In Remembrance of Donna De Solis

This post is in honor of what would be the seventy-fourth birthday of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis, who passed away on June 25th, 2015. In the picture directly above she can be seen at the bottom of image and I am standing directly behind her. It was taken in 2014 and we were on a pier at the Hudson River, celebrating my birthday. 

Little did we know it would be the last time I celebrated mine with her, for she died the following June two months before my birthday in the year 2015.

Donna was the office manager at The Church of the Blessed Sacrament (my parish).

Over the many years I knew her, I was honored and privledged to be a guest at a number of the Christmas parties she held in her home and to go with her to various events happening in NYC. 

Moreover, she came to a couple of exhibitions that featured my photography. In the next picture, Donna can be seen with a yellow sweater over her shoulders and yours truly is standing behind her. 

We are at an opening for a 2002 art exhibition that I was featured in (with two other artists who are not in this photograph) at The New York Gallery Building (on West Fifty-Seventh Street in NYC). The art piece which is behind us is one of my kaliedoscopic images titled Rocks By Strawberry Fields. 

At the time our picture was taken, my kaliedoscopic photographs could only be printed on photographic papers as wall art or rendred on to note-cards.

Howeover, over the years, with advancement in printing processes, my kaliedoscopic works (as well as all of my other photographs) can be rendered (by Fine Art America AKA FAA) in an aray of sizes on to various surfaces for wall art including, acrylic, art paper, canvas, metal, poster-paper and wood. FAA also has framed options available and they can render the images on to note-cards.

I think Donna might've found it cool that FAA can print my kaliedoscopic images (and my other ones) on to items for personal use such as totes, week-ender bags, pouches, note-books, stickers, cell-phone cases and jigsaw puzzles; as well as face-masks.

In any event, I'm certainly thinking of Donna as well as those family members who survived her including her husband Tony as well as her son, Bryan, who shortly after her death, requsted that I create a video in honor of memory, which I did and it can be viewed on Vimeo as well as You Tube.

Remembering "DD" (10-24-1947-06-25-2015)

In honor of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis's (DD), I'm posting a video (from my Vimeo Library) that I created in her honor (in 2015) at the request of her son.

The video description on Vimeo reads: "Remembering Donna (The Wonder of DD), pays a small tribute to Donna De Solis who was born on this day of October 24th in 1947, and died on June 25th 2015. This video was shown to her son privately, before being "aired" at a reception after her memorial service, which was held at The Church of The Blessed Sacrament on July 15th, 2015. Donna had worked for this church for nearly forty years. It is located on Manhattan's Upper Westside, which is an area where Donna lived most of her life."

Saturday's Sequel (RE 8-9-2017's Post)

This photograph (atop my entry) of beach bums was taken by Jane from The Wooden Duck. It is an image that you might recognize from a recent post (8-9-2017) here on Blogger.

Within the aforementioned post, I explained that Jane and her husband, Art, made it possible for the beach to be brought to me; via these figurines, since I have not been able to go to the beach this summer.

Jane and Art's cast of characters have finally settled in my "homemade beach," where they joined my three bathing beauties (from the late Donna De Solis), as seen in the next image, where they (Donna's gifts to me), are indicated with numbers.

If you compare, my beach scene with Jane's, you should notice five differences (besides "Donna'a" figurines). See if you can spot them, dear reader. After studying the two images, please continue reading this entry for the answers.

Tuesday's Truths WK 63: Time spent with anyone is fleeting. (Remembering Donna De Solis)

It's the sixty-first week of my Tuesday's Truths series. This week's truth is a reminder that time spent with anyone is fleeting and the post is dedicated to the late Donna De Solis (DD). Her birthday would be today, October 24th, had she not passed away in June of 2015.

The little slide show atop this entry was produced a couple of years ago. It features an array of birds who are spending time together. In the first slide you see Cam, my visiting female cardinal (who is a writer) with her son, Vincenzo. Each photograph in the presentation has been included in Cam's book,  Words In Our Beak Volume One.

In her story, Cam states that "though it’s true that we cardinals feed our young, sometimes I try to give my children a bit of tough love because I want them to have the confidence to be on their own. But I confess that I’m known to give into their begging tactics. While I want my children to be independent, occasionally I do give in when they beg, because time spent with a child is fleeting. I once overheard a conversation between two folks when people-ing, and it is this overheard line which expresses my beliefs: 'I gave into my toddler’s wishes, as I figured it wouldn’t be long before he’d be asking for the car keys . . . time flies,' a woman stated. And as one who flies, I couldn’t agree more. I value my time with Vincenzo, but I still force myself to push him to fend for his own seeds, even though I know that once he’s successful at his endeavor, as he seems to be here, he will leave Mac and I to pursue a life of his own." Cam is correct that time spent with a child is fleeting, but I'll go one step further and say time sent with anyone is fleeting! 

This mini-movie's background music features the song Christmas Auld Lang Syne, being sung by Bobby Darin. I heard the song and Darin's rendition on an annual basis when I attended DD's Christmas parties, including a Christmas party she held in December of 2014.

The song, when sung by him, was one of her favorites. If you want to sing along, these are the lyrics:

"When mistletoe and tinsel glow

Paint a yuletide valentine

Back home I go to those I know

For a Christmas auld lang syne.

And as we gather 'round the tree

Our voices all combine

In sweet accord to thank the Lord

For a Christmas auld lang syne.

When sleigh bells ring and choirs sing

And the children's faces shine

With each new toy we share their joy

With a Christmas auld lang syne.

We sing His praise this day of days

And pray next year this time

We'll all be near to share the cheer

Of a Christmas auld lang syne.

'Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy New Year!'

In sweet accord we thank the Lord

For a Christmas auld lang syne."

Little did I know that at Donna's Christmas party on December 20, 2014, when her guests and I sang the words, "We sing His praise this day of days, And pray next year this time, We'll all be near to share the cheer, Of a Christmas auld lang syne," that Donna would be dead the following June. Her passing is a reminder of Cam's views on the importance of spending time with one's children, and in my view, also on the importance of spending time with anyone near and dear to you.

ADDENDUM FALL 2018: 

The digital versions of Volume One within the Words In Our Beak book series that are mentioned in this entry may only remain available for a limited time, but hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can now be found wherever books are sold. Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

MY BOOK SERIES

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.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES (which is in Apple's Bookstore and On Amazon)...

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

Remembering Donna DeSolis (b 10-24-1947)

In honor of my dearly departed friend, Donna DeSolis's (DD), who might've been celebrating her birthday today with me had she not passed from this life, I'm posting a video (from my Vimeo Library) that I created in her honor (in 2015) at the request of her son.

The video description on Vimeo reads: "Remembering Donna (The Wonder of DD), pays a small tribute to Donna De Solis who was born on this day of October 24th in 1947, and died on June 25th 2015. This video was shown to her son privately, before being "aired" at a reception after her memorial service, which was held at The Church of The Blessed Sacrament on July 15th, 2015. Donna had worked for this church for nearly forty years. It is located on Manhattan's Upper Westside, which is an area where Donna lived most of her life."

Lighting a Fire Inside the Heart . . .

"Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It's lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It's higher thought and a greater plan. It's glorious dream in the soul of man." (Wilfred A. Peterson) 

It is only December 13th, and Christmas is 12 days away, but from all the frenzy of various tree lighting celebrations (which I have blogged about in a previous post) that sets crowds clamoring in New York City where I live, it is  hard not to get caught up in the often chaotic atmosphere of the city.

Monday's Memory: What a friend I had in DD*! (*Donna DeSolis)

"ROCKS BY STRAWBERRY FIELDS" FEATURED IN AN EXHIBITION

My friend, DD (Donna De Solis) passed from this life three years ago today. I have written about her a number of times here on Blogger and a video that I made (soon after she passed) honoring her life can be viewed within my You Tube Channel.

Donna can be seen in the photograph atop this entry, she has a yellow sweater over her shoulders and yours truly is standing behind her. We are at an opening for a 2002 art exhibition that I was featured in (with two other artists) at The New York Gallery Building (on West Fifty-Seventh Street in NYC).

The image above us is of a photographic print from my Kaleidoscopic Photograph Collection (which can be found in the Kaleidoscopic Prints Gallery within my website, patriciayoungquist.com ) and is called, Rocks by Strawberry Fields.

In the coming days (hopefully this Thursday), I will be meeting with Chris Deatherage (who is the one that designed my website and formatted the Words In Our Beak book series) to see if we can add this image to the Kaleidoscopic Collections within my Fine Art America Pages.

Chris met Donna at a gathering that I had at my apartment on Halloween (a number of years ago) and I am sure that he will agree that DD would truly be thrilled to know I now have some of my work up on Fine America's site.

I miss seeing Donna and my heart aches for her husband, son, sister and cousins who will surely be thinking of her on this mournful day; but I do realize that she is someone who would be very pleased that I'm doing all I can to move forward.

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

Hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can be found wherever books are sold.

MY BOOK SERIES

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.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES (which is in Apple's Bookstore and On Amazon)...

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

Tuesday's Truths WK 16: "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter....."

Hello. Welcome to week sixteenth of Tuesday's Truths, which happens to coincide with the day after Halloween. For those of you who follow me here on Blogger, Facebook, tumblr or hometalk, you know that I've discussed I use Halloween decor in my rooftop garden. And you know that I've also created many story-lines re the whimsical characters who have visited both my indoor succulent garden and main living area during the time of Halloween prep; the Halloween holiday itself; and Halloween aftermath. Today's Blogger post content touches on Halloween aftermath among other subjects. The photograph atop this blog features a partial view of what hangs above my kitchen stove.

Some musings RE "BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS": "A Christmas filled with love!"

It's Christmas Day and the photo atop today's blog entry features me on my parent's Christmas card** and seeing it now has prompted me to recall Connie Francis singing, "Baby's First Christmas."

I became acquainted with this song because my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis, who I knew for twenty-eight years, used to play it at her annual Christmas party. I attended Donna's event from  2002 through 2014. And who could've known that a few weeks after her December 2014 Christmas party, Donna would learn that she had Stage-Four cancer and would be dead within six months. (She ultimately died in June of 2015).

"Remembering Donna (The Wonder of DD)," pays a small tribute to Donna De Solis who was born on October 24th,1947, and died on June 25th 2015. This video was shown to her son privately, before being "aired" at a reception after her memorial service, which was held at The Church of The Blessed Sacrament on July 15th, 2015. Donna had worked for this church for nearly forty years. It is  located on the Upper Westside in NYC where Donna lived most of her life.

Thursday's Testimony: The Legacy of Friends (Remembering DD and Claudia Ferrer)

Today is not part of my blog posting schedule for this week, but it is being published in honor of what would be the seventy second birthday of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis, who passed away on June 25th, 2015. The video posted atop this entry is one I created to honor her memory (at the request of her son) and it is included within my Vimeo as well as my You Tube library.

We first met in the mid 1980's. Donna (or DD as many called her) lived in my hood was a frequent visitor to my rooftop garden and I attended her annual Christmas parties held in her home.

Édith Piaf + "La Vie En Rose" Insights (Wednesday's Wisdom)

One hundred and three years ago on this day in 1915, Édith Piaf was born. Followers of this blog may recall that her singing was a a favorite of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis, and that Piaf's rendition of La Vie En Rose, which  she is singing in the video atop this entry is one that I used in a memorial DVD which I created in honor of Donna's memory at the request of her son.

I've just learned via a comment (by Joshua F) on this You Tube video that "La vie en rose literally means life in pink. It's a French expression roughly equal to 'rose-colored glasses', but without the negative connotation of the English expression. It's about seeing the world in a brighter and more idealistic way- directly in the context of the song, this is because of a lover, but because it was released in 1945, it served to soothe and inspire a France still recovering from the horror of Nazi occupation."

Prior to my reading the comment I had read in a Google search "La vie en rose literally translates to Life in pink and it would be better translated to life through rosy (pink) glasses. The idea is to depict a state where everything appears rosy and cheerful to you. It's about a state of bliss when everything around you is a source of joy..." 

And in that search I also read, "Ah, la vie en rose! The quintessential French phrase for non-French speakers, popularized by Édith Piaf's love song. It comes from a very common and popular expression ''voir la vie en rose' which literally means ''seeing life in pink.' In English, it's often translated as ''wearing rose-colored glasses..."

Thursday's Tandem Tales For 2018: Ride Two

This past Tuesday in honor of the beginning of the month of May for 2018, I posted an entry here on Blogger, reminding readers that this month is Gifts from the Garden Month. 

However the month of May is associated with many holidays and observations, not just gardening, and one of the things recognized in May is that it is National Bike Month. 

On evening of the first of May, but not necessarily in honor of this fact, my bike captain and I took our second tandem ride for 2018. The temperatures were much warmer than when we took our first ride for the year of 2018 (which I wrote about in a prior entry here on Blogger).

In any event, this past Tuesday, we did one of our "standard" rides which is cycling up the westside greenway (it  runs parallel to the Hudson River) to the lighthouse AKA The Little Red Lighthouse).

A partial view of it (with a partial view of The George Washington Bridge) can be seen in the photo atop this entry. I have published many entries here on Blogger that feature a more complete view of these structures and if you'd like to see these particular posts, please click here as well as here.

Usually when we cycle to The Little Red Lighthouse, we have a picnic on the grounds and enjoy the sunset. However, it was rather crowded with boisterous people and there wasn't an available picnic table.

Aside from the loud conditions that were occurring at our usual picnic spot, ZW (my captain) made the smart executive decision to have our picnic in an area known as Hudson River Park.

My Acquaintance Eileen

My acquaintance, Eileen, can be seen in the photograph atop this entry. Eileen Bransten Simpson is someone I've known since the early 1990's (through my then fairly active membership at The Church of the Blessed Sacrament in NYC).

I have seen Eileen a number of times at mass, including one for the Easter Vigil, when she converted from her religion to Catholicism. She went through RCIA to this, and sponsored by her husband, John Simpson, who died this past Sunday, August the 20th. Simpson's funeral mass was this past Wednesday, which I attended, and, of course, I saw Eileen.

The following day, someone helped me recall a story about Eileen, that our mutual friend, the late Donna De Solis had told us: Eileen is the daughter of Ruth McKenney, the deceased author of My Sister Eileen.

And Eileen Bransten Simpson is named for McKenny's sister. According to Wiki, "the stories were originally published in The New Yorker, which eventually inspired many other works: My Sister Eileen (a 1938 book), a play, a musical, a radio play (and an un-produced radio series), two motion pictures, and a CBS television series in the 1960–1961 season.

Tuesday's Truths 13: It's a Somber Anniversary

My dear friend Donna De Solis (pictured above) died four years ago today. I have no words for the void in my life. She was truly supportive of my creative endeavors and attended openings of my art exhibitions, including one that was in The New York Gallery Building that featured my kaleidoscopic photographs, such as Rocks By Strawberry Fields.

In the next image DD can be seen standing next to yours truly on my opening night.

As I've just said, the void in my life since her passing is huge and my heart constantly goes out to her son Bryan and husband, Tony. I've preserved some of her legacy in video format (at the request of her son) and it, titled, Remembering Donna, (The Wonder of DD) can be viewed on my Vimeo Channel  as well as my You Tube Channel.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Bring the Beach Home!

The bathing beauties pictured atop this entry posed for a photo shoot by sitting atop a bird bath in my urban garden.

All of them came to me through the generosity of my dearly departed friend, Donna De Solis, who loved spending time sitting outside at my place. Therefore, in her honor, we did our photo shoot outdoors.

Normally these bathing beauties stay inside my apartment and spend their time within the confines of my indoor succulent garden (two of them can be seen doing this during bygone years in the next set of images).

These bathing beauties are working on their tan before the arrival of a feisty group of beach loving visitors who are coming to NYC from Skippack (Pennsylvania).

Their trip has been made possible by Art and his wife Jane (who took the following picture of our anticipated guests).

These "cast of characters" look like a delightful, fun loving, bunch of "beach bums" and will be most welcomed by me for I am truly missing the beach!

In Honor of Saint Patrick's Day

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day, a couple decided to re new their vows in the presence of their Irish friends. The event took place at a wooden church, which they posed in front of after the ceremony took place, as seen in the photo atop this entry. A close-up of the happy couple can be seen below,

and, if you follow me on Blogger, then you probably see a lot of familiar faces in the first image.

Sunday's Sentiments for 11-12-2017

It's a few minutes after midnight Eastern Standard Time and I am just now composing my entry for Sunday, November the 12th 2017, as it is my first opportunity to write a blog post for that day.

Wednesday's Wisdom: See An M.D.

The pictures atop this entry were taken by a man named Reggie, who works as an Xray technician at an imaging facility on NYC's Upper Eastside. I had gone there for some tests in response to my doctor's orders, after she examined me for some severe rib pain, which I started having this past Sunday morning.

Tuesday's Truths WK 12: Blessings Of The Animals are always done on The Feast Day of Saint Francis

Earlier today, October the fourth, here on Blogger, I posted an entry in honor of Saint Francis, whose Feast Day is today. And now, before the day ends, I'd like to report, as part of my Tuesday's Truths series, that a number of institutions throughout the world host an event in which one of any denomination, or no denomination, can bring his/her animal to be blessed. The Church Of  The Blessed Sacrament in NYC is included in that mix, and the image above this entry features a flyer used to promote the event.