Life in the Bristolwood

 I sometimes get so far behind myself….that is, I take many photos that remain on my cards until one day when I look at them and think I should have written about them and put them up long ago. I really am trying to do better,  but it seems like life  often gets in the way.

A couple of days ago,  I went for a small walk along the side of our road.  The day before,  while outside,l I thought I had heard a Robin.  I just put the thought aside as Robins wouldn’t return to the area this early!

Well, the day I went for a walk,  I knew I distinctly heard a Robin singing in a tree.  Since I had the small Panasonic camera with me, I could surely capture the little bird’s photo. Problem was, the wind was blowing up the road mercilessly so it was hard to hold the camera still!

 Not a very nice photo but there is no doubt whatsoever that the bird is indeed a Robin.

Now, I realize I live a somewhat sheltered life in that I don’t go shopping just to look around.  My shopping excursions are generally to grab things we need and run.  So, I probably miss out a lot. (especially since I don’t watch television much either!)

Michelle and one of her friends fancy themselves to be connoisseurs of all things candy corn, so when we were at Sauder’s  yesterday, how could I resist?  I have seen candy corn in Christmas red and green, but Easter colors?

Well, this last photo might not specifically have anything to do with spring, but I just took it a little bit ago waiting for Michelle while she is at school.

I just like the way this photo turned out. And speaking of ducks,  wow, have the Canada Geese been flying northward.  This morning,  Angus felt compelled to awaken me at 4:45 ( yes, there really is a 4:45 AM) .  While I stood outside surrounded by pitch black darkness,  Angus poised himself in an “alert” stance.  I got a little nervous, because I could hear a sound off in the distance as well.

At that point, I pulled the Scotties in just a bit closer to the house.  After a little while,  what must have been a huge flock of geese flew overhead.  They squawked and made noise like crazy for a long time before things settled down again.  That was the strange noise I couldn’t identify before!  The rest of the day,  I have heard countless flocks passing by….

Definitely sure signs that spring really is just around the corner.

Today’s awesome weather with sunshine and mild temperatures threw not only me, but Mark and Ben into “let’s skip out on our responsibilities today” mode!

After dropping Michelle at school today, we went over to Lowe’s and WalMart to bide some time until Mark’s doctor appointment at 8:30.  We then headed to the doctor’s office as Mark had an appointment to get a tetanus shot.  Last year, Ben, Michelle, and I all got our shots, but Mark needed a booster as well.

I went in with Mark to see the doctor and she is just the most wonderful doctor, ever!  Since Mark was her first patient of the day, she sat down and chatted with us as well as giving Mark his shot.  We had such a nice visit, it was almost like seeing our friend instead of going to the doctor! She is leaving on Friday to go to Haiti for several days to help.  Her heart is so good and I pray she has a safe and productive trip.

After the doctor’s visit, Mark and I came outside and the weather was beautiful!  We got into the truck with Ben and the two Scotties, and I mentioned perhaps a day off would be beneficial.  I didn’t have to twist any arms….Mark and Ben both agreed!  I mentioned a drive down Routes 5 &20 and Mark thought that would be great.

With no particular predetermined destination in mind, we set off.  We drove through Geneva, Waterloo, and on to Seneca Falls.  As we drove along,  I mentioned to Mark that there was a new WalMart down a side road.  Mark turned and thought we should just take a drive around to see what stores were there.  It was then that I remembered Priscilla, a visitor to this blog, had mentioned a Mennonite store located “somewhere” nearby.  Mark entered the store name into the GPS and we were only about 1/4 mile away!

We drove over to the store and all three of us went inside.  WOW! This store is even bigger than the other store I often visit. They are really a big grocery store with goods from food to a nice assortment of books including many on Mennonite and Amish living and beliefs.  I could have spent hours and hours there, but it was so crowded, it was tough getting around! The young Mennonite girl who checked out my order said that the fine weather brought customers out in larger-than-normal numbers.

We will definitely be visiting this store again. (and again!)

After looking around in the store,  we pulled around the back of the store so Mark could look up sites of interest on his GPS.  I looked down the small hill below us and saw a little stream meandering along.  In the stream were a few Canada Geese.  Now, in and of itself,  that is nothing unusual, but these geese were acting ***weird***!  They were splashing about in the water as though they were taking a bath to get good and clean!  I do know that geese need water to breed, but this didn’t appear to be in the minds of these geese. (unless a good bathing was needed prior to courtship!)

One of the geese was hysterical….comical…such a comedian!  The goose did a barrel roll several times…..round and round and round.  Don’t believe me? Click twice on this photo and it will PROVE I am not exaggerating!! Honest!

In all my hours and hours spent watching geese, I have never seen the likes of that before!  I didn’t bring my telephoto lens with me so I had to crop this photo in order to catch the barrel roll!

As an aside, Mark laughed as we drove out of the store parking lot.  The employees are all Mennonites and their autos were all parked in one area.  There must have been 20 cars….maybe a couple trucks….all black!  There was nearly every make represented in…..black!

We drove on a little further, keeping our eyes on the clock, as we needed to pick Michelle up again from school.

After arriving back home,  Mark wanted us to rinse all the salty dirt off the truck.  As we pulled into the driveway, there were some spots in the gutter next to the driveway that had dammed up, sending water spilling over the driveway.  While Michelle went down the driveway with shovel in hand to remedy the driveway,  Ben got out the pressure washer and rinsed off not only the truck,  but also the Explorer.  Ah, both the driveway and the vehicles look much better now!

I helped Ben wipe off the hose and wind it up, then put the pressure washer away.  By the time we were ready to go in the house, dusk was quickly settling in.  As I walked from the garage to the house,  I had to grab my camera.  This solar lamp is in the side garden next to the house.  The little lamp had been buried under snow from the last storm.  I wondered about it, but was surprised when I saw it glowing this evening! It just poked through the snow today, so you can see how much the snow sank down and melted today.

I think Ben, Mark, and I are all refreshed from taking this unplanned vacation day.  One of the greatest benefits about homeschooling is that we are able to take off a day every now and then without losing a day….Ben always makes up his work when we get back home.

Michelle had plans to visit with her friend Jacob this afternoon.  Before we left,  we had to move, shovel, and plow snow again.  There really wasn’t a lot, but Mark wants to make sure he keeps up with it. 

As we passed by Woodville on our way, Mark and I couldn’t believe how beautiful the lake appeared. It was as smooth as glass.  Mark pulled into the boat launch so I could take a few photos….and I didn’t even have to ask him!

Those “spots” are actually ice fishermen.  I was surprised at how close they were to the edge of the ice.  Must be the fish like to hang out there!

And here is one looking up the lake towards Canandaigua.

There was what looked like a mist up the lake but in thinking about it, it might have been an area of snow squalls. It was that kind of day, after all.

We dropped Michelle at Jacob’s house and then went to Canandaigua.  Mark and Ben did a little shopping while I waited in the truck with the Scotties.  By the time the guys finished their shopping, it was time to pick Michelle back up once again! As we drove southward towards Middlesex,  I noticed that the scenery had changed from earlier….a wet, sticky snow was “decorating” everything it fell on.  Think in terms of a gingerbread house!

We arrived back home in the dark, but I just had to take a few pictures.  I LOVE this kind of snow. On the way out to the back deck, the roses Mark and I picked up at Sam’s Club the day of the big storm were just calling out to have their photo taken!

Should I tell you, Dear Reader, that those roses sell there for $5.87 a dozen?  No kidding….

Yes, of course…I really did need to take a closeup of the Scottie weathervane.  I love it all decorated!

The lilac bush in the side yard is almost as awesome with its snowy shroud as when it flowers!

When I got upstairs, I opened the bedroom window and took a photo of the trees outside.

The temperature has mellowed to the point where it is staying right at freezing.  This produces that wet sloppy snow that frosts everything! And tomorrow morning?  We will be back outside once again, shovels in hand and ready to go!

Today, we traveled to Rochester.  Never mind the warnings of bad weather!

Actually, we were advised that the bad weather would probably arrive mid to late afternoon.

We arrived in Rochester to clear roads and an annoying precipitation that felt more like “rainy snow” than anything.  It was just wet and somewhat sticky.  We did our shopping and then Ben and Mark went to the Guitar Center to check out some “stuff”.  Ben got a bass guitar for his birthday, which he is doing well playing. Mark wanted to check if perhaps they might see a better model. Thus, the Scotties and I awaited in the truck about an hour and forty-five minutes while the guys played.

Mark had commented one day that Mendon Ponds Park is located closer to Henrietta than our house.  So, I asked if we could stop just for a few minutes to feed the birds on our way to pick Michelle up from school. 

 Ben and I hopped out of the truck and walked just a few yards away to an area where there were trees and some brush.  We placed a few seeds in our hands and the birds immediately appeared!

Oh, come on, can you *really* imagine a chickadee perched upon your thumb?

I didn’t bring along the Nikon today, as I was traveling lightly.  We had an early morning appointment at eight to have the truck inspected.  It turned out kind of fun as I had to “occupy” the Scotties for about half an hour while the truck was taken in the garage for inspection.  Snow was falling, but it was rather mild and calm, so we walked a good bit, then went back to the store to see how things were going.  The poor Scottie boys had frozen beards and snow all over their skirts.  How happy they must have been to return to the warm and cozy truck.  I wrapped Murphy in a blanket in the back seat and he barely moved all day, sleeping soundly! 

One of the things I noticed right away that was different about Ben feeding the birds was that most people open their hands flat, whereas Ben cupped the seeds in his hand, creating  a sense of awe…As the tiny chickadees landed in his hand, he would raise and lower his hand from time to time, and the little birds would remain perched. 

As I worked snapping photo after photo,  I suddenly distinctly felt two birds land on the knit hat I was wearing.  Ben began to giggle and then I did, too.  It was nearly impossible to continue taking photos with the two of us laughing. Then, Ben did such a funny thing.

Now, remember, a strong storm was on its way.  I know the birds and animals know when bad weather is coming.  As we were feeding chickadees and titmice,  there were cardinals around.  Many cardinals!  They will not come to hand feed, but they surely did make their presence known.  While they were extremely flighty the last time I was at the park, this time,  they seemed not to care as I took photos of them.  They seemed almost focussed on getting their fair share of food before the winds kicked up and the snow began falling heavily.

And here is my favorite photo of a cardinal taken today….

It would have been nice to have had the SLR with me instead of my little Panasonic point-and-shoot,  but I was happy to have gotten the photos I did.  The snow began to come down a bit heavier as we were there.  Ben and I scattered a considerable amount of seeds on the ground as we left.  I am sure they were put to good use by the many birds we left behind!

As we made our way to Canandaigua, the road conditions worsened.  Mark tried his brakes a couple of times and the anti-locks came on and we went much further than he expected.  Many people were driving as though there was no problem whatsoever, making Mark even more cautious!

The wind is howling now and there is snow blowing all over, although visibility remains maybe two hundred feet.  Thus far, I don’t think we have much more than maybe six inches of snow, but it is hard to tell as the winds are terrific! I am so happy we got to feed the birds today!

Yesterday morning, Michelle and  I were off early to Canandaigua.  We had some wet, sloppy snow during the night, so we left a bit early,  but the roads were in fine condition.

After dropping Michelle at school, I went shopping for a few groceries.  As I left WalMart,  I drove through the old WalMart plaza and saw this…

I thought it was pretty cool the driver “parked” his horse and buggy out away from traffic and didn’t use the handicapped spaces.  As I sat looking, a man and a boy walked up to the buggy, so I put on my telephoto lens.

I can see by the clean-shaven face, this man is probably Old Order Mennonite, as the Amish married men have beards.

My next stop was at the bank, and I smiled as I saw this sign in the window….

The bank actually has a beautifully hand-painted rock in the gizmo where one places money and deposit slips.  That photo isn’t focussed well, but between the glass of the bank and my hurried “snap”…well…!

I took the lakeside road once again.  I am not sure if I am more “bold” now or what, but because there was practically no traffic on the road,  I stopped and took photos of some more weathervanes.  I even did something I’ve not done before…..I actually took some photos of the weathervanes on houses! The others were taken on garages or beach houses.

I’m pretty sure this first vane is made by the same company as my Scottie vane.  I sure looks similar!

There is a local magazine called Canandagua that I had received a free copy of a couple years ago.  In it was featured a house on the lake that was beyond my imagination! It was gorgeous and I think it belonged to a married couple that are doctors.  Anyway, this is their whimsical vane!

The next vane is on a beautiful old house.  The vane looks like it is also very old. I believe it is made of copper, and look at the cap where it is attached.  It looks like it was made specifically for that particular home’s application!

I couldn’t tell by eye what, exactly, the vane is, but the telephoto lens did a good job of letting me see that it looks like a ship’s mast, billowing in the wind.

The next vane really threw me over the edge.  From the road, it looked kind of like a weathervane that had been damaged.  After uploading my photos, I could see that it was not damaged! It looks like a handcrafted vane and it is a grasshopper!

I love the cupola with the bell!

I got home and Ben called out to see the male Downy Woodpecker on the suet feeder….

This morning,  we are surrounded by what looks like a thin coating of “frosting”!  We had a light coating of sticky snow that is pasted to everything! So, why not show *my* weathervane?

For drama, here it is with the flash on….

and off….

I was so tired yesterday. I had had a fine night’s sleep the night before, but I was so dragging yesterday! I had all my photos resized and ready to upload to my blog (with the exception of today’s Scottie weathervane photos, of course!) but instead of blogging,  I went to bed early!

My parents called yesterday and wanted to know if we might like to meet at Sprague’s today.  (Sprague’s just happens to be one of the best restaurants here on Planet Earth!)

We had been wanting to get together for Ben’s birthday for some time, but since my parents  live in the snowbelt…

The weather today could not have been any more spectacular if we had special-ordered it!  It was an amazing day filled with plenty of sunshine and blue skies!

We met at the restaurant and enjoyed good conversation and a good meal, as always!  Afterward, my mom, Ben, my brother Randy, and I all went for a little walk.  We were curious if the sugaring production had begun, but not yet.  The lines are all up and ready to go, though!

We walked back to the car and saw the most amazing thing!  There was a man walking a West Highland Terrier and a big Scottie!  I nearly jumped out of my skin!  I began talking to the man  and he was very friendly, as all Scottie owners are when it comes to their four-legged companions! Why I didn’t get photos, I don’t know.  I was too taken by the dogs, I guess!

The man talked at length about where they got their Scottie.  She is a big girl, weighing in at about 37 pounds.  The lady they got her from is from Scotland and she breeds them.  Of course, Angus and Murphy were in the truck and they got so excited seeing the girls! What a treat!

The man’s wife came out a little later and we chatted with them both for probably a good half hour! We found out that they had driven further than we from Waverly, New York.  They said they enjoy just taking “their kids” for a ride!  We just looked at each other and laughed, because Mark and I thought we were the only ones that ever do that!!!

I did take a few photos, but they were poor….taking photos from the back seat of a vehicle moving 55 miles per hour is a recipe for disaster!

What a(nother) fun day!

Yessir….every now and then, especially while I am driving,  I come up with a grand idea for a photo op.  Such was the case this gloomy, dismal, snowy morning!

Michelle and I left the house and the roads were much less than stellar! They were snow-covered, and with the temperature hanging at just below freezing, all the stuff they were putting on the road was mixing with the wet snow to form some pretty greasy slop!  You have no idea just how happy I am to have those brand spanking new tires on the Explorer!  And yes, it is wonderful having windows that work well, too!

I dropped Michelle off at school and as I was driving home,  I wondered what would be the safest route.  I really dislike traveling on fast roads in weather like this, so I once again opted to travel the lake road.  It was a wise choice as there was essentially no traffic and the road was pretty clear!

I drove past the place I had seen the Redhead Ducks yesterday, but didn’t see anything other than what seemed like zillions of Canada Geese.  It was shortly after this that I had that brainstorm moment! As gray and ugly as the sky is, it would be a good background for some weathervane shots!  And so, I slowly made my way down Lake Road. Thankfully, only two vehicles came up behind me the entire trip.

So, for your viewing pleasure….(I wish I would have taken the Nikon, but settled for the tiny Panasonic this morning, instead)

There were a lot more vanes, but these were some of the coolest I spotted. 

As I traveled just a little further south of where I saw all the ducks yesterday,  I saw scads and scads of Coots.  I would guess there were well over a thousand of them bouncing up and down on the open water.  Just outside there group, there were many more Redhead Ducks.  Even though I have no desire to live on the lake and pay the ridiculous taxes those homes pay, it would be nice to be able to observe the waterfowl that shows up there on a regular basis!

When I arrived home, I had to make my way up the driveway which has about 4 or 5 inches of snow on it.  I put the Explorer into 4×4 High and came up with no difficulties at all!

I know no one wants to hear about weather. Particularly messy weather!  Too bad, because that is precisely what we had today!

I decided I really needed to replenish groceries so I was going out today, weather or not!  I did wait until it warmed up a little as I am not too wild about driving on slippery roads when the gunk they use doesn’t work!  When the temperature warms up some, the stuff begins working better!

Here are my new tires which got some pretty good ratings when we looked them up on the internet….

Here is the tread….

I thought about the route I would take to Canandaigua and decided on the lake road.  Yay! It paid off! As I drove up the lake, I kept my eye out and saw lots and lots of Canada Geese.  I didn’t see the Swans I had spotted previously but as I looked out over the lake,  I did see something Iwasn’t sure about!  I had to turn around as I had gone too far to stop.

Even after getting out and taking photos, I couldn’t tell exactly what I was looking at!  Only after uploading my photos was I about to see a group of Readhead Ducks.

A little farther out on the lake behind the Redheads were a few Common Goldeneye Ducks.  (also called Whistlers)  I had never seen these before, so it was pretty cool seeing them!

I need to explain that although my photos appear a little out of focus,  they really aren’t!  It snowed a very fine snow all day long!  It added up to probably about four inches!  I was so glad I brought my camera along with me, as I had originally opted to leave it home.  I figured trying to take photos in the precipitation would be futile.

After my little duck sighting, I was once again on my way. I decided to take a slight detour and take a quick cruise out onto the City Pier. Wow! Doesn’t this look like fun?

I wondered what he had on his feet to travel along.  When I looked at the photo full-size, I could see he had some short skis strapped on his feet.

A flock of Canada Geese flew overhead…..

It would now be possible to walk right over to Squaw Island!

And on and on he sailed….

As I was about to pop back into the Explorer,  my eye lighted on a few gulls.  They are attracted to the pier….even in inclimate weather!….because many people sit there to eat their lunch in their vehicles.  I had meant to focus on the gulls themselves, but with the snow,  the camera had a bot of trouble focusing.  I snapped the photo anyway and I really like the fact that the bench is in focus in front of the gulls.

I had spent enough time photographing and it was now time to get to the task at hand.  I did my shopping and began to head homeward.  I did stop along the road for one more photo….

I really like the way this photo looks almost edited!  Everything appears nearly black and white, with the American flag colored.  Well, no,  I didn’t edit the photo…..the snow did!

So, there you have it.  We ***can*** have some camera fun even on a snowy day!

Ack! Today I felt like a tennis ball! Boing….boing……booooiiiiinnnngggg……..

I really enjoy running around, especially when I am by myself so I can pull off the road and take photos!  And that is just what I did today!

I got up at five and started doing my tasks for the morning.  Michelle wasn’t up by six, so I had to get her up.  She said her throat was sore and she wasn’t feeling great, but she got up and ready for school anyway. We were off  to Canandaigua by seven-fifteen.

After dropping Michelle off at school,  I drove east to Geneva.  Unfortunately, the seemingly “simple” fix for the window on my Explorer wasn’t quite so simple!  Last week,  Mark and Michelle went out to the garage and completely disassembled the front passenger door.  They had to remove rivets so the glass could be freed up, then they taped the window in the up position.  Mark realized an entire assembly was in need of replacement.  Thus, I went to the auto supply store in Geneva to pick up the part this morning.

Since I was so close to Seneca Lake, it would have been a shame not to stop by for a quick look.

I hadn’t remembered seeing this memorial before.

Walking back to the truck,  I looked up and saw all the houses on the hill in uptown Geneva.  Have you ever seen so many windows?

Yup, all those windows overlook beautiful Seneca Lake.

I started back toward Canandaigua,  but thought I would stop at BJ’s to pick up just a few items we needed.  And as I left BJ’s,  I noticed that the store next door had Yancy’s Fancy Cheese on sale.  Every time Mark watches the Sabres games on television,  one of the announcers advertises this cheese.  They had so many varieties, but I settled for Buffalo Wing, thinking Mark ought to like that!

Back in the truck and homeward bound.

Had to stop roadside for this shot of a little barn filled with hay…..

I stopped at WalMart in Canandaigua to grab a couple things.  As I was coming out of the store, I saw what I believe to be an Old Order Mennonite woman placing a big bag into a small basket on the front of a bicycle.  I thought that would be a fantastic photo op,  but I had several more things to do.

I passed by Aldi on my way to JoAnn Fabics to pick up some oil for my wonderful old sewing machine.  I passed this horse patiently waiting for its family to come out.

I had to stop by the dollar store and as I parked,  I spotted the Mennonite woman’s bike parked outside Penney’s.

I grabbed a couple of things I came for, and as I stepped out the door, I couldn’t believe I was running into the Mennonite woman once again! Now, this woman was no spring chicken….she looked to be well into her 60’s!  But she boogied on that bike like nobody’s business!

Although the temperature was parked right at about freezing,  the wind was chilly and I couldn’t help but be very thankful for a warm truck with a working heater!  I still had to stop at Wegman’s, and guess who pulled in right behind me?  I was shocked until  I saw the little lady go into the post office parking lot.  I did a little research and as I hopped out of the truck, the Mennonite lady passed by once again, parking in front of Wegman’s.  As I passed by her bike on the way into the store,  I saw that the large bag was cat food! She went into the store right behind me.  I was surprised as I don’t think I have seen Amish or Mennonites shopping there!

As I came out of Wegman’s,  the lady was getting on her bike once again!  Gads, I felt like a stalker!  Anyway, I had one more stop at the YMCA and I was pretty sure the Mennonite lady was NOT going there!  As I watched her ride off, it looked like she was going over to Michael’s Craft Store.

I finally arrived back home at about twelve-forty-five.  Just long enough to put stuff away, fix a salad, eat, and get ready to leave once again at four-fifteen to retrieve Michelle from school! When I walked into the house, Mark told me he wasn’t feeling well either!

Sleep cannot come soon enough tonight! And tomorrow…well, we are expecting “a few inches” of snow!

There appears to be a new sign down in Woodville…..(it is posted right near the boat launch, appropriately so)

Ummm….how is a life vest gonna prevent hypothermia?  Aw, forget it.  I must be missing something. Funny thing is, this is a view of the lake from a road above showing the south end of the lake…..

Since the boat launch is on the right side of that photo, I think you can see the only craft that might launch this time of the year would have to have sled runners on it as the lake is frozen over!

Well, enough of that!  I had spoken to a fellow that works at the marina in Woodville and he told me seeing the eagles walking on the ice in the winter is quite spectacular!  So, I spent about an hour just hanging out down there, but saw no eagles.  In fact, the area looked rather lifeless. The only sound to accompany me as I lingered was that of dead grass rattling when the brisk wind blew!

Of course I had to show that grass as I loved the color of it set against the stark white snow!