My grannie client wasn't in her room at 10:30, when I called to remind her about the earlier 11:00 pick-up (usually 11:30). She wasn't there when I pulled over at 10:45 to call from the road. When I rang her apartment from the front desk, she'd JUST gotten back from a delightful, conversation & good friend filled breakfast. And was gleeful to be heading out immediately!
Downstairs, our guest & I waited as my g.c. scrubbed her teeth, brushed her hair & checked her lipstick, all done in record time. A scant ten minutes later, we were on our way!
I took the most direct, practical route. Didn't give a thought to the stretch through Bryn Athyn, steep dip into the leafy beauty of the Pennypack Creek environs, a white house atop a bluff standing sentry over the little valley, the sharp turn right at the old mill, the sight of the itty bitty bridge crossing the creek (one car at a time), then past the old-fashion, still-in-service post office.
Had to bop in to send off a letter & pick up my B.A. mail (when I got married at 37, I gave up my name, my home, my lifelong phone # - I was NOT going to give up my lifelong box #!). Our guest was intrigued that Anne & I knew everyone coming in & out - amazed with our descriptions of who they were, how we knew them. It is easy to forget, having always lived in a tenderly connected community, how unusual it is in this day & age.
Much like forgetting the impact of going up Station Hill to South Avenue & the view of first Boro Park, then the sweep across & up the teeny valley to the cathedral. For me, it's background, something that's always been part of my life.
To save time, we did not go out of our way to drive through the Churchville Nature Center, but even the drive we took was pretty (once we got through the Southampton/Richboro "mega"tropolis. Endless rolling countryside & vast stretches of clouds.
Oh, the clouds! This grannie client LOVES clouds & was utterly entranced the entire drive with the stunning display - dramatic white white clouds against a piercing blue sky.
She has some memory challenges, so was happy to remember so many spots along the way & even the turns. Like the one off onto a small road that took us through part of the Pidcock Creek watershed. Again, it's my normal drive (preferred to dropping down into New Hope via Rt. 232's steep hill) so easy to forget how lovely it is, how calming & peaceful. We pointed out favorite houses & spots to our guest, who seemed to be enjoying it all.
The approach to New Hope from Aquetong & the River Road is always special, but yesterday it felt almost magical - the canal to our right, then the river, and hillside on our left, all covered by a leafy canopy.
In New Hope, we pulled into the virtually invisible Porches on the Towpath. Chrissie can out, double time, to see who was parking where they shouldn't be. Glory be, they are totally booked this week, so Gunnie was relegated to alley parking - right alongside the very room that John & I will stay in for our 25th wedding anniversary! We made our good byes to super-busy Chrissie & headed down the drive & across the road to The Landing, directly opposite.
If you walked past The Landing, it would pull your attention with its beautiful trees & plantings, the house-like restaurant set back many feet, down a brick path. Walk up to the door & a chalkboard sign directs you around the corner to the terrace. You walk to the left, turn right - and what a view unfolds! The terrace is directly on the Delaware, with a glorious view of Lambertville on the opposite shore. Seated in a prime location, right by the railing, there's a smashing view of the New Hope-:Lambertville bridge, the sound of traffic a soothing rumble.
The ladies were delighted with the river view. Directly below us, on the river bank, a swan kept an eye on two adolescent cygnets paddling on the river; they were about half way between the soft-grey feathers of youth & into the pure white of maturity. A mama duck was giving her 8 (or was it 9?) tiny ducklings a lesson on the ways of the river, while a good half dozen other ducks kept nipping up & down & all around.
Right next door, there's a dock up river, between The Landing & Fred's Breakfast Club, home to Wells Ferry Boat Rides. My grannie client expressed great interest in heading off on an excursion on the Delaware - alas, weekends only! I managed to turn her attention to the much newer dock moored right in front of The Landing, two amazing shells at its side.
Dragon Boats!! Dragon Boat racing was introduced in Hong Kong almost 40 years ago. Back then, Hong Kong - under British rule - saw Dragon Boat racing as a grand way to promote tourism. It quickly spread to other parts of Asia, Europe & Canada, which started holding their own festival races.
These two were classic Dragon Boat shells - long, sleek, with seating for 10 pairs of paddlers, a seat in the front facing the paddlers for a drummer & one in the back for someone who steers. I've always wanted to see a Dragon Boat race & never knew there was a team so close by!
Also on deck were two kyak, one a deep blue 1-man, the other a deep pink 2-seater. To my ladies' delight, an incredibly trim fellow took out the deep blue kyak for a spin on the river!
Closer to the opposite shore, a 4-man (or woman) shell heading up river gets me wondering if they're the same crew that were snagged by the bridge back in May. One of the Dragon Boats, out on a practice, turned to when they heard the cries for help & the coach directed the rescue. What a sight that must have been!
No such drama for us, just tranquil beauty as far as the eye could see.
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