Sea dog

Petey took a break from looking at photos of his latest photo shoot (check out Petey in the black and white and the color sections, eating ice cream!) to join me for a walk along the Hudson River to see OpSail -- a parade of tall ships from across the globe plus naval ships in town for Fleet Week. 

Stopped for some breakfast-to-go and met this little Foxy pup. I swear Petey thinks every Foxy he sees is Asta and is always a little disappointed when he realizes it's not her.  But this puppy was very sweet!

 We went out the end of pier in the Hudson River Park where we could see the ships passing by the Statue of Liberty, most under full sail. Unfortunately, I only had my iPhone with me to take photos.

I always love imagining what New York must have been like in the days of sailing ships.

And I loved the juxtaposition of these classic sailing ships against the modern skyline of Jersey City.

Can you see the Statue of Liberty through the haze, welcoming international visitors to New York?

Those are sailors standing along the spars of the masts as they came up the river.

 Throughout the morning, fighter planes were soaring overhead, including the Blue Angels. I didn't get a photo of them but they flew over twice, quite low. Gave me goosebumps. Petey just ignored them!

The sky was quite mysterious. Loved this shot through the Richard Meier buildings.

There was a break in the parade between the Tall Ships and the Naval ships, so Petey insisted we go on down to the dog run in the park. Unfortunately, it was being cleaned so we couldn't go in.

We did spy these pretty roses growing among some blue spruce trees.

We watched the ships pass by from the end of the pier, out by that white pavillion.

I love this quote: "I can sail without wind, I can row without oars, but I cannot part from my friend without tears."

The Coast Guard training ship, the USS Eagle, was far off when I took this so I had to blow up the photo a lot. But I love how it looks like a painting.

I thought it must have been very powerful for the sailors on Navy ships to pass by the Statue of Liberty and the new World Trade Center building.  The sailors were lined up at attention along the decks.

I was in Times Square tonight to see a show (an incredible performance by Phillip Seymour Hoffman in "Death of a Salesman") and there were plenty of sailors enjoying their shore leave. I kept expecting them to break out into song.

"New York, New York! It's a helluva town!"

Scenes from the weekend

This was my birthday weekend, which was great fun for me, not so much for Petey! He got stuck at home  with the dog walker for much of Saturday, as I went out for brunch with out-of-town friends, shopping, dinner and theater! (If any of you are headed for New York this summer, book tickets now for "Peter and the Starcatcher" - it is fabulous and sure to win a few Tonys as it is nominated for 9!)

After shaking off a bit of "champagne head" from the night before, I headed off to the dog run with Petey on a glorious cloudless Sunday morning. Walking through the Meatpacking District on the way to the run, we came across a stop on the Top Chef tour.

We watched Season 3 champion Hung Huynh and Antonia Lofaso from Season 4 do a cooking demonstration/quickfire challenge which was fun, but Petey was much more interested in getting to the tennis balls at the dog run.

Love this pale green bike parked outside Beasty Feast. Wonder how Petey would feel about riding around in a basket bedecked with flowers?

Late Sunday afternoon, watching a front move in from the southeast, from the roofdeck of my building. This is the view looking south, where you can see the World Trade Center/Freedom tower rising above the other buildings.

Friends from Hilton Head enjoying the view looking uptown and some cold pink prosecco with little cakes from the Chocolate Tree.

To the east, Soho and the East Village bathed in the low western sunlight.

A view towards the Empire State Building.

And all this time, Petey had to hang out all by himself in my apartment. No fair!

He did seem to enjoy this particular birthday card I received!

Are these pin-up girls for Cairn Terrier boys?

Whatever...I think he's going to keep it under his pillow.

To Wilf, with love

 

One of our favorite dogs gently, gracefully, and lovingly slipped away from us today. His beloved flock was by his side for this last adventure. And his little brother Digby was waiting to greet him on his arrival, where the two brothers forever will be painfree, joy-filled and in perfect health —croissants and coconut ice cream for all.

 

 Angus has words far more eloquent and elegant than mine, but I wanted to honor this cheerful and brave fellow who has greeted me on so many mornings (while my own furry companion lay still snoring blissfully by my side.)

 

I shall miss you terribly, dear Wilfee. Already, the silence is deafening.

 

 So I sought out some images from happier days —two years to the day to be exact. And there was your smiling, laughing face, your morning "bedhead," and that glint in your eye as if to say "put down that silly camera, let's go biff the swing, then take off on a long adventure down that old Roman road..."

 But this final photo struck me the most. You knew, dear Wilfee, didn't you, that this day would come. When tears would be shed across continents for a small white polar bear we never met, yet we loved as if he were our own.

Thank you, Wilfee (and Angus and "the font") for allowing us to tag along at the end of your lead on what has been a journey we will never ever forget.

There will indeed be great laughter and mischief in Heaven tonight. We shall look to the sky for the newest, most dazzling star and its similar companion.