Wallkill NWR October

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alpine scout camp trail

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At the end of the day

for Charlie

Who knew you would be with us today?

You have survived multiple medical crises

While others have fallen like the leaves

Covering the ground we walk upon.

Those who survive mourn those who do not.

You have lost your better half, the love of your life.

You have lost your older and younger brothers.

You have lost too many dear friends.

It is natural to have a certain melancholy

As we grow old and lose loved ones

As our bodies age and lose abilities

As we grow aware of everything passing away.

There is a sweetness to the sadness.

We have our memories of happy times together

And times of need when we were there

Holding each other holding things together.

I remember visiting you and your family as a child

Happy to be accepted and included in the fold.

I felt the love given and received by everyone in your house.

I come to visit now to find that goodness in your core.

You worked hard to provide for a large family.

You were a good steward of that large colonial house.

You did good works to help less fortunate people.

You were like a father to me when I needed you.

It means so much to me that you approve of me

That you give me acceptance and praise my successes.

I bring my child and my sweetheart to visit you

To enjoy your presence and for you to enjoy them.

Your death will be a great loss to us

We who have known you over the years.

We hope that day will not come soon.

We need good people in this world among us.

NYBG misty October day

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lehigh river rail trail

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sterling lake loop september

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night light

Reading for pleasure in the evening

Comfortable on my couch

A bright lamp light shining over my shoulder

How ironic to be reading about light pollution.

Looking out the front window beside the couch

I can see the moon for the hour when it rises

Tracing an angle as it moves upwards

Seen here from 41 degrees north latitude.

I see the moving lights from many airplanes

Coming towards me taking off from LaGuardia

Gliding past me approaching Newark touch down

Tracing paths to and from JFK and Teterboro.

Here so close to Times Square there is no true night

Darkness like people knew before electric lights.

The night sky glows pink under the clouds

And the streetlight glare on my block blinds me.

Oh I can still see Venus and the brightest stars

Register faintly in Orion and the Big Dipper.

And sometimes I see Jupiter or another bright spot

But the rest of the night sky is invisible.

Seeing the satellite photos of earth at night

Getting brighter and brighter year by year

This is the big picture we humans create

Quite lovely when seen from the distance.

The security spot lights on my neighbor’s house

Signal his fear of the darkness up close

And personal trespass into my bedroom

Eyes closed dreaming of deep dark sleep.

We have a cabin 150 miles from here

That’s off the grid and far from the road.

That’s a place to go back in time

And see the millions of stars in the Milky Way.