"OH NO! SPRING IS HERE" said the surprised snowman in the garbage...
Sunday breakfast with my wife at Riki's Family Restaurant (http://www.rikisfamilyrestaurant.com/) on Main St in Fairport. A "Riki Omelet" with Italian sausage, cream and cheddar cheese. Don't mind if I do!
Megan's Frittata. We've been fortunate at finding some good diners around our new home lately.
After a hearty breakfast, thought we'd walk it off checking out the Village of Fairport.
The Erie Canal
The one-lane Parker Street Bridge
First Congressional United Church of Fairport (http://www.fairportucc.org/). Unfortunate that they couldn't put the power lines underground...
Another beautiful church with power lines on, appropriately enough, Church Street. This is Fairport Community Baptist Church (http://www.fairportcommunity.org/)
The Green Lantern Inn (http://www.thegreenlanterninn.com/) in the Henry DeLand House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_DeLand_House)
Old gas station at Church and Main Streets
First Baptist Church of Fairport (http://www.fairportbaptistchurch.org/)
Town Hall
The true Stairway To Heaven. To know more than you even wanted to know about the Fairport Life Bridge go to: http://www.eriecanal.org/Fairport.html
MOUSE PAINT!
Not bad looking for an 188 year old...
I didn't know they had a charging station at the Penfield Library. What a happy little Nissan Leaf.
Even in death, John Nichols wants to remind everyone that he's #1.
Since it was old and close, Megan and I decided to check out the Oakwood Cemetery at Baird Road and Whalen Road next to the library in Penfield.
Being from the Midwest, it still amazes me that people were doing anything around here in 1829. My home state of Michigan didn't join the Union until 1837.
"I'd like to introduce you to my daughter; the lovely Delight Goats..."
Irondequoit Creek in Spring Lake Park. Why is it called Spring Lake Park when there's no lake? Well, there use to be a dam on Irondequoit Creek near about where East Linden Avenue crosses and created a lake. The dam broke, I believe, sometime in the 1940s and most of the area that use to be underwater is now a park.
A couple of kittens in the new clinic at Lollypop Farm
Our new holding area for cats receiving medical treatment. And that light coming from the back of the cages is the windows so they can look at all the birds and goats outside. Pretty swanky.
Prep area
This explains some of the phone calls I've been getting...
I believe this cat was pondering the meaning of life when I took this picture. He seemed very deep in thought.
The construction continues, as this guy dragracing his Skyjack in parking lot shows.
Enjoy the nice weather and I'll see you next time!
Look at this tired little girl! Megan suggested a nice little walk along the Erie Canal. You know, just from Pittsford to Fairport. I'm always up for a walk, but she didn't realized it is an eight mile journey (one-way). And, unlike Chicago, there's no El train back to the car. So, we took 31F and some back roads back home and we took a break on the front lawn of the Monroe Golf Club.
The Pittsford Regatta. Just a few crew boats out that day.
I didn't ever see this growing up in western Michigan. Jet ski racing, maybe...
A tribute to the book Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh, who is from Fairport, New York. Never read the book, but now I feel I have to since she's a neighbor.
Pier at Webster Park on Lake Ontario
Webster Park from the pier. Don't let the picture fool you, this is during a very severe thunderstorm. In fact, the whole weekend pretty much looked like this with dire predictions of heavy rain. So much for plans...
Candid Megan!
MORE WATERFALLS!
Hank's Ice Cream in Webster. Megan's favorite ice cream and for good reason!
MORE WATERFALLS! This time in Corbett's Glen
Did you know there are a lot of waterfalls in Rochester?
The sand dune
MINNIE FOUND A HOME! Apparently, her new home is her old home. I don't understand the whole story, but she's got a place to live.
One cat leaves and two takes its place. Please adopt him!
She's available too. And, this one needs to be watched because she likes to chew cords. So...
That's it for now!
Megan and I went hiking again last weekend. This time on the Historic Erie Canal and Railroad Loop Trail in Pittsford, NY. We did the whole loop in about 2 1/2 hours and that was with heavy lake effect snow according to Megan's hat.
And my beard...
Here's a Christmas moose from a tree stump along the Canalway Trail-Erie Canal Heritage Trail just west of the village of Pittsford at Brooks Road. Probably done by either the Pittsford Sewer Dept. or the Music and Arts Store guys
Lock 62 was built in 1855 as an expansion of the original Erie Canal opened in the 1822. Another lock was added on the other side in 1870. It was made longer in 1887 and abandoned in 1920. Much of the trail consists of the old canal and horse/mule towpath that was next to the trail. The rest of the old canal bed heading into downtown Rochester in under Interstates 490 and 590.
As most of you know, I'm originally from Michigan. What is interesting to me about this manmade waterway is this is the reason my home developed. Because of the Erie Canal, settlers had an easy and affordable means to reach the Michigan Territory. Once there, they could ship lumber, food, and mined products back east and abroad (or to rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871).
There's lots of wildlife here too. There was a large bird (Falcon or a Hawk, which is still up for debate) that flew within 15-20 feet of us while hunting a rabbit that screamed when it ran away from us.
If you want to see this and not do the three hour trail. The easiest way is to park at Wegman's on Monroe Avenue in Pittsford and it's at the back of the parking lot at the top of the hill.
The other half of this trail is the former Rochester and Auburn Railroad bed, which was used from 1840 to 1960. Unfortunately, it is little more than parking lot runoff, dumpsters, and dodging traffic from Clover to French Road. But, once you reach French Road and head south, it's nice again. This is an old cement sign that told train engineers to blow their whistle.
Megan telling me with her eyes to stop taking pictures and finish up this snowy hike.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial BOARD GAME! My wife got this for me for Christmas.
Here's Megan trying to figure out how to play it. Pretty much, you roll the dice hoping to avoid the van trackers and Gertie (played by Drew Barrymore), which can be done wearing his Halloween ghost costume. The point is to collect all six puzzle pieces to assemble his "phone" and get as many unbranded Reese's Pieces as possible.
Now, the spaceship is the coolest and dumbest part of the whole game. It took me a while and lots of difficulty to assemble. It's folded cardstock with a ramp and all sorts of nonsense. What do you use it for? Nothing. It's how ET gets home, but there is no function as for the game.
An internet "shout out" goes out to Sarah and Pete for tampering with my blog by getting me the hiking book for Christmas. Thanks again! Tomorrow, we're going to a professionals networking event. Friday, going to the Amerks minor league hockey game, which is $1 Zweigle dogs and Molson beer night as well as "Seneca Legends Night featuring Jody Gage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jody_Gage." Some playoff football over the weekend. Then looking to volunteer at a local nonprofit next week. So, a full schedule.
