My sister and I recently took a drive along a tree-lined roadway in a park a few miles from our town.
We paused to enjoy and view panoramic nature scenes at lookouts. Imagine that you can achieve the feeling of being lost in the wild in a small city’s large park! When emerging from winter in late spring and early summer in New York State’s North Country, these are the perfect things to do.
An overlook hill, on a high elevation, has a great lawn in front. The hill offers a breath-taking view of the city’s skyline, a magnificent tree-scape with buildings scarcely seen—a must for any photographer.photo: a family’s picnic overlooking the city skyline (from Google)
Meanwhile slow joggers or fast walkers, and dogs with their owners, sauntered along a paved walkway, or nearby on a hiking dirt trail. Bicycle riders swiftly yet leisurely glided along the road behind us. Gulls flew by and squawked hello. They landed briefly on the walkway and seemed to be encouraging picnickers to offer them crumbs. We breathed in the fresh early afternoon air and watched the excited gulls flitting about. Above us we heard a variety of other birds chirping. Each added to the pleasant gentle avian chorus around us.
We ventured onward, driving to and stopping at another lookout. It’s called The Pinnacle; the park’s highest spot. A stone gazebo overlooks an awe-inspiring panoramic nature scene with magnificent sunrises and sunsets shining on treetops.
photo: BLACK RIVER TRAIL Fence by Water (Google image)photo: stone gazebo at the park’s Pinnacle (Google image)
At yet another place along the park’s roadway, we paused by a River Walk. There we observed and took in the soothing sounds of the rushing waters of the Black River. This river’s mouth is located about five miles east at Lake Ontario. These waters caused the founders of the park’s nearby community to name their small city Watertown, NY.
photo: rushing waters on Black River (Google image)
Perhaps another time, we’ll have a chance to seek out some other park features such as the park’s main drive: the Veterans Memorial Parkway goes to a monument commemorating and honoring soldiers, veterans, and base civilian workers and their families who serve, or have served, at Fort Drum, 10th Mountain Division—a very active U.S. military base about 10 miles from the park. The monument’s garden spot features poppies or geraniums.
photo: Veterans Memorial and garden featuring poppies or geraniums (Google image)
Also down the road, there’s a small man-made pond that’s home to wildflowers and small animals such as painted turtles. A square wooden gazebo offers shade and a viewing area at the pond’s edge.
I’m not sure if we’ll venture to find the natural anomaly or vortex that seems to be a place where moments of time are lost if one happens upon it. It’s intriguing perhaps for animated conversation and telling local tall tales.
We, however, prefer more tranquil joys such as breathing in the early fresh springtime air, and observing breathtaking natural vistas and parts of nature close up. We also like witnessing the activities of people animated by what they do at the park—photographers photographing, family members happily spending time together, dogs walking with their owners, bikers paired up, or hikers hiking—all the while being in the midst of nature-scapes.
(c) 2020 June / Nature Place Journal
clynjohnson 