Some Excitement For a Change!

Last weekend turned out to be pretty exciting by our current standards...and maybe even by normal standards!  It doesn't take a lot these days, but it was nice to have some different stuff to keep us occupied!

The excitement started on Friday afternoon when the tree guys came to take down our diseased chokecherry trees.  When we bought the house, the trees were maybe up to about gutter height.  In the ten years since they've gotten really big (despite one having been staked wrong and growing multiple trunks directly out of the ground), making it above the roof and one being a mere couple inches from brushing against the house despite being planted about 10 feet away.  About four years ago, we noticed one getting a little funky--it almost looked like poop on the branches!  After a little research, I figured out they were Canadian chokecherries and one was suffering from black knot.  It transferred to the other one by the next year, but by the time I was ready to call for an estimate to treat them, we got hit with that massive windstorm.  I knew the tree people were probably completely slammed (which they were) so I waited.  Then the trees got leaves and it seemed pointless to call because they'd never be able to see all of the disease with the leaves.  Then once they fell off again I got lazy and/or distracted and/or hesitant to spend money on treatment that may not even work.  It got worse over the years, but the trees themselves hung in there...until this year.  They ended up with sparse leaves, and the ones they had were dying off a bit.  It took a while to get quotes and then get someone here to do it, but Friday was the day!

The "Before"

They started right in with the chainsaw, and before we knew it, tree #1 was down.

They had some heavy machinery there to drag it out in one piece, but I think they miscalculated how big it was relative to the space between houses, so it took them a while to figure out how to move it out.  They ended up cutting a few pieces off, but I can tell it was an interesting ride out because there were fragments of tree everywhere along the route.  And my solar light got knocked off (which happens all the time, but still).  Luckily they cleaned up the worst of it, but it definitely got messy. 

Stuck!

Once they got it out to the chipper, they had similar problems fitting it in there.  It seemed to be a bit too big to fit intact, so once again they did some cutting!  It all went in eventually, but I had my doubts!

They started in on the other one, and this is how it looked half done...

Sadly, their stump grinder went down earlier in the week, so we're still waiting for that to happen, which I'd like to be soon so I can re-mulch those areas until we figure out our long-term plan.  Regardless, at least we can look at our "new" yard and figure out what we'd like to do.  It's so wide open now!  It still throws me off almost every time I walk out there.

I think I want to plant something on the right corner to give us back a little privacy from the neighbors, since their outdoor area is pretty close to that side.  I thought about doing raspberries, but my mom said they'll take over, so I'm not sure.  If we do a tree, it needs to be small, not susceptible to the same disease these had (since I'm sure the soil could pass it along, like most fungal diseases), and not something that will drop a bunch of junk on our patio like the other ones did.  I also discussed moving a bird feeder that's stuck in our overgrown bushes on the side of the house, but Craig doesn't want them pooping near his grill.  So, the decision is still a work in progress!

I sat out that night to have a drink--celebrating the beginning of my last week of furlough, I guess--and enjoyed the new view.  Getting used to the patio lights without their usual tree canopy was weird but cool!

My new solar light!

My random planters are in the foreground, full of funky little multicolored zinnias!

So empty!  I also pulled out the weedy plants that were surrounding the light this week, so there's even less there now.

On Saturday I had to head up to Buffalo pretty early for a baby shower for Craig's cousin's wife.  It was an outdoor shower, so I felt a bit more comfortable with it.  It was hot and sunny but they had canopies up and it ended up being a great day for it.  It was wonderful to see family I haven't seen since Christmas (if not longer) and I even got to meet this sweet baby girl! 

Her mama was our flower girl 17 years ago!  She arrived eight weeks early back in February due to a few different complications, but she fought through NICU life like a champ.  She came home before her due date, has been doing great on milestones, and is super content.  She was almost five months in this pic but she's still a sweet little peanut!  It was so great to finally meet her.  

After the shower, I met Craig and the boys at his parents' house so we could celebrate our nephew's 13th birthday.  He got a car parade while we were there, which was fun to see.  Jacob played basketball with his cousins, which kept him pretty busy.  We got to have dinner and cake, too.  It was fun to hang out and see people like the old days.  I can't say we were awesome about distancing, but it was a pretty small group so it didn't feel too uncomfortable (aside from one point where there were some extra people there that I didn't know and the kitchen got pretty full--at which point I moved to another room for a bit).  

Craig and the boys left after cake so they could get home at a reasonable time, and I stuck around for a bit because I was just driving to my parents'.  I decided to stay in town so my mom and I could go on a little adventure on Sunday.  As the sun started to go down, I figured it was about time and headed out.  As I drove along the lake, I noticed that the sunset was looking pretty.  Not stunning, but nice.

For whatever reason, it popped into my head that there's a place right along the water that I hadn't been to since I was a kid that would be perfect for catching a glimpse of the sunset.  Since I was alone and not necessarily in a rush, I pondered whether or not it was wise to try to go.  I figured I could probably get there okay, most likely just after sunset.  But would it be unsafe for me to go alone?  Should I just call it a day and go home?  I made a last second decision to give it a shot.  If it felt uncomfortable I could leave and it would just be a few minutes out of my way.

When I got down to the Erie Basin Marina, the sun had just set.  Parking was easy, and it was rather lovely as I stepped up on the rock wall to get a better view.  Thank goodness my dress was a maxi dress so I didn't look too unladylike!

There were a lot of people out and about.  Some were sitting on the rocks watching the view, some were walking along the sidewalk, and some were sitting in lawn chairs next to their car.  Despite the numbers, it wasn't uncomfortable for social distancing aside from a couple split seconds passing people on the sidewalk.  But the view of the sunset was beautiful and the sounds of the water were peaceful.  I decided to take the five minute walk down the road to the observation deck that I remember visiting as a kid.  I passed a few people on the stairs but ended up having the entire deck to myself once I was up there.

The views from the top were lovely--not just of the sunset and the water, but also of the nearby lighthouse...

...and also the city.  You can't tell from this photo, but the building to the left is in the middle of a massive renovation (and paint job--it's turning burgundy and gray on other sides).  Buffalo's City Hall (the tapered tower to the left of center) is iconic, and the rest of the skyline is considerably more impressive and dynamic than it was when I lived in the area.  There's a lot happening there, and it's good to see!

The marina was very peaceful, it definitely made waterfront living look pretty pleasant (never mind that in the winter you get a front row seat to lake effect snow)!

During the time I was in the tower looking back and forth between the sunset and the city, I realized that the sunset had gotten even more stunning!  

It was about time to go, but I ventured back down to capture whatever else I could from the rocks.

The glow was beautiful as it transformed the water, and I was obsessed with how it reflected off the windows in these two buildings to make them look like all the lights were on inside.  But nope, just the sun!

This is a view from the ground of the tower I was in.

Buffalo has a lot of brutalist architecture, and I think this counts.  It's still a pretty interesting structure, and underrated, in my opinion.  I was actually surprised how few people took advantage of it.

The glow of the sunset as I came back down continued to be impressive.  I was walking with my back to it, but turned around every minute or so and was constantly surprised at how beautiful it was.

I was probably only there for about a half hour, but it was really invigorating to my somewhat tired soul.  The family time that day had been wonderful, but I think it was also a lot to take in, given both the risk involved and the departure from our current introvert tendencies.  But this little adventure--taken in one of the very few bits of unscheduled, unplanned freedom I've had in over four months--made me very happy.  Clearly I'm missing things like this, and simple as it was, it was just what the doctor ordered.  I was exhausted but I'm pretty sure I smiled most of the way to my parents' as I watched the rest of the sunset fade into darkness.  Good sunsets and new places can do that for me, I guess.

On Sunday morning, we watched my parents' online church, and then my mom and I got on the road for our little adventure.  My mom had been wanting to go to the Marilla Country Store, one of those old school crafty, gifty kind of stores in the middle of nowhere.  There was furniture, decor, clothing, jewelry, food, kitchen wares, holiday decor, toys, and countless crafts and gifts of all sorts in every different theme.  We laughed at sayings on signs and mugs, I admired their Polish pottery (and Easter eggs) section, and we pored over the fun food items.  My mom bought some gummies and some sweet and spicy Buffalo peanuts.  I almost bought a fart whistle for Carter, since he can't seem to work a whoopie cushion without breaking it...but thought better of it for how it would probably end up driving all of us nuts!  

We drove into nearby East Aurora and considered our lunch options.  Mostly for COVID and heat-related reasons, we opted to grab sandwiches from Tops and go eat in a park in the shade.  After that we headed to the famous Vidler's 5 and 10, which takes the goods at the Marilla Country Store up another notch!  Vidler's seems to have everything!  We once again made our way from room to room, and we noticed halfway through that it was getting dark and rather breezy outside.  It appeared the storms forecast for the evening were coming early!  A pretty decent thunderstorm came through while we were in the store.  We avoided most of the rain and it was pretty much done by the time we got back to my parents' house (complete with a few nostalgic candy items in my purse!).  The rain hit Rochester a bit later but our area was spared the worst.  South and east of here got winds significant enough to blow a trampoline out from someone's yard to the road, and clear decorative items off someone's porch, per some doorbell cam videos posted by the news.  I'm just happy we're finally getting some regular rain so our grass and plants aren't all parched.  

I wrapped up the trip by stopping at my parents' Walmart to load up on gluten-free items--and scored some much needed hand soap in bulk, as well!  Back at home we had a quiet night, which was probably much needed after my busy weekend!  One more adventure awaited for my last week off...if we could pull it off.  Stay tuned!