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!