Taughannock State Park – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Summer Walk

Experience a hike around Taughannock Gorge on a summer morning with thunderstorms threatening

July 18, 2021July 8, 2021 MichaelStephenWills2 Comments

Constant winds from thunderstorm updrafts, I brought along an umbrella just in case.

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Taughannock Falls Gorge on a humid summer morning

Hemlock Forest on South Rim Trail

Taughannock Falls Gorge from South Rim Trail

Taughannock Falls from South Rim trail

View of Taughannock Falls Gorge from the North Rim trail on a humid summer (July) morning. Turkey Vultures circle overhead…they are there most summer days.

View of the first waterfall of Taughannock Gorge from the railroad bridge linking the North and South Rim trails on a humid summer (July) morning. This large waterfall empties to the gorge above the 210+ foot Taughannock Falls.

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Quaker Settlement Series 2

Gone too soon

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019 MichaelStephenWills14 Comments

Joseph P. Lee, a middle aged gentleman with carvings of a mature willow flanked by urns. In the intervening 162 years the upper layers of slate flake at the edges.

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Born June 6, 1799 Died June 22, 1857 Lived 58 years and 16 Days

Rhoda Ann Mattison, a wife who died too young. What was the relationship of James and Rhoda to Catherine and John?

The carving is a pineapple (for hospitality) set in a elegant vase on a plinth flanked by ionic columns, a simple arch (banded to imply a rainbow?) surmounts all. Cross hatching implies space. An implied eternal banding of stylized leaves as starbursts.

I brought out the characteristic slate coloring. There is evidence of ware from the intervening 197 years, though the carving is surprising crisp.

Slideshow of photographs in this series

Catherine A. Mattison Born 1792/1793, Death March 13, 1815. Lived 22 years. John Mattison, Death December 2, 1831, Born August 15, 1815 (5 months after Catherine’s Death), Lived 15 years, 3 months and 18 days.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Quaker Settlement Series 1

Delving the past

December 12, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

Taken from Perry City Road, NYS Route 142 on an early November afternoon.

On my way to Taughannock Falls, November 6, 2019 (see my post “Cuteness Break”, the first of that series) I explored a different route and came up this cemetery set among an appealing pine grove.

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A view of the Quaker Settlement Cemetery, taken from Jacksonville Road, NYS Route 143, on an early November afternoon.

Located in the town of Ulysses, New York there is a Quaker Settlement church a few feet further west on Perry City Road. I have Quaker ancestors, so took the opportunity to peruse the family names. The stones were unusually beautiful and touching, mostly local slate, some with intricate carvings.

Here is a headstone for two young people of the same family name. The white marble carved in the form of a willow, from the flowing lines and, knowing how our willows green up springtime, it calls to mind the same youthful greening as appropriate for two young people who lived 22 and 15 years.

Analysis of the dates, given in the following capture, tells the story of an young woman, a baby born 5 months after her death and who followed his aunt 15 years later.

I have a great aunt who also died young with a headstone naming her mother and father. Here is the granite headstone of Mary R. Daughter of George & Margarett Wills Died Oct. 3, 1886 Aged 20 years. Saint Mary of Assumption Cemetery, Sweetwater, New Jersey. My grandfather James Edward Wills was 9 years old at his sister Mary’s passing. He must have attended her church service and internment, standing at this spot.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Last Hike

A sllideshow

December 11, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills22 Comments

Thank You for exploring the South Rim trail of Taughannock Falls State Park on the last perfectly sunny autumn day of 2019.

A sunny November Walk

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Click me for the first post of this series, “Cuteness Brea k .”

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Beginning and End

The first and last waterfall for this hike on the South Rim Trail

December 10, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills3 Comments

Spanned by two bridges, the first falls of Taughannock State Park traverse an elevation change of over 100 feet.

It is wonderful to stand on the railroad bridge winters and early springtime to marvel at the ice formations and, for regulars, to notice changes wrought by the season. Here I stand underneath the railroad bridge, a bridge support girder shows up top, on the South Rim trail.

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Three Views of my latest postings

Last Flower with Moss, early November — South Rim Trail, early November

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Tenacity

The tenacity of Ironweed resonates with the human spirit.

December 9, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

A lone sprig of Ironweed hangs on from a cliff edge moss carpet off the South Rim Trail, Taughannock Falls New York State Park, Finger Lakes Region.

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Ironweed Gallery from this hike

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Lone Elm

Among Hemlocks

December 6, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills9 Comments

A Rock Elm, late to turn in autumn, stands among a hemlock grove on the South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls Park, Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

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Long Shadows

Northern Latitude

December 5, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

Early November on Gorge Road, Finger Lakes Region, New York State. At this month and latitude (42 north) there are long shadows throughout the day. The South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls State Park briefly emerges from the wooded cliff to this portion of the road that parallels the gorge, descending to Cayuga Lake shores.

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Three Views

Oak and Hemlock — Distant View with Hemlock

Pure Nature

Bird’s Eye View

December 4, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills22 Comments

Early November trees, Taughannock Gorge, Finger Lakes Region, New York State walking the South Rim Trail we are among the upper reaches of trees clinging to the steep gorge walls.

Happy Birthday to my dear wife Pam.

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Two Views

Distant View

December 3, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

I am fascinated by this vantage from the South Rim trail. It is possible because the gorge bends almost 90 degrees, the gorge walls fall away to reveal the 215 foot waterfall.