Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 4, 2014

Good morning! Since it is indeed Sunday morning, it's time for my weekly off television topic look back on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. Later on tonight, I'll be posting The Amazing Race blog party. If you watch the show, come by and watch with us!

I'm SO photo-heavy this week that I'm going to abbreviate my chatter. Here's a quick lowdown:

• It's finally looking like spring here. YAY!
• Then we had almost two days of steady to heavy rain -- almost six inches. That resulted in floods in the usual spots. I took this video Thursday afternoon going through the Bound Brook/Middlesex area. Ironically, it's the flooded flood protection project.

• Thankfully, the worst of the rain was on my day off and I didn't have to go out in it.
• I managed to tip over my rolling office chair at work and fall. I'm a bit sore, but okay. I can't say the same for my office wall. Oops. It now has a big hole in it. Oops.
• May the Fourth be with you!

Onto the photos! Clicking on an image will open it in a new window. There's a magnifying glass on the bottom right of the image. You can make it larger twice. Then stop, because that's all you can do! Just close that new window to return to the blog.

Church Street, Plainfield

I know I had a similar shot last week. But I so love the look of Church Street in the spring just after sunrise! I took this photo Monday morning. Most of the blossoms are gone now. Wah.

Scotch Plains

Last Sunday I went to nearby Scotch Plains, a town or so over -- Fanwood makes that a bit confusing! They too had white blossoms lining their streets.

What's going on here?

Looky, looky! It's a baby squirrel there! For the whole story, read on!

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

I saw a squirrel ...

... climbing down the side of the overpass at the Bridgewater Train Station. I thought it was an odd way to cross the road.

Now, what's going on?

Underneath there many birds have their nests and eggs, hidden from view behind the lamps and odd wooden bits. In another few weeks, it will be a cacophony of baby birds crying for food. Is the squirrel going to invade the nests?

First, some primping

It's a BABY!

Perhaps more than one, but I just saw the one. It's too young to scale the wall like Mom.

You saw nothing!

It's almost like the parent was threatening me not to tell the whereabouts of the family.

Azaleas were blooming in Scotch Plains

Now a week later, I'm still seeing only buds on the ones in both Plainfield and Bridgewater.

A bed of periwinkle

The azaleas in Scotch Plains have a bed of periwinkle around them.

Almost hidden Plainfield periwinkle

East Front Street in the business district, growing quietly under a hedge at the last actual house for several blocks.

Underfoot and so adorable

Weeds, yes. Still cool, I say.

Love the violets!

Growing rampant

On a lawn on Berckman Street in Plainfield. This was early in the week.

Same place, Friday afternoon

Rampant, for sure!

The poison ivy in Bridgewater awakens ...

Leaflets three, let it be

The Godzilla of poison ivy vines

I misjudged the size of this when I mentioned it last week. This huge hairy mainline poison ivy vine at the Bridgewater Train Station is nearly a foot across. If they ever make a poison ivy horror movie, they could use this!

I'm not allergic. Yay.

Not that I'm going to test the lack of being allergic to it on purpose, though!

Pretty poison

In a planter in the rain

There's a big built-in planter in front of a building on Roosevelt Avenue in Plainfield. I walked by there on my way to the train Thursday morning in the aftermath of our flooding rains. Since it was so overcast, I had to use my flash for the shot.

Another clump of them

Just bushes in the rain

An odd rose of some type

These are in the same planter as the flowers above. It's more swirly and fewer petals than a normal rose. But I do think it's a rose nonetheless.

This one looks more "rosey"

Rain-drenched tulips

At the house on the corner of East Front and Richmond Streets in Plainfield. Thursday morning after the rain came down ... and down ... and down.

In the sunshine

Same tulips, different day. This is how they looked Saturday when I went by them.

On Berckman Street

Plainfield, of course.

Berckman Street tulip

Up close and personal.

Delayed spring in the 'hood

I took this shot early in the week. While it's a bit more leafy today, it's still way behind the usual spring. East Front Street, Plainfield.

The sad magnolia tree

The magnolia tree in my neighborhood never reached its glory this year because of the weather. Wah. And, now it's over until next spring. East Front Street, Plainfield.

The pink, red and white tree is blossoming!

This tree is at the Bridgewater Train Station. Nope, I have no clue what it is. But it's sure pretty this time of year.

This last shot (above) isn't really THE tree. Apparently a seed from the tree got growing in the adjacent field.

Beautiful in its own way

Yeah, it's weed. But I think dandelions have their own beauty.

The big pink blossom trees are blooming!

Most of these shots were taken at the Plainfield Train Station with one shot taken at the big pink blossom tree in my own neighborhood. No, I don't know what kind of trees they are. But, yes, they have big pink blossoms. Normally the blossoms have already passed by now. But we're running two to three weeks behind due to our extended winter weather this year.

Plainfield Train Station

This shot, not long after sunrise, came out a bit odd. But there's something about it I liked.

Romond's Garage no more

With the exception of four first floor walls, the old Romond's Garage on East Second Street in Plainfield is just about gone now. If memory serves, apartments and retail space are going up in its place. I don't know. Although extremely close to the train station, that neighborhood would have to change a lot for me to ever live there. It's not like they're going to be charging cheap rents, either.

Break on through to the other side

Green is taking over

The apple blossoms on Church Street in Plainfield are almost all gone now, leaving behind their petals in the gutters.

Vincent is sulking

Vincent knew I was getting ready to go to work. So he flung himself on the floor and sulked. I told him I need to work to support his lavish cat lifestyle of never-ending cat treats, catnip, toys, food. He's not accepting that. He wants me to call my boss to quit and spend quality time with him