Waterfowl galore

The town end of Conneaut Lake has an unusually large number of ducks, geese, coots, etc. this year. They stretch from one side of the lake almost to the other. It's quite a sight. Yes, it was a gloomy day.

Embiggenable

St. John's Episcopal Church, Franklin, PA

St. John's has gorgeous windows - a full set of Louis Comfort Tiffany's. They are stunning. I didn't take any photos of them today. You can see some of them by scrolling down here or searching for them. When you are in western Pennsylvania, it is worth considerable effort to see them. Call the church and make an appointment. 

Meanwhile the liturgy was sung this morning. The priest sings well as did the soloist. Everything needed was in the very large bulletin - actually an 8 1/2 X 11 booklet. Good for visitors. The kneelers are the most comfortable I have ever encountered. Several people invited me to coffee hour and a few actually talked to me. That's how to make someone feel welcome.

Friday cat blogging

Jeri's cat

A couple of nights in the teens hardens the lake

If the temperature would stay below 25F for a week with little or no snow, the lake would be ideal for very wild iceboating. It is gorgeous at the moment - like glass. This is color photography.

I couldn't tell what this bird is. It is not a canada goose. I wondered if it is trapped in the ice. I hope not but it seemed to be struggling somehow.

The gulls are still with us.

Grace Church, Ridgway, PA

Grace Church is everything I've been told. It is beautiful in a different way from any other parish I've visited. Last week I visited St Mary's. This week there is a statue of St Mary. Like the others I've visited, Grace is a friendly parish. They were celebrating a birthday so I got lunch. It feels good to be told I'm welcome every time I want to make the 2:15 drive. 

Afterward I drove to the Cathedral of St Paul in Erie, PA for Lessons and Carols.  A 300 mile, almost 12 hour day and well worth it!

Stubborn bit of snow

Tim's New Box

St. Mary's Church, Lawrence Park, Erie, PA

It seems a bit odd to have St Mary's be an Episcopal church but this one is. Friendly people. Good sermon. It is good to kneel once again at the eucharist (at Epiphany too). Simple service with no procession, no acolyte. Same unknown chant tune as last week. I sorta know it now. Sorry I missed their deacon.

The church has seats for the clergy behind the altar. Not very Episcopal. Apparently it was part of the Methodist church before or was designed by Methodists who split.

Thanksgiving 2013

The sun shown thru the clouds when I left.

Later the sky cleared. Yes, it was a fog area and the fog seemed to have settled in the trees. The trees sparkled.

Still later there was sun to the north and snow to the south.

Sunset in Cranbury, NJ.

A feline scarf.

Tzaki.

Kippi.

Clouds on the way home.

The gulls are still with us. There were people sledding on the dam too but I didn't stop to take a photo.

Snow on barberry hedge

The heavy wet snow weighs down the barberry hedge.

The house from the crooked driveway.

I tromped a path to the barn for Tim to use to come to the cathouse. One of the doors is not all the way down so she can come and go.

Tim in her nest in the barn.

Tim

The beginning of the Thanksgiving 2013 snow

A chilly walk in new boots

I walked .97 mile in the 21° temperature in my new boots which are wonderful. No blisters. Even Symbicort isn't real helpful when it is this cold but I could breathe well enough. Kinda grey day, eh?

The bay has started to freeze.

Looking back toward the upper entrance to the bay. The above photo is of the right side of this closer to home.

The pond is also freezing. The barn is leftmost with my house "below" it. The next building to the right is the newest - the neighbors whose grandparents lived in the next visible building when I moved here.

The tracks were pristine. I only saw one set of rabbit tracks.

The dam is in the background between the two islands.

All are embiggenable.

Weather 11.24.13

Blue skies thru the barberry berries.

Blue skies to the south/

Snow clouds to the west.

Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Grove City, PA

Driving to church was a bit of a challenge this morning. The tires on the Prius are not new. Fortunately the snow was not deep but the roads had not been treated either. At all. And were icy. Slow going but little traffic. I pulled over to let a Cadillac rush by hoping he wouldn't slide off the road in front of me. He didn't and roared on his way.

The people at Epiphany are very welcoming. I like the way they do their bulletin tho the music for the Psalm and the Sanctus were not given or referenced. Probably not a problem for most Episcopalians but other visitors who like to sing may be a little frustrated.

The sun was in and out on the way home. There were bare lanes between the slush and snow so the trip took the usual 50 minutes, not the 1:25 it took to get there. There were obvious snow showers to the west but none over me. There is little new snow here despite the stuff falling when I left.

Visiting churches and friends I rarely, if ever, get to see is fun. (I can't wholeheartedly recommend taking a vacation from one specific church in order to see what others do however.) I'm learning there are other parishes where I am welcome if circumstances place me there. That is comforting.