ILLITERACY

It is my observation that cats contribute to illiteracy. Slugger loves to sit on top of the newspapers. In the mornning I like to have breakfast and page through the papers. Usually by the time I get my coffee and breakfast together, he has positioned himself on top of the papers making it impossible to read them without first dislodging him. Other cat owners that I have spoken with have similar experiences. Maybe that is the fallacy in my thinking. Do we ever own our pets? I believe they own us!

THE ICE MACHINE COMETH

The good news is I came home without Red Socks and so far I am not in terrible pain. My knee is wrapped up from mid thigh to my ankle and I can't see what it looks like, but I do remember my surgeon signing my leg before going into the operating room (I guess his way of identifying which leg was to be operated on). The best device for keeping the pain and swelling down is not the percoset, but the magical ice machine that my friends Nancy and Sammy rushed over to my house ten minutes after I got home from the hospital. Sammy had a similar procedure and had me hooked up to the machine in no time. This miracle machine has a cuff that velcros around my knee, the interior of the cuff has plastic channels connected to hoses that attach to a small playmate style cooler (blue cooler that my foot rests on in the photo). The cooler is filled with water and ice and has a pump that circulates the cool water around my knee. I guess the real pain test will be in the morning! Now I just have to figure out how to get up the stairs to bed!

BEFORE

This sure isn't art, it isn't even close to pretty, but to me it is the only left knee I have known for 52 years. It wasn't easy taking a photo of my own knee. My mother was horrified that I would even think of posting my knee to my blog, but hey it is what is on my mind tonight. I keep thinking that red scab on the side of my knee that I got from scratching a mosquito bite is exactly where the surgeon will cut tomorrow. He is going to try to repair a significant tear to my meniscus, a partial tear to my ACL as well as bone spurs. He says he hopes to "clean up the joint" because I have a lot of arthritis in it. I guess this just reinforces that I am middle aged. My biggest concern? He is a Red Sox fan. Is it too late to reconsider this?

SWEET ONIONS

I walked through a local farmer's market today filled with fresh produce. The colors of all the produce made me think of a crayon box. I was drawn to the color and shape of these onions. I liked the gentle curve of their stalks and the sense of texture created by their wiry roots. There were plenty of vegetables that would have made a really pretty picture, but I thought this was an interesting composition.

FIRST OF THE SEASON

I was crazy busy this morning getting ready for work tonight but as I passed my tomato plants I spied a red cherry tomato! I was so excited I picked it although it probably could have stood another day or two on the vine. I haven't eaten it yet, and will probably let it sit on the window sill and ripen a day or so. I thought it was kind of neat that the first tomato of the season was picked exactly half way through the baseball season on the day of the All Star Game at Yankee Stadium which is in its final season. There are all kinds of seasons in life.

GOOD YEAR

For the past several evenings the Good Year blimp has flown over my house. I have seen it over Yankee Stadium, probably for the All Star festivities, but nevertheless I feel as though it is following me. Okay... paranoia, no doubt, but it is still weird to see it flying overhead as I work and then to see it over my home. I just hope it is spreading Good Year karma everywhere!

TO SLEEP

It was drilled into me to make my bed before leaving the house in the morning. Okay... in college I always had an unmade bed, but for the rest of my adult life it was made before breakfast. I usually change the sheets on the weekend, so I left the bed unmade because I figured I would do it when I got home from work. I never figured I would get home this late and have to face my self-imposed rules of very tight sheets with hospital corners! Note to self...big mistake, if you can't change the sheets in the morning....make the bed! This was a tough lesson.

CATKINS DIET

Just a few days ago Slugger was weighed in by his vet. As you may recall she felt he should go on a diet, one of high protein and low carbs. This evening Slugger was propping himself up against the dining room wall. So far it doesn't look like much progress has been made.

SWEET GUM

As my Mom left me today she handed me this woody looking sphere and said, "Do you know what this is?" Puzzled I shook my head. "Sweet gum", she replied and continued, "Remember that post you did about sycamore trees (March 27), well you were wrong they were sweet gum trees". Mom told me she did some checking and actually found this sweet gum pod or seed ball to show me. She had been driving around with it for several months. I couldn't believe that she pursued this, but then if you know my Mom you know she is tenacious when it comes to education and learning (especially the New York Times Sunday crossword). I turned the pod over in my hands, touched the sharp prickly edges and marveled at how intricate it was. All dried it looked interesting and I liked the way the light hit it. I mused about how such a thorny, prickly thing could be from a sweet gum tree! Just another conundrum to think about.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

Slugger had to go to the vet for a check-up today. He cried, grumbled and growled most of the way perhaps because he knew he would be weighed. Like his Mom, he is not fond of the scale. The moment of truth came when Dr. George put him on the scale and he weighed in at a hefty 17.3 pounds. YIKES! What's a fat cat to do? I told Dr. George it runs in the family and that the whole family is going on Weight Watchers. Dr. George thought a "Catkin's diet" would be more appropriate for Slugger---dry food high in protein, low in carbs. I just hope his bloodwork comes back okay tomorrow.

SONIA SALAD

Mom always said, "Eat your veggies" and to ensure that we did, there was always a salad on the table before our entree. Since my Mom is essentially a vegetarian, I learned to like salads and vegetables at a very early age. I guess that's why every night my dinner entree is preceded by a very big salad. Tonight's salad was comprised of all the organic greens I picked up at my CSA share. The spicy arugula was especially yummy. Salads are kind of like life, a little bit of this and a little bit of that...just enough of everything to keep them interesting.

LONE LILY

On the very edge of my property near my white picket fence is a clump of daylilies. I have never paid them a whole lot of attention, but today when I got home from work I was struck by the way the light was hitting them. They seemed to be almost an electric orange and their contour and graceful form was so pronounced that I had to grab the camera. It's funny how you can walk past something for years taking it forgranted and never give it a second look. Then all of a sudden your attention is drawn to it and you see it in a whole new light.

A GORGEOUS GIFT

About seven years ago I was admiring an enormous hydrangea at a friend's home. Several weeks later the friend stopped by and gave me a cutting from her shrub. That little cutting is now a big beautiful plant that brings me joy every year when it blooms. Of course there is great satisfaction in seeing plants you have placed in your garden grow and bloom, but there is something even more special about a cutting from your friend's garden that takes root in your own garden! It's like having a part of them right there in your garden!

SLUGGER

For a six year old cat Slugger has had a lot of health issues (he takes three pill a day!) and lately he has been under the weather. Of course I worry and watch his every move. I was happy to see him sitting on the window sill when I came home from work. He was fascinated by a rabbit eating a clover dinner on my front lawn. Funny the coloring of the rabbit was very similar to Slugger's tabby color which reminded me of how friends and I speculate that Slugger must be part rabbit because he hops up and down the stairs like a bunny. He looks like a real predator in this picture, but he is just a big chicken. Such a chicken that he doesn't like to go outside...even if I carry him outdoors. He has an appointment at the vet on Thursday, so stay tuned.

DETAILS

The handles on this Brooklyn brownstone intrigued me. At first I was attracted to the detail and design of this handsome vintage hardware. As I looked more closely I saw the scratches on tumbler face and the rust on the plates and handles. I got to thinking about how long they had graced the warm wood doors, and to how many people these front doors had been home. These door handles are small details, but they remind me to pay attention to the little things in life. Sometimes the small things can make the big picture look so much grander.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

I usually work on July 4th, but today was really an Independence Day for me! It wasn't the typical sunny July 4th you think about, but it was a day free from work. Rain threatened and eventually the skies did open, but the view from my kitchen window was a patriotic red, white and blue! As I write this I can hear fireworks going off in the distance.

CANDY CAT

When I walked into a local shop and was greeted by this charming cat offering candy I couldn't help but wonder how I could train Slugger to do the same.

THE EYES HAVE IT

What did I see while shopping for eyeglasses? Out of the corner of my eye my own reflection in this perfectly round mirror. I liked the geometry of it and I really liked the image of the man in the screen (far left) behind me. It gives the image more interest and depth. The pipes, superstructure and lights in the ceiling (also reflected in the mirror) create an otherworldly feeling.

CYCLONE

Today was one of those days. There seem to be more and more of them. You know, the kind of day where you go non-stop from one thing to another, there are more things on your to do list then can be done in a week much less 24 hours. Your cell phone and home phone are ringing at the same time and your call waiting is going too. Yep, the kind of day where you feel like you are on a never ending roller coaster ride. Somehow this image of the Cyclone in Coney Island seems to sum up my day. One of the few memories I have of my Dad was a trip to Coney Island about forty five years ago. We didn't go on the cyclone because I was way too little, but we did go on the Wonder Wheel together. I remember from the top of the Wonder Wheel everything looked so small. It was a simpler time, a kinder time. Now even small things become big. Today life was an endurance test and I lost.

FLYING HIGH

Just a few blocks from Yankee Stadium is a park designed for skateboarders and people on rollerblades. It is here where kids challenge themselves to skate faster, jump higher and where they push themselves to new limits. Here in the shadow of Yankee Stadium unknown athletes aspire to greatness. I admired the determination of these kids and today I pushed myself further and resisted the urge to be complacent.

SUNDAY NAP

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon then catching a cat nap? I just loved the pure innocence this little girl embodied by curling up on the lawn and drift off to sleep. Frankly, I felt like doing the very same thing, but of course I had to go to work. I remember in kindergarten we used to have nap time, if I tried that now it would be called sleeping on the job!

ALWAYS A TEACHER

Most schools are on vacation now, but school was in session at my house this afternoon. Always the teacher, my Mom was passing on her strawberry shortcake recipe, complete with a hands on demonstration to ladies generations younger. As I watched her in action I remembered why parents used to request that their children be in her class. She hasn't lost her touch, organized and patient a perpetual teacher. Her hands belie her years, yet despite arthritis they make a mean strawberry shortcake. Those hands diapered me, spanked me when I was bad and squeezed fresh orange juice for me each morning until I went off to college. They knitted sweaters, scarves and hats for me, dried my tears and still comfort me. If I make it to ninety, I hope I am half as good as my Mom is now.

FLIP FLOP

I've been thinking a lot about flip flops, not only the footwear but how we flip flop in life. I love to wear flip flops and look forward to the day that I can live on the beach and flip flops are the footwear of choice. I just don't like it when things and people that you count on flip flop. Lately, it seems there has been a lot of that in my world. So today seemed to be the perfect day for a flip flop photo. This photo is filled with all kinds of shapes, colors and patterns, yet somehow it all works together. If only it were that way in life.

BOTTOMS UP

For all my friends who say this blog is cat biased, this post is for the dogs! I was out in The Hamptons walking along Main Street feeling a bit parched when I saw this dog bar for our four legged friends! Not just any doggie bar, this one was quite upscale with a placemat and flowers near the table! It is definitely a five star stop. After all it is in The Hamptons. As for me, I found a very overpriced bottle of water in a chic-chic shop.

HOLLYHOCK

I know a friend of mine that reads my blog will take me to task for posting another flower photo. He will tell me I need to get out of my yard and look for fresh images. I hear you, but you know I really like this image. I like the form of the green leaf on the left and the way it adds depth to the photo. I like the detail in the flower and the contrast of the deep pink with the green leaves. I like the composition and balance of it too. And, I like hollyhocks! My Mom, who taught me just about everything about flowers and gardening, bought me this hollyhock. They are among her favorite plants too. We both think they are happy plants and you can never have too much happiness!

CHILD'S PLAY

As I walked through a playground today I was amazed at the sophistication of today's playground equipment (compared to the stuff I played on as a kid). This boy was just fascinated with the construction of the climbing contraption he was on-- no doubt an engineer in the making. This simple moment made me long for a simpler time. A time before multi-tasking, a time when a person could focus on one task at a time and not feel stressed about the dozens of things that still must be done. A time when seven hours of sleep was possible. When did it all get so complicated?

THE GIRLFRIEND

Slugger spends a lot of time home alone. I always thought most of it was sleeping, but today when I got home I discovered he had a girlfriend. He looked a bit annoyed at the intrusion, but then she doesn't look very warm or cuddly to me. At least I know there won't be any kittens! I grabbed this photo and wish I had time to remove the red rubber mouse on the nameless girlfriend's back!)

CATHEDRAL OF BASEBALL

I admit it I am a diehard New York Yankees fan. I think it is genetic. Sixty five years ago one of my parents first dates was a 1943 New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals World Series game. If you were born into my family, it was predetermined that you were a New York Yankees fan. Anything else was not only unacceptable but heresy. Today as I looked up at the stadium's facade I thought of the countless times I have had made the trek to 161st Street and River Avenue to see the boys of summer play America's pastime. Today with storm clouds forming over the Bronx, my heart felt heavy because next year the Yankees will play in a new stadium. My only consolation is that the new stadium is right next door and thankfully the Bronx Bombers will remain in the Bronx.

A COOKING HINT

This cooking tip is guaranteed to improve most dishes! A friend who knows I like good wine bought me this wooden plaque. I placed it on a small shelf in my kitchen which displays some of my favorite things.

SCRABBLE

I'm returning to my roots. I have rediscovered Scrabble. The past few Friday nights have been dinner with Momma, my cousin and some friends and then dessert with a game of Scrabble. Mom's a tough opponent, but then she always was a wordsmith, finishing the New York Times Sunday crossword before the day is out! There is something about taking random letters, working with them and creating meaningful order that I like. It's especially nice when you can place the order you created on a triple word score space, as I did tonight for 45 points! I managed to win tonight. Our Scrabble games are brain food and so much more.

CONCENTRATION

I loved the mood of this picture, the young woman's concentration and isolation. I liked the pattern created by the window reflected on the carpet and the geometry of the objects-- round table, square chairs and the oval silver desk lamp. There are a lot of elements that seem to work together here, but separately they wouldn't have worked at all. I guess I just like this moment.

HOT DOG

Sometimes, a picture really is worth a thousand words!

LILY MYSTERY

I can count on the fact that every Easter my Mom brings me a traditional Easter lily. She always picks a nice squat one, so that it doesn't get "too leggy". I enjoy not only the plant but the wonderful fragrance that permeates my home. Of course after a few weeks the blooms are spent. Gradually it makes its way to the porch and then sometime in May I plant them in the garden. Actually I did this on a whim, never expecting that the lily would actually flower again. Now I have a big clump of about eight plants in the garden, but the amazing part is the lilies bloom every year in June, but the blooms are this marvelous orange color, not white as they originally were.

ANYWHERE

As I was driving along a well traveled Long Island thoroughfare today littered with the usual commercial and industrial stuff--chain stores, body shops and billboards, suddenly this lovely fence with climbing roses jumped out at me. I was so stunned to see this bucolic scene that I had to hit the brakes and jump out to make a picture. The fence and roses seemed so out of place as though they had lost their way or belonged to a different era. At the same time it seemed to be such a universal scene, so Anywhere, USA; but just not here on this heavily travelled Long Island artery. The picture is simple, but where I found it filled me with contradictions and made me think of a lost era and a lost part of Long Island-- the Long Island of my youth.

ALL DRESSED UP

I loved this little girl's hot pink sun dress complete with matching shoes, a young fashionista in the making! I also loved the way the hot pink jumped out from the the gray metal sculpture piece. She seems oblivious to the sculpture which is so much bigger than she is. Lost in her own dreamy world this toddler is happy blazing her own path.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

My afternoon in the garden was cut short by a very dramatic thunderstorm that continues tonight. I got some of my plants in, but not nearly what I had hoped to. It was probably a blessing in disguise since my knees aren't what they used to be. This year I even caved in and bought some blue kneepads to cushion them when I plant. They make quite a fashion statement!

THE HAT

I was at an event today, filled with loads of people. As I made my way through the crowd, everyone seemed faceless. Maybe I just wasn't looking---I was focused on getting to a specific area. Then the hat caught my eye and as I stared I noticed the little dots of sunlight that passed through the straw hat and created a pattern on the woman's face. I just liked the form of the hat and of course the way the pattern of sunlight punctuated her face. This hat sure provides protection from the sun!

INDULGENCE

Sometimes at the end of an interminable day in the office the rewards must be sweet. I thought about the strawberries from my farm share. I daydreamed about what I could do with them. They tasted mighty good on top of a low fat klondike bar with chocolate cat cookies (for people) and a dab of whipped cream. The end of the day was the best part of the day. Seems it has been that way a lot lately!

MY SHARE

Like Kermit the Frog, I am going green. Okay everybody is buzzing about "green", but this year I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) and every week about a mile from my house I pick up "my share" which is trucked in from the farm in Aquebogue. The share changes weekly depending on what is harvested but it always includes farm fresh eggs, vegetables, fruit and a fresh bouquet of flowers. It's a small step but I like the idea of supporting local farmers and besides my eyes are green!

END OF AN ERA

I awakened with a jolt to the sound of heavy machinery on my very quiet suburban street. Peering out the window I saw a bulldozer removing not only the street signs but the quaint vintage green poles. The poles are older than I am and have been in place since the community I live in was built after World War II. It was a sad moment, but the highway department proclaimed the new ugly galvanized aluminum poles are "maintenance free". They are also without charm or character. Sometimes perceived improvements simply are not improvements at all. So much for "maintenance free".

HITCHING A RIDE

As I turned the corner tonight wondering what I would post I saw these two boys riding down the street. I thought that this image was timeless. For me it represents a classic childhood moment, one that we have all experienced. Today when so many children are parked in front of their computers, it was refreshing to see these two kids outside just having fun.

FRAMED

This is a very simple image...clean lines and just very graphic. I just love the lines and how straightforward this image is.

COOLING OFF

Today's sudden heat took its toll on my flowers and on me. As I turned the hose on the garden I really felt like turning it on me. No relief in sight for the next several days.

ONE WAY

Stopped at a light in Manhattan today I saw these one way signs. Of course I was drawn to their juxtaposition, but I saw them as a metaphor for certain situations in life. So often when faced with a decision we have to chose one way, but which way? As Robert Frost wrote in his well known poem The Road Not Taken "Two roads diverged in a wood and I...I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference." Indeed it has.

A BEACON

Late at night when I drive down my street and everything is dark, the portico light is my beacon. Like a homing pigeon I steer right to it. This simple light welcomes me home and just seeing it soothes my soul.

A GRAY DAY

On a gray day everything looks flat and there just isn't any dramatic light to give that extra punch to a picture. I liked this image though, the dimension and vanishing point and the frame created by the fence in the foreground and the tree branches on top. I stood for quite awhile thinking of the right composition and wishing I were on one of those boats headed out to sea.

PEONIES

When I moved into this house the garden was neglected and very overgrown. I wasn't sure what flowers (if any) to expect. The peonies were a big beautiful surprise. Every year there is lots of anticipation about the peonies. Will they come back again? Did they make it through winter? Then we watch as the buds get bigger, we stake them and wait for the first bloom! Yesterday they started to open and today we had lots of flowers. Heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow, so to savor them a little longer we cut them and made a gorgeous bouquet. The bouquet is a show stopper for everyone except Slugger. As you can see he is not impressed.

REFLECTIONS

As I looked at the United Nations Secretariat building I was fascinated by the the way New York's skyline was reflected on the building. I loved the geometry of this picture which almost looks like a jigsaw puzzle.

TIME FOR THAI

It was a long day at the office today and by the time I left it was already late. Dinner would have to be out. I headed for my favorite Thai restaurant and with the last hints of daylight in the sky made this photo. I love the magic of the approaching night sky and the way it makes something familiar, like the exterior of this restaurant look different, almost exotic.