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Tuesday, June 30, 2020

My Personal #ClapBecauseWeCare's Three Month Anniversary was Monday 6/29/2020. (Tuesday's Truths WK 186 )

6/29/2020 GIUSEPPE + TERESA'S LAST NIGHT AT #CLAPBECAUSEWECARE 
6/29/2020 GIUSEPPE'S LAST NIGHT AT #CLAPBECAUSEWECARE 

I'd like to begin this entry by saying that three months ago this past Saturday (June 27th 2020) marked the date #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions began (3/27/2020) in NYC. I initially learned about the tribute a few days after the fact and subsequently began participating on a nightly basis two days later on March 29th, 2020, so my three month anniversary of doing this was yesterday, June 29, 2020, which was the 91st session, for many participants and number 89 for me.

As I've been discussing the sessions within a number of posts here on Blogger, my participation and cyber "coverage" of these tributes is a small way to pay homage to first responders, healthcare professionals and essential workers who are keep working tirelessly (through all kinds of weather) for everyone during this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

During the course of these nightly sessions, I've become aquatinted with a few people I'd never met, such as Giuseppe and Teresa, seen in the images atop this entry, which were taken on the evening of 6-29-2020.

Monday, June 29, 2020

Some Feline Bird Watchers Have Lots to See!


There is a lot of bird watching to be be had from the vantage point of my rooftop garden but also from the vantage point of those whose apartment windows face our courtyard. No one knows this better than Snooze, the cat seen in the image at atop this entry.

Currently she lives in the building directly east of me and her window faces my garden as well a courtyard (Sadly Snooze is moving in a few days but I do have stories about her on my blog.)

At this time, Snooze is not the only one who spends her hours watching the avian creatures in our midst, there is another cat who lives in a building directly north of us (just across the courtyard).

Sunday, June 28, 2020

#ClapBecauseWeCare's 3 Month Anniversary (Saturday 6/27/2020)

GIUSEPPE AND TERESA AFTER PARTICIPATING ON 6/27/2020

I'd like to begin this entry by saying that three months ago yesterday (Saturday June 27th 2020) marked the date #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions began (3/27/2020) in NYC.

I initially learned about the tribute a few days after the fact and subsequently began participating on a nightly basis two days later on March 29th, 2020 so my three month anniversary of doing this is tomorrow. June 29, 2020.

As I've been discussing within a number of posts here on Blogger, my participation and cyber "coverage" of these tributes is a small way to pay homage to first responders, healthcare professionals and essential workers who are keep working tirelessly (through all kinds of weather) for everyone during this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

During the course of these nightly sessions, I've become aquatinted with a few people I'd never met, such as Giuseppe and Teresa, seen in the image atop this entry. They posed for me after the session last night which was the eighty-ninth one.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Consequences of New Outdoor Dining Options


PHASE TWO of re-opening NYC began this past Monday (6-22-2020) and DAY 5, was yesterday (Friday, 6-26-2020). During this second phase, indoor dining is still prohibited, but our mayor (Bill De Blasio) has opened up the streets to allow outdoor dining,

Restaurant upon restaurant have been bringing their tables outside (as I mentioned in a recent post here on Blogger). Recently someone posted cyber-content about this matter saying, "Phase 2 reopening started this week in NYC: street dining is allowed at restaurants. Some parking spaces have been sacrificed."

I commented on her post saying "much more than a parking spot is being sacrificed." 

For one thing, an area is now littered with cigarette butts because a restaurant put up a plank (in what would be parking spaces as seen in the image atop this entry as well as in the one directly below) to use as a makeshift counter so folks can drink cocktails and munch on snacks, but they did not enforce littering protocols.


Another place posted a sign on a tree that is growing in a tree pit in front of their place of business.

Friday, June 26, 2020

FRIDAY'S FACT: "Face Masks May Be The Key Determinant Of The Covid-19"


"Face Masks May Be The Key Determinant Of The Covid-19 Curve, Study Suggests..."

Now that many parts of the various parts of my country are in different stages of re-opening, the wearing of face-masks will be mandatory in many circumstances.

As you may know my face-masks are available via Fine Art America (FAA) and I have (as of now) four styles which can  be seen within photos included within this post.

Distinguished by a Visitor

MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE

Whenever any bird type visits my garden, I often think of Henry David Thoreau's musing where he stated, "I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”

Although I've never had the pleasure of having a sparrow (or any bird for that matter) alight on my shoulder, even for a moment, whenever I see a bird alight anywhere, especially within my garden, I too, feel "distinguished by that circumstance."

And yesterday was no exception. A lone Mourning dove spent many hours alighting on my bouncer (he/she can been in the image atop this entry) and I felt so honored this bird chose to be here, especially given that there are so many places in NYC where a bird can spend his/her time.

Mourning doves bring a sense of peace with them whenever they visit (as you might surmise from the next set of pictures which also features the one who visited me yesterday).

MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE
MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE
MOURNING DOVES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE

The peace mourning doves bring lingers throughout their stay, as well as for a bit of time after they fly away. For your information, this bird type has a story within volume one of my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak.


MY BOOK SERIES

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Remembering "DD" (10-24-1947-06-25-2015)



In honor of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis's (DD), I'm posting a video (from my Vimeo Library) that I created in her honor (in 2015) at the request of her son.

The video description on Vimeo reads: "Remembering Donna (The Wonder of DD), pays a small tribute to Donna De Solis who was born on this day of October 24th in 1947, and died on June 25th 2015. This video was shown to her son privately, before being "aired" at a reception after her memorial service, which was held at The Church of The Blessed Sacrament on July 15th, 2015. Donna had worked for this church for nearly forty years. It is located on Manhattan's Upper Westside, which is an area where Donna lived most of her life."

Session 86 Took Place Last Evening

BOB HUBER, A 6/24/2020 PARTICIPANT 
EB, A 6/24/2020 PARTICIPANT 
A 6/24/2020 PARTICIPANT (WHO IS A REGULAR) 

Yesterday marked day three of phase two and in one of my entries here on Blogger I stated, "As you may know, re-openings across the state have been gradual and in NYC, PHASE ONE began on June 1, 2020;  while PHASE TWO began yesterday.

These lockdowns and COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic concerns coupled with these new logistics of re-openings have had an impact on my content within this blog, as I've focused primarily on those issues.

I plan to change that and begin to return to other content..."

However, I now realize that for as long as these  #ClapBecauseWeCare tributes continue on whatever level the attendance may be, I should document them.

After all, the sessions are MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER at this time, for it is BECAUSE of our first responders, healthcare professionals and essential workers that we were able to get to PHASE TWO.

The photographs atop this entry feature three different participants from the eighty-sixth session which took place last evening (June 24, 2020).

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Day 2, Phase 2 (which was yesterday): Showing Appreciation + Negligence

EB, 6/23/2020 PARTICIPANT 

Yesterday marked day two of phase two and in one of my entries here on Blogger I stated, "As you may know, re-openings across the state have been gradual and in NYC, PHASE ONE began on June 1, 2020;  while PHASE TWO began yesterday.

These lockdowns and COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic concerns coupled with these new logistics of re-openings have had an impact on my content within this blog, as I've focused primarily on those issues.

I plan to change that and begin to return to other content..."

However, in this entry, I will still be providing details re #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions (last night was the eighty-fifth session a participant from it can be seen in the image atop this entry).

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Tuesday's Truths WK 185: Red + White = Pink (Honoring N'tl Pink Day)

IMAGE CREDIT

In an earlier entry today on Blogger, I wrote about the 84th session of #ClapBecauseWeCare, an event that began occurring shortly after Governor Cuomo shut down New York state.

As you may know, re-openings across the state have been gradual and in NYC, PHASE ONE began on June 1, 2020;  while PHASE TWO began yesterday.

These lockdowns and COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic concerns coupled with these new logistics of re-openings have had an impact on my content within this blog, as I've focused primarily on those issues.

I plan to change that and begin to return to other content, starting with today's holiday which is National Pink Day. As you may know, dear reader, I have post entries about the holiday here on Blogger in bygone years.

According to a wikiHow web-page, "Pink is a color beloved by many. It’s popular on clothing, bakery decorations, and flowers, but oftentimes pink dye cannot be found in stores. The truth is that pink is a tint of red and in nature is a combination of red and violet. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to make pink paint, icing, or more by combining red and white."

In last year's post, I included fauna and flora that have pink in their coloring. As a follow up to that post, I published an entry re the coloration of pink in nature.

Currently have some pink geraniums growing ui my garden as seen in the next photo-ops.

GERANIUMS IN MY GARDEN VIEW ONE
GERANIUMS IN MY GARDEN VIEW TWO 

And one of my Heuchera plants is exercising her bragging rights on this National Pink Day because she has pink flowers aa seen below.

OTHER HEUCHERA VARIETIES ARE FEATURED IN VOL 1

Other Heuchera varieties are featured in volume one of my three volume hard-cover book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

Now, in honor of this holiday coinciding with Tuesday's Truths (this will be episode 185) and because the colors red and white are associated with pink, I'd like to point out aspects of nature who have red and/or white in their physical appearance (hence the image atop this entry).

Of course you won't mix their colors to get pink, but seeing red and white coloring in nature makes observing our natural world even more interesting than it  already is; as evidenced in the following pictures of nature with red and/or white in their coloring.

Session 84

6/22/2020 PARTICIPANTS

PHASE TWO of NYC's re-opening occurred yesterday (Monday, June 22, 2020) and at the 84th session of #ClapBecauseWeCare, which took place that evening,  I only saw two participants (seen in the image atop this entry). Both of those men have been away ((lucky to get out of Dodge) in recent sessions so it was good to see them again.

The woman who has been recording these sessions (seen in the picture below)...

A 6/22/2020 PARTICIPANT

...speculated in her commentary on this session that people were up and about getting their hair cut or colored — something no one has done in a salon since 3/22/2020.

Monday, June 22, 2020

UPDATE ON PABLO, THE JAY


A very sad start to this week. I was all set to meet the injured baby Blue Jay (whom I wrote about in a recent post here on Blogger) and help with taking him to The WBF (Wild Bird Fund) this morning, when I received word that he had died during the night.

At least, the sweet creature was not left to die on an Upper Eastside Street as had been the case with his dead parent, whom he was found with by the dear Gloria Criollo.

Though he suffered greatly seeing his parent killed (presumedly by a car) and then left alone, he received physical warmth (heating pad) and nourishment (chopped up blueberries); both at the wonderful advice from bird-rehabber extraordinaire, Amanda Remsberg,  in our version of tele-med for an injured bird; he did die in dignity surrounded by love.

Monday's Musings Father's Day 2020




Yesterday was Father's Day and the photographs atop this entry are ones from various moments of childhood and they feature me with my dad on various occasions.

He moved out of our house the year the latter picture (where I have a cast on a broken wrist) was taken; so Father's Day can be such a bittersweet holiday for me.

Sometimes bitter because he left when I was so young and I subsequently spent most of my life trying to garner his attention and approval to very little avail.

Moreover, he passed away in 1995 and that adds to my sadness on Father's Day.

But Father's Day can also be sweet because no matter what, a father is still a father, and mine had a quick wit, which is a trait I have when I don't take myself so seriously.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Session 82 and 83

THE BANNER BELONGING TO A PARTICIPANT

Last evening, Saturday, June 20th, was slated for the 82nd session of #ClapBecauseWeCare and while I could hear a lot of tributes in the distance, no one in the buildings who have been participating were present.

The trees have a lot of foliage on them right now so just because my camera did not detect anyone does not mean people were not present, for I did hear a lot of clapping and cheering; but in terms of photo-ops for that evening, all I can offer is one of a balcony, where a HOPE banner has been affixed to a man's terrace railing since the onset of the lockdown, as seen in the image atop this entry.

Pablo, the jay, needs a prayer for healing!

THIS BIRD TYPE IS FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

Last night when I checked something on FB, I saw a notification that I had received a photo from someone (Gloria Criollo) who is a friend in "real life" and on FB.

Because it is unlike GC to message images I decided to phone her before I clicked on it to see if she had sent me anything as I know people who have had their account hacked these days.

Plus I had intended to phone her anyway due to the Father's Day holiday (today) and because her husband, Pablo, died from COVID-19 (coronavirus) this past April, which is something I mentioned within an entry here on Blogger on April 20, 2020, I wanted her to know she was in my thoughts, always, but especially at this holiday time.

As it turned out, GC had sent me a photo. It is of a bird that she saw crying in the street as the creature stood next to a dead bird who had probably been hit by a car while he/she was on the streets of NYC.

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Summer Solstice 2020

BLUE JAYS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

In under three hours (at 5:44 PM EDT) on this day of June 20, 2020, the the summer solstice will occur in the Northern Hemisphere. The summer solstice, also known as the June solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky. This event marks the start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice marks the start of winter, when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky.)

This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, "occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year."

It certainly is a hot last day of spring and a blue jay came to my garden to beat the heat in my "outdoor pool" as seen in the image atop this entry.

Winding Down: Sessions 80+81

PHOTO BY JULIE TERSIGNI

As NYC heads towards PHASE TWO of reopening, which will be this Monday, June 22nd 2020, attendance at the two-minute nightly #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions which began in March 2020, has dropped.

However, they still continue, and the past two night's events (Thursday June 18 and Friday June 19) have been bitter sweet for me, as the couple, Giuseppe and Teresa, (G and T) who live in the building directly east of me will be moving to another part of the city at the end of this month.

They can be see the photo directly above, where I am standing in my rooftop garden.

This picture was taken in April by Julie Tersigni who lives in a building that is north and west of where I live. A few weeks after JT took this picture she got out of the city to escape the often sad craziness which was occurring during our lockdown.

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Splish Splash

EUROPEAN STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

In yesterday's (6-17-2020) blog post, I mentioned that a European starling who had stopped by my place for a dip (on Tuesday, June 16th)) seemed miffed by a hovering low-flying helicopter that was flying within the vicinity and  over my garden.

Thankfully he/she  didn't let the helicopter's disruption deter him/her (unless the creature was another one), from returning to my place.

Throwback Thursday: Sessions 68-79

GIUSEPPE AND TERESA PARTICIPATING ON 6/6/2020
BOB HUBER A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT ON 6-6-2020
RJ, A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT ON 6/6/2020

For this Throwback Thursday, I'm catching up on my #ClapBecauseWeCare coverage as the last one I blogged about was after session 67 (which took place on June 5th 2020), and even though I still participated in the sessions I have not included anything about them on my blog.

The photographs atop this entry are from session 68 which took place on June 6th 2020.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

A Bath Interrupted


On Sunday evening (June 14 2020) into the early portion of the night, NYPD helicopters were flying low in the immediate vicinity of where I live. Their noise was deafening and I referenced this incident in an entry on my personal FB Page. Presumably, they showed up because protests were taking place in the area.

The presence and noise of the NYPD helicopters agitated me as well as others in the area, and yesterday (June 16 2020) into the early portion of the night, helicopters were flying low in the immediate vicinity once again; and once again, their presence was nerve-racking to me, and apparently it was nerve-racking to a lone European starling who had stopped by my garden for an evening bath.

Thursday, June 11, 2020

"The Horses" (A Jean-Marie Apprio Exhibit)


Yesterday, I had to go for a diagnostic test for an impending procedure that needs to be done in my mouth. Re my walking trip to the medical testing facility, the walk to get there wasn’t too stressful and I’m happy to report that after only being out of my home due to lockdown restrictions and recommendations since March) to attend an appointment with the orthopedist and then to attend therapy, that walking fourteen city blocks south (city blocks are relatively short) and then ten crosstown blocks (crosstown are relatively long), I wasn’t phased, which means on some levels I am in good physical shape.

It was very hot and humid too but most people on the streets were wearing face-masks and social distancing. However, it was sad to see so many other stores and office buildings boarded up (I published information re places being boarded up on the UWS in a fairly recent entry here on Blogger). Even some high-end Eastside condos had their lobby entrances boarded up.

However, my travel route did cause me to come upon an art installation at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza (near an entrance to Central Park at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue ), known as  The Horses, featuring the works by Jean-Marie Apprio. A banner for the exhibit can be seen in the photograph atop this entry.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Tuesday's Truths WK 183

MY ROOFTOP GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR WIOB

Welcome to my 183rd segment of Tuesday's Truths where I confess that while wearing face-masks and social distancing, Juan V and I were able to devise a way for me to do some of my computer work in my garden. Normally when I work on my computer I rely on a monitor so working on projects while being in my garden has not been an option.

However, there are some computer tasks I can do with specialized eye-glasses which were quite costly when I get them a few years ago, but I've been unable to work on computer projects while being in my garden because I can't see my screen what with so much sunlight (I have lots of sun in my outdoor space).

Therefore, when working outside on my computer, I have been known to hunch under an umbrella (that I use in the rain) in order to see my screen, but it's been hard to work under that circumstance, so I just do my work in my dark apartment.

No more will that be the case, because Juan figured out a way to attach my rain-umbrella to my tripod (and his work of genius can be seen in the image atop this entry).

Sunday, June 7, 2020

"Words In Our Beak" Gives You A Place to Go

MUTTS's STRIPS ARE FEATURED THROUGHOUT MY BLOG

Mooch, Earl and Mason Cooley got this! Reading DOES give us a place to go when we have to stay where we are.

And while restrictions and lockdowns (that have been imposed due to the coronavirus AKA COVID-19) are being lifted, many people for the most part will have to (or maybe should have to).

Saturday, June 6, 2020

Now that many parts of the various parts of my country are in different stages of re-opening, the wearing of face-masks will be mandatory in many circumstances....

WOMAN WEARING MY CARDINAL THEMED FACE-MASK

I just received a heartfelt email from RF (the woman in the photo atop this entry. In her email, RF, let know that she has received my cardinal-themed face-mask and she included her photo (a copy is posted directly above). I must say she wears it well and I hope will continue to do so in good health.

Friday, June 5, 2020

Session 67

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT
A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT
A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

In spite of all the emotions of sadness, anger, and frustrations, that are permeating the lives of many people during this coronavirus pandemic; and the emotions that are occurring in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, the nightly #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions, must go on and fortunately they do continue to occur.

Tonight's tribute, which was number 67, ended nearly three hours ago. A newcomer joined the tribute sand he can be seen in the photo-ops atop this entry.

A Very Different Westside Story These Days (History in the Making)

IMAGE CREDIT

The copy of a PEANUTS comic strip atop this blog entry is from the 5/31/2020 post on the Facebook Page for the Charles M. Schultz Museum. The strip is from 1978 but was posted on the thirty-first  of May (a few days ago) to commemorate Christo, the artist Snoopy is speaking about here and included the FB entry include this explanation:

Charles M. Schulz met Christo in 1975 when the environmental artist, along with his wife Jeanne-Claude, were in Sonoma County working on the preparation for their installation art piece, “Running Fence,” a 23-mile, 18-foot high white nylon curtain that zig-zagged over the Sonoma County hills before plunging into the ocean at the Marin-Sonoma county line. Schulz attended town hall meetings to support the “Running Fence” concept during the planning stages and this began a friendship based on mutual respect and admiration that lasted a quarter of a century.
On November 20, 1978, Schulz memorialized Christo’s work in this Peanuts comic strip. Twenty-five years later, in October 2003, Christo and Jeanne-Claude gifted “Wrapped Snoopy House” [seen in the next image] to Jean Schulz, sharing that it was Christo’s conception of Snoopy’s imaginary doghouse. The work is on permanent display in the Schulz Museum.


IMAGE CREDIT

I first became acquainted with Christo's work when he and his wife put up their art installation known as "The Gates" in Central Park a number of years ago.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Photo-Ops from #ClapBecauseWeCare 65 & A Protest (Plus a return to pre-COVID topics)

PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD
PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD
PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD
PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD

As I said in this past Tuesday's blog post, I've been very distracted by the ramifications of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and now by the demonstrations/curfews taking place in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.

I also confessed it is high time (and even past high time) to think about the beauty of my garden's flora as well as in the birds who visit it. However, in spite of my intention, here I am "reporting" on last evening's (June 3rd 2020) sixty-fifth session of #ClapBecauseWeCare, as well as on an event concerning the killing of George Floyd, for just as the clapping tribute was scheduled to take place, throngs of protestors re the murder of George Floyd marched against traffic up an avenue close to where I live, and a few photo-ops can be seen atop this entry.