Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Irene Aftermath/ Long Island


All state parks are closed so instead of going to the beach
 we went to visit a friend in Huntington


where lots of families are still without power, so the bagel shop was extra popular.


A big tree had fallen in Heckscher Park  -- one of a huge number of trees all over the place.


The guys sawing it up were pretty keen to have their photo taken.


On the village green the usual gaggle of Canada geese


wandering near toppled trees and fallen branches.


We passed by the little old house where our children grew up


and pondered the maple soaring above it.


ps Doesn't Irene Aftermath sound like a novelist who specializes in romance?


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Wet


Hurricane Irene was not as terrifying as billed in the media.


I took the dog out this morning. Streets pretty much deserted except for another dog owner.


Wet, wet, wet, but not too much wind in Chelsea.


Bad phone photos since the real camera is sensitive to water.


So, I headed home


and looked at the wet sidewalk out of the window.

Some places are having awful flooding problems so we hope the wretched storm goes away soon. Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

An Afternoon Walk



Still waiting for Irene to arrive.


The corner diner is still open with the windows taped.


Only a few lemons left at the deli and the cat not really wanting to part with them either.


The vegetarian restaurant on 9th Avenue is taking this pretty seriously.


So is the nail parlor.


A glimpse of things to come......


and a parting view of the diner.



Friday, August 26, 2011

Pretty Clouds



Our usual Tuesday at the beach with


particularly lovely clouds.


Lots of people enjoying the end-of-summer, last-days-of-the-vacation fun.


Even old people enjoy the beach.....


Then the lovely clouds


followed us home.

As for the approaching storm.....well it is a bit worrying.....



Saturday, August 20, 2011

Misty Morning




I woke up in the night and saw how wonderfully foggy it was after the rain.


Still foggy in the morning when it was time to take the dogs out.  
Mist, like candlelight and snow manages to transform the ordinary.



So we walked up by the school where the grass has been mown.


I start getting worried about the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'.


Surely, it's still summer?


Soon the sun will break through.



Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Pots of Money




Kykuit, high above the Hudson, was built by the Rockerfellers in 1908.


What fun it would be to design a mansion with money no object at all! Putti all over the place and lamps by Tiffany, and Chinese import porcelain and a great deal of modern art. 


The study


the porch


an arch in the garden


the view over the original swimming pool


and across the private golf course.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Supermarket in New Jersey




  
Supermarkets in the suburbs are so splendidly vast and the aisles
 filled with old ladies with large carts dithering. You can buy such an 
 assortment of things that us city types are amazed.


Not to mention what you can buy as you try to escape....


 balls that bounce and bounce !


and crazy putty and a very small duck encased in plastic
 with the parking lot reflected in them .


Back at the ranch, the dolls are getting gussied up for a new outing.




Thursday, August 11, 2011

Morning and Evening



The usual Tuesday at the beach


with spectacularly crashing waves.


In the evening, thunderstorms heading in.


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Decorating


Current state of the nest: unfeathered.


Even the dog is confused.


So I wander along Broadway pondering the pillow possibilities


 and the linens (here vintage tablecloths of obvious retro-allure.)
Here moving more delicately upmarket.


Crisp piping says summer in spades.




Monday, August 8, 2011

Monday: or The delights of Idleness



I'm so glad I don't have a proper job. If I did, I would have to dress up in a work uniform of some sort   


like these three wage slaves/ fashionistos (masculine of fashionista?) I saw this morning as they were off to conquer the world in their trendily too-small suits.


Instead, I can photograph the little jug of flowers I picked from the miniature garden in the tree pits in front of the building. 


I'm always a bit frightened someone will come and yell at me for picking the flowers and I will have to explain that I planted and tended them. Then they won't believe me. (The things I waste my time worrying about....)


Anyway, there is golden sage and a giant sort of parsley that  grew and grew from a weedy specimen I got at the super market, zinnias from Union Square, another sort of sage and the little mauve thing that I can't name. Anyone?