Thursday, April 14, 2016

City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

I've been taking quite a few walks through Central Park recently, and would like to share some of those city views with you.

First of all, I wish to honor a spring tradition of showing the tulips blooming in the planted areas in the middle of Park Avenue.


These tulip photographs are specially taken for Merisi whose blog Vienna for Beginners is a treat.


Yellow cabs and yellow tulips and yellow traffic lights with luxury buildings as a background.


Walking back through the Park on my way home, I had to take some pictures of pink flowers with blue sky behind.


The brilliant green lawns looked quite good, too.  Young children were perfecting their walking skills


Some trees were flowering in a deeper rose.


Over at Bethesda Fountain, wedding portrait photography was underway.  Row boats were sailing in the lake.


Here is another view of the same area, just to show you all how lush the Park can become as spring takes hold.


Pretty blue flowers have taken over from the daffodils that were flowering here last week.


Tulips were at full bloom...very large blossoms.


I came home, and baked some cookies for my former workmates at the shop.


I made simple brown sugar butter cookies, and had a bit of fun creating some tracks along the flour left after the first batch of cookies was baking in the oven.


Here's another photograph of a mid-baking session moment, and now here's a photo of the cookies ready to be carried down to the shop.


It was lovely to see my buddies and to thank them again for the swell farewell party they gave me.

Tomorrow is my cousin's birthday, and I've mailed her the following little watercolor birthday card I painted a few days ago.


Earlier today, I took another walk across the Park and made my return walk via a stretch of fashionable Madison Avenue.  I do love the fanciful dresses on display at Morgane Le Fay.


In the bright midday sun shadows cast by the painting on the window repeated the window message below.  I wish my photograph were more clear.


Gorgeous hellebores caught my eye as I passed by a very elegant Upper East Side townhouse.  Aren't these colors subtle?


Just across the street from the subtle hellebores is another scene filled with bright light and sharp angles.


Nearing the Park again, the view of model boat pond is filled with gentle, muted colors.


I like the patterns of the sidewalks on the Central Park side of Fifth Avenue.  Lots of inspiration here for some knitting.


Daffodils are still blooming in certain parts of the Park.


Park gardeners had left their tools behind while taking their lunch breaks.


Motor vehicles are allowed access to some of the Park's roadways.  I imagine that the drivers of these taxis are glad to see some natural beauty.





No motor vehicles are allowed on this tranquil pathway.  I wish that you could also hear the bossa nova saxophone music being played nearby.


I smiled to see this large cluster of dandelions blooming on the edge of the Sheep Meadow.

This following photograph of a Central Park West apartment building window was taken just for the Weaver of Grass, whose blogs have been showing us wonderful bird nests in the Yorkshire dales.


If you look carefully in the triangular space just behind the air conditioner unit, you will see...a bird's nest.  I was attracted to it by birdsong I heard walking past the building.  I stood very still and waited a while, and then actually saw the singing bird pop back into the nest.

As you all can see, I'm really enjoying these early days of my retirement.  Thank you all for your visits to my blog and for your kind comments.  It's a pleasure to share this time of transition with you all.

55 comments:

  1. Thank You again for the most beautiful walk. All the flowers in bloom so lovely, it really must be spring in New York. We are in spring that is running fast into summer. Fire warning for Friday all over southern Arizona. It is too early !
    I love the Hellebores. I do not know this flower. I am sure I have seen them before because they look familiar. They are just beautiful. The hidden nest is so sweet.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Parsnip, it's fun to get lots of good exercise outdoors during this brilliant weather. The Park walkways are very up and down and all around, so it's very different walking there from walking on the grid of city sidewalks.
      Hoping you will get some more rain. The early fire alert is alarming.
      Hellebores do come in varying shades, but I thought that these were exceptionally pretty. xo

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  2. I love all your photos, Frances, but your little watercolor and those cookies are the best. What lovely gifts! And the sky is so blue! Enjoy your spring.

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    1. Thank you very much Carol. It's just these sorts pursuits that are now more possible with my additional time. xo

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  3. Wonderful, Frances, just wonderful! You will see, this utter excitement of having time just for what you love, is priceless! I love the picture of all those pink tulips particularly. And the nest in the balcony :-).

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    1. Bayou, the size of those tulip blossoms was huge! I was so lucky to see them at their absolute peak performance! xo

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  4. That was a lovely sunny, relaxed an happy blog post!

    Your former colleagues are in for a treat with those pretty cookies :-)

    Celia xx

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    1. Oh Celia, those cookies were gobbled up pretty quickly. I have to drop by the shop to collect the empty container so that I will be able to bring them some more cookies next month.
      I'm having a very fine spring! xo

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  5. New York is looking lovely through your lens. But especially lovely is your little planted jug painting.

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    1. It is an amazing time of the year around here, Lucille! I love painting these little watercolor cards, putting together bits from my sketchbook pages. xo

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  6. Frances, how lovely to see the prunus trees in blossom, one of my favourite seasons is blossom time. The yellow tulips are very dazzling!
    The colours of the Hellebores reminded me of your knitting wool colours!

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    1. Elizabeth, what a joy it would be to take one of these springtime Park walks along with you. I know that I would learn so much from you about all the plants!
      I agree with you about the colors of the hellebores. xo

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  7. What a beautiful walk and how lovely to see all the flowers in the sunshine. Your little painting is a delight Frances. Lucky work mates getting those cookies too!

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    1. Gina, I think I am truly benefitting from having just a few more minutes of sunlight added to each passing day. (However, I am still keeping that down coat at the ready.)
      Those cookies are my favorite basics (from a vintage paperback The All New Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking School Cookbook. There are all sorts of suggested variations to the basic recipe. Perhaps you know this book?
      xo

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  8. Replies
    1. There are so many wonderful sights to try to capture at this time of the year. xo

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  9. Colour is arriving everywhere and so welcome after the monochrome days of winter. I love your painted card - there is definitely a future hobby for you there Frances. So glad you are enjoying having more time x

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    1. Thank you Marianne. These painted cards are my light-hearted paintings. I am attempting to get warmed up again to be able to return to my "real" artwork. Ages ago, I did aspire to serious painting, did exhibit drawings and prints, and have works in some collections. All that fell a bit by the wayside as I tended to supporting myself financially through other means. xo

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  10. Love to go on walks with you Frances. I bet residents really enjoy all those plantings and nature in the city. Love your card.

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    1. Donna, there are quite a few large and beautiful parks in greater New York, but I feel incredibly fortunate to live close to Central Park.
      It was fun to paint the little card, playing around with a newly purchased brush. Sometimes a new brush can be a good catalyst. xo

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  11. Dear Frances, for various reasons I've been away too long. Belated congratulations on your retirement - I love the photograph of you outside your former workplace on your last day. It sounds as if you had a wonderful send off. What really comes through in these posts though your obvious pleasure in your new freedom and your delight at having the time to be even more creative. I've really enjoyed catching up with you, Cxx

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    1. Chris, the sense of freedom continues to blossom, I am also finding much more time for the pleasures of reading! xo

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    2. Ah, lovely! I had a huge 'readathon' on holiday and very much enjoyed it! xx

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  12. My favourite picture is the one with the yellow taxis, the yellow traffic light, the yellow flowers, and the apartment block. I think you probably already know that Frances! Rachelxx

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    1. Yes, Rachel, I did think that you might like that photograph. I waited on the southeast corner of Park for a while, waiting for a stream of yellow taxis to enter the frame...and then, there they were. Click! xo

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  13. a beautiful and peaceful walk through your amazing city! Thanks for taking us along! I love seeing all the flowers. And the tall buildings!

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    1. Being able to walk through the Park when most folk are elsewhere at their workplaces is a treat. On weekends, the Park can be quite crowded and noisy. That can also be fun, but perhaps not relaxing. xo

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  14. It was the depth of colour of the blue Muscari that caught my attention, it almost shimmers.

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    1. I agree with you about the shimmering Muscari...they were even more dramatic as a slight breeze blew through their gathering. Really lovely! xo

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  15. Lovely to read all your recent activities now you are in retirement and free to choose how you spent your days. New paintbrushes and sketch book and the pretty painted card, knitting, baking and visiting exhibitions.
    Of course time to wander and walk through the city and park,how beautiful the flowers are and the trees as the blossom appears. Springtime certainly looks so bright and cheerful for everyone to enjoy. Enjoy each day x Milly

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    1. Dear Milly, I am so happy to be able to convey the pleasures that I have been having enjoying each of these spring days. A new dimension has definitely been added to my days. What's also grand is that new opportunities are still opening up. xo

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  16. So thrilling!
    What a lovely treat for all of us!
    Yes, very yellow on Park Avenue.
    Your water color painting must have delighted your cousin.
    Buster sends warmest greetings!
    x

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    1. Elizabeth, hasn't this been a gorgeous Spring week?
      Yes, my cousin did love the painted bouquet.
      Best wishes back to Buster.
      Also, my brother J is now undergoing something similar to R's treatments.
      See you soon! xo

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  17. I love your post of spring in NYC! So nice to see the tulips on the blogs all over the world. We bloggers love the same things, so funny to see:)

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    1. Jolanda, thank you so much for your lovely comment. Sometimes I am reminded of the Harry Potter sorting hat, when I realize how we bloggers really do find friends in places both near and faraway.

      Tulips are fantastic! xo

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  18. I knew it, my friend, that as soon as you retired we'd all suffer from jealousy looking at your wonderful pictures of cherry blossom, fabulous architecture - and the buildings are almost as good as the birds nest too - ;-) and then you really rub our nose in it with your lovely biscuits. Good heavens woman! there is no end to your talents and I just wish I could taste your biscuits...they look scrumplicious as my youngest used to say. I love the obvious contentment in retirement that is showing through your words. Long may you continue to enjoy yourself xx

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    1. Irish Eyes, you do make me laugh! Thank you for all those very kind words. Beginning my retirement days during the arrival of Spring was a very good idea. I am feeling a harmony between my own transition and what nature is demonstrating with each new day.
      I do hope to be a more frequent blogger as part of the mix.
      (After lunch with a dear friend today, we went for a lovely bird watching stroll through a part of Central Park I don't usually visit. Sorry not to have taken my camera along, so there are no pix of birds taking energetic baths in a sparkling spring.)
      Next time. xo

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  19. Lovely spring views...a lot of green corners in a very big city as New York!!I love tulip especially yellow ones like the taxi!!I think your bisquits are so good!!You capture nice lovely view of nature really compliments!!

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    1. Gabri, I do like showing those of you who live far away from NYC that it is not only busy streets and hard sidewalk pavements.
      It was fun to return to baking. I expect to be making more cookies, or even a cake, soon.
      xo

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  20. A lovely post again Frances...springtime in NY looks really nice! Love your pictures from the city.
    Have a great week, take care!
    Love from Titti

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    1. Thank you, Titti. It is so much fun getting outdoors during this splendid time of the year. So far, no hay fever sneezing either.
      xo

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  21. Lovely springtime post! I enjoyed your blue sky pictures, the lovely flowers and blossom! Your little painting is beautiful and the cookies look delicious...so nice to see you enjoying your retirement Frances.
    (I also really enjoyed reading your circus memories on my post too....so evocative). Happy week and have lots of fun!
    Helen xox

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    1. I appreciate you comment very much Helen. I am going to be doing much more painting. It's now warm enough to even taken my sketchbook over to the Park.
      I thought you'd like my childhood circus memories...they are the sorts of memories that I wish every child could have. xo

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  22. Hi Frances,

    We have all your beautiful painted cards over these many years you sent, I hope to
    one day scan them all ,all together a kind
    of visual time capsule of your fine drawings of teacups and lately flowers.

    The park looks swell we will be there this
    Saturday for the annual Parkinson's disease
    walk for the cure at times we have added an
    additional 10 thousand folks to our parks
    population from Parkinson's communities world wide.

    Good wishes,

    K & M

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    1. Oh, thank you, dear friends.
      Hoping that this Saturday's event will be a huge success! xo

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  23. I'm enjoying your many-faceted retirement! You have time for the big picture as well as the little, often unremarked details. Well done!

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    1. Vicki, I am having such a great time, exercising my mind and body, and doing lots of stretching. Perhaps I will grow and inch! xo

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  24. It's lovely to read of how you're enjoying these early days. Your photos are lovely, as always. The hellebores are especially beautiful and seem to be in a colour I've never seen - perhaps it is the beautiful light.
    The water colour for your lucky cousin - exquisite!

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    1. Dear Pondside, I appreciate your kind words very much. Those hellebore flowers did have unusual colors, and looked just like my photograph. At first I thought they might have been artificial, but no, they were naturally lovely.
      My cousin did like the painting...turns out that blue and yellow are her favorite colors. xo

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  25. The birthday card you painted for your cousin is so elegant. What a lovely gift! xoxox

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  26. Thank you for those kind words! xo

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  27. Glad to hear that you are enjoying your new freedom. I love your little painting, it will be treasured I am sure. My nephew is over in NYC for a few days, I am very envious especially as Spring has arrived in Central Park.

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    1. Val, I am having fun doing some playing with my watercolors. My cousin did like that card. Hoping your nephew will have a grand NYC visit...this is a good time to walk around the city. xo

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  28. Thank you, Frances, for returning to these beautiful tulips on Park Avenue and beyond! I am always looking forward to see them again, such a delight!
    Such a lovely birthday card, too. And yes, I spotted the nest!

    Thank you again, much love,
    Merisi

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    1. Merisi, I now think of those tulips along Park Ave. as Merisi's tulips!

      xo

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