Monday's Memo: WEAR A MASK!

CD WEARING MY B&W FACE-MASK

CD WEARING MY CARDINAL THEMED FACE-MASK

The pictures atop this entry feature Chris Deatherage modeling two of the face-masks from my collection. The first image shows him wearing a mask whose design is based on, Good Friends, one of my black and white impressionistic photographs (that is available printed on an array of surfaces for wall art from Fine Art America AKA FAA) while the second one features him wearing my Northern cardinal themed face-mask.

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.

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.

Sessions 41 #ClapBecauseWeCare

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECARE PARTICIPANT

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

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

This evening was the 41st  session of #ClapBecauseWeCare and a few photo-ops from it are featured atop this entry. During my participation, in addition to my thinking of all of the healthcare professionals, first responders and essential workers, my thoughts were especially focused on my brother-in-law (JM) who is due to get the results of his COVID-19 test tomorrow.

It is the same day I will be making my first "real" trip out of my apartment to follow-up with my orthopedist re the injury I sustained this past January when I broke my Greater tuberosity.

Many of  the healthcare professionals, first responders and essential workers, who are keeping us safe during this pandemic, surely have test results to be concerned about and/or are still recovering from injuries they sustained in the past, yet they persevere and fulfill their obligations, which why it is so important to show appreciation in whatever way that can be done, and as I've been saying one small way to do this is to show up for these sessions.

An Update Re My Crabapple Tree ETC

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WIOB"

So thankful that JV was able to come over yesterday and help me with my crabapple tree that topped over during severe winds that occurred in early April, which I wrote about on Blogger at the time. The "repaired" tree can now be seen on the left hand-side of the image (featuring a partial view of my garden) atop this entry.

It's so great to report the fact that my crabapple tree is now standing upright on her own (just to the north of my bouncer).

Thursday's Testimony: A Report on Session 37 & The Importance of Face-Masks

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE 

The photos directly above as well as directly below...

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

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

... are are just a few photo-ops last night's #ClapBecauseWeCare session.

Friday's Fact: The Importance of Face-Masks

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

JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE 

The photos directly above as well as directly below...

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

The latter is of a woman who called out to me to see take me up on my offer of mailing her photographs of our sessions.

Soon it Will Be Halloween (27 Days)

In just a a little under one month's time, 2020's Halloween will be here. Last year on that holiday I was on the UES heading west when I encountered a woman wearing a panda bear mask. She can be seen in the image atop this entry.

Who could have known that less than one year's time, most every one throughout the United States and other parts of the world be (or should be) wearing face-masks to prevent the spread of a pandemic known as COVID-19 (the cornavirus).

Cinco de Mayo in Bygone Years & 5/5/2020 (Tuesday's Truths WK 178)

It's Cinco de Mayo and I'm recalling a time the holiday fell on the first Sunday in May, which coincided the Five Boro Bike Tour, an event I referenced in this past Sunday's entry here on Blogger. At that particular time, I celebrated completing another bike tour with a margarita at Santa Fe restaurant (which can be seen in the photo directly above).

This year because of the somberness due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus)  pandemic, I  don't think there was much (if anything) mentioned about the holiday which is normally a festive one in my hood as we have a number of Mexican Restraunts (which are closed due to NYC's shutdowns).

Session 57

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

Session for #ClapBecauseWeCare  (tributes to first responders, health care professionals or essential workers who are keeping us safe during the coronavirus pandemic ended a couple) finished about two hours ago. As usual many people took part in the tribute. The woman in the image atop this entry is a regular participant.

They're just like Horton!

IMAGE CREDIT

As has been my standard for a few years, on May the fifteenth, which is today, I find myself thinking of Horton, the Dr. Seuss character seen in the image atop this entry accompanied by text describing the fact that during the "heat of the day," while splashing about "in the cool of the pool," Horton heard  a small noise, and wanted to help.

In the event the narrative in the image is too pixelated to read, below is a copy of what it states:

On the 15th of May, in the jungle of Nool,
In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool,
He was splashing . . . enjoying the jungle’s great joys . . .
When Horton the elephant heard a small noise.

The story then goes on to say:

So Horton stopped splashing. He looked towards the sound.
“That’s funny,” thought Horton. “There’s no one around.”
Then he heard it again! Just a very faint yelp
As if some tiny person were calling for help.
“I’ll help you,” said Horton. “But who are you? Where?”
He looked and he looked. He could see nothing there
But a small speck of dust blowing past though the air.

I thought of Horton during this evening's #ClapBecauseWeCare (a couple photos of our tribute can be seen in the following pictures) because healthcare professionals, first responders and essential workers, are like this Seuss character: they hear a cry and want to help.

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

As you can see in the latter of these two photos, the participant has a face-mask.  Wearing a face-mask is truly a sign of appreciation for our healthcare professionals, first responders and essential workers.

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).

European starlings got this: The Importance of Washing! Tuesday's Truths WK 179

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3

Welcome to my 179th segment in my Tuesday's Truths series. This evening I was blessed to witness an avian creature adhering to the on going request/plea during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, which is to wash one's hands: A European starling visiting my garden seemingly understood the importance of washing too, as evidenced by these photo-ops (directly above) of this creature taking a bath in my garden.

Saturday Morning: A Report on Friday Evening's (5/8/2020) #ClapBecauseWeCare

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

The photographs (two directly above and two directly below) are from last night's (5-8-2020) #ClapBecauseWeCare tribute.

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE 

It was pouring rain so I did not see many people hanging out their window or standing on their balcony or terrace. BUT I certainly heard a lot of cheering as well as horn blowing and "pan-playing" all around me.

Saturday Night: A Report on This Evening's (5/9/2020) #ClapBecauseWeCare

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

A #CLAPBECAUSEWECAREPARTICIPANT

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

The photographs atop this entry are from this evening's (5-9-2020) #ClapBecauseWeCare tribute.

'Twas a most bittersweet Fourth of July... (Tuesday's Truths WK 187)

It was a bittersweet Fourth of July what with the coronavirus pandemic still in place, keeping everyone on their guard, but also it was a strained time because of the political unrest in the United States over how issues related to race were handled (or not handled) in bygone years.

Therefore, I was grateful to see that a neighbor who lives in the building across my courtyard (and who has participated in many #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions), did not allow any disparaging feelings about our history stand in her way of expressing appreciation, which she did by hanging up her American flag (as seen in the image atop this entry).

Continue to keep your distance from others. Tuesday's Truths (WK 191)

#SocialDistancing. 

#PhysicalDistancing. 

#WellnessDistancing. 

Call it what you will, but take a lesson from birds (such as the two types seen below who are at a bird bath in my rooftop garden) and do it, especially as we go through this COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

THESE BIRD TYPES ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOKS

For your information, dear reader, the avian creatures (American robin and Mourning dove) seen here are in my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

American robins have a story in volume three amd Mourning doves have a story in volume one. And while you are adhering to where to be in relation to those around you, please remember to wear a face-mask.

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.

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'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.