HAPPY 92nd MOM

Mom was born in 1918 during the flu epidemic that killed more people then all who perished in World War One. Needless to say, Mom is a survivor. Tonight we celebrated her 92nd birthday. I decided to omit the nine candle from her cupcake, because Mom is not your average nonagenarian. She expressed no concern about the massive amounts of snow and blizzard like conditions forecast for tomorrow. After all she said, "I got to the hospital to deliver your brother during the blizzard of 1947!" She's remarkable, always has been. Happy Birthday, Mom!

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

My favorite room of the house is the kitchen. After almost ten years here, I realized only today, it is because of the light. I just love the way the light changes how the room looks. Soft and bright in the morning. Hard lines, sharp contrast and long shadows in the late afternoon. I'm not sure which light I like best.

LOST IN THOUGHT

FROM BED

It isn't exactly a room with a view, but it's home.

OLD SCHOOL

This cupola on the junior high (now middle school) in my hometown was always a landmark for me. I spent seventh, eighth and ninth grade at this school. In all the years I have driven past it I just never noticed the cupola illuminated. You know how you look at familiar things without really seeing them? In this case, I'm guilty. Maybe it was the light, but I really saw it this time around! (One other thing I am guilty of... failed to post on time because I was really under the weather.)

KEEPING AN EYE ON HIS DISH

The sun was pouring in through the kitchen window and Slugger was soaking it up. Of course, he was also keeping an eye on his empty dish. I liked the shadows cast by the window mullions on him... they almost make him look like a bandit.

R.I.P ANGUS

Last January 19th, I posted this photo of Angus on my blog. In that post I talked about his gentle spirit and how he had the eyes of an old soul. Sadly, he passed away suddenly and before his time. I will always remember his sweet disposition, his sturdy, chunky body, how well he got along with Slugger and how devoted he was to my cousin.

FIRESIDE

There is perhaps, nothing better than spending a cold night watching the flames of a roaring fire dance.

BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL

LABOR OF LOVE

I remember it like it was yesterday. Forty three years ago today, my Dad who was a ship's officer died at the age of forty seven in a faraway land. My Mom was left with a mortgage, two kids and the need to find a job in a hurry. By September, Mom was teaching elementary school in the community I grew up in. At night, after correcting papers and making lesson plans I remember her sewing, knitting or needlepointing. Mom is artistic and creative. I like to think I got that gene from her. For years she knitted watch caps and donated them to an organization that distributed them to sailors. Of course she did this to remember my father. I recall the day, some twenty years ago that she decided to participate in a church project--needlepointing kneelers. She wanted to do this in my father's memory and was determined that it depict a ship and the sea. It took her months. Because her breathing is so compromised she hasn't been inside the church in years and for me it has been even longer. Today, I went there to see if her labor of love was still there. It is.

THINKING

IT'S COMPLICATED

The older I get the more complicated things seem to become. Funny, thirty years ago I thought it would be exactly the opposite. Nothing is simple any longer.

RACING HOME TO SEE THE GAME

VOTE NO

I love the newspaper business. I feel privileged to have spent the past thirty one years at the same newspaper doing what I have wanted to do since I was fifteen years old and took my first photography class in high school. Tomorrow the members of that newspaper's union will be voting on a proposed contract agreement. Sadly,this is how I will be voting.

NOT JUST AN APPLE A DAY

The shelf in the kitchen is beginning to look a lot like a medicine chest. For an eight year old cat, Slugger has a lot of health problems. Just a few months ago he was diagnosed with asthma and another pill was added to the cocktail. The minute I reach for the pill vials Slugger's ears get flat and like Houdini he disappears. He doesn't get too far before I scoop him up and return to the kitchen. Once I have him he takes his pills like a champion and then the reward... a few treats.

ENDURANCE

I looked out the kitchen window this afternoon and saw a blob on the lawn. Immediately I thought that a bird had met some awful fate. I went out to inspect and was relieved to see a tired looking pine cone. In the far corner of my backyard I have a pine tree that has probably been on the property since the house was first built in the late 1940s. The red bellied woodpecker loves it as do the squirrels. Every fall it drops a boatload of pine cones in the yard. I hate picking them up because they are sticky, but by Spring they seem to be gone. I was amazed that this one had survived not only the twenty inches of snow that had buried it, but the cats who seem to love batting the pine cones around.

POKER FACE

THINGS MAY APPEAR

Today was a very troubling and difficult day. Sitting in the passenger seat of a friend's car reflecting on the day's challenges, I saw the "objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" warning. Sometimes they are larger than they appear too. As Yul Brenner said in The King and I, "Is a puzzlement".

CAMERA SHY

OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS

Mom has really gotten the hang of her Christmas Kindle, so much so that she seems to be overcoming her Internet/computer trepidation. Tonight she came over for dinner and a game of Scrabble. True to form, she arrived with her completed New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle. She informed me that before we ate, she wanted to look at a crossword blog that discusses the puzzle's theme and also shows the answers. She wanted to make certain that she had it all done right. I think Mom's Christmas Kindle may have created a monster! She sure is warming up to using a Mac. Oh boy, her birthday is less than a month away.

TWAS THE SEASON

LIGHTS OUT

ENNUI

I am learning that my photo opportunities are quite limited now that my Achilles tendon is immobilized and I have to wear a "boot" from my knee down to the very tip of my toes. Slugger is becoming my subject of choice. After my knee surgery he seemed to be hanging very close to me, but after I was "booted" he seemed a little frightened. Gradually he he has been checking it out. Although I still am fascinated by some of the things he does, positions he gets in and his knack for following every spot of sun around the house, he is bored with my being home all the time and my camera. He makes it very clear just whose house it is.

LATE AFTERNOON LAMP

When the sun is out, I love the way the late afternoon light spills in through the French doors in my living room. The Benjamin Moore Philadelphia cream walls start to look like very rich butter and the shadows start to grow long, like the day. Today I noticed the long shadows cast by one of the lamps and I liked the geometry of it all.

HIS WINDOW ON THE WORLD

WASHING UP

I was so happy to see the sun shining through my kitchen window. As I stared out the window looking at the play of shadows in the late afternoon light, I heard the rhythmic sound of Slugger grooming himself. I turned to see that I wasn't the only one happy to see the sun. Slugger had positioned himself perfectly in a spot of warm sunlight and was grooming himself, as he always does before he takes a nap. What a life!

PRICELESS

The Christmas tree came down today. There is a method to the madness, almost each ornament has a home in a certain box. As I carefully wrapped each ornament in tissue paper and tucked it away for another year I thought about the person who gave it to me and the history behind it. Besides the ornament my great-great grandmother brought over from Europe more than 150 years ago, one hand made decoration that has a special place in my heart is the one my very dear friend Pam made for me. Pam and I have been friends since we met riding the bus to junior high school. Pam was there when I first fell in love with photography as a sophomore in high school and recalls how each Christmas I always wanted another piece of camera gear. My freshman year of college I started working on my school newspaper. There were lots of portraits to be shot and I wanted a Nikon 105mm lens in the worst way. Despite the hefty price tag, My Mom came through and it was under the tree. The lens is long gone, but the Christmas ornament Pam fashioned out of a toilet paper roll, plastic wrap, tape and glue has been on my tree every year since 1973. Pam even added a gift tag with the price of the lens and my Mom's comment on the cost, "Aw Gaawd"! It really is priceless.

PAWPRINTS

The older I get the less tolerance I seem to have for snow. This winter we have already had one major snowstorm and several dustings. Whenever I hear snow forecast I worry about the outside cats. After the twenty inches that fell in December, I didn't see them for almost a day and feared the worst. I called my Mom and told her how worried I was and she assured me they were fine and reminded me of the book The Incredible Journey which tells of the adventure shared by two dogs and a cat as they travel 300 miles through the Canadian wilderness searching for their beloved masters. In this book it is the cat who really saves the day, hunting to provide food for itself and the dogs as well as being the cheerleader of the group. The cat is really the best equipped to survive in the wild. Now even when we have a dusting of snow, I am relieved when I spot pawprints in the snow. I'm also thinking a lot about warmer climates.

POINSETTIA

My life has been pretty sedentary lately as I recover from knee surgery and try to manage acute achilles tendonitis. I had another MRI yesterday and am waiting to learn what the next step (so to speak) will be in my recovery/rehab. Since late November I have spent most of my time on the couch in my living room. Directly in front of me on the coffee table is a poinsettia that arrived around Thanksgiving. I have spent a lot of time looking at the different pigments and designs in the flower. It is so different from the standard poinsettia fare. I am happy to report that it is still thriving for which I am grateful. It has been good company and in a quiet way has cheered me on. Hopefully, I will be up and around soon too.

ME 'N MY SHADOW

RINGTAIL

I've seen a lot of stray cats pass through my back yard, looking for a morsel or two. Pistachio and Hazel are permanent residents, but a banged up stray who has been coming through for about two years has also taken up residency. He has managed to worm his way into my heart. At first I was put off by his ragged looking coat, scratched up nose and ears that looked like serrated knives. I thought he was nothing but a trouble maker and kept my distance. He started rubbing up against my leg and he let me pet him. I knew then that he had belonged to someone and was "ditched". So, Ringtail joined the dynamic duo, Pistachio and Hazel. In fact, he even earned his own house out back. Now, I often walk into the kitchen to see Pistachio sitting on one window ledge and Ringtail on the other. He has a lot of battle scars, but I love seeing his chewed up ears through my window. He has settled in and I think he knows he has a home now too.

INFRARED FISH

A friend grilled this spectacular looking red snapper for dinner. I had to take a picture with my iphone and then wondered how it would look with an infrared filter. I have never done anything with infrared before, but I like the way this almost looks like a pen and ink drawing. By the way, the red snapper was as good as it looks!

AN AFTER CHRISTMAS GIFT

Late this afternoon, as I sipped a cup of coffee in my kitchen my eye was drawn to the way the light was hitting my Christmas cactus. I've had this cactus for more than twenty years and despite some real neglect over the years, like a good alarm clock it announces the arrival of the holiday season by bursting into bloom. Like a peacock it transforms itself from a solid green leaved plant into stems laden with bright blossoms. It is easy to overlook it during the year. It isn't showy and certainly doesn't draw attention to itself. But today sitting all alone near the window on my kitchen counter, I noticed how interesting it is even without the flowers.

UNDER COVER

I can hear the wind blowing and whipping around outside the house. The gusts are so strong they are knocking over the garbage cans. It is a perfect day to stay in bed, but I forced myself to get out. First thing I did was make coffee to warm up. Next step, feed Slugger (which is usually the first step because he meows up a storm wanting to be fed in the morning). All of a sudden I realized it was very quiet and Slugger was nowhere to be found. Somebody decided not to get up this morning!

BOOST TO THE ECONOMY

PEEKING IN ON A NEW YEAR

There are some habits that even a new decade won't change. Every night Pistachio one of my outside cats jumps up on the window ledge and peers into the kitchen. It is almost impossible to see him because he is a black cat, but I hear the bell. It's our ritual and regardless of the weather I head out and give him a few treats and tell him to be safe. Usually, I come back in and treat myself to one last cup of coffee and a cookie. Coffee tonight, no cookie....that habit is going to change.

OLD AND NEW

I write this with only minutes left in 2009 and can't help but reflect on the things that have transpired this year and wonder what 2010 holds. This past Christmas, Mom surprised me by expressing interest in a kindle, because font size could be increased. Always an avid reader at 91 she was finding her reading choices limited to large print books. Santa didn't deliver the kindle in time for Christmas, but she got it today in time for a New Year filled with all sorts of new books. If Mom can embrace technology then I know the year ahead is filled with all kinds of possibilities. With this new year comes a new decade and with it an abiding hope that the road won't be too bumpy and that the rough patches will be eased by joyful moments and memories.

METROPOLITAN STUDY

I watched this young artist study the torso he was about to sketch. He examined the sculpture piece for a long time without ever drawing a line in his sketchbook. As I watched I thought about my blog and how it is my empty canvas. Over the past nine months I have missed the discipline of blogging. Curiously, I only realized this very recently. It is a place that is all mine and a home for photos that would never see the light of day anywhere else...especially not in a daily newspaper. It makes me a better photographer. So a promise to myself, a New Year's resolution if you will... to begin blogging on a regular basis again in 2010.

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

WET

A LOST SON

LAW AND ORDER

This neo-classical style courthouse in lower Manhattan was built in 1927 and is probably best known as a backdrop in the TV show law and order. It's facade has been used in that show countless times. But I kind of like a less common perspective-- from the top of the steps looking out at Foley Square and Manhattan.

ALL SMILES

This little boy had the most magical smile. His ebullience was unmistakeable and really did light up the whole room. I couldn't help but photograph him.

GIRAFFE

STORM CLOUDS

I had several outside shoots scheduled for today and given the kind of weather we have been having on Long Island I wondered just how prudent it was. I reminded myself that I don't schedule assignments, I just take the pictures as I gathered my rain gear together. When I got to the venue I walked around the field trying to figure out a good location and as I looked up saw these dark clouds gathering. I managed to get the shoot done and moments later the rain came.

PLAYING WITH LIGHT

I was fooling around with my camera's flash tonight. Momma was over for dinner and a game of Scrabble. The Scrabble game got quite competitive and Momma's glasses were knocked from the table. A lens popped out, hence the tape on the corner of her lenses! I liked the edginess of this light, but Momma wasn't thrilled with the photo. In high school when I first got interested in photograhy, my Mom was my first subject. She wasn't thrilled with his photo, but nonetheless she continues to make photo sacrifices for me!

CRYSTAL BALL

The oft talked about crystal ball that offers a glimpse into the future is a pretty concept (although I am not sure I would want to know what my future holds). One of my most treasured belongings is a different kind of crystal ball. It can't tell me the future, but this Waterford crystal baseball was given to me years ago by a very dear friend. The faceted baseball graces my coffee table, plays with the light and reminds me of my boys of summer, the New York Yankees.

MOVING ON

There's something about attending a commencement which always engenders in me an odd combination of hope and melancholy. It starts with hearing the traditional Pomp and Circumstance and ends with the usual tossing of the mortarboards. I look at the happy faces full of joy and ready to run towards their future. I think of where I was the day I graduated and where I am now. No regrets, although I wonder what my life would be like if I had listened to my Mom and chosen the career path she wanted for me. Like this image, life is full of reflections.

RAINDROPS

WINDOW LIGHT

The first photography class I took was my sophomore year of high school. Of course we were shooting black and white and learning to develop film. I was at a neighbor's house and shot a picture of a plant in their window. It was backlit, but I really liked the shot and I considered it an early success. When I saw this photo forty years later it reminded me of that picture I took so many years ago. The technology has changed a lot, but it's still all about the light and the composition.

CHARACTER

The weathered look of this building caught my attention, but I was in a hurry. I knew there was a photo to be made, but I also knew I would have to hunt for it a bit. I liked the geometry of the composition, the angles and the tonal range created by the peeling paint lends interest. A little wear and tear builds character, not just in buildings but in people too!

AT LAST

It seems that summer is the season that takes the longest to get here. In the bitter cold of January as I shovel the driveway, I pin my hopes on the promise of warm summer days. Today it felt as though summer had finally arrived. Memorial Day is the traditional summer kickoff and this was a beauty....even if I was working today.

EAST END ART GALLERY

I stumbled upon this simple scene when I popped into an art gallery in Riverhead. I was shooting an assignment and cutting through the art gallery was a shortcut to where my car was parked. It was pure serendipity because I lingered looking at the exhibit and couldn't help but take a picture of this scene. Sometimes the shortcut winds up taking you a little longer, but it was worth it. Things happen for a reason.

MILK AND COOKIES

Almost every night I venture into my yard to give Pistachio some treats. It has become a ritual of sorts. He jumps onto the kitchen window ledge, a signal that he is looking for his treats. He has become so domesticated (born feral, but now just a real love bug) that I regret not bringing him inside. I tell myself, Slugger (king of the house) would never have put up with an interloper. Now I wonder and assuage my guilt, by spoiling Pistachio with "milk and cookies".

HOT STONE MASSAGE

As I watched the smooth stones that were being used for a hot stone massage I thought about the bumpy road I have been on lately. Life has been anything but smooth, but I'm trying to see the silver lining. Maybe it's time to try a hot stone massage.

EAGLE EYE

I've used the expression "eagle eye" often and like to think that because of my craft I am fairly observant. Until recently I had never seen the eye or beak of an eagle so closely. I know they are a bird of prey (check out that killer beak) but what keen eyes they have. They can see forward and to the side at the same time and can see fish in the water from several hundred feet above. No telephoto lenses needed. They are majestic birds, gorgeous and impressive up close. I am so glad Ben Franklin's wish to make the wild turkey our national symbol never took flight.

GREENE AVENUE, BUSHWICK

I was taking the side streets to try and avoid rush hour traffic today when I spotted this truck covered with graffiti. Graffiti isn't unusual in New York City, it is everywhere. However, this truck made me do a doubletake.

A YEAR

I began this blog exactly a year ago with an entry called Another Season. Of course it was baseball themed and I am still particularly fond of that photo. It seems fitting that I close out the year with a baseball photo...literally. I spent yesterday touring the new Yankee Stadium and today touring the Mets new stadium, Citi Field. In a few short weeks the season will begin again and both teams will play in new ballparks on new grass. One of my favorite quotes is by the late A. Bartlett Giamatti, who was commissioner of baseball. "The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." Thanks for stopping by to look, thanks for all your comments too. This blog has been a good discipline for me. Frankly, I can't believe I posted daily for one year. Because of it I took pictures I might not have taken. I have learned a lot from the process. I am not jumping ship, just taking a breath and thinking about where the blog goes from here. I don't think I will be posting daily, but I will be posting.

RELAXING

After a long day it is nice to be able to sit in my kitchen and stare out at my garden. Not much in bloom yet, but sometimes the cats really perform. Pistachio seems to love sitting in the birdbath. He'll be surprised when there is water in there.

EIGHTH AVENUE PRIMARY COLORS

Lost in thought as I was walking up Eighth Avenue these bright storefronts caught my attention. Predictably one of them is for rent. I'm still wondering about the yellow store which offers "well drinks" (whatever that is) for five dollars during happy hour. I'm sure we can all use a "well drink"!

A SIGN OF SPRING

I walked around my backyard this afternoon and spotted my first sign of spring. One brave little yellow crocus had bloomed and in an instant I felt more hopeful. Ah, the promise of spring.

JUST MARRIED

Wandering around lower Manhattan this afternoon this couple that had just been married seemed oblivious to all the passersby.

ON BROADWAY

Saw a Broadway show tonight and as I walked to my car played with the light and color of Times Square at night. So often I am in here working during the day. It looks so much different at night.

MOVING ON

Today was Sonia's last day at HSBC and since she is the last one left in that particular office I stopped by to help her carry stuff out. Even though it was her decision to leave (because another bank approached her about working for them) it is hard to separate from something that has been a part of your life for several years.

WINDOW SHOPPING

You just never know what you are going to find when you go window shopping in New York.

SHADOW DANCE

IN A CROSSWALK AND AT A CROSSROAD

At work I have been shooting only video for the past week, no stills at all. Without my still camera my daily hunt for an image to post has been seriously impeded. With the year anniversary of my blog just about a week away I am at a crossroad. How do I continue a photo driven blog when I am not shooting still photos. This is really a puzzlement.

WALK THE DOG

As I walked west on 23rd Street I passed these folks walking their stuffed dog. Hummm... only in New York!

NEW AND OLD

As I was walking on Lexington Avenue I looked up to see the juxtaposition of this new building with the old one. I just really liked the interplay.

ON THE BENCH

As I walked past this scene I did a double take. I just loved the way the woman is engrossed in her book completely oblivious to the statue next to her. The statue appears equally indifferent, content to people watch. Found moments like this come easy to some photographers, sadly I am not one of them.

BROOKLYN

PAINTS

If my life is a canvas then I sure need to get a new paint color to brush on it.

NEW TRICKS

I spent the day trying to learn the ins and outs of shooting video, as well as becoming familiar with the new HD broadcast quality video camera I was issued. I will have to make some adjustments and learn to think differently in my approach to my assignments. It's visual, but a different kind of visual. When I got home I was still working with the camera, experimenting and trying to figure things out. It seemed kind of fitting to use my "still" camera.. the tool that I have used for the past thirty years to photograph my new camera. I can see that I will have to learn to think differently when I approach my assignments. In some ways life is like an elevator, you can go up or down but you can't stand still. So, I'm pushing the button for the penthouse and determined to learn some new tricks.

AHEAD IN THE END

As I waited to shoot an assignment today I saw this building across the street and it reminded me of another time, a simpler time. A time when you could embrace the belief that if you worked hard and did the right thing you would come out ahead in the end. It isn't that simple these days.

HAZEL

Hazel, one of my outdoor cats was hanging out on my patio table (I call it her porch) and enjoying today's milder temperatures. She and Pistachio seem to be relieved that the snow has melted. I'm relieved because I have worried about them all winter. Hazel still doesn't let me touch her, but I can get a lot closer than I used to.

TENACITY

This weekend I have spent trying to teach myself how to shoot video and edit it in a program called Final Cut. It is a whole new way of thinking for me. It has been a struggle. Today as I wrestled with Final Cut and berated myself for not understanding certain things, Mom was sitting by my side watching me edit. She assured me that if I persisted and was patient video shooting and editing would become easier for me. Mom, who taught hundreds of children how to read kept encouraging me to keep on trying...my own personal cheerleader. I realized that my struggle is nothing compared to what she has been through. She is out of the hospital, but she has multiple health issues and is more restricted then she was before this last hospital stay. I thought about how she has fought to live, the tenacity she has displayed throughout her life and decided that I can master video and final cut.

What's New Pussycat??

At work I am busy trying to learn new tricks (video) which is not easy for an older dog. Today was my day off, but I spent most of it trying to teach myself how to shoot with a new video camera and how to edit in Final Cut. I have a long, long way to go (no Oscars in my future), but here's my first attempt at video. Speaking of long, after watching this several times I know it needs a much tighter edit. Guess I am just too close to my subject! Be patient... the end is my favorite part!

COLORS

The clean simple lines and strong color made this photo a natural for me.

HANDS ON

Watching this woman work turn a lump of clay into a beautiful bowl made me think of Spring in the garden. There is a fundamental feeling of satisfaction when you dig in and get your hands dirty. Whether or not the payoff is a bowl created the same day or a stunning garden that blooms for months, that sense of creation, a hands on approach is a rewarding one.

A STUDY

WHITE OUT

I was up and out before seven this morning looking for weather art while navigating the slippery Long Island roads. We got hammered today. But between images of cars stuck in the snow, people digging out and kids building snowmen there was another picture. A simple beautiful scene that reminded me of Long Island's intrinsic beauty.

THE START

The old adage "March comes in like a lion..." is proving to be quite accurate tonight. Just before midnight I walked outside and looked down my street. Already about three inches. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day navigating the Long Island roads. I just hope March goes out like a lamb!

FAMILY RESEMBLANCE

AT SEA

I was sorting through some old family photos today and came across this one of my maternal grandparents who were married in 1902. This picture was taken around that time. I thought the picture was so romantic and captured a really lovely moment, so I copied it for my blog. I showed it to my Mom and she told me my grandmother hated being on the water because she got terribly seasick. So much for romance!

49

In spite of everything going on with my Mom, tonight a few friends gathered to celebrate Sonia's 49th birthday. In my world birthdays are sacrosanct and each one must be honored. Happy Birthday, Sonia!

ROSES

I brought home some roses tonight and liked the way the light and shadow played on the wall behind them. I guess I also hoped they might give me a rosier outlook. Okay.. bad joke.

REWARD

I've been getting home later recently and there are usually a myriad of errands to run after work. Tonight as I walked to my car after completing the final task I felt stressed and overwhelmed. I looked up and saw the sky's "afterglow" following the sunset. It felt like a reward at the end of my daily race.

BIKE LIGHT

Lately I am having trouble recognizing my life. It feels as though my life has taken a vacation and left me at home. This afternoon as I raced to make it to one of my Mom's doctor appointments I saw this bicycle parked in a bike rack. The sun was hitting it just so and the brilliant red fender was calling me. The bicycle wasn't locked up and the temptation to throw caution to the wind and take it for a quick spin was great. As cold as it was it would have been liberating to forget all the responsibilities and just ride into the wind. My responsible self prevailed, but even now almost ten hours later I'm thinking about that bicycle!

LOST IN THOUGHT

There is something about this photo that makes me keep coming back to it. Perhaps because the subject looks so puzzled, so lost in thought. I can almost feel his struggle as he wrestles with questions. Life is a puzzlement.

BORED ON THE BUS

The expressions of these people are not exactly a ringing endorsement for traveling by bus.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Right now I feel like everything in my life is under construction. I am trying to find some kind of balance in my life, a routine if you will... my life is under construction as I struggle to find a rhythm between working, caring for my Mom and managing things in my own life I feel as though nothing is normal right now.

A SIMPLE SCENE

As I drove around looking for the quintessential weather picture today I was struck by how simple, yet universal this street scene is. It could be almost anywhere in America, but I found it here on Long Island.

HOME

My Mom was discharged from the hospital today after a two week stay. She is still very weak and will need oxygen (they were adjusting the portable canister which is why it isn't in this photo). I had to shoot this picture from the hip without looking through the viewfinder... hospitals get crazy about cameras, HIPA laws and all. I almost didn't post this. Mom's expression is curious to me. She looks wary, almost frightened as she gets wheeled out of a very secure environment. She will return to her home where there will be lots of adjustments and challenges. This is a new chapter for all of us. I'm worried and a bit scared myself.

SPARE

The spareness of this leafless tree reaching up towards the sky juxtaposed against the parallel lines of the fences caught my eye. It's a spare scene, but I like it.

NEON SIGNS

Mom is hanging in there and I am eating out way too often. The color and reflections of these neon signs at a local pub (that has great burgers) caught me eye.

LUCKY

I got a call at 4:50am from the hospital telling me my Mom needed life threatening emergency surgery because she had several pulmonary embolisms as well as a blood clot in her leg. Of course I raced to the hospital. The doctors were brought in to do the surgery. The procedure was successful and she seems much more alert and like herself tonight. She got lucky! I figured with that kind of luck she ought to try a scratch off lottery card! She didn't get lucky with lotto, but she is lucky to be alive.

A TIP

I left the hospital to have a quick bite to eat for dinner. Somebody had thrown a tip down on the counter where I was sitting and I just loved the light. I grabbed a few shots and headed back to Mom.

MUD

This little place called MUD is right down the block from the hospital. It offers good coffee, interesting eats and wi-fi.... just about everything I need right now. It has become my new office and a quick get-away. I see a lot of Mom's doctors in there too.

LIFELINE

As I sat with my Mom today I saw how bruised her hands and arms are from all the IVs and ports. Her fingers, the outside of her hand and her forearms (which can't be seen here) are all various shades of purple and red. Her slight hands are still full of life and strength as she clutches the tubing which brings her oxygen--her lifeline. Mom's a fighter and she's hanging in there. I wish I could give her back part of the life she has given me.

SPRING

The weather turned warm today and hit sixty degrees on Long Island. It felt like Spring and if my Mom were not in the hospital I would have landed in Tampa at noon today to cover the New York Yankees spring training. It is beginning to look like Spring in her room with some really beautiful floral arrangements. Mom's hemoglobin dropped today and they found an aortic valve problem today. Lots of questions still, not many answers.

HOAG 1

This corridor at Winthrop University Hospital is known as Hoag 1 to the cognoscenti. After five days of staring down it I include myself among them. It looks remarkably quiet in this image. The reflections of the flourescent lights on the floor look a little like a racing stripe, rather apropos because there is usually a bevy of activity in the hall. Mom had some tests today and I am hopeful I will get some answers tomorrow.

NINETY ONE

Today was my Mom's ninety first birthday. She is still in the hospital, but we tried to make it as happy as we could.

OOB

There is nothing pleasant about a hospital stay...especially when you are along in years. The loss of independence is depressing and when you are seriously ill all sorts of thoughts run through your head. My Mom's expression says it all. The nurses who care for my Mom write goals for her on a board in her room. For days the goal has been "OOB". I finally realized that it is an acronym for out of bed. Today, Mom was able to leave her bed for a few minutes--- first time in four days. It was a small accomplishment, but I was so happy to see her sitting up. I wonder what tomorrow's goal will be.

THINKING OF MOM

Another long day at the hospital. I brought Mom some of the get well cards and birthday cards that have come to her home.I am taping them up on the hospital wall to make the room look more festive. Her next door neighbor sent some gorgeous flowers too that really brightened her spirits. She hasn't responded to the two pints of blood she received and today doctor's ordered another pint in the hopes that it would help her breathe more easily. Mom's fighting and I am praying for a miracle.

THE LITTLE LAMB

It was a very long day. I got home late from the hospital and as I got ready for bed I heard my Mom's voice in my head "Got a blog for tonight?" No. No I don't I thought. Then I stared at the little black lamb, a Steiff stuffed animal that has sat on my dresser since I was about eight years old. The lamb went away to college with me and has been my silent sentry, watching over me from the watch tower of my dresser. I remember the day my Dad bought it for me. I don't really remember him well (his work took him away a lot), I was eleven when he died. But I remember how carefully he choose that lamb from the glass case in a shop in Floral Park. The doctors told me my Mom's breathing is even worse today. She has been on oxygen for more than twenty four hours, but her breathing is shallow and labored. It scares me to watch her struggle. Tonight I think my Dad is watching over us both.

IN THE HOSPITAL

I spent the entire day at the hospital today. My Mom hasn't been feeling well the past few days and this morning when she called I could tell things were very bad. I am so spent tonight that I almost didn't post. I don't have a photo from today and I figured there was no point. However, I thought about how my Mom is the person who reminds me on each day to post. She almost always asks, "Have you got a blog for tonight?" There are times I post only because Mom doesn't want me to miss a day. So, tonight as Mom (who will be 91 in four days) rests in the hospital, fighting to breathe, I offer this photo of her from last December.

IN FROM THE COLD

I was playing with a new lens tonight when Sonia brought Pistachio (one of the outside cats) in to the house from the single digit cold. P got to warm up for a few minutes and then started to get skittish. Pistachio who was feral is really just a big mush. He is friendly and tame, but regardless of the weather he likes to live outside. It's a good thing too, Slugger wouldn't want any other cats in his castle.

SNOWY NAVIGATION

If I didn't know better I would think all the snow we have had this winter is some sort of punishment. As I navigated the back roads today looking for a "snowy" kind of photo I tried to recall the last winter that was this bad on Long Island. It's almost midnight and I just came in from shoveling yet again... it is still snowing. One thing I know for sure, all this white stuff will really make me appreciate being in Florida. One week to go!

MUSIC MAKER

It's all about the music we make, the music we hear and the music we feel. It's clear that this musician has a deep affection for his violin. His music is beautiful.

SKIPPING SHADOWS

Today's milder temperatures lured people outdoors. Lots of people found ways to expend pent-up energy. Skipping through the shadows of the Long Beach boardwalk was just one of many. I liked the sharp contrast of light and dark running through the image on a diagonal. The girl's red pants were just a bonus punctuation mark. Twelve days until pitchers and catchers report!

FIRESIDE SCRABBLE

I'm tired of winter. I'm sick of shoveling snow and being cold all the time. Tonight I made dinner for Mom and we spent a nice warm evening playing Scrabble in front of the fire. Mom had some real good words.. quota (ten points just for the Q) was especially good. I managed to win, but all those Sunday New York Times crosswords give Mom an unfair advantage.

POTS 'N PANS

TOO MUCH TECH

As I was winding down tonight I looked at the kitchen peninsula and saw my blackberry on top of my laptop. Nearby was the digital camera and some lenses and of course the ubiquitous cup of coffee. Who needs the coffee... I'm wired enough or is it wi-fi enough?

INTERSECTION

After a long day of driving in snow, sleet, ice and finally fog I was stopped at an intersection not to far from my home. I have driven through this spot countless times. Today as I looked at the tree silhouette which seemed even more dramatic in the fog, I also saw the symmetry of two stop lights and two telephone poles. I like the stark appearance of the tree, and there is something I like about the parallels of the telephone poles and the telephone lines. The punctuation of the red lights add depth. I guess I just like seeing this familiar spot in a new way.

A LONG DAY

From the look on my colleague's face it is apparent that he has had a long day. There is something so honest about his expression and by looking at him we recognize and feel his frustration. I like his expression and I like the use of space in this portrait too.

WAITING

I spent the better part of my day waiting. I wasn't alone, some of my colleagues were waiting too. I glanced over at one of my colleagues and thought her body language summed up the day rather well. I liked the folds in the oversized shirt and the texture... but I sure didn't like the wait. In a thirty year career, I wonder how many weeks or months I have spent waiting for "the moment".

DIFFERENT WORLDS

I find myself in a Starbucks almost every day. Sometimes I wonder what I did before Starbucks made it to the East coast. Of course, I go for the lattes but sometimes I set up shop and transmit photos using their wireless. I watch as people come in and order their very specific drinks, some rush out purposefully, but some linger. Some meet friends and some conduct business meetings. It's amazing all strangers and in very different worlds, but each in search of that cup of joe.

WARM HANDS

CORNER TABLE

I like the ambiance of this little Italian restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue. It is a real contradiction... a quiet corner table on a busy avenue. A warm,inviting place on a cold, dreary night. Besides the light is always interesting here.

WINDOW LIGHT

Late this afternoon as daylight began to fall off I went to turn on a light in my living room. That's when I saw the neat light and shadow play on the shade of one of my lamps. I really liked the reflections of the window panes on the shade and the shadow of the shade cast on the wall which is given life by the single patch of light. So often during the day I wonder where I will find a picture for my blog. This one was right in front of me.

TIME FLIES

FRESH SNOW

Today as America ushered in a new administration that engenders hope and promises change, this scene resonated with me. Fresh fallen snow with a fence that seems to be endless made me think about limitless possibilities.

THE MODEL

I got out my studio gray seamless paper and set up my new lights, eager to see how they looked. Not a person to model... so Slugger cooperated for a few very short seconds. Even his favorite salmon treats couldn't lure him back onto the stool!

HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE

The expressions of these two women caught my attention. Their attention focused on the speaker and their expressions so serene. The moment seemed so harmonious and isn't that what it is all about?

AT PEACE

At first my eye was caught by the sunlight pouring in through the library window. Dressed in his fatigues this solider looked oddly peaceful, yet out of place.

OLD SOUL

My cousin Jimmy's dog Angus, a Cairn Terrier visited tonight. Angus has a gentle spirit and gets along with all sorts of animals, including Slugger. In this photo Angus has such a sad look... like an old man or an old soul.

WINTER TREES

The days are getting longer now, but today's brutal cold was a constant reminder that we are still in the midst of the winter doldrums. The trees and their leafless silhouettes are beautiful in a strange way. They aren't as showy or in your face as they are when the leaves are full of color in autumn. Yet, they are majestic and pretty in an understated sort of way. Winter is a monochromatic season, you have to look harder to see the beauty in things. Maybe that's because everything seems so much harder in the chill of winter days.

STOP AND GO

Driving home from work was a slow stop and go sort of thing, but the sunset was easy on the eyes.

SPRING TRAINING SQUIRREL

Like many of us, this plump little guy wonders how long until pitchers and catchers report. In Tampa, the New York Yankees pitchers and catchers report on February 13. I am willing to bet this guy is a Yankees fan. If he wants to remain in my backyard, he better be!

EARLY LIGHT ON 125TH STREET

The first thing I noticed as I walked to my car on West 125th Street was the crisp light on the facades of these buildings. Then I noticed how they look like a bunch of building blocks, stacked on top of one another and next to each other. A hodgepodge of buildings that have had their raison d'etre reinvented time and again. I guess in that respect the lives of buildings are not unlike our own.

A WINTER BBQ

I love to barbecue in the summer. As the day gets shorter and the temperature drops, cooking becomes an inside activity. Not so for a good friend of mine who has been known to grill outside in single digit weather while standing on snow and ice. Perhaps it is my imagination, but the steaks seemed to taste even better on a winter grill. Maybe it was the side dish of warm summer memories that came with the steak.

READING ROOM

Today's snowy weather provided the perfect reason to curl up at home with a good book. I was surprised by how many people braved the elements to do just that at this bookstore! I liked the way each person here is engrossed in their own world, miles away from where they are, yet inches from one another. When I was in elementary school I remember my Mom telling me that books were my best friend because they were my window on the world and could take me anywhere. Mom was right (of course) and she instilled in me a lifelong thirst for reading.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My very dear friend Pam and I have been friends for 41 years. We grew up together and although she has lived in New Orleans for twenty five years, we still see each other many times during the year. Her parents still live in the town we grew up in. So, whenever she visits them I benefit too! Today was her father's 84th birthday and we all gathered to celebrate. I couldn't resist taking a few photos.

SHOW OFF

My cousin Jimmy's cat Oscarina was just begging for attention today when I stopped by. Jimmy is out of town and Oscarina is lonely. She was really showing off, rolling over, purring and doing anything to get some pets. Of course I thought she looked a little thin, but then compared to Slugger any cat would look slim! Jimmy is home this weekend and no one will be happier than Oscarina.

STILL LOOKING FOR LIGHT

JUST HANGING OUT

Today was a tough day at the office and a very long one. When I finally got home Slugger didn't bother to greet me at the door. I found him hanging out in the kitchen waiting to be fed. I'm glad someone in this house is living the life of Riley!

WINTER TREES

I liked the simplicity of this image. The bare tree limbs and the intersecting telephone lines made for an interesting juxtaposition.

CANDLE LIGHT

I love candlelit dinners. Just seeing candles makes me slow down and lowers my blood pressure. We had dinner tonight at a charming French bistro with lots of little white candles on the tables. This multicolored candle was also on our table. I enjoyed watched the colorful reflections dance on the wall as I took a deep breath and sipped a pinot noir.

CAT NAP

I wish I could fall asleep as easily as Slugger. During the day I will see him curled up on the heating vent or on the couch (I need a new one, but since one side of it is gray thanks to him I'm not rushing into anything) and even on the bed. He curls up and often puts his paw over his eyes (to block out the light?) and is off to dreamland. Lately I struggle with sleep. I get in bed and my mind goes into overdrive. Sleep used to come so easily, but in the past month or so the wee hours of the night pass very slowly.

AT NIGHT

When I was reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Crack Up in college I came across a line that has always stuck with me: "In the real dark night of the soul it is always three o'clock in the morning...." I think of this often when I wrestle with things late at night. Both thoughts and images can appear very different when shrouded in darkness. Something I might pay no attention to as I pass it during the day, becomes interesting at night. I have passed this building many times and never felt compelled to photograph it. Yet at night with the walkway lights reflected in the snow it looked both inviting and mysterious. The glass blocks added a sense of texture too and all of a sudden I saw things in it that I would never have seen in by the light of day.

NEW YEAR REFLECTIONS

Late in the afternoon of the first day of a new year I decided to try to create order where there is none--in my closet. This is a task akin to opening Pandora's box. As I rooted through some clothes, sorting through sizes and styles, I noticed the reflection of the window and blinds on the outside of the closet doors. I watched the reflection change from clean simple lines to stronger more confusing lines. Not at all unlike what was going on in my closet and my mind as I reflected on the year that has past and the one that has just begun.

GOODBYE '08

This afternoon as I peered out the kitchen window and watched the snow flurries, I spotted Mr. Cardinal in a thicket near the bird feeders. I have a few cardinal pairs that live in my yard all winter waiting for warmer weather and the promise of Spring. Tonight as we wait for 2009 to be ushered in with a lot of fanfare, I will remember Mr. Cardinal and the proverb, "Good things come to those who wait". For the most part I simply hope that 2009 is a good year. No big expectations, just an abiding hope that several things don't happen.

CHIAROSCURO

I was curled up reading when I spotted Slugger curled up in a patch of sunlight as cats so often do. Immediately I thought of my art history professor in college who spent the better part of a semester talking about "chiaroscuro", an Italian word for light-dark and commonly used in the art world to denote a bold contrast between light and dark. I grabbed my camera and started shooting wondering how the camera I am testing would perform trying to capture these contrasts. I am real pleased with the results. I really love this picture of Slugger. I am also real pleased that my middle aged mind was able to retrieve something I hadn't thought about in almost 33 years!

HARLEM

I think it is the symmetry of this photo that appeals to me. The white graffiti on the left side of the photo is balanced by a part of the tree on the right side. The arched doorway on the lower half of the image is balanced by the rectangular window above. The brick color of the lower part of the building versus the burgundy color on the upper part of the building. The woman dressed in black lends scale and interest at the same time. I wasn't sure if I liked this picture when I took it, but I like the balance of the photo. Perhaps because things seem so off balance right now.

JUST A TRIM

I can't believe it but I forgot. I forgot to post last night. I didn't even realize it until I got an email from a dear friend in Florida who was concerned about me. Thanks, Angelika! All is okay, except my mind is a bit scrambled from the roller coaster ride of the last few weeks. I got my hair cut and maybe that will lighten my load and provide me with clearer vision.

MY BROTHER

I was fooling around with my camera and really liked this picture of my brother. The light and shadow and his expression all work. I marvel at how much he looks like my Mom and how little I look like either of them. I guess it is all in the genes....

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

Besides great Asian fusion cuisine, Jin East has great ambiance too. I love to watch the sushi chefs and the way their white coats separate beautifully from the dark stone wall behind them. The play of light on the shiny stones is interesting too. I really had fun pushing the limits of my film speed setting (ISO) and seeing how the camera I am trying handled it. As for me, I handled the sushi without a problem!

THE CAKE

In my family Christmas dinner always concludes with the arrival of my brother's birthday cake. Every Christmas my Mom makes this cake from scratch and it is the ceremonial end of our Christmas celebration and the start of my brother's birthday which is December 26th. Over the years I have come to think how unfortunate it is to have a birthday so close to Christmas. Your special day is eclipsed by Christmas. Mom has always tried to make the distinction between the two, but Christmas is a real tough act to follow. Happy Birthday, Harold!

Christmas Eve

For as long as I can remember my immediate family has exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve. As a little girl I would stare out my bedroom window (which always had an electric candle in it) waiting for my Grandmother and Uncle to arrive. Over the years the tradition holds, but it is only my Mom and me and a few very close friends. So this was the scene under my tree tonight. Tomorrow the entire family will gather at my home for dinner and another round of gift giving. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

COOKIES

One of my favorite Christmas memories are the cookies my Mom used to bake. It was a marathon cookie session involving more than ten pounds of butter that resulted in thousands of cookies. Mom would make pretty tins and give them to to friends and family. Her recipes were handed down from an earlier generation. At 90 Mom has stopped baking Christmas cookies and I just can't seem to find the time to carry on the tradition. So today, I was delighted when Laurel stopped by and dropped off some cookies that she made. The cookies really brightened my day and reminded me of all those holidays spent baking cookies with my Mom. Laurel's cookies are delicious and I can't wait to share them with my Mom.

SLIPPERY PATHS

Frigid cold and snow continue to blanket the metropolitan area. Today I learned that I can continue to work at the place where I have been working for the past thirty years. My job will involve different things, but I am ready to embrace the challenge. However, I am sad for my work family, so many of my colleagues are forced to try to find work in a challenging economic climate. It isn't easy for any of us... those who are able to remain or those who must leave. My heart is heavy for those whom I will miss and at the same time I am breathing a little easier, but I feel strange about it. So many lives have been changed and I ache for my friends. For all of us the road is uneven and slippery.

MIXED BLESSINGS

In many households, including my own, families blend faiths and celebrate joint holidays. I like to think of this as mixing blessings and sharing traditions. Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah and to all who celebrate the festival of lights-- Happy Hanukkah!

UP OR DOWN

I have driven past this school hundreds of time. The geometry of this elementary school has always attracted me. The staircases, going up or down (depending on your point of view), the different shapes and intersecting lines all caught my eye.

MESSY

The icing on a really, really rough week was today's snow and sleet. Is there a message in all of this?

LIMBO

With less than a week until Christmas I still don't know if I will survive the cuts at my company. My friends don't know what to say to me and I see the troubled looks on their faces.

LOOKING UP

Sometimes things look better when you just try to change your perspective. So, today I just kept trying to look up!

WAITING

Eventually, given enough time most things become apparent. I guess it is the unknown that seems interminable. Living in limbo, not knowing how things will unfold is the worst and cruelest way to wait. It is that kind of time, when one waits for some kind of resolution that is the hardest to endure. Yes, time will tell, but how much time will it take?

HOTEL EMPIRE

A WATCHED SUPPER DISH

Never fills. Slugger's wondering how Ghandi did it?

TREE TRIMMING

I haven't been in the holiday frame of mind at all. Today I forced myself to put the Christmas tree up and to put the garland around the French doors. It took the better part of the day, but with the help of my Mom, my cousin Jimmy, Sonia and a few other friends Christmas has arrived at my home. I made sure the special ornaments got on the tree. I hung the old and very heavy green German kugel ornament that my maternal great-great grandmother brought with her when she came to the United States in 1858--- exactly 150 years ago. The lens ornament my friend Pam made for me from a cardboard toilet paper roll and plastic wrap 34 years ago is nestled among the branches. I recall that all I wanted was a 105mm lens that Christmas. Each ornament has a special memory. The one shown here is a handblown glass baseball player that my Mom bought for me in lower Manhattan years ago. There are no presents under the tree, but these memories are a special gift--especially this year.

SLEEP

Slugger senses something is bothering me. He follows me around and sticks even closer to me lately. He is always just a few feet away. At least someone in this house is still sleeping like a baby!

WORRIED

I've been preoccupied and worried about what is ahead lately. I spend a lot of time lost in thought, although I seem distracted and can't concentrate most of the time. I'm not good company. In Barnes & Noble I looked over and saw this worried expression on Sonia's face. I guess that sums it all up. Yet I know that this too will pass.

TAIL LIGHTS

Heading East along the Long Island Expressway service road in rush hour is always a test of my patience. I liked the way the elevated highway and high retaining wall on the righ seem to be swallowing up the long line of vehicles. This picture just seems to have a lot of geometry and angles to it which I think make it interesting.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Columbus Circle is all torn up with construction, but the holiday lights on the Time Warner Center are magnificent. When you sit in traffic and stare at them for a while they even look better!

THE GENIUS BAR

This isn't the genius bar at the Manhattan Apple Store, these college students are deep in thought and hard at work on a school project. I just liked the mood, the expressions and the light emanating from the light boxes under their laptops.

LAUNDRY DAY

From the looks of things, these women will be spending a lot of time in the laundromat!

SURVIVAL

I've had this Christmas cactus for well over twenty years. It was tiny and in full bloom when I got it. It started to grow and I had to repot it. I kept it in the kitchen of my then one bedroom apartment. For weeks it would go without water as I traveled on business or just plain forgot about it. It never bloomed again. Eight years ago I moved into my current house. I almost left it behind, but a friend retrieved it. Ever since I have been in this house the cactus blooms faithfully at Christmas. Today as I struggled to make sense of things and grabbed at straws, I saw in this plant a metaphor. It was neglected and moved from one place to another. It survived the changes and bloomed in spite of it all.

THIRTY YEARS

After the sudden and devastating news this afternoon, that the entire photo department of my newspaper would have to take a buyout or be laid off, I thought about not posting tonight. How do you measure thirty years in one place? What does it look like? How many perp walks and press conferences... how many hurricanes and blizzards? How many tennis matches and baseball games has it been? I can try to put a face on thirty years, but I can't begin to fill the hole in my heart. I love the newspaper industry and I hate what is happening to it. From the time I was fifteen all I ever wanted to do was be a photojournalist. This hurts more than I can even begin to say. It feels like a death in my family. Today a part of me died.

TIS THE SEASON

Late this afternoon I forced myself to begin some holiday shopping. I didn't get much done, but as I left a Starbucks latte in hand I saw these little white lights which looked like stars against the dark blue twilight sky. I had my camera and "played" with the image...shooting it a few different ways. Tis the season....

116 STREET, NYC

I like Manhattan best early in the morning. The light is edgy, the shadows are long and you can hear yourself think. Of course, in the city that never sleeps, that has to be very very early in the morning.

RISE AND SHINE

The light that streams through the window of my master bath is from the southeast and on sunny mornings it can be very bright. The light reflects on the walls of my shower stall and my eyes which usually want to remain closed, struggle to adjust to it. I like the light and the way it filters in and by the time I am out of the shower I peek out the bathroom window to see what birds are having breakfast at the feeders.

EIGHTH AVENUE

As I crawled up Eighth Avenue in midtown today I couldn't help but marvel at the hodgepodge of architectural styles... old and new, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Somehow it all works. As I looked at it through my camera it was a bit dizzying. When I look at it now it almost reminds me of an Escher print. Okay, so maybe the silver lining to sitting in traffic is that I see things I would miss otherwise!

THE GUGGENHEIM

I seem to be in a museum mode and after my trip to The Metropolitan Museum yesterday, I found myself at The Guggenheim today. I don't get to this museum very often. Whenever I do I marvel at Frank Lloyd Wright's spiraling design which always reminds me of the inside of a chambered nautilus seashell. The museum is really conducive to just ambling along and being surprised by one exhibit after another. Today was no exception. I just have to keep myself from continually looking up at the architecture.

THE CRITICS

I never tire of wandering around the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My Mom used to bring me here as a child and I am fortunate that she instilled her love for art in me. No matter how often I come here I always discover something new. I stumbled across this man sketching today and liked the idea that he was making art while surrounded by art. Like so many artists he had several critics looking over his shoulder.

SERIOUS SCRABBLE

The faces of my childhood friend Sara and her two girls (my Godchildren) tell you that this game of Scrabble was a real competition. We don't get to see each other often, usually only a few times a year. It's always special when we do, no matter who wins the game.

TURKEY LURKEY

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

CAT TAIL

Invariably when I am working on the computer Slugger will find his way next to my laptop. He positions himself so that he is looking out the window and his rear end is directed toward the keyboard. He has his window on the world and I suppose since I am online, I have mine. I have often been accused of getting "lost" online, surfing various sites and blogs and answering email. After awhile, I get the message that time is up. Slugger's tail starts to creep across my keyboard. Time to pet the kitty cat.