I’ve decided to fill in (while I’m pondering my pithier posts) with a few favorite photos from along the way. This one of Dave in giant wooden shoes was taken in Pella, Iowa, which was founded by a Dutch minister who’d been banned from preaching his version of the Good Word in the Netherlands. Fun fact: Long before he wore cowboy boots, Wyatt Earp also (probably) wore wooden shoes here in the town where he grew up.
During our stay at Jones Pond Campground in western New York, the Fabulous Fifth Wheel sat at the edge of a meadow where we could look out at a garden a short walk away. It was the most beautiful spot in the campground.
A long path lined with cheerful Black-eyed Susans leads to a gazebo. Inside resting on a wicker table there’s a binder. Inside the binder is page after page, filled with poems, pictures and remembrances dedicated to a loved one who has passed.
This is the campground’s memorial garden.
And particularly today, as we celebrate our 22nd anniversary together, it is a vivid reminder of how fortunate Dave and I are. We have a life filled with family and friends who love and support us just as we are. Not everyone is so lucky.
Each of the campgrounds we’ve visited so far is very much a community. Each has a large contingent of seasonal campers who spend every weekend at the campground, sometimes the entire summer, and camping neighbors become fast friends.
The difference for some gay campers, is that in many cases those friends also become a “chosen” family to replace one that has turned away from them.
For us this campground was a beautiful, welcoming stop along our journey. For others it’s a beautiful, welcoming refuge from a world that isn’t always.
Taking a cue from Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbs fame) I long ago abandoned belief in linear time. So you won’t necessarily see it reflected in this blog. During the point in our journey that we were in western New York, we had the good fortune to be near Rochester where our friend (and former B&B guest) Rob Boger and his partner Kevin Richardson live. Rob was kind enough to serve as our local guide for many of our excursions—and just happens to be an astonishingly talented amateur photographer as well. Here a a few of his terrific shots from our exploration together.
Our first excursion with Rob was to Letchworth State Park, just a few miles from our campground. Rob’s shot here of one of several waterfalls that plunge into this massive canyon makes it clear why this place is called the Grand Canyon of the east.
We also had the good fortune to be nearby when the New York State Balloon Fest filled the skies over Danville, New York. This is my favorite of Rob’s shots during the “glow” that took place on the first evening of the fest.
Our tour of Rochester with Rob included (of course) the George Eastman estate (and the adjoining International Museum of Photography). Just when I thought I was over touring the fabulous homes of rich people, I was riveted by the story that unfolded here of this brilliant man who made photography accessible to everyone. This was his conservatory.
The other highlight of our Rochester Tour was ARTISANWorks, a 40,000 square foot renovated factory building, home to half a million wildly eclectic works of art, including this key covered eagle.
We weren’t with Rob when he spotted this field of sunflowers on the way home from our last lunch together. But it was too cool not to include.
When we visited our friends Bruce and John last week, their postcard-perfect town of Lambertville, New Jersey was already fully festooned for Halloween. One local artist’s front yard in particular took ghoulish decor to an entirely new level. Bruce captured it all in a panorama shot that he was kind enough to share. Get thee to a good sized screen and enjoy. 