I've become attached to this garden.

Pedaling along here still soaking it in. Conservatory Garden | Central Park (north at 105th Street and Fifth Ave)

Petals.

Petals in mass.

Romy and Harlem.

A band of sisters in Harlem. Little Romy running away…as she loves to do. I guess she got up on those little legs and loves the freedom they offer. She squeals as someone calls after her to slow down or come back. When she stops, it is to watch something else she would really like to be doing. Like the boys playing basketball. She watched for a while and then ran right up to them trying to get the ball. Not scared of size difference or that the ball is bigger than her head.

Spring fever.

Dizzying.

Happy Birthday, Marguerite.

Marguerite turned 9 this past weekend. Her friend, Brune, joined us for the celebration. (Brune captivates Colette. Big eyes, she follows her around the house, shouting “Broom!”). Every age suits Marguerite – who is gracefully taller and taller – she glides. She has a generous giggle for Colette’s larks. And Colette is crazy about her big sister. They spend hours in Marguerite’s room in secluded play – telling secrets, being sisters. Sometimes Romy gets to stay and those two sisters are the best candidates for understanding her babbles.

For Marguerite’s birthday, we put on a birthday treasure hunt. 9 clues – a little present at each clue site, leading to one big one at the end. Marguerite, Brune and Colette raced frantically up and down the stairs, in and out of the house from one clue to the next (Colette shrieked trying to keep pace. Romy was content to toddle around the parlor floor, listening to the ado). The parasol was a true hit.
















The disappointment of not being big enough to play...


...but being small enough to twirl with cousin Eva makes up for it.

Conversation.

Different styles. Pretty amusing.



Romy, animated, with her hands.




Colette - talking about her friends on the school bus. (I don't want to break it to her - kids in NYC don't often have school buses). Please note the point where she brings Bindia and Jammin (longtime friends) into the conversation directly.

Cherry blossom branches

Spring in New York is sensational – a bombardment. I wanted to bring some of it inside. So, last weekend, I woke up early on Saturday morning and met Stephen and John for breakfast and a trip to the Flower Market on 28th Street. Stephen knows his way around thanks to lots of time spent working on jobs that required an early morning rendez-vous among the peonies (the array! the selection!). Some of the shops featured blossoming branches exclusively and I walked away with a bundle of cherry blossom branches I could just circle my arms around and shot up past my head by a foot. It was a clumsy subway ride home. The timing was perfect though. The blossoms began and have transformed the inside of our house this week into an extension of the beauty outside.