New Driveway

Having our driveway replaced. The crew came yesterday (Wednesday) and tore out the old well-cracked drive and did the framing and foundation. Today (Thursday) they brought a bigger crew and did the pour. Note that we had "color" added to the concrete. Watch for more photos of the finished product.

New Vehicle

Here's our new "kayak-hauling" vehicle.

Kayaking Again

Thanks to the unusually and early warm weather (and the lack of a need for physical therapy) we have started our earliest kayaking season - and it felt very very good. The wildlife at Findley included lots of turtles, some very relaxed geese, and more turtles. Hope the weather holds up so this will be a long season.

Michigan Trip - North Coast of Ohio

Nicki and I took a trip to Lansing to spend the weekend with Bob & Barb. Good weather for a change so it made good traveling. We spent most of Saturday at the Quiet Water Symposium held on the Michigan State University campus - a celebration of paddling in Michigan. Lots of canoes and kayaks and information about parks and waterways in that state. Big event - lots of people attending. Sunday we did a leisurely trip back to Oberlin along the coastline of Lake Erie. First saw several groupings of trumpeter swans in the middle of cornfields - mostly in pairs. Explored Magee Marsh which is a protected wetlands and a great spot to observe migratory birds (though it is early in the seasons so we only saw geese and ducks). Just after leaving that spot and just before the Davis-Besse nuclear power station we discovered two eagles perched in a tree near the road. All of the photos were taken by my "little" camera so the quality is a little less than I'd prefer.

Snow

We had some snow over the past two days. Views around our house.

More Snow, More Oliver, More Chasing

You can't get too much of Oliver chasing his ball in the new snow. He really could do this all day long.

And this is Oliver after chasing the ball - panting.


Maybe it is time to start an Oliver blog?

Chasing the Ball - Winter Style

Oliver would chase the ball all day long - regardless of the weather.
But in the snow is better - and bestest when you can get all covered
with snow.

Oliver in the Snow

We had some snow today. That doesn't stop Oliver from playing in the backyard with his ball. The photos show Oliver's ball before he started playing (covered with new snow), the ball after a little play, and Oliver waiting for me to kick the ball into play (covered with snow after playing for a while).

Collegium Musicum

Nicki participated in the Oberlin College Collegium Musicum 20th Anniversary Reunion this weekend. She was one of about 100 choir members - mostly alumni from the past 20 years mixed with current members of Collegium and guests. The program can be downloaded here. Rehearsals were Friday evening, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon, with the concert Saturday evening.  My job was to take photos during the Saturday rehearsal. Most of the rehearsal photos were taken at Fairchild chapel where the Collegium usually performs their concerts. The last few photos are from Warner Concert Hall - a bigger hall was needed to accommodate the size of the choir and the audience. Excellent music - mostly from the 1500’s. Nicki wants me to explain that she sang in Collegium when she was in college and was invited to sing in Collegium in the 80's as an alum. This reunion was mostly to honor Steven Plank who has directed Collegium for the last 20 years.

Snow

Scenes of snow around our house from February 6th's winter storm.