Hometown

Memories of Home

When you hear some one say they were from New York, this is probably the first picture that pops in your head. Then someone mentions Niagara Falls, and you remember that it is also in New York.  

Actually there are hundreds of miles of gorgeous countrysides between these two iconic places.  I was lucky enough to be raised in this "in-between" section.  My hometown was closer to Buffalo and the Falls.  I have never been to New York City. 

Growing up in the country, lots of things effect how you turn out.  For me, it is my connection with water.  My first memories are of living on Lake Road and going down into the gully that bordered our yard.  The sides were steep but the reward of a slow moving creek was worth the slow descent.  My sisters and I spent many a summer's day down there wading and catching minnows and crawdads.  It was cool and refreshing.  I can almost hear the water as it hit the rocks.

Going to Conesus Lake was always a fun time.  We would go to Long Point Park for picnics.  The cool water gently rushed to the pebbly shores.  Funny that mentioning it has me back there listening to the waves.  I remember  swimming lessons there each summer before the High School put in the pool. The park had an amusement part which opened in the evenings.  An arcade, carnival rides and even a skating rink offered a child a virtual smorgasbord of fun.

Conesus outlet flowed near my home on its way to meet the Genesee River.  I loved walking to Ashentee and looking over the bridge to watch the waterfalls.  It was magical.  If the water was running fast, the spray would blow up and reach you.  Ashentee itself was private property, but before I knew that I would walk down and watch the falls from the front side. There was a water wheel on one of the buildings, but as far as I can recall, it was no longer working when I was young.

Amanda Castilla

Michael Coyle-Gilbert

Shaernar Cherew-Gordon

Amanda Castilla

 Paper Mill Falls, which is also along the outlet, is now a park. I never saw it in person.  At the time I lived there, it was well-known to be be private property.  Some friends  were kind enough to get me current pictures of the area.  What a beautiful place, sad that I didn't have the

Michael Coyle-Gilbert

Peggy Fly

Peggy Fly

opportunity to experience it first hand.   Unfortunately, no one was unable to get a picture of Ashentee, I will have to settle for the ones I have in my mind.

If you follow the outlet from Ashentee, you find it flows under the road to Geneseo and the 5Arch bridge.  The way it flows in my memories is how it appears in this, my high school senior picture.  It is just a gentle babbling brook.  I

used to go there and wade out to the larger rock shelves and sit listening to the creeks tales.  Many a day I spent enchanted by the water's song.  I found peace there, the water seemed to take my worries and carry them away.  Peggy, my dear friend from high school, sent this more recent picture for me.  I

Peggy Fly

don't remember ever seeing the water flowing that hard.  Perhaps I just don't want to remember it that way.

Pictures take me back to a more peaceful time.  I am still amazed that even pictures have a way of washing away my troubles.

CASCADES

Babbling brooks
Sing songs of old
Returning peace
To young and old
Cascades release
A gentle spray
Washing all
Life's woes away
Leaving those
Who venture near
So peaceful
Smiles reappear

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