what about the plastic animals?

Heroic Tree

November 29th, 2010.  Two cabs collided.  One went into this tree.  Because it went into the tree it didn't hit Emilia Victoria or her mother.

Red Art, Blue Sky

Seen at the Storm King Art Center on a beautiful November Saturday last fall.

In the Moodna for a Viaduct

Let's wander into the Hudson Valley.  The Moodna Viaduct was built a little over a century ago by the Erie and Jersey Railroad Line.  It's the longest (3200 feet) and highest (193 feet at the highest point) railroad viaduct east of the Mississippi. 

As the name of that railroad implies, this is how you would have gone from Hoboken to Buffalo in the early 20th century.  That route closed down ages ago but there are still commuters who make the long trek between Port Jervis and Hoboken every day.

Part of the Port Jervis Line was wrecked by Hurricane Irene so no trains were passing overhead when I was there.  The line has been repaired and brought back into service so maybe I need to make a return visit.

I couldn't fit the big panoramic photo above so here you go.

A Rat At School

There's a labor dispute at the Manhattan School of Music.  According to the literature I was given the Precollege Division Teachers' Union was organized a couple of years ago and the administration has been stalling, mostly in regards to salaries, in their negotiations to agree on a first contract.

In other news, a few thousand Russian readers stopped by today to look at my Crack is Wack post.

Another Return Visitor

Central Park was filled with robins on Saturday afternoon.  Only one of the birds was willing to stay in one place long enough to have their picture taken.

The New State Tree

The October snowstorm snapped the tops of an unimaginable number of trees across the northeast.  Intersestingly, the leaves, which had not yet turned color, stayed on the trees for the winter.  You'll see damaged trees like this everywhere in the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and Massachusetts.  This tree happens to be near work.  There's a milder example in my Morningside Park photos (before, immediately after, and last week).

They're Back

How long to geese live in the wild?  A pair of Canadian Geese return to campus every year, hatch a group of goslings, and leave once the kids are old enough to fly.  I noticed the geese a couple of weeks ago but haven't had time to bother them until now.

Speaking of large, flightless birds, the penguin cam at SeaWorld San Diego.

Puff

There's a hole in the sky.

In the headlines:  Show Pride in Your State and visit the Eiffel Tower.

Yellow Flower Update

The daffodils and whatever that tree is with the yellow flowers are blooming in Morningside Park.  Bunches of daffodils have been blooming here and there in the park for a couple of months now.  Yesterday was the first time I saw a whole grove of them in bloom.

The World's Tallest Man

Alton, Illinois was the last stop on our July 4th trip.  Alton was the home of Robert Wadlow, the tallest person to ever live.  Wadlow was a normal-sized baby but grew very fast.  At 13 he was over seven feet tall and was 8' 11", and still growing, at the time of his death at age 22.  Those are size 39 shoes, putting Shaquille O'Neal's size 23 to shame.