Happy Anniversary To The Statute of Liberty! (She arrived in NYC 1885)

"On this day (June the seventeenth) in 1885, the dismantled Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of America, arrives in New York Harbor after being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in 350 individual pieces packed in more than 200 cases," proclaims a page in a web-site titled THIS DAY IN HISTORY. The Statue of Liberty is often called Lady Liberty.

A number of years ago, I came upon a driftwood sculpture (at Long Beach), that was rendered in her likeness by an anonymous artist. This work of art is featured in  the image atop this entry.

Over my years of living in Manhattan, I have seen The Statue of Liberty countless times. Most of my vantage points have been from my this borough, as I have lived here for over thirty-five years.

However, I've seen her several times when I've been on from various boat trips. I've also seen her from other places. The photographs directly below show how looks from a vantage point of Red Hook (in Brooklyn) as well as from a vantage point on Governors Island (respectively).

Moreover, in my home, I have a figurine depicting Lady Liberty. She can be seen in the next image.

I got her at More & More Antiques (M&M), a shop located on NYC's Upper Westside.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Honor The U.S.A.'s Flag

Yesterday, June the 13th, I had hoped to make a day trip to The Fire Island Lighthouse. It is can be seen within the image atop this entry, where an American flag is flying to the lighthouse's left; and, where seagulls, are flying to that flag's left.

I've been to this lighthouse (located within the town of Kismet, on Fire Island), on a number of occasions. And yesterday seemed to be a good time to visit it, as real feel temperatures were in the low hundred degree range. Before nine o'clock in the morning, the actual temperature had reached ninety-six degrees in Central Park!

There are a number of ways to get to The Fire Island Lighthouse. One of them is to take a train (subway) to Penn Station and connect with an LIRR (Long Island Railroad) train to Bayshore, then from there take a taxi to a ferry, which drops passengers off at various towns on Fire Island.

This BUD's for YOU! (It's Red Rose Day)

Today is Red Rose Day (according to Holiday Insights AKA HI). HI states that Red Rose Day is always celebrated on June 12th.

Furthermore, HI proclaims this day is the "time to enjoy and appreciate America's favorite flower.....the red rose."

In bygone years, I've had red roses in my rooftop garden, which is where I took the photograph (that is now part of My Fauna-Flora-Insect-Themed Cards) that is atop this blog entry. This series of cards is comprised of images which can be found in Cam's book, Words In Our Beak Volume One.

The book, and/or the postcards make a great Fathers Day (which, is this coming Sunday) gift! As of this posting, the only way to purchase my book is via the publisher; MagCloud.

My postcards are available at More & More Antiques on the UWS of New York City.

N'tl Bird Day 2021 has come and gone! However, one can continue to celebrate! (Tuesday's Truths WK 201)

MALE HOUSE FINCHES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

This two hundred and one segement of Tuesday's Truths is to alert you to the fact that National Bird Day has come and gone for the year 2021. It was celebrated three weeks ago on 1-5. Information re this holiday can be found in a number of places on the web including a page for National Day. 

In bygone years, I've published posts about this occasion as I certainly appreciate any occasion that aims to raise awareness about members of the animal kingdom and I don’t think it needs to be limited to one day.

But this segement is also designed to let you know that if you missed this year’s National Bird Day, just make it a point to do something that will benefit our feathered friends, such as making sure any bird feeder you have is clean as well as replenished. 

They will truly appreciate your efforts as evidenced by this male house finch (in the photograph directly above) who is enjoying a snack from a feeder in my garden.

Another thing you can do is to make sure your bird bath is clean and if winter temperatures are prevailing, make sure the water isn't frozen.

Listen Up! (Wednesday's Wisdom)

Cardinal Love 1

With the Valentine's Day holiday approaching in twenty-three days, it's the perfect opportunity to begin (if you don't already) to keep in mind, "Understanding your partner requires the capacity to listen. Really listen. Couples are advised to hear each other’s complaints without feeling attacked, and as great as this sounds, it’s often unrealistic."

"Dinner for Two": Mating House Finches's Image is a Perfect Valentine's Day Greeting (Saturday's Suggestion)

CHECK THIS OUT ON FINE ART AMERICA

The colors of  the female house finch are muted giving them a protective camouflage.

Deep red coloring in the males of this bird type indicates they are healthy and might make good partners and fathers to their children.

Perhaps this is what is on the mind of the female house finch featured in my image (Dinner for Two) during her dinner date.

Monday's Musings Father's Day 2020

Yesterday was Father's Day and the photographs atop this entry are ones from various moments of childhood and they feature me with my dad on various occasions.

He moved out of our house the year the latter picture (where I have a cast on a broken wrist) was taken; so Father's Day can be such a bittersweet holiday for me.

Sometimes bitter because he left when I was so young and I subsequently spent most of my life trying to garner his attention and approval to very little avail.

Moreover, he passed away in 1995 and that adds to my sadness on Father's Day.

But Father's Day can also be sweet because no matter what, a father is still a father, and mine had a quick wit, which is a trait I have when I don't take myself so seriously.

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.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Inern'tl Women's Day (Cam, my cardinal can relate.)

Today, March 8th, is one of my sister's birthdays. She can be seen in photo atop this entry, where she is on the lefthand side of the image, busily eating a drumstick, during a Thanksgiving dinner held in our home during bygone years. Because we grew up in the midwest, and because her birthday is in March, there were occasions that heavy snowfall prevailed on her birthday. We all recall that one year, when we were very young children, a major snowstorm occurred on her day, and she turned to my mother, and asked, "Doesn't God know it's my birthday?" My sister's day of March the 8th, coincides with an observance known as International Women’s Day. 

Regarding the aforementioned event, there is a web-page which states, "For a lot of people in the U.S., International Women's Day just isn't that big of a deal. Before this year (1977) one could argue that few Americans knew this "holiday" existed. Others who did know about it likely shrugged it off as yet another hashtag holiday (see: National Peanut Butter Day) social media marketers created to get consumers' attention. While the organizers of the Women's March on Washington have helped bring greater attention to IWD, the first time it was observed was back in Feb. 28, 1908." 

In 1908, my maternal grandmother would've been eight years old, the age that I believe she is in the following photograph (which has been featured in at least one of my prior posts here on Blogger.)

My grandmother is in the back row on the right. She died many years ago (1987); and, her parting words to me were ones that urged me to get back to my writing.

Thankfully I have done this by helping Cam, (the cardinal pictured directly below, in a picture I took of her in my rooftop garden)...

... write and publish her book, Words In Our Beak Volume One.

In fact, Cam is named for both of my maternal grandparents! Her name, Cam, is short for  Clara Albert Melahn (Clara is my dearly departed maternal grandmother; Albert is my dearly departed maternal grandfather).

In any event, Cam is quite a forthright spokes-bird; and in her narrative, she aspires to raise awareness of all members of the avian community, but especially those who  are cardinals. Cam's need to raise awareness stems from the fact that she understands what it is to be marginalized.

Wednesday's Wisdom: Observing the Little Things

A few days ago (June 9th 2017), I posted a clip of Connie Chung interviewing Marlon Brando (in 1989) on my personal FB Page. During the interview, Ms. Chung asked Marlon Brando what he had been doing since he "left" the acting profession.

His answer? "I've spent hours and hours watching ants going up and down my sink, picking up the crumbs, finding where they come in from - they come in to get away from the cold weather..."

I can't say I've spent hours and hours watching ants in my home, but, I have observed them interacting with strawflowers (AKA Helichrysum bracteatum )which grow in my rooftop garden.

An example of this can be seen in the first photograph atop this blog entry. This particular image is included in both the digital,

and softcover,

version of Words In Our Beak Volume One.

The book makes a great Fathers Day gift, and that holiday, will occur in just a few days from now (Sunday, June 18th)!

In any event, while Brando has confessed to spending hours and hours watching ants, I admit that I've spent hour and hours watching a fledging (who is a European starling) making discoveries in my garden (as seen in pictures directly below).

European starlings are merely introduced in Words In Our Beak Volume One, however, much detail re them will be discussed in a subsequent volume. Stay tuned.

ADDENDUM FALL 2018: 

The non-hardcover version (or 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.

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.

STOP THE SPREAD (of lovers's quarrels)

HOUSE FINCHES ARE FEATURED IN WIOB

The other day was quite cold and I noticed a male House finch puffing up as he perched on a branch within an Ailanthus tree in my courtyard. Puffing up is something birds do to keep warm as I mentioned in this past Friday's posting. 

Male House finches are red and the females have brownish tones thus they blend in with nature, which is helpful in them being able to protect a nest.

The one seen here (lower left) blends in with the branches so much that I may not have noticed her had I not wondered what the male was looking at. Their distance reminded me of the social distancing, a "task" that folks around the world have been asked to keep to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Saturday (Yesterday) In The Park

"Another day in the park... Everyday is the Fourth of July," are lyric lines from the song "Saturday in the Park," by the rock band, Chicago. I have quoted the song in prior posts here on Blogger when I've published an entry re my spending a Saturday in the Park, which is something I did yesterday.

I went to Central Park to see if turtles were coming out of hibernation on the third day after the official onset of spring in our hemisphere. There were only a couple of turtles swimming (such as the one seen in the image posted above) in Turtle Pond, which means many of them are still hibernating under the water; for usually that pond is oversubscribed with this type of creature.

Soon It Will Be Father's Day 2017!

The photographs atop this entry are of Peanut, a fledging who is a girl, bonding with her father, Mac.

She was named Peanut, because she loves eating peanuts! Moreover, she is featured (as are her siblings) in her mother's (Cam, pictured below),

book, Words In Our Beak, Volume One.

Peanut certainly appreciates spending time with her father! Therefore, when she learned, that in one week's time, on the eighteenth of June, humans will be honoring Father's Day, she asked me to suggest to those who still have their fathers, or their grandfathers, that they give them Cam's book as a gift!

ADDENDUM FALL 2018: 

The non-hardcover version (or 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.

When do my pictures say the words or when do my words paint a picture?

It is such an honor to have mockingbirds visit my garden (which one is doing in the image atop this entry), but today for my Wednesday Wisdom segment, I can't find the words to describe the feelings such visitors provoke in me.

Therefore, I will use the words that Henry David Thoreau used to describe when another bird type (a sparrow) how he felt visited his garden.

Here is what he said: “I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”

This quotation has been referenced in a number of my blog posts including one published on an anniversary of one of Thoreau's birthdays (July 12th 2017).

Usually I'm not one who is at a loss for words, which is a good thing since I'm a writer but today, when it comes to describing the feeling I had the other day upon seeing a lone mockingbird in my garden, I don't have much to say. 

Perhaps I'm thinking that my words about this have all been said by me (in prior posts) or have been said by writers whom admire.

Another possibly for lack of words might be due to the fact that I've taken a picture of what  I saw and it might suffice due to it being one of those picture says a thousands words things.

According to a web-page, "the idea that a picture can convey what might take many words to express was voiced by a character in Ivan S. Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons, 1862: 'The drawing shows me at one glance what might be spread over ten pages in a book.'"

A Recent Visit By Cardinals

Last Monday, shortly after Juan V left from working with me in my garden, I had a visitor who happened to be a male Northern cardinal. He is featured in the image atop this entry which is very aimilar to the ones included in this past Tuesday's (5-4-2021) blog post.

As I stated in thse entry, "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."

In any event this male cardinal's visit was followed by a visit from an array of other avian creatures including a very young female cardinal.