First Dog Park Friday of 2022

Yesterday was the latest best day of the year, and we had an official Dog Park Friday. We saw a pair of dogs from our neighborhood, some Taylor Farm regulars, and met a beagle. 

I miss the days when we routinely had 10 to 12 people at a DPF. Now we have a core group of five who've made it through the pandemic together. We can't count on this being a weekly thing yet--it's too early in the season--but it's a nice start. 

A Winter DPF

Temperatures reached 50 degrees today. Jen suggested we meet for an early Dog Park Friday at 1 P.M. Jen texted me, I called Chris, and Chris called Roberta. Six people and four dogs met at the picnic table in the back field. 

It was the only winter DPF that I can remember. We only lasted about an hour-and-a-half because the sun never came out, and it got cold. 

Thanks Jen for getting us together. 

Don't Blink

I feel as if I blinked, and not only is summer over, but September too (well just about.) I guess it hit me when I realized that next week is October. 

I feel I should have done more this summer, but can't think of anything specific right now. I spent a lot of time walking Lola at Oyster Shell Park, or so it seems, watching egrets and baby swans. We did fun things such as DPF's, outside dining, listening to music, looking at art. I participated in a class reading of stories, have continued writing and made writing plans even if I haven't been very productive. 

In September, we went to a celebration of life and a memorial service (both postponed by Covid) visited with family, celebrated our anniversary with a mini-getaway, and celebrated Jeff's birthday yesterday. Jeff, Lola, and I went to the Biergarten at Nod Hill Brewery for lunch. Later we met friends at the grand opening of 314 Beer Garden. 314 was too loud and crowded, so we headed to Sedona Taphouse. 

Jeff and I were too full to eat a regular dinner, so we had salad and chocolate mousse cake. I had made vodka sauce Friday. Tonight's dinner will be penne a la vodka--to make it a birthday weekend.

September is almost over, but it's just the beginning of fall--my favorite season. I need to plan some fun things to do, make a list, and anticipate them. Don't blink; don't let the fall get away. 

Plan, Anticipate, Revise

In a recent post, I mentioned our plan to spend our anniversary at Interlaken Inn. I started packing yesterday and today unfolded our gift certificate: it's on 8.5 by 11 cardstock, was folded in thirds, and given to us in an envelope. 

Whoops, our certificate is only good Sunday through Thursday at this time of the year. I called Interlaken to see if they would honor the certificate on Friday night--no luck. Now, we're going up Thursday, will wake up there on our anniversary, and return home that day. 

I'm disappointed, but we originally planned to go on Thursday, thinking Friday prices would be higher. The person taking our reservation should have told us about the gift certificate limitation, but we should have read the complete certificate of course. I'm just glad I saw it before we drove up there on Friday.

It won't make a big difference in our plans, and if the weather cooperates, we may make Dog Park Friday. 

In this post so far, I've covered plan and revise. What about anticipate? Laura Vanderkam is big on planning things because she enjoys anticipating them. See an example here. 

I've been anticipating this mini-getaway. Luckily, I read the gift certificate, so the getaway wasn't doomed before it started. 

A Bad Week, but...

It's not been the best of weeks: a heat wave, a new leak in our bathroom ceiling, workmen coming in and out for a day and a half, minimal writing.

Let's focus on the good. The heat wave is over. We went to an art manifestation festival in Norwalk this afternoon, heard some music. On a chalk board about manifestation, I wrote: "I will write the books." Note: I didn't write the "Without Hesitation" part, but it works for me.

.

I've done online research on Sylvanus Merwin for one book.

I contacted a friend I haven't seen in years, and we planned to get together. We had a dog park Saturday because it was too hot on Friday.

Think about the good.

DPF

It's a beautiful evening and the first Dog Park Friday (DPF) in three or four weeks. I don't know if we'll ever return to the DPF days of 10 to 15 people. As people are emerging from Covid isolation, maybe we can create a new group.

Unfortunately Indy and Lola discovered a rabbit nest. We saw Indy with a baby rabbit in her mouth. The baby seemed unharmed, we leashed the dogs, and Chris put the bunny closer to where the dogs had found it. Fingers crossed. 

I think we did the right thing. I just read that mother rabbits only return once at night to feed their babies. 

Lola was straining on the leash to go back to where the bunnies were. I know it's instinct, but a few years ago she would have acted much more aggressively. I take some comfort in that. 

Memorial Day Weekend

As I have probably written here dozens of times, I don't like to travel on holiday weekends. I can do without extra traffic and crowds. 

I understand this Memorial Day is special for many people--the first, almost post-pandemic holiday. Unfortunately the weather is extreme in parts of the country--here in the New York City area, we have record cold and rain. We didn't go to DPF and had to postpone meeting a relative, which involved an outdoor meeting. No biggie, it's not like we planned a vacation. 

Today I did some cleaning and cooking. For lunch, I made chicken soup from the broth I  made the other day. We had duck breast with fruit sauce and vegetable medley for dinner. I asked myself why I made a potentially messy dinner after thoroughly cleaning the stovetop today.

I also started on a story for my writing class. We don't meet this Monday because of the holiday, but it's nice to have an idea of what I'm writing. Our assignment is to write a one-page monologue or story about some kind of theater ghost. 

The Westport Fine Arts Festival is this weekend. The organizers seem to be cursed. Last year they changed the day from sometime in July (after a series of 90-plus degree Festival weekends) to May. Of course, Covid-19 ruined any in-person festivals last spring/summer. This year they have record cold. I'm not tempted to attend this year based on the cold, but I learned yesterday that the Westport Library book sale is also this weekend. I enjoyed the Pequot Library book sale so much. I'm willing to brave the cold for more books.

Almost Here

Spring that is. We've had three days this week with temperatures in the 60's. It felt glorious. I know it won't last, but I don't mind as long as the snow is gone. 

I always look forward to spring; February is usually a tough month. In this pandemic year, I am yearning for it. I am looking forward to more, longer walks with Lola, including neighborhood walks that she has recently spurned. 

Yesterday we met some friends at Taylor Farm dog park. It wasn't a DPF, of course, but it was nice. As Jen said, we hope more people return this season--we only had five regulars last year--although we enjoyed those small get-togethers. 

I also hope spring brings some kind of creative renewal to me. I wrote an essay this week, unrelated to my class. It's silly, but it's writing, and I'm happy I did it. (See my next post.)

Evening at Taylor Farm

Friday was Jeff's birthday. We walked down the hill and had lunch at Sedona Tap House. Later we went to Taylor Farm for DPF. Our DPF's are winding down--maybe three or four more. 

 As we were getting ready to leave, someone mentioned how beautiful the sky looked. I took these photographs. 

Then, home for a dinner of penne a la vodka, per Jeff's request. 

A Week in Photos

I was a late adopter of the cell phone. I was afraid I'd get a lot of unwanted calls. Within a week of getting one, I learned how handy it was--I got stuck in a terrible traffic jam and was able to call Jeff and explain where I was.

Similarly, I didn't get why phones had cameras. Now I see it's an agent of social change. On a lighter note, I enjoy spontaneously capturing some images that appeal to me. Here are some from the last week or so.

Oyster Shell Park: these blackbird don't stay still for very long and I wasn't able to get close to them. Here are a few blurred images. Funny, Oyster Shell is the only place I've seen these birds.

On Thursday we saw several ground hogs. Here's a shot from afar.

Here's a view from the nearby Sono boardwalk.

We took a long walk last Saturday and saw these roses on Water Street. I loved the colors.

At Taylor Farm we saw this dog who reminded me of Spike.

A little later we met this beagle Luna. 

Here are some buttercups. We used to hold these under our chins. A yellow glow meant you liked butter. I was surprised that buttercups was a real name.

Yesterday after a walk at Taylor Farm, we headed to Sono 1420 for a drink and met Jagermeister.

We're going for a long walk today: I wonder what will catch my eye. 

Birthday, Anniversaries, and Transitions

Last weekend marked some important milestones. I'm not sure why I didn't write about them then. Maybe I just needed more time to reflect.

I had a birthday, a big one. I'm now officially old. I am now on Medicare (which is financially advantageous for us) and I've started getting a pension.

It's weird. I've started out wanting to get older, wanting to be an adult. I guess most of us aspire to be 21. Then I wanted to be 29--I thought that age would be the height of sophistication. Later it was 39--I'd still like to be that age.

I didn't mind getting older. I didn't lie about my age.  I celebrated a 50th birthday party. 

But now, my age has put me in a bit of a funk. It feels different. I'm not just a year older. It's not entering a new decade. I'm in a new category--a new phase of my life. In many ways, it's the last phase. This doesn't mean that I'm giving up or waiting for the end. The best may be yet to come. But I have to be realistic, the majority of my life is over. It's only natural for me to mull over about what I have and haven't accomplished. 

May 23rd marked 10 years of blogging. I haven't always been consistent, but I'm still blogging.

Memorial Weekend Friday was the 15th anniversary of the first Dog Park Friday (DPF.) I think the heyday of DPF is over, primarily because of Covid-19. But we plan to continue going, and we have some fond memories of previous years. 

Positives and Plans

This is the third post I've started since my last published post. One was about art journals; I'll probably revisit that post when I return to art journals. The other post was basically a list of the annoying problems I was dealing with. It wasn't fun to write, and it wouldn't have been fun to read. I deleted it.

Instead, let's be positive.

The weather continues to be mild. For every cold day or two, we get four or five mild days. Daylight saving time begins this weekend. I heard on the radio today that there's no real reason for daylight saving--it doesn't save energy--and it messes up people's sleep and contributes to accidents. But I like the idea of longer days. Soon it will be dog park Friday season. It will officially be spring in two weeks.

I am planning to see an exhibit on Mexican Muralists at the Whitney Museum of American Art. I haven't selected a date yet--probably in the next few weeks. It will be a real artist date for me.

We received a gift certificate at Christmas for Interlaken Inn. We love this place, although Morgan's Restaurant has gone downhill. For us, the highlight of Morgan's was the night with this tasting menu. Before that we loved the menu options and all our selections. In the last few years, the food is still good, but the menu is uninspired with no specials. We've been very disappointed, and Morgan's is no longer our favorite restaurant.

We've also discussed other getaways. We want to move somewhere south of here in the next two-to-three years and have to explore areas. I want to go to New Hope, Pennsylvania even though I doubt we'll end up there. I have fond memories of day trips to the Playhouse when I was in high school, and there are many things to do. We have an open invitation to visit our friend in Baltimore. I would also like to return to Boston and Salem before we leave Connecticut.

I'm not sure how we'll juggle all these things, but it will be fun to try.

The Eternal DPF Optimist

That's how I described myself to Jeff last night.

Jeff wondered yesterday if it were too late in the season for DPF, but I was game. It's been a bleak few days, but yesterday wasn't bad, around 60 degrees. Plus I promised Lola that we were going to DPF when we visited the vet. I didn't expect many people, but I expected to see John, Jen, and Chris (with Katie and Indy.) I hoped to see Nick and Lauren (with Ellis.) We only saw Chris and Indy. Indy first appeared by herself; she likes to roam a bit.

Jeff and I brought wine, but we didn't bother to open it. If it had been a screwtop, I would have. We could have had a toast. Chris and Jeff were sure it was the last DPF of the season. It was dark by 6:30; next week it will be dark even earlier.

I'm holding on to this: a DPF in November. I guess that was just a one-time thing.

I mentioned last night that our first DPF this season was April 19 with just Jeff, Chris, and me with Lola and Indy. This post has a photo. I guess it's full circle that it was the five of us at the last DPF. Jeff took this photo last night.

Good bye DPF until next spring.

LGM and a Special DPF

Mets win their eighth straight, the fifteenth of their last 16 games. The Mets are now only a half game behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East and the Wild Card. 

I wasn't happy with Mickey Callaway's decision to start Wilson Ramos instead of Tomas Nido with Noah Syndergaard pitching, but it worked. Everyone is contributing; a different look each night.

The Mets now have guaranteed a series win against a contender. This weekend they're not just beating up on the bad teams.

Let's Go Mets!

***

The weather was beautiful for last night's Dog Park Friday.  We had a relatively small group of seven people and five dogs. Last night was the debut of a five-month puppy Ellis and her human Nick. 

Ellis sparked things with her puppy energy. We let Lola semi-loose on a bright orange long leash. Ellis was intrigued and kept trying to nibble the leash. Poor Lola would suddenly be yanked around despite Nick's efforts. Later Indy was intrigued by a toy that Ellis had. Chris had never seen her play so much before. 

Ellis and Katie had the most fun, chasing each other around. Lola even joined in. That made us happy. Lola loves to sniff on walks, nibble some stuffed animals, and may take a sock or two from us, but she's never been interested in chasing a ball. We've only seen her run with other dogs two or three times. Jeff thinks she gets intimidated by bigger dogs: Katie and Ellis are about her size. It was fun to watch the three of them. I hope that the inspiration of Ellis will continue. 

Summer is Here

Friday was the first day of summer. It didn't start as summer. Somehow someone figured out a precise time that summer began. If I recall correctly, it was 11:34 AM.

Spring did not leave quietly. It continued it's fourth straight day of rain showers. Summer prevailed; it was a beautiful, sunny late afternoon and evening. We had a surprisingly small DPF: five people and three dogs.

Yesterday Jeff and I followed a walk on the NRVT with a late lunch at Red Rooster Pub in Wilton. We enjoyed the jalapeno margaritas on the patio so much last week that we returned. I had a hibiscus pomegranate margarita and quesadilla. Jeff had an Ommegang Hennepin and the Northern Exposure elk burger. We shared shishito peppers. Lola got bites from both of us.

I need to start working on my summer fun list. We had a good start with a string of DPF's, visiting the Stamford Beer Garden, and going to the Craft Beer Festival. Next week is the Norwalk Art Festival at Mathews Park--a nice walk for us.

I want to eat lobster rolls on the water, go to outdoor concerts, and make a mojito salad. I'm also going to sign up for a writing class and join a poetry group. 

Summer is here; I want to make the most of it.

On My Mind

This post has been over a week in the making. That is I wanted to write a general post for about a week. Just didn't get to it for whatever reason. The longer I waited to post, the more things I thought about. Here goes.

Dog Park Friday 

After a slow start when it seemed to rain every Friday, we've enjoyed four consecutive DPF's with great weather.  Our first DPF of the season started small: three people, two dogs, one bottle of wine. Doesn't Lola look lonely?

The last few weeks were much better with about a dozen people and six or seven dogs (and more wine.)

Beer

Last Saturday, Jeff and I went to the Craft Beer Festival at Oyster Shell Park. It was a perfect day, unlike last year when it was so hot. We liked walking there and back so we could take advantage of trying all the beers. We also had some liquor from local distilleries and non-alcoholic beers to sample.

Jeff's dad's birthday was Friday; he would have been 93. His nickname is Zot. Several years ago, Jeff and I came across this beer:

We gave it to Jeff's dad for birthday, father's day or something. Obviously, he never drank it and Jeff inherited it after his death. We toasted Zot Friday night.

Walking

Nice weather with a light schedule the last month has made it easy to take longer walks with Lola. I'd say we average an hour walk each day. We spend a lot of time on the NRVT and at Taylor Farm. There's also Winslow Park, Schenck's Island, Bradley Park, and Cranbury Park.

I read somewhere that just 20 minutes outside can have a beneficial effect. It's vague because I'm too lazy to research this now. I'm enjoying being with Lola (until she rolls in poop) and having a (mostly) peaceful time and place to think. Just wish the pollen count would plunge.

Reading and Writing

I'm saving this for another post.

What's for Dinner?

We had a nice DPF on Friday night: a good turnout of about 13 people and several dogs as well as beautiful weather.

I had planned to have salmon for dinner on Friday, but didn't feel like cooking. Instead we got a pizza from Davinci's on our way home. Next time we get a free pizza.

Now on to the salmon. Usually Pagano's carries an organic salmon and King Salmon. On Friday morning, I saw Copper River Salmon for $48 a pound. I asked why the price was so much higher than the other salmons. I got a mixed answer; it was marketing, but the salmon was worth it. So I splurged.

I read up a bit on Copper River Salmon; I guess we got a deal--it's usually around $60 a pound. I read some recipes and kept it simple: salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, and fresh garlic. I cooked a vegetable medley of broccoli, peppers, garlic, and spinach. Earlier we had bruschetta as an appetizer.

The salmon was really good; I'm glad we tried it. Maybe $40/pound is okay every once in a while, but $60 is too much.

In the opposite of a splurge is Monday's $8.00 steak and side dinner at Sedona Taphouse.

Good eating all around.

Goodbye Ben

This s our friends' dog Ben, who died today. 

It was Ben along with his humans Jenn and John who started Dog Park Friday. As Jeff said, Ben was the last of his generation. Before him went Spike, Ozzie, Yogi.

We'll miss you Ben and remember you always. 

First Friday of May

April was a cold month with a few exceptions; it ended on a cold note. On May 1st temperatures jumped 30 degrees. This meant several nice walks with Lola during the week. We visited three different parts of the Wilton branch of the Norwalk River Valley Trail, Taylor Farm and Oyster Shell Parks.

Last night was the return of DPF (Dog Park Friday.) I put Lola's short leash on her and let her run semi-free. We've been doing this at DPF with her long leash for about a year. Unfortunately, the long leash gets caught under the picnic table, and we have to release her.

After we got home and gave Lola her dinner, Jeff and I headed out to First Friday Wall Street Lantern Parade. Some people carried handmade lanterns--probably made in the Norwalk Public Library's lantern assembly party that afternoon. It was fun; as we passed Banc House, people applauded us. We had a beer at Fat Cat  and got take-out pizza and kale salad.

First Friday was a beautiful spring night.

Another DPF

This one was much nicer than the first of the year. Today temps were in the mid-70's, and we had eight people show up. Lola and I met a lemon beagle puppy who had a spot on her head reminiscent of our beloved Spike.

Sorry I didn't get a photo of seven-month-old Autumn. We did get to see another beagle Daisy.

It started to get a bit chilly, so we left around 7:30. Before we left, I got a beautiful photo of the evening sky.