a new baby toy

today kendall and i unpacked bags and boxes, put new clothes away, figured out how to set up the baby wipe warmer a friend had given her (one doesn't want to shock baby's little tush when it's time to get cleaned up), and squeezed bags away in corners in the closet and took care of baby . . rocking, singing, feeding, making new bottles of milk . . and fed big sister minerva the cat.

above is one of aurélien's new toys . . 

sunday poem and sunday photos

boats sail on the rivers

boats sail on the rivers,

and ships sail on the seas;

but clouds that sail across the sky

are prettier far than these.

by christina rossetti (1830 - 1894)

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 since i finally got around to dusting the piano yesterday, i was able then to redo the nature table. there had been a bit too many figures and pine cones, stones and shells. it was good to replace it with a more simple late summer scene.

 after we listened to first unitarian's church service, we had brunch with fresh tomatoes and farm eggs.

 and then in the late afternoon i went to meet kendall who had been out on a full day excursion with aurélien. they had been to quaker meeting and to see grandma.

 i hadn't seen them in three weeks, as they had been upstate . .

 and he's grown so much!

 he's getting chubbier and with more dimples . . 

 he's just so adorable. luckily, there was a parking spot not far from the apartment and we brought the bags and the baby up in one trip. she still has a lot of bags to put away from the visit upstate, along with gifts from friends and family that need to find a spot in the apartment. i'll go back tomorrow to help straighten.

 back at home i cooked the fish from saturday's market . . cod and scallops, zucchini and tomatoes.

after the green market . .

a late summer apple and a lemon cucumber . . i managed to clean the apartment today, even though it was warm and sticky again. i'm not always motivated to get things done . . sometimes i feel myself not wanting to adjust to this new reality and to so much upheaval. some days it's easier to find a balance than others. some days feel so normal, and other days . . . are just other days.

at the whitney during covid

since the whitney museum reopened this week, greg and i decided to visit today.

visitors are required to wear a mask and to reserve time slots online. greg reserved a spot last night. 

 the downstairs exhibit displayed photographs by artist gordon matta-clark from 1975, when he occupied an abandoned shed on pier 52. he had studied architecture prior to his artwork, and he used this knowledge to remove pieces of the building (using a chain saw and blowtorch), so that it was open to the river and sunlight. it was interesting to us as we lived in the neighborhood before the park was created, when it was just black topped piers. i remember people sitting out in their lawn chairs on nice days, and lying on towels to soak up the sun.

on the fifth floor was an exhibition titled vida american: mexican muralists remake american art, 1925-1945, showing the strong influence of mexican artists, and how it wasn't only europe that had an impact on american painters (there's a good article about it here). i love these paintings with their strong, bold figures, and mix of bright colors and dark shadows. above is la malinche (young girl of yalala, oaxaca), by alfredo ramos martinez.

 uprising, by diego rivera (1931).

 zapata, by david alfaro siquieros (1931) (most of what i know of mexican history is from watching old movies as a teen.)

two women, salvadora and herminia, by freda kahlo (1928).

my nieces, by maria izquierdo (1940).

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we also visited the 8th floor, which had an exhibit of artist agnes pelton's work titled desert transcendentalist:

voyaging, 1931

agnes pelton lived from 1881 - 1961, for a long time on the east end of long island, and then in the southern california desert, away from the mainstream art world, and so she is not as well known. to support herself, she painted portraits and landscapes which she sold to friends and tourists.

the guide, 1929

incarnation, 1929

 we wandered outside after the pelton exhibit. it felt wonderful to be so high up with such a magnificent view . . 

 (the high line . . )

 the museum had assigned specific stairways for going up and down . . we exited via a stairwell we never even knew existed. i think it must have been only used in the past for employees.

 it brought us out by the gift shop . . 

 and back out onto ganzevoort street - looking east . .

and looking west towards the river. we thought we were going to get a lot of rain right away, but it didn't arrive until hours later. i felt so good to be out enjoying the city again; enjoying something we liked doing, but hadn't been able to do in months. observing paintings is like reading history or reading someone's journal - it gives a glimpse into how people see their world. often it's very different from how i see things, and then i feel that my peripheral vision widens just a little more.

a poem for friday morning

dewdrops

watch the dewdrops in the morning,

shake their little diamond heads,

sparkling, flashing, ever moving,

from their silent little beds.

see the grass! each blade is brightened,

roots are strengthened by their stay;

like the dewdrops, let us scatter

gems of love along the way.

by myra viola wilds, from thoughts of idle hours, 1915

dinner and a lecture

 i listened to a lecture again, while cooking dinner. it was a curator talk from the whitney museum about three of their installations. it's reopening tomorrow and you now have to reserve a time online in order to visit. greg and i will go tomorrow around 3:30.

i made ratatouille with vegetables from my favorite farmer at the green market. chanda tried to cheer me up after dinner by playing the trevor noah skit that the comedian made tuesday after the first night of the rnc. it was funny, but the situation still feels frightening and very dire.

monumental women (and a little bit about the convention last night)

well .. the rnc reached new heights of bombastic behavior and lies last night. it was nauseating, sad, and worrisome. it made me feel disgusted and angry that certain members of congress would allow a president to pervert our constitution and democracy in such a way. this is frank bruni's op ed on the display. i might link to more articles as they come out.

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on a more hopeful and celebratory note, i was up this morning for the 8 am dedication of the suffragists statue in central park by the monumental women organization. it was streamed live on their website and on their facebook page. it was wonderfully inclusive, respectful and happy. there were congratulatory speeches and a beautiful rendition of america the beautiful. it was really fun to watch (albeit online!) and i highly recommend that you click on the links and share in the excitement.

here is the link for the vimeo on the organization's website - the speakers for the film, which includes a conversation with the artist, begin at 36:35, and the actual ceremony in central park begins at 49:43. for a special appearance by hc, go to 1:14:10.

here is the link for the facebook page video - the film begins at about 13:01, and the ceremony begins at about 28:11. hc is at 52:34.

above is fdny firefighter (and first female vulcan president) regina wilson's rendition of america the beautiful. you can hear it fully on the website here at 51:58; and on the facebook page here, at 30:18.

morning oats and conversation . . and an afternoon get together

i'm listening to brian lehrer discuss last night's convention with his guests, david brooks and maria hinojosa  . . so many good points in their conversation! looking forward to hearing poet laureate joy harjo at 11:30.

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later today . . 

 at 2 pm, we had a family zoom session and played a few rounds of scattergories, in which greg was able to participate also, as he took a lunch break . . i love having these moments together.

about the weather . . and other matters

above is this morning's breakfast, which i mixed together last night and left in the refrigerator. it turned hot again on friday, which marked the end of a week of cool and dry autumn air. we're back to hot and humid and our sticky selves. it was a nice respite and it isn't quite as hot as during the dog days . . the highest it's been has been 89. i think tomorrow it's supposed to be 91. anyway, the jar has a mix of rolled oats, oat milk, raisins, chia seeds, maple syrup and peanut butter. it's a deliciously ella recipe (she's a big peanut butter fan), however, i first learned to make oats this way from a woman i babysat for when i was in college. she mixed her oats with kefir, raisins and honey, and left it overnight in the fridge. the next morning the muesli was creamy, cold and sweet. i'd have it with celestial seasonings almond sunset tea. it was perfect for the warm and sunny santa barbara mornings when i would sit in her kitchen (which overlooked the town and the sea) with a little 2 1/2 year old and 6 year old.

 i pulled out scrabble this evening, after dinner.

 we were both getting a little weary near the end, as vowels and spaces on the board dwindled . .

greg won.  i've beat him before, but it's not easy. he's very good with words. they flow trippingly out of his brain . . helped by all the crossword puzzles he does.

this one is always looking for a tidbit . . 

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i watched a bit of the republican national convention tonight (there are three more nights). thinking it over as i put up these posts, i realize that i really enjoyed the democratic party's presentations. both parties give grandiose speeches and make many promises, but the stories and people the democrats presented felt familiar and warm. it was also incredibly diverse with even the navajo nation being represented by it's president, jonathan nez. i was very excited about that. i also enjoyed how they visited each state for the roll call when the votes were cast for the candidates. it highlighted how beautiful the country is, and how diverse we are as a people. it highlighted the need to include our diversity when tackling issues of income, job opportunity, housing, poverty, pollution, climate change, conservation and environmental justice. we need to think of ourselves as a community working together to defeat the pandemic and to take care of the earth; the need to move to sustainable energy sources. we need to recognize the harm that has been done to people through racism and prejudice, and to accept the lgbtq community. we need to reach out to other countries and share how to make the world a better place, while emphasizing the talents and expertise of our own citizens. we need to love one another more and i didn't feel that from the republican speakers this evening. several speakers said the words in their speeches that all are welcomed and loved, but it didn't show and doesn't show in their actions. there were also blatant lies, such as saying that the white house has been successful at containing the virus, when they haven't helped with it at all. (sigh). what a mess this country is.

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i can hear a cricket chirping outside the window tonight, in the courtyard. it's very soothing. maybe i'll sleep better listening to it.

sunday morning poem (and breakfast)

it's a long way

it's a long way the sea-winds blow

over the sea-plains blue,--

but longer far has my heart to go

before its dreams come true.

it's work we must, and love we must,

and do the best we may,

and take the hope of dreams in trust

to keep us day by day.

it's a long way the sea-winds blow--

but somewhere lies a shore--

thus down the tide of time shall flow

my dreams forevermore.

by william stanley braithwaite (1878 - 1962)

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what it looks like here on sunday mornings at 11am (waiting for first unitarian's service to begin): pluto on the window seat, next to my chair, and greg at the table.

allie, the music director, played a beautiful composition by erik satie, gymnopédie no. 1. ellen, the girls' dance teacher, would play it for her students' to choreograph with.  it feels very ethereal to me, and wistful, contemplative . . and sometimes sad; i think because it brings memories of fun times that i miss.

after the service, i heard a pretty flute song coming in through the bedroom window. i caught only a few practice notes with the camera, but the breeze blowing off the river was so sweet and cool that i decided to go for a walk to see chanda at work and to pick up a can of baked beans for brunch from the health food store. i felt like having a proper english breakfast with bacon, eggs, tomatoes and baked beans.

 chanda wasn't expecting me, so i was able to put my order in with a new worker who allowed me to pay and leave a tip (they usually don't, the owner is so nice and has told his staff to offer coffee and tea on the house - but of course i want to support the cafe as it's such a difficult time). chanda was inside making the drinks and was surprised to see my ticket come up.


detox tonic with sparkling water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick, and honey.

morton street, with its wonderfully shady and old london plane and callery pear trees.

 cafe dante recently moved from its location on macdougal street to the corner of perry and hudson (which used to house fish's eddy - which moved to broadway and 18th street - when we first moved to the neighborhood). perhaps they have new owners.

 this notice on the window of a neighborhood laundromat gives its temporary business hours in bold print. above that it reads: "due to the recent covid-19 outbreak, for your safety, we will now have temporary business hours indefinitely." it's very true and it made me smile.

 the woman on the left in the bike helmet and mask is talking to her neighbor through the neighbor's window; practicing proper social distancing.

 back at home, we had smoked bluefish paté from the fish guy at the market, with rye crackers . .

 and fresh tomatoes, cucumbers . .

toast, baked beans, bacon and eggs. i think a true english breakfast includes sausages and mushrooms.