My Blog Friends are No Fools!

This is no joke, Happy April 1!

Morning and Evening, 3/31/2009

This is a picture taken this morning on the way to work. I change subways at Seventh Avenue and 49th Street and as I was walking to the R train I saw this group of people dressed in cow costumes. Had to take a picture. It turns out they were promoting the terrific organization (one of my favorites!), Heifer, Intl.


















Tonight I had dinner with a friend and I caught my subway home from Grand Central Station. I don't think my photograph does justice to this beautiful building, but I want to share a moment of my day with my blog friends.

These are two random moments of a perfectly average day. It had the usual little times of work annoyance, and one totally unexpected work issue that split the day in two, and was luckily easily resolved. I had lunch at the little diner near the office with colleagues, bought a bagel and coffee in the morning just before seeing the cows in midtown Manhattan and picked out frames for my new glasses before meeting my friend for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant. And even in this average day there were high points. A lovely chat with my goddaughter and plans for a visit to the St. Lawrence River this summer; getting an email from my friend Nancy with the date of her son's college graduation in May 2010; and learning that my four year old cousin was out of the hospital (surgical procedure yesterday) and now at home. Hurray!

I've been thinking about "Our Town" and all the average days of my life and once again, I remind myself that even the most average day holds delights and moments to savor and to treasure.

My New Favorite Treat

I am blessed in the neighborhood in which I live. In the four block walk from the subway I pass -- depending on what side of the street I am walking -- a Gap, a Banana Republic, three banks, a clothing store not a national chain, a drug store and a Starbucks, a bakery, and a Dunkin Donuts. If I walk another half a block in various directions, there is a pizza store, a soft ice cream store, a large grocery, a candy store, a health food store and a store with an enormous assortment of fruits and veggies. In the ongoing struggle to eat healthy, I must confess dear bloggy friends, I don't always stop at the fruit and veggie store or the health food store. There are nights when Starbucks is screaming for me and if I escape those siren voices I hear the call of Dunkin.

Tonight was an exception. I climbed out of the subway and went immediately to Broadway Farm. Yes, it's on Broadway, but despite the fact the store is far, far from a farm there is a great selection of fruits and veggies. There were plums, six kinds of apples, four kinds of oranges, but not the little pixie clementines I was looking for. Then I saw a totally unfamiliar fruit. The sign said it was Sharon Fruit, imported from Israel. The sign on the package said it was "Natural Candy" and the sweetest fruit in the world.

And my friends, it is yummy! Beyond yummy! Though it looks like a tomato, it is sweet and completely edible. I googled it and found it's a cousin to the persimmon and this is its short, but so sweet season. Couldn't not share my discovery with my bloggy friends.

Coming soon: Buttercup's Blue Chicken!

Sunday Blog School

I am home with a cold and just about no voice. This means no chatting on the phone or running around doing errands. It also means lots of herbal tea and slowly reading the NYTimes. It also means that I am actually spending time looking at The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Web Page & Blog. This book has been sitting on my shelf collecting dust for a month and today seemed the perfect day to at least read a little of it.

My first goal is beautification of my blog page. I'd like something a little more fun than the standard Blogger page. I really enjoy visiting my bloggy friends and seeing the very creative things you all have done with your pages. So I'm asking for your help. If you have any very, very easy tips for page beautification I'd love to hear them.

Wishes for a wonderful spring week!

It's my blog and...

...I'm wishing Mary a very happy birthday!

My dear friend Mary has a very special birthday tomorrow and certainly Mary is high on the list of reasons for Buttercup to count her blessings.

We met at work in November 1980 and we shared an office with four other people and literally thousands of others who passed by our desks in the almost four years we worked together. What a wonderful four years. We met Big Bird, Sally Ride, the Archbishop of Canterbury and got to welcome the hostages home from Iran in the winter of 1981. Besides sharing great moments, there were lots of long hours and through the years a friendship grew. We've been to Paris, traveled all over the United States and shared more meals and movies than I can count.

Dear Mary, thanks for all the good times, laughter and good advice. Here's hoping for many more years of movies, adventures and friendship. Have a wonderful birthday!

Nine in '09...Williamsburg

A glorious day today on the second excursion in the Nine in '09 Project. Mary and I celebrated her 60th birthday and explored the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg. Williamsburg was once a major industrial neighborhood only one subway stop from Manhattan. But as manufacturing left the area its lofts and old factories attracted artists. Restaurants, hip stores and families followed. Despite some high rise buildings going up the neighborhood is still predominantly low rise with lots of light and just a block from the subway are quiet streets.

We had brunch in one of the best breakfast places I've ever eaten, Egg, on N. 5th St. We then explored the shops of Bedford Avenue and visited the flea market on N. 6th St. I loved taking photos of some of the street art and walking blocks and blocks on a sunny spring day.

A great Kitchen store

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wishing you a wonderful Day

Buttercup Needs to go to Blog School

I'm not sure if there is a Blog School, but if there isn't there should be one. My newest post is actually dated March 9 and is down the page. I learned a valuable blogging lesson, which only reinforces my need to at least flip through "Dummy's Guide to Blogging." My apologies for confusion, bloggy friends and wishes for a happy Sunday.

Sweet dreams and good wishes!

Had our book club tonight, which I always enjoy, but it makes a long day. Will post the Anne of Green Gables sequel photos later this week, but wanted to stop by and wish everyone sweet dreams and a good day tomorrow.

Buttercup Goes to Washington... Part II

Above all, have a good time!

Late Friday morning my meetings were over and I ran off to be a tourist on the most glorious spring morning imaginable. I've been in Washington for work several times in the last few years and invariably the first free minutes I have are spent at the National Gallery of Art. But this time I went off the usual path and went to the National Museum of American History and what a treat! I got to see about half of the exhibits and high points were numerous and splendid. From the sublime -- the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner to the plain fun -- Julia Child's kitchen -- I had a wonderful time. Toured the transportation exhibit, "America on the Move," saw the ruby red slippers and Kermit the Frog in the entertainment section and visited a great section on one house in Ipswich, MA through the centuries and the people that lived in it. Ran out of time before I could get to the exhibition of inauguration gowns worn by the First Ladies, so a return visit is definitely in order. I'm not sure how I missed this museum in my visits. And as much as I love visiting the National Gallery this was a good reminder about getting off the familiar path and seeing what lies down a road less traveled.

I got to see the first flowers of the season budding in a bed in front of the Museum and if you look very carefully in the picture on the right you can see the Washington Monument off in the distance.

Thanks all for sharing Washington with me!

Coming Soon by Popular Demand:

Return to Green Gables, PEI

Return to Green Gables

Buttercup wants to please her readers and my readers love Prince Edward Island and especially Green Gables. I took lots of pictures during my visit, including the especially charming interior.

I love geraniums and this last picture gives you an idea of how cozy it would be to be inside and looking out at the lush greenery.

Can't say that spring has totally arrived, but today looks very springy in Buttercupland. Hope there are signs of spring where you are!

Buttercup Goes to Washington... Part I

Enjoys herself very much and happily comes home! Can a trip be any better?

Amtrak got me to Washington despite the snowstorm and I weathered through the totally freezing weather for the first few days. The work went very well. Great colleagues from all over the country and terrific hospitality from the folks we were meeting with in Washington. If there is a drawback, the hospitality, including the freshly baked cookies every night at the hotel, was too sumptuous and I really need to get back to veggies and yogurt quickly before nothing zips.

I love seeing historic sites -- and the White House may be just about my favorite, possibly second only to my beloved Statue of Liberty. No matter how many times I am privileged to be in Washington I get a thrill seeing it. Corny? Maybe, but I make no apologies.

Spent some time looking at the historic statues and so enjoyed this one. The kids looked like they were having so much fun climbing on the base of the statue and enjoying being outside.













I was also enjoying being outside and was taken with this plaque from one of the buildings near the White House. I was delighted to find the home of Dolly and James Madison and had to take -- and share -- a photo for my bloggy friends.

Tomorrow I promise more Washington memories. Thanks all for stopping by and for all of the sweet and thoughtful comments. They are much appreciated. Wishing all a great week. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Great Moments in (Buttercup's) History

The adorable couple dancing are my parents and the great moment in (my ) history that we are celebrating is my parent's anniversary. My parents were married on March 2, 1947. Just like today it was a major snowstorm in the Northeast. They joined the great wave of couples who married after WWII and I was born right in the middle of the Post War baby boom.

My parents both passed away many years ago -- much too young -- but they live on in many memories, the good deeds they did and in the hearts of those who loved them, especially this heart. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Buttercup is off to Washington, DC on business this afternoon -- trains permitting. I hope to return with some new photos and thoughts to share. Hugs and good wishes, bloggy friends.

Our Town

Neither Bunny, nor I got spring today, but I had a wonderful day. I joined my friend, Anita, for the theater. Anita and I have been friends 40+ years and we share lots of memories, but today stands out. We saw a production of one of my all-time favorite plays, "Our Town." The production was way off Broadway in the West Village, and we were seated on the stage. It was a very interesting (and well acted!) production and by the third act tears were running down my cheeks.

I've seen "Our Town" several times and had the privilege of seeing past productions with Henry Fonda and Paul Newman. I spent a little time looking at the Playbills for both shows and saw that Ed Begley and Margaret Hamilton (yes, the Margaret Hamilton of "Wizard of Oz") were in the show with Henry Fonda.

I take the lesson of "Our Town" seriously, i.e., to treasure our days and those who share them with us. But at 19 when I first saw this show I couldn't begin to know how fleeting those days would be. This time I do know how fleeting our days are and this was especially poignant with age.

So I welcome March and the promise of spring with tears of joy and hope and a renewed desire to treasure my days those who share them with me.