Earth Day, Actually

Having totally messed up and thought Earth Day was last week,
I'm happy to tell you it is today --which I'm sure you already knew by now.
But a good day to go for a walk in Chelsea and check how much nature there is
in the city. It was overcast and a little chilly. I was accompanied
by my trusty hound whose first spring this is.
A leather-leafed viburnum.(23rd Street between 8th and 9th.)

Fruit blossom on 21st .

Lilacs ditto.

My favorite photo. The different shaped leaves --

the iris, the bleeding-heart, the hellebore.
Reminds me of the medieval tapestries in the Cloisters .

A spring flower arrangement glimpsed thought the window of a delivery van
from D'oro's Annexe on the corner of 9th Avenue.

I was very touched to receive this award from Cynthia of Oasis Writing Link

who had been given it herself by Catherine of A Thousand Clapping Hands.

Cynthia explained the award : The Renee Award was created by two artists, Bella and Ces.
It is one of the most meaningful awards in blogworld because it honors someone who is incredibly inspirational in her intelligent and witty writing. And by doing so, this award celebrates women's smart, strong and inspirational spirit. It honors women who spread joy and love like an acorn...a small package growing into a tall and sturdy oak tree which gives more acorns that continue growing into tall and sturdy oak trees. ..

I would like to hand it on to Tracy of PinkPurl who lives in Norway .

Awards and Things

This is the first time I have ever posted an award on my blog. (I have had other ones - boast , boast - but was too dim to know how to post them).

Jennifer of Art Words Life both gave me this one.
THANK YOU!.....and told me how you post it! (Drag onto desktop and then post same as you do a photo.)
It's incredibly hard to single out people to give awards to since I go to lots of blogs for all sorts of reasons and enjoy all of them, as one does one's friends - for their quirks and individual views of the world.



One of the fun things about the blogosphere is that it allows us to have friends round the world.
So I'm handing this award on to:
M.Kate in Malaya whose blog La Vie Est Belle takes us to very exotic places indeed.
Louise of This is My Patch in England who know everything about gardening.
Tracey of Hey Harriet in Australia who thinks as I do on many things and organizes the very excellent "Shadow Shot Sundays".
Maryam in Morocco who has about a zillion awards already but deserves them since she has a super blog.
Britt-Arnhild in Norway who is a loyal blogging friend and uplifting spirit.
Maria in Austria of Let the Good Times Roll who walks through the hills outside Vienna whose lovely dog recovered from a viper bite.
And finally, Marja of Dutch Corner in New Zealand who writes lovely inspiring stories.
Now you have to chose 7 of your blogging chums to hand it on to and tell them.



This is a picture I took in the spring in the downstairs cafe at the Neue Galerie. I think it has a dab of the Hoppers about it.

Beach

Nothing like a day at the beach to blow away the fumes of the city.
Robert Moses is the continuation of Jones Beach and stretches for mile upon mile just off the south shore of Long Island.



On Tuesday the waves were pretty wild and most people had fun splashing on the shore.



Only rather hardy, brave souls actually swam.
In view of all the depressing news about childhood obesity in the US, I recommend parents take take their children to the beach and let them run around to their hearts' content.
Much better than mouldering in front of the TV/computer.......but that's just me.



The requisite artsy photo of the fence that keeps the dunes in check.



The seagulls are beach- appropriate but very greedy.
Always on the lookout for the stray bit of sandwich.......
But here they are trying to behave, and are are noting the warning sign and not going swimming.



A voracious seagull once snatched R's hamburger right out of his hand as it was on its way to his mouth.
Here they decorate the top of the snack bar awaiting their next victim.
Here's hoping all of you get to the beach very soon.

AWARDS
I have been lucky enough to be given awards by both M.Kate at La Vie est Belle and
Willow from Willow Manor.
I am very touched and grateful that people have fun reading my blog.
I enjoy visiting lots of different blogs for all sorts of reasons and think there are many , many fascinating, kind and talented people out there.
Hard to single people out.
I like to travel round the globe on the internet........(when I'm meant to be writing or doing laundry and other important stuff).
So to everyone on my sidebar and everyone else out there who enriches my life
keep on blogging.
And to M.Kate and Willow special thanks today.