Hello, all. I had the best time in the city with my husband. It was only 24 hours, but we packed a lot in. Lunch, shoe shopping – we both needed better, more supportive shoes and I knew that Harry’s, up on Broadway around 83rd, is the best place to find them. Then we walked over to Central Park and sat there people watching. It was such a lovely day and there were so many people out there enjoying the sunshine.
Then back home for a bit and then to my now-favorite place. The Community Garden. If you remember, I mentioned that Don had signed up to get a key to the garden. It’s only accessible to the residents of two streets; 47th and 48th. I suppose that means between 9th and 10th, but I’m not sure about that.
Anyway, it’s pure heaven.
You unlock the gate and, suddenly, you are somewhere else in the midst of the noise and traffic in Midtown. It’s simply beautiful. This used to be an empty lot in the seventies, full of drug users and drug paraphernalia. It was transformed by volunteers and is nurtured by local residents who garden there, some of whom have individual plots or allotments within the garden.
Behind that gate are the individual plots maintained by local residents. I imagine there’s a waiting list to get a plot. I so wanted to get behind that fence, but you have to be accompanied by one of the plotholders, so I had to be content to peek through the fence.
The plots are very creative, some of them decorated by the individual gardener, some more utilitarian. I will get back there. I will.
While we were there on Monday and on Tuesday, several gardeners came and worked on their plots.
Back to the main garden.
Bee boxes.
We sat there, late in the day on Monday, for over an hour. It’s so extraordinarily peaceful. We watched little sparrows take dirt baths, which was fascinating. There are two videos up on my Instagram feed that you might like; the sparrows and a view of the garden from yesterday morning. Yes, we made sure to go back one more time before I had to leave.
Don only found out about the garden because he stopped to talk to a man who was planting flowers on a nearby playground. That led to a talk about gardening and the Community Garden and the man told him that during the upcoming weekend, volunteers would be giving keys to local residents. So Don got a letter from his company manager stating that he was a resident and he got a key. He knew he would love it and, bless him, he was pretty darned sure I would love it so much that it would make me like being in the city this spring and summer. He was right.
I took a lot of photos and I’ll take more someday soon with my big girl camera (these were on my phone.) I also really observed and have taken away several ideas for my gardens.
I can’t say enough about the garden. Living life in NYC is hectic and noisy and for residents to have the opportunity for respite, peace, and to dig and plant and nurture is a little miracle.
Happy Wednesday.
