The Last Leaf Gardener: Giuseppe and Teresa

Showing posts with label Giuseppe and Teresa. Show all posts

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.

#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.

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.

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.

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.

Session 67

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.

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

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.

A Couple of Thoughts Re Session 63 & 64 (Tuesday's Truths WK 182)

MUTTS'S CHARACTERS ARE FEATURED THROUGHOUT MY BLOG

For this 182nd segment of my Tuesday's Truths series, I confess that (in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic) it has been hard for me to focus on my projects, which I find distressing.

In terms of this blog, I had big goals set aside for 2020, which I mentioned at the onset of the new year, but now it seems I'm having a great struggle to think about anything but the impact of COVID-19. Like Earl, the dog featured in the Mutts comic strip atop this entry, I'm questioning how to clear my mind and focus on other mattes besides the #ClapBecauseWeCare tributes that I've participated in since two days after they began this past March.

The tributes and the reasoning behind them are very important and I'm glad to pay homage to these events and to the people for whom we do them, but I recognize, I must get back to focusing on my writing projects as time is marching on with out me.

Going forward re this blog, I hope to continue to draw attention to the #ClapBecauseWeCare efforts, but also get back to what I was trying to accomplish pre-COVId-19.

Sessions 60-62 (May 29-May 31)

#CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANTS

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.

Session 59

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

Session 59 for #ClapBecauseWeCare (tributes to first responders, health care professionals and essential workers who are keeping us safe during the pandemic) took place a few hours ago (Thursday, May 28th 2020). As usual many people took part in the tribute, but I only took a couple of photographs. One of them can be seen atop this entry.

Memorial Day Eve and Session 55

A RESIDENT HONORS MEMORIAL DAY

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and someone who lives across the courtyard and who is a regular participant in #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions (tributes to healthcare professionals, first responders and essential workers who keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic), has put up an American flag, presumably to commemorate the solemn holiday.

A SUPPORTER OF "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

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).

TOTE AVAILABLE VIA 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).

MY BOOK SERIES

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.

NORTHERN CARDINAL MASK AVAILABLE VIA FAA

I designed the masks in response to the need for folks to wear face-masks during the pandemic which is mentioned in a press-release describing them.

Patience and Fortitude

PATIENCE, THE LION, IS FEATURED IN VOL 3

On this day of May 23rd in 1911, the New York Public Library (NYPL) was dedicated. As many people know the library at Fifth Avenue and Forty-Second Street attracts visitors from all over the world, many of whom come to see Patience and Fortitude, the world-renowned pair of marble lions that stand proudly before NYPL's Beaux-Arts building.

According to a NYPL web-page, "Henry Hope Reed in his book, The New York Public Library, about the architecture of the Fifth Avenue building, the sculptor Edward Clark Potter obtained the commission for the lions on the recommendation of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's foremost sculptors. Potter was paid $8,000 for the modeling, and the Piccirilli Brothers executed the carving for $5,000, using pink Tennessee marble. After enduring almost a century of weather and pollution, in 2019 the lions were professionally cleaned and restored.

Their nicknames have changed over the decades. First they were called Leo Astor and Leo Lenox, after The New York Public Library founders John Jacob Astor and James Lenox. Later, they were known as Lady Astor and Lord Lenox (even though they are both male lions). During the 1930s, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia named them Patience and Fortitude, for the qualities he felt New Yorkers would need to survive the economic depression."

These names have stood the test of time: Fortitude sits to the north and Patience still guards the south side of the Library's steps as seen in the image atop this entry, which is included in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

I thought of these lions, or rather Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia's reasoning for naming them Patience and Fortitude during last evening's (5-22-2020) session of #ClapBecauseWeCare (to honor the first responders, health care professionals and essential workers who are helping people get through this pandemic) because the personal traits of patience and fortitude are certainly possessed by those people.

Friday's Follow-Up #ClapBecauseWeCare Sessions 51+ 52

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

I'm bit behind in my coverage of the #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions that I've been participating in since March 30, 2020. These tributes are a small way to honor our first responders, health care professionals and essential workers who are keeping us safe during this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. I joined in on March 29th, two days after the onset of the event and have been posting content about each one of them.

This morning's blog entry covers sessions that took place on Wednesday May 20th, as well as Thursday (last night) May 22nd, and the photo atop this entry is from the May 20th session.

#ClapBecauseWeCare: The 50th Session (Tuesday's Truths WK 180)

#CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANTS

Tonight's #ClapBecauseWeCare session (which was number 50) showed just how creative people are becoming in documenting it! The images atop this entry shows a participant using a frying pan as an instrument while the woman who lives below him "filmed" him on her Apple computer!

Saturday Night's Alright for Clapping/Cheering (A Briefing on Session 47)

As many of you may know, in compliance with our mayor and governor's wishes during this coronavirus pandemic, I have been sheltering in place (since the evening of 3/21/2020), and only leaving my apartment building on a handful occasions to do essential errands and keep medical appointments that could not be done via tele-med.

On one of those occasions, I saw a sign posted under some scaffolding in my hood and it can be seen in the photo atop this posting.

Thursday's Testimony: A Report on Session 45

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

GIUSEPPE AND TERESA
(He has taken a video of a session from his window.)

This evening marked session 45 of #ClapBecauseWeCare and many of the usual participants participated abd a few photos of them can be seen in the photos atop this entry.