It's a grey, rainy Saturday, but I have hopes that today's showers will soon bring on some spring flowers, like those I saw at the Union Square farmers market yesterday.
I met my friend Elizabeth at the market and we were cheered by the return of some of our favorite flower stalls. Pots of primroses, paper whites, and other lovely blooms were available to purchase.
Tulips on their way to full bloom were standing tall and proudly.
Another shelf showed a fine display of what promised to be pink, blue or white hyacinths. I was tempted, but decided to wait until Elizabeth and I had stopped for tea, coffee and croissants at a nearby cafe before making my final decision.
I also wanted to confer with Elizabeth about my pondering whether to join instagram. From my research, it seems as if a purchase of a smart phone will be required. I welcome any advice that the rest of you all might offer me.
Returning to the flower stand, I did buy a pot of white hyacinths to fill the window sill spot recently occupied by lovely pink hyacinths that have now reached cut flower status.
That bathroom window sill is far from a radiator and has been kind to quite a few potted bulbs over this winter.
The following photo shows a collection of mixed yarn snippings that I've been collecting over the winter. The next time I go to Central Park (presumably on my way to Tuesday's St. Patrick's Day Parade) I will take these along and scatter them amongst various shrub branches for vigilant nest building birds to find.
I am so looking forward to Spring! Thanks to you all for your visits and comments on my prior post about my walk through a wintry Central Park.
Hello, nice to meet you. What a lovely idea, scattering yarn for the birds to decorate their nests with. Then, on one of your walks in the park when you spy a streak of red in the trees, what satisfaction and joy you will feel.
ReplyDeleteLacking snippets of yarn, I'm of a mind to go buy a skein for the very same purpose!
Thank you so much for your visit and comment. Perhaps you do know some folks who are knitters, and might convince them to share a few of their snippings with you? Perhaps they would also like to do some donating for the birds.
DeleteI'll be having a visit over to your place soon.
I use my iPad for Instagram. In fact I only got a $10.00 cell phone from Walmart about six months ago. I'm a terrible hold out on the cell phone era.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comment so very much. I also know several folks who've gone the iPad route to instagram. Promise to give updates on my own progress hereabouts.
DeleteDon't know anything about Instagram, I'm afraid. Birds love bits and pieces for their nest. We once found a bird had made her nest extra special by winding in some tinsel from a birthday present!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I appreciate your encouragement about helping birds with their spring house building. Seeing tinsel in a next would have surely made me smile!
Deletexo
Yes, it was a fun outing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea for the little bits of left over wool.
The birds and squirrels will be able to be more artistic from now on!I vote for the iPhone which will change your life ...
Elizabeth, I am already looking forward to our next visit to the farmers market. After I got home last week, I did some more instagram research and it does seem that adding an app to some type of mobile device is the gateway. Promise to ask you many more questions, and thank you so much for your help. xo
DeleteHello, Frances! When Spring hasn't come yet and we can't wait it patiently, it's a nice idea to create it at home! You bought hycinthes, I have freesia in a vase - I like its fragrance!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely like your idea to help birds make their nests pretty!:) Have a lovely Sunday!
Rossichka, freesias are definitely amongst my favorite flowers...beautiful to look at and that scent is equally lovely.
DeleteI'm looking forward to my yarn scattering. I am working today, so the Park must wait until tomorrow or St. Patrick's Day. xo
What a very sweet idea to collect those yarn clippings for the birds. Wouldn't you love to have one of the nests they make from them?
ReplyDeleteI am new to Instagram, but like it very much. You can do it on an ipad, but the phone works the best. You would love always having a camera so close to hand, and we would all love to see the photos you share! My daughter finds IG a wonderful way to connect to other knitters and to share her knitting projects. It's great fun.
Thank you so much for your comment, Carol. It would be fun just to see a nest that appeared to contain some of my yarn. (Of course, these snippings are all from natural fibers!)
DeleteI greatly appreciate your encouragement re instagram and smart phones. I'll keep you posted!
xo
I always look forward to buying a few pots of primroses. We enjoy them inside then I plant them outside where they (usually) flourish.) And I love that you will be adding to the spring color with your yarn bits!
ReplyDeleteVicki, isn't it amazing how many variations of colors and patterns you can find in primrose petals? I'm looking forward to my next farmers market visit...and trying to decide on two or perhaps three pots of primroses. I'd better set aside at least 45 minutes for deciding which ones will come home with me!
DeleteI would imagine that your local birds would also use yarny leftovers in their nests...but perhaps your birds have already finished their 2015 homes? xo
I'm just loving the thought of a bunch of Central Park bird's nests built from your scraps ... such a fun (and useful thing) thing to be involved with. I do hope the rest of your weekend is full of sunshine and creative opportunity Frances.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Annnie. My work schedule is different every week, so this weekend I work both Sat and Sun (after having had the prior four days off. It's sort of fun to have my "weekend" when many folks are off to work. I don't hate Mondays!
DeleteIt is going to be fun scattering my yarn. I did a bit of this last year, but have many more snips to donate this March. xo
dear frances, well...since you already know how i feel, but agree with your friend elizabeth, an iphone will change your life. it doesn't have to mean you are more connected electronically, just more efficiently, if that makes sense. and it's true what carol said, you'll have a lovely camera always in hand. it took me convincing too, i love blogging. but i love instagram too, it's a wonderful source of inspiration for what ever your interest (and yes, there are a LOT of knitters).
ReplyDeleteand i do that with yarn scraps too, my grandma rose showed us when we were little!
Lori, thank you so much for your comment. You and Elizabeth are my main iphone encouragers!
DeleteIt does not at all surprise me that you are also a yarn scatterer. I guess that I wish that I could share this little exercise with a grandchild....
I've seen you've got a new post and will have a proper look when I get back from work this evening. xo
I'll just second Lori's comment. On Instagram I find it fascinating to look each person's collection of photos, there is always a distinctive colour palette. I'm having a little Instagram Lent pause and only posting when I do an entry in my Kraft paper journal - was meant to be daily but work has intervened somewhat xx
ReplyDeleteCelia, I promise you that all these lovely comments are very encouraging to me. I think that I am getting closer to taking the plunge.
DeleteIt's grand that you've got all the marvelous commissions on your 2015 calendar. Even if that work does compete for your time during Lent.
xo
sorry not to be able to help on the Instagram question, you must let us know how you go on in that department. I hear your snow is on the retreat and so spring must be with you soon if not now. I am sure the birds will put your wool to good use, maybe some insects too?
ReplyDeleteValerie, I will surely let you know how my instagram investigations progress. I remember how much research I did years back before buying my little Canon digital camera....
DeleteHelping birds with their nest building greatly amuses me. Hoping some birds will feel the same. Can birds be amused? xo
Hi Frances, I found your blog via Mise's blog - and will follow, because I like it. The idea to bring coloured strings into Central Park for the birds is lovely - reminds me of Mrs. Willmott, the great English gardener, who scattered secretly seeds of lovely flowers whenever she visited a park or lot.
ReplyDeleteBrigitta, thank you so much for visiting and following, too. I am looking forward to having a visit at your blogs, when I get back from work today. I often work weekends, and have the luxury of enjoying Mondays as days off.
DeleteThank you for reminding me of Mrs. Willmott. I'm glad to be sort of a kindred spirit.
Best wishes.
I can't wait until spring. It very nearly started here in London but we seem to be back to cold dreary weather. I haven't got an Instagram account but I find my smart phone invaluable, especially for impromptu photos.
ReplyDeleteKatharine, I appreciate your comment very much. Yes, Spring can be somewhat of a tease. Yesterday was a brilliantly sunny day, but the strong winds meant it was Cold, too. I was wishing I'd worn some gloves!
DeleteI don't really do Instagram as I don't have time at the moment for anything else but I do think an iPhone would change your life, I love my phone more than my iPad! I also love the idea of scattering wool for the birds, why have I never thought of that before?
ReplyDeleteSu, it's that time thing that makes me wonder if I would truly "get into" Instagram. Thank you for your words about iPhone over iPad.
DeleteHoping you'll do a little wool scattering (is that the opposite of "wool gathering"...the sort of daydreaming I often do) for your local birds. xo
I don't do Instagram either... Just another thing to make demands on my time at the moment. I have a lovely image of New York birds with fabulous colourful wooly nests!
ReplyDeleteGina, I do wonder about where any Instagram time might be borrrowed from. I guess we all do a lot of juggling every day without being too aware of the act.
DeletePerhaps your young embroiderers might have some thread scraps to offer the birds...or might even do some embroidery that involved multi-colored, multi-stitched, bird nests? I can see these in my mind's eye. xo
Hi Frances, how I love a flower stall, but am always spoilt for choice too! I don't do Instagram either for the same reasons of time constraints and not having the correct phone. Enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Parade - it sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your visit and comment. It's reassuring to find lots of folks are in the same place as I currently am, vis a vis phones and Instagram.
DeleteThe Parade will be fun...even if there's some light rain in the forecast for tomorrow morning. The Parade goes on for hours, so I think the marchers will also catch some sunshine.
I really must go out soon and see what there is in the markets and plant stalls and nurseries. All my tubs and pots look so sad and empty and if I can make a pretend spring I would love to start now.
ReplyDeleteBecause I walk around the garden and see so little in bloom I forget that there are places which force things along. Hope you can soon have a warm and happy day in Central Park.
Friko, last Friday was the first day in many weeks that any of the flower/plant stands had been set up in the farmers market. The below freezing temps had wisely kept them busy in their farm greenhouses. And so, it was a glorious delight to be greeted by lots and lots of glowing colors!
DeleteI think that we might feel the warmth of about 10 C here today...definitely perfect for a walk. xo
I looked at your last post and New York still looked cold. I hope spring will be arriving soon for you. Here our winter was mild as we only had one day of snow and no ice- I never had to de-ice my windshield this winter. Today we are supposed to go to 79 F! which is a bit high for the season, but many flowers are out and buds on trees. My mother always gave me a hyacinth plant for my birthday (end of March) but here they flower earlier in the month. I usually buy two or three hyacinth pots as their fragrance is so sweet – my white one is almost past its prime. I have been placing yarn, thread and other tiny bits of fabric for the birds for many years and hope they use them.
ReplyDeleteVagabonde, it's funny but that overcast day that I photographed the Park was much warmer than the sunny day that I visited the farmers market.
DeleteIsn't weather amazing in its ability to surprise us, hold our attention...and yet all in all, we humans continue to confound the global climate with our goings on...while protesting that ...it wasn't me.
The white hyacinths that I bought last week are coming into gradual bloom in a beautiful way, and donating that irresistable scent to the entire apartment.
I just knew that you would also be giving yarn etc. to the birds. How I hope that we will be able to meet up again this year. xo
Beautiful touches of spring Frances. Hope you will decide to join Instagram. I joined about a year ago and enjoy it very much. Unfortunately I cannot give you any advice on smartphones. I have an Iphone myself which I am really happy with.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a lovely St Patricks day!
Madelief x
Madelief, I thank you so very much for the Instagram encouragement. I am definitely leaning towards it and knowing that you are enjoying it helps me to make a decision.
DeletePromising to take some photographs of the St Pat's parade. Posting to follow hereabouts. Perhaps next year I will be Instagraming from the parade direct from Fifth Avenue.
xo
Very interesting blog. A lot of blogs I see these days don't really provide anything that attract others, but I'm most definitely interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know.
ReplyDeleteThe birds will thank you, Frances!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I love to have a pot or two of fragrant blooms at this time of year. Hyacinth is especially favoured! Soon there will be Lily of the Valley - one of my favourites!
Very informative, keep posting such good articles, it really helps to know about things.
ReplyDeleteAmazing blog and very interesting stuff you got here! I definitely learned a lot from reading through some of your earlier posts as well and decided to drop a comment on this one!
ReplyDelete