Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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The Community Garden

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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.

Search Day

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The bus trip to Manhattan was on time and smooth as silk, even with snow blowing everywhere. By the time I started the schlep to the apartment, snow and sleet were coming at me horizontally. A very strange weather day, which, as we left for dinner, ended up looking like this:

Go figure.

We spent the afternoon together and then had a bite to eat with Rick. Then it was off to the theater for Don and back to the apartment for me.

I did not have a good night’s sleep, however. The people upstairs seem to walk endlessly in the apartment and I can hear every heavy clomp of their feet. Even with our white noise machine on. And then, this morning, a truck on the street below started unloading at 6 am. I’m not a happy camper. While I love NYC, having someone above us and noise on the street below is hard to adjust to and I’m never here long enough to get used to it.

But I’m here with my dearest and we’re drinking coffee and all is well. Soon, I’ll get ready for the ‘search.’ I’ll be headed to Macy’s because it’s huge and they have everything there. I’d like to be efficient about the whole thing.

Because shopping is not my favorite thing to do.

Don has two shows today, so it’s a perfect day for me to go off and find something to wear.

Bravo to the students who are walking out of school today for 17 minutes – one for each student killed with an assault weapon.

Bravo to Conor Lamb who won the election in PA last night.

And RIP to Stephen Hawking. Such brilliance is fittingly home again among the stars.

Happy Wednesday.

Enough Already

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For heaven’s sake. Enough already.

We’ve now had three nor’easters in less than two weeks.

The only thing saving me from screaming my head off is that I’m leaving for NYC today. That means I don’t give a fig about plowing the driveway or shoveling the snow. In fact, I told our plow guy not to bother. Much of it will be gone by the time I get home.

I’m over it.

There are people who have not had power for almost two weeks and just got it back. Mother Nature, your little joke isn’t funny.

Anyway, I’m writing a quick post because I have to pack and get ready to head into the city. Let’s hope the buses are on time.

I want to see my husband. Today. No ifs, ands, or buts.

I’ll have more tomorrow, which has been officially dubbed “The Day Claudia Searches Frantically for Something to Wear.”

Happy Tuesday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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