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| Fall color |
A few weeks ago I
went home. It’s fall in upstate NY and I
don’t like missing it. This year’s pilgrimage was different than my usual fall
trips to NYC. This time I met my sister, who lives in Colorado, at LaGuardia,
rented a car and off we went to see the turning leaves, eat sharp cheddar
cheese, and do some exploring of our old stomping ground. Our plan was to visit our Aunt Marie &
Uncle John, both close to 80 years old and as spry as ever, have a couple of dinners
with our brother & his husband, and for the two of us to get to know each
other again.
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| My sister |
The rest of the plan involved meandering around southern New
England on so-called “blue highways”: those
cute little roads that preexisted the interstate and now run between towns. They’re dotted with gas stations, cafes,
motels, and lots of stop lights. How charming
they are, but let me tell you, it can take HOURS to get anywhere. Our first destination (a Motel 6--we only go for
luxury!) was only 82 miles NE of New York City but it took us about 5 hours to
get there.
The next three days
were gloriously colorful—the leaves,the rain, the sprinkled donuts! We played tourist in New Haven and spent some
time visiting Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain, or at least their
homes. A few days earlier our family
genealogist (and brother) reported that one of our ancestors, a woman named
Dilla Rose, was an abolitionist. So I
felt a special kinship with Harriet (two liberal radical feminists in a pod) as
we walked away from the house.
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| The Harriet Beecher Stowe House |
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| I love the old gravestone verbiage! |
We drove on,
stopping in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, ever on the
lookout for the next Friendly's and/or Dunkin Donuts.
Yes, that’s why I love New England—it’s all
there.
Obviously one of the
best reasons to be in New England in the fall is, um, FALL. I try to go back every year and I try to time
it just right, but you know, nature has her own plans. Damn her! But this time we were completely in sync.
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| The Connecticut River in it's colorful shawl |
Something finally hit home for me.
Fall lays bare a struggle, but also a world
of possibilities. In a brilliant burst of unfettered resistance, the year comes
to an end anyway; her failures and successes falling away too, making room for what
will come to be.
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| This is Vermont! |
I found my past in
family and familiar places and Aunt Marie’s stories of almost forgotten
escapades with cousins I haven’t seen in a million years. But I also found openings: ideas for new designs for my work, new
adventures with my sister, trips yet to take and memories yet to be made.
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| Beautiful stream in Keene, NH |
I think next year I will reminisce more, and
maybe go see some of those cousins.
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| You CAN go home again, as long as you use a covered bridge to get there. |
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