Tag Archives: Shire near the Hudson

Purple not flowers – exercise gear

IMG_1706 (1)I had fallen away from my exercise routine. After a stretch where I worked out daily, I probably logged five workouts in the last month. I put out an alert to my friends and support network. They responded. Some offered encouragement. Some shared expressions of concern. Some even used the “l” word. And some figuratively kicked my butt.

Joann Haejong Lee essentially said, “Get thee to the gymery and attend the Prince’s songs as thou moveth.”

Maybe her message was a tad more direct and a lot less faux Shakespeare. But I got her point.

And to the gym I went. And with a Prince playlist there seemed only one shirt and bandanna choice.

See you along the Trail (and hopefully in the gym).

 

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Purple flowers, Morningside Gardens 2

photo (42) (600x800)

 

A purple flower stands guard
as the garden receives
its morning drink.

Shire near the Hudson
29 June 2013

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Purple flowers: with thanks to all the Sams out there

From The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers:

Faramir: [to Frodo and Sam] My men tell me that you are Orc spies. 
Sam: Spies! Now wait just a minute! 
Faramir: Well, if you’re not spies, then who are you? 
[they remain silent, Faramir sighs and sits
Faramir: Speak! 
Frodo: We are Hobbits of the Shire. Frodo Baggins is my name and this is Samwise Gamgee. 
Faramir: Your bodyguard? 
Sam: His gardener.

When I came into possession of the Shire near the Hudson, it was under renovation. Serious renovation. Tuck pointing. Roof repair. April 20 marked my first view of the Shire without scaffolding.

With the scaffolding gone, landscaping work has begun. Today, I noticed several of my neighbors digging in the dirt, spreading mulch and fertilizer, watering, and planting. 

It reminded me that many purple flowers grow freely in the wild. Others require the patient tender care of gardeners.

A day early, in honor of Sam Gamgee, my neighbors at the Shire near the Hudson, and gardeners everywhere, I offer purple flowers from the Shire:

photo (18) (1024x758)

Shire near the Hudson
2 June 2013

 

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The usual mixture

I bask in the Manhattan sun,
warm against my face

and remember Ireland a year ago
with Tricia and with friends,

and rejoice with Joel and Roja
whose promises drew us across the water,

and ache for Joe who joined us there
and today grieves his brother’s death.

Disparate feelings stir, mix, tug,
today, as every day. Life.

27 April 2013
Shire near the Hudson

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I’ve never seen you like this

After a ten-day trip to Louisville, I returned to New York to view something I have never since in the two and a half years I have lived here. I noticed it as soon as the cab driver pulled into the parking lot. Amazement swept over me. I called Tricia to tell her what I saw.

Then I paused and took a photo of the Shire near the Hudson.

Shire withouth scaffolding (768x1024)

 

When I arrived in October 2010, scaffolding surrounded the front of the building and wove throughout the Morningside Gardens complex as tuck pointing and work on the roofs took place on the roof. The amount of scaffolding actually increased before, not so long ago, it came down around one of the other buildings.

I cannot say when it came down around my building. I left town on April 10. The scaffolding covered the building. Between that day and today, it came down. And I have seen something I have not seen before.

Lots of scaffolding remains throughout Morningside Gardens. But the work may actually end.

See you along the Trail.

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Lent 5, First Sunday in Lent: settle

F17 Settle Moving into Shire near the Hudson 4 October 2010

 

First night
Shire near the Hudson
Manhattan, New York
4 October 2010

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