Blogger Patricia Youngquist is an author and a photographer. Her recent e-book, BIRD TALES, is interactive and includes the Blue jay featured above. Prior works include versions of WORDS IN OUR BEAK, where the stories are narrated by Cam, a female cardinal. Additionally, some of her photographs have been licensed by Fine Art America to reproduce as wall art and on to an array of surfaces for various products! Do view both side-bars for specific details on all of this.
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).
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.
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.
In spite of the recent violent protests that have taken place in NYC re the senseless murder of George Floyd, a number of people are still holding together in other forms of solidarity and #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions (tributes to first responders, healthcare professionals and essential workers who are keeping us safe during the coronavirus pandemic) continue to take place.
The photo-op directly atop this entry is from the 62nd session which occurred in my vicinity, a few hours ago his evening, Sunday, May 31st. The people seen here and have participated in the tributes on a regular basis.
This past Friday night (5-22-2020), I received an email from PG (her picture can be seen in the picture atop this entry) where she is posing a book-themed tote bag I created for my three volume book series,Words In Our Beak.
If this tote bag was looks familiar to you, dear reader, included in a prior post, when soon after it became available via Fine Art America (FAA).
In any event, the aforementioned, PG, has read and reviewed all three books (seen in the image below) and you can read her reviews for each one via Amazon (the links are available within "my book information" blog entry).
And to reiterate what I've been saying here on Blogger, "During this time where many people are confined to their homes due to lockdown restrictions (re the coronavirus pandemic), these books (whose stories are set in my rooftop garden) are great to have around as a reminder that there is still so much beauty in our fallen world."
As you can see in PG's image, she is wearing a face-mask designed by yours truly (which is featured in close-up view in the next photograph.
Yesterday afternoon the temperatures were higher than they have been for quite some time causing people to want to get outside but restrictions to do so (because of the coronavirus pandemic) are still in place and people are still encouraged to stay home and shelter in place as much as possible.
I have been following those guidelines since the evening of 3/21/2020 and have only gone out about four times for a two-four block distance.
The lockdown is easier for me to follow because I have a garden, but, truly up until yesterday I have not been able to sit in it very long as it has been either raining or too cold.
BUT yesterday, as I've said, the temperatures were warm.
Therefore I sat in my garden (which is the setting for my book series Words In Our Beak*) ) and noticed that a man across the courtyard had found a work around to shelter in place yet enjoy the sunshine: He stuck his feet out his window (as seen in the image atop this entry).
Over the past several evenings I've seen him participate in #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions so I amused myself with the thought that maybe he would clap with his feet during our evening session but alas when evening came, he did not clap with his feet, or even participate, but others did.
JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE
Last evening I participated in the 8th session of the 7PM clapping/cheering nightly event (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare). As I've been saying in recent posts here on Blogger, this event honors first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many people participated but I only took a few pictures as it is hard to clap and use a DSLR at the same time.
The photo featured atop this entry is of a woman who lives in a building across the courtyard (and slightly west). She has been a regular participator.
That session was personally wonderful for me, as I've been thinking about the welfare of someone who lives in a building directly across the courtyard. His name is BH and he can be seen in the set of pictures directly below. I've known him for many years but I had lost his phone number.
I even messaged someone who is is in my FB Community (who has also known him for many years) in the hopes she'd give me his cell number. Suddenly I happened to remember the building's' switchboard phone number.
I had dialed it on countless occasions when touching base with my dear friend, VB, who had lived in BH's building for years before he got sick in 2014 and ultimately moved to an out-of-state nursing home facility. Even though VB has been gone for nearly six years now he and I still kept in touch.
In our Thursday night (4-2-2020) phone conversation, he had inquired about the welfare of BH, who recently lost his longtime partner.
I phoned BH last (after I had talked with VB) and told told him VB had asked about him. I also told him about the clapping/cheering sessions as I knew his apartment had a view of many participants and of my garden.
What a blessing it was to touch base with BH by phone last night and then again through tonight's tribute. Like yours truly, BH has had to remain home since the evening of March 21st.
I'm sure there are many others who are in our situation and who likely welcome the nightly 7:00 PM session in order to feel we can do something! Because the ritual begins promptly at 7:00 PM, I now think of the lyric lines, "Seven, seven, that's the time...," from "Sentimental Journey."
I'll leave it at that for tonight, dear reader, but not without including this You Tube video (posted below) of Ella Fitzgerald singing, "Seven, seven, that's the time we meet at seven...".
