We've all spent more time to ourselves and with ourselves in recent weeks so it's possible you might have lost sight of Earth Day on the calendar this year. Let's face it we certainly have had enough 'other stuff' on our plates, right? But with all that's been changing in our lives these past few weeks, Earth Day is as good a time as any to recognize our place in the world and to acknowledge that our world is so much more than just us.
Not that you asked but I accidentally ended up in the first-ever Earth Day Parade in New York City back in 1970 as a pimply prep school know-it-all. And now, a half-century later, don't know about you but I have clear skin and not only still know it all but now think I know it all better. Kidding with the last part of the previous sentence but you knew that.
Probably like you, I've used a fair amount more technology recently as we work our way across this new normal and have taken part in public meetings via Zoom on my smartphone and with my desktop and the city's website, not forgetting, of course, the telephone (the classics never go out of style).
I was inspired by Saturday's "One World: Together at Home" special and with today being Earth Day, I thought I'd organize a virtual walk for all of us from Chelsea Parade to the Norwich Harbor, undeterred that the Committee Who Runs the Internet has banned my face from ever being part of Face Time at the request of computer screen manufacturers.
So I hope you're wearing sensible shoes and other items of comfortable clothing because we have some ground to cover.
Actually, I stole a march on celebrating Earth Day by taking advantage of the sunny Sunday and strolled, face mask in place, down Washington Street towards Howard T. Brown Park. On days like we had Sunday, gorgeous blue skies, plenty of sunshine, and a light breeze, just a few steps up from Maple Street, across from the Eliza Huntington Home, you can see a slim ribbon of blue glistening in the sun that is the Norwich Harbor.
I always use the Shoreline Access that heads down to the Yantic River behind the Christ Episcopal Church as I make my way along the Heritage Trail under the Sweeney Bridge, with Thayer's Marine on the opposite shore over on Hollyhock Island, passing under the spur of Route 82 that takes traffic past the Intermodal Transportation Center to Chelsea Harbor Drive.
Mother Nature has reclaimed a lot of where the Putts Up Dock mini-golf course used to be facing the Marina at American Wharf with where I remember the volcano being most especially overgrown. The Norwich Harbor stretches out to our right as we walk towards Howard T. Brown Park.
On Sunday, as is the case most days, no matter the weather, there's a large gaggle of seagulls, ducks, swans, and geese near the boat launch, hoping none of us know how to read the signs posted by the CT DEEP to not feed any of the waterfowl. The gulls sail overhead on the wind currents from the harbor and all the other birds do that paddle in place thing while waiting for a dropped french fry or random piece of bread.
As you stand near the Chelsea Landing sign beyond the gazebo you can almost see forever down the Thames River, or at least as far as the Thermos Condominiums over on Laurel Hill as the river continues into the Long Island Sound and, in turn, the Atlantic Ocean.
I like to think that perhaps someone somewhere on a European shore is gazing upon that same Atlantic at the very moment we are so that in a way we're still all together, no matter how far apart we are. Be it today, Earth Day, and every day.
-bill kenny
No comments:
Post a Comment