Findley Lake 12/3/11

This is the latest we've ever kayaked on Findley Lake. Part of the lake was covered with a breakable layer of ice - which of course we had to navigate through. Really crunchy on the sides of the boats.

Great Lakes Tour - Beloit

August 21-22, 2011
Left Michigan Sunday. Picked up Martin at O’Hare as we drove through Chicago. Visited the Porter Grandparents in Beloit Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Stayed at the Beloit Inn - view from our room across the Rock River of the Beloit Iron Works buildings. Dropped Martin back at the airport Monday on our way back to Oberlin. Total driving for this trip - 2,700 miles - slightly more than if we had driven from Oberlin to the Pacific coast of California.

Great Lakes Tour - Michigan

August 18-20, 2011
Our Michigan experience. After leaving Canada we stayed Thursday night at Sid and Nancy’s house on Lake Huron near Port Hope. Friday morning we toured the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse where Sid and Nancy volunteer. Stayed that night at Bob and Barb’s cottage on Houghton Lake. Saturday we visited Judy and Steve near Traverse City - inspected their evolving cottage on Long Lake. Stayed that night at the Boulevard Inn in St. Joseph on Lake Michigan.

Great Lakes Tour - Gananoque

August 17-18, 2011
Stayed Wednesday night at the Granaoque Inn near where the St. Lawrence River connects with Lake Ontario. Thursday we drove along the lake shore, taking the ferry to Picton on Prince Edward, and then got hung up in horrendous traffic in Toronto.

Great Lakes Tour - St. Lawrence River

August 17, 2011
Wednesday evening we took the twilight tour from Alexandria on the Uncle Sam boat tour wandering near several of the St. Lawrence 1,000 Islands including a circumnavigation of Boldt Island. Saw several ospreys hunting and a couple hanging out on a buoy. After the tour we drove into Canada for a night in Gananoque.

Nicki Retires!

Nicki's last day of work at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music! There was a bit of a celebration.

The Fungus Returns

June 17, 2011

June 20, 2011

Our Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) has made its annual appearance - only a few weeks after the departure of our eastern screech owl family. Maybe the fungus pushed the owlets out? We discovered that it had arrived June 17th. Note the rapid growth between that day and today (June 20th). This is much earlier than the past two years - probably attributed to our very wet spring. (Click on the photos above to see larger versions)

The Oberlin Reception

Laura and Seth's reception for Oberlin friends and family.

Owl & Owlet

The Eastern Screech Owl in our backyard tree has an owlet.

Oberlin's Big Parade 2011

Oberlin's Big Parade is usually held the first Saturday in May. This was the tenth year for the parade and the weather was perfect for the event. There is no theme or purpose other than a show of creativity, a gathering of community, and the fun of a parade.