numbers

Guess what day it is! No, not May Day. Give up? It's THE FIRST OF THE MONTH, which means it's City Daily Photo Theme Day! And the theme this month is NUMBERS! I was so thrilled when I found a subject (a NJ Transit train engine--this was taken at Long Branch, a major transfer stop along the North Jersey Coast Line) that wasn't a street number or a speed limit. As an added bonus, "4426" appears TWICE. As an EXTRA added bonus, "1179+46" is written on the right-hand vertical beam! Pretty numerical, huh?

If you want to see MORE numbers from ALL OVER THE WORLD, click here to see most of them on one page, or check out the participating individual sites below!

Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Busan, Korea South by iamnbinb, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chesapeake Daily Photo (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Chicago (IL), USA by Focused Light, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Concordia Sagittaria, Italy by Patrizia, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Dallas (TX), USA by turtle, Darmstadt, Germany by Elsch, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Mary, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hong Kong, Hong Kong by Rachel A., Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Ioannina, Greece by Christos-Ioanna, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Malaga, Spain by Paula, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Medan, Indonesia by KT, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Montpellier, France by Marie, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Nancy, France by yoshi, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, Newport News (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, North Hampton (NH), USA by Amy, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Owasso (OK), USA by Jennifer, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Penang, Malaysia by Maltelda, Perth, Australia by Elevation7, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Cheryl, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Riga, Latvia by Riga Images, Rollag, Norway by Stormel, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, San Francisco (CA), USA by Louis la Vache, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vichy, France by Delphsnl, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn

babel

Former location of the 700 Building at Monmouth University. I don't know what they're building here now.

(...Or maybe it was the 600 Building...? I don't really have a head for remembering numbers.)

tasti!

Apparently, this is business on Ocean Blvd. in Long Branch is technically known as "Ocean D-Lites." But they do sell Tasti D-Lite, which, if you're not familiar with it (since it's only sold in a few states: New York [most of its stores are concentrated in NYC], New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, and Texas), is a soft-serve "guilt-free" ice cream-esque dessert.

I actually just tried the stuff for the first time last weekend. Despite the multitude of flavors, after a few bites, you stop tasting anything at all and only feel the cold softness on your tongue. It's not bad, but it's not real ice cream.

sparrow

I'll never know what you'll find when you open up your letter box tomorrow
'Cause a little bird never tells me anything I want to know, she's my best friend, she's a sparrow
And I'll never never know what you never never never want to know when you know what you are-oh.

-They Might Be Giants, "Letterbox"


I spent about 10 minutes with my camera poised at this chirping little sparrow, trying to get a picture of it in flight.



This is the best one I got. (I actually ended up panning, which is why it's blurred; the shutter speed was something like 1/400 sec.)

magnolias

This is the same magnolia I featured back in February. (I know 'cos it's the lowest-hanging and closest-to-the-door bud/blossom on this particular magnolia tree.)

Will there be an additional photo once the blossoms have fully opened? Time will tell!

cafe

Remember how I said Monmouth University used to be someone's estate? The Guggenheim Library has a decidedly mansion-like air to it, even with the little library cafe at the bottom of the grand staircase.

ophelia

"Lay her i’th’earth,
And from her fair and unpolluted flesh
May violets spring."

William Shakespeare.
Laertes, in Hamlet, act 5, sc. 1, l. 238-40.

MOUTH

504. Gingivae (Gums). The gums are composed of dense fibrous tissue that overlies the crowns of teeth not erupted and surrounds the necks of teeth that have erupted. The fibrous tissue is covered by a smooth mucous membrane.

Incidentally, 500-504 are incisors, cuspids, bicuspids (a.k.a. premolars), and molars, respectively.

trees oh trees if you please

Isn't this a cool tree? It's planted behind Monmouth University's Guggenheim Library.

fruity

There are some lovely decorative trees in the middle of the Monmouth University art courtyard. Having researched them somewhat extensively, I think they're some kind of fruit trees. Maybe peach? Maybe apple? Maybe something else. I am not a fruit tree expert. But they are pretty, aren't they?

By the way, I'm getting enough spam comments that I've finally decided to put in the word verification doohickey in my comment section. I know it's annoying. Sorry!

dingalingaling

Aren't they cute? Just look at all those tiny little bells.

These little white bell-shaped flowers (on a bush or shrub) are in the Ericaceae family, and if you feel like going through the genus list on that Wikipedia link and identifying exactly WHAT these things are, be my guest. :)

drain-things

Confession: I MIGHT have trespassed a teeny bit to get this shot. But there were no signs or anything, and why would they maintain the paving on a footbridge between Monmouth University and a private mansion?

On the other hand, this side had better landscaping.

Anyway, this little riverlet goes under Norwood Avenue.

(Yesterday's post was better. If you haven't seen it, take a look.)

tree buds!

Checkitoutcheckitoutcheckitoutcheckitout! The maples (I think they're maples) are budding! The trees will have leaves very very soon! Huzzah!

(Okay, so leafed trees are difficult to photograph well, but they're MUCH more pleasant to live among!)

don't be a pansy

At least don't be a YELLOW one. Be purple or something interesting.

I am sorry to post another almost-identically-composed flower shot in one week. But I hope you think it's pretty.

pre-magnolia

In Selma, Alabama, the magnolias are already in bloom. But up here, a little further north, our magnolias stubbornly remain in bud form.

By the way--happy leap year, everyone! I like leap years. They're like blue moons. Or lunar eclipses (yeah, there was one last week, and I failed spectacularly in getting a decent photograph of it).

P.S. I know the left side of the magnolia bud is wayyyyy overexposed, but I'm just happy my camera finally decided to get the dang thing in focus. I tried photographing this same bud a few weeks ago and had nothing but a bunch of blurry blobs to show for it. This time, only half my photos were blurry blobs. Why? Why, supermacro mode? I thought you loved me!

stairway 5

The thick coverlet of snow, after several days of above-freezing temperatures, has been reduced to a few sad little baby blankets randomly dispersed around the town.

So, instead of showing you sad little baby blankets, I give you a stairway inside Edison Science Hall (Monmouth University).

just beyond perception

I like glass blocks. They remind me of Mudd Chemistry Building, which is almost entirely constructed of the things. I spent a lot of time there as an undergrad (but unfortunately, it's on Poughkeepsie, NY, so I can't feature it on this photoblog. will that stop me? no. this is Mudd Chemistry Building:).



The glass blocks in the TOP photo are found in the 800 Building (one of the art buildings) at Monmouth University. On the other side of this window is another room of the building.


P.S. The title is cheesy, and it bothers me a bit, but IT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

feeshie!

Feeeeeeeeshie feesh!

This particular feesh is a Grey or Mangrove Snapper, according to a sign on the wall above its aquarium.

Where did I find this funny fellow? There is a saltwater aquarium in the middle of the biology hallway of Edison Science Hall (of Monmouth University). From what I've been told by passing professors who like to educate me when they see me ogling all the crabs and feeshies, most of the critters in this aquarium come from the professors' own expeditions.

(Also according to the sign above the aquarium:
FAMILY: Lutjanidae
RANGE: Massachusetts, USA to Brazil; Bermuda; Caribbean Sea
HABITAT: estuaries, rocky habitat, coral reefs, mangroves, enters fresh water
DIET: shrimp, crabs, squid, small fish
SIZE: to 89 cm TL, 20 kg)

arches

Part of Wilson Hall at Monmouth University.

…recently, I’ve been making horizontal crops of vertical photos quite a lot.

riddle me this

Today was such a nice day! 'Course, I might be in a minority of people in NJ who call an overcast 55-degree day "nice," but regardless, I felt like taking a stroll around Monmouth U's campus.

This is the head of one of the two (fairly small) sphinxes guarding Wilson Hall.


(P.S. Did you know that an acceptable plural for "sphinx," other than "sphinxes," is "sphinges?")