One last sunset

This was the last great sunset I experienced while
crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on my way home before
Daylight Saving Time went into effect last weekend.
Unless I leave work an hour early, my weekday commute 
won't feature something like this until March of next year.

[To see more Skywatch Friday posts, go here.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday?  I am!]

What's missing here?

Let's see.  Fringed handlebars: check.
Studded leather saddlebags: check.  Hell's
Angels/biker-chick bandana: check. 
Major attitude: check and check.  Hmmm . . .
Oh, right—no helmet.
But 10 years ago Pennsylvania amended its
mandatory helmet law, so this over-21 rider 
is under no obligation.  Seems insane to 
me though.  How about you?

[Meanwhile, Orange You Glad It's Friday?]

WTC Tryptich

I was downtown a few days ago and caught
these images of the new World Trade Center building
reflected in the façade of the Milennium Hotel and
twice in one of the other new buildings that will make
up the WTC complex—4 WTC, which is scheduled to
open next month.  (Two dancers from the NYC Ballet
did a short but very special performance on its roof at
sunrise on 9/12.  Check it out here; it's absolutely beautiful.)

[To see more Weekend Reflections, visit James's meme.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday? I am.]

Letting Off Steam

The steampipes under Manhattan are like a
volcano about to erupt—as they have been
known to do from time to time.
The last time it happened (in 2007) was right
outside my new office. Scary! (But not for me;
fortunately, I started that job a couple of days later.)

[Orange You Glad It's Friday? If so, go here.
For more Weekend Reflections, visit James'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!]

Orange You Glad It's Friday

I understand most of the random stuff
I find when I'm crossing the Brooklyn Bridge,
but I had no idea why these balloons were
there at 8 a.m. on a recent Wednesday.  But it was
my daughter Lila's birthday, so I just told
myself that they were there for her!  Why not?

[To see more OYGIF posts, visit Maria's meme.]

The bombs bursting in air

Whether you celebrated quietly—or like this—
I hope you had a good Fourth of July. And I hope
you're one of the lucky ones who are getting
 to take a 4-day weekend.  If so, enjoy!

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday?]

"Let the River Run"

It's a short ferry ride between Governor's 
Island and Manhattan, but—as with the 
Staten Island Ferry (that spot of bright orange 
in the middle of the shot)—it's free and the 
view is world class (and I always hear
 Carly Simon singing this when I see it).

[To see more Skywatch, go here.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday? If so, visit Maria's meme.] 

Brooklyn Sunrise

I asked my daughter Katie if I could
use this one.  She told me she woke up at
5 a.m. the other morning and wasn't
too happy about it, until she saw this
spectacular sunrise over the Brooklyn rooftops—
which only the early risers got to enjoy.

[It's Skywatch Friday; to see more, go here.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday?  I am!]

Orange You Glad It's Friday?

This is Sepia, our friendly pub local.
They have some comfy seating, a patio out back, board 
games, and local menus in case you want to "order in."  
I'm not exactly a regular (my daughter Lila took this shot 
of her sister and some friends), but sometimes I show up for the 
trivia game on Tuesday—lots of good, clean (very competitive) fun.

[To see more of OYGIF?, visit Maria's meme.]

Orange You Glad It's Friday?

There are dozens of tulip cultivars
blooming in the botanic garden right now,
some of an orange so vibrant it almost hurts.
This one stood out in its subtlety.

[To see more that's orange, visit Maria's meme.
To see more "weekend flowers," visit Tina's Picstory.]

harbor sunset

The bright orange Staten Island Ferry gliding past the
Ellis Island Immigration Museum is no match
for this brilliant sunset.  Both Ellis Island and Liberty
Island have been closed since Hurricane Sandy wreaked
havoc here six months ago.  No word on when the museum will
reopen, but the target date for the two islands is July 4.

[Orange You Glad It's Friday? If so, visit Maria's meme.
And to see more Skywatch shots, go here.]

Orange You Glad It's Friday

I captured this camera-shy ghost crab
on pristine Espumilla Beach at James Bay,
Isla Santiago, in the Galapagos. The beach is studded
with little holes and he's scurrying to
reach the safety of one of them . . .

. . . and so are all of his friends!

[To see more things that are orange, go here.]

Pacific Sunset

When I was in the Galapagos, every night
we were treated to a gasp-worthy sunset.
Each one different and each one glorious.

[To see more Skywatch pics, go here.
And Orange You Glad It's Friday is here.] 

Orange You Glad It's Friday?

This colorfully stuccoed building in Rome
flies the flags of Italy and the EU, but I believe it
 belongs to the Catholic church. It's right in the 
heart of the centro storico, next to the church of 
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva and directly behind the 
Pantheon.  In other words, prime real estate. 

[To see more things that are orange, visit Maria's meme.] 

Skywatch Friday

Apparently, I'm not done pilfering photos from
my kids' recent trip to Antarctica.  But can you blame
me?  This spectacular sunset (not that it ever completely
sets there at this time of year) was shot by my daughter Lila.

[To see more Skywatch shots, go here.
To see more things that are orange, visit
Orange You Glad It's Friday.]