Shades of Grey on Summer's First Day

My husband and I took a long walk along Shore Parkway in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, so I could practice taking photos with my new Nikon D 60 camera. The sky was a patchwork quilt in shades of grey, the heavy clouds threatening more rain after a morning of heavy rain showers.

Rain had become the norm of Spring and the incessant clouds also welcomed the first day of Summer.

Even the annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island was held in the rain this year. You can see photos of this year's parade on the Gothamist web site, or look at the photos I took last year in this post. It's a fun event but be warned -- the costumes can be skimpy!

The sky looks so vast and fearsome from this vantage point.

The Verranzano Narrows Bridge was the world's longest suspension span bridge when it opened in 1964 until it was surpassed in 1981 by the Humber Bridge in England. The ends of the bridge are at historic Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn and Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, both of which guarded New York Harbor at the Narrows for over a century. The bridge was named after Giovanni da Verrazano, who in 1524, was the first European explorer to sail into New York Harbor.

Until the bridge was built the only way to travel from Brooklyn to Staten Island was by ferry, and the borough of Staten Island saw rapid development after the bridge opened, much to the dismay of many long time residents.

The $10 toll to cross the bridge is collected one way, on the west voyage from Brooklyn to Staten Island, after crossing the bridge by toll collectors or electronically through EZ Pass. This toll is going up to $11.00 on July 12, 2009.

Located at the mouth of upper New York Bay, the bridge not only connects Brooklyn with Staten Island, but is also a major link in the interstate highway system, providing the shortest route between the middle Atlantic states and Long Island.

The Narrows are always filled with oil and cargo ships on their way into New York Harbor. We also see the occasional cruise ship slip in and out of the bay.

Its monumental 693 foot high towers of the bridge are 1 5/8 inches farther apart at their tops than at their bases because the 4,260 foot distance between them made it necessary to compensate for the earth's curvature. Each tower weighs 27,000 tons and is held together with three million rivets and one million bolts. Seasonal contractions and expansions of the steel cables cause the double-decked roadway to be 12 feet lower in the summer than in the winter.

Even the water looked a silvery pewter grey today.

This elderly man did not let the threat of rain prevent him from doing some sport fishing. It is a hobby filled with patience and quiet meditative thoughts.

"Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby."

~ Langston Hughes

And the rain did come, and we were soaked as we ran for cover. It was exhilarating, and we laughed and laughed!

Welcome summer! Time now for the sun to shine!