Memorial Day 2021

I've featured copies of the Bramhall cartoon (atop this entry) in a number of my prior Memorial Day blog posts and because I really think it says all there is to say about this solemn day, I'm featuring it again today in honor of  2021's somber holiday. 

If you are interested in facts re this holiday's orgin and practices, please allow me to refer you to a page within This Day in History.

Friday's Follow-Up Re A Visiting Jay

Atop this entry is a copy of a Mutts cartoon created by Patrick McDonnell. It was initially posted in celebration of the 2018 Winter Solstice and I thought of the sentiment expressed by Mooch during the nor'easter which occured in NYC this past Monday (2-1-2021).

As I said in my blog post about the event (which I published the next day) an array of bird types (including a lone American robin, several Dark-eyed juncoes, a number of House sparrows, an entourage of Mourning doves, and a lone Northern mockingbird) spent a lot of time in my garden during this storm. 

The day following the storm, which happened to be Groundhog Day, a Blue jay stopped by my place.

Patrick McDonnell has got this! "A little bird seed or a source of water goes a long way for wildlife!" (Wednesday's Wisdom)

I completely agree with this bird featured the Mutts's drawing atop this entry (as anyone who reads this blog I'm a huge fan of Patrick McDonnell (the creator of the Mutts strip and related cartoons). Be that as it may,  it has been beyond bitter cold the past few days (and continues to be). I spent much of this last Saturday pouring hot water over the frozen water in my bird baths (that are in my garden) in order for the ice to melt and allow my visiting wildlife to take a drink or two.

Put a mask on it! (Wednesday's Wisdom)

IMAGE CREDIT

I saw this cartoon on a FB page and I appreciated the sentiment which is unfortunately prevailing in many parts of the world. However, the fact remains that one needs to put a mask on their face to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (the coronavirus).

Facts re Decoration Day

CARTOON BY JOHN T. McCUTCHEON

The cartoon by John T. McCutcheon which is posted atop this Blogger entry, is featured within prior entries here on Blogger. It was initially published in the year of 1900, with a caption accompanying it stating: "You bet I'm goin' to be a soldier, too, like my Uncle David, when I grow up."

As most of you probably know, the 2020 Memorial Day holiday took place (in the United States) this past Monday, May 25th, as it is currently celebrated on the last Monday in May. Prior to it being celebrated on the last Monday in May, the traditional date for Memorial Day was May 30th.

Face-Masks Should NOT Be Hammocks! Tuesday's Truths WK 181

WOMAN WEARING MY KALEIDOSCOPIC MASK 

WOMAN WEARING MY DRAGONFLY-THEMED MASK

FEATURED IN SUNDAY's BLOG POST 

This past Friday night (5-22-2020), I received an email from PG (her pictures can be seen in the pictures atop this entry). In her correspondence, she included the aforementioned photos of herself "modeling" three styles of face-masks which are available via Fine Art America.

I initially  designed them in response to the need to wear them during the coronavirus pandemic coupled with the need to not look so frightening when complying with the request to wear them.

Memorial Day 2020

A BRAMHALL CARTOON

As many know, Memorial Day (which is being celebrated today), was first widely observed on May 30, 1868 to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former Union sailors and soldiers.

But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971.

According to Wikipedia, "The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. After some initial confusion and unwillingness to comply, all 50 states adopted Congress' change of date within a few years.

"Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of summer. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) advocate returning to the original date, although the significance of the date is tenuous. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address:

"Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.

"Starting in 1987 Hawaii's Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran, introduced a measure to return Memorial Day to its traditional date. Inouye continued introducing the resolution until his death in 2012."

This fact re switching the date of the holiday may be the reason that a number of Americans seem to have forgotten the true meaning of this solemn day; as poignantly illustrated in the cartoon by Bramhall, seen in the image atop this entry.

Earth Day & Session 27

WEB IMAGE FROM DAVE GRANLUND's GALLERY

This evening was Session 27 of #ClapBecauseWeCare (a few pictures of participants can been below).  Session 27 coincided with Earth Day, an event that reminds us how we need to take care of our fragile planet.

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

And we need to be doing this tirelessly — with great vigilance — just as our first responders, front liners and essential workers are doing for us during this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

The Ides of March 2020

IMAGE CREDIT

Caesar did have warning signs re March 15's Ides Of March, but you know the story, dear reader...

And now on 2020's Ides of March, there are warning signs (precautions) I need to continue to heed re Coronavirus today and beyond, while remaining calm as well as mindful of the pleasantries I have.

Et tu, dear reader?

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

The Technique of Anthropomorphizing (Tuesday's Truths WK 142)

I appreciate cartoonist, Jonny Hawkins, use of anthropomorphism ("the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities) in the cartoon posted directly above.

Hawkins's vision of a butterfly's conversation with another butterfly is reminiscent of Cam's rendering tales of conversations that birds have with one another.

Punctuation in Nature! (Monday's Musings)

When I was walking through Central Park this past Thursday evening, I came upon the Polygonia interrogationis (AKA Questionmark Butterfly.

Thursday's Testimony

IMAGE CREDIT

I begin today's blog entry with a recap: In Monday's post here on Blogger, I discussed a problem (related to writer's block) I'm having getting back on track with my proposal for Steidl (a publisher of photography books) as well as with tweaking my follow up video for Imperfect Strangers. 

And in Tuesday's entry I announced that "my work was truly disrupted by an unexpected major upheaval in my rooftop garden and at this time, I cannot even write about it, but I will do so in a few days, dear reader, after I've had time to deal with today's unfortunate situation."

Within Wednesday's entry I confessed "Consequences as a result of the disruption in my rooftop garden and the work space in my home that I mentioned in yesterday's post are something I will be contending with today."

The past few days disruption to my home and rooftop garden that came on the heels of recovering from a bad cold, undergoing dental procedures and losing my Internet as well as my phone services (which I've mentioned in a few blog entries) have impeded my ability to complete my Imperfect Strangers manuscript that is currently 32,680 words.

I've also admitted that  my recent series of disruptions have interfered with my ability to re-record my follow-up video to add to my You Tube and Vimeo channels.

Additionally (as I've been saying) I've allowed these circumstances to hinder my ability to tighten up my proposal for Steidl — even though the photographs I intend to include with my submission are in PDF format.

Time continues to march ahead rather I do or not! I had planed to have submissions out as well as have videos posted by June 21! Now, today, is August 1st and neither are ready, although they are both mighty close.

Therefore before any more time passes or I enter the state of denial (as the passengers in the cartoon atop this entry are about to do) that I can do everything, I need to accept that I can only do so much in a day, especially if I want to do it well. In accepting this fact, I realize I need to free up some time. The only way I see to that at this juncture is to adjust my blogging schedule.

As you may have noticed dear reader, for the past several months, I've published posts on a daily basis. However, during this time of my now being fully committed to the process of completing Imperfect Strangers as well as Steidl's proposal, I have decided to post every other day, except for Tuesdays (on that day I'll always post to keep up the momentum of my Tuesday's Truths series).

I will stick to this schedule (with the exception of an occasional extra posting on a non-scheduled day) until the end of the month of September (2019).

Thank you for understanding and I'll see you here on Blogger either this coming Saturday!

A Bird in the Hand

IMAGE CREDIT

Yesterday when I was on what has become my weekly Saturday walk with CF in Central Park, we paused on a grassy area to take in the beauty of the day, both of us had seeds in in our hand which we were intending to feed birds. From out of no where a fledging Downy Woodpecker flew toward us and landed on CF's fingers where he/she perched and began nibbling from the morsels in C's hand.

My camera was sling across my shoulder and I also had seeds in my palm so I could not get to it easily. After eating from CF's hand, the little bird alighted on my fingers and began eating from my hand. CF's cell-camera was not in easy reach for her so neither of us have a physical photo-op of the day; but we have a permanent image of the blessed event in out hearts and minds.

Moreover, the "undocumented" event gives us the opportunity to heed the wisdom of E.B. White's beloved aunt who evidently once told him, "Remembrance is sufficent for the beauty we have seen."

Such wise words and ones that may be familiar to those who read my blog as I've discussed them in a few of my past entries, including one I published a litle over three years ago.

By the way, Downy Woodpeckers are featured in my book series, Words In Our Beak.

THE WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

Remembering the Dearly Departed

IMAGE CREDIT

The cartoon by John T. McCutcheon which is posted atop this Blogger entry, is featured within prior entries here on Blogger. It was initially published in the year of 1900, with a caption accompanying it stating: "You bet I'm goin' to be a soldier, too, like my Uncle David, when I grow up."

As most of you know, the 2019 Memorial Day holiday took place (in the United States) this past Monday; as it is currently celebrated on the last Monday in May. Prior to it being celebrated on the last Monday in May, the traditional date for Memorial Day was May 30th.

May 30th 1954 when Memorial Day was celebrated is also the day Warren Tangorra was born and he died on March 8, 2010. I never met the man but he was a friend of my dear friend, Donna DeSolis (DD) and at her request (in 2010) after he passed from this life; I produced the video posted below as a favor to her.

Five years later DD died.

MEMORIAL DAY 2019

A BRAMHALL CARTOON

I have written about Memorial Day many times here on Blogger; but none of my musings come close to Bramhall's (seen above) and on this Memorial lDay for 2019, l am thinking of how those who lost their lives through war made it possible for me to enjoy the simple pleasures and so-called “little things” in life.

The Influence of Georges Seurat (d 3-29-1891)

FEATURED IN MY WEBSITE'S B & W GALLERY

The image of my photographic print, Sophia, atop this entry is one from a collection of my black and white photographs featured on my website.*

Sophia appeared in a couple of my exhibitions in NYC and was one of my pictures that was  ultimately discussed on a radio program (The Al Lewis Show) for WBAI hosted by Karen Ingenthorn Lewis.

The image was printed by me using a technique I developed at the inspiration of Georges Seurat, who is known for devising the painting techniques known as chromoluminarism and pointillism.

Friday's Feeling is FROM THE BIRDS

Certain birds are speaking out via a cartoon by Dan Regan (which he did for Shoebox) that something has to be done re the naming of certain birds.

Saint Patrick's Day 2019

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, dear reader! As you can see, I'm honoring it with a cartoon by Dan Regan, that's posted atop this entry and was sent to me in bygone years.

It's Ditch New Years Resolutions Day + MORE!

According to a web- page on Holiday Insights (HI) "If there's a day to celebrate New Years and to make resolutions for the upcoming year, then there should be a day to ditch those resolutions. That's the reason for today [January 17th]."

HI goes on to proclaim "If you haven't broken or given up all of those New Year's resolutions, you're doing better than most of us. Maybe, you're well along the way to accomplishing them. Maybe, a few are already checked off on your list. Good for you! For many of us, New Years resolutions are hanging heavily over our heads. They have become a burden, and perhaps were not such a good idea after all. Then...... of course, there's the New Years resolutions that have already been broken. If you haven't accomplished, broken, or given up your New Year's resolutions, today is your chance to get out from under them."

So in honor of this holiday, I've posted a comic strip of Dilbert as well as a cartoon by Bill Whitehead atop this entry as they "address" the making of New Years resolutions.

I guess ditching New Years resolutions won't be on my to-do list today because I didn't make any, which has been my standard for a number of years now. I confessed this in a 2011 blog post, where I stated, "It's not that I don't have resolutions to make: I have bills to pay, a temper to monitor, faith that feels watered down and it needs building up, and the habit of swearing that needs to be stopped immediately.