Thursday, May 29, 2014
beauty is forever
Many years ago.....my dear friends, Ron and Iva Rifkin had a wonderful house in the Los Feliz area of Hollywood, and Ron, planted an 'English Garden'.
I fell in love with his beautiful luscious garden and took a couple of hundred photographs with my Pentax SLR Camera.......
As many of you know.....I love to get in close when photographing flowers.......
And sometimes the pictures look quite abstract.....
And, sometimes they don't.
I don't know what this flower is.....but I Love the way these little pods look........
And,
Here below is the way the whole flower looked....
And,
Here below is the way the whole flower looked....
There will be more of these, as I am finally able to download all my slides.....
Hooray!
These pictures were all taken in
May, 1979.....
More To Come.......
NOTE: RIP Dear Brilliant Maya Angelou. You were a very special woman, in every way.....
NOTE: RIP Dear Brilliant Maya Angelou. You were a very special woman, in every way.....
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 8:29:00 AM
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
remembering betty
Having just recently written that memory post of Jack Nicholson and Betty Garrett, it got me to thinking about all the wonderful fun times Betty and I had together......
"Spoon River Anthology"
made us friends, forever.
And that was late 1962
Working on something new in the theatre as it is being created, and with no real thought as to what might happen to it or where it might go, if anywhere, and being so in love with the material, was what "Spoon River" was all about for the six of us who were in it almost from the get-go.
And for Joyce Van Patten, Betty and myself----it cemented these wonderful long-time friendships for the three of us, forever.
Going to Broadway was a dream come true----especially when it was such a labor of love.....
Both Betty and I lived at the Salisbury Hotel---more of a kind of Apartment/Hotel if need be.....It is on 57th street between 6th and 7th----Carnegie Hall is up the street and on the downtown side of 57th, closer to 7th ave.....
It was a great place to live and a great area to live in, too.
We could walk to the theatre in good weather, and walk home, too, after the show.
Betty was on the 15th floor and I was on the 16th---and in fact, my rooms were almost over hers.
Both being Night Owls, we were never ready to go off to sleep after the show. Our dear dear Joyce---we were the three woman in the show----lived across the street at what was then, The Great Northern Hotel----now a fancy shmancy place called "The Meridian", I think......
Joycie was not a night owl and still isn't.... So she would go back to her digs at the Great Northern and Betty and I would go to either her place or mine across the street, and work on our 'occupational therapy' projects---both of us people who needed and loved to be creating something, even in our off time.....
And time would fly by....
And before you know it, we would hear the Garbage Trucks down on 57th street and that's how we knew it was 4am in the morning.....Time to quit and go to sleep.....
It was great fun and a time of great sharing......
Of the six of us who were in the cast, only Joyce and I are left.
Everyone else is dead---the three men, and Betty, now, all gone.......
And though Joyce lives in Manhattan permanently now, I speak to her at least once or twice a week.....She knew all of my family, and I knew hers.....
We both have great and precious memories of those days and of so very many other times, too....Shared History.....
May 23rd would have been my dear Betty's 95th Birthday....
"Spoon River Anthology"
made us friends, forever.
And that was late 1962
Working on something new in the theatre as it is being created, and with no real thought as to what might happen to it or where it might go, if anywhere, and being so in love with the material, was what "Spoon River" was all about for the six of us who were in it almost from the get-go.
Going to Broadway was a dream come true----especially when it was such a labor of love.....
Both Betty and I lived at the Salisbury Hotel---more of a kind of Apartment/Hotel if need be.....It is on 57th street between 6th and 7th----Carnegie Hall is up the street and on the downtown side of 57th, closer to 7th ave.....
It was a great place to live and a great area to live in, too.
We could walk to the theatre in good weather, and walk home, too, after the show.
Both being Night Owls, we were never ready to go off to sleep after the show. Our dear dear Joyce---we were the three woman in the show----lived across the street at what was then, The Great Northern Hotel----now a fancy shmancy place called "The Meridian", I think......
Joycie was not a night owl and still isn't.... So she would go back to her digs at the Great Northern and Betty and I would go to either her place or mine across the street, and work on our 'occupational therapy' projects---both of us people who needed and loved to be creating something, even in our off time.....
And time would fly by....
And before you know it, we would hear the Garbage Trucks down on 57th street and that's how we knew it was 4am in the morning.....Time to quit and go to sleep.....
Of the six of us who were in the cast, only Joyce and I are left.
Everyone else is dead---the three men, and Betty, now, all gone.......
And though Joyce lives in Manhattan permanently now, I speak to her at least once or twice a week.....She knew all of my family, and I knew hers.....
We both have great and precious memories of those days and of so very many other times, too....Shared History.....
May 23rd would have been my dear Betty's 95th Birthday....
During our more than 50 year friendship, we celebrated many Birthdays together.....hers and mine and other peoples too.....
But of course the ones I remember most are the special parties and celebrations for her big day and mine.
But of course the ones I remember most are the special parties and celebrations for her big day and mine.
Because this would have been such a milestone year, I can't help but remember and celebrate her long and Beautiful life.......
It is a little over three years since we lost her----almost impossible to believe-----I still miss her every day and I have such wonderful rich memories of this most important and loving friendship.
Betty was such a special person in every way....She was so loved by so very many people---and deservedly so......
I will be grateful forever and ever, for having had such a dear and wonderful friend......
When you know people for so many years-----worked together, played together, shared so many wonderfully happy times together and shared so many very sad times together, too......This kind of 'shared history' is irreplaceable.
I knew her mother and her dear dear husband Larry Parks......
She knew both my parents and my siblings, too, and my 'significant others'.....
We could talk about anything and everything and did.....these were such important and precious sharings.......
Betty was the least judgemental person I've ever known.....and that was who she was, with everyone.
And it isn't that she didn't have opinions----she did, but they were never rendered in a critical tone.....She was so very understanding of everyone.....
She could always see the good in a person....
Well, No, that did not include Hitler.......
I miss talking to her on the phone at 2 in the morning.....
The truth is, I miss talking to her, period---whatever the time of day.......
I know I've written about all this before, but I guess with her Birthday almost here, I am missing her more than ever.
And it brings her closer to write about her and share pictures, and I guess I need to do that right now.
Betty was such a special person in every way....She was so loved by so very many people---and deservedly so......
I will be grateful forever and ever, for having had such a dear and wonderful friend......
I knew her mother and her dear dear husband Larry Parks......
We could talk about anything and everything and did.....these were such important and precious sharings.......
Betty was the least judgemental person I've ever known.....and that was who she was, with everyone.
She could always see the good in a person....
Well, No, that did not include Hitler.......
The truth is, I miss talking to her, period---whatever the time of day.......
I know I've written about all this before, but I guess with her Birthday almost here, I am missing her more than ever.
And it brings her closer to write about her and share pictures, and I guess I need to do that right now.
Betty's Birthday, 2001.
Backstage at The Belasco Theatre, in her dressing room----the same Dressing room she had back in 1963 when "Spoon River" moved from the Booth Theatre to The Belasco......She was doing the revival of Sondheim's "Follies".
Across the street for a quick Birthday Dinner between the Matinee and Evening performances, with her two wonderful sons,
Garrett and Andy Parks.
I know if she were still here, we would be celebrating on May 23rd.....So, that's what I am doing.....
Celebrating a life that touched mine in such a deep and lasting way, for 5 decades....!
Happy 95th Birthday, dearest friend......
You are so very missed by so very many.
More To Come.......
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 8:42:00 PM
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
jacaranda trees - spring has sprung
I'm reprinting this post because it is May, and these Jacaranda Trees only bloom in May here in Los Angeles.....I think they are so incredibly Beautiful, and lavender is my favorite color.....And if I were still able to get about, I would be out there now, taking pictures of these exquisite trees. This was the second of two posts that I published at the time.....
Enjoy!
I told you there would be more....And here is "more"........For those of you who have seen enough of the spectacular Jacaranda Tree----move on, my dears----because that is all that there is today....I Am In Love With These Trees......! Love, Love, Love!
There are a number of residential streets in the so called "flats" of Beverly Hills that have these lovely trees lining both sides of these nice wide streets......
Not only are the flowers luscious, but I think the leaves are pretty damn wonderful, too The green of these leaves and the Lavender of the blossoms, next to the jagged grey/brown limbs---well, it is stunning!
And a little closer, below.......like sweet bells.
It's nice to see what these trees look like when there is a house behind them......As in the picture below......
And then, a closer look at this white house as a backdrop to this most exquisite tree......It takes your breath away.....
Every time I see these trees, I so wish I had planted a couple in my Garden below back in 1986---they would be blooming right now, too.....But well, (sigh)-----I didn't.
There is almost the look of Wisteria in the picture above, except it's the wrong color, among other things.......
Such lovely blossoms....And I don't know any other tree quite like this one. What's so great is, that here in Los Angeles there are now many many streets lined with these glorious trees---many more streets than there used to be....And of course because the blooms don't last very long at all----they feel very precious to me and a lot of other people, too.....
I love this picture above....Because of the trees, of course, but then I noticed that black bus on the street moving north, after I downloaded all my pictures....Do take a closer look---A rather 'refined' Tour Bus.....Go to the Website that is on the back there---This must be quite a tour....! These people were lucky, They not only got to see 'the Stars homes', but they got to experience the Beautiful Jacarandas, too......
I LOVE the look of the limbs of this tree.....They are so craggy and magical---like out of a fantasy-garden somewhere--And Ancient, too.....Nature. Bless Nature. Thank You God for the gift of these Trees....And, last, but not least.......
You can really see that Spring has come to Los Angeles....I don't know what that Red stuff is...(Judy? Help, my dear....) But all that Lavender and Green and Red together.....Well, it me knocks out! To see these very special exquisite things....talk about a "Blessing".......
More To Come.............
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 2:25:00 PM
Thursday, May 08, 2014
no real news and mother's day
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I have no real news
except that I am overwhelmed with taking care of health problems that just wear me out.
One bright spot in all this is that
Spring is here!
Some very sweet Mourning Doves have
cleaned up the old nest by my front door,
and have taken up residence---sitting on eggs.
24 Hours A Day!
It truly does my heart good!
And the Doves settling in is really how I know that Spring has arrived up here on my hill.
I have taken many pictures of many different family's, over the years.
I am unable to do that now----so, you will just have to take my word for it!
It makes me so happy that they feel safe and protected in this small covered and somewhat hidden area.
Be Still My Heart, They Are So Sweet!
And it's just in time for Mother's Day.
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Perfect!
Wishing all of you a wonderful and a truly Blessed Mother's Day.....
Enjoy, Enjoy!
More To Come........
| posted by OldLady Of The Hills at 7:27:00 PM
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