In October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on some islands in the Caribbean and never got to the mainland of the Americas. It’s one of the 12 official holidays we have here in NY State. All post offices will be closed and there will be no mail delivered to homes or businesses. Most schools and libraries are closed on Columbus Day but the stock market is open. Retailers have seized Columbus Day as a big day for bargain hunters – probably because the schools are out. For most working people, it’s just another Monday.
Since we are both retired, our lives do not center on holidays. We try to take advantage of all of the nice warm fall days that we have been having in the Finger Lakes. Yesterday we met with some of our Binghamton friends at the Boat Yard Restaurant in Ithaca. Ithaca is about half way between Canandaigua and Binghamton. We thought that perhaps their patio on the point facing Cayuga Lake would be still open but that was closed for the season. Still, there was plenty of seating inside along the windows which face the water.
Way up on top of the hill sits Cornell University, one of the most famous universities in the country and certainly one of our most famous New York universities which has contributed much to all aspects of Finger Lakes living including new varieties of apples, grapes, and farming techniques which have enriched our food supply.
The boating activity on all of the Finger Lakes is winding down for the season as their owners scramble to have their boats pulled from the water and winterized for the season. Soon we will have freezing temperatures at night. But today, the warm 70 degree sunshine just erased all the worries and concerns regarding our coming colder temperatures and allowed our minds to drift back to summer days just past.
Each day that comes along is more precious than all of the past days.