Reis Park - Exploring and Hiking in Putnam County, NY 2012

There is a short hiking trail that goes behind the soccer fields of Reis Park in upper Westchester County.  There are a few activity areas, monkey bars, parallel bars, balance beam, etc.

I'm always fascinated by the trees.  There are so many, all around the county.  I'm originally from KC, MO, and there are trees, woods and trails there, but the height and abundance of the trees here in New York...  inspiring and beautiful.

Little spots of beauty all around.

Luckily my kids allow me to explore on my own time.  I do stop frequently to capture a beautiful sight.

Lost to Convenience

I sometimes forget how much time I spend inside thinking about all the things I want to do.

My 6 year old daughter asked to go to the park with the "twisty" trees. Friday afternoon, no other obligations... Let's go. After the half-hour drive South and a bit West, we're there. My favorite outdoor spot to date in Westchester Co., New York. The kids wake up from the road trance and put on their curiosity and excitement. I... get my camera and tune out the days' worries. The vegetation is tall from all the rain this Spring. Soon, it will be slashed and thrown to the ground and the simple beauty will be lost to convenience.


to be continued...

Muscoot Farm Westchester New York

In full bloom.
A quick trip to a farm nearby. Just a couple of miles from the cozy town of Katonah, NY and maybe even Somers, NY.

A beautiful setting with rolling rocky hills.

Wow, there are cows in New York!
Not uncommon where I've lived the past 8 years.

A very proud pig... very large too.

Five little piglets wandering about. They kept getting stuck on the wood step, high-centered, pretty cute and funny to watch.

Tree with a Thousand Stories

There's a park on the Eastern shore of the Hudson River at the end of the road where the river is at it's widest. Just to the South spreading out across the water with all of its legs and pavement stands the Tappan Zee Bridge.













The view to the Western shore welcomes me each visit to the park and prepares me for the wonderful experience ahead.

The Tree with a Thousand Stories is just around the bend right off the stone path.






From here the adventures begin. With the cold of Winter nearing its end this strange and magnificent tree stands tall stretching out each of its limbs and branches twisting, curling and even digging down into the earth and out again several feet away. A single limb coming out from the trunk reaches straight out, bends down and spreads some more. This limb is strong as though it was there a hundred years before.
The markings are a testament of its old age. As far as hands can reach and legs can climb the markings can be seen of past lovers and friends or the lonesome stranger.