weekend getaway to Stony Brook.

Stony Brook State Park's terrain comprises hilly woodlands, a deep gorge with rugged cliffs overlooking three waterfalls and fascinating rock formations. Visitors can hike rim, gorge or nature trails, play tennis on park courts, picnic or swim in either of two stream-fed pools.

Stony Brook Glen is a new valley in an ancient landscape; a "post-glacial" stream. Since the end of the Ice Age it has eroded a gorge in the soft shale of the hillside creating high cliffs and waterfalls. The rocks of the gorge are older than the dinosaurs and represent compressed sediments which accumulated in an ancient sea. Fossils are occasionally found.

Here, you'll see a crowd standing under the refreshing ancient waterfall. I don't know if you can really see me, but I'm the one posing in my bikini, under the waterfall. You know, like the models in the shampoo commercials. Those are my legions of fans admiring my professional pose. It sure felt refreshing after a long day of trekking through the lovely forrest.

This here is another fossil found during a recent excavation at the state park. He's a leftover from the Civil War. Note his beard and very serious military stance. I believe that is a canteen strapped across his chest. He survived all these years on crackers. Back then, they called them "hard tack", or some such name. They're very similar to saltines, but very stale. I digress. No, he is a fossil, but not that old. This is my brother Tom, a Civil War reenactor. And I didn't really go to this lovely park in New York, Tom did. He is married to Melany, the sweetest woman on earth. Tom is a writer, editor, lawyer, husband, dad, son, brother, someday-hopefully-in-the-near-future grandfather. He will be subbing for me on this blog someday, when he "finds something interesting to write about". His words, not mine. I told him that he doesn't need to come up with anything interesting, my friends on this blog aren't used to "interesting". They're used to babble, prattle, nonsense. I even stole the lovely photos he sent and used them for my post. I ask you, how depraved am I?

So, if you ever find one of my posts to be well written, informative and humorous, rest assured that I did not write it. It's a sure bet that my dear big brother has finally made his guest appearance. **Hint, hint.

Thanks for the material, Tom.