City Views, Country Dreams

Happy Halloween from New York!

That whimsical seasonal image is taken from one of my favorite calendars, Cynthia Hart's Victoriana 2011 Calendar.  Each month features a collage assembled from a very rich assortment of yesteryears' glories.


Later on today, I'll try to take my camera for a walk around the neighborhood to collect some current Halloween images to show you all.


However, first I wanted to tell you about the weekend trick that Nature played on us.


New York City is often used as a film location for movies, television  and advertising.  It is not too unusual to see pseudo snow blanketing a small area of a street in July.  That area will have to be treeless, because it is hard to make a snow scene seem real with lots of leaves on the trees.  Or is it?

Our autumn weather has been gradually settling in, with only the yellow leaves making their appearance around town.  There has been no sign of the auburn shades yet.

As I looked out my front window on Saturday, what do you think I saw?  Inch-wide floppy white snowflakes flying through the air!  I have never seen snow falling while trees still held on to their green leaves.  I somehow thought of that old tune Season of the Witch.

Of course, this unusual sight quickly motivated me to get outside on my necessary errand rounds, with a quick midday toasted cheese sandwich and cup of tea in between rounds.  By the time I bundled up in my down coat (down coats do not usually get worn before late November) and went out for the final errand mission, the sidewalks were beginning to accumulate lots of slushy ice.  I was quick in my rather abbreviated mission and then enjoyed the rest of Saturday from my cozy apartment.

This very freaky storm did lots of damage to lots of trees.  Central Park alone has lost over 1000 trees, many more than were downed as a result of last summer's Hurricane Irene.  Heavy, wet snow on leaf-bearing trees creates a bad combination.

In many suburban New York areas, folks will be without electricity for another day or two, due to so many fallen trees connecting with overground power lines.  I consider myself very fortunate not to have been inconvenienced.

 And so again, I wish you all a Happy Halloween, and advise you to concentrate on treats, and to beware of tricky surprises.