what about the plastic animals?

A Snowy Day

We're having our first snow of the season today. This eagle on the Maine Monument at Columbus Circle doesn't look too pleased at the turn of events.

Speaking of snow, have you seen the photomicrographs of Wilson Bentley?

Tree Eats Bicycle

See for yourself at Arborsmith Studios. Originally posted on BoingBoing. Now, that's what I called abandoned.

Making Buckeyes

"In the fall, along quiet small-town streets, children gather after school to pick up buckeyes, those glossy round treasures that fall off the buckeye trees after a frost. If Ohio were to declare a state candy, this recipe would be it."

-Marcia Adams, Heartland: The Best of the Old and the New from Midwest Kitchens.

Gather the ingredients.	Cream 1 lb confectioner's sugar, 2 sticks softened butter, and 2/3 jar creamy peanut butter.
Put into fridge or freezer until hard.	Remove from fridge, roll into little balls.
Compare with sacred object.	Melt 12-16 oz semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon of wax on very low heat in double boiler. Use toothpick to dip peanut butter balls.
Use two hands next time!	Can you spot the real buckeye?

Tonight was buckeye night.

Time for the holidays

The Rockefeller Center tree has been lit. Snow is forecast for tomorrow. There's lots of people asking for directions in the subways. A shop window on East 13th St. is filled with old ornaments. Must be Christmastime in New York.

Motherload of Abandoned Bikes

There are dozens of abandoned bikes along Sullivan and Thompson streets downtown. I found this bronze Schwinn at the corner of Thompson and Bleecker. That was last Sunday. I wonder if it is still there.

I've added a few of the bikes to the Abandoned Bicycles photo album.

Ha

This goofy graffiti in the East Village made me chuckle. I didn't notice until now how the outline of the face largely matches the darker part of the wall.

Heads of Hancock

When going to/from upstate I normally stop in Hancock, southeast of Binghamton on Rt. 17, for a snack break. On this trip I learned that the bakery/restaurant I sometimes eat at had gone out of business. However, these mysterious busts are still in the windows of the Two Rivers Trading Co. across the street. They look like plaster casts of real heads. Many are wearing respirators. Why are they there? Who made them? What do they mean?