The Amazing Foliage Arch

A painting of a Foliage Arch, similar to the one in my dream!

I had an amazing, realistic-feeling dream one night, not too long ago, and I wanted to share it with everyone!

I keep a pen and a small writing pad near my bed for jotting down dream details.  Since the vivid details of dreams soon begin to fade after awakening, I like to jot down the details if I awaken from the dream, or as soon as I wake up in the morning.  I find it fun and interesting to look back on dream details.

One of the most common themes in my dreams is of roaming around the city in Manhattan.  Most of the time, I'm roaming and walking at a fast pace - sometimes running.  Usually in the dreams, I am either lost, or trying to get to a certain place and not very sure of how to get there.  The dream's "feeling" is high-energy mixed with urgency.  I usually have super abilities, too...like running at lightning speed without feeling out of breath, flying, or jumping high into the sky.

So, in this dream, I was running, then came to a stop in front of a giant arch made of brick that was covered, inside and outside with all sorts of foliage.  It soared maybe 50 feet or more up into the sky.  I took a step forward, and inside the arch was an amazing forest.  All kinds of plants, vines and trees covered the inside walls and ceiling of the arch and it was active with life, moving and humming.

I took a couple of steps into this tunnel-like forest and I had no shoes on.  The floor bed of the forest was also "alive" and as I stepped inside, plants, vines, and even small moving animals crawled onto my feet and ankles and it felt soft against my skin, like velvet.  I wasn't feeling afraid, just calm.

I began bending my knees and sinking down into the living greenery, as if I were becoming one with it.  As I sunk more and more down into it, a feeling of peace washed over me.  I allowed myself to become one with the living plants and creatures that lived in the arch.  It was an amazing feeling!  

Then, while driving to work a few days after that, I noticed an arch that I always drive by, located in Astoria, Queens, that looked kind of similar to the arch in my dream...not as fantastic or magical, of course!  I parked the car and took a few photos of this arch...

"And people who don’t dream, who don’t have any kind of imaginative life, they must… they must go nuts. I can’t imagine that.” 
― Stephen King

Red Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Red Beans

Yummy!

I made stuffed red peppers last night but wasn't able to post because Mr. Norton (a/k/a) Norton Anti-Virus, was giving me grief!  : )  All has been sorted out now.

Red Peppers which have been washed and cleaned out.

This is how I made the rice and red bean mixture which was stuffed into the peppers, then baked...

I minced up some Vidalia onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and cilantro, then sauteed everything in Olive Oil.  This was the base to which I added some already-cooked red beans and vegetable broth.  Then I cooked up some rice in this broth mixture.  When the rice was done, I let it cool a bit before stuffing into the peppers.  I brushed some more Olive Oil all over the outside of the peppers and popped them into the oven.  450 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.  

You will actually smell when they are ready!  Delish!  I like when the tops of the peppers are charred a bit!

I love making Stuffed Peppers because it's such a versatile recipe.  You can swap out or leave out any ingredient you want, basically.  In the past, I've added ground turkey to the rice, couscous instead of rice, and even made an Italian version by adding sweet Italian sausages to the rice, which I sauteed with onion, garlic, basil and tomato sauce.

I hope you try this recipe and use your imagination to make it your own!  Enjoy!

A Day At The High Line

I took a couple of trains over to the High Line today.  I enjoyed hearing about the history of the High Line on t.v. a couple of weeks ago, so I had to go check it out.  

It was really fun and interesting to view parts of the west side of the City from an elevated viewpoint.  I also enjoyed the abundance of plantings that beautified both sides of the paths.

Below are a few more photos I took...

A BEE ENJOYING SOME TIME ON FLOWERS

THE HIGH LINE PLANTS & THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
IN THE BACKGROUND

TRACKS PARTIALLY HIDDEN BY FOLIAGE

LOOKING FROM 10TH AVE TOWARDS 11TH

ARTISTS WRITING NAMES IN CHINESE

I was totally tired by the time I returned back home, but it was worth it!

Came Across a Baby Pit Bull on My Walk...

Today was such a gorgeous day to walk!  Warm sun, lower humidity, and a cool breeze, made yesterday's rain seem like ages ago.  

As I was walking, I came across the cutest pit bull puppy!  Her name was MIA and she was wearing the cutest pink dress!  The owner tried to hold her steady while I took a picture...no small task because the pup was jumping, squirming and spinning around with happiness.  Even though, I managed to take a pretty good picture!

BABY MIA!

Further along, I came across squirrel prints forever imprinted in cement, which I thought were pretty cool!

Finally, heading back towards home, I stopped to admire a small part of the distant skyline of Manhattan.  

Empire State Building (Left)  Chrysler Building (Right)

As I took deep breaths of the fresh clean air, it felt as if all was well in the world.  I think more people should stop and smell the proverbial roses...even the actual roses! 

Farewell, Elizabeth Mazarake!

Some of my Facebook connections may have read my posts the other night about my 100-year old neighbor, Elizabeth Mazarake, who died inside her apartment several days ago.  

She was a quiet woman who kept to herself, rarely went out, and was known to fly into rages if anyone sent by the City, attempted to gain access into her apartment to see if she was able to live alone or not.  She did her own shopping, washed her own clothes, ate whatever she pleased (I witnessed many a Entenmann's Chocolate Frosted Cake and frozen pizza - poking up through her shopping bags...lol), and paid all her bills - on time!

I had heard the story, through other neighbors, the horrible story, that one day in 1994, as Elizabeth was going into the elevator in the lobby, a mugger followed her in, rode the elevator up with her, and beat and robbed her as she tried to get into her apartment.  

But what I just found out about her last night, is amazing!  After the mugging, Elizabeth took up, and achieved her black-belt in Karate when she was well into her 90's!  She was very loved by all the other students and teachers at the Karate school she attended.  She said that..."Karate helped put me back together".

None of her neighbors in the building, including myself, ever knew about her amazing achievement.  Sort of makes me want to re-take Tae Kwon Do, and get higher than a yellow belt this time...lol.  Then again, maybe not.

Elizabeth with a fellow student

CHECK THIS OUT!!
http://www.shotojuku.com/elizabeth.html

Fire-Escape Pigeons

Every morning, a group of pigeons gather on the branches of the Honey Locust tree, directly outside my window.

The reason they gather there is because some time ago, I threw some leftover bread crusts out on the fire escape to a lone pigeon that was sitting there.

He must have told the other pigeons because the next day, there they were...on the branches, waiting for me to throw some MORE bread crusts!  

Along with any leftover bread crusts, I also feed them leftover seeds from my cockatiel's seed bowl.  They seem to love it.

Have a Beautiful Day, Everyone!

To All the Dogs I've Loved Before

I grew up with dogs.  And each one added his or her own unique and lovely piece to the puzzle of my life.  The least I can do is dedicate a blog post to...all the dogs I've loved before.  Enjoy!

ME WITH LUCY

Dear Lucy:
You were my grandmother's dog, but I quickly grew to love you.  I remember playing with you, and how you used to watch me and my brother, Joe, when we used to play with spinning tops and board games.  The firemen rescued me, my brother, grandmother, and you, too, out of the fire at 31 Oliver Street.
(please read Tenement Life, Part 1) for background info on the fire):

http://www.positivelygina.blogspot.com/2012/06/tenement-life-part-1.html

The American Red Cross put us up in the President Hotel for a while, and we couldn't take you with us.  My grandmother said that she had to put you in a shelter.  I was so sad and lost without you in that strange hotel room, but my grandmother assured me that it was only until we found a real apartment.

Unfortunately, we received that dreaded call from the shelter while we were still at the hotel, that you had passed away.  You were the first dog that broke my heart.  Did you die from a broken heart in the shelter?  I think you did, and I'm so sorry that we had to be separated under such tragic circumstances.  Farewell, dear friend.

LUCY

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ME WITH FRISKY...I was 10 or 11 years old.

Dear Frisky:
Thanks for your loving companionship and staying by my side through hard times.  You were the cutest puppy and had a unique black-colored nose.  You were better than any human friend I could ever find, and comforted me through the tears, and rejoiced with me when I was happy.  Lucky for you, I went through a tom-boy stage at this age, and often played with you by throwing a baseball or a football...yes, inside the apartment.  I hope you enjoyed your time on this earth with me.  Farewell, dear friend.

ME WITH FRISKY...I was around 13 years old.

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ME WITH RUSTY...I was 14 or 15 years old.

Dear Rusty:
My happy, playful puppy.  My grandmother got you for me when I started High School...or maybe my Sophomore year.  It was quite a sad time for me (yet another "sad" time) when my grandpa, Joseph passed away.  I think my grandmother thought she could replace "gramps" with you.  Well, Rusty, you did an excellent job in cheering me up!  I'm sorry for the times I was grouchy and maybe didn't want to play with you.  I was probably going through teenage stuff.  

I still feel guilty, to this day, for moving out of the apartment when I was around 19, and leaving you alone with my grandmother.  I know she took good care of you, but I'm sure you missed playing with me.  You died several years after I moved.  I still hope you enjoyed the time we had together.  I know I did.  Farewell, dear friend.
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My son, Angelo with MooMoo, 1999

MOOMOO  1997-2006

Dear MooMoo:
Like Dorothy said to the Scarecrow... I think I'll miss you MOST of all!  I was handed pure love, in a fur-suit...that day on the streets of Astoria, NY, when a man approached me and had YOU in his arms.  He asked me if I wanted a pit bull puppy, and I said - Yes!

It was towards the end of 1997 and I had just begun dialysis.  You were so special to me, dear MooMoo, and the first dog I had since I was a teenager.  My son, Angelo was crazy about you, but you already knew how much he loved you.  We will always remember your charming personality, strong character, playfulness, and how much you loved stuffed animals.

Most of all, I will remember you as the dog who came into my life when I needed you most.  Strangely enough, you passed away three months after I received my transplant...almost as if to say..."Goodbye Mom, my work is done here."  You may be happy to learn I now have another pit bull...a little girl named Shadow.  I know if you were here, you'd love her.  Farewell, my dearest friend.

Me and Shadow