House Proposes $25 Million for NF Research

There is no ALT text for this modified screenshot. 

Just as I'm considering abandoning my NF book project,"Imperfect Strangers & Lessons From Mother Nature," I receive an email (a few days ago) containing this announcement:

"... House proposes $25 Million for NF Research: The bill was advanced by the Defense Subcommittee on Tuesday and will be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee on June 12 [today] for an approval process re FY26 spending bills. We will continue to keep you posted as the bill moves through Congress over the next several months. Thank you to the NF Advocates and the NF Community for using your voices to ensure that Neurofibromatosis continues to receive the critical funds needed to keep research funded and to work towards the treatments we so desperately need..."

As you can read the goal is "to eradicate health issues, pain, isolation, and uncertainty that the diagnosis of NF inflicts."

And The House's Appropriations Committee will be meeting this morning (June 12).

There will be no funding for book projects, but the very fact that there could be funding for research, shows the need to raise awareness, and that is promising, especially since raising awareness is the goal of the book I've been composing.

* Links to details re my longstanding book project:
https://vimeo.com/338407819
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt4SvgkRXuc&t=6s

#neurofibromatosis #booksbooksbooks #imperfectstrangers

"IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS" is now available!

My new book, IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS is now available in Apple's Bookstore. 

I first made an annoucement about it on October 1, 2021, then published a follow up re this endeavor on October 30 2021, and, as of yesterday, the book is live!

This book with a light hearted tone and stunning photography, takes nature lovers of all ages on a delightful journey and includes photos which capture the detail and awesome wonder of various birds; assorted insects; a reptile; a fish; and an array of flowers as well as foliage; all found within New York. 

The narrative provides insights regarding nuances found in these aspects of Mother Nature. Read IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS and add a bit of joy to your day.

It's on the bag!

The design for my pigeon-themed week-ender bag (featured in the image directly above and produced by Fine Art America) was inspired by Mother Pigeon. 

Moreover, this bird type as well as a copy his particular photograph is featured in my latest book, BIRD TALES.

Reflecting on Fanny and Rosa Sonnenschein (Yom Kippur 2021)

On this Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish faith, I am reflecting on my ancestors.

Having said this, I should mention that I was not brought up with any practices in Judaism. I knew nothing about my Jewish roots until I was in my thirties and living in New York City.

Getting back to my ancestors, Fanny 'Wink' Sonnenschein, my father's grandmother, and my great grandmother, had an eye afliction. One of her eyes performed so much less than the other that it caused it to turn completely inward; and she was ultimately nicknamed Wink, by her mother, Rosa Fassel Sonnenschein.

Images of both Fanny and Rosa Sonnenschein are featured in the collage atop this entry.

Fanny is at the left, Rosa is at the right. Rosa Sonnenschein was the "flamboyant editor and publisher of The American Jewess, the first (1895) independent American Jewish magazine, published by a woman" and dedicated to issues concerning women. 

I am not certain if Rosa had poor eye-sight and perhaps if she had an affliction, she hid it. However, from what I understand about Rosa Sonnenschein, she was not shy about who she was or what she stood for. This is evidenced in a description that is on the backside of the image I've included in the collage atop this entry.

I realize that text is hard to decipher so I've taken the liberty of posting a copy of it directly below:

Meaning Associated with the "Flower Moon" (Wednesday's Wisdom)

Last night when I was speaking by phone with my friend CF (who has been "temporarily" living out of the city for a little over one year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need for her and her husband to move into the house where his mother lives, which is in a  NJ town); she remarked on how beautiful the moon looked —  something that would've been harder to view in NYC than in the rural area where she is staying.

It was only my hearing her remark which prompted me to remember that I had heard about how the moon would appear when listening to the morning news and I had made a mental note to myself to go out to see it.

However, after dealing with my computer pick up, and issues related to reinstalling my machine, I forgot all about it.

After she told me about what she had seen, I immediately went to the end of my street to see if I could catch a glimpse of it as I could not see it (even through a long lens) when standing in my garden.

When I got to the corner, I could catch a glimpse of it but in my excitement re the possibility of seeing it, I only had my pocket  camera with me, not my long-lensed DSLR.

With city lights it is difficult to observe the brightness of the moon without going deeper into Central Park.

However doing that at night is not safe or wise, so I took a few snaps from the stret corner and just reflected on the phenomenon of this special moon, known as the Flower Moon. 

Many sources re last night's moon offer wise words and concur on how it came to be called the flower moon, aand in honor of this recnt event, I wil share them in this segement of Wednesday's Wisdom:

"The Full Moon of May is known as Flower Moon to signify the flowers that bloom during this month. ... Other names for May’s brightest Moon phase are Corn Planting Moon, Mother's Moon, and Milk Moon, from the Old English Rimilcemona which means Month of Three Milkings, when cows were milked three times a day."

Be that as it may, re this May moon, upon seeing it, I found myself singing the Cat Steven's lyrics, "....I'm being followed by a moon shadow, moon shadow...."

Mother's Day 2021

My mother, when she was pregnant with me, can be seen in the color snapshot featured atop this post. She can also be seen (pregnant with me) in the picture directly below.

My mother looks radiant and dad seems happy too, but even after having two more daughters, their marriage fell apart when I was in grade school. He moved out of the house and she was inconsolable.

Perhaps because I'm the eldest child, she turned to me with her heavy heart and everything that was on her mind. For much of the time I felt like I was her mother on many levels.

My H.F. Clematis Vines are in bloom again...

This Sunday is Mother's Day and like any new mother joyful over moments of her new child's life (such as the first time she sees a smile or hears her child's first utterance), so am I with my H.F. Young Clematis, that I have in my garden. 

I've had them in my garden since the early 2000's and each spring when they are born again after a winter's long nap, my spirits are lifted. 

It's been quite a number of years now that they have come back in the spring, and a few days ago they made their first appearnce for this year of 2021.

Some pictures featuring details of this year's buds and flowers are atop this entry. 

As you can tell, their blooms and buds tend to be nearly as large as the light bulbs on the string lights which hang over my garden.

I've mentioned them prior posts here on Blogger, they are another great find from the greenmarket at Union Square.

Bird Day 2021 (Tuesday's Truths WK 214)

Yesterday shortly after Juan V (JV) left from working with me in my garden, I had a visitor who happened to be a male Northern cardinal.

This incident was most welcome after having made my place more beautiful with yesterday's plantings. In any event the handsome creature is featured in the sequence of images atop this entry which serve as a play-by play to his discovering peanuts I had placed in a small petri-dish-style bird feeder, that hangs in close proximity to my lush pair of kiwi vines.

One of these vines is the narrator of my garden-themed movie, The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame...almost, which can be viewed on my You Tube channel and/or my Vimeo channel. 

In this mini movie, the vine talks about what it is like to live within my rooftop garden which is located on the Upper Westside of Manhattan.

A few years after this kiwi vine experienced nearly fifteen minutes of fame by talking about my place, a wildbird, known as a female cardinal named Cam, also expirenced fame by narrating a three volume book series about my place.

An Injured But Resilient Pigeon

SAINT FRANCIS IS FEATURED IN MANY OF MY BLOG POSTS

I need Saint Francis's (whose image is imprinted on a copy of a prayer card which is posted atop this entry) intercession on a situation with a pigeon who visited my garden this past weekend. He is known to be the patron saint of animals (especially birds, which is something I referenced in a recent FB post).

In any event, this past Saturday (10-10-2020) in the early evening, I noticed a pigeon in my outdoor space who did not seem to be doing very well. I had hoped to "capture" him in order to transport the creature to The Wild Bird Fund  (WBF) but since they were closed for the evening, my next best option was to "capture" him and make him comfortable for the night so I could take him to The WBF the next morning (which would be Sunday, 10-11-2020).

Years ago I learned about transporting injured or sick birds to The WBF so I knew this could be done but I was a little unsure of how I might keep this unfortunate pigeon comfortable over night so I phoned the Brooklyn based pigeon advocate (and artist extraordinaire), Tina Pina AKA Mother Pigeon (who graciously called me back with helpful tips) to seek her advice as I could not reach bird rehabber Amanda Remsberg  (AR) whom I usually contact when I have questions re birds in need.

But it turned dark outside very quickly and so it was impossible to see anything but I prepared my rescue and transport supplies to ensure I'd be ready for Sunday's mission.

I did not see my visitor in the morning but he was there in the afternoon and I was able to determine he could fly but was injured. Plus I could hear a thumping sound when he limped across my terrace.

However, in spite of my past successes with swooping up a bird in order to take him/her to The WBF, I could not grab this guy, but I could take pictures of him (seen in the next sequence of photos)...

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

... and contact AR about this for a form of "tele-med" (via Facebook Messenger). The following is a copy of our correspondence that was based on the images posted above.

ME: Here is what my limping visitor looks like. I thought from the face he/she is a youngster BUT from what you said about the feet, I may be way off. I'm not confident I'll be able to "grab" te bird in order to transport him/her /to the WBF, but I can hear "thumping" (from a limp) when the bird moves  about. Thanks again for your time.

AR: Yea, he does look young with that knobby pale beak.  Such pretty colors.  I hope he will be ok.  The placement of his feet doesn’t look like a broken leg, maybe just soft tissue damage.  Tis a hard life for a pigeon in the city. 💕

ME: He's out there right now and I guess I should just let him alone because I can't capture him and he may be safer here?

AR: Hopefully.

ME: Hopefully indeed. It's hard to her him thumping about and not be able to provide relief.

UPSHOT: It is now Monday(10-12-2020) and a cold rain is falling heavily but I am keeping my eye out for the pigeon and ready to continue to take action in order to transport him to The WBF. I truly care about this pigeon's well being. 

As some of you may know, pigeons are featured within my three volume hardcover book series, Words In Our Beak which are available wherever book are sold get your copies now and please stay tuned for updates on the pigeon featured in today's post.

MY BOOK SERIES

Remembering Clara May Fitchie Melahn

CLARA MAY FITCHIE WITH SIBLINGS

My maternal grandmother, Clara May Fitchie Melahn, was born on this day of July 23rd in the 1900. She always hated the fact that she was born within that year because her age could be calculated so easily. In any event, she can be seen (standing at the right) in the back row with her siblings in the photo atop this entry (which has been featured in a number of entries here on Blogger).

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.

In Memory of my Maternal Grandfather

MY GRANDFATHER MAKES A WISH

I'm thinking of my dearly departed grandfather, Albert Elmer Herman Louis Melahn, who was born on this day in 1903 (he died in the late 1970s.) The image atop this entry was taken on one of his birthdays in the early 1970's.

My grandmother can be seen helping him blow out his candles and my next youngest sister and I are behind them. We were told to "pose laughing," by my mother, who took the snap-shot when his cake caught on fire. (Our cousin Karl, who is for the most part of camera, is to my left).

Mother's Day 2020

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

Mother's Day is for the birds, as evidenced by these pigeons in my garden featured in the image directly atop this entry.

Saturday Night's alright for a.... #ClapBecauseWeCare Session

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

Elton John has said (in a hit song), "Saturday Night's alright for fighting..."

BUT it's also alright for participating in a #ClapBecauseWeCare Session as you might surmise upon seeing photographs that I took of the tribute just a little over three hours ago. The one atop this entry is of Julie Tersigni.

Saturday's Scenario: Reflecting on the 5/1/2020 #ClapBecauseWeCare Session

RED RIDING HOOD TULIP

Just as the petals of a Red Riding Hood tulip in my garden are trying to hang on to their stem as evidenced in this photo directly above) despite being knocked around by all the rain and wind we have had in NYC; our first responders, health care professionals and essential workers are hanging in there for us during this pandemic, in spite of the life-threatening challenges they face in doing so.

Meanwhile, people (some can be seen in the next set of pictures) continue to show their appreciation by participating in #ClapBecauseWeCare sessions and last night (May 1st 2020) was no exception.

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

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

ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SAY BRAVO, FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS, BRAVO!
----------------
On another note, when it comes to tulips a number of their varieties are featured in volume one of my book series, Words In Our Beak.

MY BOOK SERIES

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."

Moreover, the books make a great gift for Mother's Day which is coming up soon (a week from tomorrow on May 10th 2020)!

Friday's Fact: It's May! It's May! BUT The "Merry Month of May" is less merry due to COVID-19! (Maybe my masks can help?)

THIS PHOTO IS FEATURED IN A NOVEMBER 2O19 FB POST

Today is May first causing me to think of a song from Camelot, where some of the lyrics say,:

"...Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear
It's May, It's May, that gorgeous holiday..."

But this year the onset of May does not seem so merry due to the world wide-spread  COVID-19 pandemic causing people to be required to wear face-masks to prevent its spread.

And to  think it was a little under eight months ago (on October 31 2019, which was Halloween), that I encountered a woman on the UES of NYC wearing an adorable Panda bear mask (she can be seen in the first image atop this entry).

Her face-mask certainly lifted my spirits and from what I observed, caused others to smile too.

#ClapBecauseWeCare Session 26 ETC

IMAGE CREDIT

For my 176th segment of Tuesday's Truths which is falling on the twenty-first of April, I'd like to begin by saying that one month ago today on March 21st, which was a Saturday, headlines were being made that NYC would be in a two week lockdown starting on Sunday night (the 22nd of March).

Crabapple Blossoms

MY ROOFTOP GARDEN

The other day (Tuesday, 4-7-2020) in a post on my personal Facebook (FB) Page, I mentioned that I had just remembered that April is National Poetry Month and shared a Mary Oliver, then I made a commitment to post a poem (or lines from a poem) every day (on Facebook) during this month.

Because a strong wind knocked down my crabapple tree last night (as see in the photo atop this entry photo which was also included in a posting story in my Friday evening Facebook post on my business page, I've decided today would be a good time to share the poem Crabapple Blossoms, by Carl Sandburg.

WW* Celebrate National Take the Stairs Day! (*Wednesday's Wisdom)

It has come to my attention (from Holiday Insights AKA HI) as well as from a good number of organizations that relate to keeping healthy (including The American Lung Association) the Second Wednesday of January (which is today) is National Take The Stairs Day.

Yom Kippur 2019

I don't want this Tuesday to pass without my mentioning that I'm thinking of the Jewish community with this evening's onset of Yom Kippur which will began at sunset this evening.