The 17th Evening: An Inspiration to Decorate

A #ClapBecauseWeCare Participant

The 17th night of clapping and cheering (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) to honor first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic took place last night.

I did not expect to see or hear so many participants tonight as it coincided with the evening of Easter and also an evening in Passover, BUT, much to my pleasant surprise, MANY participated (one an be seen in the image atop this entry and others in the series directly below)...

Session 16

#ClapBecauseWeCare Participants

JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE

The 16th night of clapping and cheering (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) to honor first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic took place a little over twenty minutes ago.

I did not expect to see or hear so many participants tonight as it is Holy Saturday and also a day in Passover, BUT, much to my pleasant surprise, MANY participated (two can be seen in the image atop this entry and others in the series directly below)...

The 15th Session

JULIE, THE WOMAN WHO TOOK PHOTO-OP S OF MY GARDEN
SEE THEM BY CLICKING HERE AND HERE 

The 15th night of clapping and cheering (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) to honor first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic took place a little over an hour ago.

Many people participated but I only took a few pictures (one of which can be seen in the photo atop this entry).

Good Friday 2020

Today, Friday, April 11th, 2020, is Good Friday. It it is also the second day of Passover for this year. As I said in yesterday's entry, here on Blogger, "I always find it difficult to create and publish content during these observances as I don't want to appear disrespectful.

Therefore, the only posting I plan to publish here on Blogger for today (4/10/2020) will be this notification and this evening, I will publish a post re the fourteenth session of the nightly clapping/cheering event (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) which is taking place to honor first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

After all, rather religious observances are occurring or not, those dedicated to keeping us New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic don't stop what they are doing to participate in their given religion's observance, even though it may be an important part of their lives."

Holy Thursday 2020

IMAGE CREDIT

This evening (Holy Thursday) marks the commemoration of the Last Supper and of the ending of the first full day of Passover. I always find it difficult to create and publish content during these observances as I don't want to appear disrespectful.

Therefore, the only posting I plan to publish here on Blogger for today (4/9/2020) will be this notification and this evening, I will publish a post re the fourteenth session of the nightly clapping/cheering event (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) which is taking place to honor first responders and healthcare workers who are keeping New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

After all, rather religious observances are occurring or not, those dedicated to keeping us New Yorkers as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic don't stop what they are doing to participate in their given religion's observance, even though it may be an important part of their lives.

Palm Sunday then (2011) and Now (2020)

IMAGE CREDIT

Today is Palm Sunday 2020 also known as the beginning of Holy Week, which will ends on Easter, a season that then lasts for fifty days.

This 2020 Palm Sunday is like none I've ever known as is the case for people throughout the world affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which is forcing (as a precaution) houses of worship to remain closed to help prevent the spread of this deadly virus.

Therefore, for today's entry, please allow me to revisit some content I published re this holiday back in a 2011 blog post titled A&P Catholics.

On 2011's Palm Sunday my morning routine was what I had I have been doing since the year 2002 or 2003: I went to the Seventy-Fourth Street Home (known as The Home) — an ecumenical assisted living center in the Upper Westside of Manhattan, to visit the homebound, and to assist with the distribution of Holy Communion.

However, on Palm Sunday 2011, we had no hosts, and we could only offer palms; not communion.

The reason for this was that there were throngs of people at the mass (where the hosts are picked up prior to coming to The Home) and the priest ran out of hosts.

The residents at The Home were good natured about their loss, and not surprised that there were not enough hosts to go around, for it is common knowledge that throngs of people do show up at mass on Palm Sunday; as well as Ash Wednesday: The "A  & P" Catholics.

"But I bet the church did not run out of offertory envelopes," a male resident named Vincent (who happens to be blind and who can be seen in the next picture) quipped.

VINCENT IS FEATURED IN "THE RESIDENTS"

Vincent is the author of Wino in a Three Piece Suit, and is dry-humored remark had caused another resident Mada (pictured below) to laugh heartily.

MADA IS FEATURED IN THE RESIDENTS

Vincent and Mada are featured in a short video within my Vimeo Library.

It is titled, The Residents, and includes a few of the other folks who were living there  at the time of this Palm Sunday humor.

Today will likely be a difficult time for residents who still live there as well as for residents of any assisted living facility throughout the world, as places like that are on lockdown meaning their loved ones and friends cannot come in to visit them as per the concerted effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Hopefully the faith of those confined to these facilities and the faith of everyone in the world will sustain them this Palm Sunday and beyond.

Tuesday's Truths WK 35: Mourning Doves "PLAY POSSUM"

The image atop this entry shows a lone mourning dove in my garden, which as you may know, is on a "roof extension" in NYC. At first glance you might think that the dove has an injured wing which is exactly what he wants you to think! Doves do use the broken wing tactic to draw predators away from a nest site. 

Welcome to the thirty-fifth segment of Tuesday's Truths, where I will tell you a fact about this behavior known as the broken wing tactic. Young mourning doves are referred to as "squabs." 

And as an informative web-page states, squabs are "devoted parents rarely leave the nest or their young unattended. If danger is detected near them, they will perform  nest-distraction displays, such as a broken-wing display, during which they flutter on the ground pretending to be injured and easy prey -  to draw the predator's attention to them."

When I see mourning doves doing this, I say they are playing possum. This is because "apparent death, colloquially known as playing dead, feigning death, or playing possum, is a behavior in which an animal takes on the appearance of being dead. This form of animal deception is an adaptive behavior also known as tonic immobility or thanatosis. Apparent death can be used as a defense mechanism or as a form of aggressive mimicry, and occurs in a wide range of animals;" according to Wiki.

However, my seeing the dove behave this way could also be that he may have been sunning himself, even though it was not that warm. WBU explains that a mourning dove's "instinct to sunbathe even when already heat-stressed, supports the idea that it’s not always to warm the body. Like humans they probably enjoy a few rays but their main reasons for sunning must be to keep their feathers in top shape. Some ways birds maintain feather quality is through water, dust, and sun bathing.

"Most birds have a preen gland or uropygial gland at the base of the tail. With their beak, birds realign the barbs correctly, remove any dirt or parasites and apply preen oil. If the bird sunbathes the oil is exposed to the ultraviolet light from the sun. Then the uropygial gland secretions convert to an active form of vitamin D which is ingested with the next preening. This may explain in part why some birds sunbathe.

"However, doves don’t have the preen gland. Instead they grow powder down feathers that grow continuously and never molt. The barbs at the feather tips constantly disintegrate into a fine, talc-like, water-resistant powder. If you’ve ever seen a window strike by a dove, you may have seen a “ghost bird” on the glass. This is actually a tracing of the bird left on the glass by its powder down.

"In late summer doves are growing new outer feathers. Like ironing our clothes, the heat of the sun might help make it easier for doves to shape their new feathers. And along with easing discomfort associated with molting, the sun may also help dislodge parasites so the bird can preen them off more easily."

Perhaps the dove I saw was doing a bit of both: grabbing some Vitamin D while he could (as we've had very little sun); while feigning an injury so he could take a nap, as evidenced by his closed eyelids.

Julie Feinstein writes male and female mourning doves "have a small dark comma-shaped mark on both sides of the head below and behind the eyes. Their eyes are dark brown and ringed about with pastel blue skin. Their eyelids are blue, too -- one of my favorite things is to find a mourning dove asleep with its powder blue eyelids showing." And I feel the same way way when I see mourning doves do this, it is peaceful sight.

SPRUNG? Pistachio Buds?

Today marks one week and a day since the "official" onset of spring, and on the eve of this year's Vernal Equinox, which was also the eve of the first day of spring, my crocuses and my tulips among other things were aready providing some entertainment and ambiance. 

This is the first year, that I have had crocuses in my rooftop garden I find them to be a sweet looking flower and that their brilliant green foliage (which is enhanced with white "pin stripes") is also awesome.

A few of my crocuses can be seen in the images posted below, and these varieties were planted this past November within the large containers where my Actinida kolomikta and Actimida AKA Kiwi Vines as well as my Continus Coggygria AKA Smoke Bush live respectively. 

Some of my Crocuses Sharing Digs with my Actinida kolomikta and Actimida 

Going Solo (View of One of my Crocuses Sharing Digs with my Continus Coggygria)

To me, the crocuses exude joy and their playful nature makes me wonder why I waited until this past November to include them in my garden. These little flowers with their pin striped foliage (although I've never heard anyone else refer to heir leaves with this particular description) have caused folks from all walks of life to be inspired to include them in their prose.

In his poem, The Year's Awakening, Thomas Hardy wrote:

How do you know, deep underground,

Hid in your bed from sight and sound,

Without a turn in temperature,

With weather life can scarce endure,

That light has won a fraction's strength,

And day put on some moments' length,

Whereof in merest rote will come,

Weeks hence, mild airs that do not numb;

O crocus root, how do you know, 

How do you know?

And, like Hardy, I marvel at the presence, as well as the resilience of my sweet crocuses, and I take pictures of them as one does with a new born child; ever conscious that each moment is unique, short-lived and precious. Perhaps, dear reader, you might have surmised this from your own experience with these flowers or from images which I am including  below:

My Crocuses Sharing Digs With My Actinida kolomikta and Actimida  

When I see my crocuses closing their petals to take a nap or to protect their insides from colder temperatures, wind and heavy rain (such as they are doing in the image posted above), I sometimes think of the meaning of my surname which is Youngquist, a Swedish name, that comes from a plant that can survive under any condition.

As for me, I am a bit weary of seeing that indeed I can survive under adverse conditions, and, in my whimsical moments, I wonder if my crocuses feel the same way about being survivors. 

Sometimes it seems it would be nice to have a name that translated into one who survives best under cushy conditions. In any event, my crocuses seem to take life as it comes, and they appear to enjoy their moments in the sun as seen in the image below of to of them mugging for the camera. 

My Crocuses Sharing Digs with my Continus Coggygria 

The feelings, reactions and inspiration that crocuses can cause seem to be as varied as the crocuses themselves. 

For example, Raymond Carver, has quite a different "take" on the sweet flower than Thomas Hardy seemed to have. In his poem, Two Worlds, Carver "weighs in" on on crocuses with the following:

In air heavy,

with odor of crocuses,

sensual smell of crocuses,

I watch a lemon sun disappear,

a sea change blue

to olive black.

I watch lighting leap from Asia as

sleeping.

my love stirs and breathes and

sleeps again,

part of this world and yet 

part that.

Two of my Crocuses Sharing Digs With My Actinida kolomikta and Actimida

"The winter that wasn't . . . " (at least in NYC)

One day the temperatures are in the mid-seventies, the next day they are only in the mid-forties; and it's only mid-March in New York City, where I live and have a terrace garden. From what I understand, these "mood swing" temperatures are occurring in many parts of the world.

No, I did not give up blogging for Lent . . . (and other TLLG Updates)

Because nineteen days (or two and a half weeks) have passed since February 21st 2012, which also happens to have been Shrove Tuesday (or the day before Ash Wednesday, a day that marks the beginning of Lent), and was the last time I posted here on TLLG, you, dear reader, might have presumed that I gave up blogging on TLLG for Lent.

Easter Season Decor Ends (for the year) in the Indoor Succulent Garden

This past Sunday was the Feast of Pentecost, which ends the Easter Season, and, even though the Easter Season is a fifty day celebration, I am already feeling a bit unfulfilled —  despite my participation in the intense Easter observances as well as the preparation for them during Lent. 

Therefore, I was consoled to read the following comment by the blogger, Emily L. Hauser who is referring to her experience with her 2011 Passover celebrations.

Hauser writes, "It really does seem that every year, Passover goes by faster. One minute I'm hyperventilating over the inhumane amount of cleaning, the next minute I'm saying 'what, it's over?' But here we are. Tonight is the start of the second holiday, the one that closes the week, and boom — its back to bread." I realize that Passover 2011 ended quite some time ago, and that for Ms. Hauser the festival of Shavuot (which is symbolically and historically related to Pentecost) was last week, but it is aways comforting to be reminded of the fact that my emotions are hardly unique to me, and that, in fact quite often, they transcend cultures and belief systems.  

Additionally, as this Easter Season comes to a close, I am also reminded that it is probably time to remove the Easter decorations that are interspersed with my indoor garden of succulents which grow  (under a special lighting system using cold/hot bulbs) in containers that have been lovingly and strategically placed on top of humidity trays (that are laden with pebbles), which are resting on a space 

I've created for an indoor garden on top of my kitchen armoire. (Please see this past blog entry for details.) You may recall, dear reader, that I initially created this indoor garden during wintertime (a few years ago) to have a home for some of my plants that would not withstand winter temperatures and conditions. (Yes, this does happen with my outdoor plants — on rare occasions —  in spite of my attentive winterizing methods — methods that I have described in a previous blog post which can be found by clicking here.

In any event, indoor gardens are quite nice to have — even if you do have the space for an outdoor garden. You may recall that in an earlier blog entry I wrote about a neighborhood indoor garden, a garden that is a celebration of the textures of succulents; and if you'd like to reread it, you may refer to by clicking here.

As for my "armoire-top" garden, it now contains a variety of succulents found at the Greenmarket at Union Square in New York City. 

A & P Catholics

Today is Palm Sunday,"the sixth and last Sunday of Lent, and beginning of Holy Week",  which ends on Easter, a season that then lasts for fifty days, which this year will be June 12th 2011. Therefore, if you have not gotten your Easter cards for those near and dear to you, there is still time, so please take a look at the selections I have for this occasion in the store-front of my web-site.

The cards are lovely for Passover  too, which also begins this week, at sundown tomorrow, April 18th, 2011, and goes until April 26th 2011. Both of these holidays take a certain amount of spiritual preparation, and can catch one "off guard" when the holiday arrives, no matter what good intentions are involved in being ready to observe the holiday and extend good wishes to others.