Escape to the Wineries

 

Wine Tasting
Sheldrake Point Winery, Ovid, NY
August 15, 2023

We did it!

Yesterday, Chris, Nicole, and I managed to escape for a few hours and visit the three closest wineries. It was a grand afternoon.

One of the wineries, the closest, we had never visited and we had a very good time. It was fun to talk with the owner, founder, and winemaker all in the form of the same person. She has established a well designed small farm winery. The winery, Bet the Farm Winery, is a fun and enjoyable place to visit. The wines are solid offerings and the 2021 Lemburger stood out as a solid New York red wine. 

As it turned out, the other two wineries we visited are both for sale. They are also repeat favorites and we have been members of both at some point in the past. 

Sheldrake Point Winery and Americana Winery are both for sale, but their wines were tasting very well. I had the Riesling flight at Sheldrake Point and they were all very nice. The tasting was fun and enjoyable. It is always better to visit mid-week.

Americana was tasting well also. Their wines continue to run the gamut including a number of blueberry wines, but the redesigned tasting allows for sampling the wines paired with munchies and fudge. 

The wine tasting success of the day, however, goes to Bet the Farm. It was a traditional wine tasting at the bar and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to the owner/winemaker about the wines and her interpretation of the grapes. I had fun.

I still do not appreciate tasting wines in flights alone at a small table with no interaction with the staff.

OK, do not fret. I am not considering buying a winery. A wise person once noted, How do you make a small fortune? Start with a large one and open a winery.

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

August Summer Day

Summertime Flowers
Ithaca, NY
August 14, 2023

 I am enjoying a cool mid-Summer in Ithaca. And when I say cool, I mean cool. Having escaped from the low-90s of Florida. I am enjoying the high-70s of Upstate New York. Twenty degrees makes a huge difference. 

The skies were as overcast yesterday as I remember. Today will being rain most of the day. Yup, it is summertime in Ithaca, NY.

I have to admit, it is a radical change from Florida where the daytime temperatures are hitting 95 degrees and the heat index is reaching up to 110 degrees. It makes being outside almost unbearable. But, mid-70s is cold.

Well, if I think this is bad, in about two weeks Chris and I will be in Alaska where the daytime highs are in the 60's. 

I guess I can consider this a respite from a hot summer!

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

Monday Musings - August 14, 2023

 

1. Welcome to the second Monday of August! There are but two remaining Mondays in the month and just 19  Mondays remaining in the year!

2. What a travel day it was. Our flight from Palm Beach International to Baltimore was short and efficient. Although the place was packed, we departed early and arrived very early. We did not have to wait on the tarmac for a gate and the entire boarding and deplaning process was very smooth. The only problem? Retrieving checked baggage in Baltimore continues to be a very negative experience. The drive from Baltimore to Ithaca was smooth and enjoyable.  

AL East Standing
As of games through August 13, 2023

3. Orioles Baseball! Listening to the game yesterday during the drive, it was a game where each run and every play was important. The Orioles prevailed during the 10th inning after the relief corps almost let another one get away with a blown save in the 9th inning. But two runs, compliments of a Cedric Mullins homer, in the 10th sealed the win. Not to mention a spectacular home run robbing play by the same Cedric Mullins in the 9th inning.

4. Driving through the area from Baltimore to the Southern Tier of New York, I was reminded of how pretty and inviting the hills are when they are robed in the green of the trees. It was a great ride and seeing the Finger Lakes again brought me back to my childhood home.

5. Today in History. A major outage knocked out power across the eastern United States and parts of Canada on August 14, 2003. Beginning at 4:10 p.m. ET, 21 power plants shut down in just three minutes. Fifty million people were affected, including residents of New York, Cleveland and Detroit, as well as Toronto and Ottawa, Canada. Although power companies were able to resume some service in as little as two hours, power remained off in other places for more than a day. The outage stopped trains and elevators, and disrupted everything from cellular telephone service to operations at hospitals to traffic at airports. In New York City, it took more than two hours for passengers to be evacuated from stalled subway trains. Small business owners were affected when they lost expensive refrigerated stock. The loss of use of electric water pumps interrupted water service in many areas. There were even some reports of people being stranded mid-ride on amusement park roller coasters. At the New York Stock Exchange and bond market, though, trading was able to continue thanks to backup generators.

Dozens of news organizations condemn police raid on Kansas newspaper - CNN

Lawsuit alleges electric power lines blown over during high winds led to wildfire spread - CNN

Another criminal indictment would further divert an unparalleled election season from the campaign trail into multiple courtrooms - CNN

Russian rouble tumbles, Kremlin blames loose monetary policy - Reuters

Russia's Far East suffers flooding in Khanun's wake, over 2,500 people evacuated - Reuters

Taiwan will not back down to threats, Taiwan VP says on US trip - Reuters

China’s Worsening Economy Is Hurting Corporate America - The Wall Street Journal

Made a Nice Profit Selling Your House? Beware What Happens Next - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

Travel Day Again

Christmas Morning Travel
Elkridge, MD
December 25, 2022

 It is a travel day, again. 

Fortunately this morning we will not be on the highway to start the day, but rather end the day. 

We have a late morning flight followed by a five-hour drive should get us back to Ithaca. 

It is going to be a very tough week which will culminate in the 8th Annual Troy Whittemore Golf Tournament in Cortland, NY, before we begin our journey home.

We travel a lot, but it seems to be less and less on vacations. We do have an upcoming cruise--but this coming week stands squarely in front of the cruise. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Stool

Teak Shower Stool Refinished
Tequesta, FL
August 12, 2023

 Chris and I have a stool in our shower. 

It came with the house, but it has been a nice addition to the shower, not that we use it it as stool, but rather more as a gathering place for all of the shower-related items we use on a regular basis. 

The problem was that the finish on the chair was deteriorating. Badly. It was making the floor tile discolored.

Chris wanted to dispose of the chair, but after looking at the problem I determined that with a light sanding and the application of a new finish it could be salvaged. And, frankly, I didn't know where we were going to be able to store all of the stuff we use in the shower. So I had a project and over the past two days, I refinished the stool and it is happily reinstalled in our shower. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friday - Riordin Update

Riordin Relaxing
Tequesta, FL
August 11, 2023

 And so the weekend is almost here. 

Wow. 

The week has passed so quickly.

Chris and I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon at the vet's office trying to get Riordin's asthma under control. We have been giving him daily albuterol treatments, but he didn't seem to be getting the asthma under control. The vet reassured us that the treatments are working and that his lungs are clear, but asthma is going to be the new way of life for Riordin. The vet gave him a steroid shot and a B-12 shot, which really seemed to have helped. 

We had noticed that Riordin was beginning, again, to become a solitary cat. He normally likes to be around. The shots seem to have helped, as he was more normal last evening. Fortunately, he continues to eat well. We have a lot of travel coming in the next weeks. We will be gone three of the next four weeks. I am hopeful that the people we have watching him will be able to keep the treatments going. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Around the Island

St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant
From Atlantic Ocean
August 9, 2023

 One way to escape the oppressive heat is to be on the water where there is a breeze and, if underway, the breeze can be very strong.

Yesterday's adventure on the water included motoring around Hutchinson Island. We motored out to the ocean and headed north. It was my first time one the ocean since receiving my offshore certification. Fortunately, the day was calm, calmer than the forecast. I had hoped that we might see dolphins or turtles in the water--but sadly it was not to be. 

The trip from St Lucie Inlet to the Ft Pearce Inlet on the ocean was uneventful. We stopped to enjoy the view of the nuclear power plant. It is along a lonely stretch of road, but it can be seen from both the Atlantic and Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) sides of the island. 

Entering the ICW through the Ft Pearce Inlet, the water got a bit rough as there were storm clouds in sight. Chris was concerned about the possibility of getting caught in a storm, but we had little we could do about it. In the end we did not blunder into a storm and as we motored south towards our home marina, the weather cleared and we stopped at a small uninhabited island for lunch and some relaxing downtime. 

Osprey
Small Island, Indian River, FL
August 9, 2023

Anchoring just offshore we decided to enjoy lunch and rehydrate. We heard a low screech and saw an osprey sitting on a dead tree surveying its domain. I decided to get an image of the bird as it remained there for most of the time we were anchored.

We managed to be in the area as the tide changed and I learned a valuable lesson about ensuring the anchors are set well. The stern anchor, which was keeping us off the beach, gave way and I wound up pushing the boat off the sand into deep enough water to start the engine and allow the propeller to get enough water to get us away form the island. It was a good learning experience. 

All during the day, we enjoyed being outdoors because of the breeze and shade on the boat. The heat index hit 115 degrees yesterday, it was reported, but we were still able to enjoy being outside and not cooped up in air conditioned comfort. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The River

 

Crab in the River
North Fork, Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
August 8, 2023

I managed a 16.5 mile ride yesterday, before the heat became too oppressive. It was nothing special, except for my stop on the bridge in Tequesta which passes over the North Fork of the Loxahatchee River.

Looking South over
North Fork of Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
August 8, 2023

 

The river was flat and inviting. I looked down into the water and found that despite the heat above, the river was full of life. I normally see needlefish and other small baitfish, but yesterday there was a fairly good-sized crab working the shallows.

There were also some larger fish in the area which I enjoyed watching. 

I make the stop on the bridge a regular water break. I love to watch the different characters that the river shows. And, just a few weeks ago, Chris and I were boating right at the entrance to the North Fork. We would have motored up the river, however, we were concerned about the dark clouds gathering between where we were in the river and our marina about an hour-and-a-half away.  

There is always something to enjoy about the river. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Beating the Heat

 The excessive heat has returned. 

Yesterday we capped out at 93 degrees, but the heat index was about 106 degrees.

Reports from the beach indicate that the sand is too hot!

Excessive heat warning! And they mean excessive!

Starting the day at 81 means nothing cooled overnight.

So today is gonna be a hot one!

I need to get out on my bike early and we are probably not gonna play golf. Chris wilts in the heat. 

Happy Tuesday!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 7, 2023

 

1. The first Monday of August is here. My favorite month of the year (July) has passed and now we are running headlong toward the end of the year. There are just 20 Mondays remaining in 2023.

AL East Standings
Games through August 6, 2023

2. The Orioles continue their fantastic season. The weekend sweep of the Mets, my favorite team as I was growing up, provided the O's with a 3 game lead in the AL East and gave them their 70th win of the season. 

3. I am still reeling from the loss to Sweden by the Women's National Team. Hopefully, they will emerge stronger from the ashes of disappointment.

4. Update on Riordin. He is doing better. He receives daily albuterol treatments and has more good than bad moments. 

5. The weather in South Florida continues to be HOT! The stress index hits 105-110 nearly every day. But, I am getting in my morning bike rides. I managed just over 20 miles yesterday.

6. Today in History. On August 7, 1782, in Newburgh, New York, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, creates the “Badge for Military Merit,” a decoration consisting of a purple, heart-shaped piece of silk, edged with a narrow binding of silver, with the word Merit stitched across the face in silver. 

The badge was to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action” and permitted its wearer to pass guards and sentinels without challenge. The honoree’s name and regiment were also to be inscribed in a “Book of Merit.”

Trump seeks to destroy credibility of his election subversion trial - CNN

Woman detained in connection to plot to assassinate Zelensky, Ukraine security service says - CNN

International backlash grows after Chinese vessel fires water cannon on Philippine boats - CNN

Exclusive: North Korean hackers breached top Russian missile maker - Reuters

Ukraine says U.S and German air defence systems 'highly effective' - Reuters

us-scientists-repeat-fusion-power-breakthrough - Reuters

Russia and China Sent Large Naval Patrol Near Alaska - The Wall Street Journal

The Two-Year Slide That Ended U.S. Women’s Soccer Dynasty - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL