cookies

Halloween cookies

Put Things Away

My new goal is to put things away. Right away. To not lay things down and say to myself, "Later, I'll put that away later." But I sort of like the way this pile of camping chairs looks, leaning against my studio in the backyard. And maybe I'm still hoping I'll find some way to get a few more days at a campground before this year ends.

Autumn's brilliance

(taken the day Hurricane Sandy hit NYC--the calm right before the storm)

Howl-oween

Zebra meets Ninja Turtle-ready for Howl-oween.

Demo

Demo in the kitchen. It feels good to pull down all the old stuff. But I can't help thinking all this wood should be given a chance at another life.

cat carving

Amazing pumpkin carving.

Marinade

Marinade for London broil

1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil . . . .

That's as far as I got before I had to stop and get my camera.

Cowboy goat

This goat was decked out for Halloween and happy to pose for photos; I kept wondering if he could get off that barrel if he wanted to.

Someone Forget to Order Autumn

Someone forgot to tell L.A. that it's autumn. Looks like we're going to have an 80 degree Christmas. Must admit, that is my favorite kind. And someone forgot to tell the eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers in our garden that they are supposed to done now. How do you pull up a plant full of edibles just because the calendar says it's time to plant cold season vegies?

View

Some days I curse the stairs leading up to my house and swear I'm going to move to a house on flat ground and then there are days like today that remind me why I love living here.

Too Early Jack-O-Lantern

Uhmm . . . hurry up Halloween cuz I think I carved my pumpkin too early. 

Heater

I was happily taking pictures of our "new" bedroom when I suddenly noticed how strangely green (and weirdly ugly) the heater in there is.

Lemon Pac-man

This lemon discarded on the side  of the road reminded me of Pac-man.

Photographing the photo session

Waiting

The last time that I missed a post, I promised myself that I wouldn't miss any more. Well that promise didn't take long to break.

I had this shot ready last night. I had been sitting in the car, tired, waiting for D to return from the record shop. (Yep, he buys vinyl.) I was proud of myself for grabbing my camera when we left the house; happy with this shot of waiting.

Later, as I sat down on the couch to watch Modern Family, I remembered Just Four Photos and my picture waiting to be downloaded and posted. But in that moment, Modern Family trumped all.  And as I fell asleep on the couch, I forgot all about my waiting photo.

Pumpkin carvings

What fun! Amazing.

Car covered in Autumn

I love this time of year.

Everyone and everything wearing

the latest fashion.

A la mode.

Bottle Stairs

How come I can go up and down these stairs, many times a day, but it takes having a camera in my hand to stop and notice them? (And how come every contractor, wall-builder, stair-maker doesn't say, "Hey, let's make some stairs out of sheets of glass and green bottles?" How come?)

Coffee House Skeleton

Our new local coffee house is ready for Dia De Los Muertos.

Tennis Ball Appeal

I don't understand the appeal, but by Donkey's reaction, this is a one-of-a-kind something special.

Fooled me

For years  I saw this on the phone pole in front of our house and would wonder how a "key" got there and why; I never really "looked" at it though until today when I decided to take a picture of it for the blog and actually discovered it wasn't a key at all; made me laugh at myself.

Persimmon Shelf

We have a little slope in the backyard that is supported by these cinder blocks. It used to be covered in ivy. The other day, I cleared it all away. A squirrel seems to have decided that it makes a good shelving unit.

Hmm . . . gives me an idea . . . .

parrots

These 2 parrots stopped for a breather in our walnut tree.

Succulents

What I love about succulents . . .
you can ignore them, never water them, not even glance at them . . .
but they will keep on going, no matter what, just waiting to surprise you when you least expect it.

Mask

Reminds me of a Harlequin mask- just in time for Halloween

Praying Mantis

Rescued this guy from being run over by one of the pool patrons; not sure if he appreciated it but I appreciated him striking a pose for me.

Bamboo

The Wish Jar

This is a wish jar. It's been on top of the fridge for many years. The idea was for everyone to put in a wish every day. Of course, that lasted about a week, then we mostly forgot. Today is D's birthday. We got down the wish jar and laughed as we read through and remembered those old wishes. Then, we all wrote new ones and added them to the jar. Those wishes will stay a secret, until the next birthday when (if I can remember) we'll take down the jar again, read those wishes, and add some more to the wish jar.

Stony Teeth

This ring of stones always reminds me of 

jagged teeth.

Home pharmacy

Seems like the top of our TV has become a make shift pharmacy

Palm Tangle

Hey! Looks like a Zentangle!

Bridges in the Sky

Columbia University Medical Center, NYC.

Sand Mandala

Sand mandala being created in Union Square Park

Everything is temporary.

A beautiful reminder.

Mountain View

When I go to my backyard, first thing I do is turn to the mountains. Sometimes I find myself just standing there, staring, thinking about nothing in particular; my errand that led me to the yard, forgotten.  When I drive home, my car comes around the top of our street and heads down the hill - and I look at the mountains. I must glance at them 20 times each day. Often, I don't even realize that I'm turning to find them - until I find myself standing, staring, forgetting.

Toy Boats in Central Park

Telestrations

Played a game tonight called Telestrations which is a sketching game take off on the old "telephone" game; had a lot of fun and laughs; a keeper!

Rice on the Road

There's just some stuff in my neighborhood that I don't understand - like cabbage leaves spread out on a car hood, or a fan that sits in a carport and blows nothing to nowhere . . . and this pile of leftover rice that gets carefully dumped in the same spot by the side of the road. Is it an offering? The animals don't eat it. It just sits there, day after day, until it's run over by cars and ground into powder. Then a few days later, more rice appears.

letter recognition

My grandson was thrilled to discover this letter board at a nearby park and I was thrilled when he was able to point out various letters and say their names. A future reader in the making.

Cords

Cords looping through the work area.

Cat Scratching Post

I wish Thomas the Cat used this more often

-instead of our chairs-

Fall Funk

I've been in a Fall Funk- trying not to focus on the cold weather, rain, and upcoming time change but thinking about good things that come in the fall....Halloween, Thanksgiving, Trader Joe's pumpkin butter, Fosselman's Black Walnut ice cream....

Mystery Knob

We've never known exactly why this knob was sticking out of the wall in our bedroom. Most of the wall had to be replaced this week, but we were able to save the mystery knob.

Topiary Animals

ANOTHER wild turkey sighting in NYC!

This one was spotted yesterday as I walked down the hill to catch the subway.

I mean, come on!

Wild Turkeys in Manhattan!

Tibetan Dolls

Seen at Tibet House US in NYC

River Gate

Coming up from the rushing river. Climbing back to the rushing traffic.

The spot

One of the 3 "amigos" favorite spots...

Door to Nowhere

 

A lot of trouble to build a door to nowhere, just to keep it locked and surrounded by barbed wire.

Workstation

Ah...

the daily grind.

devil car

Saw this car all suited up and ready for Halloween.