Shana Tova

 

 With thanks to my Instagram friend, sketchpad_on_tour

Shana Tova is a traditional greeting for the Jewish New Year which begins in a few hours at sundown. It means "good year," and within those two words is a world of good wishes, for good health, happiness, meaning and peace for all the world. I'm delighted to share this beautiful drawing by my very talented Instagram friend. It's simple, heartfelt and lovely. Thanks, Victoria. 

As I've written in the past the services at my synagogue are long, almost always over three hours. As much as I try to focus on the liturgy, there will come a time (and time again) when my mind wanders. I've found over the decades that having a prayer list helps me to concentrate. Ahead of the holiday I write down a list of items that I want to include and then I ask my friends -- virtual and in person for their requests. It is an honor to pray for other people and I am grateful for the opportunity. If you have prayer requests, please leave a comment or feel free to send me a message. 

As we prepare to enter 5787 it is my joy to wish all of Buttercupland a happy, healthy and meaningful year ahead. My added prayers for a year, especially, of peace. Shana Tova!   

Twenty Five Minutes, Twenty Five Days, Twenty Five Years, A Lifetime

 

Every year I think it will get easier and every year brings a new tide of fresh grief. Perhaps someone in this world has found the elusive closure, but it's not me, and I doubt if it ever will be me. 

Beginning in the fall of 1999 my office moved to 2 Broadway and the World Trade Center became a major part of my life. I shopped on the concourse level after work, had a quick supper sometimes and often took the subway uptown from there. In the December after my office moved I bought discount holiday cards at the Borders Bookstore there. In the way of so many things in life I appreciated that the Trade Center was there and yet, took it so for granted. 

Since 2009 when I began this blog, I've been writing my observation about September 11. As in the past, I link to a previous post and this year I chose the one that I wrote for 2011, "Can Anyone Define Closure?" One day,  far into the future I hope, I won't be here to write my reflection, and one day, no one who experienced the day in Lower Manhattan, will be here to tell their story. Like so many other events that have happened, September 11 will pass into the history books. Our reflections and stories will form that history and the memories of those who died on that beautiful September morning will live on in our remembrances. 

May the memories of all those who went to work or ran an errand and never came home be for a blessing, now and always.  

 

We're Celebrating

 It's National Teddy Bear Day

We're celebrating one of our favorite days of the year, National Teddy Bear Day. It's right up there with Thanksgiving, the first  day of spring and National Coffee Day, to name a few other favorites. Unfortunately we're celebrating with the photo we used last year. There's some glitch in Blogger and the nice new picture I took this evening won't load. It's a cute one and includes Sam, the latest member of our Buttercupland Crew that joined us last summer. I am so hoping that it's one of the pesky Blogger issues that comes up out of nowhere and resolves itself just as quickly. 

I'm enjoying the gentle transition into autumn, though I, as in every year, I'm surprised that the days are getting shorter. We're not into sweater weather yet, but I know that one day I'll go out without a jacket and realize I needed a jacket and maybe, gloves, too.

 I've been cleaning out my closet and dresser and am pleased to find space in drawers that seemed too full for one more thing. They were too full and I'm actually putting aside clothes that I didn't wear this summer. Next stop are shoes that I haven't worn in awhile, and don't anticipate wearing. I've still  got ankle issues -- may always have ankle issues -- and I'm sticking with the sneakers that my doctor recommended. It's not the most attractive look (not attractive at all), but I'm walking with less pain and there's definite improvement. I know there's spring cleaning, but does anyone else do autumn cleaning/decluttering?

As ever, thanks for visiting and enjoy the almost first days of autumn. 

See the USA: Iowa and Nebraska

 

Check: States forty seven and  forty eight

Somehow it's September and I'm back in New York after a wonderful and whirlwind visit to Nebraska and Iowa. My thought when I booked the trip was to visit two states I had yet to visit. Iowa and Nebraska would put me very close to visiting every state in United States. Of course, the trip wasn't just about setting foot in both states. I looked up the sights in Omaha and there was definitely more than enough to see for the three days that I would be there. And there certainly was more than enough to see. 

The Old Market Area

I stayed in the Old Market area, which had once been the wholesale area of Omaha. The old brick buildings have been repurposed and it was a great area to stay in, with coffee shops, restaurants and stores. It was also convenient to the sites I wanted to visit and though there was a lot of construction in downtown Omaha -- a light rail system is being built -- I was able to figure out how to walk to my destinations. 

The banks of the Missouri River and the Riverfront area, a great place to walk

I thought I'd done my research well, but one of the great surprises was the National Park Visitor Center about the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail. This area had been an important part of the Trail and it was an unexpected pleasure to learn more about this important part of American history.  

In three days I was able to enjoy the Old Market, walk the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge to Iowa, visit the Kiewit Luminarium (science museum), the fabulous Joslyn art museum, 

the National Park Center, the Riverfront and eat some of the best ice cream I've ever had at the iconic Ted and Wally's. Through no planning on my part, it just happened that Ted and Wally's was across the street from my hotel. I'm still dreaming of the maple walnut ice cream. 

  

The ice cream of dreams

Now it's time for the "Ber" months, which I know will fly by. Rosh Hashanah is next week and I noticed Halloween and Thanksgiving cards at the store today. I'm going to enjoy these last few weeks of summer before I jump into the round of autumn activities and holidays. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a great September. 

Oh, Hey Boo!

 

I am so not ready for Halloween

Hey, Boos! I know I've been away way too long and no real reason. Though I did have a keyboard issue last week, which after a few days of time spent with Google, is now in the past. I'm glad it's resolved, but computer issues do put me in a tizzy. I don't miss much about working, but I definitely miss the IT staff we had and how helpful they were. 

It's still summer in New York, and these last few weeks have been lovely. There's been some  rain, but nothing I've wanted to do has been rained out. I've managed a great day in Brooklyn looking at one of my favorite views of Manhattan and a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I haven't been to either of the latter in the last few decades and it was way overdue. 

 I didn't spend much time at the Museum, though there's a lot to see. My visit was to take a hard-hat tour through the restoration work being done on abandoned the hospital section, which had been closed to the public for the last 60 years. We had a wonderful guide from the Save Ellis Island Foundation and it was a fascinating visit to the past. Most of my family came to the United States via Ellis Island and I spent some time in the document section where I found the manifest of the ship my grandparents arrived on in April, 1914.

The view of the Statue of Liberty from a window in the Isolation Ward of the Hospital. 

This was the section for patients with tuberculosis. 

I leave on Wednesday for Omaha. It's a quick visit, but another stop on my quest to see all fifty states. I've got a sight-seeing itinerary and a list of fun restaurants, including two "must visit" ice cream shops. One is only a five minute walk from my hotel, so I know that will be one of my first stops in Omaha. 

If you  enjoy my New York photographs, please stop by my Facebook page. I've been posting regularly there and I'd love to have you visit. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and enjoy the waning days of summer.  

 

The Sweet Days of August

 

My view at sunset, looking at the Manhattan skyline

Usually August is the slow month of the year and this year is no exception. I've been enjoying the more relaxed pace and trying to get caught up with projects that will get pushed to the side when the autumn arrives. I'm caught up with medical appointments, have a list of appointments that need to be scheduled and I've been doing some serious decluttering. Alas I haven't been blogging, but I have started to post photographs regularly on my Facebook page.

The Occupied City at the Museum of the City of New York

One pleasure has been catching up on museum visits.  Yesterday I visited one of my favorite museums, the Museum of the City of New York which featured a fascinating exhibit on life in New York City during the British occupation of New York City. Growing up in Connecticut I never had any formal classes on New York State/City history and so much that I saw in this exhibit was all new information for me. 

My other museum visit of the month was to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I saw a fascinating exhibit of the work of the Italian sculptor, Alberto Giacometti, displayed in the Temple of Dendur.  Giacometti had been strongly influenced by ancient Egyptian art and the Temple of Dendur was a fabulous site to display the sculptures. 

 

This cat sculpture was. perhaps, my favorite of the exhibition 

A different perspective of Giacometti's work, with Central Park in the background 

I'm looking forward to the autumn, and won't be sad to say good-bye to my higher electric bills and the humidity. But I'm definitely enjoying long slow days without jackets and scarves and gloves. Time for a Mr. Softee cone before they are traded for pumpkin spice. Is anyone else trying to hold on to these last sweet days of summer?

As ever, thanks for visiting and keep cool.  

My Maine Idyll

 

The view from McLoons Lobster Shack

Maine was wonderful. I have come to expect that my visits will be very special, but this year's visit was idyllic. Yes, idyllic. Except for one rainy day, when the activity was seeing The Odyssey, I enjoyed blue skies and starry nights. I ate lobster, visited with friends and enjoyed some of the best scenery anywhere. 

  I visited Rockland and discovered a new doughnut shop, Ruckus Doughnuts. I chose a cinnamon doughnut, but when I went to take pictures all that was left were these three blueberry doughnuts. If you're ever in Mid-coast Maine and like doughnuts, Ruckus is a must stop. 

The view from the ferry to Vinalhaven 

On one of the most perfect summer days imaginable I took the ferry to the island of Vinalhaven. It was an hour ride from Rockland and yes, it was as lovely a ride as the picture.  We walked, ate lunch and visited an art gallery. But most of all I enjoyed being on the water.   

The view from the cottage

There were new adventures and familiar adventures, and I take none of them for granted. Long halcyon days of summer are among the sweetest joys of life and when they're spent with friends of long standing and new friends, it's a complete privilege. How lucky I was!

I've been back in New York for a week, but even though there was no change in time zones, it felt as though I'd come back from a long journey away and in some ways, I had. I'm back in the New York swing of things for the next month. I don't have a lot planned, but between catching up on all the errands -- today was haircut day and there are a few medical appointments and a visit to the dentist to come -- I do have some fun planned. What are your August plans?

As ever thanks for visiting and have a sweet last day of July.