Ithaca is ...

Inspirational!!! On Friday I needed a little inspiration so after Graydon got on the school bus we headed up to Ithaca much to Todd's dismay. He wanted to get the garage cleaned out but that happened on Saturday instead.

So we parked the car and headed to the Commons where we found that most stores do not open until 11:00. Several though were open and I headed into them to find some creativity. I did see a lot of cool ideas to try and incorporate into my work but really nothing that struck me. I did though, go into one shop that had patchouli and rubbed it all over my wrists!! I LOVE the smell of it!

After the Commons we decided to head to the Ithaca Bakery for some yummy lunch. I had a delicious fresh motzerella and basil sandwich on a olive oil baget. Todd had chicken with a pesto sauce I think. I wanted only to eat my sandwich because it was sooooo good! While eating lunch we were talking about going up to Buttermilk Falls...so we finished up and headed on our way.

I haven't been there in so long I forgot just how beautiful it actually is. We started up the long set of stairs that seemed like it was going up to the clouds.
The most incredible green of the moss on the rocks and the leaves combined with the rushing crispness of the cool water...now THAT is the inspiration I was looking for.
Along the way we saw a variety of beautiful wild flowers. The above photo is a trillium. There were hundreds in one patch. All standing so straight looking at us to say...welcome.
Boy am I glad I brought my camera with me. I ended up using a whole card full of waterfall photos. The one above struck me as such a beautiful painting. I would love to see if I could blow it up to a very large size for our house. I'm not sure where I would put it but I could find some place!!
I think out of the whole lot of photos I took, this one is my favorite. There was moss growing everywhere. On trees and rocks, in the waterfall itself on rocks. Now how does it manage not to fall off in the fast stream of water? I wanted to take Graydon up there this weekend, but I think we may wait until the weather warms up so he can swim in the bottom swimming area. I know when he goes he is just going to love it.

I was searching for inspiration in all the wrong places...until Buttermilk Falls!! Thank you Mother Nature!