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6 March 2004 - already up for a few weeks.
7 February 2005 - these might not be daffodils
2 February 2006
29 December 2006
The last few years I've taken photos of when I first see flowers poking out of the ground. Usually I see them in early February. This winter the daffodils are about six weeks early.
I'm going away for the holiday weekend. Don't look for news or entertainment here until next Wednesday at the earliest.
Merry Christmas everyone!
While she was visiting Kitty loved sunning herself under the coffee table. Since Kitty was so nice to visit me, I'm going to return the favor and visit Kitty for Christmas!
9 a.m. Wednesday
8 a.m. Thursday
2:30 p.m. Thursday
Sleek new bus shelters are going up all over the city. The one at 116th and Amsterdam, that matches the Columbia Law School building behind it, is going up quickly.
In the 1820s prison reformers believed that prisoners had to be isolated from the rest of society in order to be reformed. It was only through quiet reflection that a prisoner could come to terms with his criminal deeds and acknowlege his guilt. Prisoners were confined to their cells at night but labored in silence during the day. The no-talking rule was enforced by flogging, which was considered the most humane punishment.
In 1825 the New York State legislature purchased land to build a modern prison on the shores of the Hudson River in Westchester County. Inmates from Auburn prison excavated marble from a nearby quarry to build the prison. They also excavated marble for the State Capitol, New York University, Grace Church and the U.S. Treasury Building.
The 476-foot long Sing Sing prison was completed in 1828. The Big House held 800 prisoners, each in a cell that was seven feet long, three feet, three inches wide, and six feet, seven inches high. Among the notables held in Sing Sing were Lucky Luciano, Willie Sutton and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The prison currently holds 1700 inmates. The original cell block hasn't held prisoners since 1943
The Rosenbergs were executed at Sing Sing in 1953. Between 1891 and 1963, 613 men and women were executed by electrocution at Sing Sing.
You can get a good view of the prison from across the river at Nyack Beach State Park.
December 7th
December 19th
Clouds of December.
Here's a squirrel to complete the Morningside Park wildlife trilogy. I know, a squirrel is a letdown after the raccoon and turkey. The little critter happened to be there when I was taking a picture of the view-obscuring rise of SoHa 118, a new condominium building going up on Frederick Douglass between 118th and 119th.
Before you click on that link please note that it has the standard annoying flash animation, groovy smooth latin-jazz song (in this case it sounds like a mellow Aterciopelados), and no content. Is there just one web designer for all new building web sites?
Prudential Douglas Elliman has more information. Most interestingly, the neighborhood page emphasizes how easy it is to get out of the neighborhood via the A/D express trains to Columbus Circle, and that it is only a 15-minute trip home from the Meatpacking District. Thanks for believing in the neighborhood Prudential Douglas Elliman!
Speak of the Devil! Mere days after I mention that it's been months since I've seen Hedda Gobbler, the Morningside Park turkey, we cross paths on the stairs. She was at the top of a flight of stairs, pecking her way toward the goat path. I was a bit startled by how close I came to her. She either didn't notice me or chose to ignore me.
Encountering Hedda was a welcome antidote to Friday night's incident. Maybe incident is too strong a word, but here's what happened. I've been looking all over town for a particular book to give as a Christmas present. I read one good review but I need to see the book to a) see if I like it, and b) make sure it is age-appropriate. Friday night finds me at the Union Square Barnes and Noble. I can't find the book, so I'm browsing at the toys in the children's section. A father briskly walks by me with his five-year old son following about 10-12 feet behind. The kid hauls off and punches me in the leg just above the knee, laughs, and keeps walking. Nice.
Being a cat you might think Kitty's favorite football team would be the Bengals, Lions, Jaguars or Panthers. You would be wrong. Kitty's favorite football team is the Jets. I've not followed pro football for so long that I have no idea what cities the Jaguars or Panthers are from.
Look, there's a raccoon in Morningside Park. It was feeding on a bowl of food someone leaves out for stray cats. A cat was there, too, but the raccoon was hogging the food. The raccoon wasn't happy with me encroaching on dinner so I left.
In case you were wondering, I haven't seen the Morningside Park turkey in months.
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