Maddy looking a little sad that she decided to wade into the pond.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Walking on water
Nick, Maddy, and Marshall went for a hike to the sculpture park this afternoon. For some reason, Nick decided to go for a swim in one of the sculpture park ponds, and Maddy followed him in.
Big blue
We have a blue heron that likes to hang out at the pond. He is easily spooked; we often frighten him when driving up and down the driveway, and he swoops over the car and into the trees.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Cookin' marshmallows
It was finally cool enough for a fire. Nick and Maddy cooked marshmallows in the fireplace in East Otto.
Taste of Ellicottville
On Sunday we went to Taste of Ellicottville, the Aspen of the east. All of the fine dining establishments in Ellicottville bring their best small bites out to eat on the sidewalk. Here, Maddy and Marshall are enjoying rice pudding from Gatson's Chocolates and gumbo from Balloon's.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Dad's House
Dad got stuck in the small bedroom right next to his parents. His sister, who got everything she wanted, got a huge room at the back of the house where she could throw parties all night long without her parents even knowing, until the police arrived and woke up the parents. She would then blame dad, who got in trouble while the sister got more candy and an increase in her allowance.
Crossing the Delaware
While in Buffalo, we visited Delaware Park, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (the landscape architect who also designed Central Park in New York). The Albright-Knox Gallery, an excellent modern art museum, is located at the end of the park.
The mighty Niagara
On Saturday, we took a walk with Barb and Skip through a park in Tonawanda that runs along the Niagara River, just above the falls. The falls are straight ahead; to the right, the river meets the Erie Canal.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
One pet beyond
On the outskirts of Leolyn Woods, where Inspiration Stump is located, the spiritualists in Lily Dale have made a pet cemetary. Spiritualists do not believe in death, only that the spirit of the being has "moved on" to another place. Not sure what that means for Fluffy.
Inspiration stump
Inspiration stump is the place in Lily Dale where the mediums stood when giving public readings. No one can stand on it anymore, because it is so unstable. Marshall is trying to receive some good vibrations from the stump.
Lily Dale
All of the land in Lily Dale is owned by the Assembly. To purchase a house, you must become a member of a recognized spiritualist church. Mediums in Lily Dale post sheets on their front porches; visitors who wish to have a reading can sign up for $30-60 for a half hour.
Mediums at large
On Friday, we took a daytrip to Lily Dale, a town occupied by spritualists. Founded over 125 years ago, Lily Dale sponsors a rich and varied summer program of workshops and events for mediums, healers, and other "free thinkers." The daily schedule of events includes a message service, which we attended, at which local and visiting mediums "walk into the vibrations" of guests and give them news from loved ones who have "passed over."
Witch's grave
On the Sculpture Park road, on the way to Springville, a grave marker sits in the woods about 30 feet back from the road. There are no houses for at least a quarter mile in either direction. Yet, someone, mysteriously, mows the grass leading to and around the grave site. We affectionately call this place the witch's grave. In fact, it is the resting place for Lewis Disch, 1794-1882, his wife Salome, 1798-1862, and their daughter Sophia, 1833-1909.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Berry good
I made berry-rhubarb jam this afternoon. Nick was an enthusiastic sampler. Check out the recipe on my foodie blog.
Mirror, mirror
Nick and Marshall took a trip down to the pond this morning. It's pretty weedy, and you can see the remnants of the beaver dam to the left of Nick.
Choice real estate
Nick continues to add on to his treehouse. Here is a view down the trap door to the forest floor below.
Rainy day
It rained most of yesterday evening. The house cooled off, but not cool enough to have a fire in the fireplace.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Tractor pull
Marshall has been using this tractor to bring stones up from the old mill foundation for the outdoor kitchen patio, which he doubling in size. Farmer Nick enjoys riding on the tractor, too.
Treehouse construction
Nick continues to improve his treehouse. In addition to the escape slide on the right, he has now added a bucket/pulley system, on the left, for lifting commodities into the treehouse.
The light in the woods
The light filtering through the treetops is everchanging, and the leaves sparkle in the breeze.
Backyard hike
After lunch, Maddy and I went for a short hike up the backyard ridge, toward the sculpture park.
Gin Mill
We went to the Gin Mill today for lunch, a watering hole down the road in Ellicottville. Marshall had the beef on weck, a roast beef sandwich with horseradish on a "weck roll," which is really a kaiser roll with coarse salt and caraway seeds on top. Maddy tried a locally brewed root beer.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Mouse house
The guest house, a/k/a the mouse house, which has become the repository for unused furniture and other large items. Note the mouse nest in the shelf on the upper righthand corner (above the books). Also note the attractive George and Martha lamps--goodness knows why we no longer use these in the main house!
Water battle
Skip, Barb, Dorothy, and Mike came down for the day on Sunday. Skip brought his Super Soaker, which lead to the inevitable water fight. Despite their weapons disadvantage, I think that the youngsters beat the older children by a hair.
Fireside breakfast
Nick enjoys a delicacy from the local bakery, blue-frosting'ed doughnut with gummy spiders.
More bubbles
Maddy tries to outshine her brother's new bubble-blowing skills on the breezeway, shortly after our arrival.
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