A BIRTHDAY TRIP

One of the things we as a married couple, and even before our marriage, was to leisurely drive out east toward Montauk or Orient Point. Take a nice summer day, blue skies and a gentle breeze with no humidity were a clarion call to nature at its finest.

July 9th, a Sunday was one of those days, resplendent with all the qualities I mentioned. On our way, we stopped for a great breakfast that fueled the anticipation of the day ahead, like an unopened present for a child and continued on to the ferry in Greenport to shuttle us over the small gap of water to Shelter Island.

It is very little in life more appreciated than a perfect day, and with my sweetheart, it is a bonus beyond imagination! To sit among the trees and plants, beside a lakeside view, to hear the sweet harmony of a bird's concertina or witness the greeting of little white fluttering butterflies gives me great joy and elation, it is indeed a great gift from God.

There was a 12-noon tour of the Sylvester Manor that occupies the grounds, which in itself was great, but it was the grounds that held my attention.

There are trees that date back to before the Revolutionary War, plants that propagated from a shoot in England to completely surround a multi-acre estate. Butterflies fly right up and bump into you, then fly on to their business. Some trees branches grew into the ground and emerge as another fully-grown tree.

It was late morning when we sat under a shade tree that overlooked the beautiful lake, the water calm as a marble floor and just as reflective in the image. Gentle wiping of the surface by the wind led to patterns from the gentle breeze, that caressed one's body and stilled the soul to feel the joy of being alive! The sun, tamed by the temperatures of the day gave light to the sanity of quietness.

It is a million miles away from civilization so it seems, but only minutes by car, yet the stillness and calm of the grounds makes for a sense of hallowed grounds, the burial grounds of former slaves and indentured servants that find their final resting place among the trees and wildlife, with the calling of nature's inhabitants to sing out and calm a restless soul.