Trash Can Restored! Trees Down!

took the camera to photograph some of the storm's aftermath. Two pictures of downed trees here, more to come . The biggest news to me is that we managed to restore the missing trash can on top of Lookout Hill. Photos tell the story, although I haven't figured out how to move the pictures around so as to have them in order. They seem to upload randomly. Anyway, there's a picture I took the other day of "The Trash can that Wasn't There." Ber and JJ are examining the pile of trash that was heaped at the former site. Today, we walked on the loop that is at the top of Lookout Hill. The tall grasses had been blown down, and lo and behold! there was the missing trashcan! We did our civic duty and returned to its proper location, and even returned the trash to its proper location inside said can. Let's see if it stays that way. Sort of nice to see that it was probably some kids fooling around, and not a deliberate attempt by the Parks Department to trash the natural areas. I have heard this theory from park visitors - if the natural areas are trashed, then the Parks department will have an argument for concreting over more of the park.

I do feel that we are a bit odd and eccentric with this trash pick up business, but that seems to be onlyl in America. Apparently in some other parts of the world it is normal to clean up public spaces. I remember when we were in Hong Kong in 1990 discussing Hong Kong vs. New York with a local resident. He couldn't believe how dirty NYC was, and said he'd be glad to clean the streets himself if he lived there. Then, the other day, Ber met a friend of Ed's in the park, a man from the Ukraine. He loved the park but was amazed at the disrepair and trash. He said in his home town people would have come in to fix things - the local stone mason would have fixed the stones around the lake, people cleaned up after themselves, etc. Many Americans seem to feel that their house is their's, but everywhere else isn't and not worth looking after. I mean, look at McMansions, gated communities, even health care (I've got mine, to hell with you!) When I was at Legal Aid, there were a couple of lawyers with children who couldn't work night arraignments due to child care obligations. I remember a single man saying," Well, I've got a boat, how come I can't leave early to spend time with it?

Wouldn't it be nice to have a better sense of community about the things that are the future of us all? Or is that just my inner 60's youth talking?

crack bag count: just 1, but 2 condom wrappers.

Some storm yesterday and last night - trees are down all over the park - whole ones, uprooted, not just the usual branches. Clean-up crews will certainly have their work cut out for them. One dead goose in the Parade Grounds (the ballfields/tennis court area we cross before reaching the park). Looks like it might have gotten blown against the fence by the wind. Seems that wind speeds were up to 48 miles per hour at LaGuardia Airport, up to 60 mph on Staten Island, supposedly 70 MPH somewhere in the Northeast. - can't seem to find a number for this neighborhood.

A whole tree also went down on Cortelyou Road - luckily, not on any person , house or car. Also: very soggy ground all over, especially as it's still raining. Time to order some seeds for my garden! Must choose carefully, since I offered to give up some space to grow herbs for Third Root. Maybe I'll give them some of the tubs I usually use for cherry tomatoes - should keep them differentiated from other plants.

Back to the park: about 6 swans hanging around the Peninsula. The storm probably tossed up all kinds of goodies for them. Zero crack bags today!! And the bloody rocks have been washed clean. However, others have noticed these strange sights. There's a somewhat fear-mongering article in the Brooklyn Paper. Here's the link : http://brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/12/33_12_sb_blood_in_the_park.html

At home, the rose bush that I've been trying to train to grow up on the garage roof in order to have cascading roses in season blew off the roof completely. I think I'm giving up, and will just trim it way back and keep it is a regular, but large, bush. I know it was probably a bad idea - bad for the roof and all, but it would have looked so pretty!! When we first moved here there was such a rose bush/vine growing up from the back of the property onto the garage. Huge cascades of pink roses every June! Alas, the root was actually in the back-neighbor's property, and they cut it down one year. Don't even know if they realized it was the same plant as the roses that bloomed in our garden every year, and I never asked. Pointless, since no one could have done anything to put it back.