Monday, February 6, 2012

Saturday. In the Park. I think it was the 4th of July

Not really. It was the fourth of February but that Chicago song replayed in my head the whole time I was writing this post so I had to put it out there. And there are more than a few pictures in this post but I believe I told you I have a new camera.

Hubs and I have managed to drop kick the couch slouch habit we sometimes have on winter weekends and have spent many hours out of doors enjoying the very un-winter like weather of 2012. It's still on the cold side here but so far snow has passed us by. We'll all just pretend October's snow madness never happened.

Back to Saturday.
In the park.


Central Park.


I love this place. What a magnificent thing to have in the middle of an enormous city. We spent the day walking and talking and people watching.


Well some of us did. Some of us spent the day harnessing every ounce of hunting prowess she posseses to stalk squirrels. The lawns are fenced off in the winter months to allow for reseeding so I think the squirrels knew they were safe.


They taunted her mercilessly but still, she persevered. She worked so hard she needed a coffee break.


I think my backyard hawk may have followed me here.


No matter the season there's always something to catch your eye in Central Park. There's beauty all around...


and then there's this-


a man wearing spring loaded shoes?
There was also this-




I was super pleased with myself for capturing this girl in mid air. I'm not sure why she was in mid air high above several levels of concrete steps in Central Park but she landed without incident and more importantly, I figured out the sport setting on my camera.


We bought a hot dog from a vendor because pretty sure that's the law here and then we watched two grown men blow bubbles.


They were amazing.
They asked for money to 'keep doing what we're doing'.


Can you make a living blowing bubbles?


We threw some $$ in their hat. The sun shining high in a bright New York sky makes one feel magnanimous.


We strolled along the edge of the park near Columbus circle and as we were walking a young man came along beside us and commented on hubs hat. Hubs was wearing a baseball cap from our girl's university, a small school in South Carolina. The young man was with a group of three young women and another young man and in that small world kind of way that happens to us everywhere we go, they were all graduates of that same university. They're a few years older than our girls but have mutual friends via sorority connections. We talked about our shared love of shrimp and grits, Main Street in Collegetown, and weekend fun in the Big Apple. Stuff like that always makes me smile.

After a long leisurely day in the park we headed to the car and look...we got bargain priced parking today!


We paid the ransom and headed for home.


Six more weeks of this sort of winter?
I'll take it!

18 comments:

  1. Ah! I now have an idea on how to make money! I can make giant bubbles. While jumping off steps to my certain death! (GREAT CAPTURE!!!)

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  2. It seems like there is plenty to see in Central Park, and I enjoyed looking at it through the lens of your new camera :) (Kathy)

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  3. Blowing bubbles for money. Now THAT, I must confess, trumps every possible creative way I've been thinking of trying to earn money without actually working. I would've thrown a couple bucks their way for their ingenuity! Glad you figured out the sport setting. My palms were sweating just looking at the girl READY to jump, let alone committing the act. Sheesh! Hooray for winter in Central Park. I simply MUST go there. Never been!

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  4. Sounds like a wonderful day! I myself did the couch potato thing... But I commend you on shrugging it off!

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  5. You did a great job capturing that girl's moment of flight...though my heart is still pounding and I wasn't even there!

    I've never been to NY so thank you for sharing the images. It looks wonderful.

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  6. Today, for a change, I am not jealous of your super cool life and location. Because I got completely snowed in on Saturday and literally could NOT leave me house and I loved it. Not even a stroll through Central Park would have been better.

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  7. Looks like a great day, Joyce! I like that you brought your dog along too.

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  8. Oh, what a fun place Central Park must be! I've never been, but sure hope to visit one day SOON! Great pics., Joyce!

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  9. It's a great song! All the pictures are beautiful. You did capture the girl perfectly and the bubbles! I am a bit jealous, I so much want to see Central Park.

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  10. I can't wait to be able to go to NYC someday. My husband was there on business first of Sept. and really enjoyed the site seeing.
    Those bubble blowers are amazing. Wow, they probably get soaked when one of those bubbles pop!

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  11. I've always wanted to visit Central Park, just for the novelty of it. That mid-air shot of the jumping girl was pretty neat, I'm glad you figured out that camera setting! :)

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  12. Nice pics. Glad you are having fun with your new camera.

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  13. What great pictures! Looks like the perfect day to get off the couch and go for a walk with you 4 legged best friend.

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  14. Enjoyed the pictures-especially the bubble men!

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  15. Oh, what a fun day! Always fun when we take the time to "smell the roses" along the way. Love your dog, is he/she a Labrodoodle? Sort of reminds me of one.

    Looks like you already have the new camera figured out and I'm so impressed about the mid air picture. Good job!

    Happy week!

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  16. I wondered if y'all usually drive into the city when you go.
    It IS a small world, isn't it?

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  17. Great shot on that gal jumping! Looks like you had a wonderful time! Thanks for "taking" us along with you! ;-) Have a terrific Tuesday!

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