Thursday, April 18, 2013

City Views, Country Dreams

Good morning from New York.

Although I am so very happy that springtime has begun to give us beautiful flowers, I am also so very sad about several recent tragedies in other parts of our country. The bombing that took place this week at the Boston marathon has now changed many lives.  Some as yet unidentified people planned and executed something horrific.  Other people immediately rushed to aid their fellow human beings.

What a world we live in.  It's appropriate that as I type this, I hear Elvis Costello singing What's so funny about peace, love and understanding.

Bearing all this in mind, let me show you the beauty that I saw a few days ago during an overcast day in Central Park.

The designed Park landscape features many curving, undulating pathways, creating many vantage points.  The following photo is just inside the West 72nd Street entrance way.  You can see the famed Dakota apartment building just beyond the chopped-off tree's forked branches.


Tucked in amongst the rocks are lots of little flowers.


Because our weather has been unseasonable cool, I found some lingering snow drops. 


Just above the path where I was walking, you can see another pathway complete with pedestrian and lamp post.



The wisteria has not gotten into gear yet.

Lots of forsythia was in full blaze, although on this misty day, its colors seem subdued.


I walked back up the incline and started my walk around the lake, on my way to the Shakespeare Garden.


Moody, moody.


In the distance you can see some Fifth Avenue buildings.


Daffodils were abundant.  Their showiness grows each spring as naturalization continues.


Can you believe that the following scene is in the middle of a huge city?


Well, it is.


I got down on my knees to take this photo.  And somehow managed to spring up again afterwards!


Rhododendrons were also in the mix.  Central Park West apartment building towers in the background.


Looking southeast across the lake, I give you a view of a New York City skyline.


Ahhh, finally I reach the Shakespeare Garden, to see its rustic beauty.


Again, I sink to my knees for a close view of some tiny beauties.


Here is a close up view of the Garden's quince branches.


Center stage in the Shakespeare Garden is the glorious tulip magnolia.


I wish that there were more primroses hereabouts, but am happy to see a colorful sampling.


Here's a lovely view, even though there is no blue sky.


Tulips come along a bit later in the annual spring parade, and I think that I'll find many more in bloom on my next visit to the Park.


I do like these thorny branches and the shape of its leaves is lovely, too.


After all this walking up and down and all around, I was feeling a bit warm, and considered stopping at this vendor's stand for the first ice cream of 2013.


However, just then a gentle rain began to fall, and so I decided to postpone the ice cream selecting, and just make a speed trip homeward.

I hope that you all will enjoy visiting the Park.  I thank you all for your visits to my posts and for your comments.



24 comments:

  1. I'm happy that you can still see beauty amid the tragic events this week. The Shakespeare garden is glorious.

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  2. What an array of Springtime flowers, Hellebores, pansies, violets, primroses..... It looks like a village stroll!

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  3. Dear Frances,

    I loved taking that journey to see all the pretty flowers blooming in NYC, I have always loved the Magnolia's sadly I lost one in my garden years ago. Some Daffodils here have just begun to show their pretty heads after a long severe winter.

    Terribly sad about the tragic events that took place in Boston recently. I pray that Peace in the world will come soon.

    xx

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  4. Hi Frances,

    Central Park looks magical in spring time with all those flowers and blossoms. I would gladly have accompanied you on your walk!

    The ice cream sounds delicious. I haven't had my first one of this season yet :-)!

    Happy day!

    Madelief x

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  5. Nature goes on blithely producing beauty, despite the pain we humans inflict and suffer. Your spring is more advanced than ours - and it is always good to see your trips round Central Park! XX

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  6. Hi Frances,
    Very sad with all the tragic events the last week.
    Some of the views from Central Park looks familiar, some I visited at my last visit to NYC. Central Park is such an amazing place - hard to believe it's in the middle of a big city.
    I loved your little walk and all the flowers.
    Have a lovely week - hopefully with some sun.
    xo Ingrid

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  7. Hi Frances, thanks for your trip around Central Park (yet again I think your proper place is with the NYC tourist authority). You know, when I crossed the Atlantic for the first time I found it hard to believe that you had most of the same plants as we do. To find daffodils and wisteria growing in North America is to feel almost cheated. As a child I expected your earth to be green or purple and your plants to look like something out of a sci-fi movie; if you travel so far you expect to find a different botany: at least I did.
    Your getting down on your knees reminds me of the old Jack Benny joke about knowing you are old when you bend down to tie your laces and wonder whether there is anything else you might usefully do when you are down there!

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  8. oh that was a lovely stroll, Frances. Thank you for sharing it.Really astonishing that it is Big Apple. Our magnolias have just started and tulips grow but not in colour, yet. But at least, temperatures here have reached double digits (PLUS!) and spring is definitely there :-).

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  9. Hello, Frances! I see that you, just like me, are glorifying the beauties Spring has created with her magical brushes!:)
    Your virtual "promenade" in this kingdom of trees and flowers is so vivid and exciting, that I have the feeling I've been there with you... Thank you!
    I'm so sorry about the tragical end of Boston's marathon! A terrible act that has no normal explanation... I am following every day the TV news with sinking heart...

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  10. It's so lovely to, once again, visit the Shakespeare Garden via your blog - I can tell it's one of your favourite places in Spring time.
    Over here the warm SW winds have brought the Spring flowers - even though today they are blowing so strongly you are nearly knocked over!
    xx

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  11. They're lovely photos, Frances. And how wise you are: the only way to cope with the unspeakable horrors that we all live with every day, is to go out in search of beauty. And as one comedian pointed out, to remember that the percentage of people who are doing these things is very very small in comparison with the total number of our citizens.

    Hugs to you, and Happy Spring, xoxox

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  12. Thank you for a peaceful walk and those beautiful and evocative photos on what has been such a turbulent week in so many ways.

    A personal thank you from me too, for sharing an experience with me which prompted me to take action! And, thank goodness I did! Cx

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  13. What bliss Central Park is.
    I remember our visit there last spring.
    We have to go again.
    Am madly in love with hellebores right now.
    Ah, spring at last!

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  14. I let out a contented little sigh looking at all these flower images ... finally, spring!

    Such sad news from Boston.

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  15. Hey Frances, such beautiful photos.......Spring is such a beautiful time of year with all the blooms and blossom.
    A lovely therapeutic post after all the tragic news over the last week or so,

    Enjoy your weekend,

    Claire :}

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  16. So wonderful for y’all in New York to have such an oasis! It is lovely in all seasons but in spring, after a cold winter, it must revive your spirits. I liked the Shakespeare Garden and am pleased you included it – what a little treasure. Thanks for taking a spring walk in the garden, it was uplifting.

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  17. How wonderful for you to have Central Park nearby. Your colourful images remind me what spring can look like. Here in the UK more than £50 million worth of spring flowering plants have had to be sent to landfill sites because of the lack of interest from gardeners due to the non-arrival of spring here.

    (Thank you for your recent comments Frances. If I make it to NY in the future it would be just grand if we could somehow meet up.)

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  18. I think we all doubted wether spring would ever happen this year. Maybe we will appreciate its beauty all the more, you seem to have found it in abundance right in the heart of the city. Shame you didn't get to have your ice cream!

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  19. Those pictures are so delightful, Frances! I was taking a look at things here. (The pictures wlil be on tomorrow's blog post.) There is less ice on the river, and a bit more open ground, but it Bearly seems like spring at all. Only a couple of degrees above freezing.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!
    Bears Noting

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  20. In spite of skies showing not the brightest spring blue you managed to snap a fine collection of floriferous delights. I think your season is further advanced than ours, not trees are in blossom here in the wild west of the country.

    Enjoy your splendid city walks and I hope you will be able to treat yourself to a delicious ice cream in the near future.

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  21. What great photos, I love New York,
    I came here a few years ago and I liked it
    lot, especially Central Park.
    I see that they come in late spring
    like here in Italy. I feel sorry for what
    that happened in Boston is terrible.
    Susy Love x

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  22. Thank you for sharing the wonderful photos of Spring in Central Park. It is lovely to see hope after such a horrible tragedy in Boston. I live in New Zealand so we are heading very slowly into autumn. I can't wait for Spring!

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  23. What a magnificent park...and hard to believe its in the heart of such a big city. I hope to visit there myself someday

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  24. It has been a sad time all over the world.
    It was so nice to take a walk through this amazing park with you. No wonder it is so beloved. xx

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