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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).


Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

No Posting Today: Tuesday's Truths WK 149


It's the one hundred and forty-ninth "episode" for my Tuesday's Truths series, and the truth for this one, is there will be no post. I have a big commitment at a NYC Day School which will conflict with composing and publishing episode However, I will see you tomorrow here on Blogger and next week, Tuesday's Truths for week one fifty will be published!

Monday, November 4, 2019

Monday's Memo: Read my new Article!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MY ARTICLE ABOUT RIVERSIDE DRIVE

Last evening Mike Miskin published another one of my articles (A New York State of Mind on Riverside Drive) in his on-line newsletter which focuses mainly on the UWS, and rightly so, after all, his daily publication is titled iLovetheUpperWestside. You may also click here to read my piece. Thanks!

ADDENDUM (November 6th 2019): Received an email from Mike Mishkin, the publisher of iLovetheUppperWestside.com, saying, "check this out ... :)"

He's referring to the fact that Riverside Park Conservatory tweeted praise for my recent article about Riverside Drive. Here's the link to their tweet (seen in the screenshot below):

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Evening Of 2019's Marathon Fireworks


Yesterdays news....  the 2019 pre-New York City Marathon fireworks lit up the sky last evening and I wanted to post my photographs of them soon after but was unable to do so, for, as you can see from my screenshot, FB had other ideas... and so did Blogger!

Hence I'm posting what is now "old news" by today's standards within this entry and just like FB and Blogger having other ideas, I confess that I had other ideas re the fireworks too and almost did not even attend because of my strong feelings about the negative impact they have on birds and other wildlife, but as you will see, I did see the display.

My vantage point at a spot known as Hernshead.


It is a promontory that juts out into The Lake and named after what is considered to what once was in the shape of a “hern” or heron’s head, and a bird I’ve often sighted (the Great Blue Heron variety) hanging out with male and female Mallard ducks nearby or very close proximity to that area of Central Park.

My knowing that avian creatures, like many animals, are frightened by the sound of explosions is disturbing to me (understatement). At the first sign of incendiary celebration, they’ll fly away.

Sadly, their escape isn’t always successful.