The Weekend in Black and White

I like to say that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
is my "backyard"—unfortunately, I usually have to
share my yard with hundreds of other people,
especially on the weekend.  For some reason, though,
last Sunday I practically had the place to myself—
and took the opportunity to snap some
uncharacteristically unpopulated pictures.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

I thought I could see reflected in this tall 
altocumulus cloud formation the promise 
of a pretty pink-and-yellow-sunset.
(I was right.)

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"fire"

My daughter Katie and I enjoyed this fire up in
the Andes in Ecuador last October.  It was started for
us while we were at dinner, then we fed it until past
midnight while we played cards, talked, and polished
off a bottle of red.  Do you have a fireplace? Do you use it?.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—G is for "greenmarket"

Right now is the best time of year at
the greenmarket.  I find myself wanting to 
buy things I don't even like so much—just
because they're there, and they look so good.
Case in point: Check out these big, juicy blackberries!

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Ladder 20, Division 1, Rescue 6

I thought the requisite dalmation at the firehouse
had gone the way of the horse-drawn fire engine, but
many stations still keep one as a kind of mascot,
including this one on Lafayette St. in Soho.
Before the 1920s, they performed an important function,
as friend and protector of the horses—guarding them
(and the equipment) against theft and running ahead of them
to clear the way when they were called to a fire.

To see more Ruby Tuesday posts, go here.
And for more of Our World Tuesday, go here.]

Mellow Yellow/Macro Monday

Hadn't been in the garden in a while, but
went yesterday with my new(ish)
iPhone macro lens. It's not that easy to
focus (no depth of field whatsoever), but
worth the effort when it works, I think. And
I do love my toys!  :~}

[To see more Mellow Yellow, visit Gemma's meme.
For more Macro Monday pics, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This shot was taken in the little town of Urbanna,
Virginia, near where I visit friends in the tidewater
region of Virginia.  Though it's less than 400 miles
from the insanity of NYC, it's a world away!

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Enjoying a café and a kir—and a bit of Parisian
people-watching—at Café le Nemours. 
It's on place Colette (who lived very nearby, in
an apartment overlooking the Palais Royal gardens).

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Skywatch Reflections

I'm borrowing this idyllic image from my
daughter Lila, who took it when she was out
on Fire Island, off the south shore of
Long Island. I'm headed out to Montauk (at the
eastern tip of LI) today—and hoping for
photo ops (and good weather) just like this.

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.  To see
more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.]

Thursday Challenge—"animal"

This pretty pink porker is Rosie, who lives at my friends'
horse farm. In addition to the show horses they raise,
there are lots of dogs and cats, a loquacious bird, a ferret,
and a goat (acquired to keep an orphaned foal company).
Rosie hangs out at the barn and I think I can safely say
she'll live out her days w/o anyone thinking "ham biscuit."

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—F is for "flags"

My brother David (who left us two years ago) had
Tibetan prayer flags indoors and out at his home.
Shortly before he died, I said something about them—
and he gave me several strings of these colorful flags.
I don't have an "outdoors" at my place, but when I
finally figure out where to put them, I'll share.
(And thanks again, David!)

[To see more ABC Wednesday posts, go here.]

Piano Man

As part of a program called
Sing for Hope Pianos, 88 of them
were placed around the five boroughs of
New York for two weeks back in June,
for anyone to sit down and play.
This one under the arch in Grand Army Plaza
in Brooklyn was the nearest to my house
(and made me wish I could play).

[Linking back to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.]

Summer Toes

Summer's not over quite yet, but this past week
you could feel a little hint of autumn in the air.
Meanwhile, all the pretty pedicured piggies
are still on display (well, almost all—
who knows what's under that blue sneaker).

To see more Monday mosaics, visit Mary's meme.
For more mandarin orange, go to LoriK's meme.] 

Shadow Shot Sunday

I took this shot on Sterling Place, in my Park Slope,
Brooklyn neighborhood.  The residents of this block
are very proud to have earned the 2nd-place prize in this
year's Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest, which is
sponsored by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
(One of them told me that this spot at the back of
a commercial building used to be a place where people
dumped garbage—and look at it now.)

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Whenever I'm lucky enough to get to Venice,
I always try to pass by this store late at
night, when the place is empty and all of the
 Fortuny lamps are lit. I do have a gorgeous
Fortuny scarf, but can't imagine ever
being able (or willing) to plunk down $7,000+ for
a lamp (the big one), no matter how fabulous.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Skywatch Friday

This very dramatic storm cloud appeared
out the office window one afternoon,
then disappeared in a matter of minutes.
I imagine it rained on someone—but not us.

[To see more Skywatch, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"blue"

The Manhattan Bridge, seen from the
Brooklyn Bridge at my favorite time of
day—what the French call l'heure bleu.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—E is for "enormous"

This is Sumo, an English mastiff I met while I was doing
my shift at the food coop. He got lots of attention and every
other person who passed by said, "Now that's a dog!"
He was very sweet, but I'm not sure how comfortable
I'd be having a pet who outweighs me by 30 or 40 pounds.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Something from the garden

Out in my friends' garden, the butterflies were
all over these flowers. I'm not much
of a gardener, but I'd put in the work for these
(and the tomatoes, and cucumbers, and melons, and . . . ).

[I'm linking back to Ruby Tuesday.]

Will it last?

Yesterday I showed you some Persian pottery
that's been around for +/- 900 years.
Does anyone think this piece of glass will
still be here in, say, the year 2900?
(For that matter, will anything be here then?)

[Linking back to Blue Monday and
NatureFootstep/Catching the Light.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Now that I have a membership at the
Met(ropolitan Museum of Art), my goal
is to learn every inch of this vast place.
I do expect that to take a while—especially
since I keep getting drawn back to the same
galleries again and again. (These beautiful bowls
were made in Persia in the 12th or 13th century.)

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

I was on my way home when I spotted this
photo op of light and dark clouds off in
the distance—and just kept walking out of
my way until I found a likely spot to take a
shot of them. (I think it was worth the detour.)

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Sunset on the Piankatank

Made my annual pilgrimage to visit good
friends and family down on the river
 (aka, the "rivah") in Virginia.  I'll surely
never tire of this view from the deck!

To see more Skywatch, go here;
Weekend Reflections are here; and
Orange You Glad It's Friday? I am!]

Thursday Challenge—"rain"

Are you one of those people who's affected 
by the weather?  I always say I'm not, 
but have to admit that this view from my 
former office window is downright depressing.

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—D is for "depth of field"

I took this picture this way on purpose,
but now I'm wondering if I should have chosen
a smaller aperture to bring the lady out there in 
the harbor into sharper focus too. What do you think?

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

More Terrace Envy

I've been watching this terrace from our
office window. They started with the Adirondack
chairs (always paired off by color), and the
red beds, table, and awning are new.  Put in a
bathroom and you could practically live up there!

[To see more Ruby Tuesday, go here.
And Our World Tuesday is here.]

zinnia

This was part of my post yesterday—
and here's a well-deserved closeup.

[To see more Mandarin Orange, visit LoriK's meme.
To see more Macro Monday, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

 Not sure which I like better—the
zinnias . . . or their shadows!

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Just spent a wonderfully relaxing few days 
down South—loved watching the ospreys 
fishing for their supper in the river.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

Weekend Reflections

Sometimes you have to move in close to
find a reflection.  These glass beads were on
my kitchen table and I turned on the light 
to take a shot.  Frankly, I didn't even see the
reflections until I got it up on the computer.

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

Thursday Challenge—"modern"

Last week on my other blog, I showed a
picture taken from up near the top of this skyscraper
where I used to work.  The 46-story Hearst Tower
was completed in 2006 at a cost of $500,000,000;
it was constructed within the shell of the original
Hearst Building—which has landmark status.
That one, finished in 1928, cost $498,000,000 less
(and there's pretty much all you need to know
about inflation and NYC real estate).

[To see more of the Thursday Photo Challenge, go here.
And since it's the 1st of the month, I've posted to my Paris blog.]