I want to go see Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates in Central Park, New York City. However, my knees have been bothering me dreadfully since I got back from Florida, and I know that even if I take the train to 31st Street Station, and catch a cab to the park, I’ll still have to walk a mile from the train, up and down steps, to get the cab, and walk again all over the park. I would not be able to make myself sit on one bench and miss the rest of The Gates since they are set up throughout the entire park. I guess I’m suffering because of all the exercise I did get while in Florida, and because it’s so (bleep!) cold here in Lancaster. I am really missing the warm weather. Anyway, with only one day until The Gates are taken down forever, I’m stymied. I have both knees wrapped with hot pepper cream. I’ve been icing them down for 20 minutes every hour, but they do not get better. I’m terribly frustrated and disappointed!

So, in desperation I’ve gone ahead and bought a signed print of one of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s drawings of The Gates a view toward The Plaza Hotel. It was expensive (for me) but I will hang it in my living room here at “The Big Needle,” and I’ll be able to go visit The Gates anytime my heart desires. Besides, the money will go to support Nurture New York’s Nature a nonprofit that Christo and Jeanne-Claude have licensed all rights to profits from their donated drawings of The Gates. Pretty cool, “ain’t” (as we Pennsylvania Dutch say)? I found the store on the web at Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 40 Years of Public Art.* I am including an image of the print I bought. See how the saffron color of the gates goes with my blog - great minds, and all that. I don’t think Christo and Jeanne-Claude will mind a single use on line, since I’ve purchased the image. I’ve documented the website below. Perhaps I will drum up some more sales for them.




* Christo, and Jeanne-Claude, “The Gates Project for Central Park, New York City,” 40 Years of Public Art, http://www.40yearsofpublicart.org/index.html?catg=3,

Tsunami Victims

With death tolls standing at 180,000, and almost as many missing, give to the following in order to help reunite orphans with distant relatives, and to insure that your money is used by people with true humanitarian concerns rather than proselytizing religious zeal.

American Friends Service Committee, and UNICEF


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