[Journal entry for March 2, 2015; Lake Tappan and Pondside Park]. Just before sunset, I drove to Lake Tappan, on the New York – New Jersey border just west of the Palisades Parkway. It’s a small impoundment on the Hackensack River and is part of the water supply for Bergen County NJ communities. I first stopped at its northwest corner, parking near the intersection of Convent and Blue Hill Roads. The lake is frozen and snow covered and its east bank is wooded. The twin domes of Dominican Convent are prominently visible on the hilltop beyond, as are two tall brick smokestacks. I drive south several miles, following the west shore of the lake, and stop again on Washington Avenue, near the dam. From this vantage I can see up the long axis of the lake.

On my way home, I stop briefly at Pondside Park in Harrington Park, NJ and walk along the shore of this small body of water. The sun is setting now and the pond’s snow-covered surface is lit by bands of yellow sunlight, separated by deep shadow. The shores of the pond are mostly wooded. A small playground stands at its southern end.

About a half hour.