Downtown Reflections

One building reflected in another.

Garbage Can with Measles

They might have thought they were making the garbage can

look cute

when they painted it with polka dots.

I think it just makes it look like 

it has measles.

Break Through

What came first? The tree or the fence? The strength of nature amazes me.

The Orange House

As if the color of this house wasn't enough to stop you in your tracks, now we have this lovely sign to go with it.

Sea gulls

When I see sea gulls I think of the beach and warm weather and long days and fun times........

A Gargoyle in the Plants

72nd Street and Central Park West

Always cool architectural elements

Right on.

Geese at Trader Joe's

There is a Trader Joe's 

just across the Hudson River from NYC

in Fort Lee, New Jersey

We went there over the weekend

and were greeted by these fantastic geese

walking around in the parking lot.

(P.S.  The cars all understood that geese have the "right of way")

Habits

Like mother like son.....I noticed these shoes of my daughter's and grandson's on our living room floor.

A Hoarder's Home

On my walks, I have watched the contents of this house slowly overflow. Bags, stuffed full, began to appear on the back porch, then on the roof of the patio. They began climbing up the hill in the backyard. I could catch glimpses of old toys, clothes, and the miscellaneous gatherings that only a hoarder can understand. The backyard climbs up to the dirt road that houses my famous trash heap. A flimsy chain link fence with a rusted pad lock was all that separated their bags from the illegally dumped treasures of the trash heap, just beyond on the dirt road.

Something has happened. The trash heap remains, still changing every few days. But the hoarder's home has suddenly been cleaned up. The bags are all gone. And three shiny new padlocks are on the flimsy chain link fence.

Button

Noticed today that I've had this button in my cubicle since 2008; still holds true for me so it shall remain.

Newly Hatched

Walking home from the grocery store this afternoon, 

I happened to look down at just the right time

and noticed this bird's egg--

Good luck on your new adventure, Baby Bird.

It's a good world to be a part of.

Hair Ceremony

I saw him standing, looking down the hill. He wore his jammies and a quiet expression. He held something black in his hand.

The next day I stood, where he had been, absently gazing down the hill. While my dog sniffed around the weeds and flowers, I saw the two handfuls of hair, tossed about 10 feet apart.

unnoticed

With all the "noticing" I do for the blog, I completely neglected to notice my Internet bill until I went to try and post to the blog last night and was met with this friendly reminder....that made me stop and "notice".

A little bit of thanks...

... goes a long way.

I appreciate a sign like this.

A simple gesture.

HUGE impact.

Mahalo for that.

Jelly Bean Street

Do you know how much I love jelly beans? It's true; I love them. I noticed these ones on my morning walk. Couldn't that "5-second rule" apply to the amount of time since I first saw them?

Sad for me, but you'll be happy to know that I left them be.

Sweeping art

While at Disneyland, celebrating my grandson's 2nd birthday, I noticed this cast member who at first appeared to be sweeping up and I almost passed him like I have passed so many other workers who keep the park immaculately clean but I slowed down and noticed he wasn't sweeping but drawing Disney characters that disappeared almost as quickly as they were being drawn with his broom and some water; impressive; I sat and continued watching and was privileged to see Mickey, Dumbo and Jack Skellington; many others walked by by I "noticed".

People's Feet

I was at a family gathering with my fancy new camera and what do I find myself taking pictures of?   People's feet.

The Fame Game

Even our Home Depot wants to get in on the action.

Apparently, a portion of the movie BIG was filmed 

in the space.

Hmm...

Flag ceremony

When dropping off my son at Camp Pendleton, I was in the right place at the right time to be able to see the lowering of the flag.

Castle on the Hill

There's a new castle on the hill across the way. Seems to have just popped up over night.

Crazy Cool Combo in Union Square

This afternoon, I came upon this crazy combo while I was walking in Union Square.

It was a "funk band"

(kind of)

Bagpipes & Drummer

Jamming away in front of the Andy Warhol statue

The ice cream truck in the background provided the audience with frozen treats.

Sundays in NYC

Mailbox

Not really sure what this mailbox is made from but thought it unique.

Still noticing

I realized this morning at 6am that I had forgotten to post my daily photo for the blog; ugh! It's not that I hadn't noticed anything throughout my day or that I hadn't taken any photos; I noticed many things like the "humane" animal trapping van on the fwy that had the logo "happy trapping" on it, the white Toyota entirely covered with red State Farm Insurance advertising, an annoying mockingbird chasing and continuously pecking the head of a frustrated squirrel, my grandson's bravery as he ventures through the playground tunnel that weeks ago he'd only stare through and shake his head no when encouraged to enter, and with all this "noticing" time and my memory slipped away from me and I settled in and fell asleep after midnight and floated off to dreamland without a blog thought; my apologies but as we have all experienced, life happens and we go along with the flow.

Crazy Newfangled Gadget

I got a camera! A pretty darn nice one, too. And it scares me a little. Why? Shooting film should be the scary camera. Digital should be so easy - push a button and there it is. But a million buttons with icons that I can hardly see, let alone decifer, do not make me feel confident. I want knobs and dials with f-stops and shutter speeds.  Already I'm missing the process of film.

So here I am, watching one of the three DVDs that came with the camera (there are also two cds and one fat old-fashioned paper manual).

I have charged the battery and formated the memory card, and am wondering what's happened to the world and how am I going to survive if all the tactile experiences, all the process is removed from my life. And I can't take any time to notice anything today . . . except that I feel very old as I fumble along with this crazy newfangled gadget!

Cool graffiti/mural

Old Photos

I think I've finally decided on the camera I want. It will probably be the most expensive thing I have ever purchased for myself. Sort of exciting. But I'd better get one tomorrow because I have pretty much run out of old photos that I can bend to my needs for this daily blog.

So . . . wish me luck on my shopping spree tomorrow. And this, hopefully, will be my last "old photo" post.

The family grocery business in Crockston, MN.
My dad's father's business went under during the Depression and they moved to California.
 I wonder who was it that had a camera back then.

Round apartments

When I was a kid, I thought this round apartment building was the absolute coolest and wanted to live there; after all these years, still think it's pretty cool.

Workin' at the Y

Sharing Hawaiian music and stories and hula with kids at the Y

Feeling blessed

Pink roses

Loving spring and all its blooms.

Christopher Street

Christopher Street

Greenwich Village

NYC

(A reminder of another era)

No One Has What We Have

Sitting in the backyard, D. looked up at our rustling palm trees and said, "No one has two palm trees in their backyard." (I thought about that. Palm trees in one's yard doesn't seem too out of the ordinary, but I didn't say anything.) "Or stairs out their back door that go UP to their backyard." (Yeah, that's a little unusual, but we do live on a hill, so there are probably others.) "Or a bathtub like that," he said pointing. (No, not too many bathtubs like that, I readily and happily admit.)

Shell treasures

My found treasures draining in my colander.

Which train is the next to leave?

When confronted by two trains 

sitting side-by-side

signs like this make life a little bit easier.

Dreaming of a Camera

Cactus nest in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park

Last night I had dreams of walking in unfamiliar neighborhoods, lost but not lost. In every yard was something interesting to notice. I kept saying, "Dang, I wish I had a camera because THAT would be great for the blog!"

Woke up this morning with a new determination to find the right camera for me. Heading out, right now, to a camera shop where I know the sales people will be patient with an old 35mm-lover like me.

Legos

This trio is made entirely of Legos; I find it incredibly awesome.

Construction Permits

There's more paperwork than construction happening at this work site.

Hmm...

A Quiet Day in Northeast L.A.

Here is how I spent my Mother's Day - drawing tiny fruit. Interrupted only by a long break to lie in the hammock while my guys bar-b-cued ribs in the backyard. I lay there in the hammock and listened to the birds and our conversation, and I wondered at how unusually quiet it was in northeast L.A. No sounds of baseball games at the park, no racing cars down Eastern Ave, no police helicopters circling overhead. Everyone seemed to be home, quietly celebrating their mom.

Purse Face

I came home and plopped my purse down on the table. I put away the groceries, then headed out the back door to water the garden. Coming back in, I was startled by this face.

Mother's Day

When I was growing up, my mom and I (and various friends/family) would make a weekly trip to Long Beach, CA where she would swim to the buoy and back and then we would relax on the beach and look for shells or play in the sand and eat red licorice; so this morning, in honor of my mom (who I was unable to be with today,) I went to Long Beach and walked along the shore and reflected back on fond memories of those times spent with my mom.

Disney Queen

Every few minutes the curtains draw back from this castle window and the Evil Queen surveys the crowd below. I always find this cool.

Sunflower House

When D. was about five years old, we planted a sunflower house. In a rectangle about 10 ft long and 5 ft wide, we planted these giant mammoth sunflowers that towered overhead, and morning glories that climbed up string and created our walls. We sat inside our sunflower house that summer and played cards and ate strawberries. He doesn't remember. But I say, I still get some good-mom credits.

Scenery

I frequently drive to Camp Pendleton to pick up my son for weekends yet I'm always rushing to get there and get out but I had to wait a while for him and was able to sit back and take in my surroundings which when you look beyond the tanks and camouflage is really quite breath taking.

Taffy

some poor kid dropped their taffy

while heading into school.

i found it sitting on the sidewalk.

they're gonna be bummed at lunchtime. 

Good Advise

Saw this yard sign while walking to the pool today and thought it was good advise to take to heart.

Beware the speeding bus

Still For Sale

People keep taking down the for sale signs and knocking over the posts. I even saw one very sturdy post that had been sawed off at the bottom, and tossed down the hill. I understand that people may want to keep the open space up here, but I don't think this makes the lot any less for sale.

fridge pics

Hadn't really noticed of the stuff all over my fridge that these 2 photos are side by side; made me smile and brought back good memories.

Street Signs

Squeaky Toys

I never understood why Donkey LOVES any toy that squeaks. Why would they put a squeaker in a dog toy, I thought, how annoying.

Well, he must be feeling much better after his surgery, because yesterday he bounded across the yard, under some bushes, and came out with a gopher. He tossed it around and poked at it while it gave off little squeaks. Oh, he looked so delighted. I am sure I looked horrified. I have decided that a little toy hedgehog that squeaks is not so bad after all.

(Any thoughts on what camera I should buy?)