Friday Photos - Sandy memory

It's hard to believe that Sandy's destruction was three years ago! 2012 seems just last year, but though for some the recovery is still going on, for many it's back to normal.

My area of Manhattan didn't receive much damage--mostly trees and cars and sidewalks broken from the uprooted trees. There was no real flooding or destruction or loss of power, thankfully, though we are surrounded on three sides by water. 

Still, looking through the pictures brings back the nerves and slight exhilaration of the well-named SuperStorm...

Friday photos - Venetian Lion

Las Vegas is a glorious, crazy mishmash of cultures where you can find just about anything you like! This photo was taken from the gondola ride in The Venetian from a few years ago. The lion--reminiscent of St Mark's?--looking down at all the crazy tourists against the iron work background seemed stark and simple compared to all the other things going on. So I captured it for myself!

Friday Photos - Magnolia Tree

Another favorite from a trip to Rogers Gardens in California. The sky was so blue, and the flowers so pink and velvety. I loved wandering around and taking pictures there!

Friday Photos - Huntington Beach Neon

Playing around with Google Photos options--or Picasa?--whichever. These are some palm trees in Huntington Beach. It's a cool sunset picture on its own, but I just love this neon look. I can't tell if they are angry giraffes with flaming headresses on, or aliens come to check things out. Either way, this picture does make me smile! :)

Friday Photos - Boherbue

I realized looking back through my photos, that there are a lot from Kerry, Ireland. Of course, that's because it's completely photogenic, and hard to take bad pictures in Kerry! And it's also likely because my dad is more willing to stop for pictures! :)  But County Cork is also lovely. Here's a snap of the fields somewhere near Boherbue and Kanturk. I'd imagine you would have a lot of happy cows with all that in front of it!

Friday Photos - Black Eyed Susans

There are fields of Black Eyed Susans all around in the summer. I just love how bright and cheerful they look, and welcoming--thistles are growing a little lower, giving another spot of color. I've got lots of variations of this photo!

Friday Photos - Another Ireland view...

I've just started playing with Google Photos and I've been really enjoying some of the "assistant's" advice on how to reset or fiddle with the photos. For this one, I love the black and white images instead of the blues and greens and whites. If you'd like to see the real colors, I posted a panoramic version last week!

Friday Photos - Derrynane Abbey Panorama

This is one of those tucked away gems in Kerry (Up the Kingdom!). Derrynane Abbey was built around the 6th Century, and is now in ruins. You can see the remains of one of the buildings left. The Abbey still is a working graveyard (though there is the difficulty in scheduling the rare burials when the tide is out).  My father's grandparents are buried in the shadows off to the left. I have to say, it's a wonderful view...

Giving blood--and platelets

I used to give blood but a long time ago a friend needed platelets and so about twenty years ago I made my first donation. 

What are platelets? They are small cells in the blood that work to stop bleeding. They aid in clotting and help prevent excessive bleeding--internally and from wounds or surgery.

Platelets only keep for a few days and there is a continuous need for them. Accidents, transplants, surgery, leukemia, chemotherapy and more will require platelets. It takes over a dozen regular blood transfusions to gain the same number of platelets as from one platelet donation.

Back in the early days it was a long process--they put a needle in each elbow and from one arm they took the blood and scooped out the platelets and returned the blood through the other. It took over two hours and you couldn't move or scratch or anything! 

I promise it has gotten better since then! 

Though it is still about two hours in the chair, it is only one needle in one arm now. So you can read or watch tv or play games or scratch an itch if you want. The only thing you can't do is go to sleep! 

So if you can spare about three hours (from intake to cookies and juice!) , and you aren't a needed blood type (do donate blood if you are O+ and O-), then check out platelet options at your local blood services clinic. 

Here in New York visit www.NYBloodcenter.org

or www.RedCrossBlood.org for more areas across the country. 

Give blood--help save a life....