The new gingko tree we planted in our backyard last week has really done pretty well.
Just kidding, the gingko tree can be found at Fort Tryon Park, which is possibly even more beautiful this weekend than it usually is.
I was convinced that, whatever else happens in my life, I need to end up within walking distance of 1) a park, and 2) a subway. Which is not to say I love the subway as a reality — it’s actually torture, if you have to use it regularly — but it’s better than driving. This week I squeezed onto a packed train at 145th Street that was experience heavy delays resulting from some “hanging debris” at 110th Street, which meant that all of the trains were running on the express line. A short, fat woman stood next to me muttering loudly about how much she hated the MTA with all of its “signal problems” and “crowded trains” and whatever else makes it such an imperfect system. At one point, she pulled out her phone and started talking. “Yeah, I’m stuck on the train, I’ll be there as soon as I can, I’m on my way,” etc. which was unremarkable except for the fact that there was no cell phone service in the tunnel, which made me suspect that she wasn’t talking to anyone. Sometimes people just slip over the line into insanity and it’s completely understandable.
I’ve always loved any plant in the cotoneaster family. Seeing what the parks department does makes me think that they should be in charge of 1) the MTA, 2) the city, 3) NASA, and 4) Time Warner cable.
This park was making me insane, I realized, but in a good way.
What could be more Gothic/Victorian than hyndrangeas leaching color?
Now that’s it cool but not freezing, the nicotiana is thriving.
Back home, our garden wasn’t quite up to Fort Tryon standards, but we were pleased by the Japanese maple, which is turning red for the first time in a few years. I wished that I could turn over the management of our house to the parks department.
The front yard was filled with oak leaves and acorns.
Not every leaf was quite ready to let go.
Not every flying snake was ready to die, either, although Elektra was ready to kill all of them.
Zephyr kept watch on the ground.
Dante ran messages.
And Clio got in trouble for climbing on the counter and pulling down an entire chicken breast while nobody was looking.
