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Posts Tagged ‘nature’

They warned us Jonas was coming. In predictable NYC fashion people rushed to the local supermarkets and cleared the shelves of bread. One can only hope that wine and cheese were bought too. We all speculated, would the city really get hit this time? Last year in preparation for an epic storm, the subways were closed, schools were cancelled and not a single flake fell. Bummer. This time, storm Jonas actually went above and beyond and brought more snow than was even predicted. It was a record storm for NYC, one for the books. The Jonas snowfall total for Central Park is 27.9 inches. Wowza.

We spent Jonas hunkered down in the apartment. I caught up on tv shows and ventured out to take the dog and grab a few pics. The girls played with friends and tuned into their own devices. We found some of grandma’s spaghetti sauce in the freezer and indulged in gourmet hot chocolate given to us as a Christmas gift. The snow fell outside, the wind blew and I felt incredibly grateful to be warm and safe inside. Caught in our own little winter wonderland snow globe.

I love when NYC is forced to slow down. The streets clear, people reach out to help others, small acts of kindness are witnessed- a shared meal, a sidewalk shoveled, a hand up over a large snowbank… People gather on the deserted streets to take in the beauty of the freshly fallen snow. We remember to cherish the little things.

This morning we headed over to our favorite hill to get our sledding on. The sun dazzled, kids laughed and the city slowly awoke, seemingly a bit reluctant to return to its normal pace. 

I hope you all made it through the storm safely and found a little peace. It was nice to see winter make an appearance, maybe next time not all at once 😉

 

 

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We don’t get a lot of snow days here in Manhattan. If we are lucky we get one huge snow dump a year. The kind of storm that forces everyone to slow down, chill and wait it out. And, if you have no where to go, you can’t help but be a little bit excited about it. This is what happened yesterday. A big Nor’easter blew in and Manhattanites fled inside to escape the snow and wind blowing through the city. We hunkered down, played games, read books and watched some t.v. It was all warm and cozy. Heavenly.

But the best part was that, this morning we awoke to the most magical of sights- the city covered in snow. The kids were beyond excited and we dug out our winter clothes, found the sleds and headed to the hill. Manhattan in those first few hours after a snowstorm is truly a breathtakingly beautiful place. We will enjoy this fleeting snow day while it lasts because as we New Yorkers know it will soon turn into giant puddles of slush. Here are the pics of our morning adventures, hope you enjoy them. Stay safe and warm my friends and to all those who must shovel the snow today, I salute you and raise a glass in your direction 😉

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Today there is a warm front moving in that will soon be chased out by a cold front… ahh, the joys of winter 😉 So, our run in Central Park was incredibly foggy and breathtakingly beautiful. Here are a few pics, hope you enjoy them. Happy Hump Day my friends! And yes, sorry my Canadian peeps, we are running in only one layer. Maybe winter really is better here (see previous post).

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So, we are still here waiting it out… Took Dopey out for a walk about a half an hour ago and the weather is starting to get pretty nasty. The wind is really picking up and the water levels are rising. I think it is a good time to hunker down and stay put. Please be safe my friends. Here are a few pics from the day so far.

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Today I had the fantastic experience of spending the morning with R’s second grade class. We went on a field trip to Central Park where with the help of a Park Ranger, we learned all about rock formations. It is at times like this when I feel very fortunate that we have such an amazing greenspace to explore within the city. We may not have a backyard but we certainly do have an oasis of beauty to escape to whenever we would like. The kids loved being outside and I was thrilled to be along for the adventure! Here are some pics, Central Park is truly spectacular at this time of year. Enjoy and have a great day!

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We just got back from visiting family in Calgary and I will post more about our incredible trip later on this week but because it is Wednesday I thought I would post some pics of some of the great signs and the beautiful scenery we saw on our day trip to Banff. What a gorgeous spot!  All I kept thinking was… well that is definitely not something you would see in NYC! Hope you like the pictures, have a fabulous Wednesday!!

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It has been one of those Mondays… non stop craziness and a million and one things to do… Yet I found myself gazing out the window of my office numerous times as I pounded away at the keyboard. It is an absolutely spectacular day here in NYC. No humidity, cooler temperatures, blue skies with clouds floating by, a slight chill and promise of fall in the air. The perfect September day. I was itching to get out and embrace the day.

Daydreaming!!

So, after I crossed off a few of the things to do on my never ending list, I decided that today was too perfect to resist and I leashed up my faithful canine friend and headed out on one of our favorite walks down by the water along Riverside Park. We shared the path with a few cyclists, runners, other wandering souls and dog walkers.

My handsome dog pal, Dopey =)

It was a truly beautiful walk and the air was crisp and fresh. The trees are already turning a bit and losing their leaves, the boats are anchored in the harbor and being NYC, there was even a large yacht making its way toward larger water.

Love the beauty of the Hudson River

Puffy white clouds dotting the skyline

Why yes, that rather large beautiful boat is towing a much smaller one behind…

As I walked, enjoying the calm and the beauty of the day my thoughts began to drift to the significance of tomorrow’s date, September 11th. Eleven years ago, it was a beautiful day just like this one. I did not want to dwell on the past, but I couldn’t help but think how important it is to embrace the here and now. And so I am glad that I took a bit of a pause in my day to just enjoy the moment, to reflect and in some ways to remember. It is so very easy to get caught up in the chaos, but today I took the time to breathe. NYC, I adore you.

Take a seat and rest for a moment. I will even share the bench xox

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On Monday a few of my girlfriends and I made a quick road trip out of the city to our friend’s house in Sherman, CT. It was a fabulous day filled with the warmth of good friends, much needed laughter, relaxation and of course a little bit of wine and food =) We had fun cruising around Lake Candlewood, cooling off in the water and enjoying the beautiful countryside on the stunning grounds of The White Silo Farm & Winery. It was a fabulous escape from the city and a spectacular day with cherished friends. A big thank you to Rena, for her incredible hospitality xox. Here are the pics from the day, hope you enjoy them. Happy Olympic Wednesday my friends 😉

Pre- boarding of the boat =)

Captain Rena!

Getting comfortable

Boat beauties

It’s a rough life 😉

Beauty on the water

Gorgeous!

Jen jumping off cupcake rock!

My turn!!

Apres Swim

Clouds over the lake

Off to the Winery

The White Silo Winery

Getting ready for a little taste

Cheers!

The incredibly beautiful grounds

Love under a tree =)

Breathtaking

The White Silo

Truly, a breath of fresh air!

A perfect day!

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