As senior missionaries, Dottie and I are encouraged to be involved in our local communitiy and enjoy the unique cultural, historical, and recreational opportunities that are available here. So today, on our preparation day, we’re doing just that. We’ve travelled to Fillmore Glen State Park just outside the small town of Moravia in Central New York. Autumn is in full swing here with the trees ablaze with color; and the glorious sounds of crunching leaves fill the air as we enjoy a hike together on a cool October day. Winter is not too far off, but this day—this spectacular day—we are grateful to be caught up in the breathtaking beauty of a New York autumn. Stunning, is the best way to describe it.

     As is true with several state parks in Central New York, Fillmore’s main attraction is a deep river gorge with tall forests of maple, ash, oak, and cherry on either side. A winding creek runs the length of the gorge with multiple water falls and cascades that are a delight to see and hear as the air is filled with the tranquil sounds of running water. This is a wonderful place to walk, to ponder, and to draw inspiration. Our visit today was proof enough to understand Henry Thoreau’s desire to spend two years at Walden Pond. It wouldn’t take much to convince us to do the same!

October 29, 2022

     Dottie is at home today preparing to conduct tours at the Smith Family Farm tomorrow afternoon. While she’s working on her presentation, I’m off to stretch my legs a bit and enjoy another recharging walk in the outdoors. I’m at Mendon Ponds, a 2500 acre county park located about 30 minutes from our boarding. As I described earlier, the fall season in New York is stunningly spectacular. Multi-colored leaves in all shapes and sizes are everywhere! They delicately hang from the towering trees that abound in this area, just waiting for a breath of wind to carry them away. Once loosed, they make their merry way through the air, eventually alighting wherever wind and gravity take them—to rooftops, lawns, sidewalks, roadways, trails, and anywhere else a perch is available. Throughout my hike this afternoon, I’ve been ankle deep in them, reveling in their sounds, colors, and smells; and then, glancing upwards from time to time, I’ve stopped to gaze, mesmerized by another batch, that in some mysterious way is ready for the slight breeze that comes up, strikes them in just the right way, and off they go, cast off to begin the final leg of a journey that began early last spring. The glory of creation can be found in the life of a single leaf. How much more to wonder, when surrounded by a sea of them!

[Video Link: Mendon Ponds Park]