Photos from NYC God on the Street

St Patrick's Cathedral , a beloved space for my companion that day, is shrouded inside and out with scaffolding. Behind the main altar , is a spectacular Lady chapel. ( & I did not take any photos of it!). So it felt pretty much like a construction site.

But the next day I was walking down Park Avenue when I discovered the Church of Our Saviour, with these amazing paintings and images, not the usual array of saints represented either. At first I thought it might have been an Eastern Rites Catholic Church, but no , it is a regular RC Diocesan church.

The ceiling

Not the usual saints. Having said that , I did not notice Kateri, the first Indigenous  North American  saint. Well, I guess that would not surprise any black woman reading this. She is tops on my list however!

And not to be too exclusive:

On our way to Eisenbergs to indulge in Reuben sandwiches and chopped liver, A Mitzvah tank playing loud and not very interesting music. ( your scribe hums the theme to Music Deli in her ear worm instead) . Not sure this was my thing, but hey, God has to put up with some very mixed messages & supplications.

Growth

The growing season in this area is less than 150 days a year, I am told 100 days, elsewhere I read other figures, but basically it falls between the last frost of winter & the first frost of Fall. Let's say, between 120 and 140 days.
Which explains why everything is determined to grow so quickly. In churches, prayers are said for a good growing season, indicating the vulnerability that people feel.
These photos were taken on 30 May

These were taken this morning

I'm guessing they will be harvested in the July . I recall seeing local sweetcorn at road side stalls  one July when I was here. These particular fields may be growing corn for the cattle at the Dairy over the road. They grow very nice milk & yoghurt!

This lazy blogger

I thought the Mollis azalea was not going to bloom. It happened all in a hurry!

From Central Park looking back to the City

On the street in NYC near Chinatown

One project nearly finished , the mudroom soon to be double glazed

This lazy blogger putting up photos instead of writing! I went to NYC twice with visitors  to Shushan. Very hot on both occasions, but great trips . We shopped, we went to a show, we visited the haunts of a friend who worked here many decades ago.

Meanwhile, Michael continues to improve the comfort of the house, keeping draughts at bay , and repairing things. We have not yet achieved everything on the list for this visit. But things can wait. we have travelled a lot of countryside, seen some beautiful scenery, visited local museums, and in between lived a normal -ish life.  I continue to be astonished at the speed of nature. In this part of the country they have a 100 day growing period. Not a lot of time to get in the crop, grow ready for harvest.I am reminded of how vulnerable the farmers must feel when I hear prayers for a good growing season, in churches of many denominations

But fields that were bare and brown just 6 weeks ago , now have the bright green flags of the sweet corn leaves fluttering in the breezes.  And deer having snacks at the farmers expense. 

And this sight is of the Battenkill being restocked with trout!

Yard Sales

Yard sales, tag sales, whatever they are called, it is how we have furnished our house here over the past two years. The house is over 150 years old, and truly, it looks as is we have lived here that long!

The town of Salem, Washington county, or which we are part had a town wide tag sale a couple of Saturdays ago. We picked up side tables, shelving, all sorts, for pennies.

Last Saturday we went to Arlington Vermont, where Michael got a magnificent tool chest, complete with some pretty amazing tools , among other treasures.

These outings take us through some of the prettiest scenery, and we meet the  nicest people. Like Garage sales at home, people find treasures in the trash of others. And the planet can breath a sigh of relief.

Hat Racks!

Just behind Michael's right elbow, the enormous chest he found that had the tools. He walked past it at first & I couldn't believe that he had passed up on it. As we were leaving, he noticed it. And had to have it.

Around here

At Yushaks, our local store, the one that is famous for its sausages, a worried looking man asked Debbie if he had 'wave' written across his forehead, indicating his furrowed brow!

He went on to say, "because everyone I drive past waves at me" 

She asked, "was it this kind of wave?" (single hand raised from the wrist) or this (two hands dancing in the air)

"Just one hand"

"Oh well", she  says, "everyone gets one of those, you're nothing special, if it's one hand, it's just hi. If it's two, then they know you, they are really pleased to see you"

I am not sure if he understood or was consoled.

City folk.