Cats in Athens

Funeral Monument (Circa 430-420 BC)

In the National Archeological Museum in Athens, a particularly moving display examines the private funerary monuments of the first decade of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). Many of the monuments created for children depict the child accompanied by their toys or dogs. Often the child will hold an object aloft and the dog will be jumping after it. In several other monuments, the dead are depicted shaking hands with their friends and relatives. One that I found particularly moving was of a young man, mourned by his young attendant and his cat. Unfortunately, the sculpture of the cat is damaged. The inclusion of animals on peoples’ funeral monuments is a reminder of the importance of pets to humans, whether today or two and a half millennia ago.

A friendly resident of Athens I met near the Acropolis

Walking around central Athens, what one could classify as “homeless” cats lounge and rely on humans for food and affection. They roam the backstreets and avenues drinking from dishes left by their human neighbors. Several cats are amenable to a quick scratch behind their ears and reciprocate by nuzzling humans’ hands. It is nice to think that the cats’ ancestors and the human who lived here 2,500 years ago knew one another and offered each other support and affection.

Reading on Mud Level

Fulfilling my nearly quotidian trip to the CVRT, I drove past the school for Plain Children on Mud Level Road. Seven children, sitting on a two-by-four railing that marked the boundary between the parking lot and the playground, had their heads dutifully bent reading books while sitting in the sun. Each child was dressed in overalls and/or the floral patterns of homemade clothes that I associate with Mennonite women. Small uniformed gaps divided each child from his/her companion. Driving past at 35-miles-per-hour, I caught only a fleeting glance. But there were no distractions; just the pleasure of reading in the sun on a spring day.

Lehigh Memory Trail (Williamsville, NY)

Train Station in Williamsville, NY

The essence of a rail trail is its historical connection with a railroad past. While trains transported goods and materials to new destinations, they also carried people further from their homes. I could not help but remember this when I arrived at the Lehigh Memory Trail, a short six-tenths of a mile path in Williamsville, New York. The renovated train station bore a reminder of the allure of passenger service with a sign that reminded passengers that Williamsville was 21 miles from Niagara Falls and 441 miles to New York City. Niagara Falls was a honeymoon destination for newlyweds, especially from metropolitan area, as made famous by the song, “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” in the film 42nd Street.

Glen Falls on Elliott Creek

Despite being 46° and windy, there were plenty of people on the trail, many of whom were walking dogs. Spring was in the air, and people and canine relished the opportunity to get out and stretch their legs. It being a short trail, I walked to the center of Williamsville, which is located on New York Route 5 a road that closely parallels the New York State Thruway. Near the center of town is Glen Falls, a beautiful waterfall that once supplied energy to the town, another connection to the past. Today, Williamsville is little more than a suburb of Buffalo, but it once had a vibrant past that is often obscured by layers of traffic and conglomerate commercial interests. I visited two establishments hoping for local flavor, a coffee shop and a bakery, which both turned out to be outposts for a larger chain. The historic architecture did not translate to locality today. It was difficult to find a gathering place, other than the local library, that was truly local.