the only living rose in ny

it ain't all bad

Today sucks. It's terribly cold and it's only the beginning of a long 3 months. I hate my job at the moment...the dread of knocking at Frozen Soils door, begging it to let my Narcissus and Allium bulbs in. Today I had to check out some site details in the Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and along the way found a few things to make me get a grip. Ok - it's not so bad.

The Camellias are blooming inside and out:

The Stinking Hellebore is budding:



















MMMMmmm mealy bug oranges in the hot house:

It's still fall in the bonsai house:

The Paper Bush is in bud:

rhododendron rant

sing it:

Lady Chairs

...from Principles of Decorative Design by Christopher Dresser, 1873

looky what i found in prospect park

oyster mushrooms

east river animals

Two animals spotted on the East River last night...a Striped Bass (huge like 25-30lbs). Metallic deliciousness under the Manhattan Bridge:













(photo J.Kohn)



We also spotted a juvenile Night Heron perched on an old dock post. An amazingly creepy silhouette:














(photo taken from interweb)

Hang in there

3 homes being turned into 1 on east 90th street:

just in case!

terra cotta and pollution errosion

a strange thing happens to terra cotta brick when it's next to heavy idle traffic (BQE on ramp Brooklyn Heights):

US Customs House

don't go for the exhibits - go for the marble

Malus Butterball

My new fav crabapple.... disease resistant and big delicious fruit perfect for jamming.

visit to the printing press

Got a sneak peek at my new business card today (the 'd' will not be backwards) at the local Browne & Co. Stationers (211 Water Street). Doug, the print master has done such a quality job following our design, showing us multiple sets of proofs and giving us a mini tour today. Totally psyched! I highly recommend making a visit.

for the birds

a friend posted this on reader:














I made a more appropriate one for NYC:

Cape Gooseberry

This time of year (harvest season!) in the NYC farmers markets you can find all sorts of interesting items. My favorites right now are the Chards, Jerusalem Artichokes and the Plums. Last week I picked up some Husk Cherry: aka, Physalis Peruviana or Cape Gooseberry. It's native to South America and deliciously unlike anything I've ever tasted. It's in the nightshade family (tomato, eggplant, tomatillo) and is sweet, not savory - full of seeds and totally otherworldly. I really enjoy it and I hope to get enough of them one day to make some jam. If you see these little guys - do try!

new business card inspiration

Hang in there

i think this is awesomely terrible

Patterns at Vancouver Convention center

awesome:

Hang in there

cloudie

clouds against clouds:













clouds against oil:

Hang in there

hoping the brick wins

a morning in the life of a hardy water lily

over night holding tank, 9am:















permanent home with 3 koi, 12pm:

Wild Waters

On the same day I took these photo's of a slick Gowanus canal, I read an article about 'wild swimming' happening in and around London. Sadly, I don't think I'll see anyone swimming (and surviving) in the Gowanus canal in my lifetime...even with superfund loot.

Hang in there

On Bowery by Cooper Square

This is how (some) city parks get watered

I say 'some' because I've watched several small parks in the chinatown neighborhood turn brown after this summers drought. LUCKILY Park Avenue and the like are safe.