With Cherry Blossom season now over, the peonies and pansies are taking charge and are now on full glorious display across the landscape of Brooklyn’s renowned Botanic Garden. Bold and matte colors of pinks, whites, reds, yellows and purples bloom with pride across the Garden beckoning bees, birds, lizards and humans to take in its array of beauty.
PANSIES : Hamlet Act 4. SCENE 5 …..and there is pansies, that’s for thoughts.
This red and white mixed Peony drew stares at its beauty
A beautiful pink Peony in full bloom
Taking in the wondrous display of mother nature’s beauty amidst the afternoon air laden with sweet scents of petals and blossoms .
I am not one to get lost in a flowerbed, but I will gladly stay hours-on-end at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden walking amongst its blooming spring flowers.
There is no mistaking that Spring 2019 has sprung for Brooklynites like myself . It has also sprung within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The official kick-off party occurred a few weeks ago with thousands enjoying the annual two-day Cherry Blossom Festival and viewing thousands of blooming flowers . With summer beckoning just over the horizon look forward for many more flowers to take bloom and more groovy events occurring throughout the Garden for members and the paying public. One event I will be taking full advantage of will be the late nights offered on Twilight Tuesdays . The Garden will closes at 8pm on Tuesdays through the end of May and at 8:30pm on Tuesdays during the summer months. Also don’t forget that Fridays are always FREE from 8am -Noon.
I was in my mid teens when Sakura Matsuri started at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Back then, the faces attending were mostly of Japanese origin and they came out in droves to celebrate the blooming cherry blossom flowers and rejoice in the planned Japanese cultural programs and activities.
Miu Soda in traditional regal mode
In recent years, the two-day weekend festival has become more popular and has grown by leaps and bounds attracting people of all races, nationalities and cultures. The impact of its popularity is felt in the buildup of traffic as more and more people come to the borough and as attendees join lines snaking along Washington and Flatbush avenues .Many come dressed in their favorite anime costumes or opt to wearing traditional Japanese kimonos. The mostly open -air outdoors celebration gives those attending a taste of Japan with sword fighting displays, Taiko drumming exhibition, manga artists and much more.
Seeing such an assortments of Japanese culture, food and arts made for a breathtakingly beautiful afternoon spent amongst the cherry blossoms.
For many, myself included, attending the annual Sakura Matsuri festival signals, that Spring has finally sprung.
7-year old Kai amongst the blooming flowers at BBG
One of my very best friends, Asako, hails from Japan. I remember talking to her years ago about her country’s most cherished flower and her saying that in Japan they have Sakura Hanami parties throughout the country . Getting dressed up in cultural garb like a Kimono and attending Cherry blossom viewing she says is a serious thing there, where the blooming flowers are watched carefully and celebrated by all.
I am most proud that this festival occurs in my Crown Heights neighborhood with the BBG being a hop, skip and a jump from my doorsteps.My kids especially got a blast seeing all the beautiful flowers in bloom in an assortment of colors. Taking in the festival this past weekend was a joy from seeing the many families in attendance to seeing the festival goers decked out in traditional Kimonos and others in their favorite Japanese inspired costumes. The $25 admittance fee definitely was worth every penny .
Hip hopping with the one and only Akim Funk Buddha and Chihiro ‘Cute Beat’
Crownheightmom.com is definitely looking forward to next year’s festival.
Kameko takes a rest while taking in the colorful flowers
An attendee at the Cherry Blossom festival
The Taiko drums were played loudly and beautifully
“I’m going back to Cali, to Cali, to Cali. I’m going back to Cali—LL CoolJ
Fed up with Winter 2015 crownheightsmom seriously considers relocating to a warmer homebase! YIKES, Say it ain’t so!
Snow filled avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Like most New Yorkers presently I’ve had it with the repetitive snowfall after snowfall that’s hit NYC this winter season. Plus, though cushiony I have fallen on my bottom more times than I can count. Plus, I can no longer stand the deep freeze temps, the mile high mounds of hard ice lining the cross-walks and the muscle power I have exerted towards shoveling and cleaning snow off the car. It’s more times than I like .
Getting the snow off vehicles
I like snow cones in the summer . Slush in the wintertime, I can definitely do without because who knows what lies within those black cesspool-like puddles. I can also do without the slow moving traffic that turns a normally $12 cab ride into a $30 snail ride to nowhere.
Dirty, yucky slush in the streets of NYC
Right about now, I want Ole’ Man Winter gone. So go vamoosh! goodbye! get outta here, beat it, see ya later and don’t come back.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the Wintertime. In fact my husband will tell you whenever it snows I am the first one with my hands up to go out the house to play in it or grab my Akita Hiro to head to Prospect Park.
My Japanese Akita loves the snow
Dogs+Kids+Snow=MAD FUN!
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The kids will let you know that I will grab their snowboards for them and off we go to have crazy fun but, this love has been tested. This winter season in NYC has been a long one with an endless and relentless beat down by mother nature.
The kids grabbing their snowboards to enjoy the snowy downhill ride in the backyard of our Poconos home .
There’s nothing more beautiful than looking out your window and seeing fresh snowflakes falling . Seeing a doe and her family playing in the snow- thats the beauty of nature .Living in the suburbs or in the countryside definitely allows you to appreciate the beauty of a freshly fallen snow.
A deer family in the country
A friendly deer family
For city folks the beauty of having it snow week after week wears thin. Not being able to get around as fast as one wants to, amounts to loss of incoming dollars .
Traffic back-ups and slow moving traffic
Late arriving food trucks the local neighborhood store
In Brooklyn, particularly in my nabe of Crown Heights we have been weathering the snowstorms as they come and has dealt with the results of it—-un-shoveled sidewalks, no parking spaces, traffic congestion, pot holes in the streets and the unseen doggie poo and gosh knows what else mixed in with the snow alongside the sidewalks. Trust me, it has not been a pretty picture this winter.
Hanging in the streets
So right now I am praying to the Sun Gods to come . Is it too much to ask for Springtime to arrive NOW and bring on the flowers, the butterflies and the bees.
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