Nature's Blanket

Yesterday, I wrote about how Christmas, and holiday cheer seem to be overtaking fall.  They really do, especially in this city.  I don't have a huge problem with it, but I just love fall.  It may be my favourite season.

The best part is the leaves.  The browns, the reds, the yellows and the oranges that decorate the ground fill me with so much joy.  There is something so comforting and lovely about those tones, and the way that they create a natural blanket over the earth.  Part of me wants to put dried flowers in my hair and go running through a forest, celebrating.  I'm not actually going to do that, so here are some distinctly fall-themed photographs that I took during that same jaunt through Bryant Park on Thursday.  

We'll start out with the requisite shot of my own feet.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

What Holiday Is It?

I posted about a month ago on the day after Halloween about the bizarre weather.  We had snow for Halloween.  It was nuts.  The holiday seemed to be all mixed up.  However, that was the work of Mother Nature, not the work of people.  People didn't go and dump snow on the ground outside.  People are, though, dumping Christmas ribbons, lanterns, decorations and the like on stuff.  Already.

Every year, people complain that the "holiday cheer" starts to be spread earlier and earlier, and I think they are right.  I took these photographs in Bryant Park this past Thursday, a full week before Thanksgiving.  The ice skating rink and Christmas market are set up, and open for business.  It's nuts.  Pumpkins decorate the park, and so do pinecones and bows.  So... has Thanksgiving become Christmagiving?  Are we skipping over the turkey and the gravy?  Don't get me wrong- I love the winter holiday season.  I celebrate Christmas, and it's one of my favourite parts of the year.  But, it is hilarious to see the mix of seasons decorating one place, to me.

The first photograph is actually from a store window in Grand Central Station, but I thought it summarized my point pretty clearly. Thus, it was included.

And, to sum it up...

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Home Sweet Home

No, I don't live in any of these houses.  I wish that I did- that would be amazing.  That's part of my dream at this point.  Danny and I want to buy somewhere to live within the next couple years, but I know that things like this are completely out of our price range.  However, they are within a few blocks of our apartment! 

All of these photographs were taken in Ditmas Park, in Central Brooklyn. So, yes, though many of you may not ever associate New York City with views like this, these were absolutely taken in the middle of New York City.  They're gorgeous.  This is what my walk to the subway looked like this morning- beautiful old houses decorated with varying colors of fallen leaves, trees hanging on to that last bit of fall, streets with few cars and few pedestrians.  A gloomy lack of light, hinting of rain to come later in the day only made the vivid hues of the leaves shine more brightly.  I love my neighborhood; I think it's gorgeous.  I'm so thrilled to live where I do!

And someday, we'll own our own place.  We're seriously talking about this, and it will happen.  It'd be nice to pay a mortgage investment to ourselves instead of a rent payment to a big company. Maybe it will be in our current neighborhood. Maybe, it won't even be in this country.  The next few years seem so uncertain, especially with the prospect of me going ex-pat for my grad degree.  Who knows if I'll want to come back here?  A lot of places in the world look way more inviting to me than the United States.  Not to mention, many of them have more of the kind of freedoms I want.  So, we'll take it one day at a time.  In the meantime, I'll look at these houses, sigh happily, and enjoy my beautiful walk to the train.

I admit that these aren't my best photographs, they're pretty mediocre if not bad, really, but this is a small slice of my daily life.  I thought I'd share it with you.  

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USa

Inspiration Fridays: Autumn Falling

I am generally a warm weather girl.  I like the heat, as long as it isn't too hot.  A sundress with a blazer is my ideal style of outfit, or maybe jeans, a tank top and a blazer (like I'm wearing right now).  I'm also very affected by seasonal change emotionally and mentally.  Cold weather makes me sad and lazy, whereas warmer weather tends to result in a bright and cheery Emily.  So, when fall arrives, I am usually caught in a mix of emotions.  I'm sad that the weather is getting cooler, and the days are getting shorter.

 But, I'm happy for a number of other reasons-  pumpkin spice lattes, cute blazers and sweaters, boots, orange and red leaves, apple butter, being able to wear my hair down without sweating.  Hats.  Pies.  Halloween.  Thanksgiving.  Wearing decorative scarves without sweating. This year, I was able to be excited about school starting as well!  No, I'm not still in school, unless you count my martial arts school.  I do count that, but it's year-round, so it's not the same idea.  I'm teaching!!  I've been hired as a Voice and Speech Warm-Up instructor at the acting conservatory I work for.  I'm also the full-on Voice and Speech teacher for the high school students in the Outreach Program, which is thrilling.  Basically, I came up with a five-year plan in March... and I've achieved it.  My mind is a little boggled, but I couldn't possibly be more thrilled.  This is the best fall EVER.

Thus, I'm drawing my inspiration from the season today.  

Happy first day of Fall!

The Crafty Chica

The Wild Westie

66 Square Feet

Mama Gone Green

Let's Eat Recipes

The Substantially Similar Weblog

All the Pretty Elements

I Saw the Sign

Last night, I was hanging out with some of the other actors in the show.  We were sitting in the kitchen, baking Christmas cookies and listening to holiday music, but our discussion, at one point, turned to 90's music.  And our childhoods.  Someone mentioned the song "The Sign," by Ace of Base.  It got me thinking about some of the photographs that I took in Maine, of road signs on the dirt path, and plaques on the closed-up summer homes.  

 So, the final Maine post became two, and part two commences now :)

I gotta new life
You would hardly recognize me I'm so glad
How could a person like me care for you?
(Why?)Why do I bother
When you're not the one for me
Ooooo, is enough, enough?

 I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong...
But where do you belong?

 Under the clean moon
For so many years I've wondered who you are
How could a person like you bring me joy?
Under the pale moon
Where I see a lot of stars
Ooooo Is enough, enough

 I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding
I saw the si-ign and it opened up my eyes
I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong...
But where do you belong?
Oh!Oh, oh, oh

 I saw the sign and it opened up my mind!
And I am happy now living without you
I've left you, oh-oh-OH!
I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign
No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong

 Ah, Ace of Base.  How I loved you at, like, age 9.  

Oh, this post is the last of the Maine photos!  That is, until I go again.

In the meantime, expect some New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.

Because they are all definite places in my near future!

Just a reminder- please cast your vote about the future content of my etsy store. The poll is in the sidebar.  Thank you!!!

Readfield, Maine, USA

The Maine Event

My grandparents live in a beautiful wooden house on Lake Maranacook in Maine.  Their place is more than a mile down a dirt road in an already rural town.  The trees climb to the sky, and during the fall and winter, the vacationers aren't around.  The whole place is gorgeous and serene.

Danny and I took a vacation there for a few days to visit with my Gramma and Grampa and relax after some busy times at work.  These are some of the photographs from our trip.

Here are my grandparents, albeit from the back, but it is them nonetheless.

And here, are some photographs from a jolly walk through the woods on a cloudy, cool morning. The first one is of their lovely house.

More to come on the morrow.

Photo of me taken by Bill Buck. 
Pictured: Bill Buck, Barbara Buck, Daniel Garrison and Emily Grace Buck (me)

Hallowell, Maine, USA
and
Readfield, Maine, USA