Fall at Storm King

On my first visit to Storm King in the spring of 2011, I was five months pregnant chasing a two year old around the place and wondering who would collapse first. It was such an expansive place with amazing views that made you want to keep on marching until you'd seen it all. I remember thinking that I would love to come back and photograph it in each season--the spring blooms giving way to lush summer, fiery autumn turning into a winter wonderland. Fast forward a couple of years, and a busy life with two kids kept me sticking close to home most weekends. Storm King wasn't really on my radar until I noticed a friend posting pics on Facebook last week. The colors of fall were popping all around the fields, peeking out from behind the sky high sculptures and begging me to come have another look. I wasn't sure we could squeeze it in this weekend, but after the girls woke up late at 8 a.m., I thought why not. So off we went up the Palisades Parkway in NJ to Cornwall, NY, in about an hour and a half.  As we neared the park around noon, Nacho asked if we should stop and get lunch first. Probably not a bad idea and after turning into the town, we spied Woody's All Natural where we'd had lunch last time. Friends had told me it shuttered and apparently, it only recently reopened. So that was a surprise and a nice one at that. 

With lunch in our bellies, we pushed on to the art center and found a small line of cars waiting ahead of us on the rural lane into it.  After about 10 minutes, we handed over our entrance fees (a rather steep $32) and zoomed into the parking area. As we found out last time, walking is about the only way to get around out there (trams come through infrequently but are crowded).  So we encouraged the girls to run and frolic as much as they liked and soon they were practicing rolling down the hills like the novices they are. Oh yeah, I remember the joy of turning over and over again. I wasn't tempted to try yesterday, but it did look like fun and there were plenty of other kids and adults giving it a whirl. No, instead, I followed the girls and Nacho like the photographic hunter I've become. Each sculpture and hill another vista worth recording. The sun was with us for the first half of the visit, giving way to light rain as we trudged past the Storm King Wall and up through the forest. It made Elisa a bit crazy and she started complaining ("I'm tired! I'm thirsty!") but we labored on. I tried to get her thinking about something else, and that only seemed to irritate her further. One more sculpture and we're out was a better bribe. And the last one was really my favorite--the Three Legged Buddha that juxtaposes his head with the other "legs."  With the bright orange leaves illuminating it from all sides, the dark Buddha positively shone. I waited patiently for the throngs to move out and just before the girls had tired of everything, I found a minute to snap a few pictures. Just me and the Buddha. Ahhh. This was worth it.

I kept my promise to head out after that, but still there was another walk to the car to brush past a few more pieces. The girls found their second wind, and I was happy to oblige their game of hide and seek as Nacho went to pull up the car. It was a wonderfully balmy fall day and probably the best weather we could have hoped for. Being able to wander around such a gorgeous landscape with my family before the chill of winter sets in was so rewarding. I know in a few weeks we'll be dodging cabin fever and bundling up to make our way outside for even 30 minutes. So Storm King more than delivered on this visit. Now if I can only get back there for a little trudging through the snow....maybe next year.