I always feel grateful for the natural beauty of Central New York, our many lakes, parks, and views of the Erie Canal. From this year's pandemic perspective, they feel ever more precious.

Biking the canal daily was a grateful experience of sky, water, feathered and fury friends.

Days when human species sightings felt rare, smiling eyes and a masked nod warmed the day. This is how I will choose to remember 2020. In 2021, I will look forward to seeing all of your bright, smiling faces!

I chose this haiku because of its nostalgia of childhood. My brother would drag shovels and hockey sticks from an old station wagon, while Dad hauled fishing gear to a favorite sport on the icy lake. Practicing pirouettes on the ice after we had cleared the snow, I waited for the goal to be marked with stones.

I still love to skate at Clinton Square at night with holiday tree and city streets all alight.

It seems perfect holiday magic that snowmen would take over the ice after all other skaters head home.