My ABCs

This post is a placeholder for the 2006 ABC-along, a fortnightly journal of photographs organized around the alphabet (26 fortnights = 52 weeks = one year). The plan is to add to this post as the ABC-along progresses.

After several attempts, however, I'm having an extraordinary amount of difficulty creating a table for the images. Sorry if that's messing up the RSS feed. I'm going to quit for the moment, but will try again soon.

[In the best of all possible worlds, a fine table would appear here. After some delay and much fiddling with HTML, a fine table appears, but not immediately below. Please scroll down.]

A		A is for abominable abstract snowman. This was intended to suggest a kagami mochi, a New Year's tradition in Japan, but some seem to think it's a snowman! See January 5.
B		B is for bicycle (note sock in progress on the seat). I use mine for errands around town, commuting from NYC, and the occasional noncompetitive event. See January 16.
C		C is for cookies (with mini Clapotis). Despite many temptations, Tollhouse cookies are the favorite in this household. See January 29.
D		D is for digging out. The path to a neighbor's house, with yellow yardstick for scale, after a weekend storm. See February 12.
E		E is for eyes on the prizes. It's a worthy goal this Mardi Gras for ABC-Alongers, not to mention for visitors and residents of New Orleans. See February 28.
F		F is for flower show. The Philadelphia Flower Show provides a welcome respite from winter and inspiration for the new growing season. See March 12.
G	.	G is for garden. I don't have any decent ones of mine right now, so here's a photo by Andy Szymczak of the Great Falls of the Passaic River. See April 5.
H		H is for Holiday Sox. These were very very very late, but they got to meet the Yarn Harlot at the Rutherford Public Library. See April 17 and April 11.
I		I is for iris gardens. It's a bit early for iris flowers at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, so here's a photo of the big sign with the little basket o' I prizes. See April 26.
J		J is for Jersey. The Bailiwick of Jersey, namesake of New Jersey, has its own passports and currency and is famed for its fine cattle, potatoes, and wealth of endangered species. See May 17.
K		K is for kabuki. When I saw Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami in NYC two years ago, I was seated in the mud section. An indelible experience to be sure. See May 21.
L		L is for lemonade. It's the summer elixir of life and also a mighty engine of commerce. Every summer dozens of lemonade stands pop up around Exit 151. See July 10.
M		M is for maps. I heart maps. Among my many favorites are these new NJ bike tour maps, spread on an ancient Rand-McNally Road Atlas. See July 10.
N		N is for New Jersey. The flooding along the Delaware River has receded, the budget impasse is settled, and the state is open again... but did anyone notice it was closed? See July 10.
O		O is for organ pipe wasp nest. Organ pipe wasps, or blue devils, build intricate tubular mud daub nests. This one is about the size of my hand. See August 8.
P		P is for poison ivy. For reasons unknown, I have a lot in my (cough) garden this year. See August 15.
Q		Q is for Quaker sampler, or rather the materials for same. It's time to remove this one from the project queue. See September 8
R		R is for raptors. The Montclair Hawk Watch, celebrating its 50th anniversary year, is an ideal place to look for migrating raptors such as this broad-winged hawk. See November 7.
S		S is for Sky Mirror. This temporary installation by Anish Kapoor is fascinating in every mood. See November 7.
T		T is for tomato. These f-f-f-felted beefsteaks may not be too tasty, but they're keepers. See November 7.
U		U is for ubiquitous. Why do some things achieve knitting stardom? I know not. See November 7.
V		V is for vote. My polling place is a primary school. Classes remain in session on Election Day and there's always a bake sale. See November 7.
W		W is for wrenching. It's time for the fall overhaul. (But bicyclists don't usually use monkey wrenches.) See November 21.
X		X is for xenolith. This puzzling specimen from Mt. Desert Island, Maine is inside out – it has igneous insides and metamorphic outsides. That's theoretically impossible. See November 28.
Y		Y is for Yuletide. A favorite pasttime during the holiday season is gawking at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. When I can't gawk in person, I gawk on TreeCam. See December 4.
Z		Z is for zest. This time of year my fridge is full of bald citrus. See December 29.

With many thanks to Anne, who organized the ABC-along; Margene, who offered an eXcellent prize for finishers; and the many participants, whose photos and essays often were entertaining, ingenious, and deeply affecting. It's been a great year!

Categories: {ABC-along}