Category: Fun

Sunrise to sunset.

I enjoyed my Saturday to the fullest. I got up early to go birding for a few hours at one of my favorite spots – Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park. I watched the sun rise above the prairie.

I headed down the path to the river, as the mist lifted. Everything was very dewy.

It was nice to be out looking for the birdies.

After returning home, I cleaned up and we headed to the lake. Monte and I enjoyed a long sail in mild-ish winds. As soon as we got into the slip the winds really picked up (of course). So, when Kurt and Kevin stopped by a little bit later, we all went back out, in more sporting wind. It was another great sail, though with 4 people in the cockpit, we wore masks.

We were tied back up in the slip in time to watch the sun set on a very nice day.

Goals.

I found a poster on-line featuring scratch-off tiles for each of the 62 U.S. National Parks.   When you’ve visited one of the parks, you scratch off the gray-tone image for it to reveal a more colorful image beneath.   After framing the poster, I counted the parks I’ve already visited and was surprised that I have logged 10 already – without even trying!  I don’t really have a bucket list, but I certainly would love to see more of these national parks, especially those throughout the western part of the country.  Road trip!?

I bought it here, if you want to check it out for yourself.  Thanks to Monte for the handsome frame.  🙂

Lake daze.

We baked in the sun while seeking refuge at the lake from the 100 degree temps this weekend.  Julie joined us on Saturday afternoon.  We stayed the night.  We floated, kayaked, SUP-ed, and played on the lake with Marty, Sue, and some of the other sailors with boats nearby.   I was tuckered out by the time we got home Sunday night.  That’s hard work.

Sunday morning in the slip…

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Lost. And Found.

We are making more frequent trips to the lake lately to get a break from the endless 100 degree days we have here in Austin.

Last Sunday when we came home from the lake, we realized we were missing our styrofoam cooler. It’s not just any styrofoam cooler, though. It is a cylindrical bait bucket that’s been in Monte’s family as long as he can remember.  And it has been along on all of our camping and boating adventures for the last 20+ years. It makes a great, compact ice bucket. As it has worn thin and broken over the years, Monte mends it with wood and epoxy. One day, I expect it will be all wood. It’s special.

We went back to the lake Tuesday but didn’t find it on the boat. So we sadly assumed it must have blown into the lake from the parking lot while we were loading the car.  Monte added it to our Lost-shit Log of things we’ve lost in the lake.

We looked for it on lee shores as we sailed, but didn’t spot it. Returning to the marina Wednesday afternoon after anchoring out for the night, we learned it had been found and turned in to the office. Awesome!

Messing about.

We headed to the lake yesterday for a mid-week overnight anchorage in one of our favorite coves.  We had a nice, long, light sail up the river and back for several hours before we anchored in the cove for the night, grilling dinner off the stern under a colorful sunset.

IMG_0963Then, after listening to our neighbor (motor) boat in the cove playing non-stop, loud, expletive-laced music for several hours, just 100 feet away from us, we opted for a lovely moonlit sail back to our slip.

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In the morning we decided to drive upriver to where Cupholder is docked for a daysail up to MM 48 and back.

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The winds were light, but cooperative.  The motor boaters were few.  It was lovely.  After we got back to our private dock we let it out a bit in anticipation of the lake levels continuing to fall.

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Two nice days on the lake.  Sa-weet.  I’ll leave you with this quote from Wind in the Willows:

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing… about in boats — or with boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not. ”

Yep.

 

 

My first ever comet photo.

I have been waiting for an opportunity to see the Comet NEOWISE since I heard about it at the beginning of July.  When it was visible over the pre-dawn, northeast horizon last week, the sky Austin was overcast.  This week it is supposed to be visible after sunset.

Last night the sky was clear, so I grabbed my binoculars and camera and headed out to try to find a vantage point looking to the northwest horizon.  I found a parking garage that I thought might provide a view.   Since it was in the midst of Austin’s bright city lights, “visible” wouldn’t mean visible to the naked eye.   I was not able to sight it in my binoculars, either.  Instead, I took a number of shots using long exposure pointing at different areas of the sky in the general direction of where NEOWISE was supposed to be.  I did capture it in several photos.  Here’s the best one:

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It’s definitely not NatGeo material, but I was excited to get it.   If conditions allow, I may try again.   If so, I’m hoping that my experience from last night will help me get a better picture.

 

Pizza!

Pics of last night’s bounty, using homemade dough, homemade sauce, and home grown basil.

Savory margherita:

Freaking awesome prosciutto with onion, mushroom, and kalamata olive:

Luscious toasted parmesan on pizza crust:

I loves me those leftovers!

Exchange of DIY ditties.

Monte asked me to make him a mask, since the ones he’s been using are either too small or uncomfortable.  So I finally knocked out my first homemade COVID mask, custom made to his specifications.  🙂

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I then asked him to make me a frame for a piece of art that our niece, Laura, drew and sent to me.  He knocked it out, custom made to my specifications. 🙂  I just LOVE this drawing.  Laura requested people to send her photos of their quarantine workspaces, which she then drew in watercolors.  I sent her a picture of my craft space in my office, which is where I sat to make Monte’s mask.

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Keeping busy in the time of COVID….

 

 

Early 4th.

Monte and I spent a couple nights at anchor on the lake this week. We chose to avoid the wake-heavy holiday weekend. It was hazy, I guess from the Saharan dust remnants in the air. But it was lovely. Keeto enjoyed it, too. We’ve launched the kayak for the summer, so I have resumed my treasure-hunt-paddling around the coves. I was rewarded yesterday with this long lost 11 lb. Lewmar claw anchor and stainless steel tackle that someone had to cut loose at some point months ago when the lake was much higher.

And we were rewarded again with this treasure at sunset last night.

I hope you enjoy a fun and safe 4th of July!

Sweetness in the mailbox.

Monte and I have enjoyed joining his sister’s family zoom sessions.  Her adult kids and young grandkids live in 3 different cities.  They all join.  We join when we can.  It’s special.

Last week my great-niece, Adelle, showed everyone one her latest project, making bracelets out of colorful rubber bands.  We all asked for one of our own, and little Adelle delivered!  They arrived in the mail today.  I picked Seahawks colors, and I absolutely love it!

Thank You Adelle!

 

 

One head is better than none.

Monte completed the install of our new head on Nirvana this week!  The work was interrupted by this shelter-in-place for a couple of months.  But he made several trips this week and declared it done yesterday.

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So today we went to the lake and took her out.  We anchored and jumped in and floated in the lake for the first time this year.  Water temps were still a tad chilly at 79 degrees F, but we sucked it up.

Nice Thursday!

You go, girl!

I celebrated my friend, Ann, and her well-earned retirement today. She spent a rewarding career as a school-teacher; and a damn good one. I am happy for her to explore the next decades doing whatever her heart desires.

Cheers, my dear!!!!

Saturday night.

Yardwork done. Frosé in the glass. Pork tenderloin on the grill. Life is good.

Happy place.

My pollinator garden is in its 4th or 5th year, and though it takes work to keep ahead of all the weeds and Liveoak seedlings that grow as well as the perennial flowers in this patch, I truly enjoy it.  The purple coneflower, which I originally grew from seed, is back for the third year, and it makes me so happy to see all its blooms.

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