WATCHING and WANDERING

Monday Morning

.

Noon

After Evening Meditation at my Zendo,
I Wandered West to the Hudson River

arriving just after Sundown.

The horizon was not tilted, I was.

I walked from West 23rd along the water,
crossed over the highway to 34th Street...

...and caught a bus back East to home.

Tuesday Noon
These six Portulacaria Afrans are still rooting. I move them outside when the sun is warm on the sill...

...and return them inside as the sun drifts West.
.

Wednesday Morning
When I woke today, my first thoughts brought the memory of my Mother, telling me about the legacy she had arranged for my brother and I and who she choose as executor. We were having lunch at a nearby place and I recall how I protested the topic, not realizing then that she was preparing me for her death, that a recent diagnosis had spurred her to prepare for what did follow only a scant few years after. I had a nostalgic weep, then went to my front window and took this shot of the tree I love bathed in light. Back in the early seventies, neighbors and I raised money for one tree because the City had promised to plant ten if we did. We planned and mounted the home grown street fair on our block and were successful. A few of those originals still stand. This is one.

Evening
At the Zendo
 
Old friends have returned with the good news that they will be moving to Tuscany forever later this Summer.
 
A storm is brewing outside tonight.

WARM SATURDAY SOJOURN

Mural seen
from the third Avenue bus near 100th Street

 Noticed while waiting for the 106th Street crosstown

 (what used to be)

 Now is...

 My early Spring visit is just the first of many because these Gardens change their visage every week with the progression of Seasons

The Conservatory Gardens

Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Street is Central Park's six-acre formal garden. It is divided into three smaller gardens, each with a distinct style: Italian, French, and English. The Italianate center garden is composed of a large lawn surrounded by yew hedges and bordered by two exquisite allées of spring-blooming pink and white crabapple trees. A 12-foot high jet fountain plays on the western end of the lawn, backed by tiered hedges and stairs that lead up to a wisteria pergola. On the walkway under the pergola are medallions inscribed with the names of the original 13 states.

 The northern, French-style garden showcases parterres of germander and spectacular seasonal displays of spring tulips, and Korean chrysanthemums in autumn, all within an ellipse of Japanese holly. 

In the center is the charming Three Dancing Maidens fountain by German sculptor, Walter Schott

Pansies at the ready...

 ...some planted.

To the south is the very intimate English-style garden.
There are five mixed borders of trees, shrubs and perennial plants, and five seasonal beds featuring spring bulbs that are followed by annual flower displays. A slope of woodland plants lines the western edge of this garden. At the center is sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh's lovely Frances Hodgson Burnett Memorial Fountain, a tribute to the author of the children's book, The Secret Garden. The children — a girl and a boy, said to depict Mary and Dickon, the main characters from the classic — stand at one end of a small water lily pool.

 A beautiful curve of hedge

Other plantings include one Daffodil

among the many Narcissus blooms

Lenten rose

Lovely old Willow that had to be topped in the last storm
(Imagine it twice as high)

There are ducks and Geese on the lake

Random scenes

 *

 *

~*~

The Garden's main entrance is through the Vanderbilt Gate, on Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets. This magnificent iron gate, made in Paris in 1894, originally stood before the Vanderbilt mansion at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street.

I left at sundown

Home at 8PM
~*~

LINKS
Magnificent photographs of All the Plants
https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89c2f61c3c27bd87%3A0xdb3f4fd3118f45ec!2m22!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m16!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2!1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!2m2!1m1!1e6!3m1!7e115!4shttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.centralparknyc.org%2Fthings-to-see-and-do%2Fattractions%2Fconservatory-garden.html!5sthe%20Conservatory%20Gardens%20NYC%20-%20Google%20Search&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipPLS7-vgw9kSLi5MffNdjqrXaUDtWKiXIk5Q2RQ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy2cDD_7zaAhWmq1kKHYoXCpsQoioIvwEwCg

Conservatory Garden Home

http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/conservatory-garden.html

WANDERING IN THE DARK

It occurs to me that in this City, it is not unusual for an old woman to be seen out and about at Midnight accompanied only by her cane, whereas in many communities it would be like wearing headlights. Hence, when restless, I often walk around Gramercy park several times. Manhattan is a 24 hour/seven days sort of locale. Last Friday night, at 8 O'clock I traveled across 23rd Street by bus to the High line at 10th Avenue to wander uptown on the new extension that goes all the way to 34th Street.

How it used to be...

History at the end gate which will eventually extend out into the Hudson Yards. From here the City looks remote like a scene from a movie.

Along the way, the last of Summer was in evidence against a backdrop of old buildings.

For all the wonders of the High line, it is only right to acknowledge the disruption, loss of privacy and neighborhood that many long time residents experienced during it's construction and continue to experience with the constant flow of tourists and City residents, both old and new, who are enjoying the Park seven days and nights per week. Those of you who have read the blog 'Jeremiahs Vanishing New York' will not be strangers to the devastation it has caused.

None the less, there are very beautiful native grasses...

going to seed.

Asters still blooming

Sweet (intoxicating) Phlox

and Honeysuckle Vine

 I took few pictures actually, there were so many buildings still under construction  towering over me I found myself just looking up, feeling enclosed, oppressed by the cranes and shiny steel.  I did, however sit a while at a stage where the performance from four PEN authors had taken place. I missed it but spent time with tourists pointing out plants and helping them get good photographs with their I-Phones. I exited on to 11th Avenue and strolled back slowly to 23rd street catching a last shot of this woman.

LINKS
Jeremiahs Vanishing New York
Listen to a half hour Interview
http://www.wnyc.org/story/jeremiah-moss
Faceook
https://www.facebook.com/Jeremiahs-Vanishing-New-York-224773690470/ 

RECENT PHOTOGRAPHS

REVIEW

Chronological order

Friday

False alarm on East 15th Street
(Three trucks and many men in full gear moving fast)

Saturday
 Another major rehabilitation begins on East 23rd Street

 Some of my Neighbors early Saturday morning

Sunday Walk
Fairy Flowers
blooming on a tree at Gramercy Park
(shutter didn't open completely, and name escapes me)

After shopping for incense in Little India

a neglected empty lot on 28th Street

Berrying vine over the pine tree

Four-o-Clocks and more still thriving

Location

Next door, in the parking lot back of Epiphany school

 Hidden Mary on a bright day

"Mary at Midnight"
(manipulated photograph)

Monday

heading to Writing Group

Planter on 2nd at 22nd Street

 Tickseed

(?)

Clouds like Mountains

 Heading home
"Yuko" and "Ramda" posed when I admired the t-shirt
(bus stop on First Avenue at Houston)

Tuesday
Drawing from 2000 and the photograph it's based on.
"Hanuman"
(bought all these monkeys to give away at a satsang--"a Sanscrit word, meaning "to associate with Truth")

 Other Art Pieces
A 'sun' filled corner on a dark day

 Cheerful Rose

WEDNESDAY
At the zendo for Practice
Birthday Cupcakes

 Symbol

 Hand sewn

 ~*~