City Life

It's days like today that I like living in NYC.

Yes, I have a love/hate relationship going on. So much about NYC is uber fantastic and wonderful, but there's still a lot of the country in me and I miss it. I want to open the front door, some days, and see a big field in the spectacle of spring with Indian Paint Brushes, Blue Grass flowers, and Dandelions. I want to be courted by their aromas and the deep brown smell of earth. I want to hear the birds against a basso continuo of rustling leaves and grass.

But today, as frequently happens, I am content to open the front door at the onset of a walk in the city. Having spent a good deal of yesterday sitting at the piano, with the cello and needlepoint, it's a much needed walk. Within a 15 block radius I'll have the opportunity to brush against ghosts in junk stores, grab a slice of pizza mid-journey, browse the bookinistes on Bedford and peruse the wares of sidewalk vendors before heading back up towards my neck of the woods. All this without a car. It's expense free--excluding purchases which I am quite bound to make.

A few purchases I did make! Just this morning at breakfast I was thinking, "Wouldn't it be nice if I had a little rest for my coffee spoon?" Voila! Found this really cute Limoges 2" butter pat (I think that's it's original purpose). $3. I think the pattern would make a really pretty embroidery.

I also found another lovely plate, about 6" round, handpainted with strawberries. $3.

On my way down Driggs I paused to watch the cutest dogs in the run in McCarren park and stopped briefly to glance up at the Cathedral of the Transfiguration (if you poke around their website you'll find photos, it's very pretty inside) and I found the border for my harvest rug in part of the frieze. (I'll have to write a post about the infinite source of inspiration to be found in the architecture here.)

It was a nice walk.

Now I would like to open the front door and see the millions of stars shining in all their glory. I want to look up and smell the deep, rich, brown, earth. Sigh.