Morningside Park

 

This is my favorite park in the city.   I know, with all the grandeur of Central Park it seems as if I am missing the boat yet this park is a true gem.  This picture looks as if you could walk right up those steps, yes?   When I first moved to the UWS I came upon this park - just east of Columbia University & St. Luke's - in my neighborhood travels.  Did you know there are more than 1100 steps?   I created a map & catalogued them.  Indeed.  I was curious.   This is the land of the original 'stair-stepper'.  Ha! 

 

              

 The Ghost

 

Usually on my way back to my apartment I cut through the grounds of St. John the Divine - 111th & Amsterdam.  The church itself is reputedly the largest church structure in the US; look it up.    The land around it is beautiful.  The interesting thing is, there is an albino peacock living in the greens, along with his two normally-pigmented buddies.  They live there, summer, winter, year round.  I came upon the white bird once, a year ago, the only time I did not have my cell (& hence camera) with me.   When I told a few people about the phenomenon I had witnessed, their expressions conveyed, 'uh huh, sure you did'.  The search (with the cell) was on; I was going to find 'The Ghost', no matter what!  Over this past year I had looked again & again, to no avail.  Hmmm...  Was I losing it?   Don't answer that. 

 

Two weeks ago there I was, as usual, cutting through the grounds, on my way home from Morningside Park.  I was on the path which, as a rule, has minimal foot traffic.  As I was intently studying the yard to my right (the quieter of the two fenced areas) I heard a rustle just ahead.  Ta Da!  The Ghost.  See? 

 

 

 

I was not hallucinating at all.  Phew!  I was beginning to wonder...