Day 274: Sunday Scenes

Day 273: College Homecoming

On this homecoming weekend, we strolled through campus on this gorgeous day to explore the newly renovated Williams Center that just reopened.  It's actually been forty years since Steve graduated with his first BA in political science and twenty years since he earned his second BS in Education.  We have never participated in any of the celebrations, but we enjoy exploring the campus regularly.

Inside Williams, new folding walls, a dropped ceiling, new furniture and floors, all sparkled.  On the way through, we purchased tickets to see the college performance of Chicago at the end of October.  We walked across the bridge that hasn't been open for years.  Dr. Gilman was also out walking and stopped to visit.  He started teaching at the college in 1963!  We shared our memories of our early years on campus and exclaimed about how much it has changed.

I spent most of the day rewriting the chapter on the two day hike and make huge progress.  It was very gratifying and I'll be able to take it to Penelope tomorrow.

Day 272: Cloud Cover

A huge front swept in over the lake and covered our area with thick black clouds.  We felt like we were driving under giant alien spaceships like the ones from the movie Independence Day that covered entire cities.  I tried to capture the divide between clouds and horizon while driving, but the shots are poor.  One photo caught a light fixture and morphed it into a UFO.  As the clouds passed, a huge harvest moon was reveled.

We saw the sci fi film "Looper" starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Leavitt today.  It should have been a winning combination, but it wasn't particularly satisfying.

Day 271: Life's twists

Last week all of Fredonia was overjoyed because Jenn Suhr came home with an Olympic Gold Medal and put on an incredible demonstration for all her fans.  In the park, thousands cheered her success.  This week, we are mourning the loss of Jon Gollnitz,  a young soldier killed in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber.  It's so incredibly sad.  He had a small four-year old son and a large loving family.  I didn't know him, but Steve had him as a student when he was in middle school.

We were so excited that Colin and April were going to be arriving tomorrow for their friends' wedding, but now they aren't coming.  So, I ironed, cleaned and froze vegetables for hours.  It's better than crying.

Arab Hill was gorgeous today.  Just as we drove into the parking area, two partridges rustled through the underbrush.  I have never seen one before!  Despite the drought, or maybe because of it, the colors were brilliant.

This is the pond where our kids swim on Thursday of Quest.

The truck road near Arab Hill

Just what every hiker needs!

View from Farrington Hollow Rd.

Dibble Hill as seen from Farrington Hollow Rd.  We walk along the tree line beyond the silo. 

We could see Buffalo and Canada from Center Rd.

Day 270: Editing

All morning and into the afternoon, I worked on the book, so by two I was ready for a long walk in the rain.  The cool misty rain was invigorating and felt a lot like spring days of hiking on Quest.  Fortunately, I didn't have the camera because the skies opened up and we got drenched.

Over the past two weeks I have reread the entire manuscript and made long lists of things that have to be addressed.   Either I have been kidding myself about how much is done or I have completely rethought what I have already written.  Or both.  I see gaps, organizational problems, flat narratives, barren descriptions.  Some parts are too rich or repetitive and need editing.  I wonder what my audience will want to read and how that might conflict with the stories I want to tell and the demands of an editor or publisher.   The project has grown so much that it fills six binders.

I decided to start counting and recording words on my calendar again.  There's something about tallying up the word count that helps me push on.   Plus, I am using a bright green highlighter to cross off items on the lists when I have finished them.  I crossed seven items off the list for the instruction manual and only have five more tasks before that part is done.   Then it struck me that I will need to compile an electronic file for the entire manual.  Yikes!  It feels like there is still so much to be done, but then I look at how much information I have already collected;  two full binders of interview transcripts, a manual that we can hand over to future leaders, lesson plans for the classes.

Quest: Twenty-five years of backpacking with eighth graders!

Turquoise: first drafts and revisions

Blue: Finished chapters

Day 269: Time trials

Cross country time trials were held today at Lake Erie State Park.  For years we've been using the park for home meets.  Of course, we never know what the weather will be.  Some years it has been horrendous with heavy rain and wind, runners splashing through low lying areas covered in mud,  but today it was spectacularly beautiful!  Gulls covered the old dock with one odd duck nestled among them.

Mark and Carol have divided the team into four sub sets with a range of abilities.  When the kids took off, the top runner from each team stayed behind for a minute and then sprinted out.  Fifty-nine runners participated today which is down significantly from several years ago.  There were years when Steve was the modified coach that he and Catt had fifty by themselves.  

Day 268: Yarn bomb

Our neighborhood walks always yield delights and today we had two surprises!  As we crossed Risley St. bridge, a great blue heron rose from the creek bed and flew north along its course.  There's water in the creek again, thank goodness, so perhaps the heron found a few of the fingerlings we have seen under the bridge.  We may have scared it as we strode down the hill, but it may also have been frightened by the bushy tiger cat that prowled along the east bank.

Fredonia has been yarn bombed! It's a type of street art or graffiti that is created by "guerrilla knitters."  Typically, they knit cozies for all kinds of urban items from street lights to cars.   A tree in the bird sanctuary along Forest Place was the target for the colorful stocking.  The fall foliage is a bit disappointing thus far this autumn,  but now this brilliant display lights up the park.

We're down to double digits!  Only 99 days remaining in the year.  Should I continue the blog into 2013?  Perhaps.  I have gotten very positive feedback and I do enjoy commenting on local events and our travels.  It's certainly something to think about as the year draws to a close.  

Day 267: Monarchs

The catch basin off Brigham Rd. on the college campus has gone totally wild with sumac, reeds, wildflowers and goldenrod.  It's surprising that it isn't fenced in since it can become quite swampy when we've had heavy rains.  But now, it is filled with brilliant fall flowers. 

I finished the video editing for the Quest movie!  All that's left is inserting the music and then making the copies for each of the participants. It's been fun learning the iMovie program and now I'll be able to produce more in the future.

Day 266: Jenn Suhr vaults!

Day long rain threatened to spoil Jenn Suhr's homecoming celebration, but the front passed just in time to clear the clouds and permit the event to proceed.  Several NYS pole vaulters participated, but the entire town's attention was focused on Jenn.  It was thrilling to watch her vault over 15 feet 10 inches today.  She set the record for the best jump of the year!  She made three attempts to clear 16 feet 4 inches and break her own American record, but was not able to do so.  In the next week, she will try again at her college in Rochester and before the Buffalo Bills game next Sunday.  Hopefully, she can set a new record.  What an inspiration to all the children of our community!  Everyone is so proud.

Day 265: Around town

I've thought about David Brook's comments a great deal today.  Particularly moving were his stories contrasting the modesty, self-effacement and sacrifice of the "greatest generation" with the self-serving traits of many today.  He told the stories about General George C. Marshall, Dwight Eisenhower and Francis Perkins.  The tales focused on how they conquered their own weaknesses and gave selflessly to causes greater than themselves.  On the other hand, he noted how absorbed people are today with their own importance which has led to an epidemic of overconfidence and narcissism. 

He also spoke about the two men running for President, both good men in his view, who are caught up in a very rigid landscape and a brutal campaign.  Although he is a conservative, he was highly critical of Mr. Romney for "faking it' or trying to be someone he's not.  He found Romney's comments on the 47% to be "morally offensive."  But, he was also critical of Mr. Obama because he has been so changed by the job of President.  Mr. Obama has become more insular and he has realized the limits of what a President can do.  He is not gregarious by nature and that has hurt him.  

One of the most amusing comments he shared was that there are more people in the country who own ferrets than who watch Fox News.  That nearly brought the house down.  His prediction is that the President will win re-election, the Senate will be split and the Democrats will make some gains in the House.  

 Our easy-going day began with a trip to the lake for a walk on the beach.  It appeared that a storm was blowing in and I wanted to capture the wind-blown waves and darkening clouds.  They passed by quickly without rain.  On the beach, clusters of milkweed pods are ripening amid the asters and will soon burst open.

A second walk in the late afternoon took us through the college grounds to check on construction progress.  One of the workmen spotted me photographing them and paused to pose.  It reminded me of the years when Houghton Hall was under construction in the late 1960s and both my uncle and cousin were electricians.  They never missed a chance to call out to me when I passed by on my way to class and started the entire crew whistling and waving.  

Dr. Ginny Horvath was inaugurated today as the new college President.  Her new home was sparkling and beautifully decorated with colorful mums and geraniums.  This week the dance club initiated a flash mob in the central square with her as a featured dancer.  What a great sport she is!  Although it wasn't announced in advance, many students and staff members have been rehearsing for weeks.     It was such an original way to celebrate the new president.  It bodes well for Fredonia State!

For many years, the cross country team's Friday afternoon tradition has been to do a work out then run to the cemetery.  Once all the teams arrived, the high school runners pair up with a middle school runner and then run through the park and do "fountains".   A "fountain" is a stunt the pair would do as they encircled the fountains in Barker Commons.  The afternoon is topped off with pizza at Wheelock School.  We encountered them on the first leg of their workout and were invited to join in.  The coaches and kids are always incredibly warm and welcoming.

On a sad final note, Molly caught and killed the cute little chipmunk that I photographed yesterday.  I understand that it's her nature, but the little creature had become a friend.  

Day 264: Schoolhouse rock

My friends Rachel, Kate and I went to the University of Buffalo for the Distinguished Speaker series.  Tonight the guest was David Brooks, political columnist for the New York Times.  He has traveled all over the world and he interviews three politicians each day.  Tomorrow, I will write about some of his more thought provoking ideas.  

Look who's in the school house!

Canadaway Creek

Front yard 

Back yard