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Friday, April 30, 2021

Arbor Day 2021


I’ve had my dear crabapple tree (a detail from her foliage is featured in the image atop this entry) growing in my garden since March of 2016 and she continues to bring me pleasure. 

This year after a rough winter, she came back in March and I wrote about this fact here on Blogger. Moreover, I published another post about her this past Friday.

She is one of the the four trees growing in my place (the others are a Beech Tree, a Japanese Larch and a Japanese Red Maple).

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Facts About Sparrows (Wednesday's Wisdom)



The other day when I was on Broadway I noticed some tulips swaying in the wind, but it was not until I put my camera’s memory card in the computer that I noticed a young female House sparrow had been catching some rays alongside those flowers.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Tuesday's Truths WK 213: Lilies of the Valley can be deadly.

©PatriciaYoungquist2021.This image features the flowers known as Lilies of the Valley..

©PatriciaYoungquist2021.This image features the flowers known as Lilies of the Valley..

©PatriciaYoungquist2021.This image features the flowers known as Lilies of the Valley..

Lilies of the Valley (the flower type seen in the images directly above growing in front of a brownstone on the street where the building I live in is located), are not as innocent as they look, they can be deadly. 

I first was introduced to this flower type when my grandfather, seen in the picture directly below with a tree he had just planted.


His Lilies of the Valley grew alongside of the northern portion of his home which is off camera in this image. He might've been an influence in my liking trres and garden,s which is something I've discussed in one of my earliest posts here on Blogger.

I do not recall ever hearing about the dangers posed by Lilies of the Valley, but if you'd like to read about this phenomenon, dear reader, please allow me to refer you to an article published by The Spruce, and that dear reader, is my Tuesday's Truth for this two hundred and thirteenth segement.

Monday, April 26, 2021

71 Years Ago Today....


This essay, by E.B. White, which is featured in the text-based image above, was published by The New Yorker 71 years ago today. As a writer it truly speaks to me and I've shared it before here on Blogger but I've still yet to upend my desk.

Sunday, April 25, 2021

A Nod to Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day

Image credit: https://www.alternativephotography.com/worldwide-pinhole-photography-day-last-sunday-in-april-every-year/

It's the last Sunday in April, which means it's World Wide Pinhole Photography Day. Although I no longer use those types of cameras, they were a big part of the work I did a photographer in the 1990's. 

In 2019, I published a blog post about this holiday and my endeavors as a pinhole photographer. Within that entry, I also have included images of my photographs that were created with pin-hole cameras. If you'd like to see that post, please click here.

At this juncture photographically, my emphasis is on flora and fauna. My photographs of these subjects can be found within a number of posts on this blog  and some of them are also featured on my Pinterest Boards as well as Instagram

Moreover, my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak includes hundreds of images of flora and fauna.

This image features the front cover of my three volume book series, “WORDS IN OUR BEAK." Info re these books is in a blog post @ https://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2018/10/one-sheet-book-series-info.html
MY BOOK SERIES

The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. These books are directed to children and adults who are curious about birds (as well as gardening) want to learn about these topics from a unique perspective.

Saturday, April 24, 2021

It's the pits!

©PatriciaYoungquist2021. This photo features Daffodils catching some shade from the sun's rays from within a sturdy, masterfully crafted tree pit. I've published a number of posts re this flower type on this blog. They can be read @ https://bit.ly/3tU6ymA  I've also published posts which discuss tree pits and they can be read @ https://bit.ly/3nniZoH

In the photo directly above, a few daffodils are catching some shade from the sun's rays by being within a sturdy, masterfully crafted tree pit. CURBED reporter Diana Budds calls these structures "micro-Edens," but the city's parks department calls them "tree pits."

Friday, April 23, 2021

Remembering William Shakespeare


When I spoke by phone to my dear friend, VB,  I mentioned to him that we have had a lot of heavy rains this month which I found to disprove the adage,“April showers bring May flowers,” as our showers are taking nearly away chances of May flowers.

He responded by quoting a line from Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare (who died on this day in 1564): “Rough Winds do shake the darling buds of May.”

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Earth Day 2021


Earl and Mooch (from Patrick McDonnell's Mutts comic strip) as well as the prolific Mehmet Murat Ä°ldan sre spot on, for indeed "Wherever there are birds, there is hope."

For as discouraged as I might feel from time to time, whenever I see birds (such as the ones featured in the next sequence of photographs) in nearby Central Park, I feel more hopeful about most circumstances.








I also feel more hopeful about most circumstances when avian creatures spend time in the courtyard trees.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

I still need help. (Tuesday's Truths WK 212)

This past Saturday was phase three of my extensive, complicated, much needed dental procedure which I initially mentioned here on Blogger back in February and since that time have posted updates, the last one was on 4-7-2021.

In any event, as I stated, my procedure this past Saturday was phase three of the ordeal and although my time in the chair was much shorter, the procedure was awkward because something is going on with my gums near the area of the affected teeth and my malfunctioning bridge which have been involved.

So I'm not done yet. I have to return to the chair which is disheartening on one level, but it's good on another. This turn of events gives me a bit (a very little bit) of time to scramble for paid assignments and spread the word about my fundraiser.

That being said, last Saturday's appointment left me with a feeling of discouragement as well as a huge headache, so I took a brief walk in nearby Central Park.

During my stroll, I came upon an egret who was carrying a live fish in his beak as he flew across the pond to eat the creature. The following sequence of photographs is a "play by play" of the transport I witnessed. 

Upon my seeing this, I thought as bad as my day was going it was better than the fish who was in the grip of the egret's beak.

Sunday, April 18, 2021

Sightings in Theodore Roosevelt Park


"Adjacent to the American Museum of Natural History on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Theodore Roosevelt Park is rated one of the top five small parks in New York City," states a web-page.

Today I passed through there after dropping off my compost at the nearby greenmarket.

I came upon many lovely sights, including a squirrel.

Friday, April 16, 2021

Friday's Fact: Rainfall still doesn't deter birds from visiting my garden.

 

The first half of this month has certainly lived up to the adage re April having showers, however this year they could be taking away May flowers, as the rain has been more like torrents than showers. Flowers are falling off their stems as a result and flowering trees are dropping their blooms. Such heavy precipitation often begs the question, Where do birds go when it rains?

A number of interesting articles have been published about this, including one by Chipper Birds. As for me, I often know where they go because a number of songbirds spend their rainy days in my garden. This is something I mentioned in a recent post here on Blogger which includes a male cardinal visiting my place during a rainfall.

During yesterday’s heavy rain several species spent time in my place, including a Northern mockingbird and an American robin (the bird types featured in the photographs atop this entry).

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Thursday's Tale: Certain Central Park Tulips Now Have a Georgia O'Keefe Look


This is the first year that I do not have tulips in my garden as I was not able to plant new bulbs in 2020 because of the pandemic. In general, my tulip bulbs don't winter-over well even with my diligent garden winterizing. I truly miss having them this year but memories of my tulips sustain me. I have had such amazing varieties during the many years of my having a garden. Be that as it may when it comes to not having tulips in my garden this year, I have been able to appreciate them in tree pits as well as in Central Park. The tulip seen in the photo atop this entry is one I saw there five days ago.

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

When do my pictures say the words or when do my words paint a picture?

It is such an honor to have mockingbirds visit my garden (which one is doing in the image atop this entry), but today for my Wednesday Wisdom segment, I can't find the words to describe the feelings such visitors provoke in me.

Therefore, I will use the words that Henry David Thoreau used to describe when another bird type (a sparrow) how he felt visited his garden.

Here is what he said: “I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”

This quotation has been referenced in a number of my blog posts including one published on an anniversary of one of Thoreau's birthdays (July 12th 2017).

Usually I'm not one who is at a loss for words, which is a good thing since I'm a writer but today, when it comes to describing the feeling I had the other day upon seeing a lone mockingbird in my garden, I don't have much to say. 

Perhaps I'm thinking that my words about this have all been said by me (in prior posts) or have been said by writers whom admire.

Another possibly for lack of words might be due to the fact that I've taken a picture of what  I saw and it might suffice due to it being one of those picture says a thousands words things.

According to a web-page, "the idea that a picture can convey what might take many words to express was voiced by a character in Ivan S. Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons, 1862: 'The drawing shows me at one glance what might be spread over ten pages in a book.'"

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Daffodils: A contendor for NYC's flower + an inspiration to poets (Tuesday's Truths WK 211)


Welcome to my 211th segement of Tuesday's Truths, where I'm pointing out that evidently Michael Bloomberg, when he was mayor of NYC, wanted to designate daffodils, the flower type featured in the image directly above (which was taken in Central Park) to be our city's flower (the state flower is the rose). 

Monday, April 12, 2021

Ed O'Neill Has the Worst Celebrity Recognition Skills Ever? (If so, I'm a close second)

The photo atop this entry features a screen-shot from the You Tube video posted directly below.


In the video Ed O'Neill is on the Ellen DeGeneres show where she "acuses" him of having the "worst celebrity recognition skills ever," 

Apparently he earned the bragging rights for having the "worst celebrity recognition skills ever," upon being in a waiting room at an airport when he wass approached by Britney Spears, who wanted her picture taken with him. He, asuming she was just a young fan, agreed, but after Spear's photo-op (seen within the image atop the entry) went viral is when O'Neill learned the identity of the airport fan.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

April Downpours Did Not Deter Visiting Birds (YAY)!





Today's April showers were more like downpours and lasted from early morning throughout the night. Fortunately they not deter a number of birds from visiting my garden, including a Northern mockingbird, the avian creature featured in the photos atop this entry.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Northern Cardinals Love One Another





How special to come upon this lovely avian couple (the Northern cardinals featured in the images atop this entry) during a short walk in Central Park.

For years now, I have spent a lot of time there, but for a little over one year that has not been the case due to consequences of the coronavirus.

Friday, April 9, 2021

Friday's Fact: Today is the ninth day for National Poetry Month 2021.


It's Day 9 of 2021's National Poetry Month and as always, Odgen Nash (whose poem is featured in the text-based image atop this entry) has got this. I think of his poem often, and yesterday was far from an exception, upon my spotting a blooming tree (featured within the next sequence of photographs) when I was in Central Park.



I confess that I'm having trouble id-ing this beauty and plan to reach out to the Park's Department for help, but in the interim, any TLLG blog readers out there know the type of tree pictured here?

On another note I have a few trees in my rooftop garden, including a flowering one known as a Crabapple Tree.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

My Garden-themed Note-Cards


I received a notification from Fine Art America (FAA) that "someone" purchased my greeting cards and one of them, A NYC Rooftop Garden is featured in the image atop this entry. 

The other one, Echinacea Triplets, can be viewed in the  screenshot directly below.

FAA does not disclose the name of a given buyer but every now and then a buyer lets me know which is the case with GK, the woman who purchased these cards. She notified me that she had bought them and I'm grateful for the sale and that she took the time to let me know. GK and I met over ten years ago when Vivianne Tvilling (owner of äskling a boutique that was on the UWS for a number of years) had an event.

As for these particular cards, they feature views of my garden, which is the setting for my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak These are directed to children and adults who are curious about gardening as well as birds and want to learn about them from a unique perspective.



The stories are set in my garden and these books are narrated by a female cardinal whose picture is on the cover of each volume. 

They make a perfect gift anytime but especially during the Easter season which began on April 14th 2021 and lasts until May 23rd.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Rocking in the treetops? (I don't think so)



The bird (American robin) featured in the sequnce of photographs atop this entry is not exactly "rocking in the tree tops" nor is he "singing his song," but he seems to enjoy being in an Ailanthus, although not half as much as I enjoyed having him in my midst.

American robins are referenced in volume three of my book series, Words In Our Beak.


This is a photo of my three volume book series, "Words In Our Beak." Information re the books is another one of my blog  posts @ https://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2018/10/one-sheet-book-series-info.html
MY BOOK SERIES

The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. 

These books make a perfect gift any time but especially at Easter, the season began this past Sunday, April 4th and lasts until May 23rd 2021.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Easter Figurines are Re-reading "Words In Our Beak" (Tuesday's Truths WK 210)



For this 210th segement of my Tuesday's Truths series, I'd like to say I'm so thrilled that my Easter-loving friends (figurines) stopped by to re-read portions of my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak (which is featured in the photograph atop this post). 

Most everyone knows the Easter season is 50 days so they have plenty of time to re-read their favorite passages. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective.



The stories are set in my garden and these books are narrated by a female cardinal whose picture is on the cover of each volume. 

They make a perfect gift anytime but especially during the Easter season which this year lasts until May 23rd.

Monday, April 5, 2021

A Tale of a Pigeon Holding His Beak Open


This past June, I wrote (on Facebook) about an American robin with  an open-beak who was visiting my garden (that creature is featured in the image atop this entry) and I stated, "At first I thought he/she was a young American robin and holding his/her beak open in hopes of being fed. I thought this because the sweet-looking bird seemed to be looking around as he/she held his/her beak open. 

"Then I remembered that when it's hot (which it is today) some avian species will also resort to gular fluttering. The bird will open its mouth and “flutter” his/her neck muscles, promoting heat loss (think of it as the avian version of panting).

"But if truth be told, I don't know the motive behind my visitor's open beak, as he/she did not tell me. All I know is that the day is hot and an open beak is one way to beat the heat."

I did not see any birds with an open beak after that until last Saturday (4-3-2021) when I saw a pigeon with an open beak which had me concerned.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Meditation for Easter Sunday 2021


In addition to a lone American robin visiting my garden yesterday (4-3-2021), a pair of Mourning doves spent many hours here. They are featured in the image atop this entry.

I am comforted being in their presence which is not surprising, given the consensus is that this bird type "represents peace and safety. However, a pair of these doves, in literature, presents a picture of devotion, love, and friendship. The mourning doves are said to encourage healing, after one lets go of emotional baggage. They represent forgiveness, release, peace, and finally moving on, or forward."

I am certainly in need of healing physically (dental wise) but I’m also in need of emotional healing  (due to my feeling broken over re the actions of someone), so I welcomed these doves as well as any healing they can offer.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Holy Saturday 2021


It is such a blessing to be visited by a robin anytime but especially on Holy Saturday (which is today). Did you know that robins (the bird type featured in the image direcly above) are associated with a tale about the crucifixion of Jesus?

Friday, April 2, 2021

"....the thing with feathers that perches in the soul...."


TM, a woman who lives in Queens, sent me a copy of the photo seen atop this entry, which she took while on a walk. 

I guess she thought of me when she saw the chalkboard quotation because a few years ago (in March of 2019), I read a mediation by Dr. James Campbell ("In Praise of Pigeons") on Emily Dickinson's poem titled “Hope is the thing with feathers” and shared it with TM.

Part of Campbell’s meditation stated: "When I imagine that 'little bird' of which Dickinson wrote, I automatically think of the starlings and the sparrows of my Indiana childhood.  I might even imagine the colorful and aggressive blue jays or cardinals that I still enjoy watching. But when I think of hope and birds and bird songs, I never ever think of a pigeon...."

The meditation goes on to talk about the orator's experience with pigeons and he adds, "But those pigeons were persistent, muscular, determined....They never let me forget that they were there..." 

And he continues his thought re Dickinson's poem repeating the line, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune--without the words, and never stops at all…. But it’s not a delicate little bird, easily frightened away.  Hope is a New York City pigeon – persistent, determined, muscular, cooing at us even when we do not want to hear her song, reminding us that where we are today is not where we shall end.  The exiles will return. There will be justice and equity for the poor of the earth..."

More info can be found within another entry on my blog. Btw, pigeons and references to poems (including other ones by Emily Dickinson) can be found in my hard-cover book series, Words In Our Beak


This is a photo of my three volume book series, "Words In Our Beak." Information re the books is another one of my blog  posts @ https://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2018/10/one-sheet-book-series-info.html
MY BOOK SERIES


The goal of these books is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden (mine) in New York City, my story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. 

The books make a perfect gift for someone who may be in quarantine or lockdown due to consequences of the coronavirus because the stories in them can bring the outdoors into the homes of those who cannot go out (or should not) and about.

Thursday, April 1, 2021

April's Inspiration


I recently discovered the poem, "Spring," by Edna St. Vincent Millay, which is posted atop this entry, and because we are now in National Poetry Month, I'm calling attention to it, on some levels, it reminds me of what T.S. Eliot has said re the month of April, and it is posted directly below.

I've published posts re Eliot's quote including ones from 2019, 2018 and 2011 and because I'm familar with his darker interpetation of what this month means, I wasn't surprised to read the words of Edna St. Vincent Millay when it comes to April.

However, I wonder if E.B. White might've been surprised to hear her words about this month, given what he wrote about this poet in his mini New Yorker essay, "WRITER AT WORK" (published in 1927).