Travel Theme: Slow

Ailsa has echoed the words I've heard over and over this past week: Can you believe it's already December? Oh my stars, how the time has flown!And you know, it's true. I kind of can't believe it myself. I mean...I have cookies to make! Presents to buy! A holiday visiting schedule to plan! And a birthday to have! What the hell? Is it really December?Consequently, Ailsa's travel theme this week is: slow. Ooh, nice. So get on over to Where's My Backpack?, put your feet up, and relax.Milton State Park is just up the road from my house. While it's got its fair share of natural beauty, there are those odd bits of random debris that either get dumped or make their way up from the river, and are strangely beautiful in their own, slowly deteriorating way.It's been two years since Hurricane Sandy tore its way through the Jersey shore, and parts of the town of Seaside Heights have been slow to rebuild. Not that it's the town's fault, mind you. It's just that there was an insane amount (technically referred to as a "staggering shit-ton") of repair work that needed to be done, all along the NJ/NY/DE coasts.Closer to home, and with happier implications, on a lazy summer day I took a bike ride along our fine rail trail. The air was thick and heavy, and you had to push through it to go forward. Insects let out a slow buzz around my head and the bold, bright sun pushed every living thing back into the comfort of shade. Even the cows couldn't be bothered.While visiting my boyfriend's family, we took a side trip to The Meadowlands Museum for a slice of Rutherford history. It was very well done, with thoughtful exhibits that highlighted topics of industrial, ecological and cultural importance to the area. In the basement, though, they had tables filled with items that didn't quite belong anywhere yet, and were in the process of being catalogued. Like this device, which is perhaps the slowest way I can imagine to crank out fresh-squeezed citrus juices (though I'd bet it would extract every single drop).And finally...Check out the slow, steady flow of the beautiful Susquehanna River. I get to feast my eyes on this every day.So remember, folks, to take a few minutes and breathe every now and again. Maybe we can't slow down time, but we can manage our reaction to it. And check out the other folks participating in Ailsa's travel challenge! Maybe you'll find something in there that will inspire your own entry... :)