Angel in Central Park

Wonderful photograph.

Great Patina.

Bethesda Terrace in Central Park, New York City.

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Mugwort (Artemesia Vulgaris) Roadside Weed in NJ

Meet Mugwort!

Mugwort is also called wild chrysanthemum because of the shape of the lower leaves. The plant is a perennial that spreads rapidly by rhizomes. It is one of the most severe weeds of the nursery and landscape plantings. It, along with Japanese knotweed (bamboo), is rapidly becoming one of our worst roadside weeds because people dig it out of their plantings and drop it alongside the road. CASORON should be used to control it wherever possible. The white wooly underside of the leaf is a good ID characteristic and is visible even in the winter. It is a relative of dusty miller.
Photo and Information courtesy of RUTGERS 

It looks like goldenrod without the yellow flowers. It is the most aggressive weed and the bane of my existence. It came out of nowhere and can pop up after the earth is disturbed. I suppose mine came after I put in my septic system. It is impossible to get eradicate so I have just tried to embrace it since I don't like chemicals, but I am tempted. I have hired my tractor friend to come and mow two or three times next year with his brush hog. When it first appeared on the hillside to the left of my expansive back property, I hired weedwhackers with metal blades. It is VERY woody and the stalks can be very thick. I have tried pulling it too. Someone suggested a flame thrower and that might take care of what's above ground but not the roots and rhizomes. Down below it would continue to spread like "wildfire". If you have this weed too, you have my sincere sympathy. The best we can do is keep it cut back. xo

Today is a very somber day in the history of our country since the Twin Towers tragedy in NYC on 9/11/2001.

Help is On The Way

Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba. is donating 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million protective face masks to the United States. The Chinese billionaire already has pledged 2 million protective masks to European countries.

Read the article in the link below.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/14/21179624/alibaba-co-founder-jack-ma-coronavirus-test-kits-masks-us

The Washington Post has a daily free newsletter on coronavirus. I signed up for it and it's very good. I cannot find a link devoted to the newsletter alone but it appears on today's Washington Post article. Look closely and sign up. It's got all the information most of us need.

Look for a black box with the words Sign Up and a circle with a red envelope indicating email and the wording below:
Get our Coronavirus Updates newsletter

Receive the most important developments in your inbox every day. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access.

Sign up

I put my outerwear out in the sun to disinfect after I went food shopping yesterday. I put my phone outside too. It's raining today and will be again tomorrow; I'm so glad I went out when I did. There were lots of empty shelves but I got everything on my list. There was no bread and absolutely no canned goods and not much cereal. I keep trying to sign up for InstaCart for home food delivery but I can't make it do what I want so far. The things I want don't seem to come up on the list. Will keep trying and keep you informed.

I am a homebody at heart and I love being at home anyway so my life seems much the same. Friends are checking in with me and that's comforting in case I need them. Be well and hang in there. xo

The Metropolitan Opera is streaming operas FREE during coronavirus closure. Read more here.

Free Digital Concerts - Berlin Symphony. Read more here.

I just found a really darling video of an Australian shepherd giving advice on how to protect yourself from this virus. Follow @my_aussie_gal showing you how. You will have to click on the arrow to start the video. She is the smartest dog ever.

Folk Art Cat - Winter Show @ The Armory in NYC

"We generally cast our affections with dogs in the pet department, but there’s something pretty lovable about this c. 1840 watercolor gray-and-white cat. Poor mouse …"

I think this cat looks exactly like a dog. 😊

Offered by: David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles American Antiques booth at Winter Show.
Click on link to see many more photos of the wonderful antiques and folk art being offered at this annual event. Article from The Magazine Antiques.

Etchings Exhibit at the Met in NYC

This creepy 15th-16th century etching is entitled “Death and the Devil surprise two women.” The antiquarian print shows Death and the Devil interrupting the lives of two wealthy women. Daniel Hopfer, 1470?-1536, is the artist. This exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum on The Renaissance of Etching opens on October 23rd. 

More Information here.

Greenwich Village 1827 Townhouse for Sale

Craft room with fireplace and dog bed in a Greenwich Village townhouse that is for sale. Before you get too excited and look at the other amazing rooms, be advised the price is in excess of eleven million dollars. See the listing here. It doesn't cost anything to look and you might get an idea or two for your own home.

NYC: Townhouse of Bunny Mellon

Bunny Mellon's NYC townhouse at 125 East 70th Street. See the Sotheby's real estate listing with numerous photos, both inside and out, here. Meet the buyer.