In The Light at the End of the Day and April

In the light at the end of the day and April, I went out for a stroll at Hofstra and to play.

The tulips did not disappoint and neither did the soft green of new leaves up above in the canopy.

Georgia (O'Keeffe) On My Mind

Inspired by a recent conversation and some outrageous tulips posing as if they were peonies, I tried to see if I could conjure up my inner Georgia O'Keeffe.

"I'll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking the time to look at it" she wrote. "I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers." -- Georgia O'Keeffe

The Return of the Dogwoods and That Bright Ball of Fire in the Sky

On the last Friday in April, the sun finally made an appearance. The sky was blue for a welcome change of pace and the dogwoods were in bloom, as usual for this time of year.

Of course, our native dogwoods are something to see in bloom in any kind of light, if you were to ask me.  Are you asking?

                                                   Why even their backsides are pretty fine.

Late April Afternoon Weather Update: It's Still Partly Pink, Wet and Purple

 Looks a bit like a challenge has been thrown down to this morning's cherry blossoms.

                                 "Magic mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest one of all?"

Morning Weather Report: Still Wet and Pink

This morning's weather report sounds a little racy. Outside the window now it is wet and pink.

Late April Weather: The Sky is Gray and It is Raining Petals

April showers may bring May flowers, but yesterday's downpour brought some of April's flowers down.

Today Rhododenron flowers could be found underfoot, carpeting the ground and pavement.

Earlier this week, I watched as cherry tree blossoms were lifted off branches by the spring breeze. They drifted down to the ground, settling there for a moment almost like perfect snowflakes.

Upside down, if you asked me, their sepals were the stars of the show.

Are Turkestanicas Getting Trendy?

I felt like I was bumping into some old friends on a walk through Hofstra's grounds this week when I spotted Turkestanica tulips en masse bordering a sculpture and then tucked into all kinds of little spots as well.

Is this sweet species tulip I adore getting a little trendy these days or is someone at Hofstra also enamored by it? Either way is just fine by me.

Cloudy with Scattered Pink Petals

This morning the weatherman said it would be cloudy with some scattered pink petals. Tomorrow's springtime forecast? More of the same.

Another Day, Another Crush

Call me fickle I guess? I seemed to have developed yet another mad crush on an orange tulip I just met this morning.

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh you don't quite know what it is that you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" -- Mark Twain

Oh It's Love 4 Sure

I fell hard and fast for this sweet mutli-flowering tulip this morning. Be still my bleeding heart!!!

Unfortunately it wouldn't give me its name. So, I guess I will just have to hunt it down.

What's Leafing Out Now

The Japanese Maple on the corner is just one plant sporting some brand new leaves now.

While some peonies have grown, with new leaves unfurling and transforming from red to green in the last 10 ten days.

April Showers on Some April Flowers

Who needs to wait for April's showers to bring May flowers anyway when April is putting on its own fine show right now?

Not me!

If You Only Notice Them When They Are Blooming, You are Missing a Whole Lot of the Show

The oakleaf hydrangea, with its first soft green leaves of spring unfolding, is quite a long way from blooming. Some tulips on the other hand like those pictured below are on the cusp of blooming. They are all something to see even right now though.

Maybe There Should Be an Amelanchier Celebration?

Blooming spectacularly right now along with the much-celebrated cherry trees is a North American native beauty, the Amelanchier. Its blooms are at least as lovely a sight as the decorative cherry trees, but unlike those trees it will also produce some delicious berries. Native, decorative bark, plus delicious fruit for people in the know and birds: what's not to love about the Amelanchier?

Easter Summer

Usually Easter is celebrated in spring. However this year it fell on a Sunday that sweltered like summer, with only the spring flowers and colors to remind you that no it is still only early spring. I guess I also celebrated hanami on this summer Sunday, enjoying the temporal beauty of the cherry blossoms that welcome spring in Japan.

Looking Up Now and Down and All Around

As the cherry blossoms hang down en masse from above, closer to the ground, the peonies, in a different phase of growth, reach up towards the sun.

While at my feet, some 'Fire of Love' tulips emerge striped in a red and yellow so bright and surprising that I wonder if the name references these leaves now or the bloom yet to come.

Magnolia Moment(s)

It's the Magnolia's moment now. Not that I can remember a moment spent near one, in any season, where this plant hasn't captured my attention, but it is now in early spring that they bloom. 

I'm sure I will spend some more moments bewitched by Magnolias in colors other than white the next couple of weeks,  but these are a few moments captured this week.

Just Some Things Hanging Around in Early Spring Like the Pink Moon.

Yellow catkins on a 'Harry Lauder's Walking Stick' and the brand new leaves of a Weeping Katsura were hanging around in early April as the first full moon of spring, known as the Pink Moon, rose in the sky.

Guess They Call 'Em "Lent Lilies" for a Good Reason

This year in New York as Lent is ending, the daffodils bloom. It is impossible to ignore that spring is here now.

What a Difference a Week Can Make

Already you can tell this is going to be one of those weeks in spring where it will feel like everything you have been waiting and waiting for happens suddenly and all at once.  Of course this isn't really so. The signs of growth have been everywhere.