Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Day Two: Tappan





A slightly later dawn picture.



Today they repave the street which is fun. 
Gooey tar and sprinkled pebbles.



In the back yard, the butterfly bush.
 
It's only when not in New York that I realize 
how frenetic it is there and how much
 energy is buzzing and buzzing all around
even when one isn't doing very much at all.
Is unbuzz  word?



Monday, August 17, 2009

City and Country




Sunday morning outside Starbucks on 8th Avenue. 8am

Dramatis personae: 
IanDownTheHall,Elly, Dan, Knut, Buster and Buck.
Ian decides to read us a story.



6am. Monday Morning. Old Tappan.
Dramatis personae: none

Mist rises from the field.


Sunday, August 16, 2009

Angular: Shadows



                                                                      Verdigris on the sidewalk 18th Street.

Looking for shadows has become quite a Saturday habit.

A work in progress on Robert's  table

Venetian blinds are a godsend if you need stripes.


                                                                      Windows on 22nd  Street



This fashionista pigeon, with its nice bright red feet, 
 color co-ordinates with a cafe on 8th Avenue.


 

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Saturday





In August New York is rather empty of the usual sort of people,
 except ones like the poor crazy lady who lives in the hedge.
It fills up with other people. One day I'd like to go on a bus tour at
night and see everything with new eyes.


Looking north up 5th Avenue. The Flatiron Building on the right.



Some dramatic sunsets lately. 


Friday, August 14, 2009

Creativity




The moon has been visible in the early mornings
but it seems to have vanished in my photo. If you strain
 your eyes horribly, you can see it just above the
 'V' of the buildings.



I have been finishing a project before going away from
 the city for two weeks.
Herewith three city things:

1. A street fair
 23rd Street.



2. A behind the scenes look at the fabrication of a sculpture.
If you blow the picture up you can see all the little pieces of wood
that undulate in the sculpture.
  22nd Street



3. The lighting crew organizing things for a shoot.
20th Street

On a quite different topic, I have just finished reading a book I loved so much I had to ration myself from gobbling it all up at once and neglecting the rest of my life.
The Priory by Dorothy Whipple (Persephone Books) originally published in 1939,
 concerns the fate and fortunes of all the inhabitants of a large, decaying English country house.
Promising already! 

One quote: The electricity plant was old and out of date. It was on its last legs, but it must be made to do, because, as the major frequently pointed out, he could not afford to replace it. It must be spared, he decreed, as much as possible. Since he was very economical in everything that did not directly affect his own comfort, the household had to wait for light until he wanted light himself.

I think many of us have met Major Marwood.
Anyway, it is a terrific read, with wonderful insight into the human heart.

  

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

A Day on Long Island




Celeste has brought back a little lusterware jug from France.
We need to catch up over tea



and a dip in a friend's pool. 
The fish is a new thing to do with chlorine.


The sun casts bright midday shadows.



Paint crunching off the table, matching the out of control petunia.


Paint crunching off the chair.


Monday, August 10, 2009

Things Seen





Imagine what it must
 be like if you have to earn money
 doing something you hate or only like a little bit.

 

On a more cheerful note, consider the lilies



and other good midsummer stuff at the green market.


The strawberries are the proper size: ie small



I never use sage in cooking. It goes beautifully with liver
fegato alla salvia
My family would have a fit (except the dog)
 so I just look at it instead.


 

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Shadows and Curiosities





Robert Schmid


A glass jug on the counter top.
Not exactly shadows --more reflections.



Union Square, Saturday. We go up early when the shadows
 are the strongest and discover two curious dogs.



Our dog discovers that the dog paddling pool is very small indeed.



We have a long chat with the man selling lilies.



For other shadowshots go here



Saturday, August 8, 2009

Friday People





Waiting for the work day to begin.
23rd Street



Different ends of the spectrum.
High Line. Spencer Finch Window


Mother and Daughter
High Line


An artist to record it all.
High Line



and 8th Avenue at noon.

For Isabel's lovely philosophical essay about landscape and the High Line go here.


Friday, August 7, 2009

Random: or the Interconnectedness of Things



Every morning I look to see what's on my camera from the day before,
 since I try to post really current things - however dull.
 It is better to have a theme for a post  -like "A Day at the Beach"
but life tends to be a bit random -- one makes the connections later.





Yesterday morning lots of fire trucks rushed to a hotel
 on the other side of the road
 but it must have been a false alarm.



In the evening, I tidied my desk so I could close it.
 All sorts of interesting bits and pieces in there:
 the  business card
from the shop where Buster's collar came from
 and matches from India.



In the afternoon a cat slyly observed us on 22nd Street.



This morning, at six o'clock, the moon was still up.


Robert Frost suggested that 'way leads on to way.'
So here is the path:
men in uniform lead to mailman
black cat leads to black cat behind bars
bars lead to bars on the roof of the building
over which we see the moon 


Thursday, August 6, 2009

Food at the Beach




 
Breakfast at the beach requires some organization.
Charcoal, frying pans, spatulas. Salt and pepper.
We forget pot holders and use paper towels instead.


Lots of fruit as a cover for the real stuff: bacon, eggs and sausages.


Oh, oh, oh, the grease and the plastic forks
 Not a bit eco-friendly
But what fun!



ps. Several people wondered where this is exactly.
 Field #3 at Robert Moses, straight over the causeway. Beach nearest the tower.
Picnic tables and grills provided. (Bring your own charcoal, utensils and food.)
We arrived at about 8:30 and were the only ones there.....
Definitely worth it.



Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Tuesday: Robert Moses Beach, Long Island




Morning, but the kite-flyer has got here early.


The kite....



 and the bird



And not too very many people.


The water completely delicious and not a bit cold.


For those of you from out of town, Robert Moses was a most interesting, larger than life character. He is really worth reading about. I always tend to think of characters from Ayn Rand when I think of him.

Monday, August 3, 2009

The High Line Chronicles Continue







White pants, sensible shoes, a bench to sit down on.



Armani dreams between the meadow flowers and 10th Avenue.




10th Avenue seen from above and summer campers making art.



Looking west, what toxic swirls and sand.



Lunch, of course, the most important part of any outing.
Frances and I sit outside at Cookshop.
She has the duck confit with pecans. YUM!
 

I have beets in cream.