morning poem and sunday breakfast

morning

it tastes like silver

the morning

amidst the garden's

pallor

in the corner

are snow-dusted shadows.

in flowerpots

the absence of jasmine.

by concha méndez (1898-1986)

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greg, chanda and i had breakfast together before greg and i went out to meet his friend who has been in town visiting for a few days.

greg is the official breakfast egg maker . . 

(making sunny side up eggs)

and then we were out into the rainy day to meet his friend peggy at chelsea piers (she had been on a cruise around the island with her traveling companions).

sunday bike ride

i made my mom's pancakes for breakfast this morning. it has been awhile since we had them. i think it's really my favorite breakfast to have - just flour, milk and eggs, and then we roll them up with jam (red raspberry this morning), maple syrup and butter . . and also fresh strawberries. greg and i then went for a bike ride . . it was such a beautiful day and i just wanted to feel the breeze by the river. the trees along the bike path form a beautiful canopy lately, and the flowers along the path were so fragrant. the sun was very warm, but the air was cool. we rode all the way down to the battery. there's been construction for the flood mitagation and they have been building up the land with ramps, but some areas have re-opened. 

the fountain by castle clinton (it was a fort from 1808-1811) . .  

the couple sitting next to us on the bench was having their caricature drawn. the woman sitting with the sketch pad on her lap (to the right of greg's face) worked part of the time, and then her partner took her place and finished the drawing. i thought that was interesting.

the water just glistened today (in the distance is the statue of liberty).

then suddenly we were at "the willows." the girls and i would ride our bikes here when homeschooling. we would read and work on whatever knitting project we currently had. sadly, the two willow trees are no longer here. they slowly died off after being inundated with sea water during hurricane sandy. i was glad to see that a lovely birch tree (seen on the right) had been planted in a willow's place.

(here's a 2009 willow visit . . greg is with us here, as it was labor day weekend . . korrina isn't. she was often off at a ballet class or a stage managing gig, a group homeschooling class, or just with her friends, which is probably the case here since it was a holiday.)

looking southwest toward the statue and ellis island.

we next passed a favorite monument - the mother cabrini statue . . 

"maria francesca cabrini, mother frances xavier cabrini, 1850-1917, italian american who dedicated her life to helping children and the needy in new york and around the world."

and then it was time to pick up a citibike for greg and head back home (i had my bike with me).

----

morgan called when we returned and sent a photo of the current craft project: a child's size quilt is being sewn with leftover charity shop fabric and liberty fabric (from the wedding napkin favors). i love the jumble of colorful prints.

we watched an episode from the new ted lasso season . . 

(cricket is eyeing my italian cookies that were supposed to be for adam, but since the car broke down we never made it out to the house for him to have any. by the way, the car has been fixed - the mechanic replaced a "sensor" and it is now running very well!)

morning poem and sunday photos

she sights a bird

she sights a bird--she chuckles--

she flattens---then she crawls--

she runs without the look of feet--

her eyes increase to balls--

her jaws stir--twitching--hungry--

her teeth can hardly stand--

she leaps, but robin leaped the first--

ah, pussy, of the sand,

the hopes so juicy ripening--

you almost bathed your tongue--

when bliss disclosed a hundred toes--

and fled with every one--

by emily dickinson (1830-1886)

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pancakes for breakfast with chanda and greg . . 

morgana did some springtime replanting and weeding . .  

dinner was delicious leftovers from last night.

korrina - enjoying a day off with wash.

a warm day (and night)

 

breakfast with greg in the morning . . 

we went on a walk into soho. i think it went up into the low 80's.

we played uno this evening and chanda won again!

it's so warm tonight that many people are staying out late (it's past midnight), walking through the streets, singing and talking and shouting. there were fireworks at 11:30!

getting warm . .

i made grits or polenta this morning for breakfast. we like it with butter and lemon, a little bit of salt and pepper. it's been awhile since we've had this on a saturday morning . . then greg went for a walk and i cleaned up my desk and went through email . . 

after which i met him at a local coffee shop (kobrick's in the meat packing plaza) . . and we found out that today is their last day. their ten year lease is up and they're not renewing - not surprising . . the rents go up too high, but we'll miss them. i had their raspberry mocha . . sweet and delicious! 

we walked up to 24th street and 9th avenue to check out a pet store since the one we usually frequent closed during the fall. we picked up a bag of greenie treats for the cats . . and walking home it grew too warm! i was way over dressed. i think it went up to 46 or so. warmer weather is definitely on its way.

for tonight - a simple dinner snack of leftover salad and jovial gluten free mac and cheese.

a day with morgan (or cooking knödel)

 

waffles with morgan for breakfast before heading to trader joe's to buy ingredients for knödel.

it's a beautiful fall day . . 

taking a short cut home through the elm furniture store after shopping . . (commenting on the christmas decorations the store had already put up!) . . 

i love these swivel chairs . . (morgan is admiring the napkins) . . 

and this chair . . 

and this wing chair . . i love all the elm chairs. they're not too big (perfect size for me) and cozy with material that a cat's claws couldn't tear a hole through.

i even like these swivel stools . . 

halloween decorations along bank street on the way home (thankfully, not christmas decorations yet!)

toasting the bread for the dumplings . . 

weighing them!

chopping the onion . . 

now to mix the oinon and the bread with the spinach . . 

and shape the knödel!

guten appetit!

cleaning up after dinner . . 

our last round of cards before morgan heads home to london tomorrow night. korrina headed back to queens after dinner as she was tired from a long work day and needs to be up early again tomorrow. she took some rice pudding dessert to have back at her apartment.

it was a very lovely night together.