Sunday, April 21, 2013

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - April 21, 2013

It's Sunday morning. Yay. Of course, that means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. Later tonight, the blog party post for The Amazing Race will be in place by 8pm EDT. Whether the show will actually start on time ...? Who knows. Grr.

I actually wanted to watch the scheduled 60 Minutes this week, but I believe a special edition on the show going in depth on the happenings in Boston this past week will air instead. That's understandable. Originally scheduled was the first time the show interviewed a serial killer. That serial killer? Charles Cullen, New Jersey's most prolific serial killer, possibly the most prolific in the country with indications he might have killed more than a few hundred people. He admitted to around 45, I believe.

My interest in the case is because it's rather local, he was finally caught at the hospital where I had both of my knee replacements (he's one of those "angel of mercy" types) and an acquaintance of mine who worked at the hospital actually knew him. Cullen was caught five years before my first knee replacement. Although my nurses weren't all goodness and light there, they haven't killed anybody. That I know about, that is.

It's been a horrific week for the country. Between the Boston Marathon bombing and the unprecedented manhunt and the tragic fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas ... I don't know. Both incidents have their own horror about them. Knowing that fertilizer can be used to make bombs (mind you, I have no clue, nor desire, about how bombs are made with such), I wouldn't live near a fertilizer plant. I also wouldn't live near a nuclear plant. Sure, accidents are rare. But when they happen, it's horrible.

The Boston happenings struck my own life a bit more. Even though I lived a few years in California, I'm an East Coast kind of gal. My favorite East Coast big cities are NYC (naturally!), Boston and Philadelphia. I'm starting to feel jaded here since 9/11. That affected everything for me and made me realize that we ARE targets. Although I go about my everyday life, well, every day, I ride mass transit; I live in the Greater New York City Metropolitan area. Reminders are around me daily of the possibility of a terrorist incident.

So, I wasn't shocked about the Boston Marathon bombing. Saddened deeply, but not really shocked. I found it more shocking the manhunt and lockdown of the towns up there. I found it more shocking that the younger brother suspect was so well-liked and "normal" in his every day life. Did he idolize his older brother so much that he went along with the madness? I don't know.Even if that is the case, he's legally an adult. If guilty, he will suffer the consequences. 

It can be a sad, sad world.

At least the arriving spring breathes some new life into things ... onto this week's photos -- 

Pigeon photo IMG_6257a_zps93f5d89d.jpg
Pretty pigeon

One of Dave's (The Corner Store) pigeons, East Second and Watchung in Plainfield.

Sunrise photo IMG_6161a_zpscd0a9c27.jpg
Sunrise in the 'hood

East Front Street, Plainfield.

Sunset photo IMG_6299a_zps0c95d9b6.jpg
Sunset at the Plainfield Train Station

East Fourth Street side.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**



Weedz photo IMG_6269a_zpsa34d977d.jpg
Weeds

Weeds photo IMG_6143a_zps902e6393.jpg
More weeds

Spring is in the air photo IMG_6129a_zpsd021c16c.jpg
Spring Streets

By the Plainfield Union County College campus with the main Plainfield Post Office in the background.

Apple blossoms photo IMG_6134a_zpsbf7a6572.jpg
Almost peaking

Apple blossoms 2 photo IMG_6213a_zps1468bb50.jpg
Church Street trees

Loud planter photo IMG_6255a_zpsbcb3a2a1.jpg
Is it ORANGE enough?

This huge new bright orange planter appeared on the corner of East Front Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Plainfield. I'm not sure if it's a city planter -- haven't seen any others in my travels -- or related to the orange-themed U-Haul business on that corner. It's really big. It's really orange.

Planter flowers photo IMG_6256a_zps24e59e31.jpg
Here's the mish-mosh of plants within

Yikes photo IMG_6272a_zpsdedff075.jpg
Yikes!

Hey! That's a sidewalk! I WALK through there. Now, if they crack my skull with a baseball on a pedestrian sidewalk, they're not going to be responsible? Let's see how that works out for them. New sign at the TD Ballpark by the Bridgewater Train Station. And, yes, I do have a collection of their baseballs. Vincent enjoys them.

Pink 1 photo IMG_6216a_zpsc1fb8a32.jpg
Monday

Pink 2 photo IMG_6264a_zpse790d1d0.jpg
Saturday

The above two photos are of one of the beautiful flowering trees by the train station. When in full bloom, luxurious pink blossoms will abound. After it passes, the sidewalk will be a carpet of pink. Since this is the North Avenue sidewalk ignored by both Plainfield and NJ Transit in snow and ice, I'd rather it pretty in pink.

Spring 'hood photo IMG_6208a_zps98419d29.jpg
It's beginning to look a lot like spring

In my New Jersey 'hood ... East Front Street, Plainfield.

Magnolia tree photo IMG_6204a_zps31dbbc8f.jpg
Magnolia beauty

The gorgeous magnolia tree in my 'hood has started shedding its petals. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Spring streets 2 photo IMG_6158a_zpsb4b605df.jpg
In living color

East Second Street, Plainfield.

Spring streets photo IMG_6156a_zps29a2f87f.jpg
Ah, more spring streets

Looking up East Fourth Street from Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

Flowering tree 1 photo IMG_6146a_zps8d778a26.jpg
Tuesday

Flowering tree 2 photo IMG_6230a_zps7766c292.jpg
Friday

The flowering tree at the Bridgewater Train Station went from bud to partial bloom this past week.

Periwinkle photo IMG_6254a_zpsb29f0afc.jpg
Periwinkle on East Front Street

Mulch much? photo IMG_6209a_zps9c1d3375.jpg
Magic mulch?

Does someone believe that adding fresh (and smelly) mulch to this tree long ago removed will bring it back to life? East Front Street, Plainfield.

Sleepy photo IMG_6194a_zps048dc84e.jpg
Double sleep capture

I'll say it again ... don't sleep on the train near me. Kind of like 'Don't Sleep in the Subway' but with different results.

Goose photo IMG_6191a_zpsbd3854f3.jpg
Goose in flight

Azaelas photo IMG_6179a_zpsb067be89.jpg
Azaleas in training

Yellow and wite photo IMG_6172a_zpsfd65961c.jpg
Yellow and white

Blossoms photo IMG_6155a_zpsbbaca492.jpg
Not the apple blossoms

A small bush with these blossoms grows by the Plainfield Train Station.

Poison ivy 1 photo IMG_6149a_zps52df1515.jpg
The poison ivy starts to awaken

Poison ivy 2 photo IMG_6189a_zpsa26b6351.jpg
It continues

Poison ivy 3 photo IMG_6234a_zpsdef278de.jpg
Teeny leaflets three

Poison ivy 4 photo IMG_6238a_zpsb4d14203.jpg
Getting bolder

Poison ivy 5 photo IMG_6244a_zps48eb63dd.jpg
A pretty poison

The above five photos track the "awakening" of poison ivy at the Bridgewater Train Station. Decades of it growing there have brought about some vines as large around as an adult human leg and almost a bush-like appearance at spots as it grows towards the sun.

Lil blossoms 1 photo IMG_6180a_zps7d73f6d4.jpg
Monday

Lil blossoms 2 photo IMG_6224a_zps96942886.jpg
Friday

Lil blossoms 3 photo IMG_6225a_zpsb1d4988a.jpg
Friday too

The above three shots follow the progress of flowering trees in Bridgewater, NJ.

Daffy tulips photo IMG_6215a_zps1afd3bd5.jpg
Tulips have arrived

Corner of Church and East Third in Plainfield.

Flowerz photo IMG_6252a_zpsd032a31c.jpg
East Front Street and Richmond

Change of guard photo IMG_6205a_zpsb86e9d07.jpg
Changing of the guard

The tulips are ready to take place of the waning daffodils on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Tulips photo IMG_6201a_zpsc6671054.jpg
More Berckman Street tulips

Tulip photo IMG_6200a_zpsb4fd664e.jpg
Tulip up close and personal

Vincent photo IMG_6251a_zpsda76a845.jpg
Vincent's busy

Although it's cold here this morning, it wasn't the day I took my Vincent shot. If the window is open, he most likely can be found there. While he does occasionally sit on the windowsill when the windows are closed, he's in full glory cat mode when he can sit in the fresh air, watching the birds and squirrels through the screen.

4 comments:

Donna in Alabama said...

Lovely spring pictures... almost made me sneeze just looking at them!

monty924 said...

Donna, you and me both. Reminds me that I forgot to take my Claritin this morning. Beautiful pictures as always, Jackie.

See everyone this evening for TAR.

Palmaltas said...

The beauty of the photos are a wonderful contrast to the horrific events of the week.

Lorraine said...

Outstanding pictures Jackie. Loved looking at them.