Wells Falls (aka Businessman's Lunch Falls) and Six Mile Creek, Ithaca, New York, USA

Three views of Wells Falls on Six Mile Creek. The old world appearance of the waterside buildings makes it feel like I'm somewhere in Europe a hundred years ago.



Yes, I've blogged about this falls before but, today, it looked so majestic in the bright sunshine, I decided to do it again!



I can almost hear the old millwork grinding away with the steady rhythm of the endless falls generating power.



Upstream from the dam, Six Mile Creek tumbles down it's creekbed.....



....fed from side tributaries like this one. Ithaca is truly a "gorges" place.

A Walk Up the Bell Tower, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

I found myself again at the bell tower on the Cornell campus in the late afternoon.  Time to climb to the top and enjoy the bell chimes concert! Looking out the slitted openings at the top........



.....offers this great view! The air was much clearer on this day compared to my previous visit. That's Cayuga Lake stretching off 40 miles toward the horizon.



I do so enjoy watching and hearing these musicians perform for the entire campus and Ithaca area.



It's definitely worth the 161 steps to the top -  I was the old man with the slow pace going up the narrow stairs. The young whipper-snappers ahead of me had to stop to catch their breath - they haven't yet learned the life lesson from Aesop's fable that slow but steady usually wins the race.

Taughannock Falls, Ulysses, New York, USA

Just a short drive up the western side of Cayuga Lake from Ithaca you can enjoy the natural wonder of the Taughannock Falls. At 215-feet high, the falls is higher than Niagara! The gorge trail is mostly level and provides a wide walking trail directly beside the bubbling and tumbling creek as it makes its way downstream from the falls to empty into the lake. (Image of the park display board on site).



This view is at the Falls Overlook on the north side of the park accessible by trail or road.



If you bicycle, there are many racks just waiting for you. (Black and white rendering).



Here's where the stream empties into Cayuga Lake.



The nearby town of Trumansburg has that turn-of-the-century feel and look typical of the Finger Lakes Region.



The town offices. A beautiful region this part of New York State.

A Few Pleasing Sights on the Cornell University Campus, Ithaca, New York, USA

Another wander about the stately Cornell University Campus.



This hallway connects two separate buildings. (Black and white rendering by me).



Detailed craftsmanship in stone.



A waterfall on Fall Creek that passes through the campus.



Same image with a longer exposure to create some water blurring. On a cloudy day, I was able to capture this with my point and shoot camera with a .4" second shutter speed. (The first one above was at a 1/160 shutter speed). The netting in the foreground is to catch anyone who might fall or attempt to jump into the raging torrent.

Spring Snowfall, Ithaca, New York, USA

Although it is mid-April, snow showers/flurries are still an everyday occurrence in the Ithaca area this year. I am definitely not accustomed to seeing forsythia in bloom against a background of snow.



But it sure is pretty.



As the sun was about to set, the rays sliced through the fading clouds and left a great signature on this fine day.

And yes, those are our three resident/local deer feeding on the grassy spots. A beautiful location, Ithaca.

Out and About Wandering, Ithaca, New York, USA

A pleasant trail in the Robert Treman State Park.



The overlook point for Lucifer Falls in Robert Treman State Park. The gorge trail, visible above as it winds alongside the sheer rock walls, is still closed for the season.



A camping area in Buttermilk Falls State Park. The shelter reminds me of my youth 50 years ago when hiking along sections of the Appalachian Trail. I spent many a night in a shelter like this instead of pitching a tent.



A rural scene minutes south of downtown Ithaca. (It gets rural very quickly after leaving the city limits).



A colorful barn reflected in a pond.



Last year's hay/straw bales are scattered about many fields in the area.

Wells Falls, Ithaca, New York, USA

I am particularly enthralled by Wells Falls, (aka Businessman's Lunch Falls), for two reasons: first, it is very close to where we are staying on this visit to Ithaca and, second, it has an old world feel due to the presence of the waterside building remnants.



A different perspective is available at the end of a short trail to the base of the falls.



It is clear that these trees have lived through many cycles of flood and drought over the years. Shakespeare said that "truth will out," but that saying has often been altered to, "life will out." These roots are an illustration of that natural tenacity to survive.

A Wander About, Ithaca, New York, USA

The final major falls on Cascadilla Creek at the edge of downtown Ithaca is a fine place to sit awhile and enjoy the music of a waterfall.



As the creek flows through town, it is corralled into a concrete flood control channel.



One of many churches in the downtown Ithaca area.

Wedding Portraits, Ithaca Falls, Ithaca, New York, USA

It seemed a good idea to take a group photo in front of the Ithaca Falls before our guests returned home. It was cold and breezy and we weren't inclined to linger. The falls made a great backdrop for the images even though the air temp was below freezing. But, as we turned to leave.........



..... a wedding party was just arriving to take official wedding pictures. Yes, that is fresh snow in the background.



The bride was in good spirits despite the cold.



Her bridesmaids stayed close together to try to stay warm.



They chose a beautiful setting to begin their life together.

Cornell University Campus, Ithaca, New York, USA

Since legal parking is possible in some places for a non-permit holder after 5pm or on the weekends, I decided to pay an evening visit to the Cornell campus to wander about and see what I could see. With my fondness for the highest vantage point, I was particularly interested in the clock/bell tower shown above. How can I get up there? The sky started out cloudy but then as if on cue.......



.. the clouds dissipated and the sun broke through and magically, students appeared spontaneously to sit on the hillside and enjoy the late afternoon sunshine.



Even though the terrain is often steep, it is a fine campus to wander about. I expect after four years as a student, most leave with strong calf muscles.



Sunlight streamed through this walkway between buildings.



I wandered over by the door to the tower and, lo and behold, there was a sign posted saying a bell concert would occur in just a few minutes. It is sometimes better to be lucky than good. At the appointed time, the door opened and I, along with perhaps twenty other people, started the trudge up the 161 stairs to the top. And oh, what a view there was ........



....looking out from the tower. It's still hazy but you get the idea of the location. That's Cayuga Lake in the distance stretching off towards the horizon. The lake is about 40 miles long.



And looking the other direction, these cool buildings were close by.



Although I spent a few minutes up top in the belfry with the bells ringing, even I who likes loud music, had to plug my ears with my fingers when up by the bells.



Here is the instrument that creates the bell music: the playing stand for the Cornell Chimes. Each of the 21 levers, some played by hand, some by foot, are physically connected by the metal rods and cables to the clappers in the bells above.



Each year, a competition is held to select Chimesmasters. Criteria: ability to read music, balance on one foot, and climb 161 stairs. Seriously.



Three times a day when classes are in session, the Chimesmasters perform a short concert. Some pieces required two people - four hands and two feet between them.



It was a way cool experience - I can't wait to do it again! I recommend it highly - if you are able to climb the 161 steps.