After my Texas road trip, I had thought my traveling would be limited to commutes into New York.  But my sister’s boss invited her to come up to the cabin to have lunch with him and his wife and discuss some business items.  I came along for the ride.

On July 2 (Independence Day, according to John Adams), we drove up to the Catskills.  Pre-holiday traffic slowed us in the city, but most of the way was smooth.  My mother had a condo in this part of upstate New York years ago.  The scenery brought a refreshing contrast with the city with the creeks, lakes and the pleasant tree-lined mountains.

Howard and Marge greeted us and showed us around.  The cabin was the size of a small apartment in the city.  From the porch, I could hear the flow of water and notice the small waterfalls.  The interior had a welcoming wood aroma from the wood paneling and floors.  The kitchen and the bathroom had plenty of natural light from the skylights.  The bedrooms looked small and cozy.  In the back, Howard showed the guest cabin being constructed.  It will take time for the wood to age to match the main cabin.

The four of us walked down to the creek and the waterfalls.  The flow of the water produced a soothing sound.  Howard said that it would be a nice place for a meditation.  I agreed although I would arm myself with bug repellant first.  The couple mentioned that there was even a Buddhist monastery nearby.

Howard drove all of us to the nearby town of Phoenicia for lunch.  We ate on the outdoor patio at the Sportman’s Alamo Cantina.  But because the cook wasn’t in until 3, we ordered from the menu from Brio’s Pizzeria and Restaurant next door.  The mushroom and sausage calzone was delicious.  We chatted and ate ice cream as we walked around the town.  The stores were small and charming.  I bought a few postcards at one store.  The pharmacy was a throwback from midcentury.  It needed only a soda fountain to complete the look.

We would have hung out all day at the cabin.  But I needed to be back in Midtown to attend a holy hour at Holy Innocents Church.  (If I had known that the social at Holy Innocents would be so meager, I would have stayed at the cabin longer.)  The drive back was smooth except for the holiday traffic at the George Washington Bridge.   One of these days, I need to return and meditate by that creek.