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Tuesday, December 31, 2019

366 New Opportunities Begin Tomorrow (Tuesday's Truths WK 157)

IMAGE CREDIT

In honor of the upcoming new year, which starts tomorrow, I am sharing this sweet illustration (above) which I saw on the FB Page of bird rehabber extraordinaire, Amanda Remsberg.

I appreciate the illustration as well as the sentiment, but someone should inform the feline featured here that the number of new opportunities this time around will be 366!

Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Fourth Day of Christmas 2019

IMAGE CREDIT

Today marks The Fourth Day of Christmas, a day when someone's true love gave them four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

I'm honoring the holiday with the illustration posted above, which is one I featured in last year's Fourth Day of Christmas entry.

Within this entry I'm also honoring the holiday with four pictures of a calling bird known as a Taveta Golden Weaver (Ploceus Castaneiceps) one of the image is directly below.


I saw this bird type during my November visit to the Central Park Zoo, a visit which I discussed two weeks (December 14, 2019) here on Blogger.

The aforementioned entry features some of the other bird varieties (Black Swans, Pied Avocets, Scarlet Ibises, as well as a Victoria Crowned Pigeon and green parrots) whom I observed when I was at the zoo on that day.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Red-crested Cardinals vs. Northern Cardinals (Friday's Follow-Up)


Nearly two weeks (December 14, 2019), I published a post here on Blogger featuring some of the bird varieties (Black Swans, Pied Avocets, Scarlet Ibises, as well as a Victoria Crowned Pigeon and green parrots) who can be found at the Central Park Zoo.

I concluded that entry with a promise to feature (within subsequent posts) facts about other bird varieties as well as other animal types who reside there.

Today I will tell you about one of those birds, the Red-crested cardinal who can be seen in the picture atop this entry.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Boxing Day 2019


Unlike the characters in The Mutts comic strip (posted above), on this day after Christmas,  I am stirring, but like them I'm exhausted, so I'll keep it short.

Today is Boxing Day "which is only celebrated in a few countries; mainly ones historically connected to the UK (such as Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and in some European countries. In Germany it is known as "Zweite Feiertag” (which means 'second celebration')."

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Christmas 2019


I know the feeling, CB.

I still have Christmas cards to write because I did not finish them due to of difficult personal circumstances that required my full attention; but I did get a few cards out and the ones I still need to send are addressed as well as stamped —  I just have to write notes on them.

Thankfully Christmas is a season — not just one day and with that thought, I best publish this post  and get on to finishing my cards.

Meanwhile, dear peeps, hope you and yours have a chance to celebrate the holiday of your choice or celebrate no holiday if that’s your choice.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Christmas Eve 2019 (Tuesday's Truths WK 156)

CHRISTMAS PAST

CHRISTMAS PRESENT


CHRISTMAS FUTURE


Welcome to my one-hundred and fifty-sixth episode of Tuesday's Truths which coincides with Christmas Eve.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Monday's Memo: My carousel article was published last week (12-18-2019).

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY ARTICLE

My latest iLovetheUpperWestside article (published by Mike Miskin), discusses the history of The Carousel in Central Park. You may also click here to read it.

Friday, December 20, 2019

In Memory of Monsignor Robert O'Connor


Thinking of the beloved Monsignor Robert O'Connor on what would've been his 89th birthday had he not died on 4-20-2016. I know I'm hardly alone in saying, how blessed I am for having the opportunity to know him.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Christmas is one week from today!



In one week's time, it will be Christmas Day and thanks to my gardening partner in crime (Juan V), unlike Snoopy, I didn't have to unplug anything to get my Christmas tree to be lit!

AND also thanks to David Denny (DD) for taking aerial shots of my garden!



It was very late at night (Saturday 12/14) or very early Sunday morning (12/15) when DD, his entourage and I did "The Drifters" thing and went "up on the roof..."

By the way, if you look closely at these images you will see that I was able to winterize my garden by wrapping every container.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Soon it will be 2019's New Year's Eve! Tuesday's Truths WK 155

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY ARTICLE

Welcome to my one-hundred and fifty-fifth episode of Tuesday's Truths where I'm using the opportunity to remind you that in exactly two weeks time it will be New Year's Eve! I'd also like to  let you know that in my latest iLovetheUpperWestside article (published by Mike Miskin), I discuss how the Midnight Run in Central Park became an annual tradition for ringing in a new year. You may also click here to read it.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

NYC will NOT be a NO horse town!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY ARTICLE

The history as well as the ultimate fate of Claremont Riding Academy and Claremont Stables are discussed in my latest iLovetheUpperWestside article (published by Mike Miskin). You may also click here to read it.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

My Encounter with a Scarlet Ibis (AKA Eudocimus ruber) Tuesday's Truths WK 154


The photo atop this entry features a Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) who is a bird type I met in Central Park Zoo nearly a week and a half ago. This variety is found in the wild Tropical rainforests and mangroves of Central America and northern South America.

The zoo's web-page describes them as having  being "solid scarlet except for black wing tips (and having ) a bill that is long, thin and curved downward; (with a) neck (that) is long and slender; (their) legs are also long and thin with partially webbed feet; juveniles are dull, grayish brown and they grow up to twenty-four inches."

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) eat "shrimp, crabs, various crustaceans, mollusks, and insects" and have a "life span of up to 20 years."

Additionally "the scarlet Ibis is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago. It belongs to the same order as herons, spoonbills, and storks. Scarlet ibises forage for food by probing their long curved bills into soft mud. They also are known to sway their bills back and forth in shallow water to capture prey."

Sunday, December 8, 2019

John Lennon was shot 39 years ago today!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY JOHN LENNON ARTICLE 

Today marks the thirty-ninth anniversary of John Lennon's assassination. You may also click here to read my recently published iLovetheUpperWestside article where you will learn about the day it took place and the legacy left by Lennon.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Eve of the Second Sunday of Advent 2019


Tonight marks the Eve of the Second Sunday of Advent, a season that I've written about in a number of entries throughout my years of having this blog. Wikipedia defines this time period as a "season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas and the return of Jesus at the Second Coming. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning 'coming."

I'm most thankful to have been given a wreath, which can be seen in the photo that is atop this entry (you can read about the significance of the wreath on another Wikipedia page by clicking here).

This wreath was made especially (as a gift) for me by the same women who gave me one last year.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Tuesday's Truths WK 153: The Mandarin Duck May NOT have turned his back on NYC!


Welcome to my one hundred and fifty-third segment of Tuesday's Truths. Today, I feel obliged to share some disturbing news that I found in my feed: "New York, NY — Mandarin Patinkin, a duck best known for making New Yorkers happy, at least for the six months he resided in Manhattan, is missing and feared dead."

Monday, December 2, 2019

Snow Day


Hope NYC peeps are enjoying this snowfall!

It has come before I’ve had a chance to winterize my garden (which I’ll be doing next Wednesday) and it has come on the date that Winter’s Eve (the tree lighting at Dante Park) is scheduled to take place. I feel sorry for the Chinese dancers who are scheduled to perform there.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Sunday's Sequel: Answering the Question, "How low can you go?"


In my Thanksgiving Eve entry here on  Blogger, I mentioned warnings that unusually high winds could prevail on Thanksgiving, causing the grounding of balloons who were set to "march" (fly) in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

And as I said in my subsequent entry which I published on the day after the official holiday (where I featured the Macy's balloon who is rendered in the likeness of Chase from Paw Print), "Indeed, there were VERY high winds, but the balloons were allowed to participate..."

I concluded my aforementioned entry by stating, "THE QUESTION OF THE DAY WAS: 'How low can you go?' Stay tuned for photo-ops (in subsequent entries) re the answer to this question!"

Now, two days after I published that entry, I'm still not sure how low a Macy's ballon can go, but I am able to give you a pictorial accounting of what happened in the case of several of them.

In the first picture atop this entry, Sinclair's Dinosaur, can be seen heading south down CPW during this year's parade.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

My father died 24 years ago today.


Today is the 24th anniversary of my father's death.

He can be seen in this photograph a a very young boy using a frying pan as an instrument.

His brothers are accompanying him with their instruments. Perhaps those earlier musical endeavors gave my father his apparent "love" for pop music. Most people when recalling my father's antics will remember him for having his own takes on "Top-40" music hits.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Black Friday at FAA* Includes my Wall Art! (*Fine Art America)


Last minute notice (UNDERSTATEMENT) given to me from Fine Art America (FAA) re 25% off wall art, which includes mine. Please check it out and/or share this info! http://bit.ly/2uPSX3e

Friday's Follow-Up to Thanksgiving Eve


In my Thanksgiving Eve entry here on  Blogger, I mentioned that warnings that unusually high winds could prevail on Thanksgiving causing the grounding of balloons who were set to "march" (fly) in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade which took place yesterday.

Indeed, there were VERY high winds, but the balloons were allowed to participate.

However, they did so by maintaining a low profile, as you might surmise from my photo of Chase from Paw Print that is posted atop this entry. It features him coming south on CPW yesterday as he approaches a street lamp on the UWS.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Central Park West's Historical Stretch Part Two (Tuesday's Truths 152)

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY CENTRAL PARK WEST ARTICLE

For this one-hundred and fiftieth-second segment of my Tuesday's Truths series, I'd like to once again (as I did last week) to offer you some truths about an area in NYC known as the historical stretch of Central Park West (CPW).

You may also click here to read my recently published iLovetheUpperWestside article where you will learn historical as well as fun facts re this amazing avenue.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Oleb Rejects "Imperfect Strangers"


Today I received some disappointing news re my book,  Imperfect Strangers.

I am extremely disheartened in their news and also in the way Oleb (the publisher) let me know of their decision.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Honored to receive a "Mahalo Nui Loa"!


The content within the conversation bubble (in the image atop this entry) may be difficult to read so here's a copy of the text: "Please send a big Mahalo Nui Loa or Thanks so very much! to Pat Youngquist for the wonderful articles she sends in. We just love! architecture and history of the buildings in our beloved upper west side. We also have encountered some celebrities in that wonderful Contemporary Cafe in the Hotel Mayflower when staying there. How I miss that place!"

These are the exact words in an email to Mike Miskin by someone using marcy as a user name.

Friday, November 22, 2019

November Twenty Second is a Solemn Day



November Twenty Second is a solemn day. Fifty six years ago today, on November 22, 1963 (which was also a Friday) President John F Kennedy was assassinated.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Short Notice: Fine Art America is offering my tote bags (pouches) at a 25% discount but only for today (11-21-2019)!


This past March, Joan Budilovsky sent me the picture that is atop this entry. It features her son with a tote bag (or pouch) bearing one of my images of the Mandarin duck who wowed a number of people in Central Park from the fall of 2017 through March of 2018, after which he left without a trace.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

"To fully appreciate mallards, and to be better neighbors, it is important that we understand them and their behaviors." (Wednesday's Wisdom)


This past Saturday was a much colder one than usual for this time of year in NYC but I didn't let the frigid temperatures stop me from taking a walk in Central Park and going about my business as usual. I wasn't alone in my not letting cold weather stop me from enjoying my day and I was not alone for there were a number of people roaming about and there were a number of Mallard ducks enjoying the pond near Fifty-Ninth Street, which is something you might surmise, dear reader, upon looking at the photo atop this entry.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Central Park West's Historical Stretch Part One (Tuesday's Truths 151)

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY CENTRAL PARK WEST ARTICLE

For this one-hundred and fiftieth-first segment of my Tuesday's Truths series, I'd like to offer you some truths about an area in NYC known as the historical stretch of Central Park West (CPW).

You may also  click here to read my recently published iLovetheUpperWestside article where you will learn historical as well as fun facts re this amazing avenue.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Monday's Memo: Happy 91st B'day, Mickey!


This past Tuesday I announced that an article of mine re the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade participants had been published by iLovetheUpperWestside.com on November tenth.

Now, a little over a week later, after my article appeared, I've been reminded that a comic character (Mickey Mouse) from a former balloon within the Macy's Parade turns ninety-one today!

He can be seen in the photo atop today's entry greeting the residents of an apartment building on Central Park West when he participated in the parade in 2012 (unfortunately he is not scheduled to appear this year).

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Audubon Mural Project (Friday's Facts)


The Audubon Mural Project is a collaboration between the National Audubon Society and the NYC gallery known as "Gitler &_____" to create murals of climate-threatened birds throughout John James Audubon's old Harlem‐based neighborhood in New York City.

The project is inspired by the legacy of the great American bird artist and pioneering ornithologist and is energized by Audubon’s groundbreaking report "Survival By Degrees."

Audubon's scientists have found that climate change will threaten at least half of all North American birds with extinction, and that no bird will escape the impacts of climate-change-related hazards like increased wildfire and sea-level rise. The project commissions artists to paint murals to call attention to this problem, and it has been widely covered in the media.

The pictures atop this entry feature details from a mural located near 157th street in Manhattan.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Thursday's Testimony re Sponge Bob



This past Tuesday I announced that an article of mine re the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade participants had been published by iLovetheUpperWestside.com on November tenth.

Now, a few days after my article appeared, Sponge Bob is trending on Twitter as per his 2020 movie (he will be in the parade this year with a makeover and he will have Gary the snail at his side).

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Musings re Sonic (Wednesday's Wisdom)



Yesterday I announced that an article of mine re the 2019 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade participants had been published by iLovetheUpperWestside.com on November tenth.

A few days after my article appeared the new look of Sonic The Hedgehog was trending on Twitter and I recalled (in a tweet and on Facebook) how I loved seeing "old" Sonic in the 2012 (first two photos included atop this entry) as well as in the 2013 Parade (featured in the photos directly below).



I will miss the character in this year's event but I'm willing to bet that because of the 2020 movie, Sonic will be in next year's parade and that is my wisdom for this Wednesday.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

NYC's Upper West-Siders Love a Parade! Tuesday's Truths WK 150

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY MACY'S PARADE ARTICLE 

For this one-hundred and fiftieth segment of my Tuesday's Truths series, please let me share an inside secret with you: NYC's Upper West-Siders Love a Parade!

In honor of this fact, I've written an article s (Upper West Siders Love a Parade) and this past Sunday, Mike Mishkin in his on-line newsletter which focuses mainly on the UWS, and rightly so, after all, his daily publication is titled iLovetheUpperWestside.

Upon reading my piece you will learn fun facts about the character and novelty balloons who are scheduled to be in this years Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which will occur in less than three weeks from today. You may also click here to read my article.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Monday's Memo: It's Veterans Day 2019

IMAGE CREDIT

Today is Veterans Day, an event to be revered, and one I've discussed here on Blogger in bygone years, please click this if you'd like to refer to those entries.

On another note — unfortunately, it seems society is not as reverent about this day as the cartoon posted below, so clearly illustrates.

IMAGE CREDIT

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Sunday's Sequel to Friday's Post

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Hope NYC peeps are enjoying this snowfall!

It has come before I’ve had a chance to winterize my garden (which I’ll be doing next Wednesday) and it has come on the date that Winter’s Eve (the tree lighting at Dante Park) is scheduled to take place. I feel sorry for the Chinese dancers who are scheduled to perform there.

Be that as it may, garden winterizing is a topic which is covered in the second volume of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

By the way, with the ChristmasChanukah, and Kwanza seasons approaching, please consider giving these books to those near and dear to you!

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES


Friday, November 8, 2019

Gourds & Pumpkins Put a YES in November!

No sun--no moon!
No morn--no noon!
No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--
No sky--no earthly view--
No distance looking blue--

No road--no street--
No "t'other side the way"--
No end to any Row--
No indications where the Crescents go--
No top to any steeple--
No recognitions of familiar people--
No courtesies for showing 'em--
No knowing 'em!

No mail--no post--
No news from any foreign coast--
No park--no ring--no afternoon gentility--
No company--no nobility--
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member--
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November!


The first week of November comes to a close tonight and before that happens, it's high time for me to share Thomas Hood's poem (which is posted directly above) about this month, which has been something I've done in bygone years when writing about November.

Because it's usually true that there are no flowers in November or if there are they can be few and far between, at least in my rooftop garden where a lone flower is blooming on my Anemone (as seen in the image below)...


... where she is posing with two of my pumpkins (a Fairytale as well as a "standard" variety).

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Pillsbury Doughboy's Anniversary

Today is not part of my blog posting schedule for this week, but in honor of the November 7, 1965 fifty-fourth anniversary of the The Pillsbury Doughboy's first appearance.

He was created "in 1965 by Chicago’s storied Leo Burnett Advertising Agency. Rudy Perz, a Burnett copy writer who had a vision: A little dough guy popping out of a Pillsbury can. Known for his giggle, the Doughboy was first voiced in commercials by Paul Frees, also the voice of Boris Badenov, cartoon villain on the 1960s’ Rocky & Bullwinkle show."

According to wiki, "Poppin' Fresh, more widely known as the Pillsbury Doughboy, is an advertising mascot for the Pillsbury Company, appearing in many of their commercials. Many commercials from 1965 until 2005 (returned in 2009 to 2011 and 2013 in a GEICO Commercial, and once again in 2017) concluded with a human finger poking the Doughboy's stomach. The Doughboy responds when his stomach is poked by giggling (Hoo-Hoo!, or earlier on, a slight giggle 'tee hee')."

This charming character is not only on my mind because today is anniversary, he is also on my mind because as of now, he is scheduled to take place in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which is set to take place three weeks from today!

The event is no dough off his back for he has participated in the event in bygone years  as seen in the next two photographs (which have been featured in prior entries here on Blogger).