Here’s Regina on Governors Island. Governors Island sits in New York Harbor, at the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers. Regina loves the word “confluence.”

From Governors Island it is possible to see the Statue of Liberty, New Jersey, and downtown Manhattan from one spot, by turning your head just a little bit.

Part of Governors Island has been designated a National Monument, and is managed by the National Park Service. The Park Ranger working at Castle Williams tells Regina a lot about its history, and how it was part of a system of fortifications constructed in the early 19th century that protected New York City from naval attack. Visitors are welcome to lift the cannonballs, but they are too heavy for Regina.

Regina thinks about the days when a couple of brick forts with some cannons could protect New York City.

The Ranger tells her that people are often surprised to see a Park Ranger in New York City. But Regina already knows a great deal about the National Park Service, and knows that National Monuments are not all out West. New York City has several of its own. Regina even knows all the words to the National Park Service Junior Ranger song. The Park Ranger had never heard it before.

After the history/singing lesson, Regina heads for the Hills. Rising 70 feet above sea-level, the man-made Hills have only been open since 2016. They’re not difficult to climb, resting spots are abundant and thoughtfully-placed, and the views are soul-stirring.

Regina feels like she’s on vacation. And it only took a ten-minute ferry ride to get here.

One of the Hills has been set aside for slides. Slide Hill is swarming with small children. There are four slides, one of which is purportedly the longest in NYC, at 57 feet. Regina doesn’t want to have to shove a small child so she waits until they’ve all had their turns. And then more turns.The adult supervision at Slide Hill leaves something to be desired. Finally she asserts herself.

She likes to go down luge-style.

Soon, predictably, there is falling-down by small children on rocks, low-level bleeding and wailing, so Regina decides it’s time for lunch.

Is there a more perfect vacation food than a mahi taco?

Back to Manhattan. Regina concludes that there isn’t really all that much to do on Governors Island. Which is what makes it so unexpected and wonderful. On Governors Island, you can gaze at Manhattan and at the same time smell the roses.

Regina is made from a piece of gray fabric accented with a scrap of patterned fabric both of which came from Elizabeth V. Her t-shirt is an old t-shirt and her shorts are from a piece of cloth I’ve carried around for as long as I can remember. I think I may have used it for doll clothes when I was a kid. Her shoes are made from a couple of somethings my mother brought me from the swap table, I think they were intended to be napkins . . . ? They were double-sided and about eight inches square. I don’t know what they were. Anyway, I cut them open and made shoes. Her backpack is from a piece of fabric I used to cover cardboard boxes which I then used to use to store my son’s toys in.

Here’s a little plug for the National Park Service: the Junior Ranger program is a great way for kids to learn about history, conservation, etc. You can get a National Parks “passport” and collect stamps from all the parks and monuments. Warning: the Junior Ranger song is very catchy. There’s a reason Regina knows it by heart.

People, places, sacred spaces, Statue of Liberty,
Struggles we’ve overcome to become a democracy,
Ellis Island, trails and houses, Martin Luther King,
National Parks tell our story, so let us sing: . . .
Explore, learn and protect!
As Junior Rangers we’ll do our best
Let’s take care of the treasures that belong to you and me,
National Parks were set aside for all to see.

—from Songs for Junior Rangers