Brooklyn Promenade

Vince and Jo Anne have never seen Brooklyn, so we drove in today, and I drove around showing them the sights, as I know them - you know, Flatbush Avenue, Grand Army Plaza, The Brooklyn Museum, and then we finished up at the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights. It was a gorgeous day, and there were all kinds of things to photograph. But when I saw this "action" photo, I thought it was more interesting than the architectural photos I had been taking. It is the usual trick we all do, of holding a camera out at arm's length to photograph our own group shot. It is a photograph of this couple, but I think it also gives a sense of the Promenade and the Brooklyn waterfront. The cranes in the distance are part of a containerized shipping port, and I love the sense they give.

The Tilted House

First, I LOVE this shot - there are so many things going on. Second, this is not a house, of course, but the title would be a bit awkward if I called this post "The Tilted Concession Stand," you know? Apparently they drag these buildings up near the boardwalk for the winter, but strong winds form drifts of sand around parts of the building, and undermine other parts, thus causing this structure to tilt. I wandered around it several different times while at the beach, and kept coming back to it, and photographed it from every different direction. Like so many times in my past, the best shot, this one, was the last shot I took. Happens every time. I love all the stuff going on in this photo, from the building itself to the drift fence, the sand dune, the feathery cirrus cloud above, and last but not least, the small singular figure off to the right.

The Photographer

Vince and Jo Anne are visiting for Easter, and so we did a field trip today, to Jones Beach. It was a bit chilly, but the blue sky, sunshine, and sound of the waves crashing made it all worthwhile. Vince and I were both photographing all kinds of things at the beach, and then he turned around to photograph us sitting on the beach. So I thought I would make a quick photograph of him standing there concentrating, with his camera.

13 Day Old Moon

Do you know that the moon has an "age" each month? Of course the moon has a real age - about 4.5 billion years since it was formed. But each month we talk about the moon's phase by talking about how "old" it is. It takes the moon approximately 28 days to make it's trip around the Earth each month. Because it travels around the Earth, we have the phases of the moon, from new moon, to crescent to first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. So first quarter Moon happens at 7 days, and full Moon at 14 days and so on. Well, tonight the moon was 12.9 days old, which means it is about one day to full Moon. Whew! That was a lot of explaining. Anyhow, it was just beautiful to see this brilliant moon in a deep blue sky, just above the silhouette of a tree, with no leaves on the branches yet.

The Power Plant Has Trees

This is my favorite power plant, of course. When riding by it yesterday I noticed that these trees are in full bloom. I always bring my iPhone with me, because it is small and has a camera in it, and it can be carried in a small protective pouch on my bike. So I stopped and photographed the trees. I love the contrast between the flowering trees and the industrial plant in the background. And you want to know what kind of trees these are, and you know I normally have no idea about things like this. But THIS time, I can tell you they are flowering Cherry trees!

My Clam Phase

A few weeks ago I tried a can of New England clam chowder for a change - I usually buy the Manhattan version. It was by one of the big manufacturers - and it was awful! It was pure white and had almost no clams that could be seen with the unaided eye. So I got a recipe that I think was closest to what my mom used to make. I made a whole pot of it, and it was stunning! I had some clams casino as an appetizer in a restaurant the other day, so tonight I decided to make a bunch of them for dinner. My sister had the recipe, and they were great. And if you spot the bacon on top, not to worry - just take another Lipitor!

Magnolia Blossoms

The Magnolia trees around here are in bloom. One next door, and this one across the street. The photograph has a couple of parts - I love how the tree is in bloom, but I think without the pedals from blossoms that are on the ground, this would not be nearly as interesting a photograph. I like the way my eye goes from the tree, down to the fence, and then to the lawn, and than back up to the blooms on the tree.