Monday, November 29, 2010

Good Day for a Picnic

I ate lunch in Central Park today.  I picked up a very marginal piece of quiche at a deli and strolled along through the park till I was just too tired and had to find a bench to sit down.

I ended up sitting near these "Crazy Mallard Photogs":
Now, please remember I'm pretty nutty about nature photography but these folks, especially the woman seated on the ground had an intensity that I actually pray I'll never emulate.  The man would throw little pieces of bread to try to guide the ducks where they wanted and then the woman would shout at him because apparently he wasn't doing it right.  This scenario repeated throughout my lunch while a really lovely tenor saxophonist played behind us. It was only interrupted when a man in an overcoat who apparently thought I might be "chatty" offered the observation that "The Crazy Mallard Photogs" must be shooting a new duck reality show.  "Oh the creativity of New Yorkers", he said.  I somewhat distantly agreed and he presumably decided I wasn't very "chatty" after all and left.

When I left the park, the photogs were still at it and I gave the saxophonist an offering on my way by as I play saxophone myself and always had a great ambition to play on a street corner in New Orleans. I have to admire a man that goes out there and follows the dream.  Also, it truly was a nice compliment to my lunch.
Here's one of my ducks.  I'm sure "The Crazy Mallard Photogs" had many much more excellent shots.  

Tomorrow, back to balmy Mississippi to pick up the pieces of my every day life.  I wonder if I'll remember how to set my alarm?

11 comments:

  1. You seem to handle NYC as well as if it were just another town in Mississippi. I'm impressed.

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  2. You are right; in many ways, a VERY impressive young lady!!

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  3. Excellent shot of that duck. There shouldn't be so much fuss in the photog world, but some make it so. I say 'have fun'!

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  4. I think you should follow your dream...maybe try it out on the corners of Vancleave! *S* Love all the photos!!! Thanks for letting me live a little NY through you!

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  5. I think staging photographs only gets you so far. It is the candid still shots I prefer...Good pics.

    I have been there. Love Central park.

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  6. You were a lucky duck with the NYC weather in November!

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  7. John and Fin, thank you both. John, I'm am fairly familiar with Manhattan as I've visited at least yearly for several years, including a stay in a hostel near Central Park. I do really enjoy that city. :)

    Wildstorm, I agree!

    Lu, can you imagine the looks I'd get? Wow!

    Bobby, I like the candid ones too.

    Intelli, I sure did luck out with the weather. The awful rain and cold rolled in after I left.

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  8. Love this post and the picture Bethany. You probably got better shots than them anyway. I'm thinking you could warm up for the VC gig on the corner of Delmas and Pascagoula - or maybe in front of the coffee shop, huh? Just in time for Christmas! Y.

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  9. Hmmm... better start warming up. Pascagoula might work out. :)

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  10. :) Thanks for sharing you lunch photos. I have never been to NYC but hope to go sometime in the future.

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  11. You're welcome. You must have some downtime. You've been playing a lot of catch-up today.

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Please play nicely.