52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: What will you leave behind in 
2011–or–what will you welcome more of in 2012?
I'd like to say I'm leaving behind stress, but there will probably 
still be plenty of that.  What I'd welcome more of is the chance 
to stop and smell the roses—but I guess that's up to me.
Hope the roses far outweigh the stress for you in the year ahead!


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Sunday Bridges

Bridge over the Mekong Delta, in Vietnam.
(This was taken by my peripatetic daughter Kate.)

[To see more Sunday Bridges, go here, chez Louis la Vache.)

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: Just 1 Photo.
Tough assignment! But I chose this shot
because for once I was in the right place at
the right time—sunset on a 100°F day in July.
The light was perfect and this little boy let
me relive a time in life when perfect joy
can be found in such simple pleasures. 


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

I just had to borrow this shot from my
daughter Katie, who returned recently from
a trip to Vietnam. This is Hoi An.

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: Sweets, treats, and feasts.
I considered gingerbread houses, Christmas cupcakes,
even red and green M&Ms and ribbon candy.
But by New Year's Day, I've had my fill of
sugar and am ready to tuck into this traditional
Southern dish, hoppin' John, which features
good old black-eyed peas and collard greens. Yum!


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

Took a leisurely stroll (for a change—mostly
I rush) in the Botanic Garden last weekend.
Who could hurry past a tranquil scene like this?


[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: the colors of the season.
For me, they would probably be red, red . . .
and red! This is a small part of the holiday
display at Macy's flagship store, here in NYC.


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

Went to Soho with friends who were visiting
from out of town. While they were shopping,
I was admiring this mirror framed
with molding from an old tin ceiling.


[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: twinkling lights.
Here are my "Christmas lights under glass"—
and I have to confess that I don't always save 
them just for the holidays (too pretty).


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

The view from my new yoga studio—the
conference room where I work (class twice a week
and it's free—can you say "nice perk"?)

[To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: giving thanks.
I'm so thankful that my almost-92-year-old mother is 
still going strong, with all marbles very much present 
and accounted for.  She does have a bad back, though, which 
means a lot of time spent at home. These are some of the 
24 Advent presents I wrapped for her this past weekend—
to be opened, one a day, from December 1 to Christmas Eve. 
Nothing too exciting, really—#13 is a box of 
crystallized ginger; it's mostly about the presentation
(and having something fun to look forward to).


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

This display of mirrors caught my eye—
and this guy's as well—at a flea market
on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

[To see more reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: something borrowed.
Years ago, a workmate was getting a new office and
asked me to briefly hold onto a few of her tchotchkes.
I fell in love with this funky folk-art angel and
just had to "borrow" him. My colleague understood—
and he's been living with me ever since.


[To see more of the 52 Photos project, visit Bella's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

This kitty's just one (but a big one) of the
thousands and thousands of creatures on
display in the Hall of Biodiversity, at the
American Museum of Natural History.

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: Capture shades of aqua.
I captured these while hiking from Monterosso al Mare
to Vernazza, the two northernmost towns of Italy's
Cinque Terre, one of the most beautiful spots in the world.
Sadly, both towns were heavily damaged by mudslides
a couple of weeks ago, and the heavy rains keep coming.
If you're interested, Nicole, who writes the blog
Cultural Comments, provided a report and continues
to post updates and info on how to help. 
[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Sunday Bridges

It's the Queensboro, aka Ed Koch, aka 59th Street
(feelin' groovy) Bridge. Heard a story once about
a guy who was walking under this bridge and
started whistling that song. Then he heard someone
behind him whistling it too—so he turned around
and saw that it was Paul Simon!  I love that
story, even though it's probably an urban legend.

[To see more Sunday Bridges, go here, chez Louis la Vache.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: Trick or Treat!
Came upon this photo op as New Yorkers
were gearing up for our famous Halloween 
parade.  I'd have to say that these "costumes" are 
not for those who are shy (or bothered by the cold!).
Could/would you do it?


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.] 

Today's Flowers

Found a planter filled to the brim with these
pretty yellow blooms this past week. Wonder
how they fared today—when it snowed!

[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Though I quit smoking cigarettes a long
time ago, I kind of like the smell of a cigar—
but only if it's a really good one.


[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week:
Look up.  What do you see?
Well, when I'm very lucky—this!


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

This pretty pink cleome (aka spider plant)
has been blooming by the curb in front of
my Brooklyn apt. building for months.
It made it through Hurricane Irene
and is still going strong.


[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

This is Dean.  Even all buttoned up in a suit
and tie for a family wedding, he manages
to keep his "cool" factor with
those shades—and his killer 'stache.


[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: autumn color.
This high-rent block of West Broadway in
Soho is lined with huge planters brimming with
mums in gorgeous fall shades.
[To see more autumn color, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

I'd like to be able to make the peonies
bloom at will—and that's not happening.
But at least I can show them here even when
they're not in bloom in the garden.

[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

Barnes & Noble sells coffee with their books.
To me, this is just the next logical step.
Actually, I don't know if they sell books here
or if it's just a bar with a book-ish décor.
Either way, it appeals to me. How about you?

To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: handwriting.
I'm not following Bella's idea to the letter (so to speak), 
because I wanted to feature this handwriting—my grandmother's.
I found this recipe in a Hoosier cabinet that had been in her 
kitchen and is now in mine; she jotted it down not long after 
the turn of the century (the 20th century, that is).

Here she is around that time.


[To see more "handwriting," visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

I inherited this (once neglected) geranium from
a colleague at work, and I didn't hold out a lot of hope
 because it looked pretty sad when I got it home.
But TLC, fresh water, and a little "sweet talk"
every day have brought it back from the
brink—it has even decided to bloom again!

[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

I recently featured Brooklyn's new carousel
on my other blog.  A glance through its
glass pavilion showed the Manhattan Bridge
at dusk—and some moving reflections.

[To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: a circle.
I have lots of circles I could have used here:
a ferris wheel, a stained glass window, a
full moon, the oculus in the Pantheon in Rome.
But Bella says she likes bokeh, so bokeh it is.
(I thought I was shooting something else
 altogether last 4th of July, but was kind
of pleased with this unexpected result.)


To see more circles, visit Bella's meme.

Today's Flowers

It's getting near the time when the (affordable) flower
vendor stops coming to my weekly greenmarket—
I'll really miss having fresh flowers like these in the house.

[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

If I had a yard, I'd have a pond—just so I
could grow these serene yet exuberant flowers.
Luckily, I have the botanic garden very nearby, and
there are dozens of these beauties in their lily pond.


[To see more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: along the fence.
I can almost guarantee that if you walk along
a fence in Virginia horse country, you will
make a friend—especially if you carry
peppermints in your pocket! 


[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

The autumn season is officially here
—and this is the flower I associate most with fall.  
So this week I choose a couple of big yellow sunflowers.


[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

We recently moved our offices. Can you guess what
was the first thing I noticed about our new building?

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: the color red.
The scene: early morning on
rue Saint-Julien le Pauvre, Paris.
I'll bet these battered roses have a tale
to tell—and probably not a happy one.
What do you think?

To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.

Sunday Bridges

There's a beautiful park down below the Manhattan
Bridge—where you can get up close and personal.

[To see more Sunday Bridges, go chez Louis la Vache.]

Weekend Reflections

The end of a rainy day in the Piazza della Signoria, in Florence.
[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's blog.]

52 Photos Project

"Roma—non basta una vita."
— Silvio Negro
The prompt today: layer a quote over a photo.
Don't know how to do that, but I did choose
a quote ("Rome—a lifetime is not enough") about
a city of many, many layers—as you can see here.
[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

I'm pretty sure this is a hibiscus—until now, the 
only place I ever saw one of these is Hawaii and 
always assumed that this is strictly a tropical flower.
But I took this shot right here in Brooklyn.

[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

Riding along the Grand Canal,
late at night . . . ah, Venice!
[To see more weekend reflections,
visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: my quiet place, where I gather my
thoughts, read, write, meditate, unwind (and softly come apart at
the seams).  I read this, picked up my camera, and went straight
to shoot this corner of my bedroom—that exact spot for me.
[To see more quiet places, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

These unpretentious nasturtiums were blooming
in Marie Antoinette's garden at Le Hameau,
the place where she and her courtiers played
at being "simple folk" while living at Versailles.
[To see more flowers, go here.]

Weekend Reflections

Welcome to Bloomingdale's.  I was just entering
the store and stopped to snap this picture.
It wasn't until I uploaded it to my computer
that I realized this shot is just full of reflections.
[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: in the garden again.
My choice is the High Line, a very
special garden that has revitalized
the West Side of Manhattan.
[To see more of the 52 Photos Project, 
visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

Saw these colorful cosmos at the local greenmarket.
Didn't bring them home, though, because they
just don't last that long when you cut them—
on the other hand, I can look at this picture forever.
[To see more flowers, go here.]
 

Weekend Reflections

One of my all-time favorite reflections:
the bright summer sun glinting off the beautiful
blue ocean.  Unfortunately, my long (or not) beach
weekend was cut off by the projected arrival of
Hurricane Irene, which is supposed to be passing
right over this beach in the next couple of days.
[For more weekend reflections, visit James's meme.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: profile, silhouette, dark against light.
Here's what I have to share with you.
[To see more silhouettes, visit Bella's meme.]

Today's Flowers

I'm sorry to say that I have absolutely no idea what
this purple bloom is (and it's probably not the
last time I'll be forced to make that admission).
But I'll bet someone out there can tell me!
[To see more, visit Today's Flowers.]

52 Photos Project

The prompt this week: a time to share (b&w).
Took this picture a loooong time ago (circa late '60s)
in Paris.  Don't know if you recognize this guy
because he's changed a bit in the past 44/45 (!) years.
That's Anita Pallenberg in the background
(he's wearing her sparkly sweater and her scarf—
and, yes, that is exactly what you think in his hand).
[To see more (or to share yourself), visit Bella's meme.]