A day trip to the Finger Lakes. Well-tended wineries and old rustic farms nestle the rolling hills carved by the pure glacier water. Wild Cardinal Flowers border the fertile soil of this famous agricultural region. The sky is a perfect shade of blue and the air smells so fresh. It can feel like an earthly paradise.
This piece would work best in a space that is jade green, red, or bright yellow.
A day trip to the Finger Lakes. Well-tended wineries and old rustic farms nestle the rolling hills carved by the pure glacier water. Wild Cardinal Flowers border the fertile soil of this famous agricultural region. The sky is a perfect shade of blue and the air smells so fresh. It can feel like an earthly paradise. This piece would work best in a space that is jade green, red, or bright yellow.
Thanks to Katie and Vern, Scout now has a pair of socks to wear around the house. I'm pretty sure she has a more extensive wardrobe than I do now.
Video of Megan and I making Scout run around the house in her socks.
At least you always know how she feels...
action shot
All she's missing is an elf hat (Katie, don't buy her an elf hat...)
Please stop.
[Mike] How ya doin', Scout? [Scout] If this is what it's gonna be like with you bein' home all da time, ya need ta get another job. [Mike] Aren't ya havin' fun?
[Scout] Don't push it. I know where ya sleep...
Added another eight inches of snow the other day. Started off with a nice ice storm for a good base. It ended up being the heaviest snow I've ever shoveled.
Pine trees are pretty weighed down.
With the ice, the snow really grips all the trees and bushes. Thankfully, it's been nice for the last few days and this has been melting pretty quickly. We've had about 112 inches of snow this winter, which is only about 18 inches more than average. Ready for spring...
More canvases on the assembly line. If you haven't noticed yet, I've started my own Etsy page. If you are on Etsy, I'd appreciate if you "favorite" my shop and follow me. I'll return the favor. Any suggestions would be appreciated as well. Please visit at:
HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY MEGAN! What better way to celebrate than a Chicago Omelette at the New Yorker Restaurant (165 W. Commercial St. E. Rochester, NY)?
Not to be outdone, got myself the Banana Nut Rum French Toast. We'll need the energy for the days next activity KAYAKING DOWN THE ERIE CANAL!
Picked up a kayak at the Erie Canal Boat Company (http://www.eriecanalboatcompany.com/) Don't know about the Erie Canal and why it's important? Don't worry, there's a wikipedia page for that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Canal Luckily, this was the only sunny weather we've had in the last three weeks Paddling back to Fairport from Macedon. A Turtle. Saw quite a bit of wildlife: heron, hawks, fish and all sorts of stuff I wasn't quick enough to take pictures of... We're back. Oddly enough, when we pulled up to the dock there was a lady with a still and video camera that wanted to interview us. There's a guy by the name of John Robinson that is biking the Erie Canal and making a documentary about it. Interesting story and I'm sure we'll end up on the cutting room floor. But, I suggest checking it out at Our Ability (http://www.ourability.com/) Now to the serious business of getting ice cream If you know Megan, you know she takes ice cream very seriously... I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream (before being committed). Moonlight Creamery (http://www.moonlightcreamery.com/) is one of the best and most interesting ice cream places I've ever been to. They're all about the environment. And, it's the first time I've ever had Kenyan Mango something or another and whatever the second scoop was. Highly recommended. And, what better way can you end a day than dinner on the patio at Richardson's (http://www.richardsonscanalhouse.net/)?
Tree stump art along the canal at Richardson's. There's a lot to look at while having a few drinks along the canal: the lighthouse, log cabins, pine trees, and all sorts of little details. I will have to do some research on this. GREAT ANNIVERSARY AND I LOVE YOU MEGAN!!! Other pressing business: Penfield 4th of July fireworks on June 29th (what can I say, they don't procrastinate). Pretty impressive display and I have to wait until next year to experience the parade that passes my house. Whoa man! It seems this firework was about to attack my face... Embers of my long dormant fire pit. When will it finally stop raining so we can have S'mores? Our pet deer. They are not scared of us. They don't care about us. They may actually have the deed to our house. This part is for Dee, the flower expert: What are these? This one is from our yard.
These are from our yard too (and not photoshopped either) Not from our yard, but Megan would like them to be. Glad Megan didn't see this guy floating past us in the Erie Canal...
Yotini's yogurt about to open up on July 10(ish). I guess this will be a new stop on our walk to the library and back. Poor Athena can't get this monkey off her back...
Must of done something wrong to be digging my own grave... With Megan's b-day shovel...
"He knew he had it comin..."
That ain't no grave, it's the early stages of a new fire pit! It's getting there... Oh boy, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend! (For instructions, please visit: http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-to-build-simple-fire-pit.html) Oh happy wife. A new fire pit and hammock all in the same weekend. Must of been a good birthday! Now for some randomness. And, what could be more random than cuddling chincillas? Deer hanging out on a driveway on our walk. The eyes tell me he's a robot Bobette and Bob chalk drawings at Cobbles Elementary What does this mean? The new petunias seem to be holding their own. Poppies (which can only be said in the Wicked Witch of the West's voice. Sorry) Waiting to vote for Penfield's 4.4% property tax hike, there was a little art show that featured my niece Rachel's awesome rendition of Hokusai's Great Wave. There's framing. The color gradient in the sky is well done. The marker line work is beautiful. Looking forward to the long weekend. A MUCH, MUCH needed weekend and should be a lot of fun. Hope yours is too!
