saturday memorial

it was a busy weekend. greg, chanda and i picked up korrina in queens and then drove out to long island for my friend's memorial with her family. we lost our dear friend lizette to cancer on june 6th. i've been so sad about it, that it's been difficult to write about . . and it felt strange at the memorial today. i kept expecting her to walk in with her smile . . it feels odd not to be planning a walk across the bridge for a visit with her in brooklyn heights.

in her beautiful beach home on rockaway, where we spent many happy afternoons.

homeschooling moms . .

with marisa at the memorial . .

chanda took this photo of her friend sami's new little girl, named for her grandma. she was born june 27th. 

lizette in her favorite place at the beach in rockaway in july of 2008 . .

and the two of us in 2023 in front of our favorite health food store in brooklyn.

lizette was my birth year buddy. she was born five months after me in 1961. i didn't think she would go so soon. we all thought we still had years together. we miss you lizette.

on the esplanade

the past few nights i've wakened to the moon

shining its light around myself

did you see its fullness before

or after you closed your eyes?

for lizette

sunday morning poem and a drive to long island

 

the end of may

the fragrant air is full of down,

of floating, fleecy things

from some forgotten fairy town

where all the folk wear wings.

or else the snowflakes, soft arrayed

in dainty suits of lace

have ventured back in masquerade,

spring's festival to grace.

or these, perchance, are fleets of fluff,

laden with rainbow seeds,

that count their cargo rich enough

though all its wealth be weeds.

or come they from the golden trees,

where dancing blossoms were,

that now are drifting on the breeze,

sweet ghosts of gossamer?

by katherine lee bates (1859-1929)

(photo from a family trip to the new york botanical garden, may 26, 2014)

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marisa, tsering, greg and i went to see lizette in rehab. she was doing much better and she's hoping to go home soon. it was so nice to be together and to also meet her sister-in-law, fina. afterwards, we had a late breakfast at the great neck diner, where greg had eaten last sunday.

heading home . . 

in the evening, greg and i had ice cream at julietta's . . 

. . lemon sorbetto and vanilla gelato.

sunday (mother's day)

we were out early in the morning to drive to the hospital in manhasset again. we first picked deychen up in brooklyn as she wanted to come along. it was so nice to have her and we talked over coffee and pastry in the hospital's little cafe while waiting for our friends to wake from a nap.

afterwards (and after we dropped deychen deychen home again), chanda, greg and i went out to eat at ayat in the east village.

we first stopped at abraço . . 

for their delicious frappe and olive oil cake.

walking past thompkins square where there was a concert going on . . 

special drinks at ayat (mint lemonade and hibiscus) . . 

and the amazing food . . 

there are so many beautiful gardens and trees in the east village . . it was fun walking through the neighborhood.

kathy sent photos of her day with warren and adam:

they first saw a play in hartford . . 

and then biked along the rail trail . . 

beautiful spring greenery!

evening visit

 

driving over the kosciuszko bridge with greg this evening . . on our way to north shore hospital in manhasset to see a dear friend who has been ill.

it's beautifully lit at night . . 

sunday - poem, palms, a parade and coffee (and zuzu)

 

a light exists in spring

a light exists in spring

not present on the year

at any other period --

when march is scarcely here

a color stands abroad

on solitary fields

that science cannot overtake

but human nature feels.

it waits upon the lawn,

it shows the furthest tree

upon the furthest slope you know

it almost speaks to you.

then as horizons step

or noons report away

without the formula of sound

it passes and we stay --

a quality of loss

affecting our content

as trade had suddenly encroached

upon a sacrament.

by emily dickinson (1830-1886)

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my palm from church this morning (st. luke in the fields)

breakfast with chanda and greg

pluto and his puzzle (treats go into the green cups and he tips them out - cricket and zuzu were in the bedroom with their puzzle - it keeps them busy and keeps cricket from trying to participate in our meal).

meanwhile, the eastern crew were marching in a st. patrick's day parade with pastor bill . . 

we all love the bagpipes . . 

(photos from korrina and my sister)

at the house . . 

oysters!

though i missed the fun of being at the beach and a parade, i did get to visit with lizette who had written me saturday afternoon wondering if we could meet on sunday (she was going to be in chelsea).

it was really nice to sit and talk together over some very good coffee.

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chanda did send me these photos and a video of crazy zuzu trying to get my palm that i had placed behind a ceramic cross that was a gift from warren's norwegian family:

chanda put the palm away in a drawer, but she went looking for it again . .