my sister

I have been writing now and again, about my loved ones, and tonight I'm thinking about my sister, Theresa, commonly known as Tree.  I like to call her Treesa, now and then.
I was born into a family which consisted on my mom and dad and sister (then 6 years old), so I have had my sister all my life.  She is my blood more than any other person on Earth.
Early memories bring me back to a snowy winter, I must've been around 5, my sister 11.  She let me go along with her and her friends as they traversed and traveled through hand made tunnels in the big mounds of snow, shoveled to the sides of the sidewalk.  I remember distinctly going through a small tunnel, and how magical that was, the crystals glistening on the walls and ceiling.  We were playing "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
In my teen years me and my sister grew ever closer, becoming confidants to each other, and hanging out, singing Beatles songs that we recorded on reel tape recorders.  We learned the whole script to a Hard Day's Night, and would recite it by heart... I think I took the parts of John and George, and the Grandfather, too.  I shared all my Beatlemania with her.
Through the years we have never really been apart, except for some weeks/months here and there, where she lived in New Mexico, and I lived in Finland, or traveled to California.
Being apart sucks, to tell you the truth.
We went clubbing in our 30's, even after Melissa was born, and then experienced a whole new music genre via Melissa in those hard rock/metal days.  Me and Tree were always right there, all of us together.
Most times we hardly have to talk, because we come out with the same exact thing at the same time.  This just doesn't happen once in awhile, but just about whenever we're together.  I love it.
My sister underwent an intense open heart procedure about 5 years ago.  I think it was called the Ross procedure, where they took the pulmonary valve, replaced it with a cadaver valve, and then replaced the aortic valve with the pulmonary valve.  A very specialized procedure, but she had this great surgeon at Mt Sinai, who pioneered the procedure and performed it about 400 times.   On top of that she had  double bypass.  This was a trying time, waiting for her to come out of surgery.  It must've been eight hours long I think... well maybe five or six, but it seemed like forever since they took her in a 5:30 am, and we didn't get the call to come to recovery until about 5 at night.  It was scary to see my sister in such a vulnerable position, with tubes and machines.  She gave us the OK sign with her hand, and it was just a great relief to have it all done with.  She triumphed through all this, and was so brave, above and beyond.
She was by my side when I was hospitalized for Depression back in 2003 or so, I don't remember exactly.  She came to visit me every night, and kept me going while being somewhere I desperately didn't want to be.
We stick together.  We are fast friends, friends forever, and of course, blood.
Today we get together as much as we can, even if that's only once a week, or every two weeks.  Usually we make it part of seeing Logan that day, too.
I thank God for my sister.

This one taken by Melissa (w/a 35mm) when she was five years old

summer's here

So, it's summer.  The Solstice has come and gone, and the super moon is peaking tonight.  Lots of energy going around.
Did I ever mention how much I hate the Summer?  Probably more than once.  And here it is coming in full force right on time.  Temps in the high 80's lately, and going into the 90's later this week.  The a.c. will work overtime, and I'll struggle to find the money to pay the electric bill.  Same thing every summer.
Don't know if I'll attempt to shoot the moon tonight.  But if I do you'll see it.

Here's Logan, enjoying a lay-down after being in his kiddie pool.  After the picture was taken, he said "Can I have a newspaper."  He cracks me up.  Photo by Melissa.

tonight's sunset behind the big tree

rambling on a saturday morning

This coffee I get from Chock Full O Nuts is surely hot, and stays hot a long time.  Good stuff.

It's early saturday morning, and I've been up since before dawn.  Still kind of quiet outside, as the shoppers won't descend until about 10 am, when these streets get very busy.  Lots of stores just a block away, including a huge Century 21, which seems to attract people from near and far.  Never got into the place myself, for the most part.

Me and Evie are going to go to the Guggenheim Museum next month.  I've never been, and I look forward to taking pictures of that fine architecture, inside and out...  As well as some pics of art, I'm sure.  Here's hoping the camera holds up.
We're also imagining/affirming a trip out west to visit parts of New Mexico (Santa Fe, Taos, and where Georgia O'Keefe lived), and Arizona (Flagstaff/Grand Canyon).  We figure it might be years before this comes to fruition (hopefully not too many years!), but we have it set in our sights.

Starting out as a very nice day here, in the 60's so far.  Supposed to go up to 79F, which won't be too bad as long as it doesn't get humid.

Hope everything is alright in your world.

Melissa, my heart

Melissa is my niece, my sister's daughter, and the only child borne to our small family.  It is too bad I never had a child, so my sister could experience what a joy it is to have a niece or nephew.
It was love at first sight when my sister had Melissa.  I never knew how instantly love could evolve.
Theresa (Tree) and Melissa were always down at my parent's place, so she got to grow up around all of us.  Her son now is much like her, able to hang out with adults and not be antsy or wild.  We spent so much time together, that I felt like her second mother.  But an aunt has a special bond that even mothers don't know about.  It is not easy to explain, but I'm sure Melissa would agree with me.
When she was 5 years old, my sister and I brought her along on a bus trip cross country.  63 hours to Durango, CO.  She was amazing, enjoying the ride, and never complaining.  What an amazing kid.
The love she provides me is unlike any I have ever known.
When Melis was a teenager, we still continued to have great times with her.  She loved Bon Jovi, and Skid Row, and so many rockers from back in the day.  We went to concerts all the time, and even joined the Bon Jovi fan club when she was 16, so we could go on an adventure where we met the band.  Good times, good times.
A while back, Melis was diagnosed with breast cancer, and had a double mastectomy, followed by a grueling course of chemotherapy.  To say she triumphed throughout this is an understatement.   Her strength and attitude were phenomenal.  She kicked cancer's ass.
Today, Melissa is 39 years old, and the mother of Logan, who is 3 and a half.  My love for her is vast, as is my love for her son.  What joy she has brought to me over the past 39 years.  There is nothing to compare to it.

I love you, Melissa.... as big as the sky.

real Spring weather

Today the weather is fine... it went to 75F, and those 90's are gone for now.  Lots of people out on the street.  Me and Evie walked a few blocks to the store and bought the fixings for a big salad, which we ate when we got back.
Hopefully these days will last a while and I can get out and do a lot of picture taking.  Just a few today.

quiet monday

Monday, and nothing much is going on.  Just felt like dropping by blogland to see what was going on with my fellow bloggers.  Much to be read and respond to.  I like it.
It's 73.2F/feels like 77F (22.9C/25C)... those "feel like" degrees point to humidity, which I loath.  At least the temps are going down... it was in the 90's for a couple of days.  Too early, summer's not even here, but June never seems to heed that.

Logan had a good day, going in a little pool that Melissa got for him.  Here is a picture she took on the cell camera, of him apres water.  The best of summertime treats.

June theme day... The beauty of decay

I've found a site, called City Daily Photo Theme Day , and am joining in on this month's theme of "the beauty of decay".

Here is my shot, taken quite some time ago.
decayed leaves:

(click on photo to view large image)