mill

The Mill Pond is a “nature spot” near my MIL’s house on Long Island. A trail circumnavigates the preserve, looping around the large pond and up the Bellmore Creek that both feeds and drains the pond. The northern boundary is the Sunrise Highway, a large road, 3 lanes in each direction with a few stop lights and cross roads; the LIRR is parallel and on the other side of the highway. The east edge of the preserve runs against the Wantagh Parkway, a busy freeway that leads to Jones Beach. And the south edge is Merrick Road, a very busy four-lane arterial with many stop lights, lots of honking horns, and revving engines. JFK is not far off either, so planes pass overhead frequently too. There are not many quiet places. The western edge, up against the backs of dense neighborhood housing is the quietest place, the most “distant” from urbanity. There are birds and mushrooms and fallen trees, and people seem to think there are fish in the creek because sometimes I see them with fishing tackle. I find it hard to believe, but the pond drains into the South Shore Estuary, an Atlantic bay behind the Jones Beach barrier islands, after a short culvert under Merrick Road. It’s ocean right across the street.

jg

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