Travel Theme: Wood

Ailsa’s travel theme this week is: “WOOD.” Themes inspire others to share thoughts and/or images of common subjects.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The 2181 mile (3510 km) Appalachian Trail meanders east over an often wet area in Vernon, New Jersey, off SR 517. The wonderful volunteers may not be the best surveyors in the world, but they do create interesting boardwalks!  

Less than a mile further east is this impressively constructed wood and cable suspension bridge, taking the trail over Pochuck Creek.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Rest benches offer an opportunity to stop and appreciate the selfless and skilled work of the trail volunteers.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A Word A Week Challenge: Waiting

TRAIN STATION

Image

A January morning about 5:15 AM, several years back, waiting alone for the eastbound Lakeshore Limited in Buffalo N.Y. and my last employer-funded return home. A long satisfying career entailing countless flights and long road-trips was drawing to a gratifying close, and on this one last segment, I chose to take the train. Truly an occasion of unbridled contentment and satisfaction, my days ahead would be savored slowly with reflection and appreciation starting today, on the rails… making my way home, via Albany, and the scenic Hudson River Line.

Note: Thanks for participation incentive from Milka Pejovic’s post found here, based on “A Word A Week Challenge:” found here.

“New York” on Sunday

It’s January 15th, 2014, and winter is beginning to bother me! So I thought about a Sunday day trip we enjoyed last fall, when a half dozen “top ten” days were painting the NYC skyline day after day with breathtaking clarity and brilliance… 

(For best un-cropped results and full resolution,  click on the images.)

Arriving at the “Battery” from the Staten Island FerryImage

Buildings of the World Financial Center

 Image

From the Governor’s Island Ferry, a surreal High “HDR” landscape view of Lower Manhattan

Image

On Governor’s Island

Image

Of Governor’s Island (left) with the sun playing on three major East River suspension bridges beyond. Can you name them, and the large building to the left?

Image

And finally, cruising south by ferry, looking back at the iconic old and new skyscrapers, followed smartly by none other than the stately RMS Queen Mary 2

Image

Likes and Comments are always welcomed

Whose Street Is This Anyway?

I decided it was NOT the time to walk my small dog this one cold morning when I realized our street was being re-claimed by a marauding gang of large mammals, bent on no good.

Image

You can clearly see the intentions of the callous leader above, his devilish self-confident air, just looking for trouble.

Stay close, we’re taking our land back..”

As his harem bunched up clumsily behind, he paused for a threatening garbage can.

Image

But undeterred, the herd gallantly push ahead, tails waving excitedly in the air, bound to wreak havoc on anyone or anything that got in their way!

Image