thinking about how things collide...

My mother. I love this picture of her dated 1937 on a New York Street. She was a chamber maid at a big hotel, but you would never know it from that picture. I think my father took it. He was a bellman at the same hotel. They met there and though it was a convoluted process, ended up together.

My family of origin was a family of secrets. I don't know where they worked and I found out on the day of my mother's funeral that my father had been married before. After he told me, my father said..."Don't tell your brother."

I could never prise more of the story out of him. He said he "forgot". But there she is... my mother in her prime.

There I am too, at the sandy lakefront with my SHOES and SOCKS on and my hat. I don't remember it, but I love the picture. I was never a play in the sand kind of kid. Would rather read a book but I loved to dress up.

Peeping out from behind it all is my son, with that look that he gets in his eyes when he has something on the boil inside his head and BIG excitement is ahead for someone...

The collision of time and the permeability of the membrane ...

the Heights

This is another marker in Bennett Park. The Heights were the place that the Americans wanted to hold to control the Hudson, an they built a fort here to do it, but the British took the Heights and gained control. They held the Heights for slightly more than 7 years.

Formerly, I lived in Chelsea, which has a history that focuses on the 1900's, but here the history is different. When you walk around this neighborhood, you can still imagine the two forces fighting it out to control the high ground. Here endeth the history lesson for the day.

a bit of finished knitting

This is Tudora.... everyone who is anyone appears to be knitting Tudora, at least according to Ravelry. There is a reason for this... it isn't your plain old ordinary neckwarmer. It has STYLE. Even better, it is fun and fast to knit. Ta Daaaaa...... Tudora

also, for those of you who are not knitting enamoured. Tudora is photo-ed on top of Esopus http://www.esopusmag.com/ For those of you who haven't found it yet, it is a fascinating magazine that comes out twice a year and has a great take on current art. I got hooked on it when they did a complete issue of artist process. Some of their past articles from out of print issues are online now. The new issue comes out in April. can't wait!

Holga

I am playing with some "filters" on some of my photographs. I have a fascination with graveyard angels and find them whenever I go anywhere there is a graveyard that I can get to. This fellow was in Binghamton NY, where there are a lot of angels in one cemetery. The photo has been "holgaized" including the everpresent light leak. It wasn't shot with my Holga. Mine doesn't have a great light leak, but I suppose one could be arranged!

minimizing the 'eye' in the living room

I moved the tv down to the lower part of the "entertainment center" (grandiose title for a skinny tall table with drawers full of CD's.)





and gave Romeo a new place to pose. Only problem is that he is so clumsy that he now knocks everything onto the floor at least once a day.

Why I LOVE New York

Improve everywhere:

http://www.improveverywhere.com/

They had 200+ people freeze in place in Grand Central Station for 5 minutes. Take a look, what fun.

Upscale living...

This is my uphill neighborhood. The sign said "Residents only. No Pets" but Sienna and I took a little foray into the complex to get this shot. The winter sun is so nice there and the benches are always empty in the winter. Too bad, it wasn't very cold yesterday...

This is the "new" viewing area, built on top of the replacement for the retaining wall that fell down onto the West Side Highway a few years ago. It only recently reopened and the entrance ramp is still closed. Sienna and I walk down near the entrance ramp late at night for our last walk. Reopening it will probably increase the traffic and we won't be able to do that ... too bad because the view is amazing from there too.