Common teasel, also called Fuller’s teasel, is a tall, somewhat spiny, short-lived perennial or biennial that dies after it goes to seed. The distinctive seed heads are popular in floral arrangements. Originally from Europe and northern Africa, common teasel was first introduced to North America in the 1700’s and has since spread from coast to coast. Most often seen on roadsides and waste areas, teasel also invades agricultural fields and pastures. It is often spread by the practice of mowing standing plants after they have formed seeds.
I loved how they looked all together in this garden at Wave Hill in Riverdale, NY. From what I have read they can be invasive in the wild, but here, just pretty to my eye.
I was fascinated when I saw this plant. At first I thought the yellow were separate leaves growing out from the green. When I looked closer, I realized the green was changing color to yellow, the yellow spreading throughout the green, like dye when added to fabric, eventually changing the color from green to yellow. Quite amazing.
The AKC- American Kennel Club, has opened a museum in New York City called The Museum of the Dog. I visited a few weeks ago as I am a dog lover (we had 2 Cocker Spaniels for close to 20 years.) The museum, has one of the finest collections of canine-related art. The current exhibition showcases the work of several prolific and influential female dog artists. It also has interactive dog related things to do, such as Find Your Match, What Breed Do You Look Like?
The camera within the screen takes your photo
and somehow figures out what dog you look like. I did it twice and came up with 2 different breeds.
I’m not sure I agree with the looks, but I liked the personality traits!
They had a “Virtual Dog Training” which of course I had to try. You stand in front of the screen and say commands to the virtual dog, Molly. My hand made the hand on the screen move.
Whenever I take a walk I can never resist looking up and getting a photo of the trees overhead. Or the sky. What a view as I stand below, so tiny in comparison.
This one I took while laying in a lounge chair on my patio looking up at the trees directly overhead. A beautiful contrast between the trees, the sky and the clouds.
I had some fun at the beach yesterday, throwing scraps to the seagulls. As you can see from the photo, they were only about 2 feet from the blanket I was sitting on.
Timing was everything, when it came to grabbing the treat- hesitate a second, and you lost your chance.
Hover over the winner in hopes of scaring him off and maybe he will drop it.
Zoom in for the grab while slowpoke bystanders look in the wrong direction
Get into a brawl because timing is everything and yours was off
Sometimes we think we have no power to change anything, that we are but one person in the grand scheme of things and what we do will have little impact or none. I would like to share a story with you about how one person was able to change things, quite unknowingly and with no intention to, but his actions inspired others and grew from there.
Chai Lifeline (Chai in Hebrew means life) is an organization that provides seriously and chronically ill children and their families with support and encouragement during their most trying times. They assist families with providing rides to and from the hospital, providing meals, and many other services. They also provide a camp in the summer called Camp Simcha, Simcha is the Hebrew word for happiness, and for two weeks every summer, hundreds of children are granted the ultimate camp experience returning home with renewed hope, determination, and the thrill of simply being a
child rather than a patient. There are Doctors on staff, everything is monitored but the children are still able to attend and participate in camp activities.
In 2009, a devoted Chai Lifeline volunteer who was going to Camp Simcha found out he would not be allowed to take his bicycle with him on the bus up to camp. So he decided he would RIDE his bike the 135 MILES, and try to raise some money for the organization at the same time. So with his bike, his maps (no Waze) he set out. He raised $10,000 in donations sponsoring a 135-mile bike ride from his home in Lakewood, NJ to Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, NY. His revolutionary ride provided the children of Camp Simcha with the summer of a lifetime; it also sparked an enormous innovation in fundraising. The next year, he was joined by 39 other inspired riders, and Bike4Chai was established.
This summer, hundreds of riders will participate in the 10th Bike4Chai ride, spanning three states over the course of two days. They will experience a cohesive, motivational ride through 180 miles of breathtaking scenery and incredible unity, triumphantly crossing a finish line like no other. The enormous proceeds garnered by Bike4Chai directly benefit the children of Chai Lifeline.
The 180-mile Bike4Chai route winds through three states, challenging even the most advanced riders; the continual support leading up to and through the event, combined with the pure joy that greets the riders at the finish line, encourages riders of every skill level throughout the ride.
The funds raised this year to date are: $7,529,770.68. One person, one bike, and now one of the largest fundraising events bringing in money to help ill children and their families. You never know the difference you can make.
We visited an art exhibit recently, by Sayaka Ganz. Her animals are all made from recycled objects, a spatula, a frisbee, a ruler, look closely to see what the animal is comprised of. I found her ability to create the shape of each animal so true to form.
These were the ways I went yesterday, as I walked through an area that once was a landfill, now capped and landscaped with trails. Those trails took me out into a wildlife observation area and bird blinds. Adjacent to the park, and reachable from it, is a 3.5-acre Nature Reserve, which was once an illegally filled garbage island.The New Jersey Turnpike can be seen from many vantage points, and a view of Manhattan. The wildlife do not seem to be bothered by the traffic at all.
The Pulaski Skyway can be seen when looking through the tube
I spent the day in New York City, and it seemed everywhere I looked there were rectangles. The windows of many skyscrapers, or the shape of the buildings.
An advertisement attached to a street lamp.
I set myself up right in front of the ocean as I knew the tide was headed out away from the beach. 
A Day In The Life 
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