Light of Return

After the long dark weeks of winter, the light shifts towards the middle of February. It becomes very bright and glimmers in odd places. It is a joyful sort of light because it announces the approach of spring and longer days.


Here is a closer view of the light on the scaffolding.


And here a view from the side.

Empty Lot

Last August I posted some pictures of a weedy lot with a beautiful tree. At the time I had worried that it would be cleared out for some new construction. I fear that it has begun.

I just get the feeling this lot hasn't been cleared to put in a garden.


I suppose it is silly to regret a lot filled with weeds, but as I have mentioned before, I like weeds. On evenings when the moon was bright, it would shine down on this spot brushing those weeds with silver. I wouldn't mind losing another green pocket except that I am so sure it will become this:



I had also posted a picture of this building last summer while it was under construction. It is finished now and by no means the most offensive in terms of soul crushing architecture. But I hate the way it hulks between its neighbors, and I can't quite remember what was there before. There is another new building across the street which I can't photograph because it is really too ugly. I can't remember what it replaced either, they both went up so fast.

Hopefully they will keep the tree.

Cloudy Bright

On the rainy days in New York, the shadows become so resonant, I can almost hear the sound. I went out this morning under a muttering sky of clouds looking for these shadows. For a while I was disappointed, the sun even crept through the mist creating a lovely silvery light. Then on Cortlandt Alley, an odd tiny street below Chinatown, I found the shadows I was looking for.

Even better, there was a little bit of nature struggling up to find the February light.

It was so dark here that I needed a tripod and yet this bamboo was shooting upward in the middle of winter.

And then there was just some nice color over here, a few blocks from the alley.