The Inspiration of Holocaust Survivor, Mathilde Freund (And Other News)

I have been away from my cyber-venues tending to matters related to the accident that I had this past May. Whenever I stray from the momentum of my writing, I always find it difficult to begin again. But I'm sure this idiosyncrasy of mine is of no real interest to anyone, and so I'll just begin my reentry into cyberspace where I left off, which was with a post I made on July 4th, 2016, — one week and four days ago.

In the aforementioned entry, I wrote a little bit about Mathilde Freund, a holocaust survivor who lives in my hood. I stated that Mathilde and I "spoke about Elie Wiesel, the holocaust survivor who died in his NYC home this past Saturday, July 2nd. Mathilde knew Mr. Wiesel because he was in the same camp (Buchenwald) that her husband had been in. She told me that she was in hiding at the time, but her husband was killed at Buchenwald two months before it was closed. She recalled that her husband was twenty-five years old at the time and that Elie Wiesel was much younger. She also remarked that the man who was pope at the time “turned the other way,” and she is quite impressed with the efforts of the current pope. She is someone who is most thankful for what Independence Day is SUPPOSED to represent, and is truly an amazing lady! I’m always grateful when I see her!" 

Since the publication of that blog post, I came across a YouTube Video that includes Mathilde. It is produced by Fordham University and I've posted it atop this blog entry. If you view it, dear reader, I'm sure you will see why I'm always grateful to see her. Moreover, I dare say I believe upon viewing the clip, that like myself, you will find her attitude toward the tragedies in her life uplifting and inspiring.

July 4th 2016

It's a rather quiet Fourth of July for me as I'm still recuperating, but progress is being made. In bygone years I've gone to NYC's Macy's Fireworks, but this year I'm laying low. However, I do have the company of my patriotic figurine-friends. Placing them in my kitchen (photo one), where I also have my succulent garden (photo below) makes me feel a little like Laura in Tennessee William's play, The Glass Menagerie.

The activity of putting these characters in strategic places in my kitchen as well as my main living area (photo below) helps me to keep my creative juices flowing and distract me from my woes.

It's Berry Time In The City

This past Thursday I went to the greenmarket at Tucker Square, and a representative for GrowNYC, the organization that oversees the greenmarkets throughout the city, took the second photograph atop today's blog entry. I was so caught up in complimenting him on his sign, that I forgot to ask his name so that I could give him a photo credit. Because I go to that market on a regular basis. 

I hope to see him again and then give him a nod (in cyber space) for taking this image for me. In any event, while I was there, I told him (as well as a grower that happened to be standing nearby), how much pleasure I got in providing berries for the American Robins who have been visiting my urban (rooftop) garden — which is something I wrote about this in a recent blog post, "Serving The Frugivores."   

The grower begged to differ about deriving pleasure in seeing birds eat blueberries. She explained that she goes to great lengths to prevent birds from having access to her blueberries.

A bit of serendipity for the NYC birds that visit my rooftop garden: The grower covers her blueberries with nets to keep the birds away, then she brings her blueberries to the city, where I buy them, and use them to feed the bird types that she tries to keep away!

“Hollywood Finches” Honoring Bragging Rights

Last year on June 22nd, Words In Our Beak Volume One, (the book I wrote with Cam, a female cardinal who visited my garden), was published in Apple's iBook's Store, where it subsequently received a number of five star reviews!

Words In Our Beak’s"goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden in NYC, the story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. 

"Words In Our Beak" is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The book includes hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Following its publication with Apple, an ePub version of "Words In Our beak Volume One," has been published with KDP, and it is now on Amazon, where it has picked up five star reviews! This book has also received reviews on Goodreads (five stars).

Moreover, images of fauna and flora that are in included in "Words In Our Beak Volume One" are available in the storefront @ PatriciaYoungquist.com.

But it all started last year on this on this day, June 22nd. Hence, a couple of "Hollywood Finches," whose stories are included in Cam's book  are celebrating the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One, and invite you to check out the video I produced featuring them celebrating their having been include in a book that has received such great response. The "Hollywood Finches" and I ask you to share this post in honor of the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One!

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

I no longer actively produce event program covers, invitations and the types of greeting cards described here or on my website but arrangements might be able to be made under certain circumstances. My focus is on the Words In Our Beak book series, pictured below...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

...whose stories are told from the point of view of Cam, a female cardinal, whose photo is on the cover of each book. Words In Our Beak’s goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in my rooftop urban garden in New York City. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The books include hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

Father's Day is FOR THE BIRDS!

This past Monday, June 13th, six days before today's holiday of Father's Day, I heard a sound in my garden. I still don't have my replacement glasses (which I need as my accident last month resulted in them being ruined as you can see from the image above), so I relied on my Canon 70D's long lens to see what was causing the unusual noise. The conditions were not optimal for photographing. It was in the wee (and still dark) hours of the morning. Also I was inside my place looking out through a broken window. 

Still, I followed the noise from the vantage point of being behind a camera, then realized a baby bird or very young fledging, was alongside the American Robin who has been visiting my urban garden which is in close proximity to NYC's Central Park. I was thrilled for I've never seen such a young robin! However, both of these birds were hiding behind one of my clay pots, and with that, as well as the conditions I've just described, the images I did get are unclear, but I'm posting them anyway (below).

AMERICAN ROBINS

AMERICAN ROBINS

For as I mentioned in a recent post here on Blogger, when photo-ops do not turn out as I would like, I try to console myself with the wisdom that E.B. White spoke of in his essay, "Remembrance is Sufficient."

Serving The Frugivores

According to Holiday Insights, the month of June is set aside for a few national observations: National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month, and National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. In an effort to pay homage to the latter, I've been offering fresh blueberries to the birds that visit my urban garden in NYC.

And as you can see from the pictures posted above (which were taken in my garden), a lone American Robin and a Northern Mockingbird have been enjoying my hospitality.