New York: Altamont and the Wishing Tree

Last year I was impressed with the beauty and quiet of Alamont, NY and the return trip proved it was not a fleeting romance.  The area is enchanting and the community simply down-home.  

Brilliant flowers decorate the local homes

We returned again this year as volunteers for the Old Songs Festival, June 24-30.  Before the festival started I wanted to take a stroll through the village.

The next generation of Old Songs Festival fans

Wandering out of the fair grounds and into town I passed many lovely, well groomed homes with vibrant gardens and lush lawns.  Guess the harsh winters have a positive effect on the area.

Flowers seem to burst from every lawn

The downtown area covers three to four blocks with a few restaurants, convenience store/gas station, a feed/garden store, small market, and several arts studios.  Of course there is a library, post office, police station, and several churches.  The area is agricultural thus the feed/garden store appears to have the largest foot print.

Church sitting atop a small hill

After making a small purchase at the feed store and stopping at the market for coffee I headed back towards the Old Songs Festival area, the Altamont Fair Grounds.  Suddenly a tree with many price tags caught my attention.

What are those small tags?

Wondering the purpose of the tree I entered the yard to read the sign hanging from a branch.  It was a Wishing Tree.

Legend

Of course I had several thoughts on my mind so it was easy to add a wish to the tree and let this concern be carried to the universe on the winds.  I simply took a tag and pen from the basket, completed my wish, and hung the tag on a branch with loving thoughts.

Basket with tags and pens to add
a wish to the tree.

Perhaps if there were more wishing trees in our communities we would be a healthier society...