Today I stayed home and guarded the house while everyone else went on a boat tour of the Erie Canal. The boat is named the Rose Lummis.The Rose Lummis was built in 1953 in Jeffersonville, Indiania and operated as a tour boat on the Tennessee and Mississippi River. The paddle wheel was removed when she came to Sodus Point where she was renamed after the prominent Saint-like resident: Madame Rose Lummis.

The steel constructed, 49 passenger dinner & tour boat originally offered dinner and sight-seeing excursions on Sodus Bay during the late 1980's

Seeing the potential of the boat, Captain John Cooper purchased her in 2001 and completed extensive renovation work, receiving Coast Guard Certification in September, 2002. Renovations included the completion of the upper observation deck that features comfortable seating for 28 passengers at one time.

The canal itself was,of course, instrumental in opening up, what was then the west and making the movement of goods and people affordable.

The canal is still used by pleasure boaters and features lift bridges at many points. The canal tender drives from bridge to bridge,operating the lift mechanism.

The weather was gorgeous and perfect for a slow cruise down the canal.

This is me with the new chicks that arrived here yesterday evening. It is hard to see them in the run,but they are there. I spent some time barking at them,but this didn't seem to impress them. Later,I learned they came from Andy and Julie's place and with the puppy Suzie in residence, are used to dogs. They are Barred Rocks or more correctly Plymouth Rocks. The Plymouth Rock is a dual-purpose, cold-hardy bird and therefore makes a great breed for the small farm or backyard flock owner. These chickens are often called Plymouth Rocks, but this title correctly belongs to the entire breed, not just the Barred variety. There are seven varieties of Plymouth Rock chickens: barred, blue, buff, Columbian, partridge, silver-penciled and white. I hope they don't crow. We have had chickens before and they crowed,but one was eaten by a fox or coyote and the other one was given away to a better home.....I had better behave so that doesn't happen to me.

Today we went out and looked at the beautiful Iris that are blooming. Everything has bloomed so early this spring,because of the warm weather. The Iris are actually almost part their best bloom and a few Peony are starting to come out. I have put some pictures of thre flowers on here and as you can see ,all that gardening has worn me out. I am taking a well earned nap on the library floor. Its so nice and cool.