The Last Day of the Year

I'm ringing in the new year in Virginia (as always),
and here's something I've shown you before
that I found at a great farmers' market down here.
Here's hoping you all have a sweet celebration!

[To see more Mellow Yellow posts, go here.
To see more Monday macros, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is Rodeo Bar, where the crowd is young,
the food is Tex-Mex, the beer is cold, and
sometimes they have really good live music
( the band my brother plays in, The Lone Sharks,
performs here from time to time, which is pretty
much the only reason this place is on my radar).

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

I'm enjoying a bucolic few days in
the Virginia countryside, with lovely
mountain views.  But if you were to ask
me to show you my favorite view—
well, here it is: the lower Manhattan
skyline seen from across the 
East River in Brooklyn Heights. 

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

Cold Moon

Today is the December full moon,
called the full cold moon (and sometimes
 the full long nights moon). Did you know
that each full moon has a name?
I learned about it from the Farmers Almanac.

[Today is Skywatch Friday. To see more, go here.]

New York at Night 21

Seems as though the entire city is trimmed in
lights at this time of year. Lots of visitors enjoying
them—as I walked this block, I heard French,
German, Italian, and Japanese (but no English).

ABC Wednesday—X is for Bo"X"ing Day

{And if I'm cheating just a bit, please
keep in mind that this is my 8th "X" post.}

One explanation for why this holiday is called
Boxing Day is that servants, who had to
work on Christmas, were allowed the next
day off and their employer would give them
a box with a gift in it before they set off
to celebrate with their family.
Happy Boxing Day to my blogpals in the UK,
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand!

[To see more ABC posts, go  here.]

Happy Holidays . . .

. . . to all of you, wherever you are,
from me here in New York City.
(Hope you enjoy this colorful view
looking south down Park Avenue.)

[Today is also Ruby Tuesday.  To see more
posts with a lot—or just a bit—of red, go here.]

'Twas the night before Christmas . . .

Popsicle sticks, assorted buttons, a
trusty glue gun—and voila!
I like the homemade ornaments
the best.  How about you?

[To see more Mellow Yellow Monday posts, go here.
To see more Macro Monday pics, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Sunday Bridges

Took this shot at dusk from the kitchen
window of my friend's apartment. Nice view, eh?
That's the Triborough (officially the Robert F. Kennedy)
Bridge in the foreground and behind it a railroad bridge
with a very cool name: the Hell's Gate Bridge.

Haven't been here in a while, but I wanted to wish
Louis (and everyone) a very Happy Holiday!

[To see more bridges, go chez Louis la Vache.] 

The Weekend in Black and White

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
but it's not in the forecast—which
is probably just as well. After all, I want
my family to be able to get to my house!

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

Waaay Up North

I chose this photo (taken by my daughter Katie)
for today for a few reasons:  It's up above the Arctic
Circle and that makes me think "cold" and that
reminds me that today is the first day of winter;
it's barely 20 degrees from the North Pole
 and that makes me think of Santa, who'll
be here soon; and in one week Katie and her
sister Lila will be headed in the polar opposite
(so to speak) direction on their way to Antarctica!

[To see more Skywatch Friday pics, go here.]

Let there be . . .

. . . "light."  That's this week's Thursday Photo Challenge.

And here's a great big ball of it—in a photo
I've been waiting almost six months to use.

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

ABC Wednesday—W is for "whiskers"

When I was sailing around the Galapagos this past
October, I came out on deck one early morning
and encountered this endearing visitor.

The 14 passengers were thrilled to welcome 
this sea lion aboard (she didn't stay too long, 
though, as this was the spot where we 
boarded the pangas for our shore excursions).

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Tower of Flowers

And this isn't even the only 16-tiered poinsettia 
tree  in the lobby of this midtown skyscraper.  
I just love the city all decked out for the holidays!

[It's Ruby Tuesday. To see more, go here.]

'Tis the season . . .

. . . to put up the tree and fight with those
strings of lights again (if they still work
since you put them away last year, that is).
I finally got a good fake that has the lights already 
installed. Now these old lights live under a glass 
globe year-round and they're all tangled up on purpose!

[To see more Mellow Yellow Monday posts, go here.
To see more Macro Monday pics, visit Lisa's Chaos.]
  

Laundry Day

What's more sleep-inducing than slipping
between crisp cotton sheets that have been
freshly laundered and dried in clear mountain air?
(Well, the roaring fire and the bottle of wine
probably didn't hurt either.)  This is Hacienda Cusin,
in San Pablo del Lago, Ecuador (alt. 8,500 feet).

[Today is also Shadow Shot Sunday.
To see more shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

When the holidays roll around, my cousin Kay
makes sure all the silver is ready for festive dinner 
parties. There are tall, elegant candelabra, 
but I like these little candlelights—which were
waiting to be polished and set around the table. 

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

New York at Night 20

A gray night—but I loved the way it
set off the midtown skyline.

[It's Skywatch Friday. To see more, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"good"

There are so many good things, it's
hard to choose just one—but for sheer
ooey-gooey sweet/salty deliciousness, I'd
have to put these macarons right up there.
They're caramel aux fleur de sel, the best,
from the new NYC shop of Ladurée, also the best.

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

ABC Wednesday—V is for "vines"

Not sure what the main vine is—wisteria, maybe?
But I'm impressed with the bougainvillea
blooming in October.  This garden is in the Andes, 
where it was warm during the day but the temp 
dropped down to near freezing at night.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

"Pepsi-Cola hits the spot . . . "

(Anyone remember that little jingle? And the alternate lyrics?)
This colorful, 120-foot-long sign has been here
in front of a 24-story apartment building in
Long Island City  (in Queens) since 2009. Because
it faces the East River, it's the folks on the East Side
of Manhattan who actually get to enjoy it. 

From 1936 to 1999 it sat atop
the Pepsico plant in Hunter's
Point (also facing Manhattan).

[Today is Ruby Tuesday. To see more, go here.]

An Apple a Day

Pretty much what you'll find at the greenmarket 
right now are root vegetables—and apples.  These are
Yellow Delicious (even if they're mostly green).

[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.
To see more macros, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Alas, poor Yorick!

I found this long-gone bird (a pelican, I
presume) on the island of Bartolomé, in
the Galapagos.  The island is uninhabited and
we were the only humans there at that time.
I learned later (when I had to step around the
decomposing carcass of a marine iguana) that in
these protected islands things are left as they
would be if we humans weren't here at all.

[Today is Shadow Shot Sunday. To see more shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

I took this shot a while ago, and there's since been
something added to this Lower Manhattan
skyline—you can just see the cranes in place as
construction was starting.  Do you know what it is?

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

Skywatch Friday

At first glance you might think that this
is all about the sun on the clouds at the top
of the photo.  But when I took this shot, I
was actually focusing on that small band of
light between the sea and the clouds.

[To see more Skywatch shots, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"signs"

I had a hard time choosing a shot for this
challenge.  I pondered big Times Square signs,
friendly Ecuadorian signs in Spanish and English,
traffic signs, and Paris Metro signs.  In the end, I chose
this one—a little reminder that when you get back to this
dock after your day on the fishing boat and you use the
dockside tables to clean your catch, you should put
your fish guts where they belong!  My dad taught me
this lesson (and how to clean a fish) when I was 8 years old.

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

ABC Wednesday—U is for "underwater"

When we snorkeled in the Galapagos in October,
we got to commune with sea lions and sharks (!)
and giant sea turtles—which I touched, flaunting 
the rules.  Sorry. (Actually, not at all.) Have to 
thank my fellow traveler Chris, and his cool GoPro 
camera with the underwater case, for this shot.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

Ruby Tuesday

Where I live it's against the rules to sit out
on your fire escape—kind of a shame, because for
most of us, that's the only "balcony" we have.

[To see more Ruby Tuesday, go here.]

Mellow Yellow Monday

This one is compliments of my daughter Katie.
Love the way this kid is oblivious to the
scene behind him: That's Lago San Pablo, at the
foot of the Imbabura volcano. (Or maybe it's
not that hard for a 14-year-old to ignore a 
volcano that hasn't erupted in 14,000 years!)

[To see more Mellow Yellow posts, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

These kids (on a Friday night in the small town
of Mindo, in Ecuador) are awfully young to be looking
so bored, but at least they don't all have some
kind of hand-held device in their little paws—
a very good thing, if you ask me.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

I can't go into a church without lighting
a candle—or taking a picture of them.
These represent the prayers, wishes, thanks
of visitors to Basilica San Marco, In Venice.

[To see more monochromes, visit Dragonstar's meme.
I've also posted to my monthly Paris blog, here.]

Skywatch Friday/Weekend Reflections

If you look north from my office, you'll
see another tall building, but also a
reflection of Manhattan sky—and skyline.

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

Thursday Challenge—"bottle"

I'd love to be right where I took this picture: 
Paris (the Marais), in a cozy café, at an old, 
worn table with a great view of  the passing scene.

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

ABC Wednesday—T is for "turkey"

So . . . why did the turkey cross the road?

I believe this one (which I saw out in Montauk, 
at the Eastern end of Long Island) was hoping to 
escape the butcher's knife—and he succeeded!

[To see more ABC shots, go here.]

Ruby Tuesday

Long after the roses have faded, the rose hips are still there.
{Admission: I took this shot in another year—one
when we didn't have a storm that flattened everything!}

[To see more Ruby Tuesday shots, go here

New York at Night 19

This is Cooper Union, where you can study art, architecture,
or engineering and not pay a penny.  But you'd better
be talented.  I looked at admissions stats from 2010-2011—
only 8.4% of those who applied got in (and all
of the applicants scored 600 or above on their SATs).

[It's also Mellow Yellow Monday. To see more, go here.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

Took this shot a few days ago on 7th Street
down in the East Village.  I love all the
 independent shops in this neighborhood but,
unfortunately, it looks  like this one is soon to close.

[To see more Sunday shadows, go here.]

the weekend in black and white

From the inside, this newly restored window
stands out in shades of brilliant purple,
bright green, and crimson. From the outside,
it may as well be black and white—but you
can better appreciate its "bones."
It's in the Gothic Revival Bigelow Chapel at
Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Mass.

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

Skywatch Friday

I went to Ecuador without a very good
idea of exactly what I would find, and certainly
didn't expect to fall in love as much as I did—with
the people, the Andes, and the architecture!

[To see more Skywatch Friday pics, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"thankful"

I try to be grateful for the big and the small things, 
and today I'm thankful that my sister-in-law is cooking 
our favorite meal of the year, my brother is carving
the turkey, my kids are with me, my mom made it
through the storm even if her house didn't, 
and we're all together. Happy Thanksgiving!

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

ABC WEdnesday—S is for "spires"

The 377-foot (115-meter) spires on Quito's
Basilica del Voto Nacional make it the
tallest church in Ecuador. I might  have gone
up if I hadn't already been feeling the effects
of Quito's setting 9,350 feet (2,850 meters)
above where I normally live—at sea level.

[To see more ABC Wednesday, go here.]

Ruby Tuesday

Toward the end of this day in my Park Slope,
Brooklyn neighborhood, the trees on Carroll Street
were all mostly red and even the brownstones
were tinged with pink from the setting sun.

[To see more Ruby Tuesday pics, go here.]

Mellow Yellow/Macro Monday

At the local greenmarket this past weekend,
everyone was shopping for their Thanksgiving
dinner—buying parsnips, yams, green beans.
onions, apples, and yellow cauliflower.

[To see more Mellow Yellow, go here.
To see more macros, visit Lisa's Chaos.]

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is one of the few unadorned
(by plants or tiles or art) spots at the
Hacienda Cusin, near the market town of 
Otavalo, in Ecuador. For me, these shadows 
(and that perfectly blue window frame)
provide just enough adornment.

[To see more Sunday Shadows, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

Thought it was about time I tried a portrait, and I'm
no good at approaching strangers (wish I was).
So here's one of my favorite people—a daughter of two
more of my favorite people and a great little model.

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

Skywatch Friday

It was sunny on our side of these Andean
foothills, but over there—not so much.  I took
dozens of photos trying to capture the dramatic skies
of Ecuador and, frankly, never totally succeeded.
I guess you had to be there.

[To see more Skywatch pictures, go here.]

Thursday Challenge—"stationery"

Here's a very small sampling of the cards I've been making 
with some of my photos (these were all taken around 
New York).  Was feeling a bit shy about putting 
them out there, but then a friend agreed to sell
 them at her store down in Virginia.  They've gotten a
 pretty good response, and that is SO gratifying.

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

ABC Wednesday—R is for "right of way"

In New York, we all look out for anything that
moves on wheels (truck, taxi, pedicab, messenger on a bike,
kid on a skateboard, whatever).  Here in San Pablo del Lago,
in Ecuador, everyone stops and waits for these
black-and-white bovines—as it should be, seems to me.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]