What have you done for yourself lately?

On Friday after work, I had some time before meeting a friend at her upper west side apartment, so I got off the subway at 103rd street and walked into Central Park, intending to find a nice spot to have myself a private little picnic dinner.  Upon entering this area of the park, I noticed immense hilliness.  To my left, the path led uphill and was overgrown with vegetation, and to my right it went steeply downhill, leading to a glimmering pond below.  I gambled and turned left, and began walking up a narrow curving path.  The plants grew heavier and wilder with each step.  They were so unruly that they scared me a little, so I was glad to see a few people sitting on the grass and a few others walking by.  New Yorkers are very lucky to have access to such a park.  While I was looking for a nice spot, an orange-bellied bird perching on a fence caught my eye, and I noticed that the fence was at the entrance to another passage, to the left.   I walked on by at first, but then decided to turn back and check it out.  I had to duck my head a little to enter, and then I stepped into a clearing with a big, shimmery, black rock and more grassy field and gardens beyond.  The sun was shining from the west through the tree branches, and the rock was wide and seemed like a welcoming place to sit.  I stepped up onto the rock and immediately noticed that I was not alone.  A man and a dog were sitting on the grass under a shade tree farther up the hill, and to my left there was someone else, also on the grass.  I stood for a moment, observing, making sure that I truly wanted to be here and that I would not be disturbing anyone.  However, the rock was all mine at the moment.  I carefully and quietly climbed to the top with slow deliberate steps, trying not to slip or otherwise reveal myself to those who were nearby.  Success!  Facing southeast, I sat and stretched my legs out in front of me and got comfortable.  I breathed deeply, and exhaled the stresses of the day from the office. I let the sun light my face and the heat from the rock warm my tush.  Ahh yes, a perfect spot for my Japanese dinner: three onigiri and a hot cup of miso soup.

After a while, I lay down on the sun-heated rock and, using my backpack as a pillow, I watched the blue sky, the wind blowing through the leaves, and the birds riding the air. I was moved to take the photo below with my iPhone.

What the rock sees from the Great Hill.

I had purchased the onigiri (squeezed rice with goodies in the middle) that morning at Sunrise Mart in SoHo.  The "goodies" inside were three of my many favorites: grilled salmon, simmered bonito, and seasoned seaweed with sesame seeds.  The miso soup, however, I purchased at Pret-a-Manger in Midtown, after finishing my work errands, just before taking the uptown subway ride.  How brilliantly convenient was that?  I <3 NYC.