Come Share My Window: A Photo Essay

 

When I was a little girl in the third grade my family bought our first home. I loved that it had a large tree with branches that covered the yard side to side, I liked the pink kitchen, but most of all I liked the window seat in my bedroom, above the garage.  I liked sitting there on bright mornings, or sunny afternoons watching the neighbor’s dog, birds on my aunt’s tree across the street, or kids playing in their driveway.

 

When I was very young we lived on Indian River in Florida.  There we shared a large old plantation style home.  It was run-down and mom hated it, but my room there was on the front porch looking east across the river.  Trees with Spanish moss would silhouette against the rising sun.  I still love windows and one of my best pleasures in New York is looking out the window of our 23^rd floor apartment.  It is the kind of thing you share with a friend over a good conversation.  Come along and lets share…

These are our windows.  On the left, looks west along the Hudson, on the right looks north.  Take a seat on the left, let’s look at the river.

Its morning on the Hudson.  I love the way the morning sun spills on to the western bank of the river (New Jersey), then creeps forward as it rises.

Early in the day the working boats arrive.  Some work through the night, dredging a pier or patrolling the river.  Tugs are among the first to arrive, they are my favorites.  Always working, moving loads that appear too large, churning up heavy waves to move a large barge, or gently nudging a ship into its slip at the pier.

 

Looking north through the other window, construction workers, rebuilding Hell’s Kitchen, begin their daily routines…

The horse carriages leave their stalls just west of us to greet tourists at Central Park.

Hotdog and Food cart vendors begin their day, dragging their stations to their corners or to Central Park.

 

On the sidewalk children walk to school, and adults to their jobs. Le Bergamote, the French bistro across the street is serving breakfast under the umbrellas.

We frequently share our section of the river with cruise ships.  Today the Norwegian Breakaway is here, yesterday its sister ship, the Norwegian Gem was our neighbor. During Fleet Week our piers were home for the USS Kersage and her supporting cast.

 

Throughout the day the city is busy, constructing buildings, walking the sidewalks, and moving stuff up and down the river.

Tugs work throughout the day moving barges and guiding ships until late in the day. The sun drops low over New Jersey making long shadows.

Raindrops cling to the window as the sun sets following a recent rain.

A peaceful quiet settles in the window with the darkness.  The streets grow quiet, the avenues remain busy with the taxis.

People gather in their apartments and only a few boats remain on the Hudson.

The soft glow of New Jersey stands guard.  Its been a good day.

Thank you for sharing my  window.