6-9-13 Travel Theme-Peaceful #2

Well I woke up Sunday morning,
With no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn’t bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled through my closet for my clothes,
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
An’ I shaved my face and combed my hair,
An’ stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.

I’d smoked my brain the night before,
On cigarettes and songs I’d been pickin’.
But I lit my first and watched a small kid,
Cussin’ at a can that he was kicking.
Then I crossed the empty street,
‘n caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin’ chicken.
And it took me back to somethin’,
That I’d lost somehow, somewhere along the way.

On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
‘Cos there’s something in a Sunday,
Makes a body feel alone.
And there’s nothin’ short of dyin’,
Half as lonesome as the sound,
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks:
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down.

In the park I saw a daddy,
With a laughin’ little girl who he was swingin’.
And I stopped beside a Sunday school,
And listened to the song they were singin’.
Then I headed back for home,
And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin’.
And it echoed through the canyons,
Like the disappearing dreams of yesterday.

On the Sunday morning sidewalk,
Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned.
‘Cos there’s something in a Sunday,
Makes a body feel alone.
And there’s nothin’ short of dyin’,
Half as lonesome as the sound,
On the sleepin’ city sidewalks:
Sunday mornin’ comin’ down.

Kris Kristofferson

This is my second pass at Ailsa’s Travel Theme of Peaceful this week. My first attempt is Here.

A quiet Sunday Street in Quetzaltengo (Xela) Guatemala

Xela

Here are a few other views:

Travel theme: Peaceful | Today, it’s like no other

Peaceful: Weekly Travel Theme | Canadiantravelbugs’s Blog

Travel theme: Peaceful « Leya

Peaceful/ Sommarkväll « Jag gör världen vackrare

Travel theme: Peaceful | Bams’ Photo

Travel Theme: Peaceful | Jejak Langkah…

Travel Theme : Peaceful – Damai | bambangpriantono

Travel theme: Peaceful | Milka Pejovic


6-8-13 Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting

To photograph is to hold one’s breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It’s at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.
- Henri Cartier-Bresson

The Photo Challenge is as fleeting as its topic. The challenge comes around every week but hesitate even slightly and suddenly a new challenge has taken its place.   I was planning on being really esoteric and smart about the challenge and avoid the more obvious choices but I realized that time is fleeting, and sometimes the obvious is only obvious because it is right.

I am sure many other folks will go the same way and I look forward to their views.

This photograph is exactly as I created back in 2005 in iPhoto.

Eva and Abigail Central Park - 2005 Victorian Gardens

Next year they are both seniors in High School. This weekend, Eva (L) is upstate at Mountain Jam. Abigail is on Randall’s Island at the The Governors Ball. Both are music festivals of 3 day duration. Their musical tastes have diverged. Their love for one another has not.

“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
- Dr Seuss

Here are a few other views for your enjoyment.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | WryGrass

weekly-photo-challenge-fleeting/Fleeting Moments #photography | Moondustwriter’s Blog

Weekly Photo Challenge – Fleeting « LargeSelf

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | Riding Bitch

Fleeting | de Wets Wild

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | LUND Sweden

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting – What Others Imagine | pics by peep

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | alien shores

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | Mama Sonshine

Weekly Photo Challenge: (fleeting) | Irresistibly Fish

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting | unexpectedincommonhours

fleeting « primo piano


6-7-13 Travel Theme: Peaceful – Hudson River Museum Edition

Boro Walk

Ailsa’s travel theme this week is Peaceful. Now let’s be honest. If you had spent a good portion of the last three years shooting the Hudson River and its banks, you would have a lot of photographs that say peaceful in one way or another. I sure do. I may get to them later this week but I promised yesterday that I would show you some of  Federico Uribe‘s Fantasy River. This is a site specific installation that he made for The Hudson River Museum.  For the theme of peaceful, and to show the way the piece flows together, I have decided to show panoramic pictures taken with my iPhone.

Boro Walk

Boro Walk

Boro Walk

Now not only is the exhibit peaceful in the way that river’s can be but I imagine the physical work of making these objects is also peaceful. I doubt the conceptualizing of the piece or the finding of te objects is peaceful but the making? I think it might be. In the interest of showing the quality of the work and to give you some idea of Uribe’s technique one close up from my Nikon.

Uribe built this guy  entirely from bullet shell casings which, of course, doesn’t sound peaceful but look what they turned into.

Boro Walk

For reasons I can’t begin to explain, this post has caused me to think of Berkeley, CA and the summer that Katherine and I spent there. We had a boatload of lovely moments that summer. It also brought to mind a song but before I put up the lyrics…a few other views of peaceful.

Travel Theme: Peaceful | Writing Prompts from Life

Travel theme: Peaceful | masadiso79′s Blog

 Travel Theme: Peaceful | LoganBruin–An Unauthorized Autobiography

 Travel Theme: Peaceful | a hectic life

 Travel Theme: Peaceful | Edge of the Forest


http://wp.me/a2dwKf-1r

Back in 1975 when this song was recorded, Independent Artists usually did not make videos, but kick back and listen to the tune by Cris Williamson.

Sometimes it takes a rainy day
Just to let you know
Everything’s gonna be – all right
All right

I’ve been dreaming in the sun
won’t you wake me up someone
I need a little piece of mind

Wake me from this dream
That I have dreamed so many times
I need a little piece of mind
Oh, I need a little piece of mind

When you open up your life to the living
All things come spilling in on you
And you’re flowing like a river
the Changer and the Changed
You’ve got to spill some over
Spill some over
Spill some over
Over all

Filling up and spilling over
It’s an endless waterfall
Filling up and spilling over
Over all

Filling up and spilling over
It’s an endless waterfall
Filling up and spilling over
Over all

Like the rain, falling on the ground
Like the rain, falling all around….

Sometimes it takes a rainy day
Just to let you know
Everything’s gonna be – All right
I know, I know, I know all right

Filling up and spilling over
An endless waterfall
Filling up and spilling over
Over all

Filling up and spilling over
It’s an endless waterfall
Filling up and spilling over
Over all


6-6-13 Crabs For D-Day

People of Western Europe: A landing was made this morning on the coast of France by troops of the Allied Expeditionary Force. This landing is part of the concerted United Nations’ plan for the liberation of Europe, made in conjunction with our great Russian allies … I call upon all who love freedom to stand with us. Keep your faith staunch. Our arms are resolute. Together we shall achieve victory.” 
-Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6, 1944.

In continuing my journey back to the beginnings of this thing I do, I went to Yonkers today.  Work continues apace on turning the old power station into a hotel and morgue – sorry I meant mall  (go here for a view as it used to be) – The Hudson River Museum has an excellent exhibit called Fantasy River. The artist is Federico Uribe and he makes all the work out of found discards. Based on my observation these include mini golf pencils and expended shells among many other items. I will write more about the exhibit in the next few days.

Today I want to write about Robert and George, two retired gentlemen who hang out at the waterfront and crab (along with a whole bunch of other fellas). Robert is married and George separated from his wife after he retired. It seems his being home while she was still working caused consternation.  George didn’t seem to be crabbing today. He was just visiting and helping Robert.

When I was there (at Noon) Robert had caught five Blue Crabs (they call them Blue Claw Crabs) which apparently meant his wife would welcome him home with open arms. I spent about 30 minutes with them, discussing climate change (they believe in it), politics (they don’t think anything we do makes a damn bit of difference) and we talked about the smart gentleman who bought the power plant from the city of Yonkers for $1 and then sold millions of dollars in shares based on the renovation plans being approved. They were.

George tells me that they are turning the smoke stacks into rooms. If true (I have my doubts) that would be one of the few really amazing things to come out of this renovation.

Let’s take a look at the old plant and then meet Robert and George.

Future Lux Suites?

Future Lux Suites?

Some graffiti is still untouched

Some graffiti is still untouched

Robert (foreground) and George hauling up a trap

Robert (foreground) and George hauling up a trap

Preparing to throw the trap

Preparing to throw the trap

I thought he was going to let me get set before he threw.

I thought he was going to let me get set before he threw.

George talking tornadoes and hurricanes.

George talking tornadoes and hurricanes.

Robert's hands opening the crab holder

Robert’s hands opening the crab holder

Now why are they called blue claws?

Now why are they called blue claws?

George and crab

George and crab


6-5-13 The Past-Present-Future Or Stranger In A Strange Land

I have been feeling a little jammed up over my river photography. Nothing flowing, fighting with my equipment, unable to really see what is in front of me.  Not having any problem shooting other places and spaces, just the river.

Two people, one dead and one living, suggested that I should go back to the beginning. Start shooting as if I had never shot the river before and walk where I had first walked. So, that’s what I did Monday. There were no great revelations, no instant “YES” moment but something shook loose. Things felt better, I felt better, more comfortable, more in the moment.  Back to basic principles.

Those of you who have been kind enough to be with QH since the beginning will recall that very early on I found a piece of flotsam which I photographed and posted. I first saw it on February 16, 2011. This is the first  picture I took of it. It is not the picture I used that day, which you can see here, because there was a piece of jetsam with it (now long gone) that I thought of equal importance.

First engine viewing-1

Two days ago, June 3, 2013 – 2 years and 4 months later…it has lost its propeller and gained vegetation but not much else.

Boro Walk

Mind you, the Hudson is an estuary down here so the water is salty, there are tides, hurricanes, blizzards and all sorts of other weather. At the pace this is going, this engine will still be there long after I am gone.

In another blast from the past…on February 1, 2012, I wrote about some unusual birds I had seen at Riverbank – post is here. I was not able to identify them but Carla did. They turned out to be monk parakeets aka Quaker parrots.  Here is a view of a few members of the flock from 2/1/12.

Quaker parrots - Riverbank -2

On Monday…no flock, but…Boro Walk

I don’t know if this guy has been thrown off the island, got lost, or is an advance scout but he was singing up a storm.

Finally, just a few weeks ago on May 23rd, I showed you a picture of a goose family with their toddler goslings. They are  teenagers now and have their learner’s permits.

Boro Walk


6-4-13 The Bronx Shoreline-Riverdale

Before heading out to Jackson Heights Saturday afternoon, I spent the morning in the Bronx, the Riverdale section to be precise. There is only one authorized way to get to the river in the Bronx, that I am aware of, and I was not near it so over the tracks I went.

It was a beautiful morning…

The tracks

The tracks

A piece of train?

A piece of train?

Pay attention

Pay attention

Made it

Made it

The Palisades

The Palisades

Looking south to the city

Looking south to the city

Bird thought bubble: "I'll eat you if I'm able."

Bird thought bubble: “I’ll eat you if I’m able.”

Da train, boss. Da train.

Da train, boss. Da train.

Okay. WordPress tag suggestions for this post include Anthony Weiner? Cognitive dissonance.


6-3-13: Boro Walk: Jackson Heights, Queens

There’s a hold up in the Bronx,
Brooklyn’s broken out in fights.
There’s a traffic jam in Harlem
That’s backed up to Jackson Heights.
There’s a scout troop short a child,
Khrushchev’s due at Idlewild
Car 54, Where Are You?

If you grew up in the US and are of a certain age you recognize the lyric above. It was the first time I ever heard of the neighborhood known as Jackson Heights.  (FYI: Before 11/22/63 Idlewild was the name of John F Kennedy International Airport.)

This past Saturday we took the final ICP Boro Walk. It was to “Exotic Jackson Heights” and  Kevin Downs, an excellent photographer – check out his work, HERE! - and quite the raconteur led the walk.  He was ably assisted by yours truly.

We started at 4pm at ICP, hopped on the 7 train and stayed in Jackson Heights until 10pm. Among other locations, Kevin took us to a good and very inexpensive pool hall, and the barber shop where he gets his hair cut. Jackson Heights is an extremely polyglot neighborhood as I believe these pictures will reflect.

Come walk with me. (Click on any image to enlarge)


6-2-13: Travel Theme- Costume

Ailsa’s Travel Theme this week is Costumes. I think last year’s Mermaid Day Parade fits the bill.

Costumes-1

Costumes-2

Costumes-4

Costumes-5

Costumes-7

Costumes-3

Costumes-6

Because of Sandy, the parade lost a lot of its revenue generating potential over the winter and has started a Kickstarter campaign to keep it afloat this year. Feel free to give them a buck or two here.

 

A few other views:

Weekly Travel Theme: Costume | wordsvisual

Travel Theme – Costume/Kostum Part/Jilid Two/Dua | bambangpriantono

Travel Theme: Costume | beyondpaisley

Travel theme: Costume | Ain’t Mine No More

Travel Theme – Costumes | Stories After Bedtime

Travel Theme: Costume | alien shores

Travel theme: Costume | northumbrian : light


6-1-13 The Bronx And Queens

The Bronx

20130601-224104.jpg

Queens

20130601-224206.jpg


5-31-13 Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says

This week’s Challenge is: The Sign Says. I think some of you may have seen this before but, really how could I resist.

They ask that you: Share a picture of a SIGN and explain why you chose that picture!

But I think the picture provides all the explanation needed,. I took this in Troy, New York on the night of November 16, 2011.

sign-1

Here are a few other views of signs

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says | suzie81′s Blog

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says – Joy and Woe

Weekly Photo Challenge – The Sign Says (Papan Tanda Berkata) | bambangpriantono

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says | Dim Lamp/קנה רצוץ לא ישבור

Weekly Photo Challenge; The Sign says | So where’s the snow?

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says | The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
http://windagainstcurrent.com/2013/05/31/weekly-photo-challenge-the-sign-says-take-two/
The Flushing | Good2begone

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says (Crystal Cove) | skpfoto

The Sign Says | Cardinal Guzman

Weekly Photo Challenge: The Sign Says | Queenie

Weekly Photo Challenge – The Sign Says | buntscheck


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