A Walk.

Colette in a sling and off we went to Central Park to breathe in the awe of Spring. It was one of these elongated days the three of us get to wear down lazily - at the slowest pace in the world.

Xavier the Great.

Baby.

Newborn lalaland is full of the sweetest odors (stored in the soft folds of a neck or venting freely from the top of a tiny head), tiny sleep movements (which transfigure time to where it is no longer made of the same stuff), barnyard animal noises (as my sister Julie likes to call them), a little face whose expressions transform it from a little thing of a few days to a wise old sea turtle and back again in a flash...drifting in and out of my own sleep with only one little thing emerging at the point of consciousness - her. I feel like I've been drugged and I can't believe I lived without the stuff running through my veins up to now, even if it readily makes me cry and my breath stop short just to glance down at the thing in my arms.

Colette.

Colette | March 21, 2012 | 1:19am | 7 lb. 2 oz.

Balloons for Stephen.

I was really hoping the baby (if she is real - starting to doubt) and Stephen would share a day together - today. The truth is that the day is probably not grand enough to bring forth two such creatures. I know the one very well and he is a triumph of a human, my brother Stephen. On Saturday, his very lovely beau, John, hosted a party featuring these balloons (bathtub below is the crest of their appearances).






This was the dancing room and if you know Stephen, you know how he can dance.


One of Stephen's gifts - decorated just so for him. A great look for him. I think he is seriously considering the hair - and the earring addition goes without saying.


My dad circulated this photo of Stephen today - taken just after he was born. It made me feel really tender about my brother and the little baby who is coming. Look at those wrinkly knees.

Sunday sightings.

A cardinal out my bathroom window.


Fluorescent daffodils.


St. John the Divine hovering over Morningside Park - like the final shadow of winter smudging Spring's grand turning up.






And a New York cowboy.

Gertrude.

Photograph by Cecil Beaton.

I have a special spot in my heart for Gertrude Stein. Her form, her voice (her cadence and register when she spoke), her dogged insistence on her own genius (despite the fact that she spent so much of her career writing without recognition), her crowd and influence in Paris at 27 Rue de Fleurus - walls covered by avant-garde paintings during the 1920's, Alice Toklas and her poodle Basket. The woman was amazing. In fact, I was lucky enough to teach an undergraduate gender studies course in Paris while we lived there focusing on Ms. Stein and the generation of women writers and artists that made the 1920's what it was in that city. So, when the "The Steins Collect: Matisse, Picasso and the Parisian Avant-Garde" was announced as an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum - I was very keen to run to see. The Steins (Gertrude and her brother Leo and Michael) were extremely influential in the development of several artists' careers - Picasso, Cezanne and Matisse - among others. The exhibition brings together an array of their collections - many of the pieces from private collections for the occasion. A fantastic exhibition.


Jo Davidson's sculpture of Gertrude Stein


Picasso's painting of Gertrude, for which she claims to have sat over 70 or 80 times (not typical of Picasso's approach - but they were great friends and she loved to "sit" for artists)


Matisse's Woman With a Hat

Une marine.

Xavier's sister, Marie, sent him this painting (~14 in. x 14 in.), une marine, in the most delicate shades of gray and blue. The strip of gray across the sky in the painting mirrors the wall color of our bedroom perfectly. Such a muted and silvery work. I love it. Check out her other things on her website.

Xavier's tricycle.

Xavier is making a wave in NYC with his scooter - it has three wheels. Surprisingly (for a Frenchman), it is an Italian creation. My favorite though is the helmet he chose to go with the tricycle scooter - it is essentially a helicopter helmet (this portion is French). Mirrored visor - spells aggression. Pretty fitting. With just a touch of jest - the red animal-like ears. I'll be honest, I still ride on it all the time with him - overdue or not. People (on the street, in their cars, etc) like to get preachy about that - makes me laugh. I tell them Xavier is a very cautious driver. Are you familiar with Parisian scooter driving techniques?

Be forewarned: if a visit to see little baby is in the cards, you will probably also be treated to a ride on the scooter.

Blithe and bonny.

Tulips at this stage.


A full wheel of Manchego cheese (do you know it?).


His hair.


Xavier's recent acquisition: a 1960's bubblegum dispenser.


Feeding the house sparrows in our backyard.


New York's streak of 65° and sunny weather! Cheers, beautiful city. I could almost forget how much I'd like to have this baby.

Examples of things I would have shown the baby -

if she were smarter and were already born today.