Photo of the Day: Children’s Zoo Entrance, Van Saun Park, Paramus NJ

This past weekend, at the suggestion of a close relative, I took a walk in Van Saun Park, several miles from where I live in Bergen County, NJ.

Over the years, I’ve strolled frequently through this 130-acre-plus park. Although the picnic areas that are used most often in the summer (and the more temperate days of spring and fall), were quiet, as one might expect this time of year, the part where I entered was anything but.

That was because of holiday events that day or lasting throughout the season. On Sunday, the Friends of the Bergen County Zoo and the Bergen County Parks Department held “Holiday With the Animals,” in which the creatures received presents and kids got their pictures taken with Santa.

From November 10 to January 15, the Friends are also presenting “Let It Glow!”, featuring larger-than-life, hand-constructed lanterns that celebrate culture, animals, and the holidays.

Christmas is best seen through the eyes of a child—and outdoors remains the best spot to experience a winter wonderland.

Photo of the Day: Walden Pond Reflections, Van Saun Park, Bergen County, NJ

Temperatures in the low 80s this afternoon brought out pandemic-exhausted visitors to Van Saun Park, not far from where I live in Bergen County, NJ. I took this photo while circling Walden Pond there. 

Photo of the Day: Walden Pond, Brink of Winter, Van Saun County Park, River Edge NJ

It’s less than two weeks till the formal start of winter, but the weather is changing already, as indicated by last week’s “wintry mix.” There’s no telling how many opportunities there will be to fit a good walk into the calendar before plunging temperatures and/or icy pedestrian paths make that impossible.

With that in mind, I drove over today to Van Saun County Park, not far from where I live in Bergen County, NJ. Around Walden Lake on the southern end of the park, barriers had been—temporarily—taken down warning pedestrians about icy conditions. 

Some might see the ice on the water and the brown on the vegetation as evidence of a season of dying. I prefer to think of it as a part of the earth’s cycle. Today, I found what beauty I could find in this changing world and waited for the return of spring, no matter how far away it may seem at times.

Photo of the Day: Waddlin’ Away in Van Saun Park, Bergen County, NJ

A week ago, while enjoying the brilliant Sunday afternoon sunshine, I came across this little group, oblivious to human traffic, in Van Saun County Park, several miles from where I live in Northern New Jersey. Something about their determination to get on with what they had to do (whatever it was) struck me, and I took this photo.

Photo of the Day: Walden Pond, Van Saun Park, Bergen County, NJ

A broadcast meteorologist of my youth, Bob Harris, was fond of saying that a particular 24-hour period was “one of the 10 most beautiful days of the year.” This past weekend in Northern New Jersey featured at least two of them for 2019, I think. To be more exact, it was the first weekend since April without rain, while the air was comfortably warm but not humid.  

On such a day, it felt like a sin to be inside, so I grabbed my camera and drove up to Van Saun County Park. More than a few people had the same idea I had yesterday. Many came out for cookouts, picnics or ballgames. Instead, I went toward the River Edge side of the park and circled around Walden Pond, where I took this picture.

Photo of the Day: Field and Stream

The image accompanying this post was taken this past weekend at Van Saun Park in Bergen County, N.J.

Photo of the Day (Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon)

On one of the most beautiful days of the year so far, I took the image accompanying this post earlier today in Van Saun Park in Bergen County, N.J.