The Real Start of Summer

For me, today felt like the real start of summer.

I went to the Montclair Farmer's Market and bought my favorites: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, zucchini, lettuce, fresh bread. (You can surely imagine what I ate for lunch when I got home!)

Then, a bike ride around Montclair and over to the Avis Campbell Gardens next to the Montclair Public Library.

On nearby Church Street there was a sizable crowd at the outdoor tables, though there was space at both Raymond's and 32 Church. Judging from the empty streets and tables, is half of Montclair on vacation this weekend? I also noticed two new spots: a cupcake bakery where Gimme Jimmy's used to be and a gelato shop in the place of a photography studio. Both will certainly satisfy a summer sweet tooth.

Now, I'm finally wearing my "Cruzan hook" bracelet from St. Croix, which for the past two years I've put on at the start of summer and removed on the first day of autumn. In a little bit, I'll make a big salad, cook burgers on the grill, and enjoy the backyard. Am I finally relaxing?

Biking the D&R Canal Towpath

At 8:20 on Saturday morning I called a friend to say I would not join in the proposed bikeride due to a lingering head cold. Shortly thereafter another friend called and changed my mind. "When else will you have a day like this? It will be fun. Don't overthink this day, let's just go." He was right so I agreed to try another section of the D&R Canal Towpath. This time, five of us were going to meet at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, NJ. From there, we would ride to Lambertville, eat lunch, cross the bridge over to New Hope, PA to explore and then eventually ride back to our cars. I hastily packed sunblock, water and snacks and we got going.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%26R_Canal_Trail)

The day was perfect, but certainly did not follow the original "plan". Before we even started the ride, we ate lunch at a local spot just opposite the towpath called "It's Nutts".
(http://www.itsnuttsrestaurant.com/)

Then, after 5 miles of riding, I got a flat front tire. There were gallant attempts (and jokes) from Tom, but the tire would not inflate. Technology to the rescue with help from Jay and his iPhone. The GPS indicated that we were only two miles from Lambertville and the internet listed a bike shop in the town. Yes, they had my needed tire. So, the three musketeers of Tom, Elaine and Jay rode ahead to the shop to bring back a spare tire while Dan graciously rode at a snail's pace to keep me company while I walked my bike to the shop. Because Dan and I were walking so slowly, we stopped to read information next to one of the locks. It took only three years for over 60 miles of the canal to be built, mainly by Irish immigrants. Many died during the construction. (Dan commented that it's taking longer than that for the bridge repair at Sandy Hook, NJ. True enough, but that's another story...)

After the tire was replaced, everyone needed a beer and some food! We followed the recommendations of guys at the bike shop and enjoyed a microbrew and Middle Eastern pizza and sandwiches at a restaurant just a few blocks away.
http://www.riverhorse.com/
http://www.marhabalambertville.com/

A brief walk around Lambertville revealed antique shops, restaurants, a Civil War cemetary, and a house for sale ($950,000). Then, back on the trail.

The ride to the parking lot seemed quick- no stops for repairs! Once the bikes were back on the cars, the most fitting end to the day brought us back to "It's Nutts" for homemade ice cream!

I'm not sure if this was a day more about bike riding or eating, but it doesn't matter. It was a beautiful summer day with friends, and just perfect.

Finally a Heron

For the past several weeks, I've been wondering when the herons would return to the small pond in the park I run through most mornings. Today, one beautiful great blue was on the edge of the water. I slowed down so I wouldn't disturb it. We eyed each other, and then I continued on my way.

Later, a friend and I packed our bikes to ride a section of the D and R Canal Towpath. We started in New Brunswick at Johnson Park near Rutgers University.

After walking the bikes across a slightly flooded spillway, we set out along the path, hoping for a smooth ride and some local wildlife. Unfortunately, due to recent flooding, this section of the path was filled with loose gravel, which made the ride bumpy and slow.

There were turtles and birds. And at the end of the 20 miles (round trip) there was a great blue heron on the edge of a large puddle right there in Johnson Park. I'm sure it was not the same bird, but definitely a relative.

Apparently a better part of the trail is the section that starts off Alexander Avenue in Princeton (near the kayak rentals) and heads toward Frenchtown/Trenton. Next time...

Peaches

Today I ate my first peach of the season which I purchased on Saturday at the foodie mecca, Dean and DeLuca (Madison and 85th). It wasn't that "drip down your chin" kind of peach, but almost, with just enough juice and fragrance to bring thoughts of days at the beach, backyard barbeques, and peach pie. I was ostensibly in the city to go to the exhibit at the Whitney, but after an hour, my friend and I left the museum to browse Madison Avenue. Of course, it wasn't long before I was buying bread, fruit and pastries to bring home!

The peach reminded me, too, of a favorite poem, "From Blossoms", by Li-Young Lee. It was the first poem of his that I ever read, and for years (until my wallet was stolen on a crowded subway in Brussels) I carried a verse with me.

"O, to take what we love inside,
to carry within us an orchard, to eat
not only the skin, but the shade,
not only the sugar, but the days, to hold
the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into
the round jubilance of peach."

Here's the link for the entire poem. To hear Lee read the poem, is joy itself.
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=171754

The Poetry of Flowers

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): gardener, poet, correspondent, recluse, "Belle of Amherst".

Sometime before June 13, 2010, I plan to see the exhibit "Emily Dickinson's Garden" at the New York Botanical Garden. The exhibit has two components: inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and a "poetry walk" on the grounds surrounding the conservatory. Inside the conservatory you'll see typical garden flowers such as foxglove, delphinium, hollyhocks (could they be seven feet tall?), roses, daisies, hydrangea and more. (I use the word "typical" with more than a hint of envy since the flowers on display look nothing like the flowers I try to grow! Seriously, the foxglove must be four feet tall, ditto on the delphinium. If I only had a gardening crew...) Additionally there is a facade of the Homestead (her home) joined by a short path through a garden to the facade of her brother's home. Apparently she spent a great deal of time going back and forth. Outside the conservatory, there are shade gardens, herbs, and the most spectacular row of peonies. Nested in between all of these flowers and plants are placards with poems by Dickinson. Some are small so they fit in with low growing flowers, while the ones outside are like the oversized cards in Alice in Wonderland. I took the time to read most of the poems, though my companions were not that interested. Either way, it's all lovely.

After all that walking and Victorian culture, we drove the short distance to Arthur Avenue for a totally different cultural experience: Little Italy of the Bronx. Since we were there Sunday around 5pm, many of the shops were closed. However, several bakeries were open, including my friend's favorite- Madonia Brothers Bakery (2348 Arthur Avenue/ 718-295-5573). There I bought a puffy loaf of onion bread, ciabatta, and a variety of biscotti. When we walked out of the bakery, we must have had the look of "Where should we go for dinner?" since a couple crossing the street asked us if we would like a dinner recommendation. They raved about Enzo's, a local favorite across the street from where we stood. So, that's where we went.


http://www.nybg.org/