Thursday, April 19, 2018

When It's Been One of Those Weeks....

My week has been spent between a Manhattan apartment housing two sons, the streets of Manhattan, finding quiet spots to write, traveling (that's what I'm doing again today, to see some cute Southern grandkids!) and the last thing I've been doing is cooking....

This is what REAL Manhattan tulips look like.... Being nibbled on by squirrels or rats or bunnies, but I don't happen to see any bunnies in Manhattan. I'm just sayin'...


And in the center of Lower Manhattan is this.... among several sweet churches, and when I went to a 5:15 PM Mass.... there were about 45 people there with me. In the middle of the week, at a time when most of the financial district wants to go home... That church had 5 Masses/day during the week....

Now that's pretty cool!


And these are NOT natural tulips, they're landscaper planted... and so pretty!


Notice that nothing has eaten these leaves, LOL!


The Tall ship in the New York harbor at the Seaport...


Gazing at Brooklyn (and Cate Nolan!!!) from the seaport at the base of Manhattan... I bought a donut from a food cart to go with me on my walk.... (Come on, we know I'm not a health nut....) And he gave me two. So I had one and shared one with a lovely homeless lady on a bench.  Who says there aren't nice people in New York? :)


The spring crews have arrived to change the flowers in MONSTER SIZED PLANTERS along the roadways! This was along Liberty Street... Or Pine.... Note the trees.... The only trees down there are ones like these. Potted in ginormous planters. These guys, a crew of six, I think, were gang-planting and mulching 1000's of pansies, a burst of color in a drab setting waiting for spring!




I told them I was putting them on the World Wide Web... And they laughed. Nice men. And when we finally got a nice day, when the weather and Mother Nature cut us some slack on Friday, look at the crowds of school kids in the financial district! Go them!!!


And the beautiful cemetery outside Trinity Episcopal Church, the famous church that overlooked war battles and has stood strong in the shadows of destruction....

Next week we'll talk about the cemetery.... the 18th century gravestones... how we take so much for granted.



So not much cooking going on. We ordered in for supper and grabbed bagels from Leo's bagels for mid-day.... and coffee.

Always coffee.  :)

I bought fruit from a fruit vendor, browsed in Dress Barn (so delightfully normal!) helped a homeless man squelch the fire in his jacket....

Yes, he was smoldering in multiple places and folks just walked on by.

I couldn't walk by. I'd like to think it's because I'm actually a human.

We put the fire out.... and chatted.

And I was amazed at how many people saw him with his coat smoldering while he was wearing it... and just gave him disparaging looks. As they passed him by...

"When I was naked, you clothed me. Hungry... you fed me. In prison and you visited me..."

So the guy's name was Mike. And he came to NYC because of a lady friend.... and he hopes to meet up with her next fall, once he's pulled himself together.

Bless his heart, may God bless him and all those struggling with the kindnesses of folks like you and me.

And that's it for this particular week.... I'm being treated to North Carolina barbecue on Friday and I can't wait! Let's see how they do it in North Carolina....

And maybe we can do barbecue comparisons between NC and our TEXAS Mindy!!!! :)

Ruth Logan Herne is living her dream of writing sweet books from her castle in Western New York where it is still cold and gray and somewhat sullen-looking skies...  and a weekend ice storm:






Nearly 1/2 inch of ice formed before the temperature climbed.... and then the trees shook like wet dogs in the wind, shaking off their chunks of ice!


And the monster mountains of snow lining parking lots and shelved in north-facing swales are melting.... again.

And that makes Ruthy happy!

Find her on facebook or check her out on Amazon where you can find the full line of her over 40 novels and novellas available!



16 comments:

  1. Oh Ruthy! Bless your heart for sharing and taking time to help those in need! This week sounds like too much city for me! Rapid City, DR is as busy as it gets and I am fine with that. Did you get any cookies inside that apartment by the time you were done?! Enjoy the warm in North Carolina!

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  2. Katie... a dearth of cookies in NYC but my daughter-in-law made a huge tray of cookies for when I got home... snickerdoodles, chocolate chip and peanut butter!!!! I will never be a skinny woman, but I shall die happy. :)

    I love going to the city, but it's not as pretty or nice as it was five years ago, and way worse than ten years ago... and where you used to see NYPD everywhere in lower Manhattan, you don't now.

    I saw one cop in all my time there, the walking times.

    That just seems weird to me.

    And the homeless situation is so sad... meaning I take way too much for granted, Katie!!!

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  3. Fascinating! Thanks for sharing! I see another series brewing for you!

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    1. Carrie, it's always fun to visit NYC... and it fascinates me that in the 20 years since I've had kids making their starts there, how things have changed... and how each administration alters the face of the city. It's a very telling shift every few years....

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  4. Your pictures of NYC and the pictures Cate has shared from Brooklyn seem so exotic to me. I've been to large cities (NYC, Chicago, Detroit...), but I don't belong there. I don't even enjoy visiting.

    But I do enjoy peering in from afar...

    And I can just see you stopping to chat with folks most city-dwellers pass by. I know you made a positive, memorable impression. Spreading that spring sunshine wherever you go, no matter how gray the clouds are. :-)

    I hope North Carolina gives you a taste of the sunny south this weekend!

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    1. Jan, we've got frost warnings in VA, and I think it's our fault!!! WE BROUGHT THE COLD. It followed us!!! Yikes!

      You know this is the first two times I haven't gone to the 9/11 memorial.... I had a sick kid and I stayed close to the apartment... but to spend a day at the memorial makes visiting a real experience for me. Although Trinity church and the history of those early colonists is mind-boggling. The courage of those people, crossing the ocean... Jan, I'm gobsmacked when I think of it!!!

      If the good Lord gives me time, I'd like to do an early historical series. So many stories.... Such a past!

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  5. Love this post, Ruthy. Love the pix. I'm sure NYC doesn't know what hit them when you show up. I think part of the reason people walk on by is because they're immune to it. They see crazy stuff on the street everyday. And they also don't make eye contact. You, however, while normal is questionable ;), are a people person. You can't help but make eye contact. You're looking for someone to help. Because that's you. And you responded. Well done.

    As for the bbq, I will tell you the difference. Pork. North Carolina barbeque is typically pork, while in Texas, we're all about the beef. So in my mind, there is no comparison. Beef always wins. :D

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    1. Mindy, you're right. It's like a "pact" in NYC, don't look left or right.... Oh my stars, what have we come to if we don't look left or right???

      And that's the thing, they looked... and kept walking. So that's just sad!!!!

      Questionable normalcy is my middle name! :) And if there's a dangerous person, I steer clear. But after studying NYC homelessness for "Try, Try Again", it's a rugged look at how society becomes immune to what they don't want to see.

      But luckily we got Mike's jacket fire put out! :)

      And what a sweet smile he had, Mindy... Just so gentle and happy to have a little chat.

      I can imagine him as a younger man in Wyoming and Montana, riding horses.

      He might have been a cowboy in another era... :)

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  6. Depending on where you're at, it may be warm compared to your temps, but not mine. In upstate SC and western NC, it's still plenty cool with terrible winds. We had torrential rain and storms Sunday and more to come the first of the week.

    I've never been to a big city, but I can't believe people would walk by someone on fire. If I couldn't help, I would at least try to find someone who could. Poor man!

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    1. Linda, I'm so glad you stopped by! I'm in a Virginia hotel right now, and we made it COLD here, Linda! Maybe it wasn't us, though, maybe it's just old Mother Nature, hanging on to winter with very strong hands! You'd think she'd have aged a bit by now, right???

      It snowed all through New York and half of Pennsylvania yesterday. Then rain, but not horrid storms. Just drizzle. Now in Virginia (which is gorgeous by the way) things are starting to bloom.... we're seeing tiny buds and daffodils!!! YAY!!!!

      Linda, I can never explain ignoring those in need. And every town, big or small, or city, has needy folks. The ones who walk outside the norm, who might be struggling with mental illness or autism or developmental delays.

      And I did remind Mike not to put hot cigarette butts into his pockets... :) But I'm not sure the old fellow will remember.

      You know in fiction, I try to "save" a lot of old people with regrets because when life is long, it's easy to pile up mistakes.

      How nice when those mistakes are forgiven as asked. Such a nice, Jesus-thing to do!!!

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  7. Thanks for your kindness to Mike. The world would be a better place if there were more Ruthys obeying the Scriptures in reaching out to the hungry and poor. Great pictures. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Marilyn, thank you! And I agree, each little kindness starts that ripple... we love to make a positive ripple! Hands and feet of Christ, right here in the cities... and counties.... and those sweet small towns. :)

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  8. Love this glimpse of Ruthy on the move. What did your boys say about the smoldering jacket story?! Love your compassionate heart - you are the real deal and that shines in all your stories. Safe travels.

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    1. Kav, they kind of stare, aghast... But then they go out and do the same kind of things. :)

      But they think they're big and strong and more discerning... I figure a bright smile breaks down all kinds of barriers.

      And what a stinkin' nice thing to say!!! :) Thank you!!!!!

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  9. Ruthy, I can't believe that ice!! I'm so glad you had some nice weather in the city. I'm also proud to know you. Thank you for helping Mike. Wow. I hope I would do the same.

    You'll love NC barbecue! Part of the state does the sauce that's vinegary. I think that's what you'll get around Durham. I love it!

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    1. Sarah told me that it's funny how distinctive it is from West to East.... so I can't wait to try it and chat about it!

      And Mindy, I forgot to mention, the beef vs. pork thing.... Yes, I see that in books all the time, it's like a new divide!

      I love both.

      I love beef brisket.... Oh my stars, it's amazing.

      But I love baby back ribs and pulled pork, too, so when I go out for barbecue, I want a mix! And enough to take some home the next day because I'm not great at making it. Shame on me, I need a smoker and some great beef and pork!!!!

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