Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - April 24, 2011

It's Sunday morning, time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken. Although the weather still isn't cooperating to any great extent, spring is trying to come nonetheless. Weather-wise, we've run the gambit this past week. Some nights below freezing, lots of rain, a few nice days (or nice parts of a day) and more chilly than it should be for the most part.

Work is still work. I don't want to talk about it. Seeing how hectic and stressful it's been, thinking of the summer off recovering from knee replacement is actually a relaxing vision. Sure, forget about the pain and stress from that, just think of the time off! I swear, since I made the surgery date, the knee is acting up even more. It doesn't help that my apartment building's elevator isn't working once again.

Let's see ... what happened this week? Oh, I know! I almost got in an altercation! Yes, innocent sweet me! Here's what happened -- I was innocently walking down what's one way street when I saw a car going the wrong way. I waved down the driver and told her. Since she was near the intersection, she went ahead to it and put on her right turn signal.

Was my almost altercation with her? Nope.

Cars headed the right way on the one way street were sitting across the intersection awaiting the traffic light. Mind you, the woman had her turn signal on and it's likely that the oncoming cars saw me stop her and point at the signs.

The JERK directly across the street from her LEAPED before she even had the light to cross and tried to ram the wrong way woman. What? The wrong way woman was practically up on the sidewalk trying to take her turn to get off of the one way street. The JERK kept lurching her car at her trying to bully and intimidate her ... maybe hit her, I don't know.

Another pedestrian and I started yelling at the JERK to let the woman turn. She kept screaming "Mind your own business!" What? What is wrong with her? Sheesh! I yelled, "Or what? Are you going to try to hit me with your car, too? If you do hit her, I will tell the police it was deliberate!" She screamed once more at me then zoomed around the wrong way woman almost hitting the side of her car.

I know the wrong way woman was in the wrong, but her actions obviously weren't deliberate. Once she knew of her mistake, she was trying to get off the one way street. But what the other woman did was on the verge of road rage bullying and very dangerous. There was no need to go berserk and terrorize the woman with her car. What is wrong with people?

Oh, yeah. And that was on Good Friday. Happy Easter!

But it was also the day I bumped into Plainfield blogger Bernice. So I had pleasant people dealings, too.

I hope everyone has a nice Easter. If you click on an image, it will open larger in a new window -- just hit your back button on your browser to return to the blog.

Ain't that cute?

The poison ivy which overcame its chopping is sprouting all over the Bridgewater Train Station.

First complete "leaves of three" of the season!

I know many folks don't care for poison ivy. But it's always an interesting photo subject. These tiny red leaves will turn green within a few weeks. Note the hairy vines. Leaves of three, let 'em be. Unless you're like me -- not allergic. Although I'll admit I don't try to test the non-allergic status too often.

Rainy Saturday

Wet spores

Some the weeds have gone to spore, although not many. A lot of the trees and flowers don't seem to realize it's really spring.

Sure, now they're there.

Saturday morning, in the pouring rain, the NJ Transit cops decide to sit at the Plainfield Train Station. They don't come on nice days or early evenings when all the street people gather drinking and yelling on the benches!

Wet crow on a stick.

A new tasty treat? Plainfield Train Station

Dream if you can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom ...
--Prince "When Doves Cry"

Violets growing on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Tree blossoms!

Uh-oh

Notice the tent caterpillars in the tree. This tree, at the Bridgewater Train Station, got hit very hard with them one year and some branches still show the effects.

Tulips and pansies

I have yet to see a fully-opened tulip this season. I took this shot in 32-degree temperatures.

Just a weed

But it has its own beauty, doesn't it?

It's the EASTER BUNNY! Yay!

This huge rabbit was at the Bridgewater Train Station. He had to go fifteen pounds! He actually scared me. I was photographing something else when I startled him. I didn't realize he was on the other side of the fence.

Rub-a-dub dub, three men in a ...

... er, ON a bench. North Avenue at Watchung, Plainfield.

Scaffolding?

What's up with that? They redid the whole interior of Supremo's Food Market. I still have trouble finding stuff. Now the outside? I notice the signs for the scaffolding indicate it comes from the Bronx. I guess NJ doesn't have its own? But we do have Jersey barriers on the highways!

They're periwinkle!

East Front Street, Plainfield.

I still don't know what they are.

Unless they're non-fruiting crab apple trees, like the ginko trees used in cities, I don't know. They're all over the place and very pretty, though. East Front Street.

Da magnolias in da hood

This magnolia tree (thanks, Silk) hangs out in my neighborhood. East Front Street, Plainfield.

Magnolia blossoms

I still don't know.

For Survivor fans -- I feel like Rudy in that first season when he said "I don't know" to every piece of the puzzle! Church Street, Plainfield.

The price of gas.

Gas remained steady at 3.65 a gallon all week here until Saturday morning when I saw it was up to 3.67. I didn't take a shot because it was pouring rain. The corner of East Second and Church Streets. What's the price of gas where you are?

Sign on my apartment building's elevator.

Now, I try to translate and teach myself Spanish using signs and Spanish language newspapers. If I didn't have the English there, I would have guessed "Sorry for the molestation." Oh my.

Hawk in flight

This was over the Plainfield Police Department on a sunny day this week. Whenever I tried to zoom more on him, he'd fly too fast and I'd lose him.

'shrooms

The large patch of mushrooms returned to its same spot at the Bridgewater Train Station. Last year they only lasted a day. Since it's been raining, they're still there after two days.

Azalea to be

You pansies!

Brr

The below freezing temps one night even made the dandelions shrivel.

I don't know.

I do know that these trees at the Plainfield Train Station will sport gorgeous lush pink blossoms soon!

Fresh Seafood

Um, from the sidewalk? In front of Pete's Fish Market on East Second Street. It's likely the high winds from the night before blew it there. So I shot it. I know. I'm weird.

One bottle of beer on the wall
One bottle of beer
Take it down and pass it around
No more bottles of beer on the wall

Yep, it's an unopened, yet apparently shaken, bottle of beer on the wall of Pete's Fish Market (just a few feet from the Fresh Seafood box). No, it's not mine. No, I didn't take it. I left it there. I figured it would find a home. This was at 7:20 AM. I can't do beer at that hour.

Look! No snow!

The sidewalk "plaza" was buried under a mountain of snow for months. That's the sidewalk no one would own up to shoveling whether it's Plainfield or NJ Transit responsibility.

Spring colors

I should have used my superhuman strength to straighten that fence. It throws off the shot. East Second Street, Plainfield.

Church Street

I'm a sucker for Church Street in the spring. I still don't know what the trees are. Call me Rudy.

STOP bad spelling!

Now, if I were running for the Plainfield School Board, I'd destroy any signs which said "Plainfeld School Board." It's a matter of credibility or something, isn't it? I'm sure it's a typo, but I'd recall the signs. The corner of Berckman and East Front.

Just a bird in the rain

Weeds over rocks

Bridgewater Train Station

I'll hide here in the dense brush.

Blossoms

Closer up

I am SQUIRREL! I look down on puny humans!

East Third Street, Plainfield

Nifty keen shiny blue beetle.

Yeah, I know it's destructive. It's really tiny, less than a quarter inch long, probably closer to an eighth of an inch. But its almost metallic blue covering makes it nifty keen shiny.

There he is again.

What's that, Vincent?
There's a bug up there?

I hope everyone has a great Easter and please stop back for the Amazing Race blog party! How was your week?