Almost Thanksgiving and a Novica Giveaway....

So, as always much going on in New York  as we prepare for Thanksgiving.

The very last leaves on the trees on 5th Avenue

and amidst those very last leaves the holiday lights are going up.

I was chatting with the workmen who seemed very cheerful.

Decorating going on at the Blue Water Grill - ornamental cabbages are getting more exotic and some are like  palm trees. 

Such a very bright clear day at Union Square.

Picking out multicolored carrots for the Thanksgiving feast...

and the very last of the roses....

And this year's discovery HoneyNut Squash - as against HoneyNut Cheerios.

A view of the Empire State Building from a rather different angle -this time from Brooklyn.

And now for the $50 Giveaway from Novica. This is a company I have supported for many years - their lovely unusual gift and crafts come from all over the world. I especially love their silk scarves and unusual Thai paper goods. So go to their website and then write a comment here and I'll pick a lucky winner at random on Wednesday. 

 Pretty handmade paper....

and a gorgeous colored scarf.

Thinking About Christmas....and another Giveaway

Walking past our local independent bookshop - which is right next to Clement Moore Park - this morning with the dog

I noticed all the classic children's books in the window. Of course Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas was there - he lived right round the corner.

Also one of my grandchildren's favorites - Janet and Allen Ahlberg's lovely - and rather British -The Jolly Christmas Postman. And I think the blue book in front is Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales - all splendid stuff. And now for the giveaway. As some of you know, I wrote a children's story some years ago which I wrote about here.

It's an adventure story for the 8-12 year old set - but also a memoir of a 1950's childhood. All the places written about are real. The front cover shows Thorndon Hall where we lived in a gamekeeper's cottage. I have two signed copies to give away which should arrive in time for Christmas. I'll pick the winners on Monday. Jane in Winter, as well as my other books, is available as a paperback or in a Kindle edition from Amazon. 

On my morning walk I also passed Billy's Bakery where lots of people were hard at work.

The windows were all steamed up and the decorations were retro.

I'm beginning to get into the spirit of the season.

Here a snow leopard with his chum the penguin from the toy shop on 15th Street. Happy reading and decorating... and all the busy-ness of this dark month.

Changing Seasons and a Novica Giveaway

Hard to believe it's half way through November already and all sorts of holidays are upon us.

Time to knit more elf hats!

The trees are in the middle of losing their leaves - here a tree by the rail station in Huntington, Long Island where I go for my weekly visit to the grandchildren.

Nearer home Berch has decorated the barber for Thanksgiving....

but a nicotinia flower  survives outside our building.

Pods hang by Pinwheel Park.

 And now out thoughts turn to Christmas... By preference I prefer handmade presents - but I love looking at the shop windows anyway.

ABC Carpet's windows are a special treat - a sort of mingling of the exotic, the shabby-chic and the homey.

 This year they are heavy on a woodland theme

and I'm a sucker for it.

Owls, deer and all the rest...

This brings me to my annual giveaway from the  NOVICA site which has really lovely handcrafted gifts and has the additional benefit of helping craftspeople in the developing world. Here are some links to many good things - I always love the gorgeous Thai gift wrap and the Indian silk scarves - but that's just me. Jasmine suggested you might like to check out the links below for gift ideas.

New Arrivals: http://www.novica.com/new-arrivals/

Men's Bracelets: http://jewelry.novica.com/mens/bracelets/

Chandelier Earrings: http://jewelry.novica.com/earrings/chandelier/

Amethyst Rings: http://jewelry.novica.com/rings/amethyst/

Ponchos: http://clothing.novica.com/womens/ponchos/

A $50 gift certificate to the lucky person who comments whose name will be drawn from a hat on Monday 23rd.

Urban and a UNICEFmarket Giveaway

Now that the weather is somewhat improved it's possible to get out and about more.

Lots of construction and destruction going on everywhere. Here up by Fifth Avenue where the turquoise wall looks rather like an abstract painting.

Blue skies above 11th Avenue.

More sunshine yesterday on 13th Street.

On 15th Street pretty yellow, red and blue netting near Chelsea Market.

On 9th Avenue a quintessentially New York melange - the Seminary Building, a cyclist a fire truck and a man in a turban. 

In Soho the sort of interior space one lusts after but is unlikely to be able to afford.

Back home two of the rather battered pansies from the tree pits outside

and a charming abstract accidental painting - a byproduct of Robert's real painting of Robert Moses Beach.

And now to the giveaway. For some years I've been supporting the artisans at Novica. Novica in conjunction with the new UNICEFmarket has lots of lovely things made in far-flung corners of the globe - I particularly like their silk scarves and Thai paper products.

 This paper has charming little plant parts in it.

The UNICEFmarket is a super resource for finding unusual gifts. I have a $50 gift code to send to a lucky reader who comments on my blog - so write soon and I'll pick someone at random and let you know by next weekend. I'll pick some in the US because UK readers might end up having to pay import duty whereas US ones don't!

Wet Day then Fireworks (and a Giveaway!)

So what happened to wanting to do black and white...? Um, I discovered it was difficult. Herewith last week's Wednesday monsoon...

taken from a bus going down the East Side.

What charming distortions the raindrops make!

As they teem down the windowpane.

Lots of bright colored umbrellas as well as the black ones.

How oddly painterly it looks

and what nice colors.

This umbrella is on its last legs

and this one is positively busted.

Luckily the 4th dawned fine, so all the sellers of patriotic stuff

could set up shop on 23rd Street.

Dallas BBQ celebrates everything.

So, up to the roof at 9:25 pm to take hopeless photos.

 Such fleeting joy 

much better enjoyed without trying to capture it.

My friends at Novica, who sell all sorts of lovely crafts and clothing from all over the world, have offered me two $50 gift codes(one for me and one for one of my readers). I'm probably going to get a pretty Indian blouse. So do write a comment and I'll draw a name next Sunday 14th.

Note: US and Canadian people do not have to pay any customs duty. UK customers seem to have to which seems a pity. Em of Dartmoor Ramblings ended up paying too much around Christmas time....

Magic Journeys and a Giveaway

Huntington Railroad Station on Monday

A time of year to turn inward and let the imagination run wild. Think The Polar Express

and all the cool trains at the Botanical Gardens.

How bright the moon shone last night

and how enchanting the florist on 8th Avenue.

Closer to home we made the first cookies of the season.

 Robert added the nose and Elly the two silver ball eyes. Hm.....

This is the magical estate in Essex in England where I grew up in an old gamekeeper's cottage. It is the setting of my story Jane in Winter which you can read free on line here, download from Nook or iTunes, or buy as an actual book from Amazon here. It's aimed at 9-12 year olds but anyone who grew up in the 1950's (or wishes they did) might enjoy it too

I'm giving away one signed copy of the book to the commenter whose name will be chosen at random on Sunday ---- so I can get the book to the winner before Christmas.

Happy reading!

ps Sunday afternoon.

Just done the drawing and Mr.Paparazzo from Hungary won the book.

I will send it as soon as I have his address.