Friday, March 27, 2009

Buffalo, the "Spring Break Desination Hot Spot"

3.13.09

Many people decide to take there spring break on a tropical island like Cancun while others, like my best friend Jon Newman, decide to come visit me in Buffalo. Jon even admitted several times that Buffalo is the "spring break destination hot spot". I was grateful he decided to come all the way from Atlanta, Georgia just to go on adventures with me!

Tillman Swamp in Clarance, New York

We found this little Leopard frog hopping around on the grass.

Jon found a nice walking stick.

Boardwalk into the Swamp

Jon and I stumbled upon about three of these large tee-pee structures in the middle of the swamp. I could only assume that they had been built by merit badge seeking boy scouts. Inside there would be just enough room for one or two people to sleep. Outside on of the shelters there was a fence-like structure that had been constructed using nails.

Alyssa, Bill, Jon and I enjoyed some delicious sushi at Wasabi Restaurant on Elmwood Avenue. Some of the menu items we ordered were: edamame (steamed soy beans), various sushi rolls, green tea, Japanese beer (Kirin), and tempura ice cream.

3.19.09

Buttermilk Falls in Ithaca, NY

The pebbles were perfect for skipping.

View of the stream just before it tumbled off the edge.

I tried skipping stones too, just like Amelie.

This little foam puff was trapped in an eddy and just kept spinning around and around. It was there the entire time we were. I learned form someone at Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper that contrary to popular belief, foam like this does not come from pollution. In fact, it is formed by natural minerals in the water.

Although it was naturally cut, this slate rock appeared as if it had been cut straight across with a saw.

After skipping rocks for a while, Jon and I started exploring the shoreline a bit more. While Jon was watching sticks and other natural debris cascade down the falls, I found these two owl pellets at the base of a tree. They were still wet and a little slimy to the touch. I was delighted to find them despite their origins. It was my first time seeing them in a natural setting.

Here I am pretending to drive a weathered old Plymouth. The grill was as shiney as new but the rest of the car was very rusty, as you can tell in the picture. On my backpack you might notice a bright yellow plastic bag. While I was walking along the path, I almost tripped over the verbebrae of some long dead animal. Their was no organs or fur left on the backbone but there was a little bit of cartilage that was kept damp by the forest floor. After some discussion, Jon and I thought it might be a deer vertebrae because it was too big to be from a cat or dog. I will have to remember to ask Robbyn.

Jon and I found clay along the trail and decided to mold it into pots and other shapes. We left them to dry in the sun. Maybe a woodland creature will find them useful. Petter Rabbit or Jerimiah Frog maybe?

They say the waterfall is called Buttermilk Falls because as the water churns, bumps, and bubbles down the slope, it resembles buttermilk. I'm looking forward to swimming at the base of this waterfall in the summer months.

Here, Jon is posing at the base of Buttermilk Falls. :)

A beautiful view of a waterfall from one of the many Cornell campus bridges.*

3.21.09

One last picture before Jon leaves to go home.

*See comments.

5 comments:

Kate said...

I hope Jon Newman still has that beard. Good look.

Unknown said...

there was one typo: sill --> still. Additionally, it looks like Jon had a fantastic time in Buffalo. Finally, I feel that more time should have been alloted to how the picture from the Cornell bridge was actually the remains of an old civilE complex that had been annihilated by nature's envy of human awesomeness.

Hu said...

Good to see you guys enjoying yourselves in a forest that seems full of stuff!

Owl said...

Buffalo is THE destination hot spot. Most definitely.

Unknown said...

Sheila! i loved your pics! ... Jon perhaps a bit of a trim wouldn't hurt :X lol i miss you guys a lot and im glad to see you having a good time! wish i was there! :)