A New Year (2021)

It’s a New Year, little sweetheart. 

Cold and crisp, I went for a walk in the early afternoon along the Hudson and then up into Riverside Park. I like heading along the promenade up to the Boat Basin - before turning and climbing up the hill into the park proper - to stop and watch the ducks that often alight there. There’s ducks and sometimes a few long-necked geese. Smaller birds hop along the railing there to greet me and seagulls and pigeons swoop over head. Sometimes on cold days like this, there aren’t too many of them around but you never know. Sometimes it’s quite brisk but the docks and estuary are still teeming with them. 

There weren’t too many people out today, either, little sweetheart, although I did see a cyclist suddenly stop, get out his phone and take a picture of something high up. I looked up, too, and saw a hawk in a tree. The moment after he took flight, another one joined him! I’ve seen hawks in the park - it’s always a bit of an event - but never two at once! 

I kept climbing to the higher part of the park and then down to the end of the gardens at W91st Street before looping back and I saw a cardinal. I never want to leave before he - and this was a male, you could tell by his coloring - takes leave himself. 

Crossing back near the playground at W83rd Street, there’s a place where people are encouraged to bring their Christmas trees when they’re done with them, instead of just putting them at the curb. On alternate Sundays, they have a citywide “Mulchfest” in the parks, where they put the old trees through a wood chipper, creating, well, mulch, of course, and you can take some of it home if you bring a bag and want to. The best part is just the growing mountain of trees at this spot, the air full of the fresh scent of pine. I like to linger there and breathe it all in. 

It’s been too cold to run, little sweetheart, and I got felled by week long chest cold myself about a month ago so I’ve been hesitant to resume, although I want to soon. Meantime, these long walks are really good for getting out of the house and getting out of my head, if you know what I mean. 

It’s a new year. There’s something sad in it - the passing of time, how I miss you! - but maybe something hopeful, too, a chance to resolve to do better, be more mindful, find ways to be kind. 

It’s a new year, little sweetheart, and my thoughts are, as ever, of you. With all my love.