Discovering Beauty in Everyday Life

It’s rusty in the garage, that old power mower. Fan belt and starter cord. BBRRiiieeeeeeiiimmmmc-c -c ccc  BRRRrrrrriiiiiiiiimBRUMMMmmmm mmmmm Black noise, oily gas-- no sleeping in! Dad, holding back the unleashed thing, Keeping on track, alive with danger. I think about those reel hand mowers-- Blades bent in tempered waves, Snipping off the grass and clover. Push--Push, sticky with playng.  Will you please mow the damn lawn? Whirrr sc ccscscscscscssscciciciccc, whirr. So much time invested In this simple act of keeping up. The soft and drying new mown streaks, Those raked-up clippings, bubbly with summer, That green, sweet, dewy smell of morning, Dinner outside early in the afternoon.

As soft as a lilac; as sweet as spring, as beautiful as morning dew Lilacs in the Conserancy Gardens, Central Park

The spiritual essence of Spring! Park Bench in the French Garden in Central Park

Once upon a time, back in the day, a lovely mob of hybrid tulips danced among the granite. Trinity, by Lara Calloway

This is Pink Sherbert, sometimes called Sparkle Water because of the sparkling edges on her petals. Against all weather she has held steadfastly to her mission of beauty. Butter Cream has taken shelter in the lee of a parked car to escape the worst of the wet and wind-swept day.

I’ll say it again and I’ve said it before, Distance is something you cannot ignore. Too far from the shot, it will look like a dot on a blurry Seurat. Is it a Bird? How absurd! What a bore.

Yesterday I emailed some loyal fans the following ditty: Ho Ho!  Ho Ho! It’s off to bed I go!! Worked late tonight, It's quite  all right, I thought you’d like to know.  -- L And I got some wonderful responses!  Only first initials are given, since I didn't get permission, but if I am notified, I shall amend this post accordingly Hi ho, hi ho I'm very glad to know I pray your sleep is rich, and deep tomorrow fresh to go!    -- M   Hi, Hi, Ho, Ho, Greetings to Linda Jo, We'll all be best If you get some rest. Then, on with the show!  -- V --and-- words are pictures too:) Good morning!  --  R Central Park Reservoir, April 2011

With something churning in the marrow of her breast, The maiden crept along the cobbles. No hunted looks from creaking doorways; just another covered canyon city full of polygons in grey and black. "Don’t trip now; damn these heels!" she said, stepping carefully among the daydreams. Ranch near Canyonlands, Utah, Easter Saturday  (Photo by Larry Calloway of Crestone)

Conservancy Gardens, April 2012

Citi Blue is three years old!  After a harrowing winter, Citi is thriving and showering blessings over all creatures great and small, seen and unseen, who happen to be passing by. Blue Spruce from Citibank, 3 years old

Alexander Hamilton attempts to absorb some of the spirit of spring.  Sadly, the blossoms also absorb some distinctly grey and serious tones.

RedBud Tree, North of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (South of the 86th Street Crossroad

I found Ounce perched on a stone wall, fluffed up and resonating in the cool morning Ounce

Callously, I set out to please the mad dogs, tossing out the raw unwanted things. Here a piece. There a piece, How else was I to get behind the bloody competition? Wrap me in a rain-dripped moment,  Toss me into black waters, Stay by me, ship.

This well-known scientist is gathering information and data for her upcoming study of spontaneous generation of Tulipa . The tulip is a perennial , bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa , which comprises 109 species [1] and belongs to the family Liliaceae . [2] . More will be revealed. Amazing re-appearance of Yellow Tulipa for the sixth consecutive year

Just when the great horticulturists imagine they have properly organized and regimented the tulips: (X) sort by height , (X) sort by size (X) sort by  color, ... Well, nature has its own  discussions about what true order underlies the beauty of the world.  So next time you are feeling a little bit out of the ordinary, remember the tiny red tulip peaking out of the messy, miraculous variable height, weight, and size tulip garden in the middle of Very Particular Park Avenue. Very Elegant Tulips on Park Avenue

To some people, it may seem as though tulip hunting in Central Park is a very unchallenging pass time, since there are so many tulips available.  However, if you are searching for a particular yellow tulip, surrounded by buds of red and yellow compatriots, of the Parade type, and in a very specific general spot, and of a particular age, well then!  There is nothing like the rewards of discovering just this tulip, and capturing it on film. Tulip Hunter Succeeds! (Photo by Lara C. of Chicago).

Robino is back!  The migration was a  success.  Robino has returned from a journey of hundreds of miles, using only the onboard mind for a pilot and a six-ounce body with feathered wings for a plane.  It's spring and well into nest building season; Robino has found a perfect patch of sun with lots of dead grass. This time of year, modeling just isn't a priority! Robin in Mid-Central Park

I have a work submission so the blogging expedition must be put off for a day, while we earn a little pay. Everything will be all right; I'll be back tomorrow night! Here's something in meantime to help us through this lean time...

Spring is washing away the last traces of winter from the Harlem hillside. How can those dry and brittle ends swell with such uncontainable beauty? Looking down onto the Harlem Meer, Spring 2011

Crunched , bent, gnarled with beauty, Thrashing  the air with petals, Sizzling with spring, gnashing at the bones. Caught in rampant grace, There is no other year.

Good Morning!!

 As you may remember, our Anthropological-Photographer has been studying the courtship and mating behaviors of the local jogging populations for over a year, supported by a grant from an undisclosed foundation. At Last!  Our travelling Anthro-photographer has witnessed, documented and photographed two local joggers in the very early stages of the Jogger Courtship Ritual Dance. Note the intense concentration and the complete lack of awareness of the fifth foot.