!

The heat is on for a few more days.  I cannot wait until this hot weather leaves…for GOOD!  I really, really like cool weather much better.

I am still trying to recouperate from our little vacation.  We weren’t gone that long, but it was a bit of a touch and go trip home on Sunday. 

We had a wheel bearing go on the front right wheel on Saturday. Mark thought about going to a Chevy garage that was open until 6pm on Saturday, but decided he would like to try to do the job himself.  Ben was willing to help out and Mark thought it would be doable.

We hitched up on Sunday morning and went to the Sabres Development Camp. We really enjoyed watching the young prospects drill and then scrimmage on Saturday and Sunday.  We have been attending these camps for a few years now and have seen several players become Buffalo Sabres. 

After the camp, we began our very slow way home.  We would drive about 30 miles or so, then stop to allow the wheel to cool off.  It took hours to get home, but we were so thankful to arrive safely. 

Yesterday, the temperatures soared into the 90′s, making me totally miserable. Mark’s mother had a doctor’s appointment in Rochester at 9:30am, so Mark and I were off early in the morning, once again praying the wheel wouldn’t let loose. We took my mother-in-law to her appointment, then picked up the parts and tools we needed to fix the wheel bearing.  Thankfully, our faithful truck brought us safely home once again.

At this point, I must add that the Explorer is at the Ford garage, getting nearly $1500. in repairs.  I am of the mindset that we should put it up for sale right away and get something with good gas efficiency.  We will see.  The Explorer is a 2002 model and although it has low milage, it is getting old.  We will be doing some driving when Michelle begins RIT, so it would be good to have a sipping versus guzzling vehicle.

Today was another blazing hot day, although tonight, it is beginning to cool to the point that it is getting comfortable. Mark and Ben began working on the hub today, but parts seem quite fused together.  Mark cannot work for long periods of time, so they worked for just a few hours and quit.  Mark is searching for info on how to remove the hub and I just pray he finds a good answer.  With all this vehicle mess,  it would be quite pricey to have two vehicles getting repaired!

Well, enough of that.  I am not going to stress over things that I cannot control!

So, let me tell you about Lewiston!

As we were leaving our campground on Sunday, we realized we were really early, so Mark took the Lewiston exit.  I was happy to poke around, as the last time we were there, it was raining. A lot! 

Lewiston is referred to as “Historic Lewiston”.  It is a beautiful little community with beautiful little shops lining the main street.  Flowers adorn the lamp posts and there is a sense of a very old community. The buildings have a look of antiquity and were it not an early Sunday morning,  I would have gladly slipped inside the shops to have a look….they are quite inviting! Why I didn’t take a photo is beyond me, except for the fact that we were pulling the trailer behind us and together, the truck and trailer are about 50 feet long…makes for some interesting parking!

Mark drove around and stopped in a large parking area….right near one of my favorite statues…the Freedom Crossing Memorial. I blogged about this previously.

Just beyond this memorial was a set of stairs.  Well, curiosity got the better of me, and I hopped off in that direction.  I went down….and down….and down some more!  When I arrived at the bottom,  I was on a driveway/walkway just above the level of the lower Niagara River.  Oh, this was beautiful!

I walked along, meeting up with the Harbor Manager (I know that is the wrong name…I just cannot remember what the title was that was embroidered on his shirt.) What drew me was this…

This is The Black Pearl and cruises are available! I would love to go there and spend the day….the price of a one hour cruise is $35 per person…three hours is $75 per person.  The boat has diesel engines to get it moving up and down the river, but I was told that once it hits the lake,  it becomes full sails, a beautiful replica of a 1600′s ship. Wow, the directions my mind could go with that!!!

I spent considerable time looking around and talking to the Harbor man and another man.  They told me the fishing for Muskies is excellent there.  They said folks who fish there never divulge how big their fish caught were nor where they were fishing.  Hmm….They also said hardly anyone fishes there as they just don’t even know about this.

I suddenly became aware that I had many, many stairs to climb to get back to my family who might just be wondering where I was!  There was no way I was going to race up those stairs and I did notice a little addition off to one side with a bench…I thought perhaps they kindly put it there for folks who felt like they were going to drop from all that stair-climbing!

Since the family didn’t seem to be paying any attention to my winded self, I walked on over to see a restaurant that overlooks the water below.  It is an interesting shape and I just wanted a closer look.

As I snapped a photo of the restaurant menu, (wow! Who ever would have mounted their menu on a story board in front!!! What an awesome idea!) the man who founded the restaurant came over and talked my ear off!

I learned the history of the restaurant as well as how it came into being!  The restaurant was actually a coal silo that held coal for the steamships that used to travel the river.  After steam engines were replaced, the silo sat vacant for years and years.  While relatives from Minnesota were visiting with the man I spoke to,  they observed the silo from the Canadian side of the river.  They commented what a perfect day it was and the man said the only way it could be better was with an ice cream.  The relative pointed to the silo and told the man he should consider turning it into an ice cream parlor. And that is the condensed version.

The silo is leased from the town of Lewiston and the man’s son now operates the business.  He added a patio and outdoor picnic tables along with flowers and pretty landscaping.  ( I was told the view here in the autumn is absolutlely breathtaking…umm….one would NOT have to sway me…I believe it!)

The ice cream parlor (proper) was moved from the silo to an 1860′s Canadian Railway caboose.  The man explained that it took years to convince the town to approve the addition of the caboose.

Oh, by the way…that white house across the river?  It was owned by Tom Selleck at one time.

Wow, I learned so much from listening to this fellow! He was like a walking encyclopedia!  Oh, and by the way…the shape of the restaurant resembles a minaret mosque…the man lived in Istanbul, Turkey, for some 15 years!

I can’t believe I remembered so much of the conversation, but I do want to visit this restaurant.  It was given a high rating by a Buffalo food critic (the fellow chuckled, saying she critiqued the atmosphere, the owner and his wife, the setting…everything, but never once mentioned the FOOD!).  It also was featured on the show Man vs Food.

When Mark looked at the pricing, he was impressed.  He said too bad we were leaving town….this would have been an awesome place to take the kids for lunch!

Okay, so that’s it for Lewiston. (I think I oughta get paid for this! Or, at least get ONE of the vehicles fixed for free!!!)

Well, after having to drag two teens kicking and screaming to visit…hahahah….just kidding!  The kids had such a great day on the Fourth…they loved it!  It is always fun to visit with my parents and Randy.  Randy always has an interesting project and the kids love hearing all about what everyone has been up to.

We had told the kids they could visit with their friends the next day, so we worked in the morning and into part of the afternoon before leaving for Penn Yan.  We dropped the kids off and Mark and I went for a little explore on our own. Of course, we both love seeing new places and sights.

The kids didn’t stay as long as they sometimes do, and it was soon time to find them.  Yes, we were going to pick them up at “the wall”.  This is a place all the kids in Penn Yan talk about and Mark and I had heard about…many times.  Somehow, in the process of hearing about this “famous” place, we never really asked questions.  That is pretty unusual, particularly for Mark.  We had heard that one mom had made a brave and daring jump from the wall into the water, so it seemed okay.

The problem was, we had no idea where the wall is located. 

We called and asked how to find our way and were told to just follow Outlet Road for “a couple of miles”.  We would be able to see cars of kids we know parked there…we couldn’t miss it!

Mark and I decided to head on out to the wall before we needed to meet the kids…after all, better a little early than late. We drove and drove and never saw any cars parked along the road.  We turned back and headed toward Penn Yan.  Then we turned around again,  knowing that the water had to be located along Outlet Road. We turned down a little side road that looked pretty much abandoned.

We found some interesting remains in this little place…indicating that a factory of some type had once been active there.

Mark said this looked like a big old turbine…probably driven by water.

Across from the turbine was this beautiful old smokestack….further indicating this was probably the location of an active factory.  Then we spotted the run down, tumbling down building next to the smokestack…

I find places like this so fascinating and only wish the turbine and building could talk!  Oh, what history they might divulge.

We turned around and left this area to drive on further.  Surely we would see evidence of the kids and their friends! Finally, we arrived at the small parking area where the kids had left their cars.  Since we were still early, Mark and I went for a small ride. We discovered two things…1) The stream we were following to find the kids runs from Keuka Lake to Seneca Lake,  and, 2) this area is full of Amish and Mennonite families.

As we drove along, we passed an Amish couple working outside.  A little farther down the road, one of their ducks was waddling along the road….

I was concerned this little duck was going to dart out into the road, but it proved to be a clever and smart duck, indeed!  It suddenly made a right turn and headed down into some tall grass where just beyond the grass was a small pond!

We drove around some more, awestruck by the beautifully picturesque and tidy farms owned by the Amish and Mennonites.  The truth is that these folks came into the area, purchasing some run down properties, and they are vastly improving not only the houses and barns, but the land as well.

Watching the clock, we did an about face and headed back to the parking lot to meet our kids.  As we were driving along, we came upon a family out for a nice Monday evening drive…

I am unsure if this is an Amish or Old Order Mennonite family.  This next photo is so pretty, it reminds me of a scene from a movie…

We met up with the kids and Mark and I began asking questions.  Wow! What a surprise we got…they said that “the wall” is where a few old buildings are that were industries…we were told it is like a ghost town along the water. Michelle thinks there were many businesses along the stream (river?) years ago.  Oh my!  I could feel my trigger finger burning!!!

We could not linger…for we had a camper to pack and   yet another adventure to head out to early the next morning…

 oh dear!  I can hardly keep my eyeballs open! 

The following are photos taken at the Glenn Curtis Museum in Hammondsport, New York.  If you have any interest in the subject of flying, this would be a terrific place to visit!  If you really enjoy flying,  you might want to allot  more time than the hour to hour-and-a-half suggested by one of the ladies  when we called to see how long it might take to visit the museum.  Also, be aware that the museum not only is restricted to the subject of flying….it also houses many period antiques and artifacts that are interesting to the observer!

A little about Glenn Curtiss….the man was just totally awesome.  He was born in Hammondsport and as a young man developed a passion for speed.  By his early twenties, he owned three bicycle shops. He produced bikes with motors installed and at one point, during a race in Florida,  he was clocked as  “the fastest man on earth”  at 136 MPH.

Curtiss’  love of speed thrust him into the world of flying where some of his ideas still remain. He teamed with the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and much like Bell, was restlessly seeking to improve the world around him.  Curtis also loved photography.  He lived a very full life, although he passed away far too soon at the age of 52.

If you would like to know more about Curtiss, his inventions, and his life, visit the museum….you really will be glad you did!

It is that time of the year once again for the Buffalo Sabres Training Camp.  We have enjoyed visiting every year as we get to see some of the new players working hard to earn a place on the team.

The camp started with some hullaballo on Saturday, but we just had so many things on our plate, we didn’t leave until Saturday afternoon.  We packed the little camper and moved on out much later than we had originally anticipated.  I guess it was okay in the long run, though, as hurrying to leave is just too stressful!

When we pulled into the campground, the office was already closed, so we just picked a site and set up.  The most wonderful thing about camping this time of the year is that there are few other campers.  I love it, because during the summer months,  camping can get pretty overwhelming….while I love campfires and such, sometimes the smoke from too many fires is a bit too much! 

We pulled into our site and there were a total of three other campers parked in the same area!  They were far away from us, so you can only imagine how awesome this was…..we felt as though we owned the entire campground! It was so nice.

The kids decided they wanted to study and work on their homework, so on Sunday morning,  Mark and I set out alone to the Sabres camp.  It was nice, as the Scotties were left with the kids.  I think the four of them had some fun together!  And Mark and I felt at ease to enjoy watching the players!

I smiled when the Zamboni came out to resurface the ice.  One of the commentators for the game always calls out when a player gets the puck up over the goalie’s shoulder….he calls such a play “on the top shelf where Mama hides the cookies”!

Well, one of the large supermarket chains located in Buffalo is “Tops” and they had the slogan paineted on the side of the Zamboni, slightly modified!

I won’t bore you with countless photos of hockey, but after the session, Mark wanted to go to a Sam’s Club to find a new GPS, as our previous one (faithful for about four years)  was fritzing out!

Mark used a GPS ap he found on his cell phone and it actually worked nicely, although lagging a bit.  Thankfully, this was on a Sunday afternoon and there wasn’t a great deal of traffic on the roads!

The GPS led us along a section of Buffalo I was unaware of….namely, the Buffalo Irish Heritage District!  What a pleasant surprise!  As we passed the Buffalo Irish Center, we heard Irish dance being done inside.

Here are some photos along the way….not that much to photograph, really, as the Irish district looks pretty similar to other neighborhoods, save for some wee differences….

Oh my….there are times when a photo alone will not suffice. As we drove along the road,  poor Mark began to freak out!  “Katya!  I can’t read these street signs!!!! The font is so weird and I can’t make them out!”

Well, that in and of itself was worth “the price of admission” (so to speak) but I assured Mark everything was oaky…the English translation was located underneath on the “regular” blue street signs!

Buffalo is a city of rich ethnicity.  One of the largest groups has to be Polish, as well as Italian. I’m not sure that either of these groups has a specific neighborhood,  but I certainly enjoyed seeing the Irish influence as we passed along Bothar Abboid. (sorry about the proper “marks” being left out…not that savvy with such devices!)

Many years ago,  while living in Buffalo, New York,  I had a very dear friend by the name of Philip.  He was so much fun and Carly and I both enjoyed his company.  He was truly one of a kind and he introduced Carly and I to the wonderful world of bluegrass as well as other types of “fiddling”. So unique was this fellow, that he had only begun fiddling a short time when he entered a large county fair and took a prize!  It was he who told us about an awesome event that is held each August at the Genesee Country Village and Museum….namely, the Fiddler’s Fair. 

The Fiddler’s Fair usually falls within a few days of my birthday, (the third weekend in August) but this year, it was held the second weekend of August.  Carly and I enjoyed this fair so much that even though the memories of Philip have faded,  we do thank him for introducing us to this rich and amazing festival!

This year, Carly asked if we would like to meet at the fair, since she and Erin would be attending.  She had planned to meet up with one of her friends there as well. As it worked out,  we spent a very pleasant day just wandering about, taking in many lovely scenes while listening to pleasant strains!

I didn’t carry the Nikon camera around with me, simply because the weather was miserable at the beinning of our day.  The rain would drizzle down awhile, then stop.  This forced us to carry umbrellas and with everything else, I just wanted to skip as much “stuff” as possible!  After the weather decided to clear and be nice,  the humidity increased to the point where I just wanted to scream!  It was like living inside a terrarium….

I will just take you on a little tour of the grounds.  Enjoy!

I am so (nearly hopelessly!) behind in my blog visiting!!! I am going to try to get around to reading some time today.

Before we left for Darien Lake,  I had begun painting (staining, actually) the front porch.  I had no idea that painting railings takes forever!  I spent many hours and on the third day of going at it, Ben joined me to help…what a great help he was!  We were hoping to have most of the porch done before we left, but not so!  Today was no day for painting…the humidty was so high and it finally rained late this afternoon. 

Last night,  I received a call from my Amish friend saying that her baby needed to have a transfusion. We talked for over an hour!  For those who pray,  I ask that you might remember tiny Susanna in your prayers.  She entered this world weighing only one pound, fourteen ounces, and  thirteen inches long! My friend said she is so tiny, she looks like a little doll!  The doctor told Eunice and her husband there will be many “bumps in the road” ahead, but she is trying to remain positive.

I have fallen behind in my blogging, but…well, life seems to be moving along in fast forward lately!

Alrighty, then. The above was written early this morning. “Before* ….

1) I had to use up some apples that were going soft, so I baked an apple pie.

2) We had to contact the college about Ben taking a music course there this fall…which led to me having to make a mad dash for Pastor Bert’s house for a letter of recommendation.  Pastor Bert and his wife left today for New York City because they are flying to Peru along with a medical doctor to treat kids and reach out to the people. (Pastor Bert is originally from Peru)

3) I had to prepare a quick lunch for my starving (NOT!) family

4) Run down to Naples to buy gasoline for the lawnmower

5) Return home and quickly pack three boxes to send out via UPS this afternoon

6) Help Mark

7) Fall on the floor into a big heap of tired humanity!

Oh, I am so tired.  But I did not decide to post this to complain! No, no, no!

On Sunday, after visiting with my Amish friends in Rochester,  Mark and I called Carly and finally did something we had talked about for years and years!

There is an area of Rochester called High Falls.  Yes, there are falls located on the Genesee River there!  Every night, there is a small laser show, complete with fireworks.  We had talked about going to see this for years, but never really found the time to *do* it! 

The laser show is projected onto a large stone wall across from the falls. Unfortunately, when both Carly and I tried to photograph the laser show,  we came up with small parts of the “pictures”.  It was rather funny, but….

Makes for some cryptic photos!

It was really, really dark for the laser show!

But the Genesee Brewery was well lit across the bridge we were atanding on!

Well, if one cannot take good photos at a laser show, how about lasers on buildings?

The laser show was fun, paying tribute to many famous Rochestarians and offering a brief history of the city as well! Now, getting bored and a tad frustrated that laser images do not capture well, I must admit I did get a bit antsy, looking about for some good photo ops.

Did I mention the fireworks?

The bridge we observed the show from had a nice sign with some history…

And an historical marker as well!

As we began making our way back to the parking garage where we left the truck, we passed  by a wall built in 1816, that was part of a forge. Of course, this piqued Mark’s interest.  It really was quite interesting, especially the way it was so nicely lit in the dark!

The thing that immediately caught my eye at the forge was the huge water wheel!

And another look at the wheel…

Although downtown Rochester isn’t my cup of tea, day or night,  this area was fascinating and so beautiful!

Ah, yes! This is an historical district, making it a desirable section of the city! We noticed there were little signs throughout the area,  designating walking tours of the area.. Now, if we can just rope Carly long enough to take us on a tour!

Mark commented later that he lived in the city some thirty years and had never visited this place before!  Can you imagine?