Playground

Over the last several years we've spent countless hours at the Bleecker Playground. That time, however, seems to be coming to an end. While the boys were once among the little ones toddling around and climbing tentatively on the equipment, they're now among the oldest, zipping around much smaller children and nervous parents. Still, on a hot day, it's a great place to cool off in the sprinklers, running through the water and pelting each other with water balloons. My favorite time at the playground is late afternoon/early evening, when the low sun shines across the Hudson and gives everything a warm glow. Even the wet detritus of play takes on a luminous quality as the sun begins to disappear behind the buildings of Hudson Street. We'll often picnic in the playground on pleasant summer evenings, grabbing take-out from the chinese restaurant next door, mixing bites of dumplings and fried rice with dashes through the water or a turn at kickball. I'll miss the playground when the boys finally abandon it as a favorite place.