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Spring is here. There's no turning back, a freak snow storm will not change the fact that spring is here ( although I wouldn't put away your winter boots just yet!).
Creatures lurking everywhere......
Brooklyn College Parrots
clematis coming back to life ( a lesson in pruning)
Where angels fear to tread? No.....
"Sammy, please, hold onnnn! Wait, I just want to ta...stop, no, leave that cat ALONE!!! STOP! What's in your mouth?!?!What do you have?!?!? Put that down! LEAVE IT! "
He is no help, really, but it creates a challenge that adds to the drama of the photos, I think. At least that's what I tell myself. I should at least have him carry extra batteries.
One issue with Sammy is that he does not like to look at the camera. As soon as he hear's the beep-beep-beep as the camera goes on, he looks away, anywhere but at me:
"Hey Sammy! Look at your mama!"
"Hey Sammy, are you......hungry?"
Flatbush Gardener asks me the question, "so you still want to move? "
My previous post, in its ambiguity, points to this question ( in addition to my whinging and whining). I answer emphatically, NO! I love Ditmas Park, I really do. I love that I have lived here for ten years and watched things change and grow. I have a sweet apartment in a building I could grow old in. Even though I live in an apartment I can garden! I wished for a proper restaurant and I got three! I wished for a cafe and I got two! I wished for a better food coop and I'm getting one. Best of all, I wished for a great community of people and I got one! All that being said, I read this piece recently and could not swallow the adoration it espoused. Ditmas Park is not the 'Brooklyn Hamptons,' ( thank goodness, I hate the Hamptons). This piece goes on to describe Ditmas Park as 'mini urban wonderland,' and this caused me to comment anonymously and sarcastically on my local blog, something I usually try not to do. But now I think I misspoke - what if I lived in Katonah, NY, for instance, what would I think of Ditmas Park? I would think it is a bit of a mini urban wonderland. I can answer this because I grew up in Katonah and all I ever wished for was to live in a cool city. When I first moved to Brooklyn, a neighborhood guy asked me where I grew up and was aghast at the idea that I would reject the suburbs for Brooklyn. After all didn't my parents leave NYC for the bucolic suburbs?!? But I love it and won't leave. I wouldn't say no to a nice little bungalow that I could escape to on weekends, but I will always need to be able to run back to NYC.
My husband and I took a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon to enjoy the beauty of Flatbush in the spring:
In the wake of the opening of our new French bistro I am inspired to go back to 2006 and review the progress of our hood. In an early posting describing Ditmas Park I reviewed the high points of Ditmas Park. Since then we have moved, only a few blocks away, and many things have arrived, left and transformed.
As far as food is concerned, back then I reveled in the opening of a new restaurant, The Farm at Adderly. While I continue to love the Farm, and have waited copious amounts of time to get a table, I need more. The Picket Fence is no longer an option. I could tolerate the new and strange decor if the food was any good, but it's pretty terrible. We are waiting for the new Tibetan take out ( momos!!), and San Remo keeps threatening to open a sit down restaurant, what else is there? Cinco de Mayo- great Mexican take out- Mama Lucia's -mediocre Italian- and a score of Pakistani-Indian restaurants - I've tried some but I haven't loved any. Now we have Connecticut Muffin ( I'm not sure why I was so excited when it opened?!?), Vox Pop still stands, and Pablo's down in my neck of the woods is OK for eggs. Hmm, that's not really so bad.
Shopping: big news is the food Coop is moving into the old Associated store - that is huge and exciting! I kind of like the new Natural food store but wonder how it can sustain after the coop moves? Brooklyn is now becoming spoiled for choice, what with Fairway, Union Market in 2 locations, the upcoming Trader Joe's, Fresh Direct delivering to south of Ditmas Ave ( I'm not biting since hearing about their treatment of workers), and the much-anticipated Whole Foods. What will I have to complain about? Call me lame, but I am so darn excited about our new Target, I can't stand it. I went there twice over the weekend, just cause I could. Lame, but honest. TB Ackerson's is nice - pricey but a lovely selection of wine and knowledgeable staff. Still no great bakery - John's is OK but I want great bread!
Still no bookstore, still no yarn store, still no nursery, still no pub. There I go winging again......there's not much else new, but things have changed so much since we moved in in 1998 - so I will keep my hope alive and wait for the bistro!
After a nearly year-long haitus I am back....I have kept thinking I need to figure out why I have a blog, but then I realized that it's because I like it,- it's fun! And in the words of Stuart Smalley, I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, People like me!
One of my inspirations for blogging is the Pioneer Woman, from whom I recently received an honorable mention in a caption contest. When she put a link in her blog to mine I realized I really did kinda wanna get back to this!
So here goes!
It's time for the big reveal (drum roll please) my secret pal is Andi of Hooked on String! She is absolutely lovely and thoughtful and I was so pleased when my final package of SP9 arrived this morning! Packed inside this gift box were two skeins of beautiful Maple Grove Farm Mohair blends in the most luscious and girly colors; a copy of 'One-Skein Wonders,' genuine British Cadbury's chocolate-covered biscuits, mint chocolate kisses, a rockem-sockem-glow-when-you-write snowman pen, a magnetic car-ready knitting decal, 'M' post-its.......
and most lovely of all ......
a crocheted little sachet filled with the most aromatic lavender!
Thank you so much Andi,you have been the most wonderful and thoughtful Secret Pal! I often say that 'tis better to give then to receive,but in this case I'll gladly receive any day!
I am back from England and Amsterdam! We had a fantastic time in England, visiting family and friends in the East Midlands, London and Brighton. I got a chance to relax, knit, read, eat great food, drink too much tea, hang out with great kids ( see cute boy below) and just enjoy the pace. 
I even saw my first pantomime, a traditional British Christmas-time extravaganza
Everything was wonderful ........although Amsterdam was fantastic!! What a wonderful city; the people are incredibely warm and welcoming, the food is fantastic, the culture is so rich and there is no end of things to do, or not do ( just sitting in a cafe and watching the world go by is one of my favorite things!).
There are bicycles everywhere, and everyone rides them.
or gets a ride!
Many of the bulding building are bit askew (there's a lot of water)
The Red Light District is a trip...I walked through pretty quickly, but I just had to see it.
There are ducks and crows and herons
I found one of the very few Yarn shops. It was quite nice, although carrying Rowan almost exclusively. But it was a blessing to find some yarn and start a project I could easily do on the plane....
These are the Fetching fingerless gloves from Knitty done in Rowan pure wool DK and they are indeed fetching
Greetings from the UK! We are on vacation in England, visiting family and friends and having a lovely time! I have been knitting like crazy ( no pics until I get back!) and reading and relaxing and eating great meals and generally living it up! We're in Brighton and then back up to the East Midlands tomorrow, then off to Amsterdam next Wednesday!
