Violets 1 – Crocus 0

March Madness might be over (and WVU might have lost to Duke) but the contest for control of the center court, or lawn, at North Church Queens continues into April Insanity.

Most of the first and second string crocus have fouled out. Daffodils and T.U.L.I.P.s (this is, after all, a Presbyterian venue) have come off the bench to play in the late spring game. But where the crocus once dominated, grass is now carrying on a full court press with a few lone violets (one in the photo right) occasionally substituting. Thus, violets 1 – Crocus 0.

If April showers bring May flowers, what is next? May Mental Illness and a lawn dominated by may apples or crabgrass?

Since Baseball, rather than Basketball, is the game of late spring, summer, and early fall, perhaps I should shift sport metphors. Violets have come out of the bull pen to substitute for the crocus?

The Last Crocus of Spring?

For the past month, through rain and sun, warm weather and cold, calm days and wind, I have been observing and photographing the crocus growing, and dying, in the front yard of North Church Queens. The budding, flowering, and near death of these little signs of spring has been a nature lesson in miniature.

Last week at this time I thought the crocus were done for, victims of wind and cold. But this week a few crocus still remain, one of them appearing in the photo to the right. Where once there had been bunches of five or more spread across the lawn, now only one or two are still growing in those spots, isolated heralds of spring in their little tuft of turf, their proclamation of spring having been usurped by brilliant yellow flowering daffodils.

Now that warm and sunny weather has returned once again to the Big Apple after several days of cold drenching rain, the few remaining crocus, standing like Gendarmes guarding against a late spring snow, seem to have done their duty. Will there be any remaining on guard duty next week?

Living in a urban environment where one's connection to the cycles of nature can easily be eclipsed by concrete and neon, I have been reminded by the crocus in the lawn at North Church Queens to be mindful of even small natural wonders.

What Happened To Spring?

After daytime highs in the low70’s and nighttime lows in the 40’s and 50’s, the weather has turned cold again. Today’s high in New York City was 44°F. Tonight’s low is predicted to drop down to 27°F. Brrrrr!

It was so cold this morning when I walked Myrrhlyn that I had to go to wear a heavy jacket, the first time I have had to do so in over a week. Along with my heavy jacket I also wore gloves this morning, so obviously shorts were not part of the attire.

After posting photos of spring crocus the previous two Fridays I thought I might chronicle these spring flowers over the next several weeks. When I went outside to photograph them on Wednesday, however, I discovered that because of the wind an cold that they had already started to wither and die. The crocuses were croaking! I did not know these little heralds of spring were so fragile and short lived.

This could very well be the last photo of living and dying crocus that I crop for posting to Summit to Shore. The next time I go out to photograph them, they might be a clump of dead blossoms and stems.

More Sure Signs of Spring

Last friday I noted that welcome signs of spring were becoming evident here in New York City. The crocus I photographed and wrote about last week have bloomed (photo right) and the mercury topped out yesterday above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Today promises to be a repeat of yesterday, with a mild breeze, clear blue skies, and lots and lots of sunshine.

Another sure sign of spring closer to home is the fact that today I opened the window in the room where I am working, allowing the fresh spring air (and street noise) to replace the stale winter air (and relative quiet) that has been in the house since late fall. I will undoubtedly close the window this evening after dark when the temperature drops, but for now the open window is a welcome environmental change.

A more personal sure sign of spring is that today I am wearing shorts. Regardless of the weather I try to wear shorts at least one day in March, and this is the first day I have worn them since fall. With the temperature pushing 70, it has been a joy to wear them today, along with a short sleeved shirt and a pair of Birkenstocks. The shorts will most likely reappear tomorrow.

I think summer is not far away?

Welcome Signs of Spring

This has been my third winter in New York City and by far it has been the harshest. It has been colder and with more snow, so I have anxiously been waiting, in spite of any ground hog’s prognostication about winter’s lingering, for warmer spring like weather. The lengthening days, with the sun rising around six, and the warmer temperatures, topping out at 60 in Central Park a few days ago, have been teasing me, alerting my senses that spring cannot be far away.

My spirit was lifted this past Wednesday when, even as nearby piles of snow were still melting away, for the first time this season I spotted crocus making their way through the damp, loose soil, as if these little flowering signs of spring were preparing to fend off any last onslaught of winter. They were making their proclamation in the front lawn of North Church Queens, along 154th street, north of Flushing and south of Whitestone. I could not have preached a better sermon from the church's pulpit about new life and resurrection than they.

Demeter must finally be in a better mood. I know that I am now that my very own eyes have seen these heralds of spring.