A Visitor Finds Evergreen Way

My husband summoned me to the sun room door with an emphatic whisper  "Check it out!" "Look!"  Inches from the house, on the bordering yew a praying mantis meandered (a female, as James pointed out, due to her coloring). We were enchanted by our distinguished visitor and she spent some serious time gazing in to my lens. It's easy to feel a little Cinderella-like with all the flora and fauna that are drawn to this corner in Sleepy Hollow we call home.

Small Things Enjoyed at Home

  

Every spring we plant a vegetable garden in a bed by our driveway that gets tons of sun. We do the usual tomatoes and this year my daughter contributed some orange cherry tomatoes with a great sharp taste. A volunteer plant appeared growing on a neglected trellis and its bounty so far has allowed two delicious sandwiches made in my father's tradition (and using the only available bread in our kitchen.)

 

Nearby friends were overwhelmed with pears and brought us some. They ripened slowly to the point where making a pie seemed like the best thing to do and we enjoyed it down to the last crumb. (and thank you Pillsbury refrigerated crust for simplifying my life.)

 

John Boehner resigned today, the Pope is in New York, President Obama is dining tonight with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington and I am editing images of mundane activities pursued quietly in my kitchen. Sometimes, when too many concerns crowd my thoughts- cooking affords a pleasurable escape from all the doings of the world.

A Trip to the Circus (in Sleepy Hollow)

   

I attended the Circus Latino! last Sunday and photographed the performance. There is nothing more fun than capturing talented people in my camera. Picture bliss!

Circus Latino! opens in Sleepy Hollow

A few images from the press conference yesterday featuring some of the performers from this weekend's Circus Latino!. The show includes aerialists, gymnasts, and silkworks with great live music with a Hispanic twist. (and a special art exhibit as well!!)

 

The Open Wraps

 

In my own mild mannered way, I'm a big fan of sporting events. I like fitness and find that by moving around all day, getting wet in all forms of swimmable water, gardening and keeping life going forward, satisfies my need for physical activity. Yet athletic contests. and the drama held within, make me an avid armchair spectator and last night's men's final of the U.S. Open had me glued to my chair.

There is the narrative of each player, the stunning display of athletic prowess, the respective coaches and spouses in the stands and the fan themselves. cheering their favorite to excel and on to victory- it's a perfect spectacle to examine much of life. Skill versus the liability of error, persevering under extreme pressure and using your opponents' weakness against them.

The crowd was behind Roger Federer but I was drawn to Novak Djokovic whose cool demeanor and near perfect performance fascinated me. He whittled away at Federer's powerful serve and made far fewer mistakes. Early in the match he fell and bruised his forearm and with the blood tricking down kept his focus on the match. A poignant reminder that no matter one's physical condition, keeping yourself in the game is the only path to victory, no matter what turf you find yourself on.

Remembrance

The 11th always looms large. Years back, these golden September days signaled a return to familiar routines- to stores bustling with back to school shopping and the transitions of life after Labor Day. Now it's a time to pause and remember a day of senseless destruction and mayhem wrought on innocent residents, travelers, commuters and rescue workers.

My children were eight and under on September 11th, 2001 and the brutality of the events was in sharp relief to the clear and summery day we spent locally knowing the miles south was a scene of mass destruction.

Wishing for a more peaceful world and wondering what is possible. It's heartbreaking to bear witness
to all the hate, persecution and greed that happens every day. All I can do is try to improve and maintain what is.  And hope for a better world.

Labor Day

This weekend signals the unofficial end of the season (knowing how beautiful the water can be in September for swimming) and our beach club saw a lot of activity. Sunday night it was wall to wall people but yesterday the place felt returned to its laid back vibe and a small crowd enjoyed the river and lounging at picnic tables under the trees or hanging out on the balcony above- my new favorite locale. What a blessing to be able to observe and record the small pleasures of a summer day lived at a pace unhurried and in harmony with water, sky and earth. It doesn't get much better than this.

Beachy

Some of New York's best summer destinations are its public beaches and Jones Beach is a personal favorite. A recent weekday without commitments found James and Sarah and I in the car with towels, chairs and cooler as we made our way to southern Long Island. The waves were fantastic, the crowd was convivial and our three hour visit was divine. Anytime you travel parkways, through boroughs and across bridges without hitting traffic you feel like you won the lottery. Add a perfect visit to the ocean and wonderful waves to splash and surf with the sun beaming down, recreational bliss!