Fall on the terrace

Wisteria (W. frutescens), strawberry (Alpine at the top, "Fern" beneath), fig, blueberry and Iceberg rose (with blackspot, of course).

Prospect Park in paint

Photo: Frank Meuschke

Take a ride out to Greenpoint on Sunday - when you have an extra hour in the day - then do a walking tour (see below) on your way to this:

No Globe Exhibitions Presents

seven paintings

New Work by Frank Meuschke
November 6 through December 3, 2011

Opening Reception Sunday, November 6th, 4-7pm

No Globe Exhibition Space
488 Morgan Avenue
3rd Floor
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Entrance and elevator on Division Place
http://noglobebrooklyn.blogspot.com/

Share your extra hour with us.

Directions by subway or bus:

The G train to Lorimer, transfer to L train to Graham, then hike Graham to Meeker to Morgan.
Or G to Nassau, then hike down Nassau to Morgan, hook right till Division Place.

Or the B62 to McCarren Park, a block to Driggs, then Driggs all the way to the BQE, crossing at Morgan.

Frank says: "Consider taking in the sites (and meats) of Greenpoint by taking the G to Nassau
It is a hike. But the weather should be perfect. Podlasie Meat Market 121 Nassau."

November afternoon

A quick lunch on the terrace. I was tired, had walked faaaaaaar, and downed a glass of hard cider and a Sullivan Street baguette with some prosciutto in the clear cold sunlight.

A friend kept me company.

Fire burn and cauldron bubble

My adventures with sweet fern continue. It has a wonderful scent. Most un-witchlike. No newts involved.

Comptonia peregrina

Prospect Park's Swans

You may read all about our thirteenth Litter Mob at the Prospect Park Litter Mob blog. The weather was gorgeous. The condoms were few on the ground.

I was 20 minutes early for the Mob and sidetracked down to the Lullwater to see what I could see. And there I communed with some swans. Which may seem difficult, because they are mute swans. But I have my silent moments, too.  Perhaps my best ones are unvoiced.

Cygnus olor may be very beautiful, but mute swans are an invasive species whose environmental impact is being studied in New York State. Some local residents feed these swans and get very hot under the collar about the swans' internal politics.

I saw five swans, two white parents, and three giant, grey ex-cygnets, tailed by a host of mallard ducks. They diverted towards me when they saw me heading for the water's edge, perhaps expecting a snack. When they realized that the human held nothing but a camera they settled matter of factly in the shallows beside me and started to groom.  The whole family arched it collective neck and started to ruffle its chest feathers with orange and grey beaks.

I had last seen a swan family here in June, below. I'm not sure if they are the same birds.

I have never been this close to such big birds. I take swans for granted, as a distant piece of prettiness. Up close they felt powerful. I was surprised by how good it felt to be beside them. I expect these birds to be aggressive (I was chased by one in England when I was little), but they were very calm and tolerant. Quite beautiful.

Fall is back

The beginning of the colours, Prospect Park.

[click on image for Blogger's new, beautifully black-based image view]

Swaddled

I suppose they really, really didn't want them to be snowed under...