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).

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.”

Out like a lion?

Today, in NYC, March is kind of going out like a lion, albeit not all that of a ferocious one, just chilly and rainy. But — as evidenced in photos atop this entry — she is leaving behind some colorful buds bursting from my crabapple tree. Buds are also appearing on my other trees as well as my shrubs and they are appearing on my kiwi vines as seen in the next set of pictures.

I have had my kiwi vines for 11 years! They have bragging rights for being featured in my first garden-themed movie, The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame....almost. 

It can be viewed on Vimeo and/or You Tube. Moreover as some of you may know, my garden is the setting for my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak. 

MY BOOK SERIES

My stories are 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. 

Tu B’Shevat 2021

Just four days ago on January 24th 2021, I published a blog post (where I included a copy of the snapshot above this entry) in which I discussed my maternal grandfather's apppreciation for trees, something I seem to have inherited.

Then last night I had a conversation with a neighbor (LS) about the recent vandalism which occurred in my building and my roof extension garden, I mentioned that a main concern I had experienced during that crime was for the birds who visit my place and who have enjoyed the trees that I have planted over the years.

Knowing my love for trees, LS kindly told me that Tu B’Sheva had begun at sunset then explained that it would end at sunset tonight (1-28-2021). She went on to say Tu B’Shevat (or the birthday of all fruit trees) is s a minor holiday.

My knowedge of many aspects of Jewish holidays is minimal, even though I have a somewhat famous paternal Jewish ancestor, Rosa Sonnenschein, whom I've written about on this blog and who is featured in the image below).

After I spoke with LS, I did some research. I learned (from a writer re Jewish learning who calls him/herself MJL) Tu B’Shevat's name "is Hebrew for the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shevat. In ancient times, Tu B’Shevat was merely a date on the calendar that helped Jewish farmers establish exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple as first-fruit offerings." 

Now, honor of Tu B’Shevat, I will share photo-ops of birds enjoying the trees in my garden (during by gone years and at this present time).

I will also include photographs of them enjoying the Ailanthus Trees in the courtyard and trees. I will start with the trees that are no longer with me as a way of honoring their memory.

A Recent Visit

HOUSE FINCHES HAVE A BACKSTORY IN VOL 1

HOUSE FINCHES HAVE A BACKSTORY IN VOL 1

HOUSE FINCHES HAVE A BACKSTORY IN VOL 1

I have only been able to take a couple of walks in my nearby parks since March (2020) because the coating on my lenses of my prescription lenses has worn off and replacing them is out of my financial reach at this time.

Unfortunately since the coating is damaged, my glassses steam up constantly when I wear  a face-mask and I can't see where I am going which is very frightening.

I have tried many "home remedies" to prevent the steaming but because the issue has to do with the coating, my battle is endless.

Moreover, due to the fact that I fell last January (which resulted in my  breaking my Greater tuberosity), I am feeling vulnerable when it comes to the prospect of falling, SOOOO... I have had to stay at home more than I would like to, and I miss the parks!

Therefore, my spirits were lifted the other day when I discovered that a lone male House finch was spening some of his time perching on the branches of Ailanthus trees in the courtyard (as evidenced in the imagess atop this posting).

An Update Re My Crabapple Tree ETC

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WIOB"

So thankful that JV was able to come over yesterday and help me with my crabapple tree that topped over during severe winds that occurred in early April, which I wrote about on Blogger at the time. The "repaired" tree can now be seen on the left hand-side of the image (featuring a partial view of my garden) atop this entry.

It's so great to report the fact that my crabapple tree is now standing upright on her own (just to the north of my bouncer).

Severe Weather Did Not Stop Session 19 (Tuesday's Truths WK 171)

MY ROOFTOP GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

A massive storm pounded New York City Monday (April 13 2020) morning and afternoon with heavy rain and speedy gales that caused flooding and power outages across the five boroughs.

Because my crabapple tree toppled over this past Friday and no one can come to help me tie it to the railing until our lockdown is over, I secured it by placing a couple of my garden chairs around it (as seen in the image atop this entry).

Crabapple Blossoms

MY ROOFTOP GARDEN

The other day (Tuesday, 4-7-2020) in a post on my personal Facebook (FB) Page, I mentioned that I had just remembered that April is National Poetry Month and shared a Mary Oliver, then I made a commitment to post a poem (or lines from a poem) every day (on Facebook) during this month.

Because a strong wind knocked down my crabapple tree last night (as see in the photo atop this entry photo which was also included in a posting story in my Friday evening Facebook post on my business page, I've decided today would be a good time to share the poem Crabapple Blossoms, by Carl Sandburg.

JULY 30th: That was the day that was! Tuesday's Truths WK 138

IMAGE CREDIT

Two weeks ago (July 30) in my 136th segment for my Tuesday's Truths series, I stated, "....As for my completing my projects, my work was truly disrupted by an unexpected major upheaval in my rooftop garden and at this time, I cannot even write about it, but I will do so in a few days, dear reader, after I've had time to deal with today's unfortunate situation..."

Now, before too much time passes, I'm using this week's Tuesday's Truths "episode" to catch up where I left off in that posting and tell you a little bit more about that unfortunate situation, which for now (and hopefully for the long term been resolved).

The situation I referred to in my July 30th entry is the fact workmen showed up on that day to replace the building's gutters (a repair that had been long overdue) under my rooftop garden (which is atop a roof extension). Their plan had been to attach a ladder to the railing around my garden, remove the old gutter and replace it.

Pink Coloration in Nature

Yesterday when I was at the Samuel Untermyer Fountain (which is located within The Conservatory Gardens) in Central Park, the pink flower seen in the picture atop this entry caught my attention. This isn't surprising because ever since this past National Pink Day, I've noticed how often the color pink can be found in many types of flora as well as fauna.

Exits and Entrances Reprised from 2011 (Tuesday's Truths WK 124)

A copy of the Mutts comic strip that's posted atop this entry was in my In Box this morning causing me to recall a joke that I heard a few years ago:

Q: If an April shower brought a May flower; what did the May Flower bring? 
A: Pilgrims!

But if truth be told, imho, April showers take away May flowers and I've mentioned my observation re this occurrence in prior posts here on Blogger. Welcome to the 124th segment of my Tuesday's Truths series...

NYC has been receiving heavy rains for several days now and many of the tulips in my garden that I wrote about in this past Tuesday's blog post (where I included photographs of them) have lost their petals.

Friday in the Octave of Easter & Arbor Day

Today is Friday in The Octave of Easter; and because it is the last Friday in April, it is also Arbor Day. I've always appreciated Patrick McDonnell's (creator of the Mutts comic strip) "take" re this event and have posted a copy of it atop this entry. As you can see, McDonnell's characters Earl and Mooch seem to know how much birds appreciate trees as evidenced in their planting one, which is appreciated by an avian creature.

I have also planted trees in containers that are in my rooftop garden and have not only been blessed by the beauty they bring to my place; as well as by their often unspoken help to our environment; many birds have come to visit because of them...

Tuesday in the 2019 Octave of Easter

THE STORIES ARE SET IN MY ROOFTOP GARDEN

THE STORIES ARE SET IN MY ROOFTOP GARDEN

It is Tuesday in the Octave of Easter for 2019 and my first day back on Blogger since last Thursday when I notified you, dear reader, that I would be returning to blogging at this time; so, welcome to my 123rd segment of Tuesday's Truths.

I'm not the only one returning to activity: Bees have begun to visit my garden! I have not seen them at my place for years and I'm very grateful for whatever has brought them back! I suspect they like my Muscari which are the purple flowers seen in both images atop this entry.

FLOWERS & FOLIAGE ARE FOR THE BIRDS! (Wednesday's Wisdom)

HOUSE FINCHES ARE  FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

EMILY'S STORY IS IN VOLUME THREE

It is rather common knowledge that "birders who hope to see hummingbirds often plant nectar-bearing flowers to attract them, but hummers aren't the only birds attracted to flowers."

This truism (or wisdom) is certainly evidenced by the photos directly above (taken in my garden a few years ago) where a male house finch seems to be enamored by my blooming Crabapple Tree while a female Baltimore Oriole is spending her time in the midst of my roses.

HEY! HEY! HEY! It's Garden Meditation Day!

MY GARDEN IS THE SETTING FOR "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Earlier today I posted my tandem tale for the week and since that time it has been brought to my attention that today is Garden Meditation Day.

According to Holiday Insights (HI), "Per C.L, Fornari, the creator of this special day: Garden meditation day honors the fact that when we're working in the landscape we have the opportunity, if we choose to take it, to let the rest of the world fall away." 

Therefore. in honor of Garden Meditation Day, I've posted an image atop this entry which features a partial view of how my rooftop garden looks on this "holiday."

It's May! It's May! (Tuesday's Truths Week 82)

OTHER TULIPS ARE  FEATURED IN VOLUME 1

OTHER TULIPS ARE  FEATURED IN VOLUME 1

Welcome to the eighty-second week of my Tuesday's Truths series, which this week is coinciding with the beginning of the month of May, and as has been the case in bygone years, a song (It's May! It's May!) from Camelot is on my mind.

Arbor Day 2018

Today is Arbor Day and as you can see in the Mutts comic strip atop this entry, Mooch and Earl are celebrating it by planting a tree, much to the delight of a bird! Unfortunately, for me, my Arbor Day is being spent with one less tree in my rooftop garden.

Yesterday when Juan V was here to help me with flora placement after I de-winterized my garden, we discovered that my Acer palmatum (AKA 'Shisitatsu' Sawa), a type of maple tree which I have had since 2008 or 2009, had to be  uprooted for the tree had died.

Tuesday's Truths WK 64: Some Halloween decor is not for the birds.

Cam, the cardinal featured in the photograph above, where  she can be seen noshing on one of her favorite treats as she spends time in my urban garden, joins me in welcoming you to the sixty-second week of my Tuesday's Truths series. Today happens to be Halloween and she has urged me to write a post about the decor one might choose outside their home, although at this point you may have decked your halls for this occasion.

Throwback Thursday: "When this old world starts getting me down," I can rarely go "up on the roof" (and now Juan can't either)!

This past Thursday (October 5th, 2017), Juan V came to do his magic in my rooftop garden; and he took the photograph posted atop this entry. As you can see, it's beginning to look a lot like autumn in my garden. The foliage on my Continus Coggygria (Smoke Bush), indicated by the number one in the photo below, as well as the foliage on my Avellana corylus (Contorted Hazelnut), which is indicated by the number two; and the foliage on my Crabapple Tree (indicated by the number three) are beginning to wear their autumn colors.

The circle affixed to the aforementioned image is indicating Juan's shadow as he photographs my garden from the rooftop of the building where I live.

Juan has been taking aerial views of my garden on a bi-monthly basis (during the growing season) since the year 2010. In order to do this, he has to climb up a ladder that is my hallway and thrust open a latch which leads to the building's rooftop.

Tuesday's Truths WK 41: Honoring Love A Tree Day!

Welcome to week forty-one of my Tuesday's Truths series with a post dedicated to Love a Tree Day,  for, according to Holiday Insights (HI), the event is always celebrated on May16th, which is "several days after Arbor Day." 

I discussed Arbor Day in a recent post here on Blogger; and if you'd like to refer to the entry, please click here. In my Arbor Day blog entry, I mentioned the trees which were once in my rooftop garden, including an Acer shirasawanum (Autumn Moon), as well as a Physocarpus opulifolius (Coppertina).  

In the aforementioned posting, I also discussed the trees which are currently flourishing in my place. These include a bonsai-ed Fig, an Acer palmatum ('Shisitatsu' Sawa), as well as a Crabapple, a Fagus sylvatica (Beech Tree), a Japanese Larch (Larix Kaempferi); and a 'Tamukeyama' (AKA) Japanese Maple.

The latter of these trees can be seen in the image atop this blog entry. As you can see, the container housing my 'Tamukeyama,' has cracked; so, the tree needs to be repotted. Last week I traveled to Brooklyn to get a replacement clay pot, and I hope it will fit in the stand! I'll find out next week when Juan V comes to my garden to help me maintain it.