THE PARADE

Copper tooled book cover and painted inside page done at Joys apartment in New York this week

Long post warning!!! Sorry my friends, but there is SO much to tell.

This post is inspired by the guy , one of many, that was handing out papers in New York this week, while I was spending so much glorious, magical moments with my friends from blogland and everywhere else on this earth. The only paper I chose to take was the one above. A poem by Billy Collins. INCREDIBLY APPROPRIATE to the week . I know it's a real pain in the ass to read these things sometimes, but I insist.

The Parade

by Billy Collins

How exhilarating it was to march
along the great boulevards
in the sunflash of trumpets
and under all the waving flags—
the flag of ambition, the flag of love.

So many of us streaming along—
all of humanity, really—
moving in perfect step,
yet each lost in the room of a private dream.

How stimulating the scenery of the world,
the rows of roadside trees,
the huge curtain of the sky.

How endless it seemed until we veered
off the broad turnpike
into a pasture of high grass,
headed toward the dizzying cliffs of mortality.

Generation after generation,
we keep shouldering forward
until we step off the lip into space.

And I should not have to remind you
that little time is given here
to rest on a wayside bench,
to stop and bend to the wildflowers,
or to study a bird on a branch—

not when the young
are always shoving from behind,
not when the old keep tugging us forward,
pulling on our arms with all their feeble strength.
One incredible day. Meeting so many talented women. The best "show and tell" I've ever experienced. Here, Judy is giving us a glimpse into her world of magic. The women, in no special order, though they are all VERY special, Susanna, Michelle, Leslie, Judy, Bee, Judi, Joy , Kathryn and Jerri.

Took everyone on a tour of my favorite "junking" spots, including an incredible old book and paper shop. Can you tell how much fun we had?

A tale of two bathrooms in New York........don't ask!!! One at a great little Italian restaurant, the other is the sign posted on the wall of the bathroom at Metalliferous a "must go to " shop. Don't even bother checking out the website to see what they offer. It shows you nothing. I only linked it for the address. Just go......but leave something for me to go back to, please.

Above, a photo of me photographing Judy with just a SMALL assortment of the vintage books she managed to accumulate on this trip......and of course, we had to stop off at the Australian Bar and Restaurant (20 W. 38th St.) for a nice cold Australian beer afterwards.

Thursday brought yet more beautiful moments. I got to meet up with Susanna again and we finally got to meet the beautiful Maddie. More photo opps, more New York minutes and then they both came with me back to my house and I did another junking expedition.


Maddie found treasure. What an amazing writer she is. She prefers to remain private, but I must tell you, she is beautiful inside and out.

The chairs are empty for now.

I am SO VERY TIRED, but also very happy.

I'll be off to ART and SOUL in Hampton this week. I am in need of a battery recharge. Whew!