James' Cancer Fight

As those of you who follow either my personal Facebook profile, my Albany Rural Cemetery Facebook page, or Twitter account might know, my partner of eight years has recently been diagnosed with throat cancer and, last week, underwent a temporary tracheostomy to relieve serious breathing problems that occurred as a side effect of the radiation treatments.

I affectionately refer to James as my research assistant though his assistance generally consists of carrying my backpack full of maps and notes, asking if it's time to go home for lunch, or making sure I don't tumble down various hills while taking photos at Albany Rural.

His cancer is in the early stages and, even with setback due to the breathing complications, his prognosis is good.  But this is still an incredibly difficult time for us.  I am acting as his full-time caregiver until he completes his treatments and completely recovers.

More can be read at our GoFundMe page.  If you can contribute or even just share the link, it would be truly appreciated.

James' Cancer Fight on GoFundMe

Thank you and Happy Holidays.

Paula

Obligatory Tulip Photo

It's finally spring and, in Albany, that means a lot of tulips.  While the Tulip Festival is still a few weeks away, lots of early varieties are coming up in Washington Park.  Of course, a lot of people are out taking plenty of photos in what's definitely a local rite of spring.

Spring (With The Scars of Winter)

A magnolia tree in Lincoln Park.  The recent April snow storm was not very kind to these white blossoms.

Elk Sign

A tiny plastic elk pauses before a sign in an otherwise empty store window on Lark Street.

Santa Speedo Sprint 2015

Yes, it's that lovely time of year when a crowd of scantily-dressed revelers race down Lark Street for charity.  It was unseasonably warm yesterday so no one froze their unmentionables.

The Fallen Tree

After a rather hectic week, I took the first opportunity to wander through the Albany Rural Cemetery on an unseasonably warm day (there were butterflies and bees out and about in mid-December).  Research and the quest for an "ancient" white oak identified on a late 19th-century map were cut short by a nearly dead camera battery, but I did manage to find the lot owned by the old Church of the Holy Innocents just beyond this massive fallen tree.

To give an idea of how big that tree is, I could've walked beneath it without grazing the top of my green cap.

This is a fairly remote back corner of the Rural;  down a grassy path where, in the summer, you'll find milkweeds, monarch butterflies, and a bit of mid.  There are several church and charity plots back here, unmarked, but interesting.

P.S. If you'd like to support the Cemetery's Annual Fund, click here.

The Walls Have Hats

A rather pretty doll-sized hat was fastened to the wall of a building under renovations at the corner of North Pearl and Steuben Streets.

The George A. Wyman Memorial Project

This sign caught my eye recently (partly because it's affixed to my favorite store ever). 

Located on the north side of Madison Avenue between Lark and Willett Streets, the sign reads "WAYPOINT George A. Wymnan 1st Across America San Francisco to New York City 1903."

There's a lot more about the project here:

The Wayman Memorial Project

It honors George A. Wyman, the first person to cross America on a motorized vehicle between May 16 and July 6, 1903.  According to Wyman's Wikipedia entry, his motorcycle lost power near Albany and he had to make the last leg of the journey by pedaling.

The plaque is attached to Little Moon, a delightful little shop full of beautiful Tibetan clothing, jewelry, and other items.  They are so worth visiting.

Little Moon

Downtown Hawk

A hawk was perched on North Pearl rooftop as I sat outside Cider Belly Doughnuts this morning.  Fortunately, you can't see the pigeon it was snacking on while I enjoyed my lemon doughnut below.

Albany Evening Journal

Detail of the Albany Evening Journal section of the former D&H Building (now known as SUNY Plaza). 

The Fossilized Frankfurter

Two years ago, a hot dog was impaled at the corner of Spring and Dove Streets.  As of this week, it is still there.  The hapless wiener has slid down a bit (pardon the possibly NC-17 angle) and the texture has undergone quite a few changes.  It's a dark mass that looks almost like a very dark pumice stone and there appears to be some sort of mold on it now.  It's unappetizing (to say the least).

Half A Bench

Half a bench is apparently better than no bench at all.

(West Capitol Park with the Old State Education Building in the background)

Clinging

A diminutive and dramatic statue based on the hymn, "Rock of Ages," at the Albany Rural Cemetery.  It's one of two such statues on the Cemetery's South Ridge; the other is almost life-size.

For those of you with an interest in the Albany Rural Cemetery, I've added a dedicated Facebook page to my existing blog.  Please, visit and like it!

Albany Rural Cemetery - Beyond The Graves

Words On The Dock

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself....

Someone painted the famous lines of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural speech on the dock at Jenning's Landing (a.k.a. The Corning Preserve)

Iron Flower

Floral detail of an iron railing along State Street (below Lark)

Media At Albany Medical

I'm not much of a news junkie, but I did follow the recent Clinton County prison escape casually on Twitter.  It wasn't quite in my backyard, but close enough to be of local interest.

That said, I'm rather amused by the heavy media presence at Albany Medical Center where both the escapers were transported (one to the morgue, one to the trauma unit).  I took a short walk over to CVS and Starbucks this afternoon and saw about four satellite trucks and various news vans parked along New Scotland Avenue by CVS and further south by Albany Law School. 

Washington Park Heron

A heron looking for a late lunch of fresh fish in Washington Park.

Bridge Work

Repairs are being made to the iron bridge across the lake in Washington Park.

A Hint of Pink

Hints of deep pink accent a white peony in Washington Park.

Angst

A bit of graffiti on a wall along the Madison Avenue side of the Empire State Plaza.