Good evening from New York on an early spring evening.

Today, our spring took a break, as the temperatures dropped back into a wintry range. That's all right, it just means that our spring will have a longer span.

Yesterday was warmer, and after being indoors for hours observing the very careful, meticulous painter work his magic on my apartment's walls, I just needed to get outdoors for a walk.

I headed over to Central Park, passing past lots of interesting doorways in my neighborhood that I don't usually share with you all.

I entered the Park and walked down the gentle slope of Strawberry Fields, and saw this lovely burst of blue.

At the edge of Strawberry Fields, one crosses a roadway that's shared by cars (during some hours,) bicycles, roller bladers (not so many as in past years,) joggers. As a pedestrian, it's always wise to look both ways before that cross. I was once struck down by a very apologetic young cyclist who apologized profusely for traveling in the wrong direction.

He was chastened, I came to no real harm. I now really look right and left.

And so, I got across that roadway to the edge of the lake and began walking alongside it on my way to the Shakespeare Garden. This wisteria arbor will eventually fill with leaves. Right now it is a living line drawing.

Here's proof that the forsythia is still providing quite a show. You might just be able to glimpse a rented rowboat with a romantic couple crossing the lake.

Central Park has lots of lovely and quaint little buildings scattered about. Very picturesque, and I could not resist taking a photo of two of them.

And, having taken the photo of the quaint gazebos, I then needed to have a close up view of the daffs.

Pressing on with my stroll by the lake, I glanced back at the southern view and clicked a view on this overcast afternoon of the buildings of Central Park South rising over the edge of the Park. Southern Edge, of course. Do you see the ducks in the lake?

And then, I picked up my walking pace, and actually arrived at the entrance to the marvelous Shakespeare Garden. What are these beautiful little white flowers that filled this hill?

If I had a garden of my own, I think that I would know the name of every spring bloom that would appear. It is humiliating not to know what these purple flowers are named. It is glorious to be able to view their beauty!

Ah, here comes another admission of ignorance. Are these catkins on this shrub? What profusion!

Finally, I spy plant that I can identify. It's a quince! Its flowers are just beginning to appear.

The talented gardeners who tend this special place construct all sorts of natural sculptures upon which various plants will rest, and sprawl. I think that this one may host some peonies in a few months. I must make a note to remember to come back with my camera.

From the top of the Shakespeare Garden, you have a great vantage point to view some other Park areas. See just past the daffs, there's a fledgling Christmas tree evergreen cone, and just beyond that a little family group are enjoying this afternoon outdoors.

This particular area also has lots of flowering cherry trees. These trees will stage their show in a few more weeks.

Here's another example of nature encouraging the future shaping of nature. I passed by a trio of these espalier trainers. Again, I will try to remember to return to see how this experiment turns out.

Hellebores are all over the areas through which I walked. As you true gardeners know, these flowers tend to gently, demurely hang their heads a bit. And so, to offer you all a sample view, I kept looking for hellebores that were planted on a level above the walkway. Finally, success arrived and the planting site also allowed the dark backing of a lovely tree.

And so, I did have a fine walk in Central Park in the early springtime.

I returned home to my apartment. The very careful painter continues to visit a day or two each week. The living room is now almost completely repainted. The results are truly dramatic.

The following picture shows the effect of the fresh paint on the right edge, together with two sort of Rothko circles of pre-paint against the 22-year-old paint.

I rather like the soft-edge abstract effect of this photo.

The following photo shows a sharper edge near a ceiling corner, where new paint meets old paint over a bookcase.

And as a farewell photo, may I show you all the huge new frost-free fridge that somehow was shoehorned into my minuscule alcove kitchen?

The Fridge and I are still trying to get used to each other. I wonder if I will ever be able to afford to buy enough food to fill its freezer.

Happy Spring to all.