Pat's Pond Premiere Post

May 14, 2005 Debut: Pat's Little Pond in New York's Southern Tier

This is the realization of a tentative dream. Posting a weblog allows me to feel as if I belong to this area. I've been an outsider for much too long. About twenty-three years now.

No one has made me feel like an outsider except me. Elmira, indeed all of Western Upstate New York has welcomed me. Always, even when I was an awe-struck student, marvelling at my first real home/residence away from my parents' house.

A wary New Englander such as myself couldn't fully appreciate the innocence and openness I found in the local people. Never have I needed to carry a "weapon" to feel safer, as I did in Boston and Washington, DC (a pocket knife and mace, respectively). And yet "I've always relied on the kindness of strangers", as they say.

And yet, I do have opinions. About everything, including these generally open people and their beautiful birthright, the Southern Tier of New York. A lot of opinions. I've been called a scratchy lady by some, although I'm a tad too thin-skinned to be vociferously so.

So the dream is tentative. Anything can and will go wrong. A half century of living has taught me that. But if I keep my nose fairly clean, the worst that can go wrong should be that no one will notice me.

Why Pat's Pond?

I'm a news junkie. I've worked in publishing all my adult life. I love to read, read and read some more. I come from a family of readers and I married a reader and we've produced one avid reader and one occasional reader. I can read in several languages and write in three.

News makers are the Big Fish in the Little Pond. I am not now, and never have been, never hope to be, a news maker. I am an observer, a behind the scenes type person. The nuts and bolts person who loves to know how to make things work. It's the Big Fish that is easily skewered and caught, not little ones.

So Pat's Pond is a small place. Infinitely small. Looking out on the Southern Tier, a precious little gem set in a small corner of the world. But maybe we can be more comfortable this way. The big world is still out there: we can see it, participate in it, comment on it, and come back to our Little Pond to escape it.

Focus, focus!

I hope to begin by photoblogging. First subject will be some rather grainy photos of my backyard visitors. Most recently an Indigo Bunting. Photography provided by RJ, my husband. He's up bright and early and usually catches creatures doing their early morning thing at our backyard feeder station.

Three photos, then I have to go. Looks like rain (Of course! Spring in Elmira!) and time to shut the car windows. Had to transport a stray dog, but that's another story...

pb
Little Fish