Neighborhood Snapshots

Brooklyn is in bloom! I brought along my new camera lens on my daily post office walk the other morning, and snapped some photos of all the pretties. It is a pretty walk, and I try to take it earlier in the day (mostly before there are gobs of teenagers loitering about after they get out of school.) Above is my favorite street in all of NYC. This stretch of Guernsey street has this pretty canopy of trees that almost creates a tunnel when they are fully in bloom. It's super-pretty in the Autumn too. Also, it's quiet and the light is always nice. Next time I'll take a photo of more of the doors on this street, because there are some unique ones. 

And some pretty flowers by the park near my place!

VeganMOFO: Post-Hurricane Sandy

East River is relatively back to normal today.

Hello! Checking in to say I'm okay. We were with the lucky few that didn't lose power and didn't suffer any damage to our property or to ourselves. We lost internet/cable, but that was no big deal in the grand scheme of things. It got a bit scary last night in the peak of the storm, with the wind and all the sirens and the smell of fire in the air. So many folks without power or shelter today. It was pretty heartbreaking to read the news last night and this morning... 

Nik and I took a walk around our neighborhood this afternoon, to survey the damage, and just to get out of the house for a bit. Our area did okay during the storm, save for some fallen trees and some construction zone flooding and lots of debris.  Some photos on our walk:

Tree in the local McCarren Park

See those big flood lights standing up? Now the one laying down...

Construction site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

This water is not supposed to be here...Construction zone right by the East River in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Vinnie's was open today, so I had a vegan eggplant parm slice.

Where did all the trees go? (Queue Tegan and Sara...)

Every year, right after Christmas in the park near where I live, there starts a mass tree grave that just grows and grows every time I pass by. People just bring their Christmas trees here to discard. It is so sad looking!

I took a nice long walk around the neighborhood today, enjoying the oddly-warm-for-December temperature and sunshine, while taking some photos. 

Spring walk

Happy Spring! It's really happening!  Even though it is cold and miserable out, I took some photos with my phone on my walk to the post office this afternoon. Spring is totally happening, whether the weather wants to cooperate or not.  Although, I am totally not leaving the apartment again today!  It is a drink tea, do work, cuddle with my kitty, and listen to The Cure kind of day.  

I can't wait to go visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens in a few weeks, for the Cherry Blossom Festival. I'm excited to go during the week, when there will be less people there and I can bring my sketchbook and camera and just spend the day there.  I've been making lots of new pattern designs for Surtex (this is a big print show coming up in May.  I don't have a booth there, but I work with a design company that sells my stuff there).  Cherry Blossoms have definitely been on my mind and shows in some recent prints I have made. Perhaps I'll show some of those later in the week!

Warm, sunny Spring thoughts!