Blue Moon Ushers the New Year.

Once in a blue moon they say! Well, guess what. The new year will chime in with a blue moon over us! This December we're having a second full moon. It happens every 2.7 years that they are 2 full moons in one month. I'm sure the revelers in Times Square will appreciate the moon glistening over them when they look upwards to see the ball drop during the countdown to the new year. No, I won't be among them.; I haven't gone mad just yet. Though, I have done it a couple times in very distant past--when it didn't really make any sense because they didn't have all those elaborate celebrations they've been employing in the last 15 years.

It's been a long while since I placed any great significance on the changing of the year. I know it's just an arbitrary moment. It'd make more sense to have it on the solstice, on December 21st, or in June. But, this doesn't mean I don't like to celebrate. Any chance to have a good time is welcomed.The picture at the top is from a full moon over Manhattan a couple years ago. The others are from (in order) Times Square, Bryant Park/NYC Public Library, Hudson River by the Bear Mountain bridge, and on a farm by Beacon, NY.



It's almost a tradition (with lapses a few years) that I watch The Snowman, an animation movie around this time of the year... when there's snow outside. I finally found and patched together the video parts. Click the link to see it.

And, this concludes my last post for the year, and, according to some, the last of the decade. See you on the other side....

;)

Merry Holidays and a Beautiful Year Ahead....[that makes more sense to me than, "Auld Lang Syne"]

I've greatly enjoyed Mr. Bean--Rowan Atkinson. I think his xmas bit is hilarious. That's my Season's Greetings card to you. Hope you enjoy it!



May the holiday season be filled with warm feelings and all else you long for. Happy new decade too! [even though it doesn't technically start until next year, but who's counting.... We celebrated the new millennium in 2000, not 2001. I wonder how year Zero was like....]





In this frigid weather, hell seems inviting, so why not this next piece by Atkinson..

Somewhere in the Universe....

Perhaps we needed myths to make sense of the world around us since we knew so little about anything. We are the very lucky ones to live in an age where science has revealed wonders about ourselves and the universe.... and, happily, the process continues.

December seems to be a month that most humans hold ceremonies and celebrate stuff and deities that give meaning to their lives. In this light, I wish everyone a great holiday season. I wish humans transcend their myths & superstition, and to open up their minds to exploration, to a great journey through life without the need to supernatural attributions. I wish for a better world where every person could achieve their own bliss and realize their potential.

Our earth is our only home. Humanity came so close to extinction but we made it so far. We're the only species that has the ability for so much good and so much evil. It should be our choice to support the conditions of the good life and take care of each other and our home.

Happy and healthy season and may the next trip around the sun be one of excitement and personal fulfillment.

Euro Settler in America: "I Have a Question"..."You Can Aks Me" Said the Turkey.

I took a few pictures on Thursday in NYC. It looks busy but it's nowhere near the regular activity on a given day. It may have been a bit busier this year because retailers are hurting and many opened their doors on Thanksgiving with bargains to attract shoppers. They couldn't wait for black Friday. Above, 42nd Street looking West, almost by Times Square.

Just a few days ago I was in Atlanta, Georgia--it's a big city but not like New York. It reminded me of Cleveland, a rather empty metropolis. I realize that I'm used to cities like NY, Boston, Chigago, SanFran, Seattle, and a few others. Yeah, I know, I live in Westchester where city slickers go to die of bordom.



Above, the Bethesda Fountain and the little lake with gondolas. Below, the myth of this holiday as often depicted in folklore.

As far as holidays go, Thanksgiving is my favorite one, just because it's non-denominational and I enjoy the crisp Autumn air, the food, the relatively quiet New York City (on Thursday), and the Friday off--long weekend. I don't want to think of the days when I couldn't enjoy this (or any) holiday because of work. Nowadays, I'm thankful that I have a great job that I enjoy. I'm thankful that I won't go hungry or shiver in the cold or feel threatened.

Can you tell that xmas has ..arrived? They've been pushing xmas earlier every year. Now by Halloween, we see xmas decorations and that awful repetitive seasonal music.
Enjoy this last Thanksgiving of the double zeros in the 21st century.

Another Glorious Atumn in the Northeast

Ah, glorious autumn in the Northeast! I wish I had more time this season to go out. I was planning to go up to the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts to also visit the Normal Rockwell museum, but work has intervened. Local drives within a 50 mile radius from home base this Fall only. As a result, I've gotten fewer pictures.


I'm so fortunate to experience such surroundings as part of my workplace! Yummy.


The two pictures below are from my favorite place New Paltz-Lake Minnewaska.

Below, a farmer and his ..machine. Did you know "George" means "person of the land" or a farmer?



This covered bridge is in West Cornwell, CT [see link]. I've seen many, some dating back to the 1800s.

New Island Festival... 400 Hundred Years of Dutch in NYC

Oh, the beautiful autumn... but, I'm still savoring memories from this past summer, and since I haven't posted here in a while, I'm going to go back a few weeks and post a few pictures from the Dutch festival on Governors Island.

This is the 400th years of Hudson sailing up the ..Hudson River. Henry Hudson was an Englishman but worked for the Dutch, who had a vibrant mini colony here in New York (New Amsterdam). We still have many places with Dutch names around. Anyway, it was fun to see so many Hollanders on a tiny island for two weekends in early September.

That was an interesting 40 minutes of raising this structure...
All free events..


Lots of music as you can see...
They were advertising the various shows...
Candy girls.... (somehow I caught them drinking beer!)
Governor's Island has many old buildings, most in really bad shape (to be demolished soon), but some under renovation. GI served as a military outpost, prison (Civil War), hospital, Army barracks, Coast Guard headquarters, and even hosted presidents R. Reagan and M. Gorbachev.

Modern dance...

Some of the art was way out there...

I became an instant fan of Ellen Ten Damme.... One of the most fun, crazy, energetic, multi-talented performer I've seen in a long time. Apparently she's well-known in Holland.

The biggest table where traditional Dutch food was served...

A Dutch farmer with an American cow--because his own cow didn't have the proper immigration papers!
Divera with her guitar Vanilla in Cafe Me...

Camping and Exploring Cape Cod in the Summer of 2009

<-- At the Marconi site. The beach and and Atlantic Ocean 100 feet below.

One of the things I enjoy of the warmer months is camping. I don't do the primitive camping anymore, that is, in the total isolation of the woods. Nowadays it's some nice national or state park where for a low fee I can enjoy a good site in a campground with toilets and showers.
The fire pit is only for smores and gathering by the fire after dark. Very little cooking is involved, mostly some scrambled eggs on a portable burner. The cooler filled with ice and cold drinks is a must. The rest can be had at the local stores.

My tent is rated for 6+ persons, but the tent makers are very misleading when it comes to this. Always go for a tent that can "accommodate" several more people that your actual needs. In order to fit 6 persons with sleeping bags in my tent, they have to be side by side... if not one otop of another. The latter may be OK on a cold night in the woods. A tent for 5-6 people is good for two adults plus their stuff. I bring along an inflatable queen size bed and an electric pump. Why not? Having a few amenities makes the outing easier on the body. A well-rested person can do 20 miles of biking the next day or not do anything at all. A proper shower--not under a water ..can but in proper facilities with warm water--is always appreciated. And, it's nicer to go to the bathroom where there's a proper toilet. Other than that, I'm roughing it.

Recently I spent one week in Cape Cod--or as they say there, on the Cape. They are peculiar those folks. South is North! You take Rt 6 South to go the "Lower Cape" which is in the North. The GPS and my compass agree. I'm not kidding, the locals have these cardinal points reversed! I didn't bother to ask them about the East-West orientation. As for time, it's a loose concept; like in other places you spend leisure days at; it moves at a slower pace too.

Nickerson State park has hundreds of camping sites and during the last 2 months of the summer it's not easy to find one free for several days. I suppose camping became more appealing to those who can't afford motels nowadays. It's $17/day or $15 for MA residents. I'd recommend this park, however when it's the busiest it's more likely to bump into stupid and obnoxious people there. Such people don't understand that the point of going camping is to be closer to nature, and enjoy the surroundings in peace and quiet.

Get this, for one day/night I had to endure really bad "neighbors." Kids are a problem because of their parents who shouldn't be parents because they don't have the required skills. So, problem number one: unmanageable children with yelling parents. Problem number two: gas-powered generator noise and fumes! Why the need for electricity? Ah, to power the flat screen TV and whatever else these knuckleheads felt they needed to bring to the woods for their convenience! Thankfully, we were able to separate ourselves by getting another site.

Cape Cod has many interesting venues and things to do. I'd recommend using a bicycle--bring one or rent. There is a 25-mile Rail Trail [CCRT] which is mostly flat & paved and it goes through woods, marshes, bogs, ponds, and a few country roads. Some of the beaches are also reachable by bike. Nauset Light and Coast Guard beaches are free to enter by bike and are gorgeous! Both are on the Atlantic Ocean.

The "arm" of the cape is far away from the mainland (MA) so it's possible (and rare on the East Coast) to see the sun setting in the water with all its beautiful colors. I watched some amazing sunsets at Rock Harbor beach. Usually on the East Coast, the sun goes behind a mountain, trees, or tall buildings. That's why Southern Florida, too, has beautiful sunsets.

I've taken many trips to Cape Cod over the years, but every time I discover something new. This time I stayed in the Brewester-Chatham-National Seashore areas. The two ends, Provincetown and Woods Hole are also nice. Hyannis is quaint with shopping and the harbor to the two islands. Martha's Vineyard is the bigger one. The presidential family is vacationing there now. Nantucket is small and can be easily toured on a bicycle in one day. I've cycled on both islands. MV is much harder and can be exhausting in the heat of the summer. I was there on a 4th of July, within a few days when John Kennedy crashed his plane in the sea off the island.

This summer flew by quickly. I did mostly day-long things, but I also had lots of work... not the paid kind, the must-do kind. House-hunting is not easy or quick.




Above & below: sunset and low tide at Rock Harbor Beach.

Chatham, located on the south and easternmost of the cape.
Chatham Light
Below, Coast Guard beach. Cape Cod had one of the very first organized and trained teams to warn ships and rescue sailors.

Sunrise at Sea Gull beach, near Hyannis.
Below, full moon over Provincetown.

Marconi beach. It's the site where Marconi set up his huge towers to establish wireless communications with Europe. There's been lots of erosion, so the structures are long gone. But, it's such a beautiful place. The picture doesn't do justice. The vantage point by the fence is maybe 100 feet above the beach. This is part of the National Seashore. At night, fires are allowed on the beach... just imagine the view from the top.... and the general experience.... mmmm


Someone is getting ready for some smores by the campfire...

Creating Memories... and, Recording Them.

Is photography a means to reinforce memories or there's something more to it?

Creating memories is what I think makes for a full life. Of course there are lots of other important elements but I believe doing something memorable every day is good. Obviously I can't say that I can do it every day, but I try. It doesn't have to be big. Actually, I don't believe passing time looking forward to big events. Yes, they can be transformative with big impressions left over, but it is the smaller things that make a bigger difference in life.

Let me explain. Going on a nice month-long vacation to a beautiful place is certainly a welcome event. Yet, what do you do the rest of the year? Taking smaller but much more frequent breaks to do something interesting--being with a friend, engage in a hobby or any other joyful activity--are more important. It is said that it's not the absence of stress but the lack of many positive events that make a person unhappy.

Taking pictures is a hobby I enjoy. A picture is like a mini story. Framing, emphasizing (or excluding), and even tweaking the appearance of the "natural" picture is what photography means to me. I took up photography when I was a teenager. I was given a good all-manual camera, no batteries except in the attachable flash. I learned how to estimate the required speed, aperture, ISO, and whatever else. And, it wasn't easy because it was slow. In the days of a 24 or 36 frame film, it took me several days if not weeks to go through it--unless it was a special event that I could go through a 24 frame at once.

Now, I don't remember using the one-hour processing, if that was available back in the days. Even if it was, there was no money for that. So, I had to wait several days to see the results of my shooting. I may have kept some notes about some pictures I had taken but it wasn't very practical to walk around with a notepad writing down what settings I had for what picture.

Anyway, while in college--for a good stretch of it--I had no money for such a hobby. I had a budge of $20 per week for food. That included all food at school & trips to the supermarket. Spending $5-7 on film, processing and prints was not an option. I gave it up. It was also during that time that my car was broken into and my manual camera was stolen.

After I graduated I took some pictures here and there with a small cheap camera. It wasn't until 2004 when I got my first digital camera that my love for photography returned. I still use that bulky Olympus, not-intuitive and (by now) old technology camera. Most of the pictures I have today are from this one. Any DSLR new(er) camera is big now and they all have great features--and much better designs that those available a few years ago.

However, a great camera is one that is being used. If it stays in the closet it's not all that good. My point is that sometimes the size/weight of a camera may prevent its owner from using it or carrying it around. That's why I got myself a Nikon Coolpix recently. It seems that I always have this one handy, in my car or attached to my belt. I've taken some great pictures with it. The most important thing is that I was able to take a picture because I had a camera with me! It sounds stupid but it isn't. I have pictures, a record of things I experienced, that otherwise I know I would not have had. On many occasions it wasn't practical to carry my big camera, so the little one came in ..handy! And, let me tell you, the small ones today pack oodles of features and capabilities.

As I'm writing this, the night is well worn. One way to relax before bed is to do a crossword puzzle or work on the pictures I've taken. I had used Photoshop once; too big; the Elements, a smaller version, may be more appropriate for many photographers. However, for most amature photographers, Picasa is a great photo program to have. It's part of Google and it's free. Try it. I have a Gmail account, but I don't know if you need one to be able to upload your pictures on the internet. Yes, you'll need to do that if you take many pictures. I've been doing this for a long time now. You can use Flickr or a number of other free programs/sites. For example, here's a link to one of my online albums: Hudson Valley You could also link only to single picture: Pier on Hudson.

If you take pictures at an event or for any occasion that you want to share them with many other people the only sensible thing is to upload them to the web. I do it through Picasa, then I sent the link to a number of people instead of emailing them a bunch of pictures. That way they can choose for themselves what to do, including downloading any picture they like. You can have those online galleries private so only those who have the key to them can see your pictures.

I think photography is a great activity. I'd recommend it. It's rather inexpensive. Same thing with writing. Thinking about expressing a thought, an idea, an image, etc, are all great for the mind. Happy trails fellow traveller!


PS> All the pictures here don't have a common theme other than I took them in New York state this month (July 2009). They are among many, not superb or artsy but I like them and that's all there's to them. By clicking on them you can make them bigger. I found out that IE does keep this available, but Firefox removes this option when I move the pictures around within the post. That's why on some previous posts clicking on the picts doesn't do anything.


UPDATE: As per request, and in order from top to bottom:
1. Amusement park; 2. Hudson river by Rhinebeck; 3. Coney Island; 4. Hyde Park; 5. Coney; 6. Lower West Side; 7. LWS; 8. Harriman; 9. Woodstock; 10-12. Central Park; 13-15 Esopus/Kingston; 16. Peekskill; 17. Kingston lighthouse; 18. South St. Seaport; 19. Coffeehouse; 20. Coney.