Return Of Eagle Eyes: Finally A Fun Weekend!

When your spirits are down in the dumps there is nothing better than having a good friend visit. A dear friend who you haven't seen in almost a year.

Much thanks to Eagle Eyes, whose visit this weekend did much to improve my spirits. For those of you not familiar with her many talents, you can check out the ode that I wrote to her when we parted last summer in The Top 10 Things I Will Miss About My Summer In DC.

I got to show off Ithaca and also to enjoy the refreshing perspective of seeing Ithaca through Eagle Eye's eyes. First I dragged her around the Veterinary Research Tower, followed by dinner on the commons. The next day we went to Buttermilk Falls, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Museum of the Earth, Taughannock Falls, Trumansburg, the Ithaca commons again for dinner, the Scale House Brew Pub and finally a late night trip to Wegmans! Today we went to the Glass Museum in Corning. A pretty packed weekend!

Driving back on route 13 I rounded a corner and there, nestled in the far hills, glowing in the late afternoon sunlight was Ithaca. I didn't feel despondent. It's not home. But it is beautiful (see above and below):



Here are some more photos from my drive home this afternoon:




Just after I dropped Eagle Eyes off at the Elmira-Corning airport and turned around to head back to Ithaca my phone started ringing so I pulled off the road. My sister called, followed by Aunt K and my mom. Thanks! It was perfect timing as that is when I would have started to feel alone. As I sat there on the side of the road at a rest area chatting away, a pair of American goldfinches came and sat in front of my car. Eye candy:) And then a sharp-shinned hawk flew by, flap flap glide. It was very peaceful. I can't remember the last time I just sat in a field and took in the world around me. I must remember to do that more!