It's been a long and busy couple of weeks.

Like this woman, I was scratching my head-you know, just another weirdo that makes it all okay.

We've returned from NYC for the 4th time this year. We were there for a week and then my mom visited for a week, so I've got a lot of work to do, but, I just don't wanna do it! So, I'm catching up on my blog writing.

I took over 600 pictures, with my trusty, indestructible camera so I have a lot to write about and will do so over time. But, to begin our time in New York, one of my new discoveries was Brooklyn. It's only a short walk over the bridge. The industrialists took over Brooklyn first, they left, artists moved in. The artists are currently in residence. But the rich and wealthy are saying, hey that's our Brooklyn, so they are buying up all the artsy places and the artists are protesting. I hope they can hang on to the rustic beauty of Brooklyn, but, in the end, money will win, so you better get there while it still has a lot of inexpensive charm.

After crossing the bridge from NYC, we had pizza at Carmichael's, it's under the bridge-classic NY pizza-thin crust and real Mozzerlla cheese in squares, not shredded and thick crust, like I'm used to, I didn't care for it that much. I musta been the only one that didn't like it, cause that place was jam packed with people. I guess I'm a deep dish girl at heart. After our very pricey meal, next we continued on to explore Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Botanical gardens is my one of my new favorite places in NYC. I guess, technically, it's not NYC, but, it's only a hop skip and a jump across the Brooklyn Bridge. Then a short walk from there.

There are many different types of gardens, some formal and some not. We went in the fall, so there's not a lot of flowers to see that are not in the water, but, don't let that stop you from enjoying the tranquil Japanese pond garden with a large artistic structure jutting out of the pond, imposing itself in every photo like Santa Clause in a parade. One of my favorite things about the BBG is the Bonsai museum. Some of these plants are over 100 years old. You know I'm a quilter and that is an art form that requires the patience of a butter churner. I'd like to learn the art of bonsai. It's sculpting plants-so artistic and lovely, like a statue, almost.

We were given directions to walk up to the BBG by way of this fountain that is in front of the Grand Army Plaza.

I hope you have enjoyed one segment of our week in NYC. Tomorrow, I'll pick a new topic to write about, maybe my mom and me making a quilt for my DD #2's geology club's fund raising raffle quilt. I call it Paris Kitties.