Big city ways

I had an experience this week that I hadn't had in 25-30 years: I went out to "the beach" on a busy August weekend. What  a rockin' place, as they say. There were people everywhere: on bikes, in boats, in cars, in the water, on foot and coming down water slide after water slide and then climbing up the walkways to try it again. Here are four scenes that I caught from my place: reading and walking around at Perry Monument, at the furthest point on the peninsula.

You can rent kayaks, canoes and individual pontoons and travel throughout the lagoons or the bay. 

The Lady Kate was busy, busy, with long lines waiting for the next trip--every hour on the hour.

 

This shot is taken across the bay to the city side. There were many, many sailboats out, as the warm summer days will be ending soon.

And my favorite new travel experience. A bicycle built for four peddlers...and don't miss the two younger ones in the very front seats. Many of these were along the sidewalks all the way from Waterworks to Perry Monument--a couple miles for sure.

But, the greatest surprise was as we were leaving. I have always wondered why our Waldemeer amusement park added on a huge parking lot, expanding its original one all the way up to W. 6th Street. Well, I found out Sunday--the entire parking lot was full--packed with cars. As was the "overflow" parking lot across the street at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. I had never seen cars in the expansion area at all, let alone filled to the very edges. Just like amusement parks everywhere I guess--especially on summer weekends. So glad to see Waldemeer doing a good business.

My Little Town

 

Because of the death of one of our sister's brothers, I was able to visit a lovely, little, little town that is about 25 miles southwest of Erie, very near the Ohio border.  Albion, PA was founded in 1861 and reached an all-time high population in 1980 at 1,800 people. Today it settles in at about 1,500. 

I guess you could call it a very rural small town suburb of Girard or Fairview, PA, located about 10-15 miles away. It is near the major rail line going through northwestern PA (see above) and is close enough to the lake to be well-known also for its trout fishing. However, the major employer and raison d'etre today is the Albion State Prison, a state facility for men.

Our sister's brother owned and operated a funeral home there until his retirement a few years ago and from his obit he left a very proud legacy of involvement and care in the Albion community during his decades living there. 

Although the lyrics don't fit that closely perhaps, there still must have been similarities, at least in days gone by, in growing up in little towns throughout the country. Here's a link to Simon and Garfunkel's original beautiful ballad,  My Little Town.

This week

 This week, thanks to a break in our record-breaking amount of rain in July 2021, workmen started on the new cement sidewalk in our inner courtyard. Here are two looks at the project--the first from the door in the foyer behind the switchboard; the second from the double glass doors in the hallway on the way to the dining room. Hopefully, if the precipitation holds off, they can finish this week.

BTW: our local weather guy was absolutely giddy as he shouted, "We've made the Top 10!" when our July rain (6.5") came in 7th in historical July precipitation lists.

And indoors we continue to welcome guests that haven't been able to make the trip to our place for almost two years. It is a continual homecoming experience. 

Special July Scenes

 Here are photos from two special days in these last weeks of July.

One of Erie's famous painters was Vitus Kaiser. His landscapes, of all four seasons, were stunning and greatly sought after locally. One of his unique attributes was that he painted on site, outdoors whenever possible. Last week I ventured down to Presque Isle one afternoon and while I was reading and enjoying the beauty of Presque Isle Bay, doesn't this artist come along and begin to set up her easel and supplies and start painting. I thought of Vitus immediately, with gratitude for his lovely representations of our area, especially Presque Isle State Park.

Then a few days later we held the July Silent Peace Walk on the other side of the bay, the city side. This was the first time I had a chance to see the new ERIE sign. It was erected recently right along the trail that runs a mile from Peach St to Chestnut St. along the ridge overlooking the Bayfront Highway, the various marinas, and the whole scene of businesses and hotels along the bayfront in the downtown area. Here's one of our novices, Sister Jacqueline, leading the 20 or so walkers on a beautiful summer evening. 

Trading shale for cement

Those of you who know our place, either by personal visit or through one of our online pieces, may remember that we have a four-sided inner courtyard/garden area that is surrounded by administrative offices, a long hall and the entranceway to the monastery. The courtyard itself has a curved shale surfaced sidewalk going through it which adds to a very picturesque scene with the many flowers, bushes and couple trees. 

Yours truly does a lot of the gardening work in it and it dawned on me that I haven't shared any pictures of it this summer. So here are a couple from this afternoon--with commentary.

This is a new flower to the garden this year. I'm not sure of its name, 

but it has the most interesting stems. They look like little pearls in-waiting.

A reader comes through: Lucifer Crocosmia.

This must be a lily family member. Very large flowers and very pretty.

I believe this is a calla lily. We have a number of them and they are simply gorgeous.

And here is our statue of Mary. The small hydrangea bush has turned into a monster.

The flowers were beautiful this year, but have taken a beating the last couple of weeks

 as we've had rain, rain and more rain. Many of them are hanging quite low now, 

but they are a hardy bunch!

Behind her is a pretty climbing plant, light purple or mauve. 

It is just beginning. In a while it will be full of the blooms.

And, finally, what drew me to this idea today, we are in the middle of taking out the heavy shale and replacing it with a cement walkway. This will enable all of our sisters, whether they walk or are being pushed, to visit this private garden area. Guests, too, can use it, sit and read or just relax. 

If the rain ever stops long enough and lets the ground dry out, we'll get the cement added!

Seldom Seen

Now you may think I'm greatly mistaken when you look at these photos and the title of today's blog..BUT surprise, these are not the oft photographed windows in our chapel (the south wall). These are from the north wall and it's only at this time of year, when the sun can still be quite bright at 7:00-8:00 pm when it finally gets around the chapel, that we get these views of them.

So, here they are: the full set of eight, a couple individual ones WITH their reflections on the adjacent ceramic walls and, one of my favorite shots, the floor with the window colors shining brillantly.

Just a little picnic for 60!

 

Patriotic colors decorated the tables. Even our resident Aussie/Kiwi felt at home 

as their colors are red, white and blue, also.

Our griller made me wait until she straightened the hotdogs! Two minutes before this shot they were just willy-nilly all over. "I don't want them to think I'm a bad cook," she insisted!

If you look carefully you can see that everything is magic-markered--

really, as if we don't know cheese from tomatoes...well, on the other hand!

A dressing for everyone!

It is summertime for sure!

What's this hidding in the big bowl, under the wet towel?!