Saturday, May 21, 2016

City Views, Country Dreams

Good afternoon from New York.

Today is a cloudy Saturday, with rain promised for later today, and more rain tomorrow.  Fortunately, earlier in the week sunny days meant more pleasure could be found during some Central Park walks.


The recent rains have encouraged lots of grass and leaves to grow.  Spring breezes have blown blossoms from the trees.  I liked the pattern of pale lavender and yellow green on the lawn.


I could almost believe that I was not in the middle of New York City.  Lots of pedi-cab pedaling entrepreneurs were hoping for some patrons.


Park employees were busy with all sorts of maintenance.  Some of this work involved noisy machinery.


I know I have shown you all pictures of Bethesda Fountain before, but the scene is still pretty.


Just south of the steps down to the Fountain's plaza is this walkway beckoning us to stroll toward lots of green.  Folks have left their red bicycles by the railing; perhaps these bikes are for hire.  I don't know.


I strolled through that entrance way to another plaza to investigate whether I might find some wisteria still in bloom.


Yes!  There were still quite a few blossoms hanging from this arbor.


The wisteria that enjoys some shade was the part still in bloom.


I am still amazed to see the base of these venerable wisteria vines.  This one has the look of an underwater denizen.  


Here is one final glimpse of 2016 wisteria.  Isn't it lovely?


A few steps away, I saw another Parks worker doing some trimming.  The latest Ghostbusters film just had its NYC premier, and somehow I wanted to sing the title tune to the fellow in the following photograph.


I could not resist a photograph of this marvelous sky.


The horse drawn carriage trade was doing rather well.


The deep red of that single tree is so striking, particularly on a sunny day.


My Park walk had a specific destination on the east side.  I passed by the always beautiful flowers decorating the railings outside the Greek Orthodox Church headquarters.


Here is another view, giving you all a better idea of how extensive these plantings are.


In the past weeks I've been doing some drawing and watercolor paintings of flowers and thought it would be helpful to take a few close up views of these spring beauties.


I also like all the shapes of the leaves.


A bit farther along East 79th Street three strong, patient and skilled young fellows were transferring a large canvas in, or perhaps out, of a van.  There are several prestigious galleries along this block.  The former NYC Mayor lives just across the street.


My destination was not the Church HQ, or a gallery or the Mayor's home.  I was returning a book (Diana Athill's Live Alive Oh) to the library, and borrowing two more books, Graham Swift's Mothering Sunday and a volume including Edna O'Brien's The Country Girl Trilogy.

I am falling behind with some of my intended reading, because I have been steadily working on my knitting commission.  It is almost finished!

To take more advantage of the beautiful day, I also walked home, rather than taking the crosstown bus.


I'd not been in the Shakespeare Garden in about a month, and soon realized I had already missed lots of its prime spring show.  What a pleasure to see that the show was ongoing.  The quince blooms are favorites of mine.


A fellow blogger from another part of our shared world has told me that these agapanthus flowers can be invasive.  I am very glad that some have settled into Central Park.


It was great to see this fancy tulip had held on to its petals.


Various tall flowers stretching up into the midday sun kept to a close color harmony against the brilliant green.


It seems to be a very good year for ferns.  These were almost as tall as I am.  Truly.


Nice to have just that bit of pink accent peeking through the lattice work.


Soon, more iris will enter the stage, but this one had a starring role during my visit.


I took this picture just to indicate the density of the planting in the Shakespeare Garden's sloping area.  I was very glad to be able to encourage some international tourists to stroll through this area as I left it on my way home.  They were in for a treat.


Clouds continue to gather this afternoon.  I am glad to have an opportunity earlier today to get some outdoor errands done and also to visit the current Howard Hodgkin exhibit at the Madison Avenue Gagosian Gallery.  I've been looking at Hodgkin's paintings and prints for a long time, and am glad that he is still painting.  Colors interest me whether found in nature or in man made creations.

Now I must get back to my knitting commission while my head is full of color inspiration.

Thank you all for your visits and comments.  I am happy to welcome some new followers, too.  I am astonished to find that June is just around the corner.


44 comments:

  1. I think NYC must be the moveable feast. It is just gorgeous. The blooms are later there but oh so beautiful. It is such a treat to see NYC since I've never been. Were you born and raised there?

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    1. Donna, I was born and raised in Virginia, first in two small cities, and then in the suburbs of Richmond. I fell in love with NYC via books and movies, and visited for the first time in my senior year of high school, as one of the school newspaper's editors on the "journalism trip."

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  2. How wonderful to have such a fabulous walk to drop off your book. The church plantings were so lush and beautiful.
    Adore the Foxgloves. Such beautiful colors.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Thanks, parsnip. I like to show folks that it's not all steel, glass and concrete around here. xo

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  3. Another wonderful walk with you..

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  4. Frances,
    Even this old New Yorker finds amazement
    and wonder in your superb photography of our Central Park .
    My childhood memories of the area you visited illustrating us the Wisteria branches was a favorite place during the
    Second world war my older brother brought me to see the hundreds of pocket knifed
    engravings in the wood supporting those vines by visiting military servicemen.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment. Now I will have to remember to go back and have a look at that wisteria arbor...see if I can find the engravings.

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  5. How lovely to find the Wisteria still looking so pretty. Their roots are often huge as they get older.
    And those pansies! What a delight.

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    1. Yes, Elizabeth, it was great to discover that some Park wisteria still was in bloom.
      The plantings outside the Church headquarters are always remarkable, but this current design is particularly showy...in a good way. xo

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  6. Beautiful photo's of Central Park Frances. What an inspiring place to go for a walk. Especially now in spring time with the young leaves on the trees and first flowers.

    Have a good week!

    Madelief x

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    1. Madelief, May is a grand time for these Park walks. When June begins, the weather often suddenly turns much warmer, making walking over an hour not quite so much fun.
      I am sure you notice the same effect with your own garden! xo

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  7. How lovely to have that park so close. The wisteria roots are amazing, they must be so old.

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    1. I am so very lucky to be close to the Park, Su. During prior years of my life, I longed to be near such green spaces...not to mention the flowers!
      Yes, wisteria roots and winding vines fascinate me. I want to do some drawings soon. xo

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  8. Oh I love to see wisteria flowers. They are so pretty.
    Both my doctor and an old school friend have been in New York over the past week......how fun to think that they may have passed you on your walk.
    Hugs from The UK-x-

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    1. Sheila, your doctor and friend have picked a perfect time for their visit to NYC. It is entirely possible that our paths crossed. I often run into friends while I am out and about in various parts of the city, and realize that even a big city can be a small place in certain ways. xo

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  9. always lovely views from green side of Big Apple!!Have happy week

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    1. I always enjoy sharing some photographs that do show our green side. I am glad that you appreciate those views. xo

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  10. Wow..the rain has certainly brought some richly colorful surroundings to your area...amazing!!

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    1. All this green and colorful flowering is so, so welcome. It really does soften the city's sharp angles. Best wishes!

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  11. Makes me think I need to get up to Central Park soon!
    Haven't ben there since our post Breuer early spring lunch!
    Seems like a long time ago now!
    Yes, the pansies are bliss indeed! and a great color illustration.

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    1. Elizabeth, I thought of you when I took those flower pictures along 79th Street. The color mix is very good...the touch of Dusty Miller helps don't you think. Let's have another Park stroll soon...bet that the ice cream stand will be open by Memorial Day. xo

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  12. No matter where you live, city or country, there is nothing like spring to make our world look so much nicer.

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    1. I completely agree, and really appreciate anything that makes our world nicer. xo

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  13. The Central Park green belt is an oasis amid the the city buildings and I see it provides hours of happiness for New York dwellers!

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  14. Dear France's, I couldn't edit my comment, the new comments platform is not forgiving!
    I noticed the agapanthus blooming very happily and it may have been one of my posts you read about them being invasive and now considered a noxious weed here!
    I still love them and all the other blues like the wisteria and of course the magnificent jacaranda trees.
    So lovely for you to feel the sunshine and find inspiration for your knitting!
    Happy Spring
    Shane

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    1. Shane, thanks for persevering with the comments box. Yes, I am sure it was your agapanthus mention that I remembered on my Park walk.
      It's so much fun to see how spring's advances bring changes to the color scheme. Each change is a beauty, from the snowdrops all through the roses. I do try to absorb all the hues for my knitting. xo

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  15. Looking at your pictures it is hard to realise that you livein New York City.
    I love those gnarled roots - they look quite primaeval.

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    1. Weaver, as you probably guess, I usually just point and click my camera as I walk through the Park, without taking too much time to think about composition. When I get home and upload the pictures into the laptop I am often struck by just how much the Park allows us to have an escape into nature.
      I agree with you about those roots.
      Glad that your broadband is strengthening. xo

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  16. How beautiful and lush everything looks in May. As ever it is a pleasure to join you on a walk.

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    1. I think you would also enjoy a visit to that special library that was my East 79th Street destination. The Members Reading Room looks like something out of Agatha Christie.
      xo

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  17. Frances, I would love to rent a bicycle and glide through that park. I cannot fathom the size of the wisteria vine, it is massive and must have some serious age. The little blue flowers are what we call Spanish Bluebells here.. I DO hope they are invasive. I love invasive plants... they can always be moved to another garden. It will be lovely to see how you express the violas and pansies in your watercolors... you will show us?

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    1. Jeri, I am so glad you've enjoyed seeing the Park views...and also glad that I am able to visit your fabulous site.
      Bicycles may be ridden on the roadways that pass through the Park, and lots of times those roadways seem like bicycle raceways. The real meandering possibilities remain on the pathways just for foot traffic.
      Yes, that wisteria has been around for a while! I promise to show some watercolor flowers...when I do actually get my paints out again. xo

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  18. So much beauty! The wisteria is wonderful -- the Biltmore House has a similar trellis and I've tried (unsuccessfully) to convince my husband to build one for us.

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    1. Vicki, it's interesting to learn that Central Park's wisteria shares something with the wonderful Biltmore House. I've never been there, but am very glad to have seen it via your posts.
      I hope that your husband will yield to your requests and build a trellis. I find wisteria a very fascinating plant. xo

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  19. Frances, your 'Agapanthus' looks more like our Bluebells. See this - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Agapanthus_Postbloom.jpg

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    1. It's funny, in years past, I thought that this particular area was bluebells, but recently thought another area that blooms earlier are more like bluebells. I like them both, as blue flowers are so pretty. Another favorite is the forget-me-not.
      Thank you for the link!

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  20. How very lucky you are to have all that on your doorstep. Very lucky too to have a Hodgkin show to visit; he's a favourite of mine, although I've not met him.

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    1. The current Hodgkin exhibit is shown in one room, and most of the paintings are small. I liked the hanging arrangement. First I walked around the room to have a good look at each painting, and then went back to the front desk to pick up the check list with the titles of the paintings and took another walk around the paintings, having their names in front of me.
      Aside from a dark-suited security man, there was only one other person visiting the exhibit. As usual, some of the paintings were completed over several years; however, some were dated 2016.
      Best wishes.

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  21. It's been a plant week - I've been watching Chelsea on the TV and my sister was lucky enough to visit on Friday so could tell me what the gardens looked like for real. Having been fortunate enough to visit your city I can almost imagine your photographs for real - although not the warmth! My younger daughter and her husband have just discovered that the unpromising-looking branches on the side of their new home is a wisteria so they are delighted. And how lucky you are to have visited the Hodgkin exhibition. Cxx

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    1. Around this time every year we get a sudden rush of hot weather. Yesterday and today it was and will be around 30 C. Lots of rain tomorrow as a storm's leftovers move up the Atlantic coast, messing up some Memorial Day beach plans.
      I think that the Park will benefit from the rain.
      It's great that your daughter and son-in-law have wisteria! It would have been so good to have been able to visit the Hodgkin show with you and Tom. Best wishes to you all...happy sailing. xo

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  22. Hi Frances, your photos are absolutely stunning! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely tour. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)

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    1. Linda, thanks very much for your visit and kind words. Central Park is a such a gem right in the middle of Manhattan, and a pleasure to share. Hoping you will visit again.

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  23. New York is looking gorgeous and busy! Good to hear that you're planning paintings as well as your amazing knitting: retirement is suiting you and very well deserved it is too.

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