So, Kathleen and I jumped into her car for a little escapism. We had a lovey day driving round the Stedman/Clymer/Sherman area, stopping wherever we felt like it.

First stop, East Branch Books (etc) in Sherman, New York.

That place is packed floor to ceiling and then some with used books, all nicely arranged into categories for easy browsing.

Then it was off to the Reverie Creamery to buy artisan cheese, Stedman Corners for a delicious lunch, then we took the long way to Clymer for ice cream for dessert. Along the way, we stopped for photos, mostly at beaver ponds.

One of the ponds had me thinking about the exhibit I visited at the Albright Knox in Buffalo a couple of weeks ago, and the sign about Monet’s work and how over time the horizon line moved further and further up on his canvass until eventually it disappeared altogether…

At the pond with the Swamp Monster in it (you’ll have to see if Kathleen has a good picture of it!) I was transfixed by a grouping of three trees. I’m not sure exactly why. They just caught and kept my eye for some reason.

It is hard to convey the size of this old remnant of a tree. It was enormous. Would have loved to have known her when she was whole.

Finally, I really want to see the insides of these apartments just a stone’s throw from the business district of Clymer!

— Update:
YAY! Kathleen did have a picture of the Swamp Monster! Here it is: