snow in PA

I can't believe I missed this!!  John took these photos early this morning.  The first snow, and Jubilee and I are swimming in Florida. 
(Had to take Jubilee in for a steroid shot this morning.  Five days in Florida and  she was overcome with her allergies.  At least we caught it before major infections had set in - I hope.)

Florida sites

Took my camera out with me today.  There was this Banyan tree ...

... which became more fascinating the closer I got ...

Met Jane at the Our Lady of Florida Monastery where we joined their little Wednesday afternoon Contemplative Prayer group.

Visited Roberta in her office.  I've already forgotten the translation of this Arabic sign over her desk ...

... but it was something like "may the fortune of God be with you."  What I do remember was that the center word is Allah.

Went to Siam Square ...

... and saw all these birds on the lines on the way home.

View from the Window (PA)

csa box #9

2.5# potato medley, Golden Harvest Farm, CF
~ 3# Braeburn apples, Dawson’s Orchards
~ Swiss chard, Nu Way Farm, CF
~ red savoy cabbage head, Weeping Willow Farm, CF
~ curly parsley, Crighton’s Farm
~ 1# red onions, Crighton’s Farm
~ winter squash, Weeping Willow Farm, CF or Matthew’s Farm
~ French breakfast radishes, Nu Way Farm, CF
~ butterhead or oakleaf lettuce, Clarion River Organics, OG

Wish I were there!  (But I've discovered the "Nectar of the Goddess" smoothie at Whole Foods).

north to south (again)

It dawns on me that for each of the last 6 nights, I have slept in a different state.  (Wed -PA, Thurs - CT, Fri - NJ, Sat.- PA, Sun- SC, and Mon - FL)

Anyway, through a mostly cloudless sky, Jubilee and I made our way to a cool and breezy Florida tonight.  We opened the house up (all the windows and doors) and then sat outside and watched the stars.  Still feels strange to be here, but Jubilee is definitely excited.

Before we left Cranberry TWP on Sunday, we took one last walk at Knob Hill.  John liked this leaf ...

 And, believe it or not there was frost on my back window the morning we left.  (There's definitely no frost in Florida!)

 Waving hello to Tony in Daytona ...

 The lighting is so different down here.  Much, much light.  Jubilee went for a swim within 1 minute of getting the doors open to the backyard.  We put some bird seed in the feeder, so there will be squirrels around soon.  She thinks she is in heaven.  I hope her allergies don't act up.

More on the 911 Memorial, Lower Manhattan, and making our way back to PGH

Somehow we wrested ourselves away from the OWS and continued around the Ground Zero Site.  It seems that in order to go onto the Grounds itself you need a (free) "permit" from the Internet.  I saw a very long line of people with a printed page.  I'm not sure that the guards were checking them, but we didn't want to stand in line, anyway.

There is a strange beauty to the reflectivity of these buildings going up.  This was a cloudy day, getting dark, yet the buildings capture a light.

 This is a shrine to the Firefighters of 911, on one of the streets surrounding Ground Zero.

 The light reflected in the buildings ...

 Now it is really dark and I am impressed with the many people who ride bicycles around Manhattan.  They even have a bike lane going down the MIDDLE of certain streets.  These girls look like they are coming home from work.

 Bars are filling up.  We went into this one to go to the bathroom.  We really were going to patronize the place, but it was so busy we just moved on.

 Finally, decided just to get out of the city and head home.  Took a LONG time to get to the Holland Tunnel and then through it (traffic just grid-locks), but finally we made it.

 Stayed in a great place somewhere in NJ.  Our hotel happened to be near the Hitachi main office (John worked for these guys the years we were in MO and IL).  We found a good Chinese restaurant there for dinner.  Somehow felt more "normal" to be out of Manhattan (definitely quieter), but had me musing on what happens in big cities.  I think that being in the bosom of the mass of humanity causes a change in one's psyche, but John says that we would go wacky there after too long.

Had a leisurely drive back to PGH today across the southern route - the PA Turnpike.

We fetched Jubilee from the Lucky Paws Resort (she survived), and the plan is to be on the road to FL tomorrow!

Occupy Wall Street

Here's a collection of unedited photos that I took while walking around Zuccotta Park in lower Manhattan last night.  The energy was intense.  There were a lot of people, either participating in OWS or walking around observing them.  I am not used to such an intense focus of humanity - the crowd, a lot of energy, a lot happening.  Drumming.  It was getting dark, it was Friday night.

This is not the Tea Party - or what I imagine the Tea Party to be - but seems strangely similar.  The Tea Party and Republicans distrust big government, and the Occupy Wall St.group distrusts big corporations, otherwise known as the 'private sector' (perhaps better labeled as the 'secretive, trans-national sector.'  Despite the seeming political divide, I am not sure there is a distinction.  I am sure that the only way to wrest power away from both is with huge public outcries calling out the massive lies.  Distrust and lies are grinding the economy to a halt.  The recession is as much about selfish profits, inflated values, and failed trust as it is about jobs.  Enough of my rant ...

 

The community altar (sacred space)

 OWS Knitters ...