Another bounteous Sabbath

Sunday morning began with a yawn. When you are staying in a country inn that looks like THIS, why go anywhere?

the famed Taughannock Farms Inn

Never mind that the dining room overlooks Cayuga Lake, or that it is a modest walk from a beautiful waterfall ...

Taughannock Falls

I do have better pictures of the falls, but this one includes a glimpse of two illegal swimmers so you get a sense of its size. Never been there? It is definitely worth the trip. This is one of my long-time favorite places, not far from the Boy Scout camp of my youth. It is an amazing sight, better viewed from the canyon floor. On Saturday afternoon, while my wife took a brief respite before the wedding, I walked up to enjoy the view and get a few close-ups. Here is my favorite:

That brisk walk was just what I needed, in reflecting what I wanted to say for my brief sermon for the wedding. Of course, my sister Mary claims it was the same sermon that I gave at her wedding. Hmm ... well, why compose something new if it still works?

The morning was spent among the wineries of that region. That is all I shall say about that. We did have a nice meal at the Moosewood Restaurant in nearby Ithaca. Not everybody's cup of green tea, but we loved it. Our open-air table reminded us that Ithaca is a prime spot for people-watching with a wide assortment of characters to see.

So when Sunday came, I lit my Sabbatical Candle again and had some quiet alone-time. Then I had breakfast at the Inn with the bride and groom, thinking they were terribly generous to spend the time with me. A rapid drive down the country roads took me to my home church in Owego, NY. I arrived almost ten minutes late and the announcements were just concluding before the opening hymn. Since I was not in charge of anything, I was OK with this.

First United Presbyterian Church, Owego, NY

It was a blessing to sit in the pew with Mom and Dad, to sing hymns with my daughters, to hear a refreshing sermon, to see a lot of people who are remarkably well preserved, and to enjoy a wonderful lunch at a funky little place in town. Since I had a little time on my hands, I stopped off to visit a street fair that had a lot of music. Some musical friends showed up too.

The Presbybop Quintet packs the house again

In short: a Sabbatical in miniature: time with loved ones, time alone, time in nature, time with music-makers. This is the rhythm that I am keeping during this sabbatical season. It is very, very refreshing.