Photo of the Day: Chautauqua Lake, Late Afternoon

The other day, in a post on Ken Burns, I indicated that the Amphitheater was the heart of the Chautauqua Institution. Upon further reflection, however, I’d have to amend that: it is the intellectual heart of this upstate New York institution (still no mean feat, at that).

In a primal sense, because water is so central to life, Chautauqua Lake—captured in this photograph I took late Sunday—is the heart and soul of the place. The following night, a session was held lakeside on “Contemplative Photography.” I can think of few places of such quiet but real rustic beauty where that art form can be better applied.
This week, as this great American place celebrates its 140^th anniversary, walking or biking by this body of water remains the simplest and most joyous of activities for those of us seeking a break from the noise, haste and waste of urban life.