The Usual Haunts

A spooky stoop 

A rose blooms in October

Isamu Noguchi: "Age"

This was my first visit to the Noguchi installation at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  (I'd previously seen his studio in Queens.)
I caught a bit of the curator's talk; they apparently gave a lot of thought to the placement of the sculptures in the garden.  In some locations, guards were stationed nearby to discourage physical contact.  This was not the case for "Age," which was set back far from the path.  Of course, it was far more difficult to make out any details of the sculpture here, distant in the shadows, than in a well-lit gallery where it would be protected from the elements.  

"Bird Song"

I found "Bird Song" a bit underwhelming and easy to miss from a distance.  Even close up, from some angles, it looks more like fish than birds.  And from other angles, it looks more like a tree without particular ornamentation.

But at the curator's suggestion, I lay down next to it and looked up.  That was pretty cool.

And at just the right distance and angle, you can see a bird shape resting on the trees.

Two praying mantises

egg sac

One of the real highlights of the tour for me was the praying mantises on a bench in the native flora garden.  Apparently this is their usual hang-out spot.

They were not at all alarmed by the paparazzi and various onlookers - we were quite a crowd, pointing and leaning in.  And indeed they were still there after we'd moved on and I doubled back.

Gourds

Roses & Foliage

ivy

Roses & Foliage II

"Magritte Stone"

wisteria

sourwood

crab apple

Leia Organa & Co.