Last weekend our family finally made it to Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen after months of saying we were going to do so, but one thing or another delaying us. We made it just at the colors are starting to come out on the leaves on the tree, which meant there was no swimming for the children at Klute Park but there were pretty views to see, as usual. There was also good food to eat at the Stonecat Cafe, overlooking the lake on the hill in Hector, N.Y.
I had a grassfed burger (didn’t eat the bun), with melted smoked cheese and bacon to top and homemade fries on the side. My husband had roasted potatoes and french toast with peach preserves spread over the top. Our daughter was supposed to have scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes, but she ate more of my fries than anything else. Our son had fish fingers (fried catfish) and also ate a large helping of my fries. When I asked if the fish was good, he said: “It’s okay, but it’s not as good as grandpa’s fish.” My dad bakes haddock in the oven with butter and lemon pepper from time to time. It is quite good. It’s so good, though, that I won’t even try it at home so I don’t hear the same type of comments.
Down at the lake, we walked to the end of an area of land that protrudes out and is covered with large boulders to take some photos and I ended up running into a man who was fishing, visiting the area from Bethlehem, Pa. He may, or may not, have been a little drunk and rambled on and on about his various travels and places he likes to visit and fish. I feel bad saying it but I was glad to finally pull away from him and head back with my family because his slightly tippy chattiness was making me nervous. Before I left him I did recommend another area of land along the lake near the pier and marina that might be better for fishing. He seemed to take me up on the offer as I watched him leave later, with his fishing gear in hand.
After lunch and the visit to the lake, we headed to an apple orchard, where we intended to pick apples. I don’t know if it was the weather, the big meal, the slightly chilled breeze, or the relaxing view of the lake, but none of us were interested in walking among the trees to pick apples so we took the easy way out and bought some apples, pears, peach jam and seven homemade donuts at the orchard store instead. We also bought the children a caramel apple, since I think my son has had one in his entire 13 years and my daughter has never had one.
When we got home there was a delivery from Christianbook on our porch and it was a stack of books I’d ordered during a “slightly imperfect” sale they’d had the week before. It was so fun to pull them all out and then pile them all around me and look through them while we watched The African Queen for our family movie night. Being able to hug so many books at one time was a very weird, thrilling feeling for me. I may need therapy. Among the books I bought were a couple of devotionals for children, a book of essays on writing by C.S. Lewis, a collection of essays by AW Tozer, two Christian fiction novels, a couple of children’s books for my youngest, and some educational books for her as well.
I’ve been reading books slowly lately but managed to finally finish The Runaway Pastor’s Wife by Diane Moody and start another book by her, Memphis & Me. I started another Cat Who book, but this particular book in the series was written in the first person and I could tell by the first few paragraphs I wasn’t going to like it, not because I don’t like first-person stories (Memphis & Me is written in the first person and I’m loving it) but because Braun usually writes in third person and this threw me off. I don’t enjoy when an author changes the point of view in the middle of a series, even though it’s their prerogative to do so. As a writer, I’ve also learned I’m not a huge fan of writing in first-person, even though my first novel is in the first-person and I’m continuing the sequel in the same tense. What I like about third-person is being able to switch from the perspective of different characters throughout the book. With first-person everything has to be seen through the eyes of the main character, which can make it more challenging in some ways, but that challenge can also make writing it more fun.
Books I am planning to finish or start this week:
- The Hobbit (I swear, I will finish this book!)
- Of Windmills and War by Diane Moody
- Murder at Cherry Hills by Paige Sleuth
- Memphis & Me by Diane Moody
Ramblings from the blog for the last couple of weeks included:
- Fiction Friday: He Leadeth Me
- Some Favorite Blog Posts For the Week
- The Noise of Social Media is Deafening
- Fiction Friday: The Librarian
- The Surprise Turns Five
So, how about you? What have you been up to? What good (or even bad) books are you reading? Share with me in the comments!
This post is part of the Sunday Salon. Check out more weekly posts (centered mainly around books that bloggers are reading) at Readerbuzz’s blog.
Boondock Ramblings 
On the weekends, I like to pick a book and go to the lake in the morning. I spend the day just lying there and reading the book as it is the most relaxing thing to do after a busy week.
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Very good idea!
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Your adventures look fun!! And the cider mill photos are perfect. Your son’s comment on his caramel apple actually made me LOL for real. Lol. We actually went to the orchard and cider mill yesterday, but due to my crazy asthma right now we just did the store as well. 🙂 And of course pictures of my son in the pumpkins.
I am always a little uncomfortable running into strangers who chat my ear off, especially if they are on something. I don’t blame you for wanting to be away from him.
It looks like you had a great time, and have fun with all the books!
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Yeah… I’m not sure that he was drinking but something seemed a little off about him. Maybe he was just “off.” 😂
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It looks like you had a lovely time. Have a good week of reading. My weekly update
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Thanks!
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That seems odd to switch in the middle of a series. I don’t think I’d like that either. I like it even less when it’s done in the middle of a book…or when he does it in the middle of a comment, he doesn’t like that either. He thinks that is the worst.
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Ah, very creative. And if it was done in the middle of a book..I’d defifinitely put the book down.
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What a gorgeous lake, and while it may have been too cold to swim it certainly looked delightful.
Those apples look delicious, I’m not big on sweet things but .i do love caramel, and I made a caramel cheesecake this past week.
Wishing you a great reading week, and I hope you enjoy your new books.
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Thank you! It is a beautiful lake. It is one of the 11 lakes in New York State that are part of the “finger lakes.” This lake is about 37 miles long, which I think is just crazy since I grew up with ponds and little lakes. This is also wine country and they do a lot of wine tours, which my brother goes on because he’s a boozer (I’m kidding, but I had to put this here in case he reads my comments because I joke with him like that all the time.) I’m not actually a wine drinker (or a drinker of any alcohol) but I’ve had some from there and it was pretty good.
I have weird food allergies so I always skip anything I don’t make myself, but I really did want to try those caramel apples!
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Just letting you know I saw…what you really think of me. 😛 And by the way, I prefer wino. 😉
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😉 I think wino is a better term, yes. Better ring to it.
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I was just thinking of doing fall things this week, like apple picking (but I’ll probably just buy them).
Your son’s Trump comment made me laugh out loud.
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I know, I feel so bad we didn’t actually pick this year. We had hoped to get to a pumpkin farm too but they are so expensive around us. They charge for every little activity. Yeah, my kid is pretty witty. It’s a blessing and a curse. 😉
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What a marvelous trip to the lake your family had. You have officially kicked off fall, I think. Caramel apples sound delicious; I’ve been around a great deal longer than thirteen years and I think it’s about time I tried one. The flowers and your photos are gorgeous. Here’s a request for next time: Snap a few of those changing colors for those of us who don’t get to enjoy that down here along the Gulf Coast.
The box of books sounds like a real treat, too. Did you know what was coming or did you order it sight unseen? Either way would be fun.
I remember as a child I didn’t like what I called I-books. It felt genuine to me to read stories told from another person’s point of view, but it felt off to read them in first person.
I’m fine with first person now, thank goodness.
Have a great week!
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I will grab some fall photos for the next update, but I’ve been waiting for the more brilliant colors. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re going to get them this year. My husband just told me we are getting our brighter colors or “peak” colors more toward the end of the month this year. I think I’ll wander out when I see that and take as many photos as I can of the scenery. I have another blogger who requested the same.
I knew what was coming in the book package but it was fun getting it because I had already forgot what I’d ordered. Haha! I found out about the sale right before it ended so I threw a bunch of them in my cart (actually had money that week) while I was half asleep.
I do like first person fine, just not when soemone switches in the middle of a series. I’m weird like that I guess! I may still try the book and get over myself.
Have a great week too!
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