City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

On this Sunday, our spring weather has taken a few steps down the temperature charts. I was so glad that I had not taken my wool pea jacket to the dry cleaners yet. That would have been a true declaration that the chill was gone.

I was also very glad to have this day off from the work place. After taking care of various errands and home chores, there was lots of time to go out with my camera to explore the clear day under a sunny blue sky.

In the very early afternoon, I headed up Broadway, and took the photo below of tulips and beautiful trees enjoying their final blooming. If you look carefully through the branches, you'll see the blue awning of my wonderful neighborhood food market, the legendary Fairway.

On these median cross ways of Broadway, seasonal plantings are underwritten by various merchants whose shops line Broadway on our upper west side neighborhood. Sometimes we also have these areas adorned by sculptures.



And so I crossed Broadway, on my way to see what might be available today in our little farmers green market that adjoins the weekly flea market held on the asphalted playground of a school.

I've been meaning to post a photo of this entryway to a brownstone that may, or may not, still have folks living inside. I think that someone still lives here. I am always taken by the Dylanesque painting on the front door. Someone must be keeping that shrub alive?


I continued my walk through the flea market, and as usual, saw nothing that I admired more than the various bits and pieces back home in my own apartment. As I get older, vintage takes on a different definition as far as flea market finds. Antique is a word that I still hold precious.

On to the farmers market area, set up on sidewalk paving just behind the Museum of Natural History. Lots of folks were buying bunches of these beautiful cherry tree branches.


It is still way too early in the season to expect to see any veg in this market. There are still some farmers selling last year's apples. Some sell hot house herbs, and lettuces. In a few months we will see all sorts of fruits and vegetables and flowers.

And so, I rounded the corner at Columbus Avenue and 81 Street and took the following photos of the grounds outside the Museum.

The day had been a bit overcast earlier, but on my walk, I began to see the sun assert its true shining splendor from behind the clouds, and so I clicked my camera to capture the dappled green of the lawn below.

I could have taken lots of photos of the lawn around the Museum, but instead pressed on, and crossed over to the western edge of Central Park. The sign in the picture below always reminds me of how that playground came into being. If you google Diana Ross and Central Park you all will also be able to learn this history lesson.

Today, I just loved the light on the green and pink, with the sky above

And then I found a way to cross the park's roadway, dodging folks on bicycles who were definitely enjoying their Sunday exercise. It's not so tricky to weave across runners. They don't have pedals and wheels.

The picture below is a little dell just below the Shakespeare Garden. In a prior post I showed a view of it from the top of the Shakespeare garden ... back when the daffs were in bloom.

After taking that photo, I saw many more beautiful spring scenes, but also discovered that my camera's battery was just about gone. Oh No!

One of my reasons for this afternoon's eastward walk was to take some photos of the annual tulip display along Park Avenue. How could I return home with only that shot of tulips on Broadway?

And so, I have not any pictures of early spring softball games, romantic couples braving the April chill, various robins hunting for worms, frolicking dogs, and many folks marching up Fifth Avenue in this afternoon's Greek Independence Parade (including some major politicians.) Nope. I saved my battery.

The reward was being able to show these yellow tulips that are almost ready to reach stardom on Park Avenue.

And, there was just enough power still available to show the array of cherry trees that line up between the tulip beds on each Park Avenue block.

If I had done more camera preparation, you all would have been treated to more views of the Park on my walk home. Musicians, beautiful paraders and parade viewers, ducks on the lake, rowboats on the lake, azaleas, forsythia, violets, lingering daffs. And so many fabulous dogs having a grand time outdoors.

The camera's batteries have now been re-charged. I look forward to venturing out again soon to show you all some more city views.

Best wishes.